Christs Victory Over the Dragon, Text (10 of 15)

Christs Victory Over the Dragon · Text (10 of 15)

p. 519What a griefe is it, to cast our eyes abroad into the world, and consider what a small part of it is come in, as subiects to this King? In the Easterne part of the world we may see Gog and Magog, Turkes, Jewes, and Sarazens, to hold out this Kingdome of Christ, and set up Mahomet against him, the god of that part of the world. In the Westerne part we may see Antichrist, Apollyon, his Holinesse, the Arch-enemy of the Churches of the Gentiles, holding out by power and policy, by force and fraud, this Kingdome of our God in the most of this Westerne world, and none may buy or sell, no nor breath or live, but such as receive the marke of the beast in their hands and foreheads: So as wee must beleeve Jesus Christ to bee the great King. For if we should trust our senses, he seemeth, in comparison of the world, to be as Ishbosheth, a King without a Kingdome.

p. 520II. To come nearer to our owne Countrey; If we turne our eyes home, wee may finde matter of mourning, that this Kingdome of the Lord hath gotten no more ground in this Kingdome, or rather hath lost much ground of late yeares; sure it is, God never gave more excellent gifts, nor more furnished lights to his Church in any age since the Apostles, then in this last age, since the discovery of that Antichristian darknesse, nor in this age unto any nation more than unto this nation; and where he giveth much, doth he not require much? But oh the misery that is come upon his Church, that,

1. Whereas wee should have beene generally setled on our Rocke and foundations without wavering, we are now calling our grounds in question, and must dispute against deniers of our principles.

2. Whereas Antichrist and Popery was a dead stinking carkeise, detestable to every man of any nose or iudgement, now the dead bones seeme to reunite themselves, and flesh and skinne to come on them, and begin to revive and take heart, and contest, yea, iustle againe with the truth, which once gave it the deadly wound, as if it had brought seven spirits worse than before, to take possession againe.

3. Whereas painefull Preachers have beene worthily honoured, and Gods graces admired in them in former times, when the Word of God had free passage, and was glorified; what a griefe is it to see them now disdained, and in stead of them to behold those Locusts, the Priests and Jesuites, (fighting under their King Abbaddon, and consuming the greene grasse, and prevailing against so many, high and low, in these dayes of light?) to see these set by.

4. Whereas the doctrine of the Sabbath was described plainely out of the Word of God, and practised (unlesse in very rude places) in holy and commendable p. 521manner; now the holy observation of it is rather accounted a kinde of heresie, and all the dayes of the weeke afford not so much profanesse, as that day, wherein all the subiects of the Lords Kingdome ought onelyonly to attend upon himselfe.

5. How did the Lord Jesus mourne when hee saw the Jews without able Teachers as sheep without shepheards? Mat. 9. 36. And what a mournfull sight were it, to see a goodly field ready for the harvest, but never a man in the Countrey to gather it in, but there it must rot! So, what a lamentable thing is it▪ to see so many Churches and Parishes without able Ministers, and some countries utterly barren of meanes to gather them into the Kingdome! whose Ministers, in stead of feeding them, either sterve them or poyson thē; in stead of directing and comforting the poore Church, smite her & wound her, & shame her by taking away her vaile from her. What a case was the poore Church in, when the Pharises made a Canon, that if any did sincerely professe Jesus Christ, hee should bee excommunicated? Iohn 9. 22. and afterward, whē Diotrephes cast men out of the Church for receiving the brethren? 3. Iohn 10.

6. How did David mourne, and his eyes gush out rivers of teares, because men kept not the Word! The same cause have wee, to see men generally cast off the regiment of Jesus Christ, and led by the devill and their owne lusts: The desperate prophanesse against the meanes, is most damnable: The Trumpet of the Gospell cals them to subiection, but they say, This man shall not rule over us.

7. Wee have cause of mourning, to see the Gospell going away, and the Kingdome a taking away from us, that is, The Word of the Kingdome, and the meanes of grace. Who doth not see the Word of the Kingdome gone in the power of it? p. 522For, where may a man see the power of it, (but in a very small remnant) so farre from the power of converting, that it cannot prevaile against open sins, nor trifling vanities? And who seeth not the kingdome going away in the presence of it, as wel as in the power? Will Christ stay where hee is so unwelcome? May wee not heare the same voyce as the Jewes did, Mat. 21. 43. because they refused the Corner stone, therefore the Kingdome should be taken from them, and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruits of it? Or is it not a refusing of the Corner stone, to trample upon the Preachers and Professors of holy religion, and preferre before them, Priests and Papists, and to fall in love againe with Antichristian Idolatry, and Masses, and Breaden gods, which reverse our Corner stone, and cannot stand with the presence of the Arke? So long as we have the Bridegroome with us, wee may reioyce, however other things goe with us; but if he goe, then our sorrowes come in as an unresistable flood.

III. To come to our owne places: It will set griefe to every good heart, to see how little ground the kingdome of the Lord hath gotten a long time: If we shall see, that after thirty or forty yeares constant preaching, Magistrates, professing religion, are carelesse of religion, as Gallio; let religion runne as it will, so that their aimes may succeed, and projects prosper; and not seldome turne the edge of authority against religion and religious persons: If wee see, that Magistracie will not bee wonne to joyne with the Ministery, to set an edge, and add a point to holy doctrine, to make our weapons the more mighty and piercing against sinne and sinners.

Well knowes Satan the Kingdomes of the world would bee the Lords, if these his two Ordinances should shake hands; if David and Nathan, or God, p. 523stand together, Iosias and Huldas; and therefore labour to divulse them, and prevailes so farre as wee seldome enjoy their happy conjunction.

What a griefe is it, that when wee call for the sanctification of the Sabbath, according to Gods speciall Commandement, and yeare by yeare urge the reformation of notorious abuses, yet after many yeares nothing is amended? there is no lesse working, no lesse playing, nay, more open prophanesse than before; that strangers from forraine parts admire to see the disorder of this place, and the open prophanesse, which hath had a name of good teaching and government.

And as in this, so in other things our comfort must be this, that we can grieve at what we cannot amend; & that the peace of your open prophanesse is proclaimed by your selves, & disclaimed by your Preachers.

What a griefe is it, that while we preach the word of peace, we are all broken into pieces, and waste out our time, wealth, thoughts, in frivolous quarrels, and willingly part with our peace with God, with charity to our brethren, with inward contentment, and outward credit and reputation?

And to conclude this point, if wee shall see Christ a loser amongst us, and that men are so farre from growing according to the means, as they grow more froward, more wilfull, more weary, and apparently lose the good things they have begun: They were diligent hearers, men of good example, and earnest affections, but now turned away, either by Popish perswaders, or by the perswasion of their owne deceitfull hearts; how may wee grieve at the apostasie of such persons, as if the Word of God were not the same, of the same savour and sweetnesse as ever it was; and if it be, they cannot bee the same. Well were it for them to consider, that righteousnesse p. 524departed from shall never bee remembred.

In all these evils, if all our paines, study, and counsell cannot prevaile, wee must turne us to sorrow and teares and mourne over you, as Christ over Jerusalem, who wept and said, Oh that thou hadst knowne the day of thy visitation! but now these things are hid from thine eyes, Luke 19. 42.

IV. But most just cause of griefe and sorrow wee have, when wee see that the Kingdome of God gets no more ground in our selves, and in our own hearts, than it doth: as,

1. If wee can finde, that Christ hath long and many a day knocked at the doore of our hearts, and sought entrance, but we have not opened our everlasting gates, that the King of glory might come in unto us, Psal. 24. We make shew of receiving him into the Porters lodge, by a formall and livelesse profession, but wee cannot afford him a roome in the Inne of our hearts, nor allow him a rest there, as those that rest in him, as our chiefe good; we cannot esteeme him our Jewell, and other things drosse in comparison of him.

2. When we find the word tastlesse and powerlesse in us, which is the Scepter of this Kingdome, by which it is upheld; when it is not so sweete unto our taste, as honey in our mouthes; when we doe not account our it treasure, above all pearles and precious things; when our hearts are not set upon it, our lives not framed by it, our selves not delivered unto it, or changed by it into the fashion of it. So much place as the Word hath in thee, so much place hath Christ himselfe. If the Word have no place in thee, no more hath Christ nor his Kingdome.

3. If we finde not our lusts tamed, and the enemies of the Kingdome not subdued in our selves, our former corruptions unmortified, not crucified, our love p. 525to sinne no lesse then formerly; the love of the world not conquered; ourselves not denyed, nor can deny our profits and pleasures: Now may wee justly mourne, that the kingdome of darknesse stands so strong in us, that all the battery and meanes planted against it, cannot demolish and cast it downe.

4. If wee finde the Spirit of grace and fortitude foyled, and grieved in us; that wee grow not stronger and more chearefull in good and holy duties of piety and mercy: that we are not stronger nor stouter in affliction & sufferings: when we cannot endure losses and reproaches for the name of Jesus Christ, nor bee chearefull in other trials; when the Spirit brings not this Kingdome of God within us, which stands in peace, joy, love of God, which is an heaven upon earth; this Kingdome of grace set up in the heart of a Christian, is indeed an earthly Paradise.

5. If wee have made some way toward this kingdome, but growne heavy and weary; if wee be fallen from our first love; if wee have set our hands to the Plough, and looked backe to the world, to Popery, to carnall counsels, wee cannot bee fi… for the Kingdome of God, Luke 9. 62.

And the power of his Christ.]

The Church having sung out the praises of God, the giver of her happy victory, in these words, with the same loud and fervent voyce, proclaimeth the due praise and honour of Michael the Generall. In whom wee have,

1. His Title, Christ.

2. His relation to God the Father, his Christ.

3. His Attribute, power.

I. The Title (Christ) signifyeth one anoynted, or the Messiah, whereof yee lately heard, both the p. 526things wherein it chiefly consisteth; namely,

1. In the ordination and separation of his whole person, to the Office of a Mediator.

2. In the plentifull effusion of all gifts and graces, fit for the Head of the Church; as also the differences of his anointing, from all the legal anoyntings of their Kings, Priests and Prophets; they by men, hee by God; they with externall oyle, he with internall; they ceremonially, in shadow, he truely and substantially; they to a small measure, he beyond all measure; they for themselves, he for his members: Therefore here onelyonly consider, that this unction hath speciall reference to his Kingly Office, and is so farre here properly considerable.

II. For the word of relation; hee is called his Christ, or the Lords Christ.

First, for distinction; for other Kings were anoynted, and set up by men; but none else thus immediately set up by God; Psalme …. I have set my King upon Sion.

