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

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

p. 800For the third. The end of the dragon in sending out this water, was, to drowne and carry away the woman.

First, The end of all the dragons furie is the destruction of the Church: nothing will serve him but drowning: his malice stints not it selfe in any mischiefe or hurt he can bring upon her.

Secondly, His wrath once caryed her out of Paradice: now he would carry her out of the way to heaven also: he envyes not onelyonly her safety and quiet in earth, but her salvation in heaven.

Thirdly, It notes a difference betweene the waters sent out by God, upon the Church, and these of the dragon. The floods of God do but water, or if any more, do but wash the City of God. The floods out of the dragons mouth are to wast and destroy the woman, and to cary her away from the earth.

The dragon had made sundry assaults upon the woman before, and still Michael had crossed him, and against this last hid the woman safe: yet so great is his furie and rage, and so blind his malice, that not observing Gods providence towards his Church, he bolts on forward to new enterprises against her. Whence learne, that

Satan and his instruments will never give over their malice against the godly, though they have never Doct.so ill successe in the same. Psal. 1…. 4. Do not workers No ill successe can make the dragon cease assaulting.of iniquity know, that they eat up my people as bread. q. d. though they do know them Gods people, and see by many arguments that God is their God, yet they oppresse them with desire, and delight, even as desirously and greedily as they eate bread when they are hungry. Did not Phar … see, that none of his devises succeeded against …srael, and that he could not worke wisely enough to destroy them? did he not see, that the more violent he was, the p. 801more God tooke their part, and followed him with most mighty and dreadfull plagues? and did not himselfe confesse those plagues from God, and most just on his owne particular sinne? did not his servants aske him, if he would see all Aegypt destroyed before he would let them go? Exod. 10. 7. Yet would he not desist, but runne on in mischiefe against them, till irrecoverable mischiefe overtooke himselfe.

The malice of the Jews against Christ was such, as nothing could satisfie them but his blood: no meanes nor che…kes could hinder them: his innocency did shine before them as the sunne: never man spake so; by the confession of his enemies: his miracles were divine and undeniable: Yet they consent to compasse his death; they send mē to apprehend him; when they come, he strikes them all to the ground with one word; yet they go on. When he came before the Judge, the Judge cleares him, and washeth his hands from innocent blood: yet they goe on, and the more sparkes and flames of innocency and grace shine in him, the more violent they grew, and call his blood on themselves and their children for ever.

1 The devill and all wicked men make up but Reas. 1.one dragon, and are all of the same disposition. No In all evill a man is a similitude with Satan.child is so like the father, as a wicked man is like his father the devill. Both have this one property, that no ill successe can make them give over their ill courses. When the dragon set upon Christ himselfe, and was foyled in one temptation, he left him not: when he was confounded in a second, he left him not, but renewed a third: when he was unprosperous in all three, he left him not but for a season. Such also is the malice of his members against the members of Christ. If they faile in one course of mischiefe, they hope to prevaile in another, and no stone will they leave unturned to worke out their mischiefe against the godly.

p. 8022 There is in both a restlesnesse in evill, to which both of them are carryed with full sayle: Pro. …. their 2. And a restlesnesse in sin.feet run to evill, and they make hast to mischiefe, they cannot sleepe till they have done it; See this restlesse disposition of wicked men in the Sodomites against Lot: they cannot sleepe till they have done their villany; they are all night about it: When Lot perswades them to desist, they are farther off, and more violent, now must Lot looke to himselfe. When the Lord from heavē smites them with blindnesse, both great & small, a man would have thought they should have thought it high time to sit downe: Yet they resist God resisting them, and will not give over, but still seeke the doore.

3. In both head and members is such a fulnesse of 3.poison, that they have an affection and endeavour And a fulnesse of poyson.to do mischiefe above their strength; their wills being infinitely evil, and though their power be restrained, and their armes shortned, yet their wills are not changed or abated: And therefore, whatsoever mischiefe they fall short of, by want of power, they still supply by readinesse and forwardnesse of will to attempt the same or some other project as mischievous.

4 It is by the just judgment of God that such 4.creatures are left to themselves, and ruled by the And a resistance of meanes of their owne good.will of the devill: whereby it comes to passe, that no meanes of counsell, perswasion…, or restraint, never so powerfull in themselves, shall any whit prevayle with them, vnlesse to stirre up their corruption the more. Consider it in Iudas, a secret enemie of Christ: what gracious meanes had he in Christs presence and family? he shaw Christs innocency, heard his powerfull doctrine, was an eye witnesse of his miracles, was advanced into Apostleship, made a Preacher of the Gospell, by Christ betrusted as the steward of his p. 803house, are bread at his table, dipped in the same dish, was admonished of his fact by Christs owne predictiō; yet how unfruitful were all these unhappy meanes? how weake to restraine him, till he had betrayed his Lord, and dearely earned the price of blood, both his Lords and his owne?

See hence the pedigree and progenie of many men Vse 1.discovered, who shew themselves the naturall issue of the dragon.

1 Such as are authors of lyes and flaunders. These streames of lyes and slaunderous reproaches flow forth of the mouth of the dragon. As when men turne themselves out of their callings, and have little else to do, and know little other discourse but to reproach and slaunder men, till they have filled the towne and country with lyes and slaunders: incited thereto either by envy at the prosperity of others, or from secret grudge, or for some fraudulent purposes, or from wilfulnesse and set purpose: if they cannot prevaile with true things, they will with false if they may. All such raisers and devisers of scandalls and false surmises, are the very mouth of the dragon, and of their father the devill.

2 Others that revile the innocent, and speake evill of just and godly men, whom they ought to praise and honour: accounting it their honour to contend, and to overcome in contention; and glory to sweel as a fierce streame, to carry them quite away if they might.

3 Others who reproach and scoffe at goodnesse it selfe, and at the way of God: desirous to drowne the truth under termes of heresie, singularity and folly. All these cast out their foame, scum, and froth of a naughty and dragon-like disposition.

Againe, men unappeasable and restlesse in their malice; as the waves of a violent sea or flood: the p. 804breaking of one wave is but the matter of another, & one deepe here cals another. Papists see their treasons and wicked enterprises miraculously crossed, and themselves confounded by God, as the dragon here, but yet never give over devising the overthrow of true religion. Others carry their malice many yeares against innocent and just men: All men but themselves see them crossed and shamed in their attempts; yet not considering the Lords cover and protectiō over his servants, go on as if they had but new begun. Others guided by the same spirit wish they could raise a flood to drowne all good men at once: they cannot abide one good man neare them but hate all the generation of the just: Were they once rid of them, & had none neare them but such as themselves, they were at ease. Here is the dragon ready to carry away the woman.

Members of Christ, sonnes of this woman, must Vse 2.looke for floods of tribulation, and trialls as dangerous, Sonnes of the woman must expect these floods.as deepe, as plentifull, as incessant and fierce as a mighty flood, or full sea, threatning to carry all away before it. For

1 So long as wicked men are restlesse in their wrongs, wee may not thinke this our resting place. But so restlesse are they, that they cannot but go on to extremity of mischiefe. Nothing serves the dragon, but drowning. Hence is it, that the law endictes every wicked man hating the godly, of murder, 1 Ioh. 3. 15. not only because hatred is a degree of it, but because his will and desire carries him to the highest degree and execution of it.

2 Members must be conformed to the head in obedience both active and passive. What floods the dragon raised, and cast out of his mouth, to carry Christ away is manifest in the story: imputing to him sorcery, blasphemy, sedition, treason, and all that p. 805was hainous and poysonfull: If they called the Master of the house Belzeb…b, what will they not call his servants?

3. The more innocent thou art, looke thy suffering to bee the more; for malice is most against grace and innocency: When good men are generally maligned, and floods of water cast after them, the generall conceit and speech of other is, some fault there is, were there not some fire there could not bee so much smoake, some indiscretion, some oversight, some fault: No, no, there is shining grace, wisdome, holinesse, watchfulnesse; the dragon will revile good men, be they never so discreet and innocent, yea for innocency, as Christ himselfe.

Againe, seeing it is inevitable that the godly should Vse 3.bee molested with these floods, and rising of waters, let them for their comfort and direction thinke of these Rules.

1. Against the multitude of Antichristian enemies 1. Directions against the flood of violēt enemies.who increase and combine as a flood to overflow all bankes, oppose the promise of God, Esa. 17. 12, 1…. They shall make a noise as the noise of many waters, but God shall rebuke them: hee hath passed sentence against them, which is not farre from execution; and Chap 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood, but the Spirit of the Lord will chase him away; and daily shall they be blasted by the breath of his mouth; all his forces cannot prosper, being gathered against the Lord, Deut. 33. 27.

2 Against the floods of Antichristian heresies and 2. Against the floods of Antichristian heresies.false doctrines wee must stablish ourselves,

First, with true humility; to containe our selves within bounds of truth: Pride and conceit makes heretikes.

Secondly, with sound love to the truth; this onelyonly will make us hate all false inventions, Psal. 119. 113.

Thirdly, with true obedience to the truth revealed; Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will do my will, he shall know the doctrine whether it bee of God: By these meanes wee shall sticke fast to the Rocke, and hold fast by truth, and not be carryed away with this flood.

Fourthly, when they trouble our waters with traditiōs & fables (for they are called troubled waters) Jer. 2.Jer 2oppose the sweet and cleare crystall fountaines of the Scriptures; the waters out of the Rocke; and out of the fountaines of Iacob, Deut. 33. 28. this shall bee sufficient against the full sea of Antichristian, brinish, salt and damnable doctrines.

3. Against the drowning waters of scandals, reproaches, 2. Against the floods of virulent reproaches.threatnings, wicked Edicts, false accusations, or violent executions, oppose those sweet refreshing waters of comfort, Esa. 55. 1. These promise,

First, Christs presence, who rebukes winde and sea, and makes a calme.

Secondly, strength and patience, because they are the rebukes of Christ.

Thirdly, a clearing of thine owne innocency, as the light.

Againe, oppose thine innocency, purity, sound conscience, honest conversation; and then assure thy selfe no reproach can take away thine innocency, no more than thy head.

