unto them and at length Rome it selfe shall fall and all the Cities of the Nations that cleave unto her and every mountaine shall bee rooted up and all their consecrated places shall lie levell with the common soile this will the Lord bring to passe and will not leave till he hath wrought his great work in the world this is his revealed will and it will not faile untill every jot and tittle of it be fulfilled Let us therefore pray both night and day in season and out of season for our brethren in our native countrey for whom God hath wrought all these great things and for whom greater things yet remain to be done for whom our work is to wrastle with God that they may not perish for lack of knowledge nor mistake a false Church for a true and false it is if it be either Cathedrall Provinciall Nationall or Diocesan But pray we that they may see the Moone which God hath set in the Firmament even the true forme of a Church of the new Testament And also that Christ may bee better known in all the parts of his Kingly office and government in his Church that they may see who are Papists and who are the true Saints of God and who are counterfeit that they discerne between cleane and uncleane for if the saving knowledge of God grow up unto any ripenesse among them it will not beare many things that are there remaining many dawbings with untempered morter there are that must be beaten downe And great pitty were it that they should want any light which might possibly be afforded unto them and marvâ—llous usefull will it be that we should not be wanting on our parts to help with what light we have that so there may be no more refuges of lies in that land I say this is mightily to bee wrastled for both in prayers and in all Christian endeavours for verily this is the worke of God meet for every man to set his heart and hand unto even to pull away the vaile of darknâ—â—â—e from all faces and from all the mindes of men and to discover clearâ—ly the Gospell of Jesus Christ and all the holy wayes of his sactuary that every man may see and see clearely that men may not make a dawbing of part Reformation and part of Superstition part Popery and part Protestanisme part uniformity and part conformity O that an haile storme might not be wanting to batter downe such dawbing that the work of God might not cease but amount unto the praise of the glory of his rich grace in Jesus Christ and extend unto the accomplishment of every holy word of his truth The third use may serve to instruct you in the wonderfull Vse 3 successe of small beginnings in the things of God that a womans throwing of a sorry chaire at a mans head though the part iâ— might be punishable for such a miscarriage should rayse such a consending for reformation that both kingdomes must either stand by reformation or else fall to ruine First the woman backe on the men and then the men must for shame backe on their wives and greater men backe the meaner to bring forth such a great reformation And how should this come to passe Truely in the eyes of men it is wonderfull But you know the least thing you cast into a streame will runne downe the streame you neede not force it you have cast it in where nature hath set a course to carry it along And how much more shall things runne an end when the God of nature hath set them a course when he powreth a Vial upon the ignorance and darknesse of Popish superstition then great workes therein will be done for now a man underworkes the Lord when he doth what his word hath spoken and what his hand hath gone before us in And when the ordinances of God say it is spoken then the providence of God will say it is done and then if you faile long with Gods providence in Gods ordinance you need not feare nor wonder if weake beginnings come unto great issues For now you take opportunitie by the foretop as they are wont to say if you carry along businesse according to the word the Lord will carry things an end mightily in your hands beyond all your expectations or imaginations for there is no resisting nor controlling the worke of God Vse 4 The fourth use may show you the great danger of such as stand out against the reformation of Religion the Lord will throw downe his haile upon them and rend their hearts and indignation and blasphemy He will goe an end with his worke though they sweare and storme he will pursue the enemies of his grace with his wrath till he have utterly confounded and consumed them from off the face of the earth Vse 5 In the last place this may serve to teach every man in perticular I am forced to speake unto kingdomes and states but let it not be in vaine let us be acquainted with every part of his counsell and will and this is a maine part thereof and wee may not shut our eyes from any knowne truth for God would have the veyle taken from all faces you may have a true platforme of this worke in any godly mans heart If the Lord meane to finish the mistery of his grace in thee he will power out a Vial upon the vaile of thine ignorance and will open thine eyes to see that thou hast runne a carnall cursed course of life he will come in with thundrings and lightnings and voyces such as wherewith Moses himselfe shall be terrified He will come in with an earthquake into thy heart terribly shaking thy sinfull corruptions and then he will worke a reall change in thee that nothing in heaven but Christ nor in the earth in comparison of him The Lord will not suffer you to rest untill you have closed stedfastly with him the knowledge of God hath given you will bring this matter to passe he will not leave you untill you have gone forward to a division from your sinfull lust and carnall companions And whatsoever his work be you must doe it even unto the fulfilling of the mystery of God and whosoever riseth against you you must plead for Christ with the weapons of your tongue and whatsoever High mountaine riseth in you any gifts or parts good duties any greene grasse that groweth in you the haile storme of Gods wrath will drive you from trusting on any such common grace all dawbings with untempered morter you cannot skill of whatsoever doth not make to the building you up in away of saving grace you are unskilfull in therefore you are desirous still to close with Christ nor can yee rest untill you come to setled peace in him This is such a mystery of God as hee will not rest nor suffer you to rest untill it be done and if his Word will bring it to passe in a whole countrey then sure it is enough to effect it in thine heart See therefore that you doe not dawbe up your selves nor others with untempred morter satisfie not your selves untill you be shaken out of all such common apprehensions as hypocrites are wont to rest in rest you not untill you finde Christ manifested to your spirit as yours grow up in a Lambe-like frame of spirit and way untill the mystery of God be finished in you and untill that mystery of Iniquity that hath beene wrought in you be abolished FINIS
THE POWRING OVT OF THE SEVEN VIALS OR AN EXPOSITION OF THE 16. Chapter of the REVELATION with an Application of it to our Times Wherein is revealed Gods powring out the full Vials of his fierce wrath 1. Upon the lowest and basest sort of Catholicks 2. Their Worship and Religion 3. Their Priests and Ministers 4. The House of Austria and Popes Supremacy 5. Episcopall Government 6. Their Euphrates or the streame of their supportments 7. Their grosse Ignorance and blind Superstitions Very fit and necessary for this Present Age. Preached in sundry Sermons at Boston in New-England By the Learned and Reverend IOHN COTTON BB. of Divinity and Teacher to the Church there LONDON Printed for R. S. and are to sold at Henry Overtons shop in Popes-head Alley 1642. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader Thou hast here presented to thy view a taste of the ordinary Weeke-daies exercise of that Reverend man taken from his owne mouth whose Pen would have more fully answered thy greatest expectations could his time drunke up with continuall waighty and various imployments afforded him more liberty and leisure to have fyled over his owne notions It is hoped they may be of great use unto thee and the rather because of the excellency and seasonablenesse of the Subject to erect thy hopes and to put an edge upon thy Prayers and desires for the more spedier bringing forth of those great workes which this and the following Age are to produce The good that may accrue to thy selfe and the common cause produced this Worke into the light which was not intended when first delivered for any more publike use then of his owne private Auditotie Now the Father of lights and God of all grace fill our hearts with the life and power of faith and zeale to pray for long for speed and write for the most desired ruine and speedy begunne-downefall of that most cursed Kingdome of Antichrist according to the scope and drift of that Prophesie expressed in the powring out of these Seven Vials Thine in the Lord I. H. Viall I. The powring out of the SEVEN VIALS OR AN EXPOSITION with an Application of the 16th Chapter of the REVELATION REVELATION 16.1.2 And J heard a great voyce out of the Temple saying to the Seven Angels Goe your wayes and poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth And the first went and poured out his Viall upon the Earth and there fell a noysome and grievous sore upon the men which had the Marke of the Beast and upon them which Worshipped the Image YOu have heard in the former Chapter of the Preparation of the Seven Angels to poure out the seven last Plagues of God upon the Antichristian State In this Chapter you read a large Description of their Execution of that worke which is First Commanded Verse 1. Secondly Performed in the sequell of the Chapter Commanded wherein observe that Commandement set forth First by the Jnstrumentall efficient Promulger of it a great voice I heard a great Voice Secondly By the Subject-place whence this Voice came forth out of the Temple A great voice out of the Temple Thirdly By the matter commanded by the voice Goe your waies and poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth This Commandement thus given was accordingly performed by all the seven Angels in this whole Chapter The first Angel poureth out his Viall ver 2. and that is first set forth by the subject upon which he poured it upon the earth Secondly It is amplified by the effect it wrought There fell a noysome and grievous sore upon the men What men They are of two sorts First Such as had the Marke of the Breast Secondly Such as worshipped his Image The words are somewhat darke and there is much variety in the Interpretation of them I shall shortly open to you what by the comparing of this and other Scriptures together I take to be the meaning of the Words First when he saith I heard a great voice It is a voice of Authority and Power And whose can that be but his that hath power over all these Plagues even God himselfe and the Lord Iesus Christ who also have power in the Temple It is not the voyce of one of the foure Beasts the Officers of the Church alone but a further power doth concur with this voice such as carried Majestie and authority with it Secondly Out of the Temple It implieth it was a voyce delivered not by one of the foure Officers in private but came out of Publike Administration where onely the Lord speaking did with Authority set forward these Angels upon this work And it may further Imply that it sprung upon some Prayers of the Church in the Temple for all the voices in the Temple are either the voice of the Church unto Christ or of Christ unto the Church And if the Lord speake graciously in the Temple It is commonly obtained in the Praiers of the Church craving answer from him To the seven Angels That is to say Seven sorts of Gods Messengers whether Magistrates or Ministers or whosoever they be that poure out these Vials they are Angels of God as being the Messengers of his wrath Neither is it meant of seven Individuall persons but seven sorts of Persons that set forward this worke And withall I doe accord with those that say that in all these administrations there is some presence of the heavenly Angels accompaning the men in the worke Goe your waies your waies is not in the Originall but Goe poure out the Vials The Vials are vessels of large content but of narrow mouthes they poure out slowly but drench deepely and distill effectually the wrath of God Vessels they are of full and just measure as all these judgements are dispensed in weight and measure Of the wrath of God That argueth that upon what subject soever these Vials fell the wrath of God fell together with them upon the same And that helpeth not a little to open the place and to shew the danger of some interpretations which doe expound the Sunne vers 8. to be the Scriptures If these Vials be the Vials of Gods wrath how shall any of them be conceived to be poured out upon the Scripture is the wrath of God kindled against the Scripture And for the Earth vers 2. Some conceive it to be meant of the common sort of godly Christians but though some soare plagues might befall some of them yet how can the wrath of God be conceived to be powred upon them It cannot therefore be meant as some of good note say of the Waldenses and Albugenses Hugonets and Lollards but the wrath of God falleth upon such as worship the Beast and his Image And therefore take that for certaine that what things soever the Vials of Gods wrath are poured upon they are such as God is deepely displeased withall Vpon the earth They thought right that thought it to bee meant of the common sort of Catholikes
