to their gods for the deliverance of their Countries and commonwealths from danger but many among us who yet must goe for good subiects else all is mar'd rather expresse the contrary in the miraculous deliverances of their Prince and Countrey and cannot bee brought to share in the ioy of sound-hearted and loyall subiects 4. Such as will not indure the sound application of doctrine which casts downe the strong lusts and advanced sinnes of men they would blunt the edge of the sword of Christs mouth or wrest it out of the hand of his valiant Captaines they will breake the Scepter of Christ rather than it shall get any victory against the sinnes of men and no man shall stand up to build Jerusalem but they are grieved as was Sanballet and Tobiah against Nehemiah that such a man was come who wished the prosperity of Jerusalem Neh. 2. 10. but these that-will not indure this powerfull voyce of Christ shall heare another uttered by himselfe Those mine enemies who would not suffer mee to raigne over them bring them hither that I may destroy them Now is come salvation c. After the Preface we come to the parts of this triumphant song which are two The former containes the ioy of the Church vers 10. 11. the latter the wofull condition of the enemies vers 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea c. The ioy of the Church singeth out 1. The praises of God the giver of all victory 2. The praises of Michael the Generall vers 10. 3. The praises and due commendation of the armie the angels of Michael who had valiantly and couragiously demeaned themselves in the conquering of the dragon and his angels vers 11. In singing forth the praises of God are 1. The matter 2. The reason The matter of praise is the ascribing 1. To God salvation strength and Kingdome 2. To Christ Power The reason For the accuser c. All these Attributes ascribed to God and Christ are amplyfied by the circumstances 1. Of time now 2. Of place in heaven Of the first Attribute Now is salvation in heaven By heaven is meant the Church militant whose conversation is in heaven and which is the heavenly part upon earth So the Word is used through the whole Chapter By salvation is meant two things in Scripture 1. The happy deliverance of Beleevers from the state of perdition and eternall damnation called therefore the heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. this is spirituall and eternall 2. The safety and externall security of Gods people by their deliverance from cruell tyrants who sought the overthrow and destruction of their bodies so Exod. 14. 13. Behold the salvation of the Lord that is the deliverance from Pharaohs Army This latter a fruit of the former is here especially meant The particle now hath great light in it to cleare the Text for it may be obiected Was not salvation and power Gods before or were they not in heaven that is seene in many singular victories of the Church before Ans. As these Attributes were never wanting in God so the Church never failed of needfull salvation but we must know 1. That the Scripture useth to say a thing is done when it is manifested so to bee as Iohn 17. 5. Glorifie thy Sonne with the glory I had before c. so now salvation is declared and manifested in this victory against the first assault of the Imperiall dragons Before while the heathen Emperours raged against Christian religion for the upholding of Paganisme and heathenish Idolatry iniquity raigned unto death of soules and tyranny to the destruction of bodies by thousands and ten thousands But now salvation is wrought in heaven Christian Emperors have brought in the Prince of peace in stead of those tyrants the Gospell of peace a word of salvation received by faith the end of which is salvation and the peace of the Gospell by which the force of the tyrants is abated themselves confounded and happy safety procured 2. Wheras before the Lord put forth his salvatiō for his Church his praise seemed suppressed or by a few in silence and in corners confessed now is salvation his the praise of salvation is with a loud voyce openly admired and extolled in the publike congregation of all the faithfull by the overthrow of the dragon shineth as the bright beames of the Sunne in all eyes Now is salvation manifested by God magnified by Gods people God is the sole Author and worker of salvation to his Church and members for this is the voyce and song of the Church here Which words seeme to be taken out of the mouth of the Church elsewhere on the like occasion This was the foot of Davids song of deliverance Psal. 3. 9. Salvation is the Lords and of Ionahs Psalme of praise for his miraculous preservation Chap. 2. 10. Salvation is of the Lord and of the Churches song Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is become my salvation and of Habakkuks song Ch. 3. 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine anoynted where the Lord as a powerfull Generall is said to make an expedition against the enemies of the Church And to shew that there is no Saviour besides him the deliverance of the Church by way of appropriation is called Gods salvation Exod. 14. 13. 1. God alone hath promised it and hee alone can performe it his promise is in Esay 46. 13. I will give salvation to Sion and my glory unto Israel and hee alone can performe it for First the Church cannot save her selfe such is her impotency and weaknesse no more than a flocke of sheepe can fence themselves from the droves of Lyons Wolves Foxes or dogs Secondly neither can other men helpe her Es. 59. 16. and 63. 5. there was none to help none to uphold therefore his arme did save it and his righteousnesse did sustaine it Thirdly no other creature can save her for it is onely his priviledge that made her to save her Esa. 44. 24. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer that formed thee from the wombe and Chap. 45. 18. 21. Hee that created heaven and formed earth proveth himselfe thence to be the onely just God and Saviour and commands his people Looke unto me all the ends of the earth and ye shall be saved vers 22. 2. God is onely Saviour of his Church by reason of that affection and relation which is betweene him and his people for First they are his flocke and hee as a good shepherd will save them as David did his sheepe from the Lyon and the Beare Secondly they are his Children and as a mother carrieth her childe in her armes to save it from knocks and dangers so doth the Lord his first-borne Both these are expressed in Exod. 15. 13. by two Hebrew words nacha and nahal the one taken from the tender care of a shepheard the other from the indulgent care of a parent Thirdly the Church is his
not trouble himselfe with those whom he is sure of III. Where doth he accuse Ans. Before our God bewraying three things First the impudency of this Accuser who dares accuse them before God who knoweth their uprightnesse and innocency and is their only Patron and Justifier as of Iob. Secondly his malicious end in accusing which is to breake off the relation and union that is betwixt God and his people for whereas God is our God being reconciled unto us in Jesus Christ and entred into an everlasting covenant with us that he will never cease to doe us good Satan impudently accuseth us before him to make him not ours if it were possible Thirdly the losse of his labour and how frustrate hee is in his calumniation hee is indeed an instant and spightfull accuser but seeing it is before our God hee can availe himselfe nothing nor prejudice the Saints any thing at all he commeth too late for al the matter of accusation is answered already and taken up betweene God and us so that hee remaineth our GOD still when Satan hath done the worst he can IV. When doth hee accuse Night and day which argueth his instance and importunity in accusing that hee is restlesse and incessant and farre beyond all other accusers in his accusation For First other accusers sometimes cease accusing for if they accuse all the day they must rest at night but he is restlesse and needeth no sleepe hee is busie day and night Secondly other Accusers Plaintifes have their times and termes to put in their bils of complaint afterward have their vacations but this Informer keepeth a perpetuall terme without any vacation at all hee applies the barre perpetually night and day Thirdly other Accusers knowing their cause to be naught carry it close and shoote their Arrowes in the darke as it were in the night and flie the light as much as they may but this Accuser although hee knowes his accusation false yet transported with malice and impudence will accuse in the day aswell as in the night even in the light and Sun-shine as not caring where hee may doe mischiefe nor how openly Wee come now to the instructions 1. Note hence that all that professe Jesus Christ are brethren and so to be esteemed Mat. 23. 8. One is your Master even Christ and all yee are brethren But as in nature there are brethren in common nature as all men in the first Adam though never so remote as also brethren in ne are and speciall kindred of the same next parents so ingrace there is in the second Adam a common brotherhood and a speciall fraternity The former is only by externall vocation and profession and fruition of common grace The latter is by speciall grace and inward conjunction which is a nearer and surer band than any in nature of which our Text speaketh These are neare brethren 1. They have all one father and mother and elder brother God their father hath begotten them all of immortall seed and adopted them into the number of his sonnes and daughters The Church is their mother the free woman the mother of us all which nurseth them up on her breasts the two Testaments whence as new borne Babes they sucke the sincere milke of the Word to grow by it 1 Pet. 2. 2. They have all one elder brother Jesus Christ who is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2. 11. Mat. 12. ult All of them have the same language of Canaan all the same affection to Gods house all opposed by the world As concerning this sect wee know it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. 2. They have all one and the same provision as brethren the same garments and livery Christs righte ousnesse their elder brothers coate put on them by baptisme the same diet and table of the Lord the same bread and Manna that came downe from heaven the same water out of the Well of Life the same servants to attend them the holy Angels Ministers to all the heires of salvation 3. They have all the â—mage of God their Father renewed upon them and they all grow up like their heavenly Father daily holy as hee is holy mercifull as he is mercifull and perfect as he is perfect in quality not equality as a child is like his father not in greatnesse or dimension but resembleth him in proportion feature and similitude 4 They have all one faith one hope and expectation and one inheritance in the kingdome of heaven a patrimony purchased for them before the beginning of the world whereof they are all heires and fellow-heires with Christ. Rom. 8. 17. Which teacheth us to love all the Saints and people of God with brotherly love Heb. 13. 1. Let brotherly love continue 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as brethren be pittiful and courteous 2 Pet. 1. 7. joyne to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse 1 It is a lovely thing for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal. 133. 1. And as it is a shame for Brethren in nature to bee separated in affection so is it much more uncomely for those whom grace hath joyned whom one heavenly Father faith and religion hath coupled to be disunited and make a breach in the body of Christ in the house of God 2 True love of brethren is the first fruit of faith and the first bud and blossome which discryeth a tree of righteousnesse and by this it is discerned that we are translated from death to life For by nature every man is a lover of himselfe and an hater of his brethren but grace obeyeth the new commandement of love which commandement being before antiquated is by the new worke of the Spirit renewed in those that are renewed and shewes us borne of God 1 Ioh. 4. 7. 3 Our Lord Christ in his example preferred the spirituall kindred by â—aith and the new birth before his naturall Mat. 12. 44. These considerations would cut off many contentions and quarrells and be as water cast into the fiâ—ry hearts and hands of brother against brother as Gen. 13. 8. I pray thee let there be no strife betweene us for wee are brethren and Act. 7. 26. Moses said to the striving Hebrewes Sirs why strive yee yee are brethren both Hebrewes of one family and one faith So should Christians say what doe I striving with such a one doth not common nature joyne us doth not common profession yea and grace too and cannot all these prevaile against my passion This consideration would answer all Objections incensing us Object 1. One saith oh he is a man of bad qualities an ill natured man Answ. Yet account him not as an enemie but admonish him as a brother 2 Thes. 3. Obiect 2. Another saith oh he hath much wronged me Answ. Yea but a brother must cover his brothers faults brothetly love will cover a multitude of offences a brother must beare forbeare not often take forfeits nor notice of small
Aegypt that went before it the darknesse was most grievous and so is this no plague in the world before this was comparable to it 2. The Lord restrained from them not the light of the Sunne onely but of fire and Candle and withdrew his blessing and comfort from all his creatures so in this spirituall Aegypt and Antichristian Kingdome is a miserable palpable blindnesse they see nothing of Christ savingly nor of the Scriptures which witnesse of him nor of sound interpreters the Candles in the CHVRCH consuming themselves to give others light nor are guided or comforted by the Spirit who is as fire warming and inlightning beleevers God hath laid a curse on all their means of light that they get no sound or saving light from them no not their greatest schollers unlesse they bee enlightned to sinne against their consciences 3. Yet had the Israelites light mingled among the Aegyptians Even so the true Church hidden in Babylō hath light and knowledge and great blessing on weak means though the Aegyptian cannot discern or see it as among our selves a Recusants house hath nothing but darknesse and superstitious ignorance when a Protestants house perhaps next to it hath light of knowledge holinesse and saving grace 4. That darknesse was next to the death of their first-borne even so here the pale horse followes the blacke Revel 6. 8. and this darknesse fore-runnes everlasting darknesse in hell as that did death in the Aegyptians houses But with this difference that this is a more miserable darknesse 1. In the kinde because it is spirituall as it is called Aegypt spiritually a blinde body is miserable a blinde soule is damnable 2. That was a darknesse of the ayre but not of their eyes this is of both and the blackest darknesse is within them as theirs was without them 3. The Aegyptians by their darknesse knew the benefit of light the better and saw their plague and mourned under it but these Aegyptians are pleased with their darknesse and fight against the light the more and are not more fearefull or watchfull against any thing than that the light should peepe in amongst them Thirdly next as Antichristian Apostasie is blackest so is it most generall of all heresies even the Catholike heresie into which all other heresies of the New Testament runne as into a sinke One cals it an abridgement of all old heresies For it is not against any one Article of faith as other particular heresies are but First against the holy Scripture which is the Scepter of Christ infinitely disgracing it calling it a nose of waxe a sheathe for every sword insufficient obscure the booke that makes heretikes and The Scriptures have no authority but from thē no sense but from them they forbid the reading of them they preferre Apocryphals traditions Church-determinations above them c. Secondly against the whole Gospell which is a doctrine of free justification and salvation by the onely righteousnesse and merits of Christ imputed by faith but they teach to seeke salvation in our owne merits and satisfactions here or hereafter Thirdly against the whole person and offices of Christ They appoint infinite Priests to repeate his onely sacrifice a number of mediators against this one Mediatour that men may bee heard by their prayers and saved by their merits They appoint the Pope a King of Kings by whom all Kings raigne who hath all power in heaven and earth yea the Head and Husband of the Church which is proper to Christ. Fourthly against all the foundation of religion and Catechisme For although they hold in word and outward profession the Creed of the Apostles the Lords Prayer the words also of the ten Commandements yet indeed and by direct consequent they reverse and renounce every Commandement of the tenne every Article of the twelve if wee except that of the Trinity and every Petition of the sixe as sundry godly writers have cleared and my selfe have in a readinesse to prove Thus of Antichristianisme considered in it selfe II. Now consider the tyranny of it comparatively with the tyranny of temporall enemies and the wrath will bee infinitely greater and that in three respects 1. For secrecy of working 2. For transcendency of the danger 3. For hopelesnesse of recovery Of the first open mischiefe a man may avoid or prepare for but here is a more secret and undiscernable mischiefe a great adversary but slie and under a contrary profession of friendship the greatest wounder of Christian Faith under pretext of Christian Faith whether wee consider his person or his worke For his person hee is a sonne of perdition a sonne must resemble his father the dragon his father buildeth up his Kingdome rather by fraud than by force so doth his eldest sonne Antichrist Hence is this great Adversary compared to a Whore who hunteth the precious life of man not by open force but by secret and faire pretenses sugred speeches and alluring flatteries shee hath a cup in her hand full of abominations the draught is deadly poyson but shee hath put it in a golden cup Revel 13. 11. the second beast which is Antichrist speakes like the dragon that is breathes out devillish doctrines and thundereth hellish curses against the true Professors of Christian Faith but hath two hornes like the Lambe that is a counterfeit shew of humility and meeknesse For his worke it must bee a mysterie of iniquity Hee must sit in the Temple of God hee must not bee a Turke to destroy by fire and sword and open defiance of Christ the profession of Christianity but an Herodian who pretending to worship him intendeth to kill him Hee must denie Christ to bee come in the flesh but in a mysterie not openly and directly for then all Christians would abhorre him and renounce him but indirectly and by expresse consequence and saith the Father Whosoever denyeth Christ in his deeds the same is an Antichrist Of the second this tyranny of Antichrist is more inward spirituall than the furious persecutions of other tyrants and inward plagues are a thousand times more deadly than outward It is true that as the dragon is extremely tyrannous against the bodies of Saints so is Antichrist but yet the cruelty of both is more spirituall than temporall and aymeth more at the death of the soule than the body and it is most true that one saith Open tyrannies and outward oppressions are torments of sinfull men but these inward are the increasers of sinnes and vices Pharaohs hard heart was a more deadly stroke than all the ten plagues beside It was a more grievous plague to give up the Idolatrous Gentiles to their owne lusts and vile affections Rom. 1. then to give over the Idolatrous Samaritans to bee torne with Lyons 2 Kings 17. Let heathen tyrants come upon a Christian they can take but his externall lower and sensitive part but let this Ecclesiasticall tyrant come hee winneth the highest towers and faculties of man his minde judgement affections
