Heaven Now by Stephen's arguing the worshipping the host of Heaven must be Idolatry of a grosser nature than that committed by the Israelites Exod. 32. and yet if their Idolatry was professed worshipping of the calves as gods it will be found more grosse than to worship the host of Heaven at least there can be no such sensible gradation of heightening that Spirituall plague of worshipping the host of Heaven beyond the other which is Stephen's scope therefore it is thus to be understood that because they corrupted the worship of the true God contrary to His command therefore God gave them up to the worshipping of these that are not gods such as the host of Heaven which way of justice was formerly observed in reference to the Gentiles from Rom. 1 c. So that the construction put upon their deed Acts. 7.41 is the Lords estimation of it and not their own profession and that the Israelites intended the worship of the true God in these calves Bellarmin thinketh it not improbable de imag lib. 2. cap. 13. The second instance is in Micah's practice Iudg. 17. where it is clear that they counted not that Idol to be God but intended the worship of the true God by it for vers 3. the mother saith she had dedicated that money to the Lord to make a graven and molten Image intending expresly to honour the Lord in bestowing so much on that Image for him For she first dedicateth the money to Him and then bestoweth it as it were for His use upon that Image 2. It appeareth by Micah's great zeal to have a Levit to be his Priest and his joy when he obtained it and his promising himself a blessing from the Lord upon that account which certainly supponeth that he intended good service to JEHOVAH in the doing of that vers 13. And lastly we find that Priest enquiring counsel for the Danits not from the Image but from the Lord whereby it appeareth that they intended not the setting up of new gods but the honouring of the Lord and confirming of themselves by visible signs of His presence The third instance is that of Ieroboam 1 King 12. 2 Chron. 11. in his infamous sin of setting up calves at Dan and Bethel whereby he made Israel to sin that this is most grosse Idolatry and worshipping of devils the Scripture frequently holdeth forth Yet 2. that it was not Ieroboam's design to withdraw the people from the true God Himself to the worshipping of these calves as God but allanerly by corrupting the manner of His worship to set up these visible signs of His presence in place of these appointed by Himself at Ierusalem will also appear if we consider 1. Ieroboams motive inducing him to this sin it was not for fear the people should worship the true God or to prevent that but it was for fear of the peoples going to Ierusalem and to prevent that hence his pretext is not to put these calves in the room of the God worshipped at Ierusalem but to equal Dan and Bethel with these visible signs to Ierusalem according to his saying It is too much for you to go up to Ierusalem as if he would say ye may worship God nearer home in these places designed Neither is it likely that he could have so expected to have effectuated his interprise by proposing a change in the object of their worship 2. It will appear from this that that Idolatry of Ieroboam is not only distinguished from the true worship of God continued for a time in Iudah but also from the Iolatry of Heathens abroad and Idolatrous Kings succeeding to him such as that of Ahab 1 King 16. 30 c. who yet it seemeth wanted not all profession of worshipping the true God Iereboam's Idolatry is counted light in respect of Ahab and no other reason can be given but because Ahab and these Sidonians whom he followed erred in setting up strange gods and Ieroboam his error did consist in setting up strange worship to the true God and when Iehu is commended for destroying the Idolatry of Ahab 2 Kings Chap. 9. and 10. it cannot be thought that he changed only the worshipping of Baal into the worshipping of Ieroboam's calf without respect to the true God For 1. what lesse abomination were it to worship the image of a calf than the image of Baal 2. That could not consist with Iohn's fair professions of zeal for the Lord if he had not thought the worshipping of these calves upon the former politick consideration of Ieroboam consistent with worshipping of the true God 2 King 10.31 Iohn's challenge is that he took not heed to walk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart for he departed not from the sins of Ieroboam which words imply that Iohn had some profession of worshipping the true God but was not sincere in the manner of it which phrase is also sometimes spoken of sundry Kings of Iudah Beside 2 King 10.23 Iohn separateth between the worshippers of Baal and of the true God and who were these but even such as continued in the sins of Ieroboam 3. We will find even in Israel whiles that Idolatry continued in it a generall acknowledgement of the true God by the Kings and People of these times and of his Prophets all which were inconsistent with their worshipping of the calves as the true God beside even after the captivity of these ten Tribes we will find the new inhabitants plagued for their Idolatrous worship which made them enquire for the manner of the God of the Land which mixture in the service of the true God with their Idols continued even till Christ came By all which it appeareth that the people of Israel never so esteemed of their calves as to account them gods or to place them in the room of the true God but that they esteemed themselves to be worshipping him when they worshipped them which was the thing intended to be proven The fourth instance is from 2 Chron. 33.17 Neverthelesse the people did still sacrifice in the high places yet unto the Lord their God only That this sacrificing in the high places where the Groves and Images ordinarily were was to no Idol but to the Lord only is expresly asserted in the Text and in this it is differenced from the peoples sacrificing formerly before Manasses repentance unto Idols Now their fault is that they continue that manner of worship formerly used to their Idols and apply it to God That this practice of theirs is a kind of Idolatry will also thus appear 1. It is excepted as a thing that was discommendable Neverthelesse they sacrificed in the high places c. and consequently it must belong to one of the commands which can be to none so well as the second and must therefore be a breach of it 2. Their sacrificing now is in generall a sin of that same kind with their sacrificing formerly But their sacrificing formerly was Idolatry only this is the
number to shew that the number is something making his followers discernable as well as the mark The judgement threatened followeth vers 10. and 11. which is to be looked on not only as he threatened them with hell for that was common to such at all times but from the aggravations of it it is clear he threateneth them with more than an ordinary torment in hell yea more than these that lived in darknesse before this light shined unto them The judgement is generally set out in two similitudes then aggravated by some circumstances The same shall c. that is every one or any one that sinneth follower or master The first similitude is He shall drink of the wine of the Wrath of God powred out in the cup of his indignation c. This similitude is opposed to their sin vers 8. Antichrist hath a sinfull cup and they will drink it God hath a cup of wrath or wine of wrath not for refreshing but that it maketh madd drunken and loathsome Psal. 75.8 Isa. 51. ult Ier. 25.15 27. And this wine of His wrath is powred out to shew the aboundance of it not in the cup of mercy no but of His indignation and when the wine is wrath and the cup indignation O what a drink will that be especially the wrath of an omnipotent just Godâ— Psal 76.7 Psal. 90.11 every word setteth out its terriblenesse The second similitude is They shall be tormented with fire and brimstone whether there be materiall fire in hell or not we need not dispute it is here to expresse the exquisitest and greatest torment that can be imagined from what is used amongst men possibly alluding to the destruction of Sodom which God destroyed by fire Certainly that torment must hold out a great torment yet there are four aggravations added 1. This wrath is unmixed vers 10. pure wrath O how terrible when little sparks of wrath here mixed with many mercies are so sore what will it be when there will not be a drop of cold water gotten to quench burning wrath Luk. 16. The second aggravation is vers 10. in the end that is before the Lamb and His Angels which implyeth 1. They shall be tormented before Christ as if he took delight in it whom now they despise He will be master then and shall see them and not help them but their torment shall be as it were a satisfaction to Him and a trophee of His victory See Luk. 19.27 The Mediators vengeance is sore Isa. 61.2 2. That there will be in them by this a sense both of their losse and of the sin that hath procured it to be a gnawing worm within them they shall not get leave to forget any of these this presence before Him being more in respect of their conscience and sense than of nearnesse of place which is not understood here The third aggravation is from the eternity of their torment it hath no end but that fire burneth alway for their eternall torment is but satispassio to them and never satisfactio to God for the smoke thereof ascendeth for ever and ever vers 11. It was Spira's word he would eare little for hell if it were for no longer than 20000. years but when 20000. times 20000. years are expired it is but beginning 4. It is aggreged from its want of intermissions pains here are sometimes lesse and more but there there is no rest night nor day it is there alway at the height of torment as the effect of Gods wrath In which ye have a lively description of hell It must needs be a fearfull thing to fall in the hands of the living God If any ask how that rigide executing of justice upon the damned in hell may stand with the mercies of God which are said to be over all His works in a generall sense at least Answ. That may be said notwithstanding of this in these two respects 1. Because that wrath which is inflicted upon the damned is not adequate to the Power of God for He is able to punish them yet more terribly even when their torment is at the highest 2. Because even then they deserve more and it would be no imputation to Justice if they were more intently plagued for although their sins as they are acts in them be finit yet being considered with respect to the object God against whom they are committed they are infinit ills and therefore deserve infinit punishments and so in severity of Justice might be reached beyond what they are this expression in its scope here doth hold forth hell to be insufferable to all but that there is a further and greater measure of wrath to be powred out upon these who are guilty of the sin of Popery continued-in after the bringing of the Gospel to light Whence we may Observe 1. What a horrible and dreadfull thing hell and lying under the wrath of God for ever therein is that is so described here It must be a fearfull thing to be for ever there Many will curse their own unbelief of this when the cup of the indignation of God filled with His wrath shall be put in their hands to drink thereof for ever 2. This sin of Popery and worshipping of the beast must be most abominable which hath this wrath threatened against it it must be a desperate Religion that hath this condition for the expectation thereof Let none think it a light sin which the Lord so peremptorily threatneth it is no little mercy that we are fred therefrom and there is need to be thankfull for the light we have and to improve it well while we have it 3. Abused light hasteneth and heightneth wrath hell now becometh both more hott and more inevitable than before this light did break forth The despising of the Gospel will make hell exceeding insufferable even beyond that of the despising of the Law as Heb. 10.28 c. 4. Mark the connexion of these two cups there is a cup of sin which she maketh others to drink of it s called the wine of the wrath of her fornication because in Gods justice men were plagued by being given up to that error whereupon followeth vers 10. a cup of the wrath of God and that without mixture Sin may be sweet for a time but it draweth on bitternesse without mixture the cup that followeth it will better shew the nature thereof Concerning the difficulty of Salvation under Popery THere is one thing asserted here as also in the preceeding Chapter which possibly may need clearing to some not acquainted with the nature and mysteries of Popery and that is that the salvation of Papists according to their principles seemeth hereby to be made impossible it may be therefore worthy the enquiring into whether or upon what grounds that may be made out and if that be understood of and extended unto all within that Church or whether and how difference may be made amongst these that bear that name What may be said of some and how
threatned by the sixth Trumpet the reasons why it is applied to the Turks with an answer to some objections made against this 448 to 454 The overthrow of the Turks prophesied of under the sixth Vial with answers to some objections on the contrary 620 That there is an indefinit time understood by these fourty and two months Chap. 11.2 is cleared and some exceptions considered 479 480 Why the same time is changed from dayes to moneths and from moneths to years 482 V THe preparation to the prophesie of the seven Vials where the judgment is set forth in its rise the instruments are described their furniture and concomitants with the execution of the judgment is set down 605 606 Some general considerations premitted for understanding of the Vials 607 608 The object plagued by these Vials and the effect following thereupon 608 609 The pouring-forth of the first Vial with the effects thereof ibid. The second Vial with its object to wit the sea and what is signified thereby and the effects thereof 610 611 The third Vial with its object to wit the rivers and fountains and what we are to unstand by these with the effects thereof and the congratulations that followed thereupon 611 612 Why these congratulations are marked at the pouring-forth of the third Vial ibid. The pouring-forth of the fourth Vial the object thereof to wit the Sun and what we are to understand by it together with the effects of the same 613 614 The fifth Vial poured-forth with its object and effects 614 615 Some helps for understanding the sixth Vial the object upon which it is poured-forth and the effect which follow 615 616 Whether the last Vial bringeth judgment on the Beast alone or the last plagues on the world including the last judgment what is the object thereof and the effects which follow 625 626 The event of the sixth Vial more fully explained Chap. 19. and that this doth belong to the sixth Vial cleared 688 689 What is meant by that he that is unjust let him be unjust still 766 W OF the Waldenses and what the Popish writers charged them with 501 502 503 What is meant by the Waters being turned into bloud 424 Some things observed concerning the Whore where it is cleared that by the Whore Rome is understood 628 629 The judgment of the Whore and some of her properties also what the name Whore doth import 630 631 What is understood by winds in scripture 379 What is particularly to be understood by these Winds mentioned Chap. 7. 380 The object and the instruments of these judgements signified by the four Winds 381 382 The consolation which the Lord giveth to strengthen and guard His people against that storm and judgement held forth by these four Winds the instrument of this consolation the place whence he cometh the manner of executing his office the matter of his cry the objects about which he taketh care together with the effects of the execution of his commission 385 386 This consolation against these winds set forth more particularly in severall circumstances 392 393 Why Christ is called the faithfull Witnesse 5 What the two Witnesses denote where of their work number and the power that is given them 481 482 The prophesie of the two witnesses groundlesly applied by Papists to Enoch and Elias and no lesse absurdly by Grotius to two Bishops in Ierusalem ibid. Who these two Witnesses were whom the Lord acknowledgeth for His Prophets or how they could be so accounted of having one common call with Antichrists followers 483 Why the two Witnesses are not only called the two Olives but the two Candlesticks also 484 Where Christ hath a politick body of a Church there He hath still Witnesses in it ibid. Of the killing of the two Witnesses by whom it is done and how the beast is said to make war against them now 485 486 How the Witnesses testimony is said to be finished when Ministers testifying is a continuall work and how the beast can be said to prevail more against the witnesses at the beginning of his fall than in the time of his reign 485 486 The place described where the witnesses are to be slain with the properties thereof which are to be understood mystically the satisfaction that men had at the death of these witnesses and the continuance thereof 487 488 The resurrection of the witnesses and what is signified thereby with the circumstances thereof and the glorious condition of the Church which followed thereupon set forth by severall concomitants that waited upon this resurrection 491 492 493 If the killing of the Witnesses be past or if these 1260. dayes of the Gentiles treading underfoot the outter Court and the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth be expired and if so how this prophesie is fulfilled where some objections moved against the affirmative are considered and the time for the beginning and end of these dayes is more particularly fixed 494 495 496 497 That there were ever some Witnesses and a Church keeped pure from Antichrists abominations untill the time of Reformation and that about the time when it began the witnesses were very few and in a low condition proven 498 499 Some application of the witnesses being killed and of their resurrection afterward to the time when it was done 500 501 How Christs head and hair are said to be like wool 38 Some generall observations for clearing that vision of the womans appearing in heaven c. 519 520 What we are to understand by the Dragons watching the woman and the childe and who this woman and the childe were 520 521 The woman described and the event of her war with the Dragon 521 522 What is to be understood by the womans fleeing into the wildernesse 523 The woman that sitteth upon the beast described more generally and more particularly 633 634 657 658 Why the devil seeketh to engage Women and put them upon the top of sinful designs 162 Christs commendation of the whole Word of God in generall and particularly of this Book together with a severe commination incase of making any addition to it or taking any thing away from it 779 780 781 Worthinesse how many wayes considered 184 185 How to apprehend of God in the Trinity of Persons rightly when we worship him with some rules to direct us therein 9 God the only object of divine worship 11 In what respect Christ as Mediator is the object of worship and in what not 12 13 And how prayers may be formed expresly to Him 14 15 16 What may encourage us to make use of Him in our worship 17 18 19 The several sorts of idolatrous Worship and the way how to try it 455 Worship doth imply three things and the kinds of lawfull worship mentioned in the Scriptures 695 Whether Iohn sinned in Worshipping the Angel what kind of sin it was how he fell into it with the judgment of some Popish Doctors about this matter 695 696 Of the Popish Worshipping of Angels and Saints and what is to be thought of that mid worship between civil and religious invented by them 697 698 That none are to Write without a clear call thereto and what is sufficient what nor to clear a mans call to Write 61 62 63 Y VVHether by the thousand years of the Saints reign we are to understand a definit or indefinit time 722 Whether these â—ears be wholly past or wholly to come or now current with the diversity of opinions in this matter 723 What is to be determined concerning the beginning and close of these 1000. years ibid. If the beginning of these 1000. years be to be reckoned from the beginning of the vials or is it to be restricted to the seventh vial 725 The beginning of the thousand years falleth to be about the year 1560. where some objections to the contrary are answered 727 Z ZEal often lesse against error than scandalous practices 156 157 FINIS Chap. 1. Chap. 2 and 3. Chap. 4. and 5. Chap. 6. Chap. 7. Chap. 8. Chap. 9. Chap. 10.11 Chap. 12. Chap. 13. Chap. 14. Chap. 15. Chap. 16. Chap. 17. Chap. 18. Chap. 19. Chap. 20. Chap. 21. and 22. Grotius Hammond
them as particular Churches To the seven Churches in Asia and not to the Church in Asia Answ. For clearing of this the Scripture speaks of the Church in a threefold sense 1. As comprehending the whole number of visible Professors scattered through the world so the Gospel-Church is spoken of from the dayes of Christ to His coming again as 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secundarily Prophets c. where by Church is not to be understood this or that particular Church nor the Church in Corinth for the Church he is speaking of is such a Church as God had set the Apostles in and all Officers and that was in no particular Church but is the universal Church spoken of in the Verse before made up both of Iews and Gentiles and so the word is often used elswhere as it is said Paul made havock of the Church and that he persecuted the Church It was not this or that particular Church but all that called on the Name of Jesus Christ to whatsoever particular Church they did belong So 1 Cor. 10.32 the Church is contradistinguished from Iews and Gentiles Give none offence to the Iews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God that is to the Church visible professing Faith in Christ. And this Church Râ—vel 12. is set out under the similitude of a woman in travel in readiness to be delivered and afterward doth flee which is not this or that particular Church but the Mother-Church comprehending the whole visible number of Professors 2. It is taken as comprehending a number of Believers meeting together in one place ordinarily for the Worship of God the smallest associated part of this body of the universal visible Church as 1 Cor. 14.34 a company of professing Believers met or meeting together for Preaching or Prayer and in this sense the Scripture speaks not so often of the Church 3. It 's taken neither for the whole body of visible Professors nor yet for such a part of that Body that is a company met or meeting together but for a number associated and combined under one Government meeting in their Church-Guides and Officers though under this combination and Government there be many Congregationâ— and Meetings and so the Church at Corinth Ephesus and Ierusalem is to be understood not for the Universal Catholick Church nor for a particular Congregation but for a number of particular Congregations under one Government such as there was in Corinth and Ephesus And yet when he directs his Epistle to one Church as under one Government particular Congregations are included as in Ierusalem there were many Churches and many Watch-men and they could not meet together in one place for the exercise of Gods Worship yet it was not unsuitable to say the Church at Ierusalem as the Church at Glasgow as under one Government though it were not suitable to speak of them as of one Congregation met together for there were many moe Congregations of people in one of those Towns as 1 Cor. 14.34 compared with 1 Cor. 1.3 there were Churches under one Church therefore it behoved to be a mutual combination that made up one body In answer to the Question therefore While he speaks to them as Churches in Asia it is because he looks on them as so many distinct incorporations parts of the whole or because their cases and conditions were distinct and one message could not agree to all the case of Ephesus was one the case of Smyrna another c. And severall cases and conditions required severall letters But if any say It is improper to speak of a Church in the New Testament except of a particular Congregation because it 's said here to the seven Churches in Asia and elswhere the Churches in Judea c. We answer 1. That inference will not hold but rather the contrary for here it 's said the Church at Ephesus and in Ephesus were many particular Congregations therefore it 's meaned of a Church associated and combined under one Government neither ever are Churches in one place mentioned of whatsoever number they be but as one 2. Though seven Churches of Asia be spoken of here yet Revel 12. the Church is spoken of under the similitude of one woman and these Churches must be parts of that one the seed of that woman and children of that mother See more chap. 11. at the end Observâ— That our Lord Jesus Christ taketh notice of the particular estate of His Churches not only how it goeth with the Church in general but how it goeth with this or that particular Church how it goeth with Edinburgh Glasgow c. which shews a reason why he distinguisheth them in the inscription The second part of the inscription is a thanksgiving from the midst of the 5. vers to the 7. vers when he hath wished Grace and Peace from Iesus Christ whom he calls the first begotten from the dead because by vertue of Him all do arise and because He was the first that rose and went to Heaven for though Enoch and Elias be personally in Heaven they tasted not of death and so cannot be called the first begotten from the dead others died again as Lazarus And when he hath called Him the Prince of the Kings of the earth as set down now at His Fathers right hand as the Fathers Lord-Deputy to point out His Mediatory and given Kingdom and His reigning for the good of the Elect and to rule others for their sake though not to subdue and make them willing Subjects yet to bruise them with His Mace and Iron-Scepter When I say he is speaking thus of Jesus Christ his heart beginneth to warm and he breaketh out in a word of thanksgiving wherein there is 1. a description of the Person to whom the thanksgiving is made 2. The thanksgiving it self The description is excellent and of exceeding great consolation to the Church as holding out Christs bowels and the priviledges and benefits that Believers have in and through Him 1. In the Fountain they come from Him that loved us What a One is Christ He is He who loved us this is the Bosome-grace from whence all other Graces and Benefits do flow Prov. 8. everlasting love and the first and chief stile in all our praise If Believers would know who Christ is It 's he who loved us a most comfortable stile 2. In the particular benefits that flow from this love and washed us from our sins in his own blood Every word hath an emphasis in it He had not an empty and complementing love but such a love as moved Him to leave the hight of Glory and come down and take on our nature and in that nature to die and shed His blood for us and by that blood to wash us from the filthinesse and guilt of sin in taking away the evil of sin and wrath And in that He is said to wash us from sin in His own blood It suppones 1. That sin is a
