Jacobs ladder, or The protectorship of Sion, laid on the shoulders of the Almighty; in a description of the sufficiency of providence, suitable in these times of tentation. With Jacobs wrestling. / By Francis Raworth of Shoreditch.

Jacobs Ladder, OR THE Protectorſhip of SION, LAID ON The Shoulders of the Almighty; In a Deſcription of the ſufficiency of Providence, Suitable in theſe times of Tentation. WITH JACOBS WRESTLING.

By Francis Raworth of Shoreditch.

Watchman what of the night? the Watchman ſaid, the morning commeth, and alſo the night: if ye will enquire, inquire ye: return, come,

Iſa. 21.11, 12.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T • iſmeg. l. de Provid.

London Printed by R. I. for L. Chapman, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Crown in Popes head-Alley, 1655.

To the Profeſſors of the glorious Goſpel. My Friends,

IF ever there were an hour of tentation, it is ſurely at this day, when ſo few follow Chriſt, when ſo many ſtand ſtill, and moſt go backward: When thoſe that once would not have been hired to neglect a duty, now think it their duty not to pray at all; When thoſe that have taſted much ſweetneſs in Goſpel-Truths, ſhould now cry out (as thoſe ingrateful Iſraelites of old) what, have we nothing but this Manna? that have ſuffered much reproach for Chriſt, ſhould at preſent in their lives, be a reproach to Chriſt; that formerly avoided the appearance of evil, and now condemn thoſe as ignorant of their liberty, who are afraid of prophaneneſs; that thoſe that ſeemed to mortifie the fleſh ſhould now after all their Profeſſion and viſible repentance, even deny the reſurrection of the fleſh. Our Nazarites were purer than the Snow, whiter than Milk in their Profeſſion, for their heavenly zeal more ruddy than Rubies; and as for their Converſations they were not only Saphires, but poliſhed Saphires, the very carved workmanſhip (to us) of the Spirit, ſhining and ſparkling in every angle and corner of their lives, with Wiſdom, Patience, Holineſs, and Sincerity. But O Lord! How is their viſage blacker than a coal? How do thoſe that of old were brought up in Scarlet, and did wear Chriſt (like the Courtiers of Heaven) in their converſations, imbrace the ſtinking Dunghills of the Pleaſures and Profits of this world? thy Profeſſors that were even marked out for thy Glory among men, and concerning whom, not long ſince it was familiarly ſaid, There goes a Saint, there walks an Heir of ſalvation, now are not known in the ſtreets, that there is little difference between a Profeſſor and an Apoſtate, between a Profeſſor and a prophane man nay, between a Profeſſor and a perſecutor. It is in this age too remarkable, that ſome Profeſſors of the Goſpel, are the great if not the greateſt hindrances of the profeſſion of the Goſpel.

How plainly doth the Providence of God comment on that Text, The firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt? What loud alarms by the falls of thoſe that once ſeemed to ſtand, doth God make in your ears that ſtand, to take heed leſt you fall? In the ſeventh of Matthew, the fooliſh build as well as the wiſe, the difference lay not in their Buildings, but in their Foundations, the one built on the Sands, the other on the Rock: The houſe of the fooliſh builder might poſſibly gliſter as gloriouſly when the Sun ſhone, as the houſe of the wiſe builder, and have as many Stories, and as great Window-lights; but all that glisters is not gold, though all that is gold doth gliſter. It is not he that profeſſeth, but he that poſſeſſeth Chriſt is happy; not he that is a gided, but he that is a golden Chriſtian, in this brazen and iron age. The lord is a coming, not ſo much with a pair of Scales to weigh, as with a Touchſtone to trie the truth and ſincerity of your Graces. Jeruſalem is a lighting with candles; Providence will light up candles in France, in Holland, in Denmark, and though now it ſeem midnight with us, yet ere many glaſſes of Providence are run out, I am perſwaded it will be Candlemas day in England. Now moſt care, not to be living Saints, ſo they may but be imbalmed with a name to live, and covered over (as a dead corps) with Roſes, and Lillies, and Flowers of a Profeſſion; care not to have Religion at their fingers ends (ad unguem) to be indeed Chriſtians, or Chriſtians indeed, ſo they may but have Religion at their tongues end, and talk of the Spirit, the Goſpel, the new Jeruſalem. But how ſhortly will many that want the Power and Life, wiſh they had not the Form and vizard of Grace; and ceaſe to appear to be what they really are not; the paint of Profeſſion will neither indure the water or the Sun. How monſtrous is it, that our Tongues ſhould be bigger than our hands?

For theſe twelve years our Lord Jeſus hath been burying the Deſigns of his more publique Adverſaries under ground, now God is coming to Jeruſalem to purge his gold, to prune his Vine. Profeſſors, look within you, and look about you; Ah Lord! what bluſhing will there ere long be in England? when thou wilt waſh off the paint of our profeſſion, and that thy followers ſhall wear their hearts in their faces? How much better will a dram of grace be, than a talent of gifts? when as the greater our lights and Links of Knowledge are, the more unawares we diſcover our darkneſs. If we cannot endure the Spirit going up and down with a Candle and Lanthorn to ſearch our hearts, how can we abide the day of Chriſts coming, and ſtand when that Sun of Righteouſneſs ſhall appear, for he is like Refiners fire, and like Fullers ſoape? Juſtice, Humility, Mortification, Repentance, though now they be but poor and low things with man, yet when the Judge ſhall take the Bench more viſibly, how high will they be with God? Sincerity, though it be a ſilent Grace at this time, and dwels in obſcurity, ere long I hope will carry the day, and bear away the bell. Though we ſin at a greater rate, yet we cannot ſin at ſo cheap a rate as our Fore-fathers; it were better that God did forthwith lay down his Basket, and take up his Ax, than that we ſhould be further unfruitfull; better that God ſhould remove his Candleſtick (which he can do without breaking it) and ſay to us ſinners, if you will play, play in the dark; if you will break Vows and Covenants, break them in the dark, &c. than ſuffer us to ſin againſt Goſpel-light. For his ſilence increaſes our guilt. The Almighty is more diſpleaſed with ſin than ever, his hand is as juſt to revenge, and his eies are (q d.) wider to eſpie it.

There are ſome that having aſſurance that Chriſt reigns in their Conſciences, deſire the inlargement of his Kingdom, long to ſee the Crown of Glory ſhine on his head, and his Subjects to multiply in the world: And notwithſtanding the many falſe Pretenders to that Noble Intereſt, yet there are ſome Followers of the Lamb indeed, that follow him not for his Fleece but for his blood, who having paſt the work of Regeneration humbly, and patiently de • ire to do the work of their Generation, and probably the reckoning of Sion is wel nigh at an end, and the Glaſs of Antichriſt almoſt run, and certainly the King of Sion ſhall be as publique in his glory, as ever he was in his ſhame; his Deriders little conſidering, that while they willingly add to his ſhame, they really, though unwilling, add to his glory, for as he was not crucified in a corner, but at Jeruſalem, the eye and center of the world, ſo he ſhall deſcend from Heaven in Majeſty with ſhouts, riding on the Clouds, as in his Charriot, attended by millions of Angels, and Saints, his royal Favorites, all eies beholding of him, and every knee bowing to him, Jude 14, 15.

Woe be to the great ones of this world then, when Pilat that ſat on the Bench, ſhall ſtand at the Bar; and our Lord Jeſus that once ſtood at the Bar ſhall ſit on the Bench (when we ſhall ſee not Perſons but Cauſes heard) the Judges being judged, and the judged being Judges; when Emperors and Kings ſhall be brought not in Chains of Gold about their necks, but in Fetters of Iron about their heels; When the Peers, and Powers, and Potentates of the World ſhall hold down their heads, and hold up their hands, and cry guilty; When moſt of all the Mighty, and all the almoſt All mighty of the Earth that have diſrobed Chriſt of his Title, and robbed him of his honor, ſhall be led up and down this Court, (q.d.) as Tamberlain led Bajaret in an iron Cage, (through Aſia) to be gazed on, and howted at by all the Saints, Pſal. 149.6 7, 8 9. 1 Cor. • .2.) as the Priſoners of the Law, and Prizes of Juſtice; what then will become of all thoſe Politicians that make Covenants in Conſcience, and break Covenants out of neceſſity? That like children ſtand on the earth with their heads, and boldly ſhake their heels towards Heaven? That ſet up the Kingdom of Chriſt no faſter than they can rear their own Kingdoms? of all thoſe that had rather themſelves ſhould reign in a corner, than that our Lord and Master ſhould rule in the whole World? Never thinking, how thoſe Crowns that now ſit light on their Heads, will ere long lye heavy on their Conſciences. For God though he ſuſpends the execution, yet he hath not altered the method of his Juſtice on ſuch offenders. It is a maxim of the Law, Right ſometimes ſleeps, but it never dies. The reconciling Sion and Babylon, Pride, Oppreſſion, the intollerable tolleration of all kinds of Religions, Bribery and Intemperancy, are now acted on another Stage, by other perſons, but they are the ſame ſins, (aliena ſcena eadem fabula) if that Headſhip that flattering Prelates in former ages took from Jeſus Chriſt, be yet taken from Chriſt, and given to men in the Nations, if Chriſts Crown be pulled off his head, no matter whoſe head it warm in the world, Mal. 3.15. Mal. 4.1. And as for this Nation in ſpecial, my prayers to the Lord are, that Holineſs may not onely have a tolleration but an Authority amongſt us, againſt Licenciouſneſs both of Judgement and Converſation, that the Rulers of England may not ſay, The time is not come that the Lords houſe ſhould be built, but rather hear God ſay, is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ſciled houſes, and this houſe lie waſte? Hag. 1. That they would expeditiouſly do the work of this age. Becauſe, to every purpoſe there is a time and judgement, therefore the miſery of man is great upon him, Eccleſ. 8. That our Officers may not onely be Peace, but that our Exactors Righteouſneſs, that we may be made an eternal excellency, and the joy of many Generations, Iſa. 60. That ſaying in your hearts, the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem ſhall be our ſtrength in the Lord of Hoſts; they may be like an Hearth of fire among the wood, and like a Torch of fire in a ſheaf, devouring Sions enemies round about on the right hand, and on the left. Zech. 12.

For ſhame therefore let Virgins ariſe, and either get oyle, or caſt away their Lamps. Security makes you uncapable both of ſeeing your reward, or doing your work.

Firſt, Think not becauſe you can properly be but once regenerated, that you need but once to repent. Converted David (q d.) muſt repent of his Adultery before he be ſaved; Repentance is not onely as life to the dead, but as ſalve to the wounded ſinner; Repentance is as the Vowels in the Alphabet, which we have not onely need of to ſpell with while we are Babes, but to read with all when we are men in Chriſt, Mortification and Humility are not accidents or things by the by, but of the very ſubſtance, the very Materials and Pillars of the New Jeruſalem. The Goſpell it ſelf, I ſuſpect will, ere long, be but an old Almanack to them, to whom Repentance and confeſſing of, and mourning over ſin is now (upon what glorious pretences ſoever) out of date.

Secondly, Plead for Opinions as Opinions, and for Graces as for Graces. I fear thoſe that plead for diſputable Opinions, as infallible Truths, will ere long hold vital and indiſputable Truths, as conformity to the Goſpel, ſincere Faith in, and repentance towards Chriſt, but as failable and fallible Opinions; This is intollerable folly, to ſee men ſlaves to Opinions and Maſters over Graces, if the Lord extinguiſh not this fond zeal, the carnal world hence forward will take advantage to think that Religion lies onely in thinking and conceiving, and in the next age conclude they are not to ſeek Religion in their Bibles, but in the brains of men. O Lord! How many are true to falſe Principles, and falſe to true Principles; and will rather die Martyrs for Error, than bow as Servants to Truth. Theſe are ſome of them that have been over wiſe (in their own eyes) and yet as the wiſeman ſpeaks have not known the way to the City, that call this or that way, Chriſt, and not Chriſt, the way; that ſet up an Image in their own Opinions, and cenſure all the world as Idolaters that will not do homage to it, proclaiming ſubjection with Lutes and Cymbals of peace, and though on the firſt entertainment of ſuch Opinions men have had a calmneſs in their Conſciences, yet afterwards have found themſelves burning in a Furnace of diſcontents and doubts, as then remembring that neither this or that Opinion availed any thing to peace in Chriſt, but a new creature.

Thirdly, While you cry out againſt the old Superſtition, beware of being tainted with the new diſeaſe of this age, not the plague of the guts, but of the heart; not the Rickets in the head, but the pride of life, alias Hypocriſie, alias apparent Prophaneneſs. Fly as far from Licentiouſneſs as you do from the formality of Rome. Woe be to the profeſſion of Religion if your Profeſſion ſhould ſtand or fall to the verdict of the world. Oh! let not thoſe whom you muſt one day judge, juſtly judge you now. Some poſſibly may ſay, The world are dogs, and their mouths muſt be ſtopped; Chriſt is a myſtery, our principles are above their cognizance, they are not competent Judges of our converſations. I anſwer, We muſt then endeavor to ſilence them as much in our lives, as they condemn us with their lips; otherwiſe pretence of aſſurance and participation of the Divine creature will make them abhor profeſſion as a meer deſign, and ſay, Lo, there is ſo much difference between that Religion that is in our Bibles, and that which is in your Converſations, that we profeſs either you are not Evangelical, or this is not Goſpel. Take heed of putting out the eyes of Conſcience, and then to make apology for your blindneſs; Conſcience is Gods Vice-gerent, but it is not our Law-giver; Conſcience is out guide, but the Word is our way, and there is no excuſe in following our Guide out of our way,

Fourthly, Call not that poyſon which is your Milk, and ſtrike not thoſe Breaſts which once you ſtroaked; ſay not the preaching down of ſin is the preaching up of the Law. Trample not thoſe Ambaſſadors under your feet, who have rejoyced to carry your ſouls in their arms to Chriſt; have not low thoughts of them, that have low thoughts of themſelves and high thoughts of Chriſt; that care not though they be accounted nothing (who yet are ſomething in your eyes) that Chriſt, who is little eſteemed in the world, may be All in All. But if the Bridemen be deſpiſed, oh that the Bridegroom might the more be honored: Oh that that love which is denied to the Servants, might abundantly be given to their Maſter. I confeſs it were better for ſome to have an hundred a year to be ſilent, they ſo inſtead of preaching Chriſt crucified, crucifie Chriſt in preaching, they ſo wound and kill Religion in the Pulpit where they ſhould give it life. While you endeavor their downfall, forget not to pray for their converſion, Paul was a Saul. Let not therefore your vertue be only in ſpeaking againſt the Vices of others. It is an eaſie matter to trample on thoſe that are on the ground already.

Fifthly, Take heed of the Corinthian diſeaſe, I am for Paul, no, I am for Apollo, no, I am for Chriſt, as if we might not love Chriſt, and Paul, and Apollo too; In the primitive times, they (as in the Acts) kept together in ſingleneſs of heart, and there was no controverſie at all amongſt them, one copy adds; but oh that thoſe now that have but one Head had but one heart. It is ſad to conſider, how that the nigher any come to an agreement in matters of Religion, and yet differ in ſome things, that the greater ſhould be their difference; as there is a greater difference between the Proteſtant, and Papiſt, than between the Proteſtant and the Jew; was it not ſo in Germany, is it not ſo in England, between thoſe that are called Independents and Presbyterians? Oh that we did conſider, that though Paul and Peter be in Heaven, yet that there are neither Paulians nor Petrians in Heaven, that Chriſt is not a Calveniſt in the Calviniſts, or a Lutheran in the Lutherans, but in thoſe that are Chriſtians amongſt both, All in All. God muſt ſcourge this folly from us; his children are a wrangling, and we may expect that either he ſhould ſeparate, or correct us. O Lord! if mans Apoſtate were thy Apoſtate, and mans Heretick thy Heretick, and mans Reprobate, always thy Reprobate, Election to Eternal life would prove but a Fable, and all the world would be damned. We are ſo cenſorious of others, often, and that but in things diſputable, poſſibly, in many things indifferent, as if Heaven and Hell did hang at our Girdles, as if thoſe were in a damnable eſtate whom our paſſions condemn, and thoſe onely ſaved indeed, that have our (good) opinion or word. The yoke of Chriſt which he ſaid was eaſie, may it juſtly be made heavier by the Governors of the Church, nay, by private partial Chriſtians in after ages? The Apoſtles profeſs, They revealed to the Church the whole Counſel of God, keeping back nothing needful for our Salvation; what tyranny is it then to impoſe any new, certainly doubtful matters on the Faith of Chriſtians, (eſpecially as ſome Popelings daily do) under that Cananding form. He that beleeves not ſhall be damned. In the Apoſtles time, or a little after (as is judged) There were twelve Articles of the Creed, but now we have more Creeds than they had Articles; ſo many men ſo many minds, nay, ſo many opinions (which yet are far from the life of Chriſt) ſo many Faiths, and though our Lord Jeſus ſaith, he that beleeves in him ſhall be ſaved, we now cannot be ſaved but by beleeving more, and as the world continues, ſo we increaſe in our Beleef, and upon this giddy accompt poor ignorant, deſtracted ſinners know not when they ſhall beleeve enough to ſalvation. But when our Redeemer ſhall appear, he will not prefer one Opinion and reject another, ſo much as prefer all the upright, and reject all the Hypocrites, he being not the Lord of Opinions but of Souls, not one ſheep that hath his mark ſhall be left out of his Fold, nor one Child that bears his image ſhall either be kept or thruſt out of his Family; now, they are Faith and Love, Singleneſs and ſincerity of heart.

Sixthly, Remember that the Ordinances of Chriſt are not his Grave, wherein he lies, but the Throne whereon he ſits as King of his Church. That you ſhall never be above Ordinances untill you are above tentations; and that they loſe not their Authority, becauſe ſometimes we miſs their Influence; and that they are appointed not onely to bring men into, but alſo to bring men up in Chriſt. The Bible is not the Word of God, becauſe it is imprinted in the hearts of men, but becauſe it was written by the inſpiration and finger of God. Theſe are Breaſts though ſometimes we cannot ſuck, or milk out conſolation from them; for otherwiſe, every time we have new affections, there ſhould be a new Goſpell, and in the end there ſhould be as many diſtinct Bibles, as there are new Experiences in the world. It is true, they are the Conduit-Pipes, and we have no comfort from them unleſs Chriſt convey his blood through them: Yet ſhall they be nothing (in reſpect of Gods Authority) becauſe they (quoad hic & nunc) do nothing upon us? The Ordinances are dead creatures onely to thoſe that are dead in their Conſciences, and are not alive in Chriſt. The Ordinances cannot work without the Spirit, and the Spirit (ordinarily) will not work without the Ordinances. Wherefore Chriſtians prefer not the Letter before the Spirit, neither oppoſe the Spirit to the Letter (as the manner of ſome is) leſt in the end you prove neither for the Letter nor the Spirit, but the Fleſh. As ever you would be comforted by, take heed of ſcoffing at the Spirit. Quench not the Spirit in your ſelves, grieve it not in others.

Seventhly, Let us take heed of Lukewarmneſs; Let us not ſpend that time in examining the Lamps of others, while we neglect to get oyl into our own Veſſels. Chriſtians, look about you! you live in an infectious Air, therefore take cordials; where ever he hath a poyſon, have you an Antidote; take down the antidote of Humility, againſt the poyſon of Pride; of Sincerity, againſt Hypocriſie; of Zeal, againſt Apoſtacy. It is eaſier to keep ſin out of the conſcience, than to caſt it out when in. The Devil is a fiery Serpent, and if he can but get in his head, he will get in his whole body, and if he do not, yet the ſting is in his head. How many virgin Profeſſors have loſt their ſpiritual chaſtity in an hour, that they have been procuring many years? and that dear peace of Conſcience in a moment, that they have not imbraced again till eternity? But alas! while we ſhould give cordials to others, we faint our ſelves; we ſhould awaken others, and we ſleep our ſelves; we ſhould uphold others, and we fall our ſelves; we ſhould help to revive others, and we are dead. Many that have time to reprove and adviſe others, have not hearts, many that have hearts, have not time, their own hearts are ſo out of frame and tune. Like dying men we take hold of one another, and we love to periſh in company. But Chriſtians,

Ariſe, and prepare for the coming of your Maſter, for as it is certain, ſo it will be ſudden. If it were the laſt hour in Pauls time, ſure now it is the laſt minute of that laſt hour. Oh Lord! never was the Judge nigher to come▪ and never leſs preparation for his coming. Chriſtians, have we not Cloſets to mourn in, or rather do not we want hearts to mourn with all? Hath Chriſt caſt his Cloak of love over you▪ and ſaid, live, and will you not pitty thoſe that yet lie as it were dead in their blood? if you have any Knowledge, adviſe; any Faith, pray; any Zeal, endeavor; any Wiſdom, ſoberly wait; for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. How can Chriſt wipe tears from our eyes, if we never wept for his abſence? or come to anſwer our prayers, if we never pray for his coming. Awake, awake, the night is far ſpent; ariſe, the Day ſtar is riſen in the world, we have ſlept too long already; Endeavor that when the Father comes, he may not find you, like Prodigals, out of his houſe; that when the Captain of your Salvation comes, he may not find you in the Trenches of the Devil, or of the World, a Lying, a Swearing, a beating your fellow Brethren, for even to theſe monſtrous ſins our natures are inclineable. Pray, Pray, That when the Judge comes, who is even at the door, that you may not have your Accounts to be caſt up, when they are to be given up; Judge your ſelves that you may not be judged. The noiſe and news of the Bridegrooms approach is at hand; Awake, ariſe, go ye out to meet him. If theſe following Diſcourſes may any way advantage you in your ſpiritual Watch againſt the Devil, they are yours, read them in love, apply them to experience, let them not ſwim in your heads, but ſink into your hearts; And in your prayers to the Throne of Grace, let him have a room, who ſubſcribes himſelf in our Lord Jeſus,

A Friend to Sion, FRA. RAWORTH.

LEt Angels now deſcend from thee O Lord! and with this Ladder flee Abroad, and in their glorious arms Guard and ſafeguard it from all harms, That Jacobs Sleep and Dream may thoſe awake Who without Jacobs Dream, his Sleep yet take.

JACOBS LADDER OR The Protectorſhip of SYON. GEN. 28.12

And Jacob dreamed, and behold a Ladder ſet upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and behold the angells of God aſcending, and deſcending on it, and behold the Lord ſtood above it.

THere is a threefold ſenſe of this Viſion, literall, allegorical and providentiall.

Firſt literall The Hiſtory of Jacob conſiſts of three generall parts,

Firſt, Jacobs going to Padan Aran.

Secondly, his ſtay there,

Thirdly, his return from thence.

In his going to Padan Aran, the motives which induced him to go thither are recorded; which were, to take a wife of his own kindred, and that hee might withdraw himſelf from the fury of his enraged brother.

Secondly, the accidents that fell out by the providence of God in his journey, and theſe were, the Viſion of the ladder, his conſecration of Bethel, and his vow, all contained in this chapter; my purpoſe is only to paraphraſe and apply the Viſion of Jacobs Ladder. The Lord open this Viſion to our eies to ſee it, and open our eies to ſee it.

Four things might perplex Jacob in this journey, That he ſhould leave his Country, that hee ſhould forſake his friends, that hee might fall into poverty, laſtly, ſolitarineſſe and want of company; wherefore the Lord ſeaſonably appears to Jacob in this Viſion; though thou leaveſt thy country, yet be content, I will not leave thee, and as for thy friends, be not troubled, I am thy friend, can you mend your ſelf Jacob? and for ſhame fear not poverty, if the word of thy God may be taken, eaſt and weſt ſhall be at thy command. Let Jacob ſay, certainly I ſhall never ſee God want, and wherefore ſhould I be diſmayed, ſeeing the Lord ſaith, I will never ſee Jacob want; and let not Jacob fear to be alone, for Angells ſhall travell with him, and that which is ſecurity enough, Jacob ſhal have in company not only the Angells of God, but the God of Angells. The Ladder is the journey of Jacob, the Angells aſcending and deſcending, his royal attendants, going to & returning with him frō Padan Aran; the Lord ſtands on the top of the Ladder as guiding and governing all. Jacob I am perſwaded never had a ſweeter nights lodging than at this time, when the ſtones were his pillow, and the Heavens his canopy, when Providence made his bed, and Angells rockt the cradle. How pleaſant is it to conſider! Angells guard Jacob, God guards the Angells, and God guards Jacob with Angells; what ground then hath Jacob to fear either men or Devills to diſturb him, when hee hath a guard of God and of his Angells?

Secondly an Allegorical ſenſe; and ſo Chriſt is this Ladder (John I. ult.) by his Divine nature he reached to Heaven, by his humane to the earth, his incarnation being a commerce between Divinity and humanity; the ſteps of this Ladder are either the genealogy of Chriſt, or the ſucceſſive works of his redemption. John the tenth, Hee that climbs up, or thinks to climb up, any other way to heaven than by this Ladder, is a thief; for John the 14. hee is the only way for ſatisfaction, for juſtification, for ſanctification, the only way from God to man, and from Man to God; every poor ſinner hath liberty to aſcend theſe ſtairs, Tolle ſcalas Aetii, & tu ſolus Coelum introibis. and the righteous Phariſee ſhall never enter the ſtar-chamber of heaven at a backdore.

Every man by nature ſees the neceſſity of ſome Ladder or other to climb up to ſalvation by; the Mahumetan makes the Alcoran his Ladder; the Jew makes the Temple of the Lord his Ladder; the carnal Proteſtant makes his char • ty his Ladder, and the Papiſt hath his Ladder alſo; there is a Red Ladder by the blood of Chriſt, but they will have a White Ladder by Marys obedience; this they accompt the eaſier way; mee thinks theſe men miſtake Jacobs Ladder, yet ſomething like it is, for they are in a dream as Jacob was; theſe are all rotten Ladders, and the climbers have rotten hearts,

Thirdly, A Providentiall ſenſe, and thus I ſhall handle this Viſion. The Ladder ſignifies the Divine Providence, and in this Ladder, wee have many things obſervable.

Firſt, The variety of Providence in the many ſteps. The Providence of God hath indeed but one end, yet it hath divers waies to that one end; every living creature hath four faces and four wings, to ſignify the ſeveral appearances and ſwift execution of Providence. Eze. 1.6. It is a difficult thing to take the picture of Providence at this time in the world, it maketh and hath ſo many faces, let our eyes be never ſo exact in obſerving, and our hands ready in deſcribing its waies. The locks of the Spouſe in the Canticles are black and curled, black for their obſcurity, and curled for their various intricacy. There are not ſo many ſeveral countenances of men, as there are diſpenſations of God, and its as rare a thing to find diſpenſations, as men, of the ſame complexion.

In heaven God will appear to the Saints in one glorious form, but now, as it was ſaid of an Emperor, that every day he put on a new ſuit, ſo it is the Lords honour to apparell himſelf in changeable robes; the imbroidery of Providence is made up of divers colours; Sion is not allwaies in one condition, nor the ſoul allwaies in one poſture; ſometimes Chriſt frowns, and ſometimes he ſmiles, ſometimes hee caſteth down, ſometimes hee lifteth up, ſometimes the Church of God is in the wilderneſſe, ſometimes in Canaan, ſometimes on the raging ſea, ſometimes in her harbour. The Lord keeps his people from infection by leading them into divers aires; black and bloody Providences ſet off the wiſdome and faithfullneſſe of our God the better. Standing waters corrupt and breed noyſome creatures, but running waters are pure and preſervative. Every new day brings with it a new tentation, and wee ſhall never be experienced Souldiers till we are tryed at all ſorts of weapons. Credend a plura ſunt de Deo quam ſcienda. We muſt not look on the ſcattered lines of Providence, but tarry till God hath made a concluſion; never ſay Providence ſcribles, til you have ſeen the whole copy. Princes letters wee ſay, ought to bee read thrice; Let us conſider the waies of God, and wee ſhall never cenſure them.

Secondly, In this Ladder we have the ſeeming uncertainty of Providence; The Ladder is partly above the Clouds, and partly viſible in the Air; as the Spirit, Joh. 3. blows where it liſteth, ſo God in his works, worketh how he liſteth. It is obſervable, that uſually of old, when God appeared in the Tabernacle, a Cloud uſhered in his preſence. All the world is in the light to God, but God is in the dark to all the world. Sometimes the Lord walks ſo plainly in his works, that he that runs may read; that the dim-ſighted'ſt Chriſtian may ſay, this is the Lords walk, and this is the Lords work; at other times, he wraps himſelf in a cloud,Si vides, ubi fides and overcaſteth Syon with darkneſs, that the poor children of God cannot tell where to find their Father, that they can but gueſſe at his footſteps, knowing not which way to march, for their Leader hath hid himſelf.

Pompey the Great ſaid, when the ſcales weighed down on Caeſars ſide, that there was a miſt on the eies of Providence; but indeed, the Sun ſhone clearly, and the miſt was on his eye that he could not ſee it. I confeſs, in this age it is eaſier to know what particular things in Providence God will pull down, than what he will ſet up. We often imagine there is a diſorder in Gods works, when, if we mind it, the diſorder is in our imagination; We know not how to beleeve, and we phancy the Lord to be at a ſtand, as not knowing what to do: But we muſt take heed of charging the Lord to be out of his way when onely he is out of our ſight.

Thirdly, In this Ladder we have the ſeeming contradictions of Providence; The Angels aſcend and deſcend the Ladder, One Providence ſeems to go one way, and another Providence ſeems to go another way. Sometime the Cloud in the wilderneſs ſeemed to carry Iſrael immediately to Canaan; now for Canaan might Moſes and Aaron ſay; and on a ſudden the Lord wheels about, and Iſrael turns faces toward the Red Sea, as if he intended they ſhould never ſee Canaan more.

How plainly hath the Lord led England for ſome years toward a Reformation? The Saints have encouragingly ſaid one to another, Certainly we are within two or three years journey of the New Jeruſalem; Have at the ſcarlet Whore of Babylon; Now for the building of ruinate Sion; But the Lord hath ſeemed to cry, face about, and follow me yet longer in the wilderneſs, and ſome of the Saints conclude, we are never like to go forward, we ſhall return to our Leeks and Onyons; The converſion of ſouls viſibly goes backward and not forward. About twelve years ago hundreds came out of the Devils Kingdom, into the Kingdom of the Goſpel, but now many fly from the colours of the Goſpell viſibly,Miremur non rimemur Providentiae reconditam vi • . and run into the Devils quarters again. The Lord ſeems to ſeal up the hardneſs of mens hearts, and to ſay to the womb of Grace, Give forth no more, let no more ſinners be changed from darkneſs to light in England.

Well might Solomon, Prov. 30.19. compare the Church to a ſhip in the midſt of the Sea; which as the Prophet ſpeaks, Now even mounts up to the Heavens, and anon deſcends, as it were, to Hell. God ſees our works in our wills, but we cannot many times ſpell out the Lords Will by his Works; who can trace the Lord in his travel, or find out the work or walk of the Almighty in the world? The Texts of Providence are as difficult as the Texts of the Scriptures; there are as high conteſts about Providence, as about Predeſtination, and it is as hard to reconcile the Works of God, as to reconcile his Word, though there is a real concordance and harmony in both.

Be not over righteous, ſays the Preacher, Eccleſ. 7.16. Can a man be too righteous? rather, we think, he ſhould have ſaid, be not too prophane; but as one Diamond cuts another, ſo one Scripture opens another, ver. 15. I have ſeen a juſt man, as juſt as Abel, periſh in his righteouſnes, and to loſe his life becauſe he would keep his conſcience; and on the contrary, I have ſeen a wicked man, as wicked as Cain, to prolong his life, and to have the world at command: but yet carp not at providence, let the Lord be down before you think to lift him up; enter not into the Chair to offer knowledge to God about his Works.

There is no reaſon that the Lord ſhould give man a reaſon of all his ways; he often wils a change, but never changeth his will. God may retreat in his Providences, as to us, and undo all he hath been doing in England theſe fifteen years, and make Sion put on her mourning apparel, and yet not be either unconſtant or unfaithful; though I hope better things.

For it is obſerveable, that Providence in the main is never Excentrical, and in the main is never Retrograde, The Lord oft looks backward, but never goes backward. He led Iſrael forty years about in the wilderneſs, and yet never carried them back to Egypt. Abraham is promiſed a Son, and a numerous off-ſpring; but as if Providence had forgot it ſelf (to us) Abraham is commanded to offer up Iſaack; and whereas he might have objected, Lord, thou art wont to call for Oxen to be ſacrificed, and doſt thou require me to ſacrifice my ſon? Thy word ſaith, I muſt not kill,Certum eſt quia impoſsibile eſt. and thy mouth ſaith, I muſt kill: and Lord, thou haſt promiſed to multiply my ſeed, and now thou calleſt for my Iſaack? How can the branches grow if the ſtock be cut down? and yet Abraham obeyed, winking, and putting his hand into the Lords hand, following him, though Providence, as it were, croſſed the Promiſe. We now have, as the Prophet ſpeaks, a wheel in a wheel: So I truſt, ere God hath done with England, we ſhall have, as the Rabbi ſpeaks, a miracle in a miracle.

Fourthly, In this Ladder, we have The independency of Providence. The Ladder, we ſee, is onely reared and ſupported by God; it is not a crooked Ladder, but ſtands upright toward Heaven. It Leans not on the mountains of men, nor Palaces of Kings. Many quarrel and find fault with the Ladder of Providence, but this Ladder ſhall never fall down before man, or to man. The Prophet undertakes the challenge, Iſa. 40.15. Who hath been the Counſeller of God, or hath taught the Almighty? The wiſe King of Aragon was ſo fooliſh, as to think he could have made the Creation better if he had been of Gods Counſel; and ſome men think there are Erratae's in the volume of Providence, by their murmurings, and would fain be a correcting the Lords Copy, and amending the Lines of his Government in the world; methinks falſe-hearted man is like flattering Abſolom who would inſinuate to the people neglects in his Fathers Government; There is no man deputed of the King to do Juſtice, and that he was able to guide Iſrael in a better order.

But John the 15. The Church is compared to a Vine, and God will have it lean on himſelf, and not to be ſupported by the poles and policy of men. It is obſerved that the weakeſt women have often the ſtrongeſt children, and that the Lord hangs the heavieſt weights on the ſmalleſt wyars. The ſtone in Daniel is cut out of the mountains without hands: The Goſpel and Sion are neither framed nor forged by man, both are the handy-works of God; as there was no concurrence of mans power to the generation of Chriſt perſonal; ſo there is no concurrence of the wiſdom of man, to the generation of Chriſt myſtical. Cicero fell in with Caeſar when Pompey was defeated; and it is no diſhonor for man, routed in his way, to fall down to God. Man muſt lean on God, but God will never lean on man; man muſt go to God, God will never come to man. If the mountain will not come to Mahumet, Mahumet will go to the Mountain, ſaid that bold Impoſtor, when he could not work a miracle, which he promiſed to his followers. Oecolampadius had a good cauſe, as they ſaid, but he wanted Souldiers to bear it up; but let Sion remember that her cauſe is not ſo good, but the ſtrength of her Protector is as great to maintain it:Quod eſt cauſa cauſae, eſt cauſa cauſati. There is nothing that God doth by the creature, but he can do without the creature; rather than Sion ſhall fall, the God of Sion will not ſtand on miracles.

Fifthly, In this Ladder we have the extent of Providence. The Ladder is ſet upon the earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven, Providence extends,

1 To all ſenſeleſs and irrational creatures, both in their Preſervation and Government. Firſt,Virtus eſt maxima pertingere quam remotiſsimae. In their Preſervation. The Epicures confine God to the Palace of Heaven, as if it were below his Majeſty to take notice of the lower world; The Stoicks limit him to the middle Region: But the Lord deals not like a Carpenter or Artizan, who have done all their work when a houſe is built, and a Clock put together. There is as much need of a Divine wiſdom to preſerve, as there was of a Divine power to make the world. There is a neceſſity not onely of a privative influx from God, that is, not onely that he does not deſtroy his creatures, but of a poſitive influence to maintain the creatures in being, Job 6.9. If the Lord take away his hand, Job would fall; not onely to the ground, but alſo to his firſt principles of nothing.

Mithridates a General knew all the names of all the Souldiers in his Army; The Heavens are the Lords Hoſts, and they in all their rancks and orbes are known and kept by the Lord of Hoſts. Cincinnatus his honor was, at the ſame time to hold the Plow, and the Helm of State. The Lord made as well the leaſt worm on earth, as the moſt glorious Angel in Heaven, Deus nec laborat in maximis, nec faſtidit in minimis. and it coſteth the Lord as many words to make a worm, as to make an Angel, for all was done with a word. It is no diſgrace for the Lord to walk up and down by his Providence, and over-look all his creatures; the baſeneſs of any creature, no more defiles God, than a dunghil vapor infects the Sun beams. The leſſer a clock is, as if it can lie under the wings of a Fly, the greater is the skill of the Clock-maker. The Smith was commended for beating iron into chains and nets that they could hardly ſee them, being thinner than the ſmalleſt thread, or the web of a Spider. God is great in the greateſt creatures, and he is great in the ſmalleſt creatures.

It is to be feared, that thoſe that at preſent queſtion Providence,Deus eſt in culice & in pulice. Saeculum eſt ſpeculum. upon the ſame accounts may ere long deny the Creation. A King is confined to his proper Ubi and Palace, and he orders things in his Dominions by Deputies and Viceroys; but the Lord can no more be abſent from his creatures, than ceaſe to be their Creator, nay than ceaſe to be, Pſal. 147.9. According to the old obſervation, God is preſent in Heaven by his Glory, in his Church by his Spirit, in Hell by his Juſtice, in earth by his Providence, though it be not full, for God is every where in his Eſſence.

If any, from Gen. 2.3. object, That God reſted from all his work; The anſwer is, He reſted from his works of Creation, not of Providence, or from creating any new kind of creatures, for otherwiſe Providence is a continual creation, Joh. 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. The Rabbies have a ſaying, There is not a plant on Earth, but it hath a ſtar in Heaven; and the flowers you ſee below on earth, are begotten by the flowers of light, the Stars you ſee in heaven.

God is in ſmal things great, not ſmal in any; His even prayſe can neither riſe nor fall; He is in all things one, in each thing many; For he is infinite in one and all.

The leaſt Creature hath ſomething of God in it, and the beſt Creature, ſomething of nothing.

Secondly, In their Government. In God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, we have our being, we are his Creatures; in him we live, by him all things are preſerved; in him we move, all things are at his beck and command. Every Creature, as it hath a being from God, as its Maker, ſo it hath an order from God, as its Governor, and that order is warlike,Ut in aqua ſolem, ſic Deum in operibus contemplamur. whereby all Creatures are muſtered, and trained, and ſerve under the colours of the Almighty. Look into Egypt, and you find a Band of Frog march into Pharaohs Bed-Chamber Look on Herod, and God ſets his Vermin on him; and all the Kings Guard cannot Maſter the Lice. God hath Hornets for the Hivites, and 23 Mice fo • the Philiſtims, I Sam. 6. Rats for th • Prelate, and a Fly for the Pope.

When God hath ſervice to do, he ca • never want an Army to do it; all th • Creatures ſtand ready preſt to receive th • word of Command; If he bids the • go, they go, if he bids them come, the • come. God fed the Prophet by Ravens I know not which moſt to admire, whether preſervation without food? or for by ſuch meſſengers, were greateſt; thoſe ravenous creatures which took food from others, brought it to Eliſha. The Philoſopher ſays,Deus ſic ſingula curat quaſi univerſa, ſic univerſa quaſi ſingula. God is the firſt Agent, that is true, but not all: God leaves not the world to be governed by Fortune, after he made the World. God is the firſt Agent, as the firſt mover, which ſets all the inferior Sphears in motion, and ſo continues them.

It is the cuſtom of the Jews, to let the Book of Heſter fall on the ground before they read in it, becauſe they ſay, there is no name of God in that book; But every Creature hath a letter of Gods Name in it, and therefore not to be trampled on. All the World is Gods work in Folio, the Hiſtory of the Almighty: Here the Acts of our Father are to be ſeen and read of all; the Heavens declare his glory, they are the Regii Profeſſores, the Divinity Readers of God to the World.

The World's a School, where in a general Story God always reads dumb Lectures of his Glory. The World's a Book in Folio, printed all With Gods great works in Letters Capital. Each Creature is a Page, & each Effect A fair character, void of all defect. But as young Truants, toying in the Schools, Inſtead of learning, learn to play the Fools; We gaze but on the Babies, & the cover, The gawdy flow'rs, and edges gilded over.

Secondly, Providence extends toward all rational and intellectual Creatures, Men and Angels, good and bad, generally and ſpecially; of which laſt I ſhall diſcourſe, as it is exerciſed for the good of Sion.

1 This Ladder of Providence is exerciſed on man for good. The anſwer of the tongue. (Prov. 16.1.) is from the Lord; we cannot ſpeak a good word without the influence of God, much leſs, can we do a good work. I dare not ſay, that the Graces, as Faith, Hope, flow formally from God, yet certainly they flow efficiently from God; that is, though it be not God that beleeves, but man, yet man would not beleeve without God.

It is the Tree that brings forth fruit, yet the Tree would not bring forth fruit were it not for the light of the Sun, and the dew of Heaven. It is certain, that man may repent when he will, but it is the Lord muſt give him that will to repent. A man muſt needs repent when he will; for repentance is ſeated in the Will of man, for man cannot repent without his Will; but not in the power of man. It is a truth, man cannot repent, becauſe he will not repent, and alſo, Requiritur opera hominis, ſed operatio Dei. that man will not repent, becauſe he cannot.

The converſion of the Soul is ſuppoſed to be as conſiderable a work, if not a greater, than the Creation; for in the Creation God had no Adverſary; The Light did not ſay, I will not be created, the Earth did not ſay, I will not be formed; but in the new Creation, ſinners labor to prevent the conception of Grace, take down antidotes againſt Salvation, and study how to defeat the Spirit of God, and make its works abortive. Deus amavit nos non exiſtentes imo reſiſtentes. God when he comes, finds the houſe, not onely empty of Grace, but filled with Luſts, and the ſtrong man up in armes, not a raſa tabula, a milk white Paper, but he finds the Devil to have been ſcribling, and the World to have been ſcribling. Angels may knock at the door of a ſinners heart, but God onely can open it. The Body is not ſo much at the command of the Soul, as the Soul is at the command of God. Without me, Joh. 14. ye can do nothing. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia.Gratiam non à nobis praeſumpſimus, ſed à Deo ſumpſimus. Mans heart is Gods Lock, and not mans wiſdom, but the Spirit of the Lord is the Key that muſt unlock it.

