very offer Christ had once made to him by this Dragon he came to Christ and said Luke 4. 6 7. All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt worship mee all shall be thine Hee said thus far true that he had a great stroke in the Kingdomes of the world but yet it was limited to him for it's true hee was the god of the world in the time of Heathenish and Popish apostacy He offers Christ he will give it all to him if he will fall down and worship him The Lord Jesus rejects him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve When he offers such baites and barbarous temptations as these be we are to rejâ—ct him The Devill comes and offers this to the Vicar of Christ as they call him I wil give you government over all the Churches in the world and Kingdoms and States and he in very deed takes Satans offer and doth take all the pomp and state of the world Time was when Naaman the Assyrian offered large matters to Elisha for healing him of his Leprosie but the Prophet would have none of them though he was no Pagan for when he came home they would aske what did it cost you he might say it cost me not a groat but what it cost me in the Innes where I lay this is honour to Religion His servant Gehezi indeed runs after him As the Lord liveth he shall not goe so away but he will have a reward He makes an excuse There are two sonnes of the Prophets come and he desires a talent of silver and two changes of garments and hee very liberally fastens a great deale more on him then he asks What saith Elisha Is this a time to take money and to receive garments and Olive-yards and Vine-yards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Hee meant such money as would buy all these The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee And so truly the leprosie of Antichrist and of the Catholick Church cleave to us if we take up any thing that derogates from the simple and naked and sheep-like government of Christ Jesus It will be a Leprosie that wil cleave to us make us grow more more leprous And therefore it must teach us not to regard the profits and pleasures of this world I speak chiefly to men as we are Church-members Such simple government though it hath horns for the Lamb hath horns and can tell how to push yet meeknesse and simplicity is best Just and faithfull Administrations becomes the simplicity of civill government but how much more the Church of Christ that so this great and vast Beast may be kept away from us Lastly it may teach us all as ever wee desire not to grow monstrous and ugly in the sight of the Lord Jesus to take heed of hearkning to any power of Nationall Churches you will finde that this will grow to such ugly deformity that God will turn away his face from you You will never finde him as in times of ignorance Though God hath pardoned what we did in ignorance not knowing what wee did as Christ prayed Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them they know not what they doe And I doubt not but he doth the like for many of our deare brethren who in their ignorance do submit to the Beast and the image of the Beast and doth vouchsafe his gracious presence with them But for us here if we shall in our hearts turn back againe to Aegypt and be content to stoop to these Superstitions and be thus ruled for order and forme of worship believe it then we may looke for an end of all our prosperity and liberty of the Churches here Then look we should grow mishapen and monstrous and look ugly we shall then soon see an end of all the comforts of the Churches here As therefore God hath betrusted us with such a handsome body as hee is pleased to own so continue in your profession and in the maintenance of the same even to death Revel 13. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast IN these words is described the variation of the state of the Beast in respect of one of his heads 1. John saw it as it were wounded to death and all men thought it unrecoverable that is one State 2. A State of recovery His deadly wound was healed 3. The effects of this healing 1. The worlds admiration after the Beast 2. Their worship both of the Dragon the Beast For a little opening of the words I saw one of his heads You heard before that the Beast had seven heads Now as the Scribes asked Christ concerning the woman that had seven Husbands whose wife shall she be of the seven So here is a Beast hath seven heads and one is wounded which of the seven must it be To this the Apostle John tells us Chap. 17. That five of them were gone they had been but were not now and these are the seven governments of the Roman State These five had been Kings and Consuls Decemviers Dictators Tribunes The sixth yet was and that was the Caesars the Roman Emperours they were the sixth head whether Christian or Pagan it differs not much the state of the Government for they were all governed by Roman Laws under one head or other Now therefore what is this that is here spoken of One of his heads were as it were wounded to death was it the Roman Emperour whether Pagan or Christian you heard reasons before why it could not be Pagan nor indeed Christian Rome 1. That head was crowned but this hath no Crown All the seven heads were crowned they governed and exercised their Administrations in the world Rev. 12. â— But here these heads are not crowned but the Crowns are upon the Horns 2. Neither can it be they because of this wound upon this head The Roman Christian Emperours they never chalenged to themselves Head-ship over the Church of Rome Constantine doth utterly abandon it He professeth he ought to be judged by them and not they by him And Theodosius doth submit himselfe to Ambrose censure and doth not exercise any Head-ship over the Church It was not therefore the Emperours for they were not heads of the Church 3. It is said the wound here given was healed to the admiration of the world Now certaine it is the wound given by the Goths and Vandalls it was never healed to this day but the Eastern part was swallowed up by the Turk And for the Emperors of the West Charles the great and his Successors though they healed a branch of it yet it was far off from healing the wound of the Roman Empire those wounds have decayed and fall short of that which was the
1639. and the first and second of the yeare 1640. upon his weekly Lecture at Boston in New-England where he went over the other Chapters of the Revelation as he did this thirteenth Chapter and indeed they that were acquainted with his Preaching may easily discern his very spirit in them all along Now that the holy spirit of the Lord may breath in these holy Labours of his precious Servant so as the Reader may experience the truth of that divine sentence mentioned in the beginning The tongue of the righteous is as choise silver is the unfeigned desire of The servant for Jesus sake Thomas Allen. Norwich the 1. day of the 1. month 1654-55 AN EXPOSITION Upon the thirteenth Chapter of the REVELATION Revel 13. 1 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and tenne horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of blasphemy And the Beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon and the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority YOU have heard from the last Chapter that when the Dragon that is the Devill as he ruled the Roman Pagan Empire was cast downe out of Heaven that is dethroned from his heavenly and Divine worship he endeavoured by all meanes to oppresse the Church that is the woman that brought forth a Christian Emperour her and her seed 1. By persecution 2. By an inundation of damnable Heresies and barbarous Nations 3. By open War which open war is exprest in the last verse of the former Chapter and here more fully described in this Chapter a whereof hath been now read The warre which is made against the Church is here described to be managed by two beasts which the Devill raised up One he calls a Beast rising up out of the Sea described from the first verse to the end of the tenth Another Beast hee beheld coming up out of the Earth from the 11 th verse to the end of the Chapter Now the former of these Beasts is described by three arguments 1. By his Originall or Fountain from whence he springs he riseth up out of the Sea which is amplified by the place of Johns beholding him I stood upon the sand of the Sea 2. He is described by his shape here is his figure and resemblance For his head he had seven heads and they amplified by honourable Ornaments or rather dishonourable indeed but honourable in the beasts view namely upon his heads the name of blasphemy 2. For his horns he had ten horns and they are set forth by their Crowns which he had on his horns He had so many horns so many Crowns upon his ten horns ten Crowns And as his shape is set forth by his head and horns so also by his resemblance or likenesse the whole shape or bulk of the Beast is like a Leopard The Leopard is of the femenine gender and signifies the female of the Panthers the she Panther spotted and ravenous famous for her speedy race and yet of a good smell by which she allures other beasts to her and as she hath occasion doth devoure them And as his resemblance for his whole shape is like a Leopard so for his feet he is like a Bear And for his mouth he hath the mouth of a Lyon This is the second argument by which he is described 3. The third argument whereby he is described is his state and that amplified by three arguments 1. By the efficient cause 2. By the variable change of it And 3ly by a wise conclusion and observation For the efficient cause of it it is said to be the Dragon he gave him his power and authority For the variable change of it it was 1. Great for it is here called Power and Seate and great Authority 2. One of his heads was wounded I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death And thirdly this wound was healed this is the variable change of it 1. Great authority honourable seate 2. Wounded to death And thirdly healed of that deadly wound And this healing is amplified by five Effects or Consequents The first was the worlds wondering All the world wondered after the Beast The admiration was aâ— this great change so happily atchieved as they thought that he should recover that desperate danger The second effect it wrought was worship both towards himselfe And secondly to the Dragon that gave him power The third effect of this healing was liberty to blaspheme There was a mouth given him to speake great things blasphemies A fourth effâ—ct was Authority and Power to do what First To continue forty two moneths vers 5. Secondly Power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them that was the fourth effect that followed his healing The fifth effect was amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion Power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations vers 7. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him vers 8. Which worshippers are described by their estrangement from the number of Gods elect whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb and the Lamb set forth by the eternall efficacy of his death Slaine from the foundation of the world This is the second part of the description of the Beast The third part is a conclusion which contains a word of Caution and Consolation or a word of Attention and Consolation in the ninth and tenth verses If any man have eares to heare let him heare as if it were a matter worthy of observation and diligent attention and of exact understanding and of consolation in the tenth vers He that leadeth into captivity shall goe into captivity he that killeth with the sword must he killed with the sword c. This is the former Beast and his description The latter Beast is in the eleventh verse to the end I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth c. He is described by his variety from the former beast For his Original he comes not as the other Beast out of the Sea but from the Earth And for his resemblance he hath two horns like a Lamb and he spake lik a Dragon 2. He is described by his power as in the twelfth verse but I will not now speak further of him Now for the meaning of the words It is that which the holy Ghost calls us diligently to attend unto He that hath cares to heare let him heare If any man have an eare to understand any apprehension of spirituall mysteries any capacity of matters of Religion let him heare what manner of beast the Devill stirred up and set against the Church to make war against the Saintâ— as if it were a matter that few would understand but such as were of spirituall understanding and who will listen duly to a diligent observation
