Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 14
THE Fourteenth Lecture.
AMOS 1.8.
And turne mine hand to Ekron, and the remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh, ſaith the Lord God.
THe laſt time I began to expound the 8. verſe, then I paſſed ouer two branches thereof; And I will cut off the inhabitant from Aſhdod, and him that holdeth the ſcepter from Aſhkelon; whence conſidering the cutting off, of king and ſubiect, from Aſhdod, and Aſhkelon, to be the proper worke of the Lord, I tooke this leſſon; No calamity or miſery befalleth any one of whatſoeuer eſtate or degree, by chance, or at aduenture.
Now let vsus proceed to the remainder of that verſe; And turne my hand to Ekron, and the remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh, ſaith the Lord.
Is not God a ſpirit? How then hath he hands? The letter killeth, but the ſpirit giueth life, ſaith S. Paul. 2 Cor. 3.6. An ancientaAuguſtin. de Doctrina Chriſtiana, lib. 3. cap. 5. Father vponupon thoſe words aduiſeth vsus to beware, that we take not a figuratiue ſpeech according to the letter; for, ſaith he,Anſhel. in 2 Cor. 3. Echard. Compend Theol patrum. … 1 ap 6. pag. 157. when we take that which is ſpoken in a figure, as if it were ſpoken properly, it is a carnall ſenſe, Ne que vlla mors anima congruentius …ppe…atur; neither is there any thing more rightly called the death of the ſoule. If a figuratiue ſpeech be properly taken, or if the letter be vrged againſt the ſpirituall meaning, that, which was ſpoken to giuegive life to the inward man, may ſubuert the faith, and endanger the ſoule. A trope, vponupon good reaſon to be admitted, not admitted, is a cauſe of errour. It cauſed the Iewes to erre. They tooke it literally, which Chriſt ſpake in a figure, touching his owne body, Iob. 2.19. Deſtroy this Temple, and in three daies I will raiſe it vp againe. It cauſed Nicodemus to erre. Hee tooke it literally, which Chriſt ſpake in a figure, touching mans regeneration, Iob. 3.3. Except a man bee borne again…, he cannot ſee the Kingdome of God. It cauſed the Diſ ples of Chriſt to erre. They tooke it literally, which Chriſt ſpake in a figure, touching the execution of his Fathers will, Ioh. 4.32. I hauehave meat to eat, that ye know not of.
I hold it to be an errour of Nicephorus, and others, to take it after the letter, as if Paul had indeed fought vponupon a theatre with Lions at Epheſius, becauſe he ſaith, 1 Cor. 15.32. that he fought with b aſts at Epheſus. For in the iudgement of Theophyla… of old, of Beza, Baronius, and ſomeb…ainold. Idol. 2.6.6. other very learned of this age, he ſpake it figuratiuely, to deſigne and note the diſordered aſſembly gathered together againſt him at Epheſus, vponupon the complaint of the ſiluer-ſmith Demetrius, for defenſe of great Diana.
I am aſſured it is an errour of all the Papiſts, to take it after the letter which Chriſt ſpake, Matth. 26.26. This is my body. There is a figure in the ſpeech. For in all ſacraments, there is a great difference betweene the ſignes and the things ſignified. The ſignes are viſible, the things inuiſible: the ſignes earthly, the things heauenly: the ſignes corruptible, the things immortall: the ſignes corporall, the things ſpirituall: and as a reuerendcD. Baſon, B. of Wincheſter, of Chr…ſtian Subiection, par. 4. pag. 577. edit. Lond. in 8. 1586. Father ſpeaketh in the perſon of Theophilus the ſignes are one thing, the truth is not the ſame, but another thing; and euen by plaine Arithmeticke, they be two things, and not one. This is my body. There is a figure in the ſpeech. He cals the bread his body, by way of ſignification, by way of ſimilitude, by way of repreſentation, after the manner of Sacraments, in a ſigne, not according to the letter, but in a ſpirituall and myſticall vnderſtanding, and if you reſpect the preciſe ſpeech, improperly, & figuratiuely. I will not hold you with other like inſtances. Theſe few already ſpoken of, may ſerue to make it plaine, that the not admitting of a Trope or Figure there, where in great reaſon it ought to be admitted, is a cauſe of errour.
