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 SYON.

GEN. 28.12

And Jacob dreamed, and behold a Ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and be∣hold 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 gene∣rall parts,

First, Jacobs going to Padan Aran.

Secondly, his stay there,

Thirdly, his return from thence.

In his going to Padan Aran, the mo∣tives 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 en∣raged brother.

Secondly, the accidents that fell out by the providence of God in his journey, and these were, the Vision of the lad∣der, 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 pover∣ty, lastly, solitarinesse and want of com∣pany; 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 where∣fore 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 as∣cending and descending, his royal atten∣dants, 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 Provi∣dence 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 Hea∣ven, 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 re∣demption. John the tenth, Hee that climbs up, or thinks to climb up, any o∣ther way to heaven than by this Ladder, is a thief; for John the 14. hee is the on∣ly 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,* 1.1 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 rot∣ten Ladders, and the climbers have rot∣ten hearts,

Thirdly, A Providentiall sense, and thus I shall handle this Vision. The Lad∣der 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 pi∣cture of Providence at this time in the world, it maketh and hath so many faces, let our eyes be never so exact in obser∣ving, 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 ma∣ny

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 all∣waies in one condition, nor the soul all∣waies in one posture; sometimes Christ frowns, and sometimes he smiles, some∣times hee casteth down, sometimes hee lifteth up, sometimes the Church of God is in the wildernesse, sometimes in Ca∣naan, sometimes on the raging sea, some∣times in her harbour. The Lord keeps his people from infection by leading them into divers aires; black and bloo∣dy Providences set off the wisdome and faithfullnesse of our God the better. Standing waters corrupt and breed noy∣some 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.* 1.2 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. Some∣times 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,* 1.3 and overcasteth Syon with darkness, that the poor children of God cannot tell where to find their Fa∣ther, that they can but guesse at his foot∣steps, 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 Provi∣dence; but indeed, the Sun shone clear∣ly, 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 dis∣order 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 A∣aron 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 Eng∣land for some years toward a Reforma∣tion? 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 for∣ward. About twelve years ago hun∣dreds came out of the Devils Kingdom, into the Kingdom of the Gospel, but now many fly from the colours of the Gospell visibly,* 1.4 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 chan∣ged 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 Pro∣phet

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 a∣bout 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 harmo∣ny in both.

Be not over righteous, says the Prea∣cher, 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 Scrip∣ture 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 wick∣ed man, as wicked as Cain, to prolong his life, and to have the world at com∣mand: 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 ei∣ther unconstant or unfaithful; though I hope better things.

For it is observeable, that Provi∣dence in the main is never Excentrical, and in the main is never Retrograde, The Lord oft looks backward, but ne∣ver goes backward. He led Israel forty years about in the wilderness, and yet never carried them back to Egypt. A∣braham is promised a Son, and a nu∣merous 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 sa∣crificed, and dost thou require me to

sacrifice my son? Thy word saith, I must not kill,* 1.5 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 bran∣ches 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 sup∣ported 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 A∣ragon 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 mur∣murings, 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 flat∣tering Absolom who would insinuate to the people neglects in his Fathers Go∣vernment; 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 suppor∣ted 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 moun∣tains 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 perso∣nal; 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 moun∣tain will not come to Mahumet, Ma∣humet 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:* 1.6 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 crea∣tures, both in their Preservation and Government. First,* 1.7 In their Preservati∣on. 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 pre∣serve, 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 de∣stroy his creatures, but of a positive in∣fluence to maintain the creatures in be∣ing, Job 6.9. If the Lord take away his hand, Job would fall; not onely to the ground, but also to his first prin∣ciples 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,* 1.8 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 Pro∣vidence, and over-look all his creatures; the baseness of any creature, no more defiles God, than a dunghil vapor in∣fects 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 thin∣ner than the smallest thread, or the web of a Spider. God is great in the grea∣test creatures, and he is great in the smallest creatures.

It is to be feared, that those that at pre∣sent question Providence,* 1.9 upon the same accounts may ere long deny the Crea∣tion. A King is confined to his proper Ubi and Palace, and he orders things in his Dominions by Deputies and Vice∣roys; but the Lord can no more be ab∣sent

from his creatures, than cease to be their Creator, nay than cease to be, Psal. 147.9. According to the old ob∣servation, 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 cre∣ating any new kind of creatures, for otherwise Providence is a continual cre∣ation, 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 be∣gotten 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, some∣thing 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 war∣like,* 1.10 whereby all Creatures are muste∣red, 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 Ver∣min on him; and all the Kings Guard cannot Master the Lice. God hath Hor∣nets 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, whe¦ther preservation without food? or for

by such messengers, were greatest; those ravenous creatures which took food from others, brought it to E∣lisha. The Philosopher says,* 1.11 God is the first Agent, that is true, but not all: God leaves not the world to be go∣verned by Fortune, after he made the World. God is the first Agent, as the first mover, which sets all the infe∣rior Sphears in motion, and so conti∣nues 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 Al∣mighty: 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 to∣ward all rational and intellectual Crea∣tures, 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 ex∣ercised 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, be∣cause he will not repent, and also,* 1.12 that man will not repent, because he cannot.

The conversion of the Soul is sup∣posed to be as considerable a work, if not a greater, than the Creation; for in the Creation God had no Adversa∣ry; The Light did not say, I will not be created, the Earth did not say, I will not be formed; but in the new Crea∣tion, sinners labor to prevent the concep∣tion of Grace, take down antidotes a∣gainst Salvation, and study how to de∣feat

the Spirit of God, and make its works abortive.* 1.13 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 ta∣bula, 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 sin∣ners heart, but God onely can open it. The Body is not so much at the com∣mand of the Soul, as the Soul is at the command of God. Without me, Joh. 14. ye can do nothing. The Lord o∣pened the heart of Lydia.* 1.14 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 necessa∣rily, but not coactively. It is a true Rule, those things which are contingent in respect of second causes, are necessa∣ry in respect of the First, by a neces∣sity of immutability, not of compulsi∣on. 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 Pre∣rogative to make, and it is the royal flower of his Crown to mend the heart, under the prayses of Nature lurk the e∣nemies of Grace.

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

1 In this Ladder, there is a pre∣venting 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,* 1.15 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) pe∣rished.

It was a good mans contem∣plation 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 un∣done indeed, if they had not been un∣done 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 mise∣rable 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 mer∣cy on me! God is not onely to be ad∣mired 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 deter∣mined at Gods Council-Table; mens designs are not so deep, but the Lords de∣signs 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 ma∣lice of men, for his Children, who sometimes neither feel nor hear the blow. O Lord, how often are we de∣livered from visible dangers, but, how oftner from invisible dangers? Remem∣ber for ever, that the Devil and Men

may often level their Ordnance a∣gainst Sion, but they shall never do Execution, till God say, Give fire.

* 1.162 In this Ladder, there is a per∣mitting Providence. The Devils are kept in chains, as Jude speaks, In chains, not onely of Justice, but also of Provi∣dence, that they can neither torment the Body, or torment the Soul, without com∣mission or permission from God. God did not allow, yet he suffered, the trea∣chery of Judas, and the cruelty of Pi∣lat toward Christ, Act. 2.23. The Apostle chargeth Christs death on them, and yet brings in the fore-know∣ledge and counsel of God; The Fa∣ther delivered the Son, the Son deli∣vered himself, out of love; Judas de∣livered Christ for money, the Jews crucified Christ out of malice; so that, in the same tradition, God is to be mag∣nified, 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 blas∣phemies 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? Remem∣ber, That God is not bound to do all he can (and how could God be Al∣mighty 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 per∣ceived, without diversity of colours.

