A History of Angels, Text (4 of 4)
But,Object. what kinde of faith is it that you must oppose to these burnings, to these fiery darts, and how doth faith relieve you?
Certainely it is no other then that by which you beleeve God,Ans. to be yours in Christ.
The Shield here spoken of is taken from the similitude of a Doore, such as were the largest shields, it must be large enough to shield the whole body:
And secondly, as a shield it must receive the darts and repell them, and quench the fire before it reach the body, before it incorporate it selfe with the minde, and enter as it were into the substance of the spirit, for then there will be more tearing and difficulty to get it out.
But how doth faith doe this?
First and especially as it calls God, God in Christ to our ayde. When the Divell shoots his fiery Darts, either for lusting, or dispairing, it is not for flesh and blood to oppose it selfe, your mortalities, your resolutions, your reasonings will prove combistible matter, and be burnt up, be burnt away, and your spirit will be left fiered, and empoysoned by those Darts. The Dart will sticke, & it will be worke to get it out; Now in this case faith leads you directly to God, & sets God against the Divell, so as the combate by the wisdome of faith, is changed, and made now rather betweene God and the Divell, then betweene you and the Divell, & the Divell which could have subdued you easily, fals under God presently, This is that stronger then hee that bindes the strong man and casts him out. This was Davids way, From the ends of the earth will I cry to thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, Leade mee to the Rocke that is higher then I, Psal. 61.2. that is where ever I am, or where ever thou art, as thy spirit can finde mee out, so I will finde thee out, When I am overwhelmed, when I am greatly in distresse, I will cry to thee, as a child doth to his father, that is set upon by one stronger then himselfe, cries out to his father and trusts to his strength; Set mee upon a Rocke, or thou wilt set mee upon a Rocke, that is, it is so high, as I cannot reach it without thou set mee upon it, or higher then I, that is, above my owne strength, or my owne abilities, even upon thy selfe and thy sonne, where I may be safe, for in case of overwhelmings, in case of fiery Darts; there is no other way but to set God, as yours, as one in covenant with you, your all, and friends against the Divell, to stand still and see the salvation of God, when the red sea was before, and the Egyptians behinde, what could the Israelites doe, (in that case there was no way for wisedome or strength to make through). But stand still and see the salvation of God, casting all upon God, and disparing in themselves altogether.
But secondly, this shield of faith can relieve you in this extremity by outbidding sights (as in a second and under way) against all lustings it can oppose presently the recompence of the reward, and ye have a lust for that also: So Moses was not without the lustings of ambition and vaine glory, to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter, but the eye which hee had, to the recompence of reward, outbids them infinitely, and therefore hee chose rather afflictions which no man would simply chuse: So Christ for the glory set before him, indured and suffered any thing, a lively faith realizeth things, and makes them present; faith will tell you presently when a fiery lust assaults you, yeild not, and in stead of pleasing your flesh, or your humour, which is passing, you will please Christ, you will please your conscience, and that pleasure is sweet indeed, that remaines; nay you shall heare of this againe, this fighting, this quenching, shall come into your reward, in such times and in such things, wherein you would be most of all considered. And against the burnings of dispaire as in a second way, also faith will shewe the riches of mercy, the merrits of the blood of Christ, and will tell you that it is dishonourable to God to judge his goodnes, lesse then your wickednesse, or that the merrits of Christ cannot hold ballance with your sinning, will shewe you as great disproportion betweene grace and sin, as betweene God and you, will make (in a word) dispaire wicked in nothing as in the unreasonablenesse of it.
But then thirdly, as an effect of both these, faith suckes and drawes downe the dew of the spirit, the cooling waters, the refreshing streames, if need be balsome, and oyle, to quench the fire before it kindle, or to fetch it out; when your concupiscents are cooled, by the Holy Ghost, and your spirit is in temper, Fiery darts will do no hurt, as a Grannado that falls into a Pit of water, there is fire in it, but before the blowe gives it is quencht: O those sweet & cooling influences of the spirit, how refreshing are they, as dewe to thirsty grounds; when Dives burned, what would hee have given for some water, to coole his tongue. When wicked men are fiered by the divells darts, to dispaire or lust, or persecution, their owne spirits are inflamed, burnt up, and they burne what ever they come neere, and so they must till they be utterly consumed, for there is no heavenly dewe, no water, no rayne, no balsome, no droppings of the spirit: But to us there is a River, the streames whereof shall make glad the City of God, Psal. 46.4. Shall refresh us, shall keepe us from burning, and fyering, and chapping, and hee gives an account of it, ver. 5. God is in the midst of her, shee shall not be greatly mooved; there is the head of that fountaine, hee will not suffer the divell to gaine upon you, to waste you, to drinke you up, very much to fire you, but the streames shall continually refresh you, and make you glad, when others shalbe like the parched heath in the wildernesse easily inflamed, a curse to themselves and others.
Coroll.Therefore with all gettings gett faith, above all take the shield of faith, and take it as I have told you, take it on like a large shield, that it may be fitt to cover you, beleeve not scantily, beleeve not a little, have not your faith to fetch, and prove, and spell, when the fiery Darts are shooteing, how will you make this use of it els, that I have told you; is there any thing the divell would rob you of so much as lively faith, effectuall faith, bold and hardy faith, hee knowes why well enough, it will repell his fiery darts, it will quench them, yeild him not that peece of armour in any proportion, that is so dammageable to him, and so necessary for you; faith is usefull in every thing, but in these cases, faith doth not all (as I have told you) and while you are doing this, the obedience of faith, the use of faith is as pleasing to God, as resisting the fiery dart is necessary for you; as therefore ye would be relieved when you most need it, when your soules are fyered with lust or dispaire, when those flames drinke up your spirits, and undoe you, beleeve boldly, beleeve strongly, without if's and and's, have God tyed and made one with you, by faith according to the right notion of it, and then dread nothing, heere is good newes for you, you will be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked; There now remaines nothing but some helpes to take this shield of faith.
First, consider it under the notion of obedience in it, the worke of God and the will of God is ingaged, you may be bold with your selves, (and yet yee cannot because ye are creatures, ye are not your owne) but will you be bold with the will of God: This to those that have but a little faith, and love already will be a great argument. God bids you sanctify his name, bids you honour your father, &c. you will do it, why? because it is a thing not left to your choice; God bids you sanctify him by beleeving, honour him by beleeving, and this is first to God, to God immediately: I beseech you, looke not on faith in this notion, as a priviledge left to the arbitration of your owne wills, whether you will be so good to your selves or no, but as an indispensible duty: Some duties may be dispensed with for ends, as the worship of God in some of his ordinance, but this dutie lies so hard upon you, as it is not to be dispensed with all for a moment, not for the greatest good, not for the salvation of all men; if God be great to you, therefore obey him in beleeving, or upon the same reason, cast of all Religion and disobey him in every other thing, but if you feare to doe that, then knowe that the same God, that bidds you doe any other thing, bids you also beleeve, and know that this commandement is the least arbitrary of all the rest.
Secondly, consider what obstructs faith, if negligence, and want of consideration, as that doth much, and often, I beseech you let mee set you on considering: consider that you will goe to hell without it, if you will not beleeve God for the pardon of your sinnes, and that hee is yours in Christ, beleeve him for this, that without this you wilbe condemned for ever, God may seme to put it to your choice, whether you will beleeve or no; but hee doth by no meanes put it to your choice, whether you will goe to hell or no, if you beleeve not, for that is determined with him, that the fearefull and unbeleevers shalbe cast into hell, and indeed thither are all men goeing a pace, onelyonly belief turnes the motion, and makes the earth assend upwards.
