Two Sermons, Sermon 1 – Title page 2
REVEL. 18.4.
Come out of her, my people, that yee be not partaker of her sinnes, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
WHen Easterne Babylon was to be destroied for her cruelty and oppression of Gods people the Jewes, the Lord graciously warneth the godly in Babylon to get out from her,Ier. 51.45. lest they also should be wrapped up in her destruction: And when Westerne Babylon is to be destroied for her cruelty and oppression of Gods people among the Gentiles, the same Lord, looking backe to the same prophecie, upon the same occasion, repeateth the same admonition; and urgeth the same reasons, to the same persons, for the same end; that they might be safe in the destruction of the same city Babylon in a mystery, as appeareth by comparing the second verse of this chapter with this fourth verse.
The parts of the verse are two:
1. A Commandement, Come out of her my people.
2. The reasons two-fold.
1. Lest ye partake in her sinnes,
2. and receive of her plagues.
Every word calls for Attention.
1. If we had a voice from heaven (will the worst say) we would heare and obey: now here is a voice from heaven.
2. A commanding voice of God, requiring simple and speedy obedience; Come out of her.
3. A voice directed to Gods people, among whom it may presume it selfe welcome.
4. Gods people obey for love of vertue, and may not partake in Babylons sinnes.
5. Even their dulnesse of flesh must be quickned by feare of punishment, and take heed they receive not of her plagues.
If you shall as Gods people, welcome this heavenly voice, and shall please to lend me your Christian attention, I will so succinctly, as I may not be obscure, open the parts, first the Commandement, and then the reasons, which will furnish vsus with such variety of matter, as wee may remit tedious both disputes and discourses, to other auditories.
1. In the Commandement are,
1. The persons to whom it is directed: My people.
2. Whence they must depart, from her.
3. how they must depart, come out.
My people.
1. Note, Babylon is not a city of God, yet in Babylon is a people of God, for the Church is Catholike, and though Babylon cannot be the Catholike Church, no more than a finger can be an hand, or an hand the whole bodie; yet in Babylon are some members of the Catholike Church. Babylon a wicked place, destinated to destruction, yet God hath some of his people hid in Babylon, for whose sake Babylon holds the word of God, though obscurely, and Baptisme in substance, though very corrupt. They aske us, Where was your Church before Luther? we say, Even in Babylon among themselves. Why doe they hout at our answer as insufficient, and not first contest against this voice from heaven, or blot this text out of the booke?
1. Babylon is cast off vntounto destruction; but the Lord is not unmindfull of his people in the common perdition of Babylon. Farre be it from him to doe this thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked (saith Abraham) shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right? Gen. 18.25.such is his faithfulnesse and care over his people, who are in covenant with him, as they shall see him finde out a time, which shall put a difference betweene him that sweareth, and him that feareth an oath; betweene him that feareth God, and him that feareth him not.
3. Babylon is hastning to destruction, but shall not be destroied, before Gods people in Babylon be called out for their safety. Hee warneth Lot to get out of Sodome, Gen. 19.15, 16.that he may not perish with the Sodomites.
He warneth the congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah, Numb. that they might not be swallowed up with them. 16.26.He warned his elect by a voice in Ierusalem, saying, Migremus hinc, so as they fled into little Pella, before the destruction of the citie; for though his iustice be never so fierce, yet he remembreth merciemercy in iustice, and will rather by voice from heaven (as here) warne his children, than their safety shall not be provided for.
4. Gods people called out of Babylon, heare and answer the call, and therefore they are not Gods people that stay in Babylon: they only stay in Babylon after the call, whose names are not written in the booke of life, and of the Lamb, and who are to be rolled up in the common-destruction of Babylon.
Secondly, whence must Gods people depart? from her, that is, Babylon.
As the Church of Christ is described by a woman, Rev. 12.1. so is the Synagogue of Antichrist, Revel. 17.1. Againe, as Christ, the head of his Church, hath a city for his seat and throne, which is called Ierusalem, which was a type of the Church of God; so hath the head of this Antichristian apostasie, his seat and throne, which is called Babylon, that great city.
Now because it is granted on all hands, that Babylon is the seat of Antichrist, it is worth inquirie what this Babylon is.
The Papists would have us to seeke for Antichrist every where but where hee is, and have sought to leade us aside to many conjectures.
Some of them tell us that by Babylon is meant the wicked world; but that cannot be, for then when Babylon falleth, the world shall fall, which it doth not; for how could the Merchāts bewaile her fal, unlesse they wil say they must moane her in hel?
2. Neither is the wicked world the seat of Antichrist, for he must sit in the Temple of God, which is not the whole world.
3. Neither are the people of God called out of the world, but in a spirituall sense, whereas here is also a locall egresse out of Babylon commanded.
Some of them say, that the Easterne Babylon in Chaldea is meant, but as truly as the former.
For 1. that was fallen a thousand yeeres before, and how could Gods people be called thence in S. Iohns time, where they had not beene of a thousand yeeres?
2. This Babylon had rule over the Kings of the earth in S. Iohns time,Revel. 17.8. and therefore must needs be that State and Monarchie which then stood at Rome, and not that which was fallen in the Chaldean Babylon.
3. This Babylon was not that in the letter, or Babylon indeed, but Babylon in a mysterie, that is,Revel. 17.5. a State or Citie which resembled Babylon.
