he goeth They kept themselves undefiled of this Antichrist of Rome were not defiled with the whoredome of this great beast in all things they consented with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and their hypocrisies and whoredomes and coveteousnesse were things that would by no means be borne therefore the Pope who was the great head discerning he was thus contested against and as they say blasphemed he thinks he does nothing though he destroy Turkes and Sarazens and Aegyptians and whoever took the Sepulcher of Christ as long as those Heretickes at home were not subdued therefore he thinks it as meritorious a worke to subdue them as ever to fight for the holy Land But there was another thing that made the war for no warre can be made but by levying of Forces on both part◠And therefore a second was their taking up of Armes in the just defence of their liberties both of conscience and outward man For if the Catholick Church had raised up all these Forces and they had quietly submitted themselves like sheep to the slaughter there had beene no warre then there had been massacres It would have amounted to that as the massacre in Paris that a man did not lift up his hand but they were slaughtered like dogs in the street Though they come with fire and sword yet unlesse they resist with fire and sword it cannot be said to be war Some set in against them though their weaknesse caused them to presume but it was to weak a businesse for flesh and bloud Wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers and spirituall wickednesses They which trust to flesh and bloud shall be deceived as these men they stood out and sometimes prospered while the Earl of Tone and some other Princes joyned together though they were but few they prospered but war is not one Battel or two and in the end they were overcome and this Beast prevailed and that 's the reason of the 2 d part how he came to make warre against the Saints For the 3 d How came he to overcome them Truly not by strength he had very little that way but First he overcame them by their a little too much confidence in the arme of flesh when they see the King of Aragon set on they come to be a little set on by the power of the King and a great Battell recoyled by trusting to the arme of flesh You read in Heb. 11. 34. That by faith the Saints waxed valiant in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens but when our faith runne in another channell that we grow confident not in the Lord Jesus by trusting in him but on the arme of flesh we know what is said in Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man ye though he be a good man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord It withers it cannot stand against the potent Army that rise up against them though their enemies were never lesse in number nor never lesse provided yet they prevailed more then ever before The second Reason was by their attention to politick and deceitfull Treaties of peace for when they saw the men were good Souldiers valient in battell and able to fight it out and they found the 3000. that were to fight for plenary pardon three years had served out their time and they had got as they thought their souls saved they would go home now and they had got peace by this carnall confidence of theirs So they perceived this war would be troublesome and the Hereticks were like to prosper therefore they gather in the cheif Leaders to Treaties about peace and great pitty that such bloud should be shed therefore for the honour of Rome it were needfull to cease the warre and so would draw their cheif Leaders to firme leagues of Peace and then they kept their best Generals in Prison and thus when they had got them to yeild to their pretences then they had their neckes under their girdles and their throats under their axes they might hew them out of measure Insomuch that the King of France hearing of such cruell massacre he sent to know what their Religion was and though he sent expresse charge that none of his Souldiers should offer violence to them yet they concealing his Letters they went on in massacring the poor Saints and scattering them up and down in so much that they prevailed partly by the Saints cleaving to the arme of flesh and by trusting their false pretences And there is a third Reason mentioned in the 10. vers saith he Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints It was Gods pleasure to make it the season of the Patience of the Saints It was the season wherein Antichrist should swell to his height and the Saints be brought low and their Patience be tryed to the utmost and it being a time of the Saints Patience it must needs be a time of their suffering and suffer they did with much patience but yet they were not utterly exterpated for some fled to France and some to England and so propagated Christian Religion which after turned to the conversion of many John Husse and Jerome of Pragues Doctrine grew and spread more till God raised up Luther to set forward the power of the Gospell Thus you see the truth of the Doctrine For the use then First it may serve to let us see whence is the power of waging war for the Text saith it was given To him it was given to make war with the Saints All men cannot receive this as our Saviour saith in another case but they to whom it is given It is not an easie matter for any to be 〈◊〉 to wage war it requires great store of persons and great store of Treasury and Fountain to maintaine both And besides all this it require◠no small measure of Wisdome and Policy to undertake such designes all these you see the Lord gives and gives them to those that his soul take no pleasure in and to those that in his esteem are men of beastly spirit◠yet he gives them power to make warre He may blesse himself in his rule and bravery that they were able to 〈◊〉 against Infidels and after against Heriticks as they called them but indeed the Saints of God but you see God gave power unto this Beast which is therefore no cause of triumph or glorying that he hath recived such a power for you see it may be given to these that are enemyes to the Lord Jesus Secondly observe this much That the Lord himselfe doth acknowledge even his poor children on Earth to be that which is commonly by priviledge sequestred to the holy Saints in Heaven He calles them Saints We think Saint-ship is a peculiar priviledge to the Saints in Heaven when they have ended their dayes in peace and a good conscience then they are accounted Saints and Angels but the Lord accounts
fruits be in us they are lively pledges of the love of God in our hearts If these things be smothered and dâ—ubed and overwhelmed with many Temptations and worldly businesses distracting cares and temptations though it is true the children of God may be at many losses yet mark what I say the blood of Christ is a living Spring and a running Fountaine though it may be troubled yet it will runne cleare againe if it do not it is a signe it was not from the blood of Christ but from a delusion But if it were from the blood of Christ thou shalt finde hee will purifie and pacifie thy conscience for he will not loose the value and efficacy of that rich blood great is the power of it and he will not loose the vertue of it I know there may be many pangs to Temptations and Christians in this new world may meet with new Temptations and Christians are at a losse because passions breake in we have lost all our peace and comfort of our union and the power of it it may be so it is not unusuall but minde what I say truly if the blood of Christ have any efficacy in us or power upon us you will find that the fountaine of the blood of Christ is higher then any other fountain A fountaine that springs from a low place may be stopped but if it comes from a high place higher then the highest no creature here below can hinder it nor created thing below it can intercept the flowing of it The Lord will redeeme thee from the world and from these passions and lusts and from the Satanicall and malignant distempers and the Lords blood will restore thee to reconcilement with the Father and bring thee to union with the Son and the comfort of the Spirit and the sence of it And therefore know if he have left thee to live in such distempers and thou dost blesse thy selfe in them and canst not looke further and there is nothing in the blood of Christ that much takes up thy heart for redemption from evill or purchasing good it is much to be feared thou hast not yet tasted of the blood of Christ what there may be in heaven wee know not but no man on earth can give thee a comfortable signe of a good estate If a man blesse himselfe in these engagements and in these imbondagements to the enemies of his soule and thinks his captivity is his liberty hee doth not know what the Lord Jesus hath purchased there is little hope such a man hath redemption from the blood of Christ This is the condition of all the people of God in the greatest temptations unlesse it be in some extreame hurry of passion it is a captivity to him and a burden to him that he wants Christ Jesus and that is a good signe of a mans liberty purchased by Christ This Christ who hath reconciled others to God and done great things for them in a way of grece and hath also reconciled him to God and delivered him from death to see this captivity and to groane under it it is a signe this man hath had some other liberty in times past For otherwise there is no man naturally but he thinks this is his freedom to have his owne minde not crossed to have his full liberty in the world to have good bargains and not to be pinched in this and that and not for conscience to fly in his face it is a sign a man is yet a natural born captive But when a man feels his captivity and looks at it as his burden that he feeles not the favour of God and union with Christ and communion with the Spirit It is a signe God hath called him to liberty but he hath sold himself for a captive again now he cryes as the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death There he is carryed captive I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne which is in my memebers vers 23. Here is a sign of redeeming love by the blood of the Lamb. O the wofull captivity that naturall corruption is to a redeemed soule and the great liberty it is to a carnall heart that hee thinkes it a liberty to have his thoughts free and none to tell him But to a good conscience that hath been washed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb the body of death is a wofull bondage to him This body of death it is not actuall transgressions but a powerfull body of carnall corruption that hangs about us that though we do not break out into actuall sinnes as other men do yet we see a body of death in us and this is our captivity So then if the Lord hath redemed a soul and purchased these comfortable blessings as brings us to the sence of our wofull condition by reason of the losse of this liberty all these are witnesses of the redeeming love of Christ Lastly it may be a use of consolation to every such soule thus farre even so farre as there is no bounds and limits to it it is a marvellous satisfaction to a soule in temptation nothing more then this I now speak of One would think it were a great misery to live in horrour of conscience continually and so it is but if a man be redeemed by the blood of this Lamb then it is not terrour of conscience that can separate thee from God for Christ himselfe was under terrour of conscience as much and more then thou art without sin that he sweat drops of blood and cries out and bemoans it in a holy manner Why will you say but will you have me set such things at my heele the desertions of God at my heele Is the favour of God to be set aâ— the heele it will not hinder your union with your head though you have lost the sense of it All that Christ suffered all his desertions it did not hinder his fellowship with the second person in Trinity neither will it hinder yours The Serpent bruiseth our heel makes us go heavily and lamely Psal 43. 2. Thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off why goe I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy It makes us go heavily while God forsakes us as a man goes that is crushed by an enemy but yet it will not break his head And what great consolation is this it is not terrour of conscience that can separate a man from Christ Nay I may speake a greater thing then that it is not the power of your corruptions that can break your head though they will make you go more lamely and heavily yet pride and passions c. do not separate union It must therefore raise up the heart of a Christian above his temptations above corruptions above the world above all the enemies of his soule what can they
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
