hurt with their Lion-like teeth and Scorpion-like tailes but these doe quite out-strip and surpasse them in mischiefe and crueltie When that glorious Woman clothed with the Sunne and crowned with twelue Starres was in her trauaile then the Beast with seauen heads and ten hornes stood before her to deuoure her Child when it should be brought foorth that is to say the Romish Empire did wholy oppose it selfe against the kingdome of Christ when it was first preached witnesse the cruell Persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian and the rest a Dan. 7.7 Apoc. 13.11 This Beast I confesse was fearefull terrible and very strong but nothing in comparison of the Beast with two hornes like a Lambe and whose speech is like the Dragon that is now come out of the earth for he plaies both the Tyrant and the Imposter he doth all that the first Beast could doe in shedding of blood and moreouer by signes and false miracles hee deceiueth them that dwell on the earth This is Antichrist that Man of sinne that child of perdition that Belial subiect to no yoke who according to the signification of his name is both for against Christ who he is â—er ep 12.5 where he dwels S. Bernard tels vs saying Bestia in Apocalypsi cui datuÌ„ est os loquens blasphemias Petri cathedraÌ„ occupat the Beast in the Apocalipse to which was giuen a mouth speaking blasphemies doth occupie Peters chaire Iam-pridem Romae natus est Antichristus Antichrist a good while since was borne at Rome saith Ioachim the Abbot This is he who calleth himselfe Christs Vicar and yet robs Christ of his honour who is stiled the Seruant of Seruants and yet exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God this is that purple Whore which maketh her Followers drunken with the Cup of her abhominable Idolatrie and is drunke her selfe with the blood of Saintes and Martyrs In a word the Papacie in which both the tyrannie of the Romane Emperours and the leauen of auncient Haereticks concurre and meet together seeing then that Sathan is vnchained seeing that these Frogs crawle in euery corner of Christian Common-wealths and seeing that this Beast doth continually bend his sharpe hornes against the true Professours of the Gospel it doth nerely concerne all good Angels whether they be spirituall or temporall To hold that they haue by perseuering in true faith and righteousnesse and by exercising their Functions without feare Of all other Angels Antichrists malice is most against Archangels or Princes his indeauour is to make them his Vassals by treading vpon their necks and depriuing them of their crownes for who knoweth not how arrogantly hee claimeth to be Lord of the whole earth Gel. dist 96. and challengeth both an Ecclesiastick and ciuill Supremacie doth it not then behoue Princes to hold fast that they haue God grant then that true Faith may be their Shield the Word their Sword and the saluation of God their Helmet that being thus armed they may be enabled to resist all the assaults of that blasphemous Antichristian horne Let their Diadems O Lord be like vnto Aarons Miter vpon which these words were ingrauen Holinesse to the Lord for Sinceritie in Religion is the most steadfast proppe of roiall authoritie and the most firme supporter of a throne it is like the brasen Bulles that held vp the sacred Lauer or the yuorie Lions of Salomons kingly Seat Behold I come shortly hold that thou hast that no man take thy crowne The Exhortation being finished the Motiues follow which be these First Behold I come shortly Secondly that no man take thy crowne These two are of a contrary nature the first is sweet and flowes with hony the second is bitter full of gall in the first the voice of Christ is like a sweet Cymball in the second like the sound of many waters the first is a Motiue of Comfort promising aid assistance the second of Terrour threatning a degradation for want of perseuerance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Prouerbe out of the mouth of Christ comes both hote and cold a hote Cordiall and a cold Corasiue such is his Rhetorike if by faire promises he cannot perswade his custome is by threatnings to Compell Ecce venio citò Behold I come shortly This Motiue is a proclamation very short but wondrous pithie and pondrous wherein euery word is remarkeable First Ecce Behold When the Prophet Isaiah speakes of the first comming of Christ he begins his Prophecie with an Ecce saying b Esay 7.14 Ecce Virgo c Behold a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and shee shall call his Name Emmanuel So in this Booke where there is any mention made of Christs second comming there is euer prefixed an Ecce c Apoc. 22.12 Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me Whereby we may coniecture that the holy Ghost would haue vs attentiue for he is about to proclaime some wonder In his first comming there is Ecce humilitatem Behold his wonderfull humilitie but here in his second comming there is Ecce gloriam behold his admirable glory Betwixt this and that Ecce there is as great difference as betwixt Tabor and Caluerie the first of which saw his beautifull Transfiguration the second his vncouth Deformation Ecce