THE King of Saints, and Captain Ge­nerall of our salvation Iesus Christ, having called, commission'd and sent out twelve Apostles as great Commanders to subdue his native Kingdom of Israel to himself, at the sixth Chapter of this Gospel: He at the first verse of this, prepareth and sendeth forth a band of seventy Auxiliaries, to prosecute and advance the same designe. After these things, the Lord appointed other [Page 2] seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face, into every City and place, whither he himse [...]f would come.

And to shew that the weapons of their warfare were not carnall, but mighty through God, these seventy re­turning victors, report the successe of their expedition, and shew Christ the Trophies of their conquest, at the 17 verse; And the seventy returned again with joy saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy Name.

Yea, saith Christ, I know it to be so; this is not a vain boast of valour, (like theirs, who will vaunt they have kill'd the Devil; and run strange adventures, when they scarce dare look an enemy in the face,) I my self can bear you wit­nesse, that you have faithfully and effectually acted your commission: the issues of your service have been glo­rious in mine eye. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan like lightning fall from Heaven, vers. 18. The powers of darknesse cannot stand before the Gospel of light: The Devil, the prince of the ayr is no match for Christ; no nor for the meanest of the servants of Christ, who go forth armed with his name and power.

And because Christ found that these servants of his had managed their former commission so well; there­fore he is so far from calling it in, that he inlargeth it at the 19 verse; Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Go forth again in this armour of power with which I have girt you, and I warrant you sword-free, and shot-free, nothing (either on earth or in hell) shall by any means (strength or stratagem) hurt you; all the world will be against you, but I am with you, take courage, nothing shall hurt you: therefore on again in this warfare, you shall (as my self) go forth conquering and to conquer.

Now, who was able to bear such a burden of honour from these past and promised victories with modera­tion? How many by hearing a report of their own con­quests over other men, have been overcome with their own pride! It is an easier matter to gain successes then to bear them well. Christ (who knows the measure of every spirit) seems to suggest, that even the good spi­rits of his Disciples began to over-act upon these victo­ries over evil spirits. Hence he gives them an allay by counsel and caution, not to raise their joy too high upon this point. And more, he diverts their joy (which he saw ready to overslow the banks of that chanell where­in it was) into another chanell, wide and capacious e­nough to hold all the inundations of it: Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but ra­ther rejoice in this, that your names are written in Heaven.

I shall not stay upon any anxious division of the text; There are two clear parts in it: The one Corrective; The other Directive.

The Corrective part lies in the first words, wherein Christ checks and stops the suspected excesses of their joy, for victories gained over evil spirits: Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you.

The Directive part lies in the later words, shewing them a joy wherein there could be no excesse; but rather rejoice in this, because your names are written in Heaven.

Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not.] Joy is the opening and dilatation of the heart upon the receiving of some present good thing; as sorrow is the coarctation, the shut­ting or locking up of the heart, upon the pressure of some present evil. Rejoice not, that is, let not your hearts open too much in receiving this object. The negation is not absolute, but only comparative; so it is ex­pounded [Page 4] in the next clause, Rejoice not, but rather. He doth not forbid, but qualifie and moderate their joy.

That the spirits are made subject to you] Angels are spi­rits, and they are either good or bad. That these spirits were bad Angels, we have warrant at the 17 verse, The Devils are subject unto us. These were once good Angels, Now they are fallen; and by their fall they have lost their condition, but not their constitution; their honour, but not their nature, they are spirits still. The spirits are made subject to you.

Subjection is two-fold: Either compulsory, or volun­tary. The subjection here meant, is a compulsive subje­ction: They are not subject to you as the Saints are to Christ, by a professed subjection of their wills, but they are subject (as a slave to his Lord) whether they will or no, by an imposed subjection. Good Angels faithfully serve the Saints; and evil Angels are made subject to them. The former are ministring spirits, sent out for the [...] good of those who are the heirs of salvation: The later are kept by the power of Christ, and the ministry of his ser­vants, from doing hurt to the heirs of salvation. To be en­abled for this is a great priviledge, yet the Disciples must not rejoice greatly in this: In what then? Christ shews them a better and a nobler object of joy; But rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.

There are no literall records in the Court of Heaven, there is no pen or ink, no paper or parchment there▪ To be written in Heaven is only this, to be elected unto eter­nall life, and adopted sons of God, to an inheritance a­mong the Saints in light. Moses of old spake this lan­guage, Exod. 3 [...]. 23. Blot me out of thy book which thou hast written. David, in allusion to this, phrases a prayer against his enemies; Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, [Page 5] and not be written among the righteous, Psal. 69. 28. And Christ promises the Sardian victor, That he will not blot his name out of the book of life, Rev. 3. 5.

God is said to have two books in Heaven. First, He hath a book of those things which we have done, or the book of conscience, Rev. 20. 12. I saw the dead, small and great stand before God: and the books were opened, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. Secondly, He hath a book of what himself hath done, or the book of election, called often in Scripture the book of life, Phil. 4. 3 Rev. 13. 8. c. [...]7. 8. c. 20. 15. c. 21. 27. c. 22. 19.

Further, God may be said to have in Heaven a black book, wherein every word is a blot, a blot fallen from the lives of wicked men here upon the earth. And he hath (as I may so speak) a white book, a book written with the fair letters of all the holy acts which his Saints have done upon the earth.