Not that Providence offers violence to natural principles, it works neceſſarily, but not coactively. It is a true Rule, thoſe things which are contingent in reſpect of ſecond cauſes, are neceſſary in reſpect of the Firſt, by a neceſſity of immutability, not of compulſion. How many Lyons in this age hath our God made to lie down with Lambs? How many Lyons has he effectually turned into Lambs? It is Gods Prerogative to make, and it is the royal flower of his Crown to mend the heart, under the prayſes of Nature lurk the enemies of Grace.

Secondly, This Ladder of Providence reacheth as fr as wicked men, and Devills. And that four ways.

1 In this Ladder, there is a preventing Providence. Pharaoh, Exod. 14. reſolves on Iſraels ruin, he will deſtroy them, I that he will; But whence was it that he did not deſtroy them? Ezek. 29.4. The Lord put an hook on his Noſtrils, and a bridle on his Jaws. The Dark Lanthorn of Faux is famous, the Match was ready to give fire, to have blown up all,Uno actis tactis. but God wet the Powder. The dark ſide of the Lanthorn was to man, the light ſide toward God.

Afflictions are Gods blood-letting, and by them▪ he not onely cures, but prevents diſeaſes, David had gone aſtray, if he had not ſtumbled. As diſtracted a Nation as England is, we had periſhed, if we had not (even) periſhed. It was a good mans contemplation on this Ladder, Lord thou haſt pardoned thoſe ſins I have committed, and thoſe ſins which by thy Grace I have not committed. How many Souls had never gone into Heaven, if God had not carried them by the gates of Hell? How many ſinners had been undone indeed, if they had not been undone in their own ſenſe? Let Gods Jacobs lie at the foot of the Ladder and admire, what hardneſs of heart hath God prevented! what an hard heart hath God ſoftened! how miſerable in ſin had I been, if God had not had mercy on me? and how miſerable, notwithſtanding all my ſenſe of his love and power over my corruptions, ſhould I be, if yet God ſhould not have mercy on me! God is not onely to be admired for bringing good out of evill, but for preventing evil, and doing good.

Great God! no ſooner born but we begin, Babels accurs'd Foundation, by our ſin; Our thoughts, our words, our deeds, are ever yeelding The ſad Materials of our ſinful building; Should not thy Grace prevent it, it would even Riſe, and riſe up, untill it reacht to Heaven. Lord, ere our building ſhall begin to ſhow, Confound our language, and our building too.

And ſo in a publique ſenſe, when the overthrow of Religion is determined at mans Council-Table, it is not determined at Gods Council-Table; mens deſigns are not ſo deep, but the Lords deſigns are deeper: And though Satans enterpriſes are in the Dark to us, yet they are in the light to God. God often blows up and undermines the malice of men, for his Children, who ſometimes neither feel nor hear the blow. O Lord, how often are we delivered from viſible dangers, but, how oftner from inviſible dangers? Remember for ever, that the Devil and Men may often level their Ordnance againſt Sion, but they ſhall never do Execution, till God ſay, Give fire.

Deus juſtè patitur quod nos non juſtè agimus.2 In this Ladder, there is a permitting Providence. The Devils are kept in chains, as Jude ſpeaks, In chains, not onely of Juſtice, but alſo of Providence, that they can neither torment the Body, or torment the Soul, without commiſſion or permiſſion from God. God did not allow, yet he ſuffered, the treachery of Judas, and the cruelty of Pilat toward Chriſt, Act. 2.23. The Apoſtle chargeth Chriſts death on them, and yet brings in the fore-knowledge and counſel of God; The Father delivered the Son, the Son delivered himſelf, out of love; Judas delivered Chriſt for money, the Jews crucified Chriſt out of malice; ſo that, in the ſame tradition, God is to be magnified, and man condemned; becauſe, in the ſame thing which they did, the cauſe was not the ſame for which they did it. God permits weeds in his Garden, and tares in his Field, Why may ſome ſay, doth not God prevent the ſprouting and growing of ſuch blaſphemies and errors as range up and down, and rage in England? How, ſays unbelief, can the Lord be tender of his Flowers, his Saints, and Truths, and yet be content to ſee ſuch thorns and weeds to grow about them? Remember, That God is not bound to do all he can (and how could God be Almighty if he did all hee could?) and that when the Wheat is ripe, as Luther ſpeaks, the Husband-man will burn the Tares. If a man ſhould find fault with the ſhadowing of a picture in a Table, it would be anſwered, Let not the Cobler go beyond his Laſt, for the dimming ſets off the bright, and the art of the Painter could not be perceived, without diverſity of colours.

A Father holds a Lyon in chains,Rugiat Leo quantum vult, tantum non fugiat Ovis Chriſti. the child trembles for fear leſt the Lyon ſhould devour him; but the Father ſuffers the child to tremble, but will not ſuffer the Lyon to devour: the Saints in England are afraid, for the Lyon of Hell roars (indeed our ſins have both lengthened his chain, and opened his month) but let them conſider, the Lyon is not ſo powerful, but their Father is as pittiful, and that God that ſuffers the Lyon to roar, will not ſuffer the Lyon to tear.

Satan, though politick, cannot ſlip his collar, though powerful, cannot break his priſon. The Devill hath men to be his priſoners, but the Devil himſelf is Gods priſoner; Providence binds Satan over to the Peace, to his quiet behavior; Chriſt hath the keys of Hell at his girdle, Hell is under his conqueſt, and therefore under his command, Rev. 20.2. an alluſion to Conquerors, who having taken a Fort, the keyes are preſently ſurrendred to them.

Diabolus contra ſanctos tempeſtatem movet ſedipſe naufragium patitur.This Ladder of Providence reaches as far as Hell, and extends to the utmoſt line of the Devils Kingdom. Satan cannot enkindle one fire in Sion, if Providence did not ſuffer him to go up and down to gather sticks. The whole Creation, Men and Devils, though they are not all under the protection, yet they are within the Precincts of Providence; and let us not murmur at Gods permiſſive Providence, but conſider, God judgeth it more for his glory, to bring good out of evil, than not to ſuffer evil to be at all; and God would never ſuffer evill to be, if he could not bring good out of it. The Almighty doth not approve of all he permits; and therefore let none undertake to reprove him for what he permits, there being nothing that is permitted, which ſhall not in the end prove for Sions comfort, and his glory.

For either thy command or thy permiſſion Lay hands on all; they are the right and left; The firſt puts on with ſpeed and expedition, The other curbs ſins ſtealing-pace and theſt; Nothing eſcapes them both; all muſt appear, And be diſpos'd. and dreſt, and tun'd by thee, Who ſweetly temperſt all: If we could hear The skil and art, what muſick would it be?

Plures ſunt gratiae privativae quam poſitivae.3 In this Ladder there is a reſtraining Providence. Thus far ſhall the Deſigns of men and Devils go, and no further; That's the authoritative Dialect of the Almighty. God will ſhake the World, Nahum 3. as a Fig-tree; men ſhall neither have leaves to cover their nakedneſs, nor fruit to ſatisfie their hunger; the Lord can make the Saints, in beleeving, not to care (as we ſay, a fig for the Towers or Powers of the World againſt Chriſt. The Egyptians like ravenous Wolves would fain have been worrying the Lambs of God when they came out of their bondage, but the Lord held them in, and they did neither rend their Fleeces, nor ſuck their blood. The Lord (according to the Proverb) here truely held the Woolf by the ears.

The Saints, Zech. 2.8. are the apple of Gods eye; now we know the eye is the tendreſt part of the Body, and the apple is the tendreſt part of the eye. It is remarkable, how the eye is ſecured by a trinity of Providences: by Tunicles, that ſweat annoy it not; by the Eie-lids, that the duſt hurt it not; by the Eie-brows, that it may be kept from blows or ſtroaks. There was care on care, Providence on Providence, Tunicle on Tunicle, for Sions good. Oh that the glory of the Lord were as tender to us, as our Salvation is both tender to, and tendred by the Lord!

It is prettily obſervable, Gen. 11.4. In the building of Babel; Go to ſay the Babylonians, go to ſaith God; Divinum conſilium dum devitatur impletur, humanum conſilium dum reluctatur comprehenditur. Let us build a Tower, ſay they, let us go down and ſee it, ſaith God; That we may get a name, ſay they, that we may ſcatter them, ſays God. Thus God words it with them, and confutes their folly from point to point. I beleeve there are ſuch Babels a building in the world, and I am perſwaded the Lord wil ſhortly come down and ſee them; The pride of man ſhall flow to ſuch a Tide, and then it ſhal Ebb, Errors and Blaſphemies ſhall even lay the neck of the Goſpel on the block, but ſhall not cut it off.

Let the Devils raiſe ſtorms, and bluſter with their winds round about the houſe of God, (Job 1.) Let the men of the World bow down their backs, and ſet to their ſhoulders, they ſhall never overthrow it; They ſhall neither prove themſelves Sampſons, nor the Saints Philiſtims. Sion, like a bottle may be dipt, but it ſhall never be drowned: God will never ſuffer ſuch an Enemy to invade Sion, that either he could not keep out, or will not conquer. Satan may be the Executioner but God is the Judge, and the Executioner, cannot lay on a ſtroak more than the Judge appoints.

Fierce Lyons roaring for their Prey, and then Daniel thrown in, and Daniel yet remains Alive! there was a Lyon in the Den Was Daniels friend, or Daniel had been ſlain. Among a thouſand Lyons I'de not fear, Had I but onely Daniels Lyon there.

4 In this Ladder there is an ordering Providence. The Ladder of Providence extends from Heaven to Hell; Let men climb never ſo high, and dig never ſo low, Policy goes not ſo far, but Providence goes further. If the Lord ſuffers a poyſon, he knows how to bring a cordial out of it; The Devil can turn cordials into poyſons, God can turn poyſons into cordials; nay, make poyſons cordials. He ſuffers his Children to burn their finger in the candle, to keep them from burning their whole body in the fire. He, like a Nurſe, ſuffers his children to reel and fall, that they may cry for his arm to hold them up, and learn to walk by his ſtrength, and under his Elbow.

There is nothing ſo firm,Deus ſaepe facit opus non ſuum ut faciat opus ſuum. but Providence ſuſtains it; nothing ſo ſmall, but he regards it; nothing ſo evil, but he can overcome it; nothing ſo vile, which ſerves not for his glory; nothing ſo wrongful, which executes not his Juſtice; nothing ſo enemy-like, which fights not for him; nothing ſo much againſt him, but hits the mark at which he aims. It was a g • od ſpeech, if well underſtood, of a good man, once, That he was as much beholding to God for his Infirmities, as for his Graces. If Peter had not fallen, Lapſus Petri ſit omnium Petra he had fallen. The Saints ſometimes fall, that when they riſe they may ſtand the faſter.

David cut off Goliahs head with Goliahs ſword. Our Lord Jeſus hath often beat the Devil in his own Kingdom, and with his own weapons. Many have ſhot with the Devil in his own bow (as Eve Gen. 3. by diſputing with him) but never any except Chriſt ever out ſhot the Devill in his own Bow; As appears in two famous Inſtances.

The firſt of the firſt Adam, Gen. 3. The Devil was a fallen Angel, and he envied that Man ſhould ſtand; Adam was the Repreſentative of all mankind; If Adam had ſtood, we had ſtood; now alſo ſays the Devil, all the world falls before me, if I can but make Adam fall; he makes the on-ſet, gives the bait, Adam ſwallows it, and is poyſoned, the Devil laughs, as we ſay, in his ſleeve, exults, as if all the world was his; Adam is arraigned by God, the Devil is a ready witneſs againſt him, but before the ſentence was pronounced, the ſin is pardoned; the Meſſiah puts in bail. The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the ſerpents head, • rodeſt peccaviſſe, nocet peccare. though the ſerpent bit the womans heel (but the ſerpent had but one head, and the woman had two heels:) I cannot tell which moſt to admire, the diſeaſe, or the remedy. Chriſt is the glory of the Church, the King of Saints. Sure I am, we had never heard of Free Grace, if man had not fallen.

The ſecond Inſtance is of the ſecond Adem. Diabolus dum irruit ruit, dum quaerit hominem, incidit in ſalvatorem. The Devil ſets on the Captain of our Salvation; Oh thinks the Devil, if I can but deſtroy the Shepheard, the Sheep are mine; Judas betrays his Maſter, the Jews crucifie their King, Chriſt is laid in the grave, Satan danceth and triumphs, as if he had got the victory; But Satan, ſtay the bels, Thou haſt won the Field, but Chriſt hath won the Day: Chriſt aſcends from the Grave, marcheth through the Devils Kingdom, and receives a Crown from the Father,Chriſti fel, noſtri mel. as Victor over Men and Devils, who could neither prevent his Reſurrection, nor Reign. Oh the wiſdom of Providence! If Chriſt had not been b • und, we had not been freed; if he had not died, we had died for ever: This was Satans Maſter-peece, and yet it was his overthrow.

Providence brings the wheel over all deſigns againſt Sion. Prov. • 0.26. Satan was the firſt fool, though not the onely fool in the world. Providence is uſually exerciſed in contraries. Oppoſita juxta ſe poſita magis cluceſcunt. It is the Divine method to humble, that he may exalt; to kill, that he may make alive; to bring light out of darkneſs, and Hell out of Heaven. We wonder oft, why God ſuffers thoſe to reign, who make Chriſt to ſuffer, and will not ſuffer Chriſt to reign; little conſidering, that the Lord oft makes the Earth to help the woman, and loves to ſtrike ſtrait ſtroaks with crooked ſticks. He makes wicked men, though they be as Chaff, yet to cover his Wheat; and though they be as Straw, to bear up his Ears. If Paul had not been ſuch a Perſecutor, Paul had not been ſuch a Profeſſor. Joſephs Breth • en aimed at his ruin, but God Gen. ult. aimed at his advancement. All things work together for Sions good, Rom. 8.28. Before Sion is built, here lies a peece of Timber, there lies the Brick, and there lies the Morter, all things ſeem to be in a confuſion; but tarry till the Lord hath done, and you will ſee no d • ſorder but order, no confuſion but beauty. All things you ſee, not onely work, but work together (the word in the Greek is compounded) Look not onely on Gods way, but on his end; what God hath joyned together, let no man ſeparate. The child, could blame his Father, when he ſees him tread the grapes, the Father, he thinks, will maſh and mar all; but when he comes to years of diſcretion, he knows that the beſt way to keep the Grapes from withering, is to turn them into wine.

Let man uſe what means he will againſt the Church. God hath ſtill the ſecurity of the end. If his Wiſdom prevent not diſorders, his Power can order diſorders. Men may bend their Bows, and ſhoot their Arrows, againſt God; but all in vain, for it is impoſſible that ever this glorious Archer ſhould once ſhoot over or ſhort, the Archer and the Mark being one and the ſame: Man too often puts darkneſs for light, but the Lord onely can and will bring light out of darkneſs.

Thirdly, This Ladder is converſant about all evils and actions, all evil actions perſonally and publickly.

1 This Ladder of Providence reaches as far as ſin. Providence, by which generally I underſtand the execution of Gods Decrees in time; ſometimes poſſibly the Decrees of God, and God decreeing, is converſant about ſin four waies.

Scivit non ſanxit, praedixit non praeſcripſit.1 Providence foreſees ſin. The Lord fore-ſaw the treachery of Judas, and yet ſimply did not fore-ordain it, and yet the previſion of God is infallible. Did not Judas, may ſome ſay then, ſin neceſſarily? I Anſwer, God fore-ſaw he would ſin, as he fore-ſaw, but God fore-ſaw that he would ſin freely, therefore in that ſenſe he ſinned freely. Becauſe we ſin, therefore our ſin is fore-known, not therefore we ſin, becauſe it is fore-known. God foretold the infidelity of the Jews to Chriſt, he foreſaw their ſins, not his own; The Jews committed a ſin which God compelled them not to, who is diſpleaſed with ſin, but onely foretold that they would do it, becauſe nothing is hid from his fore-knowledge. Fore-knowledge in God is as Memory in us; Memory preſenteth us with things that are paſt; ſo Preſcience preſents to God things that are to come; Now as Memory is not the cauſe why things paſt were done, ſo Gods Preſcience is not the cauſe why future things ſhall be done; God fore-ſees and fore-ordains thoſe things that are good, but onely foreſees, but fore-ordains not thoſe that are evill.

2 Providence extends further,Non fit praeter quod fit contra Dei voluntatem. In withdrawing the Influence of Grace, Pſal. 105.25. Deut. 2.30. Rom. 14.22, 23. Deut. 29.4. God gave them not an heart to underſtand; now when Providence withdraws its aid, the creature falls neceſſarily and yet freely. The Sun is not the cauſe of darkneſs, for it does not poſitively infect the Air with darkneſs, but onely removes its Beams: So when the Spirit of God, who blows where he liſteth, and is arbitrary in its influence, withdraws its influence of light and life, the Soul is preſently poſſeſſed with darkneſs, and ſin; or as the ſtaff falls to the ground, not becauſe it is thrown down by the hand, but becauſe its forſaken by the hand. God is the Author of mans condemnation, for as a Judge he puniſheth tranſgreſſions againſt his Law,Multi ne laberentur detenti, nulli ut laberentur impulſi. but he is not the Author of mans corruption. The Nurſe lends not her hand, the Child preſently fals; now the cauſe of falling, is not the hand of the Nurſe, but impotency and weakneſs in the Child. God throweth down none, but raiſeth up many faln; he healeth many, woundeth none. The principle of our falling (James 1.13.) is in our ſelves, but the principle of our ſtanding is in God.

3 Providence extends further, In moving the natural Faculties of man. He preſerves in man, what he hath given to man, both Nature, which is the principle of natural Actions, and the Will, which is the principle of voluntary Actions;Vulneramur in naturalibus, ſpoliamur ſpiritualibus. by his power determining their motions, and freely inclining them to any indeterminate actions: Wherefore one and the ſame Action may be both good and bad, according to the difference of principles; good in the kind, as from God and common Nature, but evil in particular, as from the inbred Corruption of man, for the immediate cauſe of every ſin is the Will of the ſinner. In every ſinful action there are two things, the act and the defect; God is the Author of the act, but not of the defect: As in the ſtriking an untuned Harp, the fingering is from us, but the jarring is from the Inſtrument. In God we move; without the aide of Providence, Cain could not have ſtretched out his arm; but to turn ſo good a gift of God, to ſo ill a purpoſe, as to kill his Brother, that was the proper ſin of Cain. God may remove impediments of ſinning, he may propoſe objects in themſelves indifferent, as threatnings, preaching of the Law, Rom. 7.8. and how eaſily doth man fall when God goes from him, and Temptations come to him?

4 Providence extends further about ſin. God wills that ſin be; God wills not the nature, yet he wills the being of evill: To affirm that God is the Author of ſin, impairs the Juſtice and Goodneſs of God; for he can no more be the Author of ſin, than one contrary is the Author of another, than light is of darkneſs, or good of evil • ; It is not the God of the world, but the God of this world, is the Author of ſin; and to affirm that God onely permits ſin, ſeems to impair the Government and Providence of God;Deo ſciente & ſinente fit peccatum non utique nolens ſinit ſed volens. for God doth not ſuffer ſin to be without his will (Permiſſio eſt quoddam genus voluntatis.) Judas hath a Will to betray his Maſter, I will not, ſays God, ſtop his deſign, but I will draw a preſervative for mans ſalvation out of that poyſon. The world ſhall know, that out of the unnaturaleſt Treaſon that ever the Sun beheld, I can work the moſt glorious effect. God found the will of Judas earneſtly running to ſin, he run of himſelf, God ſtaid not behind, but ran with him, but to another end; Judas and God run, as it were, in the ſame Race, Judas to ſatisfie his Luſt, God to declare his Glory.

If God did not willingly ſuffer ſin to be, of neceſſity ſin could not be; The Lord fulfils his own good purpoſes, by the wicked purpoſes of others; man practiſeth ſin, and God puniſheth ſin with ſin, ſo as God is neither to be blamed, or man excuſed;Deus non vult malum, vult hoc ipſum fieri malum God hard • ned Pharaohs heart, but ſays the Text, Pharaoh firſt hardned his own heart; When man hardens his own heart morally, tis juſt with God to harden it judicially. Let Pharaoh alone, ſays God, let him take his pleaſure and paſtime, and when he hath hardned his heart by Malice, I will harden it in Juſtice, I will ſet a ſeal to his ruin.

They ſhall be given over to beleeve l • es, 2 Theſ. 2.11. A dreadful woe againſt ſinners in theſe daies of Goſpel light; as if the Lord ſhould have ſaid, Sinners, I have proffered you my Love, I have proffered you my Sons blood, I have proffered you the Truths of Salvation, I have ſaid, this is my way, De iis qui faciunt quae non vul • Deus, facit ipſe quae vult. and it is your wiſdom to walk in it; now becauſe you have refuſed to bear my yoke, and to entertain the Goſpel, there ſhall come falſe Prophe • s, and ſay, Heaven is but a fable, and Helfire was but a politick invention to keep men in awe, and you ſhall beleeve them; There ſhall come ſome like Angels of light, though they are Devils incarnate, and they ſhall with a ſeeming Mortification, cry down real Mortification; and with a plauſible conver • ation preach down preaching, and tell you, that a ſtrict life, and repentance, are out of date, and required onely to ſcare men from their freedom, and you ſhall beleeve all this, Jer. 4 10. Rom. 11.8. God now ſends us as the Jews of old, a ſpirit of ſlumber. And,

Becauſe we will not be given up to Tru • h, God gives us over to Error. It is one thing to have Error, and it is another thing to be given over to Error, which is not onely to have and hold, but to be had and held of Error. He that will be un • uſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill. As the Judge at Athens gave condemned Malefactors poiſonous Hemlock to drink, for puniſhment of their miſdeeds; ſo God as a juſt Judge puniſheth our former barrenneſs and impenitency under the means of Grace, with giving of hundreds over to the noyſom Opinions, and monſtrous Blaſphemies of this age. It is well for Gods Jacobs that the God of Jacob ſtands at the top of the Ladder, Tolle maliciam fratrum Joſephi ſimul p • ri • et diſpenſationem Dei. or elſe the Goſpel would no longer ſtand but fall. God knows how to bring Glory out of all this Diſgrace; What more heinous act than the treachery of Judas? and yet take away the treachery of Judas, and you take away the Croſs of Chriſt; take away the Croſs of Chriſt, and you take away our Salvation.

Secondly, The Ladder of Providence. God is viſible in all Afflictions, Perſonal and publick.

Firſt, In Perſonal Afflictions, and that

1 In Death, Job 14.5. Thou haſt appointed his bounds that he cannot paſs. That hand that ſtirs up our feathers, caſteth us down on our Bed. The Laws of Nature ſay to Death, Death, go to the wrinkled face, to the dry bones, to the dry Breſts, meddle not with this young Man, touch not this beautiful woman; But Death is in Commiſſion from Providence, and muſt obſerve its commands. It is appointed for all men once to die, that is, once: Gods Decrees for the mortality of man are not made at random, but in particular, and they are irreverſible. Zenacherib ſhall not be ſlain in the field, nor by the Angel of the Lord which ſmote a great part of his Army, but at home in his own City, and in the Temple of his Idol, and by the hands of his Sons that ſprang from his loyns; Siſera ſhall not die in an Army, nor by the hands of a man, a Bow ſhall not be bent, nor a Sword drawn againſt him, the Lord hath reſerved him to a tent,Tuliſti Domine patrem quem ipſe dederas non con • riſtor quod recipiſti ago gratias quod dediſti to a ten-penny-nail, to be driven into his head by the hands of a feeble woman. The Tyrants of the world have their names already in the immortal Bill of mortality, and their days are determined by the fatal line of Providence. So long ſhall Pharaoh oppreſs the Iſraelites, and no longer; So high ſhall Nimrod build his Babel, and no higher; So far ſhall Nero and his moral Succeſſors proſper in their perſecutions, and no further.

Death knocks as often at the door of the young man, as of the old; there are as many young skuls (as it is obſerved) in Golgotha, as old. The Sithe of mortality mows down the Lillies of the Crowns, as well as the graſs of the field; our laſt day ſtands, the reſt run • ſtat ſua cuique dies. The bullets flye in the wars at the direction, not of Chance, but of Providence; Providence ſays to the Cannon, ſtrike ſuch an Officer, ſuch a Souldier, wound him onely, kill him outright.

Some men, I confeſs, are acceſſary to their ruin, and as we ſay, die before their time, that is, their time indeed, which according to the viſible face of Nature they might have lived, but not before Gods time. God hath the four keys, of the Clouds, the Womb, the Heart, and of Death hanging onely at his own girdle. Mans ſpirit is the candle of the Lord, Pro. 21.27. He puts out ſome candles as ſoon as they are lighted, others when they are half waſted, and he ſuffers others to conſume, by old age, to a ſnuff. Providence hath turned up a Glaſs for every man, and man can neither ſtay the ſands of his Glaſs a minute from running, nor turn it up when it is once out. When Gods ſervants have done their work, Providence lets them go to bed. Oh how ſweet it is to behold Chriſt in every Croſs, and God on every Ladder!

2 Providence is viſible in Afflictions. Saints are appointed to afflictions, as a mark is appointed to be ſhot at by the Arrow, on purpoſe, 1 Theſ. 1.3. God ſhoots not at random, but at a mark, he does not draw his Bow at a venture, as he who ſlew Ahab, 1 King. 22.34. or ſhoot at the whole hoſt of mankind, let the arrow light where it will; but he ſingles out the particular perſon, and ſends every Arrow on a ſpecial Errand. The wicked mans ſight is bounded by ſecond cauſes, and he cannot ſee beyond the Horizon of the creatures. We, Jonah the fourth, quarrel with the worm that ſmites the goard, but ſee not how God ſends the worm: Such a man owed me a ſpight, and now he is even with me; as if God were a Cypher; and either were nothing, or did nothing. Job ſaw God on this Ladder, Job 1. who ſays not, the Lord hath given, and the Chaldeans have taken away; the Lord hath inriched me, and the Devil hath robbed me; but as if he never heard mention made, either of the Devil, or the Chaldeans, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Hee is not angry with Chance and Fortune, and falls not out with Stars and Conſtellations. David ſaw God on this Ladder, Pſal. 44.12, 13, 14. like a good child, he fathers the rod on God his Father; Thou haſt caſt off, Thou haſt caſt down; when Gods rod was on his back, he puts his hand on his mouth, and his mouth in the duſt. Luther ſaw God on this Ladder, when he obſerved, though the Chriſts-croſs be no letter, yet he learned more by it than all the Letters of the Alphabet; and that God never ſent him on any ſpecial Errant or buſineſs, but he firſt ſent his mind by ſome ſpecial affliction. And Alfred, ſaw God on this Ladder, who alwayes prayed that God would beſtow ſome tryal on him, to keep down his love to the World, and draw up his love to Heaven. Lorinus reports of Graſhoppers formerly in England, which depopulated England, that on one wing they had written Ira, in black letters, upon the other Dei, in golden: The Saints are afflicted, that is anger, but by their God, that is golden.

Hear the rod, ſaith God, and who hath appointed it; Is that proper language? buts its one thing to feel the rod, and another thing to hear it. God preaches to man a Leſſon, not only by his Word, but by his Rod; and as the Word muſt be felt before it can be heard, ſo the Rod muſt be heard before it can be felt to purpoſe. Repent, prov • de for Eternity, now do it, or it may be you may never, is the dialect of the rod, as well as the word. God appoints this man a cup of conſolation, and that man a cup of ſorrow, and he appoints how many drops ſhall be in their cups, and all the world cannot put in a drop beyond the Lords meaſure; Afflictions are a rod,Schela crucis Schola lucis, quae nocent docent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but they have honey at the end of them: How ſweet is it while the rod ſoftens the heart, and the hony opens the eyes? Afflictions are called darkneſs in Scripture, but they have enlightned the eyes of many, who elſe might have walked in everlaſting darkneſs.

How many may read legibly their ſins in their puniſhments, and need enquire for the cauſe of no other phyſitian. God lays ſome ſick in their own beds of wantonneſs, and ſo hangs them at their own doores. Lord ſays one Chriſtian, lying like Jacob at the foot of the Ladder, I am thy vine, and let me rather bleed than wither; I am thy Apple-tree, let me rather be lopt to grow, than cut up to burn: Lord, ſays another, frown on me, rather than not to look on me; let the Lord take me into h s hands and correct me, rather than that I ſhould have nothing to do with God, or he ſhould have nothing to do with me. How many ſouls have occaſion to ſay, If the Lord had not plowed me with Afflictions, and dunged me with Reproaches, what barren ground had I been? how had I wandred, if the Lord had not ſent his dogs to fetch me to his Fold? I had certainly been caſt away, if I had not been caſt down. How had I ſurfeited on Pleaſures and Friends, if the Lord had not called me from the Banquet? Adverſity hath whipt many a Soul to Heaven, which otherwiſe, Proſperity had coached to Hell. How glorious is it to ſee God in Riches, in Friends, in Honor, in Perſecutions, in Croſſes, in Sickneſſes, God caſteth down, and my God lifteth up? The Lord often writes angry Epiſtles to his children; yet obſerve, ſtill at the bottom of the Letter, he ſubſcribes, Your loving Father. Hippocrates called the Peſtilence the divine diſeaſe, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as we call the ſpots thereof Gods mark; the Falling-ſickneſs of old was called morbus ſacer, becauſe it was the immediate hand of God. O Lord, may every Soul ſay, It matters not what my condition be, So it but lead, or whip me home to thee

Secondly, Providence is viſible in publick Afflictions and Affairs of the world.

1 In the publick troubles and diſtractions of Nations. I create light, and I form darkneſs, Iſa. 45.7. Sin is mans creature, and Afflictions are Gods creatures; every Affliction bears the image of its Maker, and God is not aſhamed of his own handy-work. Sinful man is the meritorious, but Providence is the efficient cauſe of Evils; Man is the cauſe of moral evils, God of penal evils in the City, Amos 3 6.

Afflictions are Gods Thunder, and Lightning. Famine and Peſtilence are the Kings evils, onely cauſed and cured by God; the Lords dreadful Ambaſſadors to a Nation, they have their meſſage to deliver, and they will have audience; Let God but fire our fields, and blaſt our Corn, as Abſolom did by Joab, we come preſently. Wars, and Judgements, are Gods Troops, he is their Generaliſſimo, they move according to his Orders, he ſounds his Trumpet, and beats his Drum, and all the Plagues, and Puniſhments of Providence are in Arms; when God ſaith charge, they charge; when retreat, they retreat. O Sword of the Lord, how long before you are quiet? here was a cry to the Sword, but the Sword of the Lord anſwered, you muſt ſpeak to the General himſelf, I am at his command, Jer. 47.6. Not many years ſince we cryed out, Oh the Sufferings, and Alarms, and Field-fights, when will you ceaſe in England? but they never ceaſed till God bid them ceaſe.

It is the honor of a King to diſcharge the firſt peece of Ordnance againſt the Enemy; The Lord, I am ſure, had the honor of beating the firſt Alarm, and ſounding the firſt Retreat in England. Man may ſpeak of Peace in, but God onely can ſpeak Peace to a Nation. In Revel. 6.10. they cry, How long Lord? they knew God had the time in his hand, and he onely could tell how long. They cryed not to the Tyrants, how long will yee perſecute? how long will yee oppreſs the Saints? But to the Lord, How long before thou come to revenge? Oh ſay many, if it had not been for ſuch and ſuch men, wee had never had wars; and if it had not been for their ends and deſigns, we had had an end of our Troubles ere now; as if Providence were but a ſtander by, or a looker on, while men playd their Games, or acted their parts.

But Jacob ſees that Aſſur is the rod of Gods anger, and that when his children are purified, the rod ſhall be thrown into the fire and burned; Sees, that when God hath ſcoured his Plate, he will throw the wiſp on the dunghill, that when he hath built his houſe, the ſcaffold ſhall be pulled down. England would be as full of Judgements as it is of Sin, if men were the Makers and Maſters of Judgements. Men alone, though never ſo wiſe or powerful, cannot make either ſtaves of comfort, or rods of afflictions. God ſaith in Scripture, he will give peace. If all the Angels in Heaven ſhould have ſaid ſo, we ſhould ſoon have replied, as Corah and his company to Moſes and Aaron, Numb. 16. Yee take too much on you. It is obſerved, that God in Scripture is called a man of War, and yet nothing ſo much diſcovers him to be a God as war.

2 This Ladder of Providence reacheth the publick Honors and Governments of the World. God, 1 Sam. 2.8.9, raiſeth the poor from the duſt, and lifts up the Beggar from the dunghill, though too often they forget the ground from whence they came, and the hand that lifted them up. Promotion, Pſal. 75.6. comes neither from the Eaſt, nor Weſt, nor South; That is, from the Power and Policy of men. Euthymius thinks, there is an alluſion to the Southſayers, who promiſed good ſucceſs according to the Stars of Nativity; as if a man be born under Jupiter, he ſhould be honorable, if under Mercury, he ſhould be witty; no, ſaith God, Promotion comes neither from this or that Star, from this or that quarter of the Heavens, but from the Lord.

It was accounted by a great man (mentioned in our Chronicles) a greater honor to make Kings, than to be a King himſelf. The Lord is a King, and Kingdoms are his donatives, and he Crowns and Uncrowns at his pleaſure. Nebuchadnezzar was caſt down on purpoſe, that he might ſee that God ſet him up, Dan. 4.17. Kingdoms are not bound to Princes in chains of Adamant, as one ſaid his was. Kings are faſter bound to their Kingdoms, than their Kingdoms are bound to them; All Kingdoms on earth are Regna tranſcuntia, moveables, going and coming, at Gods order, from one man to another: The Earth is the Lords, and all the Kingdoms of the Earth are but Copy-holds belonging to his Kingdom, as the Capital Mannor, and Hold from him. The Heathen well fancied a golden chain, to reach from the divine Chair in Heaven, to all the Crowns in the world. Here we muſt ſhun two main Rocks againſt which the judgements of men are apt to ſplit.

1 What if ſome have exchanged a Priſon for a Throne, and Fetters of iron for chains of gold? What if it hath been obſerved in the Journal of Providence, Eccleſ. 10.7. That Servants have been ſeen on horſes, and Princes walking as ſervants on the earth? Subjects to prove Kings,Tota ratio facti ſaepe pendet à ratione facientis. and Kings to prove ſcarce Subjects? Take heed of Atheiſm, ſay not theſe things are fortuitous, or unjuſt in God; theſe are the chances (q. d.) and changes of Providence, whoſe ways are ſometimes ſecret, but never unrighteous. All Nations were made of one blood, all blood is of one colour, and if men take their deſcent from Adam, they all ſtand on even ground.

When meanneſs is exalted, do not bate The place its honor, for the perſons ſake. The Shrine is that which thou doſt venerate, And not the beaſt that bears it on his back. I care not though the Cloth of State ſhould be, Not of rich Arras, but of mean Tapeſtry.

2 What if ſome riſe on this Ladder of Providence (as many have done) and leave a good conſcience at the bottom? The Devil is viſible in the beſt Governor, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 qui conatur excipere, conatur decipere. and ſomething of God inviſible in the worſt Governor on earth. All the waies and kinds of Government are from God, though the means and manner of getting thoſe Governments are not always from God. Magiſtracy is a civil Ordinance of God, and ſo in it ſelf good; now the well or ill management of that Power is conſequent to, and not conſtitutive of the Power, ſo that though Magiſtrates are bound to do well, they may poſſibly do ill through their own corruption, yet the Power is as much of God when they do ill, as when they do well, for though oft they want a Will to do good, yet they have no Commiſſion nor Power from God to do evill. Good Magiſtrates, are the garment in which God apparrels himſelf; and he that ſhoots at the Cloaths, cannot ſay he means not the man.

The objection of the Devils Power, is inconſiderable, becauſe his power is not civil but moral, and in it ſelf evil, and we are commanded to ſubmit to the Civil Magiſtrate, though evil; but never to the Devil, nor to pray for his Government, that under it we may lead a quiet and godly life, 1 Pet. 2.13. 1 Tim. 2.2. Epheſ. 6, 12. Every Power, Rom. 13.1. is of God (ſpeaking of worldly Powers, for there was not then a Chriſtian Magiſtracy in the world) point blank. The power of Nero was from God,Secundum merita ſubditorum Deus diſponit corda praepoſitorum. as well as that of Conſtantine. The Apoſtle argues from the Author of that Authority. It is certain, all Higher Powers are from the Higheſt Power. Let Subjects remember, that Magiſtrates are Gods with Men; and let Magiſtrates remember, they are but Men with God; I ſaid, ye are Gods, there is their Coronation; But, ye ſhall dye like men, there is there Funeral. The Name and Title of God is never in Scripture (as I know) attributed to any one ſingle or individual perſon, but with a certain limitation, as God ſaid to Moſes, I have made thee a god; thou art a made god, in my place, thou art a god to Pharaoh.

What if Governors (as there have been ſuch) ſhould as the Proverb is, more mind the beautifying their own houſes, than the building of Italy? If when they put on a publick Gown, they ſhould not put off a private perſon? that they ſhould obtain their Crowns as Alexander the ſixth did, by giving his ſoul to the Devil, and afterwards may prove Nebuchadnezzars, the Lamentation of their Generations, as the word ſignifies? That when their ſingle words ſhould be as good as Oaths, that they ſhould play with Oaths as children do with Rattles? What if when they enter into Office, they ſhould put Conſcience out of Office? That they ſhould buy places of Judicature, and ſell Juſtice, and that not at a cheap rate, becauſe they bought dear? What if they ſhould be men not compounded of fleſh and blood as other men are, but as it is ſaid of Richard the Third, made up all of blood? If they laſtly, ſhould not write their Laws in Milk, with Edward the Sixt, but as Draco, in Blood? Yet every Prince is the Miniſter of Providence, and if men were wiſe, for their good; if a good Prince, for their temporal good, if a bad Prince, Si bonus nutrit • r tuus, ſin malus tentator tuus. for their eternal good, by their temporal evil.

If it be queſtioned, whether Inferiors ought to honor Superiors that are evil; I anſwer yes, for the wickedneſs of man cannot make void Gods Ordinance, no more than mans unbeleef can fruſtrate Gods promiſe: We muſt honor Magiſtrates that are evill, but not in evill. Hoſ. 8.4. They have ſet up Kings, but not by me, but I knew not of it; Honorandus genitor ſed praeponendus Creator as if the Lord had ſaid, they never asked my advice, they would not be Headleſs, but in this they were heedleſs; for though in ſome ſenſe, they ran on Gods Errand, yet they, as we ſay, went on their own heads; for Hoſ. 13.11. God gave them a King, though in his anger: The Gods on Earth muſt be obeyed, but in nothing that croſſes obedience to the God of Heaven and Earth.

And this diſtinction muſt be added, that what honor is done to wicked Magiſtrates, is to be done to God himſelf, not to Man, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the perſon, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the vizard that God hath put on him; as the Heathen Emblem was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , An Aſs laden with the Image of the goddeſs Iſis, and the people falling down, and worſhiping, but with this inſcription, Not to the Aſs, but to the Goddeſs.

All Civil Power is of God, is a Truth in theſe apoſtate, as well as it was a Truth in the primitive times; and though it be another hour of the day, then was when the Apoſtles lived, yet the ſame Sun ſhines ſtill. If that Maxim be cancelled, as if there were ſome Civil Powers in being that are not of God, let the Hand be produced that cancelled it, and the Annus Domini, the year of the Lord when it was done. All Government is from God originally, yet by deſignation, it is laid on the ſhoulders of the Meſſiah, Matth. 28. and though the Providence of God hath already, and will yet righteouſly juſtle many Rulers out of their Authorities, yet it is the onely Prerogative of our Lord Jeſus to put down all Authority and Rule, 1 Cor. 15.

It lies not in the power of the children of God to repeal the Conſtitutions of their Father. Governments were onely founded by God in eſſence, and ſhall onely be diſſolved by God in perſon, by God-man. Ejuſdem eſt inſtituere & deſtituere, ligare & ſolvere.

Yet let Powers remember, that God is not bound to maintain them in their Kingdoms, if their deſign be to caſt Chriſt out of his Kingdom, and that God will in due time make the Scepters of all ſuch Perſecutors and Oppreſſors, to ſhake in their hands, and their Crowns to tumble off their heads, and juſtly bring them to the dunghill, that unjustly keep Christ from his Throne. Thoſe that will not entertain Chriſt as their King, ſhall, whether they will or no, ſubmit to him as their Conqueror,

Thirdly, This Ladder of Providence extends to, & is viſible, in the ruins & periods of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, Dan. 2. Dan. 4.32. Some think Kingdoms ariſe to a certain greatneſs, by the uncertain courſe of the world, and then decline and decay, being not able longer to maintain their glory. But as we ſay of Marriages, ſo I may ſay of Kingdoms, they are made in Heaven before they are made on Earth, and diſſolved in Heaven, before they are diſſolved on Earth. The unchangeable God in Heaven hath an hand in all the changes on Earth.

The Epicure aſcribes the periods of Kingdoms to Fortune; the Stoick, to deſtiny; the Platoniſt and Pythagoriſt, to number; Ariſtotle, to Aſymmetry, and diſproportion of members; Copernicus, to the motion of the Center of the Excentrick Circle; Cardanus, and moſt of the Aſtrologers, to Stars and Planets: But theſe wiſe men of the world never yet obſerved with Jacob, God on the top of the Ladder; who maketh Kingdoms Ludibria Fortunae, mocking-ſtocks of Fortune, who toſſeth Kingdoms like a Tennis Ball, and hurleth whole Countries into ruin.

When a General of an Army after much ſucceſs grew proud, and boaſtingly ſaid, In this, Fortune had no hand, he never proſpered after; What man in the world can ſay, and in this Honor, in this Preferment, Providence had no hand? men may gather ſticks, but it is Providence ſets on fire; Providence is the firſt Founder and Diſſolver of Kingdoms. Man deſerves and God inflicts ruin.

The Sixth remarkable in this Ladder is, The unchangeableneſs of Providence. You may ſee in this Viſion of Jacob, the Ladder to ſtand firm, neither moved, nor removed. The Laws of the Medes and Perſians, Dan. 6.8. are unchangeable, right or wrong they ſtand; I will not ſay ſo of the Divine Decrees, yet they are unchangeable, and like himſelf. Gods eternal purpoſes are unalterable; He ſets not his love on ſinners to day, and takes it off to morrow; Divine love is neither fickle, nor fantaſtical. The threatnings of the revealed Word are unchangeable; hath God ſaid, that no unbeleever ſhall be ſaved? that is irrevocable, and be it to the peril of that man that dies in unbeleef. So in Providence. The Sun runs round and round the Dyal, the pin notwithſtanding, ſtands immoveable; Many are the imaginations of our hearts, but (ſays the wiſe man) the Counſel of the Lord ſhall ſtand, that is certain, whatever fall. Proud man, in this age, ſhall neither put God out of his way, nor off from his end. Man muſt bow to God, the Ladder will not bow to man.

