For 1 What was the Church in the cradle and beginnings of it Was it not a true Church and yet had no Antiquity 2 Antiquity is either in time or in truth To plead antiquitie of time and lose antiquity of truth as they have done is but antiquity of error rejected by the Scriptures and Fathers And errour was borne into the world the same day with truth and is in time almost as ancient 3 If antiquitie in time must carry it then not Rome can be the true Church but Antioch where we are sure the Apostles taught and whence was the first name of Christians Nay Jerusalem must be the Mother-Church because from thence was the Gospell preached to all the Gentiles Acts 1. 8. 4 They challenge antiquitie as falsely as the former note for their whole doctrine departing from ours is a novelty never heard of in the Church for the space of sixe hundred yeares after Christ. Never was nor will be answered that famous challenge of the Iewell of Bishops who cals but for one testimony out of pure and unsuspected antiquity for the space of the first sixe hundred yeares after Christ for any one of the seaven and twenty points propounded and never any such was brought till this day Neither have they been at leasure now above twenty yeares to answer that famous probleme of that blesse Saint Mr. Perkins in which he avoucheth it impossible for any Papist in the world to prove out of the true writings of Fathers and Councells and out of the true sense of those writings that the now Romane faith wherein it differeth from the reformed Church is the Catholike faith and substantially cleareth it in sixty two points of difference between us What a number of points might I alledge wherein they are gone both from the Scriptures and their owne writers and as many for which they have no Scripture but the Churches authority Auricular confession the Canon Law saith it is by a tradition of the Church and by no authority of old or new Testament For the not marriage of Ministers Bellarmine and Cassander confesse it to be an humane institution Cassander and the Councel of Trent call it onely an Ecclesiasticall decree For the Communion in one kind their owne Cajetane confesseth that the contrary custome endured long in the Church and they had cuppes for the nonce to serve the people with wine For their Transubstantiation Tonstall saith No man was bound to beleeve it till the Lateran Councell which is not much above foure hundred yeares agoe And Bellarmine himselfe saith there is no Scripture to enforce it but the Churches determination Why do they brag of antiquity and confesse so many novelties His third note is perpetuitie and duration Indeed the same note with the former increasing the number numbering not the number numbered For 1 Tares must continue with the wheat till harvest must they therefore be wheat for their perpetuity And Antichrist hath continued a long time since the Apostles dayes and shall till Christ at his appearing abolish him doth this make his Synagogue a true Church 2 Time was when there was a true Church and yet this could be no note of it and time shal be when by their confession their Church shall faile and not endure to the end Ribera on Rev. 14. Rome is called Babilon because at the end of the world she shal be the shambles of all Idolatry and the kennell of Antichrist So as this by their doctrine is no proper but a separable note from the Church 3 The true Church and Mother Church hath and ever shall continue in the world though not in outward pomp and glory yet in that inward and spirituall beauty and glory which she shall not lose though she be in the wildernesse and sit sometimes defolate as a widow When this true Church loseth her visibility she loseth not her being no more then the Sunne ceaseth to be risen when it is hid under a cloud The fourth note to know this woman saith Bellarmine is multitude and amplitude As deceitfull as any of the former besides that it is the same with his first For what difference betweene Catholike and universall For 1 That was a true Church of two in Paradise When also it was in one family before the flood In the flood consisted but of eight persons In the Old Testament in one little kingdome In the New was but a little flock Luk. 12. 32. August saith The Church was in one Abel in one Henoch The Papists themselves say that in the time of Christs passion the true Church and faith was preserved onely in the Virgin Mary which is false but yet a strong argument against them that hold multitude a sure signe of a true Church 2 Multitude is a streame that the Church must row hard against unlesse we be sure it be the truely beleeving multitude Sathans number infinitely exceeds Christs must it therefore be the true Church That one sect of Mahomet is farre more numerous then all the Romane religion by their note that must be the true Church and not they Time was when the whole world was made an Arrian and scare five Orthodoxe Bishops to resist it and they also persecuted shall the generall spreading and infection of it prove it no poyson Antichrist at his comming drawes multitudes after him by strength of delusion 2 Thes. 2. 9. And this is their Romane Antichristian religion drawing multitudes because it is a naturall religion but turnes them not from darknesse to light not from sinne to God We conclude or rather exclude this note with Athanasius against those Arrians They have the multitude we the faith Let their multitudes goe in the broad way we must walke in a narrow way which a few onely finde His fift note is succession of Bishops A false and deceitfull note For. 1 A false Church may have succession of person onely as Caiphas succeeded Aaron and yet abandoning truth and rejecting the head must needs be a false Church 2 The first Evangelicall Churches were true Churches but wanted their succession unlesse they will say that Christ and his Apostles succeeded the Scribes and Pharisees If a Church may be a true Church without and before succession how can succession be a note of a true Church 3 Right succession is twofold First externall secondly internall or personall or doctrinall Where both succession of Chayre and doctrine concurre there is a true succession But in the Church of Rome is neither I Not of doctrine because they hold not Apostolike doctrine The doctrine of the now Church of Româ— being cleane contrary to that it was when Paul wrote to the Romans as might appeare in a number fundamentall points II Not of Seate First because they never proved nor can prove that they have the seat of Peter or that ever Peter
sate at Rome he being the Apostle of the Circumcision Secondly if they could prove it Ambrose tells us They have not the succession of Peter Thirdly Platina a Papist noteth above twenty scismes which have disturbed the series and succession of their Bishops 4 For our Churches reformed we have the true succession of Apostolike doctrine and the right consanguinitie of their doctrine As for personall succession a thing not to be much stood upon yet we are sure we want not though it was not alwaies so apparant for God never wanted a Church in earth There never wanted some in all ages who have made profession of the true faith as that notable booke of Catalogus testium veritatis plainely proveth And no doubt a many more were stirred up in the darkest ages of Popery whose mention and memory were prevented from us while Antichrist ruled both the rost and records Now of all these notes and their fellowes which are like these I will adde but two testimonies of Bellarmine against Bellarmine The former that The Scripture teacheth which are the notes of the Church but The Scripture no where teacheth these Therfore These are no notes The secoÌ„d that al these notes make it not evideÌ„tly true but evidently probable that the Romane Church is the true Church Mark that for all his braving and coppie he sets on the matter his conscience tels him and us that all these fifteene markes have no certainty in them to lead us to the true Mother Even as he fumbled in the great point of justification by workes flying from all his five bookes in the conclusion as a man who suffered wracke of his cause in the very haven And the like he did in the disputing of the Popes temporall authority which made the Pope study to suppresse all his bookes Yee see what confidence the greatest Pillars of Popery have in their owne cause Qu. Seeing that by the Popish notes we cannot know the true Mother by what sound and infallible markes may we know her An. Wee will propound five fitter notes then theirs This true Mother therefore is to be knowne 1 By her face 2 By her voice 3 By her qualities 4 By her marriage 5 By her carriage and behaviour 1 The best way to know any person is by the face The face of a true visible Church is discerned by 1 The sincere preaching and professing of the word of God 2 The due and pure administration of the Sacraments according to that word 3 The exercise of government and discipline appointed in the word The first of these is absolutely requisite to the being and face of a Church The two later serve for the beauty and stability of it By this face Christ will have his spouse discerned Joh 8. 30. If yee abide in my word yee are verâ—ly my Disciples And chap. 10. his sheepe are knowne by hearing his voice and following him Besides all will grant that where Christ is there is the Church but where two or three consent in his name there is he Mat. 18. 