an eternall Kingdome of glory 4 Obedience is the onely true testimony of love to God as the second commandement implyes In them that love me and keepe my commandements Measure thy love to God by the love of his commandements Peter lovest thou me feed my lambes He that keepeth my word is he that loveth me Ioh. 14. 15. This makes the godly invincible in labour and sufferings under rebukes and evill report and for all this they turne not aside nor deale unfaithfully in the covenant And there is no love lost for their love upholding them in obedience that obedience upholds them in Gods love as our Saviour saith Ioh. 15. 10. If yee keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love And have the testimony of Iesus Christ. This is the second property of this remnant Where consider 1 What is this testimony of Jesus 2 What it is to have it The testimony of Jesus is the word and Gospell of Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. Iohn was banished into Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ where one is expressed by the other Now the Gospell is called the testimony of Jesus First Because it is revealed by Jesus Christ by him brought from the bosome of his Father an hidden mysterie to men and Angells none was worthy to open this booke but he in which regard he is called the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 1. 5. Secondly Because the subject of it is Christ revealing Christ the Gospell is the true faith and doctrine concerning salvation wrought by Jesus Christ and him alone Rom. 1. 2. concerning his Sonne c. 3 Because it was testified unto by Christ not only by revealing it by his divine doctrine but by his holy life his mighty miracles his faithfull profession before the Jewes Pharises Pontius Pilate the whole Councell and by his most innocent death by which he set his seale to his testimony 4 Because the end of it is Christ it aymes only at his glory Act. 2. 36. But what is it to have this testimony Answ. The phrase is taken two wayes 1 To have the Gospell is to preach the Gospell so Iohn bare record of the testimony of Jesus Rev. 1. 2. and most plainly chap. 14. 10. I am thy fellowservant and of those that have the testimony of Jesus The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy 2 To have the Gospell is to professe the Gospell to uphold and maintaine it to give witnesse unto it and to hold it in life and death as Rev. 20. 4. the soules of Martyrs beheaded for the testimony of Jesus And so it is taken in this place This remnant as they abide in the dutie which the word commandeth for they keepe the commandements so they sticke to the faith and doctrine which it teacheth they hold it fast against all the slights and intrusions of the beast or Antichrist and testifie unto it both by life and by death The truth of the Gospell is an hold which Antichrist cannot winne from the Saints Note hence that the keeping of the commandements of God and having the testimony of Jesus must go together 1 Tim. 1. 19. having faith and good conscience and chap. 3. 9. holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience For 1 The law and gospell Christ and Moses though in matter of justification before God they can never be reconciled no more then most abhorring contraries fire and water light and darknesse yet in Christian conversation profession and practise they may never be divorced there must be light within and shining without 2 In all Christian conversation wee must joyne faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 13. Because neither of these can stand alone faith without love is dead and love without faith is at best but Civility Beside all duties of love without faith are sinne and whatsoever we doe without love suppose suffering of martyrdome is all nothing Papists then slaunder our doctrine who say wee teach only to beleeve and destroy good workes we say contrarily with our Saviour what God hath joyned together let none put asunder But they sunder what God hath joyned in that they pretend to magnifie good workes and set up the law but cast out the doctrine of faith and preaching of Christ insomuch as the word may not be had or read in a knowne tongue neither in publicke nor private This also shews that protestants disgrace the doctrine of grace while they content themselves with a profession of faith but are barren and fruitlesse in good workes of piety and mercy Beware of the curse of the fruitlesse figtree that kept the ground barren notwithstanding all the show and leaves Againe note hence who they be that the dragons wrath most aymeth at and is bent against such as keepe the commandements and have the faith of Jesus Christ such as abide by the word and will not be pulled aside by any imposture or delusion And why 1 He needs not warre against conquered slaves whom he hath pulled away already The strong man hath the hold and things are at peace Beside what have they to lose who have already lost the faith and love of the Gospell and with it their owne salvation 2 These are likest to Christ and the residue of his body who must be conformable to himselfe he was a butt and signe of contradiction in the dayes of his flesh and is so still being ascended in the persons of his members who are inspired by the same spirit quickened with the same life ruled by the same word fight against the same enemies and walke in the same steps to the same inheritance and Kingdom whereof he is gone to take possession They have the word of faith in them which the dragon most hateth as the greatest enemie of his kingdome For being light no marvell if the prince of darkenesse resist it It is the sword of the spirit which cuts off his temptations Being a rule of righteousnesse it is the sentence of his condemnation No marvell then if he hate it and all that love it They have also the faith of truth which he deadly hateth as the shield which quencheth all fiery darts It makes us so strong as that the gates of hell cannot prevaile Only faith crosseth the dragon getting power from Christ and makes all Gods Ordinances profitable all weake obedience acceptable And hath he not reason to seeke to winne this hold from us seeing when the foundation is overthrowne the building must fall and the root overturned the branches must wither Such therefore as set themselves to keep the commandements of God and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ let them make account of the incessant malice and madnesse of the dragon He never rests opposing those that will not be driven from the testimony Some of them he casts into prison some he tryes by mockings and scourgings some he
domestickes to be with him to be eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses of all he did or spake so as they were to deliver nothing but of their certaine knowledge the things they had heard and seene and handled 1 Ioh. 1. 1. So as ignorant persons that care not for the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel are as fit to witnesse to Christ as a blinde man to judge of colours 2 For this knowledge and perswasion because it must be from a divine teacher as the thing witnessed is we must not content our selves with the report of men or an humane apprehension of the matters of religion but be sure wee have the spirit of God inwardly to teach us for the naturall man cannot discerne the things of God Ioh. 15. 26. When the Comforter shall come he shall testifie of me and ye shall witnesse also but not before they have received the Spirit 3 Faithfulnesse sincerity to testify the truth only the whole truth A man of integrity is a fit witnesse in this great cause of Christ. Many professe oâ—e thing practise another have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power of it These are unfaithfull and disgraceful witnesses that say unsay a discredit to the cause a shame to themselves Their word and witnesse goes for nothing mens tribunalls cast out such witnesses with disgrace much more the Lords 4 Plainnesse and opennesse that men may know what they witnesse that their testimony may be an evidence not to fumble or flatter or blanch the truth Ministers must explane the Testament of Christ and speake plainly that Christ by it gives nothing but to his friends and kindred to his mother brethren sisters even such as heare the word and keepe it that he bequeathed the inheritance to the sanctified not the profane that pearles are not cast to swine that howsoever wicked ones will scrape acquaintance with Christ at this day and at the day of judgment for that they were just sober charitable civill harmelesse yea beyond many of us in their civill entertainments of Christ yet shall they not be found in the genealogie are not of the house of faith nor of the blood of Christ. 5 Courage and boldnesse to stand to their witnesse Pilate gave a good testimony of Christ his innocency but wanting courage he went against his owne testimony Now this courage is necessarie First to stand out against numbers of false witnesses One Elias must stand against foure hundred false Prophets the Apostles against the whole Councell Act. 5. 32. Secondly to contemne the wrath of the adverse part armed with furie and madnesse against them Act. 5. 33. they brust for anger and consulted Thirdly to abate the madnesse of adversaries as did the courage of the disciples having the better end of the staffe Act. 16. 39. the magistrates came and besought them and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the City Motives thus to give witnesse to Jesus Christ. 1 All creatures even the unreasonable witnesse to the glory of God Act. 14. 17. he left not himselfe without witnesse in that he gave raine and fruitfull seasons If we should hold our peace the very stones would cry 2 It is so honourable a service as the Angells themselves desire to stoope and bow unto it 1 Pet. 1. 12. Even they affectionatly long and desire to behold and witnesse the spirituall riches of the Church by Jesus Christ. The faces of the Cherubins were alwaies upon the Arke they could never looke enough nor with admiration enough upon the affaires of the Church How ready and faithfull have they been on these errands and messages c. 3 To faithfull witnesses God witnesseth that he is their God as the Patriarkes Heb. 11. 16. he is not ashamed to be called their God 4 Professors and slaves of Antichrist are bold to witnesse their false faith with resolution of minde danger of body losse of goods lands liberty and life and shall Christs servants be ashamed in his testimony 5. The Saints have not counted their lives deare to them nor loved them to the death for Christs sake as wee have seene on Verse 11. Hee is a very Jade that will not follow a free Leader 6. The season and time invites it If men will not now witnesse to Christ in the dayes of truth and protection what will they doe in the fiery tryall for what dayes doe so many conceale their resolution why doe so many desire rather to bee counted wise than religious And I stood on the Sea-shore or land These words belong not to this Chapter but to the next vision neither read in the first person He stood that is the dragon as some read on the sand that is on a sandie and mouldring foundation or on a multitude of wicked men as the sand but in the first person I stood that is I stood in vision on the sand to see the beast rising out of the sea so as the words are a transition to the vision of the beast in the next Chapter So I have by the grace of God finished this taske and text which hath notably suted with the occurrences of these latter times and seasonably met with the present occasions and state of the Churches at home and abroad I will not goe forward in this mysticall booke for in this chapter I have led you into the heart and kernell of the whole booke and given not a darke light to the whole Besides you loue variety and my selfe ayme at some other plainer doctrine Bella minas fluvios mulier cum semine sancto Sustinet victrix astra Ducemque petit FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL Table of the chiefe things contained in the foregoing EXPOSITION A Accusations of the godly in things true and false pag. 553 The godly lye open to all maner of false accusation and why 561 False accusation the nearest and expressest image of the diuell 571 Disswasions â—rom it 577 How to fence our selues against it 582 Accusers of the godly shall one day haue their mouths stopped 588 Actions that are good studiously hindred by Satan 157 Blemished two waies 161 Affect men differently as they differ in good or euill 673 Afflictions of the Church may be long and grieuous 325 how long and short too 326 Agreement of disagreeing enemies against the Church 130 Angellsâ—ignifie â—ignifie any seruants souldiers of Christ 342 Resemble them 347 What the good Angells doe for the children of God 345 Antichrist arising is the great wrath of the dragon demonstrated 693 By what stayres he arose 739 Time of his reigne â—â—cording to Papists confuted 786 His warres come of the dragons wrath Reas. 828 Antichristianisme an vniuersall heresie 699 Worse then temporall enemies three waies 700 Effects of it far worse 703 Apologie for our innocency needfull 586 Armoâ— of God taken froÌ„ us or turned against us 171 Assaults and stratageâ—s of Satan against the Saints 168 B Be busy more and more for grace goodnes
and speeches for we may bleare mens eyes but not his 3 Decently and comely When the sunne is up men must doe lawfull and justifiable things because all eyes are upon them Let the theefe cover himselfe with darkenesse let the adulterer watch the twilight let Papists and Atheists and profane persons doe shamefull things without shame But let us in so open a light doe things comely let not the light make us ashamed of any indecent and uncomly or unconscionable action let not the sunne see our nakednesse without shame or holy blushing 4 Painefully and diligently When the sunne riseth man goeth forth to his labour by Gods ordinance Ps. 104. 25. so while the sunne and day and light lasts us let us walke and worke hard for faith for repentance for oyle for the wedding garment See Iohn 12. 35 36. 2 A ground of comfort that this Sunne shall never fall to his Church The sunne may be hid and clouded for a time but at length shall breake forth with much brightnesse and comfort So Iesus Christ may hide himselfe and the cloud of our sinnes and corruptions may get betweene him and us but at length his grace and light shall shine forth againe and manifest it selfe to every soule to which it ever arose So for the publique estate of the Church As the Sunne of the world may withdraw and remove it selfe and doth in winter so as all things seeme dead and lost but be the winter never so sharpe and tedious the sunne comes backe againe and brings with it a sweet and pleasant spring So the Church may sustaine a blacke and bitter winter be afflicted and shaken with many stormes blustrings of furious enemies but these shal blow over and it shall see a happy spring againe Our sun is in the heavens and so long as the enemies cannot reach him to pull him thence whatsoever winter the Churches abroade doe now sustaine whatsoever winter our Church at home may endure faith and patience will waite and attaine a sweet spring and fruitfull summer againe which shall make the enemies gnash their teeth and the Church sing for joy as men do sing in harvest Amen We have seene what the garment is Now of the application Clothed where consider 1 How the Sonne is a garment 2 How it differs from other garments 3 How the woman is clothed with it First Iesus Christ the Sunne is in many places of the Scrpture called by the name of a garment by resemblance because his righteousnesse and meritorious obedience supplieth all the offices of a precious garment to the Church of God In observing the use of a garment we shall see what usefull offices Christ performes to his Church his body Quest. What are the chiefe ends of garments Answ. Garments serve 1 for necessity 2 ornament 3 distinction 1. The necessity of a garment is in three things 1 To cover bodily nakednesse and to hide all corporall shame and defects so the Church wrapped in this robe of Christs righteousnesse hath all her sinnes which are her speciall nakednesse and shame hid and covered from the eyes of God When Adam had sinned he saw his nakednesse and sewed figg-leaves but neither they nor any thing he could devise could hide it till God made him a cover Neither can any of the sonnes of Adam by their owne reach or power attaine a cover but the Son of God the second Adam onely can afford a garment to hide sinfull nakednesse from the eyes of God 2 To defend the body from the injurie of weather both of Summer and winter so onely Christ his meritorious righteousness can save shelter the soule from the burning heat of his Fathers wrath and from the pinching and shaking terrours of a mans self-accusing conscience Onely Christ can cover his Church from the stormes and blasts of temptation by Satan and from the raging tempests of persecution by tyrants and enemies Isai 4. 