Secondly, for eminence; all other Kings were anoynted as members of the Church, though heads of the Civill Kingdome; but Christ onelyonly, the Lords Christ, was anoynted as Head of the Church.

Thirdly, for neare relation; they were (some of them) sonnes of God by adoption; but Christ was his owne naturall Sonne, and had the divine nature dwelling in him, not onelyonly vertually and powerfully as they, but substantially and bodily after a sort, Col. 2.

III. The Attribute here ascribed unto Christ, is power: The power of Christ is twofold.

One, as he is the Sonne of God.

Another, as the Christ of God.

The former is potentia creationis, which hee hath Theophylacti est distinctio.equall with his Father, over all men and creatures.

p. 527The other is potentia conciliationis, as hee is Mediator, whereby hee ruleth in the Church, among Saints, who are in speciall subjection and confederacy with him. For further explication wee must inquire,

1. The difference betweene these two.

2. Which of them is here meant.

The difference betweene these two is in foure things.

1. One of them is essentiall, called foreign, even the same essentiall Omnipotence with his Father and the Holy Ghost, as God. The other is officiall, the power not of Essence, but of Office, as Christ.

2. The former was before all time, this given him in time.

3. The former incommunicable to any creature; for finite is not capable of infinite; the latter communicable to Christ himselfe.

4. The former is unchangeable and everlasting, but the latter given up againe to his Father, of whom hee received it, 1 Cor. 15.

Quest, Now which of these is here meant?

Ans. The latter, which is the regall power of Christ, the Mediatour, which putteth forth it selfe two wayes.

1. In preserving and defending his Church against all enemies, spirituall and temporall, whether wicked spirits, or wicked men tyrants and persecutors.

2. In the conversion or eversion of his enemies, breaking to pieces such Princes as will not bend, & be bowed, and dashing to pieces like a Potters vessell, so Psal. 2. 9. 12▪Ps 2:9Ps 2:12many as will not kisse the Sonne of God to testifie thereby their amity and subjection.

And now singeth the Church, Here is this power of Christ the King of his Church manifest; the dragon was potent, but Michael is Omnipotent; the dragon p. 528was powerfull in earth against the Church, but Jesus Christ hath all power in heaven and earth, whereby he hath gloriously overthrowne him.

The power of Christ, as Mediatour, is superiour to Doctr.all other created power: Not his essentiall power onelyonly, as the Sonne of God, but even the power of his Office, as the Lords Christ, and as the royall King of his Church, is superiour to all created power besides: Phil. 3. 21.—According to the working, whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe. Heb. 2. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet: In that he put all in subjection under him, hee left nothing that is not put under him.

1. His is a full power; a plenitude of power, Mat. Reas. 1.28. 18. All power is given to mee in heaven and earth. Other creatures have much power given them, but he hath all power; power in heaven to pacifie his Fathers wrath, to open heavē which was shut by sinne, and to crowne the Saints his members, with heavenly glory. He hath also all power in earth, to chuse out of the world a people where hee will, to gather and call by his voyce those whom hee hath chosen, to perfect and keepe in his name those whom hee hath gathered, to represse, tame, and overcome all their enemies. In all which is a plenitude or fulnesse of power, not agreeable to any creature.

2. No other creature hath either right or capablenesse 2of this power. The first-borne only had a right and power over all the rest of the brethren, & none of them over him; so hath Christ, as Mediatour, the first-borne of many brethren.

Againe, other creatures may have great power, some by usurpation, as Satan the god of the world; some by commission and permission, as lawfull Princes and Magistrates, but Christ by right of inheritance hath all power, and this grounded in the love of the p. 529Father; Iohn 3. 35. The Father loveth the Sonne, and hath given all power, and all things into his hand: No creature can have all things in his hand. Here is a just right and undoubted title.

Againe, as the Father only can give it, so the Sonne onelyonly can receive it; because it is a power attending the hypostaticall union of the two natures, and therefore proper to Jesus Christ.

Finally, not any one member, nor all put together are capable of the gifts of the Head; but the Father hath appointed him head of all things.

3. By Induction we shall see this power of Christ above the power of all creatures; and how can it bee 3other, seeing he that sustaineth all things by his mighty Word, must bee more powerfull than they all, Hebr. 1.

First, his power is above all created power in heaven. For hee is the Lord of the holy Angels, and even these glorious creatures that excell in power, attend and worship him, comming into the world to save the world, Heb. 1. 6. and also comming againe to judge the world, is attended with all the holy Angels; who are therefore called his Angels, because to him, as their Lord, the Angels and powers are subject, 1 Pet. 3 ult.

Secondly, his power is above all humane power; for his is absolute, mens power limited: All humane powers are held of him; by him and for him Kings raigne, he holds off none, but hath a soveraignty in Prov. 8. 15.Prov 8:15his owne right. All their power concerneth things on earth, and can goe no farther but to binde the outward man; but his chiefe power is spirituall, in things heavenly, ruling in the hearts and consciences of men; of which the tribunals of men can take no notice.

Thirdly, his power is above all the power of wicked creatures, be they neverso desperately contrary.

p. 530The Devils and wicked spirits obey him, and cannot resist his Word, as we see every where in the Gospel: And wicked men shall one day confesse with Iulian, Vicisti Galilaee, Jesus of Galilec hath overcome us.

Fourthly, his power is above all the power of unreasonable and senselesse creatures, bee they never so fierce and raging; Mat. 8. 27. Who is this, whom the windes and seas obey? Also fire and water, as in the Furnace a fourth was seene like the Sonne of God, restraining Dan. 3. 25.Dan 3:25the flames, who afterward walked on the waters. Also diseases obey him; hee saith to the Leper, Be cleane, and he is so; to the lame man, Take up thy bed and walke, and hee doth so; to the blinde, Wash and see, and so it is. And what marvell, seeing death it selfe obeyes, and delivers his prey, at his word? Iohn 11. 44. at that Word Lazarus came forth, bound hand and foot.

This concernes the enemies of Christ, and of his Vse 1.Kingdome; to terrifie them, seeing such is the power of Christ, as will make them all his footstoole; and though they carry matters with strong hand against him, they shall not doe so alwayes: for,

1. This power will reach them, and they shall feele it one day.

2. It will bridle them, and they shall not resist it as now they doe.

3 It will prevaile against them, to bend or break, to save or condemne them.

4. The greater they be, it will get it selfe more honour upon them, as Pharaoh, and they shall see and say, it is hard to kicke against the pricks.

More specially;

1. Every naturall man is an enemy of Christ; every one till hee bee regenerate and reconciled, every sinner going on in his sinne. Let this power of Jesus Christ shake thee out of thy sinnes; for, was it such p. 531in his low and base estate, as all the devils in hel could not resist, but with one word were quelled; and doe we dare to provoke him now in glory? are we stronger than hee? 1 Cor. 10. 21. How desperately doe wicked men goe on in sinne, as if they were able to make their party good against him?

2. They are his enemies who will not suffer him to raigne over them, (Luke 19. 27.) but cast off his yoake, and tread his Scepter under foot: Enemies to his Word are enemies to himselfe; as.

First, such as forbid to preach the Word, as the enemies of Ieremy, chap. 11. 19. and the Rulers, to the Apostles, Did not wee charge you to preach no more in this name? Acts 4. 17. and 5. 28.

Secondly, such as consult evill against the Preachers of the Gospell, under colcurs and pretences; like those who said they were Abrahams seed, yet went about to kill Christ; why? because his Word had no place in them, Iohn 8. 37. Violencing of Christ in himselfe or his members, is a signe of an enemy of Christ.

Thirdly, such as snuffe and murmure at holy and wholesome doctrine, and conceive wrath where they should apply the truth for their owne reformation; Iohn 6. 41. They murmured, because hee said, I am the bread that came down frō heavē. Why, he preacheth himselfe and hath his owne ends, and what hath hee to doe with us? what calling hath hee to bee so busie? But what, is it not the truth that is spoken? canst thou hate the truth, and not bee an enemy of Christ? Oh what a fearefull thing is it to stand thus in enmity against Christ, his Word, or servants! the power of Christ one day with one word shall smite them to the earth, as all his apprehenders, Ioh. 18. 6. and thou that wilt not bee subject to the rod of his mouth, shalt be crushed with his rod of iron. Ps. 2. 9.

p. 5323. That great Antichrist, and all his deluded armies, regular, and secular, are the greatest enemies to the whole Kingdome of Christ; whose whole doctrine and religion is but a disthroning of the Sonne of God from his power and regency. And now they fight with all their power and politike plots: Abroad their forces are every where prepared, with death & destruction in all their way; at home their friends fight with lies, slanders, and such other weapons as beseeme their lying and slanderous religion: were their religiō truth, and from truth, it would not need such weapons to support it. But can they prevaile against the power of Christ? no, the breath of his lips shall slay both the Captaine and the troupes led by him, whose names are not written in the Booke of life Re. 17. 14. They shall fight with the Lambe, but the Lambe shall overcome: and, Will not God avenge his Elect who cry night and day, and whose blood Luke 18, ….Luke 18they have shed like water, and there with watered all the earth, as a flowing Sea,

4. Enemies of Christ are such indifferent men, as having power, place, and calling, out of policy and selfe-seeking are content and silent to see Popery prevaile, and doe not stand out in these times to helpe the Lord and his people against his enemies; I meane especially those Ministers that doe not their uttermost to detect the frauds and impostures of Antichrist, nor to confirme their people in the truth against the same. For, as he were no other then a Traitour to his King, that shall see and suffer any other to thrust himself upon the Kingdome, and claim all royall authority, & make Edicts to draw all the subjects to his faction; so is hee to Jesus Christ, who can patiently digest, that the man of sinne should thrust himselfe upon the Church; as the Head of it, and take on him to pard on sinne, to make lawes to binde conscience, p. 533and make new Articles of faith, and proclaime himself King of the Church & by fraud & force cō pell men to take his mark in their hands & foreheads. Surely as the power of Christ shall shortly overtake this sonne of perdition, who exalts himselfe above all that is called God, and takes on him in the Temple as if hee were God, so shall it meet with all those that take part with him, as they doe that discover him not, nor discover themselves against him.

5. They are enemies to Christ, who are enemies and rebels against the power which hee hath committed to Civill Princes. The Arch-rebell of the world, against Christ and Christian Princes, is Popery; neither can those Papist, which hold the Principles of Jesuited Priests at this day, but bee rebels to Christ, and to our Christian King; For,

1. They must hold our King a slave and Vassall to the Pope, and under his power to bee King or not: for the spiritual power may depose Princes, and place other in their stead, when necessity requires, saith Bellarmine, l. 5. c. 7. and Suarez Defens. fid. l. 3. c. 23.

