doctrines of Religion there is none sanctified so effectually and immediatly to beget faith in the soul as the preaching of the crosse of Christ All the doctrines of the Gospel are for the begetting of faith but they have no efficacy this way further then they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ other promises do confirme faith and they may also beget it but it is with reference to the crosse of Christ That which gives satisfaction to Gods justice that gives satisfaction to our consciences for conscience is convinced that if God deal in justice as he knows no reason but he should then he of all men is most miserable the burden of thâ—s lies heavy and is ready to plunge him to hell what will satisfie the conscience now nothing in the world except it see some reason why Gods justice should be satisfied and how shall that be done onely by the death of the lamb of God So that well doth the Apostle make the crosse of Christ the ratification of the Covenant for that cuts of all sinne and curse and the rigor of the Law hell and death and devill and damnation and all evil that can befall us in this or another world and doth satisfie the justice of God that it might remove all these and bears the whole burden of the desert of our sinnes purchaseth reconciliation with the Father union with the Sonne communion with the holy Ghost But what is all this to me will the soul say unlesse these be so given that faith be wrought in my heart to discerne all these and finde them The Lord doth indeed all these the spirit of God comes and so preacheth the Gospel and so applyes the Gospel as that in preaching these things he doth beget faith in the heart to believe that all these things are indeed belonging to such a soul and to every one whom he is pleased to accept to the benefit of the crosse of Christ and to fellowship therein and now indeed is the whole Covenant of Grace confirmed when by the death of Christ the virtue of it is applyed by the spirit to the soul Not that there is a reconcilement to God before faith and union with the Sonne and communion with the holy Ghost before faith It is before in Gods purpose and Christs purchase but when the spirit comes to apply this whose work it is to give accomplishment to the work of the other persons he applying this works saith and ratifies the Covenant and thereupon the heart is satisfied and the justice of God satisfied and the spirit at rest from unsupportable anguishes which did before plow up the tender heart of a christian that he lay sprawling as it were in his blood 3. A third benefit that flowes from the former in respect of the price paid and in regard of the virtue and efficacy of the price when it comes to be applyed you have not onely lawfull right unto the creatures to eat and drink c. but some right and title to them by the blood of Christ And he hath also paid a price for the possession of eternall glory Vntill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 14. Untill doth argue that there is a purchase we do not yet receive and when shall that be received when both we our selves and the creatures shall be redeemed to the glorious liberty of the sons of God Then shall we receive the full benefit of the price which he hath paid whiles he suffered upon the Crosse Therefore wonder not that though Christ being a lamb yet he was slain that he being slain we might be redeemed and might enjoy the purchased possession redemption from all evill in every kinde from sorrow paine c. from the evil of them And his blood also was a price for a purchased possession of reconciliation with the Father of union with the Sonne of communion with the holy Ghost dominion over all sinne ratification of the Covenant to our soules and at length the possession of everlasting glory This was the reason why the lamb was slaine and had it not been for these divine and supernatural and blessed ends he would not have prostituted his life to such a bitter and shamefull death as the death of the Crosse was It was not meet the onely begotten Sonne of God should come down into the world to lead a miserable life and to dye an accursed death but for noble and glorious ends and you have the sum in these particulars For the use of it First it is a cause of just humiliation to us whose sins were so out of measure sinful as that there is no ransome to be given for them but such an invaluable price as the blood of the Sonne of God All the Gold of Ophir all that the world can give what is it to this invaluable blood of the Sonne of God Yet this was our case and estate that if we had had many worlds for our inheritance and given them all for the redemption of one soule it had not been sufficient This was our estate and this is the estate of all such as yet live in sinne to this day It is a desperate estate that cannot be repaired nor themselves rescued from by ransome but the blood of Christ If our sinnes had been of a lesse nature a lesse price might have made satisfaction And yet such is the pride of the hearts of the sonnes of men that because we live civil lives though yet natural we have good natures are so well bred do so many good offices that we think it is not so dreadful a matter nor that we are so dangerous for our estate as others If it go ill with us what will become of desperate roaring ruffines whatever becomes of them it is a frivolous matter to you or to such as are civil and hinder the free passage of the grace of God but if our natures be so good and our