Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 8
Rev. 13. latter part of the 7. verſ.
And power was given him over all Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations.
WEe come now to the fourth thing which theſe words hold forth, and that is the power (or as the Greek word hath it) the authority which is here ſayd to be given to the Roman Catholick Church, and that is, over all Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations.
The note is this,
To the Roman Catholicke viſible Church was given very ample juriſdiction and authority over all the Chriſtian world (if we may ſo ſpeake) or as in the Text,Doctr. 4. over all Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations.
And he meanes Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations of ſuch Countreys which were wont to be ſubject to the Empire of Rome, which were then counted all the Civill Nations of the world.
To open it briefly: It was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.
Here are three words, and one include another: Nation is the largeſt; for in a Nation there may be many Tongues, and in one Tongue there may be many Kindreds. He had dominion and ſoveraignty over all Nations, or over the ten Kings; that is to ſay, the body of Chriſtian Princes, and all the Nations ſubject to them, they all gave their power unto the Beaſt, Rev. 17. 17. No nation profeſſed Chriſtianity, but profeſſed alſo ſubjection to the Sea of Rome, that is, to the Romon Catholick viſible Church: And the Papiſts are large in this; Bellarmine makes it a 4th. note of the viſible Church, amplitude of power, and he gives ſundry inſtances: Stories are evident, that all Nations did profeſſe this Religion (ſpecially after the ſubduing of the Waldences, though they did before) ſetting aſide that remnant of the womans ſeed that were fled into the wilderneſſe: Now no Nation in Chriſtendid profeſſe other Religion then Popery, eſpecially from the time of Charls the Great, to Charles the fifth, which was a matter of 720. years: There was no viſible profeſſion open, unleſſe in ſome ſecret corners of the world: no Nation held forth any other Religion then Popiſh, nor profeſſed ſubjection to any other Church. Now in every Nation there are, or may be divers Tongues, as in England, you have the Engliſh, and Welſh, and Corniſh Tongues, beſides others that are diſcrepant from Engliſh: But he ſaith not only every Nation, but every Tongue, that is, every Language, they all gave their power to the Beaſt: And in every Tongue we have many Kindreds, and there is no man that could ever ſay but ſome of his kindred have been Popiſh, or are Popiſh to this day, if not all, yet ſome of the ancienteſt, and thoſe the greater part, here is the univerſality of it.
And (I ſay) further, he had ample and great power; for to have power over all argues amplitude. It is ſaid in the beginning of the 8 verſ. (which I will take in, and open here) it is ſaid, They ſhall worſhip him: That's a great power when it doth amount to inward worſhip, not civill, but divine worſhip. It was divine worſhip that he challenged, and all Nations gave him. To give Laws of faith, and worſhip, and government to all Churches in Chriſtendom, that was divine power peculiar to the Lord Jeſus. It was divine power to challenge toihimſelfe impoſition of Kings, and depoſition of Kings without conſent of the people: To provoke the people to do it whether they liked their Prince or no, this is tranſcendant above all created power. Beſides, it was divine worſhip they gave, in giving him power over their Conſciences, challenging to himſelf (and they alſo yeelding freely) a power to bind Conſcience with the Laws he gave them, to looſe their conſciences either from the Laws of God, in matter of Oaths; to looſe them from guilt of ſinne, to looſe their conſciences from Contracts, from Confederacies, this is divine power; They all worſhip him, whoſe names are not written in the booke of the Lamb, and ſome of them too for a ſeaſon, but they continue not, God opens their eyes to repent of it, and to riſe from under it. It was divine power to chalenge infalibility of Judgment, to judg of Scripture out of the Oracle of his owne braines: Theſe were all divine worſhip they gave to the Catholick Church, and to the head of it, the Biſhop of Rome. So that marvayl not (as the Text ſaith) there was given, Exaſia, foreign not a lame power, but an unlimited power over all people in Church and Common-wealth, and over conſcience. There is nothing wherein the Catholick Church had not power throughout all Chriſtendome.