Again, God hath a book of death, wherein all the names of reprobates are written, with the gall and wormwood of his everlasting wrath: And he hath a book of life in Heaven, written with the golden raies and beams of his own eternall love. Our being written in this book of life, is the matter of that exceeding joy, to which Christ calls his Disciples in the text; But rather rejoice in this, that your names are written in Heaven.

The words thus opened, yeeld plenty of seasonable and profitable instructions. First this. Evil spirits are subject to the power of Christ working in his Saints and ser­vants. The Devil is subject not only to the immediate and personall power of Christ, but to his mediate and ministeriall power. The subduing of the Devil was not a businesse confined to that age wherein Christ sojourn'd [Page 6] on earth such victories are obtained every day. Such conquests as the Disciples obtained are very rare; And I intend not a discourse about the possession, or dissposessi­on of evil spirits: but there is an ordinary way of subdu­ing the power of the Devil, in the ministration of the Go­spel. The Gospel is the ministration of the holy Spirit, and therefore it must needs be victory over the evil spirit. Thus the unclean spirit is made to dislodge. The Divel is seldom permitted to possesse the body of any man; but he possesses the souls of all wicked men. And though the Divel be cast out of the souls of all beleevers, yet he never ceases to oppose their souls. Every time a sinner is converted, an evil spirit is subdued; and every time a temptation is resisted by the Saints, an evil spirit is foiled. The Divel is a great prince, and he hath more then halfe the world his subjects; Many millions, and among them many Kings of the earth doe him homage, and stoop to his commands. But how great soever he is, and how many soever follow him, yet he is made to stoop to the least of the Saints: That roaring Lion couches to them, and they tread upon this serpent. The God of peace bruises Satan under their feet, Rom. 16. 20. Besides, as evil spirits are subdued, which work in, or against the souls of men; So evil spirits are kept from hurting and afflicting the bodies and outward estates of men. For as good Angels incamp about the godly to guard and protect them: so evil Angels incamp against the godly to anoy and vex them▪ If the power of Christ, to this day, did not master and subdue the power of those evil spirits, they would make strange confusions in the world quickly.

The Divels are under a twofold chaine; First, under a chain of justice: So the Apostle Iude at the sixth verse of [Page 7] his Epistle, They are reserved in everlasting chains, (they can never wear them out, or file them off) under darknes to the judgement of the great day. Secondly, they are un­der a chaine of providence, God lets them goe abroad, but never without this chain; He gives them scope, and checks them as himself pleases. Wicked men are led captive by Satan at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. and Satan is led captive at the will of Jesus Christ. He cannot act ei­ther by himself or by his instruments, but as permitted; and if Christ oppose, both his power and the power of his instruments is stopt and broken. Iohn the Apoca­lypt (Rev. 20. 1, 2.) Saw an Angel (Christ) come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomlesse pit, and a great chain in his hand, and he laid hold on the dragon that old Ser­pent, which is the Divel and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomlesse pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled▪ and after that he must be loosed for a little season. Opinions and di­spute [...] are very various, about the precise time of Satans binding and loosing; But we may hence conclude an il­lustrious proof for this point in generall, That Satan is subject to the power of Christ. He bindes him from de­ceiving the nations, and he can binde him from trou­bling either persons or nations.

This magnifies the power of Christ, he makes evil spi­rits subject. This is a conquest beyond all those of the Roman Consuls or Caesars; there was never any of them that brought the Divel home in chains. Evil spirits were never dragged at their chariots of triumph. Those con­querours were themselves captives to these spirits. And while they procured liberty for the common-wealth, they themselves were the servants of corruption, and [Page 8] slaves to Satan; for of whom (or by what) any maie is over­come, of the same is he brought in bondage, 2 Pet. 2. 19.

Secondly, This may encourage us in the greatest diffi­culties. If spirits are subject to the power of Christ a­cted in the Saints; then, what is there in the world but may be subjected by this power, There is no power greater then the power of spirits. One spirit destroyed a mighty army in one night, 2 King. 19. 35. Can flesh and blood, can gates of brasse and walls of stone stand out, when spirits themselves must yeeld? Every creature hath its strength in its spirits; There are corporall spirits, as well as spirituall spirits. There are spirits of the body, produced out of the matter, being the finer, purer and more sublimate parts of it: spirits animall in the brain, vitall in the heart, and naturall in the liver, these are the strength of our bodies. And there are spirits in things without life, These spirits are their strength also; the spirit of wine is the strength of the wine, so of any other liquour. Spirits extracted are the strength of any sub­stance contracted into a narrow room. There is a spirit of a spirit. The spirit of the minde, Ephes. 4. 23. Be renew­ed in the spirit of your minde; This spirit of the minde is the strength of the minde. To spend spirits is to spend strength, and to get spirits is to get strength, both of bo­dy and minde. When the Prophet would shew that the horses of the Egyptians were weak, he saith, Their horses are flesh and not spirit, (Isa. 31. 3.) and the Apostle to shew how strong. Devils are, Ephes. 6. 12. saith, We wre­stle not against (grosse things) flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darknesse of this world, against spirituall wickednes in high places. Spi­rituall wickednes is wicked spirits: and because they are spirits, therefore they are powers. In evil spirits there [Page 9] is power, much more in good spirits, and most of all in the best spirit the Holy Ghost ye shall receive power, af­ter the Holy Ghost is come upon you, Act. 1. 8. wheresoever spirit is, there is power. The spirit of a man is of such strength that it is able to beare his infirmity; our infir­mities are our heaviest part. Nothing calls for more strength then the bearing of our own infirmities, or the infirmities of o­ther men. Yet while a man can hold up his spirit and maintain that, he may beare (and rejoyce in) the heaviest burthen of his own outward infirmities. A strong spirit strengthens the weakest, and a weak spirit weakens the strongest body or minde.

