Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 7
Rev. 13. 7.
And it was given unto him to make warre with the Saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations,
WHen the Devill, that is to ſay, the Dragon, could not find any longer reſting place in heaven, that is to ſay, he could no longer enjoy Soveraign and divine worſhip as the great God (Conſtantine and his Succeſſors having brought in Chriſt and his worſhip alone inſtead of all the gods of the Gentiles;) He therefore to revenge himſelfe, makes warre againſt the Church, that were the rooters out of Pagan Idolatry: This warre, becauſe he could not manage by himſelfe, it being very ſtrong, he therefore raiſeth two Beaſts out of his power, the firſt and ſecond Beaſts in this Chapter; the firſt, from verſ. 1. to the 10. The ſecond, from verſ. 10. to the end of the Chapter. It was a third Roman State, not Rome-Pagan, nor Rome-Chriſtian, but Rome-antichriſtian, that is to ſay, the Roman viſible Catholick Church. This is deſcribed many wayes, by a wound given him upon one of his heads for a ſeaſon; that when Rome was ſacked, he was almoſt in a forlorn eſtate, and deſpairing of recovery; but being healed, the effects were
1. The worlds admiration after the Beaſt.
2. Their worſhip both of the Beaſt, and of the Dragon, which is Satan himſelfe.
The third event is Power, or as the word ſignifies, Authority (ver. 5, 6, 7.) And this Power and Authority did ſtretch forth it ſelfe to three employments.
Firſt, He had power given him to ſpeake great things and blaſphemies; He might ſpeak blaſphemy by authority.
The ſecond power that was given him, was to continue, or to be doing, to be acting and working all in all, for the number of 42. moneths, which in the former Chapter is deſcribed by dayes, and the dayes meant years, 1260. yeares, which have been at large ſpoken to.
The third power and authority given him, was, To make warre with the Saints; and that not a vain and looſe war, but an effectuall prevailing war, a victorious war: It was given him to make warre with the Saints, and to overcome them.
There was alſo a fourth power given him, and that was dominion over all the Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations: All Chriſtian Kingdomes, they did all of them ſubmit their Crowns and Scepters to this Beaſt, the Roman Catholick viſible Church, whereof the Pope is the ſeventh head, for he had ſeven heads, and ten horns: Five of them were fallen, the ſixth then which was the Caeſars, and the Pope he was the ſeventh. Two of theſe Powers have been opened; Power to blaſpheme; and Power to continue, and be doing.
I come now to the third Power or Authority given to this Beaſt, and that is, to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them.
The note then is ſhortly this;
The Roman viſible Catholicke Church had power to make warre againſt the Saints,Doctr. 3. yea and to overcome them. They are in a manner the words of the Text, explained in their true meaning.
The warre that he ſpeaks of (as I conceive) in this place, is not a ſpirituall warre (though that alſo this beaſt did make, for he cauſed all that dwelt upon the Earth to admire and adore him, and that was ſpirituall war:) But he ſpeaks of ſuch a warre here, the effect whereof is killing with the Sword; Hee that killeth with the ſword muſt be killed with the ſword, verſ. 10. As if God would reward him in his owne kind: He that ſlayes many thouſands of Chriſtians with the ſword, that is, by the power of warre, he himſelfe ſhall at length be deſtroyed by warre alſo: So that he ſpeaks of a war fought by Arms, by ſlaughter and blood-ſhed, by open expedition of Military perſons fighting in the quarrell of this beaſt againſt the Saints of God. There is another warre mentioned in the 17. Chap. of this book, where it is ſaid, this Beaſt, and the ten Horns, that is, the Chriſtian Kings, that ſhall give their power and authority to this Beaſt, ſhall make warre with the Lamb; and they which are of the Lambs ſide, are called, and choſen, and faithfull, and here they are called Saints: But there you ſhall ſee it is not the ſame kinde of warre, but differing there from what is here; for there it is ſayd, They ſhall make warre with the Lamb, and the Lamb ſhall overcome them; but here it is ſaid, He ſhall make warre with the Saints, and overcome the Saints: So that one of theſe warres he ſpeaks of, when he that hath ſmitten others, he ſhall be ſmitten himſelfe; that is, towards the end of his Authority; then the Lamb ſhall make warre, and overcome