2. They must hold, that the Pope may command other Kings to punish him, if hee please to call him Heretike or Schismatike; and if they doe not, hee may constraine them by excommunication. Bell. ibid.

3. They must hold, that subjects may depose their Princes, if Hereticall or Tyrannicall; and although Christians did not depose Nero, Dioclesian, Iulian, &c. it is because they wāted force, for by right they might, if they had power enough. Bell. ibid. Neither did they use cunning when they wanted power (as now our Catholikes and honest Powder-traytors) because it was fit for the foundations of the Church to bee laid in patience and p. 534suffering: Neither was it expedient in those times to doe all that law and right admitted, Mariana de Rege l. 1. c. 6. But in all memory of men, such as have undertaken the killing of Tyrants, have beene in high estimation, saith hee; and commends the person and fact of Clement on Henry 3.

4. They must hold, that although S. Paul saith, Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers; Rom. 13. 1.Rom 13:1yet S. Paul never added, That every one should bee subject to powers excommunicate, or deposed by the Pope; neither can the one hee inferred from the other, being meere contraries; for à deposed King is no longer an higher power. Suarez Defens. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 5. And this is the reason that Bellarmine against Barclay, c. 3. introduceth the Pope answering the people which would continue in the obedience of the deposed King, thus, I doe not free thee from the naturall or Divine commandement, when I absolve thee from the tie of obedience; for I doe not permit thee thou shouldest not obey thy King, which were against the Divine law, but I make him that was thy King, to bee so no longer, as a servant set at liberty is bound no longer to that Master.

5. They must hold, that Clerkes are no subjects, and that the King hath no power over them, either in spirituall or temporall things. So saith the Cardinall: It cannot bee proved, that the Kings of Bellarm. a… Clericis, c. 30.this age are lawfull Superiors and Iudges of Clerkes, if by the same meane it be not proved, that Children are above their fathers, sheepe above their Pastor, temporall things above spirituall: and, Not onelyonly in spirituall things, but in temporall, is Cap. 28.the Priest to be governed by his Ecclesiasticall Superiour; and it cannot be, that in temporall things he should acknowledge the secular Prince; because p. 535no man can serve two Masters. And (saith Suarez) It is a generall rule, that Ecclesiasticall persons are exempted from secular jurisdiction, not Defens. fid. l. 4. c. 15 §. 9. 16.onelyonly in Ecclesiasticall crimes, but also in civill; which cannot be denyed without denying a principle of faith. And another, The rebellion of a Clerke against his Prince is not treason, because hee is not E…an. Saaphor. tit. Clericus.his subject.

6. They must hold no great difference, whether they kil their Prince with poysō or steel; for there be many examples (saith Mariana) both ancient & moderne, of enemies killed this way; but hee denies that hee may be justly poysoned, who may otherwise be killed by fraud; for it seemes inhumane, to present him with poyson in his meate or drinke, because it makes him an instrument of his owne death; but yet a remedy hereof is, to apply it outwardly, by poysoning the robe or seate, &c. as hath beene used by the Moores▪ to some Princes. Thus conscionably hath the great and conscionable Jesuite Mariana resolved this great case of conscience; l. 1. c. 7. per totum.

Now tell mee whether these be not sound traitrous doctrines, and if any higher treason can be higher then the lowest of them. Whether these bee not fit jewels to admit into a kingdom: Whether these men are to be magnified in our Pulpits above Calvin, Beza, Luther, Bucer, &c. Whether their bookes are so fit to bee studied, being shops of rebellion, by novices or others, or to bee turned to ashes in some happy Bonfire, that the memories of such fire-brands, as their Authors, might perish from off the earth? Whether a Jesuited Papist bee any other than a rebel in an high degree, only quiet till he have oportunity, and till hee can conquer his Master according to their doctrine? All which I propound, to exhort all p. 536that would not be poysoned, and diverted from their allegiance to Christ and our Christian King, to beware of Popish doctrine, & above al of Jesuitical principles, which are the Catechismes of high Treason: and to exhort all Christians to submit to the power of Christ, put by him into the hand of his Anoynted, in all lawfull and indifferent things; and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs, and to stand farre off from the Tents of these Corahs, and Conspirators, remembring that of Salomon, Feare the Lord and the King, and medle not with the seditious.

2. This pertaines to the members of the Church, for consolation, instruction, and examination.Vse II.

1. It comforts the poore Church, beset with mighty enemies within, and without, and on every side, and being in it selfe as a silly woman, or worme, weake and destitute of all helpe and meanes, may say as Iehosaphat, 2 Chron. 20. 12. There is no strength in us in respect of this great multitude. But here is comfort; the name of our Head is Vcall, Pro. 30. 1. of a verbe that signifieth power.

Object. What is it to us, that Christ hath power?

Ans. Yes, because hee hath it not for himselfe, but for us: The power of a Prince is for his subjects, and the power of the head is the strength of the members.

Ob. But if he have such power for us, why doth he leave us in such weaknesse, and as sheepe ready for the slaughter?

Ans. It is not because hee hath not such power as might make us stronger than all adversary power, even in outward meanes; but therefore hee leads us through weaknesse, that himselfe may be glorious in being seene our strength: for he useth to perfect his power in our weaknesse.

Ob. But if Christ had such power, why gave hee way to his enemies, not onelyonly bodily, to apprehend p. 537and crucifie him; but spirituall, death, the grave, sinne and Satan to seise upon him as an ordinary and impotent man?

Answ. Not because hee then wanted power; but,

First, by his Fathers dispensation, for the time of his abasement, which was not the time of manifesting his power: But even then he told Pilate hee had had no power over him, but by his Fathers permission, Iohn 19. 11. and hee could have commanded more than twelve Legions of Angels.

Secondly, by voluntary resignation, as hee said, I have power to lay downe my life; and, I give my life for the world: which made his death not impotent, as other mens, but a powerfull death.

Thirdly, in respect of necessary satisfaction, having undertaken our cause and condition; wee were fallen into the power of sinne, death, hell, the grave, and all miseries; this very condition must he undertake, and beare away for us that which wee should have lyen under for ever: For as a man cannot carry away a burden which hee takes not up, so could not Christ have removed our burden, if hee had not undertaken it. Hee could not overcome death, but by dying; nor the grave, but by entring into it; nor heale us, but by his owne stripes; nor inrich us, but by his poverty.

Fourthly, in respect of commiseration, and compassion; He was touched with infirmity, that he might bee a mercifull high Priest, Hebr. 4. 15. Hee would know our miseries by his owne sense, that he might affect them, and be pittifull unto us.

Fiftly, for his owne greater glory and exaltation; & that both in respect of his person, and of his work.

The power of his person shines brighter than the Sunne breaking out of a Cloud, in that hee enters the lists with these enemies, within their own precincts, and there gives them the overthrow, conquers Satan p. 538in the wildernesse, Death in his owne denne, principalities and powers not in heaven, but on the Crosse.

The power of his worke shineth, in that hee worketh the greatest work that ever was, by contraries: To bring life out of death and to save the world frō death, by death, is no lesse power then that which made all things of nothing, and brought light out of darknesse. To bring us to heaven by his descending into hell and heale us by his stripes, this is a powerfull worke indeed.

Now this ground being laid, that Christ never wanted fulnesse of power, when hee was weakest & lowest, and much lesse now in his glory & exaltatiō we may build assured comfort on his foundation.

I. We shall not faile of needfull supplies of all things pertaining to life and godlinesse, 2 Pet. 1. 3.

His divine power affords all needfull things for life: He can prepare a table for us in the wildernesse, Psal. 78. 19. No Father is so able to provide for his children, as he is for his, in whose hands are all the corners of the earth: Hee is of power to supply us with all good meanes for his service: Hee is able to give wisedome, and the Spirit to them that aske him: He is able to feed and cloath us, and to fill up our Gomer, and inable us to all liberality. If our beginnings bee small, or our losses great, hee can (if hee please) double our portion, as Iobs, at the latter end.

Also for things pertaining to godlinesse, and a better life, we have strong consolation, in that Christ hath power,

1. To merit.

2. To apply.

3. To uphold.

4. To perfect our salvation.

1. He hath power to merit our salvation, because he hath power to satisfie wholly by himselfe the justice p. 539of God, without any piecing or patching to his merit and righteousnesse. He hath power to pay the whole debt, and to cancell the bill and hand writing that was against all Gods chosen. He is of power to pardon sinne: Mat. 9. 6. that ye may know the Son of man hath power to forgive sinne on earth, and he hath power to fulfill the Law.

2 He hath all power to apply his merit to our salvation: because to this end he did mightily raise himselfe from the dead by his owne power; and ascended into heaven, that by a powerfull intercession he might apply his sacrifice to the Saints. From thence he hath power to send his Spirit, to acquaint us with the things given us of God. And he is of power to worke faith in the hearts of the Elect, whereby they may apply to themselves his whole merit and obedience, while they are here below.

3 He is of power to uphold our salvation, divers wayes: By setting us upon a strong foundation, and a sure rocke, not to be shaken by any contrary power: By strengthening us by a powerfull word, which is a mighty organ and a strong arme able to save. 2 Tim. 3. 16. By comforting and strengthening us by the Spirit of strength and power, 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of feare, but of power. And by making us invincible in suffering, Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things by the power of Christ assisting me: Yea to saile by hell to heaven, and to passe by the crosse to the crowne.

4 He is of power to perfect our salvation, and hath engaged this power to this purpose: 1 Pet. 1. 5 Wee are kept by the power of God to salvation. And why?

First, He is of power to make our imperfect duties pleasing to God, hiding all the imperfection of them under the mantle of his mercy.

p. 540Secondly, He hath a superior power to al enemies; that none of them can separate us, or plucke us out of his hands: for he hath the keyes of hell and death, Rev. 1. 18.

Thirdly, He hath power to lead us through death & dust into his owne glory: so as we have assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power, Phil. 3. 21.

Fourthly, He hath power not only of preparing mansions for us in his Fathers house, but in the last day to descend from heaven to fetch us up to himselfe, that wee may be ever with the Lord. Our Ioshua hath power to bring us into Canaan.

II. Here is a ground of comfort and encouragement in all well-doing, and to goe on fearelesly in good duties; wherein commonly we have the power of the world against us. For why?

