A MAPPE OF ROME LIVELY EXHIBITING HER MERCILESSE MEEKNESSE and cruell mercies to the Church of God Preached in fiue Sermons on occasion of the Gunpowder Treason by T. T. and now published by W. I. Minister 1. The Romish Furnace 2. The Romish Edom. 3. The Romish Fowler 4. The Romish Conception To which is added 5. The English Gratulation APOC. 17.6 I saw the Woman drunken with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Iohn Bartlet and are to be sould at signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster Row 1620. TO ALL THAT WISH WELL TO OVR SYON HEARTILY AND VNfainedly Grace be multiplied and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ. BRethren beloued in the Lord You see by the Title what you may expect in the booke following I hope what it promiseth shall be indeede performed I wish it were more complete and accurate for your sakes as it might haue beene if the graue and diligent Author could himselfe haue set it forth but blessed be God that his weightier employments doe not giue him leaue or leasure I am glad I haue it for you as it is through my earnest request to him whose modesty thought it vnworthy the publication and my paines in writing it Reasons of this my request and paines I can giue you many First I thinke it necessary that our God our gracious and louing God may haue the praise of all his mercies and namely that of this day still reserued to himselfe wholly His workes are glorious and the benefit of them not confined to a scantling of time Therefore these Gratulations cannot be lesse seasonable now than they were at the day of Deliuerance Secondly this I hoped might be a meanes to restraine our declining times from gazing and doting on that pompous Harlot the Church of Rome For when our nation shall see and consider a fresh how insatiable she hath alwaies beene of blood and English blood I cannot thinke we can be so inconsiderate as to dreame of any toleration much lesse any sound reconcilement with so implacable an enemie Thirdly I thought it not altogether impossible hereby to stop the slanderous mouthes of misse-conceiuing persons scattered abroade through all the Country yet pleasing themselues in the common error who seeing in some good men a difference of iudgement in some small matters presently conclude them enemies of the State c. For this I will say of the Author and I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost that hauing beene partaker of his Ministery some hundreds of times I neuer heard him more earnest or more faithfull than in this Argument And the whole Towne of Reding will testifie with me of his holinesse lowlinesse peaceablenesse vnweariable painfulnesse and other graces beseeming his calling which no ill-willer could euer yet impeach Fourthly and lastly my intent is hereby to stirre vp our drowsie and forgetfull hearts to due thankfulnesse for so great a Deliuerance And this me thinks is more than necessary For when I behold the generall view of the Land and the quality of peoples manners the memory of that wonderfull day seemes vnto me quite blotted out And I know not whoÌ„ better to resemble our selues vnto than those of whoÌ„ the Psalmist speakes Psalm 106.11.12.13.14 The waters couered their enemies there was not one of them left Then beleeued they his words they sang his praise But they soone forgat his workes they waited not for his counsell but lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse and tempted God in the Desert Doe we not so euen in our Canaan a Land flowing with milke and hony What horrible prouocations are there daily and hourely amongst vs in all places in euery corner Who can complaine sufficiently of the grieuous temptings and out-brauings of God which our eyes doe see Who would iudge by our strange demeanours that God had euer done any thing for vs either by sea or land either against water-water-workes or fire-workes Ah sinfull nation laden with iniquity Doe we thus requite the Lord for his louing kindnesse Is this his reward for so great fauours Hearken ye children of Syon and consider Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah transgresse Though carnall persons who haue no true sence of the grace of Christ set themselues out in their colours and fashions and Epicurisme and Heathenisme yet let it not be so with them that professe the feare of God Though others loathe the word and the meanes of saluation yet let not Professors loathe them Let it neuer be said that Professors are proud earthly contentious vaine fantasticall or willingly sweruing from the Rule of Piety You are his peculiar people and if hee lose his honour in you also he loseth it altogether Therefore consider you the workes of the Lord and his intent in them Stirre vp your hearts and frame your liues to a reall thankfulnesse Let your moderation and discretion be quickned by zeale and let your zeale be bounded by discretion You shall perhaps meeâ—e with shame that is reproches and ignominies despise these You shall meet also with the crosse that is persecutions and dammages these endure Here is patience and magnamity Let your patient minde be knowne to all men yet let it be valorous in the causes of your God saint not neither be afraid You may well take occasion to grow the faster by this Antiperistasis and vnite your forces the more strongly Are you so spighted and maligned on euery side by profane Ismaelites then let your loue toward one another encrease the more solidly and abound toward your selues mutually in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell Liue fruitfully and peaceably in the Communion of Saints here the Lord hath appointed the blessing and life for euermore Watch against Satan and his eldest sonne that Antichrist pray for the dissolution of their Kingdome especially see it be vtterly defaced in your selues and yours Giue all diligence to leaue an holy seede behinde you which shall praise the Lord in earth while your selues praise him in heauen A disgrace it is to godly Parents to haue vngodly children especially by their owne default Make your houses houses of God by setting vp and then establishing his pure worship therein Cast vp your accounts before-hand and prepare for the comming of Christ in the clouds Accept my endeauours for your good and helpe me with your prayers Reding Oct. 12. 