Let the Turke come hee may expose the body to bee slaine with sword fire teeth of beasts and in all this nothing comes contrary to the condition of mortall men But let the Pope come and hee will doe all this and beyond all this by his fraud and impostures hee taketh the minde and delivers up the heart to bee ruled by the devill that lusts and vices as wilde beasts prevaile against reason religion and humanity it selfe and this is most unnaturall and monstrous If they spoyle our goods maime our bodies deprive us of our liberties there are some remedies and hope of recovery or by a right use of these tryals wee may better our selves in grace But if Antichrist withdraw us from grace delude our soules sit in our consciences and so cast us into the wrath of God what remedie is left Now shall wee finde that a gash in the soule as it is the deeper so it will prove more incurable than any bodily wound Of the third this tyranny of Antichrist is beyond all externall tyranny in the difficulty of recovery because it is more pleasing to sense than the other Externall oppression and tyranny every man naturally avoydeth and resisteth but this every naturall man chuseth and desireth for it dazelleth the eyes with external pompe outward splendor worldly power in all which it is contrary to the simplicity of the religiō of Christ. This Antichristian poyson which was by a voyce from heaven said to be powred into the Church in the dayes of Sylvester naturall men drink up without all inquiry and are willingly detained under Antichristian slavery and without a mighty arme of Christ a stronger than hee are never pulled out All this sheweth the fearefull wrath in this Antichristian tyrannie beyond all other III. The third argument will further cleare it that Satan commeth with greater wrath in Antichristian delusions than in any open tyranni◠or persecution besides drawne from the effects of this wrath which are more fearefull than any or all other judgements of God besides The miserable effects of this wrath are especially three 1. An upheaping of the measure of sinne In open tyrannies the enemy fights against the Christian man and this is the enemies sinne in this hee makes the Christian fight against Christ and his truth and his Church which is his own horrible sinne In the other it is miserable to see men besmeared and all imbrued with their owne blood but here is a greater misery to see men wallow in their inward filthinesse and bloody vices and pollutions The former may bee a meanes to open the blinde eyes and the sealed eares to bring in a sight and sense of sinne and soften the heart but here is nothing but increasing of sinne for this is a meanes to harden the heart more and blinde the eyes more and wrap men not onely in darknesse but in the hatred of the light 2. An unhappy resisting of the meanes of recovery In other tyrannie tyrants may chase men to the Rocke of their salvation and drive them toward heaven as Israel toward Canaan by the oppressions of Aegypt but this tyranny gallops men to hell and intercepteth all meanes of reconciliation and repentance so long as they are under this thraldome which is plaine in these particulars First it is a turning of men from truth to fables from light of Scripture to the darknesse of humane traditions and devises Secondly a going an whoring from Christ to many lovers and harlots Thirdly a denyall and renouncing of the onely sacrifice and merit of Christ. Fourthly a sinning against the whole Gospell and all the Offices of Christ. Fiftly a settling of men in contempt and hatred of holy Scriptures and now what greater plagues can be imagined than thus to fight against Christ and that salvation so dearely purchased by him 3. Another effect is a rushing headlong into a gulfe and maine sea of wrath This tyranny findes men sonnes of wrath but casteth them into a deeper wrath than it findeth them in For is it not a greater damnation to fight against the light than to want it Is not the issue in a deeper wrath to refuse the remedy than contract the disease Is not that judgement heavier which brings eternall confusion of the whole man than that which onely can bring the outward man to confusion Thus having cleared the doctrine wee come to the Vse 1. Of all judgements in the world beware of spirituall plagues in which is the greatest wrath which either God or the dragon can inflict on a man in this life We must more feare blindnesse of minde than of the body feare more the stone in the heart than the stone in the bladder feare more to be drawne to errour than to torment Wee have had great cause to feare the power and forces of Antichrist but much more the efficacy of his delusions For where God giveth up to efficacy of errour it is such a token of his wrath as except he should presently send him to the place of his iniquity he cannot strike him with a more severe judgement this being a signe that the Lord hath denyed or deprived such a one of his saving grace that hee hath rejected him from his care and speciall Providence and that hee meaneth to glorifie himselfe in his utter destruction Here for fuller application of this point consider two things 1. The markes of a man under this wrath 2. The meanes to avoid it The markes of one that lyeth under this wrath are these 1. Ill use of gifts bestowed and not profiting by good means of grace vouchsafed when Gods Word and Ordinances are too weake to prevaile with a people or person to reclaime him Esay 5. 4. What could the Lord doe more to his Vineyard Which when it failed of all his expectation hee would lay it waste nothing but bryars and thornes should thenceforth grow in it and hee would command the clouds to raine no more on it The unprofitable servant that imployed not his Talent to increase had his talent taken away and himselfe bound hand and foot unto execution Heb. 6. 8. the ground often watred and dressed that still beares thornes and bryars is neare a curse and the end is burning So the bad ground of wicked mens hearts which under a powerfull Ministery grow more stony more secure more hatefull their conscience more seared their courses more obstinate against the meanes of grace are neare a blow and the longer it is a fetching the heavier it will bee So when the Lord addes to his Word his hand and addes some stinging externall crosse to awaken the soule and bring it low before him but this gracious warning and summons is set out and no good use made of it it hardens so much the more as in Pharaoh and causeth the Lord to leave such persons to themselves as a father who cannot prevaile against his sonnes stubbornnesse by admonitions nor corrections leaves him with sorrow to himselfe or