Some of them confesse the truth,Bellarm. Ribera, Alcusan. Ba…on. Viegas, Lessi…s, Malvenda, &c. that by Babylon here is meant Rome the Westerne Babylon, convinced partly by that plaine description of the woman sitting on seven mountaines, having seven heads, which were seven Kings, or seven kindes of governments; partly by the moments and weight of Reason,Augustin. Orosius, Eus…b. Hieron. Tertull. Beda, Victorinus, Oecumenius. and partly by the confession of so many Fathers, who all speake as plaine as we, that Rome is Babylon.
But though the Iesuites at this day seeme to speake with more judgement, yet with as little ingenuitie; for to defend their Pope and Citie, they would shift it to Ethnicke Rome, which is without all colour of truth.
For 1. this Babylon is the seat of Antichrist, which I thinke Rome was not. For if Ethnicke Rome were the seat of Antichrist, then could not Antichrist sit in the Temple of God; and then were Antichrist already come long since, which they denie, and all their fable of Antichrist quite spoiled.
2. The Fathers acknowledged Babylon to be Rome in their time, many yeeres after it had ceased to be Heathen, and Christian.
3. Neither can it be proved that the Christians by vertue of this commandement departed from old Ethnicke Rome, but continued constantly enduring all those bloudy persecutions raised by those Heathen Emperours.
Wee conclude therefore, that by Babylon is meant here not Rome Pagan, but Rome Papall.
Q. But why is Rome called Babylon, and not Rome in plaine termes?
A. Besides many Reasons which might be given both from the mysteries of prophecies, and from the purpose of God, who would by leaving some things obscure, exercise the mindes and diligence of his people:
Here Rome is called Babylon, for the similitude and resemblance with it, so as one egge is not liker another than Rome and Babylon. For
1. They are like in pride and power.Similis superbia. Easterne Babylon was the seat and head of the Monarchie, foreign: so the Westerne Babylon ruled over the Kings and Kingdomes of the world. Both sate as Queenes over the world; both dwelt upon many waters; both swelled in magnitude and greatnesse beyond all measure; both alike potent, saith Orosius.
2. They are like in perfidiousnesse and treachery.Similis perfidia. Babylon was a Citie estranged from the Covenant of God: so is Rome, once in covenant, and married unto Christ,Ecclesia similis est foeminae quae ex antiqua soelicitate excidit, ac signa tantum habet: ornament…rum en…m suorum th…cas & arculas habet, op…bus autem sp…ata est. Isidor. P…lusio…. lib. 3. epist. but after breaking her faith by her horrible whoredome and Idolatries, shee can call Christ no more Ishi, nor Christ can call her Ammi: and though shee can shew Baptisme, and rehearse the Creed and Ten Commandements, (as an Harlot can shew the Mariage Ring) yet is shee a wife no longer. Christ hath given her a bill of divorce, and who so marrieth her that is divorced for adultery is an adulterer.
Hence is this Papall Babylon called the great whore, the whore of Babel, the whore that sits on seven hils, and no other whore else in the world doth so, for many iust Reasons.
1. As an whore is an apostate from her conjugall faith,Why Rome Papall is called the great Whore. and plaieth false with him whom shee professeth her husband; so this whore of Babel, once married unto Christ, is now joyned to another husband the Pope, who claimeth to be Christs Vicar, the husband of the Church: as if an husband must needs have a Vicar; or as if he can be honest that is Vicar to an husband; or shee chaste that admitteth a Vicar to her husband.
2. As an whore inveigleth all shee can by meretricious Arts,Prov. 7.13. shee draweth in the young man by her flatteries and subtleties, but most of all shee allureth great persons to folly for great rewards: Even so this whore of Babel seduceth by craft, and in a mysterie, all whose names are not written in the Booke of Life; but especially shee hath inveigled the Kings and Princes of the earth to commit fornication with her.
3. As the harlot loveth the darke, and seeketh the twilight; so this whore of Babylon flieth the light of the Scriptures, and loveth the darke night of ignorance. What else is the mother and nurse of their devotion but ignorance? Where doth Romane religion dominere, but over ignorant countries and persons? Where doe Priests and Iesuites sculke and lurke but in dens and thickets of ignorance? When doe these Owles and Bats flutter abroad but in the twilight? Egypt covered with darknesse, was covered with Locusts and Frogs, but Goshen having light, was rid of Locusts and such vermines.
4. An whore exhausts a mans substance, and brings him to a morsell of bread: so the whore of Rome hath by cunning, and for things not worth thanks, exhausted the chiefe treasures of Kings and Kingdomes. Her Peter-pence gathered by tyrannie and hypocrisie, have equalled the Kings tribute; an unsuspected witnesse of her unsatiable gathering, is that Orbis in urbe, that world of wealth, which that great Citie hath robbed the great world of; and yet as was said of Paulus 3. Eius avaritiae totus non sufficit Orbis.
5. An whore enervates and weakeneth the strength, and seeketh the precious life of a man: Shee consumeth the flesh and the bodie, saith Salomon. Prov. 5.11.So this Whore of Babylon hath weakened all the power of Princes in their owne kingdomes, claiming all their Authoritie, Crowns, Laws, and making them but her vassals to execute her designes: which if any of them thinke unreasonable, then by all false arts, positions and practises, shee hunteth the precious lives of such Princes, sometimes by her owne Emissaries, and sometimes by their owne subjects; armed with fraud and force, with dags and daggers, with poisons or powder-plots. And what difference, saith Mariana, Marian. de reg. lib. 1. cap. 7.whether thou killest him with poison or stab; there be many examples (saith he) both ancient and moderne, of enemies killed this way.
