that is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Keepeth himselfe that is groweth up in holy watchfulnesse and resistance of temptations to which care God addeth his blessing that he abides untouched that is of raigning sinne the wicked one strikes him not deadly nor can wholly and finally foyle him Examine this strength of CHRIST if it bee in thee for so it is called Ephes. 6. 10. 6 A sixt note is child-like affections 1 To our Father 2 To this Mother The child-like affections to our Father are two 1 Honor. Is Christ thy Father how doest thou honor him Mal. 1. 6. The Apostle Pauls care was that Christ should be magnified in his body by life or death Phil. 1. 20. What obedience shewest thou to his commandements and to his corrections doest thou honor him by trusting in him and depending upon him 2 A second child-like affection to Jesus Christ is love The child loveth his father better then all men else and canst thou be a child and not love him that begat and not as a Creator but a Father If thou canst doe no more for thy parent canst thou doe lesse then love him dearely Examine thy love to Christ and see if thou canst say as Peter Lord thou knowest I love thee Happie is the soule that dares thus appeale to Christ as a witnesse of his unfained love But how canst thou saie thou lovest him when his commandements are heavie and irkesome when thou wilt doe nothing for his sake suffer nothing for his name when thou wilt part with nothing for his words when thou hatest his servants his words and Ministers and risest up in armes against him by horrible sinnes David may have a rebellious sonne an Absalom Christ hath no such All his children love him better then their owne lives Now secondly the child-like affections to this mother are also two 1 To honor love and obey this mother in all her directions in all her corrections according to the word Good children will honor the Mother aswell as the Father according to the Commandement Ob. The Papist catcheth at this as making much for him The Commandements of the Mother Church must be obayed and therefore in their Catechismes besides the commandements of God they injoyne a number of the Churches commandements which must be obeyed in paine of damnation aswell as Gods Sol. To this I answer 1 That this Mother must be obeyed of her children as other parents of their children namely In the Lord. Eph. 6. For this is the difference between the commandements of this Father and this Mother His must be obeyed simply and absolutely as the Lords but hers onely in the Lord. If the precepts of this Father and Mother agree then the Mothers commandements must be obeyed but not if they be either contrary or diverse from his He that brings another doctrine must be accursed He or she that addes to his commandements must be accursed and all the plagues added to them And seeing Jesus Christ the Lord of his Church would deliver no doctrine nor commandements to the Church but what he heard from his Father no more must the Church but what she heares from Christ. 2 Why should Rome a particular Church rather enjoyne lawes on other Churches then other Churches on her seeing that parity admits not superiority 2 The second child-like affection to this Mother is compassion Children of the Church must be sensible and grieved in their Mothers sorrow affliction and oppression It is an unnatural child that takes not to heart his mothers miserie Humanity will make us mourne in the miserie of strangers yea of enemies as David put on sackcloth for his enemies much more will Christianity for the sorrowes of friends especially friends of God How have the Papists shewed that they have not a drop of the blood and spirit of Christians in their late joyes and triumphs and braggs before the victory as they use to doe fatting and feeding themselves in the savage barbarousnesse of Antichristian Captaines against the Church in Bohemia and the Palatinate But what other expectation from such as lay the principles of their Religion in blood and barbarous inhumanitie beyond Scithians or Man-eaters Yea and not a few sorry protestants there are who harbour but a little sorrow for the sorrowes of the Church bewraying the hardnesse and insensiblenesse of their hearts by their poore and penurious releefe Some out of base irreligion sowing scarce so many pence as they would have done pounds had they had conscience and affection of Children This Mother may wish she never stand in need of such children so flinty and degenerate 7 The seaventh note of one borne of this woman is brotherly-affection Christian love to all that are begotten of God as to brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. highly esteeming them as the excellent in the earth Psal. 16. 3. A man borne of this woman respects not men according to their greatnesse or basenesse in the world but according to this birth be they rich or poore and according to this present relation and that future happinesse they are borne unto A child of this woman cannot disaffect and reproach his brethren because they be brethren and thinke the very brotherhood a sufficient scorne He cannot scorn them for frequenting their Mothers house Nay he cannot but affect them for the fellowship in the Gospell and their consanguinity in this new estate Now lay these notes on thy heart try by them thy estate and know it is better to be out of the number of men then out of this number And cried in paine ready to be delivered The Church bringeth forth no children to God without much travell and paine For as by an inevitable decree painefull sorrow is annexed to naturall birth so it is in this spirituall birth As our Saviour applieth that Ioh. 16. 21. A woman when she travelleth hath sorrow because her time is come I It cost Christ no small travell and sorrow to beget children to God For he must become a man of sorrowes and never was any sorrow like unto his Nay he must sustaine the sorrowes of hell and be broken to pieces with sorrowes of body and soule before one child could ever be begotten unto God and therefore the Prophet Esai 53. 11. saith He shall see the travell of his soule that is the seed for which his soule travelled And in the preaching of the Gospel sowing this seed in the dayes of his flesh in his owne person what great sorrowes sustained hee by the Scribes Pharisees Princes and wordly-wise men and was made a butte of contradiction all men resisting his person his doctrine blaspheming his miracles and mighty workes preferring murderers before him and setting him with Belzebub the prince of the devils II The painefull travell of the Church is by the Ministeriall paines and sorrowes of her Pastors and Preachers Gal. 4. 19. Little children of whom
man plainely speaketh that he will not suffer the dragon to be wronged or dispossessed out of his hold and heart but like an old Gadaren hee had rather have a Legion of devils nestled in him than indure the presence of Jesus Christ. 2. By resisting the holy Ordinances of Christ indeavouring to cast out Christ in his Gospell proclaiming hereby not onely that the devill is not cast out of his own soule but that himself is an open enemy to the power of Christ for hee that would hinder or stop the breath of Christs mouth in the mouths of his Ministers or that furthereth not the Gospell by all his power is an open enemy to the Kingdome and Scepter of Jesus Christ. 3. By making the Preachers of the Gospell by whom the Lord Jesus casteth out the dragon their Buts and markes to shoot their poysoned arrowes of despight and bitternesse Well may they know that the strong man keepes the hold of their hearts and that Christ a stronger than hee is not yet come to dispossesse him for therefore hate they the servants because they hate the Master which is the very same office that the dragon injoynes them and the very proper worke of the dragon This being so let so many as would shew themselves friends of Michael submit to his power holding it a singular priviledge that wee may bee employed in upholding the power of Christs Kingdome and the rod of it One of the chiefe priviledges of the Church of the Jewes was to keepe Gods Oracles in the letter Rom. 3. 2. but it will bee our preheminence above them to locke up the true sense of the word in our hearts by which Christs power puts forth it selfe in our hearts so wee shall provide for our selves with Mary that good part which when the outward Ministery may bee taken from us or we from it shall never be taken from us nor we from it 3. We learne hereby not to despaire of any mans finall estate bee hee never so wicked for though the strong man have him never so fast a stronger than hee may come and rescue him out of his hands the Demoniacke whom none could tame but in his fiercenesse and fury brake all bands and chaines as Sampson did the greene cords yet Christ by one word tamed him and brought him suppliant to him so men that are possessed with lusts as with so many devils that breake through all lawes and yoakes of Christ as if they were Spiders Webs the threats of the Word are as the flaxe on Sampsons armes the promises of the Gospell are tastelesse and despised as the blessing was by prophane Esau yet time may come that Christ may meet with these his powerful Word may tame them and bring such out of their fury and madnesse They are then impudent and shamelesse in their slanders and false assertions who say Wee say they are damned or they are reprobates c. Wee say hee that is an Idolater in his heart or is an hinderer of Gods Word a slanderer of the faithfull Preachers of it a scorner of godly persons or exercises a defier of the duties of holy religion a persecutor to his power of innocent men this man is for the present a wicked man and in the way of destruction and all Gods curses hang over his head and if hee repent not hee shall bee surely damned But doe wee