A Great Wonder in Heaven, Sermon
A SERMON Preached before the Honourable Houſe of COMMONS at their late Solemne Faſt.
REVEL. 12. 1, 2.
And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars.
And ſhe being with child, cryed, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
THe new Teſtament which exceeds the old in many reſpects, may not be thought to come ſhort of it in any eſſentiall, or integrall part; that is made up of Hiſtories, Pſalms, Dogmaticall, and Propheticall paſſages; none whereof are wanting in this. Its Hiſtorians are the Evangeliſts; Its Pſalmiſts, Mary, Zachariah, and Simeon whoſe Songs are recorded in the firſt and ſecond of Luke: Its dogmaticall Writers, thoſe that penned the ſeverall Epiſtles; Its Prophet John: who indeed was all four. For ye have Evangelicall Hiſtories in his Goſpel; Dogmaticall truths in his three Epiſtles; and beſides ſacred Hymnes (as that of the four and twenty Elders, Chap. 5. and that of Moſes and of the Lambe, Chap. 15.) Propheticall Viſions every where throughout his Apocalypſe. This is my Text is none of the leaſt. There appeared a good wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun, …
While the buſh burned with fire, and was not conſumed, Moſes turning a ſide to ſee that great ſight, was called upon to put off his ſhoos before he approched. Exod. 3. 3, 5.That which is here held forth is a wonder, a great wonder, and that in heaven; your looks ſpeake a deſire to ſee it: But let me tell you, Honourable and Beloved, the view will neither be full, nor comfortable, unleſſe ye put off earthly wiſdome and carnall affections. That being done, Come and ſee.
The words are veiled with ſome obſcurity, by reaſon of variety of metaphors: But much of the veile will be taken off, by a right diſcerning of their ſcope, which is briefly this, to repreſent the Church of Chriſt in her Militant ſtate, eſpecially during the Primitive times.
The Militant Church, which is elſwhere impared to ſuch things as are weake in themſelves and in danger to be ruined, as to a ſhip toſſed with tempeſts, to a vineyard expoſed to wilde beaſts, and to Iſa. 54. 11. Pſal. 80. 13. Math. 10. 16.a flock of ſheep among wolves; is here upon the ſame grounds repreſented by a woman in travell. Her appearing indeed was in heaven, for reaſons to be hereafter ſpecified, but that which ſhe was deſigned to ſignifie, is not the ſtate of the Church as triumphant (for there is no travail, no crying ou… no pain in heaven) but as militant here below, chiefly in her firſt age after the Word was made fleſh. So Interpreters Certum eſt mihi hic agi de Eccleſia primogenita, &c. Alcaſar in loc. Forbes. Paraeus. Mede. Typus eſt mulier, haec parturiens Eccleſiae Chriſti naſcentis & adoleſcentis, qualis fuit ante ortum Antichriſti primis 600 annis inde à Chriſti natalibus ad ortum uſque beſtiae, Riccard. in Apoc. p. 426.not a few. One paſſeth it with a Certum eſt, To me (ſayth he) 'tis certain, that the firſt begotten Church of Chriſt is here meant. The Woman (ſayth another) is the Apoſtolicall Church. A type of the Church which was new-borne under the New Teſtament, So a third. An excellent picture of the childebearing Primitive Church, So a fourth. A fifth extends the repreſentation to the firſt ſix hundreth years, from the birth of Chriſt to the riſing of Antichriſt.
Having thus ſet up a light in the porch, let us now enter in at the doore of this magnificent building: wherein we ſhall finde the apparition layd before us, Firſt, more generally, as a great wonder in heaven, Secondly, more diſtinctly, as a woman, deſcribed two wayes,
1 By her rare perfections, which are three,
Being clothed with the Sun,
Having the Moon under feet,
Having a Crown of twelve ſtars upon her head.
2 By her weake and perillous condition, in that being with childe ſhe cryed, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered.
I begin with that which firſt offers it ſelfe, intending to proceed to the reſt in order as they lye in the Text.
There appeared.
It hath alwayes been the cuſtome of God to manifeſt himſelf in ſpeciall manner to ſpeciall favourites. 2 Sam. 12. 25. 1 Kings 11. 9. Dan 9. 23. & Chap. 10, 11.Solomon was named Jedidiah, becauſe the Lord loved him, and to him the Lord appeared twice; Daniel a man greatly beloved, and upon him viſions were multiplyed; John the Diſciple whom Jeſus loved, and to him Iohn 20. 2.there appeared great wonders in heaven.
When his favourites came to be ſufferers for his name, he is then wont to viſit them more then at other ſeaſons. The Spirit of Chriſt is with his Saints at all times, but in ſuch caſes the Spirit of God and of glory reſteth upon them, as Peter ſpeaks, that is the ſpirit of 1 Pet. 4. 14.God in a more glorious way. This was Johns caſe. Ye have his experiment regiſtred here, Chap. 1. ver. 9, 10. I John who alſo am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jeſus Chriſt, was in the Iſle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the teſtimony of Jeſus Chriſt; I was in the Spirit on the Lords day. 'Tis thought that Engliſh Annotat. on Revel. 4. 1.all contained in this book was revealed to him on that one day. Who ever ſpent a Sabbath ſo well? who ever had ſo many diſcoveries in ſo ſhort a time? how was his baniſhment ſweetned herewith, and his Patmos turned into a paradiſe? How excellent is thy loving kindneſs O Lord! how glorious are thine influences upon ſuffering Saints! what Pſalmes doth Dauid indite in the cave! what Epiſtles doth Paul write in the priſon! See the title of Pſal. 57. & of Pſal. 142. Epheſ. 4. 1. Philem. 9.what apparitions doth John ſee in a deſolate Iſland! there appeared A great wonder.
The more lightſome any thing is, the more glorious; the more glorious any thing is, the more wonderfull. Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, ô thou Citie Pſal. 87. 3.of God, ſayth the Pſalmiſt, of the Church: which is therefore a great wonder, becauſe all the Luminaries of heaven concur to the making up of the glory thereof; and that in a poſture ſutable to the ſtations they hold in the firmament. There the higheſt lights are the ſtars, the loweſt the Moon, the Sun in the midſt. So here; the ſtars are allotted to the Churches head, the Moon to her feet, the Sun to thoſe parts of the body that are between both. She is all over glorious, and conſequently altogether admirable, becauſe lightſome all over; for her head is crowned with ſtars, her body apparelled with the Sun, and ſhe hath the Moon for her footſtool, ſo as to tread in paths of light.
If any here diſcern no glory in the Church to be wondred at, but ſay of her, as they of Chriſt, Iſa. 53. 2. ſhe hath no form or comlineſſe; and when we ſhall ſee her, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire her: it is not for want of light in her, but of ſpirituall ſight in them. A skilfull painter, to an ignorant man that wondred at his gazing ſo much on a curious peece, ſayd, Friend; Si meos oculos haberes, hadſt thou myne eyes, thou wouldſt be raviſhed with the ſight of this picture as I am; and inſtead of wondring at mee, fall a wondring with me. So, if wee had the eyes and ſpirit of John, the Church of Chriſt would appear a great wonder to us, as it did to him. A great wonder in heaven.
We read of a door opened in heaven, and of a call that John had to come up thither, Chap. 4. 1. That was the Scene of all his Viſions; there did this great wonder appear to his mentall eyes. And well it might, ſeeing, the Church (whoſe hieroglyphick it is) hath her originall from heaven, her tendency to heaven, her converſation in heaven, and her dependance upon heaven.
1 Her originall from heaven. Except a man be born foreign (which may be rendred from above) he ſhall not ſee the kingdom of God, John. 3. 3. Converts are all born of God, John 1. 13. and Jeruſalem, which is above, is the mother of them all, Gal. 4. 26. Mihi patria Coelum, may be the motto, of every Saint during his pilgrimage in the World, Heaven is my Country, there I was born, and I am returning thither, which is the next thing.
2 Her tendency to heaven. Thoſe Martyrs and Confeſſors, Heb. 11. 14, 16. declared plainly that they ſought an heavenly country. All Saints, as Saints, naturally Zanchy being himſelf ſtricken in yeers, & writing to S…urmius then a decrepit old man, hath theſe words. Tempus iam eſt, ut ad Chriſtum & Coelum à terrâ properemus; ſcientes nos ibi propediem cum Domino ſuturos.move to this centre of reſt; and becauſe their motion is naturall, it commonly proves ſwifteſt at laſt. As the approches of a needle are ſo much the more quick by how much it draws neerer to the loadſtone; and rivers run with a ſtronger ſtream, when they are about to empty themſelves into the Ocean whence they came: ſo true beleevers, when their bodies ſmell moſt of earth (as towards death they are wont to doe) have the ſtrongeſt ſent of heaven in their ſouls.
3 Her converſation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. foreign, the phraſe imports their living and trading as denizens of heaven, there being governed by the locall ſtatutes, and municipall Laws of that City; their converſing with God in Chriſt, and having fellowſhip with the Spirit here below: whence it is that when death comes, the godly are ſayd to change their place, but not their company.
