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
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
such an earthquake as this will be so mighty and so great that will blast not Popery alone but all the Hotamocks in this countrey and all that are found among other Indians in other parts of the world an Haile storme shall fall upon them all and blast all their green groves and arbours wherein they were wont to be worshipped Thus have you seen as the Lord hath been pleased to help the meaning of these words Let us now gather one note from them For I would not long dwell upon there Aenigmaticall I meane Parabolicall Scriptures The Doctrine is That when the darknesse of Popish and hellish Doct. ignorance is dispelled so that a man may clearely see heavenly light and breath in heavenly knowledge then It is done That is to say then all the mystery of iniquity is abolished and the mystery of God is fulfilled For thus you see it is evidently here expressed in the Text. The seventh Angel did poure out his Vial upon the Antichristian ayre and that was such an ayre as was darkened with the smoake of the bottomlesse pit as with a foggy mist Now when this ayre shall againe bee cleared and the foggy darknesse thereof dispelled so that men may have the true use of it to see through it those heavenly bodies which were darkened by that smoake Rev. 9.2 then shall men see Jesus Christ to be all in all unto Justification Sanctification Consolation which in Popery you could not then shall the true Church be seen which like the Moon borroweth all the light it hath from the Sun true indeed if the Moone be taken for the world then she treadeth it under her feet Rev. 12.1 In Popery you could not see what a true Church was they will tell you of this and that Church but they are no true Churches But when this vaile shall be removed then shall you clearely know that the true Church is not a Catholike visible nor a Cathedrall nor a Diocesan nor a Provinciall Church Then shall you see the Stars of heaven you shall know who are the true officers of the Church not Paratours and Proctours Deacons and Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops over many Churches they are not the lights which the Lord hath set therein And you shall then see who were the true members of the Church Not the Canonized Saints not such as Saint George who was an ancient Heretick but you shall see them to be such as are spoken of Phil. 2.15 blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke shining as lights in the world then shall you see the Scripture more clearely true doctrine and worship and government as it is held forth in the Gospell of Christ and when you shall see these things then It is done Even all that God hath to do in the world for any further Reformation expect it not Rev. 10.7 when the time is come that the seventh Angel hath blowne his Trumpet the Lord will not delay but it shall then be fulfilled and the Lord will clearely manifest to all Nations the great grace which he hath to show to the sons of men and this is long agoe foretold Esay 25.6 7 8. In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and that is the pouring out of this Vial upon the ayre for the face of the covering is the ayre in my Text Then will the Lord make a feast of fat things then will he swallow up death in victory and wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth this is also prophesied of Esay 11.6 7 8 9. They shall not huâ—t nor destroy in all mine holy mountaine and the reason is for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and then It is done The mystery of iniquity is abolished there is no more darknesse nor destruction and the calling of the Gentiles which was a mystery to the Jewes shall be then fully accomplished and the calling of the Jewes which the Apostle calleth a mystery to us Gentiles Rom. 11.25 shall be then fulfilled and so the mystery of God is finished Reas 1 Three Reasons doth the Text give us hereof 1. First from the manner of the entrance of this heavenly glory into the hearts of men whether it come into private persons or publique States It commeth terribly with lightnings and thunderings the which comming from God doe so terrifie the hearts of men and the state of the world that they shall see plainely how they have beene deluded with desperate follyes and when men are put unto such an earthquake in their spirits this will be the point they come unto Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved as did the Jaylor when he had been soundly shaken with the earthquake Acts 16.26.30 and so it will be with Kingdomes when God hath in like sort shaken them they will contend for true Religion and will not then be baffled out and deluded with vanities as now they be when the spirits of men are terrified and they feele no salvation in their Religion they know not what shall become of their precious soules this will set all the world on worke to looke about them for upon this ground you shall see Indians and Jews and Pagans gaping after salvation when they see by these terrible stormes and thunders that all their Religions are but so many refuges of lies then is there worke in hand indeed which when God hath begun hee will also finish it unto the day of Christ and it will be such an earthquake as was never heard of in the world Heretofore so long as this worke was found among poore Christians the great Lords of the world persecuted them and devised all manner of cruell torments for them but when they felt that the wrath of God was kindled against them then their hearts fell and they were all in a combustion for the state of their soules before the Lord now they were glad to renounce their Jupiters and Junoes and to embrace Christianity and to hearken to a better Covenant this is the effect of thunderings and lightnings and voyces it soone blasteth Idolatry and forceth man to seeke after a clearer passage to heaven The second Reason is taken from the power of the saving knowledge Reas 2 of Christ to dispell this Popish ignorance and to carry an end the heart of a man with such power that he can no longer lie at quiet in his naturall estate but it worketh in men these foure effects 1. It subdueth and tameth the hearts of men that now they will joyn themselves unto the people of God Esa 11.6.7 8. the Wolfe shall lie with the Lambe the Leopard
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
of it These Angels had councell and encouragement given them as you have heard to goe about this worke and were furnished with the wrath of God for this ende but were not effectually stirred up to fall upon the execution thereof till they heare a great Voice of Christ out of the Temple that is in publike Ordinances then they goe to poure out their Vials You shall find this a very ordinary Practise in some things sutable hereunto in Scripture Isaack gave Iacob a Commandement and Instruction to goe to Padan-Aram Gen. 28 6. And thereupon Iacob went on his way Vers 7. But the first night that he lodged out of dores when the Lord appeared to him in the House of God Verse 15. and telleth him That hee will bee with him and keepe him in all places whithersoever hee goeth and will bring him backe againe into this Land Then Iacob Chap. 29 1 lifteth up his heeles and goeth on his wayes Like a Giant refreshed with Wine to runne his Course And the like was the Practise of the same Jacob when they told him that Ioseph was yet alive Gen. 45.27.28 his spirit revived and he said He would goe down to see him but first he goeth to Beersheba and there offereth Sacrifices and consulteth with the Lord Gen. 46.1.2.3 4. and the Lord encourageth him to goâ— downe bideth him not feare He will be with him and there make a great Nation of him and bring him back againe and so he did to be buried thus are his hands fully strengthned in his way The like also was the case of the men of Samaria Ioh. 4. When the woman had told them that Jesus was the Christ because he had told her all that ever shee did they beleeved because of her saying Vers 39. But when they came unto him and talked with him then they said unto her Vers 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heâ—rd