head of that Church It is cause of everlasting thankfulnesse and watchfulnesse not to be deluded by fine shewes of worldly men but let us see and know where true worship lies as the Lord hath declared himself in Christ and held him forth in the Gospel of truth Forthly let it teach us all where to bestow our admiration and adoration It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill and which accordingly he himself practised and requires us to doe Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Devill askes this of Christ to bow downe to him and worship him The Lords Indignation is kindled his holy Zeale is inflamed against such a Sacriligious request Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And as we are to worship him alone and no God but him so we are to admire none but him Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne of which you read Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground who is a God like unto thee why what is there in him that you so magnifie him he is a God that forgives Iniquity Transgression and Sinne here is cause indeed of admiration They admire and adore the Pope why Because they had satisfaction to their consciences in their way and an ungrounded hope of a better state in another world and pardon of Sinne in this and now they come to fellowship with Christ by the worship of the Devill But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne So that here is indeed matter of due admiration and let it be fastned there When a mans soul is brought low with the sence of Sinne and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conscience by reason of the guilt of Sinne what is matter of admiration now who is a God like unto thee that passeth by Iniquity transgression sin It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away sin it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it And therefore to what end are all the admirations and worships that are put upon the Bishop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power They may please themselves in what satisfaction they apprehend they have but their own principles possesse them that they can never come to see the admirable goodnesse of God in forgiving their Sinnes But now when the Lord sheds abroad a spirit of grace and peace in the conscience and applyes the goodnesse of Christ to the discharge of the burden of Sinne and of quickning the heart in the peace of Christ Jesus this breeds admiration Blessed be God the Father of mercy and God of all consolation that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope I say this blessing is worthy of admiration and not onely of wonderment but of acknowledging all glory and blessednes to him When the conscience is not pacified by a sorry duty done from man but by a sealed pardon from the spirit of God witnessed by the breath of the holy Ghost this is such a mercy to the soule as indeed raiseth the heart above all admiration of such a Beast I to a true detestation of this Beast and of the Dragon that hath so long bewitched and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts and in the end to their everlasting perdition But let it be the care of Gods people as ever you desire to be blessed from the admiration of such a worm-eaten Religion so grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace and so we shall doe that upon just grounds which our Fathers did without grounds to this Beast and to the head of it Upon this ground this head being wounded and afterwards healed all the world wondred after him Here is an Image of Christ he was wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and he riseth againe and he proclaims all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Now see how this Vicar of Christ as they call him usurps as Christ was wounded and is risen againe so it is with this Beast he is wounded to death and afterwards healed and restored and now all the world admire and worship him Have they forgotten that Christ dyed for our Sinnes and was raised again for our Justification and doe they stand admiring at this Beast as he that was wounded and healed Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulnesse to the Lord for the great change that is wrought in Christendome and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him that we may be preserved from those delusions wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way constantly which the Lord hath established and called us unto Revel 13. 5 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two moneths And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven THE events that followed upon the healing of the Beast the first was That all the world admired him The second was Vniversall worship given both to the Beast and to the Dragon that gave power to the Beast of which wee have already spoken The third event remains now to be spoken to and that is the deligation of power to this Beast upon his recovery and the power given him is four-fold 1. There was power given him to speak great things and in particular great blasphemies 2. There was power given him to continue that is as the word signifies to be doing to be active to be powerfull and efficacious in his worke 42. moneths 3. There was power given him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Power was given him of dominion over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations First There was given him a mouth speaking great things Secondly There was power given him to continue 42. moneths and both these Authorities or Liberties they are amplified by the effect it wrought in the Beast He did effectually take that power which was given him and employed it to the utmost As he had a mouth given him so he opened his mouth in blasphemies and that amplified by the object of his blasphemy against God and God distributed his Name his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven The note then that the words do afford first is this That after the healing of the wounded head of the Beast there was given to him power to speak great things even blasphemies which also he did effectually and abundantly exercise or
pleased God that Bilney you may read it in his Epistle to Bishop Tonstall that being troubled in conscience he had taken all the courses that their Religion enjoyned him had made confession to the Preists and they enjoyned him pennance and whipping of himselfe but for all these his wound bled as fresh as before till in the end he took an English Testament as it was translated by Erasmus not with any intent to finde any thing in it that might ease his trouble but because he was a perfect Latinist but reading that place in 1 Tim. 1. 15. these words did so affect him that immediately the Lord letting him see his love in Christ Jesus The Lord saith he let me see that I had taken a wrong course all this while I have sought for salvation where it was not to be had and prayed those to whom he spoke not to take it ill for it was not out of any neglect of them but out of his faithfulness having had experience that the course they prescribed that was not the way but it so farre prevailed as that he was marvellously esteemed but he was taken up by Latimer he made Bilney hear him Preach a most fearfull Sermon against Lutherans that were then better then he yet Bilney saw that he had zeal but not according to knowledge and he knew not how to come within him but he went to him in private and desired to speak with him and he must not say him nay then he up and tells him what a miserable wretch he had been how he had wounded his conscience how he had confest his sin to this and that Preist how unprofitable all those meanes were to him which they prescribed and there was no means in the world to finde peace till the Lord applyed that everlasting redemption in the bloud of Christ why saith Latimer he comes to seek for pardon from me to his soul and saith he I saw I stood in more need of being taught by him and therefore stiles him in his Sermon Saint Bilney that caught his soul and revealed that to him which he never heard of Therefore it is possible that Latimer and Bilney may be devout Catholicks for a time but now when this electing love of God puts forth it selfe in the fruits of it which is effectual calling now they are fully satisfied that all this devotion beleiving as the Church beleives they see they are so farre out of the way as faith is contrary to sence and reason So that those whom God reserved and chosen to life they are preserved from totall and finall adoration of the Beast they may for a time through ignorance worship the Beast as the best of Gods servants in those times did and many times have been most zealous for the Catholick cause and yet when the Lord hath called them effectually to his grace then not one that are written in the Lambs book of life doe worship him so that though they worship him before yet now they do not when they come to see their folly and have the love of God made known to them The Reason is first taken from the experimentall knowledg of every child of God effectually called from the evident experience that he hath of the vanity of the Roman Catholick Church and of the emptinesse of calling on any to look from Church power to heale or wound the conscience as of themselves further then they dispence the Ordinances of Christ and then it is not they but Christ in them and for them to look for salvation in the communion of that Church and in reconcilement to that Church They are so experimentally beaten off from that and possest of the contrary by their own experience that you need not take them from adoring the Beast for they see it is a Beast and they shall as wel utterly destroy their souls as worship the Beast and therfore the love of Christ constrains Bilney and he draws Latimer and Latimer draws others till they have propogated the truth of God to all ages But that though it be one reason yet it is the least Let me shew another reason why the elect of God after the electing love of God comes to be dispenced to them in outward execution For before it may come to passe they may worship the Beast but then they will not doe it finally but when the electing love of God is shed abroad in their hearts then they will not do it and the reason of that you cannot give a demonstrative reason but from this to prevent impossibility it is not possible that they should now there are three fundamentall reasons of the impossibility of it two properties there are in Gods electing love There is in Gods election first immutability as God himselfe is unchangeable Mal. 3. 6. so are his decrees unchangeable the foundation of God stands sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. and what he hath purposed he will bring to passe The counsell of the Lord is true for ever in Psal 33. 10 11. he disappoints all the decrees of men but his own counsels they take place for ever in every age therefore it is not possible that any of his should perish and perish they should if they should worship the Beast but it is not possible his unchangeable decree keepes them Again there is another property in his electing love which is the efficacy of it for Gods electing love doth choose us out of the world John 15. 19. And if he choose us out of the world the efficacy of that is that it delivers us from the evill world God electing us out of the world hath redeemed and delivered us from this present evill world Gal. 1. 4. Now if the electing love of God be of such efficacy that when he elects men of his grace he will in fulnesse of time deliver them from the world then they shall not run headlong to the worship of the Beast whom their hearts cannot close withall the Lord redeemes them from that vaine conversation received by tradition from their Fathers I though there be such efficacy in the bloud of Ancestors yet the electing love of God redeemes them from that But that will more appear in the second Reason And that is the faithfulnesse of Christ and the efficacy of of his redeeming bloud All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and those that doe come unto mee I will by no means cast out John 6. 37. Of those that thou hast given me I have lost none but the sonne of perdition that but is not an exceptive but an adversative he that was never given was lost he did not bring him on to salvation For this is the will of the Father that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should loose nothing c. John 6. 37 38 39. That is his faithfulnesse and with his faithfulnesse there is such efficacy in his bloud that though the bloud of Ancestors run very warme that a
of their works And this is the very doctrine of a Covenant of works And this is all the doctrine of the Arminians onely they do acknowledge justification by faith and differ in point of Faith and the merit of works A third Reason may be this The worship of creatures is a going a whoring from God and so of destruction unto such as go a whoring from the Lord in that way All worship of creatures with divine worship is called going a whoring from God Hos 4. 12. They have gone a whoring from under their God so in Psal 73. 27. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee And the Church of Rome is known to go a whoring after the worship of Saints and Angels and Iâ—ages and thiâ— great Beast mentioned in the Text and the Pope the head of it They place their salvation in beleiving as the Catholick Church beleives They place their salvation in reconcilement to the Catholick Church and are more solicitous of it then of reconcilement unto God by Christ Col. 2. 18 19. You read of some there that do not hold the head but lay hold upon Angels and that is Idolatry now that is spoken of the Church of Rome For a fourth reason of the point Without unfeigned repentance and lively faith there is no hope of salvation Luke 13 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now the repentance which the Roman Catholick Church holds forth what is it but such as Judas did performe They require contrition Judas he was deeply wounded and broken Mat. 27. 3. And they require confession He came unto them before whom he had done evill and said I have sinned in betraying innocent blood And they require satisfaction He came and brought the mony and threw it into the Temple and would by no means meddle with it Here is the repentance of the Church of Rome and all for ought I know that they require I finde no rule of repentance in this Catholick Catechise but I finde it in Judas which will end in despaire which is the common end of an hypocritical repentance as Stephen Gardner came unto it and so they will do or else dye in Nabals stoninesse And for their faith The faith of the Elect is described to be a confidence and evidence Heb. 11. 1. So expound Heb. 3. 14. If we hold fast the confidence the word is all one with subsistance it is such a confidence as doth give a being and subsistance unto the thing beleived it doth as truly make them to be as if they were actually extent But what say they to this They look at is as presumption and an abomination yea it will cost a man his life to hold forth such a Faith And for evidence they do professe it to be incompatible to a christian and their Faith is some conjecture but no certainty Now gather up these things If the Roman Catholicks have no better Faith no better repentance then their Religion holds forth if they receive Christ no otherwise and worship God no better and have no more interest in God then their Religion leads them to let all the world look to it for there is none of all the elect of God can live and dye so But why is this a point of so serious and deep consideration and attention that is taken First from the weight of the point as most concerning our salvation Secondly it is a point that generally men are deaf to hear and slâ—w to understand and beleive And therefore he doth cry out and make a solemn proclamation If any man have an eare to hear let him hear Why are they so unable and unwilling to understand They look at it as a monstrous blasphemy to speake thus of the Roman visible Catholick Church Then the Reason why men are so slow of heart to beleive it and none beleive but them which are taught of God is taken First from the spirituallnesse of the things themselves They are spirituall matters and cannot be discerned but by spiritual understanding 1 Cor. 2. 14. A naturall man doth not discern the spiritual mysteries of iniquity nor the spirituall mysteries of discerning Grace nor can they because they are spiritually discerned The second Reason why none but faithful intelligent christians do understand it 〈◊〉 taken From Gods gift of Grace unto them to understand it To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 13. 11. But being not given unto the world the world doth not understand it For the use of the point First it may serve to refute the damnable principle of the Roman Catholick Religion which is this That for every Nation and Kingdome to be reconciled to the Church of Rome i. is of necessity to salvation Whoever he be that hath ears to heare let him hear saith the holy Ghost that to be reconciled to the Catholick Church and subject to that Church and the head thereof it is of necessity the way to damnation if a soul so live and so dye For this purpose the Text is as plain as possible Rev. 20. 15. Whoever is not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire This Roman Catholick Church hath not his name written in that book of life and therefore of necessity they must be cast into the lake of fire Let all Noble men and Gentlemen hear this that they may not listen unto the whisperings and croakings of the Locusts of the bottomlesse pit Much God hath borne with men in their ignorance but if ever men have belonged unto God they have known the way of a better faith and repentance then ever Popish Religion have taught them and the holy Ghost hath helped them in their private prayers and reading or in conference with others to understand the same Obj. 1. You will say unto me but this is a very uncharitable censure Answ Whether doe you thinke it more charity to forewarn men of a desperate danger or to be indulgent to men and to tell them they may be saved in both Religions when the word of God is playn against it What charity count you that to gull men in a charitable but a foolish conceit of their own good estate It is cruell charity and most uncharitable when the Holy Ghost doth professâ— Their names are not written in the Lambs booke of life whosoever worship the Beast Obj. 2. But you will say Are not all the Catholicks in the world perswaded of it that the devotion to the Catholique Roman Church is a way of salvation Catholiques are confident of it and you Protestants dare not deny it And then I pray you whether is it not safer to be devoted to that Church wherein all confesse there is a possibility of salvation then unto that Church in which one say there is salvation the other not Answ We answer So farre
