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
purity faith rather than enjoy the pompe and glory of the world by waxing wanton against Christ Hence note The true Church is not alwayes conspicuous visible and glorious to the world but may be hid obscured and oppressed So was the Church of God in Aegypt thrust out into the wildernesse than which no place is more solitary none more free from the pompe and glory of the world What glory and visibility had the Church in Elias time when hee complained that hee was left alone his life was sought so that hee was faine to flie into the wildernesse to save his life yet were there seven thousand that bowed not their knee to Baal What glory and visibility had the true Church in the Babylonish captivity being compared to dead bones dryed and scattered in the open field Ezek. 37. 2 What visibility had it in the death of Christ when the shepheard being smitten the sheepe were scattered or after his ascention when all the earth worshipped the Beast Rev. 13. 12 Because the Church is a selected company called out of the world a little flocke Iohn 15. 9 as a Parke of God paled in from the waste of the world hortus conclusus Cant. 4. 12. the Garden and Paradise of God wherein wilde beasts may not enter Now God hath put such a distance and enmity betweene them as that the blinde world neither can nor will abide to see her but to chase her out from her how can the world see her that is called out of the world The true Church is such a body as is not alwayes visible to mans eye suppose good men even Elias himselfe for it is Gods onely priviledge to know who are his the foundation being in Gods election and the union spirituall The Churches desert and merit abusing peace and prosperity driveth her here into the wildernesse maketh the Lord strip her naked and set her as in the day she was borne and not onely sendeth her into the wildernesse but maketh her as a wildernesse and leaveth her as a drie land as Hosea 2. 3. The Churches safety as Elias to bee safe was sent into the wildernesse so here the Church provideth for her safety in evill times by flying into the wildernesse Hence is showne hatred to the Dove of Christ dwelling in the Rocke Cant. 2. 19. that is as the Doves by the Kites or Hawkes are chased into the Clifts and Rockes to hide them so the Dove of Christ. The militant condition of the Church in the world suffereth her not alwayes to bee conspicuous and visible neither is shee tyed to any one estate or any one place Not to one estate being compared to the Moone which is sometimes in full sometimes in waine sometimes shining and sometimes hid and not seene and to the Arke tossed with waves and billowes sometimes aloft and presently downe againe in the deepes and to the ship in which Christ was a sleepe so ready to sinke as the Disciples crie Lord save us and this is the continuall estate of the Church in the troublesome sea of this world The Mirtle trees in the bottome Zach. 1. 8. Neither to any certaine place whether Rome or Antioch or Hierusalem but forced oft-times to change her seate as well as her state and tossed hither and thither as 1 Cor. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee have no dwelling place Heb. 11. Hence are the Papists confuted who 1. Affirme the Catholike Church to be a visible company of men under one visible head for what visible head hath the Church in the wildernesse 2 Denying that ever their Church fled into the wildernesse or that ever she disappeared from the world wherein they plainly deny her to be the true Church and this no other who fled into the wildernesse and if their doctrine bee true that the Church must ever bee as a City on a hill the spirit must bee false and the Scriptures which affirme shee must flie into the wildernesse from the fury of Antichrist The Papists object many things against our doctrine but how impertinently and vainely will appeare if we set downe the right state of the question betweene us both in their tenents and in ours 1. They say that the Catholike Church which hath alwayes continued hath beene alwayes visible now would I to beate out their meaning aske what is the triumphant Church in heaven visible or by what glasse or spectacle can they see that glorious company of Prophets Apostles Patriarkes Martyrs and Saints which is the chiefe part of the Catholike Church as Heb. 12. 23. Or is their Church in purgatory visible when two chiefe parts of it by their doctrine are invisible and the other part in earth but a handfull to them Well then they must meane the militant Catholike Church which is a speech absurd enough for as one halfe can never be the whole so cannot the militant Church be Catholike no more than a finger can be a hand or a hand the body or perhaps they would have us beleeve two Catholike Churches whereas our Creed teacheth us to beleeve but one But we will take their meaning namely that God hath alway a Church consisting of a great multitude as conspicuous to the world as any earthly kingdom part whereof and alwayes the head shall bee visible at Rome and the rest visibly subject to the Bishop of Rome Now what we hold concerning the point I will propound in sundry conclusions and then examine some of their chiefe arguments By the Church which wee hold invisible wee meane the Church mentioned in the Creed which is but one and Catholike even the multitude of all elect which are or were or ever shall be and to this company all they and onely they whether they be in the way or in the Countrey doe belong For we beleeve according to our Creed that the Church is holy and no wicked person belongeth unto it and that it is a communion of Saints onely to which belongeth remission of sinnes and life everlasting and we cannot but wonder that Papists who mumble up so many Creeds should so fondly hold that the Catholike Church should consist of good bad for are the wicked the body of Christ as they say the Church is or is not Christ the Saviour of his body If wicked and reprobates are the body of Christ why then are they not saved This Catholike Church we say is invisible to the world for 1. Gods election the ground and foundation of it is invisible 2. The greatest part of elect are not subject to sense not the Saints in heaven neither many true beleevers on earth nor numbers of the elect not yet borne or borne againe 3. Visible things are not beleeved but invisible faith is of things not seene and if wee beleeve the holy Catholike Church we cannot see it Now every Popish argument must either prove this to bee visible which none of them doe or they touch not us