1619. Your seruant in the Gospell of Christ WILLIAM IEMMAT The Authors Apologie CHristian Reader as I esteemed not the Sermons following sit for so publique a â—iew so neither meant I to purcâ—ase to my selfe so much enuie wrath from the â—atholiques as these Sermons may perhaps bring vpon me But the opportunity of the Publisher who hath taken paines in them and of some others desirous of them drew out at last my consent to their request If any phrases may seeme
good and counted it an action worthie to be laid vpon their greatest enemies whom they termed Puritans Yea God opens their owne mouthes against themselues Winter professeth before hand that if it should not take effect the scandall would be so great which the Catholike Religion should susteine by it as not onely our enemies but our friends also saith he would with good reason condemne vs. Thus we see the truth of God and his iustice for hee hath said Woe to thee that spoylest shalt thou not be spoyled Ye see how iustly he that takes the sword perish thâ—â—by by the sword Here is iust Agags case Thy sword made many childlesse and Gods sword shall make thy mother childlâ—sse See also what little cause we haue to trust Papists who daâ—e attempt such deuices for the reliefe of the Catholike cause as all of them confessed this was Must youâ— Religion be thus relieued It hath euer so been and so neuer was from the Lord. Obiect Why doe you impute this to our Religion being the error of a few infortunate Gentlemen Answ. If it were onely the error of their nature to vse the Kings Maiesties distinction it were the more tolerable but it is the error of their Religion And most truly hath his Maiestie shewed that no other Sect of Heretickes not excepting Turkes Iewes Pagans or they of Calicute did euer by the grounds of Religion maintaine that it is lawfull or meritorious to murther Princes or people for the quarrell of Religion but onely Romish Catholikes This doctrine they would as impudently deny as they doe other The light makes them ashamed and so they denie their owne doctrines They will denie that the Pope properly pardoneth sinnes or that they teach it They will as impudently denie that euer Pope had a bastard that euer a woman was Pope and an hundreth such which their owne chiefe writers aâ—ow But let vs know that religion which is set vpon lyes and held vp by lyes by conceiuing mischiefe and bringing foorth lyes to be fitter for Antichrist than for Iesus Christ or Christians professing his name And now seeing the wicked are fallen into the pit they made and the powder they laid for vs hath blowne vp themselues let vs conclude with the next words of this Psalme We will praise the Lord according to his righteousnesse and sing praise to the name of the Lord most high We will set foorth his righteousnesse and faithfulnesse in keeping his promises and in sauing the liues of thousands of his Saints destinated to death as sheepe to the slaughter The end of the fourth Sermon THE ENGLISH GRATVLATION Psalm 126.3 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reioyce THis Verse is the marrow of the whole Psal. occasioned by the returne of Gods people out of Babels Captiuity into their owne Country who neuer receiued lesse fauours than this without thanksgiuing Vnto which duty of praise the better to prouoke themselues they amplifie the benefit verse 1. and make it great in their eyes and hearts as it was in it selfe so great and incredible as when God brought it to passe they were as men in a dreame thinking it rather a dreame and a vaine imaginatioÌ„ than a reall truth or action 1. Because it was so great a deliuerance from so great and lasting a bondage it seemed too good to be true 2. It was sudden and inexpected when they little thought or hoped for it Thus the sudden and inexpected newes of Iosephs life made Iacobs heart fayle him that he could not beleeue the relation of his sonnes to be true 3. All things semed desperate nothing more vnlikely or impossible rather for indeed the godly themselues sticking so much to sense cannot so well weigh the great workes of God in the scoâ—les or with the weights of God as they should 4. The manner was so admirable without the counsell helpe or strength of man nay it was beyond and against all humane meanes that they doubt whether these things be not somnia vigilantium the dreames of men that are awake For so we read in Act. 12. that Peter being in prison the next day to be brought forth to death slept betweene two souldiers and the Keepers before the doore but was led out by an Angell and with him passed sundry gates and streetes verse 9. yet Peter knew not that it was true which was done but thought it had beene a dreame and that he had seene a vision It was so incredible so inexpected so suddaine so immediate a deliuerance that he could not beleeue it But as Peter being come to himselfe said Now I know for a truth that the Lord hath deliuered me vers 11. so this people of God knew it was more than a dreame euen a reall deliuerance and could not but expresse their ioy as men doe when they laugh But as the cause was abundant so they say they were filled with laughter verse 2. Nay the