very beastly and ugly monsters Fourthly let it be of this use to raise up our hearts in holy thankfulnesse to God that hath delivered us from this Monster both our Fathers from this great beast and our selves from the remnants of the Image of this beast from all Dioceâ—san and National Churches and from Metropollitan Catholick visible Churches that are Images of this great beast You know how much the civill Laws of Christian Kingdoms doe strengthen Ecclesiasticall power that if once a Church excoÌ„municat a man you know the power of the Law if once this or that court excomunicate a man though it be but for not paying fees when it may be he hath no money or thinks it not lawfull to maintain them by his purse yea when he is excommunicate it may be for going to hear a Sermon in another place when he hath nothing but reading at home or if a man fast with his neighbors in his house then what power there is out of such a Court civill Courts of Justice confirme there comes a Significavit that if he shall live so excommunicate and if he continue and stay out a certain time then the Common-wealth apprehends him and never considers whether the cause be just or unjust I confesse there is a liberty to traverse such a cause but if a man want money or want friends he may be taken and carryed to Prison and there he may lie and rott for any of these mishapen Clergy men But I say it is a great liberty to be freed from this great beast that he hath no finger amongst us we are out of his paw and out of his smell It was a matter in question here not long agoe whether the Court should not take a course to punish such persons as stood excommunicate out of the Church if they should stand long excommunicate but it was a good providence of God that such a thing was prevented Let not any Court Ipso facto take things from the Church If such a Law were made the Fathers live not for ever and if such a Law were once established that a Church-member standing so long excommunicated the Common-wealth then should proceed against him were this established it would make a Beast of the Church we are subject to erre and our posterity that comes after us may erre it may be feared worse It is therefore a mercy to be freed from the beast from the paw of the Bear and the mouth of the Lyon It is such a mercy that they that got the victory over these they stood praising God as Chap. 15. 1 2. The Lambs company that stood on mount Siâ—on they stand and praise and wonder at the gracious hand of God in this case And therefore we should in the fear of God be unfeignedly thankfull to God for our present liberties and withall that we may be so Let him that hath an eare to heare heare If you be of Spirituall discerning and know what these mercies mean you will be really thankfull Therefore shew this thankfullnesse not onely in searching the true meaning of the Text and the true nature of this beast described in it but also in standing fast in these great liberties wherewith Christ hath made us free Gal. 5. 1. You shall have many poore creatures that came hither to this Country and will be ready to go back againe they looke at things as mean and poor here believe it such a man hath not an eare nor an eye open he knows not whether he goes Hagar Sarahs maid whether goest thou saith the Lord to her And so may I say to such whether will you goe will you be gone back againe to Egypt God forbid I should count all our Native Country as Egypt but if you goe thither you will have much adoe to escape the paw of of the Bear If you be once incorporated into any of their Parishes you will finde such beastly work in Church Government I may speak it without wrong to any but that I may bear witnesse against what is corrupt that you will then finde the blessing of those that enjoy liberty and piety together you must worship the beast or the Image of the beast A Diocesan or Nationall Church it is but an Image of the great beast it is a plain pattern of the same and you will finde the body of the Church rent from you or you will be rent from the body if you shall walk roundly and sincerely in the ways of God you will finde sad work to have your own officers or others to rise up against you but we have here cause to praise God for our present liberties and therefore you are to be wary what you doe If this be cause of thankfulnesse turn not againe to that from which the Lord by his stretched out arme hath delivered you And this let me say further as it may provoke us to thankfulness so to forego all the Profits of this life rather then to be drawn to subjection to such a Spirituall Government you see what the holy Ghost counts it seven heads ten horns heads full of names of blasphemy horns crowned and here is a beast like a Leopard with feet like a Bear that all the Government of it looks like rapine and robbery catching and snatching rending and tearing this is the sum and scope of it And therefore be not deceived if men shall tender you faire termes that may smell sweet you shall have liberty in this and that and protection of a good State but it is but the smell of a Leopard when you have yielded to such Conditions as may be tendred you will finde such strong hold got of you that you will never get out And then you shall finde what ever Conditions are put in at first the last Edition will be a mouth like a Lyon They will bring you in with subtilty like a Leopard lay fast hold upon you like a Beare and before they have done there will be a mouth like a Lyon And therefore as we are to be thankfull so we are to be faithfull to God that hath purchased these great liberties for us and be no more willing to be intangled with your former state than you would be willing to fall into the mouth of a Lyon or come under the paw a Beare Qâ— But you will say what is this to me I am but a private Christian Answ Private Christians must not live alwayes in a private State for that darkens a mans estate if he knows not the order of Gods house nor addresseth himselfe to it It is true if a man either were in the Temple or looked towards it his prayers were accepted but if a man have no minde to know the orders of Gods house his ignorance of Church matters will darken his own spirituall estate And therefore whosoever thou be Sonne or Daughter If any have eares to heare let them listen to what is here spoken that so by the blessing of God you
very offer Christ had once made to him by this Dragon he came to Christ and said Luke 4. 6 7. All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt worship mee all shall be thine Hee said thus far true that he had a great stroke in the Kingdomes of the world but yet it was limited to him for it's true hee was the god of the world in the time of Heathenish and Popish apostacy He offers Christ he will give it all to him if he will fall down and worship him The Lord Jesus rejects him It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve When he offers such baites and barbarous temptations as these be we are to rejâ—ct him The Devill comes and offers this to the Vicar of Christ as they call him I wil give you government over all the Churches in the world and Kingdoms and States and he in very deed takes Satans offer and doth take all the pomp and state of the world Time was when Naaman the Assyrian offered large matters to Elisha for healing him of his Leprosie but the Prophet would have none of them though he was no Pagan for when he came home they would aske what did it cost you he might say it cost me not a groat but what it cost me in the Innes where I lay this is honour to Religion His servant Gehezi indeed runs after him As the Lord liveth he shall not goe so away but he will have a reward He makes an excuse There are two sonnes of the Prophets come and he desires a talent of silver and two changes of garments and hee very liberally fastens a great deale more on him then he asks What saith Elisha Is this a time to take money and to receive garments and Olive-yards and Vine-yards and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants Hee meant such money as would buy all these The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee And so truly the leprosie of Antichrist and of the Catholick Church cleave to us if we take up any thing that derogates from the simple and naked and sheep-like government of Christ Jesus It will be a Leprosie that wil cleave to us make us grow more more leprous And therefore it must teach us not to regard the profits and pleasures of this world I speak chiefly to men as we are Church-members Such simple government though it hath horns for the Lamb hath horns and can tell how to push yet meeknesse and simplicity is best Just and faithfull Administrations becomes the simplicity of civill government but how much more the Church of Christ that so this great and vast Beast may be kept away from us Lastly it may teach us all as ever wee desire not to grow monstrous and ugly in the sight of the Lord Jesus to take heed of hearkning to any power of Nationall Churches you will finde that this will grow to such ugly deformity that God will turn away his face from you You will never finde him as in times of ignorance Though God hath pardoned what we did in ignorance not knowing what wee did as Christ prayed Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them they know not what they doe And I doubt not but he doth the like for many of our deare brethren who in their ignorance do submit to the Beast and the image of the Beast and doth vouchsafe his gracious presence with them But for us here if we shall in our hearts turn back againe to Aegypt and be content to stoop to these Superstitions and be thus ruled for order and forme of worship believe it then we may looke for an end of all our prosperity and liberty of the Churches here Then look we should grow mishapen and monstrous and look ugly we shall then soon see an end of all the comforts of the Churches here As therefore God hath betrusted us with such a handsome body as hee is pleased to own so continue in your profession and in the maintenance of the same even to death Revel 13. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the Beast IN these words is described the variation of the state of the Beast in respect of one of his heads 1. John saw it as it were wounded to death and all men thought it unrecoverable that is one State 2. A State of recovery His deadly wound was healed 3. The effects of this healing 1. The worlds admiration after the Beast 2. Their worship both of the Dragon the Beast For a little opening of the words I saw one of his heads You heard before that the Beast had seven heads Now as the Scribes asked Christ concerning the woman that had seven Husbands whose wife shall she be of the seven So here is a Beast hath seven heads and one is wounded which of the seven must it be To this the Apostle John tells us Chap. 17. That five of them were gone they had been but were not now and these are the seven governments of the Roman State These five had been Kings and Consuls Decemviers Dictators Tribunes The sixth yet was and that was the Caesars the Roman Emperours they were the sixth head whether Christian or Pagan it differs not much the state of the Government for they were all governed by Roman Laws under one head or other Now therefore what is this that is here spoken of One of his heads were as it were wounded to death was it the Roman Emperour whether Pagan or Christian you heard reasons before why it could not be Pagan nor indeed Christian Rome 1. That head was crowned but this hath no Crown All the seven heads were crowned they governed and exercised their Administrations in the world Rev. 12. â— But here these heads are not crowned but the Crowns are upon the Horns 2. Neither can it be they because of this wound upon this head The Roman Christian Emperours they never chalenged to themselves Head-ship over the Church of Rome Constantine doth utterly abandon it He professeth he ought to be judged by them and not they by him And Theodosius doth submit himselfe to Ambrose censure and doth not exercise any Head-ship over the Church It was not therefore the Emperours for they were not heads of the Church 3. It is said the wound here given was healed to the admiration of the world Now certaine it is the wound given by the Goths and Vandalls it was never healed to this day but the Eastern part was swallowed up by the Turk And for the Emperors of the West Charles the great and his Successors though they healed a branch of it yet it was far off from healing the wound of the Roman Empire those wounds have decayed and fall short of that which was the
discharged of this burden This was very plausable to carnall reason especially if they gave so much to such a Monastery that they may offer so many Sacraments for them for they look at the bread in the Lords supper as a propiatory Sacrament here were so many means to satisfie the consciences of those that were superstitious as nothing could be devised to give better content to the spirits of men in those dayes any man that knowes it shall finde it true that when the conscience is terrified with the curse of Gods Law and never shewed the true way of fellowship with Christ no man is so tender and conscionable in the performance of all duties as they If you will have them kisse the Popes foot or give so much to a Monastery and by this means Hell shall be shut against them and Purgatory discharged But for assurance of Salvation in Christ they could not endure that they that stood for that they tell them what you will not have men doe good workes away with that faggot and halter for such Hereticks Thirdly there was a third Reason and that was from the great reverence of all Councells and Synods to the Sea of Rome The City of Rome had wont to be the imperiall City now in such a case as this they thought it but reasonable In heathenish Rome they gave all worship to them and so let Christian Rome give all their worship to the chief Head there and so to their mother Church all Catholicks would incourage others so to doe and so by this means there were such incouragements laid for admiration and adoration that you may not wonder at what the holy Ghost saith That when the wound was healed all the world wondred after the beast saying who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Not the Emperors of the East and West not the King of England France Spain nor all that have been of greatest force they were none of them able to hold up their heads against this great Beast The use of this point is thus much First you may observe from hence that Universality and Prosperity though they be given for two notes of a true Church by the Papists yet indeed they are but sopisticall deceitfull delusions They are not such marks of a Church as are peculiar to a true Church here is Universality All the world wondred after the beast and here is Prosperity all the world adore and admire the Beast Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Not all the Princes of the world So that here is externall prosperity for so they call it here are both these concur and they doe indeed argue a Catholick Church as Bellarmine saith but note this that Catholick Church which is visible which is the Roman visible Catholick Church the Scripture holds it forth as a great and ugly and monstrous Beast look not therefore at these as any good marks and signes by which Jesuites and Seminaries are wont to draw to deep devotion to the Catholick Church for all the world have run this way there is but a handfull a few of such as are otherwise minded what is Genevah and some others to Rome what have they been able to doe in comparison of the Church of Rome which is the Church of Churches none have been able to