The Pouring Out of the Seven Vials, Vial 6
THE FOURTH PART, VPONUPON THE SIXT VIALL.
REVEL. 16.16:
And he gathered them together into a place, called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
THESE words are the laſt part, of the deſcription of the Event that followeth, upon the powring out the Viall of the ſixt Angell, and in them is ſet forth the Efficacy of thoſe three Spirits of Divells: who as they are deſcribed, by their effect of working miracles, and going forth to gather men to the Battell of the great day of God Almighty, ver. 14. So they do prevaile, they did gather them together into a field, wherein the Battell was fought, and that is called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The place it ſelfe is of much difficulty, and much variety of Interpretations hath beene made of it, I may not ſo much as reckon them up, much leſſe ſpend time to refute them.
In a word, two things are chiefly to be opened; Firſt who is that [He] of whom it is ſaid, [Hee gathered them together &c.] Secondly what is this place. Thirdly why is it deſcribed in the Hebrew tongue. Fourthly what is this unto Chriſtian Kings. And fiftly wherefore is this Battell fought here?
He gathered them together.] Some underſtand it of the Lord God Almighty, and ſo it might well be meant, for it is he that gathereth the Nations together into the Valley of Iehoſaphat; Ioel 3.2. Though that be not meant of this Armageddon, but is ſpoken of, Revel. 20.8, 9. The Lord indeed, may not bee excluded from this worke, yet becauſe the ſame word is uſed, ver. 14. and it is an uſuall phraſe in that language, to joyne Verbes of the ſingular number to neuter Subſtantives of the plurall, therefore I would tranſlate this Verbe of the ſingular Number in the plurall, and ſay [they gathered them,] they went forth to perſwade them, and they did prevaile mightily with them. For the word in the native and proper meaning of that Language, is to be tranſlated in another Language in the plurall Number rather then in the Singular.
Into a place called [Armageddon] there be that tranſlate it to ſignifie the deſtruction of a Troope, now than may agree to any place under Heaven; And I know not then why it ſhould be expreſſed in Hebrew: A Greeke word might have expreſſed it as well. Some doe interpret it to bee the Mount of delights, which the Turkes ſhall compaſſe; but you ſhall finde that this is not that Battel; that is it which ſhall be fought in the Valley of Iehoſaphat (though they be uſually confounded by Interpreters) but that Battell to which they are here gathered, is fought in the 19. chap. ver. 17. to 21. The Battell of Gog and Magog, which is in the valley of Iehoſaphat, is ſpoken of in the 20. chapter of this booke; therefore you read that the Devill was bound a thouſand yeares, and then looſed out of Priſon, and at length caſt into the Lake that burneth with fire, and brimſtone; (Rev. 20.10.) where he found the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet, who were both caſt in before, Rev. 19.20. So that I dare not underſtand it to be meant indefinitly, nor of the Mount of delights; for I know not why they here ſpoke of (to wit Chriſtian Kings) ſhould goe to Ieruſalem to fight this Battell; their buſineſſe will lye neerer home. And whereas many thinke that the Iewes ſhall have a great ſtroke in this Battell, I dare not conſent unto that, becauſe there is but a way prepared for them in this Viall; they ſhall come in the ſeventh Viall; Theſe things put me off from cloſing with theſe, and ſuch like Interpretations: what then may be the meaning hereof?
Armageddon doth ſignifie the hil of Megiddon, for Maygeddon, and Megiddon are but different writings holding forth the ſame thing: But why ſhould it be called thus? ſhall this battell be fought there? there is no light for that. But as hee ſometimes calleth Rome by the names of Sodome, and Aegypt; and Babylon, becauſe of their neere reſemblance one to another: So this is called Armageddon, becauſe of the neere reſemblance of that battell fought in this field, unto thoſe battels which were fought in Megiddon in old time; For it is uſuall in the Propheſies of the New Teſtament, to allude unto things ſpoken of in the Old: Now you may remember that three great battels have beene fought in Megiddon, and I conceive that the Holy Ghoſt maketh the events of the battell here fought, to bee like the events of thoſe battels.
