Lady vertue and Grace ouâ— of her â—ober habit to put on the new fangle fashions of the time or by the impetuous torrent of all lawlesse examples of profuse and prodigious manners of proud and ambitious â—onnes of Belial the only heires apparant to all earthly greatnesse And by watching here is implied that carnall security and beastly â—urquedry all excesse in eating and drinking which are enemies to watching are proper symptomes of this Viall And aboue all drunkennesse For that strips a man of his garment makes him naked and men see his shame Noah was once drunke and he lay vncouered in his Tent that his shame was seene But now he is accounted no man that will not drinke drunke till he lie vnder the Table like a dogg at his vomit or wallow in the kennell like a hogg in the mire Thus it is in this Viall as in the dayes of Noah they eat they dranke noting the excesse of all deboshtnesse In this regard therefore Christ admonisheth his servants to wâ—â—ch and that the more diligently because of the dangerous state of the time of this Viall overgrowne with carnall security and overflowne with that borrowed German sinne of drunkennesse And to incourage his servants least they should be too much dejected with the worlds â—â—omps and affronts as standing too strictly vpon points Christ pronounceth them to be blessed that watch and looke well to their garments of faith and holinesse howsoever the misdeeming world deeme them fooles â—or their labour In the second relaâ—ion Christ here insertâ— this gratious admonition and watchword not only as a preservatiue from the present corruptions but as a preparatiue to fore-arme them against the imminent perill and triall of the great day of God Almighty This is that Panoplyâ— or complete armour recommended vnto vs Eph. 6 which taking vpon vs we may be able to stand fast in the evill day It is saving faith and a good conscience which as an armour of proofe will beare a man out and bid defiance to all worldly feares And vnlesse we renew our Covenant with God of faith and obedience and so set our selues in a way of reformation thus having God reconciled vnto vs and made on our side It may be said to vs as to those in Amos Woe vnto you that desire the day of the Lord To what end is it for you The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light Amos. 5.18 Certainly to all those who appertaine to the confederacy of the Beast and false Prophet to all profane and impenitent persons the great day of God Almighty shall be a darke and dismall day Men may see this if they will in the previous light skirmishes what is like to be their successe in the maine battell No prosperity no successe even to those that professe to stand on Truthes side so long as their face is turned the other way or which is worse while Iulus-like they looke both wayes halting betweene two with prevaricating feet having on the Linsey-Wolsey garment neither hot nor cold and the like What haue these to doe with the great day of God Almighty Certainly such if they repent not of their damnable heresies doe bring vpon themselues swift destruction Forasmuch as by their pernicious wayes which many doe follow the way of truth is evill spoken off whose iudgement therefore now long ago lingreth not and their damnation slumbereth not But on the contrary he that hath on the former armor his garments of justification by faith and of sanctification joyned with repentance desireth nothing more then to see this great day of God Almighty even hastening vnto it as Saint Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 3. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon In which fourth and last clause of this Viall are three things or circumstances very remarkable First of the Person that assembleth or rangeth the Warriours and that is the great Muster-Master even the Lord of Hosts He gathered Secondly of the Persons assembled Them and those are the very enemies of his Church that warre against the Lambe and those on his side who are the Called and chosen and faithfull Thirdly of the Place where the battell is pight and to be fought called here Armageddon We will speak of the last first as most difficult This word Armageddon is diversly taken by Interpreters Some referre it as alluding to that place called Mageddo in the fifth of Iudges where Deborah and Barack discomfited the host of Sisera at the waters of Mageddo Whereupon Deborah in her gratulatory song singeth by a Propheticall spirit So let thine enemyes perish O Lord. And surely if we compare the presumptuous confidence of the enemyes of Gods Church in this Vial to that of Sisera and of the Ladies of his Court against Israell triumphing before the victory it may be a good allusion To which discomfiture also the Prophet Dauid alludes Psal. 82. where he prayeth against all the enemyes of the Church which prowdly say Let vs take to our selues the houses of God in possession Let vs make havocke of these Puritan Gospellers and of the name of Protestants Do thou unto them as to the Madianites as to Sisera as to Iabin at the brooke of Kison to wit at the waters of Mageddo Others apply this place not only to the overthrow of Gods enemies but withall to the valley of Mageddo where King Iosias was slaine which was cause of great lamentation to Iuda But whereas this might make against