fast in his remembrance as if they were written in a book before him For that end his decree hath taken such particular notice of them that if they were written in a book before him they could not be more stedfastly and particularly recorded It is a phrase borrowed from men that when they would remember such a man or such a freind they set them down in a booke God stands not in need of books but his clear and everlasting love to them is such that they are engraven as on the palmes of his hands as the Shew-bread was present before the Lord continually which represented the 12. Tribes that his eye might be upon them from one end of the week to another and the word which the Septuagints use for Shew-bread it is translated as the word which the Apostle useth Rom. 8. 28. and the Greeke Translators and Hebrew expresse it it is the bread of Gods purpose or of Gods face and what is his purpose it is not with him as it is with us that whiles we speak of one man we forget another but his purpose is alwayes the same and these being the bread of Gods purpose they are ever before him from one end of the week to another and from one end of the year to another now that is the meaning of the Question what is the Booke of life It is the booke of Gods eternall election that is it is the register or record of the names of all whom God hath chosen to life and salvation in Christ Quest 2. If you shall aske why it is called the Lambes Booke of life Answ First because the Lord hath given this booke to Christ and all the names of his elect by name to be brought to salvation and kept in a state of salvation to imortality and therefore you shall read in Scripture when God puts forth an eternall love to his people wrought eternall salvation for us I mean when he did eternally elect us to grace and glory in this eternall election of his there was accompanying an eternall donation in giving them to Christ Christ knew his fathers counsel from eternity and the Lord gave them to Christ by him to be brought and he undertaking that they shall be brought to salvation the Lord requiring that he should keep them to immortality he shall work the means and apply the same effectually to the end of the world This is evident from those Scriptures that speak of the grant and of the gift of them to Christ before their effectuall calling though donation go before that for from that love of God by which he gives us to Christ in our effectuall calling he gives us Christ and faith to receive Christ but before this there is a giving a donation of us to Christ as John 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me So this coming to Christ is believing on Christ and it is so exprest in ver 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that beliveth on me shall never thirst To come to Christ is to belive on his name thus much doth hee expresse himselfe that all that the Father give him in his eternall counsell they shall come unto him to wit in effectuall calling him the Father will draw none but whom in his eternall counsell he hath given to Christ and whom he drawes I will not cast out in ver 37. to 44. So then when this act of Gods eternall election passed on those whose persons are designed to grace and glory hee gave all by name to the Lord Jesus as if they were particularly registred in a booke And he promised that in fulnesse of time he would draw them to him and required that the Lord Jesus should keep them under his wing to imortality it is called therefore the Lambs booke of life because he is the subject receptive of it Answ 2. And again it is called the Lambs booke of life because he is the head of all Gods elect they are all elect in him not besides or out of him not as actually believing in him for it is long before any work of ours Rom. 9. 11. Not of workes but of him that calleth the children being not yet born neither having done good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand Election iâ— before any worke of ours God gives us in his eternall councell to Christ but we are not then in him by faith faith is an effect of our election not the cause of it As many as were ordained to eternall life believed Acts 13. 46. 48. But this is the thing It is a true distinction that some give in that case we are in Christ not by actuall existence in beleiving nor as so considered but by virtuall comprehension the Lord looks at us as in him we are not in him by faith but the Lord comprehending us in his everlasting decree we are in him by Gods charter even children not born the Lord hath wrapped us in his everlasting armes in his electing love promising in time to give us faith to beleive on him and therefore to come to him and to give him to us that wee may live in his sight therefore it is the Lambs book of life as he is the sonne of man the sonne of the Virgin Mary to be united to the second person in Trinity long before his humane nature was in being Answ 3. And it is called also the book of the life of the Lambe if you have respect of referring to Christ this life then you take Christ as he is the subject of this life in John 14. 19. Because I live you shall live also I live and then you live and he is the author the efficient the procreant and conservant cause of life in us to eternity the Lord hath given us eternall life and this life is in his son He that hath the sonne hath life 1 John 5. 12. So you see the meaning of these words these persons that are thus given to Christ elect vessels to grace and glory that are given to Christ they are preserved from the worship of the Beast and none but they they onely for this purpose you read that false Christs whereof Antichrist is chief Mat. 24. 24. They shall deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect It implies thus much that none of them shall be deceived by all false Christs but all others shall be deceived earthly minded men and such whose names are not written in the Lambes book of life they shall be deceived the Beast shall go into perdition and they with him Rev. 17. 8. Not but that for a time they that are Gods elect may be taken with a fond admiration and adoration of the Beast to beleive as the Church of Rome believes and may look for peace of conscience from the dispensations of the Church of Rome it may be so as Bilney and Latimer that were marvellous devout to that Church though it