5 6. Iesus Christ was the true Cloud and Pillar protecting his people through the wildernesse by day and by night who makes a gracious promise that upon all the glory shal be a defence aud a couering shal be for a shadow in the day for the heat and a place of refuge and a cover for the storme and for the raine He will for ever supply all to his Church of all ages whatsoever he did to Israel by that Cloud which was but a shadow of his protection 3 To preserve and cherish naturall life for a while by keeping in and repressing naturall heat which else would spend too fast So doth Iesus Christ and his pretious merits preserve and cherish spirituall life and heate in the soule nay which no clothes can brings in a new and heavenly heat life where was nothing but a cold death and maintaines it not for a time onely but unto life eternall Whence this second Adam is called 1 Cor. 15. 45. a quickning spirit a spirit not changed into a spirit but for that his body after the resurrection became and remaines spirituall and glorious and quickning not onely because his holy flesh is united to the quickning word but because by his death he brings life unto the world dead and rotten in sinnes and corruptions 2 Garments serve not onely for necessitie but also for ornament When Rebecca was given to Isaac to be married Abrahams servant gave to her from Isaac in token of love not onely raiment and garments but also Iewels of gold and of silver and precious bracelets to put on her hands Gen. 24. 22. 53. A manifest type of the Church married to her Isaac Iesus Christ who endoweth her not with garments only to cover her nakednesse but Iewells also to adorne her See Ezec. 16. 10 11. the Lord covers his spouse with fine silke and deckes her with ornaments bracelets and chaines Quest. What are these ornaments An. The blessed and beautiful graces of humility faith hope love good conscience layed up in the closet and Casket of the heart within and the shining and grace of holy life and vertuous conversation of Saints which as a cleane garment adornes the righteousness of faith where ever it is Because whersoever the merit of Christ is applied there the spirit of Christ is conferred who effectually worketh all these shining graces by which the whole man is sanctified and the spirits mansion adorned 3 Garments serve for distinction as the liverie given to servants shewes to whom they belong what Masters they serve Even so the righteousnes of Iesus Christ is 1 In the external professiō of Christ a liverie and garment discerning and distinguishing the Christian from all Heathens Turkes and Infidels 2 In the sound application of it there is a reall distinction of the servants and sons of God from the slaves of sinne and the Devill not onely without the Church but within the bosome it A King is not better knowne by his purple then a
and with him all the fruits and graces of the Spirit Christ covers none with his robe of righteousnesse but he deckes and adornes that soule with his holinesse Never thinke thou puttest on Christ till thou hast put on the new man created after God and hast attained a new suite and habit and art changed in thy course 5 The grace of hope and expectation Earnestly desiring to be perfectly covered and decked with Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 4. wee desire to bee clothed upon Wee are already cloathed with the justice of Christ and in part and imperfectly with his holinesse but yet much nakednesse and filth is with us and much frailty and sorrow attends us Now there is another garment the garment of glory and immortality which wee long and sigh after to be cloathed withall For if the tast of Christ be so sweet what a happinesse is it to be filled with Christ If in his absence he be so sweet how sweet is he in his immediate presence and fellowship None can have the joy of his Lord enter into him here but he will wish and long to enter into the joy of his Lord hereafter For if in our prison we can so happily enjoy him what shall wee in our palace Thus by 1. mortification 2 justification 3 invocation 4 sanctification 5 joyfull hope and expectation the woman comes to bee clothed with the Sunne Having expounded the severall things in this application of the garment we come to the observations Where we will handle three maine duties of the Church and of Christians The first dutie is Every Christian in sence of his owne nakedness must labour to put on this garment Rom. 13. 14. but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ. Considering 1 The necessity in that we the of-spring of Adam are as naked in our nature as ever Adam was And as the naked infant is exposed to all injuries and death it selfe unlesse the parents take it from the birth and wrappe it in cloathes so were we till it pleased our heavenly Father to provide us a cover for our soules nakednesse Wee must not therefore suffer this cloathing to lie in Gods wardrobe but we must put it on partly by faithfull application grounding our confidence on the onely merit and righteousnesse of Christ who is the matter of our righteousnesse and partly by imitation of his holy vertues growing in daily sanctification 2 The excellent properties and benefits of this garment should stirre up our diligence to make our selves sure of it which properties and benefits are of two sorts 1 in saving us from evils 2 in procuring us all good 1 In saving us from evils in that 1 It alone covereth all guilt being a long white robe not as the garments of Davids servants cut off by Hanun which hid all but their shame 2 It covers from all danger as well as from shame Isa. 4. 6. It alone armes the beleever with safety and protection It is a commodious garment for al seasons for summer and winter fit to keepe out heats and colds winde and weather It is commodious for all estates prosperity adversity sickenesse health peace or warre to beare off blowes or shot called both a wedding garment for peace and an armour of proofe for warre Eph 6. Wouldst thou know what to doe to be safe in time of plague famine warre sicknesse persecution thou must put on Christ and walke safely in all dangers Dwell under the shadow of the almighty Ruth fearing injurious dealing gate her softly and secretly to Boaz saying Cover me with the lap of thy garment chap. 3. So get thou to Christ and now let dangers insue and death make an assault upon thee and take thee away it shall doe thee no more hurt then it did Christ himself it shall onely lift thee up as it it did him to his glory This garment shall be sure never to shrinke in the wetting neither shall he that weares it Wouldest thou know what to doe in the buffetings and temptations of Satan here is a sufficient cover and strength against all temptations Satan will object Thou art a sinner hateful to God Answ. In my selfe I am so but in this garment my sinne is hid Ob. But no sinner can come to heaven Answ. No unlesse he have the wedding garment which I have by faith and this brings me into the Bride Chamber Ob. But thou art unworthy of any thing but damnation Answ. In my person I am but in this garment I have a worthinesse imputed to me Rev. 3. 4. Ob. But sinne drives thee from GOD and GOD from thee how darest thou pray or hope to speede An. If I came to GOD in my owne name I were hopelesse but I am clothed with Christ in the sight of GOD and present his merit in my behalfe By fastning on me this garment I am one and the same person with Christ and GOD can no more deny me then him Wouldest thou know what to doe against accusations and cold feares and terros of Conscience This garment put on keepes the heart warme and comfortable as if a man walked in the warme sunne â—f a man were clothed with the sunne how could he be cold It is one of the curses of the Law to put on clothes and not be warme but this garment removes all curse never was any clothed herewith exposed to the curse Never came Christ any where but if he found not joy he left joy behind him as in Lazarus Zacheus the Iaylor c. 2 In procuring us all good which it doth 1 In bringing us into acceptance with God Ioseph might not come in his prison garments before Pharaoh but must change his garments Gen. 41. 14. So there is no accesse or acceptance with God in our owne old forlorne garments till we change them casting off our foule and filthy garments and adorne our selves with this second vestiment figured in the beautifull and holy garments of Aaron without which upon painy of death he might not appeare before the Lord 2. In procuring grace and blessing In this garment only we become heires of blessing For as Iacob could not have got the blessing from his Father had not his Father smelled the sweet smell of his brothers garment so no more could wee if we were not wrapped in this garment of our elder Brother Being in this garment the Lord pronounceth of us as Isaac of his sonne The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. Touch but the hemme of this garment and vertue comes forth Weare it and hide thy selfe in it and thou hast got blessednesse Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is that man whose iniquitie is hid and whose sinne is covered Ob. But have we not all put on Christ already and are baptized into his name How can we still put him on Answ. 1 The putting on of Christ is a continued act of the whole life For the understanding
that is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Keepeth himselfe that is groweth up in holy watchfulnesse and resistance of temptations to which care God addeth his blessing that he abides untouched that is of raigning sinne the wicked one strikes him not deadly nor can wholly and finally foyle him Examine this strength of CHRIST if it bee in thee for so it is called Ephes. 6. 10. 6 A sixt note is child-like affections 1 To our Father 2 To this Mother The child-like affections to our Father are two 1 Honor. Is Christ thy Father how doest thou honor him Mal. 1. 6. The Apostle Pauls care was that Christ should be magnified in his body by life or death Phil. 1. 20. What obedience shewest thou to his commandements and to his corrections doest thou honor him by trusting in him and depending upon him 2 A second child-like affection to Jesus Christ is love The child loveth his father better then all men else and canst thou be a child and not love him that begat and not as a Creator but a Father If thou canst doe no more for thy parent canst thou doe lesse then love him dearely Examine thy love to Christ and see if thou canst say as Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee Happie is the soule that dares thus appeale to Christ as a witnesse of his unfained love But how canst thou saie thou lovest him when his commandements are heavie and irkesome when thou wilt doe nothing for his sake suffer nothing for his name when thou wilt part with nothing for his words when thou hatest his servants his words and Ministers and risest up in armes against him by horrible sinnes David may have a rebellious sonne an Absalom Christ hath no such All his children love him better then their owne lives Now secondly the child-like affections to this mother are also two 1 To honor love and obey this mother in all her directions in all her corrections according to the word Good children will honor the Mother aswell as the Father according to the Commandement Ob. The Papist catcheth at this as making much for him The Commandements of the Mother Church must be obayed and therefore in their Catechismes besides the commandements of God they injoyne a number of the Churches commandements which must be obeyed in paine of damnation aswell as Gods Sol. To this I answer 1 That this Mother must be obeyed of her children as other parents of their children namely In the Lord. Eph. 6. For this is the difference between the commandements of this Father and this Mother His must be obeyed simply and absolutely as the Lords but hers onely in the Lord. If the precepts of this Father and Mother agree then the Mothers commandements must be obeyed but not if they be either contrary or diverse from his He that brings another doctrine must be accursed He or she that addes to his commandements must be accursed and all the plagues added to them And seeing Jesus Christ the Lord of his Church would deliver no doctrine nor commandements to the Church but what he heard from his Father no more must the Church but what she heares from Christ. 2 Why should Rome a particular Church rather enjoyne lawes on other Churches then other Churches on her seeing that parity admits not superiority 2 The second child-like affection to this Mother is compassion Children of the Church must be sensible and grieved in their Mothers sorrow affliction and oppression It is an unnatural child that takes not to heart his mothers miserie Humanity will make us mourne in the miserie of strangers yea of enemies as David put on sackcloth for his enemies much more will Christianity for the sorrowes of friends especially friends of God How have the Papists shewed that they have not a drop of the blood and spirit of Christians in their late joyes and triumphs and braggs before the victory as they use to doe fatting and feeding themselves in the savage barbarousnesse of Antichristian Captaines against the Church in Bohemia and the Palatinate But what other expectation from such as lay the principles of their Religion in blood and barbarous inhumanitie beyond Scithians or Man-eaters Yea and not a few sorry protestants there are who harbour but a little sorrow for the sorrowes of the Church bewraying the hardnesse and insensiblenesse of their hearts by their poore and penurious releefe Some out of base irreligion sowing scarce so many pence as they would have done pounds had they had conscience and affection of Children This Mother may wish she never stand in need of such children so flinty and degenerate 7 The seaventh note of one borne of this woman is brotherly-affection Christian love to all that are begotten of God as to brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. highly esteeming them as the excellent in the earth Psal. 16. 3. A man borne of this woman respects not men according to their greatnesse or basenesse in the world but according to this birth be they rich or poore and according to this present relation and that future happinesse they are borne unto A child of this woman cannot disaffect and reproach his brethren because they be brethren and thinke the very brotherhood a sufficient scorne He cannot scorn them for frequenting their Mothers house Nay he cannot but affect them for the fellowship in the Gospell and their consanguinity in this new estate Now lay these notes on thy heart try by them thy estate and know it is better to be out of the number of men then out of this number And cried in paine ready to be delivered The Church bringeth forth no children to God without much travell and paine For as by an inevitable decree painefull sorrow is annexed to naturall birth so it is in this spirituall birth As our Saviour applieth that Ioh. 16. 21. A woman when she travelleth hath sorrow because her time is come I It cost Christ no small travell and sorrow to beget children to God For he must become a man of sorrowes and never was any sorrow like unto his Nay he must sustaine the sorrowes of hell and be broken to pieces with sorrowes of body and soule before one child could ever be begotten unto God and therefore the Prophet Esai 53. 11. saith He shall see the travell of his soule that is the seed for which his soule travelled And in the preaching of the Gospel sowing this seed in the dayes of his flesh in his owne person what great sorrowes sustained hee by the Scribes Pharisees Princes and wordly-wise men and was made a butte of contradiction all men resisting his person his doctrine blaspheming his miracles and mighty workes preferring murderers before him and setting him with Belzebub the prince of the devils II The painefull travell of the Church is by the Ministeriall paines and sorrowes of her Pastors and Preachers Gal. 4. 19. Little children of whom