But if you say you see, you see your misery enough in unbelief, but ye want boldnes to beleeve, that you thinke that there is no proportion betweene sin and such a nothing as faith is, there is a proportion betweene sin and damnation, but not betweene sin and faith: right now I have you where I would, but then consider that the things wherin God useth man in the way to salvation, are indeed nothing, or as nothing, by the foolishnesse, that is, by the Nothingnesse of Preaching hee saves them that beleeve; The Vessells in which his word comes, are earthen, as good as nothing, our righteousnes reacheth not to him, and though our reward be heaven, yet our merrit is nothing, just nothing: And therefore if faith in respect of its owne internall vallew, or as a grace in this case, were any thing, wee should never be saved by it, but now our comfort and assurance is that it is nothing. But on the contrary, though there be no proportion betweene sin and faith, yet there is a proportion betweene sin and Christ, or if you will have mee speake the truth, there is no proportion in this regard; Christs dyeing, Christs suffering, makes sin nothing, so that that which held the greatest proportion, before God, before, and was heavyer then the sand of the sea, deeper then hell, is now nothing: what will you thinke your debts greater then God can pay, will you ballance your wickednes and his love, your unkindnes may be aggranated, and made greater by his love, but it cannot be made even with his love, for hee is God; In a word, wee cannot out-sin his pardon, or grace, by any thing but unbeliefe, so as this littlenesse, this nothingnes of faith, is your advantage, because in this great businesse of our salvation God will be all in all, and you shall thanke your selves for nothing: Did it hinder Naaman the Assirian, that to wash in Jordan was nothing, or did it relieve Jericho, that the bloweing of Rams-hornes was nothing, if it had bene any thing, it had not done it, for God is resolved to destroy Jericho by nothing, that is, by himselfe alone; and therefore he will have you by nothing, or by that which is as good as nothing, in respect of what you doe: But on the other side, hee findes enough in the ballance, to make your sins nothing, even his owne eternall love, and the suffering and merrits of his owne son.
Thirdly, Gods heart is in this matter of faith, never any thing was so fenced with mottinesse, with threats, and commands, with intreatings and invitings, with words and oathes, with signes and seales, with rewards and punishments. The Gospell is nothing but the Message of faith, Christ himself and all his Ministers, but the preachers of faith. The great businesse is to make the match, to tye the knott betweene God and our soules, the rest, other things, flow on naturally: Love followes faith, works flowe from love. But without faith, its impossible to please God, without faith wee are Strangers and a farre of. Now that which is so neere Gods heart, and so advantagious to our selves, wee should doe, wee should be much in what ever the divell say, to the contrary, God neverhedged any thing about like this, never any thing came so freely off, the making of this cost him his Ministers ordinances and seales, and without it all is nothing.
Fourthly, to fetch Arguments, not onelyonly from necessity and duty, & reason, but ingenuity, the onelyonly salve you can apply to the wounds of Christ, is beleeving, your sins made them your faith heales them, Hee shall see of the travaile of his soule, and be satisfied, Isa. 53.11. That is, hee hath beene at a great deale of paines and cost; now what are his in-comes, what will make up this poore people for whome hee did, and suffered, all this will trust him and beleeve in him, for so it followes, by his knowledge, shall my righteous servant justify many, that is, by the knowledge and beliefe of him, they shalbe justified, this satisfies him, this payes him, this is the onelyonly way you have to make him amends; Now his stripes hath healed you, heale him by your faith, do a little nobly, and freely for him, that hath done so much for you, sticke not with him to beleeve him, that stuck not to dye for you.
But then lastly, did the divell never let loose any fiery darts upon you, or may hee not doe it, if hee have not, yee can judge the lesse what it is to want this shield, but aske Judas, and hee will tell you, aske David hee will tell you, aske Paul when Sathan buffetted him, and hee had nothing but God to relie upon; If hee have, I hope experience will make us wise to have our shield ready, if hee have not knowe that hee may doe, looke that hee will doe, and will doe it, when you are weakest, when you are lowest, provide for that evill day, get up your shield; this of faith in God through Christ, as yours, and then when hee comes, what have you to doe, ye can turne God loose to him, yee can fetch downe liquor and vertue of that temper and coolenesse, as shall dead and quench and extinguish his darts, and in the thing wherein hee is proud and mighty, you will be above him, and to hard for him.
We are come in the fifth place to another peece of the great and sure armour, with which the spirit of God armes us against the divell, a peece for our head, the Helmet of salvation, as that before was more generall applicable to the whole Body.
That by this Helmet is meant hope, the Apostle who is his owne best interpreter tells you 1. Thessa. 5.8. And for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation: This peece of armour is of excellent use, and proper to that part it defends; The worth of it appears as by many things: So by the deplorable condition of those that want it, they have no hope (saies hee) and they are without God in the world, Eph. 2.12. they wanted that ligament, that tye to fasten them to God, and so were left most miserable.
Wee must consider a little, what hope is, and then, why it is called of salvation, and then how it fits that part, to which it is destined, and doth the worke of an Helmet.
It is a receiv'd maxime, that all affections are rooted in love, and as they are rooted in love, so they are acted by love, even hatred and malice it selfe, hath its rise in some thing loved, for therefore I hate such a thing, because I love the contrary: Againe as affections are rooted in love, and acted by love, so love is felt, and appeares according to the affection it acts by, and is seene through that, as the sunne which is alwayes the same in it selfe, yet workes upon us according to the constellations it possesseth, and the light coulours it self, according to the body through which it shines, so loves workes and appeares much according to the affection it possesseth, and through which it renders it self visible, for example:
Love appeares very darke in sorrow, violent in choller, tranquill and peaceable in joy, dejected in dispaire, but in hope love is in its Throne, there it appeares in most pompe, there it workes with most efficacy, and is altogether lovely.
This affection of all others semes to be destined to great affaires, and hath a mighty influence either upon our doeing, or suffering.
It was all that Alexander had to inable him to the conquest of the world, distributing all his other goods that hee had received from his father; Againe what is it but this that makes men every day crosse the seas, labour the ground, seeke after Mines in the bowells of the earth, fight, and pursue victories, nay it is that which accompanyes men to the scaffold, and to their death bedds.
But to follow our methods, wee consider not hope heere, in that loose sence, in which it is commonly taken, namely for a certaine fault, and lowe attendancy, or lookeing after some good thing desired, and so to be before faith, and without it, as when wee are apt to say, I cannot beleeve such a thing, but I hope it well; but on the contrary we take it for a firme expectation of some future good, which wee doe already beleeve, and are assured of, so faith the scripture Heb. 11.1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Gal. 5.5. Wee waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith, that is, faith gives you the ground of waiteing, which is by hope, so if wee hope wee waite, Rom. 8.25. so as this hope which must be our Helmet is a superadded grace to faith, a birth and effect of it.
It is called, the Helmet of Salvation, for salvation is the great thing about which faith and hope is conversant, so saith Paul, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your soules, so the hope of salvation, because, that, as the greatest, conteynes all other inferiour goods, and in the eyeing and prosecution of which by faith and hope wee secure our selves the most abundantly.
But how doth this Armour fit the part, it is destined for, and doe the worke of an Helmet.
The head is as it were the principle of action, and of our intentions, as the head governes and directs the members, so our end and intention, which is our Simbolicall head, being the principall and rise of all our actions, that which gives vigour and activity to them, had need of some peece of armour for its defence, which the Apostle heere makes to be the hope of Salvation.
Now this Helmet doth its worke thus, the world and Sathan that they might poyson the fountaine, corrupt our ends, and our intentions, would bribe us with something outward, and sensuall, and therefore holds over our heads many things to tempt and allure us, sutable to our sences, and corrupted nature, offers us crownes of applause, allures us with pates of pleasure (falsely so called) and to makes these rellish, to take the better, terrifies us with thorny paths, and ill conditions, in holy wayes, with persecutions, and scornes, gives you the choice of crownes of thornes, and gold, but both fleshly and carnall; the Holy Ghost now gives you for an Helmet the hope of Salvation, holds that over your head toward of these blowes, and those assaults, and what is that? The assured expectation and waiting for of eternall glory, for so it is called in other places, The hope of eternall life, the hope of glory, Rom. 5.2▪ and Tit. 3.7. First, hope in its nature and definition is the waiting for, and expectation of a good thing, which makes it a pleasant, and releeving affection, because the object of it is good, not as griefe, nor as feare, which hath for its object an ill thing; But our hope which is our Helmet, wards and guards our heade, it is made up of the best and most sutable good, it is a good comprehending all other goods, and therefore called salvation in the abstract, it is a glorious good, for it is the hope of glory, and for duration it is not earthly, sensuall, and passing, but it is eternall life an eternall weight of glory.
