Christs Victory Over the Dragon, Text (13 of 15)

Christs Victory Over the Dragon · Text (13 of 15)

p. 687Sixtly, cōsider how the divel into whose hand they are given up, prevailes against these men, and bindeth them with strong chaines and bolts of unrighteousnesse to damnation.

First, They being permitted to him, he blindeth their eyes and hardeneth their hearts to destruction.

Secondly, He not only strips them of the benefit p. 688of Christs victory, but useth them as vassals to fight against Christ, and his Church, and to withstand his victory.

3 He makes them not onelyonly to live in the darke, but to love the darknesse, and hate the light because their deeds be evill.

4 He makes their damnation more grievous then if they had never heard of Jesus Christ: for before they sinned of ignorance, but now of malice and wilfulnesse: before they sinned without Christ, now they sinne against Christ. This made Christ mournefully weepe over Jerusalem, who could not see her owne mournefull estate. Wee can give Christ no occasion to mourne over us, but we have much more cause to mourne over our selves.

2 Add hereto the benefit of receiving Christ and his truth, into the inner roume of our hearts. For,

First, it is the only antidote against the poyson of Antichrist and heresie. It is not the profession or knowledge, but love of the truth that armeth a Christian against the efficacie of his power: this shall strongly fence him, when the greatest profession, yea the deepest learning and knowledge, that ever men or Angels had shall not do it.

Secondly, Christ never comes but to make us gainers: he commeth to Jerusalem to gather her as an hen her chickens. Mat. 23. 37. It may be wee may lose swine by him, as the Gadarens, but it is to chase away divels, Iusts and sinnes in which the divels rule. It may bee wee may part with some goods as Zatheus, but it is to bring salvation to our house. What if wee must sell all with the young man? it is to have treasure in heaven. Keepe Christ, and we have treasure and wealth enough.

Now the meanes to further us in this dutie of embracing Christ and his truth, are of two sorts.

p. 689First, To east off the lets and impediments that hinder.

Secondly, To get neare us the helps and furtherances.

The first let is ignorance of Christ, of his worth, and offers of grace. Ioh. 4. 10. if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that talketh with thee, thou wouldest have asked, &c. A foolish cocke contemnes a pearle: can skill of nothing but barly. A rude man knows not the worth of a jewell, but a Lapidary who knows it and the wealth of it, will buy it, and by it enrich himselfe. This shews that both Preachers and hearers are ignorant of this saving knowledge, who say to the Almighty, Depart from us, wee have no desire to know thy wayes, nor that the meanes of knowledge be setled among us.

The second lett is envy, and hatred of Christ, and the truth truly dealt with. This sinne in the high Priests and Pharises got Christ upon the crosse. Ioh. 12. 19. See ye not that the world goeth after him? if we suffer this man, downe goeth our credit, all will beleeve him, and wee shall displease the Romans (the Romanists) and be great losers, Ioh. 11. 48. Luk. 19 14. the citizens hated the Nobleman, and sent him word, We will not have this man to rule. Whosoever expresseth hatred to his word and ordinances, to his graces and vertues, to his servants and children, this man hates his person, and sends him word hee will not have him to reigne over him. And many such messages Christ hath dayly sent him from us.

The third lett is earthlinesse and covetousnesse: the love of swine. The losse of swine and feare of losse sends Christ packing from the Gadarens. We have too many Gadarens who cannot distinguish p. 690betweene Christ and a pig, unlesse it be to preferre a pig before him: Oh if Christ come among us and settle neare us, wee shall lose this profit and that: poore Christ brings a charge with him: and when men are resolved not to part with a nutshell for Christ, say what they will, and heare as many Sermons as they do, they had rather have a legion of divells stay among them, then Christ. Love of swine makes the Gadaren put off all love to his owne soule; yea and all charity frō their neighbours: they are contented better with a legion of divells among them with their swine, then with Christ, without them.

The fourth let is love of lusts and our darling sinnes: And these are dearer to men then their swine: these foule and swinish lusts, in which they wallow as swine, make men fall quite out with Christ and his truth. For Christ and his word never speakes good to an evill man. He is one that knows all, and will tell thee all that ever thou hast done, Ioh. 4. He will be rough against thy darling sinnes. He will whip out buyers and sellers from the Temple, and let no sinne take Sanctuary. Thou art a great swearer, he will say thou must not sweare at all, and then thou must sew up thy mouth and not speake at all. Thou art an adulterer, and he will cry out against him that lookes on a woman to lust after her. Thou art mighty to drinke; he will disgrace thee and barrethee out of heaven. He is so precise as he will urge thee to set a watch before every word, that no filthy or foolish talking, nor jesting proceed thence. He will be urging to continuall hearing of the word, and observation of the whole Sabboth, which (to many) is a misery of miseries, and bands, and yokes, fit for none but slaves. These men, so farre in love with their sinnes, cannot but hate Christ, and cast him out of their coasts: darknesse cannot but hate light: and p. 691Christ hath foretold it, Ioh. 7. 7, the world hateth me because I testifie of it that her workes are evill. And his Ministers finde it in theirs, how they would resist himselfe in person; because his word makes all things manifest, Eph. 5. 13. It discovers the drunkard, adulterer, atheist, swearer, gamester, Sabbathbreaker: and if a man be any of these, or all these, how can he but wish Christ and his word a thousand miles off him.

Now of the meanes to helpe us to receive Christ and his truth.

1 To set our hearts upon the truth, as our treasure, But it, but sell it not. Count all drosse in comparison of Christ. Chuse the good part with Mary. This affection keepes the word: but the wicked wanting it, lose it at last, though they seeme to hold it a long time. The good Merchant rejoyceth to finde the pearle: therefore he will sell all to purchase it.

2 To grieve when we finde not such sweetnesse in the word, as wee would, and as sometimes we have done. Suspect now Christ stands aloofe for some disrespect of him: he dislikes something in his entertainment. Nay we must grieve not only when our selves preferre other things before it, but when others do so. Psal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters runne downe mine eyes, because they keep not thy word. How then did he mourne for his owne faylings?

3 Wayte at the gates of wisdome: frequent her threshold, heare her voyce, let that voyce perswade Prov. 8. 34.Prov 8:34thee, be ruled by her counsells, hate all vaine inventions discovered by it, whether errors in doctrine or corruptions of life. Embrace her servants: for, he that receiveth you, receiveth me: love them for their glad tidings. Evill men may heare much, but seldome refraine from any evill way. They pretend great love to Christ, but hate to the death his servants.

p. 6924 Let it worke upon our hearts till wee finde a resolute purpose to hold Christ and his truth through crosses, losses, and troubles for the defence of it; till we attaine the resolution of ancient Beleevers, who willingly suffered the spoiling of their goods. Heb. 10 34. and till our lives be not deare unto us, nor loved to the death, in comparison of Christ and his Gospell: as the blinde man confessed him, though he were sure to be excommunicate, Ioh. 9.

5 Follow the meanes by which the truth may come to dwell plentifully in us, and amongst us. The former by frequent hearing, meditation, reading, and prayer especially, aske wisdome and yee shall finde it. Christ is the gift of God: the way to obtaine him is prayer If thou hadst knowne the gift of God, thou wouldest have asked &c. The latter is by bringing it in reckoning with others; often speaking of it, conferring, especially whetting it on our families and friends, as Abraham did.

6 In holy conversation and practise of life, shew the life and counterpaine of the truth. So much of the truth we know truly, as we practise. He hath received Christ, who expresseth the vertues of Christ. Let it therefore be our care to leave a patterne and sweet sent of grace and truth every where behind us, as our Lord himselfe did.

Who hath great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

The words conteine the second reason of that dreadfull woe denounced upon the earth and sea, taken from the wrathfull disposition of the divell, who in the former words is said to have descended; and amplified by the reason of it, because he hath but a short time.

p. 693Quest. What is meant by this great wrath of the dragon?

Answ. The sly stealing of Antichrist upon the world by a Catholicke Apostacy is here called the great wrath, with which the Divell commeth into the earth. For whereas he could not succeed by open tyranny of the Imperiall dragons, but that Christian religion was more propagated, and many dayly pulled out of his power by the preaching of the Gospell, and that Christianity prevailed against Idolatry and Ethnicisme: now as a furious person whose plots have not hitherto succeeded, he comes with a new mischiefe more spitefull then the former: he rayseth a mist of blacke darknesse to obscure the sunne of grace, and secretly worketh in the mysterie of Antichrist; God permitting him to come with strong delusions on the blinde side of the world. Now he that could not by open force destroy the Church, or cast out Christ, doth under the name of Christ, and pretence of the honour of Christ and his religion, fight more furiously and prevayle more forcibly then ever he formerly could by open persecution and tyranny.

The words therefore foretell and threaten the mighty enterprises, and secret stratagems of the dragon by Antichrist, who was in after-times to prevaile in all the Christian world. This is the great wrath here spoken of, and teacheth, that

The greatest wrath that ever Satan watched and Doct.brought upon the world since the fall, was the raysing of Antichrist. He had beene mischievous before, and wrathfull in open tyranny: but now he putteth forth a greater wrath, in secret delusion. Which truth will appeare, if we consider.

1 Antichristianisme in it selfe:

2 In comparison with open tyranny.

3 In the more feareful fruits and grievous effects of it.

p. 6941. Antichristianisme in it selfe is the most fearefull plague that ever the wrath of God or Satan strucke the world withall, if we consider,

1. The cause.

2 .The effect.

3. The generality.

In the cause, it proceedeth from the greatest wrath that ever God put forth upon earth; for,

1. It is a wrath from the divine iustice, due to the most fearefull sinne in the world, which was the worlds reiecting the truth of the Gospell, wherein the wrath of God is come both upon the Jew and Gentile to the uttermost.

2. It is a wrath of the dragon, whetted by the wrath of God, in which God sendeth the strongest and most prevailing delusions that ever were; in which that wicked spirit, who seemed to bee cast out of the world by the preaching of the Gospell, is returned againe, and hath brought seven worse spirits than himselfe.

3. It is a wrath not onelyonly punishing sinnes of such a deepe staine, but with most fearfull sinnes, such as immediately forerunne damnation, even that universall damnation of all those who chased away the truth of God to embrace the delusions of Antichrist: 2 Thess. 2. 10. God shall send strong delusions, that all they may be damned, who loved not the truth.

