A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 3 · Chapter 6 · Section 2

A Discourse of the Two Covenants · Book 3 · Chapter 6 · Section 2

p. 386SECT. II. How the ſpiritual Kingdom of Chriſt is made over to the Saints.

Doctr. §. 1. HAving thus in general manifeſted the truth of the point, that there is a twofold Kingdom of God, ſpiritual and providential, and that both theſe are committed into the hands of the Mediator, and both are committed unto him for the Churches ſake; we muſt now come unto the particulars, that we may ſee how all the Soveraigny of God is made over and laid out for the good of his people. I ſhall begin firſt with the ſpiritual Kingdom, how that is ours, and what intereſt we have in the Soveraignty of God in reference thereunto, and ſo the Obſervation is, That the Supremacy or Soveraignty of God in reference to the ſpiritual Kingdom is made over to the Saints. The ſpiritual Kingdom is either in Grace or Glory, Chriſt rules in them both. Now in the handling of this I ſhall propoſe to you, (1) The Subjects in this Kingdom, who they are; and having ſhewed that Chriſt p. 387is the King, and unto what this kingdom doth extend (for the matter about which both the kingdoms are converſant is to be preſerved as diſtinct.) (2) The Agents or Officers that Chriſt doth imploy in the government of the ſpiritual kingdom under him. (3) The Laws of this kingdom by which he doth govern them. (4) The end or the intent of Chriſt in this government; for what it is that he doth in this manner rule them. (5) The Enemies of this kingdom (for all kingdoms have their enemies) and how they are in this kingdom ordered and ſubdued. (6) The puniſhments in this ſpiritual kingdom, and they are alſo ſpiritual, according to the double Covenant by which Chriſt doth diſpenſe himſelf, an inward and an outward Covenant, ſome being in Covenant in truth and reality, and ſome by profeſſion only. (7) The Rebels againſt this kingdom, who are within it, and profeſs to ſubject themſelves unto the Laws of it, and yet do rebel againſt this kingdom. (8) The conſummation or the perfection of this kingdom, when grace ſhall be ſwallowed up in glory, and when the kingdom of grace ſhall bring in the kingdom of glory, unto which men are in this kingdom but in a way of preparation to be made meet, Col. 1.12. and if it do appear that the Soveraignty of Chriſt in all theſe particulars is made over unto the Saints, and exerciſed for their good, then it will be clear, that they have an intereſt in the ſpiritual kingdom, and that his Soveraignty over it is theirs, and by Covenant belongs unto them.

1. Concerning the Subjects of this ſpiritual Kingdom; for if the two Kingdoms and the Lords government in them be diſtinct, then we muſt keep the Subjects of theſe Kingdoms diſtinct through the whole diſcourſe. The ſpiritual Kingdom I conceive to have for its Subjects only thoſe that live in the Church, and that belong to it; for out of the Church of Chriſt he hath no ſpiritual Kingdom; for this is a Kingdom adminiſtred by Ordinances and the workings of the Spirit in them, and by them. Not that even in the Church there is not concurrent a providential Kingdom, for that is univerſal, and it's that of which it's ſaid, Thy kingdom rules over all; he hath not a limited Kingdom as other Princes have,Pſal. 103.19.Ps 103:19 that hath its bounds, for God hath ſet men the bounds of their Dominion, as well as of their habitation: 'tis ſaid, The head of Syria is Damaſcus, Eſa. 7.8.Isa 7:8and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, caput in the Hebrew is ſummitas & cacumen, the top and the height of any thing is ſaid to be the head thereof, and it is as much as to ſay, Ego met as conſtitui, quas non egredientur, I have ſet bounds which they ſhall not paſs, Calvin: they are at the higheſt that ever they ſhall be, Syria ſhall never be higher than it is, its head is Damaſcus, nor ſhall Ephraim be higher than it is, its head is Samaria: but as for the Kingdom of Chriſt, it takes in all the Kingdoms and Dominions of the world, for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords; which is a name that will one day be more gloriouſly written upon his veſture and upon his thigh, Rev. 19.16. and whereas the ſpiritual Kingdom extends only unto reaſonable creatures, the providential Kingdom takes in alſo all unreaſonable creatures; for Heb. 2.7, 8. Thou haſt ſet him over the works of thy hands, foreign, which cannot be ſpoken of Chriſt as he is God, for it is a ſetting by way of office, and ſo the word ſignifies, Acts 6.3. foreign, and therefore it belongs to him as he is man alſo, and it is ſaid, Thou haſt given him dominion over the works of thy hands, which is, Pſal. 8.4. ſaid to be all ſheep and oxen, &c. Now as there are two parts of the ſecond Covenant, external and internal, ſo is there a double adminiſtration of the ſpiritual Kingdom; for according as men come under the Covenant, ſo are they ſaid to belong unto this Kingdom; for Chriſt receives all by Covenant, and rules all by Covenant, and all our intereſt is by a Covenant, and grounded thereupon. Now that there is a twofold being in Covenant is clear, in that all Iſrael were called the Lords Covenant people and the children of the Covenant, Acts 3.25. that is, they came into the Covenant, as it were by right of inheritance, by deſcent, by a paternal right, and yet with many of them God was not well pleaſed; and as they were called the children of the Covenant, in the ſame ſenſe they are called the children of the Kingdom, Mat. 8.12. and ſo Grotius obſerves, Filii regni ex foederis privilegio dicuntur, &c. yet they were caſt into utter darkneſs, where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. You have already heard there is a twofold being in Chriſt, Joh. 15.2, 3. Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away, &c. and there are ſome that belong to the Kingdom of Grace in reſpect of the externals of it only, who have a right unto the outward priviledges thereof; and there are ſome that belong to it in reſpect of the graces of it, and the eternal benefits thereof, in whoſe ſoul Chriſt rules and dwells. Now the Kingdom of Grace or the ſpiritual Kingdom doth extend not only unto thoſe in the Church, in whoſe ſouls Chriſt dwells, being born again, but over whom he rules by his Ordinances, in reſpect of an outward profeſſion and a viſible conformity, and have thereby an outward right according unto the external rules and dominion that Chriſt hath over them, and the outward ſubjection which they yield unto him; and therefore have a title unto the external priviledges p. 388of the Subjects of the ſpiritual Kingdom, and therefore even the branches that are afterwards broken off are ſaid to partake of the ſap and fatneſs of the good Olive-tree, Rom. 11.17. Now the Dominion that Chriſt hath in the Kingdom of Grace, whether it be in the hearts of the Saints, over whom he rules by a ſpirit of regeneration, or whether in the hearts of Formaliſts, who are brought into ſubjection by a profeſſion only, yet it will appear, that in this Soveraignty over both the Saints have an intereſt, and the Lord Jeſus doth rule over both for the Saints ſake and for their good.

1. The ſpiritual Kingdom as it is in the ſouls of the Saints; thoſe that are new-born unto God, and have a mighty work of regeneration paſſed upon them, by which they have given up themſelves unto Chriſt, having by a perfect ſelf-reſignation put the rule and the government wholly out of their own hands into the hands of Chriſt, and have done it with chearfulneſs, and by way of election have given the hand unto the Lord, 2 Chron. 30.8. have given themſelves unto the Lord, Pſal. 110.3.Ps 110:32 Cor. 8.5. and that as a willing people: Thy people ſhall be willing, Pſal. 110.3. foreign, the word doth ſignifie two things: (1) Either voluntas or ſpontaneitas in the abſtract, and ſo it is common with the Hebrews to put the abſtract for the concrete, when they would expreſs any thing in a ſuperlative way, Jer. 50.31. I am againſt thee, O thou pride: and when the Lord would expreſs the high degree of willingneſs of his people, he doth it as if they were made up of nothing elſe. (2) It ſignifies oblationes voluntariae, gifts and free-will offerings, Deut. 23.23. and ſo the meaning is, that the people ſhould come to Chriſt, and give themſelves to him of their own accord, without any inforcing or any compelling, it ſhould be freely their own act. In the handling of this I will ſhew you: (1) That Chriſt hath ſuch a Kingdom. (2) Wherein it conſiſts. (3) That it's a Kingdom only over Saints. (4) The happineſs of the Saints, that they are under ſuch a government and dominion.

1. That Chriſt hath ſuch a Kingdom in the hearts of men, will appear by two Scriptures, Luke 17.20,Luk. 17.20, 21.Luke 17:20Luke 17:21 21. The kingdom of God comes not with obſervation, foreign, the word doth ſignifie three things. (1) A curious obſervation, and ſo Luke 14.1. the Phariſees watched him, to ſee if he would heal upon the Sabbath day, and ſo the Kingdom of God comes not with obſervation. Let men never ſo carefully obſerve, yet the Lord doth ſecretly inſinuate himſelf into the heart no man knows how, it is as the blowing of the wind, a ſecret that comes not under the moſt curious obſervation of man. (2) It ſignifies an idolatrous or ſuperſtitious obſervation, and ſo it's uſed, Gal. 4.10. Ye obſerve days, and months, and years, I am afraid of you, &c. when men do talk greatly of Ceremonies, and external outward Forms, and bodily exerciſe, and performances, &c. the Kingdom of Chriſt doth not conſiſt in theſe, it doth not come with theſe, it conſiſts not in theſe. (3) It ſignifies alſo a pompous obſervation, Grotius.in a glorious way, that is foreign, cum regio ſplendore ac apparatu externo, as the Jews expected a glorious Kingdom and a pompous Kingdom; moſt men do love a ſumptuous Religion; but that is not the Kingdom of Chriſt; but where ſhall we then find the Kingdom of Chriſt? it is within you, it's a Kingdom that is ſet up in your hearts, and by that means doth ſubject the whole man unto it ſelf: it is, Eph. 3.17. the dwelling of Chriſt in the heart by faith; but it is ſuch a dwelling as hath a ruling attending it, for he dwells there as a Lord and as a Maſter in his own houſe, he dwells there as in a Temple, 2 Cor. 6.16. Ye are the temples of the living God. Now though the Lord be in a ſort preſent every where, for he doth fill heaven and earth, yet he is in a ſpecial manner preſent in his Temple; and though he rules every where, yet in his Temple he rules in a more ſpecial manner; and he ſaith, foreign, &c. Therefore in the ſouls and in the hearts of Saints Chriſt hath a rule,Rom. 14.17.Rom 14:17 Rom. 14.17. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteouſneſs and peace, &c. It is ſpoken here both of the kingdom of grace and of glory, both which are commonly in Scripture called the Kingdom of God: and the meaning is, that the kingdom of grace doth not conſiſt in theſe, neither do theſe lead to the kingdom of glory; or prepare the ſoul for it, regnum gratiae in his non conſiſtit, & per haec regnum gloriae non acquiritur, but it is in righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy, and theſe are acts wrought upon the ſoul and the inward man; and therefore the Kingdom of Chriſt, the ſpiritual Kingdom is over the ſouls of the Saints, and it's a Throne erected in their hearts.