I hauehave giuen this note in this place (beloued) becauſe the phraſe here vſed in the perſon of the euerliuing God, (I will turne my hand to Ekron) being ſpirit and life, hath beene by ſome miſtaken, and applied to a carnall ſenſe. From hence as from other places of holy Scripture, in which other the members of mans body are aſcribed vntounto God; as thedPſal 27.8. face, theeDeut. 8.3. mouth, thef2 King. 19.16. eares, gJbid. & Zach 4.10.eies, h1 King 8.42.armes, iMatth. 5.35. & 22.44.feet, and ſome other; Tertullian liuing neare vntounto the Apoſtles time, was bold to conclude, that God is a body. This his erroneous and falſe opinion died not with him. It was on foot many a yeare after him in the time of Arius, patronized by thoſe Heretikes, which by Epiphanius are called Audiani, and by Auguſtine kAuguſtin. de haereſ. cap. 50.Vadiani: after whom alſo it was eagerly maintained by certaine Monkes of Egypt, who were thereupon called Anthropomorphitae. But all theſe are dead and gone; their monſtrous errour lies buried with them. There is no man of any knowledge now a dayes ſo blinded, as to fall into errour with them.
It is an axiome in diuinity: Quaecunque de Deo corporaliter dicuntur, dicta ſunt ſymbolicè: whatſoeuer is ſpoken of God bodily, that ſame muſt be vnderſtood figuratiuely. Bellarmine ſaith as much, li. 2. de imag. ſanct. c. 8. Membra, quae tribuantur Deo in Scriptura, metaphoricè eſſe accipienda, that thoſe members which the Scripture aſſigneth vntounto God, are to be taken in a Metaphor. Thus farre we are yours, Bellarmine. We maintaine with you, that the members attributed vntounto God in holy Scripture, are to be taken figuratiuely. But you build hereupon chaffe and ſtubble. Should we doe the like, it could neuer abide the triall of the fire.
To proue a non licet to be your licet: Licere pingere imaginem Dei patris in formâ hominis ſenis, to proue it to be lawfull to repreſent God the Father by the image of an old man, you draw an argument from thoſe places of Scripture, which doe attribute vntounto God bodily members. Your concluſion is by way of queſtion; The Scripture in words attributeth vntounto God all mans members, while it ſaith, that he ſtands, he fits, he walkes; and nameth his head, his feet, his armes; and giueth to him a ſeat, a throne, a footſtoole: therefore why cannot a picture bee made to repreſent God? Why not an image in the ſhape of man? Why? It is eaſily anſwered.
Becauſe eueryevery ſuch picture, or image, or ſtocke (call it as you will) is cenſured by Ieremie to be a doctrine of vanity, chap. 10.8. by Zacharie to be a ſpeaker of vanity. ch. 10.2. by Habakkuk, to be a teacher of lies, chap. 2.18. and Gods expreſſe commandement is againſt it, Deut. 4.16. You ſhall not make you a grauen image, or repreſentation of any figure. A reaſon of this prohibition is adioyned, verſe 12. and 15. by which it is manifeſt, that God ſimply and abſolutely forbiddeth any image at all to be made of himſelfe: For yee ſaw no ſimilitude in the day that the Lord ſpake vntounto you in Horeb out of the middeſt of the fire; yee ſaw no ſimilitude, only ye heard a voice.
The Prophet Eſai is plentifull in this demonſtration, to ſhew how vnſeemly, and abſurd it is, tolRom. 1.25. turne the truth of God into a lie, as they doe, who forſake the bleſſed Creator, to worſhip the creature: to turne the Maieſtie of God inuiſible, into a picture of viſible man: tomV…rſe 23. turne the glory of the incorruptible God, to the ſimilitude of the image of a corruptible man. His vehement expoſtulation with idolaters to this purpoſe is in the 40. chap. of his Prophecie, and the 18. verſe. To whom will yee liken God? or what ſimilitude will ye ſet vp vntounto him? the workman melteth an image; the goldſmith beats it out in gold, or ſiluer plates: the poore (ſee now the rage, fury, and madneſſe of idolaters, though they hauehave not wherewith to ſuffice their owne neceſſities, they will defraud themſelues to ſerue their idols) the poore chuſeth out a tree, that will not rot, for an oblation, and puts it to a cunning workman to prepare an image, that cannot be moued.
The like expoſtulation the ſame Prophet aſcribeth to God himſelfe, chap. 46.5. To whom will ye make me like, or make me equall, or compare me, that I ſhould be like him? they draw gold out of the bagge; and weigh ſiluer in the ballance, and hire a goldſmith to make a God of it: and they bow downe, and worſhip it: they beare it vponupon their ſhoulders, they carry him, and ſet him in his place; ſo doth he ſtand, and cannot remoue from his place.
