opposing Christ when by the clouding vailing of the truth of the Gospel she saw her selfe spoyled of the shining clothing of the Sun when shee saw the Moone that was under her feet set above her head when now her Pastors and Bishops whom persecution could not conquer were addicted to pompe wealth contention primacy and greatnesse when now she saw her selfe robbed of her crowne of twelve starres that was upon her head and those starres were fallen from their Orbe and Firmament when her Pastors forsaking Apostolike doctrine and striving for superstitions and to stuffe the Church with humane devises and traditions in stead of Christs most sacred institutioÌ„s when she saw that not now the bodies of men were slain and wounded as in former persecutions but their soules and consciences were everlastingly wounded with heresies errours and Apostasie for the truth now shee flies into the wildernes now she dares not shew her face in those particular coÌ„gregations in which formerly her beauty glory was conspicuous her case now is as of a chaste spouse who seeing a painted harlot and a bewitching whore taken into her place and those offices of love and duties of marriage bestowed on her which is the wives right shee is willing to give place and take her selfe to a solitary and sorrowfull life to be so unkindly cast off so doth the true Church and Spouse of Christ hide her selfe from those adulterate doctrines superstitions and Idolatries which thrust out Christs owne pure Ordinances Here are two things 1. What is this flight 2. What are the meanes For the flight 1. This flight of the Church is not a ceasing to bee but to be seene for Christ will have alwayes a true part of his Catholike Church upon earth that shall hold and professe constantly the true faith without change So as the Church ceaseth not to bee when shee ceaseth to bee seene but hath a true being when she is least visible 2. This ceasing to bee seene is not in respect of particular Christians but of particular Congregations the which although they may cease because by persecution or heresie the externall government may faile for a time the Pastors may be interrupted the sheepe may bee scattered the discipline hindered and the externall exercise of religion suspended and sincerity of religion exceedingly corrupted yet there shall not cease to bee many godly members dispersed here and there who shall hold the truth for substance and so now though there were no or few assemblies in which God was purely worshipped while superstition tyranny and Idolatry usurped all places yet many beleeving Christians were reserved to Christ in secret although either not knowne or of no reckoning in the world but contemned and oppressed 3. This ceasing to be seen in particular Christians is not inrespect of their persons as men which are as visible as ever but in respect of the visible exercise of Gods Ordinances of the Word Sacraments Prayer and outward forme and government which persecution had now restrained 4. This invisibility in respect of visible exercises is not in regard of the Christians themselves but of the blinde world for the persecuted Christians may have a secret knowledge among themselves and a secret profession and exercise of religion and yet the blinde world take no notice of theÌ„ yet the Church not destroyed nor ceaseth to bee no more than the Sunne ceaseth to shine though a blinde man cannot see it in the day nor a seeing man in the night and no more than a man ceaseth to bee a man because he is hid Now from the cause of this invisibility and flight learne that errour and heresie is more hatefull to the Church than persecution and tyranny Corruption of doctrine and changing the truth into a lie more straightneth and scattereth the Church than sword and torments of tyrants that drives the the Church to her winges not this that manifests the true Church and members but this hideth and obscureth her Let the example of the Church make us wise 1. To feare the dragon more when hee fawneth than when he rageth more in his Foxes skinne than in his Lyons skinne He is more dangerous when he would teach Christians to deny the truth than when he would force them His wiles are more mischievous than his violence his Doctors more dangerous than his Captaines 2. More to feare losse of truth than losse of wealth losse of the Gospell than losse of goods or life This is true godlinesse which teacheth Mary to fasten upon the good part whatsoever become of the worse 3. Hold him that would spoyle us of the truth a greater robber than him that would steale our goods an heretike worse than a tyrant 4. Be more carefull to hold the truth and keepe our part in the Gospell than our portion of goods and wealth The Church to hold the truth chuseth a poore desolate solitary and sorrowfull estate and a wise Merchant will sell all to buy the pearle But where is this care or where bee the Children of this mother who for the truth sake would follow her into the wildernesse who either care for the presence of truth or feare the losse and removall of it Where be the buyers of the truth in this age when so many value it not worth a shoo-string How few feare the prevailing of Popery for the truth sake though perhaps for their peace sake or wealth sake they had rather have things stand at a stay Now in the meanes of the womans deliverance are five things in this verse 1. The meanes themselves two great wings of an Eagle 2. Whence shee did flie with them from the face of the serpent 3. Whither into the wildernesse called her place 4. To what end to bee noâ—rished and preserved there 5. How long for a time times and halfe a time In the first are 1. What these wings are 2. The number 3. Whence she had them they were given her 4. The similitude wings of a great Eagle By Wings are meant the speciall meanes of the Churches escape from danger so called because they resemble the wings of the birds in a twofold use First as a bird by his wings flyeth swiftly from the danger and so saveth his life even so the Lord by these meanes foreseene and appointed by himselfe worketh a swift escape and speedy safety in the present perils of his Church Secondly as the bird hideth her young under her wing Mat. 23. 37. so by and under these meanes the Lord hideth his Church as under the wings of his Providence where she lyeth most safe and secure till the danger be over Psalme 91. 8. Hee shall cover thee under his wings For the number they are two enough to fly withall no bird hath or needeth more for her flight The Church is supplyed with as many meanes of her good as the Lords wisdome seeth her need to require at all times This number of two hath
and with him all the fruits and graces of the Spirit Christ covers none with his robe of righteousnesse but he deckes and adornes that soule with his holinesse Never thinke thou puttest on Christ till thou hast put on the new man created after God and hast attained a new suite and habit and art changed in thy course 5 The grace of hope and expectation Earnestly desiring to be perfectly covered and decked with Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 4. wee desire to bee clothed upon Wee are already cloathed with the justice of Christ and in part and imperfectly with his holinesse but yet much nakednesse and filth is with us and much frailty and sorrow attends us Now there is another garment the garment of glory and immortality which wee long and sigh after to be cloathed withall For if the tast of Christ be so sweet what a happinesse is it to be filled with Christ If in his absence he be so sweet how sweet is he in his immediate presence and fellowship None can have the joy of his Lord enter into him here but he will wish and long to enter into the joy of his Lord hereafter For if in our prison we can so happily enjoy him what shall wee in our palace Thus by 1. mortification 2 justification 3 invocation 4 sanctification 5 joyfull hope and expectation the woman comes to bee clothed with the Sunne Having expounded the severall things in this application of the garment we come to the observations Where we will handle three maine duties of the Church and of Christians The first dutie is Every Christian in sence of his owne nakedness must labour to put on this garment Rom. 13. 14. but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ. Considering 1 The necessity in that we the of-spring of Adam are as naked in our nature as ever Adam was And as the naked infant is exposed to all injuries and death it selfe unlesse the parents take it from the birth and wrappe it in cloathes so were we till it pleased our heavenly Father to provide us a cover for our soules nakednesse Wee must not therefore suffer this cloathing to lie in Gods wardrobe but we must put it on partly by faithfull application grounding our confidence on the onely merit and righteousnesse of Christ who is the matter of our righteousnesse and partly by imitation of his holy vertues growing in daily sanctification 2 The excellent properties and benefits of this garment should stirre up our diligence to make our selves sure of it which properties and benefits are of two sorts 1 in saving us from evils 2 in procuring us all good 1 In saving us from evils in that 1 It alone covereth all guilt being a long white robe not as the garments of Davids servants cut off by Hanun which hid all but their shame 2 It covers from all danger as well as from shame Isa. 4. 6. It alone armes the beleever with safety and protection It is a commodious garment for al seasons for summer and winter fit to keepe out heats and colds winde and weather It is commodious for all estates prosperity adversity sickenesse health peace or warre to beare off blowes or shot called both a wedding garment for peace and an armour of proofe for warre Eph 6. Wouldst thou know what to doe to be safe in time of plague famine warre sicknesse persecution thou must put on Christ and walke safely in all dangers Dwell under the shadow of the almighty Ruth fearing injurious dealing gate her softly and secretly to Boaz saying Cover me with the lap of thy garment chap. 3. So get thou to Christ and now let dangers insue and death make an assault upon thee and take thee away it shall doe thee no more hurt then it did Christ himself it shall onely lift thee up as it it did him to his glory This garment shall be sure never to shrinke in the wetting neither shall he that weares it Wouldest thou know what to doe in the buffetings and temptations of Satan here is a sufficient cover and strength against all temptations Satan will object Thou art a sinner hateful to God Answ. In my selfe I am so but in this garment my sinne is hid Ob. But no sinner can come to heaven Answ. No unlesse he have the wedding garment which I have by faith and this brings me into the Bride Chamber Ob. But thou art unworthy of any thing but damnation Answ. In my person I am but in this garment I have a worthinesse imputed to me Rev. 3. 4. Ob. But sinne drives thee from GOD and GOD from thee how darest thou pray or hope to speede An. If I came to GOD in my owne name I were hopelesse but I am clothed with Christ in the sight of GOD and present his merit in my behalfe By fastning on me this garment I am one and the same person with Christ and GOD can no more deny me then him Wouldest thou know what to doe against accusations and cold feares and terros of Conscience This garment put on keepes the heart warme and comfortable as if a man walked in the warme sunne â—f a man were clothed with the sunne how could he be cold It is one of the curses of the Law to put on clothes and not be warme but this garment removes all curse never was any clothed herewith exposed to the curse Never came Christ any where but if he found not joy he left joy behind him as in Lazarus Zacheus the Iaylor c. 2 In procuring us all good which it doth 1 In bringing us into acceptance with God Ioseph might not come in his prison garments before Pharaoh but must change his garments Gen. 41. 14. So there is no accesse or acceptance with God in our owne old forlorne garments till we change them casting off our foule and filthy garments and adorne our selves with this second vestiment figured in the beautifull and holy garments of Aaron without which upon painy of death he might not appeare before the Lord 2. In procuring grace and blessing In this garment only we become heires of blessing For as Iacob could not have got the blessing from his Father had not his Father smelled the sweet smell of his brothers garment so no more could wee if we were not wrapped in this garment of our elder Brother Being in this garment the Lord pronounceth of us as Isaac of his sonne The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. Touch but the hemme of this garment and vertue comes forth Weare it and hide thy selfe in it and thou hast got blessednesse Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is that man whose iniquitie is hid and whose sinne is covered Ob. But have we not all put on Christ already and are baptized into his name How can we still put him on Answ. 1 The putting on of Christ is a continued act of the whole life For the understanding
be in an infinite distance So when a company or congregation of men consent in Apostolicall doctrine and allow this doctrine to be the guide of all businesses and matters of faith and manners here is a Church crowned and this crowne may be discerned by all neare and farre off Wherein the Crowne of the Church being a Crowne of starres differs and gets beyond the glory of all earthly crownes These may be seene on the heads of Princes neere hand but not farre off But this being a crowne of starres may be seene a farre off as the starres may And yet so surpassing glorious is the crowne of the Church that as a whole starre and the glory of it can never be seene with humane eye no more can the glory and crowne of the Church Whereof as in the starres that which we see of them is in no proportion to that which we see not nor yet can see 4 To note a difference betweene Christs carrying of the starres and the Churches carrying of them Hee beares them in his right hand chap. 2. 1. as their Lord their disposer and defender But she in the Crowne of her head as her chiefe ornament 1 The Apostles and ministers are as Starres in the Firmament of the Church Dan. 12. 3. and Rev. 1. 20. The reasons of this doctrine are foure 1 Starres are in high place the Apostles and Pastors are in highest place in the Church of the New Testament Ephes. 4. 11. above Cardinals Patriarches and Priors Popes and the greattitles of Antichristian offices unknowne to the Scripture 2 Starres are the brightest part of the firmament so are the Apostles and pastors of the Church the brightest parts and shine or should shine clearest in the heaven of the Church 3 Starres receive all their light from the Sunne so these have no light of their owne but receive all their light from Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1. 1 That which we have heard and seene c. 1 Cor. 11. 16. What I have received of the Lord. 4 Starres have not light imparted to them for themselves but to carry light unto others so the office of the Apostles and Pastors is to convey spirituall light to men on earth living in the darke night of ignorance and error Which they doe partly by the light of holy doctrine and partly by their lightsome and unblamable conversation Ministers being called starres must resemble starres 1 In humilitie Many things in starres teach it As First starres of great magnitude shew but small The Star shewes ten thousand times lesse then it is How is he like a Star that makes ostentation of all perhaps more then is in him Secondly they receive all from the Sunne so the Minister hath received all Thy gifts are the Lords Talents if thou hast received them why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received them Thirdly in their most swift motion they seeme to move very slow So must the godly Minister in all his course be more active then seeming doing his duty reserving all the praise to God Fourthly the Starres the nearer the Sunne the lesse is their shine so the Minister who comes nearer to God then ordinary men the nearer he comes to God the more humble he ought to be as Iohn Baptist He must increase and I must decrease Why should the Starres pride themselves seeing the Sunne from whom they receive all was so humbled that being the Lord of all was yet servant of all This duty he specially commended to his followers Learne of me for I am humble and hath shewed us the way to be great in the house not ambitiously with Diotrephes seeking preheminence but to become the least and lowest is to become greatest 2 In stabilitie both in their direction and motion both in holy doctrine and conversation If the starres were not fixed in their orbes but erred and wandred up and downe uncertainly how could the passengers by sea or land be directed by them So if the Ministers be wandring starres as Jude 13. in their doctrine unstable as reeds and wavering with every blast and storme of times that their word is this yeare yea the next nay or suppose their doctrine be the same yet if in their life they walke crookedly and disorderly sorting with base and evil men in their evils and licenciously fashioning to the loose humours of men and times how can the passengers to heaven take direction from them With what certaintie and assurance can he strengthen others that himselfe is a wavering minded man unstable in all his waies 3 In fidelitie and stedfastnesse in their places The starres abide in the heavens and descend to the earth So the Minister above all other must have his conversation in heaven and shunne earthlinesse and covetousnesse as rocks For how can he lead men to heaven that himselfe cannot be gotten out of earth Many shooting starres there are that are alwaies gliding from place to place posting after benefits insatiably and when they have gotten them as little intend the office as some secular men such all the world sees the world is all they seeke So they may finger the fleece the glebe the tythe let the flocke starve and sinke to hell and so they and their money and their people perish together 4 In unitie and concord One star differs from another in glory in shining and in luster one much excels another in beauty and brightnesse some are of the first and second magnitude some of the fifth and sixth yet all agree one envies not another nor hinders another so the Ministers have diversities of gifts in this life and this makes them of divers judgements but yet ought not to be adverse in affection in action None of the greater or higher Starres are proud none envious none spitefull against another none study how to crosse anothers motion If they should runne one against another or crosse one anothers motion the world would fall to confusion Such tumults and confusions like a dreadfull earthquake have wee seene in the Churches by the dissentions and hatefull proceedings of these Starres one against another forgetting themselves to bee Starres Brethren Ministers or Christians Many such Starres were in the Apostles dayes that shined and preached Christ of envy against such as preach him of good will 5 In constancy and continuance in their office The Starres never deny their light to men nor are ever weary of their motion though infinitely swift Ministers must never deny their light but freely enlighten others never be weary of doing their duty never fall to idlenesse and lazinesse much lesse cast off their callings remembring the wo denounced on him that preacheth not or doth it negligently A lamentable thing that any preferment should choake a Preacher or that he should do lesse worke the more wages he receiveth No earthly occasion hinders the starres either motion or shining Motives