the Churches and Saints of Christ that have been overcome or have suffered any hard-ship from any of these Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people the Lord will one day visite them all and he will one day root them out of the land of the living They shall one day know what pillars and scourges and fire and faggot meanes what torments meane what bloody inquisitions meane They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes Here is the patience and faith of the Saints The third note is this The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours against Heathenish idolatry The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs and will write many Legends of them as the Pharisees they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets and yet killed their Successors Fulfill saith Christ the measure of your fathers You garnish the sepulchers of the dead bodies and yet you kill their Successors They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs but what are those that suffered in Switzerland in France in England in Germany They look at those as Lolards and Hereticks But what saith the Lord of them Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times the Lord doth accept their sufferings and saith of them Here is the patience and faith of the Saints Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast and patience to be the patience and faith of the Saints The world saith otherwise but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast Here is the patience and faith of the Saints So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth as well as in ancient times Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus in the hottest and highest times of Popery The Reason is evident First because the faith of such Christians and their patience was the faith and patience of Christ That is to say that which both fastned upon Christ and bore witnsse unto Christ and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions And it was such a faith as by which they overcame the world 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus even that faith by which they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand and in their hands and the point is of like nature Roman Idolatry is but another Edition and their Errors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shouâ—d be the faith of Gods elect And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him it is then the patience of Christ It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas as under Herod It is true in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar in the other as a blasphemer but the case is all one No matter what the persons 〈…〉 Christian in profession Iâ— the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer 〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern and suffer under Christians against Christians 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors For the use of the point Fiâ—st it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks Jesus Christ from heaven saith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Do not therefore count it obstinacy and contumacy in heresie nor pravity It is the faith and patience of the Saints if Chrâ—st calls it so his word must carry it When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate whose word shall stand then his or theirs He will say here is the cruelty and outrage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death Secondly It may serve to teach us how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were so many Saints or faithfull Martyrs of Christ are those who have thus suffered This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned in Smithfield or else-where and upon the chains wherewith they are bound A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be constant in the profession of the Gospel and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints We must not therefore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth and to hold it to the death If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men what ever the world say of it the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it That it is the patience and faith of the Saints Thirdly it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause Otherwise unlesse it be the cause of Christ it is no patience but obstinacy blindenesse and ignorance But see that your cause be the cause of Christ and then cleave unto it by the invincible â—aith of Gods elect to overcome the world and look Lyons and Dragons in the facâ— without fear and astonishment and look at punishment and tortour as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater and other of the Saints of God have gone before uâ— in the like or a greater martyrdome Therefore first look to the cause and then believe in the truth of the cause and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme and cause them to hold out unto the end But do not take up your reformation upon custome nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you for it behooves every christian man to know well what he beleives and practise and to know the doctrine of Christ and the Government and the worship of Christ and that not because men say so but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God Then your next care is to look that you depend upon Christ for strength that as he suffered for you you may be able to suffer for him ther 's the faith of Gods children And for
