take orders from him and be as slaves to him It is a sort of submission from some apprehension of some deity peculiar to this beast and this state of it beyond all others as is said 3. Lest it should be thought that all went wrong and there were no Church the Elect are excepted and this universality is restrained by this implied exception All such as were written in the Lambs book of life are preserved These are the little Temple set by Chap. 11. and the same who were sealed Chap. 7. and excepted from the hurt of the fifth trumpet Chap. 9.4 and the one hundred fourty and four thousand which Chap. 14. are standing as conquerours over the beast with the Lamb upon mount Sion Whereby it appeareth 1. There will be some excepted in the greatest tyranny of Antichrist 2. That they are the same with the one hundred fourty and four thousand that were sealed and consequently then this beast is Antichrist and this worship antichristianism for these Saints or Elect are not keeped or exempted from giving civil worship to temporall powers or from being overcome with this beast as to temporall hurt but from worshipping of him which is the sinfulnesse of this plague Therefore after it is said they got the victory over him Chap. 14. and 15. this also is to be understood of full and finall yeelding to the Popes blasphemies for otherwayes Elect souls have sometimes been ensnared In which respect here it is implied to be impossible that an Elect can worship him whence plainly it followeth that no native Pope-worshipper owning him and the compleat body of his doctrine and dying so can be saved except we would say one not elected may be saved for clearly this is pointed at as inconsistent with election and proper to the Reprobate Matt. 24.24 2 Thess. 2.10 It is true this assertion is not rigidly to be extended to all who in part shall be guilty of Popery Nor 2. as is said to these who shall repent but where there is a full and finall whoring with wondering after this beast this standeth as a peremptory truth because in the Spirits account this worshipping of the beast is blasphemy and derogatory in a high degree to God And 2. his manner of worship in its compleat body is Idolatry And 3. his intermixing of Traditions Satisfactions merit of Works in Justification c. in his doctrine is a perverting of the right wayes of the Lord and a corrupting of the pure waters that who drinketh thereof must die Therefore we may confidently assert it and indeed seing the Lord distinguisheth His true Church from Antichrist and calleth them Gentiles Chap. 11.2 and such as are not elected Chap. 13.8 but are to be damned 2 Thess. 2.10 and to drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mixture for ever Chap. 14.9 10 11. there is no place left for disputing this which is set down as a dread full sentence for scaring all from worshipping of that beast or receiving of his mark Popery will be found no little crime before God and to bring no little guilt and hazard upon souls what ever men think of it LECTURE III. Vers. 9. If any man have an ear let him hear 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spake as a dragon THe Spirit having given a dark description of Antichrist before He proceed to enlarge it in the following type He doth in these two verses to wit 9. and 10. set down in plain words something necessary for the consolation of the Saints 1. He layeth down that common and often repeated advertisement He that hath ears let him hear by which in this place he setteth out 1. the concernment of the knowledge of this mystery to Believers and therefore we would not think it unworthy the pains to search in it 2. It holdeth out an impossibility save to these who have ears to take it up and understand it Therefore it will need the more diligence to search it 3. It importeth a deafnesse in many who want ears for such Truths and therefore it is not to be wondered although many Papists continue blind and do not discern this Truth Having premitted this generall He subjoyneth vers 10. a speciall consolation which may be a reason why people in the flourishing estate of the wicked would be the more observant because there was retribution coming on the greatest and cruellest enemies of the Church they being to be dealt with as they dealt with others He that leadeth into captivity he that killeth shall be so met with which judgement holdeth out 1. the singular observing of justice meeting them in their own measure Psal. 137. ult Isa. 33. 1 2. 2. A great change coming on the highest power and so that there can be no stability in greatnesse when this admired beast is captivated as if he said think not this beasts standing will be eternall he that leadeth captive some banisheth and killeth others the day cometh when he shall be led in captivity for if the generall be true that all that lead captive shall be led captive then this beast also shall be so dealt with beside that it peculiarly relateth to him The consolation is expresly in these words Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints Here that is in this thing and on this promise there is a good ground for founding of both the patience and faith of the Saints So that here saith this much that from this word they may patiently abide a whiles suffering and by Faith expect an end to it and an overthrow and turn upon this powerfull enemy that carrieth all now before him Or here that is in this triall of Antichrists before the end come is exercised the patience and faith of the Saints now they will have to do with faith and patience now is the time of their acting of it till this word spoken to give them an encouragement come to passe to wit that the two evils they suffered killing and captivity shall be returned on their enemies heads Gods promise is that which keepeth life in faith and patience and strengtheneth them but still a time interveeneth between the promise and the outgate for the exercise of both these and this is the end of continuing straits else there should be little use for these Graces which are well put together From the 11. vers followeth the second part of Antichrists description under a different type because his way end and pretexts are such as cannot altogether by one beast be set out It being no strange thing to set out our Lord differently sometimes as a Lyon and sometimes as a Lamb as in the fifth Chapter So is his ape Antichrist under a twofold consideration described
as chrystall so pure and pleasant no river here is like it 5. It proceedeth from the throne of God and the Lamb that is its excellency God is the fountain thereof immediately It is not from the Temple as Ezek. 47. which cometh by Ordinances but from the Throne a streaming of consolation from God and Jesus Christ. The consolations and effects of the Spirit in this life are compared to waters and rivers of waters of life Ioh. 7.38 which maketh some apply this to the holy Spirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son The generall is a truth and suiteth with the scope here that Believers in heaven shall be well refreshed and satisfied and that with such consolations as proceed from Father Son and Spirit although we insist not in the particular application Christ the Lamb is still joyned with God because the enjoying of the God-man is still looked on as a great part of our happinesse The second thing mentioned is the tree of life vers 2. which doth exceedingly adorn and enrich this city It alludeth in generall to Gen. 2. where the tree of life was in Paradise a Sacrament of immortality to Adam if he had stood but this is a tree of life not only as confirming their unchangeable state of happinesse who are in heaven but of its own efficacy able to bring forth life eternall and to continue it in these that eat of its fruit and so it differreth from all food even Manna that men eat of here This is an excellent tree It is further set out from its place it is in the miast of the street of the city a speciall ornament of the market place Heavenly happinesse is meaned by this tree that groweth in the midst of the Paradise of God Chap. 2.7 and Chap. 22.14 which maketh that we need not be anxious about particular application of the severall parts 2. It is commended that it groweth on either side of the river there is but one tree yet of that proportion and extent that its branches extend to both sides and the fruit is in every place to be found which is a singular thing here only mentioned to shew that though there be a river in the city yet by it none are divided from the fruit of that tree it furnisheth alike easily all who have all alike accesse to it 3. It bare twelve manner of fruits that is variety of all sorts of consolation though it be but one tree yet it is an Orchard for variety and satisfaction 4. It yeeldeth fruit every moneth it is so fertile for abundance it is ever harvest here alway there is fruit on this tree 5. Its leaves are medicinall as the fruits are pleasant They are for the healing of the nations there is neither need of gold nor water nor fruit in heaven more than medicine but all are mentioned to set forth that happinesse where there is neither mortality nor death the tree of life preventeth these nor sicknesse there is so good medicine in these leaves that who live under its shaddow are perfectly whole by the efficacy thereof So all the scope is rather to shew the effect that is there to wit perfect health and happinesse than to pitch on any particular mean of applying or bringing out these Though if Christ Jesus be meaned here by this tree as is like it is not impertinently applied to Him seing He now being in heaven hath this efficacy on the Nations before they come there He who healeth the Nations shall be enjoyed in heaven so it commendeth heaven to us the more because Christ our Physician is there There are three aggravations added vers 3. The first is there is no more curse that is there is no effect of sin nor wrath no cursed thing nor cursed person but all are fully happy and whatever followed sin is shut out there but the throne of God and the Lamb is there the curse was especially in separating from God now by Gods constant dwelling in that city amongst these blessed Saints all the curse is taken away for they are inconsistent together that is His glorious presence as on His throne in stately Majesty opposit to His manner of appearing on earth which is Gods footstool whereas heaven is His throne The third here is And his servants shall serve him His servants that it their servants i. e. to Him and the Lamb and Him are here put in the singular number to shew the unity of the Father and the Son though it relateth to both The priviledge here is that these His servants Saints glorified shall have a place amongst these that stand by Zechar. 3. It supponeth 1. an accesse to His company such as Angels have who are alwayes waiting on Him and behold His face Matth. 18. This is a priviledge that others who are not servants have not 2. It supopseth a relation to Him and that an honourable relation to be Gods servants is more than to be Kings servants yea Kings so David and Moses stile themselves Psal. 18. and 90.1 3. It supposeth an exactnesse and fitnesse in them to go about these duties of servants chearfully These who here devoted themselves to Him and engaged themselves to be His servants though they performed little yet there they shall serve Him and perform it as becometh It is the Saints prayer here Matth. 6. that they may do Gods will on earth as in heaven and what happinesse would they think it to be some length in that Now in heaven that is perfected and without declining or defect they go about it and certainly if it was a happinesse to be Solomons servant and a great honour much more to serve God and the Lamb. There is more happinesse in active doing of holy duties than we are awar of We have heard of five aggravations of this heavenly happinesse other two do follow ver 4. The first iâ— They shall see his face It is usuall by this to set out the happinesse of heaven as Matth. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 13.1 Iob. 3.2 His face here is mentioned to shew that that enjoyment shall be most immediate and intimate and so it is opposit to what is attainable here seing at most Moses got but a sight of His back parts This is particularly marked to shew wherein their happinesse in heaven consisteth it is in the immediate enjoying of God who then shall be all in all The second is and his name shall be in their foreheads they shall look like Him so we understand it that they shall be transformed into the same image perfectly 1 Cor. 3. ult and 1 Iob. 3.2 they shall partake of His likenesse as He prayeth Iob. 17.26 and our vile bodies shall be made like His glorious body Philip. 3. ult proportionably as becometh members to their Head Then shall Believers bear His name in their foreheads and it shall be known to whom they belong by the excellent priviledges bestowed on them Their happinesse is further set out ver
that respect of His Essence Again these expressions that the one is called the Father and the other the Son and yet both One God do clearly hold forth that there are real relations in that Godhead subsisting in a distinct manner and so there must be Persons as Heb. 1. the Son is called the expresse Image of the Fathers Person which plainly sayes that the Father considered as distinguished from the Son is a Person and subsists and that the Son as distinguished from the Father and as so lively and expresly representing His Person must be a Person also having this from the Father and what is said of the Father and Son must also be true of the holy Ghost who is God equal with both yet different from Them both as They differ from each other though not in respect of that same incommunicable property yet he who proceedeth must differ from those from whom he proceeds as he who is begotten must differ from him that begat him For Their operations we may find here that in some things They concur joyntly yet some way differently Some things again are attributed to one which cannot be to another as their personal properties the Son is begotten and not the Father or the Spirit therefore He is allanerly the Son the Father begets and the Spirit proceeds These are called Their personal properties and Their works ad intra or amongst or in reference to Themselves of this kind is the incarnation of the Son which can neither be said of the Father nor of the holy Ghost Again in things ad extra or that relate to the Creatures simply whether in making or governing of the World They joyntly concur the Father createth all so doth the Son and holy Ghost the Son from the Father by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son as those expressions of God sending His Son the Son 's sending the Spirit from the Father c. do declare Ioh. 14.26 and 16.7 Gal. 4.6 To the third This Truth concerning the blessed and glorious Trinity being so often insisted on here and coming so near to the nature of God Himself it cannot but be exceedingly necessary for Christians to be through in the faith thereof yet it is questioned of late whether it be to be accompted a fundamental point of Faith or not I say this of late is questioned by Socinus and the favourers of a boundless untolerable Toleration for of old it was most sacredly received as such amongst the Ancients as the Creeds that are called Apostolick Nicene and that of Athanasius do manifest But this Engine the Devil drives first to make the most necessary Truths indifferent that then he may the more easily engage opposers to quarrel the very Truth of them it self but we conceive whatever it was of old before Christ yet now it is to be looked on not