A Good Soldier Maintaining His Militia, Chapter 3

A Good Soldier Maintaining His Militia · Chapter 3

p. 44CHAP. III. The Word Preached is mighty to Poſture a Kingdome.

The propog…t…ng thereof has been and is the endeavou… of all good Patriots in all ag…s of the world. What this Land was before the … of this Sunne gl…mmeted forth unto the peopl… t…ere. What th… People we…t when covered over with the d…rkn…ſſe o… P…pe…y. Wh…t the darke pl…ces of the earth are now. How this eng…geth the … to promote th… Gospell with ali their might; how mighty through God, yet l…ſſ… exp…cta…on of Peace from the world now, than ever; The Reaſons why it …uſt be ſo: Aſſured Re…ce is from H…ven, Chriſts L…gacy to His, in Me …eace.

THus victoriouſly have the Worthies of the Lord marched-on hitherto, not in their own ſtrength, nor aſcribing any thing to their own arme: but to the right-hand of the Lord, He has done valiantly; They brought Him down to their ſide; intereſſed Him in the Cauſe; lifted up their hearts and hands to Him; ſo they wraſtled, even with ſtrong wraſtlings, and ſo they are prevailers, All the people of God, that little little flock, all the world over, ſtriving with them alſo in their prayers. But ſo they could not have done, if they had not beleeved; and beleeve they could not without a word; and a word they could not have, in an ordinary way, without a Preacher: No bleſſing without prayer; no prayer without faith; no faith without a word, a word of promiſe, wherein Thou haſt made me to hope, ſayes David. This conſideration and ſome others, which I may hint at preſently, made the Worthies of the Lord very ſerious, and moſt actively-buſie, as were all the Nobles and truly honoured before them, to ſend-forth able and faithfull Miniſters (Indeed the Meſſengers of the Churches, and the 1 C…to. 17. 7. Kings C…on. p. 1….glory of Chriſt) To teach in all the Townes and Cities of Judah, That is the way to poſture a Kingdome fully and indeed; the way the Nobles ever tooke, and ever ſucceeded-in, upward to this day. That we may raiſe this mercy to the height, give men their honour, and God the glory; let us make a ſtand here, and turne back our thoughts very farre, to the people of this Land, before the day-spring from on-high did viſit them, I meane, before ſome ray of Heavenly light did glimmer-forth unto them. Let us conſider this in the firſt place.

p. 451. What manner of people were they in thoſe dayes? ſurely, as Agur ſaid of himſelfe, when he knew himſelfe, and had ſome knowledge of the Holy one: Theſe were more bruitiſh then any Prov. 30 2.Prov 30:2man: they had not the underſtanding of men: and ſo bruitiſh they were truly and indeed, becauſe they knew not themſelves ſo to be, nor had they any knowledge to be holy: That we may ru…ne-over this as quickly, as our thoughts uſe to doe, this ile only ſay; Theſe people were then as the poore Indians are now, as Idolatrous as theſe: Theſe worſhip the Devill now, ſo did the people in England then. He ſpeake nothing of their other worſhip which they gave to the Hoſt of Heaven, nor of their Arch-Flamines and Flamines, …ilamines, I lid., their Arch-Prieſts and Prieſts; the very ſame with ours, not ſo much heatheniſh, but altogether as unchriſtian, whom we called Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops: Ile paſſe over all this, that our thoughts may returne-upward againe, untill we come to, As it is at this day. Conſiderwe then in the next place, That

2. When it pleaſed God to break through that thick-cloud of Atheiſme, by the preaching of Joſeph, (for ſo we have it by tradition **That Ioſeph of Arimathea, preached the Goſpell firſt to this Iland.) the cloud quickly thickned againe, and grew more darke all over the Heaven, by the ſpreading of Popery: And then the people were worſe than before, abominable Idolaters; They ſacrificed to Devils before, ſo they did then; but then they did more than ever they did before; They worſhipped the Sunne before, for that was moſt glorious in their eyes: But afterwards they worſhipped the workes of their own hands; and that was a more bruitiſh worſhip; They made gods with their own hands, as eaſily as they could carve wood and ſtone: And then they fell downe before the gods, which they had made. And obſervable it is, how monſtrouſly cruell they were at that time; They devoured one another as bread; they cut one anothers throat…s, as ordinarily, as they dranke Ale: And to ſave their throates one friend was a pledge to the other, while he was drinking; whence our word ſo ordinarily uſed ever ſince, He pl…dge you. Who ever ſaw Idolaters that were not cruell; Th…y that could make gods, could make no conſcience of marring the Image of GOD. And thus they have continued to make gods upward to this day: for that Art, whereto nature is very apt, is quickly learnt; and once learnt, nature never unlearnes it againe. Now in our returne upward to this day, let us conſider how bruitiſh p. 46theſe god-makers were in thoſe dayes, how like to the gods they made.

3. And we will reflect no farther back, than to the beginning of Elizabeths Raigne, that excellent Queene, of the ſweeteſt memory. What a bruitiſh people then! They that made gods, made no conſcience of unmaking men, of deſtroying themſelves made in the Image of God; To tell you one of their mad and bruitiſh prankes: In our Northerne parts, where the people alwayes were, and now are, very expert to make gods, and can ſerve them as well, this their manner was, To hang up a glove in their Church, in way of a challenge, where meeting upon our ſol…mne day, they made that place like our Paris-garden, where the men are more bruitiſh now, than are the beaſts there. Thus bruitiſh they were in thoſe dayes.

And now we will come-up to, As it is at this day, and enquire, how it is now: Who are they, that have deſerted the Parliament, all the faithfull in all three Kingdomes, and aſſiſted a warre againſt them, as at this day? Who are they, that are now fighters againſt God; the right hands of the times; eldeſt ſonnes to that Prince, that rules in darkneſſe? Who are thoſe vipers, that eate through their mothers wombe to make their eſcape; Who are thoſe but ſuch who lived in darkneſſe, and hated the light? Who made the loweſt and baſeſt of things (their luſts) their gods; and put from them the Holy one, would have none of Him. True it is, theſe mighty Nimerods, Marqueſſes, and Earles, and Lords, whom their horrible—butcheries, and Turkiſh cruelties have rendred men of Name now, but ſhall render them a curſe to after generations, All theſe were borne and lived in dayes of light: But they put it from them, they cared not to know the Lord; they never heard, or not cared to heare any other, but Court-Sermons, which courted them for the ſervice of their King, never taught them how to ſerve the LORD of lords, and God of gods. The Sermoniſts there (I cannot call them Preachers) the beſt of them, except one, (a prime one once, the laſt now in eſteeme) were but Engliſh Senecaes at the beſt, they had no more ſavour of Divinity **foreign, Baſil, Ep. …. They make ſuch a compound of Divinity, with art and wit, as he of his Roſes with ſpices, that they mar. … the ſavour of it quite. foreign, …. de var. Hiſt. l. 4. …. 39., of Chriſt, and His Goſpell, than thoſe Epiſtles have. And for the Chaplaines there in Court, and in their Lords houſes, their Sermons there were not halfe ſo good as Senecaes Epiſtles; Theſe containe excellent humanity and morality, and good Divinity too, (if Divinity can be p. 47there, where the Name of Chriſt is not:) but theſe Court-Sermons had not that in them, which we call humanity: and for divinity, there was no more ſavour of it there, then there is in the white of an Egge: No marvaile now that men, who thruſt away the light, doe walke now as men in the darke, and are yet more cruell and bloody than their fore-fathers were. For the people now generally all over the Land, theſe are as bruitiſh as their Lords and Leaders are, and for the ſame reaſon, for their guides and Paſtours are ſo bruitiſh. From theſe premiſes, which we doubt not, but were throughly conſidered on by the truly Noble and highly Honoured now in Parliament, we muſt conclude, Firſt,

