and speeches for we may bleare mens eyes but not his 3 Decently and comely When the sunne is up men must doe lawfull and justifiable things because all eyes are upon them Let the theefe cover himselfe with darkenesse let the adulterer watch the twilight let Papists and Atheists and profane persons doe shamefull things without shame But let us in so open a light doe things comely let not the light make us ashamed of any indecent and uncomly or unconscionable action let not the sunne see our nakednesse without shame or holy blushing 4 Painefully and diligently When the sunne riseth man goeth forth to his labour by Gods ordinance Ps. 104. 25. so while the sunne and day and light lasts us let us walke and worke hard for faith for repentance for oyle for the wedding garment See Iohn 12. 35 36. 2 A ground of comfort that this Sunne shall never fall to his Church The sunne may be hid and clouded for a time but at length shall breake forth with much brightnesse and comfort So Iesus Christ may hide himselfe and the cloud of our sinnes and corruptions may get betweene him and us but at length his grace and light shall shine forth againe and manifest it selfe to every soule to which it ever arose So for the publique estate of the Church As the Sunne of the world may withdraw and remove it selfe and doth in winter so as all things seeme dead and lost but be the winter never so sharpe and tedious the sunne comes backe againe and brings with it a sweet and pleasant spring So the Church may sustaine a blacke and bitter winter be afflicted and shaken with many stormes blustrings of furious enemies but these shal blow over and it shall see a happy spring againe Our sun is in the heavens and so long as the enemies cannot reach him to pull him thence whatsoever winter the Churches abroade doe now sustaine whatsoever winter our Church at home may endure faith and patience will waite and attaine a sweet spring and fruitfull summer againe which shall make the enemies gnash their teeth and the Church sing for joy as men do sing in harvest Amen We have seene what the garment is Now of the application Clothed where consider 1 How the Sonne is a garment 2 How it differs from other garments 3 How the woman is clothed with it First Iesus Christ the Sunne is in many places of the Scrpture called by the name of a garment by resemblance because his righteousnesse and meritorious obedience supplieth all the offices of a precious garment to the Church of God In observing the use of a garment we shall see what usefull offices Christ performes to his Church his body Quest. What are the chiefe ends of garments Answ. Garments serve 1 for necessity 2 ornament 3 distinction 1. The necessity of a garment is in three things 1 To cover bodily nakednesse and to hide all corporall shame and defects so the Church wrapped in this robe of Christs righteousnesse hath all her sinnes which are her speciall nakednesse and shame hid and covered from the eyes of God When Adam had sinned he saw his nakednesse and sewed figg-leaves but neither they nor any thing he could devise could hide it till God made him a cover Neither can any of the sonnes of Adam by their owne reach or power attaine a cover but the Son of God the second Adam onely can afford a garment to hide sinfull nakednesse from the eyes of God 2 To defend the body from the injurie of weather both of Summer and winter so onely Christ his meritorious righteousness can save shelter the soule from the burning heat of his Fathers wrath and from the pinching and shaking terrours of a mans self-accusing conscience Onely Christ can cover his Church from the stormes and blasts of temptation by Satan and from the raging tempests of persecution by tyrants and enemies Isai 4. 5 6. Iesus Christ was the true Cloud and Pillar protecting his people through the wildernesse by day and by night who makes a gracious promise that upon all the glory shal be a defence aud a couering shal be for a shadow in the day for the heat and a place of refuge and a cover for the storme and for the raine He will for ever supply all to his Church of all ages whatsoever he did to Israel by that Cloud which was but a shadow of his protection 3 To preserve and cherish naturall life for a while by keeping in and repressing naturall heat which else would spend too fast So doth Iesus Christ and his pretious merits preserve and cherish spirituall life and heate in the soule nay which no clothes can brings in a new and heavenly heat life where was nothing but a cold death and maintaines it not for a time onely but unto life eternall Whence this second Adam is called 1 Cor. 15. 45. a quickning spirit a spirit not changed into a spirit but for that his body after the resurrection became and remaines spirituall and glorious and quickning not onely because his holy flesh is united to the quickning word but because by his death he brings life unto the world dead and rotten in sinnes and corruptions 2 Garments serve not onely for necessitie but also for ornament When Rebecca was given to Isaac to be married Abrahams servant gave to her from Isaac in token of love not onely raiment and garments but also Iewels of gold and of silver and precious bracelets to put on her hands Gen. 24. 22. 53. A manifest type of the Church married to her Isaac Iesus Christ who endoweth her not with garments only to cover her nakednesse but Iewells also to adorne her See Ezec. 16. 10 11. the Lord covers his spouse with fine silke and deckes her with ornaments bracelets and chaines Quest. What are these ornaments An. The blessed and beautiful graces of humility faith hope love good conscience layed up in the closet and Casket of the heart within and the shining and grace of holy life and vertuous conversation of Saints which as a cleane garment adornes the righteousness of faith where ever it is Because whersoever the merit of Christ is applied there the spirit of Christ is conferred who effectually worketh all these shining graces by which the whole man is sanctified and the spirits mansion adorned 3 Garments serve for distinction as the liverie given to servants shewes to whom they belong what Masters they serve Even so the righteousnes of Iesus Christ is 1 In the external professiō of Christ a liverie and garment discerning and distinguishing the Christian from all Heathens Turkes and Infidels 2 In the sound application of it there is a reall distinction of the servants and sons of God from the slaves of sinne and the Devill not onely without the Church but within the bosome it A King is not better knowne by his purple then a
hence the dragon in this verse is said to be cast downe into the earth where he was before but into a farre lower condition 3 Because the Saints by holy profession and godly conversation testifie the glory of God as the heavens do Psal. 19. 1. and therefore as their house and inheritance is there so are their cogitations and conversation 4 They have a tast of heaven and beginning of heavenly joy and gladnesse for the victory and salvation which in part they have already obtained by Christ against enemies spirituall and temporall which is pointed at in this text For as in heaven is a perfect and unmixed joy for a full deliverance and perfect salvation so here is a tast and resemblance for a deliverance in part None are called to rejoyce in Scripture but onely godly men who are said here to dwell in heaven Psal. 32. 11. Be glad ye righteous and Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seeke the Lord rejoyce Now by joy I meane not any naturall joy arising from things pleasing to nature which wicked men and reprobates yea the beasts have in abundance but that heavenly and spirituall joy which is called the joy of the Spirit both because it is wrought by the Spirit of God and also hath spirituall and heavenly things for the obiect of it as 1 The ioy of reconciliation with God and remission of sins 2 Joy of heavenly graces faith love c. called ioy of faith Phil. 1. 25. 3 Joy of heavenly glory held in certaine hope this is called ioy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1 8. and joy of salvation Psal. 51. 12. This ioy is limited in Scripture to the faithfull and therefore is called the joy of Gods people and all other are barred out from it Prov. 14. 10. The stranger entreth not into his joy 1 The godly are only qualified persons and fitted for holy reioycing For First they onely have Christ who merited this ioy and therefore it is called His joy Ioh. 15. 11. 2 They onely have the Spirit the immediate worker and preserver of sound ioy whence it is called a fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. and the oyle of ioy because it flowes from that anoynting 3 They onely have faith which is not of all men and therefore they onely have joy of beleeving having with Christ gotten all things they have purchased the field and goe away reioycing Simeon reioyced when his faith had got Christ into his armes 4 They onely are such as mourne and onely such are called to ioy Mat. 5. 4. It ariseth out of sound sorrow and a broken heart as the Lute is tuned to sweet musicke by wresting the strings as if wee would breake them to pieces 5 They onely have attained victory in part over enemies and are delivered from the dragons power As Israel having escaped the sea and mountaines and Egyptians so the Israel of God being set free frō hell sinne sinners and the curse of sinne have iust cause of ioy and gladnesse and all but they want it 6 They onely are in heavenly state and condition and have taste of the ioyes of heaven which differ not in kinde from those they expect in heaven but only in degree 2 Wicked men are never bidden to reioyce nor are capable of this ioy He never enters into it nor it into him for First he is at warre with God a stranger to the covenant without Christ without the Spirit What joy where is no life what joy can man dead in sinne have separate from Christ the fountaine of life and wanting the quickning Spirit Secondly what joy can hee have on whom sentence of condemnation is passed and hee going on to execution If such a man laugh every one will thinke hee hath little cause It is a laughter in the face not in the heart Thirdly what true joy can hee have who neither hath the Well nor can abide the Bucket by which he should draw out of the Wels of salvation and consolation Esa. 12. 3. Gods Word which onely hath the joyfull tydings of salvation hee hath no part in it is a bill of indictemēt to him The Sacraments to him are Seales set to blankes seale nothing to him His prayers are abominable he hath no joy in any service all the duties of his calling are sinne to him Hee rejoyceth indeed in the creatures of God but as a theefe in a true mans purse and that joy which ariseth out of the creature perisheth with it Fourthly wicked men need not bee bidden rejoyce for 1. What hindereth or pincheth such his sinne troubleth him not it is his delight Temptations of the devill vexe him not hee runnes out to meet the Tempter His conscience troubleth him not that is brawned up The world vexeth him not but dandles him as her darling 2. They are surfetted already with carnall joy and are called from such joy to mourning and howling Iam 5. 1. and Luke 6. 25. Note hereby what a miserable estate a wicked man is in who cannot finde one syllable in all the Scripture to ground any comfort in and so hath no warrant nor cause to reioyce in any thing For God hath covenanted nothing but woe and wrath with them Esa. 65. 13. My servants shall rejoyce and yee shall be ashamed my servants shal sing for joy of heart and ye shal cry for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Consider a little 1 What good thing is there in heaven or earth good as in it selfe so to thee that art an impenitent person Looke at God the chiefe good he is thine enemie a consuming fire what ioy hath stubble and chaffe in the fire Looke at Christ the Saviour of his body and he is thy Judge and he whom thou hast pierced In stead of the sweet Comforter thou hast the spirit of bondage and feare a sound of feare is ever in thine eares Iob. 15. 21. Looke on thy selfe thou art a man in the divells fetters ruled at his will and within thee a wicked conscience eyther following thee with hue and cryes vexing and accusing thee or else dead and benummed which hath given thee over to all sinne to swallow it with senslesnesse and greedinesse Looke without thee thou swimmest in a streame of outward contents and fulnesse and herein thou reioycest too much but thou hast thy portion here and to the impure all is uncleane thy table meat drinke wife children all are a snare to thee all upheapeth thy sin and vengeance thou hast nothing out of Gods love because thou hast nothing in the Sonne of his love Looke beyond thy self the presēt what hast thou to ioy in what hope hath the wicked in death when God takes away his soule A few mooveables God sends thee away with but the inheritance is reserved for the sons of the free-woman 2 As thou hast no cause of ioy so thou hast no hold of thy ioy who hast grounded it in perishing things Well
Ioy of the Church Whereof 1 The Acts It singeth out 1 The praises of God the giver of all victory 2 The praises of Michael the Generall v. 10. 3 The praises of the Armie or Angels of Michael ver 11. Where 1 The report of the Victory But they overcame him 2 The Causes of it 1 Principall and meritorious The blood of the Lambe 2 Instrumentall 1 The word of their testimony 2 Their constancy in martyrdome they loved not their lives c. 2 The Object Where 1 The matter ascribing 1 To God Salvation Strength Kingdome 2 To Christ power 1. Title Christ 2. Relation to the Father his Christ 3. Attribute power 2 The Reason Where 1 His Crimination 1 What are these accusations 2 Who are accused Brethren 3 Where before God 4 When day and night 2 His Dejection at the tribunall 1 Of God 2 Of men 2 The wofull estate of the enemies v. 12. 1 The woe denounced 2 The Persons on whom the inhabitants of the earth and sea 3 The Reason twofold 1 The comming downe of the Devill 2 His wrathfull Disposition with the cause Where 1 How his time is said to be short 2 How hee knoweth it is so 3 What use hee makes of this knowledge VI. The fury of Satan renewing the assault v. 13. to the end where 1 The new Onset v. 13. In it 1 The person persecuting the Dragon 2 The person persecuted the woman 3 The time and manner when she had brought forth the manchilde 2 The escape of the party assailed v. 14. Where 1 The Kinde It was by flight 2 The Meanes Here 1 The meanes themselves 1 What Wings 2 Number two 3 Whence given her 4 Similitude Eagles 2 Whence she did fly with them from the face of the Serpent 3 Whither into the wildernesse called her place 4 To what end to be nourished and preserved there 5 How long for a time times and halfe a time 3. Another Device of the Dragon against the Womans good-name v. 15. Where 1 The Mischiefe intended In it 1 What the floods of water are 2 What the spring of thē the dragons mouth 3 What the end to carry the woman away 2 The Remedy against it v. 16. 4 Enmitie against her Issue v. 17 Where 1 The Dragons wrath and warre appearing by the 1 Captaine 2 Weapons 2 The persons with whom Described 1 By their paucity the remnant of her seed 2 By their property twofold 1 They keep the Commandements of God 2 They have the Testimonie of Iesus Christ. CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER THE DRAGON REV. 12. 1. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven THE principall scope of the whole Booke of the REVELATION is to describe three things 1 The Malice of the Devill against the Church 2 The Battels and conflicts of the Church 3 The Victory and conquest of the Church This Chapter is as it were an Epitome of the whole booke which under a most sweet and pleasant Type then which the whole Scripture containeth not a more excellent or elegant propoundeth them all in so rich and orient manner as we cannot wish to behold a more native face and Image of the Church of all ages then is presented to us in this glasse held before our eyes by the Spirit of God To the end that we should so looke on the dignitie and proper ornaments of the Church as yet to take notice what grievous conflicts she is to sustaine by reason of the malice of the old Serpent lying alwaies in ambush against her And yet so to looke upon her tryals as that wee may at the same time behold Gods providence so preserving and strengthning her as she goes ever away conquering and triumphing The Chapter hath six principall parts 1 A lively description of the true Church ver 1. 2. 2 A description of the Devil her chiefe and furious assailant ver 3 4 5. 3 The fierce battaile betweene these two parties ver 7. 4 The victorie of the Church and the Dragons overthrow ver 8 9. 5 The triumph of the godly for that victorie ver 10 11 12. 6 The furie of Satan renewing the assault ver 13. to the end of the Chapter This is the naturall resolution of the Chapter and without further curiositie by Gods assistance wee will prosecute these parts But before them all is a generall Preface making way to them in these words And there appeared a great wonder in heaven In which words are foure things 1 What is this wonder 2 The greatnesse of it 3 The manner of appearing 4 The place whence in Heaven By wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signe is meant a new vision or an unusuall type of a strange battell and marvellously to be wondred at 1 For the rarenesse of the combatants a Woman and a Dragon 2 For the glory of the Woman Who ever saw woman or creature in such glorious attire as to be cloathed with the Sunne crowned with starres trampling the Moone under her feet But wee shall see this woman in a more strange and admirable habit then if a woman were so arrayed 3 For the admirable hugenesse of the Dragon and power that with his tayle could cast downe the third part of the starres of heaven ver 4. 4. For the issue and strange event Is it not a wondrous thing for a woman to conflict with so hideous a Dragon and overcome him Here are many wonders in one 2 The greatnesse is next It is a great wonder for three causes 1 It concernes the Church the Spouse of Christ a great personage 2 It containes many great and dreadfull occurrences concerning her 3 Many other great things are signified in this type and vision 3 The manner of the appearance of this vision For it may be asked How did St. Iohn see this signe or wonder Answ. God offered his visions to holy men two waies 1 To the eies of their bodies while they were waking as to Abraham Gen. 15. 5. Behold the Heavens and if thou canst number the starres so shall thy seed be 2. To the eyes of their mindes their bodies being cast into a dead sleepe or trance This is called a being in the Spirit Ezech 37. 1. And thus the Evangelist Iohn saw his visions Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is by the power and extraordinary worke of Gods Spirit I was cast into a trance Rev. 20. 4. I saw the soules c. which are not visible but by the eies of the minde Ob. But this manner of revelation seemes rather to be some uncertaine dreame then a sure and infallible kind of instruction Ans. No. This was very usuall for the Lord thus to reveale his will to his servants and for sundrie speciall ends used by him 1 That the soule for a time after a manner loosed from the body and drawne from the senses might have a nearer fellowship with God and so be fitter to receive divine light from the Spirit
who told the Iews Ye are of your father the devill for his workes ye doe wouldest thou do the works of devils and wicked Angels and not be one of them but examine thy selfe bee sure thou beest not so but out of reach of it Quest. How may I doe so Ans. By these and the like rules 1. Wicked Angels hate Christ deadly in his person offices and doctrine In his person he would destroy the Tribe and family whence he should rise by Attalia Antiochus he would slay him new borne by Herod he would destroy him in the wildernesse he would set up himselfe for Christ in Mahomet and Antichrist In his offices by innumerable enemies especially Antichrist who casteth at all he is the head the King of the Church and of the world the chiefe Prophet and Lawgiver In his doctrine he would corrupt his word and falsifie it as to Eve and Christ himselfe in the wildernesse He is the father of lyes Iohn 8. and the envious man that soweth all Tares in the Lords field Dost thou love or hate Christ God forbid we should hate him so said the Iewes in effect Iohn 8. 37. but if his word hath no place in thee thou wouldest kill him as they would if thou keepest his commandements then say that thou lovest him Iohn 14. 21. else the wicked Angels love him as fruitfully as thou 2. Wicked Angels are deadly enemies to Christ in his members they are stil accusing the Saints to God they observe their wayes studies actions watch all occasions time places to hurt them When they can they wil afflict them in their bodies and goods as Iob 1. and compasse all meanes to hinder their salvation were it possible 1 Pet. 5. Art thou an enemy to Christ in his members watchest thou to mischiefe them art thou glad of any colour to wrong them by Thou art an angell of the dragon 3. They are called Belial 2 Cor. 6. if thou beest a sonne of Belial without yoake castest off the yoake and discipline of Jesus Christ as too strict a hater and breaker of good lawes of God and Jesus Christ a stormer at such as are framed to the rules of Christianity say what thou wilt thou art a wicked angel a runner and actor with the dragon against Christ whose rules thou rejectest and scornest 4 They hinder godly men in holy purposes and practices Zach. 3. Sathan stood at Ioshua's right hand Dost thou hinder preaching hearing and practice of piety in thy selfe family servants dost thou disswade from any Christian exercise Christ wil say to thee as to Peter Get thee behind me Satā 5. They are Gods executioners to punish and vexe evill men as Iudge 9. Saul was vexed with an evill spirit Iudas filled with devilish wickednes they are full of effectuall seductions and temptations to bring them to sinne and doe them the service to convey their soules to hell Homo homini Daemon Dost thou tempt to uncleannesse drunkennesse and draw to evill art thou a plague to any one to hold his soule in sinne and helpe him to hell here is the worke and marke of a wicked angel 6. They are very wise and of deepe reach to doe mischiefe both by naturall and acqusite wisedome they have a thousand arts to hurt and deceive they can transforme themselves into Angels of light Art thou wise to doe evill cunning to contrive sinne wiser in thy generation than the children of light thou canst pretēd peace order unity and every good thing when thou intendest the greatest mischiefe here is an angell of the dragon Having spoken of the Actors now to their action and fight Doct. The dragon and his Angels incessantly fight against Michael and his Angels Quest. How doe they fight Ans. Two wayes 1. By open force 2. By secret fraud I. By open force and strong hand 1. By exciting an hardened and wilfull people or person to professe against Christ his members as the Jewes Scribes Pharisees professed against Christ and every one that professed him thus doe the whole Nations of Jewes and Turkes at this day and so the Papists at this day openly professe for Antichrist against Michael and his Angels such champions are every where among us wicked persons sonnes of their father who contest against all the seed of GOD and they would not be as they for a world 2. By open force and tyranny hunting out the profession of Christ either by power Ecclesiasticall by the blast of excommunication see Ioh. 9. 22. and sentence of condemnation pronounced by the diabolicall Synagogue of Antichrist against godly Ministers and persons as against heretikes Or Civill by warre fire sword exile massacre inquisition imprisonment or any other open tyranny by which the sheepe of Christ are scattered or slaughtered Lamentable experience we have in Bohemia France the Palatine and all other Countries where cursed Papists and captaines of Antichrist prevaile II. By fraud or secret Stratagems under-mining the City of God as the Powder Saints and Salt-Potermen did the Parliament House Quest. How doe they this Sol. Foure wayes especially I. In common wealths and kingdomes they fight under-hand against all good order piety common honesty and religious life by setting up Magistrates that care not for religion but would love that Parish best that wanted a Church And by corrupting Magistrates so farre as they can animating them to bend their lawes and edge of authority to the oppressing of the godly and discouragement of religion and piety and making judgement Seates shops of injustice Asyles of iniquity and Sanctuaries for offenders It was a sore fight against Israel when the dragon prevailed with David to number the people it left him fewer to number by 70000. Of all visible wicked Angels the Iesuites who are sworne agents to the Angell of the bottomlesse pit doe carry the bell in provoking the Popish seduced Princes to all barbarous cruelties against the Church II. In Churches wicked Angels and men make battell upon Michael by making wayes and bridges to idolatry and the corrupting of the pure worship of God especially two wayes 1. Either forbidding the maine parts of Gods worship so Pharaoh that dragon forbad Israel to sacrifice and it was but idlenesse so Act. 4. 17 18. 2. Or permitting occasions of Idolatry and setting them up even above the parts of Gods worship as appeareth in the contention of the Devill against Michael about the body of Moses and whence are the Idolatries about the bodies of Saints departed but from the same adversary that then strove with Michael II. The dragon and his Angels fought underhand against Christ in his Ministery and that two wayes 1. By hindering godly Preachers in their course Thus the wicked spirits put forth their power in Iannes and Iambres to resist Moses in his Ministerie and miracles so doe now Popish spirits and prophane persons every where who will bee sure the faithfull servants of God shall want no molestation In the Apostles time there wanted not a