the destruction of Antichrist and his Confederates here which shal be cause and matter of much joy comfort to Gods people the some Author solues it thus that vpon the fall of Antichrist the whole Nation of the Iewes shal be â—onverted and shall hereupon take vp a bitter lamentation for their long and obdurate obstinacy now in a godly sorrow for their sinne weeping to see him whom they had pierced according to that Zach. 12. Some relate others opinions of Armageddon as either to signifie excidium rivi the cutting off of the River as alluding to Babylons Euphrates or exercitus vastationis the Army of desolation Others deriue it of Har which is Hill and Magedon delightsome or pretious alluding to the Church of God the Mountaine of Gods delight as Psal. 82.1 2. The Royall Paraphrast in his Epistle before his Paraphrase sets downe first his owne opinion deriving the word of Harma or Guarma and Geddon as much as destruction by deceit because saith he it is the name of the place where the wicked being assembled together by the alluring and deceit of Satan and his three spirits of Devills â—o make warre with the faithfull were all destroyed by God and so their destruction came and was procured by deceit To which also he is pleased to adde two opinions of others as first to signify destruction by waters to wit peoples or secondly to allude to Ioshuah's discomfiting of the Kings Gods enemies
that confessing there are Reprobates he would come to some more reasonable tearmes about his vniuersall Redemption But reading on to the words aboue related I was put by that hope when I saw he allowed none for Reprobates but such as by filling vp the measure of their iniquitie become thereby Reprobates But when comes a man to make vp the measure of his iniquitie Before hee dye Who can tell that Or else who dare say such a man is a Reprobate because he goes on in his sinne with a â—igh hand and repenteth not Indeed such impenitency is for the time a signe of a Reprobate yet not sure for he may by Gods grace come to repent And if by Gods great grace he come to repent before he dye how was he then a Reprobate Vnlesse yee will say that a Reprobate may be saued But then yee should contradict your selfe saying that Christ tooke not vpon him the sinnes of such Reprobates But by saying There was no necessity laid vpon them by his eternall Decree to make vp such a measure of iniquity Doth he acknowledge an eternall Decree then of reprobation No surely for he cannot conceiue at least he pretends so how there can bee an eternall Decree of reprobation without a necessary inference of a necessity laid vpon Reprobates to fill vp the measure of their iniquity will they nill they Surely God doth not impose a necessity vpon Reprobates to continue and make vp the measure of their sin because of his eternall Decree but they being thereby justly left to the swing of their owne will and to the tyranny of Satan are by Satan and their own seruile lust necessitated yea by him as their rider whipt and spurd a gallop till they become to the end of sins race the wages whereof is death And as we say They must needs goe whoÌ„ the Diuell driues And saith the Apostle such the Diuell takes captiue at his wil. Yet in the same place of such the Apostle leaues vs not without hope If God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth and that they may recover themselues out of the snare of the diuell Wee are to vse meanes of repentance to such as are most deboyst and desperate sinners because we know not who are Reprobates vnlesse God reueale them vnto vs as he did to Samuel forbidding him to pray for Saul seeing the Lord had reiected him The Author hath warily to my obseruation auoyded to touch vpoÌ„ the example of Jacob Esau in the womb of whom the Apostle saith that before they had done either good or euill actually God loued Iacob and haâ—ed Esau Only in one place he saith that God hateth no man not Esau as he is a man which is true but as a sinner but as an enemy or contemner of his goodnes But Esau in the wombe before he had done any actuall euil was hated of God But that the Author attributes to Gods prescience only and not to his justice in hating Esau as hee now found him in the wombe the child of wrath and impe of damnation condemned in originall sin and in the fall of Adam on whom the sentence of death passed And as for Pharaoh he maketh him only an extraordinary and singular example out of the sphere of common Reprobates as no way conceâ—ning them although the Apostle propounds him as a type of Reprobates as Esau was Pharaoh and his Aegyptians being typically the malignant enemies and Oppressors of Gods Church such as Reprobates are For vpon the example of Gods hardening Pharaohs heart the Apostle inferreth this generall conclusion Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.17 18. In a word to omit many other particulars the whole requiring a full and intire confutation to proue that Gods will is to haue all men saved without difference he quotes a place out of Ezechiell thus As I liue saith the Lord I will not the death of him that dieth but rather that he should repent and liue This place is by the Arminians perverting and misunderstanding their common refuge whereby to elude all other places of Scripture which doe clearly and vnanimously informe vs in