20. Thus we know our Mother by her face because she continueth in the doctrine of the Apostles as that beautifull Church did Act. 242. A wart or two or a few freckles make her lose some beauty but not her face She heares the voice of her wel-beloved and a stranger she will not heare She heares not unwritten traditions nor fables and dreames of men nor Councels nor Fathers nor decrees of Popes nor the voice of Antichrist but stickes to the pure word of God as the onely decider of all cases and the onely umpire in all doubts and questions concerning faith or life 2 The second note of this Mother is her voice and speech She speakes in the language of Canaan She enjoynes nothing nor commands in her family any thing but what she hath direction for from her husband revealing his will in the Scriptures As the Moone shines onely in the light received from the Sunne So the Church ruleth in the night of this world by vertue of her husbands directions Farre is she from challenging a power above the Scriptures far from conceit of giving authority to them who hath all her authority from them She disclaymeth all the commandements and Canons of the Church so called and dares impose no yoakes where her husband hath left her children free She conceives her selfe so the spouse of Christ as that she stil remaineth the haÌ„dmaid of the Lord you shal never heare her disgrace the Scriptures by calling theÌ„ a dumbe Judge a partiall rule a nose of waxe flexible into any form es and senses a dead letter no better then Aesops fables unles she give authority to them This is the voice of the Antichristian harlot who preferres her old lecher not onely above Councels but above the Scriptures as those two Councels of Lateran and Trent did the Pope Who also burne the Scriptures as Antiochus or another Maximinus calling them the bookes of heretikes and their readers in their owne tongue as Scripturers and Heretikes 3 A third note is her vertues or qualities As First she is holy in respect 1. Of holinesse of doctrine which she teacheth The doctrine which she teacheth is Christs owne doctrine Mat. 10. he that heareth you heareth me What she receives from the Lord she delivers She mixeth not hers with false or poysoned doctrine She teacheth not Idolatry nor perjury nor filthinesse of life as the shamelesse strumpet of Rome that bragges of holy Fathers and holy Church 2 In respect of the better part of the visible Church she is holy though not in respect of the greatest part The faithfull are holy though tares and thornes come up with the good seed the envious man doth it but the Church sowes no such tares 3 Whatsoever corruption of doctrine or manners may spring up yet the doctrine remaineth holy and pure and the Church reproveth all such corruptions and urgeth all holinesse of life and conversation Not justifying or defending notorious evils as the Romish strumpet doth Who defended simple fornication to be but as aurem scalpere tolerating infinite stewes in Rome receiving a yearely pension from whores called lactis census of thirty thousand crownes for filth decreeing in one of their Councels under Pope Leo the first that he that had a Concubine or Whore instead of a wife should not be expelled from the Communion if he were contented onely with one Fie upon the filthinesse of that bawdy and filthie religion We must spare chast eares Secondly she is meeke loving patient gentle mercifull Iam. 3. 7. full of good fruits Her weapons are prayers teares patience not fire and fagot Yee shall never heare this woman challenge the two swords nor maintaine her right by fiercenesse and cruelty by inquisitions and massacres by blowing up Parliaments and Kingdomes These barbarous ferities she leaves to that religion whose chiefe City was founded in blood and to
the world and therefore out of his implacable fury he turnes him to another device utterly to extirpate and root all the letters and characters of her honourable name and carry her quite away off the earth as with a mighty flood and current Where are three things 1. What are these floods of filthy waters which this huge Monster casteth after the woman 2. The spring whence they rise and slow out of his mouth 3. The issue and scope of them that she might be carryed away of the flood For the first By floods of water are meant in Scripture extreme perils and deepe dangers and trials whether inflicted by God or men or Satan Sometimes they are inflicted by God Psalm 42. 7. All thy floods and waves are gone over me Sometimes by men stirring up raging tumults against the Church when mighty enemies Princes and people rise in their power fury and unresistablenesse like a flood Esa. 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood Sometimes by the dragon himselfe as here the serpent casts out a flood after the woman Quest. Why are these great tryals compared to floods of waters Ans. 1. For the danger threatning destruction to the Church as the floods of water doe drowning 2. For abundance As many waters gather together into one to make a swift streame or flood so many enemies of all peoples and Countries even all the wicked of the world gather their forces and combine their wrath together against Christ and his Church to make a great and violeÌ„t flood and head to destroy her Rev. 17. 1. Antichrist is the great whore that sits on many waters and these waters are the multitudes nations and tongues all gathered under one head against Christ Verse 15. 3. For their depth these floods seeme as impassable as the deepe sea so as the godly are ready to sinke and can finde no footing Psal. 69. 2. I am come into the deepe waters The Israel of God is often even in the bottome of the sea Ionas was in the deepe waves and weedes And the Church hath often waters of affliction wrung out of a full cup that is a large portion of troubles Psal. 73. 10. 4. For the instance incessant restlesnesse of them for as the waves succeed one another and thrust on one another so doe grievous afflictions one deepe cals another Psalme 42. 7. and the end of one tryall is but the beginning of another 5. For the pride fiercenesse swelling and rushing of many waters for the fiercenesse and pride of enemies is compared to the swelling of waters Psalm 124. 5. then had the swelling waters gone over our soule For the second The spring or fountaine whence these floods flow is the dragons mouth The waters must needs bee filthy which issue from so foule a fountaine And shewes us more distinctly what the waters bee For there is a two fold flood of persecutions cast by the dragon after the woman The former was that bulke of persecutions with which the dragon had infinite wayes vexed the Church in her infancy cradle and even in her riper age such as warre exile fire sword and divers torments But all these darts and keene weapons hee threw out of his hands by which hee forced her into the wildernesse But now the woman is escaped his hands and is out of his reach Which some not well observing expound this flood of actuall persecution by sword and torments which stands not well with her hidden estate But the phrase more properly aimeth at a flood cast out of the serpents mouth and not out of his hands which the woman in the wildernesse hardly escapes Whereby I meane in generall whatsoever poysonfull thing is by Antichrist and his Champions who are the dragons mouth vented and spread abroad for the utter wasting of the true Church and Christian profession if it were possible More specially I take it the Spirit of God here aymeth at three things I. The flood of heresies and poysonfull errors the bitter waters of false doctrines against the foundation and all those troubled waters of Antichristian superstitions and traditions to drowne and oppresse the woman for ever For as the pure doctrine of the Gospell comming out of the mouth of Jesus Christ is that aqua Coelâ—stis or aqua vitae by which the woman is quickned and revived to eternall life So that heretical and poysoned doctrine comming out of the mouth of Antichrist is a bitter and cursed flood of water to drowne the woman if it were possible For as wee doe not exclude those most deadly heresies the vomit of the dragon after Constantine the Arrian heresie the Pelagian Nestorian Eutychian which vexed the Church almost three hundred yeares so doe we especially meane here those Monsters of opinions blasphemies and damnable doctrines against the whole Gospell vented and cast out of the mouth of Antichrist in all the ages of Antichrist till this day so directly bent to carry away the woman as none must buy and sell no nor breathe and live that will not receive and worship the Image and marke of the beast Rev. 13. 15 17. For example Against the Scriptures Antichrist casteth out of his mouth that they are a dead letter a Nose of waxe a breeder of herefies of no more authority than Esops fables without the Churches authority this was godly spoken by Hermanus saith Hosius A Popish Doctor reasoning with M. Tindal boldly said Wee might better want Gods law than the Popes It was objected by Doctor Benet Chancellor of the Bishop of London that the heretikes did read certaine Chapters of the Evangelists in English which containe in them divers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie The like blasphemies he vomits out against Christ as 1 That he is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe Rhemist on Ioh. 10. 3. Who though he be the Son of the Father yet is he God of himselfe Ioh. 5. 26. as the Father hath life in himselfe so also hath the Sonne The word therfore is another person from the Father but not another thing 2 That Christ did penance by fasting solitarinesse and conversing with beasts Rhemist on Mark 1. sect 6. An horrible blasphemie making Christ a sinner for no sinner need no repentance 3 That Christs death is neither the efficient cause nor formall cause of our justification Bellarm. in sundry places but wee are formally made just by a justice inherent in our selves Conc. Trid sess 6. can 10. Rhem on Rom. 2. sect 4. A blasphemous heresie contrary to Phil. 3. 9. not having mine owne righteousnesse 4 That by grace we may truly make satisfaction in some sort ex proprijs of our owne et ad aequalitatem to a full equality et per hoc justè et ex oondigno satisfacere Bellarm. de paenit l. 4. c. 7. A most horrible blasphemie that a man by his own proper workes can satisfie God fully according
