to the death for Christ and his glory Fourthly so perfect is Gods Image on them that the inhabitants of that heaven are without all spot wrincle that is in full sanctification and it is the joy of Saints here that the Church is all faire and no spot is in her both in respect of inchoation and acceptation 3. Another chiefe good thing the mover of their ioy is their happy priviledges with God a taste and beginning of all which the Saints below have to feed their ioy As 1. They are in heaven and Inhabitants of heaven so are wee 2. They raigne as Kings are crowned and have conquered as Kings so we are made Kings to God Rev. 1. 6. are crowned Re. 3. Let none take away thy crowne and are conquerours yea more than conquerours Rom. 8. A conquerour may bee conquered but so cannot wee Onely this they are conquerours in their Countrey we in the way thither 3. They are sonnes of God and heires of the Kingdome so are wee now the sonnes of God onely they appeare so to bee we not yet 1 Iohn 3. 1 2. 4 They drink of the waters of the Well of life and so do we onely they drinke at the Fountaine and Well-head wee at the streames somewhat below 5. Their ioyes are perpetuall the Well is never drawne dry it is a lasting and everlasting ioy from an everliving Fountaine No more shall the Saints in this heaven ever lose their ioyes My joy shall none take away from you Now have I propounded the ioyes fit for an Inhabitant of heaven What an happy thing is it to be free of such a City All other priviledges are chaffe to it all other ioyes bitternesse to it Quest. May we not reioyce in any thing else Answ. 1. Godlinesse denyeth no lawfull delights but giveth both allowance and sweetnesse to them 2. No ioyes are lawfull but such as are moderated guided and subiected to these 3. None but such as are received and used as pledges of these 4. None but such as uphold these in the due measure of their goodnesse and uphold a proportionall affection in us toward these And 5. Are referred unto these as our chieFe ioy and onely beseeming heaven upon earth and heaven above earth Woe to the inhabiters of the earth c. Now followeth the latter fruit of the former victory namely the most grievous plagues and evils inflicted upon the wicked world Where are three things 1. The woe denounced 2. The persons on whom the inhabitants of the earth and sea 3. The reason for the devill is come downe c. Woe It is a Particle in Scripture 1. Of lamentation Lamen 5. 16. Woe unto us that wee have sinned 2. Of commination or threatning and prediction of some wofull imminent evils and events so in this Text it threatneth the iudgement of God upon the wicked world In this use it threatneth sometimes temporall iudgements Mat. 24. Woe to them that give suck in that day Sometimes eternall damnation as to Iudas Mat. 26 24. Woe to that man it had beene good for him that hee had never beene borne and sometimes spirituall plagues and iudgements the ordinary fore-runners of that so it doth here This Text therefore is like that Volume spred before Ezekiel Chap. 2. 10. which was written within and without and there was nothing written but lamentation and mourning and woe Which compared with the former part of the verse teacheth that the Ministers of God must as faithfully deliver the voyces of wo and legall threatnings out of the world as the voyce of ioy and glad tydings of Euangelicall promises and comforts Aarons sonnes in the Law must blow the Trumpets of the Lord to siguifie unto Euangelicall Ministers that they must sound an alarme against all Gods enemies and be at defiance against all sinne according to the Commandement Esa. 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet tell Israel of his sinne and Iudah of his transgression And thus for our example did the Prophets Apostles and the Lord of the holy Prophets Jesus Christ. Eliah tels Ahab to his face that it is hee that troubled Israel Nathan telleth David Thou art the man Iohn Baptist telleth Herod It is not lawfull for thee to have her Act. 2. 24. It was you that crucified the Lord of glory Acts 8. 22. Repent of thy malice and pray if the wickednesse of thy heart may bee forgiven thee Mat. 3. 7. O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to fiye from the anger to come Mat. 23. 13. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for yee will not enter your selves and ye shut the doore against others Verse 33. Serpents and generation of Vipers how will yee flye the damnation to come 1. This is a part of the will of God and it belongs to faithfulnesse to deliver the whole Counsell of God and keepe nothing backe The Embassadour to a Prince must deliver his Masters minde and commission wholy if hee will expect the reward of fathfulnesse 2. This is that part of the Word which is the portion of the greatest part of the world and even of them that live within the visible Church for no naturall man no impenitent person hath any part in any other part of the Word Pro. 26. 3. To the horse belongs a whip and a rod for the fooles backe and as Iehu said to Iehorams servant What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the sinnes of Iezabel remaine so what hath any wicked man to doe with peace of the Gospell so long as hee is in his sinnes Wee may not cast this childrens bread to dogs nor these precious pearles before Swine 3. This is as necessary a part of the Word to salvation as any other neither is there any part fruitfull but by this Can any man heare of pardon that will not heare of his sinne Will any skilfull Chirurgion apply healing Salve to a corrupt and festred wound before hee open and cleanse it And must wee powre oyle into sound parts of men yea or into their wounds before wee have powred in Wine to search them No were we to preach before Kings as Nathan we must preach the Law before pardon The Lord appearing to Elias there was first a mighty strong winde that rent the Rocke and then an earthquake and after that a terrible fire and then came a still voyce in which hee was comfortable Even so when his Ministers by the tempest of the Law have rent the rockie hearts of men and made them at their wits ends that they come trembling and crying with the Iayler Acts 16. Sirs what may I doe to be saved now is a fit season for the voyce of peace and the bindings of the Gospell 4. The whole Scripture doth nothing but separate betweene light and da knesse betweene the Children of the Kingdome and the children of Hell and so must the true handling and application of it sever
and with him all the fruits and graces of the Spirit Christ covers none with his robe of righteousnesse but he deckes and adornes that soule with his holinesse Never thinke thou puttest on Christ till thou hast put on the new man created after God and hast attained a new suite and habit and art changed in thy course 5 The grace of hope and expectation Earnestly desiring to be perfectly covered and decked with Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 4. wee desire to bee clothed upon Wee are already cloathed with the justice of Christ and in part and imperfectly with his holinesse but yet much nakednesse and filth is with us and much frailty and sorrow attends us Now there is another garment the garment of glory and immortality which wee long and sigh after to be cloathed withall For if the tast of Christ be so sweet what a happinesse is it to be filled with Christ If in his absence he be so sweet how sweet is he in his immediate presence and fellowship None can have the joy of his Lord enter into him here but he will wish and long to enter into the joy of his Lord hereafter For if in our prison we can so happily enjoy him what shall wee in our palace Thus by 1. mortification 2 justification 3 invocation 4 sanctification 5 joyfull hope and expectation the woman comes to bee clothed with the Sunne Having expounded the severall things in this application of the garment we come to the observations Where we will handle three maine duties of the Church and of Christians The first dutie is Every Christian in sence of his owne nakedness must labour to put on this garment Rom. 13. 14. but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ. Considering 1 The necessity in that we the of-spring of Adam are as naked in our nature as ever Adam was And as the naked infant is exposed to all injuries and death it selfe unlesse the parents take it from the birth and wrappe it in cloathes so were we till it pleased our heavenly Father to provide us a cover for our soules nakednesse Wee must not therefore suffer this cloathing to lie in Gods wardrobe but we must put it on partly by faithfull application grounding our confidence on the onely merit and righteousnesse of Christ who is the matter of our righteousnesse and partly by imitation of his holy vertues growing in daily sanctification 2 The excellent properties and benefits of this garment should stirre up our diligence to make our selves sure of it which properties and benefits are of two sorts 1 in saving us from evils 2 in procuring us all good 1 In saving us from evils in that 1 It alone covereth all guilt being a long white robe not as the garments of Davids servants cut off by Hanun which hid all but their shame 2 It covers from all danger as well as from shame Isa. 4. 6. It alone armes the beleever with safety and protection It is a commodious garment for al seasons for summer and winter fit to keepe out heats and colds winde and weather It is commodious for all estates prosperity adversity sickenesse health peace or warre to beare off blowes or shot called both a wedding garment for peace and an armour of proofe for warre Eph 6. Wouldst thou know what to doe to be safe in time of plague famine warre sicknesse persecution thou must put on Christ and walke safely in all dangers Dwell under the shadow of the almighty Ruth fearing injurious dealing gate her softly and secretly to Boaz saying Cover me with the lap of thy garment chap. 3. So get thou to Christ and now let dangers insue and death make an assault upon thee and take thee away it shall doe thee no more hurt then it did Christ himself it shall onely lift thee up as it it did him to his glory This garment shall be sure never to shrinke in the wetting neither shall he that weares it Wouldest thou know what to doe in the buffetings and temptations of Satan here is a sufficient cover and strength against all temptations Satan will object Thou art a sinner hateful to God Answ. In my selfe I am so but in this garment my sinne is hid Ob. But no sinner can come to heaven Answ. No unlesse he have the wedding garment which I have by faith and this brings me into the Bride Chamber Ob. But thou art unworthy of any thing but damnation Answ. In my person I am but in this garment I have a worthinesse imputed to me Rev. 3. 4. Ob. But sinne drives thee from GOD and GOD from thee how darest thou pray or hope to speede An. If I came to GOD in my owne name I were hopelesse but I am clothed with Christ in the sight of GOD and present his merit in my behalfe By fastning on me this garment I am one and the same person with Christ and GOD can no more deny me then him Wouldest thou know what to doe against accusations and cold feares and terros of Conscience This garment put on keepes the heart warme and comfortable as if a man walked in the warme sunne â—f a man were clothed with the sunne how could he be cold It is one of the curses of the Law to put on clothes and not be warme but this garment removes all curse never was any clothed herewith exposed to the curse Never came Christ any where but if he found not joy he left joy behind him as in Lazarus Zacheus the Iaylor c. 2 In procuring us all good which it doth 1 In bringing us into acceptance with God Ioseph might not come in his prison garments before Pharaoh but must change his garments Gen. 41. 14. So there is no accesse or acceptance with God in our owne old forlorne garments till we change them casting off our foule and filthy garments and adorne our selves with this second vestiment figured in the beautifull and holy garments of Aaron without which upon painy of death he might not appeare before the Lord 2. In procuring grace and blessing In this garment only we become heires of blessing For as Iacob could not have got the blessing from his Father had not his Father smelled the sweet smell of his brothers garment so no more could wee if we were not wrapped in this garment of our elder Brother Being in this garment the Lord pronounceth of us as Isaac of his sonne The smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. Touch but the hemme of this garment and vertue comes forth Weare it and hide thy selfe in it and thou hast got blessednesse Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is that man whose iniquitie is hid and whose sinne is covered Ob. But have we not all put on Christ already and are baptized into his name How can we still put him on Answ. 1 The putting on of Christ is a continued act of the whole life For the understanding
Antichristians who are the beast rising out of the earth And they are called inhabitants of the sea for their tumult and incōstancy casting up as the sea nothing but mire and dirt and carryed as waves of the sea by every winde Jude 13. But if any thinke the Evangelist aymeth more distinctly at some particulars I am not ignorant that some by earth understand the common multitude of wicked persons enemies unto Christ and by sea the ecclesiasticall men who have corrupted the earth with bitter brinish and salt doctrine of errors and humane traditions and thus still oppose them But I conceive a further drift of the Spirit of God well suiting to our whole exposition and period of time which this part of the Chapter aymeth at That rather by earth are meant all such nations and Kingdomes of earth subjected to the spirituall whordomes of the dragon so called for their earthly profession affection and practise and by sea the then Roman Empire it selfe so called 1 For the floods of impietie that issued from it as the floods and rivers do all from the sea it was the head of wickednesses 2 For the unbridled rage of it and the unresistable power which was then the great Ocean swelling over all bankes So as the sense seemes to be Wo to the earth and all wicked nations that are enemies to the Church of God but especially wo to the sea the great Empire whose sinnes the dragon hath brought to a great height so as the great mutation of that great estate is now neare and the subversion of the Imperiall and Cesariall power is at hand For now at this time so effectually did the dragon worke in the delusions of Antichrist as that he whose comming was in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse was shortly to swallow up the Imperiall power and so to take him out of the way which stood betweene him and his greatnesse as was formerly prophesied 2 Thes. 2. and not long after accomplished When the Church is happy in the midst of persecutions wicked and earthly men are unhappy and miserable So is it here rejoyce ye heavens but wo to the earth and sea Eccles. 8. 12. 13. Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shal be well with them that feare God which feare before him but it shall not be well with the wicked Esa. 3. 10. Say yee it shal be well to the just but wo to the wicked it shall not be so to him it shal be evill to him the reward of his hands shal be given him Psal. 37. 37. Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shal be destroyed together One reason hereof is in the text Satan being cast out of the men of the Church gets into the swine of the world and carries them into the lake first of sin then of destruction In their best estate they are Satans possession 2 It must be so by the perpetuall rule of divine justice who neither shuffles good and evill men together as men do nor mistakes persons and actions Among men there is a righteous man to whom it commeth according to the worke of the wicked and the contrary Eccles. 8. 14. But the Lord judgeth with righteous judgement Neither doth he forget any of their workes A wise man that delivers the City by his wisdome may be forgotten among men Eccles. 9. 15. as Ioseph was but the Lord forgets not the goodnesse of his servants nor his enemies sinnes but sets up all on their heads for the day of reckoning and recompense Revel 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to his workes The just Judge of all the world must do right 3 According to a mans seed time so commonly is his harvest Gal. 6. 7. As a man sowes so must he reape he that sowes to the flesh must reape corruption but he that sowes to the spirit shall reape life everlasting Doest thou sow chaffe and darnell and weeds and lookest thou for a crop of wheat Sow righteousnesse and thou shalt have a sure reward Prov. 11. 18. but if thou sowest iniquitie looke to reape affliction 4 The truth of God in accomplishing his word must leave the godly most happy while the wicked are wrapped in hellish woes and horrors The same weight of truth which carries downe wicked men into their place hoiseth up the godly as in the other scoale For as all the precious promises of the word belong to the one whereof earth nor hell can defeat them so al the woes and execrations of Scripture belong to the other and shal be true upon him so long as God is true in himselfe There is not a wicked man but he hath all the threatnings of God all the curses of the law and all the terrors of his owne conscience standing and shall stand for ever in force against him if hee stand out impenitently against GOD. Now this is a direction to Ministers for the course and carriage of their doctrine to sing both mercy and judgment and to come both with a rod and the spirit of meekensse Wee must speake peace to godly men but feed the impenitent with judgement This text and all texts and the whole tenor of the Scriptures go before us in this course Unhappy men are they that speake all peace and preach nothing but promises as if all men were godly and the congregations not mixt or if they distinguish of men it is to encourage hearten and harden wicked men for their owne gaine and dishearten and disgrace such as feare the Lord. 2 It is a direction to all men to carry our affections differently according to the differences of men expressing our love and kindnesse to men fearing God and our dislike of evill and wicked men 1 So doth the Lord and his Spirit in this text and whosoever are guided by the Spirit of grace will shew themselves in the helping up and encouragement of godlinesse and furthering the joy of the faithfull and in the discouraging and daunting so far as lyeth in him the wickednesse of men 2 A note of a good man is that a vile person shall be contemned in his eyes and he will love them that feare the Lord. 3 True judgment helps him to discerne between an Israelite and Ismaelite and true affection will cleave to the one and disclaime the other Gods Spirit teacheth none to esteeme carefull Christians vile persons nor to cleave to enemies and resisters of the grace of God who are indeed vile persons and so are they that sort with them or plead for them and as sin makes men vile to God so it makes them seeme to good men 3 It is an incouragement to godly men in the way of holinesse for they are in the way of happiness nothing can make them fall short of
