The Song of Moses, Sermon

The Song of Moses · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE the Honorable Houſe of COMMONS, on the 15. of Iune 1643. being the day of their publique THANKS GIVING.

HOnorable and Beloved, were the ſtrength of my body, and my furniture of wiſdome, learning, and grace, in any degree anſwerable to the ſervice of this Day, I could not but exceedingly rejoyce, in being called to this work, in this place, at this time. For having been lately reſtored from the gates of death, what greater mercy could I wiſh, then to praiſe God in the great Congregation? and having been reported over the whole Kingdom, to have altered my former judgement, concerning this juſt cauſe of the Parliaments Defenſive Arms: yea that the horrour of my guilt, in adhering to this Cauſe, had diſtracted me, and made me mad, can I look upon it otherwiſe then as a great and publike taking off this reproach, by being called to exerciſe my poor talent, in that Aſſembly which is the whole Kingdom by Repreſentation, and at this time, to be a furtherer p. 2of your joy and thankfulneſſe, for Almightie Gods watchfull eye and powerfull hand thus wonderfully manifeſted againſt the deſperate and bloody Deſignes of thoſe that would deſtroy you? But I fear, leſt this which is ſo many wayes a favour to me, ſhould prove your loſſe through my weakneſſe, which would not permit me to ſtudy much in private, and I fear will diſable me in the publike delivering that little which God hath brought to my hand; yet this doth encourage me, I have abundant experience of your Candor, and I know that both with God and man, where there is firſt a willing mind, (eſpecially in a day & ſervice of Thankſgiving) it is accepted according 2 Cor 8. 12.2 Cor 8:12to what a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

Yea, I have one encouragement more, that Gods providence hath directed me to ſuch a Text, which is not onelyonly ſutable to our meeting, and ſervice, but ſo really intended by the Spirit of God, for your time and work, that the very reading of it, (though an hour together) might exceedingly affect you, if once you have the true meaning of it; which Text you ſhall finde written in

REVEL. 15. 3, 4. read alſo ver. 2.

Verſe 2. And I ſaw as it were a ſea of glaſſe mingled The Text.with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the Beaſt, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the number of his Name, ſtand on the ſea of glaſſe, having the harps of God.

3. And they ſung the ſong of Moſes, the ſervant of God, and the ſong of the Lambe, ſaying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty: juſt and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints.

p. 34. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name? for thou onelyonly art holy, for all Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee, for thy judgements are made manifeſt.

THis Text, though it be a part of the Apocalyps, the darkeſt, and moſt myſticall Book in all the Scriptures, and therefore thought generally hard to be underſtood, yet time (one of the beſt Interpreters of Prophecies) hath produced the events anſwering the types ſo full and clear, that we have the whole Army of Proteſtant Interpreters agreeing in the generall ſcope and meaning of it, which in a few words be pleaſed to take thus:

A great part of this Book, is a ſetting out the conflicting ſtate of the Church (under the great Apoſtaſie) with the Antichriſt, the heavieſt and foreſt enemy which ever the Church had; and this Antichriſtian power and dominion is ſet forth (as other Kingdoms elſewhere are) by a ſyſteme of the world, wherein are earth, water, air, ſunne, moon, ſtarres, a King, a Metropoliticall City, Provinces, People, &c. an Antichriſtian Empire, an Antichriſtian World; and this great Monarchy of Antichriſt hath the time of its riſing, its triumphant reigning, its declining, and ruine, and the ſtate of the Church of Chriſt under all theſe, clearly foretold in this Book. And (to ſay nothing of his riſing, and reigne) his ruine is deſcribed in this fifteenth, and ſixteenth Chapter, under the Type of ſeven Angels, pouring out ſeven vials full of the wrath of God: the ſeven vialls being ſo many degrees of the Beaſts, or Antichriſts ruine: which ſtory of the vialls, the Holy Ghoſt ſets down two p. 4wayes, firſt generally, in the fifteenth Chapter, ſecondly more particularly, in the ſixteenth Chapter.

In the generall deſcription of them in this fifteenth Chapter, we have firſt the circumſtance of the place, where this Viſion was ſeen, whence theſe Angels came, that is, heaven: I ſaw another ſigne in heaven, verſe 1. that is, the true Church, whereof Chriſt is King, oppoſed to the world, wherein Antichriſt reigns, as beyond all doubt, may be cleared out of the fourth Chapter of this Book, which is the Stage of all the Apocalypticall viſions. Secondly, we have the things themſelves, or the marvellous ſignes which were ſeen in this place, and they are three.

Firſt, The behaviour of the true Church of Chriſt, during 1.this time of the pouring out of the vialls, ver. 2, 3, 4.

Secondly, The deſcription of the ſeven Angels, the 2.inſtruments who were to pour out theſe vialls, their apparatus, qualifications, and furniture, they come out of the temple, clothed in pure and white linnen, and having their breaſts girded with golden girdles; Habitu & cluctu ſacerdotali ornati, like the Prieſts of God, Ezek. 44. 17, 18. pure worſhippers.

Thirdly, A deſcription of the Church, in reference 3.to Chriſts preſence with it, his owning, and protecting it, though after a more dark manner, verſ. 8. The Temple was filled with ſmoak, from the glory of God, and from his power, &c. alluding to Gods taking poſſeſſion of the Tabernacle; Exod. 40. 34. and of Solomons Temple, 1 King. 8. 10, 11. The firſt of theſe I am to deal with at this time, viz. The behaviour of the Church during the time of the pouring out the vialls. Wherein obſerve two things, firſt, their ſtate, verſe 2. ſecondly, their work, verſe 3, 4. Their ſtate; I ſaw as it were a ſea p. 5of glaſſe mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the Beaſt, &c. ſtand on the ſea of glaſſe, having the harps of God. This ſea of glaſſe, or cryſtall, is deſcribed Chap. 4. 6. placed before the Throne, alluding to the great Laver, or Sea in Solomons Temple, wherein the Prieſts were to waſh themſelves from their uncleanneſſes, whenever they approached nigh to the Altar of God to offer ſacrifice; onelyonly that was made of braſſe, this of a more pure and tranſparent metall: In this Laver the Reformed Churches had lately been waſhed from the foulneſſe, and pollutions of Antichriſtianity, out of which they had newly eſcaped, having gotten the victory over the Beaſt, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the number of his Name; and being cleanſed in this Laver, (though mingled with fire, whether of contention, or other affliction, I diſpute not) they ſtand up on the brim of it, with the harps of God in their hands, with inſtruments of praiſe, as the Iſraelites did upon the banks of the Red-ſea, (thorow which they Exod. 15.Exod 15had lately paſſed, and in it been baptized unto God) ſinging a ſong of praiſe for their great deliverance from Pharaoh and his Hoaſt, who periſhed in the purſuing of them; This was their condition, and their poſture, a delivered, cleanſed condition, a praiſefull poſture. Secondly, their work, during the time of the pouring out the vialls, they ſang an foreign, a triumphant ſong, Canticum gratulatorium & euchariſticum, a ſong of praiſe and thankſgiving: wherein obſerve two things; firſt, the Title of the Song, The Song of Moſes, the ſervant of God, and the ſong of the Lamb: Secondly, the ſubject matter of the Song, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, &c.

p. 6The title: Firſt, the ſong of Moſes the ſervant of God, i. e. ſuch a Song, and upon ſuch an occaſion as Moſes and Miriam and the reſt of the Iſraelites ſang unto God when they had paſſed through the Red ſea: 2^ly. and the ſong of the Lamb: we have many ſongs of the Lamb recorded in this Booke; cap. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory, and honour, and power, &c. is the conſtant ſong of the whole Church of Chriſt; cap. 5. 9. the ſame quire ſings a new ſong to the Lamb when hee had taken the booke to unlooſe the Seales thereof; cap. 11. 17. the ſame Church ſings another ſong of prayſe upon the reſurrection of the two witneſſes, and the fall of the tenth part of the great City, We give thee thankes O Lord God Almighty, &c. cap. 12. 10. upon Michaels victorie over the dragon, there is another Song of praiſe, Now is come ſalvation, and the Kingdome of our God, and the power of his Chriſt, &c. cap. 14. 3. there's a New Song ſung before the throne which no man could learne, but the hundred forty and foure thouſand which were redeemed from the earth: Now whether this Song of the Lamb be the Song which thoſe harpers ſang, or whether, and how farre it is compoſed out of the reſt of the ſongs recorded in this Book, is needleſſe (as ſome Interpreters doe) to enquire, becauſe we have the matter of the Song layed downe in ſo many words; it is ſufficient that it's therefore called the Song of the Lamb, becauſe it was indited by the Spirit of the Lamb, and tends to advance the glory of the Lamb their Saviour and Deliverer.

2. The matter of the Song: which divides in ſelfe into two parts. 1. The Churches confeſsion of the nature of thoſe workes which Chriſt doth in the pouring out the p. 7ſeven vialls, ver. 3. viz. Great and marvellous are thy workes, Lord God Almighty, juſt and true are thy ways thou King of Saints, i. e. They are great and wonderfull, fit onelyonly to bee done by him who is the Lord God Almghty, juſt and true, well becomming him who is the King of Saints. 2. The uſe which the Church makes of theſe works, which is threefold. 1. They record, celebrate, and publiſh them. 2. They engage and binde themſelves faſter and cloſer to him, in his worſhip and ſervice, Who ſhall not feare thee O Lord, and glorify thy Name? for thou onelyonly art holy. 3. They prophetically foretell the uſe which ſhall be made of theſe workes by ſuch as yet were ſtrangers, viz. As Chriſt proceedes to manifeſt theſe wonderfull and righteous plagues and judgments upon the Antichriſtian world, the people of Italy, Germany, France, England, Scotland, Denmarke, Sweden, Polonia, Hungaria, and the reſt of the elect ſhall ſhake off the Yoke of Antichriſt, and ſubmit to the Scepter of Ieſus Chriſt; for all Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee, for thy judgments are made manifeſt.