language Now to discover satans wile herein is a part of the cure Thirdly He assailes us in our sleepe For then we are weake and exposed to all danger The envious man sowes tares while men sleepe In sleepe Iaell easily slew great Siserah with a nayle a hammer And the dragon knowes how easie a conquest he obtaineth in our sleepe of securitie David in his ease and rest was soone cast downe wherefore we must watch and pray Fourthly In our nakednesse as 1. When wee are out of our way and calling Israel by sin had made themselves naked to the darts of the dragon and of God himselfe 2 When wee are impotent and inordinate in our naturall desires cares and corrupt affections Salomon saith A man that cannot refraine his appetite is as a Cittie without wals Prov. 23. 28. naked and exposed to all dangers and as a captaine where the wales are lowest or weakest there laies his battery So the great dragon markes our inclination and thrusts us downe the hil where we are ready to runne headlong of our owne accord And as he findes dispositions set he baites his hook and fits them with temptations and objects fit for their ambition or voluptuousnesse or covetousnesse and so findes strength enough in our selves to overthrow us Esau by his broth Lot by his Wine Iudas by money a roote of evil fel upon many temptations and snares Hence are those many exhortations to take heed that our hearts be not oppressed with surfeiting drnnkennesse or cares of this life 3 When wee are in idle or evill company we are naked and then the dragon hath us at advantage When was Peter set upon Not so long as he was in the company of Christ and his disciples whose presence might have bin meanes to uphold him But when he runnes among the high Priests servants and sits downe by a warme fire Now he is fit to be wrought upon he will now be brought easily to deny and forsweare his Lord. Fiftly In the day of our death which is most unfit for resistance seeing now the body is sick pained and hath many other things to thinke upon many feares many terrors many things to settle c. To teach us to pray before hand for the day to die daily to pull out the sting of death bereave our sins of life before hand Secondly Concerning actions we shal observe the dragons subtilties 1 In respect of good actions 2 Of evill actions 1 In good actions or duties he sets all his seaven heads on worke 1 To hinder 2 To blemish 3 To disgrace them 4 To frustrate them First Because there is nothing but it stands in the dragons way He is restlesse in hindering all that is good and the better it is the more buisy to prevent it As 1 The greatest worke that ever was wrought was that of mans redemption How craftily did he seeke to hinder this in Peter Master pitty thy selfe 2 The greatest duties that the Lord hath injoyned us are those which we are to performe in his publique ordinances as preaching hearing praying and all parts of publique worship Hence he raiseth persecutions against the Church to hinder these and disperse the Saints Acts 11. 19. And he can hinder the free passage of the gospell and stop the Apostles themselves in the course of their ministry 1 Thes. 2. 18. But I speake not here of his force but see how finely his heads can contrive it He can pretend unitie and peace and order decency and obedience and every thing that is good to stop the course of the Gospell and hinder it So he did in Q. Maries daies He can hinder hearing of the word and reading the scriptures by undeniable reasons Why doe not you thinke that men may be saved without all this preaching and running to sermons And is it not unreasonable to urge every common man to know the deepe points which belong to Divines to Church men and booke learned men but for private and unlettered men a little knowledge is best and the heart may be good where the skill is but small Besides you have a calling to follow a charge of children perhaps live of your labour how can you spare time for such occasions And who sees not that the world was better when there was lesse preaching men were more devote lesse contentious And one Sermon well learned is better then all this preaching and many learned men wish there were more praying and lesse preaching for so much preaching brings but preaching into contempt Never were these seven heads more beaten then in beating downe preaching the onely hammer against the kingdome of the devill and never were they more busie working in this subject in mans memory then at this day never were his subtilties and wit more applauded and more approoved then now 3 He strives subtilly against all grace because it makes us like unto God As in Peter Satan winnowes to shake all grace out of our hearts and to hold it out Especially those of faith repentance and holinesse First Our faith is a sweet morsell to Satanâ— because we cannot resist him unlesse we be stedfast in faith His incessant worke is either to hinder us from attaining or retaining it for if he can hold off or wrest from us this sheild he hath devoured us already and this he can contrive nimbly What seeft thou in thy selfe worthy of the fauour of God a man of so many so great sins for thee to assure thy self of thy salvation is boldnesse and great presumption Discernest thou not how many doubts afflict thee how many crosses are upon thee for thee to say thou hast faith is but to feed a fancy as if sinnes doubts and crosses could not stand with faith in our Father Secondly Repentance for this cuts him short of all He cannot perswade that it is not necessary to salvation where the word is taught but he will firmely perswade not to repent yet but deferre it till a more convenient time for now thou art in thy youth and pleasures of the world or in the profits of the world for thee and thine and these thou must now enjoy and conveniently enough repent afterward Old age and sicknesse is fitter for sad thoughts and religious exercises are tedious and unpleasant And God hath mercie in store when ever thou returnest unto him he will put away all thy sins if they be never so many And Christ hath store of blood and merit and thy sinnes cannot be so many or heynous as to exceed his merits And therefore seeing thou mayest enjoy both the pleasures of this life and of the other refuse neither Thirdly Holinesse and exercise of all good works and vertues He can tell how to undermine all good duties most subtilly 1 Mountaines of feares losses crosses and difficulties 2 What need such care and watch and working doth not faith alone justifie You will live like
their pleasure hee calleth them all by their right names Object What need we care for them seeing God is so carefull Sol. Provoke not God to remove them 1. See the neede of starres for illumination warmth moisture refrigeration by them discerne seasons of grace guide thy course on the sea of this world starres were made not for ornament onely but for use heate influence 2. Make use of their light some hate the light as of commets portending evill to them and blesse themselves from them 3. Reioyce in their light constantly not as the Iewes did in Iohn that counted him a light for a season men receive Preachers as new Starres or Commets gaze a while but care not how soone they be wasted The second effect by which the dragon is described is by his mischievous attempt against the woman as the former was against the starres this effect is set downe 1. By his action he stood before the Woman 2. His intention to devoure the childe when it was brought forth I. In his action observe two things 1. What it is to stand before the woman 2. How he standeth before her 1. To stand before the woman is an allusion to the ancient Story both of the dragon standing before Eve the woman that is the mother of the world and of the Church to seduce her as also of Pharaoh called the dragon of Aegypt watching the destruction of the male children of the Church so soone as the mothers should bee delivered of them to which places out of doubt the text hath reference This standing before the woman implieth two things 1 His readinesse and nearnesse as one at hand narrowly watching observing to assault and destroy the blessed seed 2. His instance and diligence in the purpose hee departs not farre nor long but standeth and abideth proceedeth and persisteth in his mischievous purpose and intention against the Church and members he standeth still but not idle 2. How he standeth before her and that is two wayes 1. By fraud and secret trechery he layeth traines out of sight for her hurt and by flattery seeketh to bring and lure her into his snare 2. By open force and violence to subdue such as by secret traines he cannot allure II. His intention to devoure the childe hee seemeth to doe nothing lesse but the Spirit of God uncaseth him sheweth us the true end of all his couÌ„sels and indeavours Let the dragon dissemble never so much friendship as to Eve in eating his minde is murderous for hee standeth not afore us to abridge us of our liberty or goods or outward comfort onely but his direct aime is to compasse our death and destruction of soule and body Quest. But what had the child done or when should he devoure it Sol. He watcheth the destruction of it before it be borne if the woman miscary not in bringing forth some abortive birth then he bestirreth himselfe to destroy the young and tender birth so soone as it taketh breath in the Church Where in the dragon note three things 1. The groundednesse and setlednesse of malice in the nature of the dragon who out of his wickednesse unstirred and unprovoked carrieth deadly wrath against the children of the Church There is a naturall enmity and antipathy betweene the seed of the dragon and the seed of the woman for what can the childe doe against him before hee is borne 2. The policy of the dragon who will not suffer the womans children to grow up to strength and stature but will oppresse them even in the biâ—â—â— or as soone as they are borne while they are tender and least able to resist hee knoweth the fittest time to blast grace is in herba in the cradle in the beginnings 3. The implacablenesse of this savage dragon whose pittilesse disposition nothing can move not infancy not tendernesse not innocency not causelesnesse nothing can pleade or prevaile for a drop of compassion nay these rather cause and stirre up his wrath and kindle his rage and fury more against them and this is the enemy with whom we have to deale whom Gods spirit hath thus graphycally and punctually described that we might stand so much the more watchfully and preparedly against him So soone as any childe commeth to bee borne of the Church Satan watcheth by all means to destroy him 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satan as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom to devoure The principall businesse of Satan in the world hath ever been to take out of the way and to destroy vijs modis by secret fraud or open force all that should bee spiritually begotten of the Church especially such as should stand up to maintaine the religion of Christ. How Herod the dragon stood before the woman seeking to slay the childe Iesus so soone as he was borne appeareth Mat. 2. 16. hee could not hinder his holy conception his quickning birth but his hope is to devoure him being borne the same fury he sheweth to the members and to come to that our text aimeth at how the dragon by the heathen Roman Emperours and bloody Tyrants Nero Domitian Trajan and the rest did by most cruell Edicts torments and unheard of punishments and persecutions stand in the whole Empire with the greatest vigilancy that might bee to swallow up whatsoever Christian should be borne in the Church utterly to extirpate all Christians and extinguish the Christian faith is manifest in every leafe and line of that bloody Story But especially the dragon by those tyrants watched and observed most diligently lest any defender of the Christian faith either in Magistracy or Ministery should spring up in so much that if any President or Governour was more moderate or lesse rigorous against ChristiaÌ„s he was presently devoured by the dragon as a favourer or childe of the woman His incessant labour to hinder the glory of God for whereas the glory of a King is the multitude of his subjects he cannot abide that Gods glory should bee increased by the increase of the subjects of his Kingdome He is the Arch-tyrant and head of all tyrants in the world and setteth up and holdeth up his kingdome by tyranny and injustice and as Attaliah could never thinke her selfe stable in her usurped authority till she had slaine all the Kings seed 2 Kin. 11. 1. so this monster of tyrants and scourge of the world thinketh his kingdome can never bee sure and stable if he kill not all the Kings seed the sonnes of this woman the Church His extremâ— hatred of the true religion the true service of God amongst the Israelites was an abomination to the Aegyptians and therefore like dragons they oppressed them The dragon never ceaseth to hinder or corrupt the purity of Gods worship or to persecute whom he cannot hinder Let Israel but talk of going to worship in the wildernesse the hellish Pharaoh presently begins to rage to augment the burthens and never cease his unjust vexation till himselfe cease to
in demonstration of the spirit that men may say Christ is here indeed I feele his power quickning counselling comforting c. 2 To Magistrates that they put forth all the power they receive of Christ for the glory of Christ and the good of the Church as knowing First that all powers are of God and therefore for God and his causes Secondly they are his Ministers for the good of the good and them that do well Thirdly those that honour God God will honour and contrarily And who seeth not that those that extraordinarily oppose this power of Christ in his Ordinances God extraordinarily opposeth them they cannot so openly contemne him and despise his word but God as manifestly powres contempt upon them and makes them extraordinary spectacles of disgrace and contempt For how can a man set himselfe against God and prosper Fourthly All the power in Christs owne hand was set against sinne and the divels kingdome what better example to a Christian Magistrate 3 To every Christian three wayes 1 Wee are instructed to submit our selves to the royall power of Christ our King as willing subjects acknowledging him the great Centurion of the world For this was prophesied of us in the New Testament Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly at the time of holy assembling And otherwise we shall be worse then wicked angels or the unreasonable creatures who all obey his word as we saw before 2 To depend upon this power of Christ as our soveraigne King who hath all power to do us good Want we heavenly things he hath all power in heaven and for heaven he hath power to call to justifie to sanctifie to beautifie to glorifie Want we heavenly graces and riches he hath treasures of wisedome and grace Want we earthly things he hath all power in earth he can bestow not dews of heaven only but the fat of the earth Isaac had but one blessing but he hath more blessings then one and if he be rich being our husband wee shall not be poore 3 To acknowledge this power of Christ in all our receipts of blessing or comfort 1 Finde wee the worke of conversion and sound grace this is not by free-will or preparations or operations of nature but here is a creating power put forth by Christ a power divine working many miracles making a blind man see a deafe man to heare dispossessing a man of many divels raysing a dead man and quickning him that was dead in trespasses and sins 2 Finde wee not onely our peace made up with God but that now wee are lovingly affected to Gods people for Gods image and goodnesse Here is a fruit of Christs mighty power who hath reconciled the wolfe and the Lambe the child and the cockatrice Esa. 11. 6. 3 Finde we any worke of holinesse begun any presence of grace any beginnings of heavenly motion in faith hope love joy zeale constancy Here is a great power of Christ our head by whose power all these are purchased here is a power making a Blackmoore white as snow 4 Findest thou any strength against sinne any temptation foyled any lust given over and hated which thy nature inclineth unto Oh here is the power of Christ above the power of nature Never was sinne foyled but by Christs power never was any a Conquerour in the spirituall combate but by the presence power and strength of the Generall 5 Finde we our prayers heard our defects covered our duties accepted All this is the vertue and power of Christs prayer and by the merit of his obedience Thus must wee with the Church here sing out the power of the Lords Christ. And this also of the Instruction Next this serves the members of the Church for examination namely to try whether we feele this power of Christ put forth in our selves else all is unprofitable and uncomfortable to us Phil. 3. 10. the Apostle counts all other knowledge and priviledges but losse and dung in respect of knowing in himselfe the vertue and power of Christs death and resurrection This is more then to heare of Christ of his life and doctrine of his death and passion It is a lively feeling in his owne soule the power and vertue of his death in the death of sinne and of his resurrection in rising from the grave of sinne This is more then to preach of Christs life and death and goeth beyond all eloquent discourses of the actions and passions of Christ if the Preacher as too many onely know the vertue of Christs death as the Physitian knows the vertues of herbes and simples onely by his reading or relation without his owne experience This knowledge of the power and grace of this Salomon must be like the knowledge of the Queene of Sheba 1 King 10. 7. It was a true word which I heard of thy sayings and wisdome howbeit I beleeved not this report till I came and have seene it with mine eyes neither can halfe the power and glory of Christ be attained by reading or report except our selves by inward feeling and experience come to discerne it That is an happie knowledge of the power of Christ not which is speculative or discoursive but which is experimentall such as the Samaritans Ioh. 4. 42. They say to the Woman Now we beleeve not for thy relation but because our selves have seene Him Quest. How may I discerne the power of Christ in my selfe Answ. It may be discerned by foure special marks or evidences I By the power of the word which is his powerfull arme to salvation So much as thou findest the power of the word so much of the power of Christ mayest thou discerne in thy selfe Now examine 1 Hast thou found the word commanding light out of darknesse in thy soule as in the first creation hath Gods powerfull word created a new saving light in thee that whereas thou wast blind now thou art sure thou seest the face of God in Jesus Christ reconciled unto thee 2 Hath the word in the Ministery beene a powerfull voice of Christ calling thee as Lazarus out of the grave where thou wast by nature under the dominion of death by sin hath it brought in a new life of God and grace What word besides the Omnipotent word of Christ can raise a dead man If the word of God hath inspired a new breath of the Spirit and wrought heavenly motions in thee thou mayest plainly see the power of Christ in thy selfe 3 Hath the word beene powerfull as a mighty engine to cast downe high and strong holds and bring every thing unto the subjection of Christ hath it taken thy highest holds and now sitteth as a Commander there If it have an inward command the understanding conceiveth and is convinced in the certainty of things which be contrary to nature and sense it will shut the owne eyes and yeild to things foolish and absurd to reason The will easily denyeth it selfe worldly wisdome reason profits pleasures liberty and life