life that she might cleave unto him alone saying For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and clcâ—ve to his wife and they two shal be one flesh Gen. 2. 24 Even so when God saw that after mans fall it was lesse good for him to be alone he institutes for him a second marriage with the second Adam whom he casts asleepe by death and brings his spouse out of his side peirced and marries the Church unto him that renouncing and forsaking all loves and lovers but him she migh cleave undividedly to him And that now as Salomons spouse we might forget our owne people and fathers house seeing the true Salomon hath vouchsafed to marrie us Gentiles to himselfe and to lay us by his owne side from whence we were taken Quest. How must wee cleave to Iesus Christ Answ. Three waies 1. In person First the wife dedicates and delivers up her person to her husband alone so beleevers must deliver up their bodies and soules to Iesus Christ for now we are no longer our owne but his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Secondly a faithful spouse as a chaste virgin is married but to one man 2 Cor. 11. 2. Thirdly Christ communicates his whole person unto us and us onely no other are admitted into his body he gives his life for his sheepe onely prayes not for the world Fourthly Christ as a faithfull husband leaves father in heaven and mother in earth to cleave to his wife and therefore we must esteeme him as father mother brother and sister as Adam was to Eve 2 Wee must cleave to Christ in faithfull affection The earnest love delight and affection of the wife must be towards her husband by Gods ordinance Gen 3. 16. Thy desire shall be unto him and to him alone because it is the covenant of God the recognisance of which is kept in heaven that both parties keepe themselves in pure and chast love one to another So must wee as good Spouses love our husband Iesus Christ as our selves nay better then our selves not loving our lives to the death for his sake seeing that his love to us was stronger then death and more to us then to his owne life This loyall love will be loath to offend him and having offended him will not rest till he bee pacified againe 3 Wee must cleave to him in affliction A wife marries her husbands estate as well as his person for better or for worse So we must cleave to Christ in affliction in poverty persecution banishment and beare his reproach The husband and wife must beare one anothers burthen must rejoyce and weepe together If common Christians must doe so amongst themselves much more Christ and the Christian. A Kingdome is promised to such Luke 22 29 30. 2. The wife must depend upon her husband as upon her head and that for three things 1 For direction subjecting her selfe as owing obedience to all his lawfull commandements Gen. 3. 16. he shall rule over thee she must heare his voice and acknowledge a stampe of God upon it in everie thing that is not sinne This is subjection and not to be sicke or sullen or answering or replying when she is crossed in things indifferent It were monstrous in the body if the hand should goe about to direct the eye or the foote rise up to rule the head and they are monstrous wives that covet rule and command whom God hath made to be ruled and commanded and subordinated their wils to the direction and discretion of their husbands Even so the Christian must be subject to Christ in every thing Ephes. 5. 24. She is not worthy the name of a wife that will be subject as far as she list or as makes for her ease Gen. 2. 19. all the Creatures came to Adam to be named by him in token of their subjection and as they so the woman also was named by Adam in token of her subjection that she should never think of the name woman but also conceive her subjection Would to God women did thinke that to lose subjection were to lose woman head In like sort the spouse of Christ hath taken her name of him in token of absolute subjection What can be more proper for a Christian then to frame to all the rules of Christ seeing he is the true light the sunne of right eousnesse the pillar able to direct 2 The wife must depend upon her husband for protection The husband is the vayle of his wifes eyes as Abraham was to Sarah Even so the Churches husband is the saviour of his body Eph. 5. 23. The only Phineas that turnes away the wrath of God kindled against the Israel of God The only Moses that standeth in the gappe where Gods wrath had made a breach Davids wives being taken captives he rescues them 1. Sam. 30 and smites the enemies with an horrible destruction So this Sonne of David and Davids Lord redeemes us his wife out of the hands of our enemies both spirituall as sinne hell death Devill and damnation and corporall also so as though they may exercise yet they shall not hurt his spouse In all our troubles and dangers we must come unto him as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the wing of thy garment over thy hand maid for thou art the Husband 3 The wife must depend on the husband for provision Whom should the wife depend upon for necessaries but on her husband or who must pay the wives debt but the husband so who else but Iesus Christ can suppply the Church with such things as she needs who can bestow pardon of sinne righteousnesse life and salvation but he or who can pay such debts as we owe but he both obedience to the whole Law and satisfaction for the breach of it None but he can satisfie either the principall or forfeiture If any man should maintaine another mans wife the husband being better able then he would not all the world judge them harlots and nought So seeke thou salvation and righteousnesse as the Romish Church doth by any other meanes within or without thy selfe then by the name Iesus thou art an harlot and no spouse of Christ. 3 The wife must rejoyce to honour her husband even with her owne dishonor 1 Cor. 11. 7. the wife is the glory of her husband and so a good Christian is the glory of Christ. Christ rejoyced to honour us with his owne infinite dishonor The joy of heaven pleased him not without our presence fellowship in it All the members honour the head so must wee honour our head though we be losers by it Such a dutifull spouse was Iohn the Baptist who rejoyced because of the Bridegroomes voice Ioh 3. 29. and saith ver 30. He must encrease but I must decrease Such good spouses were the disciples that rejoyced they were counted worthy to be scourged in the Synagogues for the name of Christ and were contented to be fooles for Christ
Judah in all the 4. quarters of the world Zach. 1. 20 yet vers 21 God hath 4. Carpenters or workmen with tooles and axes to strike off these hornes that is as the dragons hornes are in all quarters to scatter and wast the Church so the Lord hath every where instruments to batter them although the Lord could do it with any one instrument or by never a one yet for the full consolation of the Church he described them to be as many and in as many places to resist and suppresse them 5 Though these hornes of the dragon be many and powerfull yet God doth often turne them one against another as the Midianites swords were thrust into their fellowes sides and shall at length easily and certainly breake all their hornes lifted against him and his Church as in Haman Herod Pharob Iudas Iulian Zenacherib A proofe how he brake in pieces the Antichristian horne in our Fathers daies some persecutors died suddenly as Annanias some with their guts falling out as Iudas some with lothsome excrements finding unnaturall waies by the mouth nostrils some brake their necks some became frantick none escaped without repentance though for a while they held up their heads and hornes aloft Quest. But what meanes may this Woman use against all these hornes for her safty Answ. 1 She must know as all humane power cannot resist those mighty hornes and therefore must utterly dispare of her owne strength for wee fight not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wikednesse also in high places nor against weaklings but against the strong man armed Luk. 11. 21. Who is resolved to keepe his hold against the Prince of the world yea the god of the world and not against one enemie or two but ten horns an infinite army of principalities and powers with all his aids and abettors which are the great and innumerable worldly hornes all at his command against the Church and her Head Jesus Christ What is the world but Satans armorie and our adversaries are not more puissant and numerous as wee are few in number weake in our selves weaker in our sinnes utterly unable to resist their hornes and assaults Impar congressus as Saul to David he is a man of war and the other a stripling therefore we must despare of our strength 2 Fly to the strength of God which wil make us conquerors acknowledge that salvation is the Lords the dragon hath his strength from earth the Woman hath her strength from heaven by prayer David comes to Goliah in the name of the Lord and foyleth him so let us disparing of our selves be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 5. 10. wee shall be able to doe all things through the help of Christ strengthening us Phil. 4. 13. Colos. 1. 11. we are strengthened through him c. 3 The dragon is strong by humane confederacies and alliance we must confederate with God by daily renewing our covenant by faith repentance strengthen our league and union with God who will give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. 4 Leane upon the promise of God who hath undertaken to breake for his Church all the hornes of the wicked Psal. 75. 10. Even all these ten hornes shall be broken distrust not the promise but believe and be safe faith will be an honourable victory for it apprehendeth the power which brought Christ safe from the wildernesse and wild beasts and shall bring the Saints safe through all An admonition to the enemies Psal. 75. 5. Lift not up your hornes high 1 what are they in nature but savage beasts and dragons nay the wildest of the beasts retaineth more goodnesse in his nature then the wicked man doth in his Christ was more safe in the wildernesse among wild beasts then in the world among wicked men the beasts in the wildernesse acknowledge their Lord and hurt not him But if hee come among wicked men Iudas will betray him the Jewes will accuse him Pilate will condemne him the common souldiers will crucifie him Daniell was more safe among the Lions then among his enemies so was Paul too who had better escaped the beasts at Ephesus then the men Lazarus found the dogs more pittifull then Dives The beast knoweth and feareth those that doe him good but these worse then beasts neither know nor acknowledge God nor his people from whose hand and for whose sake they hold all they have 2 What are they in Gods account Obj. He favoureth and prospereth them Sol. Though they seeme to cary all before them and are men of place and power and all men stand in awe of them yet in Gods account they are but beasts amonst men their strength and power but as the raving and pushing of horned beasts 3 How are they crossed in their owne account they shal never have their wils against the Woman nor shall never destroy her faith and fortitude their intended mischiefe shall effect her good By tearing with their teeth they would utterly devoure her but as Ignatius let wild beasts teare and grind her it is but to make fit bread for the Lords table 4 Though now Papists and Antichrists hornes be lifted up God seeth and sustereth and smileth he seeeth and hath let his servants see their day comming the sins of the Church do a little while put it off but Gods word is as a hatcher lifted up to knocke both the head and hornes and the strong arme of God shall make good his word and ere long these tenne hornes shall hate the whore and make her desolate see Revel 17. 16. And seaven crownes on his heads The 5. and last propertie by which the dragon is described is by his great conquest victories together with his high rule and authoritie which he exerciseth and usurpeth in the world against the Church By crownes or diadems is meant 1. in generall the whole kingdome of darknesse which Satan by the greatnesse of his power usurpeth not upon inferiours and vassalls onely but upon the chiefest Monarchs and potentates of the earth whose crownes after a sort become his crownes 2 The many victories and great conquests which partly by fraud and partly by force he hath carried away amongst earthly Princes and carnall professors for who weare crownes but Conquerors 3 Here especially is meant the supremacy or supreme majesty of the Romane dragon or Empire subduing under it the Princes provinces nations by innumerable victories but especially prevailing against the Church and primative Christians as so many Conquerors The number of the crownes are 7. according to the number of his heads and all his 7. heads are crowned because his subtilties have so often prevailed The dragon usurpeth and exerciseth kingly authoritie and regall power in earth by which he often prevaileth against the Woman the Church This our Saviour teacheth both in the style that he giveth him and also by the
that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer afflictions 2. Our Lord Iesus himselfe was content to goe into the wildernesse and indure al temptations wants and dangers that he might sanctifie our wildernesse unto us and sweeten all our sorrowes and afflicted estate unto us and breake for us and from us all hostile powers which would hinder us in our translation to his heavenly kingdome 3. None of the Saints fall by chance into the wildernesse but it is a place and estate prepared by God himselfe as our Text saith and though men see us not but suffer us to sit alone and desolate God seeth his servants in that condition and tendreth them as his owne first borne 2 Cor 6. 9. as unknowne yet wel knowne as dying and yet behold we live as chastened and not killed The enemies beyond the Sea triumph as if God knew not his Church now in the wildernesse but God prepared the place for the present 4. The wildernesse being a place of Gods preparing he will make it convenient and comfortable to her for 1. The more solitary and secret the place is the more fit it is to hide and secure her 2. The more free from the pompe and glory of the world the fitter it is for her that is called out of the world and crucified to the world 3. The more inconvenient and dangerous it is the more it setteth out his wisdome and power who over-ruleth all inconveniences to the Churches good no contrary can crosse his good purpose toward his Church and people Nay here wee see he appoints a fruitlesse place to feed her a place of journey for her rest a place of danger for her safety a place of warre to uphold her peace and a place of temptation to free her from temptation Thou therefore that fearest God never feare any place state or condition prepared for thee by God if thou beest a member of the Church he will over-rule all anoyances and inconveniences to thy full and assured comfort To use warily and thankfully our peace and priviledges lest wee drive the Church from us into the wildernesse we see here the Church planted by the Apostles themselves flying into the wildernesse In what wildernesse now are the 7. famous Churches of lesser Asia Those once flourishing Churches of Rome Corinth Galatia Thessalonica to whom the Apostles writ so respectively Wee see those famous Churches of Bohemia and Palatinate now fled into the wildernesse and their countries become a wildernesse not long since as florishing and as famous as our selves GOD that hath made us yet looke on would not have us idle spectators but by their harmes to beware and be the wiser Quest. How may we prevent this so dismall an estate of the Church Ans. If we prevent and bewaile the sinnes and signes of a Church ready to flie into the wildernesse Quest. What be the sinnes which especially drive the Church into the wildernesse Ans. I. The sinnes of the Pastors have beene noted the principall cause of the Churches flight and indeed the raigning sinnes of Pastors were ever noted the first causes of banishment and captivity Lam. 2. 14. 1. Ignorant and blinde guides leading the blinde both fall into the pit 2. Or men of knowledge but corupt in judgement who mingle wheat and chaffe and mingle the sweete waters of the heavenly fountaine with puddle waters of humane devices so did the Pastors departing from the primitive simplicity of doctrine and rites chase their Church into the wildernesse 3. Or men of parts but without conscience to use them to God but to themselves pompous ambitious flattering men in their sins crying peace peace when the Lord proclaimeth warre and blood men that heale the hurt of the daughter of Zion with sweete words and harden men against goodnesse by putting darknesse for light and bitter for sweet and sweet for sower by justifying the wicked and taking away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isay 5. 22. this hasteneth wrath see verse 23. 24. 4. Or scandalous persons for intolerable greedines or notorious vices in themselves abetting of them in others envying and hating all the shine of grace these ring-leaders to evill chase away the Churches prosperity and where such sonnes of Eli make the religion of God to be blasphemed of Papists Atheists and but indifferent Protestants the Arke is not farre from taking and leading away into the enemies Countrey how may the Lord againe complaine as Ier. 12. 10. Many Pastors have destroyed my Vineyard and trodden my portion under foot they have laid it waste and it mourneth to mee II. The sinnes of Rulers who maintaine not the purity of Gods worship but suffer corruptions and reliques of Idolatry to grow up therein as Ivy with the Oake till it eate out the heart of it so many of the Kings of Israel suffered the remnants of Baal and the Chimarims even after some reformation which still baned and at last foyled the true worship and sent it away This we have noted a cause of the Churches flight in this place A little leaven quickely leaveneth the whole lumpe The reason is because the Lord who requireth as pure worship frō us as ever hateth idolatry false worship as much as ever can abide the sent or least cōporting with Idolaters no more thā a husband can indure wanton behaviours and suspitious gestures in his wife though she come not so farre as the adultrous act For this mingling of idolatry with true worship in Israel the Lord threatneth that he will make her as a wildernesse and leave her as a drie land Hosea 2. 3. as indeed after he did If after so glorious a liberty of the Gospell restored and renewed by five famous Princes Henry Edward Elizabeth our gracious Iames and our noble Charles we should in after ages which God forbid have Baalish Altars and Masses manifestly resorted unto Chemarims Iesuites and Priests increased but thankes be unto God for the vigilancy of our now gracious King against this mischiefe If wee should I say take up their fashions bee enamoured with their pictures and doate after the guise of the Babylonians as Samaria did after the Chaldeans Ezech. 23. 14 15. this sinne would certainly drive our Church into the wildernesse as Israel was into Babylon of whom she was so enamoured and with whom she contracted and increased so neare affinity This was a manifest forerunner of Gods justice who ordained no other scourge for Israel but Babylon whom shee so affected and to whose religion she desirously fashioned III. The generall nationall sinnes against the light and grace of God 1. Generall apostacy and falling backe more and more notwithstanding holy doctrine powerfull preaching Gods warnings heavy strokes the Lord threatneth this sinne with the same punishment Zeph. 1. 2 8. He will surely destroy all things from off the earth and make her as a wildernesse and visit them that were turned backe from the Lord. The falling from
the first love procureth the Candlesticke to bee removed Alas how is it that our love to the Word is so abated anciently in the beginning of the Gospell they would measure many miles to a Sermon wee will scarce step out of doores nay we put away the word of subjection and drive it away from us as the Jewes did Acts 13. 26. How lamentably are wee falne from the honour and high respect of the word bringers the feet of faithfull Messengers were wont to be beautifull now entertained with scorne and reproach and the more faithfull the more vile and disgraced such as the world is unworthy of are thought unworthy to live in it In good Ieremies case since I cryed out of oppression and wrong I am a derision daily every one mockes me and the word of God is made a reproach unto me Ier. â—0 7. And will the Lord continue his best mercies which are generally thrust away with hatred and scorne How are wee generally fallen off from the obedience of the Word how few can abide the sincere obedience of it in themselves or others how many esteeme the most conscionable obedience of it the most odious thing that may be terming it by disgracefull names that nothing is growne more reproachfull in most places than holy obedience Now is it possible that the Lord should suffer his priviledges to abide with them who abide not in obedience nay of all things cannot abide it Besides what a generall inclination is in our people to looke backe and runne backe to Popery to goe a whoring after their abominable Idols 2. Nationall sinne hastning the Church into the wildernesse is resistance and opposition of the power of godlinesse and religion when men generally content themselves with a forme of godlinesse but resist the power and proclame a defiance against Christ plainly in their course saying Wee will not have this man rule over us would God this sinne were not so plainly the sinne of the age as that hee that runneth might not rea d it for 1. How few can abide the power of grace in others and then is it first expulsed in themselves how few can brooke that man that frequenteth the hearing of Gods Word useth duties of piety at home that will not sweare drinke riot nor be filthy and loose in speech 2. How is the practice of Christianity growing more reproachfull than to live in any sinne and in many places is more safe to be extreamly flagitious and a noted vicious person than a godly liver and would be daily seene were not wicked men restrained by good lawes 3. How is the glorious name of a Christian become a scorne and reproach amongst the basest of men and the most abject as dogs dare barke and doe most against them who most faithfully labour to expresse the power of the Gospell 4. How doe the most like better of prophane men than of the most religious accounting of such as honest men fitter companions than such as unfainedly feare the Lord 5. How doe men generally disswade their friends from their strict courses as from that which they esteem most prejudiciall to their welfare how doe they pursue and chase godly men as their enemies as if one world were not made or fit for them both and yet what is the expectation but of wrath when they are gone and hunted away would not this drive our Church into the wildernesse if it should not be prevented thankes bee unto God for the meanes of prevention Quest. What are the signs of a Church hastning into the wildernesse Ans. The withdrawing or abating the signes of Gods presence as 1. When the sincere preaching of the word is removed Gods gracious presence is not more visible in any thing than in a faithfull Ministery nor a Christian state is more happy and conspicuous in any thing than in sound and lively doctrine in which God hath promised his presence to his Church to the end of the world Now when God removeth this the Church is going into an afflicted estate a signe that Saul is cut off when God will speake no more to him Every man in the removall of a sound Ministry may discerne the Lord removing himself 2. When the outward ordinance remaineth but without fruit and power a dead and sleepy Ministery under which men remaine blinde and unconverted God is going apace from such a people for as the inward power of the word is an infallible signe of Gods presence who by his spirit warmeth some hearts enlightneth some pierceth some converted some so hath the Lord apparently withdrawne himselfe when his word is without power that men grow not better but worse by it and if this bee generall it is a fore-runner of the Churches flight into the wildernesse How few hearing judgements denounced feare with melting hearts but rather as the Smiths Anvil the more strokes the harder How doe most fashion themselves to the licentiousnesse of the times and not to the fashion of the Word how are many more blinde more deafe more hardened apparently more prophane in life more corrupt in judgement more resolute in Popery than before In a word so small is the power of the Gospel that wee may feare lest it be taking her farewell where it may expect to prevaile more unlesse wee doe prevent it by our speedy amendment 3. As all Politicians hold that a signe of a commonwealth falling and neare the period isto restore favour and increase the number of mutinous and once rebellious Citizens so of the ruine of the Church when the number of ancient enemies are suffered daily to encrease as the heresie of Arius increased the orthodox Pastors and Professors decreased till the whole world marveiled that it became an Arrian and as the Antichristian heresie increased so dyed the visibility of the Church being forced to flie into the wildernesse If Papists and Antichristian Babylonians increase upon us in numbers power in boldnesse who are inraged with fury against us they wil easily grow too strong for us if we throw them down and make them hide their heads whom God honoureth most as in whom his image most shineth how can the Church but goe into the wildernesse where did these Wolves and Lyons ever rest but they devoured the flocke of Christ witnes the forraigne parts at this day Lenity to Vipers destroyeth common-wealths and Churches 4. Peace prosperity and wealth generally abused this was a fore-runner of the Churches flight into the wildernesse in this Text. The Historian telleth us that Foelix noÌ„ est diuturnus but is either punished of God for the abuse or by men for envy sometimes for feare of their greatnesse so it is with the Church ease slayeth her hurtfull riches wound her security feedeth upon her If we see our peace generally abused to pride and wantonnesse to boldnesse in sinning and going on in impenitency to neglect and contemne the meanes of grace and hardening our hearts saying to Prophets prophesie not in that
