the children of Pharez the son of Judah and Nehemias Nehem. 11.4 in the 11. ch v. 4. speaking of the same persons that then were inhabiting at Hierusalem saith that at Hierusalem dwelt Athaiah the son of Vzziah the son of Zecharia the sonne of Amaria the son of Shephatia the son of Mahalaleel of the children of Peres And how can these places that are so different and as it seems so fully contrary one to another be reconciled by him that takes no care and hath no learning nor leasure from his secular affairs and calling to search after it But the learned Tremelius was able briefly to resolve this doubt Tremel in loc saying that it can be none otherwise but that hi omnes binomines erant all these men had two names apiece or else one of the two places of the Scripture must needs be false which would be most absurd for any Christian to imagin And so of the very Kings of Juda 2 Chron. 22.6 Achazia is called Hazaria 2 Chron. 22.6 and in another place he is called Joachas and St. Matthew calleth him Ozias Matth. 1.8 Jerem 22.24 Matth. 1.8 and so Vzzia is called Azaria and Jehoiakim is called Jechoniah and by the Prophet Jeremie he is termed Coniah and abundance of men more have two or three names apiece in the holy Scripture And therefore it will require no small diligence nor any less judgement to find out the right persons that are spoken of by reason of this diversity and multiplicity of names that are given to the same persons 4. 4 The different Genealogies The different Genealogies of the persons spoken of in Scriptures do bring more doubts and require no less pains unto the reader then the diversities of names as where Jehoram is said to have married Athaliah the daughter of Ahab 2. Reg. 8.18 vers 26. 2 Reg. 8.18 yet in the 26. verse she is said to be the daughter of Omri and if she was the daughter of Omri how was she the daughter of Ahab It is answered that she was indeed the daughter of Ahab that was the son of Omri and she was the grand-child of Omri and according to the Hebrew manner of speech onely she was called the daughter of Omri for this was the customarie language among the Jews to call the Grandchildren the sons and daughters of their Grandfathers and to call brothers children brethren and this manner of speech is to be found most frequent in the holy Scriptures as where James Galat. 1.19 that was afterwards made Bishop of Hierusalem is called the brother of the Lord which made many men mistaking the Hebrew manner of speech to think that he was the son of Joseph by another wife when he was onely the Cousin-German of Christ being the son of Mary that was called Maria Jacobi Matth. 27.53 Mary the Mother of James and was the sister of the Virgin Mary And this difficulty of finding out the right Genealogie bred many doubts amongst the most learned Aug. tomo 6. l. 23. c. 3 4. cont Faustum manichaeum about the Genealogie of Christ himself for he was to come of the seed of David and of the tribe of Judah and as St. Augustine sheweth the Manichees stifly held that although Joseph descended from David yet Mary was the daughter of Joachim the Priest of the Tribe of Levi Luke 1.36 because St. Luke tells us plainly that Elizabeth the wife of Zacharias the Priest was her Cousin behold thy cousin Elizabeth To this Origen answereth That the Priests might marry wives out of any tribe that according to the common received opinion Mary was the lawful wife of Joseph according to the law and therefore of the tribe of Judah and Elizabeth was called her Cousin not in regard of tribe but of nation but I say that Elizabeth was her Cousin not onely by nation but also by tribe otherwise all the Jewish women might be called her Cousins as well as Elizabeth for Elizabeth was of the tribe of Judah though married to Zacharias the Priest of the tribe of Levi because it was lawful for the Priests to marry wives out of any tribe as Aaron married the daughter of Aminadab of the tribe of Judah Exod. 6.23 2 Chron. 22.11 and Jehoiada married Jehosabath the daughter of King Joram of the tribe of Judah and so Zacharie married Elizabeth of the tribe of Judah and to prove that Mary was of the tribe of Judah St. Luke makes it manifest because he saith that Joseph was the son of Heli that is his son in law the father of Mary his wife as Naomi calleth Ruth her daughter Ruth 1 22. Videtur Matthan pater fuisse Jacobi Alphaei Heli ex Jacobo Joseph ex Heli Maria descendisse Tremel in loc 3.23 because she was her daughter in law for otherwise St. Matthew tells us plainly that Jacob was the naturall father of Joseph and Heli which as St. Jerom thinketh had two names and was called Joachim and Heli was the natural father of Mary and the son of Matthan who was the father of Jacob the father of Joseph and of Heli the father of Mary and of Alphaeus that were three brethren all sons of Matthan as Tremelius saith And therefore also this requires a sedulous secrch to find out the truth of such Genealogies as are useful and necessary to be found out for the understanding of the right Line of the Messias that was to spring from the loins of David and from the tribe of Judah for though Titus 3.9 The Apostle speaks of needlesse Genealogies as the Apostle saith it is not requisite that all Genealogies should be looked after yet these and some others are very useful and necessary to be knwon and yet cannot be known without a great deal of care and search to find them out 5. The 〈◊〉 Chronologies of the ages and times therein specified 5. The Scripture Chronologies that in very man respects are most requisite for all sound Divines to know are more difficult to be understood and bred more doubts and brought forth more errors then the Genealogies have done as the weeks daies howrs and times specified in the prophesies of Ezechiel Daniel and the Revelation and as among the rest of the Chronologies where St. Steven saith that the children of Israel should so journ in a strange land and be evil intreated there 400. years and yet if you do rightly compute the times Acts 7.6 you shall find as Helvicus well observeth that from Jacobs going down into Egypt untill they were delivered by Moses they do scarce amount to 250. years 215. fust in the description of Canaan therefore it is answered that St. Steven meant not from Jacobs passage into Egypt to inhabit but from the time that Abraham went thither to sojourn and from that time to their deliverance out of Egypt it is just 400. years Genes 15.13 as the Lord had formerly
Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 and thereby 2 Tim. 3.5 saith the Apostle they shall turn the Grace of God into wantonness that is turne the true Service of God into vain jangling and a foolish senceless prating and so probably prove themselves to be just like Jannes and Jambres that resisted Moses who was their chief Governour and King in Jeshuron and like Corah Dathan and Abiram that as the Prophet saith angred Moses in their Tents and Aaron the Saint of the Lord Psal 106.16 and so despised rebelled and would have destroyed both the Civil Magistrate and the Ecclesiastical Governours of Gods Church which Offices themselves desired and aimed at and would have obtained if God by his fearful Judgment had not prevented them And according to these Prophesies and Predictions That all the aforesaid things came to pass according as they were foreshewed and the like 1. Of Deceivers and Corrupters of Gods Truth 2. Of a Faithful Reformation of all in-crept Errours and Abuses And 3. Of a Faithless Apostasie and Rebellion against the Reformers of the same and the Defenders of Gods Service by a company of Hypocritical Zealots we find by the successes saith one and I think very right that all these things happened just as they were fore-shewed by the Apostle as in other places so likewise in this our Church of Ingland For after that the Pope and the Church of Rome had fallen away from some Points of the true Faith Arise Evans in his voice from Heaven p. 18 19. and had privily as I shewed before brought in divers Errours Abuses and Superstitions which defiled the Purity and blemished the Beauty of our Church as of many other particular Churches besides Martyn Luther steps up and falls out with the Pope for and about the Sale of his Indulgences by his Factor Tercelius whom the Pope then employed for that business and then he bitterly inveigheth against his Holiness for this and the other Corruptions of the German Church that were no less as they said than centum gravamina a hundred grievances Fasciculus rerum extendarum King Hen. the 8. writes against Luther which were presented to Pope Adrian the 6th with an earnest desire of a speedy redress as you may find it in fasciculo rerum expetendarum Hereupon King Henry the 8. it may be in Requital of the Popes favour that granted him a dispensation to marry his Brothers Wife writes a Book against Luther and therein blames him very much for apostatizing and starting aside from his Mother the Church of Rome and contrary to his Faith and Oath and all good manners so eagerly to oppose and so bitterly to rail against his holy Father the Pope and so to the uttermost of his Learning that was both an understanding wise and Learned King he defends the Faith together with the Corruptions of the Roman Church or rather maintaines the Errours and Superstitions of that Church together with so much of the true Faith as the Pope and the Church of Rome did then profess King Hen. 8. his double recompence for his book against Luther 1. Recompence and for this Royal Engagement of the King against Luther the King receives a double Recompense 1. The one from Luther his great Antagonist 2. The other from the Pope his dear Client For 1. Luther in the heat of his Fury and the heighth of his German spirit railes as much against the King and calls him as I read it in his own Book and not out of any other Transcriber asinissimus Rex an unseemly term as I conceive for a poor Monk to give to so great a King and as I said none of the meanest Clerks as he had formerly done against the Pope which bitter Invectives against a Father in the Church and the Patriarch of all the Western Churches Tilenus exeges pag. 29. Aphor. 104. p. 20. as the Primitive Counsels term him qui in ordine primus fuit inter Patriarchas primum ordine in Apostolorum collegio eum esse non inviti concedimus saith Tilenus and such uncivil behaviour towards Kings Luther blamed for his too much bitternesse and unseemly terms Matth. 11.29 that are the Lords Anointed be they what they will when I read not upon the credit of others but in his own Tractates as I thought very well of many things that he wrote so I should have thought much better of all the rest but that I conceived so much bitterness mingled with such a measure of Gall and Vinegar as dropped from his Pen not against the sins but against the Persons of men could not be distilled from the spirit of God which is a Spirit of Meekness and Lowliness as our Saviour testifieth But 2. 2. Recompence The Pope for this Scholastick Defence of the Faith of the Roman Church by the King which the Pope himself should have done by his Pen and desired the King to have assisted him by his Sword gives to him and to his Successors the Kings of Ingland the just good and honourable Title of Defender of the Faith that is the True and Christian Faith or the Faith of Gods Elect which was pretended to be then in Rome and is now defended by the King And though King Henry obtained this Eulogy this Title and this Authority upon a wrong ground because he defended a wrong Faith yet as Jacob got the blessing upon an untrue suggestion that he was his father Isaac's eldest son even his first-born Esau but being once gotten he still retained it So did the King Genes 27.19 when he fell out with the Pope and fell from the Pope about his divorce from Queen Katherine which the Pope upon good grounds would not admit still retain that Title How the Faith was defended in Ingland and especially the truth and substance of that Title and maintained the same as a King with his sword which he had gained as a Priest with his pen and so did his son and his Successor after him Edward the 6th continue a royal defender of the true faith and when Queen Mary would have remitted the Title and permitted the faith to be undefended and the truth to be corrupted in this Kingdome the witnesses of Christ his Gospel the holy Martyrs of our Church Cranmer Latymer Ridley 3 reverend Bishops and the rest of those holy Champions stood up and defended the same unto death with the sheding of their blood and the loss of their dearest lives And after Queen Maries time Q. Elizabeth like another Deborah with the advice and assistance of all the godly Bishops and the best of all the Divines in her Kingdom concluded and set forth the Articles of our Church and that perfect form of Godliness the Liturgy and book of common prayer and service of God which they composed with a free liberty from her majesty at home and without any fear either of Pope or any other forraign Authority abroad And this faith
For the Puissance of her Kings and Princes she outwent all other Cities whatsoever Nimrod called Belus by the Gentiles but indeed his Father that was Noahs Granchilds Son being the first and the stoutest man then on earth then Belus Nimrods Son whom the Gentiles honoured as a god in after times and after him Ninus that built the great City of Nineveh then his Wife the Mirrour of all women Semiramis afterwards omitting all those Eighteen Kings which Berosus nameth and Twenty more that Sleidan setteth down Phul-Belochus that swayed the Scepter 48 years 2 Reg 15.19 and Philazzar whom the Holy Scripture nameth Phul-Assur that reigned 23 years and Salmanazar that reigned 10 years and subdued all Phoenicia The Monarchs of Assyria that reigned in this Chaldean Babylon excepting Tyrus and carried away the King of Israel and the Ten Tribes Captives into Media and Sennacherib that for reviling God and the good King Hezekiah by a rayling Rabsheca was forced to return home with dishonour and then slain by his own Sons in the Temple of his Idols after he had reigned seven years and Esar-haddon whom Josephus calleth Asaracoldus reigned Eleven years Esa 39.1 and Berodac whom Esayas calleth Ben-Merodac that after the revolution of Twelve years translated the Kingdom to the Assyrians and reigned afterwards Eighteen years And Nebuchadnezzar that said Is not this great Babylon that I have built that is so great and so glorious as now it is for the House of the Kingdom and for the Glory of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 And then Belshazzar his Son whom Darius did succeed And many other famous Kings and Princes reigned and ruled in and over this Great and Glorious City of Babylon more than we read to have done over any one other City of the world And therefore this City in these and many other respects was the most resplendent of all the known Cities of the whole Universe and is in that respect termed by the Prophet Esay Esa 13.9 and said to be the Glory of Kingdoms But it is yielded of all sides that this Literal Chaldean Babylon is no where meant to be the Seat of the Great Antichrist that must arise in and out of the true Church of Christ and seat himself in a greater and a more Mystical Babylon And therefore II. Babylon mystically understood which must be so understood to be the Seat of the Antichrist is taken two waies 2. Mystically understood two manner of waies 1. Generally for the whole world of Wickedness 2. Particularly