Sermon 26 August 1645, Sermon
A SERMON PREACHED To the Honourable Houſe of Commons, at their Monethly Faſt, Auguſt 27. 1645.
Rev. Chap. 20. Verſ. 1, 2.
And I ſaw an Angel come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomleſſe pit, and a great chaine in his hand.
And bee laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent, which is the Devill and Satan, and bound him for a thouſand years.
NOw I would this Angell would bow the heavens and come downe, and bring his chaine with him and bind the Devill now, for never was there more need, never was it more time: for if ever hee were looſe hee is looſe in theſe times, and if ever hee raged hee rageth in this nation: Alas for the inhabitants of England, for the Devill is come downe among them, having great wrath, and yet wee know not how long his time is; how lamentable and dolefull is it, that that prophecy ſhould ever bee ſo true of us (which is uttered againſt Babel) as it is proved to bee at this day, that Zijim and Ijim and Obim, ſatyres and fiends and devils ſhould daunce and domineere, and rage and ravin as they doe in this nation, and when and how they ſhall bee reſtrained, wee cannot tell? OnelyOnly there is ſome comfort in the text, and this indeed is all the comfort wee have, that the Angell in the Text can maſter the devill if hee will but doe it, and hee hath a chaine in his hand that will bind him, if hee will but tie him in it.
The Text is held to bee the hardeſt peece in all the Bible by many degrees: For as Prophetick writings are the difficulteſt peeces of all the Scripture, and the Revelation of all Prophetick writings, ſo is this Chapter of all the Revelation, and theſe Verſes of all this Chapter; and ſo doth a learned countrey man of our owne cenſure upon this place, that it is Res omnium totius Scripturae Propheticae abſtruſiſſima maximeque admiranda: Mr. Mede in loc.A matter the moſt abſtruſe of any part of the Prophets writings, and the moſt to be admired. I might ſpend the time that is allotted mee to produce the opinions and the arguments to prove thoſe opinions that are given upon this place. But I ſhall but tell you that ſome Popiſh writers apply this prophecy and victory of the Angel in the Text to the Pope, ſome to Pope Calixtus the ſecond, who bound the Dragon, ſay they, when by an Vid. Marlorat. in loc.Anathema hee cauſed Henry the fourth to renounce the cuſtome of inſtalling Biſhops and Abbots. Others to Pope Innocent the third, who bound the devill by approving the orders of the Dominicans and the Franciſcans. I need ſay no more, ſuch expoſitions as theſe, it is more then enough to have but named them.
I ſhall but tell you neither that ſome expoſitors of a better ſchoole, apply this victory of the Angel over the Dragon to Brightman.Conſtantines conquering of Maxentius Herculeus and Lieinius thoſe perſecuting Emperours, and that hee bound the devill when hee ended tyranny and perſecution, which had continued againſt the Church ſo long: and ſo they will have the thouſand yeares to begin from him.
But I muſt doe more then barely tell you, that the gloſſe and expoſition upon this prophecy which hath got the deepeſt root and the higheſt ſeate in the hearts and eſtimations of very many in theſe times, and carrieth the greateſt cry with it, is the opinion of the Chiliaſts of old, refined by the Millenaries alate, which take this matter about the thouſand years, ſtrictly and exactly according to the very letter. An opinion ſo ſtrange to mee that I muſt confeſſe I could not but make it a ſad omen and preſage a good while agoe what opinions we ſhould fall into in time, when ſuch an opinion as this could bee ſo ſwallowed downe and entertained as I ſaw it was.
I ſay ſuch an opinion as this.
That when Antichrist is deſtroyed the Jewes ſhall bee called, their calling ſhall bee home to the land of Canaan, (for let mee take up all the ſhreds of this opinion that I find ſcattered in the writings of the abetters of it) that Chriſt ſhall have a glorious reigne here upon earth, that himſelfe ſhall perſonally and viſibly dwell here among his Saints: that this glorious time ſhall laſt a thouſand yeares, that Satan all this while ſhall bee bound, ſo that there ſhall not bee the leaſt diſturbance or trouble in the Church, but all proſperity and Sunſhine. That theſe thouſand yeares are that that is called the day of judgement: that this day of judgement of a thouſand yeares long ſhall begin with a bodily reſurrection of the martyrs onelyonly, and ſhall conclude with the reſurrection of all the dead: and the beginning of theſe thouſand yeares is conceived by ſome to bee but about one and twenty yeares off: Thus the expoſition of this place according to that opinion.
I ſhall not trouble nor tire your patience with the examination of the truth of theſe particulars; I ſhall onelyonly lay before you ſix groundleſſe and miſtaken principles as I conceive, from whence I apprehend this expoſition and opinion to have riſen, and referre them to your owne cenſure and judgement; three from this Chapter that is before us, and three from other places in the Scripture.
Firſt, the maintainers of this opinion, ſeeme not to have taken proper and ſerious notice of one phraſe in this Chapter which the holy Ghoſt hath twice mentioned, that it might bee be ſure to bee taken notice of, and that is, that Satan is bound for a thouſand yeares that hee ſhould not deceive the nations: for ſo it is expreſſed in plaine tearmes in the third verſe upon his binding, & ſo is it hinted and intimated in the eighth verſe upon his looſing▪ now this opinion of the Millenaries ſpeakes much of Satans binding, ſo that there ſhall be no perſecution nor offenſiveneſſe in the glorious Church they dreame of, but all peace and happineſſe, and tranquillitie and glory, whereas this propheſie ſpeakes of no ſuch matter. It ſpeakes not a word of Satans binding, that hee ſhould not perſecute the Church, but it ſpeakes of Satans binding, that hee ſhould not deceive the nations. And how vaſt a difference there is betwixt perſecuting and deceiving, and betwixt the Church and the nations, may bee referred to any one to judge: And the miſſing to obſerve preſſely, this phraſe and this difference, is to miſſe of the very key that letteth in to the underſtanding of this prophecy.
Secondly, as this doubled phraſe is little obſerved, ſo another doubled one is much obſerved, but as much miſinterpreted, and that is of the firſt reſurrection of which there is mention in the fifth and the ſixth verſes. For though they will not deny the Apocalyptick to ſpeake in borrowed phraſes, and figurative ſpeeches all along his booke hither, yet here they will have him to ſpeake nakedly and literally without any ſuch borrowing, and to meane the very bodily riſing of the martyrs from the dead: whereas in all this Chapter there is not one word of their bodies ariſing, but of their ſoules living, nor one word of their living on earth, but of their raigning with Chriſt.
Thirdly, they conceive that the very method and place of this Chapter in which it lies, doth inferre their gloſſe and interpretation; for that mention being made of the ruine of Antichriſt in the next Chapters before, and of Chriſts Kingdome for theſe 1000. yeares, ſo immediatly after, in this they thinke it muſt not bee denyed, that theſe 1000. yeares muſt not bee begun till Antichriſt bee ruined: whereas the method of the Evangeliſt if it bee preſſely followed will appeare of a cleane differing ſcope.
For as Moſes in the booke of Exodus, hath three times deſcribed Exod 25. &c. and 36. &c. and 40. Exod. 35.the fabrick and faſhion of the Jewiſh Tabernacle, in the patterne, in the making, and in the ſetting up: and hath made a fourth ſummary of all the materialls that went to the making of it, though they were named in the other: Even ſo hath the Evangeliſh done by the deſcription of the Chriſtian Church in this booke: From the beginning of the fourth Chapter to the end of the eleventh hee hath deſcribed its ſtate and perſecution, but the perſecutor not named: From the beginning of the twelfth Chapter to the end of the nineteenth, hee hath deſcribed its ſtate and perſecution, and pointed the perſecutor out; in this Chapter hee ſummes up in briefe what hee had ſpoken in the two other parts at large, and in the two Chapters following hee ſets his Tabernacle up in her perfection, and deſcribes the Church in her holineſſe, and communion, and participation of Chriſt.