A Father holds a Lyon in chains,* 1.17 the child trembles for fear lest the Ly∣on 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 Fa∣ther 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 Sa∣tan over to the Peace, to his quiet be∣havior; 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 pre∣sently surrendred to them.

* 1.18This Ladder of Providence reaches as far as Hell, and extends to the ut∣most line of the Devils Kingdom. Satan cannot enkindle one fire in Sion, if Pro∣vidence 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 Pro∣vidence; 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 un∣dertake 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 glo∣ry.

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?

* 1.193 In this Ladder there is a re∣straining Providence. Thus far shall the Designs of men and Devils go, and no further; That's the authoritative Di∣alect 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 sa∣tisfie their hunger; the Lord can make the Saints, in beleeving, not to care (as we say, a fig for the Towers or Pow∣ers 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 bon∣dage, 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 Tuni∣cles, 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;* 1.20 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 Blasphe∣mies shall even lay the neck of the Gos∣pel 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, can∣not 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 or∣dering 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 suf∣fers 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,* 1.21 but Pro∣vidence 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 Ju∣stice; 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,* 1.22 he had fallen. The Saints sometimes fall, that when they rise they may stand the fast∣er.

David cut off Goliahs head with Goliahs sword. Our Lord Jesus hath often beat the Devil in his own King∣dom, and with his own weapons. Ma∣ny 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 In∣stances.

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 poy∣soned, 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 pro∣nounced,

the sin is pardoned; the Messiah puts in bail. The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head,* 1.23 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.* 1.24 The Devil sets on the Cap∣tain of our Salvation; Oh thinks the Devil, if I can but destroy the Shep∣heard, 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 as∣cends from the Grave, marcheth through the Devils Kingdom, and receives a Crown from the Father,* 1.25 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 over∣throw.

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. Provi∣dence is usually exercised in contra∣ries.* 1.26 It is the Divine method to hum∣ble, 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 Bre∣th••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 con∣fusion but beauty. All things you see, not onely work, but work together (the word in the Greek is compoun∣ded) Look not onely on Gods way, but on his end; what God hath joy∣ned 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 a∣gainst 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 exe∣cution of Gods Decrees in time; some∣times possibly the Decrees of God, and God decreeing, is conversant about sin four waies.

* 1.271 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, there∣fore in that sense he sinned freely. Be∣cause we sin, therefore our sin is fore-known, not therefore we sin, because it is fore-known. God foretold the infide∣lity

of the Jews to Christ, he foresaw their sins, not his own; The Jews com∣mitted 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 fore∣sees, but fore-ordains not those that are evill.

2 Providence extends further,* 1.28 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 ar∣bitrary in its influence, withdraws its influence of light and life, the Soul is pre∣sently 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 condemna∣tion, for as a Judge he punisheth trans∣gressions against his Law,* 1.29 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 im∣potency and weakness in the Child. God throweth down none, but raiseth up many faln; he healeth many, woun∣deth none. The principle of our fal∣ling (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 gi∣ven to man, both Nature, which is the principle of natural Actions, and the Will, which is the principle of volun∣tary

Actions;* 1.30 by his power determi∣ning 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 acti∣on there are two things, the act and the defect; God is the Author of the act, but not of the defect: As in the stri∣king an untuned Harp, the fingering is from us, but the jarring is from the In∣strument. 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 pur∣pose, as to kill his Brother, that was the proper sin of Cain. God may re∣move impediments of sinning, he may propose objects in themselves indiffe∣rent, 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 a∣bout sin. God wills that sin be; God wills not the nature, yet he wills the be∣ing 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 e∣vil••; 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 Go∣vernment and Providence of God;* 1.31 for God doth not suffer sin to be with∣out 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 be∣hind, 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 Glo∣ry.

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;* 1.32 God har∣d••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 a∣gainst 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,* 1.33 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 Hel∣fire was but a politick invention to keep men in awe, and you shall be∣leeve them; There shall come some like Angels of light, though they are Devils incarnate, and they shall with a seeming Mortification, cry down re∣al Mortification; and with a plau∣sible conver••ation preach down prea∣ching, 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 ano∣ther 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 Hem∣lock 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 Blas∣phemies of this age. It is well for Gods Jacobs that the God of Jacob stands at the top of the Ladder,* 1.34 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 trea∣chery 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 Provi∣dence. 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 fea∣thers, 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 ap∣pointed for all men once to die, that is, once: Gods Decrees for the morta∣lity of man are not made at random, but in particular, and they are irrever∣sible. 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 Ar∣my, 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,* 1.35 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 op∣press

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 perse∣cutions, 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 obser∣ved) 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 be∣fore their time, that is, their time in∣deed, 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 hang∣ing 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 be∣hold Christ in every Cross, and God on every Ladder!

2 Providence is visible in Afflicti∣ons. 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 spe∣cial Errand. The wicked mans sight is bounded by second causes, and he can∣not see beyond the Horizon of the crea∣tures. 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 inrich∣ed 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 fa∣thers 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 Let∣ters 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 Al∣fred, saw God on this Ladder, who al∣wayes 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 lan∣guage? 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; Afflicti∣ons are a rod,* 1.36 but they have honey at the end of them: How sweet is it while the rod softens the heart, and the hony o∣pens 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 en∣quire for the cause of no other physi∣tian. 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 no∣thing 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 Pesti∣lence the divine disease, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 imme∣diate 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 di∣stractions 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. Sin∣ful man is the meritorious, but Provi∣dence 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 cu∣red by God; the Lords dreadful Am∣bassadors 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 accor∣ding to his Orders, he sounds his Trum∣pet, and beats his Drum, and all the

Plagues, and Punishments of Provi∣dence 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 com∣mand, 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 chil∣dren 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. Eng∣land would be as full of Judgements as it is of Sin, if men were the Makers and Masters of Judgements. Men a∣lone, though never so wise or powerful, cannot make either staves of comfort, or rods of afflictions. God saith in Scrip∣ture, he will give peace. If all the An∣gels 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 Go∣vernments of the World. God, 1 Sam. 2.8.9, raiseth the poor from the dust, and lifts up the Beggar from the dung∣hill, though too often they forget the ground from whence they came, and the hand that lifted them up. Pro∣motion, 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 Na∣tivity; as if a man be born under Ju∣piter, 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 quar∣ter of the Heavens, but from the Lord.

It was accounted by a great man (mentioned in our Chronicles) a grea∣ter 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 Ada∣mant, 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 wal∣king as servants on the earth? Sub∣jects

to prove Kings,* 1.37 and Kings to prove scarce Subjects? Take heed of Atheism, say not these things are fortu∣itous, or unjust in God; these are the chances (q. d.) and changes of Provi∣dence, whose ways are sometimes se∣cret, but never unrighteous. All Nati∣ons 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 Tape∣stry.

