head of that Church It is cause of everlasting thankfulnesse and watchfulnesse not to be deluded by fine shewes of worldly men but let us see and know where true worship lies as the Lord hath declared himself in Christ and held him forth in the Gospel of truth Forthly let it teach us all where to bestow our admiration and adoration It was a charge that our Saviour gave to the Devill and which accordingly he himself practised and requires us to doe Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve The Devill askes this of Christ to bow downe to him and worship him The Lords Indignation is kindled his holy Zeale is inflamed against such a Sacriligious request Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve And as we are to worship him alone and no God but him so we are to admire none but him Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like unto thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. There is matter of admiration who is a God like unto the Lord that forgiveth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne of which you read Mic. 7. 18. and which the Church holds forth there upon this very ground who is a God like unto thee why what is there in him that you so magnifie him he is a God that forgives Iniquity Transgression and Sinne here is cause indeed of admiration They admire and adore the Pope why Because they had satisfaction to their consciences in their way and an ungrounded hope of a better state in another world and pardon of Sinne in this and now they come to fellowship with Christ by the worship of the Devill But who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sinne So that here is indeed matter of due admiration and let it be fastned there When a mans soul is brought low with the sence of Sinne and overpoured with the burden that lyes upon his conscience by reason of the guilt of Sinne what is matter of admiration now who is a God like unto thee that passeth by Iniquity transgression sin It is not the Pope of Rome that can take away sin it is not all the cunning of the Dragon that can do it And therefore to what end are all the admirations and worships that are put upon the Bishop of Rome and the Dragon that gave him his power They may please themselves in what satisfaction they apprehend they have but their own principles possesse them that they can never come to see the admirable goodnesse of God in forgiving their Sinnes But now when the Lord sheds abroad a spirit of grace and peace in the conscience and applyes the goodnesse of Christ to the discharge of the burden of Sinne and of quickning the heart in the peace of Christ Jesus this breeds admiration Blessed be God the Father of mercy and God of all consolation that of his aboundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope I say this blessing is worthy of admiration and not onely of wonderment but of acknowledging all glory and blessednes to him When the conscience is not pacified by a sorry duty done from man but by a sealed pardon from the spirit of God witnessed by the breath of the holy Ghost this is such a mercy to the soule as indeed raiseth the heart above all admiration of such a Beast I to a true detestation of this Beast and of the Dragon that hath so long bewitched and carried them captive to the imaginations of their own hearts and in the end to their everlasting perdition But let it be the care of Gods people as ever you desire to be blessed from the admiration of such a worm-eaten Religion so grow to an admiration of the God of mercy and grace and so we shall doe that upon just grounds which our Fathers did without grounds to this Beast and to the head of it Upon this ground this head being wounded and afterwards healed all the world wondred after him Here is an Image of Christ he was wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and he riseth againe and he proclaims all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Now see how this Vicar of Christ as they call him usurps as Christ was wounded and is risen againe so it is with this Beast he is wounded to death and afterwards healed and restored and now all the world admire and worship him Have they forgotten that Christ dyed for our Sinnes and was raised again for our Justification and doe they stand admiring at this Beast as he that was wounded and healed Therefore let it be a ground of true thankfulnesse to the Lord for the great change that is wrought in Christendome and let us give the Lord the admiration that is due to him that we may be preserved from those delusions wherewith others have been deceived and may goe on in this way constantly which the Lord hath established and called us unto Revel 13. 5 6. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given unto him to continue forty and two moneths And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven THE events that followed upon the healing of the Beast the first was That all the world admired him The second was Vniversall worship given both to the Beast and to the Dragon that gave power to the Beast of which wee have already spoken The third event remains now to be spoken to and that is the deligation of power to this Beast upon his recovery and the power given him is four-fold 1. There was power given him to speak great things and in particular great blasphemies 2. There was power given him to continue that is as the word signifies to be doing to be active to be powerfull and efficacious in his worke 42. moneths 3. There was power given him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them 4. Power was given him of dominion over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations First There was given him a mouth speaking great things Secondly There was power given him to continue 42. moneths and both these Authorities or Liberties they are amplified by the effect it wrought in the Beast He did effectually take that power which was given him and employed it to the utmost As he had a mouth given him so he opened his mouth in blasphemies and that amplified by the object of his blasphemy against God and God distributed his Name his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven The note then that the words do afford first is this That after the healing of the wounded head of the Beast there was given to him power to speak great things even blasphemies which also he did effectually and abundantly exercise or