Lastly, waite on God, as David in Shimeis rayling; hee may doe thee good for their evill; hee may blesse thee for their cursing, and honor thee the more for their dishonour, as Mordecai; And many of his servants have experience, that the more evill men seek to cast them downe, and carry them away with floods of injuries, the more God doth establish and uphold them, and carry them up above the waves and billowes which threaten to drowne them.

p. 807Vers. 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the stood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

AGainst new dangers the woman hath still new remedies; for unwonted dangers, unwonted helpes. Against the former dangers shee had wings to flie from them; here the earth sets in for her helpe; the dragon casts the flood out of his mouth, and the earth takes it into her mouth.

By the earth is not meant the earthly globe, which Mathematicians call the center of the world, in which wee walke; neither may wee understand it properly of this vast Element, but improperly and metaphorically, as wee did the flood in the former words, drunke up by it. By earth therefore is meant;

1. In generall, all the meanes by which the former The earth is taken not properly, no more than the former floods.flood was drunke up; and the phrase is an allusion to an ancient story, in Numb. 16. where the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and all his company, who had cast floods of reproachfull waters against Moses & Aaron; even so here, before the Lord will suffer his Church to be drowned and overwhelmed, he will command the earth to open it selfe, and swallow up all such as enterprise against it, as formerly he had, to swallow alive Corah, Dathan, Abiram, and all their complices.

2. More specially by the earth wee meane those speciall providences, by which the former floods were dryed up; as,

1. The floods of herefies; spewed out of the dragons Floods of he resies drunke up by the earth. Two wayes.mouth, were swallowed up of the earth; for,

First, it was the earthly and wicked Synagogue that embraced all the dragōs plausible heresies, such as whose names are writen in earth, but not any whose p. 808names were written in the Booke of life: the true Church drunke not a drop of that poyson spewed out of the dragons mouth.

Secondly, because that the Synods and Councils, gathered out of all the earth resolved and swallowed up those pernicious heresies against the grounds of Christian religion: For as of old the Councell of Nice swallowed up the poysoned flood of Arrius, the Constantinopolitan supped up the hereticall flood of Macedonius and Eunomius, the Ephesine of Nestorius, and the Chalcedon of Eutiches; so we might name a number of Canons out of Councels gathered under Antichrist, resisting many main Romish errors, and hereticall doctrines; as the sixt generall Councell about the yeare 700. decreed against the Church of Rome the marriage of Ministers, and forbad to make the Holy Ghost in likenesse of a Dove. The Councell of Portugall at Bracca appointed the Cup in the Communion: Sundry other Councels, as of Constantinople under Leo Isauricus, and after, under Constantius Copronimus, and of Frankeford under Charles the Great, all against Images; and many of their owne contradicting their fellowes in matters of greatest difference, as might be cleared at large, but is done already by Doctor Hall in his booke intituled, The peace of Rome.

2. The floods of slaunders and false suggestions have beene dryed up even by the earth, earthly men Floods of slanders dried by the earth, how.and enemies of the Church, who have acquitted and discharged the Christians of those horrible scandalls which were out of the dragons mouth, sent after them to drowne them; as in the ancient Story the Christians of the Primitive Church under persecution, were by Plinius Secundus (an heathen Philosopher) justified, and discharged of all the foule things devised against them, even to Trajan that p. 809persecuting Emperor; as in these words of his letter: The whole summe of that sect consists in this, that they use at certaine times to convent before day, and sing hymnes to Christ their God, and confederate among themselves to absteine from all theft, murder, and adultery, to keepe their faith, and defraud no man; which done, then to depart for that time, and after that to resort againe, to take meat in companies both men and women, and yet without any act of evill: about the yeare of Christ, 100.

So did Aristides a Philosopher in Athens justifie the same poore Christians from those horrible slaunders, in an oration before the Emperor Hadrian in the yeare 120. And many such examples the story affordeth.

But our text speaking of after times, in the tyranny of Antichrist, wee want not a number of instances amongst themselves, falsifying their owne wicked slaunders against the Professors of true Religion. We have heard Reynerius a great Inquisitor justifying the Waldenses, that they lived justly before men, and beleeved all well concerning God, and all the articles which are conteined in the Creed. To the same effect answered the Visitors of K. Lewis 12. of France, and of Francis 1. which made one of them sweare, that they were a better people then he or his people.

See many instances of many adversaries of the woman, giving honourable reports of her, enforced thereto by force of truth it selfe, in hist. Waldens. lib. 1. cap. 5.

3 The floods of cruell edicts and decrees, cast Floods of cruell edicts drunke by the earth, how.out of the mouth of the dragon, were often swallowed and hindred by earthly occasions, and incumbrances which rise among the wicked, and inhabitants of the earth themselves: and the Lord ordinarily p. 810ordereth the counsells and quarrells of his enemies among themselves, every one having his owne speciall ayme, so as shalbe good for the Churches escape: As Paul got free by casting a bone betweene Act. 23. 6, 7.Acts 23:6Acts 23:7the Pharises and Sadduces: So the Church escapeth often, while bones of quarrells and contention are cast betweene wicked Princes. In the yeare 1526. Charles 5 Emperour, and Francis 1. King of France, agreed to joyne all their power and forces, and raise a flood wholly to carry away the woman, and root out every where the mention of Lutheran Religion: but the earth holpe the woman: for the Pope himselfe, intending their destruction as fiercely as they, on other occasions brake the league, and made the Emperour so much businesse in Italie, that he professed by publique writing, that the Pope was in the fault, that he had not wholly suppressed the heresie of Lutherans.

Thus while the wicked plague the ungodly, the Church hath some rest and breathing from their wicked decrees: as in one other instance appeares, anno 1530. For what a cruell edict did the Emperor Charles 5. thunder against the Professors of the Gospell, that every one feared to be quite carryed away by that flood, which rose out of the dragons mouth at the Dyet of Ausperg? But see how God commanded the earth to open her mouth, and swallow this flood, that it should not hurt but helpe the woman. Instantly the Turke, as if he had beene earryed by the haire of his head, came into Austria, invading the Empire: and now it was no time to wish the Emperor to graunt peace to the Protestants, against the former edict; that he might obteine of them ayde against the Turke, the common enemie of Christendome.

In the greatest dangers of the Church, she shall alwaies p. 811Doctr.have some helpe, and though she be much In greatest floods the Church hath alwaies a little helpe.pressed, she shall not be oppressed. Wee see many floods may rise up and swell as a spring-tide to carry her away; but they cannot drowne her. The same was typified in that horrible persecution of Antiochus, who when he was most raging, and made most havocke in the Church, yet was the woman holpen with a little help, Dan. 11. 34. God stirred up Mattathias and his sonnes, who were but an handfull to Antiochus his army, and so prospered their small helpe, that the cruelty and tyranny of that monster was stayed for the time. Even so in the highest floods of Antichrist (of whom Antiochus was a most eminent type) the poore woman hath ever had a little helpe.

1 Because of the presence of God, who sitteth Reas. 1.on the floods; whose presence with the Church Gods presc̄ce.makes her safe, Esa. 43. 2. …eare not Iacob, thou art mine (there is the ground of safety, in the covenant of God) when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the floods, that they do not overflow thee, &c. If his promise faile not, he must be with his in the hotest fires of persecution, and in the most unpassable floods of calumnies and here sies.

2 Gods wakefull providence and protection ever deviseth and affordeth some helpe. Moses was 2. Gods providence.cast on the waters, but God provides him a basket to helpe him out. Ionas was cast into the sea: God provides a Whale to carry him out. Noah was tossed on a world of floods: but God became pylot, and he that shut him in, helped him out: And as the great flood could not drowne the Arke, but the earth at length swallowed and dryed it up, much lesse can these lesser floods drowne the Arke of the Church, on which Gods protection is no lesse.3.

3 Christs headship ever affords some helpe. A p. 812Christs headship.man cannot drowne so long as his head is aloft, let him be in never such deepes. Christ the head of the Church is ever aloft, and cannot sinke. If al the floods that ever were cast out of the mouth of the dragon, could have carryed him away, then had they more easily carried away his body, the Church: but they could not sinke or drowne him: therefore is she safe.

4 The Church can pray in faith: and the prayer of 4faith is a strong cable, and sure meanes of her safety, Prayer of faith.and stayeth her till seasonable helpe come: Psal. 32. 6. Therefore shall every godly man pray: and then, surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come neare him. Ionah prayed in the floods of great waters, and was safe being cōpassed with waves, weeds, rockes, and mountaines, chap. 2. 1.

Thesefore is the Church unmooveable, and shall Use 1.so continue to the end of the world, seeing no flood shall carry her away, and God whose she is, is never wanting, never wearie in helping her. He had saved her from the dragon by raysing up a man-child: he saved her the second time by hiding her: and now the third time he drawes her out of the floods, which intended to drowne her; so as earth and hell wearie themselves in vaine in devising to overthrow her.

The more impudent the Papists, who say we teach that the Church fayled from off the earth all the time of Antichrist, for the space of a thousand yeares. No: Antichrists rage and floods might cause her to hide her head for that time, but could not drowne her.

Againe, here is a direction for Beleevers in extreme Vse 2.dangers.

1 Get to the rocke: beleeve in Jesus Christ: by 1 Get to the rocke.faith become a member of his body. Against this p. 813rocke the gates of hell cannot prevaile: and therefore a Christian built on this rocke, cannot miscarry. Men on a rocke are safe in high floods, when houses are driven downe, and men and cattell drowned. Get thee to this rocke, and then, though the floods of wickednesse may make thee afraid, yet shal they not hurt thee, Psal. 18. 4. and 46. 1. 3.

2 Leane upon the power of God, who can make waters stand as dry land, and not flow till his people Exod 14. 22. Iosh. 3. 17.Exod 14:22Josh 3:17be passed over. Art thou ready to faint, to sinke, Leane upon Gods power.to despaire of ever swimming out of the floods? behold this power, it can make iron swim, 2 King. 6. 6. and if thou beest in thy selfe as heavie in the floods as iron, say as in Psal. 93. 4. The waves of the sea are marvellous, but the Lord is more mighty.

3 Cleave to the word of God, which applyeth Cleave to the word.this power and makes it thine owne. God hath set his powerfull word on the sea and floods, and set barres and dores unto them, and sayd, Hitherto shall ye come, and ye shall lift up your proud waves no further. Againe, he hath set over and passed his word unto thee for thy security. Christs word makes Peter walke safely on the waters. Waite on his word, which only can make a great calme. If thou losest this security, thou canst not but sinke in thy troubles. as David, had it not beene for thy Law I had perished in my trouble. And further, if this word were weake, he hath sworne to thee, Esa. 54. 9. that as the waters of Noah shall never go more over the earth, to drowne it, so he will nevet be so angry as to cast thee into the floods to drowne thee,

4 Keepe Christ in the ship: awaken him with thy Keep Christ in the ship.prayers, cry to him as the Disciples, O Master save us, wee perish. He walkes on the waters, and will make thee so to do also. Hee may seeme to sleepe till thou beest dashed, threatned, and ready to sinke, but he p. 814will awaken in time, and rebuke the windes and seas, and make a present, or seasonable calme.