as the fish doth naturally river-water we have so much the more need to bee called backe from so dangerous a sinne and indeed we want no bridles if wee be not too head strong for 1. God hath provided by his expresse law aswell for the good name of his servants as for their goods or lives Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour wherein the Lord upon paine of death bindeth every soule to truth and justice in all his speeches the uprightnesse whereof must demonstrate the uprightnesse and sincerity of the heart as a chaste daughter of a chaste mother And this Law of God wraps him in the curse as well that steales and wounds his good name as the theefe that steales his goods or the murderer that assaults his life And as farre as the good name is farre in estimation above gold and silver Prov. 22. 1. so much more hatefull and mischievous is the false accuser above a theefe or burglary 2. Nothing can bee more contrary to God nothing comes so neare the devill Hee is a creature most degenerate from God both in respect of his nature judgement and practise First God in his nature is truth essentiall and truth originall the Author of all truth and truth it selfe in all his decrees in all his workes in all his words which all agree with the truth of his essence But this man suits with Satan the father of lies who stood not in the truth Iohn 8. 44. God in his nature loveth truth the devill speaketh truth sometimes but never lovesit God is called a Justifier Satan here an accuser If wee see this image or superscription of false accusing on any say it is Satans coyne a man moulded in his mint and give unto Satan what is Satans Secondly nothing can bee more dissonant to the judgement of God than rash judgement and false accusation of good men God approves the wayes of his servants highly esteemeth of their graces accepteth and remunerateth weake indeavours Now what can bee more contrary than to accuse the wayes of God to bee hatefull purity and a straine beyond discretion and the graces of God for singularity hypocrisie dissembling know thou hast not now belied men but the Spirit of God Thirdly the Lord in his course pleadeth for his Saints acquiteth them answereth all accusations for them and pronounceth a righteous sentence upon them the fals accuser impudently impleadeth all this God calleth Nathaniel a true Israelite no saith the accuser hee is an Ismaelite a dissembler God pronounceth Paul an elect Vessell no saith the accuser hee is a murderer a theefe vengeance will not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. God pronounceth of his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne no saith the accuser he is a deceiver an impostor a blasphemer in saying he is the Sonne of God Now what can be liker Satan who would have all men in his owne condemnation than these vile persons who would have all thought as vile as themselves Hence our Text maketh Satan and all accusers but one accuser 3. Whom doest thou accuse or revile Thou accusest the brethren First the brethren of Christ and in them Christ himselfe Matth. 25. In that ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it to mee Wouldest thou in the day of the Lord be brought in a false witnesse against Christ And yet there is a nearer relation these brethren are members of Christ. Wouldest thou for a thousand worlds have that sin of the Jewes lying upon thy soule that thou hadst thrust a speare into the body of Christ but what was that sinne to this they knew not who he was nor what they did beside his body was dead first but thou thrustest the sharpe speare of false accusation and by it tearest and rentest the living body of Christ which is his Church and this wilfully and of set purpose 2 Thou sinnest against the sonnes not of God onely but of the Church whom thou professest thy Mother The Spirit of God amplifies the wickednesse of false accusation by this circumstance Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slaunderest thy mothers sonne shewing the unnaturalnesse of these wicked men to their owne flesh and the bowels of their owne Mother Were there a dram of nature or grace in them they could not violate such neare bands Godly Sem will cover his fathers nakednesse though unnaturall Cham discover it Charity would cover a multitude of offences Prov. 10. 4. But wanting both they are rightly ranked with theeves and adulterers vers 18. 4 A false accuser is a most irreligious person and commonly such are the greatest enemies to true religion Observe and you shall finde them either Atheists or Papists or Libertines or worldlings given over to some foule sinne or other For according to the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart swell with malice envie and bitternesse how can the mouth but run over with cursed speaking A bitter fountaine can send no sweet water The shop is supplied with such wares as are in the storehouse Besides true religion which purifieth the heart would order the tongue I am 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious and ordereth not his tongue that mans religion is in vaine 5 Consider the fearefull evils awayting this sin so contrary to God First It casts a man out of the sanctuary of God Psal. 15. 3. unlesse the Church of God could consist of a generation of devills but it is the spouse of Christ the communion of Saints 2 It casts him into the judgement of God and damnation of hell for God hath appointed a day to give judgement of all cruell speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. Then shall their measure be filled to the brim they shall have accusation enough God doth even here admonish of that day and sit in judgement on some even in this life What got Haman by false accusation but hanging on his owne gallowes What got Ahab and Iezabel by false accusing Naboth but a possession of wrath In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth must they licke Ahabs and Iezabel was eaten with dogs in the valley of Jezreel 1 King 22. A dart shot against a wall or an arrow shot upward rebound and fall upon the shooter Daniels accusers were devoured by the Lions to whom Daniel was cast What got Amaziah by accusing Amos chap. 7. 17. Thy wife shal be an whore c. Let men take heed of touching Prophets and slaundering godly Ministers Eusebius in his Church-history sheweth how Narcissus was falsly accused by three false witnesses one wished if it were not true he might be burnt the other that a foule disease might eate him the third that he might else be blind And accordingly they perished the first by a sparke of fire from heaven the second by a loathsome disease from top to toe the third seeing this repented but yet lost both his eyes
1 Cor. 4. 9 10. Such spouses were the faithfull martyrs and all those witnesses that lie under the Altar who left all house and home goods and name land and libertie yea life it selfe for the honor of their husband But how doe we take our husbands part that have no word of defence or rebuke of those that highly blaspheme his name by word or deed Nay when our selves joyne in his dishonor disgracing our profession polluting his name by swearing lying drinking rioting gaming and all unseemely behaviour 4 The wife as a good spouse must doe all things to please her husband herein testifying her love to him so must everie spouse of Christ herein testifie love to Christ. The Apostle prayeth Col. 1. 10 that they might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things Quest. How shall we please our husband Answ. By observing sixe rules 1 Never seeke to please thy selfe in any thing displeasing unto him A good and loving wife will displease her selfe and depart from her owne will to please her husband A good Christian must deny himselfe his owne will reason affections and desires and much more his sinnes and lusts be they as deare as his eyes to please that husband The Apostle Rom. 15. 1 2 3. both propounds the duty and perswades it by a most forcible reason wee must not please our selves for Christ pleased not himselfe that he might pleasure us He was not bound but we in way of thankfull retribution are bound 2 Never seeke to please other men in thine actions for then thou canst never please Christ. Gal. 1. 10. If I should now goe about to please men I could not be the servant of Christ. A loving wife lookes not to please other men but will please her owne husband though others be never so much displeased so a sound Christian must resolve to please the Lord and not be plausible to men 3 A good wife that would please her husband will pry into his nature and disposition and having found what is pleasing or displeasing unto him will frame herselfe unto his minde and honest desires Thus Rebeâ—ca pleased Isaack in providing for him such meat as he loved Thou art then pleasing to Christ thy husband when there is a conformity and similitude in manners and affections Therefore see therebe First a conformitie in vertues that thy heart be an holy heart an humble innocent patient loving spirit a sober and temperate minde For what is marriage spirituall or corporall but a conjunction of two bodies and two spirits into one Adam had no other but an holy help made of an holy ribbe and knew no Eve but out of his owne side so the second Adam hath no spouse but an holy one which sprang out of his owne side Secondly a conformity in will will nothing but holily as he willeth and nill what he nilleth Thirdly a conformity in practise Likenesse of manners is very pleasing See thou cheerefully embrace observe what he commands Herein is love expressed hee that keepeth my words is he that loveth me Thus must wee grow fit for our head for First marriage requireth fitnesse God brought Adam a fit help Secondly Christ was like unto us in all things sinne excepted that we might be like unto him 4 To please our heavenly husband we must decke and trimme our selves with graces It is the folly of these times and foolish Virgins to decke themselves not with vertue but with vanitie pride in attire and all foolish and immodest fashions He is none of the wisest earthly husbands that can affect his wife for these things But it is other manner of attire that makes Christs Spouse lovely Psal. 45. 13 the spouse is all glorious within and her cloathing of wrought gold Thou must put on lowliness meeknesse love truth sobriety watchfulnesse sincerity else the King hath no delight in thy beautie 1 Tim. 2. 9. 5 A loving wife cannot better please her husband then by loving and gladly entertaining his friends Every godly man is as Iohn was a friend of the bridegroome The love of a Christian reacheth to Christ himselfe and he that hates the child loves not the father 6 A good wife to please her husband must shew her delight in his presence and long after him in his absence so the Christian must rejoyce in the cheerfull societie of Christ Isai. 26. 8. when he absenteth himselfe must thinke much and often upon him and mourne after him as the widow doth when her husband is departed and never be at quiet till she enjoy his comfortable presence againe Shall Christs delight be with the sons of men and should not ours be much more with him And as every good spouse in her husbands absence saith in her self Come so saith this Spouse Come Amen Evenso Come Lord Iesus Rev. 22. 20. Having spoken of such maine duties as the spouse of Christ oweth to her husband we will for her encouragement mention some of her priviledges by meanes of this happie conjunction by which shee may see it is no lost labour to frame to these duties and so as by so many motives be provoked to the cheerefull performance of them The first priviledg is free electioÌ„ the bridegroome hath made choice of us not we of him The wife wooeth not nor chuseth the husband but the husband the wife Ioh. 15. 16. Yee have not chosen me but I have chosen you Therefore 1 Neither was he bound any way to chuse us As a young man intending to marry is bound to none nor tyed to any but out of his free wil makes his choice of one above al other Even so the Sonne of God chuseth to himself out of his own free wil being bouÌ„d unto none a wife out of al mankinde and that is his Church of which we are members 2 Neither findeth he any reason in us as other young men doe in their spouses to set their love upon them No disposition no workes of preparation no freewill no aptitude or affection towards him but when wee were enemies he made love unto us 3 Neither if he had passed by us as he hath many others were he bound to give any reason to us or them that are refused why he did not chuse us or them Even as a yong man free to his choise having betaken himselfe to one spouse need give no reasoÌ„ why he hath passed by all the rest in the world The second priviledge is divine pacification By this marriage all hostility and emnity is removed betweene God and his Church For as great Princes use to pacifie strong emnities betweene themselves and also to stablish true and constant friendship by contracting some marriages between them Even so doth the Lord by marrying his owne Sonne to the sonnes of men Ephes. 2. 14 15. for he is our peace who hath broken all partition walls and abrogated yea and slaine all hatred Col. 2. 14. he hath
to thy humanity Ob. 2 But he is an holy head and the righteous God but I want righteousnesse and holinesse How unfit to be contracted to him An. 1 Christ marries not his Church because she is holy but to make her so It is not the condition to marrie her if she be pure or holy but that the may be so Eph 1. 4. 2 Thy righteousnesse is much lesse a cause of this contract but this contract a cause of thy righteousnesse for he decks thee with a glorious robe in sense of thy nakednesse Ob. 3 But alas my desire is not to him as it should how can he then desire or affect me I desire every thing else every thing more An. 1 He seekes and wooeth and chuseth us and not we him 2 Labour thou to know his excellency more by which thou mayest preferre him before al loves and lovers as surpassing them al in true worthines goodnesse and perfection This is a part of the Covenant Ier 31. 34. Ob. 4. But I am base and poore despised among meane men and worthily and how can he affect mee Answ. Be yet more base in thy owne eyes also and say as David 1 Sam. 18 18. What am I that I should be the sonne in Law to the King Hee chuseth none but the abject and calleth himselfe the God of the abject He chuseth the Apostles who were the of-scouring of all things Secondly it answereth all Objections for the discontinuance of our happinesse Ob. 1 From the presence of sinne My sinne may separate betweene him and me Answ. 1 If it could not hinder the contract much lesse the continuance now the guilt is removed 2 Every sinne offends him but every sinne separates not 3 The spouse may sinne of infirmity not of wilful stubbornnesse and therefore may fall but not fall away Ob. 2 The desert of sinne is eternall separation Answ. 1 Hee hath taken the desert on Himselfe 2 Hee punisheth not with bitternesse and extremity who hath commanded husbands not to be bitter to their wives but passeth by many pardons all covers all cures all in his spouse Ier. 31. 34. Isai. 54. 10. Ob. 3. Grace is weake and my sense of righteousnesse little and small if any An. Grace in the elect is weake but perpetuall because the covenant is everlasting Floods of corruption shall not quench this small sparke Cant. 8. 7 Ob. 4 But hee may depart in displeasure Cant. 5. 6. An. 1 For a time and for her good but she finds him againe 2 A man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and much more will this Lawgiver There can be no desertion on his part Ob. 5 But though he be faithfull I am unfaithful and may depart from him An 1 Neither on her part For she is confirmed in grace which hath a priviledge above that in innocency That was in a possiblity of not sinning but this in a not-possibility of sinning to death 2 He that with his life purchased her happinesse will now by his glorious power preserve it Ob. 6. But outward force and violence may dissolve this marriage at least death may An. 1 The gates of hell cannot prevaile to dissolve this marriage 2 Whom God hath thus inseparably joyned none can put asunder 3 Death which dissolves all other marriages is here overcome and neither party can dye any more the death of Saints being but a going home to their husbands house Vse 1. In afflictions remember thy happinesse is stable 2 In temptation to sin remember thy honor and advancement Cloathed with the Sunne Having described and discovered the person wee come to the properties by which she is described and these are foure The first property is that she is cloathed with the Sunne In which 1 the garment the Sunne 2 the application she is cloathed therewith By Sun is meant Iesus Christ who not seldome is so called in the Scriptures As Psa. 84 11. The Lord is the Sunne and shield Mal. 4. 3. To you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise Quest Why is Christ resembled by the sunne or wherein is he so An. In two respects 1 in his affects and properties within it 2 in his effects and actions without 1 The effects within it are five 1 Vnity There is but one Sunne in the world and but one Sunne of righteousnesse in the Church he is the only begotten Sonne of the Father Ioh 1. 14. No sonne else begotten of the substance of the Father no name else c. 2 Light The sunne is not onely an heavenly light but the fountaine of light and in it selfe a body of most shining and surpassing light So Iesus Christ is light in his essence a light which none can reach an heavenly light the light of the world and in him is no darkenesse Rev 1. 16. his face shineth as the Sunne in his brightnesse 3 Purity The Sunne is a pure creature which lookes upon all inferiour creatures and none can hide them from the sight of this great eye of the world and though it looke upon all filthinesse it contracts none Even so Iesus Christ is purity it self whose all-seeing eye none can avoid for all things are naked to him with whom we are to deale The Aegyptians were wont to call the sunne many-eyed But our Lord disperceth from himselfe on all sides infinite beames of light as so many eyes on all creatures the which if they cannot avoid the view of the sunne of the world much lesse of this Sunne of heaven And yet so pure is this Sunne that living and conversing among sinners he contracted no staine of sinne Although he was borne of sinners living with sinners dyed with and for sinners and as a sinner yet no man could justly accuse him of sin but he remained purer then the sunne 4 Power The sunne is a powerfull creature for though the body of it be in heaven yet the warme and comfortable beames of it reach to the extreame parts of al the earth Even so althogh Iesus Christ be in heavē bodily as being ascēded thither in his flesh yet by his spirit and grace he is present with his Church in all parts of the world to the end of it And as the sunne rising comes forth like a Giant to runne his course and makes haste in his way and no created force can hinder him So this powerful Sun of the Church makes hast in his way to his Church as a mighty Giant cannot be hindred from her by all created power of men and angells united together 5 Participation The sunne is a communicative creature dispersing all his light and comfort to others not onely to terrene Creatures below upon the earth but even to the heavenly and celestiall bodies themselves for all the starres the Moone borrow their light from the sunne Even so Iesus Christ enlighteneth every one comming into the world Ioh.