1. That the darke places of the earth are now as they ever have beene, full of cruelty.

2. That there are a people in the City, and Countrey (not to ſpeake of Wales) who live in as palpable darkneſſe, under as thick a cloud of Popery, as they did a thouſand yeares agoe **I know ſome Pariſhes in the very heart and center of the Land, where neither the children now, nor their Fathers, ever … heard the Goſpell preached:; nay their darkneſſe now is more palpable, and the ſhadow of death more groſſe, and thick now, in theſe dayes, than in dayes of old, for this reaſon; Becauſe ſome places in the City and Countries, are as Goſhen was, which make the other places more darke: for a ſpirituall light, as does a naturall, but flaſhing only in the face, and not abiding, does but darken the eye of the mind the more, as a naturall light does the eye of the body. More might be added here, but I paſſe on, and conclude.

3. That the Arch-biſhops and Biſhops tooke the readieſt way that could be taken, to bring an Egyptian darkneſſe all over the Land: For 1. They thruſt the Miniſters of God, (excellent men, I never think of that Bith… nian, but I think of our Biſhops and their Curates, Lact. l. 5. 1, 2, 9, chapt.and pretious) out of Gods houſe, and their owne: and thruſt the vile men into their places, ſuch, whom Job would not have admitted to ſit with the doggs of his flock. 2. They taught the people by their own example; I ſay, by their own example, to make gods, and then to worſhip before them: and that was the only way to make a people, as now they are, as bruitiſh as ſtocks: and as fierce as Lyons. I ſay nothing here how they did blaſpheme the Lord and his day; I conclude.

4. That there is not a man, I ſay not a man, that has heartily joyned himſelfe to the Kings Army, who has not received the marke of the beaſt either openly in his forehead, or ſecretly in his p. 48hand; or he has damnation written in his forehead: not a man in the Kings Army, willingly there, and on that ſide, who is not a Papist, or, which is as bad, an Atheiſt (that is) bruitiſhly ignorant, or notoriouſly profane: So I have liſted that Legion, that black Regiment, the Devils guard, under two generall heads, Papiſts and Atheists all: And when the Nobles there ſhall goe about to recruit their Army, as ſure as the Devill is in Hell, and his angels, his miniſtring ſervants are on earth; ſo ſure it is, they ſhall not find a man, hearty to their ſervice, not one man in all the Chriſtian world, who is not one of theſe two; one that knowes nothing, as he ought to know, he is a Papiſt; or one that is bruitiſh in knowledge, and more bruitiſh in practiſe, he is an Atheiſt.

5. That ſhould the Nobles and Worthies have parlied, as many yeares as they have weekes, upon a way how to remedy all this, how to make a firme Peace, and eſtabliſh Truth in the Land, that theſe may meete and kiſſe each other, they could not have thought of a ſhorter, more compendious, and more ready way, than that they have taken. And ſo now I muſt returne back againe, that I may traverſe the way the Worthies of the LORD have taken from the firſt day they ſate in Parliament upward to this day: The ſimpleſt reader ſhall then more clearely underſtand, the changes and tydes of things as they are at this day: and be able more than by conjecture to tell what ſhall be in after-dayes. The way they tooke. Firſt,

1. And it muſt be alwayes firſt in all orderly proceedings, They proclaimed a fast, that they and we might afflict our ſelves before Ezra 8. …1.Ezra 8:1our GOD, to ſeeke of him a right way: That muſt be I ſay againe, alwayes firſt, for we all know, and are aſſured, That the hand of our God is upon all them for good, that ſeeke Him: but His power, and His wrath is againſt all them, that forſake him. Of this before.ver. 22.

2. They called-in the exiles; opened the priſon doores, brought forth the pretious, thruſt the vile into thoſe places; they opened the Miniſters mouthes; and then, as matters did require, they entred into a Proteſtation, they avouched God to be their God; to May 5, 1641.ſerve Him after His manner; and to ſtand-faſt in the liberty wherein God and Man, the law of God, of Nature, of the Kingdome, of Nations had made them free: We muſt enquire in paſſage, how did this take? And anſwer: That there were very many, p. 49Arch-biſhops both, and Biſhops all; Princes and Nobles; Paſtours and people, who refuſed. Ah Lord! Refuſed to take God for their God! Refuſed to maintaine the Diadem and Crowne of three Kingdomes! Refuſed to ſtand-faſt in the liberty wherein God and man had ſet them! Ah Lord! Indeed it is to be pittied, but not to be wondred at, if we conſider the places where theſe people live; The Teaching they had there; and the influence that teaching had into the hearts and lives of men all over the land. I pray you let us conſider, The place firſt, where lived they?

1. Under the droppings or near about Cathedrals. It is as barbarous a word as the people are who live there: yet we now know what the Cathedrals are, The Biſhops Churches, and the Devils Chappels: There the Biſhop had his ſeat, and Satan has his throne.

2. What teaching had they there, under thoſe droppings, or near there abouts? what teaching there? None at all, no catechiſing, no inſtruction there: A Sermon perhaps there was, ſuch as it was, which nouriſhed no more than nuts doe, which fill with wind: or Clem. Alex.than Stock-fiſh does, which, Eraſmus ſayes, nouriſheth no more than does a ſtone. And for the places further off whereinto their Prebends there had an influence, The people were not taught at all; not that there was any Spirit good or bad, or that the people had any other ſoules, than what the beaſts have. True it is, and not to bely the Devill, The Doctour told the people, when he came to receive his Eaſter book, and gather in his Tythes, That there is a God, and they muſt ſerve Him; A Devill too, and they muſt fly from him, and hate his workes: for a heaven there is, and everlaſting Joyes there; And hell there is, and eternall paines there. But the people beleeved none of all this. That was their fault, you will ſay. Indeed it was. But the Doctour was foully to blame: Becauſe, what he taught with the mouth once or twiſe a yeare, he untaught with his hands every day: for no ſooner preached he the preaching, his owne heart ſuggeſted to him, but away from the Church to the Ale-houſe, where he would drinke like a ſwine; or if not given to that ſin, (as all are not) yet to another as bad; Beſides all this, he would earth himſelfe in the earth; hunt after honours, ride after preferments furiouſly, as Balaam did; drowne himſelfe in the world, as if he knew no other God, as certainly he does not. And p. 50this ſpoiled all his Philoſophy to the people; he, that told them there is a God, and then turned his back upon Him, could they beleeve him? He that ſaid, there is an heaven, where the Righteous are eternally happy; and an hell, where the wicked are eternally, miſerable, and yet lived like the unjuſt judge, that feared not God, nor regarded man; as one, that had a ſoule for no other purpoſe than a ſwine has (pro ſale) to keepe his body freſh, and ſweete; could the people Truſt him? Ah Lord! ſhould I tell the Reader in the laſt place,