3. They are like in state and condition.Similis s…atus. Babylon signifieth Confusion; and in both was a Confusion of tongues, that one could not understand another. And in both a confusion of vices, and a Chaos of all filthinesse: similia mala, saith Orosius, sinnes of highest degrees against God and man: for what else can be expected of a people left by God? What else but a chaine of sinne reaching up unto heaven, in that state the head of which is the man of sinne. I may not now rake in this sinke, hee had need have a vizard on his face, that should speake or heare of Babels filthinesse: the best way to expresse the filth of ordure, is quickly to cover it: therefore I will imitate the Painter, who to expresse the deepest sorrow that might bee, did cover the partie with a veile.
Similis exitus.4. They are parallel in their ruine and miserable destruction, which in both is,
1. Certaine.
2. Totall.
3. Finall.
1. Of both was said, Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen, the present tense for the future: and ingemination or doubling of the prophecie, noteth the certaintie of their ruine.
Ier. 51.37.25. Rev. 18.8. & 15.16.2. Both Babels must be turned to heapes, both of them must be burnt, mountaines turned into ashes: as the Kings did to that Babel, so shall the ten Kings hate this Whore, and leave her naked, and eat her flesh, and burne her with fire.
Ier. 51.63. Rev. 18.21.3. Both of them shall be finally destroyed, never to be recovered againe. Both of them shall bee as a milstone cast into the sea by the Angell, never to be lifted up any more.Ier. 50.40. Rev. 16.21. Both of them must be destroyed as Sodome and Gomorrah, which were never recovered. In neither of them shall be found bridegroome or bride, the sound of milstone, or light of a candle, or any craftsman; and therefore shall neither of them bee inhabited by man any more, but Zim and Iim shall dwell there; and the Ostriches shall dwell therein; but never shall sonne of man remaine there any more, neither shall Babel ever rise from the evill.
Object. But how unlikely is this, that so strong a staffe and beautifull rod should be broken to peeces? And we will be readie to say with Mary, But how shall this be? I answer, As God rained a shower of fire and brimstone upon Sodome, which was as the Garden of God, and turned her to ashes suddenly; so will he raine a great shower of haile, like talents of lead, vponupon Babel. And as the faire sunshine morning could not save them; no more shall the faire sun-shine of prosperitie save these, for God which condemneth her is a strong Lord.
Having declared who is this Babylon, and why: now we come to the third branch of the Commandement, Come out of her.
As by Babylon, we meane not only the walls, and plot of ground, on which the Citie of Rome standeth, but the whole Papall State and Religion; so the heavenly voice enjoynes all the people of God, both a spirituall and corporall egresse from them.
In few words take into our view,
1. The Matter.
2. The Maner of our departure.
First for the Matter, All Gods people must depart from the Romish Church, both in Iudgement and Affection.
1. In respect of spirituall presence we must depart,
1. Mente.1. Mente.
2. Manu.
3. Corpore.
In Iudgement we must renounce their Doctrine, Faith, Worship, and whole Religion, so farre as it differeth from the Scriptures: and the Harmonie of Confessions of the Reformed Churches agreeable to the Scriptures.
We must also in our Iudgement renounce all Romane power executed by the Pope and his Clergie over the Scripture, over Princes and their subiects, and over any other Churches without their owne precincts.
In our Affections we must give our hearts to the truth of God, and detest and damne to hell their blasphemous doctrines, their hatefull Idolatrie, grosse superstitions, wicked manners, and the detestable courses of that wicked Citie and State; contrary to many Polititians, who give us their presence, but their hearts are in Babylon: Christ hath the shell, but they reserve the kernell for Antichrist.
2. Matth.2. Wee must depart from needlesse association and assistance: how can we strike hands, and embrace amitie and societie with such as have broken off with God? How can iron and clay temper together? What societie betweene light and darknesse? What agreement betweene a member of Christ, and a limbe of Antichrist? How can any of Gods people say, thy person shall be mine, thy estate shall be mine, thy children shall be mine; but thy God shall not be mine, thy Religion shall not be mine.
And for assistance we may lend Babylon no hand to uphold her, we are commanded not to seeke the prosperity of Babel all our daies, because the Lord hath divoted her to destructiō, but especially those, whose hands and swords God hath sanctified to this purpose: whensoeuer God shall put it into their hearts, they want neither charge nor calling to reward her as she hath rewarded them: as she hath levied forces against the Princes of the earth, so must they levie forces against her; and the cup of death and wrath which she hath filled to them, they must fill her the double.
3. We must depart corporally from them,3. Corpore. even in respect of place and habitation. If an house be ready to fall, it must oppresse all that are under the roofe. If a Citie be summoned to warre by the sound of a trumpet, carefull men will desire to leave that Citie. Or if a Citie be infected with a raging pestilence, we need not perswade men to flie forth of that danger. Here is a ruinous state ready to be made an heap. Shall the little mice, by naturall sagacity, presage the ruine of the house and flie; and shall we stay till we be oppressed under the ruine? The Lord hath proclaimed open war against this rebellious city, and shall we stay the mounting of the Canon? No where can a man bestow himselfe in Popish countries, but he shall meet with that poysoned aire, a thousand times more infectious than ever was any citie with most hot pestilence, and can any man be safe, casting himselfe upon such adventures?
