Christs Victory Over the Dragon, Text (12 of 15)

Christs Victory Over the Dragon · Text (12 of 15)

p. 6314. Labour for this Christian resolution, rather to Use 4.dye than deny our Lord: it being our duty, we must p. 632ayme at it, and being difficult wee must get good arguments and helps to undertake it.

Quest.How may wee further our selves in this so difficult a resolution?

Ans.

1. By meditations.

2. By practises.

The meditations are sundry.

1. Consider seriously of such Scriptures as foretell persecutions for the name of Christ, all which 1.make the suffering of the Crosse inevitable; set a starre over such predictions, and hold thy minde upon thē, as things concerning thy selfe, if thou mind to live godly in Christ Jesus: and with the predictions ponder the examples of those, who have in this fight valiantly indured losse of goods, of lands, of liberty, and life it self for Christ and his Gospell: And when thou seest the Prophets, Apostles, faithfull Pastors, and Martyrs wracked, hewen a sunder, slaine with the sword, and would not bee delivered, (Heb. 11. 35.) wilt thou save thy selfe with base and dishonourable conditions which they refused?

2. If thou lookest up to God, consider, that all thy passion and suffering, both for the time, persons, measure, 2.manner and all circumstances, is appointed by Gods eternall decree, without whose speciall appointment not an haire of the head can fall, and much lesse the head it selfe: For the lives of the Saints are not in the hands of Tyrants, but in the hands of God; neither is their death casuall and accidentall, but determinate: Psal. 116. 15. Precions in his eyes is the death of all his Saints. Now as thou prayest daily, that Gods will may bee done, so must thou practise; and, if the will of God be so, that thou suffer, let thy will concurre with his will which is just and righteous, 1 Pet. 3. 17.

3. If thou lookest upon Christ, here is no want of p. 6333motives to suffer extreme things in his cause and quarrell.

First, consider, our sufferings are called the sufferings of Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 5. the affliction of Christ, Col. 1. 24. the Crosse of Christ, Gal. 6. the reproach of Christ, Hebrewes. 13. 13. the rebuke of Christ, Heb. 11. 26.

The reason is, because Christ is hee for whom we suffer, and wee are his Martyrs and witnesses.

2. Because Christ suffereth in us, whatsoever is done to one of the little ones, beleeving in him, is done to him; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee?

3. Because Christ suffereth with us, and in all our troubles is troubled, Esa. 63. 9. as the head of the naturall body suffereth with every member, by consent.

4. And because our sufferings conforme us to Christ; fellowship in his afflictions makes us conformable in his death, Phil, 3. 10.

Now who would refuse to bee a Simon, to helpe Christ to carry his crosse, seeing Christ is at the other end, and a partner in suffering?

Secondly, to give up our lives for Christ, is an honest duty of thankfulnesse to Christ our benefactor: A gratefull part it is to sticke to him in trouble, whom wee have followed in prosperity: For shall I be such a Swallow in my profession, as to take my summer with Christ, and not the winter? Beside, how is it but most just, that wee should maintaine his cause to the death, who maintained our cause to the death? and to sticke to him now before men, who by his death doth now plead our cause before God?

4. Consider the suffering it selfe, and in it wee have great incouragements; in that it is,4.

First, an honourable and glorious service to suffer p. 634for righteousnesse: Paul wil glory in nothing but in the crosse of Christ, Gal. 6. 14. and rejoyceth in nothing so much as his chaine: And indeed the chaines and irons of the Martyrs are farre more shining Martyres sunt clariores & honora…iores Ecclesiae cives. Aug. 10. de Civit. Dei, cap. 21.Ornaments than all the golden chaines of the world.

Is it not more glory for a stout champion and man of Armes to be in a battell than in a Bath? The marks and scarres of a souldier, received and sustained in his Princes and countries cause, are his true glory; and so are wounds, stripes, bands, imprisonment, or Persecutiones Christi animum nobiliorem po…ius quam debiliorem reddunt. Nazian.any suffering for the profession of the truth.

Secondly, it is a safe and saving service; for it hath many assured and precious promises, whereof the LORD will bee faithfull for performance; as namely of wisedome to answer, Matth. 10. 19. patience to indure, the Spirit of glory, and GOD to rest on them for comfort, 1 Peter 4. 14. strength to conquer, and in every temptation a gracious issue, 1 Cor. 10 13.

And lastly, a measure of mercy upheaped and running over, Matth. 5. 10, 11. Great is your reward in heaven.

Beside, it is the onelyonly way to save the life, thus to lose it; as the way for Abraham to keepe his sonne, was, to offer him to GOD when hee called for him; so the onelyonly way to save the life, is, to give it to GOD, and to offer it unto CHRIST, and for CHRIST, whensoever hee pleaseth to call for it: For as hee that spareth his seed, loseth it, but he that sowes, saves it, and findeth it returned with advantage in the harvest; so hee that saveth his life loseth it, (saith our SAVIOUR) and hee that loseth it on this condition, saveth it.

p. 635Thirdly, it is the onelyonly gainefull service to thy selfe above all other. Thy body thou givest to his mercy, who might command it to punishment. Thou offerest it weake and sinfull, to receive it sinlesse and glorious. Thou givest it for a while to dishonour and abasement, to receive it for ever glorified. Thou walkest here a while in blacke, that thou mayest ever walke in white hereafter. Thou sufferest a short paine, but gainest joyes long and weighty, 2 Cor. 4. 18. A bitter breakfast (said our Martyr) but a better dinner. In a word, what is there but cleare gaine in exchanging a miserable life for a moment, into an eternall happinesse which eye never saw nor heart of man can thinke? As there is no losse in serving God, so much lesse in suffering for Christ. Be faithfull to the death, thou shalt have a crowne of life, there is gaine enough.

5 Looke at the enemies, they are no way so much 5.disappointed as when a godly man loveth not his life unto death, but willingly forgoeth it for the name and profession of Christ. For whereas they intend nothing but evill (as Iosephs brethren) God turneth all to good, yea to the best, as appeares in these instances.

1 They hope to bring Gods people to a very few, Vitis illa tanto pullulat amplius, quanto uberiore Martyrum sanguine rigatur. Aug. de catechis. Rud. c. 23and worke wisely to keepe them under, as Pharaoh. But how are they disappointed? for the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church: the more they are oppressed, the more they increase. This camomile, the more it is troden under the feet of tyrants, the more it spreadeth, rooteth, and increaseth. This palme tree cannot be so oppressed with the weight of bloodie decrees, but it shall more apparantly rise up from under it.

2 They hope and intend to bring infamie and ignominie on their names for ever, by devising the p. 636duplicate page p. 637duplicate page p. 636most opprobrious and exquisite torments for them. But how are they disappointed? for as sweet drugs, stamped and pounded, cast the sweetest smell, so the Saints pounded in the morter of affliction: sweet incense is never so sweet, as cast into the fire: so is it heere.

3 They intend nothing but their death, the chiefe of all evills which they can inflict: but are disappointed: for they suddenly deliver them from all evills, of sinne and punishment, and send them speedily to the fruition of their chiefe good, which is, God himselfe and all the pleasures at his right hand. While they devise to kill them, they doe but cure them. While they thinke to banish them out of the earth, they call them out of their banishment. Pharaoh by tyranny will chase Israel out of his land, but it is but to thrust them on to their Canaan. They intend by their furious fires to burne and consume Gods golden vessells: but they shall onelyonly purge them from their drosse. The heaviest flayle of affliction shall but cleanse and sunder Gods wheat from the chaffe. Never were the three children so glorious, as in the midst of the furnace: never was the tyrant so pusled, so confounded, so conquered.

From the Meditations come to the Practises, which may helpe us in this great resolution and performance.

1 Labour daily in subduing and mortifying corrupt lusts. Get daily power to dye to all sinne: else canst thou never dye in the quarrell of grace. And of all lusts beware of three, which are strongest lets.

First, selfe-love; he that cannot denye himselfe, can never take up the crosse. Selfe-love makes a mans life so sweet and deare unto him, as he cannot abide to heare of heaven it selfe in exchange: so that he that hath not power to deny himselfe, let him be never p. 637so wise, learned, civill, yea or religious, he will at last dishonour God by backesliding and deniall of Christ.

Secondly, love of the world, which will not harbour with love of Christ: this easily makes him look backe, whose hand is on the plough. Demas forsook the truth to embrace the world. And if thou dost not master this lust, though thou wert as neare Christ as Iudas, thou wilt turne from him, yea against him.

Thirdly, pride and applause of men: which will never endure the shame of the crosse. To batter down this high turret, the Apostle (Heb. 12. 2.) bids us looke on Jesus who endured the crosse and despised the shame. He not onelyonly sustained, but sanctified to us the mockings and contradictions of sinners.

2 Another practise is, to labour for sound judgemēt in matters of faith. This only produceth a threefold action, which must necessarily go before undaunted profession.

First, a sound apprehension firmely and distinctly to beleeve the truth of religion, For wee must first beleeve with the heart, and then confesse with the mouth, Rom. 10. 9. 10. and 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved, and therefore I spake.

Secondly, from sound judgment issueth an high estimation of Christ and his truth above all the world, or life it selfe. All things are doung in comparison of him, both in themselves, and in the judgement of a sound Christian. And as the Lord himselfe hath magnified truth above all things, so doth sound judgment framed to his.

Thirdly, from sound judgment issueth a wise and advised resolution to hold the best fastest, and keepe this whatsoever wee let go for it; and not to shrinke from the truth for saving our life, no more then our p. 638Lord himselfe did. This sound judgment will keepe out a treacherous purpose of saving thy selfe by betraying the truth, either by silence, policie, or open deniall.

3 Another practise is, to get sound affections to Christ, and his truth; especially two:

First, love, that is truths keeper; every Apostate knew the truth, but never any loved it. And only love of Christ is stronger then death.

Secondly, sound joy; by which we are made not only contented, but joyfull in sufferings for Christ, which is indeed a matter of true rejoycing: Act. 5. 41 The disciples were glad, when they were counted worthy to suffer. 1 Pet. 4. 13. Rejoyce in that ye are partakers of Christs sufferings. Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives up to Christ, as the woman of Edissa came running with her child in her armes into the fire, lest the Christians should be burned ere she came, and not she with them: the like of Blanditta, a peerelesse woman, of Accolus, a mirror of patience: so our owne Martyrs, who sang in the midst of the flames, and had more joy then their tormēters. This joy none can take away.