Thus you have a plaine view of the Text together with the interpretation, out of which many excellent and uſefull truths might be obſerved. As firſt, that all which is done in the pouring out of the ſeven vialls, is the wrath of God upon the Antichriſtian faction; ſo that however in the pouring out of every viall there is ſomething which is grievous to the reformed Churches, to humble, purge, and quicken them, yet there is no wrath upon any where ever it is poured, but onelyonly as there is ſomething of Antichriſt among them, which Chriſt will ſearch for, find, and deſtroy, whereever he finds it: Conſider the whole work of the vialls, p. 8and you ſhall finde noyſome and grievous ſores upon them onelyonly that have the mark of the Beaſt, the drinking of bloud, the ſcorching with heat, the gnawing of their tongues for paine, the being deſtroyed with hailſtones, &c. All theſe light onelyonly upon the followers of the Beaſt, the worſhipers of the Beaſt, the kingdome of the Beaſt, & therefore let none feare any hurt frō theſe judgments which Chriſt is now inflicting, but ſuch as either ſecretly or openly harbour any of Antichriſts acurſed ſtuff which muſt be deſtroyed; & let it be I beſeech you, your ſpeedy care to caſt out of this Nation and Church all thoſe reliques, which are the oyl and fuel that feed the flame which burnes amongſt us: God calls you now to this work, and will be with you while you ſet your hearts and hands to doe it; and doe it ſpeedily, it may be it is one Cauſe, why ſo many breaches are made upon you, becauſe you have no more vigorouſly attempted it in the firſt place; and fear not that ye ſhould therby loſe a party, or ſtrengthen a party againſt you, beleeve it, that party that hath drunk of the whores cup, and is in love with her abominations, will never be aſsiſtant, nor wil Chriſt ſuffer them to overthrow the worke committed to your hands; they may and ſhall deſtroy themſelves, bringing the curſes written in this book upon themſelves, and their poſteritie, as Achan did by hiding the Babyloniſh Joſh. 7.Josh 7garment and wedg of gold in his tent, but the Lord will be with you, therefore go on and proſper.

2. Obſerve: That how ever in the pouring out of theſe vialls, in the deſtroying of the Antichriſtian faction, Chriſt uſeth the miniſtery of Angels, of inſtrumēts comming out of the Temple and fitted for that work, yet the work is aſcribed to Chriſt alone, Great and marvellous p. 9are thy workes, juſt and true are thy wayes, thy judgments are made manifeſt: Many worthy and excellent inſtruments hath Chriſt ſtirred up and employed in this Service, many famous and learned Divines, many excellent Nobles, many illuſtrious Kings, Queenes, and Princes, many grave Senates, and Parliaments, (amongſt whom I doubt not Yourſelves will one day be recorded) have put their hands to this worke, to make this harlot deſolate, and naked, to eat her fleſh and burne her with fire; for God hath put it in their hearts to fulfill his will: but they conferre nothing of their own to the work, they are but his inſtruments, his bow and his battle-axe, meer dead tooles, who receive all their efficacy and operation from his hand who uſeth them; their preſence addes no ſtrength to him, their abſence makes the work no more difficult to him. And therefore let not our faith & comfort ebbe and flow with the increaſe & wane of humane helps. Let us not therefore thinke the work will ſooner be done, becauſe ſtrong is our hand and arme of fleſh, nor that we are therefore like to loſe the cauſe, becauſe our helpes prove either weake or treacherous; the viall now pouring out is the Lords work, and he will ſee it done, doubt ye not.

3. obſerv. That all the time of Chriſts pouring out the vialls of his wrath upon Antichriſt, ſhould be a joyful time to the Church of Chriſt, al thoſe daies ſhould be days of Purim, days of thākſgiving; though they ſtand upon a ſea mingled with fire, they ſhould have the harpes of God in their hands, and Hallelujahs in their mouths, becauſe Chriſt is judging the great whore, and avenging the bloud of his ſervants at her hand. Although it be ſo diſpoſed by Chriſt, p. 10that during the time of the vialls, his Churches have much bitterneſſe, and the hayle of every ſtorme in ſome degree lights upon them, yet muſt they overlook their own ſufferings, and be filled with joy for the judgments executed upon Chriſt's, and their enemies; and not deferre their prayſes till their deliverances be compleat, but upon every new deliverance to them, and upon every new judgment upon the enemies, have their mouths filled with new and renewed ſongs of prayſe and thankſgivings to God, as we doe this day.

Theſe & many ſuch like general obſervations from the words are obvious to every eye, & very ſeaſonable and ſuitable to the mercies celebrated this day, I deſire that they may not lightly be paſſed over in your thoughts, though I ſhall ſay no more of thē, purpoſing to confine my ſpeech to one only obſervation, which indeed is the very foreign of the Text, the burden of the ſong, and to apply it for the ſame ends and uſes for which it is here recorded by the Holy Ghoſt: viz.

The workes of Chriſt in the pouring out the vialls of his The main Doctrine of the Textwrath, in taking vengeance of the Antichriſt and his followers, are great and wonderfull, fit to be wrought by him onelyonly who is the Lord God Almighty, juſt and true, well becoming the King of Saints.

Firſt, they are [great] works, whether of Mercy, Explained.or Judgment; or are great, when they are the effects either of great wiſedome in their contrivance, or of great power in their production.

Secondly, [marvellous, or wonderfull;] and that in a threefold reſpect: Firſt, ſuch as are rare and unuſuall, which ſeldome happen; theſe draw mens eyes after them, and make men wonder at them. Secondly, p. 11ſuch as are unexpected, which come praeter ſpem, things which no body would think to come to paſſe. Thirdly and chiefly, things are wonderfull, which are beyond our comprehenſion, whereof we cannot ſee the cauſes, whoſe height and depth cannot be meaſured, ſuch as nothing but the power of an infinite and Almighty God can bring to paſſe.

Thirdly, [Iuſt:] Wayes are juſt, when they are according to a right rule; and wayes of judgement, (of which my Text) are then juſt, when they are according to the nature, kinde, and degree of the ſinnes againſt which they are executed. Thou art righteous, Revel. 16. 5▪ 6.Rev 16:5Rev 16:6O Lord, becauſe thou haſt judged thus; for they have ſhed the bloud of thy Saints, and Prophets, and thou haſt given them bloud to drink, for they are worthy: Even ſo Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgements.

Fourthly, [True:] Wayes are then true, when according to Covenant, when done according to what was foretold; and theſe wayes become a King of Saints: other Kings often deal unjuſtly, bearing the ſword, to execute wrath upon them that do well, ſtrengthening the hands of them that do evill, condemning the righteous, and acquitting the wicked, and often untruly breaking their Oaths, falſifying their Covenants; but this King of Saints doth ſo manifeſt his righteous judgements, that his people ſhall be able to ſay, According to their deeds, and according to his Word, hath he repayed fury to his adverſaries, Iſaiah 59. 18.Isa 59:18recompenſe to his enemies; and his enemies (though with gnaſhing of teeth) ſhall acknowledge with Adonibezek, As we have done, ſo hath God done unto us.Judg. 1. 7.Judg 1:7

Now that Chriſts judgements, hitherto manifeſted p. 12in the pouring out the vialls of his wrath, in … Doctr. … inſtances.thus farre deſtroying this great Antichriſtian enemy, are thus great, and wonderfull, thus juſt and true, may eaſily appear to every carefull Obſerver of the Church-ſtory in theſe parts of Chriſtendome, this laſt Century of years, ſince this work hath been in hand: The particular inſtances are too many to be related in a Sermon, I ſhall mention onelyonly ſome few things, which as ſo many continued threads, have run through this whole peece of his workmanſhip; firſt, in the greatneſſe, and wonderfulneſſe; ſecondly, in the truth, and righteouſneſſe of them.

Firſt, theſe works have been great and wonderfull for the kinde: When the Antichriſtian Empire which at firſt was contrived with that wiſedome, and underpropped with that ſtrength, ruling even the ſouls and conſciences of men, and had prevailed ſo farre, that all the Kings and States of the World were ſo drunken with the Whores Cup, that they not onelyonly kiſſed her well-favoured face, but as ſo many brute beaſts lay at her foot-ſtooll, proſtituting all their power and ſtrength unto the Beaſt, and under her command, making warre even againſt the Lamb himſelf, and helping to drink the bloud of his Saints, none daring to queſtion the truth, or rather divinity of her Commands, ſo that ſhe could glorifie her ſelf, and ſay in her heart, I ſit as a Queen, and ſhall ſee no ſorrow; now that ſuddenly, it ſhould be put into the hearts of moſt of the Europaean States, to hate this Whore, to endeavour to make her deſolate and naked, to eat her fleſh, and burn her with fire, how great and marvellous doth this ſpeak the work for the kinde of it? Who but the Lord God Almighty p. 13could do this? It is certainly the Lords doing, and muſt be marvellous in our eyes.

