Works

A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARIES Cambridge, June 24. 1660.

T HE last time I spoke of one abuse in the Public Assembly of this Church of Corinth, and that was, misjudging and misreceiving the Holy Sacrament. Here in the Text is another disorder and confusedness in the exercise of the Public Ministry: from what arising uncertain, but certainly ending in non-edification, as the Apostle intimates by the conclusion of the verse. Such confusion indeed in their business, that we know not where to find them; and indeed the Chapter is very hard: very hard, either to find out what it was they did, or what it is the Apostle would have them do, or whence proceeded that enormity that he doth correct. We will inquire after it the best we can, and keep as near as we can to the words of the Text.

In it are three parts. I. What to do in a certain case. How is it then Brethren? II. The case propounded; When ye come together everyone of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation. III. The Determination given. Let all things be done to edifying.

I. What to do in a certain case. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; a School-phrase; and if I be not much deceived, the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a word used infinitely in the Talmud, and in Tanchum of

the word occurs a thousand times. It means most commonly, What is to be done in this case: or, May such a thing be done. Either will serve here. Everyone hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, &c. What is to be done in this case? Or may we do thus, and keep to this Custom? The Apostle resolves the case in the end of the Verse, Let all things be done to edifying. And so verse. 15. compared with verse. 14. If I pray in an unknown Tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. And then comes on 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; What is then to be done? verse. 15. I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. So in Act. XXI. 22. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; What is it therefore, the multitude must needs come together, for they will hear that thou art come. The Brethren at Jerusalem are here deliberating concerning the case of St. Paul's preaching to the Jews strangers, that they should forsake the Institutions of Moses: the report of which had given great distaste unto the believing Jews in Jerusalem. This was the case. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; what is to be done therefore? Then follows the resolution. Do this therefore that we say unto thee, verse. 23. This then is the Question, what is to be done in a certain case? Now the Case is this which is the second particular contained in the Text.

II. The case propounded. Everyone hath a Psalm, &c. Here are two questions. First, Whether everyone in the Congregation had these gifts? And Secondly, If not, whether everyone • hat had gifts, • ad all these gifts?

To th • former question I answer, It is undoubted, but that spiritual gifts w ••• in this Church, 1 Cor. I. 5. That i • everything ye are enriched by him in all utterance, and in all knowledge. And in the 6. verse. Even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. The testimony of Christ, i. e. the Spirit of prophesy. For that not only testified of Christ by preaching him, but also the very gift itself spake Christ the Lord of glory. And in 2 Cor. XII. 12. Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders and mighty deeds. Such were healing, doing miracles, and among the rest giving of the Holy Ghost, so verse. 13. asserts. Nor i • this ga • ns • id by thei • bei • g not ab •• to give up to Satan, in • Cor. V. where you find that c • nsu • e was inflicted upon the incestuous person by S. Paul himself; for that was purely an Apostolic work. As to give the Holy Ghost was a peculiar prerogative of the Apostles, so the giving up to Satan was peculiar to them. So that the Corinthians had these gifts that were given, by virtue of the Apostles conferring the Holy Ghost, viz. to prophesy and to speak with Tongues.

Secondly, These gifts were not bestowed on all, but Ministers only. Here the Enthusiasts mistake, and they make much of this example, and their argumentation runs thus, Everyone had a Psalm, had a Doctrine, had a Tongue, &c. And therefore it concludes, that any one may have the Spirit, and be a teacher in the public. Which supposes that the members of the Church had these gifts of the Spirit, whereas these gifts were only imparted to Ministers. For the clearing of this consider these things.

1. It is not to be doubted, but that there were Ministers in this Church ordained by the Apostle, as in all other Churches, Act. XIV. 23. where you see what their practice was, ordaining Elders in every Church. I need not insist on this.

2. Those whom the Apostle ordained, he bestowed the Holy Ghost upon, otherwise they had been unable to have performed the work they were called to, that is, to preach the Gospel to unbelievers, and to confirm their doctrine by doing miracles. In order to which he conferred the Holy Ghost on those whom he ordained, Act. XIX. 6. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with Tongues and Prophesied. Such an one was Timothy, 2 Tim. I. 6. where S. Paul reminds him to stir up the gift of God, which was in him, by the putting on of his hands.

3. Such were these persons in the Text, that were endued with spiritual gifts, they were Ministers, not any private persons. For proof of this, first, See verse. 6. Now I brethren if I come unto you speaking with Tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, &c. and verse. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also, I will sing with the Spirit, &c. and verse. 18. I thank my God, I speak with Tongues more than you all. In all which verses he ranks them with himself, as of the Ministerial function with himself. And for further proof Consult, Secondly, verse. 16. Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say, Amen, &c. of the unlearned, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the word signifies a private person. How shall this private person in the Congregation say Amen at thy giving of thanks; as the Congregation in the Synagogue said Amen after the public Minister? So that you see, he sets a distinction here between the Minister and the private person; it was the Minister, that had the gift, he blessed with the Spirit, and not the private man.