many shall be borne in her The Church typed by Salomons wife hath in stead of parents children whom she maketh Princes in all lands Psa. 45. 16. Cant 7. 2. The navell of the Church is described to be as a round bowle or cup and as a heap of wheat hedged about with Lillies A bowle or cuppe never wanting sweet and gracious liquor A round bowle a capacious figure in signe of fruitfulnesse and equally affected as a round figure to fruitfulnesse on every side Which fruit is to God as precious and fragrant as an heape of wheate hedged about with Lillies Cant. 1. 15. the spouse hath made her bed ready for the sweet embraces of her bridegroome and professeth that her bed is greene for two causes First because of the flourishing of it It must be a greene bed in which Christ himselfe resteth and delighteth It flourisheth with peace There is quiet rest in a pure and peaceable conscience there is in that bed and heart a sweet repose Secondly because of the fruitfulnesse of it It is ever greene by many children daily begotten and borne unto God This doctrine is strengthened by three reasons 1 Because she is the Mother of all beleevers Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all that is all the elect and beleevers whether in heaven or earth Hence her name is Catholike first in respect of all ages secondly all places thirdly all kindes of persons And therefore it is that the number of her children are numberlesse Rev. 7. 9. I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kinreds people and tongues stood before the throne with long white roabes and palmes in their hands 2 Shee must needs be a fruitfull mother who is mother to all the Sonnes and Children of God according to that auncient saying Wheresoever God is the father the Church is the Mother so that Not borne of the Church not borne of God And who but she is Mother to all that innumerable company of Saints in earth and in heaven For there is no entrance into that Jerusalem which is above but by that Jerusalem which is from above 3 She must be a fruitfull Mother that doth perpetually bring forth children from the beginning to the end of the world For as Christ is an everlasting Father so hath he an everlasting issue The faithfull are called the seed of Christ begotten by the travell of his soule Isa. 53. 10 11. in whom his dayes are prolonged here upon earth and himselfe being personally in heaven yet continues here in earth to the end of the world in this heavenly propagation Seeing then this is an ever-childing mother that never growes old we may conclude that never was any so fruitfull Never to content our selves with our first birth of our naturall Mother unlesse we be borne againe of this Mother For 1 Naturall birth suppose it never so royall or noble is but of mortall and corruptible seed but this is of seed incorruptible and immortall 2 Naturall birth is from the first Adam in sinne this is from the second Adam in righteousnesse 3 By the first birth we dye because we come of them that have dyed but by this we are quickned never to dye more 4 Naturall birth can onely advance to a naturall happinesse but this to a supernaturall and heavenly 5 By the first birth thou art an heyre of hell and till thou art borne againe canst never see the kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. by this second to an heavenly inheritance unfading reserved in the heavens 6 The first birth never so glorious and royall shall rot in dust and consume with time this because it is of an immortall seed shall never fayle but persevere to all eternity when time shall be no more Nay further stand not upon it that thou art borne within the Church no nor of Christian parents for it is nothing to be a Jew without if not within it is nothing to be in the Church unlesse thou be of the Church it is nothing to be the seed of Christians unlesse thou be the seed of Christ. The birth of Ismael was as good for parentage as Isaacks both from Abraham But get good assurance that thou art borne of this Mother in which is more honour and comfort then to be the Sonne of an Empresse If thou wouldest be assured of the inheritance get good assurance of thy legitimation for the sonne of the bond woman shall not inherit with the sonne of the free woman Wouldst thou be assured of safetie in dangers and protection in perillous times be sure thou know and acknowledge thy Mother that under her wing and in her lappe thou maiest rest securely seeing that out of the true Church as out of the Arke is no safetie no salvation Qu. How may wee come to know this Mother to be our Mother that we may have comfort of our new and heavenly birth An. The true knowledge of this woman stands in two generals I. To know her the true Mother and spouse of Christ in her selfe II. To know her to be also our Mother 1 The former is so much the more necessary because the Church of Rome not onely a stepmother but a professed harlot challengeth herselfe to be this woman and the Mother of this living child and by fifteene notes as arguments alleadged by her deare sonne Bellarmine De notis Ecclesiae obtrudeth herselfe as the Mother of all beleevers in the new Testament I am not at leasure to unloose all the bundle which perhaps he thought would prevaile by their number if there should be no weight found in them but I wil onely mention the first five and by them we shall easily discerne the rest Bellarmine his first note that the Romish Church is the true Mother is because she is called every where Catholike But this is a false note For 1 A consequence holdeth not from being named to being Christ was called a Demoniacke and Impostor must he therefore be so Rev. 3. 9. Many call themselves Jewes and are not And chap. 2. 2. Some say they are Apostles and are not 2 What where the Churches in the Prophets and Apostles dayes as Jerusalem Corinth Galatia Ephesus Were they not true Churches yet were they never called Catholike 3 They onely thus style themselves because saith the Father Never was there any heresi which did not desire to be accounted and to seeme Catholike But falsely for two reasons 1 Because they have departed from the Catholike faith 2 Because it is but a particular Church if so much and can no more be catholike then a finger can bee a hand or a hand a man True it is that the true Churches doe call them Catholike but how onely Ironically and so that note endeth either in a jest or Irony His second note is Antiquitie which is as deceitfull as the other
For 1 What was the Church in the cradle and beginnings of it Was it not a true Church and yet had no Antiquity 2 Antiquity is either in time or in truth To plead antiquitie of time and lose antiquity of truth as they have done is but antiquity of error rejected by the Scriptures and Fathers And errour was borne into the world the same day with truth and is in time almost as ancient 3 If antiquitie in time must carry it then not Rome can be the true Church but Antioch where we are sure the Apostles taught and whence was the first name of Christians Nay Jerusalem must be the Mother-Church because from thence was the Gospell preached to all the Gentiles Acts 1. 8. 4 They challenge antiquitie as falsely as the former note for their whole doctrine departing from ours is a novelty never heard of in the Church for the space of sixe hundred yeares after Christ. Never was nor will be answered that famous challenge of the Iewell of Bishops who cals but for one testimony out of pure and unsuspected antiquity for the space of the first sixe hundred yeares after Christ for any one of the seaven and twenty points propounded and never any such was brought till this day Neither have they been at leasure now above twenty yeares to answer that famous probleme of that blesse Saint Mr. Perkins in which he avoucheth it impossible for any Papist in the world to prove out of the true writings of Fathers and Councells and out of the true sense of those writings that the now Romane faith wherein it differeth from the reformed Church is the Catholike faith and substantially cleareth it in sixty two points of difference between us What a number of points might I alledge wherein they are gone both from the Scriptures and their owne writers and as many for which they have no Scripture but the Churches authority Auricular confession the Canon Law saith it is by a tradition of the Church and by no authority of old or new Testament For the not marriage of Ministers Bellarmine and Cassander confesse it to be an humane institution Cassander and the Councel of Trent call it onely an Ecclesiasticall decree For the Communion in one kind their owne Cajetane confesseth that the contrary custome endured long in the Church and they had cuppes for the nonce to serve the people with wine For their Transubstantiation Tonstall saith No man was bound to beleeve it till the Lateran Councell which is not much above foure hundred yeares agoe And Bellarmine himselfe saith there is no Scripture to enforce it but the Churches determination Why do they brag of antiquity and confesse so many novelties His third note is perpetuitie and duration Indeed the same note with the former increasing the number numbering not the number numbered For 1 Tares must continue with the wheat till harvest must they therefore be wheat for their perpetuity And Antichrist hath continued a long time since the Apostles dayes and shall till Christ at his appearing abolish him doth this make his Synagogue a true Church 2 Time was when there was a true Church and yet this could be no note of it and time shal be when by their confession their Church shall faile and not endure to the end Ribera on Rev. 14. Rome is called Babilon because at the end of the world she shal be the shambles of all Idolatry and the kennell of Antichrist So as this by their doctrine is no proper but a separable note from the Church 3 The true Church and Mother Church hath and ever shall continue in the world though not in outward pomp and glory yet in that inward and spirituall beauty and glory which she shall not lose though she be in the wildernesse and sit sometimes defolate as a widow When this true Church loseth her visibility she loseth not her being no more then the Sunne ceaseth to be risen when it is hid under a cloud The fourth note to know this woman saith Bellarmine is multitude and amplitude As deceitfull as any of the former besides that it is the same with his first For what difference betweene Catholike and universall For 1 That was a true Church of two in Paradise When also it was in one family before the flood In the flood consisted but of eight persons In the Old Testament in one little kingdome In the New was but a little flock Luk. 12. 32. August saith The Church was in one Abel in one Henoch The Papists themselves say that in the time of Christs passion the true Church and faith was preserved onely in the Virgin Mary which is false but yet a strong argument against them that hold multitude a sure signe of a true Church 2 Multitude is a streame that the Church must row hard against unlesse we be sure it be the truely beleeving multitude Sathans number infinitely exceeds Christs must it therefore be the true Church That one sect of Mahomet is farre more numerous then all the Romane religion by their note that must be the true Church and not they Time was when the whole world was made an Arrian and scare five Orthodoxe Bishops to resist it and they also persecuted shall the generall spreading and infection of it prove it no poyson Antichrist at his comming drawes multitudes after him by strength of delusion 2 Thes. 2. 9. And this is their Romane Antichristian religion drawing multitudes because it is a naturall religion but turnes them not from darknesse to light not from sinne to God We conclude or rather exclude this note with Athanasius against those Arrians They have the multitude we the faith Let their multitudes goe in the broad way we must walke in a narrow way which a few onely finde His fift note is succession of Bishops A false and deceitfull note For. 1 A false Church may have succession of person onely as Caiphas succeeded Aaron and yet abandoning truth and rejecting the head must needs be a false Church 2 The first Evangelicall Churches were true Churches but wanted their succession unlesse they will say that Christ and his Apostles succeeded the Scribes and Pharisees If a Church may be a true Church without and before succession how can succession be a note of a true Church 3 Right succession is twofold First externall secondly internall or personall or doctrinall Where both succession of Chayre and doctrine concurre there is a true succession But in the Church of Rome is neither I Not of doctrine because they hold not Apostolike doctrine The doctrine of the now Church of Româ— being cleane contrary to that it was when Paul wrote to the Romans as might appeare in a number fundamentall points II Not of Seate First because they never proved nor can prove that they have the seat of Peter or that ever Peter
a Papist as if you were to be justified by your workes 3 He can make one vertue or duty shake out another for he cā in hearing gods word cast in a serious good meditation which were profitable at another time to hinder hearing to distract the minde and make a man heare without profit Or set him on reading or praying things good in themselves and at another time but now hurtfull and unseasonable 4 He can cunningly make one of Gods decrees crosse another whereas they are all dependant and strengthen one another What needs all this strictnesse and study of holinesse and all this businesse in mortification sorrow forgoing delights change of life If God have predestinated thee to salvation thou shalt be saved without all this adoe And if thou beest not ordayned to life doe what thou wilt or canst thou shalt never be saved as if God who decreed the ends had not also decreed the meanes But his seaven heads to a carnall man can by Gods election overthrow sanctification whereas the Apostle saith plainly He hath chosen us that we should be holy and unblamable Fourthly He can by one ordinance of God make void another as Acts 13. 50. Devout women raise persecution against Paul contrary to Prov. 289. He that turneth his eares from hearing the law his very prayer is abominable These ordinances must not be divorced 11 If he cannot hinder good duties he will do what he can to blemish them and this especially two wayes First By thrusting them forward by evill meanes and causing men to doe good things in an evill manner and then all the grace of them is lost He cares not if Saul sacrifice so he reserve the fat beasts against the commaundement Peter hath a care to preserve himselfe but it must be by lying and denying his Master He hath a care not to offend the Jewes Gal. 2. But if he do therefore dissemble and deale deceitfully with the truth here is a good matter marred in the handling Iudas hath a care to be rich but it must be with selling and betraying his Master And now men must provide for their families but with prophaning of the Lords day lying swearing forswearing they must seeke to recover their goods and health bfit it must be by running to the devill and by witches as Asa to the god of Ekron Ministers must be hospitable and keepe good houses and live to the credit of the Ministry but it must be by heaping up of coines without measure ambition and base arts of flattery and opposing the truth of grace which is the ladder many raise up to themselves to rise by Servants would be liberall and charitable but it must be by deceiving their Master Secondly By propounding to good actions bad and unwarrantable ends and now though the thing be done yet all the recompence is lost Popish persons doe a great many good workes materially good give almes and fast and found hospitals and Churches c. But while they doe all this to merit all is lost Protestants do duties in themselves good give almes part freely from their money to pious and charitable uses come to Church heare diligently speake feelingly professe forwardly uphold the Ministery carefully if the end of this be to be seene or approoved of men as our Saviour saith of the Pharisees almes verily they have their reward Absolom is very civill curteous and pleasing in his carriage but it is to undetermine his Father and steale mens hearts from David The dragon cares not how good thou either art nor how much good thou doest if it be not for goodnesse sake III What good he can neither hinder nor thus blemish he will openly disgrace and revile for he rageth against goodnesse so that he never ceaseth to cast false and scandalous reproches and imputations against it Whether the goodnesse be personall or sociall 1 For personall goodnesse he can blacke and staine it he can charge Christ himselfe that he casts out deuils by Belzebub And Job that he serves not God for nought he is very devoute but a very hypocrite and Annah that while she prayes within her selfe she is drunke Ioseph thinkes Maries conception of Christ to be adulterous He can and doth at this day make hatefull the very show of religion under termes of puritie precisenesse and hypocrisie He can scorne men for coming to Church and carrying Bibles as Pharaoh yee are too idle when Israel spake of worshipping their god He can scorne men for reading Scriptures prayers and singing of psalmes in their houses for are not these manifest markes of hypocrites and dissemblers for to be zealous against sinne and corruption is not to know what spirit he is of or what he would have nay he hath his teachers to disgrace forwardnesse in religion and warne men to beware of such hot courses which onely a few haire-brained men take up Thus wee know heare and see this sect every where spoken against which is the sect of Christ himselfe and the holy Apostles who for all their holinesse could not avoid the rebukes of holy religion Much lesse can we 2 For sociall goodnesse which is the practise of goodnesse in societie Here above all the dragon shewes himselfe the accuser of the brethren for as in the primative Church he oppressed the truth with malicious reports and slaunders that the poore Christians in their private assemblies were incestious conspirators sacrificers of infants and putting out candles went promiseuously to all kinds of barbarous lusts So also in latter dayes the Priests and Friers in their railing Sermons Anno 1558 perswaded the people that the Lutherans of Paris assembled together to make banquets in the night and putting out the candles went together after a beastly manner And the Sorbonists accused them that they maintained that there was no God no immortalitie of the soule no resurrection of the dead and denyed the divinitie and humanitie of Christ and all articles of true religion Fox pag. 927. And at this day as nothing is more fruitfull then the communion of saints and holy societie by brotherly fellowship so nothing is more reviled disgrased censured 3 The dragon can easily meete with godly Christians if they joyne in any good duty though in their owne houses privately among themselves in prayer conference repetition of sermons and cry downe those as unlawfull combinations but let never so many combine in drunkennesse dycing carding swearing from one weekes end to another there is nothing made of such neighbourly meetings Nay let hundreds and thousands meet on the Lords day at footbals cudgels fightings there is no evill in such meetings the dragon that drawes them together makes no complaint and why should wee marvaile that hee whose industry is to hinder every thing that is good should so far prevaile in that which is contrary and mightly buildeth up his owne kingdome IV Hee hath notable devises to frustrate such good actions and duties as he
circumstances as knowing he must not onely do good but be wise to do good 2 It will do all the good it can if it cannot do all the good it would for so the dragon doth in evill 3 It will be in lesser duties and commands as conscionable as in greater Psal. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandements 4 In temptations to sin 1 It thinketh not it self gotten on t of sinne by running unto the other extreme 2 It will abstaine from evill and from the appearance of evill 3 It will abstaine from evill though good might come of it Rom. 3. and so preventeth the tempter who ever thrusteth on evill under the colour of some good by it Comfort to the church not to feare the high reaches and deepe devises of the enemies for 1 The wise God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and breaketh the head of the crooked serpent and dragon of the sea Isai. 27. 3. 2 Though the dragon have 7. heads our head is wiser then them all In him are treasures of wisdome and knowledge dragons may hide their counsailes from men but not from him who hath 7. eies to foresee and prevent all mischiefes from his Church Zach. 4. He hath the 7. spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. that is a most absolute wisdome and power to repell all the dragons subtilties Ob. What is this to us Answ. Yes these 7. spirits are sent into all the world vers 5 6. 2 The head hath wisdome for all the members and understandeth not for it self only but for them 3 He is made of God to us wisdome as well as righteousnesse 2 Cor. 1. 30. 3 Though Charmers whisper and busily pull many from the truth yet by this wisdome of thy head thou maiest discerne betweene truth and error betweene the voice of a shepheard and of a stranger Let never so many false Prophets goe out into the world thy comfort is thou art of God and hast overcome them 4 Though tyrants and antichristian powers should draw thee before councells and consistories feare not what to say in that houre wisdome shall be givē to thee as the poore silly Martyrs to cōfound the mighty and learned 5 Though in the world thou art counted silly and simple to crosse thy selfe in the reputation of it be content let others be wise in the world be thou wise by the word so shalt thou be wise to salvation when worldly wisdome shall end in folly and damnation And ten hornes Now wee come to the fourth propertie of this dragon namely his power and strength called here ten hornes where consider 1. What those hornes be 2. The number of them 1 The word horne properly taken is wel knowne to be that part of the beast wherein is his chiefe strength and beauty but in scripture it is commonly taken Metaphorically and signifieth strength might power kingdome glory Sometimes in the Creator 2 Sam. 22. 3. The Lord is the horne of my salvation that is my powerfull and glorious Saviour Sometimes in the Creature and thus great Provinces and Princes and those mighty Kings and kingdomes which like beasts with hornes both defend themselves and offend and hurt one another are usually called by this name in scripture Dan. 7. 7. The fourth beast by which some understand the Romane Monarchy and others better the Asiaticall kingdome of the Selucidae was fearefull and terrible and very strong It had Iron teeth and devoured and brake in pieces all before it and it had ten hornes and those were ten kings that should rise successively and ver 8. another little horne that was Antiochus Epiphanes ver 24. called little because he was yongest brother and had no right to the kingdome before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt away that is 3. kings who had right before him but all made away by him that he might come to the kingdome And the Beast Rev. 13. 1 by which is meant Antichrist is said to have 7. heads and ten hornes here in agreeing with this dragon both of them are monstrous and though they are divers beasts yet resemble one another in great correspondency and those ten hornes are expounded to be ten Kings vassals of Antichrist Cap. 17. 12. Here by hornes I understand 1 In generall the mighty power and strength of the whole dragon both head and members that is of Satan and his instruments against the Woman the Church in generall thus Zach 1. 18. The Prophet saw a vision of foure hornes and the Angell expoundeth it saying These be the hornes which have scattered Iuda Israel and Ierusalem that is the enemies which oppressed the Church called 4. hornes not in respect of number as if there were no more but of universalitie because they make waste and havocke of the Church in all the fowre costs and regions of the world as East West North South As 1 On the East of Judea were Moabites Ammonites and Idumeans 2 On the West were Philistims 3 On the South Egyptians and Ethiopians 4 On the North Syrians Assyrians and Babylonians So the Church is beset with these foure hornes II In speciall the excessive power and glory of the imperiall dragon or Romane Emperours who most of them were successively armed with as much power as cruelty to wast and destroy the woman that is the first Churches and Christians of the new testament to which story the Evangelist John in all this vision hath speciall reference as wee have already in part shewed and shall declare further all along as we come to the particular The number tenne hornes this may be taken two waies 1 Definitly and with limitation and restraint to a certaine number and so hath an eye either to the ten bloody tyrants and persecutions under those Emperors or to the ten Kings and kingdomes of Europe which were under the Romane Empire who made themselves vassailes to that dragon and gave that power and hornes to him against Christ and his spouse this Woman 2 Or rather which I thinke the better we are to take this number here indefinitly for all those Kings and Princes and Captaines under them who leagued and banded themselves against the Woman which by the perfect number of ten are noted to be exceeding many 1 Because this number is often so taken in the Scripture for an uncertaine but a very great number Numb 14. 22. they tempted me ten times Job 19. 3. Ye have reproched me ten times that is very many times Rev. 2. 10. Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes that is many dayes a certaine time for an uncertaine and the whole visible Church is described by tenne Virgins that is a numerous multitude of professors Math. 25. 2 I take in the instruments and agents of Kings and Princes because the horne properly ariseth from the head and those instruments of violence and fury sent from their heads and Commanders are aptly meant also by hornes 3 Because