in Antiochus and Antichrist typified in him practised wholly to destroy the mighty and holy people Dan. 8. 24. And the same we see in Herod who slew all the male children under two yeares old Thirdly See it especially in the Imperiall dragon the bloodinesse and tyranny of those Romane Emperours was matchlesse who poured out the blood of innocent Christians by thousands and tenne thousands in their streetes and territories like water For the first 300. yeares after Christ were nine or tenne bloody dragons that dyed themselves red in the blood of Christians which they sucked out greedily more like hell-hounds then men that had a drop of pitty or humanity left Nero began and flew upon them as a monster as if they had beene incendiaries of the city which him self caused to be set on fire only to lay it upon them like our incendaries and Romish powder plotters After him Domitian who cast John the Evangelist into a furnance of scalding oyle but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the I le Pathmos where he writ this Revelation Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 17. After him Traian under pretence that there must be but one religion in one Region persued Christistians with fire and sword and new devised torments to chase the name of Christian out of the world He slew Simeon Iustus and Ignatius the Pastors one at Jerusalem the other at Antioch After him came Antonius Verus who slew with Policarp Pastor of Smirna innumerable Christians What shal I speake of Hadrian that in one Mount crucified 10000. Christians crowned with thornes and darts thrust into their sides in derision of the passion of our Lord Jesus Or of the last of these dragons in one month of whose raigne were slaine 17. thousand Martyrs and innumerable more condemned to mines and slavery worse then death In a word the dragons were so red as the very story seemes to be written in blood which tell us that no man could step his foote in Rome and not tread on a Martyr Fourthly See it in the causes First God in his counsell hath just reason for as he foundeth his Church in the blood of Christ so he finisheth and perfecteth his worke in blood He advanceth his glory and maketh his power shine in working by contraries and confoundeth the adversaries when they see their wrath turned to Gods praise and the blood of Martyrs the seed and watering of the Church Pharaoh shall see he cannot worke wisely enough here is a more glorious world fetched out of a greater Chaos Iulian shall say vicisti Galilaee Secondly So deepe and inveterate is the poyson and malice of a dragon that no lighter or smaller revenge will serve him then death The same poyson lighted upon Christ he was judged unworthy either to live or dye in Jerusalem So the enemies of David when will he die and of Paul he is unworthy to live The rancorous poyson of an enemie of God and grace is such as a smaller revenge will not content them No whipping or mocking of Christ but crucifie him Thirdly The fury and feircenesse of the enemy is still augmented by reason it findes fuell to feed it First the light and grace in the godly which the more it encreaseth and shineth the more their malice and hatred burneth and boyleth against it For Why did Cain as a dragon slay Abel but because his workes were good 1 Joh. 3. 12. Why do the godly make themselves a prey but because they refraine from evill Esay 59. 15. Dragons can plead many causes Amos is accused by Hamaziah that he hath conspired against the King Daniell by the envious princes that he rebells against the Kings proclamation Ieremy if he exhort to go out into Babel according to Gods word and decree that he is a confederate with the Caldeans Paul that he is a troubler of the City and preacheth strange doctrine and pittie it is that hee lives But the true cause is if the white horse go forth the red horse will follow him at the heeles Psal. 38. 20. Mine adversaries hate me without cause Nay because I doe the thing that is good that is cause enough to hate to death Psal. 59. 3. They are gathered against me not for mine offence nor for my sinne This doctrine may serve as a glasse to let many see their owne faces and to what head they belong There is a generation of men who are feirce revengfull and cruell hearted against the godly who may here see what spirit they are guided by The spirit of God is gracious meeke mercifull gentle but they are not led by him His they are whose spirit they resemble in mischiefe and malice Joh. 8. 44. Yee are of your father the devill for his workes ye do A naturall child resembleth his father so do they theirs who was a murderer from the beginning As it was once so will it ever be Gal. 4. 29. He that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit and delighted in scorning the generation of God and seed of the promise these shew themselves a bastardly brood of Ismael who have no part in the promise no foote in the promised land To let us see whence that religion is that practiseth and teacheth all manner of fiercenesse and cruelty against the Saints It is of the devill of the dragon and is no religion of God Abraham makes this aptitude and forwardnesse to homicide a note of a false religion and proper to Idolaters Genes 20. 11. The feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me Hence it followes that the Romane religion cannot be of God for 1 Her head is that Abaddon and Apollyon The great destroyer of bodies and soules Rev. 9. 11. 2 Her members resemble the head for never were any more cruell and fiery dragons and homicides then the Antichristian zealotes and popish Inquisitors which for so many ages have destroyed the bodies of the innocent Saints with fire and sword and innumerable soules with divelish and hereticall doctrines 3 Her principles and positions are bloody and mischievous and such as the Heathens and sanguinary Savages would be ashamed of 4 Her proper colour is red scarlet dyed and drunken with the blood of the Saints which noteth her an essentiall member of the dragon fierie dragons are they furious and sulphurious kindling blazing fires not onely against the bodies of men women and children but laying their fire workes under ground against the bodies of many kingdomes at once This is that generation of which Christ spake They shall thinke they do God good service in killing you And the more fierce any man is against good men the more of this leaven he doth discover in himselfe Pray to be delivered from these direfull dragons Psal. 59. Deliver me from the bloody man and of all plagues which we have deserved let us pray we be never stung with these fiery dragons
againe whose rage and fury knowes no measure nor mercy We have by our contempt and slighting the ghospell of grace deserved most sharpe punishments And if our provocations be so greate as wrath must come Let us humbly desire to receive it from the hands of a father that hath love and compassion and remembers in justice mercy and not from the hands of scorpions and enemies that hate us to death whom nothing but blood can satiate Let us take words to us and say as Israell afraid of the Ammonites Judg. 10 15. We have sinned do with us as thou wilt onely deliver us from the Ammonites And as David 2 Sam. 24. We are in a wonderfull straight let us fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hands of men whose mercies are cruell Walke wisely in the meane time and cut them off advantages To comfort the Church beset with red dragons fiery and fierce men implacable in their causelesse wrath and as much hope of reconciliation as with hell it selfe unlesse God worke a happy change and make them of Aspes and Cockatrices Lambes and sucking Children 1 Wee are to conflict with many red dragons But we have a captaine in red garments comming from Bozra who walketh in great strength mighty to save Isay 63. 