Secondly, for the manner of our departure from Babel, we must come our,
1. Cito.
2. Longe.
3. Totaliter.
4. Finaliter.
1. Wee must depart hastily. 1. Cito.Lot was commanded to hasten out of Sodome, and prolong no time, because the danger was neere; delay which is in all things dangerous, may here prove desperate, and therefore we are commanded to fly out of Babel:Ier. 51.6. which is a swift motion beseeming Gods people in their obedience; and because of the neerenesse of the danger unto them.
Longe.2. We must depart farre from Babel, even as farre as may be. Many are afraid to offend the Babylonians by departing too far from them. But as Moyses calling the congregation from Corah and his complices, said, I pray you depart from the tents of these men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest yee perish in their sinnes; so we must pray, to have no societie or comporting with Romish Babylon, in her heresies, Idolatry, or superstitions, for this were not to depart far enough from them.
Totaliter.3. We must depart wholly, thy selfe and all thine. When Lot was called out of Sodome, he is willed to call and carry out with him all and every one of his kinred, his wife, his children, his sonnes in law, and all whom he loued. And Moyses calleth not only the head of families from Corah, but their wiues, sonnes, and little children: we may not thinke our selves departed from Babylon, unlesse our wives and children be departed with us. He is but halfe departed whose other halfe is a Recusant, neither can a man of reason thinke him departed, that sends his pawnes, his sonnes and daughters, for education in Popish countreys.
Finaliter.4. This heavenly voice would have us depart finally, never to returne more. Lot must not depart out of Sodome to looke backe againe: nor out of Egypt with the Israelites, to turne backe after the leekes and onyons; nor with Spalato, run backe to Babel when we have fild our purses, nor for rumor of danger turne away from the truth received: for suppose God should kindle a fire of persecution in his Church, this were but a fire of triall and castigation, whereout the Lords golden vessels should come out onelyonly brighter and better. But if we returne to Babylon, there is nothing but a fire of destruction and finall ruine, to burne up such huskes and chaffe, as wanting substance of grace, are blowne away with every wind of doctrine, every blast of change, and every shadow of turning.
I had now come to the second part of my text, if there stood not three sorts of men in my way, to whom I must in few words apply my selfe and this part; and being men of no good qualities, I will make what haste from them I may: The first sort of these are Romanists, the second Separatists, the third Apostates. The Romanists cudgell us for departing from Rome; The Separatists lay load upon us for not departing from Babylon: can both their blowes fall right? The Papists tell us with great audaciousnesse, that wee are Schismatikes, and Heretikes, because wee have departed from the Catholike Church; and keepe out of the lap of our mother Church, yea out of the Arke, out of which is no salvation.Nos exivimus ab illis corpore, ill… a nobis animo: nos ab illis loco, illi a nobis fide: nos apud illos reliquimus fundamenta parietum, ill… apud nos fundamenta scripturarum: nos egressi sumus ab ill…s secundum aspectum hominum, illi a nobis secundum iudicium Dei. Chrysost. de haereticis in oper. imperfect. in Matt. cap. 23. h…m. 46. But our text hath taught us that wee are not departed from the Church of Christ, but from Babylon. Neither can they prove us Schismatikes for departing from them, whom we can easily prove to have departed from Christ by a generall Apostasie, contrary to the whole Kingdome of Christ, onelyonly fit for Antichrist the Catholique Heretike. Neither are we departed from our Mother, but from the mother of whoredome, and we may not mingle with Harlots.
3. Neither of our owne head, but by this voice from heaven.
4. Our dutie bindeth us to avoid her sinnes, and our safetie to avoid her plagues. Let them bring vsus a Text or voice from heaven to bring us backe againe, and we will returne; but Texts of Scriptures and heavenly voices cannot be contrary to themselves.
2. The Separatists say we are in the midst of Babylon, our assemblies are Antichristian, our selves no people of God, because we leape not over the pale, and fly out with them. But first, they have not, nor can prove the Church of England to be Babylon, unlesse Babylon be in covenant with the Lord, and hath both the Deeds and Seales of that Covenant, to shew in all the substantiall parts of them rightly administred according to the Institution, and now standeth to the determination of the Scriptures in all things; for thus doth the Church of England, but not so Babell: and therefore we are not scarred with the windy termes of false worship, false ministry, bowing downe to traditions, or denying the power of Christ in ruling his Church, which is both preached and defended happily amongst vsus.
2. They have not, nor can prove that Christ hath given us a Bill of divorce, as he hath to Babel, or that the reformed Churches have separated from us, as they have from Babylon. As for their discoveries, what hath a schisme of private men to doe to excommunicate whole Churches? or why get they no Churches to joyne with them? or if they could get all the Reformed Churches to them, we expect orderly admonition before rash excommunication. For if a private man must be admonished twice or thrice before excommunication, much more may a whole Church expect it.
3. We are come out of Babylon by Gods blessing, in that we have pulled downe the Temples of their Idols, in that both in substance of Doctrine and Sacraments, our Ministery agreeth with the Scriptures; the head of Dagon is cut off, his stump cast downe, and cast out; and we labour in purging away all the scent and stinke of him, so far are we from worshipping the beast, or receiving his Image.
4. We cannot therefore separate from the Church of England, but we must goe out from the true Church of God, and from the Spouse of Christ, who acknowledgeth Christ for her head and foundation: and by beleeving in his righteousnesse alone, is made a member of his body.
No reason will serve these unreasonable men, for then I might now get from them: but their importunity staies me to answer one objection, and so I will leave them.
Obiect. But what a number of corruptions have you, an heape of mens Traditions, which Christ never acknowledged, but bred and borne in Babylon; and what a number of Gods ordinances doe you want, which a true Church of Christ cannot want, and can you be a Church of Christ?