and his Apostles as by the Scripture wee are ready to cleare in all points and therefore wee have true succession of persons whether wee can name them or not By which reason wee bring them backe to the matter and cause whence they are willing to slide by bringing us unto persons 2. I answer If wee were not so able as by Gods grace we are to answer them calling for names this were not to bee laid to the charge of our religion but of theirs seeing the craft and tyrannie of their Antichristian Synagogue hath made our search more laborious For they have chased the Church into the wildernesse and forced her to hide her selfe out of sight and then aske us for all those names that fled into the wildernesse and lived and dyed there many hundred yeares since They burne the persons and records and then call us to account to shew them their murders They oppressed their persons as heretikes and suppressed their workes as hereticall and used all cruelty and craft to extinguish their names and memories for ever and now shamelesly they call upon us to put life into all those asnes whose blood their cruell hands have spilt upon the face of the whole earth And whereas the names which they call for are to bee had out of history themselves by falsification of all Antiquity and story and by shamelesse purging of all bookes from all truth which might make against them have made this taske more difficult and themselves not more insolent than fraudulent 3. I answer that there was never any age since Christ wherein our religion in what it is substantially contrary to Popery was not taught and professed must needs bee more ancient than the now Roman faith yea the only true Catholike faith from which theirs is a Catholike Apostasie This assertion they have proved abundantly 1. By Doctor White in his Way to the Church Digress 52. where hee hath cleared that from the yeare 600. before which there was no substantiall or fundamentall innovation received into the Church though some corruptions were creeping in before till the present age there was no halfe age wherein hee nameth not sundry the Teachers and Professors of our religion and resisters of the Papacie while it was in the shell Mee thinkes the Jesuites should answer something to those names before they call for more 2. The same is further cleared by one of themselves whose witnesse is the stronger because it was the testimony of an enemy and Inquisitor as is judiciously noted by that learned and worthy Bishop Doctor Vsher in his booke de statu Ecclesiae cap. 6. pag. 151. There were saith Reinerius the Inquisitor many sects of heretikes in times past but none ever were more pernicious to the Church of God than that of the Waldenses or pooremen of Lions for three causes 1. Because of the continuance of it sor some say it was from Sylvesters time and some say it was from the Apostles themselves 2. Because it was more generall for there is almost no land wherein it doth not spread and creepe 3. Because all other by some foule blasphemy against God make men abhorre them but this hath a great shew of piety for they live justly before men and beleeve all well concerning God and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Church and the multitude is easily drawne to beleeve them This is the testimony of a Popish Inquisitor Whence I inferre thus If these men held the whole body of religion now maintained in the Reformed Churches and the same positions against the Roman religion which wee doe as is undeniable by their Confessions Catechismes and Commentaries upon the grounds of religion manifest as else where so especially in that late and worthy booke intituled Luthers fore-runners or The history of Waldenses strangely reserved by God for these times the same also is apparent in the Articles objected against them by the Inquisitors set downe by Papists themselves and for which these godly Martyrs lost their lives by hundreds and thousands If they were so ancient as from the Apostles or Sylvester a circumstance not to bee contemned If they were of such just life and sound beliefe as the enemy reports them to bee If they were so many in number and so dispersed into all Countries and so assisted as none durst stop them for the multitude of their favorites If Reinerius himselfe say true that himselfe being often in the Inquisition and present at their examination found forty Churches in his walke infected with that sect and in one Parish of Cammach were ten open schooles of them If at one time were observed eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the Waldenses I would now aske a Jesuite whether his fellow hath not named him persons enough in all ages of such as ever since Christ held and maintained and sealed with their blood our faith and religion And whether any credit is henceforth to bee given to his fellowes who say that our religion was never heard of in the world till Luther and was but sixe yeares old when King Edward the sixt dyed but every thing is nourished by that whereof it is bred and their religion being a compact of lies must bee upheld by lying whereof it is framed 4. I answer There was never any age since Christ in which the Popes Headship the maine pillar of Popery hath not beene resisted as hereticall and contrary to Orthodoxe religion The Jesuites have names enough in that learned booke of Doctor Crakenthorpe entitled Of the Popes temporall Monachy who as if hee had intended to prevent the Papists unreasonable demaund of names hath cleared by many names in every Century since Christ that the Popes temporall authority was resisted and by whom and that the sandy foundation of it namely the pretended donation of Constantine is but a fiction and a trick of a false finger by which Popery hath beene through outfacing supported a long time I need hold no Candle to this Torch onely I wish the Jesuites to answer those names before they call for more or else they must goe shorter by the head 5. There was never any age since Christ in which the Pope was not detected and proclaimed to bee Antichrist before his appearing implicitè and after it explicitè and expresly This I have ready to prove by names in al ages since Christ in way of cōfutation of a Jesuites booke sent to mee to review who impudently affirmeth that Luther was the first that called the Pope absolutely Antichrist 1. The Church is ever safe as the Arke on a world of waters Christ is the Pilot. 2. None can take her out of his hands Iohn 10. he is stronger than all 3. He knowes who are his and where and how to deliver them 4 Quod inimici in perniciem machinantur deus convertit in adjutorium feare not the tumults of
