Poeticall Fictions as farre as they exceed the Truth Their Tenet is that the Bread is transubstantiate◠into the body of Christ No marvaile if they who crash their Saviour betweene their teeth make no bones to crush their Soveraigne No marvaile if those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 GOD-eaters that make and bake their GOD and champe him when they haue done prooue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MAN-eaters worse then Cannibals STATE-devourers What may they not doe to advance the Catholike Cause I shall not need to aggravate their Crueltie Trecherie their owne Acts proclaime it to the World Store of this Coyne is dayly Minted at ROME New proiects are daily forged on the Anvills of the Iesuites braines So iust is it with GOD to giue them over that their owne tongues and handes should be the chiefe Heralds to blazon the barbarous and savage disposition of these Blood-suckers to the whole World Thus doe they paint themselues in such Orient colours that no Oratour can more liuely set them out whose Mercy is Crueltie Pietie Butchery Religion Vide Acts of Parliam Witnesse Garnet and others who being iustly executed for Traytors in England are Canonized for Saints at Rome Faction Devotion Sedition whose Zeale is Fire Prayers Powder Teares Death Martyrs Traytors Saints Devils Incarnate But my lines swell I must breake off though abruptly least the garment proue too wide for the bodie least the Preamble exceed the Treatise Iudge 〈…〉 THE TRIVMPH OF THE CHVRCH OVER FIRE AND WATER ISAIAH 43.2 When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee When thou walkest through the Fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee IN this Chapter wee receiue some Sermon-notes the Preacher was Isaiah the Hearers the Inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem The Sermon is worthy such a Teacher for descent of the blood-royall for Oratory he goes beyond all the Prophets of his time in elegancy of stile His discourse begins as learned Iunius obserues at the two and fortieth Chapter and reaches to the foureteene Verse of this Chapter which howsoever vniustly out and dismembred from the former must be redintigrated and added to the precedent Chapter to make vp a full and entire discourse The maine passages of his speech may be reduced to three Heads A Propheticall Prediction A sharpe Reprehension A sweete Consolation In his Prediction this Evangelicall Prophet and Propheticall Evangelist not vnworthily so stiled by some of the Antients as having the Honor of all that ever went before him in his cleare Revelations seeming rather Histories of what was already past then Prophesies of such things which after many Centuries of yeares were to be accomplished giues a liuely and excellent description of the Messias from the last Verse of the fortie-two Chapter to the seaventeenth of this Chapter 1. His Qualification in the administration of his office Verses 1.2.3.4 2. His Commission to warrant the execution of his office grounded on the vocation of his father from the fifth to the ninth verse 3. The reciprocall office of the Church towards Christ breaking forth into Songs and Hymnes of prayse and thanks-giuing verses 10.11.12 4. The effect of all in respect of the Church and the enemies of the Church which are layd downe inner so ordine The last first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Touching his enemies their Confusion is threatned in a high Rhetoricall straine vers 13.14.15 Touching the Church her Conversion is promised in a Metaphoricall allusion vers 16.17.18 Then he fals very appositly by way of interrogation into a sharpe Commination his second maine passge laying downe the sinne first the blindnesse and heedlesnesse of those carelesse and secure both Priests and people who profited nought neither by the mercies nor iudgements of the Lord ver 19.20.21 The iudgements next which for the further aggravation of their sinne and punishment are amplified first from the Greatnesse of them in many phrases very Emphaticall they were robbed spoyled snared made a prey vers 22. the wrath of God poured vpon them like water consumed them like fire vers 25. Secondly from their senselesse stupiditie they could not reade the indignation of God in those desolations so much is intimated in the question propounded vers 24. Who gaue Iacob to a spoyle So much is expressed in the reason annexed vers 25. He set him on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he layd it not to heart Now least the children of God should be discouraged and frighted too much with those blowes that were dealt so thicke among the wicked hee hastens with all speede to strengthen the heart of the righteous and reacheth them this Cordiall to reviue their drooping spirits But now sayth the Lord c. The Prophet to approue himself a wise workeman giueth mercy to whom mercy iudgement to whom iudgement belongs and as hee had shewed himselfe a right Bonoarges a Sonne of thunder so now hee will approue himselfe a true Barnabas a Sonne of consolation He was not so terrible