Truth Interest and People as they ought to do Inferences IS Christ's Church and so consequently every gracious Person compared to a Dove being meek humble harmless chast and single-hearted to the Lord Jesus Christ c. Then we may assure our selves that she that delights in Prey Rapine and Blood as doth the Romish Church is none of the Dove or Church of Jesus Christ 2. Are the Eyes of a Dove by the Rivers of Water do they delight in Springs Fountains and pure Rivers and in this are they an Emblem of the Godly who hate all filthy loathsom and detestable Traditions of Men and delight only in the pure unmixed and Chrystal Streams of God's holy Institutions Then all those who like Ravens and other foul and unclean Birds of Prey delight in Ditches and in long-standing stinking Pools of this false Church where they defile themselves in searching for the detestable Carrion of Idolatry are none of Christ's Dove-like People 3. And let those that are the People of God labour to be like the Dove who is neat and will not defile it self let them see they keep their Hearts chast to Christ and avoid all Pollution of Sin in their Conversation 2 Cor. 7.1 5. This also may inform the Godly that 't is no marvel if they are persecuted and molested by the Wicked 5. And in the midst of all their Afflictions Persecutions and Temptations this may comfort them God hath prepared for his poor Doves a strong Place of Defence and Shelter viz. the Rock Christ whither let us in all Times of Danger flie by Faith and Prayer The Church compared to a natural Body 1 Cor. 12.13 All baptized into one Body Eph. 2.16 Both unto God in one Body Eph. 4.12 For the edifying of the Body of Christ. Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church c. Verse 24. For his Body sake which is the Church c. THe Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soma is frequently put for the Church or People of God the Explication of which Trope is concisely opened in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel EVery natural Body hath a Head SO the Church of God hath a Head viz. the Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1.22 He God the Father hath put all things under his Feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his Body the Fulness of him that filleth all in all And he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.17 18. Verse 17. And he is the Head of the Body the Church c. II. The natural Body hath many Members 1 Cor. 12.14 20. and tho many Members yet all make but one and the same Body II. The Chureh of Christ consists of divers Saints called the Members of his Body Now ye are the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 and Members in particular and tho many yet all make but one and the same mystical Body III. In the natural Body are Members different in Strength Usefulness and Honour as Arms Legs Eyes Feet Hands Fingers c. But the weakest and those that seem least honourable are very useful and the Body cannot be without them III. So in the Church the mystical Body of Christ are different Members both with respect to Honour and Usefulness as Apostles Prophets Teachers Eph 4.11 1 Jâ—h 2.13 14. or as the Apostle John hath it Fathers young Men and Children All are not Apostles all are not Prophets all are not Teachers c. But yet the weakest and most feeble Saints or Members are useful to the Church As in the Body natural 1 Cor. 12.20 21 22 23. tho the Eye is of greater use than some other Members yet the Eyes or Ministers who are as useful as Eyes to the Body cannot say to the Hand or such to whom God hath given the Riches of this World to distribute unto others We have no need of thee nor can the Head say to the Feet I have no need of you Nay and those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary IV. In the natural Body if one Member suffer all suffer with it IV. So in Christ's mystical Body when one Saint suffereth all do sympathize and suffer with him If one suffer 1 Cor 12.26 all suffer and if one Member be honoured all the Members of the Body rejoyce with him V. All the Members of the Body natural take care of and seek the Good of the whole Body and of each Member in particular V. So in the Church of God every particular Saint doth and ought always to seek the Welfare of the whole mystical Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.25 That there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one of another VI. All the Members of the natural Body have their Nourishment from the Head VI. So all the Members of the mystical Body receive Nourishment from Christ who is the only Head thereof and from hence the Apostle condemneth those false Professors and counterfeit Christians who pretended to much Piety and Religion but did not receive their Doctrine and Principles from Christ nor were they united unto him by Evangelical Faith Not holding the Head Col. 2.18 19. from which all the Body by Joints and Bonds having Nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the Increase of God VII In the natural Body betwixt the Members and the Body there is a marvellous Nearness or blessed Union VII So there is a wonderful Nearness and blessed Union between Jesus Christ and every Member of his mystical Body For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh Eph. 5.30 and of his Bones VIII The Body natural encreases in Strength Bigness and Beauty according to the Age of the Body is the Perfection and Excellency of it VIII So the Church encreases in spiritual Strength Bigness and Glory The Church is but small and weak now in comparison of what she shall be when she is come to her full Growth and perfect State There will be a great Addition to the Church in the latter Day The Lord shall rise upon thee Isa 60.2 to 9. and his Glory shall be seen upon thee and the Gentiles shall come to thy Light and Kings to the Brightness of thy Rising Lift up thine Eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come unto thee thy Sons shall come from afar and thy Daughters shall be nursed at thy side c. to the end of the Chapter compared with chap. 66.8 9 10. where you may read of the Multitude that shall be added to her and of the Abundance of her Glory And as she shall grow in Bigness so likewise she shall encrease in spiritual Knowledg Faith and Godliness Hab. 2.14 For the Earth shall be filled with the Knowledg of the Glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea All the Officers and glorious Gifts
Christ and the Things of Religion of which Justice and Charity Holiness and Compassion are not the least Part and yet under this Vizard and in the very time of these Pretensions perpetrate the greatest and most unparallel'd Villanies in the World 1. In being the Top of Pride 2. In committing palpable Idolatry 3. Fill themselves with Excess and Drunkenness 4. To curse swear and blaspheme the very Name they profess to be sacred 5. To cast down the Truth burn the Bible deface the holy Books and Laws of God 6. To assume not only a Power to dispense with Violations of the highest Nature but to pardon and forgive them at pleasure 7. To commit Adultery and account it a venial Crime 8. To break Covenants drive a Trade in Perjury forswear every thing they are justly charged with and is fully proved against them 9. To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Country where they have Power contrive the Ruine of Towns and Places Cities Countries and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and most cruel Devastations 10. To slaughter kill and barbarously murther both Men Women and Children even all that dare make a shew of Conscience and Religion so far as to abhor and dissent from these Villanies This is such a Scheme of Religion and Systeme of Divinity to come from an Apostle a Shepherd a Vicar and Successor of Christ from a Church Sheep Saints and the pretended Followers of the meek peaceable and innocent Jesus who taught altogether otherwise by his Doctrine and Example that it might well be wondred at and is the strangest Mystery that ever appeared of which we challenge the whole World to shew the like in the Turks and Saracens For Men to swear lie and forswear themselves and yet be true Men to contrive Rebellion Murther and Treason and yet be as innocent as the Child unborn to be elevated to the highest Pinacle of Pride even above Emperors and Kings above Jesus Christ and God his Father and yet be humble and lowly To commit gross Idolatry and yet be the Servants of the Living God To be filled with and make a Trade of Excess and Drunkenness and yet be the Paterns and Standards of Sobriety and Temperance To cast down the Truth to the Ground deface the Laws of God and burn the Scriptures and yet be the true Witnesses to it To forgive Sins and yet be the greatest of Sinners themselves To commit Fornication and Adultery and yet be spotless and pure in Heart To foment Wars and Broils in every Kingdom and Country where they have Power to contrive the Ruine of Towns and Places Cities