Secondly, if we conſider the time, which our Lord Chriſt was pleaſed to make choyce of, for the effecting theſe great works, they will appear yet more wonderfull; even when his Church was at the loweſt, when he ſaw that their power was gone, and there was Deut. 32. 36.Deut 32:36none ſhut up or left, when the enemy was come in like a flood, and no man to lift up a ſtandard againſt him, when he ſaw that there was no helper, even then put he on righteouſneſſe Iſa. 59. 16, &c.Isa 59:16as a breaſt-plate, and an helmet of ſalvation upon his head, and the garments of vengeance for his cloathing. Who can be ignorant of theſe things? who knows not the low condition of Germany, when Luther firſt appeared, though onelyonly againſt the notorious abuſe of the Popes Indulgences, and other luxuriant branches of his Tyrannicall uſurpation? inſomuch that a Biſhop wiſhing him well, yet deſpairing Albertus Crancius.of ſucceſſe, counſelled him (as the Story reports) after this manner; Frater, frater, abi in Cellam & dic, Miſerere mei Deus. To thy beads Frier, thou wilt do no good in this work: For the people of Germany were at that time ſo bewitched with the ſorceries of the Whore, and ſo enthralled to her power, that (as that proud Cardinall too confidently boaſted) they were Cajetanus Cardinalis.ready at the Popes command, for the redemption of their ſouls, to have eaten graſſe and hay, more pecudum, after the manner of brute Beaſts. And was not the Church in other Countries as low? namely, at the firſt appearing of Zuinglins, and Oecolampadius, in Helvetia; of Calvin, Viret, and Farell, in France; Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, (eſpecially) Bilney, and Tyndall, in England; Hamilton, Wiſchart, Knox, and p. 14others, in Scotland? at that time, when in a word, the whole Church might have taken up that complaint, Ezek. 37. 11. Our bones are dried, our hope is loſt, we are cut off for our parts, then did our Lord Chriſt open their graves, and cauſe them to come up out of their graves, and made them live, and ſtand up upon their feet, an exceeding great army; this alſo muſt needs be acknowledged, to be the work of the Lord God Almighty, who is wonderfull in counſell, and excellent in working.

And as the kinde, and time, ſo thirdly, the conſideration of the meanes, and inſtruments, renders them yet more wonderfull; to effect great things by weak meanes, is an argument of great power and ſtrength; That the walls of Iericho ſhould fall at the blaſt of trumpets of rams horns; that a Cake of barley Judg. 7. 13, 14.Judg 7:13Judg 7:14bread, tumbling into the hoaſt of Midian, ſhould come unto a tent, and ſmite it, and overturn it, that the tent ſhould lie along; that Gideon and three hundred men, with lamps and empty pitchers, ſhould overthrow the whole hoaſt of Midian, who came as graſhoppers for multitude, they and their Camels being without number; that a woman ſhould compaſſe a man, a weak woman ſubdue a mighty man; theſe are New things, as the phraſe there is: Behold, the Lord hath created a Jer. 31. 22.Jer 31:22new thing in the earth, a woman ſhall compaſſe a man, &c. And yet this you ſhall ſee, was no new, but Gods uſuall, and conſtant courſe, which he takes in this work, pouring out theſe Vialls of his wrath, upon this potent enemy, by the miniſtery of moſt weak, and contemptible inſtruments, pulling his Church out of the dungeon of Superſtition, by old caſt clouts, and rotten rags, as once Ebedmelech the Ethiopian did p. 15Jer. 38. 11.Jer 38:11the Prophet Ieremie. Was not Luther a poor Monk, and other prieſts, and ſhavelins, newly crept out of their ſuperſtitious Cells, the firſt Engineers that battered the walls of this great Babylon? who were they but the poorer, & meaner ſort of people, that at the firſt joyned with the Miniſters, to raiſe the building of Reformation? few of the Princes, and Nobles, putting their Neh 3. 5.Neh 3:5necks to the work of the Lord; or if any did, yet the Divine Providence ſo ordered it, that either they were ſuddenly taken off, as the Duke of Saxony, and Landgrave of Heſſen, by impriſonment; or immaturely taken away, as Edward the ſixth, by death; or more miraculouſly preſerved, as Queen Elizabeth, a woman, in England, and King Iames, a childe, in the beginning of Reformation in Scotland; and although in the progreſſe of the work, many Kings and Princes have ſtood up as nurſing Fathers, yet ſtill we may obſerve, that the greateſt things have been done by them, from whom leaſt could be expected; as (not to trouble you with more inſtances) the almoſt incredible, and ſtrange proceedings of the late victorious King of Sweden will abundantly teſtifie, who as a contemptible Prince, croſſing the Baltick-ſea, entred Germany, with not above five, or ſix thouſand men, and a very ſmall ſum of Mony, and yet in as little time, had before his death, almoſt brought to nothing that mighty Houſe of Auſtria, thought by many, to be the Sun giving light and influence to the Antichriſtian world, upon which the fourth Viall was to be Revel. 16. 8.Rev 16:8poured out. I might, I ſay, give you many other inſtances, this may ſuffice: God will (you may be confident) in time make all the world know, that this great Image, this great Antichriſtian Oppreſſour, p. 16ſhall be broken in pieces, by a Stone cut out of the Mountains without hands, without humane help.

Fourthly, and laſtly, and above all, the manner of his working proves them moſt wonderfull: For if we obſerve but the goings of this King of Saints, if we trace him in his footſteps, in this great work of execution upon his enemies, marching before his people, travelling in the greatneſſe of his ſtrength, we finde him leading them in uncouth wayes, which they knew not, and wayes which to them ſeemed unpaſſable. His way hath been in the ſea, and his pathes in the great waters, and his footſteps were not known, yet ſtill Pſal. 77 9.Ps 77:9leading his people like a flock; ſometimes removing Iſai. 64. 1.Isa 64:1mountains our of their way, making them flow down at his preſence; ſometimes skipping over them; ſometimes Cant. 2 8.Song 2:8his way hath been in the whirl-winde, and in the Nahum 1. 3.Nah 1:3great ſtorm, yet always working in ſuch wayes, and in ſuch a manner, as that firſt, his own people have thought he could intend nothing but their ruin, as Ionah did, when caſt into the Sea, and ſwallowed up by the Whale, (an unlikely way of deliverance;) and in ſuch wayes, ſecondly, as to the enemy have ever ſeemed moſt advantagious to their own purpoſes, and deſtructive to the Church; God ſuffering them to lay the Plot for their own ruin, to dig a pit for their own deſtruction, and making the ways by them intended for the Churches ruin, to be the greateſt meanes of their deliverance, as fully and clearly, as Hamans Plot proved the exaltation of the Iews, and Mordecai, and the ruine and deſtruction of himſelf and family; a Volume might be filled with inſtances of this kinde: The device of Charles the fifth, to diſinherit the Duke of Saxony, & to keep the Landgrave p. 17of Heſſen in perpetuall impriſonment, thereby intending utter ruine to the Proteſtant party in Germany, was the very occaſion of the confederacy of Smalcald, which almoſt drove Charles out of Germany, and eſtabliſhed the Proteſtant party in the liberty of their religion. The Maſſacre in France, in which Sleidan. Veramundus de ſuroribus Gallicis.were deſtroyed within the ſpace of thirty dayes, (as the Hiſtorian reports it) above ſeventy thouſand Proteſtant ſouls, proved (ye know) a means, within a ſhort ſpace, to double and treble, if not quadruple their numbers in that Kingdom; and procured them publike Edicts, and Cautionary Towns, for the liberty, and ſecurity of their Religion, which before they had not: The cruelty and tyranny of the Spaniards in the Netherlands, (one of whoſe Deputies, Duke D'Alva, boaſted that he put to death, ſix and thirty thouſand Hugenots, and Proteſtants) hath been the greateſt meanes to prevent the ſwelling of his intended Monarchy, and increaſe the freedom and ſtrength of the Proteſtant party, not onelyonly in the five United Provinces, but in all theſe parts of Europe. Who that hath read the Scottiſh Story, is ignorant that the Archbiſhop of St. Andrews cruell burning Knox Hiſt. of Scot. Thuanus.of Mr. George Wiſchart, conferred much to the Reformation of that whole Kingdom? The time would fail me, to tell you of the deſperate Conſpiracies of the Prieſts, and Jeſuits in England, all the time of Queen Elizabeth, of the Powder-treaſon, and their unwearied Machinations in other States and Churches, and how conſtantly the Lord hath turned them all to the advantage of his Church, and to bring ruine and deſtruction upon the contrivers of them. And if any of you have not had time, or means, to obſerve p. 18theſe things in Story, your eyes cannot but ſee them all fulfilled in Chriſts late, and preſent dealings with our ſelves, and our brethren of Scotland.

