stop this Iericho that it nevâ—… goe up againe is the judicious knowledge 〈◊〉 Popery that it is a Religion contrary to the blessed truth of God God hath left us hiâ—… Testament his Will wherein he hath be queâ—…thed us all the good that wee can challenge from him Now this Religion is contrary 〈◊〉 our Fathers will and they know it weâ—… enough and therefore they build their coâ—…s upon mens devises and not upon divine â—…th They know if people come to know the â—…estament that they should loose and thereâ—…re they labour to suppresse knowledge and â—…xtinguish it wee should labour to know the â—…ontroversiall truths betweene us and them â—…nd to have the knowledge of the Scriptures â—…or knowledge is a notable meanes to strengâ—…hen us there are none that know Popery â—…hat will be deceived by it And then together with the knowledge of â—…heir tenents to know their courses and praâ—…tises and policie in 2 Tim. 4. They shall preâ—…aile no longer saith Saint Paul for their madâ—…esse shall be made manifest Why shall they not prevaile any longer their madnesse shall bee manifest so that the manifesting of the madnesse of men is the cause why they shall prevaile no longer It were good to know al their â—…ndermining tricks and all the policie of the Iesuits and Papists that lay their traines a farre off that they may be the lesse seene As the Spider gets into a corner that she appear not so themselves will not appeare but they draw women and other licentious persons and they have greater then them too so they lay their traines a farre off that they may have their will It is good to know their devilish practises that so their diabolicall madnesse may be manifest that so they may prevaile no longer for undoubtedly if their courses were laid open there is no man that loves his owne safety and the safety of the Kingdome but would hate them Another way to stop the building of Iericâ—… is to have young ones instructed I would Parents would have more care of catechising and others in their places would have more care of grounding young ones in the ground of Religion Popery labours to overthrow that for the worshipping of Images it is directly against the second Commandement and they are só guilty of it that they take it away in some of their bookes The youngâ—… sort that are the hope of the succeeding Church should be well grounded in Religion that that is right will discover that that is crooked it would make them impregnable against all Popish solici ations The neglect of this is the cause why many Gentlemen and of the Nobility the neglect of their education by those that should over looke them hath made them fit for Iesuits and Priests to work on having ripe wiâ—…s otherwise And al because of the Atheisme of those that have neglected their breeding and filled their heads with other vanities it hath beene the ruine of many families in this Kingdome therefore it is good to season younger yeares with the knowledge of the grounds of Religion And in all the darke corners of the land to set up lights that may shine for these Owles fly in the darke they cannot endure the light of the Gospel by any meanes they see the â—…reath of Gods mouth is too hot for them and â—…ey must be consumed at length by that by â—…e preaching of the Gospel not with the word but with the sword of Christs mouth â—…ntichrist must especially be consumed and â—…ey know this by experience therefore they â—…bour under hand they will not bee seene in 〈◊〉 but oft times others are Instruments more â—…en they are aware to stop the preaching of â—…e Gospel by all the policie they can Againe as I said before Popery is a Kingâ—…ome of darkenesse and nothing will undoe 〈◊〉 but light therefore wee should labour to â—…errish all good learning it is a notable â—…eanes to assist against Popery Iulian knew â—…at well enough therefore he would not sufâ—…er Parents to send their children to Schoole â—…ut to be brought up in Ignorance And so â—…apists would have a neglect of learning that â—…ight helpe this way And because they labour to reigne in diviâ—…on let us labour to unite our selves and not â—…reakeupon small matters but to joyne toge â—…her with one shoulder as one man against â—…hat malignant Generation and marke those â—…mong us that are the causes of division as the Apostle saith Marke them they serve not Christ but their owne bellies they serve their â—…wne turnes that reigne in division Let us laâ—…our as much as may be if wee will joyne â—…rongly against the enemies of God and his Church to unite our forces together and noâ—… to entertaine slight matters of breach onâ—… from another And with these let us joyne our prayers to God and our thankesgiving wee are not thankefull enough that God hath brought us out of the Kingdome of darkenesse not only out of the darkenesse of sin and Sathan bâ—… from the darkenesse of Poperie We have noâ—… beene thankefull to God for that Deliveranâ—… in Queene Elizabeths time out of the Egyptiaâ—… darkenesse and the Deliverance in our laâ—… Kings time and deliverances in later times wee are not thankefull enough and we begâ—… to shew it in not making much of Religion and growing in further and further obediencâ—… of Religion Is this our thankefulnesse tâ—… God what doth Religion hurt us are 〈◊〉 not beholding to God for our Religion and tâ—… Religion for our peace and Deliverance 〈◊〉 hath not God witnessed the truth of our Religion from Heaven by Deliverances hath noâ—… God beene with us strangely by the confusioâ—… of the plots of others and how doe wee 〈◊〉 quite it by growing to a luke-warme temper A luke-warme temper is odious in thâ—… sight of God I would thou wert hot or cold saith Christ. The best Religion in the world is odious if it be cold God will not indure us tâ—… joyne the Arke and Dagon Christ and Belial Certainely if we doe God will spue 〈◊〉 all out it will be the confusion of the Church d State and yet this is the thankefulnesse â—…at we give to God for the Gospel of peace â—…at wee have beene so much beholding to â—…im for Therefore it is good to take occasions as â—…ee have one ministred this day to call to â—…ind the former dealing of God to us in the â—…un-powder-treason and other Deliverances â—…hich wee have had severall occasions upon â—…is day to speake of And to come neerer â—…ur selves let us stirre up our hearts to thankâ—…ulnesse which is the maine end of this day â—…nd among the rest for our gracious Prince â—…hat God hath delivered him as the 3. Chilâ—…ren in the fierie Furnace they were kept and â—…reserved untouched of the fire so God hath â—…reserved him in the fiery Furnace The not â—…eing thankefull for these things will bee a â—…eanes for God to lay us
of greatest importance do so sweetly set before our eyes that recompence of reward reserved for us in heaven that I hope many of that brood of travellers the generation of those that seekâ—… Gods face and favour here on earth shall find them a great helpe to the finishing of their course with Ioy and others shall be wakened that are too ready to slumber and forget whither they are going to strive to enter in at the strait gate and not to content themselves with a lazy Balaams wish which Reader let us seeke from him who onely gives the blessing to whose Grace I commenâ—… thee resting still Thine in the hearty desire of thy Spirituall welfare Arthur Jackson THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE REVEL 16. 14. For they are the Spirits of Devils working Miracles which goe forth to the Kings of the earth LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE BEASTS DOMINION over Earthly KINGS REVEL 17. 