they brew and digest the bread of affliction they prepared for others 2 Let us acknowledge with much thankfulnesse the truth of this prophesie Wee have seene the earth drinke up many floods cast out of the dragons mouth by Antichristian tyranny sufficiently strong and deepe to have carried her quite away Among many instances I will record two in fresh memory and not farre off In the yeare 1521. when Luther had appeared before Caesar at Wormes to give account of his doctrine and doings what a mighty flood issued out of the mouth of the dragon which in the Imperial edicts threatned nothing but death and bloodshed against the Professors of the Gospell and this flood like Danubius ranne through all Germany But now see how the earth drunke up the flood Shortly after arose an exceeding great trouble in Spaine to the pacifying of which the Emperour went in person and so the Professors of the Gospell had a little breathing till the States of the Empire assembled at Norinburge got those cruell Edicts mitigated and qualified to the great prosperity of the Gospell The other in our owne Kingdome in the dayes and memory of our Fathers When in the raigne of Queene Mary many were carryed away with that raging and high-swelling flood of the sixe Articles and the enemies were devising not to strike off the branches onely but as one perswaded to strike at the root in cutting off the then Lady Elizabeth being then in prisonand very unlike ever to get out of their bloody hands now see how the Lord caused the earth to helpe his Church for who was the meanes to keepe them off her and her head on her shoulders but King Philip of Spaine an earthly Idolater who had no reason but to bee a greater enemy to her than her sister or that state Now the earth dranke up the flood and a few moneths set that happy Lady and the Church and Kingdome by her in such glory and prosperity as ancient ages had never seene and future ages perhaps both wish and admire 3. In the present tryals and persecutions of the Church when wee see the floods swell even almost over her head and Antichristian Armies every where gathered and carry afore them whole Provinces and Churches be not dismayed but stand still and see the Lords salvation he will appoint one meanes or other to swallow up all these floods as here hee commanded the earth to â—each her helping hand both to take in and harbour the Lords exiles in the secret chambers of her desert Mountaines and Caves as also to drinke in the dangers for them Nay more the Lord who causeth the earth to helpe the woman will in and by these persecutions helpe up his Church and truth Act. 8. 1. The wicked men of earth raise great persecution against the Disciples at Jerusalem and scatter them but they being scattered and dispersed spread the Gospell through all the Regions of Iudea and Samaria In the story of the Waldenses is reported that the banishing of Waldo his followers out of LyoÌ„s was a means which God used to spread the doctrine of the Gospel in the darkest times of Antichrist almost over all Europe Thus the Lord bringeth light out of darknesse to his Church the earth shall not bury the truth but spread it neither shall these Antichristian floods drowne the woman but shall onely water her furrows And let the Church be instant with the Lord he wil in the end of these businesses shew he hath a reach beyond all Actors and lookers on the wrath of men shal turn to his praise themselves shal drink the rivers of blood which they intend against the woman and shall root themselves out that the Gospell which they fight against may finde footing in the most desolate Popish Countries and the time and their pride hasteneth it Let us alwayes set these props under our faith to support us through our tryals whether wee see meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is enough to see the power and faithfulnesse of God who can and rather than faâ—â—e will worke the Saints delivery by unknowne and even by contrary meanes Waite upon the Word If hee seeme not to regard thee in danger awake him by thy prayers hee may delay helpe a while but he cannot dehy thee helpe but hee must deny himselfe but either hee will lead thee out by preventing the danger or helpe thee through it and make thee more then a Conquerour in it by a conquered death 4. As the Church abroad is tryed and in resistance of the floods of violence and lies under the fire and sword of the enemy so the dragon ceaseth not amongst us in our peace to cast out such floods as hee can of scandalls slanders and reproaches of Gods people against which wee must foâ—tifie our selves with assurance that all these floods shall be drunke up and dryed up also for us For 1. Our Head is the truth and as strength of truth prevailed in his owne person and rose againe from underground so it shall in all his members by his mighty power 2. Gods promise is to bring forth our righteousnesse as the light even as a bright morning comes after a sad night of black darknesse 3. Gods providence watcheth as well the names and reputation of the Saints as their persons because as their persons are nearely joyned to Christ so are their names nearely linked to his and their honour is his as their reproach is his Heb. 13. 13. 4. Looke upon the unknowne meanes used by God to drinke in these floods Sometime from heaven The Angell turnes away the flood of scandall which had like to have drowned the Virgin while Ioseph was thinking to put her away Mat. 1. 20. Feare not to take her Sometime the earth as here rather than faile shall drinke it up The Judge shall pronounce Christ innocent Saul shall proclaime Davids innocency 1 Sam. 24. 18. Thou art more righteous than I. Lastly though truth and innocency may bee clouded a long time yet it shall bee disclosed and time the mother of truth shall dry up and drinke in all wicked accusation when all secrets shall bee disclosed as well for the opening of innocency as the shutting of the mouth of guiltinesse Vers. 17. Then the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make warre with the remnant of her seed which keepe the Commandements of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ. THE dragon being againe defeated of his purpose in drowning the woman seeth that hee cannot hurt her yet he cannot but hate her the more Hee cannot meet with her to doe the mischleâ—â— that he would for she is out of sight neither can the floods cast out of his mouth reach her for shee is safe and hid and the earth shall drinke it for her yet hee abates not of his wrath against her and for the wrath hee beares to her hee goes and makes warre with her issue described here
great strength in the prayer of faith Ephes. 6. 18. And of the faithfull Acts 12. 5. 7. as for Peter in prison yea prayer is able to muster an army of heavenly souldiers for our defence If all wicked members limbes of the dragon be great enemies we must be wise to avoid their societies and combinations whatsoever peace and favour they pretend flye inward fellowship with them as from dragons whose propertie is to poyson a farre off before we see them Trust not their flatteries and pretences Genes 49 5 6. Simeon and Levi brethren in evill and instruments of cruelty Into their secret let not my soule come It had beene happy if in many passages of latter times the Church had beene more shye and wary of the faire and treacherous pretences of Antichristian dragons who use to pull on faire gloves on foule and carnall fists and pawes And who will trust him that cannot put off the nature of a dragon although he may speake as the Lambe The greater the dragon the greater must our courage and resolution be For such potent and dreadfullen enemies are shadowed out in this title great dragon not to terrifie or dismay us as all Israel runne away at the sight of Goliah but to animate and excite us to manly and stout resistance Quest What ground of courage have wee against so great a dragon Answ. First Wee have a great adversary but wee have a good cause in which we need not feare to dy or maintaine unto death Secondly As we have a great enemie so we have a great and invincible captaine heere is the Lion of Judah against the roaring Lion Hebrews write that the Jewes painted a Lion in a great banner for their standert Let us run under this standart of this Lion and be safe Little David under this standart trampled on the great Goliah Thirdly Wee have great enemies but as Numb 19. 8. God is gone from them they are bread for us great but naked to Gods revenge their sheild is gon Great but cowardly weake and flying to him that resists Jam. 47. Great but conquered and bouÌ„d Mat. 12. The stronger man hath disarmed him He is the great Prince of the world but ours is the Prince of peace and mighty Lord of glory Fourthly We have great enemies but more and greater succours then we have enemies both with us and in us They are spirituall wickednesses that are against us but wee have the spirit of God and of grace with us Wicked men seeme great and dreadfull dragons and as great and unresistable as an hideous dragon by a weake woman But let them combine in most forcible manner all that strength is but as the strength of reeds in comparison of that with the Church see Ezeck 29. 9. 6. Besides they are many against us but more with us then against us 2 King 6. 16 and in us greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4. 4. we have greater power in us then any without and against us Phil 4. 13. I can do all things by the power of Christ strengthning me and while we have all the might of his glorious power to strengthen us we are safe Colos. 1. 11. Fiftly Our enemie is great but thence we are assured of greater glory and victory as David the harder taske he had against Goliah the greater was his victory The more difficult the war the more honour is in the conquest A red dragon It pleaseth God in the Scriptures under divers colours to describe divers things As Revel 6. 3. 4. is a vision of three horses of severall colours which expres the several estates of this womaÌ„ here in coÌ„flict The first a white horse which colour noteth in the Revelation puritie and innocency of doctrine and manners and figureth the virgin primative Church upholding the puritie of doctrine and discipline of the faith and worship appointed by the holy Apostles before this white came to be speckled and spotted with blacke errours and staines in doctrine discipline and worship The second a red horse ver 4 deciphering the same Church now red with martyrdome and persecution and effusion of blood by tyrants The third horse is a blacke horse noting the estate of the Church now blacke and in sad and afflicted condition by heretickes which had horribly mingled the truth of pure white and lightsome doctrine with blacke darkenesse of heresies and errours For it were not hard to shew how in the first two hundred yeares after Christ the Church was blacked by the heresies of Ebiâ—n Cerinthus Valontine Marcion and Basilides In the second two hundred by Photinus Samosatonus Sabellius Arius and Eunomius c. In the third two hundred by Pelagius Nestorius and Eutiches c. But this red colour of the dragon lively pourtreyeth the feritie cruelty and bloody disposition of the dragon against the Woman the Church The greeke word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphaticall noting him to be a fiery dragon fiery red set on fire and all enflamed with an hellish flame of wrath and crueltie against the Church of God Whence learne The nature and disposition of the enemies of the Church further then they are over-ruled they are red and fiery dragons whom nothing can content but blood and cruelty First See it in the head of the dragon Satan quaerit non quem mordeat vel frangat sed quem devoret Chrysost. He is red blood-thirstie sanguinolent as a thirstie man delights in blood and crueltie affectedly red Secondly He is actually red imbrued with all the blood of the Saints of Abel and of the Prophets Apostles the Sonne of God himselfe and all his holy Martyrs since his ascension He is guilty and dyed with blood Thirdly He is anciently a red dragon a manslayer from the beginning Joh. 8. 44. Who hath slaine all man-kind not in body only but in soule and body by our first fall Fourthly he is originally red yea the authour of all crueltie and blood-shed that ever was in the world and all the homicide done by man upon man t is the proper worke of the devill in whose service homicides are So Christ to the Jewes Joh. 8. his workes yee doe seeking to kill Christ. Secondly See it in the members Pharaoh a red dragon lying in his rivers commands the midwives to kill all the Males and makes a cruell bloody act that every parent should drowne his owne child Haman a red dragon sends posts into all provinces to kill but not content with that to root out and destroy al Jewes young and old children and women in one day least any place should be left for pitty or humanitie Manassah a red dragon shed innocent blood till he had replenished Jerusalem from corner to corner 2 King 21. 16. Saul before his conversion breathes out nothing but slaughters and threatning as a dragon that slayes onely with his breath The like
Cyrus was named above a hundred and twenty yeares before he was borne and also his singular care and diligence in building of the Temple and restoring Ierusalem to her former beauty and honour that he should establish the pure worship of God and as a vigilant shepheard protect Gods people now would not the dragon have hindred the birth of such a sonne whom he knew should bee borne if hee could But he cannot prevent the Woman from bringing forth her sonnes especially designed to serve GODS Providence for the good of the Church The stability of Gods decrees the counsell of the Lord shall stand and no power nor policy shall break off any of his purposes hee hath purposed to teach mā by man to rule man by man to save men by men and therefore there must be a succession of Pastors in the Church and of Princes in the world who shall uphold this his ordinance in the severall ages It is true the Lord with whom is wisdome and strength can by his own hand without and against all worldly power save his Church but for his owne greater glory and the confusion of the dragon hee will rather doe it by weake instruments assisted with his owne mighty power which all the dragons cannot prevaile against The truth of his promise who although he bee the husband of his Church and as Elcanah to Anna better then ten sonnes yet hath promised that shee shall have sonnes and Princes in all Lands he will see that she shall not want sonnes of her own that shall bee as nursing fathers and mothers to her Esay 49. 23. and 7. The power of God is such as cannot be foyled by any contrary power but still raiseth up some man-childe for the Churches use and service for as it is in nature so here with this mother It is the Lord that openeth the wombe and the dragon cannot shut it as Iacob said to Rachel Am I God to open and shut the wombe so it is God that maketh the Church a fruitfull and joyfull mother of children which powerfull worke himselfe challengeth Esay 66. 9. Shall I cause to travell and not bring forth shall I cause to bring forth and shall shee be barren This power of God so over-ruleth that not onely against all outward contrary powers but when the birth it selfe or manchilde it selfe is most averse and repugnant yet shall he be brought forth For example Moses was most backward and pleaded many excuses earnestly intreated the Lord to send any other to Pharaoh yet he and no other must be brought forth Ionah flatly refused to goe to Niniveh but the Lords power mightily over-ruled and brought him forth by a strong hand for the conversion of the people No contrary course shall hinder the birth of the man-childe against the Lords powerfull call The care of God over his Church hee suffereth it not without some manchilde or other to helpe it as in the booke of the Iudges is manifest hee never casteth off his people nor his care of them hee hath speciall feeling of their miseries speciall regard of their prayers and sighes as is manifest by the example of Israel in Aegypt he suffereth not the rod of the wicked to lie on the lot of the righteous Psal. 125. 3. but it should ever doe so if the dragon could hinder the birth and bringing forth of such sonnes as may prevent and remove it For comfort of the Church who shall never want such stout defenders as the Lord doth see fit for her 2 Kings 19. 7. when Ahab and Iezabel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord and made no end of effusion of innocent blood the Lord had a manchilde in store Iehu who shall revenge their quarrell to the utmost When the dreadfull and terrible fires were kindled against the bodies of Gods servants Saints here in Queene Maries dayes God stirred up that most Noble Queene Elizabeth comparable with any manchilde in these last ages for her noble and heroical zeale valour and fortitude and though many plots were attempted by Papists to take away her life for Gardener chafed that they lopped the boughes and stocked not the roote yet was shee brought forth to the kingdome set upon the Throne of God and had an iron rod in her hand an unconquerable power by which she was the glory of her Kingdome a terrour to all Papists and professed enemies of her religion In the dayes when we see Antichrist prevaile his arme stronge his powers victorious his numbers increased his buls blasphemies and masses received himselfe and his in armes with hopefull successes Now is the time to expect some manchild and sonne of the Church to take him from his top and height or rather those ten sonnes of this woman taken up into the Throne of God and with rods of iron to make her desolate and naked to eate her flesh and burne her with fire Rev. 17. 16. the Church may say as Ioseph The Lord hath made mee fruitfull in the land of my affliction The dragon cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth children and sonnes that shall witnesse and defend the truth for her being her birthright and inheritance for 1. He cannot want hearts to beleeve nor mouthes to confesse the truth who made both all hearts and all mouthes 2. The power of the truth is such as will have witnesse and testimony to it Luke 19. 4. I tell you if these should hold their peace the stones would crie as indeed the earthquakes rending of the Rockes and opening of graves did at his resurrection hence was it that in the darkest times of Antichrist and when their tyranny was at hight God ever raised some sonne of the Church to witnesse unto the truth against that abomination as here in England Iohn Wickliffe that preached plainly the Pope to bee Antichrist his transubstantiation his masses his indulgences his dispensations to be trash and dung to be swept out of the Church many after him In Italy Dante 's Marsilius Patavinus Franciscus Petrarke In Bohemia Iohn Hus Ierome of Prague In Germany Luther Melancton c. the dragon could not hinder these sonnes of the Church in their testimony and so it shall alwayes be III. The dragon cannot hinder the woman to bring forth children in grace although he watch never so instantly for I. The spirit bloweth where it will and hee can no more hinder his worke then hee can the winde from blowing and by this spirit the Church becommeth like the Hebrew women of whom the midwiues said they were lively and delivered before they could come to destroy the birth II. Birth in grace is a mighty worke of new creation and no more can the devill and dragon hinder this worke where God will have it than they can dissolve the great worke of Gods creation wicked men as Esau may strive to hinder Iacobs birth in the wombe but cannot where hee will have a
Constantine that great champion of Christ who under Christs Standard made warre with and overthrew Maxentius Maximinus and Licimous horrible dragons and tyrants as were likely I will not certainly define but without all doubt that was included in this prophesie if not principally meant of which Euseb. lib. 9 cap. 9. who saith he received from Constantine himselfe the narration of the fight and victory Quest. 3. Why doth the Spirit of God foretell this battell Answ. 1. The Lord would not have his Church conceive that here she hath found any resting place or can enjoy perpetuall halcion dayes but that there abideth unto her many irreconciliable warres in this military condition against divers enemies hereticall tyrannicall and Antichristian 2. He would manifest his care and wisedome over his Church and children whose tryals he foretelleth that they might not thinke them come by chance or God not foreseeing them or distrust his favor while they are exercised by them but in these predictions might see him both ordering them for his glory and for their salvation 3. God would not have troubles come on a sudden or stealing on his servants but with warning that they might arme and prepare themselves with wisdome fortitude and patience to resist them that the Church might stand her ground not discouraged much lesse cast away her confidence that hee might abate the smart of them if they were sudden and blunt the edge of them by providing for them Quest. 4. But why doth the Lord ordaine or permot this fight and opposition being against his glory his Church his truth and his servants or how can he be mercifull and good to protract and permit so great evils Ans. 1. As God is good in his mercy so hee is no lesse good and great in his justice 2. This fight against the Church is not simply evill but hath in it a respect of good and therefore God permitteth it because 1. It is partly an execution of justice and a just correction of the sinnes of the Church 2. It is such an evill as much good is thence produced to the Church as hereafter wee shall see 3. It is not such an evill but that Gods wisedome and power can and doth moderate order bridle and turne to a good end and issue the dragon indeed intendeth them mischievouslly to quench the graces of God the wicked agent◠under him directly fight against his glory and truth and chosen ones and would chase them into the bottome of the sea to drowne them as Pharaoh but Gods mighty power and wisedome hereby will chase them to heaven as he did Israel to Canaan being a wise Physition that can temper hemlock and poyson to a medicine and remedie and over-rule the poysoned crooked wils of gracelesse men to the effecting of his owne most gracious pleasure and righteous will so as we may say to our brethren when forgetting nature grace humanity Christianity they contrive to cast us into pits and sel and send us away as Iosephs brethren to put a little base profit into their owne purses Gen. 50. 20. when they thought evill against me God did dispose it to my good You who should have beene my naturall brethren thought me in too high favour with my father you envied his love to me you thought if you could sel me off all should be yours and therefore wracked on me your barbarous malice but see God over-ruleth your rage your fiercenesse could not frustrate the good purpose of God who against all your plots hath raised mee to save much people alive Object But is not the Gospell a Gospell of peace Gods kingdome a kingdome of peace and Christ himselfe the Prince of peace typified in Melchisedek Isa. 9. the professors of the Gospell sonnes of peace how will this stand thus with such open hostility and perpetuall warre how is it true Isa. 9. 7. there shall be no end of peace when we see there is no end of warre Ans. 1. these two are not contradictory to bee at peace and at warre at the same time because they are not in the same respect so our Saviour teacheth In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me at the same time ye shall have peace Iohn 16. 33. the reason is because those that are Gods consist of two parts flesh and spirit according to the spirit they are in Christ and according to the body they are in the world therefore when in their spirits they enjoy the peace of Christ they are in the body afflicted in the world a wicked man cannot so bee Hee that is wholly in and of the world having affliction hath no conjunction of peace but are oppressed and over-whelmed with sorrow because the true peace of heart is onely in Christ and received by the spirit of faith 2. Peace is the daughter of warre and by warre the Saints attaine and retaine peace were they not at warre with the dragon and the world they could never enjoy an houre of peace I finde more sweet in wicked mens malice than in their delicates 3. Distinguish of peace it is either spirituall or carnall the peace of Christ or of the world which the Disciples themselves expected by Christ when the temporall dominion should bee restored to Israel and the Iewes delivered from the Romane bondage supposing they should bee great Rulers in their Countries but Christ wisheth thē to dreame of no such thing this peace Christ disclaimeth as Mat. 10. 34. Thinke not I am come to send peace but a sword and fire Secondly there is a spirituall and inward peace which Christ claimeth to be his My peace I leave with you he bringeth that peace to the world which the world giveth not nor knoweth not a peace not with the dragon or his party but peace with God peace of conscience and peace with all men so farre as lyeth in them This is the peace of Gods kingdome which is not interrupted by warres with the dragon and the world but established 4. Wee must with Luther distinguish of warre there is an Active warre and a Passive Christ and his Gospel and servants move no Active warre the Gospell of peace proclameth peace not warre the end of his comming and the Gospell publishing is to set all things at peace But there is a passive war waged by the Prince of darknesse discord against Christ and his people and the sonne of peace by all his skill cannot avoid this warre not that it is a fruit or effect of the Gospell or by any fault or cause in in the Gospell which perswadeth peace and concord with God and man but occasionally and by an accidentall event partly by the malice of the devill that man-slayer who being that Prince of darknesse deadly hateth the light partly by the malice of the world which yeeldeth not unto the truth and holy admonitions but warreth againstit and chaseth it so farre as they can out of the world and partly out of the wicked concupiscence
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