or our cause Concerning the militant Church what wee hold will plainly appeare in these Conclusions 1. That God will alwayes have a true part of his Catholike Church in the earth that shall hold and constantly maintaine the true faith in their severall ages to the end of the world and that the true Church cannot faile upon earth 2. That this part of the Catholike Church cōsisteth of men which are visible exercise visible ordinances of word Sacraments government c. and often in times of peace appeareth glorious in many particular and visible congregations for we never deny that particular Churches are often visible 3. That these visible particular Churches are not alwayes visible after the same manner neither is any part of the visible Church alwayes so necessarily visible but it may be discontinued and disappeare as all the visible Churches in the old and new Testament ever have done 4. This number of men in whom this part of the Church consisteth may come to be a few and by tyranny or heresie their profession may bee so secret amongst themselves that the world shall not see them neither can any man point to any particular Church and yet the Church is not destroyed for as the Sunne is a shining Sunne in it selfe though in the night we see it not nor in the day a blinde man cannot discerne it so the Church wanteth not her shining glory in her selfe though in the night wee see is not nor in the day a blinde man cannot discerne it the Church wanteth not her shining glory though the blinde world especially in the night of persecution cannot discerne it 5. Although the Church cannot faile upō earth yet the external governmēt of it may faile for a time the Pastors may be interrupted the sheepe may bee scattered the discipline hindered the externall exercise of religion suspended and the sincerity of religion exceedingly corrupted so as the members of the Church are onely visible to the true members within themselves By which conclusions we shall easily meete with the subtilty and vanity of all their reasons which ordinarily conclude from the externall forme to the failing of it selfe in the being and from the invisibility to the blind world to the invisibility amongst themselves as if they would conclude A man is hid therefore he is no man or A blinde man cannot see therefore no other man also or because hee that is without dores cannot see what I doe within therefore neither hee that is within with me Having thus bounded and laid the question let us see how they bend the force of their arguments Ob. 1. The body of Christ is visible but the Church is the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27. Ye are the body of Christ speaking to men visible Ans. 1. They might tell us what they meane by the body of Christ the Scriptures make mention of a threefold and never a one visible to humane sense 1. His naturall body that is invisible in the heavens 2. His Sacramentall body that is invisible in the Sacrament 3. His mysticall body and that is spirituall and no object of sense II. They might alleage the Scriptures sincerely and not as they use deceitfully to suppresse the words of the Text which would fully answer their arguments the words of the Textare Yee are the body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your part which words suppressed by them sheweth us 1. That hee speaketh of a particular Church which then was visible but this is farre from proving the Catholike so to be which is the question 2. That both parts of their reason be false the former because it is not generall for the whole body of Christ is not visible and the later because the Corinthians were not the whole body of Christ for the Apostle saith they were both part of it Object But the Apostle writeth to visible men Sol. 1. From a particular to a generall the reason cannot hold because I see some men by me therefore I can see all men that ever were or shall bee or because I can see a particular congregation at Corinth I can see the Catholike Church in heaven and earth borne and unborne in the way in the countrey Such fond reasons may bee plausible to Romish blinded and hooded sots but as the Sunne maketh mists to vanish so the light of the Gospell doth these mists and fogges of subtilty and deceit 2. They might remember that the Church is a society of men not as men for so a number of Turks might be the body of Christ or a nest of Arians but as beleevers therfore the Church as the Church cannot be seene but beleeved which force of words hath made Bellarmine himselfe to confesse whose words are Videmus enim coetum hominum qui est Ecclesia sed quod ille coetus sit vera Christi Ecclesia non videmus sed credimus and what say wee more or lesse 3. They seeme either not to know or to dissemble the reason why the Church is called visible which is not because the men are visible but because of the external visible forme which being interrupted the visibility is gone though the persons not seene to the world they remaine seene amongst themselves 4. How absurd is it to define a Church by our senses and measure them by flesh and bones this is as one saith Chirurgum agere non Theologum hee that doth so would make a better Surgeon than Divine but these muzes cannot long hide them Hence then I conclude this first objection from their owne premisses thus If the Church be the body of Christ then it is not visible because it is not his naturall body for Christ had not two naturall bodies but his mysticall then invisible this being the true difference betweene a mysticall and a physicall body the one is subject to sense the other the object not of sense but of faith Object II. But the Pastors and Doctors the Sacraments the preaching of the Word the building of the Church are visible ergo the Church is visible Sol. 1. All this concludeth but particular congregations to bee visible which wee deny not but no reason can conclude hence the visibility of the Catholike Church and then it is too short to reach our cause and controversie 2. Consider the visible Church two wayes First according to her external matter and forme and thus consisting of men met together to performe externall Ecclesiasticall actions so farre I say a particular Church is visible Secondly according to her inward forme and so farre as they be of the Catholike Church by effectuall vocation faith righteousnesse and holinesse thus are the same members invisible for though wee see the men professing the faith yet who knoweth which or whether of them professe in soundnesse or in hypocrisie 3. Although a Church be now visible in eminent Pastors in numerous professors and in their glorious fruition of Christ and his ordinances yet no Church in the