It is not proper for this time and place, to inſiſt upon the proofe and confirmation of this to bee the Evangeliffs meaning and method, which might clearly bee done, I referre it to your owne thoughts and conſideration. And as the parties that wee are dealing withall, doe thus miſtake and miſconſtrue upon this Chapter, ſo doe they alſo upon other places of the Scripture.
For fourthly, they hold that Rome is the fourth beaſt, or monarchy or kingdome in Daniel: and becauſe that Daniel hath told in his ſecond and ſeventh Chapters, that after the deſtruction of the fourth beaſt or kingdome, Chriſts glorious kingdome ſhall bee ſet up, they therefore imagine that this kingdome of Chriſt is yet to come, and yet ſhall not come, till Antichriſt ſhall bee deſtroyed, which they hold to bee a part of the fourth monarchy: whereas, to let paſſe divers other reaſons, which might ſufficiently prove the contrary, Daniel himſelfe in his ſeventh Chapter at the eleventh and twelfth Verſes, does ſhow moſt plainely, that it is impoſſible that the fourth beaſt ſhould meane the Romans: for hee there telleth expreſſely, that even when the fourth beaſt was ſlaine and his body deſtroyed and given to the burning flame, the reſt of the beaſts had indeed their dominion taken away, but yet their lives were prolonged: Now what ſigne of life ſhall bee to bee found of the other three Monarchies, when Antichriſt ſhall bee deſtroyed, it is utterly unimaginable to apprehend.
Fiftly, and which is much agreeable to the former, they conceive that Daniel prophecieth of Antichriſt: of whom hee ſpeaketh not one word, nor treateth of any particular times or ſtories of the Goſpel, but onelyonly holdeth out that gerall prophecy which all the Prophets did, with one conſent of the calling of the Gentiles, and of Chriſts glorious kingdome among them in the Goſpell. For it is a groundworke neceſſary to bee laid by him that will make any thing of the booke of Daniel and of the Revelation; That where Daniel endeth John beginneth and goeth no further back, and where John beginneth Daniel endeth and goeth no further forward. For Daniel ſheweth the ſtate and the perſecutors of the Church of the Jewes, from the building of Jeruſalem by Cyrus to the deſtruction of it by Titus, and hee goes no further. And there where the beloved Prophet concludeth the beloved Diſciple beginneth and taketh at him in this booke, and ſheweth the ſtate Dan. 10. 11. Iohn 21. 20.and the perſecutors of the Chriſtian Church, from the deſtruction of Jeruſalem to the end of the world, and revealeth a new Jeruſalem comming downe from heaven when the old one on earth is deſtroyed, and one perſecuting monarchy and ſtate of Rome equalling in miſchiefe and cruelty againſt the Church all the foure that had gone before it.
Sixtly and laſtly, they hold that Antichriſt ſhall bee deſtroyed, before the Jewes ſhall bee called: which is not onelyonly not to be proved by any Scripture throughout all the Bible, but eaſily to bee diſproved both by Scripture and reaſon, and it were no hard taske to ſhew, if it were ſeaſonable, that the eleventh Chapter of this book, by the killing of the two witneſſes intendeth perſecution againſt the two Churches Jewes and Gentiles, when they ſhall bee knit together at the Jews calling.
Upon theſe ſix foundations is that opinion built which in it ſelfe is ſo exceeding ſtrange, and yet (which is as ſtrange) is ſo exceedingly entertained; I leave the ballances in your hands to weigh the weight or the lightneſſe of them: and now crave a little leave, to preſent you with ſix other particulars on the other hand for the clearing and explaining of the Text before us.
Firſt therefore, by Satans deceiving of the nations (from which hee is bound up in the Text that hee ſhall doe ſo no more) is to be underſtood that blindnes and ignorance in which he kept the heathen for ſo many hundreds of yeares, before the appearing of the Goſpel, deceiving them with ſtrong deluſions to beleeve lies, eſpecially with his two great cheats and couſenages that miſled all the world, Idols and Oracles: And that this is the meaning of that phraſe deceiving the nations may bee concluded upon, not onelyonly by the terme nations, nor onelyonly by the truth of the thing it ſelfe, for that was the great deceiving of the world, nor onelyonly by the phraſes of the Scripture that expreſſe the errors and deluſion of the heathen, but even by the very tenor and ſcope of this Chapter it ſelfe, for it ſetteth downe the two great couſenings and deceivings of the world by the Devill, the one under heatheniſme before Chriſt bound him, and the other by Antichriſtianiſme when hee was let looſe againe.
Secondly, by the Angels binding the Devill in the Text, is to bee underſtood Chriſts overthrowing the power of the Devill among the Heathen, (for I ſuppoſe it needleſſe to prove that the Angell is Chriſt) his caſting down thoſe ſtrong holds of Satan, Ignorance, Idolatry and lying Oracles, by the light and power of the Goſpel preached among the Gentiles, his bringing them home to the knowledge of the truth, and his curbing of Satan, that he ſhould no more couſen the world with thoſe deluſions and heatheniſme as hee had done.
Thirdly, this change of the Heathens condition, from the darknes of Ignorance to the knowledg of the truth, from worſhipping of Idols to the worſhipping of the living God, from ſeeking after lying Oracles to the ſtudying of the holy Scriptures, from the power of Satan to the glorious kingdome of the Lords deare Sonne, this change I ſay out of that condition ſo ſad, and that condition in which they had laine above 2000. yeares, was as their changing from death to life, and as it were a reſurrection from the dead. And ſo is it called in the ſix and twentieth of Eſay and the nineteenth Verſe, and moſt expreſſely by our Saviour in Iohn 5. 24, 25. And this is that firſt reſurrection that is ſpoken of in this prophecie in the fifth and ſixth Verſes: and when the Jewes ſhall bee called, which now lie in a condition much like to the old Heathens, that ſhall bee as another reſurrection, for ſo it is alſo called, Rom. 11. 15.
Fourthly, if I ſhould make a chronologie of theſe 1000. yeares, I ſhould date the reſurrection of the Gentiles and their calling in and Chriſts ſetting up his kingdome among them from the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, from which time Iohn alſo dateth his revelation. For although the Goſpel were preached to the Heathen abundantly before Jeruſalem were deſtroyed, and almoſt all the world was brought in, to the knowledge of the Goſpel, and obedience of the faith before that time, yet is the date of theſe things more eſpecially from that, becauſe that then Judaiſme was wholly ceaſed, and Chriſtianity onelyonly ſet up, the old people of the Lord cut off, and the Gentiles choſen and taken into their ſtead. And hence it is that ſo great things are ſpoken of the day of Ieruſalems deſtruction in the Scripture: as that it is called the great, and terrible, and notable day of the Lord, Ioel 2. 31. Acts 2. 20. as if it were the day of judgment and the diſſolution of the old world: and our Saviour diſcourſeth it and the end of the world ſo mixtly together that you cannot know them aſunder they are ſo like, Matth. 24.