2. Wherein doth this ſpiritual Kingdom conſiſt, which he doth exerciſe over the Saints? It's a Throne that Chriſt ſets up in the Conſcience, which doth order and command the whole man, and that in the name and by the authority of God. There is a twofold Throne of Chriſt in the ſpiritual Kingdom. (1) There is a Throne that he erects in his Ordinances, Rev. 4.4. when all his people are gathered together about him, all the Saints ſit down at his feet,Deut. 33.3.Deut 33:3 that they may receive a Law from his mouth as their King. (2) There is alſo another Throne of Chriſt in the ſpiritual Kingdom, and that is in the Conſcience, which is properly the Throne of God; and therefore the great work of Chriſts rule is in the conſcience p. 389of the Saints, Acts 23.1. I have lived in all good conſcience, and my care is to keep a good conſcience void of offence, Acts 29.16. Heb. 13.18. We have a good conſcience, deſiring in all things to live honeſtly. It's true, that the Lord doth rule in the whole ſoul, and there is no faculty that is not brought into ſubjection, the underſtanding and the will, there is not a thought or a reaſoning, any thing that is the iſſue of the ſoul, 2 Cor. 10.5.2 Cor. 10.5.2 Cor 10:5 foreign, leading captive every thought: and we know captives were not only ſubdued by conqueſt, but they were led in Triumph, and they were afterwards made uſe of for ſervice; and ſo it is in the Kingdom of Chriſt in the inward man; but yet the Throne is the Conſcience: it is true, that the power of a King reaches throughout the whole Kingdom, and they are all governed by him; but yet the place of his reſidence, and the Royal Seat is in ſome eminent place of the Nation; and though Jeſus Chriſt rules in the whole ſoul, and dwells in the heart by faith, yet the Throne is mainly in the conſcience; and therefore the aſſenting act of faith, the accuſing act of faith, and the commanding act of faith is mainly in the conſcience, 1 Pet. 3.21. it is the anſwer of a good conſcience by the Reſurrection of Chriſt, &c. Now conſcience what is it? Eſt judicium intellectûs practici prout ſubjicitur judicio Dei, It is the judgment of the practic intellect as ſubjected to the judgment of God. It is this that hath the great command of the man, that whatever he doth he is to do for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13.5. and whatever he doth ſcruple or doubt of, it ſhould be for conſcience ſake, 1 Cor. 10.25. for it ſpeaks in the perſon of God unto the man, and therefore even to go againſt an erring conſcience is a ſin, becauſe the authority of Chriſt is rejected in whole name conſcience ſpeaks: it's true, that conſcience is not the higheſt rule, it is but regula regulata, a rule ruled by the Divine love; yet it is the higheſt rule in the man, and it hath the power of ſubordination, which Kings would fain take to themſelves, who pretend that they are ſubject to none but God, and to give an account unto none elſe, Magnus eſt Caeſar, ſed ſolo Deo minor, Tertul. This is true of conſcience, all the reſt of the faculties are to give up their account unto the conſcience, it can call them all to an account, but is ſubject unto no other thing in the man, it is to give an account unto none but God; and the Lord working upon men modo connaturali, in a connatural way, conſcience being the leading power that God hath placed in man, the Lord comes mainly into that, and by it he doth rule and guide all the reſt of the faculties, and keep them in ſubjection: and this will appear in two things. (1) It's conſcience that doth receive the diſcharge for the man, Heb. 9.9. therefore a man is ſaid to be made perfect according unto the conſcience, ſo that when a mans conſcience is acquitted from guilt, and purged from pollution, it's then ſaid to be made perfect, and the man is perfected thereby; and for this cauſe conſcience hath an account to give of the man, in reference unto all that office and authority in the man that Chriſt hath ſet him over, Rom. 2.15. Their conſciences accuſing them, it hath the power over the man in all perſons: it was in the Creation ſet over man by God, but being renewed, it is now ſet over the man by Chriſt, and when he comes to give an account (for we muſt all give an account of our ſelves to God, Rom. 14.12.) what is it in the man that ſhall give an account for him? it is conſcience that muſt make up our account at the laſt and great day, and in the Saints then will the Lord paſs a ſentence in conſcience, and he will acquit it from its viatory office, that hath a charge of the whole man. It's a great honour and a great truſt, and it is a great burden to take the charge of the man, and make an account for all ordinances, all mercies, all motions of the Spirit of God, all opportunities of ſervice that the man has had in this life. (2) Becauſe the main guilt of the man is charged upon the conſcience, as that by which all ſin came in, it's neglecting its duty, and holding a league and a confederacy with ſin, Tit. 1.15. Their conſciences are defiled, and it is by this that ſin comes in, and for this cauſe the wrath that is poured upon the man will come in by his conſcience, it will be as it were the funnel by which God will pour wrath into the whole ſoul, becauſe thereby Satan poured ſin into the whole ſoul; and for that cauſe the torment for ever lies mainly in the conſcience, and it ſhall be the faculty that ſhall torment the whole man, it's the worm that never dyes, it is only the acts of conſcience, the ſoul turning in upon it ſelf, and its former ways, and paſt hopes for ever: now that which was the great Officer here, that ſhall give its account, and be chiefly acquitted hereafter; glory in heaven comes in by the conſcience, and torment in hell will come in by the conſcience; for there is the Throne of Chriſt mainly erected, the myſtery of faith and of holineſs, all is kept in a pure conſcience, 1 Tim. 3.9.

3. This Rule and Dominion Chriſt only hath in the hearts of the Saints; he has ſuch a rule over them as he has over none elſe in the world. 1. The relations in which he ſtands to them do bind him to it, for he is their head, and they are his body: now Chriſt as their head is not only a head of eminence, which he is to other creatures alſo, but of guidance, p. 390that is, he doth give them his Spirit to be foreign, the guide of their way, and he is their husband, and therefore not only a covering to their eyes, but alſo the guide of their youth, and he is their ſhepherd, and therefore he has undertaken to rule them as well as to feed them, Joh. 10.2, 3. He goes before them, and they do know his voice, and they follow him: he has no ſuch Kingdom and Government any where elſe as he has in the ſouls of his own people; he does govern as a Lord in the world, but it is but as one without, there is no inward principle that he can cloſe with, he rules over them, but does not delight himſelf in them, there is no fellowſhip between light and darkneſs; the Saints are his peculiar people, and therefore they have an intereſt in his peculiar providences, and therefore he comes in with a ſpecially to them,Tit. 2.14.Titus 2:14 1 Tim. 4.10. foreign. It's true, that all mankind in the Fall did put themſelves out of the protection of God and his guidance, and therefore the Lord did juſtly ſuffer them to walk in their own ways, and he might have ſuffered the brute creatures to prey upon them, or men to devour one another as the fiſhes of the Sea that have no King, Hab. 1.13. but becauſe the Lord will have the ſtage of this world ſtand for the Elects ſake; therefore he has committed the providential Kingdom unto the Son alſo, who takes all men into protection for the preſervation of the world; but he takes none into his ſpecial protection for their preſervation and his peculiar guidance, but thoſe that are his people by a peculiar Covenant.

2. There are none other that give up themſelves unto his guidance; he will not force himſelf upon any people to be their King, though he has a right, for the kingdom is given him by God the Father, yet if he come to his own they receive him not, Joh. 1.11. he will not force himſelf upon them to be their King;Luk. 19.14.Luke 19:14 they that ſay, We will not have this man to rule over us, Pſal. 110.3.Ps 110:3he will deſtroy them; but there are a people upon whom a day of almighty power doth paſs that ſubdues their wills, and commands their conſciences, and they do ſubmit unto his guidance, they would have no other Lord, and it is their miſery that it ſhould be ſo that ſin ſhould at any time reign in them, and they complain of it; other Lords beſides thee have had dominion over us, but we will acknowledge and owne no other, ſin ſhall not have dominion over us; they will give that honour unto none but unto their King, and they do rejoyce in their King that they have ſuch a Ruler, and they do willingly and chearfully follow him.