Diotrephes who pratled against them with malicious words neither received the brethren but forbid them that would and thrust them out of the Church 3 Ioh. 10. 2. By stirring up false teachers flatterers and deceivers who insensibly rob the Church of her treasure which is true and holy doctrine The envious man by them soweth his Tares whilest men sleepe Matth. 13. Hence we read of sundrey doctrines of devils 1 Tim. 4. 12. namely the forbidding of meats and mariages so called because the devill who still laboureth to corrupt the Ministerie in and by these fights against Michael and his Angels 4. Where hee cannot hinder the powerfull preaching hee fighteth by making the truth of the Gospell preached ineffectuall sundry secret wayes as 1. By blinding some that they cannot see the truth shining upon them 2 Cor. 4. 4. holding them fast in incredulity and contumacy 2. Snatching the Word from others who heare it carelesly so the dragon prevaileth against many as ye heard Luke 8 12. 3. Thrusting from their practice such as heard with attention when men heare and put not on the new man it is a giving place to the devill Eph. 4. 27. 4. After the knowne and professed truth by pulling away many from the simplicity of the Gospell by revolt and apostacie 1 Tim. 5. 15. many goe backe after Satan 2 Cor. 11. 3. I feare lest as Satan deceived Eve by his craftinesse so also hee deceive you Thus in all changes of religion numbers have gone backe after Satan Now after the manner let us see the reasons of this fight Contraries must needs fight here be two contrary kingdomes the kingdome of light and of darknesse two contrary Princes the God of heaven and the god of the world the Author of truth the father of lyes two contrary bands no marvell if the whole band of the dragon would pull downe the whole Kingdome of God how can the kingdome of sinne but fight against the kingdome of grace There is a deadly hatred of the dragon against God and Jesus Christ. 1. All the spawne of the malignant dragon seeketh by all meanes to hinder and obscure the knowledge and glory of God and to set up honour and yeeld obedience to the dragon for God see wee not how Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God and demeaneth himselfe as if he were God but what moveth him the dragon acteth him with strong delusion and his comming is by the efficacy of Satan 2 Thess. 2. and the same efficacy of Satan casteth downe Idolaters at the feet of antichrist to receive lawes from him to binde conscience to worship at his word a breaden god made by a Baker in stead of the Maker of the world which is nothing but to adore the dragon no other wayes than the Jewes who are said to offer to devils when they offered to Idols Psal. 106. 1 Cor. 10. 2. In the dragon and all his angels is an unconquerable hatred of Christ and his members hee perpetually opposeth the humanity the divinity the offices of Jesus Christ that hee should not be truly knowne and beleeved in the world and this reason our Saviour giveth why the Scribes Pharisees and other wicked men were so busie against his person and doctrine Iohn 15. 24. They have hated both mee and my father for the hatred of Christ they never cease to persecute the Church his Spouse and the faithfull his members so our Saviour saith If the world have hated me it will hate you also Iohn 16. 3. and this they will doe to you because they have not knowne me nor my father The dragon and his Angels fight to add unto and inlarge so far as he can his kingdome and dominion he would have al the world his throne to domineere in he would thrust Jesus Christ out of all his right he would bring in all mens soules into his owne dānation and because he cannot get all he is restlesse and never giveth up his quarrell why else doth the Antichrist of Rome the chiefe Commander under the dragon maintaine and abet such bloody quarrels against the Reformed Churches but because hee would have small and great rich and poore free and bond to receive his marke in their hands and foreheads Rev. 13. 16. Haman must have all knees bow to him else hee is sicke of anger and prepareth for the death of every Mordecai that refuseth They therefore fight to uphold the dominion hee hath gotten in the world as great Princes goe to warre to maintain their rights and territories in every part of their countrey even so if the Gospel come into any countrey to turne them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan to God what tumults tragedies doth the dragon and all his angels excite and stirre up against it and what else doe all the present warres in this part of the world tend unto but to hold the Countries subject unto Antichrist under the power of the dragon still and to keepe out and chase out the sound and mention of Christ as the truth is in Jesus Christ. Beware of this note of a wicked man to fight against Christ. Ob. We professe Christ and are baptized into Michaels name have taken our presse-mony of him and therefore what is this to us Sol. Can. 1. 5. The sonnes of my mother contended with me and thus was I wounded in the house of my friends Is this Christs voyce would wee know these dissembled friends the markes are cleare 1. Those that wilfully resist any of Gods ordinances fight against God Acts 5. 39. If this be of God yee cannot destroy it but bee fighters against God therefore hee that fighteth against the standard of Michael that is the voyce of the Gospell is a ranke rebell to Christ as hee that shooteth against the Kings standard He that resisteth the power of the word which is Michaels Scepter will give it no place nor obedience in themselves and scorne it in others that mutiny against preaching and preachers of truth and practice of sincerity fighteth as directly against God as hee that would wrest the Kings Scepter out of his hand He that resisteth the holy observation of the Sabbath is an ordinary breaker of it by worke or play that scornes strict and circumspect walking is a fighter against God 2. Those that in thēselves or others uphold the dragons dominion these apparently fight against Christ not one of their lusts must fall downe before the word looke in what sinne the devill did raigne for that they strive and contend still and none so great enemies as those that strive against their sinnes they must sweare and lie and game they must outface conscience and scorne godlinesse so also they are loath the devill should lose any ground in others and therefore they strengthen sinners and incourage them in all their wayes of loosnesse gaming wasting out their time and drunken companionship resisting tumultuously a faithfull Ministery 3. Those that strive