Answ. 1. Was not Lot got out of Sodom when he saw the smoke of the Citie? If it were granted then, that a little smoke of the Citie did trouble our eies, must it follow that we are still in the midst of Babylon?
2. They point us to some corruptions and errors, to which I say: 1. Let them shew me a soyle in the world, where Wheat groweth without some chaffe, and I will goe with them: But that is not at Amsterdam.
2. None of the corruptions which they falsly terme, are of that high nature as to call for a personall separation, because none of them are fundamentall. The least corruption that we can certainly espie, which yet is not in constitution, but in execution, we must separate from, in iudgement, in affection, in practise, but to separate personally for any error not fundamentall, let them teach it them to whom all errors are alike, but we may not be so dull.
3. Our Church being ioyned to the head Iesus Christ, and retaining the vitall parts of the Word and Sacraments; neither if wanting of something which should be present, nor if remaining something to be cast out, can thrust her from the right and title of the Church of God, but is in essence and being a Spouse of Christ. For example, cut off both a mans armes, both his legges, cut off his eares and nose, now he wanteth many things which a man should have, but yet so long as the head stands alive upon the body, and other vitall parts remaine, he is indeed a man, although a maimed one. Againe, suppose a man had ten fingers on an hand, or three armes, or suppose an hand stood where the foot should stand, or the mouth were set in the forehead, here were a great aberration and confusion against naturall symmetrie of a mans body; yet hee is a man, though a very deformed one; whereas, where there is no head, or no union of members to that head, there were no body, no man: So whatsoeuer they can say, though falsly, is wanting in our Church; or whatsoever they say is redundant or superfluous, she being founded on Christ her head, and truly dispensing the word and Sacraments, they cannot overthrow her being of a true Church of Christ.
4. To conclude with them, some things make to the being of a Church, some to the comelinesse and well being of it: if their nimble eies could finde never so many abuses not fundamentall, all these shall only make to the disgrace and vncomelinesse of the Church, but shall never overthrow the being of it. Whatsoever we want, let not God want his praise, nor we thankfulnesse, that we want not that whereby Gods people may enioy the ioy of their salvation. And this may serve for answer to those Separatists, if all the corruptions they charge us with were truly obiected against us, as they are not.
3. To the three sorts who goe away from us to Babylon, because they were never of us; would to God they would timely consider.
1. If the Lord be so earnest that his people which are in Babylon, should fly out of her; it cannot but be too preposterous and desperate for those that are gotten out to run in againe.
2. That if it be a signe of the Lords people, to depart out of Babylon; it must needs be a signe of him or her that is not the Lords, to run into her, and so to continue.
3. What is the fearefull hire of Apostasie and Apostates, of whom the spirit of the Lord speaketh lothsomely as of dogs and swine turning to their vomit and wallowing. What can be the expectation of such, as forsaking the sound profession of the Gospell, fall away from Christ to Antichrist; but the most dreadfull doome which is to be awarded against the Lords most cursed enemies?
4. That they sinne without a cause, which aggravates the sinne: nay against so cleare a light and truth enacted, protected, crowned, and in these daies after 70. yeeres of the sunshine of the Gospell, which hath beene the best time the Gospell hath had in the world for so long together, this thirteene hundred yeeres; so as for our meanes we might have beene as stable as rocks upon our rocke and foundation.
5. That they sinne against a speciall commandement of God, yea against a voice from heaven in this text; they cannot say in the day of the Lord they were not warned.
Lastly, because they love to looke upon pictures, now leaving them, I will leave with them an Emblem of such gracelesse Apostates as themselves: When Israel was in the Wildernesse, God gave them a daily harvest of Mannah from heaven, but they grew weary of the Lords provision, they remember the garlike, the leekes, and onyons of Egypt, and backe they will to Egypt in all haste: but all the while they remembred not the oppressions, tyranny, stripes, labours, sighs, burdens, the bricks and fiery furnaces. So doe these looke after the pompe, pride, wealth, and liberty of Romish Egypt; but remember not the miserable servitude and bondage, and their tyranny upon their consciences; they remember not their traiterous doctrines, their miserable attempts against kings and kingdomes, their furious fires, their perfidious massacres, their bloudy inquisition. They remember not what comfortlesse hopes that doctrine and Religion will afford them in the day of their death (for theres no understanding Papist dare trust unto it) and yet looke backe they will. But what is the issue and conclusion of all? As all they in the wildernesse miserably died, and never entred into the Land of rest; so these Apostates may exchange Mannah with Garlike for the present; but in the day of the Lords visitation, they shall reape according to their sowing; when greatnesse, nor wealth, when Iesuiticall subtilties, nor penall satisfactions, neither shall their painted and Poeticall Purgatory helpe or ease them: they would not be stayed by a voice from heaven, but backe they would to Babylon; and now must they partake in her eternall plagues, by a sentence from heaven which is irrevocable. That ye partake not of her sinnes.
This second part of our text hath three things considerable in it:
1. That Babylon hath great sinnes.
2. That not to depart from her is to partake in her sinnes.
3. Who they be that doe partake in her sinnes.
For the sins of Babylon, they were most transcendent both against God, and against man. I may not tire your patience with the enumeration. I cannot name a fewer number than two, which the Scriptures usually insist upon in this argument.