3. Conſider the happineſs and bleſſed condition of the Saints under this Government of Chriſt, which will appear in theſe particulars. (1) He doth rule them with juſtice, it's a kingdom of righteouſneſs that he ſets up in their ſouls, for he is Melchiſedeck, the King of Righteouſneſs, and we have a kingdom of ſin in us, and therefore is ſin ſaid to reign in our mortal bodies, and therefore he muſt have a kingdom of righteouſneſs: grace is ſaid to reign by Chriſt, Rom. 5.21. he rules his people with righteouſneſs, and ſets up a righteous Throne in the conſciences of men. (2) He rules them with wiſdom, Mat. 12.20. He will bring forth judgment unto victory; there is a wiſdom in the government of Chriſt that ſhall be victorious. Men are fooliſh in their government, we read in Eccleſ. 4.13. of an old King that was fooliſh, delirant reges, they do many times take courſes that are not the wiſeſt for the peoples good; but Chriſt takes the wiſeſt courſes for the good of his people, and none can prevail againſt his wiſdom. (3) He rules them with meekneſs, I am meek and lowly in heart: as it's an argument to ſubject to his teaching, ſo unto his rule, for he is not harſh in his government, Eſa. 40. He doth bear his lambs in his boſom, he doth gently lead them that are with young; whereas men are cruel, their poſſeſſors ſlay them, and hold themſelves not guilty, their own ſhepherds pity them not; therefore the Lord will give every man into the hand of his brother, and into the hand of his King; but Chriſt rules his people with tenderneſs, he will not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmoaking flax, &c. (4) He will give them ſtrength to obey, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt ſtrengthening me, he commands and enables us to obey, jubet & juvat, he puts under his hand, ſo that we offer to him of his own in what we give him, and it is with his own ſtrength that we do ſerve him, he works all our works in us and for us; there is a creating power in the commandment; for as in the promiſe he creates peace, ſo in the commandment he gives power; it is ſtand up and walk, it puts a power into him, for it is a creating word, the very word of his power puts a power in us for the work. (5) He rules them in peace, and there is a ſafety under his government,Eſa. 32.1, 2.Isa 32:1Isa 32:2 a hiding place from the wind, a covering from the tempeſt; there ſhall be all in this government that we can ſtand in need of, he is the King of Salem, and the Prince of peace, all his ways are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all his paths are peace, and men never depart from peace till they do forſake his government, and ſubject themſelves unto another Lord. (6) His government leads unto life; for there is a life to be had in obedience to him, he is called the Prince of life, that is, he hath a power given him to diſpenſe life as the Prince of it, and he doth give it to whomſoever he has undertaken to p. 391rule, if he be a King of Righteouſneſs to them, he is alſo a Prince of life, he doth all for the good of his people, it's for their ſakes that all the government is managed that he has undertaken in the world. Now if we conſider how many ſons of Belial there are that live without a yoke, and conſider that they have no Law but the wills of the fleſh and of the mind, the Law of ſin and death, we ſhall all ſay, O bleſſed is the man whom the Lord rules and reigns over, the Lord rules and reigns, let the Saints rejoyce, &c. (7) In his government they do behold him in his glory; for he that doth rule in them, doth alſo dwell in them as in a Temple; and he walks amongſt them continually, Eſa 33.17. Thine eyes ſhall ſee the King in his glory. Now there are many men that are ruled by Kings that never ſee them; but this is a Court where they may ſee their King, and it is the Palace of the great King, where he is always to be ſeen by his Subjects, the meaneſt as well as the greateſt, non factio, ſed curia dicenda eſt, Cyprian. It's not a government at a diſtance in remote parts, but ſo as he takes up his dwelling place there, and they are joyful in their King; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King always, but never ſo much as when they ſee him in glory. (8) They have a communion with his perſon all the while: there are many that have a benefit by his government that have no fellowſhip with his perſon; but the Queen, the Bride, the Lambs wife, ſhe has the fruit of his government and communion with his perſon, and delights in his love and in his glory alſo, and the King ſits at his round table, and we eat with him, we ſup with him, and our ſouls rejoyce in his ſalvation, his left hand is under our head, and his right hand embraceth us, he brings us into his banquetting-houſe, and the banner of love is over us, as a Bridegroom over his Bride; while he rules us as a King, he doth delight in us, and we have communion with him, as a husband continually.

§. 2. There is an external part of the Covenant, and ſo there is of the Kingdom, which is the rule and the government that Chriſt hath over the ſpirits of thoſe that are under the ſpiritual kingdom by profeſſion only, unregenerate men that joyn to the Church, and are with them under the dew and influence of the Ordinances, and of the common works of the Spirit of God in them; for Rev. 4.5.Rev. 4.5.Rev 4:5 There are burning before the throne ſeven lamps of fire, which are the ſeven Spirits of God; the Throne is an expreſſion of Majeſty and government, for unto the King belongs the Throne, the Scepter, and the Crown, they are properly inſignia regia, &c. and by the ſeven Spirits is meant the Holy Ghoſt; that's clear from Chap. 1.4. where he wiſheth grace and peace from the ſeven Spirits of God, by which ſurely is meant the Holy Ghoſt; for we are to make our prayers unto God only, but yet it is ſeven Spirits, becauſe of the variety of graces and gifts, which he doth pour out upon the Church of Chriſt in his adminiſtration and government; and here we may obſerve two things. (1) That the ſpiritual kingdom of God doth not only extend to his rule over the Saints which are his ſubjects by election and regeneration, but alſo that there is a great deal of dominion which he has even over them that are the ſubjects of this kingdom only by profeſſion. (2) That the rule and dominion that Chriſt doth exerciſe over theſe, is for the ſake and for the good of the Saints, and that they themſelves have no benefit by it in the end; but all doth turn unto the advantage and the ſpiritual improvement of them that are heirs of ſalvation; ſo that the adminiſtration unto unregerate men, as members of the Church viſible, is for the good of thoſe that are members of the Church inviſible.

1. The ſpiritual kingdom of Chriſt doth extend even unto unregenerate men, who are the ſubjects of it by profeſſion only; where we are to take notice, That there are many give their names unto Chriſt, who never give their hearts, who have the name of Chriſt written in their foreheads, which have not his image inſtamped upon their ſouls;2 Cor. 9.13.2 Cor 9:13 there is foreign, a profeſſion which is not always accompanied with a real and ſpiritual ſubjection unto the Goſpel. 2. Theſe are all the while ſubjects to another kingdom; for till vocatio alta & ſecreta, there be a deep and ſecret vocation, a man is never tranſlated, Col. 1.13. the word foreign is è natali ſolo, &c. a man is actually under the kingdom of Satan ſtill; for while a man is of the world, though he be in the Church, he is of the worlds kingdom; for they are not all of us that are amongſt us, not all Iſrael that are of Iſrael; there are ſome do ſay that they are Jews, and are not, but do lye, but are of the Synagogue of Satan, Rev. 2.9. for the world lies in wickedneſs, in aliquo poſitum eſſe, eſt in ejus eſſe poteſtate, as Cameron hath obſerved: there are many enemies that live in a kingdom, againſt which they conſpire and endeavour to deſtroy it. Jeſus Chriſt after this life ſhall rule over his enemies, but in this life he rules in the middle of them.Pſal. 110.2.Ps 110:2 3. Yet while they do live, and in outward ſhew continue the ſubjects of this kingdom, ſo long they are to be looked upon in outward ſhew as ſubjects, and the priviledges of ſubjects belong unto them, they are ſervants, Joh. 8.35. But the ſervant abides not in the houſe p. 392always; there will come a time when the Lord will ſay, Caſt out the bond-woman and her ſon, Gal. 4. but yet while they are in the houſe they do enjoy many priviledges and benefits by being in the family, they partake of the ſap and the fatneſs of the good olive, Rom. 11.17. and yet be afterwards broken off. 4. But they ſhall not continue ſubjects of this kingdom always; though for a ſeaſon the tares and the wheat, the ſheep and the goats may ſtand together till the day of ſeparation, good and bad be in the net together, till the one be gathered into the veſſel, and the bad be caſt away; for though the ſpiritual kingdom in reſpect of Chriſt ſhall have no end, but Chriſt ſhall be ſo a King in glory, that he ſhall never ceaſe to be a head of eminence, or of influence, or of guidance (for the myſtical Union ſhall never be broken) no more than the hypoſtatical, yet his kingdom in reſpect of thoſe that profeſs it, is but for the time of this life; natural worſhip ſhall be in glory, and they are only Saints that worſhip Chriſt therewith; but there is inſtituted worſhip that is only for the time of this life, and it is in this that they worſhip him, and become ſubjects to him,Mat. 8.12.Matt 8:12 but the children of the kingdom ſhall be caſt out at the laſt, Joh. 15.2. there are branches that bear no fruit in this Vine, and they are caſt out as a branch and wither; but during the time of their continuance in this kingdom till he has caſt them out for their rebellion, there is a government that the Lord Jeſus by his Spirit doth exerciſe towards them and over them for the good of his Saints. And this will appear by the expreſſions that we meet with in Scripture. (1) They are his ſervants, Joh. 8.35. the Church is compared to a houſe, a family, as it's called the family of God, and the houſe of God; and of this family Chriſt is the Maſter: now there is a ſpecial imployment that he has for every one of his ſervants, and they are under his ſpecial command and dominion; it is true, this family is made up of ſervants and of ſons, and the ſervants may have a greater rule in the houſe than the ſons, but yet both under the authority of the houſholder, only he rules over the one as a Maſter, and over the other as a Father, but both are in ſubjection. Cant. 6.8. there are in the Church ſixty Queens, and fourſcore Concubines, and Virgins without number, ſome are truly married unto Chriſt, and have a true right and authority in the family by their marriage-union with the King, for the woman ſhines by the beams of her husband; but there are Concubines that came in only for luſts ſake, and that did bear fruit, but it was never from a marriage ſtate; and there were Virgins that were companions only, that were not married, neither did they in a manner bear fruit, but were for attendants only, and the King has a ſpecial rule and dominion over all theſe, &c. (2) The Church viſible is compared to a great Houſe, 2. Tim. 2.20. ſome expound it de mundo, but contextus nos ducit, ut de Eccleſia intelligamus; non de extraneis diſputat Apoſtolus, ſed de ipſa familia Dei, Calv. there is not a veſſel but it has its uſe, though all have not the ſame uſe, nor of the like honour, yet all are for uſe, and all are for the Maſters uſe; ſo that there is a ſpecial dominion that is exerciſed over them all, as well the veſſels of wood and ſtone, as thoſe that are of gold, to imploy them where he will, and as he will, in what ſervice he pleaſes; for it is his will that makes their uſe to differ; it is for the Saints ſake that he makes uſe of them; ſo that all Gods diſpenſations towards unregenerate men in the Church is for their ſakes, all the husbandry that is exerciſed about the unfruitful branches is for the ſake of thoſe that have a bleſſing in them; for the wicked ſhall have no benefit by it in the great day of the Lord; the greater rule the Lord has exerciſed towards men, the greater will their abhorring be, the nearer they have been to him, the further off ſhall they be from him, the higher they have been exalted to heaven, the deeper ſhall they be caſt down to hell, Mat. 11.23. there is utter darkneſs for the children of the kingdom, Mat. 8.12. And this we may reduce unto four Heads, (1) their graces, (2) their gifts, (3) their ſervices, (4) their ſins, and in all theſe the dominion of Chriſt over them is for the good of the Saints.