doe as they Secondly we may see the danger of this admiration and adoration the deadly and desperate danger of adoring the Catholick visible Church and the Dragon It is the cunning of these Priests and Jesuites to draw men by all means to be at least devoted to the Catholick Church and to submit their power thereunto for they say there is no union with Christ the head unlesse you be united to the visible head on Earth this is their usuall plea Now marke what the holy Ghost speaks in this Text he doth say that all the worship of this mother Church is but the worship of the Dragon Men are devoutly adicted to give up their souls to the Devill when they give up themselves to the Catholicke visible Church the Lord professeth he is not honoured by them they professe honour to he-Saints and shee-Saints and dead Saints and to all relicks and remnants of them the honour of them is given unto the Devill and not to God That look what Paul saiâ—h of heathen Rome John speaks of christian Rome This I say saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 20. That the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils And so this saith John the holy Apostle equall to the Apostle Paul or next him but here guided equally with Paul in the Authentical word of God he saith They that worship God according to the prescript of the Church of Rome they worship the Devils and not God they worship the Dragon the old Serpent So that it is not so light a matter as Gallants at Court and great Kings apprehend they will be reconciled to their mother Church they will goe a Pilgrimage that is devised by the Pope and perform duties as their ghostly Father directs them and have their bead-prayers In all this what do they doe This is a worship to the great beast but this is the issue and substance of it they doe indeed worship the Dragon It is not the Lord Jesus nor God the Father nor the blessed spirit that is thus worshipped but this is indeed the worship of the Devill Thirdly this may serve to teach us to blesse the name of the Lord that hath delivered us from this admiration and adoration from this wofull Captivity and Calamity whereto our Fathers have been enthralled All those of them whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life they were all led this way and it is a marvellous deliverance that God hath wrought for us in taking our Religion from universality and from outward prosperity It is sometimes a snare to Christians this kinde of Government that we have and they are apt to say what doe any of the great Nations of the world for worship and Government did you ever know any such thing authorised in any Kingdome There is an inward principle in us by nature to doe as all the world doe what are we more wise then they It is a great temptation but we have cause to blesse God that hath wrought deliverance for us But what if all the world did worship the Devill as time was when they did what if all the world worship the Beast and the Dragon that gave power to the Beast must we doe so And as they are not grounds of our worship so they are fit grounds of unfeigned thankfulnesse to God that hath delivered us from that Religion by which all the world was bewitched to give their Crownes Honours Bodies and States to the devotion of the visible Catholick Church and to the
required some-what large opening but it is a counsell of God and given of him for this end that it may be expounded and explained And the Lord hath promised blessednesse Chap. 1. to those that read and search this Booke and therefore he would encourage all to search diligently the meaning of it especially as God gives opportunity It was that which John mourned for that he found none worthy to open this book and to loose the seals thereof only the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah I think there is no man shall be diligently studious on this Book depending upon the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah for helpe but he shall find something more then he did expect It is true if a man go in confidence of his own gifts and knowledge he may foole himself but if in modesty of Christian wisdome and in the feare of God the spirit of any Christian Minister or other that layes hold of this Book he shall not be sent empty away What light God hath given me in this particular you have heard opened The use in a word is thus much First it is a word of stay to the soules of Gods people It serves to strengthen our faith that the Lord is exact in his Propheticall expressions Look what he speaks though it be many a yeare or day before he will not faile to bring it to accomplishment in his time It is truly observed if God tarry long a thousand years with God is but as one day till the appointed time come But when his time is come then one day with God is as a thousand yeares God will as soon faile a thousand yeares as one day Indeed till his time be come he thinks it not long though it tarry 1260. yeares but when it is come then he will not faile one day It is a memorable speech that in Exod. 12. 40 41 42. The sojourning of the children of Aegypt was foure hundred and thirty yeares And it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares even the self-same day it came to passe that all the host of the Lord went out from the Land of Aegypt It is a night much to be observed c. Hee doth not say they dwelt there so long but were sojourners there And it came to passe at the end of the foure hundred and thirty yeares even the selfe same day it came to passe that all the best of the Lord went out from the Land of Aegypt as if God would put some Emphasis upon it The word in the Originall is in the bones of the day It is an usuall Hebraism the strength of a thing they call the bones of it that is in the face of all the people in the strength of the day even when it was full day God kept reckoning to a day he will as well faile a thousand yeares as one day when his time is come and till his time be come we must think it long if he stay a thousand yeares It must therefore strengthen our Faith that God is the same God in the New Testament as in the Old that if we could know times as exactly as God knows them we might write in the bones of such a yeare and day the bones of the Roman Catholick Church is broken and lyes bed-rid as it is foretold Jezebel shall be cast into the bed of affliction and all that commit adultery with her into great tribulation Let it strengthen the faith of Gods people in every time for if God be so exact in every circumstance what time he sets he will keep then it may more strengthen us in substantiall promises and threatnings and what ever the Lord hath spoken be not discouraged the Lord will make good what hee hath spoken he will not faile of a minute of time when his period is come Secondly it may serve to encourage us the more to pray to God for a speedy accomplishment of the power of this great Beast the Roman Catholick visible Church that hath bewitched the world for so many ages together and to grow this way in our prayers for the destruction of him from yeare to yeare and the neerer the time of the accomplishment grows the more earnest should our expectations be to see the accomplishment and the more earnest our prayers should be You read of holy Daniel that when hee understood by books that the Lord had set the captivity for 70. years then he set himselfe by prayer and supplication to seek the Lord in Dan. 9. 1 2 3. He takes this very occasion he found it was written that thereabouts it would be and he found that time was at hand therefore he wrestles with God in fasting and prayer for the accomplishment of that deliverance And so ought we to do and indeed about that time it is that in the Exposition of other Scriptures that holy man of God that hath given light to this Booke some-what after he encourageth to look for no small changes that may befall the State So that it may encourage us to look for such a great mercy It is a great mercy that the Lord hath discovered the vanity of subjection to the Roman Catholick Church from day to day the Lord discovers it more and more to this country and hath given us to see the true platform of a true Church from which the Roman Catholick Church is so far disproportionable to be governed by a supream head instead of a particular Church ordered by Pastors and Teachers there is such a vast distance that well doth the holy Ghost call it a great Beast a lewd Strumpet to undertake such an Institution Therefore as the thing hath been odious in Gods sight long so let us pray that he will go on to break the power of this Beast It hath not been in vain what a blow he hath given to the Image of this Beast by the late stirs in Scotland True it is before great deliverances there will be great afflictions whether here or else-where It is an usuall providence to the most faithfull ones of God But what ever bitter cup the Lord may give us to drink of yet the day of this great Beast is coming wherein he is to go to perdition He hath begun to fall before the Lamb and if he begin to fall before him say the Magicians to the Kings Favourite Haman Esth 6. 13. If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jewes before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile against him but shalt surely in falling fall that is fall more and more It 's true there may be some pangs as a Beast when he is going to his last gaspe he will fling with his tayle and with his horns but he is falling and leaves not falling till he finally fall though there be pangs as dying creatures to win the horse or lose the saddle but otherwise he will never stand that there may be a Factotum at that time and will grow
favour and large gifts he bestowed upon them Charles the Great had his Empire from the Bishop of Rome and translated it from Constantinople to France and Germany and therefore he had reason to stand to the Authority that set him up And the ten Kings of Christendom that rose upon the demolition of the Grecian Empire which was then called the Empire of Rome their absolute authority did much depend upon the Bishop of Rome if the Grecian Empire had not yeelded they had been liable in conscience to restore these ten Kingdoms In point of State-policy they had cause to be much observant to the Pope But that is not all for they could never have done it had not the Subjects yeelded And what moved them Truly they were all taken with the Religion of the man of sinne That flood of Heresies and Abhominations which the Catholick Church did hold forth as in a cup of poyson to the world these earthly sort of Christians swallowed it all up They were carnall and yet superstitious and devout Carnall for want of saving grace and regeneration And devout for then generally Christians lay under the terrour of the Law as in Rev. 9. 5 6. The locusts came in which were the Fryars and Monkes and they had this power to sting their Consciences even to the death that a man would give all he had for pardon of sinne Now having power to sting mens Consciences but not to heale them to kill but not to make alive they were now fitted to receive the Impression of the Popish Religion and that religion to men so qualified and disposed was fit to heal them overly and to skin the wound of Conscience and there are three things in that Religion that helped to skinne over the Conscience 1. The suitablenesse of it to humane and naturall sences 2. To carnall naturall reason 3. To naturall Conscience For these three concur and that strongly in this Religion to carry all Christendome after it First for naturall sense All that have travayled into Popish Countreys know that their Religion is composed to naturall sence 1. To satisfie the eyes with goodly Images and Pictures and gorgeous Temples and Vestures that young and old are taken with these goodly spectacles 2. For the eares you know in their Cathedralls what curious musique they have both vocall and instrumentall 3. For the smell you have Incense and sweet perfumes to entertaine you 4. For the taste you have double Feasts and solemn Feasts many Feasts full of luxury and ryot 5. For the Touch there is toleration of Stews to give up their names to Stews They will not suffer men to live unlesse they give up their names to be free of such unclean houses And if you commit any lewdnesse then it is easie to come off with some light penancâ—s and especially the purse that will doe all These things marvellously please the sense Secondly for naturall Reason it suits marvellously with naturall reason 1. To hold forth an historical implicite faith Historical the Devils may have and implicite for a man to believe as the Church believes and hee believes this Faith hath power to quench all temptations of the Devill 2. To hold forth such a repentance as consists in Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Judas reached all this For contrition his heart was humbled in sence of his sinne For confession I have sinned in betraying innocent blood And for satisfaction He brought again the thirty pieces of silver He would not meddle nor make with them 3. To hold forth such an obedience as a man may be able to perform and keep the whole Law of God which he thinks to be easie And this doth please naturall Sence to work our own salvation 4. To hold forth pardon of sin for money and for bodily exercises 5. Uncertainty of Salvation 6. Such a frame of Church-government as keepeth all in a politick order and unity That all Popish Churches be subordinate to such a Bishop as he is to some Metropolitan and they to some Primate and all to the Bishop of Rome And why From one unity ascends and it is good to keep unity And so to look at a mans selfe as unworthy to come into the presence of God and to call upon Christ and therefore manners would make a man cleave to some he-Saints or she-Saints and they shall present their prayers to Christ and Christ to the Father which is very plausable to naturall reason And for our Fathers which grew zealous of that Religion we should not damn them to hell Reason abhors that Thirdly for naturall Conscience it will counter-work with God and walk in equipage with God all the way that is to say for a man to look to find according to his works natural Conscience hath this in Nature it is ingrafted in nature from the God of Adam from his Ordinance in Nature or the rudements of it restored 1. Election of Faith or works foreseen 2. Redemption of all men alike 3. Conversion by the power of free-will This is in the natures of all men by the very Law and works of Nature 4. Justification by works naturall Conscience dictates that Do this and thou shalt live do it not and thou dost forfeit the favour of God but receive it and thou hast fellowship with God 5. Perseverance by our owne endeavours 6. Glorification by merits of works All these suit with naturall Conscience that Conscience is satisfied if the work be accomplished if not then they make satisfaction If they faile in these works by giving way to this oâ— that arrogance that the work is not compleat then Conscience hangs in some dispence and demur And if they cannot satisfie all in this world yet they should do what they can by giving to this and that good use and do pennance for their sinne And if all faile they may make satisfaction in Purgatory and not sink downe to the nether most Hell These things be very acceptable to naturall Conscience Thus we see how it comes to passe that to this Beast was given authority and power over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations Obj. You will say to me But doth not this crosse some other Text in Rev. 5. 9. where it is said the Lord hath redeemed his people out of every Kindred and Tongue and Nation If the Pope had this power over every Kindred Tougue and Nation where stands Christs redemption I answer for Christs Redemption it is some out of every Kindred Tongue and Nation whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life but it was but a remnant There is at this time a remnant according to the Election of Grace Rom. 11. 5. But otherwise all Kindreds Tongues and Nations have been swallowed up by the usurpation of this Beast and by their subjection to him So that Christ hath his number out of all these but it is the Beast that carryes away the body of them for that season especially He did rule over them by