3. What an influence theſe Cathedrals had, and the Prieſts there into the lives and manners of all round about; If I ſhould tell how As Bunbury a viſe perſon in Reading.brutiſh Prieſts and people are in the Cities and countries round about, men without God in the world, he would not wonder, that there are ſo many found every where fighters against God: what can be expected from a brutiſh people, but to walke brutiſhly? What wonder is it to ſee men contend againſt God, whom they know not? To fight againſt the Goſpel, the glory whereof they never ſaw, nor any more light, but what ſlaſhing in their face, blinded them the more? what wonder is it to ſee Paſtours and people more brutiſh and more cruell than in ancient dayes, when they are more ſuperſtitious now than they were then? We are more cunning god-makers now than were our fore-fathers 16. hundred yeares agoe, they were but bunglers to us: but we more unexcuſable (the time of that ignorance God (over-looked) winked Act. 17. …o. foreign.Acts 17at): And, as is ſaid of a cunning Gameſter, The more cunning he is, the more knave he is: ſo, the more cunning we are, the more abominable we are, but very exact we are at that craft now, this godmaking, we exceed all our fathers; for our skill, which is naturall, we have confirmed by imitation: and we thank our Prieſts we are more brutiſh than the Flamines were of old, we can make many breaden gods, and woodden gods, and ſtone gods: and a book a god, yet not Gods Book neither, we can doe more as naturally as the fire can burne, for we can make every lust a god. How can we now avouch God for our God? But you will aske me by the way.

How doe men and women make gods? The prime and chiefe Idolaters in all the kingdome haply never made a god with their hands?