2 What if some rise on this Lad∣der of Providence (as many have done) and leave a good conscience at the bottom? The Devil is visible in the

best Governor,* 1.38 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. Magistra∣cy is a civil Ordinance of God, and so in it self good; now the well or ill ma∣nagement 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 Magi∣strates, 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,* 1.39 as well as that of Constan∣tine. The Apostle argues from the Au∣thor 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 Fu∣neral. The Name and Title of God is never in Scripture (as I know) attri∣buted 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 gi∣ving his soul to the Devil, and after∣wards may prove Nebuchadnezzars, the Lamentation of their Generations, as the word signifies? That when their sin∣gle 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 Mi∣nister of Providence, and if men were wise, for their good; if a good Prince, for their temporal good, if a bad Prince,* 1.40 for their eternal good, by their temporal evil.

If it be questioned, whether Infe∣riors ought to honor Superiors that are evil; I answer yes, for the wicked∣ness of man cannot make void Gods Ordinance, no more than mans unbe∣leef 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;* 1.41 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 o∣bedience to the God of Heaven and Earth.

And this distinction must be added, that what honor is done to wicked Ma∣gistrates, is to be done to God himself, not to Man, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to the per∣son, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to the vizard that God hath put on him; as the Heathen Emblem was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 God∣dess.

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 child∣ren 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 per∣son, by God-man. Ejusdem est in∣stituere & destituere, ligare & sol∣vere.

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 & pe∣riods of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, Dan. 2. Dan. 4.32. Some think King∣doms 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 King∣doms, they are made in Heaven be∣fore

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 Pythago∣rist, to number; Aristotle, to Asym∣metry, and disproportion of members; Copernicus, to the motion of the Cen∣ter of the Excentrick Circle; Carda∣nus, 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 Lad∣der; 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 boasting∣ly 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 in∣flicts ruin.

The Sixth remarkable in this Lad∣der is, The unchangeableness of Pro∣vidence. 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 purpo∣ses 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 un∣beleef. 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 perse∣cuting 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 Lad∣der; 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 King∣dom.

Shall the Rock (Job 18.4.) be re∣moved 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 a∣gainst a Rock. Shall God alter the method of Providence for man? Shall the Lord write a new model of gover∣ning

the world, to humor man? Shall it be said of an Heathen, that it was as possible to turn the Sun out of his E∣cliptick line, as to put him out of the course of righteousness; and shall Pro∣vidence 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 where∣in the Lamb may wade, and Seas where∣in 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 Pro∣vidence. It is impossible to sail against the wind, and dangerous to swim against the stream of Scriptures, and Provi∣dence, 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,* 1.42 The Activity and negoti∣ation 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 Hiero∣glyphicks, pourtrayed an Eye on a

Scepter, to signifie the vigilancy and re∣gency 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 seve∣ral Influences, the Wisdom, Power, Patience, &c. of Providence. Provi∣dence hath the hands of Briareus, and the eyes of Argus. It is supposed by some, that the seven Spirits bear al∣lusion 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 o∣thers.

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 behold∣ing

the passages of the world below; But Providence is not idle, but active, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hath reference (as Calvin ob∣serves) not onely to the eye of God,* 1.43 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 ri∣pening his Vine, always either a cloa∣thing or correcting his children; Al∣ways a providing for them as a Sun, or a protecting them as a Shield. It is re∣puted a shame for a man to see by ano∣thers 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 thou∣sands 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 cir∣cle 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 mo∣ment 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 Lad∣der 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 formal∣ly

Grace, though the former alwaies, and the last mostly goe before Grace, and by some to their ruin, are ta∣ken or mistaken for Grace: but Rege∣neration it self, is in a moment, Psal. 84.7. The Saints go from strength to strength; from one vertue to ano∣ther: There is an allusion to the Isra∣elites 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,* 1.44 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. Pro∣vidence 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 Anti∣christ 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 o∣ver the work, because in the respite he is striking at the Devil; So the down∣fal 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, notwithstand∣ing all winds and waves of men and De∣vils, the Church shal arrive at her harbor.

The Ninth remarkable in Jacobs Lad∣der 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,* 1.45 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 thou∣sand 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 Pa∣lace, 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 in∣to Hell.* 1.46 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 scat∣tered; There needs no more, the very arising of God is the downfall of the un∣godly.

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 Ba∣bylon without Armies; Armies cannot destoy Antichrist without God, but God can (if he please) destroy Baby∣lon without Armies. What a sweet order is in Divine Providence? Ja∣cob lies at the foot of the Ladder, the Angels go up and down the Lad∣der, 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,* 1.47 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 cu∣rious and vain enquiry of the School∣men about the nature, number, order of

Angels. I shall onely discourse of An∣gels, according to the revealed word, with just consequence, in order to their influ∣ence on or about Sion. Of which Dis∣course, I wish you as much profit in reading, as I have had in the penning of it, by the assistance of the Lord. An∣gels are conversant about the Church in relation to the Head and Mem∣bers.

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 ob∣noxious 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;* 1.48 delivering man out of, and defending Angels from cap∣tivity; 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 Taberna∣cle which covered the most holy, which signifies the incarnation of Christ, was made of broidered work with Cheru∣bims, which shadowed out the service of Angels to the Mediator. Hence Matth. 16.27. they are called not one∣ly 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 ser∣ved him ten times.

1 They carried the message of his miraculous Conception to the Vir∣gin.* 1.49

2 They advertised Joseph, whom the ignorance of this Mystery had per∣plexed.

3 They published his birth unto the Shepheards.

4 They gave order to carry him into Egypt, to avoid the fury of He∣rod

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 A∣gony 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.

* 1.50Never 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 mem∣bers, 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. Where∣fore,

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 An∣gels: 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 Re∣demption, 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,* 1.51 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 Gos∣pel.

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 pur∣ses are, of Angels. An Evangelical Orator hath an Auditory of An∣gels.

2 Angels are affected with the con∣versation 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 re∣pents. Angels may say, as the ange∣lical 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 Mi∣nisters, 1 Cor. 11.10. When poor sin∣ners run to Christ on earth, the glo∣rious Angels spiritually dance in hea∣ven;* 1.52 according to the old observati∣on, That the tears of repenting sin∣ners 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 An∣gels 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 in∣dure 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 occasi∣ons of evill; mitigating our tentations, helping us against our enemies, deliver∣ing us from dangers, comforting us in sorrows, furthering our good purposes; they comforted deserted Hagar, Gen. 21. Jacob fearing, Gen. 32. Paul fain∣ting, 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 com∣fortable to good men. Angels are fel∣low-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 Ja∣cob be asleep, his Angels are a∣wake.

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 re∣vealed, and the Gospel foretold and proclamed by Angels, Gal. 1.8. Luk. 1.31. I dare not say Angels are pro∣perly 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 sig∣nifies) 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 Know∣ledge.

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,* 1.53 the Ministry of Angels. If Sion should be deprived of her E∣vangelical Teachers, yet none can banish from her the Angels her Tea∣chers.

5 The Angels descend the Ladder, to suggest holy and good thoughts un∣to us. Notwithstanding it be peculiar to God to enlighten the mind, and enli∣ven 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 sug∣gest evill; so why may not good An∣gels have liberty to suggest good thoughts? For first, The Devil is said to put it into the heart of Judas to be∣tray 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,* 1.54 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 stir∣ring up the phantasmes, and presen∣ting 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 nei∣ther prove a dissenter, or stand Neuter; for on the contrary, the Devil may flat∣ter, but he cannot force man to sin. He is but the father begetting, the e∣vil heart is the Mother conceiving, and the Father can do nothing in this moral sense, without the Mother. It is remarkable in Scripture, that ordi∣narily 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 gra∣cious work himself.