Firſt there was fought the battell of Deborah and Barak againſt Iabin and Siſera which (the text ſaith) was by the waters of Megiddo, Iudg. 5.19. This battell ended in a memorable and joyfull victory, celebrated with a joyfull Pſalme, Iudg. 5. This overthrow there given was dreadfull to all their adverſaries, they deſtroyed them all, and ſaved not a man of them: an eminent victory it was, and therefore Deborah prayeth, ſo let all thine Enemies periſh O Lord, ver. 31. And David prayeth concerning Gods Enemies, doe unto them as unto Siſera, as to Iabin at the brooke Kiſon, which periſhed at Endor &c. And like hereunto will this battell in Armageddon be, when thoſe Canaanites which have oppreſſed the Church of God ſhall be oppreſſed, and cruſhed in pieces by the 10. Kings that ſhall riſe againſt them.
There was a ſecond battell fought at Megiddon, and that by Ioſiah and Pharaoh Nechoh who met Ioſiah at Megiddo, and ſlew him there, 2. Kings 23.29. whereupon there grew a great Lamentation, in ſo much, that all Iudah and Ieruſalem mourned for Ioſiah, and Ieremiah lamented for Ioſiah, and all the ſinging men and ſinging women ſpake of Ioſiah in their Lamentations, 2 Chron. 35.24, 25. And hereupon Ieremiah wrote the booke of Lamentations, as if he had ſeene the City ruined, their wives raviſhed, their children toſſed upon the ſpeares of their Enemies, becauſe the breath of Church and Common-Wealth, and every Family was choaked in the death of Ioſiah. And the like Effect of mourning ſhall this battell fought in Armageddon worke in the Iewes, and ſhall become the riſe of their calling, when as they ſhall ſee the mighty power of Chriſt in rooting out all Image-worſhip, and worſhippers that have ſo long time hindered them, from comming to the knowledge of the Meſſias; then ſhall there be a great mourning amongſt them, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Mageddon, Zach. 12.10, 11. Therefore it is ſpoken of in the Hebrew tongue, becauſe this ſhall befall the Hebrew people, as when you read, Rev. 9.11. that the King of the bottomleſſe pit hath his name in the Hebrew Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue Apolion, it is to be underſtood that hee is a deſtroyer both unto the Jewes and Gentiles: and if you ſhall afterward heare of ſome tnat ſing Halelujah, know of a truth that it principally concerneth thoſe, in whoſe language it is ſpoken, (for every Nation is to praiſe God in his owne Language:) ſo the battell will be fought in Armageddon, becauſe as it will be a great deſtruction to Gods Enemies, ſo it will produce a peninentiall, and comfortable mourning at the length unto the Iewes.