heart we are not returned from Babell but every new occasion puts us to a new plantation and when we are there we cannot rest And therefore I feare because we have not judged our selves for our inordinate walking in polluted Churches but have rather sought for our own peace then purity from these pollutions which there have defiled us or do not see any great need of judging our selves in that kinde thence it is that to this day the Lord hath much ado to quiet our hearts in his peace and purity and in power but still we are much destitute of inward purity and power of godlinesse and therefore dead heartednesse hangs about us to this day And therefore as we desire the power and purity and peace of Ordinances stamped upon our hearts so we are to bewaile the contagions we have had in this Image of the beast with Officers or people that so the Lord may give a reviving according to the desire of our hearts Lastly let it be of much praise and thanksgiving to God that hath delivered us and ours from these Contagions and pollutions in which you see all that dwell on the earth have been intangled and polluted in time past That he hath delivered us from the power of this Beast the Roman Catholick Church that he hath freed us from making an Image to that Beast we own none of his Ordinances and that God hath removed us from the marke of this Beast that we desire not to be accounted Catholicks nor Hirarchies nor stand members of a Diocesan or Provinciall or Cathedrall or Nationall Church but beare witnesse against them all And also that he hath freed us in some measure from the number of his name that many things that are of number and account with them are not of any number with us if there be any thing of the Beast in it And therefore it is matter of great praise to God You shall read of the hundred and forty foure thousand that God had gotten victory over the Image and mark of the Beast and over his name and the number of his name or had not left them in any bondage they sung as it were a new song before the Throne It is great matter of praise that here we may enjoy no head but the Lord Jesus Saul indeed was head of the Tribes of Israel but not of the Church 1 Sam. 15. 17. That the Lord hath given us to enjoy Churches and Congregational Assemblies by his Covenant to worship him in all his holy Ordinances that he 〈◊〉 given us to look for no Laws but his word no rules nor forms of worship but such as he hath set downe in his word no platforms of Doctrine but such as are held forth in the word of the Prophets and Apostles It is such a priviledge that for 1260. years the Christian world knew not the meaning of it unlesse it were here and there a few whom God had sealed this was the priviledg of a few sealed ones but this the Lord vouchsafeth to us this day above all Nations that have power of the civill sword It is true there is a great deale of these things in sundry other Churches but yet there is a tang of the image of the Beast that a company of Elders and Ministers they shall have power to impose Officers upon Churches and to excommunicate Officers and Members It is too much the image of the first Beast and too much of the power of both Beasts and therefore it is to be lamented but that the Lord should give us such liberty that all our Churches are not subordinate one to another and none arrogate nor plead Supremacy but are preserved and kept from all contagion of the first and second beast this calls us to abundant thankfulnesse and wee are to desire that the Lord would keep us at such a distance that we may never return to the image of either of the beasts Rev. 13. the last vers Here is wisdome Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is six hundred threescore and sixe THese words are some part of the description of the second Beast which arose after the former continued from the 11 th verse of this Chap. unto the end of it The former beast as you have often heard is the Roman-Catholick visible Church described at large from the first verse to the end of the 10 th The latter Beast is the head of the Catholique Church the Bishop or Antichrist of Rome and he is here described 1. By his Originall He came out of the earth 2. By his resemblance which is three-fold To the Lamb in his hornes To the Dragon in his tongue and speech and to the first beast in his power He exerciseth all the power of the first beast 3. As he is described thus by his Originall and by his resemblance so he is described by his great power and his power exerciseth it selfe in divers acts First He exerciseth all the power of the first beast Now the first beast being the Roman Catholique Church he exerciseth all the power of the Roman Catholique Church that look what the Roman Catholick Church can do the Pope can do with them or without them He can call Councels and make their Canons authenticall He can make Lawes to bind Conscience he can make Lawes to bind whole Churches as well as the Aecumenicall power of the whole Councell He can forbid any other doctrine or worship or government but what himselfe establisheth He can adde to the Scriptures the Apâ—crypha and he hath infallible power to judge Controversies Hee can binde and loose Conscience he can depose Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms and he can absolve Subjects from the oath of Fidelity He hath power to pardon sinne and to sell out pardons to them that buy them All that the first beast can do he will do and more but yet he doth it as the Text sayes in the sight of the first beast that is in the face and countenance of the first bâ—ast He is so modest that he will not take all that honour to the head but the whole body and derives all that honour expresly to himself The second act of his power He causeth all that dwell on the earth to worship the first beast The third act of his power He doth great wonders even to call downe fire from Heaven in the sight of men Not the fire of Acceptance which Eliah brought to consume the Sacrifice but the fire of Vengeance upon the Rebellious as the Prophet called for fire upon the Captains that came to attach him 4. He doth by his miracles deceive all that dwell upon the earth 5. He causeth them all to make an Image like unto the first beast The first beast as you heard was the Roman visible Catholicke Church then the image of the beast are all such like models and forms of Churches as are Diocesan