of the children of darknesse Iames 4. 1. Now were it not for the enmity of this wicked One and ones against the Gospell there would bee no hurt in all the maintenance of holinesse Onely here note how wide they are that call for and commend an unlimited peace whereas the Gospell onely cals for a well conditioned peace 1. No peace is good but which flowes from peace w th God none against him defie that peace that is at defiance with the God of peace beware of an impious peace 2. No peace but joyned with holinesse Heb. 12. 14. carnall companionship is a peace in sinne drunkennesse swearing the devill divideth not his kingdome Christians must owne no such hellish peace detest such a prophane peace 3. No peace but with truth which is magnified above peace against popish pacification conversing with Papists shall wee betray the truth of God under the pretence of peace no peace without contention for truth 4. No peace but with good conscience secure Protestants will have peace in their sinnes let them alone they will let you alone runne with them they like you oppose godlinesse these precise wayes oh you winne them for ever but all is against the Gospell but better is a godly distraction than a wicked peace The Church and members must be in perpetuall warre while it is upon earth as Israel in the wildernesse had daily warres and resistances so all the Israel of God in the wildernesse of this world Hence it is that the Church of God on earth is called militant because it is an inseparable adjunct of it to be in perpetuall flight and battell Ephes 6. 12. wee wrastle against principalities and powers and that without intermission and if wee must still put on the armour of God this implyeth a perpetuall battell God will have us put a difference betweene heaven and earth and know that this is not our resting place and that rest is not gotten with ease hee will have us prize the worth of it in the difficulty danger and strife in attaining it he will crowne none without lawfull striving because none can overcome that fights not The Lord hereby provideth for his owne glory for whereas if it pleased him he might put forth his mighty power in preventing all molestation and overthrowing all his and the Churches enemies at once and so procure to his Church perfect peace and prosperitie even in the world but he more magnifieth himselfe in the victory of his servants than in their peace and they are more glorious in their faith constancy fortitude and patience than in their peace rest and security The state and constitution of the Church is such as none can be servants of Christ but souldiers for 1. So long as the enmity of the seed of the woman and the Serpent lasts there is no hope of truce or cessation of armes 2. There cannot be spirit but there will bee a combate betweene flesh and spirit which if neither the first Adam nor the second both in innocency can escape how shall wee expect to avoid it in state of corruption so long as there is light darknesse will fight against it 3. Where any grace is as is in every true Christians heart there is something worth stealing there the thiefe layeth battery where hee knoweth the treasure is yea the same men who were quiet enough before the appearing of grace are now so raged against it as if either inward temptation or outward fury can prevaile they shall be cast downe as Paul 4. Where there is but an entrance into the profession an admission into the family of Christ a receiving of our Captaines presse-money and a promise to fight the good fight of faith that is cause enough of quarrell and even so much or so little shall not want keene blowes from the dragon and the world 5. Suppose a man should want enemies without him yet he wanteth no enemie so long as hee carrieth about himselfe himselfe is exercise enough to himselfe all his life long and the better he knoweth himselfe the better shall hee know this truth The Lord hereby provideth for his Churches good and the furthering of her salvation and that many wayes 1. He letteth her see the great malice and hatred of the dragon against her and the extent of his mighty power against her against which shee could no way stand but in the power of God thus hee humbleth her in her selfe shaketh her out of her security driveth her out of her selfe and chaseth her to her fort and refuge even God himselfe her rocke 2. Hee letteth her see the desert of her sinnes in some measure and so to further her repentance for though hee have laid the chastisement of her peace on his Sonne yet he by these wicked instruments fatherly correcteth us as children so Iob 13. 26. Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possesse the sinnes of my youth This good the Lord bringeth out of the evill intentions of the dragon he both awakeneth the conscience to finde out and hunt out secret sins which before she was not aware of as this sharpe water of affliction cleareth her sight so she findeth that the greatest strength of the dragon is in her owne corruption she is now more wary to prevent sinne for time to come as the buffettings of Satan kept under Pauls pride and suffered him not to be exalted above measure 3. The Lord hereby setteth and keepeth all the graces of his servants in exercise and so preserveth and strengthneth them as the health of the body is preserved by bodily exercise so the health of the soule Now in conflict they find the use and worth and measure of their faith hope patience prayers which before were weake and languishing 4. The Lord setteth enimies perpetually in the necks of his servants not that they may be overcome but that they may not bee overcome hee knoweth standing brookes gather dregs that unused iron gathereth rust David in all his battels stood unconquered but in his peace and rest was soone foyled whereas in this battell none are foyled but cowards and none can hold out but are crowned Seeing he can be no Christian that knoweth no combates let us lay up the point of wisedome to forecast and make account of the battell and know we have blowes and bullets to passe through Holy Iob waited when his changes would come and it was his wisedome for time came when hee had thrust upon thrust messenger upon messenger yea changes and armies of sorrowes encamped about him in one day Chap 10. 8. Quest. How shall wee wisely forecast dayes of tryall and battell Answ. 1. Know wee have enemies round about such as will slip no advantage offered we say opportunity maketh a knave our enemies are wrathfull watchfull and never farre off 2. Labour to stand prepared Dost thou not see an enemy now in the field against thee yet bee wise in peace provide for warre a
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
morning Psal. 22. 1. and Cant. 2. 9. My beloved is like a roe or young hart Christ is lovely as the Hart swift to save his Church as the Hart Can. 2. 17. beset with dogs as the Hart Psa. 22. 16. Dogs have compassed mee that is Jewes and other hellish Beagles And finally here hee is at warre with the serpent as the Heart But this serpent spets out poyson to kill and poyson to death every man and woman as well as Christ as indeed hee hath slaine every childe of Adam 2. His other quality is serpentine insinuation and winding by his slie flattery and subtilty by which as he did drive our first Parents us out of the earthly Paradise so he never ceaseth to hinder us also of the heavenly Paradise this he doth especially by deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. winding himselfe into our hearts by degrees till hee bring us first to act sinne then to affect it then to bring acts to habits to to a law unresistible and to a nature 3. Againe the devill is called a serpent for his serpentine and cursed condition The serpent is accursed of God above all beasts of the field Gen. 3. 14. so is the devill and his Angels above all creatures The curse reacheth the serpent both in his habitation and sustentation he dwels in thornes and bushes there hee lurkes and hides himselfe so the devill in the thickets of sinnes lusts and hatefull deeds flying the light the serpent feeds on earth and cursed dust so doe the devils on earthly-minded and carnall men who lie under the curse of GOD carelesse of the blessing The adjunct of this serpent followes an old serpent 1. Because himselfe hath beene of the same antiquity with the beginning of the world who of old even then cast us from our happinesse 2. Because his malice is not new-conceived but inveterate as ancient as the world and therefore no hope of truce or reconciliation 3. He excels not onely in naturall subtilty but by his experience ever since man was on earth is growne wonderfull deepe and cunning like an old beaten souldier trained in manifold crafts and mischievous stratagems so his craft is redoubled by his age and experience III. The third title or name is The devill for crimination accusation and calumniation Hee is that egregious calumniator whose incessant delight and practice is in accusing and calumniating 1. God to man of envy injustice or the like unkinde affections as Gen. 3. 3. God knowes your eyes will bee opened 2. Man to God in good that it is done in hypocrisie as Doth Iob serve God for nought in evill that man is guilty of that sinne which himselfe drew on But of this Title more in the next verse IIII. The fourth title is Satan for his hostility and enmity He is an adversary and opposite 1. To God 2. To good men 3. To good actiōs I. To God 1. In his decrees and good purposes of restoring the Elect unto eternall life by Jesus Christ by all meanes striving to frustrate them though all in vaine for the counsell of the Lord shall stand 2. In all the meanes appointed for the execution of those decrees as the word and truth of God which hee laboureth to turne into a lie Gen. 3. 5. Yee shall not surely dye by which hee brought in sinne upon us he hates that as the sentence of his damnation so hee hindreth the preaching and publishing of it as in Paul and the Apostles 1 Thess. 2. 18. He sends his Ministers impudently to disgrace the holy preaching of the word and to cast downe if they could all exercises of religion publike and private For the graces of faith love holinesse wrought by the word in which are the beginnings of salvation he hates and resists them and disgraceth them as most contrary to himselfe being an uncleane spirit I have heard many of his Agents openly revile the grace of GOD and disgrace holinesse in hatefull termes but none of them but apparently foule and uncleane beasts in one kinde or other and how can contraries but fight II. To all good men he is an adversary because of Gods Image and way they have Gods Image and superscription upon them and so of a contrary kingdome And hee who while wee were in our owne way or the way of the world never resisted us for then wee were going downe into Aegypt now if wee be in Gods way and set out toward Canaan never ceaseth his resistance III. He is also an adversary to all good things and actions he watcheth to slay all good motions in the wombe that they shall no sooner bee conceived than abortive he is an adversarie to each good action either to hinder it if hee can by hindring us from attempting good or atchieving it by hindring us from feeling the sweetnesse of godlinesse so as having no pleasure in it it may goe on heavily by making us fickle unconstant soone weary and then all is lost or if he cannot hinder to corrupt and deprave it that though he cannot make it evill hee may make it seeme so to bee By all this description the Spirit of God would have us become wise to take knowledge of our enemy and make our owne profitable use of this discovery especially that we should never compact with such an adversary In his temptations to sinne hee comes in the habit of a friend and loving Counsellor but is indeed a dragon and therefore fierce and a winged dragon swift to shed blood Oh that wee could thinke while he is intising us to sinne that we have to doe with a serpent who hath a naturall enmity against us and this antipathy set by God admits no reconcilement and not a serpent onely but an accuser of us to God for that which himselfe intised us unto In his disswasives from good pretending our peace ease credit or whatsoever commodity happy it were could we say Come behinde mee Satan this is nothing but the voice of an adversary resisting mee to hinder both the worke and wages 2. Againe wee learne to beware of such a monster and watch such an adversarie who is a serpent therefore subtle to deceive a serpent therefore full of poyson and deadly infection an old serpent and therefore by his experience ever since the creation can espie the least advantage against us can see all our counsels and consultations in our secret chambers and will not slip any such advantage but put it forth to the furthest proofe and extent for our greatest harme Furthermore wee are taught to fence our selves against his wiles and enterprises Quest. How may that be done Answ. By three sorts of rules I. Against the subtiltie of this serpent wee must labour for true wisedome as a countermine And that is 1. By humility denying our owne wisedome as insufficient to guide us The Lord guideth the humble in his way Psalm 25. 2. By prayer go to God for wisedome If any man want let him
out of the Church into the earth and there among earthly and carnall men holdeth his power still Ephes. 2. 2. The Prince that ruleth in the aire worketh among the sonnes of disobedience 2 Thes. 2. 9. Sathan worketh in Antichrist by all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 4. The god of this world blindeth the mindes of infidels or unbeleevers And why 1. Sathans raigne is in the reigne of sin that is his scepter a wicked heart in which sinne raigneth is his chaire of estate But sinne raignes not in the elect that are under grace Rom. 6. 14. 2. Sathan being the Prince of darknesse rules in the kingdome of darknesse whence wicked spirits are called rulers of the darknesse of this world Ephes. 6. 12. The devill is the father of all spirituall darknesse of lies heresies false doctrines false worship and all workes of darknesse This is the world of darknesse in which hee ruleth as a king in his Kingdome But the godly are gotten out of this Egypt out of the reach of this hellish Pharaoh and are gotten into Goshen the Church where light is Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord. 3. Sathan is the father of sinne and sinne is the mother of death by which necessary connexion appeares who are his subjects over whom hee holdeth his full and absolute power to weet a world of dead men dead in trespasses and sinnes destitute of the life and Spirit of God and as dead men laid and buryed in the earth among these hee ruleth As the demoniake in our Saviours time lived among the graves and there tyrannized so doth Sathan being cast out into the earth which is as another Golgatha But the godly are quickned by Christ being formerly dead in trespasses and live now the life of the Sonne of God and have part in the first resurrection Gal. 2. 20. And so are exempted from the power of Sathan Which is a ground of comfort to all true hearted Christians that stand in the spirituall combate 1. Thou fightest against a conquered and bound enemy who is cast out of all thy Lords dominions 2. Hee is cast into the earth and keepeth state in the world as the god of the world but thou art called out of the world and brought from the earth Object If hee be cast out how comes it to passe that I am so afflicted with horrible hellish and violent temptations Answ. 1. The Dragon is not cast out of all power till hee bee cast into hell but hee is cast out of full power in the godly 2. There is a reserved wrigling power of the Dragon which may assault thee but hee shall never hurt thee that art one of Gods chosen neither by his temptation nor persecution For first though they may afflict and exercise thee yet all the gates of hell cannot overcome or extinguish thy faith Secondly though they may trouble thee and hinder thee in the way as the Moabites did Israel by their wiles yet can they not in the end of it which is life and glory Thirdly though they may hinder the sense and comfort and joy of thy salvation yet can they not the right nor assured hope of thy happinesse Object I finde these temptations prevaiâ—e in mee and if the devill raigne in sinne I feare he is not cast out of mee Answ. There is the least feare of that sinne that is most feared The feare of sinne keepes downe the raigne of it But for the strengthening of such as are in combate we must know that the best have sinne but sinne hath not them the best slip and fall but lye not in falls the best do the acts of sinne but not habitually they trade not nor walke in sinnes at least with delight as men in a pleasant way the best have flesh but walke not according to flesh And therefore although thou findest sinne present with thee yet if thou canst finde the power of it weakened if thou sometimes sinnest but art so farre from tumbling and trading in sinne as that thou hatest what thou doest all is safe the dragon is cast out for all that 2. Here is a rule of tryall to know our estate whether wee belong to heaven or are yet in the earth under the dominion of Sathan If Sathan uphold his power and state in sinne and unrighteousnesse within thy heart thou art apparently in the earth and of the earth Christ hath no part in thee nor thou in him Art thou an enemy to grace to the doctrine of grace Art thou a stubborne and obstinate sinner an enemy to the perswasions of the Word and Spirit a sonne of disobedience a rebell against all thou hearest Art thou a lover of thy sinnes an hater of them that hate and discover them Art thou of the Dragons trade and walkest in fraud lying accusing and envying Gods children Dost thou cast thy selfe out of the Church and wilfully excommunicate and separate thy selfe from God from his house and worship from his Saints and people Now this doctrine tells thee that for these accursed qualities the devill himselfe was cast out by Christs victory and so shalt thou as an enemy of Christ shall Christ cast him out and keepe thee in who resemblest him no confounded shall ye be together and eternally excommunicate from God and his Church 3. This is a ground of instruction if Sathan bee once cast out to keepe him out and let him enter no more When Christ cast out a devill he said Go out of him and enter into him no more So hee never recovereth his power against the Church againe being once cast into the earth Apostasie and revolt from the truth once received gives him a stronger and surer possession then before For he never comes againe but hee brings seaven worse spirits then himselfe And now seeing that Sathan is cast out of our Church into the earth let us not turne to worldly rudiments and that earthly religion and doctrine of Popery and Antichristian idolatry which is from earth set up and upheld by earthly power and policie thrusting it selfe on the world by serpentine craft lying pretenses of miracles martyrdome concord of doctors perpetuall succession from the Apostles c. But let the Dragon rage and dominere in the earth whither hee is cast and in that fleshly doctrine which carrieth away earthly and unstable men Let him make spoile in his owne dominion amongst Papists and Idolaters and hypocrites and atheists Let us keepe that pretious truth which is committed to us and hold fast that which Michael hath wonne for us shall wee runne after the dragon cast into the earth Consider hereunto 1. How can that be a religion of God that openeth a wide gate to all manner of hatefull and unnaturall sinnes by licenses pardons before and after sanctuaries c. that exempts subjects from lawes obedience oathes and allegiance to Princes that under pretence of Christ