Secondly, hope is of good things to come, and therefore it is an expectation, for hope that is seene is not hope, for what a man sees, why doth hee yet hope for? Rom. 8.24. So as it is a pleasant passing your time, in the expectation of a desired good; But now the difference will lie not onelyonly in the degree of good, for ours is of things eternall, but in the degree of expectation, wordly hopes are founded upon such sleight bottomes, as they contribute not much to comfort, in regard of which some have called hope a dreame, which presents it selfe to wakeing men, and from thence it is said, that the Hipocrites hope perisheth; but our hope is of another constitution, for it is grafted upon faith which gives a certainty, and reality to the thing, so as no feare of faileing shall weaken or impaire your hope, but hope shall stand upon a sure bottome, and pleasantly, and joyfully expect what already by faith is made most sure to us.
To speake a little more, a little more particularly of this affection, it is of a good thing, absent, difficult and possible, I have shewed you how our hope is conversant about the best and highest good, the abuse of this affection (for that will helpe to shew the use of it) lies in pitching it upon things that are not good; In truth all other things, but spirituall, God, heaven, and eternity, have no other vallue, but what ignorance and a lye puts upon them, opinion indeed gives them a name, honours them with a title which they deserve not, and yet how much doe outward things ingage this affection: Honour which depends upon the opinion of others, which is extreamely passing, and perishing, which is the reward oftentimes of crimes, which are succesfull, and glitter, and pleasures which are accompanied with regret, and shame, and followed with grief; And riches ordinarily, the object of the basest mindes, and men; All these things, and what ever more is outward, are but the shadowes and pictures of good; As in a picture you thinke you see the birds flye, men standing of from the cloath, but when you come neere it, there is nothing but the lynes of a pensil, nothing but markes upon a cloath or table, and so are these things, nothing but shadowes, pictures, dreames, they must have a light proper to shew them by, false lights, yet these are the objects of the hopes of the greatest part of men.
Againe, these things as they are not good enough, so they are not absent enough for hope, for though things of sence are not ever in the possession of them which most make after them, yet they are amongst us, they are in the world, but this hope carries us properly beyond every thing. The eye sees, and the eare heares, and what enters into the heart of man.
Againe, things that are the object of hope are difficult, but difficult and worthy, or great in a right sence, are of an equall extent, to labour in the smoake and mudd, for smoak and mudd it may be difficult, but it is a difficultie without worth, it is base and meane, and so hath nothing in it of great, or worthy, in which respect onelyonly difficult things should be undertaken.
Then, how often doth hope mis-applyed ingage in impossibilities, and so becomes a meere imposture to us. How often are men befooled heere, and in their desires, and hopes (which actuate those desires) pursue impossible things. Men foolishly thinke that miracles should be wrought in their favour, and the whole order of the universe changed for their sakes, men that merit the gallowes hope for a pardon, not because they have any assurance of the judges favour, or because their faults are pardonable, but because they would live: and which is ridiculous, old men that are so in extremity, hope for an old age yet to come.
I have shewed you already that our hope which is our Helmet, is of good things, a good that wants a name, good enough to expresse it, and therefore is called salvation, a name abstract, and comprehensive to the ut most.
Againe, I have shewed, that it is of good things to come, and heerein it differs from faith, for faith sees them as it were present, and therefore it is the substance of things hoped for, but hope lookes upon them, (as indeed they are) at a distance; In a word, faith gives you the assurance, Hope the expectation.
Againe difficult they are, and great and difficult, worthie and difficult, accordingly, they cost Christ much, and they cost us much, so difficult, as for the attaining of them, God must come out of heaven, Christ must die and suffer: God must set all his wisedome on worke, that wee may have a ground to pitch our hopes upon, and for our part, hope is mannaged and conversant about difficult things, as ye shall heare.
But then last of all, our hope is wise, the things are possible about which it is conversant, so possible, as they are assured, and therefore its called the full assurance of Hope, Heb. 6.11.
Let us knowe then where wee are,Coroll. and what use wee have of this affection; The truth is Christian Religion, is altogether founded upon hope, the things of this life are not our portion, wee breath after what is to come, let us therefore live as men, untyed from this world, and fasten to another by hope, let the pleasures and honours, and profits of this world be dead things to us, because wee have no hope to animate them; Hope acts and animates above any thing, but wee want this engine, because we have not that object. For instance, to appeare something, to be great, wise, and honourable, is the great contention, and pursuite of this world: When Christ who is our life shall appeare, then shall wee appeare, &c. Heavenly hope puts you off thither, and disputes not the thing, but the time, ye shall have enough of appearing, but it shalbe in a peculiar and advantageous time, when Christ shall appeare to fill up his triumph, to adorne that pompe, respite your desire of appearing till then; God doth but time it for us, so for pleasures to enjoy your selves, to be satisfied, to be at ease, to gratify and content every part of you, these are mens hopes, one time or other you shall get it; There is a place of pleasures, the presence of God, and there is a fullnesse and compleatnesse of pleasure, but it is in that place and in other, and there are plasures for evermore, pleasures that are as long as they are great, but it is at the right hand of God; The pleasures Sathan would give you are of a base alloey, their durance is but of that minute in which they are enjoyed; Their fullnesse is worse then their emptinesse, for they are not onelyonly vaine, falling short of that good they promised, but vexing also, and deceiving, the truth is, this is not a life for pleasures, but for paines, especially to Christians, and so saies the Apostle, If in this life onelyonly wee have hope, wee are of all men most miserable. If our hopes (as other mens) were heere, wee were in a worse condition then they, that cannot eate their meates, and enjoy their comforts, tast of their daintyes, partly, because there is a greater disproportion betweene us and them, then betweene they and them, and partly, because our light and our conscience is to much raised, & of too great a tendernesse to digest their morsells; what then have wee nothing to ballance their contentments? not to speake of other things, what ever returnes faith and hope can make wee have, They are without hope, wish them joy of what they have, but hope they have none; and this let mee tell you, improve this well, and it shall pay all the charges of their gaines, you have the hope of eternall life, the hope of glory, of what ever your hearts can wish and desire: Faith gives things a footing and a subsistance, & hope is grafted upon it, and is ready by the expectation of better things, to outbidd the world, and by virtue of a pleasure taken in things to come, to carry you above the false pretensions of pleasure which the world makes ofter, therefore content your selves with your portion, and use your Helmet to ward of the assaults of semeing goods or ills, as Sathan shall present them.
But more particularly, use hope for joy, for patience for workeing, live in the joy of hope, let one spirituall affection in prove and provoke another, that there is a joy of hope, appeares in this, which wee usually say of worldly hopes, that things are usually better in the hopes, then in the enjoyment, and wee see men will sell any thing rather then their hopes: Now those hopes in comparison with ours, have two or three notable defects.
First they are built upon uncertainties and contingenties, they have no firme bottome, and ground work, and so cannot be intire, cannot be without the mixture of feare, feare of issue, feare of successe, and this let mee adde, that the more they hope, the more they will feare, out of a loathnesse to want the good things they desire, and so it is a mixt affection, that prickes, and pinches aswell as relieves, and comforts. Worldly men enjoy litle their hopes, or their possessions, not their possessions, for they are ballanced with uncertainties, and emptinesse, so as they are faine to relieve themselves, by their hopes, by their reachings after more, nor their hopes, doe they enjoye purely and sincerely, for they are mixt with feare, which oftentimes is the weightiest ingredient, and beares the greatest part of the composition; but our hopes have not this impediment to joy, but on the contrary carry evidence and subsistance with them, being built upon the evidence and subsistance of faith, so that what faith firmely beleeves, hope joyfully expects, and waites for; What is the great happines of heaven, but the fixeing & stayeing of joyes by eternity: Now the joy of that hope is fixed by faith, which gives it a steddy and untottering foundation, so that what you have, you have; If joy come in by that doore, it will or ought to do so alwaies, there is no rationall or necessary mixture of feare, because there is no rationall cause of doubting.
