IN the beginning of this Chapter,Verse 2. Jesus taketh with him Peter, James and John, and went up into a high mountaine to pray (as Luke hath it) for when we are to wait on God in such an ordinance,Lukke 9.28. we are to get into a mountaine (that is) to be above the world; for you read that Christ sent the multitude away when he was (thus) to converse with his Father,Mat. 14.23. so are we, to dismisse the multitude of earthly thoughts and cares, that we may attend upon the Lord in such a duty without distraction.

Luke saith, that as Christ prayed,Luke 9.29. the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering: For the Lord leaveth some impressions of his own glory upon those that come to have communion with himself in those ordinances wherein he meets their soules.Exod. 34.30. Moses face did shine [Page 2]when he had been with God upon the mount. Oh 'tis good to draw neer to God.Psal. 73. ult.

But assoon as Christ appeared:Verse 4. Moses and Elias ap­peared with him in glory. By Moses, I do not under­stand the person of Moses, but the ministration of Moses so far as it was Elementarie & typicall, Heb. 10.1. a shadow of things to come, and so to be overshadowed, a glory which was to be outshined by the glory of Christ. And by Elias, I do not understand the person of John Baptist (who was Elias) but his ministration, so far as it was the Baptisme of water, [...]. John 3.30. an outward sign of the Baptisme of Christ, a glory which was to be eclip­sed by the glory of Christ: I must decrease, but he must increase. Now these two ministers (being put for the ministrations themselves) appeared with Christ: for whensoever Christ exalts his glory, other glories seeke to stand up in competition with it.

Peter is so satisfied with the vision of this glory, that he is content ta take up his everlasting habitati­on in the mount: Master it is good to be here, and to build tabernacles not onely to Christ, but to Moses and Elias also, for when creatures stand up in compe­tition with Christ, we are ready to attribute to them the glory of Christ, magnifying them as Co-adjutors and Concauses with Christ,Habak. 1.16. Sacrificing to our nets, building tabernacles to Moses and Elias, as well as un­to Christ.

But it is the design of the Father to honour Christ,Phil. 2.9. and to give him a name above every name, that every knee may bow to him, and all glory (below him­self) abase it selfe before him; therefore Moses and Eli­as shall not be able to indure the Luster of Christs [Page 3]appearing who is the bright morning star; Moses and Elias are overshadowed and darkened by Christ, their glory is extinguised: no glory remained but the glory of Christ: Jesus was left alone. For while Peter thus spake: A cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, this is &c. From the words thus opened we may observe, That—

The glory of Christ doth overshadow and out­shine,Doct. all other glories; that stand up against it, or in competition with it.

The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the light and glo­ry of Christ which should break forth in the time of the Gospel,Isaiah 40. discovereth the vanity of all fleshly glo­ry, how it should wither, die and fade before this glory, at the 5 verse. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed &c. and at the 7 verse. The grasse wi­thereth, the flower fadeth &c.

Daniel saw in a vision one like the son of man,Dan 7.14. in his glory, Kingdome and dominion: and see there how the glory of those great and powerfull Mon­archies did passe away and vanish before this glory (it would have grieved the heart of any Royallist to have seen it) for the Thrones were cast down, verse 9. Their glory utterly marred, their power quite broken, and all by a little stone cut out of the moun­taines without hands, verse 26.Dan. 2.34. Their dominion is taken away; consumed and destroyed to the end, for the hand-writing was gone forth against them, MENE MENE TEKEL EUPHARSIN. They were weighed in the ballance, and found light, and their Kingdomes were departed from them.Dan. 5.25 The Prophet Esay in another place doth display (most divinely) [Page 4]the magnificence of this Transcendent glory,Esay 2.10. and see how the lofty looks, high thoughts & great imagina­tions of men are humbled and brought down, verse 10. Great and mighty ones hide themselves in the dust for feare of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majestie, yea, verse 11. the lofty lookes of men shall be humbled, and the haughtines of men shall be bowed down: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, the day of the Lord of Hosts shall so be upon every one that is proud and lofty, that migh­ty ones shal be cast from their seats, and the strongest oakes of Bashan will not be able to stand against this mighty blast.