The sum of all is this, spirits are strong, and evil spi­rits are stronger then all flesh, yet these are subject to the power of Christ; then never fear flesh and blood, fire and sword, when you heare spirits must submit. When Christ would assure the Church that it should stand a­gainst all opposition, he promises the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, Matth 16. 18. that is, the power of evil spirits shall not; and if the gates of hell cannot, surely gates of earth shall never prevail. We may be confident if spirits cannot, flesh and blood shall not doe us any hurt, while Christ is with us. This leads us to the second Observation.

It is matter of joy to bring spirits, evil spirits into subjecti­on. The Disciples passion was not without reason, when they rejoyced to see spirits stoop: it is no small priviledge to make evil spirits stoop, whether they be evil spirits tempting and troubling without, or moving within us.

It is matter of joy to subdue any reall enemy, but chief­ly those, First, who are most for number: Secondly those, who are mightiest in strength; Thirdly those, who are [Page 10] highest in place; Fourthly those, who are subtillest in projecting; Fifthly those, who are most malicious, and bloody in executing. All these meet in evil spirits. They are many, mighty, high, subtile▪ and malicious. The Devil is a legion by name, a Prince by his place; A Goliah, an Achit [...]phel, A Doeg, all joyn'd in one.

It is a glorious victory to overcome a temptation to sinne. Every time we doe so, we overcome a Devil: The Apostle James encourages us, Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you: that is, he will be subject to you. You drive away the Devil every time you stand it out in a temptation and stand fast.

It is a great victory to overcome the sinnefull corrupti­ons that are in our own hearts; To overcome passion and corruption within, is like the overcoming of a temptation from without: The evil spirit is vanquished in both. The Sadduces denyed all spirits ( Act. 23. 8.) and others have affirmed, that good and evil spirits are onely good or e­vil motions within us. I abominate the errour, and yet there is a truth somewhat like it. Good or evil motions within us, are (in a sense) good or evil spirits; For as that which is borne of the good spirit is spirit ( Joh. 3.) So that which is borne of the evil spirit is spirit too. Every evil motion in us is borne of the Devil; who though he be not the immediate parent of all such motions, yet he was the immediate parent of that corruption from whence such motions are derived. So that though these sinfull passions are not those spirits; yet they have the strength and life of evil spirits in them. Hence Solomon puts the glory of a conquest over them, beyond the glory of earth­ly conquests; Pro. 16. 32. He that is slow to anger, is bet­ter then the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, (that is, who overcomes his sinfull spirit, and makes it subject to [Page 11] him) is better then he that taketh a City. We are called to blesse God for taking a City this day: if we overcome our selves, and rule our own spirits, this is a more honour­able conquest, then that we blesse God for this day, the taking of a City, He that ruleth his spirit, is better then he that taketh a City. I beseech you, saith the Apostle Peter, 1 Ephes. 2. 11. As pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts, which warre against the soul. Fleshly lusts are spiritu­all enemies; Abstaining from these, is victory over these; we kill them by fleeing from them. This is the greatest warre, and the issues of it are of greatest consequence. It is more noble to subdue lusts within us, then Armies without us; And it is more advantage to us to conquer lusts then to conquer the world. Better be a Paul, then an Alexander.

Further, It is matter of great joy when the evil spirits of men are overcome; This is the hardest part of our warre with men, and the best. Battels are but half won when onely the bodies of men are wonne; then it is a thorow victory when we are victours over their spi­rits. The counsel which that Indian Gymno-sophist Cala­nus Plutarch. gave Alexander about managing of his warre, was this; Get into the heart of your enemies Countrey, which he taught him by the embleam of a great Oxe-hide spread upon the ground: He advised Alexander to get into the heart of the Enemies Countrey. My humble advice to you, Right Honourable, is, to get into the heart of your Ene­mies; While nothing is conquered but the bodies of men and Cities, you are but upon the borders of victory.

