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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25887	A great wonder in heaven, or, A lively picture of the militant church drawn by a divine pencill : Revel. 12, 1, 2 : discoursed on in a sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons, at Margarets, Westminster, on the last monethly fast-day, January 27, 1646/7 / by John Arrowsmith ...	Arrowsmith, John, 1602-1659.	1647 (1647)	Wing A3776; ESTC R441	30,018	49

those pains force her to cry 1 The woman was with childe This Apocalypse being the last peece of Scripture hath a retrospect to the former canonicall books well nigh in all the passages of it Most of the phrases in this chapter seem to be allusions either to the story of Israel as related by Moses or of Christ as reported by the Evangelists For example the womans crying may looke back to the dolefull cry of Israel in Egypt by reason of bondage her flying into the desart and nourishment there to the wildernesse into which Israel was led and where Manna was sent them from heaven to feed upon Her being delivered of a man-childe to the Virgin Mary's bringing forth of Christ being watched by a Dragon ready to devoure her childe to Herods lying in wait to murther Christ the childs being caught up to God and his Throne to our Saviours Ascention and sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high In conformity to which notions it may be said that as the Virgin Mary conceived Christ when she had been over-shadowed with the Holy Ghost so when the Spirit came down at Pentecost upon the Apostles the Primitive Church fell with childe The words are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} having in her wombe Never was the Church more pregnant for shee then had in her wombe all those converts that were brought forth to God in the severall Nations of the world by the ministry of the first Evangelicall teachers and of their immediate successours 2 This being with child brought her in time unto her travell which consisted partly in the pious endeavours of zealous Christians to bring in others to Christ it being a principle with such that he walkes unanswerably to his new-birth who doth not desire and labour to see others new-borne whence it is that Augustin commends his mother Monica for putting her selfe to more trouble in being instrumentall to his regeneration then shee had been at in bringing him forth into the world partly and especially in the great and uncessant labours of her Apostles Evangelists other Officers to disperse the Gospel throughout the world for its conversion to the faith and making good of that prophesie Isa. 54. 1. Sing barren thou that dost not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travell with child for more are the children of the desolate then the children of the marryed wife sayth the Lord As also of that Isa. 65. 8. Who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such things shall the earth 〈◊〉 made to bring forth in one day or shall a nation be borne at once for as soon as Zion travelled shee brought forth her childe Yee have to this purpose a most emphaticall speech of Paul Gal. 4. 19. My little children of whom I travell in birth again untill Christ be formed in you 3 Her travell was accompanyed with sore pains which were increased by the opposition shee met withall from two sorts of men Persecutors and Hereticks That which arose from the one sort was more violent that which came from the other more fraudulent but both exceeding dolorous The former had more of the Lyon in it that terme Scripture puts upon Tyrants Jer. 4. 7. The Lyon is come up from his thicket and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way the latter more of the Fox which is the name given to seducers Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes Satan in the one shewed himselfe a Dragon and a Serpent in the other Lion and Fox Dragon and Serpent all conspire to inlarge the Churches sorrows 4 Being thus in paine shee could not hold from crying out 1 To God in her prayers As Acts 4. from the 24th Verse to the 31. They lift up their voyce to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God c. Of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anoynted both Herod and Pontius Pilate which the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together And now Lord behold their threatnings c. 2 To men in her Apologies Those of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles those of Justin Martyr Tertullian and others afterwards what were they else but the cryes of this woman travelling in birth and pained to be delivered This may suffice for a briefe explication of the words The way to improve them in this Auditory will be to accommodate these materials to the State of things among our selves AFter some overtures of a Match in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth the Reformed Church in this Kingdome was solemnly marryed to Jesus Christ when the Scepter was swayed by Edward the Sixth that godly young Prince as became the Bridegrooms friend rejoycing greatly because of the Bridegrooms voice The famous nine and thirty Articles of her Confession then framed were an evident signe of her being with child and that a thorow Reformation was then conceived though but conceived Many and