Col. 2.16 where the Scripture seems to say plainly that all dayes are alike Therefore the Lords day cannot be so understood Answ. This doth indeed directly contradict the letter of the Text for either this Text pointeth at one day by another or else it doth nothing 2. The Apostles scope in the places that seem to be contrary to this is clear when he casts the Jewish Sabbath and holy dayes he casts them alike in respect of Jewish observation only or in so far as they were Jewish and Typical for Christ had taken them away in that respect even as He casteth meats also yet without prejudice of the Sacraments and this confirmeth our Argument For if Jewish Dayes and Sabbaths were taken away fourtie years and more as is clear by Paul before Iohn wrote this Revelation in as far as they were Jewish and yet Iohn speaks of a Lords day as differenced from other dayes it sayes it continued when they were abolished There is a great odds betwixt laying-aside of Jewish dayes and the Lords day and when Iohn speaks of the Lords day he speaks of it in the singular number in opposition to those many dayes the Jews had under the ceremonial Law And even that learned Doctor granteth this place to speak of the first day and the Churches practice to meet on it also and in several respects to be priviledged beyond other dayes A second exception is If this day be so counted of it will bring in the sanctifying of it in as eminent a measure as the Jews Sabbath was And is not that to judaize Answ. Distinguish betwixt things Ceremoniall or Typicall and things Morall and Perpetuall We bring back nothing that was Ceremoniall and Typicall as their Sabbaths of Weeks Sacrifices and many other things were but for Morall duties they become us as well as the Iews and bind Christians to the end of the World And this brings not back Judaisme neither leads us to Sacrifices and the like which pointed at Christ to come but contrarily this day and the duties of it hold out Christ already come which destroyeth all these Ceremonies and Sacrifices and declareth them to be gone A third exception It cannot be compared with the Lords Supper for 1. The Lords Supper is clearly instituted but this is not clear in the institution thereof 2. The Lords Supper is a Sacrament this is not and dayes may be changed as Sacraments cannot Answ. 1. To the last part It is a begging of the Question if it be the Lords day set apart for His Service all the world cannot change it except He who can change Sacraments also 2. To the first part That the institution of this day is not so clear as the institution of the Supper Answ. We do not paralel them in respect of clearnesse of institution but in respect of the ground or reason why they get this name which suppones an institution If the Sacrament of the Supper be called the Lords Supper because instituted by Him for a speciall use so must the Lords day get this name on this reason or some better or clearer reason from Scripture must be given For the second Seing it gets this name to be called the Lords day It may be questioned here concerning our manner of speaking of dayes calling the Lords day Sunday the next day after it Monday c. which hath the first rise from Superstition if not from Idolatry some of them being attributed to Planets as Sunday and Monday some of them to Idols as Thursday c. But to speak to the thing it self look to the Primitive times we will find Sunday called the Lords day and the dayes of the Week by the first second third c. But the names of dayes being like the names of places and moneths folks must speak of them as they are in use and Scripture warrands us so to do Acts 17.22 Paul is said to stand in the midst of Mars hill Acts 28.11 speaketh of a Ship whose signe was Castor and Pollux So March Ianuary Iuly and August are from the Idols Mars and Ianus or derived from men that appropriate more than ordinary to themselves And though it was ordinary to Christians in the primitive times to call this day the Lords day among themselves yet when they had dealing with the Iews they called it the Sabbath and when they had dealing with the heathen they called it the Sunday And so though it be best to speak of days as Scripture nameth them yet it is agreeable with Scripture to design or denominate them as they are in use among a people especially where no superstitions use is in naming of them For the third The Sanctification of this day It is pointed out in Iohn his saying he was in the Spirit on the Lords day to point out this that this day requireth a special Sanctification and setting apart to Worship God And there are four steps of it mentioned in the Scripture The 1. is negative abstinence not only from sin but from our civil and ordinary affairs which are lawful on other dayes but not on this day Isa. 58.13 The 2. is positive in devoting it to God and spending the whole day in duties of Worship in reading hearing praying singing breaking of bread or celebrating the Communion Acts 20.7 And that not only in private duties but in publick and in private when the publick is interrupted except in cases of necessity 3. It should be spent in the duties of charity though the sanctification of this day cannot consist with working yet it may stand well with giving of almes and seeing to the necessities of others 1 Cor. 16.1 2. A fourth step is in the Text to have a holy and sanctified frame a divine stamp a heavenly conversation more than ordinarly taken up with God and Christ and the things of another Life that day This is the main thing wherein the Sabbath is to be Sanctified and wherein it represents heaven to be abstracted from the world and to be living above in our Spirits eminently ravished in Spirit as abstracted from things we are to be taken up with on other days The frame of a Sabbath should be a kind of ravishment wherein not only we are not taken up with working our ordinary callings but we do go about Prayer and other Spiritual duties in a more heavenly way than on other dayes and that with a difference in our frame being more elevated and Spiritual we should be other men in more divine contemplation This is the main thing called for in sanctifying the Sabbath and therefore Heb. 4. heaven is set out by the Sabbath wherein there ought not only to be a ceasing from our own works but an entering into our rest Heb. 4.10 as it is Isa. 58.13 a delighting in God calling the Sabbath our delight the holy of the Lord and honourable the heart being taken up with it Remember from all that hath been said this day is the Lords day and it saith
this is another ground of our Faith or a confirmation of an Article of it 2. That Jesus Christ in His Man-head satisfied Justice for He was dead He laid down His life and that willingly No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down and take it up again 3. That Jesus Christ is God and Man having two distinct Natures in one Person for in the one Nature He is living and in the other Nature He that was living became dead yet it 's but one Person that was both living and dead some things as is ordinary are attributed to the Person that agree but to one of the Natures as Acts 20. 28. God is said to have purchased His Church with His own Blood not that the Godhead could suffer but He that was God suffered so of the Man Christ it may be said that He is Omnipotent yet not as man but the Person that was and is Man is Omnipotent so the Person that is God died though not as God but in respect of His humane nature and as He was Man These phrases from Christs own mouth do both clear and confirm our Faith And behold I am alive for evermore Then 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ who died once shall die no more 2. He who died out of love to His people is risen and exalted to heavenly glory and dignity and bears the Office of Mediator for the consolation of His people for evermore 3. His exaltation maketh Him no lesse mindfull nor lesse affectionate and tender of Believers in Him for Iohn might have thought that now there was a distance and drinesse come in between Christ and Him especially considered as God but He tells Iohn He liveth for his comfort and that he may expect that He who gave life to all and laid down His life for him and other Believers would be tender of Him and of His life Which letteth us see 1. That the price of Believers Redemption is paid 2. That it is paid by a Brother that had a humane nature and was like us in all things except sin 3. That Christ who is God is also Man and that to put us in a capacity of living 4. See here Christs Resurrection and victory over death so that the bargain is compleated and finished and consequently that Believers shall rise and live for ever through Him Every word here is bigg with consolation to us if we know how to suck at it LECTURE IX Vers. 18. And have the keys of hell and of death 19. Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter 20. The mystery of the seven Stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden Candlesticks The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches THe Lord is now comforting Iohn 1. From His Natures or Person 2. From His dying and victorie over death 3. From His Office which as Mediator He executes instanced especially over hell and death for these reasons 1. Because hell and death were the last enemies Christ had to subdue as if He said I have gotten power over the greatest enemies and consequently I have power over the rest and so it points at the greatnesse and universality of His power as Mediator He being made head over all things to the Church and having all things put under Him both which are in heaven and which are in earth and which are under the earth that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow 2. For the comfort of His people Particularly for the comfort of Iohn because now Iohn was affrighted with the Majesty of God and the challenges of his own sinfulnesse and was overcharged with fear therefore Christ saith to him fear not hell nor death Iohn for I have the keys of both and can dispose so of them as they shall not hurt thee so guarding him and His people against fears and down-casting which may flow from the apprehension of hell and death which are the main things that the wakened person cast down at Christs feet doth fear 1. From our Lords repeating these grounds of consolation for Iohn's incouragement in general Observe That when fear groweth excessive and degenerates even in these that should least mistake Jesus Christ it is not easily removed but will take one ground of encouragement and confirmation after another ere the soul be erected This is clear from the many Arguments and the repeating of them to remove Iohn's fear for Christ doth nothing idely so apprehensive and jealous is flesh when the Majesty of God kythes and the sense of sin and challenges for sin are wakened and the creatures infirmitie and weaknesse is discovered and so strong is misbelief That the souls of these who are most tenderly dealt with and readily none was more tenderly dealt with nor Iohn the beloved Disciple who lay in Christs bosom are hardly raised up to comfort and confidence This flowes partly from the pronenesse of our nature to mistake Christ and sink in discouragement and partly through our weaknesse and sinfulnesse so that the worth of Christ gets no credit in the general far lesse in our paticular at such a nick of time as this is when discouragement prevaileth a thing that experience teacheth and that souls would walk in fear of at such times a temper like unto which we may see Psal. 77. My sore did run in the night my soul refused comfort The second general is this That it is no great hazard for a discouraged soul to be laid at Christs feet it 's a good posture when a soul cannot bear the weight of a difficultie to throw it self down before Him Christ is tender to these and though souls sin in giving way to excessive fear through the apprehension of wrath and guilt yet our Lord deals gently with them when the reed is bruised He will not break it when the flax is but smoaking He will not quench it when the ewes are with young He softly drives them and carries the lambs in His bosome and suits His tendernesse in reference to them Isa. 40.11 If any be in such a condition it were good to believe this Christs tendernesse in such a case when the soul is laid low is abundantly clear in this one instance Thirdly More particularly Observe 1. That Believers may have apprehensions and fears of hell and death or the fears of hell and death may sease and be excessive in them therefore Christ guards against it which otherwise were not needfull Obs. 2. Much of this fear proceedeth from the ignorance of Christs ' Natures Person and Offices or from the ignorance of Him in the administration of these His Offices Therefore when He comes to comfort Iohn He holds out His Offices and lets Him know that life and death are at His disposing There is some secret mistake of Christ and some strange mould of Christ in the mind where
case hath two things in it 1. Her outward afflictions are mentioned 2. Her honesty and integrity under them is taken notice of and approven by Jesus Christ. And this last is a main ground of consolation against the first Her outward afflicted condition is expressed in these three words 1. They were under tribulation that is sad and greatly straitning pressures as the Word signifieth and by this may be understood the afflictions of body name and estate and the sad consequents following thereupon which the Godly are put to by the persecution of wicked men The 2. word is povertie I know thy poverty we take it literally to be understood of such pincheâ— and straits in their outward estates as plundering sequestration finings and other means of that kind use to bring upon men unto this sort of affliction the Christians in the primitive peâ—secutions were exceedingly liable who yet joyfully suffered the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 This is indeed no little part of trial when parents and children are casten loose of all temporal things and have not for the refreshing of themselves and their families The 3. part of their affliction is the reproach of wicked men that wanted not altogether profession I know saith the Lord the blasphemie of thâ—se which say they are Iews and are not but are of the synagogue of Satan Amongst all the Saints crosses there are none more bitter than cruel mockings as they are called Heb. 11.36 and mockings from Iews that pretended to Worship the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob would be more heavie than the reproaches of heathens there were none also more bitter revilers of the Son of God and of His followerâ— than these hardned Iews who having synagogues in considerable Cities did ever with all their might joyn themselves to reproach and persecute the Christians It is like that they had a synagogue in this place pretending to worship God according to the manner of His Law but because of their obstinate maliciousnesse they are by the Lord denied to be Iews and are said to lie and to be of the synagogue of Satan because indeed they looked liker a combination for the devil thâ—n a Congregation for worshipping of God who slew the Lord forbade to speak in His Name and did persecute His Ministers and People as the word is 1 Thess. 2.14 15. From which we may see 1. That the most honest and tender may be liable to most sharp afflictions 2. That often rods and crosses of several kinds are joyned together 3. That reproach is not the least part of affliction of the people of God and the shame thereof being well endured will be accounted honest suffering of a crosse as if it were a bodily affliction 4. There is no person more bitter and invective against those that are sincere than such as have had some engagements to God by profession and have fallen from the same 5. Pretended friends as these Iews were may come to be most grosse enemies which is both their sin and their plague therefore 1 Thess. 2. 16. it is said that wrath was come upon them to the uttermost 6. Gods people may look to be met with and entertained by men as the Lord Jesus useth to be if He be well entertained so will it be with them if He be despised as He was by these Iews let them look to be blasphemed and despised also for it is enough to the servant that he be like his Master The consolation that is proposed against the foresaid affliction is two wayes set down 1. More generally I know thy works which doth not only relate to His Omnisciency as is usuall in these Epistles but here it taketh in His approbation as the word after cleareth Also it is opposed to His taking notice of their enemies malice I know the blasphemy of them that call themselves Iews c. Therefore His knowing of their works must include His respect to their honesty as His knowing of their blasphemy pointeth out His detestation of the same It is no little part of Believers consolation in any strait that the Lord Jesus knoweth how it is with them and can bear testimony to their integrity when they are even almost overwhelmed with reproaches before men It is no little encouragement â—lso that He doth take notice of enemies their malice as here is observed The second way the consolation is expressed is more direct by Christs plain testimony in these words thou art rich that is what ever men think of thee as being most despicable or whatever thou be in thy own estate most poor and desolate yet really and in my estimation thou art rich that is thou art indeed strong in the grace of God well furnished with Promises and Priviledges and abundantly rich in faith and good works Iam. 2. vers 5. 1 Tim. 6.18 In which things true riches do consist This seemeth to be a strange paradox unto the men of the world thou art poor and yet thou art rich yet often have the Saints found this to be a truth as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 And if this were believed it might allay the fervour that men have in pursuing after temporall riches for the having of them cannot make them rich the greatest men in Smyrna get not this testimony from our Lord Jesus that they are rich and the want of them cannot make them poor and therefore Smyrna even in her poverty is rich This also would make the heavenly Riches to be esteemed of if men believed that their life did not consist in the abundance of the things that they enjoy as it is Luk. 12.15 The future case of Smyrna which is set down vers 10. is also an afflicted condition and hath its encouragements suitable thereto laid down It is 1. generally proposed to be suffering Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer This Church had been suffering and though honest was yet to suffer more Obs. 1. Sufferings when they begin oftentimes are not instantly at a close Yea 2. The Lord will sometimes exercise these that are most tender with one crosse upon the back of another 3. He Himself is notwithstâ—nding still tender of them even when they suffer as may be gathered from this comfortable message to Smyrna 2. These sufferings are more particularly described 1. In the kind of suffering to wit Iâ—prisonment this is not so to be understood as if they were to be tried by no other kind of suffering but it setteth out a main part of their crosse to wit that some of them should be cast in Prison and liberty taken from their persons which it may be heretofore they enjoyed 2. It is described in the principall Agent and Instrument of their suffering The devil shall cast some of you into prison Heathen Emperours wicked Governours and Souldiers were instrumentall therein yet it is ascribed to the devil as if it were immediately acted by him for these reasons 1. To
odiousnesse of corrupt doctrine on the heart than of grosse outward practices because grosse practices offend nature more directly and are hatefull even to naturall men and even some good men are ready to foster such an opinion as if grace were more consistent with error than with profanity Upon this ground the Lord Himself and the Apostles do more frequently give people warning to mark and abstain from them that cause offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel than they do in matters of grosse practice 2. Persuing of persons that are erroneous hath often little fruit with it as to the persons themselves there being but few that are recovered out of that snare of the devil and to whom God giveth repentance who once deliberately oppose themselves to the Truth but on the contrary they seem to be more bold and to make a greater stir than if they had not been taken notice of as we see in Corinth and Galatia the more that Paul pressed them the more they seemed to despise him and they go on in their contradiction and blasphemy as in the History of the Acts and instances of Hymeneus and Philetus is clear This maketh that even sometimes good men out of fear of the inconveniences that may follow and the difficulties that accompany such a work may be too prone to oversee and forbear them 3. Sometimes respect to the persons of some who may be carried away may have influence on this as suppose some persons for a name of piety sometimes favorie should be seduced preposterous tendernesse to those may make men cruelly to spare them to their prejudice This fault the Lord seemeth to quarrel in Thyatira that they suffered his servants to be seduced 4. There may be also a design by more gentle means to restrain such an errour and recover such as are fallen whereby they may come to exceed and turn to be defective in not using the means appointed as if such censures had been needlesly appointed or as if the Lord did not make use of mediate means for the restraining of errour 5. Such businesses also have often their own mistakes among many tender members of the Church some whereof may be too favourable constructers of the most grosse seducers and so fear to offend them and love to keep all in peace oftentimes may steal in to have weight to the prejudice of the Lords Ordinance It is written of the Schism in Phrygia which arose for Montanus that many did construct too well of him as not thinking it impossible but he might be a good man who therefore could not go alongst in the thoughts that others had of him There is readily something of this amongst the weakest sort where deluders come which getting way for a time doth rather increase than diminish and so leaveth this duty in a greater none-entry than at first We come now to the remedy or duty exhorted to which is laid down and pressed vers 16. It is in short Repent that same which was proposed to Ephesus vers 5. The Lord hereby signifying 1. That when sins are fallen into it is not enough to forbear them but there must be an exercising of repentance for them 2. That there is no expectation to be keeped free from wrath where there hath been sin without repentance 3. That ommissions are sinfull and to be repented of even as commissions are And 4. That sinfull ommissions in a mans publick Station such as this is which is reproved are to be repented of as grosse personall faults are The threatning annexed is in these words or else I will come unto thee quickly and I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth It hath two parts The first respecteth the Church or Angel of Pergamos I will come unto thee quickly that is if thou repent not I will one way or another come in judgement against thee We conceive it relateth to the Angel especially it being in the singular number because this fault being a defect in Discipline is not so to be imputed to the People as to him whose place it was to take order with such corruptions which will appear more clearly afterward The second part respecteth these grosse members that were suffered to be in the Church to wit the Nicolaitans I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth that is seing ye are guilty of defect here if there be not repentance for it I will come in an extraordinary way and my self punish those whom ye have suffered For clearing of this threatning we may consider 1. Wherein it consisteth 2. How it can be a threatning to the Angel 3. Wherefore he is so peculiarly threatned To the first It is clear here that the party immediately threatned is the Nicolaitans whom the Lord threatneth to fight against with the sword of His mouth which looketh not to any external or corporal plague for the sword of His mouth is not the weapon that inflicteth such But it looketh especially to these 1. To a discovery of their wickednesse and of the hatefulnesse of their way by His Word 2. To a censuring threatning and sentencing of them by the same 3. To a fruitlesnesse of such discoveries threatnings and sentences as to any spiritual or saving work upon them but that they should be by such clear convictions and sentences in Gods secret Wisdom and Justice more hardned convinced irritated and affected with spiritual plagues than if they had not been so dealt with in this respect often in the Scripture we have mentioned hewing by the Prophets and slaying by the words of the Lords mouth as Hosea 6.5 and fighting with Antichrist and destroying him by the Spirit of His mouth 2 Thess. 2.8 and elsewhere the like expressions to that purpose This is a sad plague when the Table of the Gospel becometh a snare and when through mens own corruption they become more drunk with their own delusions even under convincing Light and when the Word of God which is the only Weapon whereby they may offend their enemies is through their opposing the Light thereof turned to fight against them as they have turned themselves to fight against it the event here as to them cannot but be desperate For the second It may be questioned how this can be a threatning to the Church or Angel that the Lord would take such course with these corrupt Nicolaitans It might rather look like a favour to them Answer If we consider it more particularly we will find it a threatning in these respects 1. That it implies Christ to be angry at their neglecting of their duty and that this extraordinary way doth insinuate His esteeming of them not to be worthy to have this employment therefore he taketh their duty off their hand and provideth Himself of some others for the performing thereof Thus when Paul is threatning the Corinthians 1 Epist. Chap. 4. vers 21. What shall I come unto you with a vod c. whereby he sheweth himself to be
in part be brought to believe the generall truths of the Gospel concerning Christ c. and to his own apprehension be perswaded in himself that he hath received him and so carry within himself as if indeed there were ground to expect what is promised in him This is clear also from the many instances of historicall and temporall faith that are recorded in Scripture and in this respect it is said of the temporary Believer That anone he receiveth the word with joy and goeth forth as if all were well Thus Agrippa is by the force of the Word almost perswaded to be a Christian Act. 26.28 And Isai. 48.1 and 2. some are said to call themselves of the holy city and stay themselves on the Lord God of Israel which supposeth an exercise of faith at least in their account and yet it was not done in truth and in righteousnesse In the seventh place we may instance it in the common operations of the spirit on the affections within we have already hinted something of convictions for sin of fear of wrath and destruction of the soul which certainly may sometimes affect many hypocrites also of grief and worldly sorrow which may seaze upon such and in an high degree who yet may have nothing of God in them upon the other side there may be much of it also in respect of the flashes of joy tendernesse and meltings of heart which hypocrites may have at one time either in some publick Ordinances or possibly in secret or otherwise more than at other times and yet there be nothing but the common operations of the spirit such as were in many of Iohns Hearers who for a srason rejoyced in his light Iob. 5.35 and in the temporary Believer as was formerly cited for the Lord that dispenseth the common gifts of the Spirit as He pleaseth doth also dispense of these common effects of the Spirits operation such as liberty fear joy sorrow and the like according to his Soveraign pleasure without respect to the eternall state good or bad of the person on whom He bestoweth them Now seing these things and such like may be where yet sincerity is not what wonder is there that a person be said to have a name by others or be thought to have reality by himself when yet indeed there is nothing but deadnesse Oftentimes men that are ordinarily admirers of themselves and what is in themselves are brought to think highly of themselves and of the sincerity of their own state and that wâ—th great perswasion upon lesse grounds than these that are laid down as we will find in the Epistle to Laodicea If it be asked supposing such things to be What can further be defective to reality Answ. To say no more all these things may be and yet there may be defect in these three which are simply necessary for the differencing of a sincere person from an hypocrite First There may be a want of the new nature and the person not yet be born again as it is Ioh. 3.3 Secondly All these may be and yet the person not be brought really to deny his own righteousnesse and positively to receive Christ offered in the Gospel and to rest upon Him for the attaining of life through His righteousnesse and satisfaction although they may be convinced it is good to do it and although they may think they have done it being blinded by their own pride and although they may some way comfort themselves as if they had done it in this their presumptuous dream yet really it is never done for so they could not but be saved because of the immutable tearms of Gods Covenant which say Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life Thirdly All these things may be when yet there is defect in the nature of the inward duties to say so and in the manner of performing what is outward that is they may be both without the qualifications required to the constituting of sincerity and sincere acts spoken to Chap. 2. So that still these fruits are but fruits of the old tree and flesh and are not brought forth by faith in Jesus Christ without which nothing can be pleasing to God neither is His glory singly aimed at in them c. without which the most glancing fruits will be but rotten before the Lord. Again Secondly considering this Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead with respect to the Minister it may be enquired 1. What kind of Minister this is who may be said to have a name that he liveth and is dead 2. What may be the reasons that make even Ministers to rest satisfied in the applause of others and in such things as may gain an approbation before men without that which may make him approveable before God To the first we say that in the describing of such a Minister we must 1. look to somethingâ— which he hath that give the ground of his having a name And 2. to something which he hath not the want whereof proveth him to have no more but a name First then A Minister may be in his particular condition such an one as was formerly described with many commendable things in his outward carriage Secondly he may have some good measure of gifts and a pleasing quicknesse and dexterity in Preaching and mannaging of other duties that belong to his Calling This gift it seemeth was in many Church-officers at Corinth which made them appear exceeding eminent Thirdly he may have a frequency and accurate formality in the discharge of all duties as bearing forth much diligence and faithfulnesse in the discharge of them with a seeming fervour and earnestnesse It is like that these who preached Christ out of envy Philip. 1.15 wanted not a good measure of this Fourthly he may have a great plausiblnesse and a familiar kind of humanity and discretion to speak so in his conversation with others which often tendeth to gain applause from them as if it were a speciall sign of humility and an evidence of love and respect whereby men oftentimes are engaged to esteem of such a Minister more upon such an account to wit as being particularly friendly to them than for their works sake as the word is 1 Thess. 5.13 It is like that these false Teachers that got such a name as who but they in Corinth and Galatia had much of this way of insinuation and also these mentioned Philip. 1. cannot well be thought to be free in this respect seing they Preached Christ out of envie and strife vers 15. as minding to gain a name thereby beyond Paul Fifthly Such a Minister may also have seeming countenance in his Ministrie with Authority and respect amongst his people and seeming countenance and fruit in outward things as in the bearing down of Error the suppressing of grosse scandals and out-breakings and the bringing of his people to some conformity in publick and private duties in which respects his Congregation may be more formal than