Remember this, and be aſhamed, O ye Idolaters.nEſai. 40.21. Know ye nothing? hauehave ye not heard it? hath it not beene told you from the beginning? hauehave ye not vnderſtood it by the foundation of the earth? God ſitteth vponupon the circle of the earth, and beholdeth the inhabiters therof, as graſhoppers, he ſtretcheth out the heauens as a curtaine, and ſpreads them out, as a tent to dwell in. HeoEſai. 40.12. meaſures the waters in his fiſt, counts heauen with his ſpan, comprehends the duſt of the earth in a meaſure, weighes the mountaines in a weight, and the hils in a ballance. God! incorporeall, inuiſible, ſpirituall, paſſing all meaſure; there is nothingpEſai. 46.9. like vntounto him. No thing. And therefore (O Idolaters) not your old mans image.
For the truth of your antecedent, we ſtand on your ſide. Its very true: the Scripture in expreſſe words attributeth vntounto God many the members and offices of mans body. It ſaith of him, that he ſtands, he ſits, he walkes: it nameth his head, his feet, his armes: it giues him a ſeat, a throne, a footſtoole: but all theſe, and other like bodily offices, parts, and members, being ſpoken of, as belonging vntounto God, muſt be vnderſtood figuratiuely.
It hath pleaſed the ſpirit of wiſdome to deale with vsus foreign, to fit the holy Scriptures to our weake capacities: to vſe knowne, familiar, and ſenſible tearmes, thereby to raiſe vp our conceits to ſome knowledge of the euerliuing God. In this regard by the wiſdome of the ſame ſpirit, among many other members, H…nds are alſo aſcribed vntounto God, and that in many places; yet not in eueryevery place to one and the ſame ſenſe, and vnderſtanding.
Its noted by theqCont. 13. cap. 4. Magdeburgenſes out of Innocentius, that the hand of God doth beare diuers offices among vsus: officia creatoris, largientis, protegentis, minantis: the offices of a Creator, liberall giuer, protector, and threatner. Hands are aſcribed v… God, ſometime to ſhew that he is the Creator of all things, … Pſal. 119.73. Thy hands hauehave made me and faſhioned me: ſometime to ſhew his liberality to all liuing things, as Pſal. 145.16. Thou openeſt thy hand, and filleſt all things liuing of thy good pleaſure: ſometime to ſhew the care he hath to protect and defend the faithfull, as Eſai. 49.2. VnderUnder the ſhadow of his hand hath he hid me: and ſometime to ſhew his readineſſe to bee auenged vponupon the wicked, as Eſai. 10.4. His hand is ſtretched out ſtill. But theſe and all other the ſignifications of the hand of God, I reduce to two heads: to the louelove of God, and his diſpleaſure: vnderunder them comprehending all their conſequents and effects.
That the hand of God betokeneth ſometime his louelove, and the benefits redounding thence to man, mans being, and his well-being, may eaſily be proued. In the ſecond chapter of the book of Iudges, ver. 15. we read that the Lords hand was againſt the Iſraelites for euill: the collection thence may be, that the Lords hand is ſometime toward ſome for good. It is made plaine out of Neh. 2.8. where the Prophet, to ſhew how ready Artaxerxes was to doe him pleaſure, ſaith; The King gaue me according to the good hand of my God vponupon me. I might by many like inſtances out of holy Scripture giuegive ſtrength to this poſition; but it may ſeeme to be a needleſſe labour. Therefore I proceed.
Now that the hand of God ſhould betoken his diſpleaſure, and the effects thereof, may be proued as eaſily. When the Iſraelites forſaking God betooke themſelues to ſerue Baalim, the hand of the Lord was ſore againſt them, Iudg. 2.15. the Lords hand, that is, his iudgement, puniſhment, and reuengement was ſore vponupon them: the wrath of the Lord was hot againſt them: he deliuered them into the hands of the ſpoilers: they were ſpoiled, ſold to the enemies, and ſore puniſhed.
When the Philiſtines had brought the arke of God into the houſe of Dagon, the hand of the Lord was heauy vponupon them, 1 Sam. 5.6. the Lords hand, that is, his iudgement, puniſhment, and reuengement was heauy vponupon them.*Pſal. 78.64, …. The Lord awaked as one out of ſleepe, and like a Giant refreſhed with wine, hee ſmote his enemies with Emerods, and put them to a perpetuall ſhame. Of like ſignification is the phraſe in my text: I will turne my hand to Ekron: my hand ſhall be ſore againſt Ekron; I will come againſt Ekron in iudgement; I will puniſh Ekron, I will take vengeance on Ekron.