therefore exclude him from repentance doe we shorten the arme of God or stint his mercy that hee may not recall such a one at his pleasure may not this man who is a Saul to day breathing out nothing but slaughter threatning scorne and slander against the Saints become a Paul to morrow Who can intercept Christ in his way but hee may meet with such a man and unhorse him and strike him downe and tame him and make his Scales fall off his eyes and bring him to say O Lord what wouldest thou have mee to doe Can hee tame and cast out the dragons and devils and cannot hee tame and subdue wicked men at his pleasure Farre he goeth we say that never returneth but wee know not who it is that goeth so farre Whosoever therfore casts such scandalous and reproachfull falshoods against godly Preachers bewrayeth either want of understanding of that hee heareth or desires maliciously to accuse a fearefull guiltinesse of conscience which it will bee time to looke unto lest while it accuseth it selfe for want of other accusers the Lord say one day Evill servant out of thine owne mouth thou shalt bee judged 4. As Christ where-ever hee commeth destroyeth the worke of the devill so every Christian where-ever hee commeth must stand with Christ in this great worke and every where according to his calling and gifts cast out the workes of the devill for why First every souldier must stand with his Captaine and Generall in his warres and our very name of Christians sheweth with whom and under whom we must take part Secondly the promise of our Baptisme and our vow openly and solemnely made bindes us to stand out against Satan for therein wee have taken our Presse-money and are ledd into the field Thirdly wee are furnished with power and covered with the armour of God from Christ that we might share in his victory that as he did tread Satan under his feet so must wee Fourthly wee are annointed as Kings to maintaine warre and to conquer Satan and plant our battery against the wals of hellish Iericho Fiftly the same Spirit that is in the head is in the members the head and members have but one spirit Gal. 4. 6. Christ breatheth the same spirit on all his members Ioh. 20 22. the same spirit worketh the same things in the head and members being the spirit of courage and fortitude in them both Sixtly we never want just cause to bee at defiance with the dragon being the greatest enemie of God and of us continually seeking to cast downe his glory and us from our happinesse Now the duty being inforced by so many reasons it will be asked But how may wee be most fruitfully conversant in this service whereto I answer 1. If we cast him out of our owne soules And 2. If wee destroy his workes without us in our severall places according to the power and calling that God hath given us Within us we shall cast him out first by getting Christ to come into us for it is Christs presence that casts out the Dragon And how may I get Christ into mee Answ. 1. Heare him knocking in the ministery attend to his words of promise of threatning and direction for these are his knocks by which hee knocks at many a deafe mans dore Revel 3. 20. 2. Open the dore unto him to receive him in We open our hearts to Christ by faith As hee dwelleth in the heart by faith so also by faith he is received in Ioh. 1. 12. 3. Receive him by humility Hee dwells in an humble and contrite
knowledge of the seasons put in his owne power Act. 1. 7. I have collected what my most diligent search of this high mysterie can attaine into these Propositions 1 Propos. That this time times and halfe of time is the same duration with the two and forty months chap. 11. 2. in which the holy City that is the Church resembled by Jerusalem shal be troden underfoot namely by Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God by subtilty and tyranny boasting himselfe to be the head and universall Monarch of the Church And the same number with three yeares and an halfe of Antichrists reigne prophesied by Daniell chap. 7. 25. Which being yeares of yeares come to the same reckoning And the same number with the 1260 dayes which wee have expounded vers 6. which being to be meant of mysticall and Propheticall dayes wee have just so many yeares of Antichrists tyranny 2. Propos. In this time the Spirit of God alludeth to the persecution of Antiochus a type of Antichrist whose tyrannie as it continued a time times and part of time that is three yeares and ten dayes Dan. 7. 25. understanding civill and naturall yeares so shall the tyranny of Antichrist last of Propheticall yeares a time times and halfe a time that is three yeares and about an halfe For the Apostle Iohn not easily departed from the Septuagint for the great honour it was then in And 1260. want eighteen dayes of three yeares and an halfe because for the Elects sake those dayes must bee shortned Besides some learned observe these Propheticall yeares must not bee meant of Lunar or Iulian yeares but Aegyptian in every month of which are onely thirty dayes and so reckon because the Church was now in spirituall Aegypt 3. Propos. This terme cannot bee meant of three naturall yeares and an halfe as Papists in generall assigne the commiâ—â— of Antichrist but to three yeares and an halfe and after his destruction Christ must come at the end of 45. dayes For 1. Antichrist is come already many hundred yeares since for did the mystery of iniquity in Pauls time prepare the way for the sonne of perdition to enter and is there after sixteene hundred yeares no more preparation at all then before Besides did only the Roman Empire with-hold in the Apostles time which many hundred yeares since is dissolved and translated to Germany and is hee not already come he that hindred being so long since taken out of the way 2. If it were literally meant all men in Antichrists time might exactly know the day of Judgement contrary to our Saviour Of that day and houre knowes no man no not the Angels Beside that Christ foretold of the dayes before his second comming that it should be a secure merry time and age of eating drinking making merry and marriages and not of such troubles battels and persecutions as they agree to be in the dayes of Antichrist 3. The litterall time of three yeares and an halfe is not halfe proportionall to the great workes which they say Antichrist must doe Hee must say they sit in the Temple of Jerusalem perhaps hee must build it up in three dayes which Salomon having all things prepared and ready was finishing seven yeares and Zerubbabel was repairing 46. yeares This onely worke will eate a great hole in his time assigned if wee can conceive it might be finished in the whole Hee must call and perswade all dispersed Jewes through the world to gather themselves to him as to their Messiah this they may thinke may be done in a moment but wee thinke three yeares and an halfe too little for it He must build up Rome burnt by the ten Kings and sit there as Monarch the Bishop of Rome and all his being expulsed What will the Pope and Cardinals and Princes be so faint-hearted as to leave the cause the City and holy Seat so soone as he lifts up his finger me thinkes it would call for three yeares and an halfe to doe this busines He must slay three Kings of Aegypt Lybia Aethiopia he must conquer seven Kings more hee must destroy all Churches in the world he must by force of armes expell the great Turke out of Syria the great Persian out of the East great Cham out of the North great Prester Iohn out of the South This stripling of three yeares and a halfe must conquer all the world which no man can post over in farre more time And what a dead sleepe shall all the Monarchs Kings and Emperours of the earth be in the meane time who could scarce in that time if they were never so willing resigne their States to him Many mo great acts must Antichrist doe in this stinted time perhaps in a moment and undoe if we beleeve the fable what the whole power of earth hath beene setling many thousand yeares These and the like absurdities make the learned Papists give up this Legend Alcasar in his vestigation pag. 567. saith To take these numbers of dayes yeares months as they souÌ„d nequaquam stilo aenigmatico quadrat agrees not with this mysticall writing of S. Iohn Ribera another Jesuite rejects Bellarmines opinion of 45. dayes after Antichrist for the end of the world Hentonius a Papist against the dreame of three yeares and an halfe in his Preface to his translation of Aretus saith plainly It is impossible that Antichrist in so short a time of three common yeares and an halfe should obtaine so many Kingdomes and Provinces Let us then looke to these deceivers who would hold us off from beholding the Antichrist of Rome and are willing wee should seeke his rise many yeares after his ruine 4. Propos. It is easier to define where it begins not then where it doth begin And this rejecteth many opinions and conjectures concerning the beginning of this terme As First that conjecture of Sabbaticall yeares or yeares of Sabbaths beginning at Iohn Baptists death and was the whole time of the three hundreth yeares persecution till Constantine the Great which was just 294. yeares Master Fox his conceit And the conjecture of Sabbaticall yeares of a latter persecution beginning in the yeare 1360. when the Turkes power was inlarged and the holy City trodden under foot which lasting 294. yeares for so many the yeares of weekes amount to they had beene ended about â—3 yeares since which they are not and the Turkish power stands in the Easterne part stronger than ever and the woman not eased of it Another conjecture of Iunius and the Magdeburgensis is that it began at Christs passion against which are expresse words Rev. 1. 1. and 4. 1. I will shew thee what shall bee hereafter Againe then had this time beene expired in Boniface 8. who began his raigne in the yeare of Christ 1294. from which number take thirty foure yeares of Christs life and there remaine 1260. But this time is not expired nor the treading of the holy City ended not in Boniface but is still trodden downe and Antichrist sits