There is a double conquest over spirits, one is the chaining of spirits: the other, is the changing of spirits: this later is a blessed conquest, not onely to those who con­quer, [Page 12] but to those who are overcome. The Parliament hath cause this day to blesse God for subjecting evil spi­rits to them; but I may say, (without a figure or the least strain to truth) most of those spirits are subject to them but as the Divels were subject to the Disciples; 'tis but a forced and a constrained subjection, a chain is put upon their spirits, their spirits are not changed: they are sub­ject, because they cannot longer prevail and have their wills. We have cause (I say) to blesse God for this. The Prophet foretelleth what subjection shall be made at last to the Church, ( Isa. 60. 14) The sonnes also of them that af­flicted thee, shall come bending unto thee, and all that despi­sed thee, shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, &c. It is a mercy when men are made to bow; but it will be our glory, when all shall willingly bow to the throne of truth and holinesse, to the Scepter of judgement and righteousnes. It is well for us when fire and sword makes enemies submit; but it will be best with all, when repent­ance and sorrow for sinne, when honesty and grace makes men submit. When men submit from a change of their principles, not from a change only of providences: from a change wrought in their hearts, not from a change wrought in their states. God hath fulfilled that prayer of the Psalmist, ( Psal. 68. 30.) in our dayes. He hath rebuked the company of Spear-men, or (as the letter of the Hebrew gives it) the beasts of the reeds, of which speares were anci­ently made, and to which they are (in fashion) like. These beasts of the reeds God hath rebuked, as also the multi­tude of the Buls (boisterous, men) and the calves of the people (simple men) till many of them have submitted themselves with peeces of silver (to make their compositions and hath scattered the people who delighted in warre [...] that is, such as would not submit. This the Lord hath done already.

Now let this be a word to you, Right Honourable, who are so highly interested in the publique affaires, let your designe be especially to make spirits subject to you by a willing subjection. Endeavour that in the day of your power as it is in the day of Christs power ( Psal. 110.) the people may be not only subject, but willing; That their subjection to the Parliament may be (in its sphear) like that of the Corinthians to the Gospel, (2 Cor. 9. 13.) a pro­fessed subjection, not a forced subjection. The greatest part of your warre is with the spirits of men; it is said of Saul, (1 Sam 16. 14.) That the spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him, that evil spirit was it which encreased his envy, and continued the warre against David. The Pharisees said of Christ, ( Joh. 10. 20. He hath a Divel, and is mad: every man (as the learned M ^r Mede observeth in one of his Diatribes) was thought to have a Divel in those times, who did things fu­riously and madly. Many such furious ones are amongst us, of whom we may well say, they have a Devil, for they are mad; they would never run such mad courses, did not an evil spirit enrage and hurry them.

I might describe many of these evil spirits; I will name a few.

First, the evil spirits of pride and contention. These are the cause of wars and troubles in all nations. Because of pride commeth contention. Natural spirits do not generate, but these spirits doe. The spirit of pride procreates the spirit of contention. Were we more humble, we might he more quiet; and the reason why so few have their desires, is, because so many resolve to have their wills.

Secondly, the evil spirits of envy and malice. Many are sick of other mens health, and poor with other mens rich­es, [Page 14] and disappointed by their neighbours successe: impo­tent envy thus rotting the bones, breeds rancorous ma­lice in the heart, and both break out to the danger of the whole body. Could we bear the good of others, it would be better for our selves.

Thirdly, the evil spirits of errour and falsehood unquiet our times. What a calmnes would follow if these were cast out of every heart. A spirit of errour deserves every mans abhorrence: though a person erring may challenge our patience. This spirit of errour is extream bad: but a spirit of false-hood is farre worse. All agree, they may be somewhat borne with, who erre conscienciously, (which is very possible) But they are insufferable, who act unconscionably, which is very usuall.

Fourthly, the evil spirits of jealousie and self-love. I put these together, because ungrounded jealousie of others is commonly accompanied with inordinate love of our selves.

The spirit of jealousy (so it is called) Numb. 5. 14. is the disturber of Kingdomes as well as of families. And self­love is set in the head of that black Army, which is prophe­sied to make perillous times in the last dayes, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2.

Above all, there is an evil spirit which I may call the Beelzebub of this generation, or the Prince of Devils, that is a spirit of division. This workes in all places almost in all hearts. Division seems to be the great designe against us; That while we act simply, we may be universally o­vercome. This spirit is grown so cunning, that it can work distances by a motion, or an endeavour for union. While many are ready to say and pray, Let us not divide, though we cannot agree; yet are most ready to divide upon every disagreement. And while it is almost in every mans mouth, Let us be one in affection, though we cannot be [Page 15] one in opinion, yet every man almost acts, as if neither one earth nor one heaven could hold those who hold not one opinion.

These spirits and such as these are the troublers of our peace: and unlesse these spirits are changed, or at least chained all flesh is in danger to perish among us. The chaining of them may make our times peaceable; but the change of them will make our times glorious. How hap­py should we be, if a spirit of humility and meeknes, of charity and brotherly kindnes; of truth and uprightnes, of self-deniall and ardent desires of maintaining the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, possessed all our hearts?

Right Honourable, if once you had received letters of credit and good assurance, that evil spirits were foiled, and had received a blow, either in the east or west, north or south, and that a better spirit were acting in this Na­tion, you would have cause to keep such a day of Thanks­giving and praise to God, as you never kept to this day. Till a conquest be gained over the spirits of men, our conquests over men will not give us rest. And though I would not lessen the mercies of God, especially at this time when we come to blesse him for so great a mercy, as we this day commemorate: yet I say, what heart almost can we have to blesse God, or be enlarged in his Praises for subduing bodies, Towns and Cities, while legions of evil spirits in camp in so many places, and quarter in so many hearts. A conquest over spirits, is the glory of all our other conquests.