4 Because to lay downe ones life is not the past of mans weakenesse, but of Gods goodnesse, and to Animam ponere non est humanae infirmitatis, sed divine bonitatis. Ambros. in Luc. 22.Luke 22suffer for Christ is a worke above naturall strength, and the holy Ghost onelyonly can stablish men to this triall; we must not presume of our owne strength as Peter, but pray for the mighty power of the Spirit, to make us of weake, strong, and that he who hath given us to beleeve, would also give us to suffer, and strengthen us to all patience with joyfulnesse, Col. 1. 10. Phil. 1. 29.Phil 1:29Consider that none have more cowardly lost the field, then those that presumed most of their strength and valour at home. Goe out of thy selfe, and pray p. 639that by his strength thou mayest be able to all things.

Verse 12. Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea: for the divell is come downe unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

AFter the victory atchieved over the dragon, and the due praises both of Michael the Generall, and of his band and armie, sung out in the former triumphant song, now in this verse is described a twofold fruit of the former benefit.

1 The joy of the Saints, therefore rejoyce yee heavens and ye that dwell in them.

2 The sorrow and extreme griefe of the wicked, called the inhabitants of the earth, and sea, in opposition to the former: with the reason of their sorrow, For the divell is come downe, &c.

For the joy of the Saints; it is invited by an Apostrophe, or conversion to them: in which are two things.

1 The cause or reason of their joy, in the word of inference, therefore:

2 The titles of those that are called to rejoyce, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them.

The cause of their joy is in the word, therefore: because the Church, both in the Head and members hath got so happie a victory over the dragon; therefore they are to rejoyce.

Note hence, that godly men triumph after victory, not before. Israel triumpheth when Goliah is Doctr.slaine and lyeth dead. 1 Cor, 15. ult. Thankes bee 1 Sam. 17. 52.1 Sam 17:52unto God who hath given us victory. Revel, 7. 14. Who be they that say Amen, Praise, glory, wisdome, thankes, honour, power and might unto our God for p. 640evermore, but those that are come out of great tribulation?

1 Christ our Lord triumphed after his victory, Reaf. 1.Col. 2. 15. He made a show, and triumphed over the principalities and powers, when he had spoyled them. This was for our example.

2 The nature of a triumph is ever after victory, and before is as unwise as unseasonable. For the event 2of warre is uncertaine, and falls sometime on this side, and sometime on that. And therefore the counsell of the King of Israel to Benhadud (assuring himselfe of victory, from the multitude of his army, which was so numerous that the dust of Samaria was not enough to give every one of his followers an handfull) was grounded on wise policie, 1 King. 20. 11. Let not him that girdeth on his armour, boast as he that putteth it off.

3 All the true triumph of Saints is grounded in 3.Christs victory soundly applyed to themselves. No flesh must rejoyce in it selfe, that according as it is written, He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord, 1 Cor. 1. 31.

Which serves to thrust downe all carnall and ungrounded Vse.triumph, and boasting before the victory: as,

First, Many formall Protestants defie the devill, have a strong faith, and ever beleeved, and it were pitty he should live that doubts of his salvation, and of all men they are surest to be saved. But here is a foolish triumph before victory: all this while they come not in Christs victory or strength: they meane wel, and deale justly with men, are sober, civill, chaste, not adulterers, drunkards, theeves: they come to Church, and heare the Prayers and Sermons, and yet are none of these forward and precise fellowes. But all this while the enemie hath thē fast enough, and is p. 641well pleased they should so delude themselves. For they are without faith, which should be their victory over the world, without repentance and mortification, which should be their victory over their sins and lusts, without sound fruits of faith, the only ensignes of victorious conquerors.

Secondly, Papists, glorie and triumph, but before victory: for,

1 Finall victory stands with Christ, not Antichrist.

2 Sound victory is founded in the victory of Jesus Christ, and not in prevailing against Christ and his Kingdome, as all theirs is.

3 Sound victory glorieth first in truths victory, and not in treading downe the truth, and Professors of it, as theirs doth.

4 True victory gloryeth in the lawfull, just, and Christian meanes of obtayning it. But how overcome they? In their fight against spirituall enemies, they will overcome by their good deeds, and merits, by their owne holy-water, holy relickes, holy crosses, by buying Masses, pardons, trentalls, and indulgences, by round summes to avoyd Purgatory, and the like. Here be conquerors: whose safety and salvation lyeth in despaire. For, whom have they enemies in all this, but God and his truth? such conquerors as Saul and his armour-bearer, who dyed on their owne weapons. And for their temporall enemies, by what meanes carry they victory, but by stabbing, throat-cutting, burning, Massacres, powder-plots, perjurie, treasons? Is this to be victors, to be superiors, in fury, fiercenesse, slaughters, and effusion of Christian blood? Let Papists thus conquer, and glorie in their shame: the more such victories they carry, lesse cause have they to triumph, unlesse they triumph justly in making themselves and their religion the shame and infamy of the whole world.

p. 6422 The persons that are called to rejoyce, are the heavens and they that dwell in them. By the heavens we understand not the heavens or any of them literally or naturally; nor by the inhabitants, the Saints and Angells dwelling in the third heaven (though even these have a share in the generall joy of the Church militant. For as the cause of this joy properly belongeth to the Church militant, as wee have heard, so the word of inference therefore, calleth on them as whom it most concerneth to rejoyce in their owne happinesse. By the heavens and those that dwell in them are meant the Church on earth and the Saints and Beleevers, the members of it; which is not usually in this Chapter, nor in this booke, chap. 18. 20. O heavens rejoyce over her: where the company of the godly in earth are called to rejoice in the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdome.

Now to the former reasons elsewhere, why the Church militant is called by the name of heaven, we will adde these:

1 Because there is not a more lively resemblance of heaven in the world, then the universall company of Saints in the militant Church here upon earth: as might appeare in many things. The inhabitants of the Church here below dwell together in an holy communion of Saints, enjoying the presence of God, separate from the world and the wicked inhabitants of it, knit among themselves by the inward band of the Spirit, and the outward meanes of association, the word, sacraments, prayer, and other more private helps: in which heavenly society they resemble that immediate and perfect fellowship which they expect in heaven, both betweene God and his people, and mutually among themselves.

2 Because of the high estate and condition of the Saints on earth above others uncalled: who are advanced p. 643beyond them, as the heaven is higher then the earth. For hence the dragon in this verse is said to be cast downe into the earth, where he was before, but into a farre lower condition.

3 Because the Saints by holy profession and godly conversation testifie the glory of God, as the heavens do, Psal. 19. 1. and therefore as their house and inheritance is there, so are their cogitations and conversation.

4 They have a tast of heaven, and beginning of heavenly joy and gladnesse, for the victory and salvation which in part they have already obtained by Christ against enemies, spirituall and temporall; which is pointed at in this text. For as in heaven is a perfect and unmixed joy for a full deliverance, and perfect salvation, so here is a tast and resemblance for a deliverance in part.

None are called to rejoyce in Scripture, but onelyonly Doct.godly men, who are said here to dwell in heaven. Psal. 32. 11. Be glad ye righteous: and Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seeke the Lord, rejoyce. Now by joy I meane not any naturall joy, arising from things pleasing to nature, which wicked men and reprobates, yea the beasts have in abundance: but that heavenly and spirituall joy, which is called the joy of the Spirit; both because it is wrought by the Spirit of God, and also hath spirituall and heavenly things for the obiect of it: as,

1 The ioy of reconciliation with God, and remission of sins.

2 Joy of heavenly graces, faith, love, &c. called ioy of faith, Phil. 1. 25.

3 Joy of heavenly glory held in certaine hope: this is called ioy unspeakable and glorious. 1 Pet. 1 8. and joy of salvation. Psal. 51. 12. This ioy is limited in Scripture to the faithfull, and therefore is called p. 644the joy of Gods people: and all other are barred out from it, Prov. 14. 10. The stranger entreth not into Psal. 106. 5.Ps 106:5his joy.

1 The godly are only qualified persons, and fitted Reas. 1.for holy reioycing. For,

First, they onelyonly have Christ, who merited this ioy, and therefore it is called His joy, Ioh. 15. 11.

2 They onelyonly have the Spirit, the immediate worker and preserver of sound ioy: whence it is called a fruit of the spirit. Gal. 5. 22. and the oyle of ioy, because it flowes from that anoynting.Psal. 45. Rom. 15. 13.Ps 45Rom 15:13

3 They onelyonly have faith, which is not of all men: and therefore they onelyonly have joy of beleeving, having with Christ gotten all things: they have purchased the field, and goe away reioycing. Simeon reioyced when his faith had got Christ into his armes.

4 They onelyonly are such as mourne, and onelyonly such are called to ioy, Mat. 5. 4. It ariseth out of sound sorrow, and a broken heart, as the Lute is tuned to sweet musicke by wresting the strings as if wee would breake them to pieces.

5 They onelyonly have attained victory in part over enemies, and are delivered from the dragons power. As Israel having escaped the sea, and mountaines, and Egyptians, so the Israel of God being set free frō hell, sinne, sinners, and the curse of sinne, have iust cause of ioy and gladnesse, and all but they want it.

6 They onelyonly are in heavenly state and condition, and have taste of the ioyes of heaven, which differ not in kinde from those they expect in heaven, but only in degree.

2 Wicked men are never bidden to reioyce, nor 2.are capable of this ioy. He never enters into it, nor it into him: for,

First, he is at warre with God, a stranger to the p. 645covenant, without Christ, without the Spirit: What joy where is no life? what joy can man dead in sinne have, separate from Christ the fountaine of life, and wanting the quickning Spirit?

Secondly, what joy can hee have, on whom sentence of condemnation is passed, and hee going on to execution? If such a man laugh. every one will thinke hee hath little cause: It is a laughter in the face, not in the heart.

Thirdly, what true joy can hee have, who neither hath the Well, nor can abide the Bucket, by which he should draw out of the Wels of salvation and consolation? Esa. 12. 3. Gods Word which onelyonly hath the joyfull tydings of salvation, hee hath no part in; it is a bill of indictemēt to him. The Sacraments to him are Seales set to blankes, seale nothing to him: His prayers are abominable; he hath no joy in any service; all the duties of his calling are sinne to him: Hee rejoyceth indeed in the creatures of God, but as a theefe in a true mans purse, and that joy which ariseth out of the creature, perisheth with it.

Fourthly, wicked men need not bee bidden rejoyce; for,

1. What hindereth or pincheth such? his sinne troubleth him not, it is his delight: Temptations of the devill vexe him not, hee runnes out to meet the Tempter: His conscience troubleth him not, that is brawned up: The world vexeth him not, but dandles him as her darling.