to the exact rule of justice contrary to Iob. 3. 9. None can answer God one for a thousand Neither can he blinde us as he doth himselfe by saying accedente gratia Dei for Gods grace and satisfactory works are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can never stand together Rom. 11. 6. if of grace not of workes 5 That a Priest may properly forgive sinnes as Tecellius the Popes pardoner openly proclaymes in Churches and elsewhere that although a man had layne by our Lady the Mother of Christ and begotten her with child yet he was able by the Popes power to pardon the fact This horrible blasphemy was the ground of Luthers revolt from Popery 6 That a man having true faith in Christ may be damned Bellarm. de baptis l. 1. c. 14 Against the Apostle in Eph. 2. 10. Wee are saved by faith and Rom. 5. 1. by faith wee have peace with God and our Saviours promise that the gates of hel shall not prevaile against it To these sixe I could adde sixe hundred more to make this flood of Antichristian heresies swell but I content my self with a taste I I. A flood of slaunders and gulfe of reproaches and hellish devises imputing to the Woman and true profession of religion most scandalous opinions and hainous enterprises and all to keepe the Woman under water to get the secular sword drawne against her and to make the Princes jealous fierce and severe against her as the greatest enemie of their estates and royalties Instances of the former Doth not Antichrist out of his mouth send out most false and slaunderous lies as that our doctrine teacheth 1 That the Church hath fayled from off the earth many hundered yeares till Luther 2 That wee condemne all Councells Fathers Antiquity and will onely be tyed and tryed by Scripture whereas wee refuse not to bee judged by men judging according to Scripture and allow the Churches approbation and consent of Antiquity onely holding it absurd that the authority of Scripture should depend upon the approbation of the Church which is the question And this were to make the shine of the sunne dependant on the light of a candle 3 That wee teach God the author of sin even of that treacherous sinne of Iudas Rhem on Act. 2. sect 9. Whereas wee only teach as Scripture doth that Christ was delivered up according to the determinate counsell of God and that God hardneth evill men not as an author of evill but as a righteous judge and not by bare permission but by actuall with-holding his grace and giving them over to the divell to be hardned as a just judgement 4 That wee are enemies to all good workes and hold only faith necessarie nay that we condemne good workes as sinfull pharisaicall hypocriticall Rhem. on Rom. 2. sect 3. whereas wee teach that to justification before God faith is only necessarie but such a faith as worketh by love and that good workes are inseparable fruits of faith signes of justification and a way in which Christians must walke to salvation And many more imputations there are not needfull to be all rehearsed For the latter Have not the Papists in all ages prooved themselves to be the very mouth of the dragon breathing out nothing but their owne poysonfull inventions against our religioÌ„ and sincere Preachers and Professors of the same Have they not published to all the world and do that no sort of men are such enemies to Princes and governement none such disturbers of a setled State and common peace no sect so bad none so unworthy of common favour none such enemies to Laws orders Kingdomes Have they not licked up the spettle of the father of lies and infinitely shamed themselves with lyes and slaunders as blacke as the waters of Styx the river of hell as that Luther learned his Divinity of the devill was borne of the devill and dyed of drunkennesse That Calvin was eaten up of wormes and dyed blaspheming and invocating devills whose life and death was so holy and happy as the dragon must open a wide and impudent mouth to staine the same That Beza dyed reconciled to the Pope and cursed the day he ever knew Protestant doctrine which Beza himselfe lived to confute That Mr. Bucer denyed at his death that Christ was come the whole country and D. Redman preaching at his funerall knowing the contrary and as true as that Mr. Perkins dyed in despaire of whose happy life and death my selfe was an eye-witnesse as true as that those whom they called Puritanes had blowne up the Parliament house III. Another part of this flood is the cruell and bloody Edicts the cruell Constitutions and inhumane Rescripts which they furiously breath-out with such violence and rage as a strong current and flood which hath broken out of the bankes Such as are their Trent-curses for every slight difference in opinion from them Such as are their Spanish barbarous Inquisitions which are as the sharp teeth in the mouth of the dragon Such as their Romish Bulls and cursed excommunications their degradations c. Such as are their six Articles their horrible execrations and abrenunciations and all of that kinde to destroy root out and for ever to drowne the very name and memory of the woman and sound Christian Religion For the third The end of the dragon in sending out this water was to drowne and carry away the woman First The end of all the dragons furie is the destruction of the Church nothing will serve him but drowning his malice stints not it selfe in any mischiefe or hurt he can bring upon her Secondly His wrath once caryed her out of Paradice now he would carry her out of the way to heaven also he envyes not onely her safety and quiet in earth but her salvation in heaven Thirdly It notes a difference betweene the waters sent out by God upon the Church and these of the dragon The floods of God do but water or if any more do but wash the City of God The floods out of the dragons mouth are to wast and destroy the woman and to cary her away from the earth The dragon had made sundry assaults upon the woman before and still Michael had crossed him and against this last hid the woman safe yet so great is his furie and rage and so blind his malice that not observing Gods providence towards his Church he bolts on forward to new enterprises against her Whence learne that Satan and his instruments will never give over their malice against the godly though they have never so ill successe in the same Psal. 1â— 4. Do not workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people as bread q. d. though they do know them Gods people and see by many arguments that God is their God yet they oppresse them with desire and delight even as desirously and greedily as they eate bread when they are hungry Did not Phar 〈◊〉 see that none of his devises succeeded against â—srael
commaund to supply him with whatsoever may make him a great and most puissant adversary Thirdly In respect of head and members he is great in respect both of the joint desire will and endeavour they have to hurt and waste the Church which is great and inexpressible And secondly of their joint power and authority to execute those fiery and wicked wits which is so great so catholike universall and unlimited as no power in earth is comparable and only the powr of God superiour Fourthly The dragon is said here to be great in respect of the great seat and City where this imperiall dragon raigned over all the Kings of the earth Rome that great and mighty Citie as it is called Rev. 18. 10. 1 Great in splendor and beauty as set upon seaven hils for which she is famous in all the world 2 Great in power and authority In Jesus time having command over all the Kings of the earth the eye of the world the Metrapolitan of all the earth Queene of nations and Mistresse of Monarchs The state of Gods people in this world is beset with great mighty enemies as fierce and potent as dragons Thus the Church complaines Psal. 44. â—9 Thou hast smitten us downe into the place of dragons and covered us with a shadow Seing that the Church is to encounter with great dragons and enemies not flesh and blood onely which are mighty without and within us but with principalities and powers and these not only the members of the kingdome of darkenesse but the head and Prince of all the wicked even that wicked one and then all the band led by him among whom there is nothing in sight or expectation but death and danger 1 The Church is described to be as a lilly among thornes These thornes are sharpe and thicke about it to hinder the rooting and the prosperitie and pricke the Lilly in the name and profession And how weake a thing is a lilly to defend it selfe from the prickly thornes And Christ sends out his servants as sheepe in the midst of wolves weake and silly creatures in comparison of them 2 The world which alwaies lyeth in wickednesse is no changeling it is a very Egypt to the Israel of God not onely oppressing them with cruell burdens and taskes but a breeder of fell and hideous dragons and most poisonful monsters tyrants hypocrites heretickes partly by secret traynes to infect and poyson holy doctrine and conversation and partly by manifest assaults to sting and wound theÌ„ in their names profession yea by tyranny persecutioÌ„ to threaten with present death every moment And as the Church was once so it is ever in the world as in a wildernes the wicked inhabitants of which are as so many wild beasts and dragons among whom is no hope of truce or composition 3 The Lord will have his Church thus beset with great dangers That First She may be throughly tryed and winnowed Rev. 2. 