Antichristian are but earthly they fast from flesh indeed and from white meats but they have the dainties of the Apothecaries shops preserves and conserves and such kind of pleasant meats and what have they done all this while these their practises are not sanctified of God and therefore doe leave the soules of men still vnder carnall delusions being no other but earthly and bodily exercises Goe and poure out the vials of the wrath of God vpon the Earth and the first went and poured out his viall vpon the earth This is vpon the lowest and basest element in the antichristian world Thence we may observe That God in his Iudgements vpon wicked persons and Doct. 3 states beginneth first with the least and lowest amongst them this is evident in the Text first upon the earth and the sea is next which like the naturall sea is above the earth and the Rivers and fountaines are higher then it and the sunne higher then they and then vpon the throne of the Beast and when we come to open the sequell you shall see that all things goe in a gradation And in this sort did the Lord deale when hee brought antichrist into the world Rev. 8.7 The first judgement came vpon the earth The second vpon the sea The third vpon the rivers and fountaines of water The fourth vpon the Sunne then commeth Antichrist the King of the Bottomelesse pit Rev. 9.11 and here in the 5. Viall his throne is smitten and upon the sounding of the sixt angell the foure angels in the River Euphrates were loosened and here pouring out the 6th Viall the River Euphrates is dryed up And the consideration yeeldeth great light to helpe us in the exposition of these seven vials for by the same steps wherby antichrist came into the world by the same steps doth the Lord vndermine him and bring him downe For as first the common sort of Christians were corrupted when antichrist was brought in so first the Common sort of Catholiques are blasted when antichrist beginneth to fall The like course did the Lord take in the plagues of Egypt Exod. 7.19 c. He beginneth with the lowest first to turne their waters into bloud and thereby killeth their fish but still men subsist well enough but then he bringeth frogs into all the land of Egypt and they crawle into their kneading troughes then he changeth the dust of the land into lice and that was a great deale more loathsome to men and at length hee killeth all their first borne and at last overwhelmeth Pharaoh and his hoste in the bottome of the red sea and all this is according to the old covenant of his justice Levit. 26.18 21 24 28. If you will not for all this hearken vnto me J will punish you yet seven times more for your sins so he threatneth againe and againe in all those verses untill at last he bring upon them such feareful and horrible Iudgements that they become an hissing to all nations The Reason of Gods dealing thus is to magnifie Gods patience Reas 1 vnto all knowest thou not that the long suffering of God leadeth thee to Repentance Rom. 2.4 It becommeth the Lord to magnifie his patience and when he doeth strike he will not suddenly stirre up all his wrath therefore when here he commeth to judge Antichrist he first poureth out his wrath where it is least of all sensible to the great Lords of the Antichristian world to magnifie the equity of his Iustice and that he might also leave them without excuse if the lowest judgements doe not prevaile this God doeth that he might be justified when he judgeth Ps 51.4 Thus though his wrath bee revealed from heaven against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men Rom. 1.18 yet such is the holinesse of Gods proceedings that hee will shew his patience and will strike gently vpon the least and lowest in estate first and afterwards hee goeth on further in wasting to waste untill he have overspread a state with punishment thus doth hee together magnifie his patience and justifie his justice and leave men without excuse This may serve in the first place to teach all men in the feare of Vse 1 God to become wise by light Iudgements and gentle afflictions those which you would thinke may least of all concerne you sleight them not nothing more distant from the chiefe men in a State then the common multitude A Iudgement upon them doth not matter much if a Famine were upon the common sort of people Princes and Great men would not be much affected therewith But the least of his judgements should be warnings unto us to teach us that the Lord hath taken his Sword into his hand and will go on in judgement untill he make the soules of men to tremble What if a judgement begin upon mens cattell That is farre off It will come next upon your Servants and Children and it may be reach to the wife of your bosome and if all this prevaile not it may be He will strike you with grievous diseases in your body and if you hearken not for all this what if he let the Devill loose upon the soules and consciences of men and women What will the heart of a poore Creature doe in such a case O consider this all ye that forget God! least hee teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver When the Lord striketh aloofe from us It is but the Viall of the first Angell but when the Lord beginneth he will go on further therefore it must be the wisdome of the sonnes of men to take heed of his stroakes afarre off This also is the Method of Gods dealing with his owne Children He did not fall upon the Conscience of his Servant Iob at the first but upon his Cattell then upon his Servants after that upon his Children and nextly upon his Body and at last writeth bitter things against his soule Be we warned therefore by the first hints of chastisements by small and gentle visitations and happy they that learne to profit by such to turne unto God and to make their peace with him before his wrath breake forth like a devouring fire and there be none to quench it Vse 2 The second use is unto the common sort of Christians if there be any more poore and common and of lesse esteeme then other Marke what I say and take it from the word of the Lord it behoveth you in speciall manner to take heed to your Religion for if corruptions grow therein you will be the first that will suffer by them And why so It is because Religion concerneth the common sort of Christians as well as any other and yet they commonly leave their Religon as they say to men that are wiser then themselves well if you cannot read in the Book of God the broade Characters of Salvation and the way thereof looke for it that when the smarting providences of God come upon any State where you are you shall first taste
stand The Sea as you know is the confluence of all the Rivers and Fountaines of waters they all finally are gathered together into one place and are called Sea And truly the confluence concourse of all the springs of the Churches they do meet together in one Religion that is the common receptacle of all All my fresh springs are in the Lord Psal 87.7 In that Religion which the Church professeth And therefore Religion was resembled in the 4 of the Revel vers 6. By the sea of Glasse like unto Chrystall that is all the Ordinances of God they were so cleare as that you n ight see Christs face in them as in a mirrour or glasse 2 Cor. 3.18 Wherein the state of Religion in the New Testament differed from the state of Religion in the old Testament Where the Brazen sea in Salomons Temple was indeed bright as brasse but thicke and not transparent you could not see so clearly the blood of Christ in it and yet there was a sea of Waters What to doe In the 2 Chron. 4.2 to the end of the 6. verse which was for the Priests to wash in Now what is it that can cleanse the Priests but onely the blood of the Lord Iesus Now that was resembled by the water in the Brazen sea Therefore all the Ordinances of Christ which did hold forth the blood of Christ to the washing and purging of the Priests and people of God that is the sea Now this sea as you heard in the 15. Chapter of the Revelation the 2. verse In the Reformed Churches is a sea of Glasse though mingled with Fire mingled with some contention yet the face of Christ might be cleerely seene in it But this sea heere that is the Popish Religion is the confluence of all their Ordinances as they doe administer the worship of God And upon this sea upon this Religion is the second Viall poured In the former Viall First men stumbled at the lives of Papists and therupon at the lives of them that led them at their Priests covetousnesse ignorance and hipocrisie they liked not their lives though at first they stumbled not at their religion but thought it was the fault of their lives but soone after they stumble at their Religion so that the next Vial is poured on their Religion the Ordinances themselves as they are dispenced by them the Viall is poured on them so farre as they differ from Reformed Churches Then what This being the sea how is this sea come to be as bloud That is this Religion of theirs is convinced and discovered to be not such as holds forth the cleansing blood of the Lord Iesus as the Sea in Salomons Temple did and as the sea of Glasse like unto Christall did but holds forth the blood of a dead man A dead Christ and dead Ordinances to any spirituall life There is no life no power no savour of goodnesse in it as the blood of a dead man which is not like the living blood of Christ to cleanse and purifie and to give life Whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my bloud hath eternall life John 6.54 But this is the blood not of the liveing God but of a dead man there is the best of it and what is that Fit to pollute and defile fit to choake a man but not to feed him not to cleanse and purge him And every thing living in that sea dyed Every thing That is every soule that had no other life but what was bred and fed in that Religion and had no other Christian life but what he sucked and derived from that Religion they all perished everlastingly this is the meaning of the words of the Text. Now then it may be further demanded for clearing of this meaning who is this Angell that poures out this viall of Gods wrath on this sea the sea you say is Antichristian religion for the first began with the earth this goes up higher and so higher and higher till it come to the throne and till at length Babilon be fallen So that all these plagues fall on the antichristian state But who is this Angell that poureth out this Viall There be some conceive that they are they who met in the councell of Trent and gathered all the streames of Popish priests and their doctrine and practise and ratified them all in that Councell yea some thinke that Bellarmine hath done the Church of God good service in gathering the body of Controversies betweene protestants and popish Churches and hath delivered them in so many volumes that you might have a whole sea of antichristian doctrine worship and governement by him confirmed though I doe not dislike the notion and it will fall into the true meaning yet that holds not close to the letter of the Text for the Text makes all the Angels to be such as come out of reformed Churches * Rev. 15 5.6 the Temple open in heaven members of reformed Churches all cloathed in pure and white linnen godly Christians righteous soules and girded with golden girdles stablished in the truth of the Gospell therefore they cannot be the Bishops and Doctors of Rome nor Bellarmine nor any of them that have held forth Popish Religion in a Popish Church What then Then it must bee other Ministers and Professors of reformed religion who have discovered the religion of the antichristian state to be as it is Obiect You will say can they turne Popish Religion to bloud Answ The Doctors of Trent indeed have Bellarmine makes it worse by maintaining and confirming of it True but can Ministers of reformed Churches be said to doe so Marke they are sayd to poure out a viall not by making their religion worse but making it appeare as bad as it was They being righteous men they could not corrupt religion but discover it and make it appeare that all the decrees of the councell of Trent and of Bellarmine and such Popish writers they discovered them to bee nothing but a sea of corrupt doctrine and worship all the streames that run in that sea are all polluted and filthy that who so lives and dies in them perisheth everlastingly And such were all those worthy servants of Christ that have written either against the Trident Councell or against Bellarmine that have convinced their Doctrine and worship to be all polluted and corrupted and to be such that if a man know and practise and beleeve no better he cannot be saved such hath been Chenmitius and Junius Chamier Whitaker and Reignolds Perkins and Ames and the rest of the holy Saints of God that have poured out this viall of Gods wrath that is that by their doctrine and writings from the word have poured out such cleare conviction and refutation of their doctrine and worship that to all that are not partiall it appeares to be not the bloud of the Lord Iesus but of a dead man and therfore who ever lives and dies in that religion hee cannot die better then a reprobate nor
lie much of them in Common Well what ever things may be though Christian love will passe by much yet beleeve it if men make no conscience of their bargaines but that they doe defraud others If men make no conscience of heavenly mindednesse of purity and zeale and thinke it needs not but rest in meer formes of Church Ordinances you will unavoydably poure a Viall of Gods wrath as much as in you lyes on all the purity of Gods Ordinances and judge you how dishonourable it is to God and holy religion and how blame-worthy it is in such as are faulty herein however you will answer this before the Lord at his comming For you cannot avoide it this will be the issue either we are counterfeit Professors of Reformation or that our reformation is counterfeit you say you came over for puritie of Ordinances But in truth you did but dissemble however you thought it was not in your hearts the event proves the contrary if you be not sincere but hollow Members of the Church and corrupt livers under the governement and worship of God heere established and ordered I say you will force all whose eyes are on you throughout the Christian world to thinke these are but the inventions of men there is no truth no true heartednesse in the Religion here established and for the Religion established in England what ever you talke of humane inventions we know there is no such unfaithful dealing and hollow heartednesse no such bitternesse between Christians A Ministers Presence is amiable and his feet beautifull and where hee comes it is not thought too homely to be regarded of better then himselfe If Religion in our Native Countrey of them that are sincere if it hold foorth more puritie there beleeve it it beares more evident witnesse to the truth of God there so much as is truth then as we doe that professe greater simplicitie these are but the names of things but the reality is wanting It is never to be forgotten the Argument of the blessed Apostle the Corinthians tooke offence at him as they were humerous though godly men yet a generation of them were haughty by their great gifts Paul said he would come to Corinth he promised to come but he did not and they thought he used lightnesse it was an easie thing with him to be Yea and Nay What saith the Apostle When I said I would come did I use lightnesse that with me there should be Yea and Nay Nay saith the Apostle I pray yon marke it and I could wish it were engraven on the tables of godly mens hearts in the 2 Corinth 1.18 as God is true our word toward you was not Yea and Nay How doth hee prove that For the Sonne of God Iesus Christ who was preached amongst you by us was not yea and nay but in him was yea and all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen What is this to the purpose If the Gospel he preached be not yea and nay then neither are his prâ—mises yea and nay this is his intendment else his inference is nothing I you will say Ministers and Apostles ought to be such but this that followes wraps in all professours Now hee which stablisheth you with us in Christ it is not Elders onely and he that anointed us is God who anointeth with such oile as falls on every member of his body who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts and makes us every way like himselfe therefore saith he I call God to record that to spare you I came not yet to Corinth otherwise as the Gospell preached by him and Silvanus Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea no more was his promise this is the spirit of Christians and Ministers and so of al that are established together with their Ministers anointed and sealed and confirmed in grace with their Ministers and have received the earnest penny to bind the bargaine of eternall salvation to faithfull soules So looke what a Christian doth promise he is bound by the earnest penny of Gods Spirit hee dares no more alter his words to the discredit of his profession then the Spirit of God to lie So that consider if Professors grow corrupt Religion wil grow corrupt and on the discovery of the corruption of common Christians corrupt religion will be discovered else you will be discovered to be carnall professors But there will be these two events either it will cast aspersion on you and so they will say none are better the spirit of the Country is deceitfull in their bargaines there is no constancie in their words Or else that your Religion is corrupt and this will also follow unavoidably though your Religion bee of God and the Lord himselfe will beare witnesse it is of God and according to the true patterne of the Word yet if we in this generation shall defile it by our unfaithfulnesse unspiritualnesse unheavenlinesse and ungodlinesse this will be the issue on the corruption of the lives of Professors followes corruption of Religion and upon the discovery of the one followes the discovery of the other That Religion which by the blessing of God and the power of his grace is dispensed heere in simplicity will bee corrupted in the very next generation you will finde your Children after you of whose state you ought to have as much care and I thinke I may speake it without inconveniency more then of your owne you may know the worst of it for your selves being neere the grave many of you but verely what will befall your Posterity They will degenerate out of measure by the unfaithfulnesse of your lives and unrighteousnesse of our promises they will fall to bee starke nought in point of Doctrine Worship and Government they will utterly degenerate from their Ancestors let but us bee polluted and all the waters that come from us will be polluted it cannot be sweet water that runnes through a poysonous earth if the earth bee unsavoury the Waters and Deepes and Rivers be poysoned what will the issue bee all will bee corrupt and therefore as you desire to leave Religion with a blessing leave it pure in the conversation of Brotherly love and purity and faithfulnesse and fruitfulnesse and heavenly mindednesse that so as Religion always loves to lye cleane as was a grave speech of an ancient Saint it will not lye nasty as a Swine and a Dogge in a kennell it must lye sweet and cleane if the hearts and waies of men be not pure and holy you shall not alway have the Sea cleane but Religion will grow to Apostacy and that which is our glory will be our confusion It became as the blood of a dead man Doct. 2. The faithful Ministers and Professors of Reformed Religion and Churches by powring out the wrath of God on Popish Religion have discovered it not to hold forth the blood of the Lord Iesus but to bee as the blood of a