4 Her dependance upon heaven, knowing as ſhe doth that every good and perfect gift is from above, Jam. 1. 17. ſhe accordingly expects from thence ſupplies of grace to help in every time of need. When the German Princes in a Diet at Norimberg had framed certain Decrees againſt the Proteſtant cauſe; Luther comforted himſelfe and his Patron the Duke of Saxony, Seiat Celſitudo veſtra, & nihil dubitet, longe aliter in coelo, quā Norimbergae de hoc negotio concluſum eſſe. Videbimus enim eos qui ſe iam putant Evangelium totum devoraſſe nondum Benedicite abſolviſſe Scult. Annal. Decad. 1. p. 106.to whom he wrote, with this weighty conſideration, That the Princes at Norimberg had concluded one thing in that buſineſſe, but God had decreed another in heaven; and the Counſell of the Lord that ſhould ſtand.
Let us now proceed to ſhew more diſtinctly, what this great wonder in heaven was, viz. A woman.
foreign a married woman. That's the importance of the word in other places, as in Chapter 21 of this book Verſe 9; Come hither and I will ſhew thee the bride, the Lambs wife, foreign. Yea the foreign, the decency of the allegory requires it ſhould be ſo taken here, becauſe we finde the woman with childe, and in her travell. Being ſo taken it imports a myſtery, one of the greateſt in all Divinity, viz. the Churches relation to Chriſt as her husband. Paul who was well skild in Goſpel-ſecrets (to which the depths of other Sciences are but ſhallows) gives the title of great only to two Evangelicall myſteries: that of our Saviours incarnation, 1 Tim. 3. laſt. Without controverſie, great is the myſtery of godlineſſe, God manifeſt in the fleſh, and this of the Churches mariage to Chriſt. Epheſ. 5. 31, 32 For this cauſe ſhall a man leave his father and mother, and ſhall be joyned unto his wife, and they two ſhall be one fleſh. This is a great myſtery, but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt and the Church. That which was one of Pauls great myſteries, might well be part of Johns great wonder. But I forbeare to inlarge upon't, becauſe I haſten to a diſcovery of this womans rare perfections; the firſt whereof is her being Clothed with the Sun.
That which ſome Platoniſts ſay hath ſavour in it, Lumen eſt umbra Dei, Deus eſt lumen luminis. The light is but the ſhadow of God, God is he that inlighteneth light it ſelfe. Now of all viſible lights there is none ſo radiant as the Sun: Scripture accordingly ſtyleth God a Sun and a ſhield, Pſal. 84. 11. and Chriſt is called the Sun of righteouſneſſe, Mal. 4. 2. He it is, and no other perſon or thing, whom we are to underſtand by the Sun in my Text. The reſemblances are many. Chriſt and the Sun agree.
1 In point of Sovereignty. The Sun is the Prince of Planets; a body ſo glorious that all admire, many adore it for a God, becauſe they ſee more Majeſty in it, then any thing elſe that can be ſeen. Whence it is, that the idolatrous Chaldeans (as Bodin obſerves) gave Bodin. theatr. Natur. lib. 5. p. 617.it the name of Baal a Lord; whereas the Hebrews, with whom were the Oracles of God, call it Shemes, which ſignifieth a ſervant; for ſo it is to him that made it. Chriſt tooke upon him the forme of a ſervant, but is indeed the Lord of all. And as God made the Sun to rule by day, and to diverſifie ſeaſons of the year Pſal. 136. 8.by its approches and receſſes: So hath the Father appointed Chriſt to be King of Saints; and upon his various aſpects depend the Churches Summer and Revel. 15. 3.Winter, the ſouls Spring and Fall, the ſeed-time of grace and harveſt of glory.
2 In point of ſingularity. There is but one Sun in the firmament, which made that great Conquerour ſay, The heaveus could neither bear two Suns, nor the earth two Alexanders. Looke to Chriſts perſon, it is Plutarch.but one; although there be two natures in him. When the light which was created the firſt day, did, as it were, aſſume a ſtar three dayes after, that ſtar and the light made but one Sun; ſo when the Word, who was God from all eternity, aſſumed fleſh, in fulneſſe of time the Word and fleſh made but one Chriſt. Looke to his office, he is ſo a Mediatour, as not to admit of any copartnerſhip in the work. To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things and wee by him, 1 Cor. 8. 6. One God, and one Mediatour between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Is Chriſt divided? ſaith Paul elſwhere. We may ſay, is Jeſus multiplyed? 1 Cor. 1. 13.No verily: As but one Sun, ſo but one Saviour. None but Chriſt (as the Martyr cryed) None but Chriſt.
3 In point of neceſſity. When men would expreſſe the removall of ſomwhat abſolutely neceſſary, they uſe to ſay, this were Solem è mundo tollere, to take the Sun out of the World. If that were removed, how would all beauty vaniſh, and (as ſome think) all motion ceaſe? The potters wheele (ſay they) could not turn upon earth, if the Sun ſhould not move in heaven. So take Chriſt from a ſoul, 'tis impotent to all good, Without me ye can doe nothing, John 15. 5. Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetuall night in the world, notwithſtanding all the torches that could be lighted; yea notwithſtanding all the light of the moon and ſtars. It is neither the torch-light of naturall parts and creature-comforts; nor the ſtar-light of civill honeſty and common gifts; nor the moon-light of temporary faith and formall profeſſion, that can make it day in the ſoul, till the Sun of righteouſneſſe ariſe and ſhine there. Once indeed there was a time, when fruits were produced without a Sun; when God, to prevent the idolizing of this creature as the only cauſe of all fertility, enabled the earth to bring forth on the third day, whereas the Sun was not made till the fourth: But never was there any the leaſt moment of time ſince the fall, wherein man could bring forth fruit to God without the cooperation of Chriſt. … that hath not the Son hath not life, 1 Iohn 5. 12. Neither can any vitall action be performed but by his ſpecial grace.
4 In point of purity. Other creatures admit of ſome defiling mixtures, the ſun doth not. It looks upon filth, but contracts none. Chriſt is a lambe without blemiſh, and without ſpot. Such as caſt aſperſions upon 1 Pet. 1. 19.him in the dayes of his fleſh, calling him glutton, winebibber, and friend of Publicans and ſinners, did but act the mad mans part, throwing dirt at the Sun, which none could poſſibly faſten upon. He came indeed into a ſinfull world, but as a Phyſitian among his ſick patients, to cure them without taking the ſickneſſe of them, being antidoted by his Divinity againſt all infection. He hath an hand even in ſinfull acts; as they are acts (for in him we move) but not in the ſinfulneſſe of them: ſhines into the noyſome dunghils of our Acts 17. 28.hearts with beams of grace, yet continues moſt pure. He was borne of a ſinner, lived and converſed with ſinners, dyed with and for ſinners, yea as a ſinner, yet had not in himſelfe the leaſt ſin of his own to anſwer for.
5 In point of ſufficiencie. There is in the Son a fulneſſe of created glory. All the light that had been diſperſt throughout the great fabrick of the new-born world for the firſt three dayes, was gathered together on the fourth into that one body. So it pleaſed the Father that all fulneſſe ſhould dwell in Chriſt: And the Col. 1. 19.ſeuerall graces that ſhined in the Patriarks, Fathers and Prophets of old under the Law, were all to be … once in him. The innocence of Abel, perſeverance of Noah, obedience of Abraham, devotion of …, chaſtity of Ioſeph, patience of Iob, meekneſſe of Moſes, courage of Ioſhua, zeale of David, and whatſoever any of them excelled in, was an ingredient … that fulneſſe of grace and truth which was found in Chriſt, Quae diviſabeatos efficiunt, conjunctatenet. Each of them had the fulneſſe of a ſtar, he the ſufficiencie of a Sun that filled them all, and had a fulneſſe beyond them all.
6 In point of efficiency. The efficacy of the Sun appears in imparting three things, Light, Heat, and Influence,. Each whereof is ſo qualified, as to reſemble the grace of Chriſt in ſundry particulars.
Firſt, The Sun imparts light, a diſcovering, guiding, cheering, growing light.
1 Diſcovering what was hid from our ſight before. Deſine cur nemo videat ſine Numine Numen mirari, ſolem quis ſine ſole videt?But for it we ſhould neither ſee the Sun it ſelfe, nor any thing elſe in heaven or earth. Without irradiati… from Chriſt men would for ever continue igno… of the only true God, and of their Redeemer; we ſhould never know either our ſins or our duties, our dangers or our priviledges but for Chriſt. With him only is the fountain of life, and in his light we ſee light.Pſal. 36 9.
2 Guiding. Luke 1. 78, 79. The day-ſpring from in high hath viſited us, to give light to them that ſit in darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. The dim light of nature in common people ſhines a little, but is not ſtrong enough to guide, like that of a gloworm or rotten ſtick. The light of worldly wiſdome and policie in men of great parts, but prophane ſpirits ſhines more ſtrongly, but miſguides; like the meteor, which Philoſophers call Ignis fatuus, we the Lanternman. There is a third kind of light that ſhines ſtrongly, and guides too, but the head only, not the feet; I mean that of hypocrites, who contemplate things of God, but reduce not their brain knowledge to practice. Yea a fourth, that guides both head and feet, yet but into a way of formality; namely that wherewith they are enlightened who have a forme of godlineſſe, but deny the power of it: whereas this, we are ſpeaking of, doth not only ſhine but guide, not the head only but the feet, and that not into the way of formality, but of faith, which is the only way of peace both with God and with conſcience.
