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
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
CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER THE DRAGON OR Satans Downfall SHEWING The glorious Conquests of our SAVIOVR for his poore CHVRCH against the greatest Persecutors In a plaine and pithy Exposition of the twelfth Chapter of S. IOHNS REVELATION Delivered in sundry Lectures BY That late faithfull Servant of God THOMAS TAYLOR Doctor in Divinitie and Pastor of Aldermanbury LONDON Perfected and finished a little before his death Melior causa est corum qui Diabolum persequentem fugiunt quim qui praeeuntem sequuntur quia utilius est eum bostem habere quà m principem August LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. DAWLMAN at the signe of the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1633. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIP FVLL and others the worthy Inhabitants of Aldermanbury Parish LONDON All happinesse both in Earth and Heaven CHRISTIAN FRIENDS I Am I suppose a stranger to most of you unlesse peradventure you tooke notice of me in preaching the Sermon at the Funerall of your worthy Doctor the Author of this Booke and so I hope you will conceive that I present not this Worke unto you in mine own name but onely in behalfe of the Widow whose modestie permits her not to come in Print To you her worthy Friends Neighbours shee desires to have these Labors dedicated as to whom shee judgeth them most properly due and wisheth you the same profit and comfort in reading as did her deare Husband in preaching By faith Abel being dead yet speaketh faith the Apostle to the Hebrewes By faith also and these works of Faith doth your late worthy Pastor yet speake unto you and here while you reade you may imagine hee still calleth to Faith Obedience Repentance Growth in the Knowledge and Feare of GOD with all courage wisedome humilitie heavenly-mindednes and unblameableness of living His reward is now with the Lord whose hee was and whom he served His Name in the Church sweet and precious and ever will be while a Church remaines on earth to worship GOD aright and to distinguish Beleevers from unbeleevers or misbeleevers The Instruction is yours to follow his holy Doctrine and Example And happy shall every Soule be which heedfully followeth The Clowd of Witnesses For the Worke it selfe I have not much to preface onely our hope is that for supply of defects or connivence at them the untimely decease of the Author and your owne ingenuity will yeeld abundant Apologie The substance is the same with his owne Notes the Tables mine other things the Printers Let the benefit be yours and wee have our desire And certainly hee that falls to the matter with love and hearty affection shall reape some benefit For while hee reades hee will easily understand that in this life the Church and faithfull members of it must ever be encountring with spirituall wickednesses which calls to watchfulnesse and yet is sure of victory hath help enough well led by an able Captaine and furnished with armour of proofe which calls to chearfulnesse in fighting the good fight of faith And when hee that understands it shall carefully addresse himselfe to the practise of it he shall well redeeme his time in reading honour his Captaine who hath chosen him to bee a Souldier performe his vow made against the devill in his Baptisme prepare by smaller skirmishes for great and fiery tryals when they shall come and so having striven lawfully shall receive the Crowne which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give him at that day with all that love his appearing Plentifull Encouragements wee have both to enter these lists and hold out to the end Deale couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good Feare not nor be dismayed goe out against these your spirituall enemies and the Lord will be with you And all hands here may be brought together to the fight even every one that is an Angell of Michael wee must strive together for the faith of the Gospel and our united forces shall be much the more puissant and unresistable Especially while wee help one another by our prayers which is my request for my selfe from you all and I rest Isleworth Feb. 25. 1632. Yours in the service of your Faith and for the help of your Ioy WILLIAM IEMMAT THE ANALYTICALL TABLE OF THE WHOLE CHAPTER With the severall Verses and Arguments The Chapter hath six principall Parts I. A Description of the true Church v. 1. 2. Where 1 The Preface In which 1 What is the Wonder 2 The Greatnes of it 3 The manner of appearing 4 The place whence Heaven 2 The Vision of one of the Combatants Described 1 By her person A woman Described 2 By her properties foure 1 Her Apparell Where 1 The Garment The Sunne 2 The Application Clothed 2 Her Place The Moone under her feet 3 Her Ornament The Crowne of twelve stars on her head 1 Why Crowned 2 What the 12. stars 3 Why on her head 4 Her fruitfulnes being with childe c. 1 Her Conception 2 Her painful travel II. A Description of the Devill another of the Combatants v. 3 4 5 6. Two wayes 1 By his Adjuncts five 1 Magnitude Vers. 3. 2 Cruelty Vers. 3. 3 Subtiltie Vers. 3. 4 Power Vers. 3. 5 Victory Vers. 3. 2 By his Effests 1 Against the Stars He threw downe a third part with his tayle 2 Against the Woman 1 Assailing ver 4. Where 1 His Action He stood before the Woman 2 His Intention to devour the childe c. 2 Disappointed in respect of 1 The woman described 1 By her childbearing v. 5. she brought forth a manchilde 2 By her flight v 6. where 1 The place prepared of God In the wildernesse 2 Her sustentation to feed her there 3 Her continuance there 1260. daies 2 Her Issue whose 1 Sex Amanchilde 2 Office To rule the nations with a rod of Iron 3 Advancement taken up to God and his throne III. A fierce Battell betweene those Combatants vers 7. Where 1 The Battell And there was a Battell 2 The Armies 1 The Actors On one side Michaell and his Angels On the other The Dragon and his angels In both 1 The Generall of the Field Michael or the Dragon 2 The Band or Army The Angels of eyther 2 The Action They fought IIII. The successe of the Battell ver 8. 9. The Dragons overthrow 1 Expressed 2 Interpreted 1 He prevailed not 2 He was so prevailed against that he had no more place in heaven 1 In a description of the party overthrowne 1 By his names titles foure 2 By his effect he deceiveth the whole world 1 The great Dragon 2 That old Serpent 3 The Devill 4 Satan 2 For the maner of his overthrow he was cast out 3 The place whither he was cast the earth 4 His assotiats in the overthrow his angells with him V. The Triumph of the godly for this victory verse 10 11 12. Where 1 The Preface In it 1 What Voyce this was 2 Whos 's Why lowd 2 The Parts Two 1 The
that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer afflictions 2. Our Lord Iesus himselfe was content to goe into the wildernesse and indure al temptations wants and dangers that he might sanctifie our wildernesse unto us and sweeten all our sorrowes and afflicted estate unto us and breake for us and from us all hostile powers which would hinder us in our translation to his heavenly kingdome 3. None of the Saints fall by chance into the wildernesse but it is a place and estate prepared by God himselfe as our Text saith and though men see us not but suffer us to sit alone and desolate God seeth his servants in that condition and tendreth them as his owne first borne 2 Cor 6. 9. as unknowne yet wel knowne as dying and yet behold we live as chastened and not killed The enemies beyond the Sea triumph as if God knew not his Church now in the wildernesse but God prepared the place for the present 4. The wildernesse being a place of Gods preparing he will make it convenient and comfortable to her for 1. The more solitary and secret the place is the more fit it is to hide and secure her 2. The more free from the pompe and glory of the world the fitter it is for her that is called out of the world and crucified to the world 3. The more inconvenient and dangerous it is the more it setteth out his wisdome and power who over-ruleth all inconveniences to the Churches good no contrary can crosse his good purpose toward his Church and people Nay here wee see he appoints a fruitlesse place to feed her a place of journey for her rest a place of danger for her safety a place of warre to uphold her peace and a place of temptation to free her from temptation Thou therefore that fearest God never feare any place state or condition prepared for thee by God if thou beest a member of the Church he will over-rule all anoyances and inconveniences to thy full and assured comfort To use warily and thankfully our peace and priviledges lest wee drive the Church from us into the wildernesse we see here the Church planted by the Apostles themselves flying into the wildernesse In what wildernesse now are the 7. famous Churches of lesser Asia Those once flourishing Churches of Rome Corinth Galatia Thessalonica to whom the Apostles writ so respectively Wee see those famous Churches of Bohemia and Palatinate now fled into the wildernesse and their countries become a wildernesse not long since as florishing and as famous as our selves GOD that hath made us yet looke on would not have us idle spectators but by their harmes to beware and be the wiser Quest. How may we prevent this so dismall an estate of the Church Ans. If we prevent and bewaile the sinnes and signes of a Church ready to flie into the wildernesse Quest. What be the sinnes which especially drive the Church into the wildernesse Ans. I. The sinnes of the Pastors have beene noted the principall cause of the Churches flight and indeed the raigning sinnes of Pastors were ever noted the first causes of banishment and captivity Lam. 2. 14. 1. Ignorant and blinde guides leading the blinde both fall into the pit 2. Or men of knowledge but corupt in judgement who mingle wheat and chaffe and mingle the sweete waters of the heavenly fountaine with puddle waters of humane devices so did the Pastors departing from the primitive simplicity of doctrine and rites chase their Church into the wildernesse 3. Or men of parts but without conscience to use them to God but to themselves pompous ambitious flattering men in their sins crying peace peace when the Lord proclaimeth warre and blood men that heale the hurt of the daughter of Zion with sweete words and harden men against goodnesse by putting darknesse for light and bitter for sweet and sweet for sower by justifying the wicked and taking away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isay 5. 22. this hasteneth wrath see verse 23. 24. 4. Or scandalous persons for intolerable greedines or notorious vices in themselves abetting of them in others envying and hating all the shine of grace these ring-leaders to evill chase away the Churches prosperity and where such sonnes of Eli make the religion of God to be blasphemed of Papists Atheists and but indifferent Protestants the Arke is not farre from taking and leading away into the enemies Countrey how may the Lord againe complaine as Ier. 12. 10. Many Pastors have destroyed my Vineyard and trodden my portion under foot they have laid it waste and it mourneth to mee II. The sinnes of Rulers who maintaine not the purity of Gods worship but suffer corruptions and reliques of Idolatry to grow up therein as Ivy with the Oake till it eate out the heart of it so many of the Kings of Israel suffered the remnants of Baal and the Chimarims even after some reformation which still baned and at last foyled the true worship and sent it away This we have noted a cause of the Churches flight in this place A little leaven quickely leaveneth the whole lumpe The reason is because the Lord who requireth as pure worship frō us as ever hateth idolatry false worship as much as ever can abide the sent or least cōporting with Idolaters no more thā a husband can indure wanton behaviours and suspitious gestures in his wife though she come not so farre as the adultrous act For this mingling of idolatry with true worship in Israel the Lord threatneth that he will make her as a wildernesse and leave her as a drie land Hosea 2. 3. as indeed after he did If after so glorious a liberty of the Gospell restored and renewed by five famous Princes Henry Edward Elizabeth our gracious Iames and our noble Charles we should in after ages which God forbid have Baalish Altars and Masses manifestly resorted unto Chemarims Iesuites and Priests increased but thankes be unto God for the vigilancy of our now gracious King against this mischiefe If wee should I say take up their fashions bee enamoured with their pictures and doate after the guise of the Babylonians as Samaria did after the Chaldeans Ezech. 23. 14 15. this sinne would certainly drive our Church into the wildernesse as Israel was into Babylon of whom she was so enamoured and with whom she contracted and increased so neare affinity This was a manifest forerunner of Gods justice who ordained no other scourge for Israel but Babylon whom shee so affected and to whose religion she desirously fashioned III. The generall nationall sinnes against the light and grace of God 1. Generall apostacy and falling backe more and more notwithstanding holy doctrine powerfull preaching Gods warnings heavy strokes the Lord threatneth this sinne with the same punishment Zeph. 1. 2 8. He will surely destroy all things from off the earth and make her as a wildernesse and visit them that were turned backe from the Lord. The falling from
weeke of dayes but of a week of yeares containing seven yeares Exodus 23. 20. the common weeke of dayes resembling and signifying a weeke of yeares so also not only of a yeare of dayes but a yeare of yeares every such yeare containing 360. yeares as the common yeares amongst Hebrewes and Grecians continued so many dayes II. For the period of these dayes when they begun or ended 1. Wee must remember that wee have said that this is inferred by anticipation and is to be referred unto the fourteenth verse 2. That it is the same time with times time and halfe a time there mentioned the finding out of which will helpe us to the clearing of this 3. That it must set in after the second assault of the dragon mentioned verse the 13. and is not properly to be handled now while wee are in the first assault of the dragon by heathen Emperors 4. It must be the same time with the 42. months Cap. 11. 2. wherein Antichrist shall treade downe the holy Citie for these being months of yeares reckoning to every month thirty dayes according to the Hebrewes and Aegyptians are just thirty yeares in every month of yeares and so forty two months of yeares make just the same number of 1260 yeares here mentioned agreeing with the three yeares and a halfe prophesied by Daniel for the raigne of Antichrist which being yeares of yeares because prophetical every month containing 12. months of years which make 360. which number being multiplyed by three and an halfe amount in the totall to 1260. yeares as in our Text. 5. It cannot be meant as the Papists fable of their Antichrist who say they must raigne three yeares and an halfe of naturall yeares we must watch the subtilty of Papists who would have us to seeke the rise of Antichrist in the end of the world after this ruine but the three yeares and an halfe are propheticall yeares and make just 1260 yeares all which time the Church is in the wildernesse Neither can this time begin as Iunius and sundry other worthy mē do affirm at the passiō of Christ determined in the time of Boniface the 8. for it must be of things after Iohn and after Domitian yea after the heathen Emperours after the first conflict with the dragon which lasted many hundred yeares after Christ. 