dead man That is the Sea the Antichristian Sea the confluence of all Ordinances in it not to bee the blood of the Lord Iesus which is onely able to purifie and to pacifie the Conscience no such thing to be found in it But a blood fit to quicken and give life John 6.50.51 Hee that drinkes of my blood shall live for ever but they have discovered it to be the blood of a dead Man It was the speech of Master Perkins often in his Sermons and throughout his Writings who was one that powred out this Viall he would say to his hearers Young Schollers Popish Bookes in holding forth the blood of the Covenant they hold it forth in a morall manner but without the life and power of his death hee expounds it thus They will very evidently set forth the cruelty and treachery of Iudas that betrayed him and the Wordly-mindednesse and Covetousnesse and Ambition of the High Priests that bought and plotted his death they will saith hee make bitter invectives against the prophanesse of the Iewes that were ready to renounce him Away with him away with him Crucifie him and declaime agaist the timorousnesse of Pilate and base-mindednesse that could not deliver an Innocent and declaime of the cruelty of the Souldiers and magnifie the Innocencie of Christ Iesus and make the people many times to weepe that Iesus an Innocent man had beene thus prophanely sould and bought and thus basely condemned and cruelly handly All this might be done and all but to shew forth the blood of an Innocent man But to shew the need of Christs blood and how they should walke worthy of it and how they should obtaine it it is the least part of their discourse and indeed no part at all What is this but the blood of a dead Man to raise up bitter detestations against the Iewes and Souldiers and Pilate c. But to raise it up to any powerfull effect in the hearts of Christians it is not their endeavour that are most devout Reas The reason is first taken From their holding foorth not indeed the true Christ Whether you speake of their Doctrine Worship or Governement they doe not hold forth the true Christ They hold forth Christ God and Man that is true so farre the goe with us and hold that Christ dyed and rose againe as we doe but when they come to speake of the Offices of Christ in which indeede hee is savingly held forth to the people there they bring in another Christ and renounce him For either take the true Christ as the true Christ or else none for he will not divide stakes Looke at all his Offices And I will give you but a touch of them Take the Mediatourly Office of Christ they will have other Mediators of Reconciliation and Intercession besides the Lord Iesus Doth not the Priest every Sacrament of the Lords Supper offer a Propitiatory Sacrifice if I may call it a Sacrament of the Lords Supper this is constant with them Now this is to bring in other Christs for Reconciliation besides the Lord Jesus Whereas the Apostle in the 10 Chapter to the Hebrewes the 14. Verse saith By one offering hee hath for ever perfected them that are sanctâ—fied and he professeth that onely the Sacrifices of the Law were oft repeated because they could not make the commers thereunto perfect Hebr. Chapter 10. vers 1. to the 14. verse So that to bring in any other Sacrifices is absolutely to renounce his Mediation and Reconciliation and they are not ashamed I confesse a man might stand and tremble those that are more devout and zealous Catholikes they will not owne that Doctrine but they will owne this they are not ashamed to entreat Christ by the Merit of the blood of Thomas to give them a blessed Resurrection by the blood of Thomas which for us hee did spend make us to rise whither hee did ascend Now if they put on Christians the blood of Thomas and give them to rise by the blood of Thomas there is another reconciliation joyned with the blood of the Lord Jesus and indeed all Satisfactory Pennance and Whippings and Masses what are they all but Copartners with Christ in helping forward his fatisfaction as if it were not sufficient other sacrificers and other sacrifices every Priest is a sacrificer and every new sacrifice is to make attonement And so doe I say for his mediatourship of intercession you know they ioyn saints and angells especially the Virgin Mary as the mothers and fathers of grace and pray the Lord to hear for their merits sake so that take the whole mediatourly office of Christ for reconciliation and intercession you must have more Christs then one and then he is of none effect if he may not doe all in point of merit and fatisfaction even all the righteousnesse that he hath taught us to doe it is vnprofitable for such ends we may profit our brethren and helpe our selves by his grace for many spirituall good ends but for satisfaction for merit and the like it is to set up a New Christ besides the Lord Iesus thus is his priestly office evacuated And so his Propheticall office to bring in other scriptures as the Apocrypha that he confirmes not besides scriptures of unwritten tradition carried from hâ—nd to hand and yet many great points of their Religion are built thereon even all the corrupt doctrine which they deliver by tradition For his Kingly office you know they set up other Lords and Governors of the Church besides him I meane such governours as neither are the Lords nor ever were instituted by him as the Pope and Cardinals and Primats and Metropolitans and the whole rout of Popish Hierarchie from the Apparritor to the Pope they are of his invention and appointment and as they have other Lords so other lawes the whole cannon Law is none of the ordinances of the Lord Iesus for the governement of his Church much of it contrary to the word of God and as they have other Lords and lawes so they have other frames of C urches Oecumenicall Catholique Church Metropolitan Patriaâ—câ—all Archipiscopall Episcopall Diocesan which Chist never ordained in the New Testament and they have brought Kingly or Monarchicall power into the Churches which Christ never gave them and that not onely to excommunication but to dethrone Princes and to substitute others in their roomes and in one word they are not ashamed to say it is lawfull for the Pope to dispence with the Apostle Paul and he doth dispence with incestuous Marriages and with absolutions and notorious sins for such summes of money given for some religious or rather superstitious use and they will dispence with oathes which God himselfe will not nor can he will not suffer Iosuahs oath and the Princes with the Gibeonites to bee broken because it was the oath of God with them therefore they must keepe it so that here is not more then civill but more then spirituall power brought into the
Angell out of the Altar in the 7. ver who saith Amen to this Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgments For the meaning of the words The sea being Religion the confluence of ordinances such ordinances as are dispensed in any religion The rivers and fountains of water that spring from the sea and returne to the sea and derive all their springs and waters from thence they are and it is generally so received and therefore with more freedome of spirit a man may declare it these rivers and fountains of waters are generally conceived to be the Priests and Ministers of the Popish Church who carry Popish Religion as Fountains and Rivers do the Sea up and down the earth so do they Popish Religion up and down the Nations carry it to and fro only there is this difference between them and ordinary rivers and fountains ordinarily rivers and fountains are fresh though the sea be salt but here the fountains rivers are salt and brackish also as those salt springs be that run through salt mineralls which are of like nature with the sea and these keep their brackishnesse still And so it is with these rivers and fountains they run through the earth on which the first Angel poured out his vial they run through the cursed earth as it is plagued of God and therefore still retaines the like unwholsome streams which are found in the bloody sea And therefore it is said that as the sea became bloud so these rivers also became bloud and carryed but the like kind of water which they received from the sea corrupt As the Religion it selfe is corrupt so are these fountaines and rivers the Priests and Jesuites whether secular or regular that is the Parish Priests of their Churches or Regular Monkes that are in Religious Orders or who ever are sent forth by these they are these rivers and fountaines of waters that run to and fro to fill all the world with their sea with their Religion It is the same word which the Apostle Peter hath in expressing the nature of false teachers though there it is wells yet the words are both one They are wells without water meaning without water of life carrying their owne drugs and dregs 2 Pet. 2.17 A fit expression therefore of such kind of Priests or Prophets as doe convey unwholsome liquor or water up and downe a countrey Now of these it is said that on the pouring out of this vial they became bloud not onely in regard that their waters themselves are bloud the doctrine and worship which they doe hold forth to the people are corrupt as their sea is like the plague in Egypt when their waters and rivers were turned to bloud but that chiefly in regard of the punishment which they inflict on them for so doing which is a bloudy death as bloud is expounded in the 5. and 6. verses where the Angel of the waters saith Thou art righteous O Lord c. because thou hast iudged thus Why For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drinke for they are worthy So this is bloud which God hath given them to drinke And that is an usuall phrase to give a man bloud to drinke is to kill him As Tomyris of old said to King Cyrus Thou hast been a bloud-thirsty man drink thou bloud which thou hast thirsted When you give a man bloud to drink you put him to death So this Angel who ever it was that poured out this vial he puts these Priests to death he gave them bloud to drink both made themselves to undergoe a bloudy death to drinke bloud and also made all that received and entertained them to drinke bloud too and this was effectually accomplished by Queene Elizabeth when in the 27. yeare of her raigne in the yeare 1581. by the consent of the Parliament she made it a Law that if any Priest or Jesuite that had received Orders from the Sea of Rome or any authority from that Sea should come into the Realme and goe about or practice to seduce any of the Queenes loyall Subjects from their allegeance to the obedience of the Sea of Rome or practice to draw them to that religion he should be judged guilty of high treason and suffer in the case of a Traitor And this was another branch of that Statute That if any gave entertainment to such Priests and Jesuites after certain dayes and knew them to be such should suffer as in case of Felonie without the benefit of his Booke so that both of them must drinke bloud both the Jesuites and Priests themselves and their abettors and entertainers and the ground was because they had bloudy intendments in their comming intending to kill the Queene or corrupt the State with unwholsome and pernicious Doctrine to draw the people from their allegeance to the obedience of the Sea of Rome that so as it was said a generation of Catholiques was the corruption of her subjects To prevent which mischiefe this Law was enacted and so upon this occasion many suffered that yeare and others in after yeares most part of her Raigne Now what is then the meaning of the next words I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast iudged thus so it was bloud recompenced with bloud This Angel of the waters it was he or she that poured out this vial on these waters She with the consent of her Councel and Parliament they were this Angel of the waters that had this power over these rivers and fountaines and this was accomplished two or three yeares after when she set Secretary Cicill on worke to write a Booke with this Title JUSTITIA BRITANNIAE The Iustice of Britaine wherein Secretary Cicill by her appointment doth make it cleare to all neighbour Nations and for that end published his Book in sundry Languages French Dutch and Spanish that what was decreed in that Parliament was just according to the Law of God and the true principles of Christian State Policie that there was no hope of safety to the Queenes Person or of peace to the Common wealth or of liberty to true Reformed Religion if such persons were suffered to goe up and downe in that pestilentious manner to pervert and corrupt the people and withdraw them from their Allegeance and subject them to the Bishop of Rome that they did not suffer meerely on point of Religion though on those points of their Religion which gave them occasion so to work he doth not deny that neither but in respect that the frame of their Religion was not compatible to any Protestant State And the very Booke it selfe holds forth this in effect that the Lord was just herein and as the Text here tels us Thou art righteous O Lord because thou hast iudged thus And he attributes not onely righteousnesse to God in this but immutability and constancie which
