things when the fashion of this world shall be changed and it shall depart like a scrol and the elements melt with fervent heat What this is may be spoken to Chap. 21. vers 1. But certainly here is such a change as was not before this time even that spoken of under the seventh vial Chap. 16. that heaven and earth shall flee away as not to be found that is not so as formerly they were there being now a change on them They are said to flee before his face to shew with what facility and ease that change shall be wrought 2. Of what glorious majesty and power this great Judge shall be that these creatures cannot abide His presence but do flee 3. To shew that it is the end because this consummation and great change on the Creation is instantly before the Judgement when the living Elect shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye as 1 Cor. 15. and 1 Thess. 4. now time and place as we make use of them are gone The fourth step of this preparation is the raising of all parties to be judged which includeth the Resurrection in two steps 1. that all are again brought to a bodily life where ever their bodies were buryed or destroyed And here we take in the change that shall befall these who shall be living instead of their dying The second step is their appearing before the Judgement for where the carcase is there will the Eagles be gathered together Hence it is said that the Son will send out His Angels to gather them from the four winds and Jesus the Judge shall have them personally presented before Him which also in part belongeth to the procedour This is the order of the matter though this of the resurrection be subjoyned after the procedour in judgement ver 13. The second thing cleared in this judgement is the parties who is the Judge and 2. who are judged The Judge certainly is Jesus Christ the Mediator who hath the keys of hell and death Chap. 1.18 and is appointed Judge of quick and dead Act. 17.30 31. called God ver 12. before whom all do appear for He is personally to be understood having these divine Attributes of power to execute omniscience to take up and justice to proceed He hath divine Authority and Commission for this He hath divine glory and will appear to be God in our nature in that day going about this last and solemn act of His Mediatory service and Kingdom The parties judged who stand before the throne are 1. generally the dead all who ever lived as after ver 12. Under which are comprehended these who then shall be alive as also Enoch and Elias 1. because their change shall be as death to them in changing their bodies to an immortall condition 2. Because they are few and comprehended under the greatest number for if the dead appear much more these who shall be living More particularly they are distributed in small and great which taketh in all sorts 1. Kings and mean ones none shall escape 2. Rich and poor 3. Mighty powerfull strong and weak 4. Old at the greatest age and statuâ—e and young who have not attained to their perfection In a word all that ever breathed and had life none are exempted but all are made to appear If any ask what young ones have to be judged for Answ. They are under one of the Covenants either of Works or Grace if of Works then have they the breach of that Covenant to count for they being the serpentine brood of a transgressing stock 2. If they are Elect they are to be judged by the Book of life For that question agitated in what pitch every one appeareth whether of a lower or taler stature old or young according as they died we insist not on it The Schoolmen decide all to be raised about the age of thirty years that being the prime of mans strength and about the age that Christ was at when He suffered which will be found to be thirty three years and some more having entred to His publick Ministrie in the thirty but this derogateth from the mysterie of the resurrection 1 Cor. 15. for though the same body be raised ye it will be another kind of body than ever formerly it was at any age We may say of the Elect they shall be perfect in what ever condition they died all that which is imperfect being done away their person stature judgement c. being perfected And we think that that perfection which consisteth in conforming them to Christs glorious Body is of another kind than to respect either age stature or the like We may see from this also the absurdity of that Popish conceit whereby the judged are distinguished in four sorts by the Schoolmen one whereof doth judge and is not judged being of a degree of perfection beyond coming into judgement here none that hath life whether Elect or Reprobate are secluded but all being in these Books all that are written in them must appear and none there are but they are written in them and no need there were of this Book of life if the Elect in it were not also to be judged It is true Believers none of them shall come to judgement as judgement importeth condemnation according to the Word Ioh. 3.18 so no Elect cometh into judgement yet for absolution they come It is truth also that the Saints shall then judge even Angels 1 Corinth 6. and possibly the Apostles and some others may be more eminent in that judgement Matth. 19.28 yet that doth not exclude them from being judged themselves they being among the dead now standing before the throne but includeth an affeâ—â—ory aâ—sent to the great Judge His sentences and is a speciall prerogative put on all Believers that day who shall be caught up on the bench with the Judge when the reprobate like fellous and pannelled malefactorâ— shall be standing at the bar while they sit as it were on the steps of the sides of His throne being caught up to Him when others are left 1 Thess. 4. which also may admit of degrees Followeth now the proceeding when God is on His throne and all the world standing before Him It hath three steps 1. generally Books are opened for all 2. A speciall Book for the Elect The book of life is opened 3. Sentence is passed and pronounced upon all according as was found in these books and according to their works In all which there is an allusion to mens proceeding where when men are guilty and brought to judgment 1. there libels are red called by the Hebrews books Iob 31.35 2. The witnesses depone or their depositions already on record are made known 3. The Law is consulted concerning the matters that are found what sentence is due to them So it is here which is not as if Jesus Christ were literally so to proceed for nothing escapeth Him but to shew that the judgement shall be as accurate and particular in the
he not making war against them before Yes his rage hatred and persecution was alway during these fourty and two months But 1. It was not properly war for he had no considerable party to deal with but some lurking hidden ones he had all at will treading under foot the holy City at his pleasure vers 2. Now they are a publick party and bide him some more contest 2. His making havock of Orthodox Christians was now more palpable and his rage and violence at a greater height having more fear and more matter to work on 3. This rage pursueth till death yea continueth after it yet it is not only to be restrained to bodily killing but it may take in excommunications banishments forfeitoures proscriptions and all these wayes used to undo his opposits In sum it is here shown that when Religion should get up its head and Ministers begin boldly and openly to preach the Gospel then he shall rage and leave no mean of destruction unessayed and shall in a great measure prevail to the outward narring of its liberty for a time and more especially vent this his malice on the Ministers of it and take away the lives of many which clearly in Charles the fifth his time in the wars of Germany wars and massacres of France Martyrdoms and persecutions in England and Scotland after Religion sprang up first may be said to be fulfilled By all which it evidently appeareth 1. that after the fourty two moneths immediately neither cometh the Church to peace nor Antichrist to ruine he fighteth and in part prevailed then 2. That this prophesie belongeth and relateth especially and particularly to that time when Reformation began and the Popes Kingdom took a turn Vers. 8. Two circumstances of their low condition are further added 1. That after death they shall not be buried which cometh from two grounds 1. from that beasts malice that was not content with the bodily death of Christs witnesses but followed them with contempt and exposed them to opprobrie even after death it being common and ordinary in the persecutions of France England Germanie Helvetia c. to keep the bodies especially of Ministers unburied after their death long So Zuinglius being killed by the Popish Cantons was thus insulted over and the Admiral of France and many others at the Massacre of Paris Sometimes their bones were raised and burned after their buriall as Bucers was in Queen Maries dayes However it holdeth forth cruelty even after death seeking to shame and rub reproach upon their very names and works when they thought they had their will 2. It proceedeth from Gods overruling providence that will not have all memory of these witnesses testimonies buried but though they be low and as it were killed and unburied yet He maketh their enemies insulting over them in their low condition the forefeiting imprisoning banishing and keeping of them under restraints a mean to keep their testimonie alive So that though the witnesses be despicable to them and they think now that they are down and shall never rise again yet there is a testimony visible and they are witnesses above the ground still and things are not desperate but even these witnesses in their death imprisonments c. witnesse and overcome The second circumstance in this Verse is the place where it shall be It is in the street of the great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt by this City is certainly understood Rome yet so as it is not only meaned that Town as it is within walls but that Empire urbs and orbis being at that time when this was written almost equal called the great City Chap. 17. ult that reigneth over the Kings of the earth and the priviledges of this City spread as far as their government did in which respect Paul calleth himself a Roman born as being born of a City or Parents priviledged with that liberty And it is observable when in this prophesie he speaketh of Rome he doth it ever eminently the great City the great whore BABYLON THE GREAT Chap. 17.5 and 18.2 and of no other he speaketh so save of the new Ierusalem in opposition to it This great City is set out in three properties which are spiritually that is mystically to be understood So 1 Corinth 11. they all eat that spirituall food c. that is something represented by these names which is to be understood in a spirituall sense and not literally but as she is called MYSTERIE BABYLON c. Chap. 17.5 because there is a mysterious resemblance so here she is called spiritually Sodom that is for luxury pride fulnesse of bread and spirituall uncleannesse abominable Ezek. 16. 2. Egypt that is having and exercising a spirituall tyrannie over Gods people and abounding in spirituall Idols as Egypt did in a more grosse way for which Israel could not sacrifice among them 3. It is said that our Lord was crucified there not literally but spiritually as the word before cleareth and as that word also doth clear that is either not only was He crucified at Ierusalem but also there or it is spiritually Egypt also spiritually our Lord was crucified there which cannot agree to Ierusalem neither to Egypt nor Sodom at that time literally taken neither were it any mysterie or spiritually to be understood of Ierusalem which never getteth the name of the great City literally And it is rather designed by that paraphrase where our Lord was crucified than by Ierusalem because mystically the true Church is still in this Book set out by that This part of the description agreeth to Rome 1. In that under its dominion Christ was crucified and by its Authority to wit by a President of theirs Pontius Pilate for He was delivered to the Gentiles 2. In respect of His Members Ordinances c. there He had been long persecuted and crucified in them and put to open shame Heb. 6.6 In the street of this city that is publickly by their Authority as malefactors used to be in the streets this is not private murther but open avowed persecution See for this Petrarcha lib. Epist. sine titulo Epist. 16. who wrote three hundred years since This is amplified in the 9 and 10. vers In the 9. vers 1. In the delight that all men shall take in the low condition of these witnesses they shall see them that is they shall with delight behold it and hear it and will not be content to have them buried and this is done by all kinds their hatred is universal 2. The time is not long and this sad condition of the Prophets and mirth of this world will change It is but three dayes and an half with an allusion to Christs being under the power of death and to keep a proportionablnesse to the three years and an half before an indefinit time certainly and cannot be three dayes for then all kindreds shall not have time to see them and so make merry 2. It is not literally to be taken for they are
rise up and write thou art called to reverence and fear me but to such a fear as may stand well with thy duty and further thee and doth not hinder thee in it And we would learn not to fear in so far as it works any of these effects Obs. 2. When fear exceeds degenerates and groweth excessive in these three spoken of our Lord alloweth it no more than He doth proud security only Jesus Christ is much more tender of souls under the one nor He is under the other yet let us not please our selves in these excessive fits as if we were in no hazard Obs. 3. It faith that folks would be tender in dealing with souls under such distempers knowing there is a great difference betwixt these who are under carnall presumption and others under fainting The third step of Christs care is in giving Iohn grounds of consolation to warrand his faith and they are three The first is from His own God-head I am the first and the last I am God that speaks to thee I was before the world and will continue when the world shall be ended the eternall God a singular property of God and a demonstration of Christs God-head therefore would He say thou needest not fear Iohn I am not an enemy nor a stranger or terrible spirit but God and that may sustain one in friendship with God and it is also a proof that the Vision before was a Vision of Christ as God 2. The second ground is the union of His God-head and Man-head in one Person and His suffering in His Man-head united to His God-head I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore In the Originall it is otherwise and better for the understanding of the words I am the living and I was made dead and behold I live for evermore I am the living that is I am the living God who had life from all Eternity of my self and gave life to all creatures that have life as it is Ioh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and I that was and is this living God the Way the Truth and the Life was made dead that is I became Man was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. pointing out the true Mediator God-Man in one Person His taking on the nature of man and satisfiing the Justice of God in undergoing the wrath of His Father and in subjecting Himself to the death of the Crosse for the sins of His own Elect both Natures are joyned in one Person yet it was not as God that he died though the Person that was God died And behold I live for evermore Amen in as far as I was once dead as Man now I am alive and shall live for evermore And this last expression hath two words put to it to point out its excellency 1. Behold I live pointing at His Resurrection and the consolation that flowes from it to Believers I have overcome death and live and so I live as I shall live for ever for the benefit of Believers in me That is of speciall consolation to us our life being linked to Christs life who is God Man and our Mediator because He lives we shall live also Ioh. 14.19 His life is a pledge and pawn of ours 2. Amen or Verily an asseveration to confirm the truth of His Resurrection and to put all the world out of doubt of His living not only as God but as God and Man in one Person Be assured ye have a living Christ. The third ground is And I have the keyes of hell and death to point out His absolute soveraignity as Mediator in the state of Humiliation and Exaltation therefore fear not Iohn for I have the keys of hell and ordereth even what concerns them The keys are the sign of Government Isa. 22.21 It 's spoken of Eliakim a type of Christ I will commit the Government into his hand and then followes the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder The meaning is I have absolute soveraignity and dominion over heaven and hell I deliver and carry to heaven whom I please none go there but those whom I take in and hell prevaileth not at its own will but is under my dominion for I have supreme power over hell and death Not that Christs dominion is limited to these but because hell and death are the two things that Believers most fear He tells that they need not fear them for they are both His Vassals the devil bears not the keys but He bears them Himself These are the grounds of consolation that are given to Iohn and they are strengthening grounds of faith and salvation to all Believers Observe 1. Our Lord Jesus is God the first and the last He that was born of the Virgin Marie and so a true Man is God He that was crucified dead and buried is God This is one of the Articles of our Faith and this place of Scripture is to be looked on as a proof of it against all the most cavilling enemies of our Lords Deitie He that died was and is the first and the last and the incommunicable Attributes of the Godhead agree to Him 2. This is proposed as a ground of consolation to Iohn and all Believers And it hath a world of consolation in it as 1. Not only that there is a God but that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and that notwithstanding His being God yet He hath loved sinners so well that He took on mans nature and in that nature died for them and that He who wooes sinners and offers to marry them is God and yet is very tender to them and of them which is no small consolation And it sheweth also that He is faithful and powerfull to perform His promise to Believers so there is not a design of enemies laid from the beginning to this day but He hath a hand beyond it 2. That folks may expect good of God seing Christ is God can Believers look for hard dealing from Him He is absolute in His soveraignty and dominion yet swaying it for the good of Believers What would folks have more for a ground of consolation in times of confusion than this let the world go as it will our Lord Jesus is God and wisely orders all 3. It saith this that folks when their discouragements prevail as they are ready to mistake Christ so they are ready to reflect on His Godhead as if He were not faithful or powerful or wise or tender enough 4. The solid cure of fear and fainting is to be acquainted with Christ as God the ignorance of Christ is the ground of their being anxious impatient and dammished with faithlesse fears 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. From the second ground I am living and was dead Observe 1 That this Eternall Son of God became Man else He could not have died He that was God was also true Man and
this is another ground of our Faith or a confirmation of an Article of it 2. That Jesus Christ in His Man-head satisfied Justice for He was dead He laid down His life and that willingly No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down and take it up again 3. That Jesus Christ is God and Man having two distinct Natures in one Person for in the one Nature He is living and in the other Nature He that was living became dead yet it 's but one Person that was both living and dead some things as is ordinary are attributed to the Person that agree but to one of the Natures as Acts 20. 28. God is said to have purchased His Church with His own Blood not that the Godhead could suffer but He that was God suffered so of the Man Christ it may be said that He is Omnipotent yet not as man but the Person that was and is Man is Omnipotent so the Person that is God died though not as God but in respect of His humane nature and as He was Man These phrases from Christs own mouth do both clear and confirm our Faith And behold I am alive for evermore Then 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ who died once shall die no more 2. He who died out of love to His people is risen and exalted to heavenly glory and dignity and bears the Office of Mediator for the consolation of His people for evermore 3. His exaltation maketh Him no lesse mindfull nor lesse affectionate and tender of Believers in Him for Iohn might have thought that now there was a distance and drinesse come in between Christ and Him especially considered as God but He tells Iohn He liveth for his comfort and that he may expect that He who gave life to all and laid down His life for him and other Believers would be tender of Him and of His life Which letteth us see 1. That the price of Believers Redemption is paid 2. That it is paid by a Brother that had a humane nature and was like us in all things except sin 3. That Christ who is God is also Man and that to put us in a capacity of living 4. See here Christs Resurrection and victory over death so that the bargain is compleated and finished and consequently that Believers shall rise and live for ever through Him Every word here is bigg with consolation to us if we know how to suck at it LECTURE IX Vers. 18. And have the keys of hell and of death 19. Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter 20. The mystery of the seven Stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden Candlesticks The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches THe Lord is now comforting Iohn 1. From His Natures or Person 2. From His dying and victorie over death 3. From His Office which as Mediator He executes instanced especially over hell and death for these reasons 1. Because hell and death were the last enemies Christ had to subdue as if He said I have gotten power over the greatest enemies and consequently I have power over the rest and so it points at the greatnesse and universality of His power as Mediator He being made head over all things to the Church and having all things put under Him both which are in heaven and which are in earth and which are under the earth that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow 2. For the comfort of His people Particularly for the comfort of Iohn because now Iohn was affrighted with the Majesty of God and the challenges of his own sinfulnesse and was overcharged with fear therefore Christ saith to him fear not hell nor death Iohn for I have the keys of both and can dispose so of them as they shall not hurt thee so guarding him and His people against fears and down-casting which may flow from the apprehension of hell and death which are the main things that the wakened person cast down at Christs feet doth fear 1. From our Lords repeating these grounds of consolation for Iohn's incouragement in general Observe That when fear groweth excessive and degenerates even in these that should least mistake Jesus Christ it is not easily removed but will take one ground of encouragement and confirmation after another ere the soul be erected This is clear from the many Arguments and the repeating of them to remove Iohn's fear for Christ doth nothing idely so apprehensive and jealous is flesh when the Majesty of God kythes and the sense of sin and challenges for sin are wakened and the creatures infirmitie and weaknesse is discovered and so strong is misbelief That the souls of these who are most tenderly dealt with and readily none was more tenderly dealt with nor Iohn the beloved Disciple who lay in Christs bosom are hardly raised up to comfort and confidence This flowes partly from the pronenesse of our nature to mistake Christ and sink in discouragement and partly through our weaknesse and sinfulnesse so that the worth of Christ gets no credit in the general far lesse in our paticular at such a nick of time as this is when discouragement prevaileth a thing that experience teacheth and that souls would walk in fear of at such times a temper like unto which we may see Psal. 77. My sore did run in the night my soul refused comfort The second general is this That it is no great hazard for a discouraged soul to be laid at Christs feet it 's a good posture when a soul cannot bear the weight of a difficultie to throw it self down before Him Christ is tender to these and though souls sin in giving way to excessive fear through the apprehension of wrath and guilt yet our Lord deals gently with them when the reed is bruised He will not break it when the flax is but smoaking He will not quench it when the ewes are with young He softly drives them and carries the lambs in His bosome and suits His tendernesse in reference to them Isa. 40.11 If any be in such a condition it were good to believe this Christs tendernesse in such a case when the soul is laid low is abundantly clear in this one instance Thirdly More particularly Observe 1. That Believers may have apprehensions and fears of hell and death or the fears of hell and death may sease and be excessive in them therefore Christ guards against it which otherwise were not needfull Obs. 2. Much of this fear proceedeth from the ignorance of Christs ' Natures Person and Offices or from the ignorance of Him in the administration of these His Offices Therefore when He comes to comfort Iohn He holds out His Offices and lets Him know that life and death are at His disposing There is some secret mistake of Christ and some strange mould of Christ in the mind where