Next, in that the earth holpe the woman, learne Doctr. 2.that the Church hath often helpe where she least expects it. The earth is the dragons owne bounds: for he was cast into the earth: yet this earth affords helpe and safety to the woman against the dragon. Israel at the sea environed with monntaines, enemies, The Church often hath most helpe where she least expects it.and floods, was by the sea saved from the sea, whence they expected to be swallowed up. The same sea that threatneth to swallow Israel, saves Israel. Could Daniel expect safety by the Lions from the Lions? Could Ionah expect helpe from the devouring sea by the devouring Whale? Could the three children expect safety from the fire by the fire?

1 The Lord being the Lord of hosts hath all creatures Reason 1.in heaven and earth to command for the helpe and safety of his Church, and hath made a league betweene them and his people for peace, and ayde, for warre defensive and offensive against their enemies.

2 Things which are impossible to men, are possible 2.to God: and therefore he worketh above al the power of nature, and beyond the reach of reason, and nothing can hinder his counsell or hand. Zech. 8. 6. It seemed as impossible for Israel to be brought backe to a glorious estate in Jerusalem from captivity, as dead men to be brought out of their graves: but though this be impossible in the eyes of the remnant of the people of those dayes, should it be therefore impossible in my sight, saith the Lord of hosts?

3 The Lord most magnifieth his wisdome, when he helpeth by most unknowne and unlikely meanes: 3.for now he sheweth he hath a reach beyond the p. 815creature; and what we cannot see, or oversee, he foreseeth for us. It was an unknowne meanes, proper to Omnipotency, to dry up the sea for Israels passage. It was an unknowne meanes, beyond the creatures reach, to suspend the fire from burning persons and things combustible applyed to it. It was an unknown and unexpected meanes, to feed Israel in the wildernesse with a dayly harvest, not from earth, but from heaven. The dragon and Antichrist have not so many devises and reaches to offend the Woman, as the Lord hath wayes to overreach them and defend his Church.

4 The Lord magnifies his mighty power, when 4.he sends helpe by contrary meanes, which of al other are most unlikely; as here by the earth: for here he brings most helpe, whence is indeed most danger. As when earthly and carnall-minded men, intending the cleane contrary, procure helpe and peace to the Church. Thus the Lord helped David out of Sauls hands by the Philistimes, as deadly enemies to David 1 Sam. 23. 26.1 Sam 23:26as Saul was. Thus he helped Moses out of the water by Pharaohs daughter, no lesse enemie to Israel then Pharaoh himselfe. Thus when Zedekiah was taken, his eyes put out, and himselfe bound prisoner into Babell, Ieremy being in prison must be helped out, and by whom but by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and Nebuzaradan his chiefe steward, in al appearance as great enemies to Ieremy as to King Zedekiah: Ier. 40, 1. 2.

And rather then Paul shalbe killed, and have no helpe, God will save him by one in likelyhood fitter to kill him then they, even the chiefe Captaine, Act. 21. 32. And how often was he helped by Felix, Festus, Agrippa, men open enemies to Christ? And how often did the Lord stirre up earthly instruments such as Cyrus, Ebed-melech, Gamaliel, whose power p. 816and policy he used for the drying up of the floods risen and swelling against the Church? A notable instance we have in Dan. 1. 10. What great favour and tender love God gave Daniel and his fellows from Ashpenaz, an heathen and enemie, and how God overruled his speach to Daniel, that while he thought no such thing, he secretly implyed the true way whereby Daniel and his fellowes should attaine their desire: If you looke worse, I shall lose my head: then said Daniel, put this to the triall ten dayes, and so obtained their wish.

Note hence the justice of God upon the earth and earthly enemies of the Church. They minde by raysing Use 1. The earth must drinke up her owne floods.floods to drowne the Church, but themselves must drinke up those floods to the drowning of themselves. The woman flyes out of Aegypt into the wildernesse: Pharaoh meanes to drowne her in the red sea: but the earth must helpe her: for earthly Pharaoh himselfe and all his earthly company drinke up the flood for her, and she escapes it. Thus comes Haman… devise upon his owne head, his gallowes catch himselfe. Thus the gunpowder blew up the plotters and layers, but not one for whom it was layd. Thus the enemies drink as they brew, and digest the bread of affliction they prepared for others.

2 Let us acknowledge with much thankfulnesse Vse 2.the truth of this prophesie, Wee have seene the earth Late experience of this truth.drinke up many floods, cast out of the dragons mouth by Antichristian tyranny, sufficiently strong and deepe to have carried her quite away. Among many instances I will record two in fresh memory, and not farre off. In the yeare 1521. when Luther had appeared before Caesar at Wormes, to give account of his doctrine and doings, what a mighty flood issued out of the mouth of the dragon, which in the Imperial edicts threatned nothing but death and bloodshed p. 817against the Professors of the Gospell? and this flood like Danubius ranne through all Germany. But now see how the earth drunke up the flood; Shortly after arose an exceeding great trouble in Spaine, to the pacifying of which the Emperour went in person, and so the Professors of the Gospell had a little breathing; till the States of the Empire assembled at Norinburge, got those cruell Edicts mitigated and qualified, to the great prosperity of the Gospell.

The other in our owne Kingdome, in the dayes and memory of our Fathers: When in the raigne of Queene Mary many were carryed away with that raging and high-swelling flood of the sixe Articles, and the enemies were devising not to strike off the branches onelyonly, but (as one perswaded) to strike at the root, in cutting off the then Lady Elizabeth, being then in prisonand very unlike ever to get out of their bloody hands; now see how the Lord caused the earth to helpe his Church, for who was the meanes to keepe them off her, and her head on her shoulders, but King Philip of Spaine, an earthly Idolater, who had no reason but to bee a greater enemy to her than her sister or that state? Now the earth dranke up the flood, and a few moneths set that happy Lady, and the Church and Kingdome by her, in such glory and prosperity, as ancient ages had never seene, and future ages perhaps both wish and admire.

3. In the present tryals and persecutions of the Vse 3.Church, when wee see the floods swell even almost over her head, and Antichristian Armies every where gathered, and carry afore them whole Provinces and Churches, be not dismayed, but stand still and see the Lords salvation; he will appoint one meanes or other to swallow up all these floods; as here hee commanded the earth to …each her helping hand, both to take p. 818in and harbour the Lords exiles in the secret chambers of her desert Mountaines and Caves, as also to drinke in the dangers for them: Nay more, the Lord who causeth the earth to helpe the woman, will in and by these persecutions helpe up his Church and truth; Act. 8. 1. The wicked men of earth raise great persecution against the Disciples at Jerusalem, and scatter them; but they being scattered and dispersed, spread the Gospell through all the Regions of Iudea The scattering of the Saints is the dispersing of the Gospell.and Samaria.

In the story of the Waldenses is reported, that the banishing of Waldo & his followers out of Lyōs, was a means W^ch God used to spread the doctrine of the Gospel, in the darkest times of Antichrist, almost over all Europe. Thus the Lord bringeth light out of darknesse to his Church; the earth shall not bury the truth, but spread it; neither shall these Antichristian floods drowne the woman, but shall onelyonly water her furrows. And let the Church be instant with the Lord, & he wil in the end of these businesses shew he hath a reach beyond all Actors and lookers on: the wrath of men shal turn to his praise: themselves shal drink the rivers of blood which they intend against the woman; and shall root themselves out, that the Gospell which they fight against, may finde footing in the most desolate Popish Countries, and the time and their pride hasteneth it.

Let us alwayes set these props under our faith, to support us through our tryals, whether wee see meanes … …: It is enough to see the power and faithfulnesse of God, who can, and (rather than fa…e) will worke the Saints delivery by unknowne, and even by contrary meanes: Waite upon the Word. If hee seeme not to regard thee in danger, awake him by thy prayers: hee may delay helpe a while, but he cannot dehy thee helpe but hee must deny p. 819himselfe; but either hee will lead thee out by preventing the danger, or helpe thee through it, and make thee more then a Conquerour in it, by a conquered death.

4. As the Church abroad is tryed, and in resistance Vse 4.of the floods of violence, and lies under the fire and sword of the enemy; so the dragon ceaseth not amongst us in our peace to cast out such floods as hee can, of scandalls, slanders, and reproaches of Gods people, against which wee must fo…tifie our selves with assurance, that all these floods shall be drunke up, and dryed up also for us: For,

1. Our Head is the truth, and as strength of truth prevailed in his owne person, and rose againe from Psal. 37.Ps 37underground, so it shall in all his members by his mighty power.

2. Gods promise is, to bring forth our righteousnesse as the light, even as a bright morning comes after a sad night of black darknesse.

3. Gods providence watcheth as well the names and reputation of the Saints, as their persons; because, as their persons are nearely joyned to Christ, so are their names nearely linked to his, and their honour is his, as their reproach is his, Heb. 13. 13.

4. Looke upon the unknowne meanes used by God to drinke in these floods:

Sometime from heaven: The Angell turnes away the flood of scandall, which had like to have drowned the Virgin, while Ioseph was thinking to put her away, Mat. 1. 20. Feare not to take her.

Sometime the earth (as here) rather than faile, shall drinke it up: The Judge shall pronounce Christ innocent; Saul shall proclaime Davids innocency, 1▪ Sam. 24. 18. Thou art more righteous than I.

Lastly, though truth and innocency may bee clouded a long time, yet it shall bee disclosed, and p. 820time (the mother of truth) shall dry up and drinke Veritas temporis fili…in all wicked accusation; when all secrets shall bee disclosed, as well for the opening of innocency, as the shutting of the mouth of guiltinesse.

Vers. 17. Then the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make warre with the remnant of her seed, which keepe the Commandements of God, and have the testimony of Iesus Christ.