For them, what great things hath the Lord lately done, and by what very weak means? hardly the fifth part of the Nobility, (as I have heard) appearing for them, the greater part openly oppoſing them, ſcarſe one fourth part of the Kingdom owning the Cauſe, how often were they at their wits end, when ſome unexpected door was opened to them? And were not all their works wrought for them, by the rage, cruelty, and cunning of their enemies? Were not the book of Service, and the book of Canons, ſent, and obtruded upon them from England, the occaſion of their late mercies? was not the tyrannie of a few of their Prelats, a means to unburden them of their whole Prelacy? and when they were as much ſhut up in ſtraits, as the Iſraelites at the Red-ſea, and knew not over-night, what would become of them the next morning, then conſtantly ſome abſurd, deſperate Plot or other, of their enemies, brake out, which gave them an out-gate to eſcape: And even ſo hath God dealt with England, his work amongſt us is of the very ſame warp, and woof. The great mercies which we enjoy, the great deliverances we have lately received, from what a high hand have they come? to what a very dead low ebbe were we brought? Our liberty almoſt ſwallowed up, and turned into ſlavery; our Religion into Popery, and Arminianiſme? and even then God remembred us in our low eſtate: and by what Pſal. 136. 23.Ps 136:23inſtruments, becommeth me not to ſpeak much in your own preſence; Your ſelves know how ſinfull, and all the Kingdom how mean and contemptible in p. 19the eyes of your adverſaries; they looking upon you as Sanballat and his company did upon Nehemiah Nehem. 4. 3.Neh 4:3and his builders, and with like ſcorn uttering the ſame reproaches; What do theſe feeble Iews, will they fortifie themſelves, will they make an end in a day, will they revive the ſtones out of the heaps of rubbiſh? even that which they build, if a fox go up, he ſhall even break down their ſtone wall. And well may you take up the builders complaint; Hear O our God, for we are deſpiſed; and yet by ſuch deſpiſed broken veſſells hath the Lord hitherto delivered us: And which is ſtill more wonderfull, (to the glory of God be it ſpoken) our greateſt deliverances have been more promoted by the cunning, treachery, and violence of the enemy, then by the foreſight, vigilancy, and ſtrength of our beſt friends: The Prelates late Canons and Oath, purpoſely contrived for the perpetuating of their Hierarchy, and their other treacherous and malicious endeavours againſt the State, joyning with the Papiſts, and with them labouring to turn all into confuſion, rather then ſuffering the leaſt abatement of their former pride and tyranny, have helped thus farre towards the taking them away both root and branch; The multitudes of calumnies, and reproaches, caſt upon the Parliaments juſt proceedings, ſlighting their Authority, ſlandering their intentions, miſinterpreting their actions, have they not (through the goodneſſe of Him who preſerveth them from the ſtrife of tongi) been an occaſion of making their Authority, Priviledges, intentions, actions, clear as the Sun at noon day? And to inſtance no further, this late bloudy, and miſchievous Deſign, in which this Honorable Senate, this famous Citie, and with them our lives, p. 20religion, laws, and liberties, had undoubtedly been made a prey to their mercileſſe rage, and fury, the Lord hath not onelyonly brought to light, without any foreſight, or watchfulneſſe of yours, but made thoſe that were the contrivers, to be the diſcoverers, their own evidence, and confeſsion being the thread which lets you into the depths, and labyrinths of thoſe counſels, which they had digged deep to hide, if poſſible, even from the eyes of God himſelf, and thereby giving you a great opportunity (the Lord in mercy teach you to improve it) to advance the glory of his Name, (for the preſent, putting a new ſong of praiſe into your mouthes) A prop for your faith to ſtay upon, for time to come, (the Lord hath delivered, and will deliver) A further advantage, to break the power of the malicious, and ungodlymen; and a warning to you, to beware of neuters, and ſecret falſe friends, who though they take ſweet counſell together with you, and ſpeak you fair, beleeve them Prov. 26. 25.Prov 26:25not, for there are ſeven abominations in their hearts. And by all this ye are (I ſuppoſe) fully ſatisfied that theſe works of our Lord God Almighty are as marvellous for their manner, as before you have heard they were for their time, kinde, and inſtruments, working light out of darkneſſe, cauſing even the experience of the Church, in theſe later ages, clearly to interpret Sampſons riddle, Out of the eater came forth meat, and Judg. 14. 14.Judg 14:14out of the ſtrong came forth ſweetneſſe; and making all the bloudy and cruell entendments of the Antichriſtian enemie, in the effect no more hurtfull and dangerous to the Church, then his was to Phereus Iaſon, when he run at him with his ſword, and in ſtead of killing him, opened an incurable impoſthume, and ſaved his life.

p. 21Secondly, as they are great and wonderfull, ſo as evident is it, that they are juſt, and true: the [juſtice] of them is celebrated, chap. 16. 5. Thou art righteous, O Lord, becauſe thou haſt judged thus: and chap. 18. 6. we finde the Angel calling upon the Church, Reward her as ſhe hath rewarded you, double unto her double, according unto her work; in the cup which ſhe hath filled, fill to her double: how much ſhe hath glorified her ſelf, and lived deliciouſly, ſo much torment, and ſorrow give her. O in what exact ballances hath Chriſt proportioned, and weighed out, gall and wormwood, reproach and ſhame, bloud and ruin to theſe enemies, making them to drink of the ſame cup which they had before reached to his ſervants! They had grievouſly afflicted the bodies of the Saints of Chriſt, and now behold upon them, noyſome and grievous ſores: Revel. 16. 2.Rev 16:2They had drunk the bloud of the Saints and Prophets, and now behold rivers and fountains of bloud given Ver. 5.them to drink. They had their Edicts, to kill heretikes and Lollards, (as they called them) and now in England, and among the Netherlands, it's made capitall for the Ieſuits and other Incendiaries, and Factors for the Whore, to be found amongſt them. They had burnt the worſhippers of Chriſt, and now behold, themſelves ſcorched with fire and great heat. They had Ver. 9.before deprived the Saints of the light of the Scriptures, and now behold, the Beaſts Kingdom overſpread with darkneſſe, ſo that they gnaw their tongues for pain. Thus you ſee the King of Saints, rendring Ver. 10.according to that rule of juſtice; Eye for eye, breach Levit. 24. 10.Lev 24:10for breach, tooth for tooth; full meaſure, ſhaken together and running over. Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie is full of Luke 6. 38.Luke 6:38inſtances, which ſpeak home to our purpoſe in this p. 22particular of Emperours, Kings, Nobles, Popes, Biſhops, Prieſts, men, women, of all ranks and degrees, upon whom theſe righteous judgements of God have been made manifeſt; you have a whole Catalogue of Vol 3. 954. &c Vol. 2. 185. 187.them digeſted to your hands, in Mr. Foxes book of Acts and Monuments. I ſhall let paſſe this particular, onelyonly with this one obſervation; That whereas this great enemy, this Abaddon, this Apollyon, is made up of all the hatefull qualities of all thoſe Kingdoms, which heretofore have oppreſſed the Church of God, and is therefore called, Aegypt, Sodom, Babylon; ſo the wrath of theſe vialls poured out upon Revel. 17. 5. Chap. 11 8, 9.Rev 17:5him, is the mixture and quinteſſence of thoſe plagues and judgements, whereby all thoſe Kingdoms formerly were deſtroyed: for here you have noyſome and grievous ſores, waters turned into bloud, palpable Chap. 16. 2. 3. 10. 21.darkneſſe, thunder and lightning, and great haileſtones, the plagues of Aegypt; here you have the drying up of the river Euphrates, the means of the deſtruction of Babylon; fire and brimſtone, the judgement of Sodom. Even ſo Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are all thy judgements.Chap. 16. 12. Chap. 19. 20.

And they are as clearly celebrated for their truth: Even ſo Lord God Almighty, [True] are all thy judgements, Revel. 16. 7.Rev 16:7was the voyce of the Angel out of the Altar, at the pouring out the viall upon the Rivers and Fountains of waters, turning them into bloud: and after they were all poured out, Iohn heard the voyce of much people in heaven, ſaying, Hallelujah, ſalvation, Chap. 19. 1, 2.and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God, for [True] and righteous are his judgements, for he hath judged the great whore; which to underſtand, you muſt know, that theſe vialls were put up long ago by p. 23Chriſt, and laid up in ſtore with him, and ſealed up among his treaſures, and written in a book; and not onelyonly ſo, but the Counterpart of this book was ſent, and ſignified by his Angel, unto his ſervant Iohn, and Deut. 32. 34. Revel. 1. 1.Deut 32:34Rev 1:1the epoche, or time of their beginning, and the whole ſeries of their accompliſhment, for time, and place, matter, manner, and meaſure, exactly repreſented to him, whereof many things are already come to our knowledge, being fulfilled juſt ad amuſsim apocalypſeôs, according to the ſtandard of the Revelation; and although ſome things concerning the interpretation of theſe plagues, and curſes, remain yet dark unto us, being not fully accompliſhed, yet when all theſe vialls ſhall once be poured out, the whole Church ſhall be able to ſay of them, as Ioſhuah did, in another caſe, of the bleſſings: You know that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God ſpake concerning you, all are come to paſſe, and not one thing hath failed; So not one drop of all theſe vialls hath fallen to the ground in vain, not a plague failed, but all have accompliſhed the things for which they were ſent; write them down, Theſe are the true Revel. 19. 9.Rev 19:9ſayings of God.

If you would know ſome reaſon, why Chriſt delights to proceed after this manner, in the deſtruction of this enemy, I anſwer,

Firſt, becauſe this enemy is the maſter-piece of all Reaſon 1.the Devils workmanſhip, the Dragons darling, to whom he hath delivered over his power and his State, Revel. 13. 2.Rev 13:2his throne and dignity; whatever Beelzebub, prince of the Devils, and the whole Conclave of hell could invent, all hath been infuſed into this grand Adverſary; there was never yet State framed in the world p. 24by the wit and art of man, more wiſely contrived, and plotted, more powerfull, and forcible, to ſubdue the whole world unto it ſelf, by claiming a Ius divinum, laying a foundation for firm obedience in mens conſciences, and having in it ſufficient to nouriſh all mens affections, and to fit every mans humour, that Sands Weſt. relig. fect. 13.each fancie may be ſatisfied, and each appetite finde what to feed on; yea what ever may prevail with any man, is there to be found; wealth for the covetous, honour for the ambitious, learning for the ſtudious, great employment for metald ſpirits, multitudes of ceremonies for the ſuperſtitious, gorgeouſneſſe of ſhows for the vulgar and ſimple, miracles for the credulous, prayers for the devout, works of piety for the charitable, voluptuouſneſſe for the diſſolute, pardons for the faulty, diſpenſing with all rules for men of lawleſſe conditions, with what ever elſe might allure the Nations to drink of the Whores intoxicating cup. Neither hath the Devils cunning, and power more appeared in the firſt contriving of it, then after, in the upholding of it, in all ages ſtirring up men of excellent and rare perfections, conſtantly and diligently to put in execution all his counſels, and devices, to hold in thoſe who are already caught in their ſnares, to allure others, and to weaken and undermine all oppoſers, how great and potent ſoever; It is therefore well becomming the wiſedom and power of this King of Saints, to grapple with this Beaſt, after this manner, that in the things whereof he is moſt proud, He might ſhew himſelf to be above him.