Gentiles themselues obserued the benefit and preached it euen the enemies could obserue a speciall worke of Gods power and fauour for them verse 3. And should they be behinde the Heathen and not with full heart and mouth celebrate the benefit Should God lose his glory by his owne people whom the benefit concerned and finde it among the Heathen who were but lookers on No and therefore they proclaime it in these words The Lord hath donâ— great things for vs c. Wherein we may consider these foure particulars 1. The Author or Agent the Lord. 2. The Worke or Act hath done great things 3. The Persons for whom for vs his Church 4. The Effect whereof wee reioyce Of these in their order I. The Agent is the Lord verse 1. the Lord brought back the captiuity of Syon It was a diuine worke passing not humane power onely but humane apprehension for it was not very easie to conceiue much lesse to effect Obseru All deliuerances of the Church are the works of God What meanes so euer he vseth himselfe is the principall Agent and of it it must be said Digitus Dei est hic This is the finger of God For 1. the helpe of man is vaine 2. God onely hath promised deliuerance and will be depended on 3. the glory of deliuerance belongs to no other Psalm 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalâ— glorifie me II. The worke great things The Lord is a great God and great things beseeme him Psalm 135.5 I know the Lord is great and he doth great things 1. To manifest the greatnesse of his power aboue all creatures 2. That there may neuer want some great occasions of praising and glorifying his Name 3. That our eyes may be lifted vp aboue humane counsels and not fixed on inferiour things when we see euents which could be welded by nothing but an Omnipotent and Diuine hand III. The Persons for whom these great workes are done for vs
Great are the workes of God seene in the Creation and Gouernment of the world But the greatest workes of all hee doth for his Church 1. Hee hath chosen them to be his people and selected them from all nations of the earth to be a peculiar inheritance and his owne possession of all the earth 2. He hath made his residence and aboade with her as hee hath with no other society of men in the world 3. He hath made vnto her all his gracious promises and giuen the custody of his word to her and to no other people of the earth He hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they knowne his lawes Psal. 147.20 4. Hee hath taken vpon him the defence of his Church as of no other people to be as a shield or as a louing and carefull Husband of his deare and faithfull Spouse 5. He hath giuen her such experience of his prouidence and protection in many meruailous deliuerances both for soule and body as no people euer had the like to the perpetuall ouerthrow of all her aduersaries These and the like great workes in generall the Lord hath done for his Church Looke now vpon Israel who vtters the words of our Text what great things God hath done for them both in generall and in this speciall For the generall 1 Israel was Gods elect his sonne Exod. 4.22 his fiâ—st borne more loued more priuiledged than any his treasure his portion Deut. 32.8.9 To him belonged the adoption Rom. 9.4 and hee was not numbred among the nations Hee is select and chosen out of all the world Hee must haue the promises Of him are the Fathers and of him is Christ God blessed for euer 2. God dwelt in Israel Of Beniamin it is said that the Lord dwelt betweene his shoulders Deut. 33.12 With him was the Arke and the glory Rom. 9.4 and when that was taken the glory departed from Israel He dwelt at Salem and his Tabernacle was at Syon Psalm 76.2 God is present euery where but dwels onely in his Church Of Syon it was said There will I dwell 3. Their Lawes ordinances were meerely from God theirs was the Couenant Rom. 9.4 The Tables of the Couenant written with Gods owne hand and deliuered to them And the giuing of the Law that is their Statute-lawes Iudicials were not enacted by men but came from heauen In which respect no nation was so honoured Deut. 4.7.12 Was there euer any nation to whom God came so neere and spake out of the fire c. 4. Their preseruation and protection was a great worke of God as we shall see in some instances 1. Great was his care to send them into Egypt by reason of the famine that they might encrease in a fat land but he sent a man before euen Ioseph to prouide for them the fattest of the land Psalm 105.17 2. Great was his worke of preseruation in Egypt vnder that extreame tyrannie of Pharaoh and the Taske-maisters who could not worke wisely enough to keepe them vnder but the more they oppressed them to diminish them the more they encreased so as of seauenty soules in 220. yeares the encrease was 600000. men besides women and children Psal. 105.24 Hee encreased his people greatly and made them stronger than their enemies 3. Great was his worke in drawing them out of Egypt to which purpose hee sent Moses his seruant miraculously drawne out of the water and Aaron whom he had chosen vers 26. By whom he wrought those mighty signes and wonders vers 27. of darknesse blood frogges lyce haile caterpillers the death of their first borne c. Insomuch as the enemies loaded them with rich iewels and eare-rings and hastned them out of the Country God would not haue his seruants goe without their wages for so hard labour which the Egyptians had not considered Besides hee will haue them to haue somewhat away to bestow and conferre for the vse of the Temple And when Pharaoh pursued them so as they saw no way to escape him God gaue them a great deliuerance through the sea and him a great and miraculous ouerthrow Such a worke God neuer wrought for any people 4. Great was his prouidence