THE dragon being againe defeated of his purpose in drowning the woman, seeth that hee cannot hurt her, yet he cannot but hate her the (more: Hee cannot meet with her to doe the mischle… that he would, for she is out of sight; neither can the floods, cast out of his mouth, reach her, for shee is safe and hid, and the earth shall drinke it for her; yet hee abates not of his wrath against her, and for the wrath hee beares to her, hee goes and makes warre with her issue, described here,

1. By their paucity, The remnant of her seed.

2. By their property, twofold,

1. They keepe the Commandements of God.

2. They have the testimony of Iesus Christ.

First of the dragons wrath and warre, then of the persons against whom,

In the former,

1. What kinde of warre this is.

2. With whom.

The kinde of warre will appeare, if wee consider

the Captaine,

and the weapons.

The Captaine of this warre under the dragon, who is Generall of the field, is described in Chap. 13. 1. The Captaine of this warre under the dragon.and 7. The Beast; whom the Euangelist so calleth, rather than the Bishop of Rome, or rather a succession of them, because hee is a Prophet here, not a Doctor; p. 821these spake plainly, they enigmatically, especially in arguments dangerous and envious: Besides, if hee had plainly named him, hee had not left it a mysterie so deepe.

This beast riseth out of the sea; that is, out of those very floods, which the dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman; namely, of herefies, superstitions, traditions, abominations, and wicked constitutions and decrees against the truth and professors, which enthroned Antichrist, and set him in his Chaire.

He hath seven heads, a monstrous Hydra, sits on seven hils, and hath gotten seven kindes of government into his hand, and ten hornes, hee hath the power of ten Kings to uphold him.

Hee hath on his heads the name of blasphemy; not in open profession, for hee will disclaime it in word, but in deed and truth brings into the Church and maintaines, under glorious titles of Headship, blasphemous doctrines, religion, and idolatrous worship; so it is expressed Verse 6. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and his Tabernacle, and those that dwell in heaven.

1. He opposeth himselfe against all that is called God, challengeth all that God can doe; hee can create, and that, his Creator; he cannot erre; he can make something of nothing; hee can make Gods Word of authority, or no authority; hee can make Kings and transferre kingdomes: he shewes himselfe as if hee were God, and suffers his flattering Canonists to stile him God: Oh high blasphemy!

2. Hee blasphemeth the Tabernacle of God, that is, the Church of God, resembled by the Tabernacle; challenging to bee the head, the husband, the Lord of it; oppressing it with tyranny, infecting it with heresie, blaspheming and condemning for archheretikes all that yeeld not to his blasphemies.

p. 822And if by the Tabernacle of God wee meane the body of Christ, as some doe, what more horrible blasphemy against it then to undertake to create many thousands every day out of a few pieces of bread, to sacrifice, to eate and destroy it at their pleasure?

3 He blasphemeth all that are in heaven, that is, the Saints in the heaven upon earth; stiling them heretickes, schismatickes, rebells, the most wicked of al men, unworthy of common light, aire, or any society or sufferance in the earth.

In the 7. verse it is given to this beast (the dragon seales his Commission) to make warre with the Saints: alluding to his type, that little horne Antiochus, Dan. 7. 21. an eminent figure of the Roman Antiochus, that is said to make war with the Saints, and prevaile against them. So as this prophecy is meant of the warres of Antichrist against the Saints; and is manifest by the time of 42. months, the time that the woman was hid in the wildernesse.

This of the Captaine.

The weapons also are answerable to the warre: The weapons of this captain twofold.which is twofold, Ecclesiasticall, and Civill, in ordine ad spiritualia. So the beast hath two swords:

One is spirituall, by which he wounds the soules and consciences of men, and that for their consciences. This sword is his Canons, Constitutions, Councells deceitfully called, Decretalls, doctrines of devills, heresies, the Popes head-ship, Jesuitisme the sharpest point of it, sophisticate distinctions, sleights of equivocations, cursings, anathemaes, excommunications, damnatory proscriptions, damnable Bulls and Breves, degradations, condemnations, Popish absolutions for murders of Parents, and Princes, canonization p. 823of Traitors, and the like enamilings of his spirituall sword.

The other is the secular sword, with which he layes about him to force the obedience and subjection to the former. This is his tyrannicall inquisition, Guisian massacres, English powder-plots, pistolls, poniards, poisons, fire, sword, insurrections, rebellions, invasions, Armadoes, treasons, slaughters, butcheries of Princes and people, Kings and kingdomes that yeild not themselves as slaves to his beastly authority.

And this of the kind of warre.

The persons with whom it is waged, will further open it: that is, the remnant of her seed: namely such of the faithfull, who, when al the publique assemblies were openly corrupted by Antichristian Idolatry, yet retained the ancient faith, and stept out sometimes to make profession of the same The beast could no sooner meet with them, or finde them out, but presently he brandished his sword againstthem; whether they were,

1 Kings, that ruled not according to the Popes rules, who were warred against as tyrants▪ or

2 Pastors and Bishops who taught not according to the Popes decrees, with whom the Pope warred as against heretickes. or

3 Private persons, called lay-men, who lived not according to the Popes lawes; these he warred against as out-laws and excommunicate persons.

In a word, seeing the dragon could not now make warre against whole congregations, as formerly he had done, (for now in the darke times of Antichrist they appeared no where) he watched if he could find any of the remnant of the seed, any scattered and dispersed Saints, who privately (as they could) exercised the pure worship of God: who kept p. 824themselves to the comaundement of God, in freeing themselves from the abominations, idolatries, and superstitions of Popery: and who had the testimony of Jesus, sq…aring their consciences to the written word, and would not receive the Popes Laws, traditions, and decretalls for Articles of Faith. These were made meat for the sword of the Beast, excited by the dragon to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed.

Of the wrath of the dragon wee have spoken before, which admits no truce; as also of the renewing of his assaults, though he be never so foyled in them. Only now in this wrath of the dragon, which is continued against the woman hid in the wildernesse, note, that

Wicked men hate and malice the godly, whom Doct.they never knew nor saw; as the dragon the woman Wicked men hate the Saints whom they never saw.now out of sight. Hest, 3. 6. Haman thought it a small thing to lay hands on Mordecai only, but sought to destroy all the Jews: yet he knew but few of them, and only one of them (Mordecai) had offended him. Phara…h pursues al the Israelites, though he knew but few: and drownes all the males: and Herod kills all the infants, which he never saw: and Balak calls Balaam to curse all the people of God.

1 Because of the generall enmity put by God betweene Reas. 1.the two seeds, of the Woman and the serpent: And hatred is of kinds, not individualls only. The wolfe hateth all lambes. A man naturally hateth all serpents, even those he never saw: so the serpentine seed hateth all the womans seed, which it never saw. And as hunters know not, nor never saw the particular game they take, but lay nets and deadly engines for any of the kinde, so these Nimrods and hunters spare none.

2 The wrath of every wicked man is a sparke p. 8252.from hell and an ember of the dragons wrath, who here hateth the Woman hid aswell as appearing. And looke as the dragon hated Christ the head deadly while he was in the world, and now hateth him with no lesse deadly hat…ed when he hath left the world (he hateth him absent, as much as present) even so his brood hateth his members that were in the world, aswell as those that are in it, even those that they never knew nor saw; and persecute their dead ashes, and are as spitefull to their names and memory, and to their posterity, as their predecessors were to their persons while they lived.

3 Darkenesse hateth all light, neare or farre off. 3.They that hate God the chiefe good, must needs hate all the godly that follow the thing that is good. They that hate God himselfe, must needs hate his image every where: for he that hates the father, hates all the children, whether he know them or no. They hate the glory of God, and the true worship and service of God, and that they may abolish it, they cannot but seek to root out all the people and persons that uphold it,

4 Such a venome and poyson is seated in a wicked 4.mans heart, as knows no bounds of reason or moderation, but overflowes all bancks and limits: For there is no spirit to checke or restraine them: so as neither sea nor Alpes bound a wicked mans wrath against godlinesse.

5 They hate them whom they know not, because they know them not: for so it was with Christ 5.himselfe: they saw him but they knew him not: for, had they knowne him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Ioh. 8. 29. When the Sonne of man shalbe listed up, then ye shall know that I am he So with his members, they know them not nor their innocency, let their lives be never so unblamable and p. 826just. If they cannot picke quarrells against Daniel in the matter of the Kingdome, they will see what they can do in the matter of his God. If God himselfe shew favour to them, and his power for them; they will not know who the Lord is, as Pharaoh, but lay on burdens the heavier: and therefore, as Balak and Moab, they seeke their confusion, Num. 22. 2, 3.

A reproofe of numbers of men, who in these Vse 1.dayes expresse with what spirit they are guided. The Papists raile upon, and revile al the godly restorers of our religion, whom they never saw nor knew. It is a third part of the Pamphlets they send dayly in amongst their Proselytes. A man would thinke they had their hands full of adversaries alive: and that they need not breake up the graves of the dead, and persecute dead ashes: What spirit besides the dragons, ruled the Councell of Constance, who sentenced the dead bones of Wickliffe to be digd up and burnt 41. yeares after his death? did any of them ever know or see him? or was not the wrath of their predecessors enough against his person?

Who seeth not the wrath of the dragon in a number of prophane beasts, who incessantly make it their table talke to revile and use opprobriously men who never made nor medled with them, men hid in their innocency, and retyred in their privacy? whose life in respect of them, is as if they were out of the world.

And others that exclame against all that make shew of religion, as men not worthy to live, the worst of all men, all dissemblers, lyers, factious, all alike, as if they knew them all. Whence riseth this wrath? certainely not from particular causes, but from the generall: not from the persons they revile, but frō their own vile dragon like disposition. They p. 827may pretend some personal quarrells now and then: but the cause and care lyeth deeper: they will hate the same goodnesse in any other person, where soever they may discover it. Here now is the dragons wrath against the Woman, hid out of sight.

2 This is a word of instruction: not to marvell in observing the hatred of wicked men against the Vse 2.godly whom they know and see: for they doe the same against those they never knew. See wee Ahab hating Eliah, Micaiah, and all the true Prophets he knew? no marvell: he hath a fountaine of poison ready to flow on all that he knows not, if he could reach them. And so doth every wicked man: if he hate any one good Minister because he is so, he hates every one. See wee all wicked men, be they never so fallen in pieces among themselves, yet all joyne in hatred of all the godly? then see in them the work of the dragon, who plots an unity and agreement against the Church: hatred of goodnesse is the bond, that joynes wicked ones together. And yet Gods hand is in all this: the godly must be throughly tryed, and the wicked must go on to the filling up of their measure.