him our selves and know that this is inâ—eâ—d the Christ the Saviour of the World Thus the voice of Christ carrieth his people an end in the waies of their callings with effectuall power unto sudden and speedy execution The Reason is taken first from the greater power of the voice Reason 1 of Christ speakâ—ng by his Spirit then when hee speaketh by the gifts of his Servants and therefore Paul putteth a great difference in this case Acts 19.21 The Text telleth us That he purposed in his Spirit to goe up to Hierusalem afterwards going on his way he meeteth with certaine Disciples Act. 21.4 and they by reason of the Prophesie of Agabus concerning Paul vers 11. fell upon him and wept and besought him not to goe up to Hierusalem What meane you saith he to weepe and to breake mine heart for J am ready not to be bound onely but to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Behold here the Spirit of God had revealed clearely himselfe in the heart of Paul to strengthen him to goe up to Heirusalem these Disciples upon the Prophecie of Agabus that he should be bound at Hierusalem said to Paul through the Spirit that he should not goe up By what spirit By the gifts of the Spirit the spirit of love and their care of the Churches but Paul waves them all for hee had the minde of Christ by the voice of the Spirit himselfe this was indeede in times of extraordinary Revelation but it sheweth you neverthelesse the difference betweene the voyce of the Spirit and of the gifts of the Spirit he giveth the greater power to the Spirit then to the gifts of the Spirit being such kind of Gifts wherein humane frailty might be mingled The second Reason is taken from the greater power of Gods Reas 2 voyce in Publike then in private Administration If one of these Elders speake unto them it may be but a private incouragement Such as the advice of Nathan was unto David to build the Temple 1 Chro. 17.2 But had he come as afterwards he did in way of Publike Administration Hee could not have beene so mistaken as then he was For therein doth the Lord more specially reveale the presence and the power of his Spirit and grace Matth. 18.18.19 20. Therefore it is That when there commeth a great voice out of the Temple it carrieth along the Seven Angels to a speedy dispatch of this great worke of pouring out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Vse 1 The first Vse may teach us all that have any private inducements or incouragements to any calling or worke of God by any Church-Officer or Church-Member not to sleight the same for these Angels did not sleight the motion when one of the Church Officers gave unto them the seven golden Viols but they tooke the Vials And when they see their time when there commeth a publike Voice out of the Temple then doe they all follow on effectually with their worke in their seasons Sleight not therefore private encouragements to good callings but looke for further provocation and strengthning in them from the publike Ministry even from the voyce of Christ in the publike Ordinances of his Church Private Revelations without the Word are out of date but certaine it is that God doth speake by his Spirit in private Meditation and Prayers and conferences with Bretheren and in all these comforteth his people with the manifestation of his fatherly goodnesse yet speaketh nothing but in his word and according to it Now these be good hints and good encouragements which God giveth his people in them and by no meanes to be sleighted when God sheweth his presence in them God forbid that any of the sonnes or daughters of God should put them away Yet this let me say though such be faire incouragements what private duty soever they come in whether to beleeve on this or that gracious promise of God or to stir us up unto any other Spirituall work the servants of God are hereby led to attend the more upon the publike Administrations of the Church for the further clearing of the mind and will of God There will the Lord more clearely reveale himselfe by his Spirit in every Ordinance of his Worship there doth he delight to poure out all his fresh Springs Psal 87. Last For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.3 Eternall life doth he give in the Publike fellowship of his Saints there doth hee confirme their callings to them looke unto the Lord therefore for his blessing in this way and so shall you be faithfull followers of these holy Angels of God who being privately incouraged waite for a publike voice to carry them an end in their Administrations wherein the Lord by the mighty power of his Spirit doth confirme al his Promises threatnings and Commandements and more throughly stirreth up the hearts of all his people to take hold of al that is spoken unto them therefore if ever you perceive any voyce or spirit to take off
it was never Gods counsell nor meaning in the New Testament But now the contrary being the doctrine of the Church of Rome and on that ground justified When Princes are excommunicated they doe depose them and being deposed discharge subjects from their allegeance and then judge you what treason redownds to Christian Princes and what conspiracie and rebellion groweth in the state of a Kingdome when some take part with the King deposed and others with him that is substituted by the Pope and so there is Treason both against Prince and State and Kingdome And therefore it is an ancient justice of God that hath so ordered it that those that shall draw Gods people from the Allegeance of their Prince shall be judged Traitors and suffer paine of death Reas 5 And for a fift reason mentioned in the Text it is taken from the law of retaliation that look how men have dealt with others they should be so dealt withall themselves Now these Priests and Jesuites and their Abettors in the time of Queene Mary and Henry the eighth and all the Kings since the Statute against Lollards in England as also against the Hugonites in France if a man were suspected of hereticall pravity and pronounced guilty thereof by the Church he was to be delivered to the secular power onely he might have leave to consider of it But if he fell againe there was no hope of mercie but he must looke for bloud as if he were no better then a child of death And yet they were men that never troubled the State but quietly suffered for their Religion and Conscience So that these Jesuites and Priests delivering up so many innocent Lambs of Christ Ministers of the Gospel and holy Saints to the Secular power to be burnt at the stake in Smithfield and elsewhere and the Abettors of these Priests and Jesuites being very zealous to cut off such Lollards from the land of the living it is just and right with God They have given thy Saints and Prophets bloud to drinke and therefore looke as they have measured to others it is measured to them by the ancient Law of God that is the same and will be for ever Rev. 13.10 He that killeth with the sword must be killed by the sword So you see this point is plaine That upon the discovery of the deadly corruption of the Religion in the Romish Sea it was the righteous judgement of God and such as argued him to be unchangeable and ever the same that the Priests ands Jesuites which carryed the waters of that Sea that Religion up and downe the Nation should be condemned to a bloody death you see the truth of the point and the reasons of it For the use of the point it may first serve to justifie the holy Vse 1 and righteous equity of all those laws above mentioned whether in England or Holland for putting Popish Priests and Jesuites to death and there was a like law also made in France upon the murther of Henry the fourth that all Jesuites should be put away out of the Countrey and their studies demolished c. but they made it in policie But the Text speakes of England and Holland it was a just and righteous law that these rivers and fountains of waters should become blood you see there is blasphemy in their worship against the Lord Jesus Christ they doe seduce the people of God and turne them from the Lord and thrust them from him by their justification by workes by their callings on Saints and Angels and trusting in other Mediators