be in an infinite distance So when a company or congregation of men consent in Apostolicall doctrine and allow this doctrine to be the guide of all businesses and matters of faith and manners here is a Church crowned and this crowne may be discerned by all neare and farre off Wherein the Crowne of the Church being a Crowne of starres differs and gets beyond the glory of all earthly crownes These may be seene on the heads of Princes neere hand but not farre off But this being a crowne of starres may be seene a farre off as the starres may And yet so surpassing glorious is the crowne of the Church that as a whole starre and the glory of it can never be seene with humane eye no more can the glory and crowne of the Church Whereof as in the starres that which we see of them is in no proportion to that which we see not nor yet can see 4 To note a difference betweene Christs carrying of the starres and the Churches carrying of them Hee beares them in his right hand chap. 2. 1. as their Lord their disposer and defender But she in the Crowne of her head as her chiefe ornament 1 The Apostles and ministers are as Starres in the Firmament of the Church Dan. 12. 3. and Rev. 1. 20. The reasons of this doctrine are foure 1 Starres are in high place the Apostles and Pastors are in highest place in the Church of the New Testament Ephes. 4. 11. above Cardinals Patriarches and Priors Popes and the greattitles of Antichristian offices unknowne to the Scripture 2 Starres are the brightest part of the firmament so are the Apostles and pastors of the Church the brightest parts and shine or should shine clearest in the heaven of the Church 3 Starres receive all their light from the Sunne so these have no light of their owne but receive all their light from Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1. 1 That which we have heard and seene c. 1 Cor. 11. 16. What I have received of the Lord. 4 Starres have not light imparted to them for themselves but to carry light unto others so the office of the Apostles and Pastors is to convey spirituall light to men on earth living in the darke night of ignorance and error Which they doe partly by the light of holy doctrine and partly by their lightsome and unblamable conversation Ministers being called starres must resemble starres 1 In humilitie Many things in starres teach it As First starres of great magnitude shew but small The Star shewes ten thousand times lesse then it is How is he like a Star that makes ostentation of all perhaps more then is in him Secondly they receive all from the Sunne so the Minister hath received all Thy gifts are the Lords Talents if thou hast received them why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received them Thirdly in their most swift motion they seeme to move very slow So must the godly Minister in all his course be more active then seeming doing his duty reserving all the praise to God Fourthly the Starres the nearer the Sunne the lesse is their shine so the Minister who comes nearer to God then ordinary men the nearer he comes to God the more humble he ought to be as Iohn Baptist He must increase and I must decrease Why should the Starres pride themselves seeing the Sunne from whom they receive all was so humbled that being the Lord of all was yet servant of all This duty he specially commended to his followers Learne of me for I am humble and hath shewed us the way to be great in the house not ambitiously with Diotrephes seeking preheminence but to become the least and lowest is to become greatest 2 In stabilitie both in their direction and motion both in holy doctrine and conversation If the starres were not fixed in their orbes but erred and wandred up and downe uncertainly how could the passengers by sea or land be directed by them So if the Ministers be wandring starres as Jude 13. in their doctrine unstable as reeds and wavering with every blast and storme of times that their word is this yeare yea the next nay or suppose their doctrine be the same yet if in their life they walke crookedly and disorderly sorting with base and evil men in their evils and licenciously fashioning to the loose humours of men and times how can the passengers to heaven take direction from them With what certaintie and assurance can he strengthen others that himselfe is a wavering minded man unstable in all his waies 3 In fidelitie and stedfastnesse in their places The starres abide in the heavens and descend to the earth So the Minister above all other must have his conversation in heaven and shunne earthlinesse and covetousnesse as rocks For how can he lead men to heaven that himselfe cannot be gotten out of earth Many shooting starres there are that are alwaies gliding from place to place posting after benefits insatiably and when they have gotten them as little intend the office as some secular men such all the world sees the world is all they seeke So they may finger the fleece the glebe the tythe let the flocke starve and sinke to hell and so they and their money and their people perish together 4 In unitie and concord One star differs from another in glory in shining and in luster one much excels another in beauty and brightnesse some are of the first and second magnitude some of the fifth and sixth yet all agree one envies not another nor hinders another so the Ministers have diversities of gifts in this life and this makes them of divers judgements but yet ought not to be adverse in affection in action None of the greater or higher Starres are proud none envious none spitefull against another none study how to crosse anothers motion If they should runne one against another or crosse one anothers motion the world would fall to confusion Such tumults and confusions like a dreadfull earthquake have wee seene in the Churches by the dissentions and hatefull proceedings of these Starres one against another forgetting themselves to bee Starres Brethren Ministers or Christians Many such Starres were in the Apostles dayes that shined and preached Christ of envy against such as preach him of good will 5 In constancy and continuance in their office The Starres never deny their light to men nor are ever weary of their motion though infinitely swift Ministers must never deny their light but freely enlighten others never be weary of doing their duty never fall to idlenesse and lazinesse much lesse cast off their callings remembring the wo denounced on him that preacheth not or doth it negligently A lamentable thing that any preferment should choake a Preacher or that he should do lesse worke the more wages he receiveth No earthly occasion hinders the starres either motion or shining Motives
to Herod as Pilate and therefore here private quarrels shall give place that they may joyne and befriend one another in mocking and condemning Christ. 3 The policy of the dragon who well knowes that united forces are strongest and therefore holds all the kingdome of darknesse together for the overthrow of the contrary power for if Gods kingdome should prevaile downe goes theirs It is the voice of them all If we let this man alone the Romanes will come to take our nation It is the prudence of the captaine to keepe his band from mutiny and Satan knowing that a kingdome divided against it selfe cannot stand labours to hold it in peace against the common enemie 4 The common corruption and consent of wicked and unregenerate natures all are of the same poysonfull nature all led by the same spirit that ruleth in the world All their wils given up to the devill to rule and move at his pleasure All their counsels and intendments against Gods people mischieuous like the poyson of dragons Deut. 32. 33. detestable to God and dangerous to mâ—n All alike flexible to sinne for by the infection of sinne one wicked man can soone draw another and all are as ready to such motions as gunpowder to take a sparke of fire All their delights are the same in the ruine and spoile of the Church so far as they can They all eat up Gods people as bread Psal. 14. like dragons who so hate mankind as they devoure men not for hunger but for spight and hatred taking great delight in eating his pray So these delightfully oppresse the people of the high God First See how they are deceived that make unitie a note of the Church Here we see the kingdome of the devill at unitie making up but one dragon all the devils in hell are one in their aimes and ends in their wils and endeavours against the kingdome of Jesus Christ. All the wicked in the world Jewes Turkes Papists Atheists Epicures all disagreeing among themselves yet all joyne in one against Jesus Christ. The world ever afforded a generall unitie against Christ. How was unitie a note of the Church when all cryed crucifie him and were all with one voice against Christ So when the whole world was an Arian Secondly See what is the unitie and peace wee must preach for a unitie in veritie Eph 4. 3. endeavour to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace It must be the peace of God that must rule in our hearts Col 3. 15. It is an idle thing to call for and commend an unlimited peace a carnall peace a peace without yea against grace and truth the dragon can maintaine an unitie against veritie And the Scripture every where disclaimeth carnall peace Mat. 10 34. The Angels signe first glory to God and then peace with men but it is not for Gods glory to runne and combine with evill men follow peace and holinesse And the kingdome of God is first righteousnesse then peace Rom 14 17. Nay it is an holy and honourable contention to contend for the faith for truth in doctrine in manners against superstition and corruption and wicked men and manners although the dragon will call it faction turbulence and daunt men w th noyse of troublesome make-bates as truly as Eliah was accucused to trouble all Israell when he destroyed the Altars of Baal Or the Angell might be blamed for troubling the water for the curing of mens diseases Thirdly As hatred of truth unites the hearts of all wicked men against it So let the love of faith and truth unite our hearts for it that we might serve the Lord with one accord and with one minde and one mouth we may glorifie God 1 Hereby wee shall prevent the dragon who while he will not suffer his kingdome to be rent in the maine sowes tares of dissention and division in the Lords field As an old polititian he knows how much it makes for his party if he can raise a mutiny in the contrary army 2 As there is not a greater benefit on earth then communion of Saints so there is no greater damage and detriment to Satan and his kingdome then when it is carefully and fruitfully preserved hence he bestirres himselfe and prevailes with many who would be counted peaceable men to live in open malice by seaven yeares together to the scorning of many of Gods graces for which they shal be countable 3 What a shame that men of wicked opinions and lewd practices can close and combine theÌ„selves against God and his Sonne against his truth and servants and we that professe the doctrine of grace and love and in judgement hold the same truth yet in affection and conversation breake one from another as if we had no such bands upon us as wicked men yea devils have Do not birds of a fether fly together Do not Atheists swearers adulterers drunkards theeves and all wicked ones sharpen their swords whet their tongues and dragons stings to revile these Do not devils stand together against the truth and shall we speake as the dragon do as the dragon be not halfe so fast for the truth as they against it can no Christian bands tye us as fast as malice and hatred of Christ doth them A great red Dragon Now we come to the five properties of this dragon The first of which is his magnitude or greatnesse which propertie is expressed for more terrour seeing the greater the dragon is the more dreadfull he is Hee is great in foure respects First In respect of the head of this dragon Satan who is the greatest in all the world for power rule dominion in which sense he is called Mat. 12. 29. The strong armed man Ephes. 6. 12. principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse in high places yea and more he is called The God of the world Some of the Ancients have compared him to Behemoth Job 41. 33. In the earth there is none like him nor any power to compare with him and He is without feare of men Secondly In respect of the members the dragon is great both for 1 Multitude 2 Qualitie 1 For multitude All the numberlesse number of wicked men and devils are the body of this dragon The greatest army that ever was gathered in the world are now mustred against the Woman of all tongues nations and ages 2 For qualitie They be great and potent instruments for the dragon hath under his colours the most and most potent Monarchs of the world to fight for him The most politicke Counsellers and Achitophells to plot for him the greatest armadoes and Armories of warlike instruments and all mortall weapons to wound and kill for him The greatest Antichrist and Cham of Rome that servant of servants and all his armies of Priests Jesuites orders Fryers and sisters to blesse and curse as another Balaam for him He hath great mynes and mints of gold and treasure to
commaund to supply him with whatsoever may make him a great and most puissant adversary Thirdly In respect of head and members he is great in respect both of the joint desire will and endeavour they have to hurt and waste the Church which is great and inexpressible And secondly of their joint power and authority to execute those fiery and wicked wits which is so great so catholike universall and unlimited as no power in earth is comparable and only the powr of God superiour Fourthly The dragon is said here to be great in respect of the great seat and City where this imperiall dragon raigned over all the Kings of the earth Rome that great and mighty Citie as it is called Rev. 18. 10. 1 Great in splendor and beauty as set upon seaven hils for which she is famous in all the world 2 Great in power and authority In Jesus time having command over all the Kings of the earth the eye of the world the Metrapolitan of all the earth Queene of nations and Mistresse of Monarchs The state of Gods people in this world is beset with great mighty enemies as fierce and potent as dragons Thus the Church complaines Psal. 44. â—9 Thou hast smitten us downe into the place of dragons and covered us with a shadow Seing that the Church is to encounter with great dragons and enemies not flesh and blood onely which are mighty without and within us but with principalities and powers and these not only the members of the kingdome of darkenesse but the head and Prince of all the wicked even that wicked one and then all the band led by him among whom there is nothing in sight or expectation but death and danger 1 The Church is described to be as a lilly among thornes These thornes are sharpe and thicke about it to hinder the rooting and the prosperitie and pricke the Lilly in the name and profession And how weake a thing is a lilly to defend it selfe from the prickly thornes And Christ sends out his servants as sheepe in the midst of wolves weake and silly creatures in comparison of them 2 The world which alwaies lyeth in wickednesse is no changeling it is a very Egypt to the Israel of God not onely oppressing them with cruell burdens and taskes but a breeder of fell and hideous dragons and most poisonful monsters tyrants hypocrites heretickes partly by secret traynes to infect and poyson holy doctrine and conversation and partly by manifest assaults to sting and wound theÌ„ in their names profession yea by tyranny persecutioÌ„ to threaten with present death every moment And as the Church was once so it is ever in the world as in a wildernes the wicked inhabitants of which are as so many wild beasts and dragons among whom is no hope of truce or composition 3 The Lord will have his Church thus beset with great dangers That First She may be throughly tryed and winnowed Rev. 2. 10. Secondly Have experience of her owne weaknes to be humbled Thirdly Depend upon the strength of God in her combate to quicken prayer Fourthly To take notice of the worke and victory of grace with the issue of faith and patience which can conquer so great enemies Fiftly To make heaven sweete after so many feares sorrowes and sufferings when the enemies whom their eyes have seene they shall never see more 4 The Lord sees often just cause in the Church and members to afflict them with such fell dragons and scorpions for seldome is the Church cast into the place of dragons but meritoriously justly seldome doe common calamities by tyrants come on the Church but the ambition covetousnesse and contention in teachers or else the earthlinesse securitie or lustes and loosenesse of professours went before Object How stands this with Christs legacie My peace I leave with you c. And with his promise My peace none shall take from you Sol. Christ never takes away nec suam nec a suis that is neither his peace nor from his for his peace differs farre from all worldly and externall and wel standeth with worldly affliction all that will live godly must suffer persecution And in the world saith Christ ye shall have affliction but in me ye shall have peace even at the same time For not all the tyrants nor torments of the world can shake out the sweet peace of God and a good conscience as in a cloud of Martyrs it might manifestly appeare And therefore first the greater the enemie is the greater care and watchfulnesse is required on our part 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversarie goeth about like a roaring Lion therefore besober and watch Ephes. 6. we fight against principalities and powers therefore stand in the armour of God And though Christians thinke it too strict to be tyed to a constant watch over their life yet to give up or be negligent in this watch is but to agree with this enemie for thy owne destruction The adversarie is great in power in wrath in watchfulnesse against thee and thou hast no more assured meanes of safety then to set a watch about thy selfe in all times in all places in all companies in all occasions over all thy parts gifts affections speaches actions that thou maiest be able to defend them all with peace of conscience against all accusers and defeate also so great and wrathfull a dragon Secondly Against so strong an adversarie wisdome will seeke to procure the greatest helps and succors that he can Quest. What aides may I procure Answ. First All our help stands in the name of the Lord. Fly to God for protection for God therefore doth suffer his Church to be beset on all hands with such multitudes of combined enemies and dragous as that she hath no way left but to looke upward for Gods eye to watch her and Gods hand to save her As Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 20. 12. There is no strength in us to stand against this great multitude neither do we know what to do but our eyes are towards thee Get God thy friend to take part against these great dragons Quest. How Answ. 1 By faith Iames 2. 23. Abraham beleeved God and was called the friend of God 2 By obedience Joh. 15. 14. Yee are my friends if you do what I command you This covers a man with Gods protection whereas sin layes Israel naked as in the Calfe and the wiles of Balaam A man that hath so many enemies had not need by sinne to make God his enemie too Secondly Gods Angels are good aydes who have charge over thee so long as thou keepest the way by whose presence Thou shalt walke upon the dragon and tread under foot the young Lion and dragon Psal. 91. that is overcome the strongest and greatest enemies Thirdly Among other parts of Christian armour the sword of the spirit the sheild of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse and a good conscience and there is
againe whose rage and fury knowes no measure nor mercy We have by our contempt and slighting the ghospell of grace deserved most sharpe punishments And if our provocations be so greate as wrath must come Let us humbly desire to receive it from the hands of a father that hath love and compassion and remembers in justice mercy and not from the hands of scorpions and enemies that hate us to death whom nothing but blood can satiate Let us take words to us and say as Israell afraid of the Ammonites Judg. 10 15. We have sinned do with us as thou wilt onely deliver us from the Ammonites And as David 2 Sam. 24. We are in a wonderfull straight let us fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hands of men whose mercies are cruell Walke wisely in the meane time and cut them off advantages To comfort the Church beset with red dragons fiery and fierce men implacable in their causelesse wrath and as much hope of reconciliation as with hell it selfe unlesse God worke a happy change and make them of Aspes and Cockatrices Lambes and sucking Children 1 Wee are to conflict with many red dragons But we have a captaine in red garments comming from Bozra who walketh in great strength mighty to save Isay 63. 2. First His garments are red with his owne blood drawne by the dragon Secondly By the blood of his enemies whom he treads in the winepresse of his wrath 2 The enemies garments now dyed red in the blood of the Saints shall at last be made red with their owne blood As in Hered Nero Dioclesian Iulian Iudas Arius Take the counsell of Pilates wife Haâ—e no hand against the just and godly man There is a time when the great Angell that hath power over fire that is all the judgements of God and revenges of his enemies and much more over all fiery dragons shall cast them into the winepresse of the wrath of God and their blood shall come unto the horse bridles 1600. furlongs Revel 19. 20. Let us leave all revenge to God who wil avenge the blood of Saints in due time 3 The time is not long but wee shall be freed from all these dragons and enemies Cant. 4. 8. Thou shalt come with me my spouse from the dâ—ns of Lions and mountaines of Leopards Exod. 14. 13. Those your enemies whom your eyes have seene this day ye shall never see more Seaven heads The third propertie of the dragon followes which is his subtiltie and craft set out by his seaven heads The head is the seat of prudence and policie And the number of seaven heads notes the manifold subtilties and crafty devises of this Hydra namely The devill and his instruments and under these seaven heads are comprehended all hurtfull arts and all kinds of wicked imaginations and devises against the Church of God Others by seaven heads understand the seaven hills of Rome where the dragon lived Or the seaven heads and kindes of governements in the Romane Monarchy Which considered may lead us to that speciall dragon here aimed at whose throne was upon seaveu heads or hills and had seaven heads or severall kindes of governement which throne was yeelded by the dragon to the Antichristian beast chap 13. 2. Which noteth unto us that Satan and his instruments are as subtile as cruell against the woman the Church For the dragon hath seaven heads a number of policies and fetches to bring forward his mischieves Of Satan himselfe the head of this dragon He is the old serpent more subtile then all the beastes of the field Genes 3. 1. A notable instance whereof we have in his first stratageme by which he overthrew all mankind In which hell set all his seaven heads to worke So as we may say by woefull experience we are not ignorant of his enterprises For First He chuseth a serpent the fittest and most insinuating instrument Secondly Sets on the woman the weaker vessell absent from her husband Thirdly Sets on the man by the woman the most fit and loving counsellour Fourthly Begins subtily for God having forbidden but one tree he asked if God have forbiden them every tree and so wronged them Fiftly In all his speaches and answers along he speakes craftily and Jesuitically venting as many lies and Amphibologies as sentences and yet so as if they had proved false he had a double meaning to himselfe As 1 Ye shall not dye he might say I meant ye shall not dye presently but become subject to mortalitie 2 Your eyes shal be opened And so they were to their shame and confusion 3 Knowing good and evill And so they did but not as Gods but by a miserable and experimentall knowledge in the want of good and presence of evill 4 Yee shall be as Gods Elohim signifieth Angels or spirits and so they were in the same state of condemnation with them So for wicked men the limbes of this dragon they are wise and subtle to doe evill Jer. 4. 12. Luk. 16 8. The children of the world are wiser in their generation then the children of light And for particulers How did Balaam trouble Israel with his wiles For whereas the King of Moab could not by power prevaile against them nor by any sorcery or cursing hurt them He by the care of Moabitish women brought Gods wrath and curse upon them for corporal fornication first and then for spirituall Numb 21. 1. Achitophel his counsell was as the oracle of God and spake rather like a God then a man but all was against the Church Quest. Why doth the Lord give such good gifts to such evil men and agents that bend it against himselfe and his people Answ. God inverteth not the order of nature for evill mens abuse but over-rules it for justice or mercy as his wisedome sees fit As in the externall faculties of the body so of the minde he suffers the powers of nature to be put forth corruptly as in fornication or adultery He hinders not the naturall action but orders it for his owne glory so here 2 He magnifies his own grace who is good and bountifull to all offering not onely common gifts as the sunne raine and naturall endowments with wealth and honour to good and bad but even the gift of his sonne in the Ministry of the gospell to those who abuse it and turne all his grace into wantonnesse 3 He makes the wicked instruments hereby inexcusable seeing To whom much is given of them much shall be required Luk. 12. 48. Quest. But why are wicked men subtile against the Church Answ. First Because they are of the serpentine seed and spawne of the dragon Acts 13. Paul to Elimas Oh full of all subtilties and mischiefe the child of the devill Wicked men not onely serve prentiships to the old serpent but as our Saviour is bold to tell the Jewes they were of their father the devill Secondly They know