Secondly, this enemy hath been the ſoreſt and Exod. 18. 11.Exod 18:11heavieſt Adverſary that ever the Church of Chriſt had in the world: Nebuchadnezzar of old, and the p. 25reſt of the Aſſyrian Monarchs did break their bones like a Lyon, the Aegyptian Pharaoh like a Dragon devoured them, Antiochus Epiphanes caſt down the Dan.Saints, and ſtamped upon them, and did weare them out; the Romane Ethnick Emperours the three firſt hundred yeares waſted them in ten ſeverall Perſecutions: but theſe and all theſe were as nothing in compariſon of this Deſtroyer, all their loines lay not ſo heavy upon the Churches back as the little finger of Antichriſt. Whether we reſpect the cruelty exerciſed upon the body, or tyranny over their ſoules and conſciences, or the extent and length of time in both; I ſay, in reſpect of cruelty, firſt, upon the body, I beleeve that upon a due ſurvey, there would be found upon his ſcore more blood of Saints and Martyrs then was ſhed from the blood of righteous Abel to the beginning of his reigne: A hundred thouſand within the limits of one Kingdome put to death in a few weeks, thirty or fourty thouſand boaſted to have fallen by the hands of one of his emiſſaries in the ſpace of a few yeers; and if ſo, what hath been done in the reſt of the Nations, where all who once taſting of the whores cup delight to drink and to be drunken with the blood of Saints? In her is found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, Revel. 18. 24.Rev 18:24and of all that were ſlaine upon the earth. Secondly, in reſpect of tyranny upon the ſoule, we read not that Pharaoh, or ſeldome any of the reſt, (though they all oppreſſed the people of God in their outward liberties) did much endeavour to force their conſciences, or if they did (as ſometimes Nebuchadnezzar and Antiochus) Dan. 3. 16.Dan 3:16the caſe was ſo cleare that they needed not take time to anſwer about it; but this tyrant cauſeth all, both ſmall and great, rich and poore, free and bond, to receive p. 26the marke of their ſpirituall ſlavery, in their right hand Rev. 13. 16, 17. 2 Theſſ. 2. 9. 10.Rev 13:16Rev 13:172 Thess 2:92 Thess 2:10and in their foreheads, ſo that none muſt buy or ſell ſave he that hath the mark or name of the beaſt, and that with ſuch deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſs, with ſuch power & Revel. 13. 14.Rev 13:14ſigns, and lying wonders, that he deceives thoſe that dwell Revel. 18. 4.Rev 18:4on the earth by means of thoſe miracles which he hath power to do: So that even many of the Lambs own followers have in part been deceived by him, and if it were poſsible they would finally deceive the very elect of God. Or if thirdly, we reſpect the continuance and length of his Matth. 24. 24.Matt 24:24bloody reigne, in this alſo he exceeds the reſt. In Aegypt they were evil intreated about two hundred yeers; The Babyloniſh yoke oppreſſed them threeſcore and ten years; Antiochus ſorely waſted them, but it was but for a very little ſeaſon; The Heathen Empire of Rome proved more cruell and bloudy then any of the reſt, for the ſpace of three or four hundred yeers▪ but this Antichriſt makes inceſſant, deſperate, and bloudy war upon them, no leſſe then twelve hundred and threeſcore years together. And if you put all this together, you Revel. 11. 2 3.Rev 11:2ſhall finde juſt cauſe why the King of Saints ſhould proceed thus ſeverely and ſtrangely, in ruining this great enemy of Himſelfe and people, making him as wonderfull in his terrible fall, as he had been in his bloudy reigne.

Thus you have the truth of the doctrine, fully and clearely demonſtrated, it remains now that I make Application.ſome application of it to You, wherein I ſhall confine my ſelfe to thoſe three uſes which we finde the Church makes of theſe workes in this place.

Firſt, they wonder at theſe wonderfull workes, they obſerve them, they have them digeſted into a 1.ſong, and ſing this ſong of Moſes and of the Lamb, having p. 27For admiration.as well their hearts filled with admiration of them, as their mouths with praiſe. And this (Honourable and beloved) let me commend to your practice in the firſt place: Come and ſee the works of the Lord, even the great and marvellous works of the Lord God Almighty, how terrible he is in his doings towards the children of men: All his works are great, his works of Creation, even of the leaſt atomes, the works of common providence governing even the wayes of the piſmire are great and worthy to be ſought out of all them that take pleaſure in them; but the works of the Lord towards his Church, the goings of our Lord and King in his Sanctuary, ruling his Saints in the middeſt of their enemies, and after this manner breaking in peeces the Powers which doe oppoſe them, is now the wonder of Angels, and ſhall be the wonder of Saints to eternity; and fit therfore that now it ſhould be ours. Mans diſpoſition is naturally taken with thoughts and diſcourſes of things great and wonderfull, and is not ſatisfied but in ſomething that raiſes the mind to a high pitch of admiration; here you may behold an object fit, (if any) to beget wonderment, and indeed our ſpirits never are right till we ſtand at gaze here, for this diſcovers a plaine difference between the ſpirits of godly and carnall men, theſe latter are more taken with vaine and empty things. A Poet or a well-penn'd Romancy how it takes ſome, waſting upon it dayes, weeks, and moneths, admiring the wit, invention, ſtyle or elegancy; others wonder at the raiſing of this or that poore man to a great eſtate of wealth, at another out of the duſt advanced to the height of honour: theſe things fill their hearts with thoughts when alone, their mouthes with diſcourſe p. 28when in company, yet in the mean time the wonders of Chriſt are not taken notice of: Chriſt's perſon, offices, adminiſtrations are too baſe things for them to buſie their thoughts about, they can ſee nothing but triviall matters, and not worth their notice in them all, yea they wonder at them who can ſpend their time in the Study of the Scriptures, and the meditation of theſe works of Chriſt. But theſe men (whatever they think of themſelves) are ſottiſh beaſts, carnall and brutiſh perſons, and I may ſay of the things they are ſo takē with, as Chriſt to the Diſciples who were ſo affected with the ſtones & goodly building of the Temple, Are theſe the things ye wonder at? I tell you, there ſhall not be left here one ſtone upon another: Mat. 24 2.Matt 24:2So theſe riches, theſe buildings, this power and authority, this great man in his countrey, theſe things I ſay, by too much regarding whereof many loſe their ſoules, what ſhall they all be ere long? Heaven and earth ſhall be on fire, and what ſhall theſe things be then? and I may further ſay of the men who admire theſe things, that they are greater vanities then the things they wonder at; Who having immortall ſoules, fit to be partakers of the divine nature, underſtandings capable of the knowledge of God, meditations worthy only of God, ſhould yet thus baſely proſtitute and abaſe themſelves, to advance a thing of nothing, whereas on the contrary a holy heart is ſo taken with Chriſt and his wayes, that all other things appear to them to be but toyes and folly, as men got up on high neer the Heavens, behold the earth but as a little ſpot. Auguſtine obſerved this difference in himſelfe, that ſo long as he was a ſtranger from the wayes of holineſſe, he thought the ſtudy of the Scriptures p. 29to be a dull buſineſſe, infinitely preferring Tully before the Bible; but after his converſion he took no pleaſure in that Author where he found not the Name of Ieſus. Oh therefore that you would poure out your hearts in the ſtudy of theſe things, that the wonderfull way of Chriſt's governing in his Church might take up not the leaſt part of your thoughts. How he hath kept this buſh burning, and yet not conſumed; how ſtrange it was that a few Fiſhermen ſhould by preaching and ſuffering, like ſome conquering Alexander, ſubdue the Nations; Think of his ſtrange courſe, permitting an Antichriſt to Lord it above a thouſand years, in the world, ſo as to ſubdue the world wholly to his yoake, ſuffering the Kings to give up their Crowns & Scepters to him, proſtituting their power at his feet; and when Satan thought himſelfe ſo ſtrong as to continue the Church in this condition for ever, that then a ſilly Monke ſhould ſet himſelf againſt the world, and in a ſhort time reſcue a great part of it frō under his yoak. Another time, come neerer into England, & think what he did by King Edward, a Child, by Queen Elizabeth, a Woman; the great deliverances, from the Spaniſh Armado, from the helliſh Powder-treaſon; come neerer yet, and behold the wonders of theſe two or three laſt years, in England and Scotland; ponder them ſeriouſly, they are the Lords doings, and ought to be wonderfull in your eyes: Think yet further, how wonderfull he will be, when he comes to be admired in his Saints at the laſt day; feed your hearts and raiſe them ſometimes with ſome of theſe thoughts, ſometimes with others, untill they burne within you. Oh but we cannot meditate! we love indeed to reade theſe things, and delight to heare them, p. 30but we cannot meditate on them! Say not ſo leſt you prove your ſelves perſons without grace; Pſalme 78. it is made the note of a wretch, and of one whoſe dayes God will conſume in ſorrow, to forget the works of God; and of a brutiſh perſon, Pſal. 92. not to conſider them: and if you cannot finde a heart to wonder at Him, and his wayes, as an occaſion of praiſe, take heed he ſhew not himſelfe wonderfull in your confuſion. Wherfore have we our reaſon and tongues, but to obſerve, and ſpeak of theſe things? think we to live with the Saints, and glorify Chriſt in Heaven, and not have diſpoſitions fram'd to give him all the glory we can, while we live here on earth? which we cannot doe, if we obſerve not theſe things. I know that there is a dulneſſe and aukneſſe in the ſpirits of the beſt, yet godly hearts will endeavour to overcome it: He that is wiſe, will ponder theſe things, will fet his heart Pſal. 107. 43.Ps 107:43to taske in theſe ſtudies; and that not as to an unpleaſing drudgery, but as to an employment, Divine and Angelicall, moſt pleaſing and delightfull: My meditation of Him ſhall be ſweet. And for your better quickning to this duty, conſider;Pſal. 104. ultPs 104

Firſt, that this is the only way to make us Heavenly and ſpirituall, by feeding on ſuch matters of wonderment; Motives.The object about which we are converſant, 1.gives a tincture to our ſpirit, naturally ſuch as our ſpirits are, ſuch are our ſtudies, pueri crepundia geſtant, children play with rattles, and morally our ſpirits are moulded into the ſtudies we are accuſtomed to.

