Exposition of Revelation 13, Part 14
Verſ. 10.
He that leadeth into captivity, ſhall goe into captivity: hee that killeth with the ſword muſt be killed with the ſword.
The next note is this.
THat as the Roman Catholicke Church have led the Churches and people of God into captivity,Doctrine 2. and have ſlaughtered many of them with perſecution, and warre: So that ſtate at length ſhall go into captivity, and finally be deſtroyed with warre and ſlaughter.
You heard before, ſhe made warre with the Saints, and overcame them, and ſlaughtered many thouſands of them, and ſhewed no mercy neither to man, woman, nor child: No more will the Lord ſhew compaſſion upon her. In Pſal. 137. 8, 9. O daughter of Babylon who art to be deſtroyed! Happy ſhall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou haſt ſerved us. Happy ſhall he be that taketh and daſheth thy little ones againſt the ſtones. It was ſpoken of old Babylon in Caldea, and is verified alſo in this Babylon. Happy ſhall he be that rewardeth her as ſhe hath ſerved us: and that taketh her young children and daſheth them againſt the ſtones. Rev. 17. 11. The beaſt that was, and is not, ſhall goe into perdition. And verſ. 16. They ſhall hate the whore, and make her deſolate and naked, and ſhall eate her fleſh, and ſhall burn her with fire. They ſhall drink of warre and ſlaughter.
Obj. But how is it ſaid, that Chriſt ſhall conſume him with the breath of his mouth there? 2 Theſ. 2. 8.
Anſw. I anſwer, theſe things are ſubordinate, but not oppoſite, for ever ſince Luther they have been waſting: But after his coming in the brightneſſe of the Goſpel, men ſhall be clearly convinced, that this is the great whore and Beaſt that deſtroys all the world: The Lord will then mightily diſcover her unto Princes, that have been darkned, and vailed in their judgments about her, they ſhall ſee the ſtate of her, and grow to hate her with utter deteſtation.
The reaſon is from the wiſdome and equity of Gods juſtice, Reaſon.expreſly mentioned in the Text: For, he that leades into captivity, muſt go into captivity; he that kills with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword. What meaſure a man meets, it ſhall be meaſured to him again, Mat. 7. 2. Who ſo ſheddeth mans blood, by man ſhall his blood be ſhed, Gen. 9. 6. Woe to thee that ſpoileſt, and thou waſt not ſpoiled, and dealeſt treacherouſly, and they dealt not treacherouſly with thee: when thou ſhalt ceaſe to ſpoile, thou ſhalt be ſpoiled: and when thou ſhalt make an end to deale treacherouſly, they ſhall deale treacherouſly with thee, Iſa. 33. 1. All that take the ſword, ſhall periſh with the ſword, Mat. 26. 52. Meaning in an unlawfull way, and for unlawfull ends.
The uſe is,Ʋſe 1. firſt of terrour to all Roman Catholicks; what ever their devotion may be, let them know, and underſtand, the iſſue of it will be utter deſolation, and blood and ſlaughter will be their portion one day: And when Gods appointed is come, it will be meaſured unto them, as they have meaſured unto the Church of God.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. It may be a great comfort unto the Churches and Saints of Chriſt, that have been overcome, or have ſuffered any hard-ſhip from any of theſe. Thoſe that have been troubleſome to Gods Churches and people, the Lord will one day viſite them all, and he will one day root them out of the land of the living. They ſhall one day know what pillars and ſcourges, and fire and faggot meanes, what torments meane, what bloody inquiſitions meane: They ſhall be recompenced ſeven-fold into their boſomes.
Here is the patience and faith of the Saints.
The third note is this.
The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have ſuffered under the Roman Catholique Church,Doct. 3. as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints, that ſuffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours, againſt Heatheniſh idolatry.
The Papiſts themſelves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs, and will write many Legends of them; as the Phariſees, they did build the Sepulchers of the Prophets, and yet killed their Succeſſors: Fulfill (ſaith Chriſt) the meaſure of your fathers: You garniſh the ſepulchers of the dead bodies, and yet you kill their Succeſſors. They will acknowledg them the Primitive Martyrs; but what are thoſe that ſuffered in Switzerland, in France, in England, in Germany? They look at thoſe as Lolards, and Hereticks: But what ſaith the Lord of them? Even of them as well as of thoſe that ſuffered in former times; the Lord doth accept their ſufferings, and ſaith of them, Here is the patience and faith of the Saints. Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beaſt, and patience, to be the patience and faith of the Saints. The world ſaith otherwiſe: but the Lord ſaith of thoſe that ſuffered under this Beaſt, Here is the patience and faith of the Saints. So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints: Write, bleſſed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth, as well as in ancient times: Bleſſed are they that dye in the faith of Chriſt Jeſus, in the hotteſt and higheſt times of Popery.
The Reaſon is evident,
Firſt,Reaſon 1. becauſe the faith of ſuch Chriſtians, and their patience, was the faith and patience of Chriſt: That is to ſay, that which both faſtned upon Chriſt, and bore witnſſe unto Chriſt, and ſuffered patiently for Chriſt as did the Primitive Chriſtians in the ten Perſecutions: And it was ſuch a faith, as by which they overcame the world, 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Chriſt Jeſus, even that faith by which they choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon, Heb. 11. 24, 25. It was that faith by which they deſpiſed honour. Even the ſame caſe of Chriſt in Moſes hand, and in their hands, and the point is of like nature: Roman Idolatry is but another Edition, and their Errors are as fundamentall ſubvertions to that which ſhou…d be the faith of Gods elect: And their Government is directly contrary unto the Goſpel-government of Chriſt Jeſus as light is to darkneſſe. When their faith in the cauſe of Chriſt do carry them along in ſuffering for him, it is then the patience of Chriſt. It was the like faith and patience of Chriſt to ſuffer under Annas and Caiaphas, as under Herod. It is true, in the one he ſuffered as an enemy to Caeſar, in the other as a blaſphemer, but the caſe is all one. No matter what the perſons … Chriſtian in profeſſion; I… the cauſe be the … of Chriſt, it is the patience and faith of Chriſt which is in his … whomſoever they ſuffer.