circumstances as knowing he must not onely do good but be wise to do good 2 It will do all the good it can if it cannot do all the good it would for so the dragon doth in evill 3 It will be in lesser duties and commands as conscionable as in greater Psal. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandements 4 In temptations to sin 1 It thinketh not it self gotten on t of sinne by running unto the other extreme 2 It will abstaine from evill and from the appearance of evill 3 It will abstaine from evill though good might come of it Rom. 3. and so preventeth the tempter who ever thrusteth on evill under the colour of some good by it Comfort to the church not to feare the high reaches and deepe devises of the enemies for 1 The wise God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and breaketh the head of the crooked serpent and dragon of the sea Isai. 27. 3. 2 Though the dragon have 7. heads our head is wiser then them all In him are treasures of wisdome and knowledge dragons may hide their counsailes from men but not from him who hath 7. eies to foresee and prevent all mischiefes from his Church Zach. 4. He hath the 7. spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. that is a most absolute wisdome and power to repell all the dragons subtilties Ob. What is this to us Answ. Yes these 7. spirits are sent into all the world vers 5 6. 2 The head hath wisdome for all the members and understandeth not for it self only but for them 3 He is made of God to us wisdome as well as righteousnesse 2 Cor. 1. 30. 3 Though Charmers whisper and busily pull many from the truth yet by this wisdome of thy head thou maiest discerne betweene truth and error betweene the voice of a shepheard and of a stranger Let never so many false Prophets goe out into the world thy comfort is thou art of God and hast overcome them 4 Though tyrants and antichristian powers should draw thee before councells and consistories feare not what to say in that houre wisdome shall be givē to thee as the poore silly Martyrs to cōfound the mighty and learned 5 Though in the world thou art counted silly and simple to crosse thy selfe in the reputation of it be content let others be wise in the world be thou wise by the word so shalt thou be wise to salvation when worldly wisdome shall end in folly and damnation And ten hornes Now wee come to the fourth propertie of this dragon namely his power and strength called here ten hornes where consider 1. What those hornes be 2. The number of them 1 The word horne properly taken is wel knowne to be that part of the beast wherein is his chiefe strength and beauty but in scripture it is commonly taken Metaphorically and signifieth strength might power kingdome glory Sometimes in the Creator 2 Sam. 22. 3. The Lord is the horne of my salvation that is my powerfull and glorious Saviour Sometimes in the Creature and thus great Provinces and Princes and those mighty Kings and kingdomes which like beasts with hornes both defend themselves and offend and hurt one another are usually called by this name in scripture Dan. 7. 7. The fourth beast by which some understand the Romane Monarchy and others better the Asiaticall kingdome of the Selucidae was fearefull and terrible and very strong It had Iron teeth and devoured and brake in pieces all before it and it had ten hornes and those were ten kings that should rise successively and ver 8. another little horne that was Antiochus Epiphanes ver 24. called little because he was yongest brother and had no right to the kingdome before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt away that is 3. kings who had right before him but all made away by him that he might come to the kingdome And the Beast Rev. 13. 1 by which is meant Antichrist is said to have 7. heads and ten hornes here in agreeing with this dragon both of them are monstrous and though they are divers beasts yet resemble one another in great correspondency and those ten hornes are expounded to be ten Kings vassals of Antichrist Cap. 17. 12. Here by hornes I understand 1 In generall the mighty power and strength of the whole dragon both head and members that is of Satan and his instruments against the Woman the Church in generall thus Zach 1. 18. The Prophet saw a vision of foure hornes and the Angell expoundeth it saying These be the hornes which have scattered Iuda Israel and Ierusalem that is the enemies which oppressed the Church called 4. hornes not in respect of number as if there were no more but of universalitie because they make waste and havocke of the Church in all the fowre costs and regions of the world as East West North South As 1 On the East of Judea were Moabites Ammonites and Idumeans 2 On the West were Philistims 3 On the South Egyptians and Ethiopians 4 On the North Syrians Assyrians and Babylonians So the Church is beset with these foure hornes II In speciall the excessive power and glory of the imperiall dragon or Romane Emperours who most of them were successively armed with as much power as cruelty to wast and destroy the woman that is the first Churches and Christians of the new testament to which story the Evangelist John in all this vision hath speciall reference as wee have already in part shewed and shall declare further all along as we come to the particular The number tenne hornes this may be taken two waies 1 Definitly and with limitation and restraint to a certaine number and so hath an eye either to the ten bloody tyrants and persecutions under those Emperors or to the ten Kings and kingdomes of Europe which were under the Romane Empire who made themselves vassailes to that dragon and gave that power and hornes to him against Christ and his spouse this Woman 2 Or rather which I thinke the better we are to take this number here indefinitly for all those Kings and Princes and Captaines under them who leagued and banded themselves against the Woman which by the perfect number of ten are noted to be exceeding many 1 Because this number is often so taken in the Scripture for an uncertaine but a very great number Numb 14. 22. they tempted me ten times Job 19. 3. Ye have reproched me ten times that is very many times Rev. 2. 10. Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes that is many dayes a certaine time for an uncertaine and the whole visible Church is described by tenne Virgins that is a numerous multitude of professors Math. 25. 2 I take in the instruments and agents of Kings and Princes because the horne properly ariseth from the head and those instruments of violence and fury sent from their heads and Commanders are aptly meant also by hornes 3 Because
of the number here are but seaven heads but ten hornes not so many heads as hornes and so there are more Executors then Princes more Instruments then Captaines and heads and Generals and the title aptly bringeth them in all The Church of God is among the wicked as among so many horned beasts of great power and place to hurt and oppresse See Psal. 22. 12. Many Buls have compassed me even mighty buls of Bashan and vers 16. doggs have compassed me as a fearefull Hare beset with a kennell of doggs is in great danger so the weake Woman here beset with fierce and ravenous beastsand vers 21. Save me from the Lions mouth and from the hornes of Unicornes Hence Dan. 7. the calamitie of the Jewes is from the foure Beasts that is those great Monarchs and Rulers described under the name of sundrie beasts which with strong hornes fought one against another but all against the Church and every where tyrants are called in Scripture Lions Beares Unicornes Wolves for their cruelty in themselves and for the oppression of the people of God Mat. 10. Our Saviour forewarneth his disciples of their condition I send you as sheepe among Wolves and these have force and power far above the sheep To come to the times here aimed at how was the Church in the beginnings of the New Testament pushed and goared with the hornes of these beasts such as Herod the son of Antipas who beheaded Iohn and Herod Agrippa who slew Iames with the sword and persecuted Peter delivered by an Angell Acts 12. Such were Felix and Lysias and Festus who used their hornes power and places to persecute Paul and Christians in those daies And after these how lamentably was the Church wasted by the Romane persecuting tyrants even those ten Imperiall hornes and other savage dragons untill Constantine who all imbrued themselves till they were all red with the blood of many thousands of Christians In regard of the wicked themselves who all of them by nature are furiously and impetuously like bruit beasts carried against grace and piety and as little restraint have they in themselves as furious beasts unlesse God by common grace restraine them or by speciall saving grace change them and make them of Lions Wolves Beares Cockatrices Kids Lambs and harmles creatures Isa. 11. 6. For so there the Prophet stileth men in their nature because their enemies are so cruell and sanguinary more like beasts then men Godly men go soft pace in the way of godlinesse because they have a restraint in their reliques of flesh present with them but wicked men without restraint of grace as bruit beasts rush upon mischiefe as the horse into battaile If the godly walke they can run if the Saints runne they can fly if the godly bee foot men they are light horsemen In the Church 1. The sins of the Church often strengthen and sharpen and multiply the hornes of the dragon Psal. 81. 13. 14. O that Israel would have walked in my waies I would soone haue humbled their enemies through the whole story of Judges so often as Israel sinned God gave them into the hands of oppressors cap. 4. 2. cap. 2. 14 cap. 6. 1. 2 The afflictions of the Church make the Enemies lift up their hornes when they see and heare of their troubles and foyles when they see that their prayers and exercises of religion cannot help them especially when they see God for their humiliation leaveth them as a prey in their hands this maketh them exult as against Christ on the Crosse He trusted in God let him deliver him want of grace yea hatred of grace maketh them insult where they should pity not thinking the same or worse things may be fall themselves Lam. 24 5. and 2. 15. 3 The continuall estate of the Church is to bee in the world as a wildernesse wherein what can they looke for but to be environed with wild and furious beasts that is evill men who for their disposition are as wild and fierce as Tygers Lions Leopards Cockatrises because both of their power and desire of hurting and making a pray and spoile of the Church The world in which the Church is a stranger affordeth to her natives all her aide and mighty meanes to furnish them against the Church which maketh them advance their horns on high in pride and fury against the Church for they have 1 Carnall wisdome prudence policy in martiall exploits and whereas a good conscience can go but one way they can shift into a thousand by waies which is their advantage 2 They have multitudes power and strength of arme and flesh wherein they boast and glory 3 They have armories defenced Castles Citties and can want no weapons of death against the Woman 4 They have treasures revenues wealth large possessions gold of India which are the sine ws of warre 5 They have friends allies confederates holy leagues auxiliary forces and supplies and in these they lift up their hornes and are made very strong and bold for those that have no part in God glory and pride themselves in every thing but God Quest. But what doth the Lord all this while to suffer the dragon thus to exercise his rage and domineere over the Church can he help all this and will he not step out for his Church Answ. The Lord hath sundrie good ends of this his providence For 1 He so ordereth the matter as that the Church must be conformable to her head and the servants not above their Master Christ himselfe was in the wildernesse with wild beasts expecting the great dragon to set upon him as he did in three horrible and hellish temptations and through his whole life he was beset with these horned beasts among whom the principall was Herod Ascalonita who as soone as he was borne sought to slay him and devoured all the Infants of Bethelem hoping he had bin within his net And Pontius Pilate the Romane President who with the Scribes Pharisees and chiefe â—â—iests crucified and put him to death and yet who can deny that he was the Son of his Love and most deare unto his Father 2 He doth it not to extinguish but exercise not to destroy but trie their faith patience and graces for grace is like gold the oftner tried in the fire the purer Rev. 2. 10. 3 To acquaint them both with their owne danger and so to stirre them up to a constant watching as also to let them see their owne impotency and weaknesse so to drive them out of themselves to relie on his strength and power who is onely able to overmatch these mighty hornes in mans eie 4 To weane them from the love of this world to which wee are all naturally wedded and to hye themselves through it as through a dangerous wildernesse So Davids soule was weary with dwelling in Mesech 5 To advance not onely the patience of God suffering his enemies to rise to such a height but also to manifest his
birth he leaveth them not like Agrippa almost Christians but whole Christians III. The Antichristian dragons have laboured in nothing so much as hiding the Scriptures and rowling up the little booke that the sound of the Gospell should not bee heard to the conversion of any they call into question the authority of the Scriptures and they must bee beleeved but for the Popes judgment insteed of opening this they have opened Schoolemen Sententiaries Canonists Legends but to read the Scriptures in a knowne tongue is heresie but in despight of them the Angell hath carried the eternall Gospell through the midst of heaven the truth is so cōspicuous as shining in the midst of heaven and where Christ will have the dore of grace open none shall shut it Papists now seeke to shut that dore and our sins and ingratitudes hath deserved that the Gospell should bee shut out but yet Christ keepeth it open for us IIII. The dragon cannot hinder the woman but in despight of him shee shall bring forth many children to glory for it is not possible 1. To take them out of the Father who is stronger than them all to dissolve their union with Christ Rom. 8. or to deceive the elect either of their faith or substance Mat. 24. 2. The over-ruling hand of God maketh the dragons themselves effect his will and serve his Providence both in glorifying his name and promoting his good and the salvation of his servants when they thinke nothing lesse nay when they bend and aime cleane contrary they shall in despight of them further their salvation and can they then hinder it Rom. 8. All things shall be for their best and shall bring them to their wayes end Ob. But doth not the dragon often prevaile to hold off many from soundnesse of grace and cast many off as Iudas Demas Sol. 1. The dragon never prevaileth by his absolute power over any but by Gods just desertion and permission saying Thus farre shalt thou prevaile but no further 2. He never prevaileth wholy or finally against any whose names are written in the booke of life but though the Lord suffereth them to be molested in the way it is that in the end he might declare in them the riches of his grace mercy power 3. These yeelding to Satan for a time are cast down but not cast off seeing they are not elected jufied redeemed called sanctified and saved for any worthinesse of their owne but for Christs which the dragon cannot spot or blemish To abate the glory and hope of the Churches enemies They may spurne strive against the free passage of the Gospel but shall not prevaile Many have striven to roote out the Gospel whom God hath resisted and rooted out the Church shall bring forth for all them In that this sonne of the woman is her protector learne to shew our selves sonnes of our mother by upholding her causes and her friends wisedome will be justified of her children Luke 7. 35. Nicodemus will defend Gods cause when the Pharisees sit to condemne him Luke 23. 50. Ioseph a good man consented not to the fact of the counsell Ioh. 7. 25. Protect her person and friends 1. Get a sound judgement in discerning of things and persons that differ that wee knowing who are on her part may imbrace them not calling the churle liberall nor passing sentence for the wicked or against the right for both are an abomination to the Lord. 2. Stand for the truth her patrimony and brethren avow it notwithstanding losse of liberty meanes pleade for it maintaine for her the whole counsell of GOD which no power of earth may abridge her 3. Stand for her royalties and privileges the liberty in which Christ hath set her and uphold her from Antichristian yoakes and bondage uphold in our places the liberty of preaching of professing the holy doctrine and the liberty of al Gods holy exercises and ordinances that no power doe rob her of them Now in that the dragon though he watch to hinder the happy birth of the woman yet shee bringeth forth a manchilde that is not a soft or effeminate but a stout generous and masculine childe by whose prowesse and valour the dragon in his tyranny should be repressed and resisted Learne hence whō it pleaseth the Lord to raise up for more excellent service he furnisheth them with proportionall gifts for their imployment When Moses was to undertake an extraordinary function to deliver the Israelites out of Aegypt how did the Lord not onely extraordinarily preserve but furnished him with extraordinary education vocation spirit gifts miracles holinesse and power in which respect hee was called Pharaoh GOD. When Salomon was to build a stately house for the Lord hee furnished him with forwardnesse zeale wealth wisedome bounty peace above all Kings of the earth before or since When that house and City of Hierusalem was ruined and defaced Gods worship exiled and the mighty adversaries of God and his worship scorned to heare the restauration of the City or Temple what noble instruments were raised up Zerubbabel Ezra Nehemiah whose wisedome valour zeale and holinesse daunted the enemies and in despight of them repaired both the City the house and true worship of God The Apostles were but poore fishermen unliterate and simple but set upon an imployment as if twelve naked men had beene set to take and tame all the dragons in the world but before they were sent out how abundantly did the spirit come on them to fit them with knowledge courage gifts of tongues miracles zeale holinesse that in a little time they conquered the world and brought it into the subjection of Christ. Nay further if the Lord please to call any wicked man to any notable service he giveth him abilities and indowments answerable as Saul annoynted by Samuel was changed into another man now hee had extraordinary signes to confirme him hee prophesieth among the Prophets and mindeth not the Asses or husbandry but the great things of the kingdome 1 Sam. 10. 9. And yet more then so if the Lord imploy weake women to his service he gives them masculine gifts and spirits for the worke What a manly and couragious spirit above her sexe did God give to Hester to adventure her life for her people when shee said If I perish I perish Hester 4. 16. What a masculine and stout courage did the Lord afford to Iael Iudges 4. 22. that she durst attempt with hammer and naile to kill that great Captaine Sisera onely falne a sleepe whereas it was a hundred to one the attempt had not cost her her life God hath abundance of spirit and more blessings than one with him are treasures of grace and a flowing Ocean never drawne drie hee never bestowes so much but hee can give much more if there bee need of more If Elisha need a double spirit above Elijah hee shall receive according to his double neede Gods wisedome layeth not heavy burthens on weake
shoulders but first giveth shoulders and then the burthen answerable to the strength which hee giveth This wisedome of God we may observe in all his creatures to every one of which he disposeth gifts and naturall faculties according to the need of it for the preserving it and the upholding of it in the being and service of it giuing to the small swiftnesse and to the great strength and much more dispenseth to every one of his servants according to his use and service The Lord knoweth it must be a manchilde a masculine and generous spirit that must and can oppose the dragon and represse his power his wisedome knowes that no good thing can bee brought to passe without many difficulties and strong resistances neither can any great and prevailing evill bee hindred without much trouble and tumult as in that of the Ephesians for Diana Acts 19. 32. and therefore hee armeth his servants with courage fortitude and resolution for both these purposes else should they never prevaile The meanest calling hath his thornes and sorrowes according to the sentence Gen. 3. 18. and much more those of greater service and difficulty It is for the great glory of God to send his servants compleate and sufficiently furnished and fitted on hir errands no Prince wil send an Ambassage by the hand of a foole so the Lord for his owne honour sendeth on great services choice and rare instruments Iob 33. 23. a messenger one of a thousand To reprove the effeminate men of our times who are timorous and fearefull to bee seene in Gods cause against the dragon these men if any good bee to be done any evill to be reformed doe cast all difficulties and their hearts like women faint to thinke what may come of it and now every sleight excuse pretence or suspition shall bee as a Lyon in the way strong enough to chase them as so many fearfull hares from the undertaking of any thing that is good and this is the cause there is such abundance of sinne and so little reformation when fearefull Magistrates and others in places let downe Gods cause and intend their owne but consider that 1. The fearefull are in the formost band or ranke of those that goe to hell Revel 21. those who feare men more than God those who have the places of men and the faces of men but the hearts of Hares and affections of women without all true courage for the truth one looke of a dragon maketh a nation of them runne away and forsake their standing as Israel from the sight of Goliah 2. Whence commeth this fearefulnesse but from a false heart destitute of faith love of God zeale for his glory and destitute of the spirit of strength and fortitude 3. It is the note of a man carried with carnall affection who for avoyding of disfavor in Gods cause avoideth his duty 4. An heartlesse and effeminate coward is hee whom every sleight feare casteth almost into a swound wheras were there courage and manlinesse every sleight thing would bee a keene weapon against the dragon Five smooth stones in Davids hand shall throw downe Goliah a Taw bone in Samsons hand shall smite downe a thousand Philistimes An Oxe Goade in Shamgars hand shall slay six hundred enemies yea a naile in Iaels hand shall destroy Sisera Whatsoever calling God hath set thee in expresse thy commission by setting on worke and putting forth with zeale and courage the gifts that thou hast received 1 Kin. 2. 2. be valiant and shew thy selfe a man and know 1. GOD giveth not his spirit to the Saints to feare any more Rom. 8. 15. but the spirit of courage and fortitude and a sound minde contemning reproaches and dangers profits disprofits which would hinder the execution of their calling what saith Nehemiah 6. 11. Shall such a man as I flie I will not take Sanctuary to live 2. It is the grace of a good action to shew a masculine spirit in breaking through the difficulties like Davids Worthies which hinder the undertaking and performance of good duties that like the hearty spies gathereth courage from opposition and troubles which driveth others out of heart 3. It is the manchilde onely that quelleth and conquereth the dragon Moses will not leave a hoofe behinde him at Pharaohs request the dragon is faine to command him out of presence Elijah telleth Ahab it is he and his fathers house that trouble Israel an army of smooth and flattering Prophets durst not say so The dragons could not resist the spirit with which Steven spake yea the dragon sometime is forced to reverence their persons and admire their spirits and subscribe to the holinesse of the manchilde and wish their ends like his 4. This masculine spirit upholdeth the manchilde unto perseverance for how should a Minister who is hated for his love and is esteemed an enemy for speaking truth who is accused of many evils and pursued with all disgraces hold on his holy labours in his holy life or continue in his uprightnesse in so many discouragements were he not supported with faith to beleeve with love to his Lord whose sheepe hee â—eedeth and with assurance of a better reckoning and recompence hereafter than in the world or from it he can expect did not the spirit afford him these shoulders to carry this burthen hee could not but sinke under it and so of private Christians who live amongst people of prophane behaviour by whom they are daily baited scorned disgraced persecuted for their hope and profession and holy practice how could it be that they living in a nasty place as still medling with pitch but yet are not defiled nay they hold forth the word of life in the midst of a froward generation and imbrace still a conversation to which not the world onely but even themselves were once deadly enemies how could they carry through such a course were they not assisted with an heroicall spirit to oppose the dragon and the world By which they patiently indure the contempt of the world the lashes of tongues the losses of things present and the labour of their love to God and good duties Quest. How may I come to this courage and masculine spirit Ans. 1. Begge the spirit to change thee into another man as Othniel Iudg. 3. 10. thou art no fit peece by nature to any good service pray for the spirit who is given to them that aske him 2. Forecast and arme thy selfe against the malice of the dragon who the better any businesse is the more busily and basely will hee disgrace it Let Noah build an Arke and what difficulties and scornes shall hee sustaine let Nehemiah build a wall and the Foxes say the dragons shall cast it downe let a man abstaine from evill he maketh himselfe a prey 3. Be sure of a warrantable calling that thou art in the Lords worke and in the way and then thou needest not feare as Luther so many dragons as there are tiles in a