I intend not the least to disparage the Ministry of the Gospel, thus in ex∣alting 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 na∣ture to be filled with Divine and Ange∣lical 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 compari∣son, High, Higher, Highest; and three de∣grees 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. Op∣pression cannot sit so high, but Justice will sit above her: If oppressors be a∣bove 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,* 1.55 Matth. 4.6. he spake not without book when he said, He shall give his Angels charge o∣ver thee, to carry thee in their Arms, he could not away with the clause follow∣ing, —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 Fa∣mily 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,* 1.56 but like great persons they are always in the midst of their Guard; they pos∣sibly, may be contemned and contemp∣tible 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 can∣not keep the Air, much less these im∣material 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 Soci∣ety.

That of Theodoret is famous, That found so much sweetness on the wrack, complained that his Persecutors increa∣sed 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.

* 1.577 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 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by way of excellency, because it was rare and dainty food; but Instrumentally, be∣cause 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 sup∣ply 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 visi∣ble Protectors, and good Angels are invisible Protectors of Sion, under God. The King of Glory can never want for∣ces, 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,* 1.58 and they immediately take wing, either for the comfort of Sion, or confusion of her Ene∣mies. God sent one Brigade of An∣gels to help Elisha, 2 King. 6.17. ano∣ther Brigade, to aide Lot against the Sodomites; one Squadron to help Ja∣cob against Esau, another, to help He∣zekiah against Zenacherib, Gen. 32.24. Isa. 37.36. Gods heavenly Forces quarter up and down about all the af∣flicted

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 be∣tween them; or because the great An∣gelical 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 An∣gelical 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,* 1.59 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, free∣ly, as the Angels obey God without reluctancy. And fourthly, they are compared to a Lyon for their strength. One Angel killed an hundred four∣score and five thousand in one night, 2 King. 19.35. One Angel wants nei∣ther hands nor weapons to rout and ruin an whole Army. The good Angels stopped the Lyons mouths when Da∣niel was shut up in the Den; restrained by Gods allowance the force of the fire, when the three children were cast in∣to 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 mul∣titude, as the inhabitant for the inhabi∣tants, 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 interpre∣tation

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 An∣gels (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 co∣loured Horses, were Angels appointed for divers Offices (says Junius) the red Horses for Judgement, the white, for Mercy, the speckled, for mixt acti∣ons,

being sent out at once to help Sion,* 1.60 and oppose her Enemies. An Angel smote bloody Herod; two Angels de∣feated 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 be∣tween 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; Mi∣chael 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 sea∣son they were frighted by the appear∣ance 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, be∣cause they have, Dan. 4. Guirin vigi∣lantes, 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 fear∣ful 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 spo∣ken 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 main∣tain 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 Pro∣tectors 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 Ja∣cobs,* 1.61 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 Hea∣ven. Many Angels carry one Laza∣rus, as if they had been ambitious to carry him, every Angel striving which should carry a limb; This was grea∣ter state than the King of Egypts Cha∣riot 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 lick∣ed by Dogs, is now dead guarded by Angels; thus they condescend to han∣dle such filthy creatures as sin hath made us; while they remember our necessity, they do as it were forget their own ho∣nor.

Whereas some plead for topical An∣gels, and personal Angels, that is, for the presidency of one Angel over a Coun∣try, and over a particular man (accor∣ding 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,* 1.62 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 Ba∣laam 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 im∣ployments,

of those noble Spirits, to give a strong, though invisible, oppo∣sition to wicked Enterprizes.

True, they appear not ordinarily, what then? no more do the evill An∣gels; had we but spiritual eies we should see with Moses, the invisible God; and not that onely, but with Jacob, the in∣visible Angels. Many a treacherous act have they hindred, without the know∣ledge of the Traytor; yea, many are the dangers wee see and fear, innume∣rable those we neither see nor fear, from which Providence makes Angels instru∣ments to deliver us. Good Angels sup∣port 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 con∣sider it?* 1.63 though we see not Angels, yet we must beleeve them, we are not Ja∣cobs, 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 suffi∣ciency of Providence, take these Con∣clusions.

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

1 In particular, for your selves.* 1.64 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 Love∣less. 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 be∣leeve, I beleeve; but nobody is for Holiness; and on the contrary, some Christians are very careful against Pro∣phaneness, 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,* 1.65 is worse than an Infidel; and shall man ever be able to write In∣fidel 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 appe∣tite: 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 mer∣ry without cates and delicates, when Providence might make us to be with∣out bread. The Saints may be with∣out many things, but they want no∣thing; 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 Fa∣thers 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 Ra∣vens, will not starve the Herns.* 1.66 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 ray∣ment; says the Apostle; not dainties, but food; not Velvets, but Rayment, Let us therewith be content. The young Ravens are fed of God,* 1.67 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.

* 1.68Secondly, 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 tribulati∣ons, God hath many Plows agoing, and when the back of Sion is furrowed and dunged with persecutions and re∣proaches, 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 Lad∣der up and fetch them down, and be∣fore

their designs are fledged, he will de∣stroy both young and old, and all; though man cannot reach those Nests, yet God can. Fear not, Numb 14.9. the peo∣ple 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 Spi∣rit, 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;* 1.69 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 Ja∣cobs

Ladder, and the Vision of An∣gels.

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 grea∣test ill Your Foe can do's to scratch, he can∣not 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 Cae∣sar. Nebuchadnezzar would needs be climbing, Is not this great Baby∣lon that I have built? but the Lord

tumbled him down headlong from his Throne, to learn humility. Haman would get above his Sphear and Ele∣ment, 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 Spi∣rits 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,* 1.70 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 climb∣ing, 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 ambi∣tious 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,* 1.71 it is notorious folly for Spi∣ders to climb in that age wherein Pro∣vidence is a cleansing the World. Canutus promised to make him that would dispatch his Competitor for the Crown, one of the highest men in Eng∣land; The Competitor was murthe∣red, and when the Attempter deman∣ded

the reward promised, the King bad his head to be cut off, and put on a pi∣nacle in the Tower of London, and so, according to his promise made him one of the highest men in England; so Sa∣tan 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 fa∣mous.

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 happi∣ly 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,* 1.72 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 Govern∣ment, may unawares run into confusion and blood and at length have no Govern∣ment at all. Without Magistracy rob∣bery would be a Law, and men like Dogs, would try all right (as is noted) by their teeth.

How excellent were it,* 1.73 while others are hugging the world, for the Saints to be trampling on the world? How few are there that climb this Ladder of ho∣nor, 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 head∣ach; nor a purple robe, the Cho∣lick.

How many deal with Religion, as a

Mason deals with a Laddder,* 1.74 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.* 1.75 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 be∣low

the worth of a Soul? and yet how many such Chapmen are there in the world? But let ambitious men consi∣der, The Stairs of Honor are steep, the standing slippery, and the regress a downfall. Praepositioni quot acci∣dunt? Unum; Quid? Caesus tantum; Quot casus? Duo; Qui? Accu∣sativus & Ablativus: Haec enim Pi∣latum oportet timere, accusari à cri∣mine, & auferri à Regimine, & igno∣miniose cadere. Clem. Oct.