First. He is of power to strengthen us, & of weake to make us strong. Of our selves wee are able to doe nothing: that we have any power to any thing that is good, it is from his power: His grace alone is sufficient for us, 2 Cor. 12. 9. Without mee yee can doe nothing.

Secondly, He is of power to reward our least labour of love to his name or Saints, and all the power of the world cannot hinder him.

Thirdly, He is of power to cleare our innocency; to disperse the fogs and clouds of calumnie and reproches, and to make our righteousnesse shine as the sunne at noone-day. He can and will make our darknesse light.

Fourthly, His power encourageth our prayers; because he is able to receive them, and doe abundantly above all that we aske or thinke.

Fifthly, He is of power to make us perserve: for he is able to perfect his worke: and this power shall p. 541uphold a poore Christiā, if the truth should faile from the Church and Kingdome.

Object. I am weake, and oftentimes carelesse in keeping my ground and grace.

Answ. Quicken up thy selfe: become a member of Christ, and if thy faith be weake, that thou canst not comprehend him, his power is strong to comprehend thee: yea the weakenes of God is stronger then men. 1 Cor. 1. 25.

Object. But the enemies are strong and powerfull, Jesuites & other seducers subtle, and sundrie adversaries armed with power, grace of times, cruelty, &c.

Answ. Yet this power of Christ layes such hold on every true Beleever, that no seducer can deceive him, nor no power plucke him out of his hands. No power can dismember this Head, nor reach their graces.

6 He that is of power, & gave us strength when we had none, is of power even in death and in our dust, when al strength is gone, both to keepe faithfully for us what we commit unto him till the last day, & also to renew us with strength as the Eagles, and change our vile bodies to be like his glorious body; like it in quality, not equality; in strength, shining, agility, incorruption; fitted as a glorious member to be united to so glorious an head, and that for all eternity.

III Another ground of comfort is, that out of this power of Christ we may conclude the stability of the Church, which is his Kingdome. This power hath upheld the truth these many hundred yeares, against the divell, the world, the Turke, Antichrist, Popish Princes, and forces; against tyrants, massacres, inquisitions, torments, pouder-plots; against false brethren and hypocrites; that against all the gates of hell it is not onelyonly taught and preached, but triumpheth and conquereth, so as all the world may see a p. 542mighty power protecting it. The Church is an heavie Zech. 12.Zech 12stone to lift at, because it hath all Christs power for it: and therefore, if all nations rise against it, they shall be torne in pieces. The truth is stronger then all, and must prevaile at last: it may be smothered as fire under ashes, extinct it cannot be, so long as Christ who is truth, hath power to uphold it. The promise is strong, that all the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it. For as Christ is truth that uttered it, so he is Omnipotent to accomplish it. This power shall ever keepe this Arke upon the waters from drowning.

Hitherto of the consolation.

Instruction also ariseth from this power of Christ: and,

1 To Ministers, that they preach Christ the power of God, 1 Cor. 1. 24. that is, not onelyonly by preaching to acquaint men with the power of Christ, but so to preach as Christs power may be put forth in the Gospell, which is the rod of his power; and so as to bring in subjects daily under this power of Jesus Christ, Preaching a mans selfe will not doe it, nor preaching of men will not doe it, nor every learned, nor every idle discourse of Christ: but to speak from the spirit, and in demonstration of the spirit, that men may say, Christ is here indeed, I feele his power 1 Cor. 14. 25.1 Cor 14:25quickning, counselling, comforting &c.

2 To Magistrates, that they put forth all the power they receive of Christ, for the glory of Christ, and the good of the Church; as knowing,

First, that all powers are of God; and therefore for God and his causes.

Secondly, they are his Ministers for the good of the good and them that do well.

Thirdly, those that honour God, God will honour, and contrarily. And who seeth not, that those that p. 543extraordinarily oppose this power of Christ in his Ordinances, God extraordinarily opposeth them? they cannot so openly contemne him, and despise his word, but God as manifestly powres contempt upon them, and makes them extraordinary spectacles of disgrace and contempt. For how can a man set himselfe against God and prosper?

Fourthly, All the power in Christs owne hand was set against sinne and the divels kingdome: what better example to a Christian Magistrate?

3 To every Christian: three wayes.

1 Wee are instructed to submit our selves to the royall power of Christ our King, as willing subjects, acknowledging him the great Centurion of the world. For this was prophesied of us in the New Testament, Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly at the time of holy assembling. And otherwise we shall be worse then wicked angels, or the unreasonable creatures who all obey his word, as we saw before.

2 To depend upon this power of Christ, as our soveraigne King, who hath all power to do us good. Want we heavenly things? he hath all power in heaven, and for heaven: he hath power to call, to justifie, to sanctifie, to beautifie, to glorifie. Want we heavenly graces and riches? he hath treasures of wisedome and grace. Want we earthly things? he hath all power in earth: he can bestow, not dews of heaven only, but the fat of the earth. Isaac had but one blessing: but he hath more blessings then one: and if he be rich, being our husband, wee shall not be poore.

3 To acknowledge this power of Christ in all our receipts of blessing or comfort.

1 Finde wee the worke of conversion and sound grace? this is not by free-will, or preparations, or operations of nature: but here is a creating power p. 544put forth by Christ, a power divine working many miracles, making a blind man see, a deafe man to heare, dispossessing a man of many divels, raysing a dead man, and quickning him that was dead in trespasses and sins.

2 Finde wee not onelyonly our peace made up with God, but that now wee are lovingly affected to Gods people for Gods image and goodnesse? Here is a fruit of Christs mighty power, who hath reconciled the wolfe and the Lambe, the child and the cockatrice, Esa. 11. 6.

3 Finde we any worke of holinesse begun, any presence of grace, any beginnings of heavenly motion, in faith, hope, love, joy, zeale, constancy? Here is a great power of Christ our head, by whose power all these are purchased: here is a power making a Blackmoore white as snow.

4 Findest thou any strength against sinne, any temptation foyled, any lust given over and hated which thy nature inclineth unto? Oh here is the power of Christ above the power of nature. Never was sinne foyled but by Christs power: never was any a Conquerour in the spirituall combate, but by the presence, power, and strength of the Generall.

5 Finde we our prayers heard, our defects covered, our duties accepted? All this is the vertue and power of Christs prayer, and by the merit of his obedience.

Thus must wee with the Church here sing out the power of the Lords Christ.

And this also of the Instruction.

Next, this serves the members of the Church for examination: namely to try, whether we feele this power of Christ put forth in our selves; else all is unprofitable and uncomfortable to us. Phil. 3. 10. the Apostle counts all other knowledge and priviledges p. 545but losse and dung in respect of knowing in himselfe the vertue and power of Christs death and resurrection. This is more then to heare of Christ, of his life and doctrine, of his death and passion. It is a lively feeling in his owne soule the power and vertue of his death, in the death of sinne, and of his resurrection in rising from the grave of sinne. This is more then to preach of Christs life and death, and goeth beyond all eloquent discourses of the actions and passions of Christ, if the Preacher (as too many) onelyonly know the vertue of Christs death as the Physitian knows the vertues of herbes and simples, onelyonly by his reading or relation, without his owne experience. This knowledge of the power and grace of this Salomon must be like the knowledge of the Queene of Sheba, 1 King. 10. 7. It was a true word which I heard of thy sayings and wisdome, howbeit I beleeved not this report, till I came and have seene it with mine eyes: neither can halfe the power and glory of Christ be attained by reading, or report, except our selves by inward feeling and experience come to discerne it. That is an happie knowledge of the power of Christ not which is speculative or discoursive, but which is experimentall, such as the Samaritans, Ioh. 4. 42. They say to the Woman, Now we beleeve not for thy relation, but because our selves have seene Him.

Quest.How may I discerne the power of Christ in my selfe?

Answ. It may be discerned by foure special marks, or evidences.

I By the power of the word, which is his powerfull arme to salvation. So much as thou findest the power of the word, so much of the power of Christ mayest thou discerne in thy selfe. Now examine:

1 Hast thou found the word commanding light p. 546out of darknesse in thy soule, as in the first creation? hath Gods powerfull word created a new saving 2 Cor. 4. 6.2 Cor 4:6light in thee, that whereas thou wast blind, now thou art sure thou seest the face of God in Jesus Christ reconciled unto thee?

2 Hath the word in the Ministery beene a powerfull voice of Christ calling thee as Lazarus out of the grave where thou wast by nature under the dominion of death by sin? hath it brought in a new life of God, and grace? What word besides the Omnipotent word of Christ can raise a dead man? If the word of God hath inspired a new breath of the Spirit, and wrought heavenly motions in thee, thou mayest plainly see the power of Christ in thy selfe.

3 Hath the word beene powerfull as a mighty engine to cast downe high and strong holds, and 2 Cor. 10. 4.2 Cor 10:4bring every thing unto the subjection of Christ? hath it taken thy highest holds, and now sitteth as a Commander there? If it have an inward command, the understanding conceiveth, and is convinced in the certainty of things which be contrary to nature and sense: it will shut the owne eyes, and yeild to things foolish and absurd to reason: The will easily denyeth it selfe & worldly wisdome, reason, profits, pleasures, liberty and life it selfe, to submit it selfe onelyonly to the will of God: The affections are wrought by the word, earnestly to embrace things which they most deadly hated. Oh what a mighty power of Christ is in that word, whereby thou now lovest Gods word and Ministers, who most bend themselves against the swindge and streame of thy naturall desires and customes? whereby thou art now wrought to heavenly-mindednesse, who wast so wedded and hand-fasted to the world as thou didst thinke thou couldest never be divorced? whereby thou canst now hate sinne and workes of the flesh, which before p. 547were as meat and drinke, and as delightfully drawn in as the fish draweth water, and held fast as sweete morsels under thy tongue, not to let them goe? who can deny this to bee a prevailing power of Christ, casting downe such Turrets and Bulwarkes of nature, of corruption, which would have yeelded to no other force or battery? The blast of the ramshornes seemes a weake and foolish thing; but nothing else can cast downe the wals of Iericho, but this.