had never been taken on That this is the meaning thereof appeareth by these considerations 1. That Christ here is following a similitude usual among men to shew the abominablnesse of the thing in it self and it is not rigidly to be pressed in every part of the similitude in reference to Him beyond the scope 2. Because he putteth cold and hot in the same ballance together so that whatever difference otherwayes be in His estimation of being hot beyond that of being cold yet in this place they are made equal and nothing is asserted concerning the one but is also asserted concerning the other which doth clearly shew that the Lords expression is to be understood after the manner of men as was said that is as men use to expresse their hating of any thing by this I wish it were or had been any otherway that same is the Lords intent here I cannot therefore but somwhat wonder that a Learned man Ioannes Dallaeus in his Apologie c. doth draw this place of the Lords wishing that Laodicea were hot to confirm that assertion of the Lords having a will and desire of the salvation of all men besides His signifying of what is acceptable to Him as considered in it self by His Word If it be asked how hypocrisie or luke-warmnesse may be said to be more dishonourable to the Name of God than the want of a profession altogether It may be answered in these three respects 1. Where no profession is at all the Name of Christ is not so concerned as where it is and therefore by any miscarriage of such it is not so reflected upon and made obnoxious to reproach as it is in respect of these who have some way given up their names to Religion It is on this account that in Ezek. 20.39 the Lord doth discharge the people of Israel to pollute His holy Name with their gifts and biddeth them go serve ye every one his Idols c. which is not to give them allowance to run to Idolatrie but it is to shew them that if they would not wholly cleave to Him His Name would be lesse polluted and dishonoured by their direct betaking of themselves to Idolatrie than it was by mixing His Worship and the worship of Idols together 2. The nature of the sin it self hath also some aggravations in it which maketh it exceedingly loathsome to Jesus Christ and dishonourable to Him beyond the condition of such as have no profession at all for such a person indeed is really cold and without any Religion as others are And hath these two things beside 1. He is a counterfitter of Religion and that before God therfore Act. 5.3 c. such are said to tempt God and lie to the holy Ghost because they presumptuously intrude themselves in a profession as if they were something being yet indeed nothing and so tempteth the Majesty of God singularly to take notice of them and discover them or otherwayes some way to ly under the imputation either of no discerning or of approving such unsoundnesse as if it were Religion Secondly Ordinarily such though they be poor yet are they proud presumptuous and haughty in respect of their form for they say they are rich and increased with goods c. vers 17. which no person without all form can be so readily tempted unto Now the Lord abhorreth this empty pride above any thing A third respect in which hypocrisie is hateful beyond the want of all form is that it maketh such a persons conviction conversion and salvation more difficult than if they had had no profession at all for if so it might have been more easie to have convinced them of their emptinesse and to have brought them to Christ than in the case of their formality and pride And thus not only is the case of hypocrisie more dangerous to themselves but it is more dishonourable to God because it some way frustrateth the end of His Ordinances amongst such And therefore the Lord usually doth prefer the Publicanes and Harlots in this respect to the Scribes and Pharisees because such were more easily convinced and brought to some fruitfulnesse under the Ordinances than Scribes and Pharisees were who rejected the counsel of God against themselves Thus Matth. 21.31 32. Publicanes and Harlots are said to go unto the Kingdom of Heaven before the Scribes and Pharisees because they believed Iohn's Preaching which the other did not The second thing in the Body of the Epistle is the Lords threatning of them for this ill by an expression suitable to the ill vers 16. So then because thou art lukewarm neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth which is in sum this seing then thou art in a luke-warm temper which usually mens stomacks can more hardly keep than what is cold or what is hot but must spew out the same as a thing loathsome unto them so will I in some singular and extraordinary manner evidence my loathing of this thy luke-warm hypocriticall temper And this expression to spew out c. seemeth to import these three 1. That it shall be such a judgement as will be an evidence of the Lords loathing of them and giving up with them without respect to their form 2. It implyeth a making of them loathsome before others as vomit useth to be and so it is the Lords taking-by the vail of their hypocrisie and making them to fall from that respect and estimation amongst others which possibly they hunted-after in this their external profession 3. It may imply the Lords giving them up to break out into grosse external ills whereby they might be emptied of that vain ground of boasting which they had in their former formality And this being a common plague that follows proud hypocrisie and a thing that discovereth the rottennesse and loathsomnesse of such it may well be understood here seing the scope is to threaten them with making them appear to be loathsome although they did endeavour by all means to cover the same The reason of this severity is added vers 17. and it is in sum this I will take such course as may discover thy loathsomnesse because thou art not only miserable and poor but art conceity and proud as if all were well and knoweth not thy own rottennesse and unsoundnesse therefore saith he I will thus discover it In this vers we may consider 1. What was indeed the case of this Church 2. What they themselves did esteem and give it out to be 3. With what confidence and upon what ground they did this And lastly the connexion betwixt this and the former threatning Their true state is set forth in five words in the close of the verse The first is Thou art wretched which is a comprehensive word and doth ordinarily set forth the bodily defects and personal unsoundnesse and loathsomnesse of one in respect of grievous diseases and such like this here is to be applyed to their spiritual condition which in these respects
no legall imputation to say so but if it be perfect then it is an instantaneous act 3. If it be continued then it is continued as if at first it were not a perfect imputation or perfectly imputed But that were to say that it is not imputation if it be continued as perfect then it is supponed to be instantaneous and past and what was said for Justification doth hold here Indeed if the meaning be that the Gospel doth continue to impute Righteousnesse even after Faith till the Believer be in Heaven and to account such a sinner just by vertue thereof That is truth But that speaketh the changed state of a sinner upon the account of an imputation and justification already so indeed the word of the Gospel continueth still to pronounce Believers justified upon that account and that imputation in its vertue never ceaseth But it cannot be said that the Word doth continue to justifie as justifying denoteth the changing of a persons state from a state of enimitie to a state of friendship even as an absolved Rebel or Debtor once pronounced free by vertue of such a persons intercession or Cautioners payment doth continue to be declared free that is his absolution continueth in force but properly the act of freedom or absolving doth not continue but is instantaneous upon the production of such rights To shut up this we may illustrate the way of Justification which is more clearly expressed in the Gospel under these expressions believe and thou shall be saved by comparing it with the more obscure and typicall expressions used under the Law for it is certain the substance is the same and what is our legall-righteousnesse was theirs and what was their evangelick-righteousnesse is ours also Now the terms or expressions of the Old Testament run thus Levit. 4. vers 3 4 c. When a man sinneth he shall bring his offering c. and he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him c. In which words there is an expresse condescending upon the Lords side to propose something as a righteousnesse for a sinner which was to be accepted for him yet I suppose no Christian will say that it was the external sacrifice itself that was to be accepted for such nor that it was the act of the Faith of the offerer alone that was so accepted for then there needed no sacrifice but it behoved to be the thing typified by that sacrifice to wit the Sacrifice of Christ looked to apprehended and pleâ—ded by the Faith of the offerer that was so accepted Yet the external sacrifices in the Old are as expresly said to be accepted for a sinners Justification or as an atonement for him as Faith is said to be accounted for righteousnesse in the New and as it cannot be said that by vertue of Christs satisfaction or the Covenant with him it was procured that such performances and sacrifices should be accepted of themselves as the persons immediat evangelick-righteousnesse though their ceremonial Law was their Gospel So it cannot be said that there is any such bargain concerning Faith in the New Testament but that Christ apprehended by Faith is the Righteousnesse both under the Old and New Testament which is the thing we intend Concerning Repentance REpentance is much called-for in these Epistles and that with peremptory certification of coming wrath if the same prevent it not as we may see Chap. 2. vers 5. in the Epistle to these of Ephesus who look like a people real in the Work of God though under some decay It is also called-for from Pergamos vers 16. Yea Iezebel hath a door of mercy opened to her upon supposition of Repentance vers 21 22. This also is required of Sardis Chap. 3. vers 3. and of Laodicea vers 21. For clearing of which places and other truths concerning Repentance it may be enquired once for all 1. If Repentance be simplie necessary for preventing of wrath and obtaining of the pardon of sin 2. In what respect it is necessary and how it doth concur thereto 3. If to a Believers recovery after his sin the exercise of Repentance be necessary 4. If so what kind of Repentance For understanding of all we would premit that Repentance may fall under a threefold consideration 1. It may be considered as somewhat previous in time to the exercise of Faith and Pardon of sin This is properly legall-sorrow and is a common work of the Spirit which may be in one whose sins will never be pardoned it is therefore not of it self gracious although the Lord may sometimes make use thereof for a sinners humbling and wakening before his conversion This is not the Repentance that is pressed here 2. It may be considered as it doth not only follow pardon but also the intimation thereof so it is a melting of heart and a self-loathing that floweth from felt love as the promise of the Covenant is Ezek. 16.63 and 36.31 This is the melting of heart spoken of in that woman Luke 7. Who loved much because much was forgiven her vers 47. Neither is this that which is principally intended here 3. We may consider Repentance as a work of sanctifying Grace rising from the sense of by-past sin and hope of future mercy whereby the heart is both affected with indignation in respect of what is past and warmed with desire and love in respect of what it expecteth and so differeth from the first which ariseth from apprehended future wrath and from the second which floweth from self-received mercy This Repentance goeth alongst with Faith and the exercise thereof for the attaining of the hoped-for remission with a through impression of the freenesse thereof in respect of the persons felt sinfulnesse That is the sorrow after a godly manner which is spoken of 2 Cor. 7.11 and it is that which is principally intended here and in other places where Repentance is required in order to remission of sin In Answer then to the first Question We say that Repentance understood in the last sense is simply necessary for the obtaining of the pardon of sin so that without it no unreconciled sinner can expect peace with God which we thus make out 1. from severall places of Scripture and first by these places where the command of Repentance is prefixed to the obtaining of pardon and preventing of wrath and that by way of certification that if it be not remission is not to be expected as Acts 3.19 Repent that your sins may be blotted out which doth imply that without this the blotting out of sin is not to be expected otherwise the proposing of the blotting out of sin could be no great motive to presse the exercise thereof which is the Apostles scope as also Acts 2.38 Acts 8.22 and so in all other places where Repentance is pressed as a mids for attaining of that end 2. We may adde these places where the connexion between
under them Obs. 5. That the filling up of this roll or the ending the sufferings of Gods people here on earth and the coming of the great day of Judgement come together Or The finall Judgement of the World shall immediately follow the fulfilling of the sufferings of the Martyrs The reason given of the suspension here is that their fellow-servants who were to be killed must be fulfilled and the term that is set for the answering of their prayer to wit untill their fellow-servants c. doth confirm this For there is no delay put to Judgement then and there is no more to interveen the Martyrs perfecting and this vengeance on the persecuters These two are also joyned Mat. 24.29 The ending of the affliction of Gods people and the coming of Judgement Immediately saith the Lord after the tribulation of these dayes shall the sun be darkened c. There is therefore no temporall peace or millenary Kingdom altogether free of suffering to be expected before that time which is the day of redemption from these sufferings LECTURE VIII Vers. 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and to there was a great earthquake and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the Moon became as bloud 13. And the Stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a sig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind 14. And the heaven departed as a screwl when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places 15. And the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains 16. And said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand WE proceed now to the opening of the sixth seal which holdeth forth some most terrible and dreadfull dispensation and that both in respect of the type and the word of explication or effects mentioned for opening of the type The type is set down vers 12. in three expressions 1. There was a great earthquake 2. The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair 3. The Moon became as bloud The effects which serve for explication of the former follow and are of two sorts 1. Upon the reasonlesse creature in three instances 1. The Stars fall from heaven vers 13. 2. Upon the heavens they depart c. vers 14. initio The third is upon the earth the mountains which are most stable in the continent the Islands which are most remote in the sea both are moved out of their place Ibid. The second sort of effects are upon reasonable men of all sorts Kings great men rich men Captains mighty men bond men and free men Great terrour is upon all these which is two wayes evidenced 1. In what they did they hid themselves in the dens c. vers 15. 2. In what they said unto the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us c. vers 16 Lastly the rise of all this terrour and these dreadfull effects is more plainly expressed to wit the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of His warth is come verse 17. In sum the words point out this terrible dispensation 1. That it is universall in respect of all creatures neither Sea nor Land Heaven nor Earth nor men of any quality or condition are free but all are sharers of the effects of it 2. It holdeth forth terrour on all these in a most high and eminent measure and degree as the effects do clear 3. It pointeth at the speciall cause which hath influence on all these effects to wit the wrath of the Lamb that is of the Mediator because the day of his wrath is come c. Which we conceive especially to be added for these reasons First To hold forth the speciall procuring cause of this judgement which is not so much sins done against God the Creator in the breaking of the Law as against the grace of the Mediator offered in the Gospel therefore is the wrath of the Lamb especially mentioned as if he were in an eminent way avenging Himself against these who had vilified and contemptously despised His Gospel and the professors of it Secondly To shew some convincing appearing of Christ in this terrible change so as it should be seen to be He by on-lookers and that this acknowledgement should be extorted by that manifest appearance even from these against whom He pleadeth this controversie Thirdly it sheweth the scope of all the former terrible effects that are mentioned in the type to be the Lords executing judgement on the great men and others of the world who put no price upon Him but persecuted His servants and that so convincingly as He might be seen in the pursuing of that His quarell against them Fourthly It sheweth Though Christs forebearance be long yet hath He a time of reckoning and cometh terribly when He cometh and so this seal wherein it is said the great day of the Lambs wrath is come c. is to be looked upon in part as the answer of the Saints prayer How long O Lord c. in the former seal there they long for His coming to Judgement here it is marked that that day of His wrath is come That some dreadfull event is foretold here is most manifest The difficulty is how to apply it in particular For understanding whereof we premit these Considerations or Assertions 1. It is usuall to the Prophets to expresse great judgements even such as are in temporall things by such expressions as the overturning of Heaven and Earth c. It is also usuall to Iohn to make use of the expressions which are used by them particularly we will find the same expressions in the Prophets that are here made use of in the threatning and foretelling of temporall judgements as that in the type of the earthquake the Suns darkening and the Moons being turned into bloud may be gathered from Ier. 4.23 24.28 Ioel 2.10 The earth shall quake before them the heaven shall tremble the Sun and the Moon shall be dark and the Stars shall withdraw their shining Hag. 2.21 22. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth saith the Lord which in plain terms followeth I will overthrow the throne of Kingdoms and will destroy the strength of the Kingdoms of the heathens In a word it is to foretell a remarkable ruine upon the enemies of His Church Adde Isai. 13.9 10. Behold the day of the Lord cometh with fierce anger and wrath c. For the Stars of heaven shall not give their light and the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not cause her light to shine So also Ezek. 32.7 I will cover the Sun with a
of Constantine was de vita Constant. lib. 2. cap. 18. Which remarkable judgements and confessions as also of many other great men their adherents as if they were speaking out the words contained in the Text ye will find in the forecited History and in Cent. Magd. de penis persecutorium The like remarkable judgements with such confessions we will not find at any time together in any story All which considerations being put together we conceive the reasons now more apparent why we applied the seal to this event and expounded it of it seing every thing jumps so in the time event and effects as hath been formerly hinted at We conceiue it not needfull to insist particularly in expounding and applying every expression as what the darkening of the Sun the removing of Islands and Mountains meaneth or how they differ among themselves This is certain that all the parts of that Idolatrous world are comprehended under this threatening and all sort of persecuters are to be included in this stroke that there are none so great or strong as may liberate themselves from it and that there is nothing so stately firm or remote which shall escape this change But this alteration shall be extended over all so as the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day If it be asked why this particular temporall judgement is set out under such high and universal terms as seemeth more agreeable to the day of Judgement Answ. Beside the custome of the Prophets and constant strain of this book we say 1. The ill was universall and the remedy was very broad and wonderfull which made the change be of the larger extent 2. It was a very great change from one extreme of suffering to another extreme of outward prosperity 3. It was a very sudden change few years interveened between the Churches low condition and her outward flourishing estate all which looketh like a new world Men could hardly have believed in so short time to have seen such things had it not been by the extraordinary power of God carried on as it were like the day of Judgement on the one side and like a new Creation on the other 4. This event may in some sort be a type and resemblance of the last Judgement and an evidence and pledge of it unto the Saints who were praying for that vengeance and therefore may be thought to be set forth under such expressions for confirming Gods praying people in the hope of that day We may from this scope take these observations 1. That though the great vengeance of God against persecuters be reserved till the last Judgement yet sometimes yea often God will remarkably punish them even before men as is clear in the application before mentioned and in the observations on the former seal We will scarcely find in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament or in story any eminent persecuter for the most part to go out of this world without some remarkable blot The sin of shedding the bloud of Gods people is spoken of in the case of Manasseh 2 Kings 24.4 as a sin which God would not pardon as to temporall afflictions though He pardon it to the penitent as to its eternall punishment If we can look through the actors in these ten persecutions this will be clear Nero being hated of men and persued by the Senate killed himself Domitian having drawn a Catologue of such as he was to kill in which was the name of his own wife and other friends they having found it put him to death Trajan was continually vexed with seditions and after fell into an extraordinary desease by which he was taken away Adrian being vexed with commotions in his life died with much anxiety as these verses expressed by him before his death do manifest Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque corporis Quae nunc abibis in loco Pallidula rigida nudula Nec ut soles dabis jocos Maximinus being declared aâ— enemie by the Senate was killed in his tent Decius by the Goths in their first invasion of the Empire with his whole Armie was cut off Valerianus was overcome by the Persians and made use of by Sopor as a rest for his foot when he was to horse of Dioclesian we have heard already Thus for the most part were the persecuters dealt with by God and died ignominiously and oftentimes with terror and regvate Such a word had Severus at his death Omnia fui nihil mihi prodest such also was the end of that infamous enemie of Christians Iulian who in his height of contempt against Christ was deadly wounded in battell against the Persians and throwing his bloud in the Air died with that desperate expression in his mouth vicisti tandem Galilaea Valentius the Emperour being a great favourer of the Arrians and a great persecuter of the Orthodoxe as the Arrians did exceed the Heathens in cruelty was in battell against the Goths in Thraciâ— wounded and being carried to some house neer by it was set on fire by the enemie in which he miserably perished All which do shew Gods revengefull justice in persuing that sin Obl. 2. Wrath is exceeding terrible upon the stoutest men of the world What a terriblnessâ— must there be in the great day when wrath and terror to speak so are at their perfection and what a howling and crying must that be when all the families of the earth and these that have pierced Him shall mourn before Him It were good to prevent this terror and to abstain from what provoketh it This will be found a certain truth that it is a fearfull thing to fall in the hands of the living God Obs. 3. The great distance that is between God and creatures and how far all of them are in His reverence He can at one instance shake both Heaven and Earth and turn the world upside down He can make the Kings to flee and the stoutest men in the world to cry out for fear He even He only is to be feared and who can stand when He is angry Psal. 76.7 It is a wonder poor men will live under a controversie with Him and be so little affrighted of His wrath 4. There is nothing maketh wrath more insufferable than that it is the wrath of the Lamb Christ v. 16. This is added as that which augmenteth their terror and maketh their case desperate when the Mediator is their enemie there is none in heaven nor earth that can befriend them The vengeance of despised Grace executed by the Mediator is the most dreadful vengeance The Lord save us from that Obs. 5. The sicklnesse of all creatures even of the most mighty and valiant men in the world What are they when God beginneth to reckon with them Stars fall from heaven great men and stout men hide themselves from the Lamb. It may learn us to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of 6. See the insufferablnesse of
