and live wholy by examples and not by rules Who sees not how the dragon triumphes and tramples on such time-servers who yet would scorne not to bee reputed sound Christians 3. The dragon prevaileth by Antichrist and enthralleth numbers by the efficacie of his delusions He that is a slave unto Antichrist is a slave to the dragon for Antichrist commeth in the efficacie of Satan because Satan worketh powerfully in him by him 2 Thess. 2. 9. who can without sorrow consider of the numbers that now runne a whoring after Popery and favour it and plead for it after that not the Gospell onely hath so clearely detected it but after it hath convinced it selfe to bee the most savage and blood-thirsty religion that ever was that would make but one Bonfire of three kingdomes and blow up in one moment religion and justice Church and Kingdome Prince and people nay after so many good lawes enacted against it wherein the whole Kingdome hath given sentence and pronounced it guilty of the highest treason that ever men or devils could devise Is it not the same religion it was then did they ever reverse any of their bloody positions did they ever any where prevaile and not chase out with a sea of sorrowes all that looke toward the truth and holy religion Well the sentence was foretold Re. 13. Antichrist must prevaile amōg them that perish A terrible Thunderbolt from heaven against all professed members of that Antichristian body especially against Apostate Papists among whom the uncleane spirit hath brought seven worse than himselfe to hasten their perdition 4. The dragon prevaileth by false and libertine teachers like the false Prophets that prophesied lies and the visions of their owne hearts to strengthen with sinful dawbing wicked hands and discourage godly hearts now when a people follow such and love to have such guides and guidance as Ier. 5. 29 30. the dragon hath prevailed to pull them to hell Michael prevaileth by faithfull teachers who bring wholesome and sound doctrine and causeth his people to delight in them and follow them contrarily the dragon prevailes by such teachers as frame themselves to speake so as to please all that seeke unto them in ther loose courses and according to all that they would have and so sell thē to Satan And what a just revenge of God is it that a people who will not suffer the Lords servants to prevaile with them to bee brought to the truth should bee fitted with such Teachers as with sweet words and fine devises shall prevaile with them to their destruction and looke how much any one hates a true teacher by so much hee loves a flatterer who shall doe him as much mischiefe as the other would have done him good Beware of this sly reach of the dragon prevailing against not a few 5. The dragon prevailes mightily in disobedience Ephes. 2. 2. In whom doth the Prince of the aire rule but in the children of disobedience and these bewray themselves every where I. In such as walke in the disobedience of nature sonnes of Belial who reject all yoakes and refuse all counsell by Gods word Gods Spirit Gods people to walke at large compassing their lusts according to the command of their owne rebellious wils a Sermon or a Play is all one onely they can sit out a play with more patience II. Such as are wilfull in their disobedience against Gods Word not onely of an unteachable disposition but untractable pricke their corruption but a little in sound application oh how it will shew it selfe in raging stormy and unruly distempers this festred heart that will abide no searching is conquered by Satan these that will not suffer Christ to rule them are called his enemies and called out to execution Luke 19. 27. III. These wilfull rebels commonly lye in ambush against the faithfull either to accuse them to make them hatefull to Magistrates or to slander and scorne them to make them hated of others as Ier. 18. 18. Come let us smite him with the tongue and vers 23. even some pretensed friends sought to banish him nay to doe more even against his life if they could have prevailed No man can seeke sinistrously to prevaile against a good man but the dragon hath first prevailed against him 6. The dragon prevailes by bad society and example when workers of iniquity meet oh how the devill rules their counsels tongues actions many hands make light worke and rid much worke if any man refuse or forbeare or scorne to joyne himselfe to Gods people if any reproach Gods name truth or servants hate the society of Saints their persons their profession or godly practices the dragō hath his will on thē and in them and where the dragon thus prevailes the Lord Jesus hath nothing to doe but to prepare himselfe to warre and wrathfull judgement against such sworne enemies of his Kingdome Neither was their place found any more in heaven We have heard in the former part of the verse that the enemies could not prevaile against the Church now wee shall see that themselves were prevailed against and so conquered and chased by Michael and his Angels as they could not ever make their party good against the woman any more but themselves were turned into a shamefull flight so as they could not stand before her This overthrow of this great Army is signified in this phrase that their place was found no more in heaven Where to finde the meaning wee will answer foure Questions Quest. 1. What is meant by heaven Ans. Some understand hereby this heavenly vision and make this the meaning that they vanished away or the heavenly vision called before a wonder in heaven which though it may be true in part for they did vanish for a time yet it is somewhat harsh to call an heavenly vision by the name of heaven and beside wee shall see they will appeare againe in this vision and renew their forces and fiercenesse against the woman Some by heaven understand the Throne of dignitie and authority which wee have shewed to bee a kinde of heaven or Throne of God and this is true also in part that the conquered party was cast from the Throne of God when those openly professed dragons were subdued and cast from the top of Imperiall State and Majestie without hope of recovery of their strength against the woman any more But by heaven I understand the Church of God as in many other places of this Chapter in which the dragon sate and exercised his tyrannie Quest. 2. What is it not to have his place found any more Answ. The phrase is taken out of Daniel 2. 35. where this Michael the stone that was cut out of the Mountaine is said to smite the image of iron clay brasse silver and gold that the place of it was found no more but they were destroyed and dispersed as chaffe so the same Michael here did so breake in pieces the power of the dragons that they had no
wicked enemies of it For 1. By these overthrows the most desperate enemies are daunted for a time and by the terrour of judgements discouraged from their mischievous enterprises against the Church Did not Gods plagues on the Egyptians stop their unreasonable violence against Israel yea however the kings heart was hardened to destruction yet the people were overcome so as to do them all the good they could leaving themselves bare and naked to adorne and enrich them with their Jewels And how hath the heavy hand of God felt by our enemies made them lesse bold to attempt the like mischiefes yea rather inclined them to be at a kinde of peace with us 2. By the dreadfull overthrows of wicked men the Lord sets up his Church and makes even the enemies themselves submit and stoop to her Psalm 18. 44. When Davids sword prevailes in the Lords battels strangers shall bee in subjection though dissemblingly The proud Aramites were forced to submit themselves wiih halters about their necks to the King of Israell 1. King 20. 31. 2. Chron. 32. 22. When that memorable judgement was executed against the King of Assur and his proud army many are said to bring offerings to Jerusalem and presents to Hezekiah who was magnified thenceforth of all nations So by the fearfull hand of God against proud Herod the Lord made his word to prosper and beleevers to multiply Act. 12 23. 24. 3. By the judgements of God powred out upon wicked men they themselves are convinced in their consciences and forced to acknowledge themselves in a wrong course and that the state of the godly whom they persecute is farre more happy then their owne If Balaam in his prosperity wished himselfe in the number of Gods people what did hee when the sword came against him in the slaughter of the Midianites Numb 31. 8. And when the Egyptians were hurled among the waves did they not wish themselves in the state of the meanest Israelites And shall not all wicked enemies who now brave it out against the Saints do so also when the waters of Gods wrath arise and beginne to returne forcibly upon them III Motives to this duty are these 1. The end proposed by the Lord of all his actions is the setting up of his glory but especially when in overthrowing the dragon hee sheweth forth all his glorious attributes of power justice hatred of sinne revenge of sinne as also of mercy care and love of his Church the over-mastering of her enemies for the terrour of all proud adversaries and the encouraging and confirming the faith of the Saints 2. As this is the Lords end so wee cannot disappoint him of this end without our own great prejudice For as thankfull praises for old mercies invite new so ingratitude being a bundle of many sins hinders the course and current of Gods blessings unto us If we would continue perpetuate mercies to ourselvs we must not deprive the Lord of his due praises 3. The Lord hath manifested his pleasure and that hée is well pleased to have the mindefulnesse of his mercies towards his people to dwell with his Church to beget in them more love of himselfe and a greater desire of promoting his kingdome Hence himselfe pleased to be the institutor of feasts speciall services for perpetuall memory of mercies deliverāces as the Paslover to perpetuate the memory of the Angels passing over the Israelites houses in slaying the first born of Egypt saving thē frō the revenging Angell And in their entring into the land of Canaan hee appointed the feast of Tabernacles in remembrance of all that providence and preservation of them and theirs from all enemies while they dwelt not in walled townes but in Tabernacles forty yeares in the wildernesse 4. The very Heathens themselves after their victories would institute publique solemnities to their gods in way of thankfulnesse and dedicate dayes and temples to them for remembrance and shall Christians come behinde them and as the manner is after victories eate and drinke and bragge and sweare in the meane time forget their songs to the Lord 5. We cannot better or liker to our life of heaven exercise our selves on earth when all the Saints shall solemnly and tryumphantly sing and sound out the glory of God for their finall deliverance from the Dragon and all his Angels by Jesus Christ when the Angels Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the blessed company of heaven shall joyne in the song of Moses and the Lambe Now the Saints on earth must resemble and begin this life of heaven and seeing all other services and spirituall duties shall cease and onely this shall remaine in heaven our care must bee that it cease not upon earth This doctrine casts out of the society of the Church such as grieve and repine at her prosperity and happy victories for he cannot be a member of the Church who rejoyceth not in her joy nor a sonne of this mother who is not glad in her prosperity Is it a note of a righteous man to rejoyce when hee seeth the vengeance Psalm 58. 10. what is hee then that pineth when hee seeth Gods revenge powred on the heads of his adversaries 1. Such as grieve when Antichrists kingdome is shaken when they heare any newes of defeating his forces and cannot containe or conceale themselves but by magnifying the Catholike Captaines and contemptuous discourses against the Protestants forces bewray what they are and on what part they stand good subjects must they needs bee while they bewray such sure affections to the enemies of GOD our religion our Countrey our King and our Kings Children and good souldiers to Christ and trusty who are sorry when their Generall gets a victory I cannot tell whether to impute their boldnesse more to want of grace in disclaiming the truth or want of wit in such discovery of themselves 2. Such as rage and storme against the power of the Word which discovers the nakednesse of Popery So shamelesse and foolish are some ignorant sots and so earnestly set for their Popish Dagon that if they heare any thing against the doating doctrines of Popery they are ready to tumult as the Ephesians for their Diana It is nothing with them to revile the Ministers and give them all the lie and charge them with ignorance or falsification But what need clearer evidence to cast them for treachery against Christ his truth and holy religion established by the lawes in regard of which if folly it selfe did not leade them they would forbeare 3. Such as cannor endure our solemnities and daies of publike joy for our deliverances against the bloody Papists but as Vipers swell with poyson and griefe that their mother hath any cause of joy and that the Church and Kingdome was lifted up by God from such destruction as never came into the heads of any wretches but Papists or devils The barbarous heathens could not expresse their joy sufficiently in their triumphs gratulatory rites
Ioy of the Church Whereof 1 The Acts It singeth out 1 The praises of God the giver of all victory 2 The praises of Michael the Generall v. 10. 3 The praises of the Armie or Angels of Michael ver 11. Where 1 The report of the Victory But they overcame him 2 The Causes of it 1 Principall and meritorious The blood of the Lambe 2 Instrumentall 1 The word of their testimony 2 Their constancy in martyrdome they loved not their lives c. 2 The Object Where 1 The matter ascribing 1 To God Salvation Strength Kingdome 2 To Christ power 1. Title Christ 2. Relation to the Father his Christ 3. Attribute power 2 The Reason Where 1 His Crimination 1 What are these accusations 2 Who are accused Brethren 3 Where before God 4 When day and night 2 His Dejection at the tribunall 1 Of God 2 Of men 2 The wofull estate of the enemies v. 12. 1 The woe denounced 2 The Persons on whom the inhabitants of the earth and sea 3 The Reason twofold 1 The comming downe of the Devill 2 His wrathfull Disposition with the cause Where 1 How his time is said to be short 2 How hee knoweth it is so 3 What use hee makes of this knowledge VI. The fury of Satan renewing the assault v. 13. to the end where 1 The new Onset v. 13. In it 1 The person persecuting the Dragon 2 The person persecuted the woman 3 The time and manner when she had brought forth the manchilde 2 The escape of the party assailed v. 14. Where 1 The Kinde It was by flight 2 The Meanes Here 1 The meanes themselves 1 What Wings 2 Number two 3 Whence given her 4 Similitude Eagles 2 Whence she did fly with them from the face of the Serpent 3 Whither into the wildernesse called her place 4 To what end to be nourished and preserved there 5 How long for a time times and halfe a time 3. Another Device of the Dragon against the Womans good-name v. 15. Where 1 The Mischiefe intended In it 1 What the floods of water are 2 What the spring of thē the dragons mouth 3 What the end to carry the woman away 2 The Remedy against it v. 16. 4 Enmitie against her Issue v. 17 Where 1 The Dragons wrath and warre appearing by the 1 Captaine 2 Weapons 2 The persons with whom Described 1 By their paucity the remnant of her seed 2 By their property twofold 1 They keep the Commandements of God 2 They have the Testimonie of Iesus Christ. CHRISTS VICTORIE OVER THE DRAGON REV. 12. 1. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven THE principall scope of the whole Booke of the REVELATION is to describe three things 1 The Malice of the Devill against the Church 2 The Battels and conflicts of the Church 3 The Victory and conquest of the Church This Chapter is as it were an Epitome of the whole booke which under a most sweet and pleasant Type then which the whole Scripture containeth not a more excellent or elegant propoundeth them all in so rich and orient manner as we cannot wish to behold a more native face and Image of the Church of all ages then is presented to us in this glasse held before our eyes by the Spirit of God To the end that we should so looke on the dignitie and proper ornaments of the Church as yet to take notice what grievous conflicts she is to sustaine by reason of the malice of the old Serpent lying alwaies in ambush against her And yet so to looke upon her tryals as that wee may at the same time behold Gods providence so preserving and strengthning her as she goes ever away conquering and triumphing The Chapter hath six principall parts 1 A lively description of the true Church ver 1. 2. 2 A description of the Devil her chiefe and furious assailant ver 3 4 5. 3 The fierce battaile betweene these two parties ver 7. 4 The victorie of the Church and the Dragons overthrow ver 8 9. 5 The triumph of the godly for that victorie ver 10 11 12. 6 The furie of Satan renewing the assault ver 13. to the end of the Chapter This is the naturall resolution of the Chapter and without further curiositie by Gods assistance wee will prosecute these parts But before them all is a generall Preface making way to them in these words And there appeared a great wonder in heaven In which words are foure things 1 What is this wonder 2 The greatnesse of it 3 The manner of appearing 4 The place whence in Heaven By wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signe is meant a new vision or an unusuall type of a strange battell and marvellously to be wondred at 1 For the rarenesse of the combatants a Woman and a Dragon 2 For the glory of the Woman Who ever saw woman or creature in such glorious attire as to be cloathed with the Sunne crowned with starres trampling the Moone under her feet But wee shall see this woman in a more strange and admirable habit then if a woman were so arrayed 3 For the admirable hugenesse of the Dragon and power that with his tayle could cast downe the third part of the starres of heaven ver 4. 4. For the issue and strange event Is it not a wondrous thing for a woman to conflict with so hideous a Dragon and overcome him Here are many wonders in one 2 The greatnesse is next It is a great wonder for three causes 1 It concernes the Church the Spouse of Christ a great personage 2 It containes many great and dreadfull occurrences concerning her 3 Many other great things are signified in this type and vision 3 The manner of the appearance of this vision For it may be asked How did St. Iohn see this signe or wonder Answ. God offered his visions to holy men two waies 1 To the eies of their bodies while they were waking as to Abraham Gen. 15. 5. Behold the Heavens and if thou canst number the starres so shall thy seed be 2. To the eyes of their mindes their bodies being cast into a dead sleepe or trance This is called a being in the Spirit Ezech 37. 1. And thus the Evangelist Iohn saw his visions Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is by the power and extraordinary worke of Gods Spirit I was cast into a trance Rev. 20. 4. I saw the soules c. which are not visible but by the eies of the minde Ob. But this manner of revelation seemes rather to be some uncertaine dreame then a sure and infallible kind of instruction Ans. No. This was very usuall for the Lord thus to reveale his will to his servants and for sundrie speciall ends used by him 1 That the soule for a time after a manner loosed from the body and drawne from the senses might have a nearer fellowship with God and so be fitter to receive divine light from the Spirit
wheresoever he goeth Rev. 144. So the Saints on earth who à re those hundreth forty and foure thousand who are bought from the earth follow the Lambe where ever he goeth If he go before them in holy doctrine these sheepe heare his voice and follow him Ioh. 10. 27. If in holy example they imitate him in all wherein he propounds himselfe a patterne to them as in humilitie patience love meekenesse obedience faith and the like As for their affection to him First they love Iesus Christ with a strong flame of love which much water cannot quench and with a love stronger then death and love not their owne lives to the death for his sake Secondly they love him inseparably For as the Saints in heaven would not for al the world forgoe his presence for one day So nothing in the world can drive the Saints from their priviledges in Christ as a cloud of Martyrs do witnesse but as Ruth to Naomi Ch. 1. 16. Thirdly as he loveth them so they him Ioh 13. 1. they once loving him they love him constantly to the end and to all eternitie 5 The Saints in heaven enjoy God the meanes of all their lives Iesus Christ is their temple their light their tree of life their Christall river and all Even so is he to the saints in earth Rev. 22. 3. 5. For though they have meanes and are tyed to them here on earth yet doe they enjoy God above all meanes acknowledging him their life the length of their daies and that they live not by bread but by every word of God That it is he that giveth them power to get substance that blesseth their children with encrease that he that cloathes the Lilies cloatheth them and if all meanes should faile yet he would without them yea and against them sustaine them rather then they should want any thing good or fit for them 1 This as a touchstone trieth who be true members of the Church and who are not He that is so is partly in heavē alreadie hath more to do in heaven then in earth And therefore he cannot be a true member of the Church First who hath no birth but from earth discerned by hatred or neglect of the immortall seed of spirituall parents of the seed and issue of Iesus Christ the sonnes of God he is far from heaven that cannot abide any thing that is heavenly Secondly who hath no inheritāce but in earth discerned by minding things earthlie either onlie or principallie How dce men delude themselves that suppose themselves as neere heaven as any and yet are as farre distant thence in affection as in place having their hearts drawne downe and wedged into the earth as with Iron barres Their whole studie paines and sweat is for things below The heaven they dreame of is not onelie upon earth but earth it selfe and angrie are they when men would acquaint them with better treasure or portion But thus it cannot be with Gods children who are minded as good Nehemiah 2. 3. whose person being in the King of Persia his Court yet his heart was at Ierusalem And as Daniel while he was in the land of his captivitie yet he opens his windowes to Ierusalem Thirdly who hath no conuersation but in earth discovered when no part of the whole course thereof savours of heaven But 1. servants and slaves are they to lusts farre from freedome from sinne nay rather swimme with the streame and drinke in with delight the corruptions of the world but thoughts of heaven are tedious 2 converse and combine themselves with sinners against God and runne with all loose companie to all excesses and vanities Now would they examine this course could it goe for currant or heavenly Do the Saints in heaven sweare and swill and drinke and raile and breake Gods Sabbaths and lye and deceive and can that life be heavenly that doth so Fourthly who hath no delight but in earth discerned in that 1 It is an unwelcome voice to call them to delight in the face and presence of God And how can he be admitted to the presence of his glorie that hath no delight in the presence of his grace but is as heavy to the parts of his worship as to some punishment 2 In stead of delight in the Law of God the rule and charter of heaven they make their lusts their Law and while they professe heaven they walke by no direction but the Magna Charta of Hell And were it not for Gods restraining grace they would be as impious and impudent in sinne as Cain as Cham as the damned nay the Devill himselfe 3. In that they rest more contentedly in the meanes of their outward good then either in the meanes of grace or the author of both The newes of the smallest outward profit rejoyceth their hearts but the newes of heaven and eternall good things by Iesus Christ affects them but a little 4. In that they prize not the life of godlines nor the state of Saints nay scorne it in themselves and others So much of the triall 2 This teacheth three things First that the Christian though he be in the world he is not of the world no more then Christ himselfe was of the world Ioh. 17. 16. for they no longer cleave to the corruptiōs defilements of the world but are separated from them by regeneration Neither can they runne with the world because being in some measure conformable to Iesus Christ they also living among sinners are separate from sinners They cannot cast in their lot with wicked men but are as Lot who was in Sodom but not of Sodom for his righteous soule was vexed with their uncleane conversation Secondly that the Saints set for heaven may not enjoy the earth as their portion seeing their whole estate their friends their fathers house their treasure is not below They are here but strangers travelling home to their country and therefore by the weined carriage of themselves to these things they must as the Patriarches Heb. 11. 14. declare plainly that they seeke a countrie Thirdly that the world may not enjoy the Saints as her darlings And here First the world may not gaine our affections and desires 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Love not the world c. They must be affected as mariners in the midst of a rough sea whose wishes and desires are still at the haven and have not their mindes and affections where their bodies be Secondly it may not gaine our conformitie with it in the customes and guizes of it because it lyeth wickednesses Rom. 12. 2. Fashion not your selves like to this world The Christian must bee cast into another forme fashioned to the manner of the countrey and corporation to which he belongs Thirdly it may not gaine our strength to defend or patronage it But as the Apostle 2 Corinth 10. 3. though we walke in the flesh that is carrie this bodie of flesh
by the holy Scriptures a sweet concord and happy communion with the Saints with whom he fruitfully converseth an harmonicall and musicall peace of good conscience within himselfe which passeth all understanding and all needfull supplies without him both for life and godlinesse 4 By Iesus Christ he hath attained an inexhaust fountaine of Gods love the wealth and rich revenue of precious faith love and all graces heaven to bee his hope and also his inheritance and God himselfe to be his portion in whose love is no lacke in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and to be crowned with immortality and eternall glory the same with Christ our head Now consider if a thousand worlds can afford any one of these contentments or if they all could make a man so rich or happy or if ever thou sawest the greatest Potentate without Christ so rich mighty or glorious as the poorest and basest Christian treading all that vanitie and Mooneshine under his feet 1 To reproove many men who in comparison of the world despise the priviledges in Christ. As such 1 Who for want of â—ound judgemeÌ„t disesteeme the highest state of a Christian weighed with worldly respects preferments Every man makes high rekoning of earthly parentage but scarce one of a thousand cares a rush for the dignity of adoptioÌ„ in Christ as if to be the son of a King were more honor then to be a son of God Earthly preferments ravish and affect men and lift them up above themselves but offer the preferments of the kingdome of heaven to most men they refuse and scorne them How doth it rejoyce mens hearts to see worldly wealth flow in in abundance or when an heritage of a piece of earth fals upon them But how few are of Davids mind who had more joy of heart in the cheerefull countenance of God then others when their corne wine and oyle increased Few are halfe so glad to become heires apparant of heaven 2 Who for want of sound love of Christ plainely refuse Christ for the world As when men lay aside religion good conscience and their duty to get riches and preferments of the world Such as the prophane Esaus of the world who are all for pottage but despise the blessing And the gracelesse Gadarens who as swine still rooting in the earth prefer their pigges before Iesus Christ. And wretched Demasses that forsake the truth to fall to the present world Oh the dayes of tryall will discover a number such But most unhappy of all worldlings are they whose office is to preach Iesus Christ but for wealth and preferments cast off good conscience and the diligent exercise of their callings the right successors of Iudas who must have the bagge and the better to fill it turnes against his Master departs from his calling and so runnes on to destruction Let all of us against this corruption consider 1 That our Lord Iesus himselfe denyed to bee a King and was content to be poore in the world that we might be rich and to be despised in comparison of his office And must it be better with servants then the Master 2 The saints were strangers and pilgrims Heb. 11. 13. If they could not enjoy both religion and riches then they chose religion and good conscience and abandoned honour wealth preferments Moses esteemed Christs rebukes above the wealth of a Kingdome Paul glories in the marks of Iesus Christ Gal. 6. 17. 3 What will it profit a man to winne the whole world and to lose his owne soule This is an unhappy exchange The world lost may be wonne againe 4 The promise is there shall be no losse in leaving all the world for Christ Mat. 19. 29. but great gaine and advantage 5 What a folly were it to bee so affected with the light of the Moone as for it to neglect the brightnes of the Sunne 6 What a confusion were it in the world to offer to set the Moone above the Sunne Such a confusion were it in Christianity to preferre in judgement or affection earthly things before Iesus Christ and things of heaven 2 Let no member of the Church thinke that hee may set the Moone any where but under his feet A sonne of this mother may not set the Moone upon his head by placing his chiefe study how to get and keepe the world and wealth of it Nor in his Iudgement advancing them above their due place but with Mary acknowledge a better part Neither may he set them on his heart by minding earthly things or by affecting and covetous desiring them above better things Neither hold them in his hand by base and tenacious keeping them when he may exchange them for better things but in this comparison tread them under his foote and contemne such bewitching vanities The text affords us some motives 1 Because they all resemble the Moone in mutability and ever-changing inconstancy If they or any of them were to abide with us or wee with them there were more cause or colour to allow them an higher place then under our feet but they are al alike fugitive and mutable as the Moone as appeares in this short survay First riches have Eagles wings to fly away Pro. 23. 5. Iob had experience that they were uncertaine riches as Paul cals them 1 Tim. 6. 17. Salomon cals them riches of vanity Prov. 13. 11. And the Apostle Heb. 11. 25. cals their use for a season Secondly honours are as mutable as the Moone Haman the one day was the only man with the King at the banquet the next day he was hanged on his owne gallowes Nebuchad-nezzar advanced himselfe in his grear Babel as if he were a God but the same houre he is cast among beasts Dan. 4 30. Adoni-bezek Iudg. 17. now a conquerour over seaventy Kings and now under the table equall with dogs and eating their offals Great Belizarius the chiefe Duke of all the Romane Empire most potent and glorious in honourable triumphs and victories but spoyled of his wealth by Iustinian accused condemned and had his eyes put out and came to stand in the high waies to beg saying give to Belizarius one token Thirdly pleasures Moone-like goe away by post make love to many like alluring harlots are large in faire promises and winne many to like them and adulterate with them but keepe faith with none It were a vaine thing to expect to hold them if thou hadst the pleasures of Paradise it selfe Pleasures for evermore are onely at Gods right hand Fourthly the life it self passeth as a tale is in a moment changed and who can boast of tomorrow The Moone risen hasteneth not faster to her West and setting then man borne travelleth swiftly to the west and setting of his life Fitfly the whole world passeth away as the Moon is ever upon his speed This old Moone is in her last quarter yea in the houre