Secondly, Climb above the world; from this glorious Ladder of Contem∣plation, you may have many glorious sights, upward and downward, for∣ward 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;* 1.76 Riches and Honors are not Heaven; Heaven is of another colour and com∣plexion. 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 un∣der the Line have all the influences of Heaven, and see (as they say the mo∣tions 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 Sy∣camore-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 Temp∣tations, no proing and conning about O∣pinions; not one party for Luther, and another for Calvin; no clashing and clamoring about Presbytery, Indepen∣dency, 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,* 1.77 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 pro∣nounced the first Authors happy; How happy are those souls that are busied in the contemplation of God himself? Ja∣cobs 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 unworthi∣ness, and unthankfulness, see what God hath done for England, and will do for Sion.

First, We may look backward, and ad∣mire 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 ful∣ness 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 be∣cause we are not fit for fruit, and buil∣ding, make us fit fuel for burning? Have not the Ambassadors of the ever∣lasting Gospel had as hard lot in Eng∣land, 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 suffer∣ings 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 al∣ways swims in Justice; but with us, Justice seems to be drowned in Mer∣cy.

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 liber∣ty 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; Li∣berty, and nothing else but Licentious∣ness 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 in∣terest 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 Con∣gregations (q.d.) are open, what if it were past Sermon-time, and past Re∣pentance-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 liber∣ty of conscience! That of Omnium Deorum, among the Romans; of Om∣nium Sanctorum, amongst the Papists:

of Omnium Sectarum, here in Eng∣land, are monstrous. Every variation from unity is a step to nullity. If ever England should come from one Religi∣on 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 Can∣nons, 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, Fa∣mine, Pestilence, he would have; but God puts it to our choyce which of those three plagues we will not have in∣flicted 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 hun∣ger?

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 migh∣tily 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 extra∣ordinarily awaken them from their sleep, and actively engage them against Baby∣lon. 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 ne∣ver 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 a∣gain, though they were distressed by his death; So I dare not say, though in our Distractions, and among the Blasphe∣mies 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 Soul∣diers to scale the wals of a Garrison; So the Lord knows how to make his glo∣ry 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 fa∣mous Prospects.

The first Prospect from Jacobs Lad∣der is, Gods Jacobs may foresee the abundance of knowledge yet to be pou∣red 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 under∣standing 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 say∣ing,* 1.78 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 signi∣fie, how knowledge shall rise h gher in the last ages of the world, than in for∣mer ages. Young men shall see visions, and old men shall dream dreams. The old world did but dream, the know∣ledge 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,* 1.79 or making any more ad∣ditions; 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? Revela∣tions 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:* 1.80 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,* 1.81 than new Mo∣tions 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 dung∣hils.

But there is a time a coming when men shall more visibly honor God,—All the pots in the Lords house shall be ho∣ly, and holiness shall be wrote on the bels of the horses, Zech. ult. Coun∣terfeit 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 jea∣lous God, and if he had been honored, then down with Mars and Jupiter.

The Kingdom of Christ shall pros∣per (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 op∣pressing 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 Common∣wealth, or Tully's Offices, than Christs Kingdom. Moral Prophaneness in∣deed lays the Gospel on the dunghill, but Moral Holiness simply will ne∣ver set Christ in his Throne. There shall be an high-way, and it shall be called the way of holiness, and no un∣clean thing shall pass therein, Isa. 53. If any demand how this can be? I an∣swer, no disease is incurable to an om∣nipotent 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 Pro∣vidence 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,* 1.82 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,* 1.83 and disguize themselves with Opinions, and all to avoid the Hue and Cry of Conscience that God is rai∣sing?

and if it were possible to tear the Records of the Gospel in peeces, and burn down the Tribunal Bar, they have run in∣to such arrearages in sin; Now who shall set up the broken Professor, or a∣waken 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 E∣phraim, 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 hous∣hold of Faith,* 1.84 but few are of the Fa∣mily of Love; while we contend for an ounce of Truth, we lose a pound of Love; Not onely for the Prophane∣ness 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 car∣ry themselves as if they were of diffe∣rent 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!* 1.85 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 divi∣sion 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 con∣tending about the windows, we have almost lost the foundation of the Church; while we have controverted for the well-being,* 1.86 we have even lost the be∣ing 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 dif∣ferences 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 una∣ware 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.* 1.87 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 com∣position 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 a∣mongst 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 parti∣culars, yet they all expect the coming of the King,* 1.88 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 The∣mistocles, for such a man and Themisto∣cles;

So now one crys, O I am for Pres∣bytery, 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,* 1.89 which will be when the Father comes in∣to 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,* 1.90 that paint the walls of the House, and pluck up the foundation; that beau∣tifie 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,* 1.91 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.* 1.92 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 di∣stant, 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, be∣cause he would never rob the poor; but there are few such honest Thieves, in∣stead of taking off, have laid on oppres∣sion; 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, Oppres∣sors were called Wolves,* 1.93 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 a∣mong 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,* 1.94 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 remem∣ber, there is no work since the Creati∣on of the World, greater than the Cre∣ation of the World; and therefore the Lord speaks of New Heavens, to in∣timate, the possibility of their accom∣plishment,

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 admi∣nistration of Righteousness and Justice; and the work of this Generation,* 1.95 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 promi∣ses are yet in the greatest measure to be

performed now at last.* 1.96 Whether Judges be as at the first, let the world judge: There shall be such Governors as Samp∣son 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 be∣leeve, 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 E∣vangelical Ministery. How many hi∣therto 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) no∣thing, of Moses, but his Chair?* 1.97 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 igno∣rant 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 Serpen∣tine 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 rea∣sonable Sacrifice, and holy beast, and will he accept of an unreasonable, un∣holy 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,* 1.98 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 preach∣ing is not maintained by the oyl of the Spirit.

Men hitherto have heaped to them∣selves Teachers according to their hearts,* 1.99 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,* 1.100 or else their Clergy cannot save them, Exod. 37.23. If we cannot abide dead Idols in the windows, God much less will a∣bide 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 in∣deed. 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 ap∣pear in the glory of his person, or perso∣nal glory.

Seventhly, From this Ladder, we

may foresee the ruin of Babylon. Baby∣lon hath three times; a time of ascen∣ding, 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 condem∣ned the Scarlet Whore; she is at pre∣sent 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 Pa∣pal 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 over∣throw 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 a∣bortive. 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 tum∣bled 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.

* 1.101God 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 Cre∣ation. Her ruin shall as certainly be ef∣fected, as it is determined. The De∣crees 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 be∣fore she conquers. The day of An∣tichrist 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 Cor∣dials, it is in vain; her disease is mor∣tal,

and her blood is now cold in her veins. If Providence have not Armys on Earth, it will have Armies in Hea∣ven 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?* 1.102 the Kings of the Earth are yet her Liege Subjects, generally, and will Satan cast out Sa∣tan? and the sight of Rome is infecti∣ous; 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 set∣ting Rome on fire will burn down Baby∣lon, yet the Lord will use military means; Antichrist reigns properly in the Un∣derstandings and Consciences of men; and it is far easier to kill the body, than wound the soul of Antichrist; there∣fore God will destroy her especially, How? with what Artillery? with what Ammunition? Even by the Spi∣rit

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 Vi∣zards 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.