10. Secondly Have experience of her owne weaknes to be humbled Thirdly Depend upon the strength of God in her combate to quicken prayer Fourthly To take notice of the worke and victory of grace with the issue of faith and patience which can conquer so great enemies Fiftly To make heaven sweete after so many feares sorrowes and sufferings when the enemies whom their eyes have seene they shall never see more 4 The Lord sees often just cause in the Church and members to afflict them with such fell dragons and scorpions for seldome is the Church cast into the place of dragons but meritoriously justly seldome doe common calamities by tyrants come on the Church but the ambition covetousnesse and contention in teachers or else the earthlinesse securitie or lustes and loosenesse of professours went before Object How stands this with Christs legacie My peace I leave with you c. And with his promise My peace none shall take from you Sol. Christ never takes away nec suam nec a suis that is neither his peace nor from his for his peace differs farre from all worldly and externall and wel standeth with worldly affliction all that will live godly must suffer persecution And in the world saith Christ ye shall have affliction but in me ye shall have peace even at the same time For not all the tyrants nor torments of the world can shake out the sweet peace of God and a good conscience as in a cloud of Martyrs it might manifestly appeare And therefore first the greater the enemie is the greater care and watchfulnesse is required on our part 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversarie goeth about like a roaring Lion therefore besober and watch Ephes. 6. we fight against principalities and powers therefore stand in the armour of God And though Christians thinke it too strict to be tyed to a constant watch over their life yet to give up or be negligent in this watch is but to agree with this enemie for thy owne destruction The adversarie is great in power in wrath in watchfulnesse against thee and thou hast no more assured meanes of safety then to set a watch about thy selfe in all times in all places in all companies in all occasions over all thy parts gifts affections speaches actions that thou maiest be able to defend them all with peace of conscience against all accusers and defeate also so great and wrathfull a dragon Secondly Against so strong an adversarie wisdome will seeke to procure the greatest helps and succors that he can Quest. What aides may I procure Answ. First All our help stands in the name of the Lord. Fly to God for protection for God therefore doth suffer his Church to be beset on all hands with such multitudes of combined enemies and dragous as that she hath no way left but to looke upward for Gods eye to watch her and Gods hand to save her As Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 20. 12. There is no strength in us to stand against this great multitude neither do we know what to do but our eyes are towards thee Get God thy friend to take part against these great dragons Quest. How Answ. 1 By faith Iames 2. 23. Abraham beleeved God and was called the friend of God 2 By obedience Joh. 15. 14. Yee are my friends if you do what I command you This covers a man with Gods protection whereas sin layes Israel naked as in the Calfe and the wiles of Balaam A man that hath so many enemies had not need by sinne to make God his enemie too Secondly Gods Angels are good aydes who have charge over thee so long as thou keepest the way by whose presence Thou shalt walke upon the dragon and tread under foot the young Lion and dragon Psal. 91. that is overcome the strongest and greatest enemies Thirdly Among other parts of Christian armour the sword of the spirit the sheild of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse and a good conscience and there is
Judah in all the 4. quarters of the world Zach. 1. 20 yet vers 21 God hath 4. Carpenters or workmen with tooles and axes to strike off these hornes that is as the dragons hornes are in all quarters to scatter and wast the Church so the Lord hath every where instruments to batter them although the Lord could do it with any one instrument or by never a one yet for the full consolation of the Church he described them to be as many and in as many places to resist and suppresse them 5 Though these hornes of the dragon be many and powerfull yet God doth often turne them one against another as the Midianites swords were thrust into their fellowes sides and shall at length easily and certainly breake all their hornes lifted against him and his Church as in Haman Herod Pharob Iudas Iulian Zenacherib A proofe how he brake in pieces the Antichristian horne in our Fathers daies some persecutors died suddenly as Annanias some with their guts falling out as Iudas some with lothsome excrements finding unnaturall waies by the mouth nostrils some brake their necks some became frantick none escaped without repentance though for a while they held up their heads and hornes aloft Quest. But what meanes may this Woman use against all these hornes for her safty Answ. 1 She must know as all humane power cannot resist those mighty hornes and therefore must utterly dispare of her owne strength for wee fight not against flesh and blood but against spirituall wikednesse also in high places nor against weaklings but against the strong man armed Luk. 11. 21. Who is resolved to keepe his hold against the Prince of the world yea the god of the world and not against one enemie or two but ten horns an infinite army of principalities and powers with all his aids and abettors which are the great and innumerable worldly hornes all at his command against the Church and her Head Jesus Christ What is the world but Satans armorie and our adversaries are not more puissant and numerous as wee are few in number weake in our selves weaker in our sinnes utterly unable to resist their hornes and assaults Impar congressus as Saul to David he is a man of war and the other a stripling therefore we must despare of our strength 2 Fly to the strength of God which wil make us conquerors acknowledge that salvation is the Lords the dragon hath his strength from earth the Woman hath her strength from heaven by prayer David comes to Goliah in the name of the Lord and foyleth him so let us disparing of our selves be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 5. 10. wee shall be able to doe all things through the help of Christ strengthening us Phil. 4. 13. Colos. 1. 11. we are strengthened through him c. 3 The dragon is strong by humane confederacies and alliance we must confederate with God by daily renewing our covenant by faith repentance strengthen our league and union with God who will give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. 4 Leane upon the promise of God who hath undertaken to breake for his Church all the hornes of the wicked Psal. 75. 10. Even all these ten hornes shall be broken distrust not the promise but believe and be safe faith will be an honourable victory for it apprehendeth the power which brought Christ safe from the wildernesse and wild beasts and shall bring the Saints safe through all An admonition to the enemies Psal. 75. 5. Lift not up your hornes high 1 what are they in nature but savage beasts and dragons nay the wildest of the beasts retaineth more goodnesse in his nature then the wicked man doth in his Christ was more safe in the wildernesse among wild beasts then in the world among wicked men the beasts in the wildernesse acknowledge their Lord and hurt not him But if hee come among wicked men Iudas will betray him the Jewes will accuse him Pilate will condemne him the common souldiers will crucifie him Daniell was more safe among the Lions then among his enemies so was Paul too who had better escaped the beasts at Ephesus then the men Lazarus found the dogs more pittifull then Dives The beast knoweth and feareth those that doe him good but these worse then beasts neither know nor acknowledge God nor his people from whose hand and for whose sake they hold all they have 2 What are they in Gods account Obj. He favoureth and prospereth them Sol. Though they seeme to cary all before them and are men of place and power and all men stand in awe of them yet in Gods account they are but beasts amonst men their strength and power but as the raving and pushing of horned beasts 3 How are they crossed in their owne account they shal never have their wils against the Woman nor shall never destroy her faith and fortitude their intended mischiefe shall effect her good By tearing with their teeth they would utterly devoure her but as Ignatius let wild beasts teare and grind her it is but to make fit bread for the Lords table 4 Though now Papists and Antichrists hornes be lifted up God seeth and sustereth and smileth he seeeth and hath let his servants see their day comming the sins of the Church do a little while put it off but Gods word is as a hatcher lifted up to knocke both the head and hornes and the strong arme of God shall make good his word and ere long these tenne hornes shall hate the whore and make her desolate see Revel 17. 16. And seaven crownes on his heads The 5. and last propertie by which the dragon is described is by his great conquest victories together with his high rule and authoritie which he exerciseth and usurpeth in the world against the Church By crownes or diadems is meant 1. in generall the whole kingdome of darknesse which Satan by the greatnesse of his power usurpeth not upon inferiours and vassalls onely but upon the chiefest Monarchs and potentates of the earth whose crownes after a sort become his crownes 2 The many victories and great conquests which partly by fraud and partly by force he hath carried away amongst earthly Princes and carnall professors for who weare crownes but Conquerors 3 Here especially is meant the supremacy or supreme majesty of the Romane dragon or Empire subduing under it the Princes provinces nations by innumerable victories but especially prevailing against the Church and primative Christians as so many Conquerors The number of the crownes are 7. according to the number of his heads and all his 7. heads are crowned because his subtilties have so often prevailed The dragon usurpeth and exerciseth kingly authoritie and regall power in earth by which he often prevaileth against the Woman the Church This our Saviour teacheth both in the style that he giveth him and also by the