him; but in the meane time he hath power to make warre, and overcome them, it is therefore a bloody warre: And it is not ſaid that he began this war as ſoon as he began to do; for here are ſundry acts and paſſages of Authority, before he comes to this tranſcendant power to violent warre: Hee was admired and adored in the conſciences of all Roman Catholicks; Hee had done many things, ſpake great blaſphemies many a day, and yeare together: And in the end he receives alſo this power, to make warre with the Saints; that he was able to muſter up ſuch an Army of his owne, or his Horns, that is, thoſe Princes that were obedient to him, as he was able to make warr. Now this Scripture (I conceive) was accompliſhed in his wars againſt the Waldenſes and Albingenſes in the 12. Century after Chriſt, they held all things conformable to the Scriptures, and the Fathers, as they called them, and every way Orthodoxall, only they blaſphemed the Church of Rome, this Beaſt could not tell what he had againſt them otherwiſe; but otherwiſe he commended them for their honeſty, piety, and good dealing, and there was nothing culpable in their doing, but that they ſpake againſt the Church of Rome: now againſt them did the Pope and the Catholick Church procure many expeditions of ſore warre for many yeares together, and in concluſion rooted them out of the Countrey, and ſcattered them up and downe, ſome to ſome part of France, ſome to Bohemia, ſome to Germany, ſome to England, and ſome to one place, and ſome to another: though the Papiſts did confeſſe that the people were not rooted out, but ſcattered; and where-ever they came, they propagated their Religion, that it was more and more ſpread where they came; but they overcame them, for they ſlew (as ſtands upon Record) about ten hundred thouſands of them, and did burn up their Cities, and Cattell, fel'd their wood, that there might be no more Hereticks neſtled in that wilderneſſe; and they did take a courſe that Midwives, and Mothers, and Infants in the womb, all ſhould be ſlaughtered by fire and ſword, that there might be no more continuance of that Generation: So that in this War the Pope did mightily prevaile, and proſpered ſo farre, that he ſpread all Chriſtendom, and in one battle did overcome a great many of the Saints: Whereupon the Waldenſes being warned by a Religious man ſent by the Biſhop of Tholouſe, to confeſſe the hand of God againſt them for Hereticall pravity, in blaſpheming the Roman Catholick viſible Church, and continuing ſo long in it, and to turn to the Catholick Church: For their defence, to anſwer the Temptation that was put upon them, ſaid they, it is written, The Beaſt ſhall make war with the Saints and overcome them; therefore it is no argument of Gods being againſt us, in reſpect of our Religion, for he may acknowledg us Saints, though we be ſlain to this day; and therefore though there were but a handful left, they would rather dye, then yeeld to conformity to the Church of Rome. So you ſee the point opened: For the Reaſons,
Firſt, how this Beaſt comes to have this power to make warre.
Secondly, how the Saints come thus to be warred upon.
And thirdly, how they come to be overcome (for all theſe would be opened.)
Firſt,Reaſon 1. this beaſt had power given him to make warre by ſeverall hands; Firſt, the devout ſubjection of the ten Chriſtian Kings to him, that gave their kingdoms and ſwords into his hand, Rev. 17. 17. God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their Kingdoms unto the Beaſt: The principall Kings of Chriſtendome in thoſe dayes came and gave their power to the beaſt, and by their power he was able to do wonders againſt all.
A ſecond reaſon and cauſe of his power to war againſt the Saints,Reaſon 2. was, becauſe of the proſperous ſucceſſe which they had in the warre againſt Chriſtians a hundred yeares before, and that was in an expedition of Godfrey of Bulloign in Greece, and Duke Dalbo, that went forth to recover the holy Land (as they call it) to overcome the Turks and Sarazens, and Godfrey Bullen, a Chriſtian Prince, as they call him, they made him King at Jeruſalem, there he continued, and proſpered mightily in this war, and held it for many years together: and Chriſtian Princes ſeeing the proſperous ſucceſſe of this War which he had raiſed up to recover the holy Land, and the Sepulchre of Chriſt; therefore upon the ſame tearms that he did procure that Expedition againſt Infidels, he doth procure warre againſt theſe Hereticks, and out of the ſame notion there were gathered an innumerable company.