4. Hast thou found the power of the Word outwardly reforming thy life? hath it beene of power to call thee from thy bad customes and companionships? doth it order thy speeches with grace and wisedome? doth it worke a redresse in thy wayes, and make all thy steps right and cleane? doth it change thy course into it selfe, and make it gracefull to thy profession, and fruitfull to thy brethren? Here is the power of Christ attending his Word, and the worke of his Spirit changing us into the image of it from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. But what power of Christ is in him that is a sot, without understanding of the Word, after so long hearing, or that shuts his eyes lest hee should bee enlightned? or in him that will not beleeve beyond that he seeth with his eyes, or may touch with his fingers? or in him who is not a whit altered from himselfe when hee was at the worst, not quickned with the life of God? Hath the Word beene too weake to stirre in thy conscience, to change thy heart, to reforme thy speeches, but thou must rap out oathes at pleasure? to conforme thy life to it, but thon must drinke and game, and doe as the company is, accounting holy obedience but a needlesse strictnesse and precisenesse, and exemptest thy selfe from obedience farther than thou listest? To thee I say, the regall power of Christ hath no p. 548place in thee, who art as yet no subject, but a rebell, and resister of it.

II. Know the power of Christ in thee by the power of faith. The worke of faith is a worke of mighty power; a worke of such power, as neither man, nor Angel, nor the bare Ministery can effect; it is 2 Thess. 1. 11.2 Thess 1:11the Arme of God, and the operation of him that raised Christ from the dead, Coloss. 2. 12. Finde in thy selfe the power of faith, and thou hast found the power of Chrst; for faith makes Christ, and all his power, to become ours.

Quest. How may I finde in my selfe the power of faith?

Answ. 1. The power of faith bewrayes it selfe in powerfull and fervent prayer; which is powerfull, and prevailing with God himselfe, who suffers himselfe to bee overcome by the wrestlings of faithfull prayer, as we see in Iacob and the Canaanite.

2. In chearfull obedience to the will of God. Faith cannot but work by love to God and man; and therefore the obedience must be both generall, having respect to all Commandements, and chearfull and ready in all, even the most difficult and dangerous; as holy Abraham was in leaving his Countrey, circumcising his family, offering his sonne, all done by faith, Heb. 11.

3. In patient induring and suffering Gods will and pleasure revealed: for faith is powerfull to inable and undershore the beleever under a great burden; it is foreign, a strong post or stud to stand under and beare up a man in grievous temptations; it is our victory against the world; it will wrestle with Iacob till he have never a limbe left: It is a powerfull fence against Gods keenest weapons, yea against death it selfe, as Iob said, If the Lord kill mee, yet hee shall not kill my faith, I will still trust in him.

p. 549Now what power of faith is there, when a man cannot, or cares not to pray, or if hee doe, his prayer is without life and motion, dead and formall? when he hath no respect out of conscience to any Commā dement, but occasionally can swear, or lie, or deceive, or breake the Sabbath, &c? When a man will suffer nothing for Christ, no not the breath of vaine men, nor part with a graine of his name, or estate for Christ, and in his sufferings, and sorrows is impatient, murmuring, despairing?

III. This regall power of Christ is discerned by the power of godlinesse; and this both in publike and in private.

The power of godlinesse is discerned,

1. By the ground, which is true love of God with all the heart, which is the marrow of the first Table. Christ loved his Father with all his heart, and his neighbour as himselfe, nay, above himselfe; and where his power comes, God is loved for himselfe, above all.

2. By the subjection of the will to the obedience of the Law. A mighty worke of Christs power was his perfect fulfilling of the Law; if thou partakest of this power, thy will is perswaded, and bowed to Gods will; thou aymest at the perfection of the Law, and settest it before thee as the rule of thy life; and if thou esteemest it not necessary to thy justification, yet is it necessary in sanctification.

3. By sincere affection and exercise of holy things; when a man makes Gods Ordinances, his Sabbaths, the Ministery and worship of God his delight; hee is a true worshipper in the House of God; one day in GODS House is better to him than a thousand besides.

4. He is a Jew within as wel as without, in the spirit as wel as in the letter, & in his own house as wel as p. 550in Gods house; he will walke wisely in the middest of his house, and make that a little Church, by upholding the worship of God there; yea in the midst of his heart hee will walke with God, as Enoch did.

But if a man place his affections below God; if the lawes and discipline of the Word bee too strict, hee must have more liberty than the rule of Christ allowes him; if hee content himselfe with a forme of godlinesse, and deny the power, nay hate the power of religion in himselfe and others; if Gods Ordinances bee a burden to him, and hee as heavy to them as a Beare to a stake; if hee come to Church to pray, but pray not at home, nor sets up religion in his family; what is the power of Christ in such a one? none at all.

IV. Christs power in us is discerned by powerfull prevailing against spirituall enemies in the Christian combate. The principall enemies to be resisted are,

1. Satan in his temptations.

2. Sinne in his allurements.

3. Afflictions and rebukes for the Name of Christ, and for well-doing. All overcome by the power of Christ in his members.

1. A mighty worke of his power was, that he was able to foyle temptations, and stand against all hellish powers, so as when Satan came he found nothing in him: Even so the power of Christ, wherever it is, puts forth it selfe against Satans kingdome; the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee. Doest thou chase Satan afore thee, and the whole band of his temptations, so as though thou canst not bee free from the molestation of his assaults, yet thou art free from the seduction, and persistest in thy goodnesse? here is the power Christ; if Satan bee trodden under our feet, it is the God of peace that doth it. These adversaries are so mighty in strength and subtilty, p. 551that no power but the power of Gods might can resist them. But where the devill triumpheth and holdeth a man captive at his will; when, as the great Centurion, he saith to his slave, Doe this, and hee doth it, sweare, and raile, and whore, and drinke, and lie, and deceive, and men doe so, the power of Christ is farre off, unlesse for revenge.

2. Another enemy is our owne sinnes and lusts; in the subduing of which wee may espie the power of Christ. Canst thou finde the evils of thy heart and life conquered, infirmities vanquished, the power of sinne daily weakned and foyled, sinne cast out, if not in respect of presence, yet of power, that the raigne and dominion of it is gone? here is the power of Christ, for no other power can put sinne to death, but the power of Christs death. Contrarily, where sinne is not disarmed, but the body of it stands united, compacted, not wounded to death; where secret sinnes are allowed; where lusts are alive and cherished; where worldly pleasures, profits, fashions are followed with a full strength; where men willingly cast themselves into the occasions of sinne; here is no saving power of Christ in conversion and change; for all Christs power is set for the overthrow of sinne: it set himselfe free from all corruptions, and sinfull infirmities, and so his members.

3. The last enemy are afflictions for Christ and well-doing. Canst thou beare the worst troubles for Christ, and bee baptized with his baptisme? canst thou esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt, as Moses, Heb. 11? canst thou account losses for Christ thy greatest gaine? doest thou not account thy life deare to thee, so that thou maist finish thy course with joy? Is not all this a divine power, that can make thee rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ, and joyfully indure the spoyling p. 552of thy goods, and carry the reproaches of Christ as a Crowne on thy shoulder, all which formerly thou fearedst as hell it selfe? But where is the power of Christ, when every shadow of change is of force to drive men from the profession, every damsels speech can terrifie so great a Professor as Peter, even to the deniall of his Lord; a sleight reproach or nickname can keepe many away from Christ, and make many goe away? Were the power of Christ present, it would indure the Crosse, and despise the shame, and nothing could separate.

Now have I discovered the tryals of the power of Christ. If any man have this experience of the mighty power of Christ, praise God for it: if not, pray to have thine eies opened to see the exceeding greatnes of this power of Christ in thy selfe, Eph. 1. 19. both in weakning the power of sinne, that it may not have dominion over thee; and in weakning the presumption Psal. 119. 133.Ps 119:133of thine own power and strength, which overthrows great graces, and casts men headlong into fearfull fals, as wee see in Peter; (but let him that stands take heed lest hee fall) as also in stablishing the mighty worke of grace in thy soule, and whatsoever vertue may accompany thy salvation, as knowing, that this mighty power of Jesus Christ is put forth, first for holinesse, and then for happinesse.

For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe, which accused them before our God day and night.]

These words containe a reason, why the Church hath with a loud voyce ascribed the honour of salvation and kingdome to the Lord, and of power unto Jesus Christ; namely, because the accuser of the brethren is cast downe. Where wee have two things.

p. 5531. His crimination.

2. His dejection.

In the former part are foure things.

1. What are these accusations.

2. Who are accused, brethren.

3. Where, before our God.

4. When, night and day,

I. These accusations are the objecting of things true or false, to the hurt and disgrace of the godly.

First, in true things Satan accuseth them; hee espieth their infirmities, and noteth even in the best many sinnes and errors, which they are guilty of; and these hee urgeth and amplifieth against them before God, and pleadeth from them their unworthinesse of mercy; yea, the sinnes which in them are of weaknesse, hee amplifieth as if they were sinnes of wickednesse, and raigning sinnes, and maketh them seem unpardonably hainous, and claimeth the justice of the Law, and the execution of the curse upon persons so unworthy of life and salvation.

Secondly, these accusations are also of false things; For Satan, alyer from the beginning, deviseth many false calumniations, lyes, and slanders, and casteth them upon the Saints. In those Primitive times, what an heape of horrible lyes did the devill and his instruments raise against the Saints, to incense the Emperours against Christian religion? as namely, that they were seditious, rebellious against government, sacrilegious, incestuous; that they ate raw flesh, & used libidinous cōmixture in their meetings by night; that they worshipped the head of an Asse, adored the Sunne, and a number more execrable villanies imputed to those poore and innocent lambes, led away for such monsters to the slaughter, as appeares in Eusebius and Tertullian. And to the same purpose, Lib. 6. c. 3. Apologet.hee being still like himselfe, hath falsly accused the p. 554godly in all ages, for seditious meetings, nightly and unlawfull conventicles, rebellion against Princes, unchaste conversings, and the like.

II. Who bee the persons accused? Our brethren. Wee have shewed it to bee a voyce of a multitude of members of the Church militant, upon occasion of a particular victory, who stood in neare relation to the afflicted Saints, and therefore called them our brethren.

Brethren are either by birth, of the same parents, as Cain and Abel; or by affinitie, of one roote or stocke, as Abraham and Lot; or by Nation or Countrey, as Paul and the Jews, Rom. 9. 1. or by profession and communion in one faith and worship, as here.

Quest. Doth Satan accuse none but the godly who are brethren, or doth hee not also accuse the wicked and unbeleevers?

Ans. Hee accuseth the godly to get them condemned; but what need hee stand accusing those whose infidelity hath already condemned them? as Impios …am victos contemnit, necinsectatur. Cypr.the wicked are, Ioh. 3. 18. Hee need not trouble himselfe with those whom he is sure of.

III. Where doth he accuse?

Ans. Before our God; bewraying three things.