2. First His garments are red with his owne blood drawne by the dragon Secondly By the blood of his enemies whom he treads in the winepresse of his wrath 2 The enemies garments now dyed red in the blood of the Saints shall at last be made red with their owne blood As in Hered Nero Dioclesian Iulian Iudas Arius Take the counsell of Pilates wife Haâ—e no hand against the just and godly man There is a time when the great Angell that hath power over fire that is all the judgements of God and revenges of his enemies and much more over all fiery dragons shall cast them into the winepresse of the wrath of God and their blood shall come unto the horse bridles 1600. furlongs Revel 19. 20. Let us leave all revenge to God who wil avenge the blood of Saints in due time 3 The time is not long but wee shall be freed from all these dragons and enemies Cant. 4. 8. Thou shalt come with me my spouse from the dâ—ns of Lions and mountaines of Leopards Exod. 14. 13. Those your enemies whom your eyes have seene this day ye shall never see more Seaven heads The third propertie of the dragon followes which is his subtiltie and craft set out by his seaven heads The head is the seat of prudence and policie And the number of seaven heads notes the manifold subtilties and crafty devises of this Hydra namely The devill and his instruments and under these seaven heads are comprehended all hurtfull arts and all kinds of wicked imaginations and devises against the Church of God Others by seaven heads understand the seaven hills of Rome where the dragon lived Or the seaven heads and kindes of governements in the Romane Monarchy Which considered may lead us to that speciall dragon here aimed at whose throne was upon seaveu heads or hills and had seaven heads or severall kindes of governement which throne was yeelded by the dragon to the Antichristian beast chap 13. 2. Which noteth unto us that Satan and his instruments are as subtile as cruell against the woman the Church For the dragon hath seaven heads a number of policies and fetches to bring forward his mischieves Of Satan himselfe the head of this dragon He is the old serpent more subtile then all the beastes of the field Genes 3. 1. A notable instance whereof we have in his first stratageme by which he overthrew all mankind In which hell set all his seaven heads to worke So as we may say by woefull experience we are not ignorant of his enterprises For First He chuseth a serpent the fittest and most insinuating instrument Secondly Sets on the woman the weaker vessell absent from her husband Thirdly Sets on the man by the woman the most fit and loving counsellour Fourthly Begins subtily for God having forbidden but one tree he asked if God have forbiden them every tree and so wronged them Fiftly In all his speaches and answers along he speakes craftily and Jesuitically venting as many lies and Amphibologies as sentences and yet so as if they had proved false he had a double meaning to himselfe As 1 Ye shall not dye he might say I meant ye shall not dye presently but become subject to mortalitie 2 Your eyes shal be opened And so they were to their shame and confusion 3 Knowing good and evill And so they did but not as Gods but by a miserable and experimentall knowledge in the want of good and presence of evill 4 Yee shall be as Gods Elohim signifieth Angels or spirits and so they were in the same state of condemnation with them So for wicked men the limbes of this dragon they are wise and subtle to doe evill Jer. 4. 12. Luk. 16 8. The children of the world are wiser in their generation then the children of light And for particulers How did Balaam trouble Israel with his wiles For whereas the King of Moab could not by power prevaile against them nor by any sorcery or cursing hurt them He by the care of Moabitish women brought Gods wrath and curse upon them for corporal fornication first and then for spirituall Numb 21. 1. Achitophel his counsell was as the oracle of God and spake rather like a God then a man but all was against the Church Quest. Why doth the Lord give such good gifts to such evil men and agents that bend it against himselfe and his people Answ. God inverteth not the order of nature for evill mens abuse but over-rules it for justice or mercy as his wisedome sees fit As in the externall faculties of the body so of the minde he suffers the powers of nature to be put forth corruptly as in fornication or adultery He hinders not the naturall action but orders it for his owne glory so here 2 He magnifies his own grace who is good and bountifull to all offering not onely common gifts as the sunne raine and naturall endowments with wealth and honour to good and bad but even the gift of his sonne in the Ministry of the gospell to those who abuse it and turne all his grace into wantonnesse 3 He makes the wicked instruments hereby inexcusable seeing To whom much is given of them much shall be required Luk. 12. 48. Quest. But why are wicked men subtile against the Church Answ. First Because they are of the serpentine seed and spawne of the dragon Acts 13. Paul to Elimas Oh full of all subtilties and mischiefe the child of the devill Wicked men not onely serve prentiships to the old serpent but as our Saviour is bold to tell the Jewes they were of their father the devill Secondly They know
they shall more easily prevaile and deceive the more â—lilie and subtily they worke Open enemies are sooner prevented then secret and satan hath subdued more with his serpents wiles then his dragons force And when he cannot prevaile with his Lions pawe he puts on the foxes skinne and goes to worke with his wiles and subtilties Thirdly God will have his Church every way tryed and exercised to shake her out of securitie How was Israell tryed By Pharaohs policies to destroy them before his open force for 1 He laid heavy taskes on them to weaken them from generation 2 Cruelly oppressed them by taking away the straw and exacting the same tale of brick 3 Slaying and drowning the male children as fast as they were borne And after assayled them with all the power of his country How was David exercised and kept waking by Achitophels counsel which made him apply God by prayer to turne his counsell to folly How was Ioseph and Mary exercised by Herods subtiltie who pretended to worship Christ but intended to kill him First By this we may take notice of the dragons wiles and subtilties which are as many as his heads And because the knowledge of his plots and discovery of his devises is more then halfe the prevention of them wee will spend a little time in laying open some of his stratagems and secret traynes laid out of sight every way reaching to catch and circumvent us These are reduced to three heads as they concerne 1 Persons 2 Actions 3 Assaults First The dragons subtiltie concerning persons is in two things 1 In dissembling his own person 2. In taking advantage of ours First Although he be a dragon and devill and deadly enemie he commeth commonly as a friend and in the habit of a good counseller and though he be a prince of darkenesse he transformes himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. that where he cannot force he may allure Satan well knowes how the Gibeonites closed and gate within the Israelites by dissembling their persons Joshu 9. 9 and so he gets in with us To Eve though he appeared in the shape of a serpent yet seemes to be more friendly to her then God could be God knowes ye shall be as Gods And he that came to Eve in the shape of a serpent appeares to Saul in the shape of a Prophet and Samuel himselfe could not speak better words nor truer in the event then this counterfeit 1 Sam. 28 He commeth to Christ in the person of a friend Master pitty thy selfe as if he had pitty on Christ who kindled and stirred all the dragons in the world against him to sting him to death And who can thinke but he is a friend of Christ who can preach him to be the Sonne of God Mar. 1. 