The Pouring Out of the Seven Vials, Vial 3

The Pouring Out of the Seven Vials · Vial 3

p. 1THE THIRD VIAL.

REVEL. 16. VER. 4, 5, 6, 7.

And the third Angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they became bloud. And I heard the Angel of the waters ſay, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be, becauſe thou haſt iudged thus: For they have ſhed the bloud of Saints and Prophets, and thou haſt given them bloud to drinke, for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the Altar ſay, Even ſo, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy iudgements.

THeſe ſeven Angels (as you heard) that had the vials of the laſt wrath of God to poure out, they poure it all out upon the Antichriſtian world, upon the Beaſt, or ſomething or other pertaining to the Beaſt; for the firſt that poured his vial on the earth, vexed them that had the mark of the beaſt; he begins therefore with the beaſt, And the fift Angel poured forth his vial upon the throne of the beaſt, in the 10. ver. and when the ſeventh Angel poured forth his vial, Great Babylon came up in remembrance before God, &c. in the 19. ver. So that (in a word) all theſe vials being poured out from firſt to laſt upon the earth, and the earth being the Antichriſtian ſtate, oppoſite to heavenly and pure Churches, all the p. 2vials are poured upon the Antichriſtian world or ſtate. And (as you ſee) they begin with the loweſt elements firſt; The firſt upon the earth, the next upon the ſea, the third upon the rivers and fountaines, the fourth upon the ſun in that world, the fift upon the throne of the Beaſt, the ſixt upon Euphrates, the ſeventh upon the ayre. Now the ſecond Angel (of which you heard the laſt day) having poured out his vial upon the ſea, it became as the bloud of a dead man, and all that lived in that ſea, dyed.

The ſea (you heard) is the confluence of waters anld rivers, and doth hold forth the confluence or concurrence of all the oracles, and ordinances, and meanes of grace and ſalvation, or thoſe that are pretended ſo to be. The concurrence, or confluence of them all to one body, which in one word was their Religion in the old Temple, it was reſembled to a brazen ſea, wherein the Prieſts waſhed themſelves; In the Apoſtolique Church of the New Teſtament, it is reſembled unto a ſea of glaſſe, like unto cryſtall, wherein you might ſee the face of Chriſt, as in a mirrour; In Reformed Churches, it is as the of glaſſe, mingled with fire; In Popiſh Churches, it is as the bloud of a dead man; no living bloud is there to be found to waſh the people in, but as the bloud of a dead man, without life, to them that are waſhed in it, and rather fit to choake, and poiſon, and kill, then to give life. Now that being the ſea; Then here the next vial is poured out upon the rivers and fountains of waters that run into this ſea, and derive this ſea up and downe the earth, The third Angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters: And the pouring out of his vial, is deſcribed, Firſt, by the ſubject on which it is poured, VponUpon the rivers and fountains of waters: Secondly, by the effect, and they became bloud: Thirdly, the pouring out of this vial is amplified by the teſtimony given to it, and the effect of it; What is the teſtimony? It is double, 1. Given by the Angel of the waters, in the 5. ver. I heard the Angel of the waters ſay, what doth he ſay? he gives to God the glory of his righteouſneſſe, and of his unchangeable righteouſneſſe, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be, becauſe thou haſt iudged thus: And the reaſon of it (he gives) is taken from the equity of the law of retaliation, in the 6. ver. For they have ſhed the bloud of Saints an Prophets, and thou haſt given them blood to drinke, for they are worthy. The ſecond Teſtimony p. 3by which this powring out of the Viall is amplified, (and the effect of it is juſtified) is by another Angell out of the Altar in the 7. ver. who ſaith Amen to this: Even ſo Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy iudgments. For the meaning of the words.

The ſea being Religion, the confluence of ordinances, ſuch ordinances as are diſpenſed in any religion: The rivers and fountains of water that ſpring from the ſea, and returne to the ſea, and derive all their ſprings and waters from thence, they are (and it is generally ſo received, and therefore with more freedome of ſpirit a man may declare it) theſe rivers, and fountains of waters are generally conceived to be the Prieſts, and Miniſters of the Popiſh Church, who carry Popiſh Religion, as Fountains and Rivers do the Sea, up and down the earth; ſo do they Popiſh Religion, up and down the Nations, carry it to and fro, only there is this difference between them, and ordinary rivers and fountains, ordinarily rivers and fountains are freſh, though the ſea be ſalt, but here the fountains & rivers are ſalt and brackiſh alſo; as thoſe ſalt ſprings be, that run through ſalt mineralls, which are of like nature with the ſea, and theſe keep their brackiſhneſſe ſtill: And ſo it is with theſe rivers and fountains, they run through the earth, on which the firſt Angel poured out his vial; they run through the curſed earth, as it is plagued of God, and therefore ſtill retaines the like unwholſome ſtreams which are found in the bloody ſea: And therefore it is ſaid, that as the ſea became bloud, ſo theſe rivers alſo became bloud, and carryed but the like kind of water which they received from the ſea, corrupt. As the Religion it ſelfe is corrupt, ſo are theſe fountaines and rivers, the Prieſts and Jeſuites, whether ſecular or regular, that is, the Pariſh Prieſts of their Churches, or Regular Monkes that are in Religious Orders, or who ever are ſent forth by theſe, they are theſe rivers and fountaines of waters that run to and fro to fill all the world with their ſea, with their Religion. It is the ſame word which the Apoſtle Peter hath in expreſſing the nature of falſe teachers, though there it is wells, yet the words are both one, They are wells without water, meaning without water of life, carrying their owne drugs and dregs, 2 Pet. 2.17. A fit expreſſion (therefore) of ſuch kind of Prieſts or Prophets, as doe convey unwholſome liquor or water up and downe a countrey. Now of theſe it is ſaid, that on the pouring p. 4out of this vial, they became bloud, not onelyonly in regard that their waters themſelves are bloud, the doctrine and worſhip which they doe hold forth to the people are corrupt, as their ſea is, (like the plague in Egypt, when their waters and rivers were turned to bloud) but that chiefly in regard of the puniſhment which they inflict on them for ſo doing, which is a bloudy death, as bloud is expounded in the 5. and 6. verſes, where the Angel of the waters ſaith, Thou art righteous, O Lord, &c. becauſe thou haſt iudged thus: Why? For they have ſhed the bloud of Saints and Prophets, and thou haſt given them bloud to drinke, for they are worthy: So this is bloud which God hath given them to drinke. And that is an uſuall phraſe, to give a man bloud to drinke, is to kill him: As Tomyris of old ſaid to King Cyrus, Thou haſt been a bloud-thirſty man, drink thou bloud which thou haſt thirſted. When you give a man bloud to drink, you put him to death. So this Angel, who ever it was, that poured out this vial, he puts theſe Prieſts to death, he gave them bloud to drink, both made themſelves to undergoe a bloudy death, to drinke bloud, and alſo made all that received and entertained them, to drinke bloud too; and this was effectually accompliſhed by Queene Elizabeth, when in the 27. yeare of her raigne, in the yeare 1581. by the conſent of the Parliament, ſhe made it a Law, that if any Prieſt or Jeſuite, that had received Orders from the Sea of Rome, or any authority from that Sea, ſhould come into the Realme, and goe about or practice to ſeduce any of the Queenes loyall Subjects from their allegeance, to the obedience of the Sea of Rome, or practice to draw them to that religion, he ſhould be judged guilty of high treaſon, and ſuffer in the caſe of a Traitor; And this was another branch of that Statute, That if any gave entertainment to ſuch Prieſts and Jeſuites (after certain dayes,) and knew them to be ſuch, ſhould ſuffer as in caſe of Felonie, without the benefit of his Booke; ſo that both of them muſt drinke bloud, both the Jeſuites and Prieſts themſelves, and their abettors and entertainers; and the ground was, becauſe they had bloudy intendments in their comming, intending to kill the Queene, or corrupt the State with unwholſome and pernicious Doctrine, to draw the people from their allegeance, to the obedience of the Sea of Rome, that ſo as it was ſaid, a generation of Catholiques was the p. 5corruption of her ſubjects: To prevent which miſchiefe, this Law was enacted, and ſo upon this occaſion, many ſuffered that yeare, and others in after yeares, moſt part of her Raigne.