excessive fear prevaileth therefore it is often said fear not it is I be not afraid and through the following Epistles to the Churches He ever telleth what He is with some property Obs. 3. That our Lord Jesus Christ hath the absolute guiding and administration of what concerns His People yea hath their greatest enemies at His command He lets into hell and death and keeps out whom He pleaseth He gives orders in all Obs. 4. That there is no greater consolation to Gods People in time of their fears of hell and death than to know that our Lord Jesus hath the keys of both and all in both that devils will not winn out of the pit till He open the door nor lengthen their chain one link but as He lets it out Rev. 20.4.14 5. Lay all these together what needs Iohn fear If evil spirits act by Christs orders and the most wicked in hell or earth cannot exceed their orders what needs there be fears seing Christ keep the keys of the devils house and hath orders given and imployment carved out to them as acurately as He hath to men on earth good or bad for death and hell are His servants and go not their own errands but His and therefore dare not exceed their Commission yea they must not nor cannot what ever malice they have in prosecuting His order What ground then of fear is there And so it may serve to comfort us against the evils of our outward and inward condition there is nothing comes in Church or Commonwealth but as He orders it who is faithfull in all the house of God as a son It were good if our meeting together had this fruit to get the faith of His Soveraignity sealed up in our hearts If folks would choose a good Friend Patron or Master He is the Party stick to Him and fear nothing Vers. 19. Followeth the third thing and it is some circumstances that make way for Iohns writting what he saw or our Lords repeating and inlarging of Iohns Commission This Commission is so often repeated to tell 1. How punctuall He would have Iohn in keeping himself by his Commission neither altering nor diminishing it nor doing any thing lesse or more but what he had Commission for 2. To shew on what ground this word depends and the Authority of it it 's not to be accounted authentick because Iohn wrote it simply or because the Church accounts it so but because Iohn at Christs command wrote it Christ will have the Warrand and Authority of His Word discernable and out of question especially what is contained in this Revelation We will not find the Warrand of any so often repeated as the Warrand to write this 4. It may be for this reason Iohns former fainting and fagging might have made him forget his errand therefore He will repeat it to him to tell that discouraging and fainting must not marr folk in their duty but they would alwayes labour so to compose their spirits as the duty they are called to may not be neglected and though they may be surprized with fear and fainting yet they would up and fall to work again We may consider the reasons of this repetition more fully afterward That which He commands Him to write doth more accurately and distinctly divide this Book nor he did formerly vers 11. So that these words are the compendious division of the Book and Prophecy that followeth And we take it to be a division of it in three sorts of things 1. The things which thou hast seen 2. The things which are 3. The things which shall be hereafter or otherwise the first branch comprehendeth the second also and so it 's divided in two 1. The things which thou hast seen that is the things that in thy time have happened or fallen forth since the Gospel began the History of the Gospel in its rise and victories to this time And we expone it thus and do not refer it only to the particular Vision spoken of before for two reasons 1. Because These things which thou hast seen hold forth the subject matter of the Book as well as the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter And the things which thou hast seen are distinguished from the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter they must therefore be of one sort And so the things which thou hast seen relate to the time past the things which are to the time present as the things which shall be hereafter to the time to come 2. Because comparing these words with vers 11. we will find a clear difference for in vers 11. it 's said in the singular number What thou seest write in a Book and send it to the seven Churches which looketh to the particular Vision spoken of there or to the following Visions looking on the Revelation as one Vision with so many parts but here it is written the things in the plurall and which thou hast seen in the preterite time that is write the things which are past to distinguish them from things present and to come and so we expound these things of the things past from the rise of the Gospel to this time according to the scope of this Prophecy 2. The things which are that is the present estat of the Churches in the two following Chapters which holds forth the state of these Churches as they were for the time 3. The things which shall be hereafter or which must be hereafter point at the Story and State of the Church from Iohns time to the second coming of Christ for from the rise and beginning of the Church here it ends not till it bring the Church Militant to Glory and put the wicked in the bottomlesse pit Chap. 20. and 22. I mark it because it serves to be a key to the rest of the Story And this division sheweth 1. That we are not to seek in this Book of the Revelation things that were before Christs time as some needlesly draw it to the four Monarchies 2. That the things contained in this Book relate not to a generation or two only but to things falling out in the Church to the end of the world for though some little things before Christs time be hinted at in this Book yet they are not brought in as principall Prophecies but as usefull to expound these principall Prophecies as when Rome is spoken of Chap. 17. and its bypast Governments under the name of Babylon it is brought in to clear what is meaned by the whore which Iohn saw Again Two things further are observable here 1. Our Lord Jesus His care and respect to His Church that will acquaint her with things past present and to come for their comfort and edification So well would He have them provided with lessons and guarded against all times and what ever difficulties may come 2. Being now to enter to the story which He is to write He divides it ere He begin both to make
were true these things would follow it 1. He could have no evidence of his sincerity except he had more grace and that still in exercise nor corruption and that to his sense for every grace hath some opposite corruption and if it were not prevalent over its opposite corruption then could he not conclude that he were gracious and so not except he were more gracious than corrupt 2. If any grace were prevailed over by its opposite corruption he could not conclude that he were in a gracious estate because this is certain that where one grace is sincere there all graces are they being all members and parts of the new creature which in Regeneration is brought forth and it being certain also that for a time some graces will be exceedingly prevailed over by their opposites more than others as the fear of men will keep a Believer under in a particular more than the fear of God Then it will follow that either he hath true fear of God at the same time and so the sincerity of this grace of fear doth not consist in the prevalent degree thereof or hath no grace sincere at all because where one is unsound all is unsound contrà or one grace must be sound and another unsound which cannot be said simply upon the ground formerly given The Believer then in such a case must either conclude himself to be unsound or he must try it by some other mark from the kind thereof And though a Believer ought to account himself greatly faulty when any one corrâ—ption prevaileth yet it will not follow that he should reckon all to be unsound which this would infer and so contrâ—dicteth the Saints practices in such cases From all this we conclude that it 's more safe to keep both the common doctrine and expressions and although we have been longer upon this than possibly may be thought suitable to our purpose yet we have adventured upon it if so be it may conduce any thing to the clearing of that wherein the triall of mens states is so much concerned or if it may occasion some more unanimous expressing of this matter by others who may more dexterously perform it that so this be not stated as a new controversie in the Church at such a time when she is almost overwhelmed with intestine debates already For we are sure in the generall that these qualifications formerly mentioned of the end motive reduplication c. are necessary to the constituting of any act to be sincere as hath been said And if they be necessary they must either be comprehended under the expression of this prevailing degree of the act and so it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a striving for words which are not to be contended for And so both these are upon the matter one Or if they be not comprehended under that expression then they must be somewhat different from it and so there must be more requisite to constitute the sincerity of grace and to difference it from common works in hypocrites than this degree foresaid Or we must say that these qualifications must be accounted common to the acts of hypocrites and these that are renewed which is a thing that we cannot admit upon the grounds formerly laid down although we still acknowledge that the pressing at the most eminent degree of grace even in that comparative respect is exceeding necessary and usefull for attaining to the clear discerning of the sincerity of grace for often Believers do make their own search exceedingly difficult because of the want of this And the agitation of this question being somewhat new we hope what is said will be the more favourably constructed especially this being our fear that by such expressions or assertions as this opinion hath with it grace may come to be looked on as too common a thing and it and nature to be thought more sib than indeed they are LECTURE IIII. Vers. 8. And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna write These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive 9. I know thy works and tribulation and povertie but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Iews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten daies be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life 11. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death THe second Epistle is directed to the Church of Smyrna and as her case doth differ from the case of Ephesus and that both in respect of suffering and integrity so doth the Lords message to her differ and is wholly comfortable There is no charge against this Church as in many of the rest this doth not imply an universal freedom from guiltinesse of all sorts But first that this Church hath been free of grosse evils and hath been in honest simplicitie aiming at their duty And secondly it â—eareth out the Lords tendernesse in passing over many infirmities in an honest Church where there is much suffering It is not our purpose to insist in these Epistles the matter being clear and ye having good opportunity of hearing them more fully opened we shall only give a view of the â—cope to keep the coherence of the whole Book The Epistle hath the division common with all the rest in those three general parts to wit first a Preface or Inscription comprehending the Person from whom and to whom this message is directed The Titles given to Christ the Sender were spoken to chap. 1. They are two 1. He is the first and the last this setteth out the eternity of His God-head of His eternity as He is God 2. He is stiled He that was dead and is alive this setteth out Hiâ— Oâ—fice with the effiâ—aâ—iâ— of His death and the victory that He had obtained by overcoming death and the devil and being now above death and suffering to live God and Man in One Person for ever These Titles are specially chosen here for the consolation of this suffering honest Church for His suffering and dying commendeth Him as pitiful and compassionate and His God-head and Victory setteth Him out as sufficiently able both which being put together do exceedingly comfort His people who cannot but live seing He liveth and cannot but continue so for ever Psal. 18.46 Ioh. 14.19 Secondly The Body of the Epistle is contained vers 9 10 11. it especially runneth on these two 1. To hold out Smyrna her case and that both in respect of what was present vers 9. and also in respect of what was to come vers 10. 2. It holdeth out the consolations which are allowed to her for her incouragement in reference to both and these two are intermixed Her present
spirituall Priesthood will most properly agree to that according to the usuall application thereof in Scripture These Redeemed are said to fall down before the Lamb which is to shew their humble and reverend way of going about this work of praise and was spoken of Chap. 4. vers 10. Lastly They are furnished for this work having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours or incense which are the prayers of Saints this sheweth their fittednesse and readinesse for the work and it is done in expressions borrowed from the Ceremoniall worship under the Old Testament when yet the scope is to expresse the spirituall Worship that is given to God under the Gospel By harps are understood instruments for praise as is frequent in the Psalms and we will find the Saints in their chearfull condition Chap. 15.2 so described This sheweth a warmnesse and bendednesse of heart ready to burst out in the praise of the Mediator and to make melody thereby within themselves before Him which is more acceptable to Him and comfortable to them than the sweetnesse of any materiall instrument whatsomever as Ephes. 5.19 and Colos. 3.16 where we are commanded to praise with grace in our hearts which may well be the thing signified by these harps Beside this They have golden vials full of odours or incense Incense was used in the Ceremoniall worship when the people approached to offer up their requests to God therefore we have the word Psal. 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense vials are vessels wherein these were offered and so vials full of ordours will signifie a spirituall fittednesse with the Spirit of Grace and Supplication as is promised Zech. 12.10 to pour out the heart to God in prayer as well as in praise They are two notable qualifications of Believers and it is ordinary both in the Old and New Testament to understand by sacrifices and offerings the morall duties of praise and prayer in the dayes of the Gospel As to the last part this is confirmed in the words following which are the prayers of Saints where two things are answered 1. Would we know who these beasts and Elders were who have these vials It is answered they are Saints that is Believers Members of the Militant Church according to the usuall acception of the word and this confirmeth the former exposition which we gave of these parties Again would we know what these odours are which are in the vials the Text saith they are the prayers of Saints that is these odours represent the prayers of Saints which may either be understood indefinitely as interpreting what is meaned by odours in the generall and so all the prayers of all the Saints on earth in generall may be called odours and incense or we may take it with a speciall relation to this place and so the odours here will signifie the prayers of the same Saints who had the vials in their hands and thus they bring not properly the prayers of others to offer up to God which yet were not absurd considering that these officers were living Saints on earth but they bring their own prayers even as by harps is signified their own expressions of praise or the praise expressed by themselves as the Song following will clear This therefore hath no affinity at all with the Popish Doctrine of the intercession of Saints departed which is utterly crosse to the scope of this place It is to be observed also how different this phrase is from that which is attributed to Christ Chap. 8. vers 3. where he alone offereth the prayers of all Saints adding incense thereunto Their song followeth in the â— and 10. vers Where 1. there is the expression of their praise 2. The grounds or reasons thereof Their song is said to be a new song and they sing a new song 1. Because the matter was so great and excellent that no former expression of praise could as it were reach the same for which cause Psal. 40. David saith He had put a new song in his mouth when by a new and singular mercy He had given him matter thereof 2. It is new as contradistinct from the more obscure expressions of praise that were under the Old Testament Now the Office of the Mediator being more clear and He having made Himself more known to His People they accordingly expresse His praise in a new song The matter expressed is Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof that is in sum thou art worthy to be Mediator and to execute what belongeth to that Office This looketh not to be very much at the first yet there cannot be more said For if we will consider 1. This expression putteth Him beyond all creatures for none of them was found worthy and so by this they acknowledge Him to be beyond all 2. This expression hath in it an acknowledgement of His worthinesse and fitnesse to be Mediator and in all things to have the preheminencie and a Name above every name that is named which is the greatest conferred Glory that is conceivable and more than Angels and Men are capable of or can comprehend 3. This expression implieth their hearty assent to Gods constituting of Him in that Office and their exulting to see Him prosper and glorified in the executing of the same which is a thing well becoming a member of Christs Body and a subiect of His Kingdom and is the greatest length they can come at to wit to be assenters by their acknowledgement of His worth to Gods advancing of Him to this dignity The grounds of the praise follow in three steps the last being alwayes more particular than the former and an effect thereof The first is for thou wast slain that is in the execution of Thy Office and in obedience to the Fathers will Thou hast submitted Thy self to death even to a violent deâ—th and accordingly hath suffered the same and so Thou wast slain This dying of an accursed death is the great article and condition required upon the Mediators side of the Covenant of Redemption upon the undertaking and undergoing of which all priviledges promised to Him therein are grounded and from thiâ— all the Works of Redemption flow therefore here it is made the reason of His worthinesse to administer the Office of a Mediator in every thing and why He cannot but be thought worthy to do the same and to be praised by His People because He was slain and so hath performed what was undertaken by Him The second ground is And hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of â—very kindred and tonguâ— and people and nation In this there is a very sum of the Gospel and Work of Redemption and it is the more particular application of the former ground and the effect thereof as was said and this inforceth the former reason We have reason say they to praise Thee for Thy death for by it we that were lost and sold
significancy in this that Thou hast redeemed us by Thy bloud c. which doth respect the excellency of the Person who did lâ—y down His bloud for making of this purchaâ—e It is Thou who art the first and last who was dead and is alive and liveth for ever who art the Son of God yea who art God Act. 20.28 aâ— was more fully cleared Chap. 1.4 for Thou and Thâ— relate to the Person described by such titles in the former part of this Prophesie This doth give ground for this Argument If the purchase made by the bloud of Jesus Christ be such as could be made by none but by the bloud of Him who was and is God Then His death and suffâ—rings for that end must be a satisfaction and by their merit and efficacy procure the Redemption purchased But the former is true Therefore c. The reasons of the consequence are because First all the other ends of suffering may be in the sufferings of a meer man Secondly There were not need of such an excellent price if the merit and worth thereof did not concur by way of satisfaction for obtaining of this Redemption Thirdly This respect to the excellency of the Person sheweth where-from mainly their Redemption doth flow to wit that the Person dying was of such worth and that therefore His death and sufferings are accounted of great price before God And lastly Thâ—re is here a clear opposition Thou hast redeemed us by Thy bloud thaâ— is Thou who art God hast condescended to lay down Thy life and shâ—d Thy bloud for us who were of little worth which doth import that His sufferings were estimated in the stead of what should have been other wayes exacted from them These Arguments will be the more clear if we consider that opposition which iâ— made by the Apostle Rom. 5. betwixt our blessed Lord Jesus the second Adam and the first Adam of whom men have their sinfull being for in that comparison and opposition Christ is not only made the Author of life to these that are by Faith His seed as the first Adam was the author of death to these that descend from him but also and especially in this that as by the disobedience and transgression of Adam death was brought upon his Posterity as being procured by the guilt and demerite to speak so of that offence So by the obedience Righteousnesse and sufferings of the other life and freedom from the dominion of sin is purchased and that by way of merit and satisfaction equivalent to the former offence For as by Adams fall the Holinesse and Justice of God were wronged So by the obedience of the second Adam they were wonderfully made to shine And this being the Apostles scope to compare these two Adams together both in respect of the opposite effects that flow from them to their seed and in respect of the opposite means by which these are procured This which is asserted must necessarily follow It is also observable and doth exceedingly confirm the truth laâ—d down and discover the horridnesse of the opposite blasphemie that the denying of Chriâ—ts death to be a satisfaction and the denying of His blessed God-head are so knit together that the asserting of the one doth infer the other Therefore these wretched Sâ—cinians who denie the eternall God-head and the personality of the second person of the Godâ—head must also denie the merit and excellency of His obedience in His death without which it could not be a satisfaction But on the contrary the redeemed who have the right thoughts of Christs God-head have also this impression of His death that it is a satisfaction laid down in their name upon both which grounds they praise in this Song to wit that so excellent a Person should redeem them by so excellent a price as the bloud of God and this doth demonstrate their engagement to Him that when upon supposition of the threatned curse at least there was no other that could undertake their debt or satisfie for them but He who was God That even then He who was the Son of God did undertake the same We are perswaded that all who ever shall share in this Song shall acknowledge both these truths and heartily blesse the Son of God for making satisfaction by His bloud And considering that the Abbettors of this blasphemie do by this denie the God-head of our blessed Lords Person and altogether make void the efficacy of His Sacrifice and Priestly office so that neither His Person nor His Offices are acknowledged by them which yet are the two great and solid foundations of Christianity Therefore they are not worthy to be disputed with nor accounted Christians but rather to be joyned with and reckoned among Heathens or the followers of Mahomet and the receivers of His Alcaron For which cause Christians would guard against this most horrid Errour as being most blasphemous against the Mediator and most destructive to their own Salvation for by these grounds they can neither have a Redeemer nor a Redemption It is reported of Socinus the great Patron of this blasphemie by a Learned man to wit Cameron who writeth that he had it from one of his disciples that he privately denied the world to be made of nothing lest thereby he should be necessitated to acknowledge the infinitenesse of Gods power which afterward was more publickly avowed and contended-for by some of his followers What horrible tâ—ings are there that mens corruptions will not conceive and foster and what hieght or depth will not the devil drive men to where he getteth liberty These things have ever been abhorred as most detestable even as to the very mentioning of them yet this horrid blasphemie wanteth not its Patrons in this spring-time of Errour And therefore men ought to walk the more circumspectly in reference to the same Concerning the extent of the merit of Christs death or if it may be accounted a satisfaction for all men THe second Doctrine that we propose from the words is That though the death and sufferings of Christ be properly a satisfaction to the Justice of God for sin yet is not this intended by Christ nor accepted of by God as a price and satisfaction for the sins of all men and for the pâ—ocuring of Redemption to them but only for some peculiarly chosen of God and by His decree of Election seperated from others It is true that Chrâ—sts death being considered abstractly and materially in it self in respect of the Person who died and in respect of the manner of His performing this obedience with so much chearfulness reverence c. may be and by Divines is said to be of an infinit value So that if it had been so intended and transacted in the Covenant of Redemption it might have been in the former respects accounted and accepted as a price for many moe yea for all because such suffering performed by such a Person is equivalent unto and in respect of His excellencie who suâ—fers beyond