for some special Place of this world Generally 1 1. When the Prophet saith By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion And again O Daughter of Babylon wasted with misery yea happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Ps 137.1 ult and blessed shall he be that taketh thy children and throweth them against the stones Though literally and in the first sense they are to be understood of the Chaldean Babylon yet mystically they are to be taken for this wicked world which is the City of Satan and the Metropolis of his Empire For although God be the King of all the earth both by the right of Creation and Preservation yet Satan is said to be the King of this Babylon by the unjust Title of usurpation and therefore he is called the Prince of this world that ruleth in the hearts of the children of Disobedience And this world is resembled compared and doth symbolize Babylon in very very many things but especially in these five respects The world resembled to Babylon in five respects Propter 1. Amaenitatem Pleasantness 2. Cacitatem Blindness 3. Celsitudinem Height of Spirit 4. Confusionem All kind of Disorder and Confusion 5. Iniquitatem The Multiplicity of all kind of Iniquity For Respect 1 1. Babylon was the delight of the Nations and a most sweet and pleasant place as I shewed to you before even so the world ab ornatu dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so called by the Grecians from the beauty of it Quid enim mundo praestantius For what can be more excellent and pleasanter than this world saith Lucius Apuleius Respect 2 2. The Assyrian Babylon was full of blindâ—ess and ignorance Jer. 59.17 For as the Prophet saith Every man was brutish in his knowledge so is the world as our Saviour sheweth I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter whom the world cannot receive quia non videt eum nec scit eum because it seeth him not John 14.17 and knoweth him not for though the light shined in darkness yet the darkness comprehended it not and though the Ministers of Christ do preach the Truth daily unto the world yet the children of this world are still drowned in Darkness and will not receive the knowledge of the Truth that they might be saved John 1.5 Respect 3 3. The Assyrian Baâ—ylon was full of Pride so high and so haughty that they would build a Tower which should reach to Heaven And the Prophet saith of her Jer. 50.29 She hath been proud against the Lord against the Holy One of Israel And so is the world full of Pride Maxima quaeque domus servis est plena superbis Not a great House but hath a great deal of Pride and proud Servants in it saith the Poet. Respect 4 4. The Assyrian Babylon was full of all Disorder and Confusion the Labourer would be a Director and a Master-worker the Mason would play the Carpenter and the Carpenter would be the Joyner and so none was contented with his own station not any man dutiful in his own Place but when the Masters called for Bricks the Servants brought them Clay when they desired Bread they gave them Stones and therefore it was called Babel because of this disorderly confusion Even so it is in this world no man is contented with his own state none dutiful in his place and none satisfied with his own condition but as the Poet saith Optat ephippia bos niger optat arare Caballus The Oxe would bear the saddle and the Horse would draw the Plow Respect 5 5. Babylon in Chaldea was full of Sins for she hath sinned against the Lord saith the Prophet So the whole world lieth in wickedness saith the Apostle And all that is in the world Jer. 50.14 John 2.16 is either concupiscence of the eyes or concupiscence of the flesh or Pride of life Haectria pro trino numine mundus habet Particularly 2 2. And more Particularly Many other Cities and Kingdomes of this world are and may in this Mystical sense be rightly stiled Babylon And that either Two waies 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Respectively secundum quid For so 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eminently exceeding all the rest For so Respectively 1 1. 1 Pet 5.13 The City of Rome is called Babylon by the Apostle and is
transubstantiation shewed three waies is from the old received Faith of the Church and from the Divine Truth of God I shall briefly shew unto you 1. From the Holy Scriptures 2. From the Ancient Fathers 3. From pure and sound reason And a threefold cord is not easily broken For 1. Christ told his Disciples 1. From the Scriptures John 14.3 v. 28. Mark 16.19 Acts 7.56 Acts 9.4 Acts 3.21 before his passion that he must leave the world and go to his Father as he was man And St. Mark saith that after his resurrection he was taken up into Heaven and sitteth on the right had of God And so Saint Stephen saw him in heaven standing on the right hand of God and Saint Paul heard him from Heaven saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And St. Peter saith that the Heavens must receive or contain or hold him until the times of restitution of all things that is until the last day the day of Judgment How then can he be corporally present here on earth and be still residing in Heaven But to make the Point more clear John 6.53 our Saviour saith except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you that is none can attain unto eternal life but only those that do eat the flesh of the Son of man and do drink his bloud but all the Patriarchs Fathers and Prophets of the Old Testament and all those Christians that are baptized and die before they receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Fathers of the old Testament could not eat the natural flesh of Christ could not nor cannot eat the very natural flesh of the Son of man For as yet in the time of the Fathers of the Old Testament he had not assumed his Body and therefore either all those Fathers can have no life or else our Saviour meaneth it of a spiritual eating of his flesh by the mouth of Faith and not of any carnal eating of him by the mouth of our Bodies But to deny eternal life to these Fathers is most absurd and injurious unto them therefore our Saviours meaning must needs be granted to be of a spiritual eating of his flesh and no thanks to grant it For the Apostle proves it saying that they did ali eat the same spiritual meat 1 Cor. 10.3 4. and they did all drink the same spiritual drink that is as we do now for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ whose flesh they did thus spiritually eat that so they might have eternal life And St. Aug. in Johan tract 26. Aug. expounds it in the same manner saying visibilem cibum hoc est Manna spiritualiter intellexerunt spiritualiter esurierunt spiritualiter gustaverunt they understood that visible meat that is the Manna spiritually they hungred after it spiritually and they did eat the same spiritually And of all Christian Children and others that are baptized and die before they receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the same Father saith nulli est aliquatenus ambigendum tunc unumquemque fidelium corporis sanguinis Domini participem fieri quando in baptismate efficitur membrum Christi Aug de Symbol fidei ad catech to 9. no man ought any way to doubt but that every one is then made partaker of the body and blood of our Lord when by Baptism he is made a member of Christ Therefore the words of Christ are not to be understood of any oral eating of his flesh or drinking of his blood 2. 2. From the Fathers The whole stream of the first Fathers of the Christian Church are against this new-found Doctrine of Transubstantiation of the bread into the flesh of Christ and of the wine into his blood and for the spiritual eating of the flesh of Christ and the spiritual drinking of his blood For Origen saith si secundum literam sequaris id quod dictum est Origen in Levit hem 7. nisi manducaveritis carnem filii hominis non habebitis vitam in vobis litera illa occidit if you follow the letter of that which is said except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man ye have no life in you that letter killeth for it is the Spirit that giveth life the flesh profiteth nothing Theoder Dialog 7. And Theodoret saith Christus naturam panis non mutat Christ changeth not the nature of the bread So Tertullian contra Marcionem l. 4. August contra Adamant Manich. to 6. c. 12. in epist 221. Cyprian de coena Domini Hesichius in Levit. l. 3. c. 2 Amb. de Sacrament l. 1. c. 5. Chrys in Johan Tract 25 26. And all the rest that write of this Point are of the samâ— minde and do expound it in the same manner And so many of the Popish Writers themselves do either ingenuously confess or else tacitely yield unto this very truth for Pope Gelasius saith non desinit esse substantia vel natura panis vini the substance or nature of the bread and wine doth not cease to be and Roffensis yieldeth that the very presence of Christs body in the Masie Fisher Bishop of Roches cont Capt. Babylon Tonst de Euch. l. 1. Pag 65. Ar. Mont. in Luc. 22. cannot be proved by any place of Scripture and therefore sure we need not believe it for any truth and Tonstall confesseth it was no heresie to deny the Doctrire of Transubstantiation before the Council of Lateran And Arias Montanus upon the words of our Saviour this is my body saith it is no more but my body is sacramentally contained in this Sacrament and this we do all affirm and accursed be he that denieth it for we say with Clemens Alexandrinus that duplex est sanguis Domini alter carnalis quo redempti sumus alter spiritualis quo scilicet unctisumus and so the fiesh or body of Christ is understood to be 1. Carnally or corporally in heaven 2. Mystically and spiritually in the Sacrament and in the first sence none did or can eat him but in the second sence all the godly men have and do and will eat him and drink him nam hoc est bibere Jesu sanguinem incorruptionis domini participem esse for this is to eat the flesr of Christ and to drink the blood of Jesus to be partakets of the incorruption of our Lord as S. Clemens saith and as S. August August in Johan saith credere in Christum est manducarc panem vivum to believe in Christ is to eat the bread of life which is the flesh of Christ 3. Reason it self disproveth 3. From reason 1. Reason John 3.9 and is fully against this their doctrine of Transubstantiation For 1. If the bread upon the pronouncing of those words this is my body be turned into the flesh of Christ then the Apostles did eat his body and yet saw it whole and intire before their
themselves to his meaning Genes 11.9 do interpret it but the great city of this world that is in all things agreeable to every particular thing that is spoken of this great Babylon for as that place and city was chiefly called Babylon that is confusion because as Moses sheweth God confounded the Languages of those grand rebells that endeavoured in that City 1 John 2.15 1 John 17.9 to scale the walls of Heavens and as it were to desie God himself so this world is just like unto the same the receptacle of all confusion and disorders and it is one of the three capital enemies of mankinde that we profess in our Baptisme to renounce and that we are charged not to love but still to fly from the baits and the deceipts thereof and John 5.19 for which our Saviour that prayed for his enemies which crucified him denieth his prayer saying I pray not for the world because God hateth all those that work wickedness and S. John saith the whole world all of it lieth in wickedness and will not be raised from it and besides God is the God of order and the whole world is out of order the very babel of all confusion The great Antichrist shall rise in such a place as shall be like Babylon when first it was called Babel Genes 11.79 and confusion is the mother that bringeth forth the Antichrist into the Church and it is the nurse that fostereth cherisheth upholdeth and protecteth him against Christ and against his Church But though the world in General is that great citie whith is meant Revel 17. and elsewhere in that book and wherein the great Antichrist will settle himself yet must he rise and spring in some place City or Kingdome of the world that is not as Rome or Constantinople a Babylon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectively but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply and transcendently like as the Chaldean Babylon was and in all things resembling her when first she was called Babel the City of Confusion and that was when all the Inhabitants thereof were without any settled just and lawfull Governors or Government among them but were as the children of Israel were in the later time of the Judges Judg. ult and Ver. ult when there was no King in Israel but every man did that which was right in his own eyes and so they did now in Babel they understood not one another they obeyed not one another but when the Master or Governor required one thing they did another and when they called for bricks they brought them straw and so forth And what Kingdome Rome not like Babylon when first it was called Babel City or Church is or hath been thus like Babel without any setled just and lawfull Government or Governors I will not determine but I am sure Rome hath her Governors and the Church of Rome her settled strict and well observed Orders and Lawes which none dares disobey nor do what is right in his own eyes nor preach what Doctrines he please unto the people But in what Kingdome City or Common-wealth soever we see no settled just and lawfull Government but the Governors like pegs driving out one another and settling first one kinde of Government then another of greater power cometh and changeth that Government then a third then a fourth and so forth and the Commonwealth standeth like a windmill upon the top of a hill that must turn with every winde and submit it self to every Government that is most prevalent and where you see the Church without Rulers without order and without Law but every Presbyter doth what he pleaseth and serveth God with what service his own fancy liketh best I believe that City Kingdom and Church doth in all things parallel the first Chaldean Babel and must be if any place be the very seat of the Antichrist and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply most eminently and transcendently a Babylon and the fittest place for the Antichrist to reside And so the Antichrist having learnt his lesson divide impera i.e. by confusion and division and setting the Father against the Son and the Daughter against the Mother the subject against his King and the King against the subject the people against their Pastors and their Pastors against the people and so of all the rest he will settle and inthrone himself in that imperial seat of his rule and authority where there is most confusion and where there is no settled just and lawfull Government and this is that Babylon thus mystically expressed by the Holy Ghost and thus clearly explained unto you where the Antichrist shall rule and reign and rage over Gods people even in that place of the world and in that street of this Great City where there is most division and confusion both in the Church and Commonwealth this confusion being his chiefest consolation and the furtherance of his progression and which as the Poet saith Turbabit faedera mundi will soon bring the world out of order and to be ruled as he listeth And now the question is demanded Whether in any other place of all the world you can finde more divisions and confusions and a more unstable unjust and unsettled Government both in Church and Commonwealth then you may finde in these Churches and Common wealths and formerly the Kingdomes of Ingland Scotland and Ireland for though that in this Babylon this place that is so full of disorders and confusion Where discord reigns in realm or town The wicked win the chief renown Plutarchus in vita Niceas pag. 547. you may finde many zealous and religious men that do fear God and mourn for the sin of the Antichrist and abhor all his wicked wayes yet it is demanded if ever there were more faction in Hierusalem in the time of their last siege more Sects in Amsterdam more malice in Rome in the time of the proscription or more corruption in the time of the Pope and more division among the Reubenites and confusion in great Babylon in the land of Shinar than may be found now in this relapsed Church and among the people of these Dominions And for the diversity of Sects multiplicity of opinions and the manifold confusions in the Church it is demanded if the errors and heresies of the Sectaries Presbyters Independents and lay-Preachers are not only published printed and permitted but also cathedrally and autoritatively if not maintained yet countenanced or connived at at the least And if here in the field of Gods Church and out of this Babylonish chair you may not finde any error or heresie that hath been formerly invented and broached by the grand Hereticks and confuted by the Fathers of the Church now again in some place or other and by some Sect or other resuscitated and refined unto the people and whether you may not uncontroulably choose any Religion and be of any Sect either Antinomian Anabaptist Arian Aerian Brownist Barrowist Dipper The manifold