Now what is then the meaning of the next words, I heard the Angel of the waters ſay, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be, becauſe thou haſt iudged thus: ſo it was bloud recompenced with bloud. This Angel of the waters, it was he or ſhe that poured out this vial on theſe waters: She with the conſent of her Councel, and Parliament, they were this Angel of the waters that had this power over theſe rivers and fountaines, and this was accompliſhed two or three yeares after, when ſhe ſet Secretary Cicill on worke to write a Booke with this Title, JUSTITIA BRITANNIAE, The Iuſtice of Britaine, wherein Secretary Cicill, by her appointment, doth make it cleare to all neighbour Nations, (and for that end publiſhed his Book in ſundry Languages, French, Dutch, and Spaniſh) that what was decreed in that Parliament was juſt, according to the Law of God, and the true principles of Chriſtian State Policie, that there was no hope of ſafety to the Queenes Perſon, or of peace to the Common wealth, or of liberty to true Reformed Religion, if ſuch perſons were ſuffered to goe up and downe in that peſtilentious manner, to pervert and corrupt the people, and withdraw them from their Allegeance, and ſubject them to the Biſhop of Rome; that they did not ſuffer meerely on point of Religion, though on thoſe points of their Religion which gave them occaſion ſo to work, he doth not deny that neither, but in reſpect that the frame of their Religion was not compatible to any Proteſtant State: And the very Booke it ſelfe holds forth this in effect, that the Lord was juſt herein; and as the Text here tels us, Thou art righteous, O Lord, becauſe thou haſt iudged thus: And he attributes not onelyonly righteouſneſſe to God in this, but immutability, and conſtancie, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be alway. The ſame from the ancient Law of retaliation, in the 24. of Leviticus, 19, 20, 21. it is there ordained, that look what a man doth to others, it ſhall be ſo done to him, Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, &c. They gave thy Prophets p. 6and Saints bloud to drinke, and now thou haſt given them bloud to drinke: This is the reaſon why he acknowledgeth this not onelyonly righteous, but according to his old and ancient proceeding, his righteouſneſſe ever ſince Moſes his time, and ſince the world began: that is Gods manner, Gen. 9.4, 5. He that ſheds mans bloud, by man ſhall his bloud be ſhed: God alway hath been of that mind: They that put others to death, that ſhed innocent bloud, Their bloud ſhall goe for their bloud, Gen. 9.6. to that purpoſe juſtly ſpeaks that book; it is that which they have found, for they are worthy.

And when he adds further, I heard another Angel out of the Altar ſay, Even ſo, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy iudgements: That is another Angel, a Miniſter and Meſſenger of Gods juſtice. This phraſe, out of the Altar, in this Book, doth uſually hold forth ſome under-perſecution, either going, or new come out of perſecution: for ſo it is expreſſed in the 6. Rev. 9. I ſaw under the Altar the ſoules of them that were ſlaine for the Word of God, and for the teſtimony which they held. The Altar is Chriſt, and Chriſt ſuffering; and thoſe under the Altar, are they that ſuffered with Chriſt for the Word of God, ſpeaking of the Primitive Chriſtians in their firſt perſecution: But here he doth not ſay, they were under Martyrdome, but they were come out from under the Altar; And that holds forth thoſe Chriſtians in the Low-countreyes, who of a long time had been under perſecution by Duke Dalva, and other Spaniſh Princes; Duke Dalva boaſts of it, there were 36000. that he had put to death, Hugonites and Proteſtants; Judge you what the reſt might alſo do; and all for the teſtimony of Ieſus, for holding forth true Proteſtant Religion; but they were all reſcued by the faithfulneſſe of God; giving and bleſſing the courage of Q. Elizabeth: and now they are got out from under the Altar, and now they are freed from wreſtling with ſuch great difficulties as had been like to ſinke them, if God had not by his ſtretched out arme reſcued them. And looke as in 1584. Cicill ſet forth that book, ſo this Angel from under the Altar ſet forth a Law in 1586. wherein by the conſent of all the States generally of the confederate Provinces, they enact and enjoyne, that none of the bloudy ſect of the Jeſuites, nor any of their Scholars, whether he be ſtranger, or borne in the Land, ſhall have liberty to come into the Countrey, but be put to capitall puniſhment as an enemy to p. 7the State; and they have been in ſome meaſure carefull of that Law, though more in Grave Maurice his time, then ſince; and ſo they juſtly ſay Amen to the Queens Law, that as ſhe put thoſe Popiſh Emiſſaries to the paine of High Treaſon, hanging, drawing, and quartering, and thus gave them bloud to drink; ſo this Angel from out of the Altar ſaith Even ſo, he ſaith Amen to it, let it even be ſo with them, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgements; they acknowledge Gods Almighty power, that had given them power to make that Law againſt them, who had ſo lately ſuffered under them; and acknowledge Gods righteous judgements; for that State that makes a Law to the ſame purpoſe, which they have found enacted in another State, they doe ſay Amen to what hath been done, and both the one State and other acknowledge it to be a righteous judgement of God, and the adminiſtration, a juſt law, and a juſt execution. This (as others have done before me) I take to be the naturall and true meaning of this Vial in the ſeverall parts thereof, without wreſting of the words, nor neede it be offenſive to any that ſuch particular perſons are named as the accompliſhers of this Vial, conſidering the matters were not of ſmall importance, but of great conſequence and admiration, all ſtates rang of theſe laws, and it raiſed all Chriſtendome in combuſtion, the wars of eighty eight, the Spaniſh invaſion had ſpeciall reſpect to this, and had not the Lord borne witneſſe to his people and their Law, in defeating the intendments of their enemies, againſt both the Nations, it might have been the ruine of them both: So you ſee the meaning of the words of the Text.