is the note The Bishop of Rome exerciseth all the Authority of the first Beast that is of the Roman visible Catholick Church he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Church he doth worke wonders even to the fetching of fire from Heaven and by his wonders procures all christian States to make an Image to the first Beast and gives such life and power to the Image of the Beast that it is able to speak and it shall cause such as do not worship it to be put to death and finally he leaves an impression or imprints a character upon all sorts of christians and will suffer none to enjoy spirituall or civill communion with them unlesse such as will receive either his marke or his name or the number of his name I put them into a doctrinall frame because they are the sum of the words of the Text. Let me breifly open them all First He doth exercise all the Authority of the first Beast Let all that are acquainted either with the writings of the Romanists or of our Divines that bear witnesse against Rome be testimonies in this case what is there that the Catholick Church claimes but the Pope can do it all There are six or seven trascendant â—cts of power which that Church claymes and the Pope familiarly exerciseth them all 1. The Pope hath power to convent generall Councels or if the Emperours will call a general Councel it shall not stand in â—oâ—ce unlesse the Catholick Church and the Bishops meet in a representative Synod it concludes with their determination this he pleads for to this day it belongs not to the Emperors nor to Christian Princes but to the Bishop of Rome It is one of Bellarmines affirmations that one Church shall have power to call all Churches be it to Florence or Basseil thether they must go whether he will 2. As the Catholick Roman Church did usurpe power to make Laws and Canons to binde all Churches So the Pope doth challenge the same power to make Laws to binde all Churches he pleads for it and will not be content without it 3. Look as the Catholick visible Roman Church doth claime Authority of ratifying Scriptures if they put in the Apocrypha it shall be good Scripture and if the Church do not approve the Gospel of Matthew in Greek but in Hebrew it shall be that or if they refuse both them and take the vulgar Latine that shall stand This power the Catholick Church challengeth power to do and the same doth the Pope 4. If the Roman Catholick visible Church challenge a power of interpreting Scripture and judging of controversies with infalibility of judgement The Pope challengeth that to himselfe when he interprets Scripture or decides controversies about Religion he cannot erre and so they make account he is a fit Judge therein 5. Look as you see the Roman Catholick visible Church had power of binding and loosing challengeth all applealâ— and great things they will do by that priveledge excommunicate some of many Churches that are absent some they excommunicate for seven years some to their death that the shall not be reconciled All this the Pope challengeth in a larger measure then the old Roman visible Church did challenge This the Roman Bishop challengeth to binde conscience to loose oathes and covenants between Prince and people between man and wife to loose vows and oaths and natural relations between parents and children if they will shrowd themselves in a Monastery and will dispence against the Apostle Paul in case of incest this is such a power to loose the bonds of Gods commandments and Gods oaths and relations to God and his servants it is such Transcendant power the Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged greater 6. The Roman visible Catholick Church never challenged so great power till it was animated and acknowledged by the Pope to take upon them to set up one King and to take down another King John in England Frederick the first and Frederick the second Henery the fourth and Henery the fifth he crowns and discrowns whom he will and this out of the plentitude of his power And lastly he doth challenge this beyond the Church it selfe Immunity and Impunity from all Civill and Ecclesiastical power and judicature The Church is above all jâ—dicial power and the Pope the head of it is above it and therefore may not be brought into order by any censure of any Church nor by the civil sword And therefore he 〈◊〉 well called one that exerciseth all the power of the first Beast and rather puts more power to it whatever the Catholick Church may do that he can do where they can dispence and make Laws where they can bind or loose c. So farre as they may go he can go and he doth all in the name and sight of the Church And he causeth all that dwell on the Earth That is carnal christians whose conversation is not in Heaven To worship the first Beast How to worship He speaks of divine worship not civil adoration This is an aberation from a Church but a beastly Church it is a monster The Church of the first institution was of one particular congregation and for all the Churches of the world to be subject to one Cathedral it is far beyond all comprehension of rule Now he causeth all that dwell on the Earth to worship that Beast Wherein are they to worship him 1. It is made a matter of necessity to salvation to be reconciled to that Church and more care is had of being reconciled to that Church then of being reconciled to God in Christ All pleas of being reconciled to Christ will not stand in their judgment unlesse you be reconciled to them 2. Except you be bound in conscience to that state he will allow you no communion he will have all the decrees of the Church as binding the conscience 3. This is divine worship you shall take no doctrine but that is of his stamp nor worship nor Government but of his acknowledgment nor no dispensation of them but according to his Canons And all that dwell on the Earth must worship him all run upon the Beast the Pope doth not so much challenge it to himselfe as to the Church and that which is given to the Church he takes to himselfe Thirdly He doth great wonders so that he makes fire come from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men And it is said Antichrist shall come in all power of signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2. 8 9. Their Legions are full of these wonders And in particular for this point of causing fire to come down from Heaven It is an allusion sure to the fire that the old Prophet fetched from Heaven As Eliah fetched fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice 1 Kings 18. 38 39. And that was a fire that expressed Gods gracious acceptance that made all the people cry the Lord he is God But this the Pope did not fetch
have power over the estate of the life to come 1. Over Heaven Hee claimes transcendent power in that and doth abuse that place in Mat. 16. 19. To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven that whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Therefore he can open the gates of Heaven to them that are dead 2. They have power over Purgatory Upon so much done and given they can help them out of Purgatory They make account the torments of Purgatory are equall to the paines of Hell but that Hell is for ever and Purgatory but till the last Judgment 3. They have power over Hell they have not absolute power to deliver out of Hell only Gregory is said to have delivered Trajans soul out of Hell but though they cannot deliver out of Hell yet they can ease the torment The witnesses of this will hardly owne it but it is the judgment of the most devout to that Sea So that he gave to the Catholick church his power of signs and lying wonders of all kinds of efficacy of delusions and power of making Warre and he gave him great authority over the Scriptures over mens Consciences over the treasures of the Church over Kingdomes and Princes and Powers of the world to come and over Purgatory and Hell And therefore consider if this be not a vast power which is here given and acknowledged to be given by himselfe to the Catholick visible Roman Church You must not wonder that the Catholick Church did not claim all this at first but came to this by degrees and more faster grew to this especially at that time when this second Beast that received in spiritualls his power speaking like a Dragon had got all this transcendant power In the mean time from the very first you shal find this power in the representative Catholick Church They quartered them into severall Jurisdictions into Bishopricks and when they had done that they rested not till they had set one over the rest and that was this of Rome And besides this was devillish Authority to make Laws to bind all Christian Congregations to take their Government from them 3ly In every Councell they devised some new Doctrine and some new form of worship and Government which was the seed out of which this transcendant power was hatched For the reason of the point you may aske how hee should give all this power which he never had himself how he should give that which never was his to a Beast so as to carry all things with that transcendant power for divine power he had not himself he was cast out from it how then could hee give this to any State in the world First from Gods divine Justice and heavy Judgment upon the unthankfull world That look as God in former times did give up the Roman Pagan world to be ruled by Satan as the god of it and therefore he is called in 2 Cor. 4. 4. the God of the world So now God gave up the Roman Christian world as he did the Pagan world before the Scripture tells us so 2 Thes 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved he gave them up to efficacy of delusions to believe lies That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse They loved not the simplicity of the Apostles Institutions concerning Churches and Laws and Doctrine and Apostolick government but did affect high preferments and setled endowments and carnall excellency Now the Lord therefore gives Satan wonderfull power that as of old he was once the God of Pagan Rome so now in the Church he gives them Church-power that what he could not retaine in his owne hands that he substitutes and gives to the Roman Catholick Church to carry it along with great successe and that 's the first Reason the judgment of God upon the unthankfull world A second Reason is taken from the effectuall means which Satan used to advance the Roman Church by to exalt his Church above all others what were the means The means were these First Ignorance raising a smoak out of the bottomlesse Pit darkning all the light of the Church Rev. 9. 2. The Sun and the Aire were darkned by reason of it There was a mighty dark mist as it were They regarded not the love of the truth they studyed it not and so the Lord left them to palpable grosse ignorance in so much that at that time when the second beast arose had we seene any that lived in the former time of Religion and that lived now we would not have thought they had been the same men such palpable darkness were they left unto of ignorance Now palpable ignorance is the mother of all Superstition and Idolatry and the misguidance of all things in the Church A second means which he used was terror of Conscience which he set on effectually by the Locusts Rev. 9. 3 5. There came out of the smoak Locusts and unto them was given power as the scorpions of the Earth have power They had such a notable power to sting the Consciences of men that men would seek for death and could not finde it and take desperate courses drowning or hanging or any thing rather then to live in that terrour They that shall read Parsons Resolutions Granatensis shall find what terrible threats there are applyed to terrifie but never shewed them the way to come to Christ to binde up such broken souls Now the Conscience broken and not healed is fit to sow any superstition in A third means was the superstition and hypocrisie of the votaries and of all afflicted but unsetled consciences Terror of conscience makes them greatly devout They tell them of a state of perfection and that they shall shrowd themselves in such a Monastery and there they should live devoutly and be kept from the pollutions of the world Many Princes have been thus taken and have given large endowments to pray for their souls their consciences being wounded A fourth meanes was the subtilty and sophistry of the School-men suppressing the reading of the Scriptures and mixing Philosophy with Divinity that they might as well have studied a point of Aristotle as their divinity and make as good use of the one as of the other They left studying of Scriptures and read Peter Lombard which was mentioned in Latine and this was a notable meanes A fifth meanes was the policy of the Canonists who had gathered together all those Canons that tended to Christs powerfull Government and fastned them upon the Catholick Church and the Bishop of Rome being head he had it all committed to him a notable means to bring in Tyranny Last of all lying miracles 2 Thes 2. 9. Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes lying wonders Thus you see the means how the