of the number here are but seaven heads but ten hornes not so many heads as hornes and so there are more Executors then Princes more Instruments then Captaines and heads and Generals and the title aptly bringeth them in all The Church of God is among the wicked as among so many horned beasts of great power and place to hurt and oppresse See Psal. 22. 12. Many Buls have compassed me even mighty buls of Bashan and vers 16. doggs have compassed me as a fearefull Hare beset with a kennell of doggs is in great danger so the weake Woman here beset with fierce and ravenous beastsand vers 21. Save me from the Lions mouth and from the hornes of Unicornes Hence Dan. 7. the calamitie of the Jewes is from the foure Beasts that is those great Monarchs and Rulers described under the name of sundrie beasts which with strong hornes fought one against another but all against the Church and every where tyrants are called in Scripture Lions Beares Unicornes Wolves for their cruelty in themselves and for the oppression of the people of God Mat. 10. Our Saviour forewarneth his disciples of their condition I send you as sheepe among Wolves and these have force and power far above the sheep To come to the times here aimed at how was the Church in the beginnings of the New Testament pushed and goared with the hornes of these beasts such as Herod the son of Antipas who beheaded Iohn and Herod Agrippa who slew Iames with the sword and persecuted Peter delivered by an Angell Acts 12. Such were Felix and Lysias and Festus who used their hornes power and places to persecute Paul and Christians in those daies And after these how lamentably was the Church wasted by the Romane persecuting tyrants even those ten Imperiall hornes and other savage dragons untill Constantine who all imbrued themselves till they were all red with the blood of many thousands of Christians In regard of the wicked themselves who all of them by nature are furiously and impetuously like bruit beasts carried against grace and piety and as little restraint have they in themselves as furious beasts unlesse God by common grace restraine them or by speciall saving grace change them and make them of Lions Wolves Beares Cockatrices Kids Lambs and harmles creatures Isa. 11. 6. For so there the Prophet stileth men in their nature because their enemies are so cruell and sanguinary more like beasts then men Godly men go soft pace in the way of godlinesse because they have a restraint in their reliques of flesh present with them but wicked men without restraint of grace as bruit beasts rush upon mischiefe as the horse into battaile If the godly walke they can run if the Saints runne they can fly if the godly bee foot men they are light horsemen In the Church 1. The sins of the Church often strengthen and sharpen and multiply the hornes of the dragon Psal. 81. 13. 14. O that Israel would have walked in my waies I would soone haue humbled their enemies through the whole story of Judges so often as Israel sinned God gave them into the hands of oppressors cap. 4. 2. cap. 2. 14 cap. 6. 1. 2 The afflictions of the Church make the Enemies lift up their hornes when they see and heare of their troubles and foyles when they see that their prayers and exercises of religion cannot help them especially when they see God for their humiliation leaveth them as a prey in their hands this maketh them exult as against Christ on the Crosse He trusted in God let him deliver him want of grace yea hatred of grace maketh them insult where they should pity not thinking the same or worse things may be fall themselves Lam. 24 5. and 2. 15. 3 The continuall estate of the Church is to bee in the world as a wildernesse wherein what can they looke for but to be environed with wild and furious beasts that is evill men who for their disposition are as wild and fierce as Tygers Lions Leopards Cockatrises because both of their power and desire of hurting and making a pray and spoile of the Church The world in which the Church is a stranger affordeth to her natives all her aide and mighty meanes to furnish them against the Church which maketh them advance their horns on high in pride and fury against the Church for they have 1 Carnall wisdome prudence policy in martiall exploits and whereas a good conscience can go but one way they can shift into a thousand by waies which is their advantage 2 They have multitudes power and strength of arme and flesh wherein they boast and glory 3 They have armories defenced Castles Citties and can want no weapons of death against the Woman 4 They have treasures revenues wealth large possessions gold of India which are the sine ws of warre 5 They have friends allies confederates holy leagues auxiliary forces and supplies and in these they lift up their hornes and are made very strong and bold for those that have no part in God glory and pride themselves in every thing but God Quest. But what doth the Lord all this while to suffer the dragon thus to exercise his rage and domineere over the Church can he help all this and will he not step out for his Church Answ. The Lord hath sundrie good ends of this his providence For 1 He so ordereth the matter as that the Church must be conformable to her head and the servants not above their Master Christ himselfe was in the wildernesse with wild beasts expecting the great dragon to set upon him as he did in three horrible and hellish temptations and through his whole life he was beset with these horned beasts among whom the principall was Herod Ascalonita who as soone as he was borne sought to slay him and devoured all the Infants of Bethelem hoping he had bin within his net And Pontius Pilate the Romane President who with the Scribes Pharisees and chiefe â—â—iests crucified and put him to death and yet who can deny that he was the Son of his Love and most deare unto his Father 2 He doth it not to extinguish but exercise not to destroy but trie their faith patience and graces for grace is like gold the oftner tried in the fire the purer Rev. 2. 10. 3 To acquaint them both with their owne danger and so to stirre them up to a constant watching as also to let them see their owne impotency and weaknesse so to drive them out of themselves to relie on his strength and power who is onely able to overmatch these mighty hornes in mans eie 4 To weane them from the love of this world to which wee are all naturally wedded and to hye themselves through it as through a dangerous wildernesse So Davids soule was weary with dwelling in Mesech 5 To advance not onely the patience of God suffering his enemies to rise to such a height but also to manifest his
Judah in all the 4. quarters of the world Zach. 1. 20 yet vers 21 God hath 4. Carpenters or workmen with tooles and axes to strike off these hornes that is as the dragons hornes are in all quarters to scatter and wast the Church so the Lord hath every where instruments to batter them although the Lord could do it with any one instrument or by never a one yet for the full consolation of the Church he described them to be as many and in as many places to resist and suppresse them 5 Though these hornes of the dragon be many and powerfull yet God doth often turne them one against another as the Midianites swords were thrust into their fellowes sides and shall at length easily and certainly breake all their hornes lifted against him and his Church as in Haman Herod Pharob Iudas Iulian Zenacherib A proofe how he brake in pieces the Antichristian horne in our Fathers daies some persecutors died suddenly as Annanias some with their guts falling out as Iudas some with lothsome excrements finding unnaturall waies by the mouth nostrils some brake their necks some became frantick none escaped without repentance though for a while they held up their heads and hornes aloft Quest. But what meanes may this Woman use against all these hornes for her safty Answ. 1 She must know as all humane power cannot resist those mighty hornes and therefore must utterly dispare of her owne strength for wee fight not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wikednesse also in high places nor against weaklings but against the strong man armed Luk. 11. 21. Who is resolved to keepe his hold against the Prince of the world yea the god of the world and not against one enemie or two but ten horns an infinite army of principalities and powers with all his aids and abettors which are the great and innumerable worldly hornes all at his command against the Church and her Head Jesus Christ What is the world but Satans armorie and our adversaries are not more puissant and numerous as wee are few in number weake in our selves weaker in our sinnes utterly unable to resist their hornes and assaults Impar congressus as Saul to David he is a man of war and the other a stripling therefore we must despare of our strength 2 Fly to the strength of God which wil make us conquerors acknowledge that salvation is the Lords the dragon hath his strength from earth the Woman hath her strength from heaven by prayer David comes to Goliah in the name of the Lord and foyleth him so let us disparing of our selves be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 5. 10. wee shall be able to doe all things through the help of Christ strengthening us Phil. 4. 13. Colos. 1. 11. we are strengthened through him c. 3 The dragon is strong by humane confederacies and alliance we must confederate with God by daily renewing our covenant by faith repentance strengthen our league and union with God who will give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. 4 Leane upon the promise of God who hath undertaken to breake for his Church all the hornes of the wicked Psal. 75. 10. Even all these ten hornes shall be broken distrust not the promise but believe and be safe faith will be an honourable victory for it apprehendeth the power which brought Christ safe from the wildernesse and wild beasts and shall bring the Saints safe through all An admonition to the enemies Psal. 75. 5. Lift not up your hornes high 1 what are they in nature but savage beasts and dragons nay the wildest of the beasts retaineth more goodnesse in his nature then the wicked man doth in his Christ was more safe in the wildernesse among wild beasts then in the world among wicked men the beasts in the wildernesse acknowledge their Lord and hurt not him But if hee come among wicked men Iudas will betray him the Jewes will accuse him Pilate will condemne him the common souldiers will crucifie him Daniell was more safe among the Lions then among his enemies so was Paul too who had better escaped the beasts at Ephesus then the men Lazarus found the dogs more pittifull then Dives The beast knoweth and feareth those that doe him good but these worse then beasts neither know nor acknowledge God nor his people from whose hand and for whose sake they hold all they have 2 What are they in Gods account Obj. He favoureth and prospereth them Sol. Though they seeme to cary all before them and are men of place and power and all men stand in awe of them yet in Gods account they are but beasts amonst men their strength and power but as the raving and pushing of horned beasts 3 How are they crossed in their owne account they shal never have their wils against the Woman nor shall never destroy her faith and fortitude their intended mischiefe shall effect her good By tearing with their teeth they would utterly devoure her but as Ignatius let wild beasts teare and grind her it is but to make fit bread for the Lords table 4 Though now Papists and Antichrists hornes be lifted up God seeth and sustereth and smileth he seeeth and hath let his servants see their day comming the sins of the Church do a little while put it off but Gods word is as a hatcher lifted up to knocke both the head and hornes and the strong arme of God shall make good his word and ere long these tenne hornes shall hate the whore and make her desolate see Revel 17. 16. And seaven crownes on his heads The 5. and last propertie by which the dragon is described is by his great conquest victories together with his high rule and authoritie which he exerciseth and usurpeth in the world against the Church By crownes or diadems is meant 1. in generall the whole kingdome of darknesse which Satan by the greatnesse of his power usurpeth not upon inferiours and vassalls onely but upon the chiefest Monarchs and potentates of the earth whose crownes after a sort become his crownes 2 The many victories and great conquests which partly by fraud and partly by force he hath carried away amongst earthly Princes and carnall professors for who weare crownes but Conquerors 3 Here especially is meant the supremacy or supreme majesty of the Romane dragon or Empire subduing under it the Princes provinces nations by innumerable victories but especially prevailing against the Church and primative Christians as so many Conquerors The number of the crownes are 7. according to the number of his heads and all his 7. heads are crowned because his subtilties have so often prevailed The dragon usurpeth and exerciseth kingly authoritie and regall power in earth by which he often prevaileth against the Woman the Church This our Saviour teacheth both in the style that he giveth him and also by the
art thou about so long as the dragon is alive To comfort the bright shining starres and faithfull Ministers in their troubles and oppositions 1. In regard of their adversaries who are they that fight against the light but mēbers of the kingdome of darknes let a godly man shine as a bright star in his orbe who be they that oppose seek to cast him downe but Papists and favorites of them swearers Atheists unclean and of filthy life and tongue what marvell if such spit poyson what other to bee expected A Pot boyles over with such liquor as is within 2. In regard of their safety which is in Gods faithfull promise of foure things 1. His presence with them I am with you to hide you from strife of tongues Psal 31. 20. 2. His assistance in their calling so farre as is necessary hee will take their part and rebuke the dragon as in Ioshua Zach. 3. 2. 3. His protection he will take them into his right hand Rev. 1. 20. 4. Remuneration that they shall shine more and more till they shine as starres in the kingdome of Glory Dan. 12. 3. The impotency of the dragon hee cannot throw downe all the starres but onely a third part so as two third parts remain still in their orbes shining Whē the first Angel blew the Trumpet that is when the Gospel was preached by the Apostles haile and fire and blood fell as stormes that is persecutions and perils contradiction exile and slaughter by the stubbornnesse of the Iewes against them and by this fire of persecutiō the third part of the trees were burnt that is the Apostles excellēt teachers of the Church compared to fruitfull and florishing trees for their greennes shadow fruits a great part of them were afflicted slaine put to deadly torments but not all the dragon could scorch but a third part Verse 8. When the second Angel blew his trumpet a great mountaine that is the Romane tyrants so called for their hight power and swelling pride burning with fire that is of fury and fiercenesse against Christian religion was cast into the sea that is many people of the world subiect to the Romane power and Empire and the third part of the sea was turned into blood that is many thousand Christians were oppressed and consumed with the fire of the burning mountaine but onely a third part And the third part of creatures dyed that is faithfull Christians slaughtered and murthered the third part of ships that is the Churches whose Pastors are her Pilots and these planted by the hand of the Apostles themselves oppressed and subdued Now this fierce dragon would have turned all the sea to blood killed all living creatures the life of whose faith was manifest in found profession would have destroyed and sunke all ships and Pilots all visible Churches and Pastors but could onely a third part Verse 10. When the third Angel blew his Trumpet there fell a great starre that is the Romane Bishop for by starres are meant teachers called absinthiam or wormwood fell from heaven that is falling from purity of doctrine and declining to taste the bitter morsels of pride ambition preheminence and of humane doctrines and devises it fell into the third part of RIVERS made them bitter many dyed of thē that is the same corruption tainted and imbittered the third part of Pastors Bishops by whō as by rivers the sweet waters of heavenly doctrine should and have flowed have bin derived unto others but now by that exāple were tainted with grosse superstitiō errors herisies earthlines carnal pompe and pleasure But not all onely a third part for many upheld in themselves and in others the sincerity of holy doctrine and example Verse 12. When the fourth Angell blew his Trūpet the third part of the Sunne the Moone and the Stars were smitten with darknesse and the day was smitten the night also viz. a grievous night of darknes either of Idolatry superstitiō as some or of persecutiōs as others darkned and obscured the cheife ornamēts of the purer Church of Christ the Sunne the Scriptures the Moone the doctrine borrowed thence the Starres the Ministers the day that is the joy and comfort of the Church in enjoying her happy Sun and the night it reached even to those without the Church being as in the night but the dragon could not darken all the Sunne all the Moone and all the Starres but a third part onely The fift Angel blew his trumpet Rev. 19. 1. the Antichristian Locusts rising out of the smoake of Popish rites and traditions are commanded to hurt no tree or grasse that is no Pastors or priuate Christians which are sealed in their foreheads Cap. 9. 15. When the sixt Angel blew his Trumpet the foure Angels not by nature but by office some instruments approved of and appointed by God for the execution of his judgements they must slay onely the third part of men of Christians and can goe no further Those sixe Trumpets thus explaned have notably proved the point in hand namely the dragons impotency God for his glory will not suffer the dragon to breake in sunder his order whereby he hath appointed to teach and call men by such as are called and sent Rom. 10. 15. the Ministry is Gods ordinance not mans and God will uphold it 2. The whole government and blessing of the Ministry belongeth to Jesus Christ who hath undertaken to furnish his Church with Pastors in all ages for the edification of his owne body till wee all meete in one perfect man Ephes. 4. And looke what was the Office of the High Priest a singular type of Christ in the old Testament the same is the Office of Christ in his Church The High Priests was to looke to the lights in the Sanctuary and to supply them with holy oyle that they might never goe out and now though the dragon be never so desirous to put out all the lights yet he is too weake for Jesus Christ in his care and calling 3. The necessity of the Church suffers onely a third part but not all the starres to be throwne downe for the harvest of the elect must be gathered in all ages and therefore labourers must bee successively thrust forth So long as the Lord keepeth house hee must have stewards to dispose his mysteries and allowance to his family so long as hee hath a flocke hee will have shepheards to tend it and will not suffer them all to bee smitten at once for then all the sheepe should be scattered so long as hee hath a Vineyard he must have dressers so long as he hath a field he must have husbandmen so long as the shippe of the Church is on the troublesome sea of this world he will not suffer her without Pilots to bring her safely to shoare 4. Christ cannot be so forgetfull of his neare relation with his faithfull pastors as to suffer the dragō to throw
