An Expofition af the Epifile ~''-1\i that among Chrifbans themfdves, in thole Primitive Times, even when the Hca• ~ th~ns did oppofe them. So now, as it is faid of the Holy-Ghofl:, in r Cor. 12 , that he hath Variety of Gifts, lmt there is one Spirit, tbat work,sth all in all: So in feveral Ages, there are feveral Spirits infufed, and Principles that Men are led by ; but yet 16, as fl:ill they \hall be againfl: fame part of the Commandment of Jefus; and it is the C1me Spirit that fiill workcth all in all. · And why is fuch Oppofition called a Spirit? ~ecaufe, my Brethren, things ar€ carried with Spirit oftentimes more than with Reafon. Saith 'Paul, I was exceedingly mad againfl tbc Saints, Acts 26. I 1. And I think there are few that arc mad, but there is Come kind of polfeffion, or ob– feffion of Satan: I was mad, faith he; and Madnefs, yon know, is to go jn a thing againfl: reafon, an~beyond reafon, beyond the Nature of the thing it felf: and that is, becaufe the Devil is in it ; for he carries it it as a Prince, and there– fore he carries it as by a Spirit that he fl:irreth in them. And it is called a Spirit too, becaufe it is aCtive, and high, and violent. In Rev. x6. 13· [peaking of thole Emilfaries of Rome, that, when Antichrifl: is .brought to his lafl: Throw for his fubfill:ence, (and if he Iofeth that, he is gone) he fendeth out, ( the Devil and Antichrjfl: together, for they are faid to come out of the mouth of both,) he calls them Spirits; they !hall be nimble Agents, that fhould have a World of Zeal: what is the reafon? They are [aid to be . Spirits nf Devils, and were therefore more active, than Men of themfelves would h1Ve been : And Satan was the Prince of them, for they came out of the GrMt Dragon; and they go forth to all the Kings of the Earth, to g~ther them to the Ballcl of th11t Great D'!J : And how nigh it is, God knows. Now as it is a fpeclal Spirit, thus railed, (I have lbewn you, that it is called a Spirit, and a Spirit that altereth, as the Scene altereth,) fo it is a general Spirit, a common Spirit, wherein (faith he ) the Children of Difobedience do agree. The reafon, my Brethren, why his Kingdom is a Momrchy, and why they have one Prince, (by what the Scripture feemeth, both in this and other places,to hold forth to me, ) is this : Becaufe there is one great Devil, that is the Old Se>pent ; he hath the great Head, the great Wit, and inventeth what to do fl:ill, in all the Turns and Agitations and Motions of the World, .and accordingly directs. As Pbtirdoh, (who was a Type of the great Devil, and his Monarchy, and the Eg)ptians are the little Dragons, as they arc called, Pjid. 74·) he gave the Co?n· fel, Come, faith he, let tH deal wifely: So Satan, he is, as it were, the great DiCtator, and all the leffer Devils take from him what he cloth judg, and breath a common Spirit into Men, in whom they work. And therefore he is f.1id here, to be the Prince of a Spirit. :rhc reafon wh¥. it is one Spirit, is, becaufe there is one Pri,nce of them, that cloth guide ani! direct all the other Spirits to go thus one way, and to make one common Ga)e in the Hearts of Men. In that Re7J, r6. 13, 14. they are Grid to be three Spirit!; yet all agree in one, they all came out of the Mouth o~ the Dragon too, for he was the Prince of them, the great Devil, ( for by the great Dragon there, I take it, the great Devil is meant, for the little Devils are in that Phrafe, He and hi< Angels.) And a Breath came from this Prince, and the other Devils, he faith, they were three, that is, many, or more than one, Men acted by the Devil; yet rhey all agreed together in one ProjeCt and Defign, which was, To go forth to the l(jngs of the Earth, and of the whole World, to gather them to Ballel again(i Chrijl: For · when Antichrifl: (hall be put to it, he will get the Affifl:ance of Heathens, and Turk!, · and all; all fi1all join together againfi the Brlltel of the GrC<II Day. When our Lord and Saviour Chrifl: was crucified, it is clear, then he breathed a common Breath. Herod and Pi/ate were one againft another, yet confpired in crucifying of Chrifl:; why? Becaufe there was a Prince in t.he World, and rho he had nothing in, or againfl:Chrifl:,yet he ruled their HeartsunanimouOy. There· fore, in 'Pfid. 2. Why do the Heathen rage, and the Kings oftbe Earthfit themfelvu and th_e R11lers takg counfel together, againft the Lord, and .againfl hi1 Anointed I The truth IS, the Devil was in them. Tbis is ;oHr Ho1tr 0 C:mh Chr.l1, and tb~ 'Pvwer 'f. ~- of
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