Countries and Kingdoms by Fire Sword and cruel Devastations and yet be as harmless as Doves to all Mankind the only Sons of Peace and Quietness To slaughter kill and barbarously murther Men Women and Children that dare not be so wicked as themselves and yet to be full of Mercy tender Pity and Compassion an Apostle Shepherd Vicar and Successor of the meek and Lamb-like Saviour And for the dear Consort of this impious Head or Man of Sin to be not only confederate with him but a Principal in all these unparallel'd Villanies and most butcherly and rapacious Murthers and yet be the Holy Catholick Church of God the pure and spotless Spouse of Jesus Christ the true Sheep the harmless Lambs the best of Saints and close Followers of the Lord Jesus who always taught the contrary by his holy Doctrine and meek Example We say these Things not being found by secret Search but are written in Capital Letters upon her Forehead appear in open view to be read by every one that is not wilfully blind Let any one shew us a greater Mystery in the World than this and we will subscribe to it 4. It cannot be the Turks because they are not the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth which this Babylon is said to be Rev. 17.5 And upon her Forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And here we demand in excuse to the Turks this one Thing From whence did proceed the Murthers Massacres and Martyrdoms of all the Religious Professors of Christianity that have died by violence in the Christian World for the space of twelve hundred Years last past And from what People did proceed those horrid Oaths Blasphemies and Execrations that the World hath wofully been acquainted with most horrid and strangely astonishing to repeat Came these unparallel'd Degrees of Impiety from the Turks from the Waldensians Lutherans Calvinists or any Non-conforming Protestants No no. Why whose Language then is it Whose Why 't is the Language of the Beast of the bottomless Pit and bloody Whore who bare these blasphemous Sons of her own Body daily nourishes them at her Breast and strengthens them in their sinful Courses by accounting them the Sons the precious Sons of Sion the true Sons of the Catholick Church the Darlings of Heaven the beloved Ones of the Virgin Mary and giving them Pardons for these bold and Heaven-daring Sins as often as they do commit them and come to ask Pardon for them so that Sin and Pardon is as constant and common with them as Breathing and Eating And these Things are done to seal and confirm Lies which is the more heavy heinous and prodigious For if Men may lie by allowance may kill and shed innocent Blood without Controul of Conscience and Church-Censures may swear and blaspheme and challenge God himself to damn them may burn Men for Religion consume Cities to Ashes conspire the Death of Kings the Ruine and Overthrow of Kingdoms whore and murther Infants and yet be accounted a Church the Members and Parts of it called Saints holy Children and Sons of the Most High God Then may we claim a Patent and take a License to change the Name of all Things and alter all the Idea's of the Minds of Men call and account Beelzebub a good God and all his black Tribe the pure Saints of the Most High call the lower Regions of Blackness and Darkness to which he is confin'd the Heaven of Glory and eternal Light Of which Things we ought in Justice to clear the Turks until Witnesses of undoubted Credit shall come forth and evidence that the Turkish State is the Mother of as great Abominations as these are 5. And lastly The Turks cannot be Mystery Babylon because they never were made drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus which this Woman Mystery Babylon is expresly said to be Rev. 17.6 And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondred with great admiration Now let any Man shew such Bloodshed Saints Bloodshed by Massacres and Martyrdom for the professing of Christianity which must be if the Text be answered in that Clause Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus by the Turks either within their Dominions or
the Languages and Matters have tryed and searched into them and all pious Christians who by Experience have felt their Divine Operation on their own Souls have asserted the same So that whoever rejects the Bible obliges himself to believe no other Books in the World whatsoever for since none of them have any such great and universal Attestations if he shall credit them and not this it will shew apparent disingenuity and peevish Obstinacy And secondly He that does credit the Author of this Book with the same Credit wherewith he credits other Authors whom he supposes Men of common Honesty that would not knowingly write an Untruth cannot then refuse to receive this as a Book Divine and Infallible upon as good Terms of Credibility as he believes any the best Human Author in its kind to be True because they themselves tell us that it is so which were it otherwise without most apparent Falshood they would not do They affirming that God himself inspired them to write it and that it was no Product of their own but every part of it the Genuine Dictate of the Holy Ghost And this Argument is abundantly reinforc'd and strengthned from the Consideration of that Glorious Company of Martyrs those Innumerable Multitudes who in the Flames and Rage of Persecution have with the loss of their Lives maintained the Scriptures to be the Sacred Word of God and had the same in such Veneration that in the Primitive Ages the Traditors Deliverers up of their Bibles to the Heathen to be destroyed were always esteemed as bad as profess'd Apostates Since therefore they did so constantly and with such Hazards affirm this Truth what shadow of Reason is there to suspect such a Cloud of Witnesses of Folly Weakness Credulity Wickedness or Conspiracy amongst themselves which such a diffused Multitude was absolutely uncapable of Nor can we suppose that Popular Esteem on Earth and Vain-Glory could be the Ground upon which they suffered since they gave up their Lives for a Religion which both utterly condemned such Vanity and was every where in the World at that time odious and detestable and whose Profession brought nothing but outward Shame and Contempt XIII But the Doctrines and Matters of Fact in the Scripture which if true 13 The Acknowledgment of the Heathen its Divine Original will be undeniable are not only avouched by its own Votaries but many most considerable parts of it acknowledged by its Enemies As appears by this brief induction of Particulars The Creation of the World is intimated by Ovid in his Metamorphosis lib. 1. The extraordinary long Lives of the Patriarchs in the first Ages oâ— the VVorld by Manetho the Egygtian Berosus the Caldean and others who add That they were ordained to live so long that they might study Sciences and invent Arts especially that they might observe the Celestial Motions and enrich the World with the knowledg of Astronomy wherein say they they would have done little good if they had lived less than six hundred Years because the great Year as they call it is so long in going about and coming to a Period The Flood is mentioned by the same Berosus whose VVords are recited by Josephus lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 4. Of Noah under the Notion of Bifronted Janus because he lived in both VVorlds we read in Berosus and Herodotus And of the Ark Sayling over America and the letting forth of Birds that found no dry Ground in Polyhistor and others Of the Destruction of Sodom or the Asphaltick Lake we have some Account in Pliny lib. 5. cap. 16. and Justin lib. 36. That there was such a Man as Moses such a People as the Israelites that this Moses was their Captain and led them out of Egypt wrote their Story and gave them Laws is testified by the most ancient Records or the Egyptians Phoenicians Caldeans and Grecians And Manetho speaks very particularly both of their Coming into Egypt and Departure thence Of Circumcision Herodotus Strabo Diodorus Siculus and Tacitus lib. 2. Of the coming of the Israelites into Canaan Procopius lib. 4. Of Solomon we read in Dionysius Cassius of the Slaughter of Sennachcrib in Herodotus lib. 2. The great Roman Historian Tacitus in his Annals speaking of the Christians being persecuted by Nero on pretence of burning of Rome which he set on fire himself says expreâ—ly (b) Author nominis ejus Christus qui Tiberio imperante per Procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat Tacit. Annal. l. 15. The Author of that Name or Sect was CHRIST who when Tiberius was Emperor was put to death by Pontius Pilate the then Procurator of Judea The Star that appeared at our Saviour's Birth is taken notice of by Pliny lib. 2. cap. 5. But more particularly by Calcidius an Heathen Philosopher in his Comment on Plato's Timaeus whose Words as I find them cited by Cardinal Baronius that learned Annalist are these (c) Est quoque alia venerabilior sanctior Historia qua perhibet de