in his Commination but hee will be as sweete in his Consolation This Consolation is deliuered by way of Iniunction feare not Then the reason is annexed or certaine grounds propounded why we should not feare from verse the 2. to the 14. verse The reasons are drawne partly from The Nature of God His Workes From his Nature he is Iehovah constant to himselfe euer as good as his word From his workes Past Future Past he instances in three great and grand workes of Creation Redemption Vocation Future of Direction he would guide them through the Water Future of Protection he would guard them in the Fire All this Summarily propounded in the first and second verses The Iniunction or inhibition is repeated v. 5. The Arguments of confirmation they also are againe and againe vrged by former experiences and proofes of the power providence and goodnes of God v. 3.4.5.6.7 c. Notable it is to consider how these promises are pressed iterated inculcated such is the diffidence of our nature that in our extreamities wee are apt to reiect all comfort and therefore the Lord by his Prophet labours to force them on vs. I haue dwelt too long in the confines and borders now let vs draw neare to the body of my Text Consider briefly the scope and parts of it These wordes carry in them a promise of Protection an engagement royall where in the Great Lord of Lords King of Kings the High Mighty Monarch of Heaven and Earth giues a safe convoye to his Spouse passing through the Arabian desert the vast and roaring wildernes of this world that notwithstanding all oppositions and encounters of fire and water he would set her safe in the Heavenly Canaan This is the sum The parts into which the sentence naturally breakes it selfe as the principall branches are two Behold here the wrastling of Iacob the Conquest of Iacob after
with vs striken a firme League Hee hath taken vs for his people Hosca 1.10 wee chalenge him for our God Let vs but keepe to him he will not start from vs. Let the Church of God euer magnifie the riches of his super abundant grace that ladeth vs with his blessings and not onely cherisheth vs with the remembrance of old fauours but doubles the Benefits by giuing them as pledges of future and greater As the first fruites promised a plentifull crop and as the earnest though small assureth vs of the whole bargaine so the least mercy is great in this that it is but the first fruites but a beginning but an earnest a pledge of more and greater Thus may we in generall in particular if the fault be not our owne from that wee haue already receiued promise to our selues farre greater matters for the time to come But what doe I staying so long in the skirtes let vs now as Moses ascended Mount Nebo Deut. 32.4 so climbe this Mount in my Text and there take a double prospect first we may looke backward and there view the Israel of God now passing through the Red Sea now stung with fiery Serpents in the wildernes of this World wee may then looke forward and see them victorious ouer fire and water in their heauēly Canaan like their Lord and Master as here crowned with thornes so there crowned with victory and glory It seemes good to their heauenly Father to entertaine them wit stormes first and after they haue runne some dangerous hazards to bring a gracious calme The affliction of Ioseph is not nakedly propounded but notably amplyfied from the certainty the variety the extremity of it The certainty is intimated this the Lord takes for granted that his Spouse must through fire and water When thou passest c. As if the Lord had expressed his minde in other tearmes Mistake me not I neuer entended to secure my chosen wholy from danger or to set them out of the reach of affliction that the water should not touch them nor they touch the water at the fire should not come neare them nor they come neare the fire but to get my selfe a name and glory to magnifie my power and pitty by securing them in the water that the flouds shall not over-flow them by securing them in the fire that the flame shall not kindle vpon them The Saintes must haue their Purgatory on earth that of water to wash off the filth and soile contracted by sinne that other of fire to purge out the drosse of corruption The Conclusion standes as firme as Heaven and Earth The Church Militant while shee remaines in this vaile of teares and valley of misery is not priviledged from miseries and calamities Let her be the Darling of Heaven the favorite of the great King the worke of his hand his Redeemed his adopted his Beloved one no bonds no entirenes with God can plead an exemption Shee is the Lords Shippe his Marchant-royall and therefore must expect stormes while shee Sailes on the tempestuous Sea of this world His Lilly and therefore must grow in the midst of thornes his Rose and therefore must be enuironed with prickles his Gold and therefore must be cast ever and anon into the fiery furnace his Campe-royall and therefore must be ever skirmishing his vine and therefore ever and anon must be pruned This is the place of her Labour no rest from her labour till