up to hatefull things condemned by themselves to drunkennesse filthines usury base and shamefull courses that their name stinkes as a Candle sluttishly put out not after but before they are put out that all men may see them cast out of their place parts before hand and if the wicked servants talēt be taken from him what remaines but the other part of the sentence Cast him into utter darknesse Mat. 25. 30. 2. Another note of a man whose place shall not bee found is hee is one whose place is not found amongst Gods people in his House and ordinances Cain as vile as hee was being cast out from the presence of God complaines of a miserable case many outcasts now wilfully excommunicate themselves and please themselves in it their owne hatred of grace hath cast them out from Gods people and worship already Gods house hath already spewed them out as unworthy of the fellowship of Gods people and whither are they hastening hee that will not abide to have his place found amongst Gods people shall one day have his wish his place shall never bee found among them Thirdly a man blowne about as chaffe and dust already shall never have a stable estate hereafter as I. If any bee carried with every blast of false doctrine as unrooted unsetled in the faith never was there change of religion but Satan raised false teachers and seducers who did privily bring in damnable heresies such as Iannes and Iambres that resisted the truth and carryed away numbers from the truth themselves first carryed away by the deceit of Balaams wages beware of such Popish Pedlers that helpe to sell the people of God into the hands of the cursed Babylonians Ieremie describes such 1. They cast aside the Word of God and deliver their owne dreames chaffe instead of wheare they bend and straine their wits to looke out vaine and foolish things causes of banishment Lam. 2 14. 2. They are described by their intolerable Iesuiticall lying fathering that upon the Lord which the Lord never spake where doth the Lord in al◠the Scripture enveigh against the powerfull frequēt preaching of his holy word Shall we beleeve he speaks from God who cryes out of too much Preaching I must beleeve that his eyes are sore or bleared who cries out of light how can a Torch-light be welcome to a company of theeves or robbers how can the light of the word be welcome to Atheists Papists and Iesuiticall spirits who would robbe the Church of the word of salvation 3. They are described by hucksterly blending the wine of Gods word with the puddle-water of humane inventions watch them and disclaime them that would sow our field with the miscelen of Popery who like their Jesuiticall friends with one wipe will cast out all the reformed Churches from being the true Churches of God with whom wee have joyned as sisters ever since the restoring of the Gospell as in the harmony of Confessions appeareth with another overthrow the better halfe of the fourth Commandement as their friends cast out the whole second Commandement and as like the Jesuites as may bee cast dirt and foame upon the faithfull able and zealous Preachers because they see them stand in their light as the greatest opposites to their Popish projects Well for giving heed to such deceitfull Prophets the Lord threatneth Ierusalem to wipe her as a maid wipes a dish If we would not be cast out of our places Churches let us beware of such locusts whose property is to eate up every greene thing Rev. 9. 4. especially beware of the delusiō of Antichrist who is that beast that must goe into destruction and the King of these Locusts for how shall they that adhere to him stand or bee found in their place when his place shall not be found II. The like of one who is carryed away with the blasts of temptation from sinne to sinne having no stedfastnesse in a good course None can bee established by iniquity III. The like of them that are carryed away with Apostasie from good beginnings without constancy in their hearts or mouthes or good actions such withered leaves are blowne away with windes Psal. 1. And IIII. Of them that runne after the world setting their hope and heart on earthly things for how can such a ones place be found when earth and heaven flies away and their place found no more Revel 20 11. when all Ilands and Mountaines shall not bee found Rev. 16. 20 Vers. 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devill and Satan which deceiveth the whole world hee was cast out into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him This Verseis a large confirmation or interpretation of the former and in it are foure parts I. A large description of the party overthrowne the grand enemie of the woman and that by two arguments 1. His names and titles which are foure 1. The great dragon 2. That old serpent 3. The devill 4. Satan 2. His effect he deceiveth the whole world II. The manner of his overthrow He was cast not downe but out III. The place designed whither he was cast into the earth IIII. His company and associates in this overthrow and his Angels with him First of the description Quest. Why is the Spirit of God so large in it Answ. 1. That we should not mistake the enemie overthrowne and conceive of any naturall or physicall dragon in proper sense 2. That wee should not doubt of the truth of the overthrow For the meaning of the names I. The great dragon is the arch-enemie of mankinde who had in all ages by his instruments oppressed and outragiously wasted the Church but especially as wee have seene in this Text by the great and prophane power of the old Romane and imperiall dragons in whom he had ruled at his will tyrannized over the woman spreading upholding all Idolatry blasphemy heresies and plotting dēvising and executing all injustice tyranny and barbarous immanity against her this dragon is now cast out of whom and his greatnesse wee have spoken at large verse 3. and will neither repeate nor add to that discourse II. The Title is The old Serpent where 1. His nature 2. His adjunct His nature he is a serpent First because hee hid and covered himselfe in the serpent in his first stratageme against our first Parents Secondly because of his serpentine disposition in two things 1. His poyson and malice both in the fountaine and streams for in his owne nature his poyson is alwayes ready as in a fountain and in his effects it runneth incessantly as in full streames first and principally against Christ the Head of the Church and then against all the members for the Heads sake His speciall hatred is against Christ for as the serpent carries a most deadly antipathic and fight against the Hart or Hinde so this serpent against Christ who is aijeleth hashahar the hart or hinde of the