Secondly, this will make us ever fit for Gods ſervice: This our Lord will be ſerved with reverence 2.and feare, and what begets that, but a knowledge of out diſtance; upon the conſideration of His greatneſſe, p. 31from his wonderfull workes? all baſe and low conceits will then vaniſh: all ſociety and communion among men is maintain'd by a knowledge of inequality, when we ſee more eminency in men for their gifts, and graces and places, it ſtrikes a reverence, and ſtrengthens the bands of love and reſpect, much more ſtrongly doth the ſerious and deep beholding of the unparallel'd perfections and excellencies of God, ſhining in his wonderfull works, captivate the ſoule and lay it low before him: but of this more in the ſecond uſe.

Thirdly, this is the way to make us profit and grow up in grace; when God ſees us humble admirers of 3.his greatneſſe, and diligent ſearchers into his goodneſſe, he will reveale himſelfe yet more and more to us, as Chriſt ſaid to Nathaniel, Becauſe I ſaid this unto thee, beleeveſt thou? thou ſhalt ſee greater things then John 1. 50.John 1:50theſe: or the Lord to the Prophet, I will ſhew thee great and mighty things which thou knoweſt not.Jer. 33. 3.Jer 33:3

Fourthly, as a further motive and help, be thoroughly acquainted with thine own condition, really 4.ſenſible of thine own vileneſſe, wants, and baſeneſſe of all kindes; take the dimenſions of thy corruptions, the height, length, and depth of them, conſider that thou art in thy ſelf a vaſſall of Satan, a veſſel of wrath, dead in nature and diſpoſition to good, dead in Sin, poſting to eternall deſtruction, and then every thing of Chriſt thy Saviour will be wonderful unto thee.

Fifthly, and laſtly, conſider thy relations to Chriſt, 5.He is thy head, thy King, thy Lord, thy Husband, thy brother, & withall thy intereſt in all his works, they are all done for thee, thou haſt a part in every deliverance, (they are thy enemies that fall, upon the pouring out p. 32of every viall) a ſhare in every mercy; and our intereſt in any thing, ſets it off the better to our affections, & makes us with unwearied diligence to ſearch out, whatſoever is ſcibile in it; much more ſhould it here, where the more we ſhall ſtudy, the more we ſhall wonder, and the more we wonder, the more ſhall we honour God, and better our ſelves; the more we chew theſe cordialls, the more ſweetneſs ſhall we draw from them.

O therefore, that Chriſt would open our eyes, that we might ſee his wonders in their juſt dimenſions, in the wiſdome, power, faithfulneſſe, greatneſſe, juſtice, and truth, ſhining in them, that thoſe things might be glorious, and excellent in our eyes, which are mean and common in the eyes of others, that wee might be able to anſwer ſuch as ſee no ſuch thing in them, (with the Painter, who being much taken with a piece, though ſeeming plain, yet of excellent workmanſhip, to one ignorantly asking him, what worth he ſaw in that poor peece) O friend, couldſt thou ſee with my eyes, thou wouldſt be raviſhed with it. And that our mouths might be filled with praiſes all the day long, eſpecially upon this day, purpoſely ſet apart by us, thankfully to record the great and wonderfull works, the true and righteous judgements, of our King of Saints; In delivering us from the hurtfull ſword, in being on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us, in cauſing our ſoul to eſcape, as a bird out of the ſnare of the fowler, making their miſchief to return upon their own head, cauſing them to ſink down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid, is their own foot taken. And ſo much for the firſt Uſe, the Uſe of Admiration.

p. 33The ſecond uſe the Church makes here of the works of Chriſt, is to provoke and quicken themſelves 2. Ʋſe of Exhortation.up to fear him, and glorifie him; Who would not fear thee, and glorifie thy Name? for thou onelyonly art holy: Lord, who can underſtand theſe works of thine, thus great and marvellous, thus juſt and true, and not acknowledge thee to be the onelyonly holy One? Let me preſſe it, by way of exhortation, to provoke you to the ſame duty: Where firſt, I muſt open what is meant by fearing, and glorifying his Name, and that which is made the ground of this fear, and glory, becauſe thou onelyonly art holy; and firſt, of his holineſſe. Holineſſe, whatever it is predicated of, is nothing but a ſeparation of the thing from common uſes; and to ſanctifie, is to reſpect it according to ſuch ſeparation, or as becomes its holineſſe: and holineſſe in God, is nothing but the incommunicable Eminency of the Divine Majeſty, exalted above all other eminences whatſoever. So that to be holy alone, or to be the holy one, (in Scripture ſignification) and to be God, is all one; Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlaſting, my Lord, my God, my holy One? Iſai. 17. 7. At that day, a man ſhall look to his Maker, and his eye ſhall have reſpect to the holy One of Iſrael, that is unto God. Pſal. 89. 18. The holy One of Iſrael is our King, that is, Iehovah is our King. Amos 4. 2. The Lord hath ſworn by his holineſſe, that is, the Lord hath ſworn by himſelf. So then, for thou onelyonly art holy, is as much as to ſay, Thou onelyonly art God; theſe works of thine, thus great and marvellous, thus juſt and true, ſufficiently ſpeak, or prove thee, O King of Saints, to be the Lord God Almighty. Secondly, [fear:] who would not fear thee? To fear in this ſenſe, and in this place, is to p. 34give that awfull reſpect unto Chriſt, as becommeth his Excellency; to ſerve him with a ſingular, ſeparate, incommunicable ſervice, and is ſo commonly in the Scripture taken for the whole duty, which we owe unto him; thus to fear God, and to take him for our God alone, is all one, Gen. 31. 53. Iacob ſware by the fear of his father Iſaac, that is, by the God of his father Iſaac. Iſai. 8. 12, 13. Neither fear ye their fear, that is, ſerve not their gods, ſanctifie the Lord of Hoaſts, and let him be your fear, that is, let him be your God alone. [And glorifie thy Name,] thy Name, that is, thy ſelf, thy Divine Majeſty; and to glorifie this holy One, is not meant by making him glorious, or by adding luſtre, or excellency to him, which before he had not, for who ever hath given unto him? But to glorifie him is, to acknowledge his excellency, and glory, to do unto him, what may become his glorie, to ſet up and exalt his glory. To fear him (then) and glorifie his Name, as the holy One, is to acknowledge his Divinity, to own him as their onelyonly Lord and King, and (renouncing all other falſe Chriſts, and Mediatours) to devote themſelves to ſerve him alone, and worſhip him with a ſingular, ſeparate, incommunicated worſhip, (his jealouſie admitting no Corrivall, there is none holy as the Lord, neither ſhall any partake with him in his glory) abſolutely, eminently, to do to him themſelves, and to provoke others to do, as becommeth his Excellency. This is the duty which the Church here engageth her ſelf unto, and is in truth, the whole of Chriſtianity, the ſumme of that everlaſting Goſpel, which the Angel flying thorow Revel. 14. 6.Rev 14:6the midſt of heaven, was to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, p. 35and tongue, and people, ſaying with a loud voyce, Fear God, and give glory to him, and worſhip him that made heaven and earth, that is, Ieſus Chriſt alone, by whom Col. 1. 16, 17.Col 1:16Col 1:17all things were created, and by whom all things conſiſt. And this is the duty (Honoured and Beloved) which I deſire to preſſe upon your ſelves, even that you would be good Chriſtians in your hearts, and in your lives, in your private places, and in your publike ſtandings, to engage your ſelves with all your might, with all your authority, to advance the glory of Chriſt, as the redeemed of the Lord, as true Subjects to this King of Saints, to offer up as a living ſacrifice what ever you have, or are, to his ſervice, in advancing his Cauſe, his Worſhip, his Church, doing it your ſelves, and promoting it in others: To this end, I ſhall, firſt, give you a few quickning Motives, to ſtir you up, to make you ready and willing to your duty; and ſecondly, tell you what the Lord expects at your hands.

Firſt, conſider what great and wonderfull things Our Lord hath already done for you, and how little you Motives. 1.have feared, and glorified his Name to this day: Who of you can count the great and righteous dealings of the Lord towards you, not onelyonly as you are men, great, or rich, learned, or noble; nor onelyonly as you are Chriſtians, redeemed, called, juſtified, ſanctified, by this King of Saints, though all, and every of theſe mercies, call loud upon you for this duty; but I mean, as you are a Parliament, what great things he hath done for you, in reference to this ſervice, wherein he hath lately employed you. Hath he not carryed you in his boſome? hath he not kept you as the apple of his eye? as an Eagle fluttereth over her young, ſpreadeth abroad p. 36her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, ſo the Lord alone hath preſerved you. How conſtantly …. 10, 11.hath he diſcovered, and hitherto fruſtrated, all the attempts of your enemies, ſuffering no weapon of war to proſper, that hath been forged againſt you, condemning every tongue that hath riſen up againſt you in judgement? I need not name the particulars, I am perſwaded, your ſelves beleeve, that no former Parliament can parallell Gods dealing towards you, and all this while (let me ſpeak freely) how little have you done for his honour, and glory? I know your diſtractions have unavoidably hindered much of what might (and I hope elſe would) have been done. But ſay (in this day of your thankſgiving) if you be not infinitely behinde hand with this Lord God Almighty, with this King of Saints; if you have not ordinarily forgot his mercies, as faſt as he hath wrought them: Hath he not often filled your hearts with joy, and your purſes with money, and you like unthrifty children, have played away all at a caſt? Have you not checked his providences, not improved his deliverances, and the advantages which God hath put into your hands? or if your hearts, at any time, have been raiſed a little, have they not preſently been at a dead low ebb again? have you not gone about to kill his goodneſſe with your unkindneſſes, by provoking him at the ſea, even at the red ſea? even when, and Pſal. …6. 71.Ps 6:71where he hath delivered you? Eſpecially, have not many of you diſhonoured his Name, and grieved his Spirit by your ſinfull lives, by breaking out into things extreamly ſcandalous, doing the devills work, while you profeſſe your ſelves to be the Lords ſervants? Let me tell you, the Lord will not alwayes p. 37ſtrive in one way, in the way of mercy and deliverance: when he hath many a time delivered a people, and they goe on to provoke him with their counſells, he Pſal 106.Ps 106knowes how to ſay I w…ll deliver them no more, he knowes how to bring them low for their iniquity, and to give them up into the hands of their enemy: he that for a long time hath ſeemed unweariable in watching over an unthankfull people, will prove weary of repenting, and in ſtead of ſaying, I have ſeene their Eſay 57. 16. Ezek. 2 KingsIsa 57:16wayes, and will heale them, will in the end ſweare, I will overturn them, overturn them, overturn them, as a man wipeth a platter turning it upſide down.