* 1.103When 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 repor∣ted, that Nero viewed the flames of Rome on his Tower through an Eme∣rauld:

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 Lad∣der, 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 con∣straint; 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 be∣ing 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 Il∣lustrious; 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 Eng∣land, 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 Me∣ridian, 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 Fa∣ther. 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 Ex∣altation 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 princi∣pally 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 obser∣vable 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 al∣so 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 vi∣sibly, 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 perpetu∣ity of this Kingdom. We are not now to expect a Kingdom de novo, but the progress and prosperity of Christs King∣dom already in being; for the Kingdom of Christ takes date from his Resur∣rection 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 six∣teen 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 sup∣posed 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,* 1.104 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 pre∣sent 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 world∣ly constitution: Saints shall have hea∣venly, 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 diffe∣rent States of Christs Kingdom, but never of two different Kingdoms of Christ on Earth, as he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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, ex∣tensively, and protensively, all the King∣dom 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 Moun∣tain, 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 fo∣rein power of Men or Devils. Second∣ly, That it shall not be left to ano∣ther people: Christ shall not have a Suc∣cessor either by an Heir, or by a Con∣queror, 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 Baby∣lonians 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 vi∣sibly 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 o∣verlook what follows, as not penned to puzzle Babes, but to exercise the under∣standing.

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 con∣suming 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 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but Es∣sentially 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Divine being, Father, Son, and Spirit, may be all in all, that is, communicate him∣self to the glorified Church, without the intervention of Ordinances and

Creatures, and also (to our purpose) without the proper and immediate ex∣ercise of the Kingly Office of the Me∣diator. (Quae res simil. Illustretur, Finge plures esse globos, ex pellucida materiâ, eo situ ut sint inter se paral∣leli; finge etiam animo alium quendam esse globum interjectum inter istos globos & corpus solis, ita ut radii so∣lares ad reliquos globos, nisi per eum solum nequaquam pertingant; eodem plane modo Deus nunc se hominibus communicat, mediatè nempe per Chri∣stum: 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 me∣dio; sic plane videtur futurum esse a∣liquando ut Deus nos omnes immedi∣atè irradiet & impleat, Spiritu suo sine opera Mediatoris.) For Christ at the last is solemnly to make a surren∣der of the Kingdom to God and the Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 Me∣diator? for we cannot make a Mediator of one, nor of those that are made one; It is an Apostolical maxim, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 im∣mediate and direct beams of Glo∣ry.

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 King∣dom 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 everlast∣ing glory.

Secondly, The relation of his Head∣ship in Heaven doth not oppose; for though he shall remain Head of his Bo∣dy to all eternity, yet in a different man∣ner, than he is Head now. His Head∣ship in the Church Triumphant is rather for precedency, than Principality, ra∣ther for priority and dignity, than for guidance and government; And this must be confessed, that the relation be∣tween the Head and the Members, in heaven, shall still be relatio disquipa∣rantiae non aequiparantiae.

Thirdly, Neither doth this resigna∣tion of the Kingdom, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

redound to the disparagement of the Mediator; no more than the first desig∣nation 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 com∣mission 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 can∣not say, he is Captain in act; His Co∣lours are lodged, his Sword is shea∣thed, both the Captain and the Soul∣diers are under the immediate presi∣dency 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 o∣thers 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 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) the living Creatures, and the El∣ders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thou∣sands 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 con∣quered of old by Christs Scepter; they

are in their harbor, and therefore out of all storms; they have their Crown shi∣ning on their heads, and have no stum∣bling-blocks more in their race; the Devil then shall never be seen to de∣vour, nor heard to roar; farewel hard∣ness 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 〉〈 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 Se∣condly, Though their glory is not natu∣ral, yet the first seizure of glory is con∣firmation 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 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Third∣ly, 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 〉〈 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 abdicatu∣rus 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 Govern∣ment of the Mediator, as God, it is true, and if I mistake not, some Com∣mentators mean so, That as the Fa∣ther

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 Spi∣rit, 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 〉〈 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 him∣self immediately to the Church Tri∣umphant.

Lastly, Christ gives up the King∣dom (not onely not as God, but) not absolutely considered as Mediator,* 1.105 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 admini∣stration 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 〉〈 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 sur∣render 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 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all and in all; So God hereafter shall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 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 im∣perio 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 Daugh∣ters of Sion shall go forth, and Crown

King Jesus in the day of his solemn Es∣pousals, 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 〉〈 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 King∣dom: 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 Di∣adem 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, Hosan∣na, 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-men∣tioned Promises concern the Jews, I answer, True, but not the Jews onely, and though Promises are not to be con∣founded and applied to one people, if they should onely belong to another, yet it will be found according to the Promi∣ses, 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 sepa∣rate.

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 nei∣ther such covetousness nor complaint. But all endeavors will fall short of set∣ting 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 Crea∣ture; 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 in∣vention 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 Anti∣christ, than to set up Christ; And too many know how rather to set up them∣selves than the Kingdom of Christ in the world. Governors must reform (if the Pro∣vidences of God speak truth in explain∣ing the Promises, it is high time) and Governors must be reformed. But I am yet perswaded, that some of Ne∣buchadnezzars 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, ei∣ther 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.

* 1.106If it should be objected, How can the expectation of such glory consist with the Prophecies in Scripture, of the tribula∣tions 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,* 1.107 &c. 2 Tim. 3.1. In the last daies shall come perillous times, men shall be lovers of themselves, cove∣tous, proud, unholy, Traytors, heady, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

I answer, By the last daies in the Pro∣phets 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 ap∣pearance of Christ, but are made in Scripture fore-runners (not formally) of his Kingdom;* 1.108 and how seasonably will the Physician appear when the world will be so diseased? how sweet∣ly 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? Ju∣das 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 dai∣ly 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?* 1.109 golden, I mean, not in a moral, but na∣tural 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 Ene∣mies, 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 ap∣pearance 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 migh∣ty, 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 Al∣mighty of the world. What say Mo∣narchs 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,* 1.110 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 Provi∣dence

infuseth, not a drop more. All the Tribute that God requires, is to at∣tribute 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 be∣cause 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 mea∣ner the instruments of his advancement may be.* 1.111 Who art thou O Mountain? before Zerubbabel, thou shalt become a plain. There are many Mountains a∣gainst Sion, visible and invisible Mountains, but Jacob the worm shall thresh Moun∣tains;* 1.112 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 glo∣rying 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 soften∣ed? 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,* 1.113 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 shoul∣ders 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 nei∣ther conquer nor overcome; with a red Sea, that he can neither dry up, nor di∣vide; with a wall, that he can neither throw down nor climb over, never di∣strust.

Secondly, Limit not God to our time; It is true, we must give God no rest, un∣till 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 Vi∣sion

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 be∣leeve 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 Baby∣lon 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 pre∣sume to know the day of a particular, though special Judgement, as that of Babylon: And Christ was well versed in Daniels numbers, from whence col∣lections chiefly are fetched for the time of Babylons downfal. It is a good ob∣servation, that Providence is the best interpreter of Prophecy. Yet no que∣stion 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 ha∣stens, and by many symptoms of Pro∣vidence 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 Sy∣necdoche, Six hundred sixty six, for One thousand six hundred sixty six) may ring her Passing bell. Many good Ar∣chers 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 of∣ten 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,* 1.114 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 de∣fers our expectation, but never misses his own opportunity. Christ suffers La∣zarus

to lie long in the Grave,* 1.115 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,* 1.116 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 Judge∣ments in Mercy, than Mercies in Judge∣ment. 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,* 1.117 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 Fa∣thers 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;* 1.118 when there is not an opportunity to fight down Babylon, there is a time to pray her down. Christians, in turns of Pro∣vidence, 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 ano∣ther; 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 Providen∣ces. 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.* 1.119 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 Li∣vings, but how few possess their souls in patience? Oh that we could in this stor∣my 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 Cham∣bers. 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 com∣posed; Disturbances in our minds are quickly raised, like evill spirits, but hard∣ly quelled. There are two difficult, but needfull dutys in this dirty and di∣stracting age, To sweep our own doors, and to shut our doors about us. Oh that we could look to our Duty,* 1.120 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 climb∣ing.