In the Primitive times, the perſecuting Emperors would have hewn down the Lords Ladder; In the Marian days, I mean in Queen Maries days, they would have burned down the Lords Ladder; In Eighty eight, they would have blown up the Lords Ladder; and Politicians in the world, would in their Policies, with their ſhoulders throw down the Lords Ladder; But though the wind and ſtorms blow too and fro, and round about, yet the Ladder ſtands where it did, and Chriſt is in the Road-way to his Kingdom.

Shall the Rock (Job 18.4.) be removed out of his place, for thee Job? ſays Bildad; for ſhame give over, Gods Projects are rockie, and men in oppoſing God, do but blow a feather againſt a Rock. Shall God alter the method of Providence for man? Shall the Lord write a new model of governing the world, to humor man? Shall it be ſaid of an Heathen, that it was as poſſible to turn the Sun out of his Ecliptick line, as to put him out of the courſe of righteouſneſs; and ſhall Providence comply with unconſtant man? A man may eaſily break his brains in ſtudying the Providences of God, and that man will certainly break his head, that will knock heads with God. In Providence there are ſhallows wherein the Lamb may wade, and Seas wherein Elephants may ſwim; and it is a thouſand times eaſier to loſe our way, than to find Gods way, to drown our ſelves, than to ſound the depth of Providence. It is impoſſible to ſail againſt the wind, and dangerous to ſwim againſt the ſtream of Scriptures, and Providence, as in external things, it breaks over, and bears down all before it.

The ſtile of man is, I will if God will: but as the Name of God is, I Am that I Am; So the ſtile of God is, I will do what I will. Let proud man wreſtle and wrangle never ſo long with God, in ſaying this way or that way God ſhall go in, the Lord at length will both have his Will and the Wall of man.

The Seventh remarkable in this Ladder is, Deus quieſcens agit & agens quieſcit. The Activity and negotiation of Providence: The Angels ſtand not ſtill on the Ladder, but are alwaies in motion, aſcending or deſcending. Many may ſay, I have loſt this day; Man may loſe his day of Grace, but God can never loſe his day of Glory. Providence is as ſeldom without ſucceſs, as without action. The Governors of Iſrael, (Pſa. 121.3.) may ſleep, but the Governor of the Governors of Iſrael can never ſleep.

Providence, as the Apoſtle ſaith, oft winkes at the ſins of men, but it never yet ſlumbered, much leſs ſlept an hour ſince the Creation of the world. If God ſhould give over his watch over Iſrael, but for a moment, in that moment, Iſrael would give up her hope.

Let the Saints remember, Zech. 4. The eyes of the Lord run through the world. The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks, pourtrayed an Eye on a Scepter, to ſignifie the vigilancy and regency of Providence. A wiſe man, ſaith the wiſeſt of men, Eccleſ. 2.14. hath his eyes in his head; but God is all eie, and th t not only for viſion, but for motion. God at this day hath an eye on France, and an eye in England. There are, Zech. 3.9. Seven eyes in one ſtone; And in the Revelation, there are ſeven Spirits before the Throne. By the Stone we are to underſtand Chriſt myſtical; The ſeven Eyes, and ſeven Spirits, are of one importance, and ſignifie the ſeveral Influences, the Wiſdom, Power, Patience, &c. of Providence. Providence hath the hands of Briareus, and the eyes of Argus. It is ſuppoſed by ſome, that the ſeven Spirits bear alluſion to the ſeven Chamberlains, or royal Officers (Eſter 1.) of the King of Perſia. God hath his Secretaries of State, his chi • f Council as well as others.

Some Heathens phancied Providence, as the Great King of Perſia, keeping himſelf in his Palace in Heaven, from the view of his Subjects, or as ſitting aloft in a ſtately Tower, onely beholding the paſſages of the world below; But Providence is not idle, but active, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hath reference (as Calvin obſerves) not onely to the eye of God,Multicum Epicuro verbis relinquunt Deos retollunt. Cice. de nat. Deorum, l. 1. but alſo to the hand of God; Providence, doth not onely obſerve, but order the world. There are no Ciphers in Gods Arithmetick, no reſts in his Muſick, no pauſes, nor ſtops in Providence. Away with the blaſphemy of thoſe that ſay, Let God rule in Heaven, and man rule on Earth.

David, Pſal. 23. ſweetly deſcribes the active, and pearly influence of this Ladder of Providence, Thou Lord art my Shepheard, thou prepareſt me a table, thou annointeſt my head, how humbly doth David, Thou God! Thou, Thou, Thou. Many men go out of Gods vineyard, but Providence is never idle in the Lords vineyard; God is always either a pruning or a ripening his Vine, always either a cloathing or correcting his children; Always a providing for them as a Sun, or a protecting them as a Shield. It is reputed a ſhame for a man to ſee by anothers eyes, but it is our wiſdom in this dark age, to ſee by the Lords eyes, Whoſe eyes run through the world.

Providence never ſtands ſtill, or goes backward; it wearies man, but is never it ſelf weary. The Sun poſteth thouſands of miles in a day, and yet tires not: Spiritual beings, much more the being of Spirits, are uncapable of tyring or delaſſation. In the deſcription of a circle in paper, though the circle bee brought within one inch of finiſhing, yet, if the compaſs be removed, a man can never make a perfect circle, but muſt begin all again to find out the ſame center. If the Lord ſhould ceaſe a moment from his works of Providence, Sion would run to ruin, and God would be put to the labor of working a new.

The Eighth remarkable in this Ladder is, The gradation of Providence: Here is a climax of Providences, one ſtep above another in the Ladder.

As firſt, In a ſpiritual ſenſe; As in the natural birth there be many preparations, but the birth is in a moment; ſo in Grace, there are many diſpoſitions to Grace, as ſenſe of ſin, mourning, and deſires, which yet I dare not call formally Grace, though the former alwaies, and the laſt moſtly goe before Grace, and by ſome to their ruin, are taken or miſtaken for Grace: but Regeneration it ſelf, is in a moment, Pſal. 84.7. The Saints go from ſtrength to ſtrength; from one vertue to another: There is an alluſion to the Iſraelites journying yearly to the Temple, they went from City to City before they came to Jeruſalem; or to Schools of learning, where there is going from one form to another, from one Science to another. The martyr it ſeems numbred his ſteps, one ſtile more, and I am at my Fathers houſe, that is, at the top of Jacobs Ladder. The Lord formerly in the wilderneſs carried, and now carrys Sion from one Mile-poſt to another, from one Stage to another. Ebenezra, Legimus de Angelorum aſcenſu & deſcenſu ſed non de alis, aſcenſusigitur hic nobis injungitur non volatus. hitherto hath the Lord helped us; So Ebenezra, hitherto have we climbed by the Lords help. Angels fetch long ſtrides on the Ladder, but Saints cannot fly but creep up to Heaven, Rom. 5.3.

So in a more publick ſenſe, Rome was not built in a day, neither will Rome be pulled down in a day; indeed in Rev. 18.17. it is ſaid, in one hour ſo great riches are come to nought; but that is as the Husbandman chalks a line about a ſere Tree which he intends to have for firing, he fetches many a blow, and yet the Tree ſtands ſtill, but at laſt one ſound blow fell the Tree; Providence hath fetcht many a blow at the Scarlet Whore, but her climacterical day is at hand, her critical day is at hand and then ſhe ſhall fall, fully, finally, fatally. Providence hitherto hath moſtly been but a lopping the branches, but now the Axe is laid to the very root of Antichriſt.

If any wonder why the ruin of Antichriſt in the Letter goes on no faſter. I Anſwer, The Devil and Pope muſt in ſome ſenſe fall together, for they have ſupported one anothers Cauſe; now and then Providence fetcheth a blow at the Pope, and ſeems as if he gave over the work, becauſe in the reſpite he is ſtriking at the Devil; So the downfal of the Spirit and Body of Antichriſt keep pace together, and therefore the work ſeems to be ſo long a doing. There are various ſteps in one Ladder, and we muſt neither appoint the Lord which way to walk, nor what ſteps to fetch; be not diſcouraged, God works gradually, and alſo he works certainly. What courſe ſoever Providence ſteers, he will not miſs a point of his Divine Compaſs; but at length, notwithſtanding all winds and waves of men and Devils, the Church ſhal arrive at her harbor.

The Ninth remarkable in Jacobs Ladder is, The ſecurity of Providence, and that both mediately and immediately.

1 Immediately. God ſits on the top of the Ladder, not Angels nor men. One Tranſlation renders it,Deus ſtat ut vindex ſedet ut • judex. God leans on the Ladder, but the Ladder rather leans on God, than God on the Ladder. The Chalde, The glory of the Lord ſtands on the Ladder. Oh ſay ſome if we had but ſuch Judges as Sampſon, as Gideon were! theſe words are bad, though proceeding from good men, if proceeding from diſtruſt, and are all one, as if they ſhould deſire, not that God, but man ſtood on the top of the Ladder; Remember, God is better than a thouſand Gideons, than a thouſand Sampſons. The beſt of men, as experience hath taught, are but men at the beſt, and all men are but men at the moſt

It is well for Sion that God ſtands on the top; He doth not reſide in his Palace, but comes to the door and Porch, viſibly to his people, ready to receive the Petitions of his Jacobs, by out-ſtretched armes. Revel. 4.3. God is preſented there as ſitting on a Throne, as a King in his Chair of State (curâ ſecurâ) to note, how eaſily he rules the world. The eye of God in Scripture is ſaid to be againſt a Nation, and that is able to diſcountenance any deſign; God blew on Pharaoh and his Hoſt, and when breath comes out of Gods mouth, then breath goes out of mans noſtrils, and he dies. He is ſaid to turn his hand on his Enemies; and indeed, with the turning of an hand, he turns man into Hell.Quod Deus loquitui rid • ns tu lege lugens. And laſtly, Pſal. 2. the Lord is ſaid to laugh at wicked men, and woe be to thoſe men at whoſe fooleries the Lords laughs. Ariſe Lord, ſays David, and let thine enemies be ſcattered; There needs no more, the very ariſing of God is the downfall of the ungodly.

There is nothing God doth by man or means, but he can do without man or means; Can God deſtroy Babylon with Armies, then God can deſtroy Babylon without Armies; Armies cannot deſtoy Antichriſt without God, but God can (if he pleaſe) deſtroy Babylon without Armies. What a ſweet order is in Divine Providence? Jacob lies at the foot of the Ladder, the Angels go up and down the Ladder, and the Lord gloriouſly ſtands on the top of the Ladder.

2 Mediately. Providence ſecures his Church by Angels; For in the Ladder you have mention of Gods ſtanding, and the Angels motion on the Ladder. Though God did not create the world by Angels, as ſome phancie from Elohim barah, yet he Governs the world,Melius eſt neſcire fine crimine quam ſcire cum diſcrimine. and eſpecially his Church, by Angels. Angels aſcended, and Angels deſcended: one Jacob, but many Angels; there were as we ſay, queſtionleſs a number of Angels, though we are at as great a loſs to find out the number of Angels on this Ladder, as in the world; Now to let paſs the curious and vain enquiry of the Schoolmen about the nature, number, order of Angels. I ſhall onely diſcourſe of Angels, according to the revealed word, with juſt conſequence, in order to their influence on or about Sion. Of which Diſcourſe, I wiſh you as much profit in reading, as I have had in the penning of it, by the aſſiſtance of the Lord. Angels are converſant about the Church in relation to the Head and Members.

Firſt, In relation to the Head, our Lord Jeſus. I confeſs, I beleeve not that Chriſt is the Redeemer of Angels; they were never Captives, and how can they be ranſomed? they never were obnoxious to guilt, and ſo are not capable of a pardon; yet that Jeſus that raiſed up man that was fallen, cauſed that the Angels ſhould not fall;Qui urti que redemptio ſolvens illum & ſervans iſtum. delivering man out of, and defending Angels from captivity; and ſo in ſome ſenſe may be ſaid to be redemption to both, curing man, and keeping Angels; Angels had not ſtood, and man had never riſen being fallen from his ſtanding, but for Chriſt. He reconciled man to Angels, and Angels to men, and by vertue of his mediation, he is the Redeemer of man, but the Governor of Angels. God gathered together in one, all things in Chriſt, in Heaven and on Earth, Epheſ. 1.10.

Hence Angels in Scripture expreſs their homage to Chriſt, as their Lord, Exod. 26.30. The veil of the Tabernacle which covered the moſt holy, which ſignifies the incarnation of Chriſt, was made of broidered work with Cherubims, which ſhadowed out the ſervice of Angels to the Mediator. Hence Matth. 16.27. they are called not onely the Angels of God for man, but the Angels of God man. It is obſervable, in that ſpace of time, which was from his Incarnation to his Aſcenſion they ſerved him ten times.

1 They carried the meſſage of his miraculous Conception to the Virgin.Ad Evam malus Angelus acceſſit & bomo ſepararetur à Deo, ad Mariam bonus Angelus venit ut in ea Deus uniretur homini. Fulge.

2 They advertiſed Joſeph, whom the ignorance of this Myſtery had perplexed.

3 They publiſhed his birth unto the Shepheards.

4 They gave order to carry him into Egypt, to avoid the fury of Herod

5 They had care to cauſe him to be brought back into Judea after the death of the Tyrant.

6 They accompanied him, and miniſtred to him after his temptation in the wilderneſs.

7 They comforted him in his Agony in the Garden.

8 They roled back the ſtone, from the door of the Sepulchre wherein he had been incloſed.

9 They declared his Reſurrection.

10 They inſtructed his Diſciples, who looked up after him aſcending into Heaven, that one day he would return.

Filius Dei caput Angelorum eſt non redemtionis ſed creationis, Wollebii Epitome. Never did the Angels ſerve any perſon ſo often, nor in ſo great a number of occurrences, nor in ſo high charges, nor through ſuch diverſity of means as they ſerved the Son of God. Chriſt had not a guard of men, as the Kings and the Nobles of the World have; but a Guard of Nobles and Princes, and not onely of Princes but of Principalities and Powers. Some, Pſal. 91.11. ſay, the Angels keep not Chriſt, but Chriſt keeps Angels, and that that promiſe of keeping thee in all thy ways belongs to Chriſt Myſtical, or Chriſt in his members, not to Chriſt perſonal; or thus, that Angels miniſtred to Chriſt, but did not keep Chriſt: But this we are ſure of, Joh. 1. ult, The Angels aſcended and deſcended on the Son of Man; not that they miniſter to Chriſt alone, but that they, for his ſake and honor, do miniſter to, and are carefull for, the whole Body of the Elect. Wherefore,

Secondly, The Angels attend on Sion, on the Saints,

Firſt, While in the world they ſerve the Church in general, and the members in particular. The Angels that are good of which I ſpeak,

1 Are beholders of the Affairs of the Church, Epheſ. 3.10. That unto the Principalities in heavenly places might be made known by the Church, the manifold wiſdom of God. The higheſt Angel in Heaven may go to School and learn of the loweſt Saint on Earth. For as the Angels teach the Church, ſo the Church teacheth Angels: The Diſciple here, in ſome ſenſe, is greater than the Maſter. The viſible Church is the Stage whereon Jeſus Chriſt diſplaies the fruits of his Redemption, 1 Pet. 1.12. And Angels are ſpectators of the free Grace and wiſdom of the Goſpel, which things the Angels deſire to look into, Angelis maximè in publico coetu circumſiſtuntur pii, ideo tabernaculi aul • a Cherubinis in • v • & foris referta. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not onely to look on, but to look into, an alluſion to the Cherubims which were ſo placed that they did look down on the Mercy Seat: They ſtretch out their necks, they ſtoop down and pry into the Myſteries of the Goſpel.

It is an honor for the Preachers of the Goſpel to hold a multitude of men by the ears; but what an honor is it to hold the Angels (q. d.) by the ears? to have thoſe Divine Beings like Doves to flock to the windows, to have an Auditory of Angels? I dare ſay, that (how baſely ſoever the Atheiſts and Worldlings of this age, eſteem of the Preachers of the Goſpel) many of their Congregations are fuller, than their purſes are, of Angels. An Evangelical Orator hath an Auditory of Angels.

2 Angels are affected with the converſation of ſinners and Saints; as the Devils rejoyce in the Prophanneſs and Apoſtacy, ſo the Angels rejoyce in the Converſion and Perſeverance of men. The regeneration of a Soul makes the Angels to ſing, and the Devils to roar. Luk. 15.10. There is joy in the preſence of Angels over every ſinner that repents. Angels may ſay, as the angelical Apoſtle (Doctor Angelicus) to profeſſors, If you perſevere, you are the Crown and Glory of our Miniſtration; but licentious profeſſors are a grief to Angels, not onely to Miniſters that are Angels, but to Angels that are Miniſters, 1 Cor. 11.10. When poor ſinners run to Chriſt on earth, the glorious Angels ſpiritually dance in heaven; Lachrymae paenit entium ſunt vinum Angelorum. according to the old obſervation, That the tears of repenting ſinners are the wine of Angels.

As an Army that is broken, and hath loſt many Ranks and Files of Souldiers, long to be recruited, and to have their number filled up again: So the Angels that ſtand, are glad to ſee ſinners liſt themſelves under Chriſt, to fill up in Heaven the void places of the fallen Angels. As Turtle Doves cannot indure filthy ſtenches, nor Bees ſmoak, no more can the good Angels abide to converſe with noyſom and prophane ſinners.

3 Angels deſcend on the Ladder to comfort and ſupport the Saints in times of tentation and trouble. Luke 22.43. They ſtrengthened Chriſt in his Agony, and without controverſie, they exerciſe the ſame influence on the Body, that they did to the Head, in proportion. The good Angels are ever removing our hindrances from good, and our occaſions of evill; mitigating our tentations, helping us againſt our enemies, delivering us from dangers, comforting us in ſorrows, furthering our good purpoſes; they comforted deſerted Hagar, Gen. 21. Jacob fearing, Gen. 32. Paul fainting, Act. 27. the diſtreſſed women at the Sepulchre, Mat. 28.

The good Angels ſuffer with the Saints ſuffering; rejoyce, with them rejoycing; incourage them contending, and triumph, with them crowned, againſt Satan, and over his evill Angels. Where ever the love of God goes, there their love goes; they keep thoſe whom God keeps, and forſake them whom God forſakes. The good Angels are not more terrible to evil men, than the evill Angels are terrible to good men; and the good Angels are not more terrible to evill men, than they are comfortable to good men. Angels are fellow-Souldiers with the Saints, and fight under the ſame colours, and hearten them in their conflict with Devils, onely they march inviſibly and upon the higher ground. Though Jacob be aſleep, his Angels are awake.

4 Angels deſcend the Ladder to inſtruct the Saints. As the Angels learn by the Church, ſo the Church learns by Angels. God ſent his Angel to teach Daniel the myſtery of the viſions, Dan. 8.9. an Angel was ſent to inſtruct John, Revel. 1.11. The Law was revealed, and the Goſpel foretold and proclamed by Angels, Gal. 1.8. Luk. 1.31. I dare not ſay Angels are properly in the miniſterial Function to preach ſalvation to the world, much leſs have they power to change the heart; Converſion is the joy, but not the work of Angels. They are called Heb. 1. Miniſtring ſpirits, Preachers of the Hierarchy indeed. Miniſters of the Goſpel Liturgie (ſo the word ſignifies) commiſſioned for the good of the heirs of ſalvation, to promote their ſpiritual good, doubtleſs, as well as their temporal good. A Saint exceeds an Angel in experimental, but an Angel exceeds a Saint in natural Knowledge.

How ſweet to conſider in theſe times of temptation! if God ſhould ſuffer (which he will not ſuffer) the world to pull down the Goſpel-Miniſtry by man, yet they cannot aſſault, much leſs overthrow,Angelorum induiſtis nomen, induite & naturam. the Miniſtry of Angels. If Sion ſhould be deprived of her Evangelical Teachers, yet none can baniſh from her the Angels her Teachers.

5 The Angels deſcend the Ladder, to ſuggeſt holy and good thoughts unto us. Notwithſtanding it be peculiar to God to enlighten the mind, and enliven the heart, yet why may not God uſe the inviſible miniſtry of Angels, as wel as the viſible miniſtry of man? Or rather, Secondly, What hinders to deny, but that as evil Angels have liberty to ſuggeſt evill; ſo why may not good Angels have liberty to ſuggeſt good thoughts? For firſt, The Devil is ſaid to put it into the heart of Judas to betray Chriſt, Joh. 13. And to fill the heart of Ananias to lie to the Holy Spirit. Secondly, If Satan, 2 Cor. 11.4. be called an Angel of light, becauſe he ſuggeſteth good things, for evil ends, or evill things, for good ends, certainly then Angels of light, good Angels (as is obſerved) ſuggeſt good,Diſtinctio Angelorum inter aſsiſtente; & miniſtrantes eſt vana, quod omnes ſunt aſſiſtentes & miniſtrantes imo ideo aſſiſtunt ut miniſtrent, Heb. 1.14. Rivetus. for good ends; how elſe could Satan be their Ape?

Not that it is ſuppoſeable that good Angels can change the heart; for though it be granted, that they do ſtir up good affections, by removing impediments, and in driving away the evil ſpirits, and wicked illuſions, by exciting and ſtirring up the phantaſmes, and preſenting or repreſenting good thoughts to the mind; and laſtly, by moving the paſſions in the ſenſitive appetite, inclining the Will to diſcharge her duty, yet it is the onely Royalty and Prerogative of God, ſo to offer Grace, as that man ſhall neither prove a diſſenter, or ſtand Neuter; for on the contrary, the Devil may flatter, but he cannot force man to ſin. He is but the father begetting, the evil heart is the Mother conceiving, and the Father can do nothing in this moral ſenſe, without the Mother. It is remarkable in Scripture, that ordinarily when there is mention made of mans ſinning, there is mention likewiſe made of the tentations of the Devil; but there is ſeldom or rarely mention made of the good Angels, moving men to holineſs, and the reaſon probably is, God, who is the effectual worker of Grace, will have the glory of every gracious work himſelf.

I intend not the leaſt to diſparage the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, thus in exalting the Miniſtration of Angels; for the Goſpel-Miniſtry is more ſuitable, if not in ſome ſenſe more excellent. Well may Angels be dry Nurſes to preſerve, and watch, and wait on, and protect the children of God; but to be Fathers to beget them, to be wet Nurſes to ſuckle them with the immortal ſeed, and ſincere milk of the word, belongs to the Goſpel miniſtry. Yet the Angels ſuggeſt good thoughts. The Sadduces imagined, that thoughts were Angels. I confeſs it is honorable for human nature to be filled with Divine and Angelical thoughts; and it is comfortable to beleeve thoughts are ſuggeſted by Angels, but we muſt in no wiſe think that thoughts are Angels.

6 Angels deſcend the Ladder, for the preſervation of the Saints. Eccl. 5.8. If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poor, and violent perverting of Judgement and Juſtice (which things are yet to be ſeen, felt and underſtood plain enough) marvel not at the matter (as though there were no Providence to Govern the World, or Juſtice to puniſh diſorders) for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they. Here be three degrees of compariſon, High, Higher, Higheſt; and three degrees of Powers, There are Kings higheſt on Earth, there are Angels higher than Kings, and there is God Father, Son, and Spirit, higher than Angels, to whom yet, as Executioners of Gods Juſtice, and Miniſters of his Providence, is committed the care of the Empires of the world, and chiefly of the Church, Dan. 4.17. Men are not Lords of the World, nor of the Church of God. Oppreſſion cannot ſit ſo high, but Juſtice will ſit above her: If oppreſſors be above the reach of Man, yet they are not above the reach of Angels, yet if they were, there is an higher than the higheſt, and there are higher than they. The Devil had learned ſo much Divinity our of the Pſalmes, Angeli cuſtodiunt bonos non in praecipit is ſed in v • is, cum non habemus perfectionem Angeli non habeamus praeſumtionem Diaboli. Matth. 4.6. he ſpake not without book when he ſaid, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to carry thee in their Arms, he could not away with the clauſe following, —in his waies. The Angels are the Life-guard of Saints, as Officers of State, they attend on, and journey with them, they hold them in their Arms that they fall not, and take them up in their Arms when they are down; or as in a Family the greater children delight to carry the Sucklings in their Arms; The Church Militant and Triumphant make but one Family, and the Angels, our Fathers eldeſt children, delight to carry the weak Saints, Saints in their minority, in their Arms, Gods Jacobs on their ſhoulders; and they do not this at their liberty, when they pleaſe, or whether they will or no, for they have a ſtrict command for it, he hath charged them; yet let us not be ſecure. It is a cuſtom for Princes, during their infancy, to have Guardians, to keep and rule for them till they come of age. Angels are the Guardians, the Protectors of Sion.

Gods children never go unattended,Angeli deſcendunt à Deo referentes divina nobis, aſcendunt à nobis referentes noſtra Deo, Cajet i • loc. but like great perſons they are always in the midſt of their Guard; they poſſibly, may be contemned and contemptible in the eyes of the world; but the Angels of God ſcorn not to obſerve, no, not to ſerve them. We may keep the Sun out of our houſes, but we cannot keep the Air, much leſs theſe immaterial and immortal ſpirits. They watch over us, when we ſleep; they attend on us, when we awake; they are our Companions in Priſon, and in Exile. No walls nor bolts can ſever them from our ſides; Tyrants may forbid men, but cannot forbid Angels from out Society.

That of Theodoret is famous, That found ſo much ſweetneſs on the wrack, complained that his Perſecutors increaſed his torment when they took him down; for ſaid he, all the while I was on the wrack, and you venting your malice againſt me, methought there was a youngman in white, an Angel, ſtood by me, which wiped off the ſweat, which comfort now I have loſt.

Every Saint is in Joſhua the High-Prieſts caſe, with Satan on one hand, and an Angel on the other; without this, our danger were greater than our defence; and we could neither ſtand nor riſe; We ſin too often, and ſhould catch more falls if theſe Guardians did not uphold us.

A • geli miniſtrabant Chriſto, non tanquam miſericordes indigenti ſed tanquam ſubditi omnis potenti.7 Angels deſcend the Ladder to provide for the Saints. After Chriſt had faſted, Matth. 4. The Angels miniſtred unto him; queſtionleſs, to nouriſh and refreſh his outward man, being wearyed with faſting; ſome ſay, brought him food; they miniſtred to Chriſt, not as the rich to the poor, but as Servants to their Maſter. While we continue within the Precincts of God, we are under the protection of Angels. Manna in Scripture, is called Angels food; not onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by way of excellency, becauſe it was rare and dainty food; but Inſtrumentally, becauſe it was (ſays a Critick) miniſtred by the hands of Angels. Rather than the Church ſhall ſtarve, God will ſend Angels to Market, to cater for them.

Jacobs Ladder is the Stage, the Angels are Sions footpoſts (q d.) that daily run from Heaven to Earth, from Earth to Heaven back again; They carry news to Heaven, and bring intelligence from Heaven. When Sion lyes under Burthens and Oppreſſions, the Angels preſently fly and ride poſt to Heaven, and tell God the Father, what his children ſtand in need of, and will not depart or deſcend from the Palace of Heaven on the Ladder, without ſupply and proviſion. If the covetous man could, when he was reproached abroad, comfort himſelf in his Counting-houſe when he came home, to ſee his many lovely Angels to ſmile on him; how may Gods Jacobs refreſh themſelves in the midſt of the ſcorns and ſcoffings of the World, when they remember and review the Viſion of the Angels?

8 Angels deſcend armed, to fight for Sion. Good Magiſtrates are viſible Protectors, and good Angels are inviſible Protectors of Sion, under God. The King of Glory can never want forces, for he hath a Militia of Angels; thouſands and ten thouſands of Angels are his Chariots to ride in: Theſe heavenly Hoſts are the horſe-men and Chariots of Iſrael. It is deſperate to provoke a General marching in the head of a puiſſant and numerous Army. The Angels obſerve their Rank and File, they wait but for the word,Nec boni Angeli niſi quantum Deus jubet, nec mali Angeli injuſta faciunt niſi quantum juſtè ipſe permittit. Aug. de Trinit. l 3. c. 8. and they immediately take wing, either for the comfort of Sion, or confuſion of her Enemies. God ſent one Brigade of Angels to help Eliſha, 2 King. 6.17. another Brigade, to aide Lot againſt the Sodomites; one Squadron to help Jacob againſt Eſau, another, to help Hezekiah againſt Zenacherib, Gen. 32.24. Iſa. 37.36. Gods heavenly Forces quarter up and down about all the afflicted Churches in the World. An Army of Angels, Gen, 32.2. was ſent to convoy Jacob, and therefore he called the place Mahanaim, that is, two Hoſts or Camps; either becauſe the Angels appeared in two Bands, and ſo made, as it were, a guard for Jacob to paſs between them; or becauſe the great Angelical and Royal Army quartered and marched with Jacobs little Army, and ſo two confederate Armies appeared in the field together, ſo ſay Rivet and Caryl. Our ſtrongeſt Militia is either of Angels that are Spirits, or of Angelical Spirits, Pſal 88.17.

Angels, Ezek 1. have the face of a Man, to ſignifie their knowledge; Wings, to ſignifie their ſwiftneſs; they cannot paſs from one place to another in a moment, becauſe all motion is from one term to another term by a middle,Angelus eſt nomen officii no • naturae, ex eo quod eſt ſpiritus eſt, ex eo quod agit Angelus eſt. Idem, in Pſa 111 yet Pſal. 10.4. they are compared to a flame of fire. The Cherubims have wings on their feet, which is ſtrange; they cannot foot it faſt enough, and therefore muſt ſpeed their Race with flight. Thirdly, They repreſent an Ox, to ſignifie their obedience to God; Hence we pray, Let thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven, that is, freely, as the Angels obey God without reluctancy. And fourthly, they are compared to a Lyon for their ſtrength. One Angel killed an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand in one night, 2 King. 19.35. One Angel wants neither hands nor weapons to rout and ruin an whole Army. The good Angels ſtopped the Lyons mouths when Daniel was ſhut up in the Den; reſtrained by Gods allowance the force of the fire, when the three children were caſt into the furnace; The Angel of the Lord encamps about Sion, Pſal. 34.7. That is, the Angels; for he ſpeaks of an Hoſt; and the Criticks obſerve, that in the Hebrew, one is put for a multitude, as the inhabitant for the inhabitants, 2 Chron. 11.4. Quail, for Quails, Pſa. 105.33, 40.

When Chriſt is ſet forth by the name of an Angel, it is in Scripture with ſome additions, as the Angel of the Covenant, and when you read of the Angel of the Lord, it is meant of Chriſt, unleſs there be ſome contradictions of that interpretation in the context, as is apprehended. Angels are Sions Centinels at home, and File-leaders abroad. As there are good men againſt evill, ſo there are for Sion, Angels againſt Angels, Rev. 12.7. The Ethiopians ſuppoſed that Angels attended on Judicatories, and therefore were accuſtomed to leave twelve Chairs empty in the Judgement place, which they ſay, were the Seats of Angels.

When Sion is in diſtreſs, Faith and Prayer is able to preſs the Angels, and to bring them into the batlet; but they are Voluntiers, not Mercenaries▪ The Stars fought againſt Siſera; that is, ſay ſome, the Angels in the Stars, as in their War-Chariots; as if the Angels (according to the odd old proverb of Intelligences) did inform the Stars; but they are heavenly wide, as one ſaith, In the firſt of Zechary verſ. 8. the Mirtle trees in the bottom, ſignifie the low eſtate of the Church, or the Church in a low eſtate: The divers coloured Horſes, were Angels appointed for divers Offices (ſays Junius) the red Horſes for Judgement, the white, for Mercy, the ſpeckled, for mixt actions, being ſent out at once to help Sion, Non tribuere Angelis audeo quod forte non poſſunt, nec debeo derogare quod poſſunt. and oppoſe her Enemies. An Angel ſmote bloody Herod; two Angels defeated Zenacheribs Hoſt; and Angels by name, if not by nature, ſaith Mr. Caryl, poure out the ſeven Vials of Gods wrath in the Revelation. In Luke they are called the Hoſt of Heaven: Theſe Armies are all of one mind, no difference of Colours, though poſſibly different Orders, yet no difference in their Orders. They on the Ladder, aſcend and deſcend, they give place one to another, there is no juſtling between them. The Rabbies ſuppoſe (on what ground I am careleſs of inquiring) four Angels to be the Preſidents of the four quarters of the World; Michael of the Eaſt, Raphael of the Weſt, Gabriel of the North, and Uriel of the South. The Barbarians had once taken Conſtantinople, but that in the night ſeaſon they were frighted by the appearance of armed Angels, Socrat. l. 6. c. 6.

Wherefore as Alexander the Great ſlept ſoundly, though the enemy was at hand; and being asked the reaſon of ſuch ſecurity, replied, that Antipater his Captain was awake; ſo may the Saints ſleep in peace in theſe ſtormy times, becauſe they have, Dan. 4. Guirin vigilantes, the watchful ones about them. Solomon, Cant. 3.7. had ſixty valiant men, all with ſwords, to defend him, for fear of the night; but the Saints are incompaſſed with Guards of Angels, and as Eliſha ſaid, 2 King. 6. to his fearful Servant, there are more with us, than againſt us; we need not regard the Malicia of Devils, for we have the Militia of Angels. This is ſpoken in ſubordination to Gods preſence, who uſeth them, not as Princes, that need their Guards, but for the glory of his Majeſty, and for the ſupport of our weakneſs, but to teſtifie his great love to us, in imploying ſuch honorable creatures for our ſervice, and to maintain amity and correſpondency between Saints and Angels, untill they both walk arm in arm in Heaven.

9 Angels attend on the Saints at their deaths. Angels are the Protectors of Sion while they live, and their Porters when they die. They are as careful of the Saints, as Nurſes of their Babes; God puts his children, when they are born, out to them to tender and tutor, and at their death, they bring them home to him again. Lazarus, Luk. 16. was carried by Angels into Abrahams boſom.

It is probable, the Devils attend on dying men, if poſſibly to tempt them to deſpair; the leſs time they have to reign, the more they rage, and therefore good Angels attend too, to facilitate the death of the Saints, ready with their arms to receive the ſouls of Gods Jacobs, En fratres quamrerum lamentanda mutatio, fu •• s divitis antecedit lugubris tu ba Servorum, feretrum pauperis antecedit Angelorum pſallentium multitudo Chryſol. and carry them up the Ladder to Heaven. Lazarus was carried, not by one Angel, but in the plural number, by Angels. At the funeral of a Prince or Emperor, it is accounted an honor to help bear his Hearſe to the Grave; ſo the glorious Angels willingly condeſcend to carry the ſouls of the Saints to Heaven. Many Angels carry one Lazarus, as if they had been ambitious to carry him, every Angel ſtriving which ſhould carry a limb; This was greater ſtate than the King of Egypts Chariot drawn by four Princes. We are a delightfull and lightſome armful to the Angels while we live, and at death they do the laſt and beſt office, as we ſay, for us. Lazarus who living was licked by Dogs, is now dead guarded by Angels; thus they condeſcend to handle ſuch filthy creatures as ſin hath made us; while they remember our neceſſity, they do as it were forget their own honor.

Whereas ſome plead for topical Angels, and perſonal Angels, that is, for the preſidency of one Angel over a Country, and over a particular man (according to the conceit of the good and bad Genius) I judge it more for a Saints honor and ſafety to have a Guard of Angels, then a Guardian Angel.

To conclude,Angell vocantur quod funguntur munere ordinario, Arch-Angeli quod extra ordinario. we have always with us inviſible Friends and Enemies; let the conſideration of our Enemies keep us from ſecurity, and the conſideration of our Friends keep us from diſtruſt. Had wicked men their eyes open as Balaam once had, they would at every turn ſee an Angel to ſtand in their way, ready to reſiſt what they go about, as he did, for this is one of thoſe noble imployments, of thoſe noble Spirits, to give a ſtrong, though inviſible, oppoſition to wicked Enterprizes.

True, they appear not ordinarily, what then? no more do the evill Angels; had we but ſpiritual eies we ſhould ſee with Moſes, the inviſible God; and not that onely, but with Jacob, the inviſible Angels. Many a treacherous act have they hindred, without the knowledge of the Traytor; yea, many are the dangers wee ſee and fear, innumerable thoſe we neither ſee nor fear, from which Providence makes Angels inſtruments to deliver us. Good Angels ſupport the Miniſters of God in the Throne, and in the Pulpit. As Jacob in the Viſion ſaid, The Lord was in this place, and I knew not of it: So how often are the Angels with us, and we do not conſider it?Angeli ſunt media ſed non mediatores. though we ſee not Angels, yet we muſt beleeve them, we are not Jacobs, not Chriſtians, if our faith be not as ſure as our ſenſe.

Wherefore let us honor Angels, not adore them, much leſs invocate them, they are not the Ladder, but go on the Ladder.

From the explication of Jacobs Ladder, and having ſhewed the ſufficiency of Providence, take theſe Concluſions.

Firſt, Lean on Gods Ladder, Truſt his All-ſufficiency for your ſelves, and for the Church.

1 In particular, for your ſelves.Quid haeſitas ſuper poſſeſsionibus, caelum & Dominum cum habeas? When we ſee a child carping and caring for himſelf, ſurely, ſay we, either this child hath no Father, or his Father cares not for him; either it is Fatherleſs or Loveleſs. Caſt your care on God, Heb 13. Why? for God cares for you. What need you care, and God care too? Is God ſufficient for the journeys end, and ſhall we diſtruſt him for the way? Shall we truſt man upon a peece of Parchment, with two or three hands and ſeals, and not the Lord, who daily proves himſelf Debtor to us in volumes of love? Diſtruſt ſlanders God to his face. Some are all for Faith, I beleeve, I beleeve; but nobody is for Holineſs; and on the contrary, ſome Chriſtians are very careful againſt Prophaneneſs, they will not part with a good Conſcience for all the goods in the world, and yet nouriſh doubtings and diſtruſts of Gods Love to them, as if Unbeleef were no ſuch great matter, as if God would eaſily diſpenſe with that. The Lord ſaith, he that provides not for his own, Si Deus ſic cuſtodit ſuperſtua tua quomodo animam tuam? is worſe than an Infidel; and ſhall man ever be able to write Infidel on Gods door?

How many, ſay they, truſt God for their Souls, and yet dare not truſt God with their Bodies? Whereas Nature hath often ſaid, God never ſends mouths, but he will alſo ſend meat and grace; If God take away my food, he will alſo take away my appetite: How reaſonable is it to truſt God when we have ſo often tried him? and yet how happy were many a man if he could but truſt God as far he can ſee him? God is not bound to give us neceſſarys, and yet we are not content with abundance. We cannot be merry without cates and delicates, when Providence might make us to be without bread. The Saints may be without many things, but they want nothing; if they ſhould want any thing, yet they want no good thing: They may want the favor of man, but ſhall not want the ſmiles of their Father, Pſal. 34.10.

How ſweetly may a Beleever view the Heavens, and ſay, this is my Fathers Palace; and ſay of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Theſe are the lights that my Father hangs up; and ſay of the Beaſts of the Field, and Fowles of the Air, Theſe my Father feeds and fills, to maintain his Houſhold. Worthy Mr. Hern, lying on his Death-bed, his wife made much womaniſh lamentation, what ſhould hereafter become of her little ones; Peace Sweet-heart, ſaid he, That God who feedeth the Ravens, will not ſtarve the Herns. Omnia famulantur famulanti Deo. Meat and drink, and the Goſpel, are good Chear, ſaid the Martyr. Let them diſtruſt that have not a God to live on, ſaid Luther. Having food and rayment; ſays the Apoſtle; not dainties, but food; not Velvets, but Rayment, Let us therewith be content. The young Ravens are fed of God, Non licet de fortuna quaeri, ſalvo Caeſare. Senec. Pſa. 147. being forſaken of their Dam; for out of their dung ariſeth a worm, which creepeth into their mouths and feeds them. Oh that we could depend on Providence for our ſubſiſtence; if we could but find Faith to beleeve it, God would find Means to effect it. The Mariner never murmurs though his Cabbin be not gilded, if it carry him but ſafe to his Port. When we have not ſtrength to work, we have liberty to lye down with Jacob at the foot of the Ladder, and ſleep.

Vides ſed non invidesSecondly, Truſt God, and fear not man. Wicked men, Pſal. 129.6. ſit as it were in a golden Chair, on the ridge of an houſe, the leaſt breath of Providence throws them down, and the higher they were lifted up from the ground, the greater will be their fall. They are Gods Plowers, ver. 3. It ſeems when Sion is in many tribulations, God hath many Plows agoing, and when the back of Sion is furrowed and dunged with perſecutions and reproaches, the Lord will looſen the Cords, and cut the Traces. In a good ſenſe, God ſpeed the Plow. Though they build, Amos 9.2. their neſt in the Stars, yet God will ſet his Ladder up and fetch them down, and before their deſigns are fledged, he will deſtroy both young and old, and all; though man cannot reach thoſe Neſts, yet God can. Fear not, Numb 14.9. the people of the Land, for they are bread to you; They ſhall not eat us, but we ſhall eat them; they ſhall not eat our bread, but be our bread. Hath God built his Houſe, and will he ſuffer it to fall down for want of repair? hath the Lord formed Children by his Spirit, and will he grudge to be at charges to bring them up?

Some would have all Gods Enemys branded on the Fore-head with his broad Arrow, as if God could not know them again: But let his Enemys flee as far as they will, he hath them in ſafe cuſtody, and ſure guard; Let men ſhift Apparel and Forms never ſo often, God knows their faces and hearts. It is not always Faith to beleeve (quoad hic et nunc) the ruin of ſuch and ſuch of Gods Enemies; for oft, we may more juſtly conclude, they may proſper in this world, becauſe here is all the Heaven they are like to have. God will take his time. Oppreſſion is mans work, and puniſhment is Gods work, and ſhall we think God will not be as perfect in his work as man in his? He hangs up many men in Gibbets in this World, leſt his Providence ſhould be doubted of;Deo confiſi nunquam confuſi. but not all, leſt the Judgement-Day ſhould be denied. As man hunts one Beaſt with another, and catcheth one Bird with another, ſo God uſeth one Man for the ruin of another. Richard the Third uſed the Inſtrument of his bloody Plots, as men do Candles, burn the firſt out to a ſnuff, and then having lighted another, tread that under foot. God makes men, while they think to grind the faces of his people, to bring grice, beyond their own intentions, to his own Mill. Ceaſe therefore from man, that is Gods Alarm, Iſa. 2. whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, and whereof is he to be accounted? How weak is Man, how ſtrong is God? Take heed of idolizing man, either in fearing or loving man above God. That man fears God but as Man, that fears Man as God. When the prayers of Saints are croſſed, and the Enterprizes of their Enemies ſucceed, Remember Jacobs Ladder, and the Viſion of Angels.