still in the Temple of God neither is the woman yet got out of the wildernesse Neither doth this time begin presently after the revelation of it for there must come betweene the womans dwelling in heaven the cloathing of her with the Sunne the Crowne of twelve Starres the treading of the Moone under foot the assault of the dragon the birth of the manchilde the foyling of the dragon and after all these the flight as wee have heard and all these are not done on a sudden but require many hundred yeares for their effecting 5. Propos. If it cannot bee knowne certainly unto us à priori who have not seene the accomplishment and conclusion of this Prophecie yet it shall bee knowne to the Church à posteriori as other parts of this divine Revelation are by the events and performance Some godly men have conjectured à priori and set downe their opinions which how farre they carry truth time will discover I will onely alleadge three late Writers and leave their opinions to your consideration 1. Of Pareus who on Revel 11 2. saith if it were lawful for him to conjecture hee would say this terme might begin in the yeare 606. when Boniface 3. gate up into the chaire of pestilence and then it must end in anno 1866. but that of this terme saith he God will cut off some for the Elects sake 2. Of Moulin a French Writer in the booke intituled The accomplishment of the Prophecies dedicated to his Majesty who begins the time in the yeare when the Pope laid the foundation of his temporall Empire anno 75 5. to which number if ye add these 1260. yeares of this Hierarchicall Kingdome and Empire it must last to the yeare 2015. of Christ according to which reckoning it hath 391. yeares yet to come but that saith hee of this time some may be shortned for the Elects sake 3. Of learned Brightman who supposeth it to begin about the yeare of Christ 426. and to expire in the full account about the yeare 1686. yet these daies as neare as they be for the Elects sake may be shortned For on Chap. 19. 4. he tels Rome when shee kept a Jubilee 30 yeares ago that within a Jubilee of 50 yeares from thence shee should keepe a Jubilee not so much for her owne joy as the joy of all Gods people over her who shall rejoyce in her utter destruction and therefore shee had more need intend her funerals than Jubilees How true this is he knows who inspires his speciall servants Onely wee see greater likelihood of it every day than other The Lord hath said it wee must waite and pray him to hasten his owne worke for the joy and deliverance of the Church 6. Propos. In all these difficulties and differences among the most learned scarce one consenting with another in the period of entrance I add the last conclusion that the safest opinion of the most modest and learned is that a number finite is put for an indefinite and that this number is indefinite not that it is not certaine and defined to God but that it abides undefined as yet and uncertaine to us for the terme of beginning and expiration This is the judgement of the modest and learned Bishop Abbot in the 108. page of his demonstration against Antichrist It is the judgement of Bishop Cowper In this opinion rests that learned Pare us because he saith hee findes not a better nor safer To these agreeth To stanus and other the soundest of our Writers And in this the safest and soundest I also will rest Now to sundry Observations which wee have noted concerning the time on Verse 6. wee will briefly add these following 1. No sorrowes or afflictions can steale upon the Church but all are knowne foreseene and determined by God Here the woman chased into the wildernesse is knowne of her Lord the place provivided by him and shee in it provided for all the time Her state is hidden to the world retyred in her selfe but not hidden unto God but by him she is hidden in the chambers of his Providence during all this tyrannie and raigne of Antichrist In all our sorrowes and restraynts consider they are foreseene of God and we are not unseene in them Let us with Hagar in the wildernesse say Thou God seest mee Have I also looked after him that seeth me 2. God hath measured all the afflictions of the Church that although tyrants may disturbe and hinder pure religion by force and violence yet is it but for an appointed time Antiochus may interrupt Jewish religion and bring in Swines flesh into the Temple but it is but for three yeares and ten dayes a time times and piece of time Antichrist that great Apollyon may make havocke and â—â—ead under foot the holy city but it is but for 42. moneths a time times and halfe a time even three Propheticall yeares and an halfe Iezabel wasts the Church and causeth the Prophets to hide themselves in Caves and flie for their lives but it was but three yeares and an halfe in the letter The Jews may bury Christ in the grave rol a stone upon him and seale watch the sepulcher but they can keep him down only three dayes Know that what affliction soever thy selfe or any member or the whole Church sustaineth it is not endlesse neither shall the whole nor parts suffer one houre more then Gods wisdome hath assigned The proudest waves cannot passe those bounds and bankes which Gods power hath set them 3 All the sorrowes of the Saints are by Gods divine power overruled to their good and safety to preserve them from some present danger spirituall or temporall and to chase them under Gods hiding place as David Psalm 32. 7. Truly may the woman say Periissem nisi periissem I had not beene safe if perill had not driven mee into the wildernesse And did not the Lord see his Church safest in the wildernesse he would not suffer her hid there the greatest part of the time of the New Testament He over-ruleth death it self to be the greatest of al deliverances 4. In all the sufferings and oppressions of the woman this comfort abideth by the godly that shee is not left of God nor destitute of his presence nor of his Providence for supply nor without a promise of deliverance nor without faith of the accomplishment nor without a joyfull assurance that the time of this oppression is not farre from expiration Verse 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a â—lood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood THE woman chased out of sight being now in the wildernesse in a close and secret dispersion in corners But this contents not the dragon that shee is out of sight because she yet is and hath a beeing he is still unquiet because she is not brought to utter havock and confusion he would afford her no roome in
Ioy of the Church Whereof 1 The Acts It singeth out 1 The praises of God the giver of all victory 2 The praises of Michael the Generall v. 10. 3 The praises of the Armie or Angels of Michael ver 11. Where 1 The report of the Victory But they overcame him 2 The Causes of it 1 Principall and meritorious The blood of the Lambe 2 Instrumentall 1 The word of their testimony 2 Their constancy in martyrdome they loved not their lives c. 2 The Object Where 1 The matter ascribing 1 To God Salvation Strength Kingdome 2 To Christ power 1. Title Christ 2. Relation to the Father his Christ 3. Attribute power 2 The Reason Where 1 His Crimination 1 What are these accusations 2 Who are accused Brethren 3 Where before God 4 When day and night 2 His Dejection at the tribunall 1 Of God 2 Of men 2 The wofull estate of the enemies v. 12. 1 The woe denounced 2 The Persons on whom the inhabitants of the earth and sea 3 The Reason twofold 1 The comming downe of the Devill 2 His wrathfull Disposition with the cause Where 1 How his time is said to be short 2 How hee knoweth it is so 3 What use hee makes of this knowledge VI. The fury of Satan renewing the assault v. 13. to the end where 1 The new Onset v. 13. In it 1 The person persecuting the Dragon 2 The person persecuted the woman 3 The time and manner when she had brought forth the manchilde 2 The escape of the party assailed v. 14. Where 1 The Kinde It was by flight 2 The Meanes Here 1 The meanes themselves 1 What Wings 2 Number two 3 Whence given her 4 Similitude Eagles 2 Whence she did fly with them from the face of the Serpent 3 Whither into the wildernesse called her place 4 To what end to be nourished and preserved there 5 How long for a time times and halfe a time 3. Another Device of the Dragon against the Womans good-name v. 15. Where 1 The Mischiefe intended In it 1 What the floods of water are 2 What the spring of thē the dragons mouth 3 What the end to carry the woman away 2 The Remedy against it v. 16. 4 Enmitie against her Issue v. 17 Where 1 The Dragons wrath and warre appearing by the 1 Captaine 2 Weapons 2 The persons with whom Described 1 By their paucity the remnant of her seed 2 By their property twofold 1 They keep the Commandements of God 2 They have the Testimonie of Iesus Christ. CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER THE DRAGON REV. 12. 1. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven THE principall scope of the whole Booke of the REVELATION is to describe three things 1 The Malice of the Devill against the Church 2 The Battels and conflicts of the Church 3 The Victory and conquest of the Church This Chapter is as it were an Epitome of the whole booke which under a most sweet and pleasant Type then which the whole Scripture containeth not a more excellent or elegant propoundeth them all in so rich and orient manner as we cannot wish to behold a more native face and Image of the Church of all ages then is presented to us in this glasse held before our eyes by the Spirit of God To the end that we should so looke on the dignitie and proper ornaments of the Church as yet to take notice what grievous conflicts she is to sustaine by reason of the malice of the old Serpent lying alwaies in ambush against her And yet so to looke upon her tryals as that wee may at the same time behold Gods providence so preserving and strengthning her as she goes ever away conquering and triumphing The Chapter hath six principall parts 1 A lively description of the true Church ver 1. 