and dependance of the words with antecedents and consequents By the man-childe I understand some potent Prince or Princes or some speciall deliverers whō God stirred upto succour and to relieve the Church against those Tyrannicall Romish Emperors persecutors By whom the dragon was defeated and disappointed whose aime was to devoure all the seede of the woman for these were 1. Sonnes of the Church 2. A man-childe stout strong valiant 3. Ruled over the Nations with a rod of iron viz. an unresistable power and over-ruling the nations and Princes that were enemies to the Church 4. Was taken into the Throne of God that is advanced unto chiefe government for the refreshing and defence of the Church and curbing the rage of those imperiall dragons And running over the story of those times the best commentary of a Prophesie I finde that in the yeare 182 after Christ the Church had tolerable peace under Commodus the Emperour in whose raigne the Gospell was greatly spread Hist. Eccl. cap. 21. but he being no Christian or sonne of the Church but a flagitious man was not this man-childe In Anno 247. the first Christian Emperour was Philip of whom we read that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Church Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 25. I doe not see but now the man childe might begin to be borne Afterward in 319. after the long and bloody raigne of Maxentius of whō the story saith that there was no great City in which 100. Christiās were not daily drawne to execution God raised up Constantine the Great an obedient and loving sonne of the Church and tooke him up to his Throne of government next to himselfe for under God was none greater than he and put into his hand not a scepter of gold onely an ensigne of dignity and regall or rather imperiall authority but a rod of iron the strongest of metals fit to beate downe all before it by which rod hee flew foure savage dragons who stood against the woman Maximian and his sonne Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius and by the same wonne all the West Empire ruled over Italy Spaine France Germany Brittaine besides his dominion in Affrike he restored peace to the Church abolished tyrannicall decrees commanded that none should injure any Christian was himselfe the greatest protector of Christianity that wee reade of in that story To these we may adde the two Theodosi's Christian Emperours and others in authority sonnes of the Church by whom shee was succoured and protected from the dragon in these tyrannicall times Ob. But the Text speaketh but of one man-childe but you interpret it of many Ans. I tie not the man-childe to one individuum or person but to all such set in dignity as God stirred up as protectors and nursing fathers to the tender Church and her babes in these terrible times for these Reasons The manchilde not one individual person but so many Protectors as Christ stirreth up 1. The manner of Prophets in the singular number to set downe a series or row of persons whereof one chiefe is still in being and continued by the succession of many Dan. 7. 17. Foure Kings are not the singular persons but the foure kingdomes and governments in the succession of sundry Kings And foure great beasts vers 3. by every beast is not signified a singular person but a State and succession 1. By the Lyon the Kingdome and successive Kings of the Assyrians and Babylonians 2. By the Beare the kingdome and successive Kings of Medes and Persians 3. By the Leopard the Greekes and Macedonians 4. By the beast with iron teeth and ten hornes the kingdome of Seleucidae and Fagedi 2. In Pauls Epistle 2 Thess. 2. 3. The man of sinne is not one person but a state and row of men who have beene the heads of Apostasie in the kingdome of Antichrist all which make up one man or person after a sort not one in number or nature but one in order succession power will and continuance So in the same Chapter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hinderer of this man of sinne is not one Roman Emperour but the Empire 1. The state and succession of Emperors which was by succession yet the Apostle saith Hee that withholdeth Even as Saint Iohn 2. Epist. 7. cals many deceivers or Antichrists one Antichrist so many men of sinne one man of sinne many withstanders one withstander 3. In the Revelation nothing more ordinary cap. 13. 1. the beast rising out of the Sea is not one person but the state and succession of Antichrist Cap. 17. 9. the seven heads of the beast are so many States and Governments as Christ himselfe confesseth and the whore in verse 1. is not one person but the Romane state departed from Christ to Antichrist and prostituting her selfe to all idolatry and impurity of doctrine and manners the successors of Antichrists Kingdome Cap. 2. 1. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus not one man or Pastor but many for there were many Pastors and Angels therein Acts 20. 17 18. 4. Even in this Chapter wee have described the woman verse 1. not one Church but the succession of the Church in many ages yet called but a woman And verse 3. the dragon in this vision the whole spawne and row of dragons and tyrants raised by Satan against the woman even ten bloody persecutors all called one dragon for reasons you have heard and there is no reason but the manchilde may be as well collectively taken according to the manner of all Prophets and prophesies The dragon watcheth the woman but in vaine for shee bringeth forth for all that The Church shall bring forth children to God in despight of the dragon especially such children as the Text aimeth at to serve his Providence in the defence upholding of his Church Es. 66. 7. Acts 7. 20. Moses was borne in despight of Pharaoh as the circumstance of time there noteth Christ himselfe was brought forth in despight of Herod and all his plots which appeareth most plainely in those children of the Church excellent instruments prophesied of many yeares before they were borne and named of God whom it had besteaded the dragon that they had never beene brought forth if hee could have hindered them as first Isaac in whom all nations should be blessed by that blessed seed that should descend of him whereof he was a type and in whom the birth of Christ was foretold sundry thousands of yeares before it came to passe would not the dragon have hindred both the type and the truth from being borne if hee could so as all Gods promises and the Covenant of Grace in them should have beene falsified by the dragon 1 Kings 13. 2. wee read of Iosiah named before he was borne 323. yeares and of his piety and zeale in destroying dolatry and defacing of the kingdome of the devill and had it not beene much for the dragons kingdome to have hindred his birth if hee could Esay 44. 28.
faire City Moses was bold upon his commission and so maist thou in a good cause and calling 4. Meditate often 1. of Gods promise and this will First assure thee of his gracious presence with thee at all times Secondly supply thee with strength while thou goest forth as David against that great Goliah in the name of the Lord. Thirdly recompence thy labour and suffering for faithfull is hee which hath promised It was a great incouragement to Othniel to adventure himselfe in smiting Kiriah-sepher when Caleb promised hee would give Acsah his daughter to him that would expulse the enemy thence Iudges 1. 12. V. Keepe a good conscience alway before God and all men for this ministreth boldnesse yea makes a man as bolde as a Lyon 1 Peter 3. 13. If wee doe well who shall feare us or wrong us this is our fence and safety 2 Corinthians 1. 12. This is our rejoycing c. Now in that the manchilde is armed with a rod of iron and advanced into the Throne of God for the defence of the woman Wee note concerning Magistracy 3. observations concerning their 1. Power 2. Place 3. End That God putteth into the Princes and Magistates hand a rod of iron viz. an unresistible power Their power is Gods whose the ordinance is Prov. 8. 15. by me Princes rule 2 Chron. 19. 6. The judgment is not mans but Gods 2. Power is in God to maintain his own ordinances which if he upheld not the world must fall Beware of mutinies rebellion and resistance of higher powers Pro. 24. 21. My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with the seditious Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers Considering 1. He that resisteth the power resisteth God as a Gyant Rom. 13. 2. for a man cannot strive against the order of God but also against the God of order as the Lord said of Samuel they have not cast thee but me away 1 Sam. 8. 7. 2. Consider the end of rebellion in Corah Dathan Abiram for the end commeth sodainly and who knoweth their ruine Prov. 24. 21. Ob. 1. But what if they be heathens Sol. They were heathens to whom the Apostle commandeth every soule to be subject Rom. 13. Ob. 2. But what shall Cleargy men be subject to lay men must sheepheards be ruled by sheepe Sol. Aaron was subject to Moses Nathan to David Zadock to Salomon the Romish Bishops to the Christian Emperours as Princes and Magistrates are sheepheards in civill things and Bishops in this respect are under them so in respect of spirituall things Magistrates and Princes are sheepe and Ministers sheepheards Ob. 3. What if they be base men Sol. Resist not respect their function not their person their government is the Lords let the Governour be what he will Ob. 4. But what if wee be Christians are we not then the Lords free men Sol. The Gospell is no enemy to the authority of Rulers neither doth spirituall freedome fight against corporall subjection but establish it 2. Christ himselfe was subject to Parents to Governours paid tribute though he was free resisted not when he was apprehended though he was able having strucke them downe by the power of his Word Ob. 5. But what if they be tyrants oppressors and offer violence Ans. Servants must obey even curst Masters In the Primitive Church Christians suffered under tyrants most grievous persecutions yet never rose up or by armes resisted them indeed subjects may by honest and peaceable meanes avoid their fury as David fled from the fury of Saul and if they be inferiour Magistrates appeale to the superior as Paul to Caesar or take the shelter and helpe of Gods lawes but not rebell nor tumult nor mutiny against lawfull authority And this is the generall truth of Gods word as for any speciall references betweene Princes and people in elective states it is unseasonable now to intreat of Ob. 6. But what if they command unjust and wicked things Sol. In this case saith the Homily of obedience the second part we must undoubtedly beleeve that wee must obey no superior but say as the Apostle Whether is it meet to obey God or you judge you In impious commands wee must obey no Ruler all our earthly Masters must bee obeyed in the Lord as knowing wee have a Master in heaven and yet here must bee no resistance or contemptuous standing out for not to obey impious and unjust commands is no resistance of power when they are ready with patience to endure the punishments unjustly inflicted as Paul and Silas Acts 4. 