7. For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast untill the Word of God shall be fulfilled THE occasion of this daies solemnity hath beene long and well known and we have often in this place spoken of it and it were a thing not unseasonable for the day to set out in its lively colours that facinorous act which will scarcely bee credible to posterity it exceeds my conceit to set it out in the right colours I have therefore taken a text tending that way and serving for our present purpose It pleaseth our blessed Saviour out of his love to his Church not only to give directions what to doe and what not to doe what to believe and what not to believe but to foretell likewise al future calamities that so the Church might be fore-armed and might not be surprised with terror upon the sight of some sudden or strange accident as especially the flourishing estate of Antichrist Hee therefore foretels all both the beginning the growth the strength the proceeding and at last the destruction of that Man of Sin The Church in this world is alwayes under some prophesie it is alwayes under somewhat that is unfulfilled for untill wee come to heaven there is not an accomplishment of all prophesies This Booke is a setting downe of prophesies of future events to the end of the world This Chapter sets out in lively colours the state of the Pontificality the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome the Pope and not the state of Rome under the Heathen Emperours It sets downe likewise the judgement of God in this life upon this Beast and upon the Whore that sits upon the Beast The description is large in the former part of the Chapter it would take up a great deale of time to unfold that but because I have divers other things to speake of I will passe that by The judgement of God upon the Beast and Whore is set downe partly in the verse before the Text The ten Hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire for God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast c. Here the Iudgement is set downe what it is and by whom it shall be by the ten Hornes that is the ten Kings and secondly what they shall doe and that is set downe in order First these ten Hornes these ten Kings Western Kings They shall hate the Whore Hatred is the beginning of all actions that are offensive for it is the strongest and stiffest affection of ill as love is the strongest of good affections They shall hate the Whore It is not only anger but hatred They shall make her desolate and naked that is the second degree they shall leave her they shall strip this Strumpet of her ornaments and strength whereby she set out her selfe They shall eat her flesh that 's the third that is what they have given her before to inrich her withall that which made her in such well liking that which commended her that whâ—…ch is her living the riches of the Popes Clergie gotten most of it by ill meanes they shall take from her But that is not all but there is a higher degree then all this They shall burne the Whore with fire So that in the foregoing verse you see is set downe what the Iudgement is and who shall bthe Executioners of this judgement But why must all this come to passe Hee riseth to the highest cause God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree with one consent to give their kingdomes to the Beast God afterwards put into their minds to hate the Beast So that in this verse is the severity and the mercy of God his justice and his goodnesse His severity in putting into the hearts of these Kings to agree with one consent to give up their kingdomes to the Beast A great Iudgement so to besot them but here is a limitation of that severity at last till the time come untill the Word of God shall bee fulfilled that is untill they shall cease to be thus deluded by the Bishop of Rome and then they shall begin to hate the Whore as much as ever they were deluded by her and shall eate her flesh and consume her with Fire For the explication of these words they being somewhat hard I will spend a little time to unfold them And first I must shew who is this Beast For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast The Beast is mentioned in three places in the Revelation in the ninth Chapter there is mention of the Beast comming out of the bottomlesse Pit and in the 13. of the Beast that rose out of the Sea and here in this 17. of a scarlet coloured Beast having seven heads and ten hornes The Beast in a word is the state of Rome sometime under the heathenish Emperours sometime under the Pontificality the Question is whether the Beast here spoken of bee the state of Rome under the Roman persecuting Emperours before Christianity prevailed much or the state of Rome under the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome I answer undoubtedly it is here meant of the state of Rome as it is upheld the Whore The Beast that Beast For it is meant here of one that seduced by lying miracles of one that should come in a mysterie of one that should deale with fornication and such courses Now heathenish
Excommunicaâ—…ion hee awed them Againe he wrought by subtilty joyning with one Prince against another setting one against another And if hee joyned with any party he had such a slight that hee would be sure to make him a slave to the Papacie one way or other or else hee would excommunicate him and then before they should bee absolved they must either pay a great summe of money or else they must goe such a voyage or set such men or such on such an Enterprise And then againe hee gave dispensations to sell soules and so men might doe what they would they should have Pardon otherwise they should have Excommunication And then againe hee had preferments for the Sonnes of the Hornes Cardinals places for their second Sons that they should be great Princes he had high places for them Then againe hee layed his foundation on false grounds He would be universall Bishop and the Church could not erre and al of them must fetch and determine of their matters from him and appeale must be made to none but to him and in certaine cases none could satisfie the Conscience but him So that hee greatly raised his authority by these false and cousening meanes and all that yielded to him were a deluded company of people that were deluded by the false and subtill courses that he tooke And therefore although they gave their Kingdomes to him yet he possessed them by a fraudulent ritle the meanes he used were diabolicall They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast till the word of God should be fulfilled Well wee see here the Iudgement of God upon the Christian world It was not onely a Iudgement upon these Kings as they were Kings but God punished the peoples sinne in the slavery of these Kings to the Beast See here the Iudgement of God upon Kings and Princes for not esteeming as they should doe the glorious Gospel of Christ for they both Princes and people had it but they esteemed it not but delighted in untruths therefore God gave them up to believe lies We are not therefore over-much to pitty our Ancestors though they deserve pitty yet wee excuse them over much this way for certainly God is just in his Iudgement who seeing them delight in lies more then in his truth tooke away his grace and gave them up to this Beast that they should give up their authority both Prince and people to him And because they would not be ruled by Gods will thinking themselves wiser then he He appointed them to be ruled by one that should bee ruled by the Devill For the Devill was in the Pope and who would serve the Devill if hee knew it But because they would not yield unto Christs sweet government therefore he gave them over to a government fit for them even to be governed by the Beast I beseech you take notice of this point when we entertaine not the glorious Gospel of Christ the good word of God that word that declares salvation unto us and which is an Instrument to worke grace in us to fit us for heaven that word that is the seed and the food of our new Birth the Evidence of our Inheritance that good word which is the greatest Iewell under heaven when we doe not value that it is the greatest errour that can be and it is just with God to give us up to this and to that errour if not unto Popery yet unto some one errour that the Devill is in and contrary to the Spirit of God Doe yee thinke if a Master should see his servant take ill courses and would not doe according to his appointment and admonition that he would not leave him to take his owne course and so let him do his owne will that thereby he might see his folly in not being ruled by him So it is just with God when hee sees that wee doe not make much of his Gospel of his soule-saving Gopel that we will not have that alone but Traditions with it and that besides Christ wee must have other Mediators as if Christ were not rich enough It is just with God to give both Prince and people up to the Beast Let us therefore make much of the Gospel what moved God to give up the Easterne Empire those glorious Churches in Saint Iohns time unto the Turke nothing but this they did not value the Gospel What moved God to give up those Western Kings to Romish Antichrist for those two the Turke and Pope are twins they had their beginning at once about 700. yeares after Christ what moved this But only when God had dealt graciously with them at the first and gave them his truth to save their soules which is the most comfortablest thing in the world to have God discover what he meanes to do with us and what he would have us to doe when he discovered his will to them and saw them leave his will saw them leave Gold and take Drosse prefer the traditions and wisedome of men before the wisedome of God it was just with him to give them up to beleeve lies They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast marke the limitation here untill until the word of God should be fulfilled I see I cannot make an end of the Text a little further and so I will conclude Here is an Vntill here is a stop the Devill and the Beast had their time to seduce the Kings and