commaund to supply him with whatsoever may make him a great and most puissant adversary Thirdly In respect of head and members he is great in respect both of the joint desire will and endeavour they have to hurt and waste the Church which is great and inexpressible And secondly of their joint power and authority to execute those fiery and wicked wits which is so great so catholike universall and unlimited as no power in earth is comparable and only the powr of God superiour Fourthly The dragon is said here to be great in respect of the great seat and City where this imperiall dragon raigned over all the Kings of the earth Rome that great and mighty Citie as it is called Rev. 18. 10. 1 Great in splendor and beauty as set upon seaven hils for which she is famous in all the world 2 Great in power and authority In Jesus time having command over all the Kings of the earth the eye of the world the Metrapolitan of all the earth Queene of nations and Mistresse of Monarchs The state of Gods people in this world is beset with great mighty enemies as fierce and potent as dragons Thus the Church complaines Psal. 44. â—9 Thou hast smitten us downe into the place of dragons and covered us with a shadow Seing that the Church is to encounter with great dragons and enemies not flesh and blood onely which are mighty without and within us but with principalities and powers and these not only the members of the kingdome of darkenesse but the head and Prince of all the wicked even that wicked one and then all the band led by him among whom there is nothing in sight or expectation but death and danger 1 The Church is described to be as a lilly among thornes These thornes are sharpe and thicke about it to hinder the rooting and the prosperitie and pricke the Lilly in the name and profession And how weake a thing is a lilly to defend it selfe from the prickly thornes And Christ sends out his servants as sheepe in the midst of wolves weake and silly creatures in comparison of them 2 The world which alwaies lyeth in wickednesse is no changeling it is a very Egypt to the Israel of God not onely oppressing them with cruell burdens and taskes but a breeder of fell and hideous dragons and most poisonful monsters tyrants hypocrites heretickes partly by secret traynes to infect and poyson holy doctrine and conversation and partly by manifest assaults to sting and wound theÌ„ in their names profession yea by tyranny persecutioÌ„ to threaten with present death every moment And as the Church was once so it is ever in the world as in a wildernes the wicked inhabitants of which are as so many wild beasts and dragons among whom is no hope of truce or composition 3 The Lord will have his Church thus beset with great dangers That First She may be throughly tryed and winnowed Rev. 2. 10. Secondly Have experience of her owne weaknes to be humbled Thirdly Depend upon the strength of God in her combate to quicken prayer Fourthly To take notice of the worke and victory of grace with the issue of faith and patience which can conquer so great enemies Fiftly To make heaven sweete after so many feares sorrowes and sufferings when the enemies whom their eyes have seene they shall never see more 4 The Lord sees often just cause in the Church and members to afflict them with such fell dragons and scorpions for seldome is the Church cast into the place of dragons but meritoriously justly seldome doe common calamities by tyrants come on the Church but the ambition covetousnesse and contention in teachers or else the earthlinesse securitie or lustes and loosenesse of professours went before Object How stands this with Christs legacie My peace I leave with you c. And with his promise My peace none shall take from you Sol. Christ never takes away nec suam nec a suis that is neither his peace nor from his for his peace differs farre from all worldly and externall and wel standeth with worldly affliction all that will live godly must suffer persecution And in the world saith Christ ye shall have affliction but in me ye shall have peace even at the same time For not all the tyrants nor torments of the world can shake out the sweet peace of God and a good conscience as in a cloud of Martyrs it might manifestly appeare And therefore first the greater the enemie is the greater care and watchfulnesse is required on our part 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversarie goeth about like a roaring Lion therefore besober and watch Ephes. 6. we fight against principalities and powers therefore stand in the armour of God And though Christians thinke it too strict to be tyed to a constant watch over their life yet to give up or be negligent in this watch is but to agree with this enemie for thy owne destruction The adversarie is great in power in wrath in watchfulnesse against thee and thou hast no more assured meanes of safety then to set a watch about thy selfe in all times in all places in all companies in all occasions over all thy parts gifts affections speaches actions that thou maiest be able to defend them all with peace of conscience against all accusers and defeate also so great and wrathfull a dragon Secondly Against so strong an adversarie wisdome will seeke to procure the greatest helps and succors that he can Quest. What aides may I procure Answ. First All our help stands in the name of the Lord. Fly to God for protection for God therefore doth suffer his Church to be beset on all hands with such multitudes of combined enemies and dragous as that she hath no way left but to looke upward for Gods eye to watch her and Gods hand to save her As Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 20. 12. There is no strength in us to stand against this great multitude neither do we know what to do but our eyes are towards thee Get God thy friend to take part against these great dragons Quest. How Answ. 1 By faith Iames 2. 23. Abraham beleeved God and was called the friend of God 2 By obedience Joh. 15. 14. Yee are my friends if you do what I command you This covers a man with Gods protection whereas sin layes Israel naked as in the Calfe and the wiles of Balaam A man that hath so many enemies had not need by sinne to make God his enemie too Secondly Gods Angels are good aydes who have charge over thee so long as thou keepest the way by whose presence Thou shalt walke upon the dragon and tread under foot the young Lion and dragon Psal. 91. that is overcome the strongest and greatest enemies Thirdly Among other parts of Christian armour the sword of the spirit the sheild of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse and a good conscience and there is
themselves to his care and their faith is such as cannot leave them ashamed besides this faith is accompanied with their prayers of faith which is the key of heaven and a powerfull and undeniable meanes of speeding because of the promise that whatsoever we aske in faith we shall obtaine and shall faith prevaile for the greater and not for the lesse for heaven and not for earth Of comfort to the true Church and members of it who can never be Orphans or destitute seeing the Lord can take up any wildernesse to be as an Inne for her the wildernesse in which they are may want meanes but they shall want none so long as he hath fulnesse never discontent thy selfe or aske the question as the Disciples Matth. 15. 33. Where shall we have so much bread in the wildernesse In these hard times of scarcity set thy faith to work it will tell thee as Abraham his sonne God will provide much lesse maist thou murmure as Israel against Moses Hast thou brought us into the wildernesse to starve us No no God doth it to feed thee as well as them thou shalt want nothing if thou wantest not faith To teach us to acknowledge and depend upon Gods Providence for the whole provision of our lives because he hath a rich storehouse every where that can never faile as rich in the wildernesse as in the City 1. For spirituall refreshing and comfort Art thou destitute or fearest such times may come in which vision may bee precious for God can as easily and suddenly turne our spirituall plenty into famine or dearth as he lately did our temporall Oh then what should I doe Flie the corruption of the world follow the Lord unfainedly preserve an hunger and appetite after grace and even in this barren wildernesse thou shalt not be destitute of the sound consolation of the Gospell which to want were the most grievous and heavy famine of all God will one way or other send his two witnesses they shall feed thee for as all the world could not hinder the Mannah from falling in the wildernesse so all the tyrants on the earth shall not hinder from thee these sweet showres of this heavenly Mannah in thy wandring and wildernesse 2. Wantest thou earthly comforts and art thou as in a barren wildernesse without means set thy faith a while to feed upon the promise Hebr. 13. I will not leave nor forsake thee and this faith wil certainly get fruition thou shalt be fed assuredly But mark the promise God promiseth not alwayes wealth abundance nor any great store of dainties but that even in the wildernesse thou shalt be fed sustained comforted as Israel in the wildernesse had no great variety but were fed had no abundance and yet no want God that sends Elias bread and flesh by the Ravens sent him not a banquet and sweet meates for hee must drinke of the brooke running by and he that gave Israel bread and flesh in the wildernesse gave not both at once to teach us to bee content with things present if wee can have bread and no flesh Ob. But if we must doe nothing but depend on God we may live easily and without care Ans. I. True faith is never idle but most industrious in the meanes and though labour is no cause yet it is a meanes in which God giveth us food 2. The wildernesse is a place of labour for though God giveth bread from heaven yet hee created it not in every mans Tent or rained it into every mans hatch but scattereth it abroad without the Tents that they might goe forth and gather it so where God affordeth any meanes wee must use them conscionably for spirituall food is a labour appointed Iohn 4. 14. and we must goe forth and draw in the Wels of salvation Isa. 4. and for temporall if any idle body will not labour he ought not to eate To stirre us up to contentation if God onely feed us though wee want abundance and store as he dealt with Israel in the wildernesse so now hee giveth to every man his Omer and measure according to the measure of his owne wisedome and with thy measure thou must be contented The Physitians rule for quantity of food must stand and what thou wantest in quantity thou hast in quality and sweetnesse Nay further stirre up thy selfe with thankfulnesse to God thy feeder and preserver If a friend should in our distresse take us in and give us boade but a month or two we thinke we could scarce be thankful enough unto him the Lord in this our wildernesse supplyeth all our wants feedeth our soules with heavenly Mannah our bodies with daily bread filleth our cups with water out of the Rocke spreadeth his owne table for us setteth Christ upon it the bread of life covereth our boards also and maketh our cups runne over in the sight of our adversaries is never weary of his cost and charges upon us now how should a right ordered heart bestirre it selfe in thankfulnesse for so great favours and expresse it in all duties Let us quicken our selves in this duty which both retaineth old favours and inviteth new III. The third point in the womans flight in this verse is the time of her mansion and continuance in the wildernesse namely one thousand two hundred sixty dayes wherein observe 1. What is meant by dayes 2. What or when were these dayes 3. Why this time is reckoned by dayes I. By these dayes are meant so many yeares for all things almost in the Revelation are expressed according to the manner of ancient types as we have hitherto in this chapter declared Now to reckon so man̄y yeares by so many dayes may seeme strange to him that is not acquainted with the Prophets and yet it is observed usually through the whole Bible except by Daniel who reckoneth not alwayes by dayes of yeares but by the weekes of yeares according to the use and style of the Chaldeans amongst whom and in whose tongue he wrote Ezek. 4. 5 6. he is commanded to lie on his left side 390. dayes for 390. yeares of their iniquity and idolatry God had patiently suffered them 390. yeares now shall they suffer sword and famine 390. dayes which is a yeare and 25. dayes or about 13. months the time of the siege and straitnesse Numb 14. 34. the Israelites are commanded to walke and wander in the wildernesse forty yeares according to the forty dayes in searching the Land a day for a yeare recompencing every dramme of sinne with a pound of sorrow so as a propheticall day is a yeare And this of necessity every one must beleeve for howsoever Daniel 9. 24. reckoneth the prophesie of the comming of the Messias by weekes yet every day of those weekes must bee measured by propheticall dayes namely every day for a yeare else the just time of Christs comming will not fall right as it ought to doe and accordingly we reade in Scriptures not of an ordinary
faith in that diabolicall meanes nor farther than thou bewrayest distrust infidelity contempt and rebellion against God as Eliah said to Ahaziah Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou goest to Baalzebub the god of Ekron 2 Kings 1. 3. 3. It is a signe of a man or woman in a woefull estate that seeketh to witches First hee is an unbeleever if the word had prevailed to heale his infidelitie he would not seeke to Witches faith makes no such haste Secondly hee is one that carelesly or maliciously rejects the Gospell and therefore God gives him over to manifest and open contempt of him Pharaoh despising the Word is given over to bee deluded by Sorcerers Saul for disobedience to the Word is given over to seeke to Witches he did it not before God was gone from him see 2 Thess. 2. 10. 11. Thirdly he is one whose sin and judgement is ripe as wee see in Saul Pharaoh and Manasses who for conspiring with devils named in the Text as an outragious and transcendent sinne was deprived of his Kingdome bound in fetters and carryed to Babylon 4. The helpe thou câ—nâ—â— get from them is not comparable to the hurt by them for First the devill seldome cures the body but hee kils the soule is hee not a devill as well curing as killing Secondly hee seldome removes the evill either farre or long but sometimes returns it againe in some other kinde or person in children servants or cattell Hence is the common observation that such persons never thrive after it but all goeth backe with them Thirdly if thou shouldst get good by theÌ„ yet know 1. Thou must not judge of an action by the successe but by the rule 2. Thou maist not doe evill that good may come of it 3 It were but as a robber should rufsle and live gallantly by taking of purses 5. Consider this never did good and religious man in Scripture seek to a Witch and what a madnesse is it to forsake the Author of life and follow the author of death and if hee be of the father the devill that doth his workes what art thou or what canst thou thinke of thy selfe Lastly here is a use of consolation If salvation bee the Lords the Church shall not perish but indure safe so long as the Lords salvation indureth 1. The rocke of salvation is founded in heaven not to bee shaken by the forces of earth and hell 2. Wee have a strong city salvation hath God set for wals and Bulwarks Esa. 26. 1. Hee that must scale these wals must first scale heaven it selfe and seeing the Lord hath promised to bee a wall of fire round about Jerusalem Zech. 25. how can the enemy make an inrode or incursion 3. All Satanicall and Antichristian forces must combine and plot in vaine to roote out the people of God from the earth they can assoone hinder the Sunne in his course and turne back the whirlewinde into his place as turne away the Lords salvation from his Church Oh but wee see many potent enemies and mighty forces and strong armies levyed by Antichrist and his Princes against the little flocke of Christ and we see no helpe no likely power to keepe from making havocke of all I answer I. Salvation is the Lords who is more mighty to save than they to spoile else would they soone prove too puissant for the little city of God 2 Thou seest no helpe yet is it not farre off Psalm 85. 9. surely his salvation is neare them that feare him that glory may dwell in our Land 3. It shall bee put forth seasonably and shall not tarry Esa. 46. 13. The time hasteneth when the Church shall sing Now is salvation in heaven now hath the Lord manifested his salvation in his Church in the overthrow of Antichrist And strength and the kingdome of our God These are the two other Attributes ascribed to God the giver of victory By strength is meant the mighty arme of GOD which hath two properties of power the former to sustaine and beare up all things so long as hee will have them to bee The latter to subdue all contrary things to his will and power For this strength must prevaile against all adversary power and can be overcome of none The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe Psalm 118. 16. partly in the world partly in the Church called out of the world of which latter our Text properly speaketh By Kingdome in Scripture is meant two things 1. The absolute soveraignty of God over all things to whom appertaine all kingdomes this is called the kingdome of power and appropriated to God The Kingdome is the Lords that is originally and in his owne right all other in the creature is soveraignty derived and delegate Dan. 2. 27. 2. That speciall administration and government which hee exerciseth in setting up and upholding his Church at which our Text aimeth The difference betweene this and the former is In that we are all by nature in this onely by grace in that wee onely live and injoy the benefit of creatures in this we live happily and enjoy the benefit of new creation in redemption and sanctification Now whereas this speciall kingdome is either of grace here or glory hereafter the former is here meant even that kingdome of grace which the dragon specially opposeth who resisteth not so much the kingdome of power nor at all the Kingdome of glory but most fiercely assaileth the kingdome of grace as is plainely convinced by the particle Now is strength and the Kingdome of our GOD in heaven In that the Church rejoyceth that now the Lord hath put forth his strength in the overthrow of the enemies and set up his owne kingdome where the dragon and his angels had ruled in darknesse Idolatry cruelty and tyranny we learne that this Saints ought to rejoyce when they see Gods Kingdome set up and prevaile against the dragon and his angels Rev. 11. 15. When the seventh Angel blew the Trumpet there were great voyces in heaven that is the militaÌ„t Church saying The kingdoms of this world are become our Lords his Christs These were loud voyces of joy and praise that the kingdoms of the earth were converted to Christ and because Christ in his Gospel raigned by the Princes among his their subjects And indeed a good heart seeing Jesus Christ manifesting his royall administration and thereby taken up with sense and feeling of Gods goodnesse to his Church cannot conceale nor containe this joy but must vent and expresse it as Iethro Exod. 18. 9. rejoyced for all the goodnesse the Lord did for Israel he inwardly rejoyced he confessed it with his mouth vers 10. and afterward offered sacrifices to God for his mercy in delivering Israel from Pharaohs bondage which mercy hee twice expresseth And David seeing the forwardnesse of the people offering freely to the Temple rejoyced exceedingly and blessed God before all the congregation 1
Chro. 29. 10. And when the Arke was brought home to the City of David hee was so over-carried with joy that hee could not containe himselfe but he danced before it 2 Sam. 6. 14. 1. A good heart cannot but esteeme it the greatest cause of joy where God is most honoured But God is most honoured where his Kingdom is most advanced for here he glorifieth his power and grace farre above all that is in the kingdome of power First his power is more admirable in setting up the Church than in setting up the world no lesse is his power in conversion than in the Creation of men The power of his Word converting soules is no lesse than the word fiat framing bodies and substances Neither is his power lesse admirable in upholding his Church then in upholding the world putting forth it self daily both in removing the stops and impediments reared against him by Sathan tyrants heretikes wicked worldlings mans corruption as also by advancing the powerfull meanes by which his kingdome is erected continued and inlarged Secondly his grace is magnified by setting up the Kingdome of grace 1. In gathering himselfe a choise people out of the world by a meanes so contemptible to the world 2. In freeing them from the dominion of sinne from the curse of the law and the power of Satan 3. In bestowing on them the free grace of righteousnesse joy peace of conscience and sanctification 4. In their finall salvation 2. Sincere love and affection to our mother the Church and to our brethren the children of our father cannot but bewray it selfe in rejoycing in their joy seeing this onely affection will shew a man to bee of the house and blood of Christ and his seed How doe men rejoyce when their neare kindred as Parents brethren or children rise up in earthly wealth honour and happinesse Even so will a godly man when he seeth any advanced in grace which brings ever a rich revenue with it desirable above wealth besides honour and favour of GOD to which all earthly honour and favour is winde and vanity and all rejoycing in any man or gift without this is carnall unseasoned and unsound And contrarily he is signed to bee out of the communion of Saints who rejoyceth not in the grace of everie one seeing every grace in every Christian is every Christians grace neither can hee bee a lively member whose welfare is shut up in himselfe seeing the health of the whole body stands in the welfare of every part 3. That must be the greatest cause of joy in earth which is next and likliest to the joyes in heaven But to see the kingdome the Lords is the next and likest to the joyes of heaven Therefore 1. This maketh way and entrance into that Kingdome of glory 2. That Kingdome of glory is but the perfection of this For here is a daily subduing of enemies and that is a conquest of all enemies subdued and vanquished this a gathering of subjects into the kingdome in that all subjects are gathered here the King of glory ruleth his subjects mediately by Princes and Pastors in Magistracy and Ministery there hee ruleth all by himselfe immediately and is by all acknowledged all in all here is a communion of Saints absent from the Lord striving against sinne there is a communion of just and perfect men present with the Lord freed from sinne and triumphing over it here the subjects have begun a chearefull and free obedience ceasing from sinne and have attained peace with God joy good conscience and sweet fellowship with God which is an heaven upon earth there they attaine a perfect obedience a perpetual Sabbath and rest from sinne an heavenly joy in the happy and immediate fellowship with God seeing him as they would So as indeed the setting up of this Kingdome is the setting up of that and is the seed-time of that full Harvest of joy which eye hath not seene This condemnes such as whose eyes are filled with envy at the prosperity and proceedings of the Gospell by which the Kingdome becomes the Lords and gather matter of griefe and wrath where they should most rejoyce As First gracelesse and irreligious people who expresse open contempt of Gods House and Ordinances cleane contrary to holy David who rejoyced to heare the people say to him Come let us goe to the House of God And whereas grace would teach them to count the feet of godly Preachers beautifull they cast mire and dirt in their faces and what disgraces the times wil afford thē an earnest of the ful wages they would pay them if times should prove for them Nothing so much grieves them as a man who is suffered to uphold the Lords Kingdome as Sanballat and Tobiah were exceedingly grieved that Nehemiah sought to build the walls of Jerusalem Secondly profane Ministers who above all men should rejoyce that Christ is preached any maner of way and preferre the worke and prevailing of the Gospell above their chiefe joy yet are full of envy to see Gods blessing given and the Kingdome of the Lord more set up by others than themselves So were the Pharises exceedingly troubled to see the people follow Christ himselfe See all the world goeth after him And their Ghosts walke in the world in numbers of their successors whose hearts rise against those to whose Ministery God gives a better report than to theirs A signe of a proud and unmortified heart Thus did not Moses Num. 11. 28. hee did not presently shove and thrust at Eldad and Medad to thrust them out of the Congregation because they prophesied but was glad and wished more of them The true Apostles were glad that Christ was preached by false apostles though it were of envy but they are false apostles that envie Christ preached of good will Iohn Baptist was glad that Christ increased though himselfe decreased by it Iohn 3. 29. Oh that the Angels of the Churches on earth would resemble the Angels in heaven They sing glory to God when Christ appeares and the poore shepheards preach him so would these were they as free from pride and vaine-glory as they and would frame their high spirits to the lowlinesse of our Lord himselfe who rejoyced in spirit and blessed his Father that hee had revealed the things of the Kingdome to Babes Thirdly others disswade and discourage such as are comming on to Christ and were it not for them would shew themselves subjects to this Lord by frequenting his House and Ordinances Oh you must not heare such nor frequent the Lecture you shall get your selfe a blot c. O unhappy men not onely the perswaded whose lot is to light into such mischievous acquaintance by whom they are intised away from their allegiance to their Heavenly King but most unhappy such perswaders who keepe away with themselves all they can fall in with what is their worke but the same with the dragons Vers. 4. to slay every manchilde so soone as he is borne
with weeping for his sin against the good Bishop of Jerusalem III Now wee come to the meanes by which godly men may fence and arme themselves against this keene weapon of false accusation 1 Accuse and judge thy selfe daily yea night and day before God Thou preventest the accuser by accusing thy selfe 1 Cor. 11. 13. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged Be carefull above all to stop the mouth of three accusers First make sure that God accuse thee not Let nothing stand betweene him and thee whereof thou hast not already judged and accused thy selfe Hereunto beleeve in Jesus Christ against all false accusation get Christ to justifie thee be once in Christ and he shall answer all crimination and if he iustifie who shall condemne Rom. 8. 33. Secondly see the word of God accuse thee not stop Moses his mouth Ioh. 5. 45. There is one that accuseth you even Moses not his person but his doctrine Hereunto repent of thy sinne confesse and forsake it that is the way to mercy Evangelicall obedience stops Moses mouth Thirdly avoyd and stop the accusation of thine owne conscience that thou mayest have a witnesse within thee First of thy sound peace and reconciliation with God Secondly sense of grace and sanctification Thirdly carefulnesse in Gods service Fourthly innocency and uprightnesse in the most sincere endeavour of heart and life 2 Walke circumspectly avoyding occasions and appearances of evill False accusers can make of gnats in good men elephants and of mole-hils mountaines as big as the globe of the earth If thou esteeme any error small or sinne little so will not they Oh that all Christians would or did so walke as that all accusations might proove shadowes and pretenses Oh that all the keene weapons of wicked men were thus blunted with innocency and that all prooved but the doing of their dutie 3 Let the righteous smite thee for this may keep thee out of wicked hands Take counsell endure rebukes from the godly heare with willingness loving admonition For else it is just the wicked fall upon thee Some have beene publickely instructed by the word and privately perswaded by godly friends to avoyd occasions of scandall to avoyd the company of loose and riotous persons and to watch narrowly over themselves for their professions sake but they unconscionably rejecting the counsell of Gods word and servants and rather quarrelling with the counsellers then following the counsell have beene given up to themselves and led away till they have become a by-word to all the prophane in the country who flout and triumph over them and their profession as if the Philistims had got in another Sampson Had it not beene better to have borne the wounds of friends then these gashes of the enemies 4 Defend and plead Gods cause against false accusation and he will plead thine When truth is gainsaid or his name or servants evill spoken of if wee would bestirre our selves for him he also would be ready to defend our names and innocency A wretched Councel it is in which al crie crucifie Christ and not a man to speake a word for him Many such wicked Councels there are in which bold and impudent accusers do stand against God and his worship and servants and throw downe and tread on not only the innocency of good men but the worship and service of God and not a man to speake a word for God or good men or causes But never was there such a councell set against God but God set against them and brought that dishonour on themselves which they sustered to be cast upon him his name Wee need not go far for examples 5 Do to anothers name as thou wouldest have thine done by He shall dwell in heaven who neither raiseth nor receiveth slaunders Generally when we heare accusation and reports of out brethren we receive them beleeve them laugh at them adde to them But what measure thou measurest to others shal be measured to thee againe thou shalt be payed in thine owne coyne looke what entertainement another mans name findes in thy house the same shall thy name finde in another mans house Wee must therefore open our mouthes for the dumbe for the absent for the innocent The difference betweene the slaunderer and receiver is this the former hath Satan sitting in his heart and tongue the latter in his heart and eare 6 Another meanes is resolution never to depart from thine uprightnesse but to keepe thine innocency as Iob though with infamy and false accusation So did Ioseph So the Apostles resolved to passe on their way by honour and dishonour through evill report and good report Never leave off to doe good nor give over any dutie to avoid false accusation Hazzard rather thy name and credit then thy faith and piety 7 Another is appellation so walke ever before God as thou mayest appeale from all unjust accusation and sentences to his most just righteous sentence that thou mayst boldly expect and call for both his testimony and assistance clearing For the first David appeales to the Lord Lord thou knowest whither I have done this thou knowest they lay to my charge things that I know not Iohn Husse appealed to Jesus Christ from the wicked sentence of the Councell of Constance Iobs witnesse was in heaven For the other is that in Psal. 119. 123. Answer for thy servant in that which is good and let not the proud oppresse me as if he had said Lord I am slaundered where I am not where I cannot answer for my selfe do thou answer for me besides I crave only thy protection in an honest and good cause thou that art goodnesse it selfe maintaine it and me in it And for clearing thine innocency wayte God will one day discover it Consider the story how God cleared Athanasius from the villanous accusations of the Arrians First they suborned a lewd woman to exclayme upon him in open assembly that he would have ravished her the night before against her will Which slaunder he shifted off by sending Timotheus Presbiter of Alexandria in his roome who asked her before the synod whether she would sweare that he had ravished her shee answered she would sweare and vow he did it thinking he had beene Athanasius whom she never saw So the Councell perceiving the matter quitted his innocency Secondly they accused him to have slaine one Arsenius whom themselves kept secret and that he carried one of his hands about him by which hee wrought miracles and enchantments But Arsenius touched by God stole away from them and came to Athanasius who brought him before the Judges with both hands and confounded his accusers 8 The last meanes is apologie and necessarie defence of our words and facts against false accusers which Christ used alwaies for himselfe and his disciples And as necessarie it is for his Ministers and Members For First we may not lose our innocency if by good meanes we may maintaine it Secondly
increase of it The Scriptures are the wells of consolation whence it must be drawne The wise men reioyced exceedingly in the starre which led them to Christ the word is this starre a wise Christian will reioyce in it Secondly if it be a receipt from Christ. The inhabitants of heaven above have no ioy but from Christ and in Christ. No part in Christ no part in this ioy See it bee thy Masters joy Then is it so when it is a fruit of justification Rom. 5. 11. Wee rejoyce in God through Iesus Christ by whom wee have received attonement They rejoyce that they enjoy Christ by sight we that wee enioy him by faith they that they are married unto him wee that wee are contracted both happy that we both enioy him and that hee is all in all With this onely difference that our Masters ioy is entred into us and they are entred into it we comprehend they are comprehended 3. If thou wouldest have thy joy resemble the joyes of heaven the matter of it must be heavenly as theirs is The maine matter of heavenly ioy respecteth three obiects First God Secondly the communion of Saints Thirdly their owne happy estate I. The inhabitants of heaven place their chiefe ioy in the Chiefe Good partly in his presence wherein is their fulnesse of ioy and partly in his glory which is shining and set up partly in the perfect prosperity of the Saints and partly in the utter confusion of all enemies Even so the Inhabitants of heaven upon earth must have for the obiect of their ioy God in himself and God in Christ Jesus which is eternall life For Whom have I in heaven but thee or whom on earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. Were it not for the presence of God and Christ earth yea heaven it selfe were an hell and as God is the chiefe good so his glory is the chiefe ayme and ioy of the Saints in earth Wee must reioyce when wee see his glory set up when the Church enioyes prosperity when Christs Scepter is lifted up and the Gospell hath free passage David preferred Jerusalem before his chiefe ioy Psal. 137. 6. and reioyced when men said Let us goe up to the house of God Ps. 122. 1. so also when the dragon is cast downe as here when the enemies fall before Michael wee must reioyce when Antichrist and Popery is disappoynted their Captaines foyled their armies mastered Exod. 18. 9. Iethro reioyced at all the good which God did for Israel in overthrowing the enemies This is ioy like the ioy of heaven II. Another obiect of heavenly ioy next unto God is the communion of Saints Their ioy is perfect in their perfect charity and in the perfect fruition of one anothers perfections so must wee all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue Psa. 16. 3. Moses would chuse to suffer adversity with the people of God rather then enioy treasures How should we ioy in the gifts and graces of every one and account our selves as happy in them as in our owne measure so doe they But they are farre from heaven who envy fret slander or obscure the graces of God in his children c. III. The third obiect of heavenly ioy is the happy estate of the Saints which happinesse consisteth in the absence of all evill and the presence of all good Heavenly Inhabitants are perfectly freed from all evill so are the Saints in earth with this difference we from the destruction they from molestation For First they sinne no more and if Saints now sinne it is not they but sinne in them Psal. 119. 3. surely they worke no iniquity Secondly they are beyond the curse of sinne so are wee for Christ was made a curse for us They are without crosse wee without curse Thirdly they can dye no more but are passed from death to life even so wee are translated from death to life because we love the brethren Christ is the death of our death the sting is gone Fourthly they are beyond the reach of all enemies those enemies whom their eyes haye seene they shall never see more Even so are we with this difference none can assault them none can prevaile against us Beside there is the presence of all good things the Saints above have no good thing absent so they that feare the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psa. 34. 9. But the chiefe good things wherein the Saints reioyce are three 1. The happy vision of God and our chiefe ioy here below is to see God in Christ Jesus which is eternall life They are happy to see his face we happy as Moses to see his back-parts they are happy to see him face to face wee to see him in a glasse They are happy as Salomons servants to see and stand ever before him as houshold servants we for the time happy to bee as retainers wearing his cloth and in his service somewhat fâ—rther off 2. They ioy in Gods blessed Image to which they are wholy conformable For First the chiefe part of their ioy is to have their cheife facultie which is their understanding to be satisfied with the chiefest obiects for they know all things that the glorified creatures are capable of Even so the ioy of Saints is that scales of ignorance are fallen from their eyes and that wee see the same face of GOD though as in a glasse and wee know all things that new creatures are capable of and wee know the same things in our measure as they doe For our knowledge here differs not in kinde from that but in degree For God and Christ is the same wee now see as then wee shall see as the Sunne is the same under a cloud or in a mist as in a cleare day and our eyes the same by which wee see the Sunne in infancy which we see it with in mans estate but stronger now and more perfect And as children heare of the same King State-matters Emperours Parliaments that men doe but understand them not but after a weake and imperfect knowledge so wee know now in our childhood but in part afterward have the same understanding in further growth and manly perfection Secondly an happy part of Gods Image is that their wills are perfectly conformable to Gods will and confirmed to bee unchangeable in willing what God willeth Even so our joy and prayer must be that Gods will may be done of our selves others and our wils once renewed are unchangeable because of Gods confirmation of them in goodnesse Oh what an heavenly joy were it if so perfectly Gods will might be done of us in earth as it is in heaven And though power often want to beleevers to will is present Thirdly Gods Image is happily apparent in their affections The Saints in heaven hate all sinne and wee hate that wee doe Rom. 7. They love God perfectly and Jesus Christ better than themselves and so the Saints on earth love not their lives