But why is it called the Hill of MEGIDDON, theſe battels were fought in the valley? therefore the Holy Ghoſt would not expreſſe it barely by the name of Magiddo, that ſo he might point beſides theſe, at another battell which was fought in the hill of Megiddon: now the hill that looked over this valley, was Mount Gilboa, where the battell was fought by the Philiſtines againſt Saul, upon whoſe overthrow David was eſtabliſhed in the Kingdome; The men of Iſrael and Saul, and his ſonnes fell downe ſlaine in Mount Gilboa, 1 Sam. 31.28. From hence went Saul to enquire of the Witch at Endor, and that was in the valley of Megiddon; ſo they were nigh one to another, for Baraks battell with Sifera was fought neere Endor, Pſal. 83.9, 10. Thus wee have an alluſion to all theſe three notable and memorable battels, whereas had he ſaid in a place in the Hebrew tongue Gilboa, then had hee limited the alluſion unto Sauls battell, who was indeed a deſtroyer of Religion, but ſo other effects of this battell fought in this Text, had not beene pointed at. Therefore that hee might graſpe in all thoſe Events, which thoſe battels that were fought about Megiddon brought forth, he ſaith the place was called Armageddon; and it is an uſuall thing that battels in the hill are purſued to the valley, and in the valley to the Hill: the hill and the valley lying neere together. And indeed the ſame Events will this battell bring forth, which fell out upon all the former battels at Megiddo. So then the ſumme is, that theſe ſpirits went forth to gather theſe Popiſh and Heathen Princes together, into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, where the battell ſhall have the like ſucceſſe, that it had of old unto the deſtruction of Gods Enemies, the utter ruine of Antichriſt, as of Saul, the ſetling of the Kingdome of Chriſt upon David, unto the converſion of the Iewes, who ſhall upon this occaſion mourne bitterly over him, whom they have pierced. OnelyOnly let us a little further cleare one ſcruple which may ſomewhat remaine; why ſhall the Iewes come in mourning at this victory? ſhall they mourne with Indignation for the ſucceſſe of Chriſtian Princes, and States? or ſhall it bee a mourning of compaſſion for the deſtruction of Rome? no verily, the text is plaine, they will rejoyce for both, and joyne together with the reſt of the Chriſtian Churches to praiſe the name of the Lord with Hallelujahs in the 19. chapter of this booke and the 1. ver. After theſe things, (that is after the deſtruction of Babel) I heard a great voyce of much people in Heaven ſaying Hallelujah: So againe ver. 3.6. they ſhall praiſe God with an Hallelujah, as well as the Latines with a Laudate Dominum: It is therefore neither a mourning of Indignation for the ſucc ſſe of the Saints, nor of compaſſion for the Rivers of Babell; but (what is it then?) It is a mourning of compunction whereby they, (ſeeing in this battell that Chriſt is indeed the true Meſſias) they ſhall mourne that they have beene ſo long eſtranged from him; for two maine ſtumbling blocks will this battell remove out of their way.
Firſt, that which is their great ſtumbling block, to wit, the Pope who is counted the Father of Chriſtian Churches, and yet himſelfe liveth like an Epicure, and maintaineth Idolatry and ſuperſtition; and though many in the world abhorre his wayes, yet they looke at them but as Sects, and inferiour people and States, in reſpect of the Pope and Popiſh Princes; but when they ſhall ſee that the Zeale of Chriſtian Princes hath dryed up thoſe ſtreames of Superſtition, to the utter confuſion of the man of ſinne, then will they alſo ſee that, that Ieſus whom they have reſiſted all this while, even that Ieſus is the Meſſias.
2. There is alſo another ſtumbling block, which ſome of their more learned ſtand upon, that when the Meſſias comes, he ſhall deſtroy the foure Monarchies ſpoken of, Dan. 2.45. The ſtone that was cut out of the Mountaine without hand, brake in peices the Iron, the Braſſe, the clay, the Silver, and the Gold: Now (ſay they) if your Ieſus be the Meſſias, how commeth it to paſſe the Monarchy ſtandeth upon his two feet, the Turke and Pope? but they might have conſidered that the Lord Ieſus hath been cruſhing them a great while together, and hee never told them that he would doe it as ſoone as he came, though he will never leave untill he hath cruſhed them to the duſt, and when once this battell is fought, that there ſhall be no more remaining, but what is the Jewes worke to doe: then ſhall they ſee the Propheſie of Daniel fulfilled, when the battell in Armageddon ſhall end in the deſtruction of the man of Sinne and then ſhall they ſee Jeſus Chriſt held forth in the purity of the Goſpell, contrary whereunto no word of the Prophets ſhall bee found, and then ſhall they ſee him whom they have crucifyed to be indeed both Lord and Chriſt: Then ſhall they ſee that the name of the Lord Ieſus, which they now curſe in their Liturgies is bleſſed for ever, now they will grieve that they have curſed his name blaſphemouſly, praying that it might periſh from under theſe Heavens, and from above this Earth: for theſe things will they mourne bitterly.