24. And who can preach the Apostles to be the servants of the living God Acta 16. 17. The poore lambes of Christs fold are never in greater danger then when the foxe preacheth Of all other a preaching dragon is the most dangerous who will winde us in by scripture and by that which is the onely preservative against sinne draw us into sinne As To abet coveteousnesse earthlinesse and worldlinesse and to binde a mans hands from doing good he will put thee in mind of that Scripture He that provides not for his family is worse then an Iufidell To harden and imbolden men in sinne he hath a plaine text Where sin aboundeth grace abounds much more To an ordinary Sabboth breaker he hath a comfortable text The Sabboth was made for man not man for the Sabboth To him that is not at leasure to repent yet he can preach upon that text At what time soever a sinner repenteth c. To strengthen the libertine and loose gospeller that hates nothing more then to be tyed to the rules of godlinesse he hath as direct scripture as may be Eccles. 2. 7. 18. Be not just over-much What can be more plaine against these nice and precise fellowes Beware also of a friendly dragon The Crokadile shedds teares but it is to shedd blood To an angry man the dragon as a great friend askes him why he will suffer himselfe to be troden under foote and tells him if he suffer this or this he shall never live in peace as if he wished his peace and prosperitie who never ceases to blow the bellowes of wrath and anger To a profane and carnall man What need you trouble your selfe with religion you have a charge and looke to the maine chance What is it for you to suffer your servants to let their time and work to runne to sermons as Pharaoh to Israel Ye are too idle And many are brought in mind that if their servants be religious they cannot possibly thrive Heathenish Civilists scarce so heathenish Romish dragons insinuate into their proselytes they lament the estate of their soules and perswade like very good counsellours to leave these heretikes and come to the catholike religion they can faine Crokadiles teares calling heaven and earth to witnesse that they respect nothing in the world but to promote the truth and save mens seduced soules And it is nothing but the Catholike faith that makes them venture their lives and fortunes and a great number more empty and windy words and â—ll to ensnare simple and unsetled persons Nay and which is a deeper plot of the dragon he can pretend peace friendship amitie mariages oaths and what not and all under pretence of peace and clcake of friendship that hee may slay and devour as France in that horrible Massacre 1572. had wofull experience Nay if need be hee can pretend religion and support of the Catholike cause when he is digging and undermining and laying barrels of powder and iron barres for the destruction of whole States and kingdomes Here are religious Dragons A foolish and silly woman shall the Church be to give any credit hereafter to the flatteries and fayre pretences of so often perfidious Dragons who salute to wound and never kisse but to kill Secondly He takes advantage of our owne persons setting upon us when we are weakest As First In our solitarinesse He overcame Eve when she was alone Cain set upon Abel when he had him alone in the field helplesse Dinab being alone in the field was set upon and foyled And when set Pâ—tiphers wife upon Ioseph but when they were alone in the house A Christian man must never sit alone if he have no company of men be sure of the company of God and his Angels and then he is never alone Secondly In our sorenesse as Simeon and Levi set on the Sichemites when they were sore and could not resist as in the terror of conscience distresse of minde If God lay on his little finger now satan layes his heavy loines Thou art an hypocrite a dissembler hast sinned the sinne against the holy Ghost And many he prevaileth with to speake in his
art thou about so long as the dragon is alive To comfort the bright shining starres and faithfull Ministers in their troubles and oppositions 1. In regard of their adversaries who are they that fight against the light but mēbers of the kingdome of darknes let a godly man shine as a bright star in his orbe who be they that oppose seek to cast him downe but Papists and favorites of them swearers Atheists unclean and of filthy life and tongue what marvell if such spit poyson what other to bee expected A Pot boyles over with such liquor as is within 2. In regard of their safety which is in Gods faithfull promise of foure things 1. His presence with them I am with you to hide you from strife of tongues Psal 31. 20. 2. His assistance in their calling so farre as is necessary hee will take their part and rebuke the dragon as in Ioshua Zach. 3. 2. 3. His protection he will take them into his right hand Rev. 1. 20. 4. Remuneration that they shall shine more and more till they shine as starres in the kingdome of Glory Dan. 12. 3. The impotency of the dragon hee cannot throw downe all the starres but onely a third part so as two third parts remain still in their orbes shining Whē the first Angel blew the Trumpet that is when the Gospel was preached by the Apostles haile and fire and blood fell as stormes that is persecutions and perils contradiction exile and slaughter by the stubbornnesse of the Iewes against them and by this fire of persecutiō the third part of the trees were burnt that is the Apostles excellēt teachers of the Church compared to fruitfull and florishing trees for their greennes shadow fruits a great part of them were afflicted slaine put to deadly torments but not all the dragon could scorch but a third part Verse 8. When the second Angel blew his trumpet a great mountaine that is the Romane tyrants so called for their hight power and swelling pride burning with fire that is of fury and fiercenesse against Christian religion was cast into the sea that is many people of the world subiect to the Romane power and Empire and the third part of the sea was turned into blood that is many thousand Christians were oppressed and consumed with the fire of the burning mountaine but onely a third part And the third part of creatures dyed that is faithfull Christians slaughtered and murthered the third part of ships that is the Churches whose Pastors are her Pilots and these planted by the hand of the Apostles themselves oppressed and subdued Now this fierce dragon would have turned all the sea to blood killed all living creatures the life of whose faith was manifest in found profession would have destroyed and sunke all ships and Pilots all visible Churches and Pastors but could onely a third part Verse 10. When the third Angel blew his Trumpet there fell a great starre that is the Romane Bishop for by starres are meant teachers called absinthiam or wormwood fell from heaven that is falling from purity of doctrine and declining to taste the bitter morsels of pride ambition preheminence and of humane doctrines and devises it fell into the third part of RIVERS made them bitter many dyed of thē that is the same corruption tainted and imbittered the third part of Pastors Bishops by whō as by rivers the sweet waters of heavenly doctrine should and have flowed have bin derived unto others but now by that exāple were tainted with grosse superstitiō errors herisies earthlines carnal pompe and pleasure But not all onely a third part for many upheld in themselves and in others the sincerity of holy doctrine and example Verse 12. When the fourth Angell blew his Trūpet the third part of the Sunne the Moone and the Stars were smitten with darknesse and the day was smitten the night also viz. a grievous night of darknes either of Idolatry superstitiō as some or of persecutiōs as others darkned and obscured the cheife ornamēts of the purer Church of Christ the Sunne the Scriptures the Moone the doctrine borrowed thence the Starres the Ministers the day that is the joy and comfort of the Church in enjoying her happy Sun and the night it reached even to those without the Church being as in the night but the dragon could not darken all the Sunne all the Moone and all the Starres but a third part onely The fift Angel blew his trumpet Rev. 19. 