2. 2 A description of the Devil her chiefe and furious assailant ver 3 4 5. 3 The fierce battaile betweene these two parties ver 7. 4 The victorie of the Church and the Dragons overthrow ver 8 9. 5 The triumph of the godly for that victorie ver 10 11 12. 6 The furie of Satan renewing the assault ver 13. to the end of the Chapter This is the naturall resolution of the Chapter and without further curiositie by Gods assistance wee will prosecute these parts But before them all is a generall Preface making way to them in these words And there appeared a great wonder in heaven In which words are foure things 1 What is this wonder 2 The greatnesse of it 3 The manner of appearing 4 The place whence in Heaven By wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signe is meant a new vision or an unusuall type of a strange battell and marvellously to be wondred at 1 For the rarenesse of the combatants a Woman and a Dragon 2 For the glory of the Woman Who ever saw woman or creature in such glorious attire as to be cloathed with the Sunne crowned with starres trampling the Moone under her feet But wee shall see this woman in a more strange and admirable habit then if a woman were so arrayed 3 For the admirable hugenesse of the Dragon and power that with his tayle could cast downe the third part of the starres of heaven ver 4. 4. For the issue and strange event Is it not a wondrous thing for a woman to conflict with so hideous a Dragon and overcome him Here are many wonders in one 2 The greatnesse is next It is a great wonder for three causes 1 It concernes the Church the Spouse of Christ a great personage 2 It containes many great and dreadfull occurrences concerning her 3 Many other great things are signified in this type and vision 3 The manner of the appearance of this vision For it may be asked How did St. Iohn see this signe or wonder Answ. God offered his visions to holy men two waies 1 To the eies of their bodies while they were waking as to Abraham Gen. 15. 5. Behold the Heavens and if thou canst number the starres so shall thy seed be 2. To the eyes of their mindes their bodies being cast into a dead sleepe or trance This is called a being in the Spirit Ezech 37. 1. And thus the Evangelist Iohn saw his visions Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is by the power and extraordinary worke of Gods Spirit I was cast into a trance Rev. 20. 4. I saw the soules c. which are not visible but by the eies of the minde Ob. But this manner of revelation seemes rather to be some uncertaine dreame then a sure and infallible kind of instruction Ans. No. This was very usuall for the Lord thus to reveale his will to his servants and for sundrie speciall ends used by him 1 That the soule for a time after a manner loosed from the body and drawne from the senses might have a nearer fellowship with God and so be fitter to receive divine light from the Spirit
nativity thou wast borne an enemie of God a child of Hell as full of venome and poyson as a toad or serpent But by this birth thou receivest power to be a sonne of God 1 Joh. 3. 2 and the priviledge of sonnes pardon of sinne the favour of god or fatherly affection and a childs portion in that immortall and eternall inheritance and a sweet joy in the assurance of that estate 2 The second marke to know a man borne of this Mother is his crying The first thing which discovers the birth of a Child if alive is the crying of it or else it is still-borne so the new borne child of this Mother cryeth in sense of want of miserie and of spirituall nakednesse In naturall birth is sense of weakenesse and crying after supply so in supernaturall is sense of frailties and much griefe for sinne and the miserable fruits of it And as the child in those wants can doe nothing for it selfe but cry and by crying it gets help so is it with the child of God when he findeth an utter nothing in himselfe but a gulfe of miserie ready to drown him in despaire yet now he hath a spirit which makes him cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If any of us have never gotten a distinct and sound knowledge of sinnes and the curse of God due to the same nor applied to ourselves that wrath and curse denounced and due to our particular sins of which we are guilty for the humbling and breaking of our hard and stony hearts If we have not out of the sense of an humbled and terrified conscience seene our need of Jesus Christ and from thence have not more earnestly hungred and thirsted after Jesus Christ and cryed as much after pardon of sinne as a condemned man after the Kings gracious pardon These persons may well instruct their conversion and their birth of this woman All thy profession will not make thee a true sonne of the Church except thou cryest in sense of miserie after mercy and grace and this desire be above al other desires in the world On the othe side art thou distressed in conscience in the sense of thy sinne and feare of damnation due to it Doest thou freely confesse thy sinnes and heartily bewaile them Doest thou crie after Christ crucified so as the whole world would not be so sweet as a taste of Christ and the more thou valuest grace dost thou the more thirst and desire after it Oh be of good comfort let not thine estate discourage thee thou art in a good way and a comfortable condition It is a comfort to heare a child new borne to cry it argues both birth and life and so is it here 3 The third note of tryall of one borne of this Mother is sucking An infant so soone as ever it is borne seekes and suckes the breast and so the new borne babe seekes and suckes the sincere milke of the word 1 Pet. 2. 2. And as an infant is never well but when it is sucking night and day and nothing stils the cryes of it or quiets it but the breast so the child of God suppose him but an infant in grace hungerly desires Gods word Gold silver honor pleasure which satisfie carnall men quiet not him only Gods word can quiet and satisfie the heart And as the infant desires the pure breast-milke without any other blending or cookery so Gods children affect chiefly the sincere milke of the word in the plaine evidence of Gods wisedome and care not for blending with froth of wit or humane eloquence but as it comes out of the breasts of the Mother the two Testaments And as the infant sucketh the breast to grow thereby So by the sincere milke the children of God grow in spirituall strength and stature till they come to their talnesse 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4 The fourth note is similitude and likenesse to the father of this birth This mother brings forth children to God in the similitude and Image of god Other Mothers bring children in their owne Image as Adam begat Seth in his owne Image Gen. 5. 3. But what is borne of the spirit is spirit Joh. 3. 6. Now examine how thou expressest the seed of new birth Whom resemblest thou If God be thy father thou resemblest him in quality though not in equality Thou art like him in holinesse in righteousnesse and in the whole divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Our Saviour makes this a sure note of a sonne of God or of the Devill Joh. 8. The Jewes bragge they are sonnes of Abraham ver 39. Christ saith were they sonnes of Abraham they would doe the works of Abraham Then they bragge God is their father ver 41. Christ answereth If God were your father you would love me and resemble him for I came from him and he loves me But I will tell you whose sons you are ye are of your father the Devill for his workes yee doe So thou that professest in the Creed that God is thy Father and thou beleevest in him if in stead of Divine vertues thou expressest impious and vicious behaviour thou art of the Devill whose workes thou doest He delights in blaspheming swearing drunkennesse filthinesse he hates the word the Sabbaths the Ministers he delights in feircenesse slaunders and the like so dost thou Thou professest Jesus Christ thy Lord and Saviour but how dost thou grow in conformity with Christ If thou expressest not his humility patience selfe-deniall holinesse and all Christian vertues in some measure thou art none of his The member will grow in conformity with the head a good child will imitate a good father in goodnesse 5 The fift note of new birth is growth A child once borne growes up to strength and stature A child in nature that still suckes wholsome milke stands not at a pitch but growes every month and quarter sensibly so if thou beest borne of this Mother thou growest 1 In understanding and knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2 In sound affection and powerfull use of the meanes of salvation As a child the more it growes the more it feeds so a man new borne hath daily more love to the word more reformation by it and outgrowes weakenesses 3. In sound practise of holy duties As a child growes active to naturall and civill actions so the child of God and the Church growes strong to prayer and the parts of Gods pure worship strong to endure the labour of the power of godlinesse 4 In strength for the Christian combate He growes able to beare afflictions and stand under great burdens and crosses for Christ and the Gospell He growes strong in resistance of temptations that he is not now carried ordinarily away neither by the world nor by the God of the world from his place To this marke St. John sends us for tryall of our new birth 1 Joh. 5. 4. He that is borne of God overcommeth the world and ver 18. He