that the more furious his wrath is the shorter it is like to bee For this is an infallible signe of the last times and the last houre when Satans wrath seemes to mingle heaven and earth let us lift up our heads the Lord is not farre off to put an end to this confusion 2. Doe we see Antichrist furious and wrathfull laying about him with both his swords so busily as that hee is in hope to gaine the morsell he hath long gaped for Doe wee see him make havocke and waste in the florishing Churches of Bohemia the Palatinate and other parts of Germany is he casting downe the worship of God banishing the Scriptures of God killing the Ministers and people of God setting up his Idols and puppets for gods before those that receive his marke in their hands and foreheads What may we hence gather but these two things First that we are cast into the last of the last times for the nearer wee are to the last moment of the last houre so much the more busie shall wee see Antichrist and the spirit of error active in putting forth their wrath Second that Antichrist his time is short the sharper the assault is the shorter it will bee and how can hee that reads the Scripture with judgement but know that as there is an houre of judgment vengeance to light upon that Antichrist Rev. 14. 7. so it is not farre off their neckes 2. Let all wicked men beware of boldnesse and fiercenesse in sinne which argues them not only delivered up to the wrath of the devill but that their time is not long for their measure fils apace See it in Iudas how industrious hee is neare his death A man in the high formes of sinne easily loseth his life in the service of some sinne or other God usually taking them at their hight and top How many judgements of God witnesse this truth dayly upon drunkards swearers riotous persons and quarrellers who come to untimely deaths and seldome live out halfe their dayes How suddenly hath the Lord taken downe proud and scorne full persons in the hight of their pride and pursuit of his children examples are too many to recite And how many wicked men are so like the devill that as he refuseth not to bee thrust into Hell at the judgement-day on condition he may play Rex against the Church and vexe and torment the Saints till then so these care not for hell and damnation afterwards so they may a few dayes live as they list and bring to passe as lawlesse persons their wicked devises and villanies in trampling downe the servants of God and in service to their owne damnable lusts as drunkards swearers revengefull men and the like 3 Wee must from the dragons practise picke out our lesson and dutie concerning our owne time 1 As the divell knoweth and observeth his time so must wee labour to know ours and the fitnesse of it for dutie Christ sharply reprooves the Jewes for not knowing their time Luk. 12. 56. Why discerne ye not this time Mat. 16. 3. Hypocrites can yee discerne the face of the sky and not the face of these times How few be there who know the happy times and opportunities they enjoy Satan knows the time of his mischiefe and slips it not men know not the day of their visitation nor the acceptable time nor the day of salvation which God offereth for grace and conversion The Lord may justly complaine of us as of the Jewes Ier. 8. 7. The Crane the Storke the Swallow know their times but my people know not me How else comes it that the Lord stretcheth out his hands all day long and knocketh continually by the hammar of his word at the dore of every mans heart offering the precious mercies of grace and glory but who open unto him or answer his gracious invitation Why do our youth riot out their time and cast the care of religion into their last accounts but because they know not their time Did they consider that youth is most fit for impressions of grace that grace is in that age most gracefull that now they have fresh wit quick senses all powers lively instruments for grace and that now they have strength and vigour called for 1 Ioh. 2. 14. to overcome evill knew they such a seed time of grace would they sow to the flesh would they not seeke wisdome early Whence els is it that our elder men after long teaching and trayning in the profession are as ignorant as children spend their time as vainely as the heathen in earthly lusts but because they never knew their time Should not they that have had more meanes have beene more expert in the word doth not their time who have beene bred up in the profession and lived twenty or thirty yeares in it call for double or treble measure of knowledge and grace as they have doubled or trebled their yeares beyond others the divell would be loth to slip any part of his time so foolishly Why else do our great and rich men wallow in lusts feed their senses pamper their bodies cast away their soules eate up their time in eating gaming riot and wantonnesse but because they have not learned neither from Gods booke nor the divells diligence to know their time and the fitnesse of it for their owne good Have they not many houres free from so necessarie labour as poore men are bound unto as many houres free from cares and distractions for necessaries which lye heavy on poore men many houres and dayes in a weeke free to hearing reading prayer meditation want they any thing but grace and will to do themselves good and doth not their very time tell them if they knew the voyce of it that they ought to be as farre above others in grace and piety as place and opportunities of grace But why be these so farre below their inferiors in knowledge in practise in use of the meanes why do they suffer the poore to receive the Gospell and the grace of it from them but because they know not their time neither the worth nor use of it and therefore they so miserably wast it 2 As the dragon knows his time is short and therefore bestirres him so wee must know our time is short and yet hath long wings to fly swiftly from us and therefore not to wast it out idly Object Who knows not that his time is short experience and sense teacheth it every day few children but can shew some markes of their parents mortality Answ. Sense and observation and experience may teach the dragon that his time is short But thou must have a better and higher teacher or else thou canst not learne this lesson And therefore Moses seeing few men wiser by the sense and experience of the shortnesse of their lives and uncertainty of dayes and that nature and experience cannot teach this skill to benefit themselves by the frailty of themselves or their predecessors goeth
of God he strengthning the minde extraordinarily for the apprehension of such impressions So he pleased to binde up all bodily senses and kept the minde onely waking that being freed from the fellowship of the body and bodily senses it might both more freely and certainely apprehend and retaine the divine impressions of things revealed 2 That Gods servants themselves and the Church also might receive these visions not as inventions of man but might more certainely know them to be the revelations of God considering that themselves had no use of any naturall faculty invention or study no nor of bodily sense while they received them and that being so extraordinarily attained they might acknowledge them most divine and extraordinary Ob. But Iohn was waking because he stood on the Sea shore Rev. 12. ult Ans. This standing was also in the Spirit As chap. 17. 3. he was led away into the wildernesse but it was in the Spirit and so heere Ob. Sathan cast some heathen Priests and Prophets into trances Answ. 1. This is from heaven 2 Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. 3. There is a difference in the manner for The spirit of God leadeth and allureth but the Spirit of Satan useth violence and compulsion 4 The place where this great Wonder appeared In heaven Three reasons may be given for this 1 The visions and appearances were seene in heaven but indeed were actually accomplished on earth they were shewed in heaven and from heaven but acted in earth 2. Because God from heaven doth order and governe his Church and therefore is here heaven mentioned that in all her conflicts and tumults she should looke up thither place her help hope above the hills whence her salvation commeth 3. By Heaven in this booke cōmonly is meant the true militant Church and the members of it here upon earth As this Chapter affords foure instances ver 4. Starres of heaven are Ministers of the Church ver 12. rejoyce yee heavens that is beleevers and members of the true Church on earth ver 3. another wonder in heaven of a Dragon with seaven heads Now heaven properly taken is not the place of the Devill who hath nothing to doe there but Hell is his proper place and by permission he walkes out into the Church so as by heaven here is meant the true Church of God on earth ver 7 a battell in heaven that is the militant Church for in heaven properly taken is no battell but victory or rather triumph after victory Quest. But why is the Church militant called Heaven in this booke Answ. for three reasons I. Because the whole vision is mysticall and sigurative teaching all along one thing by another II. Because there is not a more livelie Image and resemblance of that highest heaven which is the seat of God and the habitation of Saints in their Countrie then the universall companie of Saints in earth which is the true militant Church of Christ called heaven for resemblance III. Because the Church and true members of it have even in earth more to doe with heaven then with earth and this for three reasons 1 Her birth is from heaven for she is borne of God of immortal and heavenly seed 2 Her conversation is there and her meditations where Christ her head is thither she tends Phi. 3. 20. 3 Her inheritance is there she being but a stranger in earth her state is there where she shall for ever raigne with Christ that is her dwelling and standing house where as she onely passeth through the world and stayeth but a small time below and therefore she is described in this mystical book as if she were in heaven alreadie to which she belongs Thus much for the interpretation of the preface Now follow the observations 1 Note how the Spirit of God stirres up our attentions and affections unto this vision and the great matters and mysteries therein contained In that 1 It is no common matter which we might neglect but a great wonder and all men are moved at great wonders If St. Iohn himselfe wondred at the greatnesse of it well may it drive us into admiration If it were a vulgar and triviall matter we might be more carelesse but as the Spirit of God cannot be employed in any such thing so hath he set a speciall starre over this subject contained in this vision that he might gaine our best attention as to an high and admirable argument 2 It is a vision seene in heaven to excite our diligence as to a caelestiall vision It is no deceitfull sleight or apparition of any cunning and jugling person such as the Papists visions be to confirme some false doctrine or tradition without or against the word but a vision from heaven revealed by God to his chosen instrument St. Iohn for the establishing of Gods people in the faith of the Gospell according to the Scriptures 3. It is a vision of great moment as for matter and authority so also of speciall use to all the members of the Church seeing whosoever will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer affliction and this vision teacheth both how to suffer and how to conquer how to carrie the Crosse and how to winne the Crowne Such things of so great use so nearely concerning ourselves are greatly to be respected 2 Note in this Evangelist two excellent vertues 1 His modestie and humilitie He is carefull to prevent the ascribing of this vision to himselfe and therefore saith he had it from heaven immediatly as elsewhere Chap. 19. 11 he saw the heavens opened to receive the vision of the white horse and chap. 1. 10. I heard a great voice behind me and therefore he brought nothing of his owne for we our selves cannot see the things that are behind us So have other the servants and Prophets of God as Ezech. 1. 1. The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God Vse To teach us 1 modestie and humilitie to ascribe nothing to our selves to ascribe nothing to our owne wit or capacitie especially in heavenly things 2 nor suffer others to ascribe any thing to us what ever our gifts bee but reserve for God all the praise and honor which is due onely to him so the Apostles did Acts. 3. 12. 16. 2 His fidelity in his service 1 to his Lord in that he yeeldeth to him the honor of illumination and that it is his prerogative to reveale his pleasure from heaven to whom he will and open the heavens to whom he will and open the minds of whom he please and to leave without vision whom he will and as for himselfe he had never seene this vision had he not seene it in heaven and if God in heaven who onelie can foresee and foretell things had not revealed it to him Vse To teach us that for all heavenly visions and inspirations wee must seeke
unto God and depend upon the illumination of his Spirit for mediate revelation as Iohn did for immediate And for the understanding of this vision use the meanes but not rest in them but pray him whose chaire is in heaven to teach the heart Naturall gifts of knowledge may bee by naturall helps and meanes attained by naturall men but supernaturall must be by speciall revelation of the holy Ghost the anointing must teach them 1 Ioh 2. 27. 2 To the Church is this holy man faithfull he hath the visions of God but he conceales them not but faithfully imparts them to the Church of God Teaching that All the revealing of mysteries is for the use of the Church Eph. 4. 11 12. Vse 1 Art thou a Minister All the gifts thou hast received are thy Lords Talents for the Church Take heed of hiding them in a napkin but impart them willinglie and conscionablie 2 Art thou a private man All the illumination thou receivest is for others as well as for they selfe to promote the knowledge and feare of God to so manie as thou canst especiallie those under they power Consider here 1 that no member hath any thing impropriate the eye the hand c. 2 that the poorest and privatest Christian that is faithfull in small things shall be ruler of much In heaven In that by heaven is meant the visible Church Note the true members of the Church are in heaven upon earth and in earth have more to doe in heaven then in earth Gal. 4. 26. It is called the Ierusalem which is above Now the Church on earth is above and heavenly two waies 1 In hope and expectation Rom. 1. 23. waiting for the adoption of Sonnes which hath a sweet internall and spirituall yea and an eternall joy like that of heaven in that expectation Rom. 5. 2. we reioyce under the hope of the glory of God and 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom wee have not seene yet wee love him and rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and glorious 2 In conformitie and inchoation beginning that life of heaven and that in respect both of that they are freed from and that they have attained fruition of First the Saints in heaven are fully freed from all evils As in three instances 1. From the world it selfe They have wholly forsaken the world and are gathered up to heaven the house of God and their owne home Even so the Saints on earth have in part forsaken the earth First by election Rev. 14. 3. the hundreth fortie and foure thousand are bought from the earth and living in the world are chosen out of the world Ioh. 15. 19. Secondlie by affection using the world weinedlie as not using it and delighting in earthly comforts not as their owne but as borrowed for a time Thirdly in habitation they dwell in the world as in a Meshec not as indwellers or inhabitants but as strangers and pilgrims absent from home Fourthly in conversation they meddle no more with the world then needs must and in the midst of their earthly callings and business are still heavenly minded 2 The Saints in heaven are fully freed from all the corruptions of the world loosed from all the bolts and relicts of sinne being delivered out of the prison of the body So the Saints upon earth have after a sort changed their lives and renounced the corruptions that are in the world through lust and put on a divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. They have a part in the first resurrection already and have bid a long farewell to the follies of their former times and hate and lothe their owne unfruitfull works of darknes in which they were sometimes chiefe actors 3 The Saints in heaven are finally separate from wicked persons and companies never to be mingled or molested with them any more So the Saints in earth with-draw themselves from the company of scandalously wicked men where they can neither do any good nor take any And whereas before their calling they could runne with them to the same riot of excesse now is no communion betweene light and darkness nay all their delight now is in the Saints which excell in vertue and no such griefe as to live with Lot in Sodom or with David in Meshec Secondly in the good things which the Saints in heaven are called to enjoy there is an excellent conformitie and inchoation here upon earth and the saints have in hand the first fruits of heaven Rom. 8. 23. as 1 Their chiefe happinesse in heaven is to behold the face of God and see him as he is as they wold his name being written on their foreheads Rev. 22. 4. Their chiefe joy and wellsprings are all in him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy So the chiefe joy of the Saints on earth is that they have fellowship with God though not so immediate as they They see not his face but his backe parts But happy are they that they can see him through grates as they can though not yet as he is as they wold For this vision wants not an heavenly joy while they are at home in the body although that fulnesse of joy at his right hand be wanting till they be at home with the Lord. And what they want in the things is supplied in the desire to be with him that they may see his glory and behold him face to face and so as they may be like him 2 As the Saints in heaven live according to the Law of perfect righteousnesse and have attained perfect sanctification which is the Law and Charter of heaven so the Saints on earth set the same Law before them to rule and direct every particular action by both ayming and wishing that all their waies were directed by the word Psal. 119. 5. and beginne the same obedience waighing al they take in or give out by the waights of the sāctuary which God hath sealed for just 3 The saints in heaven spend their whole eternitie in the cheerefull constant and perfect praise of God They keepe a perpetuall Sabbath and in the presence of the throne of God serve him night and day in his temple Rev. 7. 15. so the saints in earth imitate them For 1. they delight to be found among true worshippers and account them blessed that may dwell in his house esteeming one day there better then a thousand besides Psa. 84. 10. 2 They strive to bring free will offerings to God and to make their pleasing of God their principall delight and in the midst of many weaknesses they make some progresse to the cheerefull praise and worship of God And this not by fits and starts but in a sincere true and constant endeavour through their lives most fruitfull in their age 4 The Saints in heaven being in immediate fellowship with Iesus Christ cleave inseparably unto him as their head love him in the highest degree of affection and follow the Lambe
life that she might cleave unto him alone saying For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and clcâ—ve to his wife and they two shal be one flesh Gen. 2. 24 Even so when God saw that after mans fall it was lesse good for him to be alone he institutes for him a second marriage with the second Adam whom he casts asleepe by death and brings his spouse out of his side peirced and marries the Church unto him that renouncing and forsaking all loves and lovers but him she migh cleave undividedly to him And that now as Salomons spouse we might forget our owne people and fathers house seeing the true Salomon hath vouchsafed to marrie us Gentiles to himselfe and to lay us by his owne side from whence we were taken Quest. How must wee cleave to Iesus Christ Answ. Three waies 1. In person First the wife dedicates and delivers up her person to her husband alone so beleevers must deliver up their bodies and soules to Iesus Christ for now we are no longer our owne but his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Secondly a faithful spouse as a chaste virgin is married but to one man 2 Cor. 11. 2. Thirdly Christ communicates his whole person unto us and us onely no other are admitted into his body he gives his life for his sheepe onely prayes not for the world Fourthly Christ as a faithfull husband leaves father in heaven and mother in earth to cleave to his wife and therefore we must esteeme him as father mother brother and sister as Adam was to Eve 2 Wee must cleave to Christ in faithfull affection The earnest love delight and affection of the wife must be towards her husband by Gods ordinance Gen 3. 16. Thy desire shall be unto him and to him alone because it is the covenant of God the recognisance of which is kept in heaven that both parties keepe themselves in pure and chast love one to another So must wee as good Spouses love our husband Iesus Christ as our selves nay better then our selves not loving our lives to the death for his sake seeing that his love to us was stronger then death and more to us then to his owne life This loyall love will be loath to offend him and having offended him will not rest till he bee pacified againe 3 Wee must cleave to him in affliction A wife marries her husbands estate as well as his person for better or for worse So we must cleave to Christ in affliction in poverty persecution banishment and beare his reproach The husband and wife must beare one anothers burthen must rejoyce and weepe together If common Christians must doe so amongst themselves much more Christ and the Christian. A Kingdome is promised to such Luke 22 29 30. 2. The wife must depend upon her husband as upon her head and that for three things 1 For direction subjecting her selfe as owing obedience to all his lawfull commandements Gen. 3. 16. he shall rule over thee she must heare his voice and acknowledge a stampe of God upon it in everie thing that is not sinne This is subjection and not to be sicke or sullen or answering or replying when she is crossed in things indifferent It were monstrous in the body if the hand should goe about to direct the eye or the foote rise up to rule the head and they are monstrous wives that covet rule and command whom God hath made to be ruled and commanded and subordinated their wils to the direction and discretion of their husbands Even so the Christian must be subject to Christ in every thing Ephes. 5. 24. She is not worthy the name of a wife that will be subject as far as she list or as makes for her ease Gen. 2. 19. all the Creatures came to Adam to be named by him in token of their subjection and as they so the woman also was named by Adam in token of her subjection that she should never think of the name woman but also conceive her subjection Would to God women did thinke that to lose subjection were to lose woman head In like sort the spouse of Christ hath taken her name of him in token of absolute subjection What can be more proper for a Christian then to frame to all the rules of Christ seeing he is the true light the sunne of right eousnesse the pillar able to direct 2 The wife must depend upon her husband for protection The husband is the vayle of his wifes eyes as Abraham was to Sarah Even so the Churches husband is the saviour of his body Eph. 5. 23. The only Phineas that turnes away the wrath of God kindled against the Israel of God The only Moses that standeth in the gappe where Gods wrath had made a breach Davids wives being taken captives he rescues them 1. Sam. 30 and smites the enemies with an horrible destruction So this Sonne of David and Davids Lord redeemes us his wife out of the hands of our enemies both spirituall as sinne hell death Devill and damnation and corporall also so as though they may exercise yet they shall not hurt his spouse In all our troubles and dangers we must come unto him as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the wing of thy garment over thy hand maid for thou art the Husband 3 The wife must depend on the husband for provision Whom should the wife depend upon for necessaries but on her husband or who must pay the wives debt but the husband so who else but Iesus Christ can suppply the Church with such things as she needs who can bestow pardon of sinne righteousnesse life and salvation but he or who can pay such debts as we owe but he both obedience to the whole Law and satisfaction for the breach of it None but he can satisfie either the principall or forfeiture If any man should maintaine another mans wife the husband being better able then he would not all the world judge them harlots and nought So seeke thou salvation and righteousnesse as the Romish Church doth by any other meanes within or without thy selfe then by the name Iesus thou art an harlot and no spouse of Christ. 3 The wife must rejoyce to honour her husband even with her owne dishonor 1 Cor. 11. 7. the wife is the glory of her husband and so a good Christian is the glory of Christ. Christ rejoyced to honour us with his owne infinite dishonor The joy of heaven pleased him not without our presence fellowship in it All the members honour the head so must wee honour our head though we be losers by it Such a dutifull spouse was Iohn the Baptist who rejoyced because of the Bridegroomes voice Ioh 3. 29. and saith ver 30. He must encrease but I must decrease Such good spouses were the disciples that rejoyced they were counted worthy to be scourged in the Synagogues for the name of Christ and were contented to be fooles for Christ
to thy humanity Ob. 2 But he is an holy head and the righteous God but I want righteousnesse and holinesse How unfit to be contracted to him An. 1 Christ marries not his Church because she is holy but to make her so It is not the condition to marrie her if she be pure or holy but that the may be so Eph 1. 4. 2 Thy righteousnesse is much lesse a cause of this contract but this contract a cause of thy righteousnesse for he decks thee with a glorious robe in sense of thy nakednesse Ob. 3 But alas my desire is not to him as it should how can he then desire or affect me I desire every thing else every thing more An. 1 He seekes and wooeth and chuseth us and not we him 2 Labour thou to know his excellency more by which thou mayest preferre him before al loves and lovers as surpassing them al in true worthines goodnesse and perfection This is a part of the Covenant Ier 31. 34. Ob. 4. But I am base and poore despised among meane men and worthily and how can he affect mee Answ. Be yet more base in thy owne eyes also and say as David 1 Sam. 18 18. What am I that I should be the sonne in Law to the King Hee chuseth none but the abject and calleth himselfe the God of the abject He chuseth the Apostles who were the of-scouring of all things Secondly it answereth all Objections for the discontinuance of our happinesse Ob. 1 From the presence of sinne My sinne may separate betweene him and me Answ. 1 If it could not hinder the contract much lesse the continuance now the guilt is removed 2 Every sinne offends him but every sinne separates not 3 The spouse may sinne of infirmity not of wilful stubbornnesse and therefore may fall but not fall away Ob. 2 The desert of sinne is eternall separation Answ. 1 Hee hath taken the desert on Himselfe 2 Hee punisheth not with bitternesse and extremity who hath commanded husbands not to be bitter to their wives but passeth by many pardons all covers all cures all in his spouse Ier. 31. 34. Isai. 54. 10. Ob. 3. Grace is weake and my sense of righteousnesse little and small if any An. Grace in the elect is weake but perpetuall because the covenant is everlasting Floods of corruption shall not quench this small sparke Cant. 8. 7 Ob. 4 But hee may depart in displeasure Cant. 5. 6. An. 1 For a time and for her good but she finds him againe 2 A man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife and much more will this Lawgiver There can be no desertion on his part Ob. 5 But though he be faithfull I am unfaithful and may depart from him An 1 Neither on her part For she is confirmed in grace which hath a priviledge above that in innocency That was in a possiblity of not sinning but this in a not-possibility of sinning to death 2 He that with his life purchased her happinesse will now by his glorious power preserve it Ob. 6. But outward force and violence may dissolve this marriage at least death may An. 1 The gates of hell cannot prevaile to dissolve this marriage 2 Whom God hath thus inseparably joyned none can put asunder 3 Death which dissolves all other marriages is here overcome and neither party can dye any more the death of Saints being but a going home to their husbands house Vse 1. In afflictions remember thy happinesse is stable 2 In temptation to sin remember thy honor and advancement Cloathed with the Sunne Having described and discovered the person wee come to the properties by which she is described and these are foure The first property is that she is cloathed with the Sunne In which 1 the garment the Sunne 2 the application she is cloathed therewith By Sun is meant Iesus Christ who not seldome is so called in the Scriptures As Psa. 84 11. The Lord is the Sunne and shield Mal. 4. 3. To you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise Quest Why is Christ resembled by the sunne or wherein is he so An. In two respects 1 in his affects and properties within it 2 in his effects and actions without 1 The effects within it are five 1 Vnity There is but one Sunne in the world and but one Sunne of righteousnesse in the Church he is the only begotten Sonne of the Father Ioh 1. 14. No sonne else begotten of the substance of the Father no name else c. 2 Light The sunne is not onely an heavenly light but the fountaine of light and in it selfe a body of most shining and surpassing light So Iesus Christ is light in his essence a light which none can reach an heavenly light the light of the world and in him is no darkenesse Rev 1. 16. his face shineth as the Sunne in his brightnesse 3 Purity The Sunne is a pure creature which lookes upon all inferiour creatures and none can hide them from the sight of this great eye of the world and though it looke upon all filthinesse it contracts none Even so Iesus Christ is purity it self whose all-seeing eye none can avoid for all things are naked to him with whom we are to deale The Aegyptians were wont to call the sunne many-eyed But our Lord disperceth from himselfe on all sides infinite beames of light as so many eyes on all creatures the which if they cannot avoid the view of the sunne of the world much lesse of this Sunne of heaven And yet so pure is this Sunne that living and conversing among sinners he contracted no staine of sinne Although he was borne of sinners living with sinners dyed with and for sinners and as a sinner yet no man could justly accuse him of sin but he remained purer then the sunne 4 Power The sunne is a powerfull creature for though the body of it be in heaven yet the warme and comfortable beames of it reach to the extreame parts of al the earth Even so althogh Iesus Christ be in heavē bodily as being ascēded thither in his flesh yet by his spirit and grace he is present with his Church in all parts of the world to the end of it And as the sunne rising comes forth like a Giant to runne his course and makes haste in his way and no created force can hinder him So this powerful Sun of the Church makes hast in his way to his Church as a mighty Giant cannot be hindred from her by all created power of men and angells united together 5 Participation The sunne is a communicative creature dispersing all his light and comfort to others not onely to terrene Creatures below upon the earth but even to the heavenly and celestiall bodies themselves for all the starres the Moone borrow their light from the sunne Even so Iesus Christ enlighteneth every one comming into the world Ioh.