1. the Antichristian Locusts rising out of the smoake of Popish rites and traditions are commanded to hurt no tree or grasse that is no Pastors or priuate Christians which are sealed in their foreheads Cap. 9. 15. When the sixt Angel blew his Trumpet the foure Angels not by nature but by office some instruments approved of and appointed by God for the execution of his judgements they must slay onely the third part of men of Christians and can goe no further Those sixe Trumpets thus explaned have notably proved the point in hand namely the dragons impotency God for his glory will not suffer the dragon to breake in sunder his order whereby he hath appointed to teach and call men by such as are called and sent Rom. 10. 15. the Ministry is Gods ordinance not mans and God will uphold it 2. The whole government and blessing of the Ministry belongeth to Jesus Christ who hath undertaken to furnish his Church with Pastors in all ages for the edification of his owne body till wee all meete in one perfect man Ephes. 4. And looke what was the Office of the High Priest a singular type of Christ in the old Testament the same is the Office of Christ in his Church The High Priests was to looke to the lights in the Sanctuary and to supply them with holy oyle that they might never goe out and now though the dragon be never so desirous to put out all the lights yet he is too weake for Jesus Christ in his care and calling 3. The necessity of the Church suffers onely a third part but not all the starres to be throwne downe for the harvest of the elect must be gathered in all ages and therefore labourers must bee successively thrust forth So long as the Lord keepeth house hee must have stewards to dispose his mysteries and allowance to his family so long as hee hath a flocke hee will have shepheards to tend it and will not suffer them all to bee smitten at once for then all the sheepe should be scattered so long as hee hath a Vineyard he must have dressers so long as he hath a field he must have husbandmen so long as the shippe of the Church is on the troublesome sea of this world he will not suffer her without Pilots to bring her safely to shoare 4. Christ cannot be so forgetfull of his neare relation with his faithfull pastors as to suffer the dragō to throw
more place in the Church to domineere and tyrannize against the Saints as they had done but they are now conquered and expulsed out of heaven Quest. 3. What conquest was this or when was it obtained Ans. The conquest of Michael against the dragon was 1. Generall 2. Speciall The former was when before this time the dragon was most powerfully conquered 1. By the death of Christ spoyling all principalities and powers 2. By his powerfull resurrection thereby conquering and triumphing over sinne death hell Satan the world the grave c. 3. By the powerfull preaching of the Apostles in the conversion of the world to Christ. 4. By the profession confession and Martyrdome of the Apostles themselves whereby the most potent tyrants were convicted and subdued This generall overthrow is not here properly meant but a speciall victory and overthrow of some speciall dragons that rose up afterward to waste the Church because this is a prophesie after S. Iohns time the proper interpretation and accomplishment whereof is plentifully cleared in Ecclesiasticall History For 1. What place had the dragon in the Church when those fierce Tyrants and tygers those imperiall dragons Nero Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and the other who shed a sea of Christian blood to abolish the very name of Christ were miserably destroyed and extinct by foule and fearefull deaths and destructions and some of them as Iulian the Apostate being wounded to death blasphemed with extreme fury cryed with his bowels and blood in his own hands Vicisti Galileae 2. What place had the dragon in the Church when noble Constantine had slaine those foure savage Tyrants and Monsters Maximinus Maxentius Licinius and Maximinian and became the great Protector of Christian faith and to signifie that now the dragon was overcome not without Gods speciall Providence he set up upon the gates of his Palace his owne picture with a dragon lying slaine under his feet and a Dart thrust through him as Eusebius reports which is a plaine demonstration of the accomplishment of this Prophesie 3. What place had the dragon in the Church when by the free preaching of the Gospell by orthodox Pastors and Bishops the Idols and heathen gods were cast downe their worship abolished their Temples destroyed Paganisme was turned into Christianisme and Christs Kingdome grew so fast as that it was received through the world in the places and countries where the dragons had formerly cast it out 4. What place had the dragon in heaven when those innumerable droaves of Heretikes such as Valentinus Basilides Manes Marcion Photinus and especially Arrius who had infected the whole world and other most deadly enemies to Christs person natures and offices were first wounded and smitten and condemned with the sword of the Spirit the hammer of heresies and after with the hand of God upō them in miserable and wretched deaths as Histories are plentifull in observation Thus have wee seene the truth of this Prophesie when and how the dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven and their place was found no more Quest. 4. How can it be said that the dragons place was no more found in heaven seeing he returnes againe and renewes his warre against the woman vers 13. and 17 Answ 1. Our Saviour in Iohn 12. 31. saith The Prince of the world is cast out and so the death of Christ hath cast him out of possession so as although hee may come to claime yet never to possesse 2. He may come to assault the Church molest the woman but never to dispossesse her of her heavenly happinesse all the dammage he brings her is but nibling at her heele he cannot reach her head Ioh. 14. 30 The Prince of the world came against Christ but found nothing in him that is had no power no advantage against him and so it is in proportion with the members 3. Hee may shew himselfe in temptations and in raising horrible and hidious persecutions as at this day but without all power or hope of prevailing He comes not to stand to it if hee bee resisted nor to overcome in the issue but to be overcome and at last so fully overcome as his place shall never bee found in heaven nor in the Church but shall be bound fast in chaines of blacke and hellish darknesse for ever Doctr. Note hence that all the enemies of the Church shall bee finally destroyed so as their place shall bee no more found Iob. 20. 