head of that Church It is cause of everlasting thankfulnesse and watchfulnesse not to be deluded by fine shewes of worldly men but let us see and know where true worship lies as the Lord hath declared himself in Christ and held him forth in the Gospel of truth Forthly let it teach us all where to bestow our admiration and adoration It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill and which accordingly he himself practised and requires us to doe Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Devill askes this of Christ to bow downe to him and worship him The Lords Indignation is kindled his holy Zeale is inflamed against such a Sacriligious request Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And as we are to worship him alone and no God but him so we are to admire none but him Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne of which you read Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground who is a God like unto thee why what is there in him that you so magnifie him he is a God that forgives Iniquity Transgression and Sinne here is cause indeed of admiration They admire and adore the Pope why Because they had satisfaction to their consciences in their way and an ungrounded hope of a better state in another world and pardon of Sinne in this and now they come to fellowship with Christ by the worship of the Devill But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne So that here is indeed matter of due admiration and let it be fastned there When a mans soul is brought low with the sence of Sinne and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conscience by reason of the guilt of Sinne what is matter of admiration now who is a God like unto thee that passeth by Iniquity transgression sin It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away sin it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it And therefore to what end are all the admirations and worships that are put upon the Bishop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power They may please themselves in what satisfaction they apprehend they have but their own principles possesse them that they can never come to see the admirable goodnesse of God in forgiving their Sinnes But now when the Lord sheds abroad a spirit of grace and peace in the conscience and applyes the goodnesse of Christ to the discharge of the burden of Sinne and of quickning the heart in the peace of Christ Jesus this breeds admiration Blessed be God the Father of mercy and God of all consolation that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope I say this blessing is worthy of admiration and not onely of wonderment but of acknowledging all glory and blessednes to him When the conscience is not pacified by a sorry duty done from man but by a sealed pardon from the spirit of God witnessed by the breath of the holy Ghost this is such a mercy to the soule as indeed raiseth the heart above all admiration of such a Beast I to a true detestation of this Beast and of the Dragon that hath so long bewitched and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts and in the end to their everlasting perdition But let it be the care of Gods people as ever you desire to be blessed from the admiration of such a worm-eaten Religion so grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace and so we shall doe that upon just grounds which our Fathers did without grounds to this Beast and to the head of it Upon this ground this head being wounded and afterwards healed all the world wondred after him Here is an Image of Christ he was wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and he riseth againe and he proclaims all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Now see how this Vicar of Christ as they call him usurps as Christ was wounded and is risen againe so it is with this Beast he is wounded to death and afterwards healed and restored and now all the world admire and worship him Have they forgotten that Christ dyed for our Sinnes and was raised again for our Justification and doe they stand admiring at this Beast as he that was wounded and healed Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulnesse to the Lord for the great change that is wrought in Christendome and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him that we may be preserved from those delusions wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way constantly which the Lord hath established and called us unto Revel 13. 5 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two moneths And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven THE events that followed upon the healing of the Beast the first was That all the world admired him The second was Vniversall worship given both to the Beast and to the Dragon that gave power to the Beast of which wee have already spoken The third event remains now to be spoken to and that is the deligation of power to this Beast upon his recovery and the power given him is four-fold 1. There was power given him to speak great things and in particular great blasphemies 2. There was power given him to continue that is as the word signifies to be doing to be active to be powerfull and efficacious in his worke 42. moneths 3. There was power given him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Power was given him of dominion over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations First There was given him a mouth speaking great things Secondly There was power given him to continue 42. moneths and both these Authorities or Liberties they are amplified by the effect it wrought in the Beast He did effectually take that power which was given him and employed it to the utmost As he had a mouth given him so he opened his mouth in blasphemies and that amplified by the object of his blasphemy against God and God distributed his Name his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven The note then that the words do afford first is this That after the healing of the wounded head of the Beast there was given to him power to speak great things even blasphemies which also he did effectually and abundantly exercise or
as take upon them to put doctrine upon the Church to take away Church liberties and sometimes to scater one Church from another the Lord will certainly visit it we may pray for it and comfortably expect it The next note is this That though God doe wound and crush and represse the arrogance of Church officers affecting headship over all Churches for a time yet he doth sometimes again heal their wounds and binde up their breaches and give free passage to their ambitious designes This is evident here I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and you have heard when and how and yet which is wonderfull His deadly wound was healed and that to the admiration of all the world And all the world wondred after the Beast to see a wound so really and perfectly healed when this Church was wounded afterwards the Pope was perfectly recovered but the wound of Caesars head was left bleeding both in the East and West This head must therefore be the spirituall head of Rome God though he represse some insolency yet he doth many times give free passage to their designes at length He did so with Balaam he met with him in the way and had not the Asse hindred certainly he had slain him Numb 22. 32. Because thy way was perverse before me saith God Balaak had sent him word that if he would come and curse the people that were come out of Aegypt that he would give him this and that he saw he had an eye to these outward things The Lord seeing his way perverse he would have killed him but yet at length in v. 35. The Angell of the Lord said unto Balaam if it be thy minde to go I will give thee leave go with the men but onely the word that I shall speak unto thee that thou shalt speak And when he comes he doth blesse the people to the Indignation of the King of Moab but afterwards when Balaam saw that he should loose all that he came for come saith he to the King take some course to invite the Gallants of Israel to a feast and it was an Idolatrous feast to the honour of Baal Peor and so the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and there were foure and twenty thousand dyed of the Plague and at length Balaam was slaine also But yet you see he gives way to his coveteous designes to satisfie himselfe to the full though he afterward visited his Sinne upon him So did the Lord here with the Bishop of Rome he wounded him as it were to death and afterwards he heals him and raiseth him up again and sent Justinian to destroy the Goths out of Italy and he being a wise man gives him his Titles and makes him Bishop of Bishops inspector over all the rest and perfectly cures him That whereas before he had lost his Titles and one or other wrote against him the Emperor being loath to make their own Arch-Bishop that lived in their City with them chief for disturbing their civill Government They had rather conferre all that honour upon him that had been so admired worshiped for so many years especially having had 32 Mâ—nasteries had been more Orthodoxall then all other Churches These were great inducements to give all honour to the Pope though they saw him desperately wounded but when they see him recovered they wonder at him and every one submits to him especially the Western parts though they in the East also would consult with him and be led and guided by him and all their decrees in counsell were referred to him if he did dislike them they were antequated if he did approve them they were received as Authenticall Lawes of the Church You may aske why the Lord would heal such an abominable and ugly Beast this visible Catholick Church and this Beast that was one of the heads of this Church for he had a beastly shape take him alone without the other Beast and take them together here is a great Beast afterwards he is called in Chap. 17. the great whore and she sits upon this Beast and he hath all his supportance from her he restores the Church and the head of the Beast to that state they were in before The reason why God doth this is double First in regard of his just displeasure against the backsliding apostacies of the Church in such times When the Lord sees the spirits of men are bent to apostacy and backsliding so as that they reject the simplicity of the Gospell of Christ and if they might have it they will not now it is a righteous thing with God to plague them with the arrogance tyranny of Antichrist If I come in my Fathers name you will not receive me if another come in his own name him you will receive Now it is a just judgement of God if Christ come and offer himself in the simplicity of his Ordinances and they think this is too mean and doth not reach the state of an Imperiall City but they must have such and such orders in all Churches and Churches must be distinguished by such Patrons and it is fit that one be Lord Paramount over them all and none is so fit as the Bishop of Rome If people dote upon such some goodly shape but drawn by the inventions of men well you shall have such Bishops This head that sometimes hath been thus wounded that some have had cause of solemn praise for his wounding and God hath by this means given the Churches liberty to take some better way of worship but they would not well you shall have enough of him It is one of Solomons Proverbs Chap. 14. 14. the Backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes If you dote after inventions of men you shall be filled with vain Superstition to the contentment of your own hearts God out of his tender faithfulnesse to his Church he will redeem some and doth give them faire opportunities to undertake their own liberties out of the usurpations of men but if they will rather sit under the shadow of Aegypt then feed upon Manna then goe you back again saith God none of you shall eat of that which I have prepared that is one Reason Such backsliders that delight in such communion in such heads over their Churches it is just with God to fill them with their own inventions The second Reason is taken from the just judgement of God upon such kinde of heads that doe affect such ambition the Lord will shew them this favour he will crosse them as he did Balaam but if their hearts be bent to go on in their mischevous course he gives them leave to fulfill their own lusts to their own perdition And thus he did Balaam he gave him leave not onely to blesse the people but to draw them aside from God for he could not have taken a more ready course to have cast them out of Gods favour then to draw them to offer
They may lye in danger but they shall come out in due time but however it should be a warning to the sonnes of men how they adventure their lives by going into any danger where God calls them not But if you be brought into danger when the Lord doth deliver you have cause to blesse him and to render your selves and Families back to him that you may walke with more girt up spirits to God that so he may not repent of what deliverances he vouchsafeth to you Rev. 13. the latter part of the 3. 4. ver And all the world wondered after the Beast And they worshipped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make Warre with him I Come now to speak of the sequell of the healing of this wound upon the healing of it there is a double effect 1. The admiration of the world after the Beast 2. A worship set forth by a double object the Dragon and the Beast 3. The causes are set forth that made them to worship them both The Dragon in that he gave power to the Beast and the Beast for his unmatchable power Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him Here might be three or four Notes justly gathered from hence but because I affect brevity in mysticall Scriptures I shall compact them into one The note is this That upon the healing of the Beasts wounded head all the world fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power yea into an adoration of worship both of the Beast and of the Dragon This containes both the latter end of the third and part of the fourth vers For the causes of this Admiration they will be just reasons of the point To open the Doctrine upon the healing of this wounded head of the Beast Remember the Beast is the Roman Catholick visible Church whereof Rome was the mother City and mother Church accounted of all the Churches in the world and the Pope is the visible head of this Church in this Chapter called the seventh head Observe 2ly the healing of this seventh Head wounded by the captivity and calamity it fell into by barbarous Nations Upon the healing of this wounded Head by the removal and scattering and subduing of these Enemies as also by the playster that was put to him when such Titles of Soveraign Authority were put upon him by the Emperors Now this was the Originall of that wonder for so it comes in His deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast And so he expresseth it Chap. 17. 