dreadfull and severe against such revolters Was cast out The second thing to be observed in the overthrow of the dragon is the manner of it namely Sathans dejection or rather ejection out of the Church Quest. What ejection is here meant Answ. 1. Not that after his fall for that was not by warre as this but a just sentence and punishment that was because hee stood not in the truth this because heestood against it 2. Nor that finall ejection in the day of judgement for after that hee never assaults the woman but after this hee doth after that he is cast into hell but here into the earth 3. Therefore Satan is cast out of heaven these two wayes 1. By the head of the Church 2. By the members Christ our head hath obtained a perfect victory over him two wayes 1. By the power and merit of his death by which he encountred the devills and conquered them spoiling principalities and powers Col. 2. 15. So as the Dragons erecting a crosse for Christ set up a gibbet for themselves as Haman and for Christ a chariot of tryumph 2. By the vertue and efficacie of it daily applyed to the elect through the power of his resurrection ascention and sending of the holy Ghost into the hearts of the faithfull by whose grace as by a stronger then himselfe Sathan the strong man is ejected and can keepe possession no longer This is when faith apprehends the merit of his death and the efficacie both of his resurrection ascension and sitting at the right hand of God whence hee sendeth the Spirit But this ejection by the head is not properly meant for it was done before Iohns prophecie but this was after This ejection of Sathan then is properly by the members three wayes 1. By casting out and resisting Paganisme idolatry blasphemie impiety and all injustice and immanity against God and man in which the Dragon ruled and raigned as the god of the world 2. By the preaching and promulgation of the Gospell which is the hammer of the dragons kingdome and the utter overthrow and eversion of his whole power Luk. 10. 18. The Disciples in their ministery saw Satan fall downe like lightening 3. By open profession and maintenance of the faith and truth of the Gospell and lifting up the name and glory of Christ there where formerly Satans throne was This secondary ejection here meant and aimed at seemeth to be when after the daies of the Romish tyranny by the heathen Emperours the great and unlimited power of the old Roman Monarchie in which the Dragon had ruled and overspread the earth with all idolatry and blasphemie and had poisoned and corrupted the whole knowne world was now broken and throwne downe the maintenance of Christian faith and profession was restored and liberty given unto Christians by the manchild afore-mentioned Now was the devill cast out his idolatries detected the deceivablenesse of heathenish error discovered and his whole power so broken as hee could no longer either hinder the preaching of the Gospell or the propagation of Christian religion nor keepe the nations longer from the truth of the Gospell as he had long before done by his tyranny This I take to be the ejection of the dragon out of the Church aimed at in this text The note is that till Christ and his Gospell came the Dragon was not ejected Wheresoever Christ is not there the dragon stands in full state and strength Matt. 12. 29. the strong man keepes the house till a stronger come to dispossesse him This house is the uncleane world the whole world that lyeth in wickednesse 1. Iohn 5. 19. Whole mankinde in the first Adam all unregenerate men for so the world is taken Rom. 5. 12. By one man sinne entred into the world that is the whole world out of Christ or the whole world not chosen out of the world 2. Tim. 2. ult Before men come to the knowledge of the truth namely of Christ they are all in the divels snare taken of him at his will These snares are errours of judgment lusts of life depravation of manners or some raigning sinne or sinnes by which Satan holds them under his vassallage as a fowler can hold the bird by one foot or by one twig and snare as well as by the whole body or net For first as sinne hath given him possession of all mankinde as in Iudas his heart so hee never goeth out of himselfe nay hee is loath to be cast out and when he is it is not without extraordinary reluctation molestation Mark 1. 26. The uncleane spirit departs not without tearing and vexing and throwing him in the midst of them saith Luke all signes of extreme impatience Secondly none can cast him out but Christ for onely Christ is stronger then hee men cannot cast him out no not holy men as that man said Master wee came to thy Disciples but they could not cast him out Angels cannot cast him out for they cannot satisfie sinne onely the seed of the woman breakes the serpents head Gen. 3. 15. Christ onely is that Angell which Iohn saw Revel 10. 1. descending from heaven by his incarnation having the key of the bottomlesse pit that is power over hell and death as Revel 1. 18. and a great chaine in his hand the strong chaine of his omnipotence which chaine hath many linkes 1. The strong linke of his passion and death upon the crosse which had more strength in it then the lives of all men and Angels 2. That invincible linke of his resurrection for it was impossible for him to bee held under death The Jewes could devise to put him to death but not to hold him in the grave but by his mighty power hee opened his owne grave and all the graves of the Saints 3. That mighty linke of his ascension by which he opened heaven for his Church when the devill would for ever have barred it up against us 4. That mighty linke of sending out the holy Ghost and sending out the Apostles and Pastors with a mighty and unresistable commission for the conversion of the world But what was the end of this mighty chaine of so many strong linkes Even to binde up Satan the Dragon described here and there in the same words a thousand yeares The power of Christs death published in the ministery of the Gospell bound up the devill by destroying Paganisme and converting the nations to the faith as fast as ever any Conquerer bound his enemy in chaines and restraines him from the execution of his mischievous will against him for had not the Dragon beene bound Christianity could not have conquered the world as it did but now saith Christ Iohn 12. 22. speaking of his death is the prince of this world cast out though not wholly and fully as in the last day Thirdly the wicked world is so farre from impeaching the state and power of the Dragon that it strengtheneth and establisheth it
led Israel thorow the wildernesse and led them unto Canaan and that they convey their soules to heaven is apparent in Lazarus III. To apply this doctrine to our selves Wee must learne not onely to stand with the Angels but as Angels in this fight against the dragon Quest. How Ans. Resemble them in these things I. In acknowledging Christs principality who is the onely Michael and that in two things 1. As they serve and stand before him expecting commands from him subjecting themselves unto him as their King and head of the Church so must wee much more depend upon his mouth and as members yeeld free and ready subjection to this head the souldier must stand in whatsoever dangerous place and service his Generall commandeth 2. As they returne to give him a reckoning of their service and affaires as Zach. 1. 11. so must we attempt nothing but what wee may bring in reckoning to him the Iudge of quicke and dead Papists tell us of another Michael a created Angel and of a third a created God and a Creator of God at Rome and all must be subject to our lord god the Pope but the Scriptures shew none know none but Christ. II. Wee must as they contend for the Church and her causes which must manifest it selfe and bee stirring in foure things 1. In maintaining the faith once given to the Saints Iud. 3. this truth is the Churches patrimony wee must not lose a foote of it if Antichrist or Tyrants or Papist would rob us of it if heretiques or false teachers or ambitious men would blinde or corrupt it we must stand for it and hate the doctrine of the Nicholaitans and Antichristians which the Lord most hateth 2. In upholding the purity of Gods worship detesting and resisting to our powers all idolatry and removing all occasions and reliques of idolatry bee they never so openly guided and generally approved or applauded The Romanists devise many wayes to bring in their dragon againe and happy it were if we were so wise to shut up all wayes leading into this Romish Aegypt againe 3. Wee must contend to uphold a true and faithfull ministery delight to be present in the same with them and profit by it as they doe Ephes. 3. 10. the wisedome of God in the Church is made manifest to them thus doe Michaels Angels and they are no Angels on Michaels part that neglect or maintaine not to their power a godly Ministery and whose Angels are they but the dragons that resist oppose and shamelesly and publikely move and strive to cast downe and cast out their painfull and faithfull preaching and preachers of GODS word from amongst them there is no one businesse in which the Devill bestirs himselfe so much as in this and whosoever doth this worke is as Elimas a childe of the devill whose proper worke he doth and an Angel of the dragon for where did ever Michael and his Angels plot and contrive against the word and the servants of God 4. We must to our power stand out against the opposers and the resisters of the Church of God and the grace of God If any Balaam come forth to curse Gods people Michaels Angell will resist him and put him to the wall If we would avoid the curse of Meroze Iud. 5. 23. we must come out to helpe Gods people against their enemies Michaels Angels will not abet their enemies nor are so subtle as either to ioyne on the stronger side or not to shew themselves in the causes of the poore despised Church 5. As the Angels we must both aime at the perfect love of God which will bring our wils into conformity to his will for what wee shall doe in our Countrey we must doe walking towards it in the way as also doe all good to godly men entirely loving them the Angels compasse them cover them comfort them helpe them in the way and bring them on to heaven so must we if we be Michaels Angels imbrace the Saints with fervent love every way furthering their salvation they bee the dragons Angels that scorne them disgrace them cast them out accuse them thus doth these accusers of the brethren plainely bewraying on what part they stand and that they have abandoned Michael for their Generall to stand in the Camps of the dragon Vers. 7. And the dragon fought and his Angels Wherein consider two things 1. The actors The dragon and his Angels 2. The action They fought I. The actors are either 1. The Generall of the field which is the dragon 2. The Army or Band the dragons Angels This dragon the Generall is the chiefe of devils and head of wicked Angels called by Christ Belzebub the Prince of devils the Prince of this world Iohn 12. 31. for there is a kinde of order amongst devils because 1. God both acteth and permitteth all things ordinate because he is the God of order and hateth confusion in any of his creatures 2. Because of the superiority and inferiority amongst them expressed in the relative his Angels that is such as departing from his subjection whose once they were are voluntarily turned away unto the subjection of another head and Commander 3. As there is an head and leader amongst robbers and rebels so of this wicked rout whose chiefe is not Prince of order but of disorder and rebellion against God and an head not in respect of dignity or excellency but in malice or wickednesse going beyond all other in the highest sinnes against God and Iesus Christ. II. In the Band or Army are 1. Persons 2. The number 3. The union all in the Text. 1. The persons Angels 2. The number Indefinite 3. Their union in their conjunction I. Persons are his Angels who are of two sorts wicked spirits and wicked men 1. All those wicked spirits that fell with the dragon who kept neither their first estate nor habitation Iude 6. 2. Wicked men are included under the ranke of his Angels for it is usuall in the Scripture to call not onely devils but men also who are ruled and led by them by the name of Angels and that wicked men make up this army as well as devils is more manifest than doth need proofe And because their Captaines or Leaders are of the same kinde with common souldiers they all often carry the same name of devils but see this in sundry sorts of wicked men 1. Wicked Tyrants and persecutors that waste and spoyle the Church Pharaohs Assurs Chaldeans Romans Turks Antichrist all are wicked Angels for so Prov. 17. 11. the executors of Gods or mens justice are called Rev. 20. 7. the loosing of the Devil to deceive the people is the power given to the Turke to oppresse the world for the sinnes of it against the Gospell Re. 9. 14. the foure Angels loosed were the foure Turkish or Mahometan Nations that dwelt about Euphrates Turkes Tartars Sarazens and Arabians who with huge armies subdued the third part of the world Rev. 2. 10. The devill shall
more place in the Church to domineere and tyrannize against the Saints as they had done but they are now conquered and expulsed out of heaven Quest. 3. What conquest was this or when was it obtained Ans. The conquest of Michael against the dragon was 1. Generall 2. Speciall The former was when before this time the dragon was most powerfully conquered 1. By the death of Christ spoyling all principalities and powers 2. By his powerfull resurrection thereby conquering and triumphing over sinne death hell Satan the world the grave c. 3. By the powerfull preaching of the Apostles in the conversion of the world to Christ. 4. By the profession confession and Martyrdome of the Apostles themselves whereby the most potent tyrants were convicted and subdued This generall overthrow is not here properly meant but a speciall victory and overthrow of some speciall dragons that rose up afterward to waste the Church because this is a prophesie after S. Iohns time the proper interpretation and accomplishment whereof is plentifully cleared in Ecclesiasticall History For 1. What place had the dragon in the Church when those fierce Tyrants and tygers those imperiall dragons Nero Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and the other who shed a sea of Christian blood to abolish the very name of Christ were miserably destroyed and extinct by foule and fearefull deaths and destructions and some of them as Iulian the Apostate being wounded to death blasphemed with extreme fury cryed with his bowels and blood in his own hands Vicisti Galileae 2. What place had the dragon in the Church when noble Constantine had slaine those foure savage Tyrants and Monsters Maximinus Maxentius Licinius and Maximinian and became the great Protector of Christian faith and to signifie that now the dragon was overcome not without Gods speciall Providence he set up upon the gates of his Palace his owne picture with a dragon lying slaine under his feet and a Dart thrust through him as Eusebius reports which is a plaine demonstration of the accomplishment of this Prophesie 3. What place had the dragon in the Church when by the free preaching of the Gospell by orthodox Pastors and Bishops the Idols and heathen gods were cast downe their worship abolished their Temples destroyed Paganisme was turned into Christianisme and Christs Kingdome grew so fast as that it was received through the world in the places and countries where the dragons had formerly cast it out 4. What place had the dragon in heaven when those innumerable droaves of Heretikes such as Valentinus Basilides Manes Marcion Photinus and especially Arrius who had infected the whole world and other most deadly enemies to Christs person natures and offices were first wounded and smitten and condemned with the sword of the Spirit the hammer of heresies and after with the hand of God upō them in miserable and wretched deaths as Histories are plentifull in observation Thus have wee seene the truth of this Prophesie when and how the dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven and their place was found no more Quest. 4. How can it be said that the dragons place was no more found in heaven seeing he returnes againe and renewes his warre against the woman vers 13. and 17 Answ 1. Our Saviour in Iohn 12. 31. saith The Prince of the world is cast out and so the death of Christ hath cast him out of possession so as although hee may come to claime yet never to possesse 2. He may come to assault the Church molest the woman but never to dispossesse her of her heavenly happinesse all the dammage he brings her is but nibling at her heele he cannot reach her head Ioh. 14. 30 The Prince of the world came against Christ but found nothing in him that is had no power no advantage against him and so it is in proportion with the members 3. Hee may shew himselfe in temptations and in raising horrible and hidious persecutions as at this day but without all power or hope of prevailing He comes not to stand to it if hee bee resisted nor to overcome in the issue but to be overcome and at last so fully overcome as his place shall never bee found in heaven nor in the Church but shall be bound fast in chaines of blacke and hellish darknesse for ever Doctr. Note hence that all the enemies of the Church shall bee finally destroyed so as their place shall bee no more found Iob. 20. 7. The wicked shall perish for ever like his dung and the eye that hath seene him shall say where is hee Psal. 37. 10. 36. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee and He flourished as a greene Bay-tree but hee passed away and loe hee was gone I sought him but he could not be found For why 1. Gods curse takes hold on them and is too strong for them Genes 12. 3. I will curse them that curse thee This curse cuts off First their persons Psal. 37. 38. They that are cursed of God shall bee cut off Secondly their plots counsels hopes aymes and wishes as in the same place The end of the wicked shall be cut off and frustrate Thirdly their present jollity even in this life often the curse meets them in every corner as the Angell with his sword did Balaam so in Pharaoh Haman Iudas Iulian and almost all tyrants and heretikes came to lamentable destruction Fourthly alwayes their hoped happinesse in the life to come for as GOD hurles the wicked man out of his place in earth so hee sends him into his own place as is said of Iudas that he may dwell for ever in the place of his iniquitie Iob 8. 4. 2. Gods justice pursueth and hunteth the wicked man to destruction let him seeke never so many muses and burrows of craft and policie to hide himselfe in the Lords revenge followes him step by step till it overtake him 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you Achan troubleth all Israel and the Lord troubleth Achan Ioshua 7. 25. the enemie makes the Saints drinke the cup of affliction but they taste but the top which is medicinable but the Lords justice reserves for him the dregs and bottome of his cup of wrath for poison they chase the Saints unjustly out of the earth with a sea of sorrow but the Lord justly casts them out of earth and heaven into a bottomelesse sea of everlasting wrath 3. They must bee covered with shame that warre with Sion Psal. 129. 5. First because she being Gods owne Spouse and delight hee accounteth her cause to be his her sufferings his her enemies his and cannot but out of love and jealousie avenge her quarrels and execute vengeance on her adversaries Deut. 32. 43. Secondly because her sonnes are the blessed seed If Mordecai be the seed of the Jewes Haman shall fall before him and make no