a kinde of sacred Authority in the consciences of men because he had this absolute power in Churches a great power for 1260. years together whether you reckon from Constantines time or Theodosius his time he had a marvellous power in Kingdomes Nations and Common-wealths But notwithstanding he had this power in those times yet Christ kept the interest in his own chosen as in Rev. 14. 1. where he had 144000. that were spotlesse virgins Answ â— The Lord Jesus will at length challenge all his own purchase them into his own hand when at the calling of the Jews all the Kingdomes of the world shall be given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 26 27. The Lord will take them all into his own hand and power and jurisdiction but he must first throw down this enemy that hath usurped over his purchased possession But in the mean time this Beast swallows up all for so many Ages together For the use of the point First it may be to refute the Papists that give this as a true note of the Church namely amplitude of dominion as the Catholick Church had They give this for an infallible note of the Church now that note you see is here evidently ascribed to the people that worship the great Beast of whom the Lord saith here ver 8. their names are not written in the booke of the Lamb. So that this is a note not of an Apostolicall Church but it may be a note of an Apostaticall Church that is fallen away from the Apostles Doctrine It is a true description of that State of the Church You see here Power was given over to the Beast over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And therefore amplitude of dominion is not an inseperable character of the Spouse of Christ for it may be given to those that are not the Church of Christ even to those that are but a Beast in the sight of God not his Spouse I may rather say the contrary that amplitude of Dominion was never a note of a Church of Christ since the world began For in the old Testament the State of the Church was Nationall and they had power over one Nation and sometimes conquered others as in David and Solomons time they conquered the Philistims Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites but it was never over all the whole world and that dominion which they had they did not challenge it by Church power but left them still to their own Religion for the Common-wealth propagated their power by arms having first occasion of warre given them by their arrogance to them In the dayes of the new Testament the Church that Christ instituted reacheth no further then to their own members and their own members reach no further then to one Congregation that all might hear and all might be edefied 1 Cor. 14. 23. So that if Church power extends no further then the bounds of one Congregation then that Church that swelleth and strecheth forth her power all the world over Kindreds and Tongues and Nations what an out-ragious swelling Beast is that that reacheth such vast dominion beyond the proportion that the Lord gave to his Church If you should see a body swell to such a vast bignesse that his armes shall reach from one end of the world to another would it not be counted a monster So in this case the Lord hath limited the power of the Church within it selfe it is a great power that they have but not so great as to binde conscience unless it be Ministerially and so they have power to binde Kings in chains and Nobles in lincks of Iron but to have power judiciary power over the Scriptures and over the conscience over and above the application of the word it is such as the Lord never gave to any Church but it is arrogated and usurped by the man of Sinne. Secondly it may serve to teach you the prouenesse of your natures to that which is evill above that which is savingly and spiritually good This power over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations the Lord hath purchased by his death Rev. â— 9. He dyed and rose againe that he might be Lord both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. And upon his resurrection all power was given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. He prayed for this power and the Lord promised to give him it Psal â— 8. Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession This hath the Lord bought with his pretious bloud and paid for by the power of his eternall Spirit and yet never did the Lord Jesus enjoy this power to this day which the man of Sinne hath enjoyed for so many years together He will enjoy it at lenght when he shall call in the Jews and with them the fulnesse of the Gentiles and reigne in Soveraigne Authority both in Church and Common-wealth according to all the Councell of his word and will But yet it was never known to this day that so many Nations did submit their thrones to the Dominion and Government of Christ and to the Truth of Christ and to worship him with the servants of God notwithstanding the purchase which Christ hath made of this Soveraignty and notwithstanding the efficacy of his prayer for obtaining this power that hee might have dominion over all As soon as Constantine brought the world to become Christian the woman she fled into the Wildernesse The true worshippers of Christ were soon troden under the hatches a mountaine of corruption in Church Government overwhelmed them amain that you cannot set the time when so many Nations served him and were as ready to take up arms in his quarrell as they have done for the man of Sinne. You will say did they not for the recovery of the holy Land many Churches conspire and lay their heads together and engaged themselves for this Warre why when they they undertook that Warre was it Christ that commanded any such thing that Churches should engage themselves and their Estates and Lives and Souls and all for the recovery very of the holy City was it not meerly undertaken by the Bishop of Rome and by the motion of the Catholick Church in a Generall Councell The Roman Catholick Church met in a Generall Councell and they agreed to set about this expedition They promised pardon of Sinne to the people and in hope of that and such like things they went about it It was service to the Beast not to Christ God never acknowledgeth it as any service to Christs Kingdome It was for the advancement of the head of the catholick Church but as any grew more wise they grew more afraid of them So that it is a wonder to see never did the the Christian world give that Authority to Christ as they have done unto the Pope and his Institutions which are not Ordinances of Christ Yea let me say another word which is above
Though there were some ruffinly Captains that would have had him cut off Ambroses head no saith he let him alone he does it out of love to God and my soul Therefore with many teares and much dejection of soul he sanctifiâ—d God in his heart and was afterwards received againe into the Church not onely to the great comfort of the Church where he lived but of all others that were under his Government and he never lost the honour of his Government No man ever lost by submitting to the Authority of Christ we may trust the Lord for that Authority is more worth then our haires and yet he numbers our haires and all the comforts of the world are not answerable to it trust him with it as he that is faithfull and he will certainly provide that nothing shall be lost commit your souls to him as to a faithful Creator and the Lord finding his name sanctified in it before the people he will certainly sanctifie us and our names before them as we sanctifie his Let us yeild up our selves to the service of his Kingdome when men have been contrary minded the Lord hath pursued them with fearful judgements You know the case of Nadab and Abihu Lev. 10. 1. They came before God with strange fire and the Lord makes a strange worke and consumes them with fire Annanias and Saphira that dealt deceitfully with the Church some part they delivered but kept back part of their substance what followed upon that The Lord struck them dead you will say those were in those dayes in which God was neere to his Church Beleive it the Lord is as neere to his Church now though not in miracles as then there needs not miracles now The Lord will confirme his Truth Rev. 2. 23. All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reignes and hearts and I will give to every one of you according to your workes As men deal subtilly he will deal subtilly with the faithful with plain hearted with conscionable men he will deal faithfully and all the Churches shall know it the Lord will not have his judicature in his Church bafled down with partiall and Annanias his confession The Lord will set his face against those men and cut them off from the land of the living that shall dis-regard his throne and Crown And therefore it behooves all men whom it may at any time concern to sanctifie his name My sonne give glory to God and tell me what thou hast done Josh 7. 19. And he ingenously tells him from first to last which no body ever could tell but saith hee I saw among the spoiles a goodly Babilonish Garment and two hundred sheckels of Silver and a wedge of Gold of fifty sheckels weight then I coveted them and took them well saith he thou hast troubled Israel and the Lord shall trouble thee but yet this acknowledgement was the valley of Achor for a door of hope Hos 2. 15. for their prosperity and victory over all their enemies So that if all Nations and Languages be thus ready to submit to the inventions of men how justly doth the Lord challenge due subjection to his will to sanctifie him in our hearts to throw down our Crowns if we have them at his feet and glad we may do so It is evident Rev. 4. 10. that all the Church the four Officers and 24. Elders they all cast their Crowns down before him Though they all did weare Crowns all had Authority yet they cast them all down at his feet when they came before him that sate upon the throne and before the Lambe There they stooped In the presence of Christ they threw down their Soveraignty and let the name of Christ be magnified and his Ordinances have free passage but for them let their honour fall down Lastly let it learn us thus much to take to heart in these dayes the estate of our Ancestors and Fathers of old in those dayes For if every Kindred have worshipped the Beast then thy Kindred have done it or Ancestors We speak not in dederision of them but they have all done it the body of them though here and there some may be left out and all their power they have given to the Beast to rule Families Churches and Common-wealths and all our Kindred and especially our Tongues have done it not onely those that speak Dutch and Spanish but we have been more devoted then any Christian Nations in giving such vast revenues and Monasteries and so large devotion to the man of sinne none have been so devout as English It is incredible to tell the great payments they made to the Pope it is not to be numbred And if all Tongues have submitted to the Beast then they that speak English as well as those that speak Scottish or Welsh or Brittish the body of all Kindreds if not to this day It must therefore humble us in regard of this their sinne which will be set upon our score unlesse the Lord humble us for it the contagion of their sinn reaches to us and his jealousie will cut off root branch Gods jealousie is kindled by Images and superstitions I will visit the iniquities of their Fathers upon their children men may suffer much for their Ancestors and for their Kindred Tongues and Nation And therefore it behoovs us all to be humbled for the sinne of our Ancestors and they hoped to be saved by the intercession of Saints c. This provokes the jealousie of God Therefore if we would not have our teeth set an edge by these sour Grapes it behooves us to be humbled that the intaile of Gods curse may be cut off from us though it lay heavy upon them that went before us Rev. 13. 8. And all that dwell on earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lamb c. YOu have heard that upon the recovery and healing of the wounded head of the Catholick Church sundry effects followed the Dragon gave unto the Beast a four fold power Power to speak great things power to continue and to be active 42. moneths power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them Power of soveraignty and Authority over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and that even to worship that all that dwell on the Earth shall worship him believing as the Church believes and neither more nor lesse submitting themselves in conscience to all their decrees and expecting their salvation in the fellowship of that Church which is divine worship peculiar onely to the Lord Jesus In the words now read you have these that worship the Beast that is that give this divine honour to the Catholick Church to believe as they believe to submit their consciences to the power of this Beast taking up all their observations for worship for Government from them not from God and looking for their salvation in reconcilement with this Church I say these men that doe thus worship
this Beast they are described here by their state by their spirituall and eternall state that is to say they are described by a deniall of their elect estate and that is exprest in a deniall of the proper adjunct of that state and that is the writing of their names in the Lambs book of life for that is the proper adjunct of all the elect people of God that their names are written in the book of life of the Lamb these men men therefore being denied this proper adjunct of an elect state they are the refore here described by their damnable condition and state now this therefore is here predicated of them all that their names are not written in the booke of the life of the Lambe who ever they be that worship this Beast and he saith All did worship him save onely they whose names were written in the Lambes booke of life They that did worship the Beast had not their names written in the Lambs book of life So then this book in which their names are said not to be written it is set forth by the end and by the subject of it 1. By the end It is the Book of life Not that it was a living book but because they that are written in that book are written unto life that they may live to eternity to grace and glory 2. It is described by the subject It is the Lambs Book of life either he is the possessor of it God giving it to him that he might take notice of all the names therein and keep them safe to salvation or else he is the subject of it as being the first and principall person who is written in it for he of old hath been observed to be the head and cheif of the elect of God in Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world therefore he chose him first and us in him as he is well pleased first with Christ and in Christ with us Mat. 3. 17. whether you speak of Gods everlasting complacency or of the manifestation of it in effectuall vocation it is in Christ that he is well pleased first with Christ and in his name with us so he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. So therefore it is said to be the book of the Lamb the Lambs booke of life because that the book is given to him and because also that he is the principall person that is first and primarily and fundamentally written in this book I say it is first given to him as if all the persons that God intends life unto he did give them as it were in a scroul or book to the Lord Jesus but of that I shall speak a little more by and by In the mean time I speak now to the Analysis of the Text but if you shall not trasâ—â—â—e it whose names are not written in the Lambs Book of life but as it is here and indeed so it holds in the Originall the Book of life of the Lambe Though it be the like sence then it may hold out a further notion and meditation and that is this 1. That the Lambe is the subject of that life whereof it is said it is the Book of life of the Lamb. 2. He is the Author of it to the elect people of God in John 14. 19. that holds forth both that he is that life to us Christ as God-man is the subject of this spirituall and eternall life and his man-hood so receives it as a common vessell to all his elect members and because he lives we shall live also therefore he is the Author both of giving and preserving this life to his heavenly Kingdome Now by this Lambe I need not tell you is meant Christ the Lambe without spot John 1. 29. We are redeemed by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without spot 1 Pet. 1. 19. This Lambe is here described by his suffering which was slain was put to death a violent death and that suffering of his is amplified by the ancient vigour and efficacy of it slain from the beginning of the world Now the note that first offers it selfe from this verse is this That such whose names are written in the lambs book of life they all and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast For here it is said That all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him saving they whose names are written in the Lambes Book of life they shall not worship him but all whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lambe they shall worship the Beast So then they whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they doe not worship him for if their names be written there they are expresly exempted but they that doe worship him they are said not to have their names written in the Lambes book of life So that such whose names are written in the Lambes book of life they and all they and they onely are preserved from the worship of the Beast It is a speech to the like purpose that you read in Rev. 17. 8. and upon the like occasion The Beast that thou sawesâ— was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomelesse pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of life from the foundation of the world c. They admire and adore him where he tells you of an ancient act hee doth not tell here when it was written there he doth that ancient book wherein from the foundation of the world they were written and therefore before the world such as were written in the Lambes book of life were lockt up to be preserved from the adoration of the Beast and all the rest were left to worship the Beast For opening this point here a Question or two may be moved for explication of the termes of the Doctrine which have been a little expounded before First Quest 1. Then it may be demanded what is this Book of life Answ You read in Scripture of sundry books according to which our eternall state stands or falls if I may so call them that are said to be opened at the judgement day whether at the last judgement or some representation of the last judgement it is all one for the Doctrine In Rev. 20. 12. it is sayd When the Thrones were set the Books were opened and another book which is the Booke of life So here is one book according to which his Saints were judged besides the booke of life but that also was opened These bookes are truly observed by others to be first the book of Gods Providence in Psal 139. 16. which is also called in Mal. 3. 16. the booke of Gods Remembrance wherein he takes notice of all persons and actions that is keeps as exact account of them as if they were written before him in a book which