Now further, the Text tells you, All this power was given: He did not wholly arrogate this power to him (though he did ſo too) but it was given him, though he took it, and took all advantages to get it. No man can receive any thing, except it be given him from above. But he had it given him: Given him, by whom? by God, by the Devill, and given him by Chriſtian Kings, Churches, and Common-wealths, and Families.
Firſt,Reaſon 1. it was given by God in his juſt judgment: God gave them up to deluſions to believe lyes, 2 Theſ. 2. 11. And he gave two reaſons why God gave them up to thoſe deluſions.
1. To avenge their want of entertainment of the truth in love. Becauſe they received not the love of the truth that they might be ſaved, verſ. 10. 12. Becauſe they would not receive Chriſt, nor the ſimplicity of his government and worſhip (in Church-ſtate) therefore God gave them up to Satan, and to the man of ſinne, and to the Catholicke viſible Roman Church.
2. That they all might be damned that have pleaſure in unrighteouſneſſe, in the ſame verſe. The Lord gave them up therefore to damnable diſtempers, damnable uſurpations and Ordnances; the Lord gave them up for theſe two Reaſons, and they are one ſubordinate to another.
Secondly,Reaſon 2. this power was given by Satan alſo. For it is ſaid, The coming of Antichriſt ſhall be after the working of Satan, with all powers, and ſignes, and lying wonders, and with all deceiveableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, 2 Theſ. 2. 9, 10. By the efficacy of deluſion, which was by the jugling of thoſe great men in thoſe times, for efficacy of deluſion is by miracles, ſo by deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe, which is three-fold; The ſophiſtry of Schoolmen, the policy of the Canoniſts that made their Laws out of the Popes decrees, ſtill advancing the Popiſh Church, and the head thereof, partly by the devotion of Monks and Fryars: And if you aske why Satan did this, there is a double reaſon of that.
Firſt, to revenge the injury which the Church did him by bringing forth a Man-child, a Chriſtian Emperour to depoſe him from his glory, wherein he was worſhipped as the great God of the world. Now when hee ſees hee is caſt off from the honour he had, and there was no more place left for him in heaven, it comes to paſſe that he pours forth a flood of barbarous nations and damnable Hereſies after the woman, and makes war with the remnant of her ſeed, Rev. 12. 13. 15.
2. A ſecond Reaſon that ſtirred up Satan, was out of the ancient enmity againſt Chriſt, and the ſeed of Chriſt, Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thy ſeed and her ſeed, which is Chriſt; and all the ſeed of Chriſt, which are both publique and private Chriſtians, he hath an inveterate enmity againſt them all; and therefore he gives the Church of Rome all the power that Pagan Rome had.
The third ſort of givers of this large power to this Beaſt, and the head of it, the Pope was.
The voluntary devotion of Chriſtian Princes and States.Reaſon 3. They did voluntarily reſign themſelves up, and their Kingdoms, and States, and Churches, and Common-wealth, and Conſciences and all, to the obedience of the Sea of Rome, Rev. 17. 17. They with one accord gave their Kingdomes to the Beaſt; God put it into their hearts to do it; that is true, but they were left of God, and acted by Satan, and ſo were they brought about to give this power unto the Beaſt. Some were brought unto this by the Popes favour, and large gifts he beſtowed upon them.