First, the impudency of this Accuser, who dares accuse them before God, who knoweth their uprightnesse and innocency, and is their only Patron and Justifier, as of Iob.

Secondly, his malicious end in accusing, which is to breake off the relation and union that is betwixt God and his people; for whereas God is our God, being reconciled unto us in Jesus Christ, and entred into an everlasting covenant with us, that he will never cease to doe us good, Satan impudently accuseth us before him, to make him not ours, if it were possible.

p. 555Thirdly, the losse of his labour, and how frustrate hee is in his calumniation; hee is indeed an instant and spightfull accuser; but, seeing it is before our God, hee can availe himselfe nothing, nor prejudice the Saints any thing at all; he commeth too late, for al the matter of accusation is answered already, and taken up betweene God and us; so that hee remaineth our GOD still, when Satan hath done the worst he can.

IV. When doth hee accuse? Night and day; which argueth his instance and importunity in accusing; that hee is restlesse, and incessant, and farre beyond all other accusers in his accusation: For,

First, other accusers sometimes cease accusing; for if they accuse all the day, they must rest at night; but he is restlesse, and needeth no sleepe; hee is busie day and night.

Secondly, other Accusers & Plaintifes have their times and termes to put in their bils of complaint, & afterward have their vacations; but this Informer keepeth a perpetuall terme, without any vacation at all; hee applies the barre perpetually, night and day.

Thirdly, other Accusers knowing their cause to be naught, carry it close, and shoote their Arrowes in the darke (as it were in the night) and flie the light as much as they may; but this Accuser, although hee knowes his accusation false, yet, transported with malice and impudence, will accuse in the day, aswell as in the night, even in the light and Sunshine, as not caring where hee may doe mischiefe, nor how openly.

Wee come now to the instructions.

1. Note hence, that all that professe Jesus Christ, Doct. 1.are brethren, and so to be esteemed, Mat. 23. 8. One is your Master, even Christ, and all yee are brethren: p. 556But as in nature there are brethren in common nature, as all men in the first Adam, though never so remote, as also brethren in ne are and speciall kindred, of the same next parents; so ingrace, there is in the second Adam a common brotherhood, and a speciall fraternity. The former is only by externall vocation and profession, and fruition of common grace. The latter is by speciall grace and inward conjunction, which is a nearer and surer band than any in nature; of which our Text speaketh. These are neare brethren.

1. They have all one father, and mother, and elder Reas. 1.brother: God their father hath begotten them all of immortall seed, and adopted them into the number of his sonnes and daughters: The Church is their mother, the free woman, the mother of us all; which nurseth them up on her breasts, the two Testaments, Gal. 4. 26:Gal 4:26whence, as new borne Babes, they sucke the sincere milke of the Word, to grow by it, 1 Pet. 2. 2. They have all one elder brother Jesus Christ, who is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb. 2. 11. Mat. 12. ult. All of them have the same language of Canaan, all the same affection to Gods house, all opposed by the world; As concerning this sect, wee know it is every where spoken against, Acts 28. 22.

2. They have all one and the same provision as 2.brethren; the same garments and livery, Christs righte ousnesse, their elder brothers coate put on them by baptisme; the same diet and table of the Lord; the same bread and Manna that came downe 1 Cor. 10. 3.1 Cor 10:3from heaven; the same water out of the Well of Life; the same servants to attend them, the holy Angels, Ministers to all the heires of salvation.Heb. 1. 14.Heb 1:14

3. They have all the …mage of God their Father 3.renewed upon them, and they all grow up like their heavenly Father daily, holy as hee is holy, mercifull p. 357as he is mercifull, and perfect as he is perfect, in quality not equality, as a child is like his father not in greatnesse or dimension, but resembleth him in proportion feature and similitude.

4 They have all one faith, one hope, and expectation, and one inheritance in the kingdome of heaven, 4.a patrimony purchased for them before the beginning of the world; whereof they are all heires and fellow-heires with Christ. Rom. 8. 17.

Which teacheth us to love all the Saints and people of God with brotherly love: Heb. 13. 1. Let Vse I.brotherly love continue. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as brethren, be pittiful and courteous, 2 Pet. 1. 7. joyne to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse.

1 It is a lovely thing for brethren to dwell together in unity, Psal. 133. 1. And as it is a shame for Motives to love our Christian brethrē.Brethren in nature to bee separated in affection, so is it much more uncomely for those whom grace 1.hath joyned, whom one heavenly Father, faith and religion hath coupled, to be disunited and make a breach in the body of Christ, in the house of God.

2 True love of brethren is the first fruit of faith, and the first bud and blossome which discryeth a 2.tree of righteousnesse: and by this it is discerned, that we are translated from death to life. For by nature every man is a lover of himselfe, and an hater of his brethren; but grace obeyeth the new commandement of love, which commandement being before antiquated, is by the new worke of the Spirit renewed in those that are renewed, and shewes us borne of God, 1 Ioh. 4. 7.

3 Our Lord Christ in his example preferred the spirituall kindred, by …aith and the new birth, before 3.his naturall, Mat. 12. 44.

These considerations would cut off many contentions and quarrells, and be as water cast into the fi…ry p. 558hearts and hands of brother against brother: as Gen. 13. 8. I pray thee let there be no strife betweene us, for wee are brethren: and Act. 7. 26. Moses said to the striving Hebrewes, Sirs why strive yee? yee are brethren, both Hebrewes, of one family, and one faith. So should Christians say, what doe I striving with such a one? doth not common nature joyne us? doth not common profession, yea and grace too? and cannot all these prevaile against my passion?

This consideration would answer all Objections incensing us.

Object 1. One saith, oh he is a man of bad qualities, an ill natured man.

Answ. Yet account him not as an enemie, but admonish him as a brother, 2 Thes. 3.

Obiect. 2. Another saith, oh he hath much wronged me.

Answ. Yea but a brother must cover his brothers faults: brothetly love will cover a multitude of offences: a brother must beare, forbeare, not often take forfeits, nor notice of small things, nor every great. It is for an enemy, not a brother, to be unnaturall, to reteine stomacke, to grudge, envy, revenge, &c.

Object 3. Oh but I have often forborne and forgiven.

Answ. How often? hast thou forgiven seventie times seven times? so is the commaundement: and he is still thy brother.

Object. 4. But in this case I cannot beare him, the wrong is so great.

Answ. Intwo cases a man may and must be more strict, even with his brother.

1 In reteining his owne innocency.

2 If his brother will not see and confesse his offence. But if thy brother come and say, I pray thee forgive me, then, though the wrong be as great as p. 559that of Iosephs brethren against him, as he was readier to offer pardon then they to aske, so must thou, Mat. 18. 33. Shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow servant? much more on thy brother.

Quest. What are the conditions of this brotherly love?

Ans.

1. It is universall to all Saints.

2. Sincere, not in tongue, but in truth.

3. Fruitfull in effest, as in affection.

4. Constant.

2 It reprooves such as scorne this title, and thinke it an high reproach to be of the holy brotherhood.Vse 2.

First, these persons disclayme all kindred with Christ: they are of another house, and blood: their speech bewrayes them.

Secondly, they scoffe at Christ himselfe, who was the chiefe of this brother-hood, our elder brother, and was not ashamed to call us brethren: it was no reproach then.

Thirdly, They set the Holy Ghost to schoole, as not knowing how to speake in the Scripture, who every where cals the Saints brethren, and holy brethren, Heb. 2. 1. Let him that dares despight the Spirit and scorne his language, know he shalbe shuffled out of this society, and pronounced a brother of the divell and damned ones.

It also reprooves such as wrong the brethren of Christ; like the brethren of Ioseph, seeke to cast them into pits and prisons, buy and sell them in their good names, and intend evill against them while they are yet a farre off. Let them consider that in Mat, 25 40. In as much as yee did it unto one of these my brethren, yee did it unto me, Go ye cursed. And marke, Christ disdaines not after his resurrection, to call us brethren. Mat. 28. 20. and darest thou wrong them whom he so honoureth?

p. 5603 Here is a ground of true and just dealing with all men. Be not fraudulent, deceitfull, cunningly by lyes, oathes, false weights or measures to deceive thy brother. Let no man defraud his brother by any M…lac. 2, 10. 1 Cor. 6. 8. Thes. 4. 6.1 Cor 6:8meanes: the Lord is the avenger of such, namely in speciall manner. What, wilt thou deceive thy brother, be unmercifull to thy brother, hide thine eyes from thy brother, fall frō thy brother in his distresse? was not a brother made for adversity? and dost thou adde to it?

4 Superiours learne moderation, humility, and Use. 4.mercy. It is a good meditation, every way to looke at the case of an inferiour, as the case of a brother.

First, To worke humility. Deut. 17. 20. The King must not puffe up himselfe above his brethren. Great schollers must not puffe up themselves above them of meaner gifts: for, one is your Doctor, and yee are all brethren, Mat 23. 9.

Secondly, To worke moderation: the husband must moderate his authority, because, though he be superiour, yet the wife is joynt heyre of life. 1 Pet. 3. Masters must moderate themselves toward their servants, because they have the same Master in heaven, to whom they are with their servants fellowservants. Iob contended not with his maid, because he that made one, made both. c. 31. 13. Onesimus a converted servant must be received as a brother.

Thirdly, To worke mercy to the poore: this poore man is not a beast, but a brother: not as a dog ranging for hunger, but a poore Christian, a poore brother: and I must not turne my eyes from my poore brother, mine owne flesh. This sicke man is not a sheepe, sicke of the rot, but one of Christs field: this poore servant is not my horse or Oxe, whom I feed and tend, and if they be sicke I aske counsell and drench them, but my brother made in Gods image as I am, a p. 561member of Christ as I am, whom I must tender in sicknesse and health, and shew my selfe a brother made for adversity.

5. This may comfort poore Christians. A brother is a name of equality. The poorest Christian hath the Vse. 5.same Father, Mother, alike pretious faith, and the same common salvation with the richest. Christs Kingdome is not politicall, which stands of superiours and inferiours, but in Christ all are one. Thou poore man effectually called, hast not such favour of great men, but hast as great share in Gods favour, and in the death of Christ as the richest. Thou wantest gold and silver, but that did not purchase life, but Christs precious blood, and that thou enjoyest at full. Great men have privy stayres in their palaces: but thou goest up the same stayres to heaven, by the same Word, Sacraments, Faith, Prayer of faith, &c. a rich mans prayer is no beter then a poore mans. Thou canst not faire so daintily, nor cloath thy selfe so costly in purple and silke as the rich: but God at his table feasteth thee as plentifully, and arayeth thee with as costly a robe of Christs righteousnesse as the highest Potentate.

