Evangelical Sacrifices, Text 1 – Title page 2
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 wh…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 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 fea… 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 Author of evill, yet he is the Orderer of it, and he determines and directs it, both to the object, and also to that end which he pleaseth.
In a word, consider sinne in three distinct times, before the commission, in it, and upon the performance: Before, God doth not command it, nor infuse it, but disallow and forbid it: In the sinne, he permits it to be done; how? by substracting of his grace, in not working, then by offering occasions that are good in themselves: And thirdly by tradition, by giving men up to Sathan; as here the Beast is given up to Sathan, and the Kings were given up to the Beast: So that God gives men up by substraction of his grace, and by tradition, and then he doth uphold them in the committing of sinne, upholds the powers: And when it is done, applies them to this particular, and not to that particular: In the doing of it, hee limits it, he sets the bounds of it, both for the time of it, as also for the measure of it, as here in the Text: Thus long shall the ten Kings give up their Crownes to the Beast; and thus farre shall they goe, untill the time come, that the Word of God shal be fulfilled: so hee limits sinne in the committing of it, both for the measure, and also for the time: The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the backe of the righteous.
Thus you see the meaning of the words, God will put into their hearts; that is, by withdrawing of his grace, which they deserved by their sinfull courses; and offering to them this Man of sinne, this Beast, which shall come with such efficacies of errour, so that his grace being with-drawne, and they given up to the Devill, to Sathan, and the Beast, they shall without doubt be deluded, and seduced, but with this limitation, untill the time come, that the Word of God shall be fulfilled,
I might be large in this point, but it is not so sutable to the occasion, onelyonly somewhat must be said for the unfolding of the Text: So much therefore for that.
God put into their hearts to fullfill his will, and to agree to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast.
They agree all unto it, and therefore it was not a thing done by force: Rome, and the heathen Emperours did compell men, did overcome men by force of Armes; these agree, it was a voluntary, and a free act in them; necessary it was in regard of Gods judgement, but it was free and voluntary in regard of themselves, for with one consent they gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast.
Thus having unfolded the meaning, wee come to observe some truths and conclusions that doe arise out of the words. I will not mention all, or the most that might bee observed, but only some speciall.
God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast.
Here first of all from this ariseth, Gods speciall providence in Ill, in the greatest evill that can be there is his speciall providence apparent; God put into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast: Observe here many acts of his Providence, the with-drawing of his grace, the giving them up to Sathan, and to ill occasions, the presenting them with good occasions, which meeting with an ill disposition makes them worse; for good occasions meeting with an ill disposition makes it worse, makes it rage the more; as the stopping of a torrent makes it rage and swell the more; as also the limitation of all this, untill his Word shall be fulfilled; thus in this worke, Heaven and Earth and Hel meet in one action: Thus it was in that great action of the crucifying of our blessed Saviour, there is the action of God, in giving his Sonne to be a sweet Sacrifice, and the action of Iudas, and the Devill in him betraying of Christ, and the action of the Souldiers, in crucifying him. Saint Augustine in the unfolding of this point, of the Providence of God in Evill, observes how many may concur in one action, God without blame, man without excuse: God without blame, he finds men ill, and leaves men (deserving to bee left) hee takes away his grace, and as a Iudge gives men up to Sathan: Man without excuse, because man workes willingly, They with one consent gave up their Kingdomes to the Beast. That is the first.
The second is this, that the will of man may be swayed by divine governance, and yet notwithstanding work most willingly, and freely.
Here, God puts into their hearts to do this, and yet they willingly, and with one consent gave their Crownes to the Beast.
God first hath his Providence in ill, and then that providēce is such, that it doth not rob man of his liberty, because God finding man in an ill course, he forceth him not to this or that particular ill, but directs him only: The hearts of Kings are in the hand of the Lord, as the Rivers of waters. A Man when hee findeth a River of water, hee doth not make the streame, but only makes way, that it may runne this or that way, as it pleaseth him; so God, finding the hearts of Kings, or the hearts of any, as the Rivers of water, Hee opens vent, that they should run this, and not that way; that they should be given to this, and not to that, here is the action of God, and yet the free liberty of man.
But how could this bee free, when they …ould not avoid it?
I answer, they were not privie to Gods directing, they worked not in conscience of Gods moving, but they followed their owne …usts and will: Betweene Gods worke and Mans will, there is alwayes sinne: God never workes immediatly in Mans will; for Mans will is free, but Mans sinfull Free-will is the …ext cause in sinne: Although God put it in…o their hearts, yet hee found them sinfully disposed.
And then, the judgement is not bound or …yed. The hearts of these Kings told them, that they might give their Crownes, or not give them to the Beast, their judgement saw they had reason to doe it, though their judgement were corrupt; so, a sinner sees reason to doe this or that, and although it bee corrupt reason, yet it moves him at that time, his judgement is not bound up, but God lets his judgement be free, though hee take away his heavenly light, and so hee judges perversely That's the second.
The third is, That it is a terrible judgement of God to be given up to a mans owne will, to leave a man to his owne consents.
It is here spoken by way of judgement, That God put it into their hearts to give up their Kingdomes to the Beast. And indeed so it is a terrible judgement.
There are some objections to be taken away, for the clearing of this weighty point.
How is it a judgement, or a punishment, when it is voluntary? They willingly gave up their Kingdomes.
I answer, the more voluntary, and free a man is in sinne, the more and greater the judgement is; and as when sinne is 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 …t, he is the most miserablest man in the world; …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 …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 lus…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 …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 onelyonly 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 overrun by the Gothes and Vandals, and the Pope taking occasion of the absence of the Empe…our set up himselfe; thus raising himselfe by …e ru…nes of the Empire, and then hee being …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 col…ogued with Princes.
And then againe, hee wan respect and authority from the Hornes, by diabolicall and … courses. For first, hee abused their under…andings, keeping them from the Scriptures: …nd then he abused their affections, and drew …em this way, and that way with toyes. They …ave him great matters, and he gave them In…ulgences and Pardons, & consecrated Grains, …nd such like things.
Then againe, hee would oft force them to …ield by Excommunications, and many false …itles of Peters Successor, and Peters Chaire, so by the terrour and dread of Excommunica…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 onelyonly 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 in…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, 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 ther… is yet undone, To burne her with fire, if they hate the Beast, and eat her flesh, this will c…me to…, 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, …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 …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 wondero…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 ru…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 flourish…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, duplicate page duplicate page 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 Mil…one, and shall never …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 we…e sl…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.