the Kings had their time to bee seduced and to give up their Kingdomes but God hath his time Christ hath his time Christ gives his enemies time and then takes time himselfe Vntill the time that the Word of God shall be fulfilled We see here then a mixture of mercy with justice that after God had given them up justly not only the Easterne Empire but also the Western Kings to the Pope yet notwithstanding here is an Vntill God limits Ill not only for the measure of it but also for the time of it God at length turnes the streame of things so that these Kings that were thus abused and baffeled by this Man of sinne this Beast at last they grow wise by the inâ—…nct of God and hate the Beast as much as ever they loved her So then this is the point That the same God that by divine Providence gave way to these Kings to abuse the doctrine of the Gospell and that gave way to these people that were unthankefull to yield themselves in such slavery to the Pope yet notwithstanding in mercy God at the last put into the hearts of these Kings to with-draw their necks from this yoke and to put their necks under Christs yoke This Vntill hath had a beginning many yeare agoe for wee know to omit other Kings of other Countries King Henry the Eight of famous memory take him without those things we cannot upbraid now he was a man of great and excellent parts as hee was of great vices Hee was an excellent instrument of Christ to unhorse the Pope to shake off his government
he himselfe overcame Sathan and triumphed over him as it is Colos. 2. He lead him in triumph hee triumphed over Sathan himselfe and he will triumph over Sathan in all his members as hee over-came Sathan in himselfe so hee will overcome in us all For stronger is he that is in us then he that is in the world The Spirit of God as he is in us is stronger then Sathan not only Christ our glorious Captaine overcame him and is now in Heaven but the Spirit of God in us weak creatures with faith laying hold upon the word of God is stronger then he that is in the world he is stronger then the Devill and all that are against us But besides Sathan there is in us much opposition that must be subdued before we come to Canaan as we saw before in 2 Cor. 10. those reasonings and sophistries proud high thoughts all must be brought downe because Sathan doth joyne with these and if it were not for enemies within us Sathan could not prevaile over us as it was Dalilah that betraied Sampson or else the Philistines could not have hurt him so it is with our owne corruptions there be these wals within us these betray us to Sathan he could not hurt us but that wee â—…etray our selves Now by little and little all these wals â—…hall fall not all at once as the wals of Ieriâ—…ho did but they shall molder in pieces by litâ—…le and little God by degrees will perfect the worke of mortification and sanctification â—…ill hee make us take his Son Christ like our Husband and Head that wee may be fit for so glorious a Head But to come to the particular occasion Besides other enemies that are betweene us and Heaven Sathan is powerfull and effectuâ—…ll and strong in the Kingdome of Antichrist And by all meanes that Church which is opposite to Christ hath studied to build up wals to build up Iericho and to stop the Church of Christ to hinder it what they could Now what wals have they built up As Pharaoh said Let us deale wisely how wittily have they gone to worke to overthrow the Church of God in all times and to set up themselves and their owne Kingdome It were a large discourse it would take up the whole time to shew their policie and the plots they have had to give an instance in a few How strongly have they built up wals in their owne conceit when they had got the whole world almost into subjection to them before Luthers time all the world followed them They had used the matter so that Kings themselves had betrayed their very Crownes to them they had betrayed their Kingdomes they were rather Vassals to them then Kings they had gotten the temporall sword into their hands as well as the spirituall And they had raised up to themselves a bloody Inquisition to suppresse all light of truâ—…h as soone as ever it sparkled out all beames of truth were stopped with their bloody Inquisition they thought they had fenced themselves safe enough Then againe they had disabled all the Kings and Princes of Christendome And then because the Pope would ingage Princes to him to strengthen the wals higher and to make them stronger the young sonnes of Princes hee would make them Cardinals And then hee would arrogate to himselfe a power absolute to dispense in case of marriage and oathes and such like And besides what plots have they had for the counterfeiting of Authors for falsifying of Authors purging out true Authors that they might have none give witnesse against them what tricks have they to keepe people in ignorance because it is a Kingdome of darkenesse the Bible they must have God hath preserved that but they would have it in an unknowne tongue And what other devises to abuse the people withall How have they fenced themselves by applying themselves to humour all sorts of people For even as the Devill enlargeth his Kingdome by applying himselfe to the cursed sinfull disposition of men so doth the Pope here upon earth apply himselfe to the â—…infull disposition of all sorts of men There â—…re no kind of men but they have a baite in Popery For loose Libertines there are stewes For others that are of a more reserved and severe disposition there are Monasteries For superstitious persons there they have a world of ridiculous Ceremonies devised to themselves of their owne braine and never used in the Primitive Church For those that are covetous they have the riches of the world in their owne hands they have had at least before more then they now have For proud ambitious persons they have honours of all sorts For the people they have many carnal liberties for them And for all the senses of the body they have something to delight them to draw people from the power of Religion to carnall outward worship So they have studied and whetted their wits all the wayes that might bee to apply themselves to the dispositions of all sorts of men whatsoever that so they might strengthen the wals of Iericho I might be large I give you but a taste Well but what hath God done God hath infatuate and overthrowne their wals and by weake meanes Luther a poore Monke with a Trumpet of Rams-hornes with his preaching and with his writing you see how he shooke the wals of Rome how much they have lost within the last hundred yeares the last age the last Centurie of yeares they have lost a great part of this Westerne part of the world that they had in slavery before and how by weak meanes as you heard by the preaching of the Gospel by Learning and Knowledge It is no wonder that the Devill hates Knowledge and Learning as Luther saith well Hee hates the quils of Geese because they are Instruments to write against them Hee hath a Kingdome of darkenesse and Hell and the Pope is a King of darkenesse Now when the light of Knowledge the light of the Word of God the ordinance of God when preaching came these poore Trumpets did shake the Church of Rome As wee see in England the wals of Iericho fell downe by what mâ—…anes by a Child in manner King Edward the sixt and after by a woman and if the word of God had gone on in like proportion in other places Popery had beene lower then it is So wee see then that as high as they built and as much as they fortified though they bee not wholly cast downe yet they are shaken and that by weake meanes Now the way to effect this that these wals may fall down more and more It must be by the spiritual meanes that God will use wee must use the meanes that God hath appointed us poor contemptible meanes Trumpets of Rams hornes the preaching of the Word the discoverie of the truth and by this meanes we shall more and more gaine upon them And undoubtedly let them but give free liberty to the preaching of