6. Now whether it bee a finite time for a definite as amongst other godly learned our late grave and gracious Bishop Abbot demonstrateth pag. 108 controversie or whether wee may with proofe or probability define some certaine period for beginning or end of it we will reserve the determination of it to the proper place in the fourteenth verse and will not be wanting in diligence to finde out and settle on the truth as the Lord shall reveale Quest. III. Why doth the Spirit of God here so strictly and precisely reckon up the time of the womans oppression under Antichrist and the womans persecution in the wildernesse by so many dayes and not roundly and shortly by so many months and yeares Ans. For foure causes 1. To note the singular watchfulnesse and Providence of God over the woman who is daily and hourely with his servants present to take notice of every dayes sorrow and suffering which himselfe appointeth and determineth 2. To shew that all the children of the Church should take notice of their daily neede of spirituall food and gather it daily in the meanes as Israel needed daily provision of Mannah in the wildernesse God gave thē not an harvest once a yeare or month but a daily harvest to supply their need they must continue their dependance on his hand for a dayly showre of Mannah 3. To note the continuall use of the Scripture for our strength and comfort for these witnesses waite on the daily necessities of the Church and supply the soule with daily bread these witnesses are not like some that come once a moneth or once a quarter but are in perpetuall watch-tower to feed the woman daily 4. To note the wisedome of the Lords provision who feedeth his Church as Israel in the wildernesse but by the day or as Elias in the wildernesse morning and evening the Lord alloweth enough for the day but is not prodigall 1. Because he will preserve in her an appetite 2. To shew the price of his food it is precious hidden and heavenly Mannah sweet as Mannah or honey more durable it maketh her live for ever see Psalme 19. 10. c. 119. 103. 3. To inure her to contentednesse in all things with daily bread and if hee feed her from hand to mouth she must thinke it well hee oweth her not so much he would have all the children of the Church to curbe greedy desires and be contented with things present Note what a long time is set downe for the womans abode in the wildernesse under Antichrist 1260. yeares Teaching us Doct. That the Church may bee a long time under grievous affliction so was Israel a stranger and under strange and strong burthens in Aegypt foure hundred yeares the Jewes in the Babylonish captivity seventy yeares the ten generall persecutions lasted 300. yeares till Constantine but here is one of Antichrist beyond them all Quest. What is the reason is not God able to deliver his Church sooner or doth hee delight in the misery of his Church Ans. 1. Neither of both but first by protracting the warre he sheweth his continuall power and care in preserving her through her assault and leading her through the Pikes into safety and now subscribeth to the truth of his promises 2. Shaketh her out of security and forceth her to keepe on her armour and to stand upon her watch the lesse hope of rest or truce that she can expect 3. By continuance of her tryall hee will continue her faith and patience excite her prayers and exercise all her graces especially traine her in humility while the continuance of her smart holdeth in her sight the continuance of her sinne 4. That her deliverance long deferred may bee more desired and sweeter when it commeth how sweet was Israels passage out of Aegypt after 400. yeares 5. That shee may take notice of the severity of Gods justice and what continuall torments are reserved for his enemies seeing hee lingreth such heavy sorrowes on his owne servants If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly appeare Quest. How standeth this with those places that say our afflictions are light and momentany 2 Cor. 4. 17. and that God hideth his face but for a moment Esa. 54. 8. Are 1260. yeares but a moment Answ. 1. The afflictions of the Church are light and short first not simply and absolutely but in comparison to aeternall glory 2. Not in themselves or their owne nature but in respect of grace that maketh them light when sinne is repented and pardoned in the soule 3. Not in the smart the effect of them for so often they are long but in respect of sinne
wise Pilot in a calme standeth ready for a storme the souldiers who are out in the field because they know not when the enemy will set out on them lie night and day in their armour lest they bee surprized unawares and wee should account it a great folly while the enemy is laying on and wounding and slashing that wee should bee then to seeke our armour or to buckle it upon us 3. Bee wise to looke for one skirmish after another not for one assault or two but many one in the necke of another for as Iobs messengers overtooke one another and as one wave overtaketh another so may our assaults and therefore after raine wee must looke for showres many good men here are blame worthy both such as looke for no shaking as David Psalme 30. 6. who come too neare the curse of evill men noted Psalm 10. 5 6. who defie all enemies and say I shall never be moved or see danger as such also as after one trouble stand not in expectation of any other as foolish children having beene once taken up thinke they shall bee beaten no more that day doe what they will If the true Church be ever in combate then small is the comfort of an easie and peaceable life Are perpetuall warres in hand and yet dost thou neither strike a stroke nor beare any blowes is the whole life of a Christian a fight of faith what comfort can he have that never spent houre in the Lords cause or quarrell To such as will bee at rest I say 1. It is likely thou hast yeelded up thy selfe a slave to the devill and so the strong man having the hold all is at peace else shouldest thou finde him a Lyon not a Lambe 2. All is not such peace with thee as thou pretendest for thou art at warre with Iesus Christ and fightest earnestly for lusts voluptuousnesse idlenesse carnall security because the state of this life admitteth no lookers on but all fight on one side or other if thou art not with Christ thou art against him 3. The end of such as looke for no assaults is that the evill day commeth and taketh them as a fowle in an evill net Eccles. 9. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 3. 4. To such as be the Lords who have not beene so acquainted with combate I say the more is behinde Some Christians lives are like April weather full of showres and stormes as Iacobs some have a sound showre in the morning or beginning of conversion some have a sound dash about noone as Iob some carry faire till towards night and then a great storme commeth in the evening as Peter when hee was old was girt and led whether hee would not Iohn 21. 18. and suppose thou escape till towards death shal not then the forces be redoubled assure thy selfe every souldier that standeth behinde in the reareward of this field shall be led forward to service To comfort such as know distresse and conflict being beset with evils both within them and without them yea be it thou findest the breaches and batteries which the enemie hath made in thy soule yet hold thy resolution to live and die in the service and quarrell of thy Lord and know 1. It is a note that thou art got out of Satans power and therefore hee throweth all his fiery darts against thee what neede hee fight with his friends who have yeelded themselves into his power no his assault is against the woman and her seed 2. There is somewhat worth keeping a Theefe would be loath to assault a man without a booty and the robbers care not to rifle an empty Chest this enemy plots not but against grace and where somewhat is to be gotten a man that hath much money will fight stoutly 3. Thy afflicted estate is no other condition than that of thy other brethren and sisters in the world nay if the greene tree could not escape the brunt how shall the drie Christ therefore saith to his Disciples Yee shall bee hated of all men for my sake 4. A valiant souldier hath cause to glory in his scarres and wounds which are signes of his faithfulnesse and fortitude Doe thou carry the reproaches of Christ as thy crowne and glory looke upon thy gashes and wounds in thy name and state as on the markes of Christ so did Paul and Moses who esteemed the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt The world is ashamed at these markes as if they were a brand in the hand or an hole in the eare whereas indeed they are the markes of Christ not onely because the party is a member of his body but his suffering is a part of Christs suffering not meritorious as his but glorious as his were which he would not put off in his resurrection Christians must bee ashamed of doing evill and suffering for evill not of suffering for well doing 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now after wee have spoken of the battell wee come to consider the armies On the one side standeth Michael and his Angels and on the contrary side fight the dragon and his Angels In the former are three questions considerable Quest. 1. Who is this Michael Ans. 1. Christ himselfe for these Reasons 1. It is so expounded verse 10. Now is salvation in heaven and the strength and kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ hee that is there called Christ is here called Michael 2. This place is an allusion to Daniel 10. 13. 21. where by Michael must be meant Christ who is the Prince and Captaine of his Church against the devill and his host 3. The composition of the word of three Hebrew particles Mi-ca-el who is like or equall to the Lord now onely Christ thought it no robbery to be equall to God Phil. 2. 6. 4. We read no where in Scripture of this name but Christ himselfe must bee understood Iud. 9. Michael the Archangel was Christ himselfe that place alluding to Zach. 3. 2. where thé Prophet calleth him Iehovah that spake those words which name Iehovah is never given to any but God as other his titles are 5. The Prince and Generall of the Lords warre is the Sonne of God Ioshua 5. 14 and verse 5. hee is called lehovah and is described Revel 9. 11. Sitting on a white horse having eyes like a slaming fire his garment dyed with blood his name the word of God out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword hee ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and on his thigh is writ Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium This description belongeth to Christ onely not to man or Angell Quest. 2. Who are here the souldiers of his band called his Angels Ans. 1. Not onely those that are Angels by nature and office but also such persons and instruments as stand with them in the defence of Christian religion and in warre with the dragon both in Ecclesiasticall and politicall states as godly Princes and Rulers such as Constantine
more place in the Church to domineere and tyrannize against the Saints as they had done but they are now conquered and expulsed out of heaven Quest. 3. What conquest was this or when was it obtained Ans. The conquest of Michael against the dragon was 1. Generall 2. Speciall The former was when before this time the dragon was most powerfully conquered 1. By the death of Christ spoyling all principalities and powers 2. By his powerfull resurrection thereby conquering and triumphing over sinne death hell Satan the world the grave c. 3. By the powerfull preaching of the Apostles in the conversion of the world to Christ. 4. By the profession confession and Martyrdome of the Apostles themselves whereby the most potent tyrants were convicted and subdued This generall overthrow is not here properly meant but a speciall victory and overthrow of some speciall dragons that rose up afterward to waste the Church because this is a prophesie after S. Iohns time the proper interpretation and accomplishment whereof is plentifully cleared in Ecclesiasticall History For 1. What place had the dragon in the Church when those fierce Tyrants and tygers those imperiall dragons Nero Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and the other who shed a sea of Christian blood to abolish the very name of Christ were miserably destroyed and extinct by foule and fearefull deaths and destructions and some of them as Iulian the Apostate being wounded to death blasphemed with extreme fury cryed with his bowels and blood in his own hands Vicisti Galileae 2. What place had the dragon in the Church when noble Constantine had slaine those foure savage Tyrants and Monsters Maximinus Maxentius Licinius and Maximinian and became the great Protector of Christian faith and to signifie that now the dragon was overcome not without Gods speciall Providence he set up upon the gates of his Palace his owne picture with a dragon lying slaine under his feet and a Dart thrust through him as Eusebius reports which is a plaine demonstration of the accomplishment of this Prophesie 3. What place had the dragon in the Church when by the free preaching of the Gospell by orthodox Pastors and Bishops the Idols and heathen gods were cast downe their worship abolished their Temples destroyed Paganisme was turned into Christianisme and Christs Kingdome grew so fast as that it was received through the world in the places and countries where the dragons had formerly cast it out 4. What place had the dragon in heaven when those innumerable droaves of Heretikes such as Valentinus Basilides Manes Marcion Photinus and especially Arrius who had infected the whole world and other most deadly enemies to Christs person natures and offices were first wounded and smitten and condemned with the sword of the Spirit the hammer of heresies and after with the hand of God upō them in miserable and wretched deaths as Histories are plentifull in observation Thus have wee seene the truth of this Prophesie when and how the dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven and their place was found no more Quest. 4. How can it be said that the dragons place was no more found in heaven seeing he returnes againe and renewes his warre against the woman vers 13. and 17 Answ 1. Our Saviour in Iohn 12. 31. saith The Prince of the world is cast out and so the death of Christ hath cast him out of possession so as although hee may come to claime yet never to possesse 2. He may come to assault the Church molest the woman but never to dispossesse her of her heavenly happinesse all the dammage he brings her is but nibling at her heele he cannot reach her head Ioh. 14. 30 The Prince of the world came against Christ but found nothing in him that is had no power no advantage against him and so it is in proportion with the members 3. Hee may shew himselfe in temptations and in raising horrible and hidious persecutions as at this day but without all power or hope of prevailing He comes not to stand to it if hee bee resisted nor to overcome in the issue but to be overcome and at last so fully overcome as his place shall never bee found in heaven nor in the Church but shall be bound fast in chaines of blacke and hellish darknesse for ever Doctr. Note hence that all the enemies of the Church shall bee finally destroyed so as their place shall bee no more found Iob. 20. 7. The wicked shall perish for ever like his dung and the eye that hath seene him shall say where is hee Psal. 37. 10. 36. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee and He flourished as a greene Bay-tree but hee passed away and loe hee was gone I sought him but he could not be found For why 1. Gods curse takes hold on them and is too strong for them Genes 12. 3. I will curse them that curse thee This curse cuts off First their persons Psal. 37. 38. They that are cursed of God shall bee cut off Secondly their plots counsels hopes aymes and wishes as in the same place The end of the wicked shall be cut off and frustrate Thirdly their present jollity even in this life often the curse meets them in every corner as the Angell with his sword did Balaam so in Pharaoh Haman Iudas Iulian and almost all tyrants and heretikes came to lamentable destruction Fourthly alwayes their hoped happinesse in the life to come for as GOD hurles the wicked man out of his place in earth so hee sends him into his own place as is said of Iudas that he may dwell for ever in the place of his iniquitie Iob 8. 4. 2. Gods justice pursueth and hunteth the wicked man to destruction let him seeke never so many muses and burrows of craft and policie to hide himselfe in the Lords revenge followes him step by step till it overtake him 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you Achan troubleth all Israel and the Lord troubleth Achan Ioshua 7. 25. the enemie makes the Saints drinke the cup of affliction but they taste but the top which is medicinable but the Lords justice reserves for him the dregs and bottome of his cup of wrath for poison they chase the Saints unjustly out of the earth with a sea of sorrow but the Lord justly casts them out of earth and heaven into a bottomelesse sea of everlasting wrath 3. They must bee covered with shame that warre with Sion Psal. 129. 5. First because she being Gods owne Spouse and delight hee accounteth her cause to be his her sufferings his her enemies his and cannot but out of love and jealousie avenge her quarrels and execute vengeance on her adversaries Deut. 32. 43. Secondly because her sonnes are the blessed seed If Mordecai be the seed of the Jewes Haman shall fall before him and make no