They may lye in danger but they shall come out in due time but however it should be a warning to the sonnes of men how they adventure their lives by going into any danger where God calls them not But if you be brought into danger when the Lord doth deliver you have cause to blesse him and to render your selves and Families back to him that you may walke with more girt up spirits to God that so he may not repent of what deliverances he vouchsafeth to you Rev. 13. the latter part of the 3. 4. ver And all the world wondered after the Beast And they worshipped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make Warre with him I Come now to speak of the sequell of the healing of this wound upon the healing of it there is a double effect 1. The admiration of the world after the Beast 2. A worship set forth by a double object the Dragon and the Beast 3. The causes are set forth that made them to worship them both The Dragon in that he gave power to the Beast and the Beast for his unmatchable power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him Here might be three or four Notes justly gathered from hence but because I affect brevity in mysticall Scriptures I shall compact them into one The note is this That upon the healing of the Beasts wounded head all the world fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power yea into an adoration of worship both of the Beast and of the Dragon This containes both the latter end of the third and part of the fourth vers For the causes of this Admiration they will be just reasons of the point To open the Doctrine upon the healing of this wounded head of the Beast Remember the Beast is the Roman Catholick visible Church whereof Rome was the mother City and mother Church accounted of all the Churches in the world and the Pope is the visible head of this Church in this Chapter called the seventh head Observe 2ly the healing of this seventh Head wounded by the captivity and calamity it fell into by barbarous Nations Upon the healing of this wounded Head by the removal and scattering and subduing of these Enemies as also by the playster that was put to him when such Titles of Soveraign Authority were put upon him by the Emperors Now this was the Originall of that wonder for so it comes in His deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast And so he expresseth it Chap. 17. 8. All that dwell upon the earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is He was when he flourished as that which was the great Authority of the world He is not when he is wounded in his head but as it were troden under foot wounded to death as if he had not been But yet he is againe that is he is restored And they that dwell on the earth when they saw that wondered to behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is A Beast that cannot be crushed and beaten downe with such desperate calamities so that 's the occasion of their wonderment now upon this occasion they fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power An admiration implies some high esteem of some great happinesse betiding this Beast not only beyond their expectation but transcendant beyond their apprehension and capacity to understand For a man doth not admire a thing unlesse it goe not only beyond expectation but is transcendant above his reason and understanding Yea beyond any meanes he could use to bring such a thing to passe Therefore when they see this great change they fall admiring of the Beast and the head of the Beast and of the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and worship them both For their Admiration then let me speak something of that and then of their Adoration both of the Beast and of the Dragon It was in a way of Admiration I will not say what expressions some have made of it some that were called Fathers of the Church and have left such things in writing It would mightily possesse one with Admiration of the Sea of Rome looking at him as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah looking at him as by his Primacy to be like Adam for his Faith like Abraham for his government like Noah gathering all the world under him for Order like Melchisedech for his function to be Christ himselfe deservedly to be God after sometimes called the Vicar of Christ and of God marvellous transcendant strains put upon him which argues a high esteem of him But to omit such things as are but flourishes these are reall 1. That all the Churches of the world are to receive all their doctrine and worship from them Though it were never so superstitious as worshipping of Angels and Saints and making use of their meditation besides Christ and they did receive from them more then all this which is the life and quintiscence of all They looked from the Father of the Catholick visible Church to receive Indulgences and pardon of all their sinnes If he retained them then they were retained if he remitted them they were remitted This they looked for from him not only for Doctrine and worship but for sealing up their Pardon for so many hundreds and thousands of years and not sealed with waxe but with a wap of Lead and a Seale set on that And this was the chiefe comfort of troubled minds in those ages these things they received from them and admirable honour they put upon that Beast to receive all such things from them 2. They made to Rome all their Appeals What ever government there was in the Christian world from thence were their Laws and thither were their Appeals as out of England and many other places to the great disturbance of Church and Common-wealth as also large and bountifull payments were made to them It were a vast thing to sum up the totall sum of constant payments that were from every Kingdome repayed to the Sea of Rome And as their Appeals Payments went to Rome so did their bodies on pilgrimage and it was thought a great devotion to kisse the feet of the Pope and to see those blessed Shrines Thus was their admiration of the Beast 3. They fetched from Rome the Ordination of all their chiefe Officers Any Arch-bishop who-ever chose him yet he was not installed but he must fetch it from Rome and pay well for it And from thence they fetched all their Coronation of Kings and Emperors and sundry fundamentall Lawes of every Catholick Kingdom were derived from thence All their Dispensations were fetched from thence that Princes might marry where they would And dispensation from Oaths and from Marriages contracted all these things they fetched from Rome It was
head of that Church It is cause of everlasting thankfulnesse and watchfulnesse not to be deluded by fine shewes of worldly men but let us see and know where true worship lies as the Lord hath declared himself in Christ and held him forth in the Gospel of truth Forthly let it teach us all where to bestow our admiration and adoration It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill and which accordingly he himself practised and requires us to doe Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Devill askes this of Christ to bow downe to him and worship him The Lords Indignation is kindled his holy Zeale is inflamed against such a Sacriligious request Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And as we are to worship him alone and no God but him so we are to admire none but him Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne of which you read Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground who is a God like unto thee why what is there in him that you so magnifie him he is a God that forgives Iniquity Transgression and Sinne here is cause indeed of admiration They admire and adore the Pope why Because they had satisfaction to their consciences in their way and an ungrounded hope of a better state in another world and pardon of Sinne in this and now they come to fellowship with Christ by the worship of the Devill But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne So that here is indeed matter of due admiration and let it be fastned there When a mans soul is brought low with the sence of Sinne and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conscience by reason of the guilt of Sinne what is matter of admiration now who is a God like unto thee that passeth by Iniquity transgression sin It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away sin it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it And therefore to what end are all the admirations and worships that are put upon the Bishop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power They may please themselves in what satisfaction they apprehend they have but their own principles possesse them that they can never come to see the admirable goodnesse of God in forgiving their Sinnes But now when the Lord sheds abroad a spirit of grace and peace in the conscience and applyes the goodnesse of Christ to the discharge of the burden of Sinne and of quickning the heart in the peace of Christ Jesus this breeds admiration Blessed be God the Father of mercy and God of all consolation that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope I say this blessing is worthy of admiration and not onely of wonderment but of acknowledging all glory and blessednes to him When the conscience is not pacified by a sorry duty done from man but by a sealed pardon from the spirit of God witnessed by the breath of the holy Ghost this is such a mercy to the soule as indeed raiseth the heart above all admiration of such a Beast I to a true detestation of this Beast and of the Dragon that hath so long bewitched and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts and in the end to their everlasting perdition But let it be the care of Gods people as ever you desire to be blessed from the admiration of such a worm-eaten Religion so grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace and so we shall doe that upon just grounds which our Fathers did without grounds to this Beast and to the head of it Upon this ground this head being wounded and afterwards healed all the world wondred after him Here is an Image of Christ he was wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and he riseth againe and he proclaims all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Now see how this Vicar of Christ as they call him usurps as Christ was wounded and is risen againe so it is with this Beast he is wounded to death and afterwards healed and restored and now all the world admire and worship him Have they forgotten that Christ dyed for our Sinnes and was raised again for our Justification and doe they stand admiring at this Beast as he that was wounded and healed Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulnesse to the Lord for the great change that is wrought in Christendome and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him that we may be preserved from those delusions wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way constantly which the Lord hath established and called us unto Revel 13. 