is such power as is far above the reach of man None of them all have such power as he not those that are called Gods So they admire his power what he can do to inward or outward man to publique or private States And they do not only admire the Catholick Church and the head of it and adore them but in both these they adore the Dragon that gave all this power to the Beast The meaning may be exprest in two branches 1. The Dragon is expressed as animating heathen Rome for that hath seven heads and ten horns which are the armes both of heathen Rome and of this Beast Now he is called the Dragon as he acted heathen Rome and as he was Lord of heathen Rome he gave all this power to the Pope For they thought it meet since it was the Imperiall City when it was Pagan that therefore it should be the mother of all Churches And being the Imperial City it was the bloud-sucker of many millions of the souls of Gods servants that caused the Dragon to put that honour upon Rome 2. But that is not all There is another branch comes neerer the full meaning of the Text that was for the honouring of the Bishop of Rome and of the Catholick Church viz. taking another doctrine for the Gospell their Idolatry for pure worship their Government for the discipline of Christ their pardons for Justification of sinne by Christ In all this they doe indeed give true worship to the Dragon for what are all these but Images they are none of Gods Ordinances if you referre them to the heads of Scripture they are but Images of Christ In stead of the Ministery of Christ you have doctrines of men In stead of justification by the righteousnesse of Christ you have justification by works In stead of pardon of Sin from Christ you have it from the Pope All things are in another forme an Image of another forme set up devised contrary to what the word establisheth Now you shall finde this to be true if you doe vary from the kingdome of God and Christ then you worship the Dragon You read in 2 Chron. 11. 15. Jeroboam ordained him Priests for the high places and for the Devils and for the Calves which he had made he had no Preists but for the golden Calves and what were they they were but Images and his intendment was not to bring in another object of worship but another manner of worship Jeroboam worshiped Jehovah in Images which God had not appointed and so he worshipped the Divill and not God And you shall read when the Turke was brought in to revenge the Idolatry of Christendome Rev. 9. 20. It is said The people that were not cut off with the plague they repented not of the worke of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver and brasse and Stone and of wood which neither can see nor hear nor walk which shews that when men worship Images that is God in Images it is not God that is so worshipped but the Divill and all such worship doth not advance the kingdome of God but the kingdome of the Devill therefore it is reall honour to him and therefore this their taking all this vast honour all Churches receiving all from them is none of Gods Institution but the Devils practice for it was the Devill that gave him his power and great authority Therefore saith the holy Ghost they worshiped the Dragon who gave power unto the Beast and they worshipped the beast This worship of the beast they gave it all to him that gave this power to him which was to the Dragon and therfore you read that he had the key of the bottomlesse pit Rev. 9. 1 2. And he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth There went out Monks Friars and a rabble of all superstition Now if you shall aske the reason why people upon the healing of this wound did so mightily admire both the visible Catholick Church and the head of it and adore both and Satan himselfe in both The reason was First from the wrong Interpretation of some Scriptures which were very frequent with them in those dayes and are still and that was that the Catholick Roman Church was builded upon a rock and that rock was the Bishop of Rome and into his hand the Lord Jesus by Peter had given the keys of the kingdome of Heaven and these keys had absolute universall power to binde on Earth and upon his binding on earth Christ would bind in heaven this was an error in judgment that did so possesse their hearts that upon the healing of this wounded head all the world did admire him Therefore Bellarmine makes a large discourse Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone and they that trust in him shall never be confounded and so never was there any man that was an enemy to the Catholick Church but was confounded nor never did any man stand for the Catholick Church but was preserved and so they did admire him A great inundation of barbarous Nations were all driven out by the piety of the Bishop of Rome they were able to overturn the Emperors of the East and it was overturned and bring them to his feet and all to be at his disposing This was some confirmation to them that he was the successor of Peter that now whoever is saved it must be by the power of this key or else never look for any saving in this world A second reason may be taken from the correspondency and plausablenesse of such a kinde of Religion and Government to carnall reason especially when it is subdued by any terrors of consceence for it was a season and that held many years together wherein the Priests Friers and Monks had marvellous power to sting the consciences of men with the loathsomnesse of their sinne in the sight of God and they had admirable dexterity therein These foure things were all the matter of their Sermons Vertue and vice Heaven and Hell If you be vertuous then you shall go to Heaven If you be vicious then you must go to Hell Now they would so convince mens consciences and upon conviction binde the conscience under terror as eternally shut out of Heaven for want of virtue which they had not that indeed when these mens consciences are thus perplexed and wounded here is a Religion that findes them so many salves and medicines as ease the power but not remove the cause of the disease that is they set men a course well though you be vicious and though Hell be dreadfull yet Purgatory may ease you by Prayer and you may be dispensed with from going to Hell especially by the Popes pardon or by your own workes by your confessions by selfe-whippings and scourgings or by going a Pilgrimage you may be
that might be felt From the ninth Centuary to the tenth both Protestant and Popish Divines complaine that had not some lived in the 800. year and in the thousand yeare after Christ they should not have known what had beene done in the nine hundred a whole hundred years together Men were so full of darknesse and ignorance that scarce any set pen to paper to tell us what was done in those dark times that men did not know what were principles of Christianity much lesse were able to discern of Cases of Church-government or the misterie of godlinesse which requires more diligent attendance And thence it was that they were so taken with the pretended claymes of the Catholick visible Church that it would not erre because it was built upon a Rock and had the keys of Peter and he had the keys of heaven What he bound on earth was bound in heaven and what he loosed on earth was loosed in heaven that had there not been palpable grosse ignorance it had not been possible such grosse things should have been suffered to come in And a second thing that moved them was the strange successe of the Beast in recovering of his wounded head for that made them wonder after the Beast when they saw such a mortall wound so throughly healed They thought had it not been above the power of mortall men it had not been possible it should have been healed but certainly there was a power above mortall men in it and that is the reason in the Text to give him a mouth to speak great things to speak what hee would And a third reason why Princes gave this power was their devout superstition many were convinced by Matchivilian policy of their great sins and they had in those dayes a notable dexterity to apply the Law of God and to sting mens consciences like a Cockatrice Rev. 9. 5. and then they would do any thing for ease out of the bondage they lay under and this was a great meanes Then they directed them to give so much to such a Monastery or to goe a Pilgrimage or fast such a time and such devotion which a mans own unsanctified heart could reach That when this Beast speaks great things that he can pardon sinne and his Shavelings will take a course for redeeming souls and preserving them out of hel this was such satisfaction to them that you need not wonder if all Princes gave their Kingdomes to the Beast And so having advanced him as supream over them all he hath a mouth he may speak what he will Princes may make Laws on this hand or on that but if they do not suite with him they are disannulled And they must be reconciled to the mother Church and so this Harlot gives them all to her and hath a mouth speaking great things and therewithall great blasphemieâ— Thus have you the point and the reasons of it For the use of it I might from hence first speak to this point that it were therefore a necessary counsell to all Roman Catholicks to consider diligently the grounds of the great priviledges of the visible Catholick Church they stretch their authority beyond all degrees of Churches beyond all Temporall States or particular Churches Now necessary it were for them to reverse all the great things which are delivered and which the Pope hath set open his mouth to speak though they be delivered with never such fulnesse and boldnesse and plentitude of power It behoves men to consider whether all these great words be not the words of a Beast and blasphemies which the head of the Beast had taken upon him to utter for it is not enough that they are spoken boldly and confidently and with good advisement and grave Counsell Provinciall Decretals and Decrees for they are distinct things It behoves Catholicks not to be gulled with Titles and great things for it is not alwayes that power which God in mercy gives to men when they dare speak great things they think the Pope is not Antichrist but when Antichrist comes will he do greater things then these as they sayd of Christ when Christ comes will he doe greater workes then these And so when Antichrist comes can he speak grater things then these And if I were to speak to Lay-men as they say in their Religion I might advise them to take heed they be not taken with the confidence of their Priests that speak with good advisement even to impudency and with such resolute courage that many thousands are carryed away with it and say certainly men would never be so bold if they were not possessed with the goodnesse of their cause Let them not be deluded the Beast hath power to speak great things and he opens his mouth with all courage and confidence and whispers it not but speaks with impudency and abundance of resolution Secondly This may serve to teach us the danger of allowing to any mortall man an inordinate measure of power to speak great things to allow to any man uncontrollâ—bleness of speech you see the desperate â—â—â—ger of it Let all the world learn to give mortall men no greater power then they are content they shall use for use is they will and unlesse they be better taught of God they will use it ever and anon it may be make it the passage of their proceeding to speake what they will And they that have liberty to speak great things you will finde it to be true they will speak great blasphemies No man would think what desperate deceit and wickednesse there is in the hearts of men And that was the reason why the Beast did speak such great things hee might speak and no body might controll him What saith the Lord in Jer. 3. 5. Thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldst If a Church or head of a Church could have done worse he would have done it This is one of the straines of nature it affects boundlesse liberty and to runne to the utmost extent What ever power he hath received he hath a corrupt nature that will improve it in one thing or other if he have liberty he will think why may he not use it Set up the Pope as Lord Paramount over Kings and Princes and they shall know that he hath power over them he will take liberty to depose one and set up another Give him power to make Laws and he will approve and disprove as he list what he approves is Canonicall what hee disproves is rejected Give him that power and he will so order it at length he will make such a State of Religion that he that so lives and dyes shall never be saved and all this springs from the vast power that is given to him and from the deep depravation of nature Hee will open his mouth His tongue is his owne who is Lord over him Psal 12. 3 4. It is therefore most wholsome for Magistrates and Officers in Church and Common-wealth never to affect