The words are many, and though containing much matter in 4. verſes, I ſhall ſhortly contract and recollect the ſubſtance contained in them into one note, and handle that one at this time, as conceiving all the doctrine of theſe words may be graſped together in one Obſervation; For though there be liberty of entring into common places of Gods righteouſneſſe and immutability, and of his juſtice in retaliation, and of his omnipotencie, out of this Text; yet all theſe particulars have been ſpoken to in the former Chapter, in the third verſe, and in the fourth, Lord God Almighty, iuſt and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints. That for God being ever the ſame, which was and is to come, we have ſpoken to it divers times before in this book; p. 8and therefore though they be Catechiſme points, which my place calleth me to attend upon; yet I ſhall not here ſpeak to them, having ſo lately handled the moſt of them, but therefore I will onelyonly ſpeak to this Doctrine, which containes all the verſes. This is the note then,

Doct. That upon the diſcovery of the deadly corruption of the Religion of the Sea of Rome, it was a righteous judgement of God, and ſuch as argued him unchangeable ever, like himſelfe; That the Prieſts and Jeſuites who carryed that Religion up and down the Nations, ſhould be adjudged or condemned to a bloudy death. This is the ſumme.

For ſo you ſee it is upon the diſcovery of their ſea of bloud, of the Religion of the Sea of Rome, to be a Sea of bloud. We opened and ſhewed before, that The ſecond Angel poured out his vial on the ſea, that is, on the Religion of the Sea of Rome, and diſcovered it to be as the bloud of a dead man, made it manifeſtly appeare, that both their doctrine, and worſhip, and government, was deadly, and ſuch as was utterly unwholſome, both for private families and States, Church and Common-wealth; and ſo corrupt, as was deadly; who ever lived and dyed in that Religion, lived an hypocrite, and dyed a reprobate. Now the next Angel that comes, upon this diſcovery, he poures his vial on the rivers and fountaines of waters, and they became bloud: That is, they make Lawes to adjudge all that carry that Religion up and downe the Nation, to be guilty of bloud, and therefore to be put to death, as Traitors and Rebels againſt the State. And this is acknowledged by the Angels of God, I meane thoſe that are Miniſters of Gods Juſtice, and approve this teſtimony as authenticall; they acknowledge this a righteous judgement of God, as he that is, was, and ſhall be alway one and the ſame. Thus he was wont to carry it, and thus he doth ſtill. In old time, if a man played the falſe Prophet, and ſuggeſted ſuch devices as theſe, the Lord judged him to death, this was his manner: And ſo in the New Teſtament, as in the Old, he condemnes all ſuch to death, (and he is moſt righteous in ſo doing.) This is the ſumme.

It was a great while before this, though not full two thouſand yeares, when Zachary propheſyed, that God would cut off the falſe Prophet, in the 13. Zach. 2, 3. and if there were any falſe Prophet ſhould ariſe, his father and mother ſhould thruſt him p. 9through, becauſe he ſpake lyes in the name of the God of truth, he ſhould not live. And they ſpeak not of his Typicall death, that is, of his death by Church cenſure, or baniſhment, which have a kind of death in them; but they ſpeak of ſuch a death, as that he was not worthy to live; To caſt a lye upon the God of Truth, the Oracle of Truth. But long before Zachary, this was an ancient law of Moſes in the 13. Deut. this was a law, that falſe Prophets, they that turned Religion to the blood of a dead man, that did fundamentally pervert Religion, they ſhould not live. And minde the reaſon that God gives here, partly in this text, and partly in other Scriptures.

It is taken from the hainouſneſſe of blaſphemy in the 24. Lev. Reaſ. 1 16. He that blaſphemeth the name of God, ſhall ſurely be put to death. Every blaſphemer ſhall be put to death. Now we cannot excuſe Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites from groſſe blaſphemy, they that are acquainted with the Ladies Pſalter and Oryſons made to her, cannot but acknowledg ſundry blaſphemous ſpeeches in it, they make their Prayers to the Virgin Mary that ſhee would requeſt her father, and command her Sonne, and that by the power of a mothers right to forgive their ſinne, which if this be not blaſphemy, I confeſſe I know not what is, and in a high degree, unleſſe they ſhould ſay, he were no God at all, and that falls not far ſhort of it, to ſet a creature above God, and yet this is allowed as good devotion in the Church of Rome: It is true, if a man blaſpheme out of ignorance, as Paul did, in the 1 Tim. 1.13. or if a man blaſpheme unwillingly, as he did unwittingly, not knowing what he did, and he did compell ſome to blaſpheme, Act. 26.11. why if he compell them to Blaſpheme, thoſe that are compelled, they doe it unwillingly, but if men wittingly blaſpheme, knowing what they do, knowing Jeſus is God as well as man, and hath power to forgive ſins as he is God, and know the Virgin Mary hath neede of a Saviour, as all the daughters of men have, that they ſhall put upon her the power to command her Sonne to forgive ſinnes, this is ſuch blaſphemy, that hee that will ſtand to it, let him die the death; his blood ſhall bee upon him: If high treaſon againſt Princes on earth, may juſtly be puniſhed, by death, verily, this is as diſhonourable to the Lord of Heaven, and Prince of all the Princes of the earth.