Spirit in his motions but resist and quench them nor in Gods house the Church which they care not for though God bee there specially present nor in their servants and friends who have the promise of his presence if two or three consent in any good thing but hate them and all that love God or speake of his name least of all can they abide his presence comming to judgement 2. How many in so great light walke in the dark worse than the Gentiles most of whom were more just in their dealings more respective of their oaths more sober more temperate more chaste than thousands of deboiste drunkards filthy whore-masters and foule swines whose damnation will be heavier than the heathens it shall be easier for them than for these in the day of the Lord. 3. What a number stand out against Christ as First they that stand not with him Matth. 12. 30. Those that gather not with him doe scatter as our neutrals mungrils lookers on who thinke they can bee of neither part which is impossible thou that art not the Kings friend art his enemie Doest thou not promote the Gospell and therein the state and right of Jesus Christ thou art then against it If being called thereunto thou imployest not thy gifts to win men out of their sinnes and to gaine them to the faith thou standest against Christ and manifestly upholdest the state of the dragon Secondly those that stand against him being opposite to the Ministerie to the pure worship of God c. resisters of the graces of his servants strong limbs and supporters of Antichrist Masse-mongers Antichristian Captaines and savage persecutors of true religion This is the first sort of rules The second is of such as shew the presence of a stronger than the dragon which is Michael onely One tryall is repentance onely that looseth the snare of the devill 2 Tim. 2. 26 It is true that so long as sinne is present in us Satan shall never be cast out of all power in us but if once sinne by repentance be deposed from the raigne of it though not from all presence then is Satan cast out of his full power and as sinne can never get the dominion againe no more can the devill Another sure note is faith which is our victory and casts out the dragon as also brings Christ into the soule who dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph 3. 17. Get assurance of faith and the dragon is cast out and get increase of faith for the Disciples of Christ could not cast out devils Mat. 17. 20. not for want of faith but for the weaknesse of it Cast into the earth The third thing in the overthrow of the dragon assigneth the place into which he was cast namely into the earth and that for two reasons 1. To manifest and clear the certainty of his overthrow and the Churches victory as Goliah was seene to be overthrowne when David threw him downe to the ground 2. And more specially to shew who they bee whom the devill now tyrannizeth over Hee was thrown out of the boūds of the true Church now he exerciseth his rage in the earth that is among reprobates carnall and earthly minded men whether heathens without the pale of the Church or carnall Gospellers who are within her lappe but rejecting the power of grace sticke to earthly profits courses affections amongst all these the dragon still domineereth and ruleth them all at his wil who reject the rule of God and his Sonne Jesus Christ. Quest. Why was he cast into the earth and not into hell if the Lord could doe it why did hee leave his worke imperfect Answ. 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ wanted then no power nor now doth lacke might to doe it but can tread downe Satan every moment to nothing Neither did Christ leave his worke imperfect but on the Crosse performed all that was required either for the full delivery of his Chosen or for the finall victory over all his enemies but his heavenly wisedome putteth forth this power not all at once but by degrees and in some measure of time which at length is to take full and perfect effect for Christ must tread all his enemies under his feet and they must become his footstoole 1 Cor. 15. 2. This place speaketh not of an absolute ejection out of the Church for Satan was afterward let loose for a thousand yeares but of a limited restraint of him First to a certaine time and place that hee could not oppresse the young and tender Virgin of Christ either by upholding heathenish Idolatry or by hindring the free course of the Gospell and religion of Jesus Christ and Secondly to a certaine measure for he was not so cast out of the Church as that hee ceased to molest and tempt the godly or that he spared to doe what he could to hinder and disgrace the Christian Religion but he was so farre cast out as that hee could not exercise his whole and former power either in violence of temptation or recover so soveraigne authority among the heathens as a little before hee had exercised Quest. But had it not been better for the Church that the Lord Jesus had cast him downe into hell and confined him there Answ. 1. Satan is already cast into hell and there reserved in chaines of darkenesse to the judgment of the last day 2 Pet. 2. and Iude 6. But that is by the generall sentence of God upon him for his first Apostasie which our Text aymeth not at which is a speciall sentence and judgement in one particular Again that generall sentence is now in execution upon him but not fully and perfectly till the day of judgement till which time for the revenge of the wicked world God suffers the evill spirits to range as Lyons to the hurt of men 2. It is not prejudiciall but profitable to the godly that Sathan is cast into the earth and not shut up in hell Not prejudiciall to the elect for hee prevaileth onely against the wicked called here the earth into which he is cast It is not denyed but that hee may and doth molest the godly but his molestation hinders them not but hasteneth them to their happinesse It is profitable for the Church sundry wayes that God still permitteth Sathan some power in the earth 1. That wee might see how strong and furious our adversary is and what need wee have of Gods power to restraine him 2. To manifest the glory of God both in the admirable confusion of this strong enemy and in the no lesse powerfull defence and protection of the Elect. 3. To shake us out of pride security and forgetfulnesse of our selves and our estate who are in daily encounter against the Dragon 4. To quicken and excite our prayers faith watchfulnesse which wee would easily give over if we had no tempter or enemy Note from this that the devill exerciseth no dominion but in and among wicked men For hee is cast
of Gods and his Churches enemies publike enemies who through us wound Gods glory 2. There is a twofold joy Some riseth of private affection by which men are glad their injuries are revenged by God and this is an unwarrantable affection The other riseth out of publike affection and zeale for the glory of God and this is free from troublesome passions and affections of private hatred impatience wrath and private revenge and this the godly doe and may exercise when they see Gods revenge upon the wicked still retaining the graces of meeknesse patience charity and the like Christian vertues This joy ariseth out of spirituall causes as the other out of fleshly and these causes are especially three 1. The manifestation of Gods glory which seemed to be obscured in the oppression of the Saints 2. The manifestation of his justice upon uncurable enemies whose conversion rather they had desired 3. The deliverance of the Church arising from and joyned with the destruction of the enemies and the former is the proper matter of their joy not the destruction it selfe properly and simply Having now cleared the point by this explication wee come to the confirmation of it by sundry Reasons 1. The Lord who needeth no praise from us being eternally happy in himselfe yet bindeth his Church and people straightly to the duty of thankefulnes for taking their part against the dragon For First it is the condition on which hee conferreth this mercy Psal. 50. 15. I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Secondly he will have us to acknowledge no merit no desert or power in our selves to helpe our selves that all our rejoycing dependance and glory may be in his love and mercy Thirdly it is his rent and tribute due from us for all his mercies and deliverances It is the onely recompence we can repay to give him the honour and glory of his mercy who can give him nothing else In what estate soever we bee the Lord expects a sacrifice from us if wee be in affliction and under any oppression now the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart is above all sacrifices Psal 51. 17. If in prosperity now he expects the sacrifice of praises to waite for him in Sion Fourthly it becomes the just to bee thankfull who feele the benefit sweet and comfortable which ungodly men and they that are without passe by and taste not so as if the Church should not praise God he should lose all his honour Thus the Lord expects it from them not from the other 2. The godly must most excite themselves to joyfull praises where they see Gods glory most manifested but the overthrow of the dragons kingdome is a work wherein the Lords glory shineth out aboue the other ordinary works of his providence especially in the manifestation of his two Attributes justice and mercy His powerfull justice is seene in breaking Satans power to peeces hee makes himselfe knowne by executing justice and by getting himselfe a name upon such dragons as Pharaoh Nero Haman Iulian c. his mercy is magnified in his Church First in that the overthrow of his and her enemies is a signe of his presence and good favour toward her who now rejoyceth in the light of his countenance Secondly it is a fruit of his everlasting Covenant made with his people whereof hee now sheweth himselfe mindefull Thirdly it is an effect of his speciall grace hearing the sighes and prayers of his people under their enemies oppressions whereby hee is now excited risen up for their seasonable salvation Fourthly the taking part with his people against the dragon argueth his sympathy and neare affection who is troubled in all their troubles and undertaketh their cause as his owne and feeleth after a sort accounteth their sufferings as his own In thy great glory thou hast overthrown thē that rose up against thee that is the Aegyptians who rose against Israel and accounted of God as risers up against himselfe 3. The overthrow of the dragon and thrusting down the power of wicked men carrieth in it abundant matter of joy to kindle the hearts of the Saints unto zealous and abundant praises for as Salomon saith Pro. 29. 2. When the wicked beare rule the people sigh but when the righteous are in authority people rejoyce and there is great cause in both for 1. When the wicked beare rule Gods worship is trodden under foot and the Kingdome of Christ is hindred Now contrarily when wicked men are foiled and good men come in their places the true worship of GOD is erected which is the soule and life of the world Christ is declared King ruling in the midst of his enemies and the bounds of his Kingdome are inlarged these will know their duty out of the Word these will doe their duty according to the Word these will uphold the Arke and glory of God will encourage his servants and rule in the feare of God 2. When wicked Rulers are in place civill justice is neglected as Iudges 5. 6. in the dayes of Shamger and Iael the highwayes and townes were unoccupied there was nothing but danger and spoile to him that went out and in for robbers oppressors Wicked men like themselves may doe what they list but when religious men are advanced civill justice and peace which is the maine stay and life of the world is maintained the sword is not suffered to rust in the sheath but is drawne out to the terrour of evill men and suffers not every man to doe as he list as Israel did being without a King 3. When wicked men beare rule there is abundance of all high sinnes against morall and civill laws and increase of sinners which like weeds and vermines can scarce by greatest iudustry be destroyed or kept under but when good men beare rule they will compell men to the keeping of the commandements of God they will seeke and take up to just correction drunkards that lie swilling and swearing and dicing and carding by dayes and nights they will gather up such as lie and wallow like swine in the streets who had they not better helpe than their own would be buried alive in the mire Under such government as wicked men would be nipt and kept under so would righteous men increase as under a faire gleame of incouragement Pro. 28. 28. 4. Where wicked men beare rule as all sins are suffred so is Gods justice let-in in all kindes of plagues publike and personall They bring evill on the place sometimes infamie and disgrace sometimes poverty and want and a generall curse upon mens callings and estates for want of reforming open abuses sometimes the fire of contentions quarrels and frivolous suites like that which came out from Abimelech and consumed Sichem and from Sichem and consumed Abimelech sometimes by driving away the light and removing the Candlesticke from an unhappy and unworthy people to some that will bring forth better fruit whereas where godly men are exalted
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
Scriptures out of their Countries to receive in humane traditions thrusting down the pure worship of God to set up horrible Idolatry blasphemy and sacrilegious worship of stockes stones and the breaden god persecuting to death the faithfull and godly Preachers taking into their bosomes shavelings Baals Priests fabulous Fryars Jesuiticall King-killers and Antichristian god-makers What a griefe is it to cast our eyes abroad into the world and consider what a small part of it is come in as subiects to this King In the Easterne part of the world we may see Gog and Magog Turkes Jewes and Sarazens to hold out this Kingdome of Christ and set up Mahomet against him the god of that part of the world In the Westerne part we may see Antichrist Apollyon his Holinesse the Arch-enemy of the Churches of the Gentiles holding out by power and policy by force and fraud this Kingdome of our God in the most of this Westerne world and none may buy or sell no nor breath or live but such as receive the marke of the beast in their hands and foreheads So as wee must beleeve Jesus Christ to bee the great King For if we should trust our senses he seemeth in comparison of the world to be as Ishbosheth a King without a Kingdome II. To come nearer to our owne Countrey If we turne our eyes home wee may finde matter of mourning that this Kingdome of the Lord hath gotten no more ground in this Kingdome or rather hath lost much ground of late yeares sure it is God never gave more excellent gifts nor more furnished lights to his Church in any age since the Apostles then in this last age since the discovery of that Antichristian darknesse nor in this age unto any nation more than unto this nation and where he giveth much doth he not require much But oh the misery that is come upon his Church that 1. Whereas wee should have beene generally setled on our Rocke and foundations without wavering we are now calling our grounds in question and must dispute against deniers of our principles 2. Whereas Antichrist and Popery was a dead stinking carkeise detestable to every man of any nose or iudgement now the dead bones seeme to reunite themselves and flesh and skinne to come on them and begin to revive and take heart and contest yea iustle againe with the truth which once gave it the deadly wound as if it had brought seven spirits worse than before to take possession againe 3. Whereas painefull Preachers have beene worthily honoured and Gods graces admired in them in former times when the Word of God had free passage and was glorified what a griefe is it to see them now disdained and in stead of them to behold those Locusts the Priests and Jesuites fighting under their King Abbaddon and consuming the greene grasse and prevailing against so many high and low in these dayes of light to see these set by 4. Whereas the doctrine of the Sabbath was described plainely out of the Word of God and practised unlesse in very rude places in holy and commendable manner now the holy observation of it is rather accounted a kinde of heresie and all the dayes of the weeke afford not so much profanesse as that day wherein all the subiects of the Lords Kingdome ought onely to attend upon himselfe 5. How did the Lord Jesus mourne when hee saw the Jews without able Teachers as sheep without shepheards Mat. 9. 