2. They are surfetted already with carnall joy, and are called from such joy to mourning and howling, Iam, 5. 1. and Luke 6. 25.

Note hereby what a miserable estate a wicked man is in, who cannot finde one syllable in all the Vse 1.Scripture to ground any comfort in, and so hath no warrant, nor cause to reioyce in any thing: For God p. 646hath covenanted nothing but woe and wrath, with them: Esa. 65. 13. My servants shall rejoyce, and yee shall be ashamed: my servants shal sing for joy of heart, and ye shal cry for sorrow of heart, and howle for vexation of spirit.

Consider a little.

1 What good thing is there in heaven or earth, good as in it selfe, so to thee that art an impenitent person? Looke at God the chiefe good, he is thine enemie, a consuming fire: what ioy hath stubble and chaffe in the fire? Looke at Christ, the Saviour of his body, and he is thy Judge, and he whom thou hast pierced. In stead of the sweet Comforter thou hast the spirit of bondage and feare: a sound of feare is ever in thine eares Iob. 15. 21. Looke on thy selfe, thou art a man in the divells fetters, ruled at his will: and within thee a wicked conscience, eyther following thee with hue and cryes, vexing and accusing thee, or else dead and benummed, which hath given thee over to all sinne, to swallow it with senslesnesse and greedinesse. Looke without thee, thou swimmest in a streame of outward contents and fulnesse, and herein thou reioycest too much: but thou hast thy portion here, and to the impure all is uncleane, thy table, meat, drinke, wife, children, all are a snare to thee, all upheapeth thy sin and vengeance; thou hast nothing out of Gods love, because thou hast nothing in the Sonne of his love. Looke beyond thy self & the presēt? what hast thou to ioy in? what hope hath the wicked in death, when God takes away his soule? A few mooveables God sends thee away with, but the inheritance is reserved for the sons of the free-woman.

2 As thou hast no cause of ioy, so thou hast no hold of thy ioy, who hast grounded it in perishing things; Well saith Iob, the rejoycing of wicked men is p. 647but for a moment, because the best of it is in momentany things: the rich man in riches, the wise man in wisdome, and some sots in the boasting of wisdome as if wisdome were to dye with them; many in their callings, and every carnall man hath some carnall ioy to feed his heart with: but all of it shall not lift thee an inch above earth, here thou findest it and leavest it, here it riseth and here it resteth, as it riseth no higher so it reacheth no higher.

3 If thou hast no warrant for thy ioy in lawfull things, what warrant or answer hast thou for thy ioy in unlawfull things? if thou hast no reason to ioy in naturall things, what will be the issue of thy sinfull ioy? of thy ioy in iniquity, which chaseth God and his Spirit away? Salomon saith, the foole maketh a pastime and merriment of sinne, Prov. 14. 9. when men excessively reioyce in sports and games, some in swearing, drinking, uncleane and filthie speaches, some in cursed and blasphemous language, some in wantonnesse and whoring: this is the divels mirth and musicke, and the ioy of hellish spirits. All this ioy in the workes of the flesh is sure to end in sorrow, and every dram of it to be repayed with a talent of wo. The same of such as reioyce in revenging, quarrelling, treading underfoot, and oppressing their brethren: every sheafe must bow to theirs, and every mans will must fall downe before theirs, be they never so uniust, else there is no living neere them. The like of those that reioyce in rayling, reproaching and disgracing Gods children, and the profession of holy religion. Here are a rable of reioycers, who cannot reioyce but when God is farthest off, out of sight and out of minde, none can be liker to Satan, then in this sin of reioycing in evill: their onelyonly ioy is, to goe merrily to hell.

2 This quite overthrowes the conceit of carnall p. 648Use 2.men, who hold the state of godly and religious men the most uncomfortable, and that they must bid all mirth and joy and pleasure of their lives farewell, if once they looke toward religion. But wee see no other have any cause of true joy, but they, none in the Scripture called to rejoyce but they, none but they are in league and friendship with God, none but they have assurance of pardon of sin and deliverance by Christ, none else know their names written in heaven, none else have peace of conscience which is a continuall feast, none else have part in the glory of the Sonnes of God. Yet carnall men thinke they want joy and comfort: Why?

1 Because they cannot now rejoyce in carnall things, as before: wordly ioy is now unsavorie to them in respect of spirituall.

2 Because themselves cannot enter into their ioy.

3 God brings it ordinarily out of sorrow.

4 Wicked men do all they can to disquiet them, and chase away their ioy.

5 They see not how the ioy of Christ and worldly griefe can stand together. But as farre are they deceived, as if a blinde man should say, there is no sunne or shine, because he seeth it not, or because the sunne is clouded, therefore it is not in the heavens. No: there is nothing but ioy in godly life, and most ioy in the greatest afflictions of it. If there be any sorrow, it is because they cannot be godly enough. And all that sorrow is mixed and concluded with ioy. Have any such cause of ioy, as inhabitants of heaven?

3 This teacheth all the godly to be sure that all their ioy savour of heaven, and be such as beseemeth Vse 3.the inhabitants of heaven, and such as never entred into a carnall heart.

Quest. How may I know it so to be?

p. 649Answ. When it resembleth the ioyes of heaven: namely in these things.

1 As their persons, so their ioyes are quite taken from earth and earthly things: they never more ioy in momentany things of this life; but in eternall and unvaluable excellencies: So our ioyes resemble heaven, when they are lifted up above earth: when they are remooved from the worthlesse trifles of earth, and are set on solid ioyes of heaven. 2 As their ioy is sutable to their place and condition, so must ours. 1 They are in heavenly places, so wee are risen with Christ and set in heavenly places with him; and should our ioy be in earthly drudgery, and not seeking things above? How uncomely were it for a Princes sonne for some base hire to spend his time in serving hogs, or to scullion in a kitchin, or runne upon errands at the command of every slave? and is it not much more base for sonnes of God, heires of heaven, and co-heires with Christ, to runne and goe at the base beck and call of sinne, and Satan, and worldlings, slaves to the world, forgetting the priviledges to which they are borne.

Those heavenly inhabitants, being so high in place, iudge these things small: the earth is contemned, and as small to them as the point of a pin. And, could we get up our mindes aloft, and fixe them in heaven, we would think the greatest things on earth as small as mites, and motes of the sun, unworthy of our ioy.

2 Those heavenly inhabitsnts, with perfection of place having attained perfection of estate, have a cleare iudgment to discerne and chuse their ioyes, and to iudge them onelyonly worth having. Even so must wee labour to get our iudgment cleared, to preferre the ioyes of that fruitfull Canaan before those of this desert and barren wildernesse. What is p. 650it but want of judgment and experience, that makes children affect childish trifles before matters of worth and moment, to preferre an apple before a Lordship, a top and scurge before their patrimony? which they laugh at in themselves, when they come to a riper understanding. And what is it but want or weakenesse of iudgement, for men professing godlinesse not to put away such childish things? How would i… beseeme a man of yeares to ride upon a sticke, as when he was a child, or to make clayhouses as children do? If a man should see a great fellow delight in such toyes, he would thinke that eyther he is out of his wits, or was never in them. Even so for men in the Church, that should be past children, to remaine babes in affections, and follow inferiour trifles, with neglect of the manly businesse of heaven, is foolish and ridiculous.

All which is said, to helpe our ioyes to be heavenly, beseeming our state and condition, which they cannot be if they be earthly.

2 See thy ioy be heavenly in the rise and ground of it: so is theirs. And then is it so:

First, if it be from the Lord, as the author and fountaine of it, & taken up in those pipes which himselfe appointeth, See thou hast it by hearing the ioyfull voyce of the Gospell: Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare joy and gladnesse. It must come by hearing. Wait then on the word, both for the obtayning and increase of it. The Scriptures are the wells of consolation, whence it must be drawne The wise men reioyced exceedingly in the starre which led them to Christ: the word is this starre, a wise Christian will reioyce in it.

Secondly, if it be a receipt from Christ. The inhabitants of heaven above have no ioy but from Christ, and in Christ. No part in Christ, no part in this ioy. p. 651See it bee thy Masters joy: Then is it so, when it is a Mat. 25. 21.Matt 25:21fruit of justification; Rom. 5. 11. Wee rejoyce in God through Iesus Christ, by whom wee have received attonement: They rejoyce that they enjoy Christ by sight, we that wee enioy him by faith; they that they are married unto him, wee that wee are contracted; both happy, that we both enioy him, and that hee is all in all: With this onelyonly difference, that our Masters ioy is entred into us, and they are entred into it; we comprehend, they are comprehended.

3. If thou wouldest have thy joy resemble the joyes of heaven, the matter of it must be heavenly as theirs is: The maine matter of heavenly ioy respecteth three obiects:

First, God.

Secondly, the communion of Saints.

Thirdly, their owne happy estate.

I. The inhabitants of heaven place their chiefe ioy in the Chiefe Good; partly in his presence, wherein is their fulnesse of ioy; and partly in his glory, which is shining and set up; partly in the perfect prosperity of the Saints, and partly in the utter confusion of all enemies: Even so the Inhabitants of heaven upon earth must have for the obiect of their ioy, God in himself, and God in Christ Jesus, which is eternall life: For, Whom have I in heaven but thee, or whom on earth in comparison of thee? Psal 73. 25. Were it not for the presence of God and Christ, earth, yea heaven it selfe were an hell; and as God is the chiefe good, so his glory is the chiefe ayme and ioy of the Saints in earth: Wee must reioyce when wee see his glory set up, when the Church enioyes prosperity, when Christs Scepter is lifted up, and the Gospell hath free passage. David preferred Jerusalem before his chiefe ioy, Psal. 137. 6. and reioyced when men said, Let us goe up to the house of God, Ps. 122. 1. so also when the p. 652dragon is cast downe, as here, when the enemies fall before Michael; wee must reioyce when Antichrist and Popery is disappoynted, their Captaines foyled, their armies mastered; Exod. 18. 9. Iethro reioyced at all the good which God did for Israel, in overthrowing the enemies: This is ioy like the ioy of heaven:

II. Another obiect of heavenly ioy next unto God, is, the communion of Saints: Their ioy is perfect in their perfect charity, and in the perfect fruition of one anothers perfections; so must wee, all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue, Psa. 16. 3. Moses would chuse to suffer adversity with the people of God, rather then enioy treasures. How should we ioy in the gifts and graces of every one, and account our selves as happy in them as in our owne measure? so doe they. But they are farre from heaven, who envy, fret, slander, or obscure the graces of God in his children, &c.

III. The third obiect of heavenly ioy is the happy estate of the Saints: which happinesse consisteth in the absence of all evill, and the presence of all good.