Object. But you will ſay, that to ſee the ſucceſſe of a battell, is not a ſufficient meanes to convert a people to the Lord, that are fully poſſeſſed with their owne wayes: Here indeed may be a removens prohibens, that may ſomewhat help forward; but it is needfull unto their Converſion, that ſome word of God bee ſet home to their hearts to convince them, that the curſe of the Law which belongeth unto them, it is Chriſt onelyonly that hath borne it for them.
Anſ. It is no ſmall meanes of converſion, to ſee the Lord bearing witneſſe againſt the corruptions of Religion, in deſtroying the Enemies of his people. You know the ſtory of Iethro (who was a Prince or Prieſt of Midian,) when he commeth to ſee his ſonne Moſes, who told him of all the great deliverances that God had wrought for his people, Exod. 18. 8.9, 10. what ſaith he? now I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly hee was above them: This is the effect of his hearing of the wonders that God had wrought for his people: ſo that you need not doubt it, but when theſe battells are fought (though they ſhall bee noe parties on the one ſide nor on the other) yet they ſhall heare what will be reported upon this occaſion, in the publick Miniſtery of the word, which will bee ſufficient to convince (as a Prieſt of Midian; ſo) a Iew, that this is the Lord Ieſus, who hath ſo fulfilled all that hee hath ſpoken of in his word. And moreover I doe beleeve, that great will bee the power of the Miniſtery of the word in fighting of this battell, by declaring the powerfull preſence of Chriſt with them, and for them; thus ſhall the ſword of the Miniſtery of the Goſpell prevaile mightily, by animating Chriſtian Princes and people, according as it is ſaid, chap. 19.21. of this booke; the remnant were ſlaine with the ſword that proceedeth out of his mouth, that is, out of the mouth of Ieſus Chriſt, and when the word of Chriſt goeth along with the ſword of Princes, you need not wonder if it doe not onelyonly prevaile againſt the Beaſt, and falſe Prophet, but alſo to make Satan fall downe from Heaven like lightning, even out of the hearts of the Iewes, from deceiving them any longer.
Thus much for the opening of the words, which though it have beene long and difficult, yet many times things moſt difficult to open, are ſweeteſt to chew upon, as in all bones, and the like; let us therefore from hence obſerve this note.
That the Event and ſucceſſe of the great, and laſt battell, Doct. which Chriſtian Princes ſhall fight againſt Antichriſt, and his Adherents, ſhall be like in ſucceſſe to the battels fought at Armageddon: that is to ſay, deſperate deſtruction to the Enemies of Gods people; joyfull victories, and Triumphs to the Churches of Chriſt; godly ſorrowes and penitentiall mourning to the Iewes.
All theſe ſeverall Events are incluſively ſpoke unto, in this word Armageddon, and each branch of them are expreſſely mentioned in this booke, and other Propheſies of Scripture.
Firſt, that there ſhall bee great and deſperate deſtruction to the Enemies of Gods people, you read in chapter 19, that it will be ſo great that the Angell ſtanding in the middeſt of the Sunne, cryed with a loud voyce ſaying to all the foules, that flye in the middeſt of Heaven, come, and gather your ſelves together to the Supper of the great God, that yee may eat the fleſh of Kings, and the fleſh of Captaines, and the fleſh of mighty men, and the fleſh of horſes, and of them that ſit on them, and the fleſh of all men both free and bond, both ſmall and great: therefore this battell muſt not bee ſought onelyonly with the Miniſtery of the Goſpell, (though that will mightily concurre) but with the ſword, and Weapons of warre, elſe the foules of Heaven would have little fleſh to eat, upon battells fought by the Miniſtery of the word: but Word and Sword fighting together. Thus will there be wrought a great deſtruction to Gods Enemies, to ſatiate all the foules of Heaven.