ortu Stellae cujusdam insolita non morbos mortesque denunciante sed descensum Dei venerabilis ad humanae conversationis rerumque mortalium gratiam Quam Stellam cùm nocturno itinere suspexissent Caldâ—eorum profectò sapiences viri consideratione rerum coelestium satis exercitati quaesisse dicuntur recentem Dei ortum repertâque illa Majestate puerili venerati esse vota Deo tanto convenientia nuncupasse Bar. Tom. 1. p. 52. There is another more venerable and holy History which tells us of the Rise of a certain unwonted Star not threatning Diseases and Death but the Descent of the venerable God to converse with Men and mortal Affairs Which Star when certain wise Men of Caldea saw in their fourney by Night being sufficiently acquainted with Astronomy and consideration of Celestial things They are reported to have sought out this new Birth of God and the Majesty of this Child being found to have worshipped him and offered Gifts suitable to so great a God Herod's slaughtering of the Children is notorious by that Joque passed upon him on that occasion by the Emperor Augustus recorded by Macrobius (d) Cum audisset inter eos quos in Syria Herodes Rex Judaeorum inter Binatum jussit interfici filium quoque ejus occisum ait Melius est Herodis porcum esse quam filium Macrob. Saturnal lib. 4. When he heard that amongst those Children under two Years old whom Herod the King of the Jews had commanded to be slain in Syria his the said Herod's own Son was slain also he said 'T is better to be Herod 's Hog than his Son Alluding to the Jews Abhorrence of Swines Flesh which it seems Herod tho not of that Nation yet pretending himself a kind of Proselyte did likewise observe Touching the preternatural Defect of the Sun at our Lord's Crucifixion it was with amazement seen and recorded by Dionysius the Areopagite And Tertullian in his Apology cap. 21. appeals to the Roman
Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 3. The Statutes Precepts and Promises of the Law of Moses Thy Commandments are Truth Psal 119.151 v. 142. 4. The whole Word of God both Law and Gospel Thy Word is Truth John 17.17 Whereof you heard before by the Word of the Truth of the Gospel Col. 1.5 5. The Light of Nature in Man since the Fall to help him to know God so far as to leave him without excuse Which with-hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Rom. 2.18 6. True Religion taught and contained in the Gospel Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth Gal. 3.1 Tit. 1.1 7. Truth of Grace Sincerity void of Deceit in Heart and Life I have walked before thee in Truth Isa 30.3 Thou lovest Truth in the inward Parts Psal 51.6 8. Fidelity and Faithfulness between Man and Man Jer. 5.1 2. 9. Judgment and true Justice Truth is fallen in the Streets 10. Most true far from all Deceit The Judgments of the Lord are Truth 11. Truth signifieth Sincerity from the Heart with assent of the Mind Psal 19.9 as one truly purposeth c. without Hypocrisy 1. But that which is principally intended by the Girdle of Truth according to Expositors is first the true Doctrine of the Gospel called the Word of Truth 2. Truth of Grace and Sincerity of Heart called 1 Cor. 5.8 The unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth By Loins is meant the Mind Gird up the Loins of your Mind c. A Christian should be of a sound Judgment he should be girt about as with a Girdle with Truth and Sincerity Hold the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 Maintain the true Religion and be sincere and upright in the Profession of it Why Truth in both these respects is compared to a Girdle will appear by what follows Metaphor Parallel A Girdle was of use in former times by Souldiers it was part of their Habit or Armour THe true Doctrine of the Gospel or the holy Principles of Religion and Sin erity are of great use among all Christ's Spiritual Souldiers in order to the arming of them compleatly II. A Girdle cleaves close to a Man when 't is well girt to him and it is not easily unbuckled by an Adversary II. So thâ— Truth of Christ should be fastened in â—ur Hearts and Judgments that we may not be wavering in our Minds Stand fast in the Faith c. 1 Cor. 16.13 Sincerity ought to cleave to our inward Parts as a Girdle doth to the Loins of a Man III. A Girdle compasseth a Man about III. So the Truth of Christ and Sincerity of Heart should compass Christians about they ought to keep always in the bounds of Truth and Uprightness God hath set Bounds to his People out of which they must never go we must not swerve aside to the Right-hand or Left nor play the Hypocrite for such that do so cannot be said to be girt about with Truth IV. A Girdle strengthens the Loins of a Souldier or him that is well girt therewith Jer. 1.7 Gird up thy Loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee 2 Sam. 22.40 be not dismaied as much as if God should say Isa 45. be strong for thy Work Thou hast girded me with Strength c. Their Loins shall be loosed Job 12.21 I will loose the Loins of the Kings He weakeneth the Strength of the Mighty the Girdle of the strong so the Heb. IV. The true Doctrine of the Gospel or that Religion that is according to Godliness joyned with Sincerity of Heart is the strength of every Christian or Souldier of Christ if he hath not this Girdle on his Loins are loose and weak and he is as unstable as Water as Jacob speaks of Reuben Let Truth go nay Gen 49.2 3. one Truth go and how doth it weaken our Hands or profess it with a false and deceitful Heart and how unable are such to stand against the Assaults of the Enemy On the other hand when a Person is well girt with Truth in both these respects he is thereby made strong and couragious V. A Girdle was used to gird on the other parts of the Souldiers Armour Let not him that girdeth on his Harness boast himself as he that putteth it off 1 King 20.11 V. Truth is that which fastneth or girdeth on every part of the Christian's Armour Sincerity compleats and perfects all what will a Man's Faith Hope Righteousness signify without the Girdle of Truth unless he keeps within the Bounds of Christian-Doctrine and is sincere and upright in the Profession thereof VI. Girding up the Loins notes a Preparation for Battel and War Thus David spake of Christ Gird thy Sword on thy Thigh Psal 45.3 O most Mighty Let not him that girdeth on his Armour boast c. VI. So the Apostle would have Saints stand or be ready to engage their spiritual Enemies Eph. 6.14 having their Loins girt about with Truth Such a Person is prepared to encounter with all Adversaries of the Soul We should be girt with the Truth and girt for the Truth that is as another Apostle speaks to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. We should be ready to dispute fight make War as good Souldiers of Christ Opponents are like Combatants Controversial Divinity saith Mr. Caryl is called Polemical Divinity Caryl on Job 38. pag. 35. Disputes are Word-Wars and there have been as hot Wars made by the Pen as ever were by the Sword Gird up now thy Loins c. saith God to Job The Lord seems to send him a Challenge to the Battel by a further Debate Arm thy self like a mighty Man get ready for the Duel for I am resolved to trie what a Man thou art in arguing A Saint being girt with Truth and Sincerity is fitted for any Conflict VII We read of girding up the Loins for Travel or when a Man is to take a Journey Thus Elisha said to Gehazi 2 Kin. 4.29 Gird up thy Loins and take my Staff in thine hand and go thy way It was the Fashion in those Eastern Countries where they wore their Garments long and ordinarily loose to gird them up by which they could travel the better VII So Christians should have their Loins girt about with Truth and Uprightness that they may be fitted and prepared to travel Heaven-wards God's People are Strangers and Pilgrims whilst in this World and are travelling to their own Country and to have their Minds well girt up with Truth will be a great Help to them in their Journey A Storm of Persecution may soon blow away the loose Garment of Profession if a Person be not girt with the Girdle of Truth and Sincerity VIII There is mention made of girding up the Loins in order to serving and attending on Business Which of you saith Christ having a Servant plowing or feeding Cattel will say unto him by