3. Cheering. Eccleſ. 11. 7. truly light is ſweet, and a pleaſant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. How ſweet are the diſcoveries made by Chriſt to beleeving ſouls! what a pleaſant thing is it for ſpirituall eyes to behold the Sun of righteouſneſſe, moving and ſhining in the ſpirit of a convert, as in its own proper Spheare! Such as are darke are accounted melancholy rooms: well may they be melancholy ſouls that want the cheering light of Chriſt. But bleſſed is the people Pſal. 89. 15. that know the joyfull ſound; they ſhall walke, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. We may invert it, and ſay, Bleſſed are the people, O Lord, that walke in the light of thy countenance; they ſhall know the joyfull ſound: they ſhall enjoy a continuall jubilee in their hearts.
4 Growing. It increaſeth more and more from breake of day, and is in this reſpect a fit emblem of that grace which Chriſt communicates to his members, the nature whereof is to be growing till it come to arrive at perfection. That in Eſay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony; if they ſpeak not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light (no morning) in them, intimates a remarkable difference between foreignthe knowledge of Saints and Hypocrites; the former is like the morning light, that ſhines more and more to the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. But evill men and ſeducers (as Paul foretold) waxe worſe and worſe; 2 Tim. 3. 13.whereby it appears that theirs was but an evening light, which ſhines leſſe and leſſe, till it end in the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever, Iude 13.
In the ſecond place, the ſun imparts Heat, a melting, inflaming, quickning heat.
1 Melting. When the ſurface of the water is glaz'd with ice, the Sun-beams diſſolve it. The grace of Chriſt hath a like operation upon frozen hearts; which are never truly melted into contrition but by Evangelicall beams. The Law, like a hammer, may breake ice in peeces; but what remaynes is ice ſtill: the Goſpell diſſolves it into water; 'tis no longer ice then. They ſhall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn, Zech. 12. 10. No ſuch kindly mourners, as they that have hearts melted with Chriſts heat, and heated with ſenſe of Chriſts love. Shee in Luke 7th, the end, who had much forgiven her, loved much, and wept much.
2 Inflaming. The Sun-beams falling upon a burning-glaſſe create a fire. So doth the Spirit of Chriſt (who is therefore called a ſpirit of burning, Iſa. 4. 4.) when hee falls upon the ſpirit of man. Did not our hearts burn within us, while hee talked with us by the way, and while hee opened to us the Scriptures? Luke laſt, 32. The burnt child, wee uſe to ſay, dreads the fire: but there is a fire, which whoſoever hath truly felt, will long to be ſo burnt again. Bernard having been well warmed with the conſideration of that paſſage, Subitò tanta de me ſuborta ſiducia, & inſuſa laetitia eſt, ut viſus ſim tanquam unus ex illis heatis eſſe. O ſi duraſſet! Iterum, iterumque viſita me Domine ſalutari tuo. Bern. Serm. 23. in Cantic.Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is hee whoſe tranſgreſsion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered, profeſſeth hee was ſeized upon with unſpeakable joy, and aſſurance of his own ſhare in that bleſſednes; after the feeling whereof he cryes out, O…ſ… duraſſet! I would to God it had been continued. Lord, do thou viſit me ſo again and again with thy ſalvation.
3 Quickning. Some creatures have no other father, but the ſun, nor other mother but the ſlime. This perhaps is one reaſon why the ſun is compared to a bridegroom, Pſal. 19. becauſe his beams are prolificall. The grace of Chriſt is ſo much more, the laſt Adam was made a quickning ſpirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45. hee that hath the ſon hath life, 1 John 5. 12. yea, a double life (for no leſſe will ſerve his turn) the one of righteouſneſſe, all being naturally dead in law by reaſon of guilt; the other of holineſſe, all being dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, till quickned by him, the end of whoſe comming was that we might have life, & that we might have it more abundantly, Joh. 10. 10.
A third thing, which the Sun communicates, is its influence; the ſtrength, and univerſality whereof are conſiderable here, we have an intimation of both, Pſal. 19, 4, 5, 6. In the heavens hath God ſet a tabernacle for the Sun; which is as a bridegroom comming out of his chamber, and rejoyces as a ſtrong man to run his race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven; and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
1. It is a ſtrong influence, as may be evidenced by the Suns concocting of ſuch ſolid bodies, as gold and precious ſtones are, in places that are ſo remote from his owne ſpheare. Were not the influence of Chriſt exceeding forcible, how could it poſſibly rectifie crooked, purifie filthy, ſoften hard, and rayſe dead ſouls, as it uſeth to do, all on the ſodain? 'Tis Fortiter, ſed ſuaviter.true indeed, that the operations of his grace are incomparably ſweet; but it is no leſſe true, that they are withall incomparably ſtrong. To make uſe of the Pſalmiſts Metaphores; Our Lord Jeſus, in reſpect of the former, may be ſaid to come as a bridegroom out of his chamber, clothing himſelf with all ſweetneſſe of cariage on his wedding day: of the latter, to rejoyce as a ſtrong man to run a race, bearing down whatever oppoſeth him in the way.
2 'Tis univerſall. No viſible creature but ſhares more or leſſe in the benefits of this influence. So Chriſt being the light that lightneth every one that t…nes into the world. John 1. there is no man but partakes of his goodneſſe in one kind or other, though with much variety in the ſucceſſe. For as the ſun hath different operations upon different objects, e. g. wax and clay, ſoftning the one, hardning the other; a chicken and a toad, increaſing the wholſomneſſe of the one, the poiſon of the other: ſo upon ſeverall men within the pale of a viſible Church, Chriſt preached to all hath ſeverall works. Some are made ſofter, ſome harder; the ſpirits of fome are ſweetned by the Miniſtery of the Goſpell, of others imbittered. One, with the Amalekites ſervant refreſhed 1 Sam. 30. 13, 15.by David, becomes inſtrumentall againſt the enemies of his refreſher: Another, with the ſnake in the fable, warmed by the husbandmans care and compaſſion, becomes an enemy to the authour of that warmth; turns apoſtate, and falls to ſtinging Chriſt in his members ſo much the more, by how much he was the more enlightned with common grace.
You have had enough, and (I hope) not too much, of this metaphoricall ſun in the text: ſee now in what regard the woman is ſayd to be clothed therewith. Surely becauſe the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is of the ſame uſe to his Church, that apparell is of to the body of man. It ſerves for covering, ſhelter, and ornament. In like manner.
1 Chriſt covers the Church with his graces. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my ſoule ſhall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of ſalvation, hee hath covered mee with the robe of Rom 13 13, 14. Induamus Chriſtum, dixit, potius quam induamus temperantiam, &c. quia niſi Chriſtum ipſiuſ que iuſtitiam nobis imputatam per fidem primo loco arctiſſime amplectamur & retincamus, ut ex hoc ſon… evirtutem ad recte agendum hauriamus, iuſtitia noſtra non ſuperabit philoſophorum aut Phariſaeorum iuſtitiam, &c. Dicſon in loc.righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 61. 10. That which Iob ſpeaks of himſelfe in a naturall, is true of him and all men elſe in a ſpirituall ſenſe, naked came I into the world: and there is none but continues ſo till he come to be apparell'd by Chriſt, who therefore adviſeth the Church of Laodicea, to buy of him white raiment, that ſhee might be clothed, Revel. 3. 18. Paul having exhorted the Romans to walke honeſtly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenneſſe, not in chambering and wantonneſſe, not in ſtrife and envie; inſtead of adding, put on temperance, chaſtity, and ſuch other graces, as have in them a contrariety to the fore-mentioned ſins, chooſeth rather to ſay (as a late interpreter well obſerves) put yee on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe he is the only fountain of all grace, and without the putting on of his righteouſneſſe firſt by an hand of faith, ours will never exceed that of Philoſophers and Phariſees: yea becauſe even when the Spirit of God hath enabled us to good, we have need of Chriſt to hide the deformity of our beſt performances.
2 Chriſt ſhelters the Church by his merits from the wrath of God, as apparrell doth our bodies from the cold and injuries of the weather. Ieſus is he which delivered us from the wrath to come, 1 Theſ. 1. laſt. Paul therefore deſires to be found in Chriſt, Phil. 3. 9. as one would to be found in his clothes, when a biteing froſt comes, which if he were naked, would pinch him to death. Chriſt is ſo beloved of God, and God is ſo well pleaſed with Chriſt, as in him to love, and in him to be well pleaſed with all his members, even of that whole myſticall body whereof he is head.
3 Chriſt adornes his Church, putting upon her a comlineſſe far beyond that of other Societies ſpoken of Ezek. 16. 14. Thy renowme went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comlineſſe which I had put upon thee, ſaith the Lord God. That excellencie of Jacob by which God ſwears, Amos 8. 7. is not to be underſtood of the Temple at Jeruſalem, as ſome would have it, for God uſeth not Per excellentiam Iacobi …. …. Chriſtum, in quo gloria noſtr… eſt. Iun. in loc.to ſweare by creatures (that were to practice what he hath forbidden us) but by himſelfe, Heb. 6. 13. Junius therefore expounds it of Chriſt, whoſe eſſence is the ſame with the Fathers, and who is indeed the Churches excellencie. He it is that makes the Kings daughter to be all glorious within, Pſal. 45. that renders a poore Saint in his ruſſet, fuller of bravery then a prophane ſon of Belial in his ſcarlet: one of their ſouls being apparrelled with Chriſt himſelfe, whilſt the others is clad only with the rags of the firſt, not robes of the ſecond Adam.