not bee in houses Temples Cities but in prisons Mountaines Dennes Desarts and Caves of the earth But shee is alwayes safe for First if shee cannot be safe in the City shee shall bee safe in the wildernesse God provideth a safe place for her Secondly the purpose of God for the safety of the Church cannot bee altered or abrogated by all the enterprises of the enemies for his counsell must stand and therefore let Pharaoh slay all the infants beside Moses must bee preserved alive by his owne daughter in his owne bosome to be a Deliverer the onely thing hee would prevent Let Herod slay all the infants under two yeares old hee shall misse of him whom he seekes Thirdly Gods high account of his Church makes her alwayes safe as the signet on his hand as the Apple of his eye the Church is as the Lords wheat saith Augustine and shall be kept in the Lords Granary If Aegypt bee not a safe place for Moses he appoints him Midian to flie into If Iudea bee not safe for the childe he shall bee safe by a flight into Aegypt a wildernesse in comparison till the appointed time Athanasius who dyed in the yeare 390. speaking of those that were hid from the persecutions of those times said The childe was preserved whom Herod sought to destroy Fourthly Gods wisdome makes it healthfull for the Church sometime to bee hid that shee may alwayes bee safe for else the whole world would fall upon her all at once and utterly destroy her Which serves to remove the brag of the Papists concerning their Church and their brand and scandalous imputation against ours For their Church they prove it the true Church because they have had a perpetuall externall splendor and a continuall glorious visibility and a true noted and famous succession of Pastors and Professors since Christs Ascension till this day To which I answer two things 1. It is false that the Romish Church hath held a true succession either in doctrine or persons for two Reasons First because there is no part of Popery wherein it dissenteth from the Reformed Churches which is neare the age of Christ and his Apostles but came in by patches and pieces many hundred yeares after and some points very lately till the whole Antichristian Chaos and confused body was made up I might instance in their Latine Service Transubstantiation Communion in one kinde worshipping of Images prohibition of Ministers marriage and the patching together of the severall shredds of the Masse with a number of other new devises coÌ„fessed by themselves to stand onely by the Churches constitution and not by authority of the Scripture Secondly as that argues their doctrine not successive from the Apostles so they have no true personall succession from them For there was not a Papist in the world for the space of sixe hundred yeares after Christ nor any Father Councell or learned man in all those ages who held the same points of Popery as now these doe This hath Bishop Iewell unanswerably discovered in 27. points and Master Perkins in thirty nine in his learned Probleme against Iodoâ—us Coccius 2. Another thing I answer to their bragg is that if it were true as they say of such perpetuall glory and visibility then could they not more strongly conclude themselves a false Church seeing the true Church of Christ must flie into the wildernesse many hundred yeares from the fury of Antichrist unlesse they can make it appeare that a perpetuall glorious externall splendor a perpetuall visible head and the most domineering Monarchy in all the world comporteth with the abject desolate and retyred estate of the wildernesse a place full of annoyance wants obscurity and solitarinesse For their brand and challenge of our Church that wee cannot derive the pedigree of our religion beyond Luther nor shew where it was nor the names and persons of any that professed it To this I answer 1. with Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum That which is indeed ancientest is of all other the truest and wee hold our religion from the ancient Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles therefore it is the true religion and hath a true succession in doctrine and consequently of persons suppose wee could not name them because it is the religion and faith of the woman in the wildernesse which sometimes Antichristian tyranny suffred her not openly to professe she flyeth into the wildernesse according to Gods Word to hold and preserve it to all succeeding ages Object But if you have so true a succession why doe not you name them Answ. This miserable shift of the Jesuites apparently argues the desperatenesse of their cause and is like a Crayfish which hath more picking than meat a very tricke and triviall inconsequence to call us from the cause whereof they are weary unto persons as if wee had no sounder arguments for the truth of GOD and verity of our religion then from mens testimony and succession We know that if we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater and professe as the Samaritans to the woman We beleeve not our religion for any mans word or any womans or because any hee-Pope or shee-Pope saith it is so or contrary but because wee have heard Christ himselfe speaking in the Scriptures Wee take our religion as wee take gold not onely or chiefly by the sound but by the touchstone and ballance and we have learned in our Creed to beleeve the Catholike Church though wee see it not And because contraries make one another more perspicuous I would aske them whether wee may not beleeve that the Towre of Babel was built unlesse wee could name all the persons that brought Brick or Lime to it all the Masons all the labourers and workmen that were upon it or whether wee may not beleeve that a tree is growne unlesse wee know the person the name the particular time and houres of the planting sprowting and growing of it Doubtlesse if wee did not know when and by what degrees or by what persons and workmen their Romish Babel is built and reared yet wee see and must beleeve that it is built And suppose wee did not know which in most essentiall differences wee doe the persons nor the very period of the time when every branch of the tree of Antichristian heresie did begin to sprout and bud out yet our eyes see and we must beleevè that the tree is deepe rooted large spred and growne tall and thicke And were it not most absurd that matter of divine truth must not be beleeved unlesse wee can name all men that ever spake or beleeved it But to hold them to short and manifest reason I conclude in this forme Whatsoever Church hath a true succession of doctrine from Christ and his Apostles hath also a true and perpetuall succession of persons whether that succession bee visible and nominable or no But wee have true succession of doctrine from Christ