besides the Lord Jesus in the intercession of Saints and Angels It hath beene a just hand of God that they that worry like ravenous wolves the soules of Gods people should themselves be worried that they that have made firebrands of Christians should drinke blood themselves they that over-whelmed Christians in confusion and tumult it is just with God that they should be over-whelmed they that have beene so busie in putting to death innocents that they should also be put to death you see this is just with God it is well becomming to the unchangeable righteousnesse of God thus it was in the old Testament and why should it be changed in the new You will say it was but a typicall matter then and you Ob. must looke for a spirituall death in the New Testament Why I pray you Brethren consider 1. Answ The Papists are not of that mind but they execute it in the letter they have put to death the Prophets and servants of God in the letter hunted them up and downe the Inquisition is incomparably more bloudy then any other other Butchery They doe not nor may not plead any such thing they beleeve it is true in the letter And let me say further the holy Ghost makes it as true in the letter this Text is in the New Testament not in the Old Thou hast given them bloud to drinke for they are worthy and he speaks of the very bloud of the hearts of men And it is parallel with Gods justice of old it was just then and it is just now Zachary intends the dayes of the New Testament though written in the Old that when a fountaine is opened to the house of David and inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse then the father and mother of a false Prophet shall accuse him to the Magistrate and shall say unto him He shall not live Was it an abomination then to speak lyes in the Name of the Lord and no lesse then blasphemie and shall it be more favourably interpreted now A man may now speak a lye and bring in a false Christ a false Mediator and false meanes of satisfaction and false merits now he may without perill of his life in the Old Testament he might not Why but was it not sufficient to have a spirituall judgement Even they had spirituall judgements then but God saw it meet to inflict some temporall judgement as well as spirituall and is now his judgement changed Besides are not Moses Morall Lawes of perpetuall equity and therefore to be observed in all Ages Is blasphemy more tolerable in the New Testament or thrusting men away from God is it not as odious now as then Is not murther of soules as damnable now as then Is not conspiracie and sedition as damnable and capital now as then Is not the law of retaliation as just in the New Testament as in the old and therefore a man would wonder that such frivolous interpretations should come into the hearts of men to hinder the free passage of the justice of God on such notorious offenders Ob. But you will say Conscience should not be forced and men should not be put to death for their conscience Answ Why doe you thinke Heretiques were not as conscionable in the Old Testament as now If any man had a conscience to turn men from God he would have men of as much conscience to cut them off if they make
no conscience of the blaspheming the name of God the Lord would have men make no conscience of cutting them off from breathing in the aire of God If men make no conscience of murthering soules or raising sedition and tumult and murthering men better then themselves the Lord would have men make no conscience of paying every man in his owne kind But let me answer again But mark what I say the Lord will easily provide for this and so he doth and in England I am sure he hath what in Holland I know not but he hath provided there That if a Jesuite or Priest or their abettors shall come in and take the oath of fidelity to the State and so carry matters before some Justice of Peace the Law dischargeth them from capitall punishment And the Law of God in the New Testament is that such should be once or twice admonished but if he still continue the Apostle would have him cast out of the Church the Church hath no farther power if they be proceeded with farther it must be by the Magistrate Him that is an heretique ofter once or twice admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted c. So that it must be for Fundamentall Articles of Religion in doctrine or worship which are so clearly delivered in the Word that no man that understands Scripture and the wayes of salvation but may be satisfied in conscience what is the holy and acceptable will of God in such points and therefore he takes it for granted if a man be once or twice admonished he is convinced of himselfe he is subverted he is turned off from the foundation that now no man is put to death for his conscience but for sinning against the light of his conscience his owne conscience hath convinced him and the light of the Word is so cleare as cannot but convince him that the way of God runnes just quite contrary to his interpretation and seducement And therefore now if you sinne you sinne against conscience and therefore you justly suffer for being subverted and turned off from the foundation from Chrift Jesus and holding another foundation and persisting therein obstinately So there are two things in an heretique he is both subverted himselfe as an house from the foundation it is against the foundation of Religion and he holdeth out obstinately against light of conscience with stubbornnesse and now in such a case thine eye shall not spare him A soule that sins of ignorance may be pardoned but if he still continue obstinate thine eye shall not spare him the wrath of God now goes out against a person against a City if it were against a Tribe they goe about by force of Armes to redresse it they shall not suffer such in a Country This is then the Answer to the second Objection and still justifies the equity of that Law Obj. 3 There is a third Objection Ay but is it not written that you shall suffer tares to grow with the wheat lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them Mat. 13.30 Now our Saviour tending to clemencie and moderation he saith Let both grow together untill the harvest c. Answ Ay but tares and wheat they may grow together but he doth not say ye may suffer bryars and thorns to grow with them for then you choak all the wheat And therefore it hath been a false interpretation of the Popish sort and taken up by the Anabaptists that tares signifie indifferently all sorts of wicked men but I know none that expound them better then Ierome and none so well the tares are very like the wheat in Jury what they are in other Countries I know not but they are like to the wheat there and you will not know the difference in the greene blade nor in the spindling untill it grows towards the harvest then you will finde it but an empty eare and thin and yet it grows so close with the other wheat and like it that if you pluck it up you may pluck up the wheat with it let therefore both grow together till the harvest What is then meant by Tares Not such as sinne through obstinacie but hyhocrites that are like the servants of God that you would think they are such after you discover them they are empty eares and hollow have no fatnesse of graine and that is indeed none of the wheat Now let Hypocrites grow together with the Elect doe not cast them out meerly for hypocrisie though you finde them halting unlesse they break forth to scandalous behaviour either in doctrine or worship or conversation as they appeare to be bryars and thornes if they be manifest fruits of the curse away with them Why cumber you the ground for else you shall neither have Church censure nor cavill to stand Such notorious wicked persons adulterers Idolaters railers refractory and scandalous persons drunkards and the like are not tares we must not abuse Scripture that because tares and hypocrites are suffered therefore refractory scandalous notorious wicked men and heretiques may be suffered no that is not the meaning they are not ears you may see them afar off you shall not need to feare rooting up the wheat by cutting off them the wheat is nothing like them So you see the first Use to justifie the equity and soveraignty of such capitall punishments on Priests and Jesuites and consequently on such as bring in other Gods or another way of worshipping the true God then that wherein we may enjoy fellowship with the true God the justice and suitablenesse of it to the holy will of God since there were any Lawes made amongst Gods people For a second Use it may serve to reprove the carnall and sinfull Vse 2 foolish pity that is found in any State that shall be sparing of spilling such bloud of the Priests and Jesuites It is you see contrary to the unchangeable justice of God the Lord loathes this kinde of lenity and gentlenesse and indulgence and toleration of such kind of persons and ordinary receivings of them if men will suffer such in the State truly they shall doe it to the subversion of their owne safeties and dignities and disturb their whole State It is a very sad speech which the Lord utters in the 48. Ier. 10. Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from bloud when the Lord calls us to sheath the sword of Authority in such kind of delinquents as these be if we shall now spare them and neglect this work of God cursed be such A State shall be separate from God and a Kingdome more and more corrupt and leavened by such toleration the wrath of God will break forth tumults and seditions and all kind of scandalous and unrighteous and ungodly proceedings will set a whole Kingdome in combustion Church and Common-wealth at variance There can be no peace to such a State where such persons are tolerated
God assist the servants of God in this glorious work but they are sent forth indifferently to protect Gods servants by sea or by land And I finde no Scripture to shew that they are more particularly sent to the sea or to the earth but indifferently to protect Gods servants in their out-goings and in-commings Vse 7 Lastly it may serve to teach us a true estimation of Ministers If Popish Priests be rivers and fountaines of waters drinking bloud because they have made Gods servants and Prophets drink bloud then it shews what place other Ministers be in where the sea is cleare as glasse like chrystall where you may see the face of Christ as in a glasse 2 Cor. 3.18 what then where the sea is pure all Ministers of the Countrey and Elders of Churches carry forth the doctrine and worship of Christ they are as rivers and fountaines and being living water rivers of fresh water and water all the Countrey This is the office of of them in opposition to those in 2 Pet. 2.17 that are wells without water without sweet water Godly Ministers therefore are fountaines of sweet water and from them issue forth streames of living water In Psal 88. ult All my fresh springs are in thee I would onely apply it thus and leave it and the Text with the time That therefore looke as a man when he would goe forth to a new Plantation or sit downe in any place or if he would set his dwelling house in a place he would wisely fore-cast to have a fountaine of living water a living spring neere to his house or some sweet spring run neere him Why If he be without fresh water it is a great want for the provision of his houshold Water they must have either a fresh tiver or a fresh spring the one of the two if they can have both they covet both and there is great need of both not onely to quench fire and water gardens c. but for boiling of meat and drink washing of cloathes and sundry victuals Water is ever necessary as any thing nothing more This is mens care when they goe about Plantations or whether they plant townes or villages or their owne dwelling houses they have a care to provide for fresh water All I would say is this Take heed you doe not provide for fountaines of ordinary water and neglect rivers of sweet water That is beware of going about such work without carrying such fountaines with you as may from the sea of pure Religion pure doctrine and pure worship carry forth some such sweet streams as may make glad the hearts of your families and Church of God where you goe But you will say Have not Christians so much liberty a Ob. company of godly men liberty to enter into covenant and make some beginning of things and so call some or other whom they know are well gifted men furnished with gifts may we not call them to come and help us and have we not that liberty purchased by the bloud of the Lord Jesus All this is true brethren I would infringe no part of it Onely Answ this let me say you would be loth to provide no better for temporals you would be loth to set a towne where there are no rivers nor fountaines and if you doe sit downe where there are no fountaines yet you have liberty to fetch water from other places Christ hath purchased it True he hath purchased all liberties for his Church but you will not think it wisdome to sit downe where there are no rivers because you have no right to them by the bloud of Jesus that would not be a sufficient reason in things concerning this naturall life why then doe not build further on the bloud of Christ for spirituall rivers then you will doe for naturall but rather prize spirituall rivers above naturall as more worthy then all naturall comforts to be looked after Therefore when ever you are about such a work as this take the Lord Jesus Christ along with you and take rivers and fountaines of waters that as you look for rivers and fountains for the refreshment of your cattle and servants and children you may finde a living fountaine of the bloud of Christ conveighed and running in the plantation where you intend to sit downe otherwise you will finde the springs there and the fountains and rivers you sit downe by rise up in judgement against you that these are the things you sought for and out of regard to these you left the fountains and rivers of Gods house the ordinances of God behind you and goe and live in the outmost corners of a countrey or in some other countrey all is one Therefore sit downe no where without good Ministers if it be possible and sure possible it is else Christians may resolve to tarry where they are as Ezra tarried by the river Ahava in the 8. of Ezra 15. till he had got some Levites to goe with them that they might goe and make a comfortable worke of it that they might not leave the Ordinances behind them and yet there were some there before whither they went It is true some may goe and make a beginning but yet never make a beginning but where you may come and partake of the waters of Gods house every Lords day and let them that cannot so travell let them continue where they are and drink of the waters of eternall life rather then run such hazards You have seene when some have made a beginning without Ministers they have staid three or foure yeeres before they have got any help and when they have got them they have had much adoe to settle they have been suddenly unsettled though they have not gone rashly about it but with good advice but for want of this there not taking these rivers and fountaines with them they have been at a losse and therefore in such a case let it be the wisdome of sincere hearted Christians that come from old England for liberty and purity of Ordinances not to leave them now for fresh medows and fountaines and for want of planting ground and the like it will not be suitable to these ends for which you left your native Countrey The Fourth VIAL Revel 16.8 9. And the fourth Angel poured out his vial upon the Sun and power was given to him to scorch men with fire And men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the name of God which had power over these plagues and they repented not to give him glory ALl the seven Angels that are described to pour out the seven Vials of the last fierce wrath are all of them said to come out of the Temple of the Tabernacle opened in heaven in the 5 Verse of the 15 Chapter That is to say all of them to proceed and to come forth out of reformed Churches such as had gotten the victory over the Beast and his Image and his Name and the number of his Name In the 6 Verse of this