And to this purpoſe is the Maſoretick note upon the firſt of Geneſis and the ſecond of good uſe, which telleth us that the phraſe Haarets tohu Vabohu, The earth was without forme and voyd, is never uſed againe in Scripture but once, and that is in Ier. 4. 23. where the Prophet is ſpeaking of Ieruſalems deſtruction, as if then the world were ended and returned to its Chaos againe. For here it was that the old world of Moſaick rites, the old heavens and the old earth of the Jewiſh Church and State ended and came to ruine, and hence it was that the new heavens and the new earth, the new world, the new Ieruſalem, the new ſtate of the world, and the new Church of the Goſpel began, and then it is no wonder if this bee called the firſt reſurrection: Here properly began that which in Scripture is ſo renowned and called the kingdom of heaven: that is, Chriſts kingdome in the Goſpel ſet up among the Gentiles when the earthly kingdome of Rites and Ceremonies among the Jewes, the kingdome of hell in ignorance and Idolatry among the Gentiles was now finiſhed, and the kingdome everlaſting of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe ſet up. And at this time it is that the thrones are ſaid to bee ſet up in Dan. 7. and in the fourth Verſe of this Chapter, and as our Saviour expreſſeth it, the Apoſtles ſitting on twelve thrones judging the 12. Tribes of Iſrael, that is, the Apoſtolique doctrine judging and condemning that unbeleeving nation, and ſhewing their rejection to bee moſt juſt becauſe of their unbeleefe: This period of time thus obſerved and taken notice of would helpe to facilitate and cleare many things in Scripture, which for want of obſerving this, do fall under miſpriſon and miſinterpretation, as inſtance in that in Act. 2. 17. It ſhall come to poſſe in the laſt dayes, &c. Conceits are taken up by divers in our times upon this place, as if viſions and prophetick gifts, and I know not what ſhould bee powred upon men toward the end of the world, miſconſtruing the phraſe of the laſt dayes to meane the later end of the world, whereas it meaneth the laſt dayes of the Jewes world or ſtate, and miſconceiving the terme, the great and terrible day of the Lord, to meane the day of judgement, whereas it meaneth nothing elſe but the day of Jeruſalems deſtruction. Were I then to Chronicle theſe 1000. yeares in the Text, I ſhould begin them from this date: but I ſhall not bee punctuall to determine that at this time: Begin them whether you will, either there, when the Gentiles onelyonly began to bee the Church, or begin them when firſt the Goſpel came among the Gentiles, either by Peter to Cornelius or by Paul to the weſterne parts of the world, (for the publiſhing of the Goſpel to the heathen was the binding the devill that hee ſhould no more deceive the nations) begin at whether date you will, it is eaſie to caſt where the 1000. yeares end, according to your choice of their beginning.
Fiftly, from either beginning, the end of them will fall in the very pitch of the Kingdome of Antichriſt as I may ſo call it, when now the world began to be in deepeſt darkenes again, & to become heatheniſh anew, and then is Satan in juſtice looſed againe, and deceiveth the nations a freſh by Antichrist, and for a ſeaſon the world becomes no better then the old heathens for Ignorance and Idolatry.
Sixtly, in this thouſand yeares ſpace, perſecution haunted the Church in a moſt miſerable extremity: partly by the Heathen Emperours, partly by Antichriſt when hee appeared, and many thouſands were put to death for the witneſſe of Jeſus and for the word of God, and which neither worſhipped the beaſt of the Empire nor his Image Antichriſt when hee was riſen up, and theſe though they were miſerably tortured and ſlaughtered in regard of the body, yet their ſoules reigned with Chriſt and were in happineſſe. And the Evangeliſt in the fourth Verſe, ſpeaketh but in the tenor that Daniel doth in his twelfth Chapter and ſecond Verſe: where treating of the miſerable afflictions to bee cauſed by Antiochus, hee comforteth thoſe that ſhould fall under them with aſſurance of the reſurrection and eternall felicitie: So the Apocalyptique here, being to diſcourſe of the perſecution that ſhould befall by Rome, firſt heatheniſh, and then Papall, hee ſolaceth and incourageth all choſe that ſhould ſuffer it, with this aſſurance, that though their bodies ſhould be deſtroyed, yet their ſoules ſhould reigne with Chriſt: and as for the others that worſhipped the Beaſt and his Image, they never obtained the firſt reſurrection of recovering out of their heatheniſh and blind eſtate into the imbracing of the light, but they continued dead in ignorance and error till even after theſe thouſand yeares, and then the world ſlipped into the darkneſſe and deluſions of Antichriſt as into heatheniſme again. And ſo I have given you the ſenſe of this place, and as I conceive the very ſenſe of the holy Ghoſt: If I have been a little overlong in it, it is but according as the difficulty of the thing it ſelfe requires, and I hope you will pardon mee.
Before I come to take up the words, I cannot but obſerve this to you, from what hath been ſpoken laſt, namely that Errour and deceivedneſſe in the things of God is a verier devill and Doct.more dangerous then open perſecution. For the Text accounts the Devill bound, when hee is tied up from deceiving, though hee bee at liberty for perſecuting, I do but name this here, I ſhall have occaſion to make uſe of it hereafter.
And now in the Text you may obſerve two things; firſt, a deſcription of Chriſt and a deſcription of the Devill; and ſecondly, a maſtery of Chriſt over the Devill.
The deſcription of Chriſt in the firſt Verſe, a deſcription of the Devill in the ſecond, and the maſtery of Chriſt over the Devill in the conjunction of both.
I might obſerve many things out of the words in either verſe, but I ſhall onelyonly take up that which both the Verſes conjoyned doe mainely and clearely hold out unto us, and that is:
That, bee the Devill never ſo devilliſh, Chriſt hath power to overpower him.Doct.
It is worth your obſervation, that the Text ſeemeth to bee at ſtrife with it ſelfe, whether to ſet out the Devill in his deviliſhneſſe, or Chriſts power over him, in the higher expreſſions; for as on the one hand it hath ſet out the Devill in five of his attributes, if I may ſo call them, as that hee is a Dragon, a Serpent, an old Serpent, the Devill, Satan; ſo in as many termes on the other hand hath it ſet out Chriſts power and victory over him, namely that he layes hold on him, binds him, caſts him into the bottomleſſe pit, ſhuts him up, ſeales him up for a thouſand yeares, as if it purpoſely intended to proclaime this to us, which I cannot but repeate againe, That bee the Devill never ſo deviliſh, Chriſt hath power to overpower him.
The truth of this doctrine was the very firſt thing that was held out in the world, after ſinne came into it: and as ſoone as the Devill had ſhewed his deviliſhneſſe in the overthrow of Adam, the Lord proclaimes the power of Chriſt to conquer the devill, and that before ever any cenſure or ſentence bee paſſed upon Adam, Gen. 3. 15.
And this truth ſhall bee one of the laſt things that ſhall bee held out in the world, when the devill ſhall receive the reward of all his deviliſhneſſe; when hee, his Angels, and his inſtruments ſhall receive this ſentence from him, Goe yet curſed, &c.
And as for the ſpace betwixt theſe two periods, or from the beginning of the world to the end of it, the Scripture is ſo full of teſtimonies, and the world ſo full of experiences of Chriſts power and maſtery over the Devill, that it is needleſſe to prove it, the Devill himſelfe dare not deny it, Matth. 8. 29.
I ſhall confine my diſcourſe upon this ſubject unto theſe particulars.
Namely, to ſhew you how the power of Chriſt meets with the Devill to maſter him; firſt, in the utmoſt evilneſſe of his nature, as hee is a Serpent: Secondly, in the utmoſt vigour of his power, as hee is a Dragon, the greateſt of Serpents; thirdly, in the utmoſt practiſe of his ſubtiltie, for hee is an old Serpent; and fourthly, in the utmoſt exerciſe of his malice, for he is a Devill; and laſtly, in the utmoſt violence of his cruelty, for hee is Satan; the utmoſt of any of theſe, the utmoſt of all theſe either in himſelfe, or in his inſtruments or members, all the Devills in hell, all the wicked on earth, Chriſt is too big for them, hee can, hee doth maſter, quell and conquer them at his pleaſure.
The firſt thing to bee conſidered in the Devill to our purpoſe in hand is the evilneſſe of his nature, and that the Text intimates unto us, when it calls him a Serpent, a beaſt that carries poyſon within him, death comes from him, and a curſe is upon him: Wee may ſay of his nature as hee is a Devill, as the Scripture ſpeaketh of the frame of mans heart, as it was unframed by the Devill, hee is wholly evill, onelyonly evill and evill continually.
