fourth Trumpet only a Third part of the Sun was Darkned Now there is a total Eclipse and a thick Mist upon the Face of the whole Earth the petty Antichrists that preceded did only Corrupt and Adulterate some Truths and Ordinances Thus all His Smoak is as the Smoak of a great Furnace a complex Body a Flood and Inundation of all manner of Errors and Heresies He calls all that endeavour a Reformation in Doctrine Worship and Discipline Hereticks and Schismaticks but indeed he is the great Heretick 2. Out of this Smoak came out Locusts Verse 3. i. e. the Romish and Antichristian Clergy called Locusts 1. Because there are such numerous swarms of them that were never of Divine Institution Popes Cardinals Patriarchs Metropolitans Arch-Bishops Lord-Prelates c. some do reckon 35 orders of that Hierarchy to which Alsted says do belong 225044 Monastaries 2. Because of their hurtfulness to Souls as Locusts to Trees and Grass They are further described from verse 4. to the end of this Trumpet the Spirit of God hereby pointing to us That this Romish Hierarchy is one of the greatest Pillars of Antichrists Kingdom where you may mark these properties in them 1. They have power to String i. e. to torment the Souls and Consciences of Men and Women Verse 3 5 6. They shall so put them on the Rack That in those days Men shall seek Death and shall not find it they shall desire Death and it shall flee away They Preach that they must believe as the Church believeth that they must perfectly keep the Law of God otherwise they are Damned and having thus wounded the Remedy is worse than the Disease they put Men upon satisfying God's Justice at least for some sins and procuring Peace of Conscience by their own good Works and Merits that no Man can be assured of his Salvation in this Life that after Death their Souls go into Purgatory out of which they are to be redeemed by saying so many Soul-Masses for them for which they must endow the Church with a good part of their Estates This their Stinging was like unto a Scorpion a dangerous kind of Serpent that goes waywardly and Stings when it seems not to do so Their Power thus to torment was but for five Months this is in allusion to the Locusts who continue from April to September to destroy Trees and Grass Verse 5.2 As to their shape they were like unto Horses prepared unto Battle i. e. they are swift nimble and active strong and well fed meer belly-Gods 3. On their Heads they have Crowns as it were like unto Gold i. e. they live in such State Pomp and Grandure that they are more like Monarchs than Gospel-Ministers though indeed they are neither for their Crowns are not Gold but like unto it they plead that their Church Government is of Divine Right their Authority is from Jesus Christ but all is not Gold that glisters pretend what they will they came out of the bottomless Pit 4. Their faces were as the faces of Men. Verse 7. i. e. They shew themselves very sociable and affable meerly to insinuate into the Affections of others or they plead its reason by which they are regulated in all their Administrations is it not reason that all things should be done decently and in order that the Church should have a Power in Ceremonies and Matters indifferent to determine the Practices of People how can their be any peace without Uniformity Non conformists can be no other but a company of proud Persons that affect Novelty and Singularity 5. Their hair is like the hair of Women Verse 8. i. e. They are Spiritually Effeminate and with their whorish Deckings and Attire they allure others to commit Spiritual Fornication 6. Their teeth are as the teeth of Lions Verse 8 i. e. They are very cruel but cunning the teeth lie hid in this they are distinguished from the Turks in the following Trumpet Whose heads are as lions i. e. They openly profess their Cruelty 7. They had breast-plates as it were of iron i. e. They arm themselves so that none can do them hurt either they get Magstirates to be on their side or to be privileged with immunities from the jurisdiction of Magistrates 8. The sound of their wings is as the sound of Chariets of many horses running to battle i. e. Their Church Censures Bulls and Excommunications is with great noise horror and dread by which Emperors and Kings themselves have been greatly awed 9. They have stings in their tails Verse 10. i. e. With their flattering Speeches and plausible Pretences they captivate poor simple ones Lastly They have a King over them which is the Angel of the bottomless Pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon destroyer i. e. Though they have many several orders and degrees amongst themselves yet they are all of them subordinate to one supream Head the Pope though some may pretend very fair yet their Offices Orders and Degrees came Originally from him that is the Angel of the bottomless Pit The goodness of God under this trumpet is in the 9th Verse Though their Commission was very extensive in having power to hurt all yet it did not reach the Sealed Ones and to say no more but this the greater the judgment was the more did the goodness of