day by day were fashioned c. In the providence of God there was a deliniation of all creatures and actions that should come to passe There is truly also the booke of conscience for also in that God registers all our actions according to which we shall be judged the conscience bearing witnesse about our persons and actions so farre as they are enlightned by God And you read also of another booke The word that I have spoken that shall judge them at the last day John 12. 48. he shall judge all the world by it Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel These books will be opened the booke of Gods Providence the booke of the Scripture and the book of conscience by which we shall be judged But there is also the booke of Life by which wee shall be judged in Rev. 10. 12. Now for the book of life that hath a double exception in Scripture for sometimes it is put for the Church register in which all are registred as those that were the living in Jerusalem Isa 4. â— It is said Every one that remaineth in Hierusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Hierusalem Or as the word is in the margent or bigger Bibles written To life in Hierusalem In the Originall it is capable of both constructions Every man capable of life is written in Hierusalem There is a book written of them that live there of which it is said Psal 87. 6. the Lord will recount when he writteth up the people that this or that man was born there Of this book also you read in Ezek. 13. 9. where the Lord doth threaten the false Prophets that his hand shall be upon them that see vanity and devine lyes they shall not be as members of my people nor shall they be written in the writing of the house oâ— Israel they shall neither have fellowship with Church nor Common-wealth There is a writing therefore a Register a Record of them which in the Old Testament were counted Geneologies and very carefully did they keep them that if they could not shew their pedigree from this Geneology they were as polluted Ezra 2. 59. as also vers 62. where he tells you of sundry that came in among the people of Israel but because they could not find their names in the Register they were left aside till they could finde further proof of their pedigree they might be received as other Proselytes but not as native Israelites who were counted of the Church from the line of their Parents and some of the sonnes of Barzilli some of the Priests they thought it more honour to fetch their pedigree from their father Barzilli whom David had advanced to sit at his Table and they thought it more honour to be counted of the house of Barzilli then of the order of Aaron And they when they would have presented themselves to the Priests office they were not received why because they were not found in the Churches Register and they had no direction from the Word to take Noble mens sons to be Priests but only of the sons of Aaron So this is the book of Life it is called The writing of the living in Hierusalem This is the book of life the Church-book it is nothing but a counterpane of the book of life but not exactly agreeing to it sometimes we put in more then God doth and sometimes lesse There be that belong to life whom we do not receive Others they do not present themselves or we do not receive through some failings in them or us but if they belong to life they are written in the Lambs book of life they may not be written in the Church book but this is not the book here spoken of the book of the life oâ— the Lamb The Church is the body of the Lamb but they cannot discern who are his The Lord knows who are his so do not we nor the members of the Church therefore you heare here of a distinct booke of the Lambs book of life of which book it is expresly written Rev. 20. 15. That whosoever was not found written in the Lambs book of life was cast into the lake of fire All men therefore that are written in the book of Life or in the book of the Lamb they are written to life Now this we cannot say of the Church-book for as hath been observed of ancient time there are many wolves within and many sheep without Sometimes the Church hath cast out her most precious members both Officers and Members sad experience hath made it true in our times therefore that is not a certaine rule that if a man be left out of the Church he is left everlastingly unlesse there be such contempt of means of grace as in those whom the Lord hath branded for such whom he takes no pleasure in to eternity For it is said whoever was not found written in the Lambs book of life was cast into the lake of fire Therefore this is some other then that booke of the Church What book is that no other but the eternall record and register of Gods election that is the Lambs book whoever is not found he is indeed cast out into the lake of fire being shut out from salvation by Christ and then what hope of salvation is there in himselfe Now of this book it is of which Moses speaks Exo. 32. 33. If thou wilt not forgive the sin of thy people then blot me out of the book which thou hast written not which the Church hath written but which thou hast written which the Lord hath written of life in Christ in which the Lord hath written all the names of his Elect This is the book out of which hee desires to be blotted out of such was the extasie I cannot say of his zeale but he was filled with such ardent zeale that rather then such a reproach should be cast upon God that he was not able to bring them to the Land of Canaan let him be blotted out of the book which he had written let damnation it selfe fall upon him rather then the name of the Lord should be reproached by the uncircumcised Heathens and in that sence Paul wisheth himselfe separate from Christ for his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9. 3. He doth not say he would be cast out of the Church but he found that zeale for the whole Church and for the Lord Jesus that rather then the Gospel of Christ should be hindered if it may stand with Gods liking he could rather wish such a wretch as he should be cut off then that the whole body of his people should be cast off This is the Lambs book of Life called the book of Life not because the Lord stands in need of a book but because those whom in his eternall purpose he hath decreed to save his unchangeable purpose doth fixe them as
of fire and brimstone But those that worship the Beast are not written in the Lambs booke of life that is in the Text Here are two propositions very evident All that are written in the Lambs booke of life doe not worship the Beast But those that worship the Beast are not written in the Lambs baok of life Then the conclusion is They shall be cost into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone That if it appear that this Beast is the Roman Catholick Church and the head of this Beast is the Pope The conclusion will be most evident that no man living and dying a Papist can go beyond a Reprobate I dare not say but some that are ignorant whom devotion hath carryed to that Religion it is possible some of them when they come to death may see the vanity of that Religion of worshipping Saints and of confining their Faith to them but that is not by their Religion but if they dye in that Religion and if their faith and worship be thrust upon them from the Roman Catholick Church and they worship Saints and Angels and believe in their owne merits for their justification I do pronounce to you that a Papist living and dying a Papist cannot go beyond a Reprobate I meane such an one was not written in the Lambs booke of life And they that are not are cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone that is the issue And therefore what a fearfull thing is it in such that do all they can to reconcile Nations to the Church of Rome and are mad upon Romish religion what desperate service do they undertake to bring men to such a religion as destroys many millions of soules It is true Those that are written in the Lambs booke of life God looseth none of his sheep but it is evident they are bloody Butchers of many Christians not chosen yet devout Christians many an one under pang of Conscience with sence of many sinfull passions and lusts are not able to get out but by a Priests absolution and if they be covered with a Fryars coule they hope they shall do well enough Such a conscience as can be opened and healed by such wooden keys as these if they know no more such cannot be saved I will not enlarge it but it were necessary to be pressed and urged in some places look not at it as a matter of curiosity and circumstance what Religion a man dyes in and think as some States-men doe that if it were not for hot-spur'd Jesuites on the one side and hot-spur'd Puritans as they call them on the other side Protestants and Papists might be easily reconciled These are the whisperings of flesh and blood but that which is written in the word doth bear expresse testimonie against such a conclusion For if Jesuites were removed and Puritans too yet if there were any left that thought they could worship the Church of Rome as they require that you must believe as they believe your faith is built upon the Church and upon the dispensation of the keyes of that Church such a faith and obedience as fals short of Christ Jesus that all salvation is to be expected from him if both Jesuites and those they call Puritans were removed if there were none but that take up their faith and obedience in that worship they hold forth I say there is not any one of them that so live and so dye knowing what they believe that can be saved Indeed you read in Rev. 3. many know not the depth of Satan and it is another matter what God may dispence to them in private but men that know what they do and believe according to the doctrine of that Church and worship according to the direction of it I say men living and so dying there is not one of them whose names are written in the Lambs book of life and therefore shall be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone This may teach us a true ground of any mans preservation from the pollutions of the world bewitching pollutions sometimes a Catholick Strumpet carries all the world after her as in those times Sometimes the world swallows up the Church and every man thinkes him happy if hee may be clad with thick clay others are taken up with provisions for their belly and sensuall Epicurean lusts there be a world of such people Now what doth preserve the people of God that they are not carryed away either with the Catholick religion or with worldly ambition they are not taken with these but see the vanity of them what are any of us better then those that have been bewitched by these but what puts the difference The originall difference is God hath written them in the Lambs book of life and what hee hath written he hath written as Pilate sayd Hee hath written such to life and his decree is irrecoverable My counsell shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Isa 46. 9 10. Therefore there is the Originall from thence it flows the Lord Jesus Christ concurring with the Fathers counsell he hath given us redemption from the blood of Ancestors and redeemed us from the present evill world and will seek up every stragling Lamb and presents us spotlesse to his heavenly Father and then the spirit of God by which he works all in the hearts of his people that receives us for Christ and the spirit for Christ comes and takes possession of us and so thereby girds up our loyns to a dependance on him and his grace that we are preserved and saved from those fearfull temptations that overcome others and all the world are over-whelmed withall It may teach us the marvellous freedome of the love of God and therefore to admire the wonderfull love of God the cause of all this our preservation from such prevailing evills as swallow up the whole world how doth it appear why I pray you consider when the Lord wrote down thy name or mine or any mans name who stood by at his elbow if I may so speak to put him in mind of my name or thine he thought of us if our names be there and he set us downe and he delivered us to Christ Jesus by name what ever thy name is he took notice of thy name such a man in such a place he will live in this or that Countrey he is one take notice of him lay down a price for him in fulnesse of time send a spirit into this heart if he live in a Popish Countrey save him from Popery If in a worldly Countrey save him from the world where ever he lives save him from himself and bring him to my heavenly Kingdom but what was there in us that could commend us to God or what could there in us but what he appointed but what he should put into us he could not fore-see any thing but that hee must work it therefore it must certainly be his undeserved love that must
take notice of them and give them so to come to Christ and all that the Father hath given him shall come unto him The Lord will draw them and then they shall come in the meane time he keeps them from his Fathers eternal donation in John 17. 17. Those whom thou hast given me I have kept Hee hath not lost any but one that was not given him to keep he prays to God to keepe them through his own name he keeps them by his own spirit and this was agreed on from the foundation of the world when this book was written and it was not written yesterday but before the foundation of the world Rev. 17. 8. His thoughts were about thee and me and whoever is written therein a matter of much praise and glory to God that he should have such marvellous precious thoughts to us Psalm 139. 17. How precious are thy thoughts to me O God And so in Psal 40. 5. we read of the precious thoughts of God towards us that hee should have such thoughts when time yet was not neither we nor our fathers and all he did fore-see in thee and me would but provoke his wrath what was good he must work and that was from his counsell If you see any vanish away or fall away from his grace and from his Saints and he hath no pleasure in them they are not given to Christ you see he is the giver of them but if men be not given to Christ they will fall away All that the Father gives me shall come unto me it is my Fathers will I should not loose one of them If men will not hearken to the Bishop of their souls the Lord Jesus Christ see the desperate danger thereof and the originall root They are not written in the Lambs book of life It may be of singular comfort to all the elect of God whose names are written in the book of Life It is a great comfort that a man is written to life hee might have beene written to death had not the Lord been pleased so to doe You read in the Epistle of Jude vers 4. Of certain men crept in unawares who were of old ordained to condemnation The word in the Originall is fore-written written afore-time to destruction Now I say that a man is not written to destruction but to life and to life in Christ not as Adam that was to stand by his own strength and so long as he useth grace well he shall live but if not he shall dye and he so used it that if God give him not life in Christ he dyed for ever This is in Adams covenant not in Christs that was for a man to live by his own righteousnesse Do this and thou shalt live Levit. 18. 5. How wofull was our condition in this case but to be written to life and to life in Christ that is Because hee lives we shall live also I am the way the truth and the life And by this being written in the Lambs book of life that the Lord should think upon us when we had no thoughts of him nay had no being that he should then undertake for us that when the Father gives us he will receive us and by receiving us keep us spotlesse to his heavenly Kingdome that he wil preserve us from possibility of damnable Errors They shall seduce if it were possible the very Elect Mat. 24. 24. But there is no possibility what a marvellous matter is it that it is not possible that any of those that are given to Christ should be seduced it is such a mercy that may swallow up all discouragements all afflictions all blasphemy of a mans good name and state and wealth and health and all whatsoever this may support him that it is not possible he should be seduced For the Lord knows who are his the foundation of God stands sure the Lord hath written it and he is more constant then Pilate or the Kings of Persians and Medes The Law is written and established by the Kings Ring and God is more stedfast then any of the Kings of the Earth what he hath written shall be accomplished the Lord will draw them to Christ and Christ will keep them not one of them shall perish not one of them shall worship the Beast or if they do they soone see their folly and are recovered out of all snares they shall not prevaile against them It may be of instruction and exhortation to provoke you to make your election sure then you make your salvation sure and preservation from Popery and the world and from the Devill and from your own corrupt Nature sure that you shall not be carried captive with the polutions of the times and places you live in though hundreds run from God one way and ten thousands another way fall off hither and thither yet you shall still be preserved in John 6. 68. where our Saviour asked his Disciples will ye also go away when many of those that were his Disciples went away and fell off from him being offended from something which he had spoken to them and that was that Doctrine that we have now in hand and some other corolaries from it they walked no more with him then saith Christ to the rest will yee also go away Peter answered in the behalfe of the rest Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life As who should say whether shall a man go to mend himself Thou hast the words of eternall life and having the words of eternall life how shall they do better else where so it behooves us then as we desire to be preserved from all apostacy and backsliding from God notwithstanding all the temptations of the flattering world or busie world or from the destroying world by persecution and flattering by prosperity and busie world by the cares of the world and continuall cumber about the world and distempers in our hearts on that ground in such a case as this what shall preserve us If our names be written in the Lambes book of life truely we shall be preserved that neither the world nor our passions and lusts shall prevail against us My father saith Christ is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand and I and my Father are oue my Father and I will keepe them Joh. 10. 27 28. Obj. You will say it is a needlesse exhortation to make our election sure if that be not done long ago for it is not begun in this world but long before it is concluded long before or else we are not written in the Lambes book of life one of these two is concluded in Heaven Christ knows those that are given to him by his Father before he knows them by name John 10. 14. It is worthy of memory that Christ knows them all by name that argues the particularity and singularity of them as he knows all the Stars in Heaven so doth he much