and protection of them in the wildernesse where hee led them forty yeares first guiding them by a strange pillar of a cloud by day and of fire by night in all their iourneyes secondly feeding them with Mannah from heauen in which were a number of miracles and refreshing them with water out of a rocke thirdly couering their bodies with the same cloathes forty yeares together which did not teare by wearing not so much as their shooes fourthly fighting their battels for them suffering no man to do them harme but rebuking euen Kings for their sakes fiftly when hee had his people alone hee prescribes his whole worship concerning holy things holy persons places and times reareth vp a stately Tabernacle for his owne presence in it placeth a glorious Arke whence he immediately gaue answeres and directions by Vrim and Thummim and accepted sacrifices by fire immediately from heauen all testimonies of his immediate presence 5. As great was his care and prouidence in bringing them into the land of Canaan casting out all their enemies before them raising vp Ioshua to leade them in and aâ—ter him Iudges and Kings Sampson Deborah Dauid Salomon and their successors euen till their Captiuity in Bâ—bilon He gaue them a goodly land and fat flowing with milke and hony In it were vineyards which they planted not and houses which they builded not Hee gaue them a city which was on earth as the sunne in heauen the eye of the world an earthly paradise the seat of their Princes and Metropolitan of Iudea containing an hundred fifty thousand men the inhabitants In it was a Temple the bewtye of the whole world and the glory of the earth Thither the tribes went vp twice in a yere to worship the Lord Psal. 122.4 In it were the Colleges of Priests at whose mouth they were to require the Law Mal. 2.7 In it the thrones of iustice were erected Psalme 122.5 In a word Great and glorious things are to bee spoken of this Citie of God Psal. 87.3 Thus the Church in Israell might well say The Lord hath done great things for vs. But she need not cast hir eyes so farre back Here is one great worke in steed of many great things as which indeed hath many great things in it on which while she fixeth her eyes she countâ— shâ— hath matter enough of reioycing IV. For God hauing now reuenged the impiety of the Priests and Princes who had not only profaned his Land Temple and worship with Idols but had filled all the corners of the land with innocent blood by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel called the scourge of God for the space of seuenty yeares It pleaseth him now to returne in mercy to his miserable people
it to be finished and performed Ezra 6.1 Euen so what King Henry had begun young Daâ—ius Edward the 6. as another Iosiah finished to good purpose For as Darius made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem both for the building of it and for the rendring of the vessels of the house of God of gold and siluer which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the house of God vers 3.5 So this Edward of blessed memorie imitating Darius in the first yeere of his raigne proclaimed the aduancement and building vp of the worship of the true God in a true manner and brought in the vessels of gold and siluer which Romish Nebuchadnezzar had taken away He set the lights in the Temple againe in many shining candlestickes The Sweet-bread was set againe on the Table of the Lord and the Cup of Christ his precious blood which had been stollen away by those theeues was now found and comfortably restored to the owners The booke of the Law was found and restored againe into a knowne tongue as in Iosiahs time by Hilkiah the Priest The sweete siluer sounding Trumpets sound continually in our eares in daily preaching the blessed word of God The holy Arke a signe of Gods presence dwels againe among vs and Dagon is fallen before it the house of Baal and his vestrie destroyed his groues cut downe and grubbed vp Are not these great workes which the Lord hath done for vs wherein wee must reioyce 3. After this for the vnthankfulnesse of this land as the building of the Temple was hindred for a while by Sanballat and Tobiah so in the daies of Queene Mary this great work of God was interrupted in which time what the Babylonians could not conquer by Scripture they could subdue by torture and now fire and sword was the Catholike and inuincible argument that the new Romanists might not degenerate from the old bloody Romans their fore-fathers whose measure they filled to the full For in lesse than fiue yeeres three hundred of the faithfull seruants of Christ without respect of Nobilitie degree learning grauitie sexe age or naturall humanitie were in our Countrey burned to ashes But God had no delight in that bloody Religion It is as great a worke of mercie as any of the former that he made it as short as bloody For if violent things and times should continue the world could not And behold a greater worke which the Lord hath done for vs whereof wee reioyce in raising vs vp our ancient Deborah of England neuer-dying Elizabeth the wonder of the world and mirrour of nations who quickly quenched those hot and furious fires and her selfe being brought from a prisoner to a mightie Prince opened the prison-doores and deliuered them that were appoynted to death Now were the castles of their superstitions and hopes cast downe again and made euen with the ground What great workes God did for her and vs in her time were too long to recite how she out-stood the curses and Bulls of the Romish Nebuchadnezzar and saw in her time seuen of themselues tumbled out of their pretended chaire of S. Peter how wonderfull her many deliuerances were from many hellish treasons deuised by the armie of Priests