p. 10Reaſ. 2 A ſecond reaſon is taken from the point of ſeducement: As all blaſphemous heretiques, ſo ſeducing heretiques are to be put to death. In that reſpect that whole 13. of Deut. is ſpent about the ſeducing of falſe prophets: and he puts a threefold gradation, If he be a Prophet, (therefore though never ſo ſeemingly holy by his place and gifts,) yet if he turn you away from the Lord your God, and draw you from the wayes of God, what then? thine eye ſhall not ſpare him, he ſhall ſurely be put to death, from the 1. ver. to 5. from the 6. ver. to 11. he will have no neereneſſe of blood to hinder from due execution of Iuſtice: but if it be thy brother, the ſonne of thy mother, or thy daughter, or the wife of th boſome, or thy friend, which is as thy own ſoule that ſhall goe about to ſeduce thee ſecretly, ſaying, let us goe and ſerve other Gods which thou haſt not known, thou ſhalt not conſent unto him, nor hearken unto him, thine eye ſhall not ſpare him, neither ſhalt thou conceale him, but thou ſhalt ſurely kill him, thine hand ſhall be firſt upon him to put him to death, &c. from the 12. ver. to the end. If there be never ſo many that ſhall joyn, if a whole City ſhall joyn together in ſuch a courſe, thou ſhalt riſe againſt, and deſtroy the City, and burne it with fire, and leave not a ſtone upon a ſtone which ſhall not be thrown down, in utter deteſtation of that wickedneſſe: And he gives a notable reaſon for it, why a ſeducer ſhould be thus dealt withall, becauſe, ſaith he, he ſeekes to turne thee away from thy way, and to thruſt thee away from the Lord thy God, to turne thee off either by deceit, or to thruſt thee off by eaneſt perſwaſions; and therefore leſt you ſhould think theſe falſe prophets faile onelyonly in the object of worſhip, and not in manner of worſhipping, therefore conſider in the 22. Ioſh. when the two tribes and a halfe ſet up an Altar by Iordan, although they thought not they would bring in another object of worſhip, but another manner of worſhip, (here is but another way of worſhip, whether mediation or ſatisfaction of Gods wrath deviſed) the whole ten Tribes riſe up, and ſend a ſufficient Company or Troop of Militarie men to goe and expoſtulate with them, and know whether it were true; and either they would reclaime them from it by argument, or make warre againſt them; and they had cut off two Tribes and an halfe, if they had found another Altar for worſhip: Now he that ſets up another Mediator or Mediation, Saint or Angel, he ſets up as great a matter as another Altar; or he that brings in other mens p. 11merits, he brings in another Altar: Therefore by the ancient Lawes of that unchangeable God that thought it unſufferable in thoſe dayes, he thinks it unſufferable now that Prieſts and Jeſuites ſhould bring in other Altars, other Mediations and Mediators, as Prayers of Saints and Angels; the Lord looks at it as deeply meritorious of a bloudy death, as in former times. He is the ſame God, and his zeale and jealouſie is deeply provoked againſt the like kind of viciouſneſſe now as ever it was then. That is a ſecond Argument.

And yet in point of ſeducement, this I will ſay, that if a man upon conviction ſhall ſee the wickedneſſe of his way, and humble his ſoule before God, and give ſatisfaction to the Church and State where he ſhall be convinced, on ſuch conviction and repentance, we find liberty to pardon; but yet ſtigmatize him, as in the 13. of Zach. If the Prophet, ſhall repent, and ſay, I am no Prophet, nor the ſonne of a Prophet, but an Husbandman, and my father taught me to keep beaſts or ſheep, and therefore he will not weare a rough garment to deceive; And if any man aske him, What are thoſe wounds in thine hands? he ſhall anſwer, Thoſe with which I was wounded in the houſe of my friends, Zach. 13.4, 5, 6. That ſhews in ſuch a caſe they ſaved his life, but they inflict ſome puniſhment on him, to carry away with him. And this is ſpoken not of the dayes of the Old Teſtament, but it is written to be done when there is a fountain opened to the houſe of David, and to the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem, for ſinne and for uncleanneſſe, in the 1. ver. And in the 7. ver. when the Lord calls for a ſword againſt his Shepheard, and againſt the man that is his fellow, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and his companions his diſciples, He will ſmite the ſhepheard, and the ſheep ſhall be ſcattered, (and thoſe are the dayes of the New Teſtament) in thoſe times it is, when the Prophets ſhall be thus cut off that riſe up to ſeduce the people of God.

And a third Reaſon is taken from the due deſert of ſoul-murther: Reaſ. 3 There is none of all theſe Prieſts, or Jeſuites, or Heretiques, that ſin in the like kind, corrupting the precious truth of God, in the very foundations of it; but they worry and devour the ſoules of Gods people, I meane thoſe that ſhould not die, (though Gods elect cannot be ſeduced) yet thoſe whom we ought to looke at, that ſhould not be thus murthered, and brought to death by ſuch means. In the 7. Mat. 15. Beware of p. 12falſe Prophets which come unto you in ſheeps cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves: Is it not an acceptable ſervice to the whole Countrey to cut off the ravenous wolves? what is the wolfe to the ſheep? is he not the very death of them all that he lights on, or fall in his jawes? ſo is it with the ſheep of Chriſt, that fall into the jawes of theſe Romiſh ravenous wolves.

It is ſaid of thoſe falſe teachers, 2 Timoth. 2.18. They deſtroyed the faith of ſome, who concerning the truth, have erred: And in the 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3. he tels us, There ſhall be falſe teachers amongst them, that ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and ſhall bring upon themſelves ſwift deſtruction, &c. They ſhall make merchandiſe of you, as the Church of Rome, and her fountaines and rivers doe; they make merchandiſe of the ſoules of men, Rev. 18.13. Now to make merchandiſe of an Iſraelite, as in the 21. Exod. 16. it is a capitall crime, He that ſtealeth a man, and ſelleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he ſhall ſurely be put to death. Now theſe ſell men, and engage them to perpetuall bondage, under their tyrannie, both in doctrine, and worſhip, and government. This murther of ſoules is juftly a capitall crime; as Moſes ſaid before, If they thruſt thee from thy God, and will not let thee walke with him, let not thine eye ſpare ſuch kinde of corrupters and deſperate deluders.

Reaſ. 4 The fourth reaſon is taken from that which the Iuſtitia Britanniae ſtands moſt upon, and becomes States-men to doe; and that is the conſpiracie and treaſon againſt the State: And that unavoidably, by ſuffering ſuch locuſt to run up and downe the Countrey, to poiſon the hearts of men, by their corrupt wayes and meanes: for theſe Miniſters, they doe unavoidably, not accidentally, but they unavoidably draw men from their Allegeance due to their Native Prince, to a forraine State: For if a Prince ſhould profeſſe Proteſtant Religion, (which is the true Religion) and thereupon be excommunicate by the Biſhop of Rome, what then? then by the Lawes of their State he is depoſed from his throne.

And they doe notably abuſe the old type of Leproſie for this: Vzziah being once ſmitten with leproſie, then the High Prieſt removes him from the Temple of the Lord, and p. 13he may not be ſuffered any more to governe; for if once the Lord finite a man with leproſie in his judgement, (and indeed, let hereſie be one kinde of leproſie) if the Prieſt pronounce him ſo, then he is cut off from the government of the Countrey, then his people are not ſubject to him, and ſo ſubjects are freed from their fidelity to their naturall Prince, which is a notable abuſe of that place: For God doth not intend that the authority of any Miniſter or Prieſt in the Old or New Teſtament ſhould ſo farre prevaile, that what they did in the Old Teſtament to Vzziah, ſhould take off Princes from their Goverment in the New: For even in the old Teſtament they ſtill retained the Crown, though their power of execution was delegated to another; and that not by the High-Prieſts appointment, but by himſelfe.