Secondly, there is a vanity of rejoycing in boastings, as James saith, and so an evill, for all such rejoycing is evill: The mixture of feare is a troublesome, but it is a rationall thing in their hopes, the foundation of which is but contingency, but a further evill, and more sinfull, and irrationall, is, that they rejoyce in their boastings, they thinke by the determination of their wills to do that which godly men doe by faith, and when their hopes have once concluded a thing, they thinke it should be established, and thereupon runne away without reckoning with their hoast, as wee use to say, whereas the scripture saith, yee ought to say, if I live, and if the Lord will; Now for their foolish conceits to fixe that which onelyonly God can render certaine, is a folly and a sinne, and the hope that riseth from it, is an irrationall presumptuous hope, for that they ought to say, if wee live, and if the Lord will, things that are wholy out of their power. Now our hopes and the joy of it, is not a rejoycing in boasting, but it is a boasting in truth, wee have already the Lords will, his will declared, his will commaunded that wee should have the joy of hope, and should rejoyce in hope, Rom. 12.12. And that wee should have the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end, Heb. 3.6. So as here is no rejoycing in boastings, heere is no vaine fancies of our owne, no castles in the aire.
But then as their is a vanity in the uncertaintie of their hopes, which mixeth them with feares, and a further and fuller vanity, in fixeing and assureing their hopes, by their owne boastings and presumptions, incerta, certa redendo. So
Thirdly, there is a mighty vanity in the matter of their hopes, for they are of things low and meane, no better for kinde then what they have already, why doe they not enjoy them? nay, why doe they despise them? because they knowe them; so as they despise what they know, and hope in what they know not, because they know it not; but the object of our hopes, and of our joy arising from them, are of things so great and reall, as the little, but yet the true taste wee have of them, makes us desire more; It is our knowledge that makes us vallewe our hopes, and joy in them, and it is our ignorance that causeth us to hope no more, nor rejoyce in the good things, which are the objects of them; And therefore wee see faith which gives a reall evidence and sight of things, intends above any other thing our hopes, and want of faith, and weaknesse of faith lessens our hopes, and the joy of them.
The object of our hopes are things great, thing heavenly, things eternall, and these are the matter, if any other thing bee, of joy; Opposite to which are the dead, beggarly, and sensible things of this world, which are mistaken alwayes in hope, and usually despised in possession, so that not onelyonly simply, but in comparison with other things, wee have all reason for the joy of hope: The warrant of this joy wee have given you already, when wee shewed the reason of our joy in opposition to wicked mens boastings, but the end is not onelyonly for it self (though that be much, that wee may live comfortably, that wee be in as good a condition as this state is capable of) but joy as a result and concomitant of hope, is mighty for Battaile; ye are now in the lists, and ye put on armour, the joy of Hope, which is the joy of the Lord, is our strength: Hee that rejoyceth not in the hope of things to come, will rejoyce in vaine hopes, or in sensuall enjoyments: Hee that cannot take in the pleasures of salvation by hope, will assuredly joy the joyes of wicked men, for hee wants this armour against pleasures and sensuall joyes, which is a weapon Sathan weilds to our dis-advantage, asmuch as any, and therefore, know how to arme your head by hope, and against the pleasures and joyes of this world, by the pleasure and joy of hope, unlesse you would be exposed as a prey to things of sence, and things of this life, against which this hope of salvation is your armour.
Object.But now to answere shortly an objection, if hope brings in so great and steddy a returne of joy, what place will you allot for sorrow for sin, for wee are sinners, and a sinfull condition, and that affection suites us very well. Answ.Answ. Certainely wee should not sorrow as those without hope, but as those which are full of hope, yet on the other side, as there is occasion, by renued acts of sinnes, our hope and our joy should intend our sorrow, and rectify it, God would not have an uncomfortable, or a dispairing thought, in all sorrow, it is the sorrow of the world that workes death, that destroyes, and hurts, some inordinacie, some excesse, but sorrow intended, and relieved also by hope, and the joy of it, as it is often necessarie, so it will never hurt you.
There is a double use of sorrow, first to worke out the staine of sin, in supplying the want of afflictions: sin is not onelyonly evill for its transcient act, but for the cursed disposition that it leaves behinde, there is ever sin in the wombe of sin, sorrow serves to worke out the staine of sin, and doe the worke of afflictions, which are to humble and bring low, Prov. 20.30. The blewnes of a wound cleanseth away evill, so doe stripes the inward parts of the belly, this is applied to correction and cleansing, afflictions worke the wound to such a disposition, as is cleasing and healeing.
But then secondly, sorrow for sin serves whereby to expresse our affections to Christ in a manner sutable to our condition, and to the posture wee stand in towards him, shall wee grieve the Lord, and shall the Lord be grieved, and shall wee not grieve? But hee loves us, and pardons us, therefore should wee grieve. Besides, while hee loves us, hee grieves, and hee grieves the more, because hee loves us, and so should wee, if hee did not love us, hee would not grieve, and if wee love him, wee cannot but grieve when wee offend him, Jer. 31.19. Surely after I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, &c. Ephraim mournes and grieves, which hee did not till God had mercy on him, then hee smote on his thigh.
If you aske how wee should grieve? Never without the reliefe of hope, and joy, let them act and intend your sorrow, but for the degree why should wee not in humbling our selves for sin worke our selves, and our sorrow, as low as afflictions would lay us, if chastisements should take hold on us, or sicknes to death, or any other hand of God chastising for sinne, this will be no interruption in your hope, no prejudice to the joy of it.
Thus your hope armes you against pleasures by joy, the joy of hope; but wee have paines also to conflict withall, all the evills and calamities, that dishonour, want, and poverty, or bodily evills can inflict, patiency also in attendancy and expectation, yee have need of patience, that after yee have done the will of God, yee may receive the promise. Wee would faine have our rewards in hand, wee are loath to stay, wee would have the reality of the reward, not the vision of faith onelyonly, Heb. 10.36. Now this is needfull, for the Saints through faith and patience inherited the promises, Heb. 6.12. If you aske who infests the Saints, who puts them to their patience? The world and wicked men, but especially the Divell, that hee might discourage us, and devoure us, might breake and interrupt our course, might make us for want of continuance, doe and suffer so many things in vaine, and therefore armes all his instruments, evill men and our owne corruptions against us, to make us weary of that way, which is so sowed with thornes, which costs us so much paines and trouble; God also puts us to our patience, by suffering manifold evills, outward and inward, to infest us, that hee might purge present evill, and prevent further evill, and that hee might try us, and use what hee hath laid into us, that hee might say of us another day as hee did of Iob, yee have heard of the patience of Iob, Jam. 5.11. and might boast of us as of those induring Saints, Heere is the patience of the Saints, behold it, Reu. 13.10. In all these respects ye have need of patience, yea, and that patience should have its perfect work, as James saith Jam. 1.4. That it should possesse our soules, that it should be fitted for every condition, and hold out to the utmost, to the extremitie, as you see those, who are betrusted with forts, and strengths they had need of patience: And yet must hold out to the utmost extremity, by the law of warre, now then you see the need wee have of patience, but it must be the patience of hope, 1. Thess. 1.3. The Apostle gives there the effects and their causes, the work of faith, saids hee, the labour of love, and the patience of hope, the effect or great product of hope is patience, patience is a grace which hath no shine or glitter with it, it is sweet but darke, and obscure, and hath nothing in it of violence, and having mighty enemies, it defends it self in suffering, wee gaine the victory often in loosing our lives, it scarce complaines of what it indures, so as it passeth often amongst ignorant men for stupidity, and dulnesse. Now this sweet and low grace (in respect of its condition, and the manner of its operation) would be opprest a thousand times under the victory of its enemies, if it were not animated by the livelinesse and activity of hope, if the hope of salvation, the hope of glory, (for so it is called,) did not continually set before its eyes, the greatnesse of the reward; yee can never have a better instance, then of our Master Christ himself while hee was in the conflict of patience, (and that was his life) hee was ever in the lists of sufferings, conflicting with sorrowes, and woes, for the joy that was set before him, which was made sure to him by faith, & received and enjoyed by hope, (for hee came by his comforts even as wee) this made him to endure the crosse and despise the shame, and wee are commanded to runne with patience the race, that is set before us, looking to him, Heb. 12.2, 3. That is, use our patience as hee did, and relieve our patience as hee did, by the joyfull sights of hope, patience without hope is the deadest thing in the world; for why doe I deprive my self of good? why doe I suffer so many things in vaine, if they be in vaine, and therefore the Apostle takes it for granted, that the patient continuance in well doeing, hath some thing to relieve it, namely, a lookeing after glory, and honour and immortality, &c. Rom. 2.7. without which animation, and enlivening of hope, patience were dead, and deadly, more fit to be the property of a stone, or a blocke, then the grace of a Saint; thus yee see your selves armed by hope, against the great enemies of God and man, against the great troublers of Israel, pleasures, and paines, by having your joyes, and your patience, acted by hope, which is your Helmet.