5 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two moneths And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven THE events that followed upon the healing of the Beast the first was That all the world admired him The second was Vniversall worship given both to the Beast and to the Dragon that gave power to the Beast of which wee have already spoken The third event remains now to be spoken to and that is the deligation of power to this Beast upon his recovery and the power given him is four-fold 1. There was power given him to speak great things and in particular great blasphemies 2. There was power given him to continue that is as the word signifies to be doing to be active to be powerfull and efficacious in his worke 42. moneths 3. There was power given him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Power was given him of dominion over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations First There was given him a mouth speaking great things Secondly There was power given him to continue 42. moneths and both these Authorities or Liberties they are amplified by the effect it wrought in the Beast He did effectually take that power which was given him and employed it to the utmost As he had a mouth given him so he opened his mouth in blasphemies and that amplified by the object of his blasphemy against God and God distributed his Name his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven The note then that the words do afford first is this That after the healing of the wounded head of the Beast there was given to him power to speak great things even blasphemies which also he did effectually and abundantly exercise or
what I said It hath been a very rare and singular case when any man would acknowledge a particular visible Church depending on no power but Independant within it selfe It is such a rarity that a man may here and there indeed finde it in times of persecution in 3000. years But after the Church come to peace it is very rare to heare such a matter till you come down to the Waldences and Albedences and those poor Churches that were scattered in the Wildernesse It is very hard to finde the Church of Christs Institution to remain in the world whereas this Roman Catholick Church reigns in the world This is a great power and yet this power the Church of Rome had The Harlot reigns over Kindreds Tongues and Nations whereas the true Spouse of Christ hath scarce a subsistance in the world So that consider if it did not smite with our hearts to close with the Inventions of men with satanicall power rather then with Christ it were not possible there should be such aberations from the Institutions of Christ were it not for the impetuous licentiousnesse of the hearts of the Sonnes of men And therefore when there is such a vast swelling that many Congregations shall be but one Church how shall we go home edefied by such discourse This belonges to all the Churches to take the opportunities that we have that we may not runne headlong upon the devices of men or our owne wits to that which is suitable to sence and naturall reason and walking according to the light of naturall conscience Conscience was never so corrupt as in corrupt nature it is and reason never so blinde as in corrupt nature it is and sence never so luxurious A man is ready to please sence his pallat his nostrils his eye and hand and touch and naturall reason and conscience a manis marvellous free that way so free that the lesse a man discerne it the more he is captivated to it And therefore let every man know that we carry about with us a principle of subjection of our selves to the Ordinances of men rather then to Christ If it be to speak to our owne honour and applause we have words at will and hearts that runne full stream that way If it were to set out our selves or our friends we are open hearted and open mouthed that way but if it shall be to give glory to God in the presence of a particular visible Church of Christs Institution there we are marvellous unwilling to submit to edifie our brethren and glorifie God If it were to an Ordinance of man it is a wonder to see how men will runne and ride to give satisfaction to this and that Episcopal Court higher and lower and clear all scores there that we may not be debarred of Christian buriall or Church Communion though it may be we cannot have it with mixture of corruption and can scarse close with it especially those that are enlightned But when we come to sanctifie God his praise and holding forth our own shame there is an inward principle in us to consider whether it stands with our honour and credit with our peace and safety a world of carnall reason and conscience will worke together in this case and inwardly so reply and muzzle the hearts and consciences of men that it is a wonder to see what shifting and daubing there is which they willingly give up themselves to when they are called about the inventions of the Sons of men Thirdly it may teach us if the whole world have runthus mad and wild to give their Crowns and Scepters Churches Common-wealths and consciences to have power put upon all these of their own choise by the man of Sinne every Kindred Tongue and Nation what a shame will it be if we be not as truely devout in our Religion as it is said of Cornelius Acts 10. 