God appear in securing his hidden Ones from it And thus of the 5th Trumpet The Scope of the sixth Trumpet is to show that Idolatry and Superstition being now so rife amongst those that were called Christians the Righteous God was resolved to raise up the Sarazens and Turks as a scourge for the same the judgment of this Trumpet not being a Spiritual but a Temporal one Most Expressions may be understood literally I will cursorily run over the whole Upon the sounding of the sixth Angel a voice was heard from the 4 Horns of the Golden Altar which is before God saying Loose the four Angels which are bound in the great River Euphrates which was accordingly done Verse 14.15 i. e. Whereas the forementioned barbarous People were hereto by God's Providence restrained from breaking in upon the Western part of the World and kept on the other side of Euphrates now they are commissioned from Jesus Christ to come against the Christians for their Idolatry The number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand i. e. Of all People in the World none comparable to the Turks for Horses they are infinitely numerous v. 16. And the riders that sat on them have breast-plates of fire of jacinct and of brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions i. e. they are terrible and cruel and profess themselves to be so and out of their mouths issued fire and smoak and brimstone Some understand hereby their great Guns and Cannons which Instruments of War were first invented by them v. 17. And by the fire smoak and brimstone which issued out of their mouths the third part
Night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and lets us put on the armour of light let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in strife and envying not in Chambering and wantonness but put ye on the Lord Jesus 4. Take all in good part that comes from the Hands of a good God Learn Contentation with a suffering Condition and a persecuted State Live by Faith on the promises made to persons in such a Condition John 16.33 In the World ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World Mark 10.29 30. Jesus saith unto them verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels but he shall receive an hundred-fold in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life Matth. 5.10 11. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil of you falsely for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven so persecuted they the prophets which were before you 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye are reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified And 16 17 18. If any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf for the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God wherefore let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator And 5.10 But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that ye have suffered a while make ye perfect stablish strengthen settle you 2 Tim. 1.12 For the Gospel of Chist I suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day And 2.10 11 12. Therefore I endure all for the elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory It is a faithful saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Rom. 8.17 18 35 36. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Lastly Study a thankfull improvement of your privileges for all God's goodness towards your 1. Seeing it cost Christ no less than his precious Blood to purchase a liberty for you from the Mosaical Ceremonies which were once of Divine Institution and consequently much more from such as are of meer humane institution whether Heathenish or Antichristian you ought not upon any pretence whatsoever suffer your selves to be intangled again with that Yoak of Bondage There 's a great noise about the Churches Power to impose Ceremonies in matters indifferent but I dare be bold to say if there be such a thing in the World as Christian Liberty in any thing it is not to be imposed upon in Ceremonies and if any thing be a lording it over the Lord's heritage it is in not leaving those things indifferent which Christ hath left indifferent Christian Liberty is not easily to be parted with because it cost Christ so dear 2. All that mediatory fulness of Grace and Spirit that 's in Jesus Christ is freely made over to us let 's therefore improve this privilege so as every moment upon all occasions to be still fetching supplies for our Soul-wants From this overflowing Fountain say thus Lord I want Wisdom Faith Patience Power against Corruptions Temptations Enemies in my Flesh dwells no good thing but oh is there not Goodness and Grace enough in thee and is not this Goodness of thine communicable Out of thy Son's fulness let me receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 3. Through that new and living way we have liberty of access to the throne of Grace Let us accordingly improve this Privilege in coming with a full assurance of Faith to find grace and help in time of need Let 's come with a Child like confidence with a holy and humble boldness Heb. 2. end and 4. end and 10.22 23 24. 