it in matter of salvation and so as may stand with his Churches profitable exercise and excitation In these foure regards they are all cast out with their Head Here is terror for al the angels agents of the dragon who hence may perceive that Jesus Christ hath already got the same victory over them as over the dragons and devils themselves and duely waites a fit time for full execution and manifestation Consider what a fearefull thing it is to bee a wicked man a servant of sinne an enemy of grace a scorner of religion or religious persons or exercises a Sabbath-breaker a drunkard a vicious person an unbeleever or impenitent person here is an angell of the dragon who if hee persist in this estate is as certainly cast out into destruction by Christ as is the dragon his head and mover what else doth our Saviour teach Mat. 25. 41. but that the dragon and his angels are equally accursed and wicked men sunke downe in the same curse as they all of them being equally against Christ and Christ against them all Our Saviour for the comfort of the Elect saith Iohn 12. 26. Where I am there shall my servant bee so in proportion where the dragon is there must his angels and agents bee Object But I hope for salvation by Christ I am baptized and come to Church and heare the Word and love God above all and my neighbour as my selfe c. Answ. Many shall come to Christ at the last day and professe as much or more and yet being angels of the dragon are cast out with him Mat 7. 22. Thou art not an open enemy yea but art thou a covered secret enemy of Christ No pretence or conceit of a good estate can hinder thee from being an angell of the dragon or from being cast out with him First if thou discernest not the things of God but art uncapable unteachable savouring the things of the flesh not of the Spirit and findest most sweetnesse and contentment in the things of this life thou art apprently cast out as yet with the dragon without the Kingdome of God Secondly if thou hearest never so much and blessest thy selfe in thine iniquity if thou hearest for fashion without conscience or desire after Gods wayes if thou secretly loathe or fret at the Word powerfully preached or holdest any sin against it it is a deadly favour to thee thou art cast out with the dragon to whom also it is a sentence of damnation Thirdly if thou avoidest the society of godly men and in heart lovest not such as bee truely religious but hatest them because they follow goodnesse and hauntest with wicked and profane persons and delightest in them runnest with them and chusest them for thy companions thou art as yet in the same darknesse with the dragon 1 Iohn 2. 11. Fourthly if thou speakest evill of the way of God and despightest the truth revilest such as more openly professe it disgracest the publike or private exercises of religion or discouragest such as undertake them thy profession keepes thee not from being cast out with the dragon Michael hath cast thee out having said Hee that is with us cannot lightly speake evill of us Marke 9. 39. 2. From this glorious victory of Michael over the angels of the dragon note the vaine and bootlesse enterprises of the angels of the dragon against the Church They rage and bragge and plot and fret and all to cast the Church out of the earth but cannot prevaile for First themselves are cast out into the earth their power and liberty is onely to hurt earthly minded men that preferre earth before heaven and contemne the heavenly truth preached but in regard of the Saints they have short hornes they can hurt none marked sprinkled or sealed Secondly the Church cannot bee cast out of the earth unlesse the angels of the dragon were stronger than Michael they may chase the Church out of one corner into another but out of the earth they cannot because his Kingdome is everlasting Thirdly they are but angels of the dragon and their Head being spoyled of his power what hope have they to prevaile Did the Papists consider that being angels of the dragon cast out already by Michael they are in extreme danger it would abate something of the bragging pride hopes and insolency did they thinke that the great angell of the dragon the Antichrist of Rome were already cast out by the sentence and power of Michael it would abate their hopes If it doe not lessen theirs let it raise ours that however they may afflict some particular Church yet shall they never obtaine their purpose as they hope and desire but shall bee cast out by Michael as the dung of the earth Consider three grounds hereof First that they fight against Christ the Truth and the truth of Christ they fight against the Lambe but the Lambe must overcome and against the truth of Christ which is of that nature that the more it is opposed and oppressed the more it riseth and increaseth Secondly consider how Michael hath already cast them out in their projects and designes all deliverances of Christian Princes have beene from this victory of Michael our owne countrey and Princes abroad are instances enough as in 88. 1605. c. Thirdly against all the angels of the dragon oppose our Archangell described in Rev. 10. 1. c. 1. A mighty Angell protector of his Church 2. Comming from heaven in a gracious and powerfull presence to help his Church 3. Cloathed with a Cloud once of flesh now of divine Majestie as in the wildernesse 4. A Rainbow on his head a league of grace and peace first with God then from the rage of Antichristian enemies 5. His face as the Sunne enlightning his Church dispersing clouds and stormes bringing faire gleames of warme comfort 6. His feet as Pillars of power and might to sustaine his Church and of fire to consume the enemies as Chaffe and stubble 7. In his hand a little booke open Christ opens it to the world and holds it open though Antichrist would shut up the truth and did a long time 8. Hee set his right foot on the sea and his left on the earth that is now takes power and dominion upon the Continent and Ilands and raiseth Christian Emperours and Princes by professing the truth to restore him his right detained by Antichrist 9. Hee crieth with a loud voyce as when a Lyon roareth the more that tyrants and Antichrist roare and rage against the truth with their Buls the more doth this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah put forth the mighty voice of the Gospel and as with rams horns casteth downe the wals of Antichristian Iericho 10. He sweares in verse 6. that time or delay shall be no more namely not so miserable and mournfull as they were under the sixe Trumpets when Antichrist domineired and none durst resist who would not be presently turned to ashes but better times should
in demonstration of the spirit that men may say Christ is here indeed I feele his power quickning counselling comforting c. 2 To Magistrates that they put forth all the power they receive of Christ for the glory of Christ and the good of the Church as knowing First that all powers are of God and therefore for God and his causes Secondly they are his Ministers for the good of the good and them that do well Thirdly those that honour God God will honour and contrarily And who seeth not that those that extraordinarily oppose this power of Christ in his Ordinances God extraordinarily opposeth them they cannot so openly contemne him and despise his word but God as manifestly powres contempt upon them and makes them extraordinary spectacles of disgrace and contempt For how can a man set himselfe against God and prosper Fourthly All the power in Christs owne hand was set against sinne and the divels kingdome what better example to a Christian Magistrate 3 To every Christian three wayes 1 Wee are instructed to submit our selves to the royall power of Christ our King as willing subjects acknowledging him the great Centurion of the world For this was prophesied of us in the New Testament Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly at the time of holy assembling And otherwise we shall be worse then wicked angels or the unreasonable creatures who all obey his word as we saw before 2 To depend upon this power of Christ as our soveraigne King who hath all power to do us good Want we heavenly things he hath all power in heaven and for heaven he hath power to call to justifie to sanctifie to beautifie to glorifie Want we heavenly graces and riches he hath treasures of wisedome and grace Want we earthly things he hath all power in earth he can bestow not dews of heaven only but the fat of the earth Isaac had but one blessing but he hath more blessings then one and if he be rich being our husband wee shall not be poore 3 To acknowledge this power of Christ in all our receipts of blessing or comfort 1 Finde wee the worke of conversion and sound grace this is not by free-will or preparations or operations of nature but here is a creating power put forth by Christ a power divine working many miracles making a blind man see a deafe man to heare dispossessing a man of many divels raysing a dead man and quickning him that was dead in trespasses and sins 2 Finde wee not onely our peace made up with God but that now wee are lovingly affected to Gods people for Gods image and goodnesse Here is a fruit of Christs mighty power who hath reconciled the wolfe and the Lambe the child and the cockatrice Esa. 11. 6. 3 Finde we any worke of holinesse begun any presence of grace any beginnings of heavenly motion in faith hope love joy zeale constancy Here is a great power of Christ our head by whose power all these are purchased here is a power making a Blackmoore white as snow 4 Findest thou any strength against sinne any temptation foyled any lust given over and hated which thy nature inclineth unto Oh here is the power of Christ above the power of nature Never was sinne foyled but by Christs power never was any a Conquerour in the spirituall combate but by the presence power and strength of the Generall 5 Finde we our prayers heard our defects covered our duties accepted All this is the vertue and power of Christs prayer and by the merit of his obedience Thus must wee with the Church here sing out the power of the Lords Christ. And this also of the Instruction Next this serves the members of the Church for examination namely to try whether we feele this power of Christ put forth in our selves else all is unprofitable and uncomfortable to us Phil. 3. 10. the Apostle counts all other knowledge and priviledges but losse and dung in respect of knowing in himselfe the vertue and power of Christs death and resurrection This is more then to heare of Christ of his life and doctrine of his death and passion It is a lively feeling in his owne soule the power and vertue of his death in the death of sinne and of his resurrection in rising from the grave of sinne This is more then to preach of Christs life and death and goeth beyond all eloquent discourses of the actions and passions of Christ if the Preacher as too many onely know the vertue of Christs death as the Physitian knows the vertues of herbes and simples onely by his reading or relation without his owne experience This knowledge of the power and grace of this Salomon must be like the knowledge of the Queene of Sheba 1 King 10. 7. It was a true word which I heard of thy sayings and wisdome howbeit I beleeved not this report till I came and have seene it with mine eyes neither can halfe the power and glory of Christ be attained by reading or report except our selves by inward feeling and experience come to discerne it That is an happie knowledge of the power of Christ not which is speculative or discoursive but which is experimentall such as the Samaritans Ioh. 4. 42. They say to the Woman Now we beleeve not for thy relation but because our selves have seene Him Quest. How may I discerne the power of Christ in my selfe Answ. It may be discerned by foure special marks or evidences I By the power of the word which is his powerfull arme to salvation So much as thou findest the power of the word so much of the power of Christ mayest thou discerne in thy selfe Now examine 1 Hast thou found the word commanding light out of darknesse in thy soule as in the first creation hath Gods powerfull word created a new saving light in thee that whereas thou wast blind now thou art sure thou seest the face of God in Jesus Christ reconciled unto thee 2 Hath the word in the Ministery beene a powerfull voice of Christ calling thee as Lazarus out of the grave where thou wast by nature under the dominion of death by sin hath it brought in a new life of God and grace What word besides the Omnipotent word of Christ can raise a dead man If the word of God hath inspired a new breath of the Spirit and wrought heavenly motions in thee thou mayest plainly see the power of Christ in thy selfe 3 Hath the word beene powerfull as a mighty engine to cast downe high and strong holds and bring every thing unto the subjection of Christ hath it taken thy highest holds and now sitteth as a Commander there If it have an inward command the understanding conceiveth and is convinced in the certainty of things which be contrary to nature and sense it will shut the owne eyes and yeild to things foolish and absurd to reason The will easily denyeth it selfe worldly wisdome reason profits pleasures liberty and life
CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER THE DRAGON OR Satans Downfall SHEWING The glorious Conquests of our SAVIOVR for his poore CHVRCH against the greatest Persecutors In a plaine and pithy Exposition of the twelfth Chapter of S. IOHNS REVELATION Delivered in sundry Lectures BY That late faithfull Servant of God THOMAS TAYLOR Doctor in Divinitie and Pastor of Aldermanbury LONDON Perfected and finished a little before his death Melior causa est corum qui Diabolum persequentem fugiunt quim qui praeeuntem sequuntur quia utilius est eum bostem habere quà m principem August LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. DAWLMAN at the signe of the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1633. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIP FVLL and others the worthy Inhabitants of Aldermanbury Parish LONDON All happinesse both in Earth and Heaven CHRISTIAN FRIENDS I Am I suppose a stranger to most of you unlesse peradventure you tooke notice of me in preaching the Sermon at the Funerall of your worthy Doctor the Author of this Booke and so I hope you will conceive that I present not this Worke unto you in mine own name but onely in behalfe of the Widow whose modestie permits her not to come in Print To you her worthy Friends Neighbours shee desires to have these Labors dedicated as to whom shee judgeth them most properly due and wisheth you the same profit and comfort in reading as did her deare Husband in preaching By faith Abel being dead yet speaketh faith the Apostle to the Hebrewes By faith also and these works of Faith doth your late worthy Pastor yet speake unto you and here while you reade you may imagine hee still calleth to Faith Obedience Repentance Growth in the Knowledge and Feare of GOD with all courage wisedome humilitie heavenly-mindednes and unblameableness of living His reward is now with the Lord whose hee was and whom he served His Name in the Church sweet and precious and ever will be while a Church remaines on earth to worship GOD aright and to distinguish Beleevers from unbeleevers or misbeleevers The Instruction is yours to follow his holy Doctrine and Example And happy shall every Soule be which heedfully followeth The Clowd of Witnesses For the Worke it selfe I have not much to preface onely our hope is that for supply of defects or connivence at them the untimely decease of the Author and your owne ingenuity will yeeld abundant Apologie The substance is the same with his owne Notes the Tables mine other things the Printers Let the benefit be yours and wee have our desire And certainly hee that falls to the matter with love and hearty affection shall reape some benefit For while hee reades hee will easily understand that in this life the Church and faithfull members of it must ever be encountring with spirituall wickednesses which calls to watchfulnesse and yet is sure of victory hath help enough well led by an able Captaine and furnished with armour of proofe which calls to chearfulnesse in fighting the good fight of faith And when hee that understands it shall carefully addresse himselfe to the practise of it he shall well redeeme his time in reading honour his Captaine who hath chosen him to bee a Souldier performe his vow made against the devill in his Baptisme prepare by smaller skirmishes for great and fiery tryals when they shall come and so having striven lawfully shall receive the Crowne which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give him at that day with all that love his appearing Plentifull Encouragements wee have both to enter these lists and hold out to the end Deale couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good Feare not nor be dismayed goe out against these your spirituall enemies and the Lord will be with you And all hands here may be brought together to the fight even every one that is an Angell of Michael wee must strive together for the faith of the Gospel and our united forces shall be much the more puissant and unresistable Especially while wee help one another by our prayers which is my request for my selfe from you all and I rest Isleworth Feb. 25. 1632. Yours in the service of your Faith and for the help of your Ioy WILLIAM IEMMAT THE ANALYTICALL TABLE OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER With the severall Verses and Arguments The Chapter hath six principall Parts I. A Description of the true Church v. 1. 2. Where 1 The Preface In which 1 What is the Wonder 2 The Greatnes of it 3 The manner of appearing 4 The place whence Heaven 2 The Vision of one of the Combatants Described 1 By her person A woman Described 2 By her properties foure 1 Her Apparell Where 1 The Garment The Sunne 2 The Application Clothed 2 Her Place The Moone under her feet 3 Her Ornament The Crowne of twelve stars on her head 1 Why Crowned 2 What the 12. stars 3 Why on her head 4 Her fruitfulnes being with childe c. 1 Her Conception 2 Her painful travel II. A Description of the Devill another of the Combatants v. 3 4 5 6. Two wayes 1 By his Adjuncts five 1 Magnitude Vers. 3. 2 Cruelty Vers. 3. 3 Subtiltie Vers. 3. 4 Power Vers. 3. 5 Victory Vers. 3. 2 By his Effests 1 Against the Stars He threw downe a third part with his tayle 2 Against the Woman 1 Assailing ver 4. Where 1 His Action He stood before the Woman 2 His Intention to devour the childe c. 2 Disappointed in respect of 1 The woman described 1 By her childbearing v. 5. she brought forth a manchilde 2 By her flight v 6. where 1 The place prepared of God In the wildernesse 2 Her sustentation to feed her there 3 Her continuance there 1260. daies 2 Her Issue whose 1 Sex Amanchilde 2 Office To rule the nations with a rod of Iron 3 Advancement taken up to God and his throne III. A fierce Battell betweene those Combatants vers 7. Where 1 The Battell And there was a Battell 2 The Armies 1 The Actors On one side Michaell and his Angels On the other The Dragon and his angels In both 1 The Generall of the Field Michael or the Dragon 2 The Band or Army The Angels of eyther 2 The Action They fought IIII. The successe of the Battell ver 8. 9. The Dragons overthrow 1 Expressed 2 Interpreted 1 He prevailed not 2 He was so prevailed against that he had no more place in heaven 1 In a description of the party overthrowne 1 By his names titles foure 2 By his effect he deceiveth the whole world 1 The great Dragon 2 That old Serpent 3 The Devill 4 Satan 2 For the maner of his overthrow he was cast out 3 The place whither he was cast the earth 4 His assotiats in the overthrow his angells with him V. The Triumph of the godly for this victory verse 10 11 12. Where 1 The Preface In it 1 What Voyce this was 2 Whos 's Why lowd 2 The Parts Two 1 The