heretofore heard Then as he discovers their Religion to be generally corrupt as the bloud of a dead man so hee pours out the next Vials upon the Rivers and Fountains of water those that carry this Religion up and down the Countries and Nations the Lord exasperates Civil States so far against them that they force them to drink bloud their own bloud as they made Martyrs to drink bloud so the Lord gave them to drink bloud for they are worthy as you heard it opened this day seven-night He first begins with the common Catholicks then with Priests and Jesuits Well doth he here stay when the Lord sees what little fruit groweth hereby Verily no for here is no Reformation of the common sort they still continue in their Ignorance and Superstition and Idolatry And what are the Priests and Jesuits any thing reformed It is nothing so nor do the lights of that State either the lights of the Imperiall world of the Provinces or their generall and grand holy Father the Pope as they call him none seek Reformation what then Then let the Imperiall state and Pope that claims Lord Paramountship over all let him look it the next Vial fals upon his head and the Lord doth this by degrees first upon his supreme lustre and glory as he rules by day And the next fals upon his Throne and that is a great blow to him and still the Lord goes on pouring to pour out and striking to strike till at length he crusheth the man of sin and all his abettors For their religion is corrupt and all that drink of it perish and the cōmon people Priests Jesuits shall smart and then the Pope Emperor whoever are their great lights let thē be lights in Church or Common-wealth for I will exclude neither they both partake in the sin and shall partake in the punishment of it The four Angels they may be severall persons but they have one common work they pour Vials upon the lights of both States and truly so the Lord did in Christian Rome this is Antichristian but when Rome was once Pagan and then became Christian in Constantines time and under the Christian Emperors Constantine and the rest opened the doors of the Church so wide that all the garden of God was become a wildernesse by an inundation of carnall people Christians in name but Pagans in heart that were let in and then that which was once a garden inclosed was now made a wildernesse when they took down the Pale and let in all dogs and swine that will come in the wrath of God breaks out against them then the Trumpet sounds a shrill sound and what was that In the 8 of Revel 7. The first Angel sounding there followed hail and fire mingled with bloud and they were cast upon the earth c. and that is upon the lowest sort of Christians there was given grievous hail cold hail-storm they received not the truth in love and being cold in Christianity they were hot in Emulation and Contention And then the second Trumpet sounding there was as it were a great Mountain burning cast into the Sea and there was a third part of the Sea became bloud there was high preferment cast into the Officers of the Church and a great part of the Administrations grew corrupt Then the third Angel sounded and there fals a Star from Heaven called Wormwood Wormwood of Heresie and corrupts the Priests many were infected with the Heresie of Arrius and Nestorius and Eutyches Afterwards all Scriptures came to be darkned with Allegoricall and Hereticall and corrupt Interpretations that Christ is scarse discerned in all their writings and the light of Scripture is darkened and the light of humane Learning that there is little light left And then the next Angel he sounds and smoke comes out of the bottomlesse pit and there comes Locusts upon the earth and they have a King set over them which is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit which is the Pope over the Friars and Monks So thus the Lord begins to deal with men first he fals upon them in one degree upon the earth first and then upon Religion in them and then upon Ministers the publishers of that Religion and after grows higher and higher till in the end there comes the Antichristian state the seventh head and he surmounts all Christian Emperors leads them all captive and hath the Key of the bottomlesse pit to destroy their souls whose name is Abaddon in Hebrew but in the Greeke Apollyon and then comes the Turk in the sixth Trumpet and he destroys and swallows up all So the Lords manner is first he breaks forth against the common people then against the Ministers then at last he riseth to the great Lords of the world the Rulers of the State they smoke for it at last What should be the Reason of the Point The Reason is Reas 1 First because ordinarily the first beginning of corruption is with the people and they being first corrupted then indeed it is meet that they should first be plagued for look as the Church grew to be corrupted in the Christian Emperors time so the Church came to be plagued in Antichristians time the earth was first corrupt in the Christian Emperors time and the first that is plagued is the earth then the sea then the rivers so by degrees The Lord goes the same way in plaguing as they did in degenerating the same way in executing judgement as they in sinning Reas 2 And secondly when the cōmon people are corrupted for their sin sake it pleaseth God either to send them corrupt Rulers like themselves or else to lead their good leaders into temptation to corrupt themselves and their people You read Prov. 28.2 For the wickednesse of a land many are the princes thereof many and wicked Rulers too They never lived long nor well after once the house of Israel had cryed out What portion have we in David or what inheritance in the son of Iesse The Lord never gave them good King in Israel after not in Israel I say Judah indeed had sundry times good Kings but for Israel the 10 Tribes that rejected the yoke and the house of David in regard of the hard payments that Solomons son put upon them and therefore in their prophanenesse cryed out What portion have we in David c. Then immediatly after that the Lord never gave them any good King 1 King 12.16 So there grows Religion to be corrupted in the people and then for their wickednesse God gives them wicked Princes I gave them a King in mine anger and took him away in my wrath O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Hos 13.9 10. Israel corrupts it self provokes God and he gives them a King in his anger and takes him away in his wrath And it is written as a heavie curse of God in Lev. 26.17 If you still trespasse against me I will set Princes over you that shall hate you Mischievous
Princes odious Princes that shall be odious to God and malignant to the people If you still provoke me and for all this turn not to me I will set such over you them that shall be odious to me and odious to you that shall make you more and more to corrupt your wayes And if God at any time give them good Princes he will leade them into temptation for their sin In 2 Sam. 24.1 you read there the wratâ— of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he provoked David against them to say Go number Israel and Iudah The wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he provoked David c. To what end That so a plague might come upon Israel So that minde you how the sins of the time rise from the contagion of the hearts and lives of the people That look as a man catcheth cold on his feet it fils the head with distempers Catch but cold in the lowest part about the ancles or feet or suppose the stomack be somewhat annoyed through ill dyet or ill digestion what then It strikes up to the head presently you cannot annoy the feet ancles or middle parts but the head will feel both So if either Ministers be corrupt or common people the head the Rulers will straightway bee corrupt it will not bee otherwise If the Prophets prophesie lyes and the Priests bear rule by their means and the people love to have it so what will be the end Do you think there will come any Princes that will reform them Do you think the Lord will take any course to reform such great evils as these be As evill first begins with the common people so they are first plagued For a third Reason As evill first begins with the people and they are first plagued and as for them it is derived to the Priests and Princes and they are by that meanes corrupted either are not good or led into some temptation Reas 3 So thirdly the Lord is deeply provoked against the lights and guides of the Church whether Civill or Ecclesiasticall Church-mâ—n or Common-wealths men the Lord is provoked against both for suffering their people to bedable themselves with some corruption in Religion and religious conversation In the 34. Ezek 7 to 10. Heare this O yee Shepheards of Israel and he speakes as best Interpreters expound it both to Ecclesiasticall and Civill Shepheards to the Priests in the Church and the Princes in the Common-wealth he speakes expresly to both Heare O yee Shepheards because you have suffered my people to wander and my flock to be a prey therefore I am against you and he professeth he will rend his people from them and rend the very cause of their heart and execute judgement upon them and he will judge betweene the Rams and the Hee Goats and tender Kids and will deliver them and set them one Shepheard over them that shall be more faithfull to him and his people even his servant David he meanes Christ and they that are of David's spirit that shall in his name rule his people So that mind you the wrath of God is carried an end in this course he begins with the people first because they are first corrupt and then with Rulers for had not they been soon corrupted it had not been possible that the Church should so quickly have become a wildernesse So here he begins with the common sort and then with Ministers and then with the great Lights that rule by day that rules the affaires of the Church and Common-wealth For the use of this point briefly Vse 1 It may serve then to be a watchword and warning to the common sort of Christians First look you to it men and brethren and beloved in Christ Jesus look you to it tenderly and seriously that neither doctrine nor worship of God nor Church Government be corrupt to your best discerning but preserved by diligent examination of all things according to the patterne shewed in the Word as it hath been hitherto held forth to you Looke to it that the Sea you wash and bathe your soules in be not defiled let it be so clear that the vertue of the bloud of Christ may be discerned in it otherwise beleeve it though you may think it least concernes you Let Church-officer look to it and let Civill Magistrates see to it it is their calling to look to Worship and Government in their time and place though that be true they must look to it and God will require it else at their hand yet if you look not to it the wrath of God will be powred out upon you If men unprepared shall most giddily rush into the Church what will the issue be The Lord will powre a cold haile-storme upon you never such coldnesse fell upon men as there wil be when they rush into Churches before they be warmed with the bloud of Christ Jesus Revel 8.7 that was the first Trumpet of Gods vengeance there heavy grievous hailestones great hailestones and which is wonderfull you will think it marvellous but it is true as they were cold in Religion so they were zealous for contention and Coveteousnesse and Ambition and personal respects that if they got an opinion by the end they contended for it as pro aris focis for fire on the hearth as if there were no warmth but in that though the opinion were never so unsavoury when men thrust into the Church and take it very ill if they be examined What will the issue be Nothing but cold shill dead-heartednesse falls upon them and then a wild fire of rage and crotchetly opinions and then grow so zealous therein as if religion lay in some quintessence notions of theirs therefore first look for and beware of corruption in the common people Then secondly let the Lords Ministers I speak to my selfe Vse 2 as much as any other in a speciall manner look to these things that we diligently looke to religion and the purity of doctrine and worship and of every ordinance of God with circumspection and faithfulnesse and diligence and sedulity and watchfulnesse that nothing of the holy things of God may be corrupted that are committed to us for we shall next feele the smart of it For as religion will be corrupt in the people first and so far as that you shall have no power nor life of godlinesse in it and the bloud of Christ will be as the bloud of a dead man So then the Ministers of the Gospell must looke to it for the next thing will bee some heavy judgment or other God will bring upon them if they be not vigilant to see that all things bee done according to the true platforme left to us in the word you know the Prophet Malachy complaines of it in Malac. 1.11 12 13. that men began to waxe weary of sacrifices and snuffed at the cost of it and brought the blinde and lame and any thing for Sacrifice and the Table of the Lord was
polluted and what then And now saith the Lord O yee Priests this Commandement is for you in the first verse of the second Chapter it is a very sad word which the Lord speaks if you will not heare and lay it to heart what should they lay to heart This hailstone Corruption of the people this snuffing at the Ordinances if you lay not this to heart I will send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because you doe not lay it to heart and I will corrupt your seed c. in the 1 2 3 verse and so he goes on very sadly in threatning the Ministers of God upon this point The people corrupted their wayes and were weary of holy duties cold hearted and only quick for contention and division and what then because the Ministers of God doe not bestirre them the Lord brings a curse upon their blessings their best gifts in heart and outward blessings he blasts both and therefore it marveilously concernes Ministers to be most tender this way to see that all be carried exactly according to the word of God Vse 3 And thirdly this may be a word of warning to Magistrates as the greatest lights in the Common wealth for as I said before I will exclude neither for both are the Sun in their several Sphear a great light and he speaks of the greatest light the Antichristian state had and so I speak of the greatest light this State hath Thus much let me say to you if religion be corrupted the people may first smart for it if there be any corruption it springeth there and we shall smart for it before you yet if this be not redressed God will reserve a vial for you he will pour out a vial upon the very Sunne that you would think were out of gun-shot but how high soever they be among the Stars of God exalted above all their brethren yet the Lord can tel how to cast some vial upon your authority to eclipse and darken and staine it if the Lord helpe you not to continue watchfull in this kind It is true there is an order to looke to all corruption in doctrine and worship and government that are stirring in the Countrey And it is true matters of religion are first and properly considerable in the Churches themselves by the officers and brethren of the Church But if Magistrates shall find Brethren or Officers defective or neglective it will be their parts to give free passage to all undertakings for redresse and if any thing come to your cognizance before it come to the Church then it will concerne you to stirre up the Church to looke to doctrine worship and government and you will find in this case you will deliver your soules from danger and Church-officers and people too otherwise you see the danger of corruption in religion if the earth be