Rome it overcame men by violence and by force and not by whorish insinuations by drawing them on to Idolatry It is said in the fifth verse that upon her forehead was a name written Mysterie Babylon the great Mother of Harlots Babylon in a Mysterie and this Mysterie is a great word too with them the Mysterie of the Masse in every thing there is a Mysterie all their Ceremonies are Mysteries This word Mysterie therefore in the fore-head of the Whore sheweth what Beast it is that is here meant It is observed by divers Writers that in the Frontlet of the Popes Diadem there is written this name Mysterium as in Iulius the seconds time but afterwards when they smelt that he was construed thereby to be the very Whore they rased out that and put in Iulius secundus c. And she sits upon many waters She sits marke the Spirit of God will not suffer us to erre what is the regiment of the Pope called Sitting such a Pope sate so long the Whore sits in the very phrase and what is the seat called the See of Rome the See of Antichrist Divers other particular things there are to shew that he means Rome that is the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome to bee the Beast here spoken of Especially considering the connexion of this Chapter with that following where is set down the finall destruction of this Beast now wee know that heathenish Rome ended long agoe therefore that Beast which is here meant must needs bee that which followes in the next Chapter and therefore it must needs be Rome as it is under the Bishop the Pope of Rome It is said in the 13. Chapter that this Beast made the former Beast to speake did enliven and quicken the former Beast so indeed this Beast Rome considered under the Pope which succeeds that Beast Rome as it was under the Roman Emperours quickens the former Beast for now all is as glorious as ever it was in heathenish Rome For after that the Gothes and Vandals had possessed Rome the Pope put some life into the Empire of Rome and did himselfe become Emperour For indeed the Emperour of Germany though he be intituled King of Rome yet that is but a meer titular thing the Eagle is deplumed of her feaâ—…thers of her authority it is only the title hee beares And if any Emperour come to Rome the Pope will make him sweare fealty and hee must not long stay in Rome he cannot endure that And it is well said in the Revelation that this Beast is the Image of the former Beast for the Pope is altogether like the Emperours almost in every thing For the Emperours were crowned The Pope for failing hath three Crownes The Emperours had their scarlet this is a purple coloured VVhore in scarlet They spake the Latine tongue and forced all nations almost to speak Latine as a monument of their slavery So all in the Popish Church is in latine their prayers in Latine all in latine even for the simple and sottish people to use Ancient heathen Rome had their grave Senators the Pope hath his Cardinals The heathen Emperours as Domitian and others would be adored as Gods So likewise is the Pope of Rome adored and marke the slight hee hath a Crucifix upon his feet and Kings must kisse that so with adoring of the Cross they adore his person as they did Heliodorus that heathen Emperour Thus in every thing almost they agree with ancient Rome and in many other things I might runne over their likenesse to the former Beast Now this Beast to describe him a little better that we might know what these Kings did when they gave up their Kingdomes and Thrones to the Beast It is said in the 13. chapter that the Dragon gave power to the Beast the Dragon is the Devill and as he wrought effectually in the former Beast in heathen Rome to make war with the Saints so is this Beast Pontificall Rome stirred up and acted by the Devill the Dragon to persecute the Church So that this Beast hath the power and the spirit of the Dragon the Devill himselfe And that you may discerne that I doe them no wrong consider how the Dragon and this Beast which is moved and lead and acted by the spirit of the Dragon agree in their courses I will name two or three to you The Dragons course is to make us distrust God you know how in Paradise hee taught our first Parents to distrust the word of God Yee shall be as Gods knowing good and evill So the force of Popery is to dishonour and to discredit Gods truth to put out the peoples eyes to lead them blind-fold to make the Scripture a matter of errour and heresie and bid the people take heed of it as if God meant to deceive them to goe beyond them in giving them his Word as though it were not a word of salvation As the Dragon himselfe said to Christ If thou wilt fall downe and worship me all these will I give thee So the Pope takes upon him the Dragons power these that will bee good sonnes of their Church these and these preferments will he give them when hee hath as much right to them as the Devill had to those The Devill fell from heaven at the preaching of the Word at the preaching of the Gospell the Apostles when they returned from preaching told our Saviour that they saw Sathan fall downe like lightning So Antichrist fals by the preaching of the Gospel by the breath of the Lords mouth he is not able to stand before it no more then Dagon before the Arke the VVord preached is as fire to consume him so he is like the Dragon in that In disposition he is like the Dragon The Devill is a Lyer and a Murtherer from the beginning the father of lies so likewise the Pope is a Lyar all Popery is nothing but lies therefore 2 Thess. 2. it is said They are given over to beleeve lies Popery is a grand lie it is a lie in the primacie for it came in by forgery and intrusion it is a lie in Purgatory which is a meere conceit it is a lie in their miracles which they have devised to maintaine their false worship with It is a lie in their works of supererogation that they can fulfill more then the Law requireth So that all Popery consider it distinctly from our Religion because they have that which wee have and some patches of their owne consider it by it selfe it is a meer lie Besides that they maintaine the doctrine of Equivocation which is a lie a justifier of lies which is worst of all And to murther this present day and occasion tels us that murthers come from them their Doctrine maintaines it and they make orations in commendations of Traytors as Sixtus Quintus did in praise of him that killed Henry the third King of France and the bloody Massacre of France is pictured up in the Popes
Court As the Devill is a Lyar and a Murtherer so is this Sonne of the Devill who is led by the Spirit of the Dragon in disposition they are alike In course of life they are alike The Dragon is said to draw the third part of the stars of heaven downe to the earth that is to draw men which were as the stars of heaven to make them deny their Religion So this Dragon this Pope the instrument and vassal of Sathan hee drawes the third part of the stars from heaven and hee drawes men from the love of the truth by preferment and honour men that are learned men that are otherwise of excellent parts hee drawes them from heaven to earth that is hee drawes them from the knowledge of the truth and goodnesse to earth and lower then earth too if they do not repent even to hell it selfe from whence hee came Thus I might goe on to shew that this Beast is Rome under the Pontificality and not Rome under the Heathen Emperours likewise that this Beast is acted lead and guided by the spirit of the Dragon by reason of the resemblance which it holds parallel with him in these and other things So much for explication of this Beast But why is the state of Rome called the Beast Daniel first knew the great Empires the one of Babylon called a Lyon the Persian Monarchy a Bear the Grecian a Leopard but here in this Chapter is a strange Beast that hath all the cruelty and fiercenesse of all those Monarchies Called therefore a Beast for her fiercenesse and cruelty Gods Church they are sheepe and lambes Christ himselfe the Lambe of God the opposite Church of Antichrist a Beast acruel Beast If you go to plants Gods Church are lilies the opposite kingdome are thornes If you goe to Fowles Gods Church are Doves Turtles mild and gentle the opposite Church are Eagles and birds of prey But I say they are called Beasts for their cruelty The state of Rome under those heathenish Emperours was a Beast and in those ten persecutions the Emperours are rightly called Beasts so likewise Rome Papall is a Beast Our Religion true Religion entertained makes of Beasts men the true knowledge of Christ alters their natures turnes Lyons into Lambes as the Prophet saith Isa. 11. But the Popish religion it makes of men beasts makes them worse then themselves For these Gun powder-traytors many of them as they were by birth Gentlemen so their dispositions were gentle and mild divers of them not of the worst dispositions only that bloody Religion made them worse then their nature was So I say Papall Rome is a Beast and popish religion makes men beasts Well I will not inlarge my selfe in the uses of this point because I shall speake of it afterward if the time will give me leave only this have nothing to doe with this Beast keep out of her pawes keepe out of her clawes A Lion or a cruell Beast may seeme to bee calme for a while but a Lyon will as we say shew a Lyons trick once a yeare Meddle not therefore with this Beast it is a Beast so much for that what the Beast is the state of Rome under the Bishop of Rome For God hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Whose The Angell sets down in the verse before the ten Horns the ten Kings the ten western Kings whether it be a certaine number for an uncertain or whether it be a certain