And there will bee great rejoycing and Triumph to the Churches of Chriſt, as you read of their ſongs of praiſe, for the victory gotten by Deborah and Barak, over Iabin and Siſera, Iudges 5. So here there will be many Hallelujahs, chap. 19.1. to the end of 7. which they ſing againe and againe to the Lord.
And thirdly it will be matter of penitentiall mourning to the Iſrael of God, Zach. 12.10, 11. when they ſhall ſee Chriſt comming in his glorious power, it will break their hearts with holy mourning over them, and this ſhall be fulfilled when the new Ieruſalem ſhall come from God out of Heaven, as is propheſied in this booke, chapter 21.2.10. Then ſhall the Tribes of the Earth mourne bitterly after Ieſus Chriſt.
Why will the Events of theſe battels be the ſame?
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, becauſe Gods Enemies will bee like in their ſinnes, unto thoſe that fought againſt Iſrael of old; Therefore they muſt partake in the like Judgements, wherein are they like in their ſinnes? In their oppreſſions of the people of God; ſo Jabin mightily oppreſſed the children of Iſrael, Iudges 4.3. And Saul was a malicious perſecuter of David: So hath the man of ſinne, and his Adherents beene malicious perſecuters of the Saints of God. And Saul tooke Counſell of the Witch at Endor; So have theſe beene famous for their witch-crafts, neither did they repent of their ſorceries, chap. 9. ult. Now as their ſinnes are like, ſo ſhall their puniſhments bee, becauſe of the unchangeable wiſedome and Iuſtice of God, who puniſheth now as he did of old, Pſal. 83.9, 10. The likeneſſe of their ſinnes, the likeneſſe of Gods Iuſtice, bring forth the like kinde of Iudgements, now as of old.
If you ſhall aske the Reaſon why there ſhall be the like occaſion of rejoycing.
It is becauſe the Lord ſhall in like manner avenge his people Reaſ. 2 now, as he did of old, Iudg. 5.2. where ſhe calleth upon Gods people to praiſe the Lord for the avenging of Iſrael: ſo ſhall he now judge the Whore, and avenge the bloud of his ſervants at her hand; Rev. 19.2. And looke as of old they went on deſtroying, to deſtroy the Enemies of the people of God untill they had conſumed them: ſo ſhall the people of God now doe untill they have extinguiſhed utterly the name of Popery, and made it like dung upon the face of the Earth: and as there was way made of old for the glorious Kingdome of David; ſo ſhall there be way made by theſe Warres, for David to be the Prince of Gods people for ever, as the Prophet Ezechiel foretelleth, chap. 34.23, 34. and 37.24.25. not in viſible preſence; I dare not take up ſuch carnall Imaginations, as that Chriſt ſhall come bodily, and reigne here upon the Earth, but by his Spirit, and in his Servants, hee ſhall reigne on the Earth: And all theſe things ſhall give the people of God great, and wonderfull cauſes of rejoycing.
If you ſhall aske in the third place, why Gods ancient people the Iewes ſhall be called to ſuch penitentiall mourning. Reaſ. 3
1, The Reaſon firſt is taken from the ſence, which they ſhall have of their owne ſinne, a ſprinkling whereof we find Act. 2.37. when they were pricked in heart, and ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we doe? ſuch will the ſence of their ſinne bee hereafter, as will affect, and afflict them with affliction like that of the Iewes, for the death of Joſiah; yea it is ſet forth in Zach. 12.10, 11. by the deepeſt mourning that can befall a family: they ſhall mourne as one mourneth for his onelyonly ſonne, and bee in bitterneſſe, as one that is in bitterneſſe for his firſt borne; It is true, the loſſe of ſome wife may be greater then the loſſe of ſome ſonne: but he ſpeaketh there of the mourning of Husband and Wife together, and they can looſe no greater outward bleſſing, then their firſt borne: And ſuch was mourning for the death of Ioſiah, wherein they ſaw, the ruine of Family, Church, and Common-wealth: Therefore Ieremy complaineth, that the breath of their Noſtrills was taken away, Lament. 4.20. They miſtake that thinke it was ſpoken of Zedechiah, for the Lamentations were written upon the death of Ioſiah, 2 Chro. 37.25. which was a bitter mourning to them all: and ſuch ſhall bee their mourning in their return to the Lord, when they ſhall ſee that the death of Chriſt hath beene the ruine, & deſperate deſtruction, and damnation of all their Families for theſe many Generations, & that all the Calamities that have come upon them for these 1600. yeares, have ſprung from this, that their Fathers have put Chriſt to death, by which meanes they have bin ru…agates upon the face of the earth, the ſence of that horrible ſin & miſery which they have brought upon themſelves and theirs, by the death of their Ioſiah, & Mesſiah ſhall thus deeply afflict them.