Lastly The necessity of this connexion between Christ dying for any and their obtaining of actuall Justification and Salvation may thus be made out If the Lord bestow the greater benefit upon any Then the lesser cannot but be expected from Him also But the giving of His Son to death for any is a greater mercy than actuall Justification and Salvation Therefore He cannot but bestow the last on these upon whom He hath bestowed the first Both parts of the Argument will be confirmed from Rom. 5. 8 9 10. and Chap. 8. vers 32. In the one place the Apostle reasoneth thus While we were yet sinners God commended His love to us in giving Christ to die for us therefore having obtained such a mercy we may much more look to be saved from wrath through Him And to deny the consequence in the former Argument would enervat this reasoning of the Apostle In the other place it is He that spared not his own Son but delivered Him up for us all How shall He not wish Him also freely give us all things Where the Apostle doth not only shew that all things do follow where Christ is bestowed but also He doth it in such a manner as doth shew the absurdity and unreasonablenesse of thinking the contrary to wit that it can be possible that God will bestow so excellent a gift as His Son to be delivered up for any and yet withhold any good thing from such A second way by which we may conceive the force of the former Argument is this which also is a new Argument of it self That which would weaken the redeemeds consolation and enervat the grounds of their praise contrary to the strain and scope of this Song ought not to be admitted in the Doctrine of Redemption But to say that all are redeemed by Christs death yet so that the greater part of them shall never be justified nor partake of life through Him c. doth exceedingly weaken the redeemeds consolation and enervat the grounds of their praise contrary to the scope of this Song Therfore that Doctrine of universal Redemption is not to be admitted as being derogatory to the solide consolation of the redeemed what ever be pretended That it derogateth to their consolation appeareth thus If the Justification Salvation c. of the redeemed be not necessarily and peremptorily knit unto Christs laying down of His life for them Then were even their Justification and Salvation uncertain and so none of them could heartily praise for the same or comfort themselves therein much lesse could all do this both which are expresly contrary to the words and scope of this Song Again if no redeemed Person Believer or Child of God can so comfort themselves by drawing conclusions from this Doctrine Christ hath died for all yet all shall not be saved as they may be comforted and have their hearts cheered to praise from this That Christ hath not redeemed all nor hath died for them yet all for whom He died and whom He redeemed shall be justified and saved Then must the former Doctrine be exceedingly derogatory to the people of God their consolation But the former is true Therefore c. That this Doctrine of such an universall Redemption doth not yeeld such comfortable conclusions to the Believer as the other will appear by comparing them together for the great consolation of the Believer is upon solide grounds to conclude an unchangeable interest in God But the latter and not the former will yeeld this For this is solide and comfortable reasoning These that are redeemed are made Kings and Priests to God and shall reign with Him c. because there is an indissoluble and peremptory connexion between these But may one assume I am redeemed Therefore c. If this assumption be questioned to wit whether I be redeemed or not because Redemption is not universal Then it may thus proceed All these that are Spiritually Kings and Priests and being made subject to Christ are freed from the dominion of their corruption and admitted with boldnesse to offer themselves and their service to God by Christ Jesus c. these are redeemed and shall certainly obtain Salvation But the conscience upon self-examination where there is ground for it may assume It is so with me Therefore I am redeemed and shall obtain Salvation c. This is a comfortable and solid conclusion and cannot fail where the promises are well grounded because of the necessary connexion that is between Redemption Justification Sanctification and Salvation So that one of them being evidenced doth infer all and Spiritually to reign in some measure over the world and a body of death and Spiritually to perform worship unto God c. being infallible evidences of Sanctification and fruits of this Redemption they give good ground for a conscience to make application of the former generall truth whereas on the contrary if we will loose this connexion and say that all are redeemed or Christ hath died for them and yet few will be saved It cannot but ever leave the soul at an uncertainty under this most comfortless conclusion Although I be redeemed yet I may perish because many for whom Christ hath died are never actually freed from the wrath of God and thereby the soul should be still left in a comfortlesse condition which is most unlike the nature of this Redemption which Christ hath purchased and most disagreeable to the consolation which is allowed to the redeemed by God and wherein they comfort themselves in this Song We conclude then that it is more comfortable to a Believer to reason from this Universal all that are redeemed and are Kings and Priests unto God shall be saved where the consequent and antecedent are of equal extent than to say all are redeemed and yet few shall or none may be saved And this being the way of the Lord it cannot but be most comfortable to His People and it is a vain thing for man to imagine by his carnall reasonings to mould a more comfortable Doctrine for though at first it look more plausible-like to flesh to say that all are redeemed than to say but some yet indeed it doth not prove so for even upon supposition that that ground were laid no man could gather any solid consolation therefrom but upon condition of his receiving of Christ and resting upon Him by Faith Now Faith in Christ being supponed this ground few are redeemed but all these who are redeemed shall be saved doth yeeld more solid consolation than the former because it carrieth with it a certainty of Salvation to such whereas the other ground pretending to bear forth a possibility of Salvation to all or a salvability doth indeed make it certain to none If any shall say that this is true indeed upon supposition that one be by Faith in Christ Then it cannot be denied but so to conclude is more comfortable but supposing one not to be a Believer Is it not then a comfortlesse Doctrine
to say that all are not redeemed c. because it leaveth this stumbling-block before the person that he knoweth not whether he ought to believe or not because he knoweth not whether he be redeemed or not and this thought may also follow him if he be not redeemed can his believing be usefull to him Answ. There are severall mistakes in this Objection Therefore we shall answer several wayes thereunto And first we say that even upon supposition that one doth not believe in Christ this Doctrine asserted is more comfortable than the other because first he hath no lesse warrand to believe in Christ and rest on Him than if the other Doctrine were supposed for it is not Christs dying for any that warranteth him to believe or is the object of his Faith but it is Gods call requiring faith of him and Gods offer and promise knitting life to the performance of that condition of believing called-for These are contained in Gods revealed Will which is the rule of our practice and the ground of our Faith And according to this Doctrine a hearer of the Gospel hath these grounds for his warrand and there can no other be given even upon the contrary supposition Secondly If he be brought to yeeld to His call to receive His offer and to trust himself to His promise he hath then more solid ground of consolation because of the certain connexion that is betwixt Faith and Salvation than he can have by the other Doctrine which by the interwoven Errors concerning Free-wil the falling away of such as sometime have been true Believers c. is wholly brangled And so supposing him not yet to have closed with Christ he hath the more effectuall motives to engage him thereunto because by so doing all is made sure 2. We answer this Doctrine of particular Redemption to call it so doth never make Salvation impossible to any that will receive Christ and rest on Him but on the contrary though it deny that all men are redeemed or shall be saved yet doth it assert this Universal that all whosoever shall believe are redeemed and shall be saved which certainly doth make the expectation of life through faith in Christ to be the more certain and doth lay the more solid ground for a tossed sinner to cast himself upon when it saith there was never a sinner of any rank or quality that did believe or shall believe in Jesus Christ but he shall be saved from which he may conclude Then if I can or shall believe in Christ I also shall be saved which conclusion will not follow from the other Doctrine And seing this is the very expresse letter of the Gospel whosoever believeth shall be saved there is no ground left to question the same without manifest reflecting upon the faithfulnesse of God 3. We answer If any thing follow from this ground all are not redeemed it is this Therefore all shall not be saved or Therefore all will not believe both which are true And it doth only make Salvation impossible to him who doth not believe in Christ for to such it saith if thou believe not thou shall not be saved neither in such a case hast thou ground to think thy self redeemed and what absurditie is in these yea upon the grounds of the other Doctrine there is none without Faith that can promise themselvs life or comfort themselves in their pretended universall Redemption more than upon the grounds which we have laid down therefore it can never be said that believing in Christ is uselesse according to this Doctrine yea it is asserted to be alwayes usefull and profitable whereas by the opposite grounds it may be often without these comfortable effects following thereupon In the fourth place we Answer That this Objection as much more in this controversie doth flow from a mistake of the true nature of justifying Faith for it supponeth it to be the hearts receiving of and closing with this as a truth that Christ hath died for me in particular and that His death was particularly intended for me This is the more dangerous because it hath been entertained by many and hath been the occasion of mistake even to some great men who have laid this for a ground as Cameron doth on this subject Christus mortuus est pro te si tu id factum credas that is Christ hath died for thee if thou believe it so to be now according to that ground it is impossible but to miscarry both in reference to this Doctrine the Doctrine of Justification and severall other most concerning-truths It is to be adverted then that when we are called to believe in Christ we are not called instantly to believe that Christ hath offered up Himself as a satisfaction for us in particular but we are to conceive it in this order First We are called to believe the truth of the Gospel and the way of Salvation laid down therein to wit that there is no name under Heaven by which a sinner can be saved but by the Name of Jesus and that yet all who believe in Him shall be justified and saved c. Thus we may apply that word Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must first believe that He is c. for if this generall truth be not acknowledged saving Faith wanteth the discoverie of a sufficient and fit object to rest itself upon Secondly We are then called to receive this Christ offered to us in the Gospel and by Faith to be take ourselves to Him so discovered and there as on a solid foundation to rest for the obtaining of Justification and life by the vertue of His satisfaction according to the offer that is made in the Gospel This is the main act of saving Faith whereby a sinner cometh to be entituled to Christ and to the benefits of His death Whereupon thirdly followeth our accepting of the forsaid offer being supposed a warrant to look upon Christ as ours upon the benefits purchased by Him as belonging to us and upon ourselves as actually redeemed by Him none of which before that could have been warrantably concluded but this being supposed there is good ground for it because a sinner by receiving of Christ cometh to have interest in Him and so consequently in all that is His for Christ and His benefits are not separated and therefore except there be ground to bear out this title to Christ Himself there is no warrant to believe that any of His benefits do belong to us Now according to this forsaid order no hearer is ever called to believe what is false Because these three are ever true to wit First That life is certain through Faith in Christ and no other wayes Secondly that one who is called to believe on Him ought to obey and that Gods call is a good ground for that obedience Thirdly This is also a truth that one who hath yeelded may look upon himself as accepted of God and redeemed by Christ Jesus because in the
Ier. 31.33 34 c. And seing it cannot be denied but the last promises are grounded upon Christs satisfaction Must not the first be so also especially considering that without Him there is no accesse for binding up a Covenant betwixt God and sinners Neither can it be denied but Faith is a part of that new heart and a speciall fruit of that Spirit which He promised to pour out upon His People Sixthly In Tit. 2.14 our being seperated to be a peculiar people to Christ and zealous of good works c. is expresly asserted to be His design in laying down of His life for His People Also Tit. 3. vers 5 and 6. the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which must take-in all particular Graces are said to be shed on us abundantly through Christ Jesus which cannot otherwise be understood but that we have these by the interveening procurement of Christs satisfaction Lastly all that we pray for we pray for it in Christs name as having obtained accesse to seek the same through His purchase Now it cannot be denied but Faith Holinesse and increase therein may be prayed-for and therefore these must be understood to be procured by Him also The third Question was If it may be said that the Reprobates or any Reprobate do enjoy any common mercy by vertue of Christs purchase and Redemption Or if any mercy bestowed upon any Reprobate or enjoyed by them may be said to be the proper fruit of Christs purchase or properly to be purchased by His death to them In answer to this we shall lay down these Assertions which being granted there will be no great hazard to the main matter Assert 1. There is no saving nor eternall mercy procured to any Reprobate by Christs death and so according to the Scripture-language it cannot be said that Christ hath redeemed satisfied for them or born their iniquities in their room before the justice of God thereby to procure any such mercy to them because first to be given to Christ to be redeemed and to be justified are ever of equal extent in Scripture and necessarily knit together with His bearing their iniquity Secondly The proper and native fruits of Christs death are not divided but they all go together So that for whom He satisfied and to whom He purchased any thing in one respect He did so in all Therefore we will find Him praying for these who were given Him and for whose â—ake He did sanctifie Himself Ioh. 17. even when He doth exclud the reprobate world who were not of this number from these His prayers Thirdly The proper fruit of Christs purchase is that which is satisfaction to Himself for the travell of His soul c. but no mercy which is common to a Reprobate can satisfie Him for His satisfaction consisteth in peculiar saving mercies such as actually to see His seed to have many justified c. which mercies cannot be said to be purchased to any Reprobate and so it cannot be said that any saving or eternall mercy is purchased to them for if they were purchased to them then necessarily they were to be bestowed unto them and if so they could not be called Reprobates We take this for granted then that no saving thing is purchased to them and that Christ cannot in any proper sense be called their Redeemer nor to have sustained their place and persons before the Justice of God Assert 2. We say that yet many Reprobates do here in time enjoy many things which they had never enjoyed had not Christ suffered Of these Christs death may well be called the cause sine qua non or without which these had not been enjoyed such are the preaching of the Gospel and the glad tidings of the conditionall offer of life which is made in it yea it may be that the keeping off of many temporall judgements and eternal also for a time doth flow from this whereby as it were by the Gardeners intercession Luk. 13. the cutting down of many a barren tree is for a time suspended that thereby the glory of Grace may be the more manifested the honour of the Mediator the more highly advanced and in the close the glory of spotlesse Justice made the more clearly to shine because of their greater inexcusablnesse This cannot be denied to follow upon Christ Jesus His sufferings in so far as they necessarily follow upon the agreement wherein they were transacted and upon the promises made to Him in the Covenant of Redemption unto all which His sufferings are presupposed as the stipulation upon His side Now it being certain that there are some Elect ones given to Him by that Covenant in all ages of the world and that He hath a visible Church and Ordinances granted to Him for the ingathering of them which is so and so to be Administrated to wit by gathering under Ordinances both sheep and goats and such like It must necessarily follow upon the supposition of this transaction in these terms that the world must continue for so many ages that the Gospel should be preached in such and such places and at such and such times that such and such lights should shine for holding forth clearly the truth of the Gospel yea that such and such common gifts should be bestowed upon many Reprobates for the adorning of this visible Church the honour of the Head thereof the furtherance of the edification of the Elect and many other things necessary for the attaining of the ends foresaid And according to the former supposition these cannot be denied to be decreed in the Counsel of God and contained in the Covenant of Redemption largely taken because accidentally to speak so and by reason of the manner of administration concluded they conduce to the honour of the Mediator and to the furthering of His design which is to have the pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hand Asser. 3. Although these former Assertions be true yet we say that the saving blessings that are purchased to the redeemed by Christs death may be and are far otherwayes to be conceived as the proper effects and fruits of Christs purchase to them than any common mercy can be which followeth thereupon to any Reprobate For first The purchasing of the Elect and of saving Grace and Salvation to them and what may tend to their good was intended by the Mediator in a subordination to the glorifying of His Grace in them and so His Glory and their good are joyntly intended in the same this cannot be said of the other for though the things which flow from His death be good in themselves and though it cannot be denied but that therein also He intendeth His own Glory yet it cannot be said that these things are purchased by Him as advantagious to them in respect of any fruit that should flow therefrom unto them because the effect sheweth that in the end they have no advantage by them and therefore it cannot be said that He intended them
that as upon the one side He doth hold forth Gods peculiar respect to the Elect World so upon the other He doth hold forth Gods acceptation of all whosoever shall believe that the peculiarity of the Redemption may not stumble any in their approaching to Christ who have the offer of the Gospel made unto them for the Word saith in sum a Believer cannot fail of Salvation seing God had that respect to His Elect as to give His only begotten Son to purchase this unto them and this is to be preached in these indefinit terms and cannot but be true seing it is the revealed will of God A fourth difficulty following this opinion is That it will be hard to conceive how Christ could conditionally die and lay down His life for the redeeming of many who were actually already condemned in Hell yet this Universall conditionall Redemption will infer this otherwayes the Reprobates who lived before Christs death were not so much obliged to Him as these who did succeed If it be said that although Christ actually died in time yet the transaction was eternal before any man lived in the world This will not remove the difficulty because though it was transacted before time yet no question it was so regulated as it might be performed in time Now can it be supposed that the transaction was in these terms that the Mediator should die and lay down a price for so many Elect who by the vertue of His death were to be brought to Glory before His sufferings and that also He should pay so much in the name of so many Reprobates who for their own sins were to be actually damned at the time of paiment And whatever be said of the transaction yet when it came to Christs suffering it must either be said that these were scored out so as Christ did not bear their iniquity or die for them in any respect or it must be said that before Gods Justice Christ did bear the iniquity and pay in the name of such as were actually in Hell suffering for their own sins at that same instant of time Fifthly It may be asked what doth become of all infants whether in the Visible Church or without it who die in their infancie According to the former grounds it will be hard to determine for none can say upon the one side that they are all absolutely redeemed and saved there being no warrant in Scripture for this on the other side to say that Christ died for them upon condition that they should believe in Him cannot be well understood for though some of them be within the conditionall Covenant made with the Church and therefore cannot be more rigidly constructed of than these at age yet are they not in a capacity to perform acts of Faith and to fulfill that condition and this incapacity doth not meerly flow from mens corruption as it doth in men at age but is naturall to young ones as not to understand speak or walk are now it were unreasonable to say that such children who die in their infancie were redeemed by Christ upon condition that they should understand speak walk c. or of a child dying in such a condition suppose it be one not absolutely redeemed It cannot be said that that child was redeemed upon this condition that it had walked spoken c. when as yet it was not possibly of one houres age Again can it be said of children within the Visible Church which are not absolutely redeemed that it is indeterminable whether Christ did die conditionally for them or not at least till they come to such an age as they themselves may act Faith Neither can it be said here that He redeemed Reprobate children in the Church conditionally as He did absolutely redeem these that are Elect although even these cannot act Faith for He purchaseth to the Elect saving Grace in the seed thereof and a new nature to be communicated to them whereof the youngest children are capable seing therein they are meerly passive But in that conditionall Redemption there is nothing purchased to any but upon condition that they receive Christ offered and believe in Him which doth suppose an activenesse and acting to be in these to whom the offer is made of which children are not capable And if this condition could be supposed only to infer something wherein children might be meerly passive Then this will be the meaning thereof to wit that Christ redeemed such children upon condition that He Himself should confer such and such things on them in receiving of which they could only be passive which would not look like a conditionall Covenant for the performing of the condition will be on Christs side and not upon theirs and so it would be absolute as in the case of the Elect children Neither will it remove this difficulty to say that children are partakers of the fathers priviledges and are to be reckoned accordingly for this cannot be said of saving priviledges so as if no Elect parent could have a Reprobate child or no Reprobate parent an Elect child dying at such an age because these things belong unto the Soveraignty of God and He is not so to be bounded in respect of all particular children Beside experience in the Word giveth ground to us to call it in question It must then be understood only of federall priviledges and that in respect of the externall administration of the Covenant and this will say nothing to the difficulty because the doubt is still what to say of children that are within the conditionall Covenant in respect of their parents that are within the Visible Church yet supposing them to die instantly or in their nonage they cannot be said to be conditionally redeemed because of the reasons foresaid Sixthly If the Reprobate be conditionally redeemed Then that Redemption of theirs is either transacted in the same Covenant with the absolute Redemption of the Elect or not they cannot be said to be comprehended within the same Covenant because all such as are comprehended in it are contradistinguished from others as being the Lords chosen and such as are given to Christ c. Again this Covenant of Redemption includeth the means with the end for it is orderd in all things and sure which cannot be said of this conditionall Covenant Therefore they cannot be comprehended in one And it would not sound well to say that the Elects Redemption and that of the Reprobates were contained in one Covenant Nor can it be said that it is a distinct bargain beside the Covenant of Redemption Because 1. That were indeed to grant that it is no Redemption seing it is not comprehended in the Covenant of Redemption 2. The bussinesse of Christs death is only transacted in that Covenant where the Redemption of the Elect is absolutely concluded because it is the great mids designed for making of that effectuall therefore ought it as to the extent of its merit to be proportioned to the object of that