by the powerful Operations of the Holy-Ghost whereby he is made holy and enabled to approve himself to God and Men in all purity of Life and Conversation By the Breastplate of Righteousness in the Text we understand the Righteousness of Sanctification is principall◠intended for otherwise this piece of Christian Armor would interfere with the Shield of Faith which comprehends the Righteousness of Justification See Shield It is we say a Principle of new Life which the Spirit works in the Heart of a Believer hence the several Graces of Holiness are called the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Man by the Fall had a double Loss first the Love of God secondly the Image or Likeness of God Christ restores both to his Children the first by his Righteousness imputed the second by his Spirit imparting the lost Image of God to them which consists in Righteousness and true Holiness Who but a Man can impart his own Nature and beget a Child like himself So who but the Spirit of God can make a Creature like God by causing him to partake of the Divine Nature 1. This is that Principle of new Life viz. an inward Disposition and Divine Quality sweetly powerfully and constantly stirring up and inclining to that which is holy and spiritually good 2. The Work of the Spirit in this respect was not to recover what was dying Garnal but to work Life de novo in a Soul quite dead hence called a creating quickning forming and renewing Work 3. It is a supernatural Principle by which we distinguish it from Adam's Righteousness which was co-natural to him as Sin is to us Holiness was as natural to him as Health was to his Body they both resulted ex Principiis rectè constitutis from Principles pure and rightly disposed Why Righteousness is called a Breast-plate will appear by the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel A Breast-plate is a main and principal Piece of Armor that belongs to a Souldier RIghteousness in like manner is a principal thing belonging to all Christians who are called Souldiers of Christ 2 Tim 3 3. Endure Hardness as a good Souldier c. II. A Breast-plate is a piece of Armor that every Souldier ought to have on when he engages his Enemy he must not come into the Field without it II. Righteousness is so necessary for every Believer that he ought not cannot be without it there is no engaging any Enemy of the Soul without a Principle of Holiness be wrought in him III. A Breast-plate preserves the principal part of the Body viz. the Breast where the very Vitals of a Man are closely couched together and where a Shot or a Stab is more deadly than in other parts that are more remote from the Fountain of Life A Man may out-live many Wounds received in the Arms or Legs but a Stab in the Heart is a certain Messenger of Death III. Righteousness and Holiness preserves the principal part of a Christian viz. his Soul Satan aims to hit him there where he may dispatch him soonest A Wound in a Man's Credit Estate Relations c. hazard not the Life of his Soul but Sin exposes it to imminent Danger This is that Dart Prov. 7 23 that struck the young Man through the Liver as a Bird hasteth to the Snare that knoweth not 't is for his Life And this is that which Satan strives to tempt entice and draw a Saint to yield unto Hence he should be careful to put on his Breastplate of Righteousness which whilst he has on he is safe from the deadly Stab of the Enemy IV. A Breast-plate is made and prepared for a Souldier before he puts it on It is not his own Work but the Work of a skilful Artist IV. Righteousness which is the Saints Breast-plate is wrought in him by the Holy Spirit who is a most wise and skilful Workman Our own Righteousness is good for nothing hence called dead Works because they are Works from one dead in Sin and spring not from a Principle of inward spiritual Life V. A Breast-plate much emboldens a Souldier and makes him fearless that as he cannot be easily killed so hereby he cannot be soon cowed When a Souldier sees himsel unarmed he begins to tremble but when he hath on a good Helmet and a Plate of Proof on his Breast he is not quickly dismay'd but adventures upon the Point of the Sword V. Thus Righteousness defends and animates the Soul and Conscience when a Man in the midst of the greatest Danger can lift up his hands without spot Holiness fills a Soul with Courage so that he can look in the very face of grim Death whereas Guilt which is the Nakedness of the Soul puts the stoutest Sinner into a shaking Fit of Fear The Wicked flee when no Man pursueth Prov. 28.1 but the Righteous are as bold as a Lion No sooner did Adam see his Breast-plate was off and that he was naked but he was afraid and ran away to hide himself from God VI. The Breast-plate and Girdle were both joined or buckled together VI. So Righteousness and Truth must meet and be joined together in every Christian which is held forth by the Copulative And Stand therefore having your Loins girt about with Truth and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness Which is taken twofold as hath been shewed First for the Truth of Doctrine or a good and Orthodox Judgment all the Principles of true Religion that are essential to Salvation Secondly Grace or Sincerity of Heart In both these respects Truth must be clasped to or joined with Righteousness and a holy Life Solomon saith Two are better than one So may I say here a good Doctrine with a good Conversation is better than a good Doctrine without a good Conversation or a good Conversation without a good Doctrine as a Man must have the one so he must not be without the other Wo to him that is alone for the Spirit will not be his Strength An evil and corrupt Doctrine may be of as dangerous a Nature as an evil and debauched Life See 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Who privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction c. In vain is a Man's outward Holiness or moral Sincerity if he be tainted with heretical and damnable Principles and as vain is it for a Man to hold the true Doctrine of the Christian Religion if he be not sincere and live a holy Life Inferences THis may inform us what need there is for every Christian to get and keep on the Breast-plate of Righteousness not only to get a renewed Principle of Grace in his Heart but also to maintain the Power of Godliness in his Life and Conversation This he ought strenuously to labour after and that for several Reasons First In regard of God whose main Design in giving Grace and implanting a Divine Principle in his People is to make them holy to this end he hath put
the more plain to these metaphorical and figurative Expressions used by our Saviour when he instituted the holy Sacr ment of the Supper saying This is my Body something briefly we shall offer in confutation of their pernicious Doctrine which may soon be done for they confute themselves in saying that the Sacrament is a Feast for our Souls and not for our Bodies Now what is my Soul the better when I eat the very Body of Christ Christ is eat and received spiritually Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath everlasting Life Joh 6.54 and I will saith Christ raise him up at the last Day Therefore the eating of Christ's Flesh cannot intend the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper for if it did it would be a very easy way for the vilest Sinner to go to Heaven But to come directly to the Business in hand Either Christ spake figuratively when he said This is my Body or he did not And that the Words cannot be taken in a proper sence is evident for it is impossible for Words to express any thing more plainly than that by this is meant the Bread It is said that Christ took Bread and brake it and gave it and said Take eat this is my Body where this necessarily relates to that which Christ took brake and gave Also the Apostle saith positively thrice in a Breath that it is Bread 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eat this Bread c. And whosoever shall eat this Bread 1 Cor. 1â— 16 The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ Also the Participation of the Sacrament is called breaking of Bread Acts 2.46 20.7 which Popish Authors themselves understand of the Sacrament Now can any be so ignorant and foolish to believe it is Christ's proper and real Body which the Holy-Ghost calleth so often Bread after it is blessed c. Object By this say some of the Papists is neither intended the Bread nor Christ's Body Bellarmin l e Euch. l. 3. c. 12. but in general this Substance which is contained under this Species Answ What do they mean are there any more Substances under those Species besides the Bread first and afterwards the Body of Christ Do not they affirm as soon as ever it ceaseth to be Bread it becometh the real Body of Christ Then surely if it be a Substance according to what they say it must either be Bread or the Body of Christ or no Substance at all Object Christ's Body is there after the manner of a Spirit taking up no room so that Head Hands Feet are altogether in the least Crumb of the Host Answ In arguing thus as a learned Man observes they plead for the Propriety of Words and destroy the Propriety of things How can they say it is properly a Body which wants the essential Properties of a Body which is to have quantity and take up room take away this and the Body may properly be a Spirit for it is that only which differenceth it from a Spirit But further to shew how idle and absurd it is to take our Saviour's Words in a proper Sence we shall shew that it is utterly against Sense and Reason as well as contrary to Scripture as you have heard First It is against Sense What greater Evidence can there