only as a Truth which is clear from the Word but also as a fundamental Truth which being shaken would overturn Christianity and the way of Salvation that the Lord hath revealed in His Gospel This is not to be extended to a rigid degree of knowledge in this wonderful Mysterie but to so much clearness in this Truth from the Word as may be a ground to Faith in the thing it self And that this is necessary as a fundamental we think ariseth clearly from these three grounds 1. That Truth without which the true God cannot be taken up believed in and worshipped is a fundamental Truth but this Truth of the Trinity of Persons and Unity of the Godhead is such that without it that God which is proposed in the Word and is the only true God and the object of all Worship can neither be taken up believed in nor worshipped rightly Ergo c. because the true God is One and yet Three Persons and as such hath proposed Himself to be known and worshipped 2. That Truth without which the work of Redemption would be overturned is fundamental But this is such for by taking away the Mysterie of the Trinity they take away the Godhead and Personality of the Mediatour and so do enervat His satisfaction And as on the former accompt the true God is otherwise conceived than He is in Himself so in this respect the Mediatour is made a quite other thing And can any thing be fundamental if this be not 3. The way that God hath laid down in His Worship requireth this seing in Baptism there is particular and expresse mentioning of these Three the Father Son and Spirit as the Superiour to whom they that are Christian Souldiers should be lifted and inrolled and so we may accompt of all after-worship seing God requires us to honour the Son as we honour the Father and seing these Three equally witness from Heaven 1 Ioh. 5. the Father Word and Spirit all which Three are One can their Testimony be received as of Three or can they be accompted as One God without this And yet there can neither be one in Faith engaged unto in Baptism or one whose Testimony we may receive but He who is God and can any think but it's necessary for a Christian and that fundamentally to know to whom they are devoted whom they are to worship whose Testimony it is that they receive whose operations they feel whom they are to make use of c And therefore it 's necessary to know the Trinity of Persons in that One Godhead It may be the exercise of some tender soul that they know not how to apprehend this Object rightly when they come to worship and that often they are disquieted while their minds are unstable Concerning this there is need here to distinguish betwixt what may satisfie us as to the Object in it self and what may be sufficient to us in directing of our Worship to that Object If we take up God as in Himself here is a depth that cannot be searched out to perfection He is broader than the Sea Who can know Him higher than the Heaven What can we do Iob 11.8 But yet we have footing in His Word how to come before this God with fear reverence holy admiration c. and such affections and qualifications as a true Worshipper that worships in spirit ought to have and in this the pure Worshippers who believe this Truth of One infinit God and Three Persons ought to be taken up rather that they may be suitable in their worshipping and have becoming effects on their own hearts than to be disquieting themselves by poring too curiously on the Object worshipped except in so far as may serve to transform the heart into a likeness to Him And it is not aiming to comprehend the mysteriousness and manner of these incomprehensible Mysteries that doth work this but the real through and near impression of the general which is revealed clearly in His Word We would therefore commend these three in Worship 1. That folks would satisfie themselves in the general with the solid faith
rise up and write thou art called to reverence and fear me but to such a fear as may stand well with thy duty and further thee and doth not hinder thee in it And we would learn not to fear in so far as it works any of these effects Obs. 2. When fear exceeds degenerates and groweth excessive in these three spoken of our Lord alloweth it no more than He doth proud security only Jesus Christ is much more tender of souls under the one nor He is under the other yet let us not please our selves in these excessive fits as if we were in no hazard Obs. 3. It faith that folks would be tender in dealing with souls under such distempers knowing there is a great difference betwixt these who are under carnall presumption and others under fainting The third step of Christs care is in giving Iohn grounds of consolation to warrand his faith and they are three The first is from His own God-head I am the first and the last I am God that speaks to thee I was before the world and will continue when the world shall be ended the eternall God a singular property of God and a demonstration of Christs God-head therefore would He say thou needest not fear Iohn I am not an enemy nor a stranger or terrible spirit but God and that may sustain one in friendship with God and it is also a proof that the Vision before was a Vision of Christ as God 2. The second ground is the union of His God-head and Man-head in one Person and His suffering in His Man-head united to His God-head I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore In the Originall it is otherwise and better for the understanding of the words I am the living and I was made dead and behold I live for evermore I am the living that is I am the living God who had life from all Eternity of my self and gave life to all creatures that have life as it is Ioh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and I that was and is this living God the Way the Truth and the Life was made dead that is I became Man was made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. pointing out the true Mediator God-Man in one Person His taking on the nature of man and satisfiing the Justice of God in undergoing the wrath of His Father and in subjecting Himself to the death of the Crosse for the sins of His own Elect both Natures are joyned in one Person yet it was not as God that he died though the Person that was God died And behold I live for evermore Amen in as far as I was once dead as Man now I am alive and shall live for evermore And this last expression hath two words put to it to point out its excellency 1. Behold I live pointing at His Resurrection and the consolation that flowes from it to Believers I have overcome death and live and so I live as I shall live for ever for the benefit of Believers in me That is of speciall consolation to us our life being linked to Christs life who is God Man and our Mediator because He lives we shall live also Ioh. 14.19 His life is a pledge and pawn of ours 2. Amen or Verily an asseveration to confirm the truth of His Resurrection and to put all the world out of doubt of His living not only as God but as God and Man in one Person Be assured ye have a living Christ. The third ground is And I have the keyes of hell and death to point out His absolute soveraignity as Mediator in the state of Humiliation and Exaltation therefore fear not Iohn for I have the keys of hell and ordereth even what concerns them The keys are the sign of Government Isa. 22.21 It 's spoken of Eliakim a type of Christ I will commit the Government into his hand and then followes the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder The meaning is I have absolute soveraignity and dominion over heaven and hell I deliver and carry to heaven whom I please none go there but those whom I take in and hell prevaileth not at its own will but is under my dominion for I have supreme power over hell and death Not that Christs dominion is limited to these but because hell and death are the two things that Believers most fear He tells that they need not fear them for they are both His Vassals the devil bears not the keys but He bears them Himself These are the grounds of consolation that are given to Iohn and they are strengthening grounds of faith and salvation to all Believers Observe 1. Our Lord Jesus is God the first and the last He that was born of the Virgin Marie and so a true Man is God He that was crucified dead and buried is God This is one of the Articles of our Faith and this place of Scripture is to be looked on as a proof of it against all the most cavilling enemies of our Lords Deitie He that died was and is the first and the last and the incommunicable Attributes of the Godhead agree to Him 2. This is proposed as a ground of consolation to Iohn and all Believers And it hath a world of consolation in it as 1. Not only that there is a God but that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and that notwithstanding His being God yet He hath loved sinners so well that He took on mans nature and in that nature died for them and that He who wooes sinners and offers to marry them is God and yet is very tender to them and of them which is no small consolation And it sheweth also that He is faithful and powerfull to perform His promise to Believers so there is not a design of enemies laid from the beginning to this day but He hath a hand beyond it 2. That folks may expect good of God seing Christ is God can Believers look for hard dealing from Him He is absolute in His soveraignty and dominion yet swaying it for the good of Believers What would folks have more for a ground of consolation in times of confusion than this let the world go as it will our Lord Jesus is God and wisely orders all 3. It saith this that folks when their discouragements prevail as they are ready to mistake Christ so they are ready to reflect on His Godhead as if He were not faithful or powerful or wise or tender enough 4. The solid cure of fear and fainting is to be acquainted with Christ as God the ignorance of Christ is the ground of their being anxious impatient and dammished with faithlesse fears 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. From the second ground I am living and was dead Observe 1 That this Eternall Son of God became Man else He could not have died He that was God was also true Man and
imprisonment mutilation of some member whippings or such like for the faith of Christ. 2. He calls him a faithfull Martyr to shew that not only the cause was honest for which he suffered but also that he was honest in his suffering for the same 3. He is my faithful Witnesse which setteth forth 1. The end of Antipas suffering which was to bear witnesse for Christ. 2. It holdeth forth the Lords owning of him in that testimony and now by this as it were from Heaven writing this kindly and honourable Epitaph upon him he is my fatithfull Martyr It may be he was stoned in some tumult as a seditious person or one not worthy to live because of some reproaches or other put upon him yet thus doth the Lord own him to wipe all these away and to make his memory to be the more savory and witnesse bearing for Christ to be the lesse scared at that so others may be animated and encouraged to be followers of Him From all which we may gather 1. That it is exceeding commendable to be zealous and stedfast in such a place and at such a time as Religion is hazardsome and dangerous 2. That the death of any of the Lords people especially when it is in witnessing for Him is exceeding precious in His sight 3. That honest witnessing for Christ is a most honourable thing Antipas being particularly named with these titles for setting forth the honourablnesse of his suffering 4. We may see also that there is an implied distinction of Martyrs some are faithful and it may be some dying the same death and before men for the same cause may yet not be accounted faithful before the Lord. If it be asked What is necessary to make one to be accounted a faithful Martyr before God We suppose these four are necessary 1. That the person suffer as a wel-doer so it must be for the Truth of Christ or righteousnesse sake Matth. 5.10 11. for non est mors sed causa mortis quae facit Martyrem 2. Not only would suffering be stated upon a particular account wherein they have the side that is right comparatively but they would be right simplie in the main Truths of Christ as for instance somtimes Arrians and Iews after Christs coming in the flesh and other Hereticks did suffer by Heathens either because they would not worship their Idols and disclame the true God or because they would not simplie deny themselves to be Christians they had indeed the better if we look to the Question as stated between them and Heathens yet they cannot be called Christs faithful witnesses seing they did not faithfully give testimonie to Him in His Person Natures and Offices 3. It is necessary that the person be as to his state a Believer without which none can be a faithfull Martyr although possibly his testimonie may be a faithful testimonie for without faith it is impossible to please God especially in such a great thing as suffering for Him 4. It would be gone about in the right manner so as thereby the testimonie given to Christ may be made the more to shine to wit there would be blamlessenesse in the mans conversation singlnesse in his end deniednesse zeal humility and love kything and in exercise in his undertaking and undergoing those sufferings as we may see in Stephen Acts 7.51 c. And this is to suffer as a Christian and not as an evil doer and busie body 1 Pet. 4.15 16. and according to the will of God by which such may be incouraged to commit the keeping of their souls to Him in wel-doing Ibid. vers 19. This is also confirmed from 1 Corinth 13. He doth again repeat where Satan dwelleth 1. To shew that the devils dominion in that place was not by starts and fits but that he had a setled and as it were a constant residence there 2. To commend their honesty and stedfastnesse the more 3. It is to shew the great evidence of the devils dominion to wit that faithfull men were put to suffering for the cause of Christ. The reproof followeth vers 14 15. First generally but I have a few things against thee this is not to be understood as if the faults were little in themselves But it is thus expressed 1. To shew how tender He was of them when as it were He heightens their commendation and extenuates their faults 2. It is to encourage and hearten them to mend cheerfully that which He reproveth Hence Observe 1. There may be corruption and defects where there are very many things commendable 2. Where there is honesty in the main and a suffering condition for Christ there He is no rigid or severe censurer but a most tender constructer of His Peoples infirmities Secondly More particularly He setteth down by way of similitude the ill reproved vers 14. Because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam c. which He apply eth vers 15. It is not to be thought that there were any professed followers of Balaam in that Church but the intent is to shew that upon the matter the doctrine of the Nicolaitans did agree therewith and if Balaams practice was hatefull theirs must also be such And so by proposing the hatefull way of Balaam He discovereth the odiousnesse of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which will be found upon the matter to be the same The History of Balaam is recorded Numb 22 23 24 and 31. Chapters In sum this he was a greedy covetous wretch who greedily aimed at the wages of unrighteousnesse and being restrained from cursing the people of Israel by the Lord he gave subtile advice to Balak to draw the people of Israel into a snare that thereby God might be provoked against them and so in the close they might be prevailed over Iosephus in the fourth Book of the Antiquities of the Iews expresseth it thus That he advised Balak to send some of the beautifullest Women of Midian to wander about the Camp of Israel who though they should intertain the Israelites familiarly yet that they should not yeeld any thing to their lust but that they should pretend to run from them till they should partake of their Idol feasts with them in reference to both which they prevailed with the Israelites and drew them both into bodily and spiritual fornication which were the two great faults of the Nicolaitans to wit liberty in fornication as if it were not sinful and indifferencie in eating of things sacrificed to Idols without respect to offence as was showen on vers 6. Therefore the Lord here speaketh of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans as being indeed tho reviving of Balaam's old condemned Error And so they became guilty before God of his practices as if they had expresly professed the maintaining of the same It is said That Balaam taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel c. His wicked advice getteth that name because it proved an occasion of falling and stumbling to