their pleasure hee calleth them all by their right names Object What need we care for them seeing God is so carefull Sol. Provoke not God to remove them 1. See the neede of starres for illumination warmth moisture refrigeration by them discerne seasons of grace guide thy course on the sea of this world starres were made not for ornament onely but for use heate influence 2. Make use of their light some hate the light as of commets portending evill to them and blesse themselves from them 3. Reioyce in their light constantly not as the Iewes did in Iohn that counted him a light for a season men receive Preachers as new Starres or Commets gaze a while but care not how soone they be wasted The second effect by which the dragon is described is by his mischievous attempt against the woman as the former was against the starres this effect is set downe 1. By his action he stood before the Woman 2. His intention to devoure the childe when it was brought forth I. In his action observe two things 1. What it is to stand before the woman 2. How he standeth before her 1. To stand before the woman is an allusion to the ancient Story both of the dragon standing before Eve the woman that is the mother of the world and of the Church to seduce her as also of Pharaoh called the dragon of Aegypt watching the destruction of the male children of the Church so soone as the mothers should bee delivered of them to which places out of doubt the text hath reference This standing before the woman implieth two things 1 His readinesse and nearnesse as one at hand narrowly watching observing to assault and destroy the blessed seed 2. His instance and diligence in the purpose hee departs not farre nor long but standeth and abideth proceedeth and persisteth in his mischievous purpose and intention against the Church and members he standeth still but not idle 2. How he standeth before her and that is two wayes 1. By fraud and secret trechery he layeth traines out of sight for her hurt and by flattery seeketh to bring and lure her into his snare 2. By open force and violence to subdue such as by secret traines he cannot allure II. His intention to devoure the childe hee seemeth to doe nothing lesse but the Spirit of God uncaseth him sheweth us the true end of all his couÌ„sels and indeavours Let the dragon dissemble never so much friendship as to Eve in eating his minde is murderous for hee standeth not afore us to abridge us of our liberty or goods or outward comfort onely but his direct aime is to compasse our death and destruction of soule and body Quest. But what had the child done or when should he devoure it Sol. He watcheth the destruction of it before it be borne if the woman miscary not in bringing forth some abortive birth then he bestirreth himselfe to destroy the young and tender birth so soone as it taketh breath in the Church Where in the dragon note three things 1. The groundednesse and setlednesse of malice in the nature of the dragon who out of his wickednesse unstirred and unprovoked carrieth deadly wrath against the children of the Church There is a naturall enmity and antipathy betweene the seed of the dragon and the seed of the woman for what can the childe doe against him before hee is borne 2. The policy of the dragon who will not suffer the womans children to grow up to strength and stature but will oppresse them even in the biâ—â—â— or as soone as they are borne while they are tender and least able to resist hee knoweth the fittest time to blast grace is in herba in the cradle in the beginnings 3. The implacablenesse of this savage dragon whose pittilesse disposition nothing can move not infancy not tendernesse not innocency not causelesnesse nothing can pleade or prevaile for a drop of compassion nay these rather cause and stirre up his wrath and kindle his rage and fury more against them and this is the enemy with whom we have to deale whom Gods spirit hath thus graphycally and punctually described that we might stand so much the more watchfully and preparedly against him So soone as any childe commeth to bee borne of the Church Satan watcheth by all means to destroy him 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satan as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom to devoure The principall businesse of Satan in the world hath ever been to take out of the way and to destroy vijs modis by secret fraud or open force all that should bee spiritually begotten of the Church especially such as should stand up to maintaine the religion of Christ. How Herod the dragon stood before the woman seeking to slay the childe Iesus so soone as he was borne appeareth Mat. 2. 16. hee could not hinder his holy conception his quickning birth but his hope is to devoure him being borne the same fury he sheweth to the members and to come to that our text aimeth at how the dragon by the heathen Roman Emperours and bloody Tyrants Nero Domitian Trajan and the rest did by most cruell Edicts torments and unheard of punishments and persecutions stand in the whole Empire with the greatest vigilancy that might bee to swallow up whatsoever Christian should be borne in the Church utterly to extirpate all Christians and extinguish the Christian faith is manifest in every leafe and line of that bloody Story But especially the dragon by those tyrants watched and observed most diligently lest any defender of the Christian faith either in Magistracy or Ministery should spring up in so much that if any President or Governour was more moderate or lesse rigorous against ChristiaÌ„s he was presently devoured by the dragon as a favourer or childe of the woman His incessant labour to hinder the glory of God for whereas the glory of a King is the multitude of his subjects he cannot abide that Gods glory should bee increased by the increase of the subjects of his Kingdome He is the Arch-tyrant and head of all tyrants in the world and setteth up and holdeth up his kingdome by tyranny and injustice and as Attaliah could never thinke her selfe stable in her usurped authority till she had slaine all the Kings seed 2 Kin. 11. 1. so this monster of tyrants and scourge of the world thinketh his kingdome can never bee sure and stable if he kill not all the Kings seed the sonnes of this woman the Church His extremâ— hatred of the true religion the true service of God amongst the Israelites was an abomination to the Aegyptians and therefore like dragons they oppressed them The dragon never ceaseth to hinder or corrupt the purity of Gods worship or to persecute whom he cannot hinder Let Israel but talk of going to worship in the wildernesse the hellish Pharaoh presently begins to rage to augment the burthens and never cease his unjust vexation till himselfe cease to
properly ruleth all nations with a rod of Iron Psal. 2. so this sonne of the woman in this verse so as we see a notable correspondence in the birth of this man-childe to the birth of Christ that man-childe who was figured by all those man-children that first opened the wombe under the law so as it cannot be denyed but that this vision looketh backe to the history of Christs birth and is first true in the most and maine passages of it of Iesus Christ And this be named once for all the vision Quest. But is not Christ here directly meant Ans. It seemeth to mee by many strong reasons in the text that Christ is not properly and directly meant by this man-childe for I. If by this man-childe here be meant Christ then by the woman must be meant not the Church as we have interpreted proved but the Virgin Mary as some Papists imagine although even some of them finding many parts of the description of this woman not agreeing to her conclude as Ribera out of Methodius that not Mary but the Church is this woman II. The man-childe here borne is the sonne of the Church but Christ is not the sonne of the Church therefore hee is not this man-childe for Christ is the Sonne of God and the sonne of Mary but not the sonne of the Church nay hee is the Father of the Church Esay 9. 6. and the Church is called his seed Esay 53. but no where is hee called the sonne of the Church nor the seed of the Church III. This woman is said to travell to bring forth this man-childe but the Church is never said to travell to bring forth Christ. Indeed the Apostle Galat. 4. 19. saith Hee travelled in birth with the Galathians to forme Christ in them by his Ministery but not that he travelled of Christ but of them to bring them forth Christians IIII. We must remember that Iohn writeth here a Propheticall history of things to come to passe after his time and not of things formerly passed and therefore neither of the personall nor mysticall birth of Christ for first consider him 1. Personally he was before this time not borne only but dead and risen and ascended to the Throne of God all this was past and Iohn had seene it and needed no new vision to manifest this unto him which he knew before and had so largely described in his Euangelicall Story 2. If wee consider the mysticall birth of Christ in the hearts of beleevers by the preaching of the Gospell this also had beene done formerly in abundant measure and was a thing not to come and to bee done but onely to bee continued so as it cannot bee meant of Christ either personally or mystically V. It will not agree to Christ that is said of this man-childe that presently he was taken up to God after his birth without mentioning any of the great workes for which hee was borne and came into the world for Christ was to doe more than be borne and ascend hee must fast and teach and pray and doe many powerfull miracles and suffer and bee buried and rise and then ascend neither is the word fitly here used to note the ascension of Christ that hee was caught up to the Throne of God as it were by the power of some other for hee is said to goe up Acts 1. 19. and to ascend as doing it of his owne power indeed we weake creatures are said to bee caught up 1 Thess. 4. 17. by a mighty power without our selves as this man-childe in the Text but it is not so with him in his ascending who had all power in heaven and earth Mat. 28. c. last Object But there bee two things in the Text which seeme so proper to Christ as that they cannot agree or be ascribed to any other First that hee ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and this is Christs property Psal. 2. 9. and cannot agree to any other Ans. All power is Christs originally and primarily but wee may not forget that hee promiseth the same power by Communication to his members Revel 2. 26. To him that overcommeth I will give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron not that the soveraign power of Christ over the whole earth is communicable to any creature for none of his Offices can passe from him to another but noteth that beleevers have benefit part in his exaltation and power and therefore wee must not marvell if we finde this power which is properly invested in Christ to be communicated and in part executed for him by others Object 2. But this man-childe is taken up to the Throne of God now who but Christ ever sate in heaven in the Throne of God Sol. In the Throne of Gods right hand as Mediator and head of the Church in heaven properly so taken onely Christ sitteth and no other creature man nor Angel but the Throne of God in Scripture is taken mystically and figuratively for 1. There is an heaven upon earth the Church which is many times called by the name of heavē as in this Chapter And a kingdome of grace in which the Lord hath set up his Throne unto which he lifteth whom hee pleaseth now wee are sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. 2. Ephes. 2. 5. 6. Now we are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. 2. Heavenly glory is called figuratively a Throne wherein howsoever Christ only sitteth by his owne right and priviledge yet the Saints also by communication and participation are admitted to sit on the Throne with him as members with the head Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcommeth will I give that he shall sit with me on my Throne as I overcome and sit with my Father on his Throne Thus the twelve Disciples are promised to sit on twelve Thrones and the twenty foure Elders representing the Church of the old and new Testament sate upon twenty foure Thrones Revel 11. 26. so as this is no barre but some besides Christ may be meant by this man childe 3. In the worldly administration howsoever the kingdome and Throne be the Lords and all power belongeth unto God yet it pleaseth him in the government of the world to take up Rulers and Princes after a sort into his owne Throne and setteth them in highest place next himselfe to rule over the Nations and putteth a rod of power into their hands investing them not with his power onely but with his name also I said ye are gods thus he taketh them into his owne Throne putteth on them a part of his owne Majesty whereof their Thrones and Seates carry a little representation and in this sense is this phrase here taken Having shewed that this man-childe is not to be meant of Christ and answered the objections that have caried some to that interpretation let us inquire who he is and looking neare unto the Text and scope of the place the series of times
and dependance of the words with antecedents and consequents By the man-childe I understand some potent Prince or Princes or some speciall deliverers whō God stirred upto succour and to relieve the Church against those Tyrannicall Romish Emperors persecutors By whom the dragon was defeated and disappointed whose aime was to devoure all the seede of the woman for these were 1. Sonnes of the Church 2. A man-childe stout strong valiant 3. Ruled over the Nations with a rod of iron viz. an unresistable power and over-ruling the nations and Princes that were enemies to the Church 4. Was taken into the Throne of God that is advanced unto chiefe government for the refreshing and defence of the Church and curbing the rage of those imperiall dragons And running over the story of those times the best commentary of a Prophesie I finde that in the yeare 182 after Christ the Church had tolerable peace under Commodus the Emperour in whose raigne the Gospell was greatly spread Hist. Eccl. cap. 21. but he being no Christian or sonne of the Church but a flagitious man was not this man-childe In Anno 247. the first Christian Emperour was Philip of whom we read that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Church Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 25. I doe not see but now the man childe might begin to be borne Afterward in 319. after the long and bloody raigne of Maxentius of whō the story saith that there was no great City in which 100. Christiās were not daily drawne to execution God raised up Constantine the Great an obedient and loving sonne of the Church and tooke him up to his Throne of government next to himselfe for under God was none greater than he and put into his hand not a scepter of gold onely an ensigne of dignity and regall or rather imperiall authority but a rod of iron the strongest of metals fit to beate downe all before it by which rod hee flew foure savage dragons who stood against the woman Maximian and his sonne Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius and by the same wonne all the West Empire ruled over Italy Spaine France Germany Brittaine besides his dominion in Affrike he restored peace to the Church abolished tyrannicall decrees commanded that none should injure any Christian was himselfe the greatest protector of Christianity that wee reade of in that story To these we may adde the two Theodosi's Christian Emperours and others in authority sonnes of the Church by whom shee was succoured and protected from the dragon in these tyrannicall times Ob. But the Text speaketh but of one man-childe but you interpret it of many Ans. I tie not the man-childe to one individuum or person but to all such set in dignity as God stirred up as protectors and nursing fathers to the tender Church and her babes in these terrible times for these Reasons The manchilde not one individual person but so many Protectors as Christ stirreth up 1. The manner of Prophets in the singular number to set downe a series or row of persons whereof one chiefe is still in being and continued by the succession of many Dan. 7. 17. Foure Kings are not the singular persons but the foure kingdomes and governments in the succession of sundry Kings And foure great beasts vers 3. by every beast is not signified a singular person but a State and succession 1. By the Lyon the Kingdome and successive Kings of the Assyrians and Babylonians 2. By the Beare the kingdome and successive Kings of Medes and Persians 3. By the Leopard the Greekes and Macedonians 4. By the beast with iron teeth and ten hornes the kingdome of Seleucidae and Fagedi 2. In Pauls Epistle 2 Thess. 2. 3. The man of sinne is not one person but a state and row of men who have beene the heads of Apostasie in the kingdome of Antichrist all which make up one man or person after a sort not one in number or nature but one in order succession power will and continuance So in the same Chapter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderer of this man of sinne is not one Roman Emperour but the Empire 1. The state and succession of Emperors which was by succession yet the Apostle saith Hee that withholdeth Even as Saint Iohn 2. Epist. 7. cals many deceivers or Antichrists one Antichrist so many men of sinne one man of sinne many withstanders one withstander 3. In the Revelation nothing more ordinary cap. 13. 1. the beast rising out of the Sea is not one person but the state and succession of Antichrist Cap. 17. 9. the seven heads of the beast are so many States and Governments as Christ himselfe confesseth and the whore in verse 1. is not one person but the Romane state departed from Christ to Antichrist and prostituting her selfe to all idolatry and impurity of doctrine and manners the successors of Antichrists Kingdome Cap. 2. 1. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus not one man or Pastor but many for there were many Pastors and Angels therein Acts 20. 17 18. 4. Even in this Chapter wee have described the woman verse 1. not one Church but the succession of the Church in many ages yet called but a woman And verse 3. the dragon in this vision the whole spawne and row of dragons and tyrants raised by Satan against the woman even ten bloody persecutors all called one dragon for reasons you have heard and there is no reason but the manchilde may be as well collectively taken according to the manner of all Prophets and prophesies The dragon watcheth the woman but in vaine for shee bringeth forth for all that The Church shall bring forth children to God in despight of the dragon especially such children as the Text aimeth at to serve his Providence in the defence upholding of his Church Es. 66. 7. Acts 7. 20. Moses was borne in despight of Pharaoh as the circumstance of time there noteth Christ himselfe was brought forth in despight of Herod and all his plots which appeareth most plainely in those children of the Church excellent instruments prophesied of many yeares before they were borne and named of God whom it had besteaded the dragon that they had never beene brought forth if hee could have hindered them as first Isaac in whom all nations should be blessed by that blessed seed that should descend of him whereof he was a type and in whom the birth of Christ was foretold sundry thousands of yeares before it came to passe would not the dragon have hindred both the type and the truth from being borne if hee could so as all Gods promises and the Covenant of Grace in them should have beene falsified by the dragon 1 Kings 13. 2. wee read of Iosiah named before he was borne 323. yeares and of his piety and zeale in destroying dolatry and defacing of the kingdome of the devill and had it not beene much for the dragons kingdome to have hindred his birth if hee could Esay 44. 28.