But as things were with them, ſo though not in the ſame kinde, but in a typicall way, it befalls Princes in the New Teſtament. If a man were found a Leper in the Old Teſtament, hee was ſequeſtred from the adminiſtration of his Kingdome, and from his owne houſe, Leviticus 13.46. he muſt not live in the Campe, or in the Towne or Village, but alone, and in a ſeparate place by himſelfe, (as thoſe that are ſick of the Peſtilence in our Native Countrey) they are not ſuffered to live in the towne, but in Peſt-houſes, unleſſe there be a generall infection.

But this thing muſt not be applyed in the letter to the ſtate of the Church, in the New Teſtament; for Leproſie was not onelyonly a type of ſcandalous, infectious ſins, but it was alſo a bodily, noyſome, infectious diſeaſe, and made a man unfit for civill commerce.

Moreover, as Leproſie was alſo a type of ſcandalous and infectious ſinnes, ſo the ſequeſtring of Vzziah from the Temple, doth type forth, not that Chriſtian Kings ſhould be ſeparate from their thrones; For he that gives to a man a Kingdome, or any earthly eſtate, doth not debarre that man from his houſe, if he be a private man, nor from his government, if he be a publique perſon.

But what is the Kingdome that is typed out?

It is the Kingdome of the glory of CHRIST JESUS: If therefore hee be ſhut out from the holy Temple p. 12duplicate page p. 13duplicate page p. 14of Iſrael, he is ſhut out from the Kingdome of Heaven indeed, that is true; for what is done by the Churches of God on earth, is bound in Heaven: But yet Chriſt Jeſus never thought it meete to ſeparate any by any Church power, from communion with his wife and children, thoſe whom nature bound him to; nor from his ſervants and ſubjects, whom civill engagements bound unto him; but only from intereſt in the ſpirituall communion of the ſeals of immortality, and yet but for a ſeaſon, for the healing of his ſoule, not for the deſtroying of his perſon or ſtate, but otherwiſe to exclude them from their own houſes, or Kingdomes, or from any civill right, it was never Gods counſell nor meaning in the New Teſtament: But now the contrary being the doctrine of the Church of Rome, and on that ground juſtified. When Princes are excommunicated, they doe depoſe them, and being depoſed, diſcharge ſubjects from their allegeance, and then judge you what treaſon redownds to Chriſtian Princes, and what conſpiracie and rebellion groweth in the ſtate of a Kingdome, when ſome take part with the King depoſed, and others with him that is ſubſtituted by the Pope; and ſo there is Treaſon both againſt Prince, and State, and Kingdome. And therefore it is an ancient juſtice of God, that hath ſo ordered it, that thoſe that ſhall draw Gods people from the Allegeance of their Prince, ſhall be judged Traitors, and ſuffer paine of death.

Reaſ. 5 And for a fift reaſon, (mentioned in the Text) it is taken from the law of retaliation; that look how men have dealt with others, they ſhould be ſo dealt withall themſelves. Now theſe Prieſts and Jeſuites, and their Abettors, in the time of Queene Mary, and Henry the eighth, and all the Kings ſince, the Statute againſt Lollards in England, as alſo againſt the Hugonites in France, if a man were ſuſpected of hereticall pravity, and pronounced guilty thereof by the Church, he was to be delivered to the ſecular power; onelyonly he might have leave to conſider of it: But if he fell againe, there was no hope of merciemercy, but he muſt looke for bloud, as if he were no better then a child of death: And yet they were men that never troubled the State, but quietly ſuffered for their Religion and Conſcience: So that theſe Jeſuites and Prieſts, delivering up ſo many innocent Lambs of Chriſt, Miniſters of the Goſpel, and holy Saints, to the Secular power, to be burnt at the ſtake in Smithfield, and p. 15elſewhere, and the Abettors of theſe Prieſts and Jeſuites, being very zealous to cut off ſuch Lollards from the land of the living, it is juſt and right with God, They have given thy Saints and Prophets bloud to drinke, and therefore looke as they have meaſured to others, it is meaſured to them, by the ancient Law of God, that is the ſame, and will be for ever, Rev. 13.10. He that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed by the ſword. So you ſee this point is plaine, That upon the diſcovery of the deadly corruption of the Religion in the Romiſh Sea, it was the righteous judgement of God, and ſuch as argued him to be unchangeable, and ever the ſame, that the Prieſts ands Jeſuites which carryed the waters of that Sea, that Religion up and downe the Nation, ſhould be condemned to a bloody death: you ſee the truth of the point, and the reaſons of it.

For the uſe of the point, it may firſt ſerve to juſtifie the holy Vſe 1 and righteous equity of all thoſe laws above mentioned, whether in England or Holland, for putting Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites to death, and there was a like law alſo made in France, upon the murther of Henry the fourth, that all Jeſuites ſhould be put away out of the Countrey, and their ſtudies demoliſhed, &c. but they made it in policie: But the Text ſpeakes of England and Holland, it was a juſt and righteous law, that theſe rivers and fountains of waters ſhould become blood: you ſee there is blaſphemy in their worſhip againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, they doe ſeduce the people of God, and turne them from the Lord, and thruſt them from him, by their juſtification by workes, by their callings on Saints and Angels, and truſting in other Mediators beſides the Lord Jeſus in the interceſſion of Saints and Angels: It hath beene a juſt hand of God, that they that worry (like ravenous wolves) the ſoules of Gods people, ſhould themſelves be worried: that they that have made firebrands of Chriſtians, ſhould drinke blood themſelves; they that over-whelmed Chriſtians in confuſion and tumult, it is juſt with God, that they ſhould be over-whelmed; they that have beene ſo buſie in putting to death innocents, that they ſhould alſo be put to death: you ſee this is juſt with God, it is well becomming to the unchangeable righteouſneſſe of God: thus it was in the old Teſtament, and why ſhould it be changed in the new?

You will ſay it was but a typicall matter then, and you Ob. p. 16muſt looke for a ſpirituall death in the New Teſtament.

Why I pray you Brethren conſider,

1. Anſw. The Papiſts are not of that mind, but they execute it in the letter; they have put to death the Prophets and ſervants of God in the letter; hunted them up and downe; the Inquiſition is incomparably more bloudy then any other other Butchery. They doe not, nor may not plead any ſuch thing; they beleeve it is true in the letter. And let me ſay further, the holy Ghoſt makes it as true in the letter; this Text is in the New Teſtament, not in the Old, Thou haſt given them bloud to drinke, for they are worthy: and he ſpeaks of the very bloud of the hearts of men: And it is parallel with Gods juſtice of old; it was juſt then, and it is juſt now. Zachary intends the dayes of the New Teſtament, though written in the Old, that when a fountaine is opened to the houſe of David, and inhabitants of Ieruſalem, for ſinne and for uncleanneſſe, then the father and mother of a falſe Prophet ſhall accuſe him to the Magiſtrate, and ſhall ſay unto him, He ſhall not live. Was it an abomination then to ſpeak lyes in the Name of the Lord, and no leſſe then blaſphemie, and ſhall it be more favourably interpreted now? A man may now ſpeak a lye, and bring in a falſe Chriſt, a falſe Mediator, and falſe meanes of ſatisfaction, and falſe merits, now he may without perill of his life, in the Old Teſtament he might not. Why but was it not ſufficient to have a ſpirituall judgement? Even they had ſpirituall judgements then; but God ſaw it meet to inflict ſome temporall judgement as well as ſpirituall, and is now his judgement changed?