Are wee cast among men, who, when they cannot hurt godly men, yet will not helpe them, but as Balak said to Balaam, neither blesse nor curse them? Praise God that hath limited the power of wicked wills and violent affections. They that would hurt one godly man, would mischiefe all if they could: and those that will not help them, would hurt them if they were able.

See wee evill men desirous and contriving to cast downe the worship of God, and a faithfull Ministery in the place where they live? their wrath rea…heth beyond that place: if it it were in their power, they would abolish the true worship of God out of the world, and leave no faithfull Ministery standing in the earth. Hatred is of kindes: and the dragon hates faithfulnesse every where, fearing the decay of his Kingdome, and his owne fall by their standing.

3 This teacheth us 1 to unite and combine our Use 3.selves to all the Saints, even those whom wee never saw nor knew; they being of the same Father, Mother, blood, spirit, family, and inheritance with us.

2 Againe, as we love the head, so also the members: but the head though wee have not seene, yet we love and beleeve, 1 Pet. 1. 8 so the members whom we beleeve every where to be dispersed, wee must love though wee see not: for the love of the members must bee a sparkle from the flame toward the head.

3 Further, wee must not ground the love of Saints in our senses, but in our faith, which cannot but worke by love; if to him that begat, so also to all that are begotten.

4 If faith may not be measured by sight, being of things invisible, no more may love the daughter of faith. But if wee beleeve in him whom wee see not, wee must also love them whom wee see not.

5 The soule hath as well his eye of faith, as the body the eye of sense: and by that we see not the head only, but the members, and beleeve and live in the Communion of Saints.

And went to warre.]

The wrath of the dragon produceth the warre of Doctrine.the beast; and Antichrists wars are the dragons wars: the dragon by and in Antichrist makes warre upon the Church. For

p. 8291 The wrath of the dragon is in them, as the chiefe moover, inspirer, and General, who seales commission Reason 1.to his universal Vicar and Li…utenant, who receives power from him, Revel. 13. 2.

2 The cruelty of the dragon is in them: who 2as he is an homicide and manslayer from the beginning, so is this an Apollyon, a destroyer, a scarlet beast of a bloody coulor, dyed in the blood of Saints; a woman drunke with blood.

3 The scope of the dragon is in them; universall 3and unmercifull destruction of bodies, and soules: Rev. 13. 15. Whosoever will not worship the beast, he commaunds them to be slaine. But this is a small thing to his spirituall warre, in which he comes with effectuall delusions among them that perish, that all they might be damned, &c. 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11.

4 The meanes of the dragon is in them. As the 4.dragon seekes to draw the worship of God upon himselfe from God, Mat. 4. so doth Antichrist sit as God, and all the earth must worship the beast. As the dragon to attaine his ends will salsifie and vilifie the word of God, so the beast slayes the two Prophets, Rev. 11. 9. that is, as some interpret, the two Testaments. He must needs destroy soules, if first he can destroy the Scriptures. And, never were the two witnesses so warred against, as by Antichrist,

5 The subtilty of the dragon is in them, even all 5.his seaven heads. He fights not only like a Balak, with open fiercenesse, but like a Balaam, a false prophet, by his wiles and delusions. He comes not so much with displayed banners, as with hostility wrapped up with all guile and deceitfull pretenses. He will not be seene to warre as an enemie and persecuter of the Church, but under specious termes of the Patron and just defender of the Catholike Church.

p. 830Now if the warres of Antichrist be the dragons Vse 1.warres, of all other wee must hold them the most pernicious to mankinde, and of all other deprecate these, and wish rather to fall into the hands of any Turke or tyrant then into the hands of Antichrist. For

First, other tyrants are raysed by the generall wrath of the dragon against mankinde: but this from the greatest wrath against the Church the seed of the Woman.

Secondly, those are satisfied with our goods, lands, liberty, or life, and intend no further: but this not so content must have our religion, consciences, and salvation, our heaven and God from us.

Thirdly, their weapons are corporall, and onelyonly wound and slay the body: Let Nero, Domitian, Decius, Dioclesian, or the Turke or Scythian come, they can bring sword, fire, wilde beasts, melted ledd, gibbets, and other exquisite bodily torments: But the cruelty of Antichrist, beside all these, brings strong delusions, idolatry, apostacy, heresie: And this spirituall persecution is so much more cruell; as the soule is more excellent then the body; and so much more dreadfull, as the destruction of both together is more desperate then of one alone. Wee must not measure the cruelty of Antichristian warre, as theirs, by the privation of mortall life, but by the invaluable losse of life eternall.

2 Note the miserable estate of such as fall unto Vse 2.the part of Antichrist they are intereffed in the dragons warres, and directly fight against Christ, against their owne salvation, and others. Wee must esteeme them greater enemies then any tyrants or robbers that would only bereaue us of our goods or lives. These slaves of Antichrist are become bondslaves to the dragon: for none worship the beast, p. 831but they first worship the dragon, Rev. 13. 4.

3 Let it moove us to stand so much the more resolutely against Popery, and the impostures of Antichrist: Vse 3.seeing wee stand against the wrath of the dragon; for the right and honour of Jesus Christ, against his sworne enemie, and for our owne salvation. This willbe the honour of the Saints, that they perish not only as sheepe woryed by the wolfe, but as the valiant souldiers of Jesus Christ, who even in martyrdome are more then conquerors.

With the remnant of her seed.

The number of faithfull Christians that sticke Doct.close to Christ against the corruptions of Antichrist, is but a small number, and as small in worldly reputation. Christs company was alwaies a little flocke, Luk. 12. 32. And Israel is as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant onelyonly shall be saved, Rom 9. 29. This phrase is a metaphore taken from tradesmen, who having cut out a whole piece of cloth, leave some small remnant or remainder: even so the true professors of the Gospell are but as a small remainder of the whole piece and people of the world. Beside, it is but the remnant of her seed: As a little seed-corne is reserved out of a great heape for store, which is nothing to the whole croppe; so is the small number of true Beleevers, reserved by grace, to the whole field and croppe of the world: as it was in the state of the ancient Church in captivity, Zech. 3. 1. Is not this a brand pulled out of the fire? the state of the people being as a great tree cut downe and cast into the fire, of which one little brand was snatched out of the flame, and returned from captivity: and the dragon would have had that brand burnt to ashes too: so here he warreth on the remnant of the seed p. 832of the woman in the wildernesse. So also is the number of Gods company sayd to be one of a City, and Ier 3. 14.Jer 3:14two of a tribe: as if in a great inundation of water, which carrieth away a whole towne or country, some one or two houses or persons should escape; or as if in a blazing and universall fire, devouring a whole City, one or two houses should bee left standing.

1 Few are chosen, Mat. 20. 17. God hath decreed that few shalbe saved. The earth affords much clay Reason 1.for potters, but little oare for gold. Common stones are many, pearles but a few. In the universall Church signified by the Arke, were but few even eight soules saved, all the rest drowned, 1 Pet. 3. In particular visible Churches there are but a few names that defile not their garments, Rev. 3. 4. All are not Israel that go for Israel: and all that go for Virgins, are not admitted to the bridegroomes chamber.

2 The gate to heaven is straight, and few finde it, Mat. 7. 14. None know it of themselves, and of 2them that know it, few will endure the persecution, the sharpenesse, the selfe-deniall, the mortification, the losses, the crosses, with which that straight way is strawed: the most will walke in the easie and broad way where is elbow-roome, profits, pleasures, …applause of the world, and pleasing of a mans selfe,

3 The worth of grace and salvation, and the excellency 3of eternall life allows it not to be common to every idle hand. It is as a precious commodity, in the hands of a few: as pearles and jewells are so much more advanced in price, as they be harder to come by.

4 The true Church is the parke of God, empaled 4from the rest of the world, or a garden enclosed, Cant▪ 4. 12. aparadice of God, not the wast of the world: a fold, not the field.

p. 833If it be objected, that the multitude of Abrahams Object.seed are as the sands of the sea, innumerable, Gen. 15. 5. and, who can number the dust of Jacob, or the fourth part of Israel, as Num, 24 10. and that Sion shall abound with children, and many shall come from the East and West and sit downe in the kingdome of God, Mat. 8. 11. and that Iohn saw a multitude which none could number, of all nations, kindreds, tribes and tongues, that stood before the Lambe in white robes, Rev. 7. 9. To all these and like places,

I answer, That wee must consider the Beleevers,Answ.

1 Simply, in respect of themselves, and the Church in respect of the severall parts: and thus they are an innumerable multitude.

2 Comparatively, in respect of unbeleevers, infidells, hypocrites, and reprobates: so they are few, and as an handfull to a whole floore, a remnant to a whole piece, a sparke to a great flame, a drop to a whole streame.

Therefore multitudes are no marke of the true Use 1.Church, as Papists teach, but of Satans Synagogue: neither the rule of our way, which is straighter then that the multitude walke in.

2 Be not offended with the fewnesse of the godly; Vse 2.compared with heapes of wicked men. The true Church is as a little wheat in an huge heape of chaffe: as a little gold in a mountaine of clay or drosse: a gleaning after the harvest: a few berries after the vintage: And thus as it hath beene, it wilbe, till the GOD of heaven have cast the god of the world into his owne place.

Neither bee offended that wee teach them to be few: but rather quarrell with Christ and the Scripture from whom wee so speake. For wee stint not this number to a definite company, as some fondly p. 834say we do; this is their Arithmeticke, neither ours nor the Scriptures. But a few there are, and as our text saith, But a remnant. Why wrangle they not with the Scripture that speakes but of one of a City, and two of a tribe? as it was then, it may be againe. But let such stretch the way of heaven as wide as they can, yet will it bee too strait for carnall men, and carelesse men, be they never so just and civill.

3. Let us strive earnestly to be of this little flocke Vse 3.and remnant, and joyne rather with a few godly, then a multitude of sinners. Walk in the way of good mē, and though thy company be small, it shall be good: and suppose this sect be every where blasphemed, in court, in country, in markets and meetings, in pulpits and tavernes, yet one day thou shalt wish thy selfe of this small number, and be most unhappie that thou hast sorted with thy company which thou hast chosen, and now canst have no better.

4. If the true members of the Church bee so few, Vse 4.never bee daunted at the great shoales and number of Atheists, Epicures, Libertines, hypocrites, scorners, blasphemers, worldings; not at the overspreading of Popery and Idolatry. Wee must not measure the Church by our senses; though few appeare, yet there is a remnant; God will have seven thousand reserved whom Elias cannot see; Rom. 1. 1. 5. A few there be, who in heart and soule cleave to us, the benefit of whose prayers we enjoy.