A third Reaſon was from the zealous Sermons of Fryars and Monks,Reaſon 3. exciting all Chriſtendom to this Warr under the Standard of the Croſſe in promiſe of equall pardon, as if the Expedition had been againſt the Sarazens, thence came he to make ſuch authority to make Warre with the Saints, that if he call for it, it is done: He agrees upon it in his own Councell, and he gives inſtruction to all Abbots and Fryars, and Governours of religious Orders, that they ſhould ſend out chiefe Preachers to call upon all the people, as in Pſal. 94. 16. Who wil riſe up for me againſt the evill doers? or who will ſtand up for me againſt the workers of Iniquity? Sometimes complayning of the ſlackneſſe of men to holy zeale for Gods glory, and maintenance of purity of Religion, and ſometimes a neceſſity of taking part with thoſe that are Infidels abroad, and Hereticks and Schiſmaticks at home; They found their Explication amounting to that uſe, that whereas there had been many Hereticks neſtled up in this Countrey, therefore it pleaſed him and the Apoſtle Peter to ſtirre up the Biſhop of Rome to vouchſafe the like plenary pardon to thoſe which would go to warre againſt theſe Hereticks, as thoſe which had prevailed againſt Infidels; and the premiſe of pardon did ſo farre prevail, that they ſhortly gathered together 300000. that in hope of plenary pardon of ſinne did give up themſelves to go on upon their owne charges; they would ſell goods and Lands for pardon of ſin, and peace of conſcience: And in thoſe dayes men were wont to be troubled at the Sermons of the Fryars and Monkes, and never found ſetled peace by pardon from Chriſt Jeſus, and never thought to look for pardon where it was: and they told them it was to be had by beſtowing their goods and lands thus; and thoſe Fryars and Monks did ſo inculcate and drive the nayl to the head in the hearts of people, that they were never at reſt till they went about this Expedition, there were raiſed a matter of ten Captains, Simon Munford was one, a notable inſtrument for the Devill and this great Beaſt.
The laſt Reaſon was,Reaſon 4. the ſuperſtition of thoſe times, the deep devotion and dejection of ſpirit that was in the bodies of Chriſtians in thoſe dayes in regard of their ſpiritual eſtate: They being deepely convinced of ſinne, and ſharply reproved by the Fryars and Monks, who had a notable dexterity to ſting the conſciences of men, and wound them by the terrour of Gods wrath, ſometimes for their great exactions, ſometimes for their inceſt; ſometimes for their whoredome, and neglect of the Ordinances of the Church; and they had things ſo full againſt them, that it made them ſtrictly devout, and ſo were taken up in devotion to this great Beaſt, and the head of it, that all the world admired and adored him for his admirable and tranſcendant power, and keyes that he had to heaven (as they thought…) they all yeelded themſelves, ſome their bodies to fight, and ſome that had not ſufficient to maintaine themſelves, other good Catholicks were ready to caſt in ſome more, ſome leſſe, to maintaine them, according to their abilities, and happy he that could make ſomething to make warre aginſt theſe Hereticks: So that lay all theſe together, and you will ſee how he had this great power to make war with the Saints. Here was a great and vaſt change from the Inſtitution of Chriſt, who confined all Churches into one Congregation, that all may heare, and all may be edefied, that one Pariſh Church ſhould grow to that vaſtneſſe, to levy 300000. to the warre, and that by a word of his mouth to have them all mayntained without grudging, for every man did thinke the worke as pious, a marvellous change: and well doth the holy Ghoſt ſay, Hee had great power, that the power of that Church ſhould reach over all Churches, and ſhall have ſuch an influence into Kings, that look what they ſhall dictate, all ſhall be ready, body, and goods, and life, and all to maintain them; you ſee the reaſons of it, how he comes by this power.
But ſecondly, how comes he to make War againſt the Saints?
There is a double reaſon for that,Reaſon 1. one is taken from the profeſſion, and practice, and converſation of theſe Saints: This was their practice, They followed the Lamb, as in the next Chapter; I looked, and loe a lambe ſtood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred fourty and four thouſand, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads: Theſe are they which are not defiled with women, for they are Virgins: Theſe are they which follow the Lamb whether ſoever he goeth: They kept themſelves undefiled of this Antichriſt of Rome, were not defiled with the whoredome of this great beaſt; in all things they conſented with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church, and their hypocriſies, and whoredomes, and coveteouſneſſe, were things that would by no means be borne; therefore the Pope, who was the great head, diſcerning he was thus conteſted againſt, and (as they ſay) blaſphemed, he thinks he does nothing, though he deſtroy Turkes, and Sarazens, and Aegyptians, and whoever took the Sepulcher of Chriſt, as long as thoſe Heretickes at home were not ſubdued, therefore he thinks it as meritorious a worke to ſubdue them, as ever to fight for the holy Land. But there was another thing that made the war, for no warre can be made but by levying of Forces on both part….