36. And what a mournfull sight were it to see a goodly field ready for the harvest but never a man in the Countrey to gather it in but there it must rot So what a lamentable thing is it to see so many Churches and Parishes without able Ministers and some countries utterly barren of meanes to gather them into the Kingdome whose Ministers in stead of feeding them either sterve them or poyson thē in stead of directing and comforting the poore Church smite her wound her shame her by taking away her vaile from her What a case was the poore Church in when the Pharises made a Canon that if any did sincerely professe Jesus Christ hee should bee excommunicated Iohn 9. 22. and afterward whē Diotrephes cast men out of the Church for receiving the brethren 3. Iohn 10. 6. How did David mourne and his eyes gush out rivers of teares because men kept not the Word The same cause have wee to see men generally cast off the regiment of Jesus Christ and led by the devill and their owne lusts The desperate prophanesse against the meanes is most damnable The Trumpet of the Gospell cals them to subiection but they say This man shall not rule over us 7. Wee have cause of mourning to see the Gospell going away and the Kingdome a taking away from us that is The Word of the Kingdome and the meanes of grace Who doth not see the Word of the Kingdome gone in the power of it For where may a man see the power of it but in a very small remnant so farre from the power of converting that it cannot prevaile against open sins nor trifling vanities And who seeth not the kingdome going away in the presence of it as wel as in the power Will Christ stay where hee is so unwelcome May wee not heare the same voyce as the Jewes did Mat. 21. 43. because they refused the Corner stone therefore the Kingdome should be taken from them and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruits of it Or is it not a refusing of the Corner stone to trample upon the Preachers and Professors of holy religion and preferre before them Priests and Papists and to fall in love againe with Antichristian Idolatry and Masses and Breaden gods which reverse our Corner stone and cannot stand with the presence of the Arke So long as we have the Bridegroome with us wee may reioyce however other things goe with us but if he goe then our sorrowes come in as an unresistable flood III. To come to our owne places It will set griefe to every good heart to see how little ground the kingdome of the Lord hath gotten a long time If we shall see that after thirty or forty yeares constant preaching Magistrates professing religion are carelesse of religion as Gallio let religion runne as it will so that their aimes may succeed and projects prosper and not seldome turne the edge of authority against religion and religious persons If wee see that Magistracie will not bee wonne to joyne with the Ministery to set an edge and add a point to holy doctrine to make our weapons the more mighty and piercing against sinne and sinners Well knowes Satan the Kingdomes of the world would bee the Lords if these his two Ordinances should shake hands if David and Nathan or God stand together Iosias and Huldas and therefore labour to divulse them and prevailes so farre as wee seldome enjoy their happy conjunction What a griefe is it that when wee call for the
sanctification of the Sabbath according to Gods speciall Commandement and yeare by yeare urge the reformation of notorious abuses yet after many yeares nothing is amended there is no lesse working no lesse playing nay more open prophanesse than before that strangers from forraine parts admire to see the disorder of this place and the open prophanesse which hath had a name of good teaching and government And as in this so in other things our comfort must be this that we can grieve at what we cannot amend that the peace of your open prophanesse is proclaimed by your selves disclaimed by your Preachers What a griefe is it that while we preach the word of peace we are all broken into pieces and waste out our time wealth thoughts in frivolous quarrels and willingly part with our peace with God with charity to our brethren with inward contentment and outward credit and reputation And to conclude this point if wee shall see Christ a loser amongst us and that men are so farre from growing according to the means as they grow more froward more wilfull more weary and apparently lose the good things they have begun They were diligent hearers men of good example and earnest affections but now turned away either by Popish perswaders or by the perswasion of their owne deceitfull hearts how may wee grieve at the apostasie of such persons as if the Word of God were not the same of the same savour and sweetnesse as ever it was and if it be they cannot bee the same Well were it for them to consider that righteousnesse departed from shall never bee remembred In all these evils if all our paines study and counsell cannot prevaile wee must turne us to sorrow and teares and mourne over you as Christ over Jerusalem who wept and said Oh that thou hadst knowne the day of thy visitation but now these things are hid from thine eyes Luke 19. 42. IV. But most just cause of griefe and sorrow wee have when wee see that the Kingdome of God gets no more ground in our selves and in our own hearts than it doth as 1. If wee can finde that Christ hath long and many a day knocked at the doore of our hearts and sought entrance but we have not opened our everlasting gates that the King of glory might come in unto us Psal. 24. We make shew of receiving him into the Porters lodge by a formall and livelesse profession but wee cannot afford him a roome in the Inne of our hearts nor allow him a rest there as those that rest in him as our chiefe good we cannot esteeme him our Jewell and other things drosse in comparison of him 2. When we find the word tastlesse and powerlesse in us which is the Scepter of this Kingdome by which it is upheld when it is not so sweete unto our taste as honey in our mouthes when we doe not account our it treasure above all pearles and precious things when our hearts are not set upon it our lives not framed by it our selves not delivered unto it or changed by it into the fashion of it So much place as the Word hath in thee so much place hath Christ himselfe If the Word have no place in thee no more hath Christ nor his Kingdome 3. If we finde not our lusts tamed and the enemies of the Kingdome not subdued in our selves our former corruptions unmortified not crucified our love to sinne no lesse then formerly the love of the world not conquered ourselves not denyed nor can deny our profits and pleasures Now may wee justly mourne that the kingdome of darknesse stands so strong in us that all the battery and meanes planted against it cannot demolish and cast it downe 4. If wee finde the Spirit of grace and fortitude foyled and grieved in us that wee grow not stronger and more chearefull in good and holy duties of piety and mercy that we are not stronger nor stouter in affliction sufferings when we cannot endure losses and reproaches for the name of Jesus Christ nor bee chearefull in other trials when the Spirit brings not this Kingdome of God within us which stands in peace joy love of God which is an heaven upon earth this Kingdome of grace set up in the heart of a Christian is indeed an earthly Paradise 5. If wee have made some way toward this kingdome but growne heavy and weary if wee be fallen from our first love if wee have set our hands to the Plough and looked backe to the world to Popery to carnall counsels wee cannot bee fiâ— for the Kingdome of God Luke 9. 62. And the power of his Christ. The Church having sung out the praises of God the giver of her happy victory in these words with the same loud and fervent voyce proclaimeth the due praise and honour of Michael the Generall In whom wee have 1. His Title Christ. 2. His relation to God the Father his Christ. 3. His Attribute power I. The Title Christ signifyeth one anoynted or the Messiah whereof yee lately heard both the things wherein it chiefly consisteth namely 1. In the ordination and separation of his whole person to the Office of a Mediator 2. In the plentifull effusion of all gifts and graces fit for the Head of the Church as also the differences of his anointing from all the legal anoyntings of their Kings Priests and Prophets they by men hee by God they with externall oyle he with internall they ceremonially in shadow he truely and substantially they to a small measure he beyond all measure they for themselves he for his members Therefore here onely consider that this unction hath speciall reference to his Kingly Office and is so farre here properly considerable II. For the word of relation hee is called his Christ or the Lords Christ. First for distinction for other Kings were anoynted and set up by men but none else thus immediately set up by God Psalmeâ— I have set my King upon Sion Secondly for eminence all other Kings were anoynted as members of the Church though heads of the Civill Kingdome but Christ onely the Lords Christ was anoynted as Head of the Church Thirdly for neare relation they were some of them sonnes of God by adoption but Christ was his owne naturall Sonne and had the divine nature dwelling in him not onely vertually and powerfully as they but substantially and bodily after a sort Col. 2. III. The Attribute here ascribed unto Christ is power The power of Christ is twofold One as he is the Sonne of God Another as the Christ of God The former is potentia creationis which hee hath equall with his Father over all men and creatures The other is potentia conciliationis as hee is Mediator whereby hee ruleth in the Church among Saints who are in speciall subjection and confederacy with him For further explication wee must inquire 1. The difference betweene these two 2. Which of them is here meant The difference betweene these two is
our losses great hee can if hee please double our portion as Iobs at the latter end Also for things pertaining to godlinesse and a better life we have strong consolation in that Christ hath power 1. To merit 2. To apply 3. To uphold 4. To perfect our salvation 1. He hath power to merit our salvation because he hath power to satisfie wholly by himselfe the justice of God without any piecing or patching to his merit and righteousnesse He hath power to pay the whole debt and to cancell the bill and hand writing that was against all Gods chosen He is of power to pardon sinne Mat. 9. 6. that ye may know the Son of man hath power to forgive sinne on earth and he hath power to fulfill the Law 2 He hath all power to apply his merit to our salvation because to this end he did mightily raise himselfe from the dead by his owne power and ascended into heaven that by a powerfull intercession he might apply his sacrifice to the Saints From thence he hath power to send his Spirit to acquaint us with the things given us of God And he is of power to worke faith in the hearts of the Elect whereby they may apply to themselves his whole merit and obedience while they are here below 3 He is of power to uphold our salvation divers wayes By setting us upon a strong foundation and a sure rocke not to be shaken by any contrary power By strengthening us by a powerfull word which is a mighty organ and a strong arme able to save 2 Tim. 3. 16. By comforting and strengthening us by the Spirit of strength and power 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of feare but of power And by making us invincible in suffering Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things by the power of Christ assisting me Yea to saile by hell to heaven and to passe by the crosse to the crowne 4 He is of power to perfect our salvation and hath engaged this power to this purpose 1 Pet. 1. 5 Wee are kept by the power of God to salvation And why First He is of power to make our imperfect duties pleasing to God hiding all the imperfection of them under the mantle of his mercy Secondly He hath a superior power to al enemies that none of them can separate us or plucke us out of his hands for he hath the keyes of hell and death Rev. 1. 18. Thirdly He hath power to lead us through death dust into his owne glory so as we have assurance of a glorious resurrection by the working of his mighty power Phil. 3. 21. Fourthly He hath power not only of preparing mansions for us in his Fathers house but in the last day to descend from heaven to fetch us up to himselfe that wee may be ever with the Lord. Our Ioshua hath power to bring us into Canaan II. Here is a ground of comfort and encouragement in all well-doing and to goe on fearelesly in good duties wherein commonly we have the power of the world against us For why First He is of power to strengthen us of weake to make us strong Of our selves wee are able to doe nothing that we have any power to any thing that is good it is from his power His grace alone is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12. 9. Without mee yee can doe nothing Secondly He is of power to reward our least labour of love to his name or Saints and all the power of the world cannot hinder him Thirdly He is of power to cleare our innocency to disperse the fogs and clouds of calumnie and reproches and to make our righteousnesse shine as the sunne at noone-day He can and will make our darknesse light Fourthly His power encourageth our prayers because he is able to receive them and doe abundantly above all that we aske or thinke Fifthly He is of power to make us perserve for he is able to perfect his worke and this power shall uphold a poore Christiā if the truth should faile from the Church and Kingdome Object I am weake and oftentimes carelesse in keeping my ground and grace Answ. Quicken up thy selfe become a member of Christ and if thy faith be weake that thou canst not comprehend him his power is strong to comprehend thee yea the weakenes of God is stronger then men 1 Cor. 1. 25. Object But the enemies are strong and powerfull Jesuites other seducers subtle and sundrie adversaries armed with power grace of times cruelty c. Answ. Yet this power of Christ layes such hold on every true Beleever that no seducer can deceive him nor no power plucke him out of his hands No power can dismember this Head nor reach their graces 6 He that is of power gave us strength when we had none is of power even in death and in our dust when al strength is gone both to keepe faithfully for us what we commit unto him till the last day also to renew us with strength as the Eagles and change our vile bodies to be like his glorious body like it in quality not equality in strength shining agility incorruption fitted as a glorious member to be united to so glorious an head and that for all eternity III Another ground of comfort is that out of this power of Christ we may conclude the stability of the Church which is his Kingdome This power hath upheld the truth these many hundred yeares against the divell the world the Turke Antichrist Popish Princes and forces against tyrants massacres inquisitions torments pouder-plots against false brethren and hypocrites that against all the gates of hell it is not onely taught and preached but triumpheth and conquereth so as all the world may see a mighty power protecting it The Church is an heavie stone to lift at because it hath all Christs power for it and therefore if all nations rise against it they shall be torne in pieces The truth is stronger then all and must prevaile at last it may be smothered as fire under ashes extinct it cannot be so long as Christ who is truth hath power to uphold it The promise is strong that all the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it For as Christ is truth that uttered it so he is Omnipotent to accomplish it This power shall ever keepe this Arke upon the waters from drowning Hitherto of the consolation Instruction also ariseth from this power of Christ and 1 To Ministers that they preach Christ the power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. that is not onely by preaching to acquaint men with the power of Christ but so to preach as Christs power may be put forth in the Gospell which is the rod of his power and so as to bring in subjects daily under this power of Jesus Christ Preaching a mans selfe will not doe it nor preaching of men will not doe it nor every learned nor every idle discourse of Christ but to speak from the spirit and