4. It is a wrath so great, as the Spirit of God finds no parallell to compare it with, but the great day of Gods wrath; and therefore in the opening of the sixt Seale (Revel. 6. 12.) which describeth the comming of Antichrist into the world, hee resembleth the time of his appearing to the greatest day of wrath that ever was before it, and describeth it by all those fearefull events which shall accompany Christ himselfe, when he commeth to his last and universall iudgement.

p. 695The signes of the wrath of that great day of wrath are seven, by this wrathfull day of Antichrist notably resembled.

1. Great and fearfull earthquakes shall goe before the comming of Christ, Matth. 24. 7. Even so, at the comming of Antichrist, the foundations of the earth shal be shaken, a new face of things shal appear, the pillers and foundations of old Apostolicall doctrine and discipline shall bee shaken downe, and a new Ecclesiasticall Monarchy shall eate up the ancient, civill, and Imperiall government, which was the studd and pillar upholding the earth and societies of men.

2. The Sunne shall bee darkned as sackcloth, Mat. 24. 29. and Christ the sunne of righteousnesse, who shined so cleare in the firmament of the Church, the onelyonly Saviour, Mediatour, and satisfaction shall bee wholy darkned, and horribly ecclipsed in the day of Antichrist; the holy doctrine concerning his person, natures, offices and benefits shall be cleane obscured, as the Sunne at midnight; a blacke vaile of traditions, and a thicke curtaine of humane constitutions blacked and darkned all his most sacred Ordinances; the Sacraments by theatricall pompes and devises shal be adulterate; the worship of Christ, by adoration of Idols, and veneration of creatures, wholy depraved: Now is the Sunne of the Church turned into darknesse.

3. The Moone shall be turned into blood: So the Church, which as the Moone, receives all her light from the Sunne of righteousnesse, shal seem all blood, partly by the cruell and bloody warres, and partly by the bloody persecutions of Antichrist, who shall boast of both swords, and fill both his hands with weapons of wrath and cruelty.

p. 6964. The Starres shall fall from heaven, Marke 13. 25. So in the appearing of Antichrist the Bishops and Pastors shall become Apostates from the truth, and of shining starres in holy doctrine, holy life and beautifull graces, in their severall Orbes shining in humility, charity, sobriety, diligence, and heavenly-mindednesle shall fall to pride, ambition, contention, wordlinesse, warre, seats of Judicature, and whatsoever is earthly, and sensuall, and pompous.

5. At the comming of Christ the heaven shall depart Isay. 34. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 10.Isa 34:42 Pet 3:10as a scrole; so in the day of Antichrists comming, the Church (the heaven upon earth) shall bee shut up and hide it selfe, and shall not bee visible and conspicuous to the world: And although many good and godly men still in all ages contested against Antichrist, yet were they condemned for heretikes, and were counted no part of heaven, nor faithfull members of it.

6. The Mountaines and Ilands were removed out of their places. By Mountaines are meant Kings and Emperours, who by the fraud and power of Antichrist were removed from their high places and authority, which was swallowed and ingrossed by Antichrist; and by Ilands, the people and nations who were all forced upon paine of damnation, in stead of obedience to Christ, to submit themselves to the tyrannie of Antichrist: Nothing so firme as Mountaines; nothing so farre off as Ilands, but Antichrist reached them.

7. As in the day of Christs wrath the wicked shall in utter despaire of their estates call for the hils and Mountaines to cover them, and hide them from it; so shall the great day of Antichrist drive great ones to Luke 23. 30.Luke 23:30utter despaire, not knowing what shall become of them, and of their estates; and this shall bee the hire and recompence of all the ayders and supporters of p. 697Antichrist, in the day of their particular iudgement if their consciences bee awakened, at farthest in that last and great day of wrath, in the generall iudgement.

Thus wee see the Scripture setting out the day of Antichrist to bee as wrathfull as the great day of Christ, which of all dreadfull things is to all wicked men most terrible.

Secondly, now consider the great wrath of Antichristianisme in the effect; and we shall see it the most horrible mist and black darknesse that ever the world was stricken withall: Other heresies and hereticks which made way to this, are called the black horse, Revel. 6. 5. as being contrary to the white horse, Verse 2. which was the integrity of Apostolike doctrine: but those did obscure and darken the light, as in the evening: But when Antichrist comes, this heresie chaseth away all light, as at midnight: Not that the Church ceaseth to bee, no more than the Sunne ceaseth to be at midnight; but it appeareth no more in that Horizon or Hemisphere, thā if it were not all; Heaven passeth as a scrole, which is no lesse, but lesse seene.

Hence is the Kingdome of Antichrist called spiritually by the name of Aegypt. Rev. 11. 8. for it resembleth that Kingdome, especially in three things,

1. In Idolatry.

2. In cruelty and oppression of the Israel of God.

3. Most of all in blindnesse and darknesse, with which that Kingdome was covered for three dayes, Exod. 10. 21. And betweene the darknesse of that Aegypt and this there is apt resemblance,

1. Of all the plagues of Aegypt that went before it, the darknesse was most grievous; and so is this, no plague in the world before this was comparable to it.

p. 6982. The Lord restrained from them not the light of the Sunne onelyonly, but of fire and Candle, and withdrew his blessing and comfort from all his creatures; so in this spirituall Aegypt, and Antichristian Kingdome, is a miserable palpable blindnesse; they see nothing of Christ savingly, nor of the Scriptures which witnesse of him, nor of sound interpreters the Candles in the CHVRCH, consuming themselves to give others light, nor are guided or comforted by the Spirit, who is as fire, warming and inlightning beleevers: God hath laid a curse on all their means of light, that they get no sound or saving light from them; no not their greatest schollers, unlesse they bee enlightned to sinne against their consciences.

3. Yet had the Israelites light, mingled among the Aegyptians; Even so the true Church, hidden in Babylō, hath light and knowledge, and great blessing on weak means, though the Aegyptian cannot discern or see it; as, among our selves, a Recusants house hath nothing but darknesse, and superstitious ignorance, when a Protestants house (perhaps next to it) hath light of knowledge, holinesse and saving grace.

4. That darknesse was next to the death of their first-borne; even so here, the pale horse followes the blacke, Revel 6. 8. and this darknesse fore-runnes everlasting darknesse in hell, as that did death in the Aegyptians houses.

But with this difference, that this is a more miserable darknesse:

1. In the kinde, because it is spirituall, as it is called Aegypt spiritually; a blinde body is miserable, a blinde soule is damnable.

2. That was a darknesse of the ayre, but not of their eyes; this is of both, and the blackest darknesse is within them, as theirs was without them.

p. 6993. The Aegyptians by their darknesse knew the benefit of light the better, and saw their plague, and mourned under it; but these Aegyptians are pleased with their darknesse, and fight against the light the more, and are not more fearefull or watchfull against any thing, than that the light should peepe in amongst them.

Thirdly, next, as Antichristian Apostasie is blackest, so is it most generall of all heresies, even the Catholike heresie, into which all other heresies of the New Testament runne, as into a sinke: One cals it an abridgement of all old heresies.foreign

For it is not against any one Article of faith, (as other particular heresies are) but,

First, against the holy Scripture, which is the Scepter of Christ, infinitely disgracing it, calling it a nose of waxe, a sheathe for every sword, insufficient, obscure, the booke that makes heretikes, and, The Scriptures have no authority but from thē, no sense but from them, they forbid the reading of them, they preferre Apocryphals, traditions, Church-determinations above them, &c.

Secondly, against the whole Gospell; which is a doctrine of free justification and salvation, by the onelyonly righteousnesse and merits of Christ, imputed by faith; but they teach to seeke salvation in our owne merits and satisfactions, here or hereafter.

Thirdly, against the whole person and offices of Christ: They appoint infinite Priests to repeate his onelyonly sacrifice; a number of mediators against this one Mediatour, that men may bee heard by their prayers, and saved by their merits. They appoint the Pope a King of Kings, by whom all Kings raigne; who hath all power in heaven and earth; yea, the Head and Husband of the Church (which is proper to Christ.)

p. 700Fourthly, against all the foundation of religion and Catechisme: For although they hold in word and outward profession, the Creed of the Apostles, the Lords Prayer, the words also of the ten Commandements, yet indeed, and by direct consequent they reverse and renounce every Commandement of the tenne, every Article of the twelve, if wee except that of the Trinity, and every Petition of the sixe, as sundry godly writers have cleared, and my selfe have in a readinesse to prove.

Thus of Antichristianisme considered in it selfe.

II. Now consider the tyranny of it comparatively with the tyranny of temporall enemies, and the wrath will bee infinitely greater; and that in three respects.

1. For secrecy of working.

2. For transcendency of the danger.

3. For hopelesnesse of recovery.

Of the first; open mischiefe a man may avoid, or prepare for, but here is a more secret and undiscernable mischiefe; a great adversary, but slie and under a contrary profession of friendship; the greatest wounder of Christian Faith, under pretext of Christian Faith; whether wee consider his person or his worke.

For his person, hee is a sonne of perdition; a sonne must resemble his father; the dragon his father buildeth up his Kingdome rather by fraud than by force, so doth his eldest sonne Antichrist. Hence is this great Adversary compared to a Whore, who hunteth the precious life of man, not by open force, but by secret and faire pretenses, sugred speeches, and alluring flatteries; shee hath a cup in her hand full of abominations; the draught is deadly poyson, but shee hath put it in a golden cup Revel. 13. 11. the second beast p. 701which is Antichrist, speakes like the dragon, that is, breathes out devillish doctrines, and thundereth hellish curses against the true Professors of Christian Faith, but hath two hornes like the Lambe; that is, a counterfeit shew of humility and meeknesse.

For his worke, it must bee a mysterie of iniquity; Hee must sit in the Temple of God; hee must not bee a Turke, to destroy by fire and sword, and open defiance of Christ, the profession of Christianity; but an Herodian, who pretending to worship him intendeth to kill him: Hee must denie Christ to bee come in the flesh, but in a mysterie, not openly and directly; for then all Christians would abhorre him, and renounce him, but indirectly and by expresse consequence; and (saith the Father) Whosoever denyeth Christ in his deeds, the same is an Antichrist.Quisquis fact is negat Christum, is Antichristus est. Aug. tract. 3. in Epist. Ioh.