I will turne my hand] Sometime this phraſe betokeneth the good grace and fauour of God, as Zach. 13.7. I will turne my hand vponupon my little ones. My little ones, (when the ſhepherd ſhall be ſmitten, and the ſheepe ſcattered) I will recouer with my hand, and preſerue them for euer: I will gather them together, I will comfort them, I will defend them: rurſus ad paſtorem, & praeceptorem ſuum reducam, ſaith Ribera: though they be ſcattered, I will bring them backe againe to their owne ſhepherd, and maſter. There you ſee Gods turning of his hand vponupon his little ones, is for good.
Here its otherwiſe. God turneth his hand to Ekron for euill. This is auerred and iuſtified by the infallible predictions of other Prophets. Zachary, chap. 9.5. foretelleth, that much ſorrow ſhall betide Ekron. Zephany, chap. 2.4. ſaith that Ekron ſhall be rooted vp. Ieremy, chap. 25.20. takes the cup of the wine of Gods indignation, and giues it Ekron to drinke, to make Ekron like her neighbour countries, euen deſolation and aſtoniſhment, a hiſſing, and a curſe. So great is Ekrons calamity, threatned in theſe words of my text; I will turne my hand to Ekron.
Ekron] Will you know what this Ekron was? You ſhall finde in the booke of Ioſhua, chap. 13.3. that it was a dukedome in the land of the Philiſtines, and 1 Sam. 6.16. that there was in this dukedome a city of the ſame name; no baſe city, but a Princes ſeat; able at one time to giuegive entertainment to fiue Princes. Againſt both city and dukedome Gods hand was ſtretched out. I wi l turne my hand to Ekron. Will God ſmite Ekron, both city and dukedome? We may take from hence this leſſon; There is no ſafe being in city or country from the hand of God, when he is diſpoſed to puniſh.
The reaſon is, becauſe there is no place to flie vntounto from his preſence: None. No corner in Hell, no manſion in Heauen, no caue in the top of Carmel, no fiſhes belly in the bottome of the ſea, no darke dungeon in the land of captiuity, no place of any ſecrecy any where can hide vsus from the preſence of God. Witneſſe two holy Prophets, Dauid, and Amos. The one, Pſal. 139. the other, chap. 9. You hauehave the reaſon of my Doctrine: the vſes follow.
Is it true? Is there no ſafe being in City, or Country, from the hand of God, when he is diſpoſed to puniſh? One vſe hereof is, to teach vsus to take patiently whatſoeuer afflictions ſhall befall vsus. Afflictions I call, whatſoeuer is any way oppoſite to humane nature; ſuch as are the temptations of the fleſh, the world, and the Deuill: the diſeaſes of the body, an infortunate husband, or wife, rebellious children, vnthankfull friends, loſſe of goods, reproaches, ſlanders, warre, peſtilence, famine, impriſonment, death, eueryevery croſſe and paſſion, bodily, or ghoſtly, proper to our ſelues, or appertaining to ſuch as are of our bloud, priuate or publike, ſecret or manifeſt, either by our owne deſerts gotten, or otherwiſe impoſed vponupon vsus.
All, and eueryevery of theſe, true Chriſtians will patiently vndergoe. For they with their ſharp-ſighted eie of faith, doe clearely ſee the Hand of God in eueryevery of their moleſtations: and in great contentment they take vp the words of patient Iob, Chap. 2.10. Shall wee receiue good at the hand of God, and not receiue euill?
Here let eueryevery afflicted ſoule examine it ſelfe, how it is affected with the affliction vnderunder which it groaneth. If you eſteeme of your afflictions, as of God his fatherly chaſtiſements, and ſo endure them, bleſſed are ye. Of this bleſſedneſſe Saint Iames, Chap. 1.12. doth aſſure you: Bleſſed is the man that endureth tentation: for when he is tried he ſhall receiue the crowne of life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that louelove him.
Againe, is it true? Is there no ſafe being in City or Country, from the hand of God, when he is diſpoſed to puniſh? A ſecond vſe of this doctrine is, to admoniſh vsus, that we labour aboue all things to obtaine Gods fauour, and to abide in it: ſo ſhall we be ſafe from the feare of euill.