Sinne in his allurements 3. Afflictions and rebukes for the Name of Christ and for well-doing All overcome by the power of Christ in his members 1. A mighty worke of his power was that he was able to foyle temptations and stand against all hellish powers so as when Satan came he found nothing in him Even so the power of Christ wherever it is puts forth it selfe against Satans kingdome the strong man is cast out by a stronger than hee Doest thou chase Satan afore thee and the whole band of his temptations so as though thou canst not bee free from the molestation of his assaults yet thou art free from the seduction and persistest in thy goodnesse here is the power Christ if Satan bee trodden under our feet it is the God of peace that doth it These adversaries are so mighty in strength and subtilty that no power but the power of Gods might can resist them But where the devill triumpheth and holdeth a man captive at his will when as the great Centurion he saith to his slave Doe this and hee doth it sweare and raile and whore and drinke and lie and deceive and men doe so the power of Christ is farre off unlesse for revenge 2. Another enemy is our owne sinnes and lusts in the subduing of which wee may espie the power of Christ. Canst thou finde the evils of thy heart and life conquered infirmities vanquished the power of sinne daily weakned and foyled sinne cast out if not in respect of presence yet of power that the raigne and dominion of it is gone here is the power of Christ for no other power can put sinne to death but the power of Christs death Contrarily where sinne is not disarmed but the body of it stands united compacted not wounded to death where secret sinnes are allowed where lusts are alive and cherished where worldly pleasures profits fashions are followed with a full strength where men willingly cast themselves into the occasions of sinne here is no saving power of Christ in conversion and change for all Christs power is set for the overthrow of sinne it set himselfe free from all corruptions and sinfull infirmities and so his members 3. The last enemy are afflictions for Christ and well-doing Canst thou beare the worst troubles for Christ and bee baptized with his baptisme canst thou esteeme the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt as Moses Heb. 11 canst thou account losses for Christ thy greatest gaine doest thou not account thy life deare to thee so that thou maist finish thy course with joy Is not all this a divine power that can make thee rejoyce in the Crosse of Christ and joyfully indure the spoyling of thy goods and carry the reproaches of Christ as a Crowne on thy shoulder all which formerly thou fearedst as hell it selfe But where is the power of Christ when every shadow of change is of force to drive men from the profession every damsels speech can terrifie so great a Professor as Peter even to the deniall of his Lord a sleight reproach or nickname can keepe many away from Christ and make many goe away Were the power of Christ present it would indure the Crosse and despise the shame and nothing could separate Now have I discovered the tryals of the power of Christ. If any man have this experience of the mighty power of Christ praise God for it if not pray to have thine eies opened to see the exceeding greatnes of this power of Christ in thy selfe Eph. 1. 19. both in weakning the power of sinne that it may not have dominion over thee and in weakning the presumption of thine own power and strength which overthrows great graces and casts men headlong into fearfull fals as wee see in Peter but let him that stands take heed lest hee fall as also in stablishing the mighty worke of grace in thy soule and whatsoever vertue may accompany thy salvation as knowing that this mighty power of Jesus Christ is put forth first for holinesse and then for happinesse For the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God day and night These words containe a reason why the Church hath with a loud voyce ascribed the honour of salvation and kingdome to the Lord and of power unto Jesus Christ namely because the accuser of the brethren is cast downe Where wee have two things 1. His crimination 2. His dejection In the former part are foure things 1. What are these accusations 2. Who are accused brethren 3. Where before our God 4. When night and day I. These accusations are the objecting of things true or false to the hurt and disgrace of the godly First in true things Satan accuseth them hee espieth their infirmities and noteth even in the best many sinnes and errors which they are guilty of and these hee urgeth and amplifieth against them before God and pleadeth from them their unworthinesse of mercy yea the sinnes which in them are of weaknesse hee amplifieth as if they were sinnes of wickednesse and raigning sinnes and maketh them seem unpardonably hainous and claimeth the justice of the Law and the execution of the curse upon persons so unworthy of life and salvation Secondly these accusations are also of false things For Satan alyer from the beginning deviseth many false calumniations lyes and slanders and casteth them upon the Saints In those Primitive times what an heape of horrible lyes did the devill and his instruments raise against the Saints to incense the Emperours against Christian religion as namely that they were seditious rebellious against government sacrilegious incestuous that they ate raw flesh used libidinous cōmixture in their meetings by night that they worshipped the head of an Asse adored the Sunne and a number more execrable villanies imputed to those poore and innocent lambes led away for such monsters to the slaughter as appeares in Eusebius and Tertullian And to the same purpose hee being still like himselfe hath falsly accused the godly in all ages for seditious meetings nightly and unlawfull conventicles rebellion against Princes unchaste conversings and the like II. Who bee the persons accused Our brethren Wee have shewed it to bee a voyce of a multitude of members of the Church militant upon occasion of a particular victory who stood in neare relation to the afflicted Saints and therefore called them our brethren Brethren are either by birth of the same parents as Cain and Abel or by affinitie of one roote or stocke as Abraham and Lot or by Nation or Countrey as Paul and the Jews Rom. 9. 1. or by profession and communion in one faith and worship as here Quest. Doth Satan accuse none but the godly who are brethren or doth hee not also accuse the wicked and unbeleevers Ans. Hee accuseth the godly to get them condemned but what need hee stand accusing those whose infidelity hath already condemned them as the wicked are Ioh. 3. 18. Hee need
as the fish doth naturally river-water we have so much the more need to bee called backe from so dangerous a sinne and indeed we want no bridles if wee be not too head strong for 1. God hath provided by his expresse law aswell for the good name of his servants as for their goods or lives Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour wherein the Lord upon paine of death bindeth every soule to truth and justice in all his speeches the uprightnesse whereof must demonstrate the uprightnesse and sincerity of the heart as a chaste daughter of a chaste mother And this Law of God wraps him in the curse as well that steales and wounds his good name as the theefe that steales his goods or the murderer that assaults his life And as farre as the good name is farre in estimation above gold and silver Prov. 22. 1. so much more hatefull and mischievous is the false accuser above a theefe or burglary 2. Nothing can bee more contrary to God nothing comes so neare the devill Hee is a creature most degenerate from God both in respect of his nature judgement and practise First God in his nature is truth essentiall and truth originall the Author of all truth and truth it selfe in all his decrees in all his workes in all his words which all agree with the truth of his essence But this man suits with Satan the father of lies who stood not in the truth Iohn 8. 44. God in his nature loveth truth the devill speaketh truth sometimes but never lovesit God is called a Justifier Satan here an accuser If wee see this image or superscription of false accusing on any say it is Satans coyne a man moulded in his mint and give unto Satan what is Satans Secondly nothing can bee more dissonant to the judgement of God than rash judgement and false accusation of good men God approves the wayes of his servants highly esteemeth of their graces accepteth and remunerateth weake indeavours Now what can bee more contrary than to accuse the wayes of God to bee hatefull purity and a straine beyond discretion and the graces of God for singularity hypocrisie dissembling know thou hast not now belied men but the Spirit of God Thirdly the Lord in his course pleadeth for his Saints acquiteth them answereth all accusations for them and pronounceth a righteous sentence upon them the fals accuser impudently impleadeth all this God calleth Nathaniel a true Israelite no saith the accuser hee is an Ismaelite a dissembler God pronounceth Paul an elect Vessell no saith the accuser hee is a murderer a theefe vengeance will not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. God pronounceth of his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne no saith the accuser he is a deceiver an impostor a blasphemer in saying he is the Sonne of God Now what can be liker Satan who would have all men in his owne condemnation than these vile persons who would have all thought as vile as themselves Hence our Text maketh Satan and all accusers but one accuser 3. Whom doest thou accuse or revile Thou accusest the brethren First the brethren of Christ and in them Christ himselfe Matth. 25. In that ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it to mee Wouldest thou in the day of the Lord be brought in a false witnesse against Christ And yet there is a nearer relation these brethren are members of Christ. Wouldest thou for a thousand worlds have that sin of the Jewes lying upon thy soule that thou hadst thrust a speare into the body of Christ but what was that sinne to this they knew not who he was nor what they did beside his body was dead first but thou thrustest the sharpe speare of false accusation and by it tearest and rentest the living body of Christ which is his Church and this wilfully and of set purpose 2 Thou sinnest against the sonnes not of God onely but of the Church whom thou professest thy Mother The Spirit of God amplifies the wickednesse of false accusation by this circumstance Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slaunderest thy mothers sonne shewing the unnaturalnesse of these wicked men to their owne flesh and the bowels of their owne Mother Were there a dram of nature or grace in them they could not violate such neare bands Godly Sem will cover his fathers nakednesse though unnaturall Cham discover it Charity would cover a multitude of offences Prov. 10. 4. But wanting both they are rightly ranked with theeves and adulterers vers 18. 4 A false accuser is a most irreligious person and commonly such are the greatest enemies to true religion Observe and you shall finde them either Atheists or Papists or Libertines or worldlings given over to some foule sinne or other For according to the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart swell with malice envie and bitternesse how can the mouth but run over with cursed speaking A bitter fountaine can send no sweet water The shop is supplied with such wares as are in the storehouse Besides true religion which purifieth the heart would order the tongue I am 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious and ordereth not his tongue that mans religion is in vaine 5 Consider the fearefull evils awayting this sin so contrary to God First It casts a man out of the sanctuary of God Psal. 15. 3. unlesse the Church of God could consist of a generation of devills but it is the spouse of Christ the communion of Saints 2 It casts him into the judgement of God and damnation of hell for God hath appointed a day to give judgement of all cruell speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. Then shall their measure be filled to the brim they shall have accusation enough God doth even here admonish of that day and sit in judgement on some even in this life What got Haman by false accusation but hanging on his owne gallowes What got Ahab and Iezabel by false accusing Naboth but a possession of wrath In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth must they licke Ahabs and Iezabel was eaten with dogs in the valley of Jezreel 1 King 22. A dart shot against a wall or an arrow shot upward rebound and fall upon the shooter Daniels accusers were devoured by the Lions to whom Daniel was cast What got Amaziah by accusing Amos chap. 7. 17. Thy wife shal be an whore c. Let men take heed of touching Prophets and slaundering godly Ministers Eusebius in his Church-history sheweth how Narcissus was falsly accused by three false witnesses one wished if it were not true he might be burnt the other that a foule disease might eate him the third that he might else be blind And accordingly they perished the first by a sparke of fire from heaven the second by a loathsome disease from top to toe the third seeing this repented but yet lost both his eyes
we may and must cut off the vizards of envious obtrectors and slaunderers if not for our persons yet for the truth Thirdly impudent accusers abuse the patience and modesty of good men and by their silence make thēselves more audacious to slaunder Fourthly a good man may be as bold in defence of innocency and goodnesse as they are impudent in disgracing them Samuel did not boast or preach himselfe when rejected by the people he asked Whose Oxe or Asse have I taken Our Saviour Christ many times askes Which of you can accuse me of sinne If Papists or Atheists make it the discourses of their table and sawce of their meats to belye and slander Preachers of the Gospell a Preacher may as I doe this day challenge all Papists scoffers enemies of the truth which I preach c. if the Roman law were in force which Eusebius and Nicephorus speake of that hee that had falsly accused his brother and not able to prove it should have both his legs broken what a number of criples should we have I wish them better that God would breake their hearts with godly sorrow and breake their malice rather then their limbes that embracing the truth they may acknowledge the bringers of it The accuser is cast downe The second part of these words is The dejection of the dragon He was cast downe not utterly expulsed or destroyed for he will ever stand up as an accuser before Gods tribunall and mens but he falleth in his accusation and is cast in his cause Quest. Wherein standeth this dejection of the dragon Answ. In two things 1 In regard of Gods tribunall he is foyled because Christ is risen for the justification of Beleevers and is ascended into heaven to cleare all accusations and now reigneth triumpheth over all enemies whom he hath made his footstoole 2 In regard of mans tribunall at this time which our text aymeth at the heathenish power which had long oppressed the Church being subdued and Christian religion stablished by Christian Princes those horrible accusations by which the poore Christians were daily brought to death by hundreds and thousands were stayed and in great part cut off and the Christians were cleared and acquitted from those hatefull and impudent accusations layd against them And now the innocency both of their persons and profession appeareth 1 The holinesse innocency peaceablenesse and godlinesse of their persons began more and more to breake out the booke of their Adversaries false suggestions was as an honourable crowne upon their heads now God gives them favour and honour in the sight of their Adversaries 2 That which is more now the profession and religion of God and his Sonne Jesus Christ as odious as it was formerly made by hellish blasphemies begins to be received advanced spred abroad and lifteth up the head above all heathenish and idolatrous religions in a word grace and glory comes unto it in stead of former infamous imputations cast upon it This is the casting downe of the Accuser Note hence that there is a time when the accusers of Gods people shal be cast downe and put to silence Though Ioseph a long time lie in the place of the Kings prisoners his mistris is impudent in accusing his master credulous in beleeving cruell in putting his feet in the stockes and laying irons on him and himselfe hopelesse of favour or deliverance yet the Lords time came when he came out of prison with honour and much more grace then all his disgrace came unto Mordecai and his people may be accused condemned a day of execution appointed no hope nor helpe appeares but ere that day commeth the Lord brings forth his innocency Haman his accuser must honour him and proclayme him the second man in the kingdome and quickly after hansell his owne gallowes There was a time when the den and furnace were thought too good for Daniel and his fellows so grievous are the aceusations and so haynous their facts but soone after they are raysed to honour and high advancemet and their accusers cast into their roume There was a sad and heavie time in which the poore Christians bare the burden of tenne bloody tyrants and monsters their names blacked their goods spoyled their blood shed as water but afterward a Constantine came who acquitted them honoured them cherished and protected them 1 This must needs be in respect of God in whom if we consider foure things wee shall see it cannot be otherwise First his knowledge and cleare discerning of the innocency of his servants Now their righteousnesse and innocency is denied and derided enemies would bury it in the grave of everlasting oblivion and take deepe counsells to roll great stones of infamy and reproach upon it that it cannot rise in the after-ages of the world But all things are naked to him with whom we have to deale who preserves the bones of innocency and will rayse it out of the ashes and bring it into a cleare and glorious light See Luke 12. 