Very likely, but as the cunning Artificer makes gods with his p. 51hands: ſo there are as cunning as he, who can make gods without hands: for by bowing before this or that, be it bread, fleſh, or fiſh; ſtock or ſtone, we make it a god, as well as we can, ſuch an one as it is. The Lord plagued the people becauſe they made a calfe which Exod. 32. …5.Exod 32:5Aaron made. Aaron made it, and the people made it; he made it a calfe, and the people made it a god by doing ſuch homage and ſervice unto it, as ſhould be done to God only. What calves were they? even ſuch as we are, while we ſerve dumb Idols, the works of our owne hands, or the works of our owne hearts. I pray you mark that, they are Idols ſet-up there, the Devill, the world, and the fleſh: while we give ſuch a ſervice to them, as is due only to God, we make theſe our gods: We make the world a god, and the Devill a god, and pleaſure a god, and the belly a god, by ſerving the creature more than we ſerve the Creator, who is bleſſed for ever. Amen. And now that we are ſuch cunning workmen at making Rom. 1. 25.Rom 1:25of gods, All the Chriſtian world may ſee in what a poſture we ſtood to a Protestation, to take God for our God; To avouch Him. But yet neither the worke nor the workers did ceaſe, The faithfull all the land over, who had avouched God for their God; were aſſured, That God would avouch them, and them only for His people: ſo they followed-on to ſeeke the Lord, in the way where He is alwayes found: They knew they were in the way toward a glorious peace, in the purſuit of Truth: and were more confirmed in it, Becauſe the Princes of the earth, and the heathen people there ſet themſelves againſt that Peace: This made them gird-up their loynes like men, and walke on, filled with the Spirit. They are not meet to doe Gods worke, who ſay there is a Lion or ſhe Beare in the way; Who cannot maſter difficulties, and make uſe of them for encouragements; To leape over wals, and skip over mountaines; In Gods ſtrength they can doe all this: And ſo, two yeares after, the Worthies entred into covenant with their God; and fairly propoſed it to the people; and they all tooke it, all that were free-men, not under the Anti-chriſtian yoke, and had any knowledge of GOD, or how to ſerve Him: all theſe tooke it. Only Atheiſts, and Papiſts, (god-makers) they refuſed (for all theſe had, with their Paſtours and people, made a covenant with ſinne, death, and hell, and they would ſtand to that): and to maintaine their ſtanding, their rage workt higher, if higher could be; The Adverſary ſtormed the more, p. 52the more the Covenant of GOD preſſed toward them, and the equity there-of flaſhed in their faces, and cleared to their eyes, how abominable, and bloody their devices were, even to destroy a mother Citie in Iſrael. But all this rage (for now hell was moved; Nay, all this while, from the firſt day, that the Proteſtation was entred-into, ever ſince, all the gates there were ſet-wide-open, but all) did ſerve the more to confirme and ſtabliſh the ſervants of the Lord in their way comming-up to the LORD To joyne themſelves to Him, in a Covenant never to be forgotten: And up they are brought three Kingdomes together, God ſpeaking to them with a ſtrong-Hand, and they are in a faſt-Covenant with their God. (This will be the ſubject of the ſixt Chapter.) Here only we muſt obſerve with all obſervation, how the Covenant takes, What letteth ſtill, and will let till it be removed? Treacherous Prophets, and vile Prieſts, theſe muſt be removed; Pretious and faithfull, ſuch muſt be put into thoſe places, as forerunners to prepare the way of the LORD, and a people for Himſelfe. Alas! It cannot be expected, that we, a poore darke people, ſhould (underſtanding what we doe) enter into Covenant to take God for our God, His Chriſt for our Lord, and King; His Spirit to be ruled by Him, and to walke after Him. Indeed we underſtand none of theſe things: I affirme, and can confirme it in the name of all the brutiſh Paſtours and People all over the land, That we have no more ſaving knowledge of thoſe matters, God, and Christ, and His Spirit, than the ſeat has whereon we ſit; or than Heyly…s deaf-ſtone, aaHeyly. Geog. p. 503.or than Heylyn himſelfe; nor poſſible we ſhould; Wee heare our Paſtour, (in name), a brutiſh man indeed, more brutiſh than our ſelves (and that is more brutiſh than the Oxe and Horſe we drive) ſay prayers, as our ſummer-bird ſings, ſtill the ſame: he is dead, and his prayers dead; In an extraordinary way, whence ſhould we have life? Then he reads the holy word of God; but with ſuch unwaſhed hands, and uncleane lips, That he makes it, as doth our ſin, and unpreparedneſſe, uncleane to us alſo. Indeed my ſpirit is ſtirred now: I ſee plainly for want of knowledge we periſh all. Ye Worthies of the Lord, lift-up your ſelves upon the wing now, your hearts, and your Prayers, come-on, make ſpeed to helpe us, carried-on as upon Eagles wings, ſwiftly, ſtrongly: deliver us, we pray you, from Treacherous Prophets, vile Prieſts, and brutiſh Paſtours, our ſoules p. 53are wearied becauſe of theſe murderers aaJer. 4. 31.Jer 4:31, The LORD deliver us. Till we have Paſtours after Gods owne heart, we cannot avouch God for our God: we cannot enter covenant with Him: we ſhall doe, as we have done, breake all your bands, and caſt from us your cords, as brutiſh Paſtours, and people, Children of Belial, uſe to do. For Gods ſake haſten for our helpe, flying as upon Eagles wings, and deliver us from theſe unreaſonable men. Nay, though we may be ſo brutiſhly ignorant, That all our talke is of Oxen, we aske not after ſuch a mercy for we underſtand it not: yet, Aske ye after Iſai. 65. 1. foreign patefact us ſum vel obviam expoſitus. I met them who would have ſhunned me. 2. Chro. 30. 22. Act. 8. 30.Isa 65:12 Chr 30:22Acts 8:30us, ye have your LORD GOD for an example, He manifeſted Himſelfe to them, who never Asked after Him, (nor ever would); Hee was found of them, that ſought Him not. Ye will conſider this, and more which your wiſedomes can better ſuggeſt, To haſten your worke and ſpeed our deliverance, by ſending forth unto us thoſe, that can teach us the GOOD KNOWLEDGE of The LORD: We might truly ſay, as the Eunuch did, (had we ſuch a ſenſe of our owne ignorance) we cannot underſtand what we hear or read, except ſome man ſhould guide us: had we a guide, an interpreter, one, that were able to expound and ſhew us by his life and doctrine the meaning of what is read (which was the old and Nehem. 8. …. and gave the ſenſe.Neh 8good manner never to be forgotten) poſſible we might goe from our ſeats in our meeting places, rejoycing, as others have done, becauſe they had underſtood the words, that were declared unto ver. 12.them; Though we are very forgetfull, and as ignorant (the more need of a guide) though, I ſay, we are ſo, yet we forget not, what the Diſciples ſaid; our hearts did burne within us while He (the Lord Luke 24. 32.Luke 24:32Christ) opened to us the Scriptures: Then they felt that heat, and fervencie of ſpirit, when the Scriptures were opened; the ſenſe thereof given, then heat (An Almighty Hand working therewith) comes-into the heart; Then the ſpirits of men are quickned; Then the ſtubborne will is ſubdued; Then the man is pliable; then the heart yeelds, is flexible, ready bent, and girt, to obey in all things. Now, Speake, LORD, Thy ſervant heareth: now, command, Lord, Thy ſervant obeyeth; Nothing now too much to doe, nothing now too hard to ſuffer; The will is ſubdued, it is gained; the man is taught now: Now offer him the Covenant, bid him lift-up his hand to it, and ſubſcribe his name; yes, that he will, with all his heart, he will doe it with rejoycing. We ſhall heare of that anon, we are but making p. 54way to it now; The only ready way, which the Worthies of the Lord (the Lord inſtructing them to diſcretion) alwayes, and now have taken, To appoint teaching miniſters for every congregation; To thruſt-out the vile thence; To put in the pretious there; ſuch as may come unto us in the fulneſſe of the bleſſing of the Goſpell of Chriſt aaRom. 15. 29.Rom 15:29; ſuch as can, by the good hand of God with them, open our eyes, turne us from darkneſſe to light, (oh how mighty, and as excellent is the worke of a miniſter,) and from the power of Satan unto God: ſuch miniſters the Worthies endeavour now, Act. 26. 18.Acts 26:18with all their might, to ſend forth, and appoint through all the land: for they would have all the people now to joyne and knit themſelves all together as one man, to contend for God, for Religion, for the faith, againſt the mighty Adverſaries to God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, All the Devils in Hell, and his Angels on earth, Papiſts and Atheiſts there. And this is the only way, That the Word of God be publiſhed, and that great may be the company of Preachers to publiſh the ſame. We will obſerve what we read now, for it will ſuffice touching this matter. And I ſaw another Angel fly in the midſt of heaven, having the everlaſting Goſpell to preach Rev. 14. 6.Rev 14:6unto them, that dwell on the earth, &c. We muſt ſet a Mark now on that which followes, And there followed another Angel, ſaying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, That great City is moſt certainly fallen: When the everlasting Goſpell goes forth, when that is preached to them, who dwell upon the earth, then it is fallen, it is fallen: All fals before it, or vaniſheth as Darkneſſe before the light; ſuperſtition is fallen, it is fallen, it is certainly fallen; Hereſie is fallen, is fallen, is certainly fallen; prophaneneſſe is fallen, is fallen, all this is certainly fallen. All this was ſet-up and maintained in the dark; all this will fall or vaniſh in the light before the ſun-ſhine of the Goſpell; The Adverſarie took advantage of the night, and joyned ſhoulder to ſhoulder, To thruſt out the faithfull, and to thruſt into their Roomes paſtors as brutiſh as themſelves; and then what edification could be expected but of Altars and Images and crucifixes, and ſuch like ſervices as brutiſh as theſe Stockes; In the Darkneſſe Altars were raiſed, were raiſed, were certainly raiſed: The Adverſary and enemie took the Advantage of the Night when men ſlept. Much might be ſaid touching the methods, wiles and depths of Satan this way, how his miniſters ſought all wayes, p. 55turned every ſtone, whereby to ſtint prayer, To ſtop the mouthes of the faithfull, to Thruſt them out, to block up the way and paſſage againſt the Goſpell, that it might not paſſe on with the increaſe of God. Bleſſed be God That the children of the Light and Reſurrection are as wiſe now (almoſt) as were the children of darkneſſe, and the world: They have (what they can) removed that which hath l…tted, made a mountaine a plaine, ſo as the Goſpell is like to have a free paſſage. And then we know what followes, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great Citie, Mother of witchcrafts, and profanations, is certainly fallen: And in that fall Atheiſme, ſuperſtition, hereſies, prophaneneſſe fall alſo; Now that the Word of God has a free paſſage; now that faithfull miniſters are ſent forth to prepare the way of the Lord, to make His path ſtrait; now Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is certainly fallen. Doubtleſſe The Lord has thoughts of peace towards His kingdomes, I doe make no doubt of it, They doe not queſtion it neither who are wiſer than I, ſeeingmen, and have wiſely conſidered the out-goings of the Lord towards His poore ones. This I can obſerve, I thanke God, and ſo does every man, who is not ſtarke blind, that in the Cathedrals, thoſe Dens of Robbers; (where the vile Prieſts and treacherous perſons lay ſlumbring, and ſleeping, (though they had blood for their pillowes,) and where they thought to lie ſnorting in their neſts for ever: In the Cathedrals where the ſinging-men, who divided their times betwixt the Ale-houſe and the Chappell, giving three houres unto that curſed place, and one unto this; where they pray-ſinging, and ſing-praying; In theſe places, Churches, and Chappels, as we call them, The people are taught now out of the Word of God, what God is, and how God muſt be ſerved; what prayer is, not an howling; what faith is, not a conceit in the brain, which has no bottome, but the mighty worke of God there, &c. In thoſe places, where was barrenneſſe barrenneſſe, the footſteps of the Lord drop fatneſſe now upon His people there, for there the good Word of God is opened, is expounded, ſo as we, by the good hand of God with us, underſtand what we heare, and goe away rejoycing, our hearts burning within us. Verily, the Lord will doe great things for His land. Will! ſaid I? He has done great things and glorious already, and yet but pawnes and pledges of greater mercies; The Angels, having the everlaſting Goſpell, are p. 56gone forth to preach, and wherever they come, they ſay with a loud voice, Feare God and give glory to Him; For certainely we ſhall heare this voice next; Babilon is fallen is fallen, that great City, Rev. 14. 7.Rev 14:7mother of whoredomes, that has made the Kings of the earth drunke with the wine of her fornication is certainely fallen. Nay we have heard this voice, it is fallen, it is fallen, more then once already: And this voice alſo, Come out of her my people that ye Rev. 18. 4.Rev 18:4be not partakers of her ſinnes, and receive of her plagues; The complement whereof is, A drinking of the wine of the wrath of God, powred out, without mixture into the cup of His indignation: Bleſſed be GOD, Who has ſhowne ſuch a favour to His people, Rev 14. 10, 11.Rev 14:10Rev 14:11given them Paſtours after His own heart, who can preach the word, the Lord Chriſt unto His people; can open the treaſury of Grace, and knowing the terrours of the Lord, can perſwade men: Bleſſed be God for this unſpeakeable gift, Amen. What could the Lord have done more for His Land? He will give His people an heart to the prizes in their hands, and that is all. I cannot leave this point yet. Truely a wonderfull thing is done in our dayes; In the eveningtide it ſhall be light; When we thought it would be the darkeſt time, with us; behold how lightſome! We, poore ones, thought verily, there would be no viſion. Behold ſtand ſtill and wonder, and give glory unto God, lights are ſet-up in many, and are ſetting-up in all Congregations: It followes; The Northerne Army, thoſe locusts and caterpillers are fallen, are fallen, are certainely fallen. The mother of whoredomes ſhall be ſlaine now with the breath of Gods mouth: Darkneſſe muſt vaniſh, for light is come; the everlaſting Gospell is preached. I remember Luthers words a new;