wrath the day of His wrath is come and who can abide Him what meaneth the great part of men who hazard without fear upon known causes of wrath and can live at feed with God There is a necessity of being at peace with Him this wrath of His one day will be found unsupportable Obs. 7. Judgements oftentimes fall sorest upon the great ones of the world and these that in mens account might be thought most secure Kings great Men and mighty Men are especially stricken at partly because they use to be ring-leaders in the sin partly it serveth most to the abasing of creatures and the manifesting of Gods Justice and Power partly to speak so they think more strange of it 8. The stouter men be in their opposition to Christ and the more secure and confident they be in their sin oftentimes when wrath cometh they are found the more desperate cowards Because the more security be under sin the more force and power is added unto the challenge of the conscience when it is wakened There is a great odds here between the language of these gallants who now cannot abide the face of the Lamb and the former braggings wherein often they have defyed the Son of God 9. There is no condition so hard that the proudest men in the world will decline nay by the contrary they will desire it that they may escape the wrath of God when once the sense of it breaketh in upon them Some gallants stand now upon their points and credit and will not flee where there credit is concerned though it should draw no sin upon them but there will be no such sticking in the day of wrath men will be glad to flee to the basest corner of the earth they would choose that the greatest mountain or rock should fall upon them and think no shame to cry for it yea annihilation would be welcome to them to prevent their appearing before Jesus Christ Men great Men and stout Men will have a far other language if we may suppose it at their appearing before Him than now in their grandour it were possible for them to imagine Obs. 10. When God reckoneth He needeth neither witnesse nor tormenter He hath both these in the consciences of His most desperate enemies What an awband is it that God hath over all men in respect of their consciences which being armed by God against them would be worse to encounter with than thousands of Armies This maketh men flee when none persueth 11. No King nor great one in the world upon any entreaty will be exempted from judgement but appear they must even though they cannot abide it What a tortour must it be to be distracted between these two A necessity of appearing and an utter impossibility to endure that appearing Certainly if men were to live and speak after some experience of these things they might be supposed to become much wiser in the ordering of themselves or at least in giving their advice to others than they were before as the rich Glutton Luke 16. giveth advertisement to his brethren out of hell 12. There is a day coming when there will be no trysting when the Lamb cometh in wrath to reckon with despisers He persueth in wrath and they would fain flee but there is no treating aimed at on either side 13. This day of wrath is certainly coming and will come though it seem to be delayed We may well take all the instances of particular judgements as pledges of that day Men will once find they have wronged themselves that they have so little believed this great Article of Faith 14. When that day cometh there will be great odds between Gods people and the rest of the world The Kings and great ones who despised them on earth would be glad in that day to exchange Thrones with the meanest Saint and will never attain it Wrath when it cometh will make the world know of what worth Godlinesse is and what an excellent thing it is to have a good conscience and what advantage there is in having peace made with God through Christ Jesus These are the true and faithfull sayings of God and who believeth them not now will one day with the rich Glutton find the truth of them LECTURE I. CHAP. VII Vers. 1. ANd after these things I saw four Angels standing on the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on any tree AT the entry of the former Chapter we divided this prophesie into three principall prophesies holding forth and relating unto three principal periods of the condition of the Militant Church The first relating to the Churches sufferings under Heathens which was expressed by the seals whereof we have spoken The second concerning Antichrists rise and dominion holden forth by the trumpets The third concerning the Churches outgate from under that storme is contained under the vials These two are yet to come And because that second was a sad storme which might shake the Faith of Gods People if they were not strengthned against it The Lord armeth them in reference thereunto by laying down these two strong consolations 1. By shewing His care of His Church in providing for the safety of His own before the storm should come 2. By shewing the certainty of the Churches outgate from and victory over that strait Which two take up the Chapter and are put together in a little view and hint before the Lord go on to describe the storme it self that thereby the faith of Gods people and their consolation in reference thereto might be the more strengthned and confirmed If we look to the order of revealing the matter contained in this Chapter it doth belong to the sixth seal the seventh not being yet opened But if we look unto the matter it self and the scope we will find it belong to the prophesies following as preparatory to them and set down before the opening of the seventh seal To make the transition from the one prophesie to the other the more discernable and also to make the prophesie coming the more to be adverted unto and the easier to be understood The Chapter then hath these two parts 1. The Lords taking care of His Church and Elect before the coming of a storm by separating of them and as it were by His own seal setting them apart from others that they should not be hurt by it And because these prophesies represent the events to Iohn as acted therefore is this care of Gods also represented to him in that same manner before these events come This first is from the beginning to the ninth verse and the second part from the ninth verse to the end holdeth forth a calm and flourishing estate of the Church after that storm in respect of number beauty and freedom in the serving of God which relateth First unto the Church on earth and in part foresheweth the spreading of the Gospel after
about it but with preparation and order which things are certainly mentioned for imitation that these who pray for grace to do Gods will on earth as it is done in heaven may take this as a patern especially such as are instrusted to be Heraulds and do sound His trumpets 1. They are set apart and designed for this office so should Ministers they should look well they be designed for this office and have their calling clear as these seven Angels were separated from others to this work 2. Trumpets are given them that is they are furnished with gifts whomsoever He designeth for an office in His house He furnisheth them and giveth trumpets to all whom He calleth to sound 3. When they have gotten trumpets they will not blow while He command to sound it is not gifts that warrant men to Preach but they must have particular orders when to do it The Word must be taken from his mouth when where and how He shall order it 4. They are prepared advised and warrie in going about the work when they are called to sound Gods giving of gifts and orders to exercise them is not enough except men prepare themselves for the work and be advised and warry in going about it as Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift that is in thee c. 5. They are diligent and faithfull in their execution when they have gotten orders and are prepared although the message be heavy faithfulnesse and diligence is a good property of a Minister of Christ 6. They keep an orderly way of proceeding in discharging their duty every one in their station and not in a confused way so it becometh Ministers and Ministers being resembled to Angels and their giving of warning to the sounding of the trumpet Their office and duty may be thus pointed at here Lastly Sounding of a trumpet implieth distinctnesse 1 Cor. 14. and statelinesse and power in the manner of carrying their commission giving alarm convinceingly and plainly which notably agreeth to Ministers Followeth from the 7. vers and forward their sounding where there is in every trumpet 1. The sounding 2. The effect or consequent of the sounding and that is the judgement that followed 3. The object of the judgement the earth And 4. the extent fruit and effects of the judgement To understand more particularly this prophesie of the trumpets which is an hard place and needeth Gods speciall direction in it which we humbly desire we premit these considerations or observations which may in some things fix us in the opening of it 1. For its beginning rise and close it is cleared before to rise after the breaking of that little peace the Church enjoyed under Constantine and to close at Antichrists begun fall when he is brought to a height and the vials begin to be poured out 2. It is not only contemporary with but hath respect unto the prophesie of the beasts ' Chap. 13. and Chap. 11. vers 7. as also the rise and close of that prophesie of the beasts ' will fall under the same times and marches whereby it appeareth considering also Chap. 7.1 c. and what was said there they do most directly belong to the Church and that in Spirituall trials 3. Consider that the fifth trumpet looketh clearly to Antichrist and his discovery openly as appeareth by comparing vers 4. Chap. 9. with vers 8. Chap. 13. The same persons and by the same mark are keeped from the spirituall hurt of both as also that the sixth trumpet bringeth the Mahometans upon the back of that the Turks being raised as a scourge for the Idolatry of the former which are the first two great woes and the first four are lesser in comparison of these Now this discovery of Antichrist will be about the six hundred year or a little after the first four then must preceed that time and continue the state of the Church from the three hundred or thereby where the seal is closed till that time 4. Consider that the main drift is to discover that defection of the visible Church in declining by steps from purity in Doctrine and simplicity in Worship which endeth in Antichrists height and also consider it as it is penall every step of their sin and defection being in Gods righteous judgement penall including in it some Spirituall plague and carrying alongst with it or on the back of it some temporall judgement on the world and exercise or triall on the Godly especially under Antichrist 5. Consider that it doth not so much point at particulars either of things or persons as to shew the generall state of the Church in these successive times by whatsomever instruments or events of all sorts having influence on her declining and especially as they make way for Antichrists growth by weakening the Church or shaking the Empire which being the main scope is more clearly insisted on in the 11. Chap. and in the vision Chap. 12 13 and 14. therefore may they in part be of a mixed nature as they stand in reference to this scope 6. It is observable That as in all the other changes of periods so in this the overturning of the visible Church is compared to the overturning of the world and plaguing the Earth Sea Rivers Sun Moon c. There are three worlds mentioned which successively are defaced by the three principall prophesies of this Book 1. The heathen world it is overturned together Chap. 6. and under the sixth seal 2. To it succeedeth the Christian world when Religion hath liberty and the countenance of the Romane Authority this is defaced successively under the trumpets by that worlds declining to be Antichristian and by his getting Authority and Power on his side and bringing the Church witnesses and Saints low This Popish or Antichristian world is destroyed under the vials in the the same expressions of Sea Earth c. All which states of the Church in the Empire are compared to different worlds and their overturning or defacing to the changing of the world while it is only the Church or Religion in the world which suffereth change 7. If we will look to the trumpets as the effects follow them and to the vials and their effects There is a great suitablnesse between them in all The first trumpet is on the Earth and so is the first vial poured out on it the second on the Sea the third on the Rivers in both so the fourth on the Sun The fifth trumpet bringeth out Antichrist as on his throne the fifth vial is poured out on the seat or throne of the beast the sixth trumpet louseth the four Angels at Euphrates the vial drieth up that River whereby it appeareth that God destroyeth Antichrist in that same method he grew and cleareth His Church as she was in severall steps darkned obscured and troubled that as Antichrist brought in a new counterfeit Church or World by degrees overturning what was before So shall he be destroyed And therefore as the
would blesse Him further that He hath freed us from this tyranny under which a great part of the Christian world doth lye and by which our own Predecessours were sometimes keeped in bondage 3. It would provoke us to improve the light and liberty of Truth which He hath conceded to us and to welcome the soul-comforting Doctrines of the free grace of the Gospel O what great odds is there betwixt the dispensations of the Gospel which we enjoy and that which our Fathers lived under and therefore how much more is required of us and how much greater will the condemnation of these be who shall ungratfully perish under this light Lastly let it stir us up with holy indignation against this contagion of Popery ought we to think this a light and indifferent matter which the Lord hath threatned as so great a wo to the visible Church and which he doth so significantly delineat in the hellish nature and hurtfull effects of it and let us commiserate the deplorable condition of many thousands of poor souls captivated under this tyranny and stung with the poison of these scorpions who yet cry not when they are bound And let us cry mightily to God to break this Covenant with death and to bring this agreement with hell to an end that the oppressed captives may be let go free and the Temple may be opened in heaven and that He may take to Him His great power and reigne that the Kingdoms of the earth may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ even so Amen Concerning the comfortlesse grounds that Poperie layeth down for the comforting of poor afflicted Consciences IF we might take a view of such grounds as Popery layeth down for the quieting of an exercised Conscience what a labyrinth would it be found For 1. They deny all not imputation of sin or imputation of righteousnesse and place remission of sins only in the infusing of a gracious quality in the soul which they call gratia gratum faciens so that if the sin be mortall this is lost although the person were formerly just and must again be recovered If it be veniall he must satisfie for it 2. To this kind of remission they require attrition and contrition The first is a legall sorrow for fear of wrath the second is an intense sorrow for the sin committed the first proceedeth from servile fear this from filiall both these they lay down as necessary for attaining of the former remission or infusion of Grace 3. To this contrition they give a fourfold influence in the attaining thereof 1. Dispositively or a disposing influence as the materiall cause as they call it of this grace that is by this contrition as it is a vertue the soul is disposed for receiving of that grace or that that grace may be wrought in the soul out of that contrition as the pre-existent matter thereof 2. If concurreth instrumentally as it is a part of the Sacrament of Pennance by which the Priests absolution doth ex opere operato beget such grace in the heart of one that is contrite These two are laid down by Thom. supplement Quest. 5. Art 1. corp 3. It concurreth by way of satisfaction for the sin committed and so this inward contrition in the sensitive part is mans recompensing for his fault inwardly as he doth outwardly inflict punishment on the body ad recompensandam offensam quae in Deum committitur as Aquinas speaketh Quaest. 1. Art 2. 4. It concurreth meritoriously as an act of vertue even as other works do for procuring meritoriously something from God supp Quaest. 1. Art 2. even the first entrance into glory All which wayes will be unsatisfying to a conscience for neither of them looketh on Repentance as that which the Lord of His grace hath promised and knit pardon freely unto therefore that it may be meritorious there ariseth a new dispute wherein this contrition consisteth 1. Some old Schoolmen say it must be in summa gradu otherwise pardon is not to be expected 2. Others of whom Scotus is the head say that it is such a sorrow as is only known to God and so by it the conscience can have no quiet 3. The later Jesuits as Bellar. do pâ—â—niten lib. 2. cap. 11. and Gregor de Valent. tom 4. disp 7. Quaest. 8. de contritione do reject both these as false and dangerous and because that contrition in such a degree is most rare therefore they have a twofold cure leâ—t there be no ground to quiet one at all 1. Bellarmine distinguisheth contrition in that which is intensive summa and appretiative summa and saith that though the first be not the second will be sufficient providing the sinner be still pursuing after the first to the uttermost so that if any thing be left undone which might be done for attaining thereof this ground will fail and the conscience can have no peace in this because in it there is a new sin and what shall satisfie for that This is also rare and considering that a wakened conscience will noâ— easily acquiesce in its own appretiative contrition as being equivalent for satisfaction that being only such as desireth to be intensively in the heighest degree as they expound it Therefore 2. the weight is laid on the power of the keyes and the Priests absolution in the Sacrament of Pennance which Greg. de Vallâ—ntiâ â—aith is communis Scholasticorum sententia that is that though contrition of it self be not sufficient yet by vertue of the foresaid absolution one that is attritus doth become contritus and so have the forementioned remission of sins bestowed on him Therefore they make Baptism simply necessary to the pardon of Original sin and pennance to actuall except when it is impossible and in this case the vow thereof doth supply To this sacramentall absolution they require particular confession of mortall sins dâ— necessitate â—almis to be made necessarily to the Priest before he absolve them which can be no little torture and so still this leaveth the soul to dispute the Priests Commission and the nature of that Sacrament which will not easily quiet it and also leaveth it under Aquinas his unanswerable Argument suppl Quaest. 1. Art 3. Where saith he the principles are diverse the one can never passe unto or become the other But the principles of attrition to wit servile fear and of contrition to wit filiall fear are diverse Ergo c. When this is done there is still a stick even by their principles in the uncertainty of this whether their contrition be true or not or whether that remission hath followed freely or not for this they say cannot be known but by particular revelation Therefore do they conclude that to supply all it is necessary to enjoyn satisfaction in work by pennances peregrinations dotations or such like whereby they make up equipollently the defects of their contrition and make all sure and if the person cannot satisfie himself because his sins are great
world beside What we said in preface to the trumpets in generall and to this doth also confirm it They are said not to repent that is that these idolatrous Christians notwithstanding of these plagues neither were inwardly brought to loath these sins or to be humbled for them before God nor outwardly to abstain from them in their practice but rather grew worse and dotted more upon these superstitions even after this plague which fully came to passe also Papists being never more drunk with their superstitions and profane in their carriages than since the Turks destroyed a great part of that Antichristian Kingdom The first sin mentioned is Idolatry four wayes aggreged 1. The works of their hands so called because the Images and statutes used in that worship are made with mens hands and so cannot be a fit object of worship It is like hereby to relate to the second Command where the making of all such upon such an account is forbidden 2. It is called a worshipping of devils not that it is so directly in the intention of the worshippers but that it is so indeed and accounted so by the Lord. Therefore it is usuall in the Scripture to give it that name Levit. 17.7 1 Cor. 10.20 Yea not only that sort of Idolatry which is against the first Command is so called but even that which acknowledging the true God doth yet corrupt the rule of Worship prescribed by Him by putting an Idolatrous manner in the room thereof So that Idolatry of Ieroboam the son of Nebat is stiled 2 Chron. 11.15 he ordained him Priests for the high places and for the devils and for the calves which he had made and yet the particular considering of that sin will make it appear that he did not directly intend the worshipping of these calves and much lesse of devils in the room of God 3. This Idolatry is aggreged from the variety and multiplicity of it in respect of the matter whereof these Idols were compounded gold silver brasse stone and wood of which mettals of all sorts Images Crucifixes Relicts c. are aboundant in the Popish Church and yet whatever be the shape of the mettals it is still at the best gold silver brasse c. and so no fit object of worship Lastly It is aggreged from the lifelesnesse of these Idols which being unable to hear or move themselves must be exceeding unfit to be invocated by others as helpers of them and so must imply exceeding great stupidity in these who fell into that sin Upon which ground the Scripture usually aggregeth that sin Psal. 115. vers 4.5 c. and 135.15 16. both which places do pronounce the worshippers of them to be for stupidity like unto them There are four moe particular sins charged upon them vers 21. and impenitency under the same also All which may be figuratively understood according to the strain of this Book or properly as the words sound The first sin is their murthers figuratively understood it holdeth forth the great bloud-guiltinesse of souls which we formerly hinted at in the exposition of the fifth trumpet Properly it holdeth forth the many massacres persecutions and butcheries of Antichrist whereby that Kingdom is guilty of the bloud of many thousands of the Saints as from Chap. 11.7 and 13.7 and 18.24 will appear The second thing is their sorceries which figuratively holdeth forth bewitching and intoxicating Doctrine and delusion therein at a height literally taken it holdeth forth a guiltinesse of devillish and magicall arts According to the first sense the whore is said to have a cup Chap. 17.4 according to the last Antichrist is said to come 2 Thess. 29. after the working of Satan with signs and lying wonders The thing signified by both will be found in Popery their Doctrine having bewitched and blinded so many and Magick vented in lying signes and wonders and other abominable pranks hath been abounding and frequent not only amongst the inferiour Clergie but even in the Popes themselves And this under the pretext of working miracles and exorcisms hath been in some cases â—vouched The third sin is fornication by which we may understand their whorish Doctrine which draweth souls away from God in which respect that Kingdom is called the great whore or bodily filthinesse which we will often find in Scripture to go alongst with idolatry as from the counsel of Balaam Numb 3â— 16 and elsewhere may appear This sin is not wanting in the Popish Church especially in the Clergie their pretended vowes are snares to bring it on as experience hath proven yea Bellarm. de Monachis lib. 2. cap. 24. saith that it is more tolerable to commit fornication than for one under a vow to Mâ—rrie although he have not the gift of continence because saith he Marriage reddit euâ—â— inhâ—bilem ad votum servandum which the other doth not By their principles they maintain Bordels It is said in Rome alone the permission of them have yeelded yearly 40000 Crowns to the Pope This sin is especially eminent among their Clergie and often in their Head the Pope himself yea one Pope Iean or Ioan according to others is recorded to have brought forth a child in her Popedom These things are not forged but partly from experience have been found and by their own Historiographers have been set down partly by some Godly men in these times and others more civil have been often complained on and regrated partly are manifest from the Popes donations and offices frâ—quently bestowed upon their children which continue to this day as avowed testimonies of their publick accession to this sin The last is their thefts that is the breach of the eighth Command taking and wronging the estates of men and by indirect means drawing them to themselves without any warrantable right This is especially applicable to the Romish Clergie who by the pretext of dotations mortifications indulgences annates Peters patrimony and Peters-pence and such like means have ingrossed to themselves the whole substance almost of Christendom This sort of theft in the Pharisees was long since condemned by our Lord as a breach of the Commandment of God Matth. 15.5 and 23.14 with 25. Of all which sins it is not only implyed that the Antichristian world is guilty but also that they that is the two parts not destroyed by the Turks continue so to practise without repenting of the same The charging of the Popes with these foul faults will not seem strange if we consider what Platina Martinus Onuphrius their own writers and Bellarmin himself writeth concerning them from the 670. forward where abounded 1. Irregularity in elections by bribes magick arts ambition faction and violence by poisoning and incarcerating their predecessors so that Platina in vita Stephani 6. saith â—ò deventum erat Ecclesiasticis ut largitionibus sedem obtinerent The Church-men came to this condition that they got the Papacie by bribes And Damas. 2. vi sedem occupavit inoleverat enim hic mos ut cui
prophet and blasphemously applied some Scriptures to that purpose he alleageth that his writings to wit what he calleth his Alfurca and Alcoran were given him from heaven and are without error and therefore joyneth the Old Testament the Gospel and the Alcoran together he denieth the necessity of signs and wonders but that the refusers of the Alcoran are to be persecuted with the sword and yet that no man is to be persecuted for his Religion To the receivers of the Alcoran be promiseth many great things and asserteth it to be confirmed by many victories from the Lord he asserteth One only true God and denieth the Trinity of Persons and absurdly asserteth a twofold personality of the God-head he is against all Idols and Images and alleageth himself to be specially commissionated against idol-Idol-worship and it may be that God having purposed him indeed to scourge that sin hath also wisely ordered that partly to make him the more instrumentall in pursuing that sin partly the more to convince and shame Christians that should be addicted to it These things and such like may be more fully gathered from the Alcoran it self and these who write of it This is certain that his monstrous absurdities became taking to many and he himself to have great temporall power especially on this occasion Heraclius the Emperour in his wars against the Persians had a considerable Army of Arabians in his service who being dimitted after the war with reproachfull speeches from their Officers in stead of pay did fall to mutiny Upon these this Mahomet so insinuated himself that he was received to be their head from this came the name of Saracens for these Arabians being indeed Ishmaelits and Hagarens but accounting it a reproach to be descended of the bond-woman Hagar to hide that they claimed title to Sarah and so assumed her name after this Mahomet and they having prevailed in Arabia and settled in Mecha for a time he left it and invading Syria settled the head of their dominion in Damascus From this forward they speedily prevailed and did overrun many Kingdoms under the name of Saracens yet were restrained from having footting in Europe till after the Turks victory over them they became of one Religion under one head for the further strengthening of their union Since that time their dominion hath mightily encreased under the name of Turks so that now they are not restrained in the east as formerly but do possesse almost all the Grecian Empire and parts of the western Empire also yet have been keeped from overrunning Italy it being like that these are not to be made use of by the Lord for that peice of service of darkening the Throne of the beast which is reserved for another time If it should be objected here against this application that these eastern parts of the Empire over which the Turk hath prevailed are such as have been least submissive to the Pope and therefore this plague of the Turks may rather be looked on as a judgement on them for breaking unity with him than as a plague upon him Ans. This is indeed harped upon by some of the Papists particularly by Bellarmin is his preface ad libros de Pontifice But will be clear by considering 1. That once these Churches were professedly for the generality of them under him the whole Christian world being admirers and worshippers of the beast Chap. 13.8 and subject to the Pope as they themselves used to boast Now there being so many Christians destroyed by the Turks it must either infer a great destruction to be upon the Popish Kingdom or it must be said that a third part of the Christian world did not belong to him which they will not willingly grant 2. Suppose there was a withdrawing from his usurpation in part yet these same Churches being once infected with idolatry error and superstition by the Bishops of Rome did still retain that leaven till this jugement came upon them and so in plaguing them for these evils God gave warning to others lying in that same guilt And that it pleased the Lord to begin with these eastern Churches rather than others these reasons may be given 1. Because he was not by these hands to overturn the beasts throne but was to reserve a two part of that Kingdom for other wise ends afterward Therefore this west part of the world is not first begun at 2. In these eastern Churches Antichrists Kingdom and his corruptions had been most freely testified against and opposed which made their guiltinesse of after yeelding to be the more inexcusable and ripe for judgment 3. By scourging them first who seemed least accessorie to the guilt the Lord would evidence how displeasing any part of it is to Him and the more to convince others who were deeper therein and it is agreeable to this that these plagued here are only charged with such corruptions and sins of the Church of Rome as these Churches were guilty of and the two part now reserved and after plagued by the vials are beside these charged with worshipping the beast and having his mark Chap. 16.2 as if these did go a further length in the acknowledging of the absolutenesse of the Pope than this third part who are at the first reckoned with did in that particular though in the same guilt in respect of other corruptions But lastly it is clear that by this Turkish dominion a great part of the Romish power is ecclipsed and many of all orders who had their dependance upon the Pope alone were destroyed whereof the war called the holy war is an evidence besides the overthrow of many Kingdoms Armies and Towns who did directly own the Pope and did not want his Holinesse encouragement and benediction with many consecrated Crosses Swords Banners and the like as pledges thereof yea not long before the ruine of that eastern Empire diverse of the Emperours thereof came purposly to be crowned at Rome as acknowledging their dignity of the Pope and Anno 1274. Michael Emperour of Constantinople promised to Pope Gregorie the tenth the obedience of all the Grecian Churches upon which grounds it is evident that we may warrantably say that the tyranny of the Turks hath been a great plague to the Romish Ecclesiastick Kingdom and that these who were destroyed by them were generally accessory to the guilt of their corruptions Concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome IT may be of great concernment and possibly of more difficulty to clear this that the Church of Rome by their worshipping of Images relicts and such like even though they intend the worshipping of the true God are yet notwithstanding really guilty of idolatry and though it be not pertinent for this place to insist in it by a long digression yet considering of what concernment it is for the clearing of this prophesie and for warranting the application thereof to the Church of Rome both in this Chapter and in many Chapters following we think it necessary to lay