faire City Moses was bold upon his commission and so maist thou in a good cause and calling 4. Meditate often 1. of Gods promise and this will First assure thee of his gracious presence with thee at all times Secondly supply thee with strength while thou goest forth as David against that great Goliah in the name of the Lord. Thirdly recompence thy labour and suffering for faithfull is hee which hath promised It was a great incouragement to Othniel to adventure himselfe in smiting Kiriah-sepher when Caleb promised hee would give Acsah his daughter to him that would expulse the enemy thence Iudges 1. 12. V. Keepe a good conscience alway before God and all men for this ministreth boldnesse yea makes a man as bolde as a Lyon 1 Peter 3. 13. If wee doe well who shall feare us or wrong us this is our fence and safety 2 Corinthians 1. 12. This is our rejoycing c. Now in that the manchilde is armed with a rod of iron and advanced into the Throne of God for the defence of the woman Wee note concerning Magistracy 3. observations concerning their 1. Power 2. Place 3. End That God putteth into the Princes and Magistates hand a rod of iron viz. an unresistible power Their power is Gods whose the ordinance is Prov. 8. 15. by me Princes rule 2 Chron. 19. 6. The judgment is not mans but Gods 2. Power is in God to maintain his own ordinances which if he upheld not the world must fall Beware of mutinies rebellion and resistance of higher powers Pro. 24. 21. My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with the seditious Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers Considering 1. He that resisteth the power resisteth God as a Gyant Rom. 13. 2. for a man cannot strive against the order of God but also against the God of order as the Lord said of Samuel they have not cast thee but me away 1 Sam. 8. 7. 2. Consider the end of rebellion in Corah Dathan Abiram for the end commeth sodainly and who knoweth their ruine Prov. 24. 21. Ob. 1. But what if they be heathens Sol. They were heathens to whom the Apostle commandeth every soule to be subject Rom. 13. Ob. 2. But what shall Cleargy men be subject to lay men must sheepheards be ruled by sheepe Sol. Aaron was subject to Moses Nathan to David Zadock to Salomon the Romish Bishops to the Christian Emperours as Princes and Magistrates are sheepheards in civill things and Bishops in this respect are under them so in respect of spirituall things Magistrates and Princes are sheepe and Ministers sheepheards Ob. 3. What if they be base men Sol. Resist not respect their function not their person their government is the Lords let the Governour be what he will Ob. 4. But what if wee be Christians are we not then the Lords free men Sol. The Gospell is no enemy to the authority of Rulers neither doth spirituall freedome fight against corporall subjection but establish it 2. Christ himselfe was subject to Parents to Governours paid tribute though he was free resisted not when he was apprehended though he was able having strucke them downe by the power of his Word Ob. 5. But what if they be tyrants oppressors and offer violence Ans. Servants must obey even curst Masters In the Primitive Church Christians suffered under tyrants most grievous persecutions yet never rose up or by armes resisted them indeed subjects may by honest and peaceable meanes avoid their fury as David fled from the fury of Saul and if they be inferiour Magistrates appeale to the superior as Paul to Caesar or take the shelter and helpe of Gods lawes but not rebell nor tumult nor mutiny against lawfull authority And this is the generall truth of Gods word as for any speciall references betweene Princes and people in elective states it is unseasonable now to intreat of Ob. 6. But what if they command unjust and wicked things Sol. In this case saith the Homily of obedience the second part we must undoubtedly beleeve that wee must obey no superior but say as the Apostle Whether is it meet to obey God or you judge you In impious commands wee must obey no Ruler all our earthly Masters must bee obeyed in the Lord as knowing wee have a Master in heaven and yet here must bee no resistance or contemptuous standing out for not to obey impious and unjust commands is no resistance of power when they are ready with patience to endure the punishments unjustly inflicted as Paul and Silas Acts 4. 3. and our owne Martyrs Let now no Papistor Popish person say our doctrine is an enemy to Magistracy but let them carry their owne burthens whose Catechismes are the shops of rebellion and whose treatises are trumpets of treason let English fugitives as Absolon beare armour against their owne fathers let Parsons Sanders Allen and other Seminary Priests by word and writing by perswasion and printing blow the bellowes of rebellion â—ad disobedience to Princes in ordine ad spiritualia yet all the world may know our doctrine by our practice whom the Gospel hath long since taught that God hath put an iron rod that is an unresistible power in the hands of Princes and whatsoever Popish persons prattle our doctrine puts no knife into any Ravillac or Feltons hand to revenge himselfe either upon the Supreme or any sent from him for whatever the Actor was in himselfe hee was so farre theirs as he was of opinion that he might by his owne hand revenge either a publike or a private quarrell for this agreeth with Popish positions as that of Reynolds that Henry the third of France was justly slaine before excommunication for publike sorrowes waite no formes and with that Pope Sixtus the fifth his Laudators Oration of the same murder comparing the fact with that of Phinees and honouring it with solemne processions and it standeth with the practises of Romanists which daily declare by Popish practises that the Pope and Popish Religion is the Arch-rebell in the earth the one lifting up himselfe above all that is called God Kings and Emperors the other teaching to despise the persons depose their Crownes and dispose their kingdoms but they cannot name one Protestant that ever stained our doctrine by the practice of such traiterous positions This concernes their place all Rulers are by God taken up to Gods Throne God himselfe hath set up the visible thrones of earthly Princes and Rulers as a darke representatton of his owne most glorious Majesty upon his owne most glorious Throne 2 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be God who hath set thee on his Throne in stead of the Lord thy God shee saith not on thy Throne but on his where plainly the Kings Throne is Gods Throne Where God is pleased to sit there is his Throne of estate but he pleaseth to sit with them Psalm 82. God sitterh amongst the gods As their Throne is Gods so
in their stead Gods plagues are removed and turned into all kindes of blessing The custome of the Church is every private Christians instructiō we must therfore provoke our selves to rejoyce in the overthrow of the dragons kingdome that both in respect of our selves and others First when in our selves we see our spirituall enemies throwne downe by the power of the Word None of us but professeth his part in that great victory of Michael from those dreadfull enemies sinne Satan hell death and damnation as this is the highest raised mercy that ever God gave us so ought it chiefly to raise our spirituall joy to sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the Lambe as it is penned and pricked for us Revel 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes O King of Saints Are wee delivered from the leprosie of sinne let us not forget to goe backe as the nine Lepers to give praise but challenge our owne dulnesse who can as soone forget such good turnes as Pharaohs butler did the good turne of Ioseph Gen. 40 23. So likewise when wee see our temporall enemies who want no will nor malice to do us mischiefe but are muzled hampred and fall before us now wee ought to lift up the voice of thanksgiving as Psal. 9. 1 2 3. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart I will bee glad rejoyce and sing to thy name for that mine enemies are turned backe and thou hast maintained my right Psalm 22. Save mee from the mouth of the lions and I will declare thy name to my brethren But with this pure affection onely as they are enemies to Gods Kingdome and so farre resist us as wee seeke to uphold the same Secondly without our selves wee must breake forth into praises when wee see the powers of the dragon cast downe in others whether spirituall or temporall When wee see the holds of ignorance errour wickednesse overthrowne by the preaching of the Gospell when wee see the walls of hellish Jericho battered by the sound of the rammes hornes of the Gospell when wee see countries or persons converted and yeeld up themselves to the obedience of the word Here is matter of joy and praise that the tents and curtaines of the Church are spred out and enlarged and the kingdome of Christ prevailes against the power of the dragon Thus the seventy Disciples having beene sent out returne to Christ with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued unto us nay our Lord himselfe rejoyceth that Satan fell downe like lightening from heaven Or if wee see the temporall enemies of the Church overthrowne if we see Amalec stricken downe before Israel Hamans devise broken Antichrists power weakened and lessened Popish forces repulsed Do wee see Pharaohs chariots and his hosts cast into the sea and his captaines drowned in the red sea Exod. 15. 4. Do wee see the windes blow and the sea cover them that they sinke as lead in the mighty waters as our enemies did in 88 Do wee see hellish powder-plots digged as doepe as hell prevented and the diggers falling into their owne pits How should wee now take up the songs of praise and tryumph that the Lord hath done so great things for us whereof wee rejoyce Psal. 126. 4. Now for the better performance of our duty herein consider three things 1. The conditions of this praise 2. Meanes to attaine it 3. Motives to it I. For rules of direction our text hath foure conditions 1. That all the praise honor of victory belongs to God as in the next vers For God only can overthrow the devils kingdome hee onely hath power above the dragon the Churches victory is the worke of his finger as the Church acknowledgeth Exod. 15. 1. I will sing unto the Lord for hee hath tryumphed gloriously Iudg. 5. 3. I will sing unto the Lord I will sing unto the Lord God of Israel Salvation is the Lords Psalm 3. 8. 2. So soone as we see the victory so soone should we sing out the Lords praises as the Church here Wee must not put off our vowes nor suffer the blessing to grow stale before wee have performed them Israel on the shore seeing the Egyptians dead on the sea banke Then sang Israel Exod. 15. 1. So soone as the Jews had obtained victory over their enemies they consecrate the very next day after the victory to the publique praise of God so while the sense of mercy affects us and while our hearts are warme with it wee must praise the Lord. 3. As here is a lowd voyce for this great victory so according to the greatnesse of the benefit our praises must bee A great victory calls for a great voice of many The blessing conferred upon any part of the Church is the blessing of the whole and the whole must joy In so common mercy none must sit out none must say what is it to mee 4. As the Church here so must wee sing out the majesty of Gods name not with a cold affection but with a mighty fervencie and ardor of spirit to stirre up and kindle in others the feare and love of God For this hearty and spirituall fervencie is the lowdnesse of the voice which God requireth and how can hee kindle or inflame another who himselfe is not warme or kindled II. Meanes to helpe us in this duty are these 1. Earnestly to affect the prosperity and welfare of the Church as feeling members and sharers of her joyes and sorrows preferring the joy of Jerusalem before thy chiefe joy Sound affection will imprinta sound notice of blessings which else passe away as nothing concerning our selves 3 Not to forget but remember Gods mercifull deliverances Psalm 103. 1. My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits as if hee had said If thou forget thou canst not praise and if thou praise not thou wilt forget them To this end write and register them make a day-booke of the noble acts of the Lord. Psalm 102. 18. Let it bee written for the generation to come that the people not yet borne may praise the Lord and that thy selfe looking backe upon one mayest finde out and espie many other 3. Often speake of them and raise monuments of them in thy heart as the stones in Gilgal the setting up of Altars and imposition of names in the old Testament Tell the children of the acts of God that they they may tell their children The Passover was instituted among other ends for this that the children in times to come might know how God destroyed the Egyptians and passed over Israel Exod. 12. 26. So must wee tell our children of 88 Of the powder-treason and other deliverances and make much of their monuments to the perpetuall glory of God shame of Papists and comfort and instruction of the Church 4. Often recount the great benefits redounding to the Church by Gods execution of judgement upon the
Anthony c. Oh abominable sinke of Romish Idolatry the true Church doth not sing salvatioÌ„ to Saints living or dead but saith of Abraham Iacob They know us not Es. 63. 16. here Salvation is the Lords this the Church of Rome doth not therefore it is not the true Church But 3. Above all their hatefull Idolatry they exceed themselves and all other Idolaters in worshipping the Queene of heaven and depending on their Lady and where the true Church sing salvation to the Lord they sing salvation to the Lady The Psalter of Bonaventure which they call the Ladies Psalter is a witnesse beyond exception or credit where in every Psalme whatsoever is sung to the Lord they change into the Lady Psalme 3. 1. O Lady why doe they increase that trouble me Psal 6. 1. O Lady correct me not in thy fury so in all the rest all prayers all confessions all the praises of Gods salvation are turned wholy upon her Add to this that they turned Athanasius Creed into our Ladies Creed Whosoever will be saved must above all things beleeve firmely concerning Mary which whosoever holdeth not firmely cannot be saved and so on and concludes This is the faith of our Virgin Mary which whosoever c. They have and doe sing to her the Song of Simeon Now let thy servant of Mary depart in peace for mine eyes have seene the salvation of Mary which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light c. They sing to her the Song of Zachary Luke 1. 68. Blessed be the Lady and the Mother of my God of Israel who by thee hath visited and redeemed his people and raised up an horne of salvation And Maries owne Song My soule doth magnifie my Lady and the Song of Ambrose We praise thee Lady wee acknowledge thee to bee the Lady c. The same Bonaventure in his Ladies Psalter lately imprinted prayeth to her thus Coge illum peccatoribus misereri Enforce Christ to have mercy upon sinners and in his Treatise called corona B. Mariae Virginis Iure matris impera tuo dilectissimo filio Command thy welbeloved sonne in the right of a mother to turne our hearts from the love of earthly things unto heavenly And in their Mariall the name of the Lady is a strong tower the sinner flyeth unto her and is saved as is said of God Prov 18. 10. Is not this to sing salvation to their Lady not to the Lord Biel upon his Exposition of the Canon of the Masse saith Wee flie principally to the Queene of heaven for it is signified in Ester the Queene who comming to appease King Ahasuerus had this grant It shall be given thee though thou aske halfe of my Kingdome so God the Father having his justice and mercy as the chiefest goods of his Kingdome keepes his justice to himselfe and surrenders his mercy to the Virgin Mary and so makes her as Bonaventure cals her the chiefe corner stone Bernard de Busti in his Marial tels us Velocior est nonnunquam salus memorato nomine Mariae quà m invocato nomine Iesu filij ejus A man may be sooner saved by mentioning the name of Mary than by calling upon the name of Christ her sonne How then is salvation the Lords Christ saith I have trodden the winepresse alone and there was no man with me Esa. 63. 3. but saith hee there was one woman c. Bozius de signis Ecclesiae saith By the two Cherubins covering the Arke are signified Christ and Mary through whom God is mercifull and heareth our prayers and as Hevah was the mother of the living that filled earth so Mary was the mother that bare all men to heaven That vision beleeved of theÌ„ above the Canonicall Scripture of the two Ladders set up the red Ladder on the top of which Christ stood the Fryers of Francis could not get up by but the white Ladder on the top of which the Virgin Mary stood by that they easily gat up shewes to whom that hereticall Church sings their salvation The heathens would rend their garments and pull their haire off their head to heare such blaspemies against their so reputed gods and wee Christians can comport with such hatefull blaspemous Idolatrous people No marvell if the Gospell take her to her wings when such vile seducers are taken into our bosomes and such Preachers as withstand them cast out of all request But Papists expect not salvation onely from the Host of heaven but from the host in earth Not troubling you with their Crosses Relickes Images all which they invocate for helpe with most religious devotion They all expect the very same salvation from the broaden god as from Christ himselfe the very God for it is very Christs body blood bones flesh Boots and spurs and all Their detestable prayers to their breaden god are infinite in number and sacriledge I will not stirre that sinke now But can wee sufficiently detest or bee too opposite to a religion whose god may be stolne away as Labans Why hast thou stolne my gods where Chrysostome saith Art thou not ashamed of the speech what can they be stollen and be gods too whose god may bee burned in the fire as the bread even after consecration whose god may bee eaten by dogs mice wormes yea by his worshipper Avernoes after his long travell and experience of many religions detested as worst and fondest of all the Christian Religion because said hee they teare him with their teeth whom they worship as a god Can we bee too farre from that religion whose god may poyson him that eates him as in many instances I could shew in their host and whose god may bee broken to pieces and some of them reserved for relickes shall wee bee so senselesse as they to expect salvation from that which cannot save it selfe from wormes The second reproofe after Churches lighteth on many persons that seeke and expect salvation not from the Lord but from the devill seeking to Witches and sorcerers a common sinne even of hearers of the Word Consider some reasons shewing the wickednesse of it 1. It is against Gods Commandement Levit. 19. 26 â—1 Yee shall use no inchantment the soule that turneth after such I will set my face against and cut off God by his Law pronounceth death on the Witch and the seeker to him see Deut. 18. 10. 2. All commerce with the devill directly or indirectly mediately or immediately is condemned First the open compact with Satan by the Wisard who openly invocates the devill and for his helpe renounceth his Creator his Baptisme Jesus Christ and his redemption worships the devil executes his commands c. It is absolutely wicked to require this of them which they cannot doe without their owne destruction and wraps themselves in the sinne for not principals onely but accessaries are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. Secondly for the secret compact on thy part thou seekest them for thou gettest no cure but by