1. Idolatry.
2. Cruelty.
1. Idolatry. Isa. 21.9. 2 King. 17.30. Ier. 51.36.1. Babylon was full of Images and false gods; they worshipped Bel for God, and made them Succoth and Benath. The Dragon was worshipped also among them as God; In a word it was a land of graven Images, and they doted on their Idols. Now all the Idolatry of that Easterne Babylon was a type and shadow of the unheard of Idolatries of this Westerne Babylon, who not onelyonly committeth, but commandeth shamefull filthinesse, neither onelyonly defendeth her owne whoredomes, but teacheth and forceth the same upon others: Therefore the Scriptures call her a mistresse, yea a mother of whoredoms, with a full cup of filthinesse and fornications in her hand; which she reacheth and forceth upon all her lovers. That as all men both high and low, small and great, must fall downe before the God which Nebuchadnezzer king of Babel hath erected; so must every man worship the breaden, brazen, woodden, and golden gods, which that Nebuchadnezzer of this Easterne Babel hath set up. But I know not by what windlace the Iesuits (as nimble as mischiefe it selfe) have brought it about, to a demurre among Divines; whether these Babylonians be Idolaters or no? which wise men see to be but the raising of a cloud of dust to trouble our eies, whilest they worke their stratagems amongst, and against us.
1. For,That Romanists are formall Idolaters. Doth the spirit of God call Babylon the mother of whoredomes, and are they not Idolaters?
2. Doe they translate adoration from the Creator to the creatures (which is Nazianzens description of Idolatry) and are they not Idolaters?Orat. in Christ. nat. 3.
3. Doe they erect and worship Images of the invisible God, and are they not Idolaters?
4. Doe they give all the honour to the Image which is due to the samplar,Cost…r. Bellarm. and are they not Idolaters?
5. Doe they command and compell every man to fall downe on his knees and adore their Hoast in their processions, being an externall religious worship, and are they not Idolaters?
6. They doe teach that to Images, as Images, a proper religious worship is due, as doe their learned Papists, and are they not Idolaters?
7. Doe they invocate all the Hoast of heaven, and their Hoast in earth; and is not this formally to Idolatrize?
De idol…lat. lib. 2. cap. 7.8. Are they so puzled in this argument, as the greatest schollers are forced to say that some Idolatry is lawfull, as Gregory de Valentia. If some be lawfull, let them give a reason why not all as well; and if all or any be lawfull with them, are they not Idolaters?
Thus while shee claimeth to bee the mother Church (not without wrong both to Hierusalem and Antioch where the Gentiles were first called Christians) we must in the Scriptures dialect, hold her the mother of whoredomes. And if the Iewes could not abide to be borne in fornication,Iohn 8. let us that are free borne, scorne to take a notorious whore for our mother, and leave her to the bastardly brood that are borne and bred up to Antichrist: of whom may be verified, Like mother, like daughters.
The second sin noted in Babylon was cruelty, and tyranny against the Church of God,2. Cruelty. where she was called a destroier, Ier. 51.25. & 50.23.and a destroying mountaine, and the hammer of the whole world.
As was the Easterne Babylon to Gods people among the Iewes; so is the Westerne to the Christian Church among the Gentiles: the great Abaddon and Apollyon, called the scarlet Whore, drunke first with the wine of her fornication, and then drunke with bloud: for in her is found the bloud of all the Prophets, Rev. 17.2.13.8.and of all the Saints.
The tyranny of Easterne Babel had three properties, wherein the Westerne Babel doth farre surpasse. 1. That was a Covetous cruelty;Rev. 13.19. for Nebuchadnezzer spoiled the city and the Temple: Here Asa sackt Gods house and the kings house, and besides carried away all the wealth of the land. Even so the Romish Nebuchadnezzer robbeth the house of God, carrieth away the Word,2 Kings 26. the Sacraments, the Scriptures, preaching, and the pure worship of God, figured by these golden vessels, instruments and pillars; and besides robbeth and spoileth Kings and Princes of their kingdomes, crownes, treasures, and revenues, so as there is no kingdome in Christendome, which hath not drunk deepe of his tyranny.
2. That was an unnaturall and barbarous cruelty; for they raged against Infants the seed of the Church, and dashed their heads against the stones.Psal. 137.8, 9. So is this Babylon as fierce and unnaturall in her cruelties, hatching up savage monsters, and parricides, by teaching, counselling, acting, triumphing and patronizing murders unheard of, unread of in Babylon: as Mastives which lie in the shambles, have commonly bloudy mouthes; so doe their mouthes run over with Romish Rhetoricke, Vre, seca, occide, Burne, kill, poyson, stab, blow up, whom? strangers, friends, old, young, men, women, brethren, fathers, kings, princes, kingdomes, countries, nay your owne king, your native countrey: shed bloud, shed innocent bloud, make no end of shedding innocent bloud, let bloud touch bloud: oh cruell Tigers to the life of man, to the life of kings and kingdomes, and so to the very life and soule of the world.
Nebuchadnezzer of Babel, is not content to burne the three children of God, but hee must make the fire seven times hotter than ever; to shew that hee would burne them seven times over apeece, if he could. This Westerne Nebuchadnezzer hath kindled fires against Gods servants, seven times hotter than that furnace, devising torments as neere hell fire as any hellish tyrant could invent. The Acts of the Church, and the Acts of iustice, record, that not farre from this place, the Romanists first murthered Richard Hun, a grave and wealthy citizen, and then hanged him, and then condemned him for an Heretike, and then burnt the dead man in Smithfield, because hee appeared not, being summoned to recant his supposed heresie.