sound beleever is hereby discerned from all hypocrites and the prophane of the world Secondly how doth this garment differ from other garments Ans. In the 1 efficient 2 matter 3 price 4 vse 5 durance 1 The Author All other garments for the body are made by man but this could onely be made by God and man Hee must be God to performe an infinite righteousnesse and meritorious obedience he must be man for it could not besteed man had it not beene done in the nature of man He must be man to suffer he must be God to overcome See Ezec. 16. 10. I clothed thee 2 The matter and manner All other garments are made of dead creatures God made naked Adam and Eve coats of skinnes of dead beasts Gen. 3 21. But for his soule he made this garment of the life and death of the Sonne of God of his death to make satisfaction of his life to fulfill the law thus for the matter Now for the manner or fashion Other garments are made to the body but we must be fashioned to this our garment Christ must not submit to us but we must frame to him 3 The price Other garments are made either of some homespunne webbe or bought with corruptible things a base vile price in comparison But this is no homespunne piece nor bought with any other price then the precious blood of Iesus Christ nothing in heaven or earth else could buy these costly robes And therefore these robes are said to be made white in the blood of the Lambe Rev. 7. 14. Other blood staines and fowles and dyes red but this blood makes white and purgeth from all sinne 1 Ioh. 1. 7 and makes white as snow Isa. 1. 18. A colour of grace not nature of faith not art 4 The use Other garments may couer our bodily nakednesse but this our spirituall and therefore are called long white robes that need no eching or patching with humane merits or satisfactions for this were absurde to set an old patch on a new garment And for ornament other garments can but adorne the body in mans eyes this beautifies the whole man in Gods eye and makes us as Iacob acceptable to our Father in our Brothers garment The durance They all waxe old and decay Even Israels clothes in the wildernesse by miracle kept from wearing fourty yeares yet afterwards fâ—ll to ragges But this is an ever-new garment for as Christs blood is ever new so is the merit of it But suppose those garments should not yet we waxe old and decay and leave them in earth but this garment we carry to heaven with us which lasts with us to all eternity Herein also it differs from other clothes for those we put on and off at our pleasure but this once put on is put on for ever never to bee put off any more Thirdly how is this woman cloathed with the Sun that is the righteousnesse of Christ more pure and shining then the sunne in his strength Answ. Two wayes 1 On Gods part by his gracious imputation of Christ and his merits unto the true beleever This is a phrase taken from creditors who doe not impute a debt they meane to forgive but account it as discharged though the party be never able to pay it So God doth impute Christs righteousnesse to the beleever and the beleevers sinnes to Christ our surety So as in and by faith in Christ made sinne for us wee are made and reputed no sinners but acquited and freely discharged Rom. 4. 24 25. Abraham beleeved and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and not to him onely but to us that beleeve 2 On mans part by sound application and acceptation I say sound application because application is twofold 1 Sacramentall and by profession onely Gal 3. 17. all that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. And thus in respect of the sacrament and externall profession good and bad may put him on as every man may easily hang a cloak or loose garmeÌ„t upon himselfe 2 Spirituall and by faith also when a man is not only baptized with water but also with the holy Ghost and fire when inward and outward washing goe together A man is then truely said to be clothed when he hath put on all his clothes one peece as well as another And this is Augustines distinction Some put on Christ onely by Sacramentall washing some by spirituall regeneration This is also the Apostles distinction speaking to them that were baptized already Rom. 13 14. But put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ so implying that there was a further putting on of Christ then by the Sacrament Quest. But what is required to this putting on of Christ Answ. There are five graces especially necessary to this clothing of a Christian. 1 The grace of true repentance and mortification which bewrayeth it selfe in two things 1 A sight and most humble sense and sorrow and as Dan. 9. 8 shame for our nakednesse A daily putting off the filthy ragges of our owne sinfull nature and lothsome lusts for this new garment will never come upon our old ragges of sinne Adam casts off his figgeleaves when God makes him coates 2 The grace of speciall faith which justifieth and so incorporateth into Iesus Christ. For what is putting on of clothes but a close knitting and uniting them to the body And what else is our putting on of Christ but a neere union and conjunction with him And therefore the Apostle Gal. 3. makes the putting on of Christ and being in Christ all one ver 27 28. and that this union by adoption is by faith ver 26. Now as the man and his garments are but one man so Christ and the beleever are but one even as he and his Father are but one Ioh. 17. 22. Wouldest thou daily put on Christ as thou daily puttest on thy garments then thou must daily renew and strengthen thy faith for the strengthning of this union 3 The grace of fervent invocation and prayer That Iesus Christ wold cloath himself with our sins that we may be clothed with his righteousness for before we can put on Christ Christ must put on our sinnes and wretchednesse 2. Cor. 5. 21. He made him sinne for us which knew no sinne that wee should bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Hee must bee covered with shame that our shame might bee covered 4 The grace of true sanctification and holinesse Thou canst not put on Christ but thou must put on his graces For 1 Christ is the treasury and store-house of all graces which were in all abundance in the manhood of Christ he is full of grace Ioh 1. 14. 2 Christ and his graces are inseparable so as without putting on of these there is no putting on of Christ his fulnesse supplies us Ioh. 1. 16. 3 Christ is never given for justification but his spirit is given to our sanctification
of her wane of her change 1 Ioh. 2. 18. And now why should we depend as Pliny speaketh of those shelfishes on the Moone subject to all her changes and not rather set up our hearts and thoughts on things certaine and lasting Why follow wee these false lights which serve to no other end but to seduce their followers The ancient nobility of Rome saith Plutarch used to weare Moones on their shooes that by this Embleme of mutability they should not swell with the glory and greatnesse of their estate A shame for Christians who neither observe that place nor use of the Moone Let us conclude that God in mercy hath made them all mutable and Moonelike that we should not rest our hopes and hearts on such restlesse things nor content our selves with things present if we may call those things present which are alwaies passing away and mutable 2 God hath put them under our feet Psal. 8. 6. thou hast set all things under his feet that we should afford them no place above our feet The croppe of the field the fleece of the flocke the treasures of gold and silver the richest mines in the bowels of the earth the costly and precious Iewels and most orient Pearles all are taken from under our feet that wee might still afford them the right place which God and nature have assigned them Indeed if they were fetched out of heaven we might have them in more estimation Oh how would we then admire them that can so advance them which we see fetcht from under our feet If God had made them our Masters what diligent service would we have given them who can be such drudges to our servants 3 God hath not put in them any such worth or value as the world esteemeth If they were of such worth would the Lord cast them as a musse to all good and bad Were they worthy our hearts surely the Lord would give them as the patrimony and portion of his children whereas he would have few of them encombred with much of them Nay he gives them as wages good enough for servants and slaves as the goods which Abraham gave to the children of the bond-women reserving in the meane time the inheritance for Isaack And as the Moone shines and rules in the night so commonly men in the night of sinne have the most because they have onely portion in the world Iob. 12. 6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper and they who provoke God are in safetie whom God hath enriched with his hand Secondly were they so good in themselves as in mens estimation most men good and bad would not be worse for thē as usually they are For as the Moone in the full is furthest distant from the Sun from whom she receiveth her light and brightnesse so men in generall when they are at the full of prosperity are farthest from the author of it For evill men who are worse by every thing no marvaile if riches be reserved for their hurt What marvaile is it that a spider turnes all to poyson that a wicked man abuseth his ease and prosperity to slay himselfe by them Prov. 1. 32. So wanton children sit and play with fire till they burne themselves Hence is it that commonly they who have most rule over other have the least over themselves and the richest Misers in goods are emptiest of true riches And even good men themselves too often resemble the Moone they can no sooner be full and prosperous in the world but presently admit a decay and wane of their light and decrease in graces Good David in his chase and low estate was as a dead dog in his owne eyes and very mercifull to spare the life of his deadly enemie when he was in his hands But in his full and glory he was not content with all the royalties of his kingdome unlesse Ioab number his people and tell him how many he may command 2 Sam. 24. 2. And now in stead of sparing his enemie he kills his most trusty friend and faithfull servant Vriah Good Hezekiah in his wane and sicknesse was praying weeping confessing and humbling himselfe but in his recovery and health as in his full he is shewing and boasting and priding himselfe in his wealth and treasure which cost him deare This is the case of many private Christians who in their low estate were humble conscionable in hearing reading praying now the world comes on them they are in the full and all in gone And no marvaile seeing even the Church herselfe this woman now clothed with the sunne beganne to decline from her virgin integrity and departing from her Sunne made way to Antichrist when pride pompe ambition and wealth came in request Now she set the Moon above her head till the Sun with his glorious light tooke his leave in which darknesse those famous Churches sit at this day Quest. How may I know whether I have the Moone under my feete or the Moone hath me under foote 1 A note of him that is a drudge and slave of the world not gotten above the Moone is to tread the Sunne that is Christ himselfe under his feet that despiseth the Gospell cares not for his merits for the promises especially the conditions of faith repentance obedience He dotes upon the Moone Christ is a tastlesse name till his soule be a tearing out of his body he will part with nothing lose nothing for Christ. If the Moone be bright the Sunne is set 2 He can treade Gods worship under foote whence the Scripture cals the worldling an Idolater Col. 3. 5. for the service of God and the world can never stand together He that hath the Moone on his head serves another God then doth the true worshipper he sacrificeth as the old Idolaters to the Queene of heaven and not to the God of heaven and behold the Moon walking in her brightnesse Oh how weary is he till the Sabbath be over what a burthen is the time of Gods service What a tedious time is the new Moone and when will it be gone that we may sell wheate and returne to the service of the old Moone Amos 8. 5 3 He can tread religion under his feet and will if occasion be offered For till the moone be under foot he will enjoy the world and by all meanes eschew the crosse he will not suffer persecution for his religion but if the sword be but shaken he wil revolte from his religion Mat. 13. 21. as soon as tribulation comes by by it withers The love of the world hath alwaies been a cause of revolt The love of the world hath made many in these dayes revolt before tribulation come The rumor of trouble is enough to these moonemongers to discharge warne away their religion 4 The wise worldling in whose heart the moone is not set because he knowes not which religion may prevaile will set up the Sunne and moone both together and make an
be in an infinite distance So when a company or congregation of men consent in Apostolicall doctrine and allow this doctrine to be the guide of all businesses and matters of faith and manners here is a Church crowned and this crowne may be discerned by all neare and farre off Wherein the Crowne of the Church being a Crowne of starres differs and gets beyond the glory of all earthly crownes These may be seene on the heads of Princes neere hand but not farre off But this being a crowne of starres may be seene a farre off as the starres may And yet so surpassing glorious is the crowne of the Church that as a whole starre and the glory of it can never be seene with humane eye no more can the glory and crowne of the Church Whereof as in the starres that which we see of them is in no proportion to that which we see not nor yet can see 4 To note a difference betweene Christs carrying of the starres and the Churches carrying of them Hee beares them in his right hand chap. 2. 1. as their Lord their disposer and defender But she in the Crowne of her head as her chiefe ornament 1 The Apostles and ministers are as Starres in the Firmament of the Church Dan. 12. 3. and Rev. 1. 20. The reasons of this doctrine are foure 1 Starres are in high place the Apostles and Pastors are in highest place in the Church of the New Testament Ephes. 4. 11. above Cardinals Patriarches and Priors Popes and the greattitles of Antichristian offices unknowne to the Scripture 2 Starres are the brightest part of the firmament so are the Apostles and pastors of the Church the brightest parts and shine or should shine clearest in the heaven of the Church 3 Starres receive all their light from the Sunne so these have no light of their owne but receive all their light from Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1. 1 That which we have heard and seene c. 1 Cor. 11. 16. What I have received of the Lord. 4 Starres have not light imparted to them for themselves but to carry light unto others so the office of the Apostles and Pastors is to convey spirituall light to men on earth living in the darke night of ignorance and error Which they doe partly by the light of holy doctrine and partly by their lightsome and unblamable conversation Ministers being called starres must resemble starres 1 In humilitie Many things in starres teach it As First starres of great magnitude shew but small The Star shewes ten thousand times lesse then it is How is he like a Star that makes ostentation of all perhaps more then is in him Secondly they receive all from the Sunne so the Minister hath received all Thy gifts are the Lords Talents if thou hast received them why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received them Thirdly in their most swift motion they seeme to move very slow So must the godly Minister in all his course be more active then seeming doing his duty reserving all the praise to God Fourthly the Starres the nearer the Sunne the lesse is their shine so the Minister who comes nearer to God then ordinary men the nearer he comes to God the more humble he ought to be as Iohn Baptist He must increase and I must decrease Why should the Starres pride themselves seeing the Sunne from whom they receive all was so humbled that being the Lord of all was yet servant of all This duty he specially commended to his followers Learne of me for I am humble and hath shewed us the way to be great in the house not ambitiously with Diotrephes seeking preheminence but to become the least and lowest is to become greatest 2 In stabilitie both in their direction and motion both in holy doctrine and conversation If the starres were not fixed in their orbes but erred and wandred up and downe uncertainly how could the passengers by sea or land be directed by them So if the Ministers be wandring starres as Jude 13. in their doctrine unstable as reeds and wavering with every blast and storme of times that their word is this yeare yea the next nay or suppose their doctrine be the same yet if in their life they walke crookedly and disorderly sorting with base and evil men in their evils and licenciously fashioning to the loose humours of men and times how can the passengers to heaven take direction from them With what certaintie and assurance can he strengthen others that himselfe is a wavering minded man unstable in all his waies 3 In fidelitie and stedfastnesse in their places The starres abide in the heavens and descend to the earth So the Minister above all other must have his conversation in heaven and shunne earthlinesse and covetousnesse as rocks For how can he lead men to heaven that himselfe cannot be gotten out of earth Many shooting starres there are that are alwaies gliding from place to place posting after benefits insatiably and when they have gotten them as little intend the office as some secular men such all the world sees the world is all they seeke So they may finger the fleece the glebe the tythe let the flocke starve and sinke to hell and so they and their money and their people perish together 4 In unitie and concord One star differs from another in glory in shining and in luster one much excels another in beauty and brightnesse some are of the first and second magnitude some of the fifth and sixth yet all agree one envies not another nor hinders another so the Ministers have diversities of gifts in this life and this makes them of divers judgements but yet ought not to be adverse in affection in action None of the greater or higher Starres are proud none envious none spitefull against another none study how to crosse anothers motion If they should runne one against another or crosse one anothers motion the world would fall to confusion Such tumults and confusions like a dreadfull earthquake have wee seene in the Churches by the dissentions and hatefull proceedings of these Starres one against another forgetting themselves to bee Starres Brethren Ministers or Christians Many such Starres were in the Apostles dayes that shined and preached Christ of envy against such as preach him of good will 5 In constancy and continuance in their office The Starres never deny their light to men nor are ever weary of their motion though infinitely swift Ministers must never deny their light but freely enlighten others never be weary of doing their duty never fall to idlenesse and lazinesse much lesse cast off their callings remembring the wo denounced on him that preacheth not or doth it negligently A lamentable thing that any preferment should choake a Preacher or that he should do lesse worke the more wages he receiveth No earthly occasion hinders the starres either motion or shining Motives
many shall be borne in her The Church typed by Salomons wife hath in stead of parents children whom she maketh Princes in all lands Psa. 45. 16. Cant 7. 2. The navell of the Church is described to be as a round bowle or cup and as a heap of wheat hedged about with Lillies A bowle or cuppe never wanting sweet and gracious liquor A round bowle a capacious figure in signe of fruitfulnesse and equally affected as a round figure to fruitfulnesse on every side Which fruit is to God as precious and fragrant as an heape of wheate hedged about with Lillies Cant. 1. 15. the spouse hath made her bed ready for the sweet embraces of her bridegroome and professeth that her bed is greene for two causes First because of the flourishing of it It must be a greene bed in which Christ himselfe resteth and delighteth It flourisheth with peace There is quiet rest in a pure and peaceable conscience there is in that bed and heart a sweet repose Secondly because of the fruitfulnesse of it It is ever greene by many children daily begotten and borne unto God This doctrine is strengthened by three reasons 1 Because she is the Mother of all beleevers Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all that is all the elect and beleevers whether in heaven or earth Hence her name is Catholike first in respect of all ages secondly all places thirdly all kindes of persons And therefore it is that the number of her children are numberlesse Rev. 7. 9. I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations kinreds people and tongues stood before the throne with long white roabes and palmes in their hands 2 Shee must needs be a fruitfull mother who is mother to all the Sonnes and Children of God according to that auncient saying Wheresoever God is the father the Church is the Mother so that Not borne of the Church not borne of God And who but she is Mother to all that innumerable company of Saints in earth and in heaven For there is no entrance into that Jerusalem which is above but by that Jerusalem which is from above 3 She must be a fruitfull Mother that doth perpetually bring forth children from the beginning to the end of the world For as Christ is an everlasting Father so hath he an everlasting issue The faithfull are called the seed of Christ begotten by the travell of his soule Isa. 53. 10 11. in whom his dayes are prolonged here upon earth and himselfe being personally in heaven yet continues here in earth to the end of the world in this heavenly propagation Seeing then this is an ever-childing mother that never growes old we may conclude that never was any so fruitfull Never to content our selves with our first birth of our naturall Mother unlesse we be borne againe of this Mother For 1 Naturall birth suppose it never so royall or noble is but of mortall and corruptible seed but this is of seed incorruptible and immortall 2 Naturall birth is from the first Adam in sinne this is from the second Adam in righteousnesse 3 By the first birth we dye because we come of them that have dyed but by this we are quickned never to dye more 4 Naturall birth can onely advance to a naturall happinesse but this to a supernaturall and heavenly 5 By the first birth thou art an heyre of hell and till thou art borne againe canst never see the kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. by this second to an heavenly inheritance unfading reserved in the heavens 6 The first birth never so glorious and royall shall rot in dust and consume with time this because it is of an immortall seed shall never fayle but persevere to all eternity when time shall be no more Nay further stand not upon it that thou art borne within the Church no nor of Christian parents for it is nothing to be a Jew without if not within it is nothing to be in the Church unlesse thou be of the Church it is nothing to be the seed of Christians unlesse thou be the seed of Christ. The birth of Ismael was as good for parentage as Isaacks both from Abraham But get good assurance that thou art borne of this Mother in which is more honour and comfort then to be the Sonne of an Empresse If thou wouldest be assured of the inheritance get good assurance of thy legitimation for the sonne of the bond woman shall not inherit with the sonne of the free woman Wouldst thou be assured of safetie in dangers and protection in perillous times be sure thou know and acknowledge thy Mother that under her wing and in her lappe thou maiest rest securely seeing that out of the true Church as out of the Arke is no safetie no salvation Qu. How may wee come to know this Mother to be our Mother that we may have comfort of our new and heavenly birth An. The true knowledge of this woman stands in two generals I. To know her the true Mother and spouse of Christ in her selfe II. To know her to be also our Mother 1 The former is so much the more necessary because the Church of Rome not onely a stepmother but a professed harlot challengeth herselfe to be this woman and the Mother of this living child and by fifteene notes as arguments alleadged by her deare sonne Bellarmine De notis Ecclesiae obtrudeth herselfe as the Mother of all beleevers in the new Testament I am not at leasure to unloose all the bundle which perhaps he thought would prevaile by their number if there should be no weight found in them but I wil onely mention the first five and by them we shall easily discerne the rest Bellarmine his first note that the Romish Church is the true Mother is because she is called every where Catholike But this is a false note For 1 A consequence holdeth not from being named to being Christ was called a Demoniacke and Impostor must he therefore be so Rev. 3. 9. Many call themselves Jewes and are not And chap. 2. 2. Some say they are Apostles and are not 2 What where the Churches in the Prophets and Apostles dayes as Jerusalem Corinth Galatia Ephesus Were they not true Churches yet were they never called Catholike 3 They onely thus style themselves because saith the Father Never was there any heresi which did not desire to be accounted and to seeme Catholike But falsely for two reasons 1 Because they have departed from the Catholike faith 2 Because it is but a particular Church if so much and can no more be catholike then a finger can bee a hand or a hand a man True it is that the true Churches doe call them Catholike but how onely Ironically and so that note endeth either in a jest or Irony His second note is Antiquitie which is as deceitfull as the other
purity faith rather than enjoy the pompe and glory of the world by waxing wanton against Christ Hence note The true Church is not alwayes conspicuous visible and glorious to the world but may be hid obscured and oppressed So was the Church of God in Aegypt thrust out into the wildernesse than which no place is more solitary none more free from the pompe and glory of the world What glory and visibility had the Church in Elias time when hee complained that hee was left alone his life was sought so that hee was faine to flie into the wildernesse to save his life yet were there seven thousand that bowed not their knee to Baal What glory and visibility had the true Church in the Babylonish captivity being compared to dead bones dryed and scattered in the open field Ezek. 37. 2 What visibility had it in the death of Christ when the shepheard being smitten the sheepe were scattered or after his ascention when all the earth worshipped the Beast Rev. 13. 12 Because the Church is a selected company called out of the world a little flocke Iohn 15. 9 as a Parke of God paled in from the waste of the world hortus conclusus Cant. 4. 12. the Garden and Paradise of God wherein wilde beasts may not enter Now God hath put such a distance and enmity betweene them as that the blinde world neither can nor will abide to see her but to chase her out from her how can the world see her that is called out of the world The true Church is such a body as is not alwayes visible to mans eye suppose good men even Elias himselfe for it is Gods onely priviledge to know who are his the foundation being in Gods election and the union spirituall The Churches desert and merit abusing peace and prosperity driveth her here into the wildernesse maketh the Lord strip her naked and set her as in the day she was borne and not onely sendeth her into the wildernesse but maketh her as a wildernesse and leaveth her as a drie land as Hosea 2. 3. The Churches safety as Elias to bee safe was sent into the wildernesse so here the Church provideth for her safety in evill times by flying into the wildernesse Hence is showne hatred to the Dove of Christ dwelling in the Rocke Cant. 2. 19. that is as the Doves by the Kites or Hawkes are chased into the Clifts and Rockes to hide them so the Dove of Christ. The militant condition of the Church in the world suffereth her not alwayes to bee conspicuous and visible neither is shee tyed to any one estate or any one place Not to one estate being compared to the Moone which is sometimes in full sometimes in waine sometimes shining and sometimes hid and not seene and to the Arke tossed with waves and billowes sometimes aloft and presently downe againe in the deepes and to the ship in which Christ was a sleepe so ready to sinke as the Disciples crie Lord save us and this is the continuall estate of the Church in the troublesome sea of this world The Mirtle trees in the bottome Zach. 1. 8. Neither to any certaine place whether Rome or Antioch or Hierusalem but forced oft-times to change her seate as well as her state and tossed hither and thither as 1 Cor. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee have no dwelling place Heb. 11. Hence are the Papists confuted who 1. Affirme the Catholike Church to be a visible company of men under one visible head for what visible head hath the Church in the wildernesse 2 Denying that ever their Church fled into the wildernesse or that ever she disappeared from the world wherein they plainly deny her to be the true Church and this no other who fled into the wildernesse and if their doctrine bee true that the Church must ever bee as a City on a hill the spirit must bee false and the Scriptures which affirme shee must flie into the wildernesse from the fury of Antichrist The Papists object many things against our doctrine but how impertinently and vainely will appeare if we set downe the right state of the question betweene us both in their tenents and in ours 1. They say that the Catholike Church which hath alwayes continued hath beene alwayes visible now would I to beate out their meaning aske what is the triumphant Church in heaven visible or by what glasse or spectacle can they see that glorious company of Prophets Apostles Patriarkes Martyrs and Saints which is the chiefe part of the Catholike Church as Heb. 12. 23. Or is their Church in purgatory visible when two chiefe parts of it by their doctrine are invisible and the other part in earth but a handfull to them Well then they must meane the militant Catholike Church which is a speech absurd enough for as one halfe can never be the whole so cannot the militant Church be Catholike no more than a finger can be a hand or a hand the body or perhaps they would have us beleeve two Catholike Churches whereas our Creed teacheth us to beleeve but one But we will take their meaning namely that God hath alway a Church consisting of a great multitude as conspicuous to the world as any earthly kingdom part whereof and alwayes the head shall bee visible at Rome and the rest visibly subject to the Bishop of Rome Now what we hold concerning the point I will propound in sundry conclusions and then examine some of their chiefe arguments By the Church which wee hold invisible wee meane the Church mentioned in the Creed which is but one and Catholike even the multitude of all elect which are or were or ever shall be and to this company all they and onely they whether they be in the way or in the Countrey doe belong For we beleeve according to our Creed that the Church is holy and no wicked person belongeth unto it and that it is a communion of Saints onely to which belongeth remission of sinnes and life everlasting and we cannot but wonder that Papists who mumble up so many Creeds should so fondly hold that the Catholike Church should consist of good bad for are the wicked the body of Christ as they say the Church is or is not Christ the Saviour of his body If wicked and reprobates are the body of Christ why then are they not saved This Catholike Church we say is invisible to the world for 1. Gods election the ground and foundation of it is invisible 2. The greatest part of elect are not subject to sense not the Saints in heaven neither many true beleevers on earth nor numbers of the elect not yet borne or borne againe 3. Visible things are not beleeved but invisible faith is of things not seene and if wee beleeve the holy Catholike Church we cannot see it Now every Popish argument must either prove this to bee visible which none of them doe or they touch not us