the woman drunke with blood of the Saints That religion which is so fiery and fierce must be from the Devill a man-slayer from the beginning unknowne of Christ and his Apostles and all their true Disciples and followers 4 A fourth note of this woman is her Marriage A good way to know one by is the head and how can wee know the Church better then by her head Jesus Christ whose wife she is of whom all the Children of the Church are begotten by vertue of the eternall Covenant of grace as in Lawfull wedlocke Our Mother scornes to be the Popes Concubine she hath betaken herselfe onely to Christ and professeth of him Cant. 2. 16. My welbâ—loved is mine and I am his Christ is he whom her soule loveth and is in her eyes the chiefe of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. To him she hath plighted her troth and cleaves onely and undividedly unto him in life and in death The whore of Rome holds not Christ the head For 1 By Image-worshiping and many other Idolatries they are fallen from Christ this is plaine in Colossians 2. 18. 19. 2 They set up the Pope in Christs place Bellarmine on the 1 Pet. 2. 8. by the stone understandeth the Pope And Catharinus by head mentioned in Colos. 2. 19. will have the Pope to be meant Ob. But they professe Jesus Christ. An. Union is either Sacramentall so they are joyned by profession or Mysticall so they are not joyned The fift marke of the true Mother is her carriage and behaviour First to her husband to whom in all her behaviour shee expresseth foure vertues As 1 She is chast and faithfull unto him she keepes herselfe onely to her husband and preserves the marriage band She forgets not the guide of her youth nor the commandement of her God nor playeth false with any other lover any secondary head or Vicar generall she thinkes it strange that an husband should have a Vicar She abhorres that foule and spirituall adultery by grosse Idolatry and false worship which the whore of Rome impudently acteth and defendeth Neither Angels nor men nor merits nor Saints nor Images doth she bow unto nor any other alluring harlot can unsettle her from him whom her soule loveth 2 She is subject to her husband in all things content to be tryed and ruled in all cases by his will and word in the Scriptures What will we say to a woman that laies claime to a man to be her husband but rejecteth and disgraceth his directions and cleaveth wholly to her owne will and to other mens counsels and decrees Who will not suspect and conclude her to be an harlot But so doth the apostaticall Romish Synagogue 3 She depends onely on her husband and no other for the meanes of her welfare and all needfull supplies She scornes to seeke to any other Advocates or mediators whether Saints or Angels either for redemption or intercession her husband that can supply the greater can the lesser much more She cares for no pardons nor merits but her Lords She scornes to marry one and seeke maintenance of another 4 Shee honors her husband onely and will give his honor to none other If she did derogate from his glory in the worke of redemption by the doctrine of free-will justification by workes humane satisfactions she were an arrant strumpet and no wife But our Church ascribes all the worke of salvation to God onely from first to last Teaching that we are wholly dead in trespasses and sinnes till he quicken us and that good workes are the way to the kingdome not the cause of it and follow a person justified but goe not before to justifie him and are necessary by a necessitie of presence not by a necessity of efficiency Thus men and Angels are excluded from any part of Gods honor Secondly her behaviour to her children 1 She nurseth them at her owne breasts puts them not forth to suck strange milke of traditions Councels Decretals 2 She instructs them and teacheth her children The vertuous woman opens her mouth with wisdome Prov. 31. 26. Eunica taught Timothy the scriptures of a child 3 She provides for her children as the vertuous woman for all her family Prov. 31. 15. The Church upholds the meanes of salvation to keepe the beleevers in good state She is not the naturall Mother that starves her children that shuts up the breasts from them that hideth the Scriptures and counts it heresie to reade them that corrupteth the Sacraments that a man can see nothing lesse then the institution in them But Popery leadeth her children directly to perdition whatsoever shewes they make to the contrary For 1 They runne after it whose names are not written in the booke of life 2 All the children of that mother are without comfort in life and death because they are the sons of Agar and not of the true Mother and therfore no inheritance belongeth unto them II. Having found out the true Mother in herselfe we are now to enquire how or by what markes we may find this Mother to be our Mother and our selves her children A man may know himselfe the sonne of this Mother by sundrie notes 1 As a child borne comes into a new world and findes a marveilous change in the estate of it So a sonne borne of this mother comes into a new estate is separated from the world and the corruptions of it brought out of the corruption of nature and practise as out of the waste and wombe of the world and set into a new condition in grace and is in all things contrary to himselfe in his old nativity The change especially appeareth in five things 1 Thou wast borne of flesh and after the will of the flesh but now thou art borne of God This is called a birth of water and the holy Ghost because in this the spirit supplies the office of water in washing away corruptions and defilements of flesh 2 In thy old nativity thou wast borne in sinne now being borne againe thou sinnest not 1 Joh. 3. 9. because the seed of God is in thee thou canst not sinne raigning sinne wholly and finally thou hast now a new or renewed nature 3 In thy old nativity thou wast borne dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. but now borne of this mother thou art quickned with a new life of grace called the life of God Now thou livest not but Christ liveth in thee Now maiest thou say as Christ himselfe said Rev. 1 18. I was dead but now I am alive 4 In thy old nativity thou wast as a dead man bound hand and foot without all motion of grace nay all thy motion was downeward for nature with contempt of grace But now a new motion in spirituall things attends spirituall life Now thou movest upward towards heaven according to the command of grace whereto thou wast before an open enemie 5 In thy old
nativity thou wast borne an enemie of God a child of Hell as full of venome and poyson as a toad or serpent But by this birth thou receivest power to be a sonne of God 1 Joh. 3. 2 and the priviledge of sonnes pardon of sinne the favour of god or fatherly affection and a childs portion in that immortall and eternall inheritance and a sweet joy in the assurance of that estate 2 The second marke to know a man borne of this Mother is his crying The first thing which discovers the birth of a Child if alive is the crying of it or else it is still-borne so the new borne child of this Mother cryeth in sense of want of miserie and of spirituall nakednesse In naturall birth is sense of weakenesse and crying after supply so in supernaturall is sense of frailties and much griefe for sinne and the miserable fruits of it And as the child in those wants can doe nothing for it selfe but cry and by crying it gets help so is it with the child of God when he findeth an utter nothing in himselfe but a gulfe of miserie ready to drown him in despaire yet now he hath a spirit which makes him cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If any of us have never gotten a distinct and sound knowledge of sinnes and the curse of God due to the same nor applied to ourselves that wrath and curse denounced and due to our particular sins of which we are guilty for the humbling and breaking of our hard and stony hearts If we have not out of the sense of an humbled and terrified conscience seene our need of Jesus Christ and from thence have not more earnestly hungred and thirsted after Jesus Christ and cryed as much after pardon of sinne as a condemned man after the Kings gracious pardon These persons may well instruct their conversion and their birth of this woman All thy profession will not make thee a true sonne of the Church except thou cryest in sense of miserie after mercy and grace and this desire be above al other desires in the world On the othe side art thou distressed in conscience in the sense of thy sinne and feare of damnation due to it Doest thou freely confesse thy sinnes and heartily bewaile them Doest thou crie after Christ crucified so as the whole world would not be so sweet as a taste of Christ and the more thou valuest grace dost thou the more thirst and desire after it Oh be of good comfort let not thine estate discourage thee thou art in a good way and a comfortable condition It is a comfort to heare a child new borne to cry it argues both birth and life and so is it here 3 The third note of tryall of one borne of this Mother is sucking An infant so soone as ever it is borne seekes and suckes the breast and so the new borne babe seekes and suckes the sincere milke of the word 1 Pet. 2. 2. And as an infant is never well but when it is sucking night and day and nothing stils the cryes of it or quiets it but the breast so the child of God suppose him but an infant in grace hungerly desires Gods word Gold silver honor pleasure which satisfie carnall men quiet not him only Gods word can quiet and satisfie the heart And as the infant desires the pure breast-milke without any other blending or cookery so Gods children affect chiefly the sincere milke of the word in the plaine evidence of Gods wisedome and care not for blending with froth of wit or humane eloquence but as it comes out of the breasts of the Mother the two Testaments And as the infant sucketh the breast to grow thereby So by the sincere milke the children of God grow in spirituall strength and stature till they come to their talnesse 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4 The fourth note is similitude and likenesse to the father of this birth This mother brings forth children to God in the similitude and Image of god Other Mothers bring children in their owne Image as Adam begat Seth in his owne Image Gen. 5. 3. But what is borne of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3. 6. Now examine how thou expressest the seed of new birth Whom resemblest thou If God be thy father thou resemblest him in quality though not in equality Thou art like him in holinesse in righteousnesse and in the whole divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Our Saviour makes this a sure note of a sonne of God or of the Devill Joh. 8. The Jewes bragge they are sonnes of Abraham ver 39. Christ saith were they sonnes of Abraham they would doe the works of Abraham Then they bragge God is their father ver 41. Christ answereth If God were your father you would love me and resemble him for I came from him and he loves me But I will tell you whose sons you are ye are of your father the Devill for his workes yee doe So thou that professest in the Creed that God is thy Father and thou beleevest in him if in stead of Divine vertues thou expressest impious and vicious behaviour thou art of the Devill whose workes thou doest He delights in blaspheming swearing drunkennesse filthinesse he hates the word the Sabbaths the Ministers he delights in feircenesse slaunders and the like so dost thou Thou professest Jesus Christ thy Lord and Saviour but how dost thou grow in conformity with Christ If thou expressest not his humility patience selfe-deniall holinesse and all Christian vertues in some measure thou art none of his The member will grow in conformity with the head a good child will imitate a good father in goodnesse 5 The fift note of new birth is growth A child once borne growes up to strength and stature A child in nature that still suckes wholsome milke stands not at a pitch but growes every month and quarter sensibly so if thou beest borne of this Mother thou growest 1 In understanding and knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 In sound affection and powerfull use of the meanes of salvation As a child the more it growes the more it feeds so a man new borne hath daily more love to the word more reformation by it and outgrowes weakenesses 3. In sound practise of holy duties As a child growes active to naturall and civill actions so the child of God and the Church growes strong to prayer and the parts of Gods pure worship strong to endure the labour of the power of godlinesse 4 In strength for the Christian combate He growes able to beare afflictions and stand under great burdens and crosses for Christ and the Gospell He growes strong in resistance of temptations that he is not now carried ordinarily away neither by the world nor by the God of the world from his place To this marke St. John sends us for tryall of our new birth 1 Joh. 5. 4. He that is borne of God overcommeth the world and ver 18. He
heads be not crowned they cannot long prevaile Third if he can get his diabolicall edicts once crowned they shall passe almost unquestioned and that generally and bee they never so unlawfull and wicked against Gods pure worship against Gods holy Sabbaths yet they shall prevaile not onely against the wicked who shall shew themselves good subjects in their blinde and impious obedience but especially against the godly who shall bee pursued with all the wrath of such superiours as rebels seditious disobedient to Rulers and Princes as Daniel against whom they could picke no quarrell but in the matter of his God From the desert of the Church for her sinnes crowne the Dragon God in justice appointing them to be the rodds of his wrath by whom hee whippeth his owne children for whereas the promise is that the Church obeying the commands of God he will make her the head and not the tayle and shee shall bee above and not beneath By her disobedience her adversaries become chiefe and those that hate her in affections and those that oppresse her in action get the staffe into their hand and have power as crowned Dragons over her Lament 5. 5. and especially cap 1. 5. From the justice of God against the dragon himselfe both head and members that they may runne on headlong to their perdition For the more power and greatnesse they have the more they grow in malice and madnesse against the woman and the more victories they attaine against the Church the more they exult and triumph and sooner rise to their height and fill up their measure that the Lord may awaken himselfe and rise up as a Giant and pursue and breake them and cast them as rodds into the fire as he hath ever done Note the good service that every wicked man and enemy of God and his Saints doe in the world he is of no other use and service then to hold the crowne upon the Dragons head For as every good subject must stand to the death to uphold the crowne and dignity of his lawfull Prince So doe these rebells and revolters from Jesus Christ uphold the crowne and dignity of this usurper Object God forbid there should be any such we are all Christians c. Sol. Yes the Dragon hath a number of good subjects that strongly and mightily uphold his crowne while they will protest and professe the contrary Quest. But how may we know them Sol. 1. He is free from righteousnesse that is de sacto non dejure he will have nothing to doe with that let grace wooe him and perswade him it can prevaile nothing at all let the Spirit of God perswade him to humility obedience conscience he is an enemy to the Spirits motions and perswasions but let the Dragon instigate him with wicked motions and cogitations hee is a ready agent as Iudas rejecting the good motions of the Spirit the devill entred into his heart to betray his Lord and it was soone done Let the word perswade him to change his master and of the slave of the Dragon become the Lords free man Hee resisteth the word the Spirit of God which inspired the holy Prophets and Apostles moveth us to speake the same word and the wills of beleevers to obey it But the Dragon moveth them to scorne and contradict our doctrine and so resist the holy Ghost as Steven telleth his adversaries and why because we light not candles to the Sunne nor confirme the Kings word by some of the guard nor prove the truth of Gods Spirit by men and humane spirits Eph. 2. 2. These sonnes of disobedience walke after the Prince that ruleth in the aire and being of impure cogitation and conversation how is it possible but they should judge amisse of the truth Whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded Can a blinde man judge of colours II. They walke according to the course of this world Eph. 2. 1. Frame themselves in religion and manners to the times to please men can sweare drinke scorne raile speake filthily sing beastly songs for of so wicked a Prince all the servants are extremely wicked the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience moveth and acteth in them as the soule in the body there is no service of sinne commeth amisse and when the devill ceaseth to draw his slave from evill to worse wee may hope better things of them III. They are beleevers of lyes 2. Thess. 2. 10. They that are carried away by the effectuall working of Satan or given up to beleeve lyes carryed away with Priests Jesuites Seducers to beleeve all false doctrines contrary to truth as transubstantiation salvation by merits purging of sinne by penall workes and humane satisfactions worshippings of Angels Saints images crosses and a million of dotages being carryed about with flattering teachers to beleeve lies IV. Persecuting of godly men and ministers there Satans throne is and there the dragon is crowned Revel 2. 13. Good subjects will not indure him to be spoken against which they love well therefore they hate godly preachers and cannot abide to heare the abominations of popery and Antichrist to be detected but our Preachers say they lye as fast as their dogges runne these uphold the dragons crowne and resist the crowne and dignity of Jesus Christ what ever they prate to the contrary In beholding the battell of the woman against so many crowned adversaries learne not to esteeme of a Church by externall splendor pompe wealth or glory which is a note of the Antichristian Church Here wee see the Dragon hath seaven Crownes Dan. 11. 31. 36. Antiochus a wicked man that shall magnifie himselfe against all that is called God and speake marveilous things against the God of gods yet hee shall prosper and have armies stand on his part and Antichrist typified in Antiochus who magnifieth himselfe above all that is called God and hath on his head written names of blasphemie hath his armies standing with him Italy France Spaine and many crownes to thrust forward his Antichristian lawes and decrees It is true wee grant there is an internall splendor and glory of the Church consisting in the ornaments of faith charity patience and other vertues as also in the purity of sound and wholsome doctrine and this splendor because it constituteth the true Church it can never want and yet even in this it may be greater or lesser as the doctrine is more carefully preserved or otherwise But that outward splendor and glory which consisteth in peace wealth and multitudes of professors this may be hid oppressed and obscured for 1 This maketh for the good and safety of the Church sometimes to be hid and obscured for hereby God preserveth his Church which were it all and alway knowne all the hornes and the crowned Dragons would assault it at once to destroy it utterly 2 The greatest glory and splendor of the Church is that which appeares not to the eye of