the mystery of God touching our salvation Yet the Author hath so set it downe as it is no where to be found no not in Ezechiell totidem verbis But not to quarrell about words Ezechiell indeed hath a saying somewhat like vnto it as Chapter 18.32 and Chapter 33.11 The maine thing the Author stands vpon is Gods Oath whence he would conclude that it is Gods vnfained will to haue all men saved not only genera singulorum all sorts of men but singula generum every one of all sorts Now who will charge God of dealing deceitfully yea although he did not sweare at all but gaue vs his bare word only Let God be true and every man a lyar Yet the Author putts a great difference betweene Gods Oath and his bare word as if God were not as well to be believed vpon his bare word as vpon his Oath But why then doth he sweare For no other cause but when he is to deale with an incredulous and vnbelieving people as many times a man cannot be believed on his word vnlesse he sweare And with whom had God now to deale Was it not with an incredulous and rebellious people See Ezech 33.10 the people say If our transgressions and our sinnes be vpon vs and we pine away in them how should we then liue The people were so farre gone in sinne that now they despaired of Gods great goodnesse and mercy yea that they thought now the sentence of judgement was so passed vpon them as it could not be reversed although they should repent and turne from their sinnes Now out of this stubborne infidelity the Lord by his Prophet labours to pull them as it were by the threefold cable of his Oath Thus God is faine to condescend to the weake condition of his people by attempering his word in the ministry thereof in such wise vnto them as it may become the more fit and potent instrument to worke in them repentance and conversion vnto God And whereas our Author would pin vpon his opposites an imputation of mainteining a necessary contradiction or opposition betweene Gods reveiled secret will as if in his revealed will he willeth all men to be saved without exception but in his secreet will restraineth them to a few it is a meere cavil and uniust quarrell For howsoever God in his word hath manifested the mystery of his freegrace and loue in his immutable counsell of electing a certaine nâ—mber of men vnto salvation a Fundamentall which all Arminian sophistry stands amazâ—d at and against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile yet seeing God hath not revealed vnto men in particular who they be that are elect but in this poynt hath given vs his revealed will not only for the regulating
senselesse he is as not to discerne these seven last Plagues of Gods wrath to fall vpon his marked ones only even as the ten Plagues fell vpon the Egyptians and not vpon his owne Israelites Gods Israell indeed is sore afflicted and humbled but all the Plagues light vpon the Beast and his Crue Afflictions admonish and occasion Israell to repent to humble themselues to seek reconciliation with their heavenly Father thus afflictions are good Medicines and Monitors for their betterment whereas on the other side the Plagues which fall vpon the brood of the Beast worke in them no repentance at all but cause them to vtter their impatience and to belch out their blasphemies as effects issuing from the filthy source of their superabundant and incorrigible corruptions Shall I say then that this sixt Viall is already begun to be powred out That needs not neither though if we did the former example might stay our faith from falling into the pitt of incredulity in case those two blind guides in divine wayes carnall sense and humane reason should take vpon them to conduct it But yet least so hard a morsell might overcome the weake stomack before it be better concocted proceed wee to that which followeth in this Viall which if we find not plainly enough fulfilled in these our dayes it will be in vaine for the best Oratour to goe about to perswade it The second Branch therefore of this Viall is an Agency dispatched for to prevent the Kings of the East from the surpriâ—all of Babylon Ver. 13. And I saw three vncleane spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are spirits of Divells working miracles which goe forth vnto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almighty In this Agency we haue first the Agents described first by their nature noting their singular activity and agility as also subtilty and pregnancy of wit being called spirits and what place so closse what walls so thicke what sinque ports so well watcht as can keep out spirits Secondly for their numerosity Three a number of perfection it imports abundance of them in the time of this Viall Thirdly by their quality vncleane Fourthly by a similitude like Froggs Fifthly by their commission armed with a threefold authority they come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Secondly the execution of their Agency which is set downe first in the extent of it they go forth vnto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world Secondly in the intent of it to gather them together to the battell of the great day of God Almighty And lastly by what meanes they perswade the Potentates of the earth to wit by working miracles namely false miracles forasmuch as they are the spirits of Divells Nor are we to omit Iohns