Therefore (Right Honourable) I say it again, let the stresse of your counsels and designes be laid against these spirits. The sword may work an unwilling subjection; God only can work a subjection of the will. Yet two [Page 16] things done by men, by men (as your Selves are) in Digni­ty and Authority, will contribute much towards this sub­jection. First, justice done, and done impartially, for, and upon all. Secondly, countenance and encouragement gi­ven to all that are good, and do good. When spirits are overcome upon these terms, I know not who shall have greater cause to rejoyce, they who are subject, or they who have made them so.

But though this would be matter of great joy, yet this must not be either the totall or the chief matter of our re­joicing. The next words of the Text lead us to this modi­fication of our joy.

Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not, but rather rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven.

The connexion tells us, we are very apt to overact out­ward comforts, and overjoy our worldly joy. The whole world is too narrow for the heart of man; Our joys may quickly exceed it, and we be more taken with it, then it is worth. Christ saw his Disciples in danger of taking in too much of the world. The creature gets quickly into our hearts, and our hearts may quickly get beyond the crea­ture. Onely God is an object which we cannot overjoy, or stretch our affections too far towards. It is seldom that we can rejoyce at all (we can never rejoyce enough while we are in the flesh) in spirituall mercies, and it is seldom but we rejoyce too much in temporall. The world is so much of kin to us, and is so like us: worldly comforts suit us so well, and are so neer us that while we deal about them, we need a bridle, not a spurre.

It is one of the greatest priviledges which we wait for in Heaven, that our affections may bee ever kept in a due temper. There we shall love and rejoyce in nothing but God, or for God. And as we cannot love and re­joyce [Page 17] in God too much, so there we shall not love or rejoice in him too little. But while we converse with creatures, we are apt to feed too heartily upon them, and to drink larger draughts of the wine of their consolation then becomes us. The way to lessen earthly joy, is to stirre up heavenly. As when love is divided upon many objects of the same worth, it cannot run so strongly to a­ny one: so much more, when it is carryed to a more wor­thy object, will it abate towards those which are lesse worthy. The Text is clear for it, teaching us;

That our receits of temporall and outward mercies, should be but as an occasion to raise our hearts higher in rejoycing for spirituall and eternall mercies.

Notwithstanding rejoyce not in this, that spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoyce, &c.

All creatures and comforts on earth, should be but as foils to set off the glory of Heaven. How good is grace and glory, if there be so much good in nature? It was Christs art to do thus, when he came to the well, Joh. 4. and was thirsty, he riseth from that water and the thirst he had to it, to tell the woman of another water, which if she could once drink, she should never thirst. And Joh. 6. 27. when he saw his followers so hungry af­ter loaves of bread, which is perishing meat, He took an occasion to exhort them to labour for the meat that peri­sheth not, but endures to everlasting life. It is safest for us (as well as our duty) to bestow the strength of our sor­rowes upon our sinnes, and the strength of our joyes upon Christ.

There is a double ground or reason, why we should thus in our receits of temporall mercies, get our hearts off, or get our hearts above them.

First, spirituall mercies are the best mercies. They [Page 18] are best in their nature, and they are best in their enjoy­ment; they are lasting mercies. The joy of the hypo­crite, all his joy is but for a moment: and the worldly joy of the sincere is but for a moment. That cannot last long whose bottom and foundation cannot last long; the world passeth away, and the fashion of it; therefore the joy that ariseth out of the world and the goodly fashions of it, must needs passe away too. When one of the Ancients stood by Caesars tomb, who had the honour (while he li­ved) of so many victories and triumphs; he cries out, O Caesar, where is now thy magnificence? where are thy Armies? where are thy Trophies? where are the Towns and Cities which thou hast overcome? They are all past away. We may say as much of all our victories and deliverances, of beat­ing the enemy in the field, of beating him out of strong holds; in a few yeers what will become of all these things, and of the worldly issues of them? Time will eat ou [...] the remembrance of this glory. Solomon doth not so much question, as chide, ( Prov. 23. 5.) wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not? Can a man be in danger of setting his heart upon that, which hath not a being? Creatures have so little being, that they are said to have no be­ing, and so have all creature-comforts: wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not? How long will the comfort of conquests and victories last, that we should rejoyce onely, or much in them?

Secondly, if we confine our joyes to these, we are in a double danger. In a danger, First of growing proud of, and confident upon our victories; nothing keeps the heart low but joy in the highest things. Ioy in low things makes the heart sinfully) high, and joy in high things makes the heart (graciously low. That's the reasō why the men of the world boast themselves in their riches, ho­nours, [Page 19] &c. the reason I say, why they grow proud of these things, is because they have nothing else to re­joyce in.