I will not buffet darkneſſe, to beat it away, (ſaid he;) I will bring-in a light, and the darkneſſe is gone: I will not ſo eagerly contend with the Pope, for the throwing downe his Images; I will pluck them out of the heart, for I will labour to exalt the LORD CHRIST there in my miniſtery, and then the Idoll falls. This puts me in mind of another grave ſpeech; A grave Divine was ſpoken unto thus, or to this purpoſe; I pray you (S^r) chide that man for wearing long haire, ſo like a Ruſſian. I will not, ſaid the good old man aaThey ſay it was Mr Dod the oldeſt Miniſter in England., be eager with the youth, touching that matter, but I will teach him to know himſelfe, Ile p. 57ſhew him the judgement of God upon long haire, (It was Abſoloms halter bb2 Sam. 18. 9. c 1 Cor. 11. 14. foreign, Chryſoſt. I…d. Hom. 26.2 Sam 18:91 Cor 11:14!) I will expound unto him, the words of the Apoſtle ^c, whereunto hee muſt needs ſee how contrary he walkes. Ile ſeeke to hide pride from his eyes, and to weede it out of his heart, and if I can doe ſo, I need not bid him cut his haire that we may ſee his forehead, that he may appeare like a man and not like a fury: This is the point which carrieth all before it, if it be caried home; preach Chriſt into the heart, and then the Idoll goes-out, and every thing, that exalts its ſelfe againſt the LORD CHRIST will be throwne downe, for Chriſt will be Lord where He comes. I may conclude now, that my ſelfe and others as my ſelfe, cannot contribute to the battles of the Lord; yet let us contribute to this worke, The ſetting-up a faithfull Miniſtery in the Countries, where Satan has his throne, keepes his intereſt, and holds his poſſeſſion by tenure of ignorance: Let us pray to the Lord, Who workes and none hinders, that the Lord would pitty the Countries which are under the ſhadow of death; that He would ſend forth Angells, unto thoſe dead folkes, to preach unto them, that dwell on the earth, and to every Nation and kindred, and tongue, and people, ſaying with a loud voice, Feare God and give glory to Him, and ſo forth as we have read. Certainely where-ever this voice is heard, there will be a marvailous change; the Lords name blaſphemed there before, will be hallowed, reverenced, ſanctified now in ſome ſuitableneſſe and proportion to ſo great a Majeſty; the Idoll before the eyes, and in the heart, maintained before, and argued for, will be caſt-out now; Gods houſe ſhall be, as it is called, an houſe of prayer; they ſhall worſhip him there in truth, and as He has commanded; the good word of God, and the diſpenſers of it, deſpiſed before, will be honoured now: The Lords day, prophaned there before, will be duely obſerved now, And the Covenant rejected before, will be taken now, and ſtood unto. Doubtleſſe the next newes we ſhall heare is, That Idols, and Idoll-men, and Idoll ſervices are fallen, are fallen; for the Kingdome of the Lord Chriſt is ſet-up, is ſet-up; the everlaſting Goſpell is preached; Angels are ſent-out, are ſent-out upon that meſſage: Certainely that mother of witchcrafts muſt be made manifeſt now, as on the day ſhe was borne, her ſhamefull nakedneſſe muſt appeare; and then ſhe ſhall be cut in ſunder, Amen. And then p. 58it ſhall be with the Church as when that wicked woman was ſlaine, The people of the Land ſhall rejoyce, and the City of God ſhall be 2 Chro. 23. 21.2 Chr 23:21quiet: then ſilence in Heaven, when this wicked woman, ſo gorgeouſly apparelled (yet nothing but earth about her) ſhall be Rev. 17. 4.Rev 17:4ſlaine. But O that we did not expect peace before that time, a peace of the worlds giving: O that we were not too haſty, and quite miſtaken in our purſuit after this ſo fundamentall, ſo comprehenſive, ſuch a mother bleſſing Peace: O that we could waite Gods time with patience, and full aſſurance, that they, who waite for Him ſhall find Him, and themſelves no looſers at the laſt. Every thing is good in its ſeaſon; ſo is peace the better, the longer expected; and the more wholeſome, and excellent, if not, as ſome fruits are, ripened before its time. A mercy given too ſoone, when we would have it, proves a judgement after ward. A calme is pleaſanteſt after a ſtorme: ſo is peace, uſhered-in with warre, as this peace muſt be: For I am miſtaken quite in the booke of God, and in our booke of Dayes, Chronicles and Hiſtories of the Church, if a ſore brunt and great fight of afflictions be not yet behind: That wicked woman, the Jezabell of theſe laſt dayes, was long in riſing, by ſtepps and degrees to her height and zenith of her glory: She is now fallen from thence, and ſhe falls apace, yet, by ſtepps and degrees, not yet as a milſtone: She has received a blow, an aſtoniſhing blow on her forehead, and yet the blow, hitting not ſo right, ſhe has broken looſe, as we know an Oxe has done, and is mad with rage: the next blow will ſtrike her at once downe to the ground, Booke of Martyrs.ſhe ſhall not need a ſecond blow; but like a beaſt, whoſe throate is cut, ſhe will ſtruggle for life. All this aſſures us, we muſt expect no peace yet, unleſſe ſuch a peace, which the men of the world give, and that the ſonnes and daughters of God abominate, even all offers and aſſayes that way. They expect warre now and gird-up their loynes in expectation of an hard-brunt, for thus they reaſon, firſt,