Heavenly Inhabitants are perfectly freed from all evill, so are the Saints in earth; with this difference, we from the destruction, they from molestation; For,

First, they sinne no more, and if Saints now sinne, it is not they, but sinne in them, Psal. 119. 3. surely they worke no iniquity.

Secondly, they are beyond the curse of sinne; so are wee, for Christ was made a curse for us: They are without crosse, wee without curse.

Thirdly, they can dye no more, but are passed from death to life; even so wee are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. Christ is the death of our death, the sting is gone.

p. 653Fourthly, they are beyond the reach of all enemies; those enemies whom their eyes haye seene, they shall never see more: Even so are we; with this difference, none can assault them, none can prevaile against us.

Beside, there is the presence of all good things; the Saints above have no good thing absent, so they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good, Psa. 34. 9. But the chiefe good things wherein the Saints reioyce, are three.

1. The happy vision of God; and our chiefe ioy here below is, to see God in Christ Jesus, which is eternall life: They are happy to see his face, we happy, as Moses, to see his back-parts; they are happy to see him face to face, wee to see him in a glasse: They are happy, as Salomons servants, to see and stand ever before him as houshold servants, we for the time happy to bee as retainers, wearing his cloth, and in his service somewhat f…rther off.

2. They ioy in Gods blessed Image, to which they are wholy conformable: For,

First, the chiefe part of their ioy is, to have their cheife facultie, which is their understanding, to be satisfied with the chiefest obiects; for they know all things that the glorified creatures are capable of: Even so the ioy of Saints is, that scales of ignorance are fallen from their eyes, and that wee see the same face of GOD, though as in a glasse, and wee know all things that new creatures are capable of, and wee know the same things in our measure as they doe: For our knowledge here differs not in kinde from that, but in degree. For God and Christ is the same wee now see, as then wee shall see, as the Sunne is the same under a cloud, or in a mist, as in a cleare day, and our eyes the same by which wee see the Sunne in infancy, which we see it with in mans estate, p. 654but stronger now and more perfect: And as children heare of the same King, State-matters, Emperours, Parliaments that men doe, but understand them not, but after a weake and imperfect knowledge; so wee know now in our childhood but in part, & afterward have the same understanding in further growth and manly perfection.

Secondly an happy part of Gods Image is, that their wills are perfectly conformable to Gods will, and confirmed to bee unchangeable in willing what God willeth: Even so our joy and prayer must be, that Gods will may be done of our selves & others; and our wils once renewed are unchangeable, because of Gods confirmation of them in goodnesse: Oh what an heavenly joy were it, if so perfectly Gods will might be done of us in earth as it is in heaven! And though power often want to beleevers, to will is present.

Thirdly, Gods Image is happily apparent in their affections. The Saints in heaven hate all sinne and wee hate that wee doe, Rom. 7. They love God perfectly, and Jesus Christ better than themselves; and so the Saints on earth love not their lives to the death for Christ and his glory.

Fourthly, so perfect is Gods Image on them, that the inhabitants of that heaven are without all spot & wrincle, that is, in full sanctification; and it is the joy of Saints here, that the Church is all faire, and no spot is in her, both in respect of inchoation, and acceptation.

3. Another chiefe good thing, the mover of their ioy is, their happy priviledges with God; a taste and beginning of all which the Saints below have to feed their ioy: As,

1. They are in heaven, and Inhabitants of heaven; so are wee.

p. 6552. They raigne as Kings; are crowned, and have conquered as Kings; so we are made Kings to God, Rev. 1. 6. are crowned, Re. 3. Let none take away thy crowne; and are conquerours, yea more than conquerours, Rom. 8. A conquerour may bee conquered, but so cannot wee: OnelyOnly this, they are conquerours in their Countrey, we in the way thither.

3. They are sonnes of God, and heires of the Kingdome; so are wee now the sonnes of God; onelyonly they appeare so to bee, we not yet, 1 Iohn 3. 1, 2.

4 They drink of the waters of the Well of life, and so do we; onelyonly they drinke at the Fountaine and Well-head, wee at the streames somewhat below.

5. Their ioyes are perpetuall, the Well is never drawne dry, it is a lasting and everlasting ioy from an everliving Fountaine: No more shall the Saints in this heaven ever lose their ioyes; My joy shall none take away from you.

Now have I propounded the ioyes fit for an Inhabitant of heaven What an happy thing is it to be free of such a City! All other priviledges are chaffe to it, all other ioyes bitternesse to it.

Quest.May we not reioyce in any thing else?

Answ. 1. Godlinesse denyeth no lawfull delights, but giveth both allowance and sweetnesse to them.

2. No ioyes are lawfull but such as are moderated, guided and subiected to these.

3. None but such as are received and used as pledges of these.

4. None but such as uphold these in the due measure of their goodnesse, and uphold a proportionall affection in us toward these. And,

5. Are referred unto these as our chieFe ioy, and onelyonly beseeming heaven upon earth, and heaven above earth.

p. 656Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, &c.]

Now followeth the latter fruit of the former victory, namely the most grievous plagues and evils inflicted upon the wicked world. Where are three things:

1. The woe denounced.

2. The persons on whom, the inhabitants of the earth and sea.

3. The reason, for the devill is come downe, &c.

Woe: It is a Particle in Scripture,

1. Of lamentation, Lamen. 5. 16. Woe unto us that wee have sinned.

2. Of commination or threatning, and prediction of some wofull imminent evils and events; so in this Text it threatneth the iudgement of God upon the wicked world. In this use it threatneth sometimes temporall iudgements, Mat. 24. Woe to them that give suck in that day: Sometimes eternall damnation, as to Iudas, Mat. 26 24. Woe to that man, it had beene good for him that hee had never beene borne: and sometimes spirituall plagues and iudgements, the ordinary fore-runners of that, & so it doth here: This Text therefore is like that Volume spred before Ezekiel, Chap. 2. 10. which was written within and without, and there was nothing written but lamentation, and mourning, and woe

Which compared with the former part of the verse teacheth, that the Ministers of God must as Doctr.faithfully deliver the voyces of wo, and legall threatnings out of the world, as the voyce of ioy, and glad tydings of Euangelicall promises and comforts. Aarons sonnes in the Law must blow the Trumpets of the Lord; to siguifie unto Euangelicall Ministers, that they must sound an alarme against all Gods enemies, p. 657and be at defiance against all sinne; according to the Commandement, Esa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet, tell Israel of his sinne, and Iudah of his transgression: And thus for our example did the Prophets, Apostles, and the Lord of the holy Prophets, Jesus Christ. Eliah tels Ahab to his face, that it is hee that troubled Israel; Nathan telleth David, Thou art the man; Iohn Baptist telleth Herod, It is not lawfull for thee to have her; Act. 2. 24. It was you that crucified the Lord of glory: Acts 8. 22. Repent of thy malice, and pray if the wickednesse of thy heart may bee forgiven thee: Mat. 3. 7. O generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned you to fiye from the anger to come? Mat. 23. 13. Woe be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites, for yee will not enter your selves, and ye shut the doore against others; Verse 33. Serpents, and generation of Vipers, how will yee flye the damnation to come?

1. This is a part of the will of God, and it belongs Reas. 1.to faithfulnesse to deliver the whole Counsell of God, and keepe nothing backe. The Embassadour to a Prince must deliver his Masters minde, and commission wholy, if hee will expect the reward of fathfulnesse.

2. This is that part of the Word, which is the portion of the greatest part of the world, and even of 2.them that live within the visible Church: for no naturall man, no impenitent person, hath any part in any other part of the Word: Pro. 26. 3. To the horse belongs a whip, and a rod for the fooles backe: and as Iehu said to Iehorams servant, What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the sinnes of Iezabel remaine? so what hath any wicked man to doe with peace of the Gospell, so long as hee is in his sinnes? Wee may not cast this childrens bread to dogs, nor these precious pearles before Swine.

p. 6583. This is as necessary a part of the Word to salvation, 3as any other, neither is there any part fruitfull but by this. Can any man heare of pardon that will not heare of his sinne? Will any skilfull Chirurgion apply healing Salve to a corrupt and festred wound, before hee open and cleanse it? And must wee powre oyle into sound parts of men, yea, or into their wounds, before wee have powred in Wine to search them? No, were we to preach before Kings, as Nathan, we must preach the Law before pardon. The Lord appearing to Elias, there was first a mighty strong winde that rent the Rocke, and then an earthquake, and after that a terrible fire, and then came a still voyce, in which hee was comfortable: Even so, when his Ministers by the tempest of the Law have rent the rockie hearts of men, and made them at their wits ends, that they come trembling and crying with the Iayler, Acts 16. Sirs, what may I doe to be saved? now is a fit season for the voyce of peace, and the bindings of the Gospell.

4. The whole Scripture doth nothing but separate betweene light and da knesse, betweene the Children 4of the Kingdome, and the children of Hell: and so must the true handling and application of it sever the precious from the vile. We must manifest it to be Ier. 15. 19. Mat. 3. 12.Jer 15:19Matt 3:12the fanne in the hand of Christ, severing the chaffe from the wheate. And this is as a wise steward, to give every man his portion

Here some obiections must be removed.

Object. 1. Wee are under the Gospell, and freed from the Law, which is not given to the iust, 1 Tim. 1. 9. you need not bee so sterne and earnest

Ans. The most men that live under that Gospell, by secret hypocrisie or open disobedience are under the curse of the Law, and wrapped in that great condemnation, pronounced by Christ upon the world, p. 659that light is come, but men love darknesse rather than light, because their deeds are evill, Iohn 3. 19. But, suppose all that heare the Gospell were converted by the Gospell, were the menaces and terrours of the Law needlesse to them? For though the malediction and law is not to bee urged against their persons, yet it is to be urged against their remaining sinnes: and the best men may, by frequent meditation and application of the curse of the law, bee much furthered in godlinesse: For,

First, the best being sanctified but in part may sometime abuse the grace of God to liberty in sinne.

Secondly, the best need more humiliation, which is wrought by the Law.

Thirdly, the best may nodd, and need a wakening voyce.

Fourthly, the best may fall, and need an helpe to rise.

Fiftly, the best may slack their pace, their love and zeale, need spurres to pricke and hasten them in their way: Now if the best need the law, what doe the worst?

Object. 2. You are preachers of the Gospell of peace, and must set forth the peace, and grace, and mercy of God, and not be so tart and sowre.

Ans. Wee are so, and must doe so; but when, or to whom?