I go on to another rare perfection of this woman, which is her having The Moon under her feet.
In explication whereof, I ſhall follow the ſtream of Expoſitours, who (ſome few only excepted) make the moon here an emblem of the world; and not … fitly, ſeeing it is
1 Full of ſpots; Inſomuch as the Saints, whoſe main care is to be found of God in peace without ſpot and blameleſſe, 2 Pet. 3. 14. finde it a very difficult matter and an high point of Religion, while they walke and converſe in the world; to keepe themſelves unſpotted from it, Jam. 1. laſt. The heirs of heaven come to be maculated more or leſſe, notwithſtanding their watchfulneſſe. As for worldlings (whoſe ſpot is not the ſp… of Gods children, Deut. 32. 5.) no Leopard is more ſpotted then they. Can the Ethiopian change his skin Ier. 13. 23.or the Leopard his ſpots? then may yee alſo do good th… are accuſtomed to doe evill. That beaſt (they ſay▪ though it be ſtead, will appear ſpotted ſtill, the ſpots inhering in its fleſh, as well as its skin. Such are theſe men without and within, in converſation and in heart, all over full of ſpots.
2 Subject to many changes, never continuing long in a ſhape; ſomtimes an horned, ſomtimes … Hence it is that Horace calls the Moon Diva triformis & Virgil mentioneth Trigeminamque He…, tria virginis ora Di….halfe, and ſomtimes a full moon. So the world is a ſtage of viciſſitudes, conſtant only in its inconſtancie. The faſhion of this world paſſeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. It is never long in one garbe. As ſoon may the moon be ſuited with a coat that will alwayes fit it, as the world with any accommodation that will alwayes give content; with any condition that will alwayes laſt. The fool changeth as the moon, fayth the ſon of Ecolus 27. 11.Syrach. And as worldlings are changlings, ſo the world it ſelfe paſſeth away, and the luſts thereof, 1 John 2. 17.
3 The cauſe of many diſeaſes, eſpecially of the filling-ſickneſſe. Scripture ſpeaking of ſuch as were troubled therewith, calls them foreign Lunaticks Mark 9. 17. Luke 9. 39. Vide hac de re Scult. Exercit. Evangel. l. 2. cap. 12.or moon-ſtruck, Mat. 4. 24. The ſymptomes of falling ſomtimes into the fire, ſomtimes into the water, of tearing, foaming, gnaſhing, expreſt by the Evangeliſts, clearly ſhew what diſeaſe the man had of whom his father ſaid foreign. Mat. 17. 15. The word in like manner renders the ſoule apt to be troubled with a ſpirituall falling-ſickneſſe; nothing expoſing men to apoſtaſie more then worldlineſſe. Demas (ſayth Paul) hath forſaken me, having loved this preſent world, 2 Tim. 4. 10. and again, The love of money is the root of all evill, which while ſome coveted after, they have erred from the faith, 1 Tim. 6. 10. Many fearing the world would fall out with them, fall off from God. Spira revolted, meerly in hope to preſerve his eſtate, and ſo loſt himſelfe.
But why is the moon ſayd to be under the womans feet? that muſt now be our next enquiry.
The phraſe imports victory over, and contempt of perſons or things. Thus in Pſal. 47. 3. He ſhall ſubdue the people under us, and the Nations under our feet. Ioſh. 10. 24.You know how the five Kings were uſed by Joſhua; how Tamberlane ſerved Bajazet, and what was propheſied of Chriſt, Pſal. 110. 1. The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot ſtool. So as the womans having the moon under her feet, ſeems to imply the Churches being inabled by Chriſt, to overcome and trample upon the Elements, the Affronts, and the enjoyments of this world.
1 The elements of the world, ſpoken of Gal. 4. 3, 9. which one of great inſight into this myſticall booke of the Revelation, underſtanding both of Moſaicall ceremonies and of heatheniſh worſhip, makes account that the clauſe in my Text which we are now diſcourſing of, relates to that victory which the Primitive Mede Comment. Apocalypt. p. 163.Church got over both; in that ſhee, not only ſaw the abolition of legall ceremonies (which, ſaith he, might well be ſignified by the moon, ſeeing all the feaſts of the Jews, and whole courſe of their Idem p. 161.Eccleſiaſticall year depended upon and were regulated by the motion of that Planet) but alſo the extirpation of thoſe Idols, which the heathens formerly worſhipped. For then did Satan fall down like lightning from heaven, Luke 10. 18. he fell from being adored as God, to being ſlighted as an Impoſtor, yea abominated as a wicked ſpirit. Then was fulfilled that which is written, Revel. 12. 9. The great Dragon was caſt out, the old Serpent, called the Devill and Satan, which deceived the whole world; he was caſt out into the earth, and his Angels were caſt out with him. Yea then was that promiſe in part fulfilled, the language whereof hath great affinity with the phraſe in my Text, The God of peace ſhall tread Satan under your feet ſhortly, Rom. 16. 20.
2 The affronts of the world. The Church got theſe under her feet, when ſhe gloried in tribubation, was above Rom 5. 3.her perſecutors, and had patience to endure as much as their malice and cruelty could inflict. I take pleaſure (ſayth Paul) in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſsities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes, for Chriſts ſake: for when I am weake then am I ſtrong, 2 Cor. 12. 10. The Apoſtles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for the name of Chriſt, Act. 5. 41. They in Heb. 10. 34. tooke joyfully the ſpoyling of their goods, knowing in themſelves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring ſubſtance. Laurentius the Martyr when they layd H…s ego epulas ſemper optavi. Iſtae flammae mihi refrigeriura praeſtant. Nolite mihi beatam ſpem invidere. Quanto plus tormentorum acceſſerit, tanto plus referam praeminorum.his body upon a gridiron with a purpoſe to broile him to death, is reported to have ſayd, I have alwayes longed for ſuch cheere as this: To mee theſe very flames are cooling, and refreſhments rather then torments. Gordius deſired his Executioners not to grudge him overmuch happineſſe; telling them, that the more they tormented him, the more GOD would reward him.
3 The enjoyments of the World. 1 John 5 4. Whatſoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Carnall reaſon paints the things of this life, and ſets them out in beautifull colours; but faith waſheth off the complexion, and then their deformity appears. Thoſe Chriſtians in the primitive times that layd their eſtates at the Apoſtles feet, had firſt Satis ſi non dic…ntur malum, &c. Hieron. in Epheſ. 4. 28. Delicatus es Chriſtiane, ſi & in ſeculo voluptatem concupiſcis, … ſtultus, ſi hoc ex…ſt…m… vn…tatem, Tertul de ſpectac. c. p. 28.got them under their own; learnt to trample upon, and to have a low eſteem of them in their moſt ſerious thoughts. Take the goodlieſt things in the world, there have been ſome in all ages found, that were above them. One of the Fathers will not allow temporall riches the name of Goods, but accounts it enough if wee forbeare to call them evils. Another thinks him too dainty for a Chriſtian, that deſires pleaſure on this ſide heaven: too fooliſh, that imagines carnall delights to be reall pleaſures. A third being tempted with preferments to a revolt, ſaid, Dictum Baſſlii in eius vi…. ….Offer them to children, not to Chriſtians: As for me, I can part with life, but not with truth. Many ſuch inſtances there are, wherein yee may cleerly diſcern the Moon under the womans, the World under the Churches feet.
Her third and laſt perfection follows, to wit, having Upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars.
That is, holding faſt the pure doctrine of the Goſpell, firſt preached by the twelve Apoſtles, and after them by ſucceeding Miniſters, which is as a Crown on the Churches head.
So as here three things are to be made out.
Firſt, That the Apoſtles are here meant, and ſuch faithfull Miniſters as ſucceeded them not excluded. The number expreſt points us directly to the Apoſtles, who are often called the twelve in Scripture. There were no more choſen at firſt, Luke 6. 13. and when Judas was faln from his Apoſtleſhip, Matthias was ſubſtituted in his roome to make up the number: yea though there was a ſuperaddition of Paul and Barnabas, yet, in memory of the firſt election, Vide Molin…i Vates l. 2. cap 4they are ſtill ſpoken of as twelve, long after that, in the Apocalypſe. I will not trouble you with diſcourſing of the twelve ſtones taken up out of the midſt of Jordan, the twelve Spies ſent out to ſearch the land of Canaan, the twelve Oxen under the brazen Sea, the twelve Lyons that ſupported Solomons Throne, the twelve Officers appointed by him to provide for his houſhold; all which are by ſome made types of the twelve Apoſtles. Neither will I inſiſt upon that notion which Hierom preſumes to be unqueſtionable, and ſets a nec dubium eſt upon, viz. Nec dubium eſt quin de 12 Apoſtolis ſermo ſit, de quorum fontibus derivatae aqu… totius mundi ſic citatem rig…t, &c. Hieron.that thoſe twelve wells of water, and ſeventy palme trees at Elim, Exod. 15. laſt, did undoubtedly prefigure the twelve Apoſtles and ſeventy Diſciples. It may perhaps be worthy of more conſideration, that as the Iewiſh Church had twelve Patriarks, from whom the twelve Tribes of Iſrael deſcended; ſo Chriſt ordained twelve Apoſtles to be as fathers of his Iſrael under the Goſpel, the Chriſtian Church: And that the Spirit in Revel. 4. 4. where mention is made of twenty foure ſeats, and twenty foure Elders ſitting upon them, alludes both to the twelve Patriarks and the twelve Apoſtles, which put together make up thoſe twenty foure, by whom the whole Church under both Teſtaments is repreſented. It appears by what hath been ſayd, that the Apoſtles are certainly meant in this place. The reaſon why I conceive other Miniſters not excluded, is becauſe the Angels of the ſeven Churches are called ſtars, Revel. I. l…ſt. as well as the twelve Apoſtles here. Which is The ſecond thing to be cleered, viz. That the Apoſtles and all faithfull Miniſters are like ſtars. Wherein it were eaſie to be large, ſeeing they and the ſtars reſemble each other in many things. But I will content my ſelfe with a few.