number I wil not dispute of now but take it so as it cannot be disputed against a certain number for an uncertaine A number of the VVesterne Kings gave up their kingdomes for a while to the Beast untill the Word of God should bee fulfilled But marke the phrase God put it into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Wil God put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast why then the Pope of Rome need not pretend Constantines donation that he 300. yeares after Christ gave unto them many territories about Rome But they may depend upon a higher donation God put it into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast Here is a higher title then the donation of Constantine But we must know that this is not meant as if God gave him a right by putting into the hearts of the Kings to give up their kingdomes to the Beast but God seeing these ten Hornes these ten Kings to be in a sinfull estate who deserved to be left of him and to bee given up to further illusion and by with-drawing his grace to give them up to the occasions of sin to this seducing Beast and Whore he put into their hearts to give up their kingdomes to the Beast But this must be a little cleared Is God the Author of sinne God put it into their hearts he did not only rule the events but he put into their hearts c. I answer The phrases of the Scripture are well enough knowne in this kind God gave them up to a reprobate sense Rom. 1. 12. The falling of the people from Rehoboam it is said it was of the Lord And God bad Shemei rayle divers such phrases there are in the Scripture How must these bee understood thus Not that God doth allow or command any thing that is evill much lesse that hee doth infuse any evill into men so that when it is said he put these things into their hearts here is neither an outward command nor an inward infusion what is it then Here is a finding of them in an evill and sinfull estate and God useth that evil and mischiefe and wickednesse that he finds to his owne end and purpose He infuseth no malice or evil but finding of it he useth it to his owne particular end and purpose makes way and vent for it upon particular occasions These ten Kings he infuseth no love of superstition into them but finding them evill and not as they should be Subjects of his kingdome and misliking his sweet government it was just with God to give them up to be slaves to the Beast by consequence to the Devill himselfe that spake and wrought by the Beast So I say God tooke away the impediments and opened a way to their evill disposition He used their evill disposition to this or that particular thing even as a Workeman that finds an ill piece of timber he makes not the timber ill but when he finds it ill hee useth it to his owne good purpose and as a man it is Luthers comparison as a man that moves a Horse that is lame hee doth not put lamenesse into the Horse but useth him to his owne purpose being lame so God finding these men evill in the generall he directs this ill into particular courses to worke it selfe this way and not that in this particular action not in that For God although he be not the
more restrained either inwardly by the Spirit and by the conscience or outwardly by the Lawes and terrour the more mercifully God deales with men so the more free the current of the disposition runs in ill wayes the more wretched a man is Yea but will the heart of some Atheisticall person presently say what punishment is it as long as I have liberty in evill and meet with no hinderance in my courses and feele no harme but rather the contrary as many that get their riches by ill meanes and those great Papists those great Vsurpers wee see what estates they get to themselves I answer Spiritual Iudgements are so much the greater by how much they are lesse sensible because if they bee not sensible to us here they will bee the more sensible to us hereafter And those that have their will most here shall suffer most against their will hereafter It is the greatest judgement in this world for a man to have his wil in sinfull courses Hee that shall make an Idoll of his will especially a man that is in great place of Honour that shall make all wayes serve for the accomplishment of his will when he hath â—…t he is the most miserablest man in the world â—…or hee that hath his will most in courses unjustifiable shall suffer most against his will when he commeth to a reckoning such men therefore are the more miserable because such taking themselves to be absolute persons and their waies the best wais though they have many determents from their base courses yet they will heare no counsell and therefore the â—…rder to be reclaimed It doth not therefore take away from their punishment but rather aggravate it I beseech you let me presse this a little that these Iudgements are great Iudgements although wee doe not feele them when with a free consent we give our selves unto ill It is a heavie Iudgement when God leaves us to our owne lusts and takes away the guidance of his Spirit we had better that God should give us up to the Devill for a while to bee tormented we had better be in Hell if a man might come out at a certaine time then to bee given up all our life time to doe with our owne consent and will that which is liking to our owne will and lust because by yeelding to our own will wee yield to the Devill that rules in a Mans affections and will For a Mans affections when they are carried to evill they are the Chariots of Sathan when the Devil sees excessive sinfull affections as excessive sinfull joy and delight in sinfull pleasures he being about us is alwayes carried in these affections and carries us also strongly in the wayes that lead unto eternall perdition Wee judge when a man suffers some outward punishment as casting into prison or the losse of his sight oh hee is infearfull case but what is the case of a man blinded by Sathan and his owne lusâ—…s A man that is a slave to his owne base affections and by consequent to the Devill which rules in his affections and so consequently to damnation A man that lies under the wrath of God that hath no heart to repent If a man had spirituall eyes to consider the case of that man he would never pitty so much the case of those men that suffer outward losses as hee would pitty those which he sees to live and oftentimes to die in evill courses of life This should therefore be an use of direction to us that seeing we heare that God rules the hearts of men that hee takes away his Spirit and leaves men to occasions wee should pray to God to rule our hearts himselfe Lord take thou the rule of our hearts to governe them thy selfe It was a good prayer of the Ancient Church Oh God from whom all holy desires and all good counsels doe proceed c. Indeed it is hee from whom all good counsels doe proceed These ten Hornes they were ten Kings no doubt but as they were men of great place so of great parts but without Gods Spirit without his light the greatest and the wisest man is but mad he is as a man out of his wits puzzeled in darknesse and knowes not which way to goe When God gives men over to their own lusts to their blind affections they lead men to judgement they must needs fall into the pit Let us desire God to put into our hearts holy desires holy purposes for from him all holy desires come let us desire him not only to governe our estate and to preserve our bodies from danger but Lord keepe thou our hearts we cannot keepe our hearts of our selves doe thou bend our understandings bow our affections and our wils that they may run in the right way And to stirre us up to this the more wee must know that that Evill which wee do not we are beholding to God for as much as for the good wee doe Why doe not men having an ill disposition and corruptature doe ill Because God offers not occasions of ill if God should offer occasions they would commit the Evill as well as others It is God that puts into mens hearts to hate that Evill If God should take away his Spirit men would not hate evill when occasions are offered as these men did not when the occasion was offered They gave up their kingdomes and thrones to the Beast So that we are beholding to God for all the ill that we do not either it is his not offring occasions or else his giving us strength in the occasions This we forget Wee are apt to say this wicked man hath done this this good man is fallen into this this man hath done that but where is our devotion at this time we should rather say Lord it was thee for causes thou best knowest for if thou hadst left me especially when occasions were presented and offered and there was a correspondent corruption in my heart to close with the occasion I had fallen into the like sinne it was thy keeping and not my goodnesse One thing more the Beast is exprest before in Chapter 13. to bee lead by the Devill So that howsoever the Devill who by Saint Paul is called the God of this world and the Pope the subordinate Vicar to the Devill and so by consequence he is the Devill for the Devill the Dragon rules him Howsoever I say there be the Devill the God of this world and the Pope in this world the Vicar of that Dragon yet there is but one Monarch one that rules all both Devill and Pope and all the wicked limbs of both to his owne ends It was God that put it into the hearts of these Kings to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast It is he alone that is absolute that gives the liberty of the Chaine both to men and devils Thus farre they shall goe and no further It is a good saying of the Schooles There is no Ill so ill as there is