3. That Babylonish tyranny was as unsatiable as unnaturall. The Church sate weeping in Babylon, which noteth a long captivity: so under this Westerne Babylon hath the Church endured a long Captivity not of 70. yeeres, but of 7. times 70. almost thrice told, and yet an end is not come. These horseleaches are unsatiable; doe not these enemies of mankind desire riuers of bloud, to ride their horses to the saddles in the bloud of the Lutherans? Domitius Nero caused Rome to bee set on fire in twelve places at once, that hee might delight himselfe in seeing a patterne of the burning of Troy. But our late Neroes and Babylonians would see a patterne of hell fire before they came there, and to that end would kindle a fire to burne not a City, but three goodly Kingdomes at once. Duke Alb… boasteth, that in the low Countries he slew in few yeeres six and thirty thousand Protestants, for which service the Pope sent him an hallowed sword. Vigerius one of the Inquisition, affirmeth that it had consumed in lesse than thirty yeeres, with severall kinds of torments, an hundred and fifty thousand Protestants. O unsatiable wolves, whom all the bloud of the whole fold of Iesus Christ would not satiate!
Those that come not out of Babylon must needs partake of her sinnes: For first, hardly can a man touch pitch and not be defiled: it is not every mans case to live chaste in Sodom, as Lot did, and in this case thou canst as hardly be in her and not of her. Secondly, impossible it is for him to free himselfe from evill, that shunneth not the occasions and provocations of it: and just it is, that hee that runneth out to meet the Tempter, should fall by the temptation. Therefore will Ioseph runne out of the house of his tempting Mistresse.
3. Our rule is not to avoid only apparant evils, but also the appearances of evill.
Ob. But we may live and converse in Babylon, in Rome, and popish Countries with good consciences, keeping our hearts unto God: and hence many goe to their Masses, behold their pompe and worship, admire and perhaps bow to their Idols and doe as they doe, and yet bee Christians good enough for all that.
Sol. Oh vaine pretexts of vaine men, directly giving the Spirit of God the lie; who here teacheth vsus, that those that come not out of her, partake of her sinne.
2. Did they see their owne disposition and danger, as the Lord by this text would have them to doe, how naturall a Religion Idolatry is, and how prone an unconverted man is vntounto it; what an inchanted Cup these Idolaters have prepared, and every way sweetned to the sense and sensuall man; Did they consider what a cleaving pitch, a spreading leaven, an infecting leprosie, a fretting gangren this idolatrous filthinesse is; they would listen to those frequent holy counsels, Enter not into the way of the wicked;Prov. 4.14. passe by the doores of the Harlots house; come not neere her threshold; avoid the place of so dangerous temptation.
3. Did they see the danger in partaking of Babylons sinnes, we should heare them change their note: Did they discerne how Babylons plagues are chained to Babylons sinnes, and that the first mischiefe of communication in her sinnes, is more miserable than the latter to receive of her plagues; they would listen to that which the spirit here perswadeth for their owne safety.
Q. Who bee they that partake in Babylons sinnes?
A. Communication in sinne is either,
1. More open, or,
2. More secret.
1. Our Romanists apparantly communicate and expresse her sinnes.
1. Her Rebellion by refusing the Oath of supremacie: the greatest Rebell in the world is Roman Religion.
2. Her Egyptian blindnesse and Recusancy, renouncing the Ministery, the Scriptures and meanes of knowledge: For in Goshen is light and comfort.
3. Her filthinesse and whoredomes by frequenting Masses, worshipping Images, praying to Saints, and many other waies acting filthy and formall Idolatry.
4. Her Babylonian oppression of Gods servants to their power, by plotting and contriving against them, threatning, rayling, boasting, slandering, bewraying by what means they may, how bloudy minded they are, only muzled, and by their doctrine quiet, because as yet, Res commodè fieri non potest.
2. More secretly, our indifferent and wary Protestants partake of her sinnes.
1. By externall reverence to, or at Idol worship, as bowing the knee, uncovering the head, condemned in the second commandement as an approbation of the Idol.
2. By counselling and perswading to Popish Religion, for so Caiphas had an hand in Christs death, because he counselled it.
3. By defence of Popish persons, doctrines, and practises: not a few undertake the defence of grosse Popery in their table discourse; as Free-will, the Reall Presence, Merit of Workes, shewing where their affection is, whilest they goe for Protestants good enough.
4. By silence, and not professing against the Idolatry of Popery in doctrine or practise; when a man hath a calling in publike or private, and in not hindering it, so far as a man hath power or place; for qui non prohibet malum cum potest, facit.
5. By flattery and praising Papists in their courses, consenting to their discourses, countenancing their persons, chusing and affecting their societie; sort with them, eat and drinke and play with them. When the Iewes stoned Steven, Paul communicated in the sinne by countenance and assistance in keeping the garments: Oh where is now Davids spirit when he exclaimed, Woe is mee that I am constrained to live in Meshec, and to have any thing to doe with such wretched men!
6. By spreading Popish bookes, pictures, and such trash, as those Merchants send us over, by bestowing for tokens Popish Crosses, Images, Amulets, or any other Popish trumpery. And now adaies me thinkes I see the bosomes, armes, breasts, necks, and eares, carying the Beads, Crosses, and such Popish bables; Whence Ierome himselfe once threw them out: which proclaime that many amongst us partake of Babylons sinnes, making themselves guilty of her whoredomes, and would be thought the base issue of Antichrist, and children of Fornication, as were the Iewes, when they departed from the true worship of God. And that ye receive not of her plagues.