But hope thirdly is proper for doing, aswell as suffering, having a great influence (as I told you) upon our simbolicall head, our intentions, and scopes and end, and this peece, aswell as our shooes, (the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace) inables us for acting, and the truth is, while wee doe nothing good, wee are not secure against doing ill; But if hope serve to any thing, it serves to incourage to labour, and worke, wee use to say in a proverbe, take away hope, and take away endeavour, no worke is done or can be done without hope, hee that ploweth should plow in hope, and that hee that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hopes, 1. Cor. 9.10. A man would be loath to plow the ground, or thresh the corne without hope, you will not doe actions of the lowest forme without it: Againe as you can do nothing without hope, so ye attempt the greatest things by hope, the hopes of victory, the hope of successe, the hope of gaine, whither doth it not ingage men, our strength depends upon our hope, and therefore Jeremy complaines, my strength and my hope is perished, Lam. 3.18. No more hope, no more strength, they stand and fall together, they are alike in their birth and death: On the other side, when Paul was to give an account to Agrippa of his actions, Acts 26.6, 7. I am judged (sayes hee) for the hope of the promise made unto our fathers, unto which promise our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come. Doe you wonder why they served God, with that instance, and intensenesse, day and night, why they doe that which none of the world doe besides, they hope to attaine the promise of God, that is, the thing promised, that ingageth them to a continuall and a most intense labour; so the Apostle when hee gives in a very few words all that is to be forborne and done for God, and our good, makes hope to be the rise of all his courage and activity, Tit. 2.13. lookeing for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Iesus Christ, compared with the former verses 11. and 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinesse, and worldly lusts, wee should live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world. And Christ when hee bidds us doe any thing hoping for nothing againe, Luk. 6.35. Lend hoping for nothing againe; hee doth not meane wee should have nothing, or be without hope, but tells us immediately, that our reward shall be great in heaven, and wee shall be the children of the Highest, and presently suggests matter of hope, which hee affixeth to the lending of a penny, or the giving a cup of cold water, yee shall not loose your reward.
But to what workes doth hope animate us? to all for the least shall be considered, shall not loose its reward, and the greatest shall be considered proportionably, Hee that overcometh, and hee that followes mee heere, shall sit upon twelve Thrones. There is nothing so great, that hope cannot expect, for it is the hope of salvation; And therefore there is no worke so great, that hope cannot put you upon, for it workes from hope to salvation. Captaines when they harrang their Souldiers, tell them of the butin of the prey, tell them of honours, and advancements; and Christ when hee incourageth his, speakes Crownes as freely as any, but spirituall crownes assured by faith; and enjoyed for the present by hope; it is a shame that our hopes should not carry us toward working, as farre as ever any worldly hath done, in all the particulars of worke. I will insist onelyonly upon one, which the scripture particularly annexeth to hope, and is proper for us all; Hee that hath this hope, (that is, of seeing God, of salvation) hee purifyeth himself even as hee is pure, 1. Joh. 3.3. The reason of the action about which our hope is conversant, and the proportion lies thus, Wee hope, saith hee, ver. 2. when hee shall appeare to be like him, for wee shall see him as hee is, sayes hee there will be the same reason of your being like to him, heere and hereafter, and therefore if you will be like him in heaven, you must be like him heere, and your hope for the one, must helpe you to the other: now as in heaven hee is glorious, so heere hee was pure, ye are in all estates and conditions to follow and imitate your saviour, for that is your hope to that you were predestinated; Now hee was holy, harmelesse, undefiled, therefore ye must be like in this state also.
Secondly your hope fixeth upon seeing him in heaven. There shall no uncleane thing enter into the kingdome of heaven, and therefore you must purge and cleanse your selves by the way, and your hope must do it.
This purification respcteth both the body, and the minde, and is opposed to all bodily lusts, which lies in the sences, fancie, or sensible things, and to all spirituall lusts, which lie in the understanding, which lusteth against spirituall truths, and the wayes of God, sayes hee, this hope must purifie you from all this.
But how high? how farre must this hope act you, to what degrees? Even as hee is pure, there is your patterne, there is your examplar, study what Christ was, and be ye likewise, study what Christ did, or would doe, and doe the same; for instance, wee are apt to be proud and vaine to be supercilious, to overlooke men, and little things, to be every one for himself, gripeing and graspeing. Purify your selves in this, even as hee is pure, let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2.5. who though hee were in the forme of God, debased himself, in a word consider the disposition of Christ, and consider the purity of Christ, and make that your coppy, and as you would set no bounds to glory, you would see him as he is, and be like him, so set no bounds to purity, purify your selves after that patterne, even as hee is pure, and let hope and the reason of hope doe it, because you have no greater pretensions to glory, then you have to purity, namely to be like Christ your head, to whom by faith, and hope you are conformed. Thus yee see your Helmet, in its glory, securing you from all the evill of all the goods of the world, and securing from all the evill of all the evill of the world, and enabling and inspiring you to work, and service even to all, That you might be perfect and throughly furnished to every good worke; improove therefore this blessed peece, this hope, and get it more abundantly.
You see it is a great matter how wee settle our hopes,Coroll. because in it lies the strength of our indeavours, wee anchor in things by hope, and fixe in them, and being setled upon an immovable thing, wee can moove steddily and stronglie. Archimedes could moove the world, if hee could fasten his engine, now wee cast anchor in heaven, and heavenly things in salvation, for so sayes the Apostle, Wee have an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast, and which entreth in to that which is within the vaile, Heb. 6.19. Our anchor casts deepe in heaven, where there is good earthing, whence it will be impossible to be remooved by any stormes or windes: But this wee must know, that if you would make use of this or any armour which is spirituall, it must be first raised to a pitch, the armes must be fashioned, and formed, and then must be kept bright, and in posture, for service, it must be weilded by a spirituall hand.
Now to raise this grace, you must improove and raise your faith, for as in all compositions, you have something that gives the body of it, so faith gives the body, and substance to hope, therefore faith is called the substance of things hoped for, and therefore of all other things your hope will never outbid or goe beyond your faith, keep therefore that full and high.
Yet Hope is a further grace and armour, faith gives you things in their coulours with your interests in them, it shewes you that they are, and that they are yours, but however faith gives them a kinde of presence by beleeving, yet they are in themselves future, as to us, hope therefore takes in the pleasure of them beforehand, lives in the joyfull expectation of them, and so abridges the time, which els would be tedious, fancies to it self (as I may so say) the pleasures and joyes of eternall life, and lives in a sweet anticipation of what it possesseth but by faith, which as it is most pleasant in it self, so it produceth mighty effects, for joy, for patience, for working, so as our life is comfortably entertained by it in joy, and pleasure, evills and calamities are mastered, and subdued by it, even the greatest, and action and worke, the end of living is promoted.