to inlarge the dragons dominions and leavy a band against Michael by corrupting and â—educing as many as they can they would have all as they bee swearers drunkards prophane and loose but they defie all the host of Michael as Goliah all the Host of Israel Scribes and Pharises will compasse sea and land to get a proselyte and if the wicked can get in one that hath a little begun a shew of goodnesse to make him drunke as they be or abet their lewd courses they triumph as much as the Philistims when they conquered Sampson Doe gracelesse men perpetually fight against Christ what marvell to see men runne on to the extremity of sin to heare and see cursed blaspemers adulterers murderers drunkards and â—ailers no marvell if some dare openly pleade against the conscionable observation of the Lords day â—f some openly disclaime religious exercises openly cast downe godly Ministers for 1. Is it strange for the devill and his Angels to sin in hainous manner 2. Is it marvell that hee that marcheth after the devill should goe on to things unreasonable 3. Is there any other expectation from wicked Angels whose hearts Satan-fils as Iudas and worketh effectually in them 4. Thinke wee their Generall will be so modest and moderate as to sticke at any height of impiety and they being bound must they not obey being captives must they not bee ruled at his will must not every subject bee for his owne Prince and kingdome Are all these enemies so infinite in power number wrath plots against our peace and salvation Learne 1. Not to stand idle are our enemies in continuall fight and action and must wee be bound to peace if wee now bestirre our selves against them must we be counted unpeaceable and turbulent indeed if our enemies would hold their hands so might wee But what a plotte of the dragon is this that while he and his Angels are at fight and in action we under a title of peace worse than warre must not stirre for our Lords right or our owne safety but we have learned that politicall axiom Hostem si agere sinas confirmas Eliubs rebuke I know the pride of thy heart must not stop Davids going out against Goliah 2. Having so many enemies against us wee need not fight against our selves or our owne side Quest. How doe we that Ans. 1. By sinne against conscience when our consciences our brazen wall shall bee taken away from us by them and take their part in accusation and wounding us 2. By security and impenitency in sinne the peace of the strong man 3. By excusing and defending sinne in stead of condemning them or our selves for them 4. By stepping out of our way and calling by which we strip our selves of our owne strength and helpe of the good Angels Vers. 8. But they prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven Having spoken of the battell and armies which have joyned issue one against another now in this verse we shall see the successe and to which side the victory falleth The verse expresseth two things 1. That the dragon and his forces cannot prevaile 2. That hee is mightily prevailed against so that his place is found no more in heaven For the first Whereas the dragon by himselfe and his tyrannicall agents the heathen Emperors intended to keep under the Lord of glory chase out of the world the memory and mention of Christianity and hold the world under idolatry blasphemy and heathenish worshipping of idols and devils in stead of God and his blessed Sonne yet could they not prevaile For as the Sonne of God was mightily raised from the dead and had now taken his place at the right hand of his Father so must he for ever hold his place those usurped titles of Deity must now cease and those excessively exalted powers of heathen Emperours advanced against him must now be broken to pieces and deposed now Christ must be proclaimed in the preaching of the Gospell King of his Church and God blessed for ever now Michael and his Angels Christian Emperours faithfull Pastors holy Martyrs and Professors are in the field have wonne the field with an unresistible power against which the dragon and all his Angels could not prevaile The note is this the dragon and his Angels though never so likely can never prevaile against Michael and his Angels Pharaoh was in great likelihood to have prevailed against Israel having them at such a straite and if wise working or power would have done it he wanted neither but he neither did nor could prevaile Haman was in a faire way to have prevailed against all the Iews wheÌ„ he had the letters of death sealed with the broad seale and Posts sent forth but in the issue the dragon prevailed not The Jewes seemed to have prevailed against Michael himself when they had coÌ„demned killed and buried him laid a great stone on him set a watch about him and sealed the grave they thought they had made all sure that they should never have heard more of him but they prevailed not he rose againe gloriously notwithstanding all their policie and power Looke any way a cloud of strong reasons doth compasse us to perswade this truth If we looke upwards unto God wee see in him five things against all or any of which the dragon cannot prevaile as 1. His power who is stronger than all and none can take any out of his hands Iohn 10. 28. Principalities and powers may be potent but hee is Omnipotent and mighty to save 2. His promise that he will not suffer his elect to be tempted above that they are able to beare that hee will adde to every temptation a gracious issue and that hee will shortly tread the dragon even underfeet Rom. â—6 20. 3 His wisedome for hee hath an eye to foresee all dangers an eare to heare all counsels an heart to understand all devices and reach beyond all enemies to turne all their counsels into folly 4. Affection and love so as no curse can prevaile against his people Deut. 23. 5. the Lord would not hearken unto Balaam because the Lord loved thee This love will bring us into the good land through all enemies 5. Protection He is a wall of fire round about Jerusalem A strong tower is the name of the Lord that cannot be scaled a Buckler that cannot be pierced a shield that cannot be broken a rocke that cannot be entred a mighty fortresse that can never be surprised Now were the dragon onely to encounter us weake creatures he could not but prevaile but hee must first prevaile against the power promise wisedome affection and protection of God himselfe before hee can prevaile against us and therefore all is safe Againe if wee looke at our Leader and Generall we have in him five things which make us unconquerable for 1. He is that little stone that breakes to pieces the iron clay gold and silver all Monarches
more place in the Church to domineere and tyrannize against the Saints as they had done but they are now conquered and expulsed out of heaven Quest. 3. What conquest was this or when was it obtained Ans. The conquest of Michael against the dragon was 1. Generall 2. Speciall The former was when before this time the dragon was most powerfully conquered 1. By the death of Christ spoyling all principalities and powers 2. By his powerfull resurrection thereby conquering and triumphing over sinne death hell Satan the world the grave c. 3. By the powerfull preaching of the Apostles in the conversion of the world to Christ. 4. By the profession confession and Martyrdome of the Apostles themselves whereby the most potent tyrants were convicted and subdued This generall overthrow is not here properly meant but a speciall victory and overthrow of some speciall dragons that rose up afterward to waste the Church because this is a prophesie after S. Iohns time the proper interpretation and accomplishment whereof is plentifully cleared in Ecclesiasticall History For 1. What place had the dragon in the Church when those fierce Tyrants and tygers those imperiall dragons Nero Domitian Dioclesian Trajan and the other who shed a sea of Christian blood to abolish the very name of Christ were miserably destroyed and extinct by foule and fearefull deaths and destructions and some of them as Iulian the Apostate being wounded to death blasphemed with extreme fury cryed with his bowels and blood in his own hands Vicisti Galileae 2. What place had the dragon in the Church when noble Constantine had slaine those foure savage Tyrants and Monsters Maximinus Maxentius Licinius and Maximinian and became the great Protector of Christian faith and to signifie that now the dragon was overcome not without Gods speciall Providence he set up upon the gates of his Palace his owne picture with a dragon lying slaine under his feet and a Dart thrust through him as Eusebius reports which is a plaine demonstration of the accomplishment of this Prophesie 3. What place had the dragon in the Church when by the free preaching of the Gospell by orthodox Pastors and Bishops the Idols and heathen gods were cast downe their worship abolished their Temples destroyed Paganisme was turned into Christianisme and Christs Kingdome grew so fast as that it was received through the world in the places and countries where the dragons had formerly cast it out 4. What place had the dragon in heaven when those innumerable droaves of Heretikes such as Valentinus Basilides Manes Marcion Photinus and especially Arrius who had infected the whole world and other most deadly enemies to Christs person natures and offices were first wounded and smitten and condemned with the sword of the Spirit the hammer of heresies and after with the hand of God upō them in miserable and wretched deaths as Histories are plentifull in observation Thus have wee seene the truth of this Prophesie when and how the dragon and his Angels were cast out of heaven and their place was found no more Quest. 4. How can it be said that the dragons place was no more found in heaven seeing he returnes againe and renewes his warre against the woman vers 13. and 17 Answ 1. Our Saviour in Iohn 12. 31. saith The Prince of the world is cast out and so the death of Christ hath cast him out of possession so as although hee may come to claime yet never to possesse 2. He may come to assault the Church molest the woman but never to dispossesse her of her heavenly happinesse all the dammage he brings her is but nibling at her heele he cannot reach her head Ioh. 14. 30 The Prince of the world came against Christ but found nothing in him that is had no power no advantage against him and so it is in proportion with the members 3. Hee may shew himselfe in temptations and in raising horrible and hidious persecutions as at this day but without all power or hope of prevailing He comes not to stand to it if hee bee resisted nor to overcome in the issue but to be overcome and at last so fully overcome as his place shall never bee found in heaven nor in the Church but shall be bound fast in chaines of blacke and hellish darknesse for ever Doctr. Note hence that all the enemies of the Church shall bee finally destroyed so as their place shall bee no more found Iob. 20. 7. The wicked shall perish for ever like his dung and the eye that hath seene him shall say where is hee Psal. 37. 10. 36. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee and He flourished as a greene Bay-tree but hee passed away and loe hee was gone I sought him but he could not be found For why 1. Gods curse takes hold on them and is too strong for them Genes 12. 3. I will curse them that curse thee This curse cuts off First their persons Psal. 37. 38. They that are cursed of God shall bee cut off Secondly their plots counsels hopes aymes and wishes as in the same place The end of the wicked shall be cut off and frustrate Thirdly their present jollity even in this life often the curse meets them in every corner as the Angell with his sword did Balaam so in Pharaoh Haman Iudas Iulian and almost all tyrants and heretikes came to lamentable destruction Fourthly alwayes their hoped happinesse in the life to come for as GOD hurles the wicked man out of his place in earth so hee sends him into his own place as is said of Iudas that he may dwell for ever in the place of his iniquitie Iob 8. 4. 2. Gods justice pursueth and hunteth the wicked man to destruction let him seeke never so many muses and burrows of craft and policie to hide himselfe in the Lords revenge followes him step by step till it overtake him 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them that trouble you Achan troubleth all Israel and the Lord troubleth Achan Ioshua 7. 25. the enemie makes the Saints drinke the cup of affliction but they taste but the top which is medicinable but the Lords justice reserves for him the dregs and bottome of his cup of wrath for poison they chase the Saints unjustly out of the earth with a sea of sorrow but the Lord justly casts them out of earth and heaven into a bottomelesse sea of everlasting wrath 3. They must bee covered with shame that warre with Sion Psal. 129. 5. First because she being Gods owne Spouse and delight hee accounteth her cause to be his her sufferings his her enemies his and cannot but out of love and jealousie avenge her quarrels and execute vengeance on her adversaries Deut. 32. 43. Secondly because her sonnes are the blessed seed If Mordecai be the seed of the Jewes Haman shall fall before him and make no
aske it of God Iam. 1. David prayeth God to turne Achitophels wisedome into foolishnesse and so it was God onely can make us wiser then this our enemy therefore as a child the weaker it feeles it selfe the faster hold it layes on the hand of the father so let us on our heavenly Father 3. By sticking to the Word Psalm 119. 24. make that the man of our counsell which onely can make us wise to salvation By this David was wiser then the ancient then the counsellers By this all the serpents stratagems are discovered and diverted 4. Grow up in the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome This stands not in contemplation but operation rectifying the minde affections actions and is nothing but an upright endeavour to please God in all things A good understanding have all they that do thereafter II. Against the sting poyson and biting of this serpent 1. Let us looke to the brazen Serpent Christ that wee may be both healed and saved No other sight but this can ease us not gold not silver not lands nay not heaven it selfe without Christ nothing but Christs blood The Israelites must bee cured onely by looking the Christian by beleeving 2. A speciall preservative is prayer The policie of the weesell is that knowing the serpent will set upon her and that hee cannot abide the sent of Rue which wee call herbe-grace shee runnes and eates of that herbe and so the sent of it drives off the serpent so wee being sure to be set upon by the serpent who is too strong for us must runne to this herbe-grace and let our dayly and fervent prayer be as Rue against him Thus are wee taught to prevent temptation by praying not to be led into it 3. Daily apply the vertue and power of Christs death to the cure of thy sinne The Harts horne burnt is of power to drive away the serpent and a good antidote against his poison Christ is this Hart or Hinde his horne is the power of his death this horne burnt or parched on the crosse with his Fathers wrath is the onely antidote against the malignity of Sathan III. Against his satanicall opposition and enmity be sure to get God thy friend if God bee with thee Jesus Christ for thee the Spirit of God within thee who can be against thee Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us And if Christ be dead and risen for thee who can lay any thing to thy charge verse 33. 34. Now God is with thee so long as thou art with him for hee leaveth not those who have not left him first IV. Against his accusation get 1. The testimony of thy conscience excusing thee that no sinne is unrepented 2. Corin. 11. 12. 2. The testimony of the Spirit that thou art the Lords and in Jesus Christ and then is no condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. The Lords justification of thy uprightnesse Iob 1. By fearing God and departing from evill This of the names The second argument by which the Dragon is described is his effect that hee seduceth or deceiveth the whole world where foure things for opening the words I. What is it to seduce Answ. In proper speech it is to mislead or draw a man aside from the right way into some by-way and is a Metaphor taken from travellers or passengers who being ignorant of the right way are led aside into error and wrong wayes Thus the dragon after the way of God had beene propounded to the world in the preaching of the Gospell and Jesus Christ had beene published the onely Way by whom wee can come to the Father by all meanes would shut up this way to heaven and did draw aside the world from the true worship of God to idolatry and false worship of idols and heathen gods and from the embracing of Christian religion to Paganisme and Heathen rites so as the very name of Christ should be extinct if it were possible This is the seduction of the dragon which he incessantly labours in as the participle of the present tense noteth even a perpetuall action of drawing men from the way of truth to errour and false religion II. The persons that are seduced are the whole world alluding to his generall seduction and surprising of all mankinde in our first parents as also the generall corrupting of true religion in the daies of Noah when all flesh had corrupted their wayes and were destroyed by the deluge But by the whole world or earth are meant the reprobates or earthly minded men who intended the world and minded earthly things with contempt of heavenly These were the dragons prey for their multitude called the whole earth For first it is not possible the elect should bee seduced Matt. 24. 24. 2. They are onely in the world but not of the world they are not the earth while they are in the earth nor parts of it but citizens amongst Saints and of another corporation 3. The dragon cannot go beyond his commission which reacheth not to any elect but onely to those who by the just decree of God are given up to his seduction and their owne destruction Rev. 9. 4. The locusts are sent out with a limited commission they are commanded not to hurt the grasse of the earth nor any greene thing that is the elect who have any appearance of true grace these are not to be wounded with the keene stings of their damnable errours and devillish devises but onely the reprobate who have not the seale of God in their foreheads And Revel 13. 13. who be they that worship the beast but they all they and onely they that dwell upon earth earthly men who have no part in heaven whose names are not written in the booke of life III. How or by what meanes doth the dragon seduce the whole earth Answ. Hee hath many wayes some without us and some within us Without us especially three 1. Hee deceiveth by false doctrines errours heresies and lies in which sense Antichristianisme is called the deceiuablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2. Thes. 2. 9. because under pretence of truth and Christianity it fights against Christ and his truth Thus was Ahab seduced by foure hundred false prophets Thus Elymas seduced the deputy and resisted Pauls doctrine and Paul cals him the child of the devill Acts 13. 10. and so be all they that disswade others from hearing the truth II. He deceiveth the world by impious frauds diabolicall impostures and prodigious workes for the confirmation of error Reuel 13. 14. the beast did great wonders to deceive them that dwell on the earth by signes as to make fire come downe from heaven and the like This beast is Antichrist and that false prophet Revel 19. 20. who wrought false miracles by which he seduced those that received the marke of the beast Hee shall do great wonders to confirme a deceivable doctrine yea even call for fire from heaven Which though Bellarmine to free his Pope
great and chearfull noise not of men wishing for good but of a multitude chearing themselves and congratulating together in the victory of Michael and the ruine of the dragon For this preface is a prophesie foretelling something to come although delivered in time past after the manner of Prophets II. Whos 's voice was this Answ. Sundry of great learning and piety hold this voice to be the joy and acclamation of angels in heaven for the happy victory of the Church because it is said verse 12. Rejoyce ye heavens c. But this seemeth not to be so for two reasons in the context First they say The accuser of our brethren is cast out but the angels are not our brethren they are our fellow-servants Revel 22. 9. and chap. 19 10. where the same Greeke words shut out the word one in our English translation which the new translation observeth This is plaine in that opposition Heb. 2. 16. Hee tooke not the seede of Angels but of Abraham that hee might be like his brethren as the angels were not Secondly these are said to overcome by the blood of the lambe and by the blood of their owne testimony or martyrdome which cannot agree to angels who can bee no martyrs Others hold it to be the voice joy of the Saints in heaven who acknowledge us their brethren and rejoyce in our joy and in the overthrow of the Churches enemies But this being an exultatiō arising out of a particular victory namely the first great victory of Michael against the imperial dragōs it is not so easie to conceive how the particular passages of the Churches affaires may be knowne or revealed to the Saints in heaven For the brittle glasse of the Trinity blowne by the Papists is long since broken It is out of doubt that they do most perfectly rejoyce with us in the generall victory of Michael against the dragon and in the finall conquest of the Church and ruine of all the enemies which they know well enough and by better experience then our selves But that they rejoyce in the particular passages of the Church on earth wee may either doubt ordeny it Neither can it be cleared why they should more see the particular comforts of the Church then her particular combats and sorrows which if they should see and not sorrow for how could they be in perfect charity and if they should see and sorrow for how could they be in heavenly happinesse I expound it therefore to bee the cheerfull noise of innumerable citizens of the Church militant provoking themselves to sound forth the majesty and praise of God for his great mercy to his Church and his great judgements against the dragon and his angells III. Why is it called a lowd voice Answ. For foure reasons 1. For the multitude of them that joyne in this victoriall and gratulatory verse and voice the consent of many is called but one voice even all the Saints in those times were knit in one consent all of them enjoying the benefit of the deliverance as well as they that got the victory 2. For the magnitude of the joy for so great a victory It is fit the joy should be correspondent to the blessing which indeed was an heape or bundle of blessings both spirituall and temporall 3. Because this victory was to be audibly proclaimed to the whole world and not in a corner every where shall these devout and divine notes testifie how Christ and Christians have prevailed against all profane paganisme idolatry and tyranny 4. From the faithfull and sanctified persons it was very lowd for it was beyond a voice whereas in the slow and formall thankes of men without godlinesse there is nothing be yong a voice which can scarce get without their mouths that either God or man may heare them But this voice was joyned with faith and feeling and issued from fervencie and love which were as wings to lift up and mount it to heaven and make the earth ring againe from which warme and stirring affection if this voyce of praise did not proceed it were still-borne dead without life and motion All the faithfull whēthey see the overthrow of the enemies of the Church must break out into the joyful praises of God Psal. 58. 10. The just shall rejoyce when they see the vengeance and shall say Verily there is a God that judgeth Exod. 15. 1 When Pharaoh and his host were drowned Moses and Miriam solemnly sung out the praises of God So did Deborah and Barak in the overthrow of Iabin and Sisera and appointed a song of tryumph to be publiquely sung in Israel to keepe in minde and memory that honourable victory Iudg. 5. 1. And as here all the band of Michael tryumph in the overthrow of the dragon and his kingdome so was it alwaies the use of the Church to sing out the praises of God for the overthrow of the enemies Thus did they sing to Saul his thousands and to David his tenne thousands when hee had slaine Goliah 1. Sam. 18. Thus in Hesters time in testification of the praise of God and their owne duty was instituted a feast to be annually kept for the destruction of Haman and the Jewes joyfull deliverance Hest. 9. 31. But is not this contrary to Christian and brotherly charity which ought alwayes to wish desire and delight in the salvation and prosperity of men rather then to rejoyce in their ruine and overthrow and that hatefull sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is condemned as most unbeseeming Christians I answer so long as it appeares not to us that any enemy of God is destinated to destruction we ought to pray for his conversion and salvation alwayes attempering our prayer to the glory of God the justice of God and the amplifying of his kingdome But where God hath revealed his justice and now hope of amendment is cut off in such persons wee must rejoyce that they are falne But with two conditions 1. With holy affections not as they are our enemies but as they are Gods enemies not rejoycing in the evill that hath overtaken their persons but in the good that befals the Church by the overthrow of their state power courses which were directly set against God 2. With mixt affections consider them as men so humanity bids us sorrow in their ruine consider them as men in whom the will and justice of God is revealed and now piety steps in and makes us rejoyce in the righteousnesse of it Object 2. Oh but it is said in Prov. 24. 17. Bee not glad when thine enemy falleth and let not thy heart rejoyce when he stumbleth how will this stand with this doctrine Answ. The answer will bee plaine if wee consider the enemies and the affection here meant 1. Salomon speaketh here of private enemies thine enemy such as have done wrong to us Wee may not rejoyce in any evill befalling our enemies as ours But our Text and doctrine speakes