Beſides, are not Moſes Morall Lawes of perpetuall equity, and therefore to be obſerved in all Ages? Is blaſphemy more tolerable in the New Teſtament, or thruſting men away from God? is it not as odious now as then? Is not murther of ſoules as damnable now as then? Is not conſpiracie and ſedition as damnable and capital now as then? Is not the law of retaliation as juſt in the New Teſtament as in the old? and therefore a man would wonder that ſuch frivolous interpretations ſhould come into the hearts of men, to hinder the free paſſage of the juſtice of God, on ſuch notorious offenders.

Ob. But you will ſay, Conſcience ſhould not be forced, and men ſhould not be put to death for their conſcience.

Anſw. Why doe you thinke Heretiques were not as conſcionable in p. 17the Old Teſtament as now? If any man had a conſcience to turn men from God, he would have men of as much conſcience to cut them off; if they make no conſcience of the blaſpheming the name of God, the Lord would have, men make no conſcience of cutting them off from breathing in the aire of God; If men make no conſcience of murthering ſoules, or raiſing ſedition, and tumult, and murthering men better then themſelves, the Lord would have men make no conſcience of paying every man in his owne kind.

But let me anſwer again, But mark what I ſay, the Lord will eaſily provide for this, and ſo he doth: and in England I am ſure he hath, (what in Holland I know not, but) he hath provided there, That if a Jeſuite or Prieſt, or their abettors, ſhall come in, and take the oath of fidelity to the State, and ſo carry matters before ſome Juſtice of Peace, the Law diſchargeth them from capitall puniſhment: And the Law of God in the New Teſtament is, that ſuch ſhould be once or twice admoniſhed, but if he ſtill continue, the Apoſtle would have him caſt out of the Church; the Church hath no farther power; if they be proceeded with farther, it muſt be by the Magiſtrate: Him that is an heretique, ofter once or twice admonition, reject, knowing that he that is ſuch, is ſubverted, &c. So that it muſt be for Fundamentall Articles of Religion in doctrine or worſhip, which are ſo clearly delivered in the Word, that no man that underſtands Scripture, and the wayes of ſalvation, but may be ſatisfied in conſcience what is the holy and acceptable will of God in ſuch points; and therefore he takes it for granted, if a man be once or twice admoniſhed, he is convinced of himſelfe, he is ſubverted, he is turned off from the foundation, that now no man is put to death for his conſcience, but for ſinning againſt the light of his conſcience; his owne conſcience hath convinced him, and the light of the Word is ſo cleare, as cannot but convince him, that the way of God runnes juſt quite contrary to his interpretation and ſeducement: And therefore now if you ſinne, you ſinne againſt conſcience, and therefore you juſtly ſuffer for being ſubverted, and turned off from the foundation, from Chrift Jeſus, and holding another foundation, and perſiſting therein obſtinately. So there are two things in an heretique, he is both ſubverted himſelfe, as an houſe from the foundation, it is againſt the foundation of Religion; p. 18and he holdeth out obſtinately againſt light of conſcience, with ſtubbornneſſe; and now in ſuch a caſe thine eye ſhall not ſpare him. A ſoule that ſins of ignorance, may be pardoned, but if he ſtill continue obſtinate, thine eye ſhall not ſpare him; the wrath of God now goes out againſt a perſon, againſt a City; if it were againſt a Tribe, they goe about by force of Armes to redreſſe it; they ſhall not ſuffer ſuch in a Country. This is then the Anſwer to the ſecond Objection, and ſtill juſtifies the equity of that Law.

Obj. 3 There is a third Objection, Ay, but is it not written, that you ſhall ſuffer tares to grow with the wheat, leſt while ye gather up the tares, ye root up alſo the wheat with them? Mat. 13.30. Now our Saviour tending to clemencie and moderation, he ſaith, Let both grow together untill the harveſt, &c.

Anſw. Ay, but tares and wheat, they may grow together, but he doth not ſay, ye may ſuffer bryars and thorns to grow with them, for then you choak all the wheat: And therefore it hath been a falſe interpretation of the Popiſh ſort, and taken up by the Anabaptiſts, that tares ſignifie indifferently all ſorts of wicked men; but I know none that expound them better then Ierome, and none ſo well; the tares are very like the wheat in Jury; what they are in other Countries I know not, but they are like to the wheat there, and you will not know the difference in the greene blade, nor in the ſpindling, untill it grows towards the harveſt, then you will finde it but an empty eare and thin, and yet it grows ſo cloſe with the other wheat, and like it, that if you pluck it up, you may pluck up the wheat with it, let therefore both grow together till the harveſt.

What is then meant by Tares? Not ſuch as ſinne through obſtinacie, but hyhocrites that are like the ſervants of God, that you would think they are ſuch; after you diſcover them, they are empty eares; and hollow, have no fatneſſe of graine, and that is indeed none of the wheat. Now let Hypocrites grow together with the Elect, doe not caſt them out meerly for hypocriſie, though you finde them halting, unleſſe they break forth to ſcandalous behaviour, either in doctrine, or worſhip, or converſation, as they appeare to be bryars and thornes; if they be manifeſt fruits of the curſe, away with them, Why cumber you the ground? for elſe you ſhall neither have Church cenſure, nor cavill to ſtand. Such notorious wicked perſons, adulterers, Idolaters, p. 19railers, refractory and ſcandalous perſons, drunkards, and the like, are not tares; we muſt not abuſe Scripture, that becauſe tares and hypocrites are ſuffered, therefore refractory, ſcandalous, notorious wicked men and heretiques may be ſuffered; no, that is not the meaning, they are not ears, you may ſee them afar off; you ſhall not need to feare rooting up the wheat by cutting off them, the wheat is nothing like them. So you ſee the firſt Uſe, to juſtifie the equity and ſoveraignty of ſuch capitall puniſhments on Prieſts and Jeſuites, and conſequently on ſuch as bring in other Gods, or another way of worſhipping the true God, then that wherein we may enjoy fellowſhip with the true God, the juſtice and ſuitableneſſe of it to the holy will of God, ſince there were any Lawes made amongſt Gods people.