3. and our owne Martyrs Let now no Papistor Popish person say our doctrine is an enemy to Magistracy but let them carry their owne burthens whose Catechismes are the shops of rebellion and whose treatises are trumpets of treason let English fugitives as Absolon beare armour against their owne fathers let Parsons Sanders Allen and other Seminary Priests by word and writing by perswasion and printing blow the bellowes of rebellion â—ad disobedience to Princes in ordine ad spiritualia yet all the world may know our doctrine by our practice whom the Gospel hath long since taught that God hath put an iron rod that is an unresistible power in the hands of Princes and whatsoever Popish persons prattle our doctrine puts no knife into any Ravillac or Feltons hand to revenge himselfe either upon the Supreme or any sent from him for whatever the Actor was in himselfe hee was so farre theirs as he was of opinion that he might by his owne hand revenge either a publike or a private quarrell for this agreeth with Popish positions as that of Reynolds that Henry the third of France was justly slaine before excommunication for publike sorrowes waite no formes and with that Pope Sixtus the fifth his Laudators Oration of the same murder comparing the fact with that of Phinees and honouring it with solemne processions and it standeth with the practises of Romanists which daily declare by Popish practises that the Pope and Popish Religion is the Arch-rebell in the earth the one lifting up himselfe above all that is called God Kings and Emperors the other teaching to despise the persons depose their Crownes and dispose their kingdoms but they cannot name one Protestant that ever stained our doctrine by the practice of such traiterous positions This concernes their place all Rulers are by God taken up to Gods Throne God himselfe hath set up the visible thrones of earthly Princes and Rulers as a darke representatton of his owne most glorious Majesty upon his owne most glorious Throne 2 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be God who hath set thee on his Throne in stead of the Lord thy God shee saith not on thy Throne but on his where plainly the Kings Throne is Gods Throne Where God is pleased to sit there is his Throne of estate but he pleaseth to sit with them Psalm 82. God sitterh amongst the gods As their Throne is Gods so
who told the Iews Ye are of your father the devill for his workes ye doe wouldest thou do the works of devils and wicked Angels and not be one of them but examine thy selfe bee sure thou beest not so but out of reach of it Quest. How may I doe so Ans. By these and the like rules 1. Wicked Angels hate Christ deadly in his person offices and doctrine In his person he would destroy the Tribe and family whence he should rise by Attalia Antiochus he would slay him new borne by Herod he would destroy him in the wildernesse he would set up himselfe for Christ in Mahomet and Antichrist In his offices by innumerable enemies especially Antichrist who casteth at all he is the head the King of the Church and of the world the chiefe Prophet and Lawgiver In his doctrine he would corrupt his word and falsifie it as to Eve and Christ himselfe in the wildernesse He is the father of lyes Iohn 8. and the envious man that soweth all Tares in the Lords field Dost thou love or hate Christ God forbid we should hate him so said the Iewes in effect Iohn 8. 37. but if his word hath no place in thee thou wouldest kill him as they would if thou keepest his commandements then say that thou lovest him Iohn 14. 21. else the wicked Angels love him as fruitfully as thou 2. Wicked Angels are deadly enemies to Christ in his members they are stil accusing the Saints to God they observe their wayes studies actions watch all occasions time places to hurt them When they can they wil afflict them in their bodies and goods as Iob 1. and compasse all meanes to hinder their salvation were it possible 1 Pet. 5. Art thou an enemy to Christ in his members watchest thou to mischiefe them art thou glad of any colour to wrong them by Thou art an angell of the dragon 3. They are called Belial 2 Cor. 6. if thou beest a sonne of Belial without yoake castest off the yoake and discipline of Jesus Christ as too strict a hater and breaker of good lawes of God and Jesus Christ a stormer at such as are framed to the rules of Christianity say what thou wilt thou art a wicked angel a runner and actor with the dragon against Christ whose rules thou rejectest and scornest 4 They hinder godly men in holy purposes and practices Zach. 3. Sathan stood at Ioshua's right hand Dost thou hinder preaching hearing and practice of piety in thy selfe family servants dost thou disswade from any Christian exercise Christ wil say to thee as to Peter Get thee behind me Satā 5. They are Gods executioners to punish and vexe evill men as Iudge 9. Saul was vexed with an evill spirit Iudas filled with devilish wickednes they are full of effectuall seductions and temptations to bring them to sinne and doe them the service to convey their soules to hell Homo homini Daemon Dost thou tempt to uncleannesse drunkennesse and draw to evill art thou a plague to any one to hold his soule in sinne and helpe him to hell here is the worke and marke of a wicked angel 6. They are very wise and of deepe reach to doe mischiefe both by naturall and acqusite wisedome they have a thousand arts to hurt and deceive they can transforme themselves into Angels of light Art thou wise to doe evill cunning to contrive sinne wiser in thy generation than the children of light thou canst pretēd peace order unity and every good thing when thou intendest the greatest mischiefe here is an angell of the dragon Having spoken of the Actors now to their action and fight Doct. The dragon and his Angels incessantly fight against Michael and his Angels Quest. How doe they fight Ans. Two wayes 1. By open force 2. By secret fraud I. By open force and strong hand 1. By exciting an hardened and wilfull people or person to professe against Christ his members as the Jewes Scribes Pharisees professed against Christ and every one that professed him thus doe the whole Nations of Jewes and Turkes at this day and so the Papists at this day openly professe for Antichrist against Michael and his Angels such champions are every where among us wicked persons sonnes of their father who contest against all the seed of GOD and they would not be as they for a world 2. By open force and tyranny hunting out the profession of Christ either by power Ecclesiasticall by the blast of excommunication see Ioh. 9. 22. and sentence of condemnation pronounced by the diabolicall Synagogue of Antichrist against godly Ministers and persons as against heretikes Or Civill by warre fire sword exile massacre inquisition imprisonment or any other open tyranny by which the sheepe of Christ are scattered or slaughtered Lamentable experience we have in Bohemia France the Palatine and all other Countries where cursed Papists and captaines of Antichrist prevaile II. By fraud or secret Stratagems under-mining the City of God as the Powder Saints and Salt-Potermen did the Parliament House Quest. How doe they this Sol. Foure wayes especially I. In common wealths and kingdomes they fight under-hand against all good order piety common honesty and religious life by setting up Magistrates that care not for religion but would love that Parish best that wanted a Church And by corrupting Magistrates so farre as they can animating them to bend their lawes and edge of authority to the oppressing of the godly and discouragement of religion and piety and making judgement Seates shops of injustice Asyles of iniquity and Sanctuaries for offenders It was a sore fight against Israel when the dragon prevailed with David to number the people it left him fewer to number by 70000. Of all visible wicked Angels the Iesuites who are sworne agents to the Angell of the bottomlesse pit doe carry the bell in provoking the Popish seduced Princes to all barbarous cruelties against the Church II. In Churches wicked Angels and men make battell upon Michael by making wayes and bridges to idolatry and the corrupting of the pure worship of God especially two wayes 1. Either forbidding the maine parts of Gods worship so Pharaoh that dragon forbad Israel to sacrifice and it was but idlenesse so Act. 4. 17 18. 2. Or permitting occasions of Idolatry and setting them up even above the parts of Gods worship as appeareth in the contention of the Devill against Michael about the body of Moses and whence are the Idolatries about the bodies of Saints departed but from the same adversary that then strove with Michael II. The dragon and his Angels fought underhand against Christ in his Ministery and that two wayes 1. By hindering godly Preachers in their course Thus the wicked spirits put forth their power in Iannes and Iambres to resist Moses in his Ministerie and miracles so doe now Popish spirits and prophane persons every where who will bee sure the faithfull servants of God shall want no molestation In the Apostles time there wanted not a