Thirdly, There were many Ministers then ordained in all Churches. In the Church at Antioch there were several Prophets and Teachers, namely, Barnabas and Simeon, that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, and Saul: as you read in the XIII. Act. 1. In the Church at Jerusalem there were Apostles and Elders, XV. Act. 2. In the Church at Ephesus you meet with twelve, XIX. Act. And so it appears it was in this place; and there was the greater need of many Ministers there, because Corinth was great. And hence did Diotrephes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , affect to be chief among the many Ministers in the Congregation where he was, and it may be it was in this very Church, if Gaius to whom John writes was the same with Gaius of Corinth. This numerousness of Ministers was practiced in the Christian Church;

• 1. From the platform of the Synagogue, where though there was but one Chazan, Angelus, yet there were ten learned Men, who took care of the Congregation, able to teach, and do other things pertaining to their office, as there was occasion.
• 2. This number of Ministers in the Churches was needful, because Christian Congregations were daily and numerously increasing: And,
• 3. Because some were to be sent out to other places. And so the former Question is resolved.

Now as to the other, viz. Whether everyone that had gifts had all these gifts? That will be answered by and by. But first,

Note we the miscarriage of these Ministers in the Church about these gifts is twofold.

• 1. That they spake with Tongues not to Edification: for they were not understood.
• 2. That they prophesied (when they might be understood, yet) confusedly and crowdingly: so it seems in the Text, and by the Council of the Apostle: in 29. verse. Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge: and 31. verse. for ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn. This miscarriage in both these seems to proceed from a double original.

• 1. Either from some vain glory, and affectation of popular applause: or at best, because each thought his course and faculty best. Some thought best to spend the time in singing Psalms, others thought the time better spent in delivering some doctrine, others in speaking with strange Tongues, &c.
• 2. Or indeed rather in both these practices they Judaized. As in Chap. XI. they followed the customs and opinions of the Jews, in praying veiled, in wearing long hair, and in their misconstruction of the Holy Sacrament; so they did here, both in speaking in a strange Tongue, and in thus crowding to prophesy together.

The Jews read the Scriptures in the Hebrew Tongue, and although it were unknown, yet they would so read it, and have an Interpreter. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Doctor in his School whispered in the Hebrew. If you conceive the strange Tongue here used by them to be Hebrew, as there is the most reason to do so, being a Church that Judaized in many other things, and consisting in a great measure of Jews. I need say no more to show they Judaized in this.

So for many of the public Ministers in their Synagogues to speak together, to read, interpret together, their own records do so far assert it, that they set the number how many together in each, and in some allow good store. In like manner you see in the Text how they thus crowded, many speaking together confusedly in five distinct administrations. One hath a Psalm, others a Doctrine, others a Tongue, others a Revelation, and some an Interpretation. And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 everyone, means not that everyone had all these, but everyone their something of these. So everyone must signify if you read 1 Cor. I 12. Everyone of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, i. e. some for one, and some for another: not each one for all. And thus the second question is answered.

And now to proceed in the Explanation of the Text. The extraordinary gifts of the the Spirit are comprised under two heads in Scripture, Tongues, and Prophesy, XIX. Act. 6. The Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with Tongues and prophesied. And verse. 1, 2, 3, &c. of this Chap. Desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God, &c. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. Where you see the Spiritual gifts in the first verse are divided into Tongues and Prophesy. Now all these five are thus reduced to these two.

• I. Speaking with Tongues. That which is meant by it, is couched under those two words, Hath a Tongue, hath an Interpretation. That is, Either to speak with strange Tongues himself, or to Interpret them that do.
• II. Prophesying. What is comprised under that, is explained by those three words. Hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Revelation.

1. The word Prophesying is taken for singing and praising. So 1 Sam. X. 5. Thou shalt meet a company of Prophets coming down from the high place with a Psaltery and a Tabret, and a Pipe and a Harp before them, and they shall prophesy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chaldee. They shall praise him. And Chap. XIX. 24, 25. And the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Rama 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and he went on and praised. And he stripped off his cloths, i. e. his royal robes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and praised.

2. Prophesying means preaching, declaring to the people the Doctrine of the Gospel. So here hath a Doctrine. The Apostles by the Imposition of hands ordained Ministers, and gave them Spiritual abilities to prophesy, or preach and unfold the Doctrine of Christ and Salvation. So the Chaldee most commonly renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A Scholar, one learned and able, and that taught the people. So even that in 1 Sam. XIX. ult. Is Saul 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 among the Scholars or Ministers. It is usually said of these extraordinary gifts, that they are, Tongues and Prophesy: but see Act. X. 46. They heard them speak with Tongues and magnify God. This magnifying God is to the same sense with prophesying. For they magnified God these two ways, viz, Singing or praising, and preaching the glorious things of the Gospel.