therefore that distinction will not hold here for Christ is either our legall-righteousnesse that is the righteousness which the Law holdeth forth and accepteth of it self or our Evangelick-righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse which the Gospel holdeth forth and which by it is accepted But he is not the first Ergo he must be the second And so Faith properly taken cannot be our Evangelick-righteousnesse seing Christ and Faith properly taken without relation to Him cannot both be so accounted Again if Faith properly taken and that largely be our Gospel-righteousnesse upon which we are justified Then it is either Faith including that respect to Christ or not But neither of these can be for if it respect and include Christ then it is what we say Faith with its object and not Faith properly and so not Faith in that same causality with works which is asserted if it respect not nor include Christ Then is there a righteousnesse and ground of Justification wherein Christ is not comprehended which will-sound no way like a Gospel-righteousnesse If it be said that he hath procured Faith in that large sense to be accepted Ans. 1. That maketh a new Covenant of Works as is said 2. That is not to make Christ to be our immediate righteousnesse but only to have procured that such works should be accepted and the former Covenant mitigated but not in its nature changed And so 3. It homologateth Popish Doctrine which we hope is far from being intended by the maintainers of this opinion 4. That overturneth the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse â—s our immediate righteousnesse which is enough to make it to be shuned for if we lippen to such graces and duties as abstracted from Christ and without resting on Him that is not to be found in him but in them for these two are opposed Philip. 3.9 and so they are a righteousnesse that will never quiet the conscience and which the Gospel will never own as an Evangelick-righteousnesse rest on it who will If it be said Cannot Faith then properly taken be in any respect counted a condition or ground of right For Answ. In sum we say 1. That Faith at most is but the condition on which Christ becometh our Righteousnesse or is impured to us for our Justification and so Faith it self properly cannot be our righteousnesse 2. We say that when Faith is called the condition of the Covenant or our righteousnesse it doth not imply that it is properly imputed but it sheweth to whom and upon what terms Christs Righteousnesse is imputed or how a sinner may have accesse to be justified by it 3. We say that Faith when it is called the condition is ever to be taken strictly that is as it receiveth Christ and by that manner of acting is differenced from all other graces and works And so 4. We say that it cannot be conceived under this consideration but as looking to Christs Righteousnesse as the object thereof even as we cannot conceive a consent which constituteth a Marriage without respect unto the party consented unto and his offer or declaration of his will preceding without which no consent could be constitutive of Marriage or be a ground of claim to any of the goods or priviledges of such a person or as we cannot conceive looking to the brazen Serpent as the condition upon or mean by which health was gotten but with respect to the object thereof to wit the Serpent and the ground and warrand preceding to wit Gods appointment without which a look considered simply in it self is not so to be esteemed If it be yet urged further here that if Faith properly taken be the condition of the Covenant of Grace and hath in that succeeded in the room that Works had in the Covenant of Works Then Faith must be our Evangelick-righteousnesse because Works then were our legal-righteousnesse and that upon which our right to life did stand But the former is truth He that said do and live faith now believe and be saved Ergo c. Ans. 1. This will say nothing for Faith largely taken as comprehending Works but at the most for Faith strictly taken as contradistinguished from them and so there will not be that same kind of causality in both but the contrary 2. In this condition Faith is never to be taken without implying the object Christ or without respect to its proper aptitude for receiving of Him and so believe and thou shalt be saved implyeth still this receive Christ and rest on His Righteousnesse or submit to Christs Righteousness and accept of Him for that end that He may be righteousnesse to thee and thou shalt be saved it is impossible to conceive it otherwise at least rightly Now when upon believing Justification doth follow and the person is declared just it cannot be said that the act of believing properly is imputed and that upon that account he is declared just it is rather Christs Righteousnesse believed on that is imputed to him and upon that account he is declared just which is the very terms of the Covenant of Redemption whereby the sinners sins are imputed to Christ whereupon He as Cautioner is sentenced and made sin that His Righteousnesse may be imputed to us and so we upon that account made righteous and that in him and not in our selves as it is 2 Cor. 5.21 which implieth that even our Evangelick-righteousnesse whereby we are absolved is in Him and not in our selves as the sin for which He was sentenced was in us and not in Him 3. There is this difference betwixt the two Covenants as was said The one is a servile Covenant to say so and must have what is engaged to in it performed before one have right to what is promised and so works were in the Covenant of Works the condition upon which life was to be expected and without the actuall performing of which there could have been no pleading for it but this to wit the Covenant of Grace is a conjugall Covenant therefore is not the condition thereof in all things to be squared by that Beside works were the very materiall righteousnesse upon which Justification was founded in the Covenant of Works but to say of Faith as taken in itself and without respect to Christ that it were so the condition now would be absurd Christ being by the whole strain of the Gospel holden forth to be rested on before we can be justified and yet even this would not confirm any way what is said of the joynt concurrance of Grace and works in that same kind of causality with Faith If it be further said may not Faith properly taken be called the condition upon which Christs Righteousnesse becometh a sinners and is imputed to him Answ. 1. This confirmeth what we say for if Faith be the condition upon which Christ becometh our Righteousnesse Then it is Christ who is our Righteousnesse and not Faith strictly and properly taken much lesse largely as comprehending all other Graces for if it were
flow it being seldome in any Minister but it putteth an edge and weight upon the Word in his mouth as the want of it maketh the most part want savour and in the finest words often to have but little weight 18. We may gather here That a Minister should hold forth the Authority of the Ordinance and Word and of Him in whose Name he speaketh and ought to take it upon him not from supposed weight in himself or addition to it by his gifts but upon this account that it is the Lords message Thus saith he c. being that which giveth himself confidence and boldnesse in the delivery thereof and which ought also to make it have weight upon others yea it followeth from this that whatever a Minister be in himself and whatever his thoughts be of himself and of his gifts yet being called to carry the Lords Message he ought so to carry in it as not to lessen the Masters Authority by his fainting and discouraging apprehensions of his own inability and unworthinesse and by his heartlesse and languid way of speaking but to speak it as the Oracles of God ought to be spoken and as having weight in it self for the vindicating thereof although he be weightlesse and that therefore there ought to be an eye to him for weight thereto and a through-clearnesse that the thing which is spoken in the Name of the Lord is His Truth and Message without which there can be no great confidence in saying Thus saith the Lord and with which a Minister may boldly and authoritatively speak 19. As Preaching would be undertaken and begun with an eye to God so both in the carrying on thereof and in the expecting of fruits thereby the weight would be still left upon the Lord and Ministers would beware of attributing any efficacy either to the warmnesse of their own frame in speaking or to their liberty in pressing any point or to the plainnesse and weightinesse in their manner of proposing or presâ—ing the same as if that had any influence as from them to give the Word weight and Authority upon Hearers but still the efficacy would be acknowledged to be from the holy Ghost therefore is that word alwayes at the close He that hath ears to hear let him hear What the Spirit saith Whereby as at the entry the instrument is laid by and the Lords Authority held forth as only to be acknowledged by thus saith the Lord so in the close the Minister even when in the most affectionate temper and frame is to leave what is spoken as weighty only upon this account that it is the Spirit who speaketh and who only can make it effectuall and the more singly this be done the more weighty will it be and thus weighty preaching differeth from the most powerfull rethorick that can be See somewhat to this purpose Chap. 10. vers 4. 20. In the generall we may see that Application is the life of Preaching and there is no lesse studie skill wisdom authority and plainesse necessary in the applying of a point to the Consciences of Hearers and in the pressing of it home than there is required in the opening of some profound truth and therefore Ministers would study the one as well as the other Much of these Epistles is delivered in the second person I know thy works I counsel thee to repent c. for this end that they might know it was them particularly that he meant It is much for Ministers to get the Word leavelled at Hearers so as to make them know that it is they who are reached and that it is not only these that at first it was written to or these to whom Christ and the Apostles did immediately Preach that this Word belongeth but that equally it belongeth to them even to them who now hear it Hearers are often ready to shift-by the most particular words much more when they are more shortly and generally touched Hence Preaching is called perswading testifying besâ—eching entreating or requesting exhorting c. All which import some such dealing in Application which is not only a more particular breaking of the matter but a directing it to the Consciences of the present Hearers And in this especially doth the faithfulnesse wisdom and dexterity of the Preacher and the power and efficacy of the gift appear This is to fulfill or fully to preach the Word of God a very significant and much used phrase Rom. 15.17 Col. 1.25 2 Tim. 4.7 a thing also desiderated in Sardiâ— Chap. 3. or to make a full proof of the Ministery that is when a Minister extendeth himself to the uttermost in his pains seriousnesse and exercise of his gift to be at the yondmost of the Peoples edification and as it is Acts 14.2 to speak so as many may be made to believe an excellent copy whereof is in Paul Coloss. 1.28 29. Whom we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily And 1 Thess. 2.10.11 Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children We conceive therefore that it would conduce exceedingly to make Application weighty upon the Consciences of the Hearers if Ministers after the more generall part of their Doctrine and at their entry to make Application thereof should pause a little and by some serious and grave advertisement put the people in minde that even this Word so applied or to be applied is the Word and Message of God to them in particular and as necessarily requisite to the office of a Pastor as the former general opening of the truth was for Hearers are often ready to take more liberty in shifting of Application as if what were even so spoken warrantably were not equally the Lords Word with the generall truth opened-up Thus we see Paul after his opening up of generall truths Act. 13. when he cometh to make Application putteth his Hearers to it by this Word vers 26. Men and brethren to you is the word of this Salvation sent c. And as it is the main part of a Pastorall gift dexterously to feed by Application so are they the most thriving Christians who as new born babes drink in the Word so applied and take it home to themselves and their own Consciences as they do receive the general truths by their judgements Which sheweth that both Ministers and People have the greater cause to be watchfull and solicitous concerning this main mean of edification to wit particular Application LECTURE I. CHAP. IIII. Vers. 1. AFter this I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hither and I will shew thee