… Reaſon is from the greater exerciſe of ſaith and … to diſcern,Reaſon 2. and ſuffer under Chriſtians, againſt Chriſtians, … Pagans … Heathen perſecutors.
For the uſe of the point.
Fi…ſt,Ʋſe 1. it cryes downe all the ſcandalous ſentences that Courts have given againſt the Saints of God; they ſay here are the ſuffering of Lolards and Hereticks: Jeſus Chriſt from heaven ſaith, Here is the faith and patience of the Saints. Do not therefore count it obſtinacy, and contumacy in hereſie, nor pravity: It is the faith and patience of the Saints; if Chr…ſt calls it ſo, his word muſt carry it. When they ſhall all appear before his Judgment-ſeate, whoſe word ſhall ſtand then, his or theirs? He will ſay, here is the cruelty and outrage of the perſecution of Antichriſt that puts the Lambs of Chriſt to death.
Secondly,Ʋſe 2. It may ſerve to teach us, how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull ſervants: Hee writes upon their Toomb-ſtones as it were, ſo many Saints, or faithfull Martyrs of Chriſt, are thoſe who have thus ſuffered: This doth the Lord Jeſus Chriſt write upon their ſtakes where they are burned (in Smithfield or elſe-where) and upon the chains wherewith they are bound.
A great encouragement it is unto Chriſtians to be conſtant in the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and to contend earneſtly for the faith once given to the Saints. We muſt not therefore be afraid to ſtand faſt in the profeſſion of the Truth, and to hold it to the death: If we ſhould dye in his Cauſe in a way of perſecution to be ſlaughtered by the outrage of ungodly men; what ever the world ſay of it, the Lord will from heaven beare this witneſſe to it, That it is the patience and faith of the Saints.
Thirdly,Ʋſe 3. it muſt teach all who would ſuffer for the name of Chriſt to be well aſſured of their cauſe, and then to adde conſtancy to their ſuffering in their cauſe. Otherwiſe, unleſſe it be the cauſe of Chriſt, it is no patience, but obſtinacy, blindeneſſe, and ignorance: But ſee that your cauſe be the cauſe of Chriſt, and then cleave unto it by the invincible …aith of Gods elect, to overcome the world, and look Lyons and Dragons in the fac…, without fear and aſtoniſhment; and look at puniſhment and tortour, as not worthy of the glory that ſhall be revealed: It looks at them as things that Chriſt hath endured greater, and other of the Saints of God have gone before u… in the like, or a greater martyrdome.
Therefore, firſt, look to the cauſe, and then believe in the truth of the cauſe, and the faithfulneſſe of Chriſt that will maintaine his ſervants ſtable and firme, and cauſe them to hold out unto the end. But do not take up your reformation upon cuſtome, nor ſide with any thing for cuſtom of the country where you are, becauſe your Magiſtrates and Elders do commend it to you; for it behooves every chriſtian man to know well, what he beleives, and practiſe, and to know the doctrine of Chriſt, and the Government and the worſhip of Chriſt; and that not becauſe men ſay ſo, but becauſe you ſee light for it from the word of the Son of God.
Then your next care is, to look that you depend upon Chriſt for ſtrength, that as he ſuffered for you, you may be able to ſuffer for him; ther's the faith of Gods children: And for patience (I pray conſider it) I do not enter into a common place of faith, and patience; but let me ſay thus much of it, Patience is a virtue, mortifying and moderating greifs, and fears, or afflictions, and ſubduing our wils to the will of God, not onelyonly in contentment, but comfort. My brethren (ſaith James) count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, James 1. 2. That whereas other men, or our ſelves in time of proſperity, when as God applies his will to our wils, are joyful (and this is no great matter.) This is the joy of Gods people when God ſhall apply our wils unto his. As Chriſt did comforme his will unto his Fathers will, and ſay, O my God, I delight to do thy will: It is written in thy book▪ I came to do thy will, Pſal. 40. 8. This indeed doth make us compleat chriſtians.
A man is a happy man that hath his will and Gods will together in all that his heart does deſire: If God would have me ſuffer, then certain it is beſt it ſhould be …. And … ſhould chriſtians come armed with faith and patience, and with wils ſubdued to the will of the moſt high; not onelyonly to be contented, but comfortable in ſuffering all things for Chriſt: And let your faith faſten upon it, and let your patience moderate your greifs, and make your hearts comfortable alſo, and this is that which God delights in; Here is the patience and faith of the Saints.
And ſo I will end with that ſpeech of the Apoſtle; My brethren, be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promiſes, Heb. 6. 12. Both by faith of well doing, and of ſuffering evill by faith and patience. Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promiſe, Heb. 10. 36. You have need of patience, that ye may be faithfull: and you have need of faith, that you may be patient: When a man is confident in Chriſt above all creatures, this works patience. So we ſhall follow the ſteps of our bleſſed Anceſtors; we ſhall ſtill go on in maintayning the ſame faith, and worſhip, and Government, wherein our Fathers were taught of God to walk, and whereby they did inherit promiſes both in life and death.