carriage so comely I pray you what need such an invaluable price be given If a small matter would have saved us from the world what need such an invaluable price be given to rescue us from it You will say I hope I am not so addicted to the world I would drive a bargaine home to the head and would not be cheated But is that all you know by your selves certainly there is more for if the Lord did not see that inveglement which the word hath of us and that close combination of us to it the Lord would not have thought it needful to send his onely Sonne to redeeme us from this present evill world Frugality is not a vice in any but a virtue and if there were no more but good husbandry surely there need not such a price to be paid to redeeme us from the world But certainly the Lord sees such power of worldlinesse and untemperance in us and such power of passions and lusts that no means would rescue us therefrom
man would choose to live no better life nor keep a better house then his Father or Grandfather but wish their souls might be but as safe as theirs when men are once redeemed by the bloud of Christ and that is sprinkled upon their consciences then the bloud of Christ is warmer then the bloud of Ancestors though the Religion of our Fathers should be strong in the hearts of devout Catholicks as in Bilney or Latimer then alasse for our poor Fathers what is become of them they pity them and see plainly that unlesse the Lord led them a further way then the Religion of those that taught them they are gone everlastingly and then they wonder that God should ever choose such a dunghill thee and me that they see a broad difference between the Religion of their Ancestors and that which they see now but that is the efficacy of the bloud of Christ there is that efficacy in it that it washeth away all relations to Fathers to antiquity and universality he is crucified to them all God forbid saith the Apostle that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6. 14. So that though all the world runne after the Beast they will not the world looks at them as base unworthy creatures and so they look at the world And there is a third fundamentall Reason and that is taken from the power and presence of the Spirit of Gods grace in the hearts of his people We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. That is by the spirit of God and by the power of that spirit he keeps our faith and by faith keeps us in the way of his ordinances and in the way of sanctification to salvation Little children yee are of God and you have overcome these Antichrists why for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 John 4. 4. The power of God is in you they are of the world and the world is carryed away with them you are of God and you hear them not for greater is he thaâ— is in you then he that is in the world These are three fundamentall Reasons which are indeed the demonstrative cause of the impossibility of them to be finally carried to the worship of the Beast the election of God will not suffer it the unchangeblenesse thereof the faithfulnesse of Christ the efficacy of the blood of Christ and the power of the spirit and that which flowes from it is the experience of Gods love and the vertue of their faith in Christ Their faith is unchangeble not possible to be rooted out in Luke 22. 31 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not It may be shaken but it shall not finally fail I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 40. and that is the proper act of faith Be not high minded but fear his mercy is sufficient for us trust steadfastly on the grace of Christ and though Peter seemed not to trust on the grace of Christ yet in his worst state he knew that all the courses of Satan were vanity and he durst not but in his heart believe that Christ was the Messiah so all the elect of God know the Beast is a Beast and the Catholick Roman Church is a Beast and the head of that Beast is a beastly head and they know that their Doctrine is sensuall and carnall and that they all shall go into perdition and withall their experience doth evidently convince them that were it not in a pang of temptation in which they are not able to abide by it yet by a renewall of the blood of the Lord Jesus sprinkled on their souls they are brought a fresh to see the work of Gods grace stirred up in them but otherwise their constant course is as in Rev. 14. you hear them coming as on a stage representing the Lambe in their carriage and conversation and follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes but for the Beast a stranger they will not follow but both their faith and experience yeild them a third cause and that is the spirit of God carying them an end My sheep hear my voyce and they follow me but they know not the voyce of strangers they see a difference between good and evill and therefore if they hear a man speak and doth not speak of salvation by him but of the world or of himselfe they will not follow him John 10. 