labour An idle Pastor that gives up the paines of his calling is like a yong mother that wold faine have children without paines and sorrow in bringing forth 2 To love dearely persons wonne to the faith For he that knowes the sorrow of winning and begetting any to Christ cannot but love them as his owne children And therefore hath Gods providence annexed much sorrow to the birth that the child might bee so much more tendred and loved of the Mother as she hath dearely bought it And so in this spirituall birth it is true And a spirituall Father may rebuke and sharply reproove his children begotten by his paines for just faults and this is fatherly love but he that shall reproach the whole seed of Christ and nip and blast goodnesse in them and the more they prosper in grace the more spitefully shall ordinaryly disgrace them I doubt whether such a one be the Father of any of their soules How doth a Mother yea a tender nurse rejoyce in the health and prosperitie of the child and grieve even unto death if the Child thrive not nor prosper And who wold abide a nurse whom nothing so much grieveth as the thriving and growth of the child Fourthly The comfort of a faithfull Minister Howsoever his sorrowes and paines be as sure and inevitable as the sorrowes of a woman in travell yea and as sharp too Yet 1 The are also short as theirs a little while will put an end to their paines 2 They are in the end sweet and turned into joy as theirs Joh. 16 21. A woman as soone as she is delivered remembreth no more the paine because a man-child is borne Their labour and paine passeth away and is quite and quickly forgotten but the joy is lasting and eternall and none can take it away Wee must consider that if we be rejected of men so was the chiefe builder and the Master builders the Apostles themselves If we speake words of truth and wisedome out of the booke of God in the name of God out of the place of God some dare say we will lie as fast as a dog will runne If our innocency were as bright as the sunne some dog will barke against us The servant is not above his Master Our Master as innocent as he was some few said he was a good man but many that he was a Devill and was a very vile man Well this is the comfort of faith it shall breake out of all clouds and darknesse and shine in the faces of all adversaries one day For as it frets the enemie that he cannot withhold Gods gracious blessing from his faithfull servants here So much more shall it breake their hearts that they cannot resist the glorious light of it hereafter And secondly to the people of God to be willing to submit themselves to the sorrowes of the new birth No infant can avoid the difficulties of birth nor no child of God can shunne this Quest. What are these sorrowes 1 Resolve therefore of sorrowes from within to undertake the paines of true repentāce sound sorrow for sinne mortification selfe-deniall renounce the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season As Moses as that of Christ If any will be a Disciple let him deny himselfe Is not here a paines and difficulty to renounce the wisedome of the flesh a mans owne corrupt will his affections and passions which must be stockt up roote and branches his owne naturall inclinations which are nearer to him then his skin his owne habits and bosome sinnes of long maintenance to cut off hands and put out eyes 2 Resolve of sorrowes from without 2 Tim. 1. 8 be partakers of the affliction of the Gospell Take up the crosse daily and after one still expect another Christ and his crosse are inseparable God might have severed affliction from the gospell as he might if he had pleased severed paine and sorrow from the birth of a child but would not For First his wisdome foresaw it stood more with his glory to erect himselfe a Church in the world in despight of Satan and all wicked instruments In no naturall thing is Gods power more seene then in the birth of an infant in grace the hazard and opposition is but the manifestation of his power Secondly The Lord would stop Satans mouth who would accuse the Saints as Iob as if we served God for nought when we are ready for Christ to endure all hazards and deadly dangers Thirdly The Lord tries the truth of his childrens graces while they abide with him in affliction Now we must resolve to goe through the paines of new birth to difference our selves from 1 Carnall gospellers that like not the gospel because it teacheth selfe-deniall 2 Wicked men because the power of it crosseth their whole course 3 Polititians who renounce it because it requires a change and they can endure no change though for the better 3 Resolve of paines and labour in the meanes of grace in hearing reading praying watching fasting and spirituall combate for God brings forward his image in his owne meanes Consider for encouragement 1 The discription of Saints Rev. 7. 19. those are they that come out of great tribulation Wicked are ever going into great affliction as jolly as they are and as free as they seeme to be but the Saints are ever comming forth 2 The worth of grace for which thou sufferest The least is worth all thy sufferings Is knowledge worth nothing Is the light of the sunne so worthlesse a thing wouldest thou suffer any hard labour and peril for money and a small summe of silver and wilt thou be at no paines for faith more pretious thē gold for hope nor for peace of conscience are these worth no paines 3 The happy estate into which thou comest by suffering Thou art borne to blessednesse Blessed are they that mourn All thy paine in suffering is not cōparable to the gaine of suffering The momentany afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory in the life to come looke not on the losse but on the gaine Thou loosest friends but hast God and Christ and his Angels neare thee Loosest libertie of body but hast libertie and joy of Conscience Hazardest outward peace but hast peace with God thy self and all creatures so farre as they cannot hurt thee See our Saviours argument Mark 10. 29. And there appeared another wonder in Heaven Now we come to the description of the Churches adversarie and opposite enemie under the name and tipe of a Dragon To which description is set a preface as before the description of the woman Of which having spoken in the 1. ver we here omit it onely remember that by heaven is meant the Church of God militant for what hath the dragon to doe in heaven in proper acceptation The description of the Dragon is by two arguments 1 His adjuncts being five 2 His effects which are two His adjuncts in the text are 1 Magnitude
strive with unreasonable men that are not guided by truth humility charity or Christianity but by fury railing pride pretences of law threatning and violence the dragon will shew not his hornes only but his crownes to See wee the wicked of the world giving up their crownes to the dragon and with all their strength and power and authority setting their crownes on the dragons head wee on the contrary must learne with all our power to set up and uphold the Crown and Scepter of Christ in our selves and others for as all the limbes of the dragon reioice to see him crowned and domineere to the ruine of the Church so let all the children of Sion reioyce in their King Psal 149. 2. Shall the Papists triumph and glory wheÌ„ the Antichristian forces prevaile against the reformed religion and shall not wee when the woman prevaileth against the dragon Quest. How may I uphold Christs Crowne and Scepter against the dragon Ans. 1. Cast down thy Crowne at the feet of the Lambe and worship him that sitteth on the Throne as the Seniors Rev. 4. 10. this is done by 2 practices 1. If thou deny thy selfe and diselaime whatsoever is in thy selfe as being void of all power and strength to attaine any thing that is good 2. If thou ascribest all power to God and Iesus Christ of creation and providence of preservation yea of finall victorie against all enemies whom hee will make his footstoole and set his feet upon their neckes and crownes as Ioshua did II. Alow thy heart for his throne and chaire of state that in it he may sit and command and beware of resisting his person or entrance or peaceable possession in thy soule Psal. 24. open thy gates that the King of glory may enter avoid whatsoever would hinder his peaceable entrance or coÌ„tinuance especially in foure things 1. Infidelity for Jesus Christ is no way received but by faith Iohn 1. 12. 2. Impenitency he dwelleth no where but in an humble and contrite soule 3. Raigaing sinneâ— which are as iron gates and percullices to keepe out Jesus Christ out of his kingdome and hold the sinner in rebellion against his Sove aigne and King where any sin raigneth there Christ cannot raigne and as no man can serve two contrary masters being enemies so no man can bee subject to two kings enacting contrary lawes 4. Idolatry what communion betweene Christ and Antichrist 2 Cor. 6. 15 16. III. Take the oath of allegeance to Jesus Christ to submit to his lawes willingly David tooke this oath Psal. 119. 10. I have sworne and will performe to keepe thy righteous judgements A seeming subject is most pernicious such as the Pope and Jesuites have catechized to refuse the oath of allegeance to our Soveraigne they are among us but not of us Such subjects to Christ are wicked men and hypocrites Christians onely in name and profession are counterfeit are in the Church but not of it 1 Joh. 2. they want all the notes of good subjects which are 1. To know and attend to the lawes and word of his King the word of the Law and the Gospell is the municipall lawes of this kingdome called the word of the kingdome a good Christian will attend to the word preached as a good subject to his Kings Proclamation 2. To obey his lawes yeelding obedience to the whole law in true indeauour so did David have respect to all the Commandements Psal. 119. 6. and also faith and repentance to the Gospell 3. Neither this by constraint but as a willing people Psal. 100 of unwilling made willing drawne by the Father as the sheepe of Christ to heare his voyce and follow him IIII. Resist the Dragons incroachments upon this Kings kingdome know the enemies the Devill world sinne Pagans Papists Heretiques Atheists they would pull thee from allegeance to former slavery furnish thy selfe with weapons against all the enemies of the kingdome which are the word faith hope love righteousnesse patience especially prayer against the kingdome of darknesse and the proceeding of the enemies of the Church Hester must stand up and intercede for her people let us not faile at this time Shal the Pope injoyne a fast for the prosperity of the warres against the Church and wee shamefully neglect it And his tayle drew downe the third part of the Stars Having spoken of the five properties by which we have heard the Dragon described wee come to the second part of the description which is by two effects The former against the Starres of heaven in this verse The latter against the woman in the next verse For the meaning every word is mysticall wee must stand a while in the interpretation in which are foure things to be considered First what is meant by the Starres of heaven Ans. Fondly doe the Papists understand here by the dragon Lucifer drawing downe with him in his fall many Angels which they say are meant by Stars of heaven not attending the scope of the place for I reade not in all the Scripture where Satan is called Lucifer Calvin cals it a grosse ignorance to father Satans name upon Isa. 14. 12. but it is called by this name Rev. â—2 10. 1. These Starres fell to earth after Iohns prophesie whereas they fell before mans sall 2 These starres fell in the Church when the battell was pitcht against the woman but Satan fell and his angels before there was any Church in the world or before there was any mention either of Christ or his Church 3. Those fell with the dragon these cast downe by the dragon 4. These starres were cast downe by the dragon to the earth from mysticall heaven to mysticall earth but those Angels were cast downe by GOD from heaven into hell where they are reserved in chaines of darknesse to the judgement of the great day and both taken in their proper acceptation But this place is an allusion to Dan. 8. â—0 where Antiochus Epiphanes a type of Antichrist is said to cast the starres unto earth and tread upon them where he calleth by the name of the Host of heaven those whoÌ„ our Euangelist calleth the starres of heaven that is the Ministers and Pastors of the Church called by this name as we have declared verse 1. 1. As they are set in their orbes by God and receive their light from the Sunne and move in their certaine order and station so are these set in their severall stations to keepe the watch of the Lord by a perpetuall decree so long as day and night succeed one another 2. As they shine in the darknesse of the night so doe these give light to the Church in the darke night of this world partly by doctrine and partly by holy example Matth 5. 14 Ye are the lights of the world and the light of the starres is not for themselves 3. As starres are eminent and in high place above the earth so the Pastors and Teachers are in eminency as
art thou about so long as the dragon is alive To comfort the bright shining starres and faithfull Ministers in their troubles and oppositions 1. In regard of their adversaries who are they that fight against the light but mēbers of the kingdome of darknes let a godly man shine as a bright star in his orbe who be they that oppose seek to cast him downe but Papists and favorites of them swearers Atheists unclean and of filthy life and tongue what marvell if such spit poyson what other to bee expected A Pot boyles over with such liquor as is within 2. In regard of their safety which is in Gods faithfull promise of foure things 1. His presence with them I am with you to hide you from strife of tongues Psal 31. 20. 2. His assistance in their calling so farre as is necessary hee will take their part and rebuke the dragon as in Ioshua Zach. 3. 2. 3. His protection he will take them into his right hand Rev. 1. 20. 4. Remuneration that they shall shine more and more till they shine as starres in the kingdome of Glory Dan. 12. 3. The impotency of the dragon hee cannot throw downe all the starres but onely a third part so as two third parts remain still in their orbes shining Whē the first Angel blew the Trumpet that is when the Gospel was preached by the Apostles haile and fire and blood fell as stormes that is persecutions and perils contradiction exile and slaughter by the stubbornnesse of the Iewes against them and by this fire of persecutiō the third part of the trees were burnt that is the Apostles excellēt teachers of the Church compared to fruitfull and florishing trees for their greennes shadow fruits a great part of them were afflicted slaine put to deadly torments but not all the dragon could scorch but a third part Verse 8. When the second Angel blew his trumpet a great mountaine that is the Romane tyrants so called for their hight power and swelling pride burning with fire that is of fury and fiercenesse against Christian religion was cast into the sea that is many people of the world subiect to the Romane power and Empire and the third part of the sea was turned into blood that is many thousand Christians were oppressed and consumed with the fire of the burning mountaine but onely a third part And the third part of creatures dyed that is faithfull Christians slaughtered and murthered the third part of ships that is the Churches whose Pastors are her Pilots and these planted by the hand of the Apostles themselves oppressed and subdued Now this fierce dragon would have turned all the sea to blood killed all living creatures the life of whose faith was manifest in found profession would have destroyed and sunke all ships and Pilots all visible Churches and Pastors but could onely a third part Verse 10. When the third Angel blew his Trumpet there fell a great starre that is the Romane Bishop for by starres are meant teachers called absinthiam or wormwood fell from heaven that is falling from purity of doctrine and declining to taste the bitter morsels of pride ambition preheminence and of humane doctrines and devises it fell into the third part of RIVERS made them bitter many dyed of thē that is the same corruption tainted and imbittered the third part of Pastors Bishops by whō as by rivers the sweet waters of heavenly doctrine should and have flowed have bin derived unto others but now by that exāple were tainted with grosse superstitiō errors herisies earthlines carnal pompe and pleasure But not all onely a third part for many upheld in themselves and in others the sincerity of holy doctrine and example Verse 12. When the fourth Angell blew his Trūpet the third part of the Sunne the Moone and the Stars were smitten with darknesse and the day was smitten the night also viz. a grievous night of darknes either of Idolatry superstitiō as some or of persecutiōs as others darkned and obscured the cheife ornamēts of the purer Church of Christ the Sunne the Scriptures the Moone the doctrine borrowed thence the Starres the Ministers the day that is the joy and comfort of the Church in enjoying her happy Sun and the night it reached even to those without the Church being as in the night but the dragon could not darken all the Sunne all the Moone and all the Starres but a third part onely The fift Angel blew his trumpet Rev. 19. 1. the Antichristian Locusts rising out of the smoake of Popish rites and traditions are commanded to hurt no tree or grasse that is no Pastors or priuate Christians which are sealed in their foreheads Cap. 9. 15. When the sixt Angel blew his Trumpet the foure Angels not by nature but by office some instruments approved of and appointed by God for the execution of his judgements they must slay onely the third part of men of Christians and can goe no further Those sixe Trumpets thus explaned have notably proved the point in hand namely the dragons impotency God for his glory will not suffer the dragon to breake in sunder his order whereby he hath appointed to teach and call men by such as are called and sent Rom. 10. 15. the Ministry is Gods ordinance not mans and God will uphold it 2. The whole government and blessing of the Ministry belongeth to Jesus Christ who hath undertaken to furnish his Church with Pastors in all ages for the edification of his owne body till wee all meete in one perfect man Ephes. 4. And looke what was the Office of the High Priest a singular type of Christ in the old Testament the same is the Office of Christ in his Church The High Priests was to looke to the lights in the Sanctuary and to supply them with holy oyle that they might never goe out and now though the dragon be never so desirous to put out all the lights yet he is too weake for Jesus Christ in his care and calling 3. The necessity of the Church suffers onely a third part but not all the starres to be throwne downe for the harvest of the elect must be gathered in all ages and therefore labourers must bee successively thrust forth So long as the Lord keepeth house hee must have stewards to dispose his mysteries and allowance to his family so long as hee hath a flocke hee will have shepheards to tend it and will not suffer them all to bee smitten at once for then all the sheepe should be scattered so long as hee hath a Vineyard he must have dressers so long as he hath a field he must have husbandmen so long as the shippe of the Church is on the troublesome sea of this world he will not suffer her without Pilots to bring her safely to shoare 4. Christ cannot be so forgetfull of his neare relation with his faithfull pastors as to suffer the dragō to throw