former are such as demonstrate the presence of the strong man The latter such as shew the presence of a stronger than he Of the former sort are five First supine carelesnesse in religion is a signe of the dragons rule the Apostle in Eph. 2. 2. and 12. sets it downe for a note of a man in whom the Prince of the ayre ruleth that he is as an heathen or alien without God in the world an Atheist that cares for no religion or covenant cares not for Christ and his grace contemnes preaching praying Ministery Ministers prefers pigs before Christ as the Gadarens prefers pottage before the blessing as Esau this man is ruled by the Prince of the ayre and much more if thou seest a despiser of religion a scorner of goodnesse one that turnes his backe on the Ministery or gives it his presence but is a sonne of Beliall and will not indure the yoakes of God and Christ this man is apparently under the power of the devill and this cannot but bee a sure signe for 1. Where Christ can have no command the dragon must rule and command 2. Where the Scepter of Christ is resisted which onely casts out the dragon there the dragon is not cast out Were not hee a traytor in an high degree that should wrest the rod or Scepter out of the Kings hand breake it to pieces and tread it under his feet in contempt of his high authority yet so doth every wicked man with the Word the rod of Christs power 3. Where Christ is come hee makes communion with God and a serious seeking after him and therefore where is no seeking after God no fellowship with him Christ never came there A second note of the presence and power of the strong man is blindnesse of minde in meanes of knowledge so saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospell bee now hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that beleeve not and 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of GOD c. When a man can discerne nothing of the things of God and seeth nothing in the Kingdome of Christ desirable or admirable he is in the state of nature under the power of the dragon The reason is because the kingdome of the dragon is a kingdome of darknesse and nothing casts out his power but the entertainment of the light and grace of the Gospell If a man sit in darknesse till this houre that hee shuts out the light offering to shine upon him and contents himselfe with ignorance of minde with hatred and resistance of the light this man sets up and upholds the devils power in his owne heart and here the dragon is not cast out Th◠third note of a man in whom the devill is not cast out is generall disobedience for He ruleth in the sonnes of disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. where sinne raignes the dragon raignes Hee that committeth sin is of the devill 1 Iohn 3. 8. the devill and sinne are cast out together For as a tyrant shewes his power and strength by forcing men to fulfill his lawes and Edicts so this strong man sheweth and upholdeth his state in speciall maner by prevailing temptations and alluremēts by which men fulfill the lusts wil of the flesh and wicked men are carryed as the swine into the lake of sinne Now the dragon stands in his state The fourth note of such a one is ripenesse in sinne when men are not punies in sinne but old sinners not bunglers but active and nimble servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2. 19. This ripenesse discovers it selfe in many unhappy men in whom the dragon beares sway foure wayes 1. By diligence 2. Hight 3. Chearfulnesse 4. Constancy in sinne 1. By diligence following sinne as a trade when a man is at all the appointments and services of sin approving and promoting all that is nought but disallowing and opposing all that is good so farre as he can Diligent servants will breake their sleepe to doe their Masters worke and so will these Prov. 4. 16. see Chap. 1. 15. 2. By the height of sinne for as the Spirit of God drawes the Saints forward in the degrees of grace so the dragon drawes wicked men to the height of wickednesse called Rom. 1. fulnesse of unrighteousnesse and this without reluctation or restraint of the Spirit Thus the devill entred into Iudas and filled his heart with mischiefe whence is it that the foulest sinnes come not amisse to many men but from the power of the dragon who bids his slave resist the Gospell as Elimas and he must doe it commit murder upon his owne brother as Cain scoffe his owne father as Cham sweare and blaspheme as many devils incarnate they must and will doe it 3. By chearfulnesse and delight in sinne our proverbe is Hee must needs runne whom the Devill drives so captaine-sinners make haste to evill and set their delight on it how doe graceles persons rejoyce to promote and compasse sinne in themselves eating it as bread and a sweet morsell Iob 20. and drinking it as a fish drinkes in water and provoke others to sinne to sweare to bee drunken to gaming and playes c were there a drop of grace in them it would disallow such horrible sinnes and stand against them but the stampe of the devill is upon them who rejoyceth in evill and draweth as many as hee can into his owne damnation 4. By constancy and incorrigiblenesse in sinne He that is filthy will bee filthy still as the dragons and devils be and men as devils are loath to be tormented before their time by the doctrine of repentance conversion mortification or holy life This is a sure note of one from whom the dragon is not cast out The fist is strife to keepe out or cast out the Spirit of God resisting the grace of God fighting against good conscience in ones selfe and others when men aredespisers and evill speakers of the way of God can contend with his Saints and haunt with wicked persons how can this but be a sure signe of the dragons holding possession for what other is his worke in the world but to fight against the whole kingdome and glory of God or what is a more manifest proofe of the power and state of a Prince then to command his subjects to fight for his title in all his quarrels Now if these be sure notes of the state and raigne of the dragon many may discerne their woefull condition who thinke well enough of themselves and will defie the Devill in word while in deed and truth he upholds his full power in them 1. How many Christians by profession are no better than Atheists who love not the presence of God neither in their thoughts but abhorre all thoughts of God and barre them out by weekes and months as most unpleasant nor in their soules which cannot endure the presence of Gods
his holds I. In his owne person preaching most divine and effectuall doctrine with such authority and power as never man spake so For Michael carryeth a two edged sword in his mouth so sharpe as that it pearceth and cutteth Leviathan in peeces And this doctrine was confirmed partly with a most holy and innocent life so as when the dragon came he found nothing in him Iohn 14. 30 no power no right no matter to fasten any temptation upon being pure from all sinne both in nature and act partly with most powerfull miracles evidences of his divine person because they were performed by his owne power and such as the dragon could neither resist falsifie or imitate II. In the persons of his servants whether Prophets Apostles or Pastors When the Disciples were sent out into Judea to preach they returned to Christ rejoycing because the devils were subdued and Christ said he saw Satan fall downe like lightning Luke 10. 18. How suddenly the sound of the Gospell was carried into all nations by the Apostles and the world conquered unto Christ appeareth in the Epistles of Paul Then went downe Paganisme Idolatry Atheisme and the walls of hellish Iericho were soone throwne downe by the sound of these rammes-hornes And at this day how doe the faithfull Pastors hold forth the shining light of truth to destroy and cast out heretikes and the numberlesse droves of false teachers and seducers out of the Church for as the devils were not able to withstand one word of Christs mouth in his flesh and infirmity so the same word is no lesse powerfull in the mouths of his Ministers with whom himselfe is present to the end of the world 4. He comes with a powerfull Spirit a Spirit of fortitude and unresistable strength by which as hee upholds the whole frame of the world in the estate of nature so also the whole frame of the Church and the whole state of grace in the world renewed and called out of the world This Spirit is not powerfull onely in the Head to foyle the dragon but in every member also who cast him out and tread him under their feet Rom. 16. 20. 5. He comes with a powerfull arme of justice to revenge and confound all enmities spirituall and corporall this our Ioshua hath set his feet on the neckes of five Kings at once and daily casteth out the dragon by the miserable destruction of tyrants and enemies Neroes Domitians Dioclesians Trajans Valences c. and at last shall make all his enemies his footstoole Now seeing onely the power of Jesus Christ can cast out the dragon let us make much of the presence of Christ and rejoyce in it Magicians have devised many wayes of casting out devils as Amulets Words Characters but all diabolicall Papists have devised holy-bread holy-water salt herbes lights Crosses the word Jesus or some part of the Gospell to charme or exâ—rcise devils of the same diabolicall invention and intention with the former but Christ is present with no such sorceries neither doe they cast downe the dragon but hold him up Satan is not cast out by Beelzebub except by compact and collusion but the Lord hath appointed the holy Ministerie and in it hath promised his presence and in that hee commeth to cast out Satan the way to keep Satan downe is to embrace and rejoyce in an holy and powerfull Ministery This is the hammer of heresies the sword against his temptations the touchstone of errour the whetstone of grace the rule of prayer and a whole armory against all the enterprises of the dragon He that findes the power of the Ministery casting downe the dragons power in his owne soule will sticke to it as to the arme of God nothing shall be of power to plucke him from it being the power of God and the wisedome of God Every man saith hee will cleave to Christ and the power of Christ for he onely can foile the dragon but renouncing the Ministery thou renouncest Christ who hath said Hee that receiveth you receiveth mee and hee that refuseth you refuseth mee Luke 10. 