2. Secondly his justice The righteous judge of all the world cannot alwayes hold his peace at wrong nor alwaies suffer justice to be turned into wormewood nor truth to be alwayes covered with sackecloth and ignominy He must shew himselfe a patron of truth and a revenger of wrong Be it farre from him the doing of this thing that the righteous should be even as the wicked that be farre from him shall not the judge of all the world doe right Gen. 18. 25. Thirdly his promise in Psal. 37. 6. Commit thy way to the Lord and he will bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgment as at noone-day implying that righteousnesse may be hid with darknesse and covered with the blacke night of impudent slaunders but yet after darknesse it shall see light the longest and darkest night that ever was saw a morning and the sunne rose and chased away darknesse and mists and revealed all that was hid in darknesse And so God promiseth it shall be to all his disgraced Saints Doth he promise and doth he not meane to performe is he not able is he not willing to accomplish is not he truth are not his promises so both from truth and for truth and those that are of the truth Fourthly his affection to innocency The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse What a man loveth he will maintaine much more the Lord though he tarry long yet at last will step forth and plead for truth and will not suffer it alwayes to bee smothered with smoake and mists of lyes and falshood 2 It shall so be in respect of Jesus Christ to whom the Saints must be conformed and by whom they are confirmed and upheld First as the Saints are conformed to Christ in his crosse so in his crowne as in his combate so in his victory And therefore as the Head was accused accursed crucified buried and a great stone rolled upon him and a sure watch about him and all
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
in the day goe to thy rest a few houres will bring the Sunne and morning which shall discover all things againe Commend thy cause in well doing to him that judgeth righteously Flie not on men to be revenged but flie to him and waite for two things First Gods time Ioseph lay in irons till the time appointed came and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him Psal 105. 18. Secondly Gods meanes Object I see none all wayes of clearing my selfe are shut up Ans. Yet God hath wayes enough 1. Angels Mary had innocence but no way in earth to discover it Ioseph was putting her away but the Angell from heaven acquites her God watcheth in the night over our innocency as over hers 2. Good men hold themselves made by God keepers of their brothers credit Ionathan will speake for David though a speare bee throwne at him 3. Evill men themselves Saul shall preach Davids innocency and Pilate the Judge condemning Christ shall acquite him This of the first point 2. In that the Saints here praise the Lord for that the accuser is cast downe wee learne that when the Lord hath scattered the clouds and mists of false accusation for us and made our innocency appeare wee must by all meanes shew our selves thankfull for it The eighteenth Psalme is a Song of thanksgiving in the day that God delivered David from the hands of Saul who accused him of treason and aspiring and affecting the Kingdome see vers 43 46 48 49. Hest. 9. 26. the dayes of Purim were instituted for a perpetuall and publike praise of God both for the clearing of the Jewes innocency falsly accused by Haman and the overthrow of the accuser 1. As God doth all things for his owne glory so especially here his glory shineth in much brightnesse for First he riseth up in righteous judgement and manifesteth the whitenesse of his Throne whiter than Salomons which was of white Ivory demonstrating the purity of the Judge and judgement and here advanceth his Throne above all the thrones of the world which cannot cleare themselves from corruption Secondly he advanceth his power above all enemies they are potent to suppresse the truth but he is omnipotent to support it Thirdly hee magnifieth his wisedome in preventing all the cursed policies and counsels of his enemies against the Saints and either turneth them to folly or bringeth them on their owne heads as Achitophel and Haman Fourthly hee expresseth his affection to his people in turning the enemies curse into a blessing as in the instance of Balak and Balaam Numb 23. 11. I called thee to curse mine enemies and loe thou hast blessed them The more Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites the more they increased Now as the Lord putteth forth his glory so hee expecteth that his people should declare it and ascribe the same unto him considering that if they honour him not hee loseth all his honour upon earth for wicked men shut their eyes against it and further how well it pleaseth him when the Saints goe out of themselves and ascribe al their safety onely to his mercy disclaiming their owne strength merit or goodnesse and onely glory all the day in him whom they acknowledge the Patron and defender of truth and innocency 2. After all victories the Saints used to praise the Lord when they saw him rise up for them against his enemies But in casting downe accusers is an happy victory wherein many hellish plots are overthrowne many stratagems discovered and armies of diabolicall enterprises chased the fury and force of enraged enemies is defeated themselves turned backe and cloathed with confusion The heathens would not carry a victory without sacrificing to their gods and shall the Saints deny the Lord this sacrifice of praise when their enemies are cast downe before them 3. When the Lord heareth our prayers he is greatly to be praised Psalm 28. 6. Praised bee the Lord for hee hath heard the voyce of my prayer And how can a godly heart who hath commended his cause and innocency unto Gods clearing and findeth that the Lord who seemed to have beene departed and not to respect him or his righteous cause is now returned and manifesteth his presence in stopping and restraining the fury of the enemie and bringing forth into light the innocency of his servants how can a good heart now but returne with praises to God who hath heard all his prayers and brought about all his hearts desire 4. The benefit it selfe to have slanders and evill surmises dispersed is not so small and worthlesse as it is not worth thankes How thankfull would wee be to that man who when wee could not tell what to doe in a great cause concerning our estate would step in as a faithfull witnesse on our side but how much more when the Lord vouchsafeth to witnesse for us seeing we can neither deserve this favour nor repay any thing else for it Therefore let us not deprive him of his praise which is his tribute Psal. 50. 15. I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And it is the end of all Gods intention in the donation of mercy and ought to be our end in the fruition of it Againe it is a note of an evill man to be more ready to pray for supplies in his straites then to praise God for supplies in his liberty and inlargement Finally it was ever the constant practice of the Saints Psal. 59. 16. I will sing of thy power and praise for thou hast beene my defence c. Quest. How may we expresse our thankfulnesse for this mercy Ans. 1. If God honour or preserve our names wee must much more honour and uphold his referring all our credit and reputation to maintaine his name and honour contrary to those who know not how to wield honour and greatnesse but in swearing cursing gaming and the like 2. This we shall doe by carefull and watchfull upholding the holinesse innocency of our own lives For the end of our redemption from our enemies is to serve our God in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes Luke 1. 15. And it is the end of our justification both before GOD and man that wee should shine out in holinesse and walke beseeming so great salvation Verse 11. But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives to the death AFter the Church in this triumphant song hath sung out the praises of God the giver of all victory in the former verse now in this are set forth the due praises and commendation of the army or band of Michael who had valiantly stood with their Generall in the conquering and subduing the Dragon In the words are two things First a report of the victory and that the Saints were masters of the field But they overcame him Second the reasons or causes of this victory and they were of two sorts 1. The meritorious cause and principall efficient
Note the reason why Satan and Antichrist are such enemies to the Word and Scriptures of God namely because it is the hammer of his kingdome and the meanes of the Saints victory against them They know well that nothing can conquer errour but the truth and nothing can chase away darknesse but light And their owne experience by Gods blessing upon the meanes at this day tells them how sound doctrine hath and doth winne ground and victory over their Antichrist whose armed Princes cannot long support him against it Truth is strongest and shall prevaile Marvell not that our Country-Papists hate to death sound and faithfull Preachers while they can indure wel enough frothy and loose doctrine they have reason they feele these by the sound application of the Word shaking their tottering kingdome so doe not the other Marvell not if they maligne and scorne zealous Professors but formall Protestants that hover as meteors in their religion they brooke well enough for those hold out the word of life and light which is the ensigne of victory over them so doe not the other 5. Seeing the Word is so powerfull a meanes of victory let it bee the word of our Testimony and let us learne to give testimony to it First in word and profession speake boldly for the truth and that in the day and where thou maist bee heard not as Nicodemus in the night Secondly in holy life and conversation see it bee a counterpaine of holy doctrine Thirdly in passion and suffering for it whatsoever awaites so holy a doctrine Consider hereunto 1. Christ himselfe was a faithfull witnesse of the truth shall not the servant stand where the Lord stands 2. The end of every Christians comming into the world must bee the same with the end of Christ comming into it but that was to beare witnesse unto the truth Ioh. 18. 37. 3. Consider the dignity of truth it is Gods own therefore the Apostle was not ashamed of it And the truth of God is the Pillar and stud of the world 1 Tim. 3. 15. Not to uphold this Pillar is to let the world fall to confusion 4. The impudency of men against the truth Esa. 3. 9. they are not ashamed to invent and abet lies and open injustice against the Word and bringers of it and are wee ashamed to testifie to the truth 5. Christ will confesse such hereafter as confesse him here Mat. 10. 32. but will bee ashamed of them that are now ashamed of him when the unbeleevers and fearefull shall bee cast into the lake Rev. 21. 8. 6. It is the honourable office of the Spirit of God Iohn 15. 26. He shall testifie of mee and yee shall witnesse also And they loved not their lives to the death This is the second instrumentall or adjuvant cause of the conquest of the Saints namely their constancy and valorous Martyrdome Where to open the meaning we have many questions to resolve Quest. 1. Whether may not a Christian lawfully love his life Answ. The love of a mans life must be considered 1. Simply 2. Comparatively In the former respect it is simply lawfull for a man to love his life for First it is a naturall instinct which God hath put in all creatures for their own preservation and it is an unnaturall sin for a man to sinne against his owne life Secondly the law of God which bindes us not to kill our selves or others bindes us also to preserve our lives and the lives of others And the same law that bindes us to preserve the life of our enemies beast bindes us much more to preserve our owne lives Thirdly in the Gospell the Apostle saith No man ever hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Eph. 5. 29. and even the body is a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Ghost But in comparison it is not lawfull as to love a mans life more than God or the truth of God or above Christ and the faith and religion of Christ to love the naturall life and meanes of it above the spirituall and heavenly this is sinfull for First we must buy the truth but not sell it at any rate all the lives of men and Angels are not to bee valued with God and his truth Secondly the wise merchant sels all for the Pearle that is for Christ and his Gospell and goeth away rejoycing Thirdly in this comparison not to hate father and mother and wife and Children yea and his owne life is to renounce Christ Luke 14. 26. but this hatred is not single but comparative and respective In which comparison our Saviour saith Hee that saveth his life loseth it and hee that loseth it saveth it as he that spareth his seed loseth it and hee that soweth it saveth it And thus are the words here to be meant that the Saints preferred the faith truth of Christ before their owne lives and loved death more than their lives when by it they could more glorifie Christ For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they fleighted contemned yea despised their lives and rather exposed them to hazzard and losse then to bee removed from their holy profession Thus are they said not to love their lives that love Christ and his truth more Quest. 2. Can none overcome but Martyrs and those that die for Christ Ans. Many that give not their lives for Christ overcome and conquer for God calls not all to that honour and service of Martyrdome but even in such as give not their lives to the death for Christ must be three things First preparation and disposition they must bee ready to give their lives for Christ if hee please to call them to it as those that prize Christ and his grace above their lives and in way of thanfulnesse to him that gave his life for them do sacrifice theirs to him Secondly affection of which our Text speakes They loved not their lives to the death The love of their lives must bee subordinate under Christ. This will follow the former where Christ is prized hee will beeloved and victory which alwayes implies not the action of Martyrdome implyeth ever the affection rather to die than deny the Lord Jesus Thirdly expectation to bee Martyrs in action as wel as in affection if the Lord please so to imploy us Rom. 8. 35. All day long are wee counted as sheepe for the slaughter Where these three are the Lord who esteemes of men not by events but affection and the ready minde accounts of them as Martyrs as Aquila and Priscilla are said to lay downe their neckes for Christ Rom. 16. 4. their readinesse is reckoned for the deed Quest. 3 It seemes then a man may not flye in persecution May he Answ. Yes some flight in persecution is lawfull For First Christ himselfe alloweth his Disciples to flee Mat. 10. 23. If they persecute you in one City flee into another Secondly we have good examples of