The first way, is with Jacob, to lye flat at the foot of the Ladder. God u∣sually cast his Prophets into asleep, and then revealed his Oracles to them.* 1.121 Ja∣cob 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 no∣thing 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 simpli∣city hath the sweetest view of Gospel Mysteries: Jacob had many Visions be∣fore, but did not see it, at last he drea∣med and behold a Ladder.

Secondly, Descend, if you would as∣cend 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 Hea∣ven, 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 He∣brew 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 Apo∣stle!* 1.122 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 priso∣ner, 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 experi∣ence to many souls, the gate of Hell is the nighest way to the Palace of Heaven. Pride goes before destruction,* 1.123 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. Ma∣ny 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 wan∣dring 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 Ju∣das; 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 An∣gels. How soon (as the Apostle said) are we removed into another Gospel? How sad to consider? the last year vi∣sibly an Angel, and this year a De∣vil; yesterdaies Professor, is to daies Ranter.

The Well is deep, said the Samari∣tan, 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 Perseve∣rance 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,* 1.124 I con∣fess, is made a stalking horse to all de∣signs, 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 neg∣lect 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;* 1.125 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 Pro∣vidence of God, and yet nothing is to be attributed to our labor, but all to Di∣vine 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 a∣bout an unjust end, puts God into the Devils service; but he that useth an un∣lawful 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 guil∣ty in practicing, but God is not guilty in permitting evil. And yet God, as he is gracious in his Word, so he is glo∣rious in his Providence; In the agree∣ment 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 ig∣norance (the least that can be spoken of it) to follow Providence without a Scrip∣ture; arrant Atheism to follow Provi∣dence against Scripture. No things can be Orthodox or sound in the Volumes of Providence, that are erratas in the Vo∣lumes of Scriptures: Those that under∣value 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 Ta∣pistry 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 fi∣gure 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 glo∣riously. 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 Go∣spel, 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tolle scalas Ae∣tii, & tu solus Coelum introi∣bis.
• * 1.2

  Credend a plura sunt de Deo quam scienda.
• * 1.3

  Si vides, ubi fides
• * 1.4

  Miremur non rimemur Provi∣dentiae recondi∣tam vi••.
• * 1.5

  Certum est quia impossibile est.
• * 1.6

  Quod est causa causae, est causa causati.
• * 1.7

  Virtus est maxi∣ma pertingere quam remotissi∣mae.
• * 1.8

  Deus nec laborat in maximis, nec fastidit in mini∣mis.
• * 1.9

  Deus est in culi∣ce & in pulice. Saeculum est spe∣culum.
• * 1.10

  Ut in aqua solem, sic Deum in operibus contempla∣mur.
• * 1.11

  Deus sic singula cu∣rat quasi u∣niversa, sic universa quasi sin∣gula.
• * 1.12

  Requiritur opera homi∣nis, sed ope∣ratio Dei.
• * 1.13

  Deus ama∣vit nos non existentes imo resist∣entes.
• * 1.14

  Gratiam non à nobis praesumpsi∣mus, sed à Deo sump∣simus.
• * 1.15

  Uno actis tactis.
• * 1.16

  Deus justè patitur quod nos non justè a∣gimus.
• * 1.17

  Rugiat Leo quantum vult, tantum non fugiat Ovis Chri∣sti.
• * 1.18

  Diabolus contra sanctos tempesta∣tem movet sedipse nau∣fragium pa∣titur.
• * 1.19

  Plures sunt gratiae pri∣vativae quam posi∣tivae.
• * 1.20

  Divinum consilium dum devi∣tatur im∣pletur, hu∣manum con∣silium dum reluctatur comprehen∣ditur.
• * 1.21

  Deus saepe facit opus non suum ut faciat opus suum.
• * 1.22

  Lapsus Pe∣tri sit om∣nium Petra
• * 1.23

  ••rodest pec∣cavisse, no∣cet peccare.
• * 1.24

  Diabolus dum irruit ruit, dum quaerit ho∣minem, in∣cidit in sal∣vatorem.
• * 1.25

  Christi fel, nostri mel.
• * 1.26

  Opposita juxta se po∣sita magis clucescunt.
• * 1.27

  Scivit non sanxit, prae∣dixit non praescripsit.
• * 1.28

  Non fit praeter quod fit contra Dei volun∣tatem.
• * 1.29

  Multi ne laberentur detenti, nul∣li ut labe∣rentur im∣pulsi.
• * 1.30

  Vulnera∣mur in na∣turalibus, spoliamur spirituali∣bus.
• * 1.31

  Deo sciente & sinente fit peccatum non utique nolens sinit sed volens.
• * 1.32

  Deus non vult ma∣lum, vult hoc ipsum fieri malum
• * 1.33

  De iis qui faciunt quae non vul•• Deus, fa∣cit ipse quae vult.
• * 1.34

  Tolle mali∣ciam fra∣trum Jose∣phi simul p••ri••et dis∣pensationem Dei.
• * 1.35

  Tulisti Do∣mine patrem quem ipse dederas non con••ristor quod reci∣pisti ago gratias quod dedisti
• * 1.36

  Schela cru∣cis Schola lucis, quae nocent docent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.37

  Tota ratio facti saepe pendet à ratione fa∣cientis.
• * 1.38

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 qui cona∣tur excipe∣re, conatur decipere.
• * 1.39

  Secundum merita sub∣ditorum Deus dispo∣nit corda praeposito∣rum.
• * 1.40

  Si bonus nutrit••r tuus, sin malus ten∣tator tuus.
• * 1.41

  Honoran∣dus geni∣tor sed praeponen∣dus Creator
• * 1.42

  Deus qui∣escens agit & agens quiescit.
• * 1.43

  Multicum Epicuro verbis re∣linquunt Deos retol∣lunt. Cice. de nat. Deorum, l. 1.
• * 1.44

  Legimus de Ange∣lorum as∣censu & descensu sed non de alis, ascensusigi∣tur hic no∣bis injun∣gitur non volatus.
• * 1.45

  Deus stat ut vindex sedet ut ••ju∣dex.
• * 1.46

  Quod Deus loquitui ri∣d••ns tu le∣ge lugens.
• * 1.47

  Melius est nescire fine crimine quam scire cum discri∣mine.
• * 1.48

  Qui urti{que} redemptio solvens il∣lum & ser∣vans istum.
• * 1.49

  Ad Evam malus An∣gelus acces∣sit & bomo separaretur à Deo, ad Mariam bonus Ange∣lus venit ut in ea Deus uniretur homini. Fulge.
• * 1.50

  Filius Dei caput An∣gelorum est non redem∣tionis sed creationis, Wollebii Epitome.
• * 1.51

  Angelis maximè in publico coe∣tu circumsi∣stuntur pii, ideo taber∣naculi aul••a Cherubinis in••v•• & foris refer∣ta.
• * 1.52