Gods Tryals are like bellows Satan's the Blower, Blows out falſe Faiths, makes true ones blaze the more: Fear not then little Flock, the greateſt ill Your Foe can do's to ſcratch, he cannot kill.

The ſecond Concluſion from Jacobs Ladder, Climb not, but Climb.

Firſt, Climb not in the world. The daies are evill, ſays the Apoſtle. The days particularly are now ambitious. Oh that men did but creep up to Heaven as faſt as they run up the ſtairs of honor on Earth; that men were as greedy to be Gods people, as they are of being gods over the people! How few are there that had rather lie in the duſt, than riſe by wickedneſs; that had rather rum with Chriſt, than reign with Caeſar. Nebuchadnezzar would needs be climbing, Is not this great Babylon that I have built? but the Lord tumbled him down headlong from his Throne, to learn humility. Haman would get above his Sphear and Element, not high enough, ſtill aſpiring, till he was too high for his honor, on that Ladder he made to hang poor Mordecai, and ſome ſay he made it ſo high, that he might the more highly and viſibly diſgrace Mordecai.

Who plants the Tree, deſerves the fruit, 'tis fit That he that bought the purchaſe handſell it.

The Angels were not high enough, they would be above God (as ſome think) and out-grow their own skin, Jude 6. but pride tript up their heels, the ſteps brake, and they fell to Hell, they left their ſtation. The world was like a well ordered Army; Angels once kept Rank and File, the Devill firſt marr'd the Camp, went out of his place, and was cut off. Aſpiring Spirits march under Satans Colours, and dance after his Pipe. Satan would needs alſo lead mother Eve up theſe ſtairs, Gen. 3. you ſhall be as God; a tempting proffer, ſhe ſought after the Tree of Knowledge, Fortuna dum ſplendet frangitur. and loſt the Tree of Life. Many have been one day high in honor, and another day high on the Gallows; and as they ſay of metal of which they make Glaſs, it is nigheſt melting, even when it ſhines brighteſt. Shifting ſpirits are ſo uſed to climbing, that they ſeldom find their legs till they break their necks.

The Spider, Prov. 30.28. is made an Emblem of ambitious man, they love the top of the Cieling; So ambitious men weave their webs of honor and preferment; but we know Spiders are poyſonous creatures, and weave their deſigns out of their own bowels; and Providence hath a Beſome with which he can eaſily ſweep them down; and eſpecially, Araneae telam • exere. it is notorious folly for Spiders to climb in that age wherein Providence is a cleanſing the World. Canutus promiſed to make him that would diſpatch his Competitor for the Crown, one of the higheſt men in England; The Competitor was murthered, and when the Attempter demanded the reward promiſed, the King bad his head to be cut off, and put on a pinacle in the Tower of London, and ſo, according to his promiſe made him one of the higheſt men in England; ſo Satan ſerves his ſervants in the end. Great men in high places ſeldom have been wiſe til after the blow (as in the Roman ſtorys) and though they have had means to come down at their eaſe, yet they have ſtaid till Providence hath thruſt them down headlong. That exchange of verſe between Q. E. and Sir W. R. is famous.

I fear to climb, for fear left I ſhould fall. Either climb higher, or climb not at all.

Not but that the Crown of honor is the gift of God, and may be happily worn when the hand of Providence puts it on. Magiſtracy is a Diadem, and there is a luſtre that God uſually caſteth on its Jewels, eſpecially, when Religion and Righteouſneſs bind it to the head. Were it not for Magiſtracy, Cheapſide would be as notorious a place for robbery, as Salisbury Plain,Ubi nunc eſt Reſp. ibi fimus potius quam dum illam veterem ſequimur fimus in nulla Dolabella Cice. in Ep. l. 9 and the diſtinction between mine and thine would fall to the ground, and wee ſhould more ordinarily have cutting of Throats than now we have cutting of Purſes: Which deſerves conſideration with ſome male-contents, who while they ſeek to eſtabliſh the old Government, may unawares run into confuſion and blood and at length have no Government at all. Without Magiſtracy robbery would be a Law, and men like Dogs, would try all right (as is noted) by their teeth.

How excellent were it,Ut imbecillis ſcala eum qui aſcendit, Dejicit ſic ſuperbiae ſcala eum qui eam aſcendit. Nilus in loc. while others are hugging the world, for the Saints to be trampling on the world? How few are there that climb this Ladder of honor, but they leave a good Conſcience at the bottom? That man that will be great by any means, muſt needs leave off to be good by all means. But alas, it is not a Velvet pantofle can remove the Gout; nor a golden Diadem, the headach; nor a purple robe, the Cholick.

How many deal with Religion, as a Maſon deals with a Laddder, Religio peperit divitias & filia devoravit matrem. when he hath work to do, & to climb, oh then he hugs & imbraceth the Ladder & carrys it in his arms, and on his ſhoulders, but when he hath done climbing, preſently the Ladder is hung on the wall, or thrown into a corner: So, many ſet the Aſs on Chriſt, and not Chriſt on the Aſs, making Religion a ſtalking-horſe for preferment, and when men have got their ends by religion, then there is an end of their Religion.Mundus eſt cadaver & perentes eum ſunt canes. How many that were poor enough in the world, have grown rich in the profeſſion of poor Jeſus, and have followed the chaſe onely, with Jonathan, till they have met with hony?

It is damage for a man to win the whole world and loſe his Soul, but what a poor bargain make they, that loſe their ſouls, and win not the thouſandth part of the world? That Scholar paid a great price, that made this Contract with the Devil, Give me learning, and Ile give you my ſoul. The ambitious Pope made but a fooliſh Bargain, that ſold his Salvation, and bought his Damnation, for the Popedom. How far is two or three hundred a year below the worth of a Soul? and yet how many ſuch Chapmen are there in the world? But let ambitious men conſider, The Stairs of Honor are ſteep, the ſtanding ſlippery, and the regreſs a downfall. Praepoſitioni quot accidunt? Unum; Quid? Caeſus tantum; Quot caſus? Duo; Qui? Accuſativus & Ablativus: Haec enim Pilatum oportet timere, accuſari à crimine, & auferri à Regimine, & ignominioſe cadere. Clem. Oct.

Secondly, Climb above the world; from this glorious Ladder of Contemplation, you may have many glorious ſights, upward and downward, forward and backward.

1 You may have a ſight upward and downward. As our Lord and Maſter ſaid ſtrive, ſo I may ſay climb. You have a long journey to go, before you come to heaven, little time to go it in, and leſs time than ſtrength; Wherefore, paſs the world as through a Fair, ſtand not gazing on every Pedlars ſhop, or ſilly gue gaw, till you come to your home. Theſe are not the Jeruſalem, ſaid the Traveller concerning Lyons and Paris, though they were beautiful Cities;Faelix cui inviſibilium ſcientia fit ſcala ad inviſibilia cognoſcenda, cui ſcientia fit ſcala aſcenſionis non ruina dejectionis. Victor. Riches and Honors are not Heaven; Heaven is of another colour and complexion. Be Star-gazers in a ſpiritual ſenſe, climb to the top of Jacobs Ladder. How little would the world ſeem to us, if the great God were not little in us? who ever took a proſpect of Heaven, and did not fall in love with it? and who ever loved Heaven, that never took a proſpect of it? Either Heaven will take us off from viewing the World, or the World will take us off from viewing Heaven. The World would ſeem no ſuch peece of glory, if the Glory that ſhines on the top of the Ladder were but unfolded to us. They ſay, Naples is a City to be ſeen onely on Holy-days, becauſe of its beauty and formoſity; Heaven is a Non-ſuch, that day is a high day indeed, when the ſoul ſets Heaven; an holy heart is onely fit to ſee that holy place. If thoſe that live under the Line have all the influences of Heaven, and ſee (as they ſay the motions of the Stars and Orbes, how more glorious is it to be above them, and to ſee the Stars and Orbes to move below us?

Jacobs Ladder is as ſweet a repaſt, as Moſes his Piſgah, Zacheus his Sycamore-tree, and Peters Mount We miſs many a brave ſhew of Providence for want of climbing. It is glorious to think of Glory, but more glorious to poſſeſs Glory. Some Mountains in the World are above the Clouds, and Storms, and Winds; what a glorious thing is it to contemplate Eternity, and every day with Enoch to fetch a turn or two in the Royal Exchange of Glory, to be above the paſſions and perſecutions of this lower world, to look downward and behold the eclipſes of Honors and Crowns, to be cloathed with the beams of the Sun of righteouſneſs, and to have the world out of our heart, and under our feet? There are no ſtorms of Paſſions, no thunders of Wars, no winds of Temptations, no proing and conning about Opinions; not one party for Luther, and another for Calvin; no claſhing and clamoring about Presbytery, Independency, and Anabaptiſm; no diſſenting brethren in Heaven. When the Apoſtle Paul had a window opened in Heaven, 2 Cor. 12.4 and heard ſuch unſpeakable things; he had nothing but Heaven in his mouth,Deus res creatas ad modum ſcalae adoptavit ut per eam ſui amantibus aſcenſum ad ſe extruxit. Baſil. and Chriſt Jeſus, ever after, whom he names many hundred times in his Epiſtles; Like as children, when they have been in a famous City, their eyes and thoughts are ſo filled with the rich Shops, rare Buildings, that their tongues always run on them, and run over with them, and have nothing elſe to ſpeak of. If one thought ſo highly of the ſtudy of Aſtronomy, becauſe it was occupied about the Sphears and Stars, and celeſtial Bodies, that he pronounced the firſt Authors happy; How happy are thoſe ſouls that are buſied in the contemplation of God himſelf? Jacobs Ladder of Piety, is better than Jacobs Staff of Aſtronomy.

Second Proſpect from this Ladder; we may look backward and forward, and notwithſtanding all our unworthineſs, and unthankfulneſs, ſee what God hath done for England, and will do for Sion.

Firſt, We may look backward, and admire four things.

1 That we are not made a Sodom. If the preaching of the Goſpel lift a Nation up to Heaven, then certainly England is not upon the Earth, Matth. 11.23. The ſin of Sodom was fulneſs of bread; Their ſin was not plenty of bread, but emptineſs of obedience. England, I fear, is guilty of a Goſpel Surfet; And might not the Lord juſtly take us down, and make us know the worth of the Goſpel, by the want of it? Since we have plaid with the light of Truth, might he not make us feel the fire? Might not God lay down his Basket, and take up his Ax, and becauſe we are not fit for fruit, and building, make us fit fuel for burning? Have not the Ambaſſadors of the everlaſting Goſpel had as hard lot in England, as they had in Sodom?

Who cannot but admire, that when England is as chaffy as Sodom, that we ave not the ſame flames as Sodom had? Is not this ſalvation, that when wee have been weary of God, that yet God is not weary of us? That when we have refuſed to be a holy Nation, that yet we are a Nation? That when our ſins are the ſins of Sodom, that our ſufferings are not the ſufferings of Sodom? God hath lighted up a flaming Candle of Juſtice in Sodom, the Lord grant that luke-warm England may yet ſee to read her ſalvation by it? Mercy always ſwims in Juſtice; but with us, Juſtice ſeems to be drowned in Mercy.

2 From this Ladder admire, that we are not made an Egypt. God lately turned our waters into blood, our Sea was then a red Sea indeed. What a mercy is it, that Engliſh darkneſs is not a proverb as well as Egyptian darkneſs. England, of old, was called Albion, from the white Rocks, and Scotland (as ſome Criticks fancy) ſignifies a Land of darkneſs; But how quickly can the Lord turn Albion into Scotia, England into Scotland, and Scotland into England? we are their neighbors already.

We have much liberty to bleſs God, Oh that there we not ſo much liberty to blaſpheme God! We have more liberty than either we have deſerved or been thankful for. There was a time when the Saints in England had Conſcience without liberty, we have now much liberty of Conſcience, the Lord grant the time may never come that we ſhould have liberty without Conſcience; Liberty, and nothing elſe but Licentiouſneſs and Atheiſm. We had once hearts to bleſs God, but wanted opportunity, Oh that now we have opportunities we did not want hearts! As when a doubting Chriſtian complained that he had no intereſt in God, he was ſuch a ſtranger to God, a Preacher of the Goſpel replied, But what will you take for that intereſt, though as you think little, you have in God? not a thouſand worlds, ſaid the doubting Chriſtian: Saints in England, what will you take for that liberty you have? Now your eyes ſee your Teachers, what if they were all ſhut up in corners? now the doors of the Congregations (q.d.) are open, what if it were paſt Sermon-time, and paſt Repentance-time? what if the ſilver bell of the Goſpel ſhould no more ſound in England? Oh that we had as much conſcience of liberty, as we have liberty of conſcience! That of Omnium Deorum, among the Romans; of Omnium Sanctorum, amongſt the Papiſts: of Omnium Sectarum, here in England, are monſtrous. Every variation from unity is a ſtep to nullity. If ever England ſhould come from one Religion to all (and we are in the high way) we ſhall quickly go from all Religion to none.

3 From this Ladder admire, that we are not made a Germany; Inſtead of the ſword of War, you have the Scepter of Peace; inſtead of Garments rowled in blood, and the noyſe of Arms, you have the blood of Chriſt ſprinkled on your Garments, Oh trample it not under feet; Inſtead of the roaring Cannons, you have the ſweet ſound of Goſpel-Ordinances. God hath but ſhaken his rod over us, while he hath broken their backs; while we have been let blood, he hath even let them bleed to death. God bid David chuſe which of the three plagues, of War, Famine, Peſtilence, he would have; but God puts it to our choyce which of thoſe three plagues we will not have inflicted on us; Though God hath ſheathed up his ſword, yet he holds it ſtill in his hand, therefore fear; What ſalvation is this, that parents are not drinking the blood of their ch ldren, to quench their thirſt; and eat the fleſh of their children, to ſatisfie their hunger?

4 From hence admire, that we are not made a Babylon. Pray, pray that the Bibles may be opened in Spain, and yet bleſs God that there are not Pad-locks hung on them in England. Pray mightily that Antichriſt may fall abroad, and forget not to bleſs God, that though there be much of Rome in England, that yet England is not Rome, that none can go to Market that none can buy or ſel, without the mark of the Beaſt, Revel. 13.17. either in their right hands, or on their foreheads.

It is the opinion of ſome good men, that the Proteſtant Profeſſion ſhall be over-ſpread with Antichriſtianiſm again, and that then the Lord will extraordinarily awaken them from their ſleep, and actively engage them againſt Babylon. But I wiſh, though we have looked on Babylon, that we may not ſo luſt after Babylon; Spiritual longings in this kind are dangerous, but I hope God will prevent Sions miſcarriage in the birth of Reformation. The Lord grant, if we go to Rome, it may not be to dote on her, but to deſtroy her. There is an old Prophecy, that Antichrist ſhall never overcome Paris, nor Venice, nor London; Let us not be ſecure, for if his Soul have entertainment here, his Body will not tarry long after.

But ſome may ſay, What Salvation hath the Lord wrought for us? what fruit is there of all the blood ſhed in England? is not our condition as bad as ever, nay, in ſome ſenſe worſe? the Saints were united, are they not now divided? how many Profeſſors are turned Apoſtates, nay Perſecutors and Prophane? This is ſad indeed, and to be lamented; yet, as the Diſciples did not wiſh the blood in Chriſts veins again, though they were diſtreſſed by his death; So I dare not ſay, though in our Diſtractions, and among the Blaſphemies of this age, Man hath loſt his way, that God hath loſt his end. This is the ſupport, That as God hath laid the Foundation, ſo he will carry on the Building; that as the Great Turk makes a Bridge of the Bodies of his Souldiers to ſcale the wals of a Garriſon; So the Lord knows how to make his glory to riſe, by the fall of ours, and to give life to his Cauſe, by the death of his followers.

Secondly, From this Ladder we may take many ſweet Proſpects forward, on what God will do more apparently for Sion in the world. There are eight famous Proſpects.

The firſt Proſpect from Jacobs Ladder is, Gods Jacobs may foreſee the abundance of knowledge yet to be poured out, Iſa. 36 26. Iſa. 52.8. Iſa. 11. Knowledge ſhall abound as waters do upon the Sea. Knowledge is now but at a low Ebb, in compariſon of that high Tide that ſhal flow hereafter. Knowledge ſhall abound as the Sea intenſively and extenſively, it ſhall more increaſe, and be more clear. As a Dwarf ſtanding on the ſhoulders of a tall man ſees further than the tall man, on whoſe ſhoulders he ſtands: So I am perſwaded, in ſome things, that the men of knowledge in this age will be but children in underſtanding in the next. Jer. 31.34. They ſhall not teach one another ſaying, know the Lord. Then farewell preaching. No, the Saints ſhall need to be built up, but they ſhall not ſo much need to be taught the Principles of Religion ſaying,Exprimere non valet experimento opus eſt. Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet. Know the Lord, What is God; the new nature ſhall teach them that, which is not the impreſſion of Man, but of God; They ſhall ſay, Our Father, and I Beleeve, by roat.

It is obſervable, that under the Law the Girdle was about the Loyns, Ezek 23.15. But in Goſpel times it is about the Paps, Rev. 1. • 3. to ſignifie, how knowledge ſhall riſe h gher in the laſt ages of the world, than in former ages. Young men ſhall ſee viſions, and old men ſhall dream dreams. The old world did but dream, the knowledge of the Jews is more dark, but in Goſpel-daies there ſhall be Viſions, a clearer knowledge and Revelation of the mind of God. Antichriſt hath brought a cloud into the Temple, and the Goſpel Sun-ſhine muſt expel it. Providence is picking quarrels with the painted windows of Antichriſt and the Lord will ſet up clear glaſs windows that ſhall not keep out the light. Not that we are to expect new Truths, but new Ʋnderſtandings; not the printing of a new Gospel, ☜ or making any more additions; but new eye-ſight, and the downfal of old error.

How is it poſſible that amongſt us any ſhould plead for Revelations, when we have the revealed Word? Revelations were more ſuitable to the days of the Law, we have a compleat copy of the Lords mind for the Government of his Church in the Word; but it is as with man, the older he grows the more inclinable he is to dreams:Mundus ſeneſcens patitur phantaſiam. the old world begins to doat, and we are ready to neglect our watch in this dreaming age.

Second Proſpect from this Ladder, we may foreſee the encreaſe of holineſs. Now many can profeſs and be drunk, profeſs and ſwear, and lie; now men are more careful for new Lights than new Lives: new Notions, Gnoſtici ſimal & Borboritae. than new Motions of the Spirit, Care more to have a Library of Divinity in their brains, than a Catechiſm of Divinity in their hearts: Have the light of the Sun for Knowledge, whereas they have not the heat of a candle for Holineſs; like the Toad, that has a precious pearl in the Head, but poyſon in the Bowels; or like the Lapwing, that hath a Coronet on her head, but always feeds on dunghils.

But there is a time a coming when men ſhall more viſibly honor God,—All the pots in the Lords houſe ſhall be holy, and holineſs ſhall be wrote on the bels of the horſes, Zech. ult. Counterfeit holineſs vaniſheth, the more real holineſs appears. At Rome there was a Pantheon or Temple for all gods, but the Heathen would not ſuffer Jehovah to be worſhipped there, for he is a jealous God, and if he had been honored, then down with Mars and Jupiter.

The Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall proſper (I wiſh none have Kingly thoughts of that Kingdom) the Kingdom of Chriſt, and holineſs, and humility, and Mortification. It is not the throwing down of prophane Miniſters, and oppreſſing Magiſtrates onely, will be this Kingdom; for they may be thrown down, and yet Chriſt never be ſet up; the new Creature, Self-denial, will after all this be neceſſary, for otherwiſe we ſhould have rather Plato's Commonwealth, or Tully's Offices, than Chriſts Kingdom. Moral Prophaneneſs indeed lays the Goſpel on the dunghill, but Moral Holineſs ſimply will never ſet Chriſt in his Throne. There ſhall be an high-way, and it ſhall be called the way of holineſs, and no unclean thing ſhall paſs therein, Iſa. 53. If any demand how this can be? I anſwer, no diſeaſe is incurable to an omnipotent Phyſician.

Third Proſpect from this Ladder; we may ſee Hypocriſie defeated, and many Apoſtates recovered. Now many deſire rather to appear than to be holy; they account the form neceſſary, but the power of Religion burthenſom; Now many like Rowers in a Boat, look one way and row another; Now many have no greater ends by Religion, than in the end to be great in Religion; But Providence is a pulling off the vizard, and making the hearts of men to appear in their faces: Many ſhal not only not dance in a net unſeen of heaven, but not in a net unſeen of men. Their folly ſhall be made known to all men. God will light up candles in Jeruſalem, and enkindle a fire in Sion, and Hypocriſie ſhall not indure either the light or heat; and God will alſo make profeſſors, like Moſes, Act. 7.22. Not onely mighty in words, Craſsiani non Chriſtiani. that are no bodies in deeds, but alſo mighty in word and in deeds; like Aarons rod, not onely to bring forth bloſſoms of profeſſion, but Almonds, fruits of holineſs; Like the High Prieſt, not onely to have Bels, but Pomegranates, not onely to bear away the bell for knowledge, but to give a ſweet ſcent of the Spirit in their converſations.

Many poor ſinners of late have left their Fathers houſe, and becauſe of their guilty conſciences, would, for the preſent, if they could, run out of their Fathers eye, as well as his houſe; and who ſhall return the Prodigal to his Father, Hagar to her Miſtris, Jonah to his God again? how do many Profeſſors fly like ſpiritual malefactors from one form to another, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . and diſguize themſelves with Opinions, and all to avoid the Hue and Cry of Conſcience that God is raiſing? and if it were poſſible to tear the Records of the Goſpel in peeces, and burn down the Tribunal Bar, they have run into ſuch arrearages in ſin; Now who ſhall ſet up the broken Profeſſor, or awaken the ſleepy Virgin? Though Might and Power cannot do it, yet an Almighty Power can do it, Zech. 4.6. The remnant of Jacob ſhall be as a dew from the Lord, as the ſhowres on the graſs, that wait not for the Sons of men, Mic. 5.7. It is true, ſays God, Gardeners dig, and delve, and water their ground, and ſo have herbs; but Ile turn the Wilderneſs into a Pool, ile work without work-men, ſinners ſhall not be watered by man, but by God, with the dew of Heaven. When the day dawns the dew fals thick on the ground; and till the Lords powre dawn, all the world cannot make dew, nor thaw the hearts of men.

Fourth Proſpect from this Ladder; hence we may ſee the reconciliation of Diviſions. Now Ephraim is againſt Manaſſeh, and Manaſſeh againſt Ephraim, and both againſt Judah; now diviſions are not onely between Wolves and Wolves, but between ſheep and ſheep, Saint and Saint; Formerly we had more fire than light, but the Lord knows, now we have more light than fire; more Knowledge than Love. Every man pretends to be of the houſhold of Faith, Si eſſemus inſeparabiles, eſſemus inſuperabiles. but few are of the Family of Love; while we contend for an ounce of Truth, we loſe a pound of Love; Not onely for the Prophaneneſs and Errors, but for the Diviſions of England, there are great thoughts of heart. How far are thoſe from one another, that yet I hope, are nigh to God? How many that once lay in one anothers Boſoms, now can hardly indure to stand in one anothers ſight? thoſe that are Members of the ſame Body, do carry themſelves as if they were of different worlds? How ſad is it to ſee that many that prayed formerly one with, and one for another, now ſhould pray one againſt another? How is it, ſaid Zanchy, that thoſe (ſpeaking of the Lutherans) that profeſs to eat the very body of Chriſt, that milde and meek Jeſus, ſhould bee ſo bitter againſt the Members of the ſame body? O that we ſhould agree in ſo much, and differ for ſo little, as in ſome things we do!Maxima pars ſtudiorum eſt ſtudium partium. Oh that though we cannot conclude all our Controverſies, yet we could bury up all our Contentions; how long ſhall the greateſt part of our ſtudies, be the ſtudy of parts? How ſhall I Beleeve, and Our Father be reconciled? How ſhall thoſe that are of different Creeds, be of one Pater Noſter? if the diviſion of tongues hindred the building of Babel, how ſhall not the diviſion of hearts hinder the building of the New Jeruſalem! While we have been contending about the windows, we have almoſt loſt the foundation of the Church; while we have controverted for the well-being, In veſte fit varietas non ſciſſura. we have even loſt the being of Religion in England. Many of our differences are petty, as that between one that was for Martin, and another that was for Luther, as if two ſhould quarrel, who ſhould firſt enter in at the gate of Venice, when neither poſſibly may ever come thither: But further now our differences are ſo great, that unleſs the Lord prevent, while we contend who ſhall go up againſt Babilon, we are like to go back to Babel; and while we think to pull down a litteral, we ſhall ſet up unaware a ſpiritual Antichriſt.

But the time is a coming, when thoſe that have but one Heaven, ſhall have one heart, when they that have but one work ſhall have but one ſhoulder, Zech. 3.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Chryſ. The falling out of lovers ſhall then indeed prove the renewing of love. The Lyon ſhall ly down with the Lamb, and a little childe ſhall lead them, Iſa. 11.6. Not that ever there ſhall be a compoſition made between Chriſt and Belial, for that quarrel is of Five thouſand years ſtanding, and ſhall be maintained to the end of the world. Even now amongſt moſt of the Saints there is a ſhadow of this future concordance; as when a King is coming to Town, one crys he comes this way, another crys he comes that way, at this time, at that time, they all go out to meet him, and though they differ about the particulars, yet they all expect the coming of the King,Quae conveniunt in aliquo tertio conveniunt inter ſe. and reſolve to entertain him. As at Athens, when a Governor was to be choſen, in the ſeveral Votes of the City, one cryed up this man, another that man, but the ſecond man ſtill was Themiſtocles, for ſuch a man and Themiſtocles; So now one crys, O I am for Preſbytery, another I am for Independency, another, I am for dipping, and for Chriſt, all amongſt theſe that are faithful, centre in Chriſt: But how glorious will it be to ſee all Gods children of one mind, Uniones oriuntur ex mari ſed magis pendent è coelo. which will be when the Father comes into the Family; to hear it ſaid at laſt as it was ſaid at firſt, ſee how the Chriſtians love one another.

Fifthly, From this Ladder we may forſee the increaſe of righteouſneſs. Many hitherto in the world, that ſhould have been the Peace, are the Troublers of a Nation; thoſe that ſhould be Shepheards, are Wolves againſt Sion: How do the publick Enemys of Sion make the tears of the poor their wine, the groans of the needy their muſick, Ʋt rei innocentes pereant ſiaut nocentes judices. that paint the walls of the Houſe, and pluck up the foundation; that beautifie their Kingdoms with Peace, but never think of building of them with Religion; That turn Judgement into Wormwood, by delay, and Righteouſneſs into Hemlock, by ſeverity.

When a man fails in his Eſtate, we ſay he breaks; there are many broken men, ſome broken in their Credit, others broken in their Conſciences; but there are others that do not onely break by careleſneſs, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but are broken by cruelty. It is a great ſin to take away the cloaths from a poor man, but a greater to flea off his skin; but there are ſome that rend the fleſh, and chop the bones, for the ſweetneſs and marrow they think to find in them.Si libet licet. Mic, 3.2. Job 19.20. Some rob under pretence of Law, others rob in the open field, and think that what is got by might, is got by right, according to the antient Problem.

Jus & vis apices parvo diſcrimine diſtant, Jus nunc mundus habet, vim quia ſemper habet.

Great Thieves have formerly worn chains of gold, while little Thieves have lain ſtockt in chains of iron. Robbin Hood was called an honeſt Thief, becauſe he would never rob the poor; but there are few ſuch honeſt Thieves, inſtead of taking off, have laid on oppreſſion; and inſtead of breaking yoaks, have broken backs. Oppreſſors, Gen. 10.8. are called Hunters, the poor are their Game, Oppreſſions their toyles and nets, mighty Oppreſſors, are mighty Hunters. In Zephanies time, Oppreſſors were called Wolves, Juſtitia non datur niſi vendatur. Zeph. 3.3. but then they were evening Wolves, but now thoſe that are Oppreſſors are day Wolves, Oppreſſors under the light of the Goſpel. They eate my people ſaith God, as bread, Pſal. 14.4. Theſe are Man-eaters; nay worſe; for among the Man eaters, the living eat the dead, but among Oppreſſors, the dead eat the living.

But Jacob from this Ladder may ſee the new Heavens and new Earth a building, wherein righteouſneſs ſhall dwel; If new Heavens, then certainly new Suns and new Stars, in a political ſenſe, new Magiſtrates, or if you will,Juſtitia non venit niſi provenit. Magiſtrates with new hearts, Iſa. 5.17. If any deridingly ask, with the Epicure, When ſhall we ſee this Structure? where are the Carpenters? whence ſhall come the Timber? Let ſuch remember, there is no work ſince the Creation of the World, greater than the Creation of the World; and therefore the Lord ſpeaks of New Heavens, to intimate, the poſſibility of their accompliſhment, from the conſideration of the old Creation: Cannot I, ſays God, create a new world, as well as I did the old?

In the firſt of Iſay, verſ. 27. God will ſend Judges as at the firſt; which promiſe is not performed in any external form of Government, but in the adminiſtration of Righteouſneſs and Juſtice; and the work of this Generation, ☞ is not to pull down Governments, but to pull down Tyranny, whether in Judges or in Kings; For the Government of one man is, in ſe, no more inconſiſtent with the Government of Chriſt, than the Government of a plurality of men; the ſweet flower of Juſtice may grow in a Crown, as well as on a Scepter of State; in a Kingdom, as well as in a Commonwealth. All civil Forms of Government, are equally of God, Rom. 13.1. And though Kings have been Enemies to Sion, and ſetters up of Antichriſt; yet there are promiſes that Kings ſhall be nurſing Fathers to Sion, and Kings ſhall help to deſtroy Antichriſt, Rev. 17.16. which promiſes are yet in the greateſt meaſure to be performed now at laſt.Sol Juſtitiae qui quondam erat in ſigno Leonis, & nunc eſt in ſigno Virginis erit in ſigno Librae. Whether Judges be as at the firſt, let the world judge: There ſhall be ſuch Governors as Sampſon was, as Jephtha and Deborah were, Zech. 12.5. Pſal. 16.17. For my part, let all the Kings in Europe keep their Crowns, ſo they kick not Chriſts Crown off his head; Let Emperors yet hold their Scepters in their hands, ſo they hold not up their hands againſt Chriſts Scepter; Otherwiſe, I pray and beleeve, that the time may and will come, when thoſe that have not affection in their hearts to do Sion good, ſhall not have power in their hands to do Sion hurt, Rev. 19.

Sixthly, From this Ladder we may ſee a more full advancement of an Evangelical Miniſtery. How many hitherto have been bred up at Gamaliels feet, that never yet with Mary ſat at Chriſts feet? That ſit in Moſes his Chair, that have (little in them, or) nothing, of Moſes, but his Chair? Non Doctores, ſed Seductores; non Paſtores, ſed Impoſtores. Arts and Sciences are the gifts of God, and how honorable is it when Scholars lay their Crowns down before the feet of the Lamb? and many ſpeak againſt them becauſe they have them not; they cannot abide to be condemned for ignorant of the learned, and therefore they are ambitious to be commended by the ignorant for learned. Lord! How few Preachers feel what they ſpeak, and then ſpeak what they feel? How few ſpeak to the heart, becauſe ſo few ſpeak from the heart, but from the teeth outward? how many ſeek a Lordly living, and a lazy life? Many are Swine for prophaneneſs, but more are Serpentine Preachers, that ſubtlely with their gilded poyſon, kill ſouls, diſcouraging the godly, and encouraging the wicked. Like Sign-poſts, ſhewing others the way to Heaven, and not ſtirring thither a foot themſelves? Doth God call for a reaſonable Sacrifice, and holy beaſt, and will he accept of an unreaſonable, unholy Sacrificer? Would the Lord have the veſſels of the Sanctuary holy, and the Garments holy, and he on whoſe veſture ſhould be written Holineſs to the Lord, unholy? God will have thoſe that ſhall have not onely a miſſion from the Church, but a Commiſſion from himſelf. Loyterers muſt be ſent out, Chriſtum habent in codice ſed non in corde and Laborers muſt be ſent into the Vineyard, and the Spirit will alſo be ſent into the Laborers. God will never ſuffer thoſe dead Amaſaes to lie in the way of the ſouls of men, to hinder them from coming to Chriſt: God is not bound to maintain thoſe Lamps with the oyl of maintenance, whoſe preaching is not maintained by the oyl of the Spirit.

Men hitherto have heaped to themſelves Teachers according to their hearts,Multo minus nocet ignavus fur quam ſegnis miniſter. and ſo itching ears have had tickling Preachers; men that have been often at Placentia, but never at Verona. But the Lord will ſend Paſtors according to his own heart, that ſhall not preach to gratifie Opinions, but to ſave Souls, Jer. 3.15. Though Chriſt can ride on an Aſs to Jeruſalem; yet the time is a coming, that the Lord will have no need of them. The Snuffers of the Temple muſt be pure gold, Chryſoſtomi etiam & Polycarpi. Non Apoſcopi ſed Epiſcopi or elſe their Clergy cannot ſave them, Exod. 37.23. If we cannot abide dead Idols in the windows, God much leſs will abide dumb Idols in the Pulpit. The Miniſters of the laſt age, ſhall ſtand in the Sun, and preach the Everlaſting Goſpel, they ſhall be Brightmans indeed. They ſhall be Load-ſtones in their converſations, but Adamants in their principles; they ſhall thunder in the Pulpit, and lighten in their lives. They ſhall pitty them who are not able to pitty themſelves; ſhed tears over them for whom Chriſt ſhed his blood; They ſhall be indued with an Eagles Eye, a Ladies hand, and a Lyons heart, as Phyſicians of Souls. Indeed ſome knowing men (in their own eyes) never think the Sun will ſhine clearly till the Stars, Rev. 1. ult. are pulled down; I ſpeak onely in the behalf of thoſe that are Evangelical Preachers in their Doctrine, and Angelical Preachers in their lives; but firſt our Lord and Maſter hath ſecured the uſe of the Miniſtery, till the perfection of all things, Mat. 28. Eph. 4. And ſecondly, I hope thoſe that are true Stars will ſtoop themſelves, when our Lord Jeſus, the true Sun of Righteouſneſs, ſhall appear in the glory of his perſon, or perſonal glory.

Seventhly, From this Ladder, we may foreſee the ruin of Babylon. Babylon hath three times; a time of aſcending, a time of triumphing in, and a time of deſcending the Throne. Now the Tide of the Sea of Rome is falling, and ſhe is well nigh in the laſt deſcenſion. Providence hath arraigned and condemned the Scarlet Whore; ſhe is at preſent naked, and ere long ſhe ſhall be burnt for an Whore: She ſhall have fire for fire, and blood for blood. The Lord is gathering Faggots, I mean his Inſtruments, in all Nations, and will certainly and ſuddenly ſet fire to the Papal glory, and all her Lovers ſhall not be able to quench it, Rev. 18. She ſhall be as viſible in her ſhame, as ever ſhe was in her glory; God will not take mans advantage for her ruin, her overthrow ſhall be fair. God will not, as the General ſaid, pilfer the Victory; The pangs of a travelling woman ſhall overtake her, God will wipe pitty from his heart, and will not be interceded for a Reprieve, his work ſhall not prove abortive. It ſhall be more truely, the Lords veni vici (than Queen Elizabeth) coming againſt her, and overcoming her. She ſhall fall as a mil-ſtone, that of it ſelf rowles down the hill, faſter if tumbled down; eſpecially, if by a ſtrong hand, the hand of an Angel. Rev. 18.21. God will make bare his arm; which fears neither blows nor blood, for it hath a bone in it, whereas mans arm is but the arm of fleſh; and likewiſe he will overthrow her compleately.

Vide totum & lauda totum.God never reſted in the Creation till he hath finiſhed all; know that God will be as perfect in the works of Providence, as in the works of Creation. Her ruin ſhall as certainly be effected, as it is determined. The Decrees of God know no futurity, time to come is the tenſe of mans Grammer; Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen. Sion is more than a Conqueror, Rom. 8. Shee overcomes by Faith before ſhee comes into the field; ſhe conquers before ſhe conquers. The day of Antichriſt is almoſt at an evening, the glaſs of Babylon is well nigh run, the number of her Months are even expired. Let all the Phyſitians in the world apply their Plaiſters, and afford their Cordials, it is in vain; her diſeaſe is mortal, and her blood is now cold in her veins. If Providence have not Armys on Earth, it will have Armies in Heaven againſt her; there is no halt to be made, or if there be an halt in our ſenſe, there is no retreat to be beaten; one Alarm after another ſhall be given till ſhe be taken. Mended or ended is here an uſeleſs Proverb. But may ſome ſay, who ſhall do this?Deus ſi non legat emet milites; ſi non inveniat faciet viam. the Kings of the Earth are yet her Liege Subjects, generally, and will Satan caſt out Satan? and the ſight of Rome is infectious; and ſome think oppoſing Babylon, in this age, is much like Sauls ſending Meſſengers to take David, who in the way fell a prophecying, 1 Sam. 19.20. How many have gone up to oppoſe Babylon, and have returned her brats? It is not ſetting Rome on fire will burn down Babylon, yet the Lord will uſe military means; Antichriſt reigns properly in the Underſtandings and Conſciences of men; and it is far eaſier to kill the body, than wound the ſoul of Antichriſt; therefore God will deſtroy her eſpecially, How? with what Artillery? with what Ammunition? Even by the Spirit of his mouth, and the brightneſs of his comming, 2 Theſ. 2.8. The darkneſs of Popery cannot abide the Goſpel Sun-ſhine. Antichriſt hath plaid his part on the Stage; the Vizards are now a pulling off, and the Stage it ſelf a pulling down, Rev. 18.21. Muſt is, as we ſay, for the King; now Chriſt is King, and he muſt reign, 1 Cor. 15.24.

Caeſar non patitur priorem nec Pompeius patrem.When Darius would have ſhared his Kingdom with Alexander, no ſaid the Conqueror, The Heavens cannot hold two Suns: The Devil at length, poſſibly, when he ſees the Kingdom of Chriſt in holineſs to be cried up, and his own Kingdom to be cried down, will gladly divide, and part stakes with Chriſt, but Chriſt will be King over all, or not King at all. The Throne of the Goſpel, and the Spouſes bed, cannot endure a Competitor, an Equal, much leſs a Superior. Babylon now in the dark, may for a while play the Rex, but Chriſt certainly, the Sun ſhining more clearly, will be King. It is reported, that Nero viewed the flames of Rome on his Tower through an Emerauld: The Saints through Faith may take a delightſome proſpect of the ruin of Babylon. Let the Saints of the moſt high lift up their heads, for ere many glaſſes of Providence are run out, though the Sun ſhall be cloathed with ſackcloth, and the Moon turned into blood, and the Stars fall from the Heavens, yet their redemption draws nigh.

The Eighth Proſpect from this Ladder, is, The large extent and duration of Chriſts Kingdom in the World.

1 The large extent of his Kingdom. The Kingdom of Chriſt now, is not much larger than a while after the Apoſtles daies (as Mr. Mede obſerves) for the Weſt Indians are under force and conſtraint; The World, ſays Brerewood, may be divided into Thirty parts, whereof Heatheniſm contains Nineteen, Turciſm Six, and Chriſtianity but Five; So that yet Chriſt is far from being univerſal Lord and Soveraign, or having a Name above all Names, which not onely relateth to the excellency of his Name above other names, and ſo Jeſus Chriſt is a more glorious Name, than Grand Seigneur, or Auguſtus Caeſar; but alſo in reſpect of viſible honor, above other names; hitherto, who but the Beaſt? The Titles and Arms of Kings, and Emperors, have carried the day, Moſt Excellent, Moſt Illuſtrious; but hereafter, who ſhall be like unto Chriſt? The conſtant ſtile of Univerſality of all Kingdoms, all Tongues, and Nations, imply, that yet Chriſt hath not the compleat poſſeſſion of what he hath purchaſed, Pſa. 22.27. Iſa. 1. Mal. 1.11. It is deſperate ambition for any man to call himſelf Rex Catholicus, Univerſal King, Chriſt and not any man, but Chriſt rather, and the Devil divide the whole World. They ſay, the Spanyard, hath for his Armes, the Sun riſing and ſetting, on his Shield; but Chriſts glory muſt eclipſe his glory, Chriſt will then onely be Canonical and Catholick King. Firſt, Chriſt ſhall be above all Kingdoms, and then he ſhall put down all Kingdoms, 1 Cor. 15.24.

Some think what is done in England, is done all the world over, when we are but a ſpot of Chriſts Kingdom, though I hope, a Garden-ſpot; the Goſpel was calculated for a larger Meridian, Rev. 19.16. he ſhall be King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The ſeventh Angel ſounded, and there were great voyces in Heaven, ſaying, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Chriſt, Rev. 11.15. Now when had Chriſt this glory? Firſt, It hath no relation to the Kingdom of his divine Nature, for that he had coequally alwaies with the Father. Secondly, Neither hath it relation to the Purchaſe or Title ſimply, that Chriſt had to theſe Kingdoms in his Aſcenſion and Interceſſion, when, I confeſs he firſt had ſeizen of them. But Thirdly, It muſt have relation to the actual ſubjection of the Kingdoms of the world to Chriſt, and his actual Exaltation above them; for it is ſpoken Prophetically, and for the time to come: Now this ſhall be accompliſhed when the Prince of the Air is conquered, and bound up, and caſt down to the earth, Rev. 12.9. Now Satan rules principally and more viſibly, then Chriſt ſhall appear in the Clouds, and he ſhall uncrown Satan, and ſit down in his Throne, and then the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall be more viſible and obſervable in the world, than the Kingdom of Satan. Satan indeed was legally caſt out of his Kingdom in the Reſurrection of Chriſt, Joh. 16.11. but he muſt alſo actually, and more fully be caſt out, when Chriſt ſhall appear the ſecond time for ſalvation.

As two Buckets in a Well, while the one comes up, the other goes down; So, as while Chriſt hath been down viſibly, the Devil hath been up in the world; ſo the riſe of Chriſt, ſhall be the fall and downfal of Satan.