For a ſecond Uſe, it may ſerve to reprove the carnall and ſinfull Vſe 2 fooliſh pity that is found in any State, that ſhall be ſparing, of ſpilling ſuch bloud of the Prieſts and Jeſuites: It is you ſee contrary to the unchangeable juſtice of God; the Lord loathes this kinde of lenity, and gentleneſſe, and indulgence, and toleration of ſuch kind of perſons, and ordinary receivings of them; if men will ſuffer ſuch in the State, truly they ſhall doe it to the ſubverſion of their owne ſafeties and dignities, and diſturb their whole State. It is a very ſad ſpeech which the Lord utters in the 48. Ier. 10. Curſed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; and curſed is he that keepeth back his ſword from bloud, when the Lord calls us to ſheath the ſword of Authority in ſuch kind of delinquents as theſe be; if we ſhall now ſpare them, and neglect this work of God, curſed be ſuch. A State ſhall be ſeparate from God, and a Kingdome more and more corrupt and leavened, by ſuch toleration; the wrath of God will break forth, tumults, and ſeditions, and all kind of ſcandalous, and unrighteous, and ungodly proceedings will ſet a whole Kingdome in combuſtion, Church and Common-wealth at variance: There can be no peace to ſuch a State, where ſuch perſons are tolerated: And therefore we may feare the righteous hand of God, in diſturbing the Countrey whereto wee owe ſo much love and faithfulneſſe, if there be a ſuſpending of the holy and righteous Law of God; that theſe rivers and fountaines ſhould drinke of bloud, for they are worthy.

Thirdly, this may ſerve to teach all Magiſtrates and Governours Vſe 3 in every Common-wealth, to looke that all your Lawes, p. 20duplicate page p. 21duplicate page p. 22duplicate page p. 23duplicate page p. 24duplicate page p. 25duplicate page p. 26duplicate page p. 27duplicate page p. 28duplicate page p. 29duplicate page p. 30duplicate page p. 31duplicate page p. 32duplicate page p. 33duplicate page p. 34duplicate page p. 35duplicate page p. 1duplicate page p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6duplicate page p. 7duplicate page p. 8duplicate page p. 9duplicate page p. 10duplicate page p. 11duplicate page p. 12duplicate page p. 13duplicate page p. 12duplicate page p. 13duplicate page p. 14duplicate page p. 15duplicate page p. 16duplicate page p. 17duplicate page p. 18duplicate page p. 19duplicate page p. 20be righteous lawes: If you will act any thing juſtly, the Lord takes it as his act, he is the actor of it. And therefore though this Law was made by Queene Elizabeth, with the conſent of the whole body of the Parliament, and though her Secretary, by her direction and conſent, publiſhed the juſtice of the Law, the Text ſaith, it is the Lord, Thou art juſt and righteous, juſt and true are thy wayes, becauſe thou haſt judged thus: They have ſhed the bloud of Saints and Prothets, they have given them bloud, and thou haſt given them bloud to drinke, for they are worthy. Even ſo, ſaith another Angel, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgements. If there be any wholſome and juſt Law in a Kingdome, the Lord ownes it as his owne, and it is to be obeyed as a righteous Law of God; if it be unjuſt, it is not Gods, for his law is juſt, an adequate rule of righteouſneſſe. So that what ever is leſſe then the Law of God, if it ſuit not with the Law of God, and keep correſpondencie therewith, you cannot ſay it is a Law of God: Therefore Law givers, and Law makers, ſhould ever have reſpect what doth the Lord our God ſay; If it be Gods Law, and Gods will, let it be eſtabliſhed; if not, let it be antiquiated: But if you can finde a hint from the Law of God for it, then let it ſtand.

Vſe 4 And fourthly, this muſt teach confederate States, or ſuch States, whether neere for co-habitation, or farther off; if they heare of others proceedings, it is good to confirme what they have juſtly done. Queene Elizabeth makes a Law in the yeere 84. againſt Prieſts and Jeſuites, the Decree is righteous, when others heare of this righteous ſection, they make it alſo a capitall crime for any ſuch perſons to be found amongſt them; if it be capitall in England, it is ſo in Holland, they will require it of the necks of them that ſhall be found delinquent. What then? This is Even ſo, one State muſt ſay Even ſo upon the juſt act of another; and they muſt record it in their Statutes, unleſſe there be ſome apparent diſſimilitude, which is not in caſe of this nature; for there is the ſame equity in all Ages, and all Nations, and therefore it is for them to ſay Amen, or Even ſo to it: And what is that? It is no more but this, If you enact a Law which is in another Countrey, you ſay Amen to Gods juſtice in your own Countrey, as others doe in theirs.

Vſe 5 The fift Uſe that you may make of this Point, is, to teach you a tender reſpect in all lawes to the judicials of Moſes, to all the p. 21judiciall laws of Moſes, that are built upon moral equity; that is, where the reaſon of a Law holds in one Nation as well as in another; in the New Teſtament as in the Old. There are ſundry Laws particular to that Polity, which had peculiar reaſons for them, as to marry in their kindred, to keep their inheritance to their Tribe, we have not that reaſon: But where the Laws are of like morall reaſon, as will hold in all Ages, and in all Countreys, as it is in all the capitall Laws of Moſes, there is no reaſon why a Jew ſhould be put to death for point of Adultery, or Inceſt, or for ſtealling a man, and ſelling him to a Pagan, more then a Chriſtian. I ſay therefore look what was the Law of God by Moſes, if it were of perpetuall reaſon and equity, it lyes on every Common-wealth to eſtabliſh the ſame, and to take your ſelves as much bound to it as the Jews, why? for the Text tels us, the very righteouſneſſe of God is in it: And looke as he was then a hater ofall wickednes with a perfect hatred, and as he was juſt, ſo he is ſtill, hereſie is no more pleaſing to him, nor blaſphemy, nor ſeducing, nor to change the way of his worſhip, and to draw men to wayes wherein they cannot enjoy the Lord in peace; murder of ſoules is no more welcome to him now, then of old. And therefore if there were a Law to puniſh ſuch with capitall puniſhment, it is a like juſtice of God to enjoyne ſuch Laws in every Chriſtian Common-wealth. And therefore if we look at Gods juſtice as unchangeable, we may not prevaricate judiciall laws, ſetting aſide ſome typicall conſiderations, or ſome peculiar conſideration, in regard of their Polity: But ſuch as were to puniſh men by death, or were received on morall equity and ground, looke what was for them to doe there, is the ſame proportion for us; put the ſame caſe, and you will finde the like reaſon for the ſame puniſhment. It is true, ſome ceremonies were there puniſhed with death, and ſo the like kind of profaning the Sabbath, is as juſtly puniſhable with us, if profaned with an high hand; to gather ſticks with an high hand, in contempt of the Sabbath of the Lord, is as juſtly puniſhable with death now as then. And ſo you may ſay of any other law juſtly puniſhable by death, and that are built on perpetuall moral equity, Our God is the ſame God that he was; and ſo you ſhall have him count that righteous whiles the world ſtands.