4. Through God's gracious Goodness we are made joint heirs with Christ his Blessings Benefits Death and Intercession are all ours improve this Privilege to a deliverance from slavish fears If Christ hath triumphed over Principalities and Powers Sin and Satan Death and the World what is Man O Gospel Saint that thou art afraid of him if he has purchased pardon of Sin peace of Conscience the Joys of the Holy Ghost Grace here and Heaven's Glory hereafter thou need'st not fear that the Powers of Hell shall be able to deprive thee thereof Fifthly God was very good to the primitive Church in the days of Christ and the Apostles and that in these respects 1. He did as it were from Heaven give an immediate Call and extraordinary Commission to John Baptist to be the Harbinger and For-runner of the Son of God and Saviour of the World It was he that first brought into the World the good news of the near approach of the Kingdom of Heaven which did call aloud upon them to Repent Matth. 3.2 The aggravation of the Mercy was in the seasonableness of it he was sent at such a time when the Church was so deeply corrupted that there was hardly the face of a visible Church to be seen upon them See further of him Is 40.3 Mal. 4.5 6. Matth. 3.7 8,9 Mark 1.8 Luke 3.16 Joh. 1.26 Matth. 3.11 12. Matth. 11.14 Luke 1.15 16 17. 2. The primitive Church was honour'd with Christ's own corporal Presence amongst them hence they were called the Children of the Bridegroom and it could not but be a day of rejoycing to them to hear the Bridgroom's voice Joh. 3.29 Mark 2.19 When that good Woman Elizabeth heard of the Salutation of Mary the Babe leaped in her Womb and the was filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.41 Mary her self broke forth into a Doxology and Song of praises which you may see Luke 1.46 to 55. Zacharias also was filled with the Holy Ghost and Prophesied saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people he hath raised up a born of Salvation for us in the house of David as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began The very Angels in Heaven thought it
debtors they are For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things their duty is also to Minister unto them in carnal things Acts 2.44 45. All that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all Men as every Man had need And 4.32 Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common 6. In all Changes and Conditions they were constant still one and the same not sickle or variable some times for one thing sometimes for another Acts 2.42 And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers 46.47 And they continued daily in the Temple with one accord and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favour with all people and the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved 2 Cor. 1.21 22. 1 Thes 3.12 13. Rev. 3.10 Thou hast kept the word of my patience And 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is and holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my Faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr Lastly The Lord was graciously pleased to confer the Honour of Martyrdom upon them Stephen was the Proto-Martyr Acts 7. They were scattered at Jerusalem by reason of Persecution Acts. 8. Paul and Peter suffered at Rome under Nero the one Beheaded the other Crucified So also James surnamed Justus Nay there was not one of the Apostles that escaped a violent Death John only excepted Let us make some use of all this in some Three or Four things 1. Let us bless God for his goodness to them O Blessed be the Lord that ever there was such a one as the Apostle Paul O Blessed be the Lord for the Truths Ordinances Gifts and Graces that were communicated to them we are in a sense sharers in the Mercies What was then written or transacted said or done was all for our Instruction 2. Did the Lord give forth such an abundant measure of the Spirit at the first Plantation of the Gospel according to what the Work of that Day did require which was to bring the carnal Jews from off their Ceremonies and the heathenish Gentiles from Satan to God who must see Miracles otherwise they will not believe Let us believe and be confident that the same good God will not be wanting to proportion the Gifts and Graces of his Churches and Servants to the Work of this our Day which is the reformation of Religion from Antichristianism Blessed be the Lord for any small bedewings and besprinklings of the Spirit poured forth upon any in our times in order hereunto 3. Let us from hence bemoan our selves and others that go under the Name of Churches of Christ who have degenerated so far from them in Doctrine Discipline Worship Gifts Graces Holiness of Conversation Perseverance in Sufferings contraria mixta seposita clarius elucescunt In the primitive times Christ placed us in a kind of Paradise but we have not kept our first Habitation 4. Let 's not only remember whence we are fallen but also return to our first Estate and when we set about a Reformation whether Personal or