The Cry and Revenge of Blood, Chapter 1
CHAPTER. 1.
The Introduction to the History: whereof the Prouidence of God in permitting and ordering such horrible wickednesse. 1. For the confusion of the Atheist: And secondly, awakening of the secure and prophane Christians.
IT may seeme very strange, and almost incredible to carnall apprehension, that such glorious light of the Gospell, especially so long continued among vsus, and that not without some gracious effect, should yet notwithstanding, abound with so many strange and monstrous sinnes, as doe dayly breake out and are strengthned with so high an hand of obstinacy and deeperate Impenitency. For whereas the powerfull preaching of the word hath this gracious promise annexed with it, that (as at the comming of the Sauiour of the world, all the Heathen Oracles and diuellish Delusions ceased and vanished) so all vncleane spirits should bee banished, and Satan fall downe like lightning, by the Heb. 2. 13.power thereof, and his works be dissolued, and thorowly abolished: may not the ouer-flowing of high handed sins, so raigning in these euill dayes, either seeme so challenge the Truth of the Gospell, as if it yet appeared not in it liuely Beauty, or else at least, question the Efficacy thereof, as not preuayling to the subduing of Iniquitie: surely if we consider on the one side, what hath opened the mouth of Papists to challenge the Truth of our Religion, and still doat vponupon their owne dreames? Is it any other then what hath beene occasioned from such desperate sinnes as hauehave broken out, and continued there with? Do they not hereby impeach the truth and power thereof, because Iniquity notwithstanding aboundeth in the midst of so glorious light? Doth not this harden their hearts in their grosse and palpable darkenesse, euen that, I say, which hardned the Iewes in their Idolatry and obstinacy against the truth; that because when they worshipped the Queene of Heauen and all the host thereof, then all things went better with Ierem. 44. 16.them, more charity then abounded, lesse sinne and misery brake out: but since the discouery of the Light, sinne hath appeared more out of measure sinfull, the wrath of God Rom. 7. 8. 9.hath beene more discouered against the same, therefore their Conclusion is, that we are in the wrong, and they maintaine the right?
And hath not his on the other side, hardned the Atheist, not onelyonly in his blasphemy, that there is no God, that Religion is but Policy, but also in his obstinate impiety, and obdurate impenitency, euen this, I say, is the maine Stumbling blocke hereunto, that the Gospell, being not powerfull to weed out such grosse wickednes, but that it swarms and rangeth, securely vnderunder the scepter thereof: Either it is because there is no Truth therein, or else, wanting power, it is no more to be regarded then a scarre-crow or bugbeare, to fright fooles and children: Either he thinkes that God is like vntounto him, because hee prospers in his sinne, or that hee likes well thereof, because sentence doth not speedily passe to Psalm. 50.his discouery and confusion. Doth not the close conuayance of sinne, and long concealing thereof prouoke him to Eccle. 8.challenge the Omnipresence of God, as if he were hid in the clouds, and could not see it? Doth not his long forbearance Iob 22.of sinne, and great pacience in suffering the vessels of wrath, giuegive further occasion to the Atheist to chalenge the diuine prouidence, as if the Lord would neither do good nor euill, Nahum. 1. 12.
And is not the mouth of the Prophane Christian hereby opened against heauen? Doth not his talke goe thorow the earth that Sinne is but a trick of youth, that the more senselesse we are thereof, the lesse care we take for the same: the more our consciences are secure therein, the more secure we are of the mercy of God, the more wee may sinne that Rom. 6. 1.grace may abound: because hereby the conscience becomes more obdurate, and so secure of Gods fauour.
Behold heere the righteous Iustice of God, in causing his Word to bee a sauour of death vntounto death: obserue, I pray you, and admire Gods wonderfull wisedome, in taking the wise in their craftinesse, that seeing they will not obey the glorious Gospell of our Lord Iesus, in receiuing the LoueLove of the truth: therefore the Lord hath giuen them vp iustly to strong Delusions, euen to peruert this glorious 1. Thes. 2, 12.light, to the hardning of their hearts, because they will not bee perswaded, and subdued thereunto, imputing those things as the effects of the Gospell, which are, indeeds, the Fruits of their obstinate despising, and peruerting of the same.
For to speake the truth in Iesus Christ, and to iustifie the truth of God, to the conuincing of these liars, and peruerters of his glorious Grace: Consider, I pray you, in the feare of God, these Three things:
First, the Intent of God, in sending his Gospell vntounto a Nation.
Secondly, The Manner of Gods wisedome, in the Dispensation thereof.