glory of our Head Phil. 2. 17. Paul was glad to bee offered upon the sacrifice and service of the Churches faith even so every good shepheard after the example of Christ should bee ready to give up his life for his sheepe The salvation of soules and confirmation of faith must bee dearer to us than our ownelives Col. 2. 24. Irejoyce in my afflictions and fulfill the sufferings of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake The Apostle rejoyced in suffering for the body of Christ not for the redemptiō reconciliation or expiation of sinne for so onely Christ the Head suffered for the body but for the profit and edification of the members And if thus the Apostle sustaine all things for the Elect that they may obtaine salvation much more must we sustaine all things for the glory and honour of our Head If Priscilla and Aquila shrunke not to lay downe their neckes for Paul how much more chearfully must every private Christian for Christ Rom. 16. 4. This shewes that Christianity is no soft and easie life Is it easie to take up the Crosse daily and to weare a crowne of thornes continually is it easie to leave all for Christ is it easie to be killed al day long for his sake that is always to be ready to indure death it self for our profession Is it an easie thing to carry alwayes about with us the dyings of the Lord Jesus and the marks and brands of our profession Which I speak not to discourage any that looke toward the wayes of God but to admonish all that undertake Christianity to make account of the costs and expences of their profession left they deceive themselves in their reckoning for it may cost thee the sweetest thing which God hath given thee in earth even thy life It is in our nature to conceive with the Disciples in the infancy of their faith to make our selves great gainers in earthly priviledges by Christ as they dreamed of great earthly honour glory plenty and ease and the largest share of worldly happinesse by following him in the meane time they thought not of the troubles persecutions bands stripes leading whither they would not and cruell Martyrdome which they met withall afterward But was the life of Christ himselfe led at ease or shall the servant looke for ease where the Master cannot expect or meet it was the end of Christs comming to bring peace and security or fire and sword warre and enmity not onely betweene strangers and enemies but betweene nearest kindred and dearest friend Mat. 10. 34. What other was the promise and prediction of Christ but that in the world we must have affliction Iohn 16. 33. and that by my many tribulations we must enter into heaven Act. 14. 22. And therefore whosoever thou art that soundly professest the Gospell shift off the sufferings of the Gospell as long as thou canst or if God hold them off a while left discouraged in thy first entrance into the profession thou shouldest looke back to the former thraldome yet bee sure to meete with the Crosse of Christ and afflictions for the Gospell ere thou beest a Conquerour and gettest possession of Canaan If thou beest in a faire way of ease and credit among men suspect and mistrust thou art wrong and if thy way bee rough thorny and strewed with crosses be not discouraged for so must the way of heaven be here be right markes of the right way 2 This teacheth us that many dainty Professors of the Gospel are farre from soundnesse in Christianity Here is a note of soundnesse not to love the life to the death for Christ and Christian profession And this will cast out a number of our Protestants who onely have a name they live but are dead and like Cyphers in Arithmetique fill up a number but themselves are not in number or any value as 1 Such as value their reputation above Christ and his profession in sincerity To come to Church and heare and receive the Sacrament sometimes and make a formall profession none will blame them it were disgracefull to bee Atheists unprofitable to bee Papists or Recusants But to bee a forward man in religion or noted for precisenesse or a favorer of such to be seene or heard to stand for Gods glory or good causes and men with zeale and courage oh beware this will draw on reproach and scorne of men oh I am undone if ever I heare that voyce but from a Damsell Thou art one of them Now is thy name dearer unto thee than the name professiō of Christ Mayest thounot love thy life in this comparison with Christ and doest thou preferre a little blast of vaine men before him never thinke thou canst give thy life to death for Christ thou mayest like heaven well but yet lovest earth before it 2 Such as will bee at no losse nor cost for Christ and his Gospell are farre from soundnesse A base sinne of base minded men who say they will have the wealth of heaven by Christ but for Christ or any good cause of Christ for the upholding of his Word and Gospell will not diminish a graine of their wealth Be there not many in this place that will cast away more at one cast at Bowles or dice than they will part with to the servant of God that labours with them in word and doctrine all the yeare long Bee there not many of our chiefe men and most able that doe not hold Christ in this exercise worth a brasse farthing for many yeares together Assure thy selfe thou wilt never part with thy life for Christ who wilt not part with thy penny for his sake and profession 3 Such as will not part with any sinne for Christ nor his Word but against the voyce of Christ retaine envy malice injustice Sabbath-breaking deceit in trading swearing gaming reviling Gods servants nothing is reformed by the Word Wilt thou suffer thy body to be slaine for Christ when thou wilt not suffer one sinne to die or be slaine at his Word and for his glory 4 Those that will not indure the paines of godlinesse the tediousnesse of mortification the labour of love the diligence required in Christian duties are farre from this practice Canst thou endure to goe to prison for Christ that wilt not bee at paines to goe to Church to meet him Canst thou indure the paines of death for Christ whose sluggishnesse denieth the paines of obedience to his Commandements Hee that will not disease himselfe in active obedience will much lesse in passive 3 If we must not love our lives to death for Christ then we must change the corrupt love of our selves to the sound love of Christ and his truth This sound love of Christ floweth from the love of Christ unto us and is but a reflection of his owne beame upon himselfe and therefore of the nature of his love to us which seeing it was to the death for us it calleth for our love to the
death for him Quest. How may I know that I have sound love of Christ which is like to hold out to the death Ans. The love that is unquenchable stronger than death Cant. 8. 6. may bee knowne by foure excellent properties 1. It casts out selfe-love love of the world and all desirable things of it in comparison The woman at the Well having met with Christ forgets her water-pot Zacheus his love will expresse it selfe in despising and thrusting off the world as fast as ever he pulled it in the use of the World will stand with the love of Christ but not the love of it 2. It lookes wholly out of himselfe upon Christ and seeth in Christ three things which it desireth above life First the favour of Christ which is better than life Psal. 4. 6 7. Secondly the glory of Christ which it wisheth rather than this life yea rather than the other Paul for the honour of Christ could wish to bee cut off from Christ if it were possible Thirdly the presence of Christ this makes a good man wish with Paul that hee were dissolved to bee with Christ Phil. 1. 3. It rejoyceth in nothing but in the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. No souldier can so glory in his scars and wounds sustained for his Prince and countrey as hee doth in his chaines and sufferings for Christ All the glory and happinesse of the world is but dung and drosse in comparison of it 4. It will bee busie in meanest and hardest services for Christ. Mary will kisse the feet of Christ and wipe them with her haires and refuseth not the hardest services Iacobs love to Rachel makes seven yeares of hard Apprentiship and service but as a few dayes and Peters love will shew it selfe in being clearfully led where he would not Iohn 21. 18. 4. Labour for this Christian resolution rather to dye than deny our Lord it being our duty we must ayme at it and being difficult wee must get good arguments and helps to undertake it Quest. How may wee further our selves in this so difficult a resolution Ans. 1. By meditations 2. By practises The meditations are sundry 1. Consider seriously of such Scriptures as foretell persecutions for the name of Christ all which make the suffering of the Crosse inevitable set a starre over such predictions and hold thy minde upon thē as things concerning thy selfe if thou mind to live godly in Christ Jesus and with the predictions ponder the examples of those who have in this fight valiantly indured losse of goods of lands of liberty and life it self for Christ and his Gospell And when thou seest the Prophets Apostles faithfull Pastors and Martyrs wracked hewen a sunder slaine with the sword and would not bee delivered Heb. 11. 35. wilt thou save thy selfe with base and dishonourable conditions which they refused 2. If thou lookest up to God consider that all thy passion and suffering both for the time persons measure manner and all circumstances is appointed by Gods eternall decree without whose speciall appointment not an haire of the head can fall and much lesse the head it selfe For the lives of the Saints are not in the hands of Tyrants but in the hands of God neither is their death casuall and accidentall but determinate Psal. 116. 15. Precions in his eyes is the death of all his Saints Now as thou prayest daily that Gods will may bee done so must thou practise and if the will of God be so that thou suffer let thy will concurre with his will which is just and righteous 1 Pet. 3. 17. 3. If thou lookest upon Christ here is no want of motives to suffer extreme things in his cause and quarrell First consider our sufferings are called the sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. the affliction of Christ Col. 1. 24. the Crosse of Christ Gal. 6. the reproach of Christ Hebrewes 13. 13. the rebuke of Christ Heb. 11. 26. The reason is because Christ is hee for whom we suffer and wee are his Martyrs and witnesses 2. Because Christ suffereth in us whatsoever is done to one of the little ones beleeving in him is done to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 3. Because Christ suffereth with us and in all our troubles is troubled Esa. 63. 9. as the head of the naturall body suffereth with every member by consent 4. And because our sufferings conforme us to Christ fellowship in his afflictions makes us conformable in his death Phil 3. 10. Now who would refuse to bee a Simon to helpe Christ to carry his crosse seeing Christ is at the other end and a partner in suffering Secondly to give up our lives for Christ is an honest duty of thankfulnesse to Christ our benefactor A gratefull part it is to sticke to him in trouble whom wee have followed in prosperity For shall I be such a Swallow in my profession as to take my summer with Christ and not the winter Beside how is it but most just that wee should maintaine his cause to the death who maintained our cause to the death and to sticke to him now before men who by his death doth now plead our cause before God 4. Consider the suffering it selfe and in it wee have great incouragements in that it is First an honourable and glorious service to suffer for righteousnesse Paul wil glory in nothing but in the crosse of Christ Gal. 6. 14. and rejoyceth in nothing so much as his chaine And indeed the chaines and irons of the Martyrs are farre more shining Ornaments than all the golden chaines of the world Is it not more glory for a stout champion and man of Armes to be in a battell than in a Bath The marks and scarres of a souldier received and sustained in his Princes and countries cause are his true glory and so are wounds stripes bands imprisonment or any suffering for the profession of the truth Secondly it is a safe and saving service for it hath many assured and precious promises whereof the LORD will bee faithfull for performance as namely of wisedome to answer Matth. 10. 19. patience to indure the Spirit of glory and GOD to rest on them for comfort 1 Peter 4. 14. strength to conquer and in every temptation a gracious issue 1 Cor. 10 13. And lastly a measure of mercy upheaped and running over Matth. 5. 10 11. Great is your reward in heaven Beside it is the onely way to save the life thus to lose it as the way for Abraham to keepe his sonne was to offer him to GOD when hee called for him so the onely way to save the life is to give it to GOD and to offer it unto CHRIST and for CHRIST whensoever hee pleaseth to call for it For as hee that spareth his seed loseth it but he that sowes saves it and findeth it returned with advantage in the harvest so hee that saveth his life loseth it saith our SAVIOUR and hee that loseth it on this
must expresse against sinne treading in the steps of our Lord and Master Marke 3. 5. hee looked about him angrily but mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts So mee knesse forbids us not anger against mens sinnes but injoynes us pity and compassion to their persons Wee must hate the workes of the Nicolaitans and bee angry not so much against the men as their wilfulnesse and obstinacy 4. Meeknesse seasoneth zeale and zealous reproofes with Sugar that is some manifestation that the sinner may see himselfe not hated when his sinne is sharply reproved and moderateth it with a readinesse of minde to heale the sinner so soone as he seeth his wound It stints the number of stripes as in the law that they exceed not The Apostle was zealous against the incestuous Corinthian but so that upon his sorrow hee is carefull to comfort him lest hee be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 2 Cor. 2. 7. Acts 2. 37 38. when they were pricked at their hearts Peter comforts them and Paul the Jaylor Acts 16. 31. And hee that mournes and prayes for his brothers sinne as Christ over Jerusalem and Moses for the Idolatrous Israelites Exod. 32. will rejoyce in nothing more than such a one wonne by the rebukes of the Word and receive him as joyfully as the father his lost sonne returning Well if Ministers must bee faithfull in delivering the legall part of the Word then those Ministers are reproved 1. Who want breath to blow this Trumpet dumbe and unable persons blinde guides and insufficient men who in that place let in a fludgate of sinne and mischiefe amongst the people 2. Such as are more able but as unfaithfull they winke at sinne and will not see it or coldly reprove it as afraid to blow the trumpet too loud for waking the sinner these are farre from making sinners afraid of sinne Should such a trumpet blow and not make men fear Amos 3. 6. Is not Gods word a two-edged sword to pierce the very heart of the sinner and the hammer of God to breake the heart to pieces and will this be done with dallying reproofes as if men were at foynes No no if the Minister can doe it with down-rightblowes hee shall finde them little enough Besides is not sinne growne to a great height and impudency as a disease come to the height of his crisis and is that curable with a gentle remedy No it is the blewnesse of the wound that must purge most evils of this age and the stripes within the bowels of the belly Prov. 20. 