8. All that dwell upon the earth shall wonder when they behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is He was when he flourished as that which was the great Authority of the world He is not when he is wounded in his head but as it were troden under foot wounded to death as if he had not been But yet he is againe that is he is restored And they that dwell on the earth when they saw that wondered to behold the Beast that was and is not and yet is A Beast that cannot be crushed and beaten downe with such desperate calamities so that 's the occasion of their wonderment now upon this occasion they fell into an admiration of the Beast and of his power An admiration implies some high esteem of some great happinesse betiding this Beast not only beyond their expectation but transcendant beyond their apprehension and capacity to understand For a man doth not admire a thing unlesse it goe not only beyond expectation but is transcendant above his reason and understanding Yea beyond any meanes he could use to bring such a thing to passe Therefore when they see this great change they fall admiring of the Beast and the head of the Beast and of the Dragon that gave power to the Beast and worship them both For their Admiration then let me speak something of that and then of their Adoration both of the Beast and of the Dragon It was in a way of Admiration I will not say what expressions some have made of it some that were called Fathers of the Church and have left such things in writing It would mightily possesse one with Admiration of the Sea of Rome looking at him as the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah looking at him as by his Primacy to be like Adam for his Faith like Abraham for his government like Noah gathering all the world under him for Order like Melchisedech for his function to be Christ himselfe deservedly to be God after sometimes called the Vicar of Christ and of God marvellous transcendant strains put upon him which argues a high esteem of him But to omit such things as are but flourishes these are reall 1. That all the Churches of the world are to receive all their doctrine and worship from them Though it were never so superstitious as worshipping of Angels and Saints and making use of their meditation besides Christ and they did receive from them more then all this which is the life and quintiscence of all They looked from the Father of the Catholick visible Church to receive Indulgences and pardon of all their sinnes If he retained them then they were retained if he remitted them they were remitted This they looked for from him not only for Doctrine and worship but for sealing up their Pardon for so many hundreds and thousands of years and not sealed with waxe but with a wap of Lead and a Seale set on that And this was the chiefe comfort of troubled minds in those ages these things they received from them and admirable honour they put upon that Beast to receive all such things from them 2. They made to Rome all their Appeals What ever government there was in the Christian world from thence were their Laws and thither were their Appeals as out of England and many other places to the great disturbance of Church and Common-wealth as also large and bountifull payments were made to them It were a vast thing to sum up the totall sum of constant payments that were from every Kingdome repayed to the Sea of Rome And as their Appeals Payments went to Rome so did their bodies on pilgrimage and it was thought a great devotion to kisse the feet of the Pope and to see those blessed Shrines Thus was their admiration of the Beast 3. They fetched from Rome the Ordination of all their chiefe Officers Any Arch-bishop who-ever chose him yet he was not installed but he must fetch it from Rome and pay well for it And from thence they fetched all their Coronation of Kings and Emperors and sundry fundamentall Lawes of every Catholick Kingdom were derived from thence All their Dispensations were fetched from thence that Princes might marry where they would And dispensation from Oaths and from Marriages contracted all these things they fetched from Rome It was
this Beast they are described here by their state by their spirituall and eternall state that is to say they are described by a deniall of their elect estate and that is exprest in a deniall of the proper adjunct of that state and that is the writing of their names in the Lambs book of life for that is the proper adjunct of all the elect people of God that their names are written in the book of life of the Lamb these men men therefore being denied this proper adjunct of an elect state they are the refore here described by their damnable condition and state now this therefore is here predicated of them all that their names are not written in the booke of the life of the Lambe who ever they be that worship this Beast and he saith All did worship him save onely they whose names were written in the Lambes booke of life They that did worship the Beast had not their names written in the Lambs book of life So then this book in which their names are said not to be written it is set forth by the end and by the subject of it 1. By the end It is the Book of life Not that it was a living book but because they that are written in that book are written unto life that they may live to eternity to grace and glory 2. It is described by the subject It is the Lambs Book of life either he is the possessor of it God giving it to him that he might take notice of all the names therein and keep them safe to salvation or else he is the subject of it as being the first and principall person who is written in it for he of old hath been observed to be the head and cheif of the elect of God in Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world therefore he chose him first and us in him as he is well pleased first with Christ and in Christ with us Mat. 3. 17. whether you speak of Gods everlasting complacency or of the manifestation of it in effectuall vocation it is in Christ that he is well pleased first with Christ and in his name with us so he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. So therefore it is said to be the book of the Lamb the Lambs booke of life because that the book is given to him and because also that he is the principall person that is first and primarily and fundamentally written in this book I say it is first given to him as if all the persons that God intends life unto he did give them as it were in a scroul or book to the Lord Jesus but of that I shall speak a little more by and by In the mean time I speak now to the Analysis of the Text but if you shall not trasâ—â—â—e it whose names are not written in the Lambs Book of life but as it is here and indeed so it holds in the Originall the Book of life of the Lambe Though it be the like sence then it may hold out a further notion and meditation and that is this 1. That the Lambe is the subject of that life whereof it is said it is the Book of life of the Lamb. 2. He is the Author of it to the elect people of God in John 14. 19. that holds forth both that he is that life to us Christ as God-man is the subject of this spirituall and eternall life and his man-hood so receives it as a common vessell to all his elect members and because he lives we shall live also therefore he is the Author both of giving and preserving this life to his heavenly Kingdome Now by this Lambe I need not tell you is meant Christ the Lambe without spot John 1. 29. We are redeemed by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. This Lambe is here described by his suffering which was slain was put to death a violent death and that suffering of his is amplified by the ancient vigour and efficacy of it slain from the beginning of the world Now the note that first offers it selfe from this verse is this That such whose names are written in the lambs book of life they all and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast For here it is said That all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him saving they whose names are written in the Lambes Book of life they shall not worship him but all whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lambe they shall worship the Beast So then they whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they doe not worship him for if their names be written there they are expresly exempted but they that doe worship him they are said not to have their names written in the Lambes book of life So that such whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they and all they and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast It is a speech to the like purpose that you read in Rev. 17. 8. and upon the like occasion The Beast that thou sawesâ— was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world c. They admire and adore him where he tells you of an ancient act hee doth not tell here when it was written there he doth that ancient book wherein from the foundation of the world they were written and therefore before the world such as were written in the Lambes book of life were lockt up to be preserved from the adoration of the Beast and all the rest were left to worship the Beast For opening this point here a Question or two may be moved for explication of the termes of the Doctrine which have been a little expounded before First Quest 1. Then it may be demanded what is this Book of life Answ You read in Scripture of sundry books according to which our eternall state stands or falls if I may so call them that are said to be opened at the judgement day whether at the last judgement or some representation of the last judgement it is all one for the Doctrine In Rev. 20. 12. it is sayd When the Thrones were set the Books were opened and another book which is the Booke of life So here is one book according to which his Saints were judged besides the booke of life but that also was opened These bookes are truly observed by others to be first the book of Gods Providence in Psal 139. 16. which is also called in Mal. 3. 16. the booke of Gods Remembrance wherein he takes notice of all persons and actions that is keeps as exact account of them as if they were written before him in a book which
for our transgressions I mean to dissolution of soul and body And so by the wickednesse of men he was accused condemned and accordingly executed What think you of him saith Caiphas you have heard his blasphemies and they answered and sayd he is guilty of death Mat. 26. 66. And Pilate himselfe though he thought him to be guiltlesse yet delivered him to be crucified Mat. 27 26. And the people sayd We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye John 19. 7. Thus was he delivered by the wickednesse of men and Pilate knew they did it of envy Mat. 27. 18. So that it was a great wickednesse in Pilate to gratifie the people and to suffer such an innocent Lamb to be crucified yet rather then he will loose the favour of Caesar and of the people he delivers him to be crucified And which is more then so as he dyed by the justice of God and the wickednesse of men so by the malice of Satan for our Saviour saith in Luke 22. 52. This is the very hour and power of darknesse The gates of Hell were opened to powre upon him all the vengence they were able It was fore-tould in Gen. 3. 15. It shall bruise they head and thou shalt bruise his heel The Serpent should bruise his heel that is Christ the seed of the woman His heel you will say that falls far short of death to pinch a man on the heele it may make him go lamely but not kill him but the holy Ghost intends that all the mischief that Satan works against Christ or any of his members it doth but reach to the bruising of the heele It bruised his heele that implies that Christ should have a body like ours and his heele that is the lower part of Christ his humanity Satan should bruise it And he shall break thy head it is the same word and therefore you may take them both for breaking or both for bruising therefore Peter expounds it well in 1 Pet. 3. 18. when he tells you Christ suffered for sinne The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh His heele was brused that is his flesh So that though the Lord suffered unsupportable misery to be forsaken of his Disciples betrayed by one and forsworn by another to be forsaken of his Father in regard of any comfortable fellowship he had with him Though he suffered all this in inward and outward man to such extremity that made him sweat drops of blood and in the end to gâ—ve up the ghost yet all this was but the heele the lower part of Christ as it were for his personal union is not in the least measure intercepted his head and councel stands sure and all his indeavours will finde a blessed accomplishment Whereas the Lord breakes the head of Satan not onely cuts him off from all hope of fellowship in grace but all his plots shall be disappointed at length and all execution of his designes they shall be brused the Sonne of God comes to dâ—ssolve the works of Satan to undoe them Thus comes the Lamb to be slaine The reason of the point is double First to fulfil all the former types of the Legall Sacrifices The Israelites were to slay the Paschal lamb in the evening at the ninth hour of the day Exod. 12. 6. about the same time he was slain And all other Sacrifices for reconciliation were to be killed necessary therefore he should be slain The daily Sacrifice which consisted of a Lamb in the morning and a Lamb in the evening were both slaine though without blemish and so was Christ But that was but a shadow for Christs suffering was rather the cause of them but it is the Scripture phrase this was done that this and that may be fulfilled because such a thing in after times was fulfilled Secondly the cheif reason why it was requisite Christ should be slaine and why he would be slaine was That he might lay down his life for a ransome or price for his people Mat. 20. 28. The Sonne of man came to give his life a ransome for many A ransome of what or price of what The Scripture holds forth a price of Redemption and a price of Purchase A price of Redemption We are not redeemed with Silver and Gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. He paid a price for our redemption that so he might discharge the debt of our sinnes which lay upon us Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 2. 17. What day soever thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye And partly by this means to satisfie the justice of God who had threatned according to the curse of the Law that cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to doe them Behold saith the Lord I set before you life and death obey it and live do it not and dye This is the sanction and ratification of the Law of God throughout the books of Moses And therefore that he might satisfie the Law and the wrath of God Ezek. 18. 20. The soul that sinneth it shall dye that he might discharge the debt wee ran into and satisfie for our defects it was necessary to pay this price of redemption to save us from death and all evils that drew on death And consequently therefore he hath saved us from sinne Rev. 1. 5. He hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his bloud He hath redeemed us also from the world Gal. 1. 4. Who gave himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliver us from this present evill world and he hath also given himselfe unto the death that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Devill Heb. 2. 14. So this is one part of the reason and the sum of the ends why Christ gave himselfe to be slaughtered and his life as a price of redemption to redeem us from evill for redemption is from captivity and bondage from sinne and Satan and the world This was a principal end of his death but it was but part of it Here is a price to redeem us from evil from so many captivities wherein we were overwhelmed But there is a price given of purchase to the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 14. It is a price of purchase of some glorious possession and for that end it was also given in a principal manner Now what is the purchased possession which the Lord hath given his bloud as a price to pay Truly as the Lord hath redeemed us from the three great enemies of our souls so he hath purchased the three greatest blessings the sonnes of men are capable of and they are the greatest blessings they can reach to 1. He hath purchased reconcilement with the Father He hath reconciled us by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. God loved us indeed from eternity when he chose us