Of the second; this tyranny of Antichrist is more inward & spirituall than the furious persecutions of other tyrants; and inward plagues are a thousand times more deadly than outward. It is true, that as the dragon is extremely tyrannous against the bodies of Saints, so is Antichrist; but yet the cruelty of both is more spirituall than temporall, and aymeth more at the death of the soule than the body; and it is most true that one saith, Open tyrannies and outward oppressions are torments of sinfull men, but these inward are the increasers of sinnes and vices. Tormenta peccantium: Incrementa vitiorum.Pharaohs hard heart was a more deadly stroke than all the ten plagues beside. It was a more grievous plague to give up the Idolatrous Gentiles to their owne lusts and vile affections (Rom. 1.) then to give over the Idolatrous Samaritans, to bee torne with Lyons, 2 Kings 17. Let heathen tyrants come upon a Christian, they can take but his externall, lower and sensitive part; but let this Ecclesiasticall tyrant come, hee winneth the highest towers and faculties of man, p. 702his minde, judgement, affections. Let the Turke come, hee may expose the body to bee slaine with sword, fire, teeth of beasts; and in all this nothing comes contrary to the condition of mortall men; But let the Pope come and hee will doe all this, and beyond all this; by his fraud and impostures hee taketh the minde, and delivers up the heart to bee ruled by the devill; that lusts and vices as wilde beasts prevaile against reason, religion, and humanity it selfe; and this is most unnaturall and monstrous.

If they spoyle our goods, maime our bodies, deprive us of our liberties, there are some remedies, and hope of recovery, or by a right use of these tryals wee may better our selves in grace; But if Antichrist withdraw us from grace, delude our soules, sit in our consciences, and so cast us into the wrath of God, what remedie is left? Now shall wee finde, that a gash in the soule, as it is the deeper, so it will prove more incurable than any bodily wound.

Of the third; this tyranny of Antichrist is beyond all externall tyranny in the difficulty of recovery; because it is more pleasing to sense, than the other. Externall oppression and tyranny every man naturally avoydeth and resisteth; but this every naturall man chuseth and desireth; for it dazelleth the eyes with external pompe, outward splendor, & worldly power, in all w^ch it is contrary to the simplicity of the religiō of Christ. This Antichristian poyson, which was by a voyce from heaven, said to be powred into the Church in the dayes of Sylvester, naturall men drink up without all inquiry, and are willingly detained under Antichristian slavery, and without a mighty arme of Christ, (a stronger than hee) are never pulled out.

All this sheweth the fearefull wrath in this Antichristian tyrannie beyond all other.

p. 703III. The third argument will further cleare it; that Satan commeth with greater wrath in Antichristian delusions, than in any open tyranni… or persecution besides, drawne from the effects of this wrath, which are more fearefull than any, or all other judgements of God besides.

The miserable effects of this wrath are especially three:

1. An upheaping of the measure of sinne. In open tyrannies the enemy fights against the Christian man, and this is the enemies sinne; in this hee makes the Christian fight against Christ, and his truth, and his Church, which is his own horrible sinne: In the other it is miserable to see men besmeared and all imbrued with their owne blood; but here is a greater misery, to see men wallow in their inward filthinesse, and bloody vices and pollutions. The former may bee a meanes to open the blinde eyes, and the sealed eares, to bring in a sight and sense of sinne, and soften the heart; but here is nothing but increasing of sinne, for this is a meanes to harden the heart more, and blinde the eyes more, and wrap men not onelyonly in darknesse, but in the hatred of the light.

2. An unhappy resisting of the meanes of recovery. In other tyrannie tyrants may chase men to the Rocke of their salvation, and drive them toward heaven, as Israel toward Canaan by the oppressions of Aegypt; but this tyranny gallops men to hell, and intercepteth all meanes of reconciliation and repentance, so long as they are under this thraldome; which is plaine in these particulars:

First, it is a turning of men from truth to fables, from light of Scripture to the darknesse of humane traditions and devises.

Secondly, a going an whoring from Christ, to many lovers and harlots.

p. 704Thirdly, a denyall and renouncing of the onelyonly sacrifice and merit of Christ.

Fourthly, a sinning against the whole Gospell, and all the Offices of Christ.

Fiftly, a settling of men in contempt and hatred of holy Scriptures; and now what greater plagues can be imagined, than thus to fight against Christ, and that salvation so dearely purchased by him?

3. Another effect is, a rushing headlong into a gulfe and maine sea of wrath: This tyranny findes men sonnes of wrath, but casteth them into a deeper wrath than it findeth them in: For, is it not a greater damnation to fight against the light, than to want it? Is not the issue in a deeper wrath, to refuse the remedy, than contract the disease? Is not that judgement heavier, which brings eternall confusion of the whole man, than that which onelyonly can bring the outward man to confusion?

Thus having cleared the doctrine, wee come to the Vse.

1. Of all judgements in the world beware of spirituall Vse 1.plagues, in which is the greatest wrath which either God or the dragon can inflict on a man in this life: We must more feare blindnesse of minde, than of the body; feare more the stone in the heart, than the stone in the bladder; feare more to be drawne to errour, than to torment. Wee have had great cause to feare the power and forces of Antichrist, but much more the efficacy of his delusions: For where God giveth up to efficacy of errour, it is such a token of his wrath, as except he should presently send him to the place of his iniquity, he cannot strike him with a more severe judgement; this being a signe, that the Lord hath denyed or deprived such a one of his saving grace, that hee hath rejected him from his care and speciall Providence, and that hee meaneth to p. 705glorifie himselfe in his utter destruction.

Here for fuller application of this point, consider two things.

1. The markes of a man under this wrath.

2. The meanes to avoid it.

The markes of one that lyeth under this wrath, are these.

1. Ill use of gifts bestowed, and not profiting by good means of grace vouchsafed; when Gods Word and Ordinances are too weake to prevaile with a people or person to reclaime him: Esay. 5. 4. What could the Lord doe more to his Vineyard? Which when it failed of all his expectation; hee would lay it waste; nothing but bryars and thornes should thenceforth grow in it, and hee would command the clouds to raine no more on it; The unprofitable servant that imployed not his Talent to increase, had his talent taken away, and himselfe bound hand and foot unto execution. Heb. 6. 8. the ground often watred and dressed, that still beares thornes and bryars, is neare a curse, and the end is burning: So the bad ground of wicked mens hearts, which under a powerfull Ministery grow more stony, more secure, more hatefull, their conscience more seared, their courses more obstinate against the meanes of grace, are neare a blow, and the longer it is a fetching, the heavier it will bee: So when the Lord addes to his Word his hand, and addes some stinging externall crosse to awaken the soule, and bring it low before him; but this gracious warning and summons is set out, and no good use made of it, it hardens so much the more, as in Pharaoh, and causeth the Lord to leave such persons to themselves, as a father who cannot prevaile against his sonnes stubbornnesse, by admonitions nor corrections, leaves him with sorrow to himselfe; or a Physitian who hath put Art and nature p. 706to the uttermost extent, but cannot prevayle against the disease, leaves the Patient to death: so the Lord, Esa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten any more? ye fall away more and more.

2 Another note is pleasure in unrighteousnesse, 2 Thes. 2. 12. this signes a man given up to this wrath. By unrighteousnesse is meant error of judgment, or of practise, whereby God or men are deprived of their due, as righteousnesse gives both their due. By taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse is meant.

1 Not a willing of their sins only, but a liking and allowing of them.

2 An high prizing and esteeming of them, as things we take pleasure in.

3 An earnest, greedy, and delightfull pursuing of them.

4 A fight and contention for them, and against contrary grace.

5 A resolution by no meanes to part with them, no more then we will with things, in which we take most content and pleasure.

Examine the content which thy course giveth thee, and see whether it be a sweet fruit of the Spirit of truth, or arise from the spirit of error and delusion. For there be many wayes that be good in a mans owne eyes, but the issues are death, Prov, 14. 12. and a most grievous plague it is, when a seduced heart flattering the sinner shall cause him to blesse himselfe, while his sinne worthy to be hated is found with him Psal. 36. 2. This calling of good evill, and evill good, drawes on sinne with cartropes, Esa. 5. as many nowadayes count religion precisenesse; care of pleasing God hypocrisy; zeale rashnesse and folly; in the meane time they thinke their owne prophane estate good enough. Well: take heed of pleasure in unrighteousnesse, which argueth a man stripped of p. 707all sound grace; for the least grace would acknowledge the least grace, and disallow the least evill: and it argues a man in a course, which brings on swift damnation: and whosoever delights in unrighteousnesse, the righteous Lord will dash all his joyes, and make them end in wo and desperate sorrow.

3 Another note, is society with vile persons out of favouring their vices, as with Atheists, swearers, drunkards, enemies of grace, and such whose damnation sleepeth not. For what is this but to partake Psal. 50.Ps 50and thrust a mans selfe into the wrath of other mens sinnes? and how can a man be knitt unto the members of a body, and not to the head? If Gods justice have permitted thee to be one with the members, thou mayest well discerne he hath permitted thee, and for the present delivered thee to the head: seeing the head and the members make up but one dragon, And as there is not a more discernable marke of a Beleever, then love and hearty union with the brethren, 1 Ioh. 3. 14. so is there not a more discernable note of a man belonging to the dragon, then by sorting with his brood, and running with workers of iniquity.

4 He is apparently under the dragons wrath, that confirmes himself in the customable neglect of Gods Ordinances, publike or private. This man will fall to nothing, as he that ordinarily refuseth his meat: or at best his religion is but a passion, or fit, or is in respect of persons, or occasions. And it is because he will not be reclaymed from some lust.

5 He also that is an enemie of righteousnesse; a man whose bent is, to disgrace the way of God, and turne men out of the way, as Elymas, Act. 13. 8. 10. a flaunderer, a deviser against it, an open contester against the powerfull purity of Gods word, an instrument of the divell, and make-bate to cast out p. 708thy meanes of Salvation; such a one is in the divells worke: and why not in his power? The like of them that mis-judge the generation of God, and pronounce wicked sentence on them whom: the Lord acquiteth: as, if a good man be cast into some furious disease, they are ready to judge the estate of the soule by the distemper of the braine, and disgrace a godly and holy life by a violent death &c.