did any earthly Prince challenge that he could not erre nor that none must controll him if he did There have been Laws made to controll the greatest Princes Nebuchadnezzar was taught to be controlled that in the end Shadrach Mesech and Abednego goe away rewarded 3. The Catholick Church and the Pope is the head of it claimes a power of binding and loosing To bind mens consciences by his Laws and to loose mens consciences by his Indulgences and that not ministerially as Ministers do from the Word but by a Juditiary power to dissolve the bond of naturall Obedience incestuous Marriages Oaths and Covenants in Marriage Natural relations between Parents and Children and morall Relations between Princes and Subjects There is not any bond that he cannot loose nor any liberty which he cannot restraine And this not over a few only but over the vast world so far as it is Christian And 4. It is a great thing he speakes and he speakes it not behind the door when he challengeth Soveraign dominion in way of advancement of Religion over all Kingdoms so as to depose their Kings and dispose of their Kingdoms leave any State to choose where he hath power If his Crowne be to be fetched from Rome as it was in former times when it was most active He will set it on but dash it off againe out of the plentitude of his power to â—et up and throw downe at his pleasure He opened his mouth to speak great things He is never so in his element as when he doth hold forth such vast authority and divine propriety proper to the Father Son and holy Ghost Now as he speaks great things so blasphemes against God and wherein Against his Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Against his name All these are blasphemies against Gods name to attribute all these divine properties to a beastly man to a great beast And it is blasphemy to ascribe any divine honour or to put it upon any creature Images served the holy Ghost calls blasphemy Isa 65. 7. You have blasphemed me upon every green hill And in Ezek. 20. 27 28. he complaines of the like blasphemy that they blasphemed him by their Idolatires In Mar. 2. 7. Why doth this man speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God onely It were to speak blasphemy in any but in Christ Secondly It is against his Tabernacle that may be either meant the body of Christ as 1 John 14. He tabernacled amongst us Or it may be meant the visible Churches such as are instituted by him For the body of Christ it is blasphemy to go to every Masse Priest to make him the body and blood of our Saviour Or if you understand the Tabernacle to be the Church that is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. Now to call the Church of Christ a Conventicle of Hereticks and Schismaticks it is blasphemy and so they count all the Churches here And for the Saints in heaven to put upon them divine worship to build Temples to them to put up Prayers to them to keep Holy-dayes to them it is blasphemie to them it is a great dishonour Paul and Barnabas when they saw men to come and offer sacrifice to them Men and brethren why doe you these things you cannot do us a greater injury And for the Saints in heaven that is pure Churches he condemns them for Hereticks and Schismaticks and as unworthy of Christian communion and Christian burial these are blasphemies So you see the meaning of this Scripture There was given him a mouth to speake great things and to blaspheme God in his Name in his Tabernacle in those that dwell in Heaven Thus hath he done many yeares and thus doth hee still Now for the reason of the point you see the point stands upon two branches 1. That such power was given him 2. That he did effectually and abundantly put it foâ—â—h He opened his mouth Let mee give the reasons of both 1. Why such power was given him it was First from God in his just judgement to punish the unthankfull world that received not the love of the truth Therefore the Lord gave them over to efficacy of delusions to believe lies That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 10 11. This is the just judgment of God that since they refused the simplicity of wholsome Doctrine and had itching eares they should have such men as came with the subduing word of the Law to speak great things and they should have what they aske This is from Gods just jugement A second Reason is from Satan for God concurred and Satan concurred and Christian Princes concurred herein Satan concurred for this reason that he might be avenged of God and despight the name of Christ that had cast him out and dethroned him from his divine power That whereas he was the great God of the world and the God of Israel but a puny God of the lesser Nations now hee is to be no God to trust on but like a Toad or Serpent this doth so enrage the venome of the old Devill that he powrs forth a flood of malice and venome against the Church and Christ as much as may be to testifie to the world hee would be Lord and the Lord Jesus should not prevaile And if he may not be God he will set up a Beast that shall be adored as God And it is a great despight to Christ to advance a Beast that shall carry great State and power and dare and will speak greater things then all the Churches of Christ I as great as the Lord himself shall speak look what one speaks the other wil speak it all and speak it abundantly As the Devill himselfe sometimes said to Christ All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me The same doth he speak at this day and he will speak without controll Another reason that binds Satan so to speak is not only his old enmity to Christ but from his malice against the Church When hee saw that the seed of the woman had thus dethroned him and cast him out of divine power he powrs forth a flood of malice after her and he sends forth an ugly Beast that if he can may root out the face of Christianity and root her out from the face of the earth Rev. 12. 15. These are the Devils reasons that mooved him to stirre up the Beast and to give him a mouth to speake so boldly as hee did But why will Christian Princes be so prodigall to submit themselves to him God had committed to them the care of the Churches that all Churches should live peaceably and quietly under them in all godliness and honesty why would they so degenerate and suffer the Bishop of Rome so to arrogate and speak such great blasphemies The reasons were 1. Because they were ignorantly blinde It was a time of palpable darknesse darknesse