we may and must cut off the vizards of envious obtrectors and slaunderers if not for our persons yet for the truth Thirdly impudent accusers abuse the patience and modesty of good men and by their silence make thēselves more audacious to slaunder Fourthly a good man may be as bold in defence of innocency and goodnesse as they are impudent in disgracing them Samuel did not boast or preach himselfe when rejected by the people he asked Whose Oxe or Asse have I taken Our Saviour Christ many times askes Which of you can accuse me of sinne If Papists or Atheists make it the discourses of their table and sawce of their meats to belye and slander Preachers of the Gospell a Preacher may as I doe this day challenge all Papists scoffers enemies of the truth which I preach c. if the Roman law were in force which Eusebius and Nicephorus speake of that hee that had falsly accused his brother and not able to prove it should have both his legs broken what a number of criples should we have I wish them better that God would breake their hearts with godly sorrow and breake their malice rather then their limbes that embracing the truth they may acknowledge the bringers of it The accuser is cast downe The second part of these words is The dejection of the dragon He was cast downe not utterly expulsed or destroyed for he will ever stand up as an accuser before Gods tribunall and mens but he falleth in his accusation and is cast in his cause Quest. Wherein standeth this dejection of the dragon Answ. In two things 1 In regard of Gods tribunall he is foyled because Christ is risen for the justification of Beleevers and is ascended into heaven to cleare all accusations and now reigneth triumpheth over all enemies whom he hath made his footstoole 2 In regard of mans tribunall at this time which our text aymeth at the heathenish power which had long oppressed the Church being subdued and Christian religion stablished by Christian Princes those horrible accusations by which the poore Christians were daily brought to death by hundreds and thousands were stayed and in great part cut off and the Christians were cleared and acquitted from those hatefull and impudent accusations layd against them And now the innocency both of their persons and profession appeareth 1 The holinesse innocency peaceablenesse and godlinesse of their persons began more and more to breake out the booke of their Adversaries false suggestions was as an honourable crowne upon their heads now God gives them favour and honour in the sight of their Adversaries 2 That which is more now the profession and religion of God and his Sonne Jesus Christ as odious as it was formerly made by hellish blasphemies begins to be received advanced spred abroad and lifteth up the head above all heathenish and idolatrous religions in a word grace and glory comes unto it in stead of former infamous imputations cast upon it This is the casting downe of the Accuser Note hence that there is a time when the accusers of Gods people shal be cast downe and put to silence Though Ioseph a long time lie in the place of the Kings prisoners his mistris is impudent in accusing his master credulous in beleeving cruell in putting his feet in the stockes and laying irons on him and himselfe hopelesse of favour or deliverance yet the Lords time came when he came out of prison with honour and much more grace then all his disgrace came unto Mordecai and his people may be accused condemned a day of execution appointed no hope nor helpe appeares but ere that day commeth the Lord brings forth his innocency Haman his accuser must honour him and proclayme him the second man in the kingdome and quickly after hansell his owne gallowes There was a time when the den and furnace were thought too good for Daniel and his fellows so grievous are the aceusations and so haynous their facts but soone after they are raysed to honour and high advancemet and their accusers cast into their roume There was a sad and heavie time in which the poore Christians bare the burden of tenne bloody tyrants and monsters their names blacked their goods spoyled their blood shed as water but afterward a Constantine came who acquitted them honoured them cherished and protected them 1 This must needs be in respect of God in whom if we consider foure things wee shall see it cannot be otherwise First his knowledge and cleare discerning of the innocency of his servants Now their righteousnesse and innocency is denied and derided enemies would bury it in the grave of everlasting oblivion and take deepe counsells to roll great stones of infamy and reproach upon it that it cannot rise in the after-ages of the world But all things are naked to him with whom we have to deale who preserves the bones of innocency and will rayse it out of the ashes and bring it into a cleare and glorious light See Luke 12. 2. Secondly his justice The righteous judge of all the world cannot alwayes hold his peace at wrong nor alwaies suffer justice to be turned into wormewood nor truth to be alwayes covered with sackecloth and ignominy He must shew himselfe a patron of truth and a revenger of wrong Be it farre from him the doing of this thing that the righteous should be even as the wicked that be farre from him shall not the judge of all the world doe right Gen. 18. 25. Thirdly his promise in Psal. 37. 6. Commit thy way to the Lord and he will bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgment as at noone-day implying that righteousnesse may be hid with darknesse and covered with the blacke night of impudent slaunders but yet after darknesse it shall see light the longest and darkest night that ever was saw a morning and the sunne rose and chased away darknesse and mists and revealed all that was hid in darknesse And so God promiseth it shall be to all his disgraced Saints Doth he promise and doth he not meane to performe is he not able is he not willing to accomplish is not he truth are not his promises so both from truth and for truth and those that are of the truth Fourthly his affection to innocency The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse What a man loveth he will maintaine much more the Lord though he tarry long yet at last will step forth and plead for truth and will not suffer it alwayes to bee smothered with smoake and mists of lyes and falshood 2 It shall so be in respect of Jesus Christ to whom the Saints must be conformed and by whom they are confirmed and upheld First as the Saints are conformed to Christ in his crosse so in his crowne as in his combate so in his victory And therefore as the Head was accused accursed crucified buried and a great stone rolled upon him and a sure watch about him and all
condition saveth it Thirdly it is the onely gainefull service to thy selfe above all other Thy body thou givest to his mercy who might command it to punishment Thou offerest it weake and sinfull to receive it sinlesse and glorious Thou givest it for a while to dishonour and abasement to receive it for ever glorified Thou walkest here a while in blacke that thou mayest ever walke in white hereafter Thou sufferest a short paine but gainest joyes long and weighty 2 Cor. 4. 18. A bitter breakfast said our Martyr but a better dinner In a word what is there but cleare gaine in exchanging a miserable life for a moment into an eternall happinesse which eye never saw nor heart of man can thinke As there is no losse in serving God so much lesse in suffering for Christ. Be faithfull to the death thou shalt have a crowne of life there is gaine enough 5 Looke at the enemies they are no way so much disappointed as when a godly man loveth not his life unto death but willingly forgoeth it for the name and profession of Christ. For whereas they intend nothing but evill as Iosephs brethren God turneth all to good yea to the best as appeares in these instances 1 They hope to bring Gods people to a very few and worke wisely to keepe them under as Pharaoh But how are they disappointed for the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church the more they are oppressed the more they increase This camomile the more it is troden under the feet of tyrants the more it spreadeth rooteth and increaseth This palme tree cannot be so oppressed with the weight of bloodie decrees but it shall more apparantly rise up from under it 2 They hope and intend to bring infamie and ignominie on their names for ever by devising the most opprobrious and exquisite torments for them But how are they disappointed for as sweet drugs stamped and pounded cast the sweetest smell so the Saints pounded in the morter of affliction sweet incense is never so sweet as cast into the fire so is it heere 3 They intend nothing but their death the chiefe of all evills which they can inflict but are disappointed for they suddenly deliver them from all evills of sinne and punishment and send them speedily to the fruition of their chiefe good which is God himselfe and all the pleasures at his right hand While they devise to kill them they doe but cure them While they thinke to banish them out of the earth they call them out of their banishment Pharaoh by tyranny will chase Israel out of his land but it is but to thrust them on to their Canaan They intend by their furious fires to burne and consume Gods golden vessells but they shall onely purge them from their drosse The heaviest flayle of affliction shall but cleanse and sunder Gods wheat from the chaffe Never were the three children so glorious as in the midst of the furnace never was the tyrant so pusled so confounded so conquered From the Meditations come to the Practises which may helpe us in this great resolution and performance 1 Labour daily in subduing and mortifying corrupt lusts Get daily power to dye to all sinne else canst thou never dye in the quarrell of grace And of all lusts beware of three which are strongest lets First selfe-love he that cannot denye himselfe can never take up the crosse Selfe-love makes a mans life so sweet and deare unto him as he cannot abide to heare of heaven it selfe in exchange so that he that hath not power to deny himselfe let him be never so wise learned civill yea or religious he will at last dishonour God by backesliding and deniall of Christ. Secondly love of the world which will not harbour with love of Christ this easily makes him look backe whose hand is on the plough Demas forsook the truth to embrace the world And if thou dost not master this lust though thou wert as neare Christ as Iudas thou wilt turne from him yea against him Thirdly pride and applause of men which will never endure the shame of the crosse To batter down this high turret the Apostle Heb. 12. 2. bids us looke on Jesus who endured the crosse and despised the shame He not onely sustained but sanctified to us the mockings and contradictions of sinners 2 Another practise is to labour for sound judgemēt in matters of faith This only produceth a threefold action which must necessarily go before undaunted profession First a sound apprehension firmely and distinctly to beleeve the truth of religion For wee must first beleeve with the heart and then confesse with the mouth Rom. 10. 9. 10. and 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and therefore I spake Secondly from sound judgment issueth an high estimation of Christ and his truth above all the world or life it selfe All things are doung in comparison of him both in themselves and in the judgement of a sound Christian. And as the Lord himselfe hath magnified truth above all things so doth sound judgment framed to his Thirdly from sound judgment issueth a wise and advised resolution to hold the best fastest and keepe this whatsoever wee let go for it and not to shrinke from the truth for saving our life no more then our Lord himselfe did This sound judgment will keepe out a treacherous purpose of saving thy selfe by betraying the truth either by silence policie or open deniall 3 Another practise is to get sound affections to Christ and his truth especially two First love that is truths keeper every Apostate knew the truth but never any loved it And only love of Christ is stronger then death Secondly sound joy by which we are made not only contented but joyfull in sufferings for Christ which is indeed a matter of true rejoycing Act. 5. 41 The disciples were glad when they were counted worthy to suffer 1 Pet. 4. 13. Rejoyce in that ye are partakers of Christs sufferings Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives up to Christ as the woman of Edissa came running with her child in her armes into the fire lest the Christians should be burned ere she came and not she with them the like of Blanditta a peerelesse woman of Accolus a mirror of patience so our owne Martyrs who sang in the midst of the flames and had more joy then their tormēters This joy none can take away 4 Because to lay downe ones life is not the past of mans weakenesse but of Gods goodnesse and to suffer for Christ is a worke above naturall strength and the holy Ghost onely can stablish men to this triall we must not presume of our owne strength as Peter but pray for the mighty power of the Spirit to make us of weake strong and that he who hath given us to beleeve would also give us to suffer and strengthen us to all patience with joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. Consider that none have
the Lord in this reproofe they stop their eares gnash their teeth and runne upon him and stone him Whosoever he be that hates plaine dealing meanes not plainly He that cannot abide to have his conscience touched is surely festred and galled Marke those men that most resist the doctrine of the Law you shall find them most lawlesse most gracelesse most wicked men for most part openly if not the deepest dissemblers 3 This shews their great sinne that contest against sound doctrine and refuse to heare it out of malice or envy to the persons but with a fine pretext It is too personall and such a doctrine as doth particularize men as plaine as by their names But 1 These men perhaps thinke we must speake to pillars and posts not to persons or if to persons to some persons in Utopia but not to the sins and necessities of our owne hearers and how do we then give every person his portion 2 Doth any person come to heare who hath a dispensatiō that God by his servant must not meddle with his sinnes or must wee dispense the word in respect of persons 3 Doth not particular reproofe of particular offenders in many kinds stand with the word of God How was Nathan overseene to tell David he was the man and Eliah to Ahab and Iohn Baptist to Herod Is it now so unsufferable a sin to deale with personall sins 4 How doth the Lord set mens sins in order before them but by the ministery of the word Psal. 50. 21. How shall we teach the Church to avoid hurtfull and infectious persons but by discovering them How can Titus carrie his doctrine to make the opposites ashamed Tit. 2. 12. if he may not meddle with their personall sinnes And many that care neither for Gods law nor Gospell yet by shame may be restrained and stopped from their wickednesse Some are so incorrigible and impudent in their sin that they are fit to be branded and discovered by the Churches severity as in the course of justice desperate malefactors are boared in the eare or burnt in the hand 5 If any man could teach us how to sunder persons from sinnes that sinnes might walke like ghosts without bodies it might be wee should offend no persons but all our shot should be levelled against sinnes But seeing sinne is so close set to the persons as they both make but one man and men love their sinnes as themselves wee cannot point at a sinne but presently we are blamed and distasted as pointing at the person 6 Let all such know that the time commeth when they shall say it had beene wiselier done to have forsaken their sinne then the Ministery that checkes it and not as foolish children who had rather keepe a sore finger or foote then abide the paine of opening and curing 4 This is instruction to all hearers to endure themselves patiently to be launced and pricked to the hearts by Gods Surgione as knowing that the hurt of the daughter of Gods people is not cured with sweet words Ier. 6. 14. The thunder and lightning more purifieth the aire then the warme sunshine And that you may doe this get wisdome and grace to consider these things 1 That Ministery that workes no smart workes no cure A sound Ministery divideth betweene the marrow and the bone yea betweene the soule spirit and joints Heb. 4. 12. Can this be done without smart Oile heales not without wine There is no profit nor cure in skinning festers unsearched and no search without smart 2 That wee take no pleasure in your smart or judgment but that without it you cannot be cured It is you that compell us to severity in our Ministery while you will hold your sinnes stiffly against the word and resist the powerfull meanes of your owne good What should wee do to be free from your blood if wee find you proud scoffers churlish earthly profane but directly repoove these sinnes if wee would not have them set on our score What our hire is if we see the sword come upon you and not give you warning see in Ezek. 33. 7. Nay happy were it for us and you if we might speake nothing but peace so we might discharge our dutie and if we proclayme wo you may helpe it we cannot 3 That whereas you would have us preach Gods mercies to you in this legall doctrine what do we but declare his admirable mercy who sends the sound of wo before the sense of wo he is not bound to give us so much warning 4 That to speake of wo is not to cast men into wo but to helpe them out of it for that is both the Lords intention and the drift of us his Ministers who both are loth that men should be smitten unwarned and till there be no remedy 5 That it were every mans happinesse to see wo written in the face of every sinne which else is sure to follow at heeles inevitably For sinne and sorrow are bound together inseparably and there is never a sinne but hath wo written on it if not on the face on the backe And therefore men should rather praise God to be smitten by his word for prevention or amendment then suffered to go on to unavoydable wo and perdition 6 That the same Ministery which most casteth downe a sinner is sanctified by God to lift him up againe The same hand that launceth commonly healeth The same Nathan that condemnes David absolveth him Peter by sharpe doctrine prickes the Jewes hearts Act. 2. 37. the same Ministery and person reviveth and comforteth them Paul casts down the Jaylor and presently rayseth him Act. 16. Christ himselfe calls the woman of Canaan a dog but straightway giveth her desire Sticke to that Ministery that most sharply smiteth woundeth rebuketh that is the Ministery most likely sanctified by God to heale and binde thee up that Ministery hath oyle for thee aswell as wine if thou sticke constantly to it Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and sea Here wee are to enquire the persons on whom that heavie wo is denounced to weet the inhabitants of the earth and sea Which cannot be meant properly and literally for First these are the worke-man-ship of God and excellent creatures Secondly they are opposed to the heavens in the former words which were not taken literally and properly but figuratively and metaphorically Thirdly the godly who are biddé to rejoyce dwel in them properly taken as well as the wicked but they are exempted from this wo. By inhabitants of the earth and sea are meant such persons and places as are not accounted the true Church but among whom the devill hath power and beareth sway For these inhabitants are opposed to dwellers in heaven which are true professors of Christ members of the Church of an heavenly conversation Specially inhabitants of the earth are mere earthly men favoring nothing of heavenly things whether they be heathens and Gentiles or such as be in name Christians but indeed earthly
take our Nation Fourthly the dragon is false and unjust in usurping that which is not his and so are his issue for tyrants and persecutors as appeares in the story of the Primitive Church promoted and accused the Christians for lucres sake that they might have the spoyle of their goods as Promoters sometimes use not for justice sake or for love of the lawes to accuse men but to get money to themselves so here these two commonly goe together cruelty and injustice Which serves to satisfie some places of Scripture that seeme contrary to this doctrine for it seemeth that God stirreth up persecutors hee bids Shimei rayle and Ashur is the rod in his hand and therefore the dragon is not the only persecutor Answ. There is great difference in the worke of God and of the dragon in the same action for 1. God worketh by wicked men in afflicting his Church but the devill worketh effectually in them 2. In the manner God by permitting and ordering their malice the dragon by immitting and inspiring them with malice and mischiefe 3. In the end God for the good and salvation of his Church the devill for their destruction and damnation if it were possible The fire of Gods furnace who ever be the blowers is to try and purge as gold the fire of hell is to burne up and consume if it might bee Againe whence are the persecutors of godly men and godlinesse they are of the dragon and of their father the devill whose workes they doe Whence is Popish religion of all other the most fierce and cruell but from the dragon who inspireth and acteth them with his owne spirit of enmity and murther who was a murtherer from the beginning for as these Antichristian dragons were next in time to the Imperiall so also the next in condition for as among them so among these none must goe backe from the judgement seat non mutata sententia which was an old law against Christians That religion must needs be Antichristian which is most contrary to Christs his doctrine and person was lowly and meeke hee never kindled furious or sulphurious fires against the persons and bodies of his enemies but used other arguments of love and lenity to winne and perswade them So whence are they who picke quarrels against godly men as Nero did to discharge his owne guilt upon their backes desirous to finde and father occasions and suggestions against them Are they not inspired and acted by the devill and wholy guided by the dragon in minde will and affection Wouldest thou shew thy selfe an absolute slave to the devill goe on in the way thou art in to persecute revile and wrong the servants of God When wee see a man fierce and furious that no perswasion no reason no bands or strength of men can rule him wee will say surely hee is possessed of the devill as truely may wee say here This furious enemy is possessed by the dragon whom no reason or perswasion of GODS Word no bands or ties of religion or grace can conquer but hee goes on in rage and fury against godly men and as farre as hee can contrives mischiefe against them Here is one possest with an uncleane spirit the devill acteth and moveth him what hee doth the devill doth Let persecutors set what face and countenance they can they bee persons in whom the devill raigneth Rev. 2. 13. Antipas was slaine where the devill dwelt that is by men in whom the devill held his throne and hold 3. From the former reasons wee may discerne who they bee from whom wee may looke for persesecution if occasion and time serve 1. If men expresse any fierce enmity andgreat difference in matter of religion whether in judgement or practice here will arise easily as great an estrangement as was betweene Jewes and Samaritans who meddle not one with another and it will easily goe farther from affection into action if occasion serve If Cain cast downe his countenance upon his brother for the sacrifice sake and if Abels finde better acceptance no band of nature can make up the quarrell if Cain finde opportunity hee will lift up his hand in the murderous act as well as cast downe his eyes upon him If thou hearest men persecute by their tongues the way of God as persecutors spare no speech against that way supposing it a justification of themselves conclude of them their hands will be ready enough upon occasion to act the persecution of their tongues The dragon can put him into one part as well as another 2. When men regard not in conscience and sincerity Gods holy Ordinances nor love the meanes of grace and salvation they will easily bee brought to persecute and throw downe the same Gods justice strikes the want of love to the meanes of grace with a stronger delusion and hee that in the shine of the Gospell shewes not love this man in the storme will shew hatred And whosoever stands out against the light of grace and word of grace there is the same reason with that in the dragon because there is an hidden darknesse in himselfe contrary to it 3. When a man is set to make good his own estate credit profit with the love of the Church and Gospel if he fear Christs cōming near him wil not stand with his projects and profits this man is in the high way to this mischiefe Gods glory shall give way to his owne and rather then Gadarens will lose Piggs and Swine all the City will rise and pray him to bee gone and if he will not by intreaty they will goe further as the Jewes fearing losse by Christ persecute him to the death And to this add covetousnesse and injustice noted in the causes when men for lucres sake and for no just cause else for a little mony or expectation of reward shew themselves enemies to godly men they are not to be trusted If Iudas will fill his bagg let Christ looke to himselfe The dragon in these lusts rules them and moves them and carries them from evill to worse and on occasion will shew it 4. If the dragon be the persecutor of the Church then the way to overcome all persecutors is to overcome the dragō and to prevaile against the devill Enemies of the Church and people of God are as fierce and inexorable as the dragon they must goe on as farre as the dragon is permitted to move them and therefore to conquer them we must prevaile against the dragon not by force furie impatience reviling or the like but First by the Word as Christ in his temptations Secondly by prayer that Christ would rebuke him and add fasting because this devill goeth not out but by fasting and prayer Thirdly by innocency holinesse and the practice of godlinesse this indeed makes him more raging but farre weaker and hath GODS promise of defence Fourthly by the contrite spirit of patience meeknesse forgivenesse love and peace Thus wee