16. Againe note hence the reason why the powerfull preaching of Gods Word is so generally resisted in the world namely because all wicked men whatever they professe are friends with the dragon and chuse to be under his power as for the power of Christ they renounce it and say plainly We will not have this man to rule over us nor endure his yoakes as for example 1. Why doth Satan so oppose the true preaching of the Word but because hee feeles the power of Christ in it haÌ„mering downe his kingdome of darknesse hee stormes not at frothy and foolish preaching onely faithfull Preachers beare the burden of his rage Christ and his Apostles and all faithfull Pastors he opposeth he slandereth because Christ is powerfull in them against his Kingdome and not in others 2. What is the cause that Antichrist cannot indure the Scriptures but disgraceth them with vile terms or that he doth preferre fables and devises of men before them shut them up and imprison them in Cloysters and unknown tongues punish the reading of them in the Mother-tongue with death c but because being an enemie to the power of Christ hee findes it the weapon which hath wounded him and must slay him and the rod that Christuseth to smite him downe no winde can so blast herbes as this breath of Christ blasteth him The Arke cannot stand up but Dagon goeth downe Christ and Antichrist cannot stand together 3. Why doe the Idolatrous countries of Spaine Italy France and the rest sticke so fast to the support of Antichrist and keepe life in him and cast him not out as other Countries have done but because Christ is not come among them they resist his power and the rod of his power they suffer not the breath of Christs mouth the preaching of the Word among them and where doe Papists increase at home but in rude and untaught countries where Christ is not come in the power of his Word 4. Why doe our Papists both Recusants and Church Papists most resist and disgrace painfull and diligent Preachers these cannot be indured preach damnation are authors of faction enemies to authoritie c. but the very reason is because these comming in the power of Christ are the greatest enemies of Antichrist their good father and friend for if there bee idle or corrupt Preachers they like well because they know these are speciall friends to their friend for if the Spirit of Christ breath not in him who stands in the roome of a Minister Antichrist may and doth stand in full state and strength for all him 5. Why doe many formall Protestants that say they wil be saved by Christ so directly and manifestly resist the power of Christ to salvation and doe the dragon so good service as none more as First by spurning against wholesome doctrine and turning the backe contemptuously and professedly on the house of GOD This
not bee in houses Temples Cities but in prisons Mountaines Dennes Desarts and Caves of the earth But shee is alwayes safe for First if shee cannot be safe in the City shee shall bee safe in the wildernesse God provideth a safe place for her Secondly the purpose of God for the safety of the Church cannot bee altered or abrogated by all the enterprises of the enemies for his counsell must stand and therefore let Pharaoh slay all the infants beside Moses must bee preserved alive by his owne daughter in his owne bosome to be a Deliverer the onely thing hee would prevent Let Herod slay all the infants under two yeares old hee shall misse of him whom he seekes Thirdly Gods high account of his Church makes her alwayes safe as the signet on his hand as the Apple of his eye the Church is as the Lords wheat saith Augustine and shall be kept in the Lords Granary If Aegypt bee not a safe place for Moses he appoints him Midian to flie into If Iudea bee not safe for the childe he shall bee safe by a flight into Aegypt a wildernesse in comparison till the appointed time Athanasius who dyed in the yeare 390. speaking of those that were hid from the persecutions of those times said The childe was preserved whom Herod sought to destroy Fourthly Gods wisdome makes it healthfull for the Church sometime to bee hid that shee may alwayes bee safe for else the whole world would fall upon her all at once and utterly destroy her Which serves to remove the brag of the Papists concerning their Church and their brand and scandalous imputation against ours For their Church they prove it the true Church because they have had a perpetuall externall splendor and a continuall glorious visibility and a true noted and famous succession of Pastors and Professors since Christs Ascension till this day To which I answer two things 1. It is false that the Romish Church hath held a true succession either in doctrine or persons for two Reasons First because there is no part of Popery wherein it dissenteth from the Reformed Churches which is neare the age of Christ and his Apostles but came in by patches and pieces many hundred yeares after and some points very lately till the whole Antichristian Chaos and confused body was made up I might instance in their Latine Service Transubstantiation Communion in one kinde worshipping of Images prohibition of Ministers marriage and the patching together of the severall shredds of the Masse with a number of other new devises coÌ„fessed by themselves to stand onely by the Churches constitution and not by authority of the Scripture Secondly as that argues their doctrine not successive from the Apostles so they have no true personall succession from them For there was not a Papist in the world for the space of sixe hundred yeares after Christ nor any Father Councell or learned man in all those ages who held the same points of Popery as now these doe This hath Bishop Iewell unanswerably discovered in 27. points and Master Perkins in thirty nine in his learned Probleme against Iodoâ—us Coccius 2. Another thing I answer to their bragg is that if it were true as they say of such perpetuall glory and visibility then could they not more strongly conclude themselves a false Church seeing the true Church of Christ must flie into the wildernesse many hundred yeares from the fury of Antichrist unlesse they can make it appeare that a perpetuall glorious externall splendor a perpetuall visible head and the most domineering Monarchy in all the world comporteth with the abject desolate and retyred estate of the wildernesse a place full of annoyance wants obscurity and solitarinesse For their brand and challenge of our Church that wee cannot derive the pedigree of our religion beyond Luther nor shew where it was nor the names and persons of any that professed it To this I answer 1. with Tertullian Quod antiquissimum verissimum That which is indeed ancientest is of all other the truest and wee hold our religion from the ancient Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles therefore it is the true religion and hath a true succession in doctrine and consequently of persons suppose wee could not name them because it is the religion and faith of the woman in the wildernesse which sometimes Antichristian tyranny suffred her not openly to professe she flyeth into the wildernesse according to Gods Word to hold and preserve it to all succeeding ages Object But if you have so true a succession why doe not you name them Answ. This miserable shift of the Jesuites apparently argues the desperatenesse of their cause and is like a Crayfish which hath more picking than meat a very tricke and triviall inconsequence to call us from the cause whereof they are weary unto persons as if wee had no sounder arguments for the truth of GOD and verity of our religion then from mens testimony and succession We know that if we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater and professe as the Samaritans to the woman We beleeve not our religion for any mans word or any womans or because any hee-Pope or shee-Pope saith it is so or contrary but because wee have heard Christ himselfe speaking in the Scriptures Wee take our religion as wee take gold not onely or chiefly by the sound but by the touchstone and ballance and we have learned in our Creed to beleeve the Catholike Church though wee see it not And because contraries make one another more perspicuous I would aske them whether wee may not beleeve that the Towre of Babel was built unlesse wee could name all the persons that brought Brick or Lime to it all the Masons all the labourers and workmen that were upon it or whether wee may not beleeve that a tree is growne unlesse wee know the person the name the particular time and houres of the planting sprowting and growing of it Doubtlesse if wee did not know when and by what degrees or by what persons and workmen their Romish Babel is built and reared yet wee see and must beleeve that it is built And suppose wee did not know which in most essentiall differences wee doe the persons nor the very period of the time when every branch of the tree of Antichristian heresie did begin to sprout and bud out yet our eyes see and we must beleevè that the tree is deepe rooted large spred and growne tall and thicke And were it not most absurd that matter of divine truth must not be beleeved unlesse wee can name all men that ever spake or beleeved it But to hold them to short and manifest reason I conclude in this forme Whatsoever Church hath a true succession of doctrine from Christ and his Apostles hath also a true and perpetuall succession of persons whether that succession bee visible and nominable or no But wee have true succession of doctrine from Christ