Now for the obtaining of Gods fauour, we muſt doe foure things. We muſt 1. Humble our ſelues before God: 2. Beleeue in Chriſt: 3. Repent of our ſinnes: 4. Performe new obedience vntounto God.
The time will not ſuffer me to enlarge theſe points. Humiliation, faith in Chriſt, repentance, and a new life; theſe foure will be vntounto you, as Iacobs ladder was vntounto the Angels. Of that ladder you may reade, Gen. 28.12. that it ſtood vponupon the earth; the top of it did reach to heauen, and the Angells of God went vp it. So may you by theſe foure, Humiliation, Faith, Repentance, and Newneſſe of life, as it were by ſo many ſteps, and rounds of a ladder, climbe vp to heauen.
Here you hauehave no continuing Citie; you are but ſtrangers, and pilgrims on the earth; your countrey is aboue, the Celeſtiall Ieruſalem: there let your hearts be. As for the afflictions, vexations, tribulation, miſeries and croſſes, wherewith this mortall life of yours is ſeaſoned, let them be your ioy. They are ſure pledges of Gods louelove vntounto you. Euen ſo ſaith the Spirit, Hebr. 12.6. Whom the Lord loueth he chaſtneth, and he ſcourgeth eueryevery ſonne that he receiueth.
Thirdly, is it true? Is there no ſafe being in citie or countrie from the hand of God, when he is dispoſed to puniſh? A third vſe of this doctrine is, for the terrour of ſuch as lie wallowing in the filthineſſe of their ſins. Many there are, wicked wretches, who, if God ſhall for a time deferre the puniſhments due vntounto their ſinnes, are ready to thinke that God takes no notice of their ſinnes. Theſe ſay in their heart there is no God.
Againſt theſe is made that challenge, Pſal. 50.21. I hold my tongue, and th…u thoughteſt me like thy ſelfe. I] the Lord, who ſee the ſecrets of all hearts, I hold my tongue] I did not by my iudgements puniſh thee for the wickedneſſe of thy ſteps; I hold my tongue, and thou thoughteſt me like thy ſelfe] thou thoughteſt I tooke pleaſure in wickedneſſe, as thou doeſt; but thou ſhalt finde, and feele the contrary.
Strange are the effects wrought in the wicked by the mercies, and long ſuffering of God; thereby they grow worſe and worſe, obdurate, and hardned in their ſinnes. Yet let them be aduiſed: for they day will come, and it comes apace, wherein they ſhall feele the heauineſſe of that hand, which here was turned againſt Ekron: I will turne my hand to Ekron. It followeth, And the remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh.
The Philiſtines had their beginning from Caſluchim, a grand-childe of Chane, the accurſed iſſue of Noah, as appeareth, Gen. 10.14. They were ſeated in a part of the Land of Canaan; the weſt part, that which bordereth vponupon the great Sea, the Sea commonly called the Mediterranean. Their Country was called by Ptolemee and others, Palaeſtina, and by the Greeks, Phoenicia. It was a part of that countrey, which once was called Terra promiſſionis, the Land of promiſe; but now Terra Sancta, the Holy Land.
The inhabitants in our Prophets time, were profeſſed enemies to Almighty God, and his beloued Iſrael. They thought themſelues ſafe from ruine through the ſtrength of their fiue Dukedomes; Azzah, Aſhdod, Aſhkelon, Gath and Ekron. But vaine and fooliſh are the thoughts which poſſeſſe the wicked. When the God of all truth ſhall giuegive his word for a matter, ſhal man preſume to doubt of the euent? Here God ſets his word vponupon it, that there ſhall be an vtter ouerthrow, not onelyonly of Azzah, Aſhdod, Aſhkelon and Ekron, but of Gath alſo, and all the villages belonging thereunto: for the remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh, ſaith the Lord God.
Ait Dominus Iehouth] ſaith the Lord God.
This is the concluſion of this prophecie, and it redoubleth its authoritie and credit. Authoritie and credit ſufficient it hath from its very front, verſe 6. Thus ſaith the Lord: it is here redoubled; ſaith the Lord God.
Saith the Lord God] hath the Lord God ſaid it, andr… 23 19. ſhall he not doe it? hath he ſpoken it, and ſhall he not accompliſh it: The Lord, Iehou…h, the ſtrength of Iſrael, is not as man, that he ſhould lye, not as the ſonne of man, that he ſhould repent. All his words, yea all the titles of his words, are Yea, and Amen. ſMatth. 5.18.Heauen and earth ſhall periſh, before one iot or one tittle of his word ſhall eſcape vnfulfilled, Dominus Iehouth, the Lord, hath ſaid it, that the remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh. Out of doubt then muſt it come to paſſe. And ſo is it.