Secondly by joying much in the creature, we are in danger to surfeit upon the creature, or to grow wanton with it. When the minde is steeped in our senses, we can hardly get the taste off again. We follow the world so much, because it gives us so little: we are uncessant in pursuing earthly contents, because we still hope for more, and are unsatisfied with what we have. But when the heart once tastes of spirituall dainties, it findes satisfaction; and being satisfied, desires to taste them still: fulnes and hunger, satisfaction and appetite being perpetually inter­changeable. The taste of heavenly things is so high and quick, that all besides tastes flat and dreggish. No man (saith Christ) desireth new wine, having drunk the old, for he saith the old is better. Earthly comforts will not hold so fair a proportion to heavenly, as new wine doth to old. They differ not in degree onely, but in kinde. The creature hath alwaies an unsatisfyingnesse in it, and at the last it will have a bitternes. Prov. 25. 27. To eat much ho­ney is not good, (if a man eat honey long or often, it will not be honey to him) so for men to search their own glo­ry is not glory, thus we translate it; but the text is well rendred, and closer to the Originall thus, To multiply to eat honey, or to eat much honey is not good, but the last of glory is glory. The Saints shall feed to eternity upon glo­ry, and that will be alwaies glory: but honey, the best of worldly comforts will be gall, if you feed much upon them. Therefore correct your appetites after the crea­ture; make your joy in worldly things an occasion and a step to spirituall; doing so, three effects will flow from such joy.

First, such joys will make us very holy. Joy in worldly things alone, leaves us as worldly as it findes us: but if we mix it with spirituall, holines will mingle with our spirits. The Lord promises to give his people beauty for ashes, the oyl of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse, (Isa. 61. 3.) here is the Lords joy: we have the effect of this in the next words: That they may be called, trees of righteousnes, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. If we rejoyce in the Lord, we shall rejoyce to the glory of the Lord; Trees of righteousnes have their fruit in holines. It is a sad thing to see what fruit the joy of most brings forth, intemperance, drun­kennesse, sensuality, security, injustice, fruits of unrigh­teousnes all.

Secondly, Ioy thus temper'd makes us strong to serve the Lord; joy in the Lord carryes us to the Lord, Neh. 8. 10.) The joy of the Lord is our strength. Joy in the world weakens and flats our spirits: joy in the Lord, strength­ens as well as purifies, and makes us at once holy and active.

Thirdly, Such joy makes us more then strong, exceed­ing zealous for the Lord. After the people in Hezekiahs time had feasted seven dayes, the story saith (2 Chron. 30. 23.) The whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days, and they kept other seven days with gladnesse. Here were seven and seven days of feasting: it seems they loved feast­ing well; but the effect assures us, they did more then eat, drink and make merry at their feast. Their joy and gladnes, was not in corne, and wine and good chear: No, it was joy in the Lord, and in his goodnes; for they presently act like those that had rejoyced in the Lord. Many in one dayes feast lose the memory of the Lord, and of their own duty: but these in fourteendayes feasting [Page 21] forgot neither. The first verse of the next chapt. is clear for it; Now when all this was finished, (a feast of fourteen dayes continuance) what did they then? some might think them furnisht for any kinde of wickednes: That they had eat and drunk out, not only their graces, but their wits, that now they were fit only to throw the house out at the windowes (as we say) no, they threw sin out at the win­dows, so saith the story, for when all this was finished, all Israel that were present, went out to the Cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, untill they had utterly destroyed them all, &c. They made a perfect work of casting out whatsoever was displeasing unto God. Had they only taken pleasure in creatures, they had never done what was so pleasing unto God. Every thing we rejoyce most in, we are most zealous for. We should rejoyce more in the God of our mercies, then in the mercies of God; and while we do so, we shall also rejoyce more in our duties, then in our mercies.

We are this day called to rejoyce in an outward mer­cy, the reducing of a strong City. In this victory spirits are made subject: in overcōming evil men, we overcome evil spirits. I delight not to be a censurer at any time, least of all at this; yet we know what a strain, what a generation of men these were. If evil spirits have been made subject in any part of the Kingdom, some were in this. That place is dispossessed of many untoward spirits who possessed it long, and cast much of it into the fire: These are now cast out by sword and fire; But chiefly by those better weapons of prayer and fasting. Christ said of the Pha­risees, You are of your father the Devil, (Joh. 8. 44.) And Polycarp in the Church story, called Marcion, the first­borne [Page 22] of the Devil. All ungodly men are of the same line and race. There is very little difference between the De­vil and a wicked man, but flesh and bones; Hence in common speech we call very wicked men Devils incarnate; I may say (without breach of charity) Devils incarnate are made subject at this day, and their subjection is the subject of this days rejoycing.

Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not, that these spirits are subject to you; rejoyce not much in this. Christ ( Mat. 7. 23.) speaks of some who had the power and priviledge, to make Devils in kinde subject to them, many (saith he) shall come to me in that day, and say, Lord, Lord, we have prophe­sied in thy name, and in thy name we have cast out Devils, and we have done many wonderfull works; yet these wonder­workers had little cause to rejoyce. It is possible for a man not only to subdue the evil spirits of men, but to sub­due evil spirits themselves, (take them in their naturall notion) and yet to have no cause of rejoycing; I am sure they had not; because while they had power over De­vils, themselves were under the power of the Devil. The Devils were subject to them, yet they were the Devils servants. Christ discards them under that relation, ver. 24. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; and whose work is that? I know none who put men to that imploy­ment, or drudgery rather, but only Satan, his service is the work of iniquity; some may cast out Devils who take in the work of the Devil. Hence, they who have cast out Devils, may be cast to the Devil. Had we this power to cast out Devils in kinde, our joy would quickly over­joy it, unlesse we have learned to out-joy it. To further which designe upon these worldly joyes, I would speak a few words.