fore were the breeding fits she conflicted with in Queene Mary's days and such as gave occasion to fear that she would have miscarried But God sent her ease from heaven under the succeeding Princes in which condition she went on for a long while drawing still neerer and neerer her time Six yeers agoe after this Parliament had sate awhile it was generally believed that shee was false into her travell And in the midst of all those sorrows which have befaln England since her friends encouraged themselves with this hope that the quicker and sharper her pains grew the liker shee was to be speedily delivered of that man-child which was by them so greedily expected But behold as if all these had been but fore-runners of her labour not bearing-throws she continues still in pain insomuch as they now begin to think shee has not gone her full time and earnestly to desire shee may because they feare nothing more than an abortive Reformation However evident it is not only that her pains are multiplyed but that they are caused partly by the malignity of her enemies who have embroyled her in a bloudy Civill War and thereby given her occasion to breath out the Prophets complaint Jer. 4. 19 20. My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart makes a noyse in mee I cannot hold my peace because thou hast heard ô my soul the sound of the trumpet the alarm of War Destruction upon destruction is cryed for the whole land is spoyled Partly from the animosities and disagreement of her members then which nothing is more dolorous to quiet spirits Let mee tell you how a great Scholar once profest himselfe affected with the like times I know not saith he what pleasure other men may take in this age but I am extreamly troubled at it because there is such contention and siding such wrrngling and jangling on every side For my part I had rather be a seller of herbs and roots or a man of the

to be clothed therewith Surely because the Lord Jesus Christ is of the same use to his Church that apparell is of to the body of man It serves for covering shelter and ornament In like manner 1 Christ covers the Church with his graces I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation hee hath covered mee with the robe of righteousnesse Isa. 61. 10. That which Iob speaks of himselfe in a naturall is true of him and all men else in a spirituall sense naked came I into the world and there is none but continues so till he come to be apparell'd by Christ who therefore adviseth the Church of Laodicea to buy of him white raiment that shee might be clothed Revel. 3. 18. Paul having exhorted the Romans to walke honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envie instead of adding put on temperance chastity and such other graces as have in them a contrariety to the fore-mentioned sins chooseth rather to say as a late interpreter well observes put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ because he is the only fountain of all grace and without the putting on of his righteousnesse first by an hand of faith ours will never exceed that of Philosophers and Pharisees yea because even when the Spirit of God hath enabled us to good we have need of Christ to hide the deformity of our best performances 2 Christ shelters the Church by his merits from the wrath of God as apparrell doth our bodies from the cold and injuries of the weather Iesus is he which delivered us from the wrath to come 1 Thes. 1. last Paul therefore desires to be found in Christ Phil. 3. 9. as one would to be found in his clothes when a biteing frost comes which if he were naked would pinch him to death Christ is so beloved of God and God is so well pleased with Christ as in him to love and in him to be well pleased with all his members even of that whole mysticall body whereof he is head 3 Christ adornes his Church putting upon her a comlinesse far beyond that of other Societies spoken of Ezek. 16. 14. Thy renowme went forth among the heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comlinesse which I had put upon thee saith the Lord God That excellencie of Jacob by which God swears Amos 8. 7. is not to be understood of the Temple at Jerusalem as some would have it for God useth not to sweare by creatures that were to practice what he hath forbidden us but by himselfe Heb. 6. 13. Junius therefore expounds it of Christ whose essence is the same with the Fathers and who is indeed the Churches excellencie He it is that makes the Kings daughter to be all glorious within Psal. 45. that renders a poore Saint in his russet fuller of bravery then a prophane son of Belial in his scarlet one of their souls being apparrelled with Christ himselfe whilst the others is clad only with the rags of the first not robes of the second Adam I go on to another rare perfection of this woman which is her having The Moon under her feet In explication whereof I shall follow the stream of Expositours who some few only excepted make the moon here an emblem of the world and not 〈◊〉 fitly seeing it is 1 Full of spots Insomuch as the Saints whose main care is to be found of God in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. finde it a very difficult matter and an high point of Religion while they walke and converse in the world to keepe themselves unspotted from it Jam. 1. last The heirs of heaven come to be maculated more or lesse notwithstanding their watchfulnesse As for worldlings whose spot is not the sp●● of Gods children Deut. 32. 