properly ruleth all nations with a rod of Iron Psal. 2. so this sonne of the woman in this verse so as we see a notable correspondence in the birth of this man-childe to the birth of Christ that man-childe who was figured by all those man-children that first opened the wombe under the law so as it cannot be denyed but that this vision looketh backe to the history of Christs birth and is first true in the most and maine passages of it of Iesus Christ And this be named once for all the vision Quest. But is not Christ here directly meant Ans. It seemeth to mee by many strong reasons in the text that Christ is not properly and directly meant by this man-childe for I. If by this man-childe here be meant Christ then by the woman must be meant not the Church as we have interpreted proved but the Virgin Mary as some Papists imagine although even some of them finding many parts of the description of this woman not agreeing to her conclude as Ribera out of Methodius that not Mary but the Church is this woman II. The man-childe here borne is the sonne of the Church but Christ is not the sonne of the Church therefore hee is not this man-childe for Christ is the Sonne of God and the sonne of Mary but not the sonne of the Church nay hee is the Father of the Church Esay 9. 6. and the Church is called his seed Esay 53. but no where is hee called the sonne of the Church nor the seed of the Church III. This woman is said to travell to bring forth this man-childe but the Church is never said to travell to bring forth Christ. Indeed the Apostle Galat. 4. 19. saith Hee travelled in birth with the Galathians to forme Christ in them by his Ministery but not that he travelled of Christ but of them to bring them forth Christians IIII. We must remember that Iohn writeth here a Propheticall history of things to come to passe after his time and not of things formerly passed and therefore neither of the personall nor mysticall birth of Christ for first consider him 1. Personally he was before this time not borne only but dead and risen and ascended to the Throne of God all this was past and Iohn had seene it and needed no new vision to manifest this unto him which he knew before and had so largely described in his Euangelicall Story 2. If wee consider the mysticall birth of Christ in the hearts of beleevers by the preaching of the Gospell this also had beene done formerly in abundant measure and was a thing not to come and to bee done but onely to bee continued so as it cannot bee meant of Christ either personally or mystically V. It will not agree to Christ that is said of this man-childe that presently he was taken up to God after his birth without mentioning any of the great workes for which hee was borne and came into the world for Christ was to doe more than be borne and ascend hee must fast and teach and pray and doe many powerfull miracles and suffer and bee buried and rise and then ascend neither is the word fitly here used to note the ascension of Christ that hee was caught up to the Throne of God as it were by the power of some other for hee is said to goe up Acts 1. 19. and to ascend as doing it of his owne power indeed we weake creatures are said to bee caught up 1 Thess. 4. 17. by a mighty power without our selves as this man-childe in the Text but it is not so with him in his ascending who had all power in heaven and earth Mat. 28. c. last Object But there bee two things in the Text which seeme so proper to Christ as that they cannot agree or be ascribed to any other First that hee ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and this is Christs property Psal. 2. 9. and cannot agree to any other Ans. All power is Christs originally and primarily but wee may not forget that hee promiseth the same power by Communication to his members Revel 2. 26. To him that overcommeth I will give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron not that the soveraign power of Christ over the whole earth is communicable to any creature for none of his Offices can passe from him to another but noteth that beleevers have benefit part in his exaltation and power and therefore wee must not marvell if we finde this power which is properly invested in Christ to be communicated and in part executed for him by others Object 2. But this man-childe is taken up to the Throne of God now who but Christ ever sate in heaven in the Throne of God Sol. In the Throne of Gods right hand as Mediator and head of the Church in heaven properly so taken onely Christ sitteth and no other creature man nor Angel but the Throne of God in Scripture is taken mystically and figuratively for 1. There is an heaven upon earth the Church which is many times called by the name of heavē as in this Chapter And a kingdome of grace in which the Lord hath set up his Throne unto which he lifteth whom hee pleaseth now wee are sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. 2. Ephes. 2. 5. 6. Now we are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. 2. Heavenly glory is called figuratively a Throne wherein howsoever Christ only sitteth by his owne right and priviledge yet the Saints also by communication and participation are admitted to sit on the Throne with him as members with the head Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcommeth will I give that he shall sit with me on my Throne as I overcome and sit with my Father on his Throne Thus the twelve Disciples are promised to sit on twelve Thrones and the twenty foure Elders representing the Church of the old and new Testament sate upon twenty foure Thrones Revel 11. 26. so as this is no barre but some besides Christ may be meant by this man childe 3. In the worldly administration howsoever the kingdome and Throne be the Lords and all power belongeth unto God yet it pleaseth him in the government of the world to take up Rulers and Princes after a sort into his owne Throne and setteth them in highest place next himselfe to rule over the Nations and putteth a rod of power into their hands investing them not with his power onely but with his name also I said ye are gods thus he taketh them into his owne Throne putteth on them a part of his owne Majesty whereof their Thrones and Seates carry a little representation and in this sense is this phrase here taken Having shewed that this man-childe is not to be meant of Christ and answered the objections that have caried some to that interpretation let us inquire who he is and looking neare unto the Text and scope of the place the series of times
birth he leaveth them not like Agrippa almost Christians but whole Christians III. The Antichristian dragons have laboured in nothing so much as hiding the Scriptures and rowling up the little booke that the sound of the Gospell should not bee heard to the conversion of any they call into question the authority of the Scriptures and they must bee beleeved but for the Popes judgment insteed of opening this they have opened Schoolemen Sententiaries Canonists Legends but to read the Scriptures in a knowne tongue is heresie but in despight of them the Angell hath carried the eternall Gospell through the midst of heaven the truth is so cōspicuous as shining in the midst of heaven and where Christ will have the dore of grace open none shall shut it Papists now seeke to shut that dore and our sins and ingratitudes hath deserved that the Gospell should bee shut out but yet Christ keepeth it open for us IIII. The dragon cannot hinder the woman but in despight of him shee shall bring forth many children to glory for it is not possible 1. To take them out of the Father who is stronger than them all to dissolve their union with Christ Rom. 8. or to deceive the elect either of their faith or substance Mat. 24. 2. The over-ruling hand of God maketh the dragons themselves effect his will and serve his Providence both in glorifying his name and promoting his good and the salvation of his servants when they thinke nothing lesse nay when they bend and aime cleane contrary they shall in despight of them further their salvation and can they then hinder it Rom. 8. All things shall be for their best and shall bring them to their wayes end Ob. But doth not the dragon often prevaile to hold off many from soundnesse of grace and cast many off as Iudas Demas Sol. 1. The dragon never prevaileth by his absolute power over any but by Gods just desertion and permission saying Thus farre shalt thou prevaile but no further 2. He never prevaileth wholy or finally against any whose names are written in the booke of life but though the Lord suffereth them to be molested in the way it is that in the end he might declare in them the riches of his grace mercy power 3. These yeelding to Satan for a time are cast down but not cast off seeing they are not elected jufied redeemed called sanctified and saved for any worthinesse of their owne but for Christs which the dragon cannot spot or blemish To abate the glory and hope of the Churches enemies They may spurne strive against the free passage of the Gospel but shall not prevaile Many have striven to roote out the Gospel whom God hath resisted and rooted out the Church shall bring forth for all them In that this sonne of the woman is her protector learne to shew our selves sonnes of our mother by upholding her causes and her friends wisedome will be justified of her children Luke 7. 35. Nicodemus will defend Gods cause when the Pharisees sit to condemne him Luke 23. 50. Ioseph a good man consented not to the fact of the counsell Ioh. 7. 25. Protect her person and friends 1. Get a sound judgement in discerning of things and persons that differ that wee knowing who are on her part may imbrace them not calling the churle liberall nor passing sentence for the wicked or against the right for both are an abomination to the Lord. 2. Stand for the truth her patrimony and brethren avow it notwithstanding losse of liberty meanes pleade for it maintaine for her the whole counsell of GOD which no power of earth may abridge her 3. Stand for her royalties and privileges the liberty in which Christ hath set her and uphold her from Antichristian yoakes and bondage uphold in our places the liberty of preaching of professing the holy doctrine and the liberty of al Gods holy exercises and ordinances that no power doe rob her of them Now in that the dragon though he watch to hinder the happy birth of the woman yet shee bringeth forth a manchilde that is not a soft or effeminate but a stout generous and masculine childe by whose prowesse and valour the dragon in his tyranny should be repressed and resisted Learne hence whō it pleaseth the Lord to raise up for more excellent service he furnisheth them with proportionall gifts for their imployment When Moses was to undertake an extraordinary function to deliver the Israelites out of Aegypt how did the Lord not onely extraordinarily preserve but furnished him with extraordinary education vocation spirit gifts miracles holinesse and power in which respect hee was called Pharaoh GOD. When Salomon was to build a stately house for the Lord hee furnished him with forwardnesse zeale wealth wisedome bounty peace above all Kings of the earth before or since When that house and City of Hierusalem was ruined and defaced Gods worship exiled and the mighty adversaries of God and his worship scorned to heare the restauration of the City or Temple what noble instruments were raised up Zerubbabel Ezra Nehemiah whose wisedome valour zeale and holinesse daunted the enemies and in despight of them repaired both the City the house and true worship of God The Apostles were but poore fishermen unliterate and simple but set upon an imployment as if twelve naked men had beene set to take and tame all the dragons in the world but before they were sent out how abundantly did the spirit come on them to fit them with knowledge courage gifts of tongues miracles zeale holinesse that in a little time they conquered the world and brought it into the subjection of Christ. Nay further if the Lord please to call any wicked man to any notable service he giveth him abilities and indowments answerable as Saul annoynted by Samuel was changed into another man now hee had extraordinary signes to confirme him hee prophesieth among the Prophets and mindeth not the Asses or husbandry but the great things of the kingdome 1 Sam. 10. 9. And yet more then so if the Lord imploy weake women to his service he gives them masculine gifts and spirits for the worke What a manly and couragious spirit above her sexe did God give to Hester to adventure her life for her people when shee said If I perish I perish Hester 4. 16. What a masculine and stout courage did the Lord afford to Iael Iudges 4. 22. that she durst attempt with hammer and naile to kill that great Captaine Sisera onely falne a sleepe whereas it was a hundred to one the attempt had not cost her her life God hath abundance of spirit and more blessings than one with him are treasures of grace and a flowing Ocean never drawne drie hee never bestowes so much but hee can give much more if there bee need of more If Elisha need a double spirit above Elijah hee shall receive according to his double neede Gods wisedome layeth not heavy burthens on weake
wise Pilot in a calme standeth ready for a storme the souldiers who are out in the field because they know not when the enemy will set out on them lie night and day in their armour lest they bee surprized unawares and wee should account it a great folly while the enemy is laying on and wounding and slashing that wee should bee then to seeke our armour or to buckle it upon us 3. Bee wise to looke for one skirmish after another not for one assault or two but many one in the necke of another for as Iobs messengers overtooke one another and as one wave overtaketh another so may our assaults and therefore after raine wee must looke for showres many good men here are blame worthy both such as looke for no shaking as David Psalme 30. 6. who come too neare the curse of evill men noted Psalm 10. 5 6. who defie all enemies and say I shall never be moved or see danger as such also as after one trouble stand not in expectation of any other as foolish children having beene once taken up thinke they shall bee beaten no more that day doe what they will If the true Church be ever in combate then small is the comfort of an easie and peaceable life Are perpetuall warres in hand and yet dost thou neither strike a stroke nor beare any blowes is the whole life of a Christian a fight of faith what comfort can he have that never spent houre in the Lords cause or quarrell To such as will bee at rest I say 1. It is likely thou hast yeelded up thy selfe a slave to the devill and so the strong man having the hold all is at peace else shouldest thou finde him a Lyon not a Lambe 2. All is not such peace with thee as thou pretendest for thou art at warre with Iesus Christ and fightest earnestly for lusts voluptuousnesse idlenesse carnall security because the state of this life admitteth no lookers on but all fight on one side or other if thou art not with Christ thou art against him 3. The end of such as looke for no assaults is that the evill day commeth and taketh them as a fowle in an evill net Eccles. 9. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 3. 4. To such as be the Lords who have not beene so acquainted with combate I say the more is behinde Some Christians lives are like April weather full of showres and stormes as Iacobs some have a sound showre in the morning or beginning of conversion some have a sound dash about noone as Iob some carry faire till towards night and then a great storme commeth in the evening as Peter when hee was old was girt and led whether hee would not Iohn 21. 18. and suppose thou escape till towards death shal not then the forces be redoubled assure thy selfe every souldier that standeth behinde in the reareward of this field shall be led forward to service To comfort such as know distresse and conflict being beset with evils both within them and without them yea be it thou findest the breaches and batteries which the enemie hath made in thy soule yet hold thy resolution to live and die in the service and quarrell of thy Lord and know 1. It is a note that thou art got out of Satans power and therefore hee throweth all his fiery darts against thee what neede hee fight with his friends who have yeelded themselves into his power no his assault is against the woman and her seed 2. There is somewhat worth keeping a Theefe would be loath to assault a man without a booty and the robbers care not to rifle an empty Chest this enemy plots not but against grace and where somewhat is to be gotten a man that hath much money will fight stoutly 3. Thy afflicted estate is no other condition than that of thy other brethren and sisters in the world nay if the greene tree could not escape the brunt how shall the drie Christ therefore saith to his Disciples Yee shall bee hated of all men for my sake 4. A valiant souldier hath cause to glory in his scarres and wounds which are signes of his faithfulnesse and fortitude Doe thou carry the reproaches of Christ as thy crowne and glory looke upon thy gashes and wounds in thy name and state as on the markes of Christ so did Paul and Moses who esteemed the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt The world is ashamed at these markes as if they were a brand in the hand or an hole in the eare whereas indeed they are the markes of Christ not onely because the party is a member of his body but his suffering is a part of Christs suffering not meritorious as his but glorious as his were which he would not put off in his resurrection Christians must bee ashamed of doing evill and suffering for evill not of suffering for well doing 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now after wee have spoken of the battell wee come to consider the armies On the one side standeth Michael and his Angels and on the contrary side fight the dragon and his Angels In the former are three questions considerable Quest. 1. Who is this Michael Ans. 1. Christ himselfe for these Reasons 1. It is so expounded verse 10. Now is salvation in heaven and the strength and kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ hee that is there called Christ is here called Michael 2. This place is an allusion to Daniel 10. 13. 21. where by Michael must be meant Christ who is the Prince and Captaine of his Church against the devill and his host 3. The composition of the word of three Hebrew particles Mi-ca-el who is like or equall to the Lord now onely Christ thought it no robbery to be equall to God Phil. 2. 6. 4. We read no where in Scripture of this name but Christ himselfe must bee understood Iud. 9. Michael the Archangel was Christ himselfe that place alluding to Zach. 3. 2. where thé Prophet calleth him Iehovah that spake those words which name Iehovah is never given to any but God as other his titles are 5. The Prince and Generall of the Lords warre is the Sonne of God Ioshua 5. 14 and verse 5. hee is called lehovah and is described Revel 9. 11. Sitting on a white horse having eyes like a slaming fire his garment dyed with blood his name the word of God out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword hee ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and on his thigh is writ Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium This description belongeth to Christ onely not to man or Angell Quest. 2. Who are here the souldiers of his band called his Angels Ans. 1. Not onely those that are Angels by nature and office but also such persons and instruments as stand with them in the defence of Christian religion and in warre with the dragon both in Ecclesiasticall and politicall states as godly Princes and Rulers such as Constantine
Theodosius and Kings and Queenes that are nursing fathers and mothers to the Church as also godly Pastors holy Martyrs zealous professors to all whom sometime the name of Angell is ascribed in the Scripture 1. Because they are all sent from him on his errand 2. They are called his Angels by speciall propriety for he is the Lord of the holy Angels wicked men and Angels are retainers these of his house 3. Their whole service is due to him their Lord as of duty for himselfe in his one right Ob. They are called our Angels Mat. 16. 27. Ans. They are ours by speciall commission and direction from him ours onely for his sake our head and ours by his charge because wee are in communion with him Quest. 3. Why are his Angels here taken in with him to get victory over the dragon doth not hee treade the wine-presse alone or doth he need their aid or assistance Rev. 19. 15. Ans. 1. No he is the strong and armed man who alone entreth into the house of the strong man and bindeth and spoileth him neither needeth hee the helpe of any creature to whom is given all power in heaven and earth but yet quorum opera non indiget eorum ministerio utitur he pleaseth to use their Ministery not for his necessitie but for their honour incouragement and remuneration 2. There is a twofold battell 1. Of Christian redemption 2. Of Christian exercise In the former onely Christ standeth against the dragon and no Angell can stand in the battell but in the second Angels stand and men fight and resist and in the strength of the Lord represse and overcome the dragon 3. Though our Lord overcommeth the dragon alone in plaine field and single combate Mat. 4. yet it is not for the honour of the Captaine to bee without an army to lead and traine 4. Having an army of stout and couragious souldiers Angels in earth as well as in heaven he would leave them some remainders some tayle of the dragon some temptations some sufferings of Christ to bee fulfilled in the members with which hee will have his servants exercised and their fortitude tryed and put forth for how unseemly unglorious is it that an army of such power lead forth in the field should stand idle and onely look on their Captain fighting and themselves never come in to strike a stroke Here I might enter into a large discourse of the fight of the good Angels under Michael against the dragon but intending duties nearer our selves I will winde it all up in this one doctrine Seeing that all the godly are included under Michaels Angels learne That every good Christian must joyne himselfe unto the good Angels in the fight against the dragon under the Lords standard In the prosecution of which consider 1. The reasons why 2. The manner how 3. The Application If the Angels therefore fight against the dragon because the Church the party afflicted and oppressed is the Spouse of their Lord and head and members of his body much more ought we to joyne with them that professe we are these Spouse and members seeing that Michael is in a nearer bond our head than the Angels hee is their head by government and confirmation but ours by union and influence having taken our nature on him and not theirs 2. If they intend their office and calling in which they abide and are confirmed by grace which is to take part with the Church in this her military condition and come in for her succour in her assaults much more must we stand against the dragon whose cause and quarrell it is for should they stand in our quarrell according to their charge Psal. 91. Hee hath given his Angels charge c. and shall we leave it shall they sticke to it and shall wee fall from them and our selves too 3. Another reason that moveth them to fight against the dragon is their most ardent desire to promote the glory of God and uphold the true worship of God which is the beauty and safety of the Church wherein as in a glorious temple the Lord sheweth himselfe glorious And ought not we much more stand out against the dragon who are part of his Temple assaulted by the dragon to the end that both Gods glory in us and wee our selves might not be dishonoured 4. They thus stand in the fight because they not onely unfainedly love God above all according to the law even in the most perfect love that the creature can imbrace the Creator withall according to which perfect love their whole will is wholy conformed to the will of God else could they not bee happy but also because they sincerely love the Saints as themselves because they see them loved of God and elected to eternall life to bee partakers of the same heavenly inheritance with themselves The effect of this love is to desire and promote the salvation of the Saints to rejoyce in their attaining it to be sad in their manner for their sinnes impenitency and evils inward or outward Ought not wee out of our love to God and our owne salvation cleave unto God and resist the dragon resisting them both II. The manner How doe the good Angels fight against the dragon for the Church 1. By setting themselves as a strong guard round about the godly and pitching their tents round about them where Satan pitcheth his forces against them to protect their persons Psal. 34. 