sent from the King of pride and attempted by the Romish Captaines of that great Nebuchadnezzar How the Lord went out before our Armies and as in the daies of Israels Deborah so of Englands Deborah hee mâ—de the sea and windes fight for vs and by his owne right hand got vs the victorie that memorable yeere and ouerthrow of 88 shall be a perpetuall witnesse so long as the world standeth how God himselfe fights against that Religion which so furiously fights against him How she iudged and ruled in peace honour and happinesse fiue and fortie yeeres to the honour of God and his Gospell and terror of all enemies and in the same peace and happinesse exchanged her earthlie with an heauenly and euerlasting crowne of glory 4. A great worke of God it was for vs to reioyce in when at her decease the enemies who had long looked for a day found it the day of their greatest disappoyntment whilest the Lord setting himselfe for our good in our gracious King and the fruitfull plants renewed all our prosperitie gaue vs a new tenure of the Gospell and a new hold of our peace and liberties of whom we may say as was said of Dauid He is the light of Israel and of Iosiah the breath of our nostrils who by his power and pen hath shewed himselfe a Defender of the true Faith 5. To come to the great workes of this day That these Babylonians might keepe their hands in vre what foule and desperate designes haue they attempted against the life of the Kings Maiestie our gracious Soueraigne For while this light of Israel remaineth impossible they thinke it is for their kingdome of darknesse to preuaile Among other deuises that shame of Popish Religion that hideous gunpowder-treason shall neuer be put out from vnder heauen In which were many great workes of God for vs Englishmen whether wee consider the greatnesse of the danger or the greatnesse of the deliuerance First consider the greatnesse of the plot the greatest mischiefe that euer was wanting a fit name to expresse it vnlesse you will call it a Catholike villanie a plot of greatest and vniuersall danger to vs of greatest triumph to the Aduersarie Here the head and taile branch and root one and other Prince and people Nobles and Gentrie old and young Papists and Protestants should haue been destroyed together For as Duke Medina said his sword knew no difference betweene Catholikes and Heretikes no more should this hellish or hell-fire which it was a sparke of Besides the secret carriage and contriuing of it made it most dangerous more dangerous than the Babylonish captiuitie for the Babylonians dealt aperto marte there was some hope of safetie either by prayer or power or truce or preparing against them there a man knew his aduersarie but here is a crueltie digged out of the depth of darknesse all of them sworne to secrecie yea the Sacrament was a seale of their wickednesse sworne brethren in euill at league among themselues but no more league for vs to be expected than from hell it selfe Here we might say as Hanniball sometime said of two Romane Captaines one working by power the other by policie Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quà m à pugnante Marcello sibi metuere Wee are more afraid of slie and quiet Papists than of boysterous armed Turkes How these plotters would haue triumphed in the fact as the Babylonians ouer Israel Sing vs now one of the songs of Syon we may well perceiue by their glorying in the hopes of it God and man saith the Letter haue concurred to punish the iniquity of the time and The danger is past so soone as you haue burnt the letter and They shall receiue a terrible blow this Parliament
be put out from vnder heauen But neuer let the fact of this Amalek nor this day of Purim be put out of the Kalender to the perpetuall infamy of the Popish generation so long as the Sunne courseth about the earth Looke we often in this glasse which God holdeth this day before our eyes O come and behold the workes of the Lord the great workes that he hath wrought for this English nation a people whom God hath now redeemed from a second hell which was indeed to bee a lake of fier and brimstone a very sparke out of hell brought by furies and diuels rather than men Consider wee seriously how our soules â—are deliuered from the nether most hell As in the first and great redemption from the lowest hell God of his mercy redeemed vs by the blood of his owne only Sonne so of his mercy hath he extinguished the flames of this inteÌ„ded hell by no other meanes than by the blood of those sonnes of Beliall And as for that greater redemption wee must magnifie the grace of God being redeemed from the hands of our enemies to serue him in righteousnesse and holynesse all the dayes of our life so in this lesser redemption we must stirre vp our selues to the cherefull praise of God not in word and tongue but in heart and life Let vs call vpon our selues euery one apart as Dauid Psal. 9.1.2.3 I will praise the Lord with all my heart c. for that mine enemies are turned back and Psal. 116.12 what shall I render to the Lord for all his louing kindnesse towards me and let vs call vpon one another as he doth Psal. 34.3 Praise the Lord with me and let vs magnifie the Lord together He hath filled our hearts with gladnesse our mouthes with laughter our tongues with matter of triumph when we were as a bird in the net of these fowlers he brake the net and we are escaped Verse 8. Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth THese words are the conclusion of the whole Psalm wherein the whole benefit of all the deliuerance of the Church both for time past and future is ascribed to the Lord of heauen and earth He had sayd before the snare is broken but had not told vs by whome now hee expresseth him Our helpe is in the Name c. Quest. why saith he not in the Lord but in the Name of the Lord Answ. By the Name of God is meant that by which he reuealeth himselfe to his Church as a man is knowne by his name And in this argument the Name of God signifieth the ayd the power the strength and the goodnesse of God so it is vsed Psalme 44.5 in thy Name wee shall tread downe our enemies that is in thy strength and power Our helpe consists in that power and strength which the Lord putteth forth for vs. Who hath made heauen and earth Qust Why is this added Answ. 1. To aduance the Lord in his Attribute of Omnipotency 2. To strengthen our faith when meanes fayle vs for this power is not tied to meanes Therefore these are set the first words of the Creed I beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth 3. To shew vs to what end the world the heauens and the earth were made namely that it might be a Theater and glasse of the diuine power and glory of God 4. To intimate how easie it is for God in most desperate cases to helpe his children much mor easie than to make heauen and earth 5. To shew that he can dispose all things both in heauen and earth for their safetie I. Note hence the nature and worke of faith in euery beleeuer which is to eleuate the minde to God in perils and dangers which is the time wherein faith most bestirres it selfe and to apply Gods promise of ayd his presence and deliuerance in all our troubles not only beleeuing his Omnipotency and goodnesse but that he is so vnto vs and all his chosen For this is a speech of faith which looketh beyond all external meanes and fixeth the eye of the soule only vpon God in whose hand help is And farther the nature of faith is to search into all the Atributes of God whereby it may fortifie it selfe and become inexpugnable It looketh to the Name of the Lord. It considereth him as Iehoua one that is willing to accomplish all his promises to his Church else he could not bee Iehoua by which Name he would be knowne to his people It beholdeth his power and omnipotency at the same time and then what shall hinder the Churches safety if God be both able and willing It seeth also all his power exercised for hir safety It beholds at once both the pillers of the Temple Boaz with him is strength but what are wee the better if we apply it not and Iachin that is the Lord will establish Let vs liue by faith at all times especiall in dangers stil looking beyond the means and giue glory to God with Abraham Rom. 4.20 who was strong in faith and fully perswaded that he who promised was able also and willing to performe Obiect What then must we reiect meanes Answ. No for God giueth meanes for our good But 1. No meanes can helpe vs without God as God can without meanes 2. Meanes must be vsed but not trusted in Psalm 20.7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God Heere he condemnes not the vse of chariots and horses but trust and confidence in them 3. Neuer let vs stand in the meanes as our helpers but in the Name of God who affords both them and successe in them Hence it is that God sometimes yea for the most part worketh his greatest workes by weakest meanes that the meanes might be as a glasse through which we might behold the brightnesse of his own Maiesty and grace Dan. 11.34 They that vnderstand and instruct many shall fall and when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe Why a little Because through weake meanes wee may see Gods greater strength So in the yeare 88. there was a little helpe for England but the victory was Gods So in the Gunpowder treason a little helpe and meanes by his Maiesties singular care but this was that through it we might easier see that Omnipotent helpe of him who made heauen and earth II. Note that the Churches helpe is not in it self and the dangers of it and harmes threatning it are farre greater than it is able without better help than it own to withstand So was it with the Church at the red sea so with the three children of God in the fire what help had they of themselues being bound So it was in Hamans deuice and so in Perâ—ies Reason 1. That the members of the Church may herein acknowledge the sleights of Satan and wicked men
who are mad against soundnesse of grace and yet most wittie to combine their malice and madnesse against Gods people 2. To trie them to the vttermost and proue their soundnesse in faith and patience Fire that must trie gold must be quicke and piercing and seeme vtterly to burne and consume it 3. That the Lord may herein haue occasion both to vphold his chosen in the affliction with strong inward consolation and also to put foorth this his omnipotent power in some strong and glorious deliuerance 4. That his children being driuen out of all other expectations may be vehement in prayer and fetch helpe from heauen which they want in themselues That extremitie of the Israelites at the sea made Moses to crie vnto the Lord with vehemencie Exod. 14.15 and when Iehosaphat knew not what to doe his eyes were to the Lord 2. Chron. 