For a ſixt. This may ſerve to take off a corrupt interpretation Vſe 6 which ſome have made of this place, or a collection that they p. 22have gathered from hence, that the Angels of God are deputed to ſeverall offices; here is one Angel of the waters; and ſome are deputed to governe the earth, ſome fire, ſome the waters and ſea, as I might tell you, if it were meet to trouble you with humane inventions, and collections of mens braines; the collection is chiefly grounded on this place, but it is wholly miſtaken, for the Angel of the waters here is not any particular Angel of God, any of thoſe heavenly ſpirits, but the Angels and Miniſters of Gods juſtice, upon metaphoricall ſeas and waters. It is true, thoſe here were Governours of the narrow ſeas, and the that gave commiſſion to execute the righteous judgement of God upon thoſe rivers, ſhe was Admirall of the narrow ſeas, but that is not the meaning. But the Angel that poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, it is he or ſhe that did execute the righteous judgment of God upon the Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuites; and that did both Queene Elizabeth, and he that had a great hand in executing that judgement, and the Angel from under the Altar, they ratified that Law, and juſtified it when they had done. Now it is true, the Angels of God aſſiſt the ſervants of God in this glorious work, but they are ſent forth, indifferently, to protect Gods ſervants by ſea or by land: And I finde no Scripture to ſhew that they are more particularly ſent to the ſea, or to the earth, but indifferently to protect Gods ſervants in their out-goings and in-commings.

Vſe 7 Laſtly, it may ſerve to teach us a true eſtimation of Miniſters. If Popiſh Prieſts be rivers and fountaines of waters, drinking bloud, becauſe they have made Gods ſervants and Prophets drink bloud, then it ſhews what place other Miniſters be in, where the ſea is cleare as glaſſe, like chryſtall, where you may ſee the face of Chriſt as in a glaſſe, 2 Cor. 3.18. what then? where the ſea is pure, all Miniſters of the Countrey, and Elders of Churches, carry forth the doctrine and worſhip of Chriſt, they are as rivers and fountaines, and being living water, rivers of freſh water, and water all the Countrey. This is the office of of them, in oppoſition to thoſe in 2 Pet. 2.17. that are wells without water, without ſweet water. Godly Miniſters therefore are fountaines of ſweet water, and from them iſſue forth ſtreames of living water. In Pſal. 88. ult. All my freſh ſprings are in thee. I would onelyonly apply it thus, and leave it and the Text with the time: That therefore looke as a man when he would goe forth p. 23to a new Plantation, or ſit downe in any place, or if he would ſet his dwelling houſe in a place, he would wiſely fore-caſt to have a fountaine of living water, a living ſpring neere to his houſe, or ſome ſweet ſpring run neere him. Why? If he be without freſh water, it is a great want for the proviſion of his houſhold: Water they muſt have, either a freſh tiver, or a freſh ſpring, the one of the two; if they can have both, they covet both: and there is great need of both, not onelyonly to quench fire, and water gardens, &c. but for boiling of meat and drink, waſhing of cloathes, and ſundry victuals. Water is ever neceſſary, as any thing; nothing more. This is mens care, when they goe about Plantations, or whether they plant townes or villages, or their owne dwelling houſes, they have a care to provide for freſh water. All I would ſay is this, Take heed you doe not provide for fountaines of ordinary water, and neglect rivers of ſweet water: That is, beware of going about ſuch work, without carrying ſuch fountaines with you, as may from the ſea of pure Religion, pure doctrine, and pure worſhip, carry forth ſome ſuch ſweet ſtreams as may make glad the hearts of your families, and Church of God where you goe.

But you will ſay, Have not Chriſtians ſo much liberty, a Ob. company of godly men liberty to enter into covenant, and make ſome beginning of things, and ſo call ſome or other, whom they know are well gifted men, furniſhed with gifts, may we not call them to come and help us, and have we not that liberty purchaſed by the bloud of the Lord Jeſus?

All this is true brethren, I would infringe no part of it: OnelyOnly Anſw. this let me ſay, you would be loth to provide no better for temporals, you would be loth to ſet a towne where there are no rivers nor fountaines; and if you doe ſit downe where there are no fountaines, yet you have liberty to fetch water from other places, Chriſt hath purchaſed it: True, he hath purchaſed all liberties for his Church, but you will not think it wiſdome to ſit downe where there are no rivers, becauſe you have no right to them by the bloud of Jeſus; that would not be a ſufficient reaſon in things concerning this naturall life: why then doe not build further on the bloud of Chriſt for ſpirituall rivers, then you will doe for naturall; but rather prize ſpirituall rivers above naturall, as more worthy then all naturall comforts to be looked after. Therefore when ever you are about ſuch a work as this, p. 24take the Lord Jeſus Chriſt along with you, and take rivers and fountaines of waters; that as you look for rivers and fountains for the refreſhment of your cattle, and ſervants, and children, you may finde a living fountaine of the bloud of Chriſt, conveighed and running in the plantation where you intend to ſit downe; otherwiſe you will finde the ſprings there, and the fountains and rivers you ſit downe by, riſe up in judgement againſt you, that theſe are the things you ſought for, and out of regard to theſe, you left the fountains and rivers of Gods houſe, the ordinances of God behind you, and goe and live in the outmoſt corners of a countrey, or in ſome other countrey, all is one; Therefore ſit downe no where without good Miniſters, if it be poſſible, and ſure poſſible it is, elſe Chriſtians may reſolve to tarry where they are, as Ezra tarried by the river Ahava, in the 8. of Ezra 15. till he had got ſome Levites to goe with them, that they might goe and make a comfortable worke of it, that they might not leave the Ordinances behind them; and yet there were ſome there before, whither they went. It is true, ſome may goe and make a beginning, but yet never make a beginning, but where you may come and partake of the waters of Gods houſe every Lords day, and let them that cannot ſo travell, let them continue where they are, and drink of the waters of eternall life, rather then run ſuch hazards. You have ſeene when ſome have made a beginning without Miniſters, they have ſtaid three or foure yeeres before they have got any help, and when they have got them, they have had much adoe to ſettle: they have been ſuddenly unſettled, though they have not gone raſhly about it, but with good advice: but for want of this there, not taking theſe rivers and fountaines with them, they have been at a loſſe, and therefore in ſuch a caſe let it be the wiſdome of ſincere hearted Chriſtians, that come from old England for liberty and purity of Ordinances, not to leave them now for freſh medows and fountaines: and for want of planting ground, and the like, it will not be ſuitable to theſe ends for which you left your native Countrey.