1. Their graces are ruled by Chriſt for the Saints: there are common graces which the Lord doth give unto unregenerate men in the Church, common illuminations, by which they ſee much glory and beauty in ſpiritual things, and yet had never their eyes anointed with eye-ſalve; and there are many common works upon the wills of men letting in a taſte of the goodneſs of ſpiritual things, ſo that the heart is much taken with them, and makes out after them; and there are many tendencies to the new birth, Hoſ. 13.13. we ſee them ſet forth to us, Heb. 6.3, 4. which is meant of the common graces of the Spirit of Chriſt under the Goſpel, which he works upon the ſouls and conſciences of unregenerate men, which are only from the Spirit aſſiſting, and not from the Spirit informing, which flow not from union, but from conviction; and therefore from which in time they will ſurely fall away: there is a great beauty that the Spirit of God in ſuch common works doth put forth upon the ſouls of unregenerate men, though it be but as the Sun ſhining upon a mud-wall, or as a curious robe put upon a dead carkaſs, it cannot keep it p. 393from ſtinking, becauſe there is not a principle of life in it. (1) Hereby the Lord reſtrains their ſpirits. There is a reſtraint without by a power that is upon the Devil, by which he is reſtrained from doing the miſchief he would elſe do; but there is a reſtraint within upon the luſts of men, and that is by ſome ſpecial works of the Spirit of God upon them, Exod. 34.24. No man ſhall deſire thy land, &c. and the Spirit reſtraining is for the Saints ſake as well as the Spirit renewing, Pſal 76:10. The wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee, Pſal. 76.10.Ps 76:10and the remainder of wrath thou ſhalt reſtrain, foreign accinges, thou ſhalt gird up; ſometimes the Lord lets mens luſts looſe, and ſometimes he does gird them up as he doth the Sea in a girdle of ſand, or elſe the Saints of God, who are always as ſheep amongſt wolves, would ſurely be devoured by them, for their ſoul is amongst lyons. Now they are common works that do exceedingly reſtrain the ſins and the rage of unregenerate men, and bind up their ſpirits both in reference unto perſecution and the wrongs done by them, as alſo in reference to corruption and the evil example given by them alſo.

(2) Hereby the Lord doth fit them for ſervice; for even the veſſels of diſhonour are for ſervice in the houſe alſo, though they be but of wood and ſtone, &c. Now though gifts do immediately qualifie them, yet they are common works that do make them to exerciſe thoſe gifts, and are unto them as oyl to the wheels in the uſe of them; as a temporary Believer he may be an eminent Profeſſor, and the houſe that ſuch a one builds is far more glorious in outward ſhew than that of a Saint, for they are both called builders, Mat. 7.7. and many men do ſervice for God, but they are cold in it, becauſe they are acted only from without, Rom. 16.18. whoſe God is their belly, Non ità glacies & frigus ſicut Elcius & alii, ſed ego rem ſeriam agebam, ut quòd diem extremum horribiliter timui, &c. Luth. and this will make a man ſeem to act from an inward principle, as if he had received life from the Spirit, and were made alive from the dead; and thereby even ungodly men do many times give a great teſtimony unto the principles and the practices of the Saints, that they acknowledge them and ſeal unto them, and yet nevertheleſs there is in them a principle to hate them, and that will vent it ſelf in time, when the thorns ſhall ſpring up to choak the word, notwithſtanding all the reſtraints that are upon their luſts for a ſeaſon.

(3) Thereby they do good many times, and give great encouragements to the Saints by their example; for their lamps do ſhine as lights in the world, and there are many that do ſhew others the way, in which they themſelves walk not, but they have their diverticula, their crooked ways, they go forth with the people of God,Pſal. 125.5.Ps 125:5 and yet they do afterwards repent themſelves, and turn back again from the way that's called holy, 2 Pet. 2.21. Godly men do not only follow the example of the Saints, that is, thoſe that are really and truly ſo, but they have many times very great encouragement from the example and the countenance of them that are not ſo, as we ſee it in the inſtance of Joaſh, how he did encourage the builders of the Temple; eſpecially when they are men in authority and power, they do encourage and go before the Saints of God, unto the end whereof they never come; and ſo we have much experienced in our days.

2. By their gifts alſo; no man hath his gifts for himſelf, they are this worlds goods, they are not thy own, but another mans, as thy riches are: and they are the Churches Treaſure, and they will fall from a man when he dyes, as Elijahs mantle; for they are of no uſe in the world to come, and therefore ſhall not continue, 1 Cor. 13.8, 9. they are (1) for the Churches collection, that ſo they may be inſtrumental in gathering in others. As for that diſpute, Whether a man that is unregenerate is made uſe of by God to convert others? I ſhall not now inſiſt on; but I conceive the power of converſion being not of man, but of God, the Lord calling ſuch as belong to the Election, doth according to his good pleaſure concur with the one as with the other; the gifts of the Miniſtry are for the gathering of the Saints, Eph. 4. many of them are unregenerate men, and yet have received a gift, Mat. 7.21. and can ſay to Chriſt, We have propheſied in thy name; yet are caſt-aways themſelves; for Chriſt has received gifts for men, yea for the rebellious alſo, that the Lord God might dwell amongſt them, Pſal. 68.18. that is, that the Lord might have a Church for a habitation amongſt them, Habes ingenium verè aureum (ſaith Auſtin of Lycentius) & diabolo propinas teipſum. Deus populo ſuo tam per pios quàm per impios magna facere & donare poteſt, Luth. Golden wits may be the Devils vaſſals. (2) For the perfection of the Saints; for during the ſtanding of this great houſe the veſſels ſhall continue, and there will be a continual uſe of them, that though they ſerve their luſts, yet by the uſe of their gifts the Lords ends are accompliſhed, Phil. 1.18. Some preach Chriſt out of envy, but yet Chriſt is preached, and thereby the ſavour of the Goſpel is ſpread abroad, and ſouls are converted and edified; for there is many a man that builds an Ark that ſaves others, that never ſaves himſelf, that preaches to others, and is himſelf a caſt-away; there were many that converted others to the Faith in the times of Popery, that yet departed themſelves from p. 394that Faith when ſuffering came; And I fear it will alſo be ſaid of ſome Miniſters now amongst us, that ſeem great Zealots for the cauſe and ways of God, that when the hour and power of darkneſs that is coming once again in this Nation ſhall over-ſpread it, they will draw back from the plough, to which they have before ſo many witneſſes put their hand, &c. the love of many ſhall wax cold.

3. All their ſervices alſo; for they have gifts for ſervice, and it is for the ſervice of the houſe, and they are therefore called ſervants; and truly it's an honour to be a ſervant to the Saints, ſeeing the Angels are ſo; and there is much benefit that the Saints have by it, as we ſee in Saul, the ſpirit of government was upon him, and that ſervice he did in it was for the Saints; and Zac. 4.12. they are ſaid to empty the golden oyl out of themſelves, &c. but it is all for the good of the Candleſtick, it is that the light thereof may be maintained. (1) Sometimes they protect as Badgers skins the Ark from ſtorms that the Church is expoſed to; unregenerate men may be very ſerviceable to the Church of God, as we ſee in Cyrus, &c. (2) Sometimes they may aſſiſt them in any work that they ſet upon, they may ſtand by them, and ſtrengthen their hands, as we ſee Joaſh the King did about the building and repairing the Houſe of the Lord. (3) Sometimes they may ſupply them; there is many a man that ſupplies the neceſſities of the Saints, that doth it to be ſeen of men, and have their reward; for they are labourers in the Lords Vineyard, and it is for the benefit of it that they are imployed, and they have their penny, and they may alſo bear much of the burden and heat of the day, as it ſeems they that murmured did, and they do commonly ſet a high price upon their own ſervices: and hereby the Saints do glorifie Chriſt, who has given ſuch gifts to men; and when he hath given ſuch to his enemies, O what are thoſe gifts that he hath reſerved for his ſons! They ſee it is the great fruit of the Aſcenſion of Chriſt, and as from the ſeven Spirits that are before the Throne; and they can bleſs God for his goodneſs to the children of men; and though they pity ſuch a ſoul to ſee him deſtroyed by his own gifts, in his abuſing of them, non eſt calamitoſior homo in terris quàm doctor ſuperbus, There is not a more piteous man in the world than a proud Doctor, Luth. yet they glorifie Chriſt therein, and ſee this as a fruit of his government, that there may be thoſe that ſhall build the Tabernacle of God, as it is ſaid of Bezaleel and Aholiab that they were gifted for the work, &c.