The firſt blow, which the Philiſtines receiued towards their ouerthrow after this prophecie, was giuen them aboue three-ſcore yeares after by Ezechius, that good King of Iudah, of whom the Prophet Eſay, Chap. 14.29. foretelleth the Philiſtines, that he ſhould be vntounto them as a Cockatrice, and a fiery …ring Serpent. This Ezechius ſmote the Philiſtines vntounto Azzah, and the coaſts thereof, from the watch-tower vntounto the defenſed Citie. This is plaine, 2 King. 18.8.
A ſecond blow was giuen by Tartan, one of the Captaines of Sennacherib, or Sargon, King of Aſſyria, who came vp againſt Aſhdod, and tooke it. This is plaine, Eſay 20.1.
A third blow was giuen them by Pharaoh Neco: and hee ſmote Azzah, Aſhkelon, and other places. This is it which the Prophet Ieremy ſaith, Chap. 47.5. Baldneſſe is come vponupon Azzah, Aſhkelon is cut vp with the reſt of their valleys. In a word; God hath from time to time raiſed vp his men of war, in due time to extirpate and raze out the Philiſtines from the face of the earth, that according to the tenour of this Prophecy, there might be no remnant of them.
The remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh] Here may we obſerue a difference in Gods puniſhments; he puniſheth the reprobate, and he puniſheth his elect; but differently: the reprobate to their vtter exciſion, and extirpation; not ſo the elect. For of them, there is vponupon the earth euermore a remnant that ſhall be ſaued: as it's intimated by the Prophet Eſay, Chap. 1.9. Except the Lord of hoſts had reſerued vntounto vsus euen a ſmall remnant, we ſhou…d hauehave beene as Sodom, and like vntounto Gomorah. You ſee a remnant reſerued, though a ſmall one. Yea ſometimes there is a reſeruation of ſo ſmall a remnant as is ſcarcely viſible. As in the daies of Eliah, who knew of none but himſelfe. I only am left, ſaith he, 1 King. 19.14. Yet God tells him in the 18. verſe of ſeuen thouſand in Iſrael which neuer bowed their knees to Baal. Hitherto belongeth that, Ioel 2.32. In mount Sion, and in Ieruſalem, ſhall be deliuerance, as the Lord hath ſaid, and in the remnant, whom the Lord ſhall call.
tIerem. 25.34Howle yee wicked, and cry, and wallow your ſelues in the aſhes, for your dayes of diſperſion and ſlaughter are accompliſhed, and yee ſhall fall like the Philiſtines, eueryevery mothers childe of you: theuIerem. 46.10. ſword ſhall deuoure you: it ſhall be ſatiate, and made drunke with your bloud, there ſhall not be a remnant of you left.
But you, the elect and choſen children of God your Father, take vntounto youxEſay 61.3. beauty for aſhes, the oile of ioy for mourning, the garment of gladneſſe for the ſpirit of heauineſſe; reioyce yee, and be glad together. Let the prince of darkneſſe, and all the powers of hell, aſſiſted with the innumerable company of his wicked vaſſals vponupon the earth, ioyne together to worke your ouerthrow, they ſhall not effect it. For God, euen your God, will reſerue vntounto himſelfe a remnant.
This remnant is the chaſte Spouſe of Chriſt, the Holy Catholike Church, enriched from aboue with all manner of benedictions. Extra eam nulla eſt ſalus; whoſoeuer hath not her for his Mother, ſhall neuer hauehave God for his Father. Of this remnant and Catholike Church, notwithſtanding the challenge of Romiſh Idolaters, we (beloued) are ſound and liuely members. Happy are the eyes which ſee that we ſee, and enioy the preſence of him, whom we adore: happy are the eares that heare what we heare, and the hearts which are partakers of our inſtructions. No Nation vnderunder Heauen hath a God ſo potent, ſo louing, ſo neere to them, which worſhip him, as we of this Iland hauehave.
The many and bloudy practices of that great Antichriſt of Rome, ſo often ſet on foot againſt vsus, and ſtill defeated, are ſo many euidences, that our ſoules are moſt precious in the ſight of God. He, he alone hath deliuered vsus out of the Lions iaw, to be a holy remnant vntounto himſelfe. Now what ſhall wee render vntounto the Lord for ſo great a bleſſing? We will take vp the cup of ſaluation, and call vponupon his Name.