2 Those that are in spirituall fraternity with Christ Doctr. 2.and one with another, lye open to all manner of wicked accusation. Who was ever a more faithfull and trustie servant then Ioseph? yet was not he accused of incontinency, and for that cast into prison a long time, and could never come to due triall? Gen. 39. 9. Iob by the Lords owne testimony a peerelesse man, and most upright before God and man, yet was not he accused before our God of hypocrisie, not only by the great Accuser, but by his friends? David whose conscience smote him for cutting the lap of Sauls garment; was still accused by the Courtiers of high treason against him, and one that sought his p. 562life, crowne, and Kingdome. The Prophets who were holy men of God, and mirrors of piety and grace, were all accused of most haynous things; Daniel of disobedience, Elias of troubling all Israel, Amos of conspiracy, Ieremie of revolting, &c. The Apostles, who shined in holinesse and innocency as starres of the first magnitude, were accused to be authors of sedition, troublers of Cities, raisers of tumults, contemners of lawes, trumpets of rebellion, preachers of ordināces not lawful to receive, Act. 16. 19. Was not Paul accused by Tertullus (Act. 24. 5) to be a pestilent fellow, a moover of sedition among the Jewes through the world, and one that taught every where against the law of Moses? And whence were those rackings, and mockings, and scourgings, and stonings, and slaughters, and torments of those whom the world was not worthy of (Heb. 11. 36.) but from the same originall of wicked slaunders, and keenest darts of false accusation?

Quest. Why doth not the Lord protect innocency and holinesse, but suffer it to bee the butt and white to receive all the arrowes of wicked calumniation?

Answ. Aske also why the Lord suffers the clouds to beset and darken the Sunne, or the darknesse of the night to succeed the light of the day. He is not bound to give thee a reason of his wayes and works, and yet in his great wisdome he worketh them all. For;

1 As in the beginning he set a fight betweene light and darknesse naturall, and separated betweene them, not that darknesse should prejudice the light, but rather should make the benefit and comfort of it more perspicuous and discernable: so hath he separated from the beginning light and darknesse spirituall, p. 563and maintaines this fight and separation, not that light of grace should be extinct by that darkenesse, but be made more manifest and shining. See 1 Cor. 11. 19.

2 God will have thē strive that must be crowned Were there no combate, there were no conquest: were there no conquest, there were no crowne: but the greater the conquest, the more glorious is the crowne. How should the faith, fortitude, patience, or any grace of the Saints be tryed, either for the soundnesse or measure; if there were nothing to exercise them? Not peace, but warre tryes the metall of a souldier.

3 God will also by this fight shew the madnesse and malignity of wicked men, left by God, who must grow from evill to worse, (2 Tim. 3. 13.) to fill up their measure. And therefore the holinesse, wisdome, grace, and innocency of godly men, which should be a fence and shield to keepe evill men off them, is but an invitation and bayte for their mischiefe and malice to worke upon. Which is most apparent in our Lord himselfe, the innocent Lambe of God, who taught the truth without mixture of error or respect of persons: Could his wisdome, innocency, or holinesse fence him from being a butt and signe of contradiction, or a subject of accusation? Was he not said to be a sorcerer, a Samaritan, a drunkard, a glutton, a deceiver, a divell, an enemie to Caesar, a disturber of publike peace? Oh what a deadly poyson lurketh in a wicked man left to himselfe, that as a spider from the sweetest herbes swelleth up with poyson, so thence & there he acteth his mischiefe, where he should admire, love, and imitate!

p. 564The reasons of the doctrine are taken from,

1. The godly.

2. Satan.

3. Wicked men.

1 The godly are members of Christ, and members Reas. 1.must be cōformable to their head. If they cal the master Belzebub, will they spare the servant? was the greene tree accused of rebellion and disobedience to Caesar, and may not the dry trees expect more then the greene? Againe, godly men shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation: the light of their gracious course actually condemnes their vile conversation: the shining holinesse of the one really refuteth the foule corruptions of the other. Now so long as this enmitie lasteth betweene the seed of the woman and of the serpent, and so long as light and darknesse remaine unreconciled, the godly must make account of accusation and unjust molestation.

2 Godly men cannot avoid accusation, in regard 2of Satan the great Accuser. For,

First, his malice is restlesle against Christ who hath broken his head: but Christ being now in person out of his reach, hee expresseth it in two things, wherein he reacheth as neere Christ as he can.

1 Against the truth and holy religion, both in the doctrine and practise: Hence is it, that he can get all the good way of God called and accused for a notable heresie, Act. 24. 14. and the sincere walking in this way no lesse.

2 Against his members, for as he accused the H…d in his time, so now the members in theirs, for the Heads sake. As he accused our elder brother, so also for his sake the rest of the brethren, yea for being brethren, as our text implieth.

p. 565Secondly, Satan hath wicked mens tongues to command, who are ruled at his will; and therefore godly men must not looke to bee free from calumniation, so long as they can either devise false things, or deprave true.

Thirdly, Satan hath experience of the strength and force of this weapon of false accusation, and that by it he hath got no small advantage in all ages: Hee knowes hee got the Sonne of God to death by false accusation; hee got thousands, and ten thousands of the Primitive Christians to death by the same weapon. Hee knowes how in all ages hee hath brought thereby holy religion into suspition and disgrace: He knowes how such as are not of the truth, but guided by his spirit, love lyes, and are taken with them as a baite, and by Gods just judgement given over to be hardened against the truth: And therefore, according to his owne ancient practise, he hath taught his apt scholler Machiavel, Calumniare audacter, aliquid saltem haerebit, Belie the man confidently, and some dirt at least will sticke upon him. Well hee knowes, that as such calumnies make easie entrance into corrupt mindes, so are they hardly dispossessed of such prejudice: and if he can doe nothing else, hee pleaseth himselfe in troubling them in their way, whom he cannot deprive of the end.

3. Wicked men cannot but accuse the brethren: First, because of their ignorance of God and of 3Christ; Iohn 15. 21. These things will they doe unto you for my names sake, because they have not knowne him that sent me; and, Iohn 16. 2. They shall excommunicate and kill you, because they have not knowne the Father nor mee. The eye of the minde being blinded, how great is that blindnesse? This is the foundation of accusation.

Secondly, as they are grosly ignorant in the things p. 566of God, so are they most subtile in covering their owne pretexts and practises. As no sinne desires to goe naked, and seene in his owne colour and skinne; so no sinner would walke in his owne shape and habit, but will sew himselfe a garment of some figleaves or other, to maske himselfe in; that, whatsoever hee is, hee may seeme no sinner. Now there bee 4. maine sins of wicked men, which have ever beene mischievous to the godly, but all masked and hid with this large cloake of false accusation.

1. Pride. Haman cannot get honour from Mordecai; for how can godly Mordecai honour such a vile person? now Haman cannot for shame accuse Mordecai directly for not kneeling unto him; but hee can make good another accusation against him, and his people, by which he covereth his pride.

2. Covetousnesse. Now to hide their covetousnesse they have ever devised accusations under pretence of peace, and standing against innovation. The Apostles preach ordināces not lawful to receive, Act. 16. 19.Acts 16:19and trouble our City; but that was onelyonly a cover, for the Text saith, When they saw the hope of their gaine was gone, they caught Paul and Silas; Why did Demetrius and the Crafts-men make that disorderly Act. 12. 25.Acts 12:25tumult against Paul, but because they saw their craft must faile by Pauls preaching of Christ? but they cunningly cover their covetousnesse with another fine pretext of religion stablished through the world, and make it a dangerous State matter, vers. 27.

3. Revenge. The heart of every wicked man lusteth after envy against Gods people, and yet they must goe for the onelyonly men of peace, and onelyonly peace-makers: Now in the midst of revenge, that they may retaine a vizard of peace, they can weave some false accusation out of some stuffe finely spun, by which they can easily blinde the eyes of those in authority, p. 567that they may usurpe their name and authority, their power and forces, to vexe Gods people; thus, Dan. 3. 8. the Caldeans envying the advancement of the Jewes above themselves, devised a meanes of revenge; but finely hide themselves in a grievous accusation; they come and flatter and pray devoutly for the King, O King live for ever; then the King must beleeve, that they are the only men, observant of his Lawes; O King; thou hast made a decree; then they charge the Jewes with rebellion, for they will not worship the Kings god, newly set up. And thus doe the Romish Catholikes deale with those among them, who will not frame to their Idolatry and superstition.

4. Their hypocrisie. Enemies of sound goodnesse they are, but must not seeme to oppose goodnesse; and therefore must they accuse things well done, and repute them as faults justly punishable; now must they call good evill. Neither may they seeme to vexe and prosecute good men, as good men; therefore they must traduce them, and make them seeme malefactors, and enemies to peace, and order, and government; and then, they being so few in number, of small ability, and smaller grace in the world, they may despise them with priviledge. Thus cunningly can they weild this hellish weapon, and make it serve to all their purposes.

Note hereby the old practice of the devill in the Vse I.generall sin of these dayes. How often doe we heare the whole religion of God, by the enemies thereof, traduced, disguised, accused to be factious, hereticall, turbulent? What is the sincerity of religion to many but hypocrisie and vaine-glory? what the power of religion but giddinesse and distemper of unruly spirits? what the Preachers thought, but as Paul and Silas, troublers of the City, teaching things contrary p. 568to Law? Good Ieremy ever sought the wealth of the City and people, both temporall and eternall; yet was charged to discourage the people, and weaken the hands of the men of warre, and that he sought not the wealth of the people, but the hurt, Ier. 38. 5. Holy Daniel whom they could not touch by all their prying and devising against him, but in the matter of his God, yet how did they combine against him? What a thanklesse office is it to bee a faithfull Preacher to a wilfull people? how are things depraved, which ought to receive a good construction? how doth every one act his part in devising and receiving devises against him? Why, he hath nothing to doe here, no calling, what hath hee to doe to meddle with us? &c.

2. Learne a point of wisedome; not rashly to condemne or censure every one that is accused, which Vse II.were often to condemne the innocent. Consider well both the person and the cause, and then judge with righteons judgement. If accusation had made a guilty person, Christ himselfe had not beene innocent; for hee was accused to bee an arch-deceiver of the people. And the greatest fault that hath beene usually objected by the wicked, against the godly, is the doing of some part of their duty. Therefore avoid this sinne of credulity and rash judgement; bee Memento diffid…re. Epicharmus.slow of beliefe; Charity beleeveth all things, but all good things, and thinketh not evill.