behold his humilitie in his first comming hee was the d Cant. 2.1 Lillie of the Vallies for his mother was a poore Virgin his cradle a cratch his followers fishers his apparrell a cote without seame and his steed an asse but Ecce behold his glory In his second comming he shall be the e Cant. 2.1 Rose of the field full of maiestie attired in glorious apparrell and girded about with strength his attendants shall be Legions of Angels his Court in the clowdes and his steed f Apoc. 19.11 a white horse Ecce behold his humilitie when hee came first g Ioh. 12.47 it was to suffer for our sins h Esa 53.4.5 to beare our infirmities to carry our sorrowes to be wounded for our transgressions to be broken for our iniquities to make our peace with his own chastisements and to heale vs with his stripes then was his head crowned with thornes his eares filled with Crucifige and blasphemies his eyes closed vp with dimme death his face made blew with blowes his mouth made bitter with gall and vineger his hands and feete nailed to the Crosse and his whole bodie rack't and tentar'd ad modum timpanicae pellis like the head of a Tymbrell or a Tabret But ecce behold his glory in his second comming he shall i Esay 1.24 ease himselfe of his aduersaries and auenge himselfe of his enemies k Cant. 5. his head shall be like fine gold l Apoc. 19.12 and vpon it many crownes his eyes like a flame of fire his cheekes like beds of spices and sweet flowers his lippes like Lillies dropping downe pure mirrhe his hands like rings of gold
shal waxe cold And out of the first Epistle to the Corinthians i 1. Cor. 9.27 I do chastice my body lest when I haue preached to others I shuld be a Reprobate In making answer to these obiections let vs but obserue the true meaning of these words Righteousnesse Faith Loue and Reprobate and then this Gordian knot wil with ease be loosed First wheras the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh of the fall of a righteous man you must note that he meaneth such righteous persons as to the worlds eye rather seeme so to be then be so indeed thus S. Luke teacheth vs to expound it who where as other Euangelists write thus From him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he hath hee saith k Luke 8.18 that which hee seemed to haue God taketh away his grace from him that hath it not but onely seemeth to haue it and giueth still to him that hath he then that is hypocritically righteous wee grant may fall away finally but he that is truely righteous and a Pillar in the Temple of God shall goe no more out Secondly Faith is either Viua or Mortua A liuely or a dead faith of the dead faith there may be made a shipwracke it was Iudas his case such a faith is a reed shaken with euery blast of winde it is a combustible substance like Timber hay and stubble the least flame of any fire will burne it but the Liuely faith which is euer accompained with a good Conscience like the Ship in which our Sauiour slept may be tost and shaken with wind and waues but neuer cast away neuer swallowed vp in any gulfe for it is a house built vpon the rocke no tempestuous gust can ouer-turne it It is a well of liuing water springing vp to euerlasting life he that drinkes of it shall neuer thirst againe l Ioh. 5.24 For hee that beleeueth is already passed from death to life he is made a Pillar in the house of God and shall no more goe out Thirdly as there is a dead faith so there is a Counterfait Loue the one being the roote the other the branch therefore where there is such a faith charitie there must needs waxe cold m Cant. 8.7 but true Loue by much water cannot be quenched neither can the floods drowne it n 1 Cor. 13.8 It doth neuer fall away o Caus 33. dist 2. cap. 8. In quocunque fuerit haec charitas radix illi erit arescere non potest in whom soeuer this charitie is it shall be a roote vnto him hee cannot wither but euer flourish like a greene Oliue tree in the court of Gods Temple neuer to be transplanted neuer to goe out any more Fourthly this word Reprobate vsually in the Scriptures signifieth such a one as is p Iud. vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before of old ordained to condeÌ„nation reiected or reproued of God But sometimes it is taken in another sence and is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is it reproued q 1. Cor. 9.27 or reprobate to men and so doth S. Paul vse it when hee saith I chastice my body lest when I haue preached to others I should be a Reprobate In this speech the Apostle doth not feare lest God should cast him away or finally reiect him for he professeth the contrary saying r Rom. 8.38.39 for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But his meaning is this lest if hee preached one thing and practised an other hee might be reproued and reproached of men No s Aug. de cor grat cap. 7. he that is Elect and whose faith worketh by loue either neuer falleth at all or if he doe hee is reuiued and raised vp againe before this life be ended for hee that is a Pillar in the Temple of God shall goe no more out Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar c. Vpon this Pillar Christ promiseth to write three Names The Name of God