he seeketh to corrupt the Church indirectly that by overturning the Ordinances in her he might mar her former beauty that she appeared in vers 1. as a woman clothed with the Sâ—n that so she being no woman might be no mother whereby indirectly he might gain his point in poisoning the seed this is done by the awakening and spreading of schismes and heresies in the Church which though they do not directly strike against the being of Christians or particular Professours yet do they no lesse strike against the life of Christianity in the purity and power of its Ordinances without which there can be no Church although men as men continue to live Hence we may gather the second and third difference to wit in the instruments that he maketh use of and in the manner of his pursuing this new design which is not violently and openly by Heathen men who were without as formerly he had done but more subtilly and covertly by professing Christians he endeavoureth this He is now said to persecute not as if he had not formerly persecuted but to shew that although he had altered his way in the former respects yet was his design no lesse malicious in respect of himself nor hurtfull in respect of the Church than the former was 2. The occasion of this his new heat against the Church and the change of his former way is set down And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth which â—â—porteth 1. the ground of his irritation to wit the former foil which he had gotten â—he is so indefatigable an enemie that having gotten one defeat he doth and that the more uncessantly endeavour to recover what was lost which ought to make men most vigilant even then when they seem to have most advantage 2. It sheweth the reason why now he seeketh the corrupting of the Church the Mother in this new subtile way and doth not directly pursue the Childe as he had done because now by his former overthrow he found himself cast unto the earth so that he could not have men directly to owâ— his designs and to give him obedience as formerly when the supream Magistrates were for him 3. It sheweth the immediate connexion of this his design and what followed thereupon with the Churches former deliverance so that no sooner doth he find himself disappointed of one mean but he doth assay another If it be asked how the former deliverance could be such ground of joy to the Church seing this doth immediately follow upon it Answ. 1. It was certainly great ground of praise and honour to God and great ground of joy and rejoycing to the Saints in it self what ever effect accidentally through Satans malice and mens corruption might follow upon it for by it the Lord eminently vindicated His name Truth and Servants from former reproaches and oppressions and gave unto His Church great freedom if it had been well improven 2. Although the devil instantly began this new design yet it was not at once brought to a height and therefore it might be matter of rejoycing to the Church to have that intervall which followed between the height of Heathenish persecution and that of Antichrists which was to come beside other reasons given in the close of the former Lecture Vers. 14. The Churches safety is set forth in these circumstances 1. In the mean by which she was preserved To the woman were given two wings of a great eagle this alludeth to the manner of Gods bringing Israel out of Egypt which is said to be as upon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 that is a wonderfull and speedy delivery so that the means used by the devil to hurt were not able to reach his end We take it to be that same which is mentioned Chap. 7.1 2 c. of the Lords sealing His Elect against that coming storm and that same Chap. 11.1 of His commanding to measure the Temple Because 1. both these relate to the same persons to wit the true Church And 2. to the same time to wit immediately after Heathenish persecution And 3. to the same scope to wit the preservation of the Lords own from these tempestuous storms or flouds which by the trumpets were to come upon the visible Church 2. The place whereto the woman is to flee is mentioned that she might flee into the wildernesse It is called her place because vers 6. it was prepared of God for her and doth set forth the Lords soveraignty in ordering her safety and by speciall providences carying out the place of her security as having appointed it for her long before the trial came By wildernesse we are not to conceive any such particular place in any desert but hereby is meant that the Lord seeth to the safety of His Church in the midst of the confusions of the world as if she were locally removed from all fellowship with them to a desert More particularly it alludeth to the Lords way of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt who immediately after their great and joyful delivery from Pharaoh out of Egypt were not brought unto the land of Canaan but for a long time lived in the wildernesse where though they were freed from their former oppression and had much liberty to worship God publickly which they had not in Egypt yet wanted they not many trials and through their corruptions many sins so here is holden forth a wildernesse-state of the Church contemporary with and suitable unto the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth which we may take up particularly to consist in these 1. in a condition that is safe as being now out of the way of hazard 2. As in a great part latent and not discernable to the men of the world as if she had been removed to some desert 3. A comfortlesse and solitary outward condition with which although the true Church was not immediately pinched after Heathenish persecution yet were the most faithfull ever liable thereto in all the Churches trials and it came to an height under Antichrist with whom this wildernesse-state doth contemporate 4. It holdeth forth an eclipse of the visible and spirituall lustre and beauty of the Church which doth not now shine amongst men as formerly it did no more than if she were removed to a wildernesse 3. In this verse we have the Lords care of her and provision for her during this time she is not to starve there though now the world about her be become a wildernesse yet she is nourished that is 1. hath spirituall food provided for her and blessed of God to her so that when tradition superstition idolatry and that which cannot nourish do abound amongst the generality of them who are called Christians even then she hath the sincere milk of the Word appointed for her and that in such a way as the world knew not whence it came in which there is an allusion to Gods way of feeding the Israelites extraordinarily in the wildernesse and to His providing for Elias by
imputation of Christs Righteousnesse Justification by Faith c. are things so essentiall unto the up-making of a sinners breach with God and that yet all of them are so great strangers even in the very name to the Popish way of justification and materially inconsistent with the same it cannot be of God More particularly we will find it overturn 1. the nature of Justification and at best it doth put in Sanctification in the room thereof and there is never any distinct ground laâ—d by which a sinner may come to receive a sentence of absolution before God but this to wit Justification is lost by the former Doctrine and they acknowledge no such thing distinct from Regeneration or Sanctification as if no such act as Justification were needfull or mentioned in Scripture as distinct from these and in effect it leaveth a sinner to a way of Salvation that wanteth Justification in it and therefore cannot profit him For by denying that which is the formall cause of Justification they deny it self seing that giveth it a being 2. It derogateth from the nature of Grace and that in severall respects 1. As to graces efficacie that it hangeth at mans free-will 2. As to its Soveraignity that it boundeth it to mans disposing of himself 3. As to its freedom in that it appointeth mans own satisfaction for the removing of punishment and his own merit for the obtaining of reward and as to its spirituall sublime way of working making it carnally to be conferred ex opere operato 3. It enervateth the merit of Christ For at the best it attributeth to that only the restoring of a Covenant of Works which may be entered keeped and broken according to mens working and as it were the procuring to men a new stock of habituall Grace with which they are to trade and procure their own happinesse by their after merit In reference to which if they fail Christs merit and their habituall Grace will not profit them Therefore the weight of obtaining life is laid there But the removing of the punishment and the obtaining of the reward they ascribe to humane satisfaction and good Works and that by reason of their own intrinsick worth without the imputation of Christs merit except in respect of the generall influence formerly alleaged yea they fear not to call Saints their Redeemers in so far as by their works of Supererogation they suppose them to have satisfied in some thing for them as Bellar. asserteth lib. 1. de indulg cap. 4. col 1161. and at most they are sanctified by Christs merit but after that they do for themselves 4. It wrongeth the Lord Himself 1. In His Grace as hath been said 2. In His Justice as if He were to be satisfied by creatures satisfaction and that in such things as many men would not be pleased with yea they scare not to affirm that such holinesse could not but have satisfied Him and merited although Christ had never suffered which sheweth also how little they respect Christs merit as the forcited Suarez pag. 484. and 486. afterteth 3. It wrongeth His soveragnity in that it tyeth Him in proper Justice to be mans debter and that not by vertue of His promise only but from the consideration of the intrinsick value and merit of mens good works that He were not just if He did not reward them 5. It wrongeth Gods Covenant for either it alloweth no Covenant at all or quite altereth the nature and tearms thereof and turneth it to Works as hath been said For it doth still make the stipulation on mans part the same which doth constitute the form of the Covenant of Works however one be enabled to perform that stipulation which certainly was by Grace even to Adam 6. It enervateth Faith excluding altogether that Faith that receiveth Christ and taketh hold on Him and closeth with the Covenant of Grace and leaveth no more to a Believer but a naked assent to the Truth of God which is in the devils and utterly secludeth Faith from any particularity of application in the making of our peace with God in any respect 7. It overturneth the Truth concerning mans naturall estate in giving him a free-will in reference to spirituall good and that before the infusion of Grace and in making this acting of free-will a necessary disposition to Justification and a necessary condition of merit 8. It corrupteth the holy Law of God 1. In its end as if now it were to be the condition of Gods Covenant upon which life is to be attained 2. In its meaning as if it did not condem naturall concupiscence and many other things are exempted by them from it that they may make the fulfilling thereof possible 9. It denyeth the true nature of sin and maketh many things that are contrary to the Law of God to be no sin as by its excluding of the remainings of originall sin and many others by that fond distinction of venial and mortal sins from being accounted sins that make men lyable to eternal wrath 10. It overturneth the nature of the Sacraments 1. In making these to be Sacraments which are not as Pennance Extream unction c. 2. In attributing other ends and another manner of attaining to these ends than agreeth with the Word or can quiet a conscience in reference thereto as the conferring of Grace ex opere operato 11. It doth not leave Discipline undestroyed for it abuseth the power of the keyes in this absolution to make up a Sacrament and confer grace and give Indulgences and such-like which no sober man will think a sufficient way for founding of his peace or to be a defence against a challenge in the day of Judgment 12. It doth altogether overturn that consolation that God alloweth His people For 1. there is great anxiety in the supposed way of attaining it 2. No certaintie of having of it and so it can yeeld comfort to none 3. According to their principles it may be lost and one that is justified to day may be in a stare of damnation tomorrow 4. It maketh their recovery difficult and almost desperat for as Bellar. in the forecited place asserteth it may have with it 20000. years continuance in purgatory Of this uncomfortablnesse and of all this matter more may be seen on Chap. 9. Lect. 1. 13. It excludeth knowledge and cryeth up ignorance So that Bellar. lib. de Iustific doth not fear to say that Faith ought rather to be defined by ignorance than knowledge per ignorantiam potius quam per notitiam 14. It overturneth and corrupteth the nature of holinesse and good works and all spirituall worship putting in I cannot tell what will-worship externall rites c. in the place of all practice mumbling and muttering unknown words for prayer afflicting of the body for mortification and many such like things have they These are but a part of the horrible absurdities of this way and yet we suppose are sufficient to demonstrate the truth of what we assert to
their contempt of and enmity at the light which He had made to shine Hence it is that the later Schoolmen especially the Jesuits are more corrupt than the former as may be marked in the writings of diverse Schoolmen upon Thomas who do mutilate and corrupt many things in him so as they may agree with the late determinations of the Pope and the Councel of Trent and may be most opposit to those they call Hereticks an instance whereof may be seen in Cajetan in 3. Thoma qu. 48. art 5. where explaining that assertion of Thomas that only Christ ought to be called our Redeemer which formerly we had Bellarmin contradicting he laieth down for the qualifying thereof that bull of Leo the tenth concerning Indulgences and the application of the Saints purchases to others which was sent to him when he was his Legate in Germanie and forceth such a sense upon Thomas as might agree with it Thus also as we may see was done in the Councel of Trent where ever in all debates among Divines the most corrupt side was inclined to and concluded 4. Remaining in Popery now hath more contempt with it of Gods calling and hath greater snares as is said and therefore hath lesse ground now either to expect preservation from sin or wrath because Gods call requireth separation now more fully and in a more distinct manner than formerly He did as Revel 18. Come out of her my people be not partakers of her sin lest ye partake of her plagues which doth hold forth a spâ—ciall hazard in reference both to sin and wrath after the Lords making this to be proclaimed more than formerly it was LECTURE IIII. Vers. 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Iesus 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them 14. And I looked and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one at like unto the Son of man having on his head a golden crown and in his hand a sharp sickle 15. And another Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud Thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe 16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17. And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in heaven he also having a sharp sickle 18. And another Angel came out from the altar which had power over fire and cryed with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth for her grapes are fully ripe 19. And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-presse of the wrath of God 20. And the wine-presse was troden without the city and bloud came out of the wine-presse even unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs HAving shewed the foretold threatened and begun ruine of Babylon in the former part of the Chapter before the Spirit describe the perfecting of that judgement He casteth-in two words needfull for the strengthening of Gods people the first is vers 12. and respecteth the former words wherein Babylons ruine was foretold yet for the time Antichrist rageth and the Saints suffer This verse comforteth and encourageth them against that tentation two wayes 1. By granting that indeed this would be an occasion to exercise and try the Faith of Gods people and make it known which an hard time doth best whether they will keep the commands of God in their practice making conscience of these and the faith of Iesus Christ that is it will discover true Faith from counterfeit and who are true Professours of that Faith that is true yet withall Gods people shall have no losse by it it will be but temporary and here is their trial that is Gods end to exercise Grace and duty are best tried and known in all ill time a suffering time evidenceth honesty more than prosperity and suffering is Gods peoples ordinary lot whether Antichrist be falling or rising The second word cast in for comforting Gods people is from the blessednesse of the dead it may be especially of these that suffered under Antichrist that die well in that difficult time The first consolation is from the outgate God shall give when these trials shall be over and Antichrist ruined The second from what might comfort them in hardest sufferings for the time it is casten in here before the sad things coming be set down for two reasons 1. To be a warning of the high degree that these troubles would come unto so that these that were living should count the dead happy that died well who were freed from these dayes See Solomon Eccles. 4.2 praising the dead more than the living The second thing in the scope is to encourage and comfort the Godly that took the right way of living so as to die in the Lord these troubles should not mar their blessednesse but though the earth should triumph over them when they were dead as Chap. 11. yet even then they were and should be blessed and therefore needed not fear or faint under these trials which were coming There are four particulars in these words 1. A preface implying a weightinesse in that which was to be delivered 2. A plain maxime Blessed c. 3. A qualification not restricting that blessednesse to such a time but shewing that it is specially agreeable and applicable to it from henceforth 4. The reasons of this application that they may rest The preface cometh in by way of diversion as if it were a singular thing thereby to make what is said the more remarkable 1. It is not Iobns inventing he heard a voice 2. It is no earthly voice but a sentence from heaven such as should be respected 3. What is said is to be recorded as usefull to Gods people Write saith he to Iobn which except it be some speciall Doctrine is not usually repeated The plain Doctrine or maxime that should be written in the hearts of all Christians is Blessed are they that die in the Lord. By which words three things are holden forth 1. An end common to all which is death 2. A difference in dying and that is to die in the Lord which is peculiar to some and opposit to dying in our sins Iob. 3.24 as Christ saith that is in effect under the curse and unreconciled to God through Christ So dying in Him is to be found in Him by Faith Philip. 3.9 3. A great odds and difference of the consequents of these diverse deaths the one are blessed that
harvest is understood in the Prophets especially speaking of Babylon as was said a full return of judgement Ier. 51.33 By ripenesse is understood a fulnesse and height of sin Ioel 3. so together holding forth ripe sin and ready judgement sin hath its sowing and growth and ripening and so wrath answerable is treasured up till the harvest time as God said of the Amorites Gen. 15. their cup was not full and sin may be long in ripening for hundreds of years There is a set time for mercy Psal. 102. and a set time for judgement also The meaning in short is Antichrists sin is become great aggreged with many circumstances as now ripened and when our Lord appeared as on His way to execute judgement His Church and People stepped in to beg that it might be so which accordingly vers 16. is granted and fields of wicked men are destroyed possibly that which Antichrist lived on and the harvest he had in the earth by Gods judgements was destroyed However what the Angel had to execute is instantly done upon that petition and accordingly it followeth vers 16. in two things according to commission he putteth in his sickle Then the earth was reaped easily was the judgement executed which he intended there is no more but it was reaped when he beginneth he maketh an end Vers. 17. The second similitude followeth of the vintage which is both a sorer degree of judgement and posteriour to the former sin being now riper even fully ripe These grapes of Sodom are cut down gathered and cast into the wine-presse of Gods wrath it being usuall to the Prophets to use this similitude Isa. 63.2 3 4. It hath also three parts 1. The executioner is described vers 17. 2. His incitment to proceed vers 18. 3. The execution This executioner is an Angel yet diversly described from the former and called another yet comparing it with Chap. 19.15 Christ must be understood as principall but seing He doth these works mediately as in that same Chapter by Armies on horse-back sometimes He is represented because they act by Him sometimes the types more formally represent them who are agents because he maketh use of them however when He is represented they are not secluded contra He is not when the types resemble them most and the putting these two agents together it sheweth that though Christ 〈◊〉 instruments yet that Himself first appeareth because the work was great and the 〈◊〉 weak extraordinarily He beginneth but when the Church multiplieth He 〈◊〉 Him instruments out of her The instrument or agent is called an Angel as these who powr out the vials are yet we conceive them not to be understood as properly so seing battels and horses are not obscurely mentioned here and Chap. 19. to be made use of in the execution of these plagues but the manner of the expression of things in this Book is in the tearms of heaven It pointeth at some fit ready instrument Jesus Christ shall have to make use of when He shall have to do one or moe to cut down and cast these grapes in the wine-presse but Chap. 19. He treadeth it Himself Two things are spoken concerning this Angel 1. He came out of the Temple which is in heaven that is some member or members of His Church here called heaven for it was the wine of the earth that is of the wicked and not of the Church which was to be gathered 2. He is armed even with a sharp sickle such as Christ had to shew it was that same power whereby this instrument acted the armour and strength was of the supream Agent Hence Chap. 19. which we take to be the same judgement with this and ending Gods controversie on the beast He as King rideth foremost and the Armies of heaven follow Him to this battell yet none have armes but He and we cannot conceive them acting but He is on their head Hence we may think it the lesse absurdity that the petition again for furtherance of the work is renewed to this Angel although it be not absurd to conceive this Angel to be a Minister of the Gospel as Levits served at the altar giving direction to such as Christ should choose to execute His judgements as one of the beasts giveth the Angels the vials Chap. 15.7 and so his power over the fire will be to be understood as Chap. 11. of the Witnesses their having power over fire and diverse other plagues Vers. 18. The incitation is renewed God will be called on in every step In which ye have 1. The suiter described 2. The suit and its reasons are set down both which differ from what is spoken of by the former intercessour vers 15. the suiter is called an Angel but hath two peculiar properties 1. He cometh forth from the altar which importeth some more retired secret holy place than the Temple we can expound it no otherwise than we did Chap. 6.9 10. in the fifth seal to hold out heaven ordinarily set out by the most holy 2. He had power over the fire not as one peculiarly separated to govern that element nor one commissionated to execute judgement himself by fire properly or figuratively to be understood for then he needed not deal with him who is properly commissionated for that end and that Angel Chap. 16. is called the Angel of the waters not as having a peculiar charge ordinarily of them or over them but as peculiarly commissionated in reference to them with his vial yet it is not properly to be understood of waters as will appear it holdeth out then to speak so some contest and fight they had with fire and that the fire did not prevail over them but they overcame it by the bloud of the Lamb Chap. 12.11 and by their faith and patience Heb. 11. being invincibly armed against all torments In a word we take it to be the reviving of the Martyrs cry which was against heathen persecuters Chap. 6. Now their number is compleat and there is not that ground of suspending the judgement which was given in that place This cometh to rememberance before God who findeth in her the bloud of all Prophets and Apostles because they have served themselves heires to all and this guilt hath a loud cry before the Lord to procure the hastening and closing of Antichrists judgement So the first Angel setteth out the cry of all the Church Militant the second more especially of sufferers Triumphant See Chap. 6. This Angels suit in two things differeth from and goeth behind the former 1. The suit is thrust in thy sharp sickle it was simply sickle before This is added to shew a severity in this judgement and a holy pressing in this Angel beyond the former 2. The grapes are said to be fully ripe so there needeth no longer waiting The harvest was ripe before now the grapes are fully ripe for they have had more time 2. They had more means and former lesser judgements were despised 3. They have