Thirdly, The grounds and causes of Stumbling at, and peruerting the same.
Concerning the Purpose of God in bestowing his Gospell vponupon a Nation: that wee may the better discerne the same, we must looke vp into the Reuealed counsell of God, concerning the saluation of the Elect, and reiection of the Reprobate: For the Execution of which his Eternall decree. As the Lord in his eternall wisedome hath ordained his Mighty Word, so seeing the number of his Chosen is a little Flocke in comparison of the Cast-awayes, therefore doth hee also in his singular wisedome, send and dispose thereof, that howsoeuer it shall accomplish what he sends it for, namely, to conuince all sorts, of either side, both Elect and Reprobate, yet it shall be effectuall onelyonly in those few, to their sound conuersion, as for the rest, they shall onelyonly be hardned, and bee made inexcusable thereby. And to these contrary ends hath the wise and glorious God fitted and composed his blessed Word, both in respect of the Nature thereof, as also in the diuers manner of the conuayance of the same.
As touching ye Nature of the Word: Is it not a great Mystery supposing some-what in shew, to ye stubling of ye flesh, euen while it seemes most easily to conceiue the same, and including that in substance which while it is onelyonly conceiueable by the Spirit, doth thereby also abase the Flesh, that so it may renounce it selfe in the apprehension thereof, and seeke vntounto the Spirit for the opening of this Mistery. By which it comes to passe, that the naturall man being onelyonly able to conceiue, though but peruersly, the letter and outside of the Word, doth thereby also stumble at it owne conceit, either measuring the power of the Word, by the letter of it, and so abasing it in it owne conceit, as beeing so obuious to it carnall reach, and thereby seeming becomes offended at the outward simplicity and foolishnesse thereof: or else resting in it owne outward apprehension, as suiting with, and seruing it carnall and present ends, doth therefore stumble at the power thereof, as thinking it needelesse or dangerous, either because it is beyond his compasse, or crosseth his carnall ends, and so instead of submitting himselfe thereunto, doth in the height of it wisedome, despise and reiect the same.
Behold here how the Lord taketh the wise in their craftinesse. The Foolish Worldling beeing the wiser in his owne eyes, by how much the lesse hee diserneth his folly, doth therefore thinke himselfe able ynough, to diserne the Mystery of his happinesse, in the glasse of his owne false and counterfeit wisedome, and so being neither willing, nor able to goe out of himselfe, howsoeuer hee may pore at the outside of this Mystery, so farre as hee may conceiue his present fading happinesse, that so hee may flatter himselfe therein, and thereby attaine some such motion of the Deity, as may puffe him vp therewith, yet is hereby made more inexcusable, and farther off, from the inward search of the Power thereof. And yet the wayes of the Lord herein most equall and righteous. As both tendering the meanes indifferently vntounto all, so that the wicked cannot say, but he hath had his choyce thereof, and liberty therein with the best; yea, the pacience of the Lord, in leading him to Repentance, accompanyed with such an answering to his desires, concerning present ends, as it must much more iustifie the Lord. What could he hauehave done vntounto him which he hath not done? so it shall also make him much more inexcusable. And if so now the Lord deny vntounto him his grace, for the effectuating of the meanes. As he not bound thereunto, because he will hauehave mercy vponupon whom he will hauehave mercy, and whom he will he heardneth: so seeing the wicked doe neither dreame of any such assistance of his grace, as beeing blinded by selfe-louelove, they cannot see the want thereof: nay, being puffed vp with carnall wisedome, they doe vtterly despise and reiect the same. Is it any meruaile if they want the supply of that grace, which they so abase and contemne. Is it not iust with God that the scorner shall seeke wisedome and yet not finde it? Because he despiseth the substance, white hee hunts after the shaddow. And if now it please the righteous Lord, to giuegive him his desire, and send leanenesse into his soule, that not onelyonly that which he seemed to hauehave, shall be taken away from him, the light hee hath shall be quenched, and by degrees extinguished; yea, the spirit of God instead of restrayning him formerly from some outward euils, and so happily affrighting his conscience with sense of inward rottennesse, shall now giuegive him vp to his owne lusts, euen to commit sinne with greedinesse: Is not this the happinesse that hee specially dreames of, to be past feeling of sinne, that so hee may make vp his measure without controulement. Are not the wayes of God most equall herein? Shall not the mouth of iniquity be vtterly stopped? HaueHave not the wicked herein more at the hands of God then they can desire? Doth not he giuegive them herein much more then he oweth them of all outward blessings? Doth he not affoord them more plenty of spirituall meanes then they doe desire? Doth hee not respite them in his great patience, many a time beyond their owne fond and counterfeit vowes, in the day of their distresse, sparing them further then themselues doe wish, and repealing that sentence, which in their suddaine flashes they hauehave pronounced against themselues, if they should hereafter turne to their vomit againe: yea, still drawing them to him with the cords of LoueLove, when they hauehave cast off his cords, and fall desperately from him? Is not the Iustice of God most righteous, euen his enemies being Iudges. And surely as is the Lord, so is his Word heerein, most holy and righteous. If it crosse the wicked in their desires to discouer that inward corruption, whereof they are ignorant, and wherein they fauour themselues: Is it any lesse then stands with the Power of the Word, euen as fire to search the hidden parts, yea, as the light, to lay open the darkest corners.