Now the meanes to avoyd this great wrath, are twofold:

I. To avoyd the speciall sinnes which arme Satan with this great wrath against us: as

1 Want of care to know God: Rom. 1. 28. the heathens, because they regarded not to know God, God gave them up to a reprobate minde. For when men cast God out of sight, and out of minde, how just is it that God cast them out of sight and minde? Thou that hast not God before thine eyes, thinkest not of him but as of one that hath nothing to doe with thy matters, forgettest him to be a judge and witnesse of all thou doest, deridest the true knowledge of God, and wilt take no direction from him; know it, thou hast thy choise, God will have as little to do with thee for the present as thou desirest, his grace and presence shalbe farre enough from thee, owne thee who will, guide thee who will, his mercy and helpe will be farre to finde. Who seeth not this heavie stroke of Gods wrath in numbers left by God, and ruled by the divell, men of reprobate mindes, destitute of judgment and common reason, rejecting all that is good, refusing nothing that is naught, rejoycing in the highest sinnes, swearing, drinking, drabbing, rayling, cursing; defying whatsoever savoureth of God or Godlinesse.

2 Sinne: want of love to the truth. 2. Thes. 2. therefore God gave them up to the strong delusions p. 709of Antichrist. See wee a man despising the meanes or bringers of the truth, or a man that willingly suppresseth and choaketh the truth in himselfe, or withstandeth the holy meanes, resists and scornefully thrusts away the preaching of the Gospell of truth, or preferreth vaine speculations and frothy discourses and devises of mens braine before the simple truth of Scriptures, or a man that doth not regard to procure, preserve, practise, and propagate the true knowledge of God? this man is farre from love of the truth, he is fit for any delusion, there is no trust in him, but be his knowledge and profession never so great, he may make a strong Papist, an open Apostate, or any thing but a sound and constant Beleever. If wee know the truth, happie are we if we love it.

3 Sinne: idolatry, Rom. 1. 26. for this cause God gave up the heathen to vile affections; namely for their idolatry. And yet theirs was invincible, they knew not the true God by the light of the Scripture, but only by reading in the booke of nature. How much more shall Christians be given over for their wanton and wilfull Idolatry, after so long teaching, and such cleare shining of the truth amongst us? Where an idoll stands up, there is no place for God; Dagon and the Arke cannot stand together. How farre Antichristian Idolatry hath driven God from that synagogue, wee may read in the great letters of such senselesse errors, as no blinde heathens were ever worse seduced. It was Gods patience, that our easinesse to Romish Masses and idolatry, did not wrap the Kingdome into this fierce wrath.

4 Sinne: earthlinesse, love of the world, of profits, and selfe love: as in Demas, who forsooke the truth, and embraced the present world. This sinne made Iudas, being an Apostle, at the side of Christ, and steward of his family, to be delivered up to the full p. 710wrath of the divell. What else carrieth away our Fugitivos and Seminaries, to become Priests, and traytors to Religion, their Prince, and country, but hope of preferments and profits, which here they fayle of?

II. The onelyonly positive meanes to be hid from this wrath, is, to walke carefully and humbly before God. Eccles. 7. 26. there is a woman whose heart is as nets and snares, her hands are bands, he that is good in Gods sight, shalbe delivered from her, but the sinner shalbe taken by her: Even so, onelyonly piety delivers from this Babylonish harlot, which hunteth the precious lives of men, Prov. 6. 26. For the more wicked a man is, the more is he hated of God; and the more hated of God, the more subject he is to be deceived by Antichrist. And therefore the sinner is in great danger. Now the way to avoyd this danger, is, to be good in Gods sight: which goodnesse consists in

1 Approoving our hearts and wayes unto God, the chiefe good.

2 Framing our actions by the word, the unfayling patterne and rule of goodnesse.

3 Walking and persisting in the way of good men, For it is not goodnesse of nature, witt, education, civility, learning, nor any humane skill which can keepe a man from the hookes and snares of this harlot, but onelyonly goodnesse of grace and the feare of the Lord.

2 This serves to admonish all, who are in full Use 2.communion with the Pope, and are formall limbes of Antichrist, and of the Romish Church, timely to looke to themselves, and consider these foure propositions.

1 That those who adore the Beast, and receive his Image, must drinke up the lees of this wrath, p. 711Revel. 14. 8. 9. But so doth every limbe of Antichrist, adoring him, in yeelding him divine honour, and seeking pardon of sinne from him, as if he were God: and receiving his image, by subjecting his conscience to his laws, as to the laws of God, and depending on his mouth as on the mouth of God. And therefore they all lye under this great wrath.

2 That he that hath not the Sonne, shall not see life. But no obstinate and wilfull Papist that holdeth not himselfe only to Christs righteousnesse for justification, but will stand before God in his owne righteousnesse, merits and satisfactions, hath the Sonne. And therfore no such shall ever see life. The Assumption the Apostle teacheth, Gal. 5. 4. They are abolished from Christ, and fallen from grace, whosoever wilbe justified by the Law.

3 That he which beleeveth not in the Sonne of God, the wrath of God abideth on him. Ioh. 3. 36. But no such Papist doth beleeve in the Son of God: For saving faith is condemned as presumption, and accesse to the throne of grace with boldnesse, and assurance of the favour of God, are scoffed at: and in stead of saving faith they nourish a generall assent to the truth of the word of God, which I affirme to be common to the reprobates, and devils. Therfore they are under wrath.

4 That he which liveth and dyeth an idolater, cannot avoyd the wrath of God. But so must he do, that liveth and dyeth an obstinate member of that Church; being bound to give divine honour to Saints, relickes, images, consecrated things, and especially to the breadden god. And therefore what a desperate thing is it, to live and dye in that religion? Antichrist only prevayleth in them that perish: none of the Elect can be seduced by this great seducer: neither can any that follow the beast, avoyd to drink p. 712the dregs of the Wine of GODS wrath. Revel. 14. 7. 8.

3 Pity the case of those that are carryed away into Vse 3.Antichristian delusion and Apostacie. For of all sinners they are in most fearefull case.

1 For their persons: they are a number of men, whose head is the sonne of perdition, who are in state of perdition, who are given up to the most mischievous wrath of the dragon, such as whose names are not written in the booke of life.

2 For their course: they are men that sin against the light, against the remedie, against the whole Gospell, especially against the precious blood and merit of Jesus Christ. Oh what a sin is it, to sin against this blood, and bring the guiltinesse of it upon a mans owne head, as they do by undervaluing it, and trampling it under foot, equalling with it the blood of Becket and traytors, preferring before it the milke of his mother! as Carolus Scribanius, a late Jesuite, in a Poeme not onelyonly holds the best compound for a sicke soule, to mixe Maries milke and Christs blood, but that of the two her milke and the merit and vertue of it is more precious and excellent then CHRISTS Blood.

3 Their estate is most fearefull, because there is no losse to the losle of the truth, no fall to the fall from grace, no wrath that the Dragon can watch against a person, comparable to this: For he is sure, that whosoever persist in this condition, they must drinke of the winepresse of the wrath of God.

We pity men if we see thē in any bodily torments: but no bodily torments can equall the wrath of being given up to the strong delusions of Antichrist. And wee must put on bowells of mercy and pity toward our brethren in misery, which if it rise right will begin at their soules, and especially will compassionate p. 713the spirituall miserable. This is to be like God who had pitty on us, when wee were in darknesse, in our blood, our navell not cut, &c. Ezek. 16.

4 Wee learne hereby not to take offence if wee Vse 4.see many turned away to this horrible Apostacy, but take notice of the just judgment of GOD in delivering up men to this great wrath of the Dragon.

For particula… …ersons: what wonder to see carelesse and contemptuous hearers of the Gospell set over to Satan, to execute all his wrath and mischiefe over them? God in justice hath allotted them their wish and choise: The truth woed them, but could not win them, and therefore falsehood and lies have justly seduced them. Christ in the Gospell made love unto them, intreated, promised, allured by all loving meanes, but they slighted him, refused his offers of peace and life, and therefore are justly a spoile and prey of Antichrist. The truth offered to set thē free, & bring them into the liberty & priviledges of the sons of God: but they refused truths freedome, and therfore are justly chained and fettered in the bands of deadly errors and delusions. How justly must he drinke up a full viall of wrath, who will not be perswaded to tast a sweet cup of mercy and salvation? how justly is that felon executed, who scornes the Kings most gracious pardon?

So for people and Kingdomes. What may wee gather from the great and open prevayling of Antichrist in any Kingdome? which will be apparant in the infinite increase and boldnesse of Papists and Recusants in such places, in the swarmes and numbers of the people after a strange boldnesse running and resorting to their Masses, in the open increase of multitudes of locusts and frogs, Jesuites and Priests, croaking in corners and streets, challenging, seducing, and p. 714deceiving, and as diligent as the dragon himselfe, whose tayle they are, to wrap men not loving the truth, in this fearefull wrath and deepe perdition. What may bee hence gathered but the provocations of such a kingdome, kindling so great a wrath of God against them? Did Antichrist ever come into a kingdome, and the sins of that kingdome not let him in? Were men not fierce against the Lord in contemning and despising his truth, in open …rophanation of his Sabbaths, in desperate scoffing at religion, in bringing in their sinnes to their height? Had they not lost their first love, their zeale, their taste of Manna? were not they unthankfull to the Lord for setting them out of this Aegypt? and were they not looking and running back to the Onions and flesh-pots, which made the Lord shake the fiercest Arrow of his Quiver against them? Could any thing but hellish prophanenesse and contempt of so shining grace, have entred such a wrath amongst them, as heaven nor hell in this life cannot inflict a greater? for Turkish tyranny is light in comparison of Antichristian. Oh that our Apostasie to a very formall and powerlesse godlinesse were laid to heart, as the hatcher and breeder of such wrath, which will not bee so easily removed as let in! Did wee still march couragiously as wee began in the beginning the reformation, wee should not then need to feare our former oppression and tyranny. Let us bee wise by the rod shaken over us, lest the stroke and smart fall also on us, and shew us our folly.

5. Labour to preserve one another from this damnable Use 5.way: To which wee have these and sundry motives.

First, wee pull one another out of fire and water, and should much more out of the fire and water of Gods wrath, yea out of hell and damnation.

p. 715Secondly, all our Saviours course was, to winne soules, to seeke and save what was lost.

Thirdly, God hath made every man his brothers keeper; who hath commanded to pull our neighbours, yea enemies Oxe or Asse out of a ditch: And therefore every man must bee servant to every man, (as Paul) to winne some, and not bee carelesse whether hee stand or fall, sinke or swimme, live or die: And wee must by all good meanes preserve and strengthen our brethren; Ministers by discrying the danger (this is our chiefe intent, not wrath and anger to our people) Private men by exhortation, brotherly conference, wise reproofs of the obstinate, &c. All by godly life and holy innocency, which is a meanes both to stop the mouthes of malicious Papists, and winne such as are tractable.