Sinne in his allurements 3. Afflictions and rebukes for the Name of Christ and for well-doing All overcome by the power of Christ in his members 1. A mighty worke of his power was that he was able to foyle temptations and stand against all hellish powers so as when Satan came he found nothing in him Even so the power of Christ wherever it is puts forth it selfe against Satans kingdome the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations so as though thou canst not bee free from the molestation of his assaults yet thou art free from the seduction and persistest in thy goodnesse here is the power Christ if Satan bee trodden under our feet it is the God of peace that doth it These adversaries are so mighty in strength and subtilty that no power but the power of Gods might can resist them But where the devill triumpheth and holdeth a man captive at his will when as the great Centurion he saith to his slave Doe this and hee doth it sweare and raile and whore and drinke and lie and deceive and men doe so the power of Christ is farre off unlesse for revenge 2. Another enemy is our owne sinnes and lusts in the subduing of which wee may espie the power of Christ. Canst thou finde the evils of thy heart and life conquered infirmities vanquished the power of sinne daily weakned and foyled sinne cast out if not in respect of presence yet of power that the raigne and dominion of it is gone here is the power of Christ for no other power can put sinne to death but the power of Christs death Contrarily where sinne is not disarmed but the body of it stands united compacted not wounded to death where secret sinnes are allowed where lusts are alive and cherished where worldly pleasures profits fashions are followed with a full strength where men willingly cast themselves into the occasions of sinne here is no saving power of Christ in conversion and change for all Christs power is set for the overthrow of sinne it set himselfe free from all corruptions and sinfull infirmities and so his members 3. The last enemy are afflictions for Christ and well-doing Canst thou beare the worst troubles for Christ and bee baptized with his baptisme canst thou esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt as Moses Heb. 11 canst thou account losses for Christ thy greatest gaine doest thou not account thy life deare to thee so that thou maist finish thy course with joy Is not all this a divine power that can make thee rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ and joyfully indure the spoyling of thy goods and carry the reproaches of Christ as a Crowne on thy shoulder all which formerly thou fearedst as hell it selfe But where is the power of Christ when every shadow of change is of force to drive men from the profession every damsels speech can terrifie so great a Professor as Peter even to the deniall of his Lord a sleight reproach or nickname can keepe many away from Christ and make many goe away Were the power of Christ present it would indure the Crosse and despise the shame and nothing could separate Now have I discovered the tryals of the power of Christ. If any man have this experience of the mighty power of Christ praise God for it if not pray to have thine eies opened to see the exceeding greatnes of this power of Christ in thy selfe Eph. 1. 19. both in weakning the power of sinne that it may not have dominion over thee and in weakning the presumption of thine own power and strength which overthrows great graces and casts men headlong into fearfull fals as wee see in Peter but let him that stands take heed lest hee fall as also in stablishing the mighty worke of grace in thy soule and whatsoever vertue may accompany thy salvation as knowing that this mighty power of Jesus Christ is put forth first for holinesse and then for happinesse For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night These words containe a reason why the Church hath with a loud voyce ascribed the honour of salvation and kingdome to the Lord and of power unto Jesus Christ namely because the accuser of the brethren is cast downe Where wee have two things 1. His crimination 2. His dejection In the former part are foure things 1. What are these accusations 2. Who are accused brethren 3. Where before our God 4. When night and day I. These accusations are the objecting of things true or false to the hurt and disgrace of the godly First in true things Satan accuseth them hee espieth their infirmities and noteth even in the best many sinnes and errors which they are guilty of and these hee urgeth and amplifieth against them before God and pleadeth from them their unworthinesse of mercy yea the sinnes which in them are of weaknesse hee amplifieth as if they were sinnes of wickednesse and raigning sinnes and maketh them seem unpardonably hainous and claimeth the justice of the Law and the execution of the curse upon persons so unworthy of life and salvation Secondly these accusations are also of false things For Satan alyer from the beginning deviseth many false calumniations lyes and slanders and casteth them upon the Saints In those Primitive times what an heape of horrible lyes did the devill and his instruments raise against the Saints to incense the Emperours against Christian religion as namely that they were seditious rebellious against government sacrilegious incestuous that they ate raw flesh used libidinous cōmixture in their meetings by night that they worshipped the head of an Asse adored the Sunne and a number more execrable villanies imputed to those poore and innocent lambes led away for such monsters to the slaughter as appeares in Eusebius and Tertullian And to the same purpose hee being still like himselfe hath falsly accused the godly in all ages for seditious meetings nightly and unlawfull conventicles rebellion against Princes unchaste conversings and the like II. Who bee the persons accused Our brethren Wee have shewed it to bee a voyce of a multitude of members of the Church militant upon occasion of a particular victory who stood in neare relation to the afflicted Saints and therefore called them our brethren Brethren are either by birth of the same parents as Cain and Abel or by affinitie of one roote or stocke as Abraham and Lot or by Nation or Countrey as Paul and the Jews Rom. 9. 1. or by profession and communion in one faith and worship as here Quest. Doth Satan accuse none but the godly who are brethren or doth hee not also accuse the wicked and unbeleevers Ans. Hee accuseth the godly to get them condemned but what need hee stand accusing those whose infidelity hath already condemned them as the wicked are Ioh. 3. 18. Hee need
of his foule death and damnation both in soule and body with many passages after his buriall and stirre of the devils about him which comming to Luthers hands hee answered Of Queene Elizabeth they spred in forraine parts some yeares before shee dyed that shee was dead and had reconciled her selfe to the Pope Iohn Husse yet alive was accused that hee affirmed a fourth person in Trinity who when he desired the author or witnesse to bee brough forth and could not obtaine cryed out O miserable man that I am who am forced to beare such blasphemies and standers 2. Another note of an impudēt blasphemer accuser is to accuse in things wherein himself is most guilty With what impudency did Potiphars wife accuse Ioseph of incontinency when only her selfe was unchaste and the solliciter Satan accuseth Iob before the Lord that if hee touch Iob a little hee will curse and blaspheme him to his face whereas nothing is more usuall with Satan himselfe than to curse and blaspheme God perpetually Nero to picke a quarrell against the Christians set Rome on fire and charged the Christians with it hence were they apprehended clad with skinnes of beasts and torne in pieces with dogs and many crucified and heapes of them cast into blazing fires as if they had been cōmon burners destroyers of men The most treasonable massacre that ever the Sun saw was laid upon the pretended treason of poore innocent men drawne into the shambles as sheepe thirty thousand of whose throats were cut in one month At home the Parliament House must bee blowneup and the fact laid upon the Puritans with extreme and ridiculous impudence whereby also Papists charge us with heresie with corrupting the Scripture with Idolatry c. and as impudently doe grosse Recusants accuse conformable men of inconformity some of faction being most factious themselves Athaliah cryes Treason 3. The impudency of accusers appeareth in that when they can prove nothing they lay many hainous things upon the godly to oppresse them with multitude and make the world thinke something must be true among so many and whereas one such crime would beare action enough if true they lay on loade with all manner of crimes Daniels fellowes were charged with First singularity they alone stand out against the Image of the King Secondly Irreligion they will not worship the Kings God Thirdly rebellion and sedition they rebell against the Kings commandement Mar. 15. 3. the High Priest and Pharisees accused Christ of many things And Christians must expect from this impudence all manner of evill sayings for Christs sake falsly Mat. 5. 11. 4. To accuse all the godly for one is a note of an impudent accuser Haman thought it too little to destroy Mordecai but all the seed of the Jewes also For the quarrell is seldome private or personall but generall against all the persons of them that feare God Satan would root out all the godly The same cause that stirres up his wrath against one doth inrage him against every one that is Gods grace and Image Hence it is that no one good man can bee falsly accused but so is every good man in him for they are all alike all dissemblers hypocrites never a good c. See Satanicall impudency 5. A tricke of Satanicall impudency is for some persons sake to accuse the whole religion it self for it is not enough to throw downe the persons but the worship and religion of God also being so contrary to them which is apparent in a number of gracelesse men who never take offence against a godly man but presently flie upon his religion Wilt thou impudently raile on the Sunne because a man stumbles in the Sunshine here is a more hatefull madnesse 6. Another is to seeke occasions of accusing and not finding occasion yet to accuse as they Ier. 18. 18. Come let us devise against this Ieremy and smite him with the tongue Dan 6. 4. the impudency of Daniels accusers is that they fought an occasion and will not stay till occasion be offered and they confesse Daniels innocency among themselves saying Wee shall finde no occasion but in the matter of his God and yet contest against it to the King himselfe Luke 6. 7. The Pharisees watched Christ to get accusations against him Let watchers and devisers of plots against innocent men see with whom they runne 7. It is high impudency in accusing that when they cannot for evill they will for good Daniel for praying Christ for healing on the Sabbath the godly for the matter of their God for tendernesse of conscience for going to heare Sermons for singing Psalmes in their houses for carrying Bibles for care in keeping the Sabbath for repeating Sermons at home for exercises of religion for not swearing for not being gamesters tosse-pots and Taverners his impudent accuser can make it more easie and seeme more gracefull to bee manifestly prophane and vile than sincerely good and a resister of evill 8. It is shamefull impudence to accuse where speciall respects binde to defend honour and imitate But a shamelesse accuser casts off with all shame all bands and respects 2 Sam. 16. 3. Ziba will not spare but falsly and villanously accuse his raiser and Master Mephibosheth and that of no lesse than high treason that he stayed in Jerusalem to be made King and so got his lands 2 Sam. 15. 13. Absalon spares not his owne father There is no man to doe justice Not the nearest band of nature can stay an evill heart from accusing where it should honour and defend It will neither acknowledge him from whom it hath received benefits nor yet beeing in the world The sinne is likest Satan when it is most ungracious and unnaturall II. Next the motives or disswasions from false accusation are so much the more to bee urged because of our great pronenesse and inclination to this sinne For First slipperinesse of the tongue a nimble member casteth many headlong into this sinne unawares especially in persons addicted to loquacity and garrulity or chatting who as empty vessels give a loud sound but no soundnesse or savory matter or choise discourse can bee heard from them and wanting matter in themselves will finde it upon others Secondly lying and false accusing agreeth best with the corruption and depravation of our nature which being at first corrupted and spoyled by a lie wee leane that way ever since and as a vessell keepe the smell of our first liquor yea our whole nature is degenerate into a lie Thirdly wee have selfe-love in abundance and pride of heart by which wee set up our selves and contemne and treade upon others This admiration of our selves makes us disdaine others and according to this distemper we speake and fil our mouths and others eares with detraction and false accusation lest so much be detracted from us as we heare or see added to another Seeing therefore we are so prone to drinke in this puddle water of detraction and false accusation
as the fish doth naturally river-water we have so much the more need to bee called backe from so dangerous a sinne and indeed we want no bridles if wee be not too head strong for 1. God hath provided by his expresse law aswell for the good name of his servants as for their goods or lives Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour wherein the Lord upon paine of death bindeth every soule to truth and justice in all his speeches the uprightnesse whereof must demonstrate the uprightnesse and sincerity of the heart as a chaste daughter of a chaste mother And this Law of God wraps him in the curse as well that steales and wounds his good name as the theefe that steales his goods or the murderer that assaults his life And as farre as the good name is farre in estimation above gold and silver Prov. 22. 1. so much more hatefull and mischievous is the false accuser above a theefe or burglary 2. Nothing can bee more contrary to God nothing comes so neare the devill Hee is a creature most degenerate from God both in respect of his nature judgement and practise First God in his nature is truth essentiall and truth originall the Author of all truth and truth it selfe in all his decrees in all his workes in all his words which all agree with the truth of his essence But this man suits with Satan the father of lies who stood not in the truth Iohn 8. 44. God in his nature loveth truth the devill speaketh truth sometimes but never lovesit God is called a Justifier Satan here an accuser If wee see this image or superscription of false accusing on any say it is Satans coyne a man moulded in his mint and give unto Satan what is Satans Secondly nothing can bee more dissonant to the judgement of God than rash judgement and false accusation of good men God approves the wayes of his servants highly esteemeth of their graces accepteth and remunerateth weake indeavours Now what can bee more contrary than to accuse the wayes of God to bee hatefull purity and a straine beyond discretion and the graces of God for singularity hypocrisie dissembling know thou hast not now belied men but the Spirit of God Thirdly the Lord in his course pleadeth for his Saints acquiteth them answereth all accusations for them and pronounceth a righteous sentence upon them the fals accuser impudently impleadeth all this God calleth Nathaniel a true Israelite no saith the accuser hee is an Ismaelite a dissembler God pronounceth Paul an elect Vessell no saith the accuser hee is a murderer a theefe vengeance will not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. God pronounceth of his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne no saith the accuser he is a deceiver an impostor a blasphemer in saying he is the Sonne of God Now what can be liker Satan who would have all men in his owne condemnation than these vile persons who would have all thought as vile as themselves Hence our Text maketh Satan and all accusers but one accuser 3. Whom doest thou accuse or revile Thou accusest the brethren First the brethren of Christ and in them Christ himselfe Matth. 25. In that ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it to mee Wouldest thou in the day of the Lord be brought in a false witnesse against Christ And yet there is a nearer relation these brethren are members of Christ. Wouldest thou for a thousand worlds have that sin of the Jewes lying upon thy soule that thou hadst thrust a speare into the body of Christ but what was that sinne to this they knew not who he was nor what they did beside his body was dead first but thou thrustest the sharpe speare of false accusation and by it tearest and rentest the living body of Christ which is his Church and this wilfully and of set purpose 2 Thou sinnest against the sonnes not of God onely but of the Church whom thou professest thy Mother The Spirit of God amplifies the wickednesse of false accusation by this circumstance Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slaunderest thy mothers sonne shewing the unnaturalnesse of these wicked men to their owne flesh and the bowels of their owne Mother Were there a dram of nature or grace in them they could not violate such neare bands Godly Sem will cover his fathers nakednesse though unnaturall Cham discover it Charity would cover a multitude of offences Prov. 10. 4. But wanting both they are rightly ranked with theeves and adulterers vers 18. 4 A false accuser is a most irreligious person and commonly such are the greatest enemies to true religion Observe and you shall finde them either Atheists or Papists or Libertines or worldlings given over to some foule sinne or other For according to the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart swell with malice envie and bitternesse how can the mouth but run over with cursed speaking A bitter fountaine can send no sweet water The shop is supplied with such wares as are in the storehouse Besides true religion which purifieth the heart would order the tongue I am 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious and ordereth not his tongue that mans religion is in vaine 5 Consider the fearefull evils awayting this sin so contrary to God First It casts a man out of the sanctuary of God Psal. 15. 3. unlesse the Church of God could consist of a generation of devills but it is the spouse of Christ the communion of Saints 2 It casts him into the judgement of God and damnation of hell for God hath appointed a day to give judgement of all cruell speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. Then shall their measure be filled to the brim they shall have accusation enough God doth even here admonish of that day and sit in judgement on some even in this life What got Haman by false accusation but hanging on his owne gallowes What got Ahab and Iezabel by false accusing Naboth but a possession of wrath In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth must they licke Ahabs and Iezabel was eaten with dogs in the valley of Jezreel 1 King 22. A dart shot against a wall or an arrow shot upward rebound and fall upon the shooter Daniels accusers were devoured by the Lions to whom Daniel was cast What got Amaziah by accusing Amos chap. 7. 17. Thy wife shal be an whore c. Let men take heed of touching Prophets and slaundering godly Ministers Eusebius in his Church-history sheweth how Narcissus was falsly accused by three false witnesses one wished if it were not true he might be burnt the other that a foule disease might eate him the third that he might else be blind And accordingly they perished the first by a sparke of fire from heaven the second by a loathsome disease from top to toe the third seeing this repented but yet lost both his eyes