divisions corruptions and confusions that are now conceived to be in the Churches of these Dominions Donatist Cradokist Cerinthian Catharist Ebyonist Eutychian Familist Gnostick Hugonite Hussite Jesuit Libertine Lollard Marcionist Manichean Montanist Millenary Nestorian Nicholaitan Origenist Petagian Puritan Quaker Ranter Sadduce Socinian Seeker Tritheist Valentinian Winterist or if you will Atheist or Adamite or Independant From all these and from all other Seâ—â—â—â—d or new and have liberty of Conscience to profess and be of what Sect you 〈…〉 so you profess to believe in Jesus Christ as all the very worst hereticks did and 〈◊〉 and so you take the Oath of abjuration and renounce popery and 〈◊〉 which are the only men as I see that although they do believe in Jesus Christ as well if not better than any of the foresaid Hereticks are excluded from this benefit and excepted from this liberty of conscience to serve God as seemeth good in every mans eyes And though all these Sects differ one from another and are in confusion The common and joynt practise of all the Sectaries and execrating one another yet all of them do agree to dissociate themselves from the true Professors of the primitive Christianity to tear the Apocriphal Books out of our Bibles to cast away the service Book and to cashier the Articles of our Church and the Book of Homilies they are no Saints if they do not this But for the resolution of the foresaid Questions though I could say much therein Yet I will only refer the same to what you may read in a little Treatise intituled Hell broke loose that so as it seemeth the Antichrist might come forth out of the bottomless pit as S. John saith he should do and to a book of Mr. Edwards intituled Gangraena which is set out at large and three times printed where you may finde very orderly and methodically set down such a ferrago and hodg-podg of Heresies and such a multitude of most horrible blasphemies so odious and so hideous Mr. Alexander Ross in his animadversions upon Mr. Hobbes his Leviathan sheweth how the Leviathan blasphemeth 1. God 1 Errour that my hairs do stand and my heart doth tremble at the thought of them and my soul is very much afraid to name them least thereby the Devil should intice some wicked men that as yet know them not to embrace them and likewise to another book of Mr. Alexander Ross against Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan which Mr. Ross saith is like that beast in the Revelation cap. 13. and that is the Antichrist which opened his mouth into blasphemy against God and his Tabernacle and against them that dwell in Heaven 1. Against God himself and that many waies as specially 1. In saying that God made the world by nature and so by consequence of necessity according to the course of nature whereas indeed he did it voluntarily and freely and might have chosen whether he would have created any thing or nothing for he being liberrimum agens a most free and no waies necessitate agent whatsoever pleased the Lord that did he in heaven and in earth and in the Sea and in all deep places saith the Prophet Errour 2 2. In making the Three Persons of the Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to be rather Names than Substances which is contrary to our very Creeds and the Faith that we do profess Errour 3 3. In making Christ only to personate God the Son as if he were not so indeed but takes upon him only that Office Place and Title Whereas in very truth Christ by reason of the Hypostatical union of his Manhood to the Godhead is rightly said to be as he is the Son of God Errour 4 4. In making God with the Manichees to be the author of sin and so unjust if he punisheth us for doing that whereof himself is the author when as the Scriptures tell us plainly he hateth all those that work vanity vide Hab. 1.13 1 John 1.5 much more them that work wickedness and that he is of pure eyes neither shall any evil dwell in his sight he being that light in whom is no darkness at all and that perfect order in whom is no Ataxie or disorder at all Errour 5 5. In making God to be corporeal and a part of the Universe when as Christ tels us plainly God is a Spirit and the Scripture tels us so in many places 2. Against Gods Tabernacle that is his Church 2. The Tabernacle by labouring to overthrow her Faith her Knowledge her Miracles and her Ordinances 3. 3. The Angels and the blessed souls of the Saints Against them that dwell in Heaven that is the Angels and separated Souls of the Saints in making the one but Fancies and dreams that are indeed created substances of a pure spiritual being and the other mortal and not capable of any other happiness than what is earthly which is the greatest discouragement that can be to all Christians 1 Cor. 15.19 and would make them if this were true of all men the most miserable and would be the very poyson of all Piety and vertue And besides all this he saith that the said Hobbes in his Leviathan affirmeth that Faith is not by inspiration or infusion but 〈…〉 and industry that to believe in God is not to trust in Gods Person 〈…〉 confess the Doctrine of the Scripture that our Belief is in the Church The manifold errours heresies and blasphemies that Ross collecteth out of the Leviathan that they â—â—e not Devils but mad men that confessed Christ in the Gospel that Covetousness Ambition and Injustice with Power able to uphold them are honourable that wicked Tyrants and good Princes are all one and no such difference betwixt them that a man may sin against his Conscience that is do the things which his own Conscience tels him he should not do that men should not render a reason or an account of their Faith that Kings and Princes are not subject to their own Lawes that private men have no propriety in their own Goods that our natural reason is the Word of God that divine dreams cannot win our Belief that it was but a wind and not the holy Spirit of God that moved on the waters in the Creation Gen. 1.2 that the Dove which lighted on Christ in his Baptisme and the fiery Tongues which sate upon the Apostles in the day of Pentecost may be called Angels that Christ hath no spiritual Kingdom here upon earth that Christ did not cast out Devils Mat. 3.16 Acts 2.3 but only cured Madness that Satan did not enter into Judas that we may dissemble in matters of Religion and that we may disobey both Christ and his Apostles without sin Such Job 41.20 and much more like stuffe and smoak saith Ross doth this Leviathan send out of his Nostrils as out of a boyling Cauldron and herein contrary to all truth and without shame he raked up the
Why the Lord raiseth these Idol-shepherds Verse 3. the crie of the good shepherds and faithfull Pastors of Gods Church for their contempt their rejection and suppression for as the Apostle saith that because men receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth 2 Thess 2.10 11. Luke 13.34 but have pleasure in unrighteousness so because the people rejected the true shepherds and as our Saviour saith killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto them for Zachary was stoned with stones by the command of King Joas in the Court of the House of the Lord Micheas was thrown down by king Joram to break his neck because he had rebuked him for the sinnes of his Father Amos was very often persecuted by Amasias and his son struck him with a club on the temple of his head Dorotheus de vitis Prophetarum and so killed him Isaias was sawed asunder in two parts under King Manasses Jeremy was stoned by the people at Taphnis in the land of Egypt Ezekiel judged the two Tribes of Dan and Gad in Babylon and because he reproved them for their wickedness one of them slew him Urias the son of Simei was killed by Joachim Jeremy 26.23 and his carkasse thrown where the common sort of people were buried and so the rest of Gods faithfull Prophets were rejected persecuted and suppressed Therefore the just God as a just reward of this unjust dealing with the true shepherds raiseth up the foolish and the idol-shepherds and as he faith by the Prophet Michah if a man walk with the winde and lie falsely he shall be the Prophet of this people Ver. 13. The 2. Reason that moved the Lord to raise up these idol-Shepherds is said to be the roaring of the young Lions Micah 2. Verse 11. which I take to be the harsh and thundering threatnings of the new-sprung domineering Lords against the old faithfull shepherds to cause the people to reject them and to adhere unto their young Teachers because it is said v. 5. Verse 5. that their possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty but think they do very well herein and they that thus sell the people say blessed be the Lord for I am rich that is in Gods favour and their own shepherds that is their new young shepherds pitty them not but think that they are in a far better condition then ever they were before Therefore the Lord saith I will not feed you and I will no more pitty you Ver. 6. that is Verse 6. you that are thus seduced by your Possessors the young roaring Lions and your new Teachers that are the Chaplains of those Lions but that that dieth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another Verse 9. Vers 9. And yet such is the great love of God and his pitty towards his elect that he Vers 4 biddeth his good old shepherds and his true Prophets to feed the flock of the slaughter Ver. 4. Vers 7 and that is the poor of the flock as the Prophet explains it Ver. 7. or those that are despised and as it were appointed for the Slaughter by the young roaring Lions The two staves of the true and old Preachers Vers 7. and the foolish new shepherds And therefore the true Prophets and good old shepherds do take unto them 2 staves the one they call beauty and the other they call hands and they feed the flock that is the poor of the flock that are willing to be fed by them So you see the raiser of this foolish and idol-shepherd and the reason why he raiseth him 2. Time when the foolish idol shephere is raised then 2. For the time when God raiseth him you may observe that it is after the breaking of the Prophets 2 staves beauty and bands and 1. The staff of Beauty signifieth the true Doctrine of the Church and the faithfull exposition and teaching of the law of God and 2. The staff of bands is the good discipline and the right Government of the people that bindeth them together in the unity of Faith and perfect charity among themselves and hindereth them to straggle and to fall out into divers Sects and factions Verse 10 And if you do observe it you shall finde that when the staff of beauty was cut in sunder that is when the true exposition of the Law of Moses and the true Prophets was corrupted by the false glosses of their new Teachers When Christ was bought and sold Verse 12. This was fulfilled by the long Parliament Verse 14. that were the Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces then presently their King their Priest their Prophet and their good shepherd Jesus Christ was bought and sold by them for they weighed for his price 30 pieces of silver a goodly price that he was prized at of them for I heard of some that when the staffe of beauty was broken and the truth of Gods word corrupted by false teachers sold a far Meaner Man for a far greater price And was not our King bought and sold and murdered when our staff of beauty was broken to pieces and were not our Bishops suppressed when our staff of Bands was chopt asunder by the beast and the false Prophet Iet my Reader judge But when their King and their Good Shepherd is thus bought and sold then presently the other staff When the foolish shepherd riseth Verse 15. What is the Instrument of the foolish Shepherd Verse 16. even Bands that is the Discipline and Government of the Church is cut asunder and when both these staves are broken then the foolish shepherd with his instrument is to guide and to feed the flock for so the Lord now saith unto the Prophet take unto thee yet the instrument of a foolish shepherd And what is the Instrument of a foolish shepherd I cannot guess it to be any other than his Pipe wherein he takes great delight to be alwaies piping and prating unto his flock thinking that his piping is a sufficient discharge of his whole duty and so wholly neglecteth the Office of a good shepherd which is set down v. 16. And therefore as the children that sit in the Market place and call one to another Luke 7.32 The practice of the foolish and new Shepherds saying we have piped unto you and ye have not danced so we may say that these foolish shepherds do pipe all day unto the people and yet the people dance not after them because they lead not the dance they do nothing but pipe or as our Saviour tels us they say and do not and therefore their piping is no better than vain jangling So you see the time when God raiseth this foolish and Idol Shepherd when the staffe of