Ecclesiastical Let 's be sure to set the primitive Pattern before us as near as may be Let 's Love as they did endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace as they did continue steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine in fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayers as they did No sufferings frighted them from following the Lamb be followers of them in all things imitable so far as they were followers of Christ Sixthly God was good to his Gospel Israel after the Death of the Apostles till Constantine's time And here before I come to particulars it will be necessary to premise these few general considerations as introductory for the clearing of what is further intended 1. Be it known to you that immediately upon the Death of the Apostles the Church was in a persecuted state It 's true it was so in their time but not as afterwards when there were publick Laws and Edicts made against the profession and professors of the Christian Religion providence so ordering it that they should have some respite till the Gospel and Churches had some Plantation 2. The time of this persecuted Condition was Three Hundred Years or thereabouts 3. The Instruments whom the Devil made use of for this diabolical Service were the heathen Emperors of Rome Rev. 12.3 The party there combating against Michael and his Angels Christ and his People is thus described A great red Dragon having seven Heads and ten Horns and seven Crowns upon his Heads A Dragon because of his Power red because of his Cruelty having seven Heads i. e. seven several sorts of Governments in Rome heathenish as also it was built upon seven Hills having ten Heads with seven Crowns thereupon to distinguish Rome-heathen from Rome-Antichristian Rev. 13.1 That has not only seven Heads and ten Horns but also Crowns upon the Horns to intimate that Antichrist made Kingdoms of those that were but Provinces during the Dragon's Reign under the heathen Emperors 4. Having perused several writers of great Note both for Godliness and Learning upon that transcendantly high mystical Scripture of the Revelation It 's most probable as I humbly conceive that they guess right who assert that the Seals Chap. 6. hold forth this State of the Church during the first three Centuries of which Ch. 12. to verse 13. seems to be explicatory 5. In treating of this Subject I shall be necessitated to make use of History to which I require no more of you but a Historical Faith I account it a great Mercy that every Age has had some faithful Servants of God whose care it has been to transmit to posterity the memorable acts of Divine Providence to his People Psal 145.4 One generation shall praise thy works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works 1. God was good to them in giving forth this incomparable rich and rare Monument of the Revelation of John the Divine the principal scope and intendment whereof was 1. To forewarn them of the near approach of suffering times that so they might not be surprized but in a readiness to encounter therewith 2. That they might know what their sufferings would be by whom and of what continuance 3. That they should be comforted and encouraged under all especially upon this two-fold consideration 1. There 's no sufferings shall befall you but according to the predetermination and fore-appointment of a wise God and loving Father 2. Let the Churches troubles be what they will they shall have a glorious and an assured issue seeing this was the good end of
Heavenly-minded and insisted much on such things as might make the Christians Dead to all things here below such a one was Polycarpus who thus answered the Proconsul pressing him to deny Christ These Eighty Six Years I have served a good Master and why should I now deny him At another time thus I do even long for the Teeth of the devouring Beasts they 'll only grind us in a Mill that we may be Wheat fit for our Masters Table And Ignatius thus I covet nothing that can be seen with Bodily Eyes so that I may but enjoy Jesus Christ Let the Fire the Cross the Beasts the breaking of Bones convulsion of Members bruising of the whole Body and the torments of the Devil seize upon me provided I may be partaker of Christ 2. The evidence of this may be evinced if we consider how that through their means the Gospel did so triumphantly conquer and captivate the Hearts and Affections of so many hundreds and thousands to the obedience of Christ that of Rev. 6.2 was applicable to their times I saw and behold a white Horse and he that sat on him had a Bow and a Crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer The Gospel was then spread abroad into many several Nations There was almost no place where the Christian Religion was not profest Plinius reports That the number of Christians did so encrease notwithstanding of Persecution that few or none did frequent the Idols Temples and Sacrifices Tertullian said all the other Monarchies have their Bounds and Limits only Christ's Dominion was spread over all and had no Bounds whence he proved That Christ could be no other but