Knowing that he hath but a short time.]

In these words is the reason of the dragons wrathfull disposition; where consider three things:

1. How Satans time is said to bee short.

2. How hee knoweth it is so.

3. What use he makes of this knowledge.

For the first.

Quest. How can that be said a short time, which hath continued now since the writing of this Prophesie sixteene hundreth yeares, or not much lesse?

Ans. A time long in it selfe must bee said to bee short respectively: So this,

1. In respect of God, to whom a thousand yeares (which is a long time in it selfe, and to us) is but as one day; and so even thus long since our Lord said, Rev. 21. 6. Behold, I come shortly.

2. In comparison of former times; so this continuance of Antichrist, which is simply in it selfe, a long p. 716time, is comparatively said to be short, in respect of the time and ages going before it: And so the whole time of the New Testament, which is in it selfe a very long time, is called the ends of the world, 1 Cor. 10. 11. & the last houre, 1 Ioh. 2. 18. for so the manner of Scripture is, which distributeth the world into three ages; the first from Adam to Moses, the second from Moses to Christ, the third from Christ his first comming to his second. This last period was called the last houre, not because presently upon Christs Incarnation or Ascension the world was to end, (for how then could the Church have beene gathered through the Christian world?) but because,

1. This was the last and full time in which all was consummated and ended, which was fore-prophesied in former ages touching mans redemption, even the full and last revelation, which is to bee in earth, and no other change of worship and Ministery is to bee expected as in the former; till the great and last day, in which the great Judge shall put an end to dayes, and time, which shall bee no more, and to the warfare of the whole Church.

2. It shall bee a farre shorter time than that which went before, yea in likelyhood shorter than either of the former periods, or ages; for seeing it shall bee bitter and sharpe by the tyranny of Antichrist, for the Elects sake (Christ saith) these dayes shall be shortened, Mat. 24.

For the second.

Quest.How doth Satan know his time to bee short?

Ans. 1. Because hee knowes his time is determined; for the wicked spirits know perfectly by the accusation of their conscience, and partly by the sentence already passed upon them, that a day of further torment awaites them; whence they say, Mat. 8. 29. p. 717Art thou come to torment us before the time?

2. Hee knowes this time is hastening upon him, sundry wayes.

1. By prediction and observation of Scriptures. He observed the Apostles saying, that on us the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10. 11. joyning himselfe with those Christians that then lived, and all the rest that were to live till the end of the world, being all comprehended in one body, and all subjected to the same last dispensation of grace, which was not to bee ended or changed, but by the returne of Christ to judgement.

2. By daily experience hee seeth the decrepit age of the world, as in the severall parts, so in the whole: If old buildings cracke, it threatneth ruine.

3. Hee knowes and observeth most of the signes of Christs second comming to be past; as,

1. That many false Prophets inspired by himselfe, are risen up and have deceived many, as was foretold Matth. 24. 24. This is an argument of the last houre,

1 Iohn 2. 18. we know it is the last houre, for many Antichrists are come, that is, petty-Antichrists, the prodromi and forerunners of that great one.

2. That the Gospell hath beene preached through the world, predicted, Mat. 24. 14. and accomplished, Rom. 10 18. Their sound is gone through all the world, and their words unto the end of the earth. For,

First, this was Christs commandement, Goe teach all nations, Mat. 28.

Secondly, the Apostles obeyed this commandement, and fulfilled it, Col. 1. 6, 13. The Gospell is come unto you, as it is unto all the world.

Thirdly, the incredible swiftnesse and power of the Gospell shewes the divinity of it, in that before the destruction of Jerusalem, or within thirty yeares, it was spred into all the inhabited world, as p. 718many Fathers hold: And therefore if any barbarous nation or new-found land bewray utter ignorance of Christ, either they were not inhabited, or they have had some sound of the Gospell, but have suffered it quite to die and bee lost.

3. The detection of Antichrist is so plaine and manifest in this fifteenth age past, as children can point at him, 2 Thess. 2. 3.

4. Horrible persecutions, wasting the Church, not onelyonly by heathen Emperours, but ever since by fiercenesse of Antichrist, the Apollyon of Rome, foretold in Mat. 24. 6.

5. Generall defection from the faith, foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 3. through the spreading of the leaven of Popery, which drove the woman into the wildernesse.

6. Universall corruption of manners, and obstinacy against the truth; see Luke 17. 26. and, 2 Tim. 3. 1. By all which signes Satan knowes, that the last day (which is the time of his torment) is not farre off.

For the third.

Quest.What use makes Satan of this knowledge?

Answ. Knowing that hee shall shortly bee cast and confined into hell, hee recompenseth the shortnesse of his time with cruelty of wrath: This knowledge of his damnation doth but whet up his malice against mankinde; and seeing that the sentence passed against him hasteneth upon him, hee is so much the more busie to pull as many as possibly he can into his owne ruine and damnation; a manifest signe of furious and desperate wickednesse.

Certaine things are hence to bee collected and observed.

I. There is a determinate time of Satans rage, and Doct. I.of the Churches conflict against him: The warre lasts not alwayes: And why?

p. 7191. There is an houre for the power of darknesle, Reas. 1.and but an houre; that is, a certaine and determinate time, in which by Gods permission he may put forth his malice in the world, but beyond it hee cannot passe, Luke 22 53.

2. As it was with the Head, so also with the members: 2.There was a time when Christ was assaulted and tempted in the wildernesse, and a time when the Devill left him, not willingly, but because hee could stay no longer, the date of his Commission being expired: So there is a time, when his members and Nunc pluit, & clar… nunc Iupiter aethere fulget.disciples in the ship of the Church shall be tossed and almost covered with waves, and a time when there shall bee a great calme, Mat. 8. 26.

3. The wickeds rod must not alwayes lie in the 3.lot of the righteous, Psal. 125 3. Our mercifull God seeth our weaknesse, and need of breathings, and refreshings, and so mingleth his cup according to our health, and strength, and as wee are able to beare: Whereas, were Satan and his Impes left to themselves, they would never cease smiting and afflicting.

4. Our experience sealeth the truth of the promises, 4.who after a storme meet with a calme, after a weary hill a sweet dale, and after darknesse see light; And it assureth of the maine promise of all, that after a good fight fought there is a crowne of righteousnesse to bee given by the righteous Judge.

Which incourageth us with constancy and patience Vse 1.to stand out a little while in this fight: Re. 3. 10. there is but an houre of temptation, and cannot wee watch one houre? are wee sure of victory if wee stand to it but one houre more, and shall wee faint? Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while, and hee that will come shall come: therefore cast not away your confidence, but care a while, and be ever safe: Behold, the p. 720field is even almost wonne, the battell even at an end, and wee are in the last houre of conflict; a few stragling enemies are to be rooted out; and therefore let us renew our courage and strength, as those that are not at leasure either to feare or feele the blowes, seeing victory is in our hands already.

Also it may comfort us in all the assaults and troubles Vse 2.of this life, in ward and out ward; seeing God hath determined them all, and hee that hath appointed the beginning hath appointed the end also. The try all is but a storme, or cloud, and it will vanish: And if Satans rage bee limited to a time, to a short time, so is the wickednesse of his instruments, and this time they shall not passe: And if now bee the season, in which the Lord useth them justly, as rods, to afflict his children, yet ere long these rods must be cast into the fire,

2. Note here, that the sharper the aslault of the dragon Doct. II.is, so much the shorter it is; the fiercer the wrath, the lesse time it lasteth. For why?

1. The harder a man worketh, the sooner will his Reas. 1.worke be done; the more busie and violent Satan is, the sooner will his measure be full, the sooner shall the Elect bee tryed, and purged, and chased to heaven, and the sooner will hee bring destruction on the wicked, whom he gallops to hel, and hastens to swift damnation.

2. Violent things cannot bee lasting or perpetuall, 2and extremes are nearean end: It is true that wicked spirits and men are in their affection endlesse and perpetuall in their violence against God and all good things and persons; and therefore according to this affection their plagues are endlesse; but actually violent they cannot alwayes be.

First, because themselves cannot long subsist, but must give place to death and hell.

p. 721Secondly, if themselves would never end, yet would God put an end to their violences, as Matth. 24. unlesse God had put an end and measure to those miserable dayes of Jerusalems destruction, no Jew had beene left; but for a few Elect God shortened them.

Which greatly comforteth Gods people in the Vse 1.midst of the great confusions and tumults now stirring in the world.

1. Doe wee see iniquity abound, and sinne more shamelesse than in former times? Is the Sunne in the heavens a witnesse against the earth of such contempt of the Gospell and despight of the grace of GOD, the bringers and messengers of it, and professors of the grace of God, as former times of the Gospell cannot parallel? Doe wee see envy, cove tousnesse, idlenesse, and scorne of godlinesse in Ministers? see we the raigne of drunkennesse, adultery, pride, blasphemy, obstinacy, and desperate impenitency in people, such as is wonder the earth openeth not her mouth, as hell, to swallow up her inhabitants, so highly sinning against such a light? Now hence wee must conclude, that the devill is come downe in this age with more than▪ ordinary wrath, and in more tyrannous manner than in former dayes; And in this outrage of sinne see the outrage of Satans wrath, and that the more furious his wrath is, the shorter it is like to bee. For this is an infallible signe of the last times, and the last houre; when Satans wrath seemes to mingle heaven and earth, let us lift up our heads, the Lord is not farre off to put an end to this confusion.

2. Doe we see Antichrist furious and wrathfull, laying about him with both his swords so busily, as that hee is in hope to gaine the morsell he hath long gaped for? Doe wee see him make havocke and p. 722waste in the florishing Churches of Bohemia, the Palatinate, and other parts of Germany? is he casting downe the worship of God, banishing the Scriptures of God, killing the Ministers and people of God, setting up his Idols and puppets for gods, before those that receive his marke in their hands and foreheads? What may we hence gather but these two things?

First, that we are cast into the last of the last times; for the nearer wee are to the last moment of the last houre, so much the more busie shall wee see Antichrist, and the spirit of error active in putting forth their wrath.

Second, that Antichrist his time is short; the sharper the assault is, the shorter it will bee; and how can hee that reads the Scripture with judgement but know, that as there is an houre of judgment & vengeance to light upon that Antichrist (Rev. 14. 7.) so it is not farre off their neckes?