spirit Esay 66. 2. Thou must therefore confesse with that Ruler that thou art unworthy hee should come under thy roofe Mat. 8. 8. 4. By purging away sinne by sweeping and sweetening the roomes of our hearts for him Thinke not now that Christ will lodge any more among the beasts in a foule stable Prepare him therefore a roome in the Inne of thine heart 5. By loving obedience to his Commandements On this condition Christ comes in as hee promised Ioh. 14. 23. If any man love mee and keepe my word my Father and I will come in and dwell with him Secondly wee cast the Dragon out of our selves by proclaiming warre against our owne corrupt nature and ruling over affections Wee can never overcome him within us till wee have conquered our selves As this is the greatest so it is the first victory to get under feet our owne uncleane lusts motions thoughts and actions which are the harbours and burrowes of wicked spirits these serpents lie in these thickets to cast out envy malice drunkennesse uncleanenesse to ruinate and batter downe these holds of the dragon and bring every thought into the subjection of Christ that when hee comes hee may finde nothing in us Thirdly wee cast out the Dragon by carefull fencing and watching our strongest forts and faculties The Dragon keepes hold especially in ignorance of minde in rebellion of the will in corruption of the conscience and having these forts hee can command the whole man at pleasure Now to cast him out of these our most inward and highest forts wee must deliver them up to Jesus Christ to bee informed strengthened commanded and defended by him Hee onely is able to keepe what wee commit unto him Fourthly wee shall cast out the Dragon by suffering Christ still to draw us to himselfe by the power of the Gospell and to fashion us daily unto holinesse Ioh. 12. 32 The prince of this world cannot be cast out till Christ draw us unto himselfe who as he draweth by his word which is called the arme of God and by his spirit moving in those meanes so must wee give up our selves to be ruled and moved by his Word and Spirit These motions and directions cast out and keepe out Satanicall motions and temptations by which hee holds up his rule and state Without a mans selfe every godly man must strive to cast downe the power of Sathan every where both by Christian profession and Christian conversation By Christian profession manifesting it selfe in foure maine practises 1. Upholding to his power wholsome doctrine which is the rod and scepter of Christ and by the zealous maintaining an holy Ministery in which Christ casteth downe the Dragon Shall Jesus Christ seeke in the ministerie to cast out the Dragon then wo to those that oppose ministery Shall Jesus Christ striue by holy and sound doctrine to subdue the power of the devill whose kingdome stands in lies and errors Wo then unto those unhappy men that shall seeke to bring in the Dragon againe by broaching or defending false doctrine heresie popery idolatry or Antichristian delusions who instead of the ministers of Christ would bring in the vassals of Antichrist Priests Jesuites locusts and impostors 2. In promoting piety and the reigne of Christ by grace in others For true religion practised promoted encouraged propagated casteth out the Dragon and onely that What unhappy men are they and apparent limbes of the Dragon who disgrace and discourage godlinesse every where who plot to cast out piety religion and all godly men Is this to joyne with Michael in casting out the Dragon 3. In forwardnesse in doing good which glorifieth God and honoureth our profession The Dragon would set up his kingdome by pretenses of great workes of mercy charity building of Churches and Hospitalls c. And Antichrist is bold to outboast all professions in such pretenses But wee must bestirre our selves that neither papists nor hypocrites put us downe in workes of mercy love or charity that wee may honour our profession by a readinesse to every good worke 4. In readinesse constantly to suffer for the truth and fearlesly to sticke to the Gospell that as our Lord subdued the Dragon by giving witnesse to the truth so should wee by maintaining the same truth to the utmost of our power and the last drop of our blood Ler Ephraim divide his heart betweene two religions let the fickle Galathian change his judgement in maine points let the Ephesian fall from his first love let profane dogs and swine fall backe to generall revolt and apostasie 2. Pet. 2. 2. As none are more serviceable to the Dragon then these so none give him a greater blow then constant witnesses and martyrs none so much cast him downe By Christian conversation also must every Christian joyne with Michael in casting out the Dragon and this partly at home and partly abroad I. A man can never bee good abroad that promotes not piety at home Hee that hath cast the dragon out of his heart will also cast him out of his house which is done 1. By setting up the service and worship of God in his family that hee and his house may serve the Lord. Hee whose heart is a Temple of God his house shall bee a Church and a little Bethel there shall be no roome for swearers drunkards riotous persons scorners nor sonnes of Belial for these are the brood of the Dragon 2. By preventing and wisely resisting the speciall sinnes of the calling all crafts and deceitfull mysteries by which the Dragon over-reacheth most men in the carrying of their speciall calling A godly Christian in these will not as others do what others do but what himselfe hath warrant to do hee will not make his calling a service of the Dragon but subordinateth it to his generall calling wherein hee acknowledgeth himselfe a servant to Jesus Christ. 3. By waching narrowly those lusts in which the Dragon thrusts himselfe on to disturbe and throw downe Gods worship in the family as anger and wrath which hinder prayer worldlinesse or unfruitfull employments which thrust out or ingrosse the times of family-duties When the Dragon had drawne David from his watches it was easie to imploy him in strange services of sinne II. Abroad a Christian must take his Lords part against the Dragon Both in respect of good men walking fruitfully and watching good occasion in the communion of Saints instructing some comforting others guiding others in the way lovingly counselling reproving encouraging c. And in respect of evill men 1. If corrigible and hopefull helping them out of the snare and power of Sathan saving some with meeknesse and pulling others out of the fire 2. If wilfull or scornfull either avoid their company and all needlesse society with them because the Dragon mightily prevailes in infectious society and it is an unequall yoking 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. Or if thou beest cast into their company bee undaunted in good causes and give them no
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
in their stead Gods plagues are removed and turned into all kindes of blessing The custome of the Church is every private Christians instructiō we must therfore provoke our selves to rejoyce in the overthrow of the dragons kingdome that both in respect of our selves and others First when in our selves we see our spirituall enemies throwne downe by the power of the Word None of us but professeth his part in that great victory of Michael from those dreadfull enemies sinne Satan hell death and damnation as this is the highest raised mercy that ever God gave us so ought it chiefly to raise our spirituall joy to sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the Lambe as it is penned and pricked for us Revel 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes O King of Saints Are wee delivered from the leprosie of sinne let us not forget to goe backe as the nine Lepers to give praise but challenge our owne dulnesse who can as soone forget such good turnes as Pharaohs butler did the good turne of Ioseph Gen. 40 23. So likewise when wee see our temporall enemies who want no will nor malice to do us mischiefe but are muzled hampred and fall before us now wee ought to lift up the voice of thanksgiving as Psal. 9. 1 2 3. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart I will bee glad rejoyce and sing to thy name for that mine enemies are turned backe and thou hast maintained my right Psalm 22. Save mee from the mouth of the lions and I will declare thy name to my brethren But with this pure affection onely as they are enemies to Gods Kingdome and so farre resist us as wee seeke to uphold the same Secondly without our selves wee must breake forth into praises when wee see the powers of the dragon cast downe in others whether spirituall or temporall When wee see the holds of ignorance errour wickednesse overthrowne by the preaching of the Gospell when wee see the walls of hellish Jericho battered by the sound of the rammes hornes of the Gospell when wee see countries or persons converted and yeeld up themselves to the obedience of the word Here is matter of joy and praise that the tents and curtaines of the Church are spred out and enlarged and the kingdome of Christ prevailes against the power of the dragon Thus the seventy Disciples having beene sent out returne to Christ with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued unto us nay our Lord himselfe rejoyceth that Satan fell downe like lightening from heaven Or if wee see the temporall enemies of the Church overthrowne if we see Amalec stricken downe before Israel Hamans devise broken Antichrists power weakened and lessened Popish forces repulsed Do wee see Pharaohs chariots and his hosts cast into the sea and his captaines drowned in the red sea Exod. 15. 4. Do wee see the windes blow and the sea cover them that they sinke as lead in the mighty waters as our enemies did in 88 Do wee see hellish powder-plots digged as doepe as hell prevented and the diggers falling into their owne pits How should wee now take up the songs of praise and tryumph that the Lord hath done so great things for us whereof wee rejoyce Psal. 126. 4. Now for the better performance of our duty herein consider three things 1. The conditions of this praise 2. Meanes to attaine it 3. Motives to it I. For rules of direction our text hath foure conditions 1. That all the praise honor of victory belongs to God as in the next vers For God only can overthrow the devils kingdome hee onely hath power above the dragon the Churches victory is the worke of his finger as the Church acknowledgeth Exod. 15. 1. I will sing unto the Lord for hee hath tryumphed gloriously Iudg. 5. 3. I will sing unto the Lord I will sing unto the Lord God of Israel Salvation is the Lords Psalm 3. 8. 2. So soone as we see the victory so soone should we sing out the Lords praises as the Church here Wee must not put off our vowes nor suffer the blessing to grow stale before wee have performed them Israel on the shore seeing the Egyptians dead on the sea banke Then sang Israel Exod. 15. 1. So soone as the Jews had obtained victory over their enemies they consecrate the very next day after the victory to the publique praise of God so while the sense of mercy affects us and while our hearts are warme with it wee must praise the Lord. 3. As here is a lowd voyce for this great victory so according to the greatnesse of the benefit our praises must bee A great victory calls for a great voice of many The blessing conferred upon any part of the Church is the blessing of the whole and the whole must joy In so common mercy none must sit out none must say what is it to mee 4. As the Church here so must wee sing out the majesty of Gods name not with a cold affection but with a mighty fervencie and ardor of spirit to stirre up and kindle in others the feare and love of God For this hearty and spirituall fervencie is the lowdnesse of the voice which God requireth and how can hee kindle or inflame another who himselfe is not warme or kindled II. Meanes to helpe us in this duty are these 1. Earnestly to affect the prosperity and welfare of the Church as feeling members and sharers of her joyes and sorrows preferring the joy of Jerusalem before thy chiefe joy Sound affection will imprinta sound notice of blessings which else passe away as nothing concerning our selves 3 Not to forget but remember Gods mercifull deliverances Psalm 103. 1. My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits as if hee had said If thou forget thou canst not praise and if thou praise not thou wilt forget them To this end write and register them make a day-booke of the noble acts of the Lord. Psalm 102. 18. Let it bee written for the generation to come that the people not yet borne may praise the Lord and that thy selfe looking backe upon one mayest finde out and espie many other 3. Often speake of them and raise monuments of them in thy heart as the stones in Gilgal the setting up of Altars and imposition of names in the old Testament Tell the children of the acts of God that they they may tell their children The Passover was instituted among other ends for this that the children in times to come might know how God destroyed the Egyptians and passed over Israel Exod. 12. 26. So must wee tell our children of 88 Of the powder-treason and other deliverances and make much of their monuments to the perpetuall glory of God shame of Papists and comfort and instruction of the Church 4. Often recount the great benefits redounding to the Church by Gods execution of judgement upon the
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
inheritance his choise his habitation in which he hath promised to dwell for ever which how could he doe if he should suffer Tyrants either to destroy it or throw him out of possession Fourthly the Church is his kingdome which must have no end but if he should not save it the enimies would soone bring it to an end 3. It is a part of Gods glory which cannot passe in any other to bee the Saviour of his Church because First he alone will bee knowne the onely GOD that heareth prayer to whom all flesh must resort Psal. 65. 2. Secondly hee to whom the glory of the greater belongs to him belongs the glory of the lesser but hee onely hath the glory of saving his people from spirituall hellish and eternall danger by Christ and he onely will perfect his salvation by adding temporall and externall Thirdly for his glories sake he will bee seene the only Savior in such times and maner as none else can save as in many miraculous deliverances which all the world must ascribe onely to his hand Israel must be saved out of Aegypt by an Outcast drawne out of the waters and the sea must make them a way and become a wall to them and a Well to Pharaoh his followers To bring them along Iordan must runne back To feed them and save them from starving heaven must afford them a daily harvest and a rocke must yeeld them water forty yeares To save them from their enemies in battell the Sunne must stand still and the Moone stay her course as in the dayes of Ioshua in which all the world must behold the Lord fighting for Israel How miraculously was Ionah saved when hee was buried in a double grave Twofold instruction ariseth hence to the Church and people of God First wee learne in the greatest dangers and needs to waite for the Lords salvation in the depth of danger if wee be beset as Israel at the sea side or if wee be chased into the bottome of sea now to stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord Exod. 14. Quest. How may wee waite aright for the Lords salvation Answ. 1. Become Beleevers members of the Church for it is said The Lord will save Sion stablish thy faith in this promise give God the glory of truth and when thou art beset with sorrowes pains perils when thou art in the valley of death in the hands of death in the house of death now say Salvation is the Lords and as Iob If the Lord kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Beware of sinne for that which thrusteth thee from the Lord thrusteth away the Lords salvation from thee but sinne separates betweene God and us and may suspend his salvation from his Saints longer than is for their ease Bewaile thy sinne remove by repentance that partition which thou hast thrust betweene God and thee salvation is farre from the wicked because they are farre from God Psalme 119. 155. It is never so farre from the godly yet often not so neare them as they desire because they are not got so neare God by faith repentance and invocation as he desireth Dan. 9. 12. All Israel have sinned and therefore the curse is powred out against all Israel and Iosh. 7. 11. 12. Israel hath sinned a sinne and cannot stand before their enemies If wee would have the Lord to put forth his salvation we must put away our sinne which makes him seeme sometimes as if he could not save his people 3. Fixe the eye of thy soule directly upon the Lord and looke not a squint at men or meanes nor thinke all lost if they set not in for thy helpe for First the Lord whose salvation is needs them not to worke by Secondly all meanes are put in his hand and by his appointment are what they are and if hee doe use any men or meanes as in this Text he did the Christian Emperours yet the Church must sing as here salvation is the Lords Thirdly no meanes may share in his glory nor obscure or darken it Secondly it teacheth to ascribe all honour of salvation to the Lord as here the Church doth for First there is great reason that hee who is our salvation should be our song the Church here makes the author of her salvation the matter of her song so Exod. 15. 2. gnozzi vezimrath Iah The Lord is my strength and song It is equall that the honour of salvation bee returned to the Author of it Secondly the office of the Church is to give knowledge to the world by whom and by what meanes she is delivered that after-ages may repaire in like dangers to the same hand in which onely salvation is see Psalme 102. 18. and Esa. 38. 19. Thirdly for our selves we above all people have just cause to sing unto the Lord our salvation and say Now is salvation the Lords Time was in the dayes of the fathers when our nation lay in darknesse in Idolatry in the midst of Images and teachers of lies worshipping blockes and stones and crusts of bread The blindenesse and darknesse was palpable like that of Aegypt wherein no man could stirre out of the place where his ignorance had set him But God in his due time tooke pitty upon us and tooke possession of us as his people possessed our Kingdome our Princes and people with light truth and the blessed Gospell of salvation now was Antichrist detected darknesse dispelled Idols displaced Masse-mongers and god-makers cast out now was salvation the Lords when hee swept out that Antichristian vermine frighted away those uncleane birds pulled downe their Cages over their heads and made the happy restoring of the Gospell as a birth-day to our Countrey and this English Nation In the yeare 1588. when that invincible Navie as they termed it advanced it selfe with a Catholike strength to swallow up our Nation at one morsell they wanted not his Holinesse helpe to curse and excommunicate our Prince and people they wanted no Engines of torture and cruelty no cut-throates to exercise them they brought over heires for our Lands were provided of choise men designed to Bishoppricks our Baronries our dignities our livings our Offices of Councell and State all was their owne But no sooner they appeared in our Coasts but now salvation was the Lords who would shew the Romish and Babylons Balaam that there is no sorcery nor cursing against Iacob and make his Embassadours know that there is neither power nor counsell against the Lord and that he had no pleasure in such cursed crueltie and covetousnesse The Sunne the Moone the Elements fire water and windes fought against proud Sisera but salvation was the Lords In the meane time what did we but looke on while the God of our salvation made the confusion of that Armado the stupor and admiration of the whole world Add to this the hellish Powder-plot when the necke of our King and all his three kingdomes was upon the blocke and the stroke lifted
up on high for the terrible blow when the fire was a giving to their diabolical Engine then was salvation the Lords now was the Lord seene our strong Saviour for although our salvation was then sent us in a royall vessell yet then was salvation the Lords At this day other Countries few or no Protestant Countries excepted sit in the dust nay in goare-blood there lamentable spectacles are fire sword blood in streames and rivers shed like water in the streets in the fields in the houses here meets them death of Parents of husbands of brethren there overtakes them orbity of Children deflouring of wives and daughters with shamefull villanies and cruelties beseeming Popish forces Their noises are frightfull alarmes roaring of great Ordinances tumbling downe of Towers townes and houses over their heads unhappy tydings of burning spoyle and slaughter But we enjoy peace plenty the Gospell of peace safety and happy Protection under our owne Vines and figtrees our noises are sermons Psalmes songs of triumph for many miraculous deliverances At this our happinesse Papists chafe fume plot and curse that there is no sorcery against Iacob and are inraged that no plot succeeds but fals upon the heads that devise them and whence is all this but that salvation is the Lords And were it not for our sinnes salvation would bee the Lords still for us all the power of Antichrist nor all Popish forces nor all the devils in hell could drive Christ out of his place if our sinnes did not grieve him and drive him away from us 2. This is a reproofe both of Churches and persons 1. This doctrine casteth out the Church of Rome from being the true Church of God which I prove thus The true Church singeth salvation onely to the Lord the Romish Church singeth not salvation onely to the Lord therefore the Romish Church is not the true Church The latter part or assumption I prove thus That Church which seeketh or assigneth salvation to any thing within themselves or without themselves singeth not salvation onely to the Lord but the Church of Rome seeketh and assigneth salvation both to things within and without themselves besides the Lord ergo Within themselves they seeke and assigne salvation to the merit of their owne workes The Rhemists on Heb. 6. 10. say that our workes are meritorious and the very cause of salvation so farre as God should bee unjust if he rendred not heaven for the same Andradius saith that heaven is not given freely but is due to our workes and that God hath set forth heaven to sale for our workes and it is as due as a peny for a peny-worth Suarez also saith A supernaturall worke from grace within it selfe and of it own nature hath a proportion with the reward and a sufficient value to be worth the same The reward is not given for Christs merit saith he the merit of Christ cannot bee made our merit neither can our merits have the power of meriting from Christs merit or any more worthinesse than they be ordained to have of themselves yea our merits are true merits and have an inward worthinesse proportionable to the reward in the same manner as if we conceived a man to be just without the merits of Christ as many thinke of the Angels and Adam in innocency So Suarez a Pillar of that Church Tom. 1. in Thom. 3. 1. Here is a Church built upon another rocke and foundation than Christ. 2 Here are Christs merits thrust under board reward is not given for them 3. Here is salvation affirmed without Christ as the Angels and Adam in innocency 4. Here are our owne merits without all power or merit from Christs 5. Here God crownes mans merit not his owne gift contrary to Augustine de grat lib. arb c. 6. 6. Here merit is magnified and grace quite excluded contrary to Paul If it be of grace then no more of workes 7. Here our owne performances which are all due debt sinfull damnable and when wee have done all we can unprofitable Luke 17. 10. yet are more profitable more honourable and beneficiall than all Christs Away henceforth with S. Pauls doctrine that eternall life is either a gift of God or a free gift No farre be it from us saith the Deane of Lovaine that we should looke for eternall life as a poore man doth for his almes but as the Garland which by our labour we have deserved Here is every man a Jesus in himselfe without respect of the death or merits of Jesus in a word here is a damnable abrogating of the whole Gospell a new establishing the Covenant of workes Here is no longer a Christian faith nor a Christian Church cleave to it who will or dare in this faith is no salvation they are abolished from grace and cut off from Christ Shall wee after such light suffer our selves to bee led away from the truth to an heresie that leads us from Christ salvation merited by him Let them say salvation is not the Lords and seeke it in themselves their owne merits meanings and observances let their owne arme save them let them disclaime the Churches acclamation who sing that salvation is the Lords in whole and in part for beginning and perfection But let us disclaime our selves for why should thistles boast of figs and let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Without themselves they seeke and sing salvation to many things I referre them to two First the Host of heaven Secondly the host in earth 1. The Popish Idolaters runne to the helpe of Angels Every one hath his speciall Angell to whose protection hee must daily commit himselfe and all his affaires yea and wee are bound to invocate the Angels for helpe and salvation so say the Rhemists on Col. 2. 18. because they are our advocates for mercy and on 1 Iohn 2. 1. contrary to the very words We have but one Advocate with the father because wee have but one Head and one that can plead his owne justice for mercy 2. They runne to the Saints departed as their tutelary patrons and defenders of themselves and their Cities whō they invocate to helpe save thē not as Mediatours onely which were too much but as meriters and bestowers of mercy It were tedious to shew how every countrey City family every man every state of men every art every disease every beast have their peculiar Saint and Saviour Some Saints rule the Sea some the Land some the Countries some the Cities some the Elements some the arts some the trades some the beasts some the birds and every Saint knowes his charge The Student must pray to Saint Gregory the Sayler to S Nicolas the Painter to S. Luke the Physitian to S Cosmas the Lawyer to Saint Iuno so Smiths Taylers Hunters horsemen to S. George the very harlots have S. Afra and Magdalen nay every beast and bird hath a saint to pray unto geese Gallus sheep Wendelin horse Eulogius hogs