And if now the wicked vponupon their first entertainement of the word desirous happily to gaine credit, and applause thereby, be iustly confounded by the power thereof, enraging their consciences by it inward search, is not the wisedome of God admirable, thus taking them in their craftinesse. Is not his goodnesse iustifiable, thus preparing them hereby to repentance? If now the louelove of sinne, will giuegive no way to sound repentance: Is not yet the wisedome of God herein more admirable, that whereas the wicked desire some sleight euidence to conceit a false conception, their slauish humiliation shall further hereunto, and hereby flatter them in a new birth. And if thus conceiting a false conuersion for a true, because they cannot endure the trauell of a true birth, they shall now encroach vponupon the priueledges of the new man, mis-applying and challenging those ioyes and comforts vntounto their festered and ranckling soares, which belong onelyonly to those that are healed, and so instéed of being further searched and launched by the law of God, shall vnseasonably apply vntounto themselues the sweete promises of the Gospell, and will endure nothing but leuitures and cordials?
Is the word of God vnequall, because they vnfitly apply it, nay is it not most equall, in offering that indifferently vntounto them, which if they could wisely apply, would proue soueraigne vntounto them: Yea, though they apply it amisse, yet herein is iustifiable, in that themselues are their owne caruers in the misapplying thereof? If now vponupon the misapplying of the Plaister before the soare be soundly healed, it doth hereby more fester, and putrifie inwardly, and so breake out to a cancerous vlcer. As the word was not first to be blamed, in discouering the soare, that so it might bée prepared to it cure, because, if there had beene no pray the Lyon would not hauehave roared: So now much lesse, may it be iustly challenged, to be the cause of it further ranckling, seeing the misapplying thereof hath effected the same.
And therefore as it were extreame folly to charge the heat of the Sunne, to be the cause of stench and putrifieation in these inferior bodies, which being well disposed are purified thereby, and are onelyonly subiect to tainture by their owne indisposition, and aptnesse thereunto: so let it be the shame of Popish glory, to hate the light, because their vvorkes are euill. Yea let this be the confusion of their carnall wisedome to challenge the glorious light of the preaching of the Word, as the cause of sinnes aboundance, that hereby they might colour their despising and persecuting thereof, not onelyonly in that by opposing the light they make vp the measure of their owne sinnes, by denying to themselues, and others, the meanes of life and happinesse. But hereby also prouoking the righteous Lord to auenge vponupon them the contempt of his word in giuing them vp to such outrage and monstrous wickednesse of combustions and murthers, which the true wisedome of flesh, for it owne safety, can no way indure, that so her owne louers, euen out of louelove to themselues, must néedes hate the whore, and make her desolate: and so the Iustice of the Lord may shine more gloriously, in rewarding her as she hath done to others, and sheathing her owne sword, in her owne bowels. And is not the Word glorious in iudging the Whore euen by her owne mouth, and taking her in the snare, that she hath layd for others, and so ouertaking her in hee monethmonth and ripenesse of iniquity. Who so is wise he shall vnderstand these things, and to whom the arme of the Lord shall Hos. 14. 13. 14.reueale them; for the wayes of the Lord are right, and the iust shall walke therein, but the transgressor shall fall in them.
Let it therefore be the shame of Popery thus to traduce the light, and let it be the glory of the Gospell, thus to discouer their shame, for, if it were not powerfull, why doe they spurne against it? if they being galled thereby, doe spurne against the same, let them thanke their owne rottennesse, and iustifie the powerfull Word. But if being couered thus with shame, they will not seeke the face of God in Iesus Christ, the Lord will further glorifie his Word in hastening their confusion, and gathering in the first borne to his glorious appearance.
