man would choose to live no better life nor keep a better house then his Father or Grandfather but wish their souls might be but as safe as theirs when men are once redeemed by the bloud of Christ and that is sprinkled upon their consciences then the bloud of Christ is warmer then the bloud of Ancestors though the Religion of our Fathers should be strong in the hearts of devout Catholicks as in Bilney or Latimer then alasse for our poor Fathers what is become of them they pity them and see plainly that unlesse the Lord led them a further way then the Religion of those that taught them they are gone everlastingly and then they wonder that God should ever choose such a dunghill thee and me that they see a broad difference between the Religion of their Ancestors and that which they see now but that is the efficacy of the bloud of Christ there is that efficacy in it that it washeth away all relations to Fathers to antiquity and universality he is crucified to them all God forbid saith the Apostle that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6. 14. So that though all the world runne after the Beast they will not the world looks at them as base unworthy creatures and so they look at the world And there is a third fundamentall Reason and that is taken from the power and presence of the Spirit of Gods grace in the hearts of his people We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. That is by the spirit of God and by the power of that spirit he keeps our faith and by faith keeps us in the way of his ordinances and in the way of sanctification to salvation Little children yee are of God and you have overcome these Antichrists why for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 John 4. 4. The power of God is in you they are of the world and the world is carryed away with them you are of God and you hear them not for greater is he thaâ— is in you then he that is in the world These are three fundamentall Reasons which are indeed the demonstrative cause of the impossibility of them to be finally carried to the worship of the Beast the election of God will not suffer it the unchangeblenesse thereof the faithfulnesse of Christ the efficacy of the blood of Christ and the power of the spirit and that which flowes from it is the experience of Gods love and the vertue of their faith in Christ Their faith is unchangeble not possible to be rooted out in Luke 22. 31 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not It may be shaken but it shall not finally fail I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. and that is the proper act of faith Be not high minded but fear his mercy is sufficient for us trust steadfastly on the grace of Christ and though Peter seemed not to trust on the grace of Christ yet in his worst state he knew that all the courses of Satan were vanity and he durst not but in his heart believe that Christ was the Messiah so all the elect of God know the Beast is a Beast and the Catholick Roman Church is a Beast and the head of that Beast is a beastly head and they know that their Doctrine is sensuall and carnall and that they all shall go into perdition and withall their experience doth evidently convince them that were it not in a pang of temptation in which they are not able to abide by it yet by a renewall of the blood of the Lord Jesus sprinkled on their souls they are brought a fresh to see the work of Gods grace stirred up in them but otherwise their constant course is as in Rev. 14. you hear them coming as on a stage representing the Lambe in their carriage and conversation and follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes but for the Beast a stranger they will not follow but both their faith and experience yeild them a third cause and that is the spirit of God carying them an end My sheep hear my voyce and they follow me but they know not the voyce of strangers they see a difference between good and evill and therefore if they hear a man speak and doth not speak of salvation by him but of the world or of himselfe they will not follow him John 10. 45. Thus you see the Reason why none of them worship the Beast But on the other side all the rest of the world doe meaning where Antichrists power comes speaking of those times when there was great power given to him to speak great things and no man might say Sir why do you so in that time when he had power to be active forty two months when he had power to make Warre with the Saints and to overcome them and when all Nations worshipped him and did not shake off that Religion but in former times before reformation of Religion this was an universal practice they all Nations Kindreds and Tongues gave their power to the Beast and the reason of that was from Gods just judgement for their not receiving the truth in love therefore he gave them over to strong delusions to believe lyes Secondly from the efficacy of Satan in the power of deceitfull sophistry and doing wonders And thirdly by the plausiblenesse trumpery and bravery of that Religion so suitable to carnal reason that they were carried away thereto and it could not be but they should be carried away by the man of Sinne. The use first may then be thus much If all that dwell on Earth whose names are not written in the book of life do worship the Beast and none are excluded but those whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life then this will unavoidably follow that a Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a Reprobate what he may and renounce his Religion is another matter as Bilney and Latimer sometimes did they were written in the Lambes booke of life but by his Religion take them that do believe as the Catholick Roman Church believes and believe no more but practice that which that Religion directs them to and goe no further and they continue and live and die in that then I must pronounce it from the Text they cannot go beyond a Reprobate the reason is evident from the Text for if none of them whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life doe worship the Beast and onely they do worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Lambs booke of life then if they be not written in the Lambs booke of life the Text is very strong clear in Rev. 20. 15. Whosoever was not found written in the Lambs Book of life was cast into the lake
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
ragges They are all as the clouts of a mensteruous woman even all our best righteousnesse This this the condition of us all full of uncleanesse and pollution and deformity And whâ—ch is worse then that unexcuable in all for if wee couâ—d have told what to say and to say justly Christ would have sayd it much more fully then we could for he is our Advocate and it were a shame for an Advocate if the party of the cause could defend his cause better then his Advocate Christ is more skilful in the Law then we but his silence doth professe that he knows not what to say to stand out in our defence He might have excused some of Gods elect from this or that actual grosse Sinne but he could have excused none from a guilty pronenesse to all manner of Sinne There is a vicious pronenesse in us to all sinne and therefore Christ could not tell what to say And as there is a pronenesse in us to all sinne so there is an actuall commission of many sinnes And in many things we sinne all James 3. 2. And there are few or none of Gods elect that if so be a man that is privy to all their dealings were to give an account of them he could not justifie them from the guilt and stain of all sinne Now this is the case of Christ he hath been acquainted with all our wayes and if he be examined of what hath been done wickedly before the Church and before the Common-wealth he is not able to deny but both Church and Common-wealth might proceed against us all And this may cast a holy blushing upon us in the presence of the Lord and of this Lamb Christ could have told what to have answered if ought had been to be answered but when he stands in our room he stands silent he could not with truth bear witnesse unto any of us touching our guiltinesse knowing what he knew by us it would make us unfit for both societies either of Church or Common-wealth And it is a just humiliation for a man to know that he stands in such a state of which no good account can be given A man that is skilful indeed and knows the Law as well as Christ did standing in our room he hath nothing to answer for himselfe and the Lord knows it and time was when this considered did muzzâ— his mouth he was like a lamb dumbe before his shearer you cannot rake up such a base accusation against him but he knows where the dint of it will fall and therefore he is very sensible of the truth of all that is laid unto his charge Let God come upon us with spiritual dissertions we must know that it is just with God to dissert us and though the Church should spue us out and the Common-wealth cut us off from the land of the living who can plead for us If Christ stand in our persons he hath nothing to plead Secondly it doth teach us where to look for all our justification and reconcilement with the Father Truly brethren not in our own righteousnesse for the Lord himselfe that knowes it better then we do he knows that it will not hold out before the judgement seat of God He might have pleaded that David was a man after Gods own heart he might have pleaded the wisedome of Solomâ—n and the truth of Josias heart and the zeal of Phineas and the patience of Job but he knowing the Law well enough and what thâ—y have been and we have all been he hath nothing to plead and therefore we must not plead our own righteousnesse let no man think that his own pleading will reach his own justification whereas Christ himselfe could not reach it for him All have sinned all have been out of the way and there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 1 2 3. he speaks of us by nature and we were natural before we came to be spiritual Therefore saith the Apostle What things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may 〈…〉 and all the world may become guilty bâ—fore God Rom. 3. 19. 〈…〉 use the Apostle himselfe makes of it Vers 23 24 25 We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redempâ—ion that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God So that I say this 〈…〉 of our justification the Lord Jâ—sus hath borne and suffeâ—ed for us when he was silent in our behalfe and could not tell what to say Papists can bring you many argumâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 justifie themselves they will bring you many instances of this Saint and that Saint and of the Virgin Mary above all others of their purity and righteousnesse and how able they are to plead for others They may be wise for themselves and do as Procters are wont to do regard their fees and not their Cause but the Lord Jesus is faithful and yet he cannot plead as guiltlesse Nor must you think as sometimes poor christians will do I cannot say much for my selfe but such a brother such a sister they may indeed give a better account of me then I can do of my selfe but truly nothing to satisfie Gods justice can any give account for Christ himself could not do it And indeed so marvellously did God accept this kinde of defence that our Saviour makes that he hath crowned this faithfulnesse of Christ with everlasting honour unto all ages he hath so fully so gratiously accepted him as that he hath for ever ratified it in Heaven that no man shall ever passe away righteous from the judgement seat of God that can plead any righteousnesse of his own Whoever he be that will not stand righteous before the judgement seat of God by any righteousnesse of his own he must stand mute as Christ himselfe stood and if he be just he must be just by his righteousnesse Christ could plead nothing for us of our own not our active obedience nor any passive obedience of ours but he having suffered for us the punishment that all the wickednesse of the Elect have deserved Now he doth ever live to make intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. Now he hath arguments enough to plead If any man sin now we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 2 John 2. 1. Why did he not plead before Truly he could not open his mouth before because he had not yet suffered but now he hath suffered the just for the unjust and now that he hath borne the censure of Church and Common-wealth now he hath enough to plead in the behalfe of the poorest christian And if so be that any plead against his Saints and servants and say that they are guilty of these these sins God wil say Deliver him from going