2 From hence we may ſee the perpetuity of this Kingdom. We are not now to expect a Kingdom de novo, but the progreſs and proſperity of Chriſts Kingdom already in being; for the Kingdom of Christ takes date from his Reſurrection and Interceſſion, Pſa. 2.6. I have ſet my King an the holy hill of Sion; and all power in Heaven and Earth was given to him, Matth. 28. So that Chriſt hath been in h • s Throne (not as a private perſon, but) as a King, theſe ſixteen hundred years, and hath acted as a King, not onely over the Conſciences of Beleevers, but alſo in giving Laws for to govern his Church by; And it is ſuppoſed by ſome, laſtly, That Kings even now reign by Chriſt as King of Kings, as well as Chriſtians are ruled by Jeſus, the King of Saints. Further Dan. 2.44. In the daies of the four Monarchies, that is, before they were all expired, the God of Heaven ſets up a Kingdom, Gradus & gradus non variant ſpeciem. not when they are all expired, though this Kingdom ſhall ſtand when they ſhall lie by the wals. The difference then between his reigning now, and hereafter, as at preſent I apprehend, is not ſpecifical but gradual; now Chriſt reigns, as it were, in a corner, and then he ſhall reign over the whole world; His Kingdom then, though it ſhall be in, yet it will not be of the world; the meaning of which is, not onely, that his Kingdom ſhall not be of a wicked complexion, void of Injuſtice, and Oppreſſion, but alſo not of a worldly conſtitution: Saints ſhall have heavenly, not golden, carnal Thrones; for their Thrones ſhall be in Heaven, in Heaven upon Earth; in a word, they ſhall neither have worldly troubles, nor worldly joys. We read of two different States of Chriſts Kingdom, but never of two different Kingdoms of Chriſt on Earth, as he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God Man. The Stone and the Mountain, in Daniel the ſecond, comprehend in a Synopſis, the whole Sphear of the Dominions of Chriſt, intenſively, extenſively, and protenſively, all the Kingdom which he hitherto hath had, now hath, or ever ſhall have in this world. The Stone which at firſt lay but in a corner, was kicked up and down by Perſecutors, and rowled ſince by Providence from one Nation to another, gathering greatneſs like a ball of ſnow, and will be ſo ſtill, till it ſwels and grows into a Mountain, filling the whole Earth; The Stone in order of time being long before the Mountain, for it hath been growing theſe Sixteen hundred years already, and yet is nothing nigh arrived to its ſtature and glory: The Stone then is of the ſame nature with the Mountain, though not of the ſame magnitude. I underſtand not yet how the Stone, which was cut out when our Lord Jeſus firſt entred on his Throne, and the Mountain, which muſt fill the Earth in his more glorious Coronation, differ in ſpecie; wherefore if they differ, as of neceſſity they do, it muſt be chiefly in degree. For to deny that Chriſt hath not ruled yet viſibly in the world, is to affirm, that becauſe the ſun (in a ſummers day) is not in its meridian, it doth not ſhine at all.

Laſtly, This Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall ſtand for ever; Which implies firſt, That it ſhall not be deſtroyed by any forein power of Men or Devils. Secondly, That it ſhall not be left to another people: Chriſt ſhall not have a Succeſſor either by an Heir, or by a Conqueror, Dan. 2.44. Other Kingdoms are tranſient Kingdoms, handed from one man to another; but the Kingdom of Chriſt is a durable, a permanent Kingdom. The Babyloniſh Kingdom firſt appeared in the world; The Babylonians delivered over their Kingdom to the Perſians, the Perſians delivered up their Kingdom to the Grecians, the Grcians delivered up their Kingdom to the Romans, the Roman Power muſt ſurrender, and Chriſt our Lord muſt enter the Stage of the world, and his Kingdom ſhall be everlaſting, that is, no other Kingdom ſhall ſucceed him; His Kingdom ſhall be the greateſt, and the laſt. Virgil ſpeaks of Rome, the Lady of the World, Imperium ſine fine; but that Empires glaſs ſhall run out, and have an end.

Theſe Promiſes being not already fulfilled, are yet to be fulfilled, and that in this world; hath Chriſt now a name viſibly above every name, doth he actually rule over all the Kingdoms of the world? And Secondly, we muſt underſtand this glorious and univerſal Kingdom of Chriſt (of which the Scriptures ſo much ſpeak) not to be in the Heavens, but on the Earth.

The weak Chriſtian is deſired to overlook what follows, as not penned to puzzle Babes, but to exerciſe the underſtanding.

Whether the Kingdom of Chriſt, as Mediator, ſhall not at length give place to the Eſſential Kingdom of the God-head, is diſputable. I ſhall not poſitively affirm, but rather propoſe it (as probable) to the Intelligent, and humbly leave the determination of this Quaere to the experience of the Saints in glory. Thus, ſince our firſt Apoſtacy, all our communion with God, is by the mediation of Chriſt; we by our fall, are but as dry ſtubble, and dare not think of immediate converſe with God, for (as the Apoſtle ſaith) he is a conſuming fire; now, whether when the formal and proper end of the mediation of Chriſt is accompliſhed (which will be not onely in the ſatisfaction of the Law, the conqueſt legally of the Devil ad extra, but in the perfect evacuation of the guilt and filth of ſin, even as to its moral inherency in the Saints) we ſhal not have immediate communion with God (being preſented at the laſt day ſpotleſs by Chriſt) as in the ſtate of innocency? and that more gloriouſly; That God, 1 Cor. 15.28. may be all in all; that God, not Perſonally 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but Eſſentially 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Divine being, Father, Son, and Spirit, may be all in all, that is, communicate himſelf to the glorified Church, without the intervention of Ordinances and Creatures, and alſo (to our purpoſe) without the proper and immediate exerciſe of the Kingly Office of the Mediator. (Quae res ſimil. Illuſtretur, Finge plures eſſe globos, ex pellucida materiâ, eo ſitu ut ſint inter ſe paralleli; finge etiam animo alium quendam eſſe globum interjectum inter iſtos globos & corpus ſolis, ita ut radii ſolares ad reliquos globos, niſi per eum ſolum nequaquam pertingant; eodem plane modo Deus nunc ſe hominibus communicat, mediatè nempe per Chriſtum: at finge tandem ita accidiſſe ut ſol omnes iſtos globos irradiet, non amplius per primum illum qui medius interjectus erat, ſed immediatè, ita ut rectà radii ſolares ad unumquemque eorum pertingant, nullo interpoſito medio; ſic plane videtur futurum eſſe aliquando ut Deus nos omnes immediatè irradiet & impleat, Spiritu ſuo ſine opera Mediatoris.) For Chriſt at the laſt is ſolemnly to make a ſurrender of the Kingdom to God and the Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, to God the Father, when he hath put down all Authority, Power, and Rule, both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical, both Angelical and Diabolical; Which to ſay is meant of the Kingdom of the God-head, is blaſphemy, for the Kingdom of the Son in that ſenſe is coeternal and coeſſential with the Fathers. Wherefore it muſt be meant of the Vicarious, Perſonal, or Oeconomical Kingdom of the Mediator. When the difference between God and the Creature is compleatly made up, and God and the Creature made one, what formal need will there be of a Mediator? for we cannot make a Mediator of one, nor of thoſe that are made one; It is an Apoſtolical maxim, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gal. 3.20. Not that either our Lord Jeſus ſhall depoſe his humane Nature, and ſo the Hypostatical Union ceaſe, or that he ſhall ever have the glory of his Head-ſhip over his body eclipſed, but onely that Chriſt myſtical entirely be ſubject, and ſo from God receive immediate and direct beams of Glory.

It is true, The Kingdom of Chriſt is everlaſting, but that doth not hinder the ſuppoſition, for that is ſalved by his victory over all the Kingdoms in the world, and in its not being ſubverted by any Forein Power whatſoever; and thus his Kingdom is everlaſting in oppoſition to the Four Monarchies, Dan 7. which ſucceeding one another, and at length were all conquered by our Lord Jeſus. And Secondly, his Kingdom is everlaſting, as the Goſpel of his Kingdom is everlaſting, Rev. 14.6. which is to be underſtood, not formally but vertually, and the Saints ſhall by vertue of that purchaſe poſſeſs everlaſting glory.

Secondly, The relation of his Headſhip in Heaven doth not oppoſe; for though he ſhall remain Head of his Body to all eternity, yet in a different manner, than he is Head now. His Headſhip in the Church Triumphant is rather for precedency, than Principality, rather for priority and dignity, than for guidance and government; And this muſt be confeſſed, that the relation between the Head and the Members, in heaven, ſhall ſtill be relatio diſquiparantiae non aequiparantiae.

Thirdly, Neither doth this reſignation of the Kingdom, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , redound to the diſparagement of the Mediator; no more than the firſt deſignation or donation of this Kingdom to Chriſt, was diminution to the glory of God, and the Father. The Lord Jeſus ſhall ſuffer no loſs of Glory, but onely undergo a change of State: As ſuppoſe a Captain General, Commiſſioned by a Prince, with the accommodation of Armies, to ſubdue a Colony of Rebels, the Rebels are defeated, the Captain General returns home from that field and forein Service, ſurrenders his commiſſion to his Prince; he is honored further by his Maſter for his noble Service; he is applauded by the Souldiers for his valor and proweſs, and ever after by way of honor is called Captain; yet we cannot ſay, he is Captain in act; His Colours are lodged, his Sword is ſheathed, both the Captain and the Souldiers are under the immediate preſidency of the Prince, but in a different degree of favor and glory: So the Saints ſhall make it their buſineſs in Heaven to extol the Lord and the Lamb, to ſing Halelujah's, and Hoſanna's for ever; All Honor and Dignity be to our dear Mediator, who redeemed us when we were captives, waſhed and cleanſed us with his blood, comforted our ſouls by his Spirit, that while others were apoſtatized, we by his grace were kept to this great Salvation. The conſideration of Redemption-work ſhal be the Theam of Praiſes, for the redeemed throughout all ages. And I heard the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne, and (the beaſts, in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) the living Creatures, and the Elders, and the number of them was ten thouſand times ten thouſand, and thouſands of thouſands; Saying with a loud voyce, worthy is the Lamb that is ſlain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wiſdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Glory, and Bleſſing, &c. Revel. 5.11, 12. there will be no more need, as I apprehend of Chriſts Kingly Office, than of his Prieſtly or Prophetical Office: Glorified Saints are in the higheſt Form of Divine knowledge, and have no need of Interceſſion; for they are above fears and falls, above fear of falling in the way, or away; and all their luſts are conquered of old by Chriſts Scepter; they are in their harbor, and therefore out of all ſtorms; they have their Crown ſhining on their heads, and have no ſtumbling-blocks more in their race; the Devil then ſhall never be ſeen to devour, nor heard to roar; farewel hardneſs of heart, perplexities of conſcience, fear of grieving the precious Spirit any more. Jacob is aſcended to the top of the Ladder, and never needs more to fear his feet or hands ſhould ſlip in climbing; and therefore it is ſaid he ſhall reign 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 untill he ſhall have put down all his Enemies.

Fourthly, Neither is it neceſſary there ſhould be an immediate power from Chriſt, as Mediator, to preſerve and perſevere the Saints in glory. For everlaſting glory is the purchaſe of his death as well as glory. And Secondly, Though their glory is not natural, yet the firſt ſeizure of glory is confirmation in glory; Glory, and eternall glory, differing not in kind, poſſibly not in real degree; There being properly no poſterius in Heaven, or ſucceſſion of hours. Heaven is an eternal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Thirdly, The immediate preſence of God is a a ſufficient ground of their preſervation. Fourthly, Why is the mediation of Chriſt made eternal à parte poſt, by any, rather than eternal à parte ante? or rather thus, why may not the merit of our Redeemer be as effectual after the ſolemn reſignation of his mediation, as it was to the Jews, before ever actually he entred his Throne? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Regnando id jam acquiſivit quod aeternum eſt, regnum ergo aeternum merito habere dici poteſt; quod attinet ad regnandi actum, Chriſtus regno ſeſe abdicaturus eſt, quod vero ad regnum attinet, regni ejus nullus erit finis.

Fifthly, Whereas it is objected, why may not the Kingdom of the Mediator (actually) in glory be conſiſtent with the government of God, as well as now the Kingdom of God is conſiſtent with the Government of the Mediator? To this I could anſwer, Our enquiry is not de re poſſibili vel impoſſibili, in the firſt place; but de re vera vel falſa. But Secondly, If we ſpeak of the Government of the Mediator, as God, it is true, and if I miſtake not, ſome Commentators mean ſo, That as the Father rules as well as the Son now, ſo then the Son ſhall rule as well as the Father; for though he ſurrender the Kingdom to the Father, yet ſo, as that God that is the Son alſo, with the Spirit, may be all in all. Thirdly, None dare ſay, That as God now rules by the Mediator, ſo then the Mediator ſhall rule by God; for the Mediator, as ſuch, is ſubordinate to God, and to ſay, the Mediator may rule as well as God, is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . There is a neceſſity as to us, that God rule us by a Mediator in the Church Militant, but it is no way inconſiſtent either with the wiſdom or glory of God to communicate himſelf immediately to the Church Triumphant.

Laſtly, Chriſt gives up the Kingdom (not onely not as God, but) not abſolutely conſidered as Mediator,Chriſtus ut Deus nos cum illo ſubjectos habet, ſed ut Sacerdos nobiſcum illi ſubjectus eſt. Aug. for Chriſt even now as Mediator is ſubject to God really (For though Chriſt reigns, yet ſo ſtill, as that God reigns by Chriſt, though there be an immediate exerciſe of the Mediators Kingdom in the world, yet God keeps in the Eſſential Throne of his glory.) But then further, he ſhall be ſubject relatively and reſpectively, as to his Church or Body, now Chriſt rules his Church as Mediator, and not as God onely, and the very Mediator is King in actu over Sion; but then this adminiſtration ſhall ceaſe, and the Head with the Body, or Chriſt as part of his Church, or Chriſt myſtical, ſhall be ſubject to God; and thus he is not at preſent but ſhall be hereafter, the Mediator being yet in the Throne; but there is a time a comming, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , when he ſhall give up the Kingdom, to wit, that Kingdom which God gave over to him, and ceaſe to reign as Mediator; and it is obſervable, that for Chriſt to ſurrender up the Kingdom, and be ſubject to God, are of all one importance, verſ. 28. By the ſurrender of the Kingdom therefore we cannot underſtand ſuch or ſuch an adminiſtration of the Kingdom, and not the Kingdom it ſelf; for all that Kingdom he receives, he ſurrenders. And ſecondly, Chriſt muſt ſo ſurrender as he muſt be ſubject; the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 muſt go together. And I am much pleaſed with the Apoſtles ſweet Criticiſm, that as now Chriſt, Col. 3. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all and in all; So God hereafter ſhall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all in all: the Meſſiah hath two times, eſpecially, the time of his ſorrows, and the time of glory. In the ſixth of John, verſ. 15. they had royal blood in their veins, and they would force Jeſus to be a King, ſurely, that they might have preferment under him, but Chriſt departed, and flew from the Crown; few men would have done as Chriſt did (Satis pro imperio quiſquis eſt, ſays the Comick) Men will wade up to the chin in blood for a Kingdom, and ſtretch fair and far for a Crown, it ſhines ſo amiably in their eyes. Says the Devil, if Jeſus will but accept of the Title and Place of a King, he will be ſo taken up with the Affairs and Offices of the world, that he will not have ſuch liberty to look after the converſion of ſouls, the Revenues of the Devils Crown would have come in the more by ſuch a worldly Negotiation; but there is a day a coming, when Jeſus will not fly from a Crown, nor refuſe a Scepter; his glory ſhall be as eminent as ever was his ſhame. The Daughters of Sion ſhall go forth, and Crown King Jeſus in the day of his ſolemn Eſpouſals, and ſuch a day ſhall be the gladneſs of his heart. Jeſus hath born all the wrath of the world, and he is able in a ſpiritual viſible ſenſe to bear all the glory of the world on his ſhoulders. Can. 3.11. The children of Judah and of Iſrael ſhall be gathered together, at a place of their general Randezvouz, and by a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Election by lifting up their hands and voyces, appoint themſelves one head, and they ſhall (one and all, as we ſay) come up out of the Land, for great and glorious ſhall be the day of Jezreel. Jeſus Chriſt is a righteous King, and he hath a right to his Kingdom: It is utterly impoſſible that ever he ſhould prove either an Ʋſurper or a Tyrant. He thinks it no robbery to be equal with God; then certainly it is no robbery for him to be preheminent above men, Phil. 2.6. It is no robbery for King Jeſus to pull Saint Peter out of his Chair, and there in Majeſty to rule the Nations with a Rod of iron (if he pleaſe;) No robbery for him to melt all the Crowns in Europe, to make a Diadem of glory for his own Temples. If any think they have gone deeper in a purchaſe for the Government of the world than our Lord Jeſus, let them ſtand up if they dare, and lay their claim; let them now ſpeak or ever after hold their peace.

In the expectation therefore of theſe things let the Saints rejoyce; Ʋniverſal Redemption will then prove a Truth, when all yoaks ſhall be taken off the necks, and all burthens off the backs of the children of God. It is obſervable, that the ſubſtance of all the Revelation is contained in theſe two words, Hoſanna, and Halelujah; God bleſs us, and we bleſs God; hitherto we have been a ſinging Hoſanna, but Halelujah is a coming; Praiſe, and Honor, and Glory to the Lamb that ſits on the Throne. If any object, That any of the above-mentioned Promiſes concern the Jews, I anſwer, True, but not the Jews onely, and though Promiſes are not to be confounded and applied to one people, if they ſhould onely belong to another, yet it will be found according to the Promiſes, that the glory of the Jews will be the glory of the Gentiles; and though now we are divided, yet then we ſhall be one fold, Rom. 11.12. What God hath joyned together let no man ſeparate.

To conclude, The Saints muſt pray for, and endeavor to promote the more glorious part of this Kingdom (of which we ſpeak) in which there ſhall be neither ſuch covetouſneſs nor complaint. But all endeavors will fall ſhort of ſetting of it up on Earth, till our Lord Jeſus the King ſhall come down from Heaven in the Clouds; We ſhall never have ſuch a Kingdom untill we have ſuch a King. The Feet of the Saints ſhall not all be out of their Fetters, till the King of Saints comes into his Throne, Dan. 7.13, 27. Princes will never ſo rule in Judgement, till this King ſhall reign in Righteouſneſs, Iſ. 32.1. The New Jeruſalem will be Gods Creature; The Stone is cut out without hands; there may be ſomething of the heart of the Saints in this glorious Structure, but it ſhall neither be the work of their Head nor Hands. This model of Government is beyond the invention of Saints, as it is beyond the beleef of man. Many ſhall welcome it in the world, but none are able to rear it, the King himſelf will bring it with him. Not many know how to ſet up Chriſt in their Conſciences; Many know how rather to pull down Antichriſt, than to ſet up Chriſt; And too many know how rather to ſet up themſelves than the Kingdom of Chriſt in the world. Governors muſt reform (if the Providences of God ſpeak truth in explaining the Promiſes, it is high time) and Governors muſt be reformed. But I am yet perſwaded, that ſome of Nebuchadnezzars Image will ſtand in all Nations, till it have an immediate blow from Heaven, Dan. 2.34. Though men do trample under foot the Toes of Clay, and break the Legs of Iron, and ſmite on the Belly of Braſs, yet I am perſwaded, they will more or leſs, either imbrace the Silver Arms, or wear the Golden Head; and the Gold, the beſt Government of this old world, is part of the Image as well as the Clay. Iſrael was Gods people, and though they pulled down the brazen Serpent, yet they helped to ſet up the golden Calf; but when we once come to Canaan we ſhall neither bow down to the Image of braſs, nor low after the Calf of gold: In the mean time, Sion is to travel with Prayers and Tears, and all regular and righteous endeavors toward a perfect Reformation, but I do not yet beleeve that ever we ſhall ſee that Man-child, untill the appearance of Chriſt doth Midwive it into the world.

Omnis Christi anus eſt crucianus.If it ſhould be objected, How can the expectation of ſuch glory conſiſt with the Prophecies in Scripture, of the tribulations and errors in the laſt daies? I anſwer, 1 Tim. 3.1. In the latter times ſome ſhall depart from the Faith, and ſhall ſpeak lies in hypocriſie, Sceptici in intellectu, Epicurei in affectu. &c. 2 Tim. 3.1. In the last daies ſhall come perillous times, men ſhall be lovers of themſelves, covetous, proud, unholy, Traytors, heady, lovers of pleaſures more than lovers of God.

I anſwer, By the laſt daies in the Prophets and Apoſtles, we are to underſtand the days of the Goſpel, the time of the meſſiah, from his firſt to his ſecond comming indifferently; and have not all theſe ſymptoms of Apoſtacy been already in the world, nay, in the primitive times?

Secondly, If by the laſt days, we ſometime underſtand the daies, a little while, or immediately preceding the ſecond comming of Chriſt in perſon, the comming of ſuch prophaneneſſes are no argument againſt the comfortable appearance of Chriſt, but are made in Scripture fore-runners (not formally) of his Kingdom; ☜ and how ſeaſonably will the Phyſician appear when the world will be ſo diſeaſed? how ſweetly and refreſhingly will the light of the Sun of Righteouſneſs be at ſuch a midnight? Zech. 14 7. 2 Pet. 2.14. Chriſt, though he brings day with him, comes at midnight. Matth. 25.6.

And if by the latter daies we are to underſtand, as we may, the laſt daies, are not the laſt daies, and the laſt of daies in the world? did ever men love others leſs, and themſelves more? Judas his plague was, his bowels guſhed out; But O Lord! our curſe is, we have no bowels of love at all. Is not this a covetous age? Many have rich Arras to hang the walls of their Chambers with, and have not Canvas to cloath a naked member of Chriſt withall; how many Lazaruſes are daily laid at our doors? and how few have money in their purſes to relieve? nay, not compaſſion, or hony in their hearts to pitty them? what iron hearts have we in this golden and in this gilded age? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . golden, I mean, not in a moral, but natural ſenſe; as for the love of God, whereas we ſhould be lovers of God more than lovers of pleaſure; we are lovers of pleaſure more than lovers of God; nay, lovers of pleaſure and not lovers of God, unleſs that by our God we mean our pleaſure; And as for the reſt of the gang of Vices, I ſhall ſay no more, but that we need not go up and down with a Candle and Lanthorn to find proud, unholy, heady, Traytors in the world. How long Lord? how long ere thou appeareſt, the Judge of thine Enemies, the Father of thy Children, and the King of thy Subjects? Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, and bleſſed are all they that love his appearance; his appearance in his Spirit, in his Cauſe, and in his Perſon.

In this proſpect of what God will do in the world, take theſe three or four Cautions.

1 Limit not God to your means. Some indeed have power to help Sion, but no heart; ſome have an heart, but no power; others have power in their hands, but no hearts to help Sion. Powers, Armies cannot work without God, but God can work without them. Gods work cannot be done by the mighty, for ordinarily it is oppoſed by the Mighty; the mighty Phariſee derides Chriſt, the mighty Pilat condemns Chriſt; for the moſt part all the mighty in the world, are againſt the Almighty of the world. What ſay Monarchs that are prophane? If Chriſt come to reign over us, what will become of our honors? Say the unrighteous Judges, what will become of our Fees? and the lazy Shepheards, what will become of our Livings? Remember,Creaturae potius ſunt media deferentia: quam operantia. if all men were willing for God, yet the beſt of men, are but men at the moſt; the moſt of men, or all men, are but men at the beſt: Men are but Vials, and they have no more of Vertue in them than Providence infuſeth, not a drop more. All the Tribute that God requires, is to attribute all to him, and he is reſolved on the glory of all. Means are not uſed by God, becauſe they are effectual, but means are therefore effectual becauſe God uſeth them: A ſtraw in the hands of Omnipotency, proves a Spear, and a Spear without an Omnipotent influence, turns in a mans hand to a Straw.

It is not improbable that the nigher Chriſt comes to his Throne, the meaner the inſtruments of his advancement may be. ☞ Who art thou O Mountain? before Zerubbabel, thou ſhalt become a plain. There are many Mountains againſt Sion, viſible and inviſible Mountains, but Jacob the worm ſhall threſh Mountains; Parturiunt montes & generatur ridiculus mus. ſtrange! as we ſay, a Cat may look on a King; ſo a worm may crawle on a Mountain; one Mountain is able to cruſh a million of Worms, but if Sion be trampled on in Chriſts day, ſhe will turn again, and one worm ſhall threſh a million of Mountains. Providence can turn Mountains into Mole-hils, and the proud, politick Hills of the World into Hell. God doth ſuch things by ſuch inconſiderable means, That no fleſh might glory in his preſence, 1 Cor. 1.31. If any creature will glory (as if the Apoſtle had ſaid) let it glory behind the Lords back, which it cannot do; God will face down all the glory and glorying of the world. Remember, that God may ſhew his Honor by another, but he will never give his Honor to another.

Shall the Ax lift up it ſelf againſt him that heweth therewith? there is a jeſt indeed! As Nebuchadnezzar ſaid, Is this not great Babylon that I have built for the glory of my Majeſty? more truely may the Lord ſay, Is not there the ſtony heart that I have ſoftened? is not this dead and decayed England that my Arm hath revived, for the glory of my free Grace and Power?

Moſes led Iſrael out of Egypt, but Joſhua led Iſrael into Canaan. The Lord changes Inſtruments at his pleaſure, and for his Glory. This man, ſaith God, ſhall begin a work, and that man ſhall perfect it; this is the man we cry up, and all others muſt not be named the ſame day with him, now Eſſex, then Waller, ☞ Quod fluctus inſurgunt poteſt navicula turbari, ſed quod Chriſtus ſtat non poteſt mergi. now Maſſey▪ then Fairfax, then Cromwel. Hence it is that God often ſuffers Inſtruments to break and fall, when we lean too much on them. God will make us know before he hath done with us, that he will neither do the work of peeviſh man, nor go in mans crooked way.

Never fear, let the Lord chuſe his own weapons to fight his own battels; As long as hee hath a Cauſe in the world, hee can never want ſhoulders to maintain it; Mans day is not the Lords day, and Mans man, though godly, is not Gods man: Till the Saints meet with a Pharaoh, that God can neither conquer nor overcome; with a red Sea, that he can neither dry up, nor divide; with a wall, that he can neither throw down nor climb over, never diſtruſt.

Secondly, Limit not God to our time; It is true, we muſt give God no reſt, untill he perform his Promiſes, that is, we muſt be importunate in the means, but we muſt in the mean time reſt on God, and leave him to his own time. The Viſion is for an appointed ſeaſon, and therefore we muſt wait for it: The Seers often may lie, but the Viſion ſhall ſpeak, though it ſeem dumb, and not lie. The glaſs of Providence runs in the dark, and it is a comfort for the Saints, to beleeve it doth not ſtand ſtill: but as no man can number the Sands, ſo no man can jog the glaſs to make it run faſter, or tell when it ſhall run out. That Babylon in the Letter ſhall fall, it is certain; It hath been accompted difficult to tell the age, it is impoſſible (as moſt judge) yet to tell the year, and unlawful to ſearch out the day or hour of her ruin. If the Son of man knew not the day of the laſt Judgement, as in the Goſpel, much leſs may the Sons of men preſume to know the day of a particular, though ſpecial Judgement, as that of Babylon: And Chriſt was well verſed in Daniels numbers, from whence collections chiefly are fetched for the time of Babylons downfal. It is a good obſervation, that Providence is the beſt interpreter of Prophecy. Yet no queſtion herein, but we may imploy our Reaſon as well as our Faith; She ſhall be ſet (q.d.) on fire, and uſually ſmoak goes before the flame; there ſhall be ſigns of her ruin in the world, and they are to be viewed. Here we may gueſs, but can hardly determine; her day haſtens, and by many ſymptoms of Providence ſhe lies upon her Death-bed, and probably Six hundred ſixty ſix (as we ſay Eighty eight, for One thouſand five hundred eighty eight, ſo by a Synecdoche, Six hundred ſixty ſix, for One thouſand ſix hundred ſixty ſix) may ring her Paſſing bell. Many good Archers have been ſhooting, but none, as I know, yet have hit the mark; ſome have faln ſhort, and ſome may flie over.

The Lords furtheſt way about is often the nigheſt way home. There are two famous Proverbs to this purpoſe with the Jews; God will be ſeen in the Mount; and, when the tale of bricks is doubled, Cum duplicantur lateres venie • Moſes. Moſes will come. Nullum tempus occurrit regi, is here a good maxim: All time is a like to an eternal God; what work God will not do to day, he can do to morrow. He often defers our expectation, but never miſſes his own opportunity. Chriſt ſuffers Lazarus to lie long in the Grave,Si amatur quomodo infirmatur, ſi infirmatur quomodo amatur? and did not raiſe him ſo ſoon as he was buried, though Chriſt loved him dearly; whence we may obſerve, That oftentimes thoſe whom God loves moſt, he ſeems to make leaſt haſte to help; The Cauſe of Chriſt ſometimes ſeems to ſleep; but never dies.

When wicked men have plaid their Game (which poſſibly many think long) God will ſhuffle the Cards together, and tumble them under the Table. Oh now or never! now if ever! ſay we, The Saints might be united, prophaneneſs might be ſuppreſſed,Non quarto die pati permittetur qui ſcitur ultra non poſſe quam triduo tolerare 1 Cor. 10.10. and all burthens might be taken off: Like children, as it is well obſerved, we love green fruit, yet that breeds worms; Wee love to have the Apple out of the fire before it be half roſted, mercies before we are ripe for them; but it is better to have Judgements in Mercy, than Mercies in Judgement. God had almoſt forfeited his Bond to the Iſraelites, but he faithfully came before the Sun was down, and paid his debt, at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the ſelf ſame day they went (according to his promiſe) out of Egypt,Quaedam non negantur ſed ut congruo tempore dentur differuntur. Exo. 12.41. And if, ſays God, Pſal. 89.35. I perform not my promiſe, let my word never be taken more. Saints, conſider, Your Fathers Goodneſs makes the Promiſe, his Faithfulneſs will perform it; and his Wiſdom alone will find out the fitteſt time.

Thirdly, You that are Jacobs, take heed of repining at Providence. Stand ſtill, ſaid Moſes, and ſee the ſalvation of God, Exod. 14.13. The greateſt work of man oftentimes is to ſtand ſtill and ſee God to work. There is a time for Joſhua to fight in the field, and a time for Moſes to pray in the Mount; O vitam miſeram iam diu timere, quam eſt illud ipſum quod timetur! Orat. Att. Epiſt. l. 10. when there is not an opportunity to fight down Babylon, there is a time to pray her down. Chriſtians, in turns of Providence, have need not onely of zeal but of wiſdom. We muſt go when God calls, but a man had need to have good ground to go on, when he ſaith God calleth him out of his Calling.

While a Court ſits there is a confuſed noyſe, but when the Judge takes the Bench. the Officers cry, Peace, Peace; my friends, the paſſions and opinions in this age make a din in the world, every man muſt have ſomething to ſay for its Government, what proing and conning? The Lord now takes the Chair, and craves audience. God hath long ſeen what man can do, oh that men would hearken to what God can ſay! Fooliſh man hath been ſpeaking great words, this is the way for our eſtabliſhment or none, no that's the way ſays another; But the wiſe God will ſpeak great things; what God will ſpeak will be worth the hearing, and it is manners to give God leave to ſpeak in his Providences. Men love to hear themſelves ſpeak, and to ſee themſelves act, though neither be to any purpoſe.

They ſay there is a ſweet muſick in the Sphears of the Heavens: Sure I am, though Providences ſeem croſs, and to claſh, yet there is a ſweet order among, and melody in them, but that we cannot perceive them, becauſe, our eies and ears are filled with the noyſe and news of the world.Jicere miſerè non poteſt qui ſpem in Deum jacit. Man goes about often to mend one rent and makes two. Every one will be trying concluſions on the body of poor Sion; but as he ſaid, Many Phiſicians have killed the King; So I may ſay, many Empericks have almoſt deſtroyed Sion.

Moſt are getting great Lands and Livings, but how few poſſeſs their ſouls in patience? Oh that we could in this ſtormy age enter into our Chambers? let God bolt the door, and rock the Cradle, and we ſhall ſleep ſweetly; The Attributes and Promiſes of God are our Chambers. I have heard of an Emperor, that when he was diſturbed with paſſion was wont to lock himſelf in his Cloſet, and never to come out till his ſpirit was compoſed; Diſturbances in our minds are quickly raiſed, like evill ſpirits, but hardly quelled. There are two difficult, but needfull dutys in this dirty and diſtracting age, To ſweep our own doors, and to ſhut our doors about us. Oh that we could look to our Duty, Ego in hac fabula partes meas peraga • n, viderit, de exitu ipſe choragus Chriſtus. Eraſ. Epi. and leave the event to God! If we did look to our Tackling, the Pilot would look to the Helm. God hath a greater venture of glory in the Churches welfare, than man can have, onely let the Jonahſes be caſt over-board, and then let the Mariners fear no ſtorm. Be ſtill, and know that I am God. If you will not beleeve, you ſhall not be eſtabliſhed, was good Divinity of old. Remember, Untill the World can ſhake God off the top of the Ladder, the Jacobs of God ſhall not be diſturbed in their reſt at the bottom.

And that, as there is a neceſſity to yeeld to Gods will, becauſe it cannot be reſiſted, ſo there is great equity therein,, becauſe it cannot be bettered.

The Bed was Earth, the raiſed Pillow ſtones, Whereon poor Jacob reſts his head, his bones. Heaven was his Canopy, the ſhades of night Were his drawn Curtains to exclude the light. Poor ſtate for Jacobs Heir, it ſeems to me, His Cattle found as ſoft a Bed as he: Yet God appeared, there's his joy, his Crown; God is not always ſeen in Beds of Down. Oh! if that God▪ ſhall pleaſe to make my Bed, I care not where I reſt my bones, and head. With thee my wants can never prove extream; With Jacobs Pillow, give me Jacobs Dream.

Fourthly, and laſtly, While others climb in the world, climb you Jacobs Ladder; and there are three artificial wayes in a ſpiritual ſenſe for climbing.

The firſt way, is with Jacob, to lye flat at the foot of the Ladder. God uſually caſt his Prophets into aſleep, and then revealed his Oracles to them.Non niſi iu culmine humilitatis conſtituitur cognitio veritatis. Bern. in loc. Jacob was a plain man, and he ſaw God, ſays the Text; mark it, he ſaw God in his goods, in his Wives, theſe goods the Lords gave me; he ſaw God in Eſau, and yet there was as little of God in Eſau as could be, I ſaw thy face as the face of God, he ſaw his Father in his Brother. They ſay, Aſtrologers, when they would take a view of the Planets and Orbes of the Heavens, they lay themſelves flat on their backs, that nothing may hinder their contemplation; lay your ſelves flat on your backs, and you cannot chuſe but have a ſight of Heaven. Onely they that are like Jacob ſee the Ladder as Jacob did; Goſpel ſimplicity hath the ſweeteſt view of Goſpel Mysteries: Jacob had many Viſions before, but did not ſee it, at laſt he dreamed and behold a Ladder.

Secondly, Deſcend, if you would aſcend Jacobs Ladder. A Paradox you will ſay; but the truth is, he that exalts himſelf, God will debaſe; he that lifts himſelf up goes further from God, and he that humbles himſelf comes nigher to God. The Apoſtle, Phil. 3.20. aſcends gloriouſly; Our converſation is in Heaven, we are men of another will, men of another world: But how came the Apoſtle ſo high? He had it ſeems been climbing a wrong Ladder before in Phariſaiſm; Circumciſed the eighth day, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, he reckons ſeven ſteps, but comes down from them all to meet with Chriſt, verſ. 7. Thoſe things that were gain to me, I account loſs for Chriſt. Chriſt for my mony, ſays Paul, there he deſcends; And Rom. 7. we have the Apoſtle deſcending again, O wretched man that I am; I an Apoſtle!Deſcende in infernum vivens, ne deſcendas moriens. I a Profeſſor! none ſo proud, none ſo prophane as Paul; he goes even to Hell gates, Who ſhall deliver me? but preſently he aſcends, and mounts up as it were on the top of Jacobs Ladder; Bleſſed be God, through Jeſus Chriſt, who hath given us the victory. So David, What am I, or my Fathers houſe? my ſins are continually before me; and immediately, like a ranſomed priſoner, ſings and warbles out in the Pſalms, Praiſe the Lord, all that is within me praiſe the Lord. Some ſay, that when the Apoſtle Act. 9. was caſt down and lay in blindneſs for a time, that then he had the ſight of Heaven, 2 Cor. 12.1 • Oh how high is God in an humble heart? and how high is an humble man in the the Lords thoughts?

They ſay, water aſcends no higher than it deſcends; and ſurely, In experience to many ſouls, the gate of Hell is the nigheſt way to the Palace of Heaven. Pride goes before deſtruction, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . but the humble the Lord wil teach▪ & prefer. Self-abaſement, is the next ſtep to Joy and Aſſurance. We can ſooner ſee Stars in the water, than water in the Stars. Many deſcend by aſcending, but the beſt way is to aſcend by deſcending. The beſt way to ſee the glory of the Lord, is to fall down before God on our faces; We can never ſee our own glory and Gods glory together. The beſt way to improve ſome talents, is to lay them up; Moſes had more glory by his veil, than by his face.

Thirdly, Stand not ſtill on Gods Ladder. Not to go forward, is to go backward; better never to have begun to climb, than not to climb to the top; Many run that never obtain the prize; Many ſhoot but few hit the mark. Gaze not on the Lords Ladder, mind your journey to Heaven, theſe are giddy and dizzy times; If ever you would not be falling Stars, be not Planets, not wandring Stars; not one in a thouſand that is a wandring Star, but a thouſand to one he proves a falling Star. Neither come down Gods Ladder with Demas, nor fall off Gods Ladder with Judas; in a moral ſenſe, or ſpiritual rather, be Angels aſcending, not deſcending; the falling ſickneſs is much abroad, we fall not forward, but backward, as Ely did, and many break their necks: The Lord grant you may not be blazing ſtars for they are portentous, nor fallen Angels. How ſoon (as the Apoſtle ſaid) are we removed into another Goſpel? How ſad to conſider? the laſt year viſibly an Angel, and this year a Devil; yeſterdaies Profeſſor, is to daies Ranter.

The Well is deep, ſaid the Samaritan, and there is need of a Bucket; So the Ladder is high, and the aſcent is great, we need Faith. Faith and Love are the two hands by which you muſt climb, take good hold; Patience and Perſeverance your feet. Think not to climb with your hands full of duſt, beware of Covetouſneſs. Dream not on Gods Ladder, if you would dream, come down to the foot of the Ladder; you no ſooner begin to ſleep, but you begin to fall. Thoſe that ſtand high, had need to ſtand faſt, for there is more fear of their falling, and danger if they fall. Eutichus was aſleep, Act. 20.9: in an upper Loft, and he fell down dead; David was high on this Ladder, but when he committed folly with Bathſheba, he almoſt brake his neck; and ſo Peter, a glorious Profeſſor, when he denied his Maſter. Many Graces run in the Race, but only Perſeverance obtains the Crown. Deſpiſe not Providences, yet be ruled onely by the Word; Obſerve, but ſerve not the time; Providence by many, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I confeſs, is made a ſtalking horſe to all deſigns, and moſt lay more on its back than it doth willingly bear. Providence and Conſcience are the greateſt Martyrs this day in the world. The ſufficiency of Providence is no warrant for us to neglect our Callings, or the uſe of means; God feeds us, but eating; God cloaths us, but, by our induſtry; for though man lives not by bread alone;Neceſſitas decretorum •• ei non tollit libertatem in creaturis rationalibus nec contingentiam in cauſis ſecundis. Wollebii Epit. but by every word that proceeds out of Gods mouth, yet that mouth that bleſſeth the bread, bids us to labor for it; ſo our labor is to be joyned with the Providence of God, and yet nothing is to be attributed to our labor, but all to Divine Providence; neither is Providence an Apology for the uſe of unlawfull means; We are not to walk acc • rding to the ſecret but revealed Will of God: He that uſeth lawful means to bring about an unjust end, puts God into the Devils ſervice; but he that uſeth an unlawful means to bring about a juſt end, puts the Devil into Gods ſervice: though indeed no man ſins without Gods Providence, yet no man ſins without his own proper inclination. Man is guilty in practicing, but God is not guilty in permitting evil. And yet God, as he is gracious in his Word, ſo he is glorious in his Providence; In the agreement of which I ſhall conclude. It is the greateſt folly in the world to follow the dark cloud of Providence, without the pillar of fire of the Scriptures. It is ignorance (the leaſt that can be ſpoken of it) to follow Providence without a Scripture; arrant Atheiſm to follow Providence againſt Scripture. No things can be Orthodox or ſound in the Volumes of Providence, that are erratas in the Volumes of Scriptures: Thoſe that undervalue the Authority of the revealed Word, it is to be feared they either have, or will manifeſt they have, no other Old Teſtament but Lucian, and no other New, but Machiavil.

Methinks His works are like rich Tapiſtry Ʋnfolded all unto a Jacobs eye. Our Fathers Image hangeth in this ſtory Embroydered all with Power, Wiſdom, Glory: But Providence is neither the firſt figure In Gods Arithmetick, nor yet a cipher. They repreſent the mind of God above In golden Characters, but not his love. They do not prove a Cauſe good for to bee, Yet make a Cauſe, if good, ſhine gloriouſly. Scriptures declare the Lords approving Will, Events his peremptory Will fulfill. His Word ſhews us what he would have us crave, His works ſhew what he would have us to have. The royall and unchanged Word's our Text, Whereunto as a Commentary annext Gods Providences be; Theſe gloſſes are, But that's the Copy and Original fair. There is a God, theſe Works do plainly tell, And out of them Reaſon his Name may ſpell; Yet read them curiouſly, you cannot ſmel In them the Roſe of Sharon, that's Gospel, Indicted by the Spirit from on high, Engraven in the Scriptures, not the Skie▪ The Sun and Stars do not make a dumb ſhow yet by them A God, but not a Father we may know. How many Vows in perils do we make? And yet from Providence excuſes take Againſt Performances. How many now See Jacobs Ladder, but forget his Vow? To conclude. Let Jacob now awake, and preach, and pray, And ſleep no longer; for hee clearly may, Without a Dream, ſee, by the Gospel light, The Ladder which before he ſaw by night. Let's draw the Curtains, ſhadows fly▪ away, Viſions and Dreams be gone, 'tis break of day. FINIS.

MONOMAXIA: JACOB wreſtling with the ANGEL, OR A ſacred Duel, fought between God and Man, at Peniel; with the iſſue of the Combate.