And shall the blasphemous Atheist escape any better? Surely, as it is extreme folly in him, to barke against the Moone, because it giues him light, to his desperate wickednesse (for what wisedome is there to condemne that, which is so fauourable vntounto vsus) so doth this folly threaten his confusion, as both discouering his accursed spirit, imputing that obstinacy in sinne, to the Word, which ariseth from his ignorance of the power thereof, and Rebellion against the same, and thereby hardening his neck against all hope of reclaiming, as reiecting the Word, which is onelyonly auayleable hereunto. For what though as the heate of the Sunne doth harden the clay, so the power of the word indirectly occasions the encrease of sinne in the froward heart: Is the word in vaine while it doeth that vntounto which it is appoynted? Is not the wisedome of God herein more glorious, who as he would neuer hauehave permitted euill, but that he can bring good out of it: so he turneth the rage of man to his glorious praise. Not onelyonly making way hereby to the iust confusion of the wicked, for the aduancement of the glory of his righteous iustice: but also discouering herein the riches of his Free Grace, in softning the hearts of his Elect by the same meanes, whereby the wicked are hardened, and so by these contrary effects aduancing the Power of his mighty Word, which with the same breath, is thus able to kill and to quicken.
And therefore as the Atheist hath no iust cause to stumble at the power of the Word, because Iniquity is discouered and enraged thereby, so much lesse may hee iustly challeng the prouidence of God, in accompanying his word with such great patience and common fauours, seeing as the Lord hereby giues him his desire, to inioy the pleasures of sinne, that so he may hauehave nothing iustly to except against his goodnesse: so by this his long suffering, hee doth also inuite him to repentance, and so makes him more inexcusable if he abuse the same. But howsoeuer, the filthy will be filthy still, yet let the seruants of God magnifie his wonderfull mercy, and free kindnesse towards them, in softning them by the same meanes whereby hee hardens the wicked: yea, turning about the hardening of the reprobate to bee the meanes of their more close walking with their God, and dependance on his free grace, in the sense of their fayling, when they doe their best; yea, let them euermore blesse the name of the Lord, that seeing the righteous shall hardly be saued, they may yet hauehave some hope of Life, in so great conscience of their corruptions, that they can yet follow after righteousnesse; notwithstanding, the streame runnes contrary, and their labour is so thanklesse, and dangerous in regard of present successe, seeing iniquity doth so swarme and preuaile: yea, let this bee their euidence, that Christ raignes ouer them, euen in the midst of their enemies: that euen where Satan hath his throne, there God shall hauehave his glory: Antipas his faithfull seruant shall seale it vp with his bloud: or if this bee not yet the triall, yet Ieremie shall be smitten with the tongue, and holy Iob shall esteeme the booke that his Aduersaries writ against him, to bee the most glorious Crowne that may adorne his head: Yea; the more that the word of God is blasphemed by the wicked, the more watchfull shall his children be, that they giuegive no iust offence, that so, either they which speake of them as euill doers, shall glorifie God on their behalfe, and so by their holy conuersation be won to the obedience of the Gospell, or bee made more inexcusable, when their mouthes shall bee iustly stopped, if yet they shall not cease to speake euill of the righteous wayes of God.
And this may also stop the prophane mouth of the filthy Libertine, that though hee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse, imagining his security and senselesnesse in sinne, to bee the assurance of his happinesse, yet the Word is holy, yeelding no apperance, much lesse allowance hereunto, yea righteous herein is the mighty Word, in giuing him vp to such a reprobate sense, through his peruerting of the chiefe errand thereof, (the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to repentant sinners) which if he could rightly apply, might make him capable thereof: yea, meruailous is the wisedome of God herein, that by the contrary apprehension of the promise, and preparation thereunto by his seruants, hee confounds the peruersenesse and prophanenesse of the Libertine: If yet the filthy will be filthy still, let him know this for his further confusion, that as the Lord will not faile eft-soones, to awaken his senselesse conscience with some inward quawmes, or outward crosses to confound him in his security, that so hee may bee forced to acknowledge and seeke to the power of the Word, which hee hath so abased: so if for all this he will not be reclaimed, but by mistaking and mis-applying the mercy of God, shall thereby bee cast into a deeper sleepe, the Lord shall glorifie his Word in giuing him vp to a spirit of giddinesse, euen to heape vp teachers vntounto himselfe according vntounto his lusts, that may answer him according to the stumbling blocke of iniquity, which he hath set vp in his heart, that so he which could not commit sinne so securely, but that his heart did sometimes smite him for the same, might new continue in it more freely and desperately, as being warranted hereunto by such accursed deceiuers.