And therefore a ſecond was,Reaſon 2. their taking up of Armes, in the juſt defence of their liberties, both of conſcience and outward man: For if the Catholick Church had raiſed up all theſe Forces, and they had quietly ſubmitted themſelves like ſheep to the ſlaughter, there had beene no warre then, there had been maſſacres: It would have amounted to that as the maſſacre in Paris, that a man did not lift up his hand, but they were ſlaughtered like dogs in the ſtreet: Though they come with fire and ſword, yet unleſſe they reſiſt with fire and ſword, it cannot be ſaid to be war: Some ſet in againſt them, though their weakneſſe cauſed them to preſume, but it was to weak a buſineſſe for fleſh and bloud; Wee wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and Powers, and ſpirituall wickedneſſes: They which truſt to fleſh and bloud ſhall be deceived; as theſe men, they ſtood out, and ſometimes proſpered, while the Earl of Tone, and ſome other Princes joyned together, though they were but few, they proſpered; but war is not one Battel or two, and in the end they were overcome, and this Beaſt prevailed; and that's the reaſon of the 2d part, how he came to make warre againſt the Saints.
For the 3d, How came he to overcome them? Truly not by ſtrength, he had very little that way; but
Firſt,Reaſon 1. he overcame them by their a little too much confidence in the arme of fleſh: when they ſee the King of Aragon ſet on, they come to be a little ſet on by the power of the King, and a great Battell recoyled by truſting to the arme of fleſh. You read in Heb. 11. 34. That by faith the Saints waxed valiant in Fight, turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens; but when our faith runne in another channell, that we grow confident not in the Lord Jeſus, by truſting in him, but on the arme of fleſh; we know what is ſaid in Jer. 17. 5. Curſed be the man (ye though he be a good man) that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord: It withers, it cannot ſtand againſt the potent Army that riſe up againſt them; though their enemies were never leſſe in number, nor never leſſe provided, yet they prevailed more then ever before.
The ſecond Reaſon was, by their attention to politick and deceitfull Treaties of peace; for when they ſaw the men were good Souldiers, valient in battell, and able to fight it out, and they found the 3000. that were to fight for plenary pardon three years, had ſerved out their time, and they had got as they thought, their ſouls ſaved, they would go home now, and they had got peace by this carnall confidence of theirs: So they perceived this war would be troubleſome, and the Hereticks were like to proſper, therefore they gather in the cheif Leaders to Treaties about peace, and great pitty that ſuch bloud ſhould be ſhed; therefore for the honour of Rome it were needfull to ceaſe the warre, and ſo would draw their cheif Leaders to firme leagues of Peace, and then they kept their beſt Generals in Priſon; and thus when they had got them to yeild to their pretences, then they had their neckes under their girdles, and their throats under their axes, they might hew them out of meaſure: Inſomuch that the King of France hearing of ſuch cruell maſſacre, he ſent to know what their Religion was; and though he ſent expreſſe charge that none of his Souldiers ſhould offer violence to them, yet they concealing his Letters, they went on in maſſacring the poor Saints, and ſcattering them up and down, in ſo much that they prevailed, partly by the Saints cleaving to the arme of fleſh, and by truſting their falſe pretences.
And there is a third Reaſon mentioned in the 10. verſ. ſaith he, Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints:
It was Gods pleaſure to make it the ſeaſon of the Patience of the Saints:Reaſon 3. It was the ſeaſon wherein Antichriſt ſhould ſwell to his height, and the Saints be brought low, and their Patience be tryed to the utmoſt; and it being a time of the Saints Patience, it muſt needs be a time of their ſuffering; and ſuffer they did with much patience: but yet they were not utterly exterpated, for ſome fled to France, and ſome to England, and ſo propagated Chriſtian Religion, which after turned to the converſion of many, John Huſſe, and Jerome of Pragues Doctrine grew and ſpread more, till God raiſed up Luther to ſet forward the power of the Goſpell. Thus you ſee the truth of the Doctrine.