testimony concerning this brood saying And I saw c which giues vs to note this Agency as a thing very conspicuous and evident to the view of at least every spirituall Beholder yeâ— so palpable as that the very externall sense the eye may easily obserue it And this invites vs to a speciall attention of this whole matter The drying of the great River Euphrates was not with I saw for that is a matter of faith not of sense Now for these Agents who ever they be the Royall Paraphrast saith they are Ecclesiasticall Factors and Agents as the Divells last brood Every man with halfe an eye may plainly see whom he meant vnlesse the brood of Arminians as later come in to claime their Copy-hold Henry Bullinger writing his excellent Commentary vpon the Revelation about seventy yeares age vnderstands by these Factours the Popes Legates à latere who negotiated in all Kings Courts their Masters cause It was indeed an application very sutable for those times of his wherein this last brood was scarcely hatched Whom if he had lived to see as our times haue done he would no doubt haue recanted his errour he would haue excused the Popes Legates as of a more leaden mertall then to be compared to such actiue spirits as here are and to be too much loaden with their Pontificiall Pomp and traine to act or attempt any rare projects or dexterous atchieuements as we haue seene acted by these nimble froggs The Legates still could not come to Court but in at the broad gate in the view of all but these sprightfull froggs can creep or skip in at the Wicket or back-dore and negotiate more businesse by lurking in some corner or skirt of the Court then the Legate with all his Traine Nor was it so profitable to the Beast to maintaine a pompous Legate in every Kings Court vnlesse as Cardinall Campeiâ—â— he could come with his Sumpters stuffed with old shoes and carry them home againe loaden with old gold England having been of old the Popes best Exchange for such Marchandize but this last brood these vncleane spirits these Froggs what shall I call them vse to come as naked over as a Frogg not sumptuous except when they metamorphose themselues into the Court fashion or like Ruffians thereby to cover colour over their Frog-like nature 〈◊〉 they should bee knowne for â—pyes make bares pragmaticall incendiaries poysoners of the very ayr where they breath and most artificially palliated Traytors and enginers of all mischiefe but nimble to practise all juggling â—eates for their Masters advantage And not vnfitly doe they resemble froggs First the frog is an â—â—nclane creaâ—â—re conversant about the muddy puddles so these Therefore called vncleane spirits both in regard of their originall breathed out of three fowle mouths the fowle Fâ—end the fowle Beast and the false Prophet as fowle as the â—est as also for their owne naturall vncleannesse their very consciences being defiled Thirdly in regard of their doctrine which they breath into their Disciples which for all their false pretences can never purge men from their sinnes but leaues them more vncleane Fourthly in that they doe mingle and meddle themselues with all secular courses but chiefly with State-businesses as King Iames saith which by their wicked counsells clossely inspired they wholly pollute and defile whereby they become sinfull acts and impious resolutions But in the last place not the least they proue vncleane spirits by working a generall effect of vncleannesse and prophanesse in all sorts and rankes of men and that through their audacious and clamarous croaking and crying downe of all piety and sanctitie of life branding not only the true religion of Christ but the power thereof in our sanctification with hypoâ—â—icrisy or some odious nickname of I wot not what heresie Whereby it commeth to passe that he that refraineth from evill maketh himselfe a prey and he that runneâ— riot in all kind of
symptome of this Viall to wit Christâ— watch word to his souldiers and this hath a twofold references 〈…〉 the present condition of the 〈◊〉 of this Viall and so it is for a Preseâ—vatiue secondly 〈◊〉 thâ— subsequent great battell begun to be pitched in this Viall and which is to be strucke 〈◊〉 the next and so it is for a Prepâ—ratiue Nor let any imagine much lesse â—ffirme that his Watchword is not proper for this place as if it were surreâ—titiously or by some errour crept or câ—â—vayd into this place For if all Divines we 〈◊〉 to study where this Watchword might best stand they could not find a â—â—tter place The Watchword is Behold I 〈◊〉 as a Thiâ—fe Behold is a note of atteâ—tâ—on as elsewhere vpon the like occasion so here vsed to awaken all true Christians to a watchfull expectation of Christs comming to â—udgement And being inserted in this Viall it argueth the supine drowsinesse of the presenâ— age wherein it is poured out Which sleepinesse and carnall securiâ—y is a symptome well sympathizing with the time of this sixt Viall as being 〈◊〉 forerunning signe of the grâ—â—t day of God Almighty approaching in the next Viall Aâ— the Apostle of the day of the Lord saith When they shall say Peace and safety then sodaine destruction commeth vpon thâ—m The time of this sixt Viall being that likened to the dayeâ— of Noâ—h Matth 24. From this generall Lethargy and carnall securitie the Lord rowseth vp all his servants here