Christs Victory Over the Dragon, Text (5 of 15)

Christs Victory Over the Dragon · Text (5 of 15)

p. 2353. Establish thy selfe in the truth, and see thou beest well grounded and able to hold the truth against errours, false doctrine, heresies, which are a part of the taile of the dragon; look into the heresies and errours of the time, as physitions study the nature and describe the work of poysons, not to teach them, but to teach how to avoid them. So heresies of p. 236Popery must be studied not to be received and supped up, but to be damned and refuted. Many reade Popish bookes and erronious schoolemen, and are turned into that they reade, as poyson drunke turnes the body unto it selfe.

2. Settle thy selfe in love of truth, else maist thou easily be given up to strong delusions; see 2 Thess. 2. 10. and Marke 10. 21.

4. Content not thy selfe to be well read and seen in the Scriptures, nor to shine in light of knowledge and pure doctrine, nor in seemely, sober and civill conversation, but labour especially to make thine owne Election sure, for the dragon can cast downe none of the elect, no not the weakest of them, whereas he prevaileth against strong Cedars of most excellent common graces, who are called to the meanes, but not of purpose, Rom. 8. 28.

5. Pray unto the Lord to uphold thee, for what art thou to him, whose taile can cast downe the third part of the starres? if his taile be so huge, what is the bignesse and strength of his bulke? or what is the silly woman or any of her sonnes to such a monster? pray therefore that Iesus Christ would take thee in amongst the starres, into his right hand, the hand of protection and safety, the hand which is stronger than all, out of which hand the dragon cannot take them.

To hearers, learne hence to pray earnestly for Vse II.their Ministers, and afford them all the strength they can against this monstrous dragon, whose incessant Prayer for our Ministers how prevalēt.labour is to throw them downe, for prayer is a strong bul warke; a guard of men cannot make them so safe as the prayers of Gods people: Peter Acts 12 by this meanes was saved from the dragons taile, when in likelihood an army of a million of men could not have rescued him; this made the Apostles p. 237every where beg prayers of the faithfull. Faile thou in this, and thou sinnest against God in ceasing to pray for them.

2. Thou makest thy selfe guilty of the troubles of thy teacher.

3. Thou art often denyed comfort in the Ministery, and they that should speake to the hearts of Gods people, speake often to grieve and gall them, because thou prayest not for them to speake as they Eph. 6. 20.Eph 6:20ought.

Take no offence to see many learned men, once Use III.zealous preachers, fall ex orbe in orbem, out of their orbe and heavenly motion to the world and secular affaires: It was before prophesied by Christ, Matth. 24. 29. and Rev. 6. 13. Starres fell unto earth as a figtree casts her figs in a mighty winde: the blustring storme and winde of temptation shake many a figtree, and stripeth them of their unripe figges and unsound fruit; when we see such woefull sights wee may say to thē as Absalon to Thamar, defiled and defloured by Ammon, Hath Ammon met with thee? 2 Sam. 13. 20. so surely the dragon hath met with them, hee ought them a spight and payed them, a piece of his taile hath light on them and smitten them to the earth. And much lesse marvell if many which seemed good and zealous hearers, and shined in the firmament of the Church, as starres of lesser magnitude, have fallen from their beginnings, as weary of the good way: for if the dragon cast downe so many teachers with his taile, what heaps of common professors in the visible Church may we conceive he throweth downe from heaven to earth?

To the resisters and opposers of godly Ministers Vse IIII.& good Preachers; what art thou that createst trouble, and art casting downe the starres so farre as p. 238lyeth in thy power, but a piece of the taile of the dragon? Such as Alexander the Coppersmith, and Elimas that resisted Paul, called by him the childe of the devill. And what art thou doing but easing the dragon; and saving him a labour? art thou afraide the dragons taile cannot cast downe starres enough without thy helpe? or what a needlesse labour art thou about, so long as the dragon is alive?

To comfort the bright shining starres, and faithfull Vse V. Comfort to the shining starres. 4. Grounds.Ministers in their troubles and oppositions.

1. In regard of their adversaries; who are they that fight against the light, but mēbers of the kingdome of darknes? let a godly man shine as a bright star in his orbe, who be they that oppose & seek to cast him downe, but Papists and favorites of them, swearers, Atheists, unclean and of filthy life and tongue? what marvell if such spit poyson, what other to bee expected? A Pot boyles over with such liquor as is within.

2. In regard of their safety, which is in Gods faithfull promise of foure things.

1. His presence with them, I am with you to hide you from strife of tongues, Psal 31. 20.

2. His assistance in their calling, so farre as is necessary hee will take their part and rebuke the dragon, as in Ioshua, Zach. 3. 2.

3. His protection, he will take them into his right hand, Rev. 1. 20.

4. Remuneration, that they shall shine more and more till they shine as starres in the kingdome of Glory, Dan. 12. 3.

The impotency of the dragon, hee cannot throw Doct. II. The dragon cannot cast downe all the …ars but only … part. Rev. 8. 4.Rev 8:4downe all the starres, but onelyonly a third part, so as two third parts remain still in their orbes & shining. Whē the first Angel blew the Trumpet, that is, when the Gospel was preached by the Apostles, haile, and p. 239fire and blood fell as stormes, that is, persecutions and perils, contradiction, exile and slaughter by the stubbornnesse of the Iewes against them; and by this fire of persecutiō the third part of the trees were burnt; that is, the Apostles & excellēt teachers of the Church compared to fruitfull and florishing trees, for their greennes shadow & fruits, a great part of them were afflicted, slaine, put to deadly torments, but not all, the dragon could scorch but a third part Verse 8. When the second Angel blew his trumpet a great mountaine, that is, the Romane tyrants, so called for their hight, power and swelling pride, burning with fire: that is, of fury and fiercenesse against Christian religion: was cast into the sea, that is, many people of the world subiect to the Romane power and Empire: and the third part of the sea was turned into blood, that is, many thousand Christians were oppressed and consumed with the fire of the burning mountaine, but onelyonly a third part. And the third part of creatures dyed, that is, faithfull Christians slaughtered and murthered: & the third part of ships, that is, the Churches, whose Pastors are her Pilots, and these planted by the hand of the Apostles themselves, oppressed and subdued. Now this fierce dragon would have turned all the sea to blood, killed all living creatures, the life of whose faith was manifest in found profession; would have destroyed and sunke all ships and Pilots all visible Churches and Pastors, but could onelyonly a third part. Verse 10. When the third Angel blew his Trumpet there fell a great starre, that is, the Romane Bishop; for by starres are meant teachers called absinthiam or wormwood fell from heaven, that is, falling from purity of doctrine, and declining to taste the bitter morsels of pride, ambition, preheminence, and of humane doctrines and devises it fell into the third part of RIVERS, p. 240& made them bitter, & many dyed of thē; that is, the same corruption tainted and imbittered the third part of Pastors & Bishops, by whō as by rivers, the sweet waters of heavenly doctrine should and have flowed & have bin derived unto others; but now by that exāple were tainted with grosse superstitiō, errors, herisies, earthlines, carnal pompe and pleasure; But not all, onelyonly a third part, for many upheld in themselves and in others the sincerity of holy doctrine and example.

Verse 12. When the fourth Angell blew his Trū pet, the third part of the Sunne, the Moone and the Stars were smitten with darknesse, and the day was smitten, & the night also, viz. a grievous night of darknes, either of Idolatry & superstitiō, as some, or of persecutiōs, as others, darkned and obscured the cheife ornamēts of the purer Church of Christ: the Sunne the Scriptures, the Moone the doctrine borrowed thence, the Starres the Ministers, the day that is the joy and comfort of the Church in enjoying her happy Sun, and the night, it reached even to those without the Church, being as in the night; but the dragon could not darken all the Sunne, all the Moone, and all the Starres, but a third part onelyonly.

The fift Angel blew his trumpet, Rev. 19. 1. the Antichristian Locusts, rising out of the smoake of Popish rites and traditions are commanded to hurt no tree or grasse, that is, no Pastors or priuate Christians, which are sealed in their foreheads.

Cap. 9. 15. When the sixt Angel blew his Trumpet; the foure Angels, not by nature, but by office: some instruments approved of and appointed by God for the execution of his judgements; they must slay onelyonly the third part of men, of Christians, and can goe no further. Those sixe Trumpets thus explaned have notably proved the point in hand, namely the dragons impotency.

p. 241God for his glory will not suffer the dragon to Reas. 1.breake in sunder his order, whereby he hath appointed to teach and call men by such as are called and sent, Rom. 10. 15. the Ministry is Gods ordinance, not mans; and God will uphold it.

2. The whole government and blessing of the Ministry Reas. 2.belongeth to Jesus Christ, who hath undertaken to furnish his Church with Pastors in all ages, for the edification of his owne body, till wee all meete in one perfect man, Ephes. 4. And looke what was the Office of the High Priest, a singular type of Christ, in the old Testament, the same is the Office of Christ in his Church. The High Priests was to looke to the lights in the Sanctuary, and to supply them with holy oyle, that they might never goe out; and now though the dragon be never so desirous to put out all the lights, yet he is too weake for Jesus Christ in his care and calling.

3. The necessity of the Church suffers onelyonly a third Reas. 3.part, but not all the starres to be throwne downe, for the harvest of the elect must be gathered in all ages, and therefore labourers must bee successively thrust forth: So long as the Lord keepeth house hee must have stewards to dispose his mysteries, and allowance to his family; so long as hee hath a flocke hee will▪ have shepheards to tend it, and will not suffer them all to bee smitten at once, for then all the sheepe should be scattered; so long as hee hath a Vineyard he must have dressers, so long as he hath a field he must have husbandmen, so long as the shippe of the Church is on the troublesome sea of this world, he will not suffer her without Pilots to bring her safely to shoare.

4. Christ cannot be so forgetfull of his neare relation Reas. 4.with his faithfull pastors, as to suffer the dragō to throw them downe all at once; he is their Lord, p. 242and they his servants, who is able and willing to aide them in their faithfulnesse; he▪ is the Bridegroome, and they friends of the Bridegroome, wooing and adorning his Spouse; they are preferred before others in nearnes to Jesus Christ, as having Mediators not meritorious as Christ, but ministeriall. Nazianzen.foreign, a mediation betweene God and man, especially resembling Christ; yea and are Coworkers with God and Saviours, Obed. 21. of men, and stand in the stead of Christ, 2 Cor. 4. 20. Christ will looke to their standing, as to his own.