There is a queſtion among Divines whether there be a ſummum Aquin. part 1. quaeſt. 49. Art. 3.malune as there is a ſummum bonum, a chiefeſt evill, in that ſenſe that there is a chiefeſt good: They hold it negatively, and there is good reaſon for it, but certainly if any thing come neare to the pitch of ſuch a thing as a ſummum malum, it is that evill one wee have in hand.
For firſt, looke upon him in his being evill, hee is abſolutely ſo, hee is intentionally ſo, hee is irrecoverably ſo, hee is maliciouſly ſo.
Secondly, looke upon him in cauſing evill, and hee was the father of ſinne, the firſt cauſe of Gods diſhonour, the voluntary cauſe of his own ruine, the malicious cauſe of the ruine of mankind.
And thirdly, looke upon him in his acting of evill, and hee did it at firſt without a tempter, hee doth it ſince as a tempter, hee committed it then at the height of ſinne, hee doth it now as a depth of ſinne and puniſhment.
I might inlarge my ſelfe in all theſe particulars, but I ſhall onelyonly recommend to you the conſideration of theſe two things, the perverſneſſe of his will incorrigible; and the deſperateneſſe of his condition, irrecoverable: And thus is hee moſt truely and primarily that which Jude ſpeaketh of ſome of his children and members, twice dead, to bee pluckt up by the Iude verſ. 12.rootes. Mankind, though it fell into the hands this theefe, and were ſtript, and beaten, and wounded and undone by him, yet left hee him but halfe dead: not in the ſenſe that ſome would make of it, as if ſome power and moving to grace Luk, 10. 30.were in his nature when hee was falne, but in a ſenſe contrary to the deſperate eſtate of the devill, that mans will was curable, and his fall recoverable.
So was not the devils, either the one or the other.
The devill is in this in a direct diameter or contrarietie to the good Angels that ſtood, that as they cannot ſinne, ſo can hee doe nothing elſe: and as they can will nothing but good, ſo can hee will nothing but evill; and as they ſhall never fall, ſo hee ſhall never recover.
Firſt, the incorrigible perverſneſſe of his will is intimated in theſe expreſſions of Scripture: There is no truth in him, and when bee ſpeakes a lie hee ſpeakes of his owne, John 8. 44. And the devill ſinneth from the beginning, 1 John 3. 8. And your adverſary the devill walketh about ſeeking whom hee may devoure, 1 Pet. 5. 8. And others of the like tenor concluding to us that the devill is in a continuall motion and practiſe of ſinning, and can doe nothing elſe becauſe there is no truth or goodneſſe in him, but hee is ſpirituall wickedneſſe itſelfe, as hee is called, Epheſ. 6 12.
Now this obduration of the devils will in evill, proceedeth not onelyonly from the juſtice of God, reſerving him in ſuch chaines of darkneſſe to the judgement of the great day, but from two curſed principles within himſelfe.
Firſt, whereas the evils that men fix their affections upon, are choſen by them as appearing to them to have good in them, as pleaſures, profits and the like, and ſo poore men are deluded by ſhadows: the devill in his fall choſe evill even under the notion of evill, hee being of a knowledge that could not bee deluded, and being in a ſtate that could not be bettered.
And ſecondly, becauſe hee doth adhere unto the choyce of that evill that hee firſt made, and that not onelyonly in regard of the fixedneſſe of an Angels choyce, which as the Schooles tell us, cannot change his choyce which hee hath once made, quia apprehendit immobiliter per intellectum, but alſo in regard Aquin. part 1. qu. 64. art. 2.of that malitiouſneſſe that poyſoned his firſt choyce, and hath venomed his whole will, and cannot bee wrought out of.
And thus is the Devil incorrigible in regard of his curſed will, and then it is no wonder if hee bee irrecoverable in regard of his curſed eſtate: for if any wicked one deſerves that ſad doome of Hee that will be filthy let him bee filthy, this wicked one deſerves it, and it is laid upon him. It was once indeed the conceit of ſome that the Devils ſhould in time repent and bee ſaved, but the Devils themſelves are of another opinion, as it may bee ſeene, Matth. 8. 29. for God and their owne conſcience hath told them ſo, James 2. 19. and the Scripture telleth us ſo, Jude Verſ. 6.
Now two reaſons may be given of this beſides theſe two mentioned before, Gods juſtice, and their owne obduration, and theſe are, firſt, in regard of the heinouſneſſe of their ſinne, for it was againſt the Holy Ghoſt; and ſecondly, in regard of the height of their happineſſe, for they were in termino viae, at their journeys end.
Firſt, not to trouble you with any large diſcourſe what the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt is, if ever it were committed, no doubt it was committed in the firſt ſinne of the Devill.
Secondly, when Adam ſinned hee was but ſetting forth on his journey towards heaven, and that eternitie that God had appointed him unto: for his happineſſe in paradiſe was not the utmoſt happineſſe that hee muſt looke after, but an happineſſe in heaven whereof that in Paradiſe was but a type and pledge, and ſo poore man hee ſtumbled and fell at the very threſhold as hee was ſetting out on his journey, and God out of pitty ſet him on his feet againe, or elſe mankind had never taſted of that infinite good for which God created it.
But the devill, as ſoone as ever hee was created, being created an Angel of light, hee was already in the utmoſt happineſſe hee muſt ever attaine unto, hee was in heaven, he was in eternitie, already hee was with God, and what would hee, what could hee have more? And therefore for him in portu impingere, to ſhipwrack himſelfe when hee was got into the Haven, for him to deſpiſe God, heaven and eternitie when hee now injoyed it, it hath made him utterly deſperate in regard of his condition, and never to be repaired or recovered.
And thus have you ſeene ſomething of the Devils nature and conſtitution: And I have beene the briefer in the treaty of it, becauſe I would not keepe your patience too long upon ſuch a diſcourſe, and yet have I taken up ſuch a diſcourſe becauſe I know it would bee exceeding profitable if it could but bring us to ſee the devill in his owne colors indeed. For if to behold God in his eſſence doth fill the will ſo full of divine contentment, as that (as the Schooles ſpeak) it can never turne again from God to delight in ſinne; then certainly on the contrary, to behold the devil in his colours and complexion, would ſo fill the will with the abhorring and deteſtation of him, that it would not readily turne againe to the devill to forſake God: And therefore if I were to make a threefold wiſh as Auſten once did, I cannot tell what to wiſh for to more profit and advantage then to know God as hee is, the devill as hee is, and our ſelves what wee are.
But to purſue what wee are about.
As you have ſeene the evilneſſe of the Devils nature eſpecially in theſe two particulars, in the incorrigible frowardneſſe of his will and the irrecoverable curſedneſſe of his condition: So now looke how the power of Chriſt meets with him and over powers him for all this his crooked and curſed diſpoſition. And this is conſiderable alſo in two particulars.
Firſt, in that though the will of the devill bee thus deſperately and precipitately bent upon evill, yet Chriſt doth ſo overpower him as that hee produceth good out of the devils actions to his owne people. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth, much more can any good thing from the devill? can any bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? not one, but one; Hee that brought light out of darkneſſe at the beginning, fire out of water at the ſacrifice of Elias, ſight out of blind eyes ſtopt up with clay, the ſame can bring good out of evill, good to his people even out of the wickedneſſe of the devill, by that mighty working whereby hee is able to ſubdue all things, even the devill to himſelfe.
I might bee copious in ſhewing what good the Lord produceth out of the devils temptations practiſed by himſelfe, what good out of the devils perſecutions practiſed by his inſtruments: even honey for Samſon out of the very carcaſſe of the devouring Lion, and meat for Elias out of the mouth of the carion Raven. I might ſhew you, how Adam had a better condition, Job a better eſtate, Joſhua the high Prieſt better cloaths gotten, out even of the aſſaults of the devill; I might ſhew you what carefulneſſe is wrought in the people of God, what clearing of themſelves, yea what indignation, yea what feare, yea what vehement deſire, yea what zeale, yea what holy 2 Cor. 7. 11.revenge, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes in another caſe, and all this even from the very devils temptations.