1. From ordinary obſervation of our wayes, I ſay ours, a poore ignorant bruitiſh people, they obſerve with what eagerneſſe of ſpirit, and zeale according to our ignorance, we have contended for our Service-booke, and how we pout, and whine, and ſcratch, and bite too, while we have no other weapon, becauſe our Servicebooke is caſt-out: What is become of our Religion, ſay we, how p. 59ſhall we pray now? how ſhall we ſerve God now? and thus we are in a rage, ſtarke mad upon our Idoll, our Maſſe-booke, perſwaded as verily that a Divinity is in that booke, as a people were That the Moone was in the Aſſes belly **L. Viv. Com. in Aug. de Civit. Dei. 10. cap. 16.: I think to tell you-out this ſtory hereafter; In the meane time, they that are wiſe in heart doe obſerve this, for thus they reaſon againe;

2. If we are ſo mad now, becauſe that bruitiſh ſervice, which has made us ſo bruitiſh, is caſt-out of the Church; how mad will we be think they, when we our ſelves muſt be caſt-out; when we muſt be excommunicated, thruſt away from partaking of holy bread, becauſe of our uncleaneneſſe; when we muſt be deliveredup to the Devill; (for the deſtruction of our fleſh) when this muſt be (certainely the time is at hand when it muſt be) how mad will we be then, think the wiſe in heart; how will we fret, and fume, and rage, and ſtorme then? Certainely, he that conſiders this, though he conſidereth no more, and though he heares of peace, will yet hearken to the counſell; he that hath no ſword, let him ſell his Luk. 22. 36.Luke 22:36garment, and buy one.

A. No need he ſhould be at that coſt, for now the prophecy is fulfilled, Out of Zion is gone forth the Law, and the word of the Iſa. 2. 2.Isa 2:2Lord from Jeruſalem: Angells are gone forth with the everlaſting Goſpell; It followes, and the people ſhall beate their ſwords into plow-ſhares, and their ſpeares into pruning hookes; Nation Ezra 2. 4.Ezra 2:4ſhall not lift-up ſword againſt Nation; neither ſhall they learne warre any more; A bleſſed peace now, now peace, peace, a perfect peace, inward and outward, Amen.

B. I could joyne with you heartily, but ſtay a little, nay, for ought we know, we may ſtay a great while. This promiſe was made to the Church almoſt three thouſand yeares agoe, it is not fulfilled yet; the Church waites the accompliſhment of it now, for it ſhall come to paſſe in the laſt dayes. Theſe dayes are now: But the last dayes containe a large length, and extent of time, they have beene running-out theſe ſixteen hundred yeares, and whether this prophecy ſhall be fulfilled in our dayes, or not, wiſe men cannot tell, ſome of them think not; This is my firſt Anſwer. 2. If by Peace, you underſtand an inward peace, that is peace indeed, then we grant; That, unto whomſoever the word of Chriſt comes with power, it brings this peace along with it, at laſt: I p. 60ſay, at laſt, for at its firſt comming to the heart, it finds all the oppoſition, that the heart can make againſt it; And ſtirres and tumults there will be within this little kingdome, within the mans breaſt: for there are Idols there, which muſt be caſt-out; and he that is called a ſtrong man, muſt be overcome, and his goods ſpoiled; which ſhall be at the laſt. At firſt entrance, there will be an hot contention, stirres and tumults, as was ſaid, even theſe within that little kingdome, the mans own breaſt. And if ſo in that little kingdome, we need not propheſie (for we ſee it fulfilled before our eyes,) what ſtirres, tumults, oppoſitions, perſecutions muſt be expected now, through all the Lords Kingdomes, now that the Angels are gone forth with the everlaſting Gospell: Now that the Mountaine of the LORDS houſe muſt be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountaines, and muſt be exalted above the hills; now expect fier and ſword, all the oppoſition, that Hell gates, the Devill and his angels by force and fraud can make againſt theſe Angels, who are carrying forth the everlaſting Goſpell; and ſaying with a loud voice, feare God, &c. Now the Nations are angry, the wicked gnaw their tongues; we muſt expect from theſe Nations, theſe Heathen, bruitiſh people, as from an angry people, men mad upon their Idols, and with rage, nothing but fier and ſword; Therefore muſt all, that love the Goſpell, the Nation, and their own lives, all theſe muſt learne warre now; they muſt beat their plowſhares into ſwords, and their pruning-hookes into speares; for never was it known, if you aske from one end of the Heaven to the other, You never read of an unbloody Reformation, when there was ſuch a deformation all over the Church and State.That the Angels lifted-up their voice, ſaying, feare God, &c. and the angry Nations did not lift-up the ſword at the ſame time againſt thoſe Angels: That the Angels preached the Goſpell of Peace, and the Heathen people, yea and men civilized, profeſſing the truth, but denying the power, did not learne to warre againſt it at that very time. Will theſe Angels expect better welcome from the world than their Maſter had, the Angell of the Covenant? No ſooner opened He His mouth to preach, but the people opened their mouth againſt Him, and reached forth their hand to caſt Him downe headlong from the edge of the hill: He would teach them, they would perſecute Him, with the tongue and hand both. His Apoſtles, (men ſent forth to preach,) fared no better, not one of them: But their bruitiſh dealing with Paul is moſt notorious, p. 61we never read or ſaw the like untill this very day, Ile but point to it. It muſt be ſo, and ſo it muſt be expected; Theſe Angels, like Paul Acts 19.Acts 19and the other Angels, will turne the world upſide downe, and the little world we call man there, all upſide downe; they will tell men as plainely as Paul did, That thoſe are not gods which are made with hands; They will bid men feare God, worſhip Him, that made Heaven and earth, and the ſea; this is to turne the world and men therein upſide downe, for it is to turne the heart Heaven-ward wherto it ſtood croſſe ever ſince it had a being. We cannot think now, that ſuch turnings upſide down, can be without confuſed noiſe; for in this turning, Heaven & earth are brought together. We expect now the downfall of Antichiſt, he muſt fall, he muſt fall down, down like a milſtone into the great waters, how great will that fall be! There will be a great noiſe ſure, for all the ſhoulders in earth and in Hell, are conjoyned to ſupport and hold-up Babylon: When all theſe ſhoulders ſhall crack and its pillars be broken to pieces like earthen veſſels; there will be a great noiſe ſure! We underſtand by reading, that the prophecy is fulfilling now, when the mountaine of the LORDS houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed on the top of the mountaines, and exalted above the hills; Now the Devill and his angels, the mountaines and the hills, the Kings and Rulers on the earth will bend all their force to hinder the accompliſhment of this prophecy, which does aſſure us, that theſe mountaines and hills ſhall now be made plaines, therefore the gates of Hell ſtand wide open now to oppoſe the exaltation of Chriſts Kingdome; A mighty oppoſition, and a confuſed noiſe will be now, the ruſhing of Nations as of mighty waters will be heard now.