his heart is not right with God It is true in a pang of temptation a man may be wheeled about as Peter and David yet the sight of Gods electing love quickens them to see their sinne how farre they are turned aside from God but there 〈◊〉 soul is bent as it were with the point of a compass touched with a Load-stone it may be jogged by windes and stormes yet it lookes still to the North pole though you may shake it from its course yet let it but stand a while it will directly look to the North pole there it will stand so it is with all the children of God they cannot but worke for Christ in John 16. 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and give it unto you So that the heart that is sincere it workes from Christ and for Christ and with Christ I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15. 10. So that you see what the manner of Gods people in this case is they are from Christ and for Christ and with Christ and it is a seal of Gods election the highest seal is God knowes who are his and that seal he manifests by his spirit in the Gospel it is the spirit that seals up our adoption and here is another seal we set to our seal while we cleave to him with all our heart and soul and seek after him and have none in heaven but him nor on Earth that we desire in comparison of him And thirdly the last assurance of a mans election and calling which I shall name at this time is that which Peter himselfe doth expresse in 2 Pet. 1. Give all deligence to make your calling and election sure How shall they do that he tels us in ver 5. Moreover adde to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge c. He reckons sundry sorts of graces and he calls upon them to adde grace to grace and one degree of grace to another and saith he if these things dwell in you and abound by this means an open entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as if men that did not grow in grace and gâ—ow from grace to grace if they get to heaven at length they must mend their pâ—ce thrust and croud for it but if these things be in you and abound so an open entrance shall be ministred unto you as if the great gates of Heaven were opened to you there must be a growing you are blind else and cannot see afar off you shall not see your state unlesse you grow from faith to faith and from knowledge to knowledge then an open entrance shall be ministred to you that you shall die in full assurance of faith and of the love of God And thus shall a man make his calling and election sure and by so doing he shall make sure to himselfe his preservaâ—ion from this world and shall be translated to everlasting rest wiâ—h the Lord in due time where there shall be neither false Prophet nor Jesuitâ— nor worldlings whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world THere remayns now the latter part of this vers which is a description of Jesus Christ and he is described 1. By the similitude of a Lamb. 2. By his passion He is slaine And 3. By the antiquity of it He is slaine from the foundation of the world The note is this The Lord Jesus Christ was as a Lamb and though a Lamb yet was slaine and though slaine in fulnesse of time about 4000. years after the world began yet in effect he was slaine from the foundation of the world This is the sum of this latter part of the verse Not to stay long in any of these things and put to stay upon them because they are principles of our Christian faith and principles may not be passed over in hast especially considering the handling of them is a speciall branch of our calling Behold the Lamb of God saith John that taketh away the sinnes of the world John 1. 29. 36. It was his particular office to point at Christ and he doth it under the notion of a Lamb So it is said A Lamb stood upon mount Zion Rev. 14. 1. Now why a Lamb In a double respect and I speak of no more then what the Scripture hath respect unto First in respect of his innocency 2ly In respect of his meeknesse and patience 1. His innocency 1. In his birth That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the sonne of God John 1. 35. 2. Innocent in his life It behooves us saith Christ to Iohn to fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3. 15. And in 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 3. Innocent also in his death Pilate bare him that record Mat. 27. 24. when he had heard all things that were born witnesse against him hee tooke water and washâ—d his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person And as he was thus innocent as a Lamb So he was meeke and patient as a Lamb and the holy Ghost hath respect unto it Acts 8. 32. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a Lamb dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth And therefore there is something respected in his silence and quiet subjection to the slaughter knife And his patience or meeknesse doth expresse it self in two things chiefly 1. In submitting not himself only but his will to his fathers will Father saith Christ in his agony in the Garden if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And if this cup may not passe away from me except I drinke it thy will be done Mat. 26. 39. 42 And that is properly after Gods own heart when a mans heart is subdued to the will of God in which respect he did not murmure at his Fathers hand nor did expostulate his being delivered into the hands of wicked men 1 Pet. 2. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously And so meek was be in this very kind as that be prayed for his very enemies and persecutors Luk. 23. 34. Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do 2. His patience and meeknesse stood in keeping silence in his own just defence As a Lamb dumb before the shâ—arer keeping silence before his Accusers and Judges and Condemners He answered nothing before the high Priest any thing that might tend to his crucifying as he doth expresse If they will make it a point to crucifie him because he said He was the son of God Saith he I came into