5. no Leopard is more spotted then they Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may yee also do good th●● are accustomed to doe evill That beast they say though it be stead will appear spotted still the spots inhering in its flesh as well as its skin Such are these men without and within in conversation and in heart all over full of spots 2 Subject to many changes never continuing long in a shape somtimes an horned somtimes 〈◊〉 halfe and somtimes a full moon So the world is a stage of vicissitudes constant only in its inconstancie The fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. It is never long in one garbe As soon may the moon be suited with a coat that will alwayes fit it as the world with any accommodation that will alwayes give content with any condition that will alwayes last The fool changeth as the moon fayth the son of Syrach And as worldlings are changlings so the world it selfe passeth away and the lusts thereof 1 John 2. 17. 3 The cause of many diseases especially of the filling-sicknesse Scripture speaking of such as were troubled therewith calls them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Lunaticks or moon-struck Mat. 4. 24. The symptomes of falling somtimes into the fire somtimes into the water of tearing foaming gnashing exprest by the Evangelists clearly shew what disease the man had of whom his father said {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mat. 17. 15. The word in like manner renders the soule apt to be troubled with a spirituall falling-sicknesse nothing exposing men to apostasie more then worldlinesse Demas sayth Paul hath forsaken me having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. and again The love of money is the root of all evill which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith 1 Tim. 6. 10. Many fearing the world would fall out with them fall off from God Spira revolted meerly in hope to preserve his estate and so lost himselfe But why is the moon sayd to be under the womans feet that must now be our next enquiry The phrase imports victory over and contempt of persons or things Thus in Psal. 47. 3. He shall subdue the people under us and the Nations under our feet You know how the five Kings were used by Joshua how Tamberlane served Bajazet and what was prophesied of Christ Psal. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot stool So as the womans having the moon under her feet seems to imply the Churches being inabled by Christ to overcome and trample upon the Elements the Affronts and the enjoyments of this world 1 The elements of the world spoken of Gal. 4. 3 9. which one of great insight into this mysticall booke of the Revelation understanding both of Mosaicall ceremonies and of heathenish worship makes account that the clause in my Text which we are now discoursing of relates to that victory which the Primitive

esteemed the rock of his salvation Deut. 32. 15. I spake to thee in thy prosperity but then saidst I will not heare Ier. 32. 21. why should Christians then be friends to that world which is such an enemy both to their salvation and to their Saviour Her being crowned with twelve Stars may serve 1 To beget in us honourable thoughts of the Ministers calling How mean soever their persons be yet are they Stars and that in the right hand of Christ Revel. 1. 20. an expression that argues affection to them as when Jacob called the son whom he meant to love for his dying mothers sake by the name of Benjamin or the son of his right hand nor only so but care of them according to that Psal. 17. 7. Shew thy marvellous loving kindnesse O thou that savest by thy right hand and that Psal. 80. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thy selfe I know there are many wandring stars as Iude calls the false teachers of that age in the 13th verse of his Epistle men that made a fair shew but had no substance of truth in them and are therefore in that and the foregoing verse compared to clouds but without water to trees but without fruit and to stars but without light I am far from taking upon me to plead for any such but fear not to professe my selfe an advoca●e for all those that are godly gifted and faithfull in the work of their ministry throughout the Land the rather because there was never more never so much contesting against their Office as now But who are they that thinke themselves able to wrest from Christ that which he holds in his right hand and do not rather fear lest he stretch out this hand of his to the crushing of all those that go about to crush his stars Godly Ministers when they are slighted and injured most may comfort themselves by considering that it is the fate of stars to appear much lesse to the eyes of men then indeed they are and that they who during life are as Stars in Christs right hand favoured and protected by him shall after death be as stars at his right hand glorified with him according to that Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise or they that be teachers shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever There will soon be an end of their labours and sufferings but none of their glory 2 To put us all upon prizing Apostolicall doctrine as the Crown of our Church and Nation Let Italy boast of her rich Copes stately Altars curious Images which are so far from adorning a Church as that they doe indeed defile it the Crown and glory of England is that she hath maintained the truth of Christ and enjoyed the light of the twelve Stars deposited in this blessed booke Did I only say shee hath maintained the truth of Christ may I not venture to assert that shee doth maintain it If not the next assertion must be that of the Lamentations Chap. 5. 