1 As the ſtars are heavenly bodies ſhining, but with a borrowed light; ſo the Apoſtles of old were, and all godly Miniſters ever ſince have endevoured to be men of an heavenly converſation; heavenly men and earthly Angels, as Paul was ſtyled by Chryſoſtom. They ſhine as lights in the world, acknowledging all the light they have to be derived from Chriſt, as the Sun, of whoſe fulneſſe they all receive. That which one of the German Divines made his Motto, fully ſpeaks every one of their hearts. Dan. Crameru….Nil ſcio, nil poſſum, nil ſum quoque; quod tamen eſſe, Scire, & poſſe aliquid dicor, id omne Dei eſt.
They are moſt ready to profeſſe that of themſelves they know nothing, can doe nothing, are nothing that good is: and that whatſoever good they are, or do, or know, they owe it wholly to the free grace of God in Chriſt.
2 As the Stars are in continuall motion for the good of the Univerſe: ſo were the Apoſtles for the good of the Church. Paul ceaſed not to warne every foreign quaſi foreign, Etymol.one night and day with tears. Acts 20. 31. went from Jeruſalem round about to Illyricum, preaching the Goſpel, Rom. 15. 19. Succeeding Miniſters have accordingly in their places acquainted themſelves with continuall labours; which Scripture calls upon them for. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, Iſa. 58 1. Durante pugnâ non ceſſat tuba; the trumpet muſt be ſounding all the while the battle is in fighting. Now there is no end of the Chriſtian Warfare, and therefore none of the Miniſters pains. The Church is Gods husbandry, 1 Cor. 3. 9. her Miniſters his huſbandmen. Redit agricolis labor actus in orbem. The husbandman hath never quite done his work; but the end of one task is ſtill the beginning of another. So it fares with painfull Miniſters. One while their employment is inſtructing poor ignorant ſouls; then are they like Stars that ſhine in a cold Winter-night. Another while convincing gainſayers and Hereticks; then are they like thoſe ſtars in their courſes that fought against Siſera, Judg. 5. The moſt benigne Constellation is not more promiſing to the World, than their Aſſociations are unto the Church.
3 As the ſtars are ſaid to differ one from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15. 45. So the Apoſtles excell'd other Miniſters, in the univerſality of their commiſſion, the immediatneſſe of their call, the infallibility of their doctrine, together with many other priviledges. And among ſucceeding Miniſters there hath been found very great difference in regard of their parts, gifts, and graces; ſuch as there is among Stars of the firſt, ſecond, and third magnitude, Melancthon ſpeaking of the Divines of his age, ſaid, Pomeranus is a Grammarian, I a Logitian, Justus Jonas an Oratour, but Martin Luther is all theſe; a miracle of men, and one that penetrates the heart in whatſoever hee ſpeaks, or writes. a… eſt Grammaticus & verborum vim explanat; ego ſum Logicus, monſtro contextum rerum, & argumenta; Iuſtus Ionas eſto Orator, copioſe & ornate diſſerit, ſed Lutherus eſt omnia in omnibus, eſt miraculum inter homines: quicquid dicit, quicquid ſcribit, id in animos penetrat, & …irificos relinquit aculeos in cordibus hominum, Melch. Adam in vit. Germ. Theolog. p. 170.Beza comparing the three famous Miniſters of Geneva, ſaith that Farellus excelled in Fervency, Viretus in Eloquence, Calvin in Sententiouſneſſe: and that the concurrence of theſe endowments in any one man would have rendred him a compleat Evangelicall P… ſtour.bSane iucundiſſimum erat ſpectaculum, tres iſtos tantos in Eccleſia Dei viros, uſque adeo in opere divino conſentientes, eoſque diverſis donis florentes cernere & audire. Excellebat quadam animi magnitudine Farell…s, cuius vel audire abſque tremore tonitrua, vel ardentiſſimas preces percipere nemo poſſet, quin in ipſum poene coelum ſubveheretur. Viretus fac…ndiae ſuavitate ſic excellebat, ut auditores ab illius ore neceſſario penderent. Calvinus quo… ſonabat verba tot graviſſimus-ſententiis auditoris mentem explebat, ut ſaepe mihi in mentem venerit, perfectum quodammodo videri-poſſe paſtorem, qui ex tribus illis eſſet conflatus. Beza in vita Calvini.
The third thing which I am to cleer is, That Evangelicall doctrine is as a crowne to the Church of Chriſt. The prudent are crowned with knowledge, ſaith Solomon, Proverbs 14. 18. Now there is no knowledge ſaving, but this of Evangelicall truth; and therefore no ſuch crown as that. 'Tis our Saviours counſell to the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 11. hold that faſt which thou haſt, that no man take thy crown. Some falſe Apoſtles, it ſhould ſeem, had been tampering with this Church; Chriſt commends her for keeping the word of his patience, ver. 10. i. e. the Goſpel, which declares the ſufferings of Chriſt, and excites to patience by his example: whereupon hee adds the fore-mentioned word of advice. It would ſave much labour in debating one of the Arminian points, if the place might be interpreted (as for ought I know it may) to this ſenſe. As if he had ſaid, O Philadelphia, keepe that truth, which hath been taught by thoſe that planted thee at firſt. That truth is thy crown; let no man take it from thee, no tyrant rob, no ſeducer cheat thee of it. A crown, thou knoweſt, is the moſt principall ornament: take it from me, evangelicall truth is the moſt principall crown.
I beleeve you expect ſome application of what hath bin already delivered, before we cloſe with the ſecond verſe; and will therefore briefly infer ſomwhat, firſt from the whole viſion, then from the womans ſeverall perfections, and laſtly from the order of thoſe perfections.
1 Inferences from the whole viſion. Which are two.
1 That beſides the naturall, there is a ſpirituall uſe to be made of all the creatures. The Sun here points to Chriſt, the Moon to the World, the Stars to the Miniſters of the Goſpel. Mans ſoule is an Alembeck, in which when the creatures are laid like ſo many herbs, if there be any fire of devotion within, many ſweet meditations may be diſtilled. Naturall hearts are apt to make a ſenſuall uſe of divine things: but ſpirituall hearts have an art of making divine uſes even of naturall things, which we ſhould all doe well to learn.
2 That the Whore of Babylon differs much from the woman in my Text; the Apoſtaticall Church of Rome, from the Apoſtolicall Church of Chriſt: As not being clothed with the Sun, but with outward pomp, Revel. 17. 4. She was arrayed in purple, and ſcarlet colour, and deckt with gold and precious ſtones, more for ſtate then for Chriſt; refuſing to accept of him for her only covering, ſhelter and ornament, and going about to eſtabliſh a righteouſneſſe of her own. Not having the Moon under her feet, but in her heart, loving the world, maintaining her Non habent fulgentes ſtellas in capite, ſed aureas bullas. Brightman. in loc. Concil. Trident▪ Seſſ. 4.greatneſſe by carnall policie, and making proſperity a ſigne of the Church. Not being crowned with theſe twelve ſtars, but with the inventions and traditions of men, recommended by the Councell of Trent, as worthy to be received with the ſame affections and reverence, which are due to the Holy Scriptures. So as indeed the Moon is her crown, and the Stars her footſtool.
2 Inferences from the ſeverall perfections here aſcribed to the woman.
Her being clothed with the Sun lets us ſee,
1 The All-ſufficiencie of Chriſt. Jacob deſired but bread to eat and rayment to put on. Having food and Gen 28▪ 29.rayment (ſayth Paul) let us be therewith content. Now beſides ſpirituall meat and drinke which Chriſt affords 1 Tim … 8.us, John 6. 55. my fleſh is meat indeed, and my bloud is drinke indeed, he himſelf becomes apparrell to us, Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been baptized into Chriſt, have put on Chriſt.
2 The true fountain of all that wiſdome, zeal, and grace which appears in the converſation of true Saints. They are clothed with Chriſt, as with the Sun, and he if is that communicates to them light of wiſdom, heat of zeal, and influence of grace. Such as have really put on him, make not proviſion for the Rom. 13. ult. Recent Chriſti ſanguis tunc in cordibus hominum ſervebat; bodie in noſtris cordibus antiquatus deſerbuit, & gelatus eſt, Hieron.fleſh (as others do) to fulfill the luſts thereof: although but too many, while they profeſſe a being clothed with the Sun, give juſt occaſion to renew a ſad complaint made by one of the Fathers, viz. That the bloud of Chriſt when newly ſhed, did as it were boyle in beleevers hearts, whereas now 'tis almoſt frozen in ours. So much doe wee come ſhort of the firſt love of thoſe Primitive times.