moneyes Brethren do you think it is not a judgement of God Is not the silver and gold his and hath he it not for this state as well as for others if we had not some wayes provoked him Did he not take it away from them in Hagge when they neglected Temple work And did not he say The silver and gold is mine 1 Hag. 6. and 2 Hag. 6.7 8 Hath not the Lord blasted us because we grew cold hearted and formall in Church-fellowship and confident and warme and bold-hearted in matters pertaining to our selves and to the world and in matters that tended onely to tumult What then In such a case marvell not if the Lord send forth a Vial of his wrath upon us and curse our blessings that that which within these 4 or 5 years was but a drug and men would not labour for money they would have corne and be glad of it they would have provisions Now provisions are a drug Beef and Butter it is not currant now men will give no money for it they will not part with it Is it not a Vial of his wrath or at least a twig of his rod And is it not meet now to repent and give him glory that hath power over this plague that we be not senslesse and obdurate And doth not the Lord say he will curse our blessings he saith so to Ministers and will any be free Will any prosper when they lay not Gods hand to heart but make a trifling businesse of it but make account the Lord calls men to serious consideration of it To make an end Let this be the last Use Vse 4 To teach you what the nature and practise of Repentance is What is the nature and practise of it It is lively set forth in the Text I might be large herein they repented not to give God glory So there is the proper act of repentance when it runnes right in a right chanell it gives God glory What glory doth it give God First it gives him the glory of his Soveraignty the Text is plain as They gave not glory to God that hath power over these plagues they are Gods plagues and he hath power to send them and we see his hand in them his plagues they are and that is the first thing in repentance to see it is the hand of God in this kind and that kind in any kind that may befall us Give God the glory of his soveraignty who hath sent these plagues and this will help us to repentance 2. Give him the glory of his Justice that hath sent them most justly for his part and on our part most deservedly Neh. 9.33 The faithfull in Israel say Thou art just in all that is come up n us we have dealt wickedly and thou hast done righteously Thus repentance gives God the glory of his Justice as well as of his Soveraignty we have provoked God to plague us in this or that kind whether I speak to publick States or private persons if any evill lyes upon us it is the hand of God whether it come for one end or other and beleeve it it is for us to give him the glory of his justice as well as of his soveraignty We have given him just cause by our worldly mindednesse by our estrangement from the Lord and spirituall work and falling short of our spirituall aimes and ends we cut short our growth in Christianity and the Lord cuts short our outward estate Doe you think a Christians outward estate shall prosper when his inward estate growes leaner and leaner And as you give him the glory of his justice and soveraignty So 3. Give him the glory of his truth which these wicked persons would not give him the glory of To acknowledge their religion was a dead sea like Mare mortuum to acknowledge the bloud-thirstinesse of their Priests and Jesuits they shall drink bloud therefore they would not acknowledge reformation but blasphemed it as hereticall innovation and therefore the Lord had poured a vial upon their great lights in Church and Common-wealth and will doe it more and more till they be consumed they give not God the glory of his truth As Ioshuah said to Achan Iosh 7.19 My son give glory to God and tell me truly what thou hast done And he told him truly there was some hope of some seed of repentance and it is not possible a man should truly repent before God in confessing what hath been wickedly done if he denyes any thing that his conscience tels him is truth Nay some give God the glory and tell me now what thou hast done If a man hide it under his tongue it is not possible hee should repent why for he cannot give God glory he gives him not the glory of his truth and then there is no repentance And 4. What doth repentance give God the glory of as of his soveraignty and justice and truth in making humble confession of it where we are called if we have just occasion so the Lord requires that we should give him the glory of his mercy and grace that we looke for all our pardon and mercy in the bloud of the Lord Jesus and in unfeigned seeking after fellowship with him beleeving on his grace confessing what is sinfull turning from our evill wayes laying hold of eternall life of every gift of the Spirit that might quicken us in every spirituall duty that we might depend upon his grace for pardon and healing of our bottomlesse depth of unbeleefe for the changing of our hearts and quickening of our spirits this gives God the glory of his grace thus repentance doth In the 130. Psal 3 4. If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquity who then should stand There they give him the glory of his justice but there is pardon with thee that thou maist be feared there they give him the glory of his pardoning mercy thus ought all to doe that unfaignedly desire to walk in the serious practise and use of repentance You never repent kindly whiles a spirit of bondage lyes upon you and makes you sensible of the wrath of God and hell that alone will never bring forth kindly repentance but when the Lord helps us to give him the glory of his power that he swayes and rules in all and that wee give him the glory of his justice that hath righteously plagued us and the glory of his truth to confesse truly what is done amisse and the glory of his grace to pardon sin and heale the soule this is repentance and without this there is no repentance It is a wonder to see when people provoke God and the Church how little able they are to give God glory but take glory to themselves still it was thus and thus and might have been interpreted thus and thus it is a wonder to see how little they give God the glory our own glory lyes so neere us And therefore it behoves us as we desire sincerity to repent so to make conscience of
yet Beza and Cartwright did sprinkle some drops of this Viall upon this government though the power and strength of the Episcopacy in their time was such as drunke them up like the dry Earth that drinketh in the raine yet will not God be so put off from his word he powreth out more drops upon them by holy Baines his triall of Diocesan government and godly learned Parkers Ecclesiasticall Politie but these were drops you now see whole Vialls full of wrath powred out by the whole Church of Scotland who have engaged themselves and their state for ever in this quarrell and have beene carried along herein not in a way of popular tumult but with such wisedome courage judgement and Piety that you may see and say that it is not a Viall powred out by an unadvised multitude but by an Angell of God by the Heavenly Ministers of his wrath It hath beene taken in hand with serious and deepe and generall humiliation judging themselves for their toleration of such a government amongst themselves and so seconded in their constant fruits of Reformation as that their very adversaries stand amazed to behold them and these are not drops alone but like unto great ground showers which grow unto a floud and overflow all for they have turned away the floud of superstition in their owne Country by the Rivers of the power of God and his Evangelicall truth so now they have also flowed into England insomuch that a great many of the Commons of England and many noble Peeres doe begin to say that Episcopacy is an antichristian frame and forme which he brought in and doth still countenance and animate and while it continueth popery will not fall whereupon It hath come to passe if your intelligences faile not that many sad considerations have beene taken up in England whether it be not best to abandon all such thrones men will not fight for the defence of these thrones nor draw their purses to maintaine such warre but men begin generally to be taught of God