Constantine that great champion of Christ who under Christs Standard made warre with and overthrew Maxentius Maximinus and Licimous horrible dragons and tyrants as were likely I will not certainly define but without all doubt that was included in this prophesie if not principally meant of which Euseb. lib. 9 cap. 9. who saith he received from Constantine himselfe the narration of the fight and victory Quest. 3. Why doth the Spirit of God foretell this battell Answ. 1. The Lord would not have his Church conceive that here she hath found any resting place or can enjoy perpetuall halcion dayes but that there abideth unto her many irreconciliable warres in this military condition against divers enemies hereticall tyrannicall and Antichristian 2. He would manifest his care and wisedome over his Church and children whose tryals he foretelleth that they might not thinke them come by chance or God not foreseeing them or distrust his favor while they are exercised by them but in these predictions might see him both ordering them for his glory and for their salvation 3. God would not have troubles come on a sudden or stealing on his servants but with warning that they might arme and prepare themselves with wisdome fortitude and patience to resist them that the Church might stand her ground not discouraged much lesse cast away her confidence that hee might abate the smart of them if they were sudden and blunt the edge of them by providing for them Quest. 4. But why doth the Lord ordaine or permot this fight and opposition being against his glory his Church his truth and his servants or how can he be mercifull and good to protract and permit so great evils Ans. 1. As God is good in his mercy so hee is no lesse good and great in his justice 2. This fight against the Church is not simply evill but hath in it a respect of good and therefore God permitteth it because 1. It is partly an execution of justice and a just correction of the sinnes of the Church 2. It is such an evill as much good is thence produced to the Church as hereafter wee shall see 3. It is not such an evill but that Gods wisedome and power can and doth moderate order bridle and turne to a good end and issue the dragon indeed intendeth them mischievouslly to quench the graces of God the wicked agent◠under him directly fight against his glory and truth and chosen ones and would chase them into the bottome of the sea to drowne them as Pharaoh but Gods mighty power and wisedome hereby will chase them to heaven as he did Israel to Canaan being a wise Physition that can temper hemlock and poyson to a medicine and remedie and over-rule the poysoned crooked wils of gracelesse men to the effecting of his owne most gracious pleasure and righteous will so as we may say to our brethren when forgetting nature grace humanity Christianity they contrive to cast us into pits and sel and send us away as Iosephs brethren to put a little base profit into their owne purses Gen. 50. 20. when they thought evill against me God did dispose it to my good You who should have beene my naturall brethren thought me in too high favour with my father you envied his love to me you thought if you could sel me off all should be yours and therefore wracked on me your barbarous malice but see God over-ruleth your rage your fiercenesse could not frustrate the good purpose of God who against all your plots hath raised mee to save much people alive Object But is not the Gospell a Gospell of peace Gods kingdome a kingdome of peace and Christ himselfe the Prince of peace typified in Melchisedek Isa. 9. the professors of the Gospell sonnes of peace how will this stand thus with such open hostility and perpetuall warre how is it true Isa. 9. 7. there shall be no end of peace when we see there is no end of warre Ans. 1. these two are not contradictory to bee at peace and at warre at the same time because they are not in the same respect so our Saviour teacheth In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me at the same time ye shall have peace Iohn 16. 33. the reason is because those that are Gods consist of two parts flesh and spirit according to the spirit they are in Christ and according to the body they are in the world therefore when in their spirits they enjoy the peace of Christ they are in the body afflicted in the world a wicked man cannot so bee Hee that is wholly in and of the world having affliction hath no conjunction of peace but are oppressed and over-whelmed with sorrow because the true peace of heart is onely in Christ and received by the spirit of faith 2. Peace is the daughter of warre and by warre the Saints attaine and retaine peace were they not at warre with the dragon and the world they could never enjoy an houre of peace I finde more sweet in wicked mens malice than in their delicates 3. Distinguish of peace it is either spirituall or carnall the peace of Christ or of the world which the Disciples themselves expected by Christ when the temporall dominion should bee restored to Israel and the Iewes delivered from the Romane bondage supposing they should bee great Rulers in their Countries but Christ wisheth thē to dreame of no such thing this peace Christ disclaimeth as Mat. 10. 34. Thinke not I am come to send peace but a sword and fire Secondly there is a spirituall and inward peace which Christ claimeth to be his My peace I leave with you he bringeth that peace to the world which the world giveth not nor knoweth not a peace not with the dragon or his party but peace with God peace of conscience and peace with all men so farre as lyeth in them This is the peace of Gods kingdome which is not interrupted by warres with the dragon and the world but established 4. Wee must with Luther distinguish of warre there is an Active warre and a Passive Christ and his Gospel and servants move no Active warre the Gospell of peace proclameth peace not warre the end of his comming and the Gospell publishing is to set all things at peace But there is a passive war waged by the Prince of darknesse discord against Christ and his people and the sonne of peace by all his skill cannot avoid this warre not that it is a fruit or effect of the Gospell or by any fault or cause in in the Gospell which perswadeth peace and concord with God and man but occasionally and by an accidentall event partly by the malice of the devill that man-slayer who being that Prince of darknesse deadly hateth the light partly by the malice of the world which yeeldeth not unto the truth and holy admonitions but warreth againstit and chaseth it so farre as they can out of the world and partly out of the wicked concupiscence
cast some of you in prison that is the enemies of the truth lead and put on by the devill what they doe he doth as what the army doth the Generall is said to doe 2. Wicked Teachers flatterers heretiques deceitfull workers lead and taught by Satan to transforme themselves into Angels of light 2 Cor. 11. 13. yet called his Ministers for as Christ hath his Ministers whom he calleth Angels as the Priests in the Law Mat. 2. 7. Iohn Baptist called an Angel sent before Christ and the Pastors of the Churches Revel 1. the seven Angels are the seven Churches so Satan hath his Ministers and Angels whom hee sendeth to deceive as he was a lying spirit in the mouth of foure hundred false Prophets against Ahab Zac. 13 2. false Prophets are called uncleane spirits and Antichrist is called the Angel of the bottomlesse pit 3. Wicked men Atheists Hypocrites open swearers adulterers resisters of the spirit and word of grace as slaves to the devill and ruled at his will using all their members as weapons of unrighteousnesse against God and his grace all are in pay under the dragon and fight under his colours are here included under the title of his Angels and called by his name 1 Iohn 3. Hee that doth evill is of the devill that is if he as the devill doth it with pertinacity and perseverance and continuance Iudas was called by Christ a Devill that is an Angel of the dragon and wicked opposers and resisters of grace are called by the devils name to shew whose Angels they be in this Chapt. verse 12. the devill is descended that is wicked men stirred up by him acted by him and so lively resembling him as they having his nature may very well carry his name These are armies II. The number is numberlesse the plurall number argueth them to be very many an innumerable army every where laid in ambush against the Church of invisible and visible enemies and were it not for Michael and his Angels wee should soone know to our cost what a number there were I suppose of wicked spirits and men there might bee a Legion to every godly man III. As they are strong in the number so also in their union and league Vnited force is strong and the dragon and all his Angels make but one army are all of one minde one will of one confederacy without mutiny or division we have shewed that all of them are so banded and leagued against Christ that they make but one dragon and are called all by one name as if they were all but one devill Iohn 8. the devill is a manslayer by the word in the singular number understanding all the devils and all his agents the sworne enemies of Jesus Christ. In this description of the persons the most unhappy and lamentable estate of all wicked men whō the Spirit of God here and elswhere rangeth and calleth them by the name of the dragons Angels and that upon just grounds especially two 1. Qua mali as they are wicked and linked in sinne 2. Qua miseri as they are undivided in punishment I. The former appeareth by the comparing of the disposition of wicked men with the disposition of wicked Angels in foure things 1. Wicked Angels are utterly destitute of saving knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ therefore they are called lovers of all darknesse of ignorance of blindnesse of minde and of wickednesse and workes of darknesse and so doe wicked men who not onely are without light but are haters of the light It is true that devils know and confesse Christ in the Gospell Acts 19. Iesus I know yea they beleeve and tremble so a wicked man may repeate all the Articles of faith and know and assent to the History of the Gospell but in both it is a dead faith knowledge which maketh to their greater damnation howsoever both of them may know generally what is good and bad what godly what wicked yet they never come to see their sinne as they ought both may bee Daemones for their knowledge yet both are Cacodaemones because they abuse their knowledge to the hurt and evill of themselves and others 2. As their understandings are blinded so the wils of wicked Angels are obfirmed in sinne and they sinne with pertinacity and continuance and even so is every wicked man so long as left to himselfe hee can doe no other nor will doe no other but sinne there are no perswasions threats promises or meanes can winne him from his sinne no more than the devils and Angels of the dragon who rise up and rebell against all meanes as a swelling flood riseth higher and stronger against a stop oh how doe their lusts as wicked spirits rage more when Christ comes neare to cast them out 3. Wicked Angels are uncleane spirits Luke 8. 29. 9. 42. 11. 24. because uncleane in themselves and the authors of uncleannesse in others so are wicked men as vessels full of uncleannesse Rom. 1. 29. no sin but raignes in a wicked man howsoever some unrighteousnes may not be practised by want of occasion or restraining grace also they are as infectious as Lepers 4. Wicked Angels are hatefull full of enmity both against Christ the head and all the Saints his members the devill is a man-slayer from the beginning he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a sworne enemy to God to Christ to all good and divine things to all good and holy persons and the same is the gracelesse course of wicked men of reprobate mindes who are as full of poyson and venome against goodnesse in general and particular as the proverbe saith as an egge is full of meate II. The latter in that as wicked as in the state of sinne with wicked Angels so also in the same state of punishment if they abide impenitent as they doe this is plainly cleared Mat. 25. 41. where wicked men are adjudged to the same fire prepared for the devill his Angels both accursed both now bound over to the Assises of the great day both in chaines of darknesse both going unto execution both in their execution finally separated from Christ both cast into hell to abide the torments of devils It behoveth all wise men to separate from this society betimes were it not a dreadfull thing to bee chained with traitors and murtherers in this life but what is it then to be chained and joyned with devils and wicked angels as all impenitent and wicked persons are in their state both of sinne and punishment Ob. I defie the devill and spit at his mention and scorne all his Angels Ans. But if thou beest unconverted thou art one of his Band and Army a slave to this Generall and marchest stoutly against Michael Object This is an uncharitable thing and you deale unchristian-like to match Christians with devils Answ. Tell the Spirit of God so who in this Text stileth all that fight for the dragon his Angels tell our Saviour Christ so
we all professe our selves his souldiers and subjects and hope to be saved by him Ans. If the dragon prevaile against any of us and have us under his power it is otherwise we cannot belong to two contrarie Captains we are his under whose colours we fight and to whom we have given our selves to obey Now therfore examine this point whether or how farre the dragon hath prevailed in any of us Rules of examination are these First where Michael cannot prevaile in such persons the dragon doth prevaile Now there Michael cannot prevaile where 1. His Word 2. His Spirit 3. His arme and hand is resisted ordinarily I. That his Word prevailes not in many of us is too manifest Did Gods word rule many of our Rulers they would goe through stitch and shew courage and conscience in Gods causes in beating downe the sinnes of the times frame their government according to Gods Word and till they doe so Christ rules not by them and if Christ prevaile not the dragon doth except a lying spirit step out and say there is a third 2. How little Michaels Scepter prevailes among many inferiour men is evident by the prevailing of ignorance in such dayes and meanes of knowledge How the god of the world blindeth a number of infidels is lamentable to consider who after many yeares hearing have still the vaile over their hearts and lie and live in grosse Aegyptian darknesse as ignorant as children as farre to seeke in substantiall grounds of Catechisme as they were at their first hearing that we cannot say Christs word prevailes in them unlesse wee may say that the light prevailes at midnight Oh what a pity it is How many civill honest men whose soules out of servent love wee mourne for are reached by this doctrine Not to speake of numbers who would be thought some-bodies in religion yet many turne away from it many turne against it yea hate and abhorre it 3. Adde hereto an other infallible conviction of many a one in whom the word prevailes not because it works neither reformation nor change both which it workes where it prevailes In many hearers it reformes not within the thoughts are idle unclean unsavory the affections are unruly violent passionate disguised c. It reforms them not without their words are vain as ever as unbridled unchristian as swearing as lying as ever their actions as unprofitable as uncharitable and hurtfull for who can looke for figs of thistles their whole life is unchanged what lust raigned that raigneth not still In none of these Michael prevaileth but the dragon hath them fast enough II. That the Spirit of Christ is likewise resisted and cannot prevaile is manifest both in his motions and graces How many good motions doth the Spirit suggest in the night in the day as upon other occasions so especially in the Ministery of the Word thou goest away and hopest to be better by this or that admonition but either thy slothfulnesse lets it die of it selfe or thou lettest in some lust to kill and quench it and so thou art much worse than before for wheras before he was kept out now thou hast driven him out and thus many men weare out their age in purposes and vaine hopes of amendment and are cut off before ever they seriously attempt it So mightily hath the dragon prevailed Add to these another Band who finding the word knocking at the dore of their hearts and the Spirit calling aloud from their lusts and beloved sinnes begin to quarrell and resist the Spirit and fight valiantly against all such motions and all the messengers by whom he moveth there is no perswasion of the Spirit can prevaile lusts must bee served profits sports and carnal delights must be intended and followed and who sees not the dragon effectually prevailing in such men For where the motions of Gods Spirit are repelled how just is it that GOD give over such persons to the efficacy of Satanicall delusion Now for the graces of Gods Spirit by which Michael prevaileth in how many that come to Church are they resisted scorned and blaspemed Is any thing made a more common by-word at this day than the light of grace and the power and practice of sound grace and what childe cannot see that the dragon who rules in darknesse doth there prevaile where nothing is so much chased as the light and the glory of the Saints is turned to their shame and reproach who but dogs and dragons would barke and spet poyson against grace III. They also resist Michael that suffer not his arme to prevaile How many incorrigible sinners be there whom neither Gods word nor workes can bow or bend Let God backe his word with visible judgments strokes round about them upon them yet they harden their hearts still and still turne to their old course going on from evill to worse Let God curse their trades they will breake the Sabbath still let God drowne their Boates their goods they will row on the Sabbath still let God smite by milder rods they heare not the rod nor who appointeth it let God breake the staffe of bread they will still make stones bread let God bring heavie strokes they will not understand though the foundations of the world be moved Psal. 82. 5. how doth Michael prevaile when such sensible strokes make men more senslesse and why should hee smite them any more who fall away more and more Esa. 1. 5. The second Marke or Rule of tryall is this Where the dragon holdeth a man under his slavery there he prevaileth but this he doth sundry wayes 1. When hee fetters any man as a slave to his owne lusts and the commands of the flesh chaines him to a blinde and rebellious heart to passionate and froward affections and throwes him into the streame of corrupt nature This prevaling of lusts is the dragons victory when sinnes and lusts grow in number strength continuance 2. The dragon prevailes by the world when hee brings men in bondage either to the profits or pleasures or to the fashions of the world What a number follow the world with full streame and their whole strength who cannot so truely be said to have the world as that the world hath them this eager love to the world signeth a man to have cast out the love of God from his heart see Iam 4. 4. 1 Iohn 2. 15. and that the Prince of the aire prevaileth in the course of the world is apparent Ephes. 2. 2. According to the course of the world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience where is he almost that conformes not to the corruptions of times places and callings If times bee for Protestants so be they if times were for Papists so would they if times throw downe the Gospell and Preachers of it so can they in their whole course frame in religion to their senses not to their faith
and live wholy by examples and not by rules Who sees not how the dragon triumphes and tramples on such time-servers who yet would scorne not to bee reputed sound Christians 3. The dragon prevaileth by Antichrist and enthralleth numbers by the efficacie of his delusions He that is a slave unto Antichrist is a slave to the dragon for Antichrist commeth in the efficacie of Satan because Satan worketh powerfully in him by him 2 Thess. 2. 9. who can without sorrow consider of the numbers that now runne a whoring after Popery and favour it and plead for it after that not the Gospell onely hath so clearely detected it but after it hath convinced it selfe to bee the most savage and blood-thirsty religion that ever was that would make but one Bonfire of three kingdomes and blow up in one moment religion and justice Church and Kingdome Prince and people nay after so many good lawes enacted against it wherein the whole Kingdome hath given sentence and pronounced it guilty of the highest treason that ever men or devils could devise Is it not the same religion it was then did they ever reverse any of their bloody positions did they ever any where prevaile and not chase out with a sea of sorrowes all that looke toward the truth and holy religion Well the sentence was foretold Re. 13. Antichrist must prevaile amōg them that perish A terrible Thunderbolt from heaven against all professed members of that Antichristian body especially against Apostate Papists among whom the uncleane spirit hath brought seven worse than himselfe to hasten their perdition 4. The dragon prevaileth by false and libertine teachers like the false Prophets that prophesied lies and the visions of their owne hearts to strengthen with sinful dawbing wicked hands and discourage godly hearts now when a people follow such and love to have such guides and guidance as Ier. 5. 29 30. the dragon hath prevailed to pull them to hell Michael prevaileth by faithfull teachers who bring wholesome and sound doctrine and causeth his people to delight in them and follow them contrarily the dragon prevailes by such teachers as frame themselves to speake so as to please all that seeke unto them in ther loose courses and according to all that they would have and so sell thē to Satan And what a just revenge of God is it that a people who will not suffer the Lords servants to prevaile with them to bee brought to the truth should bee fitted with such Teachers as with sweet words and fine devises shall prevaile with them to their destruction and looke how much any one hates a true teacher by so much hee loves a flatterer who shall doe him as much mischiefe as the other would have done him good Beware of this sly reach of the dragon prevailing against not a few 5. The dragon prevailes mightily in disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. In whom doth the Prince of the aire rule but in the children of disobedience and these bewray themselves every where I. In such as walke in the disobedience of nature sonnes of Belial who reject all yoakes and refuse all counsell by Gods word Gods Spirit Gods people to walke at large compassing their lusts according to the command of their owne rebellious wils a Sermon or a Play is all one onely they can sit out a play with more patience II. Such as are wilfull in their disobedience against Gods Word not onely of an unteachable disposition but untractable pricke their corruption but a little in sound application oh how it will shew it selfe in raging stormy and unruly distempers this festred heart that will abide no searching is conquered by Satan these that will not suffer Christ to rule them are called his enemies and called out to execution Luke 19. 27. III. These wilfull rebels commonly lye in ambush against the faithfull either to accuse them to make them hatefull to Magistrates or to slander and scorne them to make them hated of others as Ier. 18. 18. Come let us smite him with the tongue and vers 23. even some pretensed friends sought to banish him nay to doe more even against his life if they could have prevailed No man can seeke sinistrously to prevaile against a good man but the dragon hath first prevailed against him 6. The dragon prevailes by bad society and example when workers of iniquity meet oh how the devill rules their counsels tongues actions many hands make light worke and rid much worke if any man refuse or forbeare or scorne to joyne himselfe to Gods people if any reproach Gods name truth or servants hate the society of Saints their persons their profession or godly practices the dragō hath his will on thē and in them and where the dragon thus prevailes the Lord Jesus hath nothing to doe but to prepare himselfe to warre and wrathfull judgement against such sworne enemies of his Kingdome Neither was their place found any more in heaven We have heard in the former part of the verse that the enemies could not prevaile against the Church now wee shall see that themselves were prevailed against and so conquered and chased by Michael and his Angels as they could not ever make their party good against the woman any more but themselves were turned into a shamefull flight so as they could not stand before her This overthrow of this great Army is signified in this phrase that their place was found no more in heaven Where to finde the meaning wee will answer foure Questions Quest. 1. What is meant by heaven Ans. Some understand hereby this heavenly vision and make this the meaning that they vanished away or the heavenly vision called before a wonder in heaven which though it may be true in part for they did vanish for a time yet it is somewhat harsh to call an heavenly vision by the name of heaven and beside wee shall see they will appeare againe in this vision and renew their forces and fiercenesse against the woman Some by heaven understand the Throne of dignitie and authority which wee have shewed to bee a kinde of heaven or Throne of God and this is true also in part that the conquered party was cast from the Throne of God when those openly professed dragons were subdued and cast from the top of Imperiall State and Majestie without hope of recovery of their strength against the woman any more But by heaven I understand the Church of God as in many other places of this Chapter in which the dragon sate and exercised his tyrannie Quest. 2. What is it not to have his place found any more Answ. The phrase is taken out of Daniel 2. 35. where this Michael the stone that was cut out of the Mountaine is said to smite the image of iron clay brasse silver and gold that the place of it was found no more but they were destroyed and dispersed as chaffe so the same Michael here did so breake in pieces the power of the dragons that they had no