For the uſe then,Ʋſe 1. Firſt it may ſerve to let us ſee whence is the power of waging war; for the Text ſaith, it was given; To him it was given to make war with the Saints: All men cannot receive this, as our Saviour ſaith in another caſe, but they to whom it is given. It is not an eaſie matter for any to be … to wage war, it requires great ſtore of perſons, and great ſtore of Treaſury, and Fountain to maintaine both; And beſides all this, it require… no ſmall meaſure of Wiſdome and Policy to undertake ſuch deſignes: all theſe you ſee the Lord gives, and gives them to thoſe that his ſoul take no pleaſure in, and to thoſe that in his eſteem are men of beaſtly ſpirit…, yet he gives them power to make warre: He may bleſſe himſelf in his rule and bravery that they were able to … againſt Infidels, and after againſt Heriticks as they called them, but indeed the Saints of God: but you ſee God gave power unto this Beaſt, which is therefore no cauſe of triumph or glorying that he hath recived ſuch a power, for you ſee it may be given to theſe that are enemyes to the Lord Jeſus.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. obſerve this much, That the Lord himſelfe doth acknowledge even his poor children on Earth to be that which is commonly by priviledge ſequeſtred to the holy Saints in Heaven; He calles them Saints.
We think Saint-ſhip is a peculiar priviledge to the Saints in Heaven, when they have ended their dayes in peace and a good conſcience, then they are accounted Saints and Angels; but the Lord accounts them Saints while they live upon the Earth, whiles they are the Church Militant, a warfaring Church; while men undertake warre againſt them, and overcome them by warre, even then they are called Saints. And which is wonderfull, Saints when they are overcome, and that by their owne ſinfulneſſe; for they looſe not the Saintſhip, when they looſe the victory. The Lord looks at his pooreſt children here as Saints, though there be a miſerable body of death hang about them, that they cry out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this Body of Death, Rom. 7. 24. Yea though they complain of their Pride, and Paſſion, and Luſts, and Hypocryſie, and many offences they finde againſt themſelves, though they think themſelves more fleſh then any, though they thinke themſelves (as Paul did) Carnall, ſold under Sinne, (Rom. 7. 17.) yet then the Lord accounts them Saints when they are encompaſſed about with a body of Sin:
Yea which is worſe then that, when they give way to their own Sinnes for a time, and doe withdraw their confidence from the Lord in this and that act, and put their truſt in the arme of fleſh: When they are ſo childiſh as to truſt Popiſh pretences, when they are warred againſt, and overcome by enemies, and by their own folly; as David ſaith in Pſal. 69. 5. O God, thou knoweſt my fooliſhneſſe, and my Sinnes are not hid from thee. The Lord knew it, but yet he did not know it to hurt them, and loath them, and diſhearten them: but yet they are Saints, and ſuch as he account to be his, and not onelyonly in regard of Regeneration, and the holineſſe of Chriſt, but in regard of the fruits of holineſſe begun in them, as he ſaith, Rev. 14. 4. Theſe are they which are not defiled with women. They are ſincere in their courſe, and keep faith and a good conſcience in the main, and where they do fail, they judge themſelves: Indeed in darkneſſe of Temptation they may be ſurpriſed, but they judge themſelves for it, and God looks at them as though they were without fault before his Throne; when it comes to the Throne of God, the Lord Jeſus covers it with the Robe of his Righteouſneſſe; and in the intentions of their hearts and endeavours they are according to God; if they be carried aſide, it is by humane frailty.