2. Let all wicked men beware of boldnesse and Vse 2.fiercenesse in sinne, which argues them not only delivered up to the wrath of the devill, but that their time is not long; for their measure fils apace: See it in Iudas how industrious hee is neare his death. A man in the high formes of sinne easily loseth his life in the service of some sinne or other; God usually taking them at their hight and top. How many judgements of God witnesse this truth dayly upon drunkards, swearers, riotous persons, and quarrellers, who come to untimely deaths, and seldome live out halfe their dayes? How suddenly hath the Lord taken downe proud and scorne full persons in the hight of their pride, and pursuit of his children? examples are too many to recite: And how many wicked men are so like the devill, that as he refuseth not to bee thrust into Hell at the judgement-day, on condition he may play Rex against the Church, and vexe and torment p. 723the Saints till then, so these care not for hell and damnation afterwards, so they may a few dayes live as they list, and bring to passe as lawlesse persons, their wicked devises and villanies, in trampling downe the servants of God, and in service to their owne damnable lusts, as drunkards, swearers, revengefull men, and the like.

3 Wee must from the dragons practise picke out Doct. 3.our lesson, and dutie concerning our owne time.

1 As the divell knoweth and observeth his time, so must wee labour to know ours, and the fitnesse of it for dutie. Christ sharply reprooves the Jewes for not knowing their time, Luk. 12. 56. Why discerne ye not this time? Mat. 16. 3. Hypocrites, can yee discerne the face of the sky, and not the face of these times? How few be there, who know the happy times and opportunities they enjoy? Satan knows the time of his mischiefe, and slips it not: men know not the day of their visitation, nor the acceptable time, nor the day of salvation, which God offereth for grace and conversion. The Lord may justly complaine of us as of the Jewes, Ier. 8. 7. The Crane, the Storke, the Swallow, know their times; but my people know not me. How else comes it, that the Lord stretcheth out his hands all day long, and knocketh continually by the hammar of his word at the dore of every mans heart, offering the precious mercies of grace and glory, but who open unto him, or answer his gracious invitation? Why do our youth riot out their time, and cast the care of religion into their last accounts, but because they know not their time? Did they consider, that youth is most fit for impressions of grace, that grace is in that age most gracefull, that now they have fresh wit, quick senses, & all powers, lively instruments for grace, and that now they have strength and vigour called for, 1 Ioh. 2. 14. p. 724to overcome evill; knew they such a seed time of grace, would they sow to the flesh? would they not seeke wisdome early?

Whence els is it, that our elder men, after long teaching and trayning in the profession, are as ignorant as children, spend their time as vainely as the heathen in earthly lusts, but because they never knew their time? Should not they that have had more meanes, have beene more expert in the word? doth not their time, who have beene bred up in the profession, and lived twenty or thirty yeares in it, call for double or treble measure of knowledge and grace, as they have doubled or trebled their yeares beyond others? the divell would be loth to slip any part of his time so foolishly.

Why else do our great and rich men wallow in lusts, feed their senses, pamper their bodies, cast away their soules, eate up their time in eating, gaming, riot and wantonnesse, but because they have not learned, neither from Gods booke nor the divells diligence, to know their time, and the fitnesse of it for their owne good? Have they not many houres free from so necessarie labour, as poore men are bound unto? as many houres free from cares and distractions for necessaries, which lye heavy on poore men? many houres and dayes in a weeke free to hearing, reading, prayer, meditation? want they any thing but grace and will to do themselves good? and doth not their very time tell them (if they knew the voyce of it) that they ought to be as farre above others in grace and piety, as place and opportunities of grace? But why be these so farre below their inferiors, in knowledge, in practise, in use of the meanes? why do they suffer the poore to receive the Gospell and the grace of it from them, but because they know not their time, neither the worth nor use p. 725of it, and therefore they so miserably wast it.

2 As the dragon knows his time is short, and therefore bestirres him, so wee must know our time is short, and yet hath long wings to fly swiftly from us, and therefore not to wast it out idly.

Object. Who knows not that his time is short? experience and sense teacheth it every day: few children but can shew some markes of their parents mortality.

Answ. Sense and observation and experience may teach the dragon, that his time is short: But thou must have a better and higher teacher, or else thou canst not learne this lesson. And therefore Moses, seeing few men wiser by the sense and experience of the shortnesse of their lives, and uncertainty of dayes, and that nature and experience cannot teach this skill to benefit themselves by the frailty of themselves or their predecessors, goeth to God to teach him to number his dayes, Psal. 90. 12. For by nature a man is never the wiser by any chastisement he sees or heares, except God nurture and teach him. It is true, that the dim light of nature could highly prizetime for some outward profit, as the usurer, husbandmen, Merchant, & occupyers, and the heathens: No day without a line, and Titus could say, Heu diem perdidi! Alas, I have lost a day! But it must be the teaching of grace, that makes us to reckon the minutes and moments of our present precious time, so as therein to make our selves gainers of something more precious then it selfe.

And how few are thus taught by grace, appeares, seeing few hold it a seed-time, to go forth to sow in teares; few hold it such a moment, as on which eternity dependeth; few hold it a time of trafficke till the Master come, but as if the Masters absence were for eating, drinking, and smiting the fellowservants; p. 726few know the worth of their time, before the want of it. Many are niggardly of their wealth, but prodigall of their time. Many complaine of the shortnesse of life, but not of lósse of time. Many utterly cast away this short time, by doing nothing or as good as nothing. And as little children who have spent their candle in play, are glad to go to bed by darke, and never till too late see their folly: so these. None of all these ever had their hearts taught by God, of the shortnesse of their dayes.

3 Knowing that our time is short, we must make another use of this knowledge then Satan doth. His knowledge provokes his diligence in all mischiefe: the shortnesse of his time whetteth and sharpneth his wrath. But our knowledge of the shortnesse of our time must make us industrious in grace, that wee may make a quicke and profitable returne thereof to our selves. Thus our Lord commanded, Ioh. 12. 35. worke while the light lasteth; the darknesse hasteth, when none can worke. And thus he practised, Ioh. 9. 4 I must worke the worke of him that sent me, while it is day: the night commeth when no man can worke. The same did his Apostles, 2 Pet. 1. 13. Knowing that shortly I must lay downe this my tabernacle, I think it meet to stirre you up.

Reasons hereof are these.

1 It is a signe of a good man, to be best and busiest at last: Psal. 92. 14. the just are more fruitfull in their age. Revel. 2. 19. The Church of Thyatira her works were more at last then at first. For though no part of the life of a Christian converted be fruitlesse, yet is it the autumne of his life that yeilds most fruit: and as to him that hath, more is still given, so the more he hath given, the more is his employment, and the more receipts, the more returne.

2 Christian wisdome teacheth the Beleever, that p. 727this short time is alotted to worke, not to loytering; and to worke the greatest worke in the world, both in performing acceptable service to God, in doing good unto his brethren according to their needs, spirituall or temporall, and in gathering up his owne comfort, by making his election sure, both by increase of graces, and fruits of faith in abundance of good workes: All which call for a wise husbanding and improoving of his time, and a diligent hand, so much the more, as the time or season hastneth from us, or we from it: as in harvest the fairer the day, and nearer night, the more busie are the carefull workemen; so must it be here.

3 It argueth a heart zealous of Gods glory, to do all the good he can while he may, and is only grieved that he hath done so little good, and can do no more. A good heart still complaines of the unprofitablenesse of it; to will is present with it, it loveth obedience, and purposes of obedience shal not perish when performances often fayle.

4 It bringeth comfort to the heart, when the conscience witnesseth to a man that he hath not slipped his opportunity, but done the businesse he had committed unto him: Our Lord himselfe thus comforted himselfe toward his death, Ioh. 17. 4, While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: and I have done the worke which thou gavest me to do. And the Apostle Paul neare death rejoyced, that he had fought a good fight, and finished his course; and now was layd up for him a crowne of righteousnesse, 2 Tim. 46.

1 This reprooves idlenesse in all men, whose time is so short. Gods word teacheth that he that sleepeth in harvest is the sonne of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. and that the harvest is not to last alwayes, neither will God hold out his grace alwayes when he is held p. 728off with delayes. The unreasonable creatures, who have no reason to perswade them, none to call on them or admonish them, know their times and seasons: the silly Ant knows, and labours in summer; a creature of no account or respect, yet men are sent to her to learne her wayes. Our owne experience Prov. 6. 6.Prov 6:6hath knowne many cry out of themselves in the end of their time, because they knew not their time; and have not received answer or comfort, which they could ever expresse: because God had often cryed and called, and they would not in time answer. Now it were well, if at length such as would never learne this lesson from God and his word, nor from his workes and creatures, nor from their owne experience, would learne it of the divell; to be busie in their proper worke, as he is in his, because his time is short. But of all men, old men especially, who must either now worke or never, & who if they spare not at the bottome of the vessell of their time, are for ever hopelesse and desperate.

2 Let us provoke our selves to diligence in weldoing. Vse 2.The divell knowes, if this short time be shut in, he cannot do any more mischiefe, and therefore, plyes it while it lasteth. So if thy day be shut in, and thy short time expired, thou art taken away and canst returne no more to do any good: and therefore, seeing none of us have any long time, it stands us in hand to supply the shortnesse of our time with diligence in dispatching our principal businesse. Eccl. 9. 10. Whatsoever thou hast to do, do it with all thy power: for there is neither wisdome nor invention in the grave.