4. By their ſins; for (1) the Lord doth let them live for the Saints ſake, lets both good and bad grow together to the harveſt, and he will weed them out for the Saints ſake alſo; for he will gather out of his Kingdom all that offends, and whoever works iniquity; and he will not have the ſociety of the Saints always polluted by the chaff of the world, for they are ſpots in their feaſts, and therefore he doth take them away as unfruitful figtrees, he cuts them down and gives them to ſalt, to a perpetual barrenneſs; for the grace and ordinances of the Goſpel will heal even the dead ſea, Ezech. 47.11, 12. therefore he caſts them out in order to their deſtruction. (2) The Lord will not have his people always deluded: the Saints many times are miſtaken in their opinion of perſons, they may as Eli did miſreprove a Hannah in the Church of God, and as David believe a Zibi againſt the ſon of his friend; for commonly the beſt deſerving Chriſtians are clouded by the glaring light of the lamps of Hypocrites, who make it their buſineſs to raiſe falſe reports againſt ſuch as outſhine them in true grace and holineſs; but at laſt God will diſcover them and caſt them out of the Churches prayers and affection, they ſhall not always abide with them,1 Joh. 2.18.1 John 2:18 that they may be made manifeſt not to be of them: and they that are approved ſhall be made manifeſt; and ſo ſhall they that are corrupted alſo, they ſhall be found lyars, and they ſhall be caſt out, the Lord will cut them off, that they may deceive the expectations of the Saints no more; the Lord doth delight to do it, and we ſhould wait his leiſure in it, who will certainly ſhew himſelf a God that judges in the earth. (3) That thereby the Saints may be awakened and admoniſhed; when Hymeneus fell, then 2 Tim. 2.7. is that exhortation moſt ſeaſonable, Let him that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity, and let him that thinks he ſtands take heed leſt he fall: when a man obſerves horrendas tempeſtates & flenda naufragia, horrid tempeſts, it is a hint to the Saints, look to your ſtanding, ſee that you be built upon a Rock, that ſtorms and tempeſts may not overthrow you.

5. In their judgments; for they are terrible judgments that the Lord doth execute upon unregenerate men in the Church, there are no mercies like thoſe out of Sion, and there are no judgments like them; no men are ſo eminently under the curſe as they are: Out of the Throne came thundering, and lightning, and voices, Rev. 4.5. for the Churches ſake and by their prayers. And this is (1) that the Saints may be thankful; how great a mercy is it that I had not fallen away as well as he, Joh. 14.22. (2) That they may take heed of the ſame ſins, leſt they be overtaken by the ſame plagues; Remember Lots wife; the natural p. 395branches are broken off, thou ſtandeſt by faith, be not high-minded, but fear; they entred not through unbelief; let us fear, leſt we alſo come ſhort, &c.Heb. 4.1.Heb 4:1

§. 3. There belongs alſo unto the ſpiritual Kingdom reductivè, all the works and the diſpenſations of God amongſt the creatures; for though only men that live in the Church be the proper ſubjects of the ſpiritual Kingdom, and in reſpect of the ſpiritual part of it, only the Saints; yet as the Mediator undertook the government of all other things for the Churches ſake, ſo in the government of all things he has a ſpecial reſpect unto their good;Eph. 1. ult. Joh. 17.2.Eph 1John 17:2 ſo that all the creatures and the government of them all comes under the ſpiritual Kingdom two ways: (1) As they tend to perfect the graces of the Saints. (2) As they belong unto the priviledges of the Saints; ſo reductivè they belong to the ſpiritual Kingdom▪ 1. Chriſt in the ſpiritual Kingdom doth ſo order and diſpoſe of all the creatures, that they do all tend to perfect and increaſe the graces of the Saints, Rom. 8.28.Rom. 8.28.Rom 8:28 All things ſhall work together for good to them that love God: the Apoſtle ſpeaks it in reference unto affliction; but yet becauſe there was a general doctrine in it, he would not reſtrain it, and therefore he ſaith foreign, that is, all creatures and all events, foreign, i. e. (1) they ſhall not work ſo of themſelves, but by a bleſſed and gracious concurrence of God with them all, as it is ſaid, That Miniſters are workers togethers with God, foreign, 2 Cor. 6.1. Alas! it is not any thing we can do, or by any power that is in us, but only there is a concurrence of the principal with the inſtrumental cauſe; for inſtrumentum agit diſpoſitivè in virtute principalis agentis. (2) Some refer it unto the creatures themſelves, that they do not do this apart, as if any one action or any one diſpenſation meerly did it, but they do it as it were in a conſpiracy or concatenation, they all joyn together in the work, that if we take any one particular, we may ſeem to go backward, and it may tend to the diſadvantage of the ſpiritual Kingdom, but we muſt take them all together; as we are not to judge of the works of God ante quintum actum, ſo neither are we to judge of the fruits of his works, but by laying of them all together, and ſee how they work in a due order and ſubordination one to another, &c. and unto what is it? foreign, that is, ad aeternam piorum ſalutem; for ſine ſummo bono nil bonum. As there is nothing good without the chiefeſt good, ſo there is nothing good that doth not lead a man unto the chief good; and therefore when it's ſaid, That all things work together for good, the meaning is, they ſhall all make for the increaſe of their grace here, and their glory hereafter, all of them ſhall work for the eternal good of their ſouls: whereas unto all wicked men, all the creatures and all the diſpenſations of God in the ordering of the creatures cedunt in perniciem, tend to their perdition: they are unto the one in praemium, for a reward, unto the other in ſupplicium, for puniſhment, as Proſper has it; Or as Cyprian ſaith of the Sacrament, it was Petro in remedium, Judae in venenum, a remedy to Peter, but poyſon to Judas; ſo it is here, all the creatures that the wicked do enjoy, they are indeed ſeemingly bleſſings, but really curſes, outwardly bread, but in verity a ſtone, a fiſh in ſhew, but in truth a ſcorpion; for they do all of them tend to the ripening of their ſins, and the haſtning of their ruine: but to the Saints, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. All things are yours; he was ſpeaking of glorying in men, they ſhould not boaſt of their Teachers; though it is true indeed, that the Primitive Church had their Crown of twelve Stars, yet they were all the ſervants of the Churches, & debent tam corpori quàm capiti ſervire, they ought to ſerve the body as well as the head; and therefore ſome will have it foreign for foreign but the Apoſtle doth ſpeak here, as in the fore-quoted places (as I conceive) where though ſpeaking of one particular, yet there being a general truth in it, he doth propound it generally; for it is not to be reſtrained to perſons, as the after-enumeration ſhews, for he ſpeaks of life and death, things preſent and things to come: now how doth he mean that all is ours? that is, aedificationi & ſaluti deſtinata, as ordained for our edification and ſalvation; there is a ſpecial deſign of grace in ordering and diſpoſing of them all, ſo as they ſhall be truly our ſervants, that is, they ſhall tend unto the advancement of our ſpiritual and eternal good, Rom. 8.38. what he had before ſpoken poſitively, that they ſhall all do us good, here he ſpeaks negatively, that they ſhall never be able to do us hurt: I am perſwaded that neither life nor death, via extrema, ſecunda, & adverſa, the higheſt pitch of proſperity, and the loweſt ebb of adverſity or affliction, ſhall not be able to hurt us, nor Angels good or bad, nor principalities, and powers, that is, all the powers of Empires and Monarchs of the world, nor things preſent, nor things to come, not any intermediate events that now do, or hereafter may befal us, nor heights nor depths, nor any creature, i. e. if there be any creature that comes not under the former enumeration, whether it be in heaven above, or in the deeps beneath, it ſhall never be able to hurt us in reſpect of our eternal ſtate, becauſe it ſhall never be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which has ſo ſure a ground; for it is love born to us in Chriſt, in whom he has elected us, &c. therefore you ſee there comes no diſadvantage, but a continual advantage unto the ſpiritual p. 396Kingdom by all the creatures and by the diſpenſations of Chriſt in the ordering and the government of them all.

Let us ſee this by an enumeration of ſome particulars.

1. If the Lord give unto his people proſperity, it ſhall be to the advantage of the inward man, and in their outward proſperity their ſouls ſhall proſper, 2 Chron. 17.6. Jehoſaphat had ſilver and gold and riches in abundance, and his heart was lifted up and encouraged in the ways of Gods commandments; and thereby the people of God make them friends of the unrighteous Mammon, and they lay up a good foundation, that they may lay hold of eternal life; Eccleſ. 7.11. Wiſdom is good with an inheritance; it is good in it ſelf without an inheritance, but there is a ſpecial advantage by wiſdom with an inheritance, and ſo it's better to the man; or it is good to a mans ſelf, but it is not ſo good unto another; and ſo Prov. 14.24. The crown of the wiſe is their riches; but there are to other men riches reſerved for the hurt of the owner, and the proſperity of fools ſhall deſtroy them, Prov. 1.32. wiſdom is the better with an inheritance, but folly is the worſe with an inheritance; for the folly of fools is fooliſhneſs; he ſpeaks it of rich fools, there are no men diſcover their folly more, and whoſe fooliſhneſs is more eminent and notorious than theſe mens; as riches draw forth the graces of the one, ſo do they alſo the ſins of the other.

2. If the Lord give unto his people afflictions, it ſhall be to the advantage of their inward man, Rom. 5.3. Tribulation works patience: ſurely patience is a fruit of the Spirit, as all other graces are, and cannot be wrought in any man by affliction, unleſs it be given him by the Spirit. A man muſt have patience, (1) if ever he will bear affliction fruitfully; but (2) the word is foreign, which doth ſignifie to work a thing out, and bringing of it to perfection, Phil. 2.12. It is this therefore, that when patience is wrought in the ſoul by the Spirit, it is improved and exceedingly drawn out by affliction, it doth improve the graces of the Saints; and upon this ground it is ſaid, Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, Jam. 1.2. Eſa. 27.8, 9. in meaſure God ſhoots forth the affliction; and the mercy of God is greatly ſeen in the moderation of the affliction: By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is the fruit to take away the ſin of his people, when he makes all the ſtones of their Altars to be as chalk ſtones; and therefore Eſa. 24.15. Glorifie the Lord in the fires foreign,Heb. 12.10.Heb 12:10 he doth chaſtiſe them, that they may be made partakers of his holineſs.