more know all his elect if he know them all by name hee then particularly observes them and prevents us with blessings of goodnesse and preserves us from prevailing evills but if it be recorded of God is it not in vain to exhort to make it sure Answ If it were in vain methinks the Apostle should not have used it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Then that is it that lyes upon all Christians some think it is not possible but then it were a vain exhortation Make your calling and election sure if you do a wide and open door of entrance shall be minished unto you well then though I cannot make sure my election in it selfe for it is sure in it selfe but the Question is whether it it is sure to me that is my duty for he knowes who 〈…〉 and knows them by name and keeps them in his name and hath given his Angels charge over us and they will all watch over us and therefore our Saviour in Luke 10. 20. saith to his Disciples Rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject unto you but that your names are written in Heaven Our election is sure enough in heaven no stormes will alter it there But now in a word can we make our election sure the Apostle intimates when you make your calling sure you make your election sure your calling that is but the actuall execution of this eternall election but they are so neere that many the Lord puts them one for another he tells his Disciples you have not chosen me but I have chosen you John 15. 16. he means of his selection his calling them out of the world then he doth communicate his electing love to such it is wrought for us before in Christs death in Gods councell and in his effectuall redemption wrought for us on the Crosse but yet it is not manifest to our consciences till calling but make your calling sure and then election is sure When you are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. that is this book of life that is his purpose that we are in Gods purpose written to life look to that he hath saved us and called us Not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1. 8. that is the book of life and grace of free grace purposing us to life and you read in Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he hath called and whom he called them he justified now if a man be effectually called to grace that doth search election let me briefly touch it that which makes sure calling 1. In our effectuall calling there is a declaration of Gods love to the soul in Christ Jesus by the spirit of grace in the doctrine of the Gospell for that is Gods call in our calling God calls for his part by his grace and spirit and we answere that spirit by that faith which by the call of God is wrought in our hearts I say God calls effectually to his grace by manifesting the rich grace of God in Christ electing freely calling freely from the obedience of sinne and Satan to the liberty of the sons of God as to those in Queen Maries time when they wandered up down like Lambs in a large place Bilney he fetches in that one word in his lost and forlorn condition He read this promise and the spirit of God applies it Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe This being applyed by the spirit it falls on him with power and he sees the goodnesse of God in Christ and the vanity of all things else and seeing so much glory in Christ and in particular to him also this lets him see the vanity of all other courses for this manifestation of Gods spirit doth effectually and manifestly open our eyes to see and hearts to believe what the Lord offers for faith is said to receive what the Lord gives of grace here is then that which makes calling sure for otherwise how can we know it but by the manifestation and declaration and revelation of the Spirit The things that eye never saw nor eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man but he hath revealed them by his spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. As no man knows the things of man but the spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the spirit of God And we have not received the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The spirit of God it is that searcheth all things even the deep things of God and reveals them to us and lets us see the treasures of grace and lets us see them thus applyed this is the ground of effectuall calling God calling by his spirit and we answering that call and from both these springs another fruit of our effectuall calling which is likewise a certaine pledge of it that being thus called Blessed be God saith the Apostle that hath called us to the fellowship of his sonne actually and effectually 2. Thence it comes to passe that wee choose the Lord for our God We have none in heaven but him nor none on earth that we desire in comparison of him Away then with those beautifull Strumpets and all works of iniquity and wayes of darknesse wayes of ambition these are all blasted now I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. and now it is that he rejoyceth in nothing save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 6. 14. Now this electing love in that we elect God we could never choose God had not he chosen us and in some measure discovered what his electing love was to us this brings the heart back again to choose him and none but him now that is another security of our election and therein it differs from all others a man may have a kinde of sanctification by common gifts which will leave him still to work for himselfe but this is to abuse the very gifts of God which the spirit hath wrought in us though they be not such as accompany salvation still we are not lift up above our selves but when we are called effectually to Christ now no motion swayes us but as we see the will of God in it we cannot beleive as the Church beleives but we beleive our brethren and the Church as we see the Church follows the foot-steps of the will of God If I now please men saith the Apostle I am not the servant of Christ 1 Thes 2. 4. Nor of men sought we glory when we might have been burden some as the Apostles of Christ If a man be left to fast for himselfe or pray for himselfe or worke for himselfe and all is for himselfe that he work◠from a principal respect unto himselfe truly this will darken a mans effectuall calling and if it be his constant course doubtlesse
his heart is not right with God It is true in a pang of temptation a man may be wheeled about as Peter and David yet the sight of Gods electing love quickens them to see their sinne how farre they are turned aside from God but there 〈◊〉 soul is bent as it were with the point of a compass touched with a Load-stone it may be jogged by windes and stormes yet it lookes still to the North pole though you may shake it from its course yet let it but stand a while it will directly look to the North pole there it will stand so it is with all the children of God they cannot but worke for Christ in John 16. 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and give it unto you So that the heart that is sincere it workes from Christ and for Christ and with Christ I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15. 10. So that you see what the manner of Gods people in this case is they are from Christ and for Christ and with Christ and it is a seal of Gods election the highest seal is God knowes who are his and that seal he manifests by his spirit in the Gospel it is the spirit that seals up our adoption and here is another seal we set to our seal while we cleave to him with all our heart and soul and seek after him and have none in heaven but him nor on Earth that we desire in comparison of him And thirdly the last assurance of a mans election and calling which I shall name at this time is that which Peter himselfe doth expresse in 2 Pet. 1. Give all deligence to make your calling and election sure How shall they do that he tels us in ver 5. Moreover adde to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. He reckons sundry sorts of graces and he calls upon them to adde grace to grace and one degree of grace to another and saith he if these things dwell in you and abound by this means an open entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as if men that did not grow in grace and gâ—ow from grace to grace if they get to heaven at length they must mend their pâ—ce thrust and croud for it but if these things be in you and abound so an open entrance shall be ministred unto you as if the great gates of Heaven were opened to you there must be a growing you are blind else and cannot see afar off you shall not see your state unlesse you grow from faith to faith and from knowledge to knowledge then an open entrance shall be ministred to you that you shall die in full assurance of faith and of the love of God And thus shall a man make his calling and election sure and by so doing he shall make sure to himselfe his preservaâ—ion from this world and shall be translated to everlasting rest wiâ—h the Lord in due time where there shall be neither false Prophet nor Jesuitâ— nor worldlings whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world THere remayns now the latter part of this vers which is a description of Jesus Christ and he is described 1. By the similitude of a Lamb. 2. By his passion He is slaine And 3. By the antiquity of it He is slaine from the foundation of the world The note is this The Lord Jesus Christ was as a Lamb and though a Lamb yet was slaine and though slaine in fulnesse of time about 4000. years after the world began yet in effect he was slaine from the foundation of the world This is the sum of this latter part of the verse Not to stay long in any of these things and put to stay upon them because they are principles of our Christian faith and principles may not be passed over in hast especially considering the handling of them is a speciall branch of our calling Behold the Lamb of God saith John that taketh away the sinnes of the world John 1. 29. 36. It was his particular office to point at Christ and he doth it under the notion of a Lamb So it is said A Lamb stood upon mount Zion Rev. 14. 1. Now why a Lamb In a double respect and I speak of no more then what the Scripture hath respect unto First in respect of his innocency 2ly In respect of his meeknesse and patience 1. His innocency 1. In his birth That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the sonne of God John 1. 35. 2. Innocent in his life It behooves us saith Christ to Iohn to fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. And in 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 3. Innocent also in his death Pilate bare him that record Mat. 27. 24. when he had heard all things that were born witnesse against him hee tooke water and washâ—d his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person And as he was thus innocent as a Lamb So he was meeke and patient as a Lamb and the holy Ghost hath respect unto it Acts 8. 32. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a Lamb dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth And therefore there is something respected in his silence and quiet subjection to the slaughter knife And his patience or meeknesse doth expresse it self in two things chiefly 1. In submitting not himself only but his will to his fathers will Father saith Christ in his agony in the Garden if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And if this cup may not passe away from me except I drinke it thy will be done Mat. 26. 39. 42 And that is properly after Gods own heart when a mans heart is subdued to the will of God in which respect he did not murmure at his Fathers hand nor did expostulate his being delivered into the hands of wicked men 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously And so meek was be in this very kind as that be prayed for his very enemies and persecutors Luk. 23. 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do 2. His patience and meeknesse stood in keeping silence in his own just defence As a Lamb dumb before the shâ—arer keeping silence before his Accusers and Judges and Condemners He answered nothing before the high Priest any thing that might tend to his crucifying as he doth expresse If they will make it a point to crucifie him because he said He was the son of God Saith he I came into