45. Thus you see the Reason why none of them worship the Beast But on the other side all the rest of the world doe meaning where Antichrists power comes speaking of those times when there was great power given to him to speak great things and no man might say Sir why do you so in that time when he had power to be active forty two months when he had power to make Warre with the Saints and to overcome them and when all Nations worshipped him and did not shake off that Religion but in former times before reformation of Religion this was an universal practice they all Nations Kindreds and Tongues gave their power to the Beast and the reason of that was from Gods just judgement for their not receiving the truth in love therefore he gave them over to strong delusions to believe lyes Secondly from the efficacy of Satan in the power of deceitfull sophistry and doing wonders And thirdly by the plausiblenesse trumpery and bravery of that Religion so suitable to carnal reason that they were carried away thereto and it could not be but they should be carried away by the man of Sinne. The use first may then be thus much If all that dwell on Earth whose names are not written in the book of life do worship the Beast and none are excluded but those whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life then this will unavoidably follow that a Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a Reprobate what he may and renounce his Religion is another matter as Bilney and Latimer sometimes did they were written in the Lambes booke of life but by his Religion take them that do believe as the Catholick Roman Church believes and believe no more but practice that which that Religion directs them to and goe no further and they continue and live and die in that then I must pronounce it from the Text they cannot go beyond a Reprobate the reason is evident from the Text for if none of them whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life doe worship the Beast and onely they do worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Lambs booke of life then if they be not written in the Lambs booke of life the Text is very strong clear in Rev. 20. 15. Whosoever was not found written in the Lambs Book of life was cast into the lake
more know all his elect if he know them all by name hee then particularly observes them and prevents us with blessings of goodnesse and preserves us from prevailing evills but if it be recorded of God is it not in vain to exhort to make it sure Answ If it were in vain methinks the Apostle should not have used it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Then that is it that lyes upon all Christians some think it is not possible but then it were a vain exhortation Make your calling and election sure if you do a wide and open door of entrance shall be minished unto you well then though I cannot make sure my election in it selfe for it is sure in it selfe but the Question is whether it it is sure to me that is my duty for he knowes who 〈…〉 and knows them by name and keeps them in his name and hath given his Angels charge over us and they will all watch over us and therefore our Saviour in Luke 10. 20. saith to his Disciples Rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject unto you but that your names are written in Heaven Our election is sure enough in heaven no stormes will alter it there But now in a word can we make our election sure the Apostle intimates when you make your calling sure you make your election sure your calling that is but the actuall execution of this eternall election but they are so neere that many the Lord puts them one for another he tells his Disciples you have not chosen me but I have chosen you John 15. 16. he means of his selection his calling them out of the world then he doth communicate his electing love to such it is wrought for us before in Christs death in Gods councell and in his effectuall redemption wrought for us on the Crosse but yet it is not manifest to our consciences till calling but make your calling sure and then election is sure When you are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. that is this book of life that is his purpose that we are in Gods purpose written to life look to that he hath saved us and called us Not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1. 8. that is the book of life and grace of free grace purposing us to life and you read in Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he hath called and whom he called them he justified now if a man be effectually called to grace that doth search election let me briefly touch it that which makes sure calling 1. In our effectuall calling there is a declaration of Gods love to the soul in Christ Jesus by the spirit of grace in the doctrine of the Gospell for that is Gods call in our calling God calls for his part by his grace and spirit and we answere that spirit by that faith which by the call of God is wrought in our hearts I say God calls effectually to his grace by manifesting the rich grace of God in Christ electing freely calling freely from the obedience of sinne and Satan to the liberty of the sons of God as to those in Queen Maries time when they wandered up down like Lambs in a large place Bilney he fetches in that one word in his lost and forlorn condition He read this promise and the spirit of God applies it Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe This being applyed by the spirit it falls on him with power and he sees the goodnesse of God in Christ and the vanity of all things else and seeing so much glory in Christ and in particular to him also this lets him see the vanity of all other courses for this manifestation of Gods spirit doth effectually and manifestly open our eyes to see and hearts to believe what the Lord offers for faith is said to receive what the Lord gives of grace here is then that which makes calling sure for otherwise how can we know it but by the manifestation and