Christ which was the true substance and to be understood in and by those shadows and so for the Antichrist I sind no Prophesie concerning him in all the Book of Daniel but as he is typified in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes and you know that as Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa symbolick divinity will not hold argument so types and figures non currunt quatuor pedibus do not hold correspondency in all things but only in such particulars whereunto they are applied and therein you shall find how the Antichrist is typified and declared unto us in the person and by the doings of Antiochus For The Prophet Daniel describing the four Beasts Dan. 7. that typified and signified the four great Monarchies of the world the Assyrian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman and the little horn that sprang up among the other ten horns saith the 10 horns are interpreted by the Holy Ghost to be ten Kings that is saith Tremellius 1. The 10 horns in Dan. 7. who they are Seleucus Nicanor 2. Antiochus Soter 3. Antiochus Theos 4. Seleucus Callinichus 5. Callinicus being expelled Ptolomeus Evergetes 6. Ptolomeus expelled Seleucus Ceraunus 7. Antiochus magnus that was surnamed Hyerax the Hawk for his speedy expedition of the greatest affairs and was the Father of Seleucus Philopater and of Antiochus Epiphanes 8. This Antiochus magnus being ejected Ptolomaeus Philopater 9. This Ptolomaeus Philopater being ejected by Antiochus magnus and his Sons Seleucus Philopater 10. This Seleucus being killed Antiochus Epiphanes that was the little horn that sprang up among the ten horns and was not another horn besides the ten horns but cornu ultimum the last of the ten horns and was at his first beginning but a very little horn indeed that had no right at all unto the Kingdom and is the most lively type of the Antichrist that is to be found in all the Scriptures both in respect of his entrance into his Dominion and of his dealings with the Jewish Church just as the Antichrist should enter into his rule and deal with the Church of the Christians And the Prophet tels us of this Antiochus and under his person of the Antichrist That 1. 1. The things that Daniel saith Antiochus should do As you see how he comes to his power and dominion by the suppression and destruction of others the lawful Kings so should the Antichrist do and we know many of the Popes came to that dignity and authority by the ejection and destruction of other Popes as the Histories do sufficiently declare unto us but whether the Long Parliament came to their rule and dominion by the expulsion and destruction of their lawful King I leave it for my Reader to judge And 2. 2. An opposer of Monarchy and very successful Dan. 7.24 The Prophet tels us that Antiochus shall be diverse from the first Kings that is as some Interpreters do expound it he shall be a grand enemy of regal Government and Kingly Majesty so will the Antichrist ex diametro contradict and oppose the Monarchical Government which the Pope never did but upholdeth the same to the uttermost and you know who turned the Regal Government of these Kingdoms to a Commonwealth or as Montanus reads that place ipse erit major prioribus he shall be greater than the former Kings that is in his successes in his victories in his reveâ—ues in his taxes in his absolute authoritie and in his esteem among his Neighbour-Kings and Princes so was Antiochus so the Antichrist will be So is not the Pope when as many former Popes were greater than this is in all the foresaid respects but whether the Long Parliament laid greater taxes upon the people and had more victories and better successes in their proceedings than many other former Kings 3. An overthrower of three Kings or Kingdoms let them be their own Judges 3. The Prophet saith this little horn that is this Antiochus Epiphanes tres reges humiliabit shall bring to the ground or humble three Kings as Montanus reads it Or tres reges deprimet he shall depress and overthrow or subdue three Kings as Tremellius translates it For he drave out of Syria 1. Ptolomaeus Philopater 2. His own eldest Brother Seleucus And 3. Demetrius the Son of Seleucus to whom the right of the Kingdom did appertain So the Antichrist shall overthrow three Kings saith Cornelius a Lapide And I did not read that any of the Popes have done so yet but I know who is said to have suppressed tres reges in uno rege and to have subdued three Kingdoms as some do expound these words and may well be the mystical meaning of this Prophesie 4. A great blasphemer 4. The Prophet goeth on and saith he shall speak great words against the most High that is saith Tremellius blasphemus erit in Deum he shall utter such blasphemies against the most high God as the Jews could not endure to hear them So the Antichrist should do saith the Evangelist Rev. 13.6 And so no doubt but many Popes have done Rev. 13.6 I will excuse none of them and I have shewed to you before and shall yet shew to you hereafter what intollerable blasphemies have been broached and are published in many places by the Sectaries adherents and off-spring of that Long Parliament which may therefore very well go hand in hand with Antiochus and with the Antichrist whosoever he be 5. 5. A destroyer of the Saints and Servants of God 2 Maâ—h 7. The Prophet saith that this Antiochus Sanctos excelsorum deteret as Tremellius reads it i.e. saith he contumeliosissimus atrocissimus Tyrannus erit in populum Dei he shall be the bitterest and the cruellest Tyrant that ever was far worse than Pharaoh against the people of God And so the Books of the Maccabees and especially the cruel butchering and torturing of the Mother and her seven Children only because they would not eat swines flesh which the Law of God forbad them to do do sufficiently declare that neither the Aegyptian Pharaoh Dan. 7.25 nor the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar nor any other forreign or domestick enemy was ever so bloody and so cruel unto the Jews as this Assyrian Antiochus was and our Bibles read it he shall wear out the Saints of the most High and so the Antichrist shall do And our Histories tell us the Popes have worn out and been the death and destruction of many of the Servants of God this cannot be denied and it grieves me much to think and it would grieve me much more to set down a Catalogue of what and how many worthy noble and faithful Servants of Christ have been worn out of these three Kingdoms within these few years 6. A changer of the Lawes and of the times by whom and by what meanes you know And I fear that when God maketh inquisition for bloud the Long Parliament will not be found guiltless 6. The Holy Ghost
boasting and bragging or prae se ferens as Beza translates it pretending that he is God or as Tremellius saith ostentet seipsum ac si Deus esset he will carry himself as if he were a God that is in Gods stead the true King to rule the people and the right Bishop to govern the Church of Christ or That the Antichrist will wholly direct the Clergy and dispose of all things in the Church and about the service of God as some do read it he would be esteemed and taken tanquam sit Deus for such a supream Monarch and chief Governor over Gods Church as God said unto Moses he should be to Aaron his God to direct him in all the service of the Tabernacle and the whole worship of God so will the Antichrist be such a God to order direct and dispose of all the worship of God and how all the Clergie in order and without order should behave and carry themselves in the whole service of the Church which I take to be the true meaning of the Apostle in this place For this shewing himself or bragging that he is God is not to be understood that he would have himself believed to be the true and everliving God and worshiped with divine worship as the Historians tell us Alexander Antigonus Augustus Caligula Domician and divers others of the Caesars and Emperors were transported to that height of pride and ambition as believing themselves to be more than men to require the people their subjects to take them for Jupiter Apollo or some other of those anciently esteemed Gods and to ascribe the honor and worship that was usually given to those Gods unto themselves as Altars Sacrifices and the like whereof Virgil speaking of Augustus saith Virgilius eglog 1. Illius aram Saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus And Horace also saith Horatius epist. l. 2. Jurandásque tuum per nomen ponimus aras But the meaning of the Apostle is that this man of sin the Antichrist will bragge and boast unto the people that he is all for God and for the honor and service of God and therefore sits in the temple of God to set out the right directory of serving God that so God through him and by his only means and endeavors might be rightly served and worshipped according to his directory as the Mahometans worship Mahomet according to his Alcoran and we formerly worshipped God according to the form prescribed unto us by our Governors in the book of Common-prayer and so he sheweth that he is God that is most godly and so a God by the participation of the godliness and holiness of God which exposition doth most fitly agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he sheweth himself to be which is the rediest way to deceive the people And whether the long Parliament hath not usurped this ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction over all the holy things Let the Reader judge whether this be not fulfilled in the long Parliament and to set forth the sole Directory of Gods service tanquam sit Deus as if they alone had Aarons Office to order all the other Priests and Levites or had the spirit of S. Paul infallibly to direct the Church of Christ as well as Moses his Authority and the power of a King to rule the people Let the Parishes and people of God that have none other form of Gods service but what the Parliament Preachers and the observers of their Directory do use be the Judges both of what service and of what Doctrine is brought unto them I make small account though I will not pass it unsaluted of that Observation which some men have made that the Parliament House where the members of the long Parliament sate Arise Evans in his Voice from heaven was a Chappel consecrated by King Edward the 3. to be the Temple of God as appeareth by many Records because many other Parliaments have sate in that Chappel and yet not any of them all have usurped this power to be the supream disposers and directors of all the holy service of God the Commanders of all the Bishops and Priests of the most high God how to do his service and what service should be done unto him and to make themselves the sole Possessors the right owners to dispose sell or give all the Revenues lands states Tythes and offerings of the Church as it is said the Antichrist would do and which he may no better nor so well do as Scyrus and Procrustes the two vilest robbers that we read of could take thy purse and all thy mony by the High-way side And here also I cannot omit to observe Note the word fit in the temple that the Apostle saith that the man of sin shall not stand but sit in the Temple of God where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to fit as where it is said that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 4.6 and 20.12 sate by the well and so the two Angells were seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sitting in white raiments is to be distinguished from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which betokeneth and signifieth collocare to place or to set a thing in some place as it is where the Apostle saith if you have judgments of things pertaining to this life 1 Cor. 6.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set such or place them to judg who are least esteemed in the Church and so where it is said that the Disciples brought the Asse and the Colt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they set him Matth 21.7 or placed him thereon And therefore it is rightly concluded by Maresius that this sitting in the Temple of God is ill applyed by Grotius to Caius Caligula his causing of his Statue to be placed in the Temple at Hierusalem but it may most properly signifie the sitting of the Parliament Let the Reader judge of this or the like society of men in that place where they intend to acquiesce and rest themselves whether the place be physical or Metaphysical And whether the Parliament resolved not only to stand in that their dignity and Authority for a while or intended to sit and acquiesce and continue themselves and their Successors for ever in the Parliament-House and in the Temple of God to govern the Church of God as God themselves know best I will not judge of their Intention CHAP. VI. That the Antichrist is a great Professor of Religion and a seeming Saint That he belyeth his Profession and is indeed the greatest Hypocrite in the world What the great Lye of the Antichrist is What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth What it is to deny Jesus to be the Christ And how the Father and the Son may be denied two manner of waies 2. THough I might go on
to explain unto you what S. Paul further setteth down concerning this man of sin that is the Antichrist yet because they are not such Characters and acts as are proper to him alone and not also common to his Proselites and Followers and some of them likewise do rather shew his judgment how he shall be destroyed than his description how he may be known therefore I will proceed from those sins doings and demeanour of him whereby St. Paul hath painted and set him forth as I have shewed you in the former Chapter to what the holy Ghost informeth St. John he should do whereby the people of God might by what sins and description of him as St. John setteth down plainly know him and avoid him when he should appear in the world for St. John sheweth many of the very same sins and the same doings of the Antichrist though exprest in other terms as St. Paul had done before the same sins by other names and some other like sins added unto what you heard before because he is not satisfied with few sins And first after that the holy Apostle and Evangelist St. John had said they had heard that the Antichrist should come even as St. Paul told the Thessalonians 2 Thes 2.5 that the Antichrist should come that is a great eminent and transcendent Antichrist he addeth that now that is in his time there were many Antichrists that is of a lower form and of lesser mischief than the great Antichrist would be even as St. V. 7. Paul likewise told the Thessalonians that the mystery of iniquity had begun to work in his daies that is by the ministry of those Hereticks and false hypocritical Professors that abused the truth of their Christian Profession then the Apostle St. John distinguisheth betwixt the true Christians and those false dissembling Professors that were those many Antichrists that he speaketh of and the forerunners of the great Antichrist St. John sheweth there be a sorts of Antichrists and he sheweth how the true Christians might be discerned and known by the unction or the anointing of the true Christians with the Grace of Gods holy Spirit whereby they came to know to confess and to profess the truth that is the Faith and truth of our Christian Religion and on the other side he doth say and positively affirm that the denial of this Truth by the hypocritical Professors in the main head that is to deny Jesus to be the Christ is the proper note and the undeniable mark and Character of the great Antichrist which is the head of all the other many inferiour Antichrists that are all destitute of that Unction whereby the true Christians do believe and confess Jesus to be the Christ let them make what Profession soever they please of their Faith and Christian Religion yet indeed they are no true Christians but the great Antichrist if they deny Jesus to be the Christ For saith the Evangelist and that by an Interrogation which is the strongest asseveration that can be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.22 that is Who is the Lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ he is the Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Here is the full description of the Antichrist two things observeable Touching which words you must observe these two special things 1. Two things observable That