First, to those who have more to rejoyce in then vi­ctories [Page 23] over men and cities. Secondly, to those who, up­on a true account, have no more to rejoyce in.

To the former my motion is. Make the mercies of this day an occasion to act your joy upon eternall mercies. It is possible for a godly man to suffer the stream of his joy to run more then is meet in a worldly chanell. The best have reason enough to be jealous over their own hearts.

You are called to rejoyce, and I am not a forbidder, I would be a helper of your joy. Joy is comely, and the gar­ments of praise in fashion this day. Therefore say to your souls, Let us rejoyce, and let all that is within us blesse the holy name of God for the great things he hath done for us; when you have done this, speak again to your souls in the language of the text; O our souls, rejoyce in better things then these, Let us rejoyce that our names are written in Heaven. Drink not too large draughts of those worldly comforts, go to that which is better and richer wine, take your fill in the consolations of God.

To quicken this, I might shew you many most desirable objects. I will only hint a few: rejoyce that Jesus Christ hath made a perfect conquest for you over spirituall enemies, rejoyce that Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers, and dragged the Devil at his chariot of triumph, when he ascended up to heaven: rejoyce that Christ hath over­come death and subdued the grave: rejoyce that Christ died to free you from death, and hath brought life and im­mortality to light through the Gospel: rejoyce that Christ hath strengthned you to withstand temptations, and gi­ven you power to conquer passion: rejoyce that Christ by accomplishing the work of redemption, hath pur­chased the pardon of sin, peace with God, and an inheri­tance which sadeth not away; rejoyce that he hath pro­vided [Page 24] a City for you, which no Armies shall lay siege un­to, or shoot an arrow against: rejoyce that he hath provided an estate for you that shall never be spent, and a Kingdom which shall never be shaken. When you hear men are made subject to men, rejoyce that Christ hath made you subject to himself: when you hear strong holds are taken, rejoyce that the strong holds of sin are bat­tered down and taken: that there is not an evil imagination in you, but if it stir, you have a weapon in readines, to re­venge that disobedience. When you heare how they who have fought against Christ are brought low, rejoyce that you are not fighting against Christ, that you are not trampling his precious blood under your feet, that you delight not in that, by which the holy spirit is grieved. Let loose your affections upon these better, higher and more noble objects: rejoyce here as much as you can. It is altogether below the state of a Saint to rejoyce only in things that are below.

Secondly, I would offer a word to those who have none of these mercies to rejoyce in, who have nothing but a world to rejoyce in. Poor souls! what do you rejoycing? what do you keeping dayes of thanksgi­ving for victories obtained against men and Cities? can you rejoyce on these terms? can you rejoyce in hopes of peace upon earth, when war is proclaimed against you in Heaven? Can you rejoyce that Cities are subdued, when your hearts are unsubdued? Can you give thanks this day that the City of Chester is taken in, after five or six Moneths siege, when as your own hearts have stood out seven and seven yeers siege against the continuall batteries of the Word? Can you rejoyce that strong holds are demolished, when you fortify and garison strong holds with legions of lusts, with covetousnes, pride, self-love, [Page 25] &c. When you victuall them, and lay in provi­sion, to make them hold out as long as you live against Jesus Christ, Can you rejoyce? Rather go home and weep over these mercies; weep over victories and suc­cesses. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your song of joy into a lamentation. Leave joy to o­thers. Will you keep a day of rejoycing, who are likely to mourn and weep for ever? rest not in restlesse things, live not in an estate wherein you are unfit to dy. All the world is not worth the rejoycing in, unlesse ye have some­what else to rejoyce in. God forbid (saith the Apostle, Gal 6. 14.) That I should rejoyce in any thing, save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you have not Christ to rejoyce in, God forbids all your other joyes: and your sorrowes will be the more bitter to you hereafter, by how much your joyes have been now more sweet. Weep, (if any such now offer at this duty) weep proud hearts, co­vetous hearts, envious spirits, &c. weep till you bring Christ the spoyl of your lusts, till you shew him the ruines of your corruptions: weep till you bring him broken hearts, till you bring him wills stooping to his word, and spirits made subject to his spirit: weep till you finde such matter of joy as the text speaks of, an evidence that your names are written in heaven.

If so, Then, first they are safe, their estate is setled, their names are taken into the list of blessednes.

2. They are honourable. A man under disgrace hath his name written in the dust: but to have a name enrolled in Heaven, is an expression of the highest honour.

3. They shall be had in everlasting remembrance, no­thing [Page 26] shall be able to obliterate or rase out a name that is written in Heaven. Eusebius reports of Herod, that he burnt all the genealogies of the Jews, that himself might be mistaken for a Jew. But no Herod, with his power and pride, shall ever burn or deface the roll of election: Names written in that shall not be blotted out: The land of forgetfullnes lyes all on this side heaven.