  Lachrymae paenit enti∣um sunt vi∣num Ange∣lorum.
• * 1.53

  Angelorum induistis nomen, in∣duite & naturam.
• * 1.54

  Distinctio Angelorum inter assist∣ente; & mi∣nistrantes est vana, quod omnes sunt as∣sistentes & mini∣strantes imo ideo as∣sistunt ut ministrent, Heb. 1.14. Rivetus.
• * 1.55

  Angeli cu∣stodiunt bonos non in praecipit is sed in v••is, cum non habemus perfectio∣nem Ange∣li non ha∣beamus praesumtio∣nem Dia∣boli.
• * 1.56

  Angeli descendunt à Deo refe∣rentes di∣vina nobis, ascendunt à nobis refe∣rentes no∣stra Deo, Cajet i•• loc.
• * 1.57

  A••geli mi∣nistrabant Christo, non tanquam misericor∣des indi∣genti sed tanquam subditi omnis po∣tenti.
• * 1.58

  Nec boni Angeli nisi quantum Deus jubet, nec mali Angeli in∣justa faci∣unt nisi quantum justè ipse permittit. Aug. de Trinit. l 3. c. 8.
• * 1.59

  Angelus est nomen of∣ficii no•• naturae, ex eo quod est spiritus est, ex eo quod agit Angelus est. Idem, in Psa 111
• * 1.60

  Non tribu∣ere Ange∣lis audeo quod forte non possunt, nec debeo derogare quod pos∣sunt.
• * 1.61

  En fratres quamrerum lamentan∣da mutatio, fu••••s di∣vitis ante∣cedit lugu∣bris tu ba Servorum, feretrum pauperis antecedit Angelorum psallentium multitudo Chrysol.
• * 1.62

  Angell vo∣cantur quod funguntur munere or∣dinario, Arch-An∣geli quod extra ordi∣nario.
• * 1.63

  Angeli sunt media sed non me∣diatores.
• * 1.64

  Quid haesi∣tas super possessioni∣bus, cae∣lum & Do∣minum cum habeas?
• * 1.65

  Si Deus sic custodit su∣perstua tua quomodo a∣nimam tu∣am?
• * 1.66

  Omnia fa∣mulantur famulanti Deo.
• * 1.67

  Non licet de fortuna quaeri, salvo Caesare. Senec.
• * 1.68

  Vides sed non invides
• * 1.69

  Deo confisi nunquam confusi.
• * 1.70

  Fortuna dum splen∣det frangi∣tur.
• * 1.71

  Araneae te∣lam ••exere.
• * 1.72

  Ubi nunc est Resp. ibi fimus poti∣us quam dum illam veterem se∣quimur fi∣mus in nul∣la Dola∣bella Cice. in Ep. l. 9
• * 1.73

  Ut imbecil∣lis scala eum qui ascendit, Dejicit sic superbiae scala eum qui eam a∣scendit. Nilus in loc.
• * 1.74

  Religio pe∣perit divi∣tias & filia devoravit matrem.
• * 1.75

  Mundus est cadaver & perentes eum sunt canes.
• * 1.76

  Faelix cui invisibili∣um scientia fit scala ad invisibilia cognoscen∣da, cui scien∣tia fit scala ascensionis non ruina dejectionis. Victor.
• * 1.77

  Deus res creatas ad modum sca∣lae adoptavit ut per eam sui amanti∣bus ascen∣sum ad se extruxit. Basil.
• * 1.78

  Exprimere non valet experimento opus est. Cathedram in coelo ha∣bet qui cor∣da docet.
• * 1.79

  ☜
• * 1.80

  Mundus se∣nescens pa∣titur phan∣tasiam.
• * 1.81

  Gnostici si∣mal & Bor∣boritae.
• * 1.82

  Crassiani non Christi∣ani.
• * 1.83

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.84

  Si essemus insepa∣rabiles, es∣semus insu∣perabiles.
• * 1.85

  Maxima pars studio∣rum est stu∣dium par∣tium.
• * 1.86

  In veste fit varietas non scissura.
• * 1.87

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chrys.
• * 1.88

  Quae con∣veniunt in aliquo ter∣tio conveni∣unt inter se.
• * 1.89

  Uniones o∣riuntur ex mari sed magis pen∣dent è coelo.
• * 1.90

  Ʋt rei in∣nocentes pe∣reant siaut nocentes ju∣dices.
• * 1.91

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.92

  Si libet li∣cet.
• * 1.93

  Justitia non datur nisi venda∣tur.
• * 1.94

  Justitia non venit nisi prove∣nit.
• * 1.95

  ☞
• * 1.96

  Sol Justi∣tiae qui quondam e∣rat in sig∣no Leonis, & nunc est in signo Vir∣ginis erit in signo Li∣brae.
• * 1.97

  Non Docto∣res, sed Se∣ductores; non Pasto∣res, sed Im∣postores.
• * 1.98

  Christum habent in codice sed non in corde
• * 1.99

  Multo mi∣nus nocet ignavus fur quam seg∣nis mini∣ster.
• * 1.100

  Chrysostomi etiam & Polycarpi. Non Apos∣copi sed E∣piscopi
• * 1.101

  Vide totum & lauda totum.
• * 1.102

  Deus si non legat emet milites; si non inveni∣at faciet viam.
• * 1.103

  Caesar non patitur priorem nec Pompei∣us patrem.
• * 1.104

  Gradus & gradus non variant spe∣ciem.
• * 1.105

  Christus ut Deus nos cum illo subjectos habet, sed ut Sacerdos nobiscum illi sub∣jectus est. Aug.
• * 1.106

  Omnis Christi a∣nus est cru∣cianus.
• * 1.107

  Sceptici in intellectu, Epicurei in affectu.
• * 1.108

  ☜
• * 1.109

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.110

  Creaturae po∣tius sunt media de∣ferentia: quam ope∣rantia.
• * 1.111

  ☞
• * 1.112

  Parturiunt montes & generatur ridiculus mus.
• * 1.113

  ☞ Quod fluc∣tus insur∣gunt potest navicula turbari, sed quod Chri∣stus stat non potest mergi.
• * 1.114

  Cum du∣plicantur lateres ve∣nie•• Moses.
• * 1.115

  Si amatur quomodo infirmatur, si infirma∣tur quomo∣do amatur?
• * 1.116

  Non quar∣to die pa∣ti permit∣tetur qui scitur ultra non posse quam tri∣duo tolerare 1 Cor. 10.10.
• * 1.117

  Quaedam non negan∣tur sed ut congruo tempore dentur dif∣feruntur.
• * 1.118

  O vitam miseram iam diu ti∣mere, quam est illud ip∣sum quod timetur! Orat. Att. Epist. l. 10.
• * 1.119

  Jicere mi∣serè non potest qui spem in De∣um jacit.
• * 1.120

  Ego in hac fabula par∣tes meas peraga••n, viderit, de exitu ipse choragus Christus. Eras. Epi.
• * 1.121

  Non nisi iu culmine hu∣militatis constituitur cognitio ve∣ritatis. Bern. in loc.
• * 1.122

  Descende in infernum vivens, ne descendas moriens.
• * 1.123

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.124

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.125

  Necessitas decretorum ••••ei non tollit liber∣tatem in creaturis rationalibus nec contin∣gentiam in causis se∣cundis. Wollebii Epit.