had more light by what hath past 4. More wickednesse hath fallen in their hand notwithstanding and out over the belly of that light especially perfection and now the number of the Witnesses or Martyrs seemeth to be nigh compleat and therefore the sin is riper now than it was Chap. 6. or yet under the former similitude Thus as it were heaven and earth concur to pull down Antichrist The execution followeth vers 19. and 20. in which the◠〈◊〉 are considerable 1. There is no longer delay but judgement is immediately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin and a sinning people hasten wrath See Psal. 119.126 It is time for thee 〈◊〉 to work for they make void thy Law And no sooner is the execution begun but in its due order and time it is finished And the vine is gathered Judgement never misseth its end 2. The vine is not only cut down and gathered but it is cast in the winepresse of Gods wrath that is brought or put in the place where God executeth His judgements on them which as it is temporall is Chap. 19 called Armageddon and as it is eternall it s the lake Chap. 19.20 which certainly is the last result 3. This wine-presse is trod vers 20. following the similitude and it sheweth that Christs wrath who is the treader shall pursue them terribly 4. It is troden without the city It is like so was their presses in their wine-yards for to be near them It signifieth here 1. a fit place set apart for executing wrath on them 2. a shutting them out as polluted from His Church here and heaven hereafter so the lake is opposed Chap. 20. to entering into the holy Ierusalem a separating of them from His people in that judgement that the City should have no hurt by it 5. The terriblnesse of the effect and judgement is described in three things 1. That bloud came out that sheweth that a proper judgement on men is to be understood here 2. It was to the horse-bridles so very deep which would be compared with Chap. 19. 15 c. where Christ there erodeth this presse and His followers are mounted on horseback for pursuing this victory the bloud is so deep on the fields and the slaughter so great that it choaketh up to the horse-bridles of these who pursue 3. This deepnesse of the bloud its running was not a furlong or two but 1600. furlongs counting eight furlongs to a mile It is two hundred miles a long way a definit space for an indefinit but great and setting out great slaughter of enemies so that all the fowles are invited to a feast Chap. 19. In a word it is a dreadfull judgement on the beast and his followers most certainly to come LECTURE I. CHAP. XV. Vers. 1. ANd I saw another sign in heaven great and marvellous seven Angels having the seven last plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of God 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the harps of God 3. And 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 just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints 4. Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest AT the close of the 11. Chapter when the seventh trumpet did sound we told you that the order and series of the story of the events would have required a present entering into the particular description of the last wo which here is called the last plagues but that it might be the clearer the explicatory prophesie and vision is cast in Chap. 12 13 and 14. as the first great sign that was seen after the sounding of the seventh trumpet ◠and when that is sufficiently done he returneth in the fifth vision to set down the third and last principall prophesie which is as the other two set down in seven types and hath its preparation making way to it as they had So it is formally in the series knit to the 11. Chap. at the close where the Temple is opened then followeth thunders generally intimating judgements Now it is set down what judgements and this vision declareth these by bringing seven Angels out of the Temple thus opened with wrath which is the same hinted at there and Chap. 14. from vers 15. See Chap. 11. vers 15. This principall prophesie is contained Chap. 15. and 16. in the fifth vision it hath its preparation and execution The preparation hath three steps 1. more generally giving a little view and sum of it vers 1 2 3 4. of this Chapter 2. More particularly describing its instruments and concomitants vers 5 6 7 8. The third is a plain giving of the word to these instruments thus made ready Chapter 16. vers 1. The more generall proposition of this vision is set down in two things or is two wayes expressed first vers 1. that now Iohn saw after much delay these who had the last plagues to execute making for it The verse containeth three things 1. Iohn's designing this vision to make men the more attentive I saw saith he another sign that is somewhat appearing not accidentally or from naturall causes but purposly appointed to signifie something It is another that is different both in type and signification from what was Chap. 12. 1. It is called great and marvellous in respect of the events especially which it foretelleth to wit Gods wrath upon the Beast and his kingdom to their very overturning and erecting of a Church and Kingdom unto Jesus Christ on his ruins Which considering the beasts grandour in the world and the way of Gods bringing that destruction about will be a very wonderfull thing 2. The thing is hinted at in generall seven Angels having the seven last plagues where is summed the last wrath and judgements of Antichrist in that respect they are called the last plagues The instruments are Angels it may be God will make use of Angels yet not only or immediately Therefore by Angels may be understood whomsoever God shall make Ministers of His wrath probably Members of His Church as Kings Chap. 17. that are made to hate the whore and do his pleasure on her See Chap. 14. vers 13. and 19.14 They are seven to shew different judgements or severall degrees to be poured out The last thing in the verse is the reason why they are called the last plagues because in them is filled up the wrath of God that is not only is there wrath in them but such wrath as will consummate what wrath here-away God determineth for the beast till he be cast into the lake there will be no judgement here after these come
bloud and whose bloud is shed By this then it would seem their orders and Clergie especially and all others who are prime instruments and supporters of that antichristian world with their Nurseries and Seminaries whereby they have filled the world with corrupt Teachers must be understood These are called wells by Pet. 2. Epist. 2. though without water that is refreshfull water These run to and suit with the sea of Ordinances formerly mentioned These have furnished life to that beast of a long time men drinking at no other fountain or river but the Writings of some corrupt Schoolman whose principles and assertions are often more debated for than the Scriptures and had it not been watered by these that world had run dry long since These mens Doctrines shall not only by this be vilipended but the executers and followers of these principles whereby many Saints have smarted shall be repayed for persons eminently subservient to Antichrist and malicious against the Saints must be understood here as their Ordinances were by the former The effect is these rivers became bloud not corrupt only as in the former vial but they became bloudy that is had their own bloud given them to drink and were really made liable to such crosses and executions as formerly they had made the Saints liable unto so the words after expound it and so the Church in the second seal is described by a red horse But lest Antichrists followers should glory in suffering as in Martyrdoom the congratulation is added to shew that it was an effect of Justice on them which is commended in a double congratulation and approbation Vers. 5. The first approbation is by the instrument of this plague called the Angel of the waters because this was committed to him to plague these rivers and fountains There is here besides Gods title of eternity or holinesse as the last word of the three in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath it a twofold commendation of Gods way in this with the evidence of both shewing that is done and that distinctly upon grounds of knowledge as men who speak of such things should do and there is one from the altar subscribing to this judgement which we take to be the same Chap. 14.18 whereby we understand that perfect harmony that is between them in heaven and these on earth heaven and earth as it were rejoycing together in the execution of this judgement as it is Chap. 18. The first congratulation or approbation goeth on two things 1. Something in God is commended 2. There is an evidence and proof of that which is commended 1. That commended is Gods eternity and unchangeablnesse it is the same with His name JEHOVAH these three syllabls making up this which art and wast and shall be and it especially relateth to Gods faithfulnesse making out now His promises to His people and this attribute being the same with JEHOVAH is here observed as an evidence of Gods faithfulnesse when He is now known by that Name as He was to Israel Exod. 3. and that other pitched upon is Gods justice not simply but as proportioning suitable judgements to the party plagued Righteous art thou O Lord that commended is the Righteousnesse and Justice of God the ground of it because thou hast thus judged or judged these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a speciall justice observed in respect of the object God hath poured this vial on as being very guilty 2. The suitablnesse and equality of the judgement is commended They shed bloud vers 6. and thou hast given them a meeting by shedding their bloud They made all the Saints a prey and had such strict Laws against them now Thou maketh them a prey according to vers 7. Chap. 13. by which we expound this drinking of bloud it being the fulfilling of that threatening evidently In a word they are worthy to be so dealt with which not only looketh to the justice of the plague simply but to its proportionablnesse to their sin especially as was said So it may well be rendered Meet for they were meet not only for wrath but for this same very wrath as the people of God pray Psal. 137. and it is commanded Rev. 18.6 it being Gods justice to proportion as is meet and therefore to give reward to His Servants the Prophets out of meetnesse and not out of merit Chap. 11. and so this word concludeth no more but God hath met these men that were prodigall of the Saints bloud in their own measure though unquestionably this and much more was deserved It is written of Cyrus who thirsting still after moe Kingdomes was at last defeated by the Masageta and having his head cut off Tomiris the Queen did cast it in a vessel of bloud bidding him that never would be satiated drink his fill such a meaning hath the same phrase here The second congratulation or approbation is vers 7. and it is the subscription of the Saints glorified in heaven to this Song setting their seal to the former approbation Even so Lord God Almighty c. observing and as it were preaching Gods Justice and Truth that appeareth now in these plagues This looketh like the same who Chap. 14.18 put up their suit to God for this judgement now when it is come he acknowledgeth it so that as both the Church-militant and Triumphant longed and prayed for Babylons ruine now when it cometh they are not idle spectators but blesseth Him for it They prayed then they praise now who do the former shall have occasion of the latter and should improve the occasion of praise as well as of prayer If by the first be to be understood Christians active in the judgement and by the second some suffering yet under Antichrist it will be one thing all sorts shall thus blesse God even these that are but onlookeâ—s though as yet they do not share of the delivery in that measure In sum it is Lord all that is said of Thy judgement on thy enemies and of Thy goodnesse to Thy people from the beginning of the world and particularly all that is come or to come on Antichrist is just and true and there is no wrong done thou hast keeped Thy threatnings to him and Thy promises to Thy people If any ask why this approbation or these congratulations are marked at this vial especially Beside what was said in opening the meaning of the words we conceive these reasons may be given 1. To shew that the work is observable and should be observed as that which hath much of Gods glory shining in it and so it telleth how observant Gods people are and ought to be in observing His judgements 2. It is to shew the greatnesse and gloriousnesse of the work of executing judgement on Antichrist as having much of Gods faithfulnesse and justice shining in it and of His love to His Church 3. It is that thereby the stupidity and slownesse of men may be checked Men are slow to put out their
if the Lord Christ said such ill dayes and great temptations to draw folks in snares are coming that many will go on in these designes as thinking all their own The advertisement is Behold I come as a thief when they think least on it and seeth least appearance of it I am at hand to take vengeance on them and to deliver the Church So he speaketh Matth. 24.43.44 2 Pet. 3.10 2. There is insinuated a duty suitable to this advertisement that is to Watch and keep their garments clean which was expounded Chap. 3.3 Implying 1. a strait and difficulty 2. the only mean of being preserved in a strait time that is watching seing by it only men are keeped free of spots in their profession and Christian walk 3. There is set down here two excellent motives pressing this necessary duty of watching 1. from their happinesse who doth so they are blessed 1. In themselves being keeped from much sin and wrath which others fall under 2. In reference to others who being by that design of Antichrists ensnared shall share of wrath The second is because by watching men keep their nakednesse covered which by sinning is discovered to their shame a spotted garment hideth not this shame but manifesteth it To be keeped from sin is a great motive and to keep from sin keepeth from shame for shame followeth ever upon sin And there is a behold prefixed yet Readers may not passe it but observe the warning for their instruction in duty and the encouragement of blessednesse for their upstirring and comfort Gods people would never look for a constant peace in the greatest growth of Religion even at the Iews in-coming the Church hath one of her sorest battels There is great odds betwixt a thriving Gospel and the real advantage that cometh by it and outward peace and prosperity The last thing is the successe these foul spirits had They gathered these Kings who for many years despised the Gospel and never had been gathered by it in Gods judgement they are given up to yeeld to them This hath these circumstances 1. The successe They are gathered and who It is these to whom they were sent both Popish Kings and Heathen Kings It is like the Turks as nearest are most easily engaged to set on Christians In a word such speciall enemies as God mindeth to be about with 2. It is said he gathered them not the spirits that is either the beast who commissionated them or rather God who in His secret providence ordereth that designe of the beasts and the enimity of these Kings for such an end as might glorifie Him and undo them It is like an allusion is to the commission Satan getteth against Ahab in perswading him wherein though the devil be instrumentall by false prophets in bringing Ahab to Ramoth 1 King 22. yet it is by Gods permissive providence to punish Ahab that maketh him prevail So it is here the devil hath one design the beast another God a third and He maketh use of both for furthering of His He doth it when they seem to get most way in theirs and it s but the effectuating of His so Gods hand is soveraigne even in Antichrists designs 3. Concerning the place unto which they are gathered two things are to be enquired 1. What this Armageddon is 2. Why it is expresly said in the Hebrew Tongue 1. Armageddon is not to be taken literally as if there were such a place in which indeed bearing that name that battell is to be fought in but figuratively it setteth down before hand from the effect and event of that expedition and battell after the manner of the Hebrews who called places from notable events in them as Bochim Achor Hamon Gog Ezek. 39. Bethel with many others Now this is two wayes applicable 1. Gnarim which Arma cometh from signifying subtillity and applied to the Serpent Gen. 3.1 yea subtillity with deceitfulnesse 2. Geddon cometh from a root that signifieth gathered together so the word signifieth deceitfully gathered together by craft or the first root may signifie destruction so it is gathered to be destroyed The second way how it is applicable is to take it in allusion to Megiâ—do so it will be the hill of Megiddo a place in Iudah famous for two events 1. Iudg. 5.19 in overthâ—owing Sisera's mighty Army by a womans help So these enemies brought into such a fit place shall be as Sisera at the river Kison Psal. 83. The other at Megiddo by Iosâ—a's death is lamentable Thus it relateth to the great zeal and repentance which shall be among the Iews at such a joyfull event Zech. 12.12 both or either will suit here what ever way it be But take it from the force of the compound word it agreeth best to the Hebrews way and that is the reason why especially it is mentioned here expresly in the Hebrew tongue implying 1. that they put that name on it for it is not like that other Nations would give it a name in a strange tongue 2. Their respecting the event in the name as is their manner as before was said thus the name speaketh out the event If it be asked why the Lord delayeth so these vials or carrieth them so on as the Pope getteth such help and bringeth Gods Church low even when he is near to ruine Answ. 1. This way trieth the faith and patience of Gods people most as here is their faith and patience Chap. 13. importeth So was Israel tried in their slow delivery out of Egypt 2. This effecteth His end amongst enemies more and giveth them occasion of kything and in Gods judgement hardeneth them by hopes sometimes to prevail till His wrath come on them So was Pharaoh by Israels straits at the Red-sea and the Magicians counterfeit miracles hardened thus Christs coming is as a snare Luk. 21.35 3. It contributeth more for Gods glory He getteth them thus together to the great battell He hath by this means many victories and much glory over one enemy as He had over Pharaoh otherwise they would never uphold a contest with God The Lord in this doth as one saith as a man who being to leap far goeth a little back to come up with the greater force For sinfull causes of it we may name 1. their ingratitude and unanswerable walk who receive the Gospel which will make God remove it and therefore also not to propogate it 2. Little pity on them that lieth under Antichrist and little prayer for Gods hastening His judgements on him and fitting of instruments for it 3. Little singlnesse in any undertaking for that end few Kings mindeth it self-interests sway all and others carnally seek their own glory in being instrumentall in such a thing or under such a pretext pursue their own more than Christs therefore they are not blessed 4. Want of a powerfull Ministrie and lives answerable amongst Professors which maketh this Truth to be loathed seing so many are carnall deceitfull c. who professe it Thus
in this respect is not only a distinct head ver 1. but a distinct beast ver 11. which could not be if he had not an Ecclesiastick consideration differing from these who went before him The second objection is that Rome is not Antichrists seat because saith Bellar. de pont lib. 3. the Kings that are Antichrists vassals destroy it Answ. 1. Then Rome is the whore at that time for they destroy her not till she be the whore and so must it not be Rome heathen that is the whore for they destroy her not till the beasts ruine be advanced to the fifth vial as is said Chap. 16. and in the 17. untill she be a whore But that Rome is his seat appeareth for 1. he headeth Rome sitteth on it and ruleth as the six Heads or Governments before him did but they sat at Rome and had it for their seat See Chap. 13.4 he got the Dragons seat and so it is common with the rest to him to be King of that city 2. He sitteth so as by him and in him Rome keepeth up her former beauty and rule over all the Nations about during his being Governour but that cannot be but by his sitting at Rome 3. There is no other reason can be given why in Antichrists description there should be so much mention made of Rome and such particular descriptions of the sibnesse between him and her except that he is head to her and supporteth her and sitteth especially in her and that Rome the prime seat is named for all the Body or Kingdom as Metropolis thereof as afterward 4. That Rome is great during his time is clear but no other way but this of his keeping Court there can be imagined as that way whereby she ruleth over Nations and propagateth abominations to them but that in him and by him she did it as by her former Governments in part who sat there before Add 5. that Rome is some otherwayes his seat ver 7. than other Nations are over which he governeth and what can that be but this 6. What other reason is there why Rome is more plagued as sharing deeplier in Antichrists sin than others Chap. 18. but this that it was his seat And 7. why would the fall of it be so much lamented as spoiling all their former Mercat and scattering their Court if it had not sitten there Chap. 18. Beside Bellarmin's argument mistaketh for it is the Kings who once were Antichrists followers that destroy Rome but not while they are so do they it but when Antichrist is discovered then is his seat hatefull to them whereas his followers lament it Chap. 18. and therefore have no hand in it The third objection hath more shew of difficulty that these cannot be applied to the Pope because he arose not from the bottomlesse pit i.e. unwarrantably but hath Gods warrant as they alleage by being Peters successor Ergo. For answering this objection we are not to insist in Scriptures whereby the dominion and office usurped by the Pope is overturned nor on vindicating of these Scriptures which they make use of in pretending that let that be sought from Common places It shall suffice us to assert that in Scripture there is no warrant 1. For the titles or names that he assumeth to himself there is no such order or officer mentioned by Jesus Christ in His house as Pope Pontifex Maximus Vicar of Christ universall Pastor his holinesse Bishop of Bishops c. there is no such shadow in the Word as may warrant these This word Papa est vox syracusa say Divines idem significans quod pater à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was in old given to all eminent Bishops as to Alexander and Athanasius Bishops of Alexandria apud Athanasium to Augustine by Ierome in his Epistles to him and to Cyprian Epist. 3. where Pamelius saith it was a word of honour amongst heathens as was that of Pontifex Maximus whereof was spoken Cap. 13. See also Ruffin Symb. and Pamelius on him 2. We may assert that for the matters wherein they exerce this power as to dispense with oaths and obligations of men to others to dispose of and transfer Kingdoms crowns titles c. to dispense with unlawfull marriages constitute new holy dayes and change worship send to Purgatory and bring from it as they imagine to indulge and give pardon even for sins to be committed to absolve and forgive magisterially sins without respect to the qualifications laid down in the Word but to such as perform such superstitions and obey such and such orders to canonize Saints and thereby as it were to create gods to be worshipped and many moe such things which cannot be reckoned All these being contrary to the Word of God and for the most part not committed to any but reserved to the Lord as His own priviledge we may clearly assert that power in so far to be from the pit so as if an Angel would professe it or preach such doctrine we might account him accursed yet such is the power pleaded-for in the Pope And in many of these things is acknowledged to be but ex communi consuetudine See Azor Instit. moral lib. 6. pag. 561. 3. If we consider it further in the speciall properties wherewith they qualifie the Popes power as it is essentiall to his threefold crown twofold sword and keys we will find it of the same nature as 1. that it is extensive and universall over heaven by opening it setting up Saints to be worshipped commanding Angels as sometimes they have done in their Bulls over Purgatory and the whole world over the dead to torment or relieve them at their pleasure and over the living in all things spirituall and temporall in order to these over persons Ecclesiastick as they call them and Civil as Kings Emperours States to command them to War or Peace as they please and to carry as supream to them all ratifying Emperours and elections or not and disposing of their crowns to others yea over consciences they usurp a dominion 2. That it is absolute supream and independent not only of all Kings but of all Councels and Decrees to which he giveth Authority or not as he pleaseth and they are of Authority or not as he confirmeth them yea to all traditions and even to the Scriptures and Word of God without which the Scriptures would not be by them accounted so as Bailius Catech. part 1. quaest 12. Aliter non magis fidem adhiberet Matthaeo quam Tito Livio that is otherwayes he would not give more faith to Matthew than to Titus Livius and generally all affirm that being their maxime that the Church giveth Authority to the Scriptures as to us and that no decree of the Church hath Authority but from him Hence according to this pleni-potentiary power doth he constitute such books to be Scripture or not and hath added many to the former Canon which preceeding Councels have not acknowledged and he doth confirm traditions and fables
voice which sheweth both the thing to be certain and remarkable and him to be serious in going about it The denounciation containeth these three parts of Romes destruction borrowed from the Prophets The 1. is Isai. 21. 9. Ier. 51. 8. the first denouncing Babylons ruine more at a distance long before it come the second more nearly foretelling it We had these same words Chap. 14. 8. of an Angel but this differeth in that he is called a mighty Angel and that he cometh down and cryeth mightily neither of which are in the former The reason is because that Angel Chap. 14. denounced the fall of that Kingdom first when the light of the Gospel began to break out this setteth it out nearer her end and so speaketh it more clearly and powerfully to shew it is now by the fifth vial fulfilled or certainly to be closed If it be asked here how Angels speak who have no organs as we have Answ. There are three wayes of speaking attributed to Angels and mentioned in this Book 1. When Angels speak to men audibly as to Iohn Chap. 1.9 2. When they speak in visions as to Iohn in the Spirit or to Ioseph in a dream even as things are represented to the sight in vision so may they be to the hearing 3. When they speak one to another as Chap. 14. The first way Angels speak audibly to men by forming an audible voice in the air as they appear to sight by assuming a visible body The second way they speak in visions is by putting in or working impressions of these things on the spirits of men To the third they speak one to another by ordinating by their wills such conceptions towards such an Angel one or moe to be understood by them This is most rested on by the Schoolmen and thus they say 1. An Angel speaketh to one or moe at once as he ordinates his conception towards them 2. That thus they speak with a like case and facility at a distance as when they are near other 3. That thus they signifie their conceptions to God And 4. thus they say will the just men made perfect at least in their souls have communications one with another or with Angels in glory This they say is not conceptum imprimendo which was Scotus opinion but ordinando and so then that locutio or speaking is not actus ordinans conceptum but conceptus ordinatus à voluntate ut alter intelligat Our Divines do also assent most to this But this we insist not on neither will we pass any determination In a word Babylon that is Rome her certain and approaching ruine is set down The second part of the denounciation setteth out this ruine in its greatness as dreadfull and irrecoverable borrowed from Isa. 13. 14. and 34.13 14 15. Ier. 51.37 where old Babylons ruine is spoken of she shall be so far destroyed for it is so certain that it is supposed and set down as come already that in stead of unclean men and great pomp of great men in her before now she shall be utterly desolate haunted and inhabited by none but ghosts or ill spirits and suries and soule and unclean creatures such as Oules Wild-cats c. as ye see old Abbacies or Monasteries or Castles when walls stand and none dwelleth in them they are direful-like to men so shall Rome be saith this Angel which importeth a great desolation and it is used for that end in the Scriptures cited If it be asked If there be such a thing as the haunting of evill spirits in these desolate places We answer 1. That there are evill spirits rangeing up and down through the earth is certain even though hell be their prison properly yet have they a sort of dominion and abode both in the earth and air partly as a piece of their curse this is laid on them to wander partly as their exercise to tempt men or bring spirituall or temporall hurt to them this is clear Iob 1. 2. That they haunt such desolate places of the earth most may be also clear Hence Matth. 12. he is said to walk through wast and dry places and he used to drive these that were possessed to the tombes This is and may be partly a part of their curse to be restricted there except as they get liberty to go abroad as these got to enter the swyne and not to be cast to hell therefore is it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the originall which signifieth a prison partly to shew the accursedness of the place to be thus inhabited as Saul was when an evill spirit possessed him after his rejection partly they delight in these places as fitted to make them the more terrible from them and as triumphing in the desolation they have brought on men these judgments being the effects of sin brought on by them Some think they glory in these desolations and graves as evidences of their victory over men which yet tendeth to their greater condemnation 3. What ever be of the former this is sure that such places desolate and uninhabited use to work generally a horrour and terrour in the minds of men which possibly may flow from the former so that they are ever accounted irksom direfull and horrible places to abide in and this common estimation is enough for the scope here which is to shew what dreadfull desolation Rome should fall into and lye in Cities even great cities had need to be humble and holy it is hard to know what may come on and what may dwell in the greatest Cities that once have been the greatest in the world may now be the proof of this The justice of this judgement though great is declared ver 3. two wayes 1. By the greatness of her sins in three 1. fornication 2. a luxurious and delicious way of living 3. intising of others to these sins shamelesly 2. Her sin is set out by the extent of it in her making others partake with her and there are 1. all Nations 2. Kings 3. all Merchants that are made rich by her magnificence these three are the parties with whom she sinneth 1. For the sins we may understand them 1. spiritually of idolatry and superstitions pompous worship as is before said thus her merchandizing is not the least part of her sin it must therefore be such a merchandizing as is sinfull 2. literally of filthiness pride affluence and superfluity of all things in apparell dwellings diets c. Rome aboundeth in these 2. For the parties sinning Nations and Kings are clearly literally to be understood as before It is more difficult what is to be understood by Merchants Certainly they must not at least only be common Merchants for 1. they are the great men of the earth that buy and sell these wares And 2. the wares are souls of men vers 14. And therefore 3. these Merchants must be understood chiefly as Merchants of such wares as are vendible or sellable at Rome and wherein especially its market