This last part of our text hath two propositions.
1. That great and wonderfull plagues are reserved for Babylon: for she having drunke deepe of two cups already, must drinke a third cup off to the bottome. She is drunke with the wine of fornication, and drunke with bloud; now must she drinke a cup of wrath and plagues. If any man will be better confirmed herein, the Angell calleth him to shew him the damnation of the great whore, that sitteth upon many waters.Revel. 14 8.10.17.2. That place consulted, sheweth that it is not only a temporary desolation of that state and Citie, with sword, fire, famine, according to the old prophecie; but also an everlasting rejection of that whole state and kingdome of Antichrist from God, into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
2. That whosoever communicates in the sinne of this Westerne Babel, and will not depart from her, must partake of her plagues: she and they shall drinke of the wine-presse of the wrath of God; Gods heavie indignation shall come upon them and her to the uttermost: for it is iust with God, that those who will not be divided in sinfull societie, shall be undivided in judgement and suffering; Societie in sinne brings societie in suffering. Humane lawes condemne and execute the theefe and the receiver, the murderer and consenter, the traitor and concealer; and as just it is, that he that will partake in the sinnes of others, shall partake also in the sorrowes of them. What can it be but danger, in not departing from her, who is departed from God, and God from her? For what is all that Religion, in the points wherein it differs from us, but an apostasie and a Catholike departure from the Christian faith;2 Thess. 2. nay that very great Antichristian departure fore-prophesied not from the Roman Empire, but of that Empire from the Christian faith, as appeareth, 1. By their departure from the Scripture and divine writings, to humane trash, traditions, and fables.
2. By their departing from the merits, doctrine, sufferings, and obedience of Iesus Christ in effect, to a new Christ, new saviours, new mediatours, new intercessours, new merits, new advocates and patrons.
3. By their departure from the old way, and the ancient faith of the Prophets, Apostles, and of the famous Church of Rome in the Apostles dayes, to a new faith and Religion, not knowne to the Scriptures, nor to the Prophets, nor Apostles, nor to their successors, the Fathers and Pastors, for six hundred yeeres at least after them.
3. What else besides ruine can he expect that staieth in such a society so addicted to the basest wickednesse: every one will say that ruine and mischiefe must be his end, that runneth and sorteth himselfe with base villaines: Who baser than the limmes of Antichrist, who are all vassals to the servant of servants; but a iust hire of those that refuse the Lord of life and liberty. What is like to bee the end of him that runnes after whores and harlots, but utter confusion? and what other can they expect that ioyne themselves to that harlotry Religion, who goe an whoring from God, like hatefull and unsatiable harlots: What can bee his end but ruine, that sorteth himselfe with mutinous and rebellious persons, plotters and contrivers of mischiefe against the persons, estates, lives, and kingdomes, of Princes and people? But such are Papists taught to bee, by the present doctrine of the Church of Rome.
And by such positions and principles, were the Gunpowder Traitors thrust on to their ruine, and all other that run upon their owne ruine, by rising up against our late and present Soveraigne.
Let all good Christians and good subiects say, as Iacob of Simeon and Levi brethren in evill, Into the secrets of these men let not my soule come.
Heere are reasons enow for our utter renouncing of Popery. Wouldst thou be without the reach of the plagues that amate her? get out of Babylon: Fearest thou not God, to avoide her sinnes? Feare thy selfe, and thine owne danger; who hast heard that the Lord is comming with his mighty power to make warre upon that damned Citie and State, for her utter desolation. Wouldst thou share in the salvation of Gods people? open thine eares to this voice of God, Fly out of Babel, Ierem. 51. Acts 2.40.and every man save his owne soule. Save your selves from this perverse Generation. I say not that no Popish person can bee saved, but whosoever will bee saved must depart from the fundamentall errors of Popery; for which Christ hath given that Synagogue a bill of divorce. I say therefore againe to all Gods people; Get away from this people of a strange language; Get away from the den of devills and habitation of Idolls. Whosoever are now within this voice and call of God, make use of it for thine owne safetie. Some perhaps hearing the call of Gods people out of Babylon, they like Lots friends scorne and mocke out this warning of God: for so doe reprobates and men of gracelesse hearts, spurne and fleere, where they should stoope, and feare, and tremble: but let such know, that as the Sodomites were first strucke with blindnesse, and then with a fiery shower, so are they under the former of these plagues already, and God is hastning the latter upon them, if they hasten not their repentance.
The Poets have a saying, that when Iupiter will strike a man, he first putteth out his eies: and so indeed doth the iust God, first blindeth the eies of Infidels who are willing to bee blinded, and then destroieth them: he giveth them up to the devill, who as an hangman, first covereth their eies, and then turneth them off.
2. That the time is hastning when they shall say they were warned and called out, but now cannot bee either pittied or helped. As Lots cousins though they made but a merriment of Lots admonition, yet they saw the Lord in earnest, and then too late wished they had departed according to the voice of the Lord; but now God will not, and Lot cannot helpe them. Neither can they shift themselves out of the fire, when the dreadfull shower falleth. Doe thou sit out the summons at thy perill; but one of two thou must chuse, either thou must goe out of Babylon, or goe into her destruction.
FINIS.
AN EVERLASTING RECORD OF THE VTTER RVINE of Romish AMALECK.
Delivered in a Sermon at BLACK-FRIERS in LONDON.
LONDON, Printed by J. H. for Iohn Bartlet, and are to be sold at the Golden Cup in the Gold-Smiths row in Cheapside. 1624.