V. Because of the manifold and sundry wayes by which the Lord usually seeth to defeat the dragons Reas. 5. Many wayes the Lord can and doth defeat the dragon. 7. Instances.projects, that they shall not cast down all the stars; as,

1. He having undertaken to supply his Church, the dragon cannot throw downe one but he raiseth another; if not in the same place, yet he pricketh down his faithfull servants here and there, so as such as wil know them, may by their paines have recourse unto them. If God take away an Elijah, hee raiseth up for him an Elisha with his spirit doubled upon him, 2 King. 2. 15. If Herod take away Iohn, Christ the Bridegroome himselfe standeth up for him: if the Iewes take away Christ, there are twelve Apostles succeed him; and they being departed and taken away by the dragon, a succession of infinite Pastors is raised for them, with whom the Lord Jesus is present unto the end of the world.

2. When the dragon is most fierce, he hath a secret chamber to hide his servants in, till the storme be over, Isa. 26. 20. In the storme raised by Ahab, he hath an Obediah to hide a 100 of them, a third part, from Iezabels rage. If Christ the babe be hunted in Iury, he shall be sent into Egypt.

3. He can withhold the dragon even by that which he most pursueth and hateth: God can make the reverence and holines of a man, which they above all p. 243things persecute, binde their hands; as all men held Iohn as a Prophet, and Herod feared him and the Iewish dragōs would often have assailed Christ himself, but feared the people, that admired his holines and goodnesse. They that went to apprehēd Christ came without him, saying, Never man spake like this mā.

4. He can and doth often make the dragons themselves protectors, as Claudius Lysias, a heathen, to set a strong garrison about Paul, when forty mē had sworne his death, Act. 22. 27. Hee can make Pilates wife and Pilates selfe plead for Christ; and King Achish protect David against Saul.

5. Hee can make the dragon quarrell with himselfe, and so for a time divert the fury from the stars; he can make the Mideanites turne their swords one against another; he can send an evill spirit betweene Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and a fire shal goe forth from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem, and from the men of Shechem to consume Abimelech, Iudg. 9. 20, 23. And thus when wicked men fall out among themselves, the godly escape betweene them, as Paul between the Sadduces and Pharises. When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies his friends, although often Act. 23. 6. Pro. 16. 7.Acts 23:6Prov 16:7against their owne intentions.

6. Hee can make them safer in the dragons paw or mouth, than if they were at large and liberty: the three children were safer in the furnace, than they were out of it; Daniel safer in the denne than in the Court; and Ieremy 38. 28. was safer in prison than they that were at liberty, for when they were caried away and spoyled, he was preserved in safe custody for the future service of the Church.

7. He can and doth make the dragon storme and rage to see and say as Pharaoh did, that the more he oppresseth them, the more they rise and encrease.

p. 244This serveth to dishearten and confound the enemies Use. 1.of God and his Church, they cannot worke wisely enough to cast downe all the starres, all the power of earth or hell shall not effect their desires; they take crafty counsell against Gods secrets ones, Psal. 83. 3. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amilecke, &c. but God with whom is wisdome and strength, overthrowes their devises, that never did they, nor shall see all their hearts desires.

To comfort the Church of God against the dragons Vse II.power, they must know his power is limited and restrained, so that two third parts are still saved: the power of God, which is the onelyonly wall and fence against the proud and raging waves of the sea, that they overflow not all the earth, Psal. 104. 9. hee restraineth and breaketh the proud and swelling waves of the dragon, saying, Thus farre shalt thou come and no further; thou shalt not meddle with my remnant, my third part, these I hold in my right hand, and thou shalt not plucke them thence.

Feare not then the threats of dragons what they No prevailing against the Saints, till,can doe, what they will doe against the starres, they can doe nothing, but,

1. What God wil permit them to execute for the sinnes of the Church, which cast downe more starres 1. God permitthan all the dragons.

2. Nor till Gods time be come Christ cannot bee stoned, apprehended till the houre of the power of 2. Gods time is come.darknesse be come; nor any member,

3. Not till the worke be done in that place for 3. Their work be done.which God sent them: Paul being in Corinth resisted and blasphemed, shooke his raiment, and said, Your blood be upon your owne head, and purposed to depart thence, (the case of many a good Minister) but God comforteth him by a vision, and promiseth his presence with him, and biddeth him goe on, for p. 245he had many people in that city to call; till the worke was done he must not goe; and so he stayed a yeare and sixe monthes more, Acta 18. 9.

To stay the hearts of godly men when they see true Use III.Ministers shining as starres cast downe by the dragon, as of late in forraine parts where the dragon hath prevailed; espie here the dragons malice, who will do as much spoile in the Church, as God permitteth him to doe: but though he may prevaile against some, yet he cannot against all, God wil uphold two third parts to witnesse against the dragon; that is, so many as shall serve his providence in the salvation of all his Saints, wheresoever scattered in the world; So long as any are to bee saved by being brought to the faith, the word of faith must bee preached.

Ascribe all the glory to the power of God and his Vse IIII.Providence, if we enjoy the shine of any starre, or see abroad any shining starre standing in his place. It is no thanke to the dragon, or the enemies who weary themselves in casting about to cast them all downe, and would, if the Lord did not uphold thē to the Churches neede: I have heard the railing and feare on every side, but the Lord is with me as a mighty Ier. 11. 19. Acts 18 10. Ier. 20. 11.Jer 11:19Acts 18:10Jer 20:11Gyant, Psal. 1 36. 9 he made the stars for the night, he taketh special care of them; men may call them at their pleasure, hee calleth them all by their right names?

Object What need we care for them seeing God is so carefull.

Sol. Provoke not God to remove them.

1. See the neede of starres for illumination, warmth, moisture, refrigeration; by them discerne Starres needfull in a darke night.seasons of grace; guide thy course on the sea of this world: starres were made not for ornament onelyonly, but for use, heate, influence.

p. 2462. Make use of their light, some hate the light, as of commets, portending evill to them, and blesse themselves from them.

3. Reioyce in their light constantly, not as the Iewes did in Iohn, that counted him a light for a season; men receive Preachers as new Starres or Commets, gaze a while, but care not how soone they be wasted.

The second effect by which the dragon is described, is by his mischievous attempt against the woman, as the former was against the starres; this effect is set downe,

1. By his action, he stood before the Woman.

2. His intention, to devoure the childe when it was brought forth.

I. In his action observe two things.

1. What it is to stand before the woman.

2. How he standeth before her.

1. To stand before the woman is an allusion to the ancient Story both of the dragon standing before Eve the woman, that is, the mother of the world and of the Church, to seduce her; as also of Pharaoh called the dragon of Aegypt, watching the destruction of the male children of the Church, so soone as the mothers should bee delivered of them; to which places out of doubt the text hath reference. This standing before the woman implieth two things.

1, His readinesse and nearnesse, as one at hand, narrowly watching & observing to assault and destroy The dragon standeth before the woman.the blessed seed.

2. His instance and diligence in the purpose, hee departs not farre, nor long, but standeth, and abideth, proceedeth and persisteth in his mischievous purpose and intention against the Church and members; he standeth still, but not idle.

p. 2472. How, he standeth before her, and that is two wayes.

1. By fraud and secret trechery, he layeth traines out of sight for her hurt, and by flattery seeketh to bring and lure her into his snare.

2. By open force and violence to subdue such as by secret traines he cannot allure.

II. His intention, to devoure the childe, hee seemeth to doe nothing lesse, but the Spirit of God uncaseth him, & sheweth us the true end of all his coū sels and indeavours. Let the dragon dissemble never so much friendship (as to Eve in eating) his minde is murderous, for hee standeth not afore us to abridge us of our liberty, or goods, or outward comfort onelyonly, but his direct aime is to compasse our death and destruction of soule and body.

Quest. But what had the child done, or when should he devoure it?

Sol. He watcheth the destruction of it before it Satan assaults the childe in the birth. 3. Reasons.be borne, if the woman miscary not, in bringing forth some abortive birth; then he bestirreth himselfe to destroy the young and tender birth, so soone as it taketh breath in the Church. Where in the dragon note three things.

1. The groundednesse and setlednesse of malice in the nature of the dragon, who out of his wickednesse unstirred and unprovoked, carrieth deadly wrath against the children of the Church. There is a naturall enmity and antipathy betweene the seed of the dragon, and the seed of the woman; for what can the childe doe against him before hee is borne?

2. The policy of the dragon, who will not suffer the womans children to grow up to strength and stature, but will oppresse them even in the bi…, or as soone as they are borne; while they are tender and least able to resist: hee knoweth the fittest time to p. 248blast grace is in herba, in the cradle, in the beginnings.

3. The implacablenesse of this savage dragon, whose pittilesse disposition nothing can move; not infancy, not tendernesse, not innocency, not causelesnesse, nothing can pleade or prevaile for a drop of compassion; nay, these rather cause and stirre up his wrath, and kindle his rage and fury more against them; and this is the enemy with whom we have to deale, whom Gods spirit hath thus graphycally and punctually described, that we might stand so much the more watchfully and preparedly against him.

So soone as any childe commeth to bee borne of the Church, Satan watcheth by all means to destroy Doct. The dragon hindreth good things in their beginning. 5. Reasons.him. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Satan as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom to devoure. The principall businesse of Satan in the world hath ever been to take out of the way, and to destroy vijs & modis, by secret fraud or open force all that should bee spiritually begotten of the Church, especially such as should stand up to maintaine the religion of Christ. How Herod the dragon stood before the woman seeking to slay the childe Iesus so soone as he was borne, appeareth Mat. 2. 16. hee could not hinder his holy conception, his quickning, birth, but his hope is to devoure him being borne; the same fury he sheweth to the members; and to come to that our text aimeth at, how the dragon by the heathen Roman Emperours and bloody Tyrants Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the rest did by most cruell Edicts, torments, and unheard of punishments and persecutions, stand in the whole Empire with the greatest vigilancy that might bee to swallow up whatsoever Christian should be borne in the Church, utterly to extirpate all Christians, and extinguish the Christian faith, is manifest in every leafe and line of that bloody Story. But especially the dragon p. 249by those tyrants watched and observed most diligently, lest any defender of the Christian faith either in Magistracy or Ministery, should spring up; in so much that if any President or Governour was more moderate or lesse rigorous against Christiās, he was presently devoured by the dragon, as a favourer or childe of the woman.

His incessant labour to hinder the glory of God; Reas. 1.for whereas the glory of a King is the multitude of his subjects; he cannot abide that Gods glory should bee increased by the increase of the subjects of his Kingdome.

He is the Arch-tyrant, and head of all tyrants in Reas. 2.the world, and setteth up and holdeth up his kingdome by tyranny and injustice; and as Attaliah could never thinke her selfe stable in her usurped authority till she had slaine all the Kings seed, 2 Kin. 11. 1. so this monster of tyrants, and scourge of the world, thinketh his kingdome can never bee sure and stable if he kill not all the Kings seed, the sonnes of this woman the Church.