When the Angel came down from heaven who lightened the earth with his glory,Rev. 18.1. down came Baby­lon and all her glory,Verse 16, 17, 18, 19. so bemoaned and lamented by her admirers and adorers: for in one hour so great laches came to nought, for the glory of the new Jerusa­lem the City of God doth even swallow up the glory of creatures!Rev 21.24. The nations do bring their glory into it. Thus you see the glory of Christ doth overshadow and outshine &c. But I shall no longer stay in Gene­rals, but come to particulars. First the glory of the wis­dome of Christ doth overshadow the wisdome of the world; so that it is confounded by it, when it stands up in competition or in contestation with it: for the wis­dom, learning,Acts 6.9. policie and sophistrie of the world did stand up against (and contest with) the wisdome of God in Steven; but they were all borne down by the Majestie and power of it; for the truth of God is powerful,Rom. 1.16. yea it is the power of God to salvation and cannot be resisted in the meanest and weakest instru­ment [Page 5]but it will bear all before it; the Libertines, Cyrenians, & Alexandrians were not able to resist the spirit whereby he spake,Acts 6.10. or with all humane abilities to maintaine dispute against him, for the school of tyrannie is too weak for the school of Christ: The Lord Jesus at twelve years old disputed with the Do­ctors, confounding them and amazing them with his questions and answers; so powerful was the wisdom of God in the child Jesus:Luke 2.48. Now this wisdome of God (which dwelt in Christ) is in all the Saints, though in a lesse measure, yet sufficient to deal with powers and principalities,1 Cor. 1.27. for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and weak things to confound the things which are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despi­sed, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that so the power of God being seen in weak instruments, no flesh might glory in his pre­sence, for this treasure is in earthen vessels,2 Cor. 4.7. that the praise might be of God and not of men: Thus the glory of the wisdome of Christ doth darken the glo­ry of humane wisdome, for his glory doth oversha­dow all other glories.

Secondly, The glory of Christs power doth over­shadow and out-shine (that is) doth confound and bring to nothing the glory of all fleshly power that standeth up against it, or in competition with it,Zach. 4.7. see a glorious discovery of this in the Gospel by Saint John, Judas cometh with a band of men and officers,John 18.4. with weapons, lanthorns and torches to apprehend the Lord of life and glory; but Christ meets them in the power and Majestie of the God-head in him, and [Page 6]said, whom seek ye? and they fell backward to the ground, notwithstanding all their fleshly and world­ly assistances they could not stand before him; the power of the creature fell before the power of God in Christ: therefore no man could take away his life, he lay'd it down of himself.

When Saul had nought but a creature-power to support him, and his kingdome, in the absence of the power of God, which was departed from him; see how desolate his house was left, see how the glory of it did fade and die away, (as any form) wherein God hath appeared) doth perish and come to nothing when God doth withdraw from it.) And though Saul did seek to fortifie himself with fleshly power a­gainst the power of God with David, and to keep up his esteem and honour in the hearts of his subjects, and to quicken in them an admiration of his greatnes (which he saw decaying) honour me good Samuel be­fore the people, but all was ineffectual; for to what purpose do we spice, embalme and preserve a carcase when the life and spirit is gone out of it? oh how did his heart meditate terrour in the apprehension of the withdrawment of the divine presence! his pulse did beat very low, and a cold sweat stood upon his limbs; yea, all the symptomes of a dying glory: oh what strivings and struglings for life! he ran to Ephraim, called to Assyria: to the World, to the Devil, to the Witch of Endor. Oh his sad complaint! God is de­parted from me, and the Philistines make war against me; but all these struglings were but the last prongs and pangs: for his glory expired, and the glory of his house; the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker, [Page 7]and the house of David stronger & stronger; the power of God with David did swallow up the power of the creature which was with Saul, for the glory of Christ doth overshadow and out-shine all other glories.

But that you may see further proof of this, viz. Isay 14.11. that that glorious power of Christ doth overshadow and confound all other powers that exalt themselves against it: cast your eye upon that place in Isaiah, where you read of the aspiring Tower of Babel, lift­ing up it self, and seeking to over-top the power and kingdome of Christ, for Verse 13. Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my self above the stars of God; but this power that shoke king­domes, and made the earth to tremble, is brought down; this high and lofty Tower doth tumble be­fore the power and glory of Christs Kingdome: Thy pompe is brought down to the grave, Verse 11. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer? see how strongly & ir­resistably this power doth act even in a weak forme: there shall not any man be able to stand before thee, said God to Joshuah (that is) before my power and presence with thee, for as I was with Moses, Josh. 1.5. so will I be with thee, &c.