I might ſhew you how the Church hath beene increaſed, the Goſpel propagated, God glorified, Atheiſts converted, and the enemies confounded, even by the devils perſecution: But I need not to goe farre for examples and experiences in this kind: looke at home, in theſe times and diſtractions where the devill is ſo buſie, and as we may ſadly ſee him raging, and let looſe in theſe dolefull warres, ſo may wee as viſibly ſee Chriſt doing good to this poore kingdome out of this his evill. For,
Firſt, how many rotten hearts, and how many rotten members hath the devill, or God rather out of the devils activitie diſcovered in this nation in theſe troubles, which like a moth and corruption were devouring a poore kingdome, and ſhee knew not who hurt her: What Junctoes of hell have beene found out, what plots diſcovered, what Cabinets of letters detected, what actions deſcribed, what hearts anatomized? Popery, Prerogative, Proteſtations, Plotters, Prelates, all come to light and found deſperate and deviliſh, and all this done by the great buſineſſe of the devill, God overpowering him, and making him to prove a tel-tale of his own counſels, and as it were a falſe brother to his owne hell and fraternity.
Secondly, how have theſe troubles beaten men and the kingdome out of their fooleries and ſuperſtitions, their trumperies and ceremonies, cuſtomes and traditions? which how hard it would have been to have got off from them, if they had not beene thus brayed in this morter, the great tenaciouſneſſe of them with divers even in this morter is evidence ſufficient: This droſſe would never have beene got away if it had not paſſed ſuch a furnace: and our Iſrael would never have ſhaken hands with Egyptian Idolatry, if it had not beene beaten out of it by Egyptian affliction. So that let me take up the manner of ſpeech of our Saviour with ſome inverſion; Oh England, England, Satan hath deſired to winnow thee as wheate, and hee hath winnowed away a world of his owne chaffe.
Thirdly, how many prophane and ungodly wretches hath this warre cut off, Papiſts, Atheiſts, Epicures, Devills incarnate, that would not onelyonly have layen in the way, as ſo much rubbiſh to hinder the worke of the Temple, but that would have proved Sanballats, Tobiahs, Geſhems, and ſuch Samaritans, utterly to oppoſe it with all their might? It is a ſad thing to ſee ſo many of Iſrael periſh in the matter of Baal Peor; yet there is this comfort in it, that the entring into the land of promiſe will bee the ſpeedier when theſe untowardly and ungratious ones are taken a way.
Fourthly, how many prayers and petitions at the throne of grace hath hee preſſed out in theſe extremities? the foole making a whip for his owne back, for ſo prayer is ſtiled, flagellum Diabolo, and helping forward his owne deſtruction.
And thus all things, even the very evilneſſe of the Devill himſelfe, worke for the good of Gods people, and hee that would have run Phereus thorough; cures his impoſtume and kils him not, and all through the overpowering power of Chriſt, who is able to ſubdue all things unto himſelfe, and doth diſpoſe all things for the good of his.
Secondly, Chriſts mighty power meets with this evilneſſe of the Devils nature and overpowers it, when hee delivers men out of the very ſame evilneſſe of nature, and works it out of them, by the work of grace and renewing, and brings them to become new creatures: Wee have heard a ſad ſtory of the dolefull nature and conſtitution of the Devill, wee may ſay each one to himſelfe as Nathan once to David, by thy naturall condition thou art the ſame: As one Blackmore may ſee his complexion in another Blackmores face, ſo may wee our owne nature in the devils; he is our father by nature, & we as like him as we may looke; and the two Soſiaes in the Comedie were not liker one to another, then we to him in our originall temper: God at the firſt made us like himſelf, but our degeneration hath made us ſo like to Satan, that all the evilneſſe, perverſneſſe, curſedneſſe that wee heare or read of of the Devill, is all our own, and who ſhall deliver us from this body of death? I thanke God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord: Hee hath a power that can pull and redeeme us out of this eſtate; and ſurely this power is not ſmall. And therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of this worke wrought upon a poore ſoule, hee cals it the exceeding greatneſſe of his power to them that beleeve, Epheſ. 1. 19.
1. This is the next worke of wonder and power to the worke of the Incarnation, for as in that God became man, ſo in this man becomes like God. 2. It is a worke beyond that of the creation, for in that there was no reſiſtance in the ſubject wrought upon, in this there is. 3. It is a change beyond all changes, for a Devill to become a Saint, a child of Satan to become the child of God, and a man from the very nature of the Devill, to become partaker of the Divine nature: And 4. it is a greater worke then caſting out ſeven Devils or a Legion of Devils, for it caſteth out even all the Devils of hell out of a man, for the nature of them all is in him: And then how great is this power of Chriſt that can thus change our devilliſh nature to become like his glorious nature through his mighty working?
A ſecond thing conſiderable in the Devil, and to which Chriſts power is more diametrically oppoſite in overpowering him, is his power, even that great and wondrous power of the Devil, for ſo I may call it, that no bodily creature is able of it ſelfe to reſiſt, and no man almoſt able to expreſſe or apprehend: Hee carrieth power in his name, he carryeth power in his nature, hee carrieth power in his number, and hee ſheweth power in works.
1. Hee carrieth power in his name, for hee is called a Dragon here; A ſtrong man armed, Matth. 12. 29. The Prince of the power of the aire, Epheſ. 2. 2. The God of this world, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Principalities and powers, Epheſ. 6. 12.
2. He carrieth power in his nature, as being an Angel, and ſo hee is called even in his devilliſh eſtate, 1 Cor. 6. 3. Know yee not that wee ſhall judge the Angels, that is, the Devils? and ſo ſhould I underſtand that in 1 Cor. 11. 10. A woman ought to have power on her head becauſe of the Angels, that is, a woman ought to have a covering on her head in the publique meetings, leſt the devils ſhould tempt men with the expoſall of her beauty: Now Angels excell in ſtrength, Pſal. 103. 20. as being ſpirits, which are of an activitie incomparably beyond bodily creatures. Nor hath the devill loſt his power by his fall, ſince that was not ſo much any part of his holineſſe and happineſſe as it was an eſſentiall facultie of his nature.
3. Hee carrieth power in his number; there being a numberleſſe multitude of devils that fell together. Some Divines of old have held that they are equall in number to all the people of God that ſhall be ſaved from the beginning of the world to the end of it, and that God in eternitie did decree: to make up the number of fallen Angels, by an equall number of elect men. Whether this bee ſo or no, and whether the aire be full of devils, as others have conceived, wee will not examine; certainely it is that wee read of a Legion in Marke 5. 9. and doubtleſſe it is, that the number of them is exceeding many.
4. And laſtly, as he carries power in theſe reſpects, ſo hee ſheweth power in his works and actings, in ſo much that his power hath beene miſtaken for the mighty power of God, Act. 8. 10.
I ſhall not need to inſiſt upon it to ſhew you how hee can,
1. Hurry bodies up and downe in the aire, Matth▪ 4. 5. Luk. 8. 29. 33.
2. Raiſe tempeſts, Job 1. 16. 19.
3. Bring diſeaſes both of body and mind, Luke 13. 16. and Luke 9. 37. compared with Matth. 17. 15.
4. Overthrow houſes and buildings, Job 1. 19.
5. Break chaines and barres, Marke 5. 4, &c.
It is our comfort Chriſt hath a chaine in the Text will hold him: And bee his power never ſo great and wonderfull in it ſelfe and in the eyes of men, yet Chriſt hath power beyond him and over him, and this hee exerciſeth partly immediately by himſelfe, partly mediately by his inſtruments.