His extrem… hatred of the true religion; the true Reas. 3.service of God amongst the Israelites was an abomination to the Aegyptians, and therefore like dragons they oppressed them. The dragon never ceaseth to hinder or corrupt the purity of Gods worship, or to persecute whom he cannot hinder: Let Israel but talk of going to worship in the wildernesse, the hellish Pharaoh presently begins to rage, to augment the burthens and never cease his unjust vexation, till himselfe cease to be.

His incurable envy of the happy estate of man, not Reason. 4.onelyonly that of Adam in Paradise, whereof he quickly spoyled him, but especially that which in the secōd Adam we are restored unto, for this maketh him even ready to burst for envy, that whereas himself is p. 250cast down from heaven his first habitation, & everlastingly reprobated from God, from his favour, presence, place of glory, without all hope of mercy; boūd in chaines of blacke darknesse to the judgement of the great day; mankinde should by vertue of a Covenant of grace be elected and raised to a fee simple of eternall glory, purchased by the Sonne of God, sealed by his Spirit, and apprehended by the faith of every beleever.

His earnest desire and study to hold men in the state of nature, for he knoweth there hee hath them Reas. 5. How many wayes Satan windeth himselfe to keepe men in their naturall estatesure enough; but if there appeareth any change, hee bestirreth himselfe, and teareth and vexeth the parties from whom he must needs depart; as in the instances of the Gospell. This appeareth in that,

1. So long as men are in their naturall estate, hee knoweth they are out of the favour of God, enimies to God, and God to them; but in the beginning of their change they become friends to God, and no sooner can God be friend a man, but Satan taketh him for his foe and enemy: no sooner canst thou have peace with God, but warre with Satan.

2. In the state of nature a man fighteth stoutly against grace and righteousnesse, all his members are given up as weapons of unrighteousnesse for the devill and sinne; but now in the beginning of this change he taketh the Lords presse-money, renounceth his old Captaine, fighteth under Gods Standard whom the dragon most maligneth: and now no marvell if Satan advance his flags of defiance against him, because hee standeth on the contrary part.

3. While a man is in the state of nature he knoweth he is a slave to sinne and a bondman to the Devill, ruled at his will, under an heavier bondage than Israel under Pharaoh; but let him desire once to get p. 251out of this thraldome, Pharaoh did never storme so much against Israel as the dragon will against him. The Iaylor is quiet so long as he is sure of his prisoners, but let any of them seeke an escape, or to break prison, then he bestirreth himselfe, and loadeth that party with fetters, and useth him with all rigour: so doth the dragon so soone as ever hee seeth one begin to stirre in his conversion.

4. In the naturall state hee knoweth a man goeth merrily to hell, in which way he never disquieteth him, as Iacobs sonnes going into Aegypt found no let; but if he set his face or foot towards the Land of Promise, he shall never want enemies or difficulties, no more than they did.

Seeing Satan ever standeth before the woman, as Use. 1. Satan defireth no sharper weapon then our owne security.Pharaoh, to surprize the infant in grace, even in the birth; wee see how neare wee are alway to danger, and what need wee have still to stand upon our watch; for shall Satan stand seeking to devoure us, and shall not wee …and in a watchfull resistance? it is the Apostles inference, 1 Peter 5. 8, …. Your Adversary seeketh to devoure, whom resist, stedfast in the faith: for why hath the Spirit of God thus described our enemy and his enterprizes against us, but that we might make our advantage of it, and not being ignorant of his wiles might bee so much the more watchfull? What man that knoweth there lyeth a porent enemy before him who watcheth to murther him, will not bee watchfull to save his owne life, and defeat his enemy? or what needeth an enemy any other weapon than his adversaries security? as appeareth in Iael against Sisera, whose safety had beene in the watch of himselfe.

But in this watch observe these Rules.In watching against Satan observe three Rules.

p. 252See thou stand in thy owne ranke and watchtower; Rule 1.thou hast a promise of safety onelyonly in thy way, the surest fortification is diligence in the generall and speciall calling, whereas idlenesse is the devils pillow and Anvile.

See thou standest armed at all points, seeing Sathan Rule 2.standeth armed before thee, never lay off any one piece of spirituall armour. Men in peace hang up their armour by the wals till it rust and take dust; but buckle it fast to thee as having still an enemy before thee seeking to disarme thee as hee did Israel, whom hee made naked by the Calfe, and by Balaams wyles laid them naked to Gods vengeance.

Because no strength else is comparable to his Rule 3.that standeth before thee, but the strength of the Captaine; stand in his strength, and bee instant in prayer and strong cries for his helpe. If a man were in the hand of theeves, meaning not onelyonly to robbe him but to cut his throate, how would hee cry for helpe? This is our continuall estate, and therefore we have neede to pray continually: the holding up of Moses hands in prayer is the strength of Israel, and so is it the victory against the spirituall Amaleck

Note the groūnd of the dragons malice, and of the Vse II.quarrell of the wicked men, no other cause but that they are children of the Church, or otherwise causelesse in them. Pharaoh killed the Israelites Infants causelesly, Assur oppresseth Israel without a cause, Isa. 52. 4. Iohn 10. 32. For which good worke doe yee stone me? they pretend blasphemy; something done or not done by them: No the quarrell is more ancient, more grounded, more inward than any thing done by them; they know how Esau striveth with Iacob in the wombe before birth; p. 253it is malice bred in the bone.

A wicked man will raile on a good man hee never saw nor knew, and if a wicked man knew that a childe in the wombe would prove a good man and sonne of the CHVRCH, hee would hate it before the birth. The just wrath of the dragon against David, Psa. 35. 19. and against the Sonne of David in Iohn 15. 25.

Never set thy selfe to any good course but Use III. No calling or condition can secure a good man from opposition.expect the dragon to stand before thee, make account of all his malice, and whatsoever op position the world his armour-bearer can molest thee withall; no condition or calling can secure thee; for,

1. Let a Magistrate set himselfe faithfully for the Lord to uphold the pure worship of GOD, and zealously stand for GOD, for good causes, and persons;

Now the dragon is grieved that a man is come that seeketh the wealth of Israel, Nehemiah 2. 10. now stand before him Sanbellet and Tobiah, and with these many complices conspire against Hierusalem to hinder him, and hence he thrusts into the ordinance as many disaffected persons to true religion as he can.

2. Let a Popish Preist breathe out fury and rage against the truth, and revile all the generation of them that seeke GOD, and cast them in bonds and trouble: He thriveth and is in as great credit as Saul was in that way, but let him once see a light shining round about him, and being converted, faithfully preach the Gospell, which hee persecuted; now the dragon standeth before him, inwardly buffetting him with temptations, and outwardly setting a number of dragons and generation of Vipers to sting him with whippings, imprisonings, p. 254stonings, and all deadly persecutions; and what godly Minister can avoid the winnowings of the dragon?

3. Let a private man sit as Israel in Aegypt, and favour the Aegyptian Idols, hee may enjoy the flesh-pots and favour of Aegypt; but let him once speake of the true service of GOD, and of departing from those men and manners, Pharaoh that dragon, and all his people persecute them with all barbarous cruelty: Be thou never so private, if thou givest thy name to God, and take upon thee with the profession, the practise of sound religion: Looke now what way thou canst, thou shalt finde the dragon before thee; Begin to build thee a spirituall house for the LORD, and looke for as many dragons to stand before thee as Nehemiah had in the repairing of the walles of IERVSALEM.

Here are two worthy questions.

1. How I may know the dragon standeth before me?

2. How I may stand before the dragon.

1. To know that the dragon standeth before thee attempting any good, thou shalt discerne it,How a man may discerne the dragon standing before him.

1. By secret fraud, or,

2. By hellish and open slanders.

By both these here he standeth before the woman; by both he stood before the seed of the woman, as well in Peters friendly perswasion, Master pity thy selfe, as in Iudas in betraying him; and thus also against all her seed; as for example.

1 So long as hee can he will oppresse cunningly and craftily as a very good friend, discouraging the practice of piety, hiding his homes; for so long as he can he will not be accused of open tyranny; See it in some instances.

p. 2551. He commeth to a man loking towards religion, telleth him it is too heavy a yoak for him, & it will. not be for his ease to undergoe so strict a course, as will make his life but uncomfortable, & strip him of all his liberty; why should you not favour your self? as if the dragon whose intention is to devoure, did above all desire the ease and comfort of a mans life; but Christs counsell against the dragon is, to beare his yoak for it is easie and light, and all the wayes of wisedome are the wayes of pleasure. Now the dragon is before thee.

2. But what if you should set your hand to the Plough and looke back, were you not in farre worse case than before? better you had never knowne the truth than to forsake the holy commandement; as if the dragon were an enemy to Apostasie and backsliding; but the dragon is apparently before thee, in that he would have thee cast off all care of religion by that argument whereby Christ spurreth and inciteth it.

3. Hee would have him shew himselfe a wise man, and not set himselfe against a streame; doe Rulers and rich men so? and why shall hee joyne to a few poore and simple men that are every where contemned and condemned of indiscretion, perhaps of hypocrisie? as if true wisedome were not tied to the perfect way, whether many or few, great ones or meane ones walke it it; for Christ saith, that for the most part the poore receive the Gospel; and the Apostle, that not many rich; Now is the dragon before thee.

4. He will have him shew himselfe a peaceable man; oh the peace of the Church is to bee tendred, and turbulent spirits are dangerous, which stand upon such nice points, & busie themselves with things above their reach; a peaceable man will take things p. 256as he findeth them, and will doe what he may whē he cannot doe what he would; as if the onelyonly make-baite in the world were so set for peace, or as if his whole drift herein were not to separate peace from truth; which last God hath magnified above all things, and therefore above peace.

5. Hee hath a great care of his good name, hee would not have him by any means undertake or goe on in any course that should savour of curiosity, or by which they should be counted singular, for then he were undone and could never recover the disgrace and reproach of it; as if himselfe were not the author and devisor of all reproaches cast upon the way of God, and the accuser of the brethren: but the dragon standeth before thee to hinder selfe-deniall, which is the first thing to be done of him that will be a Disciple.

6 He would have him a good husband and thriving in the world, not any where to interrupt his calling or takings by reading the Scripture, and hearing sermons on the weeke dayes, or by such strictnesse on the Sabbath, as not to serve his customers then as on the weeke dayes, as if hee did not intend in al this, that by winning the world they should lose their soules. And surely lamentable experience sheweth, how that the dragon by such sugred words and perswasions stood before numbers, who have looked backe and runne backe to the filthinesse of the world, and now imbrace such a course as may be fit with the grace of the times, the favour of men, the furtherance of their outward estates, and their owne ease.