3. Temptations; for the Lord Jeſus doth order all the temptations of Satan, and directs them unto ſpiritual ends; for even the very enemies of the ſpiritual Kingdom he doth over-rule ſo, as he makes them ſervants to it, even the veſſels of diſhonour have their uſe in the great houſe, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 2.21. Satan is an enemy, foreign, that enemy, in two things to the Saints: (1) In his accuſations unto God; he is therefore called the Accuſer of the Brethren, and ſo he did move God againſt Job to deſtroy him without a cauſe, Job 2.3. there was cauſe enough in Job, if the Lord had been extreme to mark what he had done amiſs; but there was not that cauſe that Satan did alledge; and it is a mercy to the people of God, that though there be cauſe enough, yet he doth hide the true cauſe from their malicious accuſers, that that which they faſten upon them is no cauſe to ſet God or man againſt them, but the more the Lord doth appear for his ſervants to juſtifie them; had not Satan accuſed Job ſo impetuouſly, God had never ſo eminently appeared for his juſtification. This ſhould quiet and comfort the Saints in all the hard meaſure and reproaches that they meet withal in the world, that yet the Lord will ariſe for their juſtification and their enemies confuſion; that though a child of God may lye under the blaſt of the wicked for a ſeaſon, yet God will vindicate him at laſt, ſo that falſe friends, as well as true enemies, ſhall be made to ſay, Surely there is no inchantment againſt any of the ſeed of Jacob; Jude 15.Jude 1:15&c. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him and his children, &c. (2) Satan is an enemy by his temptations unto the Saints, and ſo the ſtrength of God is made perfect in their weakneſs, that is, manifeſtly declared ſo to be, 2 Cor. 12. for thereby their ſtrength is tryed, there is nothing tries grace ſo much as temptation unto ſin, becauſe nothing is more oppoſite unto grace, and gratia vexata ſeipſam prodit, grace vexed diſcovers it ſelf: thereby alſo their corruption is purged, for the Lord doth commonly temper that poyſon into a medicine, and Satan that ſeeks to kill ſhall be inſtrumental to cure, he that doth intend to ſtab the man ſhall but give vent to his impoſthume; and therefore Luther ſays of temptation, when the Papiſts did object unto Luther, that he himſelf granted Purgatory, I do indeed, ſaith he, but it is but that Purgatory of temptation, and he adds, Hoc Purgatorium non eſt fictum; and hereby the enemy is conquered; for we are more than conquerors, Rom. 8. It was ſaid that the Carthaginians p. 397did prevail againſt the Romans in praelio, in a battel ſometimes, ſed nunquam in bello, never in war; ſo does Satan againſt the Saints, but they ſurely have the victory in the end, and therefore faith has its triumphing as well as its relying act, &c.

4. Corruptions of men ſhall tend to the Saints ſpiritual advantage: though God is not the Author of ſin, yet he is the Orderer of it. (1) He doth not let out the corruptions of other men any further than for the good of his Saints: The wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee; no man ſhall deſire thy land; I ſuffered thee not to touch her; the Lord withholds men from hurting his people, and his reſtraining grace is not only upon their acts, but upon their corruptions alſo; ſo as they are not let out but unto the Saints ſpiritual advantage alſo. (2) Not only the corruptions of other men, but thoſe of the Saints themſelves; the falling out of any new and eminent fall the Lord will make as a new converſion, Luke 22.32. When thou art converted ſtrengthen thy brethren; the foundation is laid anew, and there is alſo a renewing of juſtification, a more faſt application of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt: I will take away thy filthy garments, and I will cloath thee with change of raiment; Zac. 3.4.I have cauſed thy iniquity to paſs from thee; and this makes way for a glorious aſſurance and for an eminent imployment; for God ſets a Mitre or a Crown upon his head, and he was thereby fitted for the great work of the Temple, and taken into ſociety with them that ſtand by.

5. All a mans imployment; it is a teſtimony that a man is a veſſel of honour, when in every condition he is fitted for the maſters uſe; and it's a token that a man is called unto any imployment in mercy, when he has the graces of that condition drawn forth; a man may be called to the Miniſtry or the Magiſtracy, but not in mercy, without this; there is an election to an imployment as well as to life, Paul was ſeparated from his mothers womb unto the Goſpel of Chriſt, &c. If David be a ſhepherd, he follows the Ews great with young, and he doth it with faithfulneſs, and if he be taken from the ſheepfold to feed Jacob the Lords people, and Iſrael his inheritance, he doth it with the integrity of his heart, and the skilfulneſs of his hand, Acts 13.22. Vis me conſtituere paſtorem ovium, aut regem populorum, ecce paratum eſt cor meum, &c. ſometimes friends, ſometimes enemies, ſometimes the chief of the Princes were againſt David, but God was with him.

6. Even death it ſelf and the agonies thereof: for even death it ſelf is yours, it is a ſervant, and not an enemy, becauſe it doth improve and further a mans ſpiritual intereſt. (1) As men dye in the Lord, Rev. 14.13. death is theirs by virtue of their union with Chriſt, that as they bear fruit in him, ſo they dye in him; death cannot diſſolve the union between a ſoul and Chriſt. (2) As they die to him, ſo they live to him, that is▪ Rom. 14.….Rom 14they make him their end in living and dying, they would live no longer than he might be glorified, as Paul ſays, and they would then die when he might be glorified, that Chriſt might be magnified in my body, Phil. 1. and they count not their lives dear. (3) It is a life of glory that death lets the Saints into, it opens the door unto a weight of eternal life, it doth perfect the purer part of man, delivers him from the body of ſin; for he that is dead is freed from ſin, and it doth let him into the beatifical viſion, and thereby his ſanctification alſo is perfected: as it is recorded of Bernard when he was ſick unto death, there was a great while nothing heard of him but this, Tempus perdidi, quàm perditè vixi! but at laſt he adds, Hoc meum ſolatium, duplici in re Chriſtus regnum poſſidet, quà filius, quà paſſus, hoc ſecundo nihil ei opus fuit, ſed mihi dedit; and under this conſolation he fell aſleep.

2. All the creatures belong to the ſpiritual Kingdom reductivè, as they do belong to the priviledges of the Saints; for all things are yours, becauſe you are Chriſts; there is a double right, jus politicum & evangelicum: now in this manner they belong to the ſpiritual Kingdom, 1. In reſpect of their continuance; for it is for their ſakes that the world ſtands. By virtue of the ancient curſe, Curſed be the ground for thy ſake, the earth would ſink under us, but that the Lord Jeſus did put under his hand and keep it from ruine by virtue of the new Covenant; therefore he is brought in as the upholder of all things, who alſo purged our ſins, and is ſate down at the right hand of the Majeſty on high, Heb. 1.3. for the Lord did not continue the creatures in their being to ſerve his enemies, but the ſubordination of creatures depends upon the ſecond Covenant, as appears Hoſ. 2.21. and the Lord will ſurely manifeſt it in theſe two things. (1) In the latter days the Kingdom and Dominion of the whole Earth ſhall be taken out of the hands of the enemies, and ſhall be given into the hands of the Saints to the end of the world, Dan. 7.18. and then all the wicked of the earth ſhall lick the duſt of their feet, and it is in order thereunto that it is continued to this day. (2) As ſoon as the Lord has gathered in the number of his Saints, and has perfected their graces, he will take down the ſtage of this world, and overturn it, that it ſhall be no more, at leaſt ſuch as now it is. Now they that are the heirs of this world, as Abrahams ſeed are called, they are tranſlating, and Gods children p. 398being called home, the Lord will not continue the world for ſervants, but he will break up houſe-keeping, and he will ſend every one of them unto their own place, &c. the tares and the wheat do grow till the harveſt, but the Lord will not ſuffer the tares to grow again after the harveſt; and therefore the very continuation of the creatures belongs unto the ſpiritual Kingdom as one part of the priviledges of the Saints.

2. The reſtitution of the creatures; for as they were made ſubject unto vanity by ſin, (for they all came under mans Covenant, and therefore you have heard in mans fall the curſe took hold upon them, they being made for the uſe of man, Rom. 8.20, 21.) they ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption; and therefore they wait for the manifeſtation of the glory of the ſons of God; not that all the creatures ſhall be continued in being, for many of them ſhall be conſumed in that laſt conflagration, but yet the ſubſtance ſhall continue as ſtanding monuments unto Gods glory, as matter of praiſe and of delight unto the Saints, which ſhall be begun in the laſt days of the world, Acts 3.21. there ſhall be a wonderful change in the creatures doubtleſs before the laſt day, when the Aſs ſhall eat clean fodder, Eſa. 60.17.Isa 60:17or provender, and when the ſtones ſhall be ſilver and gold, and out of the earth ſhall come braſs, &c. and when the lyon ſhall lye down with the lamb, Eſa. 11.6. which ſome, as Lactantius, do underſtand literally to be fulfilled, terra aperiet foecunditatem ſuam, rupes montium melle ſudabunt, non beſtiae ſanguine alentur, non aves praedâ, Lactant. lib. 7. cap. 4. The earth ſhall diſcover its fecundity, the rocks ſweat honey, &c. When Chriſt ſhall come to the wedding, his ſervants ſhall put on their gay apparel, and this is the new Heaven and the new Earth, which ſhall begin before, and ſhall in the glory for the ſubſtantials of it remain after the Lord by the laſt fire has purged the world, unto which the world is reſerved: now in this alſo all the creatures belong unto the ſpiritual Kingdom of Chriſt.