good that is good there is not any ill so strong as God is good but every ill must come under the government of God The Devill himselfe nor the vile heart of man cannot goe out of his rule yet may runne out of his Commandements but then it runs into his Iustice hee may goe against the revealed will of God but then hee runs into his secret will there is no Ill Ill in that degree that God is good but every Ill is in somewhat and from somewhat and for somewhat that is good as it is over-ruled by God The crucifying of Christ which was the worst action that ever was yet it tended to the greatest good viz. the salvation of mankind So this giving to the Beast of these ten Thrones by these ten Kings it was a sinne and a punishment of their sinne but it was for a good end as wee shall see afterward if the time will give leave This should teachus absolute dependance and subjection to this great God they need feare no creatures that feare God they need feare no Devill nor Turke nor Pope nor all the lims of them for God is the absolute Monarch of the world he can doe what hee will and if God be on our side who can be against us It is said that hee is a wise Politician that can make his owne ends out of his enemies designes The great Governour of heaven and earth can doe so He can put a hooke into the nostrils of the Leviathans of this world and can draw them and rule them as hee pleaseth they may doe many things but it shal be all to accomplish his ends and purposes they shall doe his will God put it into the hearts of these Kings to fulfill his will Hee put it into their hearts to agree to give up their kingdomes to the Beast and so they did submit themselves to Antichrist for a great while In the next place it is expressed how this came They Gave their Kingdomes to the Beast Wee are to see how farre faulty these Kings were and how farre faulty the Pope the Beast was to whom they gave their Kingdomes For it may be objected that these men they did but obey God for hee put it into their hearts and for the Pope they offered their Kingdomes to him and who would not receive offered Gold But here is a deale of devillish deceit for first God gave them over to themselves and they gave themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast what then was sinfull in them This to give their Kingdomes to the Beast This they betrayed their Kingdomes Here is a wrong to God a wrong to themselvs and a wrong to their Subjects A wrong to God whose Vice-gerents they were did he give them their Kingdomes to give them to his Enemy to give them to the Beast and by consequence to the Devill Doth God raise up men to rule that they should enthral themselves and their Kingdomes to the Beast to give them to Gods Enemies No Kings raigne by Him The Pope saith by mee Is their constitution of men No Kings raigne by God they derive their authority from him It is he that hath power over Kings Dan. 2. They raigne not if he will and they may rule â—…f he will by his will permitting else no man can raigne By mee Kings raigne If then they reigne by him it is a treason against God to betray the Kingdomes that hee hath given them into the hands of his Enemies It is a wrong to Christ whereas they should kisse the Sonne by kisses of subjection as Princes use to doe in the Eastern Countries to fall downe and kisse their Soveraignes toes they doe in this the cleane contrary Here is a wrong to themselves they betray their owne authority that when God hath made them Kings to rule they will bee slaves and it is a great sinne for a man not to maintain his standing as it is well observed by his Majestie who if ever Prince did doth vindicate himselfe and challenge his regall authority and it shall continue and make him live even to the worlds end It is the greatest sinne for a man to betray himselfe Every man is to maintaine that place and standing that God hath set him in These ten Hornes they wronged themselves and their place God made them Kings over their people and they become slaves to an Antichristian Priest It was a great wrong to their Subjects kingdomes we know follow their Kings and if Ieroboam make Israel to sinne all Israel will quickly sinne diseases come from the head if the head be naught there will bee a disease in the body ere long A greater stone being tumbled downe from a Hill it carries lesser stones along with it so great Kings when they fall themselves they draw their Kingdomes after them therefore the phrase of the Scripture is God put into their hearts to give not onely themselves but their Kingdomes to the Beast for commonly the Idoll of the people is their King and being led by sense and not by faith they feare him more then they feare God and their owne restraint more then they feare Hell and so they come to this damned Religion by depending upon him therefore it is a wrong to the people knowing they are so slavish by nature and wanting faith are fearing terrour led by the present command of their King Thus it was a wrong in these Kings every way But the Pope the Beast what was too blame in him He did but take that which was offered him They gave their Kingdomes to the Beast I answer Indeed hee tooke that which was offered him but he did abuse these Kings hee abused the Christian world Hee had no title to these Kingdomes but was a fraudulent Possessor of them because hee came to them by a slight Hee raised himselfe to the Popedome by the ruines of the Empire for upon the divisions of the Empire the Emperour having enemies in the East hee was faine to rest in Constantinople and thereupon Rome being much neglected at last was over-run by the Gothes and Vandals and the Pope taking occasion of the absence of the Empeâ—…our set up himselfe thus raising himselfe by â—…e ruâ—…nes of the Empire and then hee being â—…stablished set up Pepine Father of Charles the Great and put downe Childerick who being 〈◊〉 weake Prince he deposed and set the other 〈◊〉 that he might gratifie him so so hee colâ—…ogued with Princes And then againe hee wan respect and authority from the Hornes by diabolicall and 〈◊〉 courses For first hee abused their underâ—…andings keeping them from the Scriptures â—…nd then he abused their affections and drew â—…em this way and that way with toyes They â—…ave him great matters and he gave them Inâ—…ulgences and Pardons consecrated Grains â—…nd such like things Then againe hee would oft force them to â—…ield by Excommunications and many false â—…itles of Peters Successor and Peters Chaire so by the terrour and dread of
to hate the Whore and to eat her flesh that is to overthrow the Monasteries those Cages of uncleane Birds and those Peter-pence those exactions for indeed the Pope made England his Asse to beare his burthens It would move any mans patience to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland so that we may now truly say as Christ saith If the Son make you free you are free indeed Christ hath made us free the Gospel hath made us free and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have flourished King Henry shooke off the yoke first and after him King Edward and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory and now our gracious King So that this Vntill it begun long since to hate the Beast and to eat her flesh one thing therâ—… is yet undone To burne her with fire if they hate the Beast and eat her flesh this will câ—…me toâ—… to burne her with fire even the ten Kings that were subject to her before shall doe that Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive alwayes it shall not alwayes bee night but the Sunne shall arise at the last Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world their madnesse shall be made manifest at length as Paul saith 2 Tim. This is our Comfort that there is an Vntill a time prefixed of God to discover and to lay open all Impostures And now the time is come that most of this should be fulfilled some of these words of God are fulfilled the Beast is hated and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast to bee cruell witnesse the blood of Saints the Murther of Kings those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome The Beast I say is now discovered and hated The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred If ever we hatred any thing we may hate the state of Rome It is a Beast and the object of hatred and ever was and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred it is that why do we not hate a Harlot doe we not hate an old Strumpet an old painted Strumpet doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd there was never Bawd there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme that this Bawd this Beast this Whore of Rome hath done drawing so many thousand soules to hell Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with there was none so grievous as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church the spirituall judgement of the Papacie it is the greatest judgement of God that was ever inflicted upon any We hate them that misuse us under the pretence of love that cheat and cozen us and we delight in their punishment there was never Cheater never Cozener like this And surely so God hath fulfilled his word that shee is hated even in our Children that know but the grounds of Religion to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth that have the Spirit of God in them they hate those Impostures those abuses of Christian Religion with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God and indeed so they have for besides their own base government they maintaine the corruptions of men feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures with outward formall empty things so that the very weake ones even Children now they hate the Whore hate her Impostures hate her Cruelty hate her Lying and all I see the time is past I can goe no further â—…ut will draw to an end only a little to still us up Shall God then reveale and discover this painted Strumpet this Bawd and shall wee labour to conceale her ill shall we dawbe shall we make her better then she is shall we hinder Gods purpose Gods word is that shee shall be revealed the Princes shall hate her and consume her with fire Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence and decree in this point that this shall be it is Gods purpose and whosoever stops it certainely they bring the judgement of God upon them those that would reare up â—…ericho againe wee know what befell them and they that reare up Rome that begins now to bee discovered they bring the Iudgement of God upon them God will performe this as well as he performed the other as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their Kingdomes to the Beast so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore Now that we may hate her let every one labour in his place Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures their cousenings and all their filthinesse whereby they deceive the people Magistrates in their place to ocuntenance the Ministers to see the lawes executed as they may These that through ignorance are seduced that are not Iesuited for there is no hope of them but others their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour but not their Religion Let us all take heed that wee grow in knowledge Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ the more Christ appears in glory the more Antichrist will appeare in shame Let us labour by prayer and not give God over by prayer to plant the love of the truth in our hearts to entertaine the truth with love to value it according to the respect it deserves at our hands and let us labour to be molded into that truth to obey it else though we have it yet if wee doe not love it if wee be not transformed into it though our wits and parts be never so great we may be seduced to errour God gave over these Kings men of great place and of great parts because they did not love the truth to beleeve lies My purpose was to have shewed the danger if we do not further Gods purpose in discovering this wicked Antichrist A state wherin the Devill the Dragon is effectuall and this Book wonderoâ—…sly sets downe the danger It is another manner of danger now to relapse and to apostatize after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse and we know it to bee so of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth to affect this cursed Religion that the sentence of God hath past upon and it must be fulfilled That they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire that she shall be left desolate and naked But you may object Alas how is that likely to be when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten and how he ruâ—…fleth in the world at this time how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet Well it is but a living before death undoubtedly Babylon is fallen it is fallen saith Iohn
in his time that is it is as sure to fall as if it were fallen already the word of God hath said so the power of man cannot hinder it He that put it into the heads hearts of the Kings to betray their Kingdomes he shall also put it into their hearts and heads to hate and burn the Whore with fire at the last It must be so the Angell said it was done as if it were done already it is as sure as if it were done therefore let us never take scandall at the flourishâ—…ng state of the enemies of the Church abroad let us never dislike our Religion for that Babylon is fallen the time will come when it shall be done Heaven hath concluded it and earth cannot hinder it no nor Hell neither God hath said it and shall not he doe it It is the word of him that is Lord of his word because hee is Lord of hosts and Lord of the Creatures It is the word of him that is Lord of Lords that is Lord of heaven and earth Lord of all things He hath said that Babylon is fallen and therefore it must be so he being Governour and Lord of all things and of his word too that can make all things prove serviceable to his purpose Let us comfort our selves therefore as if it were present and not take offence at the state of the Beast and the Whores flourishing but present him to your selves as hee is set out in the Text see him growing see him rising see him decaying and at last see him cast into the bottomlesse pit to burne in the Lake of fire for ever It is you see the word of God from heaven that he is fallen and cast into the earth as a Milâ—…one and shall never â—…ise againe He shall never quicken againe Heathen Rome was quickned by Papall Rome the Pope quickned the former Beast But there shall never be Beast after this Rome and therefore he is said in this Chapter To goe into destruction that is he and his state and all without repentance shall so go into destruction that there shall never be other Beast And that that shall helpe this destruction forward shall bee the course that themselves take God as he hath decreed their destruction so hee hath appointed that their owne plots which they have devised for their owne maintenance shall turne to their confusion Doe you not thinke that the ruine of the Pope will be by the Iesuits who are growen by their pressing themselves and by their pragmaticall medling into Princes affaires by their drawing and assuming all busines to themselves and by their striving and bringing all to their profession to such hatred of the world that even these meanes which they themselves take will be the meanes of the overthrow and downefall of Popery As the counsell of Achitophel was the meanes to infatuate him so their owne courses will cause their own overthrow In the Powder-treason they thought they had been made for ever but God turned their wickednesse upon their owne heads And now in these later times we may see that God takes his cause into his owne hands and you know who spake it by observation Hamans wife If thou begin to fall thou shalt not prevaile but shalt surely fall before him so if God take the matter into his owne hands as hee hath done already let them feare For they shall surely fall and not prevaile untill he hath wrought his worke in Sion untill he hath thorowly purged his Church they shall prevaile there is a little time alotted them but it is nothing let us see by the eye of faith what this Book saith of them that they shall be destroyed and let us looke on the courses they themselves take which wil cause their destruction was there ever any thing that weakned Popery so much as this desperate attempt that we now celebrate this day Indeed if wee goe to an ignorant Papist and tell him what doctrine they teach and what upholds their doctrine tell him of the Powder treason aske him concerning the traytors he will mince the matter oh they were unfortunate Gentlemen c. But how did Sixtus Quintus mince the matter when they had successe in the massacre in France when many thousands of people weâ—…e slâ—…ine against the Law slaine under pretence of being married and bidden to a marriage He was so farre from disallowing the act as that he caused it