This power was very dreadful when the Philistines cryed out, let us flee,1 Sam. 4.7. Deus venit in castra vae no­bis vae nobis. &c. for God is come into the camp of Israel: who can stand before these mighty Gods? These are the Gods which smote the Egypti­ans, all the inhabitants of the Land did faint because of the presence and power of God with his people Is­rael, for that power breaks all powers that dash against it. The Kings of the earth, Revel. 17.14.Joh. 2 11. make war against the Lamb, but he overcometh, for he is the [Page 8]Captaine of our Salvation, the most mighty, high and victorious King of kings,Rev. 19.19. and Lord of lords, and when the glory of his power breakes forth,Mat. 1.24. it over­shadowes the glory of all other powers.

Thirdly, The glory of Christs rightousnesse doth overshadow, darken and put out the glory of mans righteousnesse: The Apostle Paul, before the revela­tion of the glory of Christs righteousnesse to his soul, did glory in his own righteousnesse,Phil. 3. viz. his obedi­ence and conformity to the Law, for he knew no o­ther name wherein he should be saved; but thought his own workes must commend him unto God, and he esteemed himself in his self-righteousnesse, adorn­ed with a glorious robe; but afterward upon the knowledge of Christ, it did appear a filthy rag, and it was a very loathing and abhorrence to his soul, not­withstanding his legal priviledges and blameles wal­kings touching the Law, [...]. he counted all dung and drosse in comparison of Christ; for as soon as the Gospel came, his sin revived, his self-righteousnesse died: that was crucified to him, and he to that, when the light of truth did shine into his heart, he was so overshadowed with the glory of the Gospel, that the glory of the Law was outshined; for it was no glory in respect of that glory, vvhich vvas to be revealed.

The righteousnesse of man is as an early devv, and as a morning cloud vvhich do pass avvay, the devv and cloud vanish before the Sun,Hosan. and the righteousnesse of man is confounded & darkned by the Sun of righ­teousnesse; nothing doth so humble and abase the soul as the beholding this glory of Christs righteous­nesse, nothing doth so discover to the soul its ovvn [Page 9]unrighteousnesse, nor so pull down high thoughts and lofty imaginations in the heart, as to have a vi­sion of the purity and righteousness of God in Christ.Job. 42.5. I have heard of thee (said Job of this Divine glory) but now mine eies see thee, wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes. Oh how low doth the glory of Christ lay the glory of man! for when the glory of God appeared unto Isaiah, he was so astonished and con­founded,Isay 6.5. that he cries out, woe is me, I am undone, I have seen the Lord, I am a man of polluted lips; I am a sinful man (said Peter when he had seen the Lord Je­sus) nothing doth so manifest to the creature its em­ptinesse and insufficiency, as a sight of that eminen­cy and fulnesse that is in Christ; then we see that we are nothing, that we have nothing, and can do no­thing when the Lord discovereth himself to be all in all, for his glorious righteousnesse doth overshadow and eclips the glory of all earthly righteousnesse.

Fourthly, The glory of Christs truth and worship doth quite blast and overshadow the glory of mans worship, that is to say, a wil-worship according to the commandments of men: Oh how have we lived upon this worship, and fetched all our refreshment from it! speaking peace to our own souls, for the perfunctory and formal performance of any particu­lar act of this worship,Isay 50. ult. 29.13. though according to the com­mandments of men: But when that glorious Sun of Divine truth hath arisen upon us, and caused his light and glory to dawne upon our darke hearts;2 Pet. 1.19. this well of our former refreshment, hath been utterly ex­hausted, we could no longer find comfort or satis­faction in mens formalities; we might famish for any [Page 10]soul-nourishment that we could find in them, they have appeared to us, so void of the presence of Jesus Christ,Luke 24.5. that we should seek the living among the dead, to seek him there: so that the discovery of Christ in his truth, and Gospel, hath disovered the emptinesse,Isay. and destroyed the very being of those things whereon we have lived: for the glory of Christ doth overshadow all other glory.