§. 4. We have ſeen that the ſpiritual Kingdom is in the hand of Chriſt for the good of the Saints, and that (1) in that inward dominion that he has over them in whoſe hearts he dwells by a ſpirit of regeneration: (2) over them that belong unto this Kingdom by profeſſion only: (3) over all the creatures reductivè, how they all belong unto the ſpiritual Kingdom, [1] as they tend to perfect their graces, [2] as they belong to the priviledges of the Saints. There is yet one head remaining, and that is, how Chriſt the Mediator, who is King in this ſpiritual Kingdom, doth rule and order the Angels, that they have an influence and do conduce to the advancement of the ſpiritual Kingdom; and they are of two ſorts, Angels on Earth, his Miniſters, and the Angels in Heaven; for they are both Officers in the ſpiritual Kingdom under Chriſt the King, and their Kingdom begun with that of the Mediator, and he that did ſet them up, will alſo put them down before he give up the Kingdom unto the Father; for they muſt give up their account unto Chriſt, and Chriſt muſt give up his unto the Father; for he ſaith, Heb. 2.13. Behold I and the children that thou haſt given me: 1 Cor. 15.24.1 Cor 15:241 Cor. 15.24. He ſhall put down all rule and all authority and power; the word is foreign, ſome refer it unto all powers oppoſite unto the Kingdom of Chriſt, and they ſay, that all theſe he ſhall put down, non modò ut non praevaleát, ſed ut planè non ſit. Now he doth over-rule them ſo, that they do advance that Kingdom which they intend to oppoſe, for he rules in the middle of his enemies, but then they ſhall not be able to oppoſe; now he defeats all their plots, but then he ſhall deſtroy their perſons alſo: but others do refer it unto the powers ſet up by Chriſt, which then he ſhall put an end unto, when the end of that inſtitution is accompliſhed, and that not only unto the mediatory Kingdom which is to laſt but until the Saints are perfected, and till they all come unto the unity of the faith and to a perfect man, &c. but it is expounded alſo de principatu Angelico, they ſhall have no further hand in the government of the ſpiritual nor of the providential Kingdom, but during this preſent ſtate, both theſe powers are to continue till he that did ſet them up ſhall put them down, and in the continued ordering and rule of theſe, much of the ſpiritual Kingdom of Chriſt doth conſiſt, and they do much conduce unto the perfection of the ſpiritual Kingdom, and therefore I ſhall inſtance in them both.

1. For the Angels upon Earth; for ſo the Miniſters and Meſſengers of God are ſtiled,Judg. 2.1.Judg 2:1 Judg. 2.1. An Angel of the Lord came from Gilgal to Bochim: it is moſt probable that it was a Prophet, one that ſpake to them in the name of the Lord, and ſome conceive it to be Phineas the Prieſt, becauſe he is ſaid to come from Gilgal; whereas Peter Martyr well obſerves, if it had been a heavenly Angel, it would have been rather ſaid, Coelo deſcendiſſe, &c. Eccleſ. 5.6.Eccl 5:6That he deſcended from Heaven, and Eccleſ. 5.6. Say not before the Angel it is an overſight, that is, before the Prieſt before whom the errours of their raſh vows were to be confeſſed,Rev. 2.1.Rev 2:1 Levit. 5.4, 5. Rev. 2.1. To the Angel of the Church, &c. and it is both a term of office and a term of honour; for they as well as the heavenly Angels are ſent forth for the good of the Elect; and they are but Meſſengers, they muſt do their office, and it p. 399is alſo a term of honour, for the Lord takes them into the higheſt imployments and adminiſtrations; and therefore it is unto an Officer that the promiſe is made, Zac. 3.7.Zac. 3.7. If thou walk in my ways and keep my charge, thou ſhalt judge my houſe and keep my courts, and I will give thee galleries to walk in amongst them that ſtand by. Now Chriſt being the King of the ſpiritual Kingdom, we ſhall obſerve how he doth govern and rule and order things for the Saints ſake: that he did ſet up a Miniſtry in his Church it's true, that he doth give them a Commiſſion to preach the Goſpel to all Nations, and the ſound of it goes forth unto all the earth, it comes unto them that are hardned as well as to them that are converted by it, but it was only for the ſake of the Saints that he did it, or elſe he had never appointed ſuch an office; therefore Eph. 4.12. the end of the Miniſtry is for the perfecting of the Saints, and for the edifying of the body of Chriſt; there are indeed many inferiour and ſubordinate ends, there is finis minùs principalis, and many of theſe are attained alſo by one and the ſame action, and yet it is the principal end that was really the intention of the efficient, without which he would never have done it, though he alſo takes in many leſſer and inferiour ends: it's true, that there are many ends that by the preaching of the Goſpel the Lord doth accompliſh upon the wicked of the world, but yet he had never ſent the Goſpel for theſe ends, nor ſet up a Miniſtry for the publiſhing thereof, but it was only for the Saints, for their gathering and their perfecting, &c.

2. It is for the good of the Saints that he doth furniſh them with gifts and abilities for ſo great an imployment, it is onus humeris Angelicis formidandum, who is ſufficient for theſe things? It requires the higheſt abilities attainable by the art of man and the grace of God, 1 Cor. 4.1. we are ſtewards of the myſteries of God,Parmenid. non ad politias regendas aut bella gerenda, &c. but that the myſteries of God, the truths of the Goſpel are committed unto them, and the Lord doth lay them up in them as in a common Treaſury, 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this treaſure in earthen veſſels, &c. It is not committed to them for their own ſakes, or for their own uſe, but it is for the good of the family, and ſo Chriſt ſpeaks unto his Diſciples, Mat. 13.52. they ſhould be as a Scribe inſtructed unto the kingdom of God; it was the office of the Scribes to teach the people the myſteries of the Word of God, and to give the ſenſe, as Ezra the Scribe did; and therefore Chriſt makes uſe of the word, and applies it unto the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and he muſt be endued with all ſorts of knowledge, he muſt have variety, he muſt have old things which he has treaſured up long, for he is to be a Treaſury of it, the Prieſts lips are to preſerve knowledge, and alſo he muſt not be content with old things, but he muſt ſeek after new diſcoveries, new degrees of light, he muſt grow in knowledge daily, and therefore he muſt have new affections alſo, and this he muſt not hide and reſerve there, but he muſt bring it forth; it is what a godly man, that is called by God to teach others, ſhould be affected with and afflicted for, if he come ſhort in any grace or gifts that ſome of his flock are eminent for;Non quod ferre potes, ſed quod profers, Cajet. Eſa. 50.4.Isa 50:4 and all thoſe that the Lord does call to this work he doth in ſome meaſure qualifie, for God doth not ſend a Meſſenger and cut off his feet: now all this is for the Churches, for the Saints ſake, and for their good; 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. Let no man glory in man, for all things are yours, all for your ſakes; the higheſt offices, and the greateſt gifts, and the greateſt variety, Paul, Apollo, and Cephas, all is for your ſake, for your edification and ſalvation: We preach not our ſelves, but Jeſus the Lord, and our ſelves your ſervants for Jeſus ſake; we are not Lords of your faith, but helpers of your joy, &c. Eph 4.11, 12. he gave gifts unto men to qualifie them for their offices, and all is for the perfecting of the Saints.

3. He puts into them ſuitable affections and inward diſpoſitions of heart towards them: Paul ſays, I was amongſt you as a Nurſe, with much pains and unweariedneſs,1 Theſſ. 2.7.1 Thess 2:7 and with much patience and forbearance, bearing with your frowardneſs and the crookedneſs of your ſpirits and diſpoſitions, Phil. 1.8. I long for you all in the bowels of Chriſt, Phil. 1.8.Phil 1:8bowels you know do ſignifie the tendereſt affections, (1) ſuch as are not natural, but wrought in me by Chriſt; for I had them not of my ſelf, and ſo it notes cauſam efficientem. (2) With great affections, ſuch as Chriſt their Saviour did bear to them, having their names written in his heart, even to lay down his life for them, with ſuch bowels do I long for you, being willing to be ſacrificed unto the ſervice of your faith, and ſo it notes cauſam exemplarem, 2 Cor. 8.16. he put the ſame care into the heart of Titus. Phil. 2.20. it is ſaid of Timothy, Phil. 2.20.Phil 2:20he doth naturally care for your things, ad animi ſinceritatem refert, Theodor. it is not from any outward reſpect or fleſhly end, but from a natural principle wrought in him by the Lord, that he doth it naturally from an inward principle in nature; as the natural affection of the father and mother is put into them for the good of the child, ſo there is a natural principle put into them for the good of the Saints, &c.

4. He doth ſet them in their places, ſtars they are, and he doth appoint them their orbs, where they ſhall ſhine, for the ſeven Stars are the Angels of the Churches, and are in p. 400the right hand of Chriſt, are at his diſpoſe, who ſends them to a people where they ſhall be fiſhers: men do not know where the ſholes of fiſh go, for we fiſh under water, but the Lord ſaith, Go and ſpeak to them, for I have much people in this city; and when he has gathered in the number of his Elect in any place, then he takes away the Miniſtry from thence, and when there are any to be gathered in, then he doth bring them again. This is the reaſon why he doth cauſe it to rain upon one city, and not upon another alſo. As he ſets them in their ſtations, ſo quoad protectionem, he it is that doth preſerve them from the rage of men, which truly we know not how ſoon we may be expoſed to, for I fear the time draws near; yet the witneſſes ſhall not be killed till they have finiſhed their teſtimony, and it is not all the power of the enemy ſhall be able to remove them.