Anthony c. Oh abominable sinke of Romish Idolatry the true Church doth not sing salvatioÌ„ to Saints living or dead but saith of Abraham Iacob They know us not Es. 63. 16. here Salvation is the Lords this the Church of Rome doth not therefore it is not the true Church But 3. Above all their hatefull Idolatry they exceed themselves and all other Idolaters in worshipping the Queene of heaven and depending on their Lady and where the true Church sing salvation to the Lord they sing salvation to the Lady The Psalter of Bonaventure which they call the Ladies Psalter is a witnesse beyond exception or credit where in every Psalme whatsoever is sung to the Lord they change into the Lady Psalme 3. 1. O Lady why doe they increase that trouble me Psal 6. 1. O Lady correct me not in thy fury so in all the rest all prayers all confessions all the praises of Gods salvation are turned wholy upon her Add to this that they turned Athanasius Creed into our Ladies Creed Whosoever will be saved must above all things beleeve firmely concerning Mary which whosoever holdeth not firmely cannot be saved and so on and concludes This is the faith of our Virgin Mary which whosoever c. They have and doe sing to her the Song of Simeon Now let thy servant of Mary depart in peace for mine eyes have seene the salvation of Mary which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light c. They sing to her the Song of Zachary Luke 1. 68. Blessed be the Lady and the Mother of my God of Israel who by thee hath visited and redeemed his people and raised up an horne of salvation And Maries owne Song My soule doth magnifie my Lady and the Song of Ambrose We praise thee Lady wee acknowledge thee to bee the Lady c. The same Bonaventure in his Ladies Psalter lately imprinted prayeth to her thus Coge illum peccatoribus misereri Enforce Christ to have mercy upon sinners and in his Treatise called corona B. Mariae Virginis Iure matris impera tuo dilectissimo filio Command thy welbeloved sonne in the right of a mother to turne our hearts from the love of earthly things unto heavenly And in their Mariall the name of the Lady is a strong tower the sinner flyeth unto her and is saved as is said of God Prov 18. 10. Is not this to sing salvation to their Lady not to the Lord Biel upon his Exposition of the Canon of the Masse saith Wee flie principally to the Queene of heaven for it is signified in Ester the Queene who comming to appease King Ahasuerus had this grant It shall be given thee though thou aske halfe of my Kingdome so God the Father having his justice and mercy as the chiefest goods of his Kingdome keepes his justice to himselfe and surrenders his mercy to the Virgin Mary and so makes her as Bonaventure cals her the chiefe corner stone Bernard de Busti in his Marial tels us Velocior est nonnunquam salus memorato nomine Mariae quà m invocato nomine Iesu filij ejus A man may be sooner saved by mentioning the name of Mary than by calling upon the name of Christ her sonne How then is salvation the Lords Christ saith I have trodden the winepresse alone and there was no man with me Esa. 63. 3. but saith hee there was one woman c. Bozius de signis Ecclesiae saith By the two Cherubins covering the Arke are signified Christ and Mary through whom God is mercifull and heareth our prayers and as Hevah was the mother of the living that filled earth so Mary was the mother that bare all men to heaven That vision beleeved of theÌ„ above the Canonicall Scripture of the two Ladders set up the red Ladder on the top of which Christ stood the Fryers of Francis could not get up by but the white Ladder on the top of which the Virgin Mary stood by that they easily gat up shewes to whom that hereticall Church sings their salvation The heathens would rend their garments and pull their haire off their head to heare such blaspemies against their so reputed gods and wee Christians can comport with such hatefull blaspemous Idolatrous people No marvell if the Gospell take her to her wings when such vile seducers are taken into our bosomes and such Preachers as withstand them cast out of all request But Papists expect not salvation onely from the Host of heaven but from the host in earth Not troubling you with their Crosses Relickes Images all which they invocate for helpe with most religious devotion They all expect the very same salvation from the broaden god as from Christ himselfe the very God for it is very Christs body blood bones flesh Boots and spurs and all Their detestable prayers to their breaden god are infinite in number and sacriledge I will not stirre that sinke now But can wee sufficiently detest or bee too opposite to a religion whose god may be stolne away as Labans Why hast thou stolne my gods where Chrysostome saith Art thou not ashamed of the speech what can they be stollen and be gods too whose god may bee burned in the fire as the bread even after consecration whose god may bee eaten by dogs mice wormes yea by his worshipper Avernoes after his long travell and experience of many religions detested as worst and fondest of all the Christian Religion because said hee they teare him with their teeth whom they worship as a god Can we bee too farre from that religion whose god may poyson him that eates him as in many instances I could shew in their host and whose god may bee broken to pieces and some of them reserved for relickes shall wee bee so senselesse as they to expect salvation from that which cannot save it selfe from wormes The second reproofe after Churches lighteth on many persons that seeke and expect salvation not from the Lord but from the devill seeking to Witches and sorcerers a common sinne even of hearers of the Word Consider some reasons shewing the wickednesse of it 1. It is against Gods Commandement Levit. 19. 26 â—1 Yee shall use no inchantment the soule that turneth after such I will set my face against and cut off God by his Law pronounceth death on the Witch and the seeker to him see Deut. 18. 10. 2. All commerce with the devill directly or indirectly mediately or immediately is condemned First the open compact with Satan by the Wisard who openly invocates the devill and for his helpe renounceth his Creator his Baptisme Jesus Christ and his redemption worships the devil executes his commands c. It is absolutely wicked to require this of them which they cannot doe without their owne destruction and wraps themselves in the sinne for not principals onely but accessaries are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. Secondly for the secret compact on thy part thou seekest them for thou gettest no cure but by
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
unto Christ and what is their wages but that of Elimas who whē he could not hinder the Deputy from hearing Paul nor Paul from preaching sought to pervert him from that hee heard for which Paul cals him the childe of the devill the enemy of righteousnesse that ceased not to pervert the straite wayes of God It is a fearefull sinne of a Pharisee not to enter into the Kingdome of GOD himselfe but to hinder such as would enter is most damnable Fourthly many others sinne against this truth who cast their taunts upon no sort of men so much as those who runne after Christ and flocke to Sermons these are yet no subjects of Christ but as the unbeleeving Jews Act. 13. 45. who were inraged to see the Gentiles so ready to receive the preaching of Paul 2. Let this provoke us to testifie our joy wheresoever we see the kingdome of our God prevailing An heart zealous for Gods glory thirsting after mans salvation esteems it the greatest earthly happines to see the subiects of Christ multiplyed by the daily addition of soules to the Church Act. 2. 41. and to see Satan fal like lightning from heaven sinne mastered sinners cōverted enemies stopped or revenged for First this is a due debt and we ought to be thankfull 2 Thess. 1. 2. Secondly Christ hath commanded us to pray that his Kingdome may come therefore also wee must thankfully acknowledge it when it doth come Thirdly they shall prosper that love Jerusalem and preferre it to their chiefe joy But especially our ioy must abound when our Lords Kingdome is set up neare us as First in our Countrey and Kingdome We should pray to see and reioyce in seeing our Prince and Rulers casting downe their Crownes and Scepters at the feet of the Lambe keeping themselves bounded within that commission which they all receive from Him whose the Kingdome is opposing by all their power tyrannicall enemies who delight to spill the blood of Saints as water advancing the Word Sacraments Ministery and meanes of salvation sincere and undefiled cherishing godly Pastors and Ministers upholding holy discipline to reforme or cut off evill members encouraging the religious and sincere-hearted Professors of piety shunning evill men chasing Idolaters and profane persons out of presence and resisting the underminers and resisters of Christs Kingdome whether by secret fraud or open force All Scepters that uphold not Christs Scepter must be broken to pieces the which if it be held up at Court will bee the easier held up in the Countrey Secondly in our Cities and Townes If an eminent and conspicuous Towne as this is yeeld to Christ it is as a Beacon to the whole countrey round about as a mother City once opening to a Prince is a President to the whole Land What a ioy were it if Gods Ordinances had prevailed in this Towne that the Governours had led the way to Gods House as they were wont formerly that Gods Sabbaths were sanctifyed which none looks after that the love of God and his servants appeared among you that we might not say truly that scarce the meanest Village about you but would give both more countenance and more maintenance to a Lecture than this corporation doth What a comfort were it that you were patternes of concord and agreement to all the Countrey and not the spectacles of unquencheable discord and faction to all the kingdome What a ioyfull thing were it if we might see good men incouraged vicious persons corrected incorrigible outcasts cast out all men brought at least outwardly to the obedience of Ghrist Thirdly in our owne houses What an unspeakeable ioy is it when Gods Kingdome is come into our family when our house is a Bethel the wife is a ioynt-heire of the grace of life with the husband the children are the Children of God by adoption and sing Hosanna to Christ cur servants Gods servants and our kindred of the blood of Christ with us Wee need not bid men reioyce when their children thrive and prosper in the world the most of which ioy is carnall But where bee the hearts fearing God who more reioyce when they prove godly and religious when they see their children walking in the truth c How is the Kingdome of God in the family when the husband checketh his wife because shee is the Spouse of Christ the father frowneth on his sonne because hee is bookish and diligent in reading and good exercises the Master will not indure the servant that will bee a Saint in his service O hypocrite how canst thou reioyce in the Kingdome of God in the Kingdome and hunt it out of thy family know thou not onely wantest grace but hatest it Fourthly in our owne hearts especially to see the kingdome of God set up there will bee matter of assured and lasting ioy Matth. 13. 44. Hee that findes the Pearle goeth away reioycing and selleth all to purchase it The Eunuch converted goeth away reioycing No man can have Christ but hee hath also Christian ioy unspeakeable and glorious For that kingdome within us standeth in peace and ioy Rom. 14. 17. Quest. How shall I know that Christ raignes in me and that his Kingdome is within me Ans. 1. If our enemies be daily weakned Sathan foyled the flesh mortified if we stand with our Lord in his warres he raigneth over us 2. If lawes of evill bee reversed and the Lawes of Christ obeyed now led out of Aegypt we live by the lawes of Canaan 3. If in stead of raigning sinne grace raigne in us as Rom. 5. 21. Christ raigneth by grace This is when wee leave our sinnes and live unto God and seeke in all things to please our last Master best as servants doe 3. If wee must reioyce when wee see the Kingdome returned to the Lord then must wee mourne to see the Lords kingdome winne so little ground in the Kingdomes of the world I. What a lamentable thing is it to see the greatest Potentates of Europe to warre against this kingdome of the Lord yeeld their Thrones Crownes wealth and power to the Beast that is to Antichrist the chiefe adversary of this Kingdome In stead of the lawes of Christ which are the Scriptures of God unto which all the subiects of Christ ought to submit themselves they by all their power thrust upon the world the lawes of Antichrist who because hee cannot stand by the word of God must stand and bee upheld by the secular power and in stead of gathering and cherishing the subiects of Christ the godly Professors of his Word and Gospell they persecute them with fire and sword with proscription and banishment as men onely unworthy to live in their dominion How should our hearts mourne when such as should bee nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church are as fierce dragons tyrannizing and wasting the little flocke of Christ and those that should bee assistants to the Ruler of the whole earth make most resistance against him chasing the
his good service and change his minde ere morning How impudently and instantly did Ieremies accusers pursue him The false Prophets and Priests accuse Ieremy to the Princes and all the people saying This man is worthy of death for he hath prophesied against this City as yee have heard with your eare Ier. 26. 11. Hee is charged that hee sought not the wealth but the hurt of the people that hee discouraged the people by his preaching and weakned the hands of the men of warre But when they could not by slandering and false accusing impeach his innocency nor get the law passe upon him they come basely to the King and besought him to put him to death Ier. 38. 4. 1. This comes of extreme hatred of grace and incessant wrath against the light whether in doctrine or in practice for all wicked men are carried by the same wicked spirit and Prince of darknesse and all of them plot and contrive how to disparage and discourage both the one and the other This extreme malice makes them shamlesse in accusing as in Satan whose malice against God made him accuse GOD himselfe to Adam There is no light so bright and shining but they will darken no conversation so cleane and unspotted but without all shame and feare they can traduce Now what an impudency is it to barke aganst the Sunne 2. Tyranny of sinne where it raigneth carrieth a man beyond all humanity and all bounds of modesty to act and pursue whatsoever gracelesse fact the devill moveth against all lawes of God and nature It carrieth Cham away to deride his owne fathers nakednesse and Absolon to rise in rebellion against his owne indulgent naturall father and to take his wives in the sight of Israel putting off all shame and forehead and all but the name of a man The reason hereof is because a slave must not contest with his Lord nor stand reasoning the case with himselfe but must doe what the devill will have him to doe hee must be ruled at his will beside the similitude betweene the devill and a man given up to this sinne of accusation for many other sinnes men have common with beasts fiercenesse craft indociblenesse filthinesse but this sinne men have peculiarly common with devils and participating with his sinne participate in his name called Diaboli 2 Tim. 3. So as when the devill groweth modest and moderate and out of the goodnesse of nature is ashamed of any sinne which hee can either act or get acted then may wicked men cease to bee impudent in accusing but not before 3. Satan and his instruments have alwayes bad causes in handling and accordingly must bring them about by bad and wicked meanes such as most shamefull lyes and slanders and most impudent accusations which the lesse ground or colour of truth they have the more clamor impudence and instance must they thrust them forward withall If so then take no offence against the truth or true religion because it hath beene and alwayes is exposed to false accusations by the father of lyes and his lying of-spring who all know that if the Gospell succeed and flourish their kingdome cannot stand if the light approach darknesse is chased away So long as may bee verified of Satan and his fellow-accusers what is said in Ier. 3. 3. Thou hast an whores forehead and couldst not be ashamed so long the Church must bee as it hath beene in all ages and times of the world stifly and instantly accused of rebellions insurrections seditions treasons and the most grievous scandals that hell can devise Here for the better proceeding consider three things 1. The markes of impudent accusers and accusation 2. Motives to beware of this sinne 3. Meanes by which godly men may fence themselves from the same I. The markes are sundry 1. It is a diabolicall impudency to accuse of that whereof the accused are not onely guiltlesse but to which they are cleane contrary Were it not an high impudency to accuse the Sunne of darknesse or piety it selfe of the highest wickednesse to accuse the godly of that which their whole course actually confuteth How blacke was the devill faine to appeare in the dayes after the Apostles when the Heathens cryed out of Christians as the causes and authors of all publike calamities and plagues If Nilus overflowed not their field if earthquakes pestilence or famine came on them presently the poore Christians were cast unto the Lyons How like unto those Heathenish cryes are those of this day that godly persons keepe no lawes disobey Princes are seditious enemies to the State c. But is not all cleane contrary for if there bee any true peace in any Land it is for and by the Gospell which is a Gospell of peace How like unto those were those horrible slanders cast upon the Protestants of Paris to make them odious Priests and Fryers in their Sermons perswaded the people that the Lutherans met at banquets in the night and putting out the Candles went together Jacke with Jill after a beastly maner Other Sorbonists accused them that they held there was no God that they denyed the humanity and divinity of Christ the immortality of the soule the resurrection of the dead and the whole body of religion and all this when the confession of their faith was extant to the contrary How is the government of Jesus Christ thrust away by most impudent pretexts that Christian policy is an enemy to civill policy whereas the Kingdome of Christ not being of this world incroacheth not into matters of civill government and civill policy is so farre from being abated or abolished as that it is strenthened and stablished by the preaching of the Gospell The Romanists to shew their brood and off-spring and the Jesuites the first-borne of Satan are attained to such an impudence as they may teach their Tutor to accuse 1. In that they fasten impudently on us hundreds of wicked doctrines which our religion is a flat enemy unto as That wee require onely faith to salvation That we condemne all good workes That we say the Church hath failed many hundred yeares till Luther and Calvin That we teach God the Author of sinne That wee wrest the sword out of Princes hands c. and infinite more which they write and print with such invincible impudency as shewes them to have lost with truth all forehead and blushing 2. In their devillish devises and accusations of holy and godly men bothliving and dead That Calvin called upon the devill That Bucer at his death denyed Christ to be come That Master Perkins dyed in despaire of whose gracious and happy end my selfe was an eye-witnesse What marvell if they could devise such Cart-loads of slanders after their death who could not stay till they were dead Of Beza they wrote a booke that hee dyed a Catholike with many strange stories of his death which booke himselfe being alive confuted with great zeale Of Luther they published an horrible miracle