16 The crown is fallen from our heads not unto us But I hope better things of the Kingdom and such as accompany Reformation though I thus speake Doubtlesse the Confession of Faith lately presented to the Honourable Houses by the Assembly of Divines who have therein expressed the sense of many millions beside themselues will abundantly manifest to the world that this crown is not wholy fallen from Englands head yet I fear there is cause enough to acknowledge that it doth not stand so fast on as heretofore by reason of the many Opinionists whose main employment is to shake it Verily whosoever bears a loyall heart to Jesus Christ cannot but grieve to see the jewels of that crown which he hath provided for his Churches head pawned and sold and embezled as they are to see not only Arminians Libertines and Socinians gratified in abundance of their principles but even Mahumetans closed with by some in what they hold concerning the authority of Scripture and concerning the deity of Jesus Christ and of God the Holy Ghost Yet notwithstanding would we all in the strength of Christ set our selves for time to come to buy the truth which none should sell and when truth hath been sold by others to redeem it I doubt not but within a while that would become applyable to England which the Prophet speaks of Zion Isa. 62. 3. Thou shalt also be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall Diadem in the hand of thy God 3 Inferences from the order of these perfections 1 That men will never contemne the world till they have learned to put on Christ The woman is first clothed with the Sun then gets the Moon under her feet not till then The world tastes bitter to a soule that hath got the relish of Christ and is amiable only to such as know him not The stars that shine with some lustre all the night when the sun riseth in the morning hide their heads and appear not being so out-shined as to be obscured by that more glorious light Such are all worldly excellencies to a soule wherein Christ is risen A man can then slight the things for which he formerly valued himselfe To Zacheus gold is not the same thing after conversion and before it Now he makes restitution and cares not how little hee leave himselfe so he be not left by Christ 2 That men will never prize the Gospel as their Crown till they have learned to contemne the world The Moons being under the womans feet goes before her having a crown of twelve stars upon her head Those in the parable who had no minde to come to the marriage supper but desired to be excused fetch all their excuses from worldly affairs That in Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousnesse implies that an heart inclined to covetousnesse will never give the Oracles of God their due esteem Luther who gloried in nothing more then the Gospel of Christ and ventured all for it is reported to have profest that he was never so much as tempted by Satan to that sin The Pope tryed to win him by money which it seems was more rhen the Devill had done but upon tryall made the answer which his agents returned was That the German beast cared not for gold Hitherto of the first Verse Come we now to that other part of the description which concerns the Churches weake and perillous condition laid down in the second And shee being with child cryed travelling in birth and pained to be delivered Where there is a kinde of gradation the steps whereof will help to bound and likewise to methodize our discourse after this manner Shee is with childe her being with childe introduceth a travell that travailing is attended with pains

according to Christ Jesus neither will our heavenly Father ever be glorified by all his own children with one minde and one mouth according to their duty In an Army where the severall Regiments are distinguished by severall colours yet all under command of one Generall and engaged in one common cause if the souldiers by reason of some diversity in their colours should mistake one another for foes and accordingly charge every one upon those of the Regiment next adjoyning how inevitable would the ruine of such an host of men be The Church of Christ is an Army with Banners there alwayes hath been and will alwayes be some variety of opinion even among the good Souldiers of Jesus Christ But so long as they are all obedient to the known commands of the Captain Generall of their salvation as the Scripture styles Christ this variety should not ingage them in the destruction of one another lest thereby the Armies of the living God come to be destroyed and preyed upon by the common enemy 3 Encourage the woman in her travell as Rachels midwife once did Gen 35. 