be of things than what Sense affordeth But if this which the Papists affirm about the consecrated Bread being the real Body of Christ be true the Senses of all the World are deceived For since the great Argument for Christianity as all agree was the Words that Christ spoke and the Works which Christ did now how could we be sure he did so speak or so work if we may not credit the Reports of our Eyes and Ears This was St. Luke's great Evidence of the Truth of what he wrote That it was delivered to him by Eye-Witnesses Luke 1.1 2. and St. John's What we have seen with our Eyes and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life 1 Joh. 1.1 And St. Paul's for the Resurrection That he was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve then of above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.5 6. Even Thomas his Infidelity yielded to this Argument That if he did thrust his hand into Christ's Side he would believe Joh. 20.25 Christ judged this was a convincing Argument when the Apostles thought they had seen a Spirit Handle me and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Blood as you see me have Luke 24.39 But now if after the Words of Consecration there is under the Species of Bread the Nature and Properties of Flesh then are the Senses of the wisest of Mortals deceived And if our Senses be deceived here Dr. Tillotson they are not as a late Author observes to be trusted in any other thing no not when they are most sure that we see Father or Mother or Wife or Children Can we be sure This is my Body is written in Mat. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. 1 Cor. 11. For may not those Words be some other Words why should we trust our Eyes What if we should tell the Papists These Words This is my Body are neither in this Chapter nor any where else written in the New Testament and grow confident of it and tell them the Words are This is not my Body 'T is the Bricks that were laid to build Babel 'T is the Gates of Solomon's Porch This is the Shew-Bread that Abimelech gave to David the Bottles that Abigail took from Nabal If they tell us We are strangely deceived and the Sense of all that can read will give it against us may not we tell them as well when they say This is the real Body of Christ when it is nothing but a Wafer-Cake That they are strangely deceived and that the Senses of all that can either see taste smell or feel will give it against them This being so what reason is there for them to burn us because we cannot see the Bread to be Christ's real Body more than there is for us to kill them because they cannot see that it is the Gates of Solomon's Porch Secondly It is against Reason And shall any conclude that is any Principle of the Christian Religion that is contrary to and utterly against Reason For it would make us believe things that are absolutely impossible and gross Contradictions Tho some things may be above Reason yet they themselves confess no Principle of Religion can be against it Object But they say We imagine many things impossible that really are not so and further intimate If we can prove any real Impossibilities which this Doctrine forceth them to believe they will yield to us For they with us condemn the Lutheran Opinion See a Book called Scripture-Mysteries p. 279. That Christ's Body is every where because it is impossible and therefore expound those Words I am the Vine I am a Door c. figuratively as we do because
had with good Wishes and formal Prayer by crying Lord have mercy upon us and Christ have mercy upon us c. And if he have but Time a little before he breaths out his last on a Death-Bed but to cry unto God after this manner it will be sufficient Tho God's Word saith The Soul that sinneth it shall die And Except a Man be born again Ezek 18. Joh. 3.3 Heb. 12. he cannot see the Kingdom of God And Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. It is only a holy Life that is attended with a happy Death 4. The fourth is one worldly-wise a Person much in request in these Days whose Counsel many are ready to follow What! saith he art thou such a Fool to expose thy self to such great Sorrow and Suffering for Heaven when thou mayest have it without half the Ado. Pity thy Wife and Children save thy self out of a Prison and hazard not thy Estate For my part I came into the World raw and I will not go out roasted I will be of that Religion that is in fashion and set up by the Supreme Law of the Nation Are you wiser than every Body You meddle with Things too high for you c. Christ saith Whosoever comes after me Mat. 16.24 25. and doth not deny himself and take up his Cross cannot be my Disciple and that his Saints in the World shall have Tribulation But this Man would fain make the Cross of Christ to cease Come Popery and what will by this Argument he must and will conform to it he will be of that Religion that is uppermost And thus he renders the Apostles and Primitive Christians and all the holy Martyrs Fools and Fanaticks nay worse Rebels because they did not conform to the Religion of their Superiors 5. The fifth Enemy is one Moralist a very honest Man but that Ignorance and Blindness of Mind hath got such Rule in him He saith It is sufficient and no more is required of us but to do as we would be done unto and pay every Man his own and that if a Man can but get out of the deep Ditch of Sensuality and fleshly Debauchery and lead a spotless Life towards Man he need not doubt of Heaven nor trouble himself about Faith in Christ and Regeneration Tho our Saviour expresly saith Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 5.20 ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God And Paul saith That he accounted his own Righteousness and all other external Privileges and Attainments that he once thought Gain to him but Dung for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10. 1 Cor. 2.1 2. and that he desired nothing more than to know Chtist and him crucified If a Man could be saved by his own Righteousness Christ came into the World and died in vain and the Law which was a perfect Rule of Righteousness had then been sufficient to bring Men to Heaven Besides how do we come to be delivered from the Curse Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them 6. The sixth Adversary is Presumption a bold confident Fellow that cries Cast your self upon the Mercy of God in Christ the Lord Jesus died for Sinners trouble your Head no more you shall be saved Tho I am a Sinner and am now and then drunk and let flie an Oath sometimes before I am aware yet I doubt not but it will go well with me my Heart is good and Christ died for such as I am This Man sins because Grace hath abounded and forgets that Christ came to save Men from their Sins and not in their Sins and that that Faith that justifies Acts 15.9 1 Joh. 3.3 is attended with good Fruits and purifieth the Heart and Life of him that obtains it 7. The seventh Enemy is Vain-Glory If Satan cannot ensnare the Soul by any of the other Ways he strives to puff it up with Pride and Self-conceit Now Vain-Glory is a deadly Enemy therefore take heed of him It becomes Christians to be lowly-minded Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly in Heart Mat. 11.28 29. and ye shall find Rest to your Souls XI A Pilgrim is glad when he comes at last to his desired Place and forgets all his former Trouble and Afflictions which attended him in his Way XI So a Saint when he comes to Heaven or hath obtained the End of his Hope 1 Pet. 1.9 viz. the Salvation of his Soul greatly rejoyceth and forgets all the Sorrow and Trouble he met with in this World They shall return and come to Zion with Songs Isa 35.10 Isa 51.11 everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Inferences THis may serve to inform God's People what their State and Condition is and will be whilst they remain in this World This is not your Rest c. Mic. 2.10 Heb. 13.14 Here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come 2. Therefore it sharply reprehends those Christians that settle themselves as Inhabitants and Dwellers here below like other People Alas Sirs ye forget that ye are Strangers and Pilgrims and but Sojourners as it were for a Night Why do ye seek great Things for your selves and seem to be so much taken with the Pleasures and Profits of this Life Ye are not of this World Let such as regard no higher things Joh. 15.19 take their Fill here and delight themselves in their Portion for 't is all the Good they are ever like to have but let them remember those dismal Sayings of our blessed Saviour Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your Consolation Luk. 6.24 25 26. wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep wo unto you that all Men speak well of c. Saints compared to Palm-Trees Psal 92.12 The Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-Tree c. Cant. 7.7 This thy Stature is like a Palm-Tree c. Verse 8. I said I will go up to the Palm-Tree c. THe Palm-Tree and Date-Tree is one and the same Tree called in Hebrew Thamar in Greek Phenix Why the Saints and People of God are compared to the Palm-Tree will appear in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel THe Palm-Tree is an excellent Tree amiable to look upon it is very tall and all its Branches shoot upwards there are none grow out of the Side as in other Trees THe Righteous who are compared to a Palm-Tree are a choice and excellent People their Affections like Branches ascend they are set upon Things above they grow Heavenward Col. 3 1.2 They do not shoot out their Branches as I may say this way and that way to the World they grow high in Grace and in