overcome evill with goodnesse II. The person persecuted is the woman The proper object of the devils malice next unto Christ himselfe is the Church of Christ and so inevitable a condition is persecution as nothing in the world can keepe it long off For 1. Here is a woman weake in her selfe and impotent whom none but a coward would contend withall but the dragon is inured since the first skirmish in Paradise to offer violence and wrong to such as can least repell it frō whom the Priests and Jesuites have learned the principles of their trade in seducing seely women and ignorant sots who have no strength nor weapons 2. This woman hath Michael standing with her and hath brought forth a potent man-childe to helpe her yet hee weigheth not all the strength and power gathered for her Hee that dare assault Michael himselfe in person will for all him fiercely and fuririously assault the woman 3. Here is a woman cloathed with the Sunne having the Moone under her feet crowned with a crowne of twelve Starres arrayed with righteousnesse and holinesse as the Spouse of Christ the groūd and pillar of truth But this abates not the dragons wrath but kindles it that shee is the justified and innocent Spouse of Christ Besides here are many things worth winning from her 4. This is the same woman that hee had immediately before persecuted and now againe renewes his persecution for loath hee is to afford this Dove of Christ any rest for the soale of her foote The Church then cannot bee discerned by that durable and lasting peace and glory which Papists make a mark of their Church but rather by durable and lasting conflicts and obscurity For trouble is the best tryall of religion and Christ was best knowne by his Crosse and so also is his Spouse Object The dominion of Christ shall be everlasting in glory and Jerusalem is a vision of peace Answ. True but his kingdome not being of this world it is in respect of the spirituall and invisible Kingdome of Christ the glory of which the world cannot see and of that sweet and inward peace of conscience and joy of sanctified soules which the stranger enters not into Object But what hath the poore Woman done Answ. The dragon persecutes not for evill but for good here the better worke the worse wages and no other reward can godly men expect at the hands of wicked ones to whom they have beene instrumēts of greatest good David mitigateth Sauls vexation by his harpe but how vexeth he David for recompense Let us therefore make no account of rest and peace here which is not the Churches resting place Our Lord taught us to make other accounts Ioh. 16. 33. In the world yee shall have affliction Wee would have Canaan before the Canaanites be subdued But wisdome will expect freedome when the combate is ended not before It is enough we have our earnest in hand to begin withall wee must looke for our wages in the end of our worke and the crowne after the victory 111. The time of this persecution seemes very expresse in the text namely when the dragon had beene cast unto the earth and after the woman had brought forth her man-child The dejection we have shewed to be the suppressing of the power of the heathenish tyrants and Emperours who upheld pagan idolatry oppressed the Christian Church and withstood the power and passage of the Gospell The bringing forth of the man-child wee have shewed to be the raysing up of Christian Princes and Emperors the protectors and maintainers of Christian faith who succeeded after the heathen Emperours Wee must therefore secke out this fierce persecution in the times of Emperors by profession Christian even in those times when the woman might have expected rest and peace by this manchild who now had the rod of iron in his hand And by looking into the story and event of those times which is doubtlesse the most true and proper interpretation of prophecies wee finde among the Emperours Christian after Constantine a twofold persecution of the dragon one civill the other ecclesiasticall and more pernicious The former was by the cruelty of divers Christian Emperours after Constantine as Constantius Iulian Apostata Valence and others who had nothing but the pretext and name of Christian but indeed differed nothing from most fierce and savage tyrants wasting the Church and the Orthodoxe pastors and professors The latter namely ecclesiasticall much more pernicious then the former was when the dragon poysoned the Church partly with damnable heresies of Arius Eunomius c. for the maintenance whereof the Emperors most violently persecuted the sound Bishops Pastors and Professors the dragon that could not now prevayle by slaughters and Butcheries as before doth now by poysonfull lies partly with pride pompe ambition and fierce contention of Orthodoxe Bishops for primacy and superiority over other Churches and Pastors For now the man-child having furnisht the Church with peace ease wealth lands patrimony large revenues and immunities the maine studie is for the increasing and maintaining of their pompe And as ease wealth and security increaseth so the care of soundnesse of faith and sincerity decaieth Presently from pride grows hot contention among themselves Councell is called against Councell Synod against Synod the greatest strife is for Patriarchicall seats and quarrels for primacy precedency Churches immunities Clergy-priviledges Peters patrimony and revenues of holy Church To these ends the principall employment of those Bishops was for setting up altars images crosses unctions orders of Monkes and Nunnes consecrated garments habits shavings and an hundreth toyes which tooke up their thoughts time and lives while the primitive simplicity of Christ and his truth with Christian faith and religion slipped from betweene their fingers Thus Antichrist came to his hight and turret and thrust in on the blind world as an armed man Now was the woman disrobed the Church spoiled of her chiefe ornaments and graces wherein she shined and was indeed crowned in her low and afflicted estate Now were the Ministers who made way unto Antichrist lifted up and intended every thing but conscionable Ministery Now Ierome justly complaines that after the Christian Church found Christian Princes she became in wealth and power greater but lesse in vertue and piety And this I take to be the most violent assault by most virulent poison cast out of the mouth of the dragon especially aymed at in this text yea the most bloody and fierce persecution which then began to assault the woman who had brought out the man-child from under which she is not yet recovered as we shall see if God permit The point is this Prosperity and peace much more baneth and woundeth the Church then tyranny and persecution Deut. 32. 15. Israel when he should have bene upright waxed fat and spurned with his heele for sooke the God that made him and regarded not the strong God of
law endictes every wicked man hating the godly of murder 1 Ioh. 3. 15. not only because hatred is a degree of it but because his will and desire carries him to the highest degree and execution of it 2 Members must be conformed to the head in obedience both active and passive What floods the dragon raised and cast out of his mouth to carry Christ away is manifest in the story imputing to him sorcery blasphemy sedition treason and all that was hainous and poysonfull If they called the Master of the house Belzebâ—b what will they not call his servants 3. The more innocent thou art looke thy suffering to bee the more for malice is most against grace and innocency When good men are generally maligned and floods of water cast after them the generall conceit and speech of other is some fault there is were there not some fire there could not bee so much smoake some indiscretion some oversight some fault No no there is shining grace wisdome holinesse watchfulnesse the dragon will revile good men be they never so discreet and innocent yea for innocency as Christ himselfe Againe seeing it is inevitable that the godly should bee molested with these floods and rising of waters let them for their comfort and direction thinke of these Rules 1. Against the multitude of Antichristian enemies who increase and combine as a flood to overflow all bankes oppose the promise of God Esa. 17. 12 1â— They shall make a noise as the noise of many waters but God shall rebuke them hee hath passed sentence against them which is not farre from execution and Chap 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood but the Spirit of the Lord will chase him away and daily shall they be blasted by the breath of his mouth all his forces cannot prosper being gathered against the Lord Deut. 33. 27. 2 Against the floods of Antichristian heresies and false doctrines wee must stablish ourselves First with true humility to containe our selves within bounds of truth Pride and conceit makes heretikes Secondly with sound love to the truth this onely will make us hate all false inventions Psal. 119. 113. Thirdly with true obedience to the truth revealed Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will do my will he shall know the doctrine whether it bee of God By these meanes wee shall sticke fast to the Rocke and hold fast by truth and not be carryed away with this flood Fourthly when they trouble our waters with traditioÌ„s fables for they are called troubled waters oppose the sweet and cleare crystall fountaines of the Scriptures the waters out of the Rocke and out of the fountaines of Iacob Deut. 33. 28. this shall bee sufficient against the full sea of Antichristian brinish salt and damnable doctrines 3. Against the drowning waters of scandals reproaches threatnings wicked Edicts false accusations or violent executions oppose those sweet refreshing waters of comfort Esa. 55. 1. These promise First Christs presence who rebukes winde and sea and makes a calme Secondly strength and patience because they are the rebukes of Christ. Thirdly a clearing of thine owne innocency as the light Againe oppose thine innocency purity sound conscience honest conversation and then assure thy selfe no reproach can take away thine innocency no more than thy head Lastly waite on God as David in Shimeis rayling hee may doe thee good for their evill hee may blesse thee for their cursing and honor thee the more for their dishonour as Mordecai And many of his servants have experience that the more evill men seek to cast them downe and carry them away with floods of injuries the more God doth establish and uphold them and carry them up above the waves and billowes which threaten to drowne them Vers. 16. And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the stood which the dragon cast out of his mouth AGainst new dangers the woman hath still new remedies for unwonted dangers unwonted helpes Against the former dangers shee had wings to flie from them here the earth sets in for her helpe the dragon casts the flood out of his mouth and the earth takes it into her mouth By the earth is not meant the earthly globe which Mathematicians call the center of the world in which wee walke neither may wee understand it properly of this vast Element but improperly and metaphorically as wee did the flood in the former words drunke up by it By earth therefore is meant 1. In generall all the meanes by which the former flood was drunke up and the phrase is an allusion to an ancient story in Numb 16. where the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and all his company who had cast floods of reproachfull waters against Moses Aaron even so here before the Lord will suffer his Church to be drowned and overwhelmed he will command the earth to open it selfe and swallow up all such as enterprise against it as formerly he had to swallow alive Corah Dathan Abiram and all their complices 2. More specially by the earth wee meane those speciall providences by which the former floods were dryed up as 1. The floods of herefies spewed out of the dragons mouth were swallowed up of the earth for First it was the earthly and wicked Synagogue that embraced all the dragoÌ„s plausible heresies such as whose names are writen in earth but not any whose names were written in the Booke of life the true Church drunke not a drop of that poyson spewed out of the dragons mouth Secondly because that the Synods and Councils gathered out of all the earth resolved and swallowed up those pernicious heresies against the grounds of Christian religion For as of old the Councell of Nice swallowed up the poysoned flood of Arrius the Constantinopolitan supped up the hereticall flood of Macedonius and Eunomius the Ephesine of Nestorius and the Chalcedon of Eutiches so we might name a number of Canons out of Councels gathered under Antichrist resisting many main Romish errors and hereticall doctrines as the sixt generall Councell about the yeare 700. decreed against the Church of Rome the marriage of Ministers and forbad to make the Holy Ghost in likenesse of a Dove The Councell of Portugall at Bracca appointed the Cup in the Communion Sundry other Councels as of Constantinople under Leo Isauricus and after under Constantius Copronimus and of Frankeford under Charles the Great all against Images and many of their owne contradicting their fellowes in matters of greatest difference as might be cleared at large but is done already by Doctor Hall in his booke intituled The peace of Rome 2. The floods of slaunders and false suggestions have beene dryed up even by the earth earthly men and enemies of the Church who have acquitted and discharged the Christians of those horrible scandalls which were out of the dragons mouth sent after them to drowne them as in the ancient Story the Christians
reas 726 Beast that Antichrist noted and described 820 Beginning of good watched by Satan to hinder it 248 Benefits of receiuing Christ and his truth 688 Birth of children in nature and grace how they are alike 92 The spirituall farr better then the naturall 97 Appeares in fiue things 110 Effected with paine foure reasons 118 Hinderances of the new birth 120 Resolue to goe through all 124. motiues 125 Body of Christ threefold 300 Blood of Christ how we ouercome by it 605 How all our enemies are ouercome by it 606 Answers all obiections for us 607 Bootlesse to struggle against the truth or Church 782 Brethren seuerall sorts 554 All brethren that professe Christ and how 555 Mockers enemies taxed 559 Brotherly loue commended to Christians 557 motiues ibid. Objectiōs answered 558 Conditions of it 559 C Callings generall and speciall disordered 174 Censure not euery one that is accursed 568 Christ cleaue to him in person affection affliction 19 Depend on him for direction protection prouision 20 Honour him 22 Please him six waies 23 More excellent then the world and so esteemed of the godly 68 Receiued into us how 455 Church six priuiledges of it as Christs Spouse 25 What her crowne is 77 How it continues 78 How on her head 79 See more 219 A fruitfull mother of children vnto God 95 Mother-church which 98 Popish notes disproued 99 Fiue true notes auowed 104 Markes of true children of the Church 110 Sorts of them 4. 271 Safe euer by the saluation of God 508 Not alway glorious but alway safe 768 In hardest times assuredly fed and prouided for 777 Comming of Christ expells Satan 444 Why and how 446 Conclusions about the churches visibilitie 297 Consolation in the great power of Christ 538 Conversion casts out euery deuill why and how 471 Courage necessarie for great performances 279 Motiues to it 280 Meanes 281 Crowne of Christ set hold it on his head 222 Crowne Princedome of Satan what how wherein 200 Cruelty in the deuill and his instruments 142 Whence and why permitted 144 D Dangers what to doe in them 812 Dayes put for yeares 321 Death of Christ how necessary 537 Deceiue the world how 411 Delight in earth discouered to be predominant foure notes 13 Desart what in this Chapter 292 Despaire not of the worst 452 Despise life and all for Christ why and how 624 Meditations and practises 632 Differences of Gods working and Satan in the same action 733 Disgrace put vpon good actions 162 Disloyalty taught by Popish religion 533 Diuell called a dragon in foure respects 127 So are also his instruments 128 Why comprised here in the name of one dragon 128. 129 Notes of him cast out 431 Motiues to cast him out 454 Meanes 455 Dragon embleme of persecuting Princes why 129 Defeated many wayes 242 Meanes to ouercome him 736 Not cast out till Christ his Gospell come 425 Ouercome not onely by Christ but by Christians 599 Dominion exercised among wicked men only 439 E Eagles wings what they are 758 Ease in our Christian profession not comfortable 339 End of magistracy what and wherein 289 Enemies of Christ who 530 Enemies of the godly haue foure chiefe sinnes in their oppositions 566 Enemies of the Church shall be finally destroyed foure reasons 390 Enemies spirituall ouercome by the power of Christ in us 550 Enterprise of wicked enemies bootlesse 465 Entertaine Christ his truth motiues meanes letts 686 Euili actions how by Satan put forward 166 Exorcisme to dispossesse a diuell 449 Expect floods of opposition and persecution 804 F Faith our victory how 606 Faiths power wherein bewrayed 548 False feares what mischiefe to the Christian combatant 178 Families how the deuill is cast out of them 258 Fence against the deuill how 407 Fidelitie to God and the Church requisite exemplified 7. 8 Fight against Christ. how the wicked doe so 357 Notes of them 362 Flight of Satan sometimes fained 175 Flight of the Church what when how 752 How from the face of the dragon 766 Floods of waters signifie afflictions and why 793 Out of the dragons mouth three sorts of them 795 Fly in persecution when lawfull and not lawfull 619. 765 Food for the soule what and how certaine 781 Friendship pretended to deceiue 153 Frustrate Fruitlesse how good things are made to be 164 G Garment of Saints is Christ for necessity ornament distinction 39 Better then the other in fiue respects 42 How put on 43 Motiues to put it on 46 and that continually 49 Expresse the shining of it 50 Not disgrace it on others 52 Keepe it cleane why how and who offend 54 God saueth his Church by meanes though he could without them 759 giues sufficient meanes 760 Godlinesse wherein the power of it is seene 549 Good gifts how giuen to euill men 149 Great aduersaries of the Church 136 Great helps against them 138 Great encouragements likewise 140 H Happinesse of Christians cannot be preuented nor discontinued 30 nor a whit prejudiced by any enemies 467 Hatred in wicked ones against the good vnknowne or unseene fiue Reasons 824 Hearing of the word hindred by Satan 169 Hell why the deuill is not confined to it 437 Helpe euer afforded to the Church in the greatest persecutions Reas. 811 Many times when she least expects it four Reasons 814 Heauen the Church militant so called 5. and 642 True Christians already in heauen how 8 Many therefore no true members of the Church 12 Heresie more hatefull to the Church then tyranny 755 Heresies drunke up of the earth how 807 Hornes what they signify 186 Horned beasts against the Church that is hurtfull men 188 I Iesuites and other Papists impudent in false accusations 574 Impotency of Satan in doing mischiefe 238 Instances of Satan neare us or standing before us 254 Instructions by consideration of Christs power 542 Instruments of speciall good fitted of God thereunto 276 Instruments of the diuel notes of them 355 cast out together with himselfe 460 How seeing they preuayle so much 462 Impudent and instant in false accusations 569 Markes of them 572 Ioy none but the godly called to it and why 643 Ioy of Heauen must now be expressed and how that may be 649 How heauenly earthly joyes may stand together 655 Ioyne all in fight against Satan 344 Iudgment-day signes of it shewed in the comming of Antichrist 695 K Keyes a signe of power and in Christs hand 426 Kingdome of God what and how it florisheth 509 Kingdome of Antichrist resembled by Egypt how 697 L Lambe Christ so called why what vse 603 Lamentable estate of wicked men 352 Law and terrors needfull to the best 659 Legall and Evangelical keeping of the commandements 835 conditions of keeping of them 836 sure coffers to keep them 837 markes of them that keep aright 837 motiues 840 Lets of receiving Christ his truth 689 Lessons to be learned of Satan to redeeme time 723 Life how it may be loved 617 Light skirmishes get