morning Psal. 22. 1. and Cant. 2. 9. My beloved is like a roe or young hart Christ is lovely as the Hart swift to save his Church as the Hart Can. 2. 17. beset with dogs as the Hart Psa. 22. 16. Dogs have compassed mee that is Jewes and other hellish Beagles And finally here hee is at warre with the serpent as the Heart But this serpent spets out poyson to kill and poyson to death every man and woman as well as Christ as indeed hee hath slaine every childe of Adam 2. His other quality is serpentine insinuation and winding by his slie flattery and subtilty by which as he did drive our first Parents us out of the earthly Paradise so he never ceaseth to hinder us also of the heavenly Paradise this he doth especially by deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. 13. winding himselfe into our hearts by degrees till hee bring us first to act sinne then to affect it then to bring acts to habits to to a law unresistible and to a nature 3. Againe the devill is called a serpent for his serpentine and cursed condition The serpent is accursed of God above all beasts of the field Gen. 3. 14. so is the devill and his Angels above all creatures The curse reacheth the serpent both in his habitation and sustentation he dwels in thornes and bushes there hee lurkes and hides himselfe so the devill in the thickets of sinnes lusts and hatefull deeds flying the light the serpent feeds on earth and cursed dust so doe the devils on earthly-minded and carnall men who lie under the curse of GOD carelesse of the blessing The adjunct of this serpent followes an old serpent 1. Because himselfe hath beene of the same antiquity with the beginning of the world who of old even then cast us from our happinesse 2. Because his malice is not new-conceived but inveterate as ancient as the world and therefore no hope of truce or reconciliation 3. He excels not onely in naturall subtilty but by his experience ever since man was on earth is growne wonderfull deepe and cunning like an old beaten souldier trained in manifold crafts and mischievous stratagems so his craft is redoubled by his age and experience III. The third title or name is The devill for crimination accusation and calumniation Hee is that egregious calumniator whose incessant delight and practice is in accusing and calumniating 1. God to man of envy injustice or the like unkinde affections as Gen. 3. 3. God knowes your eyes will bee opened 2. Man to God in good that it is done in hypocrisie as Doth Iob serve God for nought in evill that man is guilty of that sinne which himselfe drew on But of this Title more in the next verse IIII. The fourth title is Satan for his hostility and enmity He is an adversary and opposite 1. To God 2. To good men 3. To good actiōs I. To God 1. In his decrees and good purposes of restoring the Elect unto eternall life by Jesus Christ by all meanes striving to frustrate them though all in vaine for the counsell of the Lord shall stand 2. In all the meanes appointed for the execution of those decrees as the word and truth of God which hee laboureth to turne into a lie Gen. 3. 5. Yee shall not surely dye by which hee brought in sinne upon us he hates that as the sentence of his damnation so hee hindreth the preaching and publishing of it as in Paul and the Apostles 1 Thess. 2. 18. He sends his Ministers impudently to disgrace the holy preaching of the word and to cast downe if they could all exercises of religion publike and private For the graces of faith love holinesse wrought by the word in which are the beginnings of salvation he hates and resists them and disgraceth them as most contrary to himselfe being an uncleane spirit I have heard many of his Agents openly revile the grace of GOD and disgrace holinesse in hatefull termes but none of them but apparently foule and uncleane beasts in one kinde or other and how can contraries but fight II. To all good men he is an adversary because of Gods Image and way they have Gods Image and superscription upon them and so of a contrary kingdome And hee who while wee were in our owne way or the way of the world never resisted us for then wee were going downe into Aegypt now if wee be in Gods way and set out toward Canaan never ceaseth his resistance III. He is also an adversary to all good things and actions he watcheth to slay all good motions in the wombe that they shall no sooner bee conceived than abortive he is an adversarie to each good action either to hinder it if hee can by hindring us from attempting good or atchieving it by hindring us from feeling the sweetnesse of godlinesse so as having no pleasure in it it may goe on heavily by making us fickle unconstant soone weary and then all is lost or if he cannot hinder to corrupt and deprave it that though he cannot make it evill hee may make it seeme so to bee By all this description the Spirit of God would have us become wise to take knowledge of our enemy and make our owne profitable use of this discovery especially that we should never compact with such an adversary In his temptations to sinne hee comes in the habit of a friend and loving Counsellor but is indeed a dragon and therefore fierce and a winged dragon swift to shed blood Oh that wee could thinke while he is intising us to sinne that we have to doe with a serpent who hath a naturall enmity against us and this antipathy set by God admits no reconcilement and not a serpent onely but an accuser of us to God for that which himselfe intised us unto In his disswasives from good pretending our peace ease credit or whatsoever commodity happy it were could we say Come behinde mee Satan this is nothing but the voice of an adversary resisting mee to hinder both the worke and wages 2. Againe wee learne to beware of such a monster and watch such an adversarie who is a serpent therefore subtle to deceive a serpent therefore full of poyson and deadly infection an old serpent and therefore by his experience ever since the creation can espie the least advantage against us can see all our counsels and consultations in our secret chambers and will not slip any such advantage but put it forth to the furthest proofe and extent for our greatest harme Furthermore wee are taught to fence our selves against his wiles and enterprises Quest. How may that be done Answ. By three sorts of rules I. Against the subtiltie of this serpent wee must labour for true wisedome as a countermine And that is 1. By humility denying our owne wisedome as insufficient to guide us The Lord guideth the humble in his way Psalm 25. 2. By prayer go to God for wisedome If any man want let him
joyne to it For efficacy of doctrine is no proofe of truth because there is an efficacy of errour by which the dragon prevailes against all the earth But is the doctrine effectuall to turne men from the power of Satan to God then it is true not else Nor yet be much dismaied that among our selves after the knowledge and profession of the truth so many should turne away to Popery and are seduced by Priests and Jesuites for how can a carnall doctrine but prevaile among carnall men what looke they after in their religion but men on earth at Princes lawes times persons and earthly respects not one of them after God or his word or rules of direction from it but hate the Scripture as a theef the gallows their Religion then must needs be good But none are altogether given up to Antichristianisme but they they are first given up to Satan to bee seduced Oh that Papists would heare and lay to heart that they are pitifully seduced by the chiefe seducer under Satan which is a plaine signe of perdition for among whom doth Antichrist raigne but onely them that perish Rev. 14. 6 How can they expect to raign in the heavenly Jerusalem with Christ who stick in mysticall Babylon unto Antichrist how shall hee triumph in heaven with Christ that fights on earth for Antichrist But well may we with a sea of teares take knowledge of the generall sinne of our land in the hatred and abuse of the light and bringers of it for which the Lord may justly deliver us up to delusion and efficacy of errour and if we goe on resolved to give no better entertainment to the light the Papists themselves are not more effectually deluded in maine points than it may please God many among us may bee Finally marvell not that so many great wise and learned men in the world oppose resist the truth plot cōtrive against Gods Ordinances servants for how can earth but stand in opposition to heaven they are but pieces of earth and of the world delivered up to Satan to deceive earthly affections lusts motions desires carry them away earthly policie dignity favour ease wealth is all they aime at their way and their end earth is their portion and they the dragons for the dragon seduceth all the earth and only that Doth any resist and oppose heavenly doctrine he is earthly-minded he savours the earth some base lust or sinne is the dragons chaine to hold him under delusion to destruction Thirdly wee learne hereby to beware of seduction and carefully prevent it Quest. What meanes may we use thereunto Answ 1. Get out of the estate of nature into the estate of grace become a beleever by faith get into the hand of Christ and none shall pluck thee thence Iohn 10. Give all diligence to make thine election sure by adding grace to grace and bringing forth fruits of faith the dragons delusions are onely effectuall in them that perish 2. Get out of the world answer the voyce of Christ calling thee out of the world for what is the whole earth but a company of seduced and deluded people If thou art still in the world hee that seduceth all the world cannot but carry thee away from God Demas embraced the present world and forsooke the truth The young man went heavily from Christ for hee had great possessions nay they had him rather The dragon thought to have seduced Christ himselfe by the profer of the world All this will I give thee Oh therefore get thee with all speed out of the world in affection in conversation love it not live not after it 3. Avoid persons and places of seduction Persons are 1. False teachers and false Prophets that come in sheepes clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves Mat. 7. 15. not Priests and Jesuites onely who study the art of deceiving but sweet-tōgued Prophets who by libertine doctrine or loosenesse of life leade the way to wickednesse They are accursed in the Law who make the blinde goe out of the way and all the people must say Amen Deut. 27. 18. 2. Perswaders to Popery and false worship whereof there are not a few at this day and such as perswade to any schisme or separation from the truth Let servants be choice what Masters they serve and bee sure their Masters serve the same Master in heaven with them but above all beware of a Snake in the bosome our weaknesse needeth a faithful Counsellor so neare us For places 1. Beware of ignoran tand rude places which are destitute of instruction and able instructers where the eye is blinde that man is misled any whither and such a people are led away as a prey to the dragon a wicked Ministery makes a naked people Where doe the Frogs and Locusts Priests and Jesuites sculke and croake bin ignorant and untaught places where men are taught no difference betweene the mists of Popery and the shining light of the Gospell where the watchmen are blinde the embassadours dumbe and teachers untaught need teachers themselves in the principles of Religion 2. Avoid infected places where abominations are set up and maintained no poyson kils more certainly or speedily Whether they be Popish Countries to which the Spirit of God would have us bid farewell Revel 18. 4. Goe out of her my people lest yee partake of her sinnes and plagues Or Popish houses where deceivers are harboured idols and lies set up and worshipped a little Breaden god adored true religion reviled and the mysterie of iniquity embraced Avoid these This is the third meanes to avoid seduction 4. Sticke close to the word of God which onely can hold us upright Mat. 22. 29 Ye erre no knowing the Scriptures Here in cleaving to the word First indeavour to grow up in sound judgement for the discerning af doctrines and signes which carry great pretenses of truth and by which the dragon usually seduceth many 1 Iohn 4. 1. Beleeve not every spirit but trie the spirits whether they bee of God for many false spirits are gone out into the world Alas how doe the body of our people lye open to seduction and are ready to entertaine any doctrine any religion for want of this abilitie They embrace a religion because it is established by authority commauded by the law professed by the Prince embraced by the multitude freest fr ōtrouble But aske them a reason of their faith call them to account in Catechisme you would thinke them speechlesse you can force no answer savouring of judgement or reason is there then no need of this exhortation Secondly grow up in sound love to the Word for else thou canst not but bee given up to beleeve lyes 2 Thess. 2. 10. it is not learning knowledge wisedome that can arme or fence us from delusion but love of the truth as in the instances of Adam Iudas Hymeneus and Philetus c. but love of the truth will quench in us love of the world and selfe-love and
former are such as demonstrate the presence of the strong man The latter such as shew the presence of a stronger than he Of the former sort are five First supine carelesnesse in religion is a signe of the dragons rule the Apostle in Eph. 2. 2. and 12. sets it downe for a note of a man in whom the Prince of the ayre ruleth that he is as an heathen or alien without God in the world an Atheist that cares for no religion or covenant cares not for Christ and his grace contemnes preaching praying Ministery Ministers prefers pigs before Christ as the Gadarens prefers pottage before the blessing as Esau this man is ruled by the Prince of the ayre and much more if thou seest a despiser of religion a scorner of goodnesse one that turnes his backe on the Ministery or gives it his presence but is a sonne of Beliall and will not indure the yoakes of God and Christ this man is apparently under the power of the devill and this cannot but bee a sure signe for 1. Where Christ can have no command the dragon must rule and command 2. Where the Scepter of Christ is resisted which onely casts out the dragon there the dragon is not cast out Were not hee a traytor in an high degree that should wrest the rod or Scepter out of the Kings hand breake it to pieces and tread it under his feet in contempt of his high authority yet so doth every wicked man with the Word the rod of Christs power 3. Where Christ is come hee makes communion with God and a serious seeking after him and therefore where is no seeking after God no fellowship with him Christ never came there A second note of the presence and power of the strong man is blindnesse of minde in meanes of knowledge so saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospell bee now hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that beleeve not and 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of GOD c. When a man can discerne nothing of the things of God and seeth nothing in the Kingdome of Christ desirable or admirable he is in the state of nature under the power of the dragon The reason is because the kingdome of the dragon is a kingdome of darknesse and nothing casts out his power but the entertainment of the light and grace of the Gospell If a man sit in darknesse till this houre that hee shuts out the light offering to shine upon him and contents himselfe with ignorance of minde with hatred and resistance of the light this man sets up and upholds the devils power in his owne heart and here the dragon is not cast out Th◠third note of a man in whom the devill is not cast out is generall disobedience for He ruleth in the sonnes of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. where sinne raignes the dragon raignes Hee that committeth sin is of the devill 1 Iohn 3. 8. the devill and sinne are cast out together For as a tyrant shewes his power and strength by forcing men to fulfill his lawes and Edicts so this strong man sheweth and upholdeth his state in speciall maner by prevailing temptations and alluremēts by which men fulfill the lusts wil of the flesh and wicked men are carryed as the swine into the lake of sinne Now the dragon stands in his state The fourth note of such a one is ripenesse in sinne when men are not punies in sinne but old sinners not bunglers but active and nimble servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2. 19. This ripenesse discovers it selfe in many unhappy men in whom the dragon beares sway foure wayes 1. By diligence 2. Hight 3. Chearfulnesse 4. Constancy in sinne 1. By diligence following sinne as a trade when a man is at all the appointments and services of sin approving and promoting all that is nought but disallowing and opposing all that is good so farre as he can Diligent servants will breake their sleepe to doe their Masters worke and so will these Prov. 4. 16. see Chap. 1. 15. 2. By the height of sinne for as the Spirit of God drawes the Saints forward in the degrees of grace so the dragon drawes wicked men to the height of wickednesse called Rom. 1. fulnesse of unrighteousnesse and this without reluctation or restraint of the Spirit Thus the devill entred into Iudas and filled his heart with mischiefe whence is it that the foulest sinnes come not amisse to many men but from the power of the dragon who bids his slave resist the Gospell as Elimas and he must doe it commit murder upon his owne brother as Cain scoffe his owne father as Cham sweare and blaspheme as many devils incarnate they must and will doe it 3. By chearfulnesse and delight in sinne our proverbe is Hee must needs runne whom the Devill drives so captaine-sinners make haste to evill and set their delight on it how doe graceles persons rejoyce to promote and compasse sinne in themselves eating it as bread and a sweet morsell Iob 20. and drinking it as a fish drinkes in water and provoke others to sinne to sweare to bee drunken to gaming and playes c were there a drop of grace in them it would disallow such horrible sinnes and stand against them but the stampe of the devill is upon them who rejoyceth in evill and draweth as many as hee can into his owne damnation 4. By constancy and incorrigiblenesse in sinne He that is filthy will bee filthy still as the dragons and devils be and men as devils are loath to be tormented before their time by the doctrine of repentance conversion mortification or holy life This is a sure note of one from whom the dragon is not cast out The fist is strife to keepe out or cast out the Spirit of God resisting the grace of God fighting against good conscience in ones selfe and others when men aredespisers and evill speakers of the way of God can contend with his Saints and haunt with wicked persons how can this but be a sure signe of the dragons holding possession for what other is his worke in the world but to fight against the whole kingdome and glory of God or what is a more manifest proofe of the power and state of a Prince then to command his subjects to fight for his title in all his quarrels Now if these be sure notes of the state and raigne of the dragon many may discerne their woefull condition who thinke well enough of themselves and will defie the Devill in word while in deed and truth he upholds his full power in them 1. How many Christians by profession are no better than Atheists who love not the presence of God neither in their thoughts but abhorre all thoughts of God and barre them out by weekes and months as most unpleasant nor in their soules which cannot endure the presence of Gods