I travell in birth againe till Christ be formed in you Elias in his calling was in so painefull travell as he was weary of his life 1 King 19. 4. Ier. 4. 19. The paines of the Prophet Esay made him cry His belly his leannes 29. 16. the Apostles of Christ what paines they endured appeares 2 Cor. 11. 23. In labours abundant in stripes above measure in prison many times in death often How they were resisted in their Ministery whipped like vagrants reviled stocked turned out at townes ends like miscreants see Acts 2. 15. 4. 18 5. 28. 13. 46. And after what violent torments they indured in their Martyrdomes the Ecclesiasticall story sheweth And at this day the labout and sufferings of godly and faithfull Ministers is like the labour and sorrowes of a woman in travell For when we travell to bring forth some Children to God out of the common track of the world how are we often oppressed contradicted and opposed by time-servers and libertines How abased and rejected by the multitude What heavy strokes and lashes endure wee from the tongues of the basest What slaunders are raised and impudently cast out against us by Papists and Atheists and inhumane wretches who fight against us with nothing but witlesse lies and falsehoods So as it is evidently true as Christ foretold his Disciples If they persecuted me they will you also Joh 15. 20. And as evident that if Christ were on earth they would spare him no more then they doe us He that refuseth you refuseth me III. It is no small part of this travell of the Church that her poore babes are so pained and suffer with her while she so hardly brings them forth For what child is there that can begin to looke into the light of this spirituall world to receive the word of God to embrace the faith by which Christ may be formed in him but presently he is pinched with scornes and taunts and heavily laded with shamefull indignities even for desiring the sincere milke of the word for the maintaining of that life with which he is newly quickned Neither can it be otherwise seeing whosoever wil live godly in Christ must suffer persecution And whosoever will be a disciple of Jesus Christ must resolve to take up his crosse daily IV. The paine and travell of the Church is more sharpe and sorrowfull by reason of those mighty lets and resistances of this new birth not only without by Devils and all sorts of wicked men but even within and nearer us then they and these are especially foure 1 Naturall ignorance what a let was it in Nichodemus he must goe into the wombe againe else cannot be borne againe Joh. 4. 10 2 Feare of difficulties losses and that this birth would prove an enemie unto their credit profit or pleasure and they see the prejudice and reproach cast upon such as are new borne 3 Too hasty and inconsiderate and irresolute undertaking of this businesse not casting the costs and how many sad throwes and pangs they may sustaine many therfore in liking of the good way have some pangs and remorse as if they would goe through the paine to the birth But finding more difficulty then they expected give it over againe for so did many who came to Christ and were Disciples a while but left him on the plaine field Joh. 6. 4 The presence and love of sinne First The presence of sinne there is another monstrous and adulterous birth that hinders begotten by the unlawfull copulation of Satan and the corrupt will Satan being the Father and our naturall corruption the Mother of this issue and these struggle with us and get us by the heele and make the case so difficult as that the Saints cry with Paul Rom. 7. Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me c. Secondly love of some speciall sinne or sinnes which makes all Gods ordinances inefficacious Iudas his covetousnesse Demas embracing the world or a secure heart which lets all doctrine runne out Heb. 2. 1. not cherishing or retayning it to an holy conception and birth Now what mervaile is it that there be no small labour to our Mother when our selves are not onely so helplesse to our owne birth but such hinderers of it Object Esay 66. 7. Sion shall bring forth before her sorrowes and payne come on her and therefore brings her children without paine Sol. The Prophet speakes not of the same thing but of a sudden and unexpected deliverance and restitution of the Church which before seemed utterly barren and forsaken And hath respect to the miraculous propagation of the gospell by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus which should be so sudden and unexpected as if a woman should be delivered before her paines be upon her for how miraculous was it that the Gospell by so few men in so short time and by so base persons in all outward respects should be published to the whole world and that all people should be by their outward calling brought to the unitie of faith So as this which is spoken in a special respect cōcerning an outward calling by an extraordinary power of God infringeth not this doctrine cōcerning the inward calling and conversion in the ordinary course of it which is not done without much resistance As neither that of the Apostles was And this concernes the Ministers and Ministery and sheweth 4 things First the honor and dignitie of the holy Ministery in that it is the onely instrument appointed by God for the bringing forth of Gods children Never was a despiser of the Ministery yet borne of God or a sonne of the true Church no birth without this immortall seed Secondly the end of the Ministery must be to bring children to God To forme Christ in men Gal. 4. 19. and fashion them new creatures like unto Jesus Christ. The ayme of a true Minister is not how many livings he may get and hold how much money he may lay up how high he may climbe how idle he may be and still keepe up his credit But how many soules he may be under God a father unto How he may imprint in mens hearts the gracious image of Jesus Christ that in the day of his reckoning he may with boldnesse and comfort say Behold here am I and the children that thou hast given me Esay 8. 18. And whosoever aymes not at this or at any thing more misseth his worke and perverteth his calling his reckoning shall tell him so wee must therefore frame our doctrine that it may be for the plainnesse soundnesse as Christ by it may be formed the play of wit nor prophane strong lines nor frothy straines of strange languages will not doe it The Prophets nor Apostles nor our Lord himselfe never preached so Thirdly the duty of a faithfull Minister consisteth in two things 1 To resolve on paines in his calling as knowing he cannot bring men to Christ without paines and
we all professe our selves his souldiers and subjects and hope to be saved by him Ans. If the dragon prevaile against any of us and have us under his power it is otherwise we cannot belong to two contrarie Captains we are his under whose colours we fight and to whom we have given our selves to obey Now therfore examine this point whether or how farre the dragon hath prevailed in any of us Rules of examination are these First where Michael cannot prevaile in such persons the dragon doth prevaile Now there Michael cannot prevaile where 1. His Word 2. His Spirit 3. His arme and hand is resisted ordinarily I. That his Word prevailes not in many of us is too manifest Did Gods word rule many of our Rulers they would goe through stitch and shew courage and conscience in Gods causes in beating downe the sinnes of the times frame their government according to Gods Word and till they doe so Christ rules not by them and if Christ prevaile not the dragon doth except a lying spirit step out and say there is a third 2. How little Michaels Scepter prevailes among many inferiour men is evident by the prevailing of ignorance in such dayes and meanes of knowledge How the god of the world blindeth a number of infidels is lamentable to consider who after many yeares hearing have still the vaile over their hearts and lie and live in grosse Aegyptian darknesse as ignorant as children as farre to seeke in substantiall grounds of Catechisme as they were at their first hearing that we cannot say Christs word prevailes in them unlesse wee may say that the light prevailes at midnight Oh what a pity it is How many civill honest men whose soules out of servent love wee mourne for are reached by this doctrine Not to speake of numbers who would be thought some-bodies in religion yet many turne away from it many turne against it yea hate and abhorre it 3. Adde hereto an other infallible conviction of many a one in whom the word prevailes not because it works neither reformation nor change both which it workes where it prevailes In many hearers it reformes not within the thoughts are idle unclean unsavory the affections are unruly violent passionate disguised c. It reforms them not without their words are vain as ever as unbridled unchristian as swearing as lying as ever their actions as unprofitable as uncharitable and hurtfull for who can looke for figs of thistles their whole life is unchanged what lust raigned that raigneth not still In none of these Michael prevaileth but the dragon hath them fast enough II. That the Spirit of Christ is likewise resisted and cannot prevaile is manifest both in his motions and graces How many good motions doth the Spirit suggest in the night in the day as upon other occasions so especially in the Ministery of the Word thou goest away and hopest to be better by this or that admonition but either thy slothfulnesse lets it die of it selfe or thou lettest in some lust to kill and quench it and so thou art much worse than before for wheras before he was kept out now thou hast driven him out and thus many men weare out their age in purposes and vaine hopes of amendment and are cut off before ever they seriously attempt it So mightily hath the dragon prevailed Add to these another Band who finding