Now Divine worship cannot but darken the glory of Wil-worship, for the truth of God must needs o­vercome and vanquish the devised worship of men: many are the devises of men, but the councels of God must stand: the word is powerful for the subversion of strong-holds, and bringing down humane imagi­nations: therefore this may comfort us in the middest of all the errours of the enemies wherein we live; truth shall get ground of errour, but errour shall not get ground of truth, for truth is armed from heaven against opposers: therefore we are resolved in this cause of Christs, to put it to the utmost triall, which be strongest, the lies and falshoods of men, or the truth and Gospel of Jesus Christ:Heb. 1. surely the bright­nesse of this glory will out-shine all other glories, for can darknesse stand before the light? if the day break the shadowes must flie away,Cant. 4.6. the Kingdome of the beast was ruined by the preaching of the Gospel, be­cause it was full of darknesse; that kingdome is an ef­fect of darknesse,Revel. 16.10. and a cause of darknesse, brought forth by darkenesse,Ex quibus na­scimur ex iis­dem nutrimur. Luke 2.32. 2 Pet. 1.19. Rev 2.28. supported by darknesse, it main­taines darknesse, and is maintained by darknesse; now Christ is a light to lighten the Gentiles, a light shining in a darke place, the bright morning-star, [Page 11]that very light and glory of the Father, which must needs be destructive to the kingdome of darknesse, which cannot abide the brightnesse of his coming, for the lustre of it is above all other glory.2 Thes. 2.8.

Yea further, Wil-worship is set forth (in way of comparison) by wax which melteth before the fire: the doctrines and traditions of men melt and dissolve, when the Sun of Gospel-light and truth waxeth hot.Rev. 9.2. Wil-worship is the smoke of the bottomlesse pit: now smoke doth vanish, clouds are scattered and dis­sipated when the Sun ariseth. Let God arise,Psal. 68.1. let truth break forth, and what shall be contrary to truth, and God, will be scattered: even as smoke vanisheth, so it will be driven away, and as wax melt­eth at the fire, so it will perish at the presence of the truth of God: so that hay and stubble will not en­dure the fire,1 Cor. 3.12. which must try every mans worke of what sort it is. The Prophet Malachi saith of Christ,Mal. 4.3. Who shall abide his coming, for his coming is as a refiners fire, and fullers soape: He alludeth to the custome of the refiners of subterraneal treasures, who by fire pu­rifie the silver and gold ore, separating the dross from it: so this refiner, the Lord Jesus, will cause all the drosse of humane inventions in the worship of God to passe away, to go forth as that scum and filth which will not abide the purity of his coming; for no mix­ture of humanity will endure the refiners fire: for the truth of God carrieth all before it, dashing the brats of Babylon against the stones, breaking not one­ly her Idols of courser materials, as of wood and stone, but even those of purer matter, as of gold and silver and precious sto [...]es;Rev. 18.12. dlso vering not onely [Page 12]the mysterie of iniquity in grosse formes,For the man of sin hath various forms, and though he acteth in a new form, yet he is the old ser­pent. but even that which is more specious and spun with a finer thred, for the word of the Lord is quick and power­full, sharper then a two-edged sword &c. Thus the glory of Christs truth and worship, doth overshadow and put out the glory of al humane & carnal ordinan­ces: for the Angel which cometh down from heaven (with the everlasting Gospel) hath great power, and the earth is lightened with his glory.Rev. 18.1.

Lastly, the glory of Christs promises and prophe­sies of his will and councels do overshadow and out­shine all the devises and wills of men (that is) the devises, councels, and wills of men are not able to stand before the will and councel of God;Isay 46.10, 11 for first, the promises and prophesies of God must be fulfilled, and must take place,Isay 14.24. maugre all the actings, and conncels of men. Glorious things are prophesied of the Church of Christ, in time of the new Testament, that her foundations shall be laid with Saphirs, and Carbuncles,Isay 54.11. her gates shall be made of Agats, and all her borders of pretious stones: all which are of high esteeme, and value, with our Lapidaries that know the vertues of these stones: now the enemies of the Church of Christ,Isay 54.15. gather together, to hinder this glorious worke, and to keep off the fulfilling of these blessed Prophesies; for they had rather see Si­ons stones,Psul. 102.14. lie scattered in the dust, then compact­ed together, to become a holy temple in the Lord: but all their engagements are in vaine, for when they rise up thus against the worke of God they fall;Verse 15. when they gather together against it they are scattered;Verse 17. and no weapon formed against this worke doth prosper; all these (saith God to Sion, [Page 13]concerning the Churches adversaries (shal gather to­gether against thee; but they shall fall for thy sake, for God rebuketh Kings and Kingdomes for his peo­ples sake; thus ye see when God doth worke,Isay 43.13. none can let him: Tobiahs and Sanballats may scoffe at the wayes of God, and set themselves against them:Nehem. 4.1, 2. But the Temple shall be built, for not a title of the pro­mises and prophesies of God shall fall to the ground;Mat. 24.35. they shall be verified though all men be found lyers.