1. Chriſt overpowereth the devill immediatly by himſelfe: for,
1. Hee ſuffereth him not to doe his owne will: This day is this truth fulfilled in our eyes, and in our perſons, it is written even on theſe wals, as holineſſe on the bells of the horſes, Zach. 14. 20. for if the devill might doe his owne will, where had wee beene by this time that are here now alive and ſafe before the Lord? If his power were as large as his malice, no fleſh ſhould bee ſaved, but for poore mans ſake that chaine is ſhortned.
2. Hee maketh him to doe his will: as the Commander in the Goſpel, he ſaith to one goe and hee goeth, and to another come and hee commeth, and to a third, do this and hee doth it, and they cannot, they dare not but obey him.
3. Hee can doe nothing without his will: As 1. not walke further then hee gives him chaine; for as in the Text Chriſt hath a chaine in his hand, ſo in Iude verſ. 6. hee hath the Devill in a chaine, and hee cannot goe an inch further then hee gives him liberty.
2. Hee can tempt no man without his permiſſion, as in the caſe of Job, Job 1. and 2. of Ahab 1 King. 22. 21, 22. no not enter into the heard of Swine without licence, Matth. 8. 31.
3. Hee cannot recover himſelfe out of his deſperate condition into which he is fallen.
4. Hee can as little recover his ſervants and agents from any miſery into which they fall.
5. Hee cannot take off any plague that the Lord layeth on.
6. Hee cannot force any mans will to evill; for if the devill could carry the will whither himſelfe would, hee would carry all fleſh to hell.
Theſe particulars I might inlarge, to ſhew the weakneſſe of the devill for all his great power, and Chriſts power over him infinitely greater; but that may beſt bee ſeene, by that power of Chriſt over the Devill, which hee ſheweth in, and by his ſervants, over him. As,
1. Chriſts power in a poore beleever: a ſpectacle for men and Angels to looke upon and to wonder at: That a poore lumpe of clay, a worme, a moth, a nothing, yet drawing power by faith out of the everlaſting fountaine, ſhould conquer him that can remove mountains: tread under foot the great Dragon, and through Chriſt bee more then a Conqueror over him; and this wee ſee by conſtant experience.
2. Chriſts power which hee hath committed to Miniſters and Magiſtrates; the two hands of Chriſt whereby hee viſibly conquers the devill in the fight of men: the Jonathan and and his armour-bearer: the Prieſts with trumpets, and the gathering hoſte, that one after another deſtroy theſe Philiſtims, and that both together helpe to lay the wals of the Citie of hell flat. Upon this object do I ſpecially looke in the exerciſe of theſe two offices; that they have not to fight againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and powers: and this conſideration is ſome ſatisfaction to mee, and helpeth to ſettle mee about that matter which is now ſo much controverted, namely about Chrurch power; for to mee it ſeemeth, the acting of theſe two offices to bee thus, the miniſtery to caſt the devill out where it may bee done, and the Magiſtrate to bind the devill where hee cannot be caſt out: and ubi deſinit Philoſophus ibi incipit Medicus: where the power of the one ceaſeth the other taketh at it and finiſheth the worke: The Miniſtery by the preaching of the word, and by prayer, ſtriveth to caſt the devill out: and if it doe it, well, but if it cannot doe it, it can goe no further; and then the Magiſtracy commeth in and bindeth him that hee trouble not others, though the Miniſtery cannot caſt him out from vexing the party himſelfe. It is needleſſe to ſhew how Chriſt overpowereth the devil by both theſe: the matter is ſo apparent and conſpicuous I ſhall not need to goe about to ſhew it: It is enough to ſay that the miniſtery of the Goſpel overthrew the Idolatry of the Heathen, and that the Magiſtracy can hang a Witch. And ſo have wee done with a ſecond particular, the Text hinteth unto us, the Devils power, and Chriſts overpowering it.
I ſhould now take up the other conſiderations concerning the Devill that the text holdeth out: and firſt I might ſhew his ſubtiltie, from that title that it giveth him, an old Serpent: A Serpent, the craftieſt of all beaſts, Gen. 3. 1. and an old Serpent of 5573. yeares continuance and experience within one monethmonth or there-abouts.
I might have ſhewed how in all this time,
1. Hee hath obſerved the courſe of nature: 2. The courſe of Gods providence, and 3. the temper of men, and hath reaped policy and experience from all theſe. How,
1. Hee playeth Gods Ape, in having his miracles and oracles as God hath his, and how hee imitates his workes.
2. Can transforme himſelfe into an Angel of light: as hee did to Eve who tooke him for a good Angel.
3. Baiteth his hookes with the good things of God, as with ſhew of Religion, with Gods mercy and patience, to intice to preſumption, &c.
4. Changeth his temptations as occaſions change, as hee did by Chriſt: one while tempting him to a great worke of power, to turne ſtones into bread: and another while to a worke of the greateſt weakneſſe, to worſhip the devill.
5. Deceiveth men with Kids fleſh in ſtead of Veniſon, and fixeth them on the creature in ſtead of the Creator.
6. Kils men with love of themſelves as the Ape doth her young ones with imbraces.
I might alſo have ſhewed the ſubtiltie and policie that hee exerciſeth by men, as well as hee doth to men: and here might I take up the maſter peeces of helliſh policies practiſed by our enemies in theſe times.
And I might ſhew how Chriſt overpowereth the Devill in regard of this his ſubtiltie, in
1. Giving ſtrength to his people to overcome his temptations.
2. In diſcovering his plots.
3. In defeating of them.
4. In bringing them on his and his inſtruments own heads.
Secondly, I might likewiſe have ſhewed ſome glimpſe of the malice of the Devill, as hee is named in the Text, Satan or an enemie.
As, 1. That hee fell through malice to man: and this the moſt proper cauſe of his fall, though pride were mingled.
2. That hee continueth in the ſame malice by which hee fell, and cannot doe otherwiſe.
3. That it hath no bounds either in regard of himſelfe, or of the object, but he is ever malicious, and malicious to all extremitie; and that both againſt God, and againſt all men, and againſt all men alike, though in regard of externall perſecution he ſheweth ſome difference.
I might ſhew withall how Chriſt overpowereth him in regard of this maliciouſneſſe.
1. By bounding the execution of his malice, though his malice it ſelfe be not bounded.
2. By loading him with the greateſt condemnation, even hatched and generated by his owne malice.
And laſtly, wee might have conſidered the crueltie of the devill, as hee is a devill: as
1. That hee is cruell even to himſelfe that hee may miſchief others: and brings the more condemnation upon his owne head, by bringing men into condemnation.
2. That his crueltie is his onelyonly comfort, and that he hath no ſolace at all for his owne deſtruction, but meerly this curſed one, to bring men into the ſame caſe with him.
But Chriſt overpowereth his cruelty:
1. By the Saints patience.
2. By his owne providence.
All theſe things would require a large diſcourſe to illuſtrate and comment upon them, but in regard of the time they muſt bee paſſed over: I ſhall now onelyonly crave leave to have a word or two of application of what hath been ſpoken and ſo have done.
Ʋſe 1 This ſhewes us where to get ſtrength againſt the devils temptations, or his inſtruments.
Ʋſe 2 And anſwerably it may comfort every poore ſoule that lieth under the violence of the one or the other.
Ʋſe 3 And thirdly, it may ſet us aworke to labour for a great faith, ſince there is ſo great a power to fix it upon. I am God al-ſufficient, ſaith God to Abraham, walke before mee and bee thou perfect, Gen. 17. 1. Bee perfect, that is, in this doctrin of my al-ſufficiency, or al-powerfulneſſe (for ſo the word meanes, and not that perfection that ſome dreame of, as if Abraham kept the whole law) and then faith will gather ſtrength and extent, becauſe the power upon which it anchoreth is Omnipotent. But theſe things I doe but touch.