Secondly, conſider your own place, and ſtanding, the 2.calling, office, and work, wherewith God and his people have truſted you at this time, doe with a wide and loud voyce call upon you to feare the Lord, and glorifie his Name: More then the ſalvation of your own ſoules depends upon you; the glory of Chriſt; the eſtabliſhment of this Church and Kingdome; yea the welfare of all Chriſtendome, in great meaſure, are all imbarked in that veſſell, the ſteering whereof, is in great part committed unto you. You are in part, one of the Angels, who are to poure out the viall of the wrath of God, who ſhould therefore come out of the temple cloathed in pure and white linnen, having Revel. 15 ….Rev 15your breaſts girded with golden girdles, adorned like the Prieſts of God, holy and pure. Be you cleane, yee that beare the veſſels of the Lord. Honourable and beloved, Iſayhow a bominable a thing were it, to ſee the Angels of God live like the inſtruments of Satan? how uncomfortable a thing would it be to the people of God, who have choſen you to this worke, and beare you in their hearts, and preſent you every day at the throne p. 38of grace, who are willing to ſinke and ſwimme with you, to live and dye with you, that they ſhould hear that ſuch and ſuch a Parliament man will be drunke? that ſuch an one dare blaſpheme, and ſwear, and abuſe Religion? that Reformers of Religion, ſhould hate religion? that ſuch as are called to ſave the Kingdome, ſhould betray the Kingdome? that in the grief of their ſpirits, they ſhould be compelled to ſay, O Lord! can theſe men ſave us? tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets of Askelon. How diſhonourable would it be, not only to you, but to the King of Saints, who uſeth you, that they who hate the worke you are about, ſhould hate it the more, in regard of your wicked lives, who are intruſted with it? That they ſhould have occaſion to ſay of you, as Amurath the great Turke ſaid of the Chriſtians, who brake their league and Covenant with him, (and therefore ſped accordingly) O Ieſus! are theſe thy Chriſtians? if thou beeſt a God, as they profeſſe thee to be, revenge this impiety upon them: So when Papiſts and Atheiſts, and ſuch as hate religion and reformation, when they ſhall ſee the deformity of your lives, ſhall ſay, O Ieſus! are theſe thy Reformers? are theſe the Angels that muſt pour out the vials of thy wrath? Oh beloved! do not with Elies ſonnes, occaſion men to abhorre the work of the Lord; far be it from you: But let the office you are called unto, the place you are ſet in, the worke, and the dignity of the work, ingage you to glorifie the name of Chriſt, that both his work may proſper in your hands, and your ſelves be eſtabliſhed before the Lord for ever. But if you will not hearken to me, let me ſadly ſpeak it to you, you are as a City ſet upon an hill, you and your wayes are looked upon by all men; p. 39and if you hinder the worke by your lives, which your office calls you to further, it were better you had never been born into the world. Them that honour Chriſt, 1 Sam. 2. 30.1 Sam 2:30he will honour, and them that deſpiſe him, ſhall be lightly eſteemed; yea he knowes how to make uſe of you, and your gifts, to promote his cauſe, and to deſtroy you for the iniquity of your lives, as many of thoſe who forwarded the building of the arke, yet periſhed in the waters.

Thirdly, conſider how loud this dayes deliverance cries in your eares to ingage your ſelves to feare him, and glorifie his name, who hath wrought this great ſalvation for you. It were a waſtefull expence of time to inſiſt upō the particulars of this late bloudy deſign in this Aſſembly; (though in others uſefull) All the light we have about it, comes from you. The many great and high hands which were ingaged in it, the ſubtilty of the contrivance, the neerneſſe of the execution, the woefull conſequences, and the bloudy fruits which muſt needs have iſſued from it; The good hand of God in cruſhing this cockatrices egge, before it brake out to be a fiery flying ſerpent, are fit things to be publiſhed and to be ſpread abroad in other Congregations; But to you I ſhall only be a remembrancer of thus much: That you knew not your neer approaching danger, and that had this treacherous and bloudy contrivance took effect, many of you had been at your long home, ere this time, and the reſt of this Honourable Aſſembly, hitherto the great preſervers of our liberty, had beene made as a Parliament of Paris, the greateſt inſtruments of the Kingdomes ſlavery and vaſſallage for time to come. But the Lord was awake when we ſlept, and hath p. 40took the enemies in the pit which they digged, and hath filled your hearts with joy, and given you another day to praiſe him. Can you upon this day of thankſgiving doe leſſe then enquire, What ſhall we render unto the Lord? I will tell you what he calls for, and expects from you, and I beſeech you by theſe mercies of God that you render it unto him: That you preſent your bodies and your ſoules a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice, that you feare him and glorifie his name, for he only is holy.

Fourthly, and principally, conſider the late ſacred Covenant and vow which you have all entred into; you have not only entred into it your own ſelves, but intend to draw the whole Kingdome with you, into the Oath of God; let me minde you what you have done; you ſaw we were deſigned to deſtruction, and that Gods meer mercy hath hitherto prevented it; You ſee there are ſtill deſtructive and trayterous deſignes in hand, in ſeverall parts of the Kingdome; you acknowledge your own ſins with others, have deſerved all theſe judgements which either lye upon us, or are threatned againſt us, and as a means to prevent our utter ruine, you think it neceſſary to enter into this Covenant with almighty God, and you have done it, wherein you acknowledge the deſert of your own ſins, and you confeſs your hearty ſorrow for them, and your reall intentions to amend your own lives, and what you will further doe to ſave and preſerve Religion; and all this you have done in Humility and reverence to the Divine Majeſty, calling the God of Heaven, the ſearcher of all hearts to witneſſe your integrity, as you will anſwer it at that Day, when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhal be diſcloſed. Think now how deeply you p. 41are engaged, and brought under the curſe of God, if you perform not this ſolemn Covenant; Think how horrid a thing it will prove, for any of you to ſtand as perjured men before God, in marters of ſuch Conſequence; Shall he break his Oath (ſaid God of a Ezck. 17. 15.King) and be delivered? Shall he eſcape that doth theſe things? O Beloved, It is a fearfull thing (in ſuch caſes eſpecially) to fall into the hands of the living God, to whom you have appealed, and whoſe vengeance, if you wilfully fail, you have invocated upon your own heads.

Lay therefore your hands upon your heart, and think what your purpoſes and Reſolutions are in theſe few things, which I ſhall mention to you.

Firſt, for what is paſt; what reall ſorrow have ye 1.in your hearts, for thoſe ſins which you call God to witneſſe you are thus ſorry for? How grievous is the remembrance of them, how intolerable do you feel the burthen of them? or do you take Gods Name in vain, calling him to witneſſe of the ſorrow for thoſe things which he knows you take pleaſure in? Think what anſwer you will make to this.

Secondly? What are your Reſolutions for time to come. You know what blaſphemies, what prophaneneſſes, 2.what uncleanneſſes, you have hitherto lived in; what irreligion and libertiniſme your ſelves and families, have hitherto been guilty of, elſe you would never have acknowledged, your ſins to have deſerved theſe judgements; Now I demand, what you reſolve to do for time to come: Do you purpoſe to go on in your old ways; He that was unjuſt, to be unjuſt ſtill; he that was filthy, to be filthy ſtill, and had no other purpoſe, but to lead the Kingdom a dance, p. 42to go before them in the formality of a ſervice, without changing your Leopards ſpots, or your Blackmoors skins; or in truth, be you reſolved, being changed by the renewing of your minde, to become new creatures, to ſerve Chriſt in newneſſe of ſpirit, that Chriſt alone may reign as Lord and King hereafter, both in your hearts, and lives, and families, as Ioſhuah did, when he bid the Iſraelites chooſe whom they would ſerve; for himſelf, he was reſolved, though he went all alone, He and his family would ſerve the Lord.

Thirdly, as you are Parliament men, what are your purpoſes concerning your faithfulneſſe to 3.Chriſt, and the Cauſe of Chriſt, and his Church committed to your hands? If you ſhould altogether fail, deliverance will come another way, the Gates of Hell ſhall never prevail againſt the Church of Chriſt; But are ye really reſolved, to ſave the Church and Kingdom, though your ſelves ſhould periſh in the attempt? or do you intend under pretence of being factors for Chriſt, to drive a trade for Satan and Antichriſt, to betray Religion and Liberty? or to trade in both the Indies, to have a ſtock going on both ſides, that you may ſave your own ſtake, which ſide ſoever win or loſe, to ſave your own skin, whatever become of the Kingdom? Like a certain Deſpot of Servia, (of whom I have read in the Turkiſh Hiſtory) who lived among the Chriſtians, and kept correſpondence with the Turk; who was a publike worſhipper of Chriſt, but a ſecret circumciſed Turk, that that Turkiſh mark might ſave him, if need were: Have any of you ſuch cunning devices, to procure externall ſafety with the certain ruin of your ſouls? p. 43Honoured, and Beloved, I hope better things of you all, though I thus ſpeak, I hope you purpoſe according to your Covenant, and what God requires and expects at your hands, to ſtick cloſe to Chriſt and his Cauſe, to ſink and ſwim with the Church, and Cauſe of Chriſt, with ſingleneſſe of heart, and unwearied reſolutions, to carry on the work of God, to value your ſelves onelyonly as his Inſtruments, and let him do by you, and with you, what is good in his own eyes.