Then secondly, the councels of God do even baffle, and confound the devises of men, therefore let them associate, and they will be broken in peeces;Isay 8.9. let them take councel, and it will come to nothing, for saith the holy Ghost, many are the devises of men but the councels of God shal stand:Isay 46. for it is im­possible they should be frustrated, by all the wis­dome, and policy of creatures. Oh man,Non est consi­lium contra dominum. Rom. 9. who art thou, that dost contend, and contest with him that is mighty?

Thirdly, the designes of God, do bear before them even to the dust, all the conspiracies, and combina­tions of men and devils, against them. The design of God (in the second Psalm) is to exalt his sonne,Psal. 2.8. and to give him a name above every name:Phil. 2. Now nothing doth more dethrone man, and take away the glory of all flesh, then the setting this Crown of glory upon the head of Christ,Isay 40. Psal. 2.1. therefore (at the first verse) The Heathens rage, and the Kings of the earth stand up, and take councel against the Lord and his Christ. But he that dwels in heaven doth laugh them to scorn, for they imagine a vaine thing, when they thinke to hinder the design of God from being carried on: now [Page 14]this is the design of God,Verse 6. even to set his Sonne upon the holy hill of Sion.

Fourthly, the will of God doth frustrate all the wills of men,Psal. 46.3. in the 46. Psalm; men seeke to exalt themselves, and their own wills, which is the ground of those commotions there spoken of: but God writeh vanity upon all their endeavours: the will of none but God can take place.Verse 10. & ult. Bestill (saith hee) and know that I am God, and I will be exalted in the earth.

They fight,Psal. 46.6, 7, 8, 9. war and contend even until they fill the world with combustions, and distractions, & all to set up their own crooked will; but God exalts him­selfe and maketh them all come in and lick the dust before him: Know that I am God. Verse 10. Oh bre­thren, from whence cometh wars and fightings?James 4.1. even from our lusts that war in our members: we lust to have our own wills, and interest, set up and ad­vanced: Royallists would have their will, and way, else no peace: Papists also would have their will­worship established; and the little horne of the beast would have all the other hornes knocked off,Dan. 7.8. to set up it self: well brethren, this is our comfort, in the middest of all these clashings, no will but the will of God, shall, or can take place. Oh that we could see all these various workings, and contex­tures of providence, all transactions in our Common­wealth, as so many lines meeting in the will of the Lord: then we should all cease from tormenting our selves in the prosecution of our own wills,Mat. 26. Verse 39. Psal. 37 7. and lie down satisfied in the will of the Lord, as in the Centre of our rest: Deare hearts, there is sweet re­pose.

Thus much for the Confirmation of the Point, I now come to Use and Application.

First, If the glory of Christ doth overshadow and outshine all other &c. then this will informe us why carnal hearts do so oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even because it doth eclips and darken all natures glory.

So that if you will allow creatures to rise up a­gainst and oppose that which is destructive to their beings, you must not wonder why natural men (who have their life and glory in fleshly wisdome, fleshly strength, and fleshly righteousnesse) should rise up against the ministration of the Spirit and Gospel, which doth so darken and put out all these. Nature you see (in all) doth seeke to preserve it selfe, and to resist whatsoever may procure her destructi­on and annihilation, therefore nature in us doth quake at the thought of death. Oh beloved the Gos­pel in its glory, doth confound and annihilate all fleshly excellencies; it doth cause their glory to fade and die; Therefore you may cease your admira­tion, why in City and Country there should be so much enmity against Christ, his truth and Gospel: Men that would exalt themselves and be something in the esteem of their own parts and gifts, some­thing in their own wisdome, glory, strength,Gol. 3.11. right­eousnesse, cannot but set themselves against him who will be all in all.

First, you shall see how men that exalt them­selves in an earthly glory, cannot bear nor brook the glory of Christs kingdome and Gospel, their knees do smite one against another,Dan. 3.5. their thoughts are [Page 16]troubled when many run to and fro,Mat. 2.3. and know­ledge is encreased, when many come to joyne unto the Lord, and to give up their names to Jesus Christ; their hearts, I say, do meditate terrour, as if the Saints gathering together would be their scattering; as if their glory would be their shame: this did trou­ble Herod, and those tidings out of the North (in the book of Daniel) did perplex Babylon; Dan. 11.44. therefore Herod sought to slay the child Jesus; therefore the Kings of the earth made war against the Lamb,Rev. 17.14. before whom they thought the honour, pompe and dignity of their Kingdomes could not stand, and that is the reason why so many Princes and Rulers,Psal. 2.2. have so endeavour­ed to suppresse the kingdome of Christ, and to hinder it from taking place in their Dominions: have any of the Rulers believed on him?