own Charge at any time Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the Fruit thereof 1 Cor. 9.7 Or who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock Say I these things as a Man or saith the Law the same also c. If we have sowed unto you spiritual Things is it a great thing we should reap your carnal Things Read Labourer XII Planters greatly rejoyce to see their Plants thrive and grow and their Labour prosper XII So Ministers rejoyce to see Saints or spiritual Plants grow and thrive in Grace and true Holiness I have no greater Joy than to see my Father's Children walk in the Truth XIII Planters do not only take delight in planting in the Spring and other fit Seasons but do also take care of the Plants at such times when it is Winter lest the Frost and Cold should spoil their Growth XIII So spiritual Planters Christ's faithful Ministers do not only take delight to labour in Christ's Vineyard to plant and graft when the Sun or Spring-Season of Providence shines upon them but endure the sharpest Storms of Persecution in the taking care of those tender Plants who by reason of the sharpest Winter may be in greatest Danger XIV Planters have been and are greatly instrumental for the Benefit and Advantage of the Place or Country where they dwell by the Vineyards Orchards and Gardens they have planted XIV So Ministers have been and are great Instruments of much Good and Benefit to the Place or Country where God hath blest their Labours by planting Churches who have sent forth such Fruit that many thereby have been made fruitful in Grace and Holiness What spiritual Profit have these after-Ages reaped by the Labours of those that were at first and those that followed after as Planters in God's Vineyard of which the holy Scripture and other Histories give a full Account So that Word is fulfilled Others have laboured and you are entred into their Labours i. e. We reap the Benefit of those that were Planters before us as others may reap the Benefit of the Labours of such as are now entered into the same Work that the Generation that is to come may praise the Lord. Inferences WHat Grace and Glory is this O Saint that God hath conferred on thee in taking thee out of that wild dead and barren Stock and planting thee into that precious living and fruitful One Christ Jesus Canst thou enough admire and prize this Grace and Favour II. It shews what wonderful Union and blessed Nearness there is between Christ and every sincere Christian III. It shews us that all our good Fruit is from Jesus Christ and by means of that blessed mysterious and glorious Union with him IV. Ministers ought to be Men of Wisdom such as are faithful able and willing to labour Men that are not idle V. It reproves not only such Saints that take up with the Name of Plants in God's Vineyard and bring not forth Fruit but also Churches that see not or will not see nor learn their Duty to their painful and faithful Ministers VI. It shews the Folly and Madness of all those that go about to hinder or spoil the Work of those spiritual Planters God's Ministers For what would Men think of such that should suffer none to plant nor any Plant or Tree to grow nay destroy in as much as in them lieth all the Vineyards Orchards and Gardens in the Place or Country where they dwell Such like Work do all those that persecute God's faithful Ministers and People Ministers compared to Builders 1 Cor. 3.10 According to the Grace of God which is given me as a wise Master-Builder I have laid the Foundation c. A Builder is a Metaphor taken from Carpenters and Masons c. that build Houses the Hebrew Word by which Building is expressed is derived from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to build or rear an House or City God in Christ is the chief Master-Builder He that built all Things is God 1 King 10.4 and he is the great Builder of his Temple Vpon this Rock will I build my Church c. And yet Ministers under him are likewise Master-Builders c. Metaphor Parallel A Wise Master-Builder gives direction to others how the House c. must be built and to this purpose shews the Figure or true Form of it that so other Under-Builders may know how to go on with their Work SO St. Paul and other great and wise Master-Builders the Apostles have given plain Directions to us and all inferior Builders how the House of God must be built and with what Materials and they have left in the holy Gospel a plain Scheme or Figure of it that so all spiritual Builders may know how to proceed in their Work II. A Master-Builder takes special care rightly to lay the Foundation upon which the whole Fabrick or Structure is to be built c. II. So the Apostles have as Instruments in God's hand laid the Foundation of the true Religion the Foundation of Faith and Salvation the Foundation of the true Church c. 1 Cor. 3.11 Another Foundation can no Man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ III. A Builder hath sometimes much Rubbish to remove before he can go on with his Work as the poor Jews had who built the Temple c. III. So have Ministers much Rubbish to remove out of their own and Sinners Way before they can proceed in their blessed Work There is the Rubbish of False-Doctrine about Justification this was in the Apostle's way as well as 't is in ours The Jews were hardly taken off from their own Righteousness and legal Ceremonies they would needs build upon a Legal Foundation They stumbled at the Stumbling Stone c. We have much Popish Rubbish to remove the Rubbish of Mens Inventions and superstitious Ceremonies c. besides the Rubbish of other Hereticks and Deceivers IV. A Builder oftentimes meets with hard Work in hewing and squaring his Timber and Stones some being very rugged and knotty c. IV. So Ministers find some Sinners are very stubborn and obstinate like knotty Timber scragged and rugged Stones which without much Labour and Pains are not hewed and fitted for the Building V. A wise Builder takes care to prepare and make all his Materials ready before he raises the Structure or builds his House V. So should a Minister of the Gospel see that all the spiritual Stones and Timber be well squared fitted and prepared by a through Work of Repentance and Faith before they are placed or laid into the Building or Church of God Prepare thy Work without and make it fit for thy self in the Field and then build thy House Prov 24.27 They must not lay Stones into the Building as they come out of the Quarry from whence they are digged such Persons as were never converted nor capable Subjects of it and then afterwards when they are put into God's
Cozener Impostor Ainsworth See Liegh's Crit. Sacr. seduced and seducing others Such our Saviour and his Apostles were reputed but falsly others are truly so called who deal fraudulently and false-heartedly with God Men and their own Hearts Deceiver Parallel A Deceiver or cunning Impostor hath many Ways whereby he secretly and with much craftiness seeks to trapan and beguile his Neighbour As 1. He will pretend himself to be a special Friend and so insinuate into a Man's Affection 2. He strives to find out the Disposition of the Person he intends to cheat 3. He will the better to accomplish his Design change his Name and pretend himself some worthy and noble Person and of some eminent Family 4. He will watch the fittest Opportunity to effect his Enterprize 5. He will sometimes put a Vizard on his Face and often change his Habit that he may deceive the more securely 6. And if he is in danger to be taken he will exclaim against the Deceiver and cry out Stop Thief c. FAlse-Teachers who are cunning to deceive have many ways to delude poor Creatures As 1. They commonly pretend much Pity and Compassion to the Souls of Men and hereby they endeavour to wind themselves into their Affections and when once a Person harbours a good Opinion of them their Work is half done 2. They seek to find out what Parts they have and what Principles they hold with whom they converse for if they perceive they are Men and Women well rooted and grounded in the Orthodox Faith and able to defend the Truth they have little hopes of prevailing but if they find that they are Persons of a weak Judgment and mind more abundantly the Conversation of Men than what Doctrine they hold or do more mind and regard the Circumstantials of Religion than the grand Fundamentals