Ʋſe 4 Bleſſe God for the experience of this truth in our owne particular preſervation, and in the generall preſervation of the Kingdome; And truly this is gloriouſly and graciouſly verified before our eyes at all times, in regard of the former, and in theſe times, in regard of the latter.
For firſt, if wee conſider the power of the Devill, and the weakneſſe of our ſelves, and yet our preſervation in both theſe circumſtances, wee have great cauſe to admire and adore that power that doth preſerve us. The ſafety of the three Princes of Judah in the furnace, and of Daniel in the Lyons denne, and Jonah in the Whales belly, is hardly a greater wonder, then is our conſtant and continued preſervation: ſo many Devils to bee hovering about us, as is their number, ſo much power to bee in them, as there is in them, both in regard of their number and their nature, ſo much malice to bee in their Spirit, and ſo much cruelty in their acting as there is, and yet wee preſerved in the midſt of all this, I want words to expreſſe the mercy; let us never want hearts to obſerve that power that doth preſerve us. The Devill can remove mountaines, overthrow towers, rents rocks, teare up trees, doe almoſt any thing, and yet our poore lumpe of duſt is preſerved: acknowledge the power, bee thankfull for the mercy.
And ſecondly, in regard of the Kingdome: Let us but turne aſide and ſee this great wonder, how it comes to paſſe that this buſh that hath burnt ſo long is not yet conſumed that this poore carkaſſe of a Nation, like that of the Prophet, though it bee even killed by this Lyon, yet is it not quite torn to pieces: that the fury, and policy, and miſchievouſneſſe of Satan hath hurryed it to the very precipice of confuſion, as Chriſt to the pinacle of the Temple, and yet it is not throwne downe into it. Certainly it is no ſtrength nor power of our owne that doth preſerve it, for who is able to reſiſt the violence of this enemy? but it is the great power of our deare Saviour, which I leave to your owne thoughts, for I doe but touch here neither.
Ʋſe 5 But laſtly, and where I deſire to ſtay a little: If Chriſt bee thus able to over-power the devill, and to maſter him at pleaſure, then how is all this befallen us that is befallen us, through the fury of the devil, & how doth it thus continue on us? As it is worthy our conſiderations that we are ſo happily preſerved by the power of Chriſt that wee are gone no further in our miſery, ſo is it ſeriouſly to be thought upon, how it comes to paſſe that his power hath ſuffered us to go ſo farre as we have done, and to continue ſo long in it as wee doe.
Surely his hand is not ſhortned that it cannot ſave, nor his eare heavy that it cannot heare, but it is ſome thing that hath ſeparated betwixt us and our Saviour, and that makes him to ſtand as a ſtranger that looketh on, and workes not for us whilſt the power & fury of the devill doth thus tread upon us.
It is eaſie to anſwer that our ſinnes have done it, and mee thinks God hath dealt with England much like as hee did with Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the book of Exodus, when admonition upon admonition was given to them, and exhortation upon exhortation was preſt upon them to hearken to God and to let Iſrael go and they would not do it, then God lets the devill looſe among them in viſible ſhapes, as they ſate in the three dayes darkneſſe to terrifie and perplex them, as it is apparent by Exod. 10. & Pſ. 78. 49. compared together: In the very like manner is it now with us: the Lord hath long bin treating with this nation for her converſion, by precept upon precept, line upon line; precept upon precept, line upon line, by exhortation, admonition, mercies, judgements, all things; what could have been done more then hath been done to England? but when ſtill we are as unreformed & unconverted as ever, and when nothing that the Lord hath done to us will amend us, the Lord hath now at laſt turned Satan looſe among us with all his power and all his fury: our ſinnes have as it were broken the chains, and now hee rageth without reſtraint, as never did he more in any nation. But this is not all I have to ſay.
It is moſt undoubted indeed, that our former ſinnes have brought us and our p…eſent ſinnes continue us under this rage and inſultations of Satan that wee now feele in all theſe miſeries that lie upon us, but if I may freely ſpeake mine owne thoughts, I do verily beleeve that a maine reaſon why the devill is no more bound among us, is, becauſe hee is not bound; my meaning is this: that God hath put into our owne hands exceeding much towards the binding of the Devils that do undoe us, and we do not do it. It is in our owne power to curbe and quell the Devill that forrageth and ruineth us, and wee curbe him not, and then it is no wonder, nay it is but juſtice if hee worry us, if he deſtroy us.
I will not ſpeake of that Devill that ſpoyles all before him, the fury of our enemies, nor will I examine whether it may be reſtrayned any more then it is, your wiſedomes beſt know what you have to doe in that particular.
But it is not the Enemy onelyonly that hath done us this diſpleaſure that wee feele, for then wee could better have borne it, or hid our ſelves from him, but it is ſome of our owne party, ſome of our friends, of our familiars, with whom wee have taken counſell together, and have gone with them to the Houſe of God as friends, which doe prove Devils to us, or at leaſt raiſe up Devils among us, that ruine and undoe us, that help on our ſorrows, augment our miſeries, bind on thoſe plagues that the deſert of our ſinnes hath brought upon us. Our owne Quarters are become as the Land of the Gadarens, where two poſſeſſed Parties, as I may ſo ſay; or rather two poſſeſſing Devils, are ſo exceeding fierce that none may paſſe by them, none can bee quiet neere them. And theſe two are, Injuſtice in oppreſſiom, and erroneouſneſſe in Opinion.
Theſe are they that loſe you friends, procure you enemies, and keep off Neuters, that undoe at home, and exaſperate abroad, that loſe you more hearts, then all your Armies can ſubdue Perſons; and doe more miſchiefe to your Holy and Honourable Cauſe, then all the other Devils of hell can doe, then all your enemies on earth have done. Our ſad caſe at this time is like the caſe of the foure Lepers under the walls of Samaria in the Booke of Kings, if they went into the City, they went upon famine, if they went from the City, they went upon the enemy: If wee goe to the Enemies Quarters, there the Devill of their crueltie devoures us; if wee abide among our owne, one or other of theſe Devils is ready to deſtroy us; ſo that as it was with them of old, it is with us at this day, Abroad the ſword devoureth, and at home is death.
Firſt, wee looked for Juſtice, but behold a cry, (for give mee leave to uſe the words of the Prophet, and to ſpeake of bitter things in the bitterneſſe of my ſpirit) the people of your owne party expected Judgement, Equity, and Comfort from your Sitting, and from your Counſells, and they concluded with themſelves, much like as Micah did in another caſe, Now will it bee well with us, now wee have ſuch a Parliament to take-care for us, to defend us, and to advice in our behalfe; but behold, inſtead of their expectation, injuries, oppreſſions, wrongs, injuſtice, violence, and ſuch complaynings and cryings out in all Quarters and Parts even of your owne party, that let it not be told in Gath, nor publiſhed in the ſtreets of A…kalon, leſt the circumciſed triumph and exalt over us in it.
Miſtake mee not, it is farre from me to charge your honorable Court with any ſuch thing, for I may ſay in this as hee and ſhee did in another caſe, my Lord David knowes it not, 1 King. 1. 11. 18.but it is too many that act under you, that cauſe this complaining and that doe this miſchiefe, yet I cannot but ſay withall that the injuſtice will become yours if it be not remedied.
Now oh that Englands griefe in this particular were thorougly weighed, and her calamity and complaints were laid in the ballances together: Oh that the cries of all the oppreſſed in this kind might meet here this day together in your eares, as wee deſire our cries and prayers might meet this day in the eares of the Lord: what ſad complaynings, lamentings, grievings and cryings out, would come almoſt from all parts and places in your owne quarters? I will not take upon mee to particularize in any, onelyonly, might I have but the quarter of that time and patience at your barre that I have here, and but ſome preparation for it as I had for this exerciſe, to do the meſſage of mine owne Country, as I now do the meſſage of the Lord, I doubt I could tell you ſo ſad a ſtory as would make your eares to tingle.