the devill great advantages 176 Love of Christ which will hold out to the death foure notes of it 631 Love the godly unseene and how 828 Luther where the Church was before his time 303 771 Lying signes and wonders why 412 M Magistrates must resemble God in foure things 286 Manchild Christ like it not the same 261 Constantine with the like so called 266 collectively reasons 267 Martyrs overcome the Dragon and others too with three qualities 618 how in suffering they overcome 622 Meanes to a voide the Dragons wrath 708 Michael notes Christ 341 Ministers starres in the Church 81 must resemble starres how and wherein 82 motives to ministeriall duties 84 dignity duty end and comfort of a good Minister 122 225 must preach woes as well as comforts 656 reasons 657 objections remooved 658 who blame worthy 663 Ministery though sharpe must be endured motives 668 Modesty commended 7 Moone resembles the world in foure things 62 must bee kept below Christ both the best and worst of the world 65 for five reasons 66 must bee held with foure cautions 67 notes of one whom the world hath overcome 75 and one that hath the moone under his feet 77 Mourne to see Gods Kingdome opposed or not enlarged Multitude no sure note of the Church 414 N No newes to see the Church goared and persecuted 193 No calling or condition can secure a good man from opposition 253 No prevailing against the Church 365. objections answered 369 No easie thing to bee a Christian 627 yet many make such account foure sorts 629 Notes of one seduced of the devill 421 Notes of one lying under the Dragons power or wrath 705 Notes of one whose place shall not bee found among Saints 398 Notes of one prevayling against the Dragon 377 and of one in whom the Dragon preuailes 379 Number of ten implies perfection 188 Number of true enemies to Antichrist small foure reasons 831 O Occasions for Satan to take advantage at us 155 Offence not to be taken at the Apostasie of Ministers or others 237 Order our desires and conditions how 750 P Patience needfull 221 Peace how affirmed of the Church 333 Persecutor one in all ages how what use 731 Persecution from whom to be expected 735 inevitable to the Church why what use 736 even by Christian Emperors twofold 739 sometimes hindred by earthly occasions 809 Personall reproofe necessarie 666 Popes headship ever withstood 776 Power of Christ twofold 527 his power as Mediator superior to all created power 528 how discerned to be in us 545 Praise God for the overthrow of the Churches enemies 477 Objections answered 478 479 conditions meanes and motives 485 Preaching why resisted as it is 450 who condemne tart preaching 665 their sinne 666 Prepare for adversity or flight into the wildernes 304 Prevent it how 308 Profanenesse in preferring the world before Christ 69 helpes against it 70 motives 71 Prosperity of the Church sends it into a wildernesse how 293 use it warily 307 hurts more then persecution how why 340 ill fruits of it 743 no note of the Church 737 Profession of religion practises of it to cast out Satan 457 Providence God feeds his in greatest scarcity and why 316 Protectors of the Church be such three meanes 275 Q Questions of the spirituall combate two 254 R Reinerius the Inquisitors testimony of the Waldenses 774 Reioyce to see Gods Kingdome of grace prevayle 510 Reioyce in spirituall conquests and temporall 483 Recusants should consider foure things 710 their pitifull case 712 Religious courses thought uncomfortable and why 648 Repent and get out of security 675 Repiners at the Churches prosperity no true Christians 490 513 Revenge on the contempt of the Gospell instances 682 Restlesse malice of Satan his instrumēts though crost why 800 Romish religion cruell therfore false 146 Romish Church called a woman why 15 no true Church for that she giveth salvation to others then God 500 S Saints on earth have Kingly dignity and how 84 must be thankfull chearfull and live as Princes 87 and not lose their crown what 90 Salvation wholy from God to the Church and members 494 give him all the glory 497 Satan an enemie to whom 405 cast out by Christ and his members how 424 cannot hinder the birth and rising of excellent instruments 269 his chiefe aime is to throw down such instruments 232 prevent him 235 pray for such 236 Seduction how to be avoyded 417 Serpent an embleme of the divell 403 Sharper assalts are the shorter why what use 720 Sinnes as signes of wrath toward a Church 308 Slanders of Papists against the doctrine and life of Protestants 797 how dryed up of the earth 808 Souldiers of Christ why used by him 343 Subiection to Magistrates 283 Subtilty of the divell and his instruments 149 instances 152 comforts against it five 184 Superiors instructed to humiliy moderation and mercy 560 Sunne Christ resembled by it for affects and effects 36 but farre better 36 so admire him rejoyce in him bee thankfull for him imitate him and walke as beseemes him foure wayes 36 c. Starres of the Churches fal to the earth three wayes 226 yet not all why 231 T Tayle of the Dragon what and who 228 Terror by Christs power for Christs enemies 530 Testimony Gods word how Christs and ours 610 why the testimony of Iesus 841 testifie to the Gospell foure wayes 610 motives 616 Thankes to bee given for clearing our innocencie 595 how to be expressed 597 Thrones and rulers are of God 286 Treason taught among Papists not Protestants 285 Tryall of religion persons and places whether for Christ or no 429 Time times halfe what 785 Time of Antichrist short how 715 Time of Satans rage in any mischiefe determinate why what use 718 791. foretold why 784 Turke not so pernicious as Antichrist 839 V Valor of Christians in 2 things 89 Victory triumph after it not before three reasons 639 who faulty 640 Visibility and outward splendor no note of the Church 207. and 294 770. objections answered 299 Visions kinds differen reas 3 4 Vnhappy are the wicked while the godly are happie rejoyce 671 Vnitie no note of the Church 132 what unitie to preach ibid. and practise 133 W Waite for deliverance out of trouble and how 496 Walke wisely as well as warrantably 182 Watch in prosperitie with directions 747 Watch against satan three rules 251 Warfare of the Church on earth 335 Want of temporals comforts against it 779 Weapons of Antichrist spirituall and temporall 822 Where Christ may not prevail the devill shall reas 679 Wicked men uphold the devills crowne dignity described 105 they cannot safely rejoyce 645 Wicked companionship to be forsaken 474 Wildernesse or sad estate the estate of the Church 295 cōfort contentment in it 306 Winges of the woman what why whence 756 Wisedome of the serpent in foure things 179. meanes to get it five 182. practise of it 183 Witnesses who
the two witnesses are 315 Withstand Satan sixe rules 258 Wiues duties to their husb 18. c. Wizzards no good Christian that seekes to them 506 Woe what note it is 6â—6 Woman the Church militant so called 16 17 Word of God by it wee overcome spirituall enemies how 611 treachery of Papists disarming us of it 613. word neglected or despised leaves wicked sinners 614 World must not get our affections conformity patronage 14 Y Youth taxed for slipping their time 723 Z Zeale meeknes how to be tempered in Ministers others 661 ERRATA Pag. 14. read it lyeth in wickednesse p. 38. r let the light make us ashamed p. 75 r. in the full and all is gone p. 103. r. personall and doctrinall and they have not the succession of Peter who have not the faithof Peter p. 112. r. may well mistrust their conversion p. 135 r. in Iohns time having command c p. 199. r. must not touch Iobs life p. â—74 r. either of their faith or salvation p. 282. r. meditate often on Gods promises p. 285 r laudatorie oration p. 310 r. word of salvation p. 522. r. Nathan or Gad p. 607. r. dead workes Heb. 9. 14. p. 7â—5 r. more easily drawne p. 803 r. all these happie meanes p. 837 r. Oh how love I thy Law FINIS Hebr. 11. 4. Hebr. 12. 1. 1 Tim. 9. 12 2 Tim. 2. 5. 4 8. 2 Chr. 19. 11 20. 17 Phil. 1. 27. Parts of the Chapter 1 What is this Wonder The greatnes of the wonder in 3. things The manner of apperance of this vision Sundry ends why God thus revealed himselfe Spiritus Deâ— alli cit Satanae cogit vi The place where this wonder appeareth By heaven commonly in this booke is meant the militant Church For 3. reasons 1. 2. 3. Attention affection incited by sundry arguments 1. 2. 3. The modesty of this holy Evangelist His fidelity 1 To his Lord. 2 To the Church True members of the Church are in heaven upon earth 1 In expectation 2 In inchoation Saints in heaven fully freed from all evils 1 From the evill world foure waies 2 From the corruptions of the world 3 From wicked persons societies Conformity of Saints in earth with Saints of heaven 1 In vision of God 2 In framing to the Charter of heaven 3 In keeping a perpetuall Sabbath 4 In fruition of the presence of Christ. 5 In enjoying God the meanes of their lives Vse No true members of the Church 1 That have no birth but from earth 2 That have no inheritance but in earth 3 That have no conversation but in earth * 4 That have no delight but in earth Discernable by 4 notes Vse The Christian is in the world not of the world The world may not gaine our affections 2 Nor our conformity 3 Nor our patronage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Woman in this mysticall booke signieth 3. things 1 Idols 2 City of Rome 3 The true Church This woman is not the Church triumphant for 3. reasons Church compared to a womâ—â— 1 In respect of her selfe 3 Causes 2 In relation to others 1 To God 2 To Christ. 3 To Christians The spouse of Christ 1 must cleave to her husband 1 In person for 4. reasons 1. 2. 3. 4. 2 In affection 3 In affliction 2 She must depend upon her husband 1 For direction 2 For protection 3 For provision 3 She must honour her husband 4 She must please her husband In 1 Not pleasing her selfe 2 Nor pleasing men 3 Observing what will best please him 4 By decking the soule with graces 5 By respecting his friends 6 By delight in his presence Sixe priviledges of the spouse of Christ. 1 Free election 2 Divine pacification 3 Gracious assimilation in 4. things 1. 2. 3. 4 Free donation in 4. things 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 High exaltation in 3. things 1. 2. 3. 6 Eternall consolation Answereth all objections 1 In things which might prevent our happinesse 2 In things that might discontinue to our happinesse In posse non peccare In non posse peccare Christ the Sun is there opposed 1. to shadowes of the ceremoniall Law 2 To our naturall darknes 1 Vnity 2 Light Solis Jubar in vegore miridâ—aâ—o oculos intueÌ„lium perstringit et talis est gloâ—ia Christi summa et inaspectabilis 3 Purity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multioculum 4 Power 5 Participation Effects of this Sunne of the Church 1 Illumination 2 Direction 3 Refection 4 Distinction of seasons Vse The Sunne of the Church infinitely surpasseth the sun of the world in 6. things 2 Rejoyce in our Sunne 3 Be thankful for our Sunne risen 4 Imitate our Sunne 5 Walke beseeming our sunne 1 Warily 2 Watchfully 3 Decently 4 Diligently Vse The Sunne of the Church never setteth Christ a garment why Necessitie of a garment in 3 things 1 To cover the body 2 To sence the body 3 To cherish the body 2 vse of garments is for ornament 3 For distiction This garment differeth from other garments in 5. things 1 The author 2 The matter 3 The price 4 The vse 5 The duraÌ„ce The woman cloathed with this Sunne 1 On Gods part by imputation 2 On mans part by application Quidam induunt Christum tantum quoad Sacramenti perceptionem alij et ad vitae sanctificationem Five graces requisite to the clothing of a christian â— Repentance 2 Faith 3 Prayer 4 Holinesse 5 Hope 1 Duty hence to put on this garment is necessary 1 To save from evils Cant. 1. 7. The Church wold find Christ at noone in the heat of the the sun of persecution to be refreshed by him 2 To procure us all good 2 wayes The putting on of this garment is a continuall act of this life And in much weaknesse for 2. reasons Christians must expresse the bright shining of this garment 1 In renovatioÌ„ of nature 2 In the shine of spirituall graces 3 In shining conversation Reasons 5. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse Not to cast dirt upon so pretious a garment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to leave it off for the frown of men 4. reasons 2. 3. 4. We must keep cleane this costly garment for 3. reasons 1. 2. 3. How to keepe our garment cleane 3. rules 1. 2. 3. Vse 7 Sorts of men defile their garments 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. Vse Beware of stayning thy holy profession 1. 2. 3. 4. Saints by calling be Saints in conversation Six helps to keep our garments cleane 2. 3. 4. 5. Property 2. The world compared to the Moone in 4. things 1 In inferiority 2 In mutabilitie 3 In obscurity 4. In the use The treading of the Moone under feet is the contempt of the world A sound Christian despiseth the best of the world And the worst of the world And all the world in comparison of Christ. Reasons 5. 1. 2. 4. Sound judgment holds earthly things good with 4 Cautions 1. 2. 3. Why the christian prizeth Christ above all the world
4. Reasons 4. Vse vnhappy men that preferre the world above Christ. And who refuse Christ for the world To fortisie our selves against this profanesse 6. helps 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Motives to keepe the Moone under our feet 1 Al are alike fugitive 1 Riches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Honors Date obulum Belizario 3. Pleasures Psal. 16. 11. 4 Life it selfe 5 Whole world 2 God hath put them under our feet 3 Hath put no great worth in themselves Good men as the Moone seldome in the full but in danger of eclipse Signes of him whom the Moone hath under her feet 5. 1. 2. Ier. 44. 19. Iob. 31. 26. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 5 Signes of him that hath the Moone under his feet Property 3. The crowne of the Church implyeth 4. things 1 Honor of her person 2 Eminency above others 3 Her rich estate 4 Her victory The Crowne of 12. stars is the shining doctrine of the 12. Apostles The woman is still crowned with 12. Starres 3 Reasons I. 2. 3. The Crowne said to be on her head for 4 Reasons 1. 2. Doct. Ministers are as starres in the firmament of the church 4. reasons 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse And must resemble Stars 1 In humilitie for 4. reasons 1. 2. 3. 4. 2 In stability 3 In fidelity 4 In unity 5 In coÌ„stancy Motives to these duties 3. 1. 2. 3. Doct All Saints on earth have Kingly dignity Reasons 1 Have royall birth as Kings 2 Are anoyn ted as Kings 3 Have the power of Kings 1 A commanding power 2 A performing power 3 A conquering power 4 A judging power 4 Are all crowned as Kings Vse To magnifie Gods grace And the state of Gods children And to demeane themselves as Princes 1 In great affaires 2 With Nobles and Princes 3 With valour and courage 4 Be armed as Kings 5 Be bountiful as Princes Let none take away thy Crowne How a Christian may loose this Crowne To resist the Gospell is to pul the crown off the head of the Church Quest. Bringing forth children in nature and in grace resembled in 5. things 2. 3. 4 5. Quest. How the Woman is ready to be delivered Quest. How she cryed in paine to be delivered Doct The Church is a fruitfull Mother of Children to God Her bed is greene 2. Reasons Reasons 3. 1. 2. 3. Vse Not to content ourselves with our first birth in nature reas 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. How to know the true Mother Church 1 Note because she is called Catholike A nomine ad rem non valet consequens Nulla fuit unquam haeresis quae nolit videri catholica 2 Nor by Antiquity 4. reas 1. 2. Vâ—tustas erroris 3. 4. De Poenit. distinct 5. a De Clericis l. 1. cap. 19. b Art 92. c Sess. 24. d 3 part Thom 4. 80. art qu. 3. 3 Nor by perpetuity or durance Numerum numerantem augens non numerum numeratum Romae dicitur Babylon quia ad finem seculifutura est officina omnis Idololatriae et fedes Antichristi 4 Nor by multitude and amplitude Ecclesia fuit in uno Abeli in uno Henocho Multitudo orthodoxa Totus mundus factus fuit Arrianus Hi vulgus habent nos sidem 5 Nor by succession of Bishops 4 Reasons 1. 2. 3. Successio Cathedrae et doctrinae Church of Rome hath no succession either of 1 Doctrine 2 Seat Non habent haereditatlm Peâ—ri qui non habent sidem Petri. De poenit c. 6. Scripturam docere quae sunt notae Ecclesiae de notis Eccles. c. 1. Cap. 3. The true Mother known by 5. notes 1 Her face and what that is 2 Her voice 3 Her vertues 2. 1 Holinesse 1 Of doctrine 2 Of persons 3 Of manners 2 Meeknesse 4 Her marriage 5 Her carriage 1 To her husband 1 Faithfull 2 Subject 3 Dependeth on him 4 Honoureth him only Necessitate praesentiae non efficientiae 2 To her children 1 Nurseth them 2 Teacheth them 3 Provideth for them Rev. 13. 8. Galat. 4. 30. How we may know our selves sons of this Mother 7. notes By our change in 5. things 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2 The voice of Prayer 3 Sucking the breasts 4 Image of his Father 5 Growth in strength stature 1 In understanding 2 In affection 3 In activity 4 In strength to suffer 6 Child-like affections 1 To our Father Honor. Love 2 To our Mother Love Par in parem non habet jus Compassion 7 Brotherly-affection Doct. 2. The Church brings no children to God without travell 4. Reas. Reas. 1. 3. 4. Foure maine hindrances of new birth Naturall ignorance Fleshly feare Joh. 12. 41. Irresolution Love of sin Use. 1. The dignity of the Ministry The end of the Ministry Comfort of faithfull Ministers Vse II. Reasons why God would not sever Christ and his crosse Travell in the meanes of grace 3. Reas. 1. 2. 3. By the dragon what is meant 1. Satan called a dragon for 4 reasons 2. Instruments of Satan called dragons Why. The whole kingdome of the devill but one dragon 3. Reas. 3. Heathen persecuting Emperours of Rome dragons 3. Reas. Doct. All wicked men united against Christ. 4. Reas. Reas. 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 1. Unitie no note of the Church 2. What unitie and peace Ministers must preach for 3. Christians must unite themselves in the truth Reas. Dragon called great in 4. respects 1. 2. 3. 4. The Church is beset with fierce enemies and dragons Reas. 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 11. Aids to be procured against the dragon 1. 2. 3. 2 Chro. 20. 15 Ve ll I. Vse 4. 5 Grounds of courage against so great a dragon Iste Leo ob feritatem Christus ob fortitudinem Christus Leo ad vincendum diabolus ad nolendum August Doctr. The fiery disposition of enemies of the Church 1 The head 2. 3. 4. 2 In the members 3 In the Imperiall dragon Three causes hereof 1. 2 3. Vse 1. Vse II. Vse III. Vse IV. 3 Grounds of comfort Doctr. The dragon is as subtile as cruell 1. 2. 3. 4. Why God giveth good gifts to evill men that abuse them 3. Reas. Why do wicked men contrive and bend their wils against the Church 3 Reas. 2. 3. 1. Vse I. 1. Dragons subtilty in dissembling his person Satan assayleth us 1. In our solitarinesse 2. In our sorenesse In our sleepe 4. In our nakednesse 3 Instances 5. In our death II 1. Satans subtilty in hindring good actions Satans subtilty in shaking and holding out graces Of faith 2. Of Repentance 3. Of Sanctification Of sanctification 4. Thrusting on good things by ill meanes Propounding to good actions bad ends What good the dragon cannot hinder he will disgrace Whether personall Or sociall Satans subtilty in frustrating good actions The word frustrate 3. waies Satan frustrates seemly profession 3. waies 2 3. 2. The dragon as subtill to thrust on evill as to trust out good 1 By making evill seeme good 2 Or lesse evill III. Satan a most subtil