Her having the Moon under her feet, ſhews us how very ill it becomes the genuine iſſue of this woman to love the world; the friendſhip whereof is enmity with God, Jam. 4. 4. Mundus in maligno poſitus, 1 John 5. 19. next after Satan, this preſent evill world is the great Malignant. Looke as the Moon, when ſhe is at the full, is then in moſt direct oppoſition to the Sun; ſo 'tis the temper of the world to be moſt oppoſite to, and rebellious againſt Chriſt, when it receives the moſt light of proſperity from him, and is fulleſt of the bleſſings of his goodneſſe. Jeſurun waxed fat and kicked: then he forſooke God which made him; & lightly eſteemed the rock of his ſalvation: Deut. 32. 15. I ſpake to thee in thy proſperity, but then ſaidſt I will not heare, Ier. 32. 21. why ſhould Chriſtians then be friends to that world, which is ſuch an enemy both to their ſalvation, and to their Saviour?
Her being crowned with twelve Stars may ſerve
1 To beget in us honourable thoughts of the Miniſters calling. How mean ſoever their perſons be, yet are they Stars, and that in the right hand of Chriſt, Revel. 1. 20. an expreſſion that argues affection to them (as when Jacob called the ſon whom he meant to love for his dying mothers ſake, by the name of Benjamin, or the ſon of his right hand) nor only ſo, but care of them according to that, Pſal. 17. 7. Shew thy Gen. 35. 18.marvellous loving kindneſſe, O thou that ſaveſt by thy right hand: and that Pſal. 80. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the ſon of man whom thou madeſt ſtrong for thy ſelfe. I know there are many wandring ſtars (as Iude calls the falſe teachers of that age; in the 13th. verſe of his Epiſtle; men that made a fair ſhew, but had no ſubſtance of truth in them: and are therefore in that and the foregoing verſe compared to clouds but without water, to trees but without fruit, and to ſtars but without light. I am far from taking upon me to plead for any ſuch, but fear not to profeſſe my ſelfe an advoca…e for all thoſe, that are godly, gifted, and faithfull in the work of their miniſtry throughout the Land: the rather, becauſe there was never more, never ſo much conteſting againſt their Office as now. But who are they that thinke themſelves able to wreſt from Chriſt, that which he holds in his right hand; and do not rather fear leſt he ſtretch out this hand of his; to the cruſhing of all thoſe, that go about to cruſh his ſtars? Godly Miniſters when they are ſlighted and injured moſt, may comfort themſelves, by conſidering that it is the fate of ſtars to appear much leſſe to the eyes of men, then indeed they are: and that they, who during life are as Stars in Chriſts right hand, favoured and protected by him, ſhall after death be as ſtars at his right hand, glorified with him, according to that Dan. 12. 3. They that be wiſe (or they that be teachers) ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, foreignand they that turn many to righteouſneſſe, as the ſtars for ever and ever. There will ſoon be an end of their labours and ſufferings, but none of their glory.
2 To put us all upon prizing Apoſtolicall doctrine as the Crown of our Church and Nation. Let Italy boaſt of her rich Copes, ſtately Altars, curious Images (which are ſo far from adorning a Church, as that they doe indeed defile it) the Crown and glory of England is, that ſhe hath maintained the truth of Chriſt, and enjoyed the light of the twelve Stars; depoſited in this bleſſed booke. Did I only ſay ſhee hath maintained the truth of Chriſt? may I not venture to aſſert that ſhee doth maintain it? If not, the next aſſertion muſt be that of the Lamentations, Chap. 5. 16, The crown is fallen from our heads, not unto us. But I hope better things of the Kingdom, and ſuch as accompany Reformation, though I thus ſpeake. Doubtleſſe the Confeſsion of Faith, lately preſented to the Honourable Houſes by the Aſſembly of Divines (who have therein expreſſed the ſenſe of many millions beſide themſelues) will abundantly manifeſt to the world, that this crown is not wholy fallen from Englands head: yet I fear there is cauſe enough to acknowledge, that it doth not ſtand ſo faſt on as heretofore, by reaſon of the many Opinioniſts, whoſe main employment is to ſhake it. Verily whoſoever bears a loyall heart to Jeſus Chriſt, cannot but grieve to ſee the jewels of that crown, which he hath provided for his Churches head, pawned and ſold, and embezled as they are: to ſee not only Arminians, Libertines, and Socinians gratified in abundance of their principles; but even Mahumetans cloſed with by ſome, in what they hold concerning the authority of Scripture, and concerning the deity of Jeſus Chriſt, and of God the Holy Ghoſt. Yet notwithſtanding, would we all in the ſtrength of Chriſt, ſet our ſelves for time to come, to buy the truth (which Proverb 23. …3none ſhould ſell) and, when truth hath been ſold by others to redeem it; I doubt not but within a while that would become applyable to England, which the Prophet ſpeaks of Zion, Iſa. 62. 3. Thou ſhalt alſo be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royall Diadem in the hand of thy God.
3 Inferences from the order of theſe perfections.
1 That men will never contemne the world till they have learned to put on Chriſt. The woman is firſt clothed with the Sun, then gets the Moon under her feet, not till then. The world taſtes bitter to a ſoule that hath got the reliſh of Chriſt, and is amiable Cui incipi… Chriſtus dulceſcere ei neceſſé eſt amareſcere mundum. Bern.only to ſuch as know him not. The ſtars that ſhine with ſome luſtre all the night, when the ſun riſeth in the morning hide their heads and appear not, being ſo out-ſhined, as to be obſcured by that more glorious light. Such are all worldly excellencies to a ſoule wherein Chriſt is riſen. A man can then ſlight the things, for which he formerly valued himſelfe. To Zacheus gold is not the ſame thing after converſion and before it. Now he makes reſtitution, and cares not how little hee leave himſelfe, ſo he be not left by Chriſt.
2 That men will never prize the Goſpel as their Crown, till they have learned to contemne the world. The Moons being under the womans feet, goes before her having a crown of twelve ſtars upon her head. Thoſe in the parable who had no minde to come to the marriage ſupper, but deſired to be excuſed, Luke 14. 13, 19, 20.fetch all their excuſes from worldly affairs. That in Pſal. 119. 36. Incline my heart unto thy Teſtimonies, and not to covetouſneſſe, implies that an heart inclined to covetouſneſſe will never give the Oracles of God their due eſteem. Luther, who gloried in nothing more then the Goſpel of Chriſt, and ventured all for it, is reported to have profeſt that he was never ſo much as tempted by Satan to that ſin. The Pope tryed to win him by money (which it ſeems was more rhen the Devill had done) but upon tryall made, the anſwer which his agents returned was, Germana haec beſtia non curat aurum.That the German beaſt cared not for gold.
Hitherto of the firſt Verſe. Come we now to that other part of the deſcription, which concerns the Churches weake and perillous condition, laid down in the ſecond. And ſhee being with child, cryed travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered
Where there is a kinde of gradation, the ſteps whereof will help to bound, and likewiſe to methodize our diſcourſe, after this manner. Shee is with childe, her being with childe introduceth a travell; that travailing is attended with pains, thoſe pains force her to cry.
1 The woman was with childe. This Apocalypſe being the laſt peece of Scripture, hath a retroſpect to the former canonicall books, well nigh in all the paſſages of it. Moſt of the phraſes in this chapter ſeem to be alluſions, either to the ſtory of Iſrael, as related by Moſes; or of Chriſt as reported by the Evangeliſts. For example, the womans crying may looke back to the dolefull cry of Iſrael in Egypt, by reaſon of bondage; her flying into the deſart and nouriſhment there, to the wilderneſſe into which Iſrael was led, and where Manna was ſent them from heaven to feed upon. Her being delivered of a man-childe, to the Virgin Mary's bringing forth of Chriſt; being watched by a Dragon ready to devoure her childe, to Herods lying in wait to murther Chriſt, the childs being caught up to God and his Throne, to our Saviours Aſcention, and ſitting at the right hand of the Majeſty on high. In conformity to which notions it may be ſaid, that as the Virgin Mary conceived Chriſt, when ſhe had been over-ſhadowed with the Holy Ghoſt; ſo when the Spirit came down at Pentecoſt upon the Apoſtles, the Primitive Church fell with childe. The words are foreign having in her wombe. Never was the Church more pregnant; for ſhee then had in her wombe all thoſe converts that were brought forth to God in the ſeverall Nations of the world, by the miniſtry of the firſt Evangelicall teachers, and of their immediate ſucceſſours.