Therefore looke upon this peece, which hath influence into so great effects, as a reall, not as a notionall thing, as a thing that many want in the use and exercise of it, but they cannot live without it, they cannot live a vitall life animated with joy, armed with patience and acted, to worke and service.
Therefore let not so great an engine of the Holy Ghost, so great and good an armour lye dead by us, but rather let us improove it, and use it, try alwayes of raising it, for it is raised and improoved grace that workes great and considerable effects.
— And the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. This is the last peece of armes, and is fitted both for offence, and defence, it is an armes that is great alone, and therefore men arme themselves with this, which use no other, and it is also an appendix to all armes, for no man is armed at all points, like a souldier, which hath not a sword, this is a peece of a very expedite, and continuall use.
You need not goe farre to know what this sword is, the Apostle describes it first by being the sword of the spirit, that is, a spirituall sword, The weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, 2. Cor. 10.4. The Divell will not give way or yeild to a sword made of any other mettall, therefore it is mighty through God: The Egyptians are flesh, and not spirit, therefore they are weake. One Divell is able to deale with all the fleshly and carnall weapons in the world, it is not charmes, and holy water, nor resolutions, and purposes, and reasonings alone, that are weapons fit for this combate, they must be things truely spirituall.
But then secondly, it is that sword, which the spirit useth in us, and by us, the spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, so as there is a mighty arme, to a mighty weapon, For wee know not how to pray as wee ought, how to doe any thing, but the spirit maketh intercession in us, and it is the spirit that leads us into all truth, and teacheth us how to use, and improove truth, without the spirit of God, the word of God would doe us no good; The weapon would be too heavy, to unweildy for us to use, therefore saith the Apostle, The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, 2. Cor. 10.4. God must use, and guide the hand, aswell as give the sword, it will be els like the weapons of a mighty man in the hand of a childe, if hee take it up, it will be but to let it fall.
But then thirdly, it is the sword of the spirit, the spirit doth not onelyonly use it, but hee formed it, it is therefore fit for use, because hee formed it, that is the mighty worke-man, and Engineer for spirituall weapons, and hee must be able to use it well, that made it, for hee made it for use, and there is no ingredient in it, which hath not an influence into the end of it, which is the use of it. Now that hee formed, it appeares 2. Pet. 1.20, 21. Prophecy came not in old time (or at any time) by the will of man, that is, by the presumptuous will of bold men, proudly, and arrogantly goeing about to determine, that by their will, which by their reasons and unstandings could not reach, but holy men of God spake, as they were mooved by the Holy Ghost; God used the underderstandings and the wills of holy men, to derive and conveye his truth to the world, so 2. Tim. 3.16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, so as the spirit formes it, frames it, suggests it, brings it to the world.
Thus having knowne the matter of this sword, that it is spirituall, not of a carnall make, or composition, and secondly the mannager and weilder of this sword, that it is the spirit, and then the maker, and former of this sword, that it is the same spirit, wee come now to the appellation it self, which the spirit gives it, which is the word of God.
By the word of God is meant, what ever God hath made knowne to be his will, as it is contained in the scripture.
This must needs bee the word of God, and no other, but as it is consonant to this, for in a large sense, all truths may be called the word of God, as being subjected to some scripture rule, but strictly that word which is our sword, is some portion of that wee call the scripture, which is particularly characterized, and distinguished by this title the word of God.
This must needs be so, because this is that, which must not be added to, or detracted from, it must stand alone Deut. 4.2. Yee shall not adde unto the word, which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it: Therefore that is all, and onelyonly the word of God: So Deut. 12.32. Gal. 1.8. If wee or Angell from heaven preach any other Gospell unto you, then that which wee have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Secondly, if God will have the ballance of the Sanctuary for waights, and measures, for rules and determinations, it must be visible, and publique: If hee will have us, fight with such weapons, wee must know where to fetch them.
Thirdly, when wee see this rule in practise by Christ or his Apostles, wee see this word taken up for this sword, to doe mighty things.
Wee see Christ resisting the Divell, and at last confounding and expelling him by this word, by this weapon, Math. 4.4. Hee followed him so long with It is written, that at last hee drove him quite away, hee resisted him by this sword, till hee fled from him.
As hee dealt with the Divell in himself, so he dealt with the Divell in the Scribes and Pharises, Have yee not read (saith he) what David did, and what the Priests did, &c. Math. 12.3, 4, 5. So hee answered them, and confounded them; The like did Stephen, and the Apostles, convinced men mightily by the Scriptures, that Iesus was the Christ, and used this sword to destroy unbeliefe with. Now this word of God, which is our sword, is not so much the letter of the word, as the sense of it, how unreasonably and foolishly have the Papists abused themselves by sticking to the letter, in those words, This is my body, and Origen in making himself an Eunuch, from that place, Math. 19.12. There be Eunuchs that have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of heavens sake. Though it be also true that where the letter is not contrary to the Annalogy of faith, that is to be our rule and guide, and upon no other ground are wee to depart from the letter.
But if it be objected, how shall men especially unlearned, know the sence of Scripture, which seemes sometimes to be subject to contrariety? Answ. This is the great grace of God towards his, that in things necessary to faith and manners, to be knowne, or done, they need not be ignorant, for they walke in the light of the Lord, by virtue of which light they are led into all truth; so as they need not pin, their faith upon the authority of anothers judgment; This is there due by promise, They shall be all taught of God, Isa. 54.13. and Christ sayes, his sheepe follow him, because they know his voice, but another they will not follow, because they know not the voice of strangers, Joh. 10.4, 5. To have the word made cleare to you, and this sword fit for your use, is your due aswell as the sword it self. So the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him, Psal. 25.14. The scriptures though deepe are foordable by those who are holy, and diligent, though they be not so wise and learned: On the other side, The naturall man knoweth not the things that are of the spirit of God, because they are foolishnesse to him: But the spirituall man knoweth all things, 1. Cor. 2.14, 15. So
1. John 5.6: It is the spirit that beareth witnesse, because the spirit is truth. And ver. 10. Hee that beleeveth on the Son of God, hath the witnesse in himselfe. So Math. 13.11. To you it is given to know the misteries of the Kingdome of heaven, to others it is not given. There is a sence of Scripture that lyes alwayes not so evident and above, but it is given to you as your peculiar, and portion.
This honour have all the Saints, they have a certaine taste sutable and proportionable to their spirits, and their new natures, by which they can distinguish of food, and by which they can try all things, for as to other lives, and to our bodily, there is a tast for that end, so to this also which is spirituall; And though men in a dreame can not distinguish betweene sleeping, and waking, yet men that are awake, know they are awake, and know also distinctly what they doe.
This notwithstanding, God sells all thing to us by labour, and wee shall not enjoy the benefit of this great priviledge without it; Wee must therefore keepe our selves in a holy frame: If any man will doe his will, he shall know of his Doctrine whether it be of God, Joh. 7.17. While wee are doeing, wee are in a way to know. If you be carnall and walke as men, you will be also carnall, and judge as men, Rom. 8.8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God, (which may be understood also of a fleshly frame in the Saints) and when wee are in a way altogether unpleasing to God, God will not accommodate himself, will not reveale himself to us, and please us.
But this is not enough, wee must search the scriptures, in which wee thinke to have eternall life, and light also for the way thither, wee must consider, and weigh whether those things which our owne reason, or the Ministry of others represent to us, be so or no, as those of Baerea did, Truth lies deepe, errors lyeth levell to all: This search is extreamely pleasing to God, since the subject of it is the knowledge of his will, and the end of it is the doing of his will; This is done by much meditation in the word, by comparing, by examining it, by taking in all aydes, and helpes of the guists and abilities of others, for God hath ordered that one man should need another, that none might be perfect alone; nothing also will more advance it then prayer, so Paul prayed often for the spirit of revelation, and David that his eyes might be enlightened, to see the wonderfull things of Gods law; nothing cleares the eye-sight more then prayer, for that sets your ends right, and makes you fit for light, and that leads you into the presence of God, into his light, in whose light wee see light.
It was necessary to speake some thing of this, because this is the forming and shaping of your weapon, the weapon may be shaped in it self, but not to us; this gives the mettall to the sword, if a thing looke like the word of God and be not, that will not cut of your lusts, it will proove but a leaden sword, or a deceitfull bow, that will not reach the marke, it will be a carnall weapon, which is weake, whereas the other is mighty through God.
Coroll.To incourage you against spirituall enemies, because ye have spirituall armes, and spirituall weapons ye have, what to keep of blowes, and yee have wherewith to fight and combate with your adversaries: God hath not left us fatherlesse, nor hee hath not left us weaponlesse, hee deales not as Pharoah, commands us to make bricks, and takes away materialls, hee doth not disarme us, and bid us fight, but hee gives us armes proper for the field of combate, and for the enemy wee dispute with, and hee stands by, and lookes on, and with voyce, and hand incourageth us, so as wee need not feare our enemies, hee gives us the best armes: Good commanders, and officers, the holy Spirit, and holds a crowne over our heads: The truth is, wee never are overcome, but when wee are of the party, when wee are in a proportion false to God, and our enemy hath gained us, then wee fight but for a shew, and the weapon falls easily out of our hands, but if wee would stand to it, our sword would cut his cords, and if hee did stand two or three thrusts, hee would vanish at last, as hee did from Christ our captaine.
That wee may the better use this sword, wee shall do well. First to vallew it, things that wee prize and vallew, wee willingly use, wee thinke they will effect their end, els wee lay them by. Therefore wee shall pitch upon some expressions, that may teach us to vallew this weapon, when Abiathar had mentioned the sword of Goliah, there is none like that, saith David, the dignities of the word are great, as appeares by David especially, who meditated in the law continually, and as much as any vallewed the word.
Psal. 17.4. Concerning the workes of mens hands, by the word of thy lips, I have kept mee from the path of the destroyer, the word that God spake was that, which armed him against wicked men.
Psal. 18.30. The word of the Lord is tryed (or refined) hee is a Buckler to all that trust him; As for God his way is perfect, it is a sure word, and which hath bene often experienced, tryed againe and againe, so as you may venture upon it, as upon a thing that will not faile, or deceive, will not start aside, like a deceitfull and broken bow.
Psal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee; David knew the use of this, that it would preserve him from sin, and therefore stored it up, hid it in a sure place, against a time of need.
Ver. 89. For ever O Lord, thy word is setled in heaven; It is an unchangeable rule, which will never alter, and setled, will attaine all it pretends to.
Ver. 105. Thy word is a lampe to my feete, and a light unto my pathes; this is against delusions, and faynts, and shaddowes, the Divell will cast. If you keep neere the word, you carry a light in your hand, you will not fight in the darke, but know how to make your addresses, and approaches, and how to order your wards, and defenses.
Ver. 140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it; every thing operates as it is, as things are to their beings, so they are to their operations. That which is pure will render us pure, and the word is not an idle thing, but for use, and being pure, it is given us to render us pure.
Ver. 172. My tongue shall speake of thy word, for all thy commandements are righteous; I can never praise them enough, there is such a law of righteousnes in them.
Psal. 147.19. Hee sheweth his word unto Iacob, his statutes and his judgements unto Israel; from the receivers of the dispensation of the word, you see its excellency, it is the portion onelyonly of his people, it is not flung in common to the world, as an inconsiderable thing.
Isa. 40.8. The grasse withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the word of the Lord shall stand for ever; the excellency of good things lies in the continuance of them, this hath a good warrant for its abiding, because it is the word of the abiding, and unchangeable God.
Isa. 55.10, 11. For as the raine cometh downe and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, it shall not returne unto me voyd, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where I sent it. There is a mighty efficacy in this word, this lies as a praise upon the whole word of God, that it shall not returne empty, but be like the bow of Ionathan, and the sword of Saul, Isay. 66.2. All those things hath my hand made, but to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. That word is precious, when the respect to it is so rewarded. On the other side.
Jer. 8.9. They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisedome is in them. Though otherwise they might be wise, yet if they undervallew once the word, they bid a dewe to their wisedome: And God the righteous judge, and which gives true vallewes to us, rankes them in the number of fooles, from the New Testament also, wee shall give some places to this purpose.
Luk. 4.4. Men lives by every word of God; in him wee live, and in his word wee live, which gives a being to things that which gives the being, and determination, makes things be what they are, and men doe what they doe, must needs be great and excellent in it self.
Ver. 32. His word was with power, which astonied the auditours.
Ver. 36. What a word is this, for with authority and power commandeth hee the uncleane spirits, and they come forth; his word will fetch uncleannes out of thy heart, aswell as out of their bodies.
Luk. 7.7. The centurion had so much confidence in Christs word, as hee could depend wholy upon it, Say in a word, (sayes hee) and my servant shall be healed; the magnifing of the word, wrought this great effect, and that word must needs be great, which was deservedly the object of such a confidence.
Luk. 22.61. Peter remembred the words of the Lord, and hee went out and wept bitterly: Peter forgot the word, when hee sinned, and indeed all sin proceeds from ignorance or furgetfulnesse, but when hee remembred it, you see the eminent effect of it, hee repents immediately, which hee witnesseth by his bitter and abundant weeping.
John 15.3. Now are ye cleane through the word which I have spoken to you: Wee are cleane mistically by the washing of Baptisme, 1. Cor. 6.11. also by the imputation of Christs purity, and so wee stand ever cleare before God, wee are pure also in the change of our owne hearts, and all this by the word, made ours by faith, and abiding in us, so that as evill communication corrupts good manners, if taken in and drunke downe, so the word taken downe cleanseth, Acts 13.26. It is called the word of salvation, that which brings it and workes it. And
Acts 20.32. When Paul departed from Ephesus, hee commended the Church to the word of Gods grace, which was able to build them up, and to give them an inheritance, &c. The inheritance is that to which the word leads us, and where it will leave us at the last, but before you come thither, there is building work, forming and fashioning, that the word doth also, so as yee need not goe out of this circle, for the beginning or finishing of your faith.
2. Cor. 5.18. It is the word of reconciliation, that which brings God and man together: Wee are naturally at great distances, now that which conduceth to the meeting, and according of termes so differing, must needs be of great vallew and esteeme.
1. Tim. 4.5. For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer; it is the word of God that sanctifieth, and gives a lawfull use of all things; Hence you have your liberties, aswell to indifferent, as your right to things necessary, if you have whereof freely to use for your owne comforts, and whereof to give a way, for the weaknesse and scandall of your brother.
If you should examine by experience the effects of the word, Gods word hath ever taken hold of men, and in this lies the great difference of the Saints from others, that they observe those events, which others neglect, and growe by them. Joh. 4.50. And the man beleeved the word of God, and it was even so as hee had beleeved; The word hath ever found out men, and will take hold of us, either by our faith for good, or without it for our destruction, so the prophecies of old were not idle, but effected the end for which they came.
To conclude this great dignity the word hath, that it gives its owne credit, for reason may be opposed by reason, but this is higher then reason: The Divell can reason and distinguish us into sin, whilst wee fight at that weapon, but bring him a word, and that answeres his reason.
What hath bene said in this head, tends to beg it in you a right vallew and esteeme of the word, which if once ye have you will use it, and have recourse to it at all times, as an effectuall weapon, mighty through God, for all the great ends you have heard of.
Secondly, know the word of God, that yee may use it, this is to have your weapon prepared, you must search the sence, know the Annalogie of faith and the proportion, one truth holds to another, as before.
Thirdly, take up this sword, take it to you, be in a posture to give a blow, or to evade one, wound the enemy when you can, and meete with his blowes and thrusts, therefore you must be prepared, and have things in readinesse, therefore the word of God must dwell richly in you, that you may not be to seeke when you should use it.
To helpe you in some guards for this fight.