the Name of new Ierusalem and his owne new Name And I will write vpon him the Name of my God t Pro. 22.1 A good name saith Salomon is to be chosen aboue great riches it is better then a good oyntment it fatteth the bones What honor was it for Moses to be called Gods Seruant and for Dauid to be adorned with this Title a man after Gods owne heart Publius Scipio did reckon his name Africanus amongst his greatest glories And Paulus Aemelius thought himselfe well satisfied for his paines and seruice in the wars because the Romanes gaue him the name of Macedonius u Catal. glor mâ—nd part 11. consid 23. Honor decus est habere pulchruÌ„ nomen saith Cassanaeus it an honour and glory to haue a faire name and therefore Socrates wished that parents would giue their 〈◊〉 significant and wel-sounding names Such a name 〈◊〉 our Sauiour promise to write vpon them that perâ—â—â—â—e in goodnesse saying I will write vpon him the name of 〈◊〉 God God hath diuers names in the Scripture some being deriued from his substance other from his properties as he is a Being of himselfe and an aeternall Essence hee is called Iehoua of Haia to Be as he is mightie El as holy Cadoseh as all-sufficient Schaddai but his principall name is Iehoua a name of such holinesse that the Chaldaeans as Reuchlinus saith to auoid prophanation would not write it but expressed it in their Bookes by certaine prickes and the Iewes blinded with a superstitious conceit in stead thereof vsed Tetragrammaton Adonai and Elohim this name so holy shall be grauen vpon them that be pillars in Gods Temple Whereby Christ signifieth that God will be their Iehoua and they shall be his Israel x Apoc. â—1 7 hee will be their God and they shall be his people This name is y Apoc. 7.2 that Seale wherewith the seruants of God are marked in their fore-heads which who so hath no hellish z Apoc. 9.4 Locust can hurt him this name is like the a Exod. 12.13 strokes of blood vpon the postes of the Israelites houses no plague nor destruction shall light vpon them that beare it this name is like vnto the b Ioshua 2.18 Corde of red thread in Rahabs window it preserues them that haue it from the Sword in the day of Vengeance The Letters of his name Iehoua are by the Iewish Rabbins called Literae flatus literae quietis Breathing resting letters Wherby thus much may be collected First as God is a spirit so he is the sole Father and giuer of life he will raise vp the Elect at the last day in incorruption clothing them with immortalitie and bestowing vpon them life aeternall Secondly there is no way to finde Rest but in
both a God and his diuine prouidence x Arist 1. de ani Aristotle commends Anaxagoras because he taught that there was an immixt and most simple vnderstanding which knew all things this is God The Platonists cal'd him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is the Beholder of all things whatsouer Orpheus confessed that there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One begotten of himselfe by whom all things were made and this is God and yet we haue fooles amongst vs. which in their harts say there is no God The second weed is Papisme a weed that ouerspreads our Bed for euil weeds euer grow apace it is like Lotos which Homer speaks of he that tasts it is bewitched with the sweetnesse thereof like the companions of Vlisses for doth not Papistrie dispense with all licentiousnesse and hath not the whore of Babilon y Reuel 17.4 a golden Cup in her hand with which she makes drunken the inhabitants of the earth and yet this weed must grow still who plucks it vp it is cropt sometimes I confesse and the leaues are cut off but as long as the root is quick both leaues and branches will encrease and multiply like the Heads of Hydra Vpon this weed breeds the Grashopper the Canker-worme the Caterpillar and the Palmer-worme which make our Vines wast and pill the barke off our figge-trees I meane those z Reuel 9 7.8 Locustes spoken of by Iohn the Diuine comming out of the smoake of the bottomlesse pit whose forme is like vnto horses prepared for battell and on their heads as it were ermines of gold their faces like vnto the faces of men their haire like the haire of women their teeth like Lyons In a word the whole Swarme of Iesuites and Seminaries Romish Alastores Euill spirits which must not be driuen away with Dauids Harpe but Elijahs sword These make profession of Religion yet are their actions died in blood they vow voluntarie pouertie yet ayme at crownes and are euer medling in matters of State they seeme humane and as tender-hearted as women Oh there is their aequiuocation but their Teeth are Lyon-like their disseignes violent their stratagems cruell These Iebusites liue amongst vs and are prickes in our sides they haue euer yet beene forgers of I reason and euen now no doubt they are hammering some mischiefe and yet must they still gall vs I what remedie can be found Plucke downe the Cages of these vncleane birdes and giue the law liberty to punish their harbourers without any respect of persons then see if these Locustes doe not quickly vanish away like smoake and flie to their smokie dungeon The third weede is Simonisme the roote whereof