of measuring bâ— the rule of the word of God count them as given to the Gentiles And the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths the same time that here the Beast is to rule Now Gentiles are accounted without Christ and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. He meanes Pagan Gentiles nor Christian Gentiles for such are we And in Rev. 11. 8. The dead bodies of the witnesses they shall lye in the street of the great City and he doth account it spiritually Sodome and Aegypt Sodome for lewednesse and beastly lusts and Aegypt for barbarous and base idolatry and oppression of Gods people This is the esteem the holy Ghost hath of him And in Rev. 17. 5. Hee calls her a great whore and the mother of harlots And the Text is playn and holds forth this doctrine playnely and the Holy Ghost would have all the Churches of Christ to know it That none do worship this Roman Catholicke Church that is are reconciled to it and give up themselves to the fidelity of it that goe beyond the state of a Reprobate And all the Churches of God cannot do thus and therefore cannot live and dye Roman Catholicks Let me name you some popular reasons I will not make any subtile discourse of it though it would require strong Judgement and sinewes of Reason but take popular Reasons and yet such as will bear some waite The first is from their want of Christ Jesus in whom all our life and salvation is laid up He that hath not the Sonne hath not life it is a plaine and peremptory principle of the Gospell 1 John 5. 12. No Christ no salvation There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. Now this Roman Catholick Church and they that worship the same they have not Christ How proove you that For Christ is not had nor received but by faith in the Gospell in a free promise of Grace unto the soule As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sonnes of God even to them that belâ—ive on his name John 1 12. Christ dwels in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. The faith therefore by which we receive Christ whether have they that faith or no let themselves be Judge They do professe that the Catholick Faith is no more but a perswasion of the truth of all the doctrines of the Gospell and of the whole word of God but for a particular application of Christ unto the soule they do not acknowledge it as that which is the means of receiving of Christ So that the Faith which they do in this case hold forth is in very truth no other but that which James saith of the faith of Dâ—vils they have received as much James 2 19. Thou beleivest that there is one God thou doest wed the Devils also beleive and tremble A Roman Catholick beleives the whole doctrine of the world He does well the Devils know as much and beleive as much as they do yet no man will say that the Devils faith receives Christ Now where there is no Christ there is no salvation Where there is no Faith there is no Christ And where there is no Faith but that which the Devils may reach unto there is no true Faith at all It would be endlesse to run into all the objections that they make but let any that know Faith aright judge whether the Faith of theirs is such a Faith whereby a man can receive the Lord Jesus Secondly Without Grace there is no salvation For saith the Apostle By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast Eph. 2. 8 9. If therefore the Roman Catholickes say that they are saved by workes and they say so if we take workes in the worst tenour of workes that is by the meriâ— of works The Apostle saith Not of works least any man should boast and say that he hath wrought his own salvation And the Apostle tels you If it be of works it is not of Grace Rom. 11. 6. For works cannot be joyned with grace in the merit of salvation they are onely the way of salvation And in that sence it is said Worke out your salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 12 13. But if a man look for salvation out of the merit of works he hath it not from grace Papists reply they have it from works and grace also for they have it not from works of nature but from works of grace and they are not opposite but subordinate But what saith the Apostle He saith workes and grace are not subordinate but opposite one to another and if it be of grace it is not of workes and if of workes then not of grace And the Apostle tels you Gal. 5. 4. If ye be justified by the workes of the Law you are fallen from grace you have no part nor portion of the grace of Christ And therefore they are fallen from grace and if from Grace then from salvation These are principles of Religion and he that hath any understanding to hear what the holy Ghost saith in this case may easily perceive the truth of what we speak In very truth you will finde that all which they hold is but in a tenor of the Covenant of works Their election they hold is from works and faith foreseen Some of them indeed are affraid of it as the Dominicans but the most prevailing are those that think Gods electing love is but out of faith and works foreseen They look as the grace of effectuall calling to be founded upon the good inclination of a mans will and co-operation of it with the grace of Gods calling They professe that Simon Peter had no more grace given him then Simon Magus to become a christian And what cut the scantling between the one and the other Peter had received so much grace that if he would he might be saved and so they say Simon Magus did receive the same but God did not bow change his will or reason but left them both so far suffered as they might beleive if they would How comes it then that Simon Peter did beleive and was saved and Simon Magus did not beleive with a lively faith and was damned They will confesse it really the body of them that it did spring from Peters will he did out of the freenesse of his will choose it This is vocation from the working of a mans will whereas the Covenant of Grace doth confesse that it is not of our will but of the Lords that takes away our strong heart and gives us a soft heart before any preparation Justification they look for none but by works nor perseverance in a state of grace but by their works and everlasting salvation from the merit
the Churches and Saints of Christ that have been overcome or have suffered any hard-ship from any of these Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people the Lord will one day visite them all and he will one day root them out of the land of the living They shall one day know what pillars and scourges and fire and faggot meanes what torments meane what bloody inquisitions meane They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes Here is the patience and faith of the Saints The third note is this The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours against Heathenish idolatry The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs and will write many Legends of them as the Pharisees they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets and yet killed their Successors Fulfill saith Christ the measure of your fathers You garnish the sepulchers of the dead bodies and yet you kill their Successors They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs but what are those that suffered in Switzerland in France in England in Germany They look at those as Lolards and Hereticks But what saith the Lord of them Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times the Lord doth accept their sufferings and saith of them Here is the patience and faith of the Saints Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast and patience to be the patience and faith of the Saints The world saith otherwise but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast Here is the patience and faith of the Saints So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth as well as in ancient times Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus in the hottest and highest times of Popery The Reason is evident First because the faith of such Christians and their patience was the faith and patience of Christ That is to say that which both fastned upon Christ and bore witnsse unto Christ and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions And it was such a faith as by which they overcame the world 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus even that faith by which they chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand and in their hands and the point is of like nature Roman Idolatry is but another Edition and their Errors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shouâ—d be the faith of Gods elect And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him it is then the patience of Christ It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas as under Herod It is true in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar in the other as a blasphemer but the case is all one No matter what the persons 〈…〉 Christian in profession Iâ— the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer 〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern and suffer under Christians against Christians 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors For the use of the point Fiâ—st it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks Jesus Christ from heaven saith Here is the faith and patience of the Saints Do not therefore count it obstinacy and contumacy in heresie nor pravity It is the faith and patience of the Saints if Chrâ—st calls it so his word must carry it When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate whose word shall stand then his or theirs He will say here is the cruelty and outrage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death Secondly It may serve to teach us how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were so many Saints or faithfull Martyrs of Christ are those who have thus suffered This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned in Smithfield or else-where and upon the chains wherewith they are bound A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be constant in the profession of the Gospel and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints We must not therefore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth and to hold it to the death If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men what ever the world say of it the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it That it is the patience and faith of the Saints Thirdly it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause Otherwise unlesse it be the cause of Christ it is no patience but obstinacy blindenesse and ignorance But see that your cause be the cause of Christ and then cleave unto it by the invincible â—aith of Gods elect to overcome the world and look Lyons and Dragons in the facâ— without fear and astonishment and look at punishment and tortour as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater and other of the Saints of God have gone before uâ— in the like or a greater martyrdome Therefore first look to the cause and then believe in the truth of the cause and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme and cause them to hold out unto the end But do not take up your reformation upon custome nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you for it behooves every christian man to know well what he beleives and practise and to know the doctrine of Christ and the Government and the worship of Christ and that not because men say so but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God Then your next care is to look that you depend upon Christ for strength that as he suffered for you you may be able to suffer for him ther 's the faith of Gods children And for
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now it is true in the Greek account they do reckon numbers by the letters of the Alphabet and from the first letter Alpha to Iota they are for singular units for Alpha is one and Beta is two c. and they put in Sigma and make that six Iota is the tenth letter and so is ten in number and from Iota to Rho they are reckoned by tens as Cappa is twenty Lambda thirty Mu fourty c. and so till you come to Rho and that is one hundred and then the rest that follow are so many multiplied as Sigma is two hundred Tau three hundred c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six hundred So that if these be understood as holding out the numbers as here the words expresse then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is six hundred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sixty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is six which being summed together they make up six hundred sixty six Now a man would wonder that the holy Ghost should delight in such Arithmetical riddles but since it pleaseth him thus to expresse himselfe we must not look at it as a cabalistical curiosity nor as an unsearchable mystery but they that labour herein shall finde that which may solace themselves and others For though by the arme of flesh no man shall be strong yet by the wisdome of God the servants of Christ shall see light and babes shall see the mystery of it Therefore to cleare up this point so far as God shall give light consider with me I pray you six or seven several observable passages of the holy story of the Revelâ—tâ—on that may hâ—lp us in some measure in enquiring and counting this sum of six hundred three score and six what it may point at Let it not be wearisome to you for though to us that are Ministers we think we are most properly in our element when we preack Christ and the need of Christ yet forasmuch as Antichrist is opposed to Christ and is an enemy to Christ the one contrary may be the better known by the other and no part of Scripture but is worthy our consideration we may not be so squemish as to neglect to seek what may be the councel of the holy Ghost in this point Observe therefore what the Scripture doth observe about this number First you shall observe this to finde out the meaning that such as have this number they all have liberty of commerce either in the Catholick Roman Church or in the Image of that Church they may trade with them whether in spiritual or temporal businesses they will not grudge you you are a currant market man among them you are a vendable commodity and you may passe with them and your mony is good silver as in Verse 16 17. But if you be not a Preist of their order nor a Roman Catholick nor have his number you may not buy nor sell that is something then Secondly Marke this that this number of the name is the degree of commerce with the Roman Catholick Church for so he doth discend Verse 17. No man may buy or sell but those that have the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name As who should say they were of the lowest they were the least sort of them yet to them it did pertaine that had the number of the name yet there is so much real difference between them that he saith plainly They that receive the mark or his name they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation And they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in presence of the Lamb And the smoak of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever and they shall have no rest day nor night Rev. 14. 9 10 11. Which shews if they continue in it they cannot be saved There was a cry of the Angel with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand c. It shews the danger is very great to receive the mark of the Beast or the name of the Beast But the number of his name I do not read of any such judgement pronounced to be inflicted upon them though it be great wisdome to avoyd it and it will wonderfully advance their heavenly good to get free from it For wherein lies wisdome but in attaining our cheife good and to know the best means that leads to that good that is in communion with God in his Ordinances purely dispenced that is a second thing Thirdly there is this recorded of this number of the name that the choicest christians and the best christians they gave God thanks for victory over the number as well as over the Beast Rev. 15. 2. They got victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name so that they sung the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty c. They had got the victory over the number of the name of the Beast and they are more abundant in thanksgiving for deliverance then they that had onely victory over the marke and that is their Preistly order or profession of Roman Catholick Religion so that this will come neare some Churches conformed to the Image of the Beast that is National Diocesan or Cathedrall Churches but these have got victory over that not onely over the Beast and his Image and his mark and his name but also the number of his name The fourth observable thing in Scripture is I am occasioned to gather up little beaâ—s of wisdome which the holy Ghost hath scattred that so we may gather up this account that this number of his name is not said to be the number of his years It is neither the number of his years when he began nor the number of his years when he shall end They cannot make it the beginning of his years for though there be some that thought that Antichrist did first arise to a name in the year 606. yet they cannot cleare it by story It is 〈◊〉 in 606. or rather 604. Boniface took upon him the title of cheif Bishop that is spiritual advancing which was a part of Antichrist yet Antichrist was begun and 606 is not 666. there is 60. years difference and it is like the holy Ghost would not have varied so much in such an expresse number therefore this number is not for the time of the beginning of this beast Neither is it the end of his years for the beast continues still to this time which hath been almost a thousand years since 666. But some say in this round number something is omitted as when we say 88. we mean 1588. yet in Scripture phrase such small numbers are not