1. He was a devout man a Godly man given up to God So should we give up our selves to the Lord and sacrifice our credit and profit and whatever wee have to the Lord. There have been men that have been content to forfit all their Kingdomes to the man of Sin The Emperours in Germany have given their Crowns The Kings of England King John in his time did as much to the Popes Legat And it hath been frequent with him to set the Crowns upon their heads and dash them down with his feet These 42. moneths it hath been frequent with them to give up their Crowns to him but much adoe to runne any hazard for Christ though a petty jurisdiction And yet none did ever truely runne hazard for the Lord but the Lord took up their Crowns and maintayned their cause and honour and recoverd what honour they lost David by making known his Adultery and by his repentance for it did recover what Power and Authority he might seem to loose in the hearts of his subjects It is true he had lost his Kingdome but was it for his Repentance No but for his natural affection to his rebellious Sonne Absolom and his incestuous Sonne Amnon that should have been cut off He lost his Crown not for his Repentance but for want of executing the Law of God upon his own children as upon others there was his Sinne otherwise had he executed judgement upon his rebellious Sonne Absolom as the Lord required thou shalt pluck him from mine Altar that Rebell he had not lost his Kingdome But if so be his naturall affection over-rule him that he doe not execute judgement then no marvaile though they cast him out of his Kingdome and cut his throat at length if God doe not come between as he did to David But belive it no man did ever loose by sanctifying God in his heart by giving honour to him and taking shame to himselfe The Lord hath maintained peace in the conscience hath given it when it hath bin wanting and the Lord hath been pleased to sanctifie their names as they have sanctified his before men whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. And it will shortly be the ruine of those things they would preserve the ruine of a mans name and state the ruine of his body and soul together if a man shall dare in the presence of God to give the Glory doe to his Name to a Beast The Lord will be a swift witnesse against all the workers of iniquity Trust God with your honour and estate did he ever â—aile any man to this day Theodosius did submit himselfe and gave glory to God and acknowledged his offence to Ambrose the Pastor of his Church and to the people of God because he had sinned against the Lord to the offence of the Church of God did it weaken his esteem did not all the Churches hear of his repentance
a good action from his hands Take him without the vertue of Christ since the world began there never rose a good thought in all mens hearts if there did it was by the vertue of this Lamb of God that was slaine from the foundation of the world The heart of man Jeremiah complained long before Christs time is deceitfull above measure and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9 Who can know the bottomlesse depth of it This is the very state of all the world since the world began the whole frame and state of the world is enmity against God Rom. 8 7. It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and that in such a deep measure you may see by the medicine that the Lord prepares for it it shews the depth of the depravation of the world from the beginning it hath been corrupt and incurable unlesse it were by the vertue of the death of Christ by the sonne of God made man taking upon him mans nature and the greatnesse and infinitenesse of the vertue of this remedie doth evidently argue the bottomlesse depth of the corruption of the world since the world began No man would bespeak a Smiths great hammer to break an egg-shell a man would think it a marvellous vanity if he should Truly the Lord hath prepared the strongest iron hammer to break the Serpents head and which is wonderfull this iron hammer the Lord Jesus that breaks all before it The stone cut out of the mountaine that breaks the iron mountaine of Rome Dan. 2. 34. It is the same it was it makes men many times wonder how they came to be well conceited of the old Religion when Antichrist reâ—gned then were golden dayes as they say then there was nothing but every man regarded other mens good as their own precious golden seasons in the old world then an easie matter would have perswaded them all but to what end was Christ slain from the beginning of the world if it were not full of wickednesse if it were not so tough that this hammer of hammers must come to break it in pieces If men were so tractable children to Parents servants to Masters and yoke-fellows so abundantly in sweetnesse and amiablenesse what needed Christ to be crushed in pieces Say not saith Solomon Eccles 7. 10. what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this It is not a wise question for the truth is thou art deceived to think the elder times were better it is true it is possible men by the policy of Satan may grow worse But take them at the best had there not been a Lamb slain to rescue the same from the corruption of it no flesh had been saved It is true in some ages when the Gospel found free passage there was some difference It was so in Davids time better then in Sauls and Solomons for a time better then in Davids and so in Hezekiah's time better then in Zedekiah's and so it hath been up and down but take it the best all flesh have corrupted their wayes there is not a good thought not a good word nor a good practice since the world began Sometimes in morall vertues men have more exceeded when the Devill knew they were farre off from spiritual grace he tempted them not when