hideth Himself who can behold Him Iob 34.29 LECTURE IIII. Vers. 5. And when he had opened the third seal I heard the third beast say Come and see And I beheld and so a black horse and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand 6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say A measure of wheat for a peny and three measures of barley for a peny and see thou hurt not the oyl and the wine THese Verses continue the history of the opening of the seals or rather the prophesie revealed by them The third seal holdeth forth a sad condition of the Church in some things agreeing with the former type and preparation thereunto but in many circumstances differing As first the voice that calleth Come and see is the voice of the third beast which Chap. 4. and 7. had the face of a man whereby is signified 1. Prudence and reason in the Ministers of the Gospel as we said there 2. It signifieth such a condition of the Church to be typified by this type as should have need of prudence reason and wisdom in the Ministers of the Gospel even as the former two called respectively for boldnesse and patience as meet for them 3. It holdeth forth that the Church under this dispensation should be well furnished with Ministers accordingly qualified as suitable to such a dispensation 2. The colour of this horse differeth from the former this is black the former was red 3. The weapons of the rider differ As also 4. The word added for explanation differeth as we will see more particularly in the opening of them That this type may be understood it will be necessary to insist a little both in the explication and application of it At the first view it seemeth to hold forth some terrible famine by all the circumstances of it More particularly this horse is said to be black which in generall holdeth forth a sad strait Iob Chap. 30.30 giveth it as one of the symptomes of his lamentable condition And so Zech. 6.2 the black horses do represent a sad dispensation coming Most ordinarily it setteth forth the plague of famine which turneth the most beautifull colour to blacknesse as from Lament 4.8 and 5.10 is clear 2. The pair of balances in the hand of the rider import a strait wherein men should not have meat at their pleasure but weighed and measured out to them which ordinarily is used to set forth famine Ezek. 4.16 Levit. 26.26 famine is threatned under these words ye shall eat your bread by weight c. In sum This type importeth these three 1. A great scarcity and restraint 2. Not an utter want 3. A sort of justice or equity in the mannaging of this want or accompanying this strait wherein it differeth from the great confusion and violence without any shew of justice as was under the former 3. The word of explication added vers 6. hath two things to be considered in it 1. Whence this voice came it is said to be from the midst of the four beasts that is from God or from the Lamb as He is placed Chap. 5.6 to shew Christs particular ordering of this most sad dispensation in the object and extent of it and therefore He is to be considered not as the rider but as He who giveth orders unto him 2. The words uttered are to be considered in which there are 1. A proclamation and 2. A limitation The proclamation is A measure of wheat for a peny and three measures of barley for a peny wheat and barley are the two grains most commonly made use of for the entertaining of life The word rendered measure is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What the particular quantity of it is needeth not to be enquired this is commonly acknowledged that it was the ordinary measure allowed to a working man for his meat in the day so as it came to be understood ordinarily for a dayes meat according to the proverb Nou sedondum est super Chaenicom meaning that none who had but a dayes meat beside them ought carelesly to sit down but had need to provide more The price of this measure is a peny which is likewise the ordinary wages of a workman for his service in the day as appeareth from the parable Matth. 20. The sum cometh to this that men by their labour and toi◠should hardly buy so much wheat which was the best grain or so much barlie which was more course and so taking a greater measure as was meet to entertain them The limitation added is See that thou hurt not the oyl and the wine Wine and oyl are more for chearing and refreshing men Psal. 104.15 The scope is to shew according to the letter that though there was much hardship to befall the Church in things that necessarily pertain to their life yet all should not be destroyed but a reservation should be of the best things usefull for their refreshment This type then holdeth forth a hard condition the Church should be under and a sad dispensation she should meet with which though moderated in a more orderly way than the former yet should exceedingly mar the beauty of the Church and bring her low so that she who before was white and lively and afterward red and wounded should now as it were drawing near expiring fainting and swouning as one who hath shed much bloud turn black and pale which in generall holdeth forth a growing strait of the Church drawing nearer unto death than the former That we may consider the meaning of this type more particularly we would lay down these conclusions touching it 1. We conceive it doth not hold forth an abounding or reigning of justice in the world simply for that is of it self no plague but a great good and so doth not agree with the scope which is to set forth the trials of the Church though we think it may point at a sort of seeming justice in the way and persons of these who should be instrumentall in these afflictions in which respect this rider differeth from the former as is said 2. Neither can it only literally be understood of bodily famine but figuratively for the plague of famine is no peculiar exercise of the Church but is common to the rest of the world Again this famine here is such a crosse as maketh them in the fifth seal to cry for vengeance on these who were instruments of it which cannot agree to famine properly which ordinarly floweth from Gods immediat hand Beside that there is little in story to evidence the fulfilling of it in that sense save what is mentioned by Tertullian and Cyprian to have been in Africk Neither is it likely that any famine hath been or could be in the ordinary way that famines come and wine and oyl be spared which yet necessarily according to the letter must be Add that there is alway some suitablenesse between the qualifications of the beast
be many even a fourth part and yet not all it is but a fourth part being a definit for a indefinit number It is said to kill a fourth part of the earth by which is not understood the world as contradistinguished from the Church that will not agree with the cry of the souls under the following seal it being these that cry there who are killed here But we understand here the Militant Church on earth as formerly under the second seal there being the same scope in both 3. This explication holdeth forth the particular weapons as it were by which that great murther is to be executed to wit Sword Famine which two were made use of in the second and third seals death and the beasts of the earth By death may be understood the Pestilence called the mortalitie because so many ordinarily die by it And these four here do certainly allude to Gods four great plagues under which ordinarily is holden forth by the Prophets Gods singular Judgement For this end also beasts are added which we conceive is not so much properly and literally to be understood as it is with allusion unto the expression of the Prophets formerly mentioned and may point at these three here 1. At the greatnesse of this strait wherein such a deluge should at once set upon the Church as if Gods four plagues were let loose together there being but one under each of the former seals to wit Sword or Famine here these evils continue and two moe are added to wit Death and the beasts of the earth which doth certainly hold forth a greater degree of persecution than was before 2. By beasts we may understand absurd unreasonable and beastly men as 2 Thess. 3.2 Such Paul fought with at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15.32 Of this sort was Nero 2 Tim. 4 and of such the faithfull Martyr Polycarp complaineth in his Epistles apud Euseb. who thought long for the Lions and beasts unto which he was condemned to be casten that he might be freed from these beasts his keepers which were worse than the former 3. By beasts we may understand that kind of death frequently used by persecuters especially in the last persecutions their hungering of ravenous beasts and then for a sport casting Christians unto them It being thus understood it may hold out that plague of beasts as it doth peculiarly relate to the Church in which also men were instrumentall committing that murther by beasts under this seal as by Famine under the former However this is certain that this pointeth at some dreadfull condition of the Church beyond the former wherein persecution is at an height malice leaving no mean unessayed for undoing of the Church and wherein the Saints are prest to double their cryes to God for vengeance as in the following seal and so it appeareth to be at or immediately before the fall of the Heathenish persecution Before we make particular application thereof we may observe some things usefull for understanding the rest of the seals As 1. That this seal with the former two doth signifie sad things unto the Church for that they are all of one kind appeareth by the gradation which is clear and conspicuous in them The red horse woundeth the black horse fainteth the pale killeth 2. Hence also it is said power is given unto them together as having one Commission And 3. Considering that sword famine and death are joyned together under this seal to signifie a strait in the heighest degree when they are separated they must also be understood to point at things of the same kind and therefore what ever is found to be the nature and object of any one of those contained in the three seals must be understood of all though in a different degree Seing then that some of them hold forth clearly the afflictions of the Church it must be so in the rest also 2. It appeareth that by these riders we are to understand the dispensation or event it self signified in these seals more than any particular actor who is either the supream or inferiour cause of it here the rider is death and consequently we may call the first victory the second war or violence the third Famine by the same reason whereby this is called death 3. That one seal doth not end in respect of the event contained in it when an other beginneth Here are both sword and famine under this seal though death and beasts be added to it 4. We may gather that these types are to be applyed to special times and do not only hold forth in general the kindâ— of rods and judgements which were to come upon the Church for the repetition of sword and famine by this seal saith such judgements were to continue during the time this seal relateth unto as had been exercising the Church under the former seals otherwise the repetition were needlesse 5. It appeareth that these plagues are not literally to be understood according to the letter of the word of explication and therefore must some way be figuratively taken else it cannot be told how to expound that of hell following and beasts if it be not to hold forth by allusion to them some sad dispensation on the Church as hath been said In application of this prophesie to a particular time and event there are two opinions even amongst these who agree in this to wit that the first period of bloudy persecution which ends about Constantins time about the year three hundreth and ten is typified by this prophesie of the seals Some make four steps of these persecutions the second seal that is the first seal that typifieth persecution to wit the second for the first is of an other kind comprehending the first two persecutions of Nero and Domitian the third seal to them comprehendeth the third persecution of Trajan with the fourth of Anton. Philos. the fifth of Severus the sixth of Maximinus Undeâ— the fourth seal they take in the seventh persecution raised by Decius the eighth â—â—â—ed by Gallus or Valerianus or Volusianus and the ninth rather intended than execâ—â—â—d by Aurelianus who being so terrified by thunder immediately after his subscribing of the Edict that he instantly recalled it These who so reckon under the fourth persecuting seal which is the fifth in order wherein the cry of the Saints is expressed do comprehend that great and last persecution of Dioclesian By this reckoning this seal relateth to the events betwixt Decius persecution inclusively and Dioclesians exclusively and the fifth seal following doth contain the story of the last persecution in its heighest degree of cruelty on the earth There is no materiall hazard in this yet considering that by the seal persecution is set forth at its height so that if we look to the rider Death or his convoy Hell or the Grave or his Commission to kill so many or his weapons having Sword Famine Death and Beasts going together we can hardly conceive persecution at a greater height and therefore we incline
rather to make but three steps in these persecutions and so to include that last and most horrid massacre by Dioclesian under this seal and to take the seal following as expressing no new matter but added for explication and consolation in reference to the foregoing sad events and therefore differeth in the type common to the first four seals as will be more particularly clear in the opening of it This seal then containeth the sad condition of the Church under the last persecution of Dioclesian taking in with it the former intervall after the persecution of Decius 1. Because in this time persecution came to its height the Church having now all her former trials lying upon her and new degrees added to the former partly because it is the trial immediately going before the change of the Churches persecuted condition the cry of souls and the comfortable answer in the seal following being the result of this sad condition partly because the story in the event and particulars of that persecution will be found exceeding answerable to this type which we shall consider 1. in generall and then 2. in the particular circumstances thereof 1. In the generall the Church after Decius his persecution almost except in that of Gâ—llus and Aurelianus had peace in a great measure from outward persecution for the space of fourty four years together but during that time had fallen from the simple purity and power of the Gospel into jarres divisions and strivings amongst themselves as Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 1. and many others observe by which God was provoked and the Church made contemptible upon which followed this horrid persecution begun in the ninteenth year of Dioclesian about the three hundred year This Dioclesian being engaged in many wars choosed for a Collegue to himself in the Empire one Herculâ—us Maximianus and while their wars encreased every one of them choose a helper to themselves who were called Cesars yet had not the stile of Augustus as the Emperours had Dioclesian choose one Maximinus to help him in the East who is also called Iâ—vius Maximianus choosed Constantiâ—s Governour of Britan he was Constantins father and a good man These Emperours set themselves together to root out Christianity out of all the Provinces of the Empire joyning together craft and violence for that end 1. Putting to the choice of the Souldiers and Officers to Sacrifice with them to Idols or to quit their service 2. Making that same offer to Magistrates with promises to both if they should obey 3. By throwing down all Churches 4. Inhibiting all meetings of Christians and such like And when these wrought not their end they fell to open violence giving out publick Edicts against Christians stirring up all against them and following their cruelty so hotly with a profane emulation who should go beyond others in persecuting save Constantiâ—s who was still friendly to Christians that almost no Province of the Empire was free and the number of Martyres is by all during that time counted innumerable To make out the conformity of the event with this type take these particular considerations which will evidence the horridnesse of this persecution which is called Turbo persecutionis 1. That it was universal through all the Empire and executed by so many prime persecuters combining together in several parts for that end 2. For length of time it continued full ten years in this heat 3. Particular instances of some places may give us to conjecture at the whole in particular places often there would be hundreths in a day whole Churches full burnt at once some whole Cities refusing to sacrifice to Idols and calling themselves Christians were burnt whole Legions of Christian Souldiers being in number six thousand six hundred and sixty were put to death One Legion is instanced who after a most Godly Oratiâ—â—â—â— Maximianus by Mauritius their Commander with him were killed because they â—â—fused to act in perseâ—utinâ— Christians even after they twice were decimate for that cause though they willingly yeelded to serve against all publick enemies In some places the bloud of the slain of it self made little brooks and coloured great rivers as it is in Foxâ— pag. 103. and Euseb. lib. 8. Chap. 11 and 12. also Chap. 10. who affirmeth he hath seen the actors of that persecution so outwearied and their swords so blunted with killing that they behooved to be relieved with fresh actors In one moneth of that time seventeenth thousand are reckoned to be killed and by Mâ—dâ— in locum out of famous writers that in Egypt alone which was but one little Province of many belonging to the Empire there were one hundreth fourty and four thousand Martyres which may give a hint of what great number the whole put together might draw to 4. The diversity of deaths used by these persecuters on the Christians may be gathered First Froâ— the many engines purposly made for â—hat end as Iron grates to â—osâ— on Brasen Bulls Iron pikes in Barrels and such like never heard of before Secondly The many wayes used to kill them drawing with Horses cleaving with Trees casting to wild Beasts sending to Sea in Boats without any Provision and thousands of this kind to be seen in Foxe his table of these tortures and in Euseb. lib. 8. who affirmeth there was an emulation among the wicked people who might invent the moâ—â—â—â—â—ouring deaths unto Christians 5. This cruelty may appear by this that none of whatsoever relation were spared friends neices children were put to death yea this Dâ—â—â—â—siaâ— put his own wife Sirena to death upon that account And as no naturall relation so no good offices of the most faithfull friends found place to divert that rage It is reported of one Eustacâ—ius who having returned victor over these enemies against whom he was sent that on the day of his triumph and entry to the City he and his Family was put to death because he refused to sacrifice with the Emperour at his entry professing himself to be a Christian unto the Emperour who out of honour to him had gone forth to meet him 6. Adde to these the great mortality and deaths that were throughout the world in this Dioclesians time It is recorded by Euseb. Lib. 8. Cap. 10 that men died faster than the living were able to bury them by which it came to passe that dogs were so accustomed to eat dead mens flesh that they became a terrour to the living lest they should eat them also which made them in all places endeavour the killing of all dogs as is recorded by him 7. Consider that many excellent Ministers stepped out at this time to comfort Gods people and to draw their minds upward to a creature-contemning and spiritual walk as Arnobius and Cyprian who upon a very like occasion wrote his Treatise de mortalitate under the ninth persecution From all which considerations we may see an event answerable to the type which may be well called death with such a convoy commission and