to say that all are not redeemed c. because it leaveth this stumbling-block before the person that he knoweth not whether he ought to believe or not because he knoweth not whether he be redeemed or not and this thought may also follow him if he be not redeemed can his believing be usefull to him Answ. There are severall mistakes in this Objection Therefore we shall answer several wayes thereunto And first we say that even upon supposition that one doth not believe in Christ this Doctrine asserted is more comfortable than the other because first he hath no lesse warrand to believe in Christ and rest on Him than if the other Doctrine were supposed for it is not Christs dying for any that warranteth him to believe or is the object of his Faith but it is Gods call requiring faith of him and Gods offer and promise knitting life to the performance of that condition of believing called-for These are contained in Gods revealed Will which is the rule of our practice and the ground of our Faith And according to this Doctrine a hearer of the Gospel hath these grounds for his warrand and there can no other be given even upon the contrary supposition Secondly If he be brought to yeeld to His call to receive His offer and to trust himself to His promise he hath then more solid ground of consolation because of the certain connexion that is betwixt Faith and Salvation than he can have by the other Doctrine which by the interwoven Errors concerning Free-wil the falling away of such as sometime have been true Believers c. is wholly brangled And so supposing him not yet to have closed with Christ he hath the more effectuall motives to engage him thereunto because by so doing all is made sure 2. We answer this Doctrine of particular Redemption to call it so doth never make Salvation impossible to any that will receive Christ and rest on Him but on the contrary though it deny that all men are redeemed or shall be saved yet doth it assert this Universal that all whosoever shall believe are redeemed and shall be saved which certainly doth make the expectation of life through faith in Christ to be the more certain and doth lay the more solid ground for a tossed sinner to cast himself upon when it saith there was never a sinner of any rank or quality that did believe or shall believe in Jesus Christ but he shall be saved from which he may conclude Then if I can or shall believe in Christ I also shall be saved which conclusion will not follow from the other Doctrine And seing this is the very expresse letter of the Gospel whosoever believeth shall be saved there is no ground left to question the same without manifest reflecting upon the faithfulnesse of God 3. We answer If any thing follow from this ground all are not redeemed it is this Therefore all shall not be saved or Therefore all will not believe both which are true And it doth only make Salvation impossible to him who doth not believe in Christ for to such it saith if thou believe not thou shall not be saved neither in such a case hast thou ground to think thy self redeemed and what absurditie is in these yea upon the grounds of the other Doctrine there is none without Faith that can promise themselvs life or comfort themselves in their pretended universall Redemption more than upon the grounds which we have laid down therefore it can never be said that believing in Christ is uselesse according to this Doctrine yea it is asserted to be alwayes usefull and profitable whereas by the opposite grounds it may be often without these comfortable effects following thereupon In the fourth place we Answer That this Objection as much more in this controversie doth flow from a mistake of the true nature of justifying Faith for it supponeth it to be the hearts receiving of and closing with this as a truth that Christ hath died for me in particular and that His death was particularly intended for me This is the more dangerous because it hath been entertained by many and hath been the occasion of mistake even to some great men who have laid this for a ground as Cameron doth on this subject Christus mortuus est pro te si tu id factum credas that is Christ hath died for thee if thou believe it so to be now according to that ground it is impossible but to miscarry both in reference to this Doctrine the Doctrine of Justification and severall other most concerning-truths It is to be adverted then that when we are called to believe in Christ we are not called instantly to believe that Christ hath offered up Himself as a satisfaction for us in particular but we are to conceive it in this order First We are called to believe the truth of the Gospel and the way of Salvation laid down therein to wit that there is no name under Heaven by which a sinner can be saved but by the Name of Jesus and that yet all who believe in Him shall be justified and saved c. Thus we may apply that word Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must first believe that He is c. for if this generall truth be not acknowledged saving Faith wanteth the discoverie of a sufficient and fit object to rest itself upon Secondly We are then called to receive this Christ offered to us in the Gospel and by Faith to be take ourselves to Him so discovered and there as on a solid foundation to rest for the obtaining of Justification and life by the vertue of His satisfaction according to the offer that is made in the Gospel This is the main act of saving Faith whereby a sinner cometh to be entituled to Christ and to the benefits of His death Whereupon thirdly followeth our accepting of the forsaid offer being supposed a warrant to look upon Christ as ours upon the benefits purchased by Him as belonging to us and upon ourselves as actually redeemed by Him none of which before that could have been warrantably concluded but this being supposed there is good ground for it because a sinner by receiving of Christ cometh to have interest in Him and so consequently in all that is His for Christ and His benefits are not separated and therefore except there be ground to bear out this title to Christ Himself there is no warrant to believe that any of His benefits do belong to us Now according to this forsaid order no hearer is ever called to believe what is false Because these three are ever true to wit First That life is certain through Faith in Christ and no other wayes Secondly that one who is called to believe on Him ought to obey and that Gods call is a good ground for that obedience Thirdly This is also a truth that one who hath yeelded may look upon himself as accepted of God and redeemed by Christ Jesus because in the
way for some and another way for others to say He died equally for all is absurd and acknowledged to be so by the Asserters of this opinion and of this we spake in the former part of this Question If it be said that He did in a different manner die for the Elect and for these that are not actually redeemed Then it may be enquired wherein this difference doth consist for it must either be in the matter or price to say so that is given to wit that He gave more for those whom He absolutely redeemed than for these whom He only did conditionally purchase or it must be in His intention in the laying down of His life and in the Fathers will in ordering of the same to wit that it was not Christs intention nor the Fathers will to bestow Faith upon such and actually to redeem them and so to have His death accepted as a satisfaction for them as He had condescended in respect of others If the first be said to wit that Christ hath given more for the one nor for the other Then it will follow that Christ hath not satisfied for these who are said to be conditionally redeemed because He hath not paid sufficiently for them Beside it will not be found in Scripture that Christ hath paid a part of the debt of any where He hath not paid it all If it be said that the price materially considered was equal Then it will follow that Christ suffered as much wrath and curse materially for Iudas as He did for Peter which will not look like the peculiarity of that love that appeareth in Christs suffering for any nor yet sound well to the thankful heart of a redeemed one as if Christ had paid no more for him than for Iudas If it be said that the difference is in Gods purpose and Christs intention who did design these sufferings to purchase Faith to the one and so to make their Redemption effectuall which was not purposed in reference to the other To this we say 1. If the price laid down be equal in reference to all Then it would seem just that Iudas should have no lesse fruit thereby than Peter seing no lesse was paid for him But 2. we say That this Answer doth confirm our Arguments for if it was not the purpose of the Father and the Mediator that the fruits of Christs death should be effectual to such and such Then Christs death cannot be called a satisfaction for such because His death is regulated in its extent according to that purpose and is a satisfaction for none but such for whom it was purposed to be made effectuall for to make it a satisfaction for any not only is it necessary that there should be a sufficient price but also that it should be intended to be paid and accepted as such for such and such persons Therefore seing it was not intended for them as such they cannot any way be said to be redeemed by Christs death seing still the purpose and intention of the Parties contracting is wanting without which it can neither be a Satisfaction nor a Redemption If it be said that there was an intention to make a conditionall Redemption Answ. This being understood as contradistinct from the absolute Redemption as necessarily it must be its as much as to say that the Father and Son in the Covenant of Redemption did intend for such and such persons in stead of a conditional Redemption a non-redemption or ineffectuall Redemption and so it cometh to this that their Redemption was never intended at all A second absurdity is that this seemeth to imply a contradiction to wit that the Reprobate whom God hath passed-by are redeemed by Christs death yea that the unredeemed are redeemed For if the redeemed be distinguished from others in this place Then these to whom they are opposed must be unredeemed Neither can it be said that the opposition is not ad idem because the one are absolutely redeemed and the other conditionally for upon the matter the denying of an absolute and effectual Redemption is the denying of any Redemption at all Again as to the first part if any say that though Christ died for all men yet did He die for no Reprobate as a Repâ—bate which some of late even walking under the name of Orthodox do assert because it is absurd to say that Christ died for any Reprobate We Answer In Christs Redemption the Elect are considered as Elect for them He redeemeth absolutely Therefore on the contrary He must consider others as Reprobates or at least as not Elected And can any be considered as not Elected but he must also be considered as a Reprobate seing there is not a mids Therefore either Christ must be said to redeem all men without respect either to Election or Reprobation which is false because the Elect are in all the businesse of Redemption considered as such or He must be said to die for the Reprobates as Reprobates which is the absurdity they would shift or it must be said that in the laying down of His life He had no respect to them under any consideration which is the truth For the decree of Reprobation being in order of nature and according to our conception prior to the decree and Covenant of Redemption as was said such as are contained therein cannot but be looked upon under that consideration And by the way it would not seem inconsiderable as to our purpose to think that before this transaction of Redemption were concluded to speak according to our uptaking of first and last in Gods purposes He should determine concerning the ultimat estate of all men by His decrees of Election and Reprobation and when marches are rid and bounds never to be changed set then to come to the transaction of Redemption Which certainly must suppose that He intended not to confound the difference He had made by that after-covenant but thereby to provide a mean for making the decree of Election effectuall which mids was necessary for this but not necessary as for the other A third absurdity is that this doth extend Christs death further and maketh it more common than the Scripture doth for in Scripture Christ is said to die for His People Mattâ— 1.21 for His Sheep Ioh. 10.11 15. to gather the sons of God Ioh. 11.52 for His own Ioh. 17. vers 6. with 19. and such like And in this place it is said to be for some of all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and not for all indifferently Now according to this opinion Christ may be said not only to die for His Sheep but for all and every Man c. There are two speciall Objections against this The first is That although Christ be said to die for His Sheep and to have redeemed some out of every Nation c. yet saith a late Learned Abettor of this opinion to wit Dallaeus in his Apologie that it will not follow because He died for these Therefore He died
for no other more than it will follow from Paul's word Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave Himself for me Therefore He did love and gave Himself for no other It is sad that Learned men should so please themselves to shift Arguments for certainly a clear difference may be observed between Pual's saying Christ gave His life for me and between Christs saying I laid down My life for My sheep this doth expresly hold forth Christs differencing of these for whom He was to die and His contradistinguishing of them from others who were not of His Sheep nor given to Him and therefore for them He was not to lay down His life whereas that word of Pauls is not spoken to contradistinguish him from any other Believer but to comfort himself in the application of that truth to himself that Christ who died for His Sheep did also lay down His life for him as one of them Again when Christ speaketh of His People of His Sheep and of His Own in this case He doth particularly to say so consider them as a species or kind of people by themselves and differenced in the respect mentioned from others as the scope cleareth but when Paul speaketh of himself in the application forsaid will any think that he speaketh of himself as differenced from all and not rather as one individuall of the species foresaid Therefore although we may conclude thus God hath made man a reasonable creature according to His own Image Therefore no other creature is such because by this qualification man or that species to say so is differenced from all other creatures on earth yet it will not follow Peter is a reasonable creature according to Gods Image Therefore no other man is so because Peter is but an individualâ— person under the same species with others Just so is it here Christs Sheep Own People c. denote a species as it were differenced by such relations from others whereas Paul is but an individuall Believer comprehended under the same A second Objection is That many other Scriptures do assert Christ to be given and to have laid down His life for the World Therefore it cannot be absurd to say that in some sense Christ hath redeemed all and particularly that place Ioh. 3.16 is urged for our scope suffereth us not to digresse to more to wit God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life In reference to which place we say 1. That the scope is not to shew that Christ was given for all the World taken distributively that is for every person that should be in the World because it is only brought-in here to confirm this generall sum of the Gospel which is laid down vers 15. That whosoever believeth in Christ should not perish but have eternal life Now vers 16. is brought-in as a confirmation of this for saith He God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son for this very end That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life Where Gods end in giving of His Son is mentioned to be a ground of quietnesse to all that should believe and will bear that Universal well whosoever believeth are redeemed and may expect the benefits of Christs Redemption because the justifying and saving of such was the end for which God sent His Son and to extend the place any further will not be consistent with the scope thereof If it be said that Gods respect and love to the world indefinitly is mentioned here Be it so yet that will not infer that because He had respect to the world That therefore He intended that Christ should die for all and every individuall person in the world but it will only infer this much at most as if we said in common speach such a Christian King or potent man had such a respect to Christians or to men of such a Nation as to send such a great sum to redeem so many of them as he particularly condescended upon from the bondage of the Turks it may well be said that such a great man had respect to Christians or to such a Nation because he purposed to redeem many of them when he took no thought of others yet it cannot be said that he intended the redeeming of all either absolutely or conditionally seing he did appoint the price given to be paid for such and such as himself thought meet to redeem and not for others Just so is it here in this case at the most and so Gods respect to the world may be opposite to His passing-by of all the fallen Angels Again secondly we say that if World in this place be to be understood of particular persons and an universality of them It must be understood of the Elect World as in the Verse following is clear where Gods purpose of sending His Son is expressed to be that the world through Him might be saved Now there can no other universality be thought to be intended to be saved by God as was formerly cleared but the universality to speak so or the World of the Elect. Neither will the reading be absurd to understand it thus That God so loved the Elect World that He gave His only begotten Son to death for them that by their believing on Him they should not perish but have eternal life And so this place will be interpreted by the parallel thereof 1 Ioh. 4.9 In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him for us and we in the one place are equipollent to world and whosoever will believe in the other That thus it is to be understood appeareth in this that even according to the grounds of this opinion there can none be expected to believe but the Elect and in the Text there are none profited by this fruit of Christs love to the world but the Believers Therefore this love which giveth this gift must be said to respect the Elect only especially considering that it is in a matter which is the evidence of Gods most special love as was formerly said Only it is expressed in this generall whosoever shall believe c. because the extending of it in this indefinit expression doth sure best with the proposed mould of the offer of the Gospel which is not to invite men to believe because they are particularly elected or redeemed but to invite men to believe because God hath promised to save such as believe and because He doth by the outward Ministrie call hearers thereunto And this is the more to be observed because Christ here as a good Minister of the Gospel is preaching to Nicodemus and laying before him the sum of the Gospel and that which must be the object of his faith and therefore it was necessary that He should take that way of preaching these truths to him so