Charles the Great had his Empire from the Biſhop of Rome, and tranſlated it from Conſtantinople to France, and Germany, and therefore he had reaſon to ſtand to the Authority that ſet him up. And the ten Kings of Chriſtendom that roſe upon the demolition of the Grecian Empire, which was then called the Empire of Rome, their abſolute authority did much depend upon the Biſhop of Rome; if the Grecian Empire had not yeelded, they had been liable in conſcience to reſtore theſe ten Kingdoms: In point of State-policy, they had cauſe to be much obſervant to the Pope: But that is not all, for they could never have done it, had not the Subjects yeelded: And what moved them? Truly they were all taken with the Religion of the man of ſinne: That flood of Hereſies and Abhominations which the Catholick Church did hold forth (as in a cup of poyſon to the world) theſe earthly ſort of Chriſtians ſwallowed it all up. They were carnall, and yet ſuperſtitious and devout: Carnall, for want of ſaving grace and regeneration: And devout, for then generally Chriſtians lay under the terrour of the Law, as in Rev. 9. 5, 6. The locuſts came in, which were the Fryars and Monkes, and they had this power to ſting their Conſciences even to the death, that a man would give all he had for pardon of ſinne: Now having power to ſting mens Conſciences, but not to heale them; to kill, but not to make alive, they were now fitted to receive the Impreſſion of the Popiſh Religion; and that religion to men ſo qualified and diſpoſed, was fit to heal them overly, and to skin the wound of Conſcience; and there are three things in that Religion that helped to skinne over the Conſcience.
1. The ſuitableneſſe of it to humane and naturall ſences.
2. To carnall naturall reaſon.
3. To naturall Conſcience.
For theſe three concur, and that ſtrongly in this Religion, to carry all Chriſtendome after it.
Firſt, for naturall ſenſe: All that have travayled into Popiſh Countreys know that their Religion is compoſed to naturall ſence.
1. To ſatisfie the eyes with goodly Images, and Pictures, and gorgeous Temples, and Veſtures, that young and old are taken with theſe goodly ſpectacles.
2. For the eares; you know in their Cathedralls what curious muſique they have, both vocall and inſtrumentall.
3. For the ſmell, you have Incenſe and ſweet perfumes to entertaine you.
4. For the taſte, you have double Feaſts and ſolemn Feaſts, many Feaſts full of luxury and ryot.
5. For the Touch; there is toleration of Stews, to give up their names to Stews: They will not ſuffer men to live, unleſſe they give up their names to be free of ſuch unclean houſes: And if you commit any lewdneſſe, then it is eaſie to come off with ſome light penanc…s; and eſpecially the purſe, that will doe all. Theſe things marvellouſly pleaſe the ſenſe.
Secondly, for naturall Reaſon, it ſuits marvellouſly with naturall reaſon.
1. To hold forth an hiſtorical & implicite faith▪ Hiſtorical the Devils may have: and implicite, for a man to believe as the Church believes, and hee believes this Faith hath power to quench all temptations of the Devill.
2. To hold forth ſuch a repentance as conſiſts in Contrition, Confeſſion, and Satisfaction; Judas reached all this: For contrition, his heart was humbled in ſence of his ſinne. For confeſſion, I have ſinned in betraying innocent blood: And for ſatisfaction; He brought again the thirty pieces of ſilver; He would not meddle nor make with them.
3. To hold forth ſuch an obedience as a man may be able to perform and keep the whole Law of God, which he thinks to be eaſie: And this doth pleaſe naturall Sence to work our own ſalvation.
4. To hold forth pardon of ſin for money, and for bodily exerciſes.
5. Uncertainty of Salvation.
6. Such a frame of Church-government as keepeth all in a politick order and unity: That all Popiſh Churches be ſubordinate to ſuch a Biſhop, as he is to ſome Metropolitan, and they to ſome Primate, and all to the Biſhop of Rome. And why? From one unity aſcends, and it is good to keep unity: And ſo to look at a mans ſelfe as unworthy to come into the preſence of God, and to call upon Chriſt, and therefore manners would make a man cleave to ſome he-Saints or ſhe-Saints, and they ſhall preſent their prayers to Chriſt, and Chriſt to the Father, which is very plauſable to naturall reaſon: And for our Fathers which grew zealous of that Religion, we ſhould not damn them to hell, Reaſon abhors that.