but we were by nature children of wrath as well as others How came we to be restored and reconciled to the Father from whom we fell as much as we could by the bloud of the Lamb that hath reconciled us to God Secondly by his death he hath paid a price of purchase for union and possession of union with the Sonne So doth the holy Apostle teach us Ephes 2. 13. to 16. You that were sometimes farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one Jewes and Gentiles both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us So that he hath made Jewes and Gentiles one houshold of God and hath built us upon Jesus Christ the cheif corner stone This is the second purchase which the Lord hath given his blood for the price of We had never been united to Christ nor by Christ been brought to the Father but by the bloud of his crosse his blood hath flain all enmity between God and us Thirdly by the same price he hath also purchased us the holy Spirit These are the three persons in Trinity a possession of Christ to be our head of the Father to be our God and King and our Father as his Father therefore he tels his Disciples in John 20. 17. saith he Touch me not for I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God As soon as he had by death overcome death now I go to my Father and your Father He hath purchased the possession of Gods fatherly love he hath also purchased union with himselfe and therefore he prayed that his passion might be available to this end that all that should beleive through the Apostles preaching should be one with them John 17 21 23. That they all might be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one So that this is the purchase which the Lord by his blood hath purchased reconciliation with the Father and union with the Sonne and also the inhabitation of the holy Ghost as 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you And as he tels us in Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father So that this is a purchase of unspeakable blessings which the Lord hath given his blood for It was not meet the blood of the Sonne of God should be spilt in vain it were abhomination to God therefore he gives it to avoyd the greatest evill that can befall us to cleanse us from sinne and Satan and to redeem us from the curse of God and to free us also from death and hell and the world and all the enemies of our souls He gave his blood for all this not to redeem us from crosses but from the curse in crosses and that is the part which drives us from God Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me yee cursed So farre as any affliction might separate us from God he hath redeemed us from it Now from thence as Christ hath given his blood for reconciliation with the Father and for union with the Sonne and for communion with the holy Ghost so he hath given his blood for the purchase of some blessings that flow from these For by communion with the spirit we have 1. First communion with Christ in his death mortifying sinne and communion with him in his resurrection raising us up to righteousnesse Whence the Apostle professeth that he desires to rejoyce in nothing but the crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to him and he unto the world Gal. 6. 14. And in Rom. 6. 6. Our old man is crucified with him that the body of death might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne So there is the power of the spirit of Christ applying his death killing and crucifying sinne and the world in us crushing the head of the Serpent and consequently all the power of the Beast of the Catholick Church of Rome and the head of that Beast which is the Pope He did therefore shed his blood that he might destroy all the power of the enemy That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare all the dayes of our life Luke 1. 74. This is the mighty power of the spirit applying the warme blood of Christ to our foules 2. The second fruit that flows from union with the blessed Trinity is ratification of the Covenant of Grace And Christ layd downe his bloud for that end to ratifie all the promises that a reconciled God hath made and that is God in a Covenant of Grace That he will write his law in our hearts that he will forgive our sinnes and remember our iniquities no more that we shall know him Jer. 31. 33 34. Christ gave his blood to ratifie this Covenant Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And as the Testament of a Testator stands not in force till the death of him that made it so the death of Christ ratifies this Covenant and as all the Covenants were confirmed by bloud so hath Christs blood done in a speciall manner And when he speaks of ratifying the Covenant he doth not onely speak of ratifying of it in word but cheifly in the hearts of Gods people and no price could have done that but the blood of the Sonne of God by which he hath ratified all the promises of God to the consciences of Gods people That when the heart and conscience of a sinner is overwhelmed with inward agony and fear of the wrath of God and the curse of the Law the fear of death and Hell now what shall satisfie a christian in this but the death of Christ and what shall ratifie it His death hath purchased reconciliation with the Father union with the Son and communion with the holy Ghost now he hath shed his spirit in our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 3. 14. This spirit of God works faith in the hearts of Gods people whereby all these promises are confirmed they are all certainly made good because such is the value and virtue of the death of this innocent lamb of God they are now free from the terrour of death It was not possible the bloud of Buls and Goats should take away sinne therefore still they had new sacrifices for the conscience had lost the copy by which it pleaded reconciliation by the spirit of God now he applying the death of Christ to the soul doth fully pacifie the conscience and ratifie the Covenant to the soul that now all the promises of Grace belong to this or that servant of Christ and I pray mark it because it is as weighty as any point of Religion And of all the
doctrines of Religion there is none sanctified so effectually and immediatly to beget faith in the soul as the preaching of the crosse of Christ All the doctrines of the Gospel are for the begetting of faith but they have no efficacy this way further then they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ other promises do confirme faith and they may also beget it but it is with reference to the crosse of Christ That which gives satisfaction to Gods justice that gives satisfaction to our consciences for conscience is convinced that if God deal in justice as he knows no reason but he should then he of all men is most miserable the burden of thâ—s lies heavy and is ready to plunge him to hell what will satisfie the conscience now nothing in the world except it see some reason why Gods justice should be satisfied and how shall that be done onely by the death of the lamb of God So that well doth the Apostle make the crosse of Christ the ratification of the Covenant for that cuts of all sinne and curse and the rigor of the Law hell and death and devill and damnation and all evil that can befall us in this or another world and doth satisfie the justice of God that it might remove all these and bears the whole burden of the desert of our sinnes purchaseth reconciliation with the Father union with the Sonne communion with the holy Ghost But what is all this to me will the soul say unlesse these be so given that faith be wrought in my heart to discerne all these and finde them The Lord doth indeed all these the spirit of God comes and so preacheth the Gospel and so applyes the Gospel as that in preaching these things he doth beget faith in the heart to believe that all these things are indeed belonging to such a soul and to every one whom he is pleased to accept to the benefit of the crosse of Christ and to fellowship therein and now indeed is the whole Covenant of Grace confirmed when by the death of Christ the virtue of it is applyed by the spirit to the soul Not that there is a reconcilement to God before faith and union with the Sonne and communion with the holy Ghost before faith It is before in Gods purpose and Christs purchase but when the spirit comes to apply this whose work it is to give accomplishment to the work of the other persons he applying this works saith and ratifies the Covenant and thereupon the heart is satisfied and the justice of God satisfied and the spirit at rest from unsupportable anguishes which did before plow up the tender heart of a christian that he lay sprawling as it were in his blood 3. A third benefit that flowes from the former in respect of the price paid and in regard of the virtue and efficacy of the price when it comes to be applyed you have not onely lawfull right unto the creatures to eat and drink c. but some right and title to them by the blood of Christ And he hath also paid a price for the possession of eternall glory Vntill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 14. Untill doth argue that there is a purchase we do not yet receive and when shall that be received when both we our selves and the creatures shall be redeemed to the glorious liberty of the sons of God Then shall we receive the full benefit of the price which he hath paid whiles he suffered upon the Crosse Therefore wonder not that though Christ being a lamb yet he was slain that he being slain we might be redeemed and might enjoy the purchased possession redemption from all evill in every kinde from sorrow paine c. from the evil of them And his blood also was a price for a purchased possession of reconciliation with the Father of union with the Sonne of communion with the holy Ghost dominion over all sinne ratification of the Covenant to our soules and at length the possession of everlasting glory This was the reason why the lamb was slaine and had it not been for these divine and supernatural and blessed ends he would not have prostituted his life to such a bitter and shamefull death as the death of the Crosse was It was not meet the onely begotten Sonne of God should come down into the world to lead a miserable life and to dye an accursed death but for noble and glorious ends and you have the sum in these particulars For the use of it First it is a cause of just humiliation to us whose sins were so out of measure sinful as that there is no ransome to be given for them but such an invaluable price as the blood of the Sonne of God All the Gold of Ophir all that the world can give what is it to this invaluable blood of the Sonne of God Yet this was our case and estate that if we had had many worlds for our inheritance and given them all for the redemption of one soule it had not been sufficient This was our estate and this is the estate of all such as yet live in sinne to this day It is a desperate estate that cannot be repaired nor themselves rescued from by ransome but the blood of Christ If our sinnes had been of a lesse nature a lesse price might have made satisfaction And yet such is the pride of the hearts of the sonnes of men that because we live civil lives though yet natural we have good natures are so well bred do so many good offices that we think it is not so dreadful a matter nor that we are so dangerous for our estate as others If it go ill with us what will become of desperate roaring ruffines whatever becomes of them it is a frivolous matter to you or to such as are civil and hinder the free passage of the grace of God but if our natures be so good and our carriage so comely I pray you what need such an invaluable price be given If a small matter would have saved us from the world what need such an invaluable price be given to rescue us from it You will say I hope I am not so addicted to the world I would drive a bargaine home to the head and would not be cheated But is that all you know by your selves certainly there is more for if the Lord did not see that inveglement which the word hath of us and that close combination of us to it the Lord would not have thought it needful to send his onely Sonne to redeeme us from this present evill world Frugality is not a vice in any but a virtue and if there were no more but good husbandry surely there need not such a price to be paid to redeeme us from the world But certainly the Lord sees such power of worldlinesse and untemperance in us and such power of passions and lusts that no means would rescue us therefrom