in blaspheming all Turkish or Popish blasphemies the Lord will muzzle them In the mean time it it our part to sanctifie his name that gives this vast liberty that for so long they shall speak great things and no longer Fourthly it may teach us that there is a pronenesse in our natures to abuse all the providences of God whether of speciall mercies or speciall judgements and it warns us to beware of the same in the enjoyment of any mercy or in feeling of any stroak of God upon us Here was this Beast so wounded in one of his heads as it seemed to be deadly he was again healed The Lord visits this Church with a deadly blow by acts of his justice and he also visits it with great deliverances and acts of his mercifull providence and when he hath done see his great admiration and adoration would you not think this should melt the heart of a Beast but the Oxe knowes his owner saith the Lord and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Isa 13. Though this deadly wound be healed to the admiration of the world yet consider what little use he makes of it when he gives him power to doe what he will what doth he He opens his mouth to speak great things and blasphemies and he makes war with all the Saints of Heaven he doth much abuse his glory He was knocked on the head because he would affect such vast Authority to be Pontefex Maximus the Lord cracked his Crown breaks the head of this enemy and wounds the hairy scalpe of such as go on in wickedness He heals him again and gives him great power but what doth he with it He abuseth it against God and against the Church of God and speaks great things even blasphemies So there is a nature in us that will abuse every mercy of God to the corrupting of our hearts and every judgment of God and every deliverance from that judgement one would not think what wofull distempers there are in our natures If a body be stuft with choller it will turne the whole body to feed the humour So it is with us we turne all the providences of God into distempers and outragious licentiousnesse But you will say he was a Beast and the Church a Beast we hope Christians shall do better See it in Hezekiah when the Lord had wrought great deliverances for him brought the Sunne ten degrees back and avenged him of his Enemies afterwards he recovered him from sicknesse when his soule was brought to the jaws of death yet when the Princes of Babylon sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he might know what was in his heart and then he shews them his great Treasures and works and fortifications that he had throughout his Kingdome and it is said He rendred not according to the benefits done unto him for his heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 32. 25. 31. You see good Hezekiah is apt to forget sicknesse It argues the depth of the body of Sinne which is not onely in wicked men such as these proud Prelats be but in the Godly in those that are most eminent in Grace they are not able to bear great Sailes if God shews us mercy and judgement it is a wonder to see what poore work we make Many a carnall heart will say if he be delivered from sicknesse or if he be at Sea in danger if he get a shore or if in Prison if he get but liberty God and men shall see what a new man he will be O the bottomlesse depth of a deceitfull heart let the Lord chastise us and raise us up again we forget our humiliation and grow to exaltation and if God helpe us a little we grow to such out-runings of spirit as we exceed therein no gift that a man hath no ordinance of God but he will thus abuse And therefore we have cause to sit down in dust and ashes that we should abuse such mercies as we dayly partake in Fiftly since this is the nature of wicked men let God give them but liberty and men give them liberty and they will take it to the full let God give a mouth he will speak great things and if he have liberty to speak great things he will speak great blasphemies against God and his Tabernacle and the Saints Then this will be a shame to Godly men if the Lord give us great things a mouth to speak all the good we can and liberty to do all the good we can if we doe not open our mouths and hearts to be speaking and doing all the good we can It is not for us to stand snorting out the time which God hath carved out for us but if a beast have this liberty if you tether a Beast at night he knows the length of his tether before morning he will goe to the end of it before he have done And you see this Bishop the head of the Church if God give him a mouth he will open it wicked men will take the utmost bounds of their liberty will wicked men doe so why should not the children of God then and all that fear his name take the like care to improve all their liberties and power to doe all the good we can doth God give a liberty for laying foundations for establishing jurisdictions and liberty for well ordering our Families and Town-ships if the Lord give us opportunities why should we want a heart to improve them If the Beast hath a heart to improve his wickednesse to the utmost why should not we improve all our Talents to Gods best advantage to make it our whole study to doe all which the Lord requires that so we may bear plentifull witnesse in our Generations to all the liberties the Lord hath betrusted us with It is not for men that have received five Talents that is to say five opportunities to render to God as those that have received but one or two To whom much is given of them will much be required Luke 12. 48. And therefore is behooves us all as to know the liberties of Church Common-wealth so to set hand and affection a work to be doing all the good we can If it were the Beast take a patterne from him but they must go fast that the Devils drives he would improve all his liberty And why should they not goe fast whom the Spirit of God drives and improve the liberty they have of God And therefore it is for us to doe all the good we can and to leave nothing to those that shall come after us but to walk in the righteous steps of their fore-Fathers And therefore let us not leave nor give rest to our eyes till in Family Church and Common-wealth we have set a patterne of holinesse to those that shall succeed us Lastly it may teach us a reverend use of the things of
God for all Blasphemy against the name of God or hâ—s Tabernacle or those that dwell in heaven it is blasphemy against God It is said here there was power given to the Beast to speak great things and blasphemyes wherein did that lye against Gods name and against his Tabernacle and those that dwell in Heaven So that blaspheme any of these and you blaspheme God blaspheme the name of God the Tabernacle of God and those that dwell in Heaven whether Saints above or Saints on Earth and you blaspheme God himself And therefore it should be farre from us to abuse any ordinance or providence of God for it is blasphemie against God himselfe they are the name of God Gods name is called on his providences If we speak evill of Gods ordinances or providences as for a man to say would to God I had never known such a woman it is blasphemy Gods wisedome and righteousnesse hath ordayned it If we be in distresse or in any sicknesse and we snarle against God and mutter at our poverty and sickness it is to blaspheme the name of God all these are providences of God To speak evill of Churches as if they were Congregations of Heriticks or Schismiticks or Congregations of Rebels or Libertines and Brownists and such like it is blasphemy against the God of Heaven Besides it is blasphemy against the Body of Christ in the Sacrament to think every Baker can make it that is Popish blasphemy To speak evill of the Saints of God on earth to thinke to take liberty because they are absent Our tongues are our owne who is Lord over us Little do we know how tender God is of his people we cannot speak evill of any in the Church but we blaspheme God And so if we speak evill of his providences it is as much as if we speak evill of God himself And therefore how precious ought the name of God to be to us to whom our names are pretious It is but a scandall to a christian brother but it is blasphemy to God and therefore speak not evill as thinking it shall never come to his eare If we speak evill of Authority of Churches of Saints or evill of them that doe evill unlesse you may take order to represse it the Lord himself looks at it as blasphemy and therefore we must not look at it as a light matter our tongues are our own and we may have liberty to speak I you have liberty but not to speak blasphemies either small or great There is not the least blasphemy but it is a great Sinne and therefore greatly to be avoyded Rev. 13. latter part of the 5. vers And power was given him to continue forty and two moneths THis is the continuance of the description of the former Beast which the Apostle John saw rising out of the Sea to be the instrument of the Dragons power that is Satans rage against the Woman and her feed Among other parts of the description which have been opened this Beast is described by the change that befell him in his head wounded and healed the effect whereof was 1. The admiration of the world 2. The worship of the Beast and of the Dragon The third effect or event was the authority or power that the Beast did receive and did exercise and that power was 1. To speake great things and blasphemies which accordingly he did exercise in blaspheming the name of God and his Tabernacle and the Saints 2. There was a power of continuance as it is here translated forty and two moneths 3. There was given to him power to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them Of the first part to speak blasphemy we have already spoken Now come we unto the second part of the power given him which is his continuance There was power given him to continue forty and two moneths The note from thence is shortly this That power and authority was given to this Beast that is to the Roman Catholicke Church to continue that is to be active and doing to be busie fortie and two moneths This expresseth the sum and sence of the words they are obscure as any place in the word and therefore need your more diligent attention and the power of the Lord Jesus to clear his counsel and will in this point who alone openeth the Seales and none can shut them To open the words Power was given to him The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies the power of Authority or Jurisdiction a soveraign kind of power as it is here described in the seventh verse over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations Such power that all the world wondered at it and adored especially that which they call the Christian world did exceedingly magnifie the power and authority of this Beast and he speakes here principally of Spirituall Authority though it grew to Temporall Power in making Warr in the 7. vers for he riseth by degrees to further power but authority was given him Given him by whom 1. By God that put it into the heart of the tenne Horns that is the tenne Kâ—â—gs to give their Kingdoms with one consent to the Beast Rev 17. 17. So God by his wise and just providence gave him authority such as God hath ordained in his word but he put it in their hearts by his wise and just providence 2. This authority was given by Satan who assisted Antichrist in the mystery of Iniquity in working signs and lying wonders with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse till hee lift up himselfe above all that is called God 2 Thes 2. 9 10. And indeed Satan wrought mightily what by the sophistry of the School-men and by the policy of the Canonists and what by the devotion of Cloyster-men and Fryers it was a wonder to see how he gained a mighty power against Churches all the world over 3. This power was given him by those States the ten Horns which gave their Crowns with one accord to the Beast that he should rule in their Dominions The chiefe Kingdoms in Europe are in these ten our Native Countrey for one France and Spaine and Navarre Sweden Denmarke and the rest they did with one accord give their Kingdomes to the Beast that in point of Religion they should establish all Ordinances according to the wisdome of his soveraign power And in Temporall matters they gave him greater power to depose and dispose of their Kings then the Roman Emperour had in sundry respects for his was limâ—ed by Laws but this was without Laws 2 Thes 2. 4. He opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God That without all power of Laws he did out-rage out of measure Given it was by their Devotion and Superstition God piercing their hearts much in those times by the Ministery of their Fryars that did wound their consciences with the sense of their murthers and lusts that they were willing to do any thing for the peace of their