declaration and revelation of the Spirit The things that eye never saw nor eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man but he hath revealed them by his spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. As no man knows the things of man but the spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the spirit of God And we have not received the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The spirit of God it is that searcheth all things even the deep things of God and reveals them to us and lets us see the treasures of grace and lets us see them thus applyed this is the ground of effectuall calling God calling by his spirit and we answering that call and from both these springs another fruit of our effectuall calling which is likewise a certaine pledge of it that being thus called Blessed be God saith the Apostle that hath called us to the fellowship of his sonne actually and effectually 2. Thence it comes to passe that wee choose the Lord for our God We have none in heaven but him nor none on earth that we desire in comparison of him Away then with those beautifull Strumpets and all works of iniquity and wayes of darknesse wayes of ambition these are all blasted now I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. and now it is that he rejoyceth in nothing save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 6. 14. Now this electing love in that we elect God we could never choose God had not he chosen us and in some measure discovered what his electing love was to us this brings the heart back again to choose him and none but him now that is another security of our election and therein it differs from all others a man may have a kinde of sanctification by common gifts which will leave him still to work for himselfe but this is to abuse the very gifts of God which the spirit hath wrought in us though they be not such as accompany salvation still we are not lift up above our selves but when we are called effectually to Christ now no motion swayes us but as we see the will of God in it we cannot beleive as the Church beleives but we beleive our brethren and the Church as we see the Church follows the foot-steps of the will of God If I now please men saith the Apostle I am not the servant of Christ 1 Thes 2. 4. Nor of men sought we glory when we might have been burden some as the Apostles of Christ If a man be left to fast for himselfe or pray for himselfe or worke for himselfe and all is for himselfe that he work◠from a principal respect unto himselfe truly this will darken a mans effectuall calling and if it be his constant course doubtlesse
a good action from his hands Take him without the vertue of Christ since the world began there never rose a good thought in all mens hearts if there did it was by the vertue of this Lamb of God that was slaine from the foundation of the world The heart of man Jeremiah complained long before Christs time is deceitfull above measure and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9 Who can know the bottomlesse depth of it This is the very state of all the world since the world began the whole frame and state of the world is enmity against God Rom. 8 7. It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be and that in such a deep measure you may see by the medicine that the Lord prepares for it it shews the depth of the depravation of the world from the beginning it hath been corrupt and incurable unlesse it were by the vertue of the death of Christ by the sonne of God made man taking upon him mans nature and the greatnesse and infinitenesse of the vertue of this remedie doth evidently argue the bottomlesse depth of the corruption of the world since the world began No man would bespeak a Smiths great hammer to break an egg-shell a man would think it a marvellous vanity if he should Truly the Lord hath prepared the strongest iron hammer to break the Serpents head and which is wonderfull this iron hammer the Lord Jesus that breaks all before it The stone cut out of the mountaine that breaks the iron mountaine of Rome Dan. 2. 34. It is the same it was it makes men many times wonder how they came to be well conceited of the old Religion when Antichrist reâ—gned then were golden dayes as they say then there was nothing but every man regarded other mens good as their own precious golden seasons in the old world then an easie matter would have perswaded them all but to what end was Christ slain from the beginning of the world if it were not full of wickednesse if it were not so tough that this hammer of hammers must come to break it in pieces If men were so tractable children to Parents servants to Masters and yoke-fellows so abundantly in sweetnesse and amiablenesse what needed Christ to be crushed in pieces Say not saith Solomon Eccles 7. 