7. The wicked shall perish for ever like his dung and the eye that hath seene him shall say where is hee Psal. 37. 10. 36. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee and He flourished as a greene Bay-tree but hee passed away and loe hee was gone I sought him but he could not be found For why 1. Gods curse takes hold on them and is too strong for them Genes 12. 3. I will curse them that curse thee This curse cuts off First their persons Psal. 37. 38. They that are cursed of God shall bee cut off Secondly their plots counsels hopes aymes and wishes as in the same place The end of the wicked shall be cut off and frustrate Thirdly their present jollity even in this life often the curse meets them in every corner as the Angell with his sword did Balaam so in Pharaoh Haman Iudas Iulian and almost all tyrants and heretikes came to lamentable destruction Fourthly alwayes their hoped happinesse in the life to come for as GOD hurles the wicked man out of his place in earth so hee sends him into his own place as is said of Iudas that he may dwell for ever in the place of his iniquitie Iob 8. 4. 2. Gods justice pursueth and hunteth the wicked man to destruction let him seeke never so many muses and burrows of craft and policie to hide himselfe in the Lords revenge followes him step by step till it overtake him 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you Achan troubleth all Israel and the Lord troubleth Achan Ioshua 7. 25. the enemie makes the Saints drinke the cup of affliction but they taste but the top which is medicinable but the Lords justice reserves for him the dregs and bottome of his cup of wrath for poison they chase the Saints unjustly out of the earth with a sea of sorrow but the Lord justly casts them out of earth and heaven into a bottomelesse sea of everlasting wrath 3. They must bee covered with shame that warre with Sion Psal. 129. 5. First because she being Gods owne Spouse and delight hee accounteth her cause to be his her sufferings his her enemies his and cannot but out of love and jealousie avenge her quarrels and execute vengeance on her adversaries Deut. 32. 43. Secondly because her sonnes are the blessed seed If Mordecai be the seed of the Jewes Haman shall fall before him and make no
things nor every great It is for an enemy not a brother to be unnaturall to reteine stomacke to grudge envy revenge c. Object 3. Oh but I have often forborne and forgiven Answ. How often hast thou forgiven seventie times seven times so is the commaundement and he is still thy brother Object 4. But in this case I cannot beare him the wrong is so great Answ. Intwo cases a man may and must be more strict even with his brother 1 In reteining his owne innocency 2 If his brother will not see and confesse his offence But if thy brother come and say I pray thee forgive me then though the wrong be as great as that of Iosephs brethren against him as he was readier to offer pardon then they to aske so must thou Mat. 18. 33. Shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow servant much more on thy brother Quest. What are the conditions of this brotherly love Ans. 1. It is universall to all Saints 2. Sincere not in tongue but in truth 3. Fruitfull in effest as in affection 4. Constant. 2 It reprooves such as scorne this title and thinke it an high reproach to be of the holy brotherhood First these persons disclayme all kindred with Christ they are of another house and blood their speech bewrayes them Secondly they scoffe at Christ himselfe who was the chiefe of this brother-hood our elder brother and was not ashamed to call us brethren it was no reproach then Thirdly They set the Holy Ghost to schoole as not knowing how to speake in the Scripture who every where cals the Saints brethren and holy brethren Heb. 2. 1. Let him that dares despight the Spirit and scorne his language know he shal be shuffled out of this society and pronounced a brother of the divell and damned ones It also reprooves such as wrong the brethren of Christ like the brethren of Ioseph seeke to cast them into pits and prisons buy and sell them in their good names and intend evill against them while they are yet a farre off Let them consider that in Mat 25 40. In as much as yee did it unto one of these my brethren yee did it unto me Go ye cursed And marke Christ disdaines not after his resurrection to call us brethren Mat. 28. 20. and darest thou wrong them whom he so honoureth 3 Here is a ground of true and just dealing with all men Be not fraudulent deceitfull cunningly by lyes oathes false weights or measures to deceive thy brother Let no man defraud his brother by any meanes the Lord is the avenger of such namely in speciall manner What wilt thou deceive thy brother be unmercifull to thy brother hide thine eyes from thy brother fall frō thy brother in his distresse was not a brother made for adversity and dost thou adde to it 4 Superiours learne moderation humility and mercy It is a good meditation every way to looke at the case of an inferiour as the case of a brother First To worke humility Deut. 17. 20. The King must not puffe up himselfe above his brethren Great schollers must not puffe up themselves above them of meaner gifts for one is your Doctor and yee are all brethren Mat 23. 9. Secondly To worke moderation the husband must moderate his authority because though he be superiour yet the wife is joynt heyre of life 1 Pet. 3. Masters must moderate themselves toward their servants because they have the same Master in heaven to whom they are with their servants fellow-servants Iob contended not with his maid because he that made one made both c. 31. 13. Onesimus a converted servant must be received as a brother Thirdly To worke mercy to the poore this poore man is not a beast but a brother not as a dog ranging for hunger but a poore Christian a poore brother and I must not turne my eyes from my poore brother mine owne flesh This sicke man is not a sheepe sicke of the rot but one of Christs field this poore servant is not my horse or Oxe whom I feed and tend and if they be sicke I aske counsell and drench them but my brother made in Gods image as I am a member of Christ as I am whom I must tender in sicknesse and health and shew my selfe a brother made for adversity 5. This may comfort poore Christians A brother is a name of equality The poorest Christian hath the same Father Mother alike pretious faith and the same common salvation with the richest Christs Kingdome is not politicall which stands of superiours and inferiours but in Christ all are one Thou poore man effectually called hast not such favour of great men but hast as great share in Gods favour and in the death of Christ as the richest Thou wantest gold and silver but that did not purchase life but Christs precious blood and that thou enjoyest at full Great men have privy stayres in their palaces but thou goest up the same stayres to heaven by the same Word Sacraments Faith Prayer of faith c. a rich mans prayer is no beter then a poore mans Thou canst not faire so daintily nor cloath thy selfe so costly in purple and silke as the rich but God at his table feasteth thee as plentifully and arayeth thee with as costly a robe of Christs righteousnesse as the highest Potentate 2 Those that are in spirituall fraternity with Christ and one with another lye open to all manner of wicked accusation Who was ever a more faithfull and trustie servant then Ioseph yet was not he accused of incontinency and for that cast into prison a long time and could never come to due triall Gen. 39. 