Repreſented as a lively example of Faith and Prayer, to all the Iſrael of God.

By J.R. of Shoreditch.

Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me, Iſa. 45.11.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Iſid. Pel. l. 4. Ep. 27.

London Printed for L. Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1655.

To his endeared Aunt Mris. Dorothie Marſh, Widow, Living at Dover. Endeared Aunt,

I Have much deſired an opportunity to expreſs my thankfulneſs to you, for thoſe real Kindneſſes you have ſo long and often expreſſed to me; and though it lay not in my Power to requite, yet I would not want Affection to acknowledge your love. It is an old obſervation, that they that do a good turn muſt inſtantly forget it, and they that receive it muſt conſtantly remember it; you have done the former; as for my ſelf, I will not deny but my memory hath long been aſleep, but I would now onely teſtifie (by this publique remembrance of my duty) that it is not dead. The Lord made you an inſtrument, though not of my natural, yet of my ſpiritual birth; you gave me not ſuck indeed from the Breſt, but you fed me with the ſincere milk of the Word, you firſt taught me the firſt rudiments of Chriſtianity; not ſo much how to spell the Name of God or Chriſt, as how to ſpel out the Name of God in Christ. What cauſe have I to bleſs the Lord, that you inſtructed mee how to beleeve, before I was tempted to doubt? you knew that I came ſo full of poiſon into the world, and therefore you could not too ſoon adminiſter phyſick, to expel it; you looked on Original ſin (as like a common fire in a Town) in my ſoul, and you ſearched, not ſo much how it came, as how to quench it; you did not prevent but prepare a way for the workings of the Spirit. How happy was I, that you did not (with ſome) judge it prejudicial to the guidance of the Spirit to be indoctrinated in a form of Divine Knowledge? I remember, I have read ſomewhere, that Luther, when he heard how that little children prayed againſt the Turk, ſaid, In the name of the Lord let them go on; for as they want the knowledge of men, ſo they want the malice of men, and God may hear them. I muſt acknowledge I lived long in the world before I knew what it was to die to the world, and many years had the profeſsion of Religion, before I was acquainted with the experience; yet I bleſs God, even then when I had not Saving Grace for my own Salvation, that I had any Reſtraining Grace for the good of others. How did you pray for me, when I was not able to pray for my ſelf? your heart was tender, when mine was hard; my prayers now are to the Lord, that though I yet carry a body of ſin about me, and in my own ſenſe have been often a ſinking, that yet you would praiſe God with me, that a Nephew of ſo many prayers hath not periſhed indeed.

Your condition now calls for my counſel, but I will not undertake to teach my Teacher, onely humbly telling you, what once with delight you taught me out of that School of Wiſdom, Pro. 3.11. Deſpiſe not the chaſtening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction.

What though you have been caſt down, will you conclude that you are caſt away, when your God hath on purpoſe caſt you down, that he might not caſt you away? You know that Gods fiſh thrive beſt in ſalt waters; that the Walnut-tree is moſt fruitful when it is moſt beaten; that David was never ſo tender as when he was hunted as a Partridge, and Jonah never ſo watchful as when he was (alive in his Sepulchre) in the Whales belly. It is true, you are Husbandleſs, but yet not Fatherleſs; my once dear Uncle is now ſinging out the praiſes of the Lamb in the new Jeruſalem; the ſingleneſs and ſincerity of his Light, Love, and Life, did tell his acquaintance he was a Traveller thither; now you dare not mourn becauſe he rejoyceth; and can you mourn while he rejoyceth? Oh! that you would rather conſider what a comfort you once had, than what a comfort you now want; rather to meditate of your going to him, than grievingly to think of his going from you. My dear Aunt, let me uſe that phraſe (that was ſpoken to a friend on ſuch an occaſion) You know well that you have need of his joy, but he hath no need of your tears. Your Husband was alſo your Brother, and if that maxim be true, that the union of Grace is ſtronger than the union of Nature, then I am perſwaded, you mourn not ſo much for the loſs of an Husband, as of a Brother in Chriſt; yet though the ſtream be cut off, you have the Fountain. I would ſpeak more of this, but I ſhall forbear, leſt while I go about quite to extinguiſh, I ſhould unawares revive the grief; chew not this Pill, but ſwallow it whole; and it will not prove ſo bitter.

I beleeve you are more perplexed with the publick evils of Sion; But in this you may conſider, the Lord wounds that he may not kill, and overcaſteth the face of his Church with a cloud, that the Sun of Righteouſneſs may at length ſhine out the more clearly; and that thoſe ſtorms and waves are happy that ſhall drive the Ark nigher to her Harbor. It is certain, All things ſhall work together for their good that love God. It is your happineſs, your comfort lies not in the lives of others, but in your own experience, that while others tack about after every wind of Doctrine, you ſtill ſteer your courſe according to the compaſs of the Scriptures; that while ſome think it zeal to fall in love with every fond opinion that preſents it ſelf on the Stage of the world, that you have choſen your Love, and love your choyce, in the Practice of Piety, mortification, and conformity unto God; That while others talk much of God, that your ſtudy is rather how to ſpeak with God himſelf, than of God to others; That while they love to gaze on the Infirmities of others onely, that you love rather to weep over your own ſins in your Cloſſet, than to cry out againſt the ſins of others in the Market place: but herein you know you are not juſtified, and I truſt you would much rejoyce that you had ſomething more you might account nothing for Chriſt.

Go on, dear Aunt; Put on the whole Armor of God, that when you have withſtood you may ſtand, and when you have ſtood it out on earth, you may ſit down in a Throne in Glory. Perſeverance is the Crown of Grace, and Heaven is the Crown of Perſeverance. You could not mourn (as the Martyr ſaid) for the abſence of the Bridegroom, if you did not belong to the Bridegrooms Chamber. Ride on in Faith, though the way may be the dirtier the nigher you come to your journeys end; The Sun ſhines moſt amiably towards its deſcent; eye not the ſtream through which you wade, but the firm Land to which you go; Look not on your Race ſo much as on your Crown; your ſtorms and Tempeſts, Doubts and Fears, as your Port and Harbor. Here is your Seed-time, hereafter is your Harveſt; Here is your Hell of Difficulties and Deſertion, hereafter is your Heaven of Light and Peace.

You ſhall not alwaies climb with the Angel, but one day ſtand on the top of the Ladder with the Lord; You ſhall not alwayes wreſtle with Jacob, the Day will ere long break, and then farewel hardneſs of Heart, and temptations to Deſpaire, and mourning for Sin, and doubting of Gods Love for ever. When you ſhall lodge in the Arms of your Phyſician, then no more complaint of your wounds; When you ſhall walk in white with a Crown on your head in Heaven, you ſhall not want the gracious company of an Husband, as a fellow Member of Chriſt to comfort, or as a Preacher to inſtruct you; There are no tears falling down the Spouſes Cheeks in glory. Comfort your ſelf with theſe things, that while you wait with Hannah for the Conſolation of Iſrael, you may at length (when death ſhall knock at your door, which cannot probably be long) by Faith, with old Simeon imbrace the King of Saints in your arms, ſinging his ſweet and Swan-like Song, Now letteſt thou thine Handmaid, O Lord, depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy Salvation.

As for this Diſcourſe of Jacobs wreſtling (I here preſent you withall, as a Teſtimony of my Love and Obligation) I hope you wil ſee your face in it as in a Glaſs; not teaching you ſo much from mee, how you may be Iſrael prevailing with God, as to ſhew you how you have been as Jacob, a Wreſtler with God. Accept of it my dear Aunt, and farewell in the Lord, in whom I ſubſcribe

Your moſt obliged Nephew, Fra. Raworth. From my Study at Shoreditch, Janu. 20. 1654:

Jacob wreſtling with the Angel, or a ſacred Duel between God and Man. Gen. 32.24, 25, 26, 27 28 &c.

And Jacob was left alone, and there wreſtled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he ſaw that he prevailed not againſt him, he touched the hollow of his Thigh: And the hollow of Jacobs Thigh was out of joynt as he wreſtled with him. And he ſaid, Let me go for the day breaketh; and he ſaid I will not let thee go, unleſs thou bleſs me. And he ſaid unto him, What is thy name? and he ſaid, Jacob; and he ſaid, Thy name ſhall no more be called Jacob, but Iſrael, for as a Prince haſt thou power with God and with men, and haſt prevailed &c.

HAving in the precedent Diſcourſe treated of Jacobs Ladder, I ſhall now (by the aſſiſtance of the God of Jacob) diſcourſe ſomewhat of Jacobs wreſtling. Chriſtians, if ever you would have Jacobs Viſion, get Jacobs Faith. In this Scripture we have an elegant deſcription of a Monomachie or Duel, fought between the Almighty and Jacob. And in it,

Firſt, We have the Combatants or Duelliſts, Tenet in luctâ Jacobus hominem, ſed ille h • mo Deus erat. Jacob, and God, who in Geneſis is called a Man, becauſe he appeared in the ſhape of a man; And in Hoſea (chap. 12.4.) an Angel, repreſenting Chriſt the Meſſenger of the Covenant. The Hebrews ſay, this wreſtler was Sammael, Eſaus evil Angel, who now contends with Jacob for the Bleſſing; but that this Angel was God, appears, conſidering that Jacob was bleſſed by him; now it is the Prerogative of God to bleſs, and not of Angels. Secondly, He ſaith, Thou haſt had Power with God; and Jacob ſaith, I have ſeen God face to face. Thirdly, Becauſe this was the God of Bethel, Gen. 35.7. Hoſ. 12.4. What a proſpect were this! we have not here one man wreſtling with another man, we have not a MAN wreſtling with an Angel onely, but the Immortal God wreſtling with a Mortal man.Erat verbum cum Jacob Aliptes, & Inunctor ac Paedagogus humanae naturae. Cl. Alex. All in the letter that were intereſted in this Quarrel were in the field together: Jacob had no Second, and the Angel needed none: How inferior a Match was Jacob for the Angel? how ſuperior a Match was the Angel for Jacob? will a man contend with God? Job 13.8. Shall the Ax lift up it ſelf againſt him that heweth therewith? is there a woe pronounced againſt him that ſtrives with his Maker, and dare Jacob ſtrive with his Maker? Iſa. 45.9. how ungracious is it for the child to quarrel with the Father? and doth it not ſeem diſhonorable for the Father to quarrel with the Child? but let Jacob remember, That though it be preſumption in him to challenge the Angel to fight, yet it is but obedience in him to fight with, when he is challenged by the Angel; That Angel that knows how to gain glory by being conquered, Eul ne Herculesquidem contra duos, at hic Jacobus contra Deum & hominem. knows how to retain his glory by fighting with Jacob. That it was not ſo viſible a diſparagement for God to wreſtle with man, as it was for God (for ſo Chriſt is) to die for man. Epheſ. 2 7.

Secondly, We have the field, and the time of the Combate. The place where they combated was beſide the Foord Jabbock, verſ. 22. at Peniel, Hoſ. 12.4. Jacob, verſ. 24. was left alone; not that Jacobs company had left him, but that he for a time had left his company. The words by ſome are rendred actively, and not paſſively, He remained alone behind, not onely to ſee all his Houſhold and Stuff ſafe over the Foord, but alſo to retire to Prayer. How ſweetly did Jacob injoy the preſence of God, when he left the company of man? Amat ſeceſſum ardens oratio. Jacob (I am perſwaded) was never leſs alone, when at this time he was ſo alone. It may be more truely ſaid of Jacob, than of any other man, he speaks more with God than with men. Chriſt loves to embrace his Spouſe, not in the open ſtreets, but in a Cloſet, and the ſoul never hath ſweeter views of glory, than when it is (q.d.) out of the view of the world.

We have likewiſe the Time of the Duel, the Night. The Text tels us when the Duel ended, but not when exactly it began; Si vincat minimum ſummus, laus vincere non est, At que decus minimo fiet ab hoſte minus. De precio victi prudet victoria, victor Tantus erit victi gloria quanta fuit Acc: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : xix.v. 9.12. it brake off at the breaking of the day, verſ. 24. but how many hours of the night it laſted, we cannot tell, but ſo long it laſted, till Jacob had the better of the Angel; poſſibly it began at midnight. It is no matter how far a man runs, if he come not nigh the Garland, nor how long the Soul wreſtles with God ſo much, if he wants Faith to get the victory. The Angel ſeems not to wreſtle fairly, he ſhould have given, and he takes advantages of Jacob. For an Angel to fight with a man, with a ſingle man, with a travelling and tired man, was too much: Jacob was rather fit to flie than to fight; nay, rather fit to ſleep than either to fight or fly. The night was made for man to reſt in, but when we cannot ſleep; Oh that we might entertain our waking in wreſtling (as Jacob did) with God.

Thirdly, We have the Duel it ſelf; wherein we have the ground of the Quarrel, and the manner of the Fight.

Firſt, The ground of the Quarrel; Jacob was afraid of Eſau, and he would have a Bleſſing; he flies to God, that he might not fly from Man. Go would have left off, but Jacob would not without Gods conſent to bleſs him; it ſeems that Jacob now was on the offenſive, and God on the defenſive ſide; Lord ſays Jacob, thou art my Priſoner, and before thou art releaſed, bleſs me. God is taken captive by Prayer, and become a priſoner to man, and ſtands at his courteſie, who ſays, I will not let thee go, unleſs thou bleſs me. We ſay, thoſe that have the longeſt Sword, may command Peace when they will; Jacob here is reſolved to make his own terms, for he hath the vantage-ground of the Angel, he hath the Angel at his mercy. I will not let thee go unleſs thou bleſs me. It is not belike now, as God will, but as man will; Jacob prays to God, and then God prays to Jacob, or rather prays Jacob. Let man be a Suter to God, and God will be a Suter to man. The Saints are Gods Favorites, and they may have any thing of him. It is a greater trouble ſometimes to God, not to be asked, than to give (Moleſtius eſt Deo nihil peti, quam dare.) Oh the power of Prayer

Pray not for this people, ſays God as if God were afraid of Prayer. The Prayer of Gods Jacobs are of ſuch power, that God is fain and forced to forbid them to pray, becauſe he would not grant, leſt he ſhould be overcome: This Chriſt ſheweth, when he reſembles his Father to the deaf Judge, and his Petitioner to the impotent woman, which cryed to him, and made him hearken to her, as if ſ • e had compelled him, Luk. 18. Prayer is compared to Sampſons hair; for as all the ſtrength of Sampſon lay in his hair,In hoc quod oculi Domini ſuper juſtos ſunt, effectus aſp • cientis oſtenditur; in hoc autem quod aures D. ſunt in precibus juſtorum, exaudientis largitas demonſtratur, & non tantum audientia D. ſed quaſi obedientia deſignetur. Salv. in Pſa. 34. ſo all our ſtrength lies in our Prayers (in Chriſt our Head.) The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are in their crys, Pſa. 34. Whereby is ſignified, that God doth not onely give an audience to prayer, but that he is at the command of prayer; that he yeelds it, q.d. a kind of obedience. Oh! How potent is Jacobs prayer with the Omnipotent? How mighty with the Almighty? Let Prayer be onely mighty with God; it is enough that Prayer is as it were Almighty with man.

Secondly, We have the nature or manner of the Combate, It was both corporeal and ſpiritual.

Firſt, It was outward or corporeal. Jacob was real fleſh and blood, and the Angel appeared in the form of fleſh and blood. This wreſtling was not ſpiritual onely, becauſe of what the Apoſtle ſaid, Epheſ. 6.12▪ We wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers; neither ſecondly, was it in a dream, as the Rabby dreams, as if Jacobs Thigh had been hurt, not by wreſtling but by travelling; But the continuance of Jacobs wreſtling till the morning, the real and ſenſible hurt of his Thigh, the impoſition of a new name, the teſtimony of the Prophet, Hoſ. 12.4. ſhew that his wreſtling was real. The Angel would try a fall with Jacob, and Jacob, ſe defendendo, would try a fall with the Angel. Hoeſit pede pes, denſuſ que viro vir, ut Poeta. Jacob plaid, q.d. at hug with the Angel. Methinks I ſee them to lay Arm on Arm, to ſet Shoulder to Shoulder, put Foot to Foot they fought hand to hand, as one man fights with another. Epalaien, ſays the Septuagint, Ekulieto, ſay Symmachus and Aquila, Jeabak, ſays the Hebrew, a peculiar word, not uſed as I know of but in this hiſtory; they did raiſe the duſt about one another with their feet, if poſſible to hinder each others circumſpection by it, as the notation of the word is; or according to the cuſtom of wreſtlers of old (who contended naked, anoynting themſelves that they might be the more active and nimble) caſt duſt or ſand one upon another,In arenam deſcendere, operam & oleum perdere, apaleſtros ineruditus. Prov. that ſo they might take ſurer hold one of another. Some ſay (from Abak) the Angel and Jacob did tug and turn each other till they ſweat at it, that a vapor or exhalation did ariſe from the ſtruggling of their Bodies, which is common both to runners and wreſtlers; they did not beat the Air (as the Apoſtle hath it elegantly) they did not wreſtle in jeaſt, but they ſtrove to bring under each others body, contending for victory as for life. We may not think that this was muta lucta, blows without words, though in Combates there is more need of blows than words; yet this wreſtling of Jacob was not onely, no not principally corporeal, but ſecondly, ſpiritual; Jacob contended as well by the ſtrength of his Faith, as by the force of his body. Tears and Prayers were the Embaſſadors of Jacobs heart to treat, and the weapons of his hands to contend with the Angel. Proprium erat Athletarum & pugilum clamor & gemitus quo ſe in luctâ confirmarent. Pincd. So ſaith Hoſea, He wept and made ſupplication; who wept? the Angel or Jacob? the Conqueror or the conquered? If the Angel wept (which ſeems moſt agreeable to ſenſe, for humane paſſions and actions are attributed to Angels in Scripture) then it was becauſe he was conquered; if Jacob wept, (as the uſual interpretation is, which I here follow) then it was either violently by the diſtorting or unjoynting of his Thigh, which might provoke tears; or naturally, even for vexation that he could not yet prevail; and alſo morally, he ſhed tears of blood in his heart; he aſſaulted the Angel with Arguments that he might prevail. Jacobus vincit invincibilem non praeliaudo ſed precando. Jacob wreſtled by Tears, and prevailed by Prayers; he not onely prayed but cried, his weeping was a loud cry, and though he had ſpoken never a word, yet every tear had a voyce in it. Jacob had more hold and power of the Angel with his tears than with his hands; Per que ſinus lachrymae flumiais inſtat eunt. he holds faſt and crys out, If I fall, the Angel ſhall fall too. Right Jacob ſtill! he had formerly cheated his Brother, and now he would ſupplant the Angel: in a nobler ſenſe might Jacob here be ſaid to fight, not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers; ſuch as Jacobs Antagoniſts was, ſuch were his weapons, both ſpiritual.

We may ſay of Jacob, Nunquam lachrymae inita redduntur imperio ſed magis irretantur. Seu. as was ſaid of Hezekiah, I have heard (ſayes the Lord) thy prayers and tears; a a ſtrange ſpeech! I have heard thy Prayers, that we underſtand well enough; but I have heard thy Tears, have tears tongues? or can tears ſpeak that they may be heard? I dare adventure to ſay, that the thunder that cleaves the clouds, makes not ſuch a ratling ſound and roaring noiſe in the ears of man, as the tears of the true Jacobs do in the ears of God. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) God like a tender Mother picks out the neceſſities of his children by their tears; and doth as wel, if not better, underſtand their mind by their weeping than by their words. Many have fervently uttered their will to God, that have ſpoken never a word. Why cryeſt thou to me? ſays God to Moſes, Ex. 14. I read of Gods crying to Moſes, but not of Moſes his crying to God,Moſes egit vocis ſilentium ut corde clamaret. no not a word. Hezekiah chatters like a Crane, and mourns as a Dove, Iſa. 38.14. Yet God hears ſenſe, though he cannot ſpeak ſenſe; words are but like ſmoak, Faith is the fire, and though ſmoak is a ſign of fire, yet often there is leaſt ſmoak, where there is moſt fire.

Chriſt receives ſighs in his Cenſor for Prayers: Though others mock at groans, yet he that made them knows what they mean. The Spirit firſt makes the ſigh as an Interceſſor, and then as God hears it; He is within praying, and without hearing; a dumb beggar gets an Almes at Chriſts gate even by making ſigns, when his tongue cannot plead for him, and the rather, becauſe he is dumb. The Lord regards not the Grammar of prayers, how men word it in prayer; nor the Arithmetick of prayers, how often they pray; nor the Rhetorick of Prayers, how finely they pray;Cum Spiritus Jacobi ſuſpirat Spiritus Dei inſpirat. nor the Muſick of prayers, what ſweetneſs of tone men have in prayer; but the Divinity of prayer. Chriſtians, the Spirit of God makes interceſſion in us with ſighs and groans which cannot be uttered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for their greatneſs; that as there is joy unſpeakable, ſo there is ſorrow unutterable; rather for their littleneſs, their feebleneſs, and faintneſs: yet God hears them when we ſcarce feel them; he knows the meaning of thoſe groans, which never as yet knew their own meaning, and underſtands the ſenſe of thoſe ſighs, Oratio licet tacens eſt Deus clamor. which never underſtood themſelves. But may the ſoul ſay, If my groans are unutterable, are they not then unaudible, can they be heard when they are not uttered? Oh! conſider, that as God can hear without an ear, ſo thou mayſt speak without a tongue. And on the contrary. What a ſweet thing is it, for a broken heart to ſhed tears in the boſom, and drop tears on the Bible when it is a reading in private, to weep and read, and read and weep again, not to be able to ſee letters for tears? Mary Magdalen was famous for tears, and Chriſt was never ſo near her, as when ſhe could not ſee him for weeping. When we wreſtle with God, we muſt mingle more Faith with our Prayers, we muſt pray more beleevingly; we muſt mingle more fire with our Prayers, we muſt pray more fervently; we muſt, as Jacob, mingle more water with our prayers, pray more humbly and weepingly. Though we read not of his weeping plainly in the Hiſtory,Plerum que hoc negotium plus gemitibus quam ſer •• nibus, plus fletu quam affatu geritur. yet we do in the Prophecie; probably Hoſea (ſome may think) had that carriage by relation or Revelation. Prayers and Patience are the Armor, Prayers and Tears are the weapons of a Chriſtian: If we would conquer as Jacob did, we muſt weep or ſigh as Jacob did. As muſick on the water ſounds more harmoniouſly than on the land; ſo prayers joyned with tears with God. Sinners wreſtle with God for the pardon of their ſins, and as they never obtain it without a bleeding heart, ſo ſeldom can they read it with dry eyes.

Jacobs Faith is implyed. For Prayer without Faith, is as a Gun diſcharged without a bullet, that may make a great noyſe, but doth little execution. Jacobs reaſoning was Jacobs wreſtling with God in prayer. Deliver me, ſaith he, from the hand of my brother Eſau, there is the ground of his engagement, v. 11. which he maintains with ten ſtrong charges or aſſaults one after another.

The firſt Charge Jacob gives the Angel, is, He urges God from the Covenant made with his fore-fathers; O God of my Father Abraham, and God of my Father Iſaak, q.d. remember thoſe Names with whom thou didſt make ſolemn Covenants, for the Protection of them and their poſterity; will the Lord forget his Favorites and friends? but if the Lord will not yeeld at one aſſault, Si Deus ſemper exaudiret omnes non jam ex voluntate libera ſed ex quadam velut • eceſſitate facere videretur. he ſhall have another. Jacob comes not to God as if he came to fetch fire, a ſpurt and away, like a Meſſenger which is gone before he have his anſwer; Jacob is reſolved to have no other anſwer but to be anſwered, Therefore, he gives a

Second charge from Gods ſpecial command to undertake the journey; Lord! ſays Jacob, thou ſaydſt to me return, q.d. am I returning on my own head, or on thy counſel? and art thou not concerned to bring me out of that trouble, that thy command hath brought me into? have I, O Lord, obeyed thy command, and will not God perform his Promiſe? brave Jacob! He ſays not Prayers as children ſay Grace, or as men like children ſay a Pater Noſter, if God will hear them ſo it is, they never troubled God before, and they will never trouble him after, in all their lives. Jacob fights rather for the Bleſſing than for the Victory, and he will rather dye at the Angels feet, than give over fighting, till the Angel give out fighting, and give in a bleſſing; I had rather, ſays Jacob, die a Conqueror, than live a Coward.

And therefore gives a third Charge in putting God in mind of his promiſe. Thou toldeſt me, O Lord, thou wouldſt deal well with me; will the Lord ſay and unſay? if the Lord had not promiſed to be with me, I had reſolved not to have adventured on this journey; wherefore, O Lord, if thy promiſe ſtand, I cannot fall. Fight ſtill Jacob, crys the Lord, ſtill! I crys Jacob, and will never be ſtill till thou bleſs me. If my petition were unlawful, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . xl. eth. I would never have preſented it, but if it be lawful, why ſhould I deſiſt it? I had as good never have contended, crys Jacob, if I ſhould be contented without conquering, I love not to quarrel, The firſt ſtroak begins the battel, but the laſt onely wins it, which Jacob knows, and therefore is reſolved to have the laſt word of, and give the laſt blow to the Angel. Victorious Jacob! And

Fourthly, Aſſaults, and reaſons from his unworthineſs. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all thy mercies; or according to the Hebrew, I am leſs than all; though I am bold to urge thy Covenant, yet I am ready to acknowledge my undeſert; Lord, thou art indeed my Debtor, but by thy Promiſe made to me, not by any performance of mine to thee. Humble Jacob! The Angels mercy, is all his merit. Faith is always humble, and though it be moſt confident in Gods word, yet it is moſt diſtruſtful of its own deſert. Thou art a Dog ſays Chriſt to the Canaanite, and doth childrens bread uſe to be flung to Dogs? Truth, Lord, ſays ſhe, I am a Dog; and though I may not ſit at Table with the children, yet I may lie under the Table, and eat the crums with the Dogs. If I be a dog, I am thy dog; though thou frowneſt on me, yet feed me; though by thy power thou mayſt kick me, yet by my relation thou muſt k ep me: Lord, I am not a child, I confeſs, yet I am one of thy houſhold, becauſe a Dog. Oh! that though we are called children, we might have this one property of a dog, with this woman, to hold faſt, as ſhe did. Yet Jacob gives not out. But

Deus non dat Jacobo niſi petenti, ne det non accipienti.Fifthly, Reaſons, and ſtands upon his experience he had of God, verſ. 10. Thou haſt ſhewed mercy and truth unto thy ſervant, and with my ſtaff I paſſed over Jordan, and am become two bands; while Jacob ſeeks for a further bleſſing, he remembers former bleſſings. Lord, thou waſt with me to bring me to this abundance, and wilt thou ſuffer my Brother to b • aſt all? am I increaſed onely to make him abound? Ah Lord! How many of thy Saints think they are not children, becauſe they are not men in Chriſt? and though they have more worth than thouſands a year, in unfained Faith, yet they walk ſo mournfully, as if they were not worth a farthing, nor had not a dram of experience, but ſhould die as beggars: How many Hypocrites lye in ſaying, they have that of God in them they have not? and how many Saints lye (though they think not of it) denying to have that of God in them which they have? and ſpeak as if they had received nothing; as if with Jacob they had never come over Jordan, or received the leaſt Divine favor: But Jacob is a ſubtle Beggar, and he gives thanks for what he hath, and thinks that the ready way to get more from God: Whom he aſſaults with a

Sixt Argument, taken from his relation to God. Lord, ſays Jacob, I am thy ſervant: as if he ſhould ſay, is the Lord a Father, and will he not care for his children when they cry? is the Lord my Maſter, and ſhall Jacob be put out of ſervice, when he moſt needs relief? Lord! I am thine, ſays David, what then David? what then? why? Lord then ſave me. So Jacob cries here, I am thy ſervant, I am thine though but a ſervant. Jacob ſeems to be a bold Beggar, yet not praying as Beggars cant. Jacob had learned that modeſty in ſuch caſes pleaſes not God; Thus Jacob ſays (as Eliſha to Elijah) to God, I will not leave thee; he doth not onely ſpread his petition before the Lord, and there leave it, but ſtrengthens it with all the Arguments he could, pleading upon pleading, as if God were moſt at eaſe, when hee gave him no reſt. And therefore

Seventhly, Lord, conſider my fear from Eſau. Hath the Lord given the bleſſing, and will he not maintain the ſame? indeed Eſau is my Brother, yet he is thine Enemy. If there be nothing in me for which thou ſhouldſt keep me, yet there is ſomething in him for which thou mayſt not ſuffer him to devour me. Lord, ſays Jacob, Thy friends are my freinds, and are not mine Enemies thy Enemies? Thus Jacob earneſtly pleads a League offenſive and defenſive made with God, bringing his Omnipotency into the Ingagement, as knowing, that if he joyn with God, that Eſau cannot hurt him, unleſs firſt he ſtrike through the loyns of his God. Deus nobiſcum, Cum Jacobo tardius dat Deus benedictionem ſuam, commendat non negat. was the watch-word of ſome of the Romans, and our word is Immanuel, that is by Interpretation, God with us. And indeed, if we be of Immanuel Coledge, of the Society of Jeſus, God Man, if God be for us, we need not care who is againſt us. Jacob fears no hurt, if he can get that God on his ſide that is above all Gods, and that Power to be with him that is above all Power, and therefore plucks up his ſpirits, and gives,

Eighthly, Another Charge, urging God with the greatneſs of the peril. O Lord ſays he, Eſau will come and ſlay the Mother with the Children; that is, he will have no mercy, according to the Hebrew way of expreſſion, he will deſtroy root and branch, that is, all. If thou giveſt me up to his hands, he hath no fear of thee, and how then will he pity me? And yet Jacob hath not done, But,

Ninethly, Reinforces the former promiſe more violently. Lord, thou didſt not onely ſay, thou wouldſt deal well with me, but alſo that in doing good, thou wouldſt do me good, Thou wilt ſurely do me good, will the Lord deny his own Promiſe?

And laſtly, Jacob reſolves for the bleſſing, and though he hath done, as it were, praying, yet he hath not done doing; As if Jacob to your apprehenſion did throw down his Petition, and take up his Sword, and ſays to the Angel, if one will not, the other will; Methinks I ſee the Royal blood of Faith to ſparkle in Jacobs face, and hear him thus reſolving, Well, as long as I have an Ey, ile weep, as long as I have a Mouth, ile cry, as long as I have an Arm, ile fight and wreſtle; I will either fairly conquer, or be conquered. I will not let thee go unleſs thou bleſs me, thats once, crys Jacob. I will not Jacob! God cannot (to ſpeak with reverence) reſiſt Jacobs will not. onely he that doth the will of God, can have his will of God. Phyloſophy, go play with your nullum violentum perpetuum, nothing is permanent which is violent;Qui timidè rogat docet negare the more a man faſts, ſometimes the more (we ſay) he may, So here Jacob, the more he wreſtles the more he may: Oh that with Jacob we could thus put the Promiſes in ſuit by our prayers; and as the Martyr ſaid, burthen God with them; the bolder we make with God, the better welcome. Jacob will not looſe the Bleſſing for want of b • gging.

Fourthly, Wee have the iſſue of the Duell.

Firſt, The Angel ſeemed to win ground, and to • hump Jacob under his feet, He touched the hallow of his thigh, and the hallow of Jacobs thigh was out of joynt, as he wreſtled with him; Sanatur vulnus ſed manet eicatrix. of his right thigh probably, wherein lay the greateſt ſtrength; the bone for a time was put out of the place, and driven out of the joynt; and though it was quickly put in again, as ſome think, yet did it leave pain and weakneſs behind it. How now, Jacob! wreſtle with God? yet Jacob wreſtles with one leg though he halt with the other. As one ſwallowed down his Teeth knocked out, and another covered his Forehead with a Lawrel, broken by their Adverſaries, that they might not ſee, and ſo not inſult over their blows and wounds. So Jacob wreſtled as if he had not halted.

Now the Lord did offer this prejudice to Jacob, that he might not go away vaporing, becauſe halting; as Paul was pricked with a thorn in the fleſh that he might not be puffed up with pride in his ſpirit, 2 Cor. 12. As Jacob did feel the hand of God, ſo Paul poſſibly in a proper ſenſe might feel the Devils fingers; It was good for Paul to be buffeted by Satan, for otherwiſe (through temptations to pride becauſe of his revelations) he might have buffetted God. As one complaining of his lameneſs, the Philoſopher told him, he would remember vertue the better every ſtep he fetched; God made Jacob halt as he was wreſtling, that he might underſtand he ſtood not on his own legs, but was carried in his Arms. God here did as Wreſtlers, that ſtrive to diſtort the limbs of their Adverſaries to weaken them in their wreſtling. Thirdly, By the hurting of the hollow place wherein the Huckle-bone moveth (which being ſo hard a place for a man to come unto) Jacob did underſtand he was no ordinary man with whom he wreſtled. And laſtly, Jacob had this ſenſible hurt, and viſible lameneſs, that hereafter he might know,Claudus in viâ melior eſt quam currens extra viam. and others underſtand from him that he did not wreſtle in a dream, or dream of a wreſtling with an Angel; He beheld the teſtimonies of a divine Power about him.

Every Jacob hath his halting, but there are ſome that halt that are not Jacobs. How long will you halt between two Opinions? 1 King. 18. Where almoſt is the Chriſtian, of whom it may be ſaid as once it was of Nathaniel, behold an Iſraelite indeed in whom is no guile? The Habaſſines are Jacobites and Chriſtians from the girdle upward, and Jews downward; admitting both of Baptiſm and Circumciſion: So many divide their love between Chriſt and the world; look on their heads and they are all of gold, they have golden profeſſions, but look on their feet, and they are of clay, they have worldly affections. Some fancy, as if Jacob were cured of this halting the next day; but it is beleeved he kept his halting as long as he kept (on earth) his bleſſing, and went not onely Iſrael, but halting or limping to the grave. Jacob halted, and yet was bleſſed; his bleſſing did neither take away his halting, nor his halting did not remove his bleſſing. How many halt with Jacob, that are not bleſſed with Jacob? which made an Antient cry out, Oh that I might halt with Jacob, and that God would put the hollow of my Thigh out of joynt, that I might be humbled, that my ſinew of pride might ſhrink, that I might with Jacob prevail with God. Jacob halted, and yet the Jews honored him with a daily remembrance. Neither the blindneſs of Iſaack, nor lameneſs of Mephiboſheth, nor the halting of Jacob, made them leſs beloved of God, nor leſs noble in the eyes of wiſe and good men. Such Infirmities and deformities, that are not contracted by our wilfull wickedneſs, but caſt on us by Providence, are matter not of ſcorn but of thanks to thoſe that have them not, and matter not of deſpair but of humility to thoſe that have them. The wound of Jacob is not ſo grievous, as the ſign is comfortable: Well is that part of us loſt, which may give aſſurance of the ſalvation of the whole; and our Faith is not yet ſound, if it hath not taught us to neglect pain for God; and more to love the ſeal of his preſence than our fleſh. It is yet remembred who had the ſenſe of the following Diſtincts.

Stigmata maxillis bajulans inſignia laudis Exultam redeo victima grata Deo:

But notwithſtanding Jacob halts, Chriſtus pendebat & tamen petebat, hic Jacobus laxatus eſt & tamen luctatus eſt yet he wreſtles. In that Jacob halted, it was a ſign of Gods preſence, in that though hee halted, yet hee wreſtled, it was a ſign of Gods approbation, Jacob wreſtles though he halts. Valorous Jacob!

Secondly, He wins the Victory in concluſion over the Angel, though he halt: And that two ways.

1 Jacob prevails Polemically, or (as I may ſay) by Power, As a Prince he had power over the Angel, Gen. 32.28. Hoſ. 12.3. O Lord! How few Jacobs are there in the world? Either we wreſtle not at all, or we get not the victory. Jacob prevailed with God, thats a wonder indeed; for it had been nothing for God to have prevailed with Jacob; yet I dare ſay, it is a hard thing for God to prevail over man, as it is for man to prevail with God; and the reaſon is plain, becauſe even when God prevails with man, man prevails with God; when man yeelds to God, then God yeelds to man. But doth Jacob indeed prevail with God? O the Princedom of Prayer! None ſo ſtrong as the Lyon of Judah, for he overcame the roaring Lyon; yet a beleeving Tongue, an humble Knee, and a broken Heart, conquers even our Conqueror. Prayer is omnipotent, for as ſin is called infinite (objectively not formally) becauſe it is practiſed againſt an infinite God; ſo Prayer is as it were Omnipotent, becauſe it prevails with an Omnipotent God. When God ſaw that he prevailed not; When he ſaw; God knew the iſſue of the Combate before he took the Field; this is ſpoken, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or to our capacity; the experience of the thing is taken for Gods fore-knowledge; the Lord with the blaſt of his mouth could have confounded Jacob, the Lord could not, becauſe he would not; Gods cannot in Scripture, is his will not. He diſpoſeth of his Power according to his own will and purpoſe; and therefore as long as he can do all he will, he is Omnipotent. The object of the Omnipotency of God, is whatſoever is adverſe to his Nature, and doth not imply a contradiction, and therefore it is no diſparagement of the Power of God not to be able to ſin, ſin being rather a defect than an act, rather a ſign of Impotency than Power. We ſay often concerning thoſe things wee will not doe, wee cannot do; eſpecially, when though we have Power to do thoſe things, yet we have determined the contrary; which reaſon is more conſiderable with God than with man, becauſe the decrees of man are changeable, and may be broken off, but the divine Decrees are immutable, and unalterable; and therefore when it is ſaid, Chriſt could not do many mighty works becauſe of unbeleef in his own Country, Mat. 13.58. the meaning is, Chriſt would not, in reſpect of their unbeleef, not becauſe abſolutely he could not; and that the Angel could do nothing till Lot came to Zoar, Gen. 19.22. it was not in reſpect of Lots Power, as of the Angels pitty. So here, God would give Jacob the victory. Even as lovers are diſpoſed for the nonce to take a fall one of another, the ſtronger of the weaker, ſo God ſhall wreſtle a fall with thee, O Chriſtian, as he did with Jacob, and yeeld ſo much in love to thee, as to ſuffer thee to give him the foil and fall, and to prevail againſt him. Deus qui contra ſe viribus nullis ſuperatur precibus vincitur The Lord fell down before Jacob, Jacob did not throw him down; God was as willing to be conquered, as Jacob for all his heart was willing to conquer. Jacob prevails over God before he prevails over man.

Let Naturaliſts recal what they expreſs, Before you do the greater do the leſs. Jacob Leſs than the leaſt of all is here, that can Prevail with God, before he conquers man.

Secondly, Jacob prevailed, When? not before but after he was lame; as the Apoſtle ſaith, ſo might Jacob ſay, when I am weak then am I ſtrong: It is a true experience in the wreſtling School of Chriſt, when a man is ſtrongeſt he is weakeſt, and when he is weakeſt he is ſtrongeſt; Jacob here made the Angel fall when he was ſcarce able to ſtand, and ſtood it out; though his Joynts were out of joynt, yet ſtill he wreſtles, and the more lame he was, the more reaſon he had to hold. Oh happy loſs of Jacob! he loſt a joynt, and wone a Bleſſing; he was bleſſed becauſe he would rather halt than leave ere he was bleſſed. You ſee prayer can do more than all the Witches in the world, they can onely bridle the Devil, but this bridles or bindes God.

Secondly, Jacob prevails politically; as well as powerfully; he treats with the Angel, and proffers to give him fair quarter; Articles and Propoſitions paſs between them; Let me go, who crys ſo? Jacob or the Angel? the Angel; which the Lord ſo ſpeaketh, not as though he could not have departed without Jacobs leave, but ſheweth therein how much he eſteemed of his Servant, aſcribing ſo much to his Prayers, as though they had bound him. Prayer is the Servant of God; and, be it ſpoken with reverence, God is ſometimes at the ſervice of prayer, command ye me concerning the works of my hands; as if the Lord ſhould ſay, Prayer, I am your Servant, the prayer of the righteous avails much with God, if it be fervent, it holds Chriſt in the Galleries, and the Angel on the ground, and will not let go without a bleſſing. As he that is a beleever hath all becauſe he hath God that is all; ſo he that is a Jacob can do all things, in a ſenſe, becauſe he hath conquered him that can do all things, I, and him that is all things. Ligatum habent ſancti Dominum ut non puniat niſi permiſerint ipſi, Exo. 32.10. No Grace hath done ſo much as Prayer, for all Graces have had their power from Prayer in Chriſt, wherefore prayer hath done as many exploits as all the Graces beſides.

And that which is more than all this, if more can be, Prayer overcomes God, not onely when he is well pleaſed, as he was with Jacob, when any child may deal with him, but alſo when he was diſpleaſed, as he was with the Iſraelites, when no man could come near him, when his wrath burned as fire, when he thundered from Heaven and clove the rocks aſunder, when the Sea and Land was put into a trembling and ſhaking, yet when Moſes entred into the gap, all this Omnipotent Power came to nothing, God, though never ſo angry, was not able to enter on the breach, but prayer got the victory over him, Let me alone, ſaith God to Moſes, Exo. 32.10. that I may conſume this Nation, Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus. and I will make of thee a mighty people; God ſeems to hire Moſes to be ſilent, as if he ſhould have ſaid, Moſes, leave off thy praying (as the Chaldee hath it) though Iſrael periſh, yet thou ſhalt proſper, thou ſhalt not be a loſer by it, Ile make of thee a mighty people. Let me alone! who would look for ſuch a word from God to man? Let me alone! As yet Moſes had ſaid nothing; before he opens his mouth, God prevents his importunity, as foreſeeing that holy violence that the requeſt of Moſes would have offered to him. Moſes ſtood trembling before the Majeſty of his Maker, and yet hears him ſay, Let me alone. The Mercy of God, hath, as it were, obliged his Power to the Faith of man, and by Praye: the hands of the Almighty are bound to the Peace, when he hath a quarrel with his people; the Servants prayers hinder the Lords power, Servi preces Domini potentiam impediebant. as one ſweetly. And if Moſes will, the Almighty, though he may be angry with, yet he cannot ſtrike or do execution on, Iſrael.

Prayer's like a vapor fum'd from th'earth, that flies To th'gates of Heaven, and never rots i'th' Skies. If Faith and it be joyn'd, it will obtain And melt into a firſt and latter rain. If Faith forſake her, and they part aſunder, It falls in Thunder-bolts, at leaſt in thunder.

Saints! conſider the power of Prayer, God forbad Moſes to pray, and yet he obtained what he prayed for, and diverted him from thoſe Judgements he threatned; If Moſes prevailed againſt a command, how cannot we but prevail when we have a promiſe? if Moſes prevailed when God bade him not to pray, we ſhall certainly prevail, when God bids us to pray. Ask and ye ſhall have; it is but ask and have.