1. Shall wee preach peace before men see the need of it, or before their hearts be ever troubled for sinne? or the grace and favour of God to a gracelesse wretch that spurnes against the grace of God? or mercy to him that presumptuously sinneth, and addeth drunkennesse to thirst? May wee say, that God will fill vessels of wrath with mercy?

2. To whom shall wee preach peace? to every gracelesse sinner that loves his peace in his sinnes better p. 660then peace with God? Shall we preach peace unto such as grow into opē hostility with God? to such as blaspheme his name, his servants, his graces? to such as upon pretenced malice wickedly spurne at Gods Ministers, and slander the doctrine that is according to godlinesse? God speakes no peace to these, nor may we from God: He can have no peace with God till hee warre with his sinnes: And hee must begin with the Law, that must conclude with the Gospell of peace; Hee must be at peace with the Law, before the Gospell be peace to him.

Object. 3. The servant of God must not strive, but exercise all meeknesse, and patiently suster evill men, 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25.

Ans. A meeke disposition is much set by of God in all; and of all men it is most usefull and gracefull in a Minister: But,

1. Christian meeknesse is a meeknesse of wisdome, I am. …. 13. & this discerneth both of cases & persons, to whom mecknesse must be shewed; for all sins are not alike; some are motes, some are beames, some are but as scratches, some are deeper and larger wounds; some let out with the pricke of apinne, some not without the launce. In matters of greater moment, when Gods glory is impaired, the happy proceedings of the Gospell stopped, or the salvation of men greatly hindered, now is no place for meekenesse to sway. Moses that was the meekest man upon earth, in case of Gods dishonour and making the Calfe, turnes his meeknesse into a severe revenge, broke the Tables, and slew three thousand of his brethren the same day.

For persons: Meeknesse of wisdome discerneth, that all sinners are not a suit; some are weake, some wicked; some ignorant, some wilfull; some are leaders, some are led; some are free-borne, some of Hagars p. 662seed; some need the rod, some the spirit of 1 Cor. 4. 21.1 Cor 4:21meekenesse; some must bee saved with compassion, some with feare, Iud. 23. some are wonne by meeknesse, some marr'd and lost: Our Saviour Christ, who was the mirrour of meeknesse, and our patterne, of whom wee must learne to be lowly and meeke (for hee would not breake the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoaking slaxe) yet he who never failed, or departed from the highest pitch of any grace, being to deale with Scribes and Pharises, who had corrupted the Law, and sinned against their knowledge, and Mat. 23.Matt 23led others into sinne, how loades he them with curses one in the necke of another? And his Ministers sinne not against meeknesse of wisdome, when in cases where Gods glory is trodden downe, mans salvation hindred, the devill prevailes, and sinners are impudent, they valiantly shew themselves for God, against all that rise against him.

2. No grace of God is contrary one to another; and therefore Christian meeknesse neither abolisheth nor weakneth Christian zeale: And therefore although meeknesse will alwayes shew it selfe to the persons, yet zeale will ever burne against their sinnes. Zeale will not suffer under a pretence of meeknesse, an irreligious and mute approbation or bearing of evill, but will kindle and fasten upon it.

3. No part of Scripture is contrary to it selfe: Those Scriptures which command us to shew meeknesse to all, crosse not those which command us to reprove sharply or cuttingly; wee must set an edge and point Tit. 1. 13. foreignTitus 1:13upon our reproofes; nor those which bid us, Reprove plainly, and not suffer, sinne upon our brother: And Leu. 19. 17.Lev 19:17therefore meeknesse in a Minister must not stop him from sharpe reproofes whereoccasion is, but must temper and order them: and excellent is the use of meeknesse in plaine and sharpe reproving: For,

1. Meeknesse doth so temper zeale, that it comes slowly, and as it were with a leaden foot to sharpe reproofes, not rashly or hastily.

2. It makes it come orderly: It will first assay loving and gentle meanes before it grow to roughnesse, especially if the parties bee corrigible, and not conceited, and impudent in their sinne. Deut. 20. 10. when the Jewes went out to warre, the Lord commanded them first to offer conditions of peace to that City; and if it refused peace, then to besiege, smite and destroy it So we first offer peace, and this refused, we proclaime warre; first allure, admonish, exhort, and then thunder, threaten, and terrifie them that stand out.

3. Meeknesse mingleth charity with sharpest reproofes; and as the Lord in his sharpest reproofes and messages seekes our good, so doe his Ministers: Men cry out, that Ministers are angry, when wee deale sharply with a stubborne & perverse people: and why may wee not bee so? hee that commandeth us to be angry and sinne not, hath made it a sinne not to bee sometimes angry. But wee speake Eph. 4.Eph 4not now of naturall and personall anger, against persons; but a Christian and holy indignation, which we must expresse against sinne; treading in the steps of our Lord and Master, Marke 3. 5. hee looked about him angrily, but mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts: So mee knesse forbids us not anger against mens sinnes, but injoynes us pity and compassion to their persons: Wee must hate the workes of the Nicolaitans, and bee angry not so much against the men, as their wilfulnesse and obstinacy.

4. Meeknesse seasoneth zeale and zealous reproofes with Sugar, that is, some manifestation that the sinner may see himselfe not hated when his sinne is sharply reproved; and moderateth it with a readinesse p. 663of minde to heale the sinner so soone as he seeth his wound: It stints the number of stripes, as in the law, that they exceed not. The Apostle was zealous against the incestuous Corinthian, but so, that upon his sorrow hee is carefull to comfort him, lest hee be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, 2 Cor. 2. 7. Acts 2. 37, 38. when they were pricked at their hearts, Peter comforts them; and Paul, the Jaylor, Acts 16. 31. And hee that mournes and prayes for his brothers sinne, as Christ over Jerusalem, and Moses for the Idolatrous Israelites, Exod. 32. will rejoyce in nothing more than such a one, wonne by the rebukes of the Word, and receive him as joyfully as the father his lost sonne returning.

Well, if Ministers must bee faithfull in delivering Vse 1.the legall part of the Word, then those Ministers are reproved,

1. Who want breath to blow this Trumpet; dumbe and unable persons, blinde guides and insufficient men, who in that place let in a fludgate of sinne and mischiefe amongst the people.

2. Such as are more able, but as unfaithfull; they winke at sinne, and will not see it, or coldly reprove it, as afraid to blow the trumpet too loud for waking the sinner: these are farre from making sinners afraid of sinne. Should such a trumpet blow, and not make men fear? Amos 3. 6. Is not Gods word a two-edged sword, to pierce the very heart of the sinner? and the hammer of God to breake the heart to pieces? and will this be done with dallying reproofes, as if men were at foynes? No, no; if the Minister can doe it with down-rightblowes, hee shall finde them little enough. Besides, is not sinne growne to a great height and impudency, as a disease come to the height of his crisis? and is that curable with a gentle remedy? No, it is the blewnesse of the wound that p. 664must purge most evils of this age, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly, Prov. 20. 30. Add here to, that all sinners are not alike; for as in a materiall house all stones are not alike, some are soft, and easily hewed for the building, some are of an harder and flinty or marble disposition, which require sharpe tooles, and strong blowes to frame them to their place: so in the house of God, some stones are more soft, sooner humbled and reformed, but most are harder, as the Adamant, and easily yeeld not to the strokes of the Word; lightly to smite these is but to hearten and harden them in sinne.

3. Of all other the most mischievous are they in their places, that either out of a carelesse and unconscionable coldnesse, or out of ayme and desire to please, or feare to displease, or out of purpose to get applause of being peaceable men, or out of base covetousnesse flatter men in their sinnes, cloake their knowne evils, and dissemble their vilenesse: All is well, so that it may bee well to themselves; all the praises of piety shall guild rotten posts for base hire and reward: Oh the sinne of these men is passing great, who incourage and uphold men in their wickednesle, betray them into the hands of the devill, drowne them deeper in the pit of destruction, and set their feet on their neckes to keepe them under from ever rising any more; whereas they should lend an hand, and reach them the line of a faithful reproofe to helpe them out.

2. This shewes the corruption of many, who Vse 2.cannot abide to heare the threatnings of Gods word: Oh, our Preachers are so tart and sowre; they preach nothing but hell and damnation, and seeke to bring men into despaire; they cannot abide these Bonarges, sonnes of thunder; they would faine once change them with …ome sweet-tongued Prophets and Zidkiahs p. 665that will sew pillows under their armes, and by their flatteries cause them to erre. To these I answer:

1. Hee is farre from reforming his sinnes, that will not abide them to bee reproved; and his heart shall never be pricked with godly sorrow, that will not have his sinnes pricked with the sharpe needle of the Law.

2. Hee is farre from pardon of his sinnes, that will not heare of them: David because hee willingly heares of his sinne, presently heares of pardon; but Herod, because hee will not heare Iohn Baptist speake of his sinne, never heares of pardon.

3. A property of a good heart is, to delight in the Law of God in the inner man, Rom. 7. 22. and hold it a sweet benefit by it, that it still discovers the secret evils, which must bee repented of and reformed. The joy of a godly soule is, to bee anatomized by the Word, and searched. But hee is a bankrout that cannot abide his estate to be cast up.

4. It is a property of soundnesse to justifie the Lord in all his sayings, as David did, being reproved by Nathan of foule things, Psal. 51. 4. A true humble spirit, acquainted with repentance, will acknowledge, that no part of Gods Word can bee so sharply spoken, as justly. If God bee sharpe in reproving and threatning, it will stoupe and say, it is most just, I have matter enough in me, and given cause enough, if he threaten me with a thousand hels and damnations. When the Lord threatneth Eli with the destruction of his house, (1 Sam. 3. 18.) hee yeelds himselfe, It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good. When Esay threatneth Hezekiah with the like destruction of his house and state, hee yeeldeth, 2 Kings 20. 19. The Word of the Lord is good: Hee might have beene more severe and brought it in my p. 666dayes. Mat. 15. 27. Christ calleth the Cannanitish woman, dog: she justifieth him in his saying, and saith, Truth Lord, I am no better, but give me some crummes of mercy. If legall doctrine strike thee downe in thy selfe, and send thee forth to seeke mercy as she, here is a note of soundnesse.

5 There is not a more certaine note of a wicked man and hypocrite, then to taxe Gods word of too much severity. If God threaten Cain for killing Abel, oh his punishment is greater then he can Micah. 2. 7.Mic 2:7beare: he could beare an heavier sinne lightly, but the punishment and threatning is too heavie. Let Iohn Baptist reproove Herod for incest, the reproofe is too harsh and heavie, he shuts Iohn up in prison. So Act. 7. 51. Steven calls the Jewes stiffe-necked, uncircumcised, resisters of the holy Ghost: whereas they should have justified the Lord in this reproofe, they stop their eares, gnash their teeth, and runne upon him, and stone him.