thereof they will pursue such close 3. They do always change their Names for if their Names were known they could not beguile so many Were Error false-False-Doctrine Blasphemy Heresy Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing Foxes cunning Serpents Deceivers c. but writ upon their Foreheads most People would be afraid of them but they contrary-wise call themselves Christ's Ministers Witnesses of Jesus Friends of Truth the Lamb's Followers c. Also 't is common with them to pretend themselves to be the Orthodox Men Sons of the Church of the Holy Church of the Catholick Church Masters in Israel Guides of the Blind c. 4. They study to find out the fittest Season and Opportunity to accomplish their Design and Hellish Purpose viz. They watch for such a Time when the Professors of the Gospel and Truths of Jesus begin to decline in their Zeal and to lose much of the Power of Godliness and seem to make a mighty Stir about the Form thereof and are much divided amongst themselves when Iniquity doth abound and the Love of many waxeth cold in a word when Men begin to grow secure or the true Shepherd is off of his Watch then these Wolves and Deceivers get abroad and like that wicked Enemy sow their Tares of Error and Delusion 5. The Jesuits those crafty Deceivers have often appeared in a Disguise externally and do usually change their Garbs c. Sometimes they are Holders-forth in a Quakers Meeting at other times they will counterfeit themselves to be Lawyers Sometimes they will take on them the Habit of Priests sometimes Merchants sometimes Shoo-makers c. And all this that they may the more securely carry on their wicked Designs and Purposes to pervert poor Souls c. 6. And lastly When these False-Teachers and Deceivers begin to fear they shall be discovered and perceive there is a Cry raised against them and that they are closely pursued and in danger to be taken then to save themselves they cry out against others None are more ready to exclaim against False-Teachers and Deceivers than they endeavouring to cast all the Infamy and black Aspersions imaginable upon the true and faithful Ministers of the Gospel loading them with all the foulest Calumnies they can devise that they themselves may in the mean while pass the better for true Men and be the less suspected Thus those blind Guides in Israel served our Saviour himself Some said He is a good Man Joh 7.12 8.48 Mat. 27.63 others said Nay but he deceiveth the People Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Sir we remember that the Deceiver said whilst he was yet alive After three days I will rise again And thus they exclaimed against the Apostles Paul was called a Mover of Sedition and by False-Teachers he with others were called Deceivers As Deceivers and yet true c. Acts 24.14 After that way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers c. II. Some Deceivers have been notorious in the horrid Practice of beguiling others They have been such Crafts-Masters at it that they have deceived Multitudes and not only the common Sort of People but divers great Men and Princes have been cheated by them II. So the Pope and his Hierarchy those cursed Deceivers in the Romish Church have been notorious in the Hellish Trade of beguiling the Souls of Men. How many Millions have they deceived O the Multitudes they have led blindfold to Hell The Kings of the Earth have been beguiled by her and the Inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk and bewitched with the Wine of her Fornication III. Some Deceivers have so far prevailed that they have utterly ruined whole Families cheating People of their best and chiefest Treasure III. So False-Teachers have sometimes so wonderfully prevailed that they have utterly corrupted ruined and undone by their false Doctrine many Nations Cities Towns and Families cheating them of the Truth of Christ and his blessed Ordinances and not only so but thereby also of their Souls Mat. 16.26 which are of more worth than all the World IV. Grand Impostors old Cheats and Deceivers 't is observed rarely reform their Hellish Lives and become true Men but grow worse and worse till Justice seizes them IV. So False-Teachers Hereticks and Seducers seldom or never are recovered and brought back by unfeigned Repentance to the true Church of God And therefore the Apostle Paul saith 1 Tim. 3.13 Evil Men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived c. V. The End of Cheaters and Impostors we see oft-times is sad If he be a notorious Offender and be taken he dies without Mercy V. So the last End of False-Teachers and Hereticks will be sad and miserable They are said to bring upon themselves swift Destruction The Beast 2 Pet. 2.2 3. Rev. 19.20 and False-Prophet shall be cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone c. THE Church of ROME Mystery Babylon The GREAT CITY and GREAT WHORE Revel 17. Proved to be the ROMISH CHURCH WITH THE Grand Objections of the Papists Answered REV. 14.8 And there followed
another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that Great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication REV. 16.19 And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of his Wrath. REV. 17.5 And upon her Forehead was a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS or Fornications AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH REV. 18.1 2. And after these things I saw another Angel come down from Heaven And he cry'd mightily with a strong Voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and is become the Habitation of Devils and the Hold of every unclean Spirit and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird c. IN the handling of this great Subject it seems needful to give an Account of the various Opinions that have more or less prâ—sented themselves to the World about it which may be reduced to these four following Heads I. That it is Jerusalem and that for two Reasons 1. Because the Man of Sin or last Beast that is to head this Babylon is set forth by St. Paul to sit in the Temple of God shewing himself to be a God 2 Thess 2.4 Rev. 11.8 2. Because this City where the Beast reigns and shall slay the Witnesses is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where our Lord was crucified II. That it is the Turkish Empire or Power of the Saracens which Mr. Mede somewhat touches and in a brief way most learnedly argues against in his third Book pag. 644 645. III. That it is indeed Rome the Seat of the fourth or last Empire but Rome in its Heathen State under the idolatrous and persecuting Emperors So the Rhemists would have it if there be a Necessity to fix upon Rome to be this Apocalyptical or Mystery Babylon For this Opinion the present Romanists have no better Advocate than Dr. Hammond who hath done very worthily at other Turns See his Annotations upon the 17th Chapter of the Apocalypse IV. That it is the present Power and Church of Rome who under pretence of the most high and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction doth influence and govern the Secular Power and State of Kingdoms Of this last Opinion were the ancient Waldenses who felt the bloody Power of Rome venting it self in most horrid and barbarous Cruelties against them and that for a long Series of Time as appears by our most Authentick Ancient and Modern Writers who give a very ample Account of the great Persecution of Christians for many hundred Years last past in all Parts of the Christian World where they have had Power To which Opinion of the Waldenses most of our modern Protestant Divines agree of which we shall mention only Cartwright Fulk the worthily admired and Learned Mede not forgetting famous Du Moulin of France as may be seen in their Works at large But because we will not take Things upon Trust nor refer the Reader to many Quotations which he may want Books and Time to satisfy himself about it appears needful that we remove the Objections with as much Brevity as possible before we state the Metaphor and run the Parallel Now that Babylon in all these New-Testament Texts cannot be fairly applied to Jerusalem the Turks and Saracens nor terminate in the Heathenish State of Rome we offer these following Considerations or Arguments I. It cannot be meant the City Jerusalem 1. Because Jerusalem did not reign over the Kings of the Earth in St. John's time when he saw this Vision and wrote the Revelation which this City Babylon is expresly said to do Rev. 17.18 And the Woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth Jerusalem having been not only under Captivity divers times before but were then entirely under the Power of the Roman Yoke as the whole History of the Gospel doth confirm and themselves did most plainly confess We have no King but Caesar John 19.15 2. Jerusalem was never in so high esteem with the Beast as to be capable to ride as Queen-Regent upon him as this Woman Whore or City is said to do And the Angel said unto me Wherefore didst thou marvel