in their stead Gods plagues are removed and turned into all kindes of blessing The custome of the Church is every private Christians instructiō we must therfore provoke our selves to rejoyce in the overthrow of the dragons kingdome that both in respect of our selves and others First when in our selves we see our spirituall enemies throwne downe by the power of the Word None of us but professeth his part in that great victory of Michael from those dreadfull enemies sinne Satan hell death and damnation as this is the highest raised mercy that ever God gave us so ought it chiefly to raise our spirituall joy to sing the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the Lambe as it is penned and pricked for us Revel 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes O King of Saints Are wee delivered from the leprosie of sinne let us not forget to goe backe as the nine Lepers to give praise but challenge our owne dulnesse who can as soone forget such good turnes as Pharaohs butler did the good turne of Ioseph Gen. 40 23. So likewise when wee see our temporall enemies who want no will nor malice to do us mischiefe but are muzled hampred and fall before us now wee ought to lift up the voice of thanksgiving as Psal. 9. 1 2 3. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart I will bee glad rejoyce and sing to thy name for that mine enemies are turned backe and thou hast maintained my right Psalm 22. Save mee from the mouth of the lions and I will declare thy name to my brethren But with this pure affection onely as they are enemies to Gods Kingdome and so farre resist us as wee seeke to uphold the same Secondly without our selves wee must breake forth into praises when wee see the powers of the dragon cast downe in others whether spirituall or temporall When wee see the holds of ignorance errour wickednesse overthrowne by the preaching of the Gospell when wee see the walls of hellish Jericho battered by the sound of the rammes hornes of the Gospell when wee see countries or persons converted and yeeld up themselves to the obedience of the word Here is matter of joy and praise that the tents and curtaines of the Church are spred out and enlarged and the kingdome of Christ prevailes against the power of the dragon Thus the seventy Disciples having beene sent out returne to Christ with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued unto us nay our Lord himselfe rejoyceth that Satan fell downe like lightening from heaven Or if wee see the temporall enemies of the Church overthrowne if we see Amalec stricken downe before Israel Hamans devise broken Antichrists power weakened and lessened Popish forces repulsed Do wee see Pharaohs chariots and his hosts cast into the sea and his captaines drowned in the red sea Exod. 15. 4. Do wee see the windes blow and the sea cover them that they sinke as lead in the mighty waters as our enemies did in 88 Do wee see hellish powder-plots digged as doepe as hell prevented and the diggers falling into their owne pits How should wee now take up the songs of praise and tryumph that the Lord hath done so great things for us whereof wee rejoyce Psal. 126. 4. Now for the better performance of our duty herein consider three things 1. The conditions of this praise 2. Meanes to attaine it 3. Motives to it I. For rules of direction our text hath foure conditions 1. That all the praise honor of victory belongs to God as in the next vers For God only can overthrow the devils kingdome hee onely hath power above the dragon the Churches victory is the worke of his finger as the Church acknowledgeth Exod. 15. 1. I will sing unto the Lord for hee hath tryumphed gloriously Iudg. 5. 3. I will sing unto the Lord I will sing unto the Lord God of Israel Salvation is the Lords Psalm 3. 8. 2. So soone as we see the victory so soone should we sing out the Lords praises as the Church here Wee must not put off our vowes nor suffer the blessing to grow stale before wee have performed them Israel on the shore seeing the Egyptians dead on the sea banke Then sang Israel Exod. 15. 1. So soone as the Jews had obtained victory over their enemies they consecrate the very next day after the victory to the publique praise of God so while the sense of mercy affects us and while our hearts are warme with it wee must praise the Lord. 3. As here is a lowd voyce for this great victory so according to the greatnesse of the benefit our praises must bee A great victory calls for a great voice of many The blessing conferred upon any part of the Church is the blessing of the whole and the whole must joy In so common mercy none must sit out none must say what is it to mee 4. As the Church here so must wee sing out the majesty of Gods name not with a cold affection but with a mighty fervencie and ardor of spirit to stirre up and kindle in others the feare and love of God For this hearty and spirituall fervencie is the lowdnesse of the voice which God requireth and how can hee kindle or inflame another who himselfe is not warme or kindled II. Meanes to helpe us in this duty are these 1. Earnestly to affect the prosperity and welfare of the Church as feeling members and sharers of her joyes and sorrows preferring the joy of Jerusalem before thy chiefe joy Sound affection will imprinta sound notice of blessings which else passe away as nothing concerning our selves 3 Not to forget but remember Gods mercifull deliverances Psalm 103. 1. My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits as if hee had said If thou forget thou canst not praise and if thou praise not thou wilt forget them To this end write and register them make a day-booke of the noble acts of the Lord. Psalm 102. 18. Let it bee written for the generation to come that the people not yet borne may praise the Lord and that thy selfe looking backe upon one mayest finde out and espie many other 3. Often speake of them and raise monuments of them in thy heart as the stones in Gilgal the setting up of Altars and imposition of names in the old Testament Tell the children of the acts of God that they they may tell their children The Passover was instituted among other ends for this that the children in times to come might know how God destroyed the Egyptians and passed over Israel Exod. 12. 26. So must wee tell our children of 88 Of the powder-treason and other deliverances and make much of their monuments to the perpetuall glory of God shame of Papists and comfort and instruction of the Church 4. Often recount the great benefits redounding to the Church by Gods execution of judgement upon the
to their gods for the deliverance of their Countries and commonwealths from danger but many among us who yet must goe for good subiects else all is mar'd rather expresse the contrary in the miraculous deliverances of their Prince and Countrey and cannot bee brought to share in the ioy of sound-hearted and loyall subiects 4. Such as will not indure the sound application of doctrine which casts downe the strong lusts and advanced sinnes of men they would blunt the edge of the sword of Christs mouth or wrest it out of the hand of his valiant Captaines they will breake the Scepter of Christ rather than it shall get any victory against the sinnes of men and no man shall stand up to build Jerusalem but they are grieved as was Sanballet and Tobiah against Nehemiah that such a man was come who wished the prosperity of Jerusalem Neh. 2. 10. but these that-will not indure this powerfull voyce of Christ shall heare another uttered by himselfe Those mine enemies who would not suffer mee to raigne over them bring them hither that I may destroy them Now is come salvation c. After the Preface we come to the parts of this triumphant song which are two The former containes the ioy of the Church vers 10. 11. the latter the wofull condition of the enemies vers 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea c. The ioy of the Church singeth out 1. The praises of God the giver of all victory 2. The praises of Michael the Generall vers 10. 3. The praises and due commendation of the armie the angels of Michael who had valiantly and couragiously demeaned themselves in the conquering of the dragon and his angels vers 11. In singing forth the praises of God are 1. The matter 2. The reason The matter of praise is the ascribing 1. To God salvation strength and Kingdome 2. To Christ Power The reason For the accuser c. All these Attributes ascribed to God and Christ are amplyfied by the circumstances 1. Of time now 2. Of place in heaven Of the first Attribute Now is salvation in heaven By heaven is meant the Church militant whose conversation is in heaven and which is the heavenly part upon earth So the Word is used through the whole Chapter By salvation is meant two things in Scripture 1. The happy deliverance of Beleevers from the state of perdition and eternall damnation called therefore the heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. this is spirituall and eternall 2. The safety and externall security of Gods people by their deliverance from cruell tyrants who sought the overthrow and destruction of their bodies so Exod. 14. 13. Behold the salvation of the Lord that is the deliverance from Pharaohs Army This latter a fruit of the former is here especially meant The particle now hath great light in it to cleare the Text for it may be obiected Was not salvation and power Gods before or were they not in heaven that is seene in many singular victories of the Church before Ans. As these Attributes were never wanting in God so the Church never failed of needfull salvation but we must know 1. That the Scripture useth to say a thing is done when it is manifested so to bee as Iohn 17. 5. Glorifie thy Sonne with the glory I had before c. so now salvation is declared and manifested in this victory against the first assault of the Imperiall dragons Before while the heathen Emperours raged against Christian religion for the upholding of Paganisme and heathenish Idolatry iniquity raigned unto death of soules and tyranny to the destruction of bodies by thousands and ten thousands But now salvation is wrought in heaven Christian Emperors have brought in the Prince of peace in stead of those tyrants the Gospell of peace a word of salvation received by faith the end of which is salvation and the peace of the Gospell by which the force of the tyrants is abated themselves confounded and happy safety procured 2. Wheras before the Lord put forth his salvatiō for his Church his praise seemed suppressed or by a few in silence and in corners confessed now is salvation his the praise of salvation is with a loud voyce openly admired and extolled in the publike congregation of all the faithfull by the overthrow of the dragon shineth as the bright beames of the Sunne in all eyes Now is salvation manifested by God magnified by Gods people God is the sole Author and worker of salvation to his Church and members for this is the voyce and song of the Church here Which words seeme to be taken out of the mouth of the Church elsewhere on the like occasion This was the foot of Davids song of deliverance Psal. 3. 9. Salvation is the Lords and of Ionahs Psalme of praise for his miraculous preservation Chap. 2. 10. Salvation is of the Lord and of the Churches song Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is become my salvation and of Habakkuks song Ch. 3. 13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people even for salvation with thine anoynted where the Lord as a powerfull Generall is said to make an expedition against the enemies of the Church And to shew that there is no Saviour besides him the deliverance of the Church by way of appropriation is called Gods salvation Exod. 14. 13. 1. God alone hath promised it and hee alone can performe it his promise is in Esay 46. 13. I will give salvation to Sion and my glory unto Israel and hee alone can performe it for First the Church cannot save her selfe such is her impotency and weaknesse no more than a flocke of sheepe can fence themselves from the droves of Lyons Wolves Foxes or dogs Secondly neither can other men helpe her Es. 59. 16. and 63. 5. there was none to help none to uphold therefore his arme did save it and his righteousnesse did sustaine it Thirdly no other creature can save her for it is onely his priviledge that made her to save her Esa. 44. 24. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer that formed thee from the wombe and Chap. 45. 18. 21. Hee that created heaven and formed earth proveth himselfe thence to be the onely just God and Saviour and commands his people Looke unto me all the ends of the earth and ye shall be saved vers 22. 2. God is onely Saviour of his Church by reason of that affection and relation which is betweene him and his people for First they are his flocke and hee as a good shepherd will save them as David did his sheepe from the Lyon and the Beare Secondly they are his Children and as a mother carrieth her childe in her armes to save it from knocks and dangers so doth the Lord his first-borne Both these are expressed in Exod. 15. 13. by two Hebrew words nacha and nahal the one taken from the tender care of a shepheard the other from the indulgent care of a parent Thirdly the Church is his
sanctification of the Sabbath according to Gods speciall Commandement and yeare by yeare urge the reformation of notorious abuses yet after many yeares nothing is amended there is no lesse working no lesse playing nay more open prophanesse than before that strangers from forraine parts admire to see the disorder of this place and the open prophanesse which hath had a name of good teaching and government And as in this so in other things our comfort must be this that we can grieve at what we cannot amend that the peace of your open prophanesse is proclaimed by your selves disclaimed by your Preachers What a griefe is it that while we preach the word of peace we are all broken into pieces and waste out our time wealth thoughts in frivolous quarrels and willingly part with our peace with God with charity to our brethren with inward contentment and outward credit and reputation And to conclude this point if wee shall see Christ a loser amongst us and that men are so farre from growing according to the means as they grow more froward more wilfull more weary and apparently lose the good things they have begun They were diligent hearers men of good example and earnest affections but now turned away either by Popish perswaders or by the perswasion of their owne deceitfull hearts how may wee grieve at the apostasie of such persons as if the Word of God were not the same of the same savour and sweetnesse as ever it was and if it be they cannot bee the same Well were it for them to consider that righteousnesse departed from shall never bee remembred In all these evils if all our paines study and counsell cannot prevaile wee must turne us to sorrow and teares and mourne over you as Christ over Jerusalem who wept and said Oh that thou hadst knowne the day of thy visitation but now these things are hid from thine eyes Luke 19. 42. IV. But most just cause of griefe and sorrow wee have when wee see that the Kingdome of God gets no more ground in our selves and in our own hearts than it doth as 1. If wee can finde that Christ hath long and many a day knocked at the doore of our hearts and sought entrance but we have not opened our everlasting gates that the King of glory might come in unto us Psal. 24. We make shew of receiving him into the Porters lodge by a formall and livelesse profession but wee cannot afford him a roome in the Inne of our hearts nor allow him a rest there as those that rest in him as our chiefe good we cannot esteeme him our Jewell and other things drosse in comparison of him 2. When we find the word tastlesse and powerlesse in us which is the Scepter of this Kingdome by which it is upheld when it is not so sweete unto our taste as honey in our mouthes when we doe not account our it treasure above all pearles and precious things when our hearts are not set upon it our lives not framed by it our selves not delivered unto it or changed by it into the fashion of it So much place as the Word hath in thee so much place hath Christ himselfe If the Word have no place in thee no more hath Christ nor his Kingdome 3. If we finde not our lusts tamed and the enemies of the Kingdome not subdued in our selves our former corruptions unmortified not crucified our love to sinne no lesse then formerly the love of the world not conquered ourselves not denyed nor can deny our profits and pleasures Now may wee justly mourne that the kingdome of darknesse stands so strong in us that all the battery and meanes planted against it cannot demolish and cast it downe 4. If wee finde the Spirit of grace and fortitude foyled and grieved in us that wee grow not stronger and more chearefull in good and holy duties of piety and mercy that we are not stronger nor stouter in affliction sufferings when we cannot endure losses and reproaches for the name of Jesus Christ nor bee chearefull in other trials when the Spirit brings not this Kingdome of God within us which stands in peace joy love of God which is an heaven upon earth this Kingdome of grace set up in the heart of a Christian is indeed an earthly Paradise 5. If wee have made some way toward this kingdome but growne heavy and weary if wee be fallen from our first love if wee have set our hands to the Plough and looked backe to the world to Popery to carnall counsels wee cannot bee fiâ— for the Kingdome of God Luke 9. 62. And the power of his Christ. The Church having sung out the praises of God the giver of her happy victory in these words with the same loud and fervent voyce proclaimeth the due praise and honour of Michael the Generall In whom wee have 1. His Title Christ. 2. His relation to God the Father his Christ. 3. His Attribute power I. The Title Christ signifyeth one anoynted or the Messiah whereof yee lately heard both the things wherein it chiefly consisteth namely 1. In the ordination and separation of his whole person to the Office of a Mediator 2. In the plentifull effusion of all gifts and graces fit for the Head of the Church as also the differences of his anointing from all the legal anoyntings of their Kings Priests and Prophets they by men hee by God they with externall oyle he with internall they ceremonially in shadow he truely and substantially they to a small measure he beyond all measure they for themselves he for his members Therefore here onely consider that this unction hath speciall reference to his Kingly Office and is so farre here properly considerable II. For the word of relation hee is called his Christ or the Lords Christ. First for distinction for other Kings were anoynted and set up by men but none else thus immediately set up by God Psalmeâ— I have set my King upon Sion Secondly for eminence all other Kings were anoynted as members of the Church though heads of the Civill Kingdome but Christ onely the Lords Christ was anoynted as Head of the Church Thirdly for neare relation they were some of them sonnes of God by adoption but Christ was his owne naturall Sonne and had the divine nature dwelling in him not onely vertually and powerfully as they but substantially and bodily after a sort Col. 2. III. The Attribute here ascribed unto Christ is power The power of Christ is twofold One as he is the Sonne of God Another as the Christ of God The former is potentia creationis which hee hath equall with his Father over all men and creatures The other is potentia conciliationis as hee is Mediator whereby hee ruleth in the Church among Saints who are in speciall subjection and confederacy with him For further explication wee must inquire 1. The difference betweene these two 2. Which of them is here meant The difference betweene these two is
in foure things 1. One of them is essentiall called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even the same essentiall Omnipotence with his Father and the Holy Ghost as God The other is officiall the power not of Essence but of Office as Christ. 2. The former was before all time this given him in time 3. The former incommunicable to any creature for finite is not capable of infinite the latter communicable to Christ himselfe 4. The former is unchangeable and everlasting but the latter given up againe to his Father of whom hee received it 1 Cor. 15. Quest Now which of these is here meant Ans. The latter which is the regall power of Christ the Mediatour which putteth forth it selfe two wayes 1. In preserving and defending his Church against all enemies spirituall and temporall whether wicked spirits or wicked men tyrants and persecutors 2. In the conversion or eversion of his enemies breaking to pieces such Princes as will not bend be bowed and dashing to pieces like a Potters vessell so many as will not kisse the Sonne of God to testifie thereby their amity and subjection And now singeth the Church Here is this power of Christ the King of his Church manifest the dragon was potent but Michael is Omnipotent the dragon was powerfull in earth against the Church but Jesus Christ hath all power in heaven and earth whereby he hath gloriously overthrowne him The power of Christ as Mediatour is superiour to all other created power Not his essentiall power onely as the Sonne of God but even the power of his Office as the Lords Christ and as the royall King of his Church is superiour to all created power besides Phil. 3. 21. According to the working whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Heb. 2. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet In that he put all in subjection under him hee left nothing that is not put under him 1. His is a full power a plenitude of power Mat. 28. 18. All power is given to mee in heaven and earth Other creatures have much power given them but he hath all power power in heaven to pacifie his Fathers wrath to open heavē which was shut by sinne and to crowne the Saints his members with heavenly glory He hath also all power in earth to chuse out of the world a people where hee will to gather and call by his voyce those whom hee hath chosen to perfect and keepe in his name those whom hee hath gathered to represse tame and overcome all their enemies In all which is a plenitude or fulnesse of power not agreeable to any creature 2. No other creature hath either right or capablenesse of this power The first-borne only had a right and power over all the rest of the brethren none of them over him so hath Christ as Mediatour the first-borne of many brethren Againe other creatures may have great power some by usurpation as Satan the god of the world some by commission and permission as lawfull Princes and Magistrates but Christ by right of inheritance hath all power and this grounded in the love of the Father Iohn 3. 35. The Father loveth the Sonne and hath given all power and all things into his hand No creature can have all things in his hand Here is a just right and undoubted title Againe as the Father only can give it so the Sonne onely can receive it because it is a power attending the hypostaticall union of the two natures and therefore proper to Jesus Christ. Finally not any one member nor all put together are capable of the gifts of the Head but the Father hath appointed him head of all things 3. By Induction we shall see this power of Christ above the power of all creatures and how can it bee other seeing he that sustaineth all things by his mighty Word must bee more powerfull than they all Hebr. 1. First his power is above all created power in heaven For hee is the Lord of the holy Angels and even these glorious creatures that excell in power attend and worship him comming into the world to save the world Heb. 1. 6. and also comming againe to judge the world is attended with all the holy Angels who are therefore called his Angels because to him as their Lord the Angels and powers are subject 1 Pet. 3 ult Secondly his power is above all humane power for his is absolute mens power limited All humane powers are held of him by him and for him Kings raigne he holds off none but hath a soveraignty in his owne right All their power concerneth things on earth and can goe no farther but to binde the outward man but his chiefe power is spirituall in things heavenly ruling in the hearts and consciences of men of which the tribunals of men can take no notice Thirdly his power is above all the power of wicked creatures be they neverso desperately contrary The Devils and wicked spirits obey him and cannot resist his Word as we see every where in the Gospel And wicked men shall one day confesse with Iulian Vicisti Galilaee Jesus of Galilec hath overcome us Fourthly his power is above all the power of unreasonable and senselesse creatures bee they never so fierce and raging Mat. 8. 27. Who is this whom the windes and seas obey Also fire and water as in the Furnace a fourth was seene like the Sonne of God restraining the flames who afterward walked on the waters Also diseases obey him hee saith to the Leper Be cleane and he is so to the lame man Take up thy bed and walke and hee doth so to the blinde Wash and see and so it is And what marvell seeing death it selfe obeyes and delivers his prey at his word Iohn 11. 44. at that Word Lazarus came forth bound hand and foot This concernes the enemies of Christ and of his Kingdome to terrifie them seeing such is the power of Christ as will make them all his footstoole and though they carry matters with strong hand against him they shall not doe so alwayes for 1. This power will reach them and they shall feele it one day 2. It will bridle them and they shall not resist it as now they doe 3 It will prevaile against them to bend or break to save or condemne them 4. The greater they be it will get it selfe more honour upon them as Pharaoh and they shall see and say it is hard to kicke against the pricks More specially 1. Every naturall man is an enemy of Christ every one till hee bee regenerate and reconciled every sinner going on in his sinne Let this power of Jesus Christ shake thee out of thy sinnes for was it such in his low and base estate as all the devils in hel could not resist but with one word were quelled and doe we dare to provoke him now in glory are we stronger than hee 1 Cor. 10. 21. How desperately doe
as the fish doth naturally river-water we have so much the more need to bee called backe from so dangerous a sinne and indeed we want no bridles if wee be not too head strong for 1. God hath provided by his expresse law aswell for the good name of his servants as for their goods or lives Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour wherein the Lord upon paine of death bindeth every soule to truth and justice in all his speeches the uprightnesse whereof must demonstrate the uprightnesse and sincerity of the heart as a chaste daughter of a chaste mother And this Law of God wraps him in the curse as well that steales and wounds his good name as the theefe that steales his goods or the murderer that assaults his life And as farre as the good name is farre in estimation above gold and silver Prov. 22. 1. so much more hatefull and mischievous is the false accuser above a theefe or burglary 2. Nothing can bee more contrary to God nothing comes so neare the devill Hee is a creature most degenerate from God both in respect of his nature judgement and practise First God in his nature is truth essentiall and truth originall the Author of all truth and truth it selfe in all his decrees in all his workes in all his words which all agree with the truth of his essence But this man suits with Satan the father of lies who stood not in the truth Iohn 8. 44. God in his nature loveth truth the devill speaketh truth sometimes but never lovesit God is called a Justifier Satan here an accuser If wee see this image or superscription of false accusing on any say it is Satans coyne a man moulded in his mint and give unto Satan what is Satans Secondly nothing can bee more dissonant to the judgement of God than rash judgement and false accusation of good men God approves the wayes of his servants highly esteemeth of their graces accepteth and remunerateth weake indeavours Now what can bee more contrary than to accuse the wayes of God to bee hatefull purity and a straine beyond discretion and the graces of God for singularity hypocrisie dissembling know thou hast not now belied men but the Spirit of God Thirdly the Lord in his course pleadeth for his Saints acquiteth them answereth all accusations for them and pronounceth a righteous sentence upon them the fals accuser impudently impleadeth all this God calleth Nathaniel a true Israelite no saith the accuser hee is an Ismaelite a dissembler God pronounceth Paul an elect Vessell no saith the accuser hee is a murderer a theefe vengeance will not suffer him to live Act. 28. 4. God pronounceth of his owne Sonne This is my beloved Sonne no saith the accuser he is a deceiver an impostor a blasphemer in saying he is the Sonne of God Now what can be liker Satan who would have all men in his owne condemnation than these vile persons who would have all thought as vile as themselves Hence our Text maketh Satan and all accusers but one accuser 3. Whom doest thou accuse or revile Thou accusest the brethren First the brethren of Christ and in them Christ himselfe Matth. 25. In that ye have done it to one of these my brethren ye have done it to mee Wouldest thou in the day of the Lord be brought in a false witnesse against Christ And yet there is a nearer relation these brethren are members of Christ. Wouldest thou for a thousand worlds have that sin of the Jewes lying upon thy soule that thou hadst thrust a speare into the body of Christ but what was that sinne to this they knew not who he was nor what they did beside his body was dead first but thou thrustest the sharpe speare of false accusation and by it tearest and rentest the living body of Christ which is his Church and this wilfully and of set purpose 2 Thou sinnest against the sonnes not of God onely but of the Church whom thou professest thy Mother The Spirit of God amplifies the wickednesse of false accusation by this circumstance Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slaunderest thy mothers sonne shewing the unnaturalnesse of these wicked men to their owne flesh and the bowels of their owne Mother Were there a dram of nature or grace in them they could not violate such neare bands Godly Sem will cover his fathers nakednesse though unnaturall Cham discover it Charity would cover a multitude of offences Prov. 10. 4. But wanting both they are rightly ranked with theeves and adulterers vers 18. 4 A false accuser is a most irreligious person and commonly such are the greatest enemies to true religion Observe and you shall finde them either Atheists or Papists or Libertines or worldlings given over to some foule sinne or other For according to the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh If the heart swell with malice envie and bitternesse how can the mouth but run over with cursed speaking A bitter fountaine can send no sweet water The shop is supplied with such wares as are in the storehouse Besides true religion which purifieth the heart would order the tongue I am 1. 26. If any seeme to be religious and ordereth not his tongue that mans religion is in vaine 5 Consider the fearefull evils awayting this sin so contrary to God First It casts a man out of the sanctuary of God Psal. 15. 3. unlesse the Church of God could consist of a generation of devills but it is the spouse of Christ the communion of Saints 2 It casts him into the judgement of God and damnation of hell for God hath appointed a day to give judgement of all cruell speakings which wicked sinners have spoken against him Iude 15. Then shall their measure be filled to the brim they shall have accusation enough God doth even here admonish of that day and sit in judgement on some even in this life What got Haman by false accusation but hanging on his owne gallowes What got Ahab and Iezabel by false accusing Naboth but a possession of wrath In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth must they licke Ahabs and Iezabel was eaten with dogs in the valley of Jezreel 1 King 22. A dart shot against a wall or an arrow shot upward rebound and fall upon the shooter Daniels accusers were devoured by the Lions to whom Daniel was cast What got Amaziah by accusing Amos chap. 7. 17. Thy wife shal be an whore c. Let men take heed of touching Prophets and slaundering godly Ministers Eusebius in his Church-history sheweth how Narcissus was falsly accused by three false witnesses one wished if it were not true he might be burnt the other that a foule disease might eate him the third that he might else be blind And accordingly they perished the first by a sparke of fire from heaven the second by a loathsome disease from top to toe the third seeing this repented but yet lost both his eyes