out of the Church into the earth and there among earthly and carnall men holdeth his power still Ephes. 2. 2. The Prince that ruleth in the aire worketh among the sonnes of disobedience 2 Thes. 2. 9. Sathan worketh in Antichrist by all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 4. The god of this world blindeth the mindes of infidels or unbeleevers And why 1. Sathans raigne is in the reigne of sin that is his scepter a wicked heart in which sinne raigneth is his chaire of estate But sinne raignes not in the elect that are under grace Rom. 6. 14. 2. Sathan being the Prince of darknesse rules in the kingdome of darknesse whence wicked spirits are called rulers of the darknesse of this world Ephes. 6. 12. The devill is the father of all spirituall darknesse of lies heresies false doctrines false worship and all workes of darknesse This is the world of darknesse in which hee ruleth as a king in his Kingdome But the godly are gotten out of this Egypt out of the reach of this hellish Pharaoh and are gotten into Goshen the Church where light is Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord. 3. Sathan is the father of sinne and sinne is the mother of death by which necessary connexion appeares who are his subjects over whom hee holdeth his full and absolute power to weet a world of dead men dead in trespasses and sinnes destitute of the life and Spirit of God and as dead men laid and buryed in the earth among these hee ruleth As the demoniake in our Saviours time lived among the graves and there tyrannized so doth Sathan being cast out into the earth which is as another Golgatha But the godly are quickned by Christ being formerly dead in trespasses and live now the life of the Sonne of God and have part in the first resurrection Gal. 2. 20. And so are exempted from the power of Sathan Which is a ground of comfort to all true hearted Christians that stand in the spirituall combate 1. Thou fightest against a conquered and bound enemy who is cast out of all thy Lords dominions 2. Hee is cast into the earth and keepeth state in the world as the god of the world but thou art called out of the world and brought from the earth Object If hee be cast out how comes it to passe that I am so afflicted with horrible hellish and violent temptations Answ. 1. The Dragon is not cast out of all power till hee bee cast into hell but hee is cast out of full power in the godly 2. There is a reserved wrigling power of the Dragon which may assault thee but hee shall never hurt thee that art one of Gods chosen neither by his temptation nor persecution For first though they may afflict and exercise thee yet all the gates of hell cannot overcome or extinguish thy faith Secondly though they may trouble thee and hinder thee in the way as the Moabites did Israel by their wiles yet can they not in the end of it which is life and glory Thirdly though they may hinder the sense and comfort and joy of thy salvation yet can they not the right nor assured hope of thy happinesse Object I finde these temptations prevaiâ—e in mee and if the devill raigne in sinne I feare he is not cast out of mee Answ. There is the least feare of that sinne that is most feared The feare of sinne keepes downe the raigne of it But for the strengthening of such as are in combate we must know that the best have sinne but sinne hath not them the best slip and fall but lye not in falls the best do the acts of sinne but not habitually they trade not nor walke in sinnes at least with delight as men in a pleasant way the best have flesh but walke not according to flesh And therefore although thou findest sinne present with thee yet if thou canst finde the power of it weakened if thou sometimes sinnest but art so farre from tumbling and trading in sinne as that thou hatest what thou doest all is safe the dragon is cast out for all that 2. Here is a rule of tryall to know our estate whether wee belong to heaven or are yet in the earth under the dominion of Sathan If Sathan uphold his power and state in sinne and unrighteousnesse within thy heart thou art apparently in the earth and of the earth Christ hath no part in thee nor thou in him Art thou an enemy to grace to the doctrine of grace Art thou a stubborne and obstinate sinner an enemy to the perswasions of the Word and Spirit a sonne of disobedience a rebell against all thou hearest Art thou a lover of thy sinnes an hater of them that hate and discover them Art thou of the Dragons trade and walkest in fraud lying accusing and envying Gods children Dost thou cast thy selfe out of the Church and wilfully excommunicate and separate thy selfe from God from his house and worship from his Saints and people Now this doctrine tells thee that for these accursed qualities the devill himselfe was cast out by Christs victory and so shalt thou as an enemy of Christ shall Christ cast him out and keepe thee in who resemblest him no confounded shall ye be together and eternally excommunicate from God and his Church 3. This is a ground of instruction if Sathan bee once cast out to keepe him out and let him enter no more When Christ cast out a devill he said Go out of him and enter into him no more So hee never recovereth his power against the Church againe being once cast into the earth Apostasie and revolt from the truth once received gives him a stronger and surer possession then before For he never comes againe but hee brings seaven worse spirits then himselfe And now seeing that Sathan is cast out of our Church into the earth let us not turne to worldly rudiments and that earthly religion and doctrine of Popery and Antichristian idolatry which is from earth set up and upheld by earthly power and policie thrusting it selfe on the world by serpentine craft lying pretenses of miracles martyrdome concord of doctors perpetuall succession from the Apostles c. But let the Dragon rage and dominere in the earth whither hee is cast and in that fleshly doctrine which carrieth away earthly and unstable men Let him make spoile in his owne dominion amongst Papists and Idolaters and hypocrites and atheists Let us keepe that pretious truth which is committed to us and hold fast that which Michael hath wonne for us shall wee runne after the dragon cast into the earth Consider hereunto 1. How can that be a religion of God that openeth a wide gate to all manner of hatefull and unnaturall sinnes by licenses pardons before and after sanctuaries c. that exempts subjects from lawes obedience oathes and allegiance to Princes that under pretence of Christ
spirit Esay 66. 2. Thou must therefore confesse with that Ruler that thou art unworthy hee should come under thy roofe Mat. 8. 8. 4. By purging away sinne by sweeping and sweetening the roomes of our hearts for him Thinke not now that Christ will lodge any more among the beasts in a foule stable Prepare him therefore a roome in the Inne of thine heart 5. By loving obedience to his Commandements On this condition Christ comes in as hee promised Ioh. 14. 23. If any man love mee and keepe my word my Father and I will come in and dwell with him Secondly wee cast the Dragon out of our selves by proclaiming warre against our owne corrupt nature and ruling over affections Wee can never overcome him within us till wee have conquered our selves As this is the greatest so it is the first victory to get under feet our owne uncleane lusts motions thoughts and actions which are the harbours and burrowes of wicked spirits these serpents lie in these thickets to cast out envy malice drunkennesse uncleanenesse to ruinate and batter downe these holds of the dragon and bring every thought into the subjection of Christ that when hee comes hee may finde nothing in us Thirdly wee cast out the Dragon by carefull fencing and watching our strongest forts and faculties The Dragon keepes hold especially in ignorance of minde in rebellion of the will in corruption of the conscience and having these forts hee can command the whole man at pleasure Now to cast him out of these our most inward and highest forts wee must deliver them up to Jesus Christ to bee informed strengthened commanded and defended by him Hee onely is able to keepe what wee commit unto him Fourthly wee shall cast out the Dragon by suffering Christ still to draw us to himselfe by the power of the Gospell and to fashion us daily unto holinesse Ioh. 12. 32 The prince of this world cannot be cast out till Christ draw us unto himselfe who as he draweth by his word which is called the arme of God and by his spirit moving in those meanes so must wee give up our selves to be ruled and moved by his Word and Spirit These motions and directions cast out and keepe out Satanicall motions and temptations by which hee holds up his rule and state Without a mans selfe every godly man must strive to cast downe the power of Sathan every where both by Christian profession and Christian conversation By Christian profession manifesting it selfe in foure maine practises 1. Upholding to his power wholsome doctrine which is the rod and scepter of Christ and by the zealous maintaining an holy Ministery in which Christ casteth downe the Dragon Shall Jesus Christ seeke in the ministerie to cast out the Dragon then wo to those that oppose ministery Shall Jesus Christ striue by holy and sound doctrine to subdue the power of the devill whose kingdome stands in lies and errors Wo then unto those unhappy men that shall seeke to bring in the Dragon againe by broaching or defending false doctrine heresie popery idolatry or Antichristian delusions who instead of the ministers of Christ would bring in the vassals of Antichrist Priests Jesuites locusts and impostors 2. In promoting piety and the reigne of Christ by grace in others For true religion practised promoted encouraged propagated casteth out the Dragon and onely that What unhappy men are they and apparent limbes of the Dragon who disgrace and discourage godlinesse every where who plot to cast out piety religion and all godly men Is this to joyne with Michael in casting out the Dragon 3. In forwardnesse in doing good which glorifieth God and honoureth our profession The Dragon would set up his kingdome by pretenses of great workes of mercy charity building of Churches and Hospitalls c. And Antichrist is bold to outboast all professions in such pretenses But wee must bestirre our selves that neither papists nor hypocrites put us downe in workes of mercy love or charity that wee may honour our profession by a readinesse to every good worke 4. In readinesse constantly to suffer for the truth and fearlesly to sticke to the Gospell that as our Lord subdued the Dragon by giving witnesse to the truth so should wee by maintaining the same truth to the utmost of our power and the last drop of our blood Ler Ephraim divide his heart betweene two religions let the fickle Galathian change his judgement in maine points let the Ephesian fall from his first love let profane dogs and swine fall backe to generall revolt and apostasie 2. Pet. 2. 2. As none are more serviceable to the Dragon then these so none give him a greater blow then constant witnesses and martyrs none so much cast him downe By Christian conversation also must every Christian joyne with Michael in casting out the Dragon and this partly at home and partly abroad I. A man can never bee good abroad that promotes not piety at home Hee that hath cast the dragon out of his heart will also cast him out of his house which is done 1. By setting up the service and worship of God in his family that hee and his house may serve the Lord. Hee whose heart is a Temple of God his house shall bee a Church and a little Bethel there shall be no roome for swearers drunkards riotous persons scorners nor sonnes of Belial for these are the brood of the Dragon 2. By preventing and wisely resisting the speciall sinnes of the calling all crafts and deceitfull mysteries by which the Dragon over-reacheth most men in the carrying of their speciall calling A godly Christian in these will not as others do what others do but what himselfe hath warrant to do hee will not make his calling a service of the Dragon but subordinateth it to his generall calling wherein hee acknowledgeth himselfe a servant to Jesus Christ. 3. By waching narrowly those lusts in which the Dragon thrusts himselfe on to disturbe and throw downe Gods worship in the family as anger and wrath which hinder prayer worldlinesse or unfruitfull employments which thrust out or ingrosse the times of family-duties When the Dragon had drawne David from his watches it was easie to imploy him in strange services of sinne II. Abroad a Christian must take his Lords part against the Dragon Both in respect of good men walking fruitfully and watching good occasion in the communion of Saints instructing some comforting others guiding others in the way lovingly counselling reproving encouraging c. And in respect of evill men 1. If corrigible and hopefull helping them out of the snare and power of Sathan saving some with meeknesse and pulling others out of the fire 2. If wilfull or scornfull either avoid their company and all needlesse society with them because the Dragon mightily prevailes in infectious society and it is an unequall yoking 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. Or if thou beest cast into their company bee undaunted in good causes and give them no
was hanged up and his butler lifted up to his honour againe The judge is Michael the Judge of all the world the Churches husband himselfe was condemned for beleevers and will not condemne them for whom hee shed his blood Hee carried not their sinnes to lay them againe on themselves Lastly here is a ground of tryall to know whether the dragon be cast out of any man If he be then all his angells and all his power is cast out in part with him When Saul was converted and the dragon was cast out by the voice of Christ see how all his powers and angels were chased with him Ignorance and blindnesse of minde flyes away The scales fall off his eyes Pride of heart and pharisaicall righteousnesse goes after hee is strucke downe to the ground Disobedience and the command of sinne is gone Lord what wilt thou have me to do Wicked fellowship goes after he returnes no more to his companions the Jewes but joynes himselfe with the Apostles and beleevers Likewise in the Gaolor converted Act. 16. marke how all the dragons angels were chased out with him Of a proud rebell he becomes an humble soule Sirs what shall I do to bee saved Of a despiser of the word hee hungers after the counsell of it He that had reviled Paul and Silas now reverenceth them Hee that had inflicted stripes on them now washeth their wounds Hee that had cast them into the dungeon brings them out into his house there hee sets meat before them sets himselfe to heare the word from them to bee baptized of them and all his carnall joy was changed into joy that himselfe and all his houshold beleeved Where wee see all the holds of sinne demolished all the dragons studs and posts pulled downe at once This through-change must thou finde in thy selfe in whom the dragon is cast out For first where the Lord Jesus commeth hee smites all thy sinnes with his great sword as Esay 27. 1. Hee rebukes them all casts them from their power and raigne and dissolveth all the workes of the devill not in regard of their presence but of their rule and command Secondly as a Prince or Generall may hold a fort as well by any of his Captaines as by himselfe so is it here the dragon is not cast out where any of his angels are entertained for as Christ said of his Ministers Hee that receiveth you receiveth mee so may the dragon of his angels hee that harboureth you harboureth mee Thirdly our rule is to harbour no angell of the dragon Ephes. 4. 27. Give no place to the devill no not in any inordinate affection as that of anger which is mentioned Fourthly thou canst not entertaine one angell of the dragon but thou invitest a number with him every one will bring seaven spirits worse then himselfe No sinne can prosper alone nor keepe it selfe warme but le ts in a number more even a chaine of many linkes Now therefore go to the rule and note of tryall If thou hast cast out all his angels the dragon is cast out otherwise not 1. If the dragon bee cast out then the tares of grosse and fundamentall errours and heresies are cast out with him so are atheisme irreligion hypocrisie If the dragon be cast out he leaves thee not an atheist an hypocrite an idolater a contemner of godlinesse a scorner of religion a reviler of Gods servants these forts and turrets are cast downe after him But how are all the angels of the dragon welcome among ignorant and superstitious persons willfull Recusants open contemners of the holy exercises of religion c. 2. If the dragon be cast out so is profanenesse of life and corruption of manners If the dragon bee cast out hee leaves thee not a swearer a drunkard a filthy person a lier an usurer a railer a worker or lover of iniquity If thou servest any unrighteousnesse the dragon still rules and holdeth up his power in thee to destruction 3. If the dragon be cast out so are his temptations that they rage not nor prevaile as formerly It is true the dragon will bee still buffeting beleevers as Paul and will compasse them with temptations and lay many traines and stratagems for them But Michael makes them withstand them all and strenthens them to stand in the evill day where others are cast downe and with every temptation openeth a doore for issue Tempted may the beleever bee but not led into nor left in temptation The ordinary prevailing of temptation in many argues many angels of the dragon not cast out 4. If the dragon with all his angells bee cast out there is no more sorting nor conversing with the angels of the dragon The most apparent angels of the dragon are wisards and witches limbes of the devill and devils incarnate To consult or consort with such as are in immediate confederacie with the dragon is a marke and infallible brand of a man in whom the angels of the dragon are not cast out An ordinary sinne in those who professe good things but for all their profession are in compact with the devill who without a covenant with himselfe and faith in that covenant on the seekers part doth nothing More secret angels of the dragon are wicked men and a note of the dragons ejection is separation from wicked society aâ—d company from idolaters from atheists and scorners of goodnesse from filthy drunkards and fornicators from liers and blasphemers from gamesters and idle persons in a word from all vile persons in whom the image of God bewrayes not it selfe Whom to forsake consider 1. The commandement of God Prov. 23. 20 and 1. Cor. 5. 11. 2. Can wee safely runne among them that have plague-sores or converse with theeves and not be robbed one time or other 3 Thou must either commit or consent to their sinnes if not by act by silence Thou that canst brook all company how is thy heart vexed at their sinnes as Lots 4. Thou dost indeed harden and countenance them in their sinne and shalt be undivided in punishment Therefore depart from the assembly of sinfull men esteeme them angels of the dragon as they are Vers. 10. And I heard a loud voyce saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast downe which accused them before our God night and day After the great battell betweene Michael and the dragon the event and issue whereof was Michaels victory and the dragons ruine and his angels now follows the song of victory and tryumph In which 1. The preface 2. The parts which are two The first containes the joy and glory of the Church verse 10. 11. The second the wo and sorrow of the enemies verse 12. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth c. In the preface consider 1. What voice this was 2. Whose 3. Why lowd I. The holy Evangelist saw in spirit and predicted a
they are ready to give testimony to the truth of God with losse of their lives and do so indeed when they are called unto it Revel 2. 13. Antipas my faithfull witnesse was slaine The point is this The Saints overcome all hellish powers and adversaries of salvation by the word of God 1 Ioh. 2. 14. Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked 1 As Michael overcame so must his army But he overcame by the word Mat. 4. in all the temptations though he might have oppressed and confounded the dragon with power yet he would for our example and to point us who want power to a most powerfull weapon and meanes overthrow him by the word 2 The promise of God is a sure confirmation Prov. 4. 6. 8. uphold the word and it will uphold thee exalt wisdome and she shall exalt thee for sake her not and she shall keepe thee 3 The word is of the nature of God invincible and whosoever abideth in this word of truth is stable and cannot be cast downe 4 The parts of the word have their speciall strength and shew us that the whole is a complete armour or rather a furnished armoury to fetch thence all weapons for our fence and safety For First the Law chaseth us to Christ who is our strength and is a rule of life and an hedge to bound us in the way of safetie Secondly the Gospell exhibiteth Christ a glorious conquerour and worketh faith in us which is our victory The promises make us more then conquerors in which we see the Lord fighting for us and engaging himselfe to us for victory He hath bound himselfe not to fayle us nor forsake us Thirdly the precepts and explications of both furnish us with truth against error with counsell against false suggestions with sound wisdome and direction against all secret stratagems Psal. 119. By thy word I became wiser then the counsellors or the ancients Fourthly the examples store us with experience and shews us where and how and why such and such were foyled how they rose againe how they held their advantages and atchieved victory They shew how by the skill use of the word they have wounded their enemies and fortified themselves 5 By induction of enemies we may see that none of them all is able to stand before this two-edged sword of the Spirit proceeding out of the mouth of Christ Revel 1. 16. First it is the smooth stone that prostrates Goliah the wicked one 1 Sam. 17. the Sonne of David made choise of no other weapon against the Divell Secondly sinne is foyled by it Psal. 119. 11. I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Thirdly wicked men are slaine by it Esa. 11. 4. Fourthly Antichrist that wicked one is slain with the breath of his mouth 2 Thes. 2. 8. Fiftly persecutions and afflictions thrust sore at us but the word upholds us Psal. 119. Had not thy word beene my comfort I had perished in my trouble And for inward affliction if the combate be with God himself the word at length speakes to him that is wearie Now if the Saints overcome by the word then see the wickednesse of Papists who betray their people by disarming them and turning them naked among their enemies and into satanicall temptations For they take away the word from them and hold it hereticall to have the Scriptures in a knowne tongue An high wickednesse against common sense as if they should say you have a multitude of fierce strong and subtile enemies before you and your danger is very great now if you would drive away the enemy and come away conqueror you must cast away your weapons and lay aside your armour which is as un fit for you as Sauls armour was for David but yet for a show you may take with you some conjuring spells or charmes some terrible crosses some holy relikes or so me holy water that is leave your sword and take a straw or rush in your hand cast away your shield and take a feather leave Gods weapons and take one out of the hand of the devill shoot in the divels owne bow and you shall do well enough Oh how hath the spirit of madnesse and giddinesse effectually prevayled both upon such wicked seducers and such seely soules so unreasonably seduced and left naked to the devill by them 2 Wee see hereby that the onely way to be safe is to get the word close nto thee nay into thee It is no fence to thee to have the word in the Church and Ministery only no nor to have it in thy booke and bible at home nor to have it in thy mouth speach unlesse thou hast it in thy heart working thee to soundnesse and integrity as David Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 2. 10. 11. When wisdome entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserve thee and understanding shall keepe thee and deliver thee from the evill way 3 Note the reason why Satan prevailes in the world and tramples upon wicked men drawing them to all height of wickednesse namely because they reject the word If wee cast our eyes upon the most flagitious sinners and the worst of evill men as blasphemers swearers drunkards scoffers atheists contemners of the Sabbath and the like marke if they be not such as never care for the booke of God in private and but for fashion for the word preached the word is rejected and the divell hath them where he would Who be they whom Antichrist prevailes against to make them his slaves and vassalls to receive his marke in their hands and foreheads to destruction but such as hate the word and Scriptures as a felon doth a gibbet and such as are ignorant sotts fit for their knowledge to make Jews or Turkes aswell as Papists The Fawkner knows he can better rule his hawk on Tassell when he hath hooded him so doe Papish Fawkners Priests and Jesuites and therefore keepe their people in the darke Who art thou now converted that seest not how while thou wast in thy naturall course and couldest sweare and lye and game and scorne and do whatsoever was nought as thy company was that then thou caredst not for the word nor the Scriptures and counsells of God A Play had more taste then a good Sermon and therefore the divell carryed all and ruled thee at his will And what adoo hadst thou before thou couldest settle thy selfe to the constant reading and hearing of the word from which could Satan with all his power and policy have kept thee thou hadst never medled with them for he knowes how easily a Champion trained in warres may overcome and binde a blinde man And till thou medledst with them thou never conqueredst one sinne or lust much lesse the body of them 4.