the word knocking at the dore of their hearts and the Spirit calling aloud from their lusts and beloved sinnes begin to quarrell and resist the Spirit and fight valiantly against all such motions and all the messengers by whom he moveth there is no perswasion of the Spirit can prevaile lusts must bee served profits sports and carnal delights must be intended and followed and who sees not the dragon effectually prevailing in such men For where the motions of Gods Spirit are repelled how just is it that GOD give over such persons to the efficacy of Satanicall delusion Now for the graces of Gods Spirit by which Michael prevaileth in how many that come to Church are they resisted scorned and blaspemed Is any thing made a more common by-word at this day than the light of grace and the power and practice of sound grace and what childe cannot see that the dragon who rules in darknesse doth there prevaile where nothing is so much chased as the light and the glory of the Saints is turned to their shame and reproach who but dogs and dragons would barke and spet poyson against grace III. They also resist Michael that suffer not his arme to prevaile How many incorrigible sinners be there whom neither Gods word nor workes can bow or bend Let God backe his word with visible judgments strokes round about them upon them yet they harden their hearts still and still turne to their old course going on from evill to worse Let God curse their trades they will breake the Sabbath still let God drowne their Boates their goods they will row on the Sabbath still let God smite by milder rods they heare not the rod nor who appointeth it let God breake the staffe of bread they will still make stones bread let God bring heavie strokes they will not understand though the foundations of the world be moved Psal. 82. 5. how doth Michael prevaile when such sensible strokes make men more senslesse and why should hee smite them any more who fall away more and more Esa. 1. 5. The second Marke or Rule of tryall is this Where the dragon holdeth a man under his slavery there he prevaileth but this he doth sundry wayes 1. When hee fetters any man as a slave to his owne lusts and the commands of the flesh chaines him to a blinde and rebellious heart to passionate and froward affections and throwes him into the streame of corrupt nature This prevaling of lusts is the dragons victory when sinnes and lusts grow in number strength continuance 2. The dragon prevailes by the world when hee brings men in bondage either to the profits or pleasures or to the fashions of the world What a number follow the world with full streame and their whole strength who cannot so truely be said to have the world as that the world hath them this eager love to the world signeth a man to have cast out the love of God from his heart see Iam 4. 4. 1 Iohn 2. 15. and that the Prince of the aire prevaileth in the course of the world is apparent Ephes. 2. 2. According to the course of the world according to the Prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience where is he almost that conformes not to the corruptions of times places and callings If times bee for Protestants so be they if times were for Papists so would they if times throw downe the Gospell and Preachers of it so can they in their whole course frame in religion to their senses not to their faith
doth not the Lord protect innocency and holinesse but suffer it to bee the butt and white to receive all the arrowes of wicked calumniation Answ. Aske also why the Lord suffers the clouds to beset and darken the Sunne or the darknesse of the night to succeed the light of the day He is not bound to give thee a reason of his wayes and works and yet in his great wisdome he worketh them all For 1 As in the beginning he set a fight betweene light and darknesse naturall and separated betweene them not that darknesse should prejudice the light but rather should make the benefit and comfort of it more perspicuous and discernable so hath he separated from the beginning light and darknesse spirituall and maintaines this fight and separation not that light of grace should be extinct by that darkenesse but be made more manifest and shining See 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 God will have theÌ„ strive that must be crowned Were there no combate there were no conquest were there no conquest there were no crowne but the greater the conquest the more glorious is the crowne How should the faith fortitude patience or any grace of the Saints be tryed either for the soundnesse or measure if there were nothing to exercise them Not peace but warre tryes the metall of a souldier 3 God will also by this fight shew the madnesse and malignity of wicked men left by God who must grow from evill to worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. to fill up their measure And therefore the holinesse wisdome grace and innocency of godly men which should be a fence and shield to keepe evill men off them is but an invitation and bayte for their mischiefe and malice to worke upon Which is most apparent in our Lord himselfe the innocent Lambe of God who taught the truth without mixture of error or respect of persons Could his wisdome innocency or holinesse fence him from being a butt and signe of contradiction or a subject of accusation Was he not said to be a sorcerer a Samaritan a drunkard a glutton a deceiver a divell an enemie to Caesar a disturber of publike peace Oh what a deadly poyson lurketh in a wicked man left to himselfe that as a spider from the sweetest herbes swelleth up with poyson so thence there he acteth his mischiefe where he should admire love and imitate The reasons of the doctrine are taken from 1. The godly 2. Satan 3. Wicked men 1 The godly are members of Christ and members must be coÌ„formable to their head If they cal the master Belzebub will they spare the servant was the greene tree accused of rebellion and disobedience to Caesar and may not the dry trees expect more then the greene Againe godly men shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation the light of their gracious course actually condemnes their vile conversation the shining holinesse of the one really refuteth the foule corruptions of the other Now so long as this enmitie lasteth betweene the seed of the woman and of the serpent and so long as light and darknesse remaine unreconciled the godly must make account of accusation and unjust molestation 2 Godly men cannot avoid accusation in regard of Satan the great Accuser For First his malice is restlesle against Christ who hath broken his head but Christ being now in person out of his reach hee expresseth it in two things wherein he reacheth as neere Christ as he can 1 Against the truth and holy religion both in the doctrine and practise Hence is it that he can get all the good way of God called and accused for a notable heresie Act. 24. 14. and the sincere walking in this way no lesse 2 Against his members for as he accused the Hâ—â—d in his time so now the members in theirs for the Heads sake As he accused our elder brother so also for his sake the rest of the brethren yea for being brethren as our text implieth Secondly Satan hath wicked mens tongues to command who are ruled at his will and therefore godly men must not looke to bee free from calumniation so long as they can either devise false things or deprave true Thirdly Satan hath experience of the strength and force of this weapon of false accusation and that by it he hath got no small advantage in all ages Hee knowes hee got the Sonne of God to death by false accusation hee got thousands and ten thousands of the Primitive Christians to death by the same weapon Hee knowes how in all ages hee hath brought thereby holy religion into suspition and disgrace He knowes how such as are not of the truth but guided by his spirit love lyes and are taken with them as a baite and by Gods just judgement given over to be hardened against the truth And therefore according to his owne ancient practise he hath taught his apt scholler Machiavel Calumniare audacter aliquid saltem haerebit Belie the man confidently and some dirt at least will sticke upon him Well hee knowes that as such calumnies make easie entrance into corrupt mindes so are they hardly dispossessed of such prejudice and if he can doe nothing else hee pleaseth himselfe in troubling them in their way whom he cannot deprive of the end 3. Wicked men cannot but accuse the brethren First because of their ignorance of God and of Christ Iohn 15. 21. These things will they doe unto you for my names sake because they have not knowne him that sent me and Iohn 16. 2. They shall excommunicate and kill you because they have not knowne the Father nor mee The eye of the minde being blinded how great is that blindnesse This is the foundation of accusation Secondly as they are grosly ignorant in the things of God so are they most subtile in covering their owne pretexts and practises As no sinne desires to goe naked and seene in his owne colour and skinne so no sinner would walke in his owne shape and habit but will sew himselfe a garment of some fig-leaves or other to maske himselfe in that whatsoever hee is hee may seeme no sinner Now there bee 4. maine sins of wicked men which have ever beene mischievous to the godly but all masked and hid with this large cloake of false accusation 1. Pride Haman cannot get honour from Mordecai for how can godly Mordecai honour such a vile person now Haman cannot for shame accuse Mordecai directly for not kneeling unto him but hee can make good another accusation against him and his people by which he covereth his pride 2. Covetousnesse Now to hide their covetousnesse they have ever devised accusations under pretence of peace and standing against innovation The Apostles preach ordinaÌ„ces not lawful to receive and trouble our City but that was onely a cover for the Text saith When they saw the hope of their gaine was gone they caught Paul and Silas Why did Demetrius and the Crafts-men make that disorderly tumult against Paul but