5. If so few shall bee saved, praise God that any Vse 5.beleeve, and that ever it was thy lott to bee brought to the faith; seeing the Apostasie to Antichrist is so generall; this is as great a mercy to thee, as in the great deluge one Noah to bee saved, or in a raging fire in a City one house or one person to bee saved.

p. 835Which keepe the Commandements of God.]

Here is the first of the properties, by which the small remnant is described; where,

1. What it is to keepe the Commandements.

2. How the godly keepe them.

The keeping is either Legall, or Euangelicall.

Legall is the perfect and personall observation of the whole Law, in the whole man, in all things, at all times: Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements: Thus onelyonly Christ since the fall kept the Commandements, and wee shall in heaven. This is not here meant.

Euangelicall is that acceptable obedience to the Law, which the Gospell injoyneth upon Beleevers. To understand this, know,

1. That the Gospell being not to abolish, but to establish the Law, is not satisfied unlesse the Beleever bring such a perfect and absolute obedience as the Law requireth: OnelyOnly this being impossible to the infirmity of flesh, it is satisfied that wee bring it not in our owne person as the Law requires, but in the person of our surety, made by God our righteousnesse.

2. And because the grace of the Gospell allowes us not to be carelesse, or idle in the work of the Lord, it enjoynes on every Beleever a conscionable and constant indeavor of keeping all the Cōmandements of God, even in our owne persons, in way of gratitude and thankfulnesse.

3. And lest the godly should bee discouraged by the sense of their owne imperfections and failings in performance, seeing themselves at best but unprofitable servants, for their incouragement & quickning, the Gospel calleth that indeavour and strife in obedience p. 836(being chearfull and sincere) A keeping of the Phil. 3. 11.Phil 3:11Commandements; because it is accepted of God as perfect; the person being in Christ, in whom all defect and imperfection is covered.

But how doe the godly keepe the Commandements?

In just conditions, and in sure and safe coffers.

The conditions are foure. They keepe them,

1. Vndiminished; God hath betrusted them with his whole law, and they set all the law of God before them, and have respect to all the Commandements; they be no Papists to strike out the second Commandement, or any other: They know the Commandements are linked and chained together, as a band of ten clauses, breake one and the whole band is forfeited.

2. Vnmingled; not blending the Lords sweet wine with puddle water of humane fancies: This remnant care not for the additions, traditions and commandements of men, but hold them close to the Commandements of God. They pollute not themselves with the abominations of Popery, superstition and Idolatry, but shut their eares against the determinations of Churches, Councels, Fathers, Popes, contrary to Gods commandements; yea, ifan Angell should bring any other doctrine, they would pronounce him accursed.

3. Vnviolate; defending, propagating, maintaining the commandements of God, without wavering or halting betweene two opinions: They hold them not as luke-warme Laodiceans, but stedfastly & unmoveably; they hold fast the faithfull word as their life, Pro. 4. 13. As Naboth, they will not lose a foot of their birthright.

4. Vnspotted; adorning and beautifing the truth in all things, by conforming their lives to the Commandements of God.

p. 837These are the conditions.

In sure Coffers also doe the remnant keepe the Commandements.

1. Of a firme memory; Luke 2. 51. Mary … and pondered the things in her heart: Psal. 119. 16. I will not forget thy word: And this sanctification of memory sanctifies the whole man.

2. Of a faithfull and beleeving heart; for faith mingled with the Word giveth rooting, and so continuace: This was Abrahams Coffer, in which hee laid the promises, and neither delay, nor deadnesse of Sarahs wombe, nor conflict of contrariety, or impossibility could rob him of them.

3. Of a sound and loving affection of the soule; love is a safe and faithfull keeper; things that we love wee will hold fast: Oh love I thy law, saith David! such love is stronger than death, no water can quench it.

4. Of holy practice in the whole life; bewrayed in three things,

1 In professing a good profession, as Christ before Pilate, holding forth the word of life.

2 In promoting and defending to our power all good things and persons in their conformity to the law: a good man preserves the law, aswell as observes it.

3 In suffering for good things, and sealing (if we be called) the truth with our blood.

Next let us inquire, how we may shew our selves of this remnant, and know our …elves to bee keepers of the Commaundements. The Markes are these.

1 If we doe all from within: for all obedience to the law must flow from a pure heart, the end of 1 Tim. 1. 5.1 Tim 1:5the Commandement is love out of a pure heart, Psal, 119. 2. Keepers of his testimonies seeke him with p. 838their whole heart. If we heare, we heare with an honest heart, Luk. 8. 15. If we pray, wee poure not out words, but our soules, as Hanna. If wee praise, wee call all that is within us to praise him, Psal. 103. 1, 2. If wee preach, wee are fervent in spirit, as Apollos. If we receive the Sacrament, it is with examination of our hearts. As the clocke mooves from the spring within it selfe, so is the motion of a good man to the law from within, not from without.

2 If wee do all by our rule: holding the truth for the truths sake. The word is called a lanterne, and the commandement a light, and obedience to the commandement a comming to the light, that our workes may be manifest, first to our selves, and then to others, that they are according to God, Ioh. 3. 21. This argues a secret disciple, silently denying his owne and acknowledging Gods wisdome, holinesse, and soveraignty. An artificer that would have his worke approoved, must not coble it up any way, but do all by rule and line, and square: so here, in all things make truth thy guide.

3 If wee easily depart not from the commaundement, but sticke to it,

First, in all things, even the least as the greatest: In commandements against thy profits, the Saints endured the spoiling of their goods, Heb. 10. and Abraham to fly out of his country. In commandements dangerous, as Daniel and his fellowes, and the Martyrs. In commandements most irkesome, as Abraham in killing his sonne.

Secondly, in all times; not as the Galathians who ran well, but desisted: but with constancy, as one that hath begun soundly and wisely.

Thirdly, in all places, at home and abroad, in the house, and walking by the way, Dan 6. 7. in Gods house, in thine owne house, in other mens houses, p. 839never laying aside the Commandement.

Fourthly, among all persons and companies, high aswell as low, and before the meanest Christian as the greatest. Hold the commandement among the wicked as among the godly, so did Lot.

This is the third note.

4 If we willingly endure to be examined and tryed. A good man can endure the conviction and triall of Gods Ministers, as Peter did Pauls, Gal. 2. 14. David Nathans, 2 Sam. 12. Eli Samuels, 1 Sam. 3. But Saul, Ahab, Amaziah, Felix, will abide no triall. A signe they have not kept the commandement. Yea a good man will try himselfe, and examine himselfe whether he be in the faith, 2 Cor. 13. 5, and will come to the light, to judge himselfe: Nay more, he will desire God himselfe the Judge to try him, Psal. 26. 1, 2. and is glad that it is the Lord that will and must examine and judge him, 1 Cor. 4. 4.

5 He earnestly loves others that keepe the commandements of God. His soule cleaveth to the Saints he doth them all the good he can: he speakes to God for them: as Elisha prayed for the mother and the 2 King 4. 33. Eph. 3. 14.2 Kgs 4:33Eph 3:14child, and Paul for the Ephesians: he speakes to man for them, in their defence, as Hester for the Jews, David for Ionathan, Nicodemus for Christ. He speakes to themselves and to their hearts, for their comfort, strength, instruction, and encouragement. He never scornes nor reviles them, but honors them that feare the Lord.

6 He seeth in all he doth, his faylings, and humbleth himselfe dayly, and abhorres himselfe in dust and ashes, as Iob. chap. 42. 6. David that so resolutely kept the comman dements, saw what a beast he was by his faylings, Psal. 73. 22. Agur seeth himselfe more foolisher then any man, Prov. 30. 2. Paul after many a yeare striving and combate for the law in the p. 840inner man, complaines what a miserable man he is, Rom. 7. 14. 24. how carnall he was, and sold under sinne. Now this hastens us to Christ, and makes us watchfull against corruptions, and still strive hard to the marke.

That wee may be provoked to shew our selves of this remnant, by keeping the commandements of God, and abiding in the duty which the word commandeth, let us take these motives.

1 Keepe the word, and it will keep thee: keep the name of Christ, and thou shalt be kept in his name, Pro. 2. 11. Ioh. 17. 6. 11.

2 All the commandements of God are pure: the law is holy, just, and good, of the same nature, power, and justice as God himselfe, Psal, 119. 128. I esteeme all thy statutes right, and hate all false wayes. Yea all of them tend to perfection of holinesse, as our Father is perfect.

3 In keeping them is great reward, Psal. 19. 11. The righteous are in some manner recompenced on earth: they enjoy a sweet peace with God, and in their consciences assured hope and precious promises; But their full and finall reward is in heaven: Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandements, that their right may be in the tree of life: and may enter through the gates into the City: If Salomon shall endeavour to keepe the Commandements, God promiseth to establish him in a Kingdome: 1 Chron. 28. 7. On the same condition will he establish us in an eternall Kingdome of glory.

4 Obedience is the onelyonly true testimony of love to God: as the second commandement implyes, In them that love me and keepe my commandements. Measure thy love to God by the love of his commandements. Peter, lovest thou me? feed my p. 841lambes. He that keepeth my word, is he that loveth me, Ioh. 14. 15. This makes the godly invincible in labour and sufferings, under rebukes, and evill report, and for all this they turne not aside, nor deale unfaithfully in the covenant. And there is no love lost: for their love upholding them in obedience, that obedience upholds them in Gods love, as our Saviour saith, Ioh. 15. 10. If yee keepe my commandements, yee shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love.

And have the testimony of Iesus Christ.

This is the second property of this remnant:

Where consider

1 What is this testimony of Jesus.

2 What it is to have it.

The testimony of Jesus is the word and Gospell of Jesus Christ: Rev. 1. 9. Iohn was banished into Patmos for the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ: where one is expressed by the other. Now the Gospell is called the testimony of Jesus.

First, Because it is revealed by Jesus Christ: by him brought from the bosome of his Father, an hidden mysterie to men▪ and Angells: none was worthy to open this booke, but he: in which regard he is called the true and faithfull witnesse, Rev. 1. 5.

Secondly, Because the subject of it is Christ, revealing Christ: the Gospell is the true faith and doctrine concerning salvation wrought: by Jesus Christ and him alone: Rom. 1. 2. concerning his Sonne, &c.