Secondly, they who magnifie humane wisdome and humane worship, how they set themselves against the Lord and his Christ: the learned Greeks esteemed the preaching of the Gospel foolishnesse; the learned Rabbies could not receive it, but oppose it; it did so confound the wisdome of the wise,1 Cor. 1.27. and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent: the ado­rers of Diana filled the City of Ephesus with confusi­ons,Acts 19.27. tumults and insurrections against the Gospel of Christ, because it laid the magnificence of their great Goddesse in the dust.

Thirdly, men that exalt fleshly righteousnes, making a faire shew in the flesh, glorying in their duties, ex­ternal conformity,Gal. 3. and qualifications, as if by their actings they could do something in order to their ju­stification and salvation, are much offended at the [Page 17]preaching of the righteousnesse of faith, the glory whereof did cause the righteousnesse of Ephraim to vanish like a morning cloud, or like an earthly dew. The Scribes and Pharisees, men zealous of the Law,Phil. 3. were great adversaries against the Gospel, and many of Christs hearers were offended, & turn'd their backs up­on his doctrin when he exalted the Fathers free grace and power in the dethroning of the creatures free­will and ability.John 6.6 [...]. No man (saith Christ) can come to me except my Father draw him, or except it be given unto him of my Father: Upon this many of his disciples went away, and walked no more with Jesus; this was an hard saying, they could not beare it. Oh nothing doth so stumble nature as that which de­stroyeth nature: they exalted themselves in the con­ceit of a power, will, abilitie by nature to come to God, and to life and salvation by God: and now to have the glory of al these blasted, for no truth doth so discover the inability of the creature as this, that no man can come to Christ except it be given unto him of the Father, it bringeth down high thoughts of our selves, or any thing in our selves; therefore said they among themselves, this is a hard saying, what? are we nothing? have we of our selves nothing? and can we do nothing? Upon this many departed, and made a recesse from Christ, they walked no more with Jesus: thus you see the ground and reason, of all opposition against the Gospel: it overshadoweth and out shineth all other glory.

Now people may manifest their enmity and op­position against the Gospel either by a fleeing hatred, or by a pursuing hatred, now the gospel is hated [Page 18]both these waies because it outshineth all other glo­ry. The Papists and others did hate it with a pursu­ing hatred when they hunted after the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus; but (blessed be our God) they are now under the hatches who a long time sat at the stern; for God hath made you Honourable Senatours,Cant. 2.15. in struments to chain up those Foxes who preyed upon the Lambs of Christ, and the Lord re­quite your love into your bosomes, that we can have a palce to rest our heads, and set our feet upon, in the Land of our Nativity. We wish you well in the name of the Lord, & we remember you in our addresses to the Thron e of grace, that God would stand by you & be your glory, and your strength: therefore rouze up your spirits like men that have God with you and for you, and take courage to suppresse that bloody and turbulent spirit of persecution that fils the Com­mon-wealth with so much combustion and distracti­tion; that you may not rest untill you have banished it out of your dominions,Isaiah 11.6. Isaiah 65.25. ult. that so a more quiet and peaceable spirit may dwel with the lamb, and the child may play upon the hole of the Asp, and there may be no devouring beast in all the Lords holy mountain.