fruits be in us they are lively pledges of the love of God in our hearts If these things be smothered and dâ—ubed and overwhelmed with many Temptations and worldly businesses distracting cares and temptations though it is true the children of God may be at many losses yet mark what I say the blood of Christ is a living Spring and a running Fountaine though it may be troubled yet it will runne cleare againe if it do not it is a signe it was not from the blood of Christ but from a delusion But if it were from the blood of Christ thou shalt finde hee will purifie and pacifie thy conscience for he will not loose the value and efficacy of that rich blood great is the power of it and he will not loose the vertue of it I know there may be many pangs to Temptations and Christians in this new world may meet with new Temptations and Christians are at a losse because passions breake in we have lost all our peace and comfort of our union and the power of it it may be so it is not unusuall but minde what I say truly if the blood of Christ have any efficacy in us or power upon us you will find that the fountaine of the blood of Christ is higher then any other fountain A fountaine that springs from a low place may be stopped but if it comes from a high place higher then the highest no creature here below can hinder it nor created thing below it can intercept the flowing of it The Lord will redeeme thee from the world and from these passions and lusts and from the Satanicall and malignant distempers and the Lords blood will restore thee to reconcilement with the Father and bring thee to union with the Son and the comfort of the Spirit and the sence of it And therefore know if he have left thee to live in such distempers and thou dost blesse thy selfe in them and canst not looke further and there is nothing in the blood of Christ that much takes up thy heart for redemption from evill or purchasing good it is much to be feared thou hast not yet tasted of the blood of Christ what there may be in heaven wee know not but no man on earth can give thee a comfortable signe of a good estate If a man blesse himselfe in these engagements and in these imbondagements to the enemies of his soule and thinks his captivity is his liberty hee doth not know what the Lord Jesus hath purchased there is little hope such a man hath redemption from the blood of Christ This is the condition of all the people of God in the greatest temptations unlesse it be in some extreame hurry of passion it is a captivity to him and a burden to him that he wants Christ Jesus and that is a good signe of a mans liberty purchased by Christ This Christ who hath reconciled others to God and done great things for them in a way of grece and hath also reconciled him to God and delivered him from death to see this captivity and to groane under it it is a signe this man hath had some other liberty in times past For otherwise there is no man naturally but he thinks this is his freedom to have his owne minde not crossed to have his full liberty in the world to have good bargains and not to be pinched in this and that and not for conscience to fly in his face it is a sign a man is yet a natural born captive But when a man feels his captivity and looks at it as his burden that he feeles not the favour of God and union with Christ and communion with the Spirit It is a signe God hath called him to liberty but he hath sold himself for a captive again now he cryes as the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death There he is carryed captive I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my memebers vers 23. Here is a sign of redeeming love by the blood of the Lamb. O the wofull captivity that naturall corruption is to a redeemed soule and the great liberty it is to a carnall heart that hee thinkes it a liberty to have his thoughts free and none to tell him But to a good conscience that hath been washed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb the body of death is a wofull bondage to him This body of death it is not actuall transgressions but a powerfull body of carnall corruption that hangs about us that though we do not break out into actuall sinnes as other men do yet we see a body of death in us and this is our captivity So then if the Lord hath redemed a soul and purchased these comfortable blessings as brings us to the sence of our wofull condition by reason of the losse of this liberty all these are witnesses of the redeeming love of Christ Lastly it may be a use of consolation to every such soule thus farre even so farre as there is no bounds and limits to it it is a marvellous satisfaction to a soule in temptation nothing more then this I now speak of One would think it were a great misery to live in horrour of conscience continually and so it is but if a man be redeemed by the blood of this Lamb then it is not terrour of conscience that can separate thee from God for Christ himselfe was under terrour of conscience as much and more then thou art without sin that he sweat drops of blood and cries out and bemoans it in a holy manner Why will you say but will you have me set such things at my heele the desertions of God at my heele Is the favour of God to be set aâ— the heele it will not hinder your union with your head though you have lost the sense of it All that Christ suffered all his desertions it did not hinder his fellowship with the second person in Trinity neither will it hinder yours The Serpent bruiseth our heel makes us go heavily and lamely Psal 43. 2. Thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off why goe I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy It makes us go heavily while God forsakes us as a man goes that is crushed by an enemy but yet it will not break his head And what great consolation is this it is not terrour of conscience that can separate a man from Christ Nay I may speake a greater thing then that it is not the power of your corruptions that can break your head though they will make you go more lamely and heavily yet pride and passions c. do not separate union It must therefore raise up the heart of a Christian above his temptations above corruptions above the world above all the enemies of his soule what can they
all doe If the Lord be with us who can be against us He that delivered up his owne sonne to death for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8. 31 32. So that wee are freed from all annoyance from the curse of the Law the rigour of the law free from desertion and corruption and the Lord hath given us himselfe and his Son and his Spirit and his Câ—venant and Kingdome and his Church and people and Ordinance and all is yours 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. And how comes all to be ours By the blood of the Lamb that hath purchased all good things and the removall of all evill therefore how comfortable may the soules of Gods people be if they did attend to the blood of the Lamb. And therefore let not those that have any part and portion in the blood of Christ Jesus be discouraged let them in Gods feare meditate more of this blood and of the power and vertue of it As you desire your lives may be more comfortable and serviceable to God and man and your death more peaceable so be much in meditation of this blood And if you be doubtfull of your spirituall estate then more seriously meditate of it who hath suffered and what and for what end he layd downe his life and lay all together and see if all will not amount at length to the begetting of Faith where it is wanting and to the reviving of it where it is that we may live fruitfully and holily and dye comfortably Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world HERE is something yet to be handled in this Verse and that is the antiquity of the sufferings of Christ He doth not only say that Christ was a Lamb and slaughtered but his death is described by the antiquity of it From the beginning of the world Or as it is here translated and very fitly from the foundation of the world though I would not put any great weight in the very nick of the foundation for the foundation of the world was laid the first day of the creation when the Lord made the highest heavens and the lowest earth the highest heaven the kingdom of the blessed Saints and Angels of whom it is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world There was a kingdome in the foundation of the world and therefore the Angels were created the first day and it is true Christ was slaine even then also else those Angels had not been in that kingdome But whether you take it for the foundation in the creation or in the nick of the creation it is not greatly material for the death of Christ reached both to the fall of Adam and in some respect before it and the explication of that will shew the truth thereof and I would not be exquisite nor curious in opening of it The Note is this The slaughter of Christ was from the foundation of the world So it is said here The Lamb that is Christ The Lamb of God slaine from the foundation of the world the Lamb is Christ evident it is that in fulnesse of time he was slaughtered about 4000. years after the world was made but yet the holy Ghost saith He was slaine from the foundation of the world so that though it was actually accomplished and performed in fulnesse of time yet as time began the suffering of Christ began also slaine he was therefore from the foundation of the world First In respect of Gods eternall purpose who from the foundation of the world and before the foundation of the world appointed Christ to this slaughter We are redeemed saith Peter not with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot who verily was fore-ordayned before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times c. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. Before the foundation of the world and from the foundation of the world many times in Scripture are both one in meaning before the foundation of the world he was ordained to be slaughtered the Apostles words are expreâ—sly so as of a lamb slaine he was ordained and from the foundation of the world implyes long before the time he was slaughtered and then you know not where to put the period but some reference it hath to the foundation of the world Secondly He is truly said to be slaughtered from the foundation of the world in regard of the promise of God made to Adam since the world began the same day that Adam was created he fell or certainly soon after but most probable the same day the same day that he fell it is clear the Lord gave him a promise of the death of Christ in Gen. 3. 15. for that is the meaning of the promise He shall break thine head speaking to the Serpent he shall crush the head of the Serpent For the seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Thou shalt bruise his heel Hee l implyes the humanity of Christ which was to be trâ—dâ—n upon and indeed it was all that the tempter could doe but that bruising the heel was the crushing of his humanity his soul and body was rent asunder that was promised from the foundation of the world Thirdly From the foundation of the world Christ was slaine in the foreruning types of him for it is said that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and that was a type of this Lamb Gen. 4. 4. the sacrifice of Abel was a type of Christ suffering now because offering that sacrifice was by faith Heb. 11. 4. And faith hath ground from the word of God though there was no written word yet there was from the mouth of God to Adam that taught Adam he and his sonnes to offer sacrifice in type of Christ that was to be slain who should break the head of the Serpent and therefore as a type of the bruising of the heel of the promised seed which God had set before them they were to offer sacrifice to shadow forth that great worke of Christ Abel beleived on Christ how far expresly or distinctly I do not know but had he not beleived he had not sacrificed by faith nor had not been accepted Fourthly He was slaine from the foundation of the world in regard of the virtue and efficacy of his death from thence the lively virtue and efficacy of the death of Christ did express it selfe from the very foundation of the world that Abel did offer a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain it was from his faith what was his faith fastened on by which his sacrifice was accepted for it is said the Lord had respect to him and to his offering it is Christ alone it implyes he looked not for acceptance by his sacrifice it is impossible that the blood of buls should take away sinne but
he looked to be accepted in Christ Jesus so Enoch is said to have walked with God Gen 5. 24. and no man can walke with God except he be reconciled with God Amos 3 3. And is there any reconciliation but in the blood of the Sonne of God We are reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. It is said of Abraham that by faith he left his country and his fathers house and his kindred and went out not knowing whether he went Heb. 11. 8. Gen. 12. 1. How comes Abraham to be redeemed and rescued from the blood of his Ancestors and from his fathers house We are redeemed from our vaine conversation received by tradition from our fathers not with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Which argues plainly and evidently that Abraham himself if he had not been washed in the blood of this Lamb he could not have been saved from hankering after the blood of his Ancestors if the blood of Ancestors had been more warme in him then the blood of Christ he would not have been redeemed from his fathers house but now in his old age he leaves his country and goes to seek that seed in whom they all should be blessed in that country It is said in Gen. 15. 6. That he beleived in the Lord and it was counted to him for righteousnesse and all justiffication is by faith saith the Apostle in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 23 24 25. We all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus c. For all the sinnes that have passed us from the beginning of the world the Lord received atonement for them in the blood of his sonne and our father Abraham if he were justified it was by faith in the sonne of God How came it to passe that Joseph was able to overcome the strong and subtile temptations of his Mistresse in Gen. 39. 9. How shall I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God Can he mortifie a lust by any power of his own No let the Apostle answer it in Gal. 5. 29. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts for so it is it is not affections but all the sinful passions that hang about the soules of men the Lord frees us from them all by the blood of his Sonne So that if you see Joseph crucified to his lust and Abraham 〈◊〉 from his fathers house and justified if you see Abel offering a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Look at all these as lively fruits of the blood of the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world whence also springs their faith heavenly mindednesse their sanctification their power of godlinesse was as great and in many things greater as in those that have lived since his crucifying on the crosse Now if it had not been as effectuall and reall before his coming as when he did come doubtlesse the efficacy of his death would have been lesse powerfull and more weak in them that lived before his coming but when you see such livelinesse spring from the virtue and power of it then you see the efficacy of it from the foundation of the world onely the manifestation of it was not so clear as afterwards whence it comes to passe that the generality of Christians now are or ought to be more cleare and more pure then the generality of Christians then but in some men you have had them that exceeded those that lived in Christs owne time and since 5. There is a fifth respect in which Christ is said to be slaine from the beginning of the world and that is in respect of the faith of Gods elect who lived from the beginning of the world As soon as there was a man on the earth the same day the Lord put emnity between the seed of the woman and the Serpent now the seed of the woman looks for salvation in the seed of the woman and they did even then look to the Lord Jesus the Messias as much as we do since in John 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day he saw it and was glad that was the day of the coming of Christ into the world to be an attonement for the sinnes of his people If Abraham saw it then Enoch Noah Abel and Adam and Eve and who ever lived by Jesus Christ they all saw Christ afar off yet they saw him notwithstanding they saw his day the day of his Incarnation and Passion and Resurrection and it is said in Heb. 11. 1. That faith is the subsistence of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene that is it did give the Fathers before Christ as clearly to see Christ already present to them as if he had been actually come in the flesh and so it is with all the Saints at this day look as we do as really believe the Resurrection of the body that by faith gives it substance as verily as if it were present and as we believe the salvation of our soules as verily as if it were accomplished and it is as clear I meane as certaine as if it were already done and in some measure as evident for so he saith It is the evidence of things not seen he speaks in the Apostle words The confidence and evidence of things not seen Hence it comes That the fathers saw the promises embraced them but did not receive them Heb. 11. 39. That is did not receive them accomplished for they never saw Christ in his death but they were perswaded of them and embraced them and did verily look for them in expectation as if they had been present with them that is if Christ had been come they would not have done nor suffered more then they did which argues that faith gives a basis and subsistence to what it layes hold on and makes it so reall that we shall neither do more nor suffer more if it were present They did believe that the time would come when the Messias being bruised himselfe he would break the Serpents head These are the severall respects in which Christ is said to be the Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world In regard of the purpose of God in regard of his promise in regard of the types of him in the Sacrifices that were shadowes of Christ and did really hold him forth in regard of the vertue of it and in regard of the faith of Gods people that lived from the beginning of the world in regard of all these Christ was slaine from the beginning of the world For the Reasons of the point All the ways and respects I have spoken to are as so many Reasons yet if a man should stand upon a Reason I would first say this the first may be from the eternity of that which is infinite what ever
is infinite is eternall Now the value and vertue of the death of Christ is infinite as being the blood of the sonne of God Acts 20. 28. Now that which is infinite as well reacheth that which is before as after it infinite it is or else it cannot be eternall and infinite it had need to be or else the infinite wrath of God could not be satisfied thereby but being infinite it was of eternall efficacy and therefore he was a Lamb slain and slaine from the foundation of the world So that all that are elect were in Christ before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. Hee hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world in Christ and in Christ crucified before the foundation of the world for being of infinite value it must of necessity be eternall there is nothing infinite but is eternall they are co-incident that which is finite will end it began in time and will end in time But that which is infinite must needs have respect to eternity and therefore saith our Saviour John 8. 38. Before Abraham was I am So that take him whether as God or in point of the vertue and efficacy of his mediation he was before Abraham it could not be eternall if it be not infinite and if it be infinite it must needs be eternall From the presence of all future things to Christ I speak in proper speech it is truly said there is nothing future to Christ I confesse the point is unconceivable to finite capacities but to God all things to come are present as if they were in actuall being All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Heb. 4. 13. It is an ancient speech Eternity is like a circumference about a Center that compasseth it round about that if you fit on the Center you see all the lines Suppose a great tower as high as the clouds and one sitting thereupon he sees one man coming this way and another another way he sees they will meet in one place they know nothing of it it is future to them but present to him So the Lord that sits upon the clouds of eternity if I may use such a word he sees all things as if they were present to him and certaine it is God is not one day older then he was from the beginning the Angels are older and Satan but God is not older nor is capable of being older time addes nothing to him his eternity swallows up all that which hath been is and shall be it is fresh still to him that which is past and that which is to come whence it is said Before Abraham was I am he doth not say I was but his past time is not lost to him no time is past with God Before Abraham was I am a thousand yeares are but as yesterday when it is past all are one time to God Psal 90. 4. So then if you look at Gods account of things that hath entred into such a Covenant from eternity hath written so many in the book of life to be brought on to God by the death and resurrection and ascention of Christ he knew the person of the God-head would certainly take the humane nature of Christ it was present to him and therefore hee doth so elect and govern and dispose of creatures as he that had received a ransome before the world began And therefore Elihu his speech is weighty in Job 33. 23. That if an interpreter one of a thousand come to a sicke man and shew to a man his righteousnesse and that then God is gracious to him and saith deliver him for I have found a ransome to wit in the blood of the Lamb then will he say deliver him What had he received a ransome in Jobs time Job lived before Abraham truly then he hath a ransome as a man hath a bond from a good surety but so it was in his apprehension not only because Christ was a good surety and would make good payment in time but the thing was as present with God and really performed All times with God are but as now past present and to come all times with God are one and the same Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever Yesterday before the Law and to day both under the Law and especially under the Gospel and for ever the same of the same vertue and efficacy and power So you see the truth of the Point The use is shortly thus much First it shews you the dangerous and damnable estate of the world from the foundation of the world the deep depravation and corruption of the world from the foundation of it it is said by John 1 John 5. 19. We know we are of God and all the world lyes in wickednesse Did it lye so in Johns time when all the great Nations of the world worshipped the Devill Apollo Hercules and Jupiter and such dunghill gods Did it not then lye in wickednesse Truly it was so since the world began it was never better from Abraham to Moses from Moses to Christs time and from Christs time to this the whole world lyes in wickednesse for otherwise to what end should Christ be slain from the foundation of the world if there were no need of a Redeemer else there had been no need of his sacrificing from the foundation of the world There were all errors in the world not as God made it but they suddenly corrupted themselves Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beast that perisheth Psal 49. 20. The word in the Original is he shall not sleep in it nor lodg in it meaning that hee shall not take one nights rest but become like a beast and clad with the skin of a beast So this is the condition of civill men that are like bruit beasts from the foundation of the world The Lord looked down from heaven and beheld the children of men And the Apostle interprets it of all men He looked downe and beheld all the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seeke God They are all gone aside they are all become filthy c. Psal 14. 2 3 4 5. This is the case of all men by nature The Apostle expounds it of all Jewes and Gentiles by nature in Rom. 3. 10. to 16. And in Gen. 6. 5. The Lord looked upon the earth and behâ—ld it was corrupt And in Gen. 11. v. 12. The earth also was corrupt before God c. And God saw that all the imaginations of mans heart were evill onely evill and that continually The word translated Imaginations in the Originall is The frame and bent of his thoughts is evill and onely evill and that continually bent to back-sliding from God not a good thought in any mans heart since the world began take him as hee is by nature not a good thought riseth in any mans heart not a good word from his lips nor
a good action from his hands Take him without the vertue of Christ since the world began there never rose a good thought in all mens hearts if there did it was by the vertue of this Lamb of God that was slaine from the foundation of the world The heart of man Jeremiah complained long before Christs time is deceitfull above measure and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9 Who can know the bottomlesse depth of it This is the very state of all the world since the world began the whole frame and state of the world is enmity against God Rom. 8 7. It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and that in such a deep measure you may see by the medicine that the Lord prepares for it it shews the depth of the depravation of the world from the beginning it hath been corrupt and incurable unlesse it were by the vertue of the death of Christ by the sonne of God made man taking upon him mans nature and the greatnesse and infinitenesse of the vertue of this remedie doth evidently argue the bottomlesse depth of the corruption of the world since the world began No man would bespeak a Smiths great hammer to break an egg-shell a man would think it a marvellous vanity if he should Truly the Lord hath prepared the strongest iron hammer to break the Serpents head and which is wonderfull this iron hammer the Lord Jesus that breaks all before it The stone cut out of the mountaine that breaks the iron mountaine of Rome Dan. 2. 34. It is the same it was it makes men many times wonder how they came to be well conceited of the old Religion when Antichrist reâ—gned then were golden dayes as they say then there was nothing but every man regarded other mens good as their own precious golden seasons in the old world then an easie matter would have perswaded them all but to what end was Christ slain from the beginning of the world if it were not full of wickednesse if it were not so tough that this hammer of hammers must come to break it in pieces If men were so tractable children to Parents servants to Masters and yoke-fellows so abundantly in sweetnesse and amiablenesse what needed Christ to be crushed in pieces Say not saith Solomon Eccles 7. 10. what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this It is not a wise question for the truth is thou art deceived to think the elder times were better it is true it is possible men by the policy of Satan may grow worse But take them at the best had there not been a Lamb slain to rescue the same from the corruption of it no flesh had been saved It is true in some ages when the Gospel found free passage there was some difference It was so in Davids time better then in Sauls and Solomons for a time better then in Davids and so in Hezekiah's time better then in Zedekiah's and so it hath been up and down but take it the best all flesh have corrupted their wayes there is not a good thought not a good word nor a good practice since the world began Sometimes in morall vertues men have more exceeded when the Devill knew they were farre off from spiritual grace he tempted them not when he knew he had them fast in a golden and silken chaine or cord of morall vertues so I may call them he led the prisoners of those dayes in a golden chaine The strong man armed kept the house all the time of the Grecian and Persian Monarchy long before Christ and if any were delivered it was by the death of Christ as well as now It is true we read in ancient Poets I think it was fetched out of Daniel from Nebuchadnezzars dreame there was a golden world and then a silver world and then a brasse and sometimes iron there was all The Babylonian Monarch was gold but when it was gold it was but golden fetters of sinne and a land of wickednesse that held men close to the Devill and the silver Monarch of Persia was but silver fetters and the brasse Monarch of Greece it was but brazen fetters It is true when Religion brake forth then hee put upon them more chaines strong beastly lusts men with men committing filthinesse Rom. 1. 17. These were iron chains to cary men captive to Satan He sees Learning break forth and therefore he layes stronger chains and bands upon them Be no more stiffe-necked lest your bands encrease saith the Lord and so from golden bands you have silver and from silver brasse and from brasse iron and all to lead you captive to your last execution And what is the difference if a man be pynion'd with a golden cord or a silver or a brazen and iron cord the one is more glittering then the other but all bring to destruction Therefore look at all the world living in wickednesse since the world began or else in vain was the Lamb slain The very frame of mans transgression brought in a necessity of a like remedy and therefore a like need of the blood of Christ And it is a vain Question as Solomon saith why the former times should be better then these so it is a vain apprehension that men have of themselves as good to say I thank God I have a good heart and you shall finde me tractable and reasonable though they be but naturall and so their children are very tractable you may lead them with a twinde theerd and need not use violence you may soon break them what then are you but eggshels what need then a iron hammer to crush all the power of the enemy do not you and your children stand in need of the virtue of the blood of the Lamb as much as others have since the world began That men have stood in need of the blood of the Lamb from the foundation of the world to rescue them from the power of the strong man if they were so tractable young or old I know there is a great difference between spirits God forbid we should defame the work of God in nature but take the best spirit there is unconceivable enmity in the best natur'd man against Christ there is an in-bred emnity against him ever since the world began as is impossible to be healed but by the blood of Christ Christ came to crush them whiles they are in the shell and unlesse he heal them verily children of a span long cannot be saved Therefore let no man flatter themselves in their good inclination there is that in us since the world began that Christ must be broken and crushed to break the league between us and the Devill Christ himselfe in his soule and body must be striken he kils himselfe by the stroke he gives to the enemy Folly is bound up in the heart of a child and it is noâ— goodnesse of nature or what ever