9. Iob by the Lords owne testimony a peerelesse man and most upright before God and man yet was not he accused before our God of hypocrisie not only by the great Accuser but by his friends David whose conscience smote him for cutting the lap of Sauls garment was still accused by the Courtiers of high treason against him and one that sought his life crowne and Kingdome The Prophets who were holy men of God and mirrors of piety and grace were all accused of most haynous things Daniel of disobedience Elias of troubling all Israel Amos of conspiracy Ieremie of revolting c. The Apostles who shined in holinesse and innocency as starres of the first magnitude were accused to be authors of sedition troublers of Cities raisers of tumults contemners of lawes trumpets of rebellion preachers of ordināces not lawful to receive Act. 16. 19. Was not Paul accused by Tertullus Act. 24. 5 to be a pestilent fellow a moover of sedition among the Jewes through the world and one that taught every where against the law of Moses And whence were those rackings and mockings and scourgings and stonings and slaughters and torments of those whom the world was not worthy of Heb. 11. 36. but from the same originall of wicked slaunders and keenest darts of false accusation Quest. Why
are so far from being overcome by externall violence that when their persons are most downe their graces are most victorious and invincible even in the eyes of the enemies themselves for 1 Can they seaver them from the truth and faith of the Gospell no they will not live without it but will dye that it may live they will water the furrows of it with their dearest blood rather then it should not grow they will rake it out of the fire into which the enemies cast it 2 Can they sunder them from the love of God and Christ as they intend by torment No they see their love stronger then death all the waters in the sea nor all their seas os sorrows and deadly torments cannot quench it 3 Can they cast them out of the favour of God and possession of happinesse as by their degradations excommunications anathemaes and great curses they desire No but the Lord is apparantly with them in sixe troubles and in seaven in the fire and in the water and never leaves them till they be with him in his immediate presence-chamber as wheat laid up for ever in his garner 4 Can they overcome their patience fortitude or constancy No but by the undaunted resolution of the Saints in their torments the mindes of the persecutors themselves seeme rather overcome then the Martyrs that suffer them Even Iulians furie was conquered by the patience of the Martyrs Roman Tyrants in the first tenne persecutions were even tyred with the stedfastnesse of the Saints in suffering Thus are they in their weaknesse most strong as dying but behold they live afflicted on every side but not overcome This is the priviledge of their estate of their cause of their graces that they are never lesse overcome then when they seeme most overcome and as the text saith they most gloriously overcome when they love not their lives to the death The point of doctrine from these words thus expounded is this Godly men must contemne their lives and not love them to the death in respect of Christ and his truth Luke 14. 26. He that hateth not his owne life cannot be my disciple that is he that is not ready to bring his life in his hand and offer it up in sacrifice when my cause and the Gospels calleth for it cannot be a good Christian. Act. 20. 24. Afflictions and bands abide me every where but I passe not neither is my life deare unto me so that I may finish my course with joy Heb. 12. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood as if he had said Howsoever ye have endured a great fight in afflictions while ye were made a gazing-stocke to the world and while ye were companions to them that were tossed too and fro Chap. 10. 32. yet yee are not come so farre as you must make account of in the profession of Christianity because yee have not resisted unto blood Revel 2. 20. Bee thou faith full unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life 1 Because of Christs merit and desert hee loved not his life to death for us nay hee was earnest to die for us Luke 12. 50. I have a baptisme to bee baptized with and how am I grieved till it be ended how then should our thankfulnesse binde us to give up if wee had a thousand lives for him shall the just sufter for the unjust and shall not the unjust hold himselfe bound to suffer for the just 2 The worth of truth bindes on all Christians this dutie to despise their lives for the truths sake for the truth of the Gospell is farre more worthy than all that wee can give in exchange for it God hath magnified it above all things Psal. 138. 2. The Sonne of God magnified it above his owne life it cost him deare he bought it with his life and precious blood The Saints of God the cloud of witnesses He. 12. 1. were prodigall of their blood and would and did spend it till the last drop rather then by any torments they would bee removed from the truth and faith of the Gospell and we are injoyned to buy the truth at any rate even with our blood if God call us to it but not to sell it for any thing in the world 3 Our neare relation unto Christ bindes us not to love our lives to death for his sake For 1 Wee are his redeemed ones wee are not our owne but bought with the price of his blood 1 Cor. 6. 20. and therefore wee must glorifie him in our soules and bodies whose wee are 2 Wee are his souldiers prest under his colours and if a souldier sell his life every day for a base pay how much more ought the Christian souldier in a farre more honourable warre esteeme his life at a small rate in the cause and quarrell of his Generall and if a souldier must stand in the place his Generall sets him in and must not remove though hee dye for it how much more ought wee being called to stand fast in the faith of the Gospell keepe our ground unremoved from our holy profession though it bee by the losse of our lives Thus then must a Christian souldier animate his owne resolution Shall any fouldier more feare or more love his Commander than I my Michael my Christ shall I more feare a Tyrant threatning death and torments then my Lord requiring my faithfulnesse and constancy doth a man of valour feare the dishonor and shame of a cowardly flight above torment and terrour of present death and should such a man as I flie who preferre in true judgement an honourable and happy death above a thousand base and disgracefull lives 3 Wee are not onely souldiers but houshold servants unto Jesus Christ and therefore must shew all good faith fulnesse to our God Tit. 2. 10. And herein a faithfull servant is differenced from a slothfull a sincere Christian from an hypocrite the hypocrite may bee a great Professor and call Christ Lord Lord and in the peace of the Gospell will say with Peter Master I will dye with thee before I will deny thee but if Christ be in hands and called into question the voyee of a Maide will make him turne his copy But it is proper to the Elect to stand fast and to hold that hee hath and maintaine against all challengers to the death the profession of truth committed unto his trust 4. We are yet nearer even members of Christ and the member naturally lifteth up it selfe and will lose it selfe to beare off a blow from the head and it doth but the duty And much more ought it to bee so in the mystic all body wherein the union is farre more straite then in the naturall 4 Our service to our fellow-members putteth us in minde of this duty which we owe much more to our head If for the edificatien of the Church we are bound willingly to lay downe our lives much more for the