Let me go, ſays God here to Jacob, one would think that ſhould rather be the ſpeech of Jacob to God. Let me go! is the Angel in earneſt? ſurely, the Angel was as willing to bleſs as he was to combate with Jacob; though God did not directly bid him ſtrive, yet he ſecretly inſinuated, that if he would hold faſt he ſhould have the bleſſing; Like as a Father being angry, makes as if he would go from his Son, and ſaith to one,Quid eſt ſervo dicere dimitte me niſi deprecandi anſum prabere. ſtanding by, let me go, meaning the contrary, that he ſhould not let him go, but mediate for his Son. Let me alone! the Lord ſpeaks as one in bed, and very ſleepy, as if ſhe ſhould ſay, do not trouble me, I am deſirous to take my reſt; ſo the Lord ſeems to ſay now, Sion, let me alone, pray not for the converſion of ſouls, pray no more for the adminiſtration of righteouſneſs, trouble me no more with your prayers, he that is unclean let him be unclean ſtill, and he that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill; But O Lord! Shall we indeed give over praying? ſhall we ceaſe petitioning? no, as Elijah in an holy ſenſe ſaid cry aloud; ſo pray aloud to God; the more willing God ſeems to take his reſt, the more willing indeed he is to be troubled, and the greater ſilence he keeps, the more importunate he is with us, that we ſhould be importunate to awaken him. Let me go, that is, let me not go; Let me alone, that is, let me not alone: Or as if God ſhould ſay, Sinners, will you let me alone? can you be content to let your God go, before he bleſs you? (Deus non dat Jacobo niſi petenti, ne det non accipienti.)

Let me go, for the day breaks; not as though the Angel was to go to the reſt of the bleſſed company of Angels to ſing their morning Hymne to God, as the Hebrews imagine, for they, not onely in the morning, but, conſtantly praiſe God; this is ſpoken according to the manner or cuſtom of men, having now taken the form and ſhape of a man, as though he had haſte to other buſineſs, and leaving Jacob to his affairs; as alſo, becauſe the Angel would not have this viſion deſcried and diſcerned by others, ſeeing it ſpecially was intended for a private conflict in the night, without ſpectators, none muſt be witneſſes of it but Jacob, neither muſt Jacob himſelf know fully with whom he wreſtled; and that Jacob might not be too curious in gazing on that ſhape, wherein the Angel appeared. Laſtly, Some apprehend the Angel to ſpeak like a greater grave man, as if he had done ſomething below his honor, as to contend with his child, and did not care to have it known to the reſt of the ſervants, as if the Angel had been aſhamed, and being foiled by his inferior, ſhould have ſaid, be gone, never let man ſee that thou haſt conquered God, the day breaks, and will diſcover it. The Hebrews bring Jacob in their tradition, as ſtrictly examining the Angel, as ſuſpecting that he with whom he wreſtled had been a Night-walker, and had intended either to have robbed or murdered him. What doth this man mean, ſays Jacob, to deſire to be gone becauſe the day breaks? is he an honeſt travailer, and yet fears the Sun ſhould diſcover him? why did he not deſire to be gone before now? are his deeds evill, that he fears the light? But this is ſpoken without warrant, though not without wit.

Let thee go, ſays Jacob, no, I could have been without the bleſſing if I had never fought, and I am reſolved not to fight ſo long for nothing. Let me go! Jacob now ſings victoria, Pugna ſuum finem, cum rogat boſtis, habet and by this requeſt is the more inflamed to fight it out. Let me go Jacob! why ſo? the quarrel belike is ended.

Put up thy Weapons Jacob, leave the Field, Harke Jacob! the Almighty crys, I yeeld. Though thou art Iſrael, yet do not boaſt, The Bleſſing's got, but yet thy joynt is loſt.

No more wreſtling it ſeems, when the day breaks; As our Lord and Maſter ſaith, work while you have the day, for the night comes and no man can work; So he ſaith on the contrary, Sinners, work, wreſtle with God, fight with the world, while the night lasteth, The day-break of Eternity is a comming, and you ſhall wreſtle and fight no more. Pharaoh purſued Iſrael to the red Sea, and there he left them; the Devil, and Sin, and the World, may follow and haunt the ſoul to Heaven gates, but there they ſhall trouble it no more; fears and frightings are for the night of this world, but joy and triumph are for the morning of glory. (Terra eſt exercitium hominis, coelum corona, Ambr.) Saints, here is your Sea to be toſſed on, there is your harbor; here is your warfare, your place to fight in, there is your crown. Who would not have Jacob's hard lodging, to have had his hearty dream? Now you are troubled, becauſe you are in the dark; now your queſtions are, which is my nigheſt way to Heaven? what is the fitteſt company to travel withall? how ſhall I avoide Theeves and Robbers, or conquer them if I meet them? how ſhall I know that the Lord is my Father? that Chriſt is my Husband? that the Spirit is my guide? the Devil hath caſt me down, how ſhall I riſe? the World hath wounded my peace, where ſhall I get balm? my Ignorance is invincible, my Conſcience is feared, my Converſation is licentious; I ſhall never be more than a conqueror through Chriſt; I ſhall one day fall by the hands of Saul, of pride, and luſt; I ſhall never ſee the Lord give me the victory over ſin, let me pray never ſo powerfully, let me profeſs never ſo long. Ah Chriſtians! never uſe that word Never, thou haſt almoſt done fighting, almoſt done wreſtling, almoſt done weeping, almoſt done bleeding. Thoſe Egyptian Temptations you ſee now, you ſhall ſee dead on the Sea ſhoar of eternity; the day is a dawning, and the ſhadows ſhall fly away; and you ſhall never be foiled by the world more, never cry out againſt your hard heart more, David ſhall no more pray, Lord, take not thy Holy Spirit from me, nor Paul, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? nor the Diſciples, Lead us not into temptation; Such complaints then ſhall be out of date, and ſuch queſtions put out of queſtion, and doubts out of doubt. Farewel Phiſick was Chaucers Motto; and farewel Diſeaſes, farewel Afflictions, farewel Sin, nay, farewel Repentance too, is a dying Saints Motto. Jacob here halts, but there he ſhall not wreſtle; Jacob then hath done both his limping and his fighting; ariſe and ſhine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is riſen on thee, Nihil crus ſentit in nervo cum animus eſt in coelo Tertul. ad Mar yr. Iſa. 60. Jacob then lets God go, when the day breaks; his thigh then ſhall no more be put out of joynt.

As we have the Angels Propoſition, Let me go; ſo we have Jacobs Anſwer, negatively, I will not let thee go, that is certain, unleſs thou bleſs me. But will Jacob let the Angel go then? The meaning is not, as if Jacob did not care for the Angel when he had his bleſſing, but onely, that Jacob would not let him go at that time without the bleſſing. God always tarries with his bleſſing. Unleſs thou bleſs me, that is, ſay ſome, unleſs thou acknowledge me thy ſuperior in this Duel, that I am thy better; but honor is in the perſon honoring, not in the perſon honored. Others think Jacob onely deſired that the Angel would go from him in peace. But thirdly, I apprehend, that Jacob perceiving his adverſary to be a Divine perſon, acknowledgeth him his Superior, and deſireth that in his departure he would bleſs him; for the leſs is bleſſed of the greater; and he bleſſed him, not that the impoſition of the new name was the benediction here ſpoken of, but the Lord did expreſly bleſs Jacob, probably, in that forme and manner wherein he bleſſed Abraham, In thy ſeed ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed, confirming likewiſe the former bleſſings given him, Gen. 27.28. and 28.34. and comforting him againſt the hurt of his Thigh, ver. 25. God ſo ſhewing himſelf the ſmiter and the healer, Hoſ. 6.1. Thus the Angel confeſſeth he was conquered, as by the bleſſing he gave according to Jacobs demand; So ſecondly, by the impoſition of a new name, which is ſolemnly repreſented, Firſt, by a queſtion, what is thy name? Secondly, Which queſtion the Angel puts forth, not as ignorant of Jacobs name, but from hence to take a freſh advantage to give him a more glorious name. God appeared to Jacob twice before this, and asked not his name before now, That Jacob (ſaith one) might take occaſion to return to him with the ſame queſtion, not doubting but that he would give him ſome peculiar name, whereby he may the better remember and honor him. What is thy name? Thou art ſuch a fellow, ſays the Angel, as I never before met withall. Methinks I ſee the Lord dubbing Jacob Knight of the Praying Order, kneel down Jacob, and riſe up Iſrael, for as a Prince haſt thou prevailed with God, thou art a conqueror, if ever any were, and thou ſhalt prevail with men, as formerly thou haſt with Laban, ſo now with Eſau, though he ſeems to out-match thee in number and power of people. Thou haſt conquered God, and thou ſhalt conquer man; therefore thou ſhalt conquer man becauſe thou haſt conquered God.Jacobus ëst plurimarum palmarum homo. Jacob was a man of many prayers, and now a man of many victories; Many Saints, as David, Peter, &c. have wreſtled well, but here is Jacob hath out-wreſtled them all.

Thou art Iſrael. Of old they were wont to ſay, How gracious is Alexander with Hepheſtion (who was his Favorite) but not how gracious is the Angel with Jacob, but how gracious is Jacob with the Angel? Iſrael is a more famous warrior than Hannibal, not onely becauſe he fought with God ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) but becauſe he knew not onely how to get, but to keep the victory; for as he wreſtled till he conquered, ſo he triumphed till he was bleſſed. Jacob was a wreſtler in the womb, and a conqueror in the world; Jacob got the victory, and politickly clipt her wings that ſhe ſhould not flee from him. Henceforward no more Alexander the Great, Charlemain, or William the Conqueror, but Jacob the Great, but Jacob the Conqueror. He is properly Right Honorable, and of him properly may we ſay, his Excellency, who, with this Patriarch, is rightly honorable, and as he did, excells with God.

Thy name ſhall no more be called Jacob, but Iſrael; the change of names in the godly is an argument of favor with God, and of honor with men, and a provocation for them whoſe names are changed, to change from bad to good, from good to better. No more Jacob, that is onely Jacob, but alſo Iſrael; as when the Lord ſaith, Ier. 7.22. that he required not ſacrifices of the people, that is, onely outward ſacrifices; for by the name of Iſrael, Jacobs poſterity was rather honored than himſelf; he did not leave his old name Jacob; his poſterity being called rather the children of Iſrael than of Jacob, and familiarly Iſraelites, not Jacobites. (Nomen quo tu Iſrael, appellaris Dei cogniti argumentum eſt, ut amplius incredulitatem tuam patefaciat, cur igitur geſtas cognomen quod perſonae probro ſit? factis appellationem tuam impugnas, & calumnia nomen tuum afficis. Baſil. Seleuc. Orat. 19.) As the Apoſtle had not the name of Simon abrogated, but only the name of Peter added, as the more honorable title; So the Patriarch loſt not the name of Jacob, but gained the name of Iſrael. He is called Iſrael in oppoſition to Jacob, which ſignifies ſubtlety, and importeth weakneſs, Gen. 25.26. For the name Jacob he had from prevailing over man, but the name Iſrael, from prevailing over God; ſo the Lod intimates here, as if he ſhould have ſaid, Thou ſhalt not henceforward be termed Jacob, as if thou hadst got the bleſſing by ſtealth and fraud from man, but Iſrael, for thou haſt fought hand to hand, thou haſt with puiſſance and power, and in the field, got the victory over God. No more a Supplanter but a Conqueror. And it is obſerved, that uſually when there is mention made of the infirmities of the Church in Scripture, ſhe is called Jacob, but when of her proſperous and prevailing eſtate, ſhe is called Iſrael, Iſa. 41.14. Gal. 6.16. but Iſrael, that is Gods valiant, or valiant with God, not a man ſeeing God, as if it were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , nor one right with directed by God, as if it were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from Jaſhar, Iſhrael, but Iſrael, that is, thou haſt prevailed with God, from Sara, to rule, as the Lord himſelf gives the Etymon; The Septuagint reads it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , thou haſt had ſtrength with God, The Chalde, Thou art a Prince before the Lord and with men.

Iſrael was ſo called becauſe he prevailed with God, Oh that either our Names were according to our Natures, or our Natures according to our Names. How many are called John, that are void of the Grace of God? Timotheus, that fear not God? Theophilus, that love not God? Samuel, that obey not God? as their names ſignifie.Nomen inane crimen immane. It were well that either our Names or our manners were changed. How many have nothing of God in them but in their names? that are called by the names of God, that never call on the name of God? is thy name Peter? oh endeavor to be a pillar in the Church of God; Paul? oh endeavor to be a Paul, little in thine own eyes. Ne portes ſanctum nomen ad poenam tuam.

We have likewiſe a demand on Jacobs part to the Angel, tell me, I pray thee thy name; belike he thought he might be as bold with the Angel as the Angel was with him. He deſired to know the Angels name, probably either out of honor, for uſually we are earneſt to know the names of great Perſonages; Nec Dei nomen quaeras Deus nomen eſt Minu: Felix: ſo Manoah asked what is the name of the Angel of the Lord, that he might do honor to him? Judg. 13.17. or becauſe he would hereafter call upon him again when in trouble, hoping the Angel would on ſuch an occaſion be as ready to aid and aſſiſt him as now he did. And we have here likewiſe the Angels reply, ver. 29. Wherefore is it that thou doſt ask after my name? q. d. who made thee and I ſo familiar? the Angel would ſerve his neceſſity, but not his curioſity: inſinuating to him likewiſe, that his name, which is himſelf, is greater than could of him then be comprehended, and hereupon the Latine text and the Septuagint add, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is wonderful, which words are ſupplied out of Judg. 13.18. and further the time was not yet come, whereby the Lord would make himſelf known by his Name Jehovah, as unto Moſes, Ezod. 6.3. and therefore Jacob ſhould content himſelf with that revelation the Lord ſhewed to him. Why askeſt thou? which is not ſo much an interrogation, as manner of ſpeaking by a prohibition, ask not after my name, (So ſome) but where God has not a tongue to ſpeak, we muſt not have an ear to hear; and where God hath not an ear, we muſt not have a tongue. It was not more curiouſly done in Jacob to ask the Angels name, than it was in him, who took on him confidently to tell the cauſes why the Angel did conceale it.

There are two circumſtances more in this ſtory. The firſt is, Jacobs nameing the place where he had this Combate, he called it Peniel or Penuel, according to the Hebrew, according to the Greek pronunciation, Phanouel; Jacob tels us the meaning, becauſe I have ſeen God face to face, that is, not in a dream, but waking, not that Jacob ſaw the eſſence of God, for that is inviſible, but he ſaw him more clearly than ever he did before. Jacob ſaw God face to face, Moſes ſpake with God mouth to mouth; that is, they ſaw and ſpoke with God as one friend to another. As before, when Jacob had the Viſion of the Ladder, he called, out of thankfulneſs, the place Bethel; ſo now, he calleth this place Peniel, that his poſterity by that name might call to remembrance this heavenly Viſion in that place ſhewed to their Father Jacob. Where-ever the Saints prevail with God, there is Peniel: Sometimes they may call the Congregation Peniel, there they hear the voyce of God; their Cloſets Peniel, there they ſee the face of God. Oh how comfortable is it to reflect on the times and places of Gods appearances to his people! For Caleb and Joſhua to look back on the Red Sea, and to ſay, There we were Iſrael; for Iſrael to look back on Ai, and to ſay, there was Peniel. How ſweet to conſider, there was the place where God ſoftened my Conſcience, there was the Bethel where God revealed his love to me!

The ſecond Circumſtance, is, the obſervation of the Jews, They eat not of the ſinew that ſhrunk, which is upon the hollow of the Thigh; which cuſtom was not taken up out of any Superſtition, which that ſimple age was given to, but of a reverent remembrance of this Providence, which befell Jacob, according to the Pedagogie and Rudiments of that time; who can ſhew in the Bible where the Lord blamed this cuſtom?

But may ſome doubting Chriſtians ſay, what is all this to us? This was Jacobs Victory, and as there was never ſuch a Victory before, ſo there is like never to be ſuch a Victory hereafter. We have not the perſon of Jacob, we are not Jacobs, and how then ſhall we prevail with God, as he did? To which I anſwer, This ſtory of Jacobs wreſtling is not incredible, but a daily experience. Jacob hath been wreſtling with, and prevailing over God theſe three thouſand years. Jacob alſo prayed for us, and we prayed in Jacob before we were born; his Vow was our Vow, and his Victory was our Victory. If I might have aſſurance of this, may a Chriſtian ſay, I ſhould be a Conqueor even while I think I am conquered; and made, when often in mine own ſenſe I am undone. Whoſe hand and ſeal is that? what ever was writ afore time, was writ for our inſtruction and comfort. But rather, whoſe language is that? Hoſ. 12.4. Jacob found God in Bethel, and there the Angel ſpake with us; with us Hoſea! notwithſtanding many centuries of years paſſed from the death of Jacob to the birth of Hoſea, yet the Prophet ſpeaks as if he had been alive when the Patriarch was alive, as if he wept when Jacob wept, and prevailed when hee prevailed. And there he ſpake with us; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 All the Saints are the Of-ſpring of Father Jacob, and he contained them, not onely exemplarily, but alſo virtually in his Faith, as the root doth the ſeveral branches, according to the Hebrew Proverb, That thoſe things which God wrote to the Fathers are as copies to the Children. And I remember ſomewhere I have read, that of old, Praying Chriſtians were termed Jacobines, thoſe that have the nature may well have the name of Jacob. Thoſe that would be Iſraels to prevail with God, muſt firſt be Jacobs for prayer unto God. How often hath God found his people in prayer lamenting, and left them rejoycing? deſpairing, and left them triumphing? How oft have they come out of their Cloſets crying with Luther, Vicimus, vicimus, and on better ground than the confident did, ſaying, Now let Satan do his worſt? Oh! that we were ſo willing to prevail with God, as God is willing to be prevailed on by us! How doth our Father deſire to be deſired, and wreſtle with his Jacobines till they wreſtle with him? Neither hath he his will, unleſs we have ours. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Pſal. 77. No, If he forget any of his, he hath forgot his old wont. Whoever can nominate one Jacob that ever came with a lawful ſuit, and received a repulſe? (Deus non negat ſe petenti quod ſponte ſe obtulit non petenti. Aug.) God ſent a challenge of old to Iſrael, Amos 4 Prepare to meet thy God; as if the Lord had ſaid, you have often challenged me, I now challenge you, Iſrael, meet me in the field, gird on your Swords, bring forth your Artillery, plead your cauſe, I ſay, you are a rebellious people, not Iſrael but Jacob, not Jacob but Eſau; try who is righteous, I, or you, if you can prove you are not a proud hypocritical people, ile never challenge you more; thus God ſeems ironically to jeer them; what, you contend with the Almighty? you dwell with everlaſting burnings? But I rather judge the ſenſe thus, q.d. Iſrael, you have often provoked me, I now accept of your provocation, I now take the field to vindicate my Glory, yet I am not ſo angry but I may be appeaſed, come, ſaith the Lord, with ſackcloath on your backs, with ropes about your necks, acknowledge your unworthineſs, come with tears in your eyes, ſupplications in your mouthes, ſacrifices in your hands, give me the glory of my Juſtice, meet your God with righteouſneſs, and repentance, and I will ſpare you.

How often doth the Lord, as it were, caſt his Glove to his Jacobs, and challenge them to enter the Liſts with him? Quid Deus non filiis petentibus cum hoc ipſum dedit ut filii ipſi eſſent? None taketh hold of me, crys the Lord, none will wreſtle with me, none will pray to me; Go, ſaith the Lord into your Cloſets to morrow, there you and I will wreſtle together; you ſay you want peace of Conſcience, a bleeding heart, ſenſe of my love, now meet me there if you dare, muſter up your Faith, produce the Promiſes, pray and plead, weep and wreſtle with me, prevail with me, and you have prevailed over all. But alas! may a gracious heart ſay, how ſhall I prevail? I have neither knowledge how to contend, nor ſtrength, if I contend, to conquer the Lord. Oh! look not on your weakneſs, but on Gods ſtrength; The Lord deals with Saints, as ſome potent people have done to their adverſaries, lends them Arms and Armor, Powder and Shot to fight againſt himſelf. Cannot you pray, ſays God? come, ile teach you to pray; take unto you words, and ſay unto me, Lord, take away iniquity, and receive us graciouſly, and we will render unto thee the calves of our lips; Say, Father, pardon my ſins, and I will love thee, ſpeak peace to my diſtreſſed Conſcience, and I will praiſe thee. Methinks I hear the Lord ſay, Sinners, though you cannot pray with your tongues, yet have you not hearts to pray withall? though you want words, it is no matter, if you have tears; though you cannot ſpeak, yet cannot you ſigh nor groan? Though with the Diſciples you cannot ſay, Our Father, nor with Thomas, My Lord; yet with the Prodigal, cannot you ſay, Father? cannot you cry, Lord? It is no matter for babling, a word is enough to the wiſe, and more than enough to a friend, eſpecially ſuch a friend as your God is. (Coimus in Congregationem ut ad Deum quaſi manufacta precationibus ambiamus orantes, haec vis (gratia Dei eſt &) grata Deo, Tert.) Cannot you fight, ſays the Lord? come, Ile give you Armor; do you want an Helmet? here is Salvation, do you wiſh, oh that I had a Sword? here, take the Spirit; If you want a Breſt-plate, here, take Righteouſneſs; It may be, ſays the Lord, when you come to my door,En quam negare nollet qui ſibi etiam neganti qualiter extorqueretur oſtendit. Chryſoſt, I may be, as it were a ſleep, and you may be ready to think, I have not heard when the Lord called, and now the Lord will not hear when I call; It may be, if I come not at your firſt call, you will preſently conclude, that I will not come at all; But ſaith the Lord, Sinners, be not diſcouraged, if I come not at your call, ile come at your knock; bring my Sons name with you, if I come not at your knock, ile come when you bounce at my door of Grace. Oh, how willing is God that we ſhould hit the mark, when hee teacheth us how to ſhoot? and how willing to anſwer our prayers, when that God whom we pray to indites our Petitions? Oh Lord! how deſirous art thou we ſhould prevail, when thou telleſt us how we ſhould wreſtle? (Aut in reſpondendo quam facit moram, qui in dictandis precibus vota ſupplicum ſit praevenit? idem.) God wreſtles with man by tentations, and man wreſtles with God by prayers.

Where is the ſpirit of prayer? generally we had rather ſleep than wreſtle with Jacob. O, ſaid the lazy Husbandman, ſtretching himſelf on his bed at noon day in the Summer-time, that this were working: So now ſays the worldly Politician when he is framing his plots for preferment; O, that this were the ſetting up of the Kingdom of Chriſt! O ſays the Apoſtate Profeſſor, that ſpends his time in the Ale-houſe, or in gaming, O that this were repenting, and recovering a good Conſcience! So crys the lazy Chriſtian, folding his arms, like Solomons Sluggard, in his bed, yet a little ſlumber, yet a little ſleep; O that this were wreſtling or praying with God, and gaining the bleſſing! (Sed hoc eſt opus pulveris non pulvinaris.) I would wreſtle if I had ſtrength, ſay ſome Saints; Never complain for want of power if you have a will; by ſtrength, that is, our ſtrength, ſhall no man prevail, the Lord teaches our hands to war, and our fingers to fight; he that bids us come into the field, reſolves to give us ſtrength to fight, and to give us the day; we are not ſo impotent, but Chriſt is as powerfull. The Spirit of God helpeth our infirmities, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , even as the Nurſe helpeth the child, holding it by the ſleeve,Quomodo non exauditur Spiritus à Patre cum exaudit cum Patre? or as the Staff upholds an old man that elſe cannot ſtand; or as the Father ſeeing the child lifting at a great weight too heavy for him, runs to aſſiſt him, claſping hands about the burthen with him. We have no ſtrength but what is given us, and if the Lord withdraw the influence of his Grace, either we fight not, or we are foiled. Chriſt conquered by dying, and we conquer by yeelding. Prayer prevails with God, not as it is our act, but as it is the Lords inſtitution. God looks on Prayer, as his image, he knows his children by their crying, and when they cry he preſently runs to help them. As Q. E. gave Sir W. R. a Ring, as a pledge of her favor, and bid him ſend that token to her when ever he was in diſtreſs, and ſhe would relieve him; ſo the Lord tels us we ſhall ſee him, if he hear of us.

It is true, Jacob prevailed over God, but it was with God. That God that called Jacob to fight, gave him weapons to foil himſelf. He that fought againſt Jacob, fought alſo in Jacob; it was not Jacob prevailed over the Angel, but the Angel in Jacob that prevailed over the Angel; he fought not againſt God without God; he that provoked him to fight inſtructed him how to reſiſt, at the ſame time both contending againſt him, and for him, as being both Opponent and Defendant, aſſaulting him with the one hand, and aſſiſting him with the other; ſupplying him with more ſtrength in reſiſting, than expreſſing ſtrength in oppoſing him; how ſweet to conſider! The Angel contends with Jacob with his left hand, and contends for Jacob with his right hand, otherwiſe who dares enter the Liſts with the Almighty? by whoſe breath man is conſumed, by whoſe looks the Mountains are melted, at whoſe nod, at whoſe voyce, the whole Creation trembles. We muſt diſtinguiſh between natural ſtrength, and ſtrength conferred by Grace, by the former Jacob had been conquered, by this he overcame. If the Angel that ſtrove with him, had not ſtrove for him, he had been ſo far from gaining the name of Iſrael, that he had loſt the name of Jacob. Wherefore, beleevers, fall to wreſtling, but if you meaſure your ſucceſs by your own power, you are vanquiſhed before you fight; he that would overcome, muſt neither look on his own arm, nor on the arm of his Adverſary, but the mouth of that God that hath promiſed and can perform. The Match is too unequal with the Devil, much more with God; We are like Graſs-hoppers to thoſe Gyants, when we compare our ſelves with them, how can we but deſpair? but when we compare our ſelves with God, how can we deſpair? He that brings Jacob into the field gives him the victory. The example of Abrahams contending with the Lord in prayer, is notable alſo, and ſhews what a friend at Court prayer is, when otherwiſe man dare not look the Lord in the face. Prayer is the Aſylum, the laſt refuge we have to fly to,Deus qui certamini praeerat vires etiam ad vincendum praeſtat. De la Hay in loc. and if Juſtice beat us out of that Hold, we are conquered. That which was an argument of the Athenians weakneſs, they fought with King Philip onely with words and writings, is our Fort Royal, and an argument of our ſtrength, Litieris verbiſque ſolis valemus.

There are Four Duels that every Jacob is to fight in the world, beſides that wherein he contends with God, and unleſs he be firſt a Prevailer with God, he cannot be a Conqueror in the reſt. There is an inferior Duel, with man, not ſo much with ſinful man, as with the Man of Sin; an exterior Duel with the World, an interior Duel with the Fleſh, a ſuperior Duel with the Devil; but if we are Iſrael, if God have predeſtinated us, what can man do againſt us? If God have called us, what can the World do againſt us? If God hath juſtified us, what can the Fleſh do againſt us? If the Lord will glorifie us, what can the Devil do againſt us?

Firſt, There is a Duel between the Fleſh and the Spirit, the old man and the new man. And here bleſſed Paul in the ſtrength of the God of Jacob, enters the Liſts, Gal. 5.17. Rom. 7.23, &c. The fleſh luſteth againſt the spirit, and the spirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary one to the other, ſo that yee cannot do the things which ye would. Here we have firſt a Duel or Combate between the Fleſh and the Spirit, the Law in the mind, and the Law in the members; the Fleſh and its members luſt againſt the Spirit and the mind, the Spirit and the mind luſt againſt the Fleſh and its members. The Fleſh and the Spirit are preſented as the two great Houſes, the two famous Generals of the world that combate one againſt another. The fleſh takes the field, and under its conduct march its works, as ſo many Souldiers; Adultery, Ʋncleanneſs, Laſciviouſneſs, lead up the Van; Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Hereſies, Envyings, make the main Body; Murders, Drunkenneſs, Revellings, &c. bring up the Rear; All theſe receive pay of the Fleſh, and obſerve its command. The Spirit likewiſe appears, and his Fruits or Followers are, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, all theſe are ſworn Souldiers to, and manifeſtly wear the Colours of the Spirit.

Secondly, Here is the Field, or the perſon or ſubject where this Duel is fought, in the ſouls of Gods Jacobs, between the regenerate & unregenrate part of man: Not that the Fleſh fights in one part of the Soul, and the Spirit in the other, as if the Fleſh did challenge the Underſtanding and Conſcience, Contraria poſſunt eſſe fimulin eodem ſubjecto. and the Spirit did challenge onely the Will and Affections, but they are mingled and combined together in all the faculties of the Soul. The intellectual part or mind is not one part fleſh, and another part ſpirit, but the whole mind is fleſh, and the whole mind is spirit, that is, the fleſh and ſpirit are in the whole mind, partly one, and partly the other. The whole Will, is partly fleſh, and partly ſpirit, they are not diſtinguiſhed in place, but onely ſevered in apprehenſion. As in the dawning of the day, the Air is not wholly light, or wholly dark, neither in one part of it is it light, and in another part dark, but throughout the whole Air is partly dark and partly light. As in a Veſſel of lukewarm water, the water it ſelf is not only hot, or onely cold, or in one part hot, and in another part cold, but heat and cold are mixt together in every quantity of the water. So here this Duel is not at a diſtance, but it is an intimate contrariety in the ſame Soul; like the ſtruggling of Jacob and Eſau in the ſame womb, there is no room to hold an Ʋmpire, no ſpace to contain a Mediator, or to ſhift off and evade the conflict; the ſame ſoul that requires obedience, doth it ſelf reſiſt it. In the ſame Mind, the wiſdom of the fleſh contends againſt the wiſdom of the Spirit; in the ſame Will, there is a delight in the Law of God, and a liking to the Law of ſin; in the ſame Heart, ſingleneſs and hypocriſie, ſenſibleneſs and hardneſs; in the ſame Affections, dwel the love of Chriſt and the love of creatures, fear of God and fear of man, dependance on the Spirit and doubtings of its favor, (In totâ animâ & in toto corpore conditorem habeo pacis Deum, quis in me ſiminavit hoc bellum? Aug.) A mans enemies here, too truly, are they of his own houſe.

Thirdly, Here is the Manner of the Duel or Combate, they fight and conflict one with another, even as Goliah againſt David, or the Amalekite againſt the Iſraelite; the fleſh luſteth againſt the spirit, and the spirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, the good that I would, I do not, but the evill which I would not, that I do. Here Knowledge fights againſt Ignorance, Faith againſt Ʋnbeleef, Heavenly-mindedneſs againſt Worldly-mindedneſs; as light againſt darkneſs, heat againſt cold. As the Spirit in a man wins, ſo the fleſh loſeth ground. Sometimes the fleſh prevails, and crys victoria, and then Paul exclaims, and crys, who ſhall deliver me? Sometimes the Spirit prevails, and ſings Halelujah, Quid hoc eſt monſtrum? imperat animus corpori & paretur, imperat animus ſibi & reſiſtitur. id: bleſſed be God through Jeſus Chriſt. Lord I beleeve, ſaid he, help thou my unbeleef: So crys the ſoul, Lord, I will, help thou my unwillingneſs; Lord, I hear, help thou my deafneſs; Lord, I remember, help thou my forgetfulneſs; Lord I rejoyce in thee, help thou my heavineſs; Lord, I deſire to have more fellowſhip with thee, help thou my backwardneſs. O Lord, I ſee my duty is to glorifie thee, and to conquer ſin, but I cannot do it; I do it, but I cannot finiſh it; I follow after thee, but I fall; I preſs forward, yet I faint; I wreſtle, and yet I halt; I profeſs, yet I apoſtatize; I conquer, and yet I am carried captive; I crucifie my luſts, and yet they revile me. It is true, there is a Duel or Conflict in a natural man, but not between the fleſh and the spirit, for they are all fleſh and no spirit; not between the old and new man, for they are wholly of the old, and have nothing of the new man in them; that conflict is not from the mind renewed, but onely from the mind enlightened; not ariſing from the love of the command, but onely from the fear of the threatning: That conteſt is between the Conſcience and the Heart, between the Judgement and the Will only; not between Affection and Affection, Love and Love, Joy and Joy, Fear and Fear, as in the regenerate. The voyce of Herods conflict was this, The Law ſaith, I muſt not commit Inceſt, I, ſaith his Conſcience, if you do ſo, you are condemned, but ſaith Luſt, Herodias pleaſeth me, and I will enjoy her; here is the Conſcience only againſt the heart, but the voyce of Davids conflict was otherwiſe. Conſcience ſaith, David, you muſt not commit Adultery, youle ſin againſt the Law, and againſt your light; Luſt ſuggeſteth the ſweetneſs of that ſin, and likewiſe his Love to God, ſaith, I dare not wholly give my conſent to this Adultery; here is not onely Conſcience againſt Affection, but Affection againſt Affection; in a word, In a natural man there is a fight in the fleſh, but no fight againſt the fleſh.

Fourthly, The Ground of the Duel. Theſe two are contrary, there are contrary Laws by which they Govern, the Fleſh draws one way, the Spirit draws another; here is no reconciliation of differences, or taking up the quarrel by Arbitration; the Fleſh gives no quarter to the Spirit, nor the Spirit to the Fleſh; the Quarrel is to laſt till Death puls down the Stage, either kill or be killed. No man can ſerve theſe two Maſters, the Fleſh and the Spirit; he that hath ſerved the Fleſh, may liſt himſelf under, and ſerve the Spirit, but at the ſame time no man can war for the Fleſh and for the Spirit; theſe are two contrary Principles, two contrary States, and they can never match together, though they always meet together in the regenerate. Every age hath its peculiar temptation; Fleſhly luſts aſſail a man moſt in his Youth, in his middle age, Ambition and vain glory; in his old age, covetouſneſs: though the Soul kill one Souldier of the fleſh, yet another Souldier takes the field. The Fleſh, like Hagar, will dwel with Grace, with Sarah, till death beat it out of doors; the fleſh is an ill Inmate, that will not out, till the houſe fall on the head of it. (Ʋnum Duellum neceſſarium quod nobis ſemper gerendum eſt, Deus ipſe duos adverſarios commiſit inter ſe Vet. videl. hominem & novum, carnem et spiritum: hoc non unius horae aut menſis aut anni, ſed totius vitae eſt, non coronabitur hic niſi qui legitimè certaverit. Mart. Claſ. IV. Loc. com. l. XIIX.

Fifthly, We have the Effect of the Duel, That ye cannot do what you would. Sometimes we ſtand, ſometimes we fall; ſometimes we go forward, ſometimes backward; ſometimes we foil, ſometimes we are foiled: even as it was between the two Houſes of Saul and David, ſo it is between theſe two Land-Lords, the Fleſh and the Spirit, when the Houſe of Saul grows ſtronger, then the houſe of David grows weaker, and when the houſe of David grows ſtronger, the houſe of Saul and ſin grows weaker; as in a Well, while one Bucket comes up, the other Bucket goes down; ſo in the Regenerate, as the Fleſh decays, the Spirit gathers ſtrength; the full Bucket always aſcends, and the empty deſcends. The Apoſtle was entred this Conflict,Univerſa hominum vita palaeſtra eſt: ut vivere non videatur, qui ſe in virtutum palaestra non exercei. Baſ. Rom. 7.15. What I do, I allow not; as if he had ſaid, I am proud, but I would be humble, I am carnal, my love is carnal, my joy is too much carnal, but I would be spiritual; I fall in my race to heaven, but ſaith Paul, I dare not ſtand in my falling, I dare not juſtifie my falling; And what I would, that do I not; ah, ſays the Apoſtle, I would never diſhonor my God, but I do diſhonor him; I would not grieve the Spirit, but I do grieve it; I would always have my heart where my treaſure is, I would always have my converſation and my carriage in Heaven, but I am ſometimes as worldly as others, as ſenſual as others, But it is not I, but ſin that is in me. Here we have Paul againſt Saul, nay Paul againſt Paul; theſe are contradictions to Fleſh and Blood.

The ſecond Duel is, between the Soul and the Devil; And you have a famous example of this Warfare, Epheſ. 6.11, 12, 13, 14.15, &c. where you have the Combatants, ver. 12. We, the Spiritual man, and the Powers of the Air, and Principalities. Secondly, We have the Field, and that is in the World, or in Heavenly places, in the Conſcience, as well as in the Air. Thirdly, We have the Nature of the fight, it is by wreſtling, we wreſtle againſt, negatively, Not againſt fleſh and blood, poſitively, But againſt ſpiritual wickedneſſes, and the Rulers of darkneſs of this world; as far as the Air extends, ſo far doth Satans Kingdom extend; the Devill hath the hill of us. It is obſervable here, that God gives his adverſary the Devil his Titles, they have their Dignities, they are called, not onely Powers, but Principalities. Fourthly, We have the Weapons: the Devil hath his weapons, fiery Darts, violent Temptations, furious and filthy Suggeſtions, temptations to ſins on the right hand, temptations to ſins on the left; temptations to Pride, temptations to Prophaneneſs, temptations to Preſumption, temptations to Deſpair. Sometimes he appears as an Angel of darkneſs, ſometimes as an Angel of light, but always a Devil, and worſe when as an Angel of light, than when as an Angel of darkneſs, (Satan et ſi ſemel videatur verax, millies eſt mendax, ſemper fallax.) This enemy is numerous, powerful, a Lyon, Politick, a Fox. Secondly on a Beleevers ſide, there are weapons that are offenſive, The Sword of the Spirit, Prayer and Supplication, which is not mentioned as a peece of Armor, but as that which aſſiſteth and manageth all; beleeve and pray, wait and pray, &c. 2. Defenſive, Here is the Girdle of Truth for the Loyns; Sincerity, againſt Luſt; the Breſt-plate of Righteouſneſs; Holineſs to ſecure the Heart againſt Prophaneneſs; the Shooes of Peace for the feet; peace of Conſcience againſt doubts; the Shield of Faith againſt Deſpair; the Helmet of Salvation; the hope of Eternal life; Thus the Apoſtle preſents a Chriſtian armed Cap-a-pe, from the Crown of the head to the ſoal of the foot. And it is obſervable, here is Armor for the Breaſt, Armor for the Head, &c. but no Armor for the Back; ſurely, to ſhew, in this fight there is no place to fly, if we run we are overcome. Chriſtians are wreſtlers, and Warriors, or Souldiers; now we know they wreſtled naked, and fought armed, how can a man be naked and cloathed together? the Apoſtle will anſwer, we muſt not intangle our ſelves with the affairs of the world, ſo we are naked; we muſt take this Panoplia, put on the whole Armor of God, ſo we are cloathed. The Devil methinks enters the Liſts or Ring as a Challenger, and throws q. d. over his glove, his temptation, and dares any to take him up; he ranges and walks round and round, who dares meet me in the field, or look me in the face? ſo the Apostle preſents him, as walking up and down like a roaring Lyon ſeeking whom he may devoure: Like Goliah, he views the Camp of Iſrael, and ſends a Challenge to the Champions of God, come,Diabolus circumeit non quarens quem mordeat ſed quem devoret. Alap. ſays this Goliah, who will incounter with me? ile give his fleſh to the Fowles of the Air; come, ſays this Rabſheka, who will contend againſt me? how many thouſands have I ſlain, by my might and my power? Meet me, ſays the Devil to David, meet me, ſaid the Devil to Peter; you beleeve, you repent, you obtain a pardon! you might, ſays the Devil, have hoped for Salvation ten or twenty years ago, your ſtrength to ſerve God is now gone, your heart is hardened, your glaſs is run, your door is ſhut; now who ſhall be able to conquer this Adverſary, and repel all his tentations? The Devil is not onely a roaring Lyon, but a cunning Wreſtler, he wreſtled with Job for his Integrity, he threw him on the Dunghil, but he could not throw him into Hell; He wreſtled with Peter, and foiled him, he caſt him on the ground, but could not keep him down; He wreſtled with Paul, but met with his Match, Pride wreſtled againſt Humility, Unbeleef againſt Faith, the love of the world againſt the love of God. The Devil lifts us up ſubtlely, to caſt and throw us down on our backs; lye but on the ground, for an humble Chriſtian is on the ground already, and hath not far to fall.