The soule hath as well his eye of faith as the body the eye of sense and by that we see not the head only but the members and beleeve and live in the Communion of Saints And went to warre The wrath of the dragon produceth the warre of the beast and Antichrists wars are the dragons wars the dragon by and in Antichrist makes warre upon the Church For 1 The wrath of the dragon is in them as the chiefe moover inspirer and General who seales commission to his universal Vicar and Liâ—utenant who receives power from him Revel 13. 2. 2 The cruelty of the dragon is in them who as he is an homicide and manslayer from the beginning so is this an Apollyon a destroyer a scarlet beast of a bloody coulor dyed in the blood of Saints a woman drunke with blood 3 The scope of the dragon is in them universall and unmercifull destruction of bodies and soules Rev. 13. 15. Whosoever will not worship the beast he commaunds them to be slaine But this is a small thing to his spirituall warre in which he comes with effectuall delusions among them that perish that all they might be damned c. 2 Thes. 2. 10 11. 4 The meanes of the dragon is in them As the dragon seekes to draw the worship of God upon himselfe from God Mat. 4. so doth Antichrist sit as God and all the earth must worship the beast As the dragon to attaine his ends will salsifie and vilifie the word of God so the beast slayes the two Prophets Rev. 11. 9. that is as some interpret the two Testaments He must needs destroy soules if first he can destroy the Scriptures And never were the two witnesses so warred against as by Antichrist 5 The subtilty of the dragon is in them even all his seaven heads He fights not only like a Balak with open fiercenesse but like a Balaam a false prophet by his wiles and delusions He comes not so much with displayed banners as with hostility wrapped up with all guile and deceitfull pretenses He will not be seene to warre as an enemie and persecuter of the Church but under specious termes of the Patron and just defender of the Catholike Church Now if the warres of Antichrist be the dragons warres of all other wee must hold them the most pernicious to mankinde and of all other deprecate these and wish rather to fall into the hands of any Turke or tyrant then into the hands of Antichrist For First other tyrants are raysed by the generall wrath of the dragon against mankinde but this from the greatest wrath against the Church the seed of the Woman Secondly those are satisfied with our goods lands liberty or life and intend no further but this not so content must have our religion consciences and salvation our heaven and God from us Thirdly their weapons are corporall and onely wound and slay the body Let Nero Domitian Decius Dioclesian or the Turke or Scythian come they can bring sword fire wilde beasts melted ledd gibbets and other exquisite bodily torments But the cruelty of Antichrist beside all these brings strong delusions idolatry apostacy heresie And this spirituall persecution is so much more cruell as the soule is more excellent then the body and so much more dreadfull as the destruction of both together is more desperate then of one alone Wee must not measure the cruelty of Antichristian warre as theirs by the privation of mortall life but by the invaluable losse of life eternall 2 Note the miserable estate of such as fall unto the part of Antichrist they are intereffed in the dragons warres and directly fight against Christ against their owne salvation and others Wee must esteeme them greater enemies then any tyrants or robbers that would only bereaue us of our goods or lives These slaves of Antichrist are become bondslaves to the dragon for none worship the beast but they first worship the dragon Rev. 13. 4. 3 Let it moove us to stand so much the more resolutely against Popery and the impostures of Antichrist seeing wee stand against the wrath of the dragon for the right and honour of Jesus Christ against his sworne enemie and for our owne salvation This will be the honour of the Saints that they perish not only as sheepe woryed by the wolfe but as the valiant souldiers of Jesus Christ who even in martyrdome are more then conquerors With the remnant of her seed The number of faithfull Christians that sticke close to Christ against the corruptions of Antichrist is but a small number and as small in worldly reputation Christs company was alwaies a little flocke Luk. 12. 32. And Israel is as the sand of the sea yet a remnant onely shall be saved Rom 9. 29. This phrase is a metaphore taken from tradesmen who having cut out a whole piece of cloth leave some small remnant or remainder even so the true professors of the Gospell are but as a small remainder of the whole piece and people of the world Beside it is but the remnant of her seed As a little seed-corne is reserved out of a great heape for store which is nothing to the whole croppe so is the small number of true Beleevers reserved by grace to the whole field and croppe of the world as it was in the state of the ancient Church in captivity Zech. 3. 1. Is not this a brand pulled out of the fire the state of the people being as a great tree cut downe and cast into the fire of which one little brand was snatched out of the flame and returned from captivity and the dragon would have had that brand burnt to ashes too so here he warreth on the remnant of the seed of the woman in the wildernesse So also is the number of Gods company sayd to be one of a City and two of a tribe as if in a great inundation of water which carrieth away a whole towne or country some one or two houses or persons should escape or as if in a blazing and universall fire devouring a whole City one or two houses should bee left standing 1 Few are chosen Mat. 20. 17. God hath decreed that few shal be saved The earth affords much clay for potters but little oare for gold Common stones are many pearles but a few In the universall Church signified by the Arke were but few even eight soules saved all the rest drowned 1 Pet. 3. In particular visible Churches there are but a few names that defile not their garments Rev. 3. 4. All are not Israel that go for Israel and all that go for Virgins are not admitted to the bridegroomes chamber 2 The gate to heaven is straight and few finde it Mat. 7. 14. None know it of themselves and of them that know it few will endure the persecution the sharpenesse the selfe-deniall the mortification the losses the crosses with which that straight way is strawed the most