the Son of God And as the same Author relates If they had all forsaken the Towns of the Heathens they had left them almost desolate Sanguine fundata est ecclesia Sanguine crevit 3. The greatness of the Mercy did appear in this That the Lord did raise up some of very great eminency to plead their Cause against Enemies of all sorts 1. Quadratus Aristides Apollonius Melito Asianus Justin Martyr and Tertullian did learnedly plead against Persecutors and Presented their Apologeticks to the Emperors 2. Origen and Celsus did manage their cause against the Heathens 3. Justin Martyr against the Jews in his Book called Dialogus cum Tryphone 4. Tertullian both against Jews and Gentiles 5. Irenaeus and Tertullian against Hereticks 4. As they strenuously contended for the truth against all Enemies so they laboured mightily to keep the Churches at peace among themselves especially Irenaeus and Polycarpus who kept the Western and Eastern Churches in concord notwithstanding of their difference about keeping of Easter the one pleading it should be kept on the Sabbath the other on the same Day that the Jews of old did observe let it fall to be the Sabbath or ay other Day of the Week in this Pacificatory Work they prevailed much and were very successful till Victor Bishop of Rome took upon him to excommunicate them of the East Anno 200 5. They were such as did with all seriousness call aloud upon the Churches to consider the things that were of greatest concernment to them in that Estate Rev. 6. At the opening of every Seal they called thus Come and see 1. That this was nothing but what was Prophesied of before 2. Come and see i. e. consider that these things do not befall you by chance or Fortune but take special notice of the Hand of God in all these providential Occurrences 3. Come and see that Persecutors are limited they cannot go beyond their Commission no further than Providence permits A Horse and a Rider is the Type of every one of the four first Seals to signifie that the reins of Persecutors are not upon their own Necks but were wisely ordered and guided by the Hand of a skillkful Rider 4. Come and see your own sins as the procuring cause of all these Persecutions and Punishments inflicted upon you Cyprian Lib. 4. Epist 4. Quicquid patimur peccata nostra meruere dum viam domini non tenemus nee data nobis ad salutem caelestia mandata servamus fecit dominus noster voluntatem patris at nos non facimus domini voluntatem patrimonio lucro studentes superbiam sectantes aemulationi ac dissentioni vacantes There were these particular sins which he acknowledged to be amongst them 1. In general they did not walk so close with God as they should have done nor did they study exactness in keeping the Commands of God according to the pattern of Christ 2. They did with two much eagerness pursue after the World 3. They were Proud 4. There were Emulations Dissensions Envyings and Divisions amongst them 5. They were not so plain-hearted and faithfull in their dealings as they should have been Simplicitatis fidei negligentis 6. They denied themselves of the World in Words only but not in Deeds saeculo verbis solis non factis renunciantes 7. Every one sought to please himself displeasing others Unusquisque sibi placentes aliis non placentes 5. Come and see the ends of God in all this 1. It is to declare his Holiness and Righteousness he cannot away with Sin in any how near or dear so ever to him 2. To humble them for their Sins 3. To exercise their Graces 4. To discover Hypocrites 5. That the Truths of the Gospel might be sufficiently confirmed and commended to after Ages and succeeding Generations After the Martyrdom of so many there needs no new Miracles to make us believe the Gospel 6. That they might be Patterns to us in point of Suffering demeaning our selves as they did 6. Come and see the ends of God in delaying so long to give them deliverance 1. Because Wicked Men had not yet filled up the measure of their Sins 2. He had a mind to honour some more of his Servants with the Crown of Martyrdom Rev. 6.10 And it was said unto them that they should rest for a little season until their fellow servants also and brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled When the scrowl of them that God had marked out for Sufferings was made up then they might expect Deliverance Histories do relate that in these purer primitive times before the Apostacy of Rome all their Ministers were Martyrs till Sylvester the first in Constantine's days 4. God was very good to his People in those days in giving them now and then some breathing time and respite from the heat of Persecution as after Domitian's Death they were not troubled for one whole year's time under Commodus and Heliogabalus they were free from Persecution after Decius they had Peace for forty years together It 's very observable That their Sufferings were little or nothing at all under some that were otherwise most notoriously Wicked and they suffer'd greatly from some that were otherwise morally good Magistrates to wit Hadrian that was called Restaurator Orbis and Trajan call'd