10. what is the cause that the former dayes were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this It is not a wise question for the truth is thou art deceived to think the elder times were better it is true it is possible men by the policy of Satan may grow worse But take them at the best had there not been a Lamb slain to rescue the same from the corruption of it no flesh had been saved It is true in some ages when the Gospel found free passage there was some difference It was so in Davids time better then in Sauls and Solomons for a time better then in Davids and so in Hezekiah's time better then in Zedekiah's and so it hath been up and down but take it the best all flesh have corrupted their wayes there is not a good thought not a good word nor a good practice since the world began Sometimes in morall vertues men have more exceeded when the Devill knew they were farre off from spiritual grace he tempted them not when he knew he had them fast in a golden and silken chaine or cord of morall vertues so I may call them he led the prisoners of those dayes in a golden chaine The strong man armed kept the house all the time of the Grecian and Persian Monarchy long before Christ and if any were delivered it was by the death of Christ as well as now It is true we read in ancient Poets I think it was fetched out of Daniel from Nebuchadnezzars dreame there was a golden world and then a silver world and then a brasse and sometimes iron there was all The Babylonian Monarch was gold but when it was gold it was but golden fetters of sinne and a land of wickednesse that held men close to the Devill and the silver Monarch of Persia was but silver fetters and the brasse Monarch of Greece it was but brazen fetters It is true when Religion brake forth then hee put upon them more chaines strong beastly lusts men with men committing filthinesse Rom. 1. 17. These were iron chains to cary men captive to Satan He sees Learning break forth and therefore he layes stronger chains and bands upon them Be no more stiffe-necked lest your bands encrease saith the Lord and so from golden bands you have silver and from silver brasse and from brasse iron and all to lead you captive to your last execution And what is the difference if a man be pynion'd with a golden cord or a silver or a brazen and iron cord the one is more glittering then the other but all bring to destruction Therefore look at all the world living in wickednesse since the world began or else in vain was the Lamb slain The very frame of mans transgression brought in a necessity of a like remedy and therefore a like need of the blood of Christ And it is a vain Question as Solomon saith why the former times should be better then these so it is a vain apprehension that men have of themselves as good to say I thank God I have a good heart and you shall finde me tractable and reasonable though they be but naturall and so their children are very tractable you may lead them with a twinde theerd and need not use violence you may soon break them what then are you but eggshels what need then a iron hammer to crush all the power of the enemy do not you and your children stand in need of the virtue of the blood of the Lamb as much as others have since the world began That men have stood in need of the blood of the Lamb from the foundation of the world to rescue them from the power of the strong man if they were so tractable young or old I know there is a great difference between spirits God forbid we should defame the work of God in nature but take the best spirit there is unconceivable enmity in the best natur'd man against Christ there is an in-bred emnity against him ever since the world began as is impossible to be healed but by the blood of Christ Christ came to crush them whiles they are in the shell and unlesse he heal them verily children of a span long cannot be saved Therefore let no man flatter themselves in their good inclination there is that in us since the world began that Christ must be broken and crushed to break the league between us and the Devill Christ himselfe in his soule and body must be striken he kils himselfe by the stroke he gives to the enemy Folly is bound up in the heart of a child and it is noâ— goodnesse of nature or what ever
instruction to us that never any evill can befall us but there is a remedy prepared before it come upon us The Lamb was slaine from the beginning of the world Though we lived before Christs time and much more if after it there is no sinne that Adam nor his wife committed but there was a remedy prepared for it before the foundation of the world it was of infinite value it was provided from eternity and promised from the foundation of the world it was shadowed in types and exhibited in sundry representations and in the lively efficacy of it in the hearts and lives of his people since the world began All that we read of Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob of David and Solomon of Kings Priests and Prophets and Apostles what have they all been but lively representations and foot-steps of the power of the blood of the Lamb the Lord provided his slaughter of the Lamb for the redemption of all his people out of the world before the world began It is many a conceit that Christians have this and that might have fallen out better if such means had been taken in time such a mans life had been saved according as Martha said unto our blessed Saviour in John 11. 21. Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed why so Christ had been able to heal him By what virtue shall he raise a man from death to life Is it not by the virtue of his death and resurrection If it be was not his death and resurrection before the world began For it is of infinite value and therefore though he came four dayes after Lazarus death was past yet he came timely enough for he brought virtue with him and so let no man say if I had known as much now as before I should not have done thus By what virtue should you have been preserved if there be any saving benefit it must be by the blood of the Lamb for it is from that that we look for all our redemption from all afflictions and temptations from his blood then there was remedy enough before but it was not applyed because God hath some other work more heavenly and spirituall and usefull to us then the accomplishment of our hearts desire then the repairing of our losses and crosses So then this is of speciall use to us that if his blood be shed from the foundaâ—ion of the world then the remedy is never too late If we thinke if we had not known many things we might have saved a world of sorrow why did we not was it because there was no balm in Gilead or no vettue in the blood of the Lamb or that the vertue of it is dryed up No God forbid but the Lord hath some other exercise for us to make us conformable to Christ he would have us more weaned from the world and more Christ-like and more Lamb-like more spirituall and every way more conformable to Christ and for that his blood was sufficient for he came not to save us from crosses but from curses from any thing that might hurt our soules as might break our heads as might hurt our union with Christ and communion with his spirit for that it may be of value it was of value 4000. yeares before his coming in the flesh and do you think it is not of value 4000. yeares after it is not yet 2000. yeares since his coming but 1600. and some odde then be perswaded that the blood of Christ is still lively and fresh to remove all sinne and crosses and to leave a gracious Tincture on all crosses to do us more good then if we were without them This is the efficacy of this blood which is a stay to Christians that are troubled with the power of their corruptions and temptations they are not able to overcome and resist such temptations why not able If all the powers of hell come against you verily there was a remedy provided long ago and it was abundantly efficacious foure thousand yeares before and it is of more efficacy now though they had the Gospel before yet not in that clear manifestation and therefore if you read that Abraham sacrificed and he pleased God but I doubt my prayers and my prophecyingâ— please not God why do they not Abraham knew of the meanes whereby he should please God 〈◊〉 walked with God but I shall never keep â—uch fellowship with him he was reconciled to God and there was no meanes of reconciliation but by the blood of the Lamb it is able to put strength 〈…〉 faith Abraham 〈…〉 Countrey and his Fathers he use onely because 〈…〉 blood of the Lamb and if he prevailed so far why not we â—f he was fully satisfied in the 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 by believing him that had promised what 〈◊〉 it that his death iâ— not of infinite value 〈◊〉 as well as before If Joseph was able to withstand his wanton 〈◊〉 doubtless there is the like power now how shall I crucifie the Sonne of God and put him to open 〈◊〉 Thus poor Christians work upon this infinite vertue and lively power of the death of Christ it wondeâ—fully calmes and purifies the heart it mightily strengthens against all corruption and what ever riseth in the hearts of Gods people that prevailes against them it is because the blood of the Lamb is not applyed otherwise it could not be they should be dead-hearted and blind-spirited and many times at a losse in this and that practice and wrestling with this and that temptation it springs only from want of applying the efficacy of this blood which hath been of such infinite vertue from the beginning of the world Rev. 13. 9 10. If any man have an eare let him heare He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity Hee that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and the faith of the Saints IF any man have an eare let him heare What should he heare For when he doth often use this phrase in the second and third Chapter he tells you what they shall heare Heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Now he doth not put in that object of hearing but yet taking his meaning he meanes that which the Spirit hath sayd unto you in the former description of the Beast especially that which he said to them in the words before going to wit the universality of the worshippers of the Beast and the certain destruction of those that do worship him and the preservation of the elect children of God from that contagion It is meet to be heard that such a Beast would come into the world as the Roman visible Church and that he hath in him the resemblance of all the old Empires of the Lyon of Babell of the Beare of Persia of the Leopard of Greece and of other Beasts and of that other Beast the old Roman Pagan Empire And it is not unworthy to be heard the wound that should be given gim by
the government of the Pope and that is no other but the Roman Catholick visible Church to which all the description you have heard opened doth naturally belong Now that being the first beast what is this second beast This is apparantly distinct from it and it is not so proper to say that the first beast was the Pope as he had soveraign authority in Temporalls and that he is the second Beast as he hath supream power in Spiritualls for he had his Temporall power lâ—st and therefore that would not agree to the Pâ—pâ—ll State he first had supream power in Spirituals before he had supream power in Temporals Now the beast here being not the Roman Catholick Church what is it then It is the head of that Church and what is that It is no other but the Pope of Rome The heads of the Roman Catholique visible Church from one succession to another they are this second beâ—st and that will appeare in a double