consideration of the approach of death was a spurre to the Apostle Peter to double his diligence in the Ministery 2 Pet. 1. 13. The Magistrate hath a notable worke in hand in repressing the wrath of the dragon upholding and encouraging godliness and annuall Magistrates have but a short time when it is longest in their office Have you but a short time be the more stirring and carefull to do good that little time Wee have seene some in that short time have done a great deale of ill businesse therefore imitating the dragon because they would not heare the voice of God But a good man in office will do a great deale of good in a short time Wee heare sometimes some Magistrates reckon what a short time they have to weare out I would wee could heare what good they are resolved to do in that short time which will away apace for it is onely the good they do in it which will abide for their comfort Finally the private Christian hath an excellent worke in hand namely to worke out his owne salvation and to further others both in workes of piety and by workes of mercy spirituall and temporall to helpe them unto heaven and in earth Hast thou but a short time for so great a worke be so much the more diligent Seest thou the dragon because his time is short so industrious in heaping up his owne damnation and wrapping as many others as he can into his judgment and wilt or canst thou slack thy pace and diligence in promoting thine own and other mens salvation 3 As the divell and his instruments shew and declare the shortnesse of their time by extreme wickednesse because Satan powres forth his spirit upon the world to poyson it with outragious sinnes so let us manifest that wee keepe in mind the shortnesse of our times and that we are cast into the last ages by our readinesse and cheerefulnesse in good duties and in abundant fruits of the spirit which in the last dayes was to be powred out Act. 2. 17. Wee must expresse the powring out of this spirit by our increase in knowledge faith obedience and be more fruitfull in our age Thus wee shall aright testifie our right judgement of our owne time and of the last age of the world And as the wicked of the world shew apparātly the last time and Christ neare at hand by abundance of iniquity by worldlinesse atheisme excesses of carnall delight for is it not as in the dayes of Noah wherein men eate and drinke and marry and give in marriage and cast off all care of judgment so let us shew it the last age and that a short time remaines by using the world as not using it by marrying as not marrying and by heavenly conversation and all this because the time is short as the Apostle adviseth 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. because there is no constancy or durance of any of these earthly contentments no more then of the world it selfe let us use these moderatly and gaine those which are lasting unwithering and unperishing Vers. 13. But when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child SAtan being cast out of heaven I meane that heaven upon earth which is distant from the earth not in distance of place but in sanctity of faith and manners so as he cannot prevayle to prejudice the same as hee would for neither can hee hinder the sound of the Gospell but it prevaleth in the world neither can hee seduce the Elect nor prevent the Saints of their salvation Now seeing himselfe cast vnto the earth he rageth among earthly-mindedmen and stirreth up his agents and vassals to raise up horrible persecutions and new tyrānies to root out if it were possible the name and mention both of Christ and the woman his Spouse but all in vaine as the former assault was as appeares in the sequell of the Chapter In this and the fourteenth Verse are two things 1. A new onset of the dragon upon the woman with the reason in this Verse 2. The evasion or escape of the woman with the meanes in the next Verse In the Onset consider First the person persecuting The dragon Secondly the person persecuted The woman Thirdly the time and manner When shee had brought forth the man childe I. The persecutor is the dragon that is both the devill the head of that fierce kingdome and all such instruments as he raised and used against the Church in this new assault and persecution for there is but one persecutor of the woman in all ages even Satan who is the same but hee hath many members and Ministers even a continuall spawne and succession who as they carry his nature so here also his owne name and are one and the same dragon in minde in will in malice in act Hence it is that in Scripture whatsoever the one doth the same the other is said to doe Revel 2. 10. The devill shall cast some of you into prison What Commodus Decius or the other Tyrants did the devill is said to doe and the workes of the Jewes in persecuting Jesus Christ is called the devils worke Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devill his workes yee doe 1. Because the dragon being the god of the world ruleth the hearts of wicked men who inclines their wils to hate the Church and stirres them up to persecute and leades them at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and a slave cannot doe but what his Lord commands him onely he inspireth and acteth voluntaries 2. The same causes which stirre up the one stirre up the other to this fury First as there is an old enmity betweene the woman and the serpent so is there betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent If there be hostility betweene two Princes it is maintained among all their subjects Secondly as the dragon being a deadly enemy to Gods glory incessantly seeketh to hinder and abolish pure religion holy worship and worshippers because it is contrary to his designes and stoppeth his power which prevaileth in Idolatry superstitiō and Atheisticall liberty so doe wicked enemies his issue and off-spring in all ages fight against the true worship of God holy religion and pure worshippers as against their contraries because they despise their false gods detest their idolatry resist false religion contest against their superstition and actually reprove their Atheisticall liberty and all their proceedings contrary to the light of grace and the word of grace Thirdly as the dragon feares that Christ and his Kingdome will weaken his kingdome so the spawne of the dragon feare the same Herod and Domitian feare the comming of Christ and therefore command them of the stock of David in Jewry to be slaine If we let this man alone say the Pharises all men will beleeve him and down goes our credit Yea say the Rulers and the Romanes will come and
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