3 Because it was testified unto by Christ: not only by revealing it by his divine doctrine, but by his holy life, his mighty miracles, his faithfull profession before the Jewes, Pharises, Pontius Pilate, the whole p. 842Councell, and by his most innocent death; by which he set his seale to his testimony.

4 Because the end of it is Christ: it aymes only at his glory, Act. 2. 36.

But what is it to have this testimony?

Answ. The phrase is taken two wayes:

1 To have the Gospell, is to preach the Gospell: so Iohn bare record of the testimony of Jesus, Rev. 1. 2. and most plainly, chap. 14. 10. I am thy fellowservant, and of those that have the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

2 To have the Gospell, is to professe the Gospell, to uphold and maintaine it, to give witnesse unto it, and to hold it in life and death: as Rev. 20. 4. the soules of Martyrs beheaded for the testimony of Jesus. And so it is taken in this place. This remnant, as they abide in the dutie which the word commandeth (for they keepe the commandements) so they sticke to the faith and doctrine which it teacheth, they hold it fast against all the slights and intrusions of the beast, or Antichrist, and testifie unto it both by life and by death. The truth of the Gospell is an hold which Antichrist cannot winne from the Saints.

Note hence, that the keeping of the commandements Observ. 1.of God and having the testimony of Jesus must go together. 1 Tim. 1. 19. having faith and good conscience: and chap. 3. 9. holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience. For

1 The law and gospell, Christ and Moses, though Reason 1.in matter of justification before God they can never be reconciled, no more then most abhorring contraries, fire and water, light and darknesse, yet in Christian conversation, profession, and practise they may never be divorced, there must be light within, and shining without.

p. 8432 In all Christian conversation wee must joyne 2faith and love, 2 Tim. 1. 13. Because neither of these can stand alone: faith without love is dead, and love without faith is at best but Civility. Beside, all duties of love without faith are sinne, and whatsoever we doe without love, suppose suffering of martyrdome, is all nothing.

Papists then slaunder our doctrine, who say wee Vse 1.teach only to beleeve, and destroy good workes; we say contrarily with our Saviour, what God hath joyned together, let none put asunder. But they sunder what God hath joyned, in that they pretend to magnifie good workes, and set up the law, but cast out the doctrine of faith, and preaching of Christ; insomuch as the word may not be had or read in a knowne tongue, neither in publicke nor private.

This also shews, that protestants disgrace the 2doctrine of grace, while they content themselves with a profession of faith, but are barren and fruitlesse in good workes, of piety and mercy. Beware of the curse of the fruitlesse figtree, that kept the ground barren: notwithstanding all the show and leaves

Againe, note hence, who they be that the dragons Observ. 2.wrath most aymeth at, and is bent against: such as keepe the commandements, and have the faith of Jesus Christ: such as abide by the word, and will not be pulled aside by any imposture or delusion, And why?

1 He needs not warre against conquered slaves, Reason 1.whom he hath pulled away already, The strong man hath the hold, and things are at peace, Beside, what have they to lose, who have already lost the faith and love of the Gospell, and with it their owne salvation?

2 These are likest to Christ, and the residue of his p. 8442.body, who must be conformable to himselfe: he was a butt and signe of contradiction, in the dayes of his flesh, and is so still, being ascended, in the persons of his members; who are inspired by the same spirit, quickened with the same life, ruled by the same word, fight against the same enemies, and walke in the same steps to the same inheritance and Kingdom, whereof he is gone to take possession.

They have the word of faith in them, which the 3.dragon most hateth as the greatest enemie of his kingdome. For being light, no marvell if the prince of darkenesse resist it. It is the sword of the spirit, which cuts off his temptations. Being a rule of righteousnesse, it is the sentence of his condemnation. No marvell then if he hate it and all that love it.

They have also the faith of truth, which he deadly hateth; as the shield which quencheth all fiery darts. It makes us so strong, as that the gates of hell cannot prevaile. Only faith crosseth the dragon, getting power from Christ, and makes all Gods Ordinances profitable, all weake obedience acceptable. And hath he not reason to seeke to winne this hold from us, seeing when the foundation is overthrowne the building must fall, and the root overturned, the branches must wither?

Such therefore as set themselves to keep the commandements Vse 1.of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ, let them make account of the incessant malice and madnesse of the dragon. He never rests opposing those that will not be driven from the testimony. Some of them he casts into prison, some he tryes by mockings and scourgings; some he followes with inward temptations, some with outward afflictions; some he lashes with the scourges of spitefull and lying tongues, and all he drawes into what dangers he can. He is no wise Christian that makes p. 845not account of all the spight that the devill by wicked men can create him.

2 Take good notice, why wicked men make godly men theit butt to shoot all deadly arrowes against. Vse 2.If we beleeve them, they are heretickes, schismatickes, rebells, hypocrites, the vilest monsters of men: and so they harden themselves in impudency, as the devill himselfe is not more fowle and nimble in horrible lying and false accusing. But this scripture shews the just reason of the dragons hatred: it is because they keepe the commandements of God, and have the faith of Jesus Christ: they cannot forsake their rule, to runne with evill men into excesses, nor swim with the streame, nor enrich themselves by choaking their consciences, nor cover or cast a mantle over mens sinnes, by their society, silence or the like practise, Let none of such as feare God, like themselves the worse, to heare themselves blasphemed by impudent and shamelesse sinners: For as these must do it being ruled by the devill, so they must suffer it being ruled by God.

3 Let men feare to persecute and blaspheme the remnant of the faithfull, and obedient Christians, Vse 3.who will not yeild to Antichristian devises, nor depart from their owne rule: Or else blame not the word for charging them to be his brats, whose practise and language they here see it to be: as Christ told the Jews, Ioh. 8. you are of your father the devill, his workes you do. When the enemies of Gods Church cast the Saints into prison, the devill doth it. Rev. 2. 10. When Iudas comes to betray, the souldiers to apprehend, false witnesses to accuse, Jews to scorne and mocke, the prince of the world comes in them, Ioh. 14. 30.

This of the second note.

3 If wee would know our selves of this remnant, p. 846Observ. 3.we must finde this property, that wee keepe the testimony of Jesus Christ. Tit. 1. 9. wee must hold fast the faithfull word. And the reasons are many.

1 Wee had need so do, having so many with-holders; Reason 1.the dragon puls it from us by temptation, the beast by persecution, the wicked by scornes and derision: all would pull us from our hold, and then were wee easily conquered.

2 Our love to Christ commands it. By holding the testimony we hold Christ himselfe. Search the Scriptures, they witnesse of me, Ioh. 5. 39. The object of the word is Jesus, the use of it to testifie of Christ.

3 The truth must bee firmely held: as is said, Buy the truth and sell it not: it is true, and testified by truth it selfe, who is the mighty God and cannot lye.

4 It is the sure evidence of our salvation, of our heavenly inheritance, a saving testimony▪ because it is the testimony of Jesus: Rev. 1. 3. blessed is he that readeth, heareth, and keepe it: not meritoriously, as if he therefore merited salvation: but as it is an instrument of God, and directive, appointed as a rule to guide us unto salvation. Now as men looke up their evidences in sure and safe places, delight often to read them, suffer no man to cousen them of them; whatsoever casually comes, these shalbe by all possible meanes safe-guarded: so ought we much more here, without which we have no assurance or tenure to one foot in heaven.

Beware therefore of being ashamed of this testimony, Vse 1.being the testimony of Jesus Christ; as many be, and let it go,

First, for the contrariety of the doctrine to nature and naturall courses.

Secondly, for the plainnesse and simplicity of it; p. 847for Christ came from heaven to bring this doctrine, which all the skill of Men and Angels could not reach.

Thirdly, for the crosses and afflictions that attend it, being the word of the crosse.

Fourthly, for the infirmity of professors; which makes many, both Preachers and hearers, ashamed of the sincerity and strictnesse of it.

Beware also of Apostasie from the truth. The 2.marke of a Beleever is, to have the testimony, not to have had it. It is a misery to say, Fuimus Troes, I was a Protestant, I was a professor of religion, &c.

And beware of scorning, hindring, persecuting the truth, which is most contrary to this of the remnant. 3.Each of these is a brand of a wicked man, in whom the spirit of the dragon breathes.

This of the third note.

4 The calling of ever Christian is, to be a witnesse Observ. 4.to Jesus Christ. Heb. 12. 1, being compassed with such a cloud of witnesses: that is, the godly who witnessed the truth, and to whom the Scripture witnessed that by their faith they pleased God, Esa. 43. 9, 10. Ye are my witnesses.

This witnesse is either inward, or outward.

The former is by the inward faith and affection of the soule, by which wee give strongest testimony to Jesus Christ, that he is the only Lord and husband of his Church, our Emanuel, the redeemer of his Church, the saviour of his body, and that he hath fully and perfectly fulfilled all righteounesse; by the merit and vertue whereof the Church in generall, and my selfe in speciall a beleeving member, shall obtaine salvation. True faith is the most reall testimony to Jesus Christ, that can be. For this is, to set to his seale that God is true, Iohn 3. 33. namely in his word and covenant, concerning salvation by Iesus Christ. And p. 848he that beleeveth, hath the witnesse in himselfe, 1 Ioh 5. 10. Faith brings in the spirit of God, and his office is to witnesse unto Christ, and to acquaint us with the things given us of God, And that spirit, to which the spirit of God giveth witnesse, will hold to the truth witnessed in him; if all the world, and power of earth and hell would witnesse against him. What an honest man hath set his seale to, he will never be driven off it: but by his faith he hath set his seale to the truth and testament of Iesus Christ.

Outwardly the Beleever witnesseth to Christ three wayes.

1 By profession and confession of the mouth: Rom. 10. 10. with the mouth wee confesse to salvation: that is, give cleare witnesse to all the doctrine concerning the nature, person, offices and benefits of Iesus Christ, and that we rest and leane on him onelyonly for salvation.

2 By practise of life, beseeming the faith of Christ: for this is a witnesse, that Christ liveth in us, mooveth in us, ruleth in us, and that wee live not henceforth, but Christ liveth in us, Gal. 2. 20.

3 By passion and suffering for Christ and his holy religion: for martyrs and witnesses are all one: Acts 22. 20. Paul calls Steven Christs witnesse: and, Rev. 2. 13. Antipas that faithfull witnesse was slaine. And not only the suffering of the paines of death, but inferior persecutions, by scourgings of hand or tongue, or scornings, is a witnessing to Christ in the lower degrees of Martyrdome.