5. He doth over-rule and order them in their Miniſtry for the good of his people: ſometimes the Spirit of the Lord comes upon them, and they ſpeak beyond their intentions or meditations, Heb. 1.1. he ſpeaks foreign, he orders their hearts, and he doth over-rule their tongues, he doth make diſcoveries unto them for the good of his people, as ſometimes he doth pour a darkneſs upon them for the ſins of his people: and ſometimes God in judgment hides his truths from a Teacher, becauſe the people are not fitted to receive them. It's true not only of the Magiſtrates, that the Lord gives them up to commit follies, as he did David, becauſe he was provoked againſt Iſrael, therefore he tempted David to number the people; but alſo it is true of the Miniſters, Mic. 3.6. Pro divinatione erit caligo, ye ſhall have darkneſs, and the Lord will give no Viſions unto the Prophets; and though they ſeek it,Eſa. 29.10.Isa 29:10 yet they ſhall have no anſwer from God, he will pour out upon the Prophets and the ſeers the ſpirit of a deep ſleep. Now as the Lord doth ſometimes hide his word from his Prophets and his Meſſengers of purpoſe in judgment unto the people, that they that ſay to their Miniſters, Propheſie not, the Lord ſays, They ſhall not propheſie; ſo he doth alſo give light unto them; and anſwerable unto the good that he doth mean to do unto a people, ſuch is his preſence and aſſiſtance with the Prophets that he doth imploy, and all the diſcoveries of God in the Word ſhall be to them to whom he intends evil, as the words of a ſealed book, that they ſhall ſay, I cannot read it, becauſe it is ſealed, as the Lord opens the book in mercy to his people and to his Prophets, ſo he doth ſeal it in judgment to other men, that ſeeing they ſhall ſee and not perceive, and hearing they ſhall hear, and not underſtand. Acts 18.5.Acts 18:5Paul was preſſed in ſpirit, and teſtified unto the Jews pro violento impulſu ad ſolitum inſtinctum plus acceſſit fervoris, Calv. There is ſometimes a greater impulſe upon the Miniſters of the Goſpel than there is at another time, and we ſhould watch and wait to hear what God ſpeaks to us in that manner, even while we are ſpeaking to others; and truly the ſecret hints that God many times gives, that are immediately darted in from God, we have cauſe to conſider of and look upon as the ſpecial mercies of our lives, becauſe therein God has glory in a ſpecial manner according to the ſervice that the Lord has to do for them and by them, and all is for the good of his people.

6. He doth give an efficacy and ſucceſs unto their labours in three things. (1) He doth by them gather ſouls; for Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 4.15. I have begotten you thorow the Goſpel; and therefore as Chriſt is a Father, ſo are they alſo ſpiritual Fathers under him, as they are imployed by him to bring ſouls unto the Lord, and they travel in birth with you, there is a planting as well as a watering, and this ſhould be the great aim of a Miniſter, without which he ſhould think all the other ends as it were loſt, as Chriſt doth, Eſa. 49.4. I have laboured in vain, Iſrael is not gathered; not in vain as to his reward, but yet unto the great end of his calling in vain, which is to bring men to repentance, to turn them from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. (2) For the perfecting of their graces, Rom. 1.11, 12. For I long to ſee you, that I may impart unto you ſome ſpiritual gift, to the end you may be eſtabliſhed, &c. 1 Theſſ. 3.10. it is, that I might perfect that which is wanting in your faith; for there is to be a watering as well as a planting, there is a fulneſs of the bleſſing of the Goſpel of Chriſt, in which the Miniſters ſhould deſire to come unto a people, Rom. 15.29. that it be not an empty Miniſtry, but come with a fulneſs of bleſſing, oratione ſatagamus, ut ipſe perficiat in auditore quod loquitur in doctore, Luth. (3) To preſerve them from errour; they are the ſalt of the earth for this end, that men may not prove unſavory, Eph. 4.14, 15. that men be not carried about with every wind of doctrine called ſo,Eph. 4.14, 15.Eph 4:14Eph 4:15 [1] for its mutability, it doth not abide long in one quarter, men are not long of the ſame mind, quò quis foret religioſior, eò promptiùs novellis aedinventionibus contrà iret. [2] For its prevalency, it is ſtrong and powerful, and for the ſtrength of it, it is compared unto a mighty wind; and ſo it is with this alſo unto light things, that which is chaff and has no root it carries away with eaſe, trees that have no root; but that which has a root is the more firmly rooted; and this is the honour of the Miniſters, that the people be in this manner preſerved and eſtabliſhed, &c.

p. 4017. Their ſufferings are for the Churches ſake alſo, and the Churches good: Phil. 1.12, 13. The things that have happened to me in my bonds, they have been for the furtherance of the Goſpel; I endure all for the Churches ſake, that they may attain the ſalvation which is in Jeſus Chriſt, I fill up that which is behind of the ſuffering of Chriſt for his bodies ſake, which is the Church. It is true, that the ſufferings of Chriſt are only for the Churches redemption,2 Tim. 2.10. Col. 1.24.2 Tim 2:10Col 1:24 and that the ſuffering of the Miniſters alſo is for the Churches edification, and they whom the Lord will have to profit his people no longer by their preaching, ſhall do it by their ſuffering, as one of the Martyrs ſaid, I hope we ſhall kindle a fire this day in England that ſhall never be put out again; Chriſts ſufferings only are meritoriouſly available for the ſalvation of the Saints, but ours alſo miniſterially for their edification; and therefore what do they intend that ſeek to deſtroy the Miniſters of Chriſt, of which Chriſt makes ſo great a uſe, far from the apprehenſion of the people of Antioch, who when Chryſoſtome was baniſhed profeſſed, tolerabilius fuiſſet, ſi Sol radios ſuos retraxiſſet: and Luther, Si in manu mea res eſſet, non vellem Deum mihi loqui de coelo, ſed huc tendunt quotidianae preces meae, ut digno honore habeam: his care was that he might eſteem the Miniſtry as the Ordinance that God had appointed, &c.

2. And as Chriſt uſeth the Angels upon earth for the advancement of the ſpiritual Kingdom, ſo he doth the Angels in heaven alſo; (1) they pray for us, Dan. 4.17. Non ex officio, ſed charitate, foreign, Clem. Alex. foreign, Origen.

2. They do joyn with us in our praiſes, and out of their love bleſs God wonderfully for mercies unto us; at the Birth of Chriſt the Angels ſing, Good will towards men, Rev. 5.11. there is a principle of love that makes them to rejoyce in our good, that we are taken into their fellowſhip, members of the ſame body, and it may be as many men are ſaved as there were Angels that fell qui ſupplent locum illum, as Bern. and ſo the School-men generally, non in naturam Angelicam, ſed ſtatum, for they ſhall be foreign.

3. They do inſtruct us in the things of God: for as the Devil doth put evil motions into mankind, ſo do the Angels good motions alſo, Dan. 9.22. I am ſent to inform thee; and the Angels themſelves, as by the Church, ſo for the Churches ſake they have many diſcoveries made to them; that they might alſo teach them to us; they receive a ſpirit of Prophecy from Chriſt for the Churches ſake, Rev. 19.10. the god of this world blinds the eyes of men, and the Angels that are imployed by the Spirit of God do inlighten them.

4. They watch over them carefully to keep them from ſin:Jude 9.Jude 1:9 Michael the Archangel when contending with the devil, he diſputed about the body of Moſes, durſt not bring againſt him a railing accuſation, but ſaid, The Lord rebuke thee, &c. Why did God hide the body of Moſes? Ne corpus ejus in ſuperſtionis occaſionem adducerent. Now here Michael contends: if it be Chriſt that is here meant, the Angels are his armies, and they are behind him, Zac. 1. but ſome conceive it a created Angel, for it is foreign, he durſt not give him a railing accuſation, Satan would have brought it to light, but the Angels hindred it; and ſo Rev. 19. John would have worſhipped the Angel, but the Angel ſaith, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-ſervant. Now ſee the difference between the good Angels and the bad, the Devil will be worſhipped, he tempts all men, as he did the Lord Chriſt to fall down and worſhip him, he delights to make men ſin in point of worſhip; but now the good Angel will reſtrain from ſin, and will not ſuffer the ſervants of God to ſin againſt God: See thou do it not, &c.

5. The Angels do ſweetly comfort and chear the ſouls of the Saints in their dejections; when Daniel was troubled, an Angel bids him not to fear, thou art a man of deſires; they delight as well in your conſolation as in your converſion, and ſo they did with Chriſt in his agony, the Angels comforted him; and ſo to Paul, Be of good chear, ſays the Angel:Acts 27.Acts 27 Diſcamus optimos & conſtantiſſimos amicos noſtros eſſe Angelos, qui fide, benevolentiâ, & omnibus amicitiae officiis viſibiles amicos longè ſuperant, ſicut diaboli omnes hoſtes viſibiles, The Angels are our beſt and moſt conſtant friends, &c. Luth.

Laſtly, At death they carry the ſouls of the people of God into Abrahams boſom, and they do rejoyce in ſuch a conveyance, that they may be imployed to bring another into ſociety and communion with themſelves in that glory which they by Chriſt attain unto; for they delight in the filling up of the body of Chriſt; and when a ſoul is converted, there is much joy not only to the Angels, but even to God himſelf; how much more therefore when a ſoul is glorified, &c. as the Devil from a principle of enmity is ready as an Executioner to conduct ſouls to be tormented in hell, to carry them from the preſence of the Lord; ſo are the bleſſed Angels from a principle of love, as Officers for our conduct to enter into our Maſters joy; and ſweet ſhall the converſe of the ſoul and the Angels p. 402be in that pleaſant paſſage; but as terrible in the paſſage will the converſe of the ſoul and the Devil be, there ſhall be nothing but weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth, &c.