II. But if by fraudulent and underhand meanes he cannot break off good beginnings, he turneth him to open and hellish slanders and accusations, in which hee sheweth his blacknesse against all sorts; for,

p. 2571. Let a godly Magistrate persist in his zealous care to reforme abuses, the dragon standeth before him as before Moses and Aaron, and saith, You take too much upon you, and perhaps writes a letter of accusation as did Rehum and Shimshai and their companions, against Iehoshua and Zerubbabel and his Captaines to the King, Ezra 4. 9.

2. Let a Minister proceed in his faithfull performance, suppose him a Prophet, Amos himselfe shall be accused by the dragon, Amazia that he preached against the King, and the Land is not able to beare his words, Chap. 7. 9. and Ieremy is a factious and turbulent man, contentious with the whole earth: suppose him an Apostle; Paul and Silas must bee brought before the Governours, and exclamed on as men troubling the City; exclamed for preaching ordinances not lawfull to be received, and teaching men to worship God contrary to law. Suppose him the most Acts 16. 20. 18. 13.Acts 16:20Acts 16:18Acts 16:13shining light in the Church, the dragon not able to resist the light of God in him, will fall to plaine railing, as the Pelagians called Augustine, Cultorem doemonum, August. contra Iul. lib. 3. cap. 18.

What execrable and horrible slanders the Popish dragons have spewed out against our Churches in generall, and the famous speciall instruments of Gods glory, Wickliffe, Hus, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Tindal, were as infinite as hatefull to recite, and when Satan ceaseth to stand before the woman, such horrible reproaches of godlinesse shall cease, and not before. And what marvell if it be so with the servants when if our Master Christ himselfe shall cast out devils, the dragon dare say, It is by Belzebub the prince of devils.

3. Let a private man hold out the light of grace with courage and constancy, the dragon standeth before him and proclaimeth him factious, contentious, p. 258schismatical. If he see his actions beseeming his profession, he chargeth him with pride, with hypocrisie as Iob; & the graces & gifts of God which he cannot deny in his servants, he can disgrace & obscure, with as dangerous a mistake as Hanun did the servants of David, whose charity had bin their owne security.

Quest. It being thus, how may wee hold out in any good beginnings, and withstand the dragon?

Ans. Practise sixe rules.

1. Learne a point of Christian wisedome and experiēce, never to trust the flatteries of the dragō, seeing 6. Rules to withstand the dragon.the Spirit of God hath detected his flatteries & faire promises to be but pretences for our destruction. Rule 1.The Romish dragons insinuate into their Proselites as winding serpēts; they lamēt the state of their soules, and perswade like very loving Counsellors to their religion; and to leave the heresie of the Protestants; they can faine Crocadiles teares, can call heaven and earth to witnesse that they respect nothing in the world but to promote the truth, and save simple mens seduced soules, and it is nothing but the Catholike faith that maketh them venture their lives and fortunes; and a number more windy and empty words, in all which the dragons stand before the woman to devoure her children; And which is a deeper plot of the dragon, he can pretend peace, f…ienship, amity, marriages, oathes, and what not? and all, that under cloake and pretence of peace hee may slay and devoure, as France in that horrible Massacre 1572. had woefull experience. Hee can pretend zeale, religion, and support of the Catholique cause, when he is digging and undermining, and laying powder barrels and iron barres for the destruction of three whole States & Kingdomes A foolish woman must she be that will give any credit hereafter to the flatteries and faire pretences of such p. 259perfidious dragons, who salute not but to wound, and with Iudas, kisse to kill.

Never begin any thing that is good but with full Rule 2.resolution to stand to the defence of it against the dragon, and the better any duty is, be so much the more prepared for Christian combate.

Be sure thou standest on a sure ground and warrant for that thou dost, seeing the dragon that standeth Rule 3.before thee will sift thy action throughly, both for thy calling and commission, and for the matter, that it bee justifieable; and for the manner, if it bee done well, and for the end, if it be good and direct. Remember, in every thing, that thou standest in the eye of thine owne conscience to observe thee, in the eye of the dragon to accuse thee, and in the eye of God to judge thee.

Stand still before God in undertaking any good course, not for direction onelyonly but for assistance; hee Rule 4.must begin and he must perfect; doe thou begin and goe on in him and with him, get his strength with thee & for thee, which is onelyonly able to uphold thee; so the two Olives, Rev. 11. 4. stand before God the ruler of the whole earth.

As the dragon standeth in ambush to resist and Rule 5.kill the first motions in grace, so stand thou on thy guard to resist his first motions against it; give no place to the dragon; let him seeme never so reasonable to begin with, his conclusions will bee impudent and important; thus thou shalt beate him with his owne weapon. As hee hateth the first shew and sprout of grace, so hate thou the first motion and rise of temptation, where hee begins his assault, begin thy resistance.

Stand couragiously and with comfort, knowing that,Rule 6.

1. If thou stand to him hee cannot stand to thee, p. 260resist the dragon and hee will flee.

2. As he standeth to destroy, so thy captaine standeth before thee to save and cover thee.

3. When hee stood before Christ thy head, he was defeated and confounded, & his power so broken as thou standest before a conquered enemy, and now hee may stand before thee who art a member of Christ, to molest and trouble thee, but never to deprive thee either of conquest or crowne.

4. The Christian standeth now not afore the dragon as a single man, but as incorporated and one with Christ, and partaker of his glorious victory.

[So shee brought forth a manchild.]

In this Verse the Euangelist returneth to the woman, and sheweth how the dragon was disappointed of his purpose, both in respect of,

I. The woman, who is described,

1. By her birth, in this verse.

2. By her fight, in the next.

II. Her Issue described by three Arguments.

1. His sexe

masculine

generous

a manchild.

2. His Office, to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron.

3. His height of advancement, hee was taken up to God and his Throne.

It must a while stay us to enquire who this manchilde was that was now brought forth, seeing there Meaning.are sundry and divers opinions, and the true opening of this point will helpe us all along this vision into many proper and comfortable points, which have not beene till of late so dived into by the common streame of interpreters. Most have thought that by this man-child must be meant Christ, and some take it of Christ personally, in persō born into the world; some of Christ mystically brought into the world, p. 261begotten and brought forth in beleevers hearts. To which I grant, that as there are few passages and phrases in this divine prophesie which doe not look back to some former history, passage, or prophesie (as hath beene and might be further plentifully noted) so doth this verse and vision looke backe to the birth of Christ personally into the world, and lively representeth it in many particulars; as,

1. This woman bringeth forth a manchilde; In fulnesse of time GOD sent his Sonne made of a Some allusion betweene Christ and the man-childe.woman.

2. The dragon here watcheth to slay the childe so soone as ever he was borne; so did Herod seeke to kill the babe so soone as he was borne.

3. As Mary by divine admonition flyeth into the desart of Aegypt to save her selfe and the babes life, so this woman flyeth into the wildernesse with Eagles wings, the place prepared by God, to save her selfe and her seed.

4. As Mary stayed in Aegypt almost foure yeares, till Herod was dead; so this woman stayeth in the desart 1260. dayes, which is almost foure yeares, for 1460. dayes is just foure yeares, the time of her danger.

5. As Herod that dragon cast after the flight of Mary an horrible flood of persecution, slaying all infants under two yeares old, to destroy the man-childe; so this woman had a flood of waters cast after her to destroy her flying into the wildernesse.

6. As Christ Maries Sonne ascended to heaven and sate at the right hand of the Throne of God his Father, so the sonne of this woman is taken up to God and to his Throne.

7. As Christ Iesus the sonne of Mary most properly ruleth all nations with a rod of Iron, Psal. 2. so this sonne of the woman in this verse: so as we p. 262see a notable correspondence in the birth of this man-childe to the birth of Christ, that man-childe who was figured by all those man-children that first opened the wombe under the law, so as it cannot be denyed but that this vision looketh backe to the history of Christs birth, and is first true in the most and maine passages of it of Iesus Christ; And this be named once for all the vision.

Quest. But is not Christ here directly meant?

Ans. It seemeth to mee by many strong reasons in the text, that Christ is not properly and directly Christ not meant by this man-childe.meant by this man-childe; for,

I. If by this man-childe here be meant Christ, Five Reasons.then by the woman must be meant not the Church (as we have interpreted & proved) but the Virgin Mary, as some Papists imagine, although even some of them, finding many parts of the description of this woman not agreeing to her, conclude, as Ribera out of Methodius, that not Mary but the Church is this woman.

II. The man-childe here borne is the sonne of the Church; but Christ is not the sonne of the Church, therefore hee is not this man-childe, for Christ is the Sonne of God and the sonne of Mary, but not the sonne of the Church, nay hee is the Father of the Church, Esay 9. 6. and the Church is called his seed, Esay 53. but no where is hee called the sonne of the Church, nor the seed of the Church.

III. This woman is said to travell to bring forth this man-childe, but the Church is never said to travell to bring forth Christ. Indeed the Apostle Galat. 4. 19. saith, Hee travelled in birth with the Galathians to forme Christ in them by his Ministery, but not that he travelled of Christ but of them, to bring them forth Christians.

p. 263IIII. We must remember that Iohn writeth here a Propheticall history of things to come to passe after his time, and not of things formerly passed, and therefore neither of the personall nor mysticall birth of Christ; for first consider him,

1. Personally, he was before this time, not borne only, but dead, and risen and ascended to the Throne of God, all this was past, and Iohn had seene it, and needed no new vision to manifest this unto him which he knew before, and had so largely described in his Euangelicall Story.

2. If wee consider the mysticall birth of Christ in the hearts of beleevers by the preaching of the Gospell, this also had beene done formerly in abundant measure, and was a thing not to come and to bee done; but onelyonly to bee continued; so as it cannot bee meant of Christ either personally or mystically.

V. It will not agree to Christ that is said of this man-childe, that presently he was taken up to God after his birth, without mentioning any of the great workes for which hee was borne and came into the world, for Christ was to doe more than be borne and ascend; hee must fast, and teach, and pray, and doe many powerfull miracles, and suffer, and bee buried, and rise, and then ascend; neither is the word fitly here used to note the ascension of Christ, that hee was caught up to the Throne of God as it were by the power of some other, for hee is said to goe up, Acts 1. 19. and to ascend as doing it of his owne power: indeed we weake creatures are said to bee **foreign.caught up, 1 Thess. 4. 17. by a mighty power without our selves, as this man-childe in the Text; but it is not so with him in his ascending, who had all power in heaven and earth, Mat. 28. &c. last.