A. Why now? does the preaching of the Goſpell, or the Angels that preach it, cauſe this confuſed noiſe, ſore paine, and trouble to the inhabitants of the earth?

B. Yes that it does, by accident, as ſchollers ſay; As the Sunbeames cauſe the poiſon in a ſerpent to appeare, & drawes forth its malignancy; The Sun puts no poiſon there, but finds it there, draws it forth, and actuates the ſame. You may, for farther illuſtration, compare the malignant-Lords and Rulers of the world to a dunghill; (to that ſtinking place, the beſt men of the world have compared their own hearts, to a dunghill) The Sun puts no filthy ſent there, nor are the Sun-beames impured or defiled by ſhining there, p. 62(nothing can defile the Sun-beames) but the Sun-beames upon the dunghill drawes forth a filthy ſavour thence, makes it reak there: ſo the ſetting-up the Lord Chriſt upon His holy hill, does not put any rage, envy or malice into the hearts of His adverſaries, the Princes of the earth and Rulers there; no, all this is in the heart before, as in its proper place; but now it is quickned, and actuated by the brightneſſe of His comming, as the poiſon in the ſerpent, or as the filth in a dunghill by the heat of the Sun, and cleareneſſe of his beames. The maine intendment of the Goſpell, and of thoſe, that preach it, is, to cauſe peace to the earth. But there is much bloodſhed there, which the earth has drunk-in, and this muſt be diſcovered, yea and required alſo: There are many Idols there, thoſe muſt be caſt forth as abominable things, and that cauſeth the troubles, ſhakings of Kingdomes, and earthquakes as at this day; And indeed the Nations muſt be ſhaken, before the Lord Chriſt can be the deſire of the Nations. And this is the power of Hag. 2. 7.Hag 2:7the Goſpell, or the Goſpell preached with power, to ſhake the Nations terribly, to make the earth tremble. Then you will ſay,

A. Give us our Idolls againe, crucifixes and Images, and our Idoll-Prieſts and their Idoll-ſervices, as in our Cathedrals, and in the Kings and Queenes Chappels [where there were mimick Jer. …4. 17.Jer 4:17actions, and antick geſtures, not altogether ſo ridiculous as now they are in the Jewes Synagogues: but altogether as abominable in Gods ſight there and here, yet give them thoſe ſervices againe] for then it was better with us (as they ſaid it was with them, when they offered to the Queene of Heaven.)

B. The anſwer is neare: The ſame, which Jeremiah made to thoſe people of old; did not the Lord remember our doings? our abominable ſervices, came they not into His mind? So that the Lord could no longer beare, becauſe of the evill of our doings, and the abominations, which we have committed? So it may be ſaid to us, therefore the ſword devoureth as at this day; our abominable Idols ſet-up before the eye, and kept-up within the heart, our abominable ſervices unto them, have cauſed all this; and now that the light is come, and has diſcovered all this, ſo that the earth ſhall no longer cover her ſlaine, nor hold faſt her Idols, therefore is the earth-quake.

And now to ſhut-up this Chapter, with the beſt-counſell, and to p. 63follow the beſt example, let us doe now as they doe whoſe God is their portion and His peace their legacy. Theſe doe not ſtand expecting when peace will be in England: not when the King will come home to his Parliament (he muſt come home to himſelfe firſt, and then all the Chriſtian world ſhall heare of it, what a ſhaking there is in his breaſt) theſe tarry not for man, nor waight for the ſons of men. They will doe their duty, ſearch their own Tents, thruſt-out the Idols thence, that is firſt. They will ſeeke to God alwayes; And, not ignorant of the Devils wiles, nor of his malice, nor of his ſtrength, that now he and his angels will caſt about the rage of their wrath, diſcharge againſt the City of God (the butt and marke of their malice) all their granadoes, fiery darts, haileſtones and coales of fier, ſo to ſtorme the City of God; knowing all this, theſe ſervants of the Lord will take unto them the whole Armour of GOD, They-will gird their loynes with Epheſ. 6.Eph 6Truth; fence their hearts with righteouſneſſe, their feet with Patience; They will put on the helmet of ſalvation, and ſhield of faith; they will take unto them the ſword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: for the ſame word, which ſo ſhakes the earth now, and, againſt the nature of it, ſo diſquiets the inhabitants of Babilon, becauſe of their poiſonous natures, will be the beſt weapon a man can take both for offence and defence: and will procure aſſured quiet, reſt and peace at the laſt: I ſay, as aforeſaid, at the last; for while the mountaine of holineſſe (called the mountaine of the Lord, becauſe of its excellency, ſtability and perpetuity) is exalting in the heart, there will be ſtirres and tumults there, as are now in the world, for hills muſt be made levell there alſo, and mountaines muſt be plaines; But when this mountaine is exalted there, then there is peace, be the Nations never ſo unquiet: And ſo in the world, when the mountaine of Gods houſe is exalted above the hills and mountaines, then Peace, Peace, a perfect peace, a peace of Gods making, a created peace.

A. But there are faire offers and overtures towards peace now.

B. See! what hearkning there is ſtill after a peace from the world; I pray you hearken what the word of God ſayes, which is this, That out of the ſame mouth does not proceed bleſſing and Jam 3. 12, 12.Jas 3:12curſing: as the ſame fountaine does not ſend forth, at the ſame place, ſweet waters and bitter. Theſe things ought not ſo to be, nay p. 64they cannot be: they cannot call for a curſe upon the Land, and call for a bleſſing, a bleſſed Peace at the ſame time: The ſame hands cannot grievouſly oppreſſe the people; and, at the ſame time, eaſe their conſciences; Theſe things ought not to be, nay they cannot be; theſe are the wiles, depths, and deceits of Satan, all to ſtop the Angels way, that the everlaſting Goſpell may not be preached to them that dwell in the earth; therefore we regard not what is parlied on touching a peace of mens making; But by the good Hand of God with us, we will heare the Angels voyce, ſaying, Feare God, and give Glory to Him, and worſhip Him, as He has commanded, in Spirit and in Truth. And then, though the earthquake continue (as it is like to doe, for the bloud is not diſcovered yet, nor required, as it muſt be; nor are the idols caſt forth yet,) yet the ſervants of the Lord ſhall not be greatly moved, though the Lord ſhould forſake the earth, yet He wil not forſake His people.