2 This being with child brought her in time unto her travell, which conſiſted partly in the pious endeavours of zealous Chriſtians to bring in others to Naſcitur indigne per quem non naſcitur alter.Chriſt, (it being a principle with ſuch, that he walkes unanſwerably to his new-birth, who doth not deſire and labour to ſee others new-borne) whence it is that Auguſtin commends his mother Monica for putting Maiore ſollicitudine me parturiebat ſpiritu, quam carne pepererat. Aug. Confeſt. l. 5. c. 9her ſelfe to more trouble in being inſtrumentall to his regeneration, then ſhee had been at in bringing him forth into the world: partly and eſpecially, in the great and unceſſant labours of her Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, & other Officers, to diſperſe the Goſpel throughout the world for its converſion to the faith, and making good of that propheſie, Iſa. 54. 1. Sing barren, thou that doſt not bear; break forth into ſinging; and cry aloud thou that didſt not travell with child for more are the children of the deſolate, then the children of the marryed wife, ſayth the Lord. As alſo of that, Iſa. 65. 8. Who hath heard ſuch a thing? who hath ſeen ſuch things? ſhall the earth … made to bring forth in one day, or ſhall a nation be borne at once? for as ſoon as Zion travelled ſhee brought forth her childe. Yee have to this purpoſe a moſt emphaticall ſpeech of Paul, Gal. 4. 19. My little children of whom I travell in birth again, untill Chriſt be formed in you.
3 Her travell was accompanyed with ſore pains, which were increaſed by the oppoſition ſhee met withall from two ſorts of men, Perſecutors and Hereticks. That which aroſe from the one ſort was more violent, that which came from the other more fraudulent; but both exceeding dolorous. The former had more of the Lyon in it, that terme Scripture puts upon Tyrants; Jer. 4. 7. The Lyon is come up from his thicket, and the deſtroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; the latter more of the Fox, which is the name given to ſeducers, Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes. Satan in the one ſhewed himſelfe a Dragon, and a Serpent in the other. Lion and Fox, Dragon and Serpent, all conſpire to inlarge the Churches ſorrows.
4 Being thus in paine ſhee could not hold from crying out;
1 To God in her prayers. As Acts 4. from the 24th Verſe to the 31. They lift up their voyce to God with one accord, and ſaid, Lord, thou art God, &c. Of a truth againſt thy holy child Jeſus whom thou haſt anoynted, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, which the Gentiles and the people of Iſrael were gathered together. And now, Lord, behold their threatnings, &c.
2 To men in her Apologies. Thoſe of Paul in the Acts of the Apoſtles, thoſe of Juſtin Martyr, Tertullian and others afterwards, what were they elſe but the cryes of this woman, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered? This may ſuffice for a briefe explication of the words.
The way to improve them in this Auditory will be to accommodate theſe materials to the State of things among our ſelves.
AFter ſome overtures of a Match in the Reign of Applicat.King Henry the Eighth, the Reformed Church in this Kingdome was ſolemnly marryed to Jeſus Chriſt, when the Scepter was ſwayed by Edward the Sixth: that godly young Prince (as became the Bridegrooms friend) rejoycing greatly becauſe of the Bridegrooms voice. The famous nine and thirty Articles of her Confeſsion then framed, were an evident ſigne of her being with child, and that a thorow Reformation was then conceived, though but conceived. Many and fore were the breeding fits ſhe conflicted with in Queene Mary's days, and ſuch as gave occaſion to fear that ſhe would have miſcarried. But God ſent her eaſe from heaven under the ſucceeding Princes: in which condition ſhe went on for a long while, drawing ſtill neerer and neerer her time. Six yeers agoe, after this Parliament had ſate awhile it was generally believed that ſhee was falſe into her travell. And, in the midſt of all thoſe ſorrows which have befaln England ſince, her friends encouraged themſelves with this hope, that the quicker and ſharper her pains grew, the liker ſhee was to be ſpeedily delivered of that man-child, which was by them ſo greedily expected. But, behold, as if all theſe had been but fore-runners of her labour, not bearing-throws, ſhe continues ſtill in pain: inſomuch as they now begin to think ſhee has not gone her full time, and earneſtly to deſire ſhee may; becauſe they feare nothing more than an abortive Reformation.
However, evident it is, not only that her pains are multiplyed, but that they are cauſed, partly by the malignity of her enemies, who have embroyled her in a bloudy Civill War, and thereby given her occaſion to breath out the Prophets complaint, Jer. 4. 19, 20. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noyſe in mee, I cannot hold my peace, becauſe thou haſt heard, ô my ſoul, the ſound of the trumpet, the alarm of War. Deſtruction upon deſtruction is cryed, for the whole land is ſpoyled. Partly from the animoſities and diſagreement of her members, then which nothing is more dolorous to quiet ſpirits. Let mee tell you how a great Scholar once proſeſt himſelfe affected with the like times. I know not (ſaith he) what pleaſure Quam aliis arrideat hoc ſeculum neſcio, mihi certe magnopere diſplicet, ſic ſerveut partium ſtudia, &c. malim ergo vel olitor eſſe, tranqui…litate Chriſtiana fruens, ac Spiritus Evangeli…i ſimplicitate gaudens, quàm terqne quaterque maximus theologus huiuſmodi diſidiis involutus. Eraſmus in Epiſt. praefix. libro cui titulus Ratio verae Theologiae.other men may take in this age, but I am extreamly troubled at it; becauſe there is ſuch contention and ſiding, ſuch wrrngling and jangling on every ſide. For my part I had rather be a ſeller of herbs and roots, or a man of the meaneſt profeſſion under heaven, enjoying Chriſtian tranquillity, and Goſpel-ſimplicity, then a Divine of greateſt note and reputation deeply engaged in ſuch diviſions.
Our Churches condition being ſuch as hath been deſcribed, or rather ſuch as no deſcription of mine can poſſibly reach the perplexity of; who can think it ſtrange, if (beſides her crying to God, as in Iſ. 26. 17, 18. Like as a woman with child that draweth neere the time of her delivery is in pain, and cryeth out in her pangs; ſo have wee been in thy ſight, ô Lord. We have bin with childe, we have bin in pain, we have as it were brought forth winde: And to men, as in Lament. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſſe by? behold and ſee, if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger) ſhee make her ſpeciall addreſſes to you, Honourable Senators, whom God hath now called to the Midwives office? No loving neighbour but would riſe at midnight to help a poore woman in travell: No tender Chriſtian but would put on bowels of mercy towards a Church in ſuch a caſe. O what care! what bowels! what help is expected from you, who above all men are bound with all your might and skill to promote the birth of ſuch a child, as may cauſe the woman to forget all her ſorrows!
Would you obſtetricate, as ye ought? I know you would, yet think it not preſumption in me, if in purſuance of the allegory which my Text puts mee upon, I take liberty to ſuggeſt three or foure things by way of humble advice, before I conclude.
1 Imitate Tamars midwife, Geneſ. 38. The ſtory is this from Verſe 27. to the end of the Chapter. It came to paſſe in the time of her travell, that behold twins were in her wombe. And it came to paſſe when ſhe travelled, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife tooke and bound upon his hand a ſcarlet thrid, ſaying, This came out firſt. And it came to paſſe as he drew back his hand, that behold his brother came out, and ſhee ſaid, How haſt thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez, And afterwards came out his brother that had the ſcarlet thrid about his hand, and his name was called Zarah. The different judgements of Profeſſours throughout the Land, ſhew that our Church hath twins in her wombe. So much of Truth as hath been already owned by Parliament, Zarah-like hath put forth the hand; None can but ſay, This came out firſt, for you have marked it with the ſcarlet thrid of a civill Sanction. Yet is there a Pharez a Diviſion or Separation (as the word properly ſignifies) whoſe breakings out are notoriouſly known; as alſo his challeng of primogeniture. Our hopes are that Zarah will in due time be fully born, notwithſtanding this interpoſition: and that you will ſay to the party that ſeparates in Doctrinal principles (for of them it is I now ſpeake) by maintaining opinions that are deſtructive, and prey upon the vitall ſpirits of Religion, as the midwife then did to Pharez, Upon thee be this breach and not upon us; May it never come to be upon you; may you never come to be partakers of other mens ſins in ſo high a degree. Hitherto the damnable hereſies and daring blaſphemies, which have been vented every where, may be thought to ſtand on the private account of ſuch as vent them: But if repreſentative England (which God forbid) ſhould eſpouſe their crimes, by over-much connivence at them, the guilt would then become Nationall, and too heavie for us to bear.
The Apoſtate Julian, who made it his buſineſſe to deſtroy the Chriſtian Religion, betooke himſelfe to the uſe of two principall means; the one whereof was obſtructing the wayes of liberall education, by putting down Schools of learning, that Chriſtians being kept in ignorance might ſooner be cheated of their faith, and leſſe able to reſiſt the Heathens ſophiſtry: aNe Chriſtianorum pueri Graecis diſciplinis imbuerentur, aut Poetas Scriptoreſ que eorum legerent, aut Scholas public. is frequentarant lege cavit. Ne linguis eorum, inquit, acumine perpolitis, facile disputationibus noſtris reſiſtere, & ſacra quidem ſua aedificare & amplificare, religionem autem noſtram facile refellere queant. Niccphorus l. 10. cap. 25. Vide etiam Sozom. lib. 5. c. 17.The other, indulgence to all kinde of Sects and hereſies, in hope by countenancing them to create ſuch a diſtraction amongſt Chriſtians, as ſhould bring ſpeedy deſtruction, not only upon the Orthodox party, but upon the very profeſſion of Chriſtianity.bDiſſedentes Chriſtianorum-antiſtites cum plebe diſciſſa in palatium in: romiſſos monebat, ut, civilibus diſcordiis conſopitis, quiſque nullo vetante religioni ſuae ſerviret intrepidus. Quod agebat ideo abſtinatè, ut diſſentiones augente licentia, non timeret unanim…ntem poſtea plehem: nullas infeſtas hominibus beſtias, ut ſunt ſibi fera'es pl rique Chriſtianorum, expertus. Ammianus Marcellinus l. 22. non procul ab initio.