St. John calleth the Antichrist a Lyar. 2. You are to understand what his Lye is 1. St. John sheweth us plainly herein that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Antichrist is a great Lyar 1. That the Antichrist is a Lyar 2 waies 1. By belying his Christian Profession and in that he is a Lyar it implyeth two special things 1. That he is an hypocritical and apostate Professor 2. That he is a crafty and cunning deceiver of the poor people As 1. It is apparent that the Antichrist is an hypocritical and an apostate Professor such as the other lesser antichrists that have been with us and went from us are For this great Antichrist will make a great profession of Religion as if he were the only Saint and the best Christian upon the earth that hath the greatest care that can be of Gods Service for the observing of his Sabbath and the preaching of his Word and the refraining from all Swearing and the like and yet all is but a great Lye only for an outward shew and no more when he speaks that with his tongue which he cares not for in his heart Rev. 13.11 and therefore he is said to speak like the Dragon And why like the Dragon Because that as the Dragon flattered Evah with many great and fair promises to make them like gods and to fill them with knowledge both of good and evil yet all were but lies and every word against his Conscience that knew well enough the listning to his voice and believing his Words would make them like devils so will the Antichrist flatter and fawn promise and profess great matters and make you believe he is a Saint and will bring you all to Heaven when with the Dragon he tells you nothing but lies and leads you straight to Hell And therefore doth St. John say that he is a Lyar that belyeth his own Profession Whether the Parliament members and their adhereÌ„ts did not bely what they professed let the Reader judge And it is demanded whether the Long Parliament Proselites and adherents did not even the like and follow the very same course as the Antichrist is said he should do and prove themselves such Lyars as he should prove himself to be For did they not profess themselves to be the truest Saints the best Christians and the purest Church of Christ that is or that men do know here on earth and that there were no Tares in their field no Chaffe in their floor no Trash in their Net and nothing but Gold on their foundation Psal 26.4 5. And do they not say that they hate the Assembly of the Malignants neither will they sit among vain persons And besides all this have they not tanquam Deus as God and chief ordâ—iner and ruler of all Church-matters rejected cashiered and abolished the formerly established Orders and Ordinances of the Divine Service and as Christ when the old Covenant of works and Legal Ceremonies was to be expired and those rites were to be nullified and done away Heb. 8.9 did in the stead of it set up his new and better Covenant of Grace as the Apostle sheweth So have they not devised and set forth a new and as they say a better Directory than ever was before that is a new form of Divine Worship new Canons of Gods Service and a Service of the new fashion such as neither we nor our Fathers did ever know the like and far better than ever they had and for the observance of that Directory have they not made stricter Ordinances and imposed severer punishments
upon the transgressors then as is conceived the Pope ever did for the omission of his Breviary and Missal or the Turk for the neglect of using his Alcoran Yet as the Author of the French History relating the horrible rebellion of the holy Leaguers in France saith that the essential form of a zealous Catholick in this League was to rob and to prophane Churches ravish widows spoyl the Clergy and murder them even against and before the Altars Mercurius Rustic printed at Oxford and to vomit out all kinds of indignities and scandalous imputations against their King so the author of Mercurius Rusticus saith the Zealous Covenanters limbs of the Beast and members of the Antichrist the Proselites and adherents of the Long Parliament he doth not say the very members of the Parliament themselves have done the very same things if not worse and have out-gone and out-done those holy Leaguers and all examples of impiety in justice and wickedness and have also passed all Presidents of Sacriledge and prophanation of Gods Holy Worship So that whatsoever the old Eustathians Messalians Fratricelli and the rest of those hair-brain'd and mad Hereticks durst never attempt to do or say these holy Schismaticks and Covenanters that put no difference betwixt holy and prophane whether persons times places or things have acted ever with greediness and taken delight and pleasure in those that did them so as if the devil would shew in them the master-peece of all infernal impiety And what are these doings but as Christ saith of the Scribes and Pharisees that would be counted the only Saints among the Jews to sit in Moses Chair Mat. 15.3 Mar. 8.7.8 9. which they usurped and to teach for Doctrines the traditions of men that were indeed but the Doctrines of devils And as the Apostle saith to sit in the Temple of God as God When they have presumed to teach more errours and heresies than the Pope and the Romish Church ever taught and to act more impieties than the Turk or Mahometans ever durst presume or adventure to do Or as St. John saith here 1 Joh. 2.2 what is all the great profession of holiness that they make but a great lie When they say one thing and do another profess Religion and follow all Abomination and with the Jews draw near unto God with their lips Esa 29.13 and to have their hearts far enough from him And this is the first and main branch of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lyar Judge whether the long Parliament hath not fulfilled this when the Antichrist doth bely his Profession and his doings his practises and his works do rell and testifie to his face that all his words and sayings are very plain and palpable Lies 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lyar doth imply that the Antichrist is a great Covenant-breaker and a false Deceiver of those that trust him because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. By Covenant breaking and deceiving those that unst him that is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth properly signifie decipere fallere to deceive to couzen and cheat from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a false brother and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a false witness is derived doth betoken a falsifying of ones faith and the breaking of the Oath and Promise that we make to any one So that from hence you may likewife see how that the Antichrist is an eminent Christian in Profession promising and vowing in his Baptisme to forsake the World the Flesh and the Devill and protesting in his words that he renounceth them all and yet but an hypocritical Apostata by all his Actions and demeanour both towards God and Men whenas he violates his Oaths falsifieth his Faith and breaks the Promises and Vows that he hath made to his God to his King to his Country and to all that trusted him and believed him to be such a Saint and good Christian as he profest himself to be But whether the long Parliament and their adherents have broken their Covenants and their Articles and deceived their King and their Country and have falsified their Oaths their promises and protestations both to God and Man I leave it to God and their Country to judge 2. The Apostle sheweth he meaneth not that every petty Lyar 2. What the great lye of Antichrist is whereof we have too too many in every place is the Antichrist or that the Antichrist is but a petite Lyar but his meaning is that the Antichrist is both an ordinary lyar cozener and deceiver of men and also an eminent notorious and a transcendent Lyar no small Lyar but a Lyar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyond and above all other Lyars whatsoever for this great Lyar doth not only belye his holy Profession by his lewd and wicked actions as I shewed to you before and as very many other worldly men and nominal Christians do but he tells also this great lye this capital Lye the worst of all lies especially for a Professor of Christianity to lye that is to deny Jesus to be the Christ The Antichrist is a negative Lyar. which is a negative lie not the simple telling of an untruth but a malicious denial of the chiefest truth and the most beneficial truth of all truths to all mankind and therefore a lye worse than any other lye whatsoever and a lye that doth as you shall see hereafter co-incidate and cohere with that sin of the Antichrist that S. Paul meaneth that I have expressed to you before and doth make the esse formale the very very being of that Antichrist that could never devise a worser and a more pernicious lye than this and therefore in denying this truth in denying Jesus to be the Christ he denieth the Father and the Son and discovereth himself plainly by this denial of Jesus to be the Christ as by a proper undeniable mark and character to be that great Antichrist that was expected to come into the World For the better understanding of which great and special point whereby you may infallibly know the Antichrist you must consider these two things 1. 2. Special things to be observed What is the meaning of denying Jesus to be the Christ 2. Whom we can find to have denied Jesus to be the Christ and if we can find any that hath or doth deny Jesus to be the Christ than we have found the Antichrist let us take heed of him And for the clearing of the first point A special observation Luk. 12.8 9. Mat. 10.33 you are to observe here that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Lyar is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a denier of Christ or of Jesus to be the Christ and you know what Christ saith Whosoever shall confess me before men him shall the Son of man also confess before the Angels of God but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the Angels of God or as St. Matthew saith more emphatically
on earth and he is still our King as the Prophet saith The Lord is King and hath put on glorious apparel Psal 93.1 and he placeth other Kings to be his Substitutes and Vicegerents to guide and to govern his people according as he doth command and therefore he saith By me Kings do raign Prov. 8.15 and as he is still our King so S. Peter saith He is still the Bishop of our souls 1. Pet. 2.25 and the Priest that maketh an atonement to God for us and he placeth other Bishops and other Priests under him to teach and to govern his Church in the truth of his Service and Religion And you know what Christ saith to these his Deputies and Vicegerents Luk. 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me So he that denieth and hindereth you to execute your Offices denieth me mine Offices to be both King and Priest and so denieth me to be the Christ and in denying me he denieth him that sent me Psal 2.8 and gave me the Gentiles for mine Inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for my Possession and also Sware that I should be a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 after the Order of Melchizedech Therefore it is most plain and apparent that whosoever professeth himself a Christian and yet maliciously opposeth and trayterously denieth the execution of the Kingly and Priestly Offices of Christ to be performed by his Deputies Kings and Priests that he appointeth under him and so far denieth them to do it as utterly to destroy them and deny them to live as the Jews denied Christ before Pilate to be Kings and Priests in Christs stead to Govern and to Teach his Church is here meant by the Apostle to be the Grand Lyar and the Great Antichrist that denieth Jesus to be the Christ and so you have seen what is the meaning of denying Jesus to be the Christ 2. The other Point to be considered is to enquire and search if we can find 2. Whom can we find to have denied Jesus to be the Christ Neither Pope nor Turk who have thus as I shewed you denied Jesus to be the Christ and if you find who hath done so you shall find out the Antichrist and I beleeve we shall find him neither in Rome nor in Constantinople for the Pope I am sure of it denieth not the Bishops as Christs Depuâ—ies to execute their Priestly Office when he professeth himself to be Christs Deputy and Vicar to discharge that Office to instruct and to govern his Church and for the Turke he will not extirpate Monarchy nor cast down Kings when he professeth himself to be the chief Monarch of the earth and a King of Kings as his own Letters testifie But whether the Long Parliament and their adherents Let the Reader judge whether the long Parliament hath not fulfilled this saying of the Apostle that in words do constantly affirm and profess that Jesus is the Christ and themselves good if not the best Christians that are on earth have not by their deeds in opposing their King the Substitute and Vioeroy of Christ and denying him either to execute his Regal Office or to live and in suppressing all the Bishops and so many Orthodox Loyall Preachers so that they shall never as Bishops execute the Priestly Office of Christ denied Iesus to be Christ by denying those Substitute Officers of Christ to execute those Offices or to live in those Offices I leave it to them that can judge who is the Lyar and the Antichrist and that denieth Iesus to be the Christ Only I must say That if I were a Pagan and an Infidel and had seen no more of the Parliaments doings but these two things i.e. 1. Their words and great profession of holiness and Christianity And The two chiefest things that do most of all regret the mind of the Author 2. Their deeds in the cutting off of their own just and lawful Kings head and the head of their chief Priest and the suppression exclusion and extirpation of all the godly Bishops in these three Kingdoms and likewise the prohibition and sileneing of them and the rest of the Orthodox Preachers from preaching of the Gospel of Iesus Christ not for any supposed Errour in their Doctrine but for a suspition they had that those faithful men would publish the truth and villanies of their Acts and Proceedings unto the People I should beleeve none could be a greater Lyar or a greater Antichrist than they that did such things Being confident that neither Decius nor Dioclesian nor any other of the primitive Persecutors nor Pope nor Turk nor any later Tyrant hath ever done the like And yet herein That the Author can very well endure dissentients I am not so wedded to mine own opinion as that I cannot endure dissentients for I am not of their mindes that hold him not for their friend and will bear no correspondence with him that will not per omnia in omnibus in all things be of their minde neither do I propose my conceptions notions and Expositions as infallible Articles of faith for others sub paena to be believed but I only set down what I conceive and do verily believe to be true and my Reasons and Arguments that induce me thereunto leaving to all others the liberty of their own conscience to believe what they will and whom they will to be the Antichrist Pope or Turk or whomsoever they please 3. 3. That the Antichrist denying Jesus to be the Christ denieth the Father and the Son which may be done 2 waies 1. Way Mat. 10.40 Luc. 10.16 S. John proceedeth and saith that the Antichrist not only denyeth Jesus to be the Christ but also by this denial he denyeth the Father and the Son and this as I conceive may be done two manner of wayes 1. By separating himself from the rule Government and Ministry of Christ and maliciously suppressing the ordinances and the substitute Governors of Christ which is a most observable and inseparable mark of the Antichrist and of all his followers for thus our Saviour tells us that whosoever despiseth rejecteth and suppresseth the officers Embassadors and Ministers that Christ sendeth and setteth over us to ruâ—e us and to instruct us despiseth rejecteth and by as much as in him lieth suppresseth Christ himself and whosoever despiseth rejecteth and denyeth him despiseth and denieth God the Father that sent him and therefore you may plainly see hereby Vide R. W. in lib. The Doctrine of the Scripture touching the original of Government pag. 117. that the rebellious risers against their King Prince or any other their supream Governor that Christ placeth over them and the suppressors of the Apostles Bishops and Pastors of Gods Church the successors of the Apostles that Christ sends to teach and to govern his Church throughout all ages do rebell reject and deny Christ which is
the Son and by rejecting and denying Christ that is the Son they reject and deny him that sent him that is the Father and so by denying hindering and suppressing these substitute officers of Christ that they shall not live to execute their office they reject and deny both the Father and the Son because these master and servant Christ and his Deputies as Kings and their Embassadours are Relatives and so indissolubly knit together that you can neither oppose suppress nor deny the one without the other and therefore quia per latera nostra Christus petitur because Christ is thrust at and wounded through our sides that are his servants Act. 9.4 he saith unto Saul Why persecutest thou me when he neither did nor meant any hurt to the person of Christ that was in heaven but abused and persecuted his servants that were on earth which is the true meaning of the Apostle in this place or otherwise if you expound these words literally of him that by denying the Son to be essentially one God with the Father denyeth the Father to be a God because the Father and the Son are so essentially one that no man can deny the one but he must deny the other then cannot this speech of the Apostle be properly applyed to the Antichrist because that if such a denyer of the Son to be one with the Father be the Antichrist you may finde many thousands of the Antichrists in the world But of such as profess to honor the person of Christ Let the Reader judge whether this be fulfilled in the long Parliament that is in heaven and yet quite deny suppress and extinguish his Deputies and Officers that should execute the Offices of Christ here on earth we shall finde none but the great Lyar that is the Antichrist will do the same And whether the long Parliament did thus deny the Father and the Son by denying them that the Son hath sent as the denyal of him whom the Father hath sent is a denyal of the Father as well as of the Son let the judicious Reader judge 2. 2. Way The great Lyar may be said to deny the Father and the Son when he professeth to believe in the Father and the Son and yet denyeth with the Arians Nestorians Eutychians and other old Hereticks the termes and rejecteth the notions and expressions whereby we come to understand and make the people likewise to have some competent measure of knowledg in the great Mystery of the holy Trinity how the Father and the Son and so the Holy Ghost are the only true God as our Saviour saith John 17.3 John 17.3 the which thing the Pope never did I am sure of it But whether the long Parliament Divines and their Proselites the false prophet 1 John 2.19 and the Independant Apostata's that are such Antichrists as the Apostlespeaks of that went out from us and were not of us and such sons of the Church Whether the Assembly of Presbyterians and Parliament Preachers may not be said to deny the Father and the Son let the Reader judge as S. Bernard speaks of Filii nequam filii scelerati qui scaeviunt in matrem do not thus deny the Father and the Son when they reject and refuse the words Essence person unity Trinity and the like words that totidem syllabis cannot be found in the Scriptures and do likewise cashier and exclude from Gods service the Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost and cast away from all use that most excellent Hymn Te Deum laudamus te Dominum confitemur and others the like holy Hymnes and expressions of our Faith which S. Ambrose S. Augustine and other godly men and after them the whole Church of God Penes quam norma loquendi that hath the power to coin words to explain the truth have ever used to bring her children to some understanding and a competent measure of knowledge in that great and ineffable mystery of Godliness which is the unity of the Godhead in the Trinity of persons and è contra the Trinity of persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost in the unity of Essence or Godhead and to make the weaker Christians and the weaker Divines the better able to answer and to confute those wicked Hereticks that are alwaies ready to arise as now they do to deny the truth of these holy Mysteries let the wise and experienced Divines judge hereof For the Apostle meaneth not as I said before that he which in plain termes and with spen mouth denyeth the being or the God-head of the Father and of the Son is the Lyar and the Antichrist but as the crafty fool that durst not say it openly yet cunningly and secretly saith in his heart There is no God Psal 53.1 and 14.1 is a meer Atheist though he never uttereth that atheistical wickedness with his mouth so are they meer Antichrists and great Lyars that say they do believe these Mysteries and yet secretly and maliciously deny the Father and the Son though not directly yet by infallible consequences when they deny those notions and expressions whereby we come to know the Father and the Son though they profess the contrary in their words which makes them to be the Lyar because they say one thing and do another that is still the propertie of the Antichrist to do just so as they do And therefore Let the Presbyterians think of this and repent seeing he is the Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son as the Apostle saith and that he which denyeth and rejecteth them that are sent denieth and rejecteth him that sent them as our Saviour testifieth and that they also which deny the notions and expressions whereby we come to know the Father and the Son do by consequence and in very deed whatsoever they say to the contrary deny the Father and the Son it must needs follow that the deniers and suppressors of them that are sent by Christ and the diniers of those notions and the rejectors of those expressions whereby we come to know the Father and the Son must be the great Lyar and the Antichrist from which charge though I accuse them not yet I know not how the Assembly of the long Parliaments presbyterian Divines will excuse themselves and be quitted cum surrexerit ad judicandum Deus when the Son of God shall call them to an account for it let them think of it in the interim For What is to be understood by the name of the Lord our God as he that denieth my name whereby I am made known denieth me and he that denieth his own name denieth himself because his name is the chiefest note that makes him known and as when the Lord saith Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain because his name is that which chiefly makes him known to us and by his name there all Divines
say that we must understand not only the name Jehova and Lord and God and the other usual and proper titles and names of God which S. Hierome and others have collected out of the Scriptures but also any other thing that discovereth and maketh God known unto us as his works his word his titles his attributes and the like because God hath no proper name that can make him known unto us or fully express his nature and his being as God himself saith unto Moses Exod. 13.14 when he desired to know his name that he might thereby know him So whosoever denyeth the things and rejecteth the words notions and expressions that bring us to know God or to know the Father and the Son to be the true God doth therein and thereby deny God and is as the Apostle saith the great Lyar and the Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son Leber Secundus CAP. I. The measuring of the Temple the two Witnesses that should erect and build the Christian Church who they are how long they should Prophesie how they should be killed and used after their killing how they shall be resuscicated and revived and in what time they shall be revived after they be killed and of the great mystery of God what it is and when that shall be finished OUr loving Lord and Master Jesus Christ having left us here on earth was not like Pharoahs Butler so unmindfull of us as we are of him when he was glorified in Heaven but he sends his Angel to informe his best beloved Desciple and Servant Ichn of those chiefest afflictions and persecutions that the Christian Church should find and must so undergoe here amongst the Sons of men from that time that the Angel came unto him untill he should come to judge the World and to deliver his distressed Servants out of all their troubles To what end Christ foretells the troubles of his Church and he foretells us of them that they being foreshewed unto us we might the better either study by our endeavours and prayers to God wisely to prevent and avoyd them or manfully with Gods assistance to undergoe them which might the better and the more patiently be done being expected for to come quia tela previsa minus nocent because expected troubles are alwayes less dangerous and not any wayes so grievous as those that do suddenly surprize us and rush upon us like an A med man and this sad and wofull condition of the Church the Wars and Conflicts that she must pass through and the troubles and persecutions that she must suffer the Blessed Evangelist and Apostle St. Iohn setteth down in this book of the Revelation as the Holy Ghost by his Angel hath shewed them unto him And of all the things that are foreshewed I intend only to handle What things the Author chiefly aimeth to treat of by the assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and to treat in this place what I conceive to be the chiefest things that are observable in the 11th 12th and 13th Chapters of this Book of the Revelation and which are as I beleive principally meant or at least most probably applicable to these very times wherein we live and in all likelihood to this particular Church of great Britany and Ireland that to many men seemeth to be the Stage whereupon all or most of the sad spectacles and Tragedies here in these three Ghapters mentioned are evidently seen acted as they were foreshewed I confess the burthen that herein I took upon me is very heavy and the charge very great and I have often Prayed to the same Holy Spirit The weight of the burthen that he undertaketh that as Daniel saith giveth Wisdome and revealeth Secrets Dan. 2.21 22. and that hath revealed these secrets unto his Servant Iohn that he would be pleased to reveale the meaning of them unto me who without his help can understand just nothing but with his assistance may find out the true meaning of these mysteries which wiser men and greater Schollers without his help cannot do and herein I presume not positively to affirme any thing as Articles of Faith for others to beleive but I only do set down what I verily do conceive to be the true meaning of the Holy-Ghost and say with the Poet Si tu quid rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum Now the summe of these three Chapters The summe of the three Chapters that are explained by the Author 11 chap. in brief is this 1. In the 11th Chapter the Angell setteth down to St. Iohn the state and condition of the Governours and Pastors of Gods Church the two Witnesses of Jesus Christ and their fiery tryall their persecution and their suffering under the rule and Reigne of the great Antichrist termed here the Beast that ascendeth from the bottomless pit 2. 12 chap. In the 12th Chapter he sheweth the troubles Crosses and Persecutions of the whole Church and the chiefest members of the same and how that notwithstanding all the malice of Satan and the spite of her persecutors the Church should be assisted and delivered from them all 3. 13 chap. In the 13th Chapter the Apostle describeth unto us the great Antichrist that should most of all persecute the Witnesses of Christ and the false Prophet that should instruct and instigate the Antichrist to proceed on in all his impieties and he sheweth the Combination of these two and of others the chiefest Enemies of the Witnesses and of the Church of Christ First 1. Of the measuring of the Temple and of the Worshippers therein Chap. 11.1 After that the Apostle had eaten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little book which the Angell gave him and was told by the Angell that he must Prophesie againe before many People and Nations and Tongues and Kings he saith there was given unto him a Reed like to a Rod or a measuring Pole and the Angel said unto him arise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that Worship therein And we find that this measuring Reed was used sometimes to pull down to ruine and to destroy the measured place and sometimes to build and to reare up the same and some Interpreters whom E. H. followeth do understand it here for the ruine and Rejection of the Jewish people the dissipation of them by the Romans What is meant by the Temple that was to be measured The building of the Church of Christians and the end of their then Temple their Sacrifices and their Religion that was now approaching on and very nigh at hand but I rather conceive that by the Temple of God that was now to be measured we should understand the Church of God that is the Christian Church that was now to be edified to be reared up and to be reduced to a new forme and to have new Ordinances and new Sacraments far better then those that were in the Jewish Temple as Beza