30. Add here to that all sinners are not alike for as in a materiall house all stones are not alike some are soft and easily hewed for the building some are of an harder and flinty or marble disposition which require sharpe tooles and strong blowes to frame them to their place so in the house of God some stones are more soft sooner humbled and reformed but most are harder as the Adamant and easily yeeld not to the strokes of the Word lightly to smite these is but to hearten and harden them in sinne 3. Of all other the most mischievous are they in their places that either out of a carelesse and unconscionable coldnesse or out of ayme and desire to please or feare to displease or out of purpose to get applause of being peaceable men or out of base covetousnesse flatter men in their sinnes cloake their knowne evils and dissemble their vilenesse All is well so that it may bee well to themselves all the praises of piety shall guild rotten posts for base hire and reward Oh the sinne of these men is passing great who incourage and uphold men in their wickednesle betray them into the hands of the devill drowne them deeper in the pit of destruction and set their feet on their neckes to keepe them under from ever rising any more whereas they should lend an hand and reach them the line of a faithful reproofe to helpe them out 2. This shewes the corruption of many who cannot abide to heare the threatnings of Gods word Oh our Preachers are so tart and sowre they preach nothing but hell and damnation and seeke to bring men into despaire they cannot abide these Bonarges sonnes of thunder they would faine once change them with â—ome sweet-tongued Prophets and Zidkiahs that will sew pillows under their armes and by their flatteries cause them to erre To these I answer 1. Hee is farre from reforming his sinnes that will not abide them to bee reproved and his heart shall never be pricked with godly sorrow that will not have his sinnes pricked with the sharpe needle of the Law 2. Hee is farre from pardon of his sinnes that will not heare of them David because hee willingly heares of his sinne presently heares of pardon but Herod because hee will not heare Iohn Baptist speake of his sinne never heares of pardon 3. A property of a good heart is to delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 7. 22. and hold it a sweet benefit by it that it still discovers the secret evils which must bee repented of and reformed The joy of a godly soule is to bee anatomized by the Word and searched But hee is a bankrout that cannot abide his estate to be cast up 4. It is a property of soundnesse to justifie the Lord in all his sayings as David did being reproved by Nathan of foule things Psal. 51. 4. A true humble spirit acquainted with repentance will acknowledge that no part of Gods Word can bee so sharply spoken as justly If God bee sharpe in reproving and threatning it will stoupe and say it is most just I have matter enough in me and given cause enough if he threaten me with a thousand hels and damnations When the Lord threatneth Eli with the destruction of his house 1 Sam. 3. 18. hee yeelds himselfe It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good When Esay threatneth Hezekiah with the like destruction of his house and state hee yeeldeth 2 Kings 20. 19. The Word of the Lord is good Hee might have beene more severe and brought it in my dayes Mat. 15. 27. Christ calleth the Cannanitish woman dog she justifieth him in his saying and saith Truth Lord I am no better but give me some crummes of mercy If legall doctrine strike thee downe in thy selfe and send thee forth to seeke mercy as she here is a note of soundnesse 5 There is not a more certaine note of a wicked man and hypocrite then to taxe Gods word of too much severity If God threaten Cain for killing Abel oh his punishment is greater then he can beare he could beare an heavier sinne lightly but the punishment and threatning is too heavie Let Iohn Baptist reproove Herod for incest the reproofe is too harsh and heavie he shuts Iohn up in prison So Act. 7. 51. Steven calls the Jewes stiffe-necked uncircumcised resisters of the holy Ghost whereas they should have justified
an happie condition they shall not be rolled in the destruction of evill men but shall be hid in the secret chamber of Gods providence when the storme of wrath shall come like haylestones yea like tallents of ledd upon the heads of sinners then shall there be a difference betweene him that feareth God and him that feareth him not then shall it be seene that it is not in vaine to serue the Lord. 4 It is a terror for evill men seeing it is as impossible for a sinner to avoyd wo as God to be untrue in proclayming it Sorrow followes the sinner as a shadow the body Most common it is for the wicked to applaud themselves in a wofull condition for whatever their estate seemes it is most unhappy They spend their dayes in pleasure and forecast that none shall have more pleasure then they But it is like Belshazzars when the writing on the wall appeared ouer against him They lay about them for wealth and a secure estate here below and rather then want it will curse and resist the people of God as Balaam little thinking that the Angell stands with a drawne sword to meet them in every corner to slay them No all the earth cannot make him happy who fights against heaven and whom heaven hath accursed earth cannot blesse He hath sowne tares and tares he must reape 5 Here is a spurre and incitement unto repentance and a trumpet to awaken secure soules that while it is called to day they may heare the voice lest all these woes seise upon them and oppresse them unawares It stands every sinner in hand to rise out of the bed of security and get a melting and bruised heart considering the day that commeth which shall burne as an oven and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shal be as stubble Mal. 4. 1. But seeing men are loth to apply this part to themselves we must helpe it home a little more particularly 1 What a fearefull wo is denounced in Scripture against all Popish and Antichristian Idolaters Rev. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in their hands and foreheads the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone for ever Whosoever shall do thus and persevere after admonition and will not come out of Babylon must perish in her destruction They prepare fire and faggot for the Saints whom they call heretickes but worshipping the beast and his image Christ prepares fire and brimstone for them and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for evermore Now there is no way to avoyd this woefull damnation by wilfull persisting in that Apostasie but instead of the character of Antichrist by taking in our foreheads the seale of CHRIST by which he separates us from the world by faith and holinesse and from Antichrist by zealous profession of the truth which he persecutes and marketh us up for his owne sheep the property of which is to heare his voice and follow him Ioh. 10. 2 What a dreadfull wo belongs to our voluptuous gallants that are at ease in Sion who put the evill day farre away and remember not Iosephs affliction Amos 6. 1. Silkes and Velvets cannot cover the secure sinner from this woe Greatnesse of birth place power treasure cannot elude these threats which are more stable than the foundation of the earth but according to the cursed seeds thou sowest shall thy harvest bee Gods people sow in teares to reape in joy and thou must have a share in the sorrow for sinne and in the afflictions of Gods people or never looke to share in their joy 3. Were the Prophet Esay living where hee proclaimed one woe upon drunkards hee would powre out ten thousand upon this drunken age which is drowned with drinke Esay 5. 11. 22. Woe bee to them that rise up early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue till night Woe bee to them that are mighty to drinke and strong to powre in strong drinke How will the drunkard escape this woe and all the threates in the Booke of God which shut him out of heaven where is no roome for drunkards There is but one way and one there is to leave thy cup of drunkennesse and come drinke another cup a cup of mercy a cup of teares for thy sinne a cup of the blood of Jesus Christ a cup of the water of life that heaven may be opened to thee a sorrowfull and sober penitent which thy sinne had shut and barred against thee 4. What a fearefull woe doth our Saviour denounce upon all contemners of the Gospell and despisers of the blessed light of it Mat. 11 24. It shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of the Lord then for such And whence else was the heavy woe here upon the earth and Sea but for sinnes against the Gospell not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thes. 2. See we any woe or heavy hand of God upon the Kingdome in this effect who seeth not the cause the contempt of the Gospell doth any extraordinary crosse and judgement lie on this City on your trades on your estates why are yee blinde to this day and will not see the cause you poare like blinde men on secondary meanes fewnesse of buyers troubles abroad scant of money scarcity of times and the like but you see not the next cause at home your contempt and sleighting of the Gospell your Sabbath-breaking your want of reformation according to the rules of Gods Word your causlesse hatred of the bringers of the truth c. change your course and God will change his entertaine his best blessings and then expect inferior else know as sinne is linked fast so are Gods judgements these shal be but the beginnings of woe and one woe shall follow upon another till repentance come between For the devill is come downe c. The reason of the former woe denounced followeth and is twofold 1. The comming downe of the devill 2. His wrathfull disposition where of the reason is given because he knowes his time is short For the Exposition Quest. What is this comming downe of the Devill was not Satan before among the inhabitants of the earth till now that this victory is gotten by Christ were not wicked men under this curse and woe before this by Satans wrath and ruling Ans. Yes the devill was the Prince of the world before this and was commander among the Inhabitants of the earth and sea but he is now said to come downe in three respects 1. In a more generall and universall mischiefe intended by the dragon which was to spread it selfe over the face of the earth which was by a generall Apostasie of the world from Christ to Antichrist foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 2. In a farre more dangerous and mischievous manner of working by which he shall prevaile farre more efficaciously than ever before For whereas
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
that the more furious his wrath is the shorter it is like to bee For this is an infallible signe of the last times and the last houre when Satans wrath seemes to mingle heaven and earth let us lift up our heads the Lord is not farre off to put an end to this confusion 2. Doe we see Antichrist furious and wrathfull laying about him with both his swords so busily as that hee is in hope to gaine the morsell he hath long gaped for Doe wee see him make havocke and waste in the florishing Churches of Bohemia the Palatinate and other parts of Germany is he casting downe the worship of God banishing the Scriptures of God killing the Ministers and people of God setting up his Idols and puppets for gods before those that receive his marke in their hands and foreheads What may we hence gather but these two things First that we are cast into the last of the last times for the nearer wee are to the last moment of the last houre so much the more busie shall wee see Antichrist and the spirit of error active in putting forth their wrath Second that Antichrist his time is short the sharper the assault is the shorter it will bee and how can hee that reads the Scripture with judgement but know that as there is an houre of judgment vengeance to light upon that Antichrist Rev. 14. 7. so it is not farre off their neckes 2. Let all wicked men beware of boldnesse and fiercenesse in sinne which argues them not only delivered up to the wrath of the devill but that their time is not long for their measure fils apace See it in Iudas how industrious hee is neare his death A man in the high formes of sinne easily loseth his life in the service of some sinne or other God usually taking them at their hight and top How many judgements of God witnesse this truth dayly upon drunkards swearers riotous persons and quarrellers who come to untimely deaths and seldome live out halfe their dayes How suddenly hath the Lord taken downe proud and scorne full persons in the hight of their pride and pursuit of his children examples are too many to recite And how many wicked men are so like the devill that as he refuseth not to bee thrust into Hell at the judgement-day on condition he may play Rex against the Church and vexe and torment the Saints till then so these care not for hell and damnation afterwards so they may a few dayes live as they list and bring to passe as lawlesse persons their wicked devises and villanies in trampling downe the servants of God and in service to their owne damnable lusts as drunkards swearers revengefull men and the like 3 Wee must from the dragons practise picke out our lesson and dutie concerning our owne time 1 As the divell knoweth and observeth his time so must wee labour to know ours and the fitnesse of it for dutie Christ sharply reprooves the Jewes for not knowing their time Luk. 12. 56. Why discerne ye not this time Mat. 16. 3. Hypocrites can yee discerne the face of the sky and not the face of these times How few be there who know the happy times and opportunities they enjoy Satan knows the time of his mischiefe and slips it not men know not the day of their visitation nor the acceptable time nor the day of salvation which God offereth for grace and conversion The Lord may justly complaine of us as of the Jewes Ier. 8. 7. The Crane the Storke the Swallow know their times but my people know not me How else comes it that the Lord stretcheth out his hands all day long and knocketh continually by the hammar of his word at the dore of every mans heart offering the precious mercies of grace and glory but who open unto him or answer his gracious invitation Why do our youth riot out their time and cast the care of religion into their last accounts but because they know not their time Did they consider that youth is most fit for impressions of grace that grace is in that age most gracefull that now they have fresh wit quick senses all powers lively instruments for grace and that now they have strength and vigour called for 1 Ioh. 2. 14. to overcome evill knew they such a seed time of grace would they sow to the flesh would they not seeke wisdome early Whence els is it that our elder men after long teaching and trayning in the profession are as ignorant as children spend their time as vainely as the heathen in earthly lusts but because they never knew their time Should not they that have had more meanes have beene more expert in the word doth not their time who have beene bred up in the profession and lived twenty or thirty yeares in it call for double or treble measure of knowledge and grace as they have doubled or trebled their yeares beyond others the divell would be loth to slip any part of his time so foolishly Why else do our great and rich men wallow in lusts feed their senses pamper their bodies cast away their soules eate up their time in eating gaming riot and wantonnesse but because they have not learned neither from Gods booke nor the divells diligence to know their time and the fitnesse of it for their owne good Have they not many houres free from so necessarie labour as poore men are bound unto as many houres free from cares and distractions for necessaries which lye heavy on poore men many houres and dayes in a weeke free to hearing reading prayer meditation want they any thing but grace and will to do themselves good and doth not their very time tell them if they knew the voyce of it that they ought to be as farre above others in grace and piety as place and opportunities of grace But why be these so farre below their inferiors in knowledge in practise in use of the meanes why do they suffer the poore to receive the Gospell and the grace of it from them but because they know not their time neither the worth nor use of it and therefore they so miserably wast it 2 As the dragon knows his time is short and therefore bestirres him so wee must know our time is short and yet hath long wings to fly swiftly from us and therefore not to wast it out idly Object Who knows not that his time is short experience and sense teacheth it every day few children but can shew some markes of their parents mortality Answ. Sense and observation and experience may teach the dragon that his time is short But thou must have a better and higher teacher or else thou canst not learne this lesson And therefore Moses seeing few men wiser by the sense and experience of the shortnesse of their lives and uncertainty of dayes and that nature and experience cannot teach this skill to benefit themselves by the frailty of themselves or their predecessors goeth
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
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