kind to keep Lamb-like silence when you are charged with any fault whereof you are guilty It is a dangerous sinne when men are found in a fault they have a thousand excuses for it and utter denyal of such things so as they will cut you a Weavers beame unto a very moate But you see the spirit of Christ Jesus will not doe it nor will he confesse it for they charged it upon him in his own person and so he could not confesse it Hee could not deny it because then he should not have stood in our room as he did And therefore it behooves those that are young or old if you be innocent then you may excuse it if you be guilty beware of denying for if you do you shall leave a difficult travayl upon Jesus Christ to plead your cause He that knoweth the heart and the truth of the thing he is ashamed of such a proud spirit that so defends himself as you doe Lastly it is a ground of singular comfort to all whose names are written in the Lambs booke of life and brought on to this Lamb-like frame of heart in the greatest horrour of spirit whereas the soule in this or that man is confounded and he knows not what to say Here is comfort for such a soule laid up for here is a sufficient plea before Gods Judgment seate the Lord Jesus Christ hath been silent at it he hath born and suffered for it It will come unto this passe with a soule under spiritual confusion Wee shall lye downe in our shame with our confusion upon our faces as in Jer. 3. 24 25. Wee cannot deny it nor excuse it and therefore we are ready to conclude woe to us that ever we were born That is not a just conclusion though for truly this we must come unto if ever we come unto Christ And therefore it is a way of justification and of life for a man to be confounded in himselfe for his sin for the Lord doth never justifie a sinner untill hee hath confounded him Many a man many times will say it is true godly friends have had a good opinion of me but they are deceived by my expressions performances and outward carriage Here the soule is mady times apt to sinke and would sink if the Lord Jesus stood not at a non-plus in his room for Christ could not tell what to say till hee had made satisfaction neither could he acknowledg the faults that were layd to his charge because himselfe was guiltless not deny them lest he should falsly justifie us We cannot tell now what to say to our owne estates sometimes The Church complaines all our Prophets are gone and our signes are gone the case is now desperate when wee are in a desperate taking But though wee cannot tell presently what to say yet the Text and the Gospel tels you Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world He himself could make no words about our justification it was a case past words excuses would not heale us then there was something to be suffered and that to the utmâ—st This he hath suffered wherefore he is able to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. He is now able to do it but when he stood before Pontius Pilate he could not tell what to say but now he hath suffered in Family Câ—uâ—ch and Câ—mmon-wealth In his family they forsook him and denyed him and forswore him therefore now having made perfect satisfaction unto the exact justice of his heavenly Father by being condemned to death crucified upon the Crosse dead and buried now his mouth is ever open to make intercession There is a stay and staffe unto a Christian Looke unto me and be yee saved all the ends of the earth Isa 45. 22. Now here is the brazen Serpent lifted up That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 14 15. Rest not now in a naked knowledge of this but look up to Heaven with your inner man be confounded because of your shame and yet see the Lord offering you Christ and giving you grace to receive him and to rest there that whatever cavils and temptations the Devil may make and your own consciences may make yet there is hope in Israel concerning this The Lord is righteous but I and my house are wicked may a man say my wayes are corrupt and my heart worst of all But the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53 5 6 7. There is nothing that will cleare him before God when he stands in our case but he must stand ashamed and confounded for us all And though wee be thus and thus guilty in our owne apprehensions and culpable in the sight of men yet the Lord hath made satisfaction for us and therefore saith Deliver him for I have received a ransome And where there is any seede of God there will be a secret quieting of the heart upon this very ground which the Lord doth dart into the soule by causing it to rest upon him and cleave to him and hang about him where onely Redemption Reconciliation and Attonement for us are to be found Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world CHrist is here described First by the similitude of a Lamb. 2. By his passion a Lamb slaine Thirdly his passion is amplified by the antitiquity of it slain from the foundation of the world We shewed the last time that Christ was as a Lamb. Now we come to the next part of the description of Christ the next note then concerning Christs passion is this Christ though a Lamb was slain and slaughtered Though a Lamb. That is to say though innocent meek and patient yet slain and slaughtered So you read in Acts 2. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate councell and fore-knowledge of God yee have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain and in Acts 7. 52. You have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just one of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers He was a Lamb murdered slain and slaughtered He was led as a Lamb to the slaughter Slaughter implyes a violent death put upon him partly by the justice of God partly by the wickednesse of men and partly by the malice of Satan By the justice of God the word is very strong in Isa 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him it is translated but it signifies properly to grind him the same word is translated destruction in Psal 90. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction and so it pleased the Father thus to grinde him to powder that he might have nothing of chaffe he ground him to dust with grief and horror anguish and agony and terrour and pain Isa 53. 6. The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all and so he ground him to dust