20.12 Mistake not the estate of the Church when it seemes to be oppressed nor yet of the members God for these ends suffers Satan and his instruments so cunningly to carie their malice and matters as oftentimes Gods deare children are in the eyes of the world helplesse But did Christ cease to be the Sonne of God because the Iewes said Let God helpe him now if hee will haue him or the Saints of olde who receiued no corporall deliuerance but a better resurrection or our owne Martyrs who seemed helplesse in their hands and flames No the Lord was their helpe and he will not suffer the soules of the righteous to perish which we shall further see in the next obseruation III. Note that the Church and people of God are neuer so helplesse but that they haue an omnipotent power with them and for theÌ„ euen his Name who made heauen and earth This is their priuiledge and sanctuarie The name of God is a strong tower the righteous slie vnto it are exalted Prou. 18.10 Psal. 33.17 An horse is a vainâ— thing in battell shall not deliuer any by his strength Why what shall helpe them The eye of the Lord is on them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death and preserue them in the time of famine 2. Tim. 4.16 At my first appearing no man assisted me small helpe indeed Notwithstanding the Lord assisted me and strengthened me c. Reason 1. This comes to passe by Gods promise of his constant presence with his people to be with them in sixe troubles and in seuen in fire and water and extremest perils All which promises although they runne with exception of the crosse yet are neuer frustrate but made good one time or other one way or other This promise is their safe conduct And it is equall seeing they labour in his seruice and cast themselues vpon his hand 2. What else is it that keepes the Church as an Arke vpon the waters from drowning and perishing among so many tyrants enemies and persecutors as thick as waues but this most helpfull hand and power of God the Pilot of it The Church hath mightie power against it all the helpe of the wicked and the gates of hell But his eye and wing is neerer theÌ„ than the hens to preserue her silly chickens Psal. 91.2 3. As it was with the Son of God our head so is it with the members who faithfully follow his steps in patient labouring and enduring What his estate was see Ioh. 16.32 Behold the houre commeth and is now already that yee shall be scattered euery man to his owne house and shall leaue me alone but I am not alone for the Father is with me Christ was very helplesse when his followers fled for feare and his Disciples durst not tarrie with him but left him alone yet then hee had this presence and power of his Father And so haue the godly both Pastors and people 4. They can neuer be so helplesse as they shall not be able to crie for helpe and bemoane their case to God Neither want they friends to solicite their cause at the highest Court but haue all the godly petitioners for them The faith of the doctrine is a chiefe part of worship and honour giuen to God when the Saints referre the whole work of their saluation and safetie to the Lord as Psal. 3.8 Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord and thy blessing is vpon thy people And when they can commend their whole safetie for the continuance and preseruation of it vnto the Name of the Lord wherein all helpe lieth It is a most firme prop to stay and leane vpon in all trials able to sustaine the heart continually with strong comfort when we can oppose this helpe of God against all the threats and boysterous proceedings of Gods enemies As subiects haue no way but to flie to the King for refuge and helpe against the oppressor so Gods people haue a way of helpe by which they lie safe in the midst of danger and shall haue the better end of the staffe against their aduersaries because they may say as Dauid against Goliah 1. Sam. 17.45 I come to thee in the Name of the Lord. A godly heart grounded in the truth of this doctrine may securely contemne whatsoeuer Satan or his instruments doe machinate against it Looke at any thing in heauen or earth it hath in it matter of strength and comfort He that made them hath power to commaund all things in them for thy safetie and good Here is a faithfull helper a very sure refuge in trouble men may promise helpe and faile or helpe on the trouble of the Saints but God will not Here is a powerfull helper men would helpe oftentimes but are weake and cannot where the enemie hath fortified himselfe with aduantages and resolutions but the Lords Name is a strong helper if Nebuchadnezzar shall say Who shall or who is able to deliuer you out of my hands wee may say with the three children Our God is able He can say to the raging sea Thus farre shalt thou come and here shall thy proud waues stay He can drie vp Ieroboams arme stretched out against the Prophet Finally here is a constant helper men are vnconstant and light one speech or suspition may driue away many from following Christ himselfe and mâ—ny in daies of triall slip away and are helplesse but the Lord helpeth constantly our helpe is euer in the Name of the Lord hee is vnchangeable in his goodnesse toward the Church neuer wearie of well-doing as men bee And without this ground in the heart men must needs shake like trees in the forrest with euery winde and feare where no feare iâ— but those shall not neede to feare any euill tidings whose heart is fixed on the Lord. Labour to be a member of the Church stand in the way and station in which God hath set thee Goe on in thy holy course keepe the way of vprightnesse For in this way God hath promised helpe and