Thirdly, for naturall Conſcience; it will counter-work with God, and walk in equipage with God all the way, that is to ſay, for a man to look to find according to his works, natural Conſcience hath this in Nature, it is ingrafted in nature from the God of Adam, from his Ordinance in Nature, or the rudements of it reſtored.
1. Election of Faith, or works foreſeen.
2. Redemption of all men alike.
3. Converſion by the power of free-will. This is in the natures of all men, by the very Law and works of Nature.
4. Juſtification by works, naturall Conſcience dictates that; Do this and thou ſhalt live; do it not, and thou doſt forfeit the favour of God; but receive it, and thou haſt fellowſhip with God.
5. Perſeverance by our owne endeavours.
6. Glorification by merits of works.
All theſe ſuit with naturall Conſcience, that Conſcience is ſatisfied if the work be accompliſhed; if not, then they make ſatisfaction: If they faile in theſe works by giving way to this o… that arrogance that the work is not compleat, then Conſcience hangs in ſome diſpence and demur: And if they cannot ſatisfie all in this world, yet they ſhould do what they can by giving to this and that good uſe, and do pennance for their ſinne: And if all faile, they may make ſatiſfaction in Purgatory, and not ſink downe to the nether moſt Hell: Theſe things be very acceptable to naturall Conſcience. Thus we ſee how it comes to paſſe, that to this Beaſt was given authority and power over all Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations.
Obj. You will ſay to me, But doth not this croſſe ſome other Text, in Rev. 5. 9. where it is ſaid, the Lord hath redeemed his people out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and Nation? If the Pope had this power over every Kindred, Tougue, and Nation, where ſtands Chriſts redemption?
I anſwer,Anſw. for Chriſts Redemption, it is ſome out of every Kindred, Tongue, and Nation, whoſe names are written in the Lambs booke of life, but it was but a remnant: There is at this time a remnant according to the Election of Grace, Rom. 11. 5. But otherwiſe all Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations have been ſwallowed up by the uſurpation of this Beaſt, and by their ſubjection to him: So that Chriſt hath his number out of all theſe; but it is the Beaſt that carryes away the body of them, for that ſeaſon eſpecially: He did rule over them by a kinde of ſacred Authority, in the conſciences of men, becauſe he had this abſolute power in Churches, a great power for 1260. years together: whether you reckon from Conſtantines time, or Theodoſius his time, he had a marvellous power in Kingdomes, Nations, and Common-wealths. But notwithſtanding he had this power in thoſe times, yet Chriſt kept the intereſt in his own choſen, as in Rev. 14. 1. where he had 144000. that were ſpotleſſe virgins.
Anſw. …. The Lord Jeſus will at length challenge all his own, purchaſe them into his own hand, when at the calling of the Jews, all the Kingdomes of the world ſhall be given to the Saints of the moſt high, Dan. 7. 26, 27. The Lord will take them all into his own hand, and power and juriſdiction, but he muſt firſt throw down this enemy that hath uſurped over his purchaſed poſſeſſion: But in the mean time this Beaſt ſwallows up all for ſo many Ages together.
For the uſe of the point.
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. it may be to refute the Papiſts that give this as a true note of the Church, namely, amplitude of dominion, as the Catholick Church had: They give this for an infallible note of the Church; now that note you ſee is here evidently aſcribed to the people that worſhip the great Beaſt, of whom the Lord ſaith here (ver. 8.) their names are not written in the booke of the Lamb. So that this is a note, not of an Apoſtolicall Church, but it may be a note of an Apoſtaticall Church that is fallen away from the Apoſtles Doctrine: It is a true deſcription of that State of the Church. You ſee here Power was given over to the Beaſt over all Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations: And therefore amplitude of dominion is not an inſeperable character of the Spouſe of Chriſt; for it may be given to thoſe that are not the Church of Chriſt, even to thoſe that are but a Beaſt in the ſight of God, not his Spouſe. I may rather ſay the contrary, that amplitude of Dominion was never a note of a Church of Chriſt ſince the world began: For in the old Teſtament the State of the Church was Nationall, and they had power over one Nation, and ſometimes conquered others, as in David, and Solomons time, they conquered the Philiſtims, & Ammonites, and Moabites, and Edomites, but it was never over all the whole world, and that dominion which they had, they did not challenge it by Church power, but left them ſtill to their own Religion, for the Common-wealth propagated their power by arms, having firſt occaſion of warre given them by their arrogance to them. In the dayes of the new Teſtament, the Church that Chriſt inſtituted reacheth no further then to their own members, and their own members reach no further then to one Congregation, that all might hear, and all might be edefied, 1 Cor. 14. 23. So that if Church power extends no further then the bounds of one Congregation; then that Church that ſwelleth and ſtrecheth forth her power all the world over, Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations; what an out-ragious ſwelling Beaſt is that, that reacheth ſuch vaſt dominion beyond the proportion that the Lord gave to his Church? If you ſhould ſee a body ſwell to ſuch a vaſt bigneſſe, that his armes ſhall reach from one end of the world to another, would it not be counted a monſter? So in this caſe, the Lord hath limited the power of the Church within it ſelfe; it is a great power that they have, but not ſo great as to binde conſcience, unleſs it be Miniſterially, and ſo they have power to binde Kings in chains, and Nobles in lincks of Iron; but to have power, judiciary power over the Scriptures, and over the conſcience, over and above the application of the word; it is ſuch as the Lord never gave to any Church, but it is arrogated, and uſurped by the man of Sinne.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. it may ſerve to teach you the proueneſſe of your natures to that which is evill, above that which is ſavingly and ſpiritually good. This power over all Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations, the Lord hath purchaſed by his death, Rev. …. 9. He dyed and roſe againe that he might be Lord both of quick and dead, Rom. 14. 9. And upon his reſurrection, all power was given him in Heaven and Earth, Mat. 28. 18. He prayed for this power, and the Lord promiſed to give him it. Pſal. …. 8. Aſke of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance; and the uttermoſt parts of the Earth for thy Poſſeſſion. This hath the Lord bought with his pretious bloud, and paid for by the power of his eternall Spirit; and yet never did the Lord Jeſus enjoy this power to this day, which the man of Sinne hath enjoyed for ſo many years together. He will enjoy it at lenght, when he ſhall call in the Jews, and with them the fulneſſe of the Gentiles, and reigne in Soveraigne Authority both in Church and Common-wealth, according to all the Councell of his word and will: But yet it was never known to this day that ſo many Nations did ſubmit their thrones to the Dominion and Government of Chriſt, and to the Truth of Chriſt, and to worſhip him with the ſervants of God, notwithſtanding the purchaſe which Chriſt hath made of this Soveraignty, and notwithſtanding the efficacy of his prayer for obtaining this power, that hee might have dominion over all. As ſoon as Conſtantine brought the world to become Chriſtian, the woman ſhe fled into the Wilderneſſe: The true worſhippers of Chriſt were ſoon troden under the hatches, a mountaine of corruption in Church Government overwhelmed them amain, that you cannot ſet the time when ſo many Nations ſerved him, and were as ready to take up arms in his quarrell, as they have done for the man of Sinne.
You will ſay, did they not for the recovery of the holy Land, many Churches conſpire and lay their heads together, and engaged themſelves for this Warre? why, when they they undertook that Warre, was it Chriſt that commanded any ſuch thing, that Churches ſhould engage themſelves, and their Eſtates, and Lives, and Souls, and all for the recovery very of the holy City; was it not meerly undertaken by the Biſhop of Rome, and by the motion of the Catholick Church in a Generall Councell? The Roman Catholick Church met in a Generall Councell, and they agreed to ſet about this expedition; They promiſed pardon of Sinne to the people, and in hope of that, and ſuch like things they went about it. It was ſervice to the Beaſt, not to Chriſt: God never acknowledgeth it as any ſervice to Chriſts Kingdome: It was for the advancement of the head of the catholick Church▪ but as any grew more wiſe, they grew more afraid of them.