It is well obſerved by Divines, that though God for mans redemption, could have conquered the devill by power, yet did hee rather chooſe to doe it by juſtice: Hee that ſpake the word and brought light out of darkneſſe, and the world out of nothing, could by the ſame powerfull word have commanded mankind out of the jawes of the devill, and it had beene effected: but his wiſedome rather choſe, that his owne Sonne ſhould take fleſh, performe the Law, and ſuffer death, and ſo that the devill ſhould bee conquered by very juſtice; and not onelyonly his power quelled, but his mouth ſtopt.
This is the way for you to conquer and no way like it: A little execution of juſtice is of more victoriouſneſſe, then a great deale of military preparation: the ſtoning of one Achab doth more good toward the taking of Ai, then three thouſand trained men could doe.
By this way muſt you either quell and conquer this devill of injuriouſneſſe and oppreſſion, or hee will ſpoyle your cauſe, hee will overthrow your armies. And you cannot get ſo much ground abroad as this will loſe you ground at home if it bee not prevented.
I doe moſt humbly recommend it to your moſt ſerious thoughts, and conclude this matter in the phraſe of the Prophet: Do judgment and juſtice, judge the cauſe of the poore and needy, of the wronged and oppreſſed, and then may you eate and drinke and proſper, and it will bee well with you and with your cauſe, as Jer. 22. 15.
But ſecondly, there is yet a ſecond devill that undoes us, and worſe if worſe may bee; a white devill, that changeth himſelfe into an angel of light, and ſo deſtroyeth the more, by how much hee is ſuſpected the leſſe, and that is, erroneouſneſſe in opinion, too common, too violent among us at this day.
I told you erewhile, that error and deceivedneſſe in the things of God, is a verier devill and more dangerous then open perſecution, and here I cannot but take it up againe: And I may give you ſome arguments to prove it: as,
1. I may uſe the ſtile of our Saviour, Feare not that devill that can kill the body, but when hee hath done that, can doe no more, but feare that devill that can caſt both ſoule and body into hell: perſecution can onelyonly deſtroy the body, but error deſtroyes both body and ſoule.
2. I beleeve that perſecution never deſtroyed a Church ſince the world ſtood, I am ſure errours have done divers: Nay I queſtion whether corruption in manners can nullifie the being of a Church, I am ſure corruption in doctrine hath done.
The ſeven Churches of Aſia though ſome of them were exceedingly corrupt in point of converſation, and ſo corrupt that they had left and loſt their firſt love, yet are they all golden candleſticks, becauſe for the generall they retained the puritie of doctrine.
The open perſecution of our enemies hath not nor cannot doe that deſtruction and miſchiefe to us that errours doe and have done among us; and my heart doth never ſinke ſo much in feare of our cauſe, as when I conſider the growth of theſe in the midſt of us, for theſe threaten ruine to the very being of the Church and of Religion.
How ſad and dolefull a thing is it to conſider, and for Gods ſake take it ſeriouſly to heart, that ſo glorious a Church as this was but a while agoe, ſhould now bee ſo overgrowne with theſe curſed weeds as it is, and is more and more every day, as is no reformed Church under heaven: That God ſhould be ſo blaſphemed, his truth ſo polluted, the morall Law ſo deſpiſed, repentance and begging pardon for ſinne, ſo pleaded againſt, the immortality of the ſoule written againſt, dutie cried downe, and I know not what ſo cryed up, as is in the erroneous opinions that are among us, what a miſery is this in the midſt of our other miſeries!
A Canker, a Gangrene hath ſeiſed upon the land, and devours unſenſibly, but it devours deſperately and devilliſhly, and Aut tu illum, aut ille te, either bind this devill, or this devill will have all in his power and kingdome of darkneſſe before wee are aware: How hee gets ground, and growes and devours and deſtroyes, who is there that ſees not? and for Siont ſake who can hold his peace? Soules lie ableeding by this as well as bodies by the enemy, the Church is undone by this, as the land by them, this ſpoyles our truth as they doe our peace, and when theſe are gone, whither ſhall we goe?
I ſhall not take upon mee to bee your director or inſtructor for the manner or meanes of ſtopping of this miſchiefe that it grow no further, and for the ſuppreſſing of that growth which it hath already made, it is above my skill, your wiſedome will beſt contrive that; but I ſhall humbly crave leave to bee your remembrancer of ſome thing that may tend unto it.
1. There is great talke of, and pleading for libertie of conſcience, for men to doe in matters of Religion, as Iſrael did in the book of Judges, whatſoever ſeemeth good in their owne eyes; and how that proved there, there are ſad ſtories that relate: I ſhall not goe about to determine the queſtion, whether the conſcience may bee bound or not, though for mine owne ſatisfaction I am reſolved it may, and do hold it a truer point in divinitie that errans conſcientia liganda, then ligat, but certainly the devill in the conſcience may be, nay he muſt be bound, or elſe you act not according to that vigour that Chriſt hath put into your hands: nor according to that exactneſſe that Chriſt requireth at your hands. It is true indeed which is ſo much talked of, that Chriſt alone muſt reigne in the conſcience, but it is as true alſo, that hee doth ſo by the power that he hath put into the hands of the magiſtrate, as well as by his word and ſpirit.
2. I hope you will find ſome time among your ſerious imployments to thinke of a review and ſurvey of the tranſlation of the Bible; certainly that might bee a worke which might very well befit a reformation, and which would very much redound to your honour.
It was the courſe of Nehemiah when hee was reforming, that hee cauſed not the Law onelyonly to bee read, and the ſenſe given, but alſo cauſed the people to underſtand the reading, Neb. 8. 8. And certainly it would not bee the leaſt advantage that you might doe to the three nations (if not the greateſt) if they by your care and meanes might come to underſtand the proper and genuine reading of the Scripture, by an exact, vigorous, and lively tranſlation.
I hope (I ſay it againe) you will find ſome time, to ſet a foot ſo needfull a worke: and now you are about the purging of the Temple, you will looke into the Oracle, if there bee any thing a miſſe there and remove it.
3. I ſhall not beg of you to cheriſh learning, for that hath no enemie but ignorant ones, nor ſhall I beg, that you would cheriſh a learned miniſtery, for that may challenge cheriſhing: but I beſeech you take care that none intrude upon the miniſtry or to preach the word that have not a calling to it, and ſome competent abilitie for it.
This is a maine well-head from whence flow all the errors that are among us, when mechanicks, unlettered and ignorant men will take upon them to bee preachers, and to inſtruct others when they need teaching themſelves; and this if it bee not ſtopped, wil overflow all with a puddle of errours and hereſie: you have made good orders for the ſtopping and preventing of this, but execution is all.
4. I beſeech you haſten the ſetling of the Church: Theſe weeds grow, while government groweth not; I rejoyce to ſee what you have done in platforming Claſſes and Presbyteries: and I verily and cordially beleeve it is according to the patterne in the mount.
The Lord ſpeed and proſper you in working up the furniture for this fabrick. Eſpecially hee bee your director in the two great things that are now under your agitation, Church-power and ſuſpenſion from the Sacrament: I am moſt unable to hold out to you any thing, that may direct you in matters of ſuch weight: And if my judgement were any thing, yet ſhould I bee ſparing to ſhew it, becauſe I muſt confeſſe that about theſe matters I differ in judgement from the generality of Divines, and I hold it not any happines to be ſingular in opinion, nor doe I hold theſe to bee times to broach differences, I ſhall ever follow you with my deſires and prayers, and write the ſucceſſe of the good hand of our God upon you.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Lightfoot, Sermon 26 August 1645 (1645)