Antichristians who are the beast rising out of the earth And they are called inhabitants of the sea for their tumult and incōstancy casting up as the sea nothing but mire and dirt and carryed as waves of the sea by every winde Jude 13. But if any thinke the Evangelist aymeth more distinctly at some particulars I am not ignorant that some by earth understand the common multitude of wicked persons enemies unto Christ and by sea the ecclesiasticall men who have corrupted the earth with bitter brinish and salt doctrine of errors and humane traditions and thus still oppose them But I conceive a further drift of the Spirit of God well suiting to our whole exposition and period of time which this part of the Chapter aymeth at That rather by earth are meant all such nations and Kingdomes of earth subjected to the spirituall whordomes of the dragon so called for their earthly profession affection and practise and by sea the then Roman Empire it selfe so called 1 For the floods of impietie that issued from it as the floods and rivers do all from the sea it was the head of wickednesses 2 For the unbridled rage of it and the unresistable power which was then the great Ocean swelling over all bankes So as the sense seemes to be Wo to the earth and all wicked nations that are enemies to the Church of God but especially wo to the sea the great Empire whose sinnes the dragon hath brought to a great height so as the great mutation of that great estate is now neare and the subversion of the Imperiall and Cesariall power is at hand For now at this time so effectually did the dragon worke in the delusions of Antichrist as that he whose comming was in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse was shortly to swallow up the Imperiall power and so to take him out of the way which stood betweene him and his greatnesse as was formerly prophesied 2 Thes. 2. and not long after accomplished When the Church is happy in the midst of persecutions wicked and earthly men are unhappy and miserable So is it here rejoyce ye heavens but wo to the earth and sea Eccles. 8. 12. 13. Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shal be well with them that feare God which feare before him but it shall not be well with the wicked Esa. 3. 10. Say yee it shal be well to the just but wo to the wicked it shall not be so to him it shal be evill to him the reward of his hands shal be given him Psal. 37. 37. Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shal be destroyed together One reason hereof is in the text Satan being cast out of the men of the Church gets into the swine of the world and carries them into the lake first of sin then of destruction In their best estate they are Satans possession 2 It must be so by the perpetuall rule of divine justice who neither shuffles good and evill men together as men do nor mistakes persons and actions Among men there is a righteous man to whom it commeth according to the worke of the wicked and the contrary Eccles. 8. 14. But the Lord judgeth with righteous judgement Neither doth he forget any of their workes A wise man that delivers the City by his wisdome may be forgotten among men Eccles. 9. 15. as Ioseph was but the Lord forgets not the goodnesse of his servants nor his enemies sinnes but sets up all on their heads for the day of reckoning and recompense Revel 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to his workes The just Judge of all the world must do right 3 According to a mans seed time so commonly is his harvest Gal. 6. 7. As a man sowes so must he reape he that sowes to the flesh must reape corruption but he that sowes to the spirit shall reape life everlasting Doest thou sow chaffe and darnell and weeds and lookest thou for a crop of wheat Sow righteousnesse and thou shalt have a sure reward Prov. 11. 18. but if thou sowest iniquitie looke to reape affliction 4 The truth of God in accomplishing his word must leave the godly most happy while the wicked are wrapped in hellish woes and horrors The same weight of truth which carries downe wicked men into their place hoiseth up the godly as in the other scoale For as all the precious promises of the word belong to the one whereof earth nor hell can defeat them so al the woes and execrations of Scripture belong to the other and shal be true upon him so long as God is true in himselfe There is not a wicked man but he hath all the threatnings of God all the curses of the law and all the terrors of his owne conscience standing and shall stand for ever in force against him if hee stand out impenitently against GOD. Now this is a direction to Ministers for the course and carriage of their doctrine to sing both mercy and judgment and to come both with a rod and the spirit of meekensse Wee must speake peace to godly men but feed the impenitent with judgement This text and all texts and the whole tenor of the Scriptures go before us in this course Unhappy men are they that speake all peace and preach nothing but promises as if all men were godly and the congregations not mixt or if they distinguish of men it is to encourage hearten and harden wicked men for their owne gaine and dishearten and disgrace such as feare the Lord. 2 It is a direction to all men to carry our affections differently according to the differences of men expressing our love and kindnesse to men fearing God and our dislike of evill and wicked men 1 So doth the Lord and his Spirit in this text and whosoever are guided by the Spirit of grace will shew themselves in the helping up and encouragement of godlinesse and furthering the joy of the faithfull and in the discouraging and daunting so far as lyeth in him the wickednesse of men 2 A note of a good man is that a vile person shall be contemned in his eyes and he will love them that feare the Lord. 3 True judgment helps him to discerne between an Israelite and Ismaelite and true affection will cleave to the one and disclaime the other Gods Spirit teacheth none to esteeme carefull Christians vile persons nor to cleave to enemies and resisters of the grace of God who are indeed vile persons and so are they that sort with them or plead for them and as sin makes men vile to God so it makes them seeme to good men 3 It is an incouragement to godly men in the way of holinesse for they are in the way of happiness nothing can make them fall short of
off this garment contemning the Ministery and all good exhortation by speaking evill of the good way and persecuting the way of God scorning and reviling such as have care to keepe cleane their garments 7 Others not so foule as these former monsters but perhaps having grace in their hearts and a more 〈◊〉 profession of it and yet not well watch 〈◊〉 themselves stand not so fast but by some fall and soule offence dishonor at once God and his word themselves and their profession Who although they can say We are no swearers no drunkards adulterers nor of notorious prophane life yet by yeelding to some lust doe by some one action especially if they be of note in the profession more dishonor God then some other men by a thousand oathes and blasphemies Thus good David made all Gods enemies to blaspheme God and his religion 2 Let all of us learne to beware of stayning our holy profession and be carefull that our Christian course be the ornament of the Gospell That which the Apostle requireth of all seruants Tit. 2. 10. is required of all the servants of God who must shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Quest. How may wee doe this Ans. By considerations and practise The considerations are foure 1 The preciousness of thy garment The name of Christ is as a precious oyntment and wilt thou cast it into a sink-hole Wilt thou occasion the prophane to blaspheme and scoffe at Gods holy religion seest thou not the malice of the Devill and his instruments who because they hate God and his truth maligne not so much the person of a poore Christian as the light and truth in him For though they love nothing more then sin in any one yet let a poore Christian tread aside a little you shall easily perceive where the bile is Oh these are your Bible-bearers your professors your holy brethren all alike never a better This is a goodly profession that gives you leave to doe thus and thus as if the profession were not of God because the professors are men Seeing therefore all the malice of prophane ones lies against God himselfe and his truth let all that professe the name of 〈◊〉 and his religion be so much the more wary 2 The foulnesse and reproach of a professor of the Gospell lights upon Christ both the head and members What saith Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 14 By this deed thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Rom 2. 24. The name of God is blasphemed through you Thou who gloriest in the Gospell and transgressest the Gospell dishonorest not thou Christ as ver 23 And therefore we see how grievously God takes it of his own people that they should pollute his name among the heathen Ezech. 