as the fish doth naturally river-water we have so much the more need to bee called backe from so dangerous a sinne and indeed we want no bridles if wee be not too head strong for 1. God hath provided by his expresse law aswell for the good name of his servants as for their goods or lives Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour wherein the Lord upon paine of death bindeth every soule to truth and justice in all his speeches the uprightnesse whereof must demonstrate the uprightnesse and sincerity of the heart as a chaste daughter of a chaste mother And this Law of God wraps him in the curse as well that steales and wounds his good name as the theefe that steales his goods or the murderer that assaults his life And as farre as the good name is farre in estimation above gold and silver Prov. 22. 1. so much more hatefull and mischievous is the false accuser above a theefe or burglary 2. Nothing can bee more contrary to God nothing comes so neare the devill Hee is a creature most degenerate from God both in respect of his nature judgement and practise First God in his nature is truth essentiall and truth originall the Author of all truth and truth it selfe in all his decrees in all his workes in all his words which all agree with the truth of his essence But this man suits with Satan the father of lies who stood not in the truth Iohn 8. 44. God in his nature loveth truth the devill speaketh truth sometimes but never lovesit God is called a Justifier Satan here an accuser If wee see this image or superscription of false accusing on any say it is Satans coyne a man moulded in his mint and give unto Satan what is Satans Secondly nothing can bee more dissonant to the judgement of God than rash judgement and false accusation of good men God approves the wayes of his servants highly esteemeth of their graces accepteth and remunerateth weake indeavours Now what can bee more contrary than to accuse the wayes of God to bee hatefull purity and a straine beyond discretion and the graces of God for singularity hypocrisie dissembling know thou hast not now belied men but the Spirit of God Thirdly the Lord in his course pleadeth for his Saints acquiteth them answereth all accusations for them and pronounceth a righteous sentence upon them the fals accuser impudently impleadeth all this God calleth Nathaniel a true Israelite no saith the accuser hee is an Ismaelite a dissembler God pronounceth Paul an elect Vessell no saith the accuser hee is a murderer a theefe vengeance will not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. God pronounceth of his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne no saith the accuser he is a deceiver an impostor a blasphemer in saying he is the Sonne of God Now what can be liker Satan who would have all men in his owne condemnation than these vile persons who would have all thought as vile as themselves Hence our Text maketh Satan and all accusers but one accuser 3. Whom doest thou accuse or revile Thou accusest the brethren First the brethren of Christ and in them Christ himselfe Matth. 25. In that ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it to mee Wouldest thou in the day of the Lord be brought in a false witnesse against Christ And yet there is a nearer relation these brethren are members of Christ. Wouldest thou for a thousand worlds have that sin of the Jewes lying upon thy soule that thou hadst thrust a speare into the body of Christ but what was that sinne to this they knew not who he was nor what they did beside his body was dead first but thou thrustest the sharpe speare of false accusation and by it tearest and rentest the living body of Christ which is his Church and this wilfully and of set purpose 2 Thou sinnest against the sonnes not of God onely but of the Church whom thou professest thy Mother The Spirit of God amplifies the wickednesse of false accusation by this circumstance Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slaunderest thy mothers sonne shewing the unnaturalnesse of these wicked men to their owne flesh and the bowels of their owne Mother Were there a dram of nature or grace in them they could not violate such neare bands Godly Sem will cover his fathers nakednesse though unnaturall Cham discover it Charity would cover a multitude of offences Prov. 10. 4. But wanting both they are rightly ranked with theeves and adulterers vers 18. 4 A false accuser is a most irreligious person and commonly such are the greatest enemies to true religion Observe and you shall finde them either Atheists or Papists or Libertines or worldlings given over to some foule sinne or other For according to the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart swell with malice envie and bitternesse how can the mouth but run over with cursed speaking A bitter fountaine can send no sweet water The shop is supplied with such wares as are in the storehouse Besides true religion which purifieth the heart would order the tongue I am 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious and ordereth not his tongue that mans religion is in vaine 5 Consider the fearefull evils awayting this sin so contrary to God First It casts a man out of the sanctuary of God Psal. 15. 3. unlesse the Church of God could consist of a generation of devills but it is the spouse of Christ the communion of Saints 2 It casts him into the judgement of God and damnation of hell for God hath appointed a day to give judgement of all cruell speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. Then shall their measure be filled to the brim they shall have accusation enough God doth even here admonish of that day and sit in judgement on some even in this life What got Haman by false accusation but hanging on his owne gallowes What got Ahab and Iezabel by false accusing Naboth but a possession of wrath In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth must they licke Ahabs and Iezabel was eaten with dogs in the valley of Jezreel 1 King 22. A dart shot against a wall or an arrow shot upward rebound and fall upon the shooter Daniels accusers were devoured by the Lions to whom Daniel was cast What got Amaziah by accusing Amos chap. 7. 17. Thy wife shal be an whore c. Let men take heed of touching Prophets and slaundering godly Ministers Eusebius in his Church-history sheweth how Narcissus was falsly accused by three false witnesses one wished if it were not true he might be burnt the other that a foule disease might eate him the third that he might else be blind And accordingly they perished the first by a sparke of fire from heaven the second by a loathsome disease from top to toe the third seeing this repented but yet lost both his eyes
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
the precious from the vile We must manifest it to be the fanne in the hand of Christ severing the chaffe from the wheate And this is as a wise steward to give every man his portion Here some obiections must be removed Object 1. Wee are under the Gospell and freed from the Law which is not given to the iust 1 Tim. 1. 9. you need not bee so sterne and earnest Ans. The most men that live under that Gospell by secret hypocrisie or open disobedience are under the curse of the Law and wrapped in that great condemnation pronounced by Christ upon the world that light is come but men love darknesse rather than light because their deeds are evill Iohn 3. 19. But suppose all that heare the Gospell were converted by the Gospell were the menaces and terrours of the Law needlesse to them For though the malediction and law is not to bee urged against their persons yet it is to be urged against their remaining sinnes and the best men may by frequent meditation and application of the curse of the law bee much furthered in godlinesse For First the best being sanctified but in part may sometime abuse the grace of God to liberty in sinne Secondly the best need more humiliation which is wrought by the Law Thirdly the best may nodd and need a wakening voyce Fourthly the best may fall and need an helpe to rise Fiftly the best may slack their pace their love and zeale need spurres to pricke and hasten them in their way Now if the best need the law what doe the worst Object 2. You are preachers of the Gospell of peace and must set forth the peace and grace and mercy of God and not be so tart and sowre Ans. Wee are so and must doe so but when or to whom 1. Shall wee preach peace before men see the need of it or before their hearts be ever troubled for sinne or the grace and favour of God to a gracelesse wretch that spurnes against the grace of God or mercy to him that presumptuously sinneth and addeth drunkennesse to thirst May wee say that God will fill vessels of wrath with mercy 2. To whom shall wee preach peace to every gracelesse sinner that loves his peace in his sinnes better then peace with God Shall we preach peace unto such as grow into opē hostility with God to such as blaspheme his name his servants his graces to such as upon pretenced malice wickedly spurne at Gods Ministers and slander the doctrine that is according to godlinesse God speakes no peace to these nor may we from God He can have no peace with God till hee warre with his sinnes And hee must begin with the Law that must conclude with the Gospell of peace Hee must be at peace with the Law before the Gospell be peace to him Object 3. The servant of God must not strive but exercise all meeknesse and patiently suster evill men 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Ans. A meeke disposition is much set by of God in all and of all men it is most usefull and gracefull in a Minister But 1. Christian meeknesse is a meeknesse of wisdome I am ◠13. this discerneth both of cases persons to whom mecknesse must be shewed for all sins are not alike some are motes some are beames some are but as scratches some are deeper and larger wounds some let out with the pricke of apinne some not without the launce In matters of greater moment when Gods glory is impaired the happy proceedings of the Gospell stopped or the salvation of men greatly hindered now is no place for meekenesse to sway Moses that was the meekest man upon earth in case of Gods dishonour and making the Calfe turnes his meeknesse into a severe revenge broke the Tables and slew three thousand of his brethren the same day For persons Meeknesse of wisdome discerneth that all sinners are not a suit some are weake some wicked some ignorant some wilfull some are leaders some are led some are free-borne some of Hagars seed some need the rod some the spirit of meekenesse some must bee saved with compassion some with feare Iud. 23. some are wonne by meeknesse some marr'd and lost Our Saviour Christ who was the mirrour of meeknesse and our patterne of whom wee must learne to be lowly and meeke for hee would not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking slaxe yet he who never failed or departed from the highest pitch of any grace being to deale with Scribes and Pharises who had corrupted the Law and sinned against their knowledge and led others into sinne how loades he them with curses one in the necke of another And his Ministers sinne not against meeknesse of wisdome when in cases where Gods glory is trodden downe mans salvation hindred the devill prevailes and sinners are impudent they valiantly shew themselves for God against all that rise against him 2. No grace of God is contrary one to another and therefore Christian meeknesse neither abolisheth nor weakneth Christian zeale And therefore although meeknesse will alwayes shew it selfe to the persons yet zeale will ever burne against their sinnes Zeale will not suffer under a pretence of meeknesse an irreligious and mute approbation or bearing of evill but will kindle and fasten upon it 3. No part of Scripture is contrary to it selfe Those Scriptures which command us to shew meeknesse to all crosse not those which command us to reprove sharply or cuttingly wee must set an edge and point upon our reproofes nor those which bid us Reprove plainly and not suffer sinne upon our brother And therefore meeknesse in a Minister must not stop him from sharpe reproofes whereoccasion is but must temper and order them and excellent is the use of meeknesse in plaine and sharpe reproving For 1. Meeknesse doth so temper zeale that it comes slowly and as it were with a leaden foot to sharpe reproofes not rashly or hastily 2. It makes it come orderly It will first assay loving and gentle meanes before it grow to roughnesse especially if the parties bee corrigible and not conceited and impudent in their sinne Deut. 20. 10. when the Jewes went out to warre the Lord commanded them first to offer conditions of peace to that City and if it refused peace then to besiege smite and destroy it So we first offer peace and this refused we proclaime warre first allure admonish exhort and then thunder threaten and terrifie them that stand out 3. Meeknesse mingleth charity with sharpest reproofes and as the Lord in his sharpest reproofes and messages seekes our good so doe his Ministers Men cry out that Ministers are angry when wee deale sharply with a stubborne perverse people and why may wee not bee so hee that commandeth us to be angry and sinne not hath made it a sinne not to bee sometimes angry But wee speake not now of naturall and personall anger against persons but a Christian and holy indignation which we
must expresse against sinne treading in the steps of our Lord and Master Marke 3. 5. hee looked about him angrily but mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts So mee knesse forbids us not anger against mens sinnes but injoynes us pity and compassion to their persons Wee must hate the workes of the Nicolaitans and bee angry not so much against the men as their wilfulnesse and obstinacy 4. Meeknesse seasoneth zeale and zealous reproofes with Sugar that is some manifestation that the sinner may see himselfe not hated when his sinne is sharply reproved and moderateth it with a readinesse of minde to heale the sinner so soone as he seeth his wound It stints the number of stripes as in the law that they exceed not The Apostle was zealous against the incestuous Corinthian but so that upon his sorrow hee is carefull to comfort him lest hee be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. 2. 7. Acts 2. 37 38. when they were pricked at their hearts Peter comforts them and Paul the Jaylor Acts 16. 31. And hee that mournes and prayes for his brothers sinne as Christ over Jerusalem and Moses for the Idolatrous Israelites Exod. 32. will rejoyce in nothing more than such a one wonne by the rebukes of the Word and receive him as joyfully as the father his lost sonne returning Well if Ministers must bee faithfull in delivering the legall part of the Word then those Ministers are reproved 1. Who want breath to blow this Trumpet dumbe and unable persons blinde guides and insufficient men who in that place let in a fludgate of sinne and mischiefe amongst the people 2. Such as are more able but as unfaithfull they winke at sinne and will not see it or coldly reprove it as afraid to blow the trumpet too loud for waking the sinner these are farre from making sinners afraid of sinne Should such a trumpet blow and not make men fear Amos 3. 6. Is not Gods word a two-edged sword to pierce the very heart of the sinner and the hammer of God to breake the heart to pieces and will this be done with dallying reproofes as if men were at foynes No no if the Minister can doe it with down-rightblowes hee shall finde them little enough Besides is not sinne growne to a great height and impudency as a disease come to the height of his crisis and is that curable with a gentle remedy No it is the blewnesse of the wound that must purge most evils of this age and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Prov. 20. 30. Add here to that all sinners are not alike for as in a materiall house all stones are not alike some are soft and easily hewed for the building some are of an harder and flinty or marble disposition which require sharpe tooles and strong blowes to frame them to their place so in the house of God some stones are more soft sooner humbled and reformed but most are harder as the Adamant and easily yeeld not to the strokes of the Word lightly to smite these is but to hearten and harden them in sinne 3. Of all other the most mischievous are they in their places that either out of a carelesse and unconscionable coldnesse or out of ayme and desire to please or feare to displease or out of purpose to get applause of being peaceable men or out of base covetousnesse flatter men in their sinnes cloake their knowne evils and dissemble their vilenesse All is well so that it may bee well to themselves all the praises of piety shall guild rotten posts for base hire and reward Oh the sinne of these men is passing great who incourage and uphold men in their wickednesle betray them into the hands of the devill drowne them deeper in the pit of destruction and set their feet on their neckes to keepe them under from ever rising any more whereas they should lend an hand and reach them the line of a faithful reproofe to helpe them out 2. This shewes the corruption of many who cannot abide to heare the threatnings of Gods word Oh our Preachers are so tart and sowre they preach nothing but hell and damnation and seeke to bring men into despaire they cannot abide these Bonarges sonnes of thunder they would faine once change them with â—ome sweet-tongued Prophets and Zidkiahs that will sew pillows under their armes and by their flatteries cause them to erre To these I answer 1. Hee is farre from reforming his sinnes that will not abide them to bee reproved and his heart shall never be pricked with godly sorrow that will not have his sinnes pricked with the sharpe needle of the Law 2. Hee is farre from pardon of his sinnes that will not heare of them David because hee willingly heares of his sinne presently heares of pardon but Herod because hee will not heare Iohn Baptist speake of his sinne never heares of pardon 3. A property of a good heart is to delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 7. 22. and hold it a sweet benefit by it that it still discovers the secret evils which must bee repented of and reformed The joy of a godly soule is to bee anatomized by the Word and searched But hee is a bankrout that cannot abide his estate to be cast up 4. It is a property of soundnesse to justifie the Lord in all his sayings as David did being reproved by Nathan of foule things Psal. 51. 4. A true humble spirit acquainted with repentance will acknowledge that no part of Gods Word can bee so sharply spoken as justly If God bee sharpe in reproving and threatning it will stoupe and say it is most just I have matter enough in me and given cause enough if he threaten me with a thousand hels and damnations When the Lord threatneth Eli with the destruction of his house 1 Sam. 3. 18. hee yeelds himselfe It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good When Esay threatneth Hezekiah with the like destruction of his house and state hee yeeldeth 2 Kings 20. 19. The Word of the Lord is good Hee might have beene more severe and brought it in my dayes Mat. 15. 27. Christ calleth the Cannanitish woman dog she justifieth him in his saying and saith Truth Lord I am no better but give me some crummes of mercy If legall doctrine strike thee downe in thy selfe and send thee forth to seeke mercy as she here is a note of soundnesse 5 There is not a more certaine note of a wicked man and hypocrite then to taxe Gods word of too much severity If God threaten Cain for killing Abel oh his punishment is greater then he can beare he could beare an heavier sinne lightly but the punishment and threatning is too heavie Let Iohn Baptist reproove Herod for incest the reproofe is too harsh and heavie he shuts Iohn up in prison So Act. 7. 51. Steven calls the Jewes stiffe-necked uncircumcised resisters of the holy Ghost whereas they should have justified