her worke be at an end no end of her worke till an end be put to these dayes of sinne Blessed are they that die in the Lord Rev. 14.13 for they shall rest from their labours So much was shadowed out and typified by the Riding of Noahs Arke on the Waters by the smoaking fire-brands Gen. 7.17 Gen. 15.17 presented to Abram by the wrastling of Iacob Gen 32.24 Exod. 3.2 by the Burning Bush presented to Moses so much is plainly expressed by our Saviour In the world you shall haue trouble Ioh. 16.33 He that will be my Disciple must take vp his crosse and follow we The ground hereof may be drawne partly from the appointment of God partly from the malice of Satan partly from that correspondence which should ever be maintained betweene the Head and the Members First It is that Decree enacted by the High Court of Parliament in Heaven a Statute more firme then the Lawes of the Medes and Persians that the way to Heaven shall be strawed with crosses that every one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer persecution This is that thorny path which is chalked out as the common Rhode leading to Glory No man must expect two Heavens one here another hereafter Would you know the ground of this Sanction though his Will be a Law Sic volo sic iubeo stet pro ratione voluntas Eccles 8.4 though it be a saucinesse to say to the King much more to the King of Kinges What doest thou Yet sith the wise God is pleased to condescend so farre vnto our weakenes as to yeeld an account of his actions know it tends much to his glory and the good of the Saints It tends to the Glory of his wisedome that fetcheth light out of darknes life out of death Heaven out of Hell to the glory of his power that brings strength out of weaknes So the Oracle to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee My power is made perfect through weaknesse It turnes to the good of the Saints who are corrected with his children that they might not be condemned with the world Prov. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 Revel 3.19 Prov. 22.15 Whom the Lord loues he chastens There is much folly bound in the heart of the childe as that Mirror of wisedom giues out in his select divine Aphorismes but the rod of correction will fetch it out Blessed is the Man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest thy Law so David the Father of so wise a Sonne These Nocumenta are Documenta his Corrections are Instructions Wee see by experience these Starres shine brightest in the darkest night these sheepe thriue best in the saltest Marshes and tread surest in the roughest way Vide Christians soveraign Salue for euery Soare these Diamonds glitter most in the night this corne is purest from chaffe when vnder the staile these torches blaze most when they are most beaten Abrams faith Iobs patience Davids Repentance Salomons Recantation Manassehs humiliation all these with thousand more giue evident demonstration that the graces of the Spirit like the Arabian Spices never yeeld a more fragrant smell then when they are punned and bruzed together in the Morter of Affliction This is the first reason God hath appointed it and that for his glory and our good Deus enim adeo bonus est vt nihil mali sineret nisi etiam adeo esset potens vt ex quolibet malo possit elicere bonum Thus Austin Such is the
flame so vnsatiable it is that nothing but the heart-blood of the Lambe will content those rauenous Woolues Consider their cruelty as for craft they are foxes and for subtilty Serpents so for cruelty roaring ramping Lions that will leaue no designe be it neuer so barbarous vnattempted but will prosecute it to the vtmost of their power Consider their sedulitie as the Devill their Master himselfe goes about continually seeking whom hee may deuoure so his Impes they compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselite of their owne and to render him ten-sold more the childe of the Devill Their Enemies are many their name is Legion their enemies are mighty Ephe 6.12 they fight with Principalities and Powers which are in high places no marueile if their troubles be many and mighty Their enemies are many and mischeiuous cruell and barbarous needes must their tryals be many their case grieuous their estate dangerous Finally they may thanke themselues for it their sinnes are many their sinnes are mighty many sinnes cause many afflictions mighty sinnes procure mighty troubles Lay not the blame then on Religion but on thy Corruption Gods dearest children will venture on noisome meate and hurtfull poison they will drinke downe the very gall of Aspes they will be walking neare Hels mouth their Father therefore takes them by the heeles and makes them belieue he will throw them in They will bee dallying with the fire no marueile if they be scorched with the flame they will be running into the water no marueile if they be drenched in the waues they will be laying the Serpent in their bosome no marueile if they be stung with that Scorpion They defile them selues with grosse sins and therefore must haue much washing they take in the