Object. Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the testimony of any man. Ioh. 5. 33.

Answ. Christ is true God, and his truth is the truth of God, infallible, more certaine and firme then al mens testimony. And it were very unworthy, that infinite should need finite, or infallible should p. 849need fallible, or that the author of truth should need authority from men. In this sense Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the witnesse of any man, as necessarie to himselfe, or for his own part: but that they might be saved; partly for the weaknesse of men, who cannot come to understand divine things without mens testimony or ministery; and partly for their salvation, which by men he promoteth: He useth Iohns witnesse, and calleth for the witnesse of the meanest beleever.

Now the reasons why every one of the remnant must give witnesse to Christ, are these:

1 Nothing that wee can do, can more honor God and Iesus Christ, then this: Rom. 4. 21. Abraham was Reason 1.strong in faith, and gave glory to God. What or wherein can wee give greater glory to God, then when our faith giveth him a witnesse of his great power, truth, and goodnesse, even contrary to sense and reason, as Abraham did?

2 Nothing can more honour our selves, then to 2be vouchsafed witnesses to God, testifying his truth, and the excellency of Gods holy religion, both in word and conversation. Were it not a great honour for a great Prince to call a meane subject to be a witnesse on his side for the opening of a truth that nearly in honour concernes him? But this honor have all the Saints; it being the office and function of the whole Church, to be the ground and piller of truth, the upholder and maintainer of that truth which upholdeth the honor of God himselfe. What an honor was it, that the Lord called in the whole Church of the Iewes to be witnesses on his side? Esa. 43. 10. against all the heathens, to testifie of his Omniscience, in predictions of things to come which their gods could not do; and of his Omnipotency in admirable workes done for them in the wildernesse, in the p. 850sea, in the land; of his singular goodnesse and providence in innumerable mercies, wherein they were advanced above all people of the earth. Did the Lord need them to witnesse? no, but it was their honour to be vouchsafed such grace, that whereas all the heathens witnessed to their idolls, they of all people on the earth witnessed and celebrated the great and noble acts of God done among them.

3 Nothing makes us liker to Christ our head, 3.that true and faithfull witnesse: this was his speciall office, to witnesse the truth as the redeemer of mankinde, and the author of truth, Ioh. 18. 37. For this cause was I borne, and came into the world, that I might testifie of the truth. Even so every member of Christ is borne into the Church, and commeth into the world of Beleevers, to give witnesse unto the truth, as being taught in the truth, and as the redeemed of the Lord.

4 As nothing can make us liker to God, so nothing 4is better pleasing unto God. God the Father hath often and sundry wayes testified unto his Son.

First, Sensibly and audibly, in his baptisme, and transfiguration also, that he was the son of his love, who had all his love cast upon him.

Secondly, By the internall revelation of his Spirit, in the hearts of beleevers, as to Peter, Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed this, but my Father in heaven.

Thirdly, and especially by the mission & ministery of the Son himselfe: Ioh. 3. 33. he that receiveth his testimony, fealeth that God is true: for he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God. If wee desire to be like God, or to please God, we must herein imitate him as deare children.

Which serves for the reproofe of such as are afraid or ashamed of this testimony: contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 8. p. 851Vse 1.Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Many will not testifie to Christ among poore men, some because great men resist it; some are afraid of the strictnesse of it, some of the crosses, some of the scornes of it; and most, because this witnesse would witnesse against their own contrary courses: and men of little faith are dejected in small matters. But such Christ wilbe ashamed of in the day of his appearing, and shall witnesse against them that he never knew them.

Such also are condemned, as do contest against the witnessing of Christ. The world is full of false witnesses, such as were suborned against Christ: as

First, all false teachers that father that on Christ, which he never spake; as Papists or others that deny, any article of faith and Christian Religion: so the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not againe, we are false witnesses. So to teach the doctrine of mans merit of free-will to good, image-worship, or the like, is to be a false witnesse against Christ himselfe.

Secondly, all unbeleevers that receive not this testimony: whether such as scorne to heare the witnesses of Christ (if they dislike the person, they will none of the witnesse; loth to drinke good wine, because they like not the dish) or such as heare sometime, but beleeve not the witnesse; this infidelity makes God a liar, so farre as a wicked man can, 1 Ioh. 5. 11.

Thirdly, such as contest against his witnesses, to elevate their testimony: for, as in the dayes of his flesh there wanted not such as witnessed against himselfe in person, that he was a drunkard, a devill, a friend to Publicans and sinners, an enemie to Caesar, a blasphemer; so for the same end, to weaken the authority of his witnesses, there never wanted such as would witnesse against Iob, that he was an hypocrite, p. 852that Paul was a pestilent fellow, a moover of sedition, a preacher of false doctrin, unworthy to live And can the devill devise so foule accusations, or so slaunderous, which his agents will not boldly urge against the witnesses of Christ, to whose innocency & godlinesse God himselfe witnesseth?

This also serveth to comfort,

1 Poore Christians, despised in the world: God Vse. 2.honors the poorest Beleever, to be a witnesse to his truth: and a poore mans testimony is as good even in mens Courts, as a rich: but much more before Gods tribunall.

2 Such as suffer for this testimony losses, reproaches, and the contempt of the world. Even wee lovingly respect such as suffer for their love to us in upholding our truth and innocency: and much more doth the Lord: see the promise for incouragement. Mat. 19. 29.

It is also a word of instruction: that we frame and fit our selves to this witnesse.Use 3.

Quest. How may that be?

Answ. To a good testimony is required a good witnesse, and to a good witnesse must concurre these five things.

1 Knowledge and certaine perswasion of the truth, to which we are to testifie. When Christ was to raise up witnesses to the truth of the Gospell, he would have them his owne domestickes, to be with him, to be eye-witnesses, and eare-witnesses of all he did or spake: so as they were to deliver nothing but of their certaine knowledge, the things they had heard and seene and handled; 1 Ioh. 1. 1. So as ignorant persons that care not for the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel, are as fit to witnesse to Christ, as a blinde man to judge of colours.

2 For this knowledge and perswasion, because it p. 853must be from a divine teacher, as the thing witnessed is, we must not content our selves with the report of men, or an humane apprehension of the matters of religion, but be sure wee have the spirit of God inwardly to teach us: for the naturall man cannot discerne the things of God: Ioh. 15. 26. When the Comforter shall come, he shall testifie of me, and ye shall witnesse also: but not before they have received the Spirit.

3 Faithfulnesse & sincerity: to testify the truth only, & the whole truth. A man of integrity is a fit witnesse in this great cause of Christ. Many professe o…e thing & practise another: have a forme of godlinesse, but deny the power of it. These are unfaithfull and disgraceful witnesses, that say & unsay; a discredit to the cause, a shame to themselves: Their word and witnesse goes for nothing: mens tribunalls cast out such witnesses with disgrace, much more the Lords.

4 Plainnesse and opennesse: that men may know, what they witnesse: that their testimony may be an evidence: not to fumble, or flatter, or blanch the truth. Ministers must explane the Testament of Christ, and speake plainly that Christ by it gives nothing but to his friends and kindred, to his mother, brethren, sisters, even such as heare the word and keepe it: that he bequeathed the inheritance to the sanctified, not the profane; that pearles are not cast to swine; that howsoever wicked ones will scrape acquaintance with Christ at this day, and at the day of judgment, for that they were just, sober, charitable, civill, harmelesse, yea beyond many of us in their civill entertainments of Christ, yet shall they not be found in the genealogie, are not of the house of faith, nor of the blood of Christ.

5 Courage and boldnesse to stand to their witnesse. Pilate gave a good testimony of Christ his innocency, p. 854but wanting courage he went against his owne testimony. Now this courage is necessarie,

First, to stand out against numbers of false witnesses. One Elias must stand against foure hundred false Prophets: the Apostles against the whole Councell, Act. 5. 32.

Secondly, to contemne the wrath of the adverse part, armed with furie and madnesse against them; Act. 5. 33. they brust for anger, and consulted.

Thirdly, to abate the madnesse of adversaries: as did the courage of the disciples, having the better end of the staffe, Act. 16. 39. the magistrates came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the City.

Motives thus to give witnesse to Jesus Christ.

1 All creatures, even the unreasonable, witnesse to the glory of God. Act. 14. 17. he left not himselfe without witnesse, in that he gave raine and fruitfull seasons. If we should hold our peace, the very stones would cry.

2 It is so honourable a service, as the Angells themselves desire to stoope and bow unto it, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Even they affectionatly long and desire to behold and witnesse the spirituall riches of the Church by Jesus Christ. The faces of the Cherubins were alwaies upon the Arke: they could never looke enough, nor with admiration enough, upon the affaires of the Church. How ready and faithfull have they been on these errands and messages? &c.

3 To faithfull witnesses God witnesseth, that he is their God, as the Patriarkes, Heb. 11. 16. he is not ashamed to be called their God,

4 Professors and slaves of Antichrist are bold to witnesse their false faith, with resolution of minde, danger of body, losse of goods, lands, liberty, and life: and shall Christs servants be ashamed in his testimony?

p. 8555. The Saints have not counted their lives deare to them, nor loved them to the death for Christs sake, as wee have seene on Verse 11. Hee is a very Jade that will not follow a free Leader.

6. The season and time invites it: If men will not now witnesse to Christ in the dayes of truth and protection, what will they doe in the fiery tryall? for what dayes doe so many conceale their resolution? why doe so many desire rather to bee counted wise, than religious?

And I stood on the Sea-shore, or land.]

These words belong not to this Chapter, but to the next vision; neither read in the first person, He stood, that is the dragon (as some read) on the sand, that is, on a sandie and mouldring foundation, or on a multitude of wicked men, as the sand: but in the first person, I stood, that is, I stood in vision on the sand, to see the beast rising out of the sea; so as the words are a transition to the vision of the beast in the next Chapter.

So I have by the grace of God finished this taske and text, which hath notably suted with the occurrences of these latter times, and seasonably met with the present occasions and state of the Churches, at home and abroad. I will not goe forward in this mysticall booke; for in this chapter I have led you into the heart and kernell of the whole booke; and given not a darke light to the whole: Besides, you louelove variety, and my selfe ayme at some other plainer doctrine.

Bella, minas, fluvios, mulier cum semine sancto

Sustinet, & victrix astra Ducem que petit.

FINIS.