So that it is a wonder to ſee; never did the the Chriſtian world give that Authority to Chriſt, as they have done unto the Pope, and his Inſtitutions, which are not Ordinances of Chriſt. Yea let me ſay another word (which is above what I ſaid:) It hath been a very rare and ſingular caſe when any man would acknowledge a particular viſible Church, depending on no power, but Independant within it ſelfe: It is ſuch a rarity that a man may here and there indeed finde it in times of perſecution (in 3000. years): But after the Church come to peace, it is very rare to heare ſuch a matter till you come down to the Waldences, and Albedences, and thoſe poor Churches that were ſcattered in the Wilderneſſe. It is very hard to finde the Church of Chriſts Inſtitution to remain in the world, whereas this Roman Catholick Church reigns in the world: This is a great power, and yet this power the Church of Rome had. The Harlot reigns over Kindreds, Tongues, and Nations, whereas the true Spouſe of Chriſt hath ſcarce a ſubſiſtance in the world.
So that conſider, if it did not ſmite with our hearts to cloſe with the Inventions of men, with ſatanicall power rather then with Chriſt, it were not poſſible there ſhould be ſuch aberations from the Inſtitutions of Chriſt, were it not for the impetuous licentiouſneſſe of the hearts of the Sonnes of men. And therefore when there is ſuch a vaſt ſwelling, that many Congregations ſhall be but one Church; how ſhall we go home edefied by ſuch diſcourſe? This belonges to all the Churches, to take the opportunities that we have, that we may not runne headlong upon the devices of men, or our owne wits, to that which is ſuitable to ſence, and naturall reaſon, and walking according to the light of naturall conſcience. Conſcience was never ſo corrupt as in corrupt nature it is; and reaſon never ſo blinde as in corrupt nature it is, and ſence never ſo luxurious. A man is ready to pleaſe ſence, his pallat, his noſtrils, his eye, and hand, and touch, and naturall reaſon, and conſcience, a manis marvellous free that way; ſo free, that the leſſe a man diſcerne it, the more he is captivated to it. And therefore let every man know that we carry about with us a principle of ſubjection of our ſelves to the Ordinances of men rather then to Chriſt. If it be to ſpeak to our owne honour and applauſe, we have words at will, and hearts that runne full ſtream that way; If it were to ſet out our ſelves, or our friends, we are open hearted, and open mouthed that way: but if it ſhall be to give glory to God, in the preſence of a particular viſible Church of Chriſts Inſtitution, there we are marvellous unwilling to ſubmit to edifie our brethren, and glorifie God. If it were to an Ordinance of man, it is a wonder to ſee how men will runne and ride to give ſatisfaction to this and that Epiſcopal Court higher, and lower, and clear all ſcores there, that we may not be debarred of Chriſtian buriall, or Church Communion, though it may be we cannot have it with mixture of corruption, and can ſcarſe cloſe with it, eſpecially thoſe that are enlightned:
But when we come to ſanctifie God, & his praiſe, and holding forth our own ſhame, there is an inward principle in us to conſider whether it ſtands with our honour, and credit, with our peace, and ſafety; a world of carnall reaſon and conſcience will worke together in this caſe, and inwardly ſo reply, and muzzle the hearts and conſciences of men, that it is a wonder to ſee what ſhifting and daubing there is, which they willingly give up themſelves to, when they are called about the inventions of the Sons of men.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. it may teach us, if the whole world have runthus mad and wild, to give their Crowns and Scepters, Churches, Common-wealths, and conſciences, to have power put upon all theſe of their own choiſe by the man of Sinne, every Kindred, Tongue, and Nation: what a ſhame will it be if we be not as truely devout in our Religion? as it is ſaid of Cornelius, Acts 10. 1. He was a devout man, a Godly man given up to God; So ſhould we give up our ſelves to the Lord, and ſacrifice our credit, and profit, and whatever wee have to the Lord. There have been men that have been content to forfit all their Kingdomes to the man of Sin; The Emperours in Germany have given their Crowns; The Kings of England, King John in his time did as much to the Popes Legat: And it hath been frequent with him, to ſet the Crowns upon their heads, and daſh them down with his feet: Theſe 42. moneths it hath been frequent with them to give up their Crowns to him, but much adoe to runne any hazard for Chriſt, though a petty juriſdiction: And yet none did ever truely runne hazard for the Lord, but the Lord took up their Crowns, and maintayned their cauſe and honour, and recoverd what honour they loſt.