Object. But there bee two things in the Text which seeme so proper to Christ, as that they cannot p. 264agree or be ascribed to any other. First, that hee ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron, and this is Christs property, Psal. 2. 9. and cannot agree to any other.

Ans. All power is Christs originally and primarily, but wee may not forget that hee promiseth the same power by Communication to his members, Revel. 2. 26. To him that overcommeth I will give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: not that the soveraign power of Christ over the whole earth is communicable to any creature, for none of his Offices can passe from him to another, but noteth that beleevers have benefit & part in his exaltation and power, and therefore wee must not marvell if we finde this power, which is properly invested in Christ to be communicated and in part executed for him by others.

Object. 2. But this man-childe is taken up to the Throne of God, now who but Christ ever sate in heaven in the Throne of God?

Sol. In the Throne of Gods right hand, as Mediator and head of the Church in heaven, properly so taken, onelyonly Christ sitteth and no other creature, man nor Angel: but the Throne of God in Scripture is taken mystically and figuratively; for,

1. There is an heaven upon earth, the Church, which is many times called by the name of heavē, as in this Chapter, And a kingdome of grace, in which the Lord hath set up his Throne, unto which he lifteth whom hee pleaseth; now wee are sonnes of God, 1 Iohn 3. 2. Ephes. 2. 5. 6. Now we are saved by hope, Rom. 8. 24.

2. Heavenly glory is called figuratively a Throne, wherein, howsoever Christ only sitteth by his owne right and priviledge, yet the Saints also by communication and participation are admitted to sit on the p. 265Throne with him, as members with the head. Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcommeth will I give that he shall sit with me on my Throne as I overcome and sit with my Father on his Throne, Thus the twelve Disciples are promised to sit on twelve Thrones, and the twenty foure Elders representing the Church of Revel. 11. 16.Rev 11:16the old and new Testament, sate upon twenty foure Thrones, Revel. 11. 26. so as this is no barre but some besides Christ may be meant by this man childe.

3. In the worldly administration, howsoever the kingdome and Throne be the Lords, and all power belongeth unto God, yet it pleaseth him in the government of the world to take up Rulers and Princes after a sort, into his owne Throne, and setteth Rulers and Princes taken up to the Throne of God.them in highest place next himselfe, to rule over the Nations, and putteth a rod of power into their hands, investing them not with his power onelyonly, but with his name also; I said ye are gods; thus he taketh them into his owne Throne, & putteth on them a part of his owne Majesty; whereof their Thrones and Seates carry a little representation, and in this sense is this phrase here taken.

Having shewed that this man-childe is not to be meant of Christ, and answered the objections that have caried some to that interpretation; let us inquire who he is, and looking neare unto the Text and scope of the place, the series of times, and dependance of the words with antecedents and consequents.

By the man-childe I understand some potent Who meant by the man-childe.Prince or Princes, or some speciall deliverers, whō God stirred upto succour and to relieve the Church against those Tyrannicall Romish Emperors & persecutors; By whom the dragon was defeated and disappointed, whose aime was to devoure all the seede of the woman; for these were,

p. 2661. Sonnes of the Church.

2. A man-childe, stout, strong, valiant.

3. Ruled over the Nations with a rod of iron, viz. an unresistable power and over-ruling the nations and Princes that were enemies to the Church.

4. Was taken into the Throne of God, that is, advanced unto chiefe government for the refreshing and defence of the Church, and curbing the rage of those imperiall dragons.

And running over the story of those times the best commentary of a Prophesie, I finde that in the yeare 182 after Christ, the Church had tolerable peace under Commodus the Emperour in whose raigne the Gospell was greatly spread, Hist. Eccl. cap. 21. but he being no Christian or sonne of the Church, but a flagitious man, was not this man-childe.

In Anno 247. the first Christian Emperour was Philip, of whom we read, that he submitted himselfe to the discipline of the Church, Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 25. I doe not see but now the man childe might begin to be borne.

Afterward in 319. after the long and bloody raigne of Maxentius, of whō the story saith, that there was no great City in which 100. Christiās were not daily drawne to execution: God raised up Constantine the Great, an obedient and loving sonne of the Church, and tooke him up to his Throne of government, next to himselfe, for under God was none greater than he, and put into his hand not a scepter of gold onelyonly, an ensigne of dignity, and regall or rather imperiall authority, but a rod of iron, the strongest of metals, fit to beate downe all before it, by which rod hee flew foure savage dragons, who stood against the woman; Maximian and his sonne Maxentius, Maximinus and Licinius, and by the same wonne all the West Empire, ruled over Italy, Spaine, p. 267France, Germany, Brittaine, besides his dominion in Affrike, he restored peace to the Church, abolished tyrannicall decrees, commanded that none should injure any Christian, was himselfe the greatest protector of Christianity, that wee reade of in that story.

To these we may adde the two Theodosi's Christian Emperours, and others in authority sonnes of the Church, by whom shee was succoured and protected from the dragon in these tyrannicall times.

Ob. But the Text speaketh but of one man-childe, but you interpret it of many.

Ans. I tie not the man-childe to one individuum Why the manchilde is not to be meant of one singular person.or person, but to all such set in dignity as God stirred up as protectors and nursing fathers to the tender Church and her babes in these terrible times; for these Reasons.

The manchilde not one individual person, but so many Protectors as Christ stirreth up.

1. The manner of Prophets, in the singular number to set downe a series or row of persons, whereof one chiefe is still in being, and continued by the succession of many.

Dan. 7. 17. Foure Kings are not the singular persons, but the foure kingdomes and governments in the succession of sundry Kings.

And foure great beasts, vers. 3. by every beast is not signified a singular person, but a State and succession.

1. By the Lyon, the Kingdome and successive Kings of the Assyrians and Babylonians.

2. By the Beare, the kingdome and successive Kings of Medes and Persians.

3. By the Leopard, the Greekes and Macedonians.

p. 2684. By the beast with iron teeth and ten hornes, the kingdome of Seleucidae and Fagedi.

2. In Pauls Epistle, 2 Thess. 2. 3. The man of sinne is not one person but a state and row of men, who have beene the heads of Apostasie in the kingdome of Antichrist, all which make up one man or person after a sort,; not one in number or nature, but one in order, succession, power, will and continuance.

So in the same Chapter the foreign, the hinderer of this man of sinne is not one Roman Emperour, but the Empire.

1. The state and succession of Emperors which was by succession, yet the Apostle saith, Hee that withholdeth.

Even as Saint Iohn 2. Epist. 7. cals many deceivers or Antichrists one Antichrist, so many men of sinne one man of sinne, many withstanders one withstander.

3. In the Revelation nothing more ordinary, cap. 13. 1. the beast rising out of the Sea is not one person, but the state and succession of Antichrist.

Cap. 17. 9. the seven heads of the beast are so many States and Governments, as Christ himselfe confesseth, and the whore in verse 1. is not one person, but the Romane state, departed from Christ to Antichrist, and prostituting her selfe to all idolatry and impurity of doctrine and manners, the successors of Antichrists Kingdome.

Cap. 2. 1. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus not one man or Pastor, but many, for there were many Pastors and Angels therein, Acts 20. 17, 18.

4. Even in this Chapter wee have described the woman, verse 1. not one Church but the succession of the Church in many ages, yet called but a woman.

And verse 3. the dragon in this vision, the whole p. 269spawne and row of dragons and tyrants raised by Satan against the woman, even ten bloody persecutors, all called one dragon for reasons you have heard: and there is no reason but the manchilde may be as well collectively taken according to the manner of all Prophets and prophesies.

The dragon watcheth the woman but in vaine, for shee bringeth forth for all that; The Church shall bring forth children to God in despight of the dragon, especially such children as the Text aimeth at, Doct. The dragons watch cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth the manchild.to serve his Providence in the defence & upholding of his Church, Es. 66. 7. Acts 7. 20. Moses was borne in despight of Pharaoh, as the circumstance of time there noteth; Christ himselfe was brought forth in despight of Herod and all his plots: which appeareth most plainely in those children of the Church, excellent instruments, prophesied of many yeares before they were borne, and named of God, whom it had besteaded the dragon that they had never beene brought forth, if hee could have hindered them; as first Isaac, in whom all nations should be blessed by that blessed seed that should descend of him, whereof he was a type, and in whom the birth of Christ was foretold sundry thousands of yeares before it came to passe; would not the dragon have hindred both the type and the truth from being borne if hee could? so as all Gods promises and the Covenant of Grace in them should have beene falsified by the dragon.

1 Kings 13. 2. wee read of Iosiah named before he was borne 323. yeares, and of his piety and zeale in destroying dolatry, and defacing of the kingdome of the devill; and had it not beene much for the dragons kingdome to have hindred his birth if hee could? Esay 44. 28.

Cyrus was named above a hundred and twenty p. 270yeares before he was borne, and also his singular care and diligence in building of the Temple, and restoring Ierusalem to her former beauty and honour, that he should establish the pure worship of God, and as a vigilant shepheard protect Gods people: now would not the dragon have hindred the birth of such a sonne whom he knew should bee borne, if hee could? But he cannot prevent the Woman from bringing forth her sonnes, especially designed to serve GODS Providence for the good of the Church.

The stability of Gods decrees; the counsell of the Reas. 1.Lord shall stand, and no power nor policy shall break Gods decree is stable.off any of his purposes; hee hath purposed to teach mā by man, to rule man by man, to save men by men, and therefore there must be a succession of Pastors in the Church, and of Princes in the world, who shall uphold this his ordinance in the severall ages. It is true, the Lord with whom is wisdome and strength, can by his own hand, without and against all worldly power save his Church; but for his owne greater glory and the confusion of the dragon, hee will rather doe it by weake instruments, assisted with his owne mighty power, which all the dragons cannot prevaile against.

The truth of his promise; who although he bee Reas. 2.the husband of his Church, and as Elcanah to Anna, Gods truth.better then ten sonnes, yet hath promised, that shee shall have sonnes and Princes in all Lands; he will see that she shall not want sonnes of her own that shall bee as nursing fathers and mothers to her, Esay 49. 23. and 7.

The power of God is such as cannot be foyled by Reas. 3.any contrary power, but still raiseth up some manchilde Gods power.for the Churches use and service; for as it is in nature, so here with this mother; It is the Lord that p. 271openeth the wombe, and the dragon cannot shut it, as Iacob said to Rachel, Am I God to open and shut the wombe? so it is God that maketh the Church a fruitfull and joyfull mother of children, which powerfull worke himselfe challengeth, Esay 66. 9. Shall I cause to travell and not bring forth, shall I cause to bring forth and shall shee be barren? This power of God so over-ruleth, that not onelyonly against all outward contrary powers; but when the birth it selfe, or manchilde it selfe is most averse and repugnant, yet shall he be brought forth. For example, Moses was most backward and pleaded many excuses, earnestly intreated the Lord to send any other to Pharaoh, yet he and no other must be brought forth; Ionah flatly refused to goe to Niniveh, but the Lords power mightily over-ruled and brought him forth by a strong hand, for the conversion of the people: No contrary course shall hinder the birth of the manchilde against the Lords powerfull call.