worthy of credit assure me they are for what Blasphemy in the world can there be greater then to make the Holy Spirit of God that flieth from deceit and dwelleth not in the body that is subject unto sin to be the foul Spirit of Darkness and the Author mover and promoter of such most horrid and execrable acts acts never acted by any Christians and but seldome if ever known by the worst of Pagans and never before adventured or invented as I conceive to be justifiable by the most impudent of all the Hereticks And besides all this have not their Assembly and Preachers Wisdome 1.5 as I told you before by consequent and in effect denyed the Father and the Son and so the Holy Ghost which is amor nexus spiritus patris filij Let the Reader judge what Blasphemous acts the Assembly of Divines and the adherents to the Parliament did and have they not obliterated and cashiered some of the chiefest heads and maine points of the long received truths of our Christian Religion and did not that Parliament Authorize that Apostate assembly and countenance the swarms of their lay-sword-Preachers to discountenance the 39 Articles of our Church to dispute about the expunging of the fift Article of the Apostles Creed to Antiquate the Lords Prayer out of the Church Service for fear that if they should use to say the same they should quench the Spirit as if the spirit of Christ would be offended with the Prayer of Christ and to turne out the long setled service of God and the book of Common-prayer out of the Church to give way as one saith well to a long-winded extemporary non-sence and Blasphemous repetitions Such Blasphemies as never were in the Church of Rome are broached in the books and Sermons of the Presbyterians and most sawcy expostulations with God in the steed thereof which is the readiest way to introduce Athiesme and to abrogate Christianity out of the world which is the desire of the Dragon and the proper work of the Antichrist And therefore the Religion of the Fauterers and adherents to that Parliament being but a meer complication and a syncretisme or rather a sink and common sewer of all errors Heresies and Blasphemies may we not well say that upon the heads thereof there is not onely the name but in the plurall number the names of Blasphemy especially if I should set down which would swell to a huge Volume all the Blasphemous tenents that some of their members many of their Preachers and more of their adherents have broached scattered and printed throughout these three Kingdomes since the unhappie birth of that most unhappy Parliament to most of the Kings most Loyall Subjects and so you see how this Appendix of the Beast may be said to cohere with that long Parliament Fiftly It is said v. 2. that this Beast was like a Leopard 5. The Beast was like a Leopard Jun. in annotat in loc As after the 2d Pun warr Maced Grec syria caeteraque omnia quasitorrente sequnta sunâ— Dan. 7.6 Vt loquitur florus l. 2. c. 7. Diodorus siculus de success Alexandr 2. and Junius following his former exposition saith this ought to be understood of the Roman Empire that was like a Leopard propter velocitatem by reason of their swiftness and speedy expeditions and their extraordinary successes to subdue their Enemies when their Generalls might say with Caesar veni vidi vici assoone as I came I overcame all the adversaries that opposed me whereby they have suddenly prevailed to inlarge their dominions over the better part of the then known world But indeed that Empire cannot be understood by this Leopard for Daniel speaking of the four great Empires of the world saith that the third Beast which betokened the Macedonian or Greek Empire was like a Leopard that is propter velocitatem by reason of the sudden increase and speedy inlargement thereof when Alexander the great did most suddenly in less then 10 years space subdue the Persian Monarchy and brought under his subjection the most part of the visible Dominions of the world and his Empire was as suddenly divided when he bequeathed the same to the Worthyest of his Captaines and almost as quickly againe translated unto the Romans and therefore I say that not the Roman Empire Eodem c. v. 7. 23. which was the fourth beast in Daniels Vision and had Iron teeth and stamped the residue of the Kingdomes with the feet of it but the beast that is the Antichrist which was typified by the little horne that came up among the hornes of the fourth beast â— v. 8. that Daniel saw is here likened to a Leopard and that not only propter velocitatem for the great speed that he maketh in all his actions but also in respect of all the other chief properties of the Leopard which is observed to be 1. The three properties of the Leopard Velox very swift 2. Crudelis very Cruel 3. Maculosus very much spotted And so was that many-headed beast that our Evangelift saw And truly I may justly demand if that these three properties of the Leopard might not be perfectly seen in the long Parliament The parallel for 1. 1. The great speed of the Parliament Were they not most swift in their expeditions and executions and subduing all that have opposed them either Domestick and homebred Enemies or any other forreigne foes and have they not conquered these three Kingdomes and prevailed more in less then ten years space then either the Warlike King of Sweden or any other King or Common-wealth if you consider all circumstances since Alexanders time 2. 2. The cruelty of the Parliamen As they were most speedy in their actions so I may demand if they were not as cruel in their executions and more cruell then all the examples that ever I found in any History to parallel them more cruel as it is conceived then John Vasilowich that was the greatest Tyrant of Russia and as they say greater then any other former Tyrant and yet he never persecuted any man as these men did onely for being loyall Subjects unto their King and faithfull Servants unto their God though we might say of Vasilowich that Saevior est tristi Busiride Saevior illo Qui falsum lento torruit igne bovem And therefore when I duly weigh the decenniall slaughters practised in these Christian parts by those that profest themselves to be the best Saints on earth especially when I consider not the bloudy killing of men but the many deaths that in a lingring death they have imposed on many good men and the piece-meale taking away of the lives of many quos oderunt gratis whom they hated without cause but only for seeking to do them the greatest good and to prevent the greatest evil that can be imagined from falling on them I cannot choose but cry out with the Poet O mites Diomedis equi Busiridis arae
bestia pro idolotria intelligitur quia idolum adoratur non idolctria and be their assistants in their unjust proceedings for though to worship the Beast here signifieth no more then to be subject unto him and to do civil service unto him because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the use of the Hebrew betokeneth nothing else but civil worship as you may see in Gen. 27.29 and c. 37.7 and c. 49.8 and in 45.14 and so the words Who is able to make war with him v. 4. do shew that their worship was no divine worship but onely to be subject unto him yet here you may observe that the worshippers that is the servers assistants and adherents of this prosperous Beast are said to worship the Dragon to shew unto us that all those which do any wayes serve the Beast beyond truth and against right do indeed therein the service of the Devil to inlarge the Dominion of the Antichrist and to increase the power of the Beast against the servants of Christ and therefore 2. It followeth v. 5 There was given unto the Beast and you may easiy guesse 2. The two things that were given to the Beast who gave him these things which God never giveth These two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mouth speaking great things V 5. The Parallel The first thing and blasphemies magna loqui non solum est blasphemias in coelum jactare sed etiam tumide superbe sive se laudando sive hostibus victis insultando saith Maresius pag. 124. to speak proudly of our selves or to insult over those whom we subdue may here be well understood by this speaking great things 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to make war 42 moneths Matth 49. Such Mermaids live that promise onely joy but he that yields himself they soon destroy saith the Poet. The second thing Mares p. 124. And both these things were fully given and are every way aplicable to that long Parliament as it is conceived and I suppose rightly for 1. Who ever promised greater things to any King then the Parliament promised to King Charls you may remember their very words to make him a most glorious King both feared abroad and honoured at home but as the Devil said to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these things will I give thee but upon this condition that thou wilt fall down and worship me where the work was a 1000000 times and more surpassing the Reward so the King conceived they would deal with him i. to make him glorious in their account but so that he would be ruled by them and suffer them to rule the rost and to govern all his three Kingdoms which was usura superans sortem a making of him glorious to his losse and not without dishonour and for their blasphemies I have touched the same before 2. Power was given unto the Beast to continue saith our laft Translation forty two moneths and so Mr. Mede brings divers proofs to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be taken in the signification of continuing as it is in Acts 15.13 and 18.23 2 Cor. 11.25 James 4.13 in all which places and the like I do yield that the word must be so taken That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facio doth not properly signifie to continue nor especially so in this place v. 7. Cap. 11.2 as Mr. Mede saith for continuing but the taking of it so in those places is no apodictical Argument to prove that it must be taken so here in this place but rather the contrary because that although some Greek Copies omit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the ordinary Copies say that power was given to the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make war 42 moneths which is agreeable to what is said v. 7. that it was given him to make war with the Saints that is for 42 moneths which is the same time and expressed in the very same words as the Gentiles that is the unbelieving the prophane worldlings and the dissembling hypocrites should tread the holy City that is the true Church and the faithfull servants of Christ under foot and now let us consider whether this may be applicable to the Parliament and you know that Parliament made wars and wars indeed the worst of all wars Valerius Maximus lib. 5. in the judgement of heathens Civil wars nullos habitura triumphos where oftentimes the father fights against the son and the brother kills his brother as we read they did in the wars of Sertorius this the Parliament cannot deny But how long the Beast should continue to make war it is not so easily to be understood How long the Beast should continue to make war the Holy Ghost saith he shall continue to make war 42 moneths and the question is what time is signified by these 42 moneths Mr. Mede would have these 42 moneths to synchronize with the womans 1200 and 70 dayes abode in the wildernesse and so the time of the Antichrist continuing should be 1200 and 60. years at the least but though the womans abode in the wildernesse being 1200 and 60 dayes That these 42 moneths do not synchronize with the 1200. and 60. dayes Cap. 10.2 So Maresius expoundeth these 42 moneths for the continuance of the Roman Empire ab urbe condita ad mortem Odoacri in anno 493. to be just 1260. years Three years and a half or thereabouts will be the treading down of the holy City may be interpreted for 1200. and 60 years yet with his leave I say that this proves not the 42 moneths should likewise signifie 1200. and 60 years because that 42 lunar moneths do not make up just 1200 and 60 dayes and if you understand the Solar moneths and the Suns passage through the Zodiac then there is no reason the expression should be altered no more then be doth in expressing the treading of the holy City under foot which doth synchronize and betokeneth the same time with this continuance of the Beast to make war and besides though we find so many dayes to signifie so many years and so many weeks to signifie so many years as there be dayes in those weeks because the dayes of Septimana a week are certain how many they are yet because the dayes of so many moneths are uncettain how many they are except you do expressely set down whether you mean the Solar or the Lunar moneths I cannot remember a Parallel Text in all the Scriptures where so many moneths do signifie so many years as there be dayes in those moneths and therefore the most part of all the interpreters both old and new do expound this time of the Beast that is of the Antichrist to be three years and a half which 42 moneths doth make and throughout all which time the Beast should continue to make war as is said here and should by his adherents and associats tread
better Saints then the best of all the true Saints as the Scribes Pharises can make this good unto you for they were the only appearing Saints among the Jews Luke 11.42 Tything the least things praying in the Streets cautious of their Oaths and very strict Observers of their Sabbath dayes service and teaching as much outward holiness as these holy men do Matth. 23.13 yet we may believe our Saviour that they were but holy Hypocrits that thought they did God good Service when they did exceedingly offend him for as the Devil doth then most of all enlarge the Kingdom of darkness when he transforms himself into an Angel of light and made our Fore-fathers to become like Devils Gen. 3 5. when he told them they should be like gods so it is as it hah been ever since his perpetual practice to teach his Instruments and you may be sure the Antichrist is one The Antichrist will seen to his followers the best Christian in the world Preponere quod delectabile subponere quod exitiale to give deadly poy son in a golden Cup and to pretend and to make shew of the greatest Piety Holiness and Devotion in the world and with Judas to kiss Christ to love him and to honour him above all men when the consequents of their actions aimand level to betray him as Judas did to be crucified to overthrow his service to kill his servants and to lay all his honour in the dust and the more holy the Devil seems to be the more Devil he is and the worse he means to be so the more Saints and the more pretence of Devotion and zeal of Gods honour these or any other Actors of wickedness seem to make the more apparent proof it is that they are the greatest Adversaries unto Christ But it is true A special observation to be considered Luke 10.22 and most worthy to be observed that S. Paul calleth the coming and discovery of the Antichrist a mystery that is a hidden dark and secret thing and in some respects not much unlike the coming and believing the coming of Christ into the world for as no man hath known who the Son is but the Father and who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him so none shall know the Antichrist to be the Antichrist but only they to whom Christ will reveal him for as the mystery of Christ his coming into the world was bid from the wise men of this world the Scribes and the Pharises and the rest of the Rulers of the people that would never believe a man of such mean birth poor friends and so contemptible in the eyes of men as the Prophet sheweth Isa 53.2 And they beheld with their eyes without form or beauty should be the Christ that annointed of God to be the Messias that was to be the Redeemer and Saviour of all mankinde but this mystery was revealed to Shepheards and as Christ sayth to Babes and Sucklings that is Luke 2.10 Math 11.25 That the discovery of the Antichrist is a mystery hardly believed by the wise men of this world to some few that were as weak as simple and of as smal account in the world as are the little Children among men and yet to these only he was revealed and these first believed in him so the mystery of the coming of the Antichrist is hid from the wordly wise from the great men the wealthy men the ruling Officers of the people that shall not know him nor will not believe him to be the Antichrist but shall wonder after him and worship him and befool all those men that shall imagine such successes and protestations of piety and acts to suppress Idolatry and prophaneness and to further true Religion and the service of God can be any wayes compatible with the Antichrist yet this knowledge and this revelation of the Antichrist by the special favour and blessing of God shall be made known and discovered to some few mean despised and dejected ones in the world that do truly love Christ and zealously stick to his service notwithstanding all the affronts of the world and do perfectly hate the bypocrisy and hypocritical pretentions and proceedings of the cruel and most hateful Beasts And therefore S. Paul calls the discovery and the knowledge of the Antichrist a revelation saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might be revealed 2 Thes 2. Emergere patesteri extenâ—bris in lucem prodire ut à piis pro tali cognoscatur Maresius pag. 63. Matth. 11.25 E.H. de Antichristo part 3. c. 5. pag. 102. Esay 6.9 Act. 28.27 Luk. 7.30 2 Thes 2.9.10 which is the taking away of a covering or the putting off of a Veil or Mask from some face that was masked and hidden from publick fight so is the discovery of the Antichrist a reveiling of some bidden face and a manifesting of some secret thing that is not commonly known nor believed in the world but is and shall be only re veiled especially at his first appearing to some few and those of the meaner sort or smallest account in the world and it shall be kept secret and hidden from the world and the generality of men in the world especially the great men and noted men of the world as are the revelations of all the mysteries of God and therefore S. Matthew speaking of Gods mysteries joyneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to hide with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reveil to note unto us as it is well observed that the mysteries of God and of our Religion that are unfolded and published are notwithstanding so made known and reveiled as that they are believed only by some few that truly love Christ and earnestly desire to understand his truth and are kept still secret and hidden from all the rest that believe them not which hapneth through their own fault just as it was with the Jews that as the Prophet Isay sheweth had eyes and would not see and had ears and yet would not hear and as the Scribes and Pharises rejected the counsel of God against themselves for so it is with these wise men of the world that when they are told this truth they will not understand it when they are perswaded to embrace it they are averse to believe it and think we are greatly deceived and simple men that teach it because indeed the love of this present world hath insensibly bewitched and blinded them and their care and search after the truth hath been too remiss for which cause the Apostle sayth God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but bad pleasure in unrighteousness Where I would have the great men and the wise men of this world to observe that this fearful expression of judgment is against such as believe not and receive not the love of this truth
Antichrist have in all likelihood committed this sin and the sinners as may be feared and are suspected for such as was Julian Spira and the like are registred unto us in good Authors 2. 2. Reason Because they that commit this sin are altogether so unknown unto us to be such sinners that it is too great a presumption for any man to say such a man hath committed the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore we can but fear and are not certain that either Julian the Apostata or the despairing Spira have sinned the sin against the holy Ghost and therefore this sin is not the sin whereby the Antichrist may be known his badge and character must be more perspicuous And 2. 2. Not the sin of Idolatry What shall we think of Idolatry which is either the taking of that which is no God for the true God and the giving of the service and honour of the true God to those false Gods which are but Idols of stocks or stones that as the Apostle saith are nothing and therefore deserve no service nor any honor in the world or else the giving of a false worship of our own invention unto the true and everliving God without question this is a very haynous sin In the 2 Com. Exod. 20. and such idolaters are rightly termed the haters of God and no doubt but very hatefull unto God as himself professeth in several places yet this sin which was not known in the world usque dum Ninus parentis Beli idolum erigit Rubenus de idolatr l. 1. c. 3. for 2000 years together is not as I believe the sin that is most hatefull unto God or most destructive unto mankinde or the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist because thousands are guilty of this sin and most of us more or less are offenders in this point when as some make gold to be their God and others make a God of their belly and the like 3. What say we then to Infidelity which is the sin of the Atheist that believes not in God Psal 14.1 but as the Prophet witnesseth saith in his heart there is no God and imagineth that as Claudian saith Incerto fluerent mortalia casu All mortal things fall out by chance I Answer that this sin of Diagoras that is said to be such a fool as to deny there was a God and of the like fools and prophane Atheists is a most fearfull sin and most damnable to them that foster it and no doubt but harboured continually in the heart of the Antichrist or else he would never be such an adversary unto Christ 3. Not the sin of Infidelity or of Blasphemy and so fearless of his God yet I say that this sin is neither the sin that is most destructive to man and most hatefull unto God nor the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist that is here meant by the Apostle Reason 1 1. Because that this sin which as the Prophet shewesh lurketh in the heart of the sool cannot be so easily discerned by us but is only known to God And Reason 2 2. Because that if this sin were the proper and peculiar sin of the Antichrist we should have more than 10 thousand Antichrists in the world and the very like may be said of the sin of Blasphemy and of many other fearfull sinnes But But the highest and the worst kind of degree of man killing or murder which is passing over all these and all the rest of the most abominable and fearfull sins that may be all accumulated in the Antichrist and yet are not the proper sin of the Antichrist whereby he may be known to be the Antichrist I say that his proper and peculiar sin that is palpable visible and sensible to us all and is most destructive to mankinde and therefore most hatefull unto God is the worst and highest degree of manslaughter or the malicious killing and unjust murdering of such an innocent person after so vile a manner and for so base an end as that a worser and a fouller taking away of mans life could not be committed this is the sin that I conceive to be that sin whereof the Apostle saith 1. Most destructive to mankinde the Antichrist shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of the sin For 1. It is apparent that the greatest mischief that one man can do unto another is to take away his life as Cain did Abels life with bloody hands for though he should take away all my goods yet I may get more as Job did after all was taken from him if I be slandered and falsly accused as Joseph and Susanna were yet with Joseph and Susanna I may recover my reputation again if I be cast into prison yet at last with Manasses I may be set at liberty and so if I be banished my Country yet with the Israelites I may live to return out of captivity but when I am killed and my life is taken from me there is no hope of recovery quia ab inferis nullaredemptio there is no return from the grave this is a wound that cannot be cured and a mischief that cannot be paralleld for now I can neither serve God for who will give him thanks in the pit nor help my friends nor do any good unto my self Numb 35.33 and therefore the Lord saith that blood defileth the land and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is thus unjustly shed but by the blood of him or them that have shed it 2. It will appear unto you how odious and how abominable any 2. Most odious unto God the least unjust killing of a man is in the sight of God if you consider what you may finde in the 3. Book and the 2. Chapter of the true Church It is a sin where the hainousness of this sin is treated of at large as to abreviate the summe thereof that it is 1. A sin against nature which many other sinnes are not 1. Against nature because every creature loves his like saevis inter se convenit ursis and as the naturalist saith serpens serpentem non laedit one serpent will not sting another neither will the very Devills kill one another 2. It is a sin against reason which saith that every man should do to another 2. Against reason as he would have done to himself and no otherwise 3. It is a beastly sin quia ferina rabies est sanguine vulnere laetari 3. A beastly sin it is a point of savage cruelty to delight our selves with the wounds and blood of others saith Seneca 4. It is a devilish sin and a sin of the Devil who 4. A devilish sin though he be not termed an adulterer or idolater or a covetous person nor inticed men to these sins for many years as not to idolatry untill Ninus set up the image of his father Nimrod Rubenus de idolatr l. 1.
c. 3. as some say otherwise called Belus by the Gentiles or of Belus the son of Nimrod as others say for an idol to be worshipped well nigh 2000 years after man was made yet our saviour saith he was a murderer from the beginning John 8.44 because it was he that murdered our first parents and made them liable unto death in paradise and it was he that taught Cain to kill his own brother Abel 5. It is not only one but it is also the first and the greatest one of those crying sins 5. The greatest of the 4 crying sinnes Revel 6.9 10. that are onely so called in the Scriptures because they do continually crie and call for vengeance against the transgressors and say with the soules of them that were slain for the word of God How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judg and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth for the other three crying sins that is Sodomy oppression and detaining of our servants wages they are but parts and parcels of this great crying sin of murder because that in Sodomy that seed is spilt which might have been the matter and substance of the humane flesh and blood and by the other two that is oppression and wages detained from the labourers the life of the oppressed and poor labouring man is made to languish and to be shortened by little and little for want of means because the life of man and the means to maintain that life are like ens bonum voces convertibiles equivalent and therefore the wise man saith The bread of the needy is their life he that defraudeth them thereof is a man of blood but in murder and the killing of a man root and branch and all the tree seed and fruit is wholly destroyed and cut down all at once 6. It is a sin which produceth that irregularity 6. An irregular sin that although the sinners should truly repent and have their sinnes pardoned by God which is but seldome seen that they do yet they cannot promoveri be advanced or proceed on in Gods favour and be so acceptable in Gods service and for to do him service 1 Chron. 28.3 as any other sinners may be upon their repentance as it appeareth plainly by what the Lord saith unto David that otherwise was a man according to Gods own heart and had heartily repented and made 7 paenitential Psalmes for his murder thou shalt not build an house for my name because thou hast been a man of war and hast shed blood not only the blood of Urias but also very likely the blood of others that were innocent in the wars as Souldiers use to do many times slay the righteous with the wicked 7. 7. A sin worse than Adams sin Gen. 4.11 12. The odiousness of this sin is seen by the punishment that the most just God imposed on this sin For when Cain slew his Brother the Lored said unto him the voice of thy Brothers blood crieth unto me that is the voice of the bloods of thy Brother for so it is in the Original that thou hast spilt that is of all the bloud and progeny that should have sprung from Abel to have replenished the earth if thou hadst not spilt it doth most justly require that I should take vengeance on thee therefore thou art cursed from the earth And this his curse was so great and of so large extent that it reached to the very earth that bare him up and therefore the Lord addeth when thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strongth a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth the which seems to be a far heavier sentence inflicted upon him so killing his brother then that which was imposed upon Adam for offending Gods own Majesty though there was a straight charge and a Commandment sub poena The punishment of Cains murder heavier than the punishment of Adams sin given to Adam that he should not eat of the forbidden tree lest he die and as yet no precept given to forbid the shedding of mans blood For 1. God doth not say to Adam thou art cursed for thy sin but cursed is the ground for thy sake but unto Cain he saith thou arâ— cursed from the ground as if he had said the curse shall not fall to the ground but it shall light upon thine own head 2. He doth nor say to Adam when thou tillest the ground it shall not yeild her strength unto thee but thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto thee that is naturally and of it self which if thou hadst not sinned would of it self have brought thee all sweet and pleasant fruits shall now bring thee nothing else but weeds and noysom flowers but unto Cain he saith when thou tillest the ground and manurest it and usest all the art and skill that thou canst to make it fruitful yet it shall not yield her strength unto thee so that the unfruitfulness of a well tilled and well manured ground is the punishment of Cains murder and an additional curse to that which was formerly imposed upon Adam 3. He doth not say to Adam that he should be a vagabond and have no resting-place upon the earth Gen. 3.19 but that he should eat his bread in the sweat of his face until he should return to the earth but unto Cain he saith a Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth And therefore Cain that knew well enough his Fathers censure before and now hearing his own sentence so far exceeding his Fathers punishment crieth out Gen. 4.13 my punishment is greater than I can bear And yet it is no marvel that the punishment of this sin of murder should seem greater than the punishment of Adams sin or indeed of any other sin whatsoever for in nature Why the punishment of this sin is so great let reason shew you who doth offend you most he that disobeyeth your voice and breaks your Command or he that seeks by all that he can to take away your life And in Adams sin and so in all other sins that are but the transgressing of Gods Command there seems to be a leaving of the Being of God or the suffering of God still to be a God as in the great sin of Idolatry though we make an Idol which is a thing that hath no being in the world as St. Paul saith to be our God and fall down and worship that no being with that worship which belongeth to the true God yet we do not thereby seek to annihilate and to destroy the Being of the true God we only rob him of his honour but we seek not to take away his life we leave him still to be a God though we serve him not But in the murdering or killing of a man we do what lieth in us to destroy and to bring to nothing the very Essence and being of God because we deface