David by making known his Adultery, and by his repentance for it, did recover what Power and Authority he might ſeem to looſe in the hearts of his ſubjects: It is true, he had loſt his Kingdome, but was it for his Repentance? No, but for his natural affection to his rebellious Sonne Abſolom, and his inceſtuous Sonne Amnon, that ſhould have been cut off: He loſt his Crown, not for his Repentance, but for want of executing the Law of God upon his own children, as upon others, there was his Sinne: otherwiſe had he executed judgement upon his rebellious Sonne Abſolom, as the Lord required (thou ſhalt pluck him from mine Altar, that Rebell) he had not loſt his Kingdome: But if ſo be his naturall affection over-rule him, that he doe not execute judgement, then no marvaile though they caſt him out of his Kingdome, and cut his throat at length, if God doe not come between, as he did to David: But belive it, no man did ever looſe by ſanctifying God in his heart, by giving honour to him, and taking ſhame to himſelfe: The Lord hath maintained peace in the conſcience, & hath given it when it hath bin wanting, and the Lord hath been pleaſed to ſanctifie their names, as they have ſanctified his before men; whoever ſhall be aſhamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and ſinfull Generation, of him alſo ſhall the Sonne of man be aſhamed, when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with the holy Angels, Mark. 8. 38. And it will ſhortly be the ruine of thoſe things they would preſerve, the ruine of a mans name and ſtate, the ruine of his body and ſoul together, if a man ſhall dare in the preſence of God to give the Glory doe to his Name to a Beaſt: The Lord will be a ſwift witneſſe againſt all the workers of iniquity. Truſt God with your honour and eſtate; did he ever …aile any man to this day? Theodoſius did ſubmit himſelfe, and gave glory to God, and acknowledged his offence to Ambroſe the Paſtor of his Church, and to the people of God, becauſe he had ſinned againſt the Lord, to the offence of the Church of God: did it weaken his eſteem? did not all the Churches hear of his repentance? Though there were ſome ruffinly Captains that would have had him cut off Ambroſes head; no ſaith he, let him alone, he does it out of love to God and my ſoul: Therefore with many teares, and much dejection of ſoul, he ſanctifi…d God in his heart, and was afterwards received againe into the Church, not onelyonly to the great comfort of the Church where he lived, but of all others that were under his Government, and he never loſt the honour of his Government. No man ever loſt by ſubmitting to the Authority of Chriſt, we may truſt the Lord for that: Authority is more worth then our haires, and yet he numbers our haires, and all the comforts of the world are not anſwerable to it: truſt him with it, as he that is faithfull, and he will certainly provide that nothing ſhall be loſt: commit your ſouls to him, as to a faithful Creator; and the Lord finding his name ſanctified in it before the people, he will certainly ſanctifie us and our names before them as we ſanctifie his. Let us yeild up our ſelves to the ſervice of his Kingdome: when men have been contrary minded, the Lord hath purſued them with fearful judgements. You know the caſe of Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 10. 1. They came before God with ſtrange fire, and the Lord makes a ſtrange worke, and conſumes them with fire. Annanias and Saphira that dealt deceitfully with the Church, ſome part they delivered, but kept back part of their ſubſtance: what followed upon that? The Lord ſtruck them dead; you will ſay, thoſe were in thoſe dayes in which God was neere to his Church. Beleive it, the Lord is as neere to his Church now (though not in miracles as then, there needs not miracles now:) The Lord will confirme his Truth, Rev. 2. 