corrupt the sea will be corrupt and the rivers and fountaines and the Sunne wil be corrupt and all alike more or lesse afflicted and plagued of God for toleration of such evils as are found amongst them So much for the first point let me speak a word of another and so come to an end The next note is this A wicked heart will not repent of sin no not under the wrathfull Doct. 2 hand of God who hath power over his owne judgements to give him the glory but will rather break forth to further wickednesse even to blaspemy against the name of God It was said of Ahaz that when he was in distresse on every hand yet in his distresse he did trespasse more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28.22 This is that King Ahaz as who should say brand him for an hypocrite and a reprobate that in his distresse trespasseth yet more why for he went and sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which smote him because the gods of the kings of Syria help them c. In stead of humbling himself under Gods hand to give him glory he breaks forth into blasphemy and hardens his heart and repents not to give him glory but waxes more fierce against the Lord to blaspheme And another prophane King of Israel Ioram 2 King 6.31 32 33. He weares sackcloth indeed upon his loynes but being in distresse by reason of the famine hee breakes forth into fury and rage God doe so to mee and more also if the head of Elisha shall stand on him this day hee meant to cut off Elisha's head by reason of the famine when an Asses head was sould for fourescore peeces of silver and in the 33 verse Shall I wait for the Lord any longer There he breaks forth into blasphemy hee is full of fiery indignation and blasphemy against the God of Israel see you this son of a murtherer While he yet spake this the Messengers came down unto him and he said Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I waite for the Lord any longer So you read in Isa 8.21 They in their distresse shall curse the Lord and their King and look upward This is the frame of carnall and wicked hearts And the Reason is Reas 1 First from the Ignorance of such wicked spirits their Ignorance is such they know not who smites them but think it is some chance as the Philistims in 1 Sam. 6.9 If he go up the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh then he hath done us this evil but if not then we shall know it was but some chance that happened to us They neither see the hand of God that smites them nor their own desert that provokes the Lord thus to smite them and so they repent not to give him glory but blaspheme him And a second Reason is Reas 2 Secondly from the prophane pride of a carnall heart some kinde of carelesnesse and it is incident to all prophane kinde of spirits that they will not see the hand of God nor own their own sinfulnesse when the judgements of God are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isa 26.9 10 11. But they will not behold the majesty of the Lord When thy hand is lifted up they will not see it but they shall see it and be ashamed c. They will not see it a good while that either their own sin hath brought this judgement or that it is a just hand of God upon them they will not see such things as these So you see the Reasons of the point not to speak of what high reasons might be given of Gods heavie vengeance upon mens unprofitablenes under the hands of God they grow worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 That the Lord leaves them to hardnesse of heart and gives them up to themselves to obstinate their spirits as Pharaoh that they will exalt themselves against him and though you bray a fool in a morter yet his folly will not depart from him The Use of the Point is thus much Vse 1 First it may report to you from the Oracle
giving him glory let all run in that streame that we acknowledge his justice and truth and mercy and grace and look up to him for receiving from him whatever is of his mercy and grace needfull for us and then we shall avoid those plagues and judgements which are threatned or gone forth against us and shall recover from under Gods hand like gold out of the fire THE FIFT VIALL REVEL 16.10 11. And the fifth Angell poured out his Viall upon the seat of the Beast or as the word is in the Originall the Thrones and his Kingdome was full of darkenesse and they gnawed their Tongues for paine And blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their paines and their sores and repented not of their deeds IN these words you have described the powring out of the Viall of the fifth Angell and described it is First by the subject on which it was powred On the throne of the Beast Secondly by the effect of it which is double 1. Proper and primary His Kingdome was thereby darkened 2. The secondary and accidentall events were three 1. Anguish and indignationâ— They gnawed their Tounges for paine 2. Blasphemy They blasphemed the God of Heaven 3. Impenitency They repented not of their deeds This Scripture and the interpretation of it is the more difficult because it is generally conceived that the execution of Gods judgements upon the Beast hath not yet gone beyond the powring out of the fourth Viall therefore conjectures about it will be the more difficult and it may be more uncertaine yet because the Scripture in it selfe is not darke how darke so ever we may be in our apprehensions The Kingdome of the Beast is darke but not the Kingdome of Christ And the Lord hath promised a gracious blessing upon all that read and heare the words of this prophecy Chap. 1. verse 3. so that by the comparing of one part of this prophecy with another and observing the due poise of every word in his place with holy feare and reverence the Lord is wont to lead his people into truth according to the promise made to the Apostle Iohn 16.13 which is fulfilled to every successour of theirs in some measure Let us therefore goe on in the feare of God to consider of these things First the difficulty chiefely lyeth in opening the subject whereon this Viall will be powred for open that and the rest will be cleare The seat of the Beast is generally taken for the City of Rome and it is confirmed from the like speech Rev. 13.2 Where the Dragon gave the Beast his power and his seat or throne and great authority and therefore they gather from hence the ruine of Rome applying also hereunto some prophecies of the Sibills who in their Language tell us thus much that Rome shall then be desolate and be as if it had never been a state Now though we have much cause to glorifie God for the labours of such of his servants as have giveÌ„ that exposition yet I must confesse I cannot rest satisfied with that interpretation for I finde it cleare in the sequell of this Chapter that Babilon which is doubtlesse meant of Rome As throughout the seventeenth Chapter it is also is said to come up into Remembrance before God in the 19. verse of this Chapter And that is in the powring out the seventh Viall which implyeth that before it came not up in remembrance before God in point of actuall punishment for things are said to come up into â—â—â—â—â—brance before God when he taketh in hand either to shew mercy to them or to powre out wrath upon them a signe that the Viall and fiercenesse of his wrath was not yet powred out upon Rome besides it is expressed in this Text that upon the powring out of this Viall the Kingdome of the beast was darkened but there is a great difference betweene darkning and destroying Egypt was darkened before Pharoh was destroyed or the body of Egypt overwhelmed in the red Sea Upon these grounds therefore I cannot conceive that it is meant of Rome but of something else which in Scripture is to be understood by Throne sometimes it is put for that forme of government and authority which any person or state sitting on that throne doth administer as it is said of Christ that his throne is a throne of Righteousnesse and that is not so much spoken of the place where he governeth as of the government it selfe so in the 89 Psalme 29. 36 37. I will make his throne as the dayes of Heaven and againe his throne shall be as the Sunne before me It shall be established for ever as the Moone and in Psalme 122.5 Thrones of judgement are distinguished from the thrones of the house of David to wit such as David hath erected so by the like proposition it is here meant of that forme of government which the beast exerciseth in the Church both subjectively that which himselfe doth occupy over the Churches subject to him and effectively that which proceedeth from him and is exercised by others in other Churches according to the frame and forme of government received from him and that is such a peerelesse kind of government as wherein one alone doth rule for a throne is such a kind of seate wherein one of peerelesse authority doth governe as a Monarch in his owne Dominion Indeed the universall supremacy of the Pope both in spirituall and temporall things whereby he challengeth transcendent authority over all Kings and Princes that was violated by the fourth Viall of these Angels but yet still here is another throne which yet hitherto remaineth unplagued and that is his singular sole authority and monarchicall government whereby he sitteth chiefe and onely Judge in Ecclesiasticall causes in his own jurisdiction and like unto which he hath established the government of all National Provinciall and Diocesan Churches and so this interpretation doth very fitly suit with the proper effect of the powring out of this Viall expressed in the Text his Kingdome was darkened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what kinde of government is that such as wherein one doth raigne as they are wont to say there must be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Prince in a state this forme of government himselfe doth exercise still in his owne jurisdiction inviolately and this he hath brought into all national and Provinciall and Diocesan Churches in the world where popery hath prevailed and which still continueth in some Protestant Churches where though the Doctrine and worship of Popery be abolished and the transcendent supremacy of his government yet the forme of his government monarchicall or sole and singular government by one that is Episcopacy is still continued Who is then the fifth Angel that hath powred out his Viall upon this peerelesse government the Episcopacy Though it be said this Viall is not yet powred out and though it haply was not powred out with the writings of such men who so conceived were under their hands
they that begin they also make an end and send away the people with a blessing Num. 6.24 25 26. Power they have to direct to admonish privately publickly to rebuke with all authority Tit. 2.15 And sundry branches of rule may be deduced out of these yet as true it is also that the Lord hath given power to the Church over their Rulers as first to choose them they ordained them Elders by lifting up their hands Acts 14.23 And when there was an Apostle to be chosen in Iudas his roome they out of an 120 persons chose two men and presented them to the Lord Acts 1.23 Secondly they have power to send them forth about the Churches service as they sent Paul and Barnabas to Ierusalem Acts 15.2 And without controversie he that sendeth is greater then he whom he sendeth Ioh 13.16 Secondly they have power to admonish them if they doe offend say to Archippus take heed to they Ministery c. Col. 4.17 And the Church contended with Peter for eating with the heathen Acts 11.2 3. And had he not given them the better answer they would have proceeded against him These things then laid together what a beastly power is that of the Church of Rome and of such as imitate them as usurpe authority and judgement over so many Churches and will be judged by none Vse 1 For use in the first place this may be a ground unto us of just acknowledgement of the Lords faithfulnesse and truth who is not unmindfull of all that he hath spoken by his servants the Prophets but in due season doth fulfill his word The Apostle Iohn hath beene dead above 1500 years he dyed with the end of the first hundred yeares after Christ but the word spoken by him dyed not with him according to what we read Zach. 1.5 6. Your fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever but my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the prophets did they not take hold of your Fathers So though Iohn be dead whatsoever Iohn hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfill with his hand and will not leave till he hath finished all the words that are written in this booke And what marveilous stay in this to the soules of those that build their faith upon the word of God He will ever be mindfull of his Covenant Psalme 111.5 He did let none of the words of Samuel fall to the ground 1 Sam. 3.19 He will not leave fulfilling to fulfill untill he hath fulfilled all and then Christ wil come to gather his people to himselfe therefore let not your hearts faile because God remaineth faithful and whether Zachary believe or no the Lord wil fulfil his Word Luke 1.20 The second use may be to take off that amazement which hath Vse 2 been found in the hearts of some concerning the undertakings of the Scots in our native Country since the world began was it never known for there are no Histories of note but are commonly known such a patterne as this that ever a whole Nation did rise to take up such a quarrell with so much justice wisdome and piety a thing to be wondred at that a whole Nation should carry such a matter in such a way many things have been done in Holland in Geneva for reformation but with much more tumult which when the Papists have objected our Divines have been wont to answer that they doe not excuse mens thrusting in their own weaknesses into Gods Worke but wonder not overmuch if you finde it otherwise in this matter for the Angels of God are their guides so that their foote shall not swell but they shal keepe their ranks and places and remember that they are subjects through they carry their swords in their hands Just care is taken that there be no robbery nor pilfering no oppressions no violation of any mans bed nothing taken up but it shall be duely paid for and yet the proceeding made with such constancy that in a way of humility the end must be attained or else there wil be no place in the conclusion These are great things but if men take them in hand that are girded with golden girdles when their Bibles goe along with them when Fasting and Prayers steere along their course you need not much wonder in such a Case Thirdly this may serve to teach us that surely this worke will Vse 3 prosper because the Lords Angel is in it and the Viall of Gods wrath in his Hand and he will not be beaten off though some instruments may quaile yet will he stil raise up more in their stead till those plantations be rooted out according to the word of Christ Mat. 15.15 Every plant which mine heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up In vaine therefore is it for men to uphold such sandy buildings which wil in the end be shaken down whatsoever dammes men may make to uphold the Episcopacy it will befall unto them as when men make dammes to stop water courses others come and cast in some small quantity of quick-silver or Aquafortis which eates such holes through the stones that it will soone issue out the water so this Aqua omnipotentis the vialls of the wrath of God wil at last consume and wast all things whatsoever stand up against them Vse 4 Fourthly let it teach us to praise the Lord for our gracious deliverance from the power of this Government brought in by the beast unto the government of Christ in his Church let those that count it new Wine refuse it it is old Wine unto us let us therefore in the name of the Lord rejoyce with trembling for our great liberties and pray that God will never leave untill he have rooted out not only the throne of the Beast but the Beast himselfe that the world may never more be pestered with them Now from the effects that follow upon the powring out of this Viall we may observe this second note Doct. 2 That upon the powring out of the Viall of Gods wrath upon the throne of the Beast their place the Pope himselfe and the rest of their Prelates and all their favourites and followers have not turned to God by Repentance but have broken forth against him in indignation and blasphemy His Kingdome was full of darkenesse but what profit have they made of it they gnawed their tongues through vexation rage and malignity of spirit against the Lords holy providence and the succesfull proceedings of these holy Angels they blasphemed the God of Heaven and looke at reformation as Rebellion as if it were the dissolution of al goodnesse and at length they wil say that they feare Christ himselfe is become a Puritan and have they repented of their tyrannies and usurpations over Ministers and over Churches but they have broken forth still more and more against the Lord his servants and Churches and what more may come forth I know not judge you what they speake in secret when they