before another were opened and so betwixt the seals and trumpets c. No that is not meaned for the white horse in the first seal and the red horse in the second are still riding as we will see Chap. 19. in the time that belongeth to the vials but it looketh especially to the rise 〈◊〉 these as the white horse goeth before the red and the red before the black and the seals before the trumpets and so forth although the event signified by the white horse may continue after the red is come and so in other events Also It looketh to these events mentioned as in an eminent degree as for example when we say the seals hold forth open persecution and the trumpets error the meaning is they â—old out these to be at a height more than ordinary and to be the predominant state or evil of the Church during that time respectively 2. We would be advertised that one of those may well agree and be applied to another time and occasion by proportion and analogie bot not simply As for instance The white horse cometh first out under the first seal aâ—d ere long the red horse followeth This may hold Doctrinally in the generall from it That where ever the Gospel cometh ere long the devil stirreth up men to persecute it or wherâ—ever Christ sendeth the Gospel it holdeth forth that His carand is there to conquer yet looking on the words as they are propheticall they hold forth the first spreading of the Gospel and the conquest and persecutions that followed it Otherwise there were no difference betwixt this Book which is propheticall and any other which is Doctrinall seing the generall dispensations which befall the Church might be gathered from both alike neither would it make for Christs scope which is to shew unto His servants things to come for arming of them against them Prep 2. The first two prophesies hold forth the troubles of the Church that of the vials the ruine of her enemies 1. That the seals at least second third and fourth hold forth sad things to the Church appeareth 1. From the fifth seal Chap. 6. in which mention is made of many Martyrs killed for the testimony of Jesus which must be under the former seals 2. In that they desire revenge on their persecuters for their bloud whereby it appeareth that till that time they had been born down by persecuters as unrevenged which could not be if the former seals contained judgement on the world 2. That the trumpets hold forth a torn and wasted condition of the Church and God by them giving the alarm thereof is evident 1. By the Prophets prophesying in sackcloth Chap. 11. and the beasts prevailing against the Saints Chap. 13. which contemporateth with the trumpets And 2. By this that when the seventh trumpet sounds Chap. 11.17 it is said that God hath taken to Him His great power and reigned as if under the former six His power had lyen by because His Church was under affliction 3. That the vials bring judgement on the enemies appeareth 1. From the Song Chap. 11. when the seventh trumpet sounds and Chap. 16 â— and 6. it is the shedding of their bloud who had shed the bloud of His Servants and it is on the beast his followers and throne in the Chapters following And though now and then God took order with particular persecurers yet such a remarkable change as that will not agree with a standing persecution or to speak so with a state of persecution such as was under the former two Prâ—p 3. Though both the seals and trumpets hold out troubles to the Church yet do they hold forth different troubles not only in time but in nature and from different enemies The seals hold forth bloudy cruelty from Heathens the trumpets deceitfull heresies and troubles from false Christians which may be thus gathered 1. Concerning the seals they are bloudy to the Church as appeareth from the fifth seal where they cry for vengeance against the shedders of their bloud 2. That under the seals the Saints are meerly passive and patient in bearing out their cause with sufferings towards their enemies and prayers towards God But under the trumpets it is different 1. God giveth them warning that they should be active in preparing for that storm 2. That they are represented as striving not only in suffering and prayer as to outward enemies but Chap. 11. by propâ—â—cying which agreeth better to the vindicating of truth against false Brethren than towards these who are altogether without 3. The enemies are diversly described under the trumpets come the false Prophet and the locusts in a secret manner carrying on their design 4. The effects are different the seals shed bloud and take away the lives of all Professors by the trumpets again the cleaâ— waterâ— of life are imbittered and Truth corrupted Stars made to fall from Heaven and especially the Prophets persecuted and insulted over Chap. 11. 5. It is clear from Gods preparing His own against the trumpets Chap. 7. more than against the seals Chap. 6. Of which difference this is the reason that Christ will not keep His people from killing swords but will guard them from soul-murthering errours as by Chap. 7. compared with Chap. 9. and 4. is clear 6. It is most clear by comparing the explicatory prophesies Chap. 12. and 13. which are contemporary to these of the seals and trumpets from which may be gathered not onely that the Church hath troubles during that time but also that these troubles are to be distinguished either as they proceed from the Dragon who waiteth to devour the Childe Chap. 12. which contemporates with the seals or as they proceed from the beast Chap. 13. which hath horns like the Lamb but indeed speaketh like the Dragon and succeedeth him in his seat which contemporateth with the trumpets From which we may conclude 1. That the first period of the Militant Church to wit that which belongeth to the seals is to be fixed at the close of the great persecution by Heathens and her meeting with new storms from within by the devils raising up false Teachers and corrupt Doctrines with great Patrons to them both Civil and Ecclesiastick which is a trial of another nature and yet of as great concernment to her Therefore least being free of the former she should now think her self free of all the Lord soundeth a trumpet and giveth her the alarm of this storm which time will fall about the three hundred year of our Lord or thereby when at first the Church enjoyed peace by publike Authority under Constâ—â—tine which peace was immediatly marred by the Arrian heresie and others following it unto which the trumpets gave warning This would not be understood as if the Church wanted heresies under the seals or persecution under the trumpets No the contrary is clear But this we mean 1. That under the seals persecution by bloud had its height and was more constant under the trumpets again
their continuance under suffering for a time and therefore must relate to the sufferings mentioned under the former seals as is said 3. That the matter contained here must be understood rather Spiritually as it pointeth at the scope than literally aâ— the words bear for properly souls can neither be seen nor heard and so also in other circumstances but the Spirit maketh use of such expressions for setting forth the reality and certainty of the thing intended More particularly to come to the words in what Iohn saw vers 9. These three are to be considered 1. What he saw the souls of them that were slain to wit of Martyres 2. Where he saw them to wit under the altar 3. We have the properties whereby he describeth these Martyrs and differenceth them from others They were slain for the Word of God and for the testimonie which they held 1. By soul here which elswhere is called Spirit Acts 7.59 Luke 23.46 Eccles. 12.7 is understood that immortall substance which God breathed in mans body when it was made whereby man became a living soul 1 Corinth 15.45 The soul thus understood is contradâ—stinguished from the body as that which cannot be killed when the body is killed Mat. 10.28 In this sense it is taken here where there is a proof given of that which Christ asserteth in that place of Matthew cited and though the soul be not the object of the eye yet are they thus expressed as represented to Iohn to shew the reality of their existence and being even when separated from the body 2. The place where they are seen it is said he saw them under the altar There was then no materiall Temple that of Ierusalem being destroyed So neither by the altar can be understood any materiall altar for in heaven where we must conceive these souls to be there is neither materiall altar nor Temple and to say these souls were under any altar on earth suppose such were were to contradict the scope and overturn the consolation that is intended and would involve many absurdities concerning the nature of the soul its speaking and being under an altar which were also literally to be understood if that concerning the altar were both then must be figuratively understood to set out one or all of these three 1. The happinesse of these souls which not only have a being but exist in a notable safe and comfortable condition in a speciall nearnesse to God as under His altar which was so much delighted in and longed after by the Saints in their life It is like alluding to these places Psal. 31.20.84.3.91 1. For as the Tabernacle was a special signe of Gods presence so the altar was a special part of the furniture of the Tabernacle and it would seem that He looketh on the Martyrs as so many sacrifices offered unto God as Paul speaketh Philip. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 thereby to hold out a speciall respect that God putteth upon them 2. More especially this expression pointeth out these souls to be in Heaven the most Holy was a type of Heaven as it is expounded Heb. 9.10 And Heb. 9.12 it is said when Christ entered into Heaven He entered into the most holy The altar was before the most Holy and therefore we conceive this must be understood of the glory of Heaven Heaven being that where Christ is and Christs presence Philip. 1.21 is the company that the souls of Martyrs are to enjoy and therefore it must be where He is which Christ on the Crosse Lâ—k 23. calleth Paradise unto the Thief 3. Most especially by the altar must be understood Christ Jesus by whom we have accesse to God of whom the Tabernacle and all its furniture was typicall and who is called our altar Heb. 13.10 by whom we and all our services yea even the deaths of Martyrs are sanctified and made acceptable to God This we conceive must be understood because other Scriptures hold forth Him and nearnesse with Him to be the happinesse of souls departed and because it is that which made Martyrs so despise suffering that they might be with Christ Philip. 1.21 and because it agreeth best with their own prayers and desires under suffering as in Stephen Act. 7.59 All cometh to this to shew that they enjoyed a most happy condition and Communion with God but is set forth under an expression belonging to the service of the Tabernacle of the Old Testament as many other things of prophesie are The third thing to be considered is the description of these Martyrs which is especially drawn from the cause of their suffering it being an old maxime Non est mors sed causa mortis qua facit Martyrom which is laid down in two expressions the first is for the word of God that is the first character to be adhering to the faith of the Gospel revealed in the Word and to be a conscientious practiser of Righteousnesse according to that same rule and not shunning to suffer any thing rather than to depart from these In this they were led not as to follow their own humours or to propagate their own inventions or any way to seek themselves but out of respect unto God and His will revealed in His Word The second is for the testimony which they held this looketh to the outward profession and confession of that truth which in their heart they believed Christ calleth it Mat. 10. a confessing Him before men And Rom. 10. the Apostle distinguisheth confession with the mouth from believing with the heart which two being put together hold forth a well ordered conversation both in Faith and Practice In Faith that they beleeved right concerning Christ in Practice that they were answereable to it and held forth that word of life by a good example as a witnesse to others and when called unto it they did not shun the testifying of both upon any perill In sum all cometh to this by opening the fifth seal was represented to me the happy condition of the souls of the Martyrs in Heaven who were accounted by God to have lost their lives not for the calumnies and slanders imputed to them by men but for testifying unto His truth This being clearly the meaning of the words the contrary whereof to wit the miserable condition after death of these who seem happy in the world and are not happy in God is joyned with this in the parable of the rich glutton and Lazarus Luk. 16. there is no ground here either of approving of altars under the Gospel or of sanctifying them by burying of the reliques of Martyrs under them which are amongst the superstitions of the Papists It is a poor altar that is sanctified and doth not sanctifie its offerings Beside neither was there Churches or altars in this time neither could the Martyrs who were so numerous be buried under them but they were decently buried together in places called Coemeteria as is plain from the story of these times From this Verse we may Observe 1.