7. they still by their power and care thrust aside dangers Exod. 14. 19. the Angell that went before Israel when the Aegyptians pursued them went behinde them betweene the army and them When Elisha was beset a Mountaine was full of horses and Chariots 2 Kings 6. 17. If Daniel be cast into the denne the Angell shutteth the Lyons mouthes If Lot bee in danger the Angell draweth him out and can doe nothing till then If the three Children bee cast in the furnace the Angell is there as soone as they to suspend the fire from burning them Dan. 3. 2. By assisting the Ministery sundry wayes 1. They delight to bee present to behold our order and ordinances which else the dragon would soone overthrow 1 Cor. 11. 10. 2. To assist and relieve the faithfull teachers opposed and resisted most by the dragon as the Angeli helped Peter out of prison Acts 12. 3. In resisting false worshippers and removing occasions of idolatry so the Angell would not have Moses body knowne where it was buried Iud. 9. 3. By resisting and crossing the plots and purposes of the dragon Numb 22. 22. the Angell resisted Balaam in the way wherein he came forth to curse Israel 4. By supplying the Saints with needfull helps and comforts in their wants and faintings so the Angell fed Elias 1 Kings 19. 5. so the Angell shewed Hagar the Well and gave her wholesome counsell Gen. 32. 2. 5. By conveying them safe through the world and carrying their soules to heaven at their death thus the Angell
to inlarge the dragons dominions and leavy a band against Michael by corrupting and â—educing as many as they can they would have all as they bee swearers drunkards prophane and loose but they defie all the host of Michael as Goliah all the Host of Israel Scribes and Pharises will compasse sea and land to get a proselyte and if the wicked can get in one that hath a little begun a shew of goodnesse to make him drunke as they be or abet their lewd courses they triumph as much as the Philistims when they conquered Sampson Doe gracelesse men perpetually fight against Christ what marvell to see men runne on to the extremity of sin to heare and see cursed blaspemers adulterers murderers drunkards and â—ailers no marvell if some dare openly pleade against the conscionable observation of the Lords day â—f some openly disclaime religious exercises openly cast downe godly Ministers for 1. Is it strange for the devill and his Angels to sin in hainous manner 2. Is it marvell that hee that marcheth after the devill should goe on to things unreasonable 3. Is there any other expectation from wicked Angels whose hearts Satan-fils as Iudas and worketh effectually in them 4. Thinke wee their Generall will be so modest and moderate as to sticke at any height of impiety and they being bound must they not obey being captives must they not bee ruled at his will must not every subject bee for his owne Prince and kingdome Are all these enemies so infinite in power number wrath plots against our peace and salvation Learne 1. Not to stand idle are our enemies in continuall fight and action and must wee be bound to peace if wee now bestirre our selves against them must we be counted unpeaceable and turbulent indeed if our enemies would hold their hands so might wee But what a plotte of the dragon is this that while he and his Angels are at fight and in action we under a title of peace worse than warre must not stirre for our Lords right or our owne safety but we have learned that politicall axiom Hostem si agere sinas confirmas Eliubs rebuke I know the pride of thy heart must not stop Davids going out against Goliah 2. Having so many enemies against us wee need not fight against our selves or our owne side Quest. How doe we that Ans. 1. By sinne against conscience when our consciences our brazen wall shall bee taken away from us by them and take their part in accusation and wounding us 2. By security and impenitency in sinne the peace of the strong man 3. By excusing and defending sinne in stead of condemning them or our selves for them 4. By stepping out of our way and calling by which we strip our selves of our owne strength and helpe of the good Angels Vers. 8. But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven Having spoken of the battell and armies which have joyned issue one against another now in this verse we shall see the successe and to which side the victory falleth The verse expresseth two things 1. That the dragon and his forces cannot prevaile 2. That hee is mightily prevailed against so that his place is found no more in heaven For the first Whereas the dragon by himselfe and his tyrannicall agents the heathen Emperors intended to keep under the Lord of glory chase out of the world the memory and mention of Christianity and hold the world under idolatry blasphemy and heathenish worshipping of idols and devils in stead of God and his blessed Sonne yet could they not prevaile For as the Sonne of God was mightily raised from the dead and had now taken his place at the right hand of his Father so must he for ever hold his place those usurped titles of Deity must now cease and those excessively exalted powers of heathen Emperours advanced against him must now be broken to pieces and deposed now Christ must be proclaimed in the preaching of the Gospell King of his Church and God blessed for ever now Michael and his Angels Christian Emperours faithfull Pastors holy Martyrs and Professors are in the field have wonne the field with an unresistible power against which the dragon and all his Angels could not prevaile The note is this the dragon and his Angels though never so likely can never prevaile against Michael and his Angels Pharaoh was in great likelihood to have prevailed against Israel having them at such a straite and if wise working or power would have done it he wanted neither but he neither did nor could prevaile Haman was in a faire way to have prevailed against all the Iews wheÌ„ he had the letters of death sealed with the broad seale and Posts sent forth but in the issue the dragon prevailed not The Jewes seemed to have prevailed against Michael himself when they had coÌ„demned killed and buried him laid a great stone on him set a watch about him and sealed the grave they thought they had made all sure that they should never have heard more of him but they prevailed not he rose againe gloriously notwithstanding all their policie and power Looke any way a cloud of strong reasons doth compasse us to perswade this truth If we looke upwards unto God wee see in him five things against all or any of which the dragon cannot prevaile as 1. His power who is stronger than all and none can take any out of his hands Iohn 10. 28. Principalities and powers may be potent but hee is Omnipotent and mighty to save 2. His promise that he will not suffer his elect to be tempted above that they are able to beare that hee will adde to every temptation a gracious issue and that hee will shortly tread the dragon even underfeet Rom. â—6 20. 3 His wisedome for hee hath an eye to foresee all dangers an eare to heare all counsels an heart to understand all devices and reach beyond all enemies to turne all their counsels into folly 4. Affection and love so as no curse can prevaile against his people Deut. 23. 5. the Lord would not hearken unto Balaam because the Lord loved thee This love will bring us into the good land through all enemies 5. Protection He is a wall of fire round about Jerusalem A strong tower is the name of the Lord that cannot be scaled a Buckler that cannot be pierced a shield that cannot be broken a rocke that cannot be entred a mighty fortresse that can never be surprised Now were the dragon onely to encounter us weake creatures he could not but prevaile but hee must first prevaile against the power promise wisedome affection and protection of God himselfe before hee can prevaile against us and therefore all is safe Againe if wee looke at our Leader and Generall we have in him five things which make us unconquerable for 1. He is that little stone that breakes to pieces the iron clay gold and silver all Monarches
and live wholy by examples and not by rules Who sees not how the dragon triumphes and tramples on such time-servers who yet would scorne not to bee reputed sound Christians 3. The dragon prevaileth by Antichrist and enthralleth numbers by the efficacie of his delusions He that is a slave unto Antichrist is a slave to the dragon for Antichrist commeth in the efficacie of Satan because Satan worketh powerfully in him by him 2 Thess. 2. 9. who can without sorrow consider of the numbers that now runne a whoring after Popery and favour it and plead for it after that not the Gospell onely hath so clearely detected it but after it hath convinced it selfe to bee the most savage and blood-thirsty religion that ever was that would make but one Bonfire of three kingdomes and blow up in one moment religion and justice Church and Kingdome Prince and people nay after so many good lawes enacted against it wherein the whole Kingdome hath given sentence and pronounced it guilty of the highest treason that ever men or devils could devise Is it not the same religion it was then did they ever reverse any of their bloody positions did they ever any where prevaile and not chase out with a sea of sorrowes all that looke toward the truth and holy religion Well the sentence was foretold Re. 13. Antichrist must prevaile amōg them that perish A terrible Thunderbolt from heaven against all professed members of that Antichristian body especially against Apostate Papists among whom the uncleane spirit hath brought seven worse than himselfe to hasten their perdition 4. The dragon prevaileth by false and libertine teachers like the false Prophets that prophesied lies and the visions of their owne hearts to strengthen with sinful dawbing wicked hands and discourage godly hearts now when a people follow such and love to have such guides and guidance as Ier. 5. 29 30. the dragon hath prevailed to pull them to hell Michael prevaileth by faithfull teachers who bring wholesome and sound doctrine and causeth his people to delight in them and follow them contrarily the dragon prevailes by such teachers as frame themselves to speake so as to please all that seeke unto them in ther loose courses and according to all that they would have and so sell thē to Satan And what a just revenge of God is it that a people who will not suffer the Lords servants to prevaile with them to bee brought to the truth should bee fitted with such Teachers as with sweet words and fine devises shall prevaile with them to their destruction and looke how much any one hates a true teacher by so much hee loves a flatterer who shall doe him as much mischiefe as the other would have done him good Beware of this sly reach of the dragon prevailing against not a few 5. The dragon prevailes mightily in disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. In whom doth the Prince of the aire rule but in the children of disobedience and these bewray themselves every where I. In such as walke in the disobedience of nature sonnes of Belial who reject all yoakes and refuse all counsell by Gods word Gods Spirit Gods people to walke at large compassing their lusts according to the command of their owne rebellious wils a Sermon or a Play is all one onely they can sit out a play with more patience II. Such as are wilfull in their disobedience against Gods Word not onely of an unteachable disposition but untractable pricke their corruption but a little in sound application oh how it will shew it selfe in raging stormy and unruly distempers this festred heart that will abide no searching is conquered by Satan these that will not suffer Christ to rule them are called his enemies and called out to execution Luke 19. 27. III. These wilfull rebels commonly lye in ambush against the faithfull either to accuse them to make them hatefull to Magistrates or to slander and scorne them to make them hated of others as Ier. 18. 18. Come let us smite him with the tongue and vers 23. even some pretensed friends sought to banish him nay to doe more even against his life if they could have prevailed No man can seeke sinistrously to prevaile against a good man but the dragon hath first prevailed against him 6. The dragon prevailes by bad society and example when workers of iniquity meet oh how the devill rules their counsels tongues actions many hands make light worke and rid much worke if any man refuse or forbeare or scorne to joyne himselfe to Gods people if any reproach Gods name truth or servants hate the society of Saints their persons their profession or godly practices the dragō hath his will on thē and in them and where the dragon thus prevailes the Lord Jesus hath nothing to doe but to prepare himselfe to warre and wrathfull judgement against such sworne enemies of his Kingdome Neither was their place found any more in heaven We have heard in the former part of the verse that the enemies could not prevaile against the Church now wee shall see that themselves were prevailed against and so conquered and chased by Michael and his Angels as they could not ever make their party good against the woman any more but themselves were turned into a shamefull flight so as they could not stand before her This overthrow of this great Army is signified in this phrase that their place was found no more in heaven Where to finde the meaning wee will answer foure Questions Quest. 1. What is meant by heaven Ans. Some understand hereby this heavenly vision and make this the meaning that they vanished away or the heavenly vision called before a wonder in heaven which though it may be true in part for they did vanish for a time yet it is somewhat harsh to call an heavenly vision by the name of heaven and beside wee shall see they will appeare againe in this vision and renew their forces and fiercenesse against the woman Some by heaven understand the Throne of dignitie and authority which wee have shewed to bee a kinde of heaven or Throne of God and this is true also in part that the conquered party was cast from the Throne of God when those openly professed dragons were subdued and cast from the top of Imperiall State and Majestie without hope of recovery of their strength against the woman any more But by heaven I understand the Church of God as in many other places of this Chapter in which the dragon sate and exercised his tyrannie Quest. 2. What is it not to have his place found any more Answ. The phrase is taken out of Daniel 2. 35. where this Michael the stone that was cut out of the Mountaine is said to smite the image of iron clay brasse silver and gold that the place of it was found no more but they were destroyed and dispersed as chaffe so the same Michael here did so breake in pieces the power of the dragons that they had no
follow both for the respiration of the Church and the overthrow of the tyranny of Antichrist Lastly the mysterie of God shall bee finished namely in the seventh Trumpet an end shall bee of the tyranny of Antichrist and the Church shall obtaine happy dayes Our Papists thinke not of this Time Viall or Prophesie let us rejoyce in the neare approach of it which shall take them as Birds in a Nett in the evill day 3. Note the unspeakable happinesse and comfort of the Saints who are free from all the hurt of all the angels of the dragon so as neither things present nor things to come can shake them from their happie estate for thus doth the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. boldly both glory and conclude from this perfect victory of Michael over all the angels of the dragon 1. For things present they are either within us or without us Within us is a remainder of the power of the dragon a bosome enemy as Dalilah ever ready to betray us our owne flesh and the dragon often ploughes with our owne heifer But as neare and wily as it is Michael hath cast it out among the dragons angels not that it be not but that it raigne not in us Our Michael hath destroyed the body of sinne in us and now though there bee many damnable sinnes in us yet there is no condemnation to Beleevers sinne may cast us down but cannot cast us off so long as Michael puts under his hand The blood of Michael cleanseth from all sinne and is never drie Without us is a remainder of the dragons power partly in evill spirits partly in evill men both of them cast out by Michael Evill angels will ever bee molesting the godly because they weaken the dragons Kingdome but to little purpose they may plucke at us but cannot plucke us away they may reach at us by temptation but Michael that saves us not alwayes from their tempting saves us ever from their tyranny and dominion Wee are not free from tryall by them but from the efficacie of errour we are free they may reach at us by accusation by collusion by delusion they will be filching the Word from us and sowing tares and errours among us but by no meanes can hinder the salvation of the Elect nay they cannot but further it for the case is not now with us as it was in the first Adam from which height one apostate angell could cast us downe for that happinesse was in our owne hand and keeping without a Mediatour but this in the hand and keeping of a Mediatour and therefore all of them cannot cast us downe from it the gates of Hell cannot prevaile They perhaps may because they cannot hinder us in the end molest and vexe us in the way by witchcraft by possession or the like as Paul was buffeted by a messenger of Satan and a daughter of Abraham was vexed eighteene years and Christs blessed body was afflicted and transported by the devill from place to place but Michael hath foyled all of them and made this 1. Onely a bodily and externall annoyance by which hee hath leave to winne the wall without not the castle of our hearts within not the wealth of grace not the center of good conscience 2. A temporary chastisement to the Beleever which shall determine in death at farthest but in wicked men it is taking of eternall possession 3. Michael hath left a strong remedie of fasting and prayer and covered us with the armour of God that we may be more than Conquerors even of this molestation Evill men are malignant against the Church and raise up many a storme and tedious persecution but all these angels of the dragon cannot hurt or prejudice their salvation nay as Iosephs brethren while they intend evill God will turne it to good for while they would chase them out of the earth they chase them to heaven as the Aegyptians did Israel to Canaan for First our Michael hath made persecution a fire burning the Bush but not consuming it or as a stout Generall besieging the City of God but not taking it Secondly hee hath made the Church persecuted as a bush of sweet wood the more scorched the more fragrant and sweet-sented Thirdly hee hath made the persecutors his scullions to make bright his Vessels his Fullers to whiten his children his Goldsmiths to melt his gold and purifie it not to consume it his Threshers onely with this flayle to beate out his Wheate from the Chaffe Fourthly he makes the persecuted as his Worthies and Champions placed on the Theater of the world in whom hee puts forth his owne power and makes them more than Conquerours Fiftly hee sets himselfe a companion in suffering and they beare but the markes of Christ are set in the right way in which Michael himselfe went to the Crowne Now because the sword cannot cut asunder the union betweene Christ the Head and his members nor the world the dragons sworne armour-bearer can foyle their faith and graces but as Saul and his armour-bearer who fell together therfore are they also truely said to be cast out with their Prince and Captaine 2. The things to come are those quatuor novissima death the grave hell and judgement but all these are cast out likewise 1. Death in his nature is the devils weapon to murder all mankinde but Michael hath made him of an enemy a friend of a gate to hell a Gate to heaven to Beleevers Death is as a Drone who hath lost his sting and as a fiery serpent seemes to sting deadly but one looke to the Brazen Serpent is a ready cure This sonne of David drawes out this Goliahs sword to cut off his owne head yea out of the eater this Sampson draws meat he makes death determine all the battels betweene the spirit and the flesh and to conjoyne us nearer unto himselfe so as in the dolours of death the Saints who onely taste of death rejoyce and triumph as Moses on his Pisgah when he got the first sight of Canaan 2. The grave which is a Cave of death and a dreadfull dungeon of rottennesse and a darke vault of oblivion is by Michael changed into a sweet bed of rest and the darknesse makes it but fitter to sleepe in in which the body lyeth without sinne or sense of paine a member of Christ retaining for ever an happy union with Christ as well as the soule of whom the whole beleever being a member the grave can no more hold him under for ever then it did the head himselfe who having gloriously risen againe by the same power will raise the members which raised himselfe the glorious head 3. Hell in it owne nature is the appointed prison of the soule separated from God But Michael hath shut up the mouth of it and suffered the sorrows of it for all beleevers and now it is onely prepared for the dragon and his angels 4. The last judgement is as the day in which Pharaohs baker