that this is not the forme of the government of Jesus Christ Nor doe I know that any of the former Vialls have beene powred out by any men whose loines have beene more gert with truth and whose cloathing hath beene more pure and white then these servants of God have been gert and cloathed withall These things being thus understood take you the sequell and it will easily interpret it selfe for doth not hereby the Kingdome of the beast his monarchicall forme of Church government grow full of darkenesse Is not Episcopacy now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word of the Text as it were alluding to the Nation that darkeneth it Episcopall government doth it not grow darke yea full of darkenesse Is it not scotized darkned and beclouded with a Scottish mist so as that it groweth base and vile not onely in the eyes of godly wise and judicious Divines but in the eyes of good people nor of godly people alone but of many civill and orderly mindes mervaile not therefore if it be said that the Kingdome of the beast that is this forme of his government be full of darkenesse And hath not this darkenesse procured other secondary effects doe they not gnaw their tongues for very indignation what doe you thinke of the chiefe Church governors of Scotland and some of the chiefe of that order in England and their chiefe companions if your reports be true doe they not get themselves into darke corners 2. And for the second event They blasphemed the God of Heaven have you not heard that the powring out of this Viall hath beene by them accounted nothing else but Rebellion against the state of the Kingdome have they not taxed that which is the reviving of the Church and Common wealth to be the ruine of both And for the third event They repented not of their deeds have they no cause thinke you to repent of all their oppressions and tyrannies over godly men through many ages for that their governments have been formidable to none but the peaceable men of the Land if it be a drunkard or some base fellow that commeth to their Courts they say to him what doest thou here thou simple fellow pay thy fees and be gone but for the people of God nothing will satisfie but their extirpation from their Ministery livings and dwellings they shall not be allowed to breath in the free aire if any prison in the Countrey will hold them And is it not to be repented of the invasions of the liberties of Church and of civill liberties which have beene by some of them desperatly impeached so as that neither subject nor Prince shall know what belongeth to either of them and some of the throne of the beast will tell you that betweene Prince and subject there is no meum tuum but the Prince may say omne meum are not these things to be repented of And is there no superstition to be repented of And have they repented of these things doth any semblance of repentance appeare have they not still gone an end even while this Viall hath beene in powring out to put new inventions upon Gods people have they not imposed an Antichristian Oath that this is the onely government and that they neither doe acknowledge nor ever will acknowledge any other and is not this a blasphemy against the name and Crowne of Christ Jesus and yet they repent not of these deeds therefore they have said not much amisse that said that all the mischiefes that have sprung up in any state in the World where these thrones have beene set up have sprung from them that sate upon these thrones Thus you see what is the true and simple meaning of these words and I durst not have spoken it but that no other interpretation will well abide by the words of the Text. Babilon will not abide it for that commeth up into remembrance in the seventh Viall doe but consider all things together and weigh the words of the Text well with what goeth before and with what will follow after by the helpe of God and you shall find this to be the true meaning Neverthelesse though these former and late attempts against Episcopacy may bee the beginning of this Viall and some good measure also of the powring it forth you may believe that it will not rest here but as Moses said Deut. 32.4 Perfect is the worke of God and as the Lord spake concerning Eli. 1 Sam. 3.12 When I begin I will also make an end so reserving all due honour unto those interpreters who rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them I doe conceive and believe that this Viall will goe on from our native Countrey to all the Catholickes Countries round about them untill it come unto the very gates of Rome it selfe In the meane time all these Vialls are at worke and one is not ended when another is begun though that which most excelleth is most in
observation and the powring out thereof is the worke which the Lord calleth men principally to attend upon and wherein God hath manifested his presence most and wil goe on still to manifest more of the presence of his wrath unto other states now the points that arise from the words are two That forme of government wherein one by sole and singular Doct. 1 authority doth govern the Church specially many Churches and most of all all Churches doth spring from the Earth and savoureth of the Earth for so it appeareth to be from the Text for all these Angels powred out their Vialls upon the Earth Verse 1. Not as Earth is opposed to other elements but as it is opposed to Heaven so that as their Earth is earthly so is their Sea and their Rivers and Fountaines and their Sunne and this throne is but an earthly throne you see no such throne in the Tabernacle of the Testimony opened in Heaven so farre as Churches are Heavenly these thrones are not set up in them for this is it which Iohn reprooveth 3. Io. 9. in Diotrephes that he loveth to be a primate and would not regard a letter from Iohn himselfe though an Apostle for the brethren he would not receive them himself and forbad them that would and cast them out of the Church the true spirit of an earthly Primate for they savour of earthly ambition and covetousnesse love Balaams wages they stick not to buy their places for silver care not what they give for them but having gotten them with buying they must maintaine them by selling they must sell Ordinations and Absolutions and Dispensations and must be maintained by the benevolences of their obedient Clergy and in truth the summe of the matter is quid mihi dabis and what is all this but earthly bravery if ever you have beene at their thrones though it were but the thrones of their chauncellors and Officialls you shall see nothing but that which savoureth of the Earth earthly pride or pleasure or Covetousnesse I am and have lesse cause then many others from my last Diocesan who being more learned was more ingenuous and favourable then many others not wont to speake these things yet when the necessity of clearing my Text leadeth me to them I may not without unfaithfullnesse to God and his Church keepe silence we came not hither to speake hardly of other Churches but when the Word of God calleth for it we should be wickedly silent if we should not let the people know what the mercy and blessing is which we doe enjoy and what we are delivered from Rea. 1 The first Reason of the Doctrine is from that forme of Church estate which Christ hath instituted in his Word which is no other but the government of a Church of a particular visible Congregation He owneth no other nor giveth any government to any besides them If thy brother offend thee goe and tell the Church and must the offence stay till all the world be gathered together or if it were meant of one Diocesan or provinciall Church when will they meete therefore the Church that must heare al offences is the Church of a particular Congregation which may all of them meete together in one place 1 Cor. 14.23 and then though offences come thicke they may all be orderly heard and remooved And consider moreover that which further cleares up this first ground what variety of officers God hath given to this Church not many Parishes to one Bishop but many Bishops to one Church so as that Paul writteth to the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 And he sendeth