answer to the second if there shall then be any of Gods people de facto in Rome â— or quo jure may they be there till then Ans. In these Conclusions having distinguished Gods people 1. In elected regenerated and called and elected but un-called 1. Many un-called have been and may be in Rome yea even of it and these are called to separate for experience telleth us God hath called many who have been members of her and may do so still 2. Many of Gods called people have been in Rome locally but not of it and have continued long so in her bosome There are true worshippers in the Temple Chap. 11. even when the outter court is trod on by heathenish Papists then the Prophets prophesie even in the great city and God hath a Temple and Church even where Antichrist sitteth though His Congregation be not that Church even as the Lord had His Word Prophets and People at old Babylon captive when the face of Worship was overturned in Iudah so in this Babylon He keepeth still His Word Baptism as in the former He did Circumcision and a Ministery that was never lost but all the fourty two moneths of Antichrists reign the Prophets prophesie though in sackcloth Hence in all the Universall expressions of Antichrists dominion still they are excepted Chap. 13. and 17. whose names are written in the Book of life and Chap. 7. an hundred fourty and four thousand are sealed who Chap. 14. are found on mount Zion even before light in Luthers time brake forth And it may possibly be that some sinfully as some of the people in Babylon did have not made a secession from Rome and these parts though they have formerly separated from her communion or otherwayes by their callings as Obadiah was engaged with Ahab being intangled to live still This voice putteth them to it not to lodge a night in it for they know not when Gods judgement may seize upon it yet she is Babel and these in her are Gods people even then but now when the Gospel breaketh out and her judgement approacheth they are called not only to separate from her but to remove out of her and expect her judgement For the third the necessity or warrant of separating it is grounded on these 1. She is Babel and ye are My People and there is no communion between light and darknesse Christ and Antichrist this giveth the great ground she is but your oppressor Babylon not your Mother the Church 2. Ye cannot shun her sins if ye stay not only should ye own Me in separating your selves when ye are called which belongeth to the first ground that is to confesse with the mouth by profession as well as to believe with the heart but if ye stay ye are still in danger of snares yea sometimes in lesse or more are partaking of them as Ioseph did in swearing by Pharaoh's life at the Court of Egypt And by this it may also appear that many living in such places are engaged and ensnared in many things that at a greater distance they would be liberated of If any ask May not one abide in Rome now and not be a partaker of her sins more than before Answ. The hazard is greater now 1. They have a retiring place and a standard for Truth set up that they should now follow 2. They have Gods call and invitation to come out and though He was a Sanctuary to them in their wildernesse-state while the set time of their captivity lasted yet when He openeth the door that is not to be expected so confidently from Him 3. Babel groweth still more corrupt and never more than since Trent added to all her former abominations 4. Because Romes judgement hasteneth and though they keep themselves free of many of her sins yet they may share of her temporall wrath as Lot's family was in hazard had not the Lord removed it from Sodom A third reason of secession is the coming great plague so that God who had long spared was by judging her to make it appear He had forgotten nothing and now her sins being come to an height her judgment shall delay no longer and this presseth a locall secession Hence it followeth 1. That it is no schism to quit fellowship with Rome she being no wife to the Lamb is therefore no mother to His Children she giveth them poyson for sincere milk by corrupting the truth of the Gospel and not suffering them to feed upon the Truth She hath been condemning persecuting and destroying the true worshippers for many generations together and would have no fellowship with any without the beast's character therefore is there a necessity of separating as was said to the Witnesses Chap. 11. Come up hither and here Come out of her 2. It followeth also that folks not only may quit Rome but of duty they should do it in obedience to Christ's call and they would try their warrant that go there for curiosity seing here is a command to quit it Who are they that know what night or day this horrible judgement will be executed it were dreadfull curiosity to be found there then 3. It followeth that where God warranteth separation it is from a company that is no Church and must be supposed a Babel and therefore there is no separation allowed by Him from a true Church seing this is a proof of His disclaiming her to be a Church to command them to separate from her Therefore here is Babylon contradistinguished from His People who are called to come out of her which supposeth that He calleth none of His to separate from such as are His. It 's one thing to withdraw from civil conversing with particular wicked men another thing to separate from Gods Church for its defects There is therefore this observable in separating and withdrawing that we are to keep lesse fellowship in civill things with a Brother that is a Church member and is grosse than with one that is without and not a member as the Apostle writeth 2 Cor. 5.10 But we may and should on the other side keep Church-fellowship with a true Church though in many things faulty and corrupt whereas we may not at all with an idolatrous company in their worship Hence in that same Epistle to the Corinthians going to and eating in Idols temples or at their feasts was so much condemned yet communicating with the Church of Corinth or living as a member of it though corrupt both in doctrine and practice was never found fault-with as to worship for it is clear that that of not eating with an offending Brother looketh only to civil fellowship because it is such a fellowship that is condemned with them as is allowed to Heathens which certainly is such If our Churches therefore be Christs Churches as sometimes the favourers of separation grant There can be no separation from them without turning to a schism The second exhortation may be read by way of prophesie or because the former is by way
All these shall joyn in lamenting but for their severall ends The Kings that is some of the Kings Chap. 17. who shall not hate her with the rest but shall continue favourers of the beast till the battell of Armageddon they shall lament this desolation not acknowledging Gods justice but affected with their own particular and otherwise blinded By which it is clear 1. That not all the ten horns Chap. 17. but some of them shall hate the whore 2. That after Romes destruction many shall remain unsatisfied with it even when the prophesie is fulfilled which saith that the fulfilling of prophesies maketh them not palpably to be so where there is prejudice formerly drunken-in 3. It saith that Romes desolation will be sad to many Kings that are enemies to Christ and therefore not be executed by them These Kings are such as have been partakers of her sin and have been in love with her externall pomp and delicate way now they have one common lamentation with the rest Alas alas that sheweth affection in them and desolation on her that they lament for 1. In its greatnesse she is burned 2. In its terriblnesse they stand afar off for fear they cannot or dare not help her though they lament her 3. In its greatnesse and unexpectednesse that mighty city is destroyed in one hour And seing these Kings both partake of her fornications and give their power to the beast It must follow that these go together and therefore this sin for which Rome is ruined is Antichrists sin and that defection hath been derived to all the Nations from it and by it before its destruction and that for a long time which hath intoxicated or bewitched them so to affect her If it be asked why Kings so much lament and are affected Answ. Many of them or some of them are still drunken with that wine of her fornications and cannot lay by that pomp of externall worship whereby their magnificence hath opportunity to kyth and they love a naturall formall way of worship and cannot abide the simplicity and spirituality of the Gospel 2. They have been for a long time entertained with counterfeit respects from that Court receiving titles and priviledges from her that have sometimes been thought much of such as to be Protector Ecclesiae to the Roman Emperour Rex Catholicus to Spain Rex Christianissimus to France Defensores Ecclesiae to the Helvetians Defensor Fidei to the Kings of England sanctified Swords and Banners c. These vanities are now taken away from them 3. All men especially great men love an easie and lazie form of worship such as Popery is to get dispensations to their oaths unlawfull incestuous Marriages as often many Popish Kings do Spain with his Neece Polland with his Brothers wife for the time Pardons and Indulgences for money for their greatest sins These things the Kings love well and will be in heaven as soon as any if money will do it and cannot abide to want these things that give them liberty when there is hope by some money to recover all 4. Enimity at Christs way and yoke They see her going down maketh way â—or the flourishing and spreading of the true Religion that they still were suppressing and that galleth them These reasons are from their interest 5. Possibly also the fear of sharing in that judgement they being joyntly someway engaged with her it may affect them and that fear maketh them stand afar off The next who lament are the Merchants who have their Alas ver 16. also upon these common grounds i.e. the ruine of an excellent outward glorious City in a generall way of pity especially considering that she that was just now gallant in all pomp is suddenly brought to this desolation yet the ground is also more peculiar they by their losse do lose their trade and gain in merchandizing and thus their particular sticketh to them Therefore Merchants are in two wayes in this lamentation to be understood 1. Literally the Merchants of those sorts of wares which Rome in its greatnesse and luxury made use of and that for two ends first In their pomp and civill outward grandour These four are mentioned 1. all things serving for decking the body gorgeously as ver 12. Gold silver precious stones pearls fine linen scarlet purple c. 2. All things that adorn a house as Sweet-wood ivory vessels of precious wood brasse iron ibid. ver 12. 3. All manner of things for pampering the body and the table and for savour as Spices cinamon odours wine sheep oxen wheat c. ver 13. 4. All necessaries for outward pomp and equipage in peace and war that is Servants horses and chariots In a word whatever delicious thing was desirable These were all much made use of at Rome and are still by their Ecclesiastick Princes Secondly they are much made use of in their externall service and manner of worship Gold and Silver in their Images and decorement of Churches Purple to their Cardinals fine linen about their Relicts and Masse Tables or Altars Oyl in many things c. Thus Merchants that were sure how to get these things sold at a good rate at Rome are now disappointed of their gain these things fell not so well and they lament for it as it is said concerning Tyrus Ezek 27. but this is not all This sort of merchandise is still of worth Gold silver c. and though Rome be destroyed they might have recourse elsewhere to their market it must therefore be some other sort of merchandise and merchants who live especially by these wares of Rome and whose merchandise and trade faileth when it falleth and is so peculiar to Rome it is clear for this merchandise is of souls of men distinct from bodies for the words souls and bodies in the Originall differ in the case to shew that one thing is not understood by both that is selling souls out of Purgatory and sending them by it at their pleasure and trading with their Dispensations Indulgences c. And by her Merchants then must be understood their Cardinals and great Church-men who are ver 23. called the great men of the earth and such a greatnesse is a part of Romes sin and a cause of her ruine whose trade is now cryed down at Romes destruction none buyeth their wares now when their vanity is discovered as in a great part hath been since Luthers dayes These wares are such as are peculiar to Rome these make their great men rich and therefore this decay maketh them cry out Alar alaâ— 1 This is merchandizing of false teachers spoken of 2 Pet. 2.3 who professe themselves shepherds but feed themselves and not the flock Ezek. 34. This must be the merchandizing and the Merchants here understood for great men of the earth are not for common wares and this trade is pitched-on here as sinfull in respect of them as committing fornication with her was in the Kings Having set down the Merchants who are the great
first cause of their judgement which could not be of ordinary merchandizing but that in an extraordinary way she imployed such men and made it a trade honourable even for the best in such things as were sinfull wherein even Princes thought it honourable to be imployed and these imployed were thought so for though it be borrowed from the traffick of Tyrus Ezek. 27. yet it is to be applyed spiritually as many other things in this prophesie not to temporall wares but spirituall this being Iohns way as before was observed to borrow expressions from the Prophets their setting forth of temporall evils and to apply them to spirituall The second cause is her sorceries whereby many were deceived which is to be understood spiritually also as the former of entysing or bewitching Gal. 3.1 to idolatry and her superstitious worship though literally sorcery wherein Rome abounded is not to be secluded as neither in the former the literall trading where such was The third sin is persecution and bloudshed and that of all sorts Ministers and People yea she being the last persecuter and head of all the persecutions throughout other Kingdoms whether by Inquisitions Massacres or Wars she is found justly guilty of all upon the reasons given before and it is now repayed on her though others will not be freed of the judgement These are the sins now if Rome be this Babylon as adversaries confess these sins most either be the sins of heathen Rome or of popish Rome or of Rome under their feigned Antichrist that must procure this judgement for its ruine is not to be separated from its cause but they cannot be sins of heathen Rome that procureth the ruine of that city which is irreparable such as is here for 1. the sins here procuring this judgment are such as Rome is to be actually taken in the guilt of and many presently are acting in it but that idolatry and persecution of old Rome is broken off long since 2. This ruine is on an whore and therefore such sins as belong to one making defection which canot be applied to heathen Rome for this is whoring Rome that is here 3. These sins are a following step of idolatry and persecution that was to be on the earth to wit Antichrist after the heathenish persecution ceaseth as was cleared Chap. 6. for Saints are to be killed after that fifth seal which is to be performed by the beast Chap. 13. and 17. and here it is closed 4. These sins for which Rome is destroyed are the sins wherewith Babylon is formerly charged Chap. 17. and whereof the world was guilty then but these were not the sins of heathen Rome but of Antichrist neither is it very like that Rome so long time after will be punished for faults in thousands of years before or at least many hundreds It followeth then 1. that that city Rome is by this prophesie especially holden out to be a seat of antichristian tyrannie when she is found guilty of all this bloud otherwise she would not be so singularly plagued with him and for him 2. That Rome presently must be thus under this guiltiness and that its present practice is the continuing of this guilt for we cannot consider Rome guilty thus but as either under heathen persecuters and this is not the guilt for she is plagued for a present guilt and taken in the act of whoring for Gods punishment is not on the walls of a town where such sins once were committed but on persons principally presently sinning or continuing former guiltiness and long forborne and on the walls for their cause or it must be considered as guilty under an Antichrist to come and to suffer the ruine by him if so he be to come as they say but this cannot be said either for 1. they say Rome is not to be his seat but Ierusalem Therefore this judgement is not due peculiarly to Rome if that defection be not singularily acted and plotted by it 2. They say Rome is to be destroyed by him or by the ten Kings before him but that destruction would be suffering innocently and not justly for his sins as here 3. This judgement of Rome is given as an evidence of Gods justice and to continue a time as a ground of rejoycing to the Saints and as a ground of lamentation to the Kings who supported the beast and committed fornication with this whore that must therefore be a longer time before the end of the world than they make it and cannot be by Antichrist as they say but for him that it s destroyed for that would be no rejoycing to the Saints but mourning to them and joy to him and his Seing then it is not Rome one of these wayes considered it must be Rome popish for an other state of it is not alleaged by them yea it is this Rome and this destruction upon such causes yet to come for it is to be done by Kings that in Iohns time had not dominion but were to receive it and after to give it for a time to the beast and were to commit whoredom with this whore and then after that to hate her and destroy her Again it appeareth here also that many will stick in their doting to lament Rome even after its ruine which certainly could not be if they understood this Prophesie It is no marvell then it be dark to many as yet who stick so to that Antichrist then as if he were not Antichrist So it is like many will defend this Babylon at its ruine as if it were not the Babylon spoken of here The Jews still reject clear Prophesies of Christ and of their destruction for rejecting Him Prophesies then after their fulfilling are clear to such whose eyes God openeth only and are not discerned by all as Papists speak 3. Hence also we may gather it is but foolish pitty that is shown on Romes greatness in her self or pendicles such as Abbacies Monasteries c. Gods justice should be acknowledged on them and none should thus lament over them 4. It must follow then that the way of worship now at Rome must be fornication and sorcery their executions persecutions their selling of Pardons c. the merchandizing condemned here LECTURE 1. CHAP. XIX Vers. 1. ANd after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying Alleluja salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God 2. For true and righteous are his judgements for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the bloud of his servants at her hand 3. And again they said Alleluja and her smoke rose up for ever and ever 4. And the four and twentie elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne saying Amen Alleluja 5. And a voice came out of the throne saying Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him both small and great 6. And I heard as
Pallace and the first-born shall be gathered together By Called here are understood 1. those who are effectually so for they are blessed and glorified Rom. 8.30 Yea 2. called even outwardly Now they of the Jews that shall be called to the Supper are more happy than those who were called at the first to the Dinner for God shall make them generally more obedient and the iron sinew shall be taken out of their neck and the vail from off their eyes and they shall generally yeeld to this Call and flow like doves to their windows to this Gospel therefore are they blessed and happy Thus these who are called by this happinesse are not only opposed to these who are not called at all or only to such who are called and not chosen Matth. 20. But this second Call of the Jews is opposed thus to the first Mat. 22. which is in a word that the Jews after their re-ingrafting shall be generally more blessed by being made to yeeld to the call of the Gospel than those who did live under the first offer thereof So the things prophetically confirmed are two 1. That there is a second calling of the Jews or feast of Christs Marriage to come beside what was at first at the Dinner a new offer to be made to the Jews before the end of the world and a new and most beautifull lustre to be put upon the Church 2. That they shall be blessed and happy beyond the former Jews that shall be called to this as is said This truth is confirmed two wayes 1. by a speciall command to write Write saith he as Chap. 14.13 importing a singular excellency in the thing 2. A great certainty in it that it may be recorded ad futuram râ—i memoriam as Paul signifieth in expressing that of the Jews calling Rom. 11. 3. A difficulty in believing or receiving the truth so pressed And a second way he confirmeth this is These are the true sayings of God it is from the Author of them and His nature and the nature of all His sayings they are saith he not Mens nor Angels words for there might be a lie in both these but they are Gods all whose words are Truth He Himself being Truth He Himself being God who cannot lie and yet as in these sayings concerning the happinesse of these called there is as it were a singular eminency of His faithfulnesse so in speciall these are His true sayings and will take effect The 10. ver is notable by expressing the infirmity of an eminent Saint and the Angels rejecting of that worship intended to him by Iohn with severall reasons as if purposly he would rectifie men in that point of will-worship in giving that religious adoration to creatures though most excellent which alone is due to God Iohn's infirmity is set down in these words And I fell at his feet to worship him Worship implyeth three things 1. An act in the judgement taking up an excellency in the object worshipped 2. An act of the will yeelding it conformly to that apprehended excellency 3. An externall act of the body This may be common to all sorts of worship Further we may consider a twofold adoration or worship mentioned in Scripture that is allowable one is Religious and is a speciall duty due to God and commanded in the first Table of the Law the other is Civil which is due to creatures and commanded in the second Table Again this second sort is twofold the first is that which proceedeth from a reverencing of men for their stations or relations whatever their qualifications be as Magistrats Ministers Parents great Men c. The second is a reverentiall worshipping of men for their qualifications of wisdom and holinesse so we respect good men though they be not great as Act. 2.47 Such living Saints get and in a greater measure Angels may have when they appear such was that which Abraham and Lot gave to the Angels Gen. 18. and 19. supposing them to be men All these are lawfull There is also an idolatrous and sinfull worship and that is when what is due to the Creator is given to any creature and that either more grosly to Idols Images c. called worshipping of devils or more subtil to Saints as that of Cornelius to Peter Act. 10. and that to Paul and Barnabas Act. 14. and is also of diverse sorts This here is not of the first two sorts for it is not condemnable to worship God nor to give holy Men and Angels due reverence But it is this third sort an unlawfull worship as appeareth by the Angels rejecting it with so much zeal and earnestnesse these two wayes expressed 1. By a vehement prohibition See thou do it not there is no more in the Originall but See no an abrupt cutted expression such as is used when men hasten to prevent something they abhor and would fain prevent 2. It is expressed by the pressing arguments he useth which are two 1. This is not my due to be so worshipped I am saith the Angel thy fellow-servant not thy Lord and the fellow-servant of thy brethren that have the testimony of Iesus and are imployed in his Ministery we have but one Ministery 1. The Angels to the Prophets then the Prophets to the Church Therefore are Ministers called Angels and Angels Ministers The second argument is taken from Gods prerogative to whom only such worship is due Wâ—rship God saith he I am not God and that is alone due to Him therefore give it not to me but to Him allowing by the one argument no such worship to creatures and by the other appropriating it all to God He confirmeth in the close his arguments especially the first thus For the testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie which may be thus understood the Spirit of Prophesie and revealing of these things is not mine but it is Jesus Christs hence it may be called the testimony of Iesus as belonging peculiarly to Him therefore worship is not due to me who am but a servant with thee Or to the same purpose reading the words as they lye I am thy fellow-servant for the testimony of Jesus or the ministery of the Gospel called so for its bearing witness to Christ in which respect Ministers are often called Witnesses See Chap. 22.8 is the Spirit of prophesie that is is also His gift and way of revealing secrets and edifying of others as this more immediat message which I bear is they are of the same nature and kind of service and therefore from these who are imployed in one of them religious worship is not due to the other they being fellow-servants For more clear opening the doctrine contained in the words it may be asked 1. If Iohn sinned 2. What sort of sin 3. How he being such an eminent servant of Christ and in the midst of such revelations fell into it First That he sinned we suppose is clear 1. in that he never fell to worship an Angel before