Thirdly, There is a Duel to be fought with the world; the world takes the field, and under its conduct march that Trinity of the world, that Three in one, the Luſt of the Fleſh, the Luſt of the Eye, the Pride of Life. Theſe ſet up their Standards in the world, and few or none but wear their Colours. The Pride of Life, ſays to Nebuchadnezzar, Abſolon, Caeſar, and all ambitious men, who follows my Banner, and he ſhall have Honors and Preferments? The Luſt of the Fleſh beats up her Drum, and makes Proclamation from the Prince of the Air, to all the Sardanapaluſes, Amnons, Adulterers, who will follow my Camp? and he ſhall have Pleaſures, Paſtimes, the Lusts and Loves of the world. Then laſtly, comes the Luſt of the Eye, and ſounds her ſilver Trumpet, and ſays to all the Judaſes, Julians, Demaſes, who will troop after me? and he ſhall have Lands and Lordſhips, Crowns and Kingdoms, the Gold and Riches of the world. (Habet mundus venator animarum laqueos & jacula, alios telis afflictionum appetit, alios voluptatibus irretire ambit.) This is but the firſt Army of the world; Then if theſe be beaten or fly, there comes up another Army, and you have them marſhalled, Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 15. they are enrolled under the names of the Law, Perſecutions, Reproaches, Death; if the world cannot prevail with its ſmiles, it endeavors it by its frowns; if not by its golden profers, yet by its terrors and Elephants (as he ſaid;) this Enemy aſſails us by Proſperity, Quid eſt mundus niſi Agon plenus certa • minum? Ambr. and then by Adverſity. What is this world but a race or courſe full of troubles? It is a Field, wherein is much Cockle, but little Corn; It is a Garden, wherein are many weeds, but few flowers; there is not a Roſe but it hath a thorn, nor a Gourd but it hath a worm. The World is more dangerous, probably, when it flattereth, than when it forceth, when it allures, than when it rails; As Judas by a kiſs betrayed his Maſter; ſo the world is a very Judas, and who can either flie from, or foil the world? O Lord! where ſhall we walk but upon ſnares? there are ſnares abroad, and ſnares at home, ſnares in our Cloſets, ſnares in our Conſciences, ſnares in the World, ſnares in the Congregation, ſnares in Preaching, in Praying, in Writing, in Reading. Who hath courage to fight? who hath Power to conquer? If Satan threw Adam in his ſtrength, how ſhall we throw Satan in our weakneſs? What little cauſe have we to be proud of our Holineſs, when our firſt Parents who had no natural luſt were foiled. What is our ſtrength to their ſtrength? As Alexander, when the Mileſians boaſtingly ſhewed him the Statues of their Wreſtlers, that were Victors in the Olympick and Pythick Games, ſaid, Where were thoſe vaſte bodies, when the Barbarians laid waſte your City? So hath the Devil often ſaid to Profeſſors, what, you conquer, and overcome? Where was your ſtrength and confidence, when I threw your Father Adam, and Mother Eve in Paradiſe? (Non ſic te expectat Deus certantem quomodo te expectat editor, ſi forte Athleta ſis in Amphitheatro ille tibi praemium dare poteſt, ſi viceris: adjuvare te periclitantem non poteſt, Aug. in Pſ. 30. But yet we muſt enter the Liſts. Jacob was a man of contention and wreſtling from the beginning, contention with his Brother in the birth, contention for the Birth-right, contention with the Angel for the Bleſſing, contention for his Wife, and Wages, with Laban; now Jacob was a typical man, his name was Iſrael, and he was a pattern to the Iſrael of God. Though we are weak yet God is ſtrong; though out of Chriſt we can do nothing but undo our ſelves, yet in Chriſt we may do al things. In him we are more than Conquerors and bleſſed be Chriſt that giveth us the victory. Though luſt in the regenerate, be miſerable, becauſe it diſquiets the peace of the Soul, yet it is not damnable, becauſe, though it bring forth ſin, yet it doth not bring it up to perfection. Chriſt is our Captain to lead us; yea, he is our Second, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Our fellow Combatant, that fighteth againſt ſin in us by Grace; Look what he did, what contradiction he indured, Bonum Agonem ſubituri eſtis in quo Agono thetes Deus, Xyſtarches Spiritus ſanctus, Corona, Aeternitatis. Ter. ad v. Marc. leſt you be wearied in your minds; Look what he promiſed, a victory againſt our luſts, and a Crown after our victory. Look when he commeth, he is even at the door; The Duel ſhall not laſt for Centuries of years. Jacob was a man of like paſſions with us, and let us be men of like patience as he was. As we ſay, That man that proſtrates the Devil, conquers all his followers his Luſts; So, be but a Prince with God, as Jacob was, and you conquer the Devil and all. He that fears God, need not fear the Fleſh, nor the Devil, nor the World. (Diabolus eſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chriſtus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Hark! how the Apoſtle Paul, in two places eſpecially, triumphs over his ſpiritual Enemies, Ro. 8. We are more than Conquerors, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , through Christ, that is, more than all the Alexanders and Caeſars in the world could ever ſay. How, more than Conquerors! Yes, for in Chriſt the Saints are perſwaded they ſhall conquer before they combate. And ſecondly, They know they ſhall remain Conquerors, when once they have got the victory. Then he gives a challenge, verſ. 34. Who is he that condemnes? why bleſſed Paul? the Law condemns thee, and the World condemns thee, and thy Conſcience condemns thee; well, ſaith he, I care not for that, Chriſt hath died, yea rather, he is riſen again, and fits on the right hand of God; why, might the Devil ſay, what was Chriſts victory to you? his conqueſt to you? What? much, his death was my death, his triumph was my triumph; he maketh interceſſion for us: Mark that Devil! He is fighting for me in Heaven, while I am fainting on earth. Satan, conquer Chriſt, and I am your Priſoner, pull his Crown, if you can, off his head, and never let there be a Crown put on my head. And ſo he takes a further ſurvey of his Enemys, and their weakneſs, ver. 35. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? Tribulation, Diſtreſs, Famine, or Sword? will they? no, I am perſwaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able (let them do their worſt) to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. (Athletae ſumus legitimè certandum eſt ante ad bravium contenditur, poſtea ad coronam, gravis aeſtus ſolis, ſed ſpecioſa tolerantia, ibi colligitur pulvis, ubi palma proponitur, nemo nitidus coronatur, pulverulentum decet victoria. Ambr.) The ſecond place you may read in 1 Cor. 15. the latter end, as the Apoſtle ſaith, pray always, ſo I ſay, wrestle always, never let us give over wreſtling againſt pride, till we get humility; never give over wreſtling againſt hardneſs of heart, till we get tenderneſs.

There is a Fourth Combate of Sion againſt the world, againſt Antichriſt, of which you may read a famous deſcription, Rev. 19.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. before I ſpeak of the power of Prayer againſt the publick enemies of the Goſpel, I ſhall briefly, becauſe of ſuch an opportunity ſpeak of the vanity and madneſs of Duels or ſingle Combates between man and man.

It was an old cuſtom, that men, for tryal of their Titles, or to purge themſelves of ſome defamations, would hire their Champions to try it out at ſwords point; and a continued practice for men to challenge one another into the field, and that upon ſlight or ſmall occaſions, they being afraid to be accompted Cowards with men, and therefore are proudly bold with, and daring to God. The Romans and Albans did ſet out each of them three Champions, that by their adventure, the general cauſe of both Nations ſhould be ſwaied, which of them ſhould have Dominion over the other, and which of them ſhould be in ſubjection.

The firſt challenge of Duel wee find, ſaith D.H. in his contemplations, came out of the mouth of an Ʋncircumciſed Philiſtim; yet was that in open war, and tended to the ſaving of many lives, by adventuring one or two. This Duel between David and Goliah was doubtleſs,Occiſor lethaliter peccat, & occiſus aeternaliter perit. B. ad milit. Temp. c. 2. by a ſingular inſtinct of God, to glorifie his power, and to make David (a type of Chriſt) more famous; and whoſoever imitateth, nay, ſurpaſſeth him in Challenge to private Duel, in the attempt partaketh of his uncircumciſion, though he ſhould overcome, and of his manner of puniſhment, if in ſuch private Combates he caſt away his life. There are three arguments againſt this practice among ſwaggering Gallants.

1 From the conſideration of the Law of God, or of God; for ſuch a trial is to go from the ordinary lawful way, and to take a way that is unlawful, and ſo to do evil; but we muſt not do the leaſt evil of ſin, to avoid the greateſt evil of puniſhment. The onely lawful way for conviction in doubtful caſes, being either from the confeſſion of the Delinquent himſelf, or the teſtimony of Witneſſes; for things hidden and unknown, are to be left to him that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the ſearcher of hearts.

Many times theſe Quarrels proceed only from revenge; now it is the Prerogative of God to revenge; vengeance is mine. We cannot challenge men but we muſt challenge God, who juſtly challengeth to himſelf both to take vengeance, and to give ſucceſs, 1 Joh. 3. 12, 15. No murderer (as Cain) hath eternal life. Cain was the Devils Patriarch, and yet, though he be dead, I wiſh he did not live in his Heirs and Executors.

2 From the conſideration of the Devil. He is called a murderer from the beginning, yea, as ſoon as the Devil (as a Devil) had a beginning, he was a Murderer. Quam multi ſunt qui clavum ejus ſanguine rubentem Abelis, ut rem ſacram adhac circumferunt & venerantur. Buch. This roaring Lyon delights in blood, and is the Inſtigator to theſe Monomachies, and thus at his pleaſure taketh two at once in his net, the Murtherer by his ſin of murther, and the Murthered by his ſin of hatred, wherein he dyed. It is here as in a Cock-pit; for as there the Maſter of the Cock-pit, or one that hath Cocks, ſets two Cocks a fighting, on purpoſe to make him ſport, and when he hath ſuffered them to fight to the death of one or both of them, he Sups with their bodies; So the Devil abets ſuch cruel Conflicts, that he may feaſt himſelf with the ſouls of the Combatants in his Parlor in hell. They write of Phydias, that he painted the image of Minerva, and his own image ſo cunningly together, that none could deface or mar the image of Minerva, but he muſt likewiſe deface and mar the image of Phydias; neither could any mar the image of Phydias, but he muſt alſo mar the image of Minerva: So the Lord hath ſo cunningly and curiouſly interwoven or joyned his image in man, that whoſoever mars his image defaceth the man, and whoſoever kills the man defaceth his image.

Thirdly, From the conſideration of the Combatants, of their folly and guilt; Theſe ſin not onely againſt God in preſuming on their ſtrength, but alſo againſt their Brethren in ſeeking their deſtruction, and againſt themſelves by a voluntary thruſting themſelves into danger, without any neceſſity at all. And it may be very unequal, he that is worthy to be condemned being ſtrongeſt or moſt expert in the uſe of his weapon, and the innocent, weakeſt, and moſt inexpert. Further, If thou art ſtain thy ſelf, thou dyeſt a murderer, and if thou prevail thou liveſt a murderer; but whether thou live or dye, conquer or be conquered, it is not good to be a Murderer. And laſtly, It is found for the moſt part by experience, that the Challengers are worſted, as appears in the caſe of Abner and Joab, Aſahel and Abner, Abiſhai and Iſhbibenob, Sibbechai and Saph, 2 Sam. 23.5. &c. (Inſaniunt planè illi, qui ut generoſi nomen retineant, homicidae cognomen non reformidant, qui ut falſae infamiae ſuſpitionem fugiant, in ipſum in Gehennae barathrum inſiliunt. Daven. in Col. c. 3. v. 13.)

Chriſtians, prevail with the Almighty, and you are in ſome ſenſe Almighty, for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, I can do all things, but, through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me. How admirably doth the clay-Creature by faith prevail with the great Potter & Former of all things? Prayer is Sions Meſſenger, Preces Chriſtum licet feſtinantem remorantur. Mat. 20.32 and Poſt, and flies up to Heaven in a moment & brings ſupplies for the Church; it marcheth through all the Armies in Europe, and over all the quarters of hell, without let or moleſtation, and ſcorns to be retarded by Guards, or hindred by examination; My cry, ſays the Prophet, came before God, even into his ears, Hab. 2.1. The puſh of Moſes prayers did more than all the Pikes of Iſrael. Prayer is Sions Orator and Ambaſſador to plead and prevail with God. Prayer puts challenges on God, and dares him q. d. to a denial; Why haſt thou made us to erre from thy waies, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? Eſ. 63.17. chides the Lord; I cry, O my God, in the day time, and thou heareſt not, Pſa. 22.2. It puts Queries to God, and will have them all anſwered; How long wilt thou forget me, for ever? Pſa. 13.1. How are the bowels of our God turned within him at the weeping and tears of his crying Church? Jer. 31.20. Prayer awakens and jogs the Almighty, when he ſeems to ſleep; Why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? Pſal. 44.13. When the wheels of Providence ſtand ſtill (q. d.) prayer oyles them, and puts them into motion. It engaged God to divide the Red Sea, and to break open the priſon doors for Peter and Paul. (Oratio hominis eſt res omnipotentiſſima, Luth. Hyperb. Oratio eſt telum quo vulneratur cor Dei. Ambr. in Cant.) Prayer, like the wind getting into the bowels of the earth, will make Earth-quakes in the Territories of Babylon, and like a Pioneer undermine and blow up all the deſigns and Babels in the world. Prayer will make all the Devils in Hell, and enemies to Sion on earth, to ſtrike ſail, for it hath q. d. Omnipotency it ſelf under its lee. (Edeſia totum mundum ſanguine & oratione convertit. Luther.) It were better to have all the Spears, Bows, and Ordnance in the world againſt us, than to have an Army of Prayers, or to have prayer in arms againſt us. Armes, and Armies, and Armor, cannot pull down Antichriſt without Faith and Prayer, Oratio quaſt quaedam perſona ad Deum intrat. Aug. but faithful Prayer can pull down Antichriſt without them. Generals cannot fight with lame and ſick Souldiers, but the prayers of lame, ſick men, have done more in war for the intereſt of Chriſt, than an Hoſt of an Hundred thouſand men. Saints, fear not to loſe the day, when Chriſt ſhall take the field! While Moſes held up his hand, Iſrael prevailed; While Sion cannot lift up a Spear againſt Amalek, yet it is ſufficient if they can but lift up their hand, the victory is theirs. Prayer can put a reeling and tottering on the Kings Courts, Prelats, Pilates of Babylon, and, like white Gunpowder, can deſtroy Babylon and make no noyſe. Prayer can yoak all the Swords in Europe againſt the Scarlet whore and her Paramors; and though ſhe hitherto hath been grinding the faces of Sion; yet to bring Grice q. d. to the Lords Mill, the pooreſt Boy or Girle, if he be but a Jacobine, can do more to lift the King of Saints into the Throne, than all the Powers and Potentates on this ſide Eternity can do to keep him out of his Throne. Prayer cannot be conquered, untill Chriſt with whom it is potent and great be conquered. Prayer ſets Chriſt in the front of the Battel againſt Hell, and ſaith, Devil, beat Chriſt, and you beat me, take Omnipotency captive, and I am your Priſoner. Prayer haſtens the nuptials of the Bride to the Lamb; and though now Hypocriſie, Unbeleef, &c. forbid the Banes, yet the Match goes on, and they cannot hinder the Marriage. Our Father, and thy Kingdom come, are the ſtrongeſt weapons in the world, they thunder and lighten in Satans Regions, and his followers cannot but both hear their report and feel their power. Prayer will pull down that in an hour of the Devils Kingdom, which he hath been building for ſeveral ages. (Preces ſunt bombardae & inſtrumenta bellica Chriſtianorum.) It will ere long enkindle thoſe fires in the world, that neither can ever be extinguiſhed or repaired. Prayer, though it made not the world, yet it ſhall unmake it, and ſet up a new Heaven and a new Earth. A Saint may not fear the Devil though he meet him in the dark, if he be armed with Faith and Prayer.

He that hath God on his ſide need not care whom he meets in the face. Prayer is Sions ſcaling Ladder. It is true, an Angel brought Peter out of Priſon, Act. 12. but prayer firſt ſtirred the wheel in heaven, verſ. 5. Prayer was made without ceaſing to God for Peter by the Church. I have heard of a young-man that had bargained with the Devil upon ſome condition, and he ſhould have his ſoul, the Indentures were drawn in his blood, but God diſpoſed the heart of Luther and other Servants of the Lord to pray together for him, and while they were earneſt with God for the deliverance of the priſoner of Satan, Satan was ſo netled and ſtung with their zeal, that he was forced to come flying by the window, and threw in the Indenture amongſt them, as much as if he had ſaid, I cannot ſtand before the power of Faith and Prayer. Prayer we ſee is not onely a charm to bind, but a whip alſo to torment this Leviathan. Athanaſius by his prayers hindred the proceedings of the Devil in the Churches Enemies, they took off his Charriot wheels that he could drive his plot no further. When Devils and men conſpire and conſent againſt Sion, prayer, under Chriſt, hath the Prerogative, yet, of a negative voyce. The keyes, q.d. of Heaven and Hell hang at the girdle of Faith and Prayer. (O admirabilem piarum precum vim! quibus coeleſtia cedant, hoſtes terret manus illa, quae victoriae ſuae trophaea in ipſis coeli orbibus figit. Buch.) Du bartus prettily brings in David anſwering Goliah his Challenge.

Goliah. Come ten, come twenty, nay, come all of you, And in your aid let your great God come too. David. The odds is mine, Villain, I ſcorn thy boaſts, I have for aid, the Almighty Lord of Hoſts.

Rev. 19.6. I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude, and as the voyce of mighty thunderings, ſaying, Alleluja, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. This is the Hoſannah Rabbah, as the Jews call it. It is reported, that the old Brittons marching under the conduct of one Germanus, who came over from France to ſubdue the Pelagian hereſie, did obtain a victory againſt the Saxons, which victory (becauſe of their ſinging Hallelujahs in the Battel) they afterwards termed Victoria Hallelujatica, the Halleluja victory. This Victory will ere long be ſung again over Sions enemies; When God ſhall open a door to burn the fleſh of the Scarlet Whore, there will be a famous occaſion to cry out, as ſome Souldiers did ſome years ſince, Now for the fruit of Prayer. The witneſſes have a flame at their lips, fire proceeds out of their mouths, which devoures their enemies, Rev. 11.5. which many interpret to be their prayers; In hoc incendio uruntur Daemones. The Enemy ly and level their deſigns againſt Iſrael, but Prayer diſmounts them, and turns their Artillery againſt their own breaſts. How confident in God may his Jacobs be? till the Devil and the malignant World can throw Chriſt down from his Throne, the • cannot caſt Sion out of the world. It is the Prophets character of a Jacobine, He dwelleth in the ſecret of the moſt High; they muſt conquer God before they conquer him; they may ſtrike at, but they can never diſtreſs Sion till they q.d. ſtrike thorow God. Sion, though ſhe be not properly invulnerable, yet ſhe is invincible. Qui Jacobum impetit Deum petit.

Wherefore now let Jacob wreſtle again, and reaſon with his God. Humbly ask the Lord, Whether he can ſee his Sion even a ſhipwracking, Preces electorum ſunt Deo coctoquia. and yet not throw over a Plank to her? his children a ſwouning and fainting under their temptations, and not give them a Cordial? his Spouſe a dying, and not once labor to viſit her with Salvation? Can the Shepheard be content to ſee the Wolves to worry his tender Flock? and the Father love to behold his children to hate one another? Deareſt Lord! is not thy Glory dearer to thee than it can be to thy Spouſe, and ſhall ſhe be ſollicitous, and wilt thou ſeem not ſo to provide againſt thy diſhonor? Is the Crown of the Lord gliſtering enough on his head in the eyes of the Wo • ld? Hath our Jeſus the purchaſe and full procurement of his blood? Haſt thou left thy compaſſions to, as well as the infirmities of thy Body behind thee on earth? Is our Joſeph in Heaven, where there are Barn-fulls of Glory, and Proviſion enough, and ſhall thy Brethren ſtarve for want of Crums of Comfort from thy Table? Are thine Affections altered with thy condition? and doth the Lord trample under his feet his children, while he is now in his glory, whom he counted as the apple of his eye in the days of his ſufferings? Shall we give over praying, for the opening the blinde eye, and ſoftning the hard heart? Shall we fall aſleep, and urge thee no more? Shall we pull our hands from thy Plow, and our necks from thy Yoke? will the Lord diſpenſe with our lukewarmneſs, and wink at our Apoſtacy? Is it not thy grief to ſee thy Spirit ſo grieved? to ſee ſuch noyſom weeds and errors to grow in thy Garden, which thou ſo much regardeſt? And ſo much backſliding after the profeſſion of ſo much Reformation? Shall wee ſee Sion bleed to death, and never ask balm more?

Hath not the Lord ſaid, His Mountain ſhall be ſet on the top of all Mountains, and that Jeruſalem ſhall be made the joy of many Generations? Is not this the hand of the Lord, and 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 his own broad Seal? How long doth thy Charriot wheels ſtay?Cui magis de Deo, quam Deo credam? Hath our Lord Jeſus bled to death for his Saints, and will he now ſuffer them to bleed to death? Doth he love to ſee the face of his Church beautiful, and will he never wipe off the tears of blood that yet are trickling down her cheeks? Is the Lord angry at the Prayers of his people, and is he not angry at the Blaſphemies of his Enemies? Art thou offended becauſe we pray for Sion, and wilt thou not be offended if we ſhould not pray? Is it not yet dark enough, that yet the day doth not dawn? becauſe it is ſaid, at evening time it ſhall be light, and at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom commeth. How many ſteps more will the Lord fetch, before hee turn about and ſhew us his face? Have we already the firſt fruits, and ſhall we never have the Harveſt? Hath Sion often made Land, and ſaid, now we are come to our Harbor and Reſt, and ſhall we be driven into the tempeſtuous Ocean again? Is not our droſs ſeparated from our gold, that yet we are not taken out of the Furnace? Are we not yet holy enough, that we are not delivered? or are we not yet ripe enough in ſin, that we are not perfectly deſtroyed? Will the Lord comfort us mourning, or enliven us dying, or raiſe us when buried, and in our graves?

O Lord! Though thou diſhonoreſt thy people, yet wilt thou diſgrace the Throne of thy glory? Will not the Adverſary ſay, Surely, if God in love had begun thus to build, he would have gone on to finiſh? Though we are trampled under feet, muſt thy Chriſt be trampled under feet? Though his Body hath deſerved to ſit on Dunghils, and lye in fetters of iron, yet our Head hath merited to ſit on a Throne, and to have the liberty of his Spirit in the world. Though our prayers are rejected, yet wilt thou not fulfill thine own Promiſes? we humbly confeſs thou haſt a royal Prerogative to ſave and to deſtroy; but O Lord! art thou not bound in Covenant to ſet up thy Son? and if thou makeſt not haſt for his glory, will not the world be ready to ſay, the Lord is gone back of his word? Is it onely Free Grace and Mercy, and not alſo Juſtice, and Righteouſneſs, for our God to juſtifie condemned ſinners, and to ſanctifie prophane Converſations, and to carry on the building of the New Jeruſalem to its deſired perfection? Doth the Lord ſeem to caſt us off to ſee whether we wil indeed caſt him off? or hide himſelf, to ſee whether we will earneſtly ſeek after him?Preces fundimus, coelum tundimus, miſericordiam extorquemus. Becauſe his ſmiles have not cauſed us to love him, will he now frown on us, to make us to fear him? are the golden days of his ſpiritual preſence gone, and not to come, as we hoped they were? that we ſhould rather put mourning on our backs, than take Harps into our hands. Becauſe England hath been perfidious and perjurious to God, will God now break his Covenant of Faithfulneſs with England? Shall the unfaith • ulneſs of man make God unfaithful? Did the Lord, of old, wait to be gracious, and will he now wait till we are gracious? Was the Lord wont to be found of thoſe that ſought him not, and will he not be now found of thoſe that ſeek him? Wilt thou not pardon our Hypocriſie, Pride, Paſſions, and Prophaneneſs till we repent, and wilt thou not graciouſly give us an heart to repent of thoſe evils? Shall the new Heavens and new Earth never be built till we are fit Inhabitants? And ſhall diſconſolate Sion never be ranſomed from her ſpiritual ſlaveries and diſtractions till they are worthy to be ranſomed? Is not the price of her Redemption already paid, and will the Lord ſeem to require the debt again?

O Lord! are we ſo far gone from thine houſe, like Prodigals, that either we want an heart to return, or an hope, if we return, that our Father will accept of us? Art not thou the God of Peace? Is not thy Son the Son of Peace? thy Spirit, the Spirit of Peace? thy Goſpel, the Goſpel of Peace? and ſhall not thy Children be Children of Peace? is Chriſt in one of his followers, againſt Chriſt in another? is Chriſt divided? Bleſſed Father! how ſhall the world know we are thy Children? if we have not thy Image? thy Servants, if we wear not thy Livery? Will the World be convinced by our Diviſions, that thou art Love? Thy people ſee not ſo much Prophaneneſs in the world, as the world ſees paſſions amongſt thy people. We cenſure and condemn them for not agreeing with thy people, while they ſee thy people agree not amongſt themſelves. Ah Lord! If charity were the onely badge of thy Diſciples, how few Diſciples would our Lord and Maſter have in the world? is this a time onely to pull down, and not at all to build up? to caſt away ſtones and to divide, and not to gather ſtones to raiſe thy Temple? is the Providence of God reſolved that no more Stories ſhall be built in his Sion, till one ſtone be not left on another in Babylon? are not our ſoars ſearched enough,Deo nihil impoſsibile eſt niſi quod non vult. that yet thou pluckeſt away the Plaiſters thy poor people apply to their wounds? Is thy Iſrael in the midſt of the Red Sea, and is Pharaoh at their heels ready to ſwallow them up, and cannot Iſrael be perfectly delivered, till the Sea be perfectly divided? Hath Sion been travelling with Reformation theſe many years, and even when thy people are ready to welcome it into the world, and to name it Glorious, muſt it enter into the womb again? Is it our indiſcreet importunity, that hath haſted to bring it to the birth before the Lords time and day, and therefore ſhall there be no ſtrength given to bring forth? Are the grounds of our fears not onely from thy ſecret or open Enemies, but alſo from the vain converſations of the Profeſſors of thy Name; and indeed, howl ready have we been to cenſure the perſons and condemn the practiſes of others? and to ſay there goes an Oppreſſor, an Apoſtate, an Hypocrite; ſo, as if there were none of thoſe luſts in our hearts, which are viſibly reigning in others lives. Will the Lord conſume their Gold and Silver, as well as the others Hay and Stubble? pull down many of their works, before he ſet up his own? Or wil the Lord further ſuffer worms, and no men, to reaſon with him?

O Lord! are we partly brought out of Egypt, and ſhall we want the cloud of thy preſence, becauſe, that either we long to go backward, or fear to go forward. Muſt thy children begin to ſpell their A, B, C, and go again to School to learn what Mortification, and their firſt love mean, before they take out further leſſons of experience of Faith. Wretched England! How many ſins do we make, that our God did never call ſins? and how many Articles do our paſſions put into the Creed, which thou didſt never enjoyn to be beleeved for Salvation? How have one form of thy people been trampling and triumphing over another? whiles moſtly they have been tithing Mint, Annice, and Cummin, neglecting the Salvation of ſouls, and the advancement of thy Sons Kingdom amongſt us? when will the Candle of the Almighty ſhine on the heads of thy people, as of old? when ſhall the name of thy Son be poured out as a precious oyntment, that the Virgins again may love thee? O Lord! let us be thy Patients, though thou woundeſt us; Let us be under thy rod, rather than we ſhould be out of thy Covenant; rather than we ſhould ſleep to death, ſound thy Trumpet, beat thine Alarm; if thou ſhouldeſt not adminiſter phyſick to us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Cle. Alex. our Diſeaſe were deſperate. Thrice happy will that ſtorm be that ſhall drive us to our Harbor. We will not appoint thee the Rod to lay on our backs, onely we intreat, that when thou purpoſest to ſtrike, firſt break our hearts before thou breakeſt our backs; rather than we ſhould not have thy preſence, let us, with the three children go into a furnace; thy Son, let us with thy Diſciples have a ſtorm; Rather then we ſhould not be thy children, whip us; thy Servants, beat us; thy Spouſe, chide us; thy Friends, frown on us. Ah Lord! Thoſe that loſt their blood together, cannot now ſhed tears together, thoſe that fought together in the field, can ſcarce now pray together in a family.

Bleſſed God! If it be thy will, ſound a retreat ſpeedily to theſe diſorders; Let ſome publick Enemy of thy Sons Kingdom abroad come upon the Stage, that thy Saints may one and all engage together both their prayers and their perſons againſt him; that Sion may be terrible as as Army with Banners; that the Brats of Babylon may come and worſhip before her feet,Hinc Syncre • iſmus, & Synchriſtianiſmus. and know that thou haſt loved her. If the building of Sion may not go forward in this age, Lord let it not go backward; if with Solomon, we may not build thy spiritual Temple, let us at leaſt, lay up ſtuff for the building of it (with David) in the next generation. If the Lord had never ſmiled on us, we could better have born his frowns; if we had not known what the preſence of his Spirit, Wiſdom, Glory had meant, in England, we could better have born his abſence; Our darkneſs is now the greater, becauſe that our light formerly was ſo great. How dolorous is it to conſider, that we that have been brought up in Scarlet, ſhould imbrace Dunghils? And that England, that was the terror of the Lord to the Nations round about us, ſhould ſo much be a ſcorn unto them, and a terror one to another? You that are Gods Jacobs, up and be doing; ſurely, we have little love to, if we have not a ſigh, a tear or two, for Sion. If ever you would rejoyce in Sions deliverance, pray for it. Faith and Prayer are Sions Granadoes, and truely make her the Thundering Legion; onely take heed of counterfeiting theſe heavenly Ordnance and Artillery with the wicked Emperor; theſe weapons are not artificial but infuſed. Methinks I hear Faith and Prayer ſay, Saints in England, be patient and perſevere in the holy and ſincere profeſſion of the Goſpel, though your God be long before he come, yet he will certainly and comfortably come. Endure reproaches, hold on, and hold out, notwithſtanding your doubts and difficulties, your trials and temptations. Though your way to Paradiſe be dirty, yet the Tree of Life in the midſt thereof, the Rivers of divine pleaſure, and Gates of pearl, will richly make amends for all. Be beleeving in prayer, and in this age eſpecially. If once, with Jacob, you prevail with God, you need not fear all the world. If any thing in the world can perſwade the Lord to preſerve a Nation, it is Prayer. Prayer hath often met God, as Abigal did David, and moved him to put up his Sword. Pharaoh being plagued with Frogs got the man of God to pray for him. and Exod. 8.13. The Lord did according to the word of Moſes. And the Lord obeyed the voyce of a man. It is plain that Moſes did according to the word of the Lord, but it is ſtrange that the Lord ſhould do according to the word of Moſes; yet it is ſo; If Moſes will do according to the word of the Lord, the Lord will do according to the word of Moſes; If we keep his precepts, he will fulfill our prayers. God repenting once that he made man, was reſolved to deſtroy him from the face of the earth, yet when Noah built an Altar and prayed to God, the Lord, Gen. 8. ſmelled a ſavor of Reſt, and ſaid, henceforth I wil not any more curſe the earth for mans ſake. God was once ſo diſpleaſed with his people, that he ſaid flatly, I tel you truly, I will deliver you no more; yet when they asked a Deliverer of him, Judg. 10. His ſoul was grieved for their miſery, and he gave them Jephtha. Therefore when God hath reſolved on a Nations ruin, he ſhuts his doors againſt Prayer. The Prophet complains, Lam. 3.8. He ſhutteth out my prayer, (q.d.) God will not ſuffer his Favorite, Prayer, to ſpeak with him. It is a royal way for a Prince to correct the injuries of another Nation that is inferior, to deny their Ambaſſadors audience. Pſa. 80.4. How long will God be angry? but with his people? that is not all, with the Prayers of his people? God is oft pleaſed to be angry with prayer, Jer. 15.1. Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, and intreated for this people, yet ile caſt them out of my ſight, (q d.) You think to hinder me now as you were wont to do; you will ſend out your old friend Prayer, and if you cannot pray enough your ſelves, you will procure aid from my friends Moſes and Samuel, but you ſhall not prevail, I will deſtroy you; the beſt means ſhall fail you, therefore all means ſhall fail you. To reſort to other means after prayer, is to faſten an Anchor with a twined thread, which hath broken a Cable, or to think to conquer an Enemy with a Bulruſh, when we could not with a Cannon. In vain is God attempted by Power, or ſollicited by Prayer againſt his own mind. And as God will not ſometimes be intreated, ſo he ought not at any time to be queſtioned. But I hope the Lords door is yet to be opened to our knocking, and his ears to our crying. And becauſe in this age ſo many prayers are fruſtrated, be ſure to pray that you may be heard. I intend not a Common-place of Prayer. Briefly,

Firſt, be ſure to limit your prayers according to the Revealed Word. Let us pray that Gods Will, not that our Wils may be done, as that Jacobine did; Lord let my will be done, and mine, becauſe thine. We often ask, and miſs, becauſe we ask amiſs. Your Father oft gives that in anger, which he would deny to give if he were pleaſed. Its better to be without Quails, than to ſurfet, to have either a long delay, or rather a full denial, than an anſwer in wrath. The contradictions by God put to the prayers of the Saints in this age, is one of the greateſt wonders of the age. Our hearts are oft (as the Spirit of God ſaith) like crooked, Bows, and no wonder the Arrows we ſhoot are loſt, when many times we never aim at the mark. We muſt take heed of praying backward with Jonah, who, rather than he would be accompted a falſe Prophet, cared not ſo much for the ſalvation of Nineveh, as for his own reputation. Says he, was not this my ſaying? one would have thought that the ſalt Sea ſhould have waſhed away thoſe briny humours. Take heed of the heady prayers of the Diſciples, Cauſe fire to come down from Heaven (q.d.) theſe are Rebels to thy intereſt, we have preached the word of Life to them, and they ſcoff at, and ſcorn us for our labors; ſurely, O Lord! if they were thine elected they would have beleeved ere now; they have ſinned againſt their own light, and againſt the revelation of thy love, they are finally impenitent; Lord conſume them; But theſe were hot ſpirits, and Chriſt cools them, You know not of what ſpirits you are of; Joh. 15.7. you have not the perſons, and therefore it is not convenient you ſhould have the prayers of Elias. Every one that rides in a fiery Chariot, is not an Elias. (Non petitur in nomine ſalvatoris quicquid petitur contra rationem ſalutis. Laſtly, Let us beware of ſiniſter prayers, not to write after that copy, Lord, when thou commeſt into thy Kingdom, let one of my Sons fit on thy right hand another on thy left. At the left hand of Chriſt! Surely ſhe did not know for what ſhe prayed, for none but Goats ſhall ſtand at Chriſts left hand. The rule of our prayers is not what pleaſeth our apprehenſions, but what is correſpondent to, and agreeable with the Revealed Word. ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Plato III. de legibus p. 811.) That which is glorious in the eyes of a man, nay, of a good man, is often abominable in the eyes of God. Pray for nothing but what God hath promiſed, if ever you would have God to perform what you pray for. It is better to beleeve that the will of God ſhall be fulfilled, Deus non dando, dat nobis, & nos non accipiendo, à Deo accipimus. than to behold our own wills fulfilled. The Saints in this age juſtly condemn the former Generation, for doing that which was never commanded; and I beleeve the next Generation will as juſtly condemn the Saints in this age, for beleeving ſome things which were never promiſed. The Interceſſion of our Lord Jeſus is a cenſer of gold, and can we deſire him to offer up our droſſie prayers for Incenſe? they are often filthy in our ſight, and how can they be ſweet in his Fathers noſtrils? Many of Sions Petitions are now in the Lords accompt but waſte paper, and at the last day ſhall never be ſeen hung on the file in Heaven; and indeed how can they speed? when (our conſciences bearing witneſs) they are neither worded by the Scriptures, indited by the Spirit, nor ſubſcribed by a bleeding heart. (Eo modo ſunt omnia petenda quo modo ſunt promiſſa. Aut praeter verbum petis, aut non propter verbum petis.

Secondly, Be ſure to pray, not only for love but in love. It is true, that Love is a ſtately Garment to be worn by the Lords children in their Manſion houſe of Glory, but you muſt not put off this Garment till that day, as the world doth Holineſs; Oh ſay they, holineſs is for Heaven. Love, and not Parts; Love, and not Praying; Love, and not the participation (viſibly) of the body and blood of Jeſus Chriſt,Non debet eſſe ſimultas inter eos qui ſunt ſimul. is the badge of a Diſciple of Chriſt: By this ſhall all men know ye are my Diſciples, if yee love one another, Joh. 13.35. Said he, that was as much for Faith, and more, than any of his followers. Chriſtians, Love is aſleep, (I hope not in a dead ſleep) for ſhame awaken it; Gardiners ſpeak of an Herb Love lies a bleeding, and if ever that Herb grew in Sions Garden, it is now; Oh revive it! Hoſius was ſo in love with Charity, that he thought there was no other Word of God than this of Love. But oh! that Love were by many (at leaſt in their carriages) accounted to be a Word of God. I know there is a kind of unity amongſt High-way-men, or elſe their Trade of Robbery would fall. And that love is often pretended againſt Faith, and oftner againſt Holineſs. The Souldiers that were for the crucifying of Chriſt, were not (q.d.) for the crucifying of his coat; they tore his Body, and yet kept his Coat whole; but not out of love to Chriſt, but out of love to themſelves, every one of them would fain have had it all. The Souldiers had not Chriſt, but they had his Coat, and ſhall Chriſtians have Chriſt and not his Coat? the Body and the Garment muſt go together. Never expect your Sacrifice of Prayer ſhould be accepted, til it be ſalted with Love. Love knows no difference between party and party, but owns all as fellow-members that are partakers of the influence of the Head. Remember, That the Father will not agree to anſwer the prayers of his children that diſagree. God will anſwer the prayers of one childe for another, but not of one child againſt another. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembreſt that thy Brother hath ought againſt thee, (where by brother, in the loweſt kind, you muſt not (as ſome do) underſtand, men of the ſame Opinion, but men of the ſame Faith in, and ſame Communion with God), Secondly, It is not ſaid, if thou haſt ought againſt thy Brother, (Mark that) leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way, firſt be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift. This Precept is Religious, and certainly the Practiſe is not Superſtition.

To expect that God ſhould anſwer our divided prayers, is to put a jeer on Omnipotency, and to charge the Almighty with inconſiſtency; it puts an abſurdity on God, in making him to pleaſe man, nay, an impoſſibility, to pleaſe all men. The diviſions of our prayers may poſſibly cauſe ſome Profeſſors to ſuſpect that God is divided,Deus nequit facere, quod nequit fieri. to whom we pray, and in time, occaſion the world to beleeve there is no God at all, for God is but one, and not divided. The Lord, at this time muſt fruſtrate (q.d. in ſpecie) many prayers of ſome Chriſtians, as he will be true to the principles of his own Glory. To ſpeak with reverence, God cannot grant all our Petitions and be God. All the godly of all parties pretend the Kingdom of Chriſt; and theſe Opinions, as rigidly maintained, are apparently inconſiſtent together. What a temptation is it then to attempt unlawful means, q.d. to force the Lord out of his way? and all, that man might not be proved falſe to his own intereſt, and be cryed up and down for a lyar. God (forſooth) ſhall not be God unleſs he will pleaſe man. (Multi benè cogitant ſed malè precantur. Et ſi volunt eſſe felices, Deum orent, ne quid illis ex his quae optantur eveniat, Sen. L. Benef. c. 37.) Oh! that the Lord would reconcile theſe diviſions that are betwixt his own people. However, in the interim, let every particular Jacob wreſtle with God, and ly quietly aſleep at the bottom of the Ladder. I ſhall conclude here with the advice of Divine Mr. S.R. on the woman of Canaan, in 4 Rules.

Firſt, Go not before, but follow God and Providence. Preſcription of ſuch and ſuch means to God, and no other, is to limit Omnipotency, and to ſtint the holy one of Iſrael. It is arrant Idolatry to limit God to means, as well as to bow down to an Idol. A Rams horn is as near of blood to cauſe the walls of Jerico to fall, in Gods hand, as Engins of war; It is eaſier to ſee what is inflicted on us, than to ſee who inflicteth it; and we look no higher than the creature, as if the world created it ſelf; ſo is this, when we dream the creature moveth it ſelf, and is not moved by God. Quietly ſubmit to the Lords waies, beleeving can eaſe us, diſputing cannot.

Secondly, The book of Providence is full both Page and Margin. God hath been adding to it ſundry new Editions, and like children we are in love with the golden Covering, the Ribbons, filleting, and the pictures in the Frontiſpeece, but underſtand little of the Argument of Providence. Who is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, Degener animus eſt qui emendare mavult Deum quam ſe, carpens Divina & Providentiam, alia illa eſſe velit magis quam ſe alium. Sen. even he ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord, Pſa. 107.43. God is worthy to be Chronicled; there is a contexture of Decrees, Actions, Events, in Providence, from the creation to the conflagration of the world, and not a thread ſhall ever be broken; though this web be woven of threads of divers colours, black and white, comfortable and ſad paſſages of Providence, yet all make a fair order to God in the way, and ſhall be beautiful to us in the end. As many Herbs and various ſorts of Flowers, make up one pleaſant and well-ſmelling Meadow, many Roſes, Lillies, and the like, one ſweet-ſmelling Garden: ſo there is a ſweetneſs and order in all Gods diſpenſations.

Thirdly, Let your ſpirits be kept in aequilibrio, in an indifferency in all caſts of Providence, and ſo you are above the croſs. 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. David puts his ſoul on Gods two Ifs, if he ſave it is good, if he deſtroy it is good. Make ſure this general, Chriſt is mine, at this Anchor, in this Harbor my veſſel ſhall ride. What ever wind blow in externals, Chriſt dyed for me, if I live its Chriſt, if I dye its Chriſt; if I ride with Princes on Horſes, its good, if I go on foot with Servants, it is good; If Chriſt hide his face and frown, it is Chriſt, it is good; if he overlade the ſoul with rays and beams of glory, it is alſo Chriſt. Faiths ſpeculations to the worſt and hardeſt in point of reſolution is ſweet. Suppoſe the Devil and Hell form the Principles, Faith can make a concluſion of God and Heaven. Job puts on a concluſion of faith from bad premiſes; What if God ſhould kill me? yet ile truſt in him, Job 13.15. What if God throw me into hell, it were well reſolved, I would out of the pit of Devils cry Halelujah, praiſe the Lord in his juſtice.

Fourthly, Give not over praying, though God ſeem to give over anſwering; God hears often when he doth not anſwer, and oft his not anſwering, is an anſwer; pray, go on. The Father will cauſe the child to ſay over again what he once heard him ſay, becauſe he delights to hear him ſpeak. I pray for victory to Gods people in this battel, they loſe the day, yet I am heard and anſwered, becauſe I prayed for that victory, not under the notion of Victory, but as linked with Mercy to the Church, and honor to Chriſt; now God ſhews mercy and gains Glory in humbling them, which is the formal object of my prayers. Some Letters require no anſwer, but are meer expreſſions of the deſire of the friend; the generall prayers of the Saints, That God would gather in his Elect, that Chriſt would come and marry the Bride, and conſummate the Nuptials, do refer to a real anſwer, when the King himſelf ſhall make his ſecond appearance. In the expectation of, and patience for which appearance, let the Saints beleeve and rejoyce, for the Marriage of the Lamb is a coming, and his wife hath made her ſelf ready, and to her is granted that ſhe ſhould be arrayed in fine linnen, clean and white; for the fine linnen is the righteouſneſs (righteouſneſſes gr.) of the Saints. And bleſſed are they which are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. And behold, he commeth quickly, and his reward is with him; therefore let the Spirit and the Bride (or the Spirit in the Bride, or the Bride in the Spirit) ſay, Come, and let him that is a thirſt, come; and whoſoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. Even ſo, come Lord Jeſus, Rev. 22.12, 17, 20.

Poſſibly Jacobs Vow may follow.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAge 2. line 17. read, the Lord open this viſion to our eyes, and open our eyes to ſee it, p. 14. l. 17. r. ſhoulders, p. 19. l 4. r. Elijah, p 59. l. 2. r. is viſible, p. 36. l. 14. r. rather Heaven out of Hel, p. 103. l. 25. nobodies. p. 132. l. 1. r. between wolves and ſheep, p 146. m. r. parem, p. 158. l. 6. r. were all to be conquered, p. 161. r. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . p. 163. r 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , p. 186, m. r. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , p. 213. m. r. pendet, p. 219. m. r. irrita & irritantur, p. 221. m. r. Deo, p. 135. m. r. luxatus & luctatus, p. 237. l. 6. r. not adverſe p. 235. r. Diſtich, r. Laudis, Exultans, p. 262 m. after non read dabit, p. 296. l. 4. r. Eccleſia, p. 302; l: 11. for once labor, read once more.