faire City Moses was bold upon his commission and so maist thou in a good cause and calling 4. Meditate often 1. of Gods promise and this will First assure thee of his gracious presence with thee at all times Secondly supply thee with strength while thou goest forth as David against that great Goliah in the name of the Lord. Thirdly recompence thy labour and suffering for faithfull is hee which hath promised It was a great incouragement to Othniel to adventure himselfe in smiting Kiriah-sepher when Caleb promised hee would give Acsah his daughter to him that would expulse the enemy thence Iudges 1. 12. V. Keepe a good conscience alway before God and all men for this ministreth boldnesse yea makes a man as bolde as a Lyon 1 Peter 3. 13. If wee doe well who shall feare us or wrong us this is our fence and safety 2 Corinthians 1. 12. This is our rejoycing c. Now in that the manchilde is armed with a rod of iron and advanced into the Throne of God for the defence of the woman Wee note concerning Magistracy 3. observations concerning their 1. Power 2. Place 3. End That God putteth into the Princes and Magistates hand a rod of iron viz. an unresistible power Their power is Gods whose the ordinance is Prov. 8. 15. by me Princes rule 2 Chron. 19. 6. The judgment is not mans but Gods 2. Power is in God to maintain his own ordinances which if he upheld not the world must fall Beware of mutinies rebellion and resistance of higher powers Pro. 24. 21. My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with the seditious Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers Considering 1. He that resisteth the power resisteth God as a Gyant Rom. 13. 2. for a man cannot strive against the order of God but also against the God of order as the Lord said of Samuel they have not cast thee but me away 1 Sam. 8. 7. 2. Consider the end of rebellion in Corah Dathan Abiram for the end commeth sodainly and who knoweth their ruine Prov. 24. 21. Ob. 1. But what if they be heathens Sol. They were heathens to whom the Apostle commandeth every soule to be subject Rom. 13. Ob. 2. But what shall Cleargy men be subject to lay men must sheepheards be ruled by sheepe Sol. Aaron was subject to Moses Nathan to David Zadock to Salomon the Romish Bishops to the Christian Emperours as Princes and Magistrates are sheepheards in civill things and Bishops in this respect are under them so in respect of spirituall things Magistrates and Princes are sheepe and Ministers sheepheards Ob. 3. What if they be base men Sol. Resist not respect their function not their person their government is the Lords let the Governour be what he will Ob. 4. But what if wee be Christians are we not then the Lords free men Sol. The Gospell is no enemy to the authority of Rulers neither doth spirituall freedome fight against corporall subjection but establish it 2. Christ himselfe was subject to Parents to Governours paid tribute though he was free resisted not when he was apprehended though he was able having strucke them downe by the power of his Word Ob. 5. But what if they be tyrants oppressors and offer violence Ans. Servants must obey even curst Masters In the Primitive Church Christians suffered under tyrants most grievous persecutions yet never rose up or by armes resisted them indeed subjects may by honest and peaceable meanes avoid their fury as David fled from the fury of Saul and if they be inferiour Magistrates appeale to the superior as Paul to Caesar or take the shelter and helpe of Gods lawes but not rebell nor tumult nor mutiny against lawfull authority And this is the generall truth of Gods word as for any speciall references betweene Princes and people in elective states it is unseasonable now to intreat of Ob. 6. But what if they command unjust and wicked things Sol. In this case saith the Homily of obedience the second part we must undoubtedly beleeve that wee must obey no superior but say as the Apostle Whether is it meet to obey God or you judge you In impious commands wee must obey no Ruler all our earthly Masters must bee obeyed in the Lord as knowing wee have a Master in heaven and yet here must bee no resistance or contemptuous standing out for not to obey impious and unjust commands is no resistance of power when they are ready with patience to endure the punishments unjustly inflicted as Paul and Silas Acts 4. 3. and our owne Martyrs Let now no Papistor Popish person say our doctrine is an enemy to Magistracy but let them carry their owne burthens whose Catechismes are the shops of rebellion and whose treatises are trumpets of treason let English fugitives as Absolon beare armour against their owne fathers let Parsons Sanders Allen and other Seminary Priests by word and writing by perswasion and printing blow the bellowes of rebellion â—ad disobedience to Princes in ordine ad spiritualia yet all the world may know our doctrine by our practice whom the Gospel hath long since taught that God hath put an iron rod that is an unresistible power in the hands of Princes and whatsoever Popish persons prattle our doctrine puts no knife into any Ravillac or Feltons hand to revenge himselfe either upon the Supreme or any sent from him for whatever the Actor was in himselfe hee was so farre theirs as he was of opinion that he might by his owne hand revenge either a publike or a private quarrell for this agreeth with Popish positions as that of Reynolds that Henry the third of France was justly slaine before excommunication for publike sorrowes waite no formes and with that Pope Sixtus the fifth his Laudators Oration of the same murder comparing the fact with that of Phinees and honouring it with solemne processions and it standeth with the practises of Romanists which daily declare by Popish practises that the Pope and Popish Religion is the Arch-rebell in the earth the one lifting up himselfe above all that is called God Kings and Emperors the other teaching to despise the persons depose their Crownes and dispose their kingdoms but they cannot name one Protestant that ever stained our doctrine by the practice of such traiterous positions This concernes their place all Rulers are by God taken up to Gods Throne God himselfe hath set up the visible thrones of earthly Princes and Rulers as a darke representatton of his owne most glorious Majesty upon his owne most glorious Throne 2 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be God who hath set thee on his Throne in stead of the Lord thy God shee saith not on thy Throne but on his where plainly the Kings Throne is Gods Throne Where God is pleased to sit there is his Throne of estate but he pleaseth to sit with them Psalm 82. God sitterh amongst the gods As their Throne is Gods so
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
end of falling Ester 6. 13. 4. The fervent and faithfull prayers of the Church are as an heavy Hatchet to knock the enemies on the head never could any prosper still that had the prayers of the Church against them Hezekiah prayes against Senacherib and Rabshekah and God sends a blast on them and shakes all their power in pieces 2 Kings 16. 6. The like in Haman Iudas Iulian. If this thundring Legion come against them they cannot stand against the showre and storme of shot like Haile that gals them on all sides more than all the Horsemen and Chariots than all the Muskets and Pikes mustered against them This was confessed by Marcus Aurelius Emperor to the Senate people of Rome the Christians by praier obtained for him a sweet showre of water when he wanted five dayes and a showre of Haile and Thunder and Lightning against the adversaries The Use hereof concernes both the godly and their enemies 1. The godly have hence a ground of patience and contentment and learne not to envie or fret at the exaltation of wicked adversaries consider the end and thou shalt see no cause see Nahum 1. 2. and Psal. 37. 7 10. 2. Here is comfort for the people of God a time comes when the place of Gods enemies shall not bee found Now they are in place and hope to prevaile but they cannot for 1. Satan the head of the dragon the God of peace shall tread under our feet Rom. 16. 20. 2. For those spirituall powers which he brings against us sin death hell and damnation they shall bee no more their place shall not bee found Rev. 20. 14. 3. For the world all that is borne of God overcommeth the world 1 Ioh. 5. 4. and it passeth away and the fashion of it shall bee no more 4. For wicked men and temporall enemies as Moses said to the Israelites at the Sea Those enemies whom your eyes hath seene to day ye shall never see more Exod. 14. 13. so may we say of these 5. For Antichristian and Popish tyrants and enemies yet a little while and they shall be found no more in the cup shee hath filled unto us shall be filled double No man shall buy her wares any more Rev. 18. 11. all her glory and wealth called fat and excellent things are departing and none shall finde them any more vers 14. with violence shal the great City Babylō be cast as a Milstone into the Sea be found no more ver 21 22 23. she hath brewed blood blood must bee her drinke Our owne Babylonians began not long since to prate of the price of Fagots to shew what they meditate and that they are of the right blood of their bloody Parents But I assure them fire and Brimstone shall bee cheape enough when that showre appointed fals upon that filthy Babylon to revenge their fiery rage against the Lords servants Thus shal the Elect see all their foes their footstool let us make our faith our present victory this shall bring fruition which is a full and finall triumph 3. It teacheth the godly seeing the place of wicked men shall not be found to make sure of a stable and firme estate and that is 1. By repentance and reconciling our selves to God see Iob 11. 14. and 22. 21. 2. By stedfastnesse in faith and other graces all our stability is founded in Gods covenant as on a sure rocke stable faith upholds the whole estate truth of faith and grace is an impregnable hold and fortresse but a wavering minde in faith and religion is restlessely tossed and carried every where by temptation or persecution from the truth 3. By joyning in Gods worship with Gods people Iob 22. 27. He that is a pure worshipper that lifts his face to God and makes his prayer and renders his vowes unto him the light shall shine upon his wayes when others are cast downe he shall say I am lifted up 4. By uprightnesse and integritie walking conscionably before God and man only uprightnesse and a good conscience can bring in a sure estate when an evill conscience rageth as the sea a good and pure conscience hath peace and confidence yea assurance in life and death The next Use belongs to the enemies of the Church and First to terrifie them in that they cannot chuse but worke their owne woe and wracke The woefull condition of persecutors enemies is that howsoever they lift up themselves against God and his truth they must come downe was it not a wofull fall of Haman when hee sought his life of Hester whose life hee had sought Now this must needs be 1. Because they fight with the Lambe and the Lambe overcomes them Rev. 17. 14. nay the Lambe will never leave them till they confesse themselves overcome Pharaoh with all his power chased Israel as a company of fearefull Hares before him but was not he forced to yeeld the bucklers were not his Sorcerers forced to say This is the finger of God Ex. 8. 19 did not himselfe beg prayers of Moses Aaron did not his Princes say Let us flie frō before Israel for God and the Lambe fights for them Did not great Nebuchadnezzar confesse himselfe overcome when hee cast the servants of God into the fire but could not command the fire to burne them when he loosed those whom he had bound and was forced to extoll whom hee had ignominiously vilified yea to absolve justifie and advance those whom hee had condemned Iulian must say Vicisti Galilaee 2. Their rage and fury against the Church makes them runne headily upon their owne ruine for it suffers them not take any good counsell but in pursuite of their chase march furiously as Iehu and plunge themselves into such a depth as they cannot wade out againe Could Pharaoh get back againe when himselfe his Princes power and Chariots were in the bottome of the Sea now hee found hee was too deepe and hee that found a way in could finde no way out had hee consulted with himselfe hee might well have thought that God made that not a way for him but for Israel whose businesse lay beyond Sea Could Haman get backe againe when hee had laid that wicked plot without breaking his owne necke Could Iudas having betrayed innocent blood get backe againe without shedding his owne 3. Their instance and furious pursuit of their purposes carry them so farre that commonly nothing can be the deliverance of the Church but their owne destruction as in the former examples of Pharaoh and Haman The like we might observe in that fierce intended invasion of 88. and the same in the Hellish Powder-plot wherein the godly came out of trouble and the wicked came in his stead Thus saith Salomon The wicked shall bee a ransome for the just and the transgressors for the righteous Prov. 21. 18. Such is the irreconciliable rage of wicked men as having the godly at advantage no ransome will be taken and they have no ransome if it
is a Catholique heresie against the whole foundation 2. There is but one way to eternall life by Jesus Christ stray out of this way and you runne most assuredly to perdition 3. Esteeme the truth above wealth peace or life it selfe because God hath magnified it above all things 4. Consider the force of errour as the secret working of poison and who they be that are given up to Antichristian lies and delusions 2. Thess. 2. 10. 5. Considering the danger of the times and the businesse of the limbes and agents of Antichrist beware of three things 1. Of false prophets who come in sheepes cloathing and call themselves Catholique Doctors Know them by their fruits their seditions warres treasons massacres stabbing of Princes powder-plots arming of subjects against their undoubted Soveraignes c. They are locusts spoiling invading and eating up kingdomes 2. Beware of the leven of popery of their impudent and lying bookes which they spred boldly and busily of curious and alluring pictures and all false arts to deceive us 3. Beware of conversing with such too much out of desire to please some Touch no pitch In a word Remember what yee have beene taught concerning the whore of Babylon how you have beene called out of her what destructions they have provided for us and what plagues God hath provided for them This of the first point 2. Note this that wheresoever Jesus Christ the great Michael commeth there the Dragon is throwne to the ground and cast from his state and power This seed of the woman breakes the serpents head This lyon of the tribe of Judah conquers and casts downe the roaring lyon both in himselfe and his members This Michael is hee that sits on a white horse and hath a bow in his hand Revel 6. 2. that is the word of the Law and Gospell whence hee shoots deadly arrows to wound his enemies Psal. 45. 6. And to him is given a triumphant crowne beeing the King of glory and he goeth out conquering that hee may overcome The proofe hereof appeares by considering the two wayes of Michaels comming Hee comes 1. In person 2. In Spirit 1. Michael in the dayes of his flesh and infirmity in his owne person encountred all the devils hand to hand subdued all the devills he met withall and healed all that were oppressed with the devill Yea if there were a legion in one man hee made them come running and couching and begging forbearance Hee imposed them silence by a word and by the same cast them out of their hold 2. Hee comes in spirit by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell by which Sathan was so bound up and cast out of his rule that the exorcists could no longer practise their devillish arts Act. 8. 8. when the Gospell was preached in Samaria the great power of Simon Magus which had madded the people vanished and came to nothing Act. 16. 16. The spirit of the Pythonisse was driven away at Philippi by the Gospell preached by Paul Act. 19. 18. After the Ephesians had received the Gospell they burnt their magicall bookes and had no more to do with those devillish arts That is famous which Suidas reporteth of the oracle of Apollo when Augustus Cesar under whom Christ was borne asked who should rule after him no answer was given but this The Hebrew child who is King over the gods commands mee to leave this Temple and get mee to hell now therefore go quietly from these our altars To which wee will adde that of Porphyrie a deadly enemy of Christ and a scoffer of Christian religion who as Eusebius cites him hath these words Nowadaies men marvell that our city is so many yeares together annoyed with the pestilence whereas Esculapius and the other gods are farre gone away from it For since this Iesus is worshipped we can get no benefit by the gods One reason of the point is taken from the end of Christs comming which was to dissolve the works of the devill 1. Ioh. 3. 8. to shake downe his kingdome and destroy his power All the worke and office of Christ is but to cast out the Dragon The strong man had bound all mankinde hand and foot 1. From doing good 2. Unto punishment for doing evill 3. From helping our selves Now a stronger then hee commeth and looseth the prisoners that were bound his office being partly to preach liberty to the captives by his doctrine and partly to open the prison doores by his merit and obedience Another reason is taken from the power of his person who is God and man as God he hath absolute power and soveraigne command over all creatures even the same joint power with the Father and the Holy Ghost infinite uncreated omnipotent As mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man hee is by his office exalted at the right hand of God above all names and principalities to whom the Father hath committed and by whom hee executeth all power in heaven and earth for the Father ruleth all by the Sonne Hence is his title Lord of Lords and King of Kings Revel 17. 14. The Angell said Hee shall be great Luke 1. 32. And so hee was for hee is the greatest in respect 1. Of his person 2. Of his office 3. Of his kingdome and command over all Hence must it follow that the power armory and skill of the dragon is but impotency folly and weaknesse compared to Michael and must be hopelesse to prevaile unlesse hee could bring also into the field divine power and eternall majesty The third reason is taken from the powerfull meanes with which Christ commeth armed and furnished against the Dragon and these are five 1. A powerfull death which is of more strength than the lives of all men and Angels Hebr. 2. 14. By death he destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill Iohn 12. 31. Now is the Prince of the world cast out But how by Christs lifting up upon the Crosse for he saith If I be lifted up This Michael hath spoyled principalities and powers upon his Crosse That is the Charriot of triumph there hee tormented the devils while they tormented him there they crucified themselves more than him and as Haman there they reared a Gibbet for their owne execution 2. A powerfull resurrection wherein he mightily declared himselfe the Sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. a worke passing all created power either to doe or hinder from being done for whereas his powerfull death was properly the death of sinne wherein the dragon ruled so his powerfull resurrection overcomes the world hell the grave in all which the dragon before tyrannized for hereby hee applyeth that salvation which by his death he merited hee maintaineth that salvation which he had formerly procured and hereby raiseth up all his members to eternall life at the last and great day of his appearing 3. A powerfull Ministery for the conversion of persons and nations and casting the dragon out of
man plainely speaketh that he will not suffer the dragon to be wronged or dispossessed out of his hold and heart but like an old Gadaren hee had rather have a Legion of devils nestled in him than indure the presence of Jesus Christ. 2. By resisting the holy Ordinances of Christ indeavouring to cast out Christ in his Gospell proclaiming hereby not onely that the devill is not cast out of his own soule but that himself is an open enemy to the power of Christ for hee that would hinder or stop the breath of Christs mouth in the mouths of his Ministers or that furthereth not the Gospell by all his power is an open enemy to the Kingdome and Scepter of Jesus Christ. 3. By making the Preachers of the Gospell by whom the Lord Jesus casteth out the dragon their Buts and markes to shoot their poysoned arrowes of despight and bitternesse Well may they know that the strong man keepes the hold of their hearts and that Christ a stronger than hee is not yet come to dispossesse him for therefore hate they the servants because they hate the Master which is the very same office that the dragon injoynes them and the very proper worke of the dragon This being so let so many as would shew themselves friends of Michael submit to his power holding it a singular priviledge that wee may bee employed in upholding the power of Christs Kingdome and the rod of it One of the chiefe priviledges of the Church of the Jewes was to keepe Gods Oracles in the letter Rom. 3. 2. but it will bee our preheminence above them to locke up the true sense of the word in our hearts by which Christs power puts forth it selfe in our hearts so wee shall provide for our selves with Mary that good part which when the outward Ministery may bee taken from us or we from it shall never be taken from us nor we from it 3. We learne hereby not to despaire of any mans finall estate bee hee never so wicked for though the strong man have him never so fast a stronger than hee may come and rescue him out of his hands the Demoniacke whom none could tame but in his fiercenesse and fury brake all bands and chaines as Sampson did the greene cords yet Christ by one word tamed him and brought him suppliant to him so men that are possessed with lusts as with so many devils that breake through all lawes and yoakes of Christ as if they were Spiders Webs the threats of the Word are as the flaxe on Sampsons armes the promises of the Gospell are tastelesse and despised as the blessing was by prophane Esau yet time may come that Christ may meet with these his powerful Word may tame them and bring such out of their fury and madnesse They are then impudent and shamelesse in their slanders and false assertions who say Wee say they are damned or they are reprobates c. Wee say hee that is an Idolater in his heart or is an hinderer of Gods Word a slanderer of the faithfull Preachers of it a scorner of godly persons or exercises a defier of the duties of holy religion a persecutor to his power of innocent men this man is for the present a wicked man and in the way of destruction and all Gods curses hang over his head and if hee repent not hee shall bee surely damned But doe wee therefore exclude him from repentance doe we shorten the arme of God or stint his mercy that hee may not recall such a one at his pleasure may not this man who is a Saul to day breathing out nothing but slaughter threatning scorne and slander against the Saints become a Paul to morrow Who can intercept Christ in his way but hee may meet with such a man and unhorse him and strike him downe and tame him and make his Scales fall off his eyes and bring him to say O Lord what wouldest thou have mee to doe Can hee tame and cast out the dragons and devils and cannot hee tame and subdue wicked men at his pleasure Farre he goeth we say that never returneth but wee know not who it is that goeth so farre Whosoever therfore casts such scandalous and reproachfull falshoods against godly Preachers bewrayeth either want of understanding of that hee heareth or desires maliciously to accuse a fearefull guiltinesse of conscience which it will bee time to looke unto lest while it accuseth it selfe for want of other accusers the Lord say one day Evill servant out of thine owne mouth thou shalt bee judged 4. As Christ where-ever hee commeth destroyeth the worke of the devill so every Christian where-ever hee commeth must stand with Christ in this great worke and every where according to his calling and gifts cast out the workes of the devill for why First every souldier must stand with his Captaine and Generall in his warres and our very name of Christians sheweth with whom and under whom we must take part Secondly the promise of our Baptisme and our vow openly and solemnely made bindes us to stand out against Satan for therein wee have taken our Presse-money and are ledd into the field Thirdly wee are furnished with power and covered with the armour of God from Christ that we might share in his victory that as he did tread Satan under his feet so must wee Fourthly wee are annointed as Kings to maintaine warre and to conquer Satan and plant our battery against the wals of hellish Iericho Fiftly the same Spirit that is in the head is in the members the head and members have but one spirit Gal. 4. 6. Christ breatheth the same spirit on all his members Ioh. 20 22. the same spirit worketh the same things in the head and members being the spirit of courage and fortitude in them both Sixtly we never want just cause to bee at defiance with the dragon being the greatest enemie of God and of us continually seeking to cast downe his glory and us from our happinesse Now the duty being inforced by so many reasons it will be asked But how may wee be most fruitfully conversant in this service whereto I answer 1. If we cast him out of our owne soules And 2. If wee destroy his workes without us in our severall places according to the power and calling that God hath given us Within us we shall cast him out first by getting Christ to come into us for it is Christs presence that casts out the Dragon And how may I get Christ into mee Answ. 1. Heare him knocking in the ministery attend to his words of promise of threatning and direction for these are his knocks by which hee knocks at many a deafe mans dore Revel 3. 20. 2. Open the dore unto him to receive him in We open our hearts to Christ by faith As hee dwelleth in the heart by faith so also by faith he is received in Ioh. 1. 12. 3. Receive him by humility Hee dwells in an humble and contrite
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
to their gods for the deliverance of their Countries and commonwealths from danger but many among us who yet must goe for good subiects else all is mar'd rather expresse the contrary in the miraculous deliverances of their Prince and Countrey and cannot bee brought to share in the ioy of sound-hearted and loyall subiects 4. Such as will not indure the sound application of doctrine which casts downe the strong lusts and advanced sinnes of men they would blunt the edge of the sword of Christs mouth or wrest it out of the hand of his valiant Captaines they will breake the Scepter of Christ rather than it shall get any victory against the sinnes of men and no man shall stand up to build Jerusalem but they are grieved as was Sanballet and Tobiah against Nehemiah that such a man was come who wished the prosperity of Jerusalem Neh. 2. 10. but these that-will not indure this powerfull voyce of Christ shall heare another uttered by himselfe Those mine enemies who would not suffer mee to raigne over them bring them hither that I may destroy them Now is come salvation c. After the Preface we come to the parts of this triumphant song which are two The former containes the ioy of the Church vers 10. 11. the latter the wofull condition of the enemies vers 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea c. The ioy of the Church singeth out 1. The praises of God the giver of all victory 2. The praises of Michael the Generall vers 10. 3. The praises and due commendation of the armie the angels of Michael who had valiantly and couragiously demeaned themselves in the conquering of the dragon and his angels vers 11. In singing forth the praises of God are 1. The matter 2. The reason The matter of praise is the ascribing 1. To God salvation strength and Kingdome 2. To Christ Power The reason For the accuser c. All these Attributes ascribed to God and Christ are amplyfied by the circumstances 1. Of time now 2. Of place in heaven Of the first Attribute Now is salvation in heaven By heaven is meant the Church militant whose conversation is in heaven and which is the heavenly part upon earth So the Word is used through the whole Chapter By salvation is meant two things in Scripture 1. The happy deliverance of Beleevers from the state of perdition and eternall damnation called therefore the heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. this is spirituall and eternall 2. The safety and externall security of Gods people by their deliverance from cruell tyrants who sought the overthrow and destruction of their bodies so Exod. 14. 13. Behold the salvation of the Lord that is the deliverance from Pharaohs Army This latter a fruit of the former is here especially meant The particle now hath great light in it to cleare the Text for it may be obiected Was not salvation and power Gods before or were they not in heaven that is seene in many singular victories of the Church before Ans. As these Attributes were never wanting in God so the Church never failed of needfull salvation but we must know 1. That the Scripture useth to say a thing is done when it is manifested so to bee as Iohn 17. 5. Glorifie thy Sonne with the glory I had before c. so now salvation is declared and manifested in this victory against the first assault of the Imperiall dragons Before while the heathen Emperours raged against Christian religion for the upholding of Paganisme and heathenish Idolatry iniquity raigned unto death of soules and tyranny to the destruction of bodies by thousands and ten thousands But now salvation is wrought in heaven Christian Emperors have brought in the Prince of peace in stead of those tyrants the Gospell of peace a word of salvation received by faith the end of which is salvation and the peace of the Gospell by which the force of the tyrants is abated themselves confounded and happy safety procured 2. Wheras before the Lord put forth his salvatiō for his Church his praise seemed suppressed or by a few in silence and in corners confessed now is salvation his the praise of salvation is with a loud voyce openly admired and extolled in the publike congregation of all the faithfull by the overthrow of the dragon shineth as the bright beames of the Sunne in all eyes Now is salvation manifested by God magnified by Gods people God is the sole Author and worker of salvation to his Church and members for this is the voyce and song of the Church here Which words seeme to be taken out of the mouth of the Church elsewhere on the like occasion This was the foot of Davids song of deliverance Psal. 3. 9. Salvation is the Lords and of Ionahs Psalme of praise for his miraculous preservation Chap. 2. 10. Salvation is of the Lord and of the Churches song Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is become my salvation and of Habakkuks song Ch. 3. 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine anoynted where the Lord as a powerfull Generall is said to make an expedition against the enemies of the Church And to shew that there is no Saviour besides him the deliverance of the Church by way of appropriation is called Gods salvation Exod. 14. 13. 1. God alone hath promised it and hee alone can performe it his promise is in Esay 46. 13. I will give salvation to Sion and my glory unto Israel and hee alone can performe it for First the Church cannot save her selfe such is her impotency and weaknesse no more than a flocke of sheepe can fence themselves from the droves of Lyons Wolves Foxes or dogs Secondly neither can other men helpe her Es. 59. 16. and 63. 5. there was none to help none to uphold therefore his arme did save it and his righteousnesse did sustaine it Thirdly no other creature can save her for it is onely his priviledge that made her to save her Esa. 44. 24. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer that formed thee from the wombe and Chap. 45. 18. 21. Hee that created heaven and formed earth proveth himselfe thence to be the onely just God and Saviour and commands his people Looke unto me all the ends of the earth and ye shall be saved vers 22. 2. God is onely Saviour of his Church by reason of that affection and relation which is betweene him and his people for First they are his flocke and hee as a good shepherd will save them as David did his sheepe from the Lyon and the Beare Secondly they are his Children and as a mother carrieth her childe in her armes to save it from knocks and dangers so doth the Lord his first-borne Both these are expressed in Exod. 15. 13. by two Hebrew words nacha and nahal the one taken from the tender care of a shepheard the other from the indulgent care of a parent Thirdly the Church is his
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
things nor every great It is for an enemy not a brother to be unnaturall to reteine stomacke to grudge envy revenge c. Object 3. Oh but I have often forborne and forgiven Answ. How often hast thou forgiven seventie times seven times so is the commaundement and he is still thy brother Object 4. But in this case I cannot beare him the wrong is so great Answ. Intwo cases a man may and must be more strict even with his brother 1 In reteining his owne innocency 2 If his brother will not see and confesse his offence But if thy brother come and say I pray thee forgive me then though the wrong be as great as that of Iosephs brethren against him as he was readier to offer pardon then they to aske so must thou Mat. 18. 33. Shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow servant much more on thy brother Quest. What are the conditions of this brotherly love Ans. 1. It is universall to all Saints 2. Sincere not in tongue but in truth 3. Fruitfull in effest as in affection 4. Constant. 2 It reprooves such as scorne this title and thinke it an high reproach to be of the holy brotherhood First these persons disclayme all kindred with Christ they are of another house and blood their speech bewrayes them Secondly they scoffe at Christ himselfe who was the chiefe of this brother-hood our elder brother and was not ashamed to call us brethren it was no reproach then Thirdly They set the Holy Ghost to schoole as not knowing how to speake in the Scripture who every where cals the Saints brethren and holy brethren Heb. 2. 1. Let him that dares despight the Spirit and scorne his language know he shal be shuffled out of this society and pronounced a brother of the divell and damned ones It also reprooves such as wrong the brethren of Christ like the brethren of Ioseph seeke to cast them into pits and prisons buy and sell them in their good names and intend evill against them while they are yet a farre off Let them consider that in Mat 25 40. In as much as yee did it unto one of these my brethren yee did it unto me Go ye cursed And marke Christ disdaines not after his resurrection to call us brethren Mat. 28. 20. and darest thou wrong them whom he so honoureth 3 Here is a ground of true and just dealing with all men Be not fraudulent deceitfull cunningly by lyes oathes false weights or measures to deceive thy brother Let no man defraud his brother by any meanes the Lord is the avenger of such namely in speciall manner What wilt thou deceive thy brother be unmercifull to thy brother hide thine eyes from thy brother fall frō thy brother in his distresse was not a brother made for adversity and dost thou adde to it 4 Superiours learne moderation humility and mercy It is a good meditation every way to looke at the case of an inferiour as the case of a brother First To worke humility Deut. 17. 20. The King must not puffe up himselfe above his brethren Great schollers must not puffe up themselves above them of meaner gifts for one is your Doctor and yee are all brethren Mat 23. 9. Secondly To worke moderation the husband must moderate his authority because though he be superiour yet the wife is joynt heyre of life 1 Pet. 3. Masters must moderate themselves toward their servants because they have the same Master in heaven to whom they are with their servants fellow-servants Iob contended not with his maid because he that made one made both c. 31. 13. Onesimus a converted servant must be received as a brother Thirdly To worke mercy to the poore this poore man is not a beast but a brother not as a dog ranging for hunger but a poore Christian a poore brother and I must not turne my eyes from my poore brother mine owne flesh This sicke man is not a sheepe sicke of the rot but one of Christs field this poore servant is not my horse or Oxe whom I feed and tend and if they be sicke I aske counsell and drench them but my brother made in Gods image as I am a member of Christ as I am whom I must tender in sicknesse and health and shew my selfe a brother made for adversity 5. This may comfort poore Christians A brother is a name of equality The poorest Christian hath the same Father Mother alike pretious faith and the same common salvation with the richest Christs Kingdome is not politicall which stands of superiours and inferiours but in Christ all are one Thou poore man effectually called hast not such favour of great men but hast as great share in Gods favour and in the death of Christ as the richest Thou wantest gold and silver but that did not purchase life but Christs precious blood and that thou enjoyest at full Great men have privy stayres in their palaces but thou goest up the same stayres to heaven by the same Word Sacraments Faith Prayer of faith c. a rich mans prayer is no beter then a poore mans Thou canst not faire so daintily nor cloath thy selfe so costly in purple and silke as the rich but God at his table feasteth thee as plentifully and arayeth thee with as costly a robe of Christs righteousnesse as the highest Potentate 2 Those that are in spirituall fraternity with Christ and one with another lye open to all manner of wicked accusation Who was ever a more faithfull and trustie servant then Ioseph yet was not he accused of incontinency and for that cast into prison a long time and could never come to due triall Gen. 39. 9. Iob by the Lords owne testimony a peerelesse man and most upright before God and man yet was not he accused before our God of hypocrisie not only by the great Accuser but by his friends David whose conscience smote him for cutting the lap of Sauls garment was still accused by the Courtiers of high treason against him and one that sought his life crowne and Kingdome The Prophets who were holy men of God and mirrors of piety and grace were all accused of most haynous things Daniel of disobedience Elias of troubling all Israel Amos of conspiracy Ieremie of revolting c. The Apostles who shined in holinesse and innocency as starres of the first magnitude were accused to be authors of sedition troublers of Cities raisers of tumults contemners of lawes trumpets of rebellion preachers of ordināces not lawful to receive Act. 16. 19. Was not Paul accused by Tertullus Act. 24. 5 to be a pestilent fellow a moover of sedition among the Jewes through the world and one that taught every where against the law of Moses And whence were those rackings and mockings and scourgings and stonings and slaughters and torments of those whom the world was not worthy of Heb. 11. 36. but from the same originall of wicked slaunders and keenest darts of false accusation Quest. Why
doth not the Lord protect innocency and holinesse but suffer it to bee the butt and white to receive all the arrowes of wicked calumniation Answ. Aske also why the Lord suffers the clouds to beset and darken the Sunne or the darknesse of the night to succeed the light of the day He is not bound to give thee a reason of his wayes and works and yet in his great wisdome he worketh them all For 1 As in the beginning he set a fight betweene light and darknesse naturall and separated betweene them not that darknesse should prejudice the light but rather should make the benefit and comfort of it more perspicuous and discernable so hath he separated from the beginning light and darknesse spirituall and maintaines this fight and separation not that light of grace should be extinct by that darkenesse but be made more manifest and shining See 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 God will have theÌ„ strive that must be crowned Were there no combate there were no conquest were there no conquest there were no crowne but the greater the conquest the more glorious is the crowne How should the faith fortitude patience or any grace of the Saints be tryed either for the soundnesse or measure if there were nothing to exercise them Not peace but warre tryes the metall of a souldier 3 God will also by this fight shew the madnesse and malignity of wicked men left by God who must grow from evill to worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. to fill up their measure And therefore the holinesse wisdome grace and innocency of godly men which should be a fence and shield to keepe evill men off them is but an invitation and bayte for their mischiefe and malice to worke upon Which is most apparent in our Lord himselfe the innocent Lambe of God who taught the truth without mixture of error or respect of persons Could his wisdome innocency or holinesse fence him from being a butt and signe of contradiction or a subject of accusation Was he not said to be a sorcerer a Samaritan a drunkard a glutton a deceiver a divell an enemie to Caesar a disturber of publike peace Oh what a deadly poyson lurketh in a wicked man left to himselfe that as a spider from the sweetest herbes swelleth up with poyson so thence there he acteth his mischiefe where he should admire love and imitate The reasons of the doctrine are taken from 1. The godly 2. Satan 3. Wicked men 1 The godly are members of Christ and members must be coÌ„formable to their head If they cal the master Belzebub will they spare the servant was the greene tree accused of rebellion and disobedience to Caesar and may not the dry trees expect more then the greene Againe godly men shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation the light of their gracious course actually condemnes their vile conversation the shining holinesse of the one really refuteth the foule corruptions of the other Now so long as this enmitie lasteth betweene the seed of the woman and of the serpent and so long as light and darknesse remaine unreconciled the godly must make account of accusation and unjust molestation 2 Godly men cannot avoid accusation in regard of Satan the great Accuser For First his malice is restlesle against Christ who hath broken his head but Christ being now in person out of his reach hee expresseth it in two things wherein he reacheth as neere Christ as he can 1 Against the truth and holy religion both in the doctrine and practise Hence is it that he can get all the good way of God called and accused for a notable heresie Act. 24. 14. and the sincere walking in this way no lesse 2 Against his members for as he accused the Hâ—â—d in his time so now the members in theirs for the Heads sake As he accused our elder brother so also for his sake the rest of the brethren yea for being brethren as our text implieth Secondly Satan hath wicked mens tongues to command who are ruled at his will and therefore godly men must not looke to bee free from calumniation so long as they can either devise false things or deprave true Thirdly Satan hath experience of the strength and force of this weapon of false accusation and that by it he hath got no small advantage in all ages Hee knowes hee got the Sonne of God to death by false accusation hee got thousands and ten thousands of the Primitive Christians to death by the same weapon Hee knowes how in all ages hee hath brought thereby holy religion into suspition and disgrace He knowes how such as are not of the truth but guided by his spirit love lyes and are taken with them as a baite and by Gods just judgement given over to be hardened against the truth And therefore according to his owne ancient practise he hath taught his apt scholler Machiavel Calumniare audacter aliquid saltem haerebit Belie the man confidently and some dirt at least will sticke upon him Well hee knowes that as such calumnies make easie entrance into corrupt mindes so are they hardly dispossessed of such prejudice and if he can doe nothing else hee pleaseth himselfe in troubling them in their way whom he cannot deprive of the end 3. Wicked men cannot but accuse the brethren First because of their ignorance of God and of Christ Iohn 15. 21. These things will they doe unto you for my names sake because they have not knowne him that sent me and Iohn 16. 2. They shall excommunicate and kill you because they have not knowne the Father nor mee The eye of the minde being blinded how great is that blindnesse This is the foundation of accusation Secondly as they are grosly ignorant in the things of God so are they most subtile in covering their owne pretexts and practises As no sinne desires to goe naked and seene in his owne colour and skinne so no sinner would walke in his owne shape and habit but will sew himselfe a garment of some fig-leaves or other to maske himselfe in that whatsoever hee is hee may seeme no sinner Now there bee 4. maine sins of wicked men which have ever beene mischievous to the godly but all masked and hid with this large cloake of false accusation 1. Pride Haman cannot get honour from Mordecai for how can godly Mordecai honour such a vile person now Haman cannot for shame accuse Mordecai directly for not kneeling unto him but hee can make good another accusation against him and his people by which he covereth his pride 2. Covetousnesse Now to hide their covetousnesse they have ever devised accusations under pretence of peace and standing against innovation The Apostles preach ordinaÌ„ces not lawful to receive and trouble our City but that was onely a cover for the Text saith When they saw the hope of their gaine was gone they caught Paul and Silas Why did Demetrius and the Crafts-men make that disorderly tumult against Paul but
to keepe him under for ever but yet the third day he arose gloriously so there is a third day for his members wherein they shall rise from under all the infamies and reproachfull slaunders of evill men as out of the graves For if the Head be risen so are the members Secondly the spouse of Christ cannot be cast into such a deepe but he whom her soule loveth hath his hand under her head Cant. 2. 6. so as the Lord never suffers his servants to be so farre cast downe but his hād under thē at lēgth shal lift up their heads Let what floods and waves of reproches and persecutions rise against them they cannot sink Christ is with them in the shippe he will seasonably rebuke the waves still the windes stay the blustring stormes cleare the heavens and make a calme for them 3. So it shall be in regard of the godly whose graces and holinesse must bee exercised but not extinct whose glory and happinesse may a while bee suspended and obscured but not prevented or hindred The Sunne of the world may bee set with clouds covered shut in and hid for many dayes Acts 27. 20. but yet clouds will bee dispersed and the darke mists and fogs will be scattered and the Sunne will recover his shine and strength even so the shine of grace and innocency may bee clouded and darkned many dayes but when God hath exercised his Church a while he will over-blow the tempest againe the Sunne of grace shall rise and disperse these blacke clouds and cause them to vanish unto nothing After darknesse saith Iob I shall see light And suppose the Saints walke in blacke a while yea all the while they are here below yet they shall walke in white Rev. 3. 4. when their mourning garments shall bee taken from them and they clothed with whitenesse of holinesse and glory 4. It shall so bee in respect of the wicked accusers who must not alwayes have their will and force their rod must not lye alwayes on the lot of the godly but when the Lord hath by them whipped and corrected his Children they must be cast into the fire as Ashur was Object But wee see the godly haled to death and destruction by false accusation as Naboth as Christ himselfe as the Christians and Martyrs in all ages executed as traitors heretikes and wicked men Besides how goe the godly hanging down their heads as men onely despised and carying the scorne of the times as men onely worthy of hatred and thus they goe heavily to their graves and their innocency is buryed with them Answ. All this impeacheth not this truth For First this promise is made good so farre as the Lord seeth good for his servants Secondly often in this life the innocency of those who die as guilty is restored them as Naboth whose innocency is recorded to all posterity and the Martyrs in the ten persecutions after-ages honoured their memory and sufferings though they dyed as the greatest malefactors and the poore Christians in Queene Maries dayes who were cursed to hell and burned in the flames for most accursed heretikes and traitors God stirred up Master Fox to cleare their innocency to honour their memory and cause all ages to glorifie GOD in their grace and constancy Thirdly many wrongs must bee reserved for the brightnesse of the great day to reveale and some things perhaps never come to light in this world but then the Saints committing their cause and names in well-doing unto the Lord hee will keepe faithfully that which they commit unto him and for his owne name is jealous of theirs Fourthly in the Courts of men the day goeth against truth and innocency so high as from which in earth is no appeale and so the matter must rest yet there is a day and an high Court of heaven which is without corruption of Judge or witnesse this shall right all errours of inferiour Courts there innocency and innocents shall stand in tryall and the righteous shall there shine as the Sunne in the firmament Mat. 13. 43. if not in the kingdome of the world in the Kingdome of the Father And for the godly whose grace and innocency appeareth not here nor themselves in this strange Countrey are knowne what they are When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee also appeare with him in glory and if Christ be contented to bee obscured here so may we also This doctrine serves to terrifie the enemies of the Church whose tongues are now their owne none may controll them they priviledge themselves to devise and disperse what lyes they list But they must know First that the mouth of wickednesse shall bee stopped Secondly that truth is strongest and will prevaile though they may outface and smother it for a while Could they hinder Christ from rising can they hinder the day from dawning or the Sunne from his rising or course no more can they bury innocency and grace so low but it will rise againe Thirdly they must bee called to reckoning for all wicked speeches and false accusations of the Saints when they would esteeme it their happinesse to lie ever in the darke cave of their rottennesse but they must be fetcht in to carry the shame and perpetuall reproach which they would have cast upon innocency Againe this may comfort the Saints who heare there is a day when their righteousnesse shall bee brought forth they shall have their desire As falsehood and darknesse feares nothing but to bee discovered so truth and light feare nothing but to be hid Now they rejoyce in the day of manifestations of things rolled in darknesse Now shall their innocency triumph when shame shal cover the faces of all accusers as they did Hamans before his hanging In that day shall men and angels see that they were not seditious factious rebellious proud hypocrites and worst of all men but humble peaceable obedient to the good lawes of God and men sober fruitfull sincere gracious and holy Oh how sweete and honourable shall that sentence of absolution from Christs owne mouth be after all the unjust sentences of wicked men 3. This teacheth us a rule of wisedome to judge not according to outward appearance but with righteous judgement Iohn 7. 24. Judge of persons as of coyne by the touchstone not by heare-say We judge of a great heire not as hee is in minority but according to his livelihood and future great estate Labour to esteeme of Saints not as they are here besmeared but as they shall appeare like Christ in glory Seest thou one for Christ made like unto Christ in reproaches and suffering ignominy and rejection now conclude this man must bee like him in glory though the world cast a sea of shame upon him 2 Tim. 2. 12. If wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him 4. This is a ground of patience and constancy in wel-doing and suffering evils Grieve not to see the darke night shut
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
of nature in delivering them up to vile affections and unnaturall sinnes to receive such recompence of their errour as was meet Rom. 1. 24. 27. how much more must hee thinke it a meet recompence of such a sinne against the light of grace to give them up t◠effectuall delusion to be carryed by Satan hoodwinkt and headlong unto destruction But let us see some instances 1. How he spared not his owne people the Jews his owne first borne among whom when the Sonne of God came as to his owne they received him not when false Prophets and false Christs rose up among them those they followed both before his comming and after as both divine and humane stories make mention Iohn 10. 8. All that came before me were theeves and robbers Acts 5. 36 37. Iudas and Theudas drew away many to destruction And after false Christs and Prophets were to rise with such efficacy of delusion as to deceive if it were possible the very Elect Matth. 24. Iosephus speakes of sundry especially one Aegyptian which carryed away thirty thousand Jewes by one vaine delusion to destruction And not long after this same sinne made their nation spew them out that they are now an hissing an execration to all the nations of the earth They renounced Christ to rule over them and ever since the dragon hath had them in possession 2. Consider how the wrath of God came upon the former ages of the world according to the warning of the Gospell and how the earth and sea who would not receive Christ received Antichrist in his roome and the inhabitants of them not loving the truth were therefore led away with horrible lies See Gods retaliation First God sent them Apostles Euangelists and true Pastors who sought only the glory of God and the salvation of men but they despised and distasted them But how did the Lord plague the earth in the same kinde giving up the inhabitants to receive hypocrites Impostors Fryers and fat Monkes who onely sought themselves and to make a spoile of men eating up their estates as Locusts for number and unprofitablenesse these were willingly borne as the Church of Corinth despising the Apostle Paul gave eare to false Apostles who robbed and spoyled them Secondly Christ the Lord came with an easie and sweete yoake his doctrine and his Apostles was a freedome from the bondage and burden of Ceremonies and traditions of the Fathers 1 Pet 1. 18. and the new commandement was only to beleeve in the Sonne of God and love one another This sweet yoake was cast off but with what an exchange now the devill yoakes them with traditions superstitious ceremonies and plagues the earth with tyrannicall and Antichristian Lawes Canons Decretals devised by men his little finger is heavier then Christs loynes yet Popish Countries receive them and like them well Thirdly Christ instituted and ordained a most holy Sacrament the Communion of his blessed body and blood but the inhabitants of the earth and sea despised that simple and most chaste and Primitive institution But was not the world ever since justly plagued with that gawdy and impudent harlot of the Popish Masse the very spirit and quintessence of Antichrist Fourthly how could the world bee more severely plagued then by receiving that greasie Priesthood that hatefull sacrifice of Antichrist but could it be plagued more iustly for abolishing the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ Fiftly Christ in the Gospell calleth men to the participation of grace life pardon heaven and salvation freely offered in the Gospel men would not heare this voyce How iustly therefore hath the world bin blinded and gulled these many hundred yeares in buying at great rates lies sleights impostures iuglings meere tricks of wit and cunning pardons dispensations merits masses and heaven it selfe Sixtly Christ ordeined in his Church holy Pastors giving them liberty to live in holy wedlocke according to Gods Ordinance This order of Christ pleased not the earth and sea but how sensibly revenged for no sooner did they refuse and reject holy Pastors but they admitted most filthy bawds and unchaste Pope-holy Priests and Nunnes into Ecclesiasticall Orders I might say into the Popes chaire A man had need of a vizard to speake of their holinesse and stop all his senses to heare it Seventhly when the world scorned and persecuted the Saints living how did the Lord give them up to worship and invocate in most idolatrous manner the Saints dead and departed And when they despised and trod under foot the living images of God the godly and holy Professors of Christ great was the Lords revenge in giving them up to worship dead images of wood stone metalls c. 3 God who is ever the same and like himselfe hath heretofore warned us in this land that we have not received Christ nor embraced his truth in that love and affection that became us 1 By the prevailing of Priests and Jesuites heretofore in the land who swarmed as the frogs of Aegypt and have seduced many thousands but never any that loved the truth 2 By the propensity and readinesse of many to receive any religion or doctrine according as the times should require And this hath ever beene the sinne of English people to swim with the streame of times And this print of Gods finger is at this day set upon many plainly convincing that they never received the truth in the love of it 3 By the generall fighting against the light and hatred of the very sent of sincerity in both preachers and people which the Apostle makes a sure note of perdition Phil. 1. 28. Let Iohn Baptist come he is excepted against and hath a divell Let Paul come too much learning hath made him mad Let Christ come he is a friend of Publicans a demoniacke c. But let Antichrist come Popery come a flatterer and deluder come the multitude applaud them receive them Delusion shal be effectual to the damnation of such as he must carrie into his owne perdition 4 The same arrowes of Gods wrath against this sinne are shot in amongst our selves many of whom plainly bewray their naturall hatred of the light and love of lies Let a man come in the name of Christ convince intreat perswade beseech men to be reconciled let him with the losse of his owne peace seeke theirs the more faithfully and sincerely he deales the more despightfully he is rejected the more paines and love such a man sheweth the lesse is he loved or recompensed by many presently they plot to sterve him out or if he stay he must live on aire or grasse for them Let a flatterer come in his owne name and call the churle liberall and sing an Omnia benè and for their owne applause profit or credit run along in all their courses no marvell if these men be put in their bosomes and how can it be but he that hates true dealing should love false Is this love of the light when God