kind to keep Lamb-like silence when you are charged with any fault whereof you are guilty It is a dangerous sinne when men are found in a fault they have a thousand excuses for it and utter denyal of such things so as they will cut you a Weavers beame unto a very moate But you see the spirit of Christ Jesus will not doe it nor will he confesse it for they charged it upon him in his own person and so he could not confesse it Hee could not deny it because then he should not have stood in our room as he did And therefore it behooves those that are young or old if you be innocent then you may excuse it if you be guilty beware of denying for if you do you shall leave a difficult travayl upon Jesus Christ to plead your cause He that knoweth the heart and the truth of the thing he is ashamed of such a proud spirit that so defends himself as you doe Lastly it is a ground of singular comfort to all whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life and brought on to this Lamb-like frame of heart in the greatest horrour of spirit whereas the soule in this or that man is confounded and he knows not what to say Here is comfort for such a soule laid up for here is a sufficient plea before Gods Judgment seate the Lord Jesus Christ hath been silent at it he hath born and suffered for it It will come unto this passe with a soule under spiritual confusion Wee shall lye downe in our shame with our confusion upon our faces as in Jer. 3. 24 25. Wee cannot deny it nor excuse it and therefore we are ready to conclude woe to us that ever we were born That is not a just conclusion though for truly this we must come unto if ever we come unto Christ And therefore it is a way of justification and of life for a man to be confounded in himselfe for his sin for the Lord doth never justifie a sinner untill hee hath confounded him Many a man many times will say it is true godly friends have had a good opinion of me but they are deceived by my expressions performances and outward carriage Here the soule is mady times apt to sinke and would sink if the Lord Jesus stood not at a non-plus in his room for Christ could not tell what to say till hee had made satisfaction neither could he acknowledg the faults that were layd to his charge because himselfe was guiltless not deny them lest he should falsly justifie us We cannot tell now what to say to our owne estates sometimes The Church complaines all our Prophets are gone and our signes are gone the case is now desperate when wee are in a desperate taking But though wee cannot tell presently what to say yet the Text and the Gospel tels you Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world He himself could make no words about our justification it was a case past words excuses would not heale us then there was something to be suffered and that to the utmâ—st This he hath suffered wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. He is now able to do it but when he stood before Pontius Pilate he could not tell what to say but now he hath suffered in Family Câ—uâ—ch and Câ—mmon-wealth In his family they forsook him and denyed him and forswore him therefore now having made perfect satisfaction unto the exact justice of his heavenly Father by being condemned to death crucified upon the Crosse dead and buried now his mouth is ever open to make intercession There is a stay and staffe unto a Christian Looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45. 22. Now here is the brazen Serpent lifted up That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 14 15. Rest not now in a naked knowledge of this but look up to Heaven with your inner man be confounded because of your shame and yet see the Lord offering you Christ and giving you grace to receive him and to rest there that whatever cavils and temptations the Devil may make and your own consciences may make yet there is hope in Israel concerning this The Lord is righteous but I and my house are wicked may a man say my wayes are corrupt and my heart worst of all But the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53 5 6 7. There is nothing that will cleare him before God when he stands in our case but he must stand ashamed and confounded for us all And though wee be thus and thus guilty in our owne apprehensions and culpable in the sight of men yet the Lord hath made satisfaction for us and therefore saith Deliver him for I have received a ransome And where there is any seede of God there will be a secret quieting of the heart upon this very ground which the Lord doth dart into the soule by causing it to rest upon him and cleave to him and hang about him where onely Redemption Reconciliation and Attonement for us are to be found Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world CHrist is here described First by the similitude of a Lamb. 2. By his passion a Lamb slaine Thirdly his passion is amplified by the antitiquity of it slain from the foundation of the world We shewed the last time that Christ was as a Lamb. Now we come to the next part of the description of Christ the next note then concerning Christs passion is this Christ though a Lamb was slain and slaughtered Though a Lamb. That is to say though innocent meek and patient yet slain and slaughtered So you read in Acts 2. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate councell and fore-knowledge of God yee have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain and in Acts 7. 52. You have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just one of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers He was a Lamb murdered slain and slaughtered He was led as a Lamb to the slaughter Slaughter implyes a violent death put upon him partly by the justice of God partly by the wickednesse of men and partly by the malice of Satan By the justice of God the word is very strong in Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him it is translated but it signifies properly to grind him the same word is translated destruction in Psal 90. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction and so it pleased the Father thus to grinde him to powder that he might have nothing of chaffe he ground him to dust with grief and horror anguish and agony and terrour and pain Isa 53. 6. The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all and so he ground him to dust