a kinde of sacred Authority in the consciences of men because he had this absolute power in Churches a great power for 1260. years together whether you reckon from Constantines time or Theodosius his time he had a marvellous power in Kingdomes Nations and Common-wealths But notwithstanding he had this power in those times yet Christ kept the interest in his own chosen as in Rev. 14. 1. where he had 144000. that were spotlesse virgins Answ â— The Lord Jesus will at length challenge all his own purchase them into his own hand when at the calling of the Jews all the Kingdomes of the world shall be given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 26 27. The Lord will take them all into his own hand and power and jurisdiction but he must first throw down this enemy that hath usurped over his purchased possession But in the mean time this Beast swallows up all for so many Ages together For the use of the point First it may be to refute the Papists that give this as a true note of the Church namely amplitude of dominion as the Catholick Church had They give this for an infallible note of the Church now that note you see is here evidently ascribed to the people that worship the great Beast of whom the Lord saith here ver 8. their names are not written in the booke of the Lamb. So that this is a note not of an Apostolicall Church but it may be a note of an Apostaticall Church that is fallen away from the Apostles Doctrine It is a true description of that State of the Church You see here Power was given over to the Beast over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And therefore amplitude of dominion is not an inseperable character of the Spouse of Christ for it may be given to those that are not the Church of Christ even to those that are but a Beast in the sight of God not his Spouse I may rather say the contrary that amplitude of Dominion was never a note of a Church of Christ since the world began For in the old Testament the State of the Church was Nationall and they had power over one Nation and sometimes conquered others as in David and Solomons time they conquered the Philistims Ammonites and Moabites and Edomites but it was never over all the whole world and that dominion which they had they did not challenge it by Church power but left them still to their own Religion for the Common-wealth propagated their power by arms having first occasion of warre given them by their arrogance to them In the dayes of the new Testament the Church that Christ instituted reacheth no further then to their own members and their own members reach no further then to one Congregation that all might hear and all might be edefied 1 Cor. 14. 23. So that if Church power extends no further then the bounds of one Congregation then that Church that swelleth and strecheth forth her power all the world over Kindreds and Tongues and Nations what an out-ragious swelling Beast is that that reacheth such vast dominion beyond the proportion that the Lord gave to his Church If you should see a body swell to such a vast bignesse that his armes shall reach from one end of the world to another would it not be counted a monster So in this case the Lord hath limited the power of the Church within it selfe it is a great power that they have but not so great as to binde conscience unless it be Ministerially and so they have power to binde Kings in chains and Nobles in lincks of Iron but to have power judiciary power over the Scriptures and over the conscience over and above the application of the word it is such as the Lord never gave to any Church but it is arrogated and usurped by the man of Sinne. Secondly it may serve to teach you the prouenesse of your natures to that which is evill above that which is savingly and spiritually good This power over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations the Lord hath purchased by his death Rev. â— 9. He dyed and rose againe that he might be Lord both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. And upon his resurrection all power was given him in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. He prayed for this power and the Lord promised to give him it Psal â— 8. Aske of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession This hath the Lord bought with his pretious bloud and paid for by the power of his eternall Spirit and yet never did the Lord Jesus enjoy this power to this day which the man of Sinne hath enjoyed for so many years together He will enjoy it at lenght when he shall call in the Jews and with them the fulnesse of the Gentiles and reigne in Soveraigne Authority both in Church and Common-wealth according to all the Councell of his word and will But yet it was never known to this day that so many Nations did submit their thrones to the Dominion and Government of Christ and to the Truth of Christ and to worship him with the servants of God notwithstanding the purchase which Christ hath made of this Soveraignty and notwithstanding the efficacy of his prayer for obtaining this power that hee might have dominion over all As soon as Constantine brought the world to become Christian the woman she fled into the Wildernesse The true worshippers of Christ were soon troden under the hatches a mountaine of corruption in Church Government overwhelmed them amain that you cannot set the time when so many Nations served him and were as ready to take up arms in his quarrell as they have done for the man of Sinne. You will say did they not for the recovery of the holy Land many Churches conspire and lay their heads together and engaged themselves for this Warre why when they they undertook that Warre was it Christ that commanded any such thing that Churches should engage themselves and their Estates and Lives and Souls and all for the recovery very of the holy City was it not meerly undertaken by the Bishop of Rome and by the motion of the Catholick Church in a Generall Councell The Roman Catholick Church met in a Generall Councell and they agreed to set about this expedition They promised pardon of Sinne to the people and in hope of that and such like things they went about it It was service to the Beast not to Christ God never acknowledgeth it as any service to Christs Kingdome It was for the advancement of the head of the catholick Church but as any grew more wise they grew more afraid of them So that it is a wonder to see never did the the Christian world give that Authority to Christ as they have done unto the Pope and his Institutions which are not Ordinances of Christ Yea let me say another word which is above
more know all his elect if he know them all by name hee then particularly observes them and prevents us with blessings of goodnesse and preserves us from prevailing evills but if it be recorded of God is it not in vain to exhort to make it sure Answ If it were in vain methinks the Apostle should not have used it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Then that is it that lyes upon all Christians some think it is not possible but then it were a vain exhortation Make your calling and election sure if you do a wide and open door of entrance shall be minished unto you well then though I cannot make sure my election in it selfe for it is sure in it selfe but the Question is whether it it is sure to me that is my duty for he knowes who 〈…〉 and knows them by name and keeps them in his name and hath given his Angels charge over us and they will all watch over us and therefore our Saviour in Luke 10. 20. saith to his Disciples Rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject unto you but that your names are written in Heaven Our election is sure enough in heaven no stormes will alter it there But now in a word can we make our election sure the Apostle intimates when you make your calling sure you make your election sure your calling that is but the actuall execution of this eternall election but they are so neere that many the Lord puts them one for another he tells his Disciples you have not chosen me but I have chosen you John 15. 16. he means of his selection his calling them out of the world then he doth communicate his electing love to such it is wrought for us before in Christs death in Gods councell and in his effectuall redemption wrought for us on the Crosse but yet it is not manifest to our consciences till calling but make your calling sure and then election is sure When you are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. that is this book of life that is his purpose that we are in Gods purpose written to life look to that he hath saved us and called us Not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 1. 8. that is the book of life and grace of free grace purposing us to life and you read in Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he hath called and whom he called them he justified now if a man be effectually called to grace that doth search election let me briefly touch it that which makes sure calling 1. In our effectuall calling there is a declaration of Gods love to the soul in Christ Jesus by the spirit of grace in the doctrine of the Gospell for that is Gods call in our calling God calls for his part by his grace and spirit and we answere that spirit by that faith which by the call of God is wrought in our hearts I say God calls effectually to his grace by manifesting the rich grace of God in Christ electing freely calling freely from the obedience of sinne and Satan to the liberty of the sons of God as to those in Queen Maries time when they wandered up down like Lambs in a large place Bilney he fetches in that one word in his lost and forlorn condition He read this promise and the spirit of God applies it Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe This being applyed by the spirit it falls on him with power and he sees the goodnesse of God in Christ and the vanity of all things else and seeing so much glory in Christ and in particular to him also this lets him see the vanity of all other courses for this manifestation of Gods spirit doth effectually and manifestly open our eyes to see and hearts to believe what the Lord offers for faith is said to receive what the Lord gives of grace here is then that which makes calling sure for otherwise how can we know it but by the manifestation and declaration and revelation of the Spirit The things that eye never saw nor eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man but he hath revealed them by his spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. As no man knows the things of man but the spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the spirit of God And we have not received the spirit of this world but the spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The spirit of God it is that searcheth all things even the deep things of God and reveals them to us and lets us see the treasures of grace and lets us see them thus applyed this is the ground of effectuall calling God calling by his spirit and we answering that call and from both these springs another fruit of our effectuall calling which is likewise a certaine pledge of it that being thus called Blessed be God saith the Apostle that hath called us to the fellowship of his sonne actually and effectually 2. Thence it comes to passe that wee choose the Lord for our God We have none in heaven but him nor none on earth that we desire in comparison of him Away then with those beautifull Strumpets and all works of iniquity and wayes of darknesse wayes of ambition these are all blasted now I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. and now it is that he rejoyceth in nothing save in the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 6. 14. Now this electing love in that we elect God we could never choose God had not he chosen us and in some measure discovered what his electing love was to us this brings the heart back again to choose him and none but him now that is another security of our election and therein it differs from all others a man may have a kinde of sanctification by common gifts which will leave him still to work for himselfe but this is to abuse the very gifts of God which the spirit hath wrought in us though they be not such as accompany salvation still we are not lift up above our selves but when we are called effectually to Christ now no motion swayes us but as we see the will of God in it we cannot beleive as the Church beleives but we beleive our brethren and the Church as we see the Church follows the foot-steps of the will of God If I now please men saith the Apostle I am not the servant of Christ 1 Thes 2. 4. Nor of men sought we glory when we might have been burden some as the Apostles of Christ If a man be left to fast for himselfe or pray for himselfe or worke for himselfe and all is for himselfe that he work◠from a principal respect unto himselfe truly this will darken a mans effectuall calling and if it be his constant course doubtlesse