was hanged up and his butler lifted up to his honour againe The judge is Michael the Judge of all the world the Churches husband himselfe was condemned for beleevers and will not condemne them for whom hee shed his blood Hee carried not their sinnes to lay them againe on themselves Lastly here is a ground of tryall to know whether the dragon be cast out of any man If he be then all his angells and all his power is cast out in part with him When Saul was converted and the dragon was cast out by the voice of Christ see how all his powers and angels were chased with him Ignorance and blindnesse of minde flyes away The scales fall off his eyes Pride of heart and pharisaicall righteousnesse goes after hee is strucke downe to the ground Disobedience and the command of sinne is gone Lord what wilt thou have me to do Wicked fellowship goes after he returnes no more to his companions the Jewes but joynes himselfe with the Apostles and beleevers Likewise in the Gaolor converted Act. 16. marke how all the dragons angels were chased out with him Of a proud rebell he becomes an humble soule Sirs what shall I do to bee saved Of a despiser of the word hee hungers after the counsell of it He that had reviled Paul and Silas now reverenceth them Hee that had inflicted stripes on them now washeth their wounds Hee that had cast them into the dungeon brings them out into his house there hee sets meat before them sets himselfe to heare the word from them to bee baptized of them and all his carnall joy was changed into joy that himselfe and all his houshold beleeved Where wee see all the holds of sinne demolished all the dragons studs and posts pulled downe at once This through-change must thou finde in thy selfe in whom the dragon is cast out For first where the Lord Jesus commeth hee smites all thy sinnes with his great sword as Esay 27. 1. Hee rebukes them all casts them from their power and raigne and dissolveth all the workes of the devill not in regard of their presence but of their rule and command Secondly as a Prince or Generall may hold a fort as well by any of his Captaines as by himselfe so is it here the dragon is not cast out where any of his angels are entertained for as Christ said of his Ministers Hee that receiveth you receiveth mee so may the dragon of his angels hee that harboureth you harboureth mee Thirdly our rule is to harbour no angell of the dragon Ephes. 4. 27. Give no place to the devill no not in any inordinate affection as that of anger which is mentioned Fourthly thou canst not entertaine one angell of the dragon but thou invitest a number with him every one will bring seaven spirits worse then himselfe No sinne can prosper alone nor keepe it selfe warme but le ts in a number more even a chaine of many linkes Now therefore go to the rule and note of tryall If thou hast cast out all his angels the dragon is cast out otherwise not 1. If the dragon bee cast out then the tares of grosse and fundamentall errours and heresies are cast out with him so are atheisme irreligion hypocrisie If the dragon be cast out he leaves thee not an atheist an hypocrite an idolater a contemner of godlinesse a scorner of religion a reviler of Gods servants these forts and turrets are cast downe after him But how are all the angels of the dragon welcome among ignorant and superstitious persons willfull Recusants open contemners of the holy exercises of religion c. 2. If the dragon be cast out so is profanenesse of life and corruption of manners If the dragon bee cast out hee leaves thee not a swearer a drunkard a filthy person a lier an usurer a railer a worker or lover of iniquity If thou servest any unrighteousnesse the dragon still rules and holdeth up his power in thee to destruction 3. If the dragon be cast out so are his temptations that they rage not nor prevaile as formerly It is true the dragon will bee still buffeting beleevers as Paul and will compasse them with temptations and lay many traines and stratagems for them But Michael makes them withstand them all and strenthens them to stand in the evill day where others are cast downe and with every temptation openeth a doore for issue Tempted may the beleever bee but not led into nor left in temptation The ordinary prevailing of temptation in many argues many angels of the dragon not cast out 4. If the dragon with all his angells bee cast out there is no more sorting nor conversing with the angels of the dragon The most apparent angels of the dragon are wisards and witches limbes of the devill and devils incarnate To consult or consort with such as are in immediate confederacie with the dragon is a marke and infallible brand of a man in whom the angels of the dragon are not cast out An ordinary sinne in those who professe good things but for all their profession are in compact with the devill who without a covenant with himselfe and faith in that covenant on the seekers part doth nothing More secret angels of the dragon are wicked men and a note of the dragons ejection is separation from wicked society aâ—d company from idolaters from atheists and scorners of goodnesse from filthy drunkards and fornicators from liers and blasphemers from gamesters and idle persons in a word from all vile persons in whom the image of God bewrayes not it selfe Whom to forsake consider 1. The commandement of God Prov. 23. 20 and 1. Cor. 5. 11. 2. Can wee safely runne among them that have plague-sores or converse with theeves and not be robbed one time or other 3 Thou must either commit or consent to their sinnes if not by act by silence Thou that canst brook all company how is thy heart vexed at their sinnes as Lots 4. Thou dost indeed harden and countenance them in their sinne and shalt be undivided in punishment Therefore depart from the assembly of sinfull men esteeme them angels of the dragon as they are Vers. 10. And I heard a loud voyce saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God night and day After the great battell betweene Michael and the dragon the event and issue whereof was Michaels victory and the dragons ruine and his angels now follows the song of victory and tryumph In which 1. The preface 2. The parts which are two The first containes the joy and glory of the Church verse 10. 11. The second the wo and sorrow of the enemies verse 12. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth c. In the preface consider 1. What voice this was 2. Whose 3. Why lowd I. The holy Evangelist saw in spirit and predicted a
great and chearfull noise not of men wishing for good but of a multitude chearing themselves and congratulating together in the victory of Michael and the ruine of the dragon For this preface is a prophesie foretelling something to come although delivered in time past after the manner of Prophets II. Whos 's voice was this Answ. Sundry of great learning and piety hold this voice to be the joy and acclamation of angels in heaven for the happy victory of the Church because it is said verse 12. Rejoyce ye heavens c. But this seemeth not to be so for two reasons in the context First they say The accuser of our brethren is cast out but the angels are not our brethren they are our fellow-servants Revel 22. 9. and chap. 19 10. where the same Greeke words shut out the word one in our English translation which the new translation observeth This is plaine in that opposition Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not the seede of Angels but of Abraham that hee might be like his brethren as the angels were not Secondly these are said to overcome by the blood of the lambe and by the blood of their owne testimony or martyrdome which cannot agree to angels who can bee no martyrs Others hold it to be the voice joy of the Saints in heaven who acknowledge us their brethren and rejoyce in our joy and in the overthrow of the Churches enemies But this being an exultatiō arising out of a particular victory namely the first great victory of Michael against the imperial dragōs it is not so easie to conceive how the particular passages of the Churches affaires may be knowne or revealed to the Saints in heaven For the brittle glasse of the Trinity blowne by the Papists is long since broken It is out of doubt that they do most perfectly rejoyce with us in the generall victory of Michael against the dragon and in the finall conquest of the Church and ruine of all the enemies which they know well enough and by better experience then our selves But that they rejoyce in the particular passages of the Church on earth wee may either doubt ordeny it Neither can it be cleared why they should more see the particular comforts of the Church then her particular combats and sorrows which if they should see and not sorrow for how could they be in perfect charity and if they should see and sorrow for how could they be in heavenly happinesse I expound it therefore to bee the cheerfull noise of innumerable citizens of the Church militant provoking themselves to sound forth the majesty and praise of God for his great mercy to his Church and his great judgements against the dragon and his angells III. Why is it called a lowd voice Answ. For foure reasons 1. For the multitude of them that joyne in this victoriall and gratulatory verse and voice the consent of many is called but one voice even all the Saints in those times were knit in one consent all of them enjoying the benefit of the deliverance as well as they that got the victory 2. For the magnitude of the joy for so great a victory It is fit the joy should be correspondent to the blessing which indeed was an heape or bundle of blessings both spirituall and temporall 3. Because this victory was to be audibly proclaimed to the whole world and not in a corner every where shall these devout and divine notes testifie how Christ and Christians have prevailed against all profane paganisme idolatry and tyranny 4. From the faithfull and sanctified persons it was very lowd for it was beyond a voice whereas in the slow and formall thankes of men without godlinesse there is nothing be yong a voice which can scarce get without their mouths that either God or man may heare them But this voice was joyned with faith and feeling and issued from fervencie and love which were as wings to lift up and mount it to heaven and make the earth ring againe from which warme and stirring affection if this voyce of praise did not proceed it were still-borne dead without life and motion All the faithfull whēthey see the overthrow of the enemies of the Church must break out into the joyful praises of God Psal. 58. 10. The just shall rejoyce when they see the vengeance and shall say Verily there is a God that judgeth Exod. 15. 1 When Pharaoh and his host were drowned Moses and Miriam solemnly sung out the praises of God So did Deborah and Barak in the overthrow of Iabin and Sisera and appointed a song of tryumph to be publiquely sung in Israel to keepe in minde and memory that honourable victory Iudg. 5. 1. And as here all the band of Michael tryumph in the overthrow of the dragon and his kingdome so was it alwaies the use of the Church to sing out the praises of God for the overthrow of the enemies Thus did they sing to Saul his thousands and to David his tenne thousands when hee had slaine Goliah 1. Sam. 18. Thus in Hesters time in testification of the praise of God and their owne duty was instituted a feast to be annually kept for the destruction of Haman and the Jewes joyfull deliverance Hest. 9. 31. But is not this contrary to Christian and brotherly charity which ought alwayes to wish desire and delight in the salvation and prosperity of men rather then to rejoyce in their ruine and overthrow and that hatefull sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is condemned as most unbeseeming Christians I answer so long as it appeares not to us that any enemy of God is destinated to destruction we ought to pray for his conversion and salvation alwayes attempering our prayer to the glory of God the justice of God and the amplifying of his kingdome But where God hath revealed his justice and now hope of amendment is cut off in such persons wee must rejoyce that they are falne But with two conditions 1. With holy affections not as they are our enemies but as they are Gods enemies not rejoycing in the evill that hath overtaken their persons but in the good that befals the Church by the overthrow of their state power courses which were directly set against God 2. With mixt affections consider them as men so humanity bids us sorrow in their ruine consider them as men in whom the will and justice of God is revealed and now piety steps in and makes us rejoyce in the righteousnesse of it Object 2. Oh but it is said in Prov. 24. 17. Bee not glad when thine enemy falleth and let not thy heart rejoyce when he stumbleth how will this stand with this doctrine Answ. The answer will bee plaine if wee consider the enemies and the affection here meant 1. Salomon speaketh here of private enemies thine enemy such as have done wrong to us Wee may not rejoyce in any evill befalling our enemies as ours But our Text and doctrine speakes
wicked enemies of it For 1. By these overthrows the most desperate enemies are daunted for a time and by the terrour of judgements discouraged from their mischievous enterprises against the Church Did not Gods plagues on the Egyptians stop their unreasonable violence against Israel yea however the kings heart was hardened to destruction yet the people were overcome so as to do them all the good they could leaving themselves bare and naked to adorne and enrich them with their Jewels And how hath the heavy hand of God felt by our enemies made them lesse bold to attempt the like mischiefes yea rather inclined them to be at a kinde of peace with us 2. By the dreadfull overthrows of wicked men the Lord sets up his Church and makes even the enemies themselves submit and stoop to her Psalm 18. 44. When Davids sword prevailes in the Lords battels strangers shall bee in subjection though dissemblingly The proud Aramites were forced to submit themselves wiih halters about their necks to the King of Israell 1. King 20. 31. 2. Chron. 32. 22. When that memorable judgement was executed against the King of Assur and his proud army many are said to bring offerings to Jerusalem and presents to Hezekiah who was magnified thenceforth of all nations So by the fearfull hand of God against proud Herod the Lord made his word to prosper and beleevers to multiply Act. 12 23. 24. 3. By the judgements of God powred out upon wicked men they themselves are convinced in their consciences and forced to acknowledge themselves in a wrong course and that the state of the godly whom they persecute is farre more happy then their owne If Balaam in his prosperity wished himselfe in the number of Gods people what did hee when the sword came against him in the slaughter of the Midianites Numb 31. 8. And when the Egyptians were hurled among the waves did they not wish themselves in the state of the meanest Israelites And shall not all wicked enemies who now brave it out against the Saints do so also when the waters of Gods wrath arise and beginne to returne forcibly upon them III Motives to this duty are these 1. The end proposed by the Lord of all his actions is the setting up of his glory but especially when in overthrowing the dragon hee sheweth forth all his glorious attributes of power justice hatred of sinne revenge of sinne as also of mercy care and love of his Church the over-mastering of her enemies for the terrour of all proud adversaries and the encouraging and confirming the faith of the Saints 2. As this is the Lords end so wee cannot disappoint him of this end without our own great prejudice For as thankfull praises for old mercies invite new so ingratitude being a bundle of many sins hinders the course and current of Gods blessings unto us If we would continue perpetuate mercies to ourselvs we must not deprive the Lord of his due praises 3. The Lord hath manifested his pleasure and that hée is well pleased to have the mindefulnesse of his mercies towards his people to dwell with his Church to beget in them more love of himselfe and a greater desire of promoting his kingdome Hence himselfe pleased to be the institutor of feasts speciall services for perpetuall memory of mercies deliverāces as the Paslover to perpetuate the memory of the Angels passing over the Israelites houses in slaying the first born of Egypt saving thē frō the revenging Angell And in their entring into the land of Canaan hee appointed the feast of Tabernacles in remembrance of all that providence and preservation of them and theirs from all enemies while they dwelt not in walled townes but in Tabernacles forty yeares in the wildernesse 4. The very Heathens themselves after their victories would institute publique solemnities to their gods in way of thankfulnesse and dedicate dayes and temples to them for remembrance and shall Christians come behinde them and as the manner is after victories eate and drinke and bragge and sweare in the meane time forget their songs to the Lord 5. We cannot better or liker to our life of heaven exercise our selves on earth when all the Saints shall solemnly and tryumphantly sing and sound out the glory of God for their finall deliverance from the Dragon and all his Angels by Jesus Christ when the Angels Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the blessed company of heaven shall joyne in the song of Moses and the Lambe Now the Saints on earth must resemble and begin this life of heaven and seeing all other services and spirituall duties shall cease and onely this shall remaine in heaven our care must bee that it cease not upon earth This doctrine casts out of the society of the Church such as grieve and repine at her prosperity and happy victories for he cannot be a member of the Church who rejoyceth not in her joy nor a sonne of this mother who is not glad in her prosperity Is it a note of a righteous man to rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance Psalm 58. 10. what is hee then that pineth when hee seeth Gods revenge powred on the heads of his adversaries 1. Such as grieve when Antichrists kingdome is shaken when they heare any newes of defeating his forces and cannot containe or conceale themselves but by magnifying the Catholike Captaines and contemptuous discourses against the Protestants forces bewray what they are and on what part they stand good subjects must they needs bee while they bewray such sure affections to the enemies of GOD our religion our Countrey our King and our Kings Children and good souldiers to Christ and trusty who are sorry when their Generall gets a victory I cannot tell whether to impute their boldnesse more to want of grace in disclaiming the truth or want of wit in such discovery of themselves 2. Such as rage and storme against the power of the Word which discovers the nakednesse of Popery So shamelesse and foolish are some ignorant sots and so earnestly set for their Popish Dagon that if they heare any thing against the doating doctrines of Popery they are ready to tumult as the Ephesians for their Diana It is nothing with them to revile the Ministers and give them all the lie and charge them with ignorance or falsification But what need clearer evidence to cast them for treachery against Christ his truth and holy religion established by the lawes in regard of which if folly it selfe did not leade them they would forbeare 3. Such as cannor endure our solemnities and daies of publike joy for our deliverances against the bloody Papists but as Vipers swell with poyson and griefe that their mother hath any cause of joy and that the Church and Kingdome was lifted up by God from such destruction as never came into the heads of any wretches but Papists or devils The barbarous heathens could not expresse their joy sufficiently in their triumphs gratulatory rites
faith in that diabolicall meanes nor farther than thou bewrayest distrust infidelity contempt and rebellion against God as Eliah said to Ahaziah Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou goest to Baalzebub the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1. 3. 3. It is a signe of a man or woman in a woefull estate that seeketh to witches First hee is an unbeleever if the word had prevailed to heale his infidelitie he would not seeke to Witches faith makes no such haste Secondly hee is one that carelesly or maliciously rejects the Gospell and therefore God gives him over to manifest and open contempt of him Pharaoh despising the Word is given over to bee deluded by Sorcerers Saul for disobedience to the Word is given over to seeke to Witches he did it not before God was gone from him see 2 Thess. 2. 10. 11. Thirdly he is one whose sin and judgement is ripe as wee see in Saul Pharaoh and Manasses who for conspiring with devils named in the Text as an outragious and transcendent sinne was deprived of his Kingdome bound in fetters and carryed to Babylon 4. The helpe thou câ—nâ—â— get from them is not comparable to the hurt by them for First the devill seldome cures the body but hee kils the soule is hee not a devill as well curing as killing Secondly hee seldome removes the evill either farre or long but sometimes returns it againe in some other kinde or person in children servants or cattell Hence is the common observation that such persons never thrive after it but all goeth backe with them Thirdly if thou shouldst get good by theÌ„ yet know 1. Thou must not judge of an action by the successe but by the rule 2. Thou maist not doe evill that good may come of it 3 It were but as a robber should rufsle and live gallantly by taking of purses 5. Consider this never did good and religious man in Scripture seek to a Witch and what a madnesse is it to forsake the Author of life and follow the author of death and if hee be of the father the devill that doth his workes what art thou or what canst thou thinke of thy selfe Lastly here is a use of consolation If salvation bee the Lords the Church shall not perish but indure safe so long as the Lords salvation indureth 1. The rocke of salvation is founded in heaven not to bee shaken by the forces of earth and hell 2. Wee have a strong city salvation hath God set for wals and Bulwarks Esa. 26. 1. Hee that must scale these wals must first scale heaven it selfe and seeing the Lord hath promised to bee a wall of fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 25. how can the enemy make an inrode or incursion 3. All Satanicall and Antichristian forces must combine and plot in vaine to roote out the people of God from the earth they can assoone hinder the Sunne in his course and turne back the whirlewinde into his place as turne away the Lords salvation from his Church Oh but wee see many potent enemies and mighty forces and strong armies levyed by Antichrist and his Princes against the little flocke of Christ and we see no helpe no likely power to keepe from making havocke of all I answer I. Salvation is the Lords who is more mighty to save than they to spoile else would they soone prove too puissant for the little city of God 2 Thou seest no helpe yet is it not farre off Psalm 85. 9. surely his salvation is neare them that feare him that glory may dwell in our Land 3. It shall bee put forth seasonably and shall not tarry Esa. 46. 13. The time hasteneth when the Church shall sing Now is salvation in heaven now hath the Lord manifested his salvation in his Church in the overthrow of Antichrist And strength and the kingdome of our God These are the two other Attributes ascribed to God the giver of victory By strength is meant the mighty arme of GOD which hath two properties of power the former to sustaine and beare up all things so long as hee will have them to bee The latter to subdue all contrary things to his will and power For this strength must prevaile against all adversary power and can be overcome of none The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe Psalm 118. 16. partly in the world partly in the Church called out of the world of which latter our Text properly speaketh By Kingdome in Scripture is meant two things 1. The absolute soveraignty of God over all things to whom appertaine all kingdomes this is called the kingdome of power and appropriated to God The Kingdome is the Lords that is originally and in his owne right all other in the creature is soveraignty derived and delegate Dan. 2. 27. 2. That speciall administration and government which hee exerciseth in setting up and upholding his Church at which our Text aimeth The difference betweene this and the former is In that we are all by nature in this onely by grace in that wee onely live and injoy the benefit of creatures in this we live happily and enjoy the benefit of new creation in redemption and sanctification Now whereas this speciall kingdome is either of grace here or glory hereafter the former is here meant even that kingdome of grace which the dragon specially opposeth who resisteth not so much the kingdome of power nor at all the Kingdome of glory but most fiercely assaileth the kingdome of grace as is plainely convinced by the particle Now is strength and the Kingdome of our GOD in heaven In that the Church rejoyceth that now the Lord hath put forth his strength in the overthrow of the enemies and set up his owne kingdome where the dragon and his angels had ruled in darknesse Idolatry cruelty and tyranny we learne that this Saints ought to rejoyce when they see Gods Kingdome set up and prevaile against the dragon and his angels Rev. 11. 15. When the seventh Angel blew the Trumpet there were great voyces in heaven that is the militaÌ„t Church saying The kingdoms of this world are become our Lords his Christs These were loud voyces of joy and praise that the kingdoms of the earth were converted to Christ and because Christ in his Gospel raigned by the Princes among his their subjects And indeed a good heart seeing Jesus Christ manifesting his royall administration and thereby taken up with sense and feeling of Gods goodnesse to his Church cannot conceale nor containe this joy but must vent and expresse it as Iethro Exod. 18. 9. rejoyced for all the goodnesse the Lord did for Israel he inwardly rejoyced he confessed it with his mouth vers 10. and afterward offered sacrifices to God for his mercy in delivering Israel from Pharaohs bondage which mercy hee twice expresseth And David seeing the forwardnesse of the people offering freely to the Temple rejoyced exceedingly and blessed God before all the congregation 1
Chro. 29. 10. And when the Arke was brought home to the City of David hee was so over-carried with joy that hee could not containe himselfe but he danced before it 2 Sam. 6. 14. 1. A good heart cannot but esteeme it the greatest cause of joy where God is most honoured But God is most honoured where his Kingdom is most advanced for here he glorifieth his power and grace farre above all that is in the kingdome of power First his power is more admirable in setting up the Church than in setting up the world no lesse is his power in conversion than in the Creation of men The power of his Word converting soules is no lesse than the word fiat framing bodies and substances Neither is his power lesse admirable in upholding his Church then in upholding the world putting forth it self daily both in removing the stops and impediments reared against him by Sathan tyrants heretikes wicked worldlings mans corruption as also by advancing the powerfull meanes by which his kingdome is erected continued and inlarged Secondly his grace is magnified by setting up the Kingdome of grace 1. In gathering himselfe a choise people out of the world by a meanes so contemptible to the world 2. In freeing them from the dominion of sinne from the curse of the law and the power of Satan 3. In bestowing on them the free grace of righteousnesse joy peace of conscience and sanctification 4. In their finall salvation 2. Sincere love and affection to our mother the Church and to our brethren the children of our father cannot but bewray it selfe in rejoycing in their joy seeing this onely affection will shew a man to bee of the house and blood of Christ and his seed How doe men rejoyce when their neare kindred as Parents brethren or children rise up in earthly wealth honour and happinesse Even so will a godly man when he seeth any advanced in grace which brings ever a rich revenue with it desirable above wealth besides honour and favour of GOD to which all earthly honour and favour is winde and vanity and all rejoycing in any man or gift without this is carnall unseasoned and unsound And contrarily he is signed to bee out of the communion of Saints who rejoyceth not in the grace of everie one seeing every grace in every Christian is every Christians grace neither can hee bee a lively member whose welfare is shut up in himselfe seeing the health of the whole body stands in the welfare of every part 3. That must be the greatest cause of joy in earth which is next and likliest to the joyes in heaven But to see the kingdome the Lords is the next and likest to the joyes of heaven Therefore 1. This maketh way and entrance into that Kingdome of glory 2. That Kingdome of glory is but the perfection of this For here is a daily subduing of enemies and that is a conquest of all enemies subdued and vanquished this a gathering of subjects into the kingdome in that all subjects are gathered here the King of glory ruleth his subjects mediately by Princes and Pastors in Magistracy and Ministery there hee ruleth all by himselfe immediately and is by all acknowledged all in all here is a communion of Saints absent from the Lord striving against sinne there is a communion of just and perfect men present with the Lord freed from sinne and triumphing over it here the subjects have begun a chearefull and free obedience ceasing from sinne and have attained peace with God joy good conscience and sweet fellowship with God which is an heaven upon earth there they attaine a perfect obedience a perpetual Sabbath and rest from sinne an heavenly joy in the happy and immediate fellowship with God seeing him as they would So as indeed the setting up of this Kingdome is the setting up of that and is the seed-time of that full Harvest of joy which eye hath not seene This condemnes such as whose eyes are filled with envy at the prosperity and proceedings of the Gospell by which the Kingdome becomes the Lords and gather matter of griefe and wrath where they should most rejoyce As First gracelesse and irreligious people who expresse open contempt of Gods House and Ordinances cleane contrary to holy David who rejoyced to heare the people say to him Come let us goe to the House of God And whereas grace would teach them to count the feet of godly Preachers beautifull they cast mire and dirt in their faces and what disgraces the times wil afford thē an earnest of the ful wages they would pay them if times should prove for them Nothing so much grieves them as a man who is suffered to uphold the Lords Kingdome as Sanballat and Tobiah were exceedingly grieved that Nehemiah sought to build the walls of Jerusalem Secondly profane Ministers who above all men should rejoyce that Christ is preached any maner of way and preferre the worke and prevailing of the Gospell above their chiefe joy yet are full of envy to see Gods blessing given and the Kingdome of the Lord more set up by others than themselves So were the Pharises exceedingly troubled to see the people follow Christ himselfe See all the world goeth after him And their Ghosts walke in the world in numbers of their successors whose hearts rise against those to whose Ministery God gives a better report than to theirs A signe of a proud and unmortified heart Thus did not Moses Num. 11. 28. hee did not presently shove and thrust at Eldad and Medad to thrust them out of the Congregation because they prophesied but was glad and wished more of them The true Apostles were glad that Christ was preached by false apostles though it were of envy but they are false apostles that envie Christ preached of good will Iohn Baptist was glad that Christ increased though himselfe decreased by it Iohn 3. 29. Oh that the Angels of the Churches on earth would resemble the Angels in heaven They sing glory to God when Christ appeares and the poore shepheards preach him so would these were they as free from pride and vaine-glory as they and would frame their high spirits to the lowlinesse of our Lord himselfe who rejoyced in spirit and blessed his Father that hee had revealed the things of the Kingdome to Babes Thirdly others disswade and discourage such as are comming on to Christ and were it not for them would shew themselves subjects to this Lord by frequenting his House and Ordinances Oh you must not heare such nor frequent the Lecture you shall get your selfe a blot c. O unhappy men not onely the perswaded whose lot is to light into such mischievous acquaintance by whom they are intised away from their allegiance to their Heavenly King but most unhappy such perswaders who keepe away with themselves all they can fall in with what is their worke but the same with the dragons Vers. 4. to slay every manchilde so soone as he is borne
in the day goe to thy rest a few houres will bring the Sunne and morning which shall discover all things againe Commend thy cause in well doing to him that judgeth righteously Flie not on men to be revenged but flie to him and waite for two things First Gods time Ioseph lay in irons till the time appointed came and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him Psal 105. 18. Secondly Gods meanes Object I see none all wayes of clearing my selfe are shut up Ans. Yet God hath wayes enough 1. Angels Mary had innocence but no way in earth to discover it Ioseph was putting her away but the Angell from heaven acquites her God watcheth in the night over our innocency as over hers 2. Good men hold themselves made by God keepers of their brothers credit Ionathan will speake for David though a speare bee throwne at him 3. Evill men themselves Saul shall preach Davids innocency and Pilate the Judge condemning Christ shall acquite him This of the first point 2. In that the Saints here praise the Lord for that the accuser is cast downe wee learne that when the Lord hath scattered the clouds and mists of false accusation for us and made our innocency appeare wee must by all meanes shew our selves thankfull for it The eighteenth Psalme is a Song of thanksgiving in the day that God delivered David from the hands of Saul who accused him of treason and aspiring and affecting the Kingdome see vers 43 46 48 49. Hest. 9. 26. the dayes of Purim were instituted for a perpetuall and publike praise of God both for the clearing of the Jewes innocency falsly accused by Haman and the overthrow of the accuser 1. As God doth all things for his owne glory so especially here his glory shineth in much brightnesse for First he riseth up in righteous judgement and manifesteth the whitenesse of his Throne whiter than Salomons which was of white Ivory demonstrating the purity of the Judge and judgement and here advanceth his Throne above all the thrones of the world which cannot cleare themselves from corruption Secondly he advanceth his power above all enemies they are potent to suppresse the truth but he is omnipotent to support it Thirdly hee magnifieth his wisedome in preventing all the cursed policies and counsels of his enemies against the Saints and either turneth them to folly or bringeth them on their owne heads as Achitophel and Haman Fourthly hee expresseth his affection to his people in turning the enemies curse into a blessing as in the instance of Balak and Balaam Numb 23. 11. I called thee to curse mine enemies and loe thou hast blessed them The more Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites the more they increased Now as the Lord putteth forth his glory so hee expecteth that his people should declare it and ascribe the same unto him considering that if they honour him not hee loseth all his honour upon earth for wicked men shut their eyes against it and further how well it pleaseth him when the Saints goe out of themselves and ascribe al their safety onely to his mercy disclaiming their owne strength merit or goodnesse and onely glory all the day in him whom they acknowledge the Patron and defender of truth and innocency 2. After all victories the Saints used to praise the Lord when they saw him rise up for them against his enemies But in casting downe accusers is an happy victory wherein many hellish plots are overthrowne many stratagems discovered and armies of diabolicall enterprises chased the fury and force of enraged enemies is defeated themselves turned backe and cloathed with confusion The heathens would not carry a victory without sacrificing to their gods and shall the Saints deny the Lord this sacrifice of praise when their enemies are cast downe before them 3. When the Lord heareth our prayers he is greatly to be praised Psalm 28. 6. Praised bee the Lord for hee hath heard the voyce of my prayer And how can a godly heart who hath commended his cause and innocency unto Gods clearing and findeth that the Lord who seemed to have beene departed and not to respect him or his righteous cause is now returned and manifesteth his presence in stopping and restraining the fury of the enemie and bringing forth into light the innocency of his servants how can a good heart now but returne with praises to God who hath heard all his prayers and brought about all his hearts desire 4. The benefit it selfe to have slanders and evill surmises dispersed is not so small and worthlesse as it is not worth thankes How thankfull would wee be to that man who when wee could not tell what to doe in a great cause concerning our estate would step in as a faithfull witnesse on our side but how much more when the Lord vouchsafeth to witnesse for us seeing we can neither deserve this favour nor repay any thing else for it Therefore let us not deprive him of his praise which is his tribute Psal. 50. 15. I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And it is the end of all Gods intention in the donation of mercy and ought to be our end in the fruition of it Againe it is a note of an evill man to be more ready to pray for supplies in his straites then to praise God for supplies in his liberty and inlargement Finally it was ever the constant practice of the Saints Psal. 59. 16. I will sing of thy power and praise for thou hast beene my defence c. Quest. How may we expresse our thankfulnesse for this mercy Ans. 1. If God honour or preserve our names wee must much more honour and uphold his referring all our credit and reputation to maintaine his name and honour contrary to those who know not how to wield honour and greatnesse but in swearing cursing gaming and the like 2. This we shall doe by carefull and watchfull upholding the holinesse innocency of our own lives For the end of our redemption from our enemies is to serve our God in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes Luke 1. 15. And it is the end of our justification both before GOD and man that wee should shine out in holinesse and walke beseeming so great salvation Verse 11. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives to the death AFter the Church in this triumphant song hath sung out the praises of God the giver of all victory in the former verse now in this are set forth the due praises and commendation of the army or band of Michael who had valiantly stood with their Generall in the conquering and subduing the Dragon In the words are two things First a report of the victory and that the Saints were masters of the field But they overcame him Second the reasons or causes of this victory and they were of two sorts 1. The meritorious cause and principall efficient