note which will both cleare that and the rest of the Text. First then take this note That the Bishop or Pope of Rome is in the sight of God and of his Saints no better then a wilde beast for his Originall arising out of the earth for his resemblance like to a Lamb in his borns like to a Dragon in his speech like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power This is the former part of the description by his Adjunct by his Similitude and by his Originall However he seems to Catholicks a holy Father and a god on earth yet in the sight of God and of his Saints he is no better theâ— a wilde Beast whose off-spring is from the earth who though he have horns like a Lamb yet speaks like a Dragon and thus John guided by the holy Ghost saw him Let me shortly open these points 1. He is here described to be a wilde beast The word so signifies that is to say not so tame a beast as those in Isa 11 6. to 9. that a child may lead them Wolves or Leopards or Lyons that can sleep with Kids and Calves and little children and they may play on the hole of the Aspe and put their hand on the Cockatrice den He is not so tame that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth or by the censures of the Church no nor by the power of Princes he is above them all and beyond them all a wild beast he is therefore For his Originall He ariseth out of the earth That implyeth he hath it not from Heaven but from below not from Christ but from Satan You are from beneath saith Christ I am from above John 8. 23. Hee springs from the earth especially from earthly and carnall policy that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches they must be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs and to keep unity you must have one over them all and that was the Bishop of Rome for all unity they say springs from â—nits if you have more then one Governour you will have no peace Now this being a carnall principle some carnall reason being the ground for the preservation of the Church of Rome for that the Emperours thought if the Bishop of Rome were advanced it would be a means to strengthen them against the barbarous Nations that come against them this carnall reason brought him to be exalted And though his Originall was earthly for the cause yet he ascended above the earth to Ecclesiasticall power And 2. He arose out of the Earth because he rose up insensibly by degrees he makes no great noyse As any thing that comes out of the earth it makes no great noyse in its growing but at length comes to a vast height So it was with the Bishop of Rome this is his descent out of the Earth For his resemblance He hath horns like a Lamb. Horns expresse his power Like a Lamb that is like the Lamb of God Church-power he claims directly no other at least for a long time The power of binding and loosing were his two horns to bind all and loose all and that lay in the closet of his own breast when to put it forth this is but the power of the Lamb. But he spake like a Dragon You have two or three severall speeches of the Dragon In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon What did hee speak 1. Venomous words to our first Parents You shall not dye at all Gen. 3. 4. And so the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conscience of the word 2. The speech of the Dragon it is imperious and arrogant All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luk. 4. 6 7. And that is the speech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have set theâ— this day over the Nations and over the kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and to plant And the Pope sends a Crown with this inscription to Frederick the Emperour Christ gave this power to Peter and Peter gave it to the Pope this is Imperiall State And 3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth whereby he speaks â—avenous words Whoever will not worship the Image that I have set up shall be cast into a hot fiery furnace and who is that God that is able to deliver you Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worship the Pope claymes and what he threatens if it be neglected Thus you see in Gods account and in the sight of John the Pope is a wild Beast and the holy Ghost as he inspâ—red John he directs him what to say The holy Apostle he stood upon the sand of the Sea and few two beasts one arisiâ—g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine c. And another out of the earth out of earthly pretences He sees no holinesse in this Beast nothing but beastly cruelty and beastly blasphemy nothing but argues a wilde beast that will not be tamed neither by the Church of God nor by the word of God nor by Princes and States He sees him rising out of â—â—ire pretences pretending nothing but Lamb-like power but â—ee speakes like a Dragon venomous and devouâ—ing words Damnable heresies as being spewed out of the Dragons mouth such a volume of false worship and doctrine and government as destroys the faith of the Church and subverts the foundation of the Church This is the very state of the Pope as John beheld it as he was wrap't up in a vision by the Spirit and he judged of it as hee saw it Now because I cannot so well make use of this before I have spoken of the rest because they are co-incident take this for a second Note and so make use of both together The note is long but it is but the collection of the sum of these verses the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine easily to remembrance This then