canon of the Masse and repeat Christs words in any language the other five Sacraments they expunge The third sort of errors about the customes of the Church are in generall that what they read not in the Gospel they reject as festum luminum palmarum c. festa Sanctorum the adoration of the crosse and use to work quietly on the feast dayes All consecrations and benedictions of candles fleshes palmes fire wax agui paschatis and such numbered there are derided by them that prayers are not of more worth in a consecrated Church than in another place they called Images and Pictures Idolatry and many such like they reject Indulgences Peregrinations Soul-masses of the dead Reliques visiting of Sepulchers c. are in nothing profitable for souls but for gain to the Clergie When he hath laid down all these he giveth this for the reason of them because saith he they denie Purgatorie saying there are but two wayes one of the Elect to Heaven another of the damned to hell and where the tree falleth there it will ly and that all sin is mortall He addeth in the close these three errors to them 1. In that they would not swear though some of them would do it when they were constrained 2. That they condemned all Magistrates and Church-judicatories especially which were for gain 3. All punishment of Malefactors But in these we will find them calumniated for rash swearing only then in common use they abhorred the Magistrates and Clergies practice of that time they condemned but not their places for still they were obedient and that revenge which they did condemn seemeth to be the rigour of Church-mens persecution otherwise it is known that themselves used defensive Armes and were in subjection Chap. 7. He characterizeth them how they may be known by their manners saith he and their words their manners are compositi modesti they have no proud cloathing they abstain from merchandize for eschewing of lying swearing and deceits and live on the work of their hands and therefore their Teachers work they multiply not riches but are contented with necessaries they are chast especially Leonistae temperate also they go not to taverns and dauncings and they restrain anger Their words are precise and modest they eschew scurrility and detraction and lightnesse in word and lying and swearing they account Veré and Certè to be oaths c. These seem not to be hereticall characters Yet Chap. 10. they are four wayes to be punished 1. To be excommunicated 2. To be deposed from whatever dignity Civil or Ecclesiastick 3. Militari persecutione and manu armata all that they have are to be taken from them If they turn their goods are not to be restored except on grace And lastly if they have vassals they are loosed from their obedience if they be under Superiours their Superiours are to persecute them under pain of excommunication and having their Subjects absolved from their obedience to them and their lands are to be given to and may be occupied by the Catholicks and for these he citeth many decrees of Popes yea the sons and the children of their favourers are not to be admitted to any office as the decree that is at length set down there doth bear In the other Treatises the same things are insisted on that they derived their originall from the Apostles and said that the Church had begun to make defection in the dayes of Sylvester and in a word that they disclaimed the present Church of Rome and said they were few that would go to Heaven and though they mention community of goods and impute that to them yet story is clear that they had their own distinction in their possessions and riches c. Again if we consider what the famous Thuan whose testimonie cannot be refused being a popish President at Paris of great esteem doth write of them in the sixth book of his histories we will find first that he deriveth these at Merindol and other places formerly mentioned from the old stock of these Waldenses to whom he attributeth out of old Authors particularly one Perpinianus who was an inquisitor in them these tenets 1. That the Church of Rome was the Babylonish whore because she had forsaken the Faith of Christ that therefore the Pope and Bishops who sustained her were not to be obeyed that the Monastick life was a corruption of the Church that the orders of their Clergie were marks of the beast mentioned in the Revelations that the fire of Purgatorie worshipping of Saints Purgatory sacrifices for the dead and such like were inventions of the devil to these saith he their certain Doctrines some others were without ground added and imputed to them he meaning Waldus left his own Country and settled in Bohem where to this day these who embrace his doctrine are called Picards he had a companion one Arnoldus who taking another way by Alba Augusta descended towards Tholouse for which cause these that followed him were called Albigenses or Cathari unto whom saith he these in England who are called Puritans are answerable he doth also shew how when Cassianus minded to extirpate these at Merindol Alentus a noble man who was also a good man and learned did disswade him from it because they were diligent worshippers of God obedient to Magistrates and no wayes guilty of the grosse things imputed to them whereupon enquiry was made in their lives that the King might be certified of the truth therof which he compriseth in this sum That these whow ere called Waldenses 300. years before that had gotten the possession of some barren parts which by diligence they had made fruitfull they were patient to labour abhorring strifes towards the poor liberall in paying tribute to their Princes and giving their Landlords what was due exceeding faithfull assiduous in the worshipping of God by Prayers and innocencie of manners again that rarely they entered the Temples of Saints except for their affairs of merchandize or other bussinesse they were out of their own bounds and when they entered they did not fall down before the Images nor offer wax candles nor any gifts to them nor did entreat the Priest to sacrifice for them nor did they sign their foreheads with the crosse as the manner of others is when it thundereth they sprinkle not themselves with holy water but direct Prayers to God they go not for Religions sake to Peregrinations nor discover they themselves before these Images of the crosse as they go they perform their holy things in another manner and in the vulgar tongue and lastly they give no honour to the Pope nor Bishops but do choose some of their own number for Pastors and Teachers This is the sum of that which was sent to Francis the first after this saith he two Commissioners were sent from them to the Parliament at Aixe to whom they gave a confession of their faith agreeing almost with the Doctrine of Luther This was sent to King Francis who
time of fourty two moneths we would not conceive 1. That he was at an height in the first moneth or alway alike no but as the Churches declining grew so grew his rise Nor 2. that at the end of fourty two moneths his power shall be utterly broken no for when he killeth the witnesses then the vials are to be powred out that piece and piece slowly bring on his destruction But this is meaned that his Kingdom is on the encreasing hand till these moneths be past what opposition cometh to him he will crush it but after that he will not be so his power will be cliped his tyrannie discovered and his Authority so shaken and questioned that it will never be so universally after that accepted or be admitted to the exercise of it for as that tearm bringeth not the full outgate of the Church to an height but a beginning of it even so here Out of all this we may confirm what we said of this beast and that wound and its healing which must be before these fourty and two moneths during which time he continueth whole and persecuteth the Saints even at the very close or last part thereof His blasphemy is more fully set down vers 6. in reference to three objects whom he taketh a liberty to blaspheme which being in reference to God derogateth some way from His excellent holinesse and pure soveraign Nature when applied to men or creatures to blaspheme is to speak ill of to detract from and to wrong them by our words so to blaspheme God and the King 1 Kings 21.10 and in the New Testament often Col. 3.8 Tit. 3.2 or to make them subservient to our blasphemy This blaphemy is three wayes vented 1. Against God this he doth by assuming to himself and giving to Idols Angels and Saints what is due to God and His Son Jesus Christ. What prerogative is more than to forgive sins and to be worshipped with religious worship and this he taketh to himself and giveth to others at his pleasure making them the object of Adoration Invocation and so of Faith his Dispensations Indulgences c. 2. It is against Gods Tabernacle that is either the humane Nature of our Lord Jesus called the true Tabernacle Heb. 9. wherein God dwelleth in a speciall manner Ioh. 1. and Col. 2.9 or His Church and Saints on Earth which is called the Temple Chap. 11. opposit to the outward Court and is Gods Tabernacle with men because in them he dwelleth and as it were sojourneth till He bring them to a settled enjoying of Himself in His Temple in Heaven which sometimes in Scripture is opposed to the Tabernacle as the triumphant Church is to the militant Both these the Pope blasphemeth the first by Masses Hoafts Adorations Transubstantiation and such things as these whereby our Lords humane Nature is quite altered and blasphemed as if it were there or had a created being at the pleasure of a wretched man The second the true Church and Saints are here blasphemed to wit by curses reproaches excommunications and devoting of them to destruction and proposing them as the vilest men and as the greatest hereticks in the world Instances many are palpable 3. He blasphemeth these that dwell in Heaven that is Saints departed and Angels fathering many mischievous things on them abusing their name to Idol-worship and charmes is there any thing more wronged and abused by them than Peter and Mary the blessed Virgin when many vile things are fathered on them and sought from them as if they approved these things Idols and Idolatrous Temples stiled by them and erected to them and what greater wrong than this can be done to these Saints while as the Angel Rev. 19. reproved Iohn for it These three to wit God His Church-militant and triumphant the most excellent things in the world he wrongeth them all and in the highest degree and to whom agreeth this so well as to the Pope and all this he doth not only in his own person but by decrees ordaineth it as by law In short aâ— Antiochus blasphemed all whom in His practice he despised and abused all so shall he do and so hath he long done as if he professedly did blaspheme them The fourth part of the exercise of his power is in persecution vers 7. It was given to him even as all the rest was given to make war with the Saints and to overcome them here are his fightings with the remnant of the womans seed Chap. 12.17 he raiseth the world against them and over their bodies they prevail This war with the Saints taketh in all violent Martyrdoms of singular persons put to death for opposing this beasts usurpation as were specially in the end of those moneths very many in Italy Germany England c. It taketh in also the purposed wars that for many years to the effusion of much bloud were undertaken against the Waldenses and others that looked on the Pope as Antichrist Ten hundreth thousand men were slain as is reported by Perâ—nius apud Med. in France and this done by way of stated war not by pillagings but by making use of strong Armies once intended against the Sarracens which by the Pope were diverted and imployed against the Waldenses The historie also of the Bohemian wars after Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prague were burnt against these who were called Hussits which continued in great eagernesse for many years The history of the poor people of Piedmont Calabria and Angrongue and other places in Italy persecuted by an Army under the Lord of Trinitie the destruction of Merindoll and many poor people about in Provence by the Archbishop of Aix and the Lord of Opede President beside the many barbarous cruelties in Holland Germany France c. are evidences of this war of the beast against the Saints touched before Chap. 11.7 which bloud though immediately shed by civil men yet principally flowed from and is to be charged on the whore in whole skirts is found the bloud of the Prophets and Saints Chap. 17.6 and 18.24 The successe is set down he overcometh them to wit by spoiling them of their liberty life and temporall estate for a time but they overcome him by adhering to Truth and refusing his corruptions even at their lowest estate of suffering as it was Chap. 1â— vers 11. After these characters of his dominion his successe or the amplitude of his dominion is more particularly set out and repeated in three things 1. In its extent He had power over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations that is there was none exempted from him no Nation Tongue c. who were Christian that were preserved from his corruptions and many whole Nations carried away with it though not all of every Nation and Kindred were infected In a word it was very broad vers 7. 2. It is set out in the degree of their submission All that dwell on the earth they shall worship him that is be every way at his devotion and shall