in hand they cannot escape Sinne is chained to punishment in all The same sin deserves ruine in all Gods justice is impartiall And the same destruction belongs to the devill and wicked men seeing they all make but one dragon who is here overcome They overcame by the blood of the Lambe Here is the principall and meritorious cause of this victory Where three things must be opened 1. Who is this Lambe 2. What is meant by his blood 3. How the Saints overcome by this blood I. This Lambe is Michael called a Lambe especially for two reasons 1. Because hee was resembled by the Lambe sacrificed in the Law Object Other beasts were sacrificed and were types of Christ as the Bullocke Goate Ramme and the like but he is not so called Ans. True because those were not in continuall sacrifice as these neither did so ordinarily represent him as these for these were offered held Christs sacrifice before their eyes 1. Annually as in the Passeover 2. Monthly as in the Calends of every month were seven Lambes offered Numb 28. 11. 3. Weekly for every Sabbath they must offer two Verse 9. 4. Daily the juge sacrificium or continuall sacrifice which let the fire never goe out was of two Lambes every day Verse 13. 2. Christ is called a Lambe because hee did resemble those Lambes in qualities especially two First innocency and harmlesnesse hee was the innocent Lambe of God without spot no guile was found in his mouth Secondly obedience and meeknesse he was obedient to the death and as a Lambe dumbe before the shearer so opened he not his mouth Esa. 53. 7. This comforteth us in beholding this Lambe our sacrifice who was 1. The Lambe of God that is set a part by God not by men as the other Lambes in the old Testament were 2. A Lambe from God not rising from the earth as they but descending from God and comming from the bosome of his Father 3. A Lambe that was God for God shed his blood Act. 20. and therfore the dignity of the person of this Lambe giving worth and sufficiency to his sacrifice it taketh away the sinnes of the world with difference from those in the Law 1. It really tooke away sinne other Lambes did did but shadow and represent it 2. The sinnes of the whole world other Lambes expiated sinne but in one nation but this is of validity to redeeme the whole Church in all nations 3. It tooke them away perfectly by one oncemade oblation and needed not repetition yearely monthly weekly and daily as theirs did Againe this teacheth us to imitate this Lambe especially in these two gracious qualities 1. Of holinesse purity innocency of life and conversation that wee may bee as much as is possible blamelesse and without spot in the midst of a froward generation He was fairer then the sonnes of men all faire and no spot was in him neither in nature nor practice We cannot be so but yet we must part with our spots and come so neare as mortality will suffer us 2. Of obedience both Active he was willing and free in all his obedience it was his meate and drinke to doe his Fathers will and to fulfil all righteousnesse so wee must aime at perfection set all the Law before us and in all obedience offer free-will offerings And Passive meekly contentedly and patiently induring the greatest wrongs and evils for his sake as hee did for ours II. What is meant by this blood Ans. The whole sacrifice of Christ which includeth his whole obedience especially his death with all the antecedents and consequents his whole passion visible and invisible in soule and body none was in vaine for this is an ordinary figurative speech in Scripture that the whole obedience of Christ is ser downe by a part no part of which may bee divulsed or rent from other seeing he obeyed in suffering and suffered in obeying III. How doe the Saints overcome by his blood Answ. It seemes to bee an allusion to the Israelites who being sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe escaped the revenging Angell as also the revenging Aegyptians and by that blood a type of this overcame them all even so this blood of this Lambe is the victory of all the Israel of God 1. In regard of acquisition and merit Christs blood is the Well-head and full spring of all benefits to the Church The Fountaine flowing out of the side of Christ is the fountaine of all favour flowing unto us and consequently of our victory 2. In regard of donation in that it actually worketh a perfect reconciliation betweene God and us and stoppeth all enemies mouthes that were open against us in which sense it is called the blood of attonement 3. In regard of obsignation in that it sealeth all the Covenant of grace called therefore the blood of the Covenant because it ratifieth unto us the cancelling of that hand-writing of the old Covenant which we had transgressed and wiping off all old scores and debts it confirmes our entrance into the new Covenant of grace 4. In regard of application by the instrument of faith which is our victory whereby wee overcome the world and our shield by which wee vanquish Satan Quest. How can faith be our victory Answ. Not for the worthinesse of it which is at best weake and feeble but First by entring us into the Covenant of God espousing and marrying us unto Christ for faith onely maketh Christ ours and all his victory Secondly by drawing vertue from Christ as the branch suckes from the root for wee having no power of our owne faith fetches power from Christ and draweth downe strength from him and such strength as the gates of hell cannot prevaile against Thirdly by receiving as an hand all from God and Christ especially the promise of the Spirit the presence of the Spirit and graces of the Spirit which makes the Christian invincible For greater is he that is in the Beleever then the spirit that is in the World Object But can one be strong and victorious by anothers strength and victory Answ No but faith makes Christ a mans owne and Christ and the Christian are no more twaine but one flesh Root and branches make but one tree foundation and building but one house head and members but one body So as Christ being his owne his strength is his owne strength his victory his owne victory The Christian then on whose heart this blood is sprinkled is in good case This victorious blood both foyles all enemies for us and answers all objections for us The former appeares by induction of eight enemies The chiefe is the devill but he is spoyled by this blood of the crosse see Col. 2. 15. and Heb. 2. 14. The next is sin but this Lambe of God hath taken away the sins of the world Ioh. 1. 29. Thirdly the curse of the law followes sinne at the heeles but this Lambe shedding his blood was made a curse for us to
redeeme us Gal. 3. 13. Fourthly death seised on us in the day we sinned but this blood of the Lambe is the death of death who is swallowed into victory Hos. 13. 14. Fiftly the wrath of God pursueth sinne infinitely but here is a propitiatory sprinkled with blood and as the propitiatory did cover the Arke in which the law was layd so Christ our propitiatory hides the law from the eyes of Gods justice and stilleth the accusing clamour of it against us freeing us both from the rigor and malediction of it The sixt enemie is sting of conscience and restlesnesse but this blood raseth the handwriting there also both pacifying it in sealing remission of sinnes through his blood Col. 1. 14. as also purging it from dead workes 9. 14. The seventh is enmitie of the creatures which all take their Lords part against us but this blood reconcileth all things Col. 1. 20. saveth from revenging Angells Heb. 11. 28. changeth Lions into Lambes sealeth the covenant not onely betweene the Creator and us but the creature also The last enemie is hell and hellish sorrowes but this blood hath shut hell and opened heaven Our high Priest hath carried his owne blood into the holy place and there pleadeth for us better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. It hath merited and now prepareth us entrance and mansions in the Holy of Holies Next this blood answers all objections so as by this blood the members must overcome all enemies as the head did 1 The world gives many a blow and thrust against godly men But be of good coÌ„fort this Lambe hath overcome the world 2 In sense of the grievousnesse of sinne this blood is more efficacious then the blood of bulls and goats to pacifie wrath Heb. 9. 13. 3 Oh but my heart is infinitely hard and rebellious Answ. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sinne by pardoning and purging it 4 Oh but I lie open to the adversarie and am prone to sin and fall away Answ. The destroyer had no power over those houses that were marked with the blood of the Lambe and this blood hath more safety and protection 5 But my owne conscience followeth me with liue and cry Answ. This blood in earth cancelled all bonds and now in Heaven speaketh better things then Abels Secondly the Saints overcome but in overcomming must be humble being in themselves weake and unequall to such a battell and must conquer by the blood of him that loved us Rom. 8. 35. Here wee are taught to disclayme all merits and strength of our owne By nothing but by faith in this blood can we prevaile 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh but he that beleeveth Thirdly Christians so overcome as all the glory must be the Lambes Wee must give the honour of victory to the Lambe and say Thâ—â— art worthy for thou wast killed Revel 3. 9. No man nor Angell must share in the glory of this victory they never fought this battell for us they never shed blood for us Woe unto them that ascribe any part of this victory to any but the Lambe who payd so deare a blood for it Let Papists consider it who ascribe the victory to merits satisfactions pardons c. It is said in Revel 14. 11. The smoake of their torment shall ascend continually who worship the beast or receive his marke Fourthly highly value this blood Nothing in the world can conquer the least enemie or sinne but this blood which onely is of infinite price If all the seed of Adam had shed their blood for sinne yet had no enemie beene conquered no sinne satisfied This blood is opposed to all corruptible things as silver and gold 1 Pet. 1. 18. This is the treasure of the Church to which all things else are drosse and dung Phil. 3. 8. Never did they know the price and power of this blood that will eeke it with the merits or passions of Saints Martyres Traytors Highly do all they sinne against this blood that despise the grace of the covenant in the blessed meanes of it or the word of grace which is the booke sprinkled with this blood Heb. 9 19. or the people of God the remnant of grace bought and sprinkled with this blood As also fearefully do they tread this blood under foot who lye in their unbeliefe and obstinate impenitency and they that by swearing by blood and wounds by the death and passion of Christ cause this blood to cry for vengeance against their soules more loud then the blood of Abel And time comes when this blood of Christ so dispised and trampled shall lie heavie on such mens consciences Fiftly did our Lord by resisting unto blood for us obtaine victory we must also get victory by resisting unto blood Heb. 12. 4. striving against sinne and looking unto the author and finisher of our faith He without sinne resisted sinne unto blood and shall not we who are pressed with sinne in way of thankfulnesse resist unto blood seeing our resistance and suffering tends dayly to the weakening and consuming of sin in us And by the word of their testimony Now we come to the secondarie and instrumentall causes of the victory of the Saints the former of which is the word of their testimony This word is the faith and doctrine of the Gospell concerning salvation by Jesus Christ. Where are two questions 1 Why is it called the word of their testimony seeing it is called the word of the testimony of Jesus vers 17. and chap. 1. 2. the Testimony of Iesus Christ. Answ. It is both in divers respects 1 If we respect the author it is the testimony of Jesus whose all truth is or if we respect the matter or subject of which it treats Christ is the matter to whom all the Gospell testifieth But 2. if wee respect the subject in which it is also the testimony of the Saints not because it is the word of man but because it is witnessed unto by men for God doth so far honour his Saints as to admit them witnesses to his truth 2 How doe the Saints testifie to the Word or Gospell Answ. Foure wayes 1 By preaching publishing and declaring Christ to be the Messiah and Saviour of the world and this either by word or writing For the former the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie or gift of teaching so preachers are called witnesses Act. 1. 8. In the latter sense Iohn calleth himselfe a witnesse testifying these things because he was the pen-man of this prophesie concerning Jesus Christ to the Churches 2 By profession and confession of Christ declaring and witnessing with the mouth what he beleeveth in his heart concerning Christ and salvation by him 1 Tim. 6. 12. and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses 3 By holy life and conversation expressing the vertues of Christ and the power of Christian religion this is an actuall witnesse 4 By passion and suffering Martyrdome when
are so far from being overcome by externall violence that when their persons are most downe their graces are most victorious and invincible even in the eyes of the enemies themselves for 1 Can they seaver them from the truth and faith of the Gospell no they will not live without it but will dye that it may live they will water the furrows of it with their dearest blood rather then it should not grow they will rake it out of the fire into which the enemies cast it 2 Can they sunder them from the love of God and Christ as they intend by torment No they see their love stronger then death all the waters in the sea nor all their seas os sorrows and deadly torments cannot quench it 3 Can they cast them out of the favour of God and possession of happinesse as by their degradations excommunications anathemaes and great curses they desire No but the Lord is apparantly with them in sixe troubles and in seaven in the fire and in the water and never leaves them till they be with him in his immediate presence-chamber as wheat laid up for ever in his garner 4 Can they overcome their patience fortitude or constancy No but by the undaunted resolution of the Saints in their torments the mindes of the persecutors themselves seeme rather overcome then the Martyrs that suffer them Even Iulians furie was conquered by the patience of the Martyrs Roman Tyrants in the first tenne persecutions were even tyred with the stedfastnesse of the Saints in suffering Thus are they in their weaknesse most strong as dying but behold they live afflicted on every side but not overcome This is the priviledge of their estate of their cause of their graces that they are never lesse overcome then when they seeme most overcome and as the text saith they most gloriously overcome when they love not their lives to the death The point of doctrine from these words thus expounded is this Godly men must contemne their lives and not love them to the death in respect of Christ and his truth Luke 14. 26. He that hateth not his owne life cannot be my disciple that is he that is not ready to bring his life in his hand and offer it up in sacrifice when my cause and the Gospels calleth for it cannot be a good Christian. Act. 20. 24. Afflictions and bands abide me every where but I passe not neither is my life deare unto me so that I may finish my course with joy Heb. 12. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood as if he had said Howsoever ye have endured a great fight in afflictions while ye were made a gazing-stocke to the world and while ye were companions to them that were tossed too and fro Chap. 10. 32. yet yee are not come so farre as you must make account of in the profession of Christianity because yee have not resisted unto blood Revel 2. 20. Bee thou faith full unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life 1 Because of Christs merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us nay hee was earnest to die for us Luke 12. 