else you can talke of that will root it out nor the rod of correction unlesse the blood of the Lamb be sprinkled upon it and then it may be of great use and any other ordinance to bring them to the wayes of Christ Jesus Now if this were well stamped and revetted into the spirits of men it would humble proud flesh and not onely take them off from the free will of Popery and Arminianisme and a pack of such but I hope there is lesse need of speaking against such heresies but to set it home upon our own hearts whatever our fathers have been we their children are not better Some accidentall difference there may be but setting aside such accidentall differences for the substance of prevailing corruptions they have ruled and reigned in the hearts of men since the world began by invincible power unable to be subdued but onely by the blood of the Lamb And therefore you that are children of godly Parents hear this word and know it you bring such engagements into the world with you to the strong man and now are so engaged that unlesse Christ be broken for you and his death suffered for you and his blood shed for you you see how it is with younger and elder people and let all Parents tell it to their children and Masters to their servants and all that have to do with the world be not deluded with a good affection to your own nature you are in this is the state of all since the world began they are all sprauling in wickednesse and there is such a league between the Devil and them that unlesse the Lamb be slaughtered we cannot be saved Secondly Let all the sonnes of nature and all other sons of grace know that if Christ was slaughtered from the beginning of the world and onely to break the Serpents head which had plotted our destruction from the foundation of the world then certainly it is not possible we should live in those sinnes by which we have slaughtered Christ can any man that knows the difference between the right hand and left commit sinne that slaughters Christ Jesus and live and die in it well enough and think with himselfe that notwithstanding the lewd lusts that hurry me I shall do well enough with it an oath is not such a great matter or to sit â—ippling till we be drunk or gaining too much in bargains it is no such great matter I tell thee if it be breach of the law of God thou canst not live in it Christ himselfe could not it cost his breaking I speak nothing to the difference between mortall and veniall sins was it a veniall sin think ye that slaughtered the Son of God they have been breaking him since the world began and is it possible that if he lye a bleeding for sin is it possible that this or that sinne should be veniall and ought to be passed over be not deceived look what slaughter it hath brought of the chiefest of the world even the God of the world it slaughtered him and there are none of all his people that shall be saved by him but must be slaughtered in his lusts and passions they must be crucified with Christ if they have any part in him he was slaine from the beginning and so from first to last they must be crucified from the power of sinne or else they cannot be saved And therefore let no man blesse himself and think he shall do well enough though he continue in sin for the truth is there is no sin but cost Christs breaking and crushing and either thou must lay hold on his death and be conformable unto him or else thou shalt never have part in him it is tough work to slaughter sin let this slaughter of Christ cut off all out-runnings of sinne whether in thoughts words and deeds let it be as a slaughtering knife to all our lusts considering there is no taking leave in this and that for the truth is it cost the very blood of Christ Thirdly It may teach us the unity of our Religion with the Religion of the ancient Patriarks since the world began how did they look to be saved In Acts 15. 11. they all looked to be saved by grace and by the blood of the Lord Jesus as we doe in doing and suffering all for them and we know no other way There is no name under heaven whereby wee must be saved but onely the name of Christ and by that we are saved from the guilt and filth of sinne and supplyed with grace to conformâ— us to Christ Jesus and to make us like to him our head and husband there is the old way of salvation and it is the same now there is unity and true antiquity The Papists speak much of antiquities but let them bring no other way of salvation but the blood of the Lamb and we will look at them as Churches for point of salvation we will grant them the right hand of fellowship if they will look for no salvation neither from free will nor from merits of their own nor from the intercession of Saints and Angells nor from dispensations of the Pope nor from the going on pilgrimage nor from the satisfaction of Saints but that they look for salvation onely from the blood of the Lamb truly we will give them the right hand of fellowship let them have errours there may be many errours otherwise but let them hold there and look for all salvation there and rest not upon any other hopes of salvation but what they receive from the blood of the Lamb by faith in him for so alone it is received faith in the blood of the Lamb breeds and sheds abroad every grace in some measure and makes fruitfull No man hath washed his roabs in the blood of the Lamb but is fit to walk with Christ in white to justification to his sanctification Rev. 7. 14. And so you shall have a true and perfect agreement in Religion if that we agreed upon looking there for salvation and put not salvation else-where but when men magnifie nature and pinch upon and extenuate the blood of Christ and in their deep devotion you shall have pictured here is the blood of Christ and the blood of the sonne of the Virgin when he looks upon the sonne of the Virgin he thinks there is perfect salvation but when he looks upon other things to the miâ—k of his mother oh there is more sweetnesse in milk then in blood when he looks againe to the passion of Christ then he priseth that but when he looks to the tendernesse of his mâ—â—her hee thinkes there is more in that And thus doth their blasphemous devotion hang between the milk of the mother and the blood of the Lamb which argues their religion is transported to a notion of the blood of the Lamb and they are captive hither and thither and any whether rather then to the blood of Christ Fourthly It may be of
instruction to us that never any evill can befall us but there is a remedy prepared before it come upon us The Lamb was slaine from the beginning of the world Though we lived before Christs time and much more if after it there is no sinne that Adam nor his wife committed but there was a remedy prepared for it before the foundation of the world it was of infinite value it was provided from eternity and promised from the foundation of the world it was shadowed in types and exhibited in sundry representations and in the lively efficacy of it in the hearts and lives of his people since the world began All that we read of Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob of David and Solomon of Kings Priests and Prophets and Apostles what have they all been but lively representations and foot-steps of the power of the blood of the Lamb the Lord provided his slaughter of the Lamb for the redemption of all his people out of the world before the world began It is many a conceit that Christians have this and that might have fallen out better if such means had been taken in time such a mans life had been saved according as Martha said unto our blessed Saviour in John 11. 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed why so Christ had been able to heal him By what virtue shall he raise a man from death to life Is it not by the virtue of his death and resurrection If it be was not his death and resurrection before the world began For it is of infinite value and therefore though he came four dayes after Lazarus death was past yet he came timely enough for he brought virtue with him and so let no man say if I had known as much now as before I should not have done thus By what virtue should you have been preserved if there be any saving benefit it must be by the blood of the Lamb for it is from that that we look for all our redemption from all afflictions and temptations from his blood then there was remedy enough before but it was not applyed because God hath some other work more heavenly and spirituall and usefull to us then the accomplishment of our hearts desire then the repairing of our losses and crosses So then this is of speciall use to us that if his blood be shed from the foundaâ—ion of the world then the remedy is never too late If we thinke if we had not known many things we might have saved a world of sorrow why did we not was it because there was no balm in Gilead or no vettue in the blood of the Lamb or that the vertue of it is dryed up No God forbid but the Lord hath some other exercise for us to make us conformable to Christ he would have us more weaned from the world and more Christ-like and more Lamb-like more spirituall and every way more conformable to Christ and for that his blood was sufficient for he came not to save us from crosses but from curses from any thing that might hurt our soules as might break our heads as might hurt our union with Christ and communion with his spirit for that it may be of value it was of value 4000. yeares before his coming in the flesh and do you think it is not of value 4000. yeares after it is not yet 2000. yeares since his coming but 1600. and some odde then be perswaded that the blood of Christ is still lively and fresh to remove all sinne and crosses and to leave a gracious Tincture on all crosses to do us more good then if we were without them This is the efficacy of this blood which is a stay to Christians that are troubled with the power of their corruptions and temptations they are not able to overcome and resist such temptations why not able If all the powers of hell come against you verily there was a remedy provided long ago and it was abundantly efficacious foure thousand yeares before and it is of more efficacy now though they had the Gospel before yet not in that clear manifestation and therefore if you read that Abraham sacrificed and he pleased God but I doubt my prayers and my prophecyingâ— please not God why do they not Abraham knew of the meanes whereby he should please God 〈◊〉 walked with God but I shall never keep â—uch fellowship with him he was reconciled to God and there was no meanes of reconciliation but by the blood of the Lamb it is able to put strength 〈…〉 faith Abraham 〈…〉 Countrey and his Fathers he use onely because 〈…〉 blood of the Lamb and if he prevailed so far why not we â—f he was fully satisfied in the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 by believing him that had promised what 〈◊〉 it that his death iâ— not of infinite value 〈◊〉 as well as before If Joseph was able to withstand his wanton 〈◊〉 doubtless there is the like power now how shall I crucifie the Sonne of God and put him to open 〈◊〉 Thus poor Christians work upon this infinite vertue and lively power of the death of Christ it wondeâ—fully calmes and purifies the heart it mightily strengthens against all corruption and what ever riseth in the hearts of Gods people that prevailes against them it is because the blood of the Lamb is not applyed otherwise it could not be they should be dead-hearted and blind-spirited and many times at a losse in this and that practice and wrestling with this and that temptation it springs only from want of applying the efficacy of this blood which hath been of such infinite vertue from the beginning of the world Rev. 13. 9 10. If any man have an eare let him heare He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity Hee that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and the faith of the Saints IF any man have an eare let him heare What should he heare For when he doth often use this phrase in the second and third Chapter he tells you what they shall heare Heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Now he doth not put in that object of hearing but yet taking his meaning he meanes that which the Spirit hath sayd unto you in the former description of the Beast especially that which he said to them in the words before going to wit the universality of the worshippers of the Beast and the certain destruction of those that do worship him and the preservation of the elect children of God from that contagion It is meet to be heard that such a Beast would come into the world as the Roman visible Church and that he hath in him the resemblance of all the old Empires of the Lyon of Babell of the Beare of Persia of the Leopard of Greece and of other Beasts and of that other Beast the old Roman Pagan Empire And it is not unworthy to be heard the wound that should be given gim by