Secondly, enmity against the Gospel is manifested by a fleeing hatred: if you observe the enemies, and secret Antipathies, among the creatures, you shal see weak creature, flee from those creatures that are offensive to their nature, if they cannot over-power them:qui mali aget odit lucem. so when men are not able to hinder the break­ing forth of the light of truth, they shun it, and wil not [Page 15]come unto it. In the second of Isaiah this fl eing hatred is fully set forth, the whole Chapter speaketh of the downfall of the glory, power &c. of man,Isaiah 2. chap yea all Idols shal utterly be abolished verse, 20. Yea so un­able shal they be to looke the light in the face, or lift their head, before the wisdome and truth of God; that at the, 21. verse they shall go into the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth, that is, into darke and Subterreanean places; so offensive is the light unto them, so unable are they to endure the lustre,Isaiah 2.21. glory and Majestie of the Lord; which are so destructive to corrupt and carnal wayes, that they creep into the clefts of the rocks, and holes of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord and glory of his Majesty: The words seem to be an allusion unto the usuall custome of those feeble creatures, who when they are not a­ble to deal with creatures stronger then themselves, who would destroy them; they retire into such places, where they may best pro [...]ect themselves from the power of their antagonists: as coneys wil get into their boroughs for fear of the doggs; thus ment when they cannot endure the pure and powerful preaching of the Gospel in the place where they live, it doth cast such contempt and shame upon them and all their wayes, they wil get into the darke places of the land, even into the borders of Zebulon and Neph-thali, the Regions and shadowe; of death, where people perish for want of knowledge; that so they may there settle themselves upon the stool of tradi­tions, and preserve their carnall worship and wayes from being blasted and overshadowed by the glory of the Gospel. Thus men oppose and hate the Gospel, be­cause [Page 13]it outshineth all other glory, and they hate it ei­ther with a pursuing hatred,Revel. 22.15. as doggs (for so the Scri­pture calleth them) barking at the people of God and waies of Christ, yea which is worse, they will bite also, and that when they do not barke, crying peace, peace, and yet bite with the teeth: as the Prophet saith like those doggs we read of in a strange land; that barkewhen the Sun riseth, or like the doggs here with us: that fall a barking when the Moon shineth; thus many fret and fume, vex, perplex and torment them­selves when the Sun of righteousnes ariseth with heal­ing in his wings,Mal. 4.2. shineth forth upon the souls of Saints with beams of light and refreshment. But the Sun whichmelteth wax, doth harden clay, for that which is our comfort, poor wretches it is their torment; and you see also they hate the Gospel with a fleeing hatred, like Bats and Owls, who cannot abide the light, retire into holes and thickets, and like some beasts get into their dens when the Sun and light break forth, they go into the caves of the earth and the clefts of the rocks for fear of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth, &c.

If the Glory of Christdoth outshine al other glories that stand up in competition withit,Ʋse 2. then Honourable Senatours, set not up any earthly glory in competition with Christ, for it will be darkened and overshadow­ed. We set up gifts in competition with Christ, when we admire them, and not Christ the author, & donor of them, when we attribute more to them, then to the grace of God; we set up humane wisdome in com­petition with Christ, when we make it absolutely ne­cessary for the dispensation of the Gospel, yea such [Page 21]an essentiall qualification, as if without it none could be inabled for the holding forth the word of life: now this doth detract from the alfufficiency of Christ,2 Cor. 12.9. as if he could not furnish his Saints with the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to those that are weary without acquired arts and Sciences: I do not speak against gifts and learning, they are excellent ornements unto nature, and (for ought I know unto grace also, for the gold did beau­tifie the Temple, though the Temple did Sanctifie the gold; but I speak against the axalting them before Christ you know a candle is of good use in a darkeroome, but when you light it up before the Sun, it is outshin­ed and made useless. God maketh foolishnesse the wis­dome of this world, confoundeth the understanding of the prudent, and doth destroy and blast the glory of all humane excellencies; yea doth powre contempt upon them when they exalt themselves before him: therefore if Christ doth begin to overshadow these creature-glories, let's not crie them up for though we should never so endeavour to quicken the admirati­on of them in the hearts of men; yet we shall not be a­ble to keep up their esteem, and preserve their glory when they begin to die and fade, the spirit of the Lord blowing upon them. We have had experience of this,1 Sam. 5.2. for we set up the Dagon of mans invented worship be­fore the Arke of God, but the power and Majesty of the truth of God made him lick the dust, for down he tumbled before the Arke, and though the hand of God was exceedingly against us in this desinge, yet such was our blind zeal, that we would not desist, but lent Dagon our hand again, and gave him the other lift, and helped him into his seat again; yea we fasted for [Page 22]him, and prayed for him until we had set him up, but in the morning this Dagon was fallen unto the earth again, and had broke his neck and hands, and no­thing but the stump of Dagon remaines, for nothing doth so deface and deform mans worship as the light of truth shining forth.