saith Iob the rejoycing of wicked men is but for a moment because the best of it is in momentany things the rich man in riches the wise man in wisdome and some sots in the boasting of wisdome as if wisdome were to dye with them many in their callings and every carnall man hath some carnall ioy to feed his heart with but all of it shall not lift thee an inch above earth here thou findest it and leavest it here it riseth and here it resteth as it riseth no higher so it reacheth no higher 3 If thou hast no warrant for thy ioy in lawfull things what warrant or answer hast thou for thy ioy in unlawfull things if thou hast no reason to ioy in naturall things what will be the issue of thy sinfull ioy of thy ioy in iniquity which chaseth God and his Spirit away Salomon saith the foole maketh a pastime and merriment of sinne Prov. 14. 9. when men excessively reioyce in sports and games some in swearing drinking uncleane and filthie speaches some in cursed and blasphemous language some in wantonnesse and whoring this is the divels mirth and musicke and the ioy of hellish spirits All this ioy in the workes of the flesh is sure to end in sorrow and every dram of it to be repayed with a talent of wo. The same of such as reioyce in revenging quarrelling treading underfoot and oppressing their brethren every sheafe must bow to theirs and every mans will must fall downe before theirs be they never so uniust else there is no living neere them The like of those that reioyce in rayling reproaching and disgracing Gods children and the profession of holy religion Here are a rable of reioycers who cannot reioyce but when God is farthest off out of sight and out of minde none can be liker to Satan then in this sin of reioycing in evill their onely ioy is to goe merrily to hell 2 This quite overthrowes the conceit of carnall men who hold the state of godly and religious men the most uncomfortable and that they must bid all mirth and joy and pleasure of their lives farewell if once they looke toward religion But wee see no other have any cause of true joy but they none in the Scripture called to rejoyce but they none but they are in league and friendship with God none but they have assurance of pardon of sin and deliverance by Christ none else know their names written in heaven none else have peace of conscience which is a continuall feast none else have part in the glory of the Sonnes of God Yet carnall men thinke they want joy and comfort Why 1 Because they cannot now rejoyce in carnall things as before wordly ioy is now unsavorie to them in respect of spirituall 2 Because themselves cannot enter into their ioy 3 God brings it ordinarily out of sorrow 4 Wicked men do all they can to disquiet them and chase away their ioy 5 They see not how the ioy of Christ and worldly griefe can stand together But as farre are they deceived as if a blinde man should say there is no sunne or shine because he seeth it not or because the sunne is clouded therefore it is not in the heavens No there is nothing but ioy in godly life and most ioy in the greatest afflictions of it If there be any sorrow it is because they cannot be godly enough And all that sorrow is mixed and concluded with ioy Have any such cause of ioy as inhabitants of heaven 3 This teacheth all the godly to be sure that all their ioy savour of heaven and be such as beseemeth the inhabitants of heaven and such as never entred into a carnall heart Quest. How may I know it so to be Answ. When it resembleth the ioyes of heaven namely in these things 1 As their persons so their ioyes are quite taken from earth and earthly things they never more ioy in momentany things of this life but in eternall and unvaluable excellencies So our ioyes resemble heaven when they are lifted up above earth when they are remooved from the worthlesse trifles of earth and are set on solid ioyes of heaven 2 As their ioy is sutable to their place and condition so must ours 1 They are in heavenly places so wee are risen with Christ and set in heavenly places with him and should our ioy be in earthly drudgery and not seeking things above How uncomely were it for a Princes sonne for some base hire to spend his time in serving hogs or to scullion in a kitchin or runne upon errands at the command of every slave and is it not much more base for sonnes of God heires of heaven and co-heires with Christ to runne and goe at the base beck and call of sinne and Satan and worldlings slaves to the world forgetting the priviledges to which they are borne Those heavenly inhabitants being so high in place iudge these things small the earth is contemned and as small to them as the point of a pin And could we get up our mindes aloft and fixe them in heaven we would think the greatest things on earth as small as mites and motes of the sun unworthy of our ioy 2 Those heavenly inhabitsnts with perfection of place having attained perfection of estate have a cleare iudgment to discerne and chuse their ioyes and to iudge them onely worth having Even so must wee labour to get our iudgment cleared to preferre the ioyes of that fruitfull Canaan before those of this desert and barren wildernesse What is it but want of judgment and experience that makes children affect childish trifles before matters of worth and moment to preferre an apple before a Lordship a top and scurge before their patrimony which they laugh at in themselves when they come to a riper understanding And what is it but want or weakenesse of iudgement for men professing godlinesse not to put away such childish things How would iâ— beseeme a man of yeares to ride upon a sticke as when he was a child or to make clay-houses as children do If a man should see a great fellow delight in such toyes he would thinke that eyther he is out of his wits or was never in them Even so for men in the Church that should be past children to remaine babes in affections and follow inferiour trifles with neglect of the manly businesse of heaven is foolish and ridiculous All which is said to helpe our ioyes to be heavenly beseeming our state and condition which they cannot be if they be earthly 2 See thy ioy be heavenly in the rise and ground of it so is theirs And then is it so First if it be from the Lord as the author and fountaine of it taken up in those pipes which himselfe appointeth See thou hast it by hearing the ioyfull voyce of the Gospell Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare joy and gladnesse It must come by hearing Wait then on the word both for the obtayning and
Antichristians who are the beast rising out of the earth And they are called inhabitants of the sea for their tumult and incōstancy casting up as the sea nothing but mire and dirt and carryed as waves of the sea by every winde Jude 13. But if any thinke the Evangelist aymeth more distinctly at some particulars I am not ignorant that some by earth understand the common multitude of wicked persons enemies unto Christ and by sea the ecclesiasticall men who have corrupted the earth with bitter brinish and salt doctrine of errors and humane traditions and thus still oppose them But I conceive a further drift of the Spirit of God well suiting to our whole exposition and period of time which this part of the Chapter aymeth at That rather by earth are meant all such nations and Kingdomes of earth subjected to the spirituall whordomes of the dragon so called for their earthly profession affection and practise and by sea the then Roman Empire it selfe so called 1 For the floods of impietie that issued from it as the floods and rivers do all from the sea it was the head of wickednesses 2 For the unbridled rage of it and the unresistable power which was then the great Ocean swelling over all bankes So as the sense seemes to be Wo to the earth and all wicked nations that are enemies to the Church of God but especially wo to the sea the great Empire whose sinnes the dragon hath brought to a great height so as the great mutation of that great estate is now neare and the subversion of the Imperiall and Cesariall power is at hand For now at this time so effectually did the dragon worke in the delusions of Antichrist as that he whose comming was in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse was shortly to swallow up the Imperiall power and so to take him out of the way which stood betweene him and his greatnesse as was formerly prophesied 2 Thes. 2. and not long after accomplished When the Church is happy in the midst of persecutions wicked and earthly men are unhappy and miserable So is it here rejoyce ye heavens but wo to the earth and sea Eccles. 8. 12. 13. Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shal be well with them that feare God which feare before him but it shall not be well with the wicked Esa. 3. 10. Say yee it shal be well to the just but wo to the wicked it shall not be so to him it shal be evill to him the reward of his hands shal be given him Psal. 37. 37. Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shal be destroyed together One reason hereof is in the text Satan being cast out of the men of the Church gets into the swine of the world and carries them into the lake first of sin then of destruction In their best estate they are Satans possession 2 It must be so by the perpetuall rule of divine justice who neither shuffles good and evill men together as men do nor mistakes persons and actions Among men there is a righteous man to whom it commeth according to the worke of the wicked and the contrary Eccles. 8. 14. But the Lord judgeth with righteous judgement Neither doth he forget any of their workes A wise man that delivers the City by his wisdome may be forgotten among men Eccles. 9. 15. as Ioseph was but the Lord forgets not the goodnesse of his servants nor his enemies sinnes but sets up all on their heads for the day of reckoning and recompense Revel 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to his workes The just Judge of all the world must do right 3 According to a mans seed time so commonly is his harvest Gal. 6. 7. As a man sowes so must he reape he that sowes to the flesh must reape corruption but he that sowes to the spirit shall reape life everlasting Doest thou sow chaffe and darnell and weeds and lookest thou for a crop of wheat Sow righteousnesse and thou shalt have a sure reward Prov. 11. 18. but if thou sowest iniquitie looke to reape affliction 4 The truth of God in accomplishing his word must leave the godly most happy while the wicked are wrapped in hellish woes and horrors The same weight of truth which carries downe wicked men into their place hoiseth up the godly as in the other scoale For as all the precious promises of the word belong to the one whereof earth nor hell can defeat them so al the woes and execrations of Scripture belong to the other and shal be true upon him so long as God is true in himselfe There is not a wicked man but he hath all the threatnings of God all the curses of the law and all the terrors of his owne conscience standing and shall stand for ever in force against him if hee stand out impenitently against GOD. Now this is a direction to Ministers for the course and carriage of their doctrine to sing both mercy and judgment and to come both with a rod and the spirit of meekensse Wee must speake peace to godly men but feed the impenitent with judgement This text and all texts and the whole tenor of the Scriptures go before us in this course Unhappy men are they that speake all peace and preach nothing but promises as if all men were godly and the congregations not mixt or if they distinguish of men it is to encourage hearten and harden wicked men for their owne gaine and dishearten and disgrace such as feare the Lord. 2 It is a direction to all men to carry our affections differently according to the differences of men expressing our love and kindnesse to men fearing God and our dislike of evill and wicked men 1 So doth the Lord and his Spirit in this text and whosoever are guided by the Spirit of grace will shew themselves in the helping up and encouragement of godlinesse and furthering the joy of the faithfull and in the discouraging and daunting so far as lyeth in him the wickednesse of men 2 A note of a good man is that a vile person shall be contemned in his eyes and he will love them that feare the Lord. 3 True judgment helps him to discerne between an Israelite and Ismaelite and true affection will cleave to the one and disclaime the other Gods Spirit teacheth none to esteeme carefull Christians vile persons nor to cleave to enemies and resisters of the grace of God who are indeed vile persons and so are they that sort with them or plead for them and as sin makes men vile to God so it makes them seeme to good men 3 It is an incouragement to godly men in the way of holinesse for they are in the way of happiness nothing can make them fall short of
of nature in delivering them up to vile affections and unnaturall sinnes to receive such recompence of their errour as was meet Rom. 1. 24. 27. how much more must hee thinke it a meet recompence of such a sinne against the light of grace to give them up t◠effectuall delusion to be carryed by Satan hoodwinkt and headlong unto destruction But let us see some instances 1. How he spared not his owne people the Jews his owne first borne among whom when the Sonne of God came as to his owne they received him not when false Prophets and false Christs rose up among them those they followed both before his comming and after as both divine and humane stories make mention Iohn 10. 8. All that came before me were theeves and robbers Acts 5. 36 37. Iudas and Theudas drew away many to destruction And after false Christs and Prophets were to rise with such efficacy of delusion as to deceive if it were possible the very Elect Matth. 24. Iosephus speakes of sundry especially one Aegyptian which carryed away thirty thousand Jewes by one vaine delusion to destruction And not long after this same sinne made their nation spew them out that they are now an hissing an execration to all the nations of the earth They renounced Christ to rule over them and ever since the dragon hath had them in possession 2. Consider how the wrath of God came upon the former ages of the world according to the warning of the Gospell and how the earth and sea who would not receive Christ received Antichrist in his roome and the inhabitants of them not loving the truth were therefore led away with horrible lies See Gods retaliation First God sent them Apostles Euangelists and true Pastors who sought only the glory of God and the salvation of men but they despised and distasted them But how did the Lord plague the earth in the same kinde giving up the inhabitants to receive hypocrites Impostors Fryers and fat Monkes who onely sought themselves and to make a spoile of men eating up their estates as Locusts for number and unprofitablenesse these were willingly borne as the Church of Corinth despising the Apostle Paul gave eare to false Apostles who robbed and spoyled them Secondly Christ the Lord came with an easie and sweete yoake his doctrine and his Apostles was a freedome from the bondage and burden of Ceremonies and traditions of the Fathers 1 Pet 1. 18. and the new commandement was only to beleeve in the Sonne of God and love one another This sweet yoake was cast off but with what an exchange now the devill yoakes them with traditions superstitious ceremonies and plagues the earth with tyrannicall and Antichristian Lawes Canons Decretals devised by men his little finger is heavier then Christs loynes yet Popish Countries receive them and like them well Thirdly Christ instituted and ordained a most holy Sacrament the Communion of his blessed body and blood but the inhabitants of the earth and sea despised that simple and most chaste and Primitive institution But was not the world ever since justly plagued with that gawdy and impudent harlot of the Popish Masse the very spirit and quintessence of Antichrist Fourthly how could the world bee more severely plagued then by receiving that greasie Priesthood that hatefull sacrifice of Antichrist but could it be plagued more iustly for abolishing the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ Fiftly Christ in the Gospell calleth men to the participation of grace life pardon heaven and salvation freely offered in the Gospel men would not heare this voyce How iustly therefore hath the world bin blinded and gulled these many hundred yeares in buying at great rates lies sleights impostures iuglings meere tricks of wit and cunning pardons dispensations merits masses and heaven it selfe Sixtly Christ ordeined in his Church holy Pastors giving them liberty to live in holy wedlocke according to Gods Ordinance This order of Christ pleased not the earth and sea but how sensibly revenged for no sooner did they refuse and reject holy Pastors but they admitted most filthy bawds and unchaste Pope-holy Priests and Nunnes into Ecclesiasticall Orders I might say into the Popes chaire A man had need of a vizard to speake of their holinesse and stop all his senses to heare it Seventhly when the world scorned and persecuted the Saints living how did the Lord give them up to worship and invocate in most idolatrous manner the Saints dead and departed And when they despised and trod under foot the living images of God the godly and holy Professors of Christ great was the Lords revenge in giving them up to worship dead images of wood stone metalls c. 3 God who is ever the same and like himselfe hath heretofore warned us in this land that we have not received Christ nor embraced his truth in that love and affection that became us 1 By the prevailing of Priests and Jesuites heretofore in the land who swarmed as the frogs of Aegypt and have seduced many thousands but never any that loved the truth 2 By the propensity and readinesse of many to receive any religion or doctrine according as the times should require And this hath ever beene the sinne of English people to swim with the streame of times And this print of Gods finger is at this day set upon many plainly convincing that they never received the truth in the love of it 3 By the generall fighting against the light and hatred of the very sent of sincerity in both preachers and people which the Apostle makes a sure note of perdition Phil. 1. 28. Let Iohn Baptist come he is excepted against and hath a divell Let Paul come too much learning hath made him mad Let Christ come he is a friend of Publicans a demoniacke c. But let Antichrist come Popery come a flatterer and deluder come the multitude applaud them receive them Delusion shal be effectual to the damnation of such as he must carrie into his owne perdition 4 The same arrowes of Gods wrath against this sinne are shot in amongst our selves many of whom plainly bewray their naturall hatred of the light and love of lies Let a man come in the name of Christ convince intreat perswade beseech men to be reconciled let him with the losse of his owne peace seeke theirs the more faithfully and sincerely he deales the more despightfully he is rejected the more paines and love such a man sheweth the lesse is he loved or recompensed by many presently they plot to sterve him out or if he stay he must live on aire or grasse for them Let a flatterer come in his owne name and call the churle liberall and sing an Omnia benè and for their owne applause profit or credit run along in all their courses no marvell if these men be put in their bosomes and how can it be but he that hates true dealing should love false Is this love of the light when God
watched and brought upon the world since the fall was the raysing of Antichrist He had beene mischievous before and wrathfull in open tyranny but now he putteth forth a greater wrath in secret delusion Which truth will appeare if we consider 1 Antichristianisme in it selfe 2 In comparison with open tyranny 3 In the more feareful fruits and grievous effects of it 1. Antichristianisme in it selfe is the most fearefull plague that ever the wrath of God or Satan strucke the world withall if we consider 1. The cause 2 The effect 3. The generality In the cause it proceedeth from the greatest wrath that ever God put forth upon earth for 1. It is a wrath from the divine iustice due to the most fearefull sinne in the world which was the worlds reiecting the truth of the Gospell wherein the wrath of God is come both upon the Jew and Gentile to the uttermost 2. It is a wrath of the dragon whetted by the wrath of God in which God sendeth the strongest and most prevailing delusions that ever were in which that wicked spirit who seemed to bee cast out of the world by the preaching of the Gospell is returned againe and hath brought seven worse spirits than himselfe 3. It is a wrath not onely punishing sinnes of such a deepe staine but with most fearfull sinnes such as immediately forerunne damnation even that universall damnation of all those who chased away the truth of God to embrace the delusions of Antichrist 2 Thess. 2. 10. God shall send strong delusions that all they may be damned who loved not the truth 4. It is a wrath so great as the Spirit of God finds no parallell to compare it with but the great day of Gods wrath and therefore in the opening of the sixt Seale Revel 6. 12. which describeth the comming of Antichrist into the world hee resembleth the time of his appearing to the greatest day of wrath that ever was before it and describeth it by all those fearefull events which shall accompany Christ himselfe when he commeth to his last and universall iudgement The signes of the wrath of that great day of wrath are seven by this wrathfull day of Antichrist notably resembled 1. Great and fearfull earthquakes shall goe before the comming of Christ Matth. 24. 7. Even so at the comming of Antichrist the foundations of the earth shal be shaken a new face of things shal appear the pillers and foundations of old Apostolicall doctrine and discipline shall bee shaken downe and a new Ecclesiasticall Monarchy shall eate up the ancient civill and Imperiall government which was the studd and pillar upholding the earth and societies of men 2. The Sunne shall bee darkned as sackcloth Mat. 24. 29. and Christ the sunne of righteousnesse who shined so cleare in the firmament of the Church the onely Saviour Mediatour and satisfaction shall bee wholy darkned and horribly ecclipsed in the day of Antichrist the holy doctrine concerning his person natures offices and benefits shall be cleane obscured as the Sunne at midnight a blacke vaile of traditions and a thicke curtaine of humane constitutions blacked and darkned all his most sacred Ordinances the Sacraments by theatricall pompes and devises shal be adulterate the worship of Christ by adoration of Idols and veneration of creatures wholy depraved Now is the Sunne of the Church turned into darknesse 3. The Moone shall be turned into blood So the Church which as the Moone receives all her light from the Sunne of righteousnesse shal seem all blood partly by the cruell and bloody warres and partly by the bloody persecutions of Antichrist who shall boast of both swords and fill both his hands with weapons of wrath and cruelty 4. The Starres shall fall from heaven Marke 13. 25. So in the appearing of Antichrist the Bishops and Pastors shall become Apostates from the truth and of shining starres in holy doctrine holy life and beautifull graces in their severall Orbes shining in humility charity sobriety diligence and heavenly-mindednesle shall fall to pride ambition contention wordlinesse warre seats of Judicature and whatsoever is earthly and sensuall and pompous 5. At the comming of Christ the heaven shall depart as a scrole so in the day of Antichrists comming the Church the heaven upon earth shall bee shut up and hide it selfe and shall not bee visible and conspicuous to the world And although many good and godly men still in all ages contested against Antichrist yet were they condemned for heretikes and were counted no part of heaven nor faithfull members of it 6. The Mountaines and Ilands were removed out of their places By Mountaines are meant Kings and Emperours who by the fraud and power of Antichrist were removed from their high places and authority which was swallowed and ingrossed by Antichrist and by Ilands the people and nations who were all forced upon paine of damnation in stead of obedience to Christ to submit themselves to the tyrannie of Antichrist Nothing so firme as Mountaines nothing so farre off as Ilands but Antichrist reached them 7. As in the day of Christs wrath the wicked shall in utter despaire of their estates call for the hils and Mountaines to cover them and hide them from it so shall the great day of Antichrist drive great ones to utter despaire not knowing what shall become of them and of their estates and this shall bee the hire and recompence of all the ayders and supporters of Antichrist in the day of their particular iudgement if their consciences bee awakened at farthest in that last and great day of wrath in the generall iudgement Thus wee see the Scripture setting out the day of Antichrist to bee as wrathfull as the great day of Christ which of all dreadfull things is to all wicked men most terrible Secondly now consider the great wrath of Antichristianisme in the effect and we shall see it the most horrible mist and black darknesse that ever the world was stricken withall Other heresies and hereticks which made way to this are called the black horse Revel 6. 5. as being contrary to the white horse Verse 2. which was the integrity of Apostolike doctrine but those did obscure and darken the light as in the evening But when Antichrist comes this heresie chaseth away all light as at midnight Not that the Church ceaseth to bee no more than the Sunne ceaseth to be at midnight but it appeareth no more in that Horizon or Hemisphere thā if it were not all Heaven passeth as a scrole which is no lesse but lesse seene Hence is the Kingdome of Antichrist called spiritually by the name of Aegypt Rev. 11. 8. for it resembleth that Kingdome especially in three things 1. In Idolatry 2. In cruelty and oppression of the Israel of God 3. Most of all in blindnesse and darknesse with which that Kingdome was covered for three dayes Exod. 10. 21. And betweene the darknesse of that Aegypt and this there is apt resemblance 1. Of all the plagues of