I am fully aſſured that you abhor nothing more then the end at which Julian aymed, and therefore doubt not but the God of all wiſdom and grace, will preſerve in you an abhorrencie of the means which he uſed. As yee deſire to have Religion flouriſh among us, give incouragement to learning, and continue nurſing fathers to the nurſeries of it. If notwithſtanding the pleaſantneſs of ſituation, the water be naught and the ground barren, in either or both our Univerſities (as of old at Jericho, where there was a 2 Kings 2. 19, 20, 21.Schoole of the Prophets) make ſpeedy proviſion of fitting ſalt; let it be caſt into the ſpring that the waters may be healed. And as ye deſire to anſwer the expectation of Chriſtendom, yea, of Chriſt, and to fulfill the vows of God that are upon you, ſpeedily raiſe up ſome bank againſt the inundation of blaſphemies and hereſies, which are like to overflow us. The Angel of the Church of Epheſus is twice commended Revel. 2. 3, 6.for his patience, yet noted withall for his not being able to bear ſuch as were evill; and particularly, for his hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans, who were a pack of laſcivious Hereticks. Patience it ſelfe cannot bear with ſuch.
But there is not the ſame ſpirit in all that diſſent from truth; neither is every parcell of truth of the ſame importance. There may be ſome godly and peaceable perſons, who yet cannot throughly cloſe with every thing, which you perhaps may ſee a neceſſity of eſtabliſhing, my next word of advice is, that toward ſuch you would
2 Doe as the Egyptian midwives did, Exod. 1. Spare them for they are Hebrew children, and ſuch as belong to the Iſrael of God, though Jacob like they have their haltings. This with me is a maxime, Every one that is truly conſcientious will as really tender the publike peace of that Church and State wherein he lives, as he deſires to have the private peace of his conſcience tendred by that Church and State. Now unto ſuch as are indeed ſo qualified, although they may perhaps have gathered ſome peccant humours, there ſhould be no churliſh phyſick given. Lenitives may ſerve the turn; ſeeing there is a divine nature in them, which will not only preſerve them from all mortall diſeaſes, but work out thoſe ſlight diſtempers by degrees. I often think of that prayer, Rom. 15. 5, 6. Now the God of patience and conſolation, grant you to be likeminded one towards another according to Chriſt Jeſus: that ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Why the God of all patience? Surely to imply, that unleſſe God be pleaſed to beget mutuall patience, and forbearance of one another in ſome things, Chriſtians will never be like minded one towards another according to Chriſt Jeſus; neither will our heavenly Father ever be glorified by all his own children, with one minde and one mouth, according to their duty. In an Army, where the ſeverall Regiments are diſtinguiſhed by ſeverall colours, yet all under command of one Generall, and engaged in one common cauſe, if the ſouldiers by reaſon of ſome diverſity in their colours, ſhould miſtake one another for foes, and accordingly charge every one upon thoſe of the Regiment next adjoyning; how inevitable would the ruine of ſuch an hoſt of men be? The Church of Chriſt is an Army with Banners, there alwayes hath been, and Cantic. 6. 4.will alwayes be ſome variety of opinion even among the good Souldiers of Jeſus Chriſt: But ſo long as they are all obedient to the known commands of the Captain Generall of their ſalvation (as the Scripture ſtyles Chriſt) this variety ſhould not ingage them in foreign Heb. 2. 10.the deſtruction of one another, leſt thereby the Armies of the living God come to be deſtroyed, and preyed upon by the common enemy.
3 Encourage the woman in her travell, as Rachels midwife once did, Gen 35. 16, 17. Rachel travelled, and ſhe had hard labour, and it came to paſſe when ſhee was in hard labour, that the midwife ſayd unto her, fear not, thou ſhalt have this ſon alſo. Shee had born Joſeph before, now the midwife puts her in hope of Benjamin. We have already through the unſpeakable bleſſing of God upon your Counſels and Forces, obteined deliverance from a mighty adverſe power, that would have ruined us. Reformation is that which we are now groaning for: what ſatisfaction would it give to heare you ſaying to England, Fear not, thou ſhalt have this ſon alſo? The Church (as I intimated before) is ſayd to travell in the labour of thoſe, her agents, that are called to employments of the greateſt moment and difficulty; ſuch are Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Souldiers, and to the firſt of theſe ſorts it belongs to encourage the other two. Hezekiah was a great reformer, and it may be obſerved, that there is mention twice made of his ſpeaking comfortably to certain perſons, 2 Chron. 30. 22. Hezekiah ſpake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: And again, Chap. 32. 6. He ſet Captains of War over the people, and gathered them together, and ſpake comfortably to them. If our faithfull and valiant Souldiers have not received due encouragement, let them have it, I beſeech you, to the full: and let mee have leave to ſpeake a few words in behalfe of our godly Miniſters; whoſe aſſiſtance (how uſeleſs ſoever it may be accounted in other affairs) cannot be ſpared in Eccleſiaſticall Reformations. Iſrael was not brought out of Egypt, but by the concurrence of Moſes & Aaron; nor the ſecond Temple built, but by joynt endevours of Zerubbabel and Joſhuah. It hath bin formerly ſayd by one out of this Pulpit, that you have nothing at all to doe in reforming the Church; by another, that none but you have to doe in the government of it. I fear not to call both theſe extreams, and beg your attention to thoſe that take the middle way; whoſe unanimous voyce to the Parliament of England, concerning extirpation of Hereſies, and removall of abuſes out of the Church, is that of She…aniah to Ezra, Ariſe, for THIS MATTER E…ra 104.BELONGS TO THEE, we alſo will be with thee: be of good courage and doe it. We live in an age wherein are many that doe evill with both hands earneſtly, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Micah 7. 3. There is therefore need that both our hands ſhould be employed in doing good. Now the two hands of a Chriſtian Kingdom are the Magiſtracy and Miniſtry thereof. The buſineſſe of Reformation cals for both. As we commonly uſe our hands for the waſhing and cleanſing of each other. So if the Miniſter be extravagant, the Magiſtrate may correct him; then the right hand waſheth the left: If the Magiſtrate doe amiſſe, the Miniſter may admoniſh him, then the left hand clenſeth the right. But he that makes uſe of one hand to cut off the other with, deſtroys his body: ſuch would our condition be, if either Miniſters ſhould ſuffer the Magiſtracy to be cryed down; or Magiſtrates permit the Miniſtry to be debaſed. Scripture and experience bid us hope, that Amalek ſhall then be foyled, and Iſrael prevail, when faith in Chriſt, and zeal for truth ſhall ſupport both theſe hands, as Aaron and Hur did thoſe of Moſes upon the mount.
Laſtly, for a concluſion of all, let the prayer of faith be of greateſt activity when the woman is found to be in greateſt extremity. Time was when things were at ſuch a paſſe even with Jeruſalem in a day of trouble, rebuke and blaſphemy, that the children were come to the birth, but … was no ſtrength to bring forth, Iſa. 37. 3. The caſe may pe… haps be ours at preſent, though I will not ſay it is. … am, the wiſeſt courſe we can poſſibly take, is to follow … … zekiahs good example; who, upon that ſad occaſion, … not only pray himſelfe, verſ: 15. but ſend to Iſaiah, req… ring him to lift up a Prayer for the remnant that was … verſ. 4. Verily, Honourable and beloved, there is as … need of faſting and prayer at this day, as ever there … ſince our troubles began. But the aſſembling of our … from monethmonth to monethmonth will be in vain, unleſſe that whi… is tendred to God be the faſting of ſincerity and prayer … faith. If while we faſt our luſts be ſurfeited, and … outcry our devotion, we muſt expect to have it much lon… er yet ere the childe be borne. Wherefore to add ſtreng… to our faith, and alacrity to our prayers, let us feed … thoſe interrogations, which have the force of a promiſe … them, Iſa. 66 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cauſe … bring forth, ſayth the Lord? I that cauſe to bring forth ſhall I ſhut the wombe ſayth thy God? For my part when … conſider that Temple-worke hath been alwayes accompliſhed not by might or by power, but by the ſpirit of the Lor… Zech. 4. 6, 7.and call to minde how many mountains are already … before his Zerubbabels: I am filled with hopes, … you the Worthies of our Iſrael, whoſe ſouls have … all this while to bring forth a Reformation, ſhall … day ſee the travell of your ſouls, & be fully ſatisfied: … as Jeſus Chriſt would not ſave his people by halves … leave the worke of purchaſing redemption for them … had brought it to a Conſummatum eſt, ſo he will not … his Church by halves, but carry on the bleſſed work … Reformation till, not we only but, all they through… the world, whoſe expectations are faſtned upon it, ſha… cauſe to rejoyce and ſay, It is finiſhed.
FINI…
End of the text · John Arrowsmith, A Great Wonder in Heaven (1647)