16 17. Rachel travelled and she had hard labour and it came to passe when shee was in hard labour that the midwife sayd unto her fear not thou shalt have this son also Shee had born Joseph before now the midwife puts her in hope of Benjamin We have already through the unspeakable blessing of God upon your Counsels and Forces obteined deliverance from a mighty adverse power that would have ruined us Reformation is that which we are now groaning for what satisfaction would it give to heare you saying to England Fear not thou shalt have this son also The Church as I intimated before is sayd to travell in the labour of those her agents that are called to employments of the greatest moment and difficulty such are Magistrates Ministers Souldiers and to the first of these sorts it belongs to encourage the other two Hezekiah was a great reformer and it may be observed that there is mention twice made of his speaking comfortably to certain persons 2 Chron. 30. 22. Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord And again Chap. 32. 6. He set Captains of War over the people and gathered them together and spake comfortably to them If our faithfull and valiant Souldiers have not received due encouragement let them have it I beseech you to the full and let mee have leave to speake a few words in behalfe of our godly Ministers whose assistance how useless soever it may be accounted in other affairs cannot be spared in Ecclesiasticall Reformations Israel was not brought out of Egypt but by the concurrence of Moses Aaron nor the second Temple built but by joynt endevours of Zerubbabel and Joshuah It hath bin formerly sayd by one out of this Pulpit that you have nothing at all to doe in reforming the Church by another that none but you have to doe in the government of it I fear not to call both these extreams and beg your attention to those that take the middle way whose unanimous voyce to the Parliament of England concerning extirpation of Heresies and removall of abuses out of the Church is that of She●●aniah to Ezra Arise for THIS MATTER BELONGS TO THEE we also will be with thee be of good courage and doe it We live in an age wherein are many that doe evill with both hands earnestly as the Prophet speaks Micah 7. 3. There is therefore need that both our hands should be employed in doing good Now the two hands of a Christian Kingdom are the Magistracy and Ministry thereof The businesse of Reformation cals for both As we commonly use our hands for the washing and cleansing of each other So if the Minister be extravagant the Magistrate may correct him then the right hand washeth the left If the Magistrate doe amisse the Minister may admonish him then the left hand clenseth the right But he that makes use of one hand to cut off the other with destroys his body such would our condition be if either Ministers should suffer the Magistracy to be cryed down or Magistrates permit the Ministry to be debased Scripture and experience bid us hope that Amalek shall then be foyled and Israel prevail when faith in Christ and zeal for truth shall support both these hands as Aaron and Hur did those of Moses upon the mount Lastly for a conclusion of all let the prayer of faith be of greatest activity when the woman is found to be in greatest extremity Time was when things were at such a passe even with Jerusalem in a day of trouble rebuke and blasphemy that the children were come to the birth but 〈◊〉 was no strength to bring forth Isa. 37. 3. The case may pe●haps be ours at present though I will not say it is 〈…〉 am the wisest course we can possibly take is to follow 〈◊〉 ●zekiahs good example who upon that sad occasion 〈◊〉 not only pray himselfe vers 15. but send to Isaiah req●●ring him to lift up a Prayer for the remnant that was 〈◊〉 vers. 4. Verily Honourable and beloved there is as 〈◊〉 need of fasting and prayer at this day as ever there 〈◊〉 since our troubles began But the assembling of our 〈◊〉 from moneth to moneth will be in vain unlesse that whi●● is tendred to God be the fasting of sincerity and prayer 〈◊〉 faith If while we fast our lusts be surfeited and 〈…〉 outcry our devotion we must expect to have it much lon●er yet ere the childe be borne Wherefore to add streng●● to our faith and alacrity to our prayers let us feed 〈◊〉 those interrogations which have the force of a promise 〈◊〉 them Isa. 66 9. Shall I bring to the birth and not cause 〈◊〉 bring forth sayth the Lord I that cause to bring forth shall I shut the wombe sayth thy God For my part when 〈◊〉 consider that Temple-worke hath been alwayes accomplished not by might or by power but by the spirit of the Lor● and call to minde how many mountains are already 〈…〉 before his Zerubbabels I am filled with hopes 〈◊〉 you the Worthies of our Israel whose souls have 〈◊〉 all this while to bring forth a Reformation shall 〈◊〉 day see the travell of your souls be fully satisfied 〈◊〉 as Jesus Christ would not save his people by halves 〈◊〉 leave the worke of purchasing redemption for them 〈◊〉 had brought it to a Consummatum est so he will not 〈◊〉 his Church by halves but carry on the blessed work 〈◊〉 Reformation till not we only but all they through●●● the world whose expectations are fastned upon it sha●● cause to rejoyce and say It is finished FINI● Exod. 3. 3 5. Isa. 54. 11. Psal. 80. 13. Math. 10. 16. Certum est mihi hic agi de Ecclesia primogenita c. Alcasar in loc. Forbes Paraeus Mede Typus est mulier haec parturiens Ecclesiae