the Lord in this reproofe they stop their eares gnash their teeth and runne upon him and stone him Whosoever he be that hates plaine dealing meanes not plainly He that cannot abide to have his conscience touched is surely festred and galled Marke those men that most resist the doctrine of the Law you shall find them most lawlesse most gracelesse most wicked men for most part openly if not the deepest dissemblers 3 This shews their great sinne that contest against sound doctrine and refuse to heare it out of malice or envy to the persons but with a fine pretext It is too personall and such a doctrine as doth particularize men as plaine as by their names But 1 These men perhaps thinke we must speake to pillars and posts not to persons or if to persons to some persons in Utopia but not to the sins and necessities of our owne hearers and how do we then give every person his portion 2 Doth any person come to heare who hath a dispensatiō that God by his servant must not meddle with his sinnes or must wee dispense the word in respect of persons 3 Doth not particular reproofe of particular offenders in many kinds stand with the word of God How was Nathan overseene to tell David he was the man and Eliah to Ahab and Iohn Baptist to Herod Is it now so unsufferable a sin to deale with personall sins 4 How doth the Lord set mens sins in order before them but by the ministery of the word Psal. 50. 21. How shall we teach the Church to avoid hurtfull and infectious persons but by discovering them How can Titus carrie his doctrine to make the opposites ashamed Tit. 2. 12. if he may not meddle with their personall sinnes And many that care neither for Gods law nor Gospell yet by shame may be restrained and stopped from their wickednesse Some are so incorrigible and impudent in their sin that they are fit to be branded and discovered by the Churches severity as in the course of justice desperate malefactors are boared in the eare or burnt in the hand 5 If any man could teach us how to sunder persons from sinnes that sinnes might walke like ghosts without bodies it might be wee should offend no persons but all our shot should be levelled against sinnes But seeing sinne is so close set to the persons as they both make but one man and men love their sinnes as themselves wee cannot point at a sinne but presently we are blamed and distasted as pointing at the person 6 Let all such know that the time commeth when they shall say it had beene wiselier done to have forsaken their sinne then the Ministery that checkes it and not as foolish children who had rather keepe a sore finger or foote then abide the paine of opening and curing 4 This is instruction to all hearers to endure themselves patiently to be launced and pricked to the hearts by Gods Surgione as knowing that the hurt of the daughter of Gods people is not cured with sweet words Ier. 6. 14. The thunder and lightning more purifieth the aire then the warme sunshine And that you may doe this get wisdome and grace to consider these things 1 That Ministery that workes no smart workes no cure A sound Ministery divideth betweene the marrow and the bone yea betweene the soule spirit and joints Heb. 4. 12. Can this be done without smart Oile heales not without wine There is no profit nor cure in skinning festers unsearched and no search without smart 2 That wee take no pleasure in your smart or judgment but that without it you cannot be cured It is you that compell us to severity in our Ministery while you will hold your sinnes stiffly against the word and resist the powerfull meanes of your owne good What should wee do to be free from your blood if wee find you proud scoffers churlish earthly profane but directly repoove these sinnes if wee would not have them set on our score What our hire is if we see the sword come upon you and not give you warning see in Ezek. 33. 7. Nay happy were it for us and you if we might speake nothing but peace so we might discharge our dutie and if we proclayme wo you may helpe it we cannot 3 That whereas you would have us preach Gods mercies to you in this legall doctrine what do we but declare his admirable mercy who sends the sound of wo before the sense of wo he is not bound to give us so much warning 4 That to speake of wo is not to cast men into wo but to helpe them out of it for that is both the Lords intention and the drift of us his Ministers who both are loth that men should be smitten unwarned and till there be no remedy 5 That it were every mans happinesse to see wo written in the face of every sinne which else is sure to follow at heeles inevitably For sinne and sorrow are bound together inseparably and there is never a sinne but hath wo written on it if not on the face on the backe And therefore men should rather praise God to be smitten by his word for prevention or amendment then suffered to go on to unavoydable wo and perdition 6 That the same Ministery which most casteth downe a sinner is sanctified by God to lift him up againe The same hand that launceth commonly healeth The same Nathan that condemnes David absolveth him Peter by sharpe doctrine prickes the Jewes hearts Act. 2. 37. the same Ministery and person reviveth and comforteth them Paul casts down the Jaylor and presently rayseth him Act. 16. Christ himselfe calls the woman of Canaan a dog but straightway giveth her desire Sticke to that Ministery that most sharply smiteth woundeth rebuketh that is the Ministery most likely sanctified by God to heale and binde thee up that Ministery hath oyle for thee aswell as wine if thou sticke constantly to it Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and sea Here wee are to enquire the persons on whom that heavie wo is denounced to weet the inhabitants of the earth and sea Which cannot be meant properly and literally for First these are the worke-man-ship of God and excellent creatures Secondly they are opposed to the heavens in the former words which were not taken literally and properly but figuratively and metaphorically Thirdly the godly who are biddé to rejoyce dwel in them properly taken as well as the wicked but they are exempted from this wo. By inhabitants of the earth and sea are meant such persons and places as are not accounted the true Church but among whom the devill hath power and beareth sway For these inhabitants are opposed to dwellers in heaven which are true professors of Christ members of the Church of an heavenly conversation Specially inhabitants of the earth are mere earthly men favoring nothing of heavenly things whether they be heathens and Gentiles or such as be in name Christians but indeed earthly
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
hee could not succeed by open tyrannie now by secret traines and perswasions of heretikes under a plausible forme of Christianity and piety hee shall carry the world headlong after Antichrist and wrap it up in his impostures and Apostasie that whose bodies he could not destroy by sword and tyrannie their mindes hee might poyson with errours and heresie 3. Hee descendeth with a farre more furious hatred and wrath over those who are left under his power for as a man comming angry from abroad will shew his wrath at home so the dragon seeing the Church escaped from his furious hand by Michaels helpe doth looke more narrowly to make them faster who are left in his power lest they should breake away from him as the other had done and therefore hee now commeth on them with continuall and efficacious temptations and bindes them with strong chaines and bolts of unrighteousnesse Now the devill taketh his peniworths in the earth and sea by increasing his wrath hee increaseth their woe and not only rideth the Nations but galloppeth them to hell This arising of Antichrist bringing with him a mist of blacke darknesse and Idolatry is the devills comming downe into the earth And his powerfull prevailing by strong and forcible delusions among them that perish is his fierce wrath which hee exerciseth in the earth and sea but justly upon them that had refused Christs rule over them Where Christ and his Gospel cannot prevaile the devil cōmeth armed with power and efficacy of delusion and hee prevaileth Jesus Christ came into the world and was preached in the earth and sea but could not bee received he came to his owne and his owne received him not yea they persecuted him drove him away slew the heire and crucified the Lord of glory he came by the preaching of the Apostles among the nations and set them into the true Olive when his own were broken off but they after a little lightning fell off first from their first love then from all love of the truth Now the wicked spirit makes a re-entrey into his hold whence he was cast he comes downe into the earth more forcibly with seven spirits worse than before and prevailes with them to their destructiō I come in my Fathers name that is by his authority in powerful doctrine miracles to set up his name glory in promoting your salvation ye receive me not if another come in his owne name that is seeking his own glory not Gods and intending his owne ends and good and not the good and salvation of men him will yee receive 2 Thess. 2. 11. God shall send strong delusions the effect is to beleeve lies the end that they may be damned and the reason because they loved not the truth nor beleeved it nor entertained it but rejected the happy meanes of their owne salvation The Lord sends Michaiah his Prophet to warne Ahab of his danger neare him Ahab will not heare him for his owne safety but commits him to ward feeds him with bread and water of affliction now comes the devill and is a lying spirit in the mouthes of 400. false Prophets them presently he heareth speaking to hasten his destruction 1. Mans heart will be resting and setling upon something it is like a Mill that is ever grinding if it rest not on truth it will on lies The soule of a man is such an hold or tenure that cannot want an owner or occupyer If it bee not resigned to the God of heaven it is reserved for the god of the world If Gods Spirit depart from Saul presently the evill spirit comes upon him and vexeth him A servant must every man be to one of these masters 2. The just desert of wicked men puls on them this fearfull vengeance to be delivered up to the devill The world loveth lies better than the truth and lyers above the bringers of truth how just is it that such as reject the truth and preferre lyes before it should be given up to the father of lies as children most like him What more righteous revenge can the Lord inflict on him that will not come to Jesus Christ to bee saved then that the dragon should come downe upon him with great wrath and carry him headlong into his owne damnation how just is it for those who refuse the government of a mercifull Prince to bee given up to the spoile and oppression of most cruell tyrants Is any so blinde as hee that will not see and are any so justly blinded as those that will not open their eyes to the light Who can implead the Lords justice in delivering up him to the Prince of darknesse that hateth the light or who can say it unequall in him if hee give over such as chuse death unto him that hath the power of death that is the devill 3. Refuse to come to Jesus Christ and what remedie is left to rescue us from the power of the devill If Christ and his truth bee rejected what can resist the devill when hee assaulteth with lies and false perswasions If the way to bee rescued from the power of Satan bee the knowledge of the truth so as by it to come to amendment as 2 Tim. 2. 24. then to refuse Gods grace offered in the Gospell is to assent and covenant with Satan and refuse freedome offered from his vassallage lies have no enemie no discoverer no conquerer but truth There is no freedome from the impostures of the father of lyes till truth rescue us and set us free and if truth set us free wee are free indeed Truth is the onely effectuall instrument and meanes of our salvation it is the arme of God to save us to refuse and resist this arme is to hate life and abide under damnation In a word the resistance of Christ is an inviting of Satan home to us and a kind welcomming of him with full contentment where Satan seeth such a man there is a fit subject for him to worke upon Take notice then of this fearefull sinne of refusing the voyce of Christ in the Gospell being a sinne of such provocation as it is as most injurious to God to the grace of God to the Sonne of God and to the truth of God a sinne of such a deepe dye and so deadly to the soule of the sinner who preferreth to drinke ranke poyson before the sweet waters of the Wel of life and a sinne so fearfully revenged by God with many other most hainous sinnes the just punishments of it Now because men commonly startle at the high sinnes against the law and conceive Gods wrath due to them and in the meane time seldome take knowledge of sinnes against the Gospell and the Lords severity against thē let us cast our eyes upon the Lords most severe revenge against this sinne above other as sinnes against the remedy and therefore not more severe than righteous for if God revenged upon the heathens their sinnes against the light
most gracious pardon So for people and Kingdomes What may wee gather from the great and open prevayling of Antichrist in any Kingdome which will be apparant in the infinite increase and boldnesse of Papists and Recusants in such places in the swarmes and numbers of the people after a strange boldnesse running and resorting to their Masses in the open increase of multitudes of locusts and frogs Jesuites and Priests croaking in corners and streets challenging seducing and deceiving and as diligent as the dragon himselfe whose tayle they are to wrap men not loving the truth in this fearefull wrath and deepe perdition What may bee hence gathered but the provocations of such a kingdome kindling so great a wrath of God against them Did Antichrist ever come into a kingdome and the sins of that kingdome not let him in Were men not fierce against the Lord in contemning and despising his truth in open â—rophanation of his Sabbaths in desperate scoffing at religion in bringing in their sinnes to their height Had they not lost their first love their zeale their taste of Manna were not they unthankfull to the Lord for setting them out of this Aegypt and were they not looking and running back to the Onions and flesh-pots which made the Lord shake the fiercest Arrow of his Quiver against them Could any thing but hellish prophanenesse and contempt of so shining grace have entred such a wrath amongst them as heaven nor hell in this life cannot inflict a greater for Turkish tyranny is light in comparison of Antichristian Oh that our Apostasie to a very formall and powerlesse godlinesse were laid to heart as the hatcher and breeder of such wrath which will not bee so easily removed as let in Did wee still march couragiously as wee began in the beginning the reformation wee should not then need to feare our former oppression and tyranny Let us bee wise by the rod shaken over us lest the stroke and smart fall also on us and shew us our folly 5. Labour to preserve one another from this damnable way To which wee have these and sundry motives First wee pull one another out of fire and water and should much more out of the fire and water of Gods wrath yea out of hell and damnation Secondly all our Saviours course was to winne soules to seeke and save what was lost Thirdly God hath made every man his brothers keeper who hath commanded to pull our neighbours yea enemies Oxe or Asse out of a ditch And therefore every man must bee servant to every man as Paul to winne some and not bee carelesse whether hee stand or fall sinke or swimme live or die And wee must by all good meanes preserve and strengthen our brethren Ministers by discrying the danger this is our chiefe intent not wrath and anger to our people Private men by exhortation brotherly conference wise reproofs of the obstinate c. All by godly life and holy innocency which is a meanes both to stop the mouthes of malicious Papists and winne such as are tractable Knowing that he hath but a short time In these words is the reason of the dragons wrathfull disposition where consider three things 1. How Satans time is said to bee short 2. How hee knoweth it is so 3. What use he makes of this knowledge For the first Quest. How can that be said a short time which hath continued now since the writing of this Prophesie sixteene hundreth yeares or not much lesse Ans. A time long in it selfe must bee said to bee short respectively So this 1. In respect of God to whom a thousand yeares which is a long time in it selfe and to us is but as one day and so even thus long since our Lord said Rev. 21. 6. Behold I come shortly 2. In comparison of former times so this continuance of Antichrist which is simply in it selfe a long time is comparatively said to be short in respect of the time and ages going before it And so the whole time of the New Testament which is in it selfe a very long time is called the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10. 11. the last houre 1 Ioh. 2. 18. for so the manner of Scripture is which distributeth the world into three ages the first from Adam to Moses the second from Moses to Christ the third from Christ his first comming to his second This last period was called the last houre not because presently upon Christs Incarnation or Ascension the world was to end for how then could the Church have beene gathered through the Christian world but because 1. This was the last and full time in which all was consummated and ended which was fore-prophesied in former ages touching mans redemption even the full and last revelation which is to bee in earth and no other change of worship and Ministery is to bee expected as in the former till the great and last day in which the great Judge shall put an end to dayes and time which shall bee no more and to the warfare of the whole Church 2. It shall bee a farre shorter time than that which went before yea in likelyhood shorter than either of the former periods or ages for seeing it shall bee bitter and sharpe by the tyranny of Antichrist for the Elects sake Christ saith these dayes shall be shortened Mat. 24. For the second Quest. How doth Satan know his time to bee short Ans. 1. Because hee knowes his time is determined for the wicked spirits know perfectly by the accusation of their conscience and partly by the sentence already passed upon them that a day of further torment awaites them whence they say Mat. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before the time 2. Hee knowes this time is hastening upon him sundry wayes 1. By prediction and observation of Scriptures He observed the Apostles saying that on us the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10. 11. joyning himselfe with those Christians that then lived and all the rest that were to live till the end of the world being all comprehended in one body and all subjected to the same last dispensation of grace which was not to bee ended or changed but by the returne of Christ to judgement 2. By daily experience hee seeth the decrepit age of the world as in the severall parts so in the whole If old buildings cracke it threatneth ruine 3. Hee knowes and observeth most of the signes of Christs second comming to be past as 1. That many false Prophets inspired by himselfe are risen up and have deceived many as was foretold Matth. 24. 24. This is an argument of the last houre 1 Iohn 2. 18. we know it is the last houre for many Antichrists are come that is petty-Antichrists the prodromi and forerunners of that great one 2. That the Gospell hath beene preached through the world predicted Mat. 24. 14. and accomplished Rom. 10 18. Their sound is gone through all the world and their words unto the end of
his salvation The whole booke of Judges sheweth that when Israel was at rest and had the world at will they forgot the Lord and turned to idols but when they were under oppression of enemies into whose hands the Lord delivered them for their sinnes then they returned and sought after God diligently Hos. 13. 6. as in their pastures so were they filled and their heart was exalted therefore they have forgotten me whereas the same Church having her way stopped with briars and hedged in with thornie afflictions resolves to returne to her first husband for it was then better with her then now chap. 2. 7. From the testimonies come to the induction of most famous Churches overthrowne by prosperity The first Churches of the old Testament did thrive better in Aegypt under that tyranny then in the milke and hony of Canaan which by pride wantonnesse and fulnesse of bread brought her into Babylons captivity The primitive Churches of the new Testament our text shews how they were blacked tanned with the sunshine of peace plenty ease wealth and temporall prosperity that as the Moone never suffers ecclipse but in the full because in the full she is farthest distant from the Sunne from whom she receives her brightnesse so the Church in her fulnesse is farthest from her Sunne of whom she receives her light and then suffereth most ecclipse What need wee goe farre for this proofe The Church of England comming out of the fire and hot furnace of 2. Maries dayes at the restoring of the Gospell in the beginning of 2. Elizabeth of happy memory by whom the booke of the Law was restored and true worship established oh how precious and sweet was that Manna how zealous how forward how painefull were godly men to gather it and get knowledge with what joy of heart courage and encouragement did the Saints receive the truth how resolute and vehement were they against Popery what a number of miles did they measure to a Sermon how tooke they the kingdome of heaven with violence But now in the continuance of our peace plenty and prosperity how do men loath this Manna onely cloyed with preaching of Gods word The former age that prized it is gone and carried their affections with them Our peace hath bred up a surfetted and gracelesse generation that hate the directions of truth and scorne the profession of holinesse as an hatefull heresie Instead of frequenting Sermons and godly exercises of praying reading conference and holy communion now the tavernes tobacco-shops ale-houses play-houses whore-houses are stuffed Knots of drunkards gamesters swearers and vile persons haunt together and feare no lawes of God nor man For bibles and godly bookes wee have the divells yea cards and dice store of pipes and smoake In stead of holy exercises and conferences wee have blasphemous swearing and scorning of goodnesse riot and ribaldry surfetting and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse audacious boldnesse in evill and shaming at nothing but the very show of goodnesse Thus as plenty begets surfet so our peace hath made the land heart-sicke and the disease is not more generall then desperate likely to shame all the Physitians all the Ministers of the land who know not how to turne their hands to recover and helpe her 1 Worldly prosperity is a good mother but through our folly brings many bad daughters so ease slayes the foole Prov 1. 32. That Gods blessing should be our bane is in us not in it For our naturall folly is that having found hony wee eate too much even to hurt our selves and this folly raigneth in wicked men and too much of it is bound up even in the hearts of Gods children by which they are prone enough to pervert Gods good gifts God feeds men to the full and the wicked run to commit adultery and assemble themselves by companies into harlots houses Ier. 5. 7. Thus do wicked men abuse these sweet refreshings as the drunkard doth drinke to wash away his sense and reason or as a mad man a sword which might serve for his safety Yea even Gods children are too like our children who having got fruit hardly give it over without a surfet Quest. What are these lewd daughters bred up by prosperity Answ. 1. Forgetfulnesse of God Worldly prosperity and peace make both Churches and persons forgetfull of God Hos. 13. 6. They were filled and their hearts were exalted and they forgat me Ier. 22. 21. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity but thou saydst thou wouldst not heare this hath beene thy manner from thy youth The Prodigall never remembred his father while he was in prosperity and riot This danger the Lord well discerning in his owne people straightly warneth them that when they come into the land and enjoy houses vineyards olives and have eaten and are full then to beware they forget not the Lord their God Deut. 6. 11. 2 Pride against God and forgetfulnesse of themselves Let prosperity once winne the heart it fortifies it against God Hence hath pride and ambition beene the bane of the purest Churches and so incident to good men in their peace as the disciples themselves shall affect hierarchy and Kingdome and their own preferment at the right and left hand of Christ in his supposed temporall kingdome Now another mischiefe hangs hereupon that the tops of these mountaines of pride are unfit for the herbes and flowers of grace to root or grow upon neither doe the raines of Gods grace stand upon these hills but slide down into the vallies 3 Effeminatenesse softnesse love of the world delicacy feare and slight of the crosse of Christ. For it is exceeding hard to have prosperity and not to love it it is hard in the increase of riches not to set our hearts on them most easily is the heart wonne from the God of heaven to the god of the world The reason is because we are naturally from earth and carry a lumpe of earth in our hearts and quickly fill up all our roumes and senses with it our eyes hands eares mouths and all our naturall motion is that way Againe minding of earthly things must needs make men enemies to the crosse of CHRIST as those in Phil. 3. 19. 4 Contention and strife for the holding and enjoying of the present fulnesse and security and a speciall resistance of those thac sticke closest to the simplicity of Christ and his Gospell or any way touch upon that string Ambitious Amazia will not suffer Amos to preach And Diotrephes loving his preheminence riseth up against St. Iohn and the most faithfull Pastors By all which wee see that as weeds grow abundantly in ranke soyles and without great care kill the herbes even so many mischievous plants and weeds rise up in the fat grounds of prosperity which seldome peepe out of the leane and barren grounds of persecution and tyranny 2 As Satan is more frequent and dangerous in these temptations of prosperity so our selves