for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.17 Whom he calleth Bishops Verse 28. And they were more then one in every Church according to Acts 14.23 They ordained them Elders in every Church directly contrary to the practise of the Lord Bishops of these dayes These things we speake that the people may know we set forth no new inventions though it be true that there is a newnesse in all the blessings of the new Testament whereas all the inventions of men wax old as doth a garment and there is no new thing under the sunne as touching mens inventions but they will grow old and vanish away as all Diocesin Churches will doe which the Lord hath not instituted Though indeed in the old Common wealth of Israel the Church was Nationall and there was but one high Priest who was a type of Christ but now Christ is come he hath delivered all his counsell to his 12. Apostles and they have left the ordering of his Church to some pastors and some teachers and some ruling Elders and some Deacons But besides these the Gospel knoweth no other The second ground is taken from the kinde of power which Rea. 2 God hath given to his officers in his Churches hath he given to them a Lordly or a Ministeriall power surely no Lordly power neither over their fellow Elders nor over the Church But he hath in his Word prohibited both these Math. 20.25 26 27. The Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so amongst you but whosoever will be great amongst you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be cheife amongst you let him be your servant Amongst the Officers of Christ honour is carried by the most labour and not by most outward splendor But those that sit upon the throne of of the Beast doe not labour in any kinde of government but that which is merely antichristian to foment sin and let loose the reines of all prophanesse neither doe the officers which Christ hath set in his Church reach after outward honour but the cheife of them make themselves equall with them of the lower sort as Peter though an Apostle when he writeth to the Elders stileth himselfe a fellow Elder 1. Pet. 5.1 and exhorteth them to feed the flock of God not as Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock so the Apostle in his second and third Epistle stileth himselfe an Elder so farre is he from affecting Lordly authority by all which we may see that all this kinde of Lordly and stately government is no way compatible to that government which Christ hath instituted in his Church The third reason is taken from that authority which the Lord Rea. 3 hath given to every Church over their Bishops as well as to their Bishops over them which cannot stand with Episcopall soveraignty It is true the Lord hath given them power over the Church let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour c. 1 Tim. 5.17 A power they have to call the Church together as the Apostles did for the choise of Deacons Acts 6.2 And to open the doores of speech and shut the doores of silence Act. 13.15 A power they have also to dismisse the assembly as they see cause for
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
bring a man to that estate wherein he was first made which is no gentile-like principle and the greatest preferents among them are of their Bookish men It may be some of the ten Tribes or buried among them yet it is not materiall to the Text though if it be true their Easterne situation will suit wel with the Text but however it be the truth is God doth by Covenant account the whole Nation to be a royall Nation and promiseth the Kingdomes of the World to be their Dominion and that all enemies God will sweepe them off from the face of the Earth as it is prophecied at large Rev. 19. Now then if these be the Kings of the East you will easily understand the evidence of other things in the Text for what is the great stumbling blocke that hindreth the Iewes from closing with Christianity They abhorre Images and the Iuggling of the Fryers and Monkes who are not so cunning to devise miracles as the Iew is cunning to search them out and to discover the legerdemaine of the Priests in them To worship Idols of Gold and Silver is an abomination to them and so are the rest of those five streames of wickednesse which uphold the Turkish state Let Christian Princes once arise and overthrow Images represse their murders remoove away their Fornications Thefts delusions which they put upon Christianity then shall there be a ready way prepared for their conversion no remaining impediment but their own corruption which God will mightily overpower if once Euphrates be dryed up down falls Popish and Turkish tyranny together and the Iewes shall come forth marching to fight that great battell of the Lord God Almighty then shall they see him whom they have peirced and be zealous for God as ever they have beene outragious against him And hereby you shall clearely see the agreement betweene Romans 11.12.15 Where it is said If the casting away of them be the reconcilement of the World what shall the receiving of them be but life form the dead and 25. Where he saith blindnesse in part is happened unto Israel untill the fullnesse of the Gentiles be come in The reconcilement lyeth here The hardnesse of the Iewes lieth upon them untill the Christian Nations of the Gentiles that have with the Pope apostatifed from Christ be come in untill they have dried up this River Euphrates hardnesse lyeth upon the Iewes but then all Israel shall be saved and after that looke for the rest of the Gentiles that never yet received the Gospel to come in also then will God bring them home mightily and not till then Thus you see the meaning of these words wherein I have beene the more large because in such Scriptures the explication is as much to be attended as the application Let us shortly touch upon a note or two Doct. 1 That the dayes are comming wherein Christian Princes and States shall powre out the wrath of God upon Popish superstition and Idolatry and upon all the Fountaines and streames of Turkish Tyranny For this sixt Angell are those 10 Christian Kings spoken of Chap. 17.16 They shall powre out this wrath Therefore those Christian Kings went a wrong way to worke when they thought to have overcome the Turke and regayned the holy Land It is strange to see how the Turkes prospered against them and how much Christian bloud Christian Princes spent to no purpose in fighting against them The way had beene first to have dryed up all those streames of Superstition and Idolatry and to have throwne downe that man of Sinne that had beene the ready way to prevaile against the Turke but the season was not then come it is now comming and how soone it will come I know not the Lord knoweth but comming it is as appeareth by the Context of this Viall with the former yea they are in part fulfilled and like the speare of Ioshua they will not returne nor cease till all the Lords enemies be overcome The judgements of God upon their common Catholickes their worship and government their secular and regular Priests upon the Sunne the House of Austria and the Popes supremacy you have heretofore heard the judgements of God upon the throne of the Beast which is the Episcopacy is already begun as you lately heard darkned it hath beene by the going forth of the Scots and doubtlesse the Lord will not let it rest there untill it have gone over the Seas and come to the Gates of Rome yea to the Bishop of Rome himselfe for after the Lord hath beene pleased to scome the Churches from their Hierarchicall monarchy then the next newes you shall heare of will be that Christian Princes begin to see the lewdnesse that is found in their worship the wickednesse of their Murders Sorceries Fornications and Thefts whereby they robbed their soules as well as their bodies then will they dry up these streames and so Euphrates that did wash this Rome and the Turkish Empire also will be dryed up for this worke will goe on prospering to prosper and though it may now and then be interrupted yet when it beginneth it will also make an end for the Lord is Almighty when he beginneth he will goe on to perfect his worke and he will not leave unto old Eli roote or branch It is easy