Whosoever he be that hates plaine dealing, meanes not plainly. He that cannot abide to have his conscience touched, is surely festred and galled. Marke those men that most resist the doctrine of the Law, you shall find them most lawlesse, most gracelesse, most wicked men, for most part openly: if not, the deepest dissemblers.

3 This shews their great sinne, that contest against sound doctrine, and refuse to heare it, out of malice Vse 3.or envy to the persons, but with a fine pretext: It is too personall, and such a doctrine as doth particularize men, as plaine as by their names. But,

1 These men perhaps thinke we must speake to pillars and posts, not to persons; or if to persons, to some persons in Utopia: but not to the sins and necessities of our owne hearers: and how do we then give every person his portion?

p. 6672 Doth any person come to heare: who hath a dispensatiō that God by his servant must not meddle with his sinnes? or must wee dispense the word in respect of persons.

3 Doth not particular reproofe of particular offenders in many kinds stand with the word of God? How was Nathan overseene to tell David he was the man, and Eliah to Ahab, and Iohn Baptist to Herod? Is it now so unsufferable a sin to deale with personall sins?

4 How doth the Lord set mens sins in order before them, but by the ministery of the word? Psal. 50. 21. How shall we teach the Church to avoid hurtfull and infectious persons, but by discovering them? How can Titus carrie his doctrine to make the opposites ashamed (Tit. 2. 12.) if he may not meddle with their personall sinnes? And many that care neither for Gods law nor Gospell, yet by shame may be restrained, and stopped from their wickednesse. Some are so incorrigible and impudent in their sin, that they are fit to be branded and discovered by the Churches severity, as in the course of justice desperate malefactors are boared in the eare, or burnt in the hand.

5 If any man could teach us how to sunder persons from sinnes, that sinnes might walke like ghosts without bodies, it might be wee should offend no persons, but all our shot should be levelled against sinnes. But seeing sinne is so close set to the persons, as they both make but one man, and men love their sinnes as themselves, wee cannot point at a sinne but presently we are blamed and distasted as pointing at the person.

6 Let all such know that the time commeth when they shall say it had beene wiselier done to have forsaken their sinne then the Ministery that checkes it, p. 668and not as foolish children, who had rather keepe a sore finger or foote then abide the paine of opening and curing.

4 This is instruction to all hearers, to endure Vse 4.themselves patiently to be launced and pricked to the hearts by Gods Surgione, as knowing that the hurt of the daughter of Gods people is not cured with sweet words. Ier. 6. 14. The thunder and lightning more purifieth the aire then the warme sunshine. And that you may doe this, get wisdome and grace to consider these things,

1 That Ministery that workes no smart, workes no cure. A sound Ministery divideth betweene the marrow and the bone, yea betweene the soule, spirit, and joints, Heb. 4. 12. Can this be done without smart? Oile heales not without wine. There is no profit nor cure in skinning festers unsearched, and no search without smart.

2 That wee take no pleasure in your smart or judgment, but that without it you cannot be cured, It is you that compell us to severity in our Ministery, while you will hold your sinnes stiffly against the word, and resist the powerfull meanes of your owne good. What should wee do to be free from your blood, if wee find you proud, scoffers, churlish, earthly, profane, but directly repoove these sinnes if wee would not have them set on: our score? What our hire is, if we see the sword come upon you and not give you warning, see in Ezek. 33. 7. Nay, happy were it for us and you, if we might speake nothing but peace, so we might discharge our dutie: and if we proclayme wo you may helpe it, we cannot.

3 That whereas you would have us preach Gods mercies to you, in this legall doctrine, what do we but declare his admirable mercy, who sends the sound of wo before the sense of wo? he is not bound to give us so much warning.

p. 6694 That to speake of wo is not to cast men into wo, but to helpe them out of it: for that is both the Lords intention, and the drift of us his Ministers, who both are loth that men should be smitten unwarned, and till there be no remedy.

5 That it were every mans happinesse to see wo written in the face of every sinne, which else is sure to follow at heeles inevitably. For sinne and sorrow are bound together inseparably, and there is never a sinne but hath wo written on it, if not on the face, on the backe. And therefore men should rather praise God to be smitten by his word for prevention, or amendment, then suffered to go on to unavoydable wo and perdition.

6 That the same Ministery which most casteth downe a sinner, is sanctified by God to lift him up againe. The same hand that launceth commonly healeth. The same Nathan that condemnes David, absolveth him. Peter by sharpe doctrine prickes the Jewes hearts, Act. 2. 37. the same Ministery and person reviveth and comforteth them. Paul casts down the Jaylor, and presently rayseth him, Act. 16. Christ himselfe calls the woman of Canaan a dog, but straightway giveth her desire. Sticke to that Ministery that most sharply smiteth, woundeth, rebuketh, that is the Ministery most likely sanctified by God to heale and binde thee up, that Ministery hath oyle for thee aswell as wine, if thou sticke constantly to it.

Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and sea.]

Here wee are to enquire the persons on whom that heavie wo is denounced, to weet, the inhabitants of the earth and sea. Which cannot be meant properly and literally: for,

p. 670First, these are the worke-man-ship of God, and excellent creatures:

Secondly, they are opposed to the heavens in the former words, which were not taken literally and properly, but figuratively and metaphorically:

Thirdly, the godly who are biddé to rejoyce, dwel in them properly taken, as well as the wicked, but they are exempted from this wo.

By inhabitants of the earth and sea are meant such persons and places as are not accounted the true Church, but among whom the devill hath power and beareth sway. For these inhabitants are opposed to dwellers in heaven, which are true professors of Christ, members of the Church, & of an heavenly conversation. Specially inhabitants of the earth are mere earthly men, favoring nothing of heavenly things, whether they be heathens and Gentiles, or such as be in name Christians, but indeed earthly Antichristians, who are the beast rising out of the earth. And they are called inhabitants of the sea for their tumult, and incōstancy, casting up as the sea nothing but mire and dirt, and carryed as waves of the sea by every winde, Jude. 13.

But if any thinke the Evangelist aymeth more distinctly at some particulars, I am not ignorant that some by earth understand the common multitude of wicked persons, enemies unto Christ, and by sea the ecclesiasticall men who have corrupted the earth with bitter, brinish, and salt doctrine of errors and humane traditions; and thus still oppose them. But I conceive a further drift of the Spirit of God, well suiting to our whole exposition, and period of time which this part of the Chapter aymeth at: That rather by earth are meant all such nations and Kingdomes of earth, subjected to the spirituall whordomes of the dragon, so called for their earthly profession, p. 671affection, and practise: and by sea, the then Roman Empire it selfe, so called,

1 For the floods of impietie that issued from it, as the floods and rivers do all from the sea: it was the head of wickednesses.

2 For the unbridled rage of it, and the unresistable power which was then the great Ocean swelling over all bankes. So as the sense seemes to be, Wo to the earth and all wicked nations that are enemies to the Church of God, but especially wo to the sea, the great Empire, whose sinnes the dragon hath brought to a great height, so as the great mutation of that great estate is now neare, and the subversion of the Imperiall and Cesariall power is at hand: For now at this time so effectually did the dragon worke in the delusions of Antichrist, as that he whose comming was in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse, was shortly to swallow up the Imperiall power, and so to take him out of the way, which stood betweene him and his greatnesse, as was formerly prophesied, 2 Thes. 2. and not long after accomplished.

When the Church is happy in the midst of persecutions, Doct.wicked and earthly men are unhappy and miserable. So is it here: rejoyce ye heavens, but wo to the earth and sea. Eccles. 8. 12. 13. Though a sinner do evill an hundred times, and his dayes be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shalbe well with them that feare God, which feare before him: but it shall not be well with the wicked. Esa. 3. 10. Say yee, it shalbe well to the just, but wo to the wicked, it shall not be so to him, it shalbe evill to him, the reward of his hands shalbe given him. Psal. 37. 37. Marke the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace: but the transgressors shalbe destroyed together.

p. 672One reason hereof is in the text. Satan, being cast Reas. 1.out of the men of the Church, gets into the swine of the world, and carries them into the lake, first of sin, & then of destruction. In their best estate they are Satans possession

2 It must be so by the perpetuall rule of divine 2.justice, who neither shuffles good and evill men together, as men do, nor mistakes persons and actions. Among men there is a righteous man, to whom it commeth according to the worke of the wicked, and the contrary. Eccles. 8. 14. But the Lord judgeth with righteous judgement. Neither doth he forget any of their workes. A wise man that delivers the City by his wisdome, may be forgotten among men. Eccles. 9. 15. as Ioseph was: but the Lord forgets not the goodnesse of his servants, nor his enemies sinnes, but sets up all on their heads for the day of reckoning and recompense. Revel. 22. 12. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his workes. The just Judge of all the world must do right.

3 According to a mans seed time, so commonly is 3.his harvest. Gal. 6. 7. As a man sowes, so must he reape: he that sowes to the flesh, must reape corruption; but he that sowes to the spirit, shall reape life everlasting. Doest thou sow chaffe and darnell and weeds, and lookest thou for a crop of wheat? Sow righteousnesse, and thou shalt have a sure reward, Prov. 11. 18. but if thou sowest iniquitie, looke to reape affliction.

4 The truth of God in accomplishing his word must leave the godly most happy, while the wicked 4.are wrapped in hellish woes and horrors. The same weight of truth which carries downe wicked men into their place, hoiseth up the godly as in the other scoale. For as all the precious promises of the word p. 673belong to the one, whereof earth nor hell can defeat them: so al the woes and execrations of Scripture belong to the other, and shalbe true upon him so long as God is true in himselfe. There is not a wicked man, but he hath all the threatnings of God, all the curses of the law, and all the terrors of his owne conscience standing and shall stand for ever in force against him, if hee stand out impenitently against GOD.

Now this is a direction to Ministers for the course and carriage of their doctrine: to sing both mercy and Vse 1.judgment, and to come both with a rod and the spirit of meekensse. Wee must speake peace to godly men, but feed the impenitent with judgement. This text, and all texts, and the whole tenor of the Scriptures go before us in this course. Unhappy men are they that speake all peace, and preach nothing but promises, as if all men were godly, and the congregations not mixt: or, if they distinguish of men, it is to encourage, hearten, and harden wicked men for their owne gaine, and dishearten and disgrace such as feare the Lord.

2 It is a direction to all men, to carry our affections Vse 2.differently according to the differences of men, expressing our love and kindnesse to men fearing God, and our dislike of evill and wicked men.