For he neuer striketh but withal prouides a remedy alwaies in iudgment remembring mercy And in this theâ— Returne there was great cause of ioy being so great a work of Gods mercy For 1. God seemed now to forget the causes of their Captiuity their idolatry their contempt of his Ministers with other hainous and foule sinnes which brake out so farre that there was no remedy 2. Cron. 36.15 But now he graciously returneth therefore certainly those sinnes are forgiuen them 2. They had now a long time beene exposed to all the enemies wrath who had vnmercifully oppressed and slaine them and cruelly dasht their infants braines against the stones carried them farre from house and home among heathens and strangers to them and to the Couenant strangely vsed them not suffering them any house or harbour but let them spend their time in weeping by the waters side exposed to all iniury of winde and wether of men and beasts But now as health is sweet after a long disease so is liberty after a long bondage Here is great cause to reioyce for temporall freedome from corporall misery 3. Their shame and reproch in captiuity was infinite the Aduersaries on one hand insult and call for their Hebrew songs on the other hand their Citie Babel whither they weâ—e carryed being the Metropolitan and head of the Monarchy at that time all the people of the knowne world resorted thither and carryed into all Countries the Iewes reproch But now the Lord hath remoued their shame and published from thence to all the world their glorious deliuerance 4. In Captiuity they were but ciues mundi men of the world but now they are ciuâ—s ecclesiae members of the Church that Country being a testimony to the godly that they belonged to Gods Couenant and to that heauenly Canaan of which that was a type Now their Captiuity was an abdication from the familie of God and being spoyled of these good things how could they thinke but that they were cast out from God from the Couenant from heauenly Canaan aswel as earthly But now they are receiued againe into the family and people and Country of God their title to heauenly Canaan is renewed and for this they reioyce 5. Whereas the Babylonians had robbed the Citie but especially had defaced and burned the Temple profaned both it and all holy things and set vp the abomination of desolation in stead thereof that now where God was worshipped of his owne people according to his will the diuell was worshipped by Heathens and Infidels Now the Lord hauing raised Syon out of the dust hee hath reared his Temple and his Worship againe hee hath cast out the filth and pollution by which they defiled his Temple hee hath set vp againe the shining lights in the Temple standing vp in golden Candlestickes hee hath set the sweet-bread on his Table the booke of the Law is restored againe and the holinesse of the Lord shines againe in all his ordinances God enioyes his worship and glory They enioy their land and peace and sit safe vnder his protection as in times past And these are the great things whereof they now reioyce Now to the application This day are these things performed in our eares who may truly say with the Church of Israel The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce We will not goe so farre backward as if time would giue leaue we might to compare the Lords generall mercies to vs with theirs wherein we are not inferiour giuing vs a land as rich more large peace more stable Kings and Princes as Sauiours and Iudges leading vs along to Canaan the couenant of grace as peculiar more sure to vs than to them What Oracles had they which we haue not yet we haue what they had not Had they worship in shadowes we haue it in substance Had they good things in promise and expectation we in the very thing and full accomplishment Christ was to come of them but he is come vnto vs. I will only speak of our deliuerance froÌ„ Babylon of which the Church here speaketh That Rome is Babylon the learned Iesuites themselues coÌ„fesse And if they did not we could easily shew that one egge is not liker another than Rome is to Babylon As in this Collation 1. Babel was the great Citie that must rule ouer all nations Gen. 10.10 And Rome is the great Citie that must rule ouer all Cities and Churches her Bishop must be Head and Monarch of the Church and set himselfe aboue all that is called God 2. At Babel was the first confusion of tongues Gen. 11.7 In and from Rome is the confusion of tongues and of errors one not vnderstanding another in the word or sacraments or other their seruices All is in a strange language to them 3. At Babel was horrible superstition and wickednesse in Priests and people and thence it spread all abroad Rome is a sinke of superstition and filthinesse and all nations haue drunke of her cup and beene made drunke with her horrible enchantments and wickednesse 4. Babel held the Church in slauery seauenty yeares so the Church of Christ hath beene oppressed a long time vnder the tyrannie of the Romish Church 5. Babel robbed and spoyled the Church of her treasures and the Temple of God and horribly polluted it Rome hath robbed the Christian world of infinite treasures by fraud and deceit selling for millions that which was not worth the dust of mens feet And the Church by her hath beene robbed of the word the Sacraments the offices of Christ and most comfortable doctrines the chiefe dowry and reuenew that Christ her Head gaue her 6. Babel most miserably intreated the Church Psalm 137.1 Her eyes did nothing but drop downe teares day and night And she prouided a furnace to cast such in as would not worship the image Dan. 3.6 All bookes and writings of the Church are full of the bloody cruelty by all instruments of cruelty and all plots of cruelty in the Romane Church both the head and the members Now that our deliuerance from Romish power and plots is as great a work to reioyce in as this of Israel from their captiuitie is easily proued 1. God hath broke the yoke of the King of Babel the Romish Nebuchadnezzar from off our neckes when we lay among the pots by that great Cyrus King Henry the 8. who thrust out the Pope and Papall power cut the sinewes of their strength cast out the Canaanites that were in the land pulled downe the dens of theeues and robbers and set his people to build an house for the Lord God of Israel As great a worke as euer the people of this nation saw either attempted or executed All the Kings before him durst not meddle well they might mourne vnder their bondage and murmure at the Oppressor but did nothing because they durst not 2. When Cyrus had begun the worke Darius commanded