he knew he had them fast in a golden and silken chaine or cord of morall vertues so I may call them he led the prisoners of those dayes in a golden chaine The strong man armed kept the house all the time of the Grecian and Persian Monarchy long before Christ and if any were delivered it was by the death of Christ as well as now It is true we read in ancient Poets I think it was fetched out of Daniel from Nebuchadnezzars dreame there was a golden world and then a silver world and then a brasse and sometimes iron there was all The Babylonian Monarch was gold but when it was gold it was but golden fetters of sinne and a land of wickednesse that held men close to the Devill and the silver Monarch of Persia was but silver fetters and the brasse Monarch of Greece it was but brazen fetters It is true when Religion brake forth then hee put upon them more chaines strong beastly lusts men with men committing filthinesse Rom. 1. 17. These were iron chains to cary men captive to Satan He sees Learning break forth and therefore he layes stronger chains and bands upon them Be no more stiffe-necked lest your bands encrease saith the Lord and so from golden bands you have silver and from silver brasse and from brasse iron and all to lead you captive to your last execution And what is the difference if a man be pynion'd with a golden cord or a silver or a brazen and iron cord the one is more glittering then the other but all bring to destruction Therefore look at all the world living in wickednesse since the world began or else in vain was the Lamb slain The very frame of mans transgression brought in a necessity of a like remedy and therefore a like need of the blood of Christ And it is a vain Question as Solomon saith why the former times should be better then these so it is a vain apprehension that men have of themselves as good to say I thank God I have a good heart and you shall finde me tractable and reasonable though they be but naturall and so their children are very tractable you may lead them with a twinde theerd and need not use violence you may soon break them what then are you but eggshels what need then a iron hammer to crush all the power of the enemy do not you and your children stand in need of the virtue of the blood of the Lamb as much as others have since the world began That men have stood in need of the blood of the Lamb from the foundation of the world to rescue them from the power of the strong man if they were so tractable young or old I know there is a great difference between spirits God forbid we should defame the work of God in nature but take the best spirit there is unconceivable enmity in the best natur'd man against Christ there is an in-bred emnity against him ever since the world began as is impossible to be healed but by the blood of Christ Christ came to crush them whiles they are in the shell and unlesse he heal them verily children of a span long cannot be saved Therefore let no man flatter themselves in their good inclination there is that in us since the world began that Christ must be broken and crushed to break the league between us and the Devill Christ himselfe in his soule and body must be striken he kils himselfe by the stroke he gives to the enemy Folly is bound up in the heart of a child and it is noâ— goodnesse of nature or what ever
60 why pleasing to the flesh 117 Power of the Beast whence it iâ— p. 22. 115. and what it is 23 What Power Princes have over the Church what not 39 Princes Power ought to be limited 73 We should pray for the Beasts ruine 95 Christs Purchase for his people 171 R. THe blood of Christ a Ransome for sinne page 176 Popish repentance no better then Judas repentance 212 Reconciliation with God the purchase of Christs blood 171 Roman Catholicke visible Church described p. 2. 7. And whence this first Beast did arise 9 When Rome-Pagan ended and Rome-Christian began 5 S. SAints alwayes victorious page 106 No Salvation in the Romish Church 215 What is meant by Sea 8 Christ slaine p. 168 and wherefore p. 170. and how slaine from the beginning of the world 189 The Spirit is purchased by Christs death 172 Sufferers for Christ and his cause are blessed 219 Sweden is one of the ten Horns 50 T. TEnths is the number of the beasts name pag. 253. 257 Thâ—odosius overâ—hrew the Temples 88 The Turk invincible whilst the Pope stands 50 V. UNiversality and prosperity no notes of a true Church page 57 Union purchased by Christs death 172 W. VVAldenses and Albingenses slaine to the number of 1000000. page 100 Saints are Saints in Warre as well as in Peace 108 Such as War against Antichrist are called Saints 106 A warning from checks of Providence 44 The Beast makes War with the Saints 98 The great words of the Beast 65 Works and grace opposite 210 Popish worship is the worship of the Devill 58 ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. r. a part l 17. r. they are p 4. l. 17. r. Pagan p 8. l. 19. r. partions p. 9. l. 26. r. Decemviri l. 28. r. was p. 14. l. 34. r is it p. 16. l. 17. r. is it l. ult r. edefied p. 18. l. 3. r. examination p. 29. l. 34. r. edefied l. 35. r. bring p. 30. l. 25. r. passeth p 31. l. 37. r. Church will p. 32. l. 3. r. they p. 33. l. 24. r. Decemviries p. 34. l. 23. r. some such l. 35. r. must therefore p. 43. l. 32. r. sacrifice p. 62. r. delegation p. 6â— l. 27. r. Dan. 7. 8. p. 64. l. 16. r. audible p. 82. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 38. r. there p. 37. l. 17 r. prevaricate p. 90. l. 14. r. many p. 91. l. 22. r. talke p. 123. l. 21 r. Albigenses l. 29. r. suiâ—â— p. 124. l. 24. r. without p. 129. l. 29 r. men p. 132. l 24. r. acceptation p. 145 l. ult r. irrevocable p. 159. l. 6. r. unexcusable p. 157. l. 31. r. many p. 160. l. 6. r. antiquity p. 178. l. 23. r. applyed to p. 181. l. 19. r. repetitions p. 182. 