with the Lord to advance the worke a little higher and then the streames of their maintenance will be dryed up by the hatred wherewith they will hate the whore and make her desolate and naked for the time is approaching The reason why the Lord will thus dry up the streames of Euphrates Reason is that he may untwist his own judgements in the same way wherein himselfe did twist them wee have before heard how his judgements fell upon the Christian World by the sounding of the sixth Trumpet the foure Angels that were bound in the great river Euphrates were loosed and by this meanes the Turkish Tyranny was brought in Now by the powring out of the Viall of the sixth Angell the spirits of Christian Princes are stirred up to dry up the River Euphrates thereby to make way for the subversion of the Turke and Pope and to prepare a way for Gods ancient people to come in that there may be no more wrath upon the face of the Earth Vse 1 In the first place this may serve to provoke us all earnestly to call upon the Lord that he would stirre up the hearts of Princes to consider and open their Eyes to see how needfull their attempts are to rise up against the Pope and for that end that they may see that the jugglings of Popery are but Thefts and Murders and Superstitions For when once those things are throughly discovered the means of the maintenance of the man of sinne must needs be dryed up How much cause therefore have we to wrastle with God for such mercy and that our prayers may be so much the more effectuall strengthen wee our Faith in this that the Lord
will doe it for he hath promised it and hath begun to power out this Viall and will not cease untill he have left the Pope neither roote nor branch Vse 2 Secondly this may serve to teach us the ready way to subdue the Tyrants of the World and to take away all their supportance their walles and Bullworkes How should you take Babylon dry up Euphrates and Babylon is taken with a wet finger as when they dryed up Euphrates they found it but a worke of burning of Reedes to take old Babylon And how shall you overcome the Turkes dry up but the Fountaines of the Corruptions of Religion and you remoove Antichrist and make the Turkes easily Conquerable he will not be defenceable then whereas now he standeth like a wall of brasse and so will doe untill these streames of corruption be dryed up It was a notable practise that which the Lord directed his people unto Iudges 10. When they cried unto the Lord to deliver them from their enemies that oppressed them The Lord recounteth the gratious deliverances which he had shewed them yet saith he Verse 13. you have forsaken me and served other Gods wherefore I will deliver you no more goe and cry unto the Gods which you have chosen and let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation When they heard that they confessed their sin and put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soule was grieved for the misery of Israel then the Lord stirreth up the people to thinke upon Iephthah and they easily goe through the worke of vanquishing the oppressing Enemies In like manner bring but in false Doctrine worship and government into the Church and you bring in monsters of men among you the grand seigniours of the World will oppresse and rule over you On the other side let the Churches be reformed in France in England in Scotland c. Whatsoever other nations there be by that have defiled themselves with Popish doctrine worship and government let them but fall to this worke of reformation and verily the Lords Soule will be grieved for their misery that they are so oppressed with a base Priest and his Clergy who is in the meane while nothing else but a dunghill of corruption and what need have we earnestly to strive in prayer with God for these things and as great Nations are healed so are particular persons also by being purged from their Idolatries Fornications Thefts and Murders they are preserved from those personall evills which by Sea or Land might prevails against them And the Lord is able to doe it for great Nations as well as for particular persons for as he puts it into the hearts of Princes to agree and give their Kingdomes unto the Beast so he can as easily withdraw their hearts from him and cause them to see the vanity of their subjection to him Let us therefore give the Lord no rest untill he have fulfilled his word and overturned all his Enemies That the powring out of the wrath of God upon the Romish Doct. 2 Superstition and Tyranny as it will be the drying up of the Popish and Turkish Tyranny so it will prepare a ready way for the conversion of the Iewes When they shall see Christ riding upon a white horse and going forth conquering to conquer then shall they be gathered unto him Rev. 19. Because popish delusions Idolatry and Superstitions are the Reason greatest impediments of their conversion No man is acquainted with their writings but knoweth that these things stand in their way when the streames of Idolatry Sorcery Martyrdome of the Saints of God Fornication and robbery be dryed up then will there be a prepared way for the glorious conversion of the Iewes together with the rest of the Nations which cannot enter into the Temple untill the seven plagues of the seven Angels are fulfilled and then will they come in as honourable maides attending upon the Queene it will be like unto the resurrection from the dead unto them many devises there are in the mindes of some to thinke that Jesus Christ shall come from Heaven againe and reigne here upon Earth a thousand yeares but they are but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements powred out upon Gods enemies in making a way for their conversion by the patterne of the last judgement Vse This may serve to provoke us and all the Churches of Christ to hold fast the purity of Doctrine worship and government in the Church of Christ let no streames of Idolatry nor love of the world run in our hearts If our Cowes be our Gods the Lord will power out a Viall upon them that from 25l. they shall fall to 5l. price the Lord hath sometimes threatned that he will famish all the Gods of the Earth Zeph. 2.11 So that all the Gods of the Gentiles shall not be able to provide any more offerings to be brought unto their Altars neither Apollo nor Iupiter nor Hercules can have any victuals and so will God deale with our Cattell if they be our Gods they shall either be worth little or else he will deny us todder for them if they devoure our spirits and take off our mindes from the Ordinances of God he will rend away any thing that standeth between him and our soules Therefore as ever we desire that we may prosper and that their may be a ready way prepared for our comfort let no streames of Idolatry be found among us then will the Lord make way for many of his deserved ones to come in among us or else wil make us wel without them For all the silver and gold in the world is his as the Cattell are his on a 1000 Hills Only let us take part with this Angell in powring out Vialls upon the corruptions that are found in our own hearts looke that their be no corruptions in us but such as are stil drying and drying up and see if God be not faithfull and gratious to us aboundantly stir we up our selves therefore and one another hereunto and pray that God would stir up other Nations and People hereunto then shall we see Gods ancient people brought home and the Lord shall be one over al the Earth and his name one which wil prove a Resurrection unto all the Churches of the Saints The second part of the sixth Viall VIALL 16. REVEL 12 Ver. to 14. XII And the sixth Angell powred out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the water thereof was dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared 13. And I saw three uncleane spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet 14. For they are the spirits of Devills working miracles which goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to gather them to the battell of that great day of
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
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
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