and name have his number but all that have his number have not his mark and name and because by searching this we come to know his name this is the right order of searching yet if any think meeter to reckon from a name suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which almost since Iohn's dayes hath been followed as appeareth by Irenaeus who was heaâ—â—â— of Polycarp disciple of Iohn vid. lib. 5. adversus haeres Cap. 30. pag. 250. edit Eras. Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen habet 666. numerum valde verisimile est quoniam novissimum regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant sed non in hoc nos gloriabimur that is The name Lateinos hath the number of six hundreth sixty six and it is very like for the last Kingdom hath that name for they are Latines who now reign but we shall not glory in this Yet the wisdom of God hath ordered so that the sum or result of both reckonings turn to one and pointeth at the same Antichrist hinted before for both the forenamed words compleatly exhibit that number 666. and point out the same party where the doctrines rested before Neither will this destroy but confirm our former exposition for this name is brought but as an accumulative argument and evidence of the Antichrist Thus he that hath all the characters of Antichrists doctrine and hath a name which in the numerall letters make up 666. he is Antichrist But to the Pope both these do agree Only as is formerly hinted there is this odds The name will not prove Antichrist without the other marks for it may agree to many and the other marks will prove him without the name for they can agree to no other and are proper to him quarto modo Besides the former conclusion that this reckoning yeeldeth to wit that by this beast is clearly pointed out the Pope for out of this Chapter may be reckoned a proposition that who ever stands marked with these properties is the Antichrist But the story and knowledge of the papacy yeeldeth the assumption that it is the Pope to whom all these will agree Ergo c. Besides this I say these other conclusions may be drawn 1. That the conceit of a Danitish Antichrist invented by Papists to vindicate their Pope is foolish and vain 2. That Mahomet is not the beast intended here 3. That Antichrist is no open professed enemy but a false counterfeit pretended friend 4. That he is already come and so must be the Pope 1. To shew the vanity of that fond Antichrist which they say shall be a Iew one single person of the Tribe of Dan from these two Scriptures Gen. 49. v. 17. and Ier. 8. v. 16. exceedingly abused which yet Bellar. dare not lay weight on and that he shall come three years and an half before the end of the world subdue all the world making himself a Monarch of it sit in Ierusalem be acknowledged by the Iews as their Messias build that Temple do something miraculous giving life as to an Image making fire come down from Heaven c. and be destroyed by Christs second coming c. after he hath killed Enoch and Elias whom they call the witnesses Chap. 11. We oppose to that conceit these truths in this Chapter 1. The time of Antichrists rise is immediately after the sixth head of the Roman beast is wounded to wit when Heathen Emperours are put from their throne Ergo it is long before the end of the world 2. The seat that Antichrist hath to sit on is the seat of the Dragon to wit that seat where the devil by Roman Emperours sate and persecuted the Church before But that is not Ierusalem but Rome Ergo c. That therefore is a truth of Chrysostoms that he sitteth in the Temple of God that is not at Ierusalem but in the Church pretending to have a prime place in it 3. He is not one single person he is the seventh head of this beast yea he is a beast But by none of the former heads of the Roman Governours can be understood any single person but a series of Governours in one state likewise by beasts are understood a series and not one single person Dan. 7. Ergo Antichrist is no single person 4. His continuance is longer than fourty and two noneths literally taken which may be thus made out 1. If his rise to his height be so slow and by so many degrees till he be up and if his standing be so long as to bring and hold all the world under and that by a sort of willing subjection to fight with the Saints and overcome them and other such things as cannot be done in such space if also his decay and ruine be by a long tract of judgements as is under the vials Then he must be of larger standing than fourty and two moneths But the former is true Ergo c. 2. It is clear from this that it beginneth so soon as the Churches fleeing which is about Ann. 300. and continueth till the vials come which comprehend the time of the six trumpets which certainly are more than fourty and two moneths for the vials do bring the first judgements on him 3. If his time had been no longer than fourty and two moneths it had been no great argument for Paul 2 Thess. 2. to prove that the day of Judgement was not neer if fourty and two moneths had been the longest time of his reign for that was Paul's Argument The man of sin is not revealed therefore it is not at hand for that could only have proved it was not within three years and an half 5. He is to be discovered before the end for the first vial cometh on them that have his mark and Chap. 14. they are threatned by publick preaching with judgement before it come 2. For Mahomet this cleareth him also not to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. This Antichrist hath horns like the lamb sitteth in the Temple of God looketh like Christ but so is not Mahomet who was never a Christian. 2. This Antichrist sitteth at Rome and by a new sort of Idolatry healeth the wound the sixth head had gotten i.e. by worshipping Idols Images c. But Mahomet abhorreth that and pretendeth to worship one God only 3. This Antichrist doth great signs and wonders But Mahomet claimeth to none and pretendeth no signs but to cover that saith that Christ was sent with signs and he with a sword 4. This Antichrist carrieth on and driveth all his designs under a resemblance of making use of Christs power as having horns like the lamb and by a pretext of and claim unto a vicarship and deputation from him so doth not Mahomet 3. Hence also we may conclude that Antichrist is no open opposer or denier of Christ to be Christ or one that calleth himself Christ but an intruder of himself in what is Christs due
when the seventh Angel shall sound and God shall begin His quarrell with the beast He shall at the entry so discover and shake the prime foundations of that antichristian Kingdom that it shall procure much inward fretting and vexing grief compared to pricking in the reins Psal. 73.21 to the prime supporters thereof and shall make them loathsome and abominable to the world as were the Magicians opposers of Moses and of the peoples delivery from Egypt and instrumentall in hardening Pharaoh and the Egyptians by the plague of boyls Exod. 9.11 so as they could not stand In the event this is sure 1. that the fundamentals of the popish Kingdom were stricken at such as the Popes Supremacy and absolutenesse the opinion of indulgences merits soul-masses purgatory c. which two Erasmus merrily said were the two unpardonable faults of Luther that he had medled with the Popes crown and the Monks bellies meaning that they would never digest it to be touched in these but it would gall them 2. The contempt that followed upon that discovery and the vexation anxiety terrour trouble and grief that it put that Roman Clergie unto the events and story of these times do sufficiently witnesse LECTURE II. Vers. 3. And the second Angel poured out his vial upon the sea and it became as the bloud of a dead man and every living soul died in the sea 4. And the third Angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters and they became bloud 5. And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus 6. For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy 7. And I heard another out of the altar say Even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy judgements THe Angels proceed to execute Gods judgement on the beast and the second poureth out his vial on the sea vers 3. The effects are two 1. It became as the bloud of a dead man The second is a consequent of this every living soul died in it There is in this certainly set forth a further degree of Antichrists ruine as the second trumpet held forth a further step of his rising in generall this extendeth the plague on Antichrist further and bringeth it to an higher degree But more particularly as we conceive is holden out Gods plague upon the complex body of that Kingdom as it is antichristian that is both sea and land especially their Ordinances Government superstitious forms of Worship Councels Decrees c. whereby much of their grandour stood now these are set upon and the abbacies traditions indulgences c. whereby they subsisted are in a great part destroyed That by sea here must be understood something of this nature will appear by comparing vers 17. and 13. of Chap. 18. together for this sea must be suitable and serviceable to these who trade in it and these again suitable to their trade which is the souls of men amongst other things vers 13. ibid. and these certainly must be their Church-men therefore this sea they trade in must be their Ecclesiastick or Church constitutions forms and ordinances of sacraments ceremonies masses traditions c. and especially what concerneth indulgences pardons and purgatory because in these their trade of souls is especially driven this answereth somewhat to the second trumpet also Chap. 8. Gods plague upon these maketh them like the bloud of a deadman that is as Chap. 8. vers 8. it became corrupt and not only uselesse but deadly so that whosoever would now follow that way and drink of these Doctrines it would kill him Which two effects hold out 1. that after Gods begun quarrelling with Antichrist he mendeth his superstitious worship nothing but maketh it worse so did the Councell of Trent in many Articles both of faith and worship 2. That after Gods revealing and discovering the grossenesse of particular errours by the former vial he went on and discovered the rottennesse of the complex worship and Government of that Kingdom 3. That by this discovery especially their Churchmen were pinched 4. That this brought the antichristian state lower and made many forsake these rotten waters that they could not live in them or if they stayed they were now more deadly than before this discovery So by dying here may be understood their dying as to Antichrists state that is ceasing to be of his Kingdom as formerly as Chap. 8.4 so they die to him or they are more hardened that stay and become more spiritually dead Thus this judgement either maketh them leave him or it maketh their condition more desperate so that now none continuing to live under the full profession of Popery can get heaven as in the former darknesse in some respect it was possible this by the Councell of Trent and what followed upon it we may conceive it to have its fulfilling so that now men can no more live in Popery and own their tenents than fishes can do amongst bloud but every living soul that quitteth not these Ordininances shall perish partly because now they are worse in themselves partly because the light having made the discovery a separation is called for The third vial followeth from vers 4. to vers 8. containing three things 1. The object plagued it is the rivers and fountains 2. The effect they are turned to bloud 3. There is a double approbation of Gods Justice or congratulation added whereby some things may be gathered usefull for understanding this vial which differeth not only in its object but in its kind from the former We may in this observe these three things 1. That the object is men not Ordinances or Government in the abstract but such as shâ—d bloud and can drink bloud 2. What sort of men they are to wit guilty of the bloud of the Saints executioners of that whore who is drunk with the bloud of Saints Chap. 17. and in whose skirts it is found Chap. 18.24 3. What sort of plague this is bloudshed literally so taken so to drink bloud importeth they have shed bloud and are met in their own measure Their bloud is shed and that in abundance and the just proportionablnesse betwixt their sin and judgement here importeth this especially if we consider that Chap. 13.9.10 he that killeth with the sword must be killed by the sword which iâ— the threatning whereof this is the accomplishment And in this vial and the former there is an allusion to the plague of Egypt when all was bloud and the fishes died The object of this vial is fountains and rivers to wit such things as furnish moisture and life to the antichristian world as fountains and rivers do in this They must be something running to the former sea and in opposition to the truth of the Gospel Chap. 8. yet so as it must be applyed not of things but of persons who have shed
Therefore it s mine This will serve rather wholly to overturn it as is said and till from Scripture they make out their affirmative the assertion will stand good yet we shall a little descend to consider their grounds and concessions in this point and we will find that the weight of their conclusion that this power doth belong to the Pope doth rest upon Traditions Fathers Councels and especially the Popes own determination That the Scripture giveth such a power to the Pope of Rome before it can be believed as of divine authority these three must be made out by it See Greg. de Val. disp 1. punct 7. part 37. 1. That Peter not only as an Apostle with the rest but as head and supream over all the Apostles was furnished with and established in that Authority by Jesus Christ over them and the Catholick Church as their head 2. That Peter sat and had this Authority and exercised it at Rome as peculiarly the seat of this Authority and that this supremacy in Peter was no extraordinary priviledge to his person but to be derived and continued in his successors to the end of the world 3. That only the Pope of Rome is Peters successor in this supream power and that by divine Authority it belongeth to that seat and to him who shall sit there To passe the first two which yet can never be made out by Scripture the third also must be made out or it will not bear this conclusion that it is of faith to believe that the Pope is invested with this power But now there is no shadow of this in Scripture and therefore when Bellar. cometh to make out this he foundeth it on these four to wit 1. Apostolick tradition 2. General◠Councels 3. Popes Decrees or Statutes 4. Fathers and antiquity But none of these are Scripture and in effect all resolveth on this the Pope appointeth himself head and successor Ergo he is head c. for it is well known nothing is received as Apostolick tradition but what he decreeth to be so Not are any generall Councels accepted as infallible but such as are approven by him and so far as approven See Bellar. De authoritate Concil lib. 2. cap. 1. And Gregorius de Val. casteth Traditions and Scripture but as owned by his Authority much lesse then will they admit any Father that differeth from him Hence sundry Councels and Acts as that of Chalcedon and Constantinople in these Acts wherein Constantinople was equalled to Rome are rejected by them on this ground because they were not approven by the Pope So it runneth in this circle Whence hath the Popes this power or whence is it clear to us so as to warrant our faith that they have that power They answer in sum from themselves or from such grounds as resolve on themselves because say they their power is such as determineth all these things If it be asked further How getteth these Popes power to determine so and what warrandeth us to rest on their determination Say they because they are Peters successors in that universall office If it be asked again How is that made out that they are his successors Say they by such determinations we know him to be so In a word these determinations give him power and he giveth them power to do so and so about yet this is the main thing to wit the application of this power to Rome and particularly to the Bishop thereof that is here questioned and though possibly it were not requisit that all the successors should be other wayes known than by Historie yet the ratio successionis as Bellar. calleth it to wit Why the Bishop of Rome hath this peculiar Authority beyond others that would be known if it be either of divine or catholick faith which two are ill distinguished by Bellarmine If it be objected to them These cannot ground a divine warrant to make a thing be believed to be jure divino or of divine authority Because to make a thing certain to us certitudine fidei and to be believed as such there is a twofold certainty required 1. An objective surenesse or certainty in the thing it self 2. Subjective in them that believe that is such certainty as proceedeth from such grounds as cannot cause a mistake or fail any which no humane testimony can bear out and therefore only Gods testimony can give warrant for this Bellar. De Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 12. seeing this doth go about to distinguish between a divine warrant or else de jure divino and to be of catholick faith and saith though it be not the first fortè saith he as loath to speak it out Yet it is the second and to be believed under pain of damnation upon the grounds foresaid His words are Successio est à Christo qui uno actu constituit Petrum successores ejus in Pontificatu ad finem mundi ratio successionis i. e. cur Papa succedit quia est Romanus non est ex prima institutione Christi quia alibi potuit Petrus fixisse sed ex facto Petri and calleth it not improbable to be setled at Rome by Christs command But our question is How it is evident that this Pope hath ground to claim that succession or Quomodo constat cum Petri successorem esse to which this saith nothing therefore addeth he that though fortè Papa Romanus quia Romanus non sit jure Divino tamen si quaeratur Si Romanus Pontifex jure Divino sit caput omnium Ecclesiarum omnino saith he respondendum est quia nibil aliud requiritur quam ut ipsa successio sit jure Divino Yea there is more required before that succession can be believed to be peculiar to that Sea seing they go together and this would be evidenced to be so for we ask not now If there be succession but why the Pope carrieth himself as successor and where is his warrant At last it resolveth in traditions and Councels which are so and to be esteemed so because he decreeth them so and this is the ground of this article of their faith unto them notwithstanding that the Scripture is silent in it which yet containeth all things needfull to eternall life Ioh. 5.39 20 21. And for that instance that Bellar. giveth of a catholick faith as distinguished from a divine faith to wit whether Paul left a cloak at Troas or not It is true this was a truth before Paul wrote that epistle and is yet a truth not simply necessary to salvation in it self yet considering it as revealed in the Word the believing of it now is of divine authority and hath a divine warrant which it would not have had if it had not been in the Word although it had been a truth in it self So that when it cometh to this that the Pope is successor to Peter that is only essayed to be proven by authorities See Greg. de Val. disput 1. De objecto fidei punct 7. pag. 35. and