live to our selves nor to the lusts of men but to the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 5. 15. So that this is that which the Lord now cals us to to wit to live now no longer to those things from which we were redeemed by an invaluable price We are redeemed from the bondage of sinne and Satan and from the world and not onely redeemed from these but purchased to life as a reconciled people to God to be as the friends of God Abraham was called the friend of God Though a man make no bones of breaking out against an enemy yet now being reconciled especially to him in whom we live or move and have our being it is for us to walke as those that are reconciled to God as those that are united to Christ as those that are sanctified by his Spirit as those that have the grace of Christ applyed to our soules as those that are dead to sinne and alive to righteousnesse It is for us to walk as those that look for a purchased possession to the glory of Gods grace when this life shall be no more If we be dead with Christ why are we not free from all that which is evil and free to all that is good Col. 2. 20. It is a staine and blemish to the blood of Christ to see a child of God live in any durty corruption to see a child of God a worldling to yeild to any temptation it is a staine to the blood of Christ To see a child of God set loose from the Father or the Sonne or the Spirit it is a staine to the blood of Christ for the blood of Christ is a purchase to redeem us from all evill and to purchase to us all good For a fifth use it may teach us to apply effectually the blood of Christ as we for our parts in our Ministery so you in your meditations and repititions there is the ground of your peace No conscience that hath been troubled with sence of sinne but there lies his grief the wrath of God that is upon his unbeleiving soule He is condemned the wrath of God abideth on him If you ransack it to the bottom there is it that crusheth the spirit all other will be cast off in case we be clear in this principle about the satisfaction of Gods justice provoked against us by our many and great transgressions what shall satisfie the soule now There is nothing in the world so fit to beget faith as the preaching of the cross of Christ If I be lift up from the earth I will draw all men unto me John 12. 32. If Christ be drawn up on the Crosse held forth for his drawing of people that are troubled about the wrath of God and the removing thereof and about satisfaction to God about all our iniquities this will draw soules unto him For how will you uphold any man to bear his burden of the apprehension of Gods wrath with any tolerable ease No way but by holding forth Christ the innocent Lamb of God crucified upon the crosse and his blood spilt as a price of satisfaction to Gods justice as a price of redemption from all evill and purchase of all good then saith the soule me-thinks there is some hope even for me For who shall hinder the power of the blood of Christ and who shall hinder the free passage of Gods grace if the Lord Jesus hath undertaken it and hold it forth especially to men that are sick and oppressed and cast downe and ready to perish for want of succour In such a case while this is held forth there is the blood of Christ held forth which was shed to purchase the spirit of grace as it is written in Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a cuâ—se for us that we might receive the promise of the spirit The same blood of Christ that hath redeemed us from the curse and hath purchased the communion of the spirit he is wont in the preaching of the crosse of Christ to open Heaven to the soule to open the doors of the heart to beleive on this blood thus hâ—ld forth and so by this means you shall finde a support some satisfaction to all turmoils and agonies of consciende It is a wonder to see how this blood of Christ is mighty through God to make our peace while the spirit doth conveigh the efficacy thereof to the quieting and establishing the soule In fellowship with Christ and reconcilement with the Father that the soule sees Christ hath not dyed in vaine that he hath not heard the word in vaine nor waited upon Christ in vaine but sees there is life and peace and all in the blood of Christ And therefore wonder not now that the Apostles were so carefull in preaching the crosse of Christ ther 's the ground of all our reconciliation That satisfies the justice of God and that satisfies the soule the spirit applying it begets faith to receive it and there is they stay of the soul So this is the principall duty as for us to teach so for the people of God continually to attend unto to ponder upon this especially those whose hearts are at a losse about satisfaction of Gods wrath and pardon of their sinne It is that which in a speciall manner they stand in need to attend unto For a sixth use If any man shall aske how shall I know that all this belongs to me what it is for thee we cannot yet tell in case a man have had no impression upon his soule yet it may be to thee for ought thou canst tell because all the Elect are not yet called home but are to be called Therefore it is not the thing to say they have no hope in it because they are not yet washed by it for they may be before they dye But if for the present you would know whether you have part in it or no you see what the nature of it is where the blood of Christ comes where it is sprinkled you see what it doth it hath a redeeming power in it and a purchasing power It doth redeem thee from all evill from the power of sinne and Satan and of this world and of thine owne heart and withall from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law so that the Conscience is more pure and peaceable then before and both these go together But mind what I say further if this blood hath had this free passage in thine heart it hath purchased reconcilement with the Father union with the Sonne communion with the Spirit conformity to Christ and comforting thee in Christ Conforming thee to Christ in his death and comforthing thee in Christ and the fruits of his death the favour of God and the pardon of sinne and the blessed priviledges that his death hath purchased I say this is the efficacy of the blood of Christ where it is received in power If these