First, that sin is the greatest evill, mannage your sword well for that guard, have words at hand, that is, your sword ready to make that good; for the filthinesse of it, sin is compared to the blood and pollution of a new borne child, before it be ordered and dressed, Ezek. 16.6. When thou wast in thy blood, I said unto thee live; such a thing is sin in it self, and all sin holds of the nature of that pollution.
1. Joh. 5.19. The whole world lieth in wickednesse, it lies there as in a filthy grave, rotting and stinking as in a puddle.
Againe sin is compared for its nature to swine, and dogs, and to their vomit, 2. Pet. 2.22. the sinner is the dogg in the act of sin, and the corruption is the vomit, and mire; it is likened also to the menstruousnesse of a woman, to a vessell in which is no pleasure, that is, a draught or a privy, Hos. 8.8. If besides these abasings and vilifying expressions, you would know more of sin: It was sinne that condemned the world in Adam, drowned the world in the dayes of Noah, and to give you a greater charracter for ill then all this, it was sin brought all the sufferings upon Christ which hee endured: It was the day of Gods fierce anger, Lament. 1.12. When Christ did beare the sins of many in his body on the tree; therefore when Paul and Silas could sing in the prison, and the Saints in their afflictions, as they have done so often, Christ was low, and poore, and faint. Why? because hee conflicted with sinne, hee grappled with sinne, upon him was laid the iniquities of us all; Hee conflicted with the wrath of God, for sinne, and had hee not bene God himself, hee would never have outwrastled it.
In a word every creature of God is good, and nothing offends him, irritates him, and provokes him, but sinne; Nothing reacheth God, nor causeth God to reach the world in anger but sinne. It is that which puts the sting into death, and torment in Hell; Thus you are armed for that guard, that sin is the greatest evill, the second followes easily. That then.
Wee should keep at the greatest distance from it, for that you have Rom. 12.9. Abhorre that which is evill, cleave to that which is good, when wee meete with any thing extreamely evill, and contrary to us, nature abhorres it, and retyres as farre as it can; so on the contrary cleave to that which is good, cling to it, as a man should cleave to his wife, or be glewed, as the word is, and they shall be one flesh, incorporate your selves with that which is good, make your self one with it.
So, Abstaine from all appearance of evill, 1. Thess. 5.22. a thing may appeare to be ill, that is not, but take heed of any similitude, or appearance, or likenesse of ill, if it looke like ill, though it bee not, fly from it; This gives you the benefit of a long sword, by which you keep the enemy at a distance; so Jude 23. Hate the garments spotted with the flesh, not onelyonly the flesh, but the garment that hath toucht it.
Ephes. 5.3. Fornication and all uncleannes and covetousnesse, let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saintes, nor filthinesse, nor foolish speaking, nor jesting.
So Job 31.1. I made a covenant with mine eyes, why should I thinke on a maide; hee would not looke, because hee would not thinke, and the way to secure the thoughts, is to keepe well and strictly, the out-doores, the sences, which made David pray to God, to turne away his eyes from vanity. Folly is bold, but wisdome is wary to keepe at the greatest distance.
Thus this sword cuts of the first risings, this is a sure way, and this saves you a world of paines, when a temptation or a lust hath once come within you, and incorporated it self, you must teare your flesh to pull it out, you must pull up earth and all, that the roots may come at last; but while it is at a distance, there is some kinde of modesty, and blushing in it, and it may be snib'd with a word, use therefore some of these for a sword in time, and it may prevent you hard work, which yet must be done if you would not perish; other heads I thought to have runne over and fitted for use, as
Thirdly, God knowes our thoughts.
Fourthly, that the word must judge us even this, which wee have in our hands and mouthes, and if it condemne our sinnes now, how is it like to acquit us another day.
Fifthly, that every secret thing shall be made manifest.
Sixtly, that you should walke in the sence of death and changes, but I shall prosecute this no further, onelyonly let us know, that if the Divell have got within us, the same way hee is fetcht out, that hee is kept out, this sword must do both. Thus God hath armed you compleatly, and it will be both your sin, which you will not know how to answer, and your shame also to be foyled.
If you oppose Captaine to Captaine, you have Christ and the Divell, you have as sufficient, as mighty, as experienced, a Captaine as your lusts have, if armes to armes, yee have all these spirituall armes, against his carnall armes, for so are his, in comparison of those. Though his be spirituall also, as acted by a mighty spirit; your reward held over you by hope, is greater for the present then any he can offer, though not to flatter our selves. Our condition heere is to indure hardnesse as good souldiers, 2. Tim. 2.3. And wee must conflict according to the law of combate, if wee would have the crowne; But this is no new thing to us, this wee knew when wee undertooke religion, this was laid in at first, as the law and condition of our undertaking.
That which followes, is prayer, praying with all prayer, which is to all other ordinances of God as bread and salt to our repast, wee cannot make a meale without it, heere it fastens on your armour, and lookes up for strength and successe to him who is able to give it: If souldiers be weake or succumbe in fight, they send to their Generall for supplies, and reinforcements.
Praying alwayes, that is in all time, & every juncture, and article of time, as you have occasion by temptations for combate, for so foreign, signifies properly occasion, this is not so much spoken heere of our ordinary, and customary use of Prayer, as it is applicable to occasions, that is temptations, but this Prayer must be in the spirit: The Spirit in our Prayer is what the soule is in our bodie, it is that which gives the life to it, to conflict with the living God by dead words, will doe no good, therefore Jude sayth, Praying in the Holy Ghost, ver. 20. You have another expression Rom. 8. That the spirit makes intercession for us, the Holy Ghost must pray in us, there must be an incorporating in that duty of the Holy Spirit, with our spirits, watching thereunto, you must watch to prayer, therefore it must be an act of time.
With all perseverance, that is, till the worke be done, for then ye persevere, when ye give not over till you obtaine your end, so as your Praying, and fighting must runne parralell till you have overcome your enemie, and sleighted his workes.
Its enough to have hinted this which I intend not to speake of as being no peece of the armour, nor resembled by the Holy Ghost to any peece.
To all that hath bene said, I shall adde no more but this, that every thing is strong in vertue of an ordinance, therefore bread nourisheth, because it hath a word that bids it doe so, and therefore the word shall cut and destroy, because God hath made it a sword, and edged and fitted it, for that purpose.
Thus have I some what largely measured the field of Battaile, shewed you your friends and enemies, and fitted to you those armes which God hath given you for the service of this holy warre.
To conclude therefore, The just end and designe of warre (for every thing is to act in vertue of a designe) is peace, now no warre pretends to peace more then this we have been speaking of, and therefore Communion, which is the effect, and birth of peace, beares one halfe of the title of this discourse; And indeed men were so form'd for Communion, as no doctrine can be avowed for good, which renders them unsociable. But experience tells us, that it is the fate of some warres, not onelyonly to be the meanes by which peace is gotten, and procur'd, but by which it is nourisht, and maintayn'd, and we know some countryes, which injoy the greatest benefites of peace in the midst of a confirm'd warre. And that is especially the condition of the warre we have been speaking of, that it procures, and makes good our peace; it is the wall of our citty wherein peace dwells, it is the armes of our persons, the subject of it; For with the divell our profest and avowed enemy, God hath justly determin'd an everlasting warre. Peace, we know, is the daughter of equality, but where both partyes (as here) pretend peremptorily to supremacy, there can be no peace. Peace also is the birth of love, and love is an union of mindes, but where principles are layd in by nature, or form'd by opposition (as here) infinitly distant, there peace can be nothing. But an abus'd, and mistaken name of what is not, and the product of such a truce or peace, would be to procure no lesse assured, but a more unequall warre, then what it seem'd to determine, as the experience of all, who have manadg'd this warre, witnesse: The blessings therefore of our peace will be reapt within the compasse of our assured friends, and allyes, with whom our communion will be intended & exercised, as otherwise, so by a common determination against the enemy: And to meete in a common enmity, where it is just, makes particularly, and warrantably to love. In a word therefore, we improve best our communion with our friends, the good Angells, whilst we make warre, so as whilst we make warre, we shall have peace.
FINIS.