all doe If the Lord be with us who can be against us He that delivered up his owne sonne to death for us how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8. 31 32. So that wee are freed from all annoyance from the curse of the Law the rigour of the law free from desertion and corruption and the Lord hath given us himselfe and his Son and his Spirit and his Câ—venant and Kingdome and his Church and people and Ordinance and all is yours 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. And how comes all to be ours By the blood of the Lamb that hath purchased all good things and the removall of all evill therefore how comfortable may the soules of Gods people be if they did attend to the blood of the Lamb. And therefore let not those that have any part and portion in the blood of Christ Jesus be discouraged let them in Gods feare meditate more of this blood and of the power and vertue of it As you desire your lives may be more comfortable and serviceable to God and man and your death more peaceable so be much in meditation of this blood And if you be doubtfull of your spirituall estate then more seriously meditate of it who hath suffered and what and for what end he layd downe his life and lay all together and see if all will not amount at length to the begetting of Faith where it is wanting and to the reviving of it where it is that we may live fruitfully and holily and dye comfortably Rev. 13. 8. latter part of the vers The Lamb slaine from the foundation of the world HERE is something yet to be handled in this Verse and that is the antiquity of the sufferings of Christ He doth not only say that Christ was a Lamb and slaughtered but his death is described by the antiquity of it From the beginning of the world Or as it is here translated and very fitly from the foundation of the world though I would not put any great weight in the very nick of the foundation for the foundation of the world was laid the first day of the creation when the Lord made the highest heavens and the lowest earth the highest heaven the kingdom of the blessed Saints and Angels of whom it is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world There was a kingdome in the foundation of the world and therefore the Angels were created the first day and it is true Christ was slaine even then also else those Angels had not been in that kingdome But whether you take it for the foundation in the creation or in the nick of the creation it is not greatly material for the death of Christ reached both to the fall of Adam and in some respect before it and the explication of that will shew the truth thereof and I would not be exquisite nor curious in opening of it The Note is this The slaughter of Christ was from the foundation of the world So it is said here The Lamb that is Christ The Lamb of God slaine from the foundation of the world the Lamb is Christ evident it is that in fulnesse of time he was slaughtered about 4000. years after the world was made but yet the holy Ghost saith He was slaine from the foundation of the world so that though it was actually accomplished and performed in fulnesse of time yet as time began the suffering of Christ began also slaine he was therefore from the foundation of the world First In respect of Gods eternall purpose who from the foundation of the world and before the foundation of the world appointed Christ to this slaughter We are redeemed saith Peter not with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot who verily was fore-ordayned before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times c. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. Before the foundation of the world and from the foundation of the world many times in Scripture are both one in meaning before the foundation of the world he was ordained to be slaughtered the Apostles words are expreâ—sly so as of a lamb slaine he was ordained and from the foundation of the world implyes long before the time he was slaughtered and then you know not where to put the period but some reference it hath to the foundation of the world Secondly He is truly said to be slaughtered from the foundation of the world in regard of the promise of God made to Adam since the world began the same day that Adam was created he fell or certainly soon after but most probable the same day the same day that he fell it is clear the Lord gave him a promise of the death of Christ in Gen. 3. 15. for that is the meaning of the promise He shall break thine head speaking to the Serpent he shall crush the head of the Serpent For the seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head Thou shalt bruise his heel Hee l implyes the humanity of Christ which was to be trâ—dâ—n upon and indeed it was all that the tempter could doe but that bruising the heel was the crushing of his humanity his soul and body was rent asunder that was promised from the foundation of the world Thirdly From the foundation of the world Christ was slaine in the foreruning types of him for it is said that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and that was a type of this Lamb Gen. 4. 4. the sacrifice of Abel was a type of Christ suffering now because offering that sacrifice was by faith Heb. 11. 4. And faith hath ground from the word of God though there was no written word yet there was from the mouth of God to Adam that taught Adam he and his sonnes to offer sacrifice in type of Christ that was to be slain who should break the head of the Serpent and therefore as a type of the bruising of the heel of the promised seed which God had set before them they were to offer sacrifice to shadow forth that great worke of Christ Abel beleived on Christ how far expresly or distinctly I do not know but had he not beleived he had not sacrificed by faith nor had not been accepted Fourthly He was slaine from the foundation of the world in regard of the virtue and efficacy of his death from thence the lively virtue and efficacy of the death of Christ did express it selfe from the very foundation of the world that Abel did offer a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain it was from his faith what was his faith fastened on by which his sacrifice was accepted for it is said the Lord had respect to him and to his offering it is Christ alone it implyes he looked not for acceptance by his sacrifice it is impossible that the blood of buls should take away sinne but
patience I pray consider it I do not enter into a common place of faith and patience but let me say thus much of it Patience is a virtue mortifying and moderating greifs and fears or afflictions and subduing our wils to the will of God not onely in contentment but comfort My brethren saith James count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations James 1. 2. That whereas other men or our selves in time of prosperity when as God applies his will to our wils are joyful and this is no great matter This is the joy of Gods people when God shall apply our wils unto his As Christ did comforme his will unto his Fathers will and say O my God I delight to do thy will It is written in thy book I came to do thy will Psal 40. 8. This indeed doth make us compleat christians A man is a happy man that hath his will and Gods will together in all that his heart does desire If God would have me suffer then certain it is best it should be 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 should christians come armed with faith and patience and with wils subdued to the will of the most high not onely to be contented but comfortable in suffering all things for Christ And let your faith fasten upon it and let your patience moderate your greifs and make your hearts comfortable also and this is that which God delights in Here is the patience and faith of the Saints And so I will end with that speech of the Apostle My brethren be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Both by faith of well doing and of suffering evill by faith and patience Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10. 36. You have need of patience that ye may be faithfull and you have need of faith that you may be patient When a man is confident in Christ above all creatures this works patience So we shall follow the steps of our blessed Ancestors we shall still go on in maintayning the same faith and worship and Government wherein our Fathers were taught of God to walk and whereby they did inherit promises both in life and death Rev. 13. 11. to the end of the 17. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth and he had horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon c. WEe come now to the description of the second Beast I beheld another Beast c. I do not love to be large in those Scriptures that do not so narrowly concern us as knowing how farre and what a vast distance by the grace of God we stand in here from them but yet because it is a part of Gods counsell and some-what largely described give me leave to declare the meaning of the words and gather such notes from them as they hold forth Observe then here is a description from the 11th verse to the end of the Chapter of the second Beast I saw another Beast The Originall sets him forth by his nature they that know the language knows it signifies only a wild beast and in proper speech it signifies such a wilde beast as was venomous and therefore the remedy for the venome of this beast they call it Therion a proper preservative against venome or poyson This beast is described by four arguments 1. By his originall He comes out of the earth 2. By his similitude or resemblance in three things First to a Lamb in his horns Hee hath two hornes like a Lamb. Secondly he is resembled to a Dragon in his speech He spake like a Dragon Thirdly he is resembled to the former beast in the exercising of his power He exerciseth all the power of the first beast 3. This beast is described by the particular exercises 〈…〉 power or the effects of his power which are these 1. He causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed he procures adoration to the first Beast 2. He doth great wonders making fire come downe from heaven in the sight of men vers 13. 3. He deceives them that dwell on the earth by the meanes of those miracles 4. He doth prevaile with them that are on earth to make an Image to the Beast which had the wound by the sword and did live vers 14. 5. He doth animate and give life to this image of the Beast that this image of the Beast should have both power to speak and to cause as many as would not worship the image of the Beast to be killed A sixth effect is he causeth all sorts of men rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their hand c. or at least his name or the number of his name or otherwise hee excludes them not only from spirituall but civill commerce vers 16 17. For the Notes that these words afford I will handle them all in two They will not need much enlargement the Explication and Application of them will reach the meaning and scope of the words Remember what the first Beast was and then you will more easily know what this Beast must be You know this first Beast being described to have seven heads and ten horns was taken by all for the Roman Empire and this being not that but another that comes in his room after him Is is evident then that this Beast must either be the Roman-Heathen Empire or the Roman-Christian Empire or the Roman-catholick visible Church one of these three Roman States it must be Not the first for this rose after that was cast down after the Dragon was cast out of Heaven and had no more to rule that State Also you heard in Chap. 12. that Beast had ten crowns on the heads this hath not Crowns on the heads but on the horns the Princes and heads of that State were crowned This doth not weare the temporall Crown but those Princes that mayntaine him they weare the Crowns Againe that Beast Pagan Rome did not begin his time of prosperity and flourishing with the womans flight into the wildernesse and the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloath a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes for their government ended when the Christian State began and therefore it could not be Pagan-heathen Rome Nor could it be the Christian Imperial Roman State For 1. It is said in the second vers That the Dragon gave him his power and his seate and great authority but that he did not to the Christian Emperours for they would not live at Rome but at Constantinople 2. It was never made a signe of reprobation to worship the Roman Christian Emperors but it is made a sign of reprobation to worship this Beast It remayns therefore that this Beast described in the former pare of the Chapter is the third Roman State which being not Rome-Pagan nor Rome-Christian it must needs be the Roman Papall State under