idolatry did not wrap the Kingdome into this fierce wrath 4 Sinne earthlinesse love of the world of profits and selfe love as in Demas who forsooke the truth and embraced the present world This sinne made Iudas being an Apostle at the side of Christ and steward of his family to be delivered up to the full wrath of the divell What else carrieth away our Fugitivos and Seminaries to become Priests and traytors to Religion their Prince and country but hope of preferments and profits which here they fayle of II. The onely positive meanes to be hid from this wrath is to walke carefully and humbly before God Eccles. 7. 26. there is a woman whose heart is as nets and snares her hands are bands he that is good in Gods sight shal be delivered from her but the sinner shal be taken by her Even so onely piety delivers from this Babylonish harlot which hunteth the precious lives of men Prov. 6. 26. For the more wicked a man is the more is he hated of God and the more hated of God the more subject he is to be deceived by Antichrist And therefore the sinner is in great danger Now the way to avoyd this danger is to be good in Gods sight which goodnesse consists in 1 Approoving our hearts and wayes unto God the chiefe good 2 Framing our actions by the word the unfayling patterne and rule of goodnesse 3 Walking and persisting in the way of good men For it is not goodnesse of nature witt education civility learning nor any humane skill which can keepe a man from the hookes and snares of this harlot but onely goodnesse of grace and the feare of the Lord. 2 This serves to admonish all who are in full communion with the Pope and are formall limbes of Antichrist and of the Romish Church timely to looke to themselves and consider these foure propositions 1 That those who adore the Beast and receive his Image must drinke up the lees of this wrath Revel 14. 8. 9. But so doth every limbe of Antichrist adoring him in yeelding him divine honour and seeking pardon of sinne from him as if he were God and receiving his image by subjecting his conscience to his laws as to the laws of God and depending on his mouth as on the mouth of God And therefore they all lye under this great wrath 2 That he that hath not the Sonne shall not see life But no obstinate and wilfull Papist that holdeth not himselfe only to Christs righteousnesse for justification but will stand before God in his owne righteousnesse merits and satisfactions hath the Sonne And therfore no such shall ever see life The Assumption the Apostle teacheth Gal. 5. 4. They are abolished from Christ and fallen from grace whosoever wil be justified by the Law 3 That he which beleeveth not in the Sonne of God the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3. 36. But no such Papist doth beleeve in the Son of God For saving faith is condemned as presumption and accesse to the throne of grace with boldnesse and assurance of the favour of God are scoffed at and in stead of saving faith they nourish a generall assent to the truth of the word of God which I affirme to be common to the reprobates and devils Therfore they are under wrath 4 That he which liveth and dyeth an idolater cannot avoyd the wrath of God But so must he do that liveth and dyeth an obstinate member of that Church being bound to give divine honour to Saints relickes images consecrated things and especially to the breadden god And therefore what a desperate thing is it to live and dye in that religion Antichrist only prevayleth in them that perish none of the Elect can be seduced by this great seducer neither can any that follow the beast avoyd to drink the dregs of the Wine of GODS wrath Revel 14. 7. 8. 3 Pity the case of those that are carryed away into Antichristian delusion and Apostacie For of all sinners they are in most fearefull case 1 For their persons they are a number of men whose head is the sonne of perdition who are in state of perdition who are given up to the most mischievous wrath of the dragon such as whose names are not written in the booke of life 2 For their course they are men that sin against the light against the remedie against the whole Gospell especially against the precious blood and merit of Jesus Christ. Oh what a sin is it to sin against this blood and bring the guiltinesse of it upon a mans owne head as they do by undervaluing it and trampling it under foot equalling with it the blood of Becket and traytors preferring before it the milke of his mother as Carolus Scribanius a late Jesuite in a Poeme not onely holds the best compound for a sicke soule to mixe Maries milke and Christs blood but that of the two her milke and the merit and vertue of it is more precious and excellent then CHRISTS Blood 3 Their estate is most fearefull because there is no losse to the losle of the truth no fall to the fall from grace no wrath that the Dragon can watch against a person comparable to this For he is sure that whosoever persist in this condition they must drinke of the winepresse of the wrath of God We pity men if we see theÌ„ in any bodily torments but no bodily torments can equall the wrath of being given up to the strong delusions of Antichrist And wee must put on bowells of mercy and pity toward our brethren in misery which if it rise right will begin at their soules and especially will compassionate the spirituall miserable This is to be like God who had pitty on us when wee were in darknesse in our blood our navell not cut c. Ezek. 16. 4 Wee learne hereby not to take offence if wee see many turned away to this horrible Apostacy but take notice of the just judgment of GOD in delivering up men to this great wrath of the Dragon For particulaâ—â—ersons what wonder to see carelesse and contemptuous hearers of the Gospell set over to Satan to execute all his wrath and mischiefe over them God in justice hath allotted them their wish and choise The truth woed them but could not win them and therefore falsehood and lies have justly seduced them Christ in the Gospell made love unto them intreated promised allured by all loving meanes but they slighted him refused his offers of peace and life and therefore are justly a spoile and prey of Antichrist The truth offered to set theÌ„ free bring them into the liberty priviledges of the sons of God but they refused truths freedome and therfore are justly chained and fettered in the bands of deadly errors and delusions How justly must he drinke up a full viall of wrath who will not be perswaded to tast a sweet cup of mercy and salvation how justly is that felon executed who scornes the Kings