according to zeale. But the spirit, knowing that
which is spoken to all to bee in effect as spoken to none, directs mee
what I should speake to Churches, to speake to particular Angels. Now
the principall in our Church, under that Archangell of the covenant, I
most willingly acknowledge to bee my Lord the King, as an Angell of
light. And why not that very Angell, who by his writing hath begunne to
powre out the fift viall upon the throne of the beast, darkned his
Kingdome, caused them to gnaw their tongues for greefe, and blaspheme
for the smart of their wounds; though as yet they will not repent of
their errours? The Lord annoynt him more and more with this oyle above
all the Princes of the earth, that from his head, it may runne downe
upon our skirts; make him shine in zeale above all other starres, to the
warming & enlightning of this whole Horizon; set him up as a standard
for his people; cloath him with zeale, as with a cloake, to recompence
the fury of the adversaries, that he may strike the Aramites, not three
but five times till they be consumed; that he may put the Ammonites
under the yron sawes, harrowes, axes, which have provoked him as much,
as ever they did _David_, 2. Sam. 12. But yet as in the time of the old
Testament the custody of the fire and light was the charge of the
Priest; so here I observe Christ to lay it upon his Ministers,
interpreting his rule by his practise, _Tell the church, Tell the Angell
of the Church_; honouring that despised office, with that stately stile;
intimating the union betwene People and Minister, that they should bee
as one: what is spoken to the one, is spoken to the other; not as some,
that ever make Clergy and Layty two members, in division and opposition;
neither yet as some spirites that lay all level, but implying a
property, especially in grace and zeale in the Ministers, whom the
Preacher calls the master of the assemblies; that they should exceede as
farre the people, as Angels doe men, and that he will reckon with them
for the religion of the people, because colde Priests make bolde
sinners; zealous _Jehoiada_ may mak _Jehoash_ the King zealous, so long
as hee lives with him. Wee therefore men and brethren, or rather men
and Angels, upon whom it lies to keepe life and heat in the devotion of
the world, to consume the drosse of vices and heresies, that have fallen
into the sinke of our times; wee that are to make ready our people for
the second comming of Christ, is