23. All the Churches ſhall know, that I am he which ſearcheth the reignes and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your workes: As men deal ſubtilly, he will deal ſubtilly; with the faithful, with plain hearted, with conſcionable men, he will deal faithfully, and all the Churches ſhall know it: the Lord will not have his judicature in his Church bafled down with partiall, and Annanias his confeſſion. The Lord will ſet his face againſt thoſe men, and cut them off from the land of the living, that ſhall diſ-regard his throne and Crown. And therefore it behooves all men whom it may at any time concern, to ſanctifie his name; My ſonne give glory to God, and tell me what thou haſt done, Joſh. 7. 19. And he ingenouſly tells him from firſt to laſt, which no body ever could tell: but ſaith hee, I ſaw among the ſpoiles a goodly Babiloniſh Garment, and two hundred ſheckels of Silver, and a wedge of Gold of fifty ſheckels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; well ſaith he, thou haſt troubled Iſrael, and the Lord ſhall trouble thee: but yet this acknowledgement was the valley of Achor for a door of hope (Hoſ. 2. 15.) for their proſperity, and victory over all their enemies.
So that if all Nations and Languages be thus ready to ſubmit to the inventions of men, how juſtly doth the Lord challenge due ſubjection to his will, to ſanctifie him in our hearts, to throw down our Crowns (if we have them) at his feet, and glad we may do ſo. It is evident, Rev. 4. 10. that all the Church, (the four Officers, and 24. Elders) they all caſt their Crowns down before him: Though they all did weare Crowns, all had Authority, yet they caſt them all down at his feet, when they came before him that ſate upon the throne, and before the Lambe: There they ſtooped; In the preſence of Chriſt they threw down their Soveraignty; and let the name of Chriſt be magnified, and his Ordinances have free paſſage, but for them let their honour fall down.
Laſtly,Ʋſe 4. let it learn us thus much, to take to heart in theſe dayes the eſtate of our Anceſtors and Fathers of old in thoſe dayes: For if every Kindred have worſhipped the Beaſt, then thy Kindred have done it, or Anceſtors. We ſpeak not in dederiſion of them, but they have all done it, the body of them (though here and there ſome may be left out) and all their power they have given to the Beaſt, to rule Families, Churches, and Common-wealths, and all our Kindred, and eſpecially our Tongues have done it; not onelyonly thoſe that ſpeak Dutch and Spaniſh, but we have been more devoted then any Chriſtian Nations, in giving ſuch vaſt revenues, and Monaſteries, and ſo large devotion to the man of ſinne, none have been ſo devout as Engliſh: It is incredible to tell the great payments they made to the Pope, it is not to be numbred. And if all Tongues have ſubmitted to the Beaſt, then they that ſpeak Engliſh, as well as thoſe that ſpeak Scottiſh, or Welſh, or Brittiſh, the body of all Kindreds if not to this day.
It muſt therefore humble us in regard of this their ſinne, which will be ſet upon our ſcore, unleſſe the Lord humble us for it: the contagion of their ſinn reaches to us, and his jealouſie will cut off root & branch. Gods jealouſie is kindled by Images and ſuperſtitions; I will viſit the iniquities of their Fathers upon their children: men may ſuffer much for their Anceſtors, and for their Kindred, Tongues, and Nation. And therefore it behoovs us all to be humbled for the ſinne of our Anceſtors; and they hoped to be ſaved by the interceſſion of Saints, &c.
This provokes the jealouſie of God. Therefore if we would not have our teeth ſet an edge by theſe ſour Grapes, it behooves us to be humbled, that the intaile of Gods curſe may be cut off from us though it lay heavy upon them that went before us.