And for your Encouragement, let me ſpeak a little of the third Uſe, which the Church here makes of 3. Ʋſe of Encouragement.theſe great and marvellous, theſe juſt, and true wayes, and judgements of this King of Saints, which is a Propheticall Prognoſtication, and foretelling of what ſhall further happen upon the pouring out of every viall; and that is, more and more people, and nations ſhall come in, and ſubmit to Jeſus Chriſt; the Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee, for thy judgements are made manifeſt: And this inables me for your comfort, to help you to an anſwer of the moſt difficult queſtion, and moſt perplexing thought, that I am perſwaded is in the heart of moſt men living at this day, viz. God hath caſt our Lot in very perplexed times, all the banks are broken down, all Gods judgments ſeem to invade us at once, and Gods adminiſtration to the Kingdom is ſuch, that the wiſeſt man cannot gueſſe, by Gods dealing to day, what he intends to do with us to morrow; Sometimes the Lord enables a handfull of ours, to chaſe thouſands of the enemies; Sometimes multitudes of ours flee, as at the ſhaking of a leaf, when none purſues them; Sometimes we have rare Inſtruments unexpectedly raiſed up; by and by very uſefull men p. 44are taken off, and hopefull men prove treacherous; Sometimes the Lord ſeems to intimate (as in a Cockpit) that one fight ſhall end the buſineſſe, one way or other; otherwhiles, all things are ſet as if there would be a lengthening out of theſe unnaturall wars, untill the Cities and Countries are utterly ſpoiled, and the Land waſted without inhabitant: Now in theſe calamitous times, every mans thoughts run, as Nebuchadnezzars, with deſire to know what ſhould come to paſſe hereafter, and to demand with that Saint, Dan. 2. 29.Dan 2:29How long it ſhall be to the end of theſe troubles, and all Dan. 8. 13. Pſal. 74. 9.Dan 8:13Ps 74:9complain, that there is no Prophet to tell us how long; neither can I blame them as curious, who are modeſtly ſolicitous to know what will be the event of theſe things, for even the Prophets and holy men of God heretofore, ſearched diligently to know what, and what manner of times the Holy Ghoſt intended, when he ſpake 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11.1 Pet 1:101 Pet 1:11of the ſufferings of Chriſt, whether in his Perſon, or in his members. Now my Text gives (I ſay) a ſatisfactory anſwer, to this difficult Queſtion, and I undertake (without fear of being cenſured, to be wiſe above what is written) to tell you what will be the iſſue and event of all theſe troubles.

All Proteſtant Writers do agree, that we are under the pouring out of ſome one or more of theſe ſeven vialls; Some think the fourth viall is now powring out upon the Sun of the Antichriſtian world; Others the fifth, upon the throne of the Beaſt; there are, that think we are come as farre as the ſixt viall, and the river Euphrates is drying up; I will not determine which of them it is, it is ſufficient, (which of them ſoever it be) my Text aſſures me the event ſhall be this, which is the event of every viall, Antichriſts p. 45part ſhall be weakned, and the Church of Chriſt ſhall be ſtrengthened; Something in every viall may afflict the Church, but incurably wounds the Beaſt. As the ſeven Trumpets were ſo many degrees of the deſtruction of the Heathen Empire, ſo the ſeven vialls are ſo many degrees of the deſtruction and ruin of the Antichriſtian Empire; and it is worth your obſerving, that all the time, the whole twelve hundred and threeſcore years of Antichriſts reign, Chriſt always had an army of Saints, to warre againſt the Beaſt, a competent number of witneſſes, who loved not their lives unto the death; But all the while of Antichriſts riſing, and triumphant reigning, the event of every conflict, or ſcuffle was, that the Beaſt grew higher, and the Church fell lower, the Papacy prevailed over all that roſe up againſt it, ſo that the Church in the end was hardly to be found viſible upon the face of the earth; But it is far otherwiſe in his declining time, the time when the vials are pouring out, every one of thē plucks part of his fleece; one of them ſtrips him of this Kingdom, another of that; one of them weakens his Temporall, another his Spirituall Juriſdiction; He is under the vials, as Haman before Mordecai, Eſter 6. 13.having once begun to fall, he can never more prevail againſt them, untill in the end (the ſeventh viall being poured out upon the whole power of darkneſſe) the whole Church triumphantly ſhouts with a loud voice, It is done, there is an utter end of this enemy. So that I dare ſpeak it as confidently as I beleeve the Revelation to be divine Scripture, and the meaning of it thus farre made known to the Churches, that what viall ſoever is now powring out, the iſſue will be, That Antichriſt ſhall loſe, and Chriſt ſhall gain: p. 46And there is but one objection againſt it, which I confeſſe to be a great one, and that which troubles many, viz. Whether the two witneſſes be yet ſlain: their ſtory ye ſhall read in the eleventh of the Revelation. Theſe two witneſſes, are the ſmall, yet competent number of pure worſhippers, who follow the Lamb, and conflict againſt the Beaſt all the time of his reign; now it is there ſaid, that during this whole ſpace of time, they prophecy in ſackcloth and aſhes, in a low and mournfull condition, and the Beaſt makes warre againſt them, and prevails againſt them; but quando finituri ſunt teſtimonium, a little before the end of their mournfull propheſie, which is a little before the Beaſts finall deſtruction; the Beaſt ſhall not onelyonly keep them low, in ſackcloth and aſhes, and prevail by degrees againſt them as heretofore, but ſhall kill them, and their dead bodies ſhall lie unburied in the ſtreets of that great City, that is, in all the Territories of ſpirituall Babylon, and the Beaſt and his followers ſhall be more jolly, and glorious, then ever they have been: Now many learned Divines ſuſpect this killing of the Witneſſes is not yet paſt, and if it be not, the Church muſt go lower then ever it hath been, and how then is the Antichriſtian State weakned by every viall? To all this I anſwer, that although I am not able to ſay, This bitter Cup is yet paſt, (Father, if it be poſsible, let this Cup paſſe away) yet I can ſay, this is true I have delivered, that every viall ſhall weaken the Beaſt, and ſtrengthen the Church, and whether they be killed, or not killed, when ever their killing comes, it laſts but three propheticall dayes and a half, that is, but three years and a half, and then preſently come in the glorious times, which Chriſt hath promiſed, and p. 47the Church long lookt for; ſo that what that Father ſaid of the Arian perſecution, Nubecula eſt, cito tranſibit, it is but a ſhort, though terrible ſtorm, and will quickly have an end, and that end will be comfortable to the witneſſes, who ſhall after three dayes and a half, ariſe from their death, and aſcend up to heaven in a cloud, their enemies beholding it, and the great City immediately deſtroyed with a terrible earthquake: And is not this comfortable? You ſee, I go not about to determine what the event of theſe troubles will be to England, as England is a Civill, or Politicall State, or Common-wealth; Chriſt breaks and moulds Common-wealths at his pleaſure; He hath not ſpoke much in his word, how long they ſhall laſt, or what he intends to do with them; onelyonly this, that all Kings and Kingdoms, that make warre againſt the Church, ſhall be broken a pieces, and that in the end, all the Dan. 2. 24. Dan. 7. 22. Revel. 11. 15.Dan 2:24Dan 7:22Rev 11:15Kingdoms of the World ſhall be the Kingdoms of our Lord, and his Saints, and they ſhall reign over them: But it is the cauſe of the Church, the bleſſed event of theſe things to the Church of Chriſt, which I ſpeak of, the welfare and good ſucceſſe of Religion, in which Cauſe you are properly engaged and intereſſed, and which I hope is dearer to you, then ten thouſand Englands.

Therefore Beloved, Be ye ſtedfaſt and unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord; fear not your enemies, becauſe they are blaſphemous and wicked, becauſe they are ſet on fire, with the rage, cruelty, and treachery of Hell, fear them the leſſe for that; Let my enemy be as the wicked, and he that riſeth up againſt me, be as the ungodly: Their wickedneſſe is your advantage, it is their weakneſſe, and makes you p. 48ſtrong; Let not the huge ſtature of the Anakims, and Zamzummims terrifie you; Our ſtate for the preſent is low, it may be we ſhall be lower, but lower we cannot be then Iob was upon the dunghill, from whence God raiſed him up; not lower then Ionah, in the Whales belly, from whence the Lord delivered him; not lower then the Iſraelites at the Red-ſea, thorow which the Lord made a way for them: Go on with your work, and fear nothing, this King of Saints hath depths anſwerable to all our depths; depths of mercy, anſwerable to our depths of miſery; depths of power, anſwerable to our depths of weakneſſe; He can give a comfortable Outgate out of all our ſtraits, and my Text ſayes, he will do it, and with my Text I conclude, Great and wonderfull are the works of our God: And he delights to work wonders, both in ruining his adverſaries, to uphold, comfort, and deliver his people engaged in his Cauſe, and to bring others in ſubjection to him, who yet are ſtrangers from him. The Nations ſhall come and worſhip before thee, becauſe thy judgments are made manifeſt.

FINIS.

End of the text · Stephen Marshall, The Song of Moses (1643)