Now this is comfort that the Lord accounts them Saints when they are warred againſt, (as here in the Text) and all the world thinks it a matter juſtly deſerving Salvation to ſhed their bloud like water, then doth the Lord beare witneſſe they are Heriticks. So that let every chriſtian ſoul carry this home with him, that it is not every act of unbeleif that makes a man no Saint, for theſe truſted too much upon the forces of others, and if they had prevailed, for God never failes any that put their truſt in him; never do the Saints fail in any expedition to men but when they faile in truſt to God, 1 John 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith: He that believeth in the Sonne of God for Redemption and Protection, and turnes not aſſide, whether he go forth with many, or with few, it is all one for that; if it were but David with a ſling and a ſtone, he ſhall prevaile againſt Goliah: The Lord is faithfull, never did any faithfull ſoul periſh till his faith failed and ſhrunk; and then when Peters faith ſhrinks, he begins to ſinck. But it may be a ground of much conſolation to any Saint of God, the Lord doth not diſſaint a man, or caſt him out of the Catalogue of Saints for this and that failing, but ſtill they are Saints, a Saint in peace, and a Saint in warre, even when they are overcome; when they are in calamity, and the plowers plow upon their backes, and make large furrows, they are the Saints of God, ſtill leaning to the Voice and Councell of the Lord; and when they ſtart aſſide to Popiſh pretences: OnelyOnly when they cleave to the Lord, and truſt ſteadfaſtly upon him, then they proſper and flouriſh; but if they begin to ſhrink in their faith, and to harken to pretences and terms of peace, then wonder not if you ſee them overcome, yet ſtill faith is invincible, and their cauſe and Religion is propagated by their diſpertion, it was not deſtroyed. And therefore if the Lord accounts us Saints, it behooves us to be aſhamed of every paſſage of our lives that doth not become the Saints of God. When Religion came low, and Antichriſt overſpread the world, the Lord accounted his faithfull ones to be Saints; in this battel there was a Generation of Saints whom he owns: and therefore how much more ſhould we that live in dayes of peace and liberty, bring forth fruits of holineſſe in our converſation, that the Lord may account us his Saints whoever came to make war againſt us.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. this may ſerve to teach us the lawfulneſſe of chriſtians waging warre in their own juſt defence. You ſee it evident here, the Beaſt did make warre againſt the Saints, and did overcome them at length, though at firſt the Saints overcame them, and killed divers of them; they ſtood upon their own defence, and it it is not laid to their charge, but ſtill they are accounted Saints while they make warre: It is true, their confidence in the arme of fleſh, and liſtning to Popiſh pretences was an argument of weakneſſe, and timerouſneſſe, but it was not their failing to reſiſt: and had they not hearkned to thoſe ſuggeſtions brought to them by thoſe that lye in wait to deceive; had they not leaned to humane policy, and truſted to humane ſtrength, they had certainly proſpered. It is true indeed, when the Laws of a State are armed againſt Religion, though chriſtians be fewer, or more in number, they are to ſubmit, and not take up armes; and that was the conſtant practice of the Primitive Church, the Laws of the Empire being for Idolatry, they willingly ſuffered, though they were more then the reſt. Or ſecondly, when the Laws of a State are ordayned for Religion, private chriſtians muſt lift up their hands, to right the abuſe of the Laws, and therefore David being a private perſon, he would not lift up his hand againſt Saul, the Lords Annointed, though he did againſt Law. But yet nevertheleſſe, if the Law be for the maintenance of Peace and Trueth, and true Religion; and Governours and Princes will againſt Law, and beyond Law, and conſequently againſt the Oath which themſelves have taken to maintain the Laws and Religion, if they will make warre againſt the Saints, and Religion, and Truth, or againſt the way of Juſtice and happineſſe, which they are ſworn to maintain; now in ſuch a caſe as this, It is as lawfull to take up armes of defence, as it was for theſe men to take up war in their own juſt defence.
Now they are not private perſons, but in the place of the Country: The Lord he put the power of the ſword into the head of their Guides & Leaders where they lived; and though they were by former Lawes engaged by way of Homage, yet now they may take up the ſword of their own defence and maintenance, in witneſſe bearing to the Truth to the laſt bloud: In ſuch caſes the caſe is much altered, for their Princes and ſupream Governours, they are all ſubject to the Laws and Oath of the Kingdome, and they have no power but according to the Lawes which are made: If therefore they take up a power againſt Law, and conteſt with the people of God, then this power which theſe holy men did exerciſe to maintain their peace againſt all oppoſition to be raiſed againſt them is lawfull.
For a fourth uſe;Ʋſe 4. it may teach all the people of God not to meaſure a cauſe by the event, nor perſons by accidents that do befall them, leſt they ſhould condemn the generation of the Juſt. It was a grievous temptation Aſaph lay under, to ſee the ungodly proſper, and have what their hearts could deſire, and himſelfe plagued all the day long, and chaſtned every morning, Pſal. 73. 3. to 13. and by this meanes he condemned the generation of Gods children: But no matter though the Beaſt proſper, and the Saints are overcome, yet the Beaſt is a Beaſt when he proſpers, and the Saints are Saints, though they be overcome; therefore let us not judge of things according to their appearance.