And as the dragon, the more mischievous his worke is, the more active he is in it; so the better our worke is, we must be so much the more earnest in it: for, shall the divell be earnest in mischiefe; and wee slacke in good? The worke of the Ministery is an excellent p. 729worke, and therefore the Minister whose time is commonly shorter then other mens, the shorter his time grows, the more earnest must he be in preaching, writing, counselling, comforting the people of God. Many resolve to take their ease, when they grow into yeares: but then is true grace most active: the consideration of the approach of death was a spurre to the Apostle Peter, to double his diligence in the Ministery, 2 Pet. 1. 13. The Magistrate hath a notable worke in hand, in repressing the wrath of the dragon, upholding and encouraging godliness: and annuall Magistrates have but a short time when it is longest, in their office: Have you but a short time? be the more stirring, and carefull to do good that little time. Wee have seene some in that short time have done a great deale of ill businesse; therefore imitating the dragon, because they would not heare the voice of God. But a good man in office will do a great deale of good in a short time. Wee heare sometimes some Magistrates reckon what a short time they have to weare out: I would wee could heare what good they are resolved to do in that short time, which will away apace: for it is onelyonly the good they do in it, which will abide for their comfort. Finally, the private Christian hath an excellent worke in hand, namely, to worke out his owne salvation, and to further others, both in workes of piety, and by workes of mercy, spirituall and temporall, to helpe them unto heaven, and in earth: Hast thou but a short time for so great a worke? be so much the more diligent. Seest thou the dragon, because his time is short, so industrious in heaping up his owne damnation, and wrapping as many others as he can into his judgment, and wilt or canst thou slack thy pace and diligence in promoting thine own and other mens salvation?

p. 7303 As the divell and his instruments shew and declare the shortnesse of their time by extreme wickednesse, Vse 3.because Satan powres forth his spirit upon the world, to poyson it with outragious sinnes: so let us manifest, that wee keepe in mind the shortnesse of our times, and that we are cast into the last ages, by our readinesse and cheerefulnesse in good duties, and in abundant fruits of the spirit, which in the last dayes was to be powred out, Act. 2. 17. Wee must expresse the powring out of this spirit, by our increase in knowledge, faith, obedience, and be more fruitfull in our age. Thus wee shall aright testifie our right judgement of our owne time, and of the last age of the world.

And as the wicked of the world shew apparātly the last time, and Christ neare at hand, by abundance of iniquity, by worldlinesse, atheisme, & excesses of carnall delight (for is it not as in the dayes of Noah, wherein men eate and drinke, and marry, and give in marriage, and cast off all care of judgment?) so let us shew it the last age, and that a short time remaines, by using the world as not using it, by marrying as not marrying, and by heavenly conversation: and all this, because the time is short, as the Apostle adviseth, 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. because there is no constancy or durance of any of these earthly contentments, no more then of the world it selfe; let us use these moderatly, and gaine those which are lasting, unwithering, and unperishing.

Vers. 13. But when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child.

SAtan being cast out of heaven (I meane that heaven upon earth, which is distant from the earth not in distance of place, but in sanctity of faith and manners) so as he cannot prevayle to prejudice the p. 731same as hee would: (for neither can hee hinder the sound of the Gospell, but it prevaleth in the world, neither can hee seduce the Elect, nor prevent the Saints of their salvation:) Now seeing himselfe cast vntounto the earth, he rageth among earthly-mindedmen, and stirreth up his agents and vassals to raise up horrible persecutions, and new tyrānies, to root out (if it were possible) the name and mention both of Christ and the woman his Spouse; but all in vaine, as the former assault was, as appeares in the sequell of the Chapter.

In this and the fourteenth Verse are two things:

1. A new onset of the dragon upon the woman, with the reason in this Verse.

2. The evasion or escape of the woman, with the meanes in the next Verse.

In the Onset consider,

First, the person persecuting, The dragon.

Secondly, the person persecuted, The woman.

Thirdly, the time and manner, When shee had brought forth the man childe.

I. The persecutor is the dragon; that is, both the devill, the head of that fierce kingdome, and all such instruments as he raised and used against the Church in this new assault and persecution: for there is but Observ.one persecutor of the woman in all ages, even Satan, The dragon is one and the same persecusor in all ages.who is the same; but hee hath many members and Ministers, even a continuall spawne and succession, who as they carry his nature, so here also his owne name, and are one and the same dragon in minde, in will, in malice, in act: Hence it is, that in Scripture whatsoever the one doth, the same the other is said to doe: Revel, 2. 10. The devill shall cast some of you into prison: What Commodus, Decius, or the other Tyrants did, the devill is said to doe; and the workes of the Jewes in persecuting Jesus Christ, is called the p. 732devils worke, Iohn. 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devill, his workes yee doe.

1. Because the dragon, being the god of the world, Reas. 1.ruleth the hearts of wicked men, who inclines their wils to hate the Church, and stirres them up to persecute, and leades them at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. and a slave cannot doe but what his Lord commands him; onelyonly he inspireth and acteth voluntaries.

2. The same causes which stirre up the one, stirre 2up the other to this fury:

First, as there is an old enmity betweene the woman There are the same causes of persecution in all ages, and they are foureand the serpent, so is there betweene the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent: If there be hostility betweene two Princes, it is maintained among all their subjects.

Secondly, as the dragon being a deadly enemy to Gods glory, incessantly seeketh to hinder and abolish pure religion, holy worship and worshippers, because it is contrary to his designes, and stoppeth his power, which prevaileth in Idolatry, superstitiō, and Atheisticall liberty; so doe wicked enemies, his issue and off-spring, in all ages fight against the true worship of God, holy religion and pure worshippers, as against their contraries, because they despise their false gods, detest their idolatry, resist false religion, contest against their superstition, and actually reprove their Atheisticall liberty, and all their proceedings contrary to the light of grace, and the word of grace.

Thirdly, as the dragon feares that Christ and his Kingdome will weaken his kingdome, so the spawne of the dragon feare the same. Herod and Domitian feare the comming of Christ, and therefore command them of the stock of David in Jewry to be slaine: If we let this man alone (say the Pharises) all men will beleeve him, and down goes our credit: Yea, say the p. 733Rulers, and the Romanes will come and take our Nation.

Fourthly, the dragon is false and unjust in usurping that which is not his; and so are his issue; for tyrants and persecutors (as appeares in the story of the Primitive Church) promoted and accused the Christians for lucres sake, that they might have the spoyle of their goods; as Promoters sometimes use not for justice sake, or for love of the lawes, to accuse men, but to get money to themselves; so here these two commonly goe together, cruelty and injustice.

Which serves to satisfie some places of Scripture Use 1.that seeme contrary to this doctrine: for it seemeth 3. Differences betweene the worke of God, and of the dragon, in the same action.that God stirreth up persecutors; hee bids Shimei rayle; and Ashur is the rod in his hand, and therefore the dragon is not the only persecutor.

Answ. There is great difference in the worke of God, and of the dragon in the same action; for,

1. God worketh by wicked men in afflicting his Church, but the devill worketh effectually in them.

2. In the manner; God by permitting and ordering their malice, the dragon by immitting and inspiring them with malice and mischiefe.

3. In the end; God for the good and salvation of his Church, the devill for their destruction and damnation if it were possible. The fire of Gods furnace, who ever be the blowers, is to try and purge as gold; the fire of hell is to burne up and consume, if it might bee.

Againe, whence are the persecutors of godly men Use 2.and godlinesse? they are of the dragon, and of their father the devill, whose workes they doe: Whence is Popish religion, of all other the most fierce and cruell, but from the dragon, who inspireth and acteth them with his owne spirit of enmity and murther, who was a murtherer from the beginning? for as p. 734these Antichristian dragons were next in time to the Imperiall, so also the next in condition; for as among them, so among these none must goe backe from the judgement seat, non mutata sententia, which was an Euse. Hist. Eccl. lib. 5. c. 21.old law against Christians. That religion must needs be Antichristian which is most contrary to Christs; his doctrine and person was lowly and meeke, hee never kindled furious or sulphurious fires against the persons and bodies of his enemies, but used other arguments of love and lenity, to winne and perswade them

So, whence are they who picke quarrels against godly men, as Nero did to discharge his owne guilt upon their backes, desirous to finde and father occasions and suggestions against them? Are they not inspired and acted by the devill, and wholy guided by the dragon in minde, will, and affection? Wouldest thou shew thy selfe an absolute slave to the devill? goe on in the way thou art in, to persecute, revile and wrong the servants of God. When wee see a man fierce and furious, that no perswasion, no reason, no bands or strength of men can rule him, wee will say surely hee is possessed of the devill; as truely may wee say here, This furious enemy is possessed by the dragon, whom no reason or perswasion of GODS Word, no bands or ties of religion or grace can conquer, but hee goes on in rage and fury against godly men, and, as farre as hee can, contrives▪ mischiefe against them. Here is one possest with an uncleane spirit; the devill acteth and moveth him; what hee doth the devill doth: Let persecutors set what face and countenance they can, they bee persons in whom the devill raigneth; Rev. 2. 13. Antipas was slaine where the devill dwelt; that is, by men in whom the devill held his throne and hold.

3. From the former reasons wee may discerne, p. 735Vse 3.who they bee from whom wee may looke for persesecution Three sorts of men from whom we may expect persecution.if occasion and time serve.

1. If men expresse any fierce enmity andgreat difference in matter of religion, whether in judgement or practice, here will arise easily as great an estrangement as was betweene Jewes and Samaritans, who meddle not one with another; and it will easily goe farther, from affection into action, if occasion serve: If Cain cast downe his countenance upon his brother, for the sacrifice sake, and if Abels finde better acceptance, no band of nature can make up the quarrell; if Cain finde opportunity, hee will lift up his hand in the murderous act, as well as cast downe his eyes upon him. If thou hearest men persecute by their tongues, the way of God, (as persecutors spare no speech against that way, supposing it a justification of themselves) conclude of them, their hands will be ready enough upon occasion, to act the persecution of their tongues: The dragon can put him into one part as well as another.

2. When men regard not in conscience and sincerity, Gods holy Ordinances, nor love the meanes of grace and salvation, they will easily bee brought to persecute and throw downe the same: Gods justice strikes the want of love to the meanes of grace, with a stronger delusion; and hee that in the shine of the Gospell shewes not love, this man in the storme will shew hatred: And whosoever stands out against the light of grace, and word of grace, there is the same reason with that in the dragon, because there is an hidden darknesse in himselfe contrary to it.

3. When a man is set to make good his own estate, credit, & profit with the love of the Church and Gospel; if he fear Christs cōming near him, wil not stand with his projects and profits, this man is in the high way to this mischiefe, Gods glory shall give way to p. 736his owne, and rather then Gadarens will lose Piggs and Swine, all the City will rise and pray him to bee gone, and if he will not by intreaty, they will goe further; as the Jewes fearing losse by Christ, persecute him to the death. And to this add covetousnesse and injustice, noted in the causes; when men for lucres sake, and for no just cause else, & for a little mony, or expectation of reward, shew themselves enemies to godly men, they are not to be trusted: If Iudas will fill his bagg, let Christ looke to himselfe. The dragon in these lusts rules them, and moves them, and carries them from evill to worse, and on occasion will shew it.

4. If the dragon be the persecutor of the Church, Vse 4.then the way to overcome all persecutors, is to overcome the dragō, and to prevaile against the devill. Enemies of the Church and people of God are as fierce and inexorable as the dragon; they must goe on as 4. Meanes to conquer the dragon.farre as the dragon is permitted to move them, and therefore to conquer them we must prevaile against the dragon; not by force, furie, impatience, reviling, or the like, but,

First, by the Word, as Christ in his temptations.