Aegypt that went before it the darknesse was most grievous and so is this no plague in the world before this was comparable to it 2. The Lord restrained from them not the light of the Sunne onely but of fire and Candle and withdrew his blessing and comfort from all his creatures so in this spirituall Aegypt and Antichristian Kingdome is a miserable palpable blindnesse they see nothing of Christ savingly nor of the Scriptures which witnesse of him nor of sound interpreters the Candles in the CHVRCH consuming themselves to give others light nor are guided or comforted by the Spirit who is as fire warming and inlightning beleevers God hath laid a curse on all their means of light that they get no sound or saving light from them no not their greatest schollers unlesse they bee enlightned to sinne against their consciences 3. Yet had the Israelites light mingled among the Aegyptians Even so the true Church hidden in Babylō hath light and knowledge and great blessing on weak means though the Aegyptian cannot discern or see it as among our selves a Recusants house hath nothing but darknesse and superstitious ignorance when a Protestants house perhaps next to it hath light of knowledge holinesse and saving grace 4. That darknesse was next to the death of their first-borne even so here the pale horse followes the blacke Revel 6. 8. and this darknesse fore-runnes everlasting darknesse in hell as that did death in the Aegyptians houses But with this difference that this is a more miserable darknesse 1. In the kinde because it is spirituall as it is called Aegypt spiritually a blinde body is miserable a blinde soule is damnable 2. That was a darknesse of the ayre but not of their eyes this is of both and the blackest darknesse is within them as theirs was without them 3. The Aegyptians by their darknesse knew the benefit of light the better and saw their plague and mourned under it but these Aegyptians are pleased with their darknesse and fight against the light the more and are not more fearefull or watchfull against any thing than that the light should peepe in amongst them Thirdly next as Antichristian Apostasie is blackest so is it most generall of all heresies even the Catholike heresie into which all other heresies of the New Testament runne as into a sinke One cals it an abridgement of all old heresies For it is not against any one Article of faith as other particular heresies are but First against the holy Scripture which is the Scepter of Christ infinitely disgracing it calling it a nose of waxe a sheathe for every sword insufficient obscure the booke that makes heretikes and The Scriptures have no authority but from thē no sense but from them they forbid the reading of them they preferre Apocryphals traditions Church-determinations above them c. Secondly against the whole Gospell which is a doctrine of free justification and salvation by the onely righteousnesse and merits of Christ imputed by faith but they teach to seeke salvation in our owne merits and satisfactions here or hereafter Thirdly against the whole person and offices of Christ They appoint infinite Priests to repeate his onely sacrifice a number of mediators against this one Mediatour that men may bee heard by their prayers and saved by their merits They appoint the Pope a King of Kings by whom all Kings raigne who hath all power in heaven and earth yea the Head and Husband of the Church which is proper to Christ. Fourthly against all the foundation of religion and Catechisme For although they hold in word and outward profession the Creed of the Apostles the Lords Prayer the words also of the ten Commandements yet indeed and by direct consequent they reverse and renounce every Commandement of the tenne every Article of the twelve if wee except that of the Trinity and every Petition of the sixe as sundry godly writers have cleared and my selfe have in a readinesse to prove Thus of Antichristianisme considered in it selfe II. Now consider the tyranny of it comparatively with the tyranny of temporall enemies and the wrath will bee infinitely greater and that in three respects 1. For secrecy of working 2. For transcendency of the danger 3. For hopelesnesse of recovery Of the first open mischiefe a man may avoid or prepare for but here is a more secret and undiscernable mischiefe a great adversary but slie and under a contrary profession of friendship the greatest wounder of Christian Faith under pretext of Christian Faith whether wee consider his person or his worke For his person hee is a sonne of perdition a sonne must resemble his father the dragon his father buildeth up his Kingdome rather by fraud than by force so doth his eldest sonne Antichrist Hence is this great Adversary compared to a Whore who hunteth the precious life of man not by open force but by secret and faire pretenses sugred speeches and alluring flatteries shee hath a cup in her hand full of abominations the draught is deadly poyson but shee hath put it in a golden cup Revel 13. 11. the second beast which is Antichrist speakes like the dragon that is breathes out devillish doctrines and thundereth hellish curses against the true Professors of Christian Faith but hath two hornes like the Lambe that is a counterfeit shew of humility and meeknesse For his worke it must bee a mysterie of iniquity Hee must sit in the Temple of God hee must not bee a Turke to destroy by fire and sword and open defiance of Christ the profession of Christianity but an Herodian who pretending to worship him intendeth to kill him Hee must denie Christ to bee come in the flesh but in a mysterie not openly and directly for then all Christians would abhorre him and renounce him but indirectly and by expresse consequence and saith the Father Whosoever denyeth Christ in his deeds the same is an Antichrist Of the second this tyranny of Antichrist is more inward spirituall than the furious persecutions of other tyrants and inward plagues are a thousand times more deadly than outward It is true that as the dragon is extremely tyrannous against the bodies of Saints so is Antichrist but yet the cruelty of both is more spirituall than temporall and aymeth more at the death of the soule than the body and it is most true that one saith Open tyrannies and outward oppressions are torments of sinfull men but these inward are the increasers of sinnes and vices Pharaohs hard heart was a more deadly stroke than all the ten plagues beside It was a more grievous plague to give up the Idolatrous Gentiles to their owne lusts and vile affections Rom. 1. then to give over the Idolatrous Samaritans to bee torne with Lyons 2 Kings 17. Let heathen tyrants come upon a Christian they can take but his externall lower and sensitive part but let this Ecclesiasticall tyrant come hee winneth the highest towers and faculties of man his minde judgement affections
a Physitian who hath put Art and nature to the uttermost extent but cannot prevayle against the disease leaves the Patient to death so the Lord Esa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten any more ye fall away more and more 2 Another note is pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes. 2. 12. this signes a man given up to this wrath By unrighteousnesse is meant error of judgment or of practise whereby God or men are deprived of their due as righteousnesse gives both their due By taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse is meant 1 Not a willing of their sins only but a liking and allowing of them 2 An high prizing and esteeming of them as things we take pleasure in 3 An earnest greedy and delightfull pursuing of them 4 A fight and contention for them and against contrary grace 5 A resolution by no meanes to part with them no more then we will with things in which we take most content and pleasure Examine the content which thy course giveth thee and see whether it be a sweet fruit of the Spirit of truth or arise from the spirit of error and delusion For there be many wayes that be good in a mans owne eyes but the issues are death Prov 14. 12. and a most grievous plague it is when a seduced heart flattering the sinner shall cause him to blesse himselfe while his sinne worthy to be hated is found with him Psal. 36. 2. This calling of good evill and evill good drawes on sinne with cartropes Esa. 5. as many nowadayes count religion precisenesse care of pleasing God hypocrisy zeale rashnesse and folly in the meane time they thinke their owne prophane estate good enough Well take heed of pleasure in unrighteousnesse which argueth a man stripped of all sound grace for the least grace would acknowledge the least grace and disallow the least evill and it argues a man in a course which brings on swift damnation and whosoever delights in unrighteousnesse the righteous Lord will dash all his joyes and make them end in wo and desperate sorrow 3 Another note is society with vile persons out of favouring their vices as with Atheists swearers drunkards enemies of grace and such whose damnation sleepeth not For what is this but to partake and thrust a mans selfe into the wrath of other mens sinnes and how can a man be knitt unto the members of a body and not to the head If Gods justice have permitted thee to be one with the members thou mayest well discerne he hath permitted thee and for the present delivered thee to the head seeing the head and the members make up but one dragon And as there is not a more discernable marke of a Beleever then love and hearty union with the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 14. so is there not a more discernable note of a man belonging to the dragon then by sorting with his brood and running with workers of iniquity 4 He is apparently under the dragons wrath that confirmes himself in the customable neglect of Gods Ordinances publike or private This man will fall to nothing as he that ordinarily refuseth his meat or at best his religion is but a passion or fit or is in respect of persons or occasions And it is because he will not be reclaymed from some lust 5 He also that is an enemie of righteousnesse a man whose bent is to disgrace the way of God and turne men out of the way as Elymas Act. 13. 8. 10. a flaunderer a deviser against it an open contester against the powerfull purity of Gods word an instrument of the divell and make-bate to cast out thy meanes of Salvation such a one is in the divells worke and why not in his power The like of them that mis-judge the generation of God and pronounce wicked sentence on them whom the Lord acquiteth as if a good man be cast into some furious disease they are ready to judge the estate of the soule by the distemper of the braine and disgrace a godly and holy life by a violent death c. Now the meanes to avoyd this great wrath are twofold I. To avoyd the speciall sinnes which arme Satan with this great wrath against us as 1 Want of care to know God Rom. 1. 28. the heathens because they regarded not to know God God gave them up to a reprobate minde For when men cast God out of sight and out of minde how just is it that God cast them out of sight and minde Thou that hast not God before thine eyes thinkest not of him but as of one that hath nothing to doe with thy matters forgettest him to be a judge and witnesse of all thou doest deridest the true knowledge of God and wilt take no direction from him know it thou hast thy choise God will have as little to do with thee for the present as thou desirest his grace and presence shal be farre enough from thee owne thee who will guide thee who will his mercy and helpe will be farre to finde Who seeth not this heavie stroke of Gods wrath in numbers left by God and ruled by the divell men of reprobate mindes destitute of judgment and common reason rejecting all that is good refusing nothing that is naught rejoycing in the highest sinnes swearing drinking drabbing rayling cursing defying whatsoever savoureth of God or Godlinesse 2 Sinne want of love to the truth 2. Thes. 2. therefore God gave them up to the strong delusions of Antichrist See wee a man despising the meanes or bringers of the truth or a man that willingly suppresseth and choaketh the truth in himselfe or withstandeth the holy meanes resists and scornefully thrusts away the preaching of the Gospell of truth or preferreth vaine speculations and frothy discourses and devises of mens braine before the simple truth of Scriptures or a man that doth not regard to procure preserve practise and propagate the true knowledge of God this man is farre from love of the truth he is fit for any delusion there is no trust in him but be his knowledge and profession never so great he may make a strong Papist an open Apostate or any thing but a sound and constant Beleever If wee know the truth happie are we if we love it 3 Sinne idolatry Rom. 1. 26. for this cause God gave up the heathen to vile affections namely for their idolatry And yet theirs was invincible they knew not the true God by the light of the Scripture but only by reading in the booke of nature How much more shall Christians be given over for their wanton and wilfull Idolatry after so long teaching and such cleare shining of the truth amongst us Where an idoll stands up there is no place for God Dagon and the Arke cannot stand together How farre Antichristian Idolatry hath driven God from that synagogue wee may read in the great letters of such senselesse errors as no blinde heathens were ever worse seduced It was Gods patience that our easinesse to Romish Masses and
consideration of the approach of death was a spurre to the Apostle Peter to double his diligence in the Ministery 2 Pet. 1. 13. The Magistrate hath a notable worke in hand in repressing the wrath of the dragon upholding and encouraging godliness and annuall Magistrates have but a short time when it is longest in their office Have you but a short time be the more stirring and carefull to do good that little time Wee have seene some in that short time have done a great deale of ill businesse therefore imitating the dragon because they would not heare the voice of God But a good man in office will do a great deale of good in a short time Wee heare sometimes some Magistrates reckon what a short time they have to weare out I would wee could heare what good they are resolved to do in that short time which will away apace for it is onely the good they do in it which will abide for their comfort Finally the private Christian hath an excellent worke in hand namely to worke out his owne salvation and to further others both in workes of piety and by workes of mercy spirituall and temporall to helpe them unto heaven and in earth Hast thou but a short time for so great a worke be so much the more diligent Seest thou the dragon because his time is short so industrious in heaping up his owne damnation and wrapping as many others as he can into his judgment and wilt or canst thou slack thy pace and diligence in promoting thine own and other mens salvation 3 As the divell and his instruments shew and declare the shortnesse of their time by extreme wickednesse because Satan powres forth his spirit upon the world to poyson it with outragious sinnes so let us manifest that wee keepe in mind the shortnesse of our times and that we are cast into the last ages by our readinesse and cheerefulnesse in good duties and in abundant fruits of the spirit which in the last dayes was to be powred out Act. 2. 17. Wee must expresse the powring out of this spirit by our increase in knowledge faith obedience and be more fruitfull in our age Thus wee shall aright testifie our right judgement of our owne time and of the last age of the world And as the wicked of the world shew apparātly the last time and Christ neare at hand by abundance of iniquity by worldlinesse atheisme excesses of carnall delight for is it not as in the dayes of Noah wherein men eate and drinke and marry and give in marriage and cast off all care of judgment so let us shew it the last age and that a short time remaines by using the world as not using it by marrying as not marrying and by heavenly conversation and all this because the time is short as the Apostle adviseth 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. because there is no constancy or durance of any of these earthly contentments no more then of the world it selfe let us use these moderatly and gaine those which are lasting unwithering and unperishing Vers. 13. But when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child SAtan being cast out of heaven I meane that heaven upon earth which is distant from the earth not in distance of place but in sanctity of faith and manners so as he cannot prevayle to prejudice the same as hee would for neither can hee hinder the sound of the Gospell but it prevaleth in the world neither can hee seduce the Elect nor prevent the Saints of their salvation Now seeing himselfe cast vnto the earth he rageth among earthly-mindedmen and stirreth up his agents and vassals to raise up horrible persecutions and new tyrānies to root out if it were possible the name and mention both of Christ and the woman his Spouse but all in vaine as the former assault was as appeares in the sequell of the Chapter In this and the fourteenth Verse are two things 1. A new onset of the dragon upon the woman with the reason in this Verse 2. The evasion or escape of the woman with the meanes in the next Verse In the Onset consider First the person persecuting The dragon Secondly the person persecuted The woman Thirdly the time and manner When shee had brought forth the man childe I. The persecutor is the dragon that is both the devill the head of that fierce kingdome and all such instruments as he raised and used against the Church in this new assault and persecution for there is but one persecutor of the woman in all ages even Satan who is the same but hee hath many members and Ministers even a continuall spawne and succession who as they carry his nature so here also his owne name and are one and the same dragon in minde in will in malice in act Hence it is that in Scripture whatsoever the one doth the same the other is said to doe Revel 2. 10. The devill shall cast some of you into prison What Commodus Decius or the other Tyrants did the devill is said to doe and the workes of the Jewes in persecuting Jesus Christ is called the devils worke Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devill his workes yee doe 1. Because the dragon being the god of the world ruleth the hearts of wicked men who inclines their wils to hate the Church and stirres them up to persecute and leades them at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and a slave cannot doe but what his Lord commands him onely he inspireth and acteth voluntaries 2. The same causes which stirre up the one stirre up the other to this fury First as there is an old enmity betweene the woman and the serpent so is there betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent If there be hostility betweene two Princes it is maintained among all their subjects Secondly as the dragon being a deadly enemy to Gods glory incessantly seeketh to hinder and abolish pure religion holy worship and worshippers because it is contrary to his designes and stoppeth his power which prevaileth in Idolatry superstitiō and Atheisticall liberty so doe wicked enemies his issue and off-spring in all ages fight against the true worship of God holy religion and pure worshippers as against their contraries because they despise their false gods detest their idolatry resist false religion contest against their superstition and actually reprove their Atheisticall liberty and all their proceedings contrary to the light of grace and the word of grace Thirdly as the dragon feares that Christ and his Kingdome will weaken his kingdome so the spawne of the dragon feare the same Herod and Domitian feare the comming of Christ and therefore command them of the stock of David in Jewry to be slaine If we let this man alone say the Pharises all men will beleeve him and down goes our credit Yea say the Rulers and the Romanes will come and
an eternall Kingdome of glory 4 Obedience is the onely true testimony of love to God as the second commandement implyes In them that love me and keepe my commandements Measure thy love to God by the love of his commandements Peter lovest thou me feed my lambes He that keepeth my word is he that loveth me Ioh. 14. 15. This makes the godly invincible in labour and sufferings under rebukes and evill report and for all this they turne not aside nor deale unfaithfully in the covenant And there is no love lost for their love upholding them in obedience that obedience upholds them in Gods love as our Saviour saith Ioh. 15. 10. If yee keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love And have the testimony of Iesus Christ. This is the second property of this remnant Where consider 1 What is this testimony of Jesus 2 What it is to have it The testimony of Jesus is the word and Gospell of Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 9. Iohn was banished into Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ where one is expressed by the other Now the Gospell is called the testimony of Jesus First Because it is revealed by Jesus Christ by him brought from the bosome of his Father an hidden mysterie to men and Angells none was worthy to open this booke but he in which regard he is called the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 1. 5. Secondly Because the subject of it is Christ revealing Christ the Gospell is the true faith and doctrine concerning salvation wrought by Jesus Christ and him alone Rom. 1. 2. concerning his Sonne c. 3 Because it was testified unto by Christ not only by revealing it by his divine doctrine but by his holy life his mighty miracles his faithfull profession before the Jewes Pharises Pontius Pilate the whole Councell and by his most innocent death by which he set his seale to his testimony 4 Because the end of it is Christ it aymes only at his glory Act. 2. 36. But what is it to have this testimony Answ. The phrase is taken two wayes 1 To have the Gospell is to preach the Gospell so Iohn bare record of the testimony of Jesus Rev. 1. 2. and most plainly chap. 14. 10. I am thy fellowservant and of those that have the testimony of Jesus The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy 2 To have the Gospell is to professe the Gospell to uphold and maintaine it to give witnesse unto it and to hold it in life and death as Rev. 20. 4. the soules of Martyrs beheaded for the testimony of Jesus And so it is taken in this place This remnant as they abide in the dutie which the word commandeth for they keepe the commandements so they sticke to the faith and doctrine which it teacheth they hold it fast against all the slights and intrusions of the beast or Antichrist and testifie unto it both by life and by death The truth of the Gospell is an hold which Antichrist cannot winne from the Saints Note hence that the keeping of the commandements of God and having the testimony of Jesus must go together 1 Tim. 1. 19. having faith and good conscience and chap. 3. 9. holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience For 1 The law and gospell Christ and Moses though in matter of justification before God they can never be reconciled no more then most abhorring contraries fire and water light and darknesse yet in Christian conversation profession and practise they may never be divorced there must be light within and shining without 2 In all Christian conversation wee must joyne faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 13. Because neither of these can stand alone faith without love is dead and love without faith is at best but Civility Beside all duties of love without faith are sinne and whatsoever we doe without love suppose suffering of martyrdome is all nothing Papists then slaunder our doctrine who say wee teach only to beleeve and destroy good workes we say contrarily with our Saviour what God hath joyned together let none put asunder But they sunder what God hath joyned in that they pretend to magnifie good workes and set up the law but cast out the doctrine of faith and preaching of Christ insomuch as the word may not be had or read in a knowne tongue neither in publicke nor private This also shews that protestants disgrace the doctrine of grace while they content themselves with a profession of faith but are barren and fruitlesse in good workes of piety and mercy Beware of the curse of the fruitlesse figtree that kept the ground barren notwithstanding all the show and leaves Againe note hence who they be that the dragons wrath most aymeth at and is bent against such as keepe the commandements and have the faith of Jesus Christ such as abide by the word and will not be pulled aside by any imposture or delusion And why 1 He needs not warre against conquered slaves whom he hath pulled away already The strong man hath the hold and things are at peace Beside what have they to lose who have already lost the faith and love of the Gospell and with it their owne salvation 2 These are likest to Christ and the residue of his body who must be conformable to himselfe he was a butt and signe of contradiction in the dayes of his flesh and is so still being ascended in the persons of his members who are inspired by the same spirit quickened with the same life ruled by the same word fight against the same enemies and walke in the same steps to the same inheritance and Kingdom whereof he is gone to take possession They have the word of faith in them which the dragon most hateth as the greatest enemie of his kingdome For being light no marvell if the prince of darkenesse resist it It is the sword of the spirit which cuts off his temptations Being a rule of righteousnesse it is the sentence of his condemnation No marvell then if he hate it and all that love it They have also the faith of truth which he deadly hateth as the shield which quencheth all fiery darts It makes us so strong as that the gates of hell cannot prevaile Only faith crosseth the dragon getting power from Christ and makes all Gods Ordinances profitable all weake obedience acceptable And hath he not reason to seeke to winne this hold from us seeing when the foundation is overthrowne the building must fall and the root overturned the branches must wither Such therefore as set themselves to keep the commandements of God and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ let them make account of the incessant malice and madnesse of the dragon He never rests opposing those that will not be driven from the testimony Some of them he casts into prison some he tryes by mockings and scourgings some he