Is not this a ground of great joy, and strong consolati­on to the Saints? Possibly their names are blotted here upon the earth, but there is no blot upon them in heaven. God doth not delight to take notice of the failings and miscarriages of his servants, much lesse will he deface their names, when they miscarry. In Scripture, some miscarriages of the Saints are recorded (which in them­selves are blots) but the end why they are recorded is for our warning, not for their shame: which yet is the intend­ment of most on earth, who industriously write books of the Saints [...] rata's, whether in opinion or in practice. It it very dangerous to blot names which are written in hea­ven. Christ would not have any sin flattered in any man, but, Christ would not have all sins discovered in all men; therefore he hath provided a covering, not that which is the ordinary covering, self-flattery, or the flattery of o­thers. The covering he hath provided is, charity, charity covereth a multitude of sins, (1 Pet. 4. 8.) Surely their chari­ty is very narrow, or if it be not narrow, I wonder what use they put it to, who will hardly cover one infirmity of an offending brother. Yea, some are so greedy after of­fences, that though they are covered, yet they uncover them, and are so far from casting a garment over what appears, that they pull off the very seals of secrecy to make all appear.

It doth not become men to do so, much lesse Saints. But as to suffer these blots is the patience of the Saints on earth, so it is their joy to hear that there are no blots upon their names in heaven. Be of good comfortt, though men blot, God will not. For as he speaks to Moses; desiring not a blot upon his name, but the blotting out of his name, Exod. 32. 32. Blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. Blot thee, Moses, saith God? No, I will never blot thee, I will put no blots upon such names as thine; much lesse blot such names out. There was a failing in that speech of Moses, and some interpret that de­sire of his to be his blot: yet God doth not put it as a blot upon Moses, but saith, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. God is so far from desiring to blot the names of his people, that he will not blot them, though they themselves should desire it. He will neither blot them out of his book; nor blot them in his book; He will do neither, he keeps the names of his Saints fair written for ever.

Then (which is the last point) It is matter of great joy to have our names written in Heaven. This is a priviledge worth the having, To be in Gods books. Heer's honour indeed, To be of the Church of the first-borne, whose names are written in Heaven, Heb. 12. 23. They who have their names written highest in the earth, should be most desirous to have their names written thus high. They that are ho­nourable and great, they that are men of name in the world, as the giants are intitled, ( Gen. 6. 4. at that time there were men of name, men of renown) such should be most ambi­tious of being men of name above.

My Lords, your names are written very high here be­low. And it is my prayer that your names may be written [Page 28] higher, that even your earthly honours and dignities may encrease, and that your Fame may be as an ointment poured out, perfuming not only this Kingdom, but the world, with your just and heroicall actions. Yet let it not suffice You (such ambition is a vertue) I say let it not satisfie You, who have so great a name upon the earth, to have a name upon the earth; I would not have it con­tent the meanest man upon earth, much lesse should it content your Lordships who have Great estates, Great digni­ties, Great titles, Great families, Great Ancestors, Great spirits, to have names narrowed up to this earth, this little molehill of earth. It is a duty for the greatest persons, (if God call them to it) to be contented with a little of the earth: but it is a sinne for the meanest person to be con­tent with all the earth.

Luther spoke himself a Protestant indeed, while he pro­tested, I will never be satisfied with the creature. The great world is not big enough for the epitome of it, The little world.

My Lords, there are not very many names (if we speak comparatively) written in heaven at all; the roll is not large which contains those inscriptions. And the Scri­pture speaks of the Noble and Honourable (which it doth but of one sort of men more) with a diminution, (1 Cor. 1. 26.) Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. There are not very many in all called, and of those there are not many mighty, nor many noble; This should not be a discouragement, but a spurre to your Honours. Do not think that this Scripture ne­cessitates any of You to be left out: many will not be cal­led, though all your Lordships be. There are Nobles enow in the world, in whom this text will be verified [Page 29] and made good, though it be not in any of your Honour­able number. Let it fill all your hearts with holy jea­lousies concerning your selves, not with despondencies, much lesse despairs concerning any of your selves.

When Christ said to his twelve Disciples, One of you shall betray me, it put them all upon this suspicion, who it should be, and one said, Master, is it I? another, Master, is it I? When the Holy Ghost in this Scripture saith, Not many noble are called, it should put all that are Noble upon this Inquisition, Lord, am I called? Lord, am I? Is my name writ­ten in Heaven? is mine?

It may be asked: but with what spectacles shall we reade at such a distance? How shall we discern whether our names are written in heaven or no?

I intend not to enter upon a discourse of signes and tokens; but as the Apostle answers them, ( Rom. 10. 6.) who were making Quaeries about Christ, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend up to heaven? they made great diffi­culties, how to get neer Christ, how to know him: say not in thine heart (saith he) have not these reasonings, Who shall ascend up to heaven? With what ladders shall we scale the clouds? or with what wings shall we soar up thither? Trouble not thy self (saith the Apostle) with these thoughts, thou shalt not be put to so long a journey, for the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart the word of faith which we preach. I say likewise to these Quaerists, Say not in your hearts, who shall ascend up to heaven to see, whether his name be written there, or how shall we send a messenger thither to search the records? You may save that journey, the word is neer you, the word is before you, even the word of faith and of obe­dience which we preach.

If the name of God be written in your hearts, your names are written in Heaven.

If you in your actions daily write out a copy of this book, assure your selves the hand of God hath written you in his book. The lives of the Saints should be a continued copying out of the book of God. He that writes out the book of God in his life, may rest assured his name is written in the book of life.