yield to the orders of these Canons and beare witnesse to the number of the Name Suppose the Cross or Surplice or kneeling at the the Sacrament many Christians have strong reasonings about this that they may keep their liberty of Commerce their buying and selling and will not God have mercy and not sacrifice Though such Godly christians in their weaknesse have such reasonings yet beleive it we are to blesse God that hath given us to see that there is no correspondency to be kept with Rome If you have the number of his name this is not that which the holy Ghost speaks of as damnable heresie you may live and dye in that judgment and be saved therefore he doth not pronounce fire and brimstone to such they think in conscience they may yeild to this and that as being the command of Caesar or of the Church the Lord spare you as the Apostle saith But if a man will adore the Roman Catholick Church or the Pope the head of it and submit in conscience to be guided by their Laws he renounces his salvation in such a case that a man shall pin his faith upon the Churches sleeve and his hope and Government and course of life on the Churches sleeve this is the way to everlasting damnation And therefore in those Churches that are even Images of Antichrist it pleaseth God to keep his servants so far that they dare not take all their Laws for doctrine without question nor all the ways of their Government as the Government of Christ that God opens all the hearts of his faithful servants to see But yet for the number of his name It is say they but a few trifling things they are made a matter of six as Crosse and Surplice and kneeling at the Sacrament and bowing to Altars and the name of Jesus and ye will have six in the end and what will be multiplyed on that six the Lord knows But for you here look at it as a special mercy that you see the vanity of receiving the number of his name and that you have this deliverance from it that though you have lost your buying and selling that if you were there you might hardly be seen in the Market and in many of those Churches you will hardly be allowed yet you have lost no more then ought to be forsaken There are that have sometimes put X for the crosse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a long letter in wrinkles for the Surplice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the proportion of a man bowing but I would not limit the counsell of the holy Ghost so strictly But take all that is numbred by their Canon Law and it will come all to one reckoning they are but the number of the beast whether the Pope dictate them or they receive them and though they cut of his head for saith yet for discipline and order and circumstances they still retaine him and these are the number of the Beast therefore blesse the Lord that hath shewed you these to be evils and saved you from such prevailing evils Secondly for your present condition learn thus much It will not be safe for ye to receive the Image of any other Church then that which Christ hath established and this is grounded upon 12. upon the Apostles doctrine and multiplyed by 12. increased with the increasings of God blessed be his name therefore it being so hold fast this forme and be not removed from it If you fall to adore National or Diocessan or Provincial or Cathedral Church-government then you will fall to number by 6. and multiply 6. by 10. in the end it will come to passe all this shall be maintained by tenths such setled endowments and preserments and then it may be you shall have liberty of buying and selling of traffique and trading the Beast of Rome will allow you some liberty that way yet believe it it is a special part of your wisdome to know this and the danger of it If a man in his ignorance shall yeild to these things God will pardon it but if a man know these things and willingly give way to them the Lord will require it at his hands Consider therefore this number and avoyd it though it cost you all your liberties the Lord will say this onely is a wise people that renounce not onely the Beast but the Images of him and his marke and the name Catholick and Roman Catholick and conformity to all the number of his name If ye establish your hearts in these spiritual resolutions here is wisdome and thereof how should it provoke the hearts of Gods people to be setled in conscience about such points as these though it may be your countrey-men will count you fools in runing such desperate ventures that you would hazard your fortunes and at length bring a noble to nine pence you shall bring your six hundreds to sixties and your sixties to sixe No matter what they think of it so long as ye shall keep the Apostolical number and multiply by their rule the holy Ghost saith Here is wisdome and he that hath understanding let him so esteem that here is wisdome and it was wisdome to come hither and he that came for this end never made a better bargaine in his life then to come over for this because he would have no more to do with the Beast and his Image and his name and the number of his name I say thou hast made a wise bargaine if thou wilt take the word of the holy Ghost for thy security he saith here is wisdome Thirdly it may teach us that are come hither to see that the Lord acknowledgeth our wisdome in the abrenuntiation which we have made from these inventions of the sonnes of men The Lord did foretel us what should be our case we should not have liberty to buy nor sell neither be seen in Church nor Market and he counts it wisdome to remoove on these termes but if we shall have flittering mindes to go back againe the Lord will write upon it here is a foole this their way is their folly Psal 49 13. When men in their hearts wax weary of the Churches of Christ and of the discipline of Christ and look at them as fulsome and empty things for want of feeling the life of Christ and wisdome of Christ run on foolishly and preposterously and truly take a course to overthrow their communion they have with Christ and make shipwrack as much as in them lies of all that which they have undergone of all our sufferings and tryals Saith the Apostle to the elect Lady and her children in 2 John 8. Look to your selves that ye loose not those things which ye have wrought but that ye receive a full reward That as you have made a wise bargain and a safe bin at so much charge and have been freed from the image of Antichrist and the remnant of his image and the remnant of his number we have cause
to blesse God for it And though we may think of mending our selves here or there yet you will finde it a difficult thing to finde 12. multiplyed by 12. in any place under Heaven that is either your foundation shall not be Apostolical institution or your administration apostolick doctrine That christians should be the foundation of Churches as the Apostles require Saints by calling and to build on such and to administer such according to the word of God Yea though the Lord should be pleased to give our Countrey-men free passage of a Parliament as now we have speech of it and though they be a wise Nation yet such is the very frame of the State and of the Sonnes of men that if the Lord give free passage of a Parliament you will find it a very difficult thing to have the State ruled by Apostolical judgment to reject all devices of men to shut out the greatest part of a kingdom from the Lords Table you would finde rebellions multiplyed exceedingly if they were of the spirit that they were of in Edward the sixths time And when you are gone out of the Countrey not that I would flatter the Countrey the Lord knows we our selves here have need to grow more spiritual daily but yet in respect of the Churches of God and administration of things here though we faile and go aside we have the rule to shew us the way back againe I say when you are gone go whether you will you will have much ado to finde materials and more ado to finde forme and administration as that it may be in cold blood you will fit and mourn by the waters of Babilon and hang your Harpes upon the willowes and say how shall we sing the Lords song the song of Zion in a strange Laâ—d Therefore let it provoke us to hold fast what we have received and not to be taken off with faire pretences to turne aside to one hand or the other if we be in a state of wisdome let us keep in it and beleive it whatever takes you to a contrary course to things as they stand if the holy Ghost say this is wisedome then I am sure the contrary of it must needs be folly Fourthly it may teach us in the fear of God to have an eye to our brethren in our native Country to consider those defects that those which reformed religion before us did leave in the recovery of the Country out of the jaws of Antichrist you see what the Lord requires of us that we should have nothing to do with the number of the Beast Though they cut off the head of the Beast from being of any soveraign power to them yet they took too much liberty for forme of worship and for the number of the Popes name and of Government by Canon Laws yea the whole Church discipline by the Popish Canon Law onely with this destinction that whereas the Pope enjoyed it before now the King he claims headship over the Church aswel as the civil State and he deriveth the Church-power to the chief Bishops and they worke upon it more and more and though it be true both Henery the eighth and much more Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth all these did set so many Councellors so many Divines and so many common and civil Lawyers to cull out of the Popes Decretals such Canons as were most fit for Government and most of such as cut off Popish supremacy yet they could never agree of it and so they admit them as the Popes Canons only yet so that whereas reference of Ecclesiastical matters was to the Pope now it is to the King as supream head and Governour but the Popes Canons are the government of the Church Now what was the reason There was an unsafe principle in their hearts that they thought it lawfull to take the Laws of the Roman Church and that any King might have power to make Laws to govern the Church as well as the Pope had It is true he hath power to make Lawes as well as the Pope had and better but the truth is neither the Pope nor King hath power to make Laws to rule the Church but it must be by the Laws of Christ Whatsoever is not of the number of 12. is superadded and will never prosper but this principle making them willing to admit such things though they were the chiefest of the Kingdome that were appointed for that worke yet they could never agree But had they received a little more light and wisdome to cut off the number of the Beast aswel as his head it would have prevailed for the liberty of Gods Ordinances and purity of Doctrine I say this being wanting to them let it not be wanting to us but through the mercy of God the servants of God have taken no small paines to clear up such things what the Laws are in the Church of Christ by which Magistrates and others are to be guided how far civil Government may reach and how farre it may not go still reserving this fundamental principle to hold them close to the direction of the holy Ghost by the 12. Apostles and this being the pious care of our Magistrates and of the Churches this wisdome will by the blessing of God be established that that which other Nations have not attained to this day may by the blessing of God be reached by us and yet though the Elders are to enquire and to commend to them such rules as may establish it it pleaseth God not to give as yet passage to our purposes appoint one day a storme of raine hinders appoint the second day fortnight then a storme of snow prevents that it is tough work to establish things of this nature it is difficult as if the Lord would have them established in a spirituall way as Moses the Law by 40. dayes fasting he had the spirit of God and larger measure by much then we yet the Lord requires serious humiliation of him And therefore since I heard that there hath been a seasonable motion to commend such a thing to the State that the whole country do in special maner seek God at such a time against the consultation of the general Court and this weighty point falling in for ripening of mens thoughts for the Laws of the Country and limitation of jurisdictions both of Church and Common-wealth the Lord saith he will be sought unto by the house of Israel Therefore I think the motion is seasonable and was glad to hear of it and thought to commend it to our honoured Governours that sit at Stern and all other Churches but we that are present have no power but in our own Church nor that but with the consent of the Church that if it be thought convenient this day seven-night might be set apart to seek the face of God that we may take time both to ripen our consultations and to prevaile with the Lord to prosper our consultations and administrations that this matter
fast in his remembrance as if they were written in a book before him For that end his decree hath taken such particular notice of them that if they were written in a book before him they could not be more stedfastly and particularly recorded It is a phrase borrowed from men that when they would remember such a man or such a freind they set them down in a booke God stands not in need of books but his clear and everlasting love to them is such that they are engraven as on the palmes of his hands as the Shew-bread was present before the Lord continually which represented the 12. Tribes that his eye might be upon them from one end of the week to another and the word which the Septuagints use for Shew-bread it is translated as the word which the Apostle useth Rom. 8. 28. and the Greeke Translators and Hebrew expresse it it is the bread of Gods purpose or of Gods face and what is his purpose it is not with him as it is with us that whiles we speak of one man we forget another but his purpose is alwayes the same and these being the bread of Gods purpose they are ever before him from one end of the week to another and from one end of the year to another now that is the meaning of the Question what is the Booke of life It is the booke of Gods eternall election that is it is the register or record of the names of all whom God hath chosen to life and salvation in Christ Quest 2. If you shall aske why it is called the Lambes Booke of life Answ First because the Lord hath given this booke to Christ and all the names of his elect by name to be brought to salvation and kept in a state of salvation to imortality and therefore you shall read in Scripture when God puts forth an eternall love to his people wrought eternall salvation for us I mean when he did eternally elect us to grace and glory in this eternall election of his there was accompanying an eternall donation in giving them to Christ Christ knew his fathers counsel from eternity and the Lord gave them to Christ by him to be brought and he undertaking that they shall be brought to salvation the Lord requiring that he should keep them to immortality he shall work the means and apply the same effectually to the end of the world This is evident from those Scriptures that speak of the grant and of the gift of them to Christ before their effectuall calling though donation go before that for from that love of God by which he gives us to Christ in our effectuall calling he gives us Christ and faith to receive Christ but before this there is a giving a donation of us to Christ as John 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me So this coming to Christ is believing on Christ and it is so exprest in ver 35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that beliveth on me shall never thirst To come to Christ is to belive on his name thus much doth hee expresse himselfe that all that the Father give him in his eternall counsell they shall come unto him to wit in effectuall calling him the Father will draw none but whom in his eternall counsell he hath given to Christ and whom he drawes I will not cast out in ver 37. to 44. So then when this act of Gods eternall election passed on those whose persons are designed to grace and glory hee gave all by name to the Lord Jesus as if they were particularly registred in a booke And he promised that in fulnesse of time he would draw them to him and required that the Lord Jesus should keep them under his wing to imortality it is called therefore the Lambs booke of life because he is the subject receptive of it Answ 2. And again it is called the Lambs booke of life because he is the head of all Gods elect they are all elect in him not besides or out of him not as actually believing in him for it is long before any work of ours Rom. 9. 11. Not of workes but of him that calleth the children being not yet born neither having done good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand Election iâ— before any worke of ours God gives us in his eternall councell to Christ but we are not then in him by faith faith is an effect of our election not the cause of it As many as were ordained to eternall life believed Acts 13. 46. 48. But this is the thing It is a true distinction that some give in that case we are in Christ not by actuall existence in beleiving nor as so considered but by virtuall comprehension the Lord looks at us as in him we are not in him by faith but the Lord comprehending us in his everlasting decree we are in him by Gods charter even children not born the Lord hath wrapped us in his everlasting armes in his electing love promising in time to give us faith to beleive on him and therefore to come to him and to give him to us that wee may live in his sight therefore it is the Lambs book of life as he is the sonne of man the sonne of the Virgin Mary to be united to the second person in Trinity long before his humane nature was in being Answ 3. And it is called also the book of the life of the Lambe if you have respect of referring to Christ this life then you take Christ as he is the subject of this life in John 14. 19. Because I live you shall live also I live and then you live and he is the author the efficient the procreant and conservant cause of life in us to eternity the Lord hath given us eternall life and this life is in his son He that hath the sonne hath life 1 John 5. 12. So you see the meaning of these words these persons that are thus given to Christ elect vessels to grace and glory that are given to Christ they are preserved from the worship of the Beast and none but they they onely for this purpose you read that false Christs whereof Antichrist is chief Mat. 24. 24. They shall deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect It implies thus much that none of them shall be deceived by all false Christs but all others shall be deceived earthly minded men and such whose names are not written in the Lambes book of life they shall be deceived the Beast shall go into perdition and they with him Rev. 17. 8. Not but that for a time they that are Gods elect may be taken with a fond admiration and adoration of the Beast to beleive as the Church of Rome believes and may look for peace of conscience from the dispensations of the Church of Rome it may be so as Bilney and Latimer that were marvellous devout to that Church though it