saith Iob the rejoycing of wicked men is but for a moment because the best of it is in momentany things the rich man in riches the wise man in wisdome and some sots in the boasting of wisdome as if wisdome were to dye with them many in their callings and every carnall man hath some carnall ioy to feed his heart with but all of it shall not lift thee an inch above earth here thou findest it and leavest it here it riseth and here it resteth as it riseth no higher so it reacheth no higher 3 If thou hast no warrant for thy ioy in lawfull things what warrant or answer hast thou for thy ioy in unlawfull things if thou hast no reason to ioy in naturall things what will be the issue of thy sinfull ioy of thy ioy in iniquity which chaseth God and his Spirit away Salomon saith the foole maketh a pastime and merriment of sinne Prov. 14. 9. when men excessively reioyce in sports and games some in swearing drinking uncleane and filthie speaches some in cursed and blasphemous language some in wantonnesse and whoring this is the divels mirth and musicke and the ioy of hellish spirits All this ioy in the workes of the flesh is sure to end in sorrow and every dram of it to be repayed with a talent of wo. The same of such as reioyce in revenging quarrelling treading underfoot and oppressing their brethren every sheafe must bow to theirs and every mans will must fall downe before theirs be they never so uniust else there is no living neere them The like of those that reioyce in rayling reproaching and disgracing Gods children and the profession of holy religion Here are a rable of reioycers who cannot reioyce but when God is farthest off out of sight and out of minde none can be liker to Satan then in this sin of reioycing in evill their onely ioy is to goe merrily to hell 2 This quite overthrowes the conceit of carnall men who hold the state of godly and religious men the most uncomfortable and that they must bid all mirth and joy and pleasure of their lives farewell if once they looke toward religion But wee see no other have any cause of true joy but they none in the Scripture called to rejoyce but they none but they are in league and friendship with God none but they have assurance of pardon of sin and deliverance by Christ none else know their names written in heaven none else have peace of conscience which is a continuall feast none else have part in the glory of the Sonnes of God Yet carnall men thinke they want joy and comfort Why 1 Because they cannot now rejoyce in carnall things as before wordly ioy is now unsavorie to them in respect of spirituall 2 Because themselves cannot enter into their ioy 3 God brings it ordinarily out of sorrow 4 Wicked men do all they can to disquiet them and chase away their ioy 5 They see not how the ioy of Christ and worldly griefe can stand together But as farre are they deceived as if a blinde man should say there is no sunne or shine because he seeth it not or because the sunne is clouded therefore it is not in the heavens No there is nothing but ioy in godly life and most ioy in the greatest afflictions of it If there be any sorrow it is because they cannot be godly enough And all that sorrow is mixed and concluded with ioy Have any such cause of ioy as inhabitants of heaven 3 This teacheth all the godly to be sure that all their ioy savour of heaven and be such as beseemeth the inhabitants of heaven and such as never entred into a carnall heart Quest. How may I know it so to be Answ. When it resembleth the ioyes of heaven namely in these things 1 As their persons so their ioyes are quite taken from earth and earthly things they never more ioy in momentany things of this life but in eternall and unvaluable excellencies So our ioyes resemble heaven when they are lifted up above earth when they are remooved from the worthlesse trifles of earth and are set on solid ioyes of heaven 2 As their ioy is sutable to their place and condition so must ours 1 They are in heavenly places so wee are risen with Christ and set in heavenly places with him and should our ioy be in earthly drudgery and not seeking things above How uncomely were it for a Princes sonne for some base hire to spend his time in serving hogs or to scullion in a kitchin or runne upon errands at the command of every slave and is it not much more base for sonnes of God heires of heaven and co-heires with Christ to runne and goe at the base beck and call of sinne and Satan and worldlings slaves to the world forgetting the priviledges to which they are borne Those heavenly inhabitants being so high in place iudge these things small the earth is contemned and as small to them as the point of a pin And could we get up our mindes aloft and fixe them in heaven we would think the greatest things on earth as small as mites and motes of the sun unworthy of our ioy 2 Those heavenly inhabitsnts with perfection of place having attained perfection of estate have a cleare iudgment to discerne and chuse their ioyes and to iudge them onely worth having Even so must wee labour to get our iudgment cleared to preferre the ioyes of that fruitfull Canaan before those of this desert and barren wildernesse What is it but want of judgment and experience that makes children affect childish trifles before matters of worth and moment to preferre an apple before a Lordship a top and scurge before their patrimony which they laugh at in themselves when they come to a riper understanding And what is it but want or weakenesse of iudgement for men professing godlinesse not to put away such childish things How would iâ— beseeme a man of yeares to ride upon a sticke as when he was a child or to make clay-houses as children do If a man should see a great fellow delight in such toyes he would thinke that eyther he is out of his wits or was never in them Even so for men in the Church that should be past children to remaine babes in affections and follow inferiour trifles with neglect of the manly businesse of heaven is foolish and ridiculous All which is said to helpe our ioyes to be heavenly beseeming our state and condition which they cannot be if they be earthly 2 See thy ioy be heavenly in the rise and ground of it so is theirs And then is it so First if it be from the Lord as the author and fountaine of it taken up in those pipes which himselfe appointeth See thou hast it by hearing the ioyfull voyce of the Gospell Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare joy and gladnesse It must come by hearing Wait then on the word both for the obtayning and
an happie condition they shall not be rolled in the destruction of evill men but shall be hid in the secret chamber of Gods providence when the storme of wrath shall come like haylestones yea like tallents of ledd upon the heads of sinners then shall there be a difference betweene him that feareth God and him that feareth him not then shall it be seene that it is not in vaine to serue the Lord. 4 It is a terror for evill men seeing it is as impossible for a sinner to avoyd wo as God to be untrue in proclayming it Sorrow followes the sinner as a shadow the body Most common it is for the wicked to applaud themselves in a wofull condition for whatever their estate seemes it is most unhappy They spend their dayes in pleasure and forecast that none shall have more pleasure then they But it is like Belshazzars when the writing on the wall appeared ouer against him They lay about them for wealth and a secure estate here below and rather then want it will curse and resist the people of God as Balaam little thinking that the Angell stands with a drawne sword to meet them in every corner to slay them No all the earth cannot make him happy who fights against heaven and whom heaven hath accursed earth cannot blesse He hath sowne tares and tares he must reape 5 Here is a spurre and incitement unto repentance and a trumpet to awaken secure soules that while it is called to day they may heare the voice lest all these woes seise upon them and oppresse them unawares It stands every sinner in hand to rise out of the bed of security and get a melting and bruised heart considering the day that commeth which shall burne as an oven and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shal be as stubble Mal. 4. 1. But seeing men are loth to apply this part to themselves we must helpe it home a little more particularly 1 What a fearefull wo is denounced in Scripture against all Popish and Antichristian Idolaters Rev. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his marke in their hands and foreheads the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone for ever Whosoever shall do thus and persevere after admonition and will not come out of Babylon must perish in her destruction They prepare fire and faggot for the Saints whom they call heretickes but worshipping the beast and his image Christ prepares fire and brimstone for them and the smoake of their torment shall ascend for evermore Now there is no way to avoyd this woefull damnation by wilfull persisting in that Apostasie but instead of the character of Antichrist by taking in our foreheads the seale of CHRIST by which he separates us from the world by faith and holinesse and from Antichrist by zealous profession of the truth which he persecutes and marketh us up for his owne sheep the property of which is to heare his voice and follow him Ioh. 10. 2 What a dreadfull wo belongs to our voluptuous gallants that are at ease in Sion who put the evill day farre away and remember not Iosephs affliction Amos 6. 1. Silkes and Velvets cannot cover the secure sinner from this woe Greatnesse of birth place power treasure cannot elude these threats which are more stable than the foundation of the earth but according to the cursed seeds thou sowest shall thy harvest bee Gods people sow in teares to reape in joy and thou must have a share in the sorrow for sinne and in the afflictions of Gods people or never looke to share in their joy 3. Were the Prophet Esay living where hee proclaimed one woe upon drunkards hee would powre out ten thousand upon this drunken age which is drowned with drinke Esay 5. 11. 22. Woe bee to them that rise up early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue till night Woe bee to them that are mighty to drinke and strong to powre in strong drinke How will the drunkard escape this woe and all the threates in the Booke of God which shut him out of heaven where is no roome for drunkards There is but one way and one there is to leave thy cup of drunkennesse and come drinke another cup a cup of mercy a cup of teares for thy sinne a cup of the blood of Jesus Christ a cup of the water of life that heaven may be opened to thee a sorrowfull and sober penitent which thy sinne had shut and barred against thee 4. What a fearefull woe doth our Saviour denounce upon all contemners of the Gospell and despisers of the blessed light of it Mat. 11 24. It shall bee easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of the Lord then for such And whence else was the heavy woe here upon the earth and Sea but for sinnes against the Gospell not receiving the truth in the love of it 2 Thes. 2. See we any woe or heavy hand of God upon the Kingdome in this effect who seeth not the cause the contempt of the Gospell doth any extraordinary crosse and judgement lie on this City on your trades on your estates why are yee blinde to this day and will not see the cause you poare like blinde men on secondary meanes fewnesse of buyers troubles abroad scant of money scarcity of times and the like but you see not the next cause at home your contempt and sleighting of the Gospell your Sabbath-breaking your want of reformation according to the rules of Gods Word your causlesse hatred of the bringers of the truth c. change your course and God will change his entertaine his best blessings and then expect inferior else know as sinne is linked fast so are Gods judgements these shal be but the beginnings of woe and one woe shall follow upon another till repentance come between For the devill is come downe c. The reason of the former woe denounced followeth and is twofold 1. The comming downe of the devill 2. His wrathfull disposition where of the reason is given because he knowes his time is short For the Exposition Quest. What is this comming downe of the Devill was not Satan before among the inhabitants of the earth till now that this victory is gotten by Christ were not wicked men under this curse and woe before this by Satans wrath and ruling Ans. Yes the devill was the Prince of the world before this and was commander among the Inhabitants of the earth and sea but he is now said to come downe in three respects 1. In a more generall and universall mischiefe intended by the dragon which was to spread it selfe over the face of the earth which was by a generall Apostasie of the world from Christ to Antichrist foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 2. In a farre more dangerous and mischievous manner of working by which he shall prevaile farre more efficaciously than ever before For whereas
watched and brought upon the world since the fall was the raysing of Antichrist He had beene mischievous before and wrathfull in open tyranny but now he putteth forth a greater wrath in secret delusion Which truth will appeare if we consider 1 Antichristianisme in it selfe 2 In comparison with open tyranny 3 In the more feareful fruits and grievous effects of it 1. Antichristianisme in it selfe is the most fearefull plague that ever the wrath of God or Satan strucke the world withall if we consider 1. The cause 2 The effect 3. The generality In the cause it proceedeth from the greatest wrath that ever God put forth upon earth for 1. It is a wrath from the divine iustice due to the most fearefull sinne in the world which was the worlds reiecting the truth of the Gospell wherein the wrath of God is come both upon the Jew and Gentile to the uttermost 2. It is a wrath of the dragon whetted by the wrath of God in which God sendeth the strongest and most prevailing delusions that ever were in which that wicked spirit who seemed to bee cast out of the world by the preaching of the Gospell is returned againe and hath brought seven worse spirits than himselfe 3. It is a wrath not onely punishing sinnes of such a deepe staine but with most fearfull sinnes such as immediately forerunne damnation even that universall damnation of all those who chased away the truth of God to embrace the delusions of Antichrist 2 Thess. 2. 10. God shall send strong delusions that all they may be damned who loved not the truth 4. It is a wrath so great as the Spirit of God finds no parallell to compare it with but the great day of Gods wrath and therefore in the opening of the sixt Seale Revel 6. 12. which describeth the comming of Antichrist into the world hee resembleth the time of his appearing to the greatest day of wrath that ever was before it and describeth it by all those fearefull events which shall accompany Christ himselfe when he commeth to his last and universall iudgement The signes of the wrath of that great day of wrath are seven by this wrathfull day of Antichrist notably resembled 1. Great and fearfull earthquakes shall goe before the comming of Christ Matth. 24. 7. Even so at the comming of Antichrist the foundations of the earth shal be shaken a new face of things shal appear the pillers and foundations of old Apostolicall doctrine and discipline shall bee shaken downe and a new Ecclesiasticall Monarchy shall eate up the ancient civill and Imperiall government which was the studd and pillar upholding the earth and societies of men 2. The Sunne shall bee darkned as sackcloth Mat. 24. 29. and Christ the sunne of righteousnesse who shined so cleare in the firmament of the Church the onely Saviour Mediatour and satisfaction shall bee wholy darkned and horribly ecclipsed in the day of Antichrist the holy doctrine concerning his person natures offices and benefits shall be cleane obscured as the Sunne at midnight a blacke vaile of traditions and a thicke curtaine of humane constitutions blacked and darkned all his most sacred Ordinances the Sacraments by theatricall pompes and devises shal be adulterate the worship of Christ by adoration of Idols and veneration of creatures wholy depraved Now is the Sunne of the Church turned into darknesse 3. The Moone shall be turned into blood So the Church which as the Moone receives all her light from the Sunne of righteousnesse shal seem all blood partly by the cruell and bloody warres and partly by the bloody persecutions of Antichrist who shall boast of both swords and fill both his hands with weapons of wrath and cruelty 4. The Starres shall fall from heaven Marke 13. 25. So in the appearing of Antichrist the Bishops and Pastors shall become Apostates from the truth and of shining starres in holy doctrine holy life and beautifull graces in their severall Orbes shining in humility charity sobriety diligence and heavenly-mindednesle shall fall to pride ambition contention wordlinesse warre seats of Judicature and whatsoever is earthly and sensuall and pompous 5. At the comming of Christ the heaven shall depart as a scrole so in the day of Antichrists comming the Church the heaven upon earth shall bee shut up and hide it selfe and shall not bee visible and conspicuous to the world And although many good and godly men still in all ages contested against Antichrist yet were they condemned for heretikes and were counted no part of heaven nor faithfull members of it 6. The Mountaines and Ilands were removed out of their places By Mountaines are meant Kings and Emperours who by the fraud and power of Antichrist were removed from their high places and authority which was swallowed and ingrossed by Antichrist and by Ilands the people and nations who were all forced upon paine of damnation in stead of obedience to Christ to submit themselves to the tyrannie of Antichrist Nothing so firme as Mountaines nothing so farre off as Ilands but Antichrist reached them 7. As in the day of Christs wrath the wicked shall in utter despaire of their estates call for the hils and Mountaines to cover them and hide them from it so shall the great day of Antichrist drive great ones to utter despaire not knowing what shall become of them and of their estates and this shall bee the hire and recompence of all the ayders and supporters of Antichrist in the day of their particular iudgement if their consciences bee awakened at farthest in that last and great day of wrath in the generall iudgement Thus wee see the Scripture setting out the day of Antichrist to bee as wrathfull as the great day of Christ which of all dreadfull things is to all wicked men most terrible Secondly now consider the great wrath of Antichristianisme in the effect and we shall see it the most horrible mist and black darknesse that ever the world was stricken withall Other heresies and hereticks which made way to this are called the black horse Revel 6. 5. as being contrary to the white horse Verse 2. which was the integrity of Apostolike doctrine but those did obscure and darken the light as in the evening But when Antichrist comes this heresie chaseth away all light as at midnight Not that the Church ceaseth to bee no more than the Sunne ceaseth to be at midnight but it appeareth no more in that Horizon or Hemisphere thā if it were not all Heaven passeth as a scrole which is no lesse but lesse seene Hence is the Kingdome of Antichrist called spiritually by the name of Aegypt Rev. 11. 8. for it resembleth that Kingdome especially in three things 1. In Idolatry 2. In cruelty and oppression of the Israel of God 3. Most of all in blindnesse and darknesse with which that Kingdome was covered for three dayes Exod. 10. 21. And betweene the darknesse of that Aegypt and this there is apt resemblance 1. Of all the plagues of
the earth For First this was Christs commandement Goe teach all nations Mat. 28. Secondly the Apostles obeyed this commandement and fulfilled it Col. 1. 6 13. The Gospell is come unto you as it is unto all the world Thirdly the incredible swiftnesse and power of the Gospell shewes the divinity of it in that before the destruction of Jerusalem or within thirty yeares it was spred into all the inhabited world as many Fathers hold And therefore if any barbarous nation or new-found land bewray utter ignorance of Christ either they were not inhabited or they have had some sound of the Gospell but have suffered it quite to die and bee lost 3. The detection of Antichrist is so plaine and manifest in this fifteenth age past as children can point at him 2 Thess. 2. 3. 4. Horrible persecutions wasting the Church not onely by heathen Emperours but ever since by fiercenesse of Antichrist the Apollyon of Rome foretold in Mat. 24. 6. 5. Generall defection from the faith foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 3. through the spreading of the leaven of Popery which drove the woman into the wildernesse 6. Universall corruption of manners and obstinacy against the truth see Luke 17. 26. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. By all which signes Satan knowes that the last day which is the time of his torment is not farre off For the third Quest. What use makes Satan of this knowledge Answ. Knowing that hee shall shortly bee cast and confined into hell hee recompenseth the shortnesse of his time with cruelty of wrath This knowledge of his damnation doth but whet up his malice against mankinde and seeing that the sentence passed against him hasteneth upon him hee is so much the more busie to pull as many as possibly he can into his owne ruine and damnation a manifest signe of furious and desperate wickednesse Certaine things are hence to bee collected and observed I. There is a determinate time of Satans rage and of the Churches conflict against him The warre lasts not alwayes And why 1. There is an houre for the power of darknesle and but an houre that is a certaine and determinate time in which by Gods permission he may put forth his malice in the world but beyond it hee cannot passe Luke 22 53. 2. As it was with the Head so also with the members There was a time when Christ was assaulted and tempted in the wildernesse and a time when the Devill left him not willingly but because hee could stay no longer the date of his Commission being expired So there is a time when his members and disciples in the ship of the Church shall be tossed and almost covered with waves and a time when there shall bee a great calme Mat. 8. 26. 3. The wickeds rod must not alwayes lie in the lot of the righteous Psal. 125 3. Our mercifull God seeth our weaknesse and need of breathings and refreshings and so mingleth his cup according to our health and strength and as wee are able to beare Whereas were Satan and his Impes left to themselves they would never cease smiting and afflicting 4. Our experience sealeth the truth of the promises who after a storme meet with a calme after a weary hill a sweet dale and after darknesse see light And it assureth of the maine promise of all that after a good fight fought there is a crowne of righteousnesse to bee given by the righteous Judge Which incourageth us with constancy and patience to stand out a little while in this fight Re. 3. 10. there is but an houre of temptation and cannot wee watch one houre are wee sure of victory if wee stand to it but one houre more and shall wee faint Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while and hee that will come shall come therefore cast not away your confidence but care a while and be ever safe Behold the field is even almost wonne the battell even at an end and wee are in the last houre of conflict a few stragling enemies are to be rooted out and therefore let us renew our courage and strength as those that are not at leasure either to feare or feele the blowes seeing victory is in our hands already Also it may comfort us in all the assaults and troubles of this life in ward and out ward seeing God hath determined them all and hee that hath appointed the beginning hath appointed the end also The try all is but a storme or cloud and it will vanish And if Satans rage bee limited to a time to a short time so is the wickednesse of his instruments and this time they shall not passe And if now bee the season in which the Lord useth them justly as rods to afflict his children yet ere long these rods must be cast into the fire 2. Note here that the sharper the aslault of the dragon is so much the shorter it is the fiercer the wrath the lesse time it lasteth For why 1. The harder a man worketh the sooner will his worke be done the more busie and violent Satan is the sooner will his measure be full the sooner shall the Elect bee tryed and purged and chased to heaven and the sooner will hee bring destruction on the wicked whom he gallops to hel and hastens to swift damnation 2. Violent things cannot bee lasting or perpetuall and extremes are nearean end It is true that wicked spirits and men are in their affection endlesse and perpetuall in their violence against God and all good things and persons and therefore according to this affection their plagues are endlesse but actually violent they cannot alwayes be First because themselves cannot long subsist but must give place to death and hell Secondly if themselves would never end yet would God put an end to their violences as Matth. 24. unlesse God had put an end and measure to those miserable dayes of Jerusalems destruction no Jew had beene left but for a few Elect God shortened them Which greatly comforteth Gods people in the midst of the great confusions and tumults now stirring in the world 1. Doe wee see iniquity abound and sinne more shamelesse than in former times Is the Sunne in the heavens a witnesse against the earth of such contempt of the Gospell and despight of the grace of GOD the bringers and messengers of it and professors of the grace of God as former times of the Gospell cannot parallel Doe wee see envy cove tousnesse idlenesse and scorne of godlinesse in Ministers see we the raigne of drunkennesse adultery pride blasphemy obstinacy and desperate impenitency in people such as is wonder the earth openeth not her mouth as hell to swallow up her inhabitants so highly sinning against such a light Now hence wee must conclude that the devill is come downe in this age with more than ordinary wrath and in more tyrannous manner than in former dayes And in this outrage of sinne see the outrage of Satans wrath and