is infinite is eternall Now the value and vertue of the death of Christ is infinite as being the blood of the sonne of God Acts 20. 28. Now that which is infinite as well reacheth that which is before as after it infinite it is or else it cannot be eternall and infinite it had need to be or else the infinite wrath of God could not be satisfied thereby but being infinite it was of eternall efficacy and therefore he was a Lamb slain and slaine from the foundation of the world So that all that are elect were in Christ before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. Hee hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world in Christ and in Christ crucified before the foundation of the world for being of infinite value it must of necessity be eternall there is nothing infinite but is eternall they are co-incident that which is finite will end it began in time and will end in time But that which is infinite must needs have respect to eternity and therefore saith our Saviour John 8. 38. Before Abraham was I am So that take him whether as God or in point of the vertue and efficacy of his mediation he was before Abraham it could not be eternall if it be not infinite and if it be infinite it must needs be eternall From the presence of all future things to Christ I speak in proper speech it is truly said there is nothing future to Christ I confesse the point is unconceivable to finite capacities but to God all things to come are present as if they were in actuall being All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Heb. 4. 13. It is an ancient speech Eternity is like a circumference about a Center that compasseth it round about that if you fit on the Center you see all the lines Suppose a great tower as high as the clouds and one sitting thereupon he sees one man coming this way and another another way he sees they will meet in one place they know nothing of it it is future to them but present to him So the Lord that sits upon the clouds of eternity if I may use such a word he sees all things as if they were present to him and certaine it is God is not one day older then he was from the beginning the Angels are older and Satan but God is not older nor is capable of being older time addes nothing to him his eternity swallows up all that which hath been is and shall be it is fresh still to him that which is past and that which is to come whence it is said Before Abraham was I am he doth not say I was but his past time is not lost to him no time is past with God Before Abraham was I am a thousand yeares are but as yesterday when it is past all are one time to God Psal 90. 4. So then if you look at Gods account of things that hath entred into such a Covenant from eternity hath written so many in the book of life to be brought on to God by the death and resurrection and ascention of Christ he knew the person of the God-head would certainly take the humane nature of Christ it was present to him and therefore hee doth so elect and govern and dispose of creatures as he that had received a ransome before the world began And therefore Elihu his speech is weighty in Job 33. 23. That if an interpreter one of a thousand come to a sicke man and shew to a man his righteousnesse and that then God is gracious to him and saith deliver him for I have found a ransome to wit in the blood of the Lamb then will he say deliver him What had he received a ransome in Jobs time Job lived before Abraham truly then he hath a ransome as a man hath a bond from a good surety but so it was in his apprehension not only because Christ was a good surety and would make good payment in time but the thing was as present with God and really performed All times with God are but as now past present and to come all times with God are one and the same Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and for ever Yesterday before the Law and to day both under the Law and especially under the Gospel and for ever the same of the same vertue and efficacy and power So you see the truth of the Point The use is shortly thus much First it shews you the dangerous and damnable estate of the world from the foundation of the world the deep depravation and corruption of the world from the foundation of it it is said by John 1 John 5. 19. We know we are of God and all the world lyes in wickednesse Did it lye so in Johns time when all the great Nations of the world worshipped the Devill Apollo Hercules and Jupiter and such dunghill gods Did it not then lye in wickednesse Truly it was so since the world began it was never better from Abraham to Moses from Moses to Christs time and from Christs time to this the whole world lyes in wickednesse for otherwise to what end should Christ be slain from the foundation of the world if there were no need of a Redeemer else there had been no need of his sacrificing from the foundation of the world There were all errors in the world not as God made it but they suddenly corrupted themselves Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beast that perisheth Psal 49. 20. The word in the Original is he shall not sleep in it nor lodg in it meaning that hee shall not take one nights rest but become like a beast and clad with the skin of a beast So this is the condition of civill men that are like bruit beasts from the foundation of the world The Lord looked down from heaven and beheld the children of men And the Apostle interprets it of all men He looked downe and beheld all the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seeke God They are all gone aside they are all become filthy c. Psal 14. 2 3 4 5. This is the case of all men by nature The Apostle expounds it of all Jewes and Gentiles by nature in Rom. 3. 10. to 16. And in Gen. 6. 5. The Lord looked upon the earth and behâ—ld it was corrupt And in Gen. 11. v. 12. The earth also was corrupt before God c. And God saw that all the imaginations of mans heart were evill onely evill and that continually The word translated Imaginations in the Originall is The frame and bent of his thoughts is evill and onely evill and that continually bent to back-sliding from God not a good thought in any mans heart since the world began take him as hee is by nature not a good thought riseth in any mans heart not a good word from his lips nor