1 So doth the Lord and his Spirit in this text; and whosoever are guided by the Spirit of grace, will shew themselves in the helping up and encouragement of godlinesse, and furthering the joy of the faithfull, and in the discouraging and daunting so far as lyeth in him, the wickednesse of men.

2 A note of a good man is that a vile person shall be contemned in his eyes, and he will love them that feare the Lord.

3 True judgment helps him to discerne between p. 674an Israelite and Ismaelite, and true affection will cleave to the one, and disclaime the other. Gods Spirit teacheth none to esteeme carefull Christians vile persons, nor to cleave to enemies and resisters of the grace of God, who are indeed vile persons, and so are they that sort with them, or plead for them; and as sin makes men vile to God, so it makes them seeme to good men.

3 It is an incouragement to godly men in the way Vse 3.of holinesse: for they are in the way of happiness, nothing can make them fall short of an happie condition, they shall not be rolled in the destruction of evill men, but shall be hid in the secret chamber of Gods providence, when the storme of wrath shall come like haylestones, yea like tallents of ledd, upon the heads of sinners: then shall there be a difference betweene him that feareth God and him that feareth Exod. 11. 7.Exod 11:7him not: then shall it be seene, that it is not in vaine to serue the Lord.

4 It is a terror for evill men: seeing it is as impossible Vse 4.for a sinner to avoyd wo, as God to be untrue in proclayming it. Sorrow followes the sinner, as a shadow the body. Most common it is for the wicked to applaud themselves in a wofull condition: for, whatever their estate seemes, it is most unhappy. They spend their dayes in pleasure, and forecast that none shall have more pleasure then they. But it is like Belshazzars, when the writing on the wall appeared ouer against him. They lay about them for wealth and a secure estate here below, and, rather then want it, will curse and resist the people of God as Balaam, little thinking that the Angell stands with a drawne sword to meet them in every corner, to slay them. No, all the earth cannot make him happy who fights against heaven, and whom heaven hath accursed, earth cannot blesse; He hath sowne tares, and tares he must reape.

p. 6755 Here is a spurre and incitement unto repentance, Use 5.and a trumpet to awaken secure soules, that while it is called to day they may heare the voice, lest all these woes seise upon them and oppresse them unawares. It stands every sinner in hand, to rise out of the bed of security, and get a melting and bruised heart, considering the day that commeth, which shall burne as an oven, and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shalbe as stubble, Mal. 4. 1.

But seeing men are loth to apply this part to themselves, we must helpe it home a little more particularly.

1 What a fearefull wo is denounced in Scripture against all Popish and Antichristian Idolaters? Rev. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his marke in their hands and foreheads, the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God, and be tormented with fire and brimstone for ever. Whosoever shall do thus, and persevere after admonition, and will not come out of Babylon, must perish in her destruction. They prepare fire and faggot for the Saints whom they call heretickes: but, worshipping the beast and his image, Christ prepares fire and brimstone for them, and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for evermore.

Now there is no way to avoyd this woefull damnation, by wilfull persisting in that Apostasie, but instead of the character of Antichrist by taking in our foreheads the seale of CHRIST, by which he separates us from the world, by faith and holinesse, and from Antichrist, by zealous profession of the truth, which he persecutes, and marketh us up for his owne sheep; the property of which is, to heare his voice and follow him. Ioh. 10.

2 What a dreadfull wo belongs to our voluptuous gallants that are at ease in Sion, who put the evill p. 676day farre away, and remember not Iosephs affliction? Amos 6. 1. Silkes and Velvets cannot cover the secure sinner from this woe. Greatnesse of birth, place, power, treasure, cannot elude these threats, which are more stable than the foundation of the earth; but according to the cursed seeds thou sowest, shall thy harvest bee; Gods people sow in teares to reape in joy, and thou must have a share in the sorrow for sinne, and in the afflictions of Gods people, or never looke to share in their joy.

3. Were the Prophet Esay living, where hee proclaimed one woe upon drunkards, hee would powre out ten thousand upon this drunken age, which is drowned with drinke: Esay 5. 11. 22. Woe bee to them that rise up early to follow drunkennesse, and to them that continue till night; Woe bee to them that are mighty to drinke, and strong to powre in strong drinke. How will the drunkard escape this woe, and all the threates in the Booke of God, which shut him out of heaven, where is no roome for drunkards? There is but one way, and one there is, to leave thy cup of drunkennesse, and come drinke another cup, a cup of mercy, a cup of teares for thy sinne, a cup of the blood of Jesus Christ, a cup of the water of life, that heaven may be opened to thee, a sorrowfull and sober penitent, which thy sinne had shut and barred against thee.

4. What a fearefull woe doth our Saviour denounce upon all contemners of the Gospell, and despisers of the blessed light of it? Mat. 11 24. It shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of the Lord, then for such: And whence else was the heavy woe here upon the earth and Sea, but for sinnes against the Gospell, not receiving the truth in the love of it? 2 Thes. 2. See we any woe or heavy hand of God upon the Kingdome? in this effect who p. 677seeth not the cause, the contempt of the Gospell? doth any extraordinary crosse and judgement lie on this City, on your trades, on your estates? why are yee blinde to this day, and will not see the cause? you poare like blinde men on secondary meanes, fewnesse of buyers, troubles abroad, scant of money, scarcity of times, and the like; but you see not the next cause at home, your contempt and sleighting of the Gospell, your Sabbath-breaking, your want of reformation according to the rules of Gods Word, your causlesse hatred of the bringers of the truth, &c. change your course, and God will change his; entertaine his best blessings, and then expect inferior; else know, as sinne is linked fast, so are Gods judgements; these shal be but the beginnings of woe, and one woe shall follow upon another, till repentance come between.

For the devill is come downe, &c.]

The reason of the former woe denounced followeth, and is twofold:

1. The comming downe of the devill.

2. His wrathfull disposition, where of the reason is given, because he knowes his time is short.

For the Exposition.

Quest. What is this comming downe of the Devill? was not Satan before among the inhabitants of the earth, till now that this victory is gotten by Christ? were not wicked men under this curse and woe before this, by Satans wrath and ruling?

Ans. Yes, the devill was the Prince of the world before this, and was commander among the Inhabitants of the earth and sea; but he is now said to come downe in three respects.

1. In a more generall and universall mischiefe intended by the dragon, which was to spread it selfe over p. 678the face of the earth, which was by a generall Apostasie of the world from Christ to Antichrist, foretold in 2 Thess. 2.

2. In a farre more dangerous and mischievous manner of working, by which he shall prevaile farre more efficaciously than ever before: For whereas hee could not succeed by open tyrannie, now by secret traines and perswasions of heretikes, under a plausible forme of Christianity and piety, hee shall carry the world headlong after Antichrist, and wrap it up in his impostures and Apostasie, that, whose bodies he could not destroy by sword and tyrannie, their mindes hee might poyson with errours and heresie.

3. Hee descendeth with a farre more furious hatred and wrath over those who are left under his power: for as a man comming angry from abroad, will shew his wrath at home; so the dragon seeing the Church escaped from his furious hand by Michaels helpe, doth looke more narrowly to make them faster, who are left in his power, lest they should breake away from him as the other had done; and therefore hee now commeth on them with continuall and efficacious temptations, and bindes them with strong chaines and bolts of unrighteousnesse. Now the devill taketh his peniworths in the earth and sea; by increasing his wrath hee increaseth their woe, and not only rideth the Nations, but galloppeth them to hell.

This arising of Antichrist, bringing with him a mist of blacke darknesse and Idolatry, is the devills comming downe into the earth; And his powerfull prevailing by strong and forcible delusions among them that perish, is his fierce wrath which hee exerciseth in the earth and sea, but justly upon them that had refused Christs rule over them.

p. 679Where Christ and his Gospel cannot prevaile, the devil cōmeth armed with power, and efficacy of delusion, Doct.and hee prevaileth: Jesus Christ came into the world, and was preached in the earth and sea, but could not bee received, he came to his owne, and his owne received him not, yea they persecuted him, drove him away, slew the heire, and crucified the Lord of glory; he came by the preaching of the Apostles among the nations, and set them into the true Olive, when his own were broken off; but they after a little lightning fell off, first from their first love, then from all love of the truth: Now the wicked spirit makes a re-entrey into his hold, whence he was cast, he comes downe into the earth more forcibly, with seven spirits worse than before, and prevailes with them to their destructiō: I come in my Fathers name; Iohn 5. 45.John 5:45that is, by his authority, in powerful doctrine & miracles, to set up his name & glory in promoting your salvation, & ye receive me not; if another come in his owne name, that is, seeking his own glory, not Gods, and intending his owne ends and good, and not the good and salvation of men, him will yee receive: 2 Thess. 2. 11. God shall send strong delusions; the effect is, to beleeve lies; the end, that they may be damned; and the reason, because they loved not the truth, nor beleeved it, nor entertained it, but rejected the happy meanes of their owne salvation The Lord sends Michaiah his Prophet to warne Ahab of his danger neare him; Ahab will not heare him for his owne safety, but commits him to ward, feeds him with bread and water of affliction; now comes the devill, and is a lying spirit in the mouthes of 400. false Prophets; them presently he heareth, speaking to hasten his destruction.

1. Mans heart will be resting and setling upon something; it is like a Mill that is ever grinding: if it p. 680Reas. 1.rest not on truth, it will on lies: The soule of a man is such an hold or tenure, that cannot want an owner or occupyer; If it bee not resigned to the God of heaven, it is reserved for the god of the world: If Gods Spirit depart from Saul, presently the evill spirit comes upon him and vexeth him: A servant must every man be to one of these masters.

2. The just desert of wicked men puls on them this fearfull vengeance, to be delivered up to the devill: 2The world loveth lies better than the truth, and lyers above the bringers of truth; how just is it that such as reject the truth, and preferre lyes before it, should be given up to the father of lies, as children most like him? What more righteous revenge can the Lord inflict on him that will not come to Jesus Christ to bee saved, then that the dragon should come downe upon him with great wrath, and carry him headlong into his owne damnation? how just is it for those who refuse the government of a mercifull Prince, to bee given up to the spoile and oppression of most cruell tyrants? Is any so blinde as hee that will not see? and are any so justly blinded as those that will not open their eyes to the light? Who can implead the Lords justice, in delivering up him to the Prince of darknesse, that hateth the light? or who can say it unequall in him, if hee give over such as chuse death, unto him that hath the power of death, that is, the devill?