Truely we would have healed Babylon but she would not be healed, even let us give her over as in­curable. And honourable Senators,1 Kings 18. if Baal be a god let him plead for himself, lend him your power no more, for he layeth claim to a Jus Divinum, now if he be (as he pretends) of the stock and linage of David, if he be as Johns Baptisme) from heaven, he is armed from heaven, and strengthened with a divine power against all wayes that do oppose him, and therefore need not be afraid to looke the light in the face, or lift up his head before the Arke. Also let's not set up humane power in competition with Christ, let's not depend upon it as if a man could be delivered by much strength, let's not glory as if our hil were made so strong, that it could never be moved when the arm of flesh is with us; but especially take heed of setting up humane power against Christ, least it be broken like a potters vessel. You have seen these powers of the beast and Dagon fall before the Arke, and if Mor­decai be of the seed of the Jews before whom Hamon hath begun to fall,Esther 6.13. he will fall and rise no more. Oh let all proud Hamans cease persecuting poor Morde­cai, least they bring an odium upon themselves before the Lord, for let them engage their wisdome, power and greatnesse against the wayes of Christ,Magna est ve­ritas & prae­valet. the power of Christ, even in babes and sucklings, persons mean [Page 23]and contemptible, will bear them down before it;Psal. 8.2. for great is the Lord, and his glory doth out-shine all o­ther glories.

If we would not be troubled at the breaking forth of the light and glory of Christ,Ʋse 3. let's be willing this bright cloud should overshadow us, willing to be a­based and decrease,John 3.30. that Christ may be exalted and encrease. Beloved, I do discover the cloud arising, and it wil overshadow us, for though for present it ap­peareth about the bignesse of a mans hand,1 Kings 18.45. it will encrease until it overspread the heaven, and darken al the glory of man. Beloved, if my Astrologie fail not, the glory of flesh wil suffer a great eclips,Isay 40.6. and it wil be visible with us if the aire be cleare: indeed for pre­sent it is somewhat darkened with the smoke of the bottomlesse pit,Rev. 9.3. but there is hope that darknesse wil be dispelled with the beames of the Sun of righte­ousnesse;Mal. 4. now this prognostication though calculated properly for England, yet it may serve indifferently for the whole world; for all the Nations round about us, though they be stout and lofty, must bring their glory unto him who is to be all in all.Rev. 21.26. This predicti­on is grounded upon that 24 of Matthew, which place though understood of Christs last coming,Mat. 24.29. yet is true also of his coming in the ministry of his Go­spel, which doth darken the Sun, Moon and Stars; all these inferior luminaries of earthly glory wax pale and dim, when the Son of man appeareth in his glory: but although the Moon of earthly glory (which is subject to encrease and wane and many changes) be thus eclipsed, yet our glorious Sun shal never be eclip­sed [Page 24]from the soul of his people; yea it shall never go down,Isay 60.19. for the Lord shal be their everlasting light, and God their glory, but from others it will be eclipsed; there may be an interposition of thick clouds, and darknesse being upon them, they cannot see the King in his beauty,Jer. 17.5. or as it is in, Jeremiah 17. they shall not see good when it cometh,Mat. 11.25. the grace, love, glory, and goodness of God in Christ shall be hidden from them; or the Devil may interpose the body of the earth betwixt their souls and the Sun of righteousnesse, and so depriv them of the joy and comfort of his enliven­ing and in lightening influence.Mal. 4.2.

Therefore to conclude: your opposition will be against the Gospel, if your glory and life be hid in creatures, because your very life is destroyed when creature-glory is overshadowed, if you live and glo­ry in things below the Lord Jesus,Mat. 2.3. with Herod, you will be troubled to hear of a Christ, with those in the Revelations, Rev. 16.10. you will be found to gnaw your tongues for paine, and blaspheme the God of heaven because of the prevailing power of truth, and break­ing forth of Gospel-light; and with the Merchants of Babylon, Rev. 18.16. to weep and waile, crying, Alas, alas, be­cause of the downfal of the Kingdome of the Beast: But if your life be hid with Christ in God,Col. 3.3. you will rejoyce when he appeareth: and you will be found in the number of those that did shout untill the earth rang againe, when the Arke came into the Camp of Israel, 1 Sam. 4.5. Rev. 19.1. or of those that cry Hallelujah, Hallelujah, for the Lord rejoyceth: So welcome will the appearance of Christ in his Gospel be unto your soules, that this [Page 17]will be your joyful acclamation:John 12.13 Blessed is he that com­eth in the name of the Lord, Hosanna to the Son of David. Christians, study these truths, I leave them with you, and I commend you to the grace and goodness of our Redeemer.Luke 19.38,