lett is earthlinesse and covetousnesse the love of swine The losse of swine and feare of losse sends Christ packing from the Gadarens We have too many Gadarens who cannot distinguish betweene Christ and a pig unlesse it be to preferre a pig before him Oh if Christ come among us and settle neare us wee shall lose this profit and that poore Christ brings a charge with him and when men are resolved not to part with a nutshell for Christ say what they will and heare as many Sermons as they do they had rather have a legion of divells stay among them then Christ. Love of swine makes the Gadaren put off all love to his owne soule yea and all charity frō their neighbours they are contented better with a legion of divells among them with their swine then with Christ without them The fourth let is love of lusts and our darling sinnes And these are dearer to men then their swine these foule and swinish lusts in which they wallow as swine make men fall quite out with Christ and his truth For Christ and his word never speakes good to an evill man He is one that knows all and will tell thee all that ever thou hast done Ioh. 4. He will be rough against thy darling sinnes He will whip out buyers and sellers from the Temple and let no sinne take Sanctuary Thou art a great swearer he will say thou must not sweare at all and then thou must sew up thy mouth and not speake at all Thou art an adulterer and he will cry out against him that lookes on a woman to lust after her Thou art mighty to drinke he will disgrace thee and barrethee out of heaven He is so precise as he will urge thee to set a watch before every word that no filthy or foolish talking nor jesting proceed thence He will be urging to continuall hearing of the word and observation of the whole Sabboth which to many is a misery of miseries and bands and yokes fit for none but slaves These men so farre in love with their sinnes cannot but hate Christ and cast him out of their coasts darknesse cannot but hate light and Christ hath foretold it Ioh. 7. 7 the world hateth me because I testifie of it that her workes are evill And his Ministers finde it in theirs how they would resist himselfe in person because his word makes all things manifest Eph. 5. 13. It discovers the drunkard adulterer atheist swearer gamester Sabbath-breaker and if a man be any of these or all these how can he but wish Christ and his word a thousand miles off him Now of the meanes to helpe us to receive Christ and his truth 1 To set our hearts upon the truth as our treasure But it but sell it not Count all drosse in comparison of Christ. Chuse the good part with Mary This affection keepes the word but the wicked wanting it lose it at last though they seeme to hold it a long time The good Merchant rejoyceth to finde the pearle therefore he will sell all to purchase it 2 To grieve when we finde not such sweetnesse in the word as wee would and as sometimes we have done Suspect now Christ stands aloofe for some disrespect of him he dislikes something in his entertainment Nay we must grieve not only when our selves preferre other things before it but when others do so Psal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters runne downe mine eyes because they keep not thy word How then did he mourne for his owne faylings 3 Wayte at the gates of wisdome frequent her threshold heare her voyce let that voyce perswade thee be ruled by her counsells hate all vaine inventions discovered by it whether errors in doctrine or corruptions of life Embrace her servants for he that receiveth you receiveth me love them for their glad tidings Evill men may heare much but seldome refraine from any evill way They pretend great love to Christ but hate to the death his servants 4 Let it worke upon our hearts till wee finde a resolute purpose to hold Christ and his truth through crosses losses and troubles for the defence of it till we attaine the resolution of ancient Beleevers who willingly suffered the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10 34. and till our lives be not deare unto us nor loved to the death in comparison of Christ and his Gospell as the blinde man confessed him though he were sure to be excommunicate Ioh. 9. 5 Follow the meanes by which the truth may come to dwell plentifully in us and amongst us The former by frequent hearing meditation reading and prayer especially aske wisdome and yee shall finde it Christ is the gift of God the way to obtaine him is prayer If thou hadst knowne the gift of God thou wouldest have asked c. The latter is by bringing it in reckoning with others often speaking of it conferring especially whetting it on our families and friends as Abraham did 6 In holy conversation and practise of life shew the life and counterpaine of the truth So much of the truth we know truly as we practise He hath received Christ who expresseth the vertues of Christ. Let it therefore be our care to leave a patterne and sweet sent of grace and truth every where behind us as our Lord himselfe did Who hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time The words conteine the second reason of that dreadfull woe denounced upon the earth and sea taken from the wrathfull disposition of the divell who in the former words is said to have descended and amplified by the reason of it because he hath but a short time Quest. What is meant by this great wrath of the dragon Answ. The sly stealing of Antichrist upon the world by a Catholicke Apostacy is here called the great wrath with which the Divell commeth into the earth For whereas he could not succeed by open tyranny of the Imperiall dragons but that Christian religion was more propagated and many dayly pulled out of his power by the preaching of the Gospell and that Christianity prevailed against Idolatry and Ethnicisme now as a furious person whose plots have not hitherto succeeded he comes with a new mischiefe more spitefull then the former he rayseth a mist of blacke darknesse to obscure the sunne of grace and secretly worketh in the mysterie of Antichrist God permitting him to come with strong delusions on the blinde side of the world Now he that could not by open force destroy the Church or cast out Christ doth under the name of Christ and pretence of the honour of Christ and his religion fight more furiously and prevayle more forcibly then ever he formerly could by open persecution and tyranny The words therefore foretell and threaten the mighty enterprises and secret stratagems of the dragon by Antichrist who was in after-times to prevaile in all the Christian world This is the great wrath here spoken of and teacheth that The greatest wrath that ever Satan
a Physitian who hath put Art and nature to the uttermost extent but cannot prevayle against the disease leaves the Patient to death so the Lord Esa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten any more ye fall away more and more 2 Another note is pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. 12. this signes a man given up to this wrath By unrighteousnesse is meant error of judgment or of practise whereby God or men are deprived of their due as righteousnesse gives both their due By taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse is meant 1 Not a willing of their sins only but a liking and allowing of them 2 An high prizing and esteeming of them as things we take pleasure in 3 An earnest greedy and delightfull pursuing of them 4 A fight and contention for them and against contrary grace 5 A resolution by no meanes to part with them no more then we will with things in which we take most content and pleasure Examine the content which thy course giveth thee and see whether it be a sweet fruit of the Spirit of truth or arise from the spirit of error and delusion For there be many wayes that be good in a mans owne eyes but the issues are death Prov 14. 12. and a most grievous plague it is when a seduced heart flattering the sinner shall cause him to blesse himselfe while his sinne worthy to be hated is found with him Psal. 36. 2. This calling of good evill and evill good drawes on sinne with cartropes Esa. 5. as many nowadayes count religion precisenesse care of pleasing God hypocrisy zeale rashnesse and folly in the meane time they thinke their owne prophane estate good enough Well take heed of pleasure in unrighteousnesse which argueth a man stripped of all sound grace for the least grace would acknowledge the least grace and disallow the least evill and it argues a man in a course which brings on swift damnation and whosoever delights in unrighteousnesse the righteous Lord will dash all his joyes and make them end in wo and desperate sorrow 3 Another note is society with vile persons out of favouring their vices as with Atheists swearers drunkards enemies of grace and such whose damnation sleepeth not For what is this but to partake and thrust a mans selfe into the wrath of other mens sinnes and how can a man be knitt unto the members of a body and not to the head If Gods justice have permitted thee to be one with the members thou mayest well discerne he hath permitted thee and for the present delivered thee to the head seeing the head and the members make up but one dragon And as there is not a more discernable marke of a Beleever then love and hearty union with the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 14. so is there not a more discernable note of a man belonging to the dragon then by sorting with his brood and running with workers of iniquity 4 He is apparently under the dragons wrath that confirmes himself in the customable neglect of Gods Ordinances publike or private This man will fall to nothing as he that ordinarily refuseth his meat or at best his religion is but a passion or fit or is in respect of persons or occasions And it is because he will not be reclaymed from some lust 5 He also that is an enemie of righteousnesse a man whose bent is to disgrace the way of God and turne men out of the way as Elymas Act. 13. 8. 10. a flaunderer a deviser against it an open contester against the powerfull purity of Gods word an instrument of the divell and make-bate to cast out thy meanes of Salvation such a one is in the divells worke and why not in his power The like of them that mis-judge the generation of God and pronounce wicked sentence on them whom the Lord acquiteth as if a good man be cast into some furious disease they are ready to judge the estate of the soule by the distemper of the braine and disgrace a godly and holy life by a violent death c. Now the meanes to avoyd this great wrath are twofold I. To avoyd the speciall sinnes which arme Satan with this great wrath against us as 1 Want of care to know God Rom. 1. 28. the heathens because they regarded not to know God God gave them up to a reprobate minde For when men cast God out of sight and out of minde how just is it that God cast them out of sight and minde Thou that hast not God before thine eyes thinkest not of him but as of one that hath nothing to doe with thy matters forgettest him to be a judge and witnesse of all thou doest deridest the true knowledge of God and wilt take no direction from him know it thou hast thy choise God will have as little to do with thee for the present as thou desirest his grace and presence shal be farre enough from thee owne thee who will guide thee who will his mercy and helpe will be farre to finde Who seeth not this heavie stroke of Gods wrath in numbers left by God and ruled by the divell men of reprobate mindes destitute of judgment and common reason rejecting all that is good refusing nothing that is naught rejoycing in the highest sinnes swearing drinking drabbing rayling cursing defying whatsoever savoureth of God or Godlinesse 2 Sinne want of love to the truth 2. Thes. 2. therefore God gave them up to the strong delusions of Antichrist See wee a man despising the meanes or bringers of the truth or a man that willingly suppresseth and choaketh the truth in himselfe or withstandeth the holy meanes resists and scornefully thrusts away the preaching of the Gospell of truth or preferreth vaine speculations and frothy discourses and devises of mens braine before the simple truth of Scriptures or a man that doth not regard to procure preserve practise and propagate the true knowledge of God this man is farre from love of the truth he is fit for any delusion there is no trust in him but be his knowledge and profession never so great he may make a strong Papist an open Apostate or any thing but a sound and constant Beleever If wee know the truth happie are we if we love it 3 Sinne idolatry Rom. 1. 26. for this cause God gave up the heathen to vile affections namely for their idolatry And yet theirs was invincible they knew not the true God by the light of the Scripture but only by reading in the booke of nature How much more shall Christians be given over for their wanton and wilfull Idolatry after so long teaching and such cleare shining of the truth amongst us Where an idoll stands up there is no place for God Dagon and the Arke cannot stand together How farre Antichristian Idolatry hath driven God from that synagogue wee may read in the great letters of such senselesse errors as no blinde heathens were ever worse seduced It was Gods patience that our easinesse to Romish Masses and
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
set many wits on worke to tel us what they be But they agree not nor can seeing the meanes of the Churches safety are infinite Some define them to be faith and patience which lift her from earth to heaven Some say they are the two Testaments the Old and the New in which the Churches defence lyeth Some say they are the two Tables containing love of God and of our neighbour Some that the one is the wing of prayer the other of charity Some that the one is the contempt of earth and the other the aspiring to heaven But we need not be so acute and if wee should settle upon any two things wee should perhaps misse the minde and ayme of the holy Spirit of God as most of these must needs do The likelyest if we would restraine the number and conceive it definite were the providence of God protecting and his oracles directing the woman in this speedie flight But the number is definite for indefinite and two in this place for the propriety of the subject and metaphore For for a bird to have more wings then two or fewer then two to fly withall were harsh and improper Not that wee are not to conceive more meanes of Gods providence and the Churches safety then two for these two wings are the same with the seven pipes serving to the lamps Zech. 4. 2. alluding to the pipes of the candlesticke which were seven of which he speaketh in that place and as the number of seaven aptly agreeth with that allusion so onely the number of two aptly agreeth with this But whence had the Woman these things They were given her The text implyeth two things First That the Church had no wings of her owne all her safety and defence is layd out of herselfe as a weake woman can make small shift for herselfe against such an army of dragons Secondly Though it be not sayd who gave her the wings yet it is implyed they were given of God for he is the father of lights from whom commeth every good gift and he that prepared her the place vers 6. prepared her wings to flye to it with him onely is counsell and strength he onely can afford meanes of escape and evasion he stretcheth out his strong and oculate providence as two wings the feathers of which are the truth and faith of his promise sealed and delivered by the hand of his Two Witnesses and thus he saveth her Lastly for the similitude wings of a great Eagle So many phrases in this booke so many mysteries Here is an allusion to Exod. 19. 4. you have seene how I have caryed you on Eagles wings and brought you unto me By those Eagles wings someunderstand Moses Aaron their leaders but they themselves also were carryed upon these wings By them is meant the powerful meanes of opening a way in the sea rayning Manna from heaven breaking a rocke for water covering them with a cloud by day and night c. In this text these wings of a great eagle note to us 4. things 1 As the eagle out of her love to her young ones fluttereth and steareth them out of the neast to a safer place when she feares danger so the Lord for the love of his Church in danger urgeth her out of her neast and rest and leads her into a safer place in the wildernesse Christ out of Iudea Israel out of Egypt 2 As the eagle having gotten her young ones forth when they begin to fly supports them with her wings lest they should fall Deut. 32. 11. so the Lord supports his Church in her flight from falling carefully seeing to her that she take no hurt 3 As an eagle especially a great eagle hath strong wings agill and able to carry her in a strong flight to flye farre from danger so the Lord in the needs of his Church provides some great and powerfull meanes and by them as by strong wings sets his Church beyond al the reach of hurt and danger Thus Nebucad-nezzar a great man is called a great eagle with great and long wings and full of feathers fit to accomplish GODS word against Zedekiah Ezeck 17. 2. 4 As the eagle flyeth high aloft in the aire and beyond all sight of men by the length and strength of her wing so the Lord drawes his Church neare unto him from out of the sight of men and neare Heaven and the nearer him the further from danger Observ. 1. God who could save the woman by his word without wings doth not ordinarily save her but by wings For Gods providence excludes not but includes meanes of safety Moses must be saved from the waters to be a Deliverer but he must be put into a basket pitcht and prepared for him They in the ship Act. 27. must be saved from drowning but they must abide in the ship and then some on plankes some on boards and pieces of the ship came safe to land Exod. 15. 25. God could have sweetned the bitter waters with a word but Moses must cast in a piece of wood to sweeten them He could have divided the sea and dryed the way by his strong word but doth it by a strong East winde Which teacheth us not to neglect the meanes appointed by God for our good for God who tyeth not himselfe to wings tyeth the woman to use them when he pleaseth to afford them Hezekiah must be healed by a lumpe of dry figs. Nature teacheth that he that would reape must sow he must eate that must live and he must fight that would have victory So grace teacheth that he that would reape one harvest in glory must sow the seed of grace in the seedtime and he that would live eternally must feed on Christ by hearing reading beleeving and obeying his word and he that would be crowned must strive lawfully Observ. 2. The Woman having no wings of her owne hath wings given her of God which teacheth that the Church and members of it shall have wings sufficient to avoyd all hurtfull danger in due season For 1 Our text saith God will afford two sufficient for escape and wings of an eagle to fly swiftly and make a speedy escape and wings of a great eagle to fly strongly and aloft and far from danger 2 Gods presence is not an idle presence with his people but he is present to save Ier. 30. 11. I am with thee to save thee 3 The Arke was a type of the Church and that was all and alwaies covered with wings of Cherubins signifying the divine protection alwaies watching and covering the Church and spreading his wings over the faithfull to repell any harme further then he will turne any evill to his owne glory and his Churches good For wee must know that all promises run with exception of the crosse and God in his wisdome doth not alwayes give to every member of the Church wings to fly from externall tyranny and persecution but dealeth as a good husband man
with his corne some he sends to mill to grind but some he reserves for seed so the Lord appoints some of his servants as Ignatius to the mill I am saith he the Lords wheat and now I must be ground with the teeth of Lions to become good bread but others are reserved for succession and growth So as the Church and her members shall not want wings for safety if God see it not better or fitter for them to be throughly tryed for his glory and their salvation and then if they be not saved from the danger they are saved in it and by it Use. 1. It serves for the consolation of Gods people in the midst of so many dangerous difficulties 1 The dragon may create the woman trouble so as she shall want no molestation for a time but he cannot hinder her from wings to make an escape seeing God hath undertaken she shall not want seasonable deliverance 2 If wee want wings of our owne or our wings want strength the Lord lookes on our weaknesse and as an eagle puts under his wing to sustaine us Thinke on this in sickenesse weakenesse wants c. 3 These wings of God cannot be clipped shortned weakened or broken off which is a sure stay in all the affronts against the Church by Antichristian forces who if they could get the Church from under these wings of God would soone effect their exploits but as soone must Christ fayle as his Church his death and passion and all should then be in vaine 4 These wings greatly comfort the Church in danger by implying the quality or properties of Gods deliverance as 1 It is speedy as having long and large wings what speed was made in Israels deliverance out of Aegypt when they came out all in one day and all Aegypt in one day sunke and was drowned 2 It is unresistable these eagles wings carry the Church through all hazards and enemies beyond all reach of danger or dart as if the eagle had her young above the clouds and sight of men Thus the Lord caryed Israel through the wildernesse beyond all hazards and enemies on all sides as if no enemie had seene them Thus the Lord caryed the Arke through a world of waters waves windes rockes mountaines as if there had beene no danger at all 3 It is most comfortable for besides the safety that the wing of the hen affordeth from injurie of weather and the birds of prey how doth the wing cherish and refresh and strengthen the birds under it keeping them warme from cold and chillinesse the same comforts do the Lords wings of protection afford to his children Use. 2. This serves for instruction 1 Acknowledge that all the wings which the Woman hath for her preservation are from the Lord and a free gift of his mercy Psal. 3. ult Salvation is the Lords and besides him is no Saviour He is not only the Sonne in the peace of the Church but the sheild in her trouble Psal. 84. If then we have meanes of good ascribe them and the glory of them to God not to our owne industry policy forecast or endeavours Neither have Saints Angells Prophets Apostles Virgins Martyrs any wings for us to hide us under But this point we prosecuted at large in the beginning of the tenth verse 2 In all our dangers to fly under the shadow of these wings as David prayed Psal. 17. 8. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings For First Here is a strong and sure hold for safety the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run to it are saved no power can scale it no stratagem can win it Secondly other creatures being pursued fly to their dennes and neasts in earth but the Churches hiding place is in heaven Psal. 32. 7. Thirdly God therefore acquaints his children with dangers to chase them under his wing for as the henne sometimes calls the chickes but they come not but if a kite or hawke be above them then they run under her even so never do the Saints more desirously runne under these wings then when they are most frighted by wicked men Iacob afraid of Esaâ— runs under them David pursued by Saul runnes apace under them and composeth that Psalme Ne perdas Psal. 57. 2. In the shadow of thy wings will I trust till these stormes be overpast Fourthly God therefore gives us experience of the comfort of these wings that wee should run under them and do as the chicks who finding the comfort and cherishing of the wings still run under them Psal. 36. 8. Oh how great is thy goodnesse therefore the sonnes of men trust in the shadow of thy wings and Psal. 61. 5. Because thou hast beene my refuge I will seeke protection under thy wings Have wee in the Church and Land had such experienced safety under the wing of God against the Spaniards in 88. in the gunpouder treason in the safe and happy returne of our Prince in all which wee were given as lost let us still run under the same wings 3 Though wee see not wings presently to escape danger and trouble yet let us depend upon the Lord who in due time will supply them Abraham had them not till the third day nor saw them till he was in the Mount even in his deepest triall and then the Lord gave him wings of deliverance Israel saw no wings till he was in the bottome of the Sea and in the deeps and then the Lord afforded these two wings of a great Eagle for their deliverance Seest thou no meanes as yet wayte still perhaps thou art not yet deepe enough but in the deepest sorrows wings shal be supplyed Ionas sees none in the deepe till the third day nor our Lord himselfe the true Ionas 4 Be sure that all the wings and meanes of safety bee given thee of God that they be lawfull warrantable and good be sure they be allowed and ordained of God for he gives no other Be able to say as Abraham to his sonne My sonne God will provide a sacrifice If we want wings Satan would have us make stones bread Esau wanting wings will make himselfe a paire by selling the birthright for present maintenance Saul wants wings of escape and provides them from the witch of Endor and from her takes advice and helpe Nay Peter in the sight of Christ if he want wings to fly out of danger will make him two wings to save himselfe by by denying and forswearing his Master Gehezi will get wings by lying and deceiving and so do many Tradesmen But these wings are not given of God but of the devill Against all such unjust and impious meanes wee must hold the resolution of those godly men If the Lord should forsake us wee will not do this I will not seeke to the devill nor to the witch I will never owne the wings and meanes which come by lying swearing deceiving Sabbath-breaking I