Secondly, by prayer, that Christ would rebuke him; and add fasting, because this devill goeth not out but by fasting and prayer.

Thirdly, by innocency, holinesse, and the practice of godlinesse; this indeed makes him more raging, but farre weaker, and hath GODS promise of defence.

Fourthly, by the contrite spirit of patience, meeknesse, forgivenesse, love and peace: Thus wee overcome evill with goodnesse.Observ.

II. The person persecuted is the woman. The proper Persecution inevitable to the true Church.object of the devils malice, next unto Christ himselfe, is the Church of Christ, and so inevitable p. 737a condition is persecution, as nothing in the world can keepe it long off: For,

1. Here is a woman weake in her selfe, and impotent, Reas. 1.whom none but a coward would contend withall; but the dragon is inured since the first skirmish in Paradise, to offer violence and wrong to such as can least repell it; frō whom the Priests and Jesuites have learned the principles of their trade in seducing seely women, and ignorant sots, who have no strength nor weapons.

2. This woman hath Michael standing with her, 2and hath brought forth a potent man-childe to helpe her; yet hee weigheth not all the strength and power gathered for her: Hee that dare assault Michael himselfe in person, will for all him fiercely and fuririously assault the woman.

3. Here is a woman cloathed with the Sunne, 3having the Moone under her feet, crowned with a crowne of twelve Starres, arrayed with righteousnesse and holinesse, as the Spouse of Christ, the groūd and pillar of truth. But this abates not the dragons wrath, but kindles it, that shee is the justified and innocent Spouse of Christ: Besides, here are many things worth winning from her.

4. This is the same woman that hee had immediately 4before persecuted, and now againe renewes his persecution; for loath hee is to afford this Dove of Christ any rest for the soale of her foote.

The Church then cannot bee discerned by that Vse 1.durable and lasting peace and glory, which Papists The true Church not discernable by durable peacemake a mark of their Church; but rather by durable and lasting conflicts, and obscurity: For trouble is the best tryall of religion, and Christ was best knowne by his Crosse, and so also is his Spouse.

Object.The dominion of Christ shall be everlasting in glory, and Jerusalem is a vision of peace.

p. 738Answ. True: but his kingdome not being of this world, it is in respect of the spirituall and invisible Kingdome of Christ, the glory of which the world cannot see: and of that sweet and inward peace of conscience, and joy of sanctified soules, which the stranger enters not into.

Object. But what hath the poore Woman done?

Answ. The dragon persecutes not for evill, but for good: here the better worke, the worse wages: and no other reward can godly men expect at the hands of wicked ones: to whom they have beene instrumēts of greatest good. David mitigateth Sauls vexation by his harpe: but how vexeth he David for recompense?

Let us therefore make no account of rest and peace Vse 2.here, which is not the Churches resting place. Our Lord taught us to make other accounts, Ioh. 16. 33. In the world yee shall have affliction. Wee would have Canaan, before the Canaanites be subdued. But wisdome will expect freedome when the combate is ended, not before. It is enough we have our earnest in hand to begin withall: wee must looke for our wages in the end of our worke, and the crowne after the victory.

111. The time of this persecution seemes very expresse in the text: namely when the dragon had beene cast unto the earth, and after the woman had brought forth her man-child.

The dejection we have shewed to be the suppressing of the power of the heathenish tyrants and Emperours, who upheld pagan idolatry, oppressed the Christian Church, and withstood the power and passage of the Gospell.

The bringing forth of the man-child wee have shewed to be the raysing up of Christian Princes and p. 739Emperors, the protectors and maintainers of Christian faith, who succeeded after the heathen Emperours.

Wee must therefore secke out this fierce persecution in the times of Emperors by profession Christian; even in those times when the woman might have expected rest and peace by this manchild, who now had the rod of iron in his hand.

And by looking into the story, and event of those times (which is doubtlesse the most true and proper interpretation of prophecies) wee finde among the Emperours Christian, after Constantine, a twofold persecution of the dragon: one civill, the other ecclesiasticall and more pernicious.

The former was by the cruelty of divers Christian Emperours after Constantine, as Constantius, Iulian Apostata, Valence, and others who had nothing but the pretext and name of Christian, but indeed differed nothing from most fierce and savage tyrants, wasting the Church, and the Orthodoxe pastors and professors.

The latter, namely ecclesiasticall, much more pernicious then the former was, when the dragon poysoned the Church, partly with damnable heresies, of Arius, Eunomius, &c. for the maintenance whereof the Emperors most violently persecuted the sound Stayres by which Antichrist rose to his height.Bishops, Pastors, and Professors: (the dragon that could not now prevayle by slaughters and Butcheries as before, doth now by poysonfull lies:) partly with pride, pompe, ambition, and fierce contention of Orthodoxe Bishops for primacy and superiority over other Churches and Pastors. For now the manchild having furnisht the Church with peace, ease, wealth, lands, patrimony, large revenues and immunities, the maine studie is for the increasing and maintaining of their pompe: And as ease, wealth, and p. 740security increaseth, so the care of soundnesse of faith and sincerity decaieth. Presently from pride grows hot contention among themselves: Councell is called against Councell, Synod against Synod: the greatest strife is for Patriarchicall seats, and quarrels for primacy, precedency, Churches immunities, Clergy-priviledges, Peters patrimony, and revenues of holy Church.

To these ends the principall employment of those Bishops was for setting up altars, images, crosses, unctions, orders of Monkes and Nunnes, consecrated garments, habits, shavings, and an hundreth toyes which tooke up their thoughts, time, and lives: while the primitive simplicity of Christ and his truth, with Christian faith and religion, slipped from betweene their fingers.

Thus Antichrist came to his hight and turret, and thrust in on the blind world as an armed man. Now was the woman disrobed, the Church spoiled of her chiefe ornaments and graces wherein she shined, and was indeed crowned in her low and afflicted estate. Now were the Ministers who made way unto Antichrist, lifted up, and intended every thing but conscionable Ministery. Now Ierome justly complaines that after the Christian Church found Christian Princes, Opibus et potentia, maior, virtutibus vero ac pietate minor. in vita Mal…bi.she became in wealth and power greater, but lesse in vertue and piety.

And this I take to be the most violent assault, by most virulent poison cast out of the mouth of the dragon, especially aymed at in this text: yea the most bloody and fierce persecution, which then began to assault the woman, who had brought out the manchild, Doct.from under which she is not yet recovered, as Peace hath more baned the Church then persecution.we shall see if God permit.

The point is this.

Prosperity and peace much more baneth and p. 741woundeth the Church, then tyranny and persecution. Deut. 32. 15. Israel when he should have bene upright, waxed fat and spurned with his heele, for sooke the God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation. The whole booke of Judges sheweth, that when Israel was at rest and had the world at will, they forgot the Lord and turned to idols: but when they were under oppression of enemies, into whose hands the Lord delivered them for their sinnes, then they returned and sought after God diligently. Hos. 13. 6. as in their pastures, so were they filled, and their heart was exalted, therefore they have forgotten me: whereas the same Church, having her way stopped with briars, and hedged in with thornie afflictions, resolves to returne to her first husband, for it was then better with her then now, chap. 2. 7.

From the testimonies come to the induction of most famous Churches, overthrowne by prosperity. The first Churches of the old Testament did thrive better in Aegypt, under that tyranny, then in the milke and hony of Canaan; which by pride, wantonnesse, and fulnesse of bread brought her into Babylons captivity. The primitive Churches of the new Testament, our text shews how they were blacked & tanned with the sunshine of peace, plenty, ease, wealth, and temporall prosperity: that, as the Moone never suffers ecclipse but in the full, because in the full she is farthest distant from the Sunne, from whom she receives her brightnesse; so the Church in her fulnesse is farthest from her Sunne, of whom she receives her light, and then suffereth most ecclipse.

What need wee goe farre for this proofe? The Church of England comming out of the fire and hot furnace of 2. Maries dayes, at the restoring of the Gospell, in the beginning of 2. Elizabeth of happy p. 742memory, by whom the booke of the Law was restored, and true worship established, oh how precious and sweet was that Manna! how zealous, how forward, how painefull were godly men to gather it, and get knowledge! with what joy of heart, courage, and encouragement did the Saints receive the truth! how resolute and vehement were they against Popery! what a number of miles did they measure to a Sermon! how tooke they the kingdome of heaven with violence!

But now in the continuance of our peace, plenty, and prosperity, how do men loath this Manna, onelyonly cloyed with preaching of Gods word! The former age that prized it, is gone, and carried their affections with them. Our peace hath bred up a surfetted and gracelesse generation, that hate the directions of truth, and scorne the profession of holinesse as an hatefull heresie. Instead of frequenting Sermons, and godly exercises of praying, reading, conference, and holy communion: now the tavernes, tobacco-shops, ale-houses, play-houses, whore-houses are stuffed. Knots of drunkards, gamesters, swearers, and vile persons haunt together, and feare no lawes of God nor man. For bibles and godly bookes wee have the divells: yea cards and dice, store of pipes and smoake. In stead of holy exercises and conferences wee have blasphemous swearing, and scorning of goodnesse, riot and ribaldry, surfetting and drunkennesse, chambering and wantonnesse, audacious boldnesse in evill, and shaming at nothing but the very show of goodnesse. Thus as plenty begets surfet, so our peace hath made the land heart-sicke, and the disease is not more generall then desperate, likely to shame all the Physitians, all the Ministers of the land, who know not how to turne their hands to recover and helpe her.

p. 7431 Worldly prosperity is a good mother, but Reas. 1.through our folly brings many bad daughters: so A good mother bringeth bad daughters.ease slayes the foole, Prov, 1. 32. That Gods blessing should be our bane, is in us, not in it. For our naturall folly is, that having found hony wee eate too much. even to hurt our selves: and this folly raigneth in wicked men, and too much of it is bound up even in the hearts of Gods children, by which they are prone enough to pervert Gods good gifts. God feeds men to the full, and the wicked run to commit adultery, and assemble themselves by companies into harlots houses, Ier. 5. 7. Thus do wicked men abuse these sweet refreshings, as the drunkard doth drinke to wash away his sense and reason, or as a mad man a sword, which might serve for his safety. Yea even Gods children are too like our children, who having got fruit hardly give it over without a surfet.