God It will bee a great Day indeed but a great Day of the Lord God Almighty that hee may offer a great sacrifice to himselfe by the hands of his servants that all the soules of prey and the beasts of prey may all of them come and eate the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of Horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all men both free and bound both small and great It will I say bee a great Sacrifice to the Beasts of prey and the foules of prey It shall be a great day indeed but it shall not be a great day to the Papists not a great day to the Dragon nor to the Romish Catholique Church except it be a great day of their destruction and that it will be indeed as yee shall see when this battell is to be fought in the nineteenth Chapter and they shall never trouble the World more that will be the issue of it The Dragon is reserved to a further day but hee shall bee bound for a thousand yeares and afterwards shall make a great battell with the Saints but after that shall be taken and then cast into the lake forever But this will be a great day of God Almighty wherein hee will powre cut all the Vialls of his wrath upon the enemies of God and his people that the Name of the Lord GOD Almighty may bee praysed from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof And therefore great and wonderfull are the Workes of the Lord that hee doth reserve for after ages wherein the loftinesse of man hee will lay low but his name onely shall be exalted Esay 2.2 Speaking of a farre lesse day then this that I am now speaking of It will bee a great day to the glory of God and the good of his people To the inlargement of the Church of Christ but of destruction to the enemies of the Lord Jesus That they may be overthrowne and taken and cast into the bottomlesse pit never to rise up againe THE THIRD SERMON UPON THE SIXTH VIAL REVELAT 16.15 Behold I come as a theefe Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame YOu have heretofore heard that these words set forth a description of the pouring out of the sixth Vial. Set forth it is by the subject upon the great River Euphrates By the effects they were double First Immediate the waters thereof were dryed up The second was Accidentall and mediate warlike preparation The former effect of drying up the River was amplified by the end That the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared The accidentall effect which was warlike preparation was set forth by a double argument First by the efficients Principal and Instrumentall Secondly by the watch-word which the Lord gives his people The efficients were principally the Devill the Beast and the false Prophet The Instrumentals were certaine spirits for nature three spirits for number Unclean for quality Like Frogs for similitude Out of the mouth of the Beast the Dragon and the false Prophet For their originall which are described by their effects which are three They work miracles They goe forth to the Kings of the earth to gather them to battell And thirdly They doe gather them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon The watch-word which is the second Adjunct observed in this warlike preparation is the watch-word of the Lord Jesus to his people in the words of my Text there are two parts of it First a description of the manner of his comming by a comparison taken from the manner of a theefe Behold I come as a theefe The second is a word of promise unto such as watch and keepe their garments at that time The promise is first of blessednesse to them And secondly the prevention of the discovery of their owne nakednesse and shame Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his garments left he walke naked and they see his shame Not to repeat what hath been delivered that which offereth it selfe here to our consideration is a two-fold doctrine the first is this Doct. 1 When Frogs and uncleane Spirits that is to say when Popish Instruments shall goe forth To gather the Princes of the earth and of the whole world unto battell And those Princes shall go forth to battell against the Lord and his people It is behovefull for the people of God to behold the Lord Jesus comming against them or comming to them as a theefe That 's the note when the Lord exposes his people to great trials by the busie diligence of those Frogs or by the violent rage of the Beast and Kings of the earth against Religion The Lord then cals his people to behold him comming upon them I meane upon all the professors of the Gospell the Lord cals them to looke upon him comming at them or comming to them as a theefe Behold saith he I come as a theefe When doth he say so when these Frogs were let forth Those unclean spirits of Devils sent forth to stirre up the Kings of the earth and of the world to gather them to battell against the Lord and against his people and against Christian Religion and them that maintaine it Then Behold I come as a theefe They are the words of the Lord Jesus Because the notes are double that the Text holds forth I must be briefe in either of them As a theef The Scripture hath respect to a foure-fould manner of a theefe comming He doth not come as a theefe in Justice or robbery That the holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus cannot be capable of How can hee steale any thing from us which is not his own There is nothing but it is his and therefore in that sense he cannot be said to come as a theefe But yet as a theefe he can come suddenly and he can come secretly and slily yea and he can come also violently and terribly as a theefe Thus he can come and thus he is described in the Scripture to come which though some think it to be at the last judgement yet I cannot so conceive it for here 's a world of businesse that is to be translated after this Vial is poured out above a thousand yeers after this before the coming of Christ to the last judgement but his coming in any notable judgement his coming especially if it be a coming suddenly and secretly and powerfully It is coming as a thief as ye have an instance of it in Rev. 3.3 to the Church of Sardis I will come on thee as a thief How like a thief Thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee And so in Luke 12.39 If the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken through But coming suddenly and secretly at unawares therefore
is to say he hath given him effectuall liberty and opportunity to do the thing as if he had given him a command to do it If a false Prophet arise saith the Lord in Deuteronomie Chapter 13. Verse 12. and give thee a sign and a wonder saying Let us goe after other gods Thou shalt not harken unto the words of the Prophet or unto the dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your hearts and with all your soules The Lord will suffer such to come and this he doth to try his people so that mind you it is the Lords doings it is he that commands a theefe when he comes like a theefe it is the Lord that sends forth such that are clothed with sheeps skins but inwardly are ravening wolves though they have no direct commission from God yet they have such secret permission from God and commission by giving them oportunity to do that which they come for that indeed the Lord comes Beloved think it not strange saith the Ap Peter 1 Pet. 4.12 concerning the fiery triall which is come to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you He means the ten Persecutions the Persecutions in Nero's time and those that were to follow Let no man think it strange why for judgement must begin at the house of God to that mind yee all the fiery trials what were they but the judgements of God God sends them forth in his fatherly wisdome and by his Soveraigne Authority to try the patience and wisdome and watchfulnesse of his people And therefore it becomes the people of God when they see such creatures budge and when they see the Kings of the earth stirre then Behold saith the Lord I come as a theef suddenly secretly slily and violently Vse 1 And the use of this point serves to teach us neither to justifie men nor to condemne the Lord Jesus for that were a sinful violating of the Scripture Let it be therefore a caution to teach us to avoid both these and neither to justifie theft nor to condemne the Lord it is not the Lords meaning but make account of this though the Lord come as a theefe that doth not justifie theft but aggravate the sin of theft If a theef shall make use of the opportunities which the providence of God puts into his hand of the nimblenesse of his wits and the authority he hath in his speech and the powre he hath with Princes I say that man that shall abuse such things as are given him of the Lord this doth not excuse their sin much lesse justifie it but it aggravates it and they shall find it so one day It is a very divine speech of our Saviour Iohn 19.10 11 Pilate saith to him Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore hee that delivered mee unto thee hath the greater sinne And it implyes also and it had been a wholesome lesson for Pilate to have suckt out of it that it was the greater sinne in Pilate to abuse his authority to condemne the Lord Jesus For Iudas to betray Christ to the Jewes Ecclesiastical Authority and for the Jewes to deliver Christ into the hands of Pontius Pilate it was a great sin and so much the greater because Pilates authority was of God and they would arme the sword of God against the Lord Jesus And if Pilate had the power given him of God either to crucifie Christ or loose him if he shall abuse his authority in putting Christ to death as he did Then he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sinnes But thou then that dost abuse thy power to crucifie me shalt bee found very sinfull in the end So that that will not excuse any Instrument for abusing the power for such an end If God raise up Pharaoh Exod. 10 16. to make his power knowne and to declare his name thorow-out all the world If he shall abuse this Authority the more heavy will the wrath of God be upon him and it will not be for him and such like to complaine against God and say he hath ordained me to it Oh man who art thou that disputest against God for God never doth it but being over-justly provoked by the creature Therfore so much the greater is the sin of any that will abuse their wits and parts in a way of sin against God And therefore it must teach men to beware of excusing theft And neither is their unrighteousnesse in Christ For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in al his works Psal 145.17 He doth not these vnclean spirits Cardinals Bishops and Jesuits any wrong but even as the Seraphims cryed one to another so let us learn Holy holy holy is the Lord of hoasts the whole earth is full of his glory When is this When he sends Isaiah to harden the hearts of the people and make their ears deaf Isa 6.3 10. So that let the Lord and his Throne be guiltlesse and let guilt lye upon these theeves theeves and robbers let them bear the burthen of their own sins If we ask how this can be imagined Ans All this acting with theeeves is an accidentall concurring in all these things the Lord doth no act but holy and good neither his efficacy in co-working with them all this efficacy is only an accidentall concurring God gives them the gift and the opportunity which they will abuse And so these Kings of the earth are justly deluded because they received not the truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Thus is the Lord and his Throne guiltlesse but all the theft and robbery lyes on the instruments which the Lord doth use in their own abuse he that rides a horse which halts every step he takes the halting is not the owners that rides him but the horses And so when the Sunne hardens clay it softens wax and when it drawes stinking savours out of the dunghill it drawes sweet savours out of the garden hardening to the clay and stinking savours to the dunghill is not properly from the Sunne but in themselves occasionally from the Sunne Even so it is in this case This evill lyes not in the proper act of the Lord Jesus but accidentally only from him Thus therefore the first Use for a second Use Vse 2 It may serve to teach the people of God thus much when ever you see evill spirits the spirits of errour let loose and when you see great men come on you with violence and rage how then why then to behold the Lord comming upon you himself He comes upon you and he comes then upon you as a thiefe you must therefore behold the Lord in all the changes that befall you looke at the Lord in them The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken
blessed be the name of the Lord Thus Iob in Iob 1.21 and Chap. 2.10 when the Lord sorely visited him in his cattell and servants and children and in his own body he sees the Lords hand in all the sad changes that passed over him and it is a notable speech he hath in Iob 16.11 12 13 14. God hath delivered me up to the ungodly and turned me into the hands of the wicked and God hath delivered me He sees the hand of God in all and there 's marvellous benefit in that First it keepeth a man alwayes patient and meek in all Psal 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Hee sees it is Gods hand and therefore he patiently submits thereto he hath not a word to say but meekly submits the Lord doth all comes upon me as a thiefe Blessed be the name of the Lord. I was worth thus much within this twelve month and now not worth halfe so much Blessed be the name of the Lord. I was rich in cattell or in this or that commodity but now the prises are fallen they are not worth half nor it may be one third of that they were the Lord hath done this he hath come upon us on a sudden like a thief and blessed be his name for it Secondly it helps us in the use and improvement of them all it naturally leads men by the hand to humble themselves under the hand of God and this is the onely way to obtain deliverance 1 Peter 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time It s not the casualties or calamities of the Country that comes either by chance or fortune but from the Lord he taketh away all by one means or another takes away all whether by our pride that we must have every new fashion and be like the men of the world in houses apparell and the like or daintinesse that we must have our varieties be it what it will be though it cost never so much and no matter what follows though it eat up our estates and brings us into want The Lord hath made use of our folly and pride and daintinesse our idlenesse our covetousnesse or what ever it be to bring us into poverty the Lord hath done it and let the people of God see the hand of God in it Thirdly it leads you by the hand in all the sad changes that passe over you to look to the Lord and to wrestle with the Lord and not to stand wrestling with men Jacob he is in trouble and he wrestles with the Lord Genesis 32.26 And so it behoves the Lords people to wrestle with the Lord and not to stand contesting with the Bishops nor with the Jesuits as it may be men may do No no prevail with the Lord and get him to turn all things about and if Jacob get God to blesse him Esau shall not then curse him I will not let thee go till thou blesse me and if the Lord blesse Jacob Esau shall be curs'd And lastly it will help you to quit your selves like men in all the things that do befall you as Paul saith in 1 Corinthians 16.13 God hath set us saith the Apostle upon a Theatre as the word is in the originall 1 Corinthians 4.9 unto the world and unto Angels and unto men therefore saith he quit your selves like men as Heb. 10.35 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for ye have need of patience c. It behooves Christians to quit themselves like men sanctifying the Lord in all conditions in afflictions and crosses wrestling with him to turn away these things and to turn us from all our evil wayes and then walking in a holy self-deniall and integrity of heart and life giving every man his own And so while we walk in pathes of holinesse and righteousnesse in humility and meeknesse of spirit unclean spirits may come out against us and the Lord come as a thief upon us and yet when he doth we shall keep our own garments So much for the first Point The second Note is this that Doctr. 2 A watchfull Christian keeps his garments in times of fraudulent or violent calamities or triall injoyes his own blessednesse and prevents the shamefull discovery of his own nakednesse It s evident in the Text Behold I come as a thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keep th his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame He that watcheth and keeps his garments when Christ cometh he is blessed that is he injoyes his own blessednesse and increaseth it and establisheth it and he shall by this means prevent the discovery of his own shame and nakednesse or his shamefull nakednesse Quest What are these garments garments in the Plurall Number Answ They are interpreted briefly in the 19 Chapter of the Revelation Verse 8. The fine linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints There is a double righteousnesse of the Saints there is an inherent righteousnesse and an imputed righteousnesse An inherent righteousnesse He that doth righteousnesse is righteous 2 John 3.7 There is a righteousnesse therefore of a mans own to wit spirituall graces as Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God Luke 1.6 And it is well observed by some holy Divines that he puts a double Epithite upon this righteousnesse of the Saints a double commendation they are pure and they are bright this fine linnen it s both pure and bright for the words are in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they well observe it pure because imputed righteousnesse is pure indeed and hath no spot in it but it is not bright you can see no great matter in it it maketh no great show before men A man may be very much defiled and be subject to many scandals and yet cloathed with the garment of imputed righteousnesse the righteousnesse inherent is the righteousnesse of a godly heart and life before men Let your l ght so shine before men that they may see your good works Matth. 5.16 The righteousnesse of Christ imputed I mean the righteousnesse of Christ received by faith and imputed by grace is a pure righteousnesse hat shines before God and not before men But the righteousnesse inherent that 's not pure but very bright before men There is therefore a righteousnesse that is very bright that 's the righteousnesse inherent expressed in our conversation and there is another righteousnesse to wit the righteousnesse imputed which is incomparably more pure As it hath been said of old There is not the poorest Saint though Lazarus on the dunghill but is as pure as the Virgin Mary Phil. 2.8 So then those are the garments cloathed in bright and in pure garments And these garments are the righteousnesses of the Saints Garments why To cloath our nakednesse for our naturall corrupt estate is nakednesse Now both these are given to cover this nakednesse of ours these Indewments rightly so called
Indowments or Induments Knowledge covers the nakednesse of our ignorance Zeal covers the nakednesse of our Luke warmnesse Wisdom covers the nakednesse of our Folly Faithfulnesse covers the nakednesse of our Unfaithfulnesse and fals-heartednesse Humility covers the naâ—ednesse of our Pride Patience covers the nakednesse of our Passion Chastity covers the nakednesse of our Wantonnesse and the Righteousnesse of Christ covers all And as garments cover the nakednesse so they keep us from the injuries of weather wet and cold c. so do these garments keep us from all injuries in the world all temptations from the devil or our own corrupt lusts And they do adorn us also in the sight of men and make us beautifull amiable and glorious as our garments which are not onely for necessity but comelinesse Now Blâ—ssed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garmâ—nts Which argueth that our garments are kept by watchfulnesse watcheth unto what Watcheth unto prayer 1 Pet. 4.7 Watch saith our Saviour to his sleepy Disciples Mat. 26.41 And Watch unto the Word Wherewithall shall a yong man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy Wâ—rd Psal 119.9 Watch unto Prayer and watch unto the Word and watch unto your conversation and wayes and then keep your garments and your selves clean and then watch to the speciall duties of your calling Blessed are those servan s whom the Lord when he cometh shall finde watching Luke 12.37 Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down at meat and will come forth and serve him Then Peter said unto him ver 41. Lord speakest thou this Parable to us or even to all And the Lord said Who is that faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make ruler over his houshold to give them their meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing in the 22 and 43 verses of the same Chapter When a man watches to the improving of his calling unto those good ends for which God hath given him it Why Blessed is that man which when the Lord cometh he shall finde so doing And fourthly he watches unto his own heart that he does not trust to his own righteousnesse and runs away from God by deceitfulnesse and unbelief of his own heart Take heed saith the Apostle lest there be in any of you an heart of unbelief to depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 And so Watchfulnesse is opposed unto Drowsinesse especially in good duties Luke 6.41 it is opposed to Sensuality Luke 21.34 35 36. it is opposed also to carnall Security 2 Thess 5.2 3 4. So see now by this means whilest a man watcheth unto prayer watcheth to the Word watcheth to his calling and watcheth over his own unclean corrupt and deceitfull heart Hence it comes to passe that he keeps his garments so bright in one word he keeps faith and a good conscience and faith helps him to keep his garments He keeps holinesse and righteousnesse and all is kept in this holy way So that by this means what ever theeves or robbers come a mans garments are kept clean he is not gulled out with those Frogs nor frighted or tyred out with these Kings of the earth So that by this means he doth not shew his own nakednesse but doth injoy his own blessednesse Reas 1 For the Reason of this Point briefly and so come to the Use The Reason is taken from the Lords graciousnesse and tender respect to a watchfull spirit It is as I remember one of the aboundantest promises of grace that is made to any estate of Gods people that he makes to a watchfull heart in the fore-named place in Luke 12.37 Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching why wherein lyes their blessednesse The Lord saith the Text shal gird up himselfe and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them A wel-girt Christian hath ever a well-girt Christ to minister to him that as his garments are girt to him and the loynes of his mind girt up and his Spirit attentive to watch over himself and to watch to his calling The Lord Jesus will watch over him and he shall enjoy him and his blessednesse And wherein lyes our blessednesse but in the enjoyment of Christ Christ will be ever with us to help us to pray and to heare our prayers He will be with us to serve us he will supply us and carry an end all our workes for us And a second Reason is taken from the wofull nakednesse of Reas 2 corrupt nature especially in a Christian profession A wel-girt Christian will blush and be ashamed for any mis-carriage before God and men O my God saith Ezra I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased over our head c. Ungirtnesse or loosenesse fils a Christian with shame I say if this be the shamefulnesse of sinne the nakednesse of it that a man is not so ashamed of the nakednesse of his body as a Christian of the ungirtnesse of his spirit why then mind yee he that watches and keeps his garments he enjoyes his own blessednesse and prevents the shamefull discovery of his own nakednesse The use of this point is thus much First it may teach us how to esteeme truly and rightly of the Vse 1 nature both of sin and righteousnesse how to take a true estimation of both Look at your passions and look at your lusts and look at all your naturall parts what are they all if they be not over-powred with holy gifts of grace they are the very nakednesse and shame of a man If a man will have his own will and not Gods will the shame of stubbornnesse lyes upon that mans heart A spirit that is not lively and wakefull but heavie and drowsie it is a shamefull nakednesse Covetousnesse is the very shame of a man Pride is the very shame of a man A man thinks himselfe the goodliest of all and is shamefull in the eyes of all Wantonnesse is the very shame of a man A man thereby makes himselfe one of the fooles in Israel So all errours in a man they are the shame of a man and so all the sinfull miscarriages of a man they are the shame and nakednesse of a man that he may blush to behold and to think and to heare of And it will be a greater shame not to behold them not to be willing to see them when he is justly taxed with them You think you will have your own will and will shift off well enough all that is laid against you verily it is the shame of your nakednesse All passionate and proud carriages expressed in word or deed are the shame of a mans nakednesse And idlenesse in a mans calling is the very nakednesse and shame of a man So on the other side what is righteousnesse the white linnen of a Christianâ— pure
neere Endor Psal 83.9 10. Thus wee have an allusion to all these three notable and memorable battels whereas had he said in a place in the Hebrew tongue Gilboa then had hee limited the allusion unto Sauls battell who was indeed a destroyer of Religion but so other effects of this battell fought in this Text had not beene pointed at Therefore that hee might graspe in all those Events which those battels that were fought about Megiddon brought forth he saith the place was called Armageddon and it is an usuall thing that battels in the hill are pursued to the valley and in the valley to the Hill the hill and the valley lying neere together And indeed the same Events will this battell bring forth which fell out upon all the former battels at Megiddo So then the summe is that these spirits went forth to gather these Popish and Heathen Princes together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon where the battell shall have the like successe that it had of old unto the destruction of Gods Enemies the utter ruine of Antichrist as of Saul the setling of the Kingdome of Christ upon David unto the conversion of the Iewes who shall upon this occasion mourne bitterly over him whom they have pierced Onely let us a little further cleare one scruple which may somewhat remaine why shall the Iewes come in mourning at this victory shall they mourne with Indignation for the successe of Christian Princes and States or shall it bee a mourning of compassion for the destruction of Rome no verily the text is plaine they will rejoyce for both and joyne together with the rest of the Christian Churches to praise the name of the Lord with Hallelujahs in the 19. chapter of this booke and the 1. ver After these things that is after the destruction of Babel I heard a great voyce of much people in Heaven saying Hallelujah So againe ver 3.6 they shall praise God with an Hallelujah as well as the Latines with a Laudate Dominum It is therefore neither a mourning of Indignation for the succ sse of the Saints nor of compassion for the Rivers of Babell but what is it then It is a mourning of compunction whereby they seeing in this battell that Christ is indeed the true Messias they shall mourne that they have beene so long estranged from him for two maine stumbling blocks will this battell remove out of their way First that which is their great stumbling block to wit the Pope who is counted the Father of Christian Churches and yet himselfe liveth like an Epicure and maintaineth Idolatry and superstition and though many in the world abhorre his wayes yet they looke at them but as Sects and inferiour people and States in respect of the Pope and Popish Princes but when they shall see that the Zeale of Christian Princes hath dryed up those streames of Superstition to the utter confusion of the man of sinne then will they also see that that Iesus whom they have resisted all this while even that Iesus is the Messias 2. There is also another stumbling block which some of their more learned stand upon that when the Messias comes he shall destroy the foure Monarchies spoken of Dan. 2.45 The stone that was cut out of the Mountaine without hand brake in peices the Iron the Brasse the clay the Silver and the Gold Now say they if your Iesus be the Messias how commeth it to passe the Monarchy standeth upon his two feet the Turke and Pope but they might have considered that the Lord Iesus hath been crushing them a great while together and hee never told them that he would doe it as soone as he came though he will never leave untill he hath crushed them to the dust and when once this battell is fought that there shall be no more remaining but what is the Jewes worke to doe then shall they see the Prophesie of Daniel fulfilled when the battell in Armageddon shall end in the destruction of the man of Sinne and then shall they see Jesus Christ held forth in the purity of the Gospell contrary whereunto no word of the Prophets shall bee found and then shall they see him whom they have crucifyed to be indeed both Lord and Christ Then shall they see that the name of the Lord Iesus which they now curse in their Liturgies is blessed for ever now they will grieve that they have cursed his name blasphemously praying that it might perish from under these Heavens and from above this Earth for these things will they mourne bitterly Object But you will say that to see the successe of a battell is not a sufficient meanes to convert a people to the Lord that are fully possessed with their owne wayes Here indeed may be a removens prohibens that may somewhat help forward but it is needfull unto their Conversion that some word of God bee set home to their hearts to convince them that the curse of the Law which belongeth unto them it is Christ onely that hath borne it for them Ans It is no small meanes of conversion to see the Lord bearing witnesse against the corruptions of Religion in destroying the Enemies of his people You know the story of Iethro who was a Prince or Priest of Midian when he commeth to see his sonne Moses who told him of all the great deliverances that God had wrought for his people Exod. 18. 