A. Ai, But His People are very low.

B. Like enough they may be lower; and yet not ſo low as their Head and Lord was. But He is riſen, and the higher He is riſen, the lower He was; and as ſure as He is riſen, ſo ſure His Church ſhall riſe, for they muſt be made like Him, as in ſufferings, ſo in Glory. In the meane time, the Lord will give His ſervants quietneſſe, and aſſured Reſt in the moſt unſetled and unquiet times; Peace in God, and then Peace Peace, Peace in life, and Peace in Death, Peace Peace, a perfect Peace, Amen. And ſo we underſtand fully, what Peace is to be expected now from the world, now that the Goſpel is preached there. But the ſervants of the Lord ſerve a good Maſter, and He has ſpoken to the hearts of His people good words and comfortable, In ME PEACE; be of good cheere, I have overcome the world. I come now to the devout ſouldier.

§ III. The Word of GOD mighty to poſture a mans ſelfe.

Of high account, and pretious uſe.

THis man can ſpeake great things of the Word of God; for, through God, it has wrought great things in Him, a wonderfull change: he that was blind before, now ſees, [As in making p. 65the world, light was the firſt creature: ſo in making a man every whit new, the firſt work is the ſetting-up a light in the underſtanding; that worke is done] The Word, not as ſpoken by man, but ſpoken with a ſtrong hand, has wrought-upon the will too, has made that pliable, and flexible, which was ſtubborne and ſtiffe, as an Iron ſinnew before, and cleane croſſe to the good pleaſure of God; it is wrought-up now, it is turned back: and it is as wonderfull as was the turning back of Jord in or a Giant in his courſe: All is turned now, the whole man from darkneſſe to light, from ſerving of Idols to ſerve the living God. By the good Word of God, received in truth, this man is emptyed now, (in his meaſure) of himſelf, ſelfe pleaſing, ſelfe ſeeking, that great idoll of the world, which crams and fils-up the heart ſo brim-full, that it leaves no roomth there, for God and our neighbour: This man is emptied of himſelfe now, and filled with God. The first Table, the commands there, is this mans firſt and chiefe delight; and the ſecond Table, the commands there, is next unto it; His inward man takes delight in the Law of God; He loves God above himſelfe, and more then heaven; and his neighbour as himſelfe: In a word, he is made poore in ſpirit, and rich in Faith: and all this is done by the Word of God, made mighty through God, bleſſed be his Name. And now how ſweet is the Word of God unto him! ſweeter than honey, or the honey combe: he eſteemes it more than his neceſſary food. The Job 23. 12.Job 23:12word of God …now he ſees it, and underſtands it, he ſees wondrous excellencies in it, therefore he meditates thereon day and night. It is his Oracle, he does all he does by direction therefrom, for it is Quid eſt Scriptura ſacra niſi quadam epiſtola omniſ o… Dei ad creaturam ſuam.GODS mouth, his Lords will concerning his ſervant; A letter ſent unto him from God Himſelfe to ſignifie His pleaſure to the Children of men; It is of the higheſt account with him, for it makes him, as it did David, wiſer than Saul and his politike Councellours, theſe were Davids enemies; wiſer than the Doctours Pſal. 119. 100.Ps 119:100and Rabbins, they were his teachers: more prudent than men of large, and long experience, they are the ancients. The good word of God! this fits him with counſell and ſtrength, and all for war; This ſupplies him with every part, and parcell of his Armour, tels him how to put it-on, and gird it unto him, even the whole Armour of God. The word of God! with that he chargeth and charmeth every luſt, he ſtils them, and they are quiet; and if they riſe againe to p. 66ſtorme his ſoule, he ſtormeth them by the Word of God; he brings his Idols before that Glory, and ſo ſlayeth them before the Lord: It is light with him now, for the Word of God is in his heart; he lieth-downe with it, riſeth-up with it; walkes with-it, it is his companion; O how ſafely does he goe … how wiſely does he order his ſteps! The Word of God is a light unto him, that goes before, he followes; he ſees now little ſmall ſinnes, if we might call (in compariſon we may) any ſinnes ſmall, or little, which are committed againſt a great God: and makes us liable to great wrath, he ſees the ſmalleſt ſinnes, for he is light in the LORD: The Sun of Righteouſneſſe has darted-in His beames into his ſoule: where the ſun-beames come, there moates are ſeene; when in the night of ignorance and ſuperſtition mountaines are covered from our eyes, ſinnes that reach as high as heaven: This man diſcerneth ſmall ſinnes, and is humbled for them, for he is light in the Lord; and he walkes in the light; he has a word for every thing, and there-after he moves: Therefore it is, that he delights ſo much in the good Word of God, more as was ſaid, than in his ordinary food; he is ſtill looking into his Fathers will, for there he lookes to find all concerning him; And he knowes in all his heart, and in all his ſoule, that not one thing of all the good things, contained in that booke, ſhall Joſ… 23. 14.Josh 23:14faile: All ſhall be made-out unto him, through the hands of his Mediatour, in the fitteſt time, as it has been to all the ſervants of the Lord, before him, and ſhall be, To all after him, unto the worlds end. And now it is the deſire of his ſoul, that all may partake of the good Word of God; taſte the ſame ſweetneſſe in it, as he does, and ſee the ſame wondrous excellencies in this law as he ſees. It grieves his ſoule, and he weepes in ſecret, that there ſhould be any places in Judah, where God is not knowne; where the dead bury the dead, and the blind lead the blind every day: where there are like Prieſts and like People, one as brutiſh as the other. Therefore he contends mightily, that able and fit men be ſent-out to all townes and Cities, who can inſtruct, teach, and catechiſe young and old, (the old needs inſtruction as much as the young, more neceſſary to both than their daily food, to be inſtructed) in the good Word of God; he ſets to his ſhoulder with all his might, that the Lord Chriſt may be lifted-up to his Throne, that his Ordinances may be ſet-up in their purity, not mixed, nor mated with the mixtures of p. 67men, and their fooleries: for where the good Word of God is ſetup, whether in a Towne, or in a man only, there idols fall: By the ſame degrees as the Lord Chriſt is exalted, idols are thrown down; If he heare the good Word of God is preached, then he knowes what will follow, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, the idols of his own heart, theſe are fallen; and the idols in the land ſhall be ſhaken-out of the land too, and then Chriſt ſhall be the deſire of the nations: All theſe things ſhall be according as the Lord Chriſt takes to Himſelfe power; As light breakes-out, ſo darkneſſe vaniſheth away: By the ſame degrees as the Word goes forth, and the ordinances are ſet-up, ſo ſuperstition, hereſie, and prophaneneſſe fals. Therefore all his delight is in the Word of God, and in thoſe, that are the publiſhers of it, and ſo he concludes.