The care of God over his Church, hee suffereth it not without some manchilde or other to helpe it, as Reason. 4.in the booke of the Iudges is manifest; hee never casteth Gods care.off his people, nor his care of them; hee hath speciall feeling of their miseries, speciall regard of their prayers and sighes, as is manifest by the example of Israel in Aegypt; he suffereth not the rod of the wicked to lie on the lot of the righteous, Psal. 125. 3. but it should ever doe so if the dragon could hinder the birth, and bringing forth of such sonnes as may prevent and remove it.

For comfort of the Church, who shall never want such stout defenders, as the Lord doth see fit for her; Use. 1.2 Kings 19. 7. when Ahab and Iezabel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord, and made no end of effusion of innocent blood, the Lord had a manchilde in store, Iehu, who shall revenge their quarrell to the p. 272utmost. When the dreadfull and terrible fires were kindled against the bodies of Gods servants & Saints here in Queene Maries dayes, God stirred up that most Noble Queene Elizabeth, comparable with any manchilde in these last ages, for her noble and heroical zeale, valour and fortitude; and though many plots were attempted by Papists to take away her life (for Gardener chafed that they lopped the boughes and stocked not the roote) yet was shee brought forth to the kingdome, set upon the Throne of God, and had an iron rod in her hand, an unconquerable power, by which she was the glory of her Kingdome, a terrour to all Papists and professed enemies of her religion.

In the dayes when we see Antichrist prevaile, his arme stronge, his powers victorious, his numbers increased, his buls▪ blasphemies and masses received, himselfe and his in armes, with hopefull successes: Now is the time to expect some manchild and sonne of the Church to take him from his top and height; or rather those ten sonnes of this woman, taken up into the Throne of God, and with rods of iron to make her desolate and naked, to eate her flesh, and burne her with fire, Rev. 17. 16. the Church may say as Ioseph, The Lord hath made mee fruitfull in the land of my affliction.

The dragon cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth children and sonnes that shall witnesse and II.defend the truth for her being, her birthright and The dragon cannot hinder the woman from bringing forth sonnes to defend the truth.inheritance; for,

1. He cannot want hearts to beleeve, nor mouthes to confesse the truth, who made both all hearts and all mouthes.

2. The power of the truth is such as will have witnesse and testimony to it, Luke 19. 4. I tell you if these should hold their peace the stones would crie, p. 273as indeed the earthquakes, & rending of the Rockes, and opening of graves did at his resurrection; hence was it that in the darkest times of Antichrist, and when their tyranny was at hight, God ever raised some sonne of the Church, to witnesse unto the truth against that abomination, as here in England Iohn Wickliffe, that preached plainly the Pope to bee Antichrist, his transubstantiation, his masses, his indulgences, his dispensations to be trash and dung, to be swept out of the Church; & many after him. In Italy, Dantes, Marsilius Patavinus, Franciscus Petrarke; In Bohemia Iohn Hus, Ierome of Prague; In Germany, Luther, Melancton, &c. the dragon could not hinder these sonnes of the Church in their testimony: and so it shall alwayes be.

III. The dragon cannot hinder the woman to Nor from bringing forth Children in grace.bring forth children in grace, although he watch never so instantly; for,

I. The spirit bloweth where it will, and hee can no more hinder his worke, then hee can the winde from blowing; and by this spirit the Church becommeth like the Hebrew women, of whom the midwiues said, they were lively, and delivered before they could come to destroy the birth.

II. Birth in grace is a mighty worke of new creation, and no more can the devill and dragon hinder this worke where God will have it, than they can dissolve the great worke of Gods creation; wicked men, as Esau, may strive to hinder Iacobs birth in the wombe, but cannot; where hee will have a birth he leaveth them not like Agrippa, almost Christians, but whole Christians.

III. The Antichristian dragons have laboured in nothing so much as hiding the Scriptures and rowling up the little booke, that the sound of the Gospell should not bee heard to the conversion of any, p. 274they call into question the authority of the Scriptures, and they must bee beleeved but for the Popes judgment; insteed of opening this they have opened Schoolemen, Sententiaries, Canonists, Legends, but to read the Scriptures in a knowne tongue is heresie; but in despight of them the Angell hath carried the eternall Gospell through the midst of heaven, the Rev. 14. 6.Rev 14:6truth is so cōspicuous as shining in the midst of heaven; and where Christ will have the dore of grace Rev. 3. 8.Rev 3:8open, none shall shut it; Papists now seeke to shut that dore, and our sins and ingratitudes hath deserved that the Gospell should bee shut out, but yet Christ keepeth it open for us.

IIII. The dragon cannot hinder the woman but in despight of him shee shall bring forth many children to glory, for it is not possible,

1. To take them out of the Father, who is stronger than them all, to dissolve their union with Christ, Rom. 8. or to deceive the elect either of their faith or substance, Mat. 24.

2. The over-ruling hand of God maketh the dragons themselves effect his will, and serve his Providence both in glorifying his name, and promoting his good and the salvation of his servants, when they thinke nothing lesse, nay when they bend and aime cleane contrary, they shall in despight of them further their salvation, and can they then hinder it? Rom. 8. All things shall be for their best, and shall bring them to their wayes end.

Ob. But doth not the dragon often prevaile to hold off many from soundnesse of grace, and cast many off, as Iudas, Demas?

Sol. 1. The dragon never prevaileth by his absolute power over any, but by Gods just desertion and permission, saying, Thus farre shalt thou prevaile, but no further.

p. 2752. He never prevaileth wholy or finally against any whose names are written in the booke of life; but though the Lord suffereth them to be molested in the way, it is, that in the end he might declare in them the riches of his grace, mercy, power.

3. These yeelding to Satan for a time are cast down but not cast off, seeing they are not elected, jufied, redeemed, called, sanctified and saved for any worthinesse of their owne, but for Christs, which the dragon cannot spot or blemish.

To abate the glory and hope of the Churches enemies, Vse II.They may spurne & strive against the free passage of the Gospel, but shall not prevaile. Many have striven to roote out the Gospel whom God hath resisted and rooted out; the Church shall bring forth for all them.

In that this sonne of the woman is her protector, Vse III.learne to shew our selves sonnes of our mother by upholding her causes and her friends; wisedome will be justified of her children, Luke 7. 35. Nicodemus will defend Gods cause when the Pharisees sit to condemne him, Luke 23. 50. Ioseph a good man, consented not to the fact of the counsell, Ioh. 7. 25. Protect her person and friends.

1. Get a sound judgement in discerning of things and persons that differ, that wee Meanes.knowing who are on her part may imbrace them, not calling the churle liberall, nor passing sentence for the wicked or against the right, for both are an abomination to the Lord.

2. Stand for the truth her patrimony and brethren, avow it notwithstanding losse of liberty, meanes; pleade for it, maintaine for her the whole counsell of GOD, which no power of earth may abridge her.

3. Stand for her royalties and privileges, the liberty p. 276in which Christ hath set her, and uphold her from Antichristian yoakes and bondage, uphold in our places the liberty of preaching, of professing the holy doctrine, and the liberty of al Gods holy exercises and ordinances, that no power doe rob her of them.

Now in that the dragon though he watch to hinder the happy birth of the woman, yet shee bringeth Doct. 11.forth a manchilde, that is, not a soft or effeminate, but a stout generous and masculine childe, by whose prowesse and valour the dragon in his tyranny should be repressed and resisted: Learne hence, whō it pleaseth the Lord to raise up for more excellent service, he furnisheth them with proportionall gifts for their imployment.

When Moses was to undertake an extraordinary function, to deliver the Israelites out of Aegypt, how did the Lord not onelyonly extraordinarily preserve, but furnished him with extraordinary education, vocation, spirit, gifts, miracles, holinesse and power, in which respect hee was called Pharaoh, GOD.

When Salomon was to build a stately house for the Lord, hee furnished him with forwardnesse, zeale, wealth, wisedome, bounty, peace, above all Kings of the earth before or since.

When that house and City of Hierusalem was ruined and defaced, Gods worship exiled, and the mighty adversaries of God and his worship scorned to heare the restauration of the City or Temple, what noble instruments were raised up, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, whose wisedome, valour, zeale, and holinesse daunted the enemies, and in despight of them repaired both the City, the house and true worship of God.

The Apostles were but poore fishermen, unliterate p. 277and simple, but set upon an imployment, as if twelve naked men had beene set to take and tame all the dragons in the world; but before they were sent out how abundantly did the spirit come on them to fit them with knowledge, courage, gifts of tongues, miracles, zeale, holinesse, that in a little time they conquered the world, and brought it into the subjection of Christ.

Nay further, if the Lord please to call any wicked man to any notable service, he giveth him abilities and indowments answerable; as, Saul annoynted by Samuel was changed into another man, now hee had extraordinary signes to confirme him, hee prophesieth among the Prophets, and mindeth not the Asses or husbandry, but the great things of the kingdome, 1 Sam. 10. 9.

And yet more then so, if the Lord imploy weake women to his service, he gives them masculine gifts and spirits for the worke; What a manly and couragious spirit above her sexe did God give to Hester to adventure her life for her people, when shee said, If I perish I perish, Hester 4. 16.

What a masculine and stout courage did the Lord afford to Iael, Iudges 4. 22. that she durst attempt with hammer and naile to kill that great Captaine Sisera, onelyonly falne a sleepe, whereas it was a hundred to one the attempt had not cost her her life.

God hath abundance of spirit and more blessings than one, with him are treasures of grace, and a flowing Reas. 1.Ocean never drawne drie; hee never bestowes so much but hee can give much more if there bee need of more; If Elisha need a double spirit above Elijah, hee shall receive according to his double neede.

Gods wisedome layeth not heavy burthens on Reas. 2.weake shoulders, but first giveth shoulders and then p. 278the burthen answerable to the strength which hee giveth.

This wisedome of God we may observe in all his creatures, to every one of which he disposeth gifts and naturall faculties according to the need of it, for the preserving it, and the upholding of it in the being and service of it, giuing to the small, swiftnesse, and to the great, strength; and much more dispenseth to every one of his servants according to his use and service.