That though Gods people be liable to many sufferings yet their consolations being considered do far exceed them all 2. That Gods people are not to place their consolation on this side of time it consisteth most in their comfortable being and enjoying of God after this 3. That in suffering times they would comfort themselves in the happy outgate of their sufferings and look more to these things which are eternall than to the things seen which are but temporall 4. It is a certain truth that souls have a life and being when the body turneth unto dust and that they exist being separated from bodies The soul at mans Creation was differenced from the body as not being made of that substance but in a peculiar way was created and infused by God Gen. 2. At death the soul is contradistinguished from the body Matth. 10.28 the one dieth the other cannot After death they are differenced also both in respect of the Godly and wicked as these places Eccles. 12.7 Philip. 1.23 Act. 7.59 Christs word to the Thief Luk. 23. and that parable of the rich glutton and Lazarus abundantly do clear 5. The souls of Believers especially of sufferers are in a most happy condition after death to wit under the altar in Paradise Abrahams bosome with Christ Jesus c. God hath a speciall care of the souls of all His Saints they are precious to Him their reward is great in Heaven Mat. 5. and sufferers with Him they do in a speciall manner reigne with Him which being well considered there would be no great cause to scare at suffering 6. From the description of these Martyrs Observe That it is not every suffering for every thing which will denominate one a Martyr of Christ it must be for the Word of God and for that testimony or it is not to be so accounted It is recorded by Baron an 19. of Dioclesian that in these Primitive persecutions especially that last that many assumed to themselves out of pride and had ascribed unto them by others the title of Martyrs unjustly wherefore it was appointed that where any Christians suffered the cause of their sufferings should be diligently observed that these who were found worthy might be enrolled and that none other but such should be accounted so This afterward turned to much superstition and gave occasion to that superstitious canonizing of Saints which afterward followed in the Church of Rome yet had it an honest intent in the authors thereof as 1. To keep the credit of Martyrdom from that contempt which came upon it when men that were scandalous in their conversation were so reputed 2. To bound that carnall itching pride in many who because of that honour to be accounted Martyrs thrust themselves unwarrantably into suffering This honour was especially denied to three sorts of sufferers 1. To these who by profanenesse in their conversation heresie in their Doctrine schism in their practice had walked unbecoming the Gospel Hence the Catholicks so the Orthodox were called when they were led to suffering with Marcionits Novatians or others such like for sometimes persecution raged upon all that were Christians by name did still disclaim all fellowship with these Hereticks in their errours as not accounting them witnesses to Christ in their sufferings A second sort that were denied were such as without Gods call by their rashnesse occasioned their own suffering such as these who being unasked professed they were Christians and that they had the Bible but would not give it A third sort refused were such as had fainted in their confessions formerly though afterward they should become sufferers this was not done as if they accounted them not Martyrs indeed but that thereby they might prevent fainting when any should be called to a testimony So Baron pag. 746. and 760. where he setteth down the decree of one Mensurius a Bishop in Africk ordaining none that occasioned their own sufferings to be enrolled and giving this reason for it Quia non divino instinctu ducti sed temeritate acti id saciunt 7. Observe That the giving of a testimony by outward confession of the truth when called-for is necessary and commendable as well as foundnesse of Faith yea it is oftentimes the outward testifying of the truth before men more than the Faith of it before God that bringeth on suffering and there was nothing more abhorred in the Primitive Christians than dissembling of a testimony to evite suffering as appeareth in Augustins Writings de Mendacio contra Mendacium and the Writtings of others to that purpose wherein three sorts that creeped in in these times are sharply condemned As first These who called themselves Nicodemites but falsly from Nicodemus who is said to come to Christ by night and not openly alleaging it to be enough to be inwardly sound and to keep their heart mind and intention clean though they did not evidence or expresse that soundnesse to others Such thought they might be Christians and yet let none other know it A second sort were the Priscillianists who being most vile Hereticks particularly asserting the soul to be a part of Gods substance did also maintain and practise this that they might hide their opinions and carry so with these they conversed with as if they were of one mind with them A third sort were such as out of a misled zeal to discover the former did counterfeit as if they had been maintainers of that errour to make these Hereticks the more freely to communicate their tenets unto them The Primitive Fathers utterly condemned all these as inconsistent with Christian simplicity which requireth a testimony of the mouth as well as Faith in the heart Obs. 8. That every truth of the Word may be a ground of suffering warrantably for the least thing that hath a truth in it as well as the more concerning fundamentall truths are the Word of God and so not to be dispensed with by His people 9. Every truth in the Word hath an outward testimonie joyned to it and sometimes may be called-for upon very great hazards 10. When it is called-for this testimonie or confession to any truth before men is no lesse necessary and ought as peremptorily to be held and stuck to as the former therefore it is called Rom. 10. confession unto salvation and called-for by a peremptory certification Math. 10.32 33. Obs. 11. That these who are sound in the Faith of the Word will be also exceeding tenacious of their testimonie In Scripture and in primitive times we will find the Saints sticking at and hazarding themselves on things which appear of very small moment yet were to them of great concernment because of the testimonie which was involved in them which they would not let go Such was Mordecai Ester 3. Daniel 6. his not shuting of his windowes When this persecution of Dioclesian began the persecuters sought but the Bibles the poors Coats Money or Cups wherewith they served to be given them as some evidence of their ceding
Domitian and many others brought death upon themselves as is clear from Scripture History of Iosephus and the Ecclesiastick story especially Cent. Magd. De paenis persecutorum It is true Gods way in this is soveraign and unsearchable in respect of the manner and time of this reckoning sometimes He will suffer great persecuters to die in worldly credit and peace as Nebuchadnezar did and in later times the Duke of Alua the great persecuter in the low Countries sometimes He will pardon the persecuter as He did Manasseh yet ordinarily doth He manifest His displeasure even before the world by temporall plagues of infamie and judgements upon them or others as may make the world know that He abhorreth that sin Such was Gods thrusting Nebuchadnezar for a time to the beasts of the field such was Gods plagueing of Manasseh for his bloud in his own imprisonment and in denuding his children of the Kingdom This proceedeth partly from the greatnesse of the sin of persecution partly from the nature of it God is more eminently and singularly engaged against it He being in some manner persecuted in His people So that we may say that the bloud of Martyrs soundeth alway with that word before God which Zachariah the son of Iehojada expressed at his death 2 Chro. 24.22 The Lord look upon it and require it This is the language of their bloud even then when their tongue may be praying with Stephen Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sin to their charge Obs. 2. That Gods people may continue long under and be brought unto great straits by persecution as this cry importeth and the opening of the former three seals maketh it appear For untill the dayes of Constantine from the entry of the Gospel into the world the Church for the space of 300. years and some odds was under persecution and had little breathing time for these many years Which is evident from story wherein these two things are clear 1. That during that time the Church was wasted by ten stated persecutions The first by Nero which began Anno 67. The second by Domitian Anno 90. The third by Trajan continuing as is written for 19. years it began Anno 100. The fourth was under Hadrian and Ant. Pius as is reckoned by some and began Anno 126. The fifth by Antoninus Philosophus and his Collegue L. A. Verus beginning Anno 168. The sixth was under Sâ—verus which began in the year 208. The seventh was under Maximinus 236. The eighth was under Decius 251. The ninth under Gallus and Volusianus 258. The tenth under Dioclesian Anno 300. or thereabout These persecutions are so reckoned by some who account not that persecution of Aurelianus to be one because his Edict was immediately recalled he being terrified by God by a terrible thunder in the very instant of his subscribing the same upon which he afterward befriended Christians so as he interposed his Authority for making effectuall the sentence of the Synod of Antioch against Samosatenus Others again who reckon this of Aurelianus one omit that fourth under Hadrian and Ant. Pius either because they account them one with that of Trajans there being no considerable interruption betwixt them or because they were sooner stayed than others were This maketh the difference amongst the Writers who to adhere to the number of Ten are made to varie in the application of them yet all agree in this generall that there were at least ten distinct persecutions purposely raised against Christians during that time which being put together will take up a considerable part of these 300. years A second thing clear from story is that even during the intervalls of these persecutions when the sword was not raging by Authority against Christians yet by tumults and insurrections amongst the people and by the malice of inferiour Governours who were either actors in or connivers at or negligent of the punishing of such things the Church was still suffering In this manner was Stephen stoned by the people Act. 7. Iames was beheaded and Peter was imprisoned by Herod Act. 12. Thus Paul and the Apostles often suffered in their journeyings even before publick persecution was stirred by Nero and thus it continued almost through all the Provinces of the Empire when the Law seemed most favourable unto Christians There being all that time no Emperour Christian to own Christians in their suffering save one Philippus who reigning but few years was himself and his Family murthered by Decius who raised the eighth persecution Obs. 3. That Gods people in a holy way may pray for vengeance upon persecuters as is often used in the Psalms not from self revenge or from a carnall spirit but from love to the glory of God the vindicating of themselves and the truth maintained by them and scaring of men from this sin of persecution and the hazard that followeth upon it Obs. 4. That God may suffer the bloud of His Saints for a long time to be unpunished as if He took no notice of their prayers in respect of the effect Obs. 5. Even then when God seemeth to neglect His people and to take no notice of their prayers He is Holy and true and is to be acknowledged so Though sense would say the contrary Faith ought to lay this ground at the entry Lord thou art holy and true c. From the Answer vers 11. Observe 1. That though God do not instantly grant the particulars that His people do pray for yet their prayers are not lost here the thing sought is delayed yet a comfortable return of their prayers is made out unto them and their prayers are not without fruit even for the time Obs. 2. Gods peremptory decrees and the prayers of His people are not inconsistent yea His decree may aim at one thing and the particular prayed-for by His people as it is circumstantiated aim at another thing upon the matter inconsistent with that yee may these prayers be acceptable to God and they in them as is clear here and in Abrahams praying for the blessing to Ishmael whiles God had appointed it for another The reason is because our prayers and our practice are accepted not because they are conformed to Gods secret will and decree but as they agree with His will revealed in His Word which is the rule of our duty Obs. 3. Though prayers prevail not to alter Gods decree which must stand yet prayers may procure much present quietnesse and satisfaction for the time Gods decrees are so wisely ordered for the good of His people that it were no advantage but prejudice to them to have them altered Obs. 4. The most rageing persecutions have their bounds set by God the number of Martyrs is determined and all the persecuters from the beginning of the World to the end shall not exceed in one person Which as it doth notably hold forth Gods Soveraignity and providence in the greatest confusion of the World so doth it exceedingly contribute to the comfort of Gods people
given them doth not import lawfull authorizing of them but as was said of their head vers 1. they want not commission but that is given them by the Angel of the bottomlesse pit who doth formally authorize and create these orders and prescribeth rules unto them so that even his Officers and Ministers have order among them and assume not commission and calling although to superstitious orders of themselves This is fully made out in the Popes way of founding creating commissionating c. by his bulls patents and other writs as they give them names of all orders whereof many hundreds are in that Kingdom all which have their dependence on him owe their being to his Authority and are regulated by the Laws and Commissions given them from him Vers. 4. The second way how their power is described it v. 4. where their Commission is bounded and ordered in these two respects 1. In respect of these they shall not hurt it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth c. whereby is understood as is clear by the opposition following the Elect or sealed ones This command cometh not from their immediate superiour to wit the Angel of the bottomlesse pit but proceedeth from the Lords Soveraignity in order to the fulfilling of what was foretold Chap. 7. Again the proper objects unto whom their power reacheth are set down to wit but only these men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads that is these who are not elected here the end of Christs sealing and the advantage of it doth appear and also who they are upon whom the delusion of Antichrist hath full victory Vers. 5. 3. Their power or Commission is discribed further in a twofold limitation v. 5. 1. And it was given to them that they should not kill them that is that their plaguing of men should not be directly by taking away the bodily life as the horse-men under the sixth trumpet have v. 18. but must be understood of another sort of plague as afterward If any say that Antichrist is said to kill Chap. 11.13.17 and so how can this be said of him Answ. We may consider Antichrist in a twofold respect 1. In respect of the Elect 2. In respect of hypocriticall Professours in the Church In respect of the first Antichrist is here limitted from killing them spiritually but in these places he is permitted to kill them bodily On the contrary again in respect of the second Antichrist doth not take away the life bodily of these that submitteth to him but he proveth a spiritual plague unto them Now if we consider him in the first sense as he corrupteth the Elect Antichrist is not the plague of the world but in the second sense as souls are endangered by him And therefore this being a threatning of sending him as a plague to the hypocrites of the Church his proper commission in reference to them is only set down 2. This limitation may be put in to shew the proper work of these locusts which should not be professedly to take away bodily lives themselves from which as to its act the Romish Clergie doth superstitiously pretend to abstain although they be deep in bloudy contrivances but that their native work should be the destroying of souls The second limitation in this Verse is in respect of the time it is not for ever but for five moneths We understand it indefinitly for a considerable long time yet a time that is bounded by the Lord and will have an end as Ezek. 39.12 seven moneths are to be taken also It is probable that particularly five moneths are mentioned because ordinarily locusts continued to destroy during five moneths as it is written of them for beginning in Aprill they died in September If we should aim to be more definit in applying this time it would but prove more troublesome and uncertain than satisfying or edifying The last thing wherein their power or commission is described is in the nature of the plague it self that is it was not that they should kill men but that men should be tormented c. This torment in the greatnesse of it is aggreged by a similitude in the end of the fifth Verse their torment was as the torment of a scorpion which is a grievous dangerous and vexing torment Vers. 6. The second aggravation is v. 6. from the effect of this Men shall seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flee from them In sum it is this their anxiety shall be so great as shall make them weary of their life as we see often good men wish for death under great anxiety of spirit not as death is considered in it self but as usually it is accounted an end to present vexations as Iob and Ionah and yet death shall not prove comfortable to them but death that is a quieting death which they desire shall flee from them and thoughts of death shall breed a new terrour to them For understanding this two things are to be observed 1. That it is not bodily torment which the Text speaketh of but Spirituall anxiety and inward vexation of spirit and that such as natively floweth from the practices and doctrine of these locusts For 1. this torment is on the friends and native subjects of this Kingdom whom these under-officers do not pretend willingly to torment 2. Their power is not to kill bodily and therefore not to torment bodily The second thing to be observed is that nothing doth more natively breed anxiety and spirituall torment than the principles contained in the Popish Doctrine and propagated by these who are signified by these locusts And therefore seing the spreaders of such Doctrines as breed anxiety and vexation of spirit and can never satisfie nor quiet a conscience must be understood here we can more warrantably apply it to none than to underlings of the Popish Clergie and other propagaters of that Kingdom Where these things are clear 1. That their Doctrine is apt of it self to breed this vexation of spirit such as the innumerablnesse of their ceremonies holy dayes Doctrine of merit of works and uncertainty of Grace and Salvation perfection of holinesse and fulfilling of the Law of God with the great yoke of will-worship and superstition which cannot but bring the zealots of these traditions under much bondage 2. This is clear that by their principles there is no quieting of a conscience once wakened What can their pennances pilgrimages satisfactions indulgences invocation of Saints and Images and such like do to the sprinkling of an heart from an evil Conscience There needeth no more proof of this than to read the Writings of some of their Casuists and to consider the many dotations given for soul-masses after death because the Conscience could never be quieted here 3. We will find also both these made good in experience Histories are full of instances of the heartlesse and comfortlesse life and anxious death of many
would blesse Him further that He hath freed us from this tyranny under which a great part of the Christian world doth lye and by which our own Predecessours were sometimes keeped in bondage 3. It would provoke us to improve the light and liberty of Truth which He hath conceded to us and to welcome the soul-comforting Doctrines of the free grace of the Gospel O what great odds is there betwixt the dispensations of the Gospel which we enjoy and that which our Fathers lived under and therefore how much more is required of us and how much greater will the condemnation of these be who shall ungratfully perish under this light Lastly let it stir us up with holy indignation against this contagion of Popery ought we to think this a light and indifferent matter which the Lord hath threatned as so great a wo to the visible Church and which he doth so significantly delineat in the hellish nature and hurtfull effects of it and let us commiserate the deplorable condition of many thousands of poor souls captivated under this tyranny and stung with the poison of these scorpions who yet cry not when they are bound And let us cry mightily to God to break this Covenant with death and to bring this agreement with hell to an end that the oppressed captives may be let go free and the Temple may be opened in heaven and that He may take to Him His great power and reigne that the Kingdoms of the earth may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ even so Amen Concerning the comfortlesse grounds that Poperie layeth down for the comforting of poor afflicted Consciences IF we might take a view of such grounds as Popery layeth down for the quieting of an exercised Conscience what a labyrinth would it be found For 1. They deny all not imputation of sin or imputation of righteousnesse and place remission of sins only in the infusing of a gracious quality in the soul which they call gratia gratum faciens so that if the sin be mortall this is lost although the person were formerly just and must again be recovered If it be veniall he must satisfie for it 2. To this kind of remission they require attrition and contrition The first is a legall sorrow for fear of wrath the second is an intense sorrow for the sin committed the first proceedeth from servile fear this from filiall both these they lay down as necessary for attaining of the former remission or infusion of Grace 3. To this contrition they give a fourfold influence in the attaining thereof 1. Dispositively or a disposing influence as the materiall cause as they call it of this grace that is by this contrition as it is a vertue the soul is disposed for receiving of that grace or that that grace may be wrought in the soul out of that contrition as the pre-existent matter thereof 2. If concurreth instrumentally as it is a part of the Sacrament of Pennance by which the Priests absolution doth ex opere operato beget such grace in the heart of one that is contrite These two are laid down by Thom. supplement Quest. 5. Art 1. corp 3. It concurreth by way of satisfaction for the sin committed and so this inward contrition in the sensitive part is mans recompensing for his fault inwardly as he doth outwardly inflict punishment on the body ad recompensandam offensam quae in Deum committitur as Aquinas speaketh Quaest. 1. Art 2. 4. It concurreth meritoriously as an act of vertue even as other works do for procuring meritoriously something from God supp Quaest. 1. Art 2. even the first entrance into glory All which wayes will be unsatisfying to a conscience for neither of them looketh on Repentance as that which the Lord of His grace hath promised and knit pardon freely unto therefore that it may be meritorious there ariseth a new dispute wherein this contrition consisteth 1. Some old Schoolmen say it must be in summa gradu otherwise pardon is not to be expected 2. Others of whom Scotus is the head say that it is such a sorrow as is only known to God and so by it the conscience can have no quiet 3. The later Jesuits as Bellar. do pâ—â—niten lib. 2. cap. 11. and Gregor de Valent. tom 4. disp 7. Quaest. 8. de contritione do reject both these as false and dangerous and because that contrition in such a degree is most rare therefore they have a twofold cure leâ—t there be no ground to quiet one at all 1. Bellarmine distinguisheth contrition in that which is intensive summa and appretiative summa and saith that though the first be not the second will be sufficient providing the sinner be still pursuing after the first to the uttermost so that if any thing be left undone which might be done for attaining thereof this ground will fail and the conscience can have no peace in this because in it there is a new sin and what shall satisfie for that This is also rare and considering that a wakened conscience will noâ— easily acquiesce in its own appretiative contrition as being equivalent for satisfaction that being only such as desireth to be intensively in the heighest degree as they expound it Therefore 2. the weight is laid on the power of the keyes and the Priests absolution in the Sacrament of Pennance which Greg. de Vallâ—ntiâ â—aith is communis Scholasticorum sententia that is that though contrition of it self be not sufficient yet by vertue of the foresaid absolution one that is attritus doth become contritus and so have the forementioned remission of sins bestowed on him Therefore they make Baptism simply necessary to the pardon of Original sin and pennance to actuall except when it is impossible and in this case the vow thereof doth supply To this sacramentall absolution they require particular confession of mortall sins dâ— necessitate â—almis to be made necessarily to the Priest before he absolve them which can be no little torture and so still this leaveth the soul to dispute the Priests Commission and the nature of that Sacrament which will not easily quiet it and also leaveth it under Aquinas his unanswerable Argument suppl Quaest. 1. Art 3. Where saith he the principles are diverse the one can never passe unto or become the other But the principles of attrition to wit servile fear and of contrition to wit filiall fear are diverse Ergo c. When this is done there is still a stick even by their principles in the uncertainty of this whether their contrition be true or not or whether that remission hath followed freely or not for this they say cannot be known but by particular revelation Therefore do they conclude that to supply all it is necessary to enjoyn satisfaction in work by pennances peregrinations dotations or such like whereby they make up equipollently the defects of their contrition and make all sure and if the person cannot satisfie himself because his sins are great