to be pictured in his Palace So if these had achieved this they had not been unfortunate Gentlemen they had beene made they had beene sainted as some of them are Saint Garnet S. Devill if the Devill himselfe will helpe them and further Popery hee shall be sainted and if they be never so base yet for their Rebellion and destruction of Kings they shall be sainted by them will not this provoke men to hate the Beast and the Whore to make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and to burne her with fire Well the time is past I cannot finish the Text as I thought to have done To speake to the particular occasion I need not it is yet fresh And what should we speake of the Gunpowder-treason the Iesuits and Priests having the Devill for their Mid-wife they are big of such like plots Hell Rome and Sathan and the Iesuits those Frogs of the Bottomlesse pit they are full of devising such attempts But I rather thought to speak against Popery against the Beast and her Religion at this time then Rhetorically to amplifie that act of theirs when indeed we are ready to have a new one continually for they are alwayes plotting and devising I meane those Iesuits Our comfort is to looke to the Scripture to looke here what shall bee the end of these Frogs and of the Beast ere long they shall be cast into the burning Lake Let us blesse God that we live under this government of so Gracious a Prince that hath more weakned the Pope by his learned Writings then ever any Prince did So much for this time THE RVINE OF MYSTICALL IERICHO A Sermon preached upon the 5th of November in remembrance of Our Deliverance from the Papists Powder-Treason BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine RICH. SIBBS Doctor in Divinity Mr. of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE IOSH. 6. 10. And it came to passe when the people heard the sound of the Trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout that the Wall fell downe flat c. LONDON Printed by T. B. for N. Bourne at the Royall Exchange and R. Harford at the guilt Bible in Queenes-head Alley in Pater-noster-Row 1639. THE RVINE OF MYSTICALL IERICHO HEB. 11. 30. By faith the Wals of Iericho fell downe after they had beene compassed about seven dayes THIS Verse suites somewhat to the occasion therefore I have made choâ—…se of it at this time This Chapter containes the triumph of Faith in the hearts and soules of
as some idle persons doe in a bravery we are but strangers here and we must be gone c. Though I say they doe not speake thus as some doe that never thinke so yet notwithstanding their carriage bewrayes it their course and company and conversation shewes that indeed they confesse themselves pilgrims and strangers Now the order of the words is this strangers and pilgrims there is little difference betweene these two Strangers shewes our absence from home that we are abroad in another country that we are in another place And Pilgrims shewes our carriage to our country our going home a pilgrim or traveler is he that is going homeward They confessed themselves that they were not at home but they were going toward that that was their home toward heaven to that Citty whose builder and maker was God himselfe Wee are strangers to shew what we are here on earth In regard of heaven we are strangers on 〈◊〉 and not meere strangers that rest and doe nothing but such strangers as are passing home toward their country we are strangers and pilgrims on earth the one implies our absence the other implies our moving to the place of our abode The points considerable are first this Thâ—…s Gods children upon earth here are strangers and pilgrims They are not at home but are travelling toward their country The second is this that They prosesse themselves to be so They know they are so and they confesse that they are so they are not ashamed of it For the first It is the disposition of him that hath truly interest in better things though but in faith and hope to bee a stranger and a pilgrim in regard of all things here below And this followes the other for where the eyes of the understanding are opened and a man is perswaded there is an imbracing of better things as our proper good things there is a considering of all other things as things that doe not belong to us in a manner we are strangers When faith apprehends Christ and heaven and happinesse to be our own and our country to be above faith apprehending and grasping these things and imbracing them at the same time it is to be supposed and necessarily followes that we are strangers It followes out of the necessity of the thing it selfe for upon the very consideration that a man is an heire of heaven that he hath another country and condition out of the necessitie of the thing it selfe though there were no other reason for it the affections of the soule will be closed up as it were to other things and he will consider of other things in an inferiour condition as they are For the things though they bee good in their kind and order both the things above and the things below yet there being such a difference in these good things and the things here below the contentments here on earth being so meanely good and so short in continuance and so weake in their satisfaction of the soule that they cannot bee possessed together with the blessed assurance of better things but with the affections of strangers and pilgrims this followes I say from the nature of the thing that in whose eyes heavenly things are great in his eyes earthly things are meane They are accounted as they are secondary meane things of the way to help him forward home If a man were on the top of a great mountaine he would see the things below to be very little and the things above would appeare greater to him so when the soule is raised up to see great things though they be a farre off as these did with the eye of faith at the same time his soule looking to things below must needs apprehend them to be little in quantity as indeed they are If a man were in body lift up to heaven and should looke upon the earth what were the earth but a pooresilly point the whole earth iâ—… selfe much more a mans owne possession so when the soule is lifted up to heaven by faith which sets a man in heaven before his time when it looks from thence to the earth and earthly things it must of necessity consider them as they are to bee poore meane things Therefore this followes that being perswaded of the promises that is of the good things promised in religion in the word of God to earthly things they were strangers and pilgrims He that is from home and hath another home which he is not at he is a stranger but Christians have another home For first they are bred from heaven they are borne from heaven they are borne in Ierusalem that is from above they are borne in the Church by the seed of the word and spirit now as they are from heaven so their 〈◊〉 is to heaven againe for every thing naturally riseth as high as it springeth As we say of water it mounts as high as the head of it is so our affections mount as high as the spring of them is Now a Christian being borne from heaven he tends to that in his affections that is his country It is his country because his father is there in his glory and his Saviour is there and a great part of his kindred are there the soules of perfect men and the glorious Angels in a most glorious manner though they be in their attendance upon the earth there is his country his Citie his house there is his happinesse his home I shall not need therefore to prove that the godly are strangers If heaven be his country earth must needs be the place of his pilgrimage there is no question but that followes It is said here they were pilgrims and strangers upon earth Vpon earth Because where ever a Christian is if it be upon any place upon earth he is a stranger and a pilgrim if he be in his owne house he is upon earth and therefore he is a stranger in his owne house if he be in his owne possession he is upon earth and therefore he is a stranger in his own possession As David confessed though he were a King I am a stranger and a pilgrim here as all my fathers were 1 Chron. 29. 15. A King in his kingdome is upon Gods earth and therefore he is a stranger in his own kingdome here As Austin saith very well quisque domus suae c. every man is a stranger in his owne house wee are strangers here on earth therefore It is not any condition on earth that exempts a child of God from being a stranger when the greatest Kings in the world have confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims so that all Christians of what condition Ioever they are from the highest to the meanest they are all strangers upon earth it is a cleare point And it must needs be so for the head of Christians was a stranger his love made him a stranger for he left his fathers bosome his love drew him