The Lord knoweth it must be a manchilde, a masculine and generous spirit that must and can oppose Reas. 3.the dragon and represse his power; his wisedome knowes that no good thing can bee brought to passe without many difficulties and strong resistances; neither can any great and prevailing evill bee hindred without much trouble and tumult, as in that of the Ephesians for Diana, Acts 19. 32. and therefore hee armeth his servants with courage, fortitude and resolution for both these purposes, else should they never prevaile: The meanest calling hath his thornes and sorrowes, according to the sentence, Gen. 3. 18. and much more those of greater service and difficulty.

It is for the great glory of God to send his servants compleate and sufficiently furnished and fitted Reas. 4.on hir errands; no Prince wil send an Ambassage by the hand of a foole; so the Lord for his owne honour sendeth on great services choice and rare instruments, Iob 33. 23. a messenger one of a thousand.

To reprove the effeminate men of our times who are timorous and fearefull to bee seene in Gods Vse I.cause against the dragon; these men if any good bee to be done, any evill to be reformed, doe cast all difficulties, and their hearts like women faint to thinke what may come of it; and now every sleight excuse, p. 279pretence or suspition shall bee as a Lyon in the way strong enough to chase them as so many fearfull hares, from the undertaking of any thing that is good, and this is the cause there is such abundance of sinne and so little reformation, when fearefull Magistrates, and others in places let downe Gods cause, and intend their owne; but consider that,

1. The fearefull are in the formost band or ranke of those that goe to hell, Revel. 21. those who feare men more than God, those who have the places of men, and the faces of men, but the hearts of Hares, and affections of women, without all true courage for the truth; one looke of a dragon maketh a nation of them runne away and forsake their standing, as Israel from the sight of Goliah.

2. Whence commeth this fearefulnesse but from a false heart, destitute of faith, love of God, zeale for his glory, and destitute of the spirit of strength and fortitude.

3. It is the note of a man carried with carnall affection, who for avoyding of disfavor, in Gods cause avoideth his duty.

4. An heartlesse and effeminate coward is hee, whom every sleight feare casteth almost into a swound, wheras were there courage and manlinesse, every sleight thing would bee a keene weapon against the dragon: Five smooth stones in Davids hand shall throw downe Goliah; a Taw bone in Samsons hand shall smite downe a thousand Philistimes, An Oxe Goade in Shamgars hand shall slay six hundred enemies, yea a naile in Iaels hand shall destroy Sisera.

Whatsoever calling God hath set thee in, expresse Vse II.thy commission, by setting on worke and putting forth with zeale and courage the gifts that thou hast received, 1 Kin. 2. 2. be valiant and shew thy selfe a man, and know,

p. 2801. GOD giveth not his spirit to the Saints to feare any more, Rom. 8. 15. but the spirit of courage and fortitude and a sound minde, contemning reproaches and dangers, profits, disprofits, which would hinder the execution of their calling; what saith Nehemiah 6. 11. Shall such a man as I flie, I will not take Sanctuary to live.

2. It is the grace of a good action to shew a masculine spirit in breaking through the difficulties (like Davids Worthies) which hinder the undertaking and performance of good duties, & that like the hearty spies gathereth courage from opposition and troubles, which driveth others out of heart.

3. It is the manchilde onelyonly that quelleth and conquereth the dragon: Moses will not leave a hoofe behinde him at Pharaohs request, the dragon is faine to command him out of presence: Elijah telleth Ahab it is he and his fathers house that trouble Israel, an army of smooth and flattering Prophets durst not say so: The dragons could not resist the spirit with which Steven spake, yea, the dragon sometime is forced to reverence their persons and admire their spirits, and subscribe to the holinesse of the manchilde, and wish their ends like his.

4. This masculine spirit upholdeth the manchilde unto perseverance, for, how should a Minister who is hated for his love, and is esteemed an enemy for speaking truth; who is accused of many evils, and pursued with all disgraces, hold on his holy labours in his holy life, or continue in his uprightnesse in so many discouragements, were he not supported with faith to beleeve, with love to his Lord, whose sheepe hee …eedeth, and with assurance of a better reckoning and recompence hereafter than in the world or from it he can expect? did not the spirit afford him these shoulders to carry this burthen, hee could not but p. 281sinke under it; and so of private Christians, who live amongst people of prophane behaviour, by whom they are daily baited, scorned, disgraced, persecuted for their hope, and profession, and holy practice; how could it be that they living in a nasty place, as still medling with pitch but yet are not defiled, nay they hold forth the word of life in the midst of a froward generation, and imbrace still a conversation to which not the world onelyonly, but even themselves were once deadly enemies; how could they carry through such a course were they not assisted with an heroicall spirit to oppose the dragon and the world? By Felix, qui quod amat (aras videlicet & focos) defendere fortiter audet.which they patiently indure the contempt of the world, the lashes of tongues, the losses of things present, and the labour of their love to God and good duties.

Quest. How may I come to this courage and masculine spirit?

Ans. 1. Begge the spirit to change thee into another man, as Othniel, Iudg. 3. 10. thou art no fit peece by nature to any good service; pray for the spirit, who is given to them that aske him.

2. Forecast and arme thy selfe against the malice of the dragon, who the better any businesse is, the more busily and basely will hee disgrace it; Let Noah build an Arke, and what difficulties and scornes shall hee sustaine? let Nehemiah build a wall, and the Foxes (say the dragons) shall cast it downe; let a man abstaine from evill, he maketh himselfe a prey.

3. Be sure of a warrantable calling, that thou art in the Lords worke, and in the way, and then thou needest not feare (as Luther) so many dragons as there are tiles in a faire City: Moses was bold upon his commission; and so maist thou in a good cause and calling.

p. 2824. Meditate often, 1. of Gods promise and this will,

First, assure thee of his gracious presence with thee at all times.

Secondly, supply thee with strength while thou goest forth, as David against that great Goliah, in the name of the Lord.

Thirdly, recompence thy labour and suffering, for faithfull is hee which hath promised: It was a great incouragement to Othniel to adventure himselfe in smiting Kiriah-sepher; when Caleb promised hee would give Acsah his daughter to him, that would expulse the enemy thence, Iudges 1. 12.

V. Keepe a good conscience alway before God and all men, for this ministreth boldnesse, yea makes a man as bolde as a Lyon; 1 Peter 3. 13. If wee doe well who shall feare us or wrong us, this is our fence and safety; 2 Corinthians 1. 12. This is our rejoycing, &c.

Now in that the manchilde is armed with a rod of iron, and advanced into the Throne of God for the defence of the woman,

Wee note concerning Magistracy 3. observations, concerning their

1. Power.

2. Place.

3. End.

That God putteth into the Princes and Magistates hand a rod of iron, viz. an unresistible power.Observ. I.

Their power is Gods, whose the ordinance is, Prov. 8. 15. by me Princes rule, 2 Chron. 19. 6. The Reas. 1.judgment is not mans but Gods.

2. Power is in God to maintain his own ordinances, which if he upheld not the world must fall.

Beware of mutinies, rebellion and resistance of Vse I.higher powers, Pro. 24. 21. My sonne, feare the Lord and the King, and meddle not with the seditious; p. 283Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule bee subject to the higher powers; Considering,

1. He that resisteth the power, resisteth God, as a Gyant, Rom. 13. 2. for a man cannot strive against the order of God, but also against the God of order, as the Lord said of Samuel, they have not cast thee but me away, 1 Sam. 8. 7.

2. Consider the end of rebellion in Corah, Dathan, Abiram, for the end commeth sodainly, and who knoweth their ruine, Prov. 24. 21.

Ob. 1. But what if they be heathens?

Sol. They were heathens to whom the Apostle commandeth every soule to be subject, Rom. 13.

Ob. 2. But what, shall Cleargy men be subject to lay men, must sheepheards be ruled by sheepe?

Sol. Aaron was subject to Moses, Nathan to David, Zadock to Salomon, the Romish Bishops to the Christian Emperours; as Princes and Magistrates are sheepheards in civill things, and Bishops in this respect are under them; so in respect of spirituall things Magistrates and Princes are sheepe, and Ministers sheepheards.

Ob. 3. What if they be base men?

Sol. Resist not, respect their function not their person, their government is the Lords, let the Governour be what he will.

Ob. 4. But what if wee be Christians, are we not then the Lords free men?

Sol. The Gospell is no enemy to the authority of Rulers, neither doth spirituall freedome fight against corporall subjection, but establish it.

2. Christ himselfe was subject to Parents, to Governours, paid tribute though he was free, resisted not when he was apprehended, though he was able, having strucke them downe by the power of his Word.

p. 284Ob. 5. But what if they be tyrants, oppressors, and offer violence?

Ans. Servants must obey even curst Masters: In the Primitive Church Christians suffered under tyrants most grievous persecutions, yet never rose up or by armes resisted them; indeed subjects may by honest and peaceable meanes avoid their fury, as David fled from the fury of Saul; and if they be inferiour Magistrates appeale to the superior, as Paul to Caesar, or take the shelter and helpe of Gods lawes, but not rebell, nor tumult, nor mutiny against lawfull authority.

And this is the generall truth of Gods word, as for any speciall references betweene Princes and people in elective states, it is unseasonable now to intreat of.

Ob. 6. But what if they command unjust and wicked things?

Sol. In this case saith the Homily of obedience, the second part, we must undoubtedly beleeve that wee must obey no superior, but say as the Apostle Whether is it meet to obey God or you, judge you: In impious commands wee must obey no Ruler; all our earthly Masters must bee obeyed in the Lord, as knowing wee have a Master in heaven; and yet here must bee no resistance or contemptuous standing out, for not to obey impious and unjust commands is no resistance of power, when they are ready with patience to endure the punishments unjustly inflicted; as Paul and Silas, Acts 4. 3. and our owne Martyrs.

Let now no Papistor Popish person say our doctrine is an enemy to Magistracy, but let them carry their owne burthens, whose Catechismes are the shops of rebellion, and whose treatises are trumpets of treason; let English fugitives, as Absolon, beare p. 285armour against their owne fathers; let Parsons, Sanders, Allen, and other Seminary Priests, by word and writing, by perswasion and printing blow the bellowes of rebellion …ad disobedience to Princes, in ordine ad spiritualia, yet all the world may know our doctrine by our practice, whom the Gospel hath long since taught, that God hath put an iron rod, that is, an unresistible power in the hands of Princes; and whatsoever Popish persons prattle, our doctrine puts no knife into any Ravillac or Feltons hand, to revenge himselfe either upon the Supreme or any sent from him, for whatever the Actor was in himselfe, hee was so farre theirs, as he was of opinion, that he might by his owne hand revenge either a publike or a private quarrell, for this agreeth with Popish positions, as that of Reynolds that Henry the third of France was justly slaine before excommunication, for publike sorrowes waite no formes; and with that Pope Sixtus the fifth his Laudators Oration of the same murder, comparing the fact with that of Phinees, and honouring it with solemne processions, and it standeth with the practises of Romanists, which daily declare by Popish practises, that the Pope and Popish Religion is the Arch-rebell in the earth, the one lifting up himselfe above all that is called God, Kings and Emperors; the other teaching to despise the persons, depose their Crownes, and dispose their kingdoms, but they cannot name one Protestant that ever stained our doctrine by the practice of such traiterous positions.