Fifthly,Ʋſe 5. It may teach all the Saints in this Countrey, or where-ever, not to truſt the pretences of deceitfull men, eſpecially ſuch as are not ſound in Religion, and take heed alſo how you truſt upon your own ſtrength (let me put them both together for brevity ſake): We know not how ſoon any of us may be tempted in this kind, what warres may be raiſed againſt this Countrey (though wee have none for the preſent, nor feare none) yet in time we know not what may come: what, are we better then our Fathers? The Beaſt of Rome ſtill lives, his 42. moneths is not yet out (though his power he much weakned) but his Agents ſtill live: He is able to blow a coale to thoſe that look for ſalvation from him, to do this great and glorious ſervice to the Catholick Church and cauſe: And if it pleaſe the Catholick Church, then it grows a great buſineſſe to root out Hereticks, to blaſt them by cenſures of Excommunication, and Civill State; if it were ſo, we ſtand upon our own defence you ſee. It behooves you therefore, as you deſire to be faithfull to God, to Religion, to your Churches and Common-wealths, to your Wives, Children, Eſtates, as you deſire to be faithfull to his Ordinances, to the Kingly, Prieſtly, and Propheticall Office of Chriſt, to attend to that which theſe Saints neglected, that is to ſay, to attend to the word of Faith, and to the wiſdome of God: Truſt not upon the experience of your Captaines or Souldiers, to fight by Land or Sea: Truſt not upon your Caſtles or Veſſels by Sea, any thing you have, or may have: Truſt not upon the pieces of Ordnance, they are all vaine things to ſave if you ſtand in need (and yet of uſe.) Be prepared in this kind, that you may be inſtrumentall to Gods providence, but truſt not in them, they are but the Arm of fleſh: And if Wars come againſt New-England, it will be from Principalities and Powers, and fleſh and blood will not be able to with-ſtand them: They will be Principalities from Hell, or the great Beaſt, the Catholick Church, or from the Image of this Beaſt, otherwiſe there is no feare of any War: but if any War do come, truſt not in thoſe means you have, nor though all the Natives in the Countrey were on your ſide: and if any great Proteſtant States ſhould offer you help, uſe them, but do not truſt in them. It was the way of overcoming the Saints of God, they truſted on the arm of Fleſh, and that was their great folly, and that brought the hand of God againſt them; therefore ſee your Faith be ſincere, and upright to him.
Secondly, Leane not to the wiſdome of carnall reaſon, nor truſt not to faire pretences, you ſhall have your liberties longer eſtabliſhed, only ſomething or other you muſt give way to, and ſome principall ones muſt be ſingled out to treat of peace, but it was the ruine of this State: It behoves the Saints to ſanctifie God in their hearts, to truſt upon his grace, to cleave to the word of God; truſt what the Lord ſaith, and not what deceitful men ſay: It was a grave ſaying of an ancient Prince in England; Obey according to the Law, and you obey the King: but if you obey what comes ſuddenly out of his mouth, or againſt Law, you obey not me as King: And that is it which Chriſtian Religion teacheth; no Religion teaches a man more to obey Kings in wholſome Laws; to obey them, it to obey God in them, for Princes are ſubordinate to God himſelfe. The people do concur in making ſome Laws in every Common-wealth, and Princes have tranſcendant power over the People; and God forbid any ſhould ſpring out of this Countrey to plead againſt their Governours, and weaken their forces, but keep their Scepters freſh from one Generation to another; yet this is the beſt ſervice done to Kings, ſervice according to God: If Laws be made, let a man yield active obedience to them, if they be good, and paſſive if they be evill; but againſt Law, contrary to the ſtream of Law, to make a man think himſelfe bound, in ſuch a caſe it is to flatter Princes and Powers, and not to yeeld profeſſed ſubjection to them. Therefore it behoves the people of God to know upon what terms they ſtand, that wee may carry our ſelves like loyall Subjects and Chriſtians, that the name of God may not be diſhonoured by any weakneſſe of ours, and ſtarting aſide on any hand or other.