redeeme us Gal. 3. 13. Fourthly death seised on us in the day we sinned but this blood of the Lambe is the death of death who is swallowed into victory Hos. 13. 14. Fiftly the wrath of God pursueth sinne infinitely but here is a propitiatory sprinkled with blood and as the propitiatory did cover the Arke in which the law was layd so Christ our propitiatory hides the law from the eyes of Gods justice and stilleth the accusing clamour of it against us freeing us both from the rigor and malediction of it The sixt enemie is sting of conscience and restlesnesse but this blood raseth the handwriting there also both pacifying it in sealing remission of sinnes through his blood Col. 1. 14. as also purging it from dead workes 9. 14. The seventh is enmitie of the creatures which all take their Lords part against us but this blood reconcileth all things Col. 1. 20. saveth from revenging Angells Heb. 11. 28. changeth Lions into Lambes sealeth the covenant not onely betweene the Creator and us but the creature also The last enemie is hell and hellish sorrowes but this blood hath shut hell and opened heaven Our high Priest hath carried his owne blood into the holy place and there pleadeth for us better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. It hath merited and now prepareth us entrance and mansions in the Holy of Holies Next this blood answers all objections so as by this blood the members must overcome all enemies as the head did 1 The world gives many a blow and thrust against godly men But be of good coÌ„fort this Lambe hath overcome the world 2 In sense of the grievousnesse of sinne this blood is more efficacious then the blood of bulls and goats to pacifie wrath Heb. 9. 13. 3 Oh but my heart is infinitely hard and rebellious Answ. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sinne by pardoning and purging it 4 Oh but I lie open to the adversarie and am prone to sin and fall away Answ. The destroyer had no power over those houses that were marked with the blood of the Lambe and this blood hath more safety and protection 5 But my owne conscience followeth me with liue and cry Answ. This blood in earth cancelled all bonds and now in Heaven speaketh better things then Abels Secondly the Saints overcome but in overcomming must be humble being in themselves weake and unequall to such a battell and must conquer by the blood of him that loved us Rom. 8. 35. Here wee are taught to disclayme all merits and strength of our owne By nothing but by faith in this blood can we prevaile 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh but he that beleeveth Thirdly Christians so overcome as all the glory must be the Lambes Wee must give the honour of victory to the Lambe and say Thâ—â— art worthy for thou wast killed Revel 3. 9. No man nor Angell must share in the glory of this victory they never fought this battell for us they never shed blood for us Woe unto them that ascribe any part of this victory to any but the Lambe who payd so deare a blood for it Let Papists consider it who ascribe the victory to merits satisfactions pardons c. It is said in Revel 14. 11. The smoake of their torment shall ascend continually who worship the beast or receive his marke Fourthly highly value this blood Nothing in the world can conquer the least enemie or sinne but this blood which onely is of infinite price If all the seed of Adam had shed their blood for sinne yet had no enemie beene conquered no sinne satisfied This blood is opposed to all corruptible things as silver and gold 1 Pet. 1. 18. This is the treasure of the Church to which all things else are drosse and dung Phil. 3. 8. Never did they know the price and power of this blood that will eeke it with the merits or passions of Saints Martyres Traytors Highly do all they sinne against this blood that despise the grace of the covenant in the blessed meanes of it or the word of grace which is the booke sprinkled with this blood Heb. 9 19. or the people of God the remnant of grace bought and sprinkled with this blood As also fearefully do they tread this blood under foot who lye in their unbeliefe and obstinate impenitency and they that by swearing by blood and wounds by the death and passion of Christ cause this blood to cry for vengeance against their soules more loud then the blood of Abel And time comes when this blood of Christ so dispised and trampled shall lie heavie on such mens consciences Fiftly did our Lord by resisting unto blood for us obtaine victory we must also get victory by resisting unto blood Heb. 12. 4. striving against sinne and looking unto the author and finisher of our faith He without sinne resisted sinne unto blood and shall not we who are pressed with sinne in way of thankfulnesse resist unto blood seeing our resistance and suffering tends dayly to the weakening and consuming of sin in us And by the word of their testimony Now we come to the secondarie and instrumentall causes of the victory of the Saints the former of which is the word of their testimony This word is the faith and doctrine of the Gospell concerning salvation by Jesus Christ. Where are two questions 1 Why is it called the word of their testimony seeing it is called the word of the testimony of Jesus vers 17. and chap. 1. 2. the Testimony of Iesus Christ. Answ. It is both in divers respects 1 If we respect the author it is the testimony of Jesus whose all truth is or if we respect the matter or subject of which it treats Christ is the matter to whom all the Gospell testifieth But 2. if wee respect the subject in which it is also the testimony of the Saints not because it is the word of man but because it is witnessed unto by men for God doth so far honour his Saints as to admit them witnesses to his truth 2 How doe the Saints testifie to the Word or Gospell Answ. Foure wayes 1 By preaching publishing and declaring Christ to be the Messiah and Saviour of the world and this either by word or writing For the former the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie or gift of teaching so preachers are called witnesses Act. 1. 8. In the latter sense Iohn calleth himselfe a witnesse testifying these things because he was the pen-man of this prophesie concerning Jesus Christ to the Churches 2 By profession and confession of Christ declaring and witnessing with the mouth what he beleeveth in his heart concerning Christ and salvation by him 1 Tim. 6. 12. and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses 3 By holy life and conversation expressing the vertues of Christ and the power of Christian religion this is an actuall witnesse 4 By passion and suffering Martyrdome when
more cowardly lost the field then those that presumed most of their strength and valour at home Goe out of thy selfe and pray that by his strength thou mayest be able to all things Verse 12. Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the divell is come downe unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time AFter the victory atchieved over the dragon and the due praises both of Michael the Generall and of his band and armie sung out in the former triumphant song now in this verse is described a twofold fruit of the former benefit 1 The joy of the Saints therefore rejoyce yee heavens and ye that dwell in them 2 The sorrow and extreme griefe of the wicked called the inhabitants of the earth and sea in opposition to the former with the reason of their sorrow For the divell is come downe c. For the joy of the Saints it is invited by an Apostrophe or conversion to them in which are two things 1 The cause or reason of their joy in the word of inference therefore 2 The titles of those that are called to rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them The cause of their joy is in the word therefore because the Church both in the Head and members hath got so happie a victory over the dragon therefore they are to rejoyce Note hence that godly men triumph after victory not before Israel triumpheth when Goliah is slaine and lyeth dead 1 Cor 15. ult Thankes bee unto God who hath given us victory Revel 7. 14. Who be they that say Amen Praise glory wisdome thankes honour power and might unto our God for evermore but those that are come out of great tribulation 1 Christ our Lord triumphed after his victory Col. 2. 15. He made a show and triumphed over the principalities and powers when he had spoyled them This was for our example 2 The nature of a triumph is ever after victory and before is as unwise as unseasonable For the event of warre is uncertaine and falls sometime on this side and sometime on that And therefore the counsell of the King of Israel to Benhadud assuring himselfe of victory from the multitude of his army which was so numerous that the dust of Samaria was not enough to give every one of his followers an handfull was grounded on wise policie 1 King 20. 11. Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast as he that putteth it off 3 All the true triumph of Saints is grounded in Christs victory soundly applyed to themselves No flesh must rejoyce in it selfe that according as it is written He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 31. Which serves to thrust downe all carnall and ungrounded triumph and boasting before the victory as First Many formall Protestants defie the devill have a strong faith and ever beleeved and it were pitty he should live that doubts of his salvation and of all men they are surest to be saved But here is a foolish triumph before victory all this while they come not in Christs victory or strength they meane wel and deale justly with men are sober civill chaste not adulterers drunkards theeves they come to Church and heare the Prayers and Sermons and yet are none of these forward and precise fellowes But all this while the enemie hath thē fast enough and is well pleased they should so delude themselves For they are without faith which should be their victory over the world without repentance and mortification which should be their victory over their sins and lusts without sound fruits of faith the only ensignes of victorious conquerors Secondly Papists glorie and triumph but before victory for 1 Finall victory stands with Christ not Antichrist 2 Sound victory is founded in the victory of Jesus Christ and not in prevailing against Christ and his Kingdome as all theirs is 3 Sound victory glorieth first in truths victory and not in treading downe the truth and Professors of it as theirs doth 4 True victory gloryeth in the lawfull just and Christian meanes of obtayning it But how overcome they In their fight against spirituall enemies they will overcome by their good deeds and merits by their owne holy-water holy relickes holy crosses by buying Masses pardons trentalls and indulgences by round summes to avoyd Purgatory and the like Here be conquerors whose safety and salvation lyeth in despaire For whom have they enemies in all this but God and his truth such conquerors as Saul and his armour-bearer who dyed on their owne weapons And for their temporall enemies by what meanes carry they victory but by stabbing throat-cutting burning Massacres powder-plots perjurie treasons Is this to be victors to be superiors in fury fiercenesse slaughters and effusion of Christian blood Let Papists thus conquer and glorie in their shame the more such victories they carry lesse cause have they to triumph unlesse they triumph justly in making themselves and their religion the shame and infamy of the whole world 2 The persons that are called to rejoyce are the heavens and they that dwell in them By the heavens we understand not the heavens or any of them literally or naturally nor by the inhabitants the Saints and Angells dwelling in the third heaven though even these have a share in the generall joy of the Church militant For as the cause of this joy properly belongeth to the Church militant as wee have heard so the word of inference therefore calleth on them as whom it most concerneth to rejoyce in their owne happinesse By the heavens and those that dwell in them are meant the Church on earth and the Saints and Beleevers the members of it which is not usually in this Chapter nor in this booke chap. 18. 20. O heavens rejoyce over her where the company of the godly in earth are called to rejoice in the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdome Now to the former reasons elsewhere why the Church militant is called by the name of heaven we will adde these 1 Because there is not a more lively resemblance of heaven in the world then the universall company of Saints in the militant Church here upon earth as might appeare in many things The inhabitants of the Church here below dwell together in an holy communion of Saints enjoying the presence of God separate from the world and the wicked inhabitants of it knit among themselves by the inward band of the Spirit and the outward meanes of association the word sacraments prayer and other more private helps in which heavenly society they resemble that immediate and perfect fellowship which they expect in heaven both betweene God and his people and mutually among themselves 2 Because of the high estate and condition of the Saints on earth above others uncalled who are advanced beyond them as the heaven is higher then the earth For
an happie condition they shall not be rolled in the destruction of evill men but shall be hid in the secret chamber of Gods providence when the storme of wrath shall come like haylestones yea like tallents of ledd upon the heads of sinners then shall there be a difference betweene him that feareth God and him that feareth him not then shall it be seene that it is not in vaine to serue the Lord. 4 It is a terror for evill men seeing it is as impossible for a sinner to avoyd wo as God to be untrue in proclayming it Sorrow followes the sinner as a shadow the body Most common it is for the wicked to applaud themselves in a wofull condition for whatever their estate seemes it is most unhappy They spend their dayes in pleasure and forecast that none shall have more pleasure then they But it is like Belshazzars when the writing on the wall appeared ouer against him They lay about them for wealth and a secure estate here below and rather then want it will curse and resist the people of God as Balaam little thinking that the Angell stands with a drawne sword to meet them in every corner to slay them No all the earth cannot make him happy who fights against heaven and whom heaven hath accursed earth cannot blesse He hath sowne tares and tares he must reape 5 Here is a spurre and incitement unto repentance and a trumpet to awaken secure soules that while it is called to day they may heare the voice lest all these woes seise upon them and oppresse them unawares It stands every sinner in hand to rise out of the bed of security and get a melting and bruised heart considering the day that commeth which shall burne as an oven and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shal be as stubble Mal. 4. 1. But seeing men are loth to apply this part to themselves we must helpe it home a little more particularly 1 What a fearefull wo is denounced in Scripture against all Popish and Antichristian Idolaters Rev. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in their hands and foreheads the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone for ever Whosoever shall do thus and persevere after admonition and will not come out of Babylon must perish in her destruction They prepare fire and faggot for the Saints whom they call heretickes but worshipping the beast and his image Christ prepares fire and brimstone for them and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for evermore Now there is no way to avoyd this woefull damnation by wilfull persisting in that Apostasie but instead of the character of Antichrist by taking in our foreheads the seale of CHRIST by which he separates us from the world by faith and holinesse and from Antichrist by zealous profession of the truth which he persecutes and marketh us up for his owne sheep the property of which is to heare his voice and follow him Ioh. 10. 2 What a dreadfull wo belongs to our voluptuous gallants that are at ease in Sion who put the evill day farre away and remember not Iosephs affliction Amos 6. 1. Silkes and Velvets cannot cover the secure sinner from this woe Greatnesse of birth place power treasure cannot elude these threats which are more stable than the foundation of the earth but according to the cursed seeds thou sowest shall thy harvest bee Gods people sow in teares to reape in joy and thou must have a share in the sorrow for sinne and in the afflictions of Gods people or never looke to share in their joy 3. Were the Prophet Esay living where hee proclaimed one woe upon drunkards hee would powre out ten thousand upon this drunken age which is drowned with drinke Esay 5. 11. 22. Woe bee to them that rise up early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue till night Woe bee to them that are mighty to drinke and strong to powre in strong drinke How will the drunkard escape this woe and all the threates in the Booke of God which shut him out of heaven where is no roome for drunkards There is but one way and one there is to leave thy cup of drunkennesse and come drinke another cup a cup of mercy a cup of teares for thy sinne a cup of the blood of Jesus Christ a cup of the water of life that heaven may be opened to thee a sorrowfull and sober penitent which thy sinne had shut and barred against thee 4. What a fearefull woe doth our Saviour denounce upon all contemners of the Gospell and despisers of the blessed light of it Mat. 11 24. It shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of the Lord then for such And whence else was the heavy woe here upon the earth and Sea but for sinnes against the Gospell not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thes. 2. See we any woe or heavy hand of God upon the Kingdome in this effect who seeth not the cause the contempt of the Gospell doth any extraordinary crosse and judgement lie on this City on your trades on your estates why are yee blinde to this day and will not see the cause you poare like blinde men on secondary meanes fewnesse of buyers troubles abroad scant of money scarcity of times and the like but you see not the next cause at home your contempt and sleighting of the Gospell your Sabbath-breaking your want of reformation according to the rules of Gods Word your causlesse hatred of the bringers of the truth c. change your course and God will change his entertaine his best blessings and then expect inferior else know as sinne is linked fast so are Gods judgements these shal be but the beginnings of woe and one woe shall follow upon another till repentance come between For the devill is come downe c. The reason of the former woe denounced followeth and is twofold 1. The comming downe of the devill 2. His wrathfull disposition where of the reason is given because he knowes his time is short For the Exposition Quest. What is this comming downe of the Devill was not Satan before among the inhabitants of the earth till now that this victory is gotten by Christ were not wicked men under this curse and woe before this by Satans wrath and ruling Ans. Yes the devill was the Prince of the world before this and was commander among the Inhabitants of the earth and sea but he is now said to come downe in three respects 1. In a more generall and universall mischiefe intended by the dragon which was to spread it selfe over the face of the earth which was by a generall Apostasie of the world from Christ to Antichrist foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 2. In a farre more dangerous and mischievous manner of working by which he shall prevaile farre more efficaciously than ever before For whereas