I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and the Beast that carrieth her which hath the seven Heads and ten Horns Rev. 17.7 Rev. 17.7 compared with Vers 3. So he carried me away in the Spirit into the Wilderness and I saw a Woman sit upon a Scarlet-coloured Beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven Heads and ten Horns For by the Woman sitting and Beast carrying is undoubtedly signified Influence Power and Dominion which Jerusalem was far remote from not only under the Roman Monarchy but also under the three Kingdoms that went before it viz. the Babylonian Grecian and Persian as might be largely illustrated both out of Sacred and Humane History 3. Jerusalem did not sit upon many Waters which is interpreted to be People Nations and Tongues that is had not Command or Dominion over them as this Woman Rev. 17.15 Whore or City is said to have And he saith The Waters which thou sawest where the Whore sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues The whole Land of Judea being under Tribute to the Roman Government at that time And it came to pass in those Days Luke 2.1 that there went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be taxed Verse 4. and particularly Galilee Nazareth Judea and the City of David called Bethlehem 4. Jerusalem was not capable to enchant and bewitch all the Nations round about her either by her Religion and Doctrine or by great Gifts and Rewards 1. Because the Roman Power kept her under and much in awe on the one hand not owning nor subscribing to her Religion 2. The Christian Doctrine and Religion block'd up her Way on the other hand that she could not extend her Influence to either neighbouring or remote Nations as this Woman Whore or City is said to do For thy Merchants were the great Men of the Earth for by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived Rev. 18.23 5. Jerusalem tho she were guilty of much Blood from the beginning of her Excellency and Glory in Solomon's Time killing Prophets even all that were sent unto her murthered John Baptist and our Lord and Saviour as also the blessed Martyr St. Stephen yet in her could not be found that great Mass of Blood that was shed and Myriads of Christian Saints that have been barbarously murthered by Massacre and publick Martyrdom since they were ruined and destroyed by Titus Vespasian which we find positively charged upon this City Babylon Rev. 17.6 And I saw the Woman drunk with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and I wondered with great Admiration as indeed well he might as shall be shewn Rev. 19 24. And in her was found the Blood of Prophets and of
so full communication of one Creature to another saith Mr. Burroughs as there is in that Condition of Marriage So in the Day of the Resurrection when the Church shall be married to the Lord Jesus the Godly shall have a full and perfect Enjoyment of him whom they so dearly love The Lord Christ in that Day will communicate of himself to his People in such a manner that it is inconceivable whatsoever may delight them rejoice their Hearts or add to their perfâ—ct Happiness he will not withhold from them They have now only the Joy and Comforts of his Spirit but then they shall have the Joy and Comforts of his Person Where I am there also shall my Servants be Joh. 14.3 I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Rev. 19.6 7. V. A Marriage-Day is a joyful Day So will the Marriage-Day of the Lamb be Let us be glad and rejoice and give Honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come The Bridegroom rejoiceth in the Bride Isa 62.5 and the Bride in the Bridegroom As the Bridegroom rejoicâ—th over the Bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee VI. In a Marriage-Day the Bridegroom and the Bride have very great Attendance and are greatly honoured So Christ and the Church shall have great and glorious Attendance in the Day of the Resurrection viz. all the Angels of Heaven He shall come in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels The same Retinue the one shall have the other shall have likewise VII The Bride commonly makes great Preparation for the Marriage-Day to have all Things ready So the Godly make all due Preparation for the Appearance of Jesus Christ that they may be accepted of him in that Day The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Bride hath made her self ready The Resurrection-Day the Saints Coronation-Day 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the righteous Judg shall give unto me in that day c. THat Day that is the Day of the Resurrection or Day of Christ's coming Note The Day of the Resurrection will be the Saints Coronation-Day Parallels CRowns properly belong to Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth c. Saints are Kings Spiritual Kings He hath made us unto our God Kings c. Rev. 5. II. Kings are wonderfully honoured on their Coronation-Day So shall the Saints in the Day of the Resurrection the Angels of Heaven shall honour them Christ himself will honour them nay they shall be honoured by the Father If any Man serve me Joh. 12. him will my Father honour III. On a Coronation-Day some look upon it as their proper work to set the Crown upon the Head of the Prince who is to be crowned therewith So in the Day of the Resurrection the Lord Jesus will set as it were the Crown upon the Head of his Chosen Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Inferences LAbour to be fully established in the Truth of the Resurrection see that no Man deceive you 't is a perilous Age. And to confirm doubting Christians in this great Principle of the Christian Religion take a few Arguments 1. If the Dead rise not Then Christ is not risen from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.16 20. But Christ is risen from the Dead Therefore the Dead shall rise 2. That Doctrine that makes Preaching vain is a false and pernicious Doctrine But such who deny the Resurrection make Preaching vain 1 Cor. 15.14 15.2 Therefore a false and pernicious Doctrine 3. If the Dead rise not Then those who are fallen asleep in Jesus are perished 1 Cor. 15.18 But those who are fallen asleep in Christ are not perished Therefore the dead shall rise 4. If the Dead rise not Then the Godly are of all Men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.15 19. But the Godly are not of all Men most miserable Therefore the dead shall rise Obj. The Soul of a Child of God at Death is happy and with Christ and shall be for ever whether the Body rise or not and therefore they are not of all Men most miserable unless the Soul be mortal and die with the Body as some affirm Answ The Life of the Soul as well as of the Body depends wholly upon Christ's Resurrection and if Christ be not risen we are yet in our Sins and therefore this makes nothing either to prove Saints happy without a Resurrection or for the mortality of the Soul 5. If the Saints of God in the primitive time did believe and were well grounded in the Truth of the Resurrection Then the Dead shall rise But the Saints of the Primitive time did so believe and were so established Ergo. See these Scriptures Joh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.22 23. Ver. 52. I know he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own order Christ the first Fruits and afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming for the Trumpet shall be sounded and the Dead shall be raised c. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so those which are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess 4.14 And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the dead that were in them and they were judged every Man according to their Deeds Rev. 20.13 6. If all the Saints of God and Holy Apostles waited for the Redemption of their Bodies Rom. 8.23 Then the Dead shall rise But all the Saints and Holy Apostles waited for the Redemption of their Bodies Ergo. 7. If the chief Reward of the Godly is reserved to the last day 2 Tim. 4.8 viz. to the day of the Resurrection Then the Dead shall be raised But the chief Reward of the Godly is reserved to the last day or day of the Resurrection Ergo The Dead shall be raised 8. If the expectation of the Godly Martyrs shall not be frustrated Heb. 11.35 36. Psal 9 18. Then the Dead shall be raised But the expectation of the Godly Martyrs shall not be frustrated Ergo The Dead shall be raised 9. If the Bodies of the Saints shall be made like Christ's glorious Body the Dead shall rise But the Bodies of the Saints shall be made like to Christ's glorious Body Phil. 3.21 1 Joh. 3.2 Ergo the Dead shall be raised 10. If the Dead at the last Day shall be judged then they shall rise again from the Dead But the Dead shall at the last Day be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev 20.12 13. Ergo the Dead shall be raised 11. That Doctrine that gives the Scripture Christ and his Apostles the Lie is a cursed and damnable Doctrine But those that deny the Resurrection of the Dead give the