it after the first admonition for he was neither forgetfuâ—l nor indocile Answ. If worshipping of Angels arise from this place certainly it may be gathered any where and seing the weight of iâ— lyeth here that if it had been sinfull Iohn would noâ— have done it and this supposeth Iohn to have had no corruption and saith nothing to thâ— arguments formerly alleaged It may more easily be reâ—orted thus Either in this pâ—acticâ— Iohn siâ—ned or the Angel But it cannot be said that the Angel sinned in reproving of him for doing this Tâ—erefore Iohn sinned in doing it It cannot be said that neither sinned For 1. there is an opposition the one disalloweth what the other practiseth and if any thing be gathered from Iohns relapsing in that deed Chap. 22.8 the same may be urged still either he sinned in renewing of thiâ— practâ—ce or the Angel in renewing his reproof for he doth again follow his reproof and that more hotely than formerly 2. They cannot both be right here for Iohâ— did noâ— worship this Angel formerly and if the former was no sin this must be neither is iâ— to be thought that the Angel would have confirmed Iohn by this reproof in his former errour 3. The Angel not only refuseth Iohns worship but refuseth it with reasons which will admit no such â—vasiâ—n For either the Angel really abhorred this fact as he expreâ—sed or he did disâ—mble But this last cannot be said Ergo c. Alcasar confesseth that these reasons which they give will not hold and that it is beside the Tâ—xt to alleage any other than the Angel mentioneth he doth therefore excogitat forsooth a judicious exposition and saith the Angel here is Peter and that Chap. 22. is Paul and that they refuse worship from Iohn their Colleague as their great Church-men do from one another who use to say to each other in their low courtesies keâ—p that meaning their humbling of themselves to the Sacrament of the altar He maketh that objection to himself why Peter being the Prince of the Apostles refuseth that honour which Iohâ— was offering He answereth that it is truth that in the first ages of the Church the Popes used not to be so reverently worshipped their pomp was not come to an height Therefore Peter refused it as being loath at that time that it should be known how great they were In all which fooleries we may see what it is to thwart with clear Scripture 2. We may conclude the falâ—hood of that distinction of Dulia from Latria as a mid-worship between Divine and Civill If the Angel would admit no worship to him Then there is no such thing But he rejecteth all without distinction This is clear 1. by the opposition he maketh worship God and so leaveth no religious worship to any but to God 2. By this Iohn gave not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he knew him to be an Angel but the Angel casteth that which Iohn gave him therefore he admitteth no mid-worship 3. This distinction will enervate both the Angels reasons why he casteth that worship The first I am thy companion and Chap. 22.9 companion of all that keep the sayings of this Book c. therefore do it not His argument is No fellow-servant that is not Master is to be worshipped by an other But I and all Angels are fellow-servants Ergo. The reason pleadeth that de jure nothing is due to hm Now if there were any such distinction it might be replied as Papists do non sequitur why because there is a mid sort of worship allowable to fellow-servants and therefore the Angel did wrong in rejecting of it His second reason is worship God which saith this worship and all worship is due to God Therefore it is not due nor to be given to men The adding of this distinction would enervate the argument and say it is not this worship or all worship that is to be given to God only or when he saith ye cannot worship God and me for he opposeth these as inconsistent they would answer yes with diverse sorts of worship we can whereas the Angels scope is to overturn all such worship to himself and to ascribe it all to God and therefore saith not give not me this or that sort of worship but none yea so he appointeth even that which Iohn gave him to be given unto God And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were allowed then worshipping of Angels would be a worshipping of God the Master But the Angel opposeth here worshipping of God to the worshipping of him Therefore worshipping of Angels is acknowledged by Angels to be no worshipping of God otherwise Iohn might have replied that he was worshipping God the sender in him that was sent 4. If there were any worship due to Angels of a religious kind then the Angel should not simply have prohibited but should have directed Iohn right lest from one extream he had fallen to another But that he doth not and if we consider that God comprehendeth all worship either in the first or second table of the Law and this can be none of them we need not be anxious about it but say certainly Angels know better what is their due than Papists and Bellarmine do Therefore we conclude that giving of Angels that worship is sinfull and idolatrous It will confirm this if we consider what use the Fathers make of this place who draw a strong Argument for Christs Divinity from this that He is worshipped whereas no Angel is capable of worship which they confirm from this place vidâ— Ath. serm 3. contra Arian pag. mihi 191. Certainly this answer would overturn that argument so much pressed by them if there were any religious worship which did not prove him to be God that is worshipped The use also which Augustine maketh of it against the heathens on Psal. 96. nobis 97 is to the same purpose expounding these words Confounded be they that serve graven images c. he entereth in debate with the heathens who saith he denied that they worshipped an Image knowing it to be without life but said Adoro quod video sed servio ei quem non video Not unlike this former distinction If it were asked who that were they answer numen quoddam If it were replied again that which they took to be numen was a devil They answered Colum. 1088. non colimus mala demonia Angelos quos dicitis ipsos nos colimus virtutes Dei magni ministeria Dei magni Augustine urgeth Vtinam ipsos colâ—râ— velletis facilè ab ipsis disceretis non illos colere audite Angelum doctorem And then citeth this place surge quid facis illum adora c. and concludeth quid ergo fratres mei nemo dicat timâ—â— nâ— irascatur mihi Angelus si non illum colo tunc tibi irascitur quando ipsum colâ—râ— voluâ—ris bonus est enim Deum amat c. LECTURE III. Vers. 11. And
things when the fashion of this world shall be changed and it shall depart like a scrol and the elements melt with fervent heat What this is may be spoken to Chap. 21. vers 1. But certainly here is such a change as was not before this time even that spoken of under the seventh vial Chap. 16. that heaven and earth shall flee away as not to be found that is not so as formerly they were there being now a change on them They are said to flee before his face to shew with what facility and ease that change shall be wrought 2. Of what glorious majesty and power this great Judge shall be that these creatures cannot abide His presence but do flee 3. To shew that it is the end because this consummation and great change on the Creation is instantly before the Judgement when the living Elect shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye as 1 Cor. 15. and 1 Thess. 4. now time and place as we make use of them are gone The fourth step of this preparation is the raising of all parties to be judged which includeth the Resurrection in two steps 1. that all are again brought to a bodily life where ever their bodies were buryed or destroyed And here we take in the change that shall befall these who shall be living instead of their dying The second step is their appearing before the Judgement for where the carcase is there will the Eagles be gathered together Hence it is said that the Son will send out His Angels to gather them from the four winds and Jesus the Judge shall have them personally presented before Him which also in part belongeth to the procedour This is the order of the matter though this of the resurrection be subjoyned after the procedour in judgement ver 13. The second thing cleared in this judgement is the parties who is the Judge and 2. who are judged The Judge certainly is Jesus Christ the Mediator who hath the keys of hell and death Chap. 1.18 and is appointed Judge of quick and dead Act. 17.30 31. called God ver 12. before whom all do appear for He is personally to be understood having these divine Attributes of power to execute omniscience to take up and justice to proceed He hath divine Authority and Commission for this He hath divine glory and will appear to be God in our nature in that day going about this last and solemn act of His Mediatory service and Kingdom The parties judged who stand before the throne are 1. generally the dead all who ever lived as after ver 12. Under which are comprehended these who then shall be alive as also Enoch and Elias 1. because their change shall be as death to them in changing their bodies to an immortall condition 2. Because they are few and comprehended under the greatest number for if the dead appear much more these who shall be living More particularly they are distributed in small and great which taketh in all sorts 1. Kings and mean ones none shall escape 2. Rich and poor 3. Mighty powerfull strong and weak 4. Old at the greatest age and statuâ—e and young who have not attained to their perfection In a word all that ever breathed and had life none are exempted but all are made to appear If any ask what young ones have to be judged for Answ. They are under one of the Covenants either of Works or Grace if of Works then have they the breach of that Covenant to count for they being the serpentine brood of a transgressing stock 2. If they are Elect they are to be judged by the Book of life For that question agitated in what pitch every one appeareth whether of a lower or taler stature old or young according as they died we insist not on it The Schoolmen decide all to be raised about the age of thirty years that being the prime of mans strength and about the age that Christ was at when He suffered which will be found to be thirty three years and some more having entred to His publick Ministrie in the thirty but this derogateth from the mysterie of the resurrection 1 Cor. 15. for though the same body be raised ye it will be another kind of body than ever formerly it was at any age We may say of the Elect they shall be perfect in what ever condition they died all that which is imperfect being done away their person stature judgement c. being perfected And we think that that perfection which consisteth in conforming them to Christs glorious Body is of another kind than to respect either age stature or the like We may see from this also the absurdity of that Popish conceit whereby the judged are distinguished in four sorts by the Schoolmen one whereof doth judge and is not judged being of a degree of perfection beyond coming into judgement here none that hath life whether Elect or Reprobate are secluded but all being in these Books all that are written in them must appear and none there are but they are written in them and no need there were of this Book of life if the Elect in it were not also to be judged It is true Believers none of them shall come to judgement as judgement importeth condemnation according to the Word Ioh. 3.18 so no Elect cometh into judgement yet for absolution they come It is truth also that the Saints shall then judge even Angels 1 Corinth 6. and possibly the Apostles and some others may be more eminent in that judgement Matth. 19.28 yet that doth not exclude them from being judged themselves they being among the dead now standing before the throne but includeth an affeâ—â—ory aâ—sent to the great Judge His sentences and is a speciall prerogative put on all Believers that day who shall be caught up on the bench with the Judge when the reprobate like fellous and pannelled malefactorâ— shall be standing at the bar while they sit as it were on the steps of the sides of His throne being caught up to Him when others are left 1 Thess. 4. which also may admit of degrees Followeth now the proceeding when God is on His throne and all the world standing before Him It hath three steps 1. generally Books are opened for all 2. A speciall Book for the Elect The book of life is opened 3. Sentence is passed and pronounced upon all according as was found in these books and according to their works In all which there is an allusion to mens proceeding where when men are guilty and brought to judgment 1. there libels are red called by the Hebrews books Iob 31.35 2. The witnesses depone or their depositions already on record are made known 3. The Law is consulted concerning the matters that are found what sentence is due to them So it is here which is not as if Jesus Christ were literally so to proceed for nothing escapeth Him but to shew that the judgement shall be as accurate and particular in the