8.9 10. what saith he now I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly hee was above them This is the effect of his hearing of the wonders that God had wrought for his people so that you need not doubt it but when these battells are fought though they shall bee noe parties on the one side nor on the other yet they shall heare what will be reported upon this occasion in the publick Ministery of the word which will bee sufficient to convince as a Priest of Midian so a Iew that this is the Lord Iesus who hath so fulfilled all that hee hath spoken of in his word And moreover I doe beleeve that great will bee the power of the Ministery of the word in fighting of this battell by declaring the powerfull presence of Christ with them and for them thus shall the sword of the Ministery of the Gospell prevaile mightily by animating Christian Princes and people according as it is said chap. 19.21 of this booke the remnant were slaine with the sword that proceedeth out of his mouth that is out of the mouth of Iesus Christ and when the word of Christ goeth along with the sword of Princes you need not wonder if it doe not onely prevaile against the Beast and false Prophet but also to make Satan fall downe from Heaven like lightning even out of the hearts of the Iewes from deceiving them any longer Thus much for the opening of the words which though it have beene long and difficult yet many times
of heaven from the Throne And that Throne is set in the Church Rev. 4.2 3. Behold a Throne was set in heaven and one sate on the Throne which is the Lord himselfe who is resembled by three pretious stones holding forth the three persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white circle round about it representing the Eternity of the Father a Sardine stone of a fleshy colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him An Emerauld being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of those that looke upon it representing the Spirit who is as the Rainbow a token of faire weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he commeth Now this voice comming from heaven and from the Throne it commeth also apparently from God saying It is done that so all men may see it to be the revealed and holy will of God that all these things should be thus accomplished 3. It is done what is done for here is no nominative case before the verb. But this is that which is done the mystery of iniquity is abolished And the mystery of God is fulfilled For of this it was spoken which you read Rev. 10.7 where the Angel that stood upon the Sea and upon the earth telleth us That in the dayes of the seventh Angel when he shall sound whose Trumpet is sounding to this day the mystery of God should be fulfilled And that standeth chiefly in two things 1. In the destruction of all his enemies 2. In the accomplishment of all his gracious promises to the conversion of the Jewes and both these shall be accomplished in the pouring out of this Vial as we may reade at large Ezek. 39.17 to the end of the Chapter where the holy Prophet speaketh of this very time when the enemies of the Church shall come out against them there will be a finall accomplishment of all the mysteries of iniquity and of all the hostility of the Lords enemies against his Church It is also the accomplishment of all his gracious promises and therefore he saith Rev. 21.6 When once the new Jerusalem commeth downe from God out of heaven then Christ himselfe saith It is done All his promises are now performed and his great workes now fulfilled this is meant when it is here said It is done And the Lords voice it is for had it been the voice of some Church-Officers alone it might have reached to the Church but not to the ends of the world but when the Lord himselfe speaketh whose voice is like the voice of thunder then is it heard from one end of the earth unto another All men shall see the great workes that he hath done upon the face of the earth Popery and all false Religion abolished the Kingdome of Christ established from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof This is the Adjunct Now for the Effect There is an Effect of Terrour and of agitations and changes and an effect of destroying calamities for I cannot well gather the notes that arise unlesse these things be all opened then I conceive they may be handled with brevity 4. For the effect of terrour the thunderings and lightenings and the voices are the same with those that are said to come out of the Throne Rev. 4.5 Like unto that dispensation of old Exod. 20.18 Wherein were thunderings and lightenings and in stead of voices there is put in the noise of the Trumpet and these held forth the terrour of the Lord in giving of the Law in so much that Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake and much more did the people feare and tremble for such is the convincing dreadfull power of the Law of God that let a man but heare it and have it effectually applyed and it will make the meekest and most innocent of the servants of God to tremble It will make the mountaines and hils to tremble The voice of Gods servants is like the voice of a trumpet Esay 58.1 piercing deep into the eares and hearts of men but the voice of himselfe exceedeth So the meaning is That upon the pouring out of this Vial upon the ayre there shall be terrible thunderings and lightenings and voices like founds of Trumpets upon the hearts of men that shall make them tremble and quake The Lord will so terribly affright and amaze the sons of men with the power of his holy word and will as that it shall suddenly break forth all the world over for in this manner doth the Lord begin his saving dispensations towards men even with terrible lightenings and thunderings and earthquakes thereby partly convincing men of sin and subduing their hearts and confounding their malicious enemies For the next Effect 5. There was great earthquake c. And that importeth agitatations and changes and not terrour onely they are such as will not cease untill they have removed the things that are shaken that the things which cannot be shaken may remain so doth the Apostle Heb. 12.26.27 Interprete the Prophesie of Haggai 2.6 It argueth saith he the removing of those things that are shaken and he interprets it concerning the Church estate in that place and he will also shake all the Kingdomes of the world as the same Prophet Haggai told Zerubbabel Chap. 2.21 22. saying I will shake the heavens and the earth and I will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the Heathen c. And so the Lord did overthrow the great Persian Monarchy by the Grecian and the Grecian Monarchy by the Romane and the Romane by barbarous Nations and the Lord hath bin shaking them eversince and will shake them hereafter with such a shaking as never was the like you reade of a great earthquake when as Rome of Pagan became Christian Rev. 6.12 But that was a small shaking unto this earthquake for still the Persians are Idolaters and many Pagans in the world that shaking brought in a forme of Christianity but the saving knowledge of Christ was yet in a great measure wanting that forme of Christianity which then came in made way for Popery to creepe in fast into the Churches but this will shakeout Popery and when by it the Popish aire is smitten the Lord will also shake all the world by it and the time doth hasten 6. Now for the third effect which is a distracting and destroying calamity upon Cities upon Islands and Mountaines and upon men Among cities here is the great Citie and the cities of the Nations and Babylon Some good Interpreters looke at Babylon to be Constantinople For my part I dare not think but one of these is put expositively for the other Babylon for the great city Now that great city which is spiritiually called Sodome and Aegypt Rev. 11.8 is that great city which reigneth over the Kings of the earth and that is Rome as all confesse and that Babylon Chap. 17.18 and this is the same city which the Kings of the earth and the
shining garments They are such that if the Lord looke upon a man he is pure in his eyes if the world looke upon him he is bright yea it even dazels the eyes of wicked men I say it is the honour of a Christiam it is the comlinesse of his person There is no garment that becomes a Christian so well as to be clothed from top to toe with the pure g rments of Christs righteousnesse imputed Inherent righteousnesse is not so comely save in the eyes of men A tender conscience a spirit easie to be entreated is a comely spirit a man void of passion that hath the bridle and reines of his affections it is a great beauty to a man both righteousnesse inherent and righteousnesse imputed they make us walke so as no man shall see our nakednesse and shame Diligence in a mans calling and trustinesse and faithfulnesse are comely things in Christians A well-girt Christian the Lord wil keepe that men shall not see his nakednesse though in many things he may faile and be ashamed yet the Lord keepes him that men see not his nakednesse That is the first Use And the second is this Vse 2 It must teach us holy watchfulnesse in all our Christian conversation especially in such times when these frogs are croking and these â—â—â—ive spirits are leâ—ping up and down There are many spirits of Errour as it is generally complained of and I fear too justly up and down the countrey Some ye know and more will know and the sooner the better Beware of them look well to your garments keep faith and keep a good conscience Keep them too and you keep all your garments I aith looks to your holinesse and a good conscience to your righteousnesse Be watchfull to Prayer and watchfull to the Word and wathfull to your callings and watchfull to your own deceitfull hâ—art when you see the false Prophets stir when you see â—rrours stir Keep your garments close and so much the closer when you see such spirits stirring and now I doubt not it is a time when evil spirits are busie and stirring in our native country Oh that the people of God might be but watchfull Now Jâ—suits and carnall hearts will be busie Oh that all high and low of all the Nations of the earth were awaked not to be intreated by them that will strive to carry Religion in the old streams of Euphrates that makes glad none but Cardinals and Bishops and carnall hearts whatsoever is a support to new Babylon or old whatsoever maintains Popish Idolatry or Turkish Tyrannie But to bestir themselves like men that so the work of the Lord may go forward and the streams of the River Euphrates may be dryed up what ever maintains Popish Idolatry or Turkish Tyrannie that all this were dryed up What a cause of joy would this be to all the people of God! If ye hear any ill news from our native country you will hear nothing but shamefulnesse discovered If men be not watchfull shamefulnesse in Doctrine and shamefulnesse in Worship and shamefulnesse in Government will be discovered if men be not watchfull at this day For now is the time that God goes about to pour out the Vials of his wrath upon the Throne of the Beast to dry up the Episcopacie And ye shall finde great way made for the drying up of the river Euphrates for it will suddenly be dryed up I say therefore it behoves men in this time especially to be watchfull and therefore let us pray for our Brethren and for our selves in this regard that the Lord would gird them and us close that our lamps may be burning as men that are bound to dry up this river Euphrates that makes glad Rome but sad the hearts of Gods people Last of all to make an end it will be a ground of comfort to Vse 3 all watchfull souls to whom Christ comes as a thief and yet when he doth come he findes them watching and girt If the good man of the house did know when the thief would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken through c. I say in such a case as this is if the Lord give up the spirits of men as I doubt not but he doth those that are so take it for your comfort yee that are close girt cary it home as an encouragement unto continuall watchfulnesse Such as walke before him spiritually and watchfully marke what the Lord promiseth you for yee see what the blessednesse is which the Lord promiseth He shall not have blessednesse only but he is a blessed man Blessed is he that watcheth he shall enjoy the Lord Iesus Christ and all Soveraigne good He will gird himselfe and will sit downe at table and minister unto you Luke 17.7 A man will not say so to his servants But mind yee here 's a difference that if so be a man have walked with a watchfull frame of spirit the Lord will serve him A man that hath kept his garments without spot the Lord so well approves the frame of his spirit as that he will gird himself and will serve him that is ready prepared to do such a soul good He shall finde him at supper he shall finde him at the ordinances at every spirituall duty he shall finde him at least it will not be long but he shall finde him I set aside extraordinary cases of tryall times of temptation and tryall which may come upon any of Gods servants and these shall not be long The Lord will hide them under the shadow of his wings and preserve them from shamefull fals or will hide the shamefulnesse of them and the Lord will for the present be girt close to you He will be ever and anon helping you in all trials and temptations when you have most need of him then shall ye finde him ready to be most near you And therefore it is a marvellous comfort and stay to a Christian whom the Lord helps to be thus watchfull He will be a Sun and a shield and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk thus uprightly with him Psalm 84.11 THE FOURTH PART VPON THE SIXT VIALL REVEL 16.16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon THESE words are the last part of the description of the Event that followeth upon the powring out the Viall of the sixt Angell and in them is set forth the Efficacy of those three Spirits of Divells who as they are described by their effect of working miracles and going forth to gather men to the Battell of the great day of God Almighty ver 14. So they do prevaile they did gather them together into a field wherein the Battell was fought and that is called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon The place it selfe is of much difficulty and much variety of Interpretations hath beene made of it I may not so much as reckon them up much lesse spend time to refute them