Behold here the wisedome of the wicked in sin; and obserue withall the wisedome of God in taking them in their craftines, that they may securely reuell in wickednes, their first policy is to make their conscience senselesse, and that they may bring it to this passe, their desperate wisedome is to multiply sin with greedines, that so by this custome and outrage, they may grow to an habite; and so by often putting the iron in the fire, may in the end harden and stupifie their harts: that as it falls out with those which often drinke strong payson, that in the end they can digest the same without any sense or danger, so the wicked by often drinking in of iniquitie with gréedines, become senselesse at length, both of the euill and of the danger thereof: wherby as they take occasion to commit any notorious outrage whatsoeuer, so they become hereby obuious to the scandall and danger of the world, which cannot but take notice of what themselues are senselesse of, & by it clamorus and iust scandall, either awaken them to repentance, or conuince them to punishment. Behold how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines: They desire to be senselesse of sin, that they may commit it more greedily, and the more greedily they commit the same, the more they prouoke the world through their scandall, and it one danger, to awaken them thereout: what remedie is now left in carnall wisedome to make vp the breach, and lull them a sléepe againe. Behold againe the hight of this wisedome in sin, and obserue how the Lord takes the wicked in their craftines. If Elia will Prophesy no good, but euill vntounto vsus while wee sleepe in sin, yet welfare Zidkiah, that will warrant good successe therein, flattering vsus that wee may go vp and prosper, because hitherto it hath gone well with vsus, and though he lie falsely; yet he will walke in the spirit, that hee may deceiue more effectually, yea hee wants not his rough garment of tything mint and comin, yea he will not spare herein to humble flesh by voluntary deuotions of Pilgrimage penances, and such like trash to the satisfying of the flesh, euen in a great shew of wisedome to abase the same. And what now shall be spared for the sinne of the soule, though it be to the parting with our substance, yea our first borne, and all yea which is the hight of this delusion shall not a greater sinne be made a price for the lesse? shall not the murther of Princes become an expiation for all our personall sinnes. Behold here the depth of the Mistery of iniquity, and admire with me the Justice of God in taking the whore and her accursed brood in their owne craftines, that while they estéeme their owne blood vile, that they may murther the Lords annoynted, they hauehave iustly brought the Kings of the earth vponupon their heads to secure themselues in subuerting Antichrist, whom otherwise they could hauehave bene contented still to hauehave made their band for the satisfying of their lusts. Oh! the vnsearchable riches of the wisedome, and mercy of our God, who turnes about the carnall wisedome of man, tending only to it present bodily good, to be meanes of remouing that great stumbling blocke, whereby their soules were ensnared, that so they might ascribe vntounto him alone the glorie of their true happines, so farre aboue, and contrary to their corrupt intent.
Well, thus we see how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines. That the world may securely reuel in sin, the false Prophet must bee a snare vponupon Mispah to cry ayme thereto, that so the blind leading the blind, both may fall into the ditch.
And is not this prouidence of God very remarkeable, in these daungerous dayes of the contempt and peruerting of the word of God? that though the Lord feedeth the hungry with good and wholesome food, yet the daintie and full stomake, is either choaked with chaffe, or puffed vp with wind, that so seeming that which he is not, he may not see what truely he is, and thereby be both preuented of sound curing, and withall hardened to destruction. Behold here then some further light to iustifie the Prouidence of God in the ouer-flowing of sinne, amidst so glorious light of the Gospell, Not that the word is any true cause thereof, but onelyonly a meanes to discouer and conuince the same: whereby as through our naturall rebellion the more sinne is conuinced, the more it is enraged and so encreased thereby: so through carnall wisedome, the light being peruerted, becomes a broker vntounto sinne, and thereby proues a further meanes to encrease and ripen the same. And yet all this in great Iustice, and exceeding Equity. The Lord herein giuing the wicked their desires, for the accomplishment of his righteous decree in their condemnation, in that themselues are their owne caruers in the meanes there vntounto. And all this executed by his mighty word, becomming thus vntounto the wicked, a sauour of death vntounto death: whereby as he taketh the wise Papist and Atheist in their Craftines, so doth he, also iustly confound the Prophane Libertine, who while he fathers that vponupon the Word which proceeds from his owne corrupt sense and application thereof, doth therefore Iustifie the word in his hardening thereby, and so is Iudged by the Word, while he peruerteth the same, to such ends, as are contrary thereunto.
And thus hitherto for the Iustifying of Gods prouidence in disposing of such greuious sinnes, as do accompany and preuaile euen in the most glorious light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ.