Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. The Angels of Light in the Covenant.
5. THe Angels of Light are in the Covenant, Heb. 1.14. are they not all Miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth for them who ſhall bee Heirs of Salvation? Whileſt our Lord himſelf was ſent down to Miniſter, behold his ſervants are to bee miniſtred unto, the Angels are made their Miniſters, Pſal. 91.11. Hee ſhall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy waies: they have received a charge, and they have great advantages for the keeping the charge of the Lord.
1. They are mighty, Pſal. 103.20. Bleſs the Lord yee his Angels, that excel in ſtrength, an Angel is more than an Armie, what ſlaughters have the Angels made in the Armies of the Aliens; an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand Aſſyrians are ſlain by one Angel of the Lord, when encamped againſt Judah, Iſa. 37.36. It is hard ſervice indeed, that is too hard for an Angel.
2 They are numerous, there are great multitudes of them, Pſal. 68.17. Thouſands of Angels, a multitude of the Heavenly Host, Luke 2.13. An Angel is more than an army, but what then are an Army of Angels?
3. They are faithful, They can do much for the Saints, but will they do it? yes, they are faithful, They do the Commandements of God. Pſal. 103.20. God bids them keep, and they are faithful, they will keep his ſheep; wee are taught to pray, that the will of God may bee done on earth, as it is in Heaven; that men may bee faithful as the Angels of God.
4. They are Favourites, they behold the face of God, they dwell in his preſence, they are admitted to ſtand before his Throne, they can bee heard; they have favour in Heaven, and therefore ſuch power on earth, Mat. 18.10. Take heed yee deſpiſe not one of theſe little ones, for I ſay unto you, that in Heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.
Touch not mine annointed, let alone my little ones, take heed, how you offend them, their Angels are before my Father, and are mighty with him, to engage his power, for their aid and deliverance.
O the great ſecurity of the leaſt of Saints; Theſe Mighty ones, theſe Multitudes, theſe Faithful ones, theſe Favourites of Heaven, the Holy Angels of God, have all received a charge from the Lord, to preſerve and defend them; Lord open their eyes that they may ſee. Behold the Mountains full of Chariots and Horſes of fire round about Eliſha, 2 King. 6.17.
Should a mighty Prince commit any Subject of his to a potent and faithful Life-guard, with this charge: Look to this man, keep him in ſafety, ſee that hee come to no harm; whoever offends, do you defend him; where-ever hee goes, go you with him; where-ever hee lodges ſtand you as a guard about the houſe, while hee ſleeps do you watch; ſee that hee want for nothing, nor hurt come to him; If this were thy caſe, in what great ſecurity wouldſt thou count thy ſelf; But O! what is a life-guard of men to a guard of mighty Angels. Fear not little flock, in Heaven your Angels behold the face of God, and in Earth have they pitched their Tents round about you.
CHAP. VI. The powers of darkneſs delivered over in the Covenant.
6. THe powers of darkneſs are delivered over in the Covenant; Satan and all his Inſtruments. We are naturally in bondage to Satan, held captive by him at his Will, 2 Tim. 2.26. His Priſoners, his Slaves, his Vaſſals. By the blood of the Covenant, the Lord hath brought forth his Priſoners, and redeemed his Captives, Zach. 9.11. and alſo hath ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, and led Captivity Captive. In this Covenant there is deliverance of the Priſoners, and a delivery over of them, by whom they were held; a Gaol-delivery and a delivery of the Jaylors too, into their hands; and they are delivered over bound, the God of this world in Chains, limited, ſpoiled, baniſhed, and caſt out, Mat. 16.18. The Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it. The Gates of Cities were antiently their ſpecial ſtrength, and in them were their great Councels held, for the contriving and managing of all their concernments; by Hell underſtand the whole Infernal Corporation, all that belong to that dark Region, Satan and all his Inſtruments; the dragon with his armies, the ſerpent and all his ſeed. By the gates of hell underſtand, the power and policy, the combination and councels of Sathan and his whole party. Theſe gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it; that is againſt the Church; neither againſt head, nor any member of it: they ſhall not prevail, that notes two things.
1. They ſhall fight againſt it; they are all combin'd and liſted againſt the Church, making a war upon it; Raze it, Raze it even to the foundation thereof. Down with it root and branch, let it not have a being, let it not have ſo much as a name under heaven: particular quarrels there may bee betwixt devil and devil; Herod againſt Pilate, and Pilate againſt Herod, yet the tails of theſe ſmoaking fire-brands are united againſt the Lord and his anointed ones. Againſt their profeſſion, againſt their Religion, againſt the ſoul of every Saint. What-ever vails or ſpecious pretences they varniſh their quarrel with, this is it that lies at the bottom of all their counſels and machinations, wherein all their aims are concentred, to root out godlineſs and the profeſſours of it out of the earth; to deceive and deſtroy ſouls for ever.
2. Though they ſhall fight againſt them, yet they ſhall not overcome. They ſhall not prevail againſt it, that is, not finally, in the end the victory ſhall be the Saints. Zach. 12.3, Jeruſalem ſhall be a burthenſom stone to all people. 1. Such a ſtone that they ſhall not be able to lift, or move it out of its place; it ſhall ſtand as a rock, againſt which the impetuous waves may daſh themſelves, but they cannot move it.
2. They ſhall not be able to bear it. It ſhall cruſh them that burthen themſelves with it; thoſe that ſhake the Church, they are pulling an houſe about their ears; a rock upon their loins; it ſhall break the backs of all thoſe that contend againſt it; they ſhall bee cut in pieces (ſaith the Text) that burthen themſelves with it; though all the earth, yea and hell too, be gathered together againſt it. It is a vain deſign that Sathan and his partakers are driving on, Pſal. 2.1. Why do the heathens rage, and the people imagine [a vain] thing? it is a vain deſign, and it is a fatal deſign to themſelves; Thou ſhalt break them with a rod of iron, thou ſhalt daſh them in pieces like a Potters veſſel.
Gen. 3.15. In the firſt dawning of this glorious day light, it's promiſed, that the ſeed of the woman ſhall break the ſerpents head, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy ſeed and her ſeed; It ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel.
John 12.31. Now is the judgment of this world, now ſhall the prince of this world be caſt out.
Caſt out, whence? why caſt out of his kingdome, out of his hold, caſt down from his throne and dominion. His priſon is broken, and now the prey is taken from the ſtrong, the captives of the mighty are taken away.
But how was this now done, at the death of Chriſt, to which theſe words referre? Doth not Sathan ſtill reign? Is hee not ſtill the god of this world, and the prince of the power of the air? Yea, what hold hath hee yet of the Saints that are in the earth? what a tyrant is hee to them? how doth hee entangle and enſnare them? what havock doth hee make in their conſciences? lording it over them, leading them captive by luſts and temptations; what a ſtrong party hath he ſtill within them, bearing arms againſt their Lord, fighting againſt their ſouls? what ſad ſpoil doth he make upon their grace, upon their peace? they cannot reſt for him day nor night, abroad nor at home, alone nor in company; hee's ever following them; whither ever they go, the Devil is at their backs; they cannot pray, nor read, nor ſpend a thought, nor caſt a look, nor diſpatch a ſigh towards the Lord, but Sathan ſtands by to reſiſt, and hinder them; what a yoke hath he ſtill upon their necks! what clogs and weights hath he ſtill upon their loins? how do they mourn in their ſouls, whileſt he vexes them from day to day? how do they groan, and travel in pain, ſighing in themſelves, and waiting for their redemption? How is it then ſaid, now is hee caſt out? why now hee hath received his judgment; the prince of this world is judged, Joh. 16. Now is the fatal blow given; now is the ſerpents head broken, though hee ſtill may bruiſe, and hang in the Saints heel. The blow he levelled at our Lord, hath rebounded on his own head. Though hee be as Gad, a ſerpent in the way, yet you may now tread upon this ſerpent, and it ſhall not hurt you. The ſtrong man is now bound, if hee be a god ſtill, hee's a God in chains, a prince in fetters; he muſt ask leave of your father, ere he can touch one hair of your heads. Hee cannot tempt you, nor caſt a bank againſt you, nor ſhoot an arrow at you, without a commiſſion from heaven. The devils are ſubject to you. He is caſt out, and in your Lords name, you may caſt him out. In my name ſhall ye caſt out devils; out of poſſeſſed bodies, out of poſſeſſed ſouls; you may be inſtruments to bring many a ſoul to repentance; that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnares of the devil, who are held captive by him at his will. Every ſinner that is converted by you, you have caſt out a devil out of that ſoul.
Though he be an adverſary ſtill, yet ſuch an adverſary as may be reſiſted; whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith, 1 Pet. 5.9. And if you will reſiſt, hee ſhall flee from you, James 4.17. Stand, and your enemy runs.
Nay more, hee is not only a conquer'd enemy, but made your ſervant. This viper ſhall yield you medicine againſt his own poyſon. His ſmitings ſhall be an excellent oyl; his meſſengers he ſends to buffet you, his thorns he ſticks in your fleſh, ſhall be a prevention of greater evils. The very deſtruction he intends to bring upon you, ſhall promote your ſalvation, 1 Cor. 5.5. Deliver ſuch an one to Sathan for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. Behold the devil is the Churches ſervant; and ſuch a ſervant as in their preſent ſtate, they cannot well want. The executioner of their cenſures. A Common-wealth may as well want a Jaylour or an Hang-man, as the Church a Devil. Behold Sathan divided againſt Sathan; the devil without, againſt the devil within; the deſtroyer of ſouls, become the deſtroyer of ſin. Deliver ſuch an one to Sathan [for the deſtruction of the fleſh.] Though much againſt his mind, his hand is againſt his own party. Hee's made to kill his own friends, which otherwiſe would kill the ſoul. Whether he will or no, the very tormentour is made a ſaviour; that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. Chriſtians as much as you feel of the devils malice, you could ill want his ſervice; there's many a ſoul loſt and undone by a ſleeping, that might have been recovered and rouzed by a raging devil. His winds ſhall blow off your chaff, his floods ſhall waſh away your filth, his earth-quakes ſhall open your priſon-doors, his tempeſts ſhall drive you to harbour. Some men want a tempeſt, to ſave them from a wrack.
Nay once more; he is not low enough yet; he ſhall be yet brought lower. You have aſſurance of his total and final overthrow. Rom. 16.20. The god of peace ſhall tread Sathan under your feet ſhortly, Rev. 20.10. The devil ſhall be cast into the lake of fire and brimſtone: 'Tis but a little while, and when he hath done his work, he ſhall be ſent to his place, where he ſhall be ſhut up, and a ſeal ſet upon him; whence he ſhall come out no more for ever. He ſhall tempt no more; vex no more, deceive no more, deſtroy no more, torment you no more; he ſhall be thruſt out, he ſhall be chain'd up; the tormentour ſhall be tormented, day and night for ever and ever.
Stand Chriſtians, ſtand your ground a little while; follow your work, hold up your holy profeſſion, hold on your holy courſe; keep your hearts, keep your garments, keep on your armour, keep under corruption, reſiſt temptation, bear your affliction; hold out faith and patience, fight againſt your adverſaries, watch with your Lord, this one hour, and behold hee that ſhall come, will come; he cometh quickly, and hee that is in the world, ſhall bee conſumed with the breath of his mouth, and deſtroyed with the brightneſs of his appearing. Hee ſhall bee caſt out, hee ſhall bee caſt down, and riſe no more for ever.