2. The ſecond ground of their mourning, will ſpring not onelyonly from the ſight and ſence of their ſin, but of the wonderfull & unſpeakable grace & mercy of God unto them to give them that Son of his who hath given himſelf to death for them: they ſhal be ſo aſhamed, & confounded, with the ſence of Gods tender mercy & loving kindnes towards them that have bin ſuch bloudy Butchers of him as that they ſhall be ſwallowed up in the ſence of ſuch unſpeakable grace. Conviction for ſin doth greatly help forward legall humiliation; but for a kindly and ſpirituall mourning, men muſt looke upon Chriſt not only as killed by them, but as killed for them: Thus ſhall it be with them according to what is foretold, Mat. 24.30. When the ſigne of the ſon of man ſhall appeare in heaven, then ſhall all the Tribes of the Earth mourne▪ ſpeaking of the twelve Tribes of Iſrael who ſhall mourne becauſe of him that commeth to ſhew ſuch mercy to them who have dealt ſo unworthily with him. This is the mourning which will befall this people, like that of Megiddon, when this great battell ſhall be fought.
Vſe 1 For uſe in the firſt place, were I to ſpeake to ſuch people as were likely to be inſnared with theſe Froggs, and ſpirits of Divells: This might teach them diligently to beware of ſuch, and in caſe any of them ſhould come over into this Country, Ieſuits, or Cardinalls, or Biſhops, doe not hearken to their whiſperings, whatſoever they ſhall preſent unto you, for this will bee the iſſue of it, whoſoever they be that hearken unto them, they w ll never leave them, till at length they have brought them to this field of deſtruction, they will goe forth to gather the Princes of the Earth, and whither will they gath…r them? even thither where will be the Fatall ru…ne of them all: And therefore let all Chriſtian Princes underſtand it, that they cannot liſten unto theſe Froggs, Popiſh Biſhops or Cardinalls, or Ieſuites, or who ever they be, that come unto them on this errand, but they will by this meanes bring their Kingdomes to utter deſtruction: Be wiſe now therefore O yee Kings; be inſtructed yee Judges of the Earth: you ſee what wofull worke will be made at length by theſe Froggs, they will bring you into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. King James (who made a Paraphraſe upon it) doth interpret it to ſignifie deſtruction by deceit, as if it were compounded of two Hebrew words, which may ſo hold it forth; But oh that it had beene as well beleeved as told; how many ſad changes, and Agitations throughout all Chriſtendome, might have bin prevented that have riſen upon hearkning to theſe Froggs? deſtruction and Calamity are in their wayes; keepe your ſelves therefore farre from all fellowſhip with them, that will be your wiſedome.