29. r. the. p. 184. 36. r. grace p 211. l. 28. r. stony p. 229. l. 36. r. appeals FINIS The Analysis of this 13. Chapter of the Revelation This Chapter contains the Warr which the Dragon or Devill made against the Woman or Church mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing Chapter which is managed by two Beasts as his Instruments First beast is described v. 1. to 11 by his 1 Originall or Fountaine whence he springs viz. the Sea vers 1. 2. Shâ—pe or Figure having 7. Heads with the Title of blasphemy upon them ib. 10. Horns with Crowns upon them ibid. A Body like unto a Leopard or Panther v. 2. Feet as of a Beare ibid. A mouth as of a Lyon ibid. 3. State which is set forth by 1. The efficient Cause viz. the Dragon he gave his power and authority ibid. 2. The variable change of it 1. 'T was great being cal'd Power Seat Authority 2. One head was wounded as it were to death v. 3. 3. That Head was healed ib. and the effects thereof 1. The worlds wondring ibid. 2. The worshipping of the Beast and Dragon v. 4. 3. Liberty to blaspheme v. 5. 6. 4. Power to continue 42. moneths overcom the Saints v. 7. 5. The amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion v. 7 8. 3. A Conclusion containing a word of Attenttors and Consolation v. 9 10. 1. His Originall He comes on t of the earth vers 11. 2. A Similitude or Resemblance in 3. things viz. to 1. A Lamb in his horns ibid. 2. A Dragon in his speech ibid. 3. The first Beast in the exercise of his Power v. 12. 3. The particular Exercises of his Power or effâ—cts of it viz. Hee 1. Procures Adoration to the first beast ibid. 2. Doth great wonders making fire come down from heaven in the sight of men ver 13. 3. Deceives them that dwell on the earth by those miracles v. 14. 4. Doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had a wound by the sword and did live ibid. 5. Animates and gives life to the Image of the Beast that it should have both power to speake and to cause as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast to be killed v. 15. 6. Causeth all sorts of men small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead or at least the Name of the Beast or the number of his name or otherwise he excludes them not only from spirituall but also civill Commerce v. 16 17. The number of his Name is also ver 18. illustrated 1. By the wisdome needfull to the understanding of it 2. By an exhortation to search out and count it 3. To be the number of a man expresly decyphered to be 666. The Reader is desired to correct with his pen these faults amongst others which through precipitance of the Press have fallen to the prejudice of the sence Page Line Read 2 2 a part 6 31 give 9 26 Decemvirs 11 30 much  34 whole  last lasted long 13 34 persumed 14 36 is it not 16 17 is it not  29 Metropolitan  last edefied 29 35 bring  37 primitive 36 11 head of the.  37 Supremacy 37 6 incompatible 64 10 premeditation  16 audible 65 29 derision 66 10 Pope that is the 69 6 Cantury  20 could not for would 73 11 clouds to keep them from the earth  ib. Firmament to the clouds  31 blot out a. 75 27 Pontifex 82 2 limited  28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   blot out ever 83 35 a definite or indefinite time 87 17 prevaricate  25 there was no place 88 8 Theodosius  20 for scores of r. number 90 13 time for the moneth  14 many for may 95 1 the children of Israel in the land of Aegypt 101 36 readinesse for necessity 102 2 even for him and 107 32 they are not hereticks  35 if not they 109 13 not lift up  22 holinesse  28 hand for head 115 6 blot out Exasia 116 24 the Pope was 117 10 Abominations 123 21 Waldenses and Albâ—ngenses  29 suite for smite 124 24 Without mixture 129 penult of life for of the life 134 1 else they may not  3 the booke of life of  25 Wherein whoever is not  33 blot out out of 141 34 35 the world it carryeth away them 145 lâ—st irrevocable 146 8 receive him  31 there be in us 148 13 blasting 150 10 how for now  13 many times  30 seale for search  32 after worke for Christ make 155 34 that for as 159 4 This is for this this  6 unexcusable 165 31 many times  23 applyed to thee 178 29 the stay 182 1 of temptations 184 36 way of grace  19 in Sauls and Solomons 197 â—â— take it at the best 198 â—9 And 〈…〉 201 2 blot out in doing and suffering all for them 206 12 which be haâ—h 208 21 not for nor  29 tells you of the.  30 blot out to in that sentence and to the holy Citie they 209 4 not for nor 210 19 subtile 211 7 word for world 215 28 â—â—ony for strong 218 27 tale for taile 229 15 appointed time is come 231 36 appeals 236 12 the Church 237 23 the head of this beast 239 10 Congregations to  4 5 speech of the sins of Christians in c.  35 blot out as  36 for a great 240 16 loth for loft 241 28 given for gotten 246 9 me for men  2 account 247 27 〈…〉 249 25 as well 251 31 then let all 252 14 of it more 253 8 pretty 256 6 victory  10 born witnesse against  11 a Papist so far 257 6 sixe more in 259 17 in the foundation 〈◊〉 Doct. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Doctr. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. ☞ Note Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Doctr. 2. Quest 1. Answ Quest 2. Answ Quest 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctrine 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 2. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 1. Doct. 2. Vse 1. V se 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine Parker Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4.