deadliest poison and therefore must haue working Physicke while coruption is so strong let them looke for it many and mighty corruptions will procure many and mighty afflictions Vse 1 The emprouement is made by the Apostles 1. Pet. 1.7 chap. 4.13 thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tryall so Peter Count it great ioy when you fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into divers temptations so Iames. Iames 1.2 If wee passe vnder seuere sharpe corrections and be forced to drinke of gall and wormewood this is no new thing Those whom hee loues most hee corrects most and if wee feele not the rod at all Heb. 12.8 well may we suspect we are bastards not children when wee reade of the troubles of David when we heare of the afflictions of Ioseph when we heare or see or reade of the calamities of our Brethren let it not dismay vs too much What though the Churches in Bohemia in the Palatinate in the Low-Countries be now floating in the midst of the water What though in the midst of the fire in thee furnace What if that fire which was kindled in Bohemia which flamed in France which hath burnt vp and deuoured the Palatinate some sparkles thereof should fly ouer-sea quod omen Deus avertat which God forbid why should they or we thinke much to pledge our Sauiour in that cup which he began to vs hee dranke the very lees and dregges of that mixed wine we doe but sip and tast the top of it Let our troubles be neuer so many Christs were more neuer so great Christs were greater He went through the water when he sweat drops of blood he went through the fire when like that good Phoenix he continued on the crosse fluttering his winges ouer the burning coales of his Fathers indignation till by suffering the extremitie of it he quenched that flame with his owne blood which els had burnt to the bottome of Hell Vse 2 This secondly affoords Comfort as to all the members of Christ in particular who 〈◊〉 are baptized whether Baptismo sluminis or baptismo slaminis with this Baptisme of fire or water so especially to these our Churches and this our State of Great Britaine in Generall If the mightie God of Iacob had not called vs by name and given to this Ioseph that parti-coloured coate the livery of his loue the Covenant of grace wee should neuer haue beene so maligned by Satan so hated of the world so persecuted by Sea and Land so driven through fire and water wee should never haue beene hated so mortally handled so cruelly butchered so barbarously plotted against so divellishly If any Nation vnder the Cope of Heauen can apply this prophecie this promise to themselues wee may challenge it and finde it verified literally spiritually euery way of these Churches of this State wee haue gone through the fire Psal 129.1.2 and through them water Many a time haue they afflicted me from my youth vp may England now say many a time haue they afflicted mee from my youth vp Remember Edom may England cry remember Edom O God which said Downe with it downe with it even to the ground wee will raze out their name and memoriall from vnder Heaven True indeede while wee carried the marke of the Beast in our foreheads while wee bare like Balaams Asse that Balaam of Rome and suffered his intolerable exactions giuing vp our selues our states goods soules as slaues and vassals of Antichrist who but the English Who more favoured at the Court of Rome While our treasure was inexhastus puteus as that Pope scoffingly a Mine that could not be dreined that which the Indies are to Spaine that was England to Rome now wee were his Holines white Sonnes he our Ghostly father what blessing had we from him What Immunities What red hattes What Indulgences What not the Devill smiles while he is pleased but ever since the time of Reformation so couragiously attempted by King Henry the eight so devoutly prosecuted by that Noble Iosias whose early holines King Edward the sixth and timely seeking of the Lord deserues an everlasting Monument so happily seconded promoted after some interruption by our famous Deborah that late match-lesse peere-lesse Queene of ever blessed memory Queene Elizabeth so constantly perpetuated consummated and to this day continued by our most wise and Renowned Soueraigne Lord King IAMES Ever since wee haue shaken off that thousand times worse then Egyptian bondage ever since wee brake off that iron yoke of Babel that so long held vs vnder the Devill hath shewed himselfe in his likenesse what Buls haue roared from Rome What Excommunications What Anathema's haue bin Thundred out by that Man of sinne What cursings with Bell Booke Candle How haue wee beene adiudged for Heretickes sentenced to flames reputed worse then Infidels then Dogges Vide Dr Hall One of their Iesuites giues vp himselfe for damnd if such Heretickes as wee can be saued How is it made a meritorious Act a worke of super-errogation to murther our King to blow vp our State to desolate and depopulate our Kingdome Many haue beene our Troubles many and great many secret conspiracies many open incursions many forraine attempts of enemies abroad many