In the ſecond place; this may teach us to rejoyce at home, Vſe 2 though wee doe not live to ſee theſe victories obtained: I know not what you that are young may live unto, for the neerer theſe things come unto their accompliſhment, the ſwifter their motion will be, as it is with all naturall motions: but however let us rejoyce together in beholding them by Faith, although they bee yet to come; when David rejoyced in Chriſt, Pſal. 16.9▪ 10. and faith, therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth, my fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope, for thou wilt not leave my dead body in the Grave, neither wilt thou ſuffer thy holy one to ſee Corruption; this David in ſpirit …eeth long before, and looketh at his owne Reſurrection as ſea…ed up unto him in the Incorruption of the body of Ieſus Chriſt: If David can rejoyce ſo long before in beholding this, then ought wee to rejoyce in beholding before-hand the deſtruction of Gods Enemies, and his gracious deliverances of his people; for wee may ſee it before-hand by Faith, and behold it with confidence in the truth of him that hath promiſed it; for ſo alſo did Abraham, Iohn 8 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it, and was glad; and why ſhould not the Fa th of Chriſtians bee now more cleare eyed, then at that time it was, to behold the truth of his promiſes, and rejoyce in the accompliſhment of them?
Thirdly we may from hence gather ſome ground of Faith, to Vſe 3 beleive that there will come a time, when the Iewes will generally mourne for the ſight and death of Chriſt, as much as ever they mourned of old for the death of Ioſiah: and leaſt you ſhould ſay that Parabolicall Scriptures are not Foundations of Faith, (and yet any Scripture truely expounded is ground ſufficient for the truth it holdeth forth; yet you may find ſundry other Scriptures that ſpeake expreſſely to their Converſion, Rom. 11.12.15.25, 26. I would not Brethren that yee ſhould be ignorant of this myſtery, that blindneſſe in part is happened unto Iſrael untill the fulneſſe of the Gentiles be come in, (that is, untill men turne backe from Antichriſt unto Chriſt, untill they ſee Chriſtian Princes more ſincere in the worke of God) and then all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, for though they were caſt off for their own ſakes, yet are they beloved for their Fathers ſake, v. 28. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive Tree which is wilde by Nature, and wert grafted contrary to Nature into a good Olive Tree: how much more ſhall theſe which are the naturall branches bee graffed into their owne Olive Tree? for (ſaith he) God is able to graffe them in againe; and he will doe i…, or elſe the Apoſtles Argument will not hold. Alſo that of the Apoſtle to the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 3.14.15.16. Even unto this day when Moſes is read the Vayle is upon their heart: but when it (that is, Iſrael) ſhall turne unto the Lord the Vayle ſhall be taken away: this is not ſpoken of two or three ſprinklings of Iſrael; that doth not make up an Iſrael, much leſſe all Iſrael, as Paul ſpeaketh in the place forenamed, and what myſtery were it, if it were meant onelyonly of thoſe that were brought home by Peters Miniſtery? But that blindneſſe is come upon them, till the fulnes of the Gentiles be come in, and that then all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, this is indeed a Myſtery to the Gentiles, as the calling of the Gentiles was a Myſtery to the Iewes. Thus wee ſee there are cleare Scriptures for it, which when we doe ſee, we may more freely take up parabolicall Scriptures, perceiving what they worke upon, and build our Faith on them, thereby, to be ſtrengthned in Prayer, for ſuch a bleſſing, that they may come and ſing Hallelujahs with us, and wee may ſing prayſes with them.
Fourthly, wee may learne from hence, the true nature of Vſe 4 Godly ſorrow, both in the cauſe of it, and in the meaſure of it. For the cauſe of it wee muſt ſee him from whom all ſaving repentance doth flow, even Chriſt whom we have pierced, and then indeed we mourne aright, when we mourne over him. It is not ſaving Repentance, that which the Law worketh, though it doth indeed make way for it, but they ſee him and mourne over him; the ſight of him worketh godly ſorrow in the heart.
And what is the meaſure of it? it is even ſuch as for the loſſe of a mans onelyonly Sonne, and his firſt borne, the ſtaffe, and and ſtay, of his name and life, and of his proſperity: Lord God, what wilt thou give mee, ſeeing I goe childleſſe, ſaith Abraham? ſuch as was the mourning of Iudah, and Ieruſalem, when they ſaw Family, Church, and Common-wealth all plucked up by the rootes in the loſſe of one man: ſuch is the mourning of every godly ſoule, ſeeth all his hopes plucked up by the rootes for the want of Chriſt.