3. Refuse to come to Jesus Christ, and what remedie is left to rescue us from the power of the devill? 3If Christ and his truth bee rejected, what can resist the devill when hee assaulteth with lies and false perswasions? If the way to bee rescued from the power of Satan, bee the knowledge of the truth, so as by it to come to amendment, as 2 Tim. 2. 24. then to refuse Gods grace offered in the Gospell, is p. 681to assent and covenant with Satan, and refuse freedome offered from his vassallage: lies have no enemie, no discoverer, no conquerer but truth. There is no freedome from the impostures of the father of lyes, till truth rescue us and set us free, and if truth set us free, wee are free indeed. Truth is the onelyonly effectuall instrument and meanes of our salvation: it is the arme of God to save us; to refuse and resist this arme, is to hate life, and abide under damnation. In a word, the resistance of Christ is an inviting of Satan home to us, and a kind welcomming of him with full contentment: where Satan seeth such a man, there is a fit subject for him to worke upon.

Take notice then of this fearefull sinne of refusing Vse 1.the voyce of Christ in the Gospell, being a sinne of such provocation as it is, as most injurious to God, to the grace of God, to the Sonne of God, and to the truth of God; a sinne of such a deepe dye, and so deadly to the soule of the sinner, who preferreth to drinke ranke poyson before the sweet waters of the Wel of life, and a sinne so fearfully revenged by God with many other most hainous sinnes, the just punishments of it.

Now because men commonly startle at the high sinnes against the law, and conceive Gods wrath due to them, and in the meane time seldome take knowledge of sinnes against the Gospell, and the Lords severity against thē; let us cast our eyes upon the Lords most severe revenge against this sinne above other, as sinnes against the remedy, and therefore not more severe than righteous: for if God revenged upon the heathens their sinnes against the light of nature, in delivering them up to vile affections, and unnaturall sinnes, to receive such recompence of their errour as was meet, Rom. 1. 24. 27. how much more must hee thinke it a meet recompence of such a sinne against p. 682the light of grace, to give them up t… effectuall delusion, to be carryed by Satan hoodwinkt and headlong unto destruction?

But let us see some instances.

1. How he spared not his owne people the Jews, 1. Instance.his owne first borne, among whom when the Sonne of God came as to his owne, they received him not; when false Prophets, and false Christs rose up among them, those they followed, both before his comming and after, as both divine and humane stories make mention: Iohn 10. 8. All that came before me were theeves and robbers: Acts 5. 36, 37. Iudas and Theudas drew away many to destruction: And after false Christs and Prophets were to rise with such efficacy of delusion, as to deceive (if it were possible) the very Elect, Matth. 24. Iosephus speakes of sundry, especially one Aegyptian which carryed away De bello Iud. l. 2. c. 12.thirty thousand Jewes by one vaine delusion to destruction: And not long after, this same sinne made their nation spew them out, that they are now an hissing, an execration to all the nations of the earth; They renounced Christ to rule over them, and ever since the dragon hath had them in possession.

2. Consider how the wrath of God came upon 2. Instance.the former ages of the world, according to the warning of the Gospell, and how the earth and sea, who would not receive Christ, received Antichrist in his roome; and the inhabitants of them, not loving the truth were therefore led away with horrible lies. See Gods retaliation.

First, God sent them Apostles, Euangelists, and true Pastors, who sought only the glory of God, and the salvation of men, but they despised and distasted them: But how did the Lord plague the earth in the same kinde, giving up the inhabitants to receive hypocrites, Impostors, Fryers, and fat Monkes, p. 683who onelyonly sought themselves, and to make a spoile of men, eating up their estates as Locusts for number, and unprofitablenesse? these were willingly borne; as the Church of Corinth, despising the Apostle Paul, gave eare to false Apostles, who robbed and spoyled them.

Secondly, Christ the Lord came with an easie and sweete yoake; his doctrine and his Apostles was a freedome from the bondage and burden of Ceremonies and traditions of the Fathers, 1 Pet 1. 18. and the new commandement was only to beleeve in the Sonne of God, and love one another. This sweet yoake was cast off; but with what an exchange? now the devill yoakes them with traditions, superstitious ceremonies, and plagues the earth with tyrannicall and Antichristian Lawes, Canons, Decretals devised by men; his little finger is heavier then Christs loynes; yet Popish Countries receive them, and like them well.

Thirdly, Christ instituted and ordained a most holy Sacrament, the Communion of his blessed body and blood; but the inhabitants of the earth and sea despised that simple and most chaste and Primitive institution: But was not the world ever since justly plagued with that gawdy and impudent harlot of the Popish Masse, the very spirit and quintessence of Antichrist▪

Fourthly, how could the world bee more severely plagued, then by receiving that greasie Priesthood, & that hatefull sacrifice of Antichrist? but could it be plagued more iustly, for abolishing the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ?

Fiftly, Christ in the Gospell calleth men to the participation of grace, life, pardon, heaven, and salvation freely offered in the Gospel; men would not heare this voyce: How iustly therefore hath the world bin p. 684blinded and gulled these many hundred yeares, in buying at great rates lies, sleights, impostures, iuglings, meere tricks of wit and cunning, pardons, dispensations, merits, masses, and heaven it selfe.

Sixtly, Christ ordeined in his Church holy Pastors, giving them liberty to live in holy wedlocke, according to Gods Ordinance. This order of Christ pleased not the earth and sea: but how sensibly revenged? for no sooner did they refuse and reject holy Pastors, but they admitted most filthy bawds, and unchaste Pope-holy Priests and Nunnes into Ecclesiasticall Orders; I might say into the Popes chaire. A man had need of a vizard, to speake of their holinesse, and stop all his senses to heare it.

Seventhly, when the world scorned and persecuted the Saints living, how did the Lord give them up to worship and invocate in most idolatrous manner the Saints dead and departed? And when they despised and trod under foot the living images of God, the godly and holy Professors of Christ, great was the Lords revenge in giving them up to worship dead images, of wood, stone, metalls, &c.

3 God who is ever the same and like himselfe, hath heretofore warned us in this land, that we have 3. Instance.not received Christ, nor embraced his truth, in that love and affection that became us:

1 By the prevailing of Priests and Jesuites heretofore in the land, who swarmed as the frogs of Aegypt, and have seduced many thousands, but never any that loved the truth.

2 By the propensity and readinesse of many to receive any religion or doctrine according as the times should require. And this hath ever beene the sinne of English people to swim with the streame of times, And this print of Gods finger is at this day set upon many, plainly convincing that they never received the truth in the love of it.

p. 6853 By the generall fighting against the light, and hatred of the very sent of sincerity in both preachers and people; which the Apostle makes a sure note of perdition, Phil. 1. 28. Let Iohn Baptist come, he is excepted against and hath a divell. Let Paul come, too much learning hath made him mad. Let Christ come, he is a friend of Publicans, a demoniacke, &c. But let Antichrist come, Popery come, a flatterer and deluder come, the multitude applaud them▪ receive them. Delusion shalbe effectual to the damnation of such as he must carrie into his owne perdition.

4 The same arrowes of Gods wrath against this sinne are shot in amongst our selves; many of whom 4. Instance.plainly bewray their naturall hatred of the light, and love of lies. Let a man come in the name of Christ, convince, intreat, perswade, beseech men to be reconciled: let him with the losse of his owne peace seeke theirs: the more faithfully and sincerely he deales, the more despightfully he is rejected; the more paines and love such a man sheweth, the lesse is he loved or recompensed by many: presently they plot to sterve him out, or if he stay, he must live on aire or grasse for them. Let a flatterer come in his owne name, and call the churle liberall, and sing an Omnia benè, and for their owne applause, profit, or credit, run along in all their courses; no marvell if these men be put in their bosomes: and how can it be but he that hates true dealing, should love false?

Is this, love of the light, when God offers a blessing to a place and people, for their instruction and comfort of themselves and families, to mutinie and murmure against Gods bountie, and fall to threatnings if any such blessing be let in? Is this, love of truth, that when Popish seducers come and open their packe, and by bookes and perswasions broach p. 686their fundamentall errors, that sophistry and plausible slights should drive some, to a stand and demurre whether they be in the right▪ others, to a profession that there is not so much difference betweene them, others, to an indifferency that they have resolved to be with the stronger, and all this after threescore yeares of the shine of the light among us? Now open your eyes, and behold what is all this but a fearefull stroke of Gods wrath, plaguing them for not receiving the truth in love, by giving thē up thus to be deluded? If CHRIST cannot prevaile, the Divell must.

Beware then of so desperate a sin: and let it awaken Vse 2.us to entertaine Christ in his truth and Gospell better then we have done.

For motives hereunto:

1 Consider that in our text: looke on the dangerous estate of all resisters and contemners of the truth, For,

First, they are no children of wisdome: for wisdome is justified of all her children.

Secondly, they judge themselves unworthy of eternall life; Act. 13. for they have no name to be saved by; they lye without redemption, uncalled, unsanctified, unsaved. If Christ be the light, they are in darknesse. If he be the Saviour and head of the Church, these are no members, share in none of his merits.

Thirdly, Christ will proove too strong for him that rejecteth or resisteth him: Bring those mine enemies that I may stay them, Luke 19. 27.

Fourthly, Christ will not stay where he is not welcome, but will be gone: he will not stand casting pearles before swine, Mat. 7. 6. and he hath places enough to offer his grace to, who will better esteeme his word and worke: he need not sticke to a people p. 687unwilling, resisting. Know you, that there is no such need of plotting and devising how to be rid of Christ and his Gospell; he goeth fast enough of himselfe from ungratefull persons, as you may see in the Nation of the Jews, Mat. 21. 43. and those famous Churches of Greece and the Gentiles, now sunke under Mahomet.

Fiftly, who be they but despifers of the Gospell, and not lovers of the truth, that are in danger of Antichrists seduction, and lye open to all his slights and subtilties? And this is the just plague awayting such as being enlightned thrust away the truth with both hands, and shut the doore of the Kingdome against themselves. Now let us looke to it, that as we have the truth, wee have also a love and sound embracing of it, lest it come to passe that God in his wrath be provoked to deprive us of judgment and understanding, and deliver us to such blindnesse, as the Papists themselves shall not be more effectually deluded then we shalbe; that against the light of Scripture, yea against common sense and reason wee shall sup the poyloned broth of Popery, and as stiffly as that seduced synagogue, maintaine such shamefull absurdities as are Transubstantiation, judiciall forgivenesse of sinnes by Priests, salvation by the merit of workes, worshipping with heathenish idolatry Saints, Angels, images, relickes, crosses, bread, and bones, and a thousand such senselesse dotages.