though he had seen and spoken with sundry he is not reproved for that for this 2. By the nature of the reproof See thou do it not especially considering it again renewed Chap. 22. as of an hainous sin 3. By the reasons whereby Iohn is rejected as having aimed to give that to a creature which was due to God the Creatour and not to it which reasons do reject that worship not for complement but on such grounds as conclude that none such is due to any Angel For the second we may easily discern the kind of sin but more hardly in what respect he fell into it for kind it is no question idolatry in giving that to a creature which is due to God Now there is a twofold idolatry 1. Against the first Command that is when folks erre in the object of their worship giving it to another than God this is of three sorts 1. to what hath no being as to such idols which are nothing 2. to what hath a being good or bad creatures Angels devils sun moon heaven c. 3. More subtilly when one maketh gold his confidence as Iob speaketh Chap. 31. or his belly or some lust his god in which respect covetousness is called idolatry Col. 3.5 Secondly Idolatry against the second Command is not a miscarrying in the object but in the manner of worshiping Him who alone is the true object of religious worship as when men worship God by other meanes or midses than He hath prescribed Such was Aarons making the calf to Iehovah Ieroboam's putting up the calves at Dan and Bethel both these sorts are ryse amongst the Papists Now for this of Iohns it is especially and directly of the first kind If it be asked why Iohn fell now in this sin and not before It can hardly be said that he fell in this fault only upon mistake of the person as if he had supposed him to be Christ that spoke to him For 1. it is like Iohn knew it was that Angel spoken of Chap. 17.1 who did still speak to him for so we conceive the same Angel to continue his undertaking to shew Iohn the whore's judgement which yet to the end of the Chapter is not finished in her supporter 2. If that had been the mistake he needed not then have fallen into it again Chap. 22.8 after he was taught in this point 3. Had that been his mistake the Angel needed say no more but tell him he was not Christ but the Angel's answers are to rectifie him in the grounds of his practice as proceeding from a mistake in what was due to God and to Angels and his answer being to remedy his failing we may the more warrantably read out of the contrary directions which the Angel giveth him what was his failing This therefore is not the ground We conceive it then to flow from these three together surprizing the holy man 1. The glorious appearance of the Angel 2. The good news he told him 3. Iohn's weaknesse and the nature of our corruption in departing from God which is in some measure in the strongest Now considering these three to meet together it is no wonder that Iohn was suprised as it were even to the fâ—rgetting of himself and falling down now to worship once and again which he had not formerly done thus the good news of the Church on earth here and of the Church in heaven Chap. 22.8 again affecteth him so Alcasar acknowledgeth the same reason From which we may conclude 1. The sinfulnesse of worshipping Angels Saints or any other thing by religious worship This Argument maketh it out That which is condemned in Iohn is not to be practised by any But this is condemned in Iohn Ergo c. Papists to eschew this argument and defend their idolatry run in two extream answers whereof the one overturneth the other 1. They say he sinned in mistaking the person only and so giving Latria to Angels whereas Dulia is only due to them But this is refuted 1. in that before it is shown this was not the ground of Iohns practice 2. The Angel's arguments are not only against this sort of worship but all worship and admitteth of no middle-worship as we will hear but will have all directed to God But seing it cannot be denied but Iohn understood that this was an Angel and not Christ and that therefore he intended not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the messenger as Viegas Cornelius à Lapide and Alcasar upon this place do not only acknowledge but confirm It is therefore secondly their way to alleage that Iohn sinned not but that he did his duty and because that digesteth hardly considering the Angel's repeated reproof they are therefore put to it to invent reasons why the Angel doth reject this duty and say 1. it is but for complement to shew his humility 2. to testifie their respect to Christ who is now man therefore they shun honour now of men whereas they say now it is on a mistake as if he who received this honour at any time under the Law had been a created Angel Or say some for respect to Iohns person or office or merits wherein he was above Angels especially by his virginity and therefore it is no wonder Angels refused it from him Unto all which we reply 1. Thta it is no wonder that men go wilde when they give way to their own inventions and rest not satisfied in the reasons given by the Angel 2. It must be a strong addictednesse to idolatry that when we have it out of an Angels mouth twice from heaven yet will we not acquiesce in it but rather say the Angel was wrong than amend that fault 3. We have shown that this is sinfull in Iohn when it is thus thrust away by the Angel once and again and that upon such arguments as inferred that God was wronged by it for what is that aâ—gument worship God If it be of any force as to the Angel's exhortation Worship not any but God it must imply that his worshâ—pping of the Angel was not a worshippâ—ng of God but a derogation to it and that worâ—hipping of God could not have been consistent with worshipping of him otherwise he might have worshipped God and the Angel also whâ—ch breaketh the force of the Angel's consequence which opposeth them as inconsistent together It is wonderfull therefore that BeÌ„llarmine should fall in that impudency Dâ— sanctâ— bâ—â—titud lib. 1. cap. 14. as to presse an argument for worshipping of Angels from this place thus Either saith he Iohn took it to be Christ whom he wâ—rshipped and so hâ— sinned by giving the Angel divine honour or he knew him to be an Angel and yâ—t worshipped him which saith he is a copy to us for if Iohn knowingly worshipped an Angel so should we and whether doth Iohn or the Calvinists so he speaketh know best what is due to Angels and this he confirmeth If it had not been duty then saith he Iohn would not have done
was decayed almost and hath again multitudes brought out of that darknesse to the profession of the truth formerly obscured And so we take it here 1. It is called the first resurrection in opposition to the generall death and darknesse over the Church in Antichrists time which being as a death this may well be called a resurrection 2. It is called a first as distinguished from the generall resurrection to come when God shall raise good and bad Dan. 12. and bring them to judgement These both meet together here yet it would seem that seing he speaketh here of the Church together as living after the death and darknesse she had been in as if her former honest members were arisen It is most agreeable to the scope to take-in especially the out-breaking of a generall profession of truth by Saints in a visible Church-state yet so as including the former Therefore it is not called living simply in respect of the second death following but living again or rising in respect of what is past And the first resurrection as being compared with that resurrection coming Hence it is that this first resurrection is the same here with living formerly mentioned and opposed to the death that the rest of menly still in and therefore is contemporary with and peculiar unto these thousand years it being one of the expressions which sumeth up the Saints good condition during that time This saith he is the first resurrection that is this living c. In the sixth Verse he subjoyneth two things to this 1. the qualification in generall of these who shall be partakers of this great priviledge of the first resurrection 2. The advantages and prerogatives that follow it Both which will confirm that by this resurrection is understood the Churches good condition outward and inward sincere reality of grace in all the parts of it Their advantages in generall which is all one with their qualifications are two 1. They are or he is blessed that comprehendeth all he is a happy man who shall share of this condition and shall believe in Christ. Obj. But may it be said are not all happy who ever believed why is it so said now especially Answ. So are all that ever die in Christ yet is there a peculiar blessednesse that belongeth to some time as Chap. 14.13 so it is in blessednesse here now in this time It hath to Believers more clearnesse more light liberty and publick profession of the Gospel and that with fewer temptations and straits generally than at other times before and after it is a good time to fall in and happy is he who shall have his lot in it as Chap. 19. blessed are they that are called to the supper of the Lamb ut supra The second qualification will clear this And holy is he that doth hold forth in generall an abounding in holinesse during this time when the Iews shall be provoked to jealousie seing here this is the scope Think not that all who shall professe during this time are pertakers of this resurrection No that is a singularly happy man and blessed and a singularly holy man he must be and he shall be so qualified and fitted for it in more holinesse than ordinary This is not as if all Saints then on earth were more holy than others that were before that time or shall follow after but that in generall holinesse shall at that time be more rife in the Church and therefore that reigning of all Saints must not be so understood as if all individually should flourish in the world but that generally their condition should be better than formerly Or take these words generally to shew the effects of that resurrection or what they are the better that partake of it for both may be they are blessed singularily and holy which sheweth 1. wherein their blessednesse especially consisteth to wit in holinesse that is their happinesse which is more than any outward liberty to deborde If it be asked what singular thing of holinesse is spoken of in that time Answ. The degree it is like will be more eminent 2. the extent more universall And 3. it will be much now when hypocrites abound as alwayes they do when Religion is in request to be holy then hypocrisie and prosperity being greater enemies to grace than open profanity and persecution But he that partaketh of this resurrection he is both happy and holy together The advantages more particularly are exprest and they are three in number The first is negatively exprest on such the second death shall have no power This second death was spoken of Chap. 2 and it followeth Chap. 21.8 In a word it is to be casten in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone that is hell If any say so we here make three deaths or four 1. Spirituall 2. Naturall or temporall death which cometh on all 3. Eternall death And 4. We have spoken of a generall death or deadnesse in respect of the defections of Churches Answ. Look to every death and put it with its own contradistinguishing member and there will be but two as 1. a spirituall death of the soul in sin and 2. of wrath in hell Again a temporall death of the body common to all and 2. an eternall death of soul and body that is the second here 3. There is a generall deadnesse in the Churches great eclipsing under Antichrist and the womans fleeing and the witnesses killing and there is a second death fore-against that of the generall passing of the sentence against all the wicked together However these that are partakers of this resurrection they cannot partake of any of these Hence it appeareth 1. what their prerogative is it is freedom from hell they even then are not alway keeped from the first death but from the second death 2. It sheweth it is not a bodily resurrection here for many such are not necessarily keeped from hell but spirituall in faith and holinesse with fruits The second advantage is they shall be priests of God and of Christ that was Chap. 5. Priests to God here it is of God I conceive the scope is the same to shew their advancement to serve and worship God as Priests in a familiar way Or it may be Priests of God excellent Priests as trees of God harpes of God c. when any thing is excellent so it is called However the words imply 1. that is a great priviledge to get God worshipped and to be true worshippers as it was to be high Priest 2. That Believers are eminently admitted to this freedom at this time by this resurrection for 1. there are two sorts of sacrifices one proper to the Law and another common to the Gospel Mal. 1. pure offerings a contrite heart c. So there are two sorts of Priests one by office that is gone there being now no proper materiall sacrifice and that is not meant here this priviledge being applicable to women and children who are not capable of that
grace and of a like nature with its rise even as it is grace here grace and works are opposed if of grace then not of works yea according to works so understood as causal is opposed to this purpose of God or His election as 2 Tim. 1.8 who hath saved and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to His purpose and grace in Christ Iesus Where 1. he joyneth saving which taketh in all and Gods purpose together and maketh the one grace as the other is 2. In both he opposeth works to grace which cannot be understood simply but as they look to merit otherwise both take-in works and what reason can there be given here why this Book is so often mentioned in this judgement but to shew that this last step of salvation is of the same nature with the first which certainly as to election can be called no other than of grace 3. Consider that when Christ speaketh more fully to this sentence Matth. 25. He mentioneth some works as visiting clothing c. which certainly as to the condignity of merit can have no proportionablenesse to heaven and glory And if any say he so accounteth them though they be not worthy Answ. 1. Then that is improperly merit whereas the other properly deserveth hell Therefore the expression is not alike on both sides 2. Then it followeth it is grace that maketh the sentence passe on them and not strict justice as on the other 4. Consider here that all small and great are judged infants possibly never breathing out of their mothers belly and can any say that such cannot be written in the Lamb's book of life or that they have done any thing to deserve this last absolving sentence It must therefore not be understood to infer merit to them To say by Baptism their sin is taken away Answ. 1. That is contrary to Graces way and the nature of Gods Covenant to Believers and their seed baptized or not for it condemneth all unbaptized or the argument will hold in them 2. In Baptism children are passive it is not their deed if childrens Baptism deserve any thing it must be here accounted on their score who performed it not on the childrens who must be judged according to their own works and not to the works either of Parent or Minister yet if it be considered that the judgement passeth according to the Book of life there is clear ground to lay it on grace and not on themselves or others and the rule is one to all the Elect. 5. Consider that these works and books take-in all the Elect many of whom have many sinfull actions and few good and even those few are much corrupted and imperfect Now it must either be said 1. that no Elect cometh here to be judged but he hath more good at least to deserve heaven than evil to deserve hell which will seem hard to be said of profane men converted possibly an hour before death or we must say there are different rules to proceed by in judging the Elect some by grace and some by works which is contrary to the text that maketh one rule for all and certainly any that is well versed in these books will see no cause to plead thus and all others shall see it when these books shall be opened It is the ignorance of these that maketh men so plead So this according then importeth a suitablenesse and connexion as is said but no merit Inst. But it is deserving to the wicked therefore to the righteous Answ. 1. This word here may import no deserving that being as to the wicked elsewhere clear but a connexion with and suitablenesse of one of these to the other to wit wicked living and impenitent dying with damnation This is enough to vindicate justice that he thus proceedeth 2. Although it do imply merit in them yet it will not follow that it doth so in the Elect not only for the former reasons but 1. because the sins of wicked men are perfectly sins the good actions of the Godly are not so 2. Because with the one God proccedeth according to the Covenant of works punishing for want of perfect holinesse aggravated also in some by their unbelief who heard the Gospel but God proceedeth not by that Covenant with the Elect but by the book of like that hath the Covenant of grace depending on it 3. Because any sin deserveth wrath even the least being a transgression of the Law but many good works will not deserve heaven because they are debts and cannot plead the performance of that Covenant except they be alwayes and in every thing perfect for life dependeth not on living well this year or two years or for this good work or that but on a perfect righteousnesse which is marred by one sin even original sin though there be never more for bonum non est nisi ex omnibus malum ab unoquoque defectu If any ask why works are mentioned here and not faith Answ. 1. Faith and repentance are certainly included not as works deserving but as fruits of the Spirit in the Regenerate and the want of them is sinfull in the reprobate who heard and believed not And certainly according to this they who heard are more severely judged and therefore works here must be understood generally as it setteth out ones condition good or evil according to which the judgement proceedeth especially as they believed or not 2. Faith is not expressly mentioned because it is implyed in Gods purpose of grace under the book of life which taketh-in faith as a midse that it may be of grace Rom. 4.16 3. Because it is not justification from sin before God that is here recorded that is past but the manifestation of that before men and it is one thing to justifie before God and another to save one that is justified and declare them to be so and works contribute most directly to this 4. Works are especially mentioned in opposition to the wicked who are condemned for their sins and want of good works this stoppeth their mouth and sheweth the justice of the difference even before men yet upon the matter Chap. 21.8 unbelieving is reckoned to the wicked even as murder and adultery is and so among the works of the Elect must be comprehended their fleeing to Christ by faith whereby merit is overturned Vers. 13. By clearing an objection he openeth further what was said which may be many are rotten in the grave called here hell are drowned in the sea eaten with fishes c. under which are comprehended all desperate-like deaths as burning sowing in ashes rotten heaps of dead bodies together it may be said how can these dead be said to be raised and judged It is shown that even these same bodies by Gods power are judged with these that live in the flesh by which that which looketh most impossibleâ—like is brought about even as if willingly the sea and the grave had given up these
as chrystall so pure and pleasant no river here is like it 5. It proceedeth from the throne of God and the Lamb that is its excellency God is the fountain thereof immediately It is not from the Temple as Ezek. 47. which cometh by Ordinances but from the Throne a streaming of consolation from God and Jesus Christ. The consolations and effects of the Spirit in this life are compared to waters and rivers of waters of life Ioh. 7.38 which maketh some apply this to the holy Spirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son The generall is a truth and suiteth with the scope here that Believers in heaven shall be well refreshed and satisfied and that with such consolations as proceed from Father Son and Spirit although we insist not in the particular application Christ the Lamb is still joyned with God because the enjoying of the God-man is still looked on as a great part of our happinesse The second thing mentioned is the tree of life vers 2. which doth exceedingly adorn and enrich this city It alludeth in generall to Gen. 2. where the tree of life was in Paradise a Sacrament of immortality to Adam if he had stood but this is a tree of life not only as confirming their unchangeable state of happinesse who are in heaven but of its own efficacy able to bring forth life eternall and to continue it in these that eat of its fruit and so it differreth from all food even Manna that men eat of here This is an excellent tree It is further set out from its place it is in the miast of the street of the city a speciall ornament of the market place Heavenly happinesse is meaned by this tree that groweth in the midst of the Paradise of God Chap. 2.7 and Chap. 22.14 which maketh that we need not be anxious about particular application of the severall parts 2. It is commended that it groweth on either side of the river there is but one tree yet of that proportion and extent that its branches extend to both sides and the fruit is in every place to be found which is a singular thing here only mentioned to shew that though there be a river in the city yet by it none are divided from the fruit of that tree it furnisheth alike easily all who have all alike accesse to it 3. It bare twelve manner of fruits that is variety of all sorts of consolation though it be but one tree yet it is an Orchard for variety and satisfaction 4. It yeeldeth fruit every moneth it is so fertile for abundance it is ever harvest here alway there is fruit on this tree 5. Its leaves are medicinall as the fruits are pleasant They are for the healing of the nations there is neither need of gold nor water nor fruit in heaven more than medicine but all are mentioned to set forth that happinesse where there is neither mortality nor death the tree of life preventeth these nor sicknesse there is so good medicine in these leaves that who live under its shaddow are perfectly whole by the efficacy thereof So all the scope is rather to shew the effect that is there to wit perfect health and happinesse than to pitch on any particular mean of applying or bringing out these Though if Christ Jesus be meaned here by this tree as is like it is not impertinently applied to Him seing He now being in heaven hath this efficacy on the Nations before they come there He who healeth the Nations shall be enjoyed in heaven so it commendeth heaven to us the more because Christ our Physician is there There are three aggravations added vers 3. The first is there is no more curse that is there is no effect of sin nor wrath no cursed thing nor cursed person but all are fully happy and whatever followed sin is shut out there but the throne of God and the Lamb is there the curse was especially in separating from God now by Gods constant dwelling in that city amongst these blessed Saints all the curse is taken away for they are inconsistent together that is His glorious presence as on His throne in stately Majesty opposit to His manner of appearing on earth which is Gods footstool whereas heaven is His throne The third here is And his servants shall serve him His servants that it their servants i. e. to Him and the Lamb and Him are here put in the singular number to shew the unity of the Father and the Son though it relateth to both The priviledge here is that these His servants Saints glorified shall have a place amongst these that stand by Zechar. 3. It supponeth 1. an accesse to His company such as Angels have who are alwayes waiting on Him and behold His face Matth. 18. This is a priviledge that others who are not servants have not 2. It supopseth a relation to Him and that an honourable relation to be Gods servants is more than to be Kings servants yea Kings so David and Moses stile themselves Psal. 18. and 90.1 3. It supposeth an exactnesse and fitnesse in them to go about these duties of servants chearfully These who here devoted themselves to Him and engaged themselves to be His servants though they performed little yet there they shall serve Him and perform it as becometh It is the Saints prayer here Matth. 6. that they may do Gods will on earth as in heaven and what happinesse would they think it to be some length in that Now in heaven that is perfected and without declining or defect they go about it and certainly if it was a happinesse to be Solomons servant and a great honour much more to serve God and the Lamb. There is more happinesse in active doing of holy duties than we are awar of We have heard of five aggravations of this heavenly happinesse other two do follow ver 4. The first iâ— They shall see his face It is usuall by this to set out the happinesse of heaven as Matth. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 13.1 Iob. 3.2 His face here is mentioned to shew that that enjoyment shall be most immediate and intimate and so it is opposit to what is attainable here seing at most Moses got but a sight of His back parts This is particularly marked to shew wherein their happinesse in heaven consisteth it is in the immediate enjoying of God who then shall be all in all The second is and his name shall be in their foreheads they shall look like Him so we understand it that they shall be transformed into the same image perfectly 1 Cor. 3. ult and 1 Iob. 3.2 they shall partake of His likenesse as He prayeth Iob. 17.26 and our vile bodies shall be made like His glorious body Philip. 3. ult proportionably as becometh members to their Head Then shall Believers bear His name in their foreheads and it shall be known to whom they belong by the excellent priviledges bestowed on them Their happinesse is further set out ver
to give credit to it 2. because what is spoken of heaven often amongst men passeth as a tale that is told and getteth little credit but however saith he these sayings are worthy of it The second argument is That they are revealed by the Lord God of the holy Prophets it is expresly said of Christ Chap. 1. that He sent His Angel and here ver 20. that He testifieth these things which sheweth that He is God who hath sent His Angel to shew unto His servants the things which must shortly be done The force of it is thus They must be faithfull sayings for that same God who before revealed things to His People by His Prophets of which things never one failed He hath now sent to reveal them by His Angel Therefore they must also be faithfull as the former words were seing He is still omniscient and faithfull who revealeth them They are called holy Prophets 1. because God made use of holy men to be pen-men of His Word 1 Pâ—t 1.21 2. because the things spoken had effect and were not lies God is called their God especially 1. because of the peculiar service and commission He put on them beside others 2. because of His owning their message as well as themselves Thirdly The things are said to come to passe shortly that is they are not long to be suspended therefore every one is concerned in them before long they will be finished but even from that time they were to begin in their series Vers. 7. He commendeth this prophesie being compared with vers 6. in two 1. That it was sent and that by an Angel to his servants for their behove an argument that should put them to search into it seing He sent it A second from the happinesse of these who shall make right use of it both in reading and keeping it it being profitable for knowledge and practice yea compared with ver 3. Chap. 1. it saith that people read and know as much as they practise which saying doth exceedingly commend the studying of this Book in sobriety blessednesse being so oft attributed to the right searchers thereof The word Behold I come quickly is thrice in this Chapter repeated and prefixed here to be a spur to study and to keep the sayings of this Book for did men walk with the apprehension of Christs coming quickly there would be more study to know His will and more conscience to practise it This would be in all our thoughts we may see why the things prophesied-of here are said shortly to come to passe that is in the same sense that Christ cometh quickly that so men may observe them the better and be the more watchfull in reference to them The second thing followeth vers 8. which is Iohn's second mistake wherein he had fallen before Chap. 19.10 when he heareth and seeth these things he falleth down to worship before the Angel that revealed them whereby it is clear that hitherto it was an Angel that spake to Iohn in the name of the Lord and it appeareth also that Iohn knew him to be an Angel for so ver 6. he had called himself who was employed in this It is like that as Chap. 19. the glorious sight and good news of the happy estate of the Church militant getting that commendation that they were the true sayings of God Chap. 19. ver 9. overhwhelmed him some way there to think more of this revealer than he ought it is like the same being represented to him of the Church triumphant which to him is new and which the glory of the militant Church was not he hath been overwhelmed as it were with joy and again fallen in too much admiration of the revealer I mean the instrumentall revealer of such glad tidings The words were opened Chap. 19.10 There he called himself one that had the testimony of Jesus Christ here is added he is a fellow-servant of these that keep the sayings of this book to shew that not only Iohn but all the Believers have one Master with Angels and therefore on this ground the least of them ought no worship to Angels but to the Master as the opposition cleareth Where again it is observable 1. that it is a special note of a Believer to keep the sayings of this Book 2. That the more Iohn putteth honour which is not due upon Angels they debase themselves as it were the more not only Iohn's fellow-servant but fellow-servant to the lowest which was not so plain before And if on this account Angels plead against worship from Iohn so do they against worship from any in that relation with him 3. It appeareth here that men even holy men may relapse in the same sin and that they cannot abide much appearing glory in creatures but they are ready to give too much unto them 4. Here is an example of a Godly man his falling again in the same sin after he was reproved by the Angel and no question repented of it being of such a heavenly frame when he was reproved This it is like was Abrahams case in twice denying his Wife Gen. 12. and Chap. 20. And Iehoshaphat's with Aâ—ab and Iehoram 5. It appeareth that the reason why the Angel calleth himself Chap. 19.10 one who had the testimony of Jesus Christ is because as ver 6. he is now employed for revealing Jesus Christs mind as holy Prophets of old were in revealing His mind to His Church From ver 9. to 16. followeth the third part First vers 9. the Angel putteth by and checketh Iohn for this fault of his as is said Then ver 10. he returneth to prosecute his purpose in several directions and reasons including commendations of the duties directed unto The first direction is special to Iohn ver 10. Seal not the sayings of the prophesie of this book Seal not here is not understood as to its surenesse for that is out of question but as to hidnesse or secretnesse let not saith he this bookly closed as Isa. 29,11 and 8.16 that it be not usefull to the Church for more is imported than is expressed as appeareth by the reasons the Lamb opened not the seals of this book that they should again be closed that is not the end it is given for but on the contrary let it be publick for their behoof and the reason is for the time is at hand The seals which are the first propheticall vision properly they are dayly fulfilling and the rest come on It is an allusion unto Isa. 8. and 29. with Dan. 12. where mention is made of sealing these prophesies because they were to be dark and little usefull to that generation being for the time to câ—â—e for many dayes See Dan. 8. and so on the contrary no sealing must hold forth their clearnesse or Christs mind that they should be so seing there was use to be made of them This command of publishing this prophesie may be thought strange and it may be objected men may wax worse and worse and seing