50. I have a baptisme to bee baptized with and how am I grieved till it be ended how then should our thankfulnesse binde us to give up if wee had a thousand lives for him shall the just sufter for the unjust and shall not the unjust hold himselfe bound to suffer for the just 2 The worth of truth bindes on all Christians this dutie to despise their lives for the truths sake for the truth of the Gospell is farre more worthy than all that wee can give in exchange for it God hath magnified it above all things Psal. 138. 2. The Sonne of God magnified it above his owne life it cost him deare he bought it with his life and precious blood The Saints of God the cloud of witnesses He. 12. 1. were prodigall of their blood and would and did spend it till the last drop rather then by any torments they would bee removed from the truth and faith of the Gospell and we are injoyned to buy the truth at any rate even with our blood if God call us to it but not to sell it for any thing in the world 3 Our neare relation unto Christ bindes us not to love our lives to death for his sake For 1 Wee are his redeemed ones wee are not our owne but bought with the price of his blood 1 Cor. 6. 20. and therefore wee must glorifie him in our soules and bodies whose wee are 2 Wee are his souldiers prest under his colours and if a souldier sell his life every day for a base pay how much more ought the Christian souldier in a farre more honourable warre esteeme his life at a small rate in the cause and quarrell of his Generall and if a souldier must stand in the place his Generall sets him in and must not remove though hee dye for it how much more ought wee being called to stand fast in the faith of the Gospell keepe our ground unremoved from our holy profession though it bee by the losse of our lives Thus then must a Christian souldier animate his owne resolution Shall any fouldier more feare or more love his Commander than I my Michael my Christ shall I more feare a Tyrant threatning death and torments then my Lord requiring my faithfulnesse and constancy doth a man of valour feare the dishonor and shame of a cowardly flight above torment and terrour of present death and should such a man as I flie who preferre in true judgement an honourable and happy death above a thousand base and disgracefull lives 3 Wee are not onely souldiers but houshold servants unto Jesus Christ and therefore must shew all good faith fulnesse to our God Tit. 2. 10. And herein a faithfull servant is differenced from a slothfull a sincere Christian from an hypocrite the hypocrite may bee a great Professor and call Christ Lord Lord and in the peace of the Gospell will say with Peter Master I will dye with thee before I will deny thee but if Christ be in hands and called into question the voyee of a Maide will make him turne his copy But it is proper to the Elect to stand fast and to hold that hee hath and maintaine against all challengers to the death the profession of truth committed unto his trust 4. We are yet nearer even members of Christ and the member naturally lifteth up it selfe and will lose it selfe to beare off a blow from the head and it doth but the duty And much more ought it to bee so in the mystic all body wherein the union is farre more straite then in the naturall 4 Our service to our fellow-members putteth us in minde of this duty which we owe much more to our head If for the edificatien of the Church we are bound willingly to lay downe our lives much more for the
death for him Quest. How may I know that I have sound love of Christ which is like to hold out to the death Ans. The love that is unquenchable stronger than death Cant. 8. 6. may bee knowne by foure excellent properties 1. It casts out selfe-love love of the world and all desirable things of it in comparison The woman at the Well having met with Christ forgets her water-pot Zacheus his love will expresse it selfe in despising and thrusting off the world as fast as ever he pulled it in the use of the World will stand with the love of Christ but not the love of it 2. It lookes wholly out of himselfe upon Christ and seeth in Christ three things which it desireth above life First the favour of Christ which is better than life Psal. 4. 6 7. Secondly the glory of Christ which it wisheth rather than this life yea rather than the other Paul for the honour of Christ could wish to bee cut off from Christ if it were possible Thirdly the presence of Christ this makes a good man wish with Paul that hee were dissolved to bee with Christ Phil. 1. 3. It rejoyceth in nothing but in the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. No souldier can so glory in his scars and wounds sustained for his Prince and countrey as hee doth in his chaines and sufferings for Christ All the glory and happinesse of the world is but dung and drosse in comparison of it 4. It will bee busie in meanest and hardest services for Christ. Mary will kisse the feet of Christ and wipe them with her haires and refuseth not the hardest services Iacobs love to Rachel makes seven yeares of hard Apprentiship and service but as a few dayes and Peters love will shew it selfe in being clearfully led where he would not Iohn 21. 18. 4. Labour for this Christian resolution rather to dye than deny our Lord it being our duty we must ayme at it and being difficult wee must get good arguments and helps to undertake it Quest. How may wee further our selves in this so difficult a resolution Ans. 1. By meditations 2. By practises The meditations are sundry 1. Consider seriously of such Scriptures as foretell persecutions for the name of Christ all which make the suffering of the Crosse inevitable set a starre over such predictions and hold thy minde upon thē as things concerning thy selfe if thou mind to live godly in Christ Jesus and with the predictions ponder the examples of those who have in this fight valiantly indured losse of goods of lands of liberty and life it self for Christ and his Gospell And when thou seest the Prophets Apostles faithfull Pastors and Martyrs wracked hewen a sunder slaine with the sword and would not bee delivered Heb. 11. 35. wilt thou save thy selfe with base and dishonourable conditions which they refused 2. If thou lookest up to God consider that all thy passion and suffering both for the time persons measure manner and all circumstances is appointed by Gods eternall decree without whose speciall appointment not an haire of the head can fall and much lesse the head it selfe For the lives of the Saints are not in the hands of Tyrants but in the hands of God neither is their death casuall and accidentall but determinate Psal. 116. 15. Precions in his eyes is the death of all his Saints Now as thou prayest daily that Gods will may bee done so must thou practise and if the will of God be so that thou suffer let thy will concurre with his will which is just and righteous 1 Pet. 3. 17. 3. If thou lookest upon Christ here is no want of motives to suffer extreme things in his cause and quarrell First consider our sufferings are called the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. the affliction of Christ Col. 1. 24. the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. the reproach of Christ Hebrewes 13. 13. the rebuke of Christ Heb. 11. 26. The reason is because Christ is hee for whom we suffer and wee are his Martyrs and witnesses 2. Because Christ suffereth in us whatsoever is done to one of the little ones beleeving in him is done to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 3. Because Christ suffereth with us and in all our troubles is troubled Esa. 63. 9. as the head of the naturall body suffereth with every member by consent 4. And because our sufferings conforme us to Christ fellowship in his afflictions makes us conformable in his death Phil 3. 10. Now who would refuse to bee a Simon to helpe Christ to carry his crosse seeing Christ is at the other end and a partner in suffering Secondly to give up our lives for Christ is an honest duty of thankfulnesse to Christ our benefactor A gratefull part it is to sticke to him in trouble whom wee have followed in prosperity For shall I be such a Swallow in my profession as to take my summer with Christ and not the winter Beside how is it but most just that wee should maintaine his cause to the death who maintained our cause to the death and to sticke to him now before men who by his death doth now plead our cause before God 4. Consider the suffering it selfe and in it wee have great incouragements in that it is First an honourable and glorious service to suffer for righteousnesse Paul wil glory in nothing but in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. and rejoyceth in nothing so much as his chaine And indeed the chaines and irons of the Martyrs are farre more shining Ornaments than all the golden chaines of the world Is it not more glory for a stout champion and man of Armes to be in a battell than in a Bath The marks and scarres of a souldier received and sustained in his Princes and countries cause are his true glory and so are wounds stripes bands imprisonment or any suffering for the profession of the truth Secondly it is a safe and saving service for it hath many assured and precious promises whereof the LORD will bee faithfull for performance as namely of wisedome to answer Matth. 10. 19. patience to indure the Spirit of glory and GOD to rest on them for comfort 1 Peter 4. 14. strength to conquer and in every temptation a gracious issue 1 Cor. 10 13. And lastly a measure of mercy upheaped and running over Matth. 5. 10 11. Great is your reward in heaven Beside it is the onely way to save the life thus to lose it as the way for Abraham to keepe his sonne was to offer him to GOD when hee called for him so the onely way to save the life is to give it to GOD and to offer it unto CHRIST and for CHRIST whensoever hee pleaseth to call for it For as hee that spareth his seed loseth it but he that sowes saves it and findeth it returned with advantage in the harvest so hee that saveth his life loseth it saith our SAVIOUR and hee that loseth it on this
hence the dragon in this verse is said to be cast downe into the earth where he was before but into a farre lower condition 3 Because the Saints by holy profession and godly conversation testifie the glory of God as the heavens do Psal. 19. 1. and therefore as their house and inheritance is there so are their cogitations and conversation 4 They have a tast of heaven and beginning of heavenly joy and gladnesse for the victory and salvation which in part they have already obtained by Christ against enemies spirituall and temporall which is pointed at in this text For as in heaven is a perfect and unmixed joy for a full deliverance and perfect salvation so here is a tast and resemblance for a deliverance in part None are called to rejoyce in Scripture but onely godly men who are said here to dwell in heaven Psal. 32. 11. Be glad ye righteous and Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seeke the Lord rejoyce Now by joy I meane not any naturall joy arising from things pleasing to nature which wicked men and reprobates yea the beasts have in abundance but that heavenly and spirituall joy which is called the joy of the Spirit both because it is wrought by the Spirit of God and also hath spirituall and heavenly things for the obiect of it as 1 The ioy of reconciliation with God and remission of sins 2 Joy of heavenly graces faith love c. called ioy of faith Phil. 1. 25. 3 Joy of heavenly glory held in certaine hope this is called ioy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1 8. and joy of salvation Psal. 51. 12. This ioy is limited in Scripture to the faithfull and therefore is called the joy of Gods people and all other are barred out from it Prov. 14. 10. The stranger entreth not into his joy 1 The godly are only qualified persons and fitted for holy reioycing For First they onely have Christ who merited this ioy and therefore it is called His joy Ioh. 15. 11. 2 They onely have the Spirit the immediate worker and preserver of sound ioy whence it is called a fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. and the oyle of ioy because it flowes from that anoynting 3 They onely have faith which is not of all men and therefore they onely have joy of beleeving having with Christ gotten all things they have purchased the field and goe away reioycing Simeon reioyced when his faith had got Christ into his armes 4 They onely are such as mourne and onely such are called to ioy Mat. 5. 4. It ariseth out of sound sorrow and a broken heart as the Lute is tuned to sweet musicke by wresting the strings as if wee would breake them to pieces 5 They onely have attained victory in part over enemies and are delivered from the dragons power As Israel having escaped the sea and mountaines and Egyptians so the Israel of God being set free frō hell sinne sinners and the curse of sinne have iust cause of ioy and gladnesse and all but they want it 6 They onely are in heavenly state and condition and have taste of the ioyes of heaven which differ not in kinde from those they expect in heaven but only in degree 2 Wicked men are never bidden to reioyce nor are capable of this ioy He never enters into it nor it into him for First he is at warre with God a stranger to the covenant without Christ without the Spirit What joy where is no life what joy can man dead in sinne have separate from Christ the fountaine of life and wanting the quickning Spirit Secondly what joy can hee have on whom sentence of condemnation is passed and hee going on to execution If such a man laugh every one will thinke hee hath little cause It is a laughter in the face not in the heart Thirdly what true joy can hee have who neither hath the Well nor can abide the Bucket by which he should draw out of the Wels of salvation and consolation Esa. 12. 3. Gods Word which onely hath the joyfull tydings of salvation hee hath no part in it is a bill of indictemēt to him The Sacraments to him are Seales set to blankes seale nothing to him His prayers are abominable he hath no joy in any service all the duties of his calling are sinne to him Hee rejoyceth indeed in the creatures of God but as a theefe in a true mans purse and that joy which ariseth out of the creature perisheth with it Fourthly wicked men need not bee bidden rejoyce for 1. What hindereth or pincheth such his sinne troubleth him not it is his delight Temptations of the devill vexe him not hee runnes out to meet the Tempter His conscience troubleth him not that is brawned up The world vexeth him not but dandles him as her darling 2. They are surfetted already with carnall joy and are called from such joy to mourning and howling Iam 5. 1. and Luke 6. 25. Note hereby what a miserable estate a wicked man is in who cannot finde one syllable in all the Scripture to ground any comfort in and so hath no warrant nor cause to reioyce in any thing For God hath covenanted nothing but woe and wrath with them Esa. 65. 13. My servants shall rejoyce and yee shall be ashamed my servants shal sing for joy of heart and ye shal cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Consider a little 1 What good thing is there in heaven or earth good as in it selfe so to thee that art an impenitent person Looke at God the chiefe good he is thine enemie a consuming fire what ioy hath stubble and chaffe in the fire Looke at Christ the Saviour of his body and he is thy Judge and he whom thou hast pierced In stead of the sweet Comforter thou hast the spirit of bondage and feare a sound of feare is ever in thine eares Iob. 15. 21. Looke on thy selfe thou art a man in the divells fetters ruled at his will and within thee a wicked conscience eyther following thee with hue and cryes vexing and accusing thee or else dead and benummed which hath given thee over to all sinne to swallow it with senslesnesse and greedinesse Looke without thee thou swimmest in a streame of outward contents and fulnesse and herein thou reioycest too much but thou hast thy portion here and to the impure all is uncleane thy table meat drinke wife children all are a snare to thee all upheapeth thy sin and vengeance thou hast nothing out of Gods love because thou hast nothing in the Sonne of his love Looke beyond thy self the presēt what hast thou to ioy in what hope hath the wicked in death when God takes away his soule A few mooveables God sends thee away with but the inheritance is reserved for the sons of the free-woman 2 As thou hast no cause of ioy so thou hast no hold of thy ioy who hast grounded it in perishing things Well