seditioso liceret Petri sedem invadore he took the Papacie by force for this was the custom that any seditious person might by violence take up Peter's seat And in the life of Sylvester the third Eò enim Pontificatus devenerat ut qui plus largitione ambitione non dico sanctitate vitae doctrinae valeret is tantummodò bonis oppressis rejectis obtineret quem morem utinam aliquando non retinuissent nostra tempora sed hos parum est c. The Papacie was come into this condition that not he who was holiest and most learned but he who gave maniest bribes and was most ambitious obtained it and that only by bearing down and casting at good men which custome I wish our times had not retained but this is little of it c. 2. There is grossenesse in their persons for adultery cruelty devilrie Iohn the 13. omnibus probris ac turpitudinibus à pueritiá contaminatus venationibus siquid temporis à libidinibus supererat magis quam orationibus deditus Hic sceleratissimus in adulterio comprehensus confossus fuit An infamous and vile man even from his infancie what spare time he had from his lusts was spent rather in Hunting than Prayer at length he was stobbed in the very act of Adultery Sylvester 2. malis artibus sedem adeptus Diabolum socutus cui se totum tradidorat eâ lege Diaboli opem obtinuit ut post mortem ejus totus esset Sylvester 2. having got the Papacie by unlawfull wayes gave over himself to the devil and got his help upon that condition that he should be his wholly after death 3. Great cruelty in their poisoning exhumating and beheading after death their predecessors rescinding all their acts So that in Steph. 5. Haec consuetudo invaluit c. See more in Chrystoph 1. Boniface 7. Hildebrand and many others 4. Innumerable schisms some of them reckon 26. decided ordinarily by violence and some of them with two or three Popes continuing many years to say nothing of Iohn the 8. whom Martin and Plat. call a woman who of child birth died in procession From what is said also we may gather 1. That the Kingdom of Antichrist is not fully to be overturned by the Turks but that there remaineth the greatest part undestroyed by that plague upon which afterward the vials are poured forth Chap. 16. God restraining and bounding that destruction for the Churches and Elects sake which He had reserved lurking amongst them 2. We may see the tenaciousnesse of these men in not quiting their Idolatry and repenting of their sins which maketh way for the coming vials under which also it is marked Chap. 16.9 that they repented not but went on in their blasphemies against God 3. It appeareth that the Idolatry and sins mentioned here and the man who continue impenitently in them are not to be understood of the idolatry and sins which the Pagan world is guilty of whom God by this judgement aimeth not to reclaim but such sins as the backslidden Church of Antichrist is guilty of that being the world a third part whereof is destroyed and two parts whereof for a time are spared as is said it being not the rest of men simply but the rest of the men which relate to the visible Church the object of these plagues as contradistinguished from the rest of the world Beside the idolatries murthers c. mentioned here and the men who continue impenitent in them are the same who are plagued by the last wo and last plagues or vials of the wrath of God for it is one continued controversie upon the same account but the men plagued for Idolatry murther fornication c. by the vials are the men who have the mark of the beast Chap. 16.2 charged with the bloud of Saints ibid. vers 6. Yea the seat of the beast untouched by this plague ibid. vers 10. found guilty also of Idolatry sorcery and fornication Chap. 13.1 2 4 5. and Chap. 17.4 5 6 c. Therefore they must be of one and the same Antichristian Church For seing such men under such guilt are found tenacious of the same impiety under the vials although plagued by them Whom can we esteem them to be but the men spoken of here under the same guilt who being spared and yet continuing therein are of new brought unto a reckoning by the Lord neither were it so wonderfull to see Heathens continue in their idolatries after crosses but it is wonderfull to see Christians do so more might have been expected from them 4. Hence we may gather that supposing the former trumpet and Chap. 13.17 to relate to the Romish Church for which the exposition of these places may be considered and finding it true in the event that the Romish Church for a great part thereof is over-run by the Turks yet the seat and as it were a two part of that Kingdom to be spared according to this prophesie I say we may gather that the idolatry sorcery murther c. mentioned here is to be enquired for among them and that it is their worship service and practices which are here so denominated by the Lord. From what is said we suppose it not needfull to adde many reasons why we have applyed this plague to the Turks or Mahometans the consideration of what hath been laid down touching the object nature properties and effects of this sad wo being compared in the event with the rise progresse successe and nature of the Turkish Empire it will be found so evidently to be fulfilled in them as will leave no ground to question it Only let it be observed that we conjoyn the Saracens and Turks together as one for they possesse the same parts of the world did actually continue in one Dominion do follow the same Religion Laws and Customs and do observe the same manner of proceeding in their Wars with the same hatred of and quarrel against Christians c. and seing in the event what is prophesied here is found exactly to be fulfilled in them the considering of this prophesie and the reading of their story doth of it self make the application And considering the great change and destruction that by Mahomâ—ts means hath been made especially in the Christian world it is not like it would be omitted in this prophesie and there will be found no type so suitable nor time so agreeable to it as that of this trumpet This Mahomet lived a little before and about the 650. year a little after Boniface the third had assumed the title of Vniversal Bishop he was an Arabian a subtile fellow and no Christian about the 630. With the help of one Sergius a Nestorian Monk and Ioannes Antiochenus an Arian and some Iews he began to coin his blasphemous Alcoran wherein he endeavoureth a mixture of Paganism Judaism and Christianity but of the grostest kind to wit Arianism and Nestorianism It were long to rehearse all his tenets He called himself the great
granted by the same reverend Authors that the ruine of Antichrist is begun and Therefore this prophesie must be fulfilled also Otherwise we must say that this begun ruine and his height can consist together 2. It is objected That the fall of this tenth part of the City is the same with the overturning of the seat of the beast under the fifth vial Chap. 6. But that is not yet fulfilled Therefore neither this prophesie Ans. This objection is grounded upon an unwarrantable supposition For 1. the City here spoken of is not properly the beasts seat or Rome it self but the dominion thereof as it is expounded by that same Learned Author upon vers 8. preceeding 2. The expression here of a falling of a tenth part thereof doth evidently and manifestly differ from that totall overturning prophesied of by the fifth vial it being certain that the overturning of the tenth part is here to set forth a partiall and so a begun overthrow distinguished from a totall overturning threatened by the fifth vial and therefore cannot be understood of the same event But here the rise and beginning of that ruine is hinted at which is perfected by the seventh trumpet and vials following The ground of this their mistake proceedeth from this that they make the vials at least the first six to be contemporary with the sixth trumpet and not to be comprehended under the seventh For clearing this therefore beside what is said in the preface Chap. 6. and afterward on the seventh trumpet and vials whereby is held forth the successive dependence of the first vial upon the blowing of the seventh trumpet We shall further adde A fourth reason to the former three That act of killing the witnesses is the very last part of the height of the reign of Antichrist for he reigneth during the 1260. dayes preceeding which is the time of their prophesying in sackcloth and insulteth and rejoyceth in a most eminent way when these witnesses are killed Therefore cannot that be contemporary with any of the vials which do succeed to Antichrists height and successively carry on his ruine seing therefore it is granted by all that Antichrists ruine by the vials is begun and it cannot be denied but Antichrists triumphing over the witnesses is as it were the last part and very Crisis of his uninterrupted tyrannie and so inconsistent with his decaying Kingdom It must therefore be esteemed to preceed the vials and so to be fulfilled And therefore this being the last act of the sixth trumpet wherein Antichrist is at his height and seing the vials each after other carry on his ruine it cannot be thought that any of them much lesse the first six can contemporate with it 5. It may thus appear If the vials expresse a different estate of the Church to wit its flourishing and Antichrists weakening from that which the fifth and sixth trumpet expresseth to wit Antichrists height and the Churches low condition Then they cannot contemporate together but the one must be supposed to preceed the other But this is true that they hold forth different estates of the Church as the exposition of them will clear Therefore cannot fall in one time 6. We may add that by the same Learned Author the time of Antichrists full reign and the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth are demonstrated exactly to be contemporary having one beginning and continuance and the expiring of either of them will prove the expiring of both and infer the killing of the witnesses which is immediately upon the back of both Now the time of Antichrists absolute dominion being expired as is said it must also follow that the other two events in the prophesie to wit the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth and their killing must be fulfilled also Again if these 1260 dayes be accounted for so many years and the beginning of them to contemporate with the opening of the seventh seal and first trumpet as the same Learned Author doth assert Then it will follow that they must be ere now expired for we have formerly cleared the first trumpet and opening of the seventh seal to begin about the three hundred year or thereby and therefore these dayes cannot be running according to these principles till now yea from that first Author these things are clear 1. That the witnesses prophesying the womans flying Antichrists reigning and the treading of the outer Court by the Gentiles do contemporate and that with the first six trumpets 2. That the womans travelling her bringing forth and the lifting of her childe to Heaven Chap. 12. do contemporate with the first six seals 3. He maketh Chap. 12. that taking up of the childe to Heaven to be fulfilled in Constantin's reign and his admission to the Empire as also that the womans flying and wildernesse-condition which to him speaketh out a freedom of the Church to Religious exercises though abused by her to much defection and idolatry as was in the people of Israels wildernesse-estate after their delivery from Egypt doth take in the whole estate of the Church from the close of Heathenish persecution immediately till the seventh trumpet blow And seing both these will fall about the 300. or 310. year It followeth that this prophesie in sackcloth must begin then also and so cannot be continuing till now To be more particular in the application thereof we think that conceit or dream of the Papists expounding all so literally of an Antichrist who shall come of the Tribe of Dan and that shall reign just three years and an half sitting in Ierusalem and building that Temple and the two witnesses of Enoch and Elias This dream invented by them to keep their Pope from being apprehended as the true Antichrist this I say is not worth the insisting on to refute as being so contrary to the frame of the prophesie past and also of that which followeth concerning the beast Chap. 13. for certainly this trial being so long as the great part of the Revelation is spent on it and so many things to be done under it it cannot be performed in so short a time In the application of it we shall 1. see what generall characters may be drawn from the Text for helping us to fix the time 2. See how the application may be made out In the first we intend not to be peremptory yet these things may be concluded concerning it according to the grounds formerly laid 1. It is clear that the end of these fourty and two moneths of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth and Antichrists tyrannie is discernable being so clearly evidenced by the witnesses laying by their sackcloth their death and glorious appearance again in a settled and secure condition This certainly will fall in about the time that Religion was reformed and the Popes tyrannie in a great part discovered and rejected The fourty and two moneths then must be acknowledged immediately to preceed this time of Reformation This also will be confirmed if we consider that the sounding of the seventh trumpet
clear hint at the sum of the second state of the Church to wit that which was â—atent and when it beginneth even when the other endeth Two things remain to be cleared 1. Why this beast here under the Dragon hath the Crowns on his heads and on his horns and that beast Chap. 13.1 hath the Crowns on his horns not on the heads The reason is because when the Roman Empire was heathen and under that notion persecuted the Church the seat of the beast Rome had the royal emperiall dignity and these ten Kingdoms were then Provinces subject to her as appeareth Chap. 17. These ten then were but to get royal independent dignity but when the Empire turned slaves to Antichrist about the year 606. and after the case is altered Rome is denuded of the royal Authority which she had and these Provinces are now by the Empires decay turned to be Kingdoms though in this condition depending still on Antichrist as formerly they were united under the Dragon 2. Why doth the Dragon now but pursue the womans seed and after in the second onset he setteth on the woman the mother to drown her Answ. In these three wars of the Dragon ye will find a difference 1. He seeketh to destroy all the seed 2. He sendeth out a flood against the mother and his anger is turned against her when the childe escapeth 3. When the woman escapeth though she cede which the childe did not which maketh it appear that this fleeing rather holdeth out a change upon the Churches qualifications than of her locall residence then vers ult he setteth himself not against the mother simply nor against all the seed indifferently as in the first but against such as keeped the Commandments of God The reasons are 1. Because open persecuters look to all sorts of professors indifferently and do vent cruelty on them Hence Arians would sometimes be put to suffer with Orthodox Christians and by Arians the Novatians as well as others they know not to make difference they so hated the very name 2. Because the heathen persecuters thought that the readiest way of destroying the Church was to destroy her members in whom she subsisted and that they being undone consequently so would she be Therefore 1. the devil beginneth with murthering bodies to undo the Church in her members and when that faileth he setteth on the mother to poison the members or children by corrupting her as one intending the destruction of a childe would poison the Nurse This is done not by direct hatred at the name and profession of Christianity now in request but by counterfeiting and corrupting Christianity that he may once alter the face beauty and wholsomenesse of the Ordinances of the Church which is the Mother and he is sure the children which suck these breasts will not be lively To effectuate this he maketh use not of open Heathens but corrupt Teachers that he speweth out not to taint this or that person but the fountains as was seen in the first four trumpets in which he spareth particular children of the Church possibly allureing them with rich benefits sumptuous buildings honours and preferments but in the mean while carrying on his design against the Church as a Church even under and by these which by the former voice in Sylvesters time if it be truth is hinted at and that word of Ierom's in vita Matthai when Emperours became Christians the Church indeed encreased in worldly pompe but decreased in spirituall beauty Ecclesiam Christianam post quam ad Christianos venit principatus potentià guidem divitiis majorem esse factam sed virtutibus minorem Lastly in the third battell he putteth at some of the seed only because here he maketh use of Antichrist a counterfeit enemy who will not purposely and down-right set on all Christians as such for his quarrell and the devils is but with these that are faithfull and hate his pride and hypocrisie 2. In this last he joyneth violence and deceit together and by deceit he overcometh many they have drunken up the fioud but these that will not drink of these fornications he pursueth them with violence by the following beast and not all Christians simply but these who kept themselves from these growing corruptions and these are called the womans seed LECTURE II. Vers. 7. And there was war in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven 9. And the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night 11. And they overcame him by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimonie and they loved not their lives unto the death 12. Therefore rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time HAving given a little touch of the Churches first battell and the event thereof untill her fleeing to the wildernesse he returneth from this 7. vers unto the 13. more fully to explicate that war that the strangenesse of the event of a womans victory and her childe against a Dragon may appear not to be from her strength but from a good Captain who sideth with her and fighteth for her The story is resumed in these words There was war in heaven By heaven we understand the Church not as if one part of it were divided against the other but that the Church was the seat and object of it the devil invading her by open proclaimed war against all Christians He overruneth her by massacres and persecutions as invaders overrun invaded Kingdoms She again by Michael and her members resisteth that fury so the war is here By war we understand not secret enmity as alwayes there is nor peculiar incursions such as come now and then by starts as in Iulian his time and some others but open professed and avowed universall war such as the heathenish persecuters maintained both in their decrees and in the execution of them for three hundred years such war as professedly the Church did not meet with since The parties are more insisted on than formerly 1. In their leaders 2. In their followers or souldiers Michael is generall on the womans side we take it to be Christ who is Commander and Leader Isa. 55.4 and Captain Heb. 2. It is like he is also intended Dan. 12. to which this alludeth His souldiers are both his Angels properly taken for Heb. 1. they are
Church of Christ. Neither ought it to move any if it should be objected that Presbyteries are before Synods and Congregations before these because Members that constitute the one have commission from the other and therefore Congregations must be first as Shires are before a Parliament or Kingdom made up of them because they commissionate such This I say hath no weight in it 1. Because the Catholick Church hath not her being from particular Churches but doth descend as is said from the preceeding generation till it come to the first Church that ever was from which all that followed were derived and did extend themselves accordingly as they encreased as hath been said and Adam's familie is once Gods Church thereafter Noahs then Abraham's is especially adopted after that at Christ's coming the Gentiles are ingrafted in that stock and the Ordinances that came from Zion prevailed and that not to constitute different Churches but to encrease and enlarge that one Church which for its accommodation might have its diverse rooms but be still one familie the Gospel-church therefore hath its being from the Church before Christ and particular Congregations have their being from it as parts of the same 2. The similitudes hold not for before there be a Generall Assembly there is an unity of the Catholick Church which warrandeth her Members to conveen in one and Presbyteries to instruct for that end otherwise they could not do it even as the Kingdom as such is before a Parliament met and hath an unity before Cities choice and although Cities considered abstractly may be before such an union because the union may depend upon voluntary submission yet if they be considered as parts of that Kingdom it is supposed to be first and to communicate to them such priviledges and therefore they are free parts of such a body not because they give the whole a being but because they have a being from it so here particular Congregations cannot be considered as parts of the whole but the whole must be supposed to be first which on such occasions are bound to concur in generall although sometimes in the particular it may be free whether to joyn with such or such a particular Church or any other From which many usefull points touching the externall order Discipline and Government of the Church will follow and is the right understanding of the nature of the Covenant of Grace doth conduce exceedingly to the clearing of Gospel-truths so the right understanding of this unity of the Catholick Church hath great influence upon the uptaking of what concerneth her outward administration in order and Discipline and that communion which is amongst Ministers and Members of the visible Church whereof somewhat was said Chap. 2. vers 1. To this purpose may be observed that famous Augustine did long ago take the defence of Ticonius writing against the Donatists upon this same subject as may be seen in his writings against Parmenianus lib. 1. cap. 10. LECTURE I. CHAP. XIII Vers. 1. ANd I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemie 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a bear and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred after the beast THe right understanding of this Chapter is of great concernment to the understanding of this prophesie it hath such difficulty in it that by some it is accounted as crux interpretum The difficulty is not even almost with Papists whether the Roman state be designed here or not or concerning the beasts if by one of them Antichrist be holden forth both these are palpable and certain this being compared with the 17. Chap. The difficulty lieth in these two 1. To what time state or head of the Roman Empire they relate 2. If different states be meaned by these two beasts Or if one Antichrist as diversly considered be set out by these shapes because one doth not sufficiently paint him out who standeth both in a Civil and Ecclesiastick relation so that now Satan as it were being first spoiled of temporall Authority in his lieutennant the heathen Emperour and being also disappointed of his second design of drowning the Church by errors setteth himself to hasten up a new Kingdom or Deputy but in another shape that by joyning both violence and deceit in him together he may bring to passe what these being essayed separately did not effectuate So that this is looked on as the product of the Dragons third design wherein his uttermost skill kytheth and the greatest strength of his Kingdom lieth which design is answerably described in a double type The 1. shewing what really Antichrist is to whom he succeedeth of whom he hath his power where he sitteth and to what height he cometh c. The 2. how he appeareth what way he carried on and brought about that design and what weapons and pretences were abused for that end This we conceive shortly to be the scope and drift of both these types for more clear understanding whereof we shall premit some generall propositions the particulars whereof will appear more in opening this and the 17. Chapter Proposition 1. It is ordinary to the Prophets especially to Daniel to set out temporall Monarchies by great beasts as Chap. 7. and 8. And these beasts do not hold forth individuall persons but a successive series of the same line on that throne and it is usuall in this prophesie to borrow types from him only sometimes that which is spoken in the Old Testament of temporall enemies or straits of the Church is applied to spirituall and covered enemies as many things literally agreeing to Antiochus are applied to Antichrist and things literally true of Pharaoh are applied to the devil So by a Beast here may be meaned a State of great power and violence against the Church though not in or by a single person in one generation executed but for a long time by a series of one combined body successively under one head This must be understood that of the Churches suffering under the Dragon formerly his first Deputy the heathen Empire and Emperour being understood thereby as it was one body though under diverse individuall Emperours successively Propos. 2. Sometimes one state thing or person will be set out in Scripture by diverse types and beasts so Dan. 7. the Persian Empire is set forth by a Bear the Grecian by a Leopard In the 8. the Persian by a Ram and the Grecian by a He-goat See Chap. 7. the Seleucides Kingdom though but a branch of the Grecian is set out by a beast as different from the other wholly because