which so much concerns posterity may be established for my own part while we live I am not greatly solicitous thereabout yet for future we know not what Governors may arise and what may be put upon our posterity needful therefore that things were put in a right frame that whatever men say yet the Lord may say here is wisdome and here is neither marke nor name nor number of name but all carried according to the laws of the 12. Apostles and this will require some humiliation and if Moses stood in need of 40. days we much more of one day And for our native countrey we do not know what conflicts there may be there about the number of the name of the Beast we are come from them in bodily presence and therefore cannot helpe them by a word of advice but this we may do put up supplications to heaven and we may intreat the God of wisdome and the Prince of peace that he would put in amongst them that they may see the whole fabrick root and branch of the man of sin that so there may be a perfect combination of the two great Nations that the Parliament may be for the better not for the worse but purity of ordinances if it be the blessed will of God may be established however we shall finde a blessing and some of our brethren shall fare the better and if things wax clearer and zeal warmer they will begin to suspect the number as well as the name and as the head of the beast otherwise the three innocent ceremonies as they call them they are grown to six and being multiplyed by ten they may grow to 60. yea to 600. for ought I know Let us help them what we can by Prayer FINIS A TABLE of the principall Heads contained in this Book A THe amplitude of the Popes power page 113 Amplitude of dominion not an inseperable character of the Church 121 Angels created the first day of the weeke 188 Antichrist described 243 It is Antichristian to assume Gods titles 52 Transcendant authority dangerous to be admitted 72 Albingenses and Waldenses slaine to the number of 1000000. 100 B. Backsliders punished page 43 The first Beast what it is page 7. Described p. 2. Not the Pagan Empire p. 4. Not the Christian Empire pag 5. Whence it did arise p. 9 The Beast and the head of the beast is one and the same 44 The Beasts head when wounded and cured p. 35. his great words p. 62. the Beasts time how long p. 80. Why counted by monethes p. 86. When it did begin p. 86 The Beasts power p. 98. From whence p. 115. Why Saints worship not the Beast 139 The second Beast described 223 Bishoply power to be prayed against 38 Blasphemy what 67 Blessed are the sufferers for Christ page 219 Bodie of death what 185 Booke of Providence and booke of Conscience and the booke of life what 132 The Popes Buls are but baubles 90 C. IT is a Character of the second Beast to be without controul p. 236 Christs Government over all Nations 12â— Christ both the subject and the author of life 130 Why Christ answered not Pilate 157 Christ the Lamb slaine p. 154. Christ slaine from the beginning of the world how 189 Christ the stone cut out of the mountaine without hands p. 196. the head of the Church 37 Christians may make a defensive warre 108 The Church Catholick is not visible 13 The power of the Church 13 The Roman Catholicke visible Church a beast p. 14. They receive their power from the Devill 22 Nationall and Diocesan Churches an Image of the beast 16 Christs Church is such as meet in one Congregation 15 No Communion to be held with Antichristian Churches 239 Scripture Computations most exact 95 D. THe Popes Decretals the number of the Beast page 253 Dwellers on the earth who 230 Defensive war of Prorestants p. 104. Defensive warr lawfull 108 Denmark one of the ten horns 81 Devill cast out of heaven when and where 88. 92 E. EAre to heare what it meanes 206 Election a booke of life p 135. in what sence it is sayd to be sure p. 150. How we are said to make it sure 150. 153 England one of the ten horns p. 10. 81. F. FAith the victory whereby we overcome the world page 108 The Faith of Romanists is the saith of the Devill 210 No Falling from grace 149 France one of the tenne horns 81 Fryars are Incendiaries 101 Fundamentall power is in the people 72 G. GRace and workes opposite page 210 God most exact in his computations 94 Christs Government over the world p. 122. It is hard to be set up in England 12 Governours are subject to law p. 109. they may be resisted and when 109 Gregory sent for England 51 H. HEadship of the Church is Christs priviledge page 39 Hints of Providence should be taken 45 To keep Holy-dayes is blasphemy 67 Tenne Horns of the Beast 81 I. IMmunity and impunity from all censures is the Beasts claime page 230 Image of the Beast what p. 223. that all Officers Governments and worship not instituted by Christ are but Images 238 Diocesan Cathedrall and Nationall Churches are Images of the Beast 239 It is impossible for Saints to fall finally 148 The Judgment upon persecutors 217 Justification is from free grace 163 K. THe Kingly power of Christ page 122 L. CHrist the Lamb slaine p. 154. 168. Why called a Lam p. 155. Why slaine p. 170. What the book of the Lamb p. 135 Lex 〈◊〉 unto persecuting Tyrants 98 Boundlesse Liberty dangerous 71 The Lyon of Babels language 12 The Love of God most free 146 M. MAgistrates power should be limited page 73 Magistrates subject to the Churches censures 126 The fifth Monarchy 120. 122 The 42. Moneths the same with 1260. dayes 83 Why the Beasts time is numbred by Moneths 86 When these Moneths began 93 Opening of the Mouth what it meanes 64 Morall vertue is but a silken or golden chaine 197 N. NAvaâ—â— one of the tenne Horns page 81 No Name whereby to be saved but Christ 201 Number of the Beasts name 247 O. VVHat Obedience Subjects owe to Princes page 111 Opening the mouth what it meanes 64 Opportunity to wound the Beast ought not to be neglected 45 P. PArishes a part of the beasts Image page 20 A Papist by his Religion cannot go beyond a reprobate 143 The People can give no power but what the word of God allows 72 Peace with Idolaters dangerous 105 Persecutors rewarded in their kind 98 Gods judgement on Persecutors 217 Pontifex Maximus the Popes style 88 Pope the head of the Beast that was wounded p. 34. When wounded p. 35. When cured 35 Pope is the seventh head p. 47. Hee rules the world p. 52. Hee assumes divine power 53 Pope is the head of the second Beast p. 215. Why compared to a wild beast p. 226 what power he challengeth 229 Popes have been Conjurers 232 Popery a worm-eaten Religion p.