Theodosius and Kings and Queenes that are nursing fathers and mothers to the Church as also godly Pastors holy Martyrs zealous professors to all whom sometime the name of Angell is ascribed in the Scripture 1. Because they are all sent from him on his errand 2. They are called his Angels by speciall propriety for he is the Lord of the holy Angels wicked men and Angels are retainers these of his house 3. Their whole service is due to him their Lord as of duty for himselfe in his one right Ob. They are called our Angels Mat. 16. 27. Ans. They are ours by speciall commission and direction from him ours onely for his sake our head and ours by his charge because wee are in communion with him Quest. 3. Why are his Angels here taken in with him to get victory over the dragon doth not hee treade the wine-presse alone or doth he need their aid or assistance Rev. 19. 15. Ans. 1. No he is the strong and armed man who alone entreth into the house of the strong man and bindeth and spoileth him neither needeth hee the helpe of any creature to whom is given all power in heaven and earth but yet quorum opera non indiget eorum ministerio utitur he pleaseth to use their Ministery not for his necessitie but for their honour incouragement and remuneration 2. There is a twofold battell 1. Of Christian redemption 2. Of Christian exercise In the former onely Christ standeth against the dragon and no Angell can stand in the battell but in the second Angels stand and men fight and resist and in the strength of the Lord represse and overcome the dragon 3. Though our Lord overcommeth the dragon alone in plaine field and single combate Mat. 4. yet it is not for the honour of the Captaine to bee without an army to lead and traine 4. Having an army of stout and couragious souldiers Angels in earth as well as in heaven he would leave them some remainders some tayle of the dragon some temptations some sufferings of Christ to bee fulfilled in the members with which hee will have his servants exercised and their fortitude tryed and put forth for how unseemly unglorious is it that an army of such power lead forth in the field should stand idle and onely look on their Captain fighting and themselves never come in to strike a stroke Here I might enter into a large discourse of the fight of the good Angels under Michael against the dragon but intending duties nearer our selves I will winde it all up in this one doctrine Seeing that all the godly are included under Michaels Angels learne That every good Christian must joyne himselfe unto the good Angels in the fight against the dragon under the Lords standard In the prosecution of which consider 1. The reasons why 2. The manner how 3. The Application If the Angels therefore fight against the dragon because the Church the party afflicted and oppressed is the Spouse of their Lord and head and members of his body much more ought we to joyne with them that professe we are these Spouse and members seeing that Michael is in a nearer bond our head than the Angels hee is their head by government and confirmation but ours by union and influence having taken our nature on him and not theirs 2. If they intend their office and calling in which they abide and are confirmed by grace which is to take part with the Church in this her military condition and come in for her succour in her assaults much more must we stand against the dragon whose cause and quarrell it is for should they stand in our quarrell according to their charge Psal. 91. Hee hath given his Angels charge c. and shall we leave it shall they sticke to it and shall wee fall from them and our selves too 3. Another reason that moveth them to fight against the dragon is their most ardent desire to promote the glory of God and uphold the true worship of God which is the beauty and safety of the Church wherein as in a glorious temple the Lord sheweth himselfe glorious And ought not we much more stand out against the dragon who are part of his Temple assaulted by the dragon to the end that both Gods glory in us and wee our selves might not be dishonoured 4. They thus stand in the fight because they not onely unfainedly love God above all according to the law even in the most perfect love that the creature can imbrace the Creator withall according to which perfect love their whole will is wholy conformed to the will of God else could they not bee happy but also because they sincerely love the Saints as themselves because they see them loved of God and elected to eternall life to bee partakers of the same heavenly inheritance with themselves The effect of this love is to desire and promote the salvation of the Saints to rejoyce in their attaining it to be sad in their manner for their sinnes impenitency and evils inward or outward Ought not wee out of our love to God and our owne salvation cleave unto God and resist the dragon resisting them both II. The manner How doe the good Angels fight against the dragon for the Church 1. By setting themselves as a strong guard round about the godly and pitching their tents round about them where Satan pitcheth his forces against them to protect their persons Psal. 34. 7. they still by their power and care thrust aside dangers Exod. 14. 19. the Angell that went before Israel when the Aegyptians pursued them went behinde them betweene the army and them When Elisha was beset a Mountaine was full of horses and Chariots 2 Kings 6. 17. If Daniel be cast into the denne the Angell shutteth the Lyons mouthes If Lot bee in danger the Angell draweth him out and can doe nothing till then If the three Children bee cast in the furnace the Angell is there as soone as they to suspend the fire from burning them Dan. 3. 2. By assisting the Ministery sundry wayes 1. They delight to bee present to behold our order and ordinances which else the dragon would soone overthrow 1 Cor. 11. 10. 2. To assist and relieve the faithfull teachers opposed and resisted most by the dragon as the Angeli helped Peter out of prison Acts 12. 3. In resisting false worshippers and removing occasions of idolatry so the Angell would not have Moses body knowne where it was buried Iud. 9. 3. By resisting and crossing the plots and purposes of the dragon Numb 22. 22. the Angell resisted Balaam in the way wherein he came forth to curse Israel 4. By supplying the Saints with needfull helps and comforts in their wants and faintings so the Angell fed Elias 1 Kings 19. 5. so the Angell shewed Hagar the Well and gave her wholesome counsell Gen. 32. 2. 5. By conveying them safe through the world and carrying their soules to heaven at their death thus the Angell
led Israel thorow the wildernesse and led them unto Canaan and that they convey their soules to heaven is apparent in Lazarus III. To apply this doctrine to our selves Wee must learne not onely to stand with the Angels but as Angels in this fight against the dragon Quest. How Ans. Resemble them in these things I. In acknowledging Christs principality who is the onely Michael and that in two things 1. As they serve and stand before him expecting commands from him subjecting themselves unto him as their King and head of the Church so must wee much more depend upon his mouth and as members yeeld free and ready subjection to this head the souldier must stand in whatsoever dangerous place and service his Generall commandeth 2. As they returne to give him a reckoning of their service and affaires as Zach. 1. 11. so must we attempt nothing but what wee may bring in reckoning to him the Iudge of quicke and dead Papists tell us of another Michael a created Angel and of a third a created God and a Creator of God at Rome and all must be subject to our lord god the Pope but the Scriptures shew none know none but Christ. II. Wee must as they contend for the Church and her causes which must manifest it selfe and bee stirring in foure things 1. In maintaining the faith once given to the Saints Iud. 3. this truth is the Churches patrimony wee must not lose a foote of it if Antichrist or Tyrants or Papist would rob us of it if heretiques or false teachers or ambitious men would blinde or corrupt it we must stand for it and hate the doctrine of the Nicholaitans and Antichristians which the Lord most hateth 2. In upholding the purity of Gods worship detesting and resisting to our powers all idolatry and removing all occasions and reliques of idolatry bee they never so openly guided and generally approved or applauded The Romanists devise many wayes to bring in their dragon againe and happy it were if we were so wise to shut up all wayes leading into this Romish Aegypt againe 3. Wee must contend to uphold a true and faithfull ministery delight to be present in the same with them and profit by it as they doe Ephes. 3. 10. the wisedome of God in the Church is made manifest to them thus doe Michaels Angels and they are no Angels on Michaels part that neglect or maintaine not to their power a godly Ministery and whose Angels are they but the dragons that resist oppose and shamelesly and publikely move and strive to cast downe and cast out their painfull and faithfull preaching and preachers of GODS word from amongst them there is no one businesse in which the Devill bestirs himselfe so much as in this and whosoever doth this worke is as Elimas a childe of the devill whose proper worke he doth and an Angel of the dragon for where did ever Michael and his Angels plot and contrive against the word and the servants of God 4. We must to our power stand out against the opposers and the resisters of the Church of God and the grace of God If any Balaam come forth to curse Gods people Michaels Angell will resist him and put him to the wall If we would avoid the curse of Meroze Iud. 5. 23. we must come out to helpe Gods people against their enemies Michaels Angels will not abet their enemies nor are so subtle as either to ioyne on the stronger side or not to shew themselves in the causes of the poore despised Church 5. As the Angels we must both aime at the perfect love of God which will bring our wils into conformity to his will for what wee shall doe in our Countrey we must doe walking towards it in the way as also doe all good to godly men entirely loving them the Angels compasse them cover them comfort them helpe them in the way and bring them on to heaven so must we if we be Michaels Angels imbrace the Saints with fervent love every way furthering their salvation they bee the dragons Angels that scorne them disgrace them cast them out accuse them thus doth these accusers of the brethren plainely bewraying on what part they stand and that they have abandoned Michael for their Generall to stand in the Camps of the dragon Vers. 7. And the dragon fought and his Angels Wherein consider two things 1. The actors The dragon and his Angels 2. The action They fought I. The actors are either 1. The Generall of the field which is the dragon 2. The Army or Band the dragons Angels This dragon the Generall is the chiefe of devils and head of wicked Angels called by Christ Belzebub the Prince of devils the Prince of this world Iohn 12. 31. for there is a kinde of order amongst devils because 1. God both acteth and permitteth all things ordinate because he is the God of order and hateth confusion in any of his creatures 2. Because of the superiority and inferiority amongst them expressed in the relative his Angels that is such as departing from his subjection whose once they were are voluntarily turned away unto the subjection of another head and Commander 3. As there is an head and leader amongst robbers and rebels so of this wicked rout whose chiefe is not Prince of order but of disorder and rebellion against God and an head not in respect of dignity or excellency but in malice or wickednesse going beyond all other in the highest sinnes against God and Iesus Christ. II. In the Band or Army are 1. Persons 2. The number 3. The union all in the Text. 1. The persons Angels 2. The number Indefinite 3. Their union in their conjunction I. Persons are his Angels who are of two sorts wicked spirits and wicked men 1. All those wicked spirits that fell with the dragon who kept neither their first estate nor habitation Iude 6. 2. Wicked men are included under the ranke of his Angels for it is usuall in the Scripture to call not onely devils but men also who are ruled and led by them by the name of Angels and that wicked men make up this army as well as devils is more manifest than doth need proofe And because their Captaines or Leaders are of the same kinde with common souldiers they all often carry the same name of devils but see this in sundry sorts of wicked men 1. Wicked Tyrants and persecutors that waste and spoyle the Church Pharaohs Assurs Chaldeans Romans Turks Antichrist all are wicked Angels for so Prov. 17. 11. the executors of Gods or mens justice are called Rev. 20. 7. the loosing of the Devil to deceive the people is the power given to the Turke to oppresse the world for the sinnes of it against the Gospell Re. 9. 14. the foure Angels loosed were the foure Turkish or Mahometan Nations that dwelt about Euphrates Turkes Tartars Sarazens and Arabians who with huge armies subdued the third part of the world Rev. 2. 10. The devill shall
his good service and change his minde ere morning How impudently and instantly did Ieremies accusers pursue him The false Prophets and Priests accuse Ieremy to the Princes and all the people saying This man is worthy of death for he hath prophesied against this City as yee have heard with your eare Ier. 26. 11. Hee is charged that hee sought not the wealth but the hurt of the people that hee discouraged the people by his preaching and weakned the hands of the men of warre But when they could not by slandering and false accusing impeach his innocency nor get the law passe upon him they come basely to the King and besought him to put him to death Ier. 38. 4. 1. This comes of extreme hatred of grace and incessant wrath against the light whether in doctrine or in practice for all wicked men are carried by the same wicked spirit and Prince of darknesse and all of them plot and contrive how to disparage and discourage both the one and the other This extreme malice makes them shamlesse in accusing as in Satan whose malice against God made him accuse GOD himselfe to Adam There is no light so bright and shining but they will darken no conversation so cleane and unspotted but without all shame and feare they can traduce Now what an impudency is it to barke aganst the Sunne 2. Tyranny of sinne where it raigneth carrieth a man beyond all humanity and all bounds of modesty to act and pursue whatsoever gracelesse fact the devill moveth against all lawes of God and nature It carrieth Cham away to deride his owne fathers nakednesse and Absolon to rise in rebellion against his owne indulgent naturall father and to take his wives in the sight of Israel putting off all shame and forehead and all but the name of a man The reason hereof is because a slave must not contest with his Lord nor stand reasoning the case with himselfe but must doe what the devill will have him to doe hee must be ruled at his will beside the similitude betweene the devill and a man given up to this sinne of accusation for many other sinnes men have common with beasts fiercenesse craft indociblenesse filthinesse but this sinne men have peculiarly common with devils and participating with his sinne participate in his name called Diaboli 2 Tim. 3. So as when the devill groweth modest and moderate and out of the goodnesse of nature is ashamed of any sinne which hee can either act or get acted then may wicked men cease to bee impudent in accusing but not before 3. Satan and his instruments have alwayes bad causes in handling and accordingly must bring them about by bad and wicked meanes such as most shamefull lyes and slanders and most impudent accusations which the lesse ground or colour of truth they have the more clamor impudence and instance must they thrust them forward withall If so then take no offence against the truth or true religion because it hath beene and alwayes is exposed to false accusations by the father of lyes and his lying of-spring who all know that if the Gospell succeed and flourish their kingdome cannot stand if the light approach darknesse is chased away So long as may bee verified of Satan and his fellow-accusers what is said in Ier. 3. 3. Thou hast an whores forehead and couldst not be ashamed so long the Church must bee as it hath beene in all ages and times of the world stifly and instantly accused of rebellions insurrections seditions treasons and the most grievous scandals that hell can devise Here for the better proceeding consider three things 1. The markes of impudent accusers and accusation 2. Motives to beware of this sinne 3. Meanes by which godly men may fence themselves from the same I. The markes are sundry 1. It is a diabolicall impudency to accuse of that whereof the accused are not onely guiltlesse but to which they are cleane contrary Were it not an high impudency to accuse the Sunne of darknesse or piety it selfe of the highest wickednesse to accuse the godly of that which their whole course actually confuteth How blacke was the devill faine to appeare in the dayes after the Apostles when the Heathens cryed out of Christians as the causes and authors of all publike calamities and plagues If Nilus overflowed not their field if earthquakes pestilence or famine came on them presently the poore Christians were cast unto the Lyons How like unto those Heathenish cryes are those of this day that godly persons keepe no lawes disobey Princes are seditious enemies to the State c. But is not all cleane contrary for if there bee any true peace in any Land it is for and by the Gospell which is a Gospell of peace How like unto those were those horrible slanders cast upon the Protestants of Paris to make them odious Priests and Fryers in their Sermons perswaded the people that the Lutherans met at banquets in the night and putting out the Candles went together Jacke with Jill after a beastly maner Other Sorbonists accused them that they held there was no God that they denyed the humanity and divinity of Christ the immortality of the soule the resurrection of the dead and the whole body of religion and all this when the confession of their faith was extant to the contrary How is the government of Jesus Christ thrust away by most impudent pretexts that Christian policy is an enemy to civill policy whereas the Kingdome of Christ not being of this world incroacheth not into matters of civill government and civill policy is so farre from being abated or abolished as that it is strenthened and stablished by the preaching of the Gospell The Romanists to shew their brood and off-spring and the Jesuites the first-borne of Satan are attained to such an impudence as they may teach their Tutor to accuse 1. In that they fasten impudently on us hundreds of wicked doctrines which our religion is a flat enemy unto as That wee require onely faith to salvation That we condemne all good workes That we say the Church hath failed many hundred yeares till Luther and Calvin That we teach God the Author of sinne That wee wrest the sword out of Princes hands c. and infinite more which they write and print with such invincible impudency as shewes them to have lost with truth all forehead and blushing 2. In their devillish devises and accusations of holy and godly men bothliving and dead That Calvin called upon the devill That Bucer at his death denyed Christ to be come That Master Perkins dyed in despaire of whose gracious and happy end my selfe was an eye-witnesse What marvell if they could devise such Cart-loads of slanders after their death who could not stay till they were dead Of Beza they wrote a booke that hee dyed a Catholike with many strange stories of his death which booke himselfe being alive confuted with great zeale Of Luther they published an horrible miracle