This concernes their place; all Rulers are by God taken up to Gods Throne, God himselfe hath set Observ. II.up the visible thrones of earthly Princes and Rulers, as a darke representatton of his owne most glorious Majesty upon his owne most glorious Throne, p. 2862 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be God who hath set thee on his Throne in stead of the Lord thy God; shee saith not, on thy Throne, but on his, where plainly the Kings Throne is Gods Throne.

Where God is pleased to sit, there is his Throne Reas. 1.of estate, but he pleaseth to sit with them, Psalm. 82. God sitterh amongst the gods.

As their Throne is Gods, so they are gods on the Reas. 2.Throne, the title Iehovah, being a title of Gods Essence, agreeth to no creature; but the name of Elohim, being a title of his power, is given them, because in them the greatnesse and soveraigne authority of GOD the high and supreme Iudge of the world clearly shineth; and as himselfe shineth more bright than the Sunne in beames of Majesty above all creatures; so in a parcell of his owne Majesty hee makes them shine above all other men, for the daunting and terrour of wicked men, bee they never so great.

Is the Magistrates Throne Gods Throne, then to Use I.contemne the Magistrate is to contemne the Throne of God, to which he is taken up: The Embassadours of great Princes are honourably respected for the person they sustaine.

Magistrates must resemble the person of GOD, Vse II.in whose Throne they sit;

1. In Piety and holynesse; what an unseemly thing is it for him that sits on Gods Throne to doe any thing unbeseeming God, or contrary unto God?

2. In love of Gods house and word; so doth God himselfe, his eye, his heart and delight is on his owne house, and so should his who sits on his Throne: Hee that disaffecteth the house of God and the true worship of God, hee can neither prove good Magistrate nor good man, till hee change his minde and conversation.

p. 2873. In wisedome; knowing what is just and unjust, what hee is to doe, what to leave undone, what to cherish, what to punish; God on his Throne is called the ancient of dayes for his wisedome in discerning, Psal. 2. Be wise yee Kings, bee learned yee Iudges; and their title of heads must put them in minde of this wisedome, in which they ought to resemble the ancient of dayes, for the head is the seat of wisedome, and understandeth for all the parts; now whence must they have this wisdome, but in Gods book given into their hands? for which cause Rulers were injoyned that the booke of the Law should not depart from them night nor day; and the Kings of Israel in their inauguration had Gods Iosh. 1. 8. Deut. 17. 18.Josh 1:8Deut 17:18booke given them into their hands; by this booke David became wiser then his ancients. Now if Magistrates cast off the reading of Gods word at home, and the hearing of Gods Word at Gods house, Ieremy 8. 9. telleth us, that folly must rule them and others too; they have cast off the Word of the Lord, and what wisedome is in them?

4. In sincerity and uprightnesse; God on his throne is described sitting in garments white as snow, noting the innocency and righteousnesse of his judgements, Dan. 7. 9. the seates of Magistrates and Iudges should bee like Salomons Throne of white Ivory, 1 King. 10. 18. signifying the purity and incorruption of Iudge and judgement; of a truth God is no accepter of persons, Act. 10 and hee that sitteth on Gods Throne must avoide the appearance of partiality, hee ought to honour and heare Gods Ministers, love and affect the professors of true religion; distaste and disaffect the contrary; thus doth God.

Are Magistrates taken up to Gods Throne? their Vse III.throne and seate must resemble Gods Throne, and be a counterpaine of that.

p. 288Quest. Wherein?

Ans. 1. In true inquisition of cause; Before Gods Throne there is a true information by opening of bookes, and his Throne is said to bee fiery, both for his zeale for truth, and for manifestation of the truth of causes; so on the Thrones and tribunals of men, right information and true evidences must carry matters.

2. In a just sentence; when that is condemned which God would have condemned, and that cherished and advanced which God would have set up, Esay 44. 28. Cyrus must performe all the Lords desire, not his owne, for hee is now on the Lords Throne, Zach. 4. 14. they must bee assistants to the Rulers of the earth, as namely, in looking to his worship, in repressing swearers, drunkards, gamesters, idle persons, &c.

3. In sound execution of just sentences against offenders; Gods Throne is no idle scarrecrow, but commeth to the life of justice, which is execution; It hath two properties.

1. It is powerfull; About the Throne of God goeth a fiery streame, noting the power of his judgement, Dan. 7. which is as unresistible as a streame of fire to stuble, no sinner cā ever escape at this throne; and if the thrones of Magistrates resemble not Gods Throne: great offenders, or bold and stout sinners will shift out.

2. It is quicke and speedy; Gods throne is described to have wheeles, Ezek. 1. for the celerity and speed in execution, before it are no delatory pleas, no spinning of causes, no stay of justice by any meanes; Dan. 7. 9. Gods Throne hath burning wheeles for celerity in consuming corruption.

4. In powerfull protection of the godly; GOD from his throne doth so; Psal. 76. 9. The Lord riseth p. 289upon his throne, to save all the meeke upon the Fulmen est ubi cum potestate habitat iracundia.earth; so Rulers must see that they be answerable to the title given them of God, who calleth them the shields of the earth, to shelter not vilde and vicious persons, sonnes of Beliall, but the innocent, religious and godly, as Davids eyes were on the godly in the land.

This is taken from the end; Hence note, Rulers are Observ. 3.therefore taken up by God into his throne, to protect this woman, as this manchilde, for the good of the Church, Rom. 13. Hee is the Minister of God for thy good.

1. Earthly kingdomes are especially ordained to set up and uphold Gods kingdome.

2. Their titles are hedges for the Lords field; a covering for

heate,

winde,

stormes,

Esay 32. 2.

3. The promise, that Princes shall bee nursing fathers of the Church.

That Magistrates take notice of their duty, which is not onelyonly to assist the Lord in governing and upholding Use I.the civill state, but to uphold the Church.

1. By professing the religion of God themselves sincerely.

2. By protecting true religion, and that with zeale and courage against all kinde of opposites; David will use his power to cast scorners from Gods face and presence.

3. By countenancing and upholding the holy Ministery, leading the way to Gods house and worship, as all godly Governors ever did, and begin the government alwaies, with manifesting their zeale to Gods holy religion, as David with joyfull bringing the Arke to Hierusalem; Salomon with building Gods house, Iehoiada with making a covenant p. 290with the Lord, and compelling the people to stand to it, 2 Chron. 23. 16.

Nay evill men, what ever they were afore, were thus far changed into other men, as Saul to dissemble religion; Saul though he sought Asses before, will, so soone as called to the kingdome, prophesie amongst Prophets; so as if confidence and love of Gods house commanded them not as men, yet shame and example compeld them as Magistrates.

Wee that are Ministers must take notice of our duty, to call upon Magistrates to use their power for Vse II.the good of the Church, be not accessary to the absurd husbandry of them that plucke up good corne and let thistles and tares grow in their place; and though they may bee stout and will not heare their duty from us, yet wee must not faile in our duty for company, but let them know they shall not faile to be called upon, and if their sinne be not lesse by it, it shall bee the greater.

Thus shall we testifie our love to God, to them, to their place; nay, procure the love of God upon our selves and them; for as an irreligious Governour is set up by Gods displeasure over a people, so a wise and religious Ruler is a gift of Gods love, 2 Chron. 9. 8. God set Salomon a wise and religious King, on his throne, because hee loved Israel; and this is true not onelyonly in the supreme, but in those that are sent from him.

[And the woman fled into the wildernesse.]

Some may think it strange that the woman should now flie, for which fact shee seemeth to have but little reason, seeing her sonne the manchilde was in the former words so exalted to the throne of God, and so able to defend her with his iron rod; this may seeme to weaken the former exposition; but we must knowthere might bee sundry causes besides p. 291outward force; even many inward dislikes and distastes that might haften her out of sight.

2. This verse is here inserted by the Spirit of God, by anticipation, that is; when a thing is mentioned in a former place, which was done after; for here is mentioned the thing, but neither the time nor reason, for both which wee must consult the thirteenth and fourteenth verses, to which time and place this verse doth properly belong, for else would follow,

First, that the woman did flie before the battle begun, which all this while was but preparing, which is not likely.

Secondly, that shee flew twice.

3. That shee did flie before wings were given her; all which unlikelihood must needs follow, if the verse bee not anticipated; for it is plaine by those verses, that the slight was afterward, that the battell with Michael was fought after shee overcame the dragon, after the new assault of the dragon against her, and after shee had wings given her to save herselfe by flight.

Quest. Why is this verse so inserted out of his order and due place?

Ans. The reason seemeth to be this: In the former verse the spirit of God had shewed that the dragon, although he watched to destroy the manchilde, yet hee was safe, being taken up into the throne of God; and now if question should be made, But what became of the woman? he would presently adde, the woman was safe too, and by what meanes? as he by his advancement into the throne, so shee by flight, but not at the same time, for many things came betweene. Now as the Spirit of God mentioneth this flight but by the way, so shall wee speake of it as here wee finde it, reserving the reason p. 292of it, and meanes, and other circumstances to the fourteenth verse, where wee shall more fitly meet with them.

This flight of the woman seemeth to be an allusion unto Israel, flying into the wildernesse from Pharaoh, that red and bloody dragon pursuing them even to destruction; In which flight there are three things considerable.

1. The place where she flies, with a secret reason implyed, because that was the place prepared by GOD.

2. Her sustentation, that they should feede her.

3. Her mansion or continuance, 1260. dayes.

I. In the place two things are inquired,

First, what is the desart.

Secondly, what is the flight.

1. The desart is not to be understood of a certaine place, as the desart of Arabia, or Libia, or any other set place to which the Church was to be tyed to at that time, as the Donatists dreamed, that this wildernesse must bee theirs in Affrike; but a certaine state and condition of the Church, opposed to her high and heavenly condition, wherein shee shined, crowned with twelve starres, as verse the first. The wildernesse then is nothing else but an afflicted, wasted and solitary condition of the woman, excluded from her former glory, forced now to hide her face from the world, and to live in poverty and exile, and in a private and solitary condition; and as creatures that live in the desart flie the sight and aspect of men, so shee vanished and disappeared from the eyes of men, not daring to bee seene the same shee was before.