hedge Hos. 2. to contain men in bounds and hold them from excesse Israel in affliction will returne to her first husband considering it was then better with her then now This made Augustine truely terme it the Churches unhappy happinesse and to conclude it a point of great felicity not to be overcome by worldly felicity 4. How many of our owne experiences may awaken us and hold us waking suspicious of prosperity Who ever saw the tree of grace grow in the fertile land of pleasure Sodom was as Eden the Garden of God but what were the inhabitants Who are they that receive the Gospell not many wise noble or rich but poore ones and weake ones 1 Cor 1. 26. Christs Kingdome is not of this world his subjects are called out of the world and at defiance with the world Nay his Kingdome is contrary to the kingdoms of the world they rise by worldly prosperity wealth wisedome power but Christs by humility passion patience Who are the poorest among us in good works of mercy piety and charity but those that most abound in wealth superfluity Dives cannot spare crums Poore men that receive the Gospell can spare some mites to uphold the Word among them but many of our great rich men can spare onely disgrace contempt and I doubt would bee at some cost to get it away I never knew man who would bee at no cost for the Word but hee was willing to be at some cost against it It is true of many great men as we see true in the Mountaines which the richer they are in metals and minerals within the more barren and fruitlesse are they without Even so men to whom God hath given the greatest meanes are often most barren of good workes because he hath not given them grace and will to use them aright How hardly shall a rich man be saved Who be they that leave Gods house most desolate and empty but they who most curiously build and seale their owne houses Hag. 1. 4. Poore men in towne and countrey can come with much travell to this exercise rich meÌ„ many who have time means to come with ease and pleasure come not because who are chosen to the end are chosen to the meanes Who bee they that are carryed to Popery and Idolatry from the truth but great persons for the most part and why so but because it is a religion according to the flesh a naturall religion a libertine religion that suites with mens corruptions set up by carnall policy and power and therefore carries away such as abound in worldly prosperity Who exceed most in riot and excesse but such as abound most in wealth and riches And wee may generally conclude Worldly prosperity hath made many worse few or none better If adversity hath slaine his thousand prosperity hath slaine ten thousand 4. This affords us some rules and directions for the ordering First of our desires Secondly of our conditions For the first If God bid us as he doth aske what wee would have and hee will give us our wish as he did Salomon let us aske as hee did wisdome before wealth or any outward prosperity even that true wisdome with which God addes no sorrows This is a gift which cannot bee turned to our bane as all outward gifts may In the prosperity of saving graces lie no snares as there doe in all earthly prosperity yea in all common graces Christian wisdome teacheth to checke those excessive and covetous desires which seeke and affect great things in this world as knowing that pathes washed in butter are slippery and to say Give me neither riches nor poverty but things convenient For the second the ordering of our estates 1. Of prosperity If God please to add wealth to wisedome as hee did to Salomon wee must bee sober and abstinent and learne to abound as well as to want for this is an harder lesson to take out but not so hard as fruitfull For as sobriety and abstinence in the middest of large provision preserveth bodily health and helpes to free us of such diseases as come of fulnesse so the sparing use of worldly comforts preserves the health of the soule and keeps strength in grace and vertue and preserves from corrupt humours of vice and sinne which come of fulnesse and unwatchfulnesse 2. Of adversity If the Lord temper our prosperity with a sound measure of affliction wee must on this ground 1. Be thankfull for all his workes are First wise in wisedome hee doth them all unto which wee must subscribe though wee see not the reason of them In wisdome hee appointed the way to Canaan through a dry and barren wildernes though Israel murmured at it Yea Christ himselfe the wisdome of his Father came from heaven and best knew the way thither and to shew us the right way made choise rather of an afflicted then prosperous estate Secondly seasonable for he doth all in his appointed time in which every action is beautifull Thirdly profitable to his Church and therefore hee sends in afflictions like a cold frost to nip in the ranknesse of our soile and so fit us to fruitfulâ—es and as a good Physitian sees it profitable to prescribe a spare diet to his surfetted Patient so doth the Lord to his surfetted Church or servants Therefore let us not in all this sinne with our mouthes or change God foolishly 2. Make no more haste out of afflictions than good speed Gold is not presently pulld out of the fire so soone as it is cast in but must stay a while till it be purged It is a safer state though sowrer as the three Children were safer in the furnace than out of it Gold hath more cause to feare the rust than the fire and to us prosperity is more dangerous than adversity Verse 14. But to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that shee might flee into the wildernesse into her place where shee is nourished for a time and times and halfe a time from the face of the serpent AS the former Verse expresseth the furious assault of the dragon against the woman so this declareth her happy evasion and escape with the cause of her conservation and that was her flight and disappearing from the sight of men For what should the poore woman doe being not able to withstand so huge and fierce a beast and Monster Wee have seene how this woman stoutly withstood the bloody persecutions of the Imperiall Dragons and never thought of flying shee feared not sword fire Gibbet nor the most exquisite torments of the fiercest tyrants but the more shee was persecuted the more glorious shee was and shined in surpassing brightnesse of holy doctrine and life We have heard what an happy victory and triumph shee hath carryed against all those bloody and open enemies But now the dragon turning himselfe into another shape and unto another stratagem under the profession of Christ furiously
in the promise which makes them sweeter then ordinary even the love-tokens of a father and not the wages of an hireling 3 This may assure the Church and members that in the hardest times of straightnesse and persecution they shal be spiritually fed which is here chiefly aymed at For all the adversary power of Antichrist or dragons cannot hinder God from providing and preserving to the Church faithfull Pastors secretly and conscionably to feed the woman in the wildernesse in season and out of season And as none can send Pastors but he so none can hinder the Pastors whom he sendeth to dispense his allowance whom he furnisheth raiseth and protecteth till his worke bee done and the Churches need supplyed The starres are in his hand who then can hinder them But if they could intercept his messengers they cannot hinder himselfe who can and will by himselfe feed the woman if all means else should faile as Eze. 34. 14. I will feed them my selfe And if himselfe feed not all Ministeriall labour is but lost Quest. How doth the Lord himselfe feed the Church Answ. 1. By the word of his grace He leadeth his sheepe into the greene pastures of his wholsome word By writing his word in their hearts and carrying his law into their secret parts He onely who hath his chaire in heaven can teach the heart And who can hinder his strong arme and mighty power or the might and power of his word which is omnipotent as himselfe or who can stand in his way to hinder his accesse into a beleeving soule 2 As he did with his ancient people so still he feeds the Church with bread from heaven by the gracious gift of his Sonne whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drinke indeed even that onely true Manna and bread from heaven He is the gift of God Ioh. 4. if thou knewest the gift of God This is that shepheard mentioned Ezek. 34. 23. I will set up a shepheard and he shal feed them even my servant David And if CHRIST will come in and feed in and with a beleeving soule who shall hinder him 3 He will feed her by his Spirit of grace who is greater in her thē the spirit that ruleth in the world His office is to open the heart to worke faith to bring in holy light and illumination and light of consolation to bring things into remembrance to uphold by his mighty power to perseverance and salvation against all the adversarie powers of it 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4 See hence what a bootlesse thing it is for enemies to strive and struggle against the word and truth of GOD. The woman must be fed even in the wildernesse First Where God hath any called or to call his word shal be taught either openly or secretly Secondly Christ compares the course of the Gospell to the course of the lightning which flyes swiftly and suddenly from one side of heaven to another and cannot be stopped for the Gospell passeth and is protected with divine power Thirdly how impossible was it for all the tyranny and policy of the devill and flesh to hinder the power of the Gospell in the most tyrannicall times of heathen Emperors How miraculously and fully was the Church fed in that wildernesse But in this wildernesse mentioned a wonder it was that so many ages of Antichrist the enemies having as many eyes as Argus and as vigilant to destroy and root out the memory and mention of sound Professors and wanting no will nor humane power yet could not prevaile but that the darkest and most violent ages of Popery yeild us witnesses of the truth in whom wee see that the Woman in the wildernesse must be fed In our fathers dayes it was a wonder that those hot and fiery dayes of Queene Mary wasted not all that sincerely stood with Christ against Antichrist and his breadden god And when they threw down all the meanes of knowledge and Instruction how admirable was it that so many poore soules did steale up so much knowledge and resolution as to be invincible in maintaining and suffering for the truth Who sees not that the woman in the wildernesse must be fed and provided for This makes the enemies at their wits ends they cannot worke wisely enough to destroy her but ascamomile the more it is pressed the more it spreadeth and riseth up This makes the Church impregnable No hold in earth so strong but may be wonne if not by sword yet by famine onely this fort cannot be famished All the inquisitions in the world cannot intercept her food Antichristian forces may besiege her but cannot take her c. This sets them in a rage they give her bread of affliction to eate and teares to drinke she thrives with it they give her ashes and mould up her bread with them and give her blood to drinke she is in better plight with that then Kings children with dainties Thus God confoundeth them and convinceth them that they even fight against God who makes the blood of Martyrs the seed of the Church He makes poison feed her for she must be fed A time times and halfe a time In these words is the fift generall in this verse namely the time how long the Woman was fed The Lord when for the sinnes of the Church he was urged to bring some severe rod and correction that he might expresse his remembrance of mercy in judgment and shew that in love and measure he meant to chasten used to foretell the very time of deliverance before the misery was inflicted Thus the expiration of that great oppression of Israell in Aegypt was foretold about 350. yeares before it began that they must be strangers 400. yeares Num. 14. 34. Israel must walke and wander in the wildernesse forty years according to the forty dayes of searching the land The Babylonish captivity was for continuance of seventy yeares long before signified and then to determine and expire The bondage of the Jews under Syrian tyrants was precisely foretold to last sixty and two weekes So in the New Testament the sorest oppression that ever befell the Church namely by Antichrist is in these words before hand described for continuance and determination For that the persecution of Antichrist and the time of it is here noted is the consent of Interpreters For the text denyes it selfe to be meant of the Turkes treading the holy City Jerusalem underfoot because the two Prophets must helpe her Now what can two Prophets do against Turkish tyranny It is not Prophecy can represse them but sword and power with which he comes armed openly against Christ and not by under-hand seduction and lyes which must be resisted and conquered by Prophecy But where and when the period for beginning and ending of this time is very obscure and perhaps as yet unknowne to man the Spirit of God being more willing to lead us in the search then in the
law endictes every wicked man hating the godly of murder 1 Ioh. 3. 15. not only because hatred is a degree of it but because his will and desire carries him to the highest degree and execution of it 2 Members must be conformed to the head in obedience both active and passive What floods the dragon raised and cast out of his mouth to carry Christ away is manifest in the story imputing to him sorcery blasphemy sedition treason and all that was hainous and poysonfull If they called the Master of the house Belzebâ—b what will they not call his servants 3. The more innocent thou art looke thy suffering to bee the more for malice is most against grace and innocency When good men are generally maligned and floods of water cast after them the generall conceit and speech of other is some fault there is were there not some fire there could not bee so much smoake some indiscretion some oversight some fault No no there is shining grace wisdome holinesse watchfulnesse the dragon will revile good men be they never so discreet and innocent yea for innocency as Christ himselfe Againe seeing it is inevitable that the godly should bee molested with these floods and rising of waters let them for their comfort and direction thinke of these Rules 1. Against the multitude of Antichristian enemies who increase and combine as a flood to overflow all bankes oppose the promise of God Esa. 17. 12 1â— They shall make a noise as the noise of many waters but God shall rebuke them hee hath passed sentence against them which is not farre from execution and Chap 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood but the Spirit of the Lord will chase him away and daily shall they be blasted by the breath of his mouth all his forces cannot prosper being gathered against the Lord Deut. 33. 27. 2 Against the floods of Antichristian heresies and false doctrines wee must stablish ourselves First with true humility to containe our selves within bounds of truth Pride and conceit makes heretikes Secondly with sound love to the truth this onely will make us hate all false inventions Psal. 119. 113. Thirdly with true obedience to the truth revealed Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will do my will he shall know the doctrine whether it bee of God By these meanes wee shall sticke fast to the Rocke and hold fast by truth and not be carryed away with this flood Fourthly when they trouble our waters with traditioÌ„s fables for they are called troubled waters oppose the sweet and cleare crystall fountaines of the Scriptures the waters out of the Rocke and out of the fountaines of Iacob Deut. 33. 28. this shall bee sufficient against the full sea of Antichristian brinish salt and damnable doctrines 3. Against the drowning waters of scandals reproaches threatnings wicked Edicts false accusations or violent executions oppose those sweet refreshing waters of comfort Esa. 55. 1. These promise First Christs presence who rebukes winde and sea and makes a calme Secondly strength and patience because they are the rebukes of Christ. Thirdly a clearing of thine owne innocency as the light Againe oppose thine innocency purity sound conscience honest conversation and then assure thy selfe no reproach can take away thine innocency no more than thy head Lastly waite on God as David in Shimeis rayling hee may doe thee good for their evill hee may blesse thee for their cursing and honor thee the more for their dishonour as Mordecai And many of his servants have experience that the more evill men seek to cast them downe and carry them away with floods of injuries the more God doth establish and uphold them and carry them up above the waves and billowes which threaten to drowne them Vers. 16. And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the stood which the dragon cast out of his mouth AGainst new dangers the woman hath still new remedies for unwonted dangers unwonted helpes Against the former dangers shee had wings to flie from them here the earth sets in for her helpe the dragon casts the flood out of his mouth and the earth takes it into her mouth By the earth is not meant the earthly globe which Mathematicians call the center of the world in which wee walke neither may wee understand it properly of this vast Element but improperly and metaphorically as wee did the flood in the former words drunke up by it By earth therefore is meant 1. In generall all the meanes by which the former flood was drunke up and the phrase is an allusion to an ancient story in Numb 16. where the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and all his company who had cast floods of reproachfull waters against Moses Aaron even so here before the Lord will suffer his Church to be drowned and overwhelmed he will command the earth to open it selfe and swallow up all such as enterprise against it as formerly he had to swallow alive Corah Dathan Abiram and all their complices 2. More specially by the earth wee meane those speciall providences by which the former floods were dryed up as 1. The floods of herefies spewed out of the dragons mouth were swallowed up of the earth for First it was the earthly and wicked Synagogue that embraced all the dragoÌ„s plausible heresies such as whose names are writen in earth but not any whose names were written in the Booke of life the true Church drunke not a drop of that poyson spewed out of the dragons mouth Secondly because that the Synods and Councils gathered out of all the earth resolved and swallowed up those pernicious heresies against the grounds of Christian religion For as of old the Councell of Nice swallowed up the poysoned flood of Arrius the Constantinopolitan supped up the hereticall flood of Macedonius and Eunomius the Ephesine of Nestorius and the Chalcedon of Eutiches so we might name a number of Canons out of Councels gathered under Antichrist resisting many main Romish errors and hereticall doctrines as the sixt generall Councell about the yeare 700. decreed against the Church of Rome the marriage of Ministers and forbad to make the Holy Ghost in likenesse of a Dove The Councell of Portugall at Bracca appointed the Cup in the Communion Sundry other Councels as of Constantinople under Leo Isauricus and after under Constantius Copronimus and of Frankeford under Charles the Great all against Images and many of their owne contradicting their fellowes in matters of greatest difference as might be cleared at large but is done already by Doctor Hall in his booke intituled The peace of Rome 2. The floods of slaunders and false suggestions have beene dryed up even by the earth earthly men and enemies of the Church who have acquitted and discharged the Christians of those horrible scandalls which were out of the dragons mouth sent after them to drowne them as in the ancient Story the Christians