is fully happy freed from all miserie and enjoying fully unchangeably and eternally what may make them compleatly happy even God Himself Matth. 5.8 Or the words contain a great end men naturally aim at to wit Blessednesse and 2. the compendious clear way of attaining it by dying in Christ implying 1. a being in Him 2 Corinth 5.17 which is to be a Believer by Faith united to Him 2. to live in Him this is presupposed also for death followeth life Gal. 2.24 that is an exercising of Faith not only for attaining spirituall life but for the fruits and acts of it also living like one in Christ and by vertue of that life bringing forth fruits Iob. 15.4 3. To die then in Him is the adding to these faith exercising itself on Christ in reference to death when it cometh chearfully willingly boldly and confidently in the Faith of Gods promise committing it self to Him 2 Tim. 1.12 as Stephen Acts 7. and carrying with it the sense of its own naughtinesse even to death notwithstanding whereof it resteth it self over upon His gracious promise and like David 2 Sam. 23.5 dieth there contentedly These are blessed This in generall of dying in Him If it be applyed to such in particular who suffering for Him keep faith in Him to the end it will suit with the scope as if he said these that suffer for Christ rightly by persecution under Antichrist and thus to die for Him is to die in Him shall be blessed as if he had suffered under Heathens although the world think there is a great difference The third is the qualification added with its confirmation yea saith the Spirit from henceforth c. which doth not imply that these who die in Christ are from the time of their death blessed as freed from that fancied Purgatory and all labours which certainly is Truth otherwise neither could they from the instant of their death be called Blessed nor yet said to be at rest from their labours For 1. the blessednesse here is brought in as something peculiarly encouraging the Godly against these coming trials 2. The word from henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from now looketh to the instant the prophesie relateth unto as when Christ saith Matth. 26. from henceforth I will not drink of the fruit of the vine it is as if He had said from this time forth so here otherwise it would be from thenceforth if it related to death simply beside the connexion here will not agree that they may rest it is not for they shall rest for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is causally to be understood If it be asked then what peculiar happinesse or encouragement is holden out to the Godly under Antichrists troubles now Answ. 1. It strengtheneth them against the many calumnies of persecuters reckoning them not Martyrs but ill doers for now they suffer from Christians not from Heathens as Martyrs did formerly The Spirit saith not only before this but from henceforth shall they be fully blessed that die in Christ even under Popes as well as Heathen Emperours 2. They are now blessed because freed from many great troubles crosses and tentations that were coming on the world for rejecting the Gospel now preached in which outward troubles the Godly living are involved Isa. 57.1 2. 3. Their blessednesse is the more now because hell groweth hoter as vers 9 10. and it is more mercy to be freed of it 4. They have this use and advantage of their pains as to have peace and clearnesse at their death no fear of Purgatory and clearnesse of salvation now after the Popish uncertainty is banished giveth them quiet which is a great advantage in this time yea whatever the world think of them who in zeal for Christ do suffer under Antichrist God will esteem and reward of Grace their suffering Matth. 5.16 and take speciall notice of what testimonie is given for Him The words yea saith the Spirit are to confirm this Truth to be divine because the world would not believe it The fourth thing confirmeth these reasons to wit why from henceforth they are blessed 1. They are freed from their labours which is supposed in their life they suffered 2. Their works do follow them for these labours they have joy These sufferings work to them a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory and there is a proportionablenesse in their glory to their suffering 2 Corinth 4.17 suitable to it though not deserved by it Rom. 8.17 Therefore are these works said to follow in respect of the fruits of them but not to go before as causes to procure an entry In a word God remembereth their good works and in heaven they have the fruits of them Isa. 3.10 Vers. 14. We come now to the last part of the Chapter which setteth forth Gods executing His judgements against Antichrist and his kingdom in deeds when words do not the businesse It is set out in two similitudes one of an harvest whereby the world is compared to a field the wicked to corn and the execution of judgement to reaping like as in the other similitude of a vintage Both of them set out 1. the multitude of wicked men that are like fields of corn and clusters of grapes good men like Berries here and there 2. A growth of sin and an height of ripenesse that it cometh unto as corns at harvest 3. A readinesse of judgement and easinesse of executing it as with a sickle both which similitudes are borrowed from Ioel 3.13 Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe come get you down for the presse is full that is for the wickednesse is great and Ier. 51.33 the like is spoken of Babylon For understanding of this obscure place as soberly we ought to search in what is apparently to come for the most part if not for all we would consider and observe these four things concerning it 1. That both these similitudes hold forth wrath and sad judgements to come 1. Concerning the last it is certain for what is gathered is cast in the wine-presse of Gods wrath and the similitudes are every way alike harvest and vintage sharp sickles are the instruments and they are both ripe Beside these places Ioel 3.13 and Ier. 51.33 hold out an harvest of wrath when wickednesse is ripe which similitudes may well be made use of here when there is clearly an allusion to Babylon So they seem to be of one nature though different in degree Again the scope here cleareth it for it is the fulfilling of these former threatenings of the preceeding Angels and the summary expression of what followeth in the vials which are degrees of the same judgement which ascendeth from the lesse to the greater as the exposition will clear 2. Consider that though both hold out judgements yet apparently different judgements not in kind or object But 1. in degree the vintage is a greater judgement as the close of all 2. In time as it is greater so it is after as
if the Lord Christ said such ill dayes and great temptations to draw folks in snares are coming that many will go on in these designes as thinking all their own The advertisement is Behold I come as a thief when they think least on it and seeth least appearance of it I am at hand to take vengeance on them and to deliver the Church So he speaketh Matth. 24.43.44 2 Pet. 3.10 2. There is insinuated a duty suitable to this advertisement that is to Watch and keep their garments clean which was expounded Chap. 3.3 Implying 1. a strait and difficulty 2. the only mean of being preserved in a strait time that is watching seing by it only men are keeped free of spots in their profession and Christian walk 3. There is set down here two excellent motives pressing this necessary duty of watching 1. from their happinesse who doth so they are blessed 1. In themselves being keeped from much sin and wrath which others fall under 2. In reference to others who being by that design of Antichrists ensnared shall share of wrath The second is because by watching men keep their nakednesse covered which by sinning is discovered to their shame a spotted garment hideth not this shame but manifesteth it To be keeped from sin is a great motive and to keep from sin keepeth from shame for shame followeth ever upon sin And there is a behold prefixed yet Readers may not passe it but observe the warning for their instruction in duty and the encouragement of blessednesse for their upstirring and comfort Gods people would never look for a constant peace in the greatest growth of Religion even at the Iews in-coming the Church hath one of her sorest battels There is great odds betwixt a thriving Gospel and the real advantage that cometh by it and outward peace and prosperity The last thing is the successe these foul spirits had They gathered these Kings who for many years despised the Gospel and never had been gathered by it in Gods judgement they are given up to yeeld to them This hath these circumstances 1. The successe They are gathered and who It is these to whom they were sent both Popish Kings and Heathen Kings It is like the Turks as nearest are most easily engaged to set on Christians In a word such speciall enemies as God mindeth to be about with 2. It is said he gathered them not the spirits that is either the beast who commissionated them or rather God who in His secret providence ordereth that designe of the beasts and the enimity of these Kings for such an end as might glorifie Him and undo them It is like an allusion is to the commission Satan getteth against Ahab in perswading him wherein though the devil be instrumentall by false prophets in bringing Ahab to Ramoth 1 King 22. yet it is by Gods permissive providence to punish Ahab that maketh him prevail So it is here the devil hath one design the beast another God a third and He maketh use of both for furthering of His He doth it when they seem to get most way in theirs and it s but the effectuating of His so Gods hand is soveraigne even in Antichrists designs 3. Concerning the place unto which they are gathered two things are to be enquired 1. What this Armageddon is 2. Why it is expresly said in the Hebrew Tongue 1. Armageddon is not to be taken literally as if there were such a place in which indeed bearing that name that battell is to be fought in but figuratively it setteth down before hand from the effect and event of that expedition and battell after the manner of the Hebrews who called places from notable events in them as Bochim Achor Hamon Gog Ezek. 39. Bethel with many others Now this is two wayes applicable 1. Gnarim which Arma cometh from signifying subtillity and applied to the Serpent Gen. 3.1 yea subtillity with deceitfulnesse 2. Geddon cometh from a root that signifieth gathered together so the word signifieth deceitfully gathered together by craft or the first root may signifie destruction so it is gathered to be destroyed The second way how it is applicable is to take it in allusion to Megiâ—do so it will be the hill of Megiddo a place in Iudah famous for two events 1. Iudg. 5.19 in overthâ—owing Sisera's mighty Army by a womans help So these enemies brought into such a fit place shall be as Sisera at the river Kison Psal. 83. The other at Megiddo by Iosâ—a's death is lamentable Thus it relateth to the great zeal and repentance which shall be among the Iews at such a joyfull event Zech. 12.12 both or either will suit here what ever way it be But take it from the force of the compound word it agreeth best to the Hebrews way and that is the reason why especially it is mentioned here expresly in the Hebrew tongue implying 1. that they put that name on it for it is not like that other Nations would give it a name in a strange tongue 2. Their respecting the event in the name as is their manner as before was said thus the name speaketh out the event If it be asked why the Lord delayeth so these vials or carrieth them so on as the Pope getteth such help and bringeth Gods Church low even when he is near to ruine Answ. 1. This way trieth the faith and patience of Gods people most as here is their faith and patience Chap. 13. importeth So was Israel tried in their slow delivery out of Egypt 2. This effecteth His end amongst enemies more and giveth them occasion of kything and in Gods judgement hardeneth them by hopes sometimes to prevail till His wrath come on them So was Pharaoh by Israels straits at the Red-sea and the Magicians counterfeit miracles hardened thus Christs coming is as a snare Luk. 21.35 3. It contributeth more for Gods glory He getteth them thus together to the great battell He hath by this means many victories and much glory over one enemy as He had over Pharaoh otherwise they would never uphold a contest with God The Lord in this doth as one saith as a man who being to leap far goeth a little back to come up with the greater force For sinfull causes of it we may name 1. their ingratitude and unanswerable walk who receive the Gospel which will make God remove it and therefore also not to propogate it 2. Little pity on them that lieth under Antichrist and little prayer for Gods hastening His judgements on him and fitting of instruments for it 3. Little singlnesse in any undertaking for that end few Kings mindeth it self-interests sway all and others carnally seek their own glory in being instrumentall in such a thing or under such a pretext pursue their own more than Christs therefore they are not blessed 4. Want of a powerfull Ministrie and lives answerable amongst Professors which maketh this Truth to be loathed seing so many are carnall deceitfull c. who professe it Thus
was decayed almost and hath again multitudes brought out of that darknesse to the profession of the truth formerly obscured And so we take it here 1. It is called the first resurrection in opposition to the generall death and darknesse over the Church in Antichrists time which being as a death this may well be called a resurrection 2. It is called a first as distinguished from the generall resurrection to come when God shall raise good and bad Dan. 12. and bring them to judgement These both meet together here yet it would seem that seing he speaketh here of the Church together as living after the death and darknesse she had been in as if her former honest members were arisen It is most agreeable to the scope to take-in especially the out-breaking of a generall profession of truth by Saints in a visible Church-state yet so as including the former Therefore it is not called living simply in respect of the second death following but living again or rising in respect of what is past And the first resurrection as being compared with that resurrection coming Hence it is that this first resurrection is the same here with living formerly mentioned and opposed to the death that the rest of menly still in and therefore is contemporary with and peculiar unto these thousand years it being one of the expressions which sumeth up the Saints good condition during that time This saith he is the first resurrection that is this living c. In the sixth Verse he subjoyneth two things to this 1. the qualification in generall of these who shall be partakers of this great priviledge of the first resurrection 2. The advantages and prerogatives that follow it Both which will confirm that by this resurrection is understood the Churches good condition outward and inward sincere reality of grace in all the parts of it Their advantages in generall which is all one with their qualifications are two 1. They are or he is blessed that comprehendeth all he is a happy man who shall share of this condition and shall believe in Christ. Obj. But may it be said are not all happy who ever believed why is it so said now especially Answ. So are all that ever die in Christ yet is there a peculiar blessednesse that belongeth to some time as Chap. 14.13 so it is in blessednesse here now in this time It hath to Believers more clearnesse more light liberty and publick profession of the Gospel and that with fewer temptations and straits generally than at other times before and after it is a good time to fall in and happy is he who shall have his lot in it as Chap. 19. blessed are they that are called to the supper of the Lamb ut supra The second qualification will clear this And holy is he that doth hold forth in generall an abounding in holinesse during this time when the Iews shall be provoked to jealousie seing here this is the scope Think not that all who shall professe during this time are pertakers of this resurrection No that is a singularly happy man and blessed and a singularly holy man he must be and he shall be so qualified and fitted for it in more holinesse than ordinary This is not as if all Saints then on earth were more holy than others that were before that time or shall follow after but that in generall holinesse shall at that time be more rife in the Church and therefore that reigning of all Saints must not be so understood as if all individually should flourish in the world but that generally their condition should be better than formerly Or take these words generally to shew the effects of that resurrection or what they are the better that partake of it for both may be they are blessed singularily and holy which sheweth 1. wherein their blessednesse especially consisteth to wit in holinesse that is their happinesse which is more than any outward liberty to deborde If it be asked what singular thing of holinesse is spoken of in that time Answ. The degree it is like will be more eminent 2. the extent more universall And 3. it will be much now when hypocrites abound as alwayes they do when Religion is in request to be holy then hypocrisie and prosperity being greater enemies to grace than open profanity and persecution But he that partaketh of this resurrection he is both happy and holy together The advantages more particularly are exprest and they are three in number The first is negatively exprest on such the second death shall have no power This second death was spoken of Chap. 2 and it followeth Chap. 21.8 In a word it is to be casten in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone that is hell If any say so we here make three deaths or four 1. Spirituall 2. Naturall or temporall death which cometh on all 3. Eternall death And 4. We have spoken of a generall death or deadnesse in respect of the defections of Churches Answ. Look to every death and put it with its own contradistinguishing member and there will be but two as 1. a spirituall death of the soul in sin and 2. of wrath in hell Again a temporall death of the body common to all and 2. an eternall death of soul and body that is the second here 3. There is a generall deadnesse in the Churches great eclipsing under Antichrist and the womans fleeing and the witnesses killing and there is a second death fore-against that of the generall passing of the sentence against all the wicked together However these that are partakers of this resurrection they cannot partake of any of these Hence it appeareth 1. what their prerogative is it is freedom from hell they even then are not alway keeped from the first death but from the second death 2. It sheweth it is not a bodily resurrection here for many such are not necessarily keeped from hell but spirituall in faith and holinesse with fruits The second advantage is they shall be priests of God and of Christ that was Chap. 5. Priests to God here it is of God I conceive the scope is the same to shew their advancement to serve and worship God as Priests in a familiar way Or it may be Priests of God excellent Priests as trees of God harpes of God c. when any thing is excellent so it is called However the words imply 1. that is a great priviledge to get God worshipped and to be true worshippers as it was to be high Priest 2. That Believers are eminently admitted to this freedom at this time by this resurrection for 1. there are two sorts of sacrifices one proper to the Law and another common to the Gospel Mal. 1. pure offerings a contrite heart c. So there are two sorts of Priests one by office that is gone there being now no proper materiall sacrifice and that is not meant here this priviledge being applicable to women and children who are not capable of that
saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire WE have hitherto had a view of the state of the visible Church to the close of its warfare so long as it shall be militant till her great and last enemy the devil shall be taken and shut up in his everlasting prison which was hinted at in the former verse Now unto the end followeth a most plain description of the day of judgment when all good and bad that ever lived shall be raised and brought to appear before their great Judge to receive sentence every one according to their works The state of the wicked because it is most shortly insisted on â—â— in the first place set down in this Chapter Then the state of the godly and their happinesse is more fully insisted on in the two Chapters following So in short the state of the Church seemeth to be 1. spreading under the first seal as to the thriving of the Gospel 2. Persecuted under the second third fourth and fifth feals 3. Delivered temporally by the sixth All this is Chap. 6. This is the first period 2. Then beginneth Satan to work under-hand till he bring Antichrist to an height and by the Turks overrun a great part of these that carry the name of Christians that is under the first six trumpets with the prophesies contemporary with these 3. By the seventh trumpet and first vial judgement beginneth on Antichrist the case turneth and is carried on during the vials and the thousand years wherein Babylon is destroyed to wit Rome by the fifth vial the Pope fleeing from it to new help and the Turks are destroyed by the sixth Gog and Magog are letten loose and stirred up by the devil under the seventh whereby they temporally and after some little intervall he eternally and all the wicked are judged by the judgement of the great day which was as to him hinted before that the storie of his ruine might be together but here more fully set down That this describeth the last judgement is almost past controversie even amongst these who apply the Chapters following to a state of the militant Church and it is clear not only by the native context and series which is not to be interrupted especially where the things do so well agree for having spoken of the devils last judgement which by Iude is called the judgement of the great day it is consentaneous therefore to understand this of such a judgement whereby he is so judged Beside being now at the close of the seventh vial which bringeth the end and the expressions and judgement both in the verse before and following jumping with these of the seventh vial such a judgement as closeth that vial must be understood which can be no other but the last But the expressions are full and the matter and circumstances so convincing that they leave no place of doubting being so like Dan. 12.1 and other places where the day of judgment is spoken of for at what other judgement are all the dead judged all the reprobate sent to hell the Elect delivered death and hell cast in the lake c. which are all expressed here to what other judgment can they agree but to the last whereof they are particular properties as in the explication it will appear This judgement is notably described in these four 1. In the preparation for it 2. The parties 3. The manner of accurate proceeding and the sentence 4. The execution thereof as to the wicked here and as to the godly Chap. 21. and 22. Let your ears hear of and your eyes behold this judgement as that before which every one of you will before long appear and so frame your selves to be suitable to it as if with Iohn you saw this great court fenced this judgement set and the sentence pronounced the like whereof never was nor shall be There are four things in the preparation 1. A great white throne and one sat on it This maketh way for what followeth that we may know that it is a great thing that is meaned here it alludeth to Dan. 7. There is a throne to signifie majesty glory and statelinesse as well as Authority for when this Judge cometh He shall come in power and great glory as in the glory of His Father and with all the holy Angels with the found of the Arch-angel in the clouds c. all sheweth that never was there such a glorious Parliament holden nor ridden or so royal a throne set It is called Secondly white as He was on a white horse because of purity and holinesse judgement and justice are the habitation of His throne Psal. 89. and righteousnesse goeth before His face there is no wrong nor injustice there as also for its shining gloriousnesse its power and majesty is infinitely pure spotlesse and incomprehensibly glorious It is called a great white throne for the same reasons The thrones of the Kings of the earth even Solomons golden throne are but petty not to be accounted footstools to this when this is set these will evanish He that sitteth on this is a great King and a great God above all gods The second thing in the preparation is that one sat on this throne he saw him that sat on it it was not empty but one was on it whom he saw he nameth Him not possibly because he had no name every way suitable to Him for His name is Chap. 19. such as none knoweth but Himself or because it is without all controversie who this Judge is an article of Faith to Believers the Son of man who shall come in power and great glory from the Fathers right hand to judge both the quick and the dead He is called ver 12. God before whom they stand to shew that this Judge is so and then will appear to be so Howbeit as man visibly He will here proceed and shall be seen by all even by these who peirced Him they shall behold Him coming in this glory See Mat. 25.1 Thess. 4. Rev. 1.7 The third thing preparatory or going before is before or from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them This is the great consummation and the universal change that shall be on all