the government of the Pope and that is no other but the Roman Catholick visible Church to which all the description you have heard opened doth naturally belong Now that being the first beast what is this second beast This is apparantly distinct from it and it is not so proper to say that the first beast was the Pope as he had soveraign authority in Temporalls and that he is the second Beast as he hath supream power in Spiritualls for he had his Temporall power lâ—st and therefore that would not agree to the Pâ—pâ—ll State he first had supream power in Spirituals before he had supream power in Temporals Now the beast here being not the Roman Catholick Church what is it then It is the head of that Church and what is that It is no other but the Pope of Rome The heads of the Roman Catholique visible Church from one succession to another they are this second beâ—st and that will appeare in a double note which will both cleare that and the rest of the Text. First then take this note That the Bishop or Pope of Rome is in the sight of God and of his Saints no better then a wilde beast for his Originall arising out of the earth for his resemblance like to a Lamb in his borns like to a Dragon in his speech like to the whole Roman Catholick Church in his power This is the former part of the description by his Adjunct by his Similitude and by his Originall However he seems to Catholicks a holy Father and a god on earth yet in the sight of God and of his Saints he is no better theâ— a wilde Beast whose off-spring is from the earth who though he have horns like a Lamb yet speaks like a Dragon and thus John guided by the holy Ghost saw him Let me shortly open these points 1. He is here described to be a wilde beast The word so signifies that is to say not so tame a beast as those in Isa 11 6. to 9. that a child may lead them Wolves or Leopards or Lyons that can sleep with Kids and Calves and little children and they may play on the hole of the Aspe and put their hand on the Cockatrice den He is not so tame that hee can be tamed by the word of Truth or by the censures of the Church no nor by the power of Princes he is above them all and beyond them all a wild beast he is therefore For his Originall He ariseth out of the earth That implyeth he hath it not from Heaven but from below not from Christ but from Satan You are from beneath saith Christ I am from above John 8. 23. Hee springs from the earth especially from earthly and carnall policy that for keeping of good agreement in the Churches they must be folded up into certain Metropolitans or Patriarchs and to keep unity you must have one over them all and that was the Bishop of Rome for all unity they say springs from â—nits if you have more then one Governour you will have no peace Now this being a carnall principle some carnall reason being the ground for the preservation of the Church of Rome for that the Emperours thought if the Bishop of Rome were advanced it would be a means to strengthen them against the barbarous Nations that come against them this carnall reason brought him to be exalted And though his Originall was earthly for the cause yet he ascended above the earth to Ecclesiasticall power And 2. He arose out of the Earth because he rose up insensibly by degrees he makes no great noyse As any thing that comes out of the earth it makes no great noyse in its growing but at length comes to a vast height So it was with the Bishop of Rome this is his descent out of the Earth For his resemblance He hath horns like a Lamb. Horns expresse his power Like a Lamb that is like the Lamb of God Church-power he claims directly no other at least for a long time The power of binding and loosing were his two horns to bind all and loose all and that lay in the closet of his own breast when to put it forth this is but the power of the Lamb. But he spake like a Dragon You have two or three severall speeches of the Dragon In Rev. 12. 9. The old Serpent is called the Dragon What did hee speak 1. Venomous words to our first Parents You shall not dye at all Gen. 3. 4. And so the Pope he draws the hearts of men from conscience of the word 2. The speech of the Dragon it is imperious and arrogant All the kingdomes of the earth will I give thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luk. 4. 6 7. And that is the speech of the Pope in Jer. 1. 10. I have set theâ— this day over the Nations and over the kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and to plant And the Pope sends a Crown with this inscription to Frederick the Emperour Christ gave this power to Peter and Peter gave it to the Pope this is Imperiall State And 3. The Dragon hath a devouring and ravenous mouth whereby he speaks â—avenous words Whoever will not worship the Image that I have set up shall be cast into a hot fiery furnace and who is that God that is able to deliver you Dan. 3. 15. And you have heard what worship the Pope claymes and what he threatens if it be neglected Thus you see in Gods account and in the sight of John the Pope is a wild Beast and the holy Ghost as he inspâ—red John he directs him what to say The holy Apostle he stood upon the sand of the Sea and few two beasts one arisiâ—g out of the Sea of corruption in doctrine c. And another out of the earth out of earthly pretences He sees no holinesse in this Beast nothing but beastly cruelty and beastly blasphemy nothing but argues a wilde beast that will not be tamed neither by the Church of God nor by the word of God nor by Princes and States He sees him rising out of â—â—ire pretences pretending nothing but Lamb-like power but â—ee speakes like a Dragon venomous and devouâ—ing words Damnable heresies as being spewed out of the Dragons mouth such a volume of false worship and doctrine and government as destroys the faith of the Church and subverts the foundation of the Church This is the very state of the Pope as John beheld it as he was wrap't up in a vision by the Spirit and he judged of it as hee saw it Now because I cannot so well make use of this before I have spoken of the rest because they are co-incident take this for a second Note and so make use of both together The note is long but it is but the collection of the sum of these verses the words of the Text will bring the Doctrine easily to remembrance This then
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
to blesse God for it And though we may think of mending our selves here or there yet you will finde it a difficult thing to finde 12. multiplyed by 12. in any place under Heaven that is either your foundation shall not be Apostolical institution or your administration apostolick doctrine That christians should be the foundation of Churches as the Apostles require Saints by calling and to build on such and to administer such according to the word of God Yea though the Lord should be pleased to give our Countrey-men free passage of a Parliament as now we have speech of it and though they be a wise Nation yet such is the very frame of the State and of the Sonnes of men that if the Lord give free passage of a Parliament you will find it a very difficult thing to have the State ruled by Apostolical judgment to reject all devices of men to shut out the greatest part of a kingdom from the Lords Table you would finde rebellions multiplyed exceedingly if they were of the spirit that they were of in Edward the sixths time And when you are gone out of the Countrey not that I would flatter the Countrey the Lord knows we our selves here have need to grow more spiritual daily but yet in respect of the Churches of God and administration of things here though we faile and go aside we have the rule to shew us the way back againe I say when you are gone go whether you will you will have much ado to finde materials and more ado to finde forme and administration as that it may be in cold blood you will fit and mourn by the waters of Babilon and hang your Harpes upon the willowes and say how shall we sing the Lords song the song of Zion in a strange Laâ—d Therefore let it provoke us to hold fast what we have received and not to be taken off with faire pretences to turne aside to one hand or the other if we be in a state of wisdome let us keep in it and beleive it whatever takes you to a contrary course to things as they stand if the holy Ghost say this is wisedome then I am sure the contrary of it must needs be folly Fourthly it may teach us in the fear of God to have an eye to our brethren in our native Country to consider those defects that those which reformed religion before us did leave in the recovery of the Country out of the jaws of Antichrist you see what the Lord requires of us that we should have nothing to do with the number of the Beast Though they cut off the head of the Beast from being of any soveraign power to them yet they took too much liberty for forme of worship and for the number of the Popes name and of Government by Canon Laws yea the whole Church discipline by the Popish Canon Law onely with this destinction that whereas the Pope enjoyed it before now the King he claims headship over the Church aswel as the civil State and he deriveth the Church-power to the chief Bishops and they worke upon it more and more and though it be true both Henery the eighth and much more Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth all these did set so many Councellors so many Divines and so many common and civil Lawyers to cull out of the Popes Decretals such Canons as were most fit for Government and most of such as cut off Popish supremacy yet they could never agree of it and so they admit them as the Popes Canons only yet so that whereas reference of Ecclesiastical matters was to the Pope now it is to the King as supream head and Governour but the Popes Canons are the government of the Church Now what was the reason There was an unsafe principle in their hearts that they thought it lawfull to take the Laws of the Roman Church and that any King might have power to make Laws to govern the Church as well as the Pope had It is true he hath power to make Lawes as well as the Pope had and better but the truth is neither the Pope nor King hath power to make Laws to rule the Church but it must be by the Laws of Christ Whatsoever is not of the number of 12. is superadded and will never prosper but this principle making them willing to admit such things though they were the chiefest of the Kingdome that were appointed for that worke yet they could never agree But had they received a little more light and wisdome to cut off the number of the Beast aswel as his head it would have prevailed for the liberty of Gods Ordinances and purity of Doctrine I say this being wanting to them let it not be wanting to us but through the mercy of God the servants of God have taken no small paines to clear up such things what the Laws are in the Church of Christ by which Magistrates and others are to be guided how far civil Government may reach and how farre it may not go still reserving this fundamental principle to hold them close to the direction of the holy Ghost by the 12. Apostles and this being the pious care of our Magistrates and of the Churches this wisdome will by the blessing of God be established that that which other Nations have not attained to this day may by the blessing of God be reached by us and yet though the Elders are to enquire and to commend to them such rules as may establish it it pleaseth God not to give as yet passage to our purposes appoint one day a storme of raine hinders appoint the second day fortnight then a storme of snow prevents that it is tough work to establish things of this nature it is difficult as if the Lord would have them established in a spirituall way as Moses the Law by 40. dayes fasting he had the spirit of God and larger measure by much then we yet the Lord requires serious humiliation of him And therefore since I heard that there hath been a seasonable motion to commend such a thing to the State that the whole country do in special maner seek God at such a time against the consultation of the general Court and this weighty point falling in for ripening of mens thoughts for the Laws of the Country and limitation of jurisdictions both of Church and Common-wealth the Lord saith he will be sought unto by the house of Israel Therefore I think the motion is seasonable and was glad to hear of it and thought to commend it to our honoured Governours that sit at Stern and all other Churches but we that are present have no power but in our own Church nor that but with the consent of the Church that if it be thought convenient this day seven-night might be set apart to seek the face of God that we may take time both to ripen our consultations and to prevaile with the Lord to prosper our consultations and administrations that this matter
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.