3. Let good men, comming to Gods service, prepare 1 Cor. 12.1 Cor 12themselves for accusation; for,Vse III.

First, Satan will practise betimes upon thy goodnesse, even in the tender yeares of thy grace; so hee did against Ioseph, being very young.

Secondly, thou hast the true cause of false accusation, if thou hast any goodnesse, that is assigned the cause; 1 Pet. 4. 4. Because ye runne not with them to p. 569the same excesse of riot, they speake evill of you.

Thirdly, the enemies, Corah and his complices wil mutiny against Moses, though Gods rod be in his hand with never so many mighty signes, nay, though the wrath of God bee on their necke, to make the earth open and swallow them. The greater grace, the greater is their resistance; the more report God gave to his Apostles, the more wretchedly doe they assault them

4. Let the godly not too much afflict themselves Vse IIII.when the dragon be wrayes himselfe in false accusation; for,

1. It is the same affliction that hath befallen our brethren in the world, and our elder brother; it is no new thing.

2. Our Lord Jesus hath sanctified all our sufferings in this kinde, and sweetned them.

3. It is before our God, who is witnesse of our innocency, and watcheth over our name and innocency. The Lord was with Ioseph in prison.

4. Truth and innocency is strongest, and may bee hid, but not extinct, and shall breake out as the Sunne at noone day, Psal. 37. 6. A godly man shall bee found best at last; his graces shall bee as the Starres, which the blacke night doth but shew more bright and shining.

5. If thou suffer evill speeches falsly for righteousnesse sake, blessed art thou; Gods measure and mans doe differ; hee measures truth of heart, and grace of life with another measure than the world doth; these deserve favour amongst men, but finde it not; but the Lord will justifie and testifie unto them, and remunerate them with an unheaped measure of righteousnesse and mercy.

This of the second point.

3. Satan and his instruments are impudent, and instant p. 570Doct. 3.in false accusing the godly; for they doe it before our God day and night, Gen. 39. 14. how impudent was Potiphers wife in accusing Ioseph? for although shee set adulterous eyes upon him, and impudently entised him with alluring speeches, and instantly solicited him by unshamefac'd behaviour; yea, although hee harkened not unto her, nor would be in the company of her, as one that would avoid all occasions, yet shee both impudently and instantly accused him, first to his servants, and then to the Master, and then maintained her accusations all the yeares of Iosephs imprisonment, which was about three yeares in all.

Dan. 6. 4. The impudency and instance of Daniels accusers, appeareth, in that to the King himselfe, with whom Daniel was in great favour, they durst accuse a man in their owne conscience so innocent, as they could finde nothing against him, except concerning the law of his God, and follow their accusation so subtilly with envious and false suggestions, as also so instantly, as, though the King himselfe laboured to deliver Daniel till the Sunne going downe, yet either hee could not, or would not, Daniel must die that night, lest the King should perhaps remember his good service, and change his minde ere morning.

How impudently and instantly did Ieremies accusers pursue him? The false Prophets and Priests accuse Ieremy to the Princes and all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death, for he hath prophesied against this City, as yee have heard with your eare, Ier. 26. 11. Hee is charged, that hee sought not the wealth, but the hurt of the people; that hee discouraged the people by his preaching, and weakned the hands of the men of warre. But when they could not by slandering and false accusing, impeach his innocency, nor get the law passe upon him, they come p. 571basely to the King, and besought him to put him to death, Ier. 38. 4.

1. This comes of extreme hatred of grace, and incessant Reas. 1.wrath against the light, whether in doctrine or in practice: for all wicked men are carried by the same wicked spirit and Prince of darknesse; and all of them plot and contrive how to disparage and discourage both the one and the other. This extreme malice makes them shamlesse in accusing; as in Satan, whose malice against God made him accuse GOD himselfe to Adam. There is no light so bright and shining, but they will darken; no conversation so cleane and unspotted, but without all shame and feare they can traduce. Now what an impudency is it to barke aganst the Sunne?

2. Tyranny of sinne where it raigneth, carrieth a man beyond all humanity, and all bounds of modesty, to act and pursue whatsoever gracelesse fact the devill moveth, against all lawes of God and nature. It carrieth Cham away to deride his owne fathers nakednesse, and Absolon to rise in rebellion against his owne indulgent naturall father, and to take his wives in the sight of Israel, putting off all shame and forehead, and all but the name of a man. The reason hereof is, because a slave must not contest with his Lord, nor stand reasoning the case with himselfe, but must doe what the devill will have him to doe, hee must be ruled at his will; beside the similitude betweene the devill and a man given up to this sinne of accusation: for many other sinnes men have common with beasts, fiercenesse, craft, indociblenesse, filthinesse; but this sinne men have peculiarly common with devils, and participating with his sinne, participate in his name, called Diaboli, 2 Tim. 3. So as when the devill groweth modest and moderate, and out of the goodnesse of nature is ashamed of any p. 572sinne, which hee can either act, or get acted, then may wicked men cease to bee impudent in accusing, but not before.

3. Satan and his instruments have alwayes bad causes in handling, and accordingly must bring them 3.about by bad and wicked meanes; such as most shamefull lyes and slanders, and most impudent accusations, which the lesse ground or colour of truth they have, the more clamor, impudence, and instance must they thrust them forward withall.

If so, then take no offence against the truth or true Vsereligion, because it hath beene and alwayes is exposed to false accusations by the father of lyes, and his lying of-spring; who all know, that if the Gospell succeed and flourish, their kingdome cannot stand; if the light approach darknesse is chased away. So long as may bee verified of Satan and his fellow-accusers, what is said in Ier. 3. 3. Thou hast an whores forehead and couldst not be ashamed; so long the Church must bee, as it hath beene in all ages and times of the world, stifly and instantly accused of rebellions, insurrections, seditions, treasons, and the most grievous scandals that hell can devise.

Here, for the better proceeding, consider three things.

1. The markes of impudent accusers and accusation.

2. Motives to beware of this sinne.

3. Meanes by which godly men may fence themselves from the same.

I. The markes are sundry.

1. It is a diabolicall impudency to accuse of that, whereof the accused are not onelyonly guiltlesse, but to which they are cleane contrary. Were it not an high impudency, to accuse the Sunne of darknesse, or piety it selfe of the highest wickednesse? to accuse the p. 573godly of that, which their whole course actually confuteth? How blacke was the devill faine to appeare in the dayes after the Apostles, when the Heathens cryed out of Christians, as the causes and authors of all publike calamities and plagues? If Nilus overflowed not their field; if earthquakes, pestilence, Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 8. Hist.or famine came on them, presently the poore Christians were cast unto the Lyons.

How like unto those Heathenish cryes are those of this day, that godly persons keepe no lawes, disobey Princes, are seditious, enemies to the State, &c. But is not all cleane contrary? for if there bee any true peace in any Land, it is for and by the Gospell, which is a Gospell of peace.

How like unto those were those horrible slanders cast upon the Protestants of Paris, to make them odious? Priests and Fryers in their Sermons perswaded the people, that the Lutherans met at banquets in the night, and putting out the Candles, went together, Jacke with Jill, after a beastly maner. Other Sorbonists accused them, that they held there was no God; that they denyed the humanity and divinity of Christ, the immortality of the soule, the resurrection of the dead, and the whole body of religion; and all this, when the confession of their faith was extant to the contrary.

How is the government of Jesus Christ thrust away by most impudent pretexts, that Christian policy is an enemy to civill policy? whereas the Kingdome of Christ, not being of this world, incroacheth not into matters of civill government, and civill policy is so farre from being abated or abolished, as that it is strenthened and stablished by the preaching of the Gospell.

The Romanists, to shew their brood and off-spring, and the Jesuites, the first-borne of Satan, are attained p. 574to such an impudence, as they may teach their Tutor to accuse.

1. In that they fasten impudently on us hundreds of wicked doctrines, which our religion is a flat enemy unto; as, That wee require onelyonly faith to salvation; That we condemne all good workes; That we say the Church hath failed many hundred yeares till Luther and Calvin; That we teach God the Author of sinne; That wee wrest the sword out of Princes hands, &c. and infinite more, which they write and print with such invincible impudency, as shewes them to have lost, with truth, all forehead and blushing.

2. In their devillish devises and accusations of holy and godly men, bothliving and dead; That Calvin called upon the devill; That Bucer at his death denyed Christ to be come; That Master Perkins dyed in despaire, of whose gracious and happy end my selfe was an eye-witnesse. What marvell if they could devise such Cart-loads of slanders after their death, who could not stay till they were dead? Of Beza they wrote a booke, that hee dyed a Catholike, with many strange stories of his death; which booke, himselfe, being alive, confuted with great zeale. Of Luther they published an horrible miracle, of his foule See Whites way to the Church, p…g. 430.death and damnation both in soule and body, with many passages after his buriall, and stirre of the devils about him; which comming to Luthers hands, hee answered. Of Queene Elizabeth they spred in forraine parts, some yeares before shee dyed, that shee was dead, and had reconciled her selfe to the Pope. Iohn Husse, yet alive, was accused that hee affirmed a fourth person in Trinity; who, when he desired the author or witnesse to bee brough forth; and could not obtaine, cryed out, O miserable man that I am, who am forced to beare such blasphemies and standers!

p. 5752. Another note of an impudēt blasphemer & accuser is, to accuse in things wherein himself is most guilty. With what impudency did Potiphars wife accuse Ioseph of incontinency, when only her selfe was unchaste, and the solliciter? Satan accuseth Iob before the Lord, that if hee touch Iob a little, hee will curse and blaspheme him to his face; whereas nothing is more usuall with Satan himselfe, than to curse and blaspheme God perpetually. Nero to picke a quarrell against the Christians set Rome on fire, and charged Tacit. …nnal. li. 5.the Christians with it; hence were they apprehended, clad with skinnes of beasts, and torne in pieces with dogs; and many crucified, and heapes of them cast into blazing fires, as if they had been cōmon burners & destroyers of men. The most treasonable massacre that ever the Sun saw, was laid upon the pretended treason of poore innocent men, drawne into the shambles as sheepe, thirty thousand of whose throats were cut in one month. At home the Parliament House must bee blowneup, and the fact laid upon the Puritans, with extreme and ridiculous impudence; whereby also Papists charge us with heresie, with corrupting the Scripture, with Idolatry, &c. and as impudently doe grosse Recusants accuse conformable men of inconformity; some of faction, being most factious themselves. Athaliah cryes, Treason.