But you will ſay, is it not godly mourning unleſſe it bee Obj. ſo great? may not a man mourne more for loſſe of Church, and Common-wealth, and for his onelyonly Sonne then for Chriſt?
I anſwer, mourning for one of theſe may indeed make more Anſw. noyſe; but not be a greater mourning: when a man mourneth for his firſt borne, the windowes of Heaven are open, the Judgements of God are open, and the Fountaines of the great deep are open; this or that deep Affliction ſeiſeth upon a man, nature ſetteth a man on worke to mourne, and grace doth not hinder it, but when a man mourneth for want of Chriſt, the windowes of Heaven indeed are open; but this mourning findeth much oppoſition, below even from our hearts within: a ſmall ſhallow channel comming downe from a Hill, will make a great noyſe; when a man mourneth for his onelyonly Sonne, it commeth downe from God as a Judgement, downe hill, nothing hindereth: but this mourning for Chriſt is like a ſtreame that goeth up hill, (as it were) and through many reeds and flagges, and therefore no wonder if it maketh not ſuch a noyſe, though it bee a farre greater ſtreame then the other. Such is this ſpirituall mourning: for in theſe things it doth exceed all other griefes and mournings whatſoever.
It is more durable then any other ſorrow, our time in this world will never weare it out; whereas other ſorrow, though it be for a mans onelyonly Sonne will not laſt alway, time will weare it out.
It is an Increaſing ſorrow: other ſorrowes are more moderated every day then other, but this groweth ſtill more and more powerfull, and will eat up all other griefes: If a man have but a wound in his conſcience, it will weare out all other Croſſes, but a wounded Spirit who can beare? Prov. 18.14. It is a very ſtrong mourning, as we may perceive, Pſ. 102.3.4. &c. where the Holy man complaineth, that his dayes are thereby conſumed like ſmoke, and his bones burnt as an hearth, his heart is ſmitten and withered like graſſe, ſo that he forgetteth to eat his bread, &c.
This godly ſorrow is alſo more pure than any other ſorrow, having not ſo much mixture with luſts, and Carnall Affections; when David mournes for Abſalom, there is much Carnall Affection in it, in ſo much that Ioab doth perceive it, and dealeth ſharply with him for it, but this mourning for Chriſt being heavenly, is not ſo clogged with thoſe boyſterous diſtempers which other mournings are filled withall.
See a broad difference in the cauſe and object of this mourning: when a man mourneth for Chriſt as wronged by him; and yet ſeeth himſelf ſaved by Chriſt: as this object is tranſcendant, ſo is the mourning tranſcendant alſo, therefore it is ſaid, Rom. 8 26. The Spirit maketh Interceſſions for us with grones that cannot be uttered. Thus being ſet upon Chriſt, and fomented by his Spirit, it is eternall in the cauſes of it, and will lift up the ſoule above all undermoone diſcouragements, that a man will looke upon them as things, which God hath given and taken, and his griefe concerning them will van ſh away; but this being ſetled upon eternall obj cts can end no ſooner then life it ſelfe: And if our life in this world were eternall, ſo would this mourning be, although indeed when this life ſhall have an end, it will be ſwallowed up in a perfect fruition of Ieſus Chriſt.
In the laſt place, I would commend this unto all the children of God, that they Regulate their mourning according to this mourning: Let us mourne for Chriſt, and for his death, and bee truly ſenſible of the great Injuries which wee have done unto him, that ſo our griefe may ſwallow up all the baſeneſſe of our hearts, and all worldly ſorrowes which cauſe death, 2. Cor. 7.10. But godly ſorrow worketh Repentance never to be repented of: Let us therefore in all our private and publick Adminiſtrations mourne after him, and mourne for him, that thereby wee may be kept from ſuch entanglements, and diſcouragements as might interrupt us in our Chriſtian Courſe upon other meaner occaſions.