the Churches and Saints of Christ that have been overcome or have suffered any hard-ship from any of these Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people the Lord will one day visite them all and he will one day root them out of the land of the living They shall one day know what pillars and scourges and fire and faggot meanes what torments meane what bloody inquisitions meane They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes Here is the patience and faith of the Saints The third note is this The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours against Heathenish idolatry The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs and will write many Legends of them as the Pharisees they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets and yet killed their Successors Fulfill saith Christ the measure of your fathers You garnish the sepulchers of the dead bodies and yet you kill their Successors They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs but what are those that suffered in Switzerland in France in England in Germany They look at those as Lolards and Hereticks But what saith the Lord of them Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times the Lord doth accept their sufferings and saith of them Here is the patience and faith of the Saints Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast and patience to be the patience and faith of the Saints The world saith otherwise but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast Here is the patience and faith of the Saints So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth as well as in ancient times Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus in the hottest and highest times of Popery The Reason is evident First because the faith of such Christians and their patience was the faith and patience of Christ That is to say that which both fastned upon Christ and bore witnsse unto Christ and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions And it was such a faith as by which they overcame the world 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus even that faith by which they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand and in their hands and the point is of like nature Roman Idolatry is but another Edition and their Errors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shouâ—d be the faith of Gods elect And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him it is then the patience of Christ It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas as under Herod It is true in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar in the other as a blasphemer but the case is all one No matter what the persons 〈…〉 Christian in profession Iâ— the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer 〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern and suffer under Christians against Christians 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors For the use of the point Fiâ—st it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks Jesus Christ from heaven saith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Do not therefore count it obstinacy and contumacy in heresie nor pravity It is the faith and patience of the Saints if Chrâ—st calls it so his word must carry it When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate whose word shall stand then his or theirs He will say here is the cruelty and outrage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death Secondly It may serve to teach us how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were so many Saints or faithfull Martyrs of Christ are those who have thus suffered This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned in Smithfield or else-where and upon the chains wherewith they are bound A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be constant in the profession of the Gospel and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints We must not therefore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth and to hold it to the death If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men what ever the world say of it the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it That it is the patience and faith of the Saints Thirdly it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause Otherwise unlesse it be the cause of Christ it is no patience but obstinacy blindenesse and ignorance But see that your cause be the cause of Christ and then cleave unto it by the invincible â—aith of Gods elect to overcome the world and look Lyons and Dragons in the facâ— without fear and astonishment and look at punishment and tortour as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater and other of the Saints of God have gone before uâ— in the like or a greater martyrdome Therefore first look to the cause and then believe in the truth of the cause and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme and cause them to hold out unto the end But do not take up your reformation upon custome nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you for it behooves every christian man to know well what he beleives and practise and to know the doctrine of Christ and the Government and the worship of Christ and that not because men say so but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God Then your next care is to look that you depend upon Christ for strength that as he suffered for you you may be able to suffer for him ther 's the faith of Gods children And for
60 why pleasing to the flesh 117 Power of the Beast whence it iâ— p. 22. 115. and what it is 23 What Power Princes have over the Church what not 39 Princes Power ought to be limited 73 We should pray for the Beasts ruine 95 Christs Purchase for his people 171 R. THe blood of Christ a Ransome for sinne page 176 Popish repentance no better then Judas repentance 212 Reconciliation with God the purchase of Christs blood 171 Roman Catholicke visible Church described p. 2. 7. And whence this first Beast did arise 9 When Rome-Pagan ended and Rome-Christian began 5 S. SAints alwayes victorious page 106 No Salvation in the Romish Church 215 What is meant by Sea 8 Christ slaine p. 168 and wherefore p. 170. and how slaine from the beginning of the world 189 The Spirit is purchased by Christs death 172 Sufferers for Christ and his cause are blessed 219 Sweden is one of the ten Horns 50 T. TEnths is the number of the beasts name pag. 253. 257 Thâ—odosius overâ—hrew the Temples 88 The Turk invincible whilst the Pope stands 50 V. UNiversality and prosperity no notes of a true Church page 57 Union purchased by Christs death 172 W. VVAldenses and Albingenses slaine to the number of 1000000. page 100 Saints are Saints in Warre as well as in Peace 108 Such as War against Antichrist are called Saints 106 A warning from checks of Providence 44 The Beast makes War with the Saints 98 The great words of the Beast 65 Works and grace opposite 210 Popish worship is the worship of the Devill 58 ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. r. a part l 17. r. they are p 4. l. 17. r. Pagan p 8. l. 19. r. partions p. 9. l. 26. r. Decemviri l. 28. r. was p. 14. l. 34. r is it p. 16. l. 17. r. is it l. ult r. edefied p. 18. l. 3. r. examination p. 29. l. 34. r. edefied l. 35. r. bring p. 30. l. 25. r. passeth p 31. l. 37. r. Church will p. 32. l. 3. r. they p. 33. l. 24. r. Decemviries p. 34. l. 23. r. some such l. 35. r. must therefore p. 43. l. 32. r. sacrifice p. 62. r. delegation p. 6â— l. 27. r. Dan. 7. 8. p. 64. l. 16. r. audible p. 82. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 38. r. there p. 37. l. 17 r. prevaricate p. 90. l. 14. r. many p. 91. l. 22. r. talke p. 123. l. 21 r. Albigenses l. 29. r. suiâ—â— p. 124. l. 24. r. without p. 129. l. 29 r. men p. 132. l 24. r. acceptation p. 145 l. ult r. irrevocable p. 159. l. 6. r. unexcusable p. 157. l. 31. r. many p. 160. l. 6. r. antiquity p. 178. l. 23. r. applyed to p. 181. l. 19. r. repetitions p. 182. 29. r. the. p. 184. 36. r. grace p 211. l. 28. r. stony p. 229. l. 36. r. appeals FINIS The Analysis of this 13. Chapter of the Revelation This Chapter contains the Warr which the Dragon or Devill made against the Woman or Church mentioned in the last verse of the foregoing Chapter which is managed by two Beasts as his Instruments First beast is described v. 1. to 11 by his 1 Originall or Fountaine whence he springs viz. the Sea vers 1. 2. Shâ—pe or Figure having 7. Heads with the Title of blasphemy upon them ib. 10. Horns with Crowns upon them ibid. A Body like unto a Leopard or Panther v. 2. Feet as of a Beare ibid. A mouth as of a Lyon ibid. 3. State which is set forth by 1. The efficient Cause viz. the Dragon he gave his power and authority ibid. 2. The variable change of it 1. 'T was great being cal'd Power Seat Authority 2. One head was wounded as it were to death v. 3. 3. That Head was healed ib. and the effects thereof 1. The worlds wondring ibid. 2. The worshipping of the Beast and Dragon v. 4. 3. Liberty to blaspheme v. 5. 6. 4. Power to continue 42. moneths overcom the Saints v. 7. 5. The amplitude or largenesse of his Dominion v. 7 8. 3. A Conclusion containing a word of Attenttors and Consolation v. 9 10. 1. His Originall He comes on t of the earth vers 11. 2. A Similitude or Resemblance in 3. things viz. to 1. A Lamb in his horns ibid. 2. A Dragon in his speech ibid. 3. The first Beast in the exercise of his Power v. 12. 3. The particular Exercises of his Power or effâ—cts of it viz. Hee 1. Procures Adoration to the first beast ibid. 2. Doth great wonders making fire come down from heaven in the sight of men ver 13. 3. Deceives them that dwell on the earth by those miracles v. 14. 4. Doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had a wound by the sword and did live ibid. 5. Animates and gives life to the Image of the Beast that it should have both power to speake and to cause as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast to be killed v. 15. 6. Causeth all sorts of men small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead or at least the Name of the Beast or the number of his name or otherwise he excludes them not only from spirituall but also civill Commerce v. 16 17. The number of his Name is also ver 18. illustrated 1. By the wisdome needfull to the understanding of it 2. By an exhortation to search out and count it 3. To be the number of a man expresly decyphered to be 666. The Reader is desired to correct with his pen these faults amongst others which through precipitance of the Press have fallen to the prejudice of the sence Page Line Read 2 2 a part 6 31 give 9 26 Decemvirs 11 30 much  34 whole  last lasted long 13 34 persumed 14 36 is it not 16 17 is it not  29 Metropolitan  last edefied 29 35 bring  37 primitive 36 11 head of the.  37 Supremacy 37 6 incompatible 64 10 premeditation  16 audible 65 29 derision 66 10 Pope that is the 69 6 Cantury  20 could not for would 73 11 clouds to keep them from the earth  ib. Firmament to the clouds  31 blot out a. 75 27 Pontifex 82 2 limited  28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   blot out ever 83 35 a definite or indefinite time 87 17 prevaricate  25 there was no place 88 8 Theodosius  20 for scores of r. number 90 13 time for the moneth  14 many for may 95 1 the children of Israel in the land of Aegypt 101 36 readinesse for necessity 102 2 even for him and 107 32 they are not hereticks  35 if not they 109 13 not lift up  22 holinesse  28 hand for head 115 6 blot out Exasia 116 24 the Pope was 117 10 Abominations 123 21 Waldenses and Albâ—ngenses  29 suite for smite 124 24 Without mixture 129 penult of life for of the life 134 1 else they may not  3 the booke of life of  25 Wherein whoever is not  33 blot out out of 141 34 35 the world it carryeth away them 145 lâ—st irrevocable 146 8 receive him  31 there be in us 148 13 blasting 150 10 how for now  13 many times  30 seale for search  32 after worke for Christ make 155 34 that for as 159 4 This is for this this  6 unexcusable 165 31 many times  23 applyed to thee 178 29 the stay 182 1 of temptations 184 36 way of grace  19 in Sauls and Solomons 197 â—â— take it at the best 198 â—9 And 〈…〉 201 2 blot out in doing and suffering all for them 206 12 which be haâ—h 208 21 not for nor  29 tells you of the.  30 blot out to in that sentence and to the holy Citie they 209 4 not for nor 210 19 subtile 211 7 word for world 215 28 â—â—ony for strong 218 27 tale for taile 229 15 appointed time is come 231 36 appeals 236 12 the Church 237 23 the head of this beast 239 10 Congregations to  4 5 speech of the sins of Christians in c.  35 blot out as  36 for a great 240 16 loth for loft 241 28 given for gotten 246 9 me for men  2 account 247 27 〈…〉 249 25 as well 251 31 then let all 252 14 of it more 253 8 pretty 256 6 victory  10 born witnesse against  11 a Papist so far 257 6 sixe more in 259 17 in the foundation 〈◊〉 Doct. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Doctr. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. ☞ Note Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Doctr. 2. Quest 1. Answ Quest 2. Answ Quest 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Doctr. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctr. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Answ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doctr. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Doctrine 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 2. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Doctrine 1. Doct. 2. Vse 1. V se 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse 7. Doctrine Parker Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4.