more liberty and authority then will do them good and the People good for what ever transcendant power is given will certainly over-run those that give it and those that receive it There is a straine in a mans heart that will sometime or other runne out to excesse unlesse the Lord restraine it but it is not good to venture it It is necessary therefore that all power that is on earth be limited Church-power or other If there be power given to speak great things then look for great blasphemies look for a licentious abuse of it It is counted a matter of danger to the State to limit Prerogatives but it is a further danger not to have them limited They will be like a Tempest if they be not limited A Prince himselfe cannot tell where hee will confine himselfe nor can the people tell But if he have liberty to speak great things then he will make and unmake say and unsay and undertake such things as are neither for his owne honour nor for the safety of the State It is therefore fit for every man to be studious of the bounds which the Lord hath set and for the People in whom fundamentally all power lyes to give as much power as God in his word gives to men And it is meet that Magistrates in the Common-wealth and so Officers in Churches should desire to know the utmost bounds of their own power and it is safe for both All intrenchment upon the bounds which God hath not given they are not enlargements but burden and snares They will certainly lead the spirit of a man out of his way sooner or later It is wholsome and safe to be dealt withall as God deales with the vast Sea Hitherto shalt thou come but there shalt thou stay thy proud waves and therefore if they be but banks of simple sand they will be good enough to check the vast roaring Sea And so for Imperiall Monarchies it is safe to know how far their power extends and then if it be but banks of sand which is most slippery it will serve as well as any brazen wall If you pinch the Sea of its liberty though it be walls of stone or brasse it will beate them downe So it is with Magistrates stint them where God hath not stinted them and if they were walls of brasse they would beate them downe and it is meet they should but give them the liberty God allows and if it be but a wall of sand it will keep them As this liquid Ayre in which we breath God hath set it for the waters of the Clouds to the Earth It is a Firmament it is the Clouds yet it stands firme enough because it keeps the Climate where they are it shall stand like walls of brasse So let there be due bounds set and I may apply it to Families it is good for the Wife to acknowledg all power and authority to the Husband and for the Husband to acknowledg honour to the Wife but still give them that which God hath given them and no more nor lesse Give them the full latitude that God hath given else you will finde you dig pits and lay snares and cumber their spirits if you give them lesse there is never peace where full liberty is not given nor never stable peace where more then full liberty is granted Let them be duely observed and give men no more liberty then God doth nor women for they will abuse it The Devill will draw them and Gods providence leade them thereunto therefore give them no more then God gives And so for children and servants or any others you are to deale with give them the liberty and authority you would have them use and beyond that stretch not the tether it will not tend to their good nor yours And also from hence gather and goe home with this meditation That certainly here is this distemper in our natures that we cannot tell how to use liberty but wee shall very readily corrupt our selves Oh the bottomlesse depth of sandy earth of a corrupt spirit that breaks over all bounds and loves inordinate vastnesse that is it we ought to be carefull of Thirdly it may teach us to observe the hand of God in all the vast out-runings of the Sonnes of men when you see men outragious beyond all power wonder not at the matter for he that is above is higher then the highest and he regardeth it Eccles 5. 8. A man would wonder that a Bishop should take upon him to controul all the Churches and in very deed all the Common-wealths and Nations of the world and that in such high things both in nature and measure that a man would think it were not possible for a mortall man to undertake such a vast enterprize yet they have done it the Pope hath done it and the Bishop of Rome hath done it but wonder not at it for he that is higher then the highest hath given him this power John 3. 27. not given it him in an Ordinance but in his common Providence This transcendant power that he is able to carry all before him without controll it is a strange power he may say what he will and doe what he will for so many moneths the time indeed is limited So that it will be of this use to us if we see men outrageous and break bonds beyond measure is any common-wealth or Church our way is to see Gods hand in it and to look up to him to muzzle that power He is able to bridle the high King of Assyria that whereas he spake great things what is the God of Israel that he shall deliver you out of my hand the Lord can put a bridle in his nostrills and bring him back the way that he came And therefore when men speak great things against us from any part of the world know that he that is higher then the highest regardeth and our eyes must be to him that he will muzzle such and take order to cut them off The Lord will cut out the tongue that speaketh proud things Psal 12. 4. He hath promised to doe it and he will doe it effectually You have two places where the Lord useth the word to muzzle the one is about the Sea Marke 4. 39. the other is spoken to the Devill Mark 1. 25. Hold thy peace it is translated but the word in the Originall is be thou muzzled Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne it is the same word It shews that the Lord hath a muzzle for the great Sea and a muzzle for the Devils of hell when we have to deal with them If it be the great King of Assyria he will put his bridle in his nostrils and make him return back the same way he came the Lord is above all when they are above the reach of men they are not above him he sits in heaven and laughs them to scorn Those that have been most insolent
them Saints while they live upon the Earth whiles they are the Church Militant a warfaring Church while men undertake warre against them and overcome them by warre even then they are called Saints And which is wonderfull Saints when they are overcome and that by their owne sinfulnesse for they loose not the Saintship when they loose the victory The Lord looks at his poorest children here as Saints though there be a miserable body of death hang about them that they cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death Rom. 7. 24. Yea though they complain of their Pride and Passion and Lusts and Hypocrysie and many offences they finde against themselves though they think themselves more flesh then any though they thinke themselves as Paul did Carnall sold under Sinne Rom. 7. 17. yet then the Lord accounts them Saints when they are encompassed about with a body of Sin Yea which is worse then that when they give way to their own Sinnes for a time and doe withdraw their confidence from the Lord in this and that act and put their trust in the arme of flesh When they are so childish as to trust Popish pretences when they are warred against and overcome by enemies and by their own folly as David saith in Psal 69. 5. O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my Sinnes are not hid from thee The Lord knew it but yet he did not know it to hurt them and loath them and dishearten them but yet they are Saints and such as he account to be his and not onely in regard of Regeneration and the holinesse of Christ but in regard of the fruits of holinesse begun in them as he saith Rev. 14. 4. These are they which are not defiled with women They are sincere in their course and keep faith and a good conscience in the main and where they do fail they judge themselves Indeed in darknesse of Temptation they may be surprised but they judge themselves for it and God looks at them as though they were without fault before his Throne when it comes to the Throne of God the Lord Jesus covers it with the Robe of his Righteousnesse and in the intentions of their hearts and endeavours they are according to God if they be carried aside it is by humane frailty Now this is comfort that the Lord accounts them Saints when they are warred against as here in the Text and all the world thinks it a matter justly deserving Salvation to shed their bloud like water then doth the Lord beare witnesse they are Heriticks So that let every christian soul carry this home with him that it is not every act of unbeleif that makes a man no Saint for these trusted too much upon the forces of others and if they had prevailed for God never failes any that put their trust in him never do the Saints fail in any expedition to men but when they faile in trust to God 1 John 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith He that believeth in the Sonne of God for Redemption and Protection and turnes not asside whether he go forth with many or with few it is all one for that if it were but David with a sling and a stone he shall prevaile against Goliah The Lord is faithfull never did any faithfull soul perish till his faith failed and shrunk and then when Peters faith shrinks he begins to sinck But it may be a ground of much consolation to any Saint of God the Lord doth not dissaint a man or cast him out of the Catalogue of Saints for this and that failing but still they are Saints a Saint in peace and a Saint in warre even when they are overcome when they are in calamity and the plowers plow upon their backes and make large furrows they are the Saints of God still leaning to the Voice and Councell of the Lord and when they start asside to Popish pretences Onely when they cleave to the Lord and trust steadfastly upon him then they prosper and flourish but if they begin to shrink in their faith and to harken to pretences and terms of peace then wonder not if you see them overcome yet still faith is invincible and their cause and Religion is propagated by their dispertion it was not destroyed And therefore if the Lord accounts us Saints it behooves us to be ashamed of every passage of our lives that doth not become the Saints of God When Religion came low and Antichrist overspread the world the Lord accounted his faithfull ones to be Saints in this battel there was a Generation of Saints whom he owns and therefore how much more should we that live in dayes of peace and liberty bring forth fruits of holinesse in our conversation that the Lord may account us his Saints whoever came to make war against us Thirdly this may serve to teach us the lawfulnesse of christians waging warre in their own just defence You see it evident here the Beast did make warre against the Saints and did overcome them at length though at first the Saints overcame them and killed divers of them they stood upon their own defence and it it is not laid to their charge but still they are accounted Saints while they make warre It is true their confidence in the arme of flesh and listning to Popish pretences was an argument of weaknesse and timerousnesse but it was not their failing to resist and had they not hearkned to those suggestions brought to them by those that lye in wait to deceive had they not leaned to humane policy and trusted to humane strength they had certainly prospered It is true indeed when the Laws of a State are armed against Religion though christians be fewer or more in number they are to submit and not take up armes and that was the constant practice of the Primitive Church the Laws of the Empire being for Idolatry they willingly suffered though they were more then the rest Or secondly when the Laws of a State are ordayned for Religion private christians must lift up their hands to right the abuse of the Laws and therefore David being a private person he would not lift up his hand against Saul the Lords Annointed though he did against Law But yet neverthelesse if the Law be for the maintenance of Peace and Trueth and true Religion and Governours and Princes will against Law and beyond Law and consequently against the Oath which themselves have taken to maintain the Laws and Religion if they will make warre against the Saints and Religion and Truth or against the way of Justice and happinesse which they are sworn to maintain now in such a case as this It is as lawfull to take up armes of defence as it was for these men to take up war in their own just defence Now they are not private persons but in the place of the Country The Lord he put the power of the