with a Behold noting his suddaine and vnexpected coming therein compared to the coming of a Thiefe in the night which comparison the Holy Ghost often vâ—eth For what more suddaine then the theeâ—es coming He cometh in the dead time of the night when all are a sleepe in security as Math. 25. Christ comes when all the ten virgins as well the wise as the foollish slumbred and slept And this sheweth that the time of this sixt Viall iâ— very moment any drawing on and hastening the seuenth and last euen by the strong hand of head-strong iniquity mounted to the highest pitch In so much as in the seventh Viall Christ will take the carnall secure world napping when they least dreamed of his coming Behold I come as a thiefe But least the wise also might be taken tardy the spirit though willing yet the 〈◊〉 weake as Christ said to his sleepy Disciples in the garden he sheweth the happy estate of those which like the fiue wife Virgins haue their Lampes ready trimmed with oyle to meete their Bridegroome Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his gâ—â—ments least he walke naked and they see his shame And though this spirituall watch be at all times necessary for Gods children yet most of all in the time of this sixth Viall This watching here is implyed to be properly against those dangers which attend the time of this present Viall and those are of two sorts 1. The danger of false doctrines 2. The danger of corrupt conversation and debosht course of incorrigible life Both these are comprised in the next words keepeth his garments least he walke naked and they see his shame For garmentâ— are to be vnderstood here two wayeâ— 1. the garment of faith which is Christ our Elder brother in all hiâ— righteousnesse imputed vnto vâ— and put vpon vâ— covering voâ—ing all our nakednesse and hiding our shame from the pure eyes of God which cannot behold any thing vncleane Thus is Christ made vnto vs of God 〈…〉 garment of foure quarters wisdome and Righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption In this garment of our elder brother we obtaine the blessing while it causeth our persons to be accepted yeelding a fragrant smell in Gods nostrills being 〈…〉 field which the Lord hath blessed This is that garment of saluation and robe of righteousnesse Esai 61.10 This is the Lord our righteousnesse made ours by faith Thus our nakednes shame points to Gen. 3.10 and the covering of it to Gen. â— 21 Where the Lord God himselfe maketh Coatâ— of skins to cloth Adam and Eve being in all likely-hood the skinns of sacrificed Beasts a type of Christ our Sacrifice by whose righteousnes as a skin our sinne is covered and our persons clothed Although the time of this present Vial would strip vs of this durable and substantiall covering and insteâ—d thereof bâ—ing vâ— backe agaâ—ne to Adams invention to invest our selues in his 〈◊〉 figleaues of selfe saving righteousnesse The Second garment which we must looke vnto is our inward garment woven of sundry graces infused in to vs by Gods Spirit These by the continuall 〈◊〉 of Gods Spirit and grace must be woven out of our owne bowels as the laborious thread of the silke worme thereof to mâ—ke a garment to cover our nakednesse and shame from the eyes of men And thiâ— iâ— the garment of sanctification And forasmuch as even the best of Godâ— Saints may so farre forget themselues as foolishly to faâ—â— fowle vpon the worlds reproach here they are stirred vp by Christ as it were to take the needle of sharpe compunction and the well twisted thread of faith hope and Charitie therewith to sow vp the râ—nt againe and by how much they haue of carelesneâ— and coldnesse of affection towards God and of heâ—dlesse attention and watchfulnes over their owne wayes any way offended God or man now upon renuing their covenant with God in Christ by faith and repentance they may double and treble their care and zeale of glorifiyng God edifiyng men by their example for the time to come so as their nakednesse and shame may be for ever covered But how cometh the danger of loosing our spirituall garments to be coincident proper to the time of this Viall Surely not without cause Vve haue seene already the three vncleane spirits out of the mouth of the Dragon and of the Beast and of the false Prophet as abundantly and most eminently predominant in the time of this sixt Viall and can we expect any other but that the world in this age should be mightily possâ—ssed with the lying spirits of false Prophets which going in sheepes clothing being inwardly ravening wolves Matth. 24. would not only flea off the fleeces and fells but also slay and devoure the sheep themselues And when did ever false doctrines and false Prophets out of that aforesaid triple-mouth ever dare grow to so great a head and height since the pouring out of the fourth and fifth Viall as we may begin to behold in this succeeding age Would not the false Prophets of the Beast stripp vs of our glorious robe of faith while they would gueld faith of its natiue and prime quality namely certainty and assurance of salvation by Christ Did not thus the apostatized Church of Rome in her Councell of Trent found her Apostacy from Christ and from having any more communion with him vpon the groundlesse ground of doubtfull vncertainty cancelling and accursing the only saving faith of