will use the wings of faith and confidence of prayer and patience the wings of piety and holinesse and these weake wings of mine shall leane upon the strong wing of God til his appointed time and deliverance come 5 Learne when it is lawfull to fly in persecution namely when God hath given wings to fly withall but the woman must not fly before she have wings When thou hast wings thou mayest use them Quest. How shall wee get wings to fly from danger Answ. 1. Become Eagles and you shall have Eagles wings so Christ calleth the godly Luk. 17. 37 Eagles First To fly aloft and lift up our neasts even in the rocke converse and dwell in heaven and there hide our selves Secondly To be of sharpe and strong sight to see our meat a farre off to fetch the promises from farre and feed on them as present to behold Gods face in Christ cleared as the sunne in his strength by the Eagle-eye of our Faith Thirdly Not to be wearie of flying or faint in wayting but renew our strength as the Eagle Psal. 103. and goe and grow from strength to strength Fourthly Where the body is thither to resort Luk. 17. 37. follow after Christ and frequent the places and meanes where he is preached fly after him by holy thoughts and desires ascending to heaven where he is 2 To get wings to fly danger be sure of a commandement and warrant as Ioseph for the safety of Christ his wife and himselfe Mat. 2. and as Elias fly for thy life into the wildernesse when thou art sent First heare that voice Get out of her my people and that Esa. 26. 20. Get thee into the chamber my people till the storme be over 3 Fly to God by earnest prayer He that wanteth wings to fly to God wanteth wings to fly danger First get the wings of a Dove to fly to GOD and then shalt thou get the wings of an Eagle Psal. 55. 6. 4 Fly from sin by the wings of repentance and godly sorrow Thus Iohn Baptist commanded the Jewes to fly from judgment to come Mat. 3. 7 8. This is the way to fly present wrath else thy flight will be to little purpose flying froÌ„ a Lyon thou meetest with a Beare and it is like the flight of Amaziah 2 King 14 19. who fled but death met him in his flight From the presence of the dragon This is the second generall in the verse Quest. How can the woman fly from him whose throne is in al places being the god of the world and himselfe every where compassing the whole earth And if she fly any where among wicked men it is but to fly from the divel to the devill her state is not bettered Besides is she so swift to fly that the divell cannot overtake her Answ. This flight from the dragon is not in respect of place and bodily motion but in respect of state and condition so as here wee must not understand a change of place but a change of condition and ornaments 2 It is not an absolute avoyding of the dragons presence for both he and his army ever compasse the Saints but it is respective namely from his deadly power in persecuting as when the power of tyrants is so restained that they cannot reach and overtake the Saints to murther and destroy them as formerly in the dayes of heathen Emperors 3 The woman could never fly from Satans temptation or molestation but by this flight might did avoyd the serpents face that is open persecution and tyranny as Paul was saved from the mouth of the Lion Nero. 2 Tim. 4. 17. The sense then is that the Church was now more safe from open persecution and oppression than before called here the face of the dragon as they that fled out of Jerusalem Act. 8. 1. fled not from the temptation of the devill but from the reach of the high Priests Object But you say that the Text and this flight is to bee understood of the times of Antichrist and was there ever more horrible spoyle and tyrannie against the Saints and faithfull Christians than all that time was ever the dragons face more furious than in Antichristian religion which never met with any godly man of any degree whom they spared Answ. Antichristianisme being contrary to Christianity must bee most cruell and fierce as that is most meeke and peaceable so was it ever an Apollyon and destroyer of Gods Saints but First not in open profession of hostility against Christ as the Imperiall dragons the Antichristian dragon is as fierce but he hides his face and under a colourable pretext and profession of Christ destroies Christ and Christian profession Antichrist comes not like a Turk with a flag of defiance against Christ but like an Herodian pretending his worship intendeth his murther Secondly for the time of the blacknesse of Popery though they persecuted to death all the Professors of the true religion whom God had set out in the severall ages to witnesse his truth and to confirme the rest of the Saints yet the Lord hid most of the Saints from their rage and fury the intentions of Antichristian enemies were bloody and tyrannous but the Lord by preserving his Church caused them to faile in execution because hee kept them from the face and knowledge of the dragon and saved them from the mouth of the Lyon experience hereof was manifest in Queene Maries dayes in the Massacre of 1572 and Gunpowder treason Into the wildernesse Hither doth the woman flie and it is called her place appointed her by God for her safety Of this wildernesse wee have spoken at large Verse 6. and will now onely note this lesson that the woman The true Church is not alwayes glorious but alwayes safe She is not alwayes glorious and externally conspicuous to the world For sometime she is hid in the wildernesse in an afflicted and sorrowfull condition Was not the Church hid and obscure when as cleare an eye as Elias could not see it yet were 7000. reserved was shee not hid and inglorious in Christs time in a few obscure persons Ioseph Mary Simeon a few shepheards fishers women Publicanes and other meane despised persons persecuted excoÌ„municated by the Priests Scribes Pharises and Elders of the people Was not the Church obscure under the heathen Emperours when the Pastors were slaine the Churches spoiled the Scriptures of God burned no Christian suffered to live no sooner was any knowne but accused no sooner accused but condemned and executed In the ages next to them the whole world wondred to see it selfe so suddenly become an Arrian aâ—d that there were in the world scarce five Catholike Bishops who durst shew themselves in that age Where was now the glory of the Church Hilary a Bishop in France living in those times about the yeare 370 tels us where then we might finde the Church If any would finde the Church saith hee it must
still in the Temple of God neither is the woman yet got out of the wildernesse Neither doth this time begin presently after the revelation of it for there must come betweene the womans dwelling in heaven the cloathing of her with the Sunne the Crowne of twelve Starres the treading of the Moone under foot the assault of the dragon the birth of the manchilde the foyling of the dragon and after all these the flight as wee have heard and all these are not done on a sudden but require many hundred yeares for their effecting 5. Propos. If it cannot bee knowne certainly unto us à priori who have not seene the accomplishment and conclusion of this Prophecie yet it shall bee knowne to the Church à posteriori as other parts of this divine Revelation are by the events and performance Some godly men have conjectured à priori and set downe their opinions which how farre they carry truth time will discover I will onely alleadge three late Writers and leave their opinions to your consideration 1. Of Pareus who on Revel 11 2. saith if it were lawful for him to conjecture hee would say this terme might begin in the yeare 606. when Boniface 3. gate up into the chaire of pestilence and then it must end in anno 1866. but that of this terme saith he God will cut off some for the Elects sake 2. Of Moulin a French Writer in the booke intituled The accomplishment of the Prophecies dedicated to his Majesty who begins the time in the yeare when the Pope laid the foundation of his temporall Empire anno 75 5. to which number if ye add these 1260. yeares of this Hierarchicall Kingdome and Empire it must last to the yeare 2015. of Christ according to which reckoning it hath 391. yeares yet to come but that saith hee of this time some may be shortned for the Elects sake 3. Of learned Brightman who supposeth it to begin about the yeare of Christ 426. and to expire in the full account about the yeare 1686. yet these daies as neare as they be for the Elects sake may be shortned For on Chap. 19. 4. he tels Rome when shee kept a Jubilee 30 yeares ago that within a Jubilee of 50 yeares from thence shee should keepe a Jubilee not so much for her owne joy as the joy of all Gods people over her who shall rejoyce in her utter destruction and therefore shee had more need intend her funerals than Jubilees How true this is he knows who inspires his speciall servants Onely wee see greater likelihood of it every day than other The Lord hath said it wee must waite and pray him to hasten his owne worke for the joy and deliverance of the Church 6. Propos. In all these difficulties and differences among the most learned scarce one consenting with another in the period of entrance I add the last conclusion that the safest opinion of the most modest and learned is that a number finite is put for an indefinite and that this number is indefinite not that it is not certaine and defined to God but that it abides undefined as yet and uncertaine to us for the terme of beginning and expiration This is the judgement of the modest and learned Bishop Abbot in the 108. page of his demonstration against Antichrist It is the judgement of Bishop Cowper In this opinion rests that learned Pare us because he saith hee findes not a better nor safer To these agreeth To stanus and other the soundest of our Writers And in this the safest and soundest I also will rest Now to sundry Observations which wee have noted concerning the time on Verse 6. wee will briefly add these following 1. No sorrowes or afflictions can steale upon the Church but all are knowne foreseene and determined by God Here the woman chased into the wildernesse is knowne of her Lord the place provivided by him and shee in it provided for all the time Her state is hidden to the world retyred in her selfe but not hidden unto God but by him she is hidden in the chambers of his Providence during all this tyrannie and raigne of Antichrist In all our sorrowes and restraynts consider they are foreseene of God and we are not unseene in them Let us with Hagar in the wildernesse say Thou God seest mee Have I also looked after him that seeth me 2. God hath measured all the afflictions of the Church that although tyrants may disturbe and hinder pure religion by force and violence yet is it but for an appointed time Antiochus may interrupt Jewish religion and bring in Swines flesh into the Temple but it is but for three yeares and ten dayes a time times and piece of time Antichrist that great Apollyon may make havocke and â—â—ead under foot the holy city but it is but for 42. moneths a time times and halfe a time even three Propheticall yeares and an halfe Iezabel wasts the Church and causeth the Prophets to hide themselves in Caves and flie for their lives but it was but three yeares and an halfe in the letter The Jews may bury Christ in the grave rol a stone upon him and seale watch the sepulcher but they can keep him down only three dayes Know that what affliction soever thy selfe or any member or the whole Church sustaineth it is not endlesse neither shall the whole nor parts suffer one houre more then Gods wisdome hath assigned The proudest waves cannot passe those bounds and bankes which Gods power hath set them 3 All the sorrowes of the Saints are by Gods divine power overruled to their good and safety to preserve them from some present danger spirituall or temporall and to chase them under Gods hiding place as David Psalm 32. 7. Truly may the woman say Periissem nisi periissem I had not beene safe if perill had not driven mee into the wildernesse And did not the Lord see his Church safest in the wildernesse he would not suffer her hid there the greatest part of the time of the New Testament He over-ruleth death it self to be the greatest of al deliverances 4. In all the sufferings and oppressions of the woman this comfort abideth by the godly that shee is not left of God nor destitute of his presence nor of his Providence for supply nor without a promise of deliverance nor without faith of the accomplishment nor without a joyfull assurance that the time of this oppression is not farre from expiration Verse 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a â—lood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood THE woman chased out of sight being now in the wildernesse in a close and secret dispersion in corners But this contents not the dragon that shee is out of sight because she yet is and hath a beeing he is still unquiet because she is not brought to utter havock and confusion he would afford her no roome in
and that he could not worke wisely enough to destroy them did he not see that the more violent he was the more God tooke their part and followed him with most mighty and dreadfull plagues and did not himselfe confesse those plagues from God and most just on his owne particular sinne did not his servants aske him if he would see all Aegypt destroyed before he would let them go Exod. 10. 7. Yet would he not desist but runne on in mischiefe against them till irrecoverable mischiefe overtooke himselfe The malice of the Jews against Christ was such as nothing could satisfie them but his blood no meanes nor cheâ—kes could hinder them his innocency did shine before them as the sunne never man spake so by the confession of his enemies his miracles were divine and undeniable Yet they consent to compasse his death they send meÌ„ to apprehend him when they come he strikes them all to the ground with one word yet they go on When he came before the Judge the Judge cleares him and washeth his hands from innocent blood yet they goe on and the more sparkes and flames of innocency and grace shine in him the more violent they grew and call his blood on themselves and their children for ever 1 The devill and all wicked men make up but one dragon and are all of the same disposition No child is so like the father as a wicked man is like his father the devill Both have this one property that no ill successe can make them give over their ill courses When the dragon set upon Christ himselfe and was foyled in one temptation he left him not when he was confounded in a second he left him not but renewed a third when he was unprosperous in all three he left him not but for a season Such also is the malice of his members against the members of Christ. If they faile in one course of mischiefe they hope to prevaile in another and no stone will they leave unturned to worke out their mischiefe against the godly 2 There is in both a restlesnesse in evill to which both of them are carryed with full sayle Pro. â— their feet run to evill and they make hast to mischiefe they cannot sleepe till they have done it See this restlesse disposition of wicked men in the Sodomites against Lot they cannot sleepe till they have done their villany they are all night about it When Lot perswades them to desist they are farther off and more violent now must Lot looke to himselfe When the Lord from heaveÌ„ smites them with blindnesse both great small a man would have thought they should have thought it high time to sit downe Yet they resist God resisting them and will not give over but still seeke the doore 3. In both head and members is such a fulnesse of poison that they have an affection and endeavour to do mischiefe above their strength their wills being infinitely evil and though their power be restrained and their armes shortned yet their wills are not changed or abated And therefore whatsoever mischiefe they fall short of by want of power they still supply by readinesse and forwardnesse of will to attempt the same or some other project as mischievous 4 It is by the just judgment of God that such creatures are left to themselves and ruled by the will of the devill whereby it comes to passe that no meanes of counsell perswasionâ— or restraint never so powerfull in themselves shall any whit prevayle with them vnlesse to stirre up their corruption the more Consider it in Iudas a secret enemie of Christ what gracious meanes had he in Christs presence and family he shaw Christs innocency heard his powerfull doctrine was an eye witnesse of his miracles was advanced into Apostleship made a Preacher of the Gospell by Christ betrusted as the steward of his house are bread at his table dipped in the same dish was admonished of his fact by Christs owne predictioÌ„ yet how unfruitful were all these unhappy meanes how weake to restraine him till he had betrayed his Lord and dearely earned the price of blood both his Lords and his owne See hence the pedigree and progenie of many men discovered who shew themselves the naturall issue of the dragon 1 Such as are authors of lyes and flaunders These streames of lyes and slaunderous reproaches flow forth of the mouth of the dragon As when men turne themselves out of their callings and have little else to do and know little other discourse but to reproach and slaunder men till they have filled the towne and country with lyes and slaunders incited thereto either by envy at the prosperity of others or from secret grudge or for some fraudulent purposes or from wilfulnesse and set purpose if they cannot prevaile with true things they will with false if they may All such raisers and devisers of scandalls and false surmises are the very mouth of the dragon and of their father the devill 2 Others that revile the innocent and speake evill of just and godly men whom they ought to praise and honour accounting it their honour to contend and to overcome in contention and glory to sweel as a fierce streame to carry them quite away if they might 3 Others who reproach and scoffe at goodnesse it selfe and at the way of God desirous to drowne the truth under termes of heresie singularity and folly All these cast out their foame scum and froth of a naughty and dragon-like disposition Againe men unappeasable and restlesse in their malice as the waves of a violent sea or flood the breaking of one wave is but the matter of another one deepe here cals another Papists see their treasons and wicked enterprises miraculously crossed and themselves confounded by God as the dragon here but yet never give over devising the overthrow of true religion Others carry their malice many yeares against innocent and just men All men but themselves see them crossed and shamed in their attempts yet not considering the Lords cover and protectioÌ„ over his servants go on as if they had but new begun Others guided by the same spirit wish they could raise a flood to drowne all good men at once they cannot abide one good man neare them but hate all the generation of the just Were they once rid of them had none neare them but such as themselves they were at ease Here is the dragon ready to carry away the woman Members of Christ sonnes of this woman must looke for floods of tribulation and trialls as dangerous as deepe as plentifull as incessant and fierce as a mighty flood or full sea threatning to carry all away before it For 1 So long as wicked men are restlesse in their wrongs wee may not thinke this our resting place But so restlesse are they that they cannot but go on to extremity of mischiefe Nothing serves the dragon but drowning Hence is it that the
yeares No Antichrists rage and floods might cause her to hide her head for that time but could not drowne her Againe here is a direction for Beleevers in extreme dangers 1 Get to the rocke beleeve in Jesus Christ by faith become a member of his body Against this rocke the gates of hell cannot prevaile and therefore a Christian built on this rocke cannot miscarry Men on a rocke are safe in high floods when houses are driven downe and men and cattell drowned Get thee to this rocke and then though the floods of wickednesse may make thee afraid yet shal they not hurt thee Psal. 18. 4. and 46. 1. 3. 2 Leane upon the power of God who can make waters stand as dry land and not flow till his people be passed over Art thou ready to faint to sinke to despaire of ever swimming out of the floods behold this power it can make iron swim 2 King 6. 6. and if thou beest in thy selfe as heavie in the floods as iron say as in Psal. 93. 4. The waves of the sea are marvellous but the Lord is more mighty 3 Cleave to the word of God which applyeth this power and makes it thine owne God hath set his powerfull word on the sea and floods and set barres and dores unto them and sayd Hitherto shall ye come and ye shall lift up your proud waves no further Againe he hath set over and passed his word unto thee for thy security Christs word makes Peter walke safely on the waters Waite on his word which only can make a great calme If thou losest this security thou canst not but sinke in thy troubles as David had it not beene for thy Law I had perished in my trouble And further if this word were weake he hath sworne to thee Esa. 54. 9. that as the waters of Noah shall never go more over the earth to drowne it so he will nevet be so angry as to cast thee into the floods to drowne thee 4 Keepe Christ in the ship awaken him with thy prayers cry to him as the Disciples O Master save us wee perish He walkes on the waters and will make thee so to do also Hee may seeme to sleepe till thou beest dashed threatned and ready to sinke but he will awaken in time and rebuke the windes and seas and make a present or seasonable calme Next in that the earth holpe the woman learne that the Church hath often helpe where she least expects it The earth is the dragons owne bounds for he was cast into the earth yet this earth affords helpe and safety to the woman against the dragon Israel at the sea environed with monntaines enemies and floods was by the sea saved from the sea whence they expected to be swallowed up The same sea that threatneth to swallow Israel saves Israel Could Daniel expect safety by the Lions from the Lions Could Ionah expect helpe from the devouring sea by the devouring Whale Could the three children expect safety from the fire by the fire 1 The Lord being the Lord of hosts hath all creatures in heaven and earth to command for the helpe and safety of his Church and hath made a league betweene them and his people for peace and ayde for warre defensive and offensive against their enemies 2 Things which are impossible to men are possible to God and therefore he worketh above al the power of nature and beyond the reach of reason and nothing can hinder his counsell or hand Zech. 8. 6. It seemed as impossible for Israel to be brought backe to a glorious estate in Jerusalem from captivity as dead men to be brought out of their graves but though this be impossible in the eyes of the remnant of the people of those dayes should it be therefore impossible in my sight saith the Lord of hosts 3 The Lord most magnifieth his wisdome when he helpeth by most unknowne and unlikely meanes for now he sheweth he hath a reach beyond the creature and what we cannot see or oversee he foreseeth for us It was an unknowne meanes proper to Omnipotency to dry up the sea for Israels passage It was an unknowne meanes beyond the creatures reach to suspend the fire from burning persons and things combustible applyed to it It was an unknown and unexpected meanes to feed Israel in the wildernesse with a dayly harvest not from earth but from heaven The dragon and Antichrist have not so many devises and reaches to offend the Woman as the Lord hath wayes to overreach them and defend his Church 4 The Lord magnifies his mighty power when he sends helpe by contrary meanes which of al other are most unlikely as here by the earth for here he brings most helpe whence is indeed most danger As when earthly and carnall-minded men intending the cleane contrary procure helpe and peace to the Church Thus the Lord helped David out of Sauls hands by the Philistimes as deadly enemies to David as Saul was Thus he helped Moses out of the water by Pharaohs daughter no lesse enemie to Israel then Pharaoh himselfe Thus when Zedekiah was taken his eyes put out and himselfe bound prisoner into Babell Ieremy being in prison must be helped out and by whom but by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel and Nebuzaradan his chiefe steward in al appearance as great enemies to Ieremy as to King Zedekiah Ier. 40 1. 2. And rather then Paul shal be killed and have no helpe God will save him by one in likelyhood fitter to kill him then they even the chiefe Captaine Act. 21. 32. And how often was he helped by Felix Festus Agrippa men open enemies to Christ And how often did the Lord stirre up earthly instruments such as Cyrus Ebed-melech Gamaliel whose power and policy he used for the drying up of the floods risen and swelling against the Church A notable instance we have in Dan. 1. 10. What great favour and tender love God gave Daniel and his fellows from Ashpenaz an heathen and enemie and how God overruled his speach to Daniel that while he thought no such thing he secretly implyed the true way whereby Daniel and his fellowes should attaine their desire If you looke worse I shall lose my head then said Daniel put this to the triall ten dayes and so obtained their wish Note hence the justice of God upon the earth and earthly enemies of the Church They minde by raysing floods to drowne the Church but themselves must drinke up those floods to the drowning of themselves The woman flyes out of Aegypt into the wildernesse Pharaoh meanes to drowne her in the red sea but the earth must helpe her for earthly Pharaoh himselfe and all his earthly company drinke up the flood for her and she escapes it Thus comes Hamanâ— devise upon his owne head his gallowes catch himselfe Thus the gunpowder blew up the plotters and layers but not one for whom it was layd Thus the enemies drink as
Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the testimony of any man Ioh. 5. 33. Answ. Christ is true God and his truth is the truth of God infallible more certaine and firme then al mens testimony And it were very unworthy that infinite should need finite or infallible should need fallible or that the author of truth should need authority from men In this sense Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the witnesse of any man as necessarie to himselfe or for his own part but that they might be saved partly for the weaknesse of men who cannot come to understand divine things without mens testimony or ministery and partly for their salvation which by men he promoteth He useth Iohns witnesse and calleth for the witnesse of the meanest beleever Now the reasons why every one of the remnant must give witnesse to Christ are these 1 Nothing that wee can do can more honor God and Iesus Christ then this Rom. 4. 21. Abraham was strong in faith and gave glory to God What or wherein can wee give greater glory to God then when our faith giveth him a witnesse of his great power truth and goodnesse even contrary to sense and reason as Abraham did 2 Nothing can more honour our selves then to be vouchsafed witnesses to God testifying his truth and the excellency of Gods holy religion both in word and conversation Were it not a great honour for a great Prince to call a meane subject to be a witnesse on his side for the opening of a truth that nearly in honour concernes him But this honor have all the Saints it being the office and function of the whole Church to be the ground and piller of truth the upholder and maintainer of that truth which upholdeth the honor of God himselfe What an honor was it that the Lord called in the whole Church of the Iewes to be witnesses on his side Esa. 43. 10. against all the heathens to testifie of his Omniscience in predictions of things to come which their gods could not do and of his Omnipotency in admirable workes done for them in the wildernesse in the sea in the land of his singular goodnesse and providence in innumerable mercies wherein they were advanced above all people of the earth Did the Lord need them to witnesse no but it was their honour to be vouchsafed such grace that whereas all the heathens witnessed to their idolls they of all people on the earth witnessed and celebrated the great and noble acts of God done among them 3 Nothing makes us liker to Christ our head that true and faithfull witnesse this was his speciall office to witnesse the truth as the redeemer of mankinde and the author of truth Ioh. 18. 37. For this cause was I borne and came into the world that I might testifie of the truth Even so every member of Christ is borne into the Church and commeth into the world of Beleevers to give witnesse unto the truth as being taught in the truth and as the redeemed of the Lord. 4 As nothing can make us liker to God so nothing is better pleasing unto God God the Father hath often and sundry wayes testified unto his Son First Sensibly and audibly in his baptisme and transfiguration also that he was the son of his love who had all his love cast upon him Secondly By the internall revelation of his Spirit in the hearts of beleevers as to Peter Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed this but my Father in heaven Thirdly and especially by the mission ministery of the Son himselfe Ioh. 3. 33. he that receiveth his testimony fealeth that God is true for he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God If wee desire to be like God or to please God we must herein imitate him as deare children Which serves for the reproofe of such as are afraid or ashamed of this testimony contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 8. Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Many will not testifie to Christ among poore men some because great men resist it some are afraid of the strictnesse of it some of the crosses some of the scornes of it and most because this witnesse would witnesse against their own contrary courses and men of little faith are dejected in small matters But such Christ wil be ashamed of in the day of his appearing and shall witnesse against them that he never knew them Such also are condemned as do contest against the witnessing of Christ. The world is full of false witnesses such as were suborned against Christ as First all false teachers that father that on Christ which he never spake as Papists or others that deny any article of faith and Christian Religion so the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not againe we are false witnesses So to teach the doctrine of mans merit of free-will to good image-worship or the like is to be a false witnesse against Christ himselfe Secondly all unbeleevers that receive not this testimony whether such as scorne to heare the witnesses of Christ if they dislike the person they will none of the witnesse loth to drinke good wine because they like not the dish or such as heare sometime but beleeve not the witnesse this infidelity makes God a liar so farre as a wicked man can 1 Ioh. 5. 11. Thirdly such as contest against his witnesses to elevate their testimony for as in the dayes of his flesh there wanted not such as witnessed against himselfe in person that he was a drunkard a devill a friend to Publicans and sinners an enemie to Caesar a blasphemer so for the same end to weaken the authority of his witnesses there never wanted such as would witnesse against Iob that he was an hypocrite that Paul was a pestilent fellow a moover of sedition a preacher of false doctrin unworthy to live And can the devill devise so foule accusations or so slaunderous which his agents will not boldly urge against the witnesses of Christ to whose innocency godlinesse God himselfe witnesseth This also serveth to comfort 1 Poore Christians despised in the world God honors the poorest Beleever to be a witnesse to his truth and a poore mans testimony is as good even in mens Courts as a rich but much more before Gods tribunall 2 Such as suffer for this testimony losses reproaches and the contempt of the world Even wee lovingly respect such as suffer for their love to us in upholding our truth and innocency and much more doth the Lord see the promise for incouragement Mat. 19. 29. It is also a word of instruction that we frame and fit our selves to this witnesse Quest. How may that be Answ. To a good testimony is required a good witnesse and to a good witnesse must concurre these five things 1 Knowledge and certaine perswasion of the truth to which we are to testifie When Christ was to raise up witnesses to the truth of the Gospell he would have them his owne
engineir against the Saints I. 1 Stratagem is to intercept victuall from the Christian souldier 1 By hindring preachers 2 By hindring men from comming to heare 3 By hindring the hearing being come He stealeth the word 3 waies 3. 4 By intercepting it froÌ„ the heart and life 4. waies II. 2 Stratagem to disarme us 2 waies 2. How Satan turneth our own weapons against our selves As our graces And Gods word 2. waies III. 3 Stratagem is to breake our ranks in our duties 1 Of our generall calling 2 Of our speciall calling IV. 4 Stratagem is to dissemble a flight 3. instances V 5 Stratagem by light skirmishes get great advantages Motives to avoid small and secret sins The 6. stratagem of the 7. heads Satan sprea deth false feares concerning mens estates Foure instances I. II. And concerning their actions Foure instances Vse I. Serpentine wisdome is in fourethings Nâ—mo enim celerius oppâ—imitur quam qâ—irihil aut paruÌ„ timet hostisque stâ—enuitatem ignorat 2. 3. 1 Sam. 21. 14. 4. Christians must walke as wisely as warrantably Meanes to get this serpÄ›tine wisedome 5. Wherein is the practise of true wisdome Wee must not only do good but be wise to do good Vse 3. Comforts against the depths of Satan 5. 1. 2 3. 1 Joh. 4. 4. 5. 1 What is meant here by ten hornes II. Of the number of ten hornes Doct Hurtfull men to the Church are as hurtfull beasts to men Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. How the world addeth strength to the hornes The Lord suffereth these hornes for five ends Vse 1. Witnesse the most outragious and savage cruelty of Papists against Magdiburge this 1631. 2 Cor. 4. 9. and 6. 9. The Church cannot bee overcome by ten thousand hornes 1 Because their great power is limited by a greater 2. It is set against God 3. The woman hath a more mighty horne of salvation 4 God hath 4. Carpenters to scatter the 4. hornes 1. Turneth them one against another We must despaire of our strength And fly to the strength of God As also confederate with God Vse II. Enemies not to lift their hornes so high Foure Reasons I. 2. 3. 4. By seven crownes what is meant Doct. Luke 11. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2 Tim. 2. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The dragon exerciseth Princedome 1. Spiritually Three wayes Rom. 6. 17. Rom. 6. 13. 2. Corporally Reas. 1. The dragons power contrary to Christs Sixe instances Reas. 2. Satans subtilty in getting his heads crowned Reas. 3. The sinnes of the Church often crowne the dragon Deut. â—8 13. Reas. 4. Use. 1. Rom. 6. 20. Signes of such as uphold the dragoÌ„s crown and dignity 1 Enemies to the motions and perswasions of the Spirit 2 Walke according to the course of the world 3 Beleevers of lies 3. 4 Persecutors of godly men Vse II. True Church not alwayes discernable by externall splendor Reas. 3 Vse III. The Church not inferiour to her crowned enemies 1. Not in her person 2. Not in her head 3. Not in her lowest estate 1 Pet. 4. 15. Vse IIII. Rev. 13. 8. Vse V. Wee must learne to sit and hold the crowne on Christs head 1. Cast ' downe thy crowne at his feet 2. Set up his thâ— one in thy soule 3. Take the oath of allegeance to Christ. 4. Resist the dragons incroachments upon Christ. Iude 6. Pastors of the Church called starres why Starres fall from heaven to earth Three wayes 1. In Iudgement 2. In affection 3. In practice By the dragons tayle what is meant Cauda est 1. Naturalis pars animaâ—is Exo. 4. 4 2 Metaphorica Deut. 18 15. pro ignobili imbecilli vili 3. Mystica Apoc 9. 10. in hoc loco False Prophets called the Taile in 4. respects The best interpietation of a prophesie i the accomplishment of it In that fourth persecution under Antoninus Verus Revel 6. 5. All the starres not cast downe Three Reasons Ecclesia est cor mundi primum vivens ultimum moriens The chiefe aime of the dragon is to cast down the starres How many starres in the Romish church were cast downe Reason Luke 10. 17. Reas. 2. Reas. 3 Reas. 4. Reas. 5. Use. 1. How the stars may prevent their casting downe by five practices Vse II. Prayer for our Ministers how prevaleÌ„t Eph. 6. 20. Use III. Vse IIII. Vse V. Comfort to the shining starres 4. Grounds Doct. II. The dragon cannot cast downe all the â—ars but only 〈◊〉 part Rev. 8. 4. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Mediators not meritorious as Christ but ministeriall Nazianzen Reas. 5. Many wayes the Lord can and doth defeat the dragon 7. Instances Act. 23. 6. Pro. 16. 7. Use. 1. Vse II. No prevailing against the Saints till 1. God permit 2. Gods time is come 3. Their work be done Use III. Vse IIII. Ier. 11. 19. Acts 18 10. Ier. 20. 11. Starres needfull in a darke night The dragon standeth before the woman Satan assaults the childe in the birth 3. Reasons Doct. The dragon hindreth good things in their beginning 5. Reasons Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reason 4. Reas. 5. How many wayes Satan windeth himselfe to keepe men in their naturall estate Use. 1. Satan defireth no sharper weapon then our owne security In watching against Satan observe three Rules Rule 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Vse II. Use III. No calling or condition can secure a good man from opposition How a man may discerne the dragon standing before him Acts 16. 20. 18. 13. 6. Rules to withstand the dragon Rule 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Rule 5. Rule 6. Meaning Some allusion betweene Christ and the man-childe Christ not meant by this man-childe Five Reasons * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 11. 16. Rulers and Princes taken up to the Throne of God Who meant by the man-childe Why the manchilde is not to be meant of one singular person Doct. The dragons watch cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth the manchild Reas. 1. Gods decree is stable Reas. 2. Gods truth Reas. 3. Gods power Reason 4. Gods care Use. 1. II. The dragon cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth sonnes to defend the truth Nor from bringing forth Children in grace Rev. 14. 6. Rev. 3. 8. Vse II. Vse III. Meanes Doct. 11. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reas. 4. Vse I. Vse II. Felix qui quod amat aras videlicet focos defendere fortiter audet Observ. I. Reas. 1. Vse I. Observ. II. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Use I. Vse II. Iosh. 1. 8. Deut. 17. 18. Vse III. Fulmen est ubi cum potestate habitat iracundia Observ. 3. Use I. Vse II. Doct. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reason 4. Reas. 5. Bellar. de Eccle. lib. 3. c. 13. de Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 14. Conclus I. Conclus 2. Conclus 3. Use. I. Vse II. Use III. Vse IIII. Ier. 12. 10. Doct. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse I. Vse II. Use III. Use. 1. Use II. Vse III. Iacula facilius exâ—ipiuntur
in common but not in respect of invisible bands and grace in any particular member 3. They may prevaile for a time to molest many members of the Church but never finally to waste and destroy the whole Church 4. They may prevaile in temporals by which GOD will not have the peace and victory of the Church measured but can never prevaile against the salvation and sound grace of any member 5. Let us not be daunted at the forces and winnings of Antichrist nor stand amazed at his strength I say confidently could wee be daunted at our owne sinnes which are his strength of all enemies wee need least feare him for 1. Hee is sentenced to destruction Gods curse hath blasted him 2. Our Michael hath merited and atchieved victory over him and hath begun it in us by detecting him and though he give us not victory all at once yet he will not give him over till he have utterly abolished him 3 Antichrist is strong and mighty but 1. It is but for the time of his reprieve which time of God when it commeth Gideon and an handfull of men shall prevaile against an host of Mideanites lying like grasse on the ground Iudg. 7. 12. 2 All his power shall turne against him 3 The Church is still stronger than he for they are strongest with whom the Lord is who wants no Armies or Hosts of Creatures to save or smite by 4. Antichrist gets no victory which he shall hold God may by him bring the Church low to teach them dutie and then raise them againe as Israel can learne that in Babylon which they cannot in Sion but Babel must be destroyed and the King of Babel stript naked to Gods wrath for ever so of this Westerne and spirituall Babylon and the head thereof they shall all goe into perdition Now this is a ground of consolation to all true-hearted Christians both in respect of the Church in generall and in respect of their owne speciall condition For the Church in generall no attemps of the dragon and his Angels can overthrow the Church of God Zech. 12. 3. Shee is an heavy stone to lift at if all the people of the earth bee gathered against her they shall onely teare themselves in pieces and how can it be otherwise for 1. They have the power and favour of the King for them and what subject dare stand out against them And blessed is that people whose GOD is the Lord Psal. 144. 15. for though none be so assaulted none are so protected none so victorious 2. So long as the Lords counsell must stand the Church cannot fall Prov. 19. 21. many devises are in lewd mens hearts but the counsell of the Lord must stand who thinkes thoughts of peace and safety to his people 3. So long as the Lord breakes the counsell of the heathen and enemies and ruleth in the midst of his enemies we need not much feare the plots the power the pride the hopes of wicked mē who wait upō lying vanities they may consult against the life of the innocent but til the time be come wherein God cals forth his servants to glorifie him in suffering they cannot touch a haire of their heads they may vow not to eate nor drinke till they have slaine Paul Acts 23. 22. but they could not touch him as they did with the Head so may they with the body they tooke counsell to cast him downe an hill but hee made void their counsell and found a way to passe through the midst of them all for his time was not come Luke 4. 30. 4. In the greatest confusions of the earth when the very foundations seeme to be cast downe and the wicked seeme to carry all and say we have prevailed yet now while they have the Church under they cannot hold it under but now faith prevailes and gloriously riseth unto victory could they hold under our Head or hinder his powerfull resurrection no more can they the happy resurrection of the Church out of the grave of death and darknesse but after two dayes hee will revive it and in the third day he will raise it Hos. 6. 2. The dry and dead bones scattered shall live and bee covered with sinewes and flesh and skinne which lay drie and dispersed in the open field of their captivity Ezek. 37 6. and therefore as our Head triumphed gloriously over the grave and death so doth his Church even in the greatest afflictions Mica 7. 8. Rejoyce not against me O mine enemie though I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall bee a light unto mee The Church denies not but she may be cast downe but not cast off she denies not but she may sit in the darke but not without all light shee denies not but that God himselfe may afflict her and shee feele his wrath because she hath sinned but onely for a time till hee come to put a difference betweene her and the enemies and then the scoale shall be changed the enemies shall come into her place and shall be covered with shame and trodden as the mire in the street that is utterly confounded and despised How hath the Lord commented this our Text and observation in all the Countries round about us What hath the Spanish Inquisition which hath consumed many thousands of the Saints destroyed the Church No it hath but watred it with blood and the devillish cruelty of it hath made them an hatefull nation in all the parts of the world Did their French Massacre destroy all as they thought when thirty thousand Protestants were murdered against all lawes oathes and promises no here were the boughs lopped but the root remained and within few monthes so sprouted that a mighty army in defence of the Protestants drew that mighty King to such dishonourable conditions of peace as he never enjoyed To come to our selves In the yeare 88. when the great Armado came which the proud enemy called the inuincible Navie to destroy the mother and children and to bring to utter desolation both the Church and kingdome and take possession of all could they conquer yea though their treachery was not lesse than their power and their advantage no lesse upon an unprovided people deluded at that time by their pretensed propositions of peace No but as they came out one way against God so God chased them an hundred wayes and made their confusion the stupor and admiration of all the world In the yeare 1605. when our Romish Babylonians prepared that infernall furnace to destroy the name and mention of our religion and to turne all into a popish Chaos and confusion as neare as they were what effected they did not Gods power and Gods curse upon them and their wicked counsels overtake them in their hellish enterprises against his owne religion who ever saw Hamans device more sensibly falling upon his owne head When the Aegyptians saw Gods power against them in their enterprises against Israel they could confesse the Lord
fought for Israel against the Aegyptians Exod. 14. 25. and a great multitude of sundry sorts of people went out of Aegypt with them chapt 12. 3â— and many strangers seeing Gods power and grace with his people returned with them out of Babylon Why doe not our Romanists so but runne out further and by greater multitudes It is to be feared that God hath appointed such to destruction as Pharaohs servants said to him Exod. o 7. Wilt thou first know that all Egypt is destroyed c. yea it cannot be in the dayes of such light and detection of Antichrist especially in these countries so furnished with meanes of knowledge that any can anew bee carried quite away with the efficacie of seduction but such as whose names are not written in the booke of life Rev. 3. 8. Now more specially for particular members the same comfort is specially to be applyed to them for neither shall the dragon ever prevaile utterly against any sound Christian be he never so likely neither by temptation nor persecution I. Not by temptation for 1. It is impossible the Elect should bee totally seduced 2. Their head could not be overcome by temptation and is as able to uphold them as himselfe 3. There is an houre for the power of darknesse and after that comes light The Disciples may bee a long time tossed with waves and the ship full of water ready to sinke but Christ awakes seasonably and rebukes the storme and makes a calme 4. God leads no childe of his into temptation but he leads him out also II. Neither shall any persecution prevaile against them for 1. No persecution can separate us from the love of God sinne can no suffering Rom. 8. 35. nor 2. Hinder the joy to be revealed 2 Cor 4. 17. nay it cannot but further it for if wee suffer with him wee shall also raigne with him nor 3 Frustrate the promise that whosoever holds out to the end let his sufferings be what they will shall be saved nor 4. Barre out the presence and comfortable favour of God who in such times of extremity useth most familiarly to reveale himselfe both in the inward comforts of the Spirit above other times and in extraordinary outward favours answerable to their present estate Oh how had the dragons prevailed if they could have bolted and barred out the comforts of God from the Martyrs in their prisons and flames of fire The tyrant Nebuchadnezzar could not hinder the fourth like the Sonne of God from walking in the furnace 5. It cannot raze out the marke of God set on his servants before the persecution come whom if hee save not from the danger hee will save them in the danger Lastly it cannot deceive their expectation of a happy issue and deliverance yea even in those who are persecuted to the death their death is to them a full and finall deliverance from all sinne misery and enemies yea their death is but as a gate of life and a speedy entrance into the full possession of their heavenly Fathers whole estate sooner than the course of nature would have afforded them Our Lord and Head might not have the cup of death passe from him and yet was heard for he was passed happily through it into his glory and his body is as the burning bush but not consumed Let Chaffe feare the fire but not gold This of the first Vse II. Note here the happy estate of the true Beleever being stable and invincible both in grace and glory There is never a Beleever but hath or shall have obtained a noble victorie over Satan sinne death hell the world even in this life his faith now treads the dragon under his feet and carrieth in it a power superiour to the power of all the gates of hell Now our care must be to finde this victory begun in us already and follow the chase But how may we finde that we have prevailed over the dragon and begun this victory I answere by these notes First if we have proclaimed and doe maintaine the warre against the Kingdome of Satan and sinne by an undanted profession of Jesus Christ and by upholding and renewing the warre dayly against all unrighteousnesse within or without us but he is farre from victory that hath strucke a league with his owne sinnes 2. Marke If wee have gained some ground and beaten out the strong man out of some part of his holds and whereas hee keepeth foure holds especially in us in our mindes by ignorance in our wils by rebellion in our consciences by corruption in our life by loosnesse and disorder we may know him in part ejected if wee daily renew our mindes with sound knowledge if our wils be altered made of unwilling willing and pliant to Gods will if our consciences be pure tender and excusing us in the sight of God and if our whole course bee changed from the course of nature to the life of God and of grace Now we may conclude a great victory is atchieved against the dragon 3. Marke If we have spoyled him of his weapons or blunted them or turned them against himselfe Then we spoile him of his weapons when we crucifie the lusts of the flesh and mortifie our earthly members then we blunt them when wee strike upon them rules of Gods Word and oppose them with the lusts of the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. then wee turne his weapons against himselfe when our members are given up weapons of righteousnesse serving a renewed minde our thoughts are brought into the subjection of Christ and in our lives we practise cleane contrary to his motions and temptations 4. Marke If we uphold and advance the Scepter of Christ in our hearts that his Word rule us in all things as the lawes of the kingdome to whom wee professe our selves now subjects yea and if our selves be become by his anoynting kings to rule and sway over our thoughts wils and affections over-mastering our selves and those strong lusts which will be plotting rebellion raising mutinies against grace If we can call in and cherish the new aids and succours of grace daily by the constant and conscionable use of Gods holy ordinances the Word prayer and meditation by which wee are strengthened Now have wee attained a greater victory than if we could command kingdomes and such as gives us a comfortable assurance that we can never bee quite overcome shaken and molested we may bee but the dragon shall never recover his power and strength in us to hinder our salvation for hee that hath begun this good worke in us will finish it unto the day of Christ. Further if the dragon and his Angels prevaile not against any of Michaels Band or Army wee see hence the miserable estate of every one over whom the dragon doth prevaile who are hereby knowne and concluded not to belong unto Jesus Christ but to be excluded from his colours and company Object Oh God forbid any should bee rejected from Christ