expression yet doth the thing enjoyed in heaven exceed the expression as far as the maker doth Hâ—s work and that which is infinite exceedeth what is finite for expressions cannot be gotten adequat and suitable to the thing The second expression sheweth how this is made out I will be his God and he shall be my son This comprehendeth all yea it is added as an addition to all things â— It is more to be Gods son and to have Him our God than to enjoy all things beside to be His son and so His heirs and joynt-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 What is that or rather what is it not Here now is a portion who would covet let them covet this as the best thing one day the truth of this will appear what great blessednesse is here when once His wrath is but a little kindled Psal. 2. ult O set your hearts on this it is the short cut to possess and inherit all things Who in all the world ever reached to enjoy all the earth yet that is little amongst all things but a Believer inheriteth earth heaven God Christ glory peace his soul even all things for God is his and with Him all things 1 Cor. 3.22 23. and will He not give to Him all things Rom. 8.32 yea is He not Himself all things as is said so that in heaven and earth the soul can wish no more Psal. 73.25 See on vers 3. The condition is overcoming which implieth 1. a fight with a world of enemies and corruption 2. A serious fight and constant war as for life 3. A difficult fight Yet 4. a victory and overcoming of all these enemies before there can be an obtaining of all things This saith folks will not slip nor sleep into these excellent promises and though fighting be not the meritorious cause of these yet it is the way to them and an antecedent going before them necessarily though not the causa sine qua non to our justification yet it is so to our glorification This thirsting importeth engaging and covenanting Isa. 55.3 Overcoming a being answerable to our engagements Observe it then and wrestle so as ye may obtain seing so much dependeth on it and happy is he that overcometh He and every one of them enjoyeth all things and yet none of them enjoyeth anothers portion to one anothers prejudice But as men now enjoy the whole Sun and its light and wrongeth not others by it so then all shall enjoy God fully as to their capacities yet so as there is no want to others That infinit ocean of the Godhead being able to fill all the cups that come to it or are casten in â—t and being such that all may also swim in it when they are full and that Sun of righteousnesse being so clear as to shine on all and to make shining all the eyes that shall behold Him The qualifications to say so of these excluded on the other part are set down ver 8. and we conceive for these ends 1. To presse the receiving of the former offer from the ill of missing it which is the main scope 2. To shew that every one overcometh not and so cometh not there 3. To shew who overcometh not to wit these that ly under the practice of sinfull lusts as here By these sorts understand all other sinfull wretches lying in sin as if they were expressed the most abominable sorts whereof are indeed named yet not at all to exclude others By it we may see also that this must be heaven for these that get not these good promises are cast into the lake and second death O what great odds is there between the end of sin and holinesse what ever men now think it will one day yea in that day appear in its native colours These particular steps or sorts of sins to wit eight are mentioned to shew 1. That there is but one way to Glory but many sins whereby men passe to destruction 2. That by the setting down of these more particularly the happinesse of heaven and the qualifications of these who enter it may be the more conspicuous being put together The first sort of sinners that is excluded is the fearfull or coward opposite to the former fighter and overcomer It is not these who are feared to come short Heb. 4.1 nor these that fear to sin and desire to prevent it Heb. 11.7 nor such that fear that their faith be not good or that they be presuming as the woman Mark 5. and 33. But such as 1. dare act nothing for Christ are cowards and not valiant for Him though not directly against Him such as fearing them that can kill the body Matth 10. sway with every corrupt time as the beast Magog c. and cannot fight against them to any hazard but forsake Christ. 2. Such as are feared to fight against lusts and never appear against them in the field the weak heart Ezek. 16. is evil such a fear as the evil servant had Matth. 25.25 which maketh men lazie in holy duties and trading for Christ as if they were afraid of them the sluggard saith there is a lion in the way this is he who shifteth duty 3. Such as dare venture to suffer nothing for Christ as the Worthies did Heb. 11. The second sort is unbelievers not properly or only infidels much lesse these who are of a weak or little faith that is mixed with doubting and want peace but such as never received the free offer of Christs Grace indeed whatever their profession was that never did flee from the Covenant of Works to rest on Christ for salvation These are Ioh. 3.36 condemned already and this unbelief shall condemn as much as any breach of the Law in that day it will condem that ye believe not according to that command 1 Ioh. 3.23 as to be a murderer to be a witch or a warloch Quest. How differeth it from weak faith Answ. Weak faith hath a sure ground but a weak grip of it therefore it is feared for it But unbelief hath a weak ground but thinketh its grip sure Therefore it is not troubled 2. Weak faith hath much fear of unbelief Mark 9.24 and would be rid of it this unbelief is willingly and so wrestleth not against unbelief but against doubting and fear lest its security be marred 3. Weak faith is clear of its own need and Christs fulnesse but its weaknesse is in its peace or its gripping of Him or byding by Him and as to the fruits of faith it findeth these weak to say so but unbelief is clearer of its peace than of its need c. and whether we take unbelief as a failing on the right hand by presumption or on the left by despare both are unbelief and opposit to faith in Christ and are excluded here The third sort are abominable who by sins against nature have made themselves vile now these are reckoned with such were these in Sodom and these Rom. 1.26 c. The fourth sort
quod à tempore Apostolorum 2. Quia generalior fere enim nulla terra est quà haet secta non serpit 3. Quia cum omnes aliae sectae immanitate blasphemiarum in Deum audientibus borrorem inducunt haec scilicet Leonistarum magnam babet speciem pietatis â—ò quod coram hominibus justè vivunt benè de Deo omnia credunt omnes articulos qui in symbolo continentur solummodo Romanam Ecclesiam blasphemant ac oderunt cui multitudo facilis est ad credendum This Reinerius as Bellarmine asserteth praefat ad libros de pontif wrote above three hundred years before him If we look Bellarmine in that preface ad libros de pontif and sundry others of their writers we will find them very near draw a series of opposers of this usurped Authority of the Popes It is true sometimes grosser faults are imputed to these Waldenses and Pauperes de Lugduno out of hatred than they were guilty of yet if we will consider Bernards writings against them Sermon 65. and 66. in Cantica and Epist. 240. it is evident that no manifest grosse crime is imputed to these beside their opposing the errors of of the Church of Rome but such as they were calumniate with by the ignorance or iniquity of these times as the great Historician Thuanus doth vindicate them 3. If we will look particularly to the Church-storie we will almost ever find some visible party stand against the Church of Rome for the Eastern Greek Churches did never fully submit till the second Councel of Nice which was Anno 786. according to some or 789. according to others Neither was that submission full without all contradiction nor of long continuance for Bellarmine in the preface formerly cited reckoneth their secession or schism as he calleth it to have begun about the 800 year and to have continued long after In the year 1439. the Greek Churches being affrighted of the Turk sent Embassadours to treat with the Pope and these in the West for supplie and these to obtain it condescended to some articles different from their Churches as the acknowledging of the Pop's supremacie the doctrine of Purgatory and procession of the holy Ghost and the practice of unleavened Bread for which they were Excommunicated by their own Churches while the Councel of Basil sate About the year 1170. The Waldenses or Pauperes de Lugduno began before that close of the Greek Churches with the Pope as Bellarmine ibid. citeth out of Reinerius The occasion was this one Waldus being stricken with fear by the suddain death of one walking in company with him was put more seriously to seek God and make for dying whereby he came to discover the vanity of Poperie as the badges of antichristianity and so to drink in the sincere way of Faith in Christ these who followed him though exceedingly persecuted yet continued in the Alpes and other mountanous places and in Province at Merindol and the parts about it from the year 1200. till the year 1545. These after hearing of Luthers preaching and doctrine sent two of their Ministers to him with whom generally in their Doctrine they agreed These continue also to this day in the valleys of Piedmont Angrongue c. under the Duke of Savoy After him followed the Albigenses in France Anno 1190. according to some who did both in their disputes and sufferings confirm that the Pope of Rome was the Antichrist and that Rome was Babylon and also sometimes by armes did defend themselves as in the memorable seige of Tholouse where God wonderfully protected many of them against great violence After them arose Iohn Wicklif an Englishman Anno 1370. Bellarmine calleth it 1390. he revived the Doctrine of the Waldenses and Albigenses and it took such rooting in many places especially in Bohem Hungary Germanie c. that they came to have great Armies in the fields and after that Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague who came to the Councel of Constance upon the Emperour Sigismound his safe conduct were contrary thereunto burnt they brought great Armies to the fields under the command of Zisca he would have had fourty thousand men under him he defeated the Pope Emperour and other Popish Princes in eleven severall battels although he had lost both his eyes they continued also strong after him under one Procopius Magnus and were called Thaborites At the Councel of Basil they had granted unto them the Scripture in their own language Priests Marriage and communion in both Elements c. All Bohemia were divided in three sorts one acknowledging the Pope fully another seeking Reformation in some points of Doctrine the third accounted him Antichrist They continued till after Luthers dayes who wrote to them to confirm them as Sleidan recordeth lib. 3. pag. 34. neither was their former courage daunted till division fell first in among their own Ministers of the new and old City of Prague and afterward among the Souldiers Lastly Although we could deduce no such thing by storie yet being here asserted to be during that time we are to believe that it was truth even as there were seven thousand during Iezebels persecution who had not bowed their knee to Baal who yet possibly might be unknown to others as to Elias till the Lord revealed it to him in the generall without shewing their names or where they dwelt It remaineth that we should make some application of the witnesses killing and their Resurrection afterward which according to the former grounds falleth immediately before the year 1558. in which time we will find these things to fall out 1. Anno 1546. Began that war between the Emperour and the Duke of Saxon Landgrave of Hessen and other Protestants in Germanie the year thereafter the Duke is defeated and taken prisoner the Landgrave is shut up in prison the whole face of affairs is changed Protestant Magistrates exauctorated many hundreds of Ministers banished and others put in prison if they did not receive the interim which with a safe conscience they could not do so that the face of affairs was very sad the Protestants were made a prey their Castles demolished a great and incredible number of Cannons and other Armes taken from them and they and prisoners with them sent out through severall corners of Europe as trophees of the Popes absolute victorie and subduing of Lutheranism whereupon great insulting followed through the Popish world At this time also persecution was at a great height in France in the Netherlands under the Duke of Alba and in England during the reign of Queen Marie which began in the year 1554. It is marked by some to wit by Alstediuâ— Chron. restium that from the year 1540. and some years after there were 900,000 Christians massacred for the cause of Religion so that the Professors of the Gospel had not suffered more than they did immediately before that year 1560. having standing Laws in all Kingdoms against them forefeitours proscriptions banishments death c.
exercised for the destroying of them and they as infamous made incapable of all priviledges and dignities We may add that about the same time Anno 1545. fell out the great massacre of the poor Waldenses in Provence in France the burning of Merindol and other Cities where they lived and the totall destroying of their Countrie by the Lord Oâ—eâ—s means which though it had been often formerly assayed yet till this time could they never get it effectuated Beside at this time also was the persecution by the Duke of Savoy in the vallies of Piedmont considering therefore the great and universall persecution rising at one time and with such successe considering also the persons upon whom it especially seased being either these called Waldenses or Albigenses who being the stock of these who witnessed against Antichrist in much suffering and sackcloth whiles there were no other may well be accounted eminently the Witnesses considering also that this persecution seased especially upon Ministers who by their office are witnesses the heat of it was against them Bohem being of these Albigenses lost two hundred it alone so that none were admitted to stay but such as by receiving that interim gave submission considering also the time that this is trysted in being immediately at the height and turn of Antichrists absolute tyrannie and considering the great insolencie and joy expressed by the Popish world with many indignities and reproaches against the poor witnesses of Jesus Christ which were evidenced by their solemnities and the reproaches that in write were put on all that were called Protestants and many other wayes as story holdeth it out And lastly considering the great universal and unexpected reviving that the work of God had and the happy condition that His Ministers attained immediatly after these overthrowes and that insulting partly by the change which Mauritius Duke of Saxon made in Germany with the edicts and statutes that followed thereupon as was formerly hinted partly by Queen Marie of England her death and other means trysted by God together almost at the same time throughout the Churches I say upon these considerations it is not unsuitable to apply this killing of the witnesses to these persecutions and their rising again and ascension to the happy estate which the Church was immediatly advanced to after that and hath been since in some measure continued in which though it be not every way so glorious and prosperous as to be absolutely free yet being compared with the former state thereof may well be said to be in Heaven in respect of it and we may warrantably conceive that such extraordinary events trysted together would not be passed by the holy Ghost and are not for no purpose timed so in this prophesie Hence Observe 1. Neither the sufferings of the Godly nor the joy and insulting of the wicked are perpetuall but both have an end and that speedily Three dayes and an half is here the term of the wickeds joy it is not worth the having 2. The joy of the wicked doth ever end in more shame and confusion to them and the low condition of the Godly hath ever the more glorious outgate to them 3. Oftentimes the wicked are surprised when they look least for it and God taketh opportunity from the lowest condition of His people to work their deliverance and to get Himself glory in the doing of it 4. When God hath any singular thing to do He will not only singularly fit persons for it but extraordinarily or eminently call them as it were with a voice from Heaven to it 5. When God mindeth the promoving of the Gospel no enimity or opposition of enemies can mar it though they be onlookers upon it 6. There will be great odds between the successe and respect that Ministers will get at one time and at another these Preachers who were formerly in contempt are now in credit this floweth not from the efficacie of mens gifts nor dexterity in mannaging things but from the Lords call designing some for suffering at one time and others or possibly the same for the active promoving of His work at another Concerning the Waldenses HAving made mention of the Waldenses from the testimonie of two Authors it may be not impertinent to insert a little word more concerning them partly because the Books may not be at hand to every one and partly because some Iesuits and particularly Gretserus in his preface to Reinerius imputeth though injustly to Illyriâ—s that he had mutilated this Author in his edition of him and he doth also impute many absurdities to them which we will not own and therefore cannot claim them as witnesses he denieth also that these who were persecuted at Merindol and the places beside were of that stock we may therefore lay down more largely what the forecited Authors say whose testimonies they cannot refuse That Gretserus in the fourth Tome of the Bibliotheca Patrum doth insert severall Writers their writings against the Waldenses to this purpose as he saith That the latter Hereticks may be confuted not only from new disputes but from old writings and if there were not a likenesse between their tenets and outs this end by this could not be expected amongst these are Reinerius who as he writeth himself Chap. 3. was often upon the inquisition of these Hereticks Petrus de Pilichdorf Lucas Tudensis and some other writings and catalogues of their errors without the names of the Authors In the 4. Chap. Reinerius hath these words that were formerly cited so that it may be a wonder how they could be charged with heresie and so persecuted as they were Again Chap. 5. He draweth their errors to three heads 1. De blasphemiis quibus blasphemant Romanam Ecclesiam 2. In their errors concerning the Sacraments and Saints 3. Notat detestationes quibus omnes honestas approbatas Ecclesiae consuetudines derestantur A tast of all may be given shortly 1. They say the Church of Rome is not the true Church but Ecclesia malignantium and that it began to decline in Sylvesters time when poison was powred in the Church they say that they were the Church because they followed the Doctrine of Christ of the Gospel and Apostles both in word and deed that the Roman Church is the whore in the Revelation and these who are in her almost none of them keepeth the Doctrine of the Gospel that they care not for the Pope and his statutes but accounteth him the head of all errors that none ought in the Church office to be above another or as the next catalogue hath it that Pope or Bishop had no dignity above the Priest by the Word For the second sort of errors they overturn all Sacraments First they say that the additionals profit not the exorcisms and benedictions they reject but never rejected the Sacrament it self 2. The Sacrament of the Eucharist is denied by them because transubstantiation sit in manu indigné consicientiâ— sed in ore digné sumentis they reject the
their contempt of and enmity at the light which He had made to shine Hence it is that the later Schoolmen especially the Jesuits are more corrupt than the former as may be marked in the writings of diverse Schoolmen upon Thomas who do mutilate and corrupt many things in him so as they may agree with the late determinations of the Pope and the Councel of Trent and may be most opposit to those they call Hereticks an instance whereof may be seen in Cajetan in 3. Thoma qu. 48. art 5. where explaining that assertion of Thomas that only Christ ought to be called our Redeemer which formerly we had Bellarmin contradicting he laieth down for the qualifying thereof that bull of Leo the tenth concerning Indulgences and the application of the Saints purchases to others which was sent to him when he was his Legate in Germanie and forceth such a sense upon Thomas as might agree with it Thus also as we may see was done in the Councel of Trent where ever in all debates among Divines the most corrupt side was inclined to and concluded 4. Remaining in Popery now hath more contempt with it of Gods calling and hath greater snares as is said and therefore hath lesse ground now either to expect preservation from sin or wrath because Gods call requireth separation now more fully and in a more distinct manner than formerly He did as Revel 18. Come out of her my people be not partakers of her sin lest ye partake of her plagues which doth hold forth a spâ—ciall hazard in reference both to sin and wrath after the Lords making this to be proclaimed more than formerly it was LECTURE IIII. Vers. 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Iesus 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one at like unto the Son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud Thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp sickle 18. And another Angel came out from the altar which had power over fire and cryed with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe 19. And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God 20. And the wine-presse was troden without the city and bloud came out of the wine-presse even unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs HAving shewed the foretold threatened and begun ruine of Babylon in the former part of the Chapter before the Spirit describe the perfecting of that judgement He casteth-in two words needfull for the strengthening of Gods people the first is vers 12. and respecteth the former words wherein Babylons ruine was foretold yet for the time Antichrist rageth and the Saints suffer This verse comforteth and encourageth them against that tentation two wayes 1. By granting that indeed this would be an occasion to exercise and try the Faith of Gods people and make it known which an hard time doth best whether they will keep the commands of God in their practice making conscience of these and the faith of Iesus Christ that is it will discover true Faith from counterfeit and who are true Professours of that Faith that is true yet withall Gods people shall have no losse by it it will be but temporary and here is their trial that is Gods end to exercise Grace and duty are best tried and known in all ill time a suffering time evidenceth honesty more than prosperity and suffering is Gods peoples ordinary lot whether Antichrist be falling or rising The second word cast in for comforting Gods people is from the blessednesse of the dead it may be especially of these that suffered under Antichrist that die well in that difficult time The first consolation is from the outgate God shall give when these trials shall be over and Antichrist ruined The second from what might comfort them in hardest sufferings for the time it is casten in here before the sad things coming be set down for two reasons 1. To be a warning of the high degree that these troubles would come unto so that these that were living should count the dead happy that died well who were freed from these dayes See Solomon Eccles. 4.2 praising the dead more than the living The second thing in the scope is to encourage and comfort the Godly that took the right way of living so as to die in the Lord these troubles should not mar their blessednesse but though the earth should triumph over them when they were dead as Chap. 11. yet even then they were and should be blessed and therefore needed not fear or faint under these trials which were coming There are four particulars in these words 1. A preface implying a weightinesse in that which was to be delivered 2. A plain maxime Blessed c. 3. A qualification not restricting that blessednesse to such a time but shewing that it is specially agreeable and applicable to it from henceforth 4. The reasons of this application that they may rest The preface cometh in by way of diversion as if it were a singular thing thereby to make what is said the more remarkable 1. It is not Iobns inventing he heard a voice 2. It is no earthly voice but a sentence from heaven such as should be respected 3. What is said is to be recorded as usefull to Gods people Write saith he to Iobn which except it be some speciall Doctrine is not usually repeated The plain Doctrine or maxime that should be written in the hearts of all Christians is Blessed are they that die in the Lord. By which words three things are holden forth 1. An end common to all which is death 2. A difference in dying and that is to die in the Lord which is peculiar to some and opposit to dying in our sins Iob. 3.24 as Christ saith that is in effect under the curse and unreconciled to God through Christ So dying in Him is to be found in Him by Faith Philip. 3.9 3. A great odds and difference of the consequents of these diverse deaths the one are blessed that