was first set by Simon Magus a Act. 18.18 who offered Peter mony for the gift of the holy Ghost and at this day it is watered by Bels Priests and Baals Prophets such as make their profession a meere Mechanicke Trade or Occupation and their Ministerie a Ladder onely to climbe to preferments Mercenaries no true Pastors Creepers in through the window no true Preachers you shall know them by their workes for they seeke their owne and not Christes they feede vpon the fat of the flocke and cloath themselues with the wooll but suffer the sheepe to starue for want of foode They be like vnto the b Strab. Geog. lib. 15. Astomi of whom Strabo writes which people haue no mouthes but onely a certaine hole in steede thereof whereby they receaue the sweet sent of flowers which is their sustenance So these Simonistes haue no mouthes to shew forth the praise of God but onely a tongue-lesse hole by which they sucke vp the sweetnesse of Church-liuings purchased by briberie at Steeple-faire Well it was not so from the beginning for Aarons c Exod. 28.34 robe round about the skirtes was hung with golden bels and Pomgranates the first betokening Doctrine d Mal. 2.7 the second Hospitalitie to signifie that the Priests lips should preserue Knowledge and his mouth should be a siluer bell to call the people to Gods tabernacle likewise his dore must be euer open to the harbourlesse and his bread continually cast vpon the waters Sed motos praestat componere fluctus I must speake as e Pli. lib. 35.8 Timantes painted Polyphemus onely shewing you the thumb of these Monsters thereby you may proportionate their whole bodies and as f Aug. Ep. 48. S. Augustine said of the Tares Totus mundus in maligno positus est propter Zizania quae sunt per totum mundum So may I say of these three weedes Atheisme Papisme and Simonisme by them our bed of Spices is almost spoiled Secondly the Garden shut vp is the Church Inuisible of this Salomon thus speaketh g Cant. 4.12 My sister my spouse is as a Garden enclosed as a Spring shut vp and a Fountaine sealed vp Which inuisible Church is the Catholicke Societie of the faithfull elected and chosen to eternall life and it is said to be inuisible because it is onely of the Elect who are not Visible to men but onely to God h 2. Tim. 2.19 for he alone knoweth who are his The Papists vtterly distaste this distinction of visible and inuisible and yet they themselues confirme it saying i Inter relig Caes cap. 9. Ecclesia quatenus constat membris talibus quae secundum charitatem viuunt Sanctorum est tantum eatenùs spiritualis inuisibilis The Church as it consisteth of such members which liue after the rule of Charitie is onely of the Saints and is so farre forth spirituall and inuisible To this also their owne decrees giue consent k Dec. P. 3. dist 2. cap. 9. Societas corporis membrorum Christi est Ecclesia in praedestinatis The societie of the body and the members of Christ is the Church consisting of the praedestinate This Garden then is like the garden of Eden which was kept by a Cherub l Gen. 3.24 shaking a fierie sword This Cherub is Christ who suffereth no vncleane thing to enter into it neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or lies but they which are written in the book of life In the olde Paradise grew two principall trees m Gen. 3.22 the tree of Life and n Gen. 2 17. the tree of Knowledge the like are in this garden For o Ioh. 3.15 whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shall not perish but haue eternall life here is the tree of Life p Ioh. 17.3 And this is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Here is the tree of Knowledge And as Eden was watered with q Gen. 2. foure Riuers Pishon Gihon Hiddekel and Perath so hath this enclosed Garden the Church inuisible foure waters of comfort namely Election Vocation Iustification and Glorification r Rom. 8.29.30 for whom God hath praedestinate to be made like the Image of his Sonne them also he calls whom he calls
thy crowne In speaking the first Motiue the face of Christ was to looke vpon like the u Apoc. 4.3 Gasper-stone which is greene beautifull but in this hee resembleth the x Apoc. 4.3 Sardine which is red and bloodie for there is Comfort here is terrour there his y Cant. 5.16 mouth was as sweet things and he wholy delectable here out of his mouth proceeds a z Apoc. 1.16 sharpe two-edged sword and his countenance is very fearefull This word Corona a Crowne hath in the Scriptures diuers significations sometimes it signifieth aeternall life as in the second chapter of the Apocalipse a Apo. 2.10 Be faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life so the Papists vnderstand this place whereupon they gather that the Decrees of Election and Reprobation be changeable for the Schoole-men teach that the Number of the Elect and of the Reprobate is certainely and vnchangeably decreed and purposed of God in his aeternall counsell so that it can neither be increased nor diminished for he hath absolutely appointed how many shall be saued and how many reiected but yet they say that he hath not certainely and vnchangeably decreed what particular men shall make vp or be of this determined and purposed