36 20 Will not the prophane Atheists and Miscreants say as much of us as the Gentiles of the Israelites These are the people of the Lord these are the professors of the Gospell these are the fruits of their holy profession The reproach of a professor of the Gospell lights also upon Christ in his Members For as Salomon saith a lewd son dishonoureth the whole house so one carelesse Christian casts myre and shame on all his houshold Woe be to him that offends the least of these little ones much more to him that offends and wounds all It is a strong argument to keepe many wretches from heynous attempts because they will not staine their blood and blemish their house and much more should Christians beware of staining the blood of Christ and dishonouring the house of their Father 3 The sin of a professor of the Gospell is a double sinne he sins not onely against his soule but against his profession he sinnes not onely against his owne but against Gods name which he prayes to be hallowed before the forgivenesse of his sinne or his salvation he sinnes not against the Law onely but against the Gospell The sinnes of Atheists Papists scorners worldlings are single sins in comparison and bring no discredit to the Gospell to speake of but for one clothing himselfe with Christ his name to bee a swearer covetous or drunk for such to be profane as Esau was let it never be declared in Gath nor published in Askeâ—on let not the uncircumcised laugh at it let not Papists finde such advantage against our doctrine O that there were no such Sauls or if there were that they might die in obscurity and not live in thelight to dishonour disgrace it who not only fal themselves but throw downe many with them 4. Saints by calling must be saints in conversation if we be called to be Saints wee must live as Saints shewing forth the vertues of him that hath called us that our attire and actions may make men say surely this man is a Christian as he professeth As King Ahazia readily gessed by the Prophets attire that it was Elias 2 King 1. 8. Hereby thou glorifiest God in thy selfe and in others mooving them to glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2. 2. Hereby the enemies Papists and prophane ones if thou reclaimest them not being incurable yet thou shalt convict them in their consciences stop their mouthes and get reverence to thy person even in their hearts The practises are sixe 1 Because we are prone to foule our garments we must watch our selves narrowly and with Iob suspect all our wayes Rev. 16. 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments In every thing whatsoever we speake or doe what will this disgrace my profession and foule my garments Is this right and wil it doe my profession no wrong 2 As in our bodily garments we make daily work for the Landresse so in the garments of our soules we make daily washing worke and that not by a light staine and soyle which will easily scoure out but with deepe and grounded filthinesse which requires much rubbing scouring beating wringing and rinsing And therefore we must still have recourse to the laver of the Church and purification of the Sanctuary As the Iewes touching any thing by which they became legally uncleane or if they suspected any defilement in their garments or persons they must wash their bodies and change their garments and goe to be purified according to the purification of the Temple So the Christian being defiled with the touch of any knowne or suspected sin must presently have recourse to the blood of Christ a fountaine opened to the house of Iudah and wash himselfe throughly purging first his heart by repentance and then with Peter his head hands and all Thus may he keepe his garments cleane though he foule them every day 3 Avoid slipperie waies and occasions of falling watch against offences make strait steps to thy feet lest thou fall and foule thy clothes Feare of falling keepes us from fals Sort not with foule persons
and evill workes Psa. 1. 1. and 2 Cor. 6. 17. Touch no uncleane thing but hate the workes of them that fal away 2 Pet. 1. 4. To attaine or retaine the godly nature thou must flye the corruptions of the world through lust A man that would keepe his clothes cleane will not runne into a flaxdressers shop 4 Soundly reforme thy owne uncleannesse wash unto cleannesse An hypocrite may draw out water and wash but there followes no reformation or cleannesse he slubbers and sluts up the businesse and leaves the soyle in But sound reformation brusheth off moats as well as palpable foulnesse appearances of evill as well as apparant evils nor will it stay waiting when soyle will goe off of it selfe but will force it off He knowes it will not leave him but he will leave it What himself sees not or cannot shun he will be glad if another tell him and help him to be rid of it And from thy selfe help to cleanse all about thee Greeve for the abominations and foulenesse of others which thou canst not helpe and for the slaunder of Gods religion by it So David Psalme 119. 136. and Ieremy 5 Observe and make right use of Gods afflictions for when Gods children are loth to be at the paines to clense their garments the Lord himselfe is faine to play the Landresse as once when he washed Ierusalem he whitens them againe by afflictions Dan. 12. 10. As a Fuller washeth and cleanseth a cloth by beating it so doth the Lord. Thou mightest save the Lord some labour and thy selfe some blowes If wee would judge and cleanse our selves wee should not be judged of the Lord. 6 Pray with David Let no man be ashamed because of me What a griefe were it to heare the Papists and scorners to triumph because of thee What a woe that thy pride covetousnesse swearing drunkennesse which professest goodnesse should cast dung in the faces of all Gods Children Doth not offence of one bring woe enough but that with offence of God thou shouldest scandalize all And were it their names only it were a lesse sin but the name of God through their sides is wounded and blasphemed And the Moone was under her feet Here is the second propertie of this woman Where 1. the meaning 2. the doctrine In the meaning two things 1. What is meant by Moone 2. what by under her feet 1 The Moone is not properly taken but by a Metaphor or borrowed speech For this elegant Prophecy of the Revelation is as full of mysteries us of sentences yea as of words The Moone therefore signifieth the world and all earthly things which are aptly compared to the Moone in foure things 1 In inferiority The Moone is the lowest of all celestiall bodies and betweene the Sunne and Moone is no comparison So the world and the externall blessings of it are the least and lowest of Gods blessings neither is there any comparison betweene heavenly and earthly things as there is no proportion betweene sublunary and superlunary things 2 In mutability and ever-changing inconstancy If she increaseth she decreaseth as fast if she be now in the full she is presently in the wane if she shine a few nights that brightnesse shall in a few dayes be turned to blacke darknesse and never is she seene two nights together with one face So all worldly and earthly things are of as round a figure as the Moone unstable and in nothing constant but in inconstancy 1 Ioh 2. 17. The world passeth away and the lust of it yea and the lustre that is whatsoever is desirable in it 3 In her spots and obscurity For the Moone in her chiefe shining is clouded and specked with black spots and a darknesse within her obscureth her so are all worldly things The greatest wealth of the world is spotted with many wants cares feares The greatest glory with sad adversity and some sense of miserie The most delicate pleasures are but bitter-sweet and moth-eaten and very baites covering mortall hookes And all the desirable things the world affordeth cannot supply a light and comfort without some darknesse Not so the sunne and the Churches Sun is a brightnesse and blessing with which God ads no sorrow 4. In the end and use For by Gods ordinance the Moone is set to governe the night as the sunne to rule the day So the profits and pleasures and worldly comforts serve for our use and benefit while wee are in the night of this world and in this vale of darknesse covered with vailes of sinne and clouded and compassed with the darkenesse of calamities the fruits of sinne But the Sunne rising there is no need of the Moone So when that blessed Sunne of righteousnesse shall rise in his glory upon us and wee shall walke in that blessed light of heaven there is no need of the world or worldly comforts That blessed Sun shall swallow up and drowne all the lights of these candles and the Moone it selfe As that holy woman and Martyr going to her death said I goe now to a place where money beares no mastery Rev. 21. 23. That Citie hath no need of the worlds sunne nor Moone for the glory of God and the Lambe is the light of it And ch 22. 5. There shall be no night there nor any use of a candle c. for the Lord gives them light Where the Sunne never sets what need the Moone Isa 60. 20. 2 In the treading the Moone under her feet 1. What is meant by feet 2. What to tread under feet For the first Feet are often taken in Scripture Metaphorically and signifie the affections desires cares endeavours Because as the feet carry the body are the instruments of motion So these carry our minds to and fro For the mind is borne about by the affections as the body by feet Ecc. 4. 17 When thou entrest into the house of God looke well to thy feet Prov. 4. 27. Remoove thy feet from evill that is affect not in desire act not in endeavour For the second The treading of the Moone under the feet of this woman is in one word the contempt of the world And hath in it three things in the phrase implyed 1 A disaffecting of earthly things and a contempt of things below For we shew our disrespect and base account yea a casting out of our affections the things we tread under our feet 2 A mind elevated and lifted above the world and all earthly things The womans affections are set above them all as wee stand wholly above the things which we cast under our feet 3 A setled and undaunted resolution against the varieties and changes of crosses and afflictions swallowing and digesting yea stoutly contemning the calamities and adversities as well as the prosperitie of the world and by no meanes will suffer her selfe to be divorced from her Sunne And this was the very estate of the Virgin-Primitive Church next after the Apostles which