consideration of the approach of death was a spurre to the Apostle Peter to double his diligence in the Ministery 2 Pet. 1. 13. The Magistrate hath a notable worke in hand in repressing the wrath of the dragon upholding and encouraging godliness and annuall Magistrates have but a short time when it is longest in their office Have you but a short time be the more stirring and carefull to do good that little time Wee have seene some in that short time have done a great deale of ill businesse therefore imitating the dragon because they would not heare the voice of God But a good man in office will do a great deale of good in a short time Wee heare sometimes some Magistrates reckon what a short time they have to weare out I would wee could heare what good they are resolved to do in that short time which will away apace for it is onely the good they do in it which will abide for their comfort Finally the private Christian hath an excellent worke in hand namely to worke out his owne salvation and to further others both in workes of piety and by workes of mercy spirituall and temporall to helpe them unto heaven and in earth Hast thou but a short time for so great a worke be so much the more diligent Seest thou the dragon because his time is short so industrious in heaping up his owne damnation and wrapping as many others as he can into his judgment and wilt or canst thou slack thy pace and diligence in promoting thine own and other mens salvation 3 As the divell and his instruments shew and declare the shortnesse of their time by extreme wickednesse because Satan powres forth his spirit upon the world to poyson it with outragious sinnes so let us manifest that wee keepe in mind the shortnesse of our times and that we are cast into the last ages by our readinesse and cheerefulnesse in good duties and in abundant fruits of the spirit which in the last dayes was to be powred out Act. 2. 17. Wee must expresse the powring out of this spirit by our increase in knowledge faith obedience and be more fruitfull in our age Thus wee shall aright testifie our right judgement of our owne time and of the last age of the world And as the wicked of the world shew apparātly the last time and Christ neare at hand by abundance of iniquity by worldlinesse atheisme excesses of carnall delight for is it not as in the dayes of Noah wherein men eate and drinke and marry and give in marriage and cast off all care of judgment so let us shew it the last age and that a short time remaines by using the world as not using it by marrying as not marrying and by heavenly conversation and all this because the time is short as the Apostle adviseth 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. because there is no constancy or durance of any of these earthly contentments no more then of the world it selfe let us use these moderatly and gaine those which are lasting unwithering and unperishing Vers. 13. But when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child SAtan being cast out of heaven I meane that heaven upon earth which is distant from the earth not in distance of place but in sanctity of faith and manners so as he cannot prevayle to prejudice the same as hee would for neither can hee hinder the sound of the Gospell but it prevaleth in the world neither can hee seduce the Elect nor prevent the Saints of their salvation Now seeing himselfe cast vnto the earth he rageth among earthly-mindedmen and stirreth up his agents and vassals to raise up horrible persecutions and new tyrānies to root out if it were possible the name and mention both of Christ and the woman his Spouse but all in vaine as the former assault was as appeares in the sequell of the Chapter In this and the fourteenth Verse are two things 1. A new onset of the dragon upon the woman with the reason in this Verse 2. The evasion or escape of the woman with the meanes in the next Verse In the Onset consider First the person persecuting The dragon Secondly the person persecuted The woman Thirdly the time and manner When shee had brought forth the man childe I. The persecutor is the dragon that is both the devill the head of that fierce kingdome and all such instruments as he raised and used against the Church in this new assault and persecution for there is but one persecutor of the woman in all ages even Satan who is the same but hee hath many members and Ministers even a continuall spawne and succession who as they carry his nature so here also his owne name and are one and the same dragon in minde in will in malice in act Hence it is that in Scripture whatsoever the one doth the same the other is said to doe Revel 2. 10. The devill shall cast some of you into prison What Commodus Decius or the other Tyrants did the devill is said to doe and the workes of the Jewes in persecuting Jesus Christ is called the devils worke Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devill his workes yee doe 1. Because the dragon being the god of the world ruleth the hearts of wicked men who inclines their wils to hate the Church and stirres them up to persecute and leades them at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. and a slave cannot doe but what his Lord commands him onely he inspireth and acteth voluntaries 2. The same causes which stirre up the one stirre up the other to this fury First as there is an old enmity betweene the woman and the serpent so is there betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent If there be hostility betweene two Princes it is maintained among all their subjects Secondly as the dragon being a deadly enemy to Gods glory incessantly seeketh to hinder and abolish pure religion holy worship and worshippers because it is contrary to his designes and stoppeth his power which prevaileth in Idolatry superstitiō and Atheisticall liberty so doe wicked enemies his issue and off-spring in all ages fight against the true worship of God holy religion and pure worshippers as against their contraries because they despise their false gods detest their idolatry resist false religion contest against their superstition and actually reprove their Atheisticall liberty and all their proceedings contrary to the light of grace and the word of grace Thirdly as the dragon feares that Christ and his Kingdome will weaken his kingdome so the spawne of the dragon feare the same Herod and Domitian feare the comming of Christ and therefore command them of the stock of David in Jewry to be slaine If we let this man alone say the Pharises all men will beleeve him and down goes our credit Yea say the Rulers and the Romanes will come and
will use the wings of faith and confidence of prayer and patience the wings of piety and holinesse and these weake wings of mine shall leane upon the strong wing of God til his appointed time and deliverance come 5 Learne when it is lawfull to fly in persecution namely when God hath given wings to fly withall but the woman must not fly before she have wings When thou hast wings thou mayest use them Quest. How shall wee get wings to fly from danger Answ. 1. Become Eagles and you shall have Eagles wings so Christ calleth the godly Luk. 17. 37 Eagles First To fly aloft and lift up our neasts even in the rocke converse and dwell in heaven and there hide our selves Secondly To be of sharpe and strong sight to see our meat a farre off to fetch the promises from farre and feed on them as present to behold Gods face in Christ cleared as the sunne in his strength by the Eagle-eye of our Faith Thirdly Not to be wearie of flying or faint in wayting but renew our strength as the Eagle Psal. 103. and goe and grow from strength to strength Fourthly Where the body is thither to resort Luk. 17. 37. follow after Christ and frequent the places and meanes where he is preached fly after him by holy thoughts and desires ascending to heaven where he is 2 To get wings to fly danger be sure of a commandement and warrant as Ioseph for the safety of Christ his wife and himselfe Mat. 2. and as Elias fly for thy life into the wildernesse when thou art sent First heare that voice Get out of her my people and that Esa. 26. 20. Get thee into the chamber my people till the storme be over 3 Fly to God by earnest prayer He that wanteth wings to fly to God wanteth wings to fly danger First get the wings of a Dove to fly to GOD and then shalt thou get the wings of an Eagle Psal. 55. 6. 4 Fly from sin by the wings of repentance and godly sorrow Thus Iohn Baptist commanded the Jewes to fly from judgment to come Mat. 3. 7 8. This is the way to fly present wrath else thy flight will be to little purpose flying froÌ„ a Lyon thou meetest with a Beare and it is like the flight of Amaziah 2 King 14 19. who fled but death met him in his flight From the presence of the dragon This is the second generall in the verse Quest. How can the woman fly from him whose throne is in al places being the god of the world and himselfe every where compassing the whole earth And if she fly any where among wicked men it is but to fly from the divel to the devill her state is not bettered Besides is she so swift to fly that the divell cannot overtake her Answ. This flight from the dragon is not in respect of place and bodily motion but in respect of state and condition so as here wee must not understand a change of place but a change of condition and ornaments 2 It is not an absolute avoyding of the dragons presence for both he and his army ever compasse the Saints but it is respective namely from his deadly power in persecuting as when the power of tyrants is so restained that they cannot reach and overtake the Saints to murther and destroy them as formerly in the dayes of heathen Emperors 3 The woman could never fly from Satans temptation or molestation but by this flight might did avoyd the serpents face that is open persecution and tyranny as Paul was saved from the mouth of the Lion Nero. 2 Tim. 4. 17. The sense then is that the Church was now more safe from open persecution and oppression than before called here the face of the dragon as they that fled out of Jerusalem Act. 8. 1. fled not from the temptation of the devill but from the reach of the high Priests Object But you say that the Text and this flight is to bee understood of the times of Antichrist and was there ever more horrible spoyle and tyrannie against the Saints and faithfull Christians than all that time was ever the dragons face more furious than in Antichristian religion which never met with any godly man of any degree whom they spared Answ. Antichristianisme being contrary to Christianity must bee most cruell and fierce as that is most meeke and peaceable so was it ever an Apollyon and destroyer of Gods Saints but First not in open profession of hostility against Christ as the Imperiall dragons the Antichristian dragon is as fierce but he hides his face and under a colourable pretext and profession of Christ destroies Christ and Christian profession Antichrist comes not like a Turk with a flag of defiance against Christ but like an Herodian pretending his worship intendeth his murther Secondly for the time of the blacknesse of Popery though they persecuted to death all the Professors of the true religion whom God had set out in the severall ages to witnesse his truth and to confirme the rest of the Saints yet the Lord hid most of the Saints from their rage and fury the intentions of Antichristian enemies were bloody and tyrannous but the Lord by preserving his Church caused them to faile in execution because hee kept them from the face and knowledge of the dragon and saved them from the mouth of the Lyon experience hereof was manifest in Queene Maries dayes in the Massacre of 1572 and Gunpowder treason Into the wildernesse Hither doth the woman flie and it is called her place appointed her by God for her safety Of this wildernesse wee have spoken at large Verse 6. and will now onely note this lesson that the woman The true Church is not alwayes glorious but alwayes safe She is not alwayes glorious and externally conspicuous to the world For sometime she is hid in the wildernesse in an afflicted and sorrowfull condition Was not the Church hid and obscure when as cleare an eye as Elias could not see it yet were 7000. reserved was shee not hid and inglorious in Christs time in a few obscure persons Ioseph Mary Simeon a few shepheards fishers women Publicanes and other meane despised persons persecuted excoÌ„municated by the Priests Scribes Pharises and Elders of the people Was not the Church obscure under the heathen Emperours when the Pastors were slaine the Churches spoiled the Scriptures of God burned no Christian suffered to live no sooner was any knowne but accused no sooner accused but condemned and executed In the ages next to them the whole world wondred to see it selfe so suddenly become an Arrian aâ—d that there were in the world scarce five Catholike Bishops who durst shew themselves in that age Where was now the glory of the Church Hilary a Bishop in France living in those times about the yeare 370 tels us where then we might finde the Church If any would finde the Church saith hee it must
followes with inward temptations some with outward afflictions some he lashes with the scourges of spitefull and lying tongues and all he drawes into what dangers he can He is no wise Christian that makes not account of all the spight that the devill by wicked men can create him 2 Take good notice why wicked men make godly men theit butt to shoot all deadly arrowes against If we beleeve them they are heretickes schismatickes rebells hypocrites the vilest monsters of men and so they harden themselves in impudency as the devill himselfe is not more fowle and nimble in horrible lying and false accusing But this scripture shews the just reason of the dragons hatred it is because they keepe the commandements of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ they cannot forsake their rule to runne with evill men into excesses nor swim with the streame nor enrich themselves by choaking their consciences nor cover or cast a mantle over mens sinnes by their society silence or the like practise Let none of such as feare God like themselves the worse to heare themselves blasphemed by impudent and shamelesse sinners For as these must do it being ruled by the devill so they must suffer it being ruled by God 3 Let men feare to persecute and blaspheme the remnant of the faithfull and obedient Christians who will not yeild to Antichristian devises nor depart from their owne rule Or else blame not the word for charging them to be his brats whose practise and language they here see it to be as Christ told the Jews Ioh. 8. you are of your father the devill his workes you do When the enemies of Gods Church cast the Saints into prison the devill doth it Rev. 2. 10. When Iudas comes to betray the souldiers to apprehend false witnesses to accuse Jews to scorne and mocke the prince of the world comes in them Ioh. 14. 30. This of the second note 3 If wee would know our selves of this remnant we must finde this property that wee keepe the testimony of Jesus Christ. Tit. 1. 9. wee must hold fast the faithfull word And the reasons are many 1 Wee had need so do having so many with-holders the dragon puls it from us by temptation the beast by persecution the wicked by scornes and derision all would pull us from our hold and then were wee easily conquered 2 Our love to Christ commands it By holding the testimony we hold Christ himselfe Search the Scriptures they witnesse of me Ioh. 5. 39. The object of the word is Jesus the use of it to testifie of Christ. 3 The truth must bee firmely held as is said Buy the truth and sell it not it is true and testified by truth it selfe who is the mighty God and cannot lye 4 It is the sure evidence of our salvation of our heavenly inheritance a saving testimony because it is the testimony of Jesus Rev. 1. 3. blessed is he that readeth heareth and keepe it not meritoriously as if he therefore merited salvation but as it is an instrument of God and directive appointed as a rule to guide us unto salvation Now as men looke up their evidences in sure and safe places delight often to read them suffer no man to cousen them of them whatsoever casually comes these shal be by all possible meanes safe-guarded so ought we much more here without which we have no assurance or tenure to one foot in heaven Beware therefore of being ashamed of this testimony being the testimony of Jesus Christ as many be and let it go First for the contrariety of the doctrine to nature and naturall courses Secondly for the plainnesse and simplicity of it for Christ came from heaven to bring this doctrine which all the skill of Men and Angels could not reach Thirdly for the crosses and afflictions that attend it being the word of the crosse Fourthly for the infirmity of professors which makes many both Preachers and hearers ashamed of the sincerity and strictnesse of it Beware also of Apostasie from the truth The marke of a Beleever is to have the testimony not to have had it It is a misery to say Fuimus Troes I was a Protestant I was a professor of religion c. And beware of scorning hindring persecuting the truth which is most contrary to this of the remnant Each of these is a brand of a wicked man in whom the spirit of the dragon breathes This of the third note 4 The calling of ever Christian is to be a witnesse to Jesus Christ. Heb. 12. 1 being compassed with such a cloud of witnesses that is the godly who witnessed the truth and to whom the Scripture witnessed that by their faith they pleased God Esa. 43. 9 10. Ye are my witnesses This witnesse is either inward or outward The former is by the inward faith and affection of the soule by which wee give strongest testimony to Jesus Christ that he is the only Lord and husband of his Church our Emanuel the redeemer of his Church the saviour of his body and that he hath fully and perfectly fulfilled all righteounesse by the merit and vertue whereof the Church in generall and my selfe in speciall a beleeving member shall obtaine salvation True faith is the most reall testimony to Jesus Christ that can be For this is to set to his seale that God is true Iohn 3. 33. namely in his word and covenant concerning salvation by Iesus Christ. And he that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Ioh 5. 10. Faith brings in the spirit of God and his office is to witnesse unto Christ and to acquaint us with the things given us of God And that spirit to which the spirit of God giveth witnesse will hold to the truth witnessed in him if all the world and power of earth and hell would witnesse against him What an honest man hath set his seale to he will never be driven off it but by his faith he hath set his seale to the truth and testament of Iesus Christ. Outwardly the Beleever witnesseth to Christ three wayes 1 By profession and confession of the mouth Rom. 10. 10. with the mouth wee confesse to salvation that is give cleare witnesse to all the doctrine concerning the nature person offices and benefits of Iesus Christ and that we rest and leane on him onely for salvation 2 By practise of life beseeming the faith of Christ for this is a witnesse that Christ liveth in us mooveth in us ruleth in us and that wee live not henceforth but Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. 3 By passion and suffering for Christ and his holy religion for martyrs and witnesses are all one Acts 22. 20. Paul calls Steven Christs witnesse and Rev. 2. 13. Antipas that faithfull witnesse was slaine And not only the suffering of the paines of death but inferior persecutions by scourgings of hand or tongue or scornings is a witnessing to Christ in the lower degrees of Martyrdome Object
1. 9. Whosoever are enlightened with light of nature or grace have it from this Sunne And not onely these but they who in heaven shine in the light of glory doe borrow of this light Dan 12. 3. they shine as the starres which receive all their shine from the sunne And more they shall shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Mat 13 43. Because they shall participate of the sunnes brightnesse 2 The effects without are foure and in respect of these also Iesus Christ is compared to the sun 1 The sunne driveth away darknesse otherwise there would be a perpetuall night And at the rising of the sunne things which before were involved in the darkenesse of the night appeare as they are so this Sunne of the Church drives away the darknesse of ignorance the night of our miserie chaseth away the black and thick mist of our sinnes bringeth back the light of knowledge and the day of grace to us who else had layne in perpetuall night and shadow of death And now foule things appeare as they are and sinne appeares out of measure sinfull 2 As the sunne by his beames gives direction to all the waies of our naturall and civil life so this Sun by the beames of his wisdome grace directeth us in all the wayes of spiritual eternal life And as a man can do nothing cōmendably without the light of the sunne so without this Sun we can doe nothing at all 3 The sunne is the most comfortable Creature in all the world warming and refreshing with his beames all living Creatures yea under God quickning creatures dead in themselves so Iesus Christ is the life of the Church and the quickner of all the elect unto eternall life they being in themselves dead in trespasses and sinnes He also warmes his Church with the beames of his love which reflect backe as the sunne beames doe upon himselfe both the head and members He comforteth with his gracious aspect all the faithfull in all corners of the world who had never had life nor breath nor shew of grace without his shine upon them 4 The sun of the world maketh preserveth the severall seasons the Summer the winter the spring the Autumne Iesus Christ the Sun of his Church hath in his power al times seasons He hath in his hand the seed time in grace here the harvest of glory hereafter He appointeth the Summer season and prosperitie of the Church He changeth that season bringeth on her a sharpe winter of trouble affliction All the vicissitudes and changes in the Church are appointed and directed by his wisdome Dan. 2. 21 Nothing befalls the Church by chance but by his most oculate providence 1. Is Christ the Sonne of the Church wee are taught many things As First to a knowledge our Sunne yea to admire our Sunne as ten thousand times passing the sunne of the world For 1 That is a meere creature though glorious but this Sun is the mighty God the creator of that 2 That serves the outward man in the things of this life this the spirituall man in the things of life eternall 3 That riseth on good and bad but this onely on the good onely on Ierusalem Isai. 60 1. Thy light is risen upon thee 4 That riseth every day and every day setteth but this Sunne riseth and never setteth Isai. 60. 20. 5. That obscureth the starres this enlightens beleevers by his presence who shine as starres 6 That may be eclipsed or darkned but the light and grace of this Sunne can never lose or lessen his shine and glory it may be a while clouded from us but never eclipsed in it selfe Secondly We are taught to rejoyce in our Sunne All creatures rejoyce in the sunne but hatefull Bats and Owles which flye the light All creatures in nature follow the sunne and thrive and prosper in it the silly plants as Marigold Dazie Turnsoll so all that are new Creatures doe follow and prosper in this sun And if wee be so we wil draw neere to the Sunne that we may have the blessed beames of his grace to shine upon our cold and frozen hearts that by his spirituall heate we may be revived and refreshed to everlasting life We can open our windowes to let in the Sun-shine to our comfort and why should we not set open the doores and windowes of our hearts that the beames descending from Iesus Christ may enter in enlighten and comfort us Oh our little respect of the ministery shewes plainly enough wee would shut out this Sunne if we could Many of our hearers doe what lyes in them Thirdly we are taught to be thankfull that this blessed Sunne is risen unto us who were in woefull darknesse How thankfull was Paul and those in that dangerous voyage with him Act. 27. 20. when not having seene Sun Moone nor starres for many dayes they saw againe the desired light of the Sun But in so dangerous a tempest of Gods wrath as we had for ever beene tossed and drowned in to get a glimpse of this Sunne of righteousnesse is a farre greater cause of thankfulnesse to God which disperseth all clouds and stormes and brings a most calme and comfortable season The poore men in the Gospell to whom Christ restored sight how glad and thankful were they so soone as they were able to behold the sunne They leapt for joy praised God and preached Christ they made it knowne they had met with Christ No lesse joyfull is he whose eyes of mind Christ hath opened to discerne his change that hee is turned from darkenesse to light Fourthly wee are taught to imitate our Sunne labouring to preserve our purity though wee see much foule behaviour and being conversant among sinners and in many occasions yet as our Sunne did we must keepe our selves pure and not be plucked away with the errour of the wicked as Lot in Sodom abstaining from evill and all the appearance of it Fiftly Wee are taught to walke beseeming our Sunne 1 Warily and uprightly because this Sunne discovers those rubbes and perills by which men fall and hurt themselves In a mistie and darke night to stumble and fall is no such great disgrace but at noon day the sunne shining argues blindnesse or heedlesnesse or some great distemper of body and mind For Christians now to sinne against such light is farre more shamefull then in darkenesse of Popery and ignorance 2 Watchfully In the darke night men may sleep but in the day and sunshine it is time to awake from sleepe and shake off security and walke as in the day The sun of the world may be seene of all eyes but it sees nothing But our Sun seeth all things even the hidden secrets of hearts which no eye else can see neither can any deepe bee hid from his infinite light and knowledge This should move us to watch all our wayes and actions thoughts
to the death for Christ and his glory Fourthly so perfect is Gods Image on them that the inhabitants of that heaven are without all spot wrincle that is in full sanctification and it is the joy of Saints here that the Church is all faire and no spot is in her both in respect of inchoation and acceptation 3. Another chiefe good thing the mover of their ioy is their happy priviledges with God a taste and beginning of all which the Saints below have to feed their ioy As 1. They are in heaven and Inhabitants of heaven so are wee 2. They raigne as Kings are crowned and have conquered as Kings so we are made Kings to God Rev. 1. 6. are crowned Re. 3. Let none take away thy crowne and are conquerours yea more than conquerours Rom. 8. A conquerour may bee conquered but so cannot wee Onely this they are conquerours in their Countrey we in the way thither 3. They are sonnes of God and heires of the Kingdome so are wee now the sonnes of God onely they appeare so to bee we not yet 1 Iohn 3. 1 2. 4 They drink of the waters of the Well of life and so do we onely they drinke at the Fountaine and Well-head wee at the streames somewhat below 5. Their ioyes are perpetuall the Well is never drawne dry it is a lasting and everlasting ioy from an everliving Fountaine No more shall the Saints in this heaven ever lose their ioyes My joy shall none take away from you Now have I propounded the ioyes fit for an Inhabitant of heaven What an happy thing is it to be free of such a City All other priviledges are chaffe to it all other ioyes bitternesse to it Quest. May we not reioyce in any thing else Answ. 1. Godlinesse denyeth no lawfull delights but giveth both allowance and sweetnesse to them 2. No ioyes are lawfull but such as are moderated guided and subiected to these 3. None but such as are received and used as pledges of these 4. None but such as uphold these in the due measure of their goodnesse and uphold a proportionall affection in us toward these And 5. Are referred unto these as our chieFe ioy and onely beseeming heaven upon earth and heaven above earth Woe to the inhabiters of the earth c. Now followeth the latter fruit of the former victory namely the most grievous plagues and evils inflicted upon the wicked world Where are three things 1. The woe denounced 2. The persons on whom the inhabitants of the earth and sea 3. The reason for the devill is come downe c. Woe It is a Particle in Scripture 1. Of lamentation Lamen 5. 16. Woe unto us that wee have sinned 2. Of commination or threatning and prediction of some wofull imminent evils and events so in this Text it threatneth the iudgement of God upon the wicked world In this use it threatneth sometimes temporall iudgements Mat. 24. Woe to them that give suck in that day Sometimes eternall damnation as to Iudas Mat. 26 24. Woe to that man it had beene good for him that hee had never beene borne and sometimes spirituall plagues and iudgements the ordinary fore-runners of that so it doth here This Text therefore is like that Volume spred before Ezekiel Chap. 2. 10. which was written within and without and there was nothing written but lamentation and mourning and woe Which compared with the former part of the verse teacheth that the Ministers of God must as faithfully deliver the voyces of wo and legall threatnings out of the world as the voyce of ioy and glad tydings of Euangelicall promises and comforts Aarons sonnes in the Law must blow the Trumpets of the Lord to siguifie unto Euangelicall Ministers that they must sound an alarme against all Gods enemies and be at defiance against all sinne according to the Commandement Esa. 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet tell Israel of his sinne and Iudah of his transgression And thus for our example did the Prophets Apostles and the Lord of the holy Prophets Jesus Christ. Eliah tels Ahab to his face that it is hee that troubled Israel Nathan telleth David Thou art the man Iohn Baptist telleth Herod It is not lawfull for thee to have her Act. 2. 24. It was you that crucified the Lord of glory Acts 8. 22. Repent of thy malice and pray if the wickednesse of thy heart may bee forgiven thee Mat. 3. 7. O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to fiye from the anger to come Mat. 23. 13. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for yee will not enter your selves and ye shut the doore against others Verse 33. Serpents and generation of Vipers how will yee flye the damnation to come 1. This is a part of the will of God and it belongs to faithfulnesse to deliver the whole Counsell of God and keepe nothing backe The Embassadour to a Prince must deliver his Masters minde and commission wholy if hee will expect the reward of fathfulnesse 2. This is that part of the Word which is the portion of the greatest part of the world and even of them that live within the visible Church for no naturall man no impenitent person hath any part in any other part of the Word Pro. 26. 3. To the horse belongs a whip and a rod for the fooles backe and as Iehu said to Iehorams servant What hast thou to doe with peace so long as the sinnes of Iezabel remaine so what hath any wicked man to doe with peace of the Gospell so long as hee is in his sinnes Wee may not cast this childrens bread to dogs nor these precious pearles before Swine 3. This is as necessary a part of the Word to salvation as any other neither is there any part fruitfull but by this Can any man heare of pardon that will not heare of his sinne Will any skilfull Chirurgion apply healing Salve to a corrupt and festred wound before hee open and cleanse it And must wee powre oyle into sound parts of men yea or into their wounds before wee have powred in Wine to search them No were we to preach before Kings as Nathan we must preach the Law before pardon The Lord appearing to Elias there was first a mighty strong winde that rent the Rocke and then an earthquake and after that a terrible fire and then came a still voyce in which hee was comfortable Even so when his Ministers by the tempest of the Law have rent the rockie hearts of men and made them at their wits ends that they come trembling and crying with the Iayler Acts 16. Sirs what may I doe to be saved now is a fit season for the voyce of peace and the bindings of the Gospell 4. The whole Scripture doth nothing but separate betweene light and da knesse betweene the Children of the Kingdome and the children of Hell and so must the true handling and application of it sever