number because that Men hauing as they say Free-will doe sometimes depart from God and sometimes returne vnto him The first of these Numbers they call the Formall number which is certaine the latter they call the Materiall number which is vncertaine and changeable so by their doctrine he that is elect may finally be blotted out of the booke of life and become a Reprobate and hee that is a Reprobate may be made an elect this their Position they endeuour to proue by this Text of Scripture amongst the rest by which words they affirme that it is euident that he which is elect to wear a Crowne of life may loose it and another which was not elect may supply his place But this their Collection is contrary to the intention and meaning of the Spirit of God that writ it who is neuer in opposition to himselfe b Ioh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and no man is able to take them out of his hand therefore our election is certaine For c Iam. 1.17 with God there is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning Horum qui electi sunt si quispiam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorum perit quia non fallitur Deus Aug. de cor gra cap. 7. Aqui. part 7. quest 24. art 3. saith Augustine Of the elect if any perish God is deceiued but none of them can perish because God cannot be deceiued Likewise Aquinas saith Simpliciter in libro vitae scripti nunquam deleri possunt simply they that are written in the booke of life can neuer be blotted out of this Text of Scripture then we must seeke for some other Exposition for by it cannot be vnderstood the Crowne of aeternall life Secondly this word Corona a crowne sometimes signifieth any faithfull man which by the Ministerie preaching of the word is conuerted from Gentilisme to Christianity So S. Paul calles the Philippians saying d Philip. 4.1 Therefore my brethren beloued and longed for my ioy and my crowne so continue in the Lord ye beloued Thirdly it is the Badge or Cognisance of Authoritie both Temporall and Spirituall and so is it to be vnderstood in this place in which our Sauiour exhorteth the Angel or Bishop of Philadephia to constancie in his Function for feare an other be placed in his Office and take the dignitie of the Bishoprick from him By this threatned degradation may all Arch-angels and Angels learne to know that Crownes be no perpetuities If Salomon turne his heart from the Lord God of Israel and build high places to Chemosh the abhomination of Moab Molech the abhomination of the children of Ammon God will surely rent his kingdome from him and giue it vnto his e 1. Reg. 11.11 seruant if Eli the high Priest will not chasten the wickednesse of his sonnes but suffer them to run into slaunder and stay them not f 1. Sam. 4.11.18 he and they both shall goe with blood to their graues and the Priest-hood be conferred vpon an other Therefore hold that you haue that no man take your Crownes The second generall part of my Text is a Catalogue of the Rewards that Christ promiseth to bestow on Conquerours saying Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and hee shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the Name of my GOD and the name of the Citie of my God which is the new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God and I will write vpon him my new Name Him that ouercommeth c. Reward makes men both valiant and ventrous g 1. Sam. 18.27 for a wife Dauid will fetch two hundreth fore-skins of the Philistims for gold the h 1. Reg. 9.28 seruants of Salomon will tenni confidere ligno hazard their liues in a ship and saile to Ophir Our Sauiour therefore to stirre vp our courage and put spirit in our faint hearts doth as the Romanes did they had lawes for the Triumphs of Generals and diuersities of crownes appointed for well deseruing Martialists and this was done in policie to make their men of warre stout and valiant so Christ to encourage those that march vnder his Standard the Crosse proclaimeth their Rewards saying i Apoc. 2.7 To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradice of God k Apoc. 2.13 To him that ouercommeth will I giue to eate of the Manna that is hid and will giue him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God c. Oh then who would not be a souldier in the Campe of Christ preferring his thornie crowne before a diadem of gold his Crosse before a chaire of estate his Whip before a Scepter his Reed before all temporall Royaltie his White coate before raiments of Needle-worke his scoffes and taunts before worldly applause his gall and vinegar before the rich Gluttons delicious fare his death before life considering that Cum Domino iudices venient qui nunc pro Domino iudicantur saith Augustine They shall come with the Lord as Iudges who are now iudged for for the Lords cause Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar A Pillar is the Embleme of three things Remembrance Preheminence and Continuance First it is the Register of Memorie God turned l Gen. 19.26 Lots wife into a pillar of Salt because contrary to the commandement of the Angel shee looked backe towards Sodome and Gomorrah and Christ saith Remember Lots wife The sight of this Salt