3. Prophesying means speaking some heavenly Revelation. So here hath a Revelation, and thus the word Prophesy is taken in its proper sense, as some had in those times: either a Revelation of something to come, for a warning to the Church, as Agabus, Act. XI. 28. who signified by the Spirit, that there should be a great dearth throughout all the World, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. And he is called a Prophet, in 27. verse. And you meet with him again, in XXI, Chap. 10. Or the Revelation was of something, that God would have his Church to do, as in Act. XIII. 2. As they ministered unto the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Hence we may understand that in verse. 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three. That is, one to sing praise, and one or two to preach. But verse. 30. If any have a Revelation, let the first, that had the Psalm, give place, and let him rather be heard, as remembering that God might intend some special admonition to the Church by so special a Declaration.

To discourse of all these five would take five times as much time as is allotted me. I shall therefore only meddle with the first at present, Hath a Psalm: and speak something concerning that great and heavenly work of singing of Psalms in Christian Congregations. And that the rather, because it hath been spoken against in the cross times, that have gone over our heads, wherein all Religion has been brought into dispute. Although it is a question, whether these Psalms mentioned in the Text, were of their own dictating, or penned by others, the former whereof seems more probable, yet the very mode and work of their singing Psalms, shows that it was a practice in the Christian Church from its very beginning. Nay, though this place speak it not clear, yet others do, That it was the practice to sing David's Psalms in the public Congregation, the whole Congregation together.

You know what arguments are brought against this our practice. 1. That the Congregation is not holy enough to join with in the performance of this Duty, the very same argument which some urge against the reception of the holy Sacrament. 2. That they being set forms are too narrow to express our particular wants and thanksgivings. 3. That everyone doth not understand, and we should sing with understanding, verse. 15. Therefore I shall take up this Discourse the rather, to show that singing of David's Psalms is a Duty incumbent upon Christians. For the clearing of this, I shall First, speak something of the nature of this work, which will speak it moral, and upon that account fit to be used in the Christian Church. And secondly, the Evidence of the use of it in the first times.

And first of the Nature of this Duty. Many things are spoken of the excellency of the book of Psalms; and many may be spoken of the Excellency of singing Psalms. I may allude to that expression, Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. So may I say in reference to this Duty; all Duties are excellent, but this includes all. In singing of Psalms there is what is in other Services, and more. Prayer is our duty, Praise, speaking of God's works, singing are our Duties, but this last is all; it is like the holy Incense, mixed of all these perfumes. The excellency of this duty will appear further under these four heads.

First, It is an action that helps up and keeps up the heart in a Spiritual frame as much as any. See the Apostle arguing for singing upon this account, V. Ephes. 18, 19. Be filled with the spirit, Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And V. James 13. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing Psalms. If the heart would be up in mirth, use this to help it up, being not yet come into frame. If it be up, use this to keep it, that it be not transported. The Heart by spiritual music is called up to beat in the right mean. As David by his Harp calmed Saul's spirit; so this is proper to beat down immoderate mirth. And so on the other hand it is proper to free the mind of lumpishness and sadness; as Elisha being put into a passion and disturbance at the sight of the King of Israel, called for Temple Music to pacify and allay his discomposed mind, 2 King. III. 14, 15. And Elisha said, as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee. But now bring me a Minstrel. And it came to pass when the Minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. See a strange passage in Jer. XX. at the 12. verse. the Prophets heart is quite down, O Lord of Hosts that tryest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart; let me see thy vengeance on them, for unto thee have I opened my cause. At the 14 verse. his heart is lower yet, Cursed be the day wherein I was born, let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. But in the midst of these sorrows and dejections he falls to praising and singing unto God. At the 13 verse. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord. He strives to wind up his heart to a right pitch, with Sing unto the Lord.

As God requires outward and inward worship, so a spiritual frame for inward worship may be forwarded by the outward composure. Gazing drowsiness hinders the activity of the Soul, but the contrary temper furthers and helps it. Singing calls up the Soul into such a posture, and doth as it were awaken it: tis a lively rousing up of the heart.

Secondly, This is a work of the most meditation of any we perform in public. It keeps the heart longest upon the thing spoken. Prayer and hearing pass quick from one Sentence to another, this sticks long upon it. Meditation must follow after hearing the word, and praying with the Minister, for new sentences still succeeding, give not liberty in the instant well to muse and consider upon what is spoken. But in this you pray and meditate, praise and meditate, speak of the things of God and meditate. God hath so ordered this duty, that while we are employed in it we feed, and chew the cud together. Higgaion or Meditation is set upon some passages of the Psalms, as IX. Psal. 16. The same may be writ upon the whole duty, and all parts of it; viz. Meditation. Set before you one in the posture to sing to the best advantage: eyes lift up to Heaven denote his desire that his heart may be there too: hath before him a line or verse of prayer, mourning, praise, mention of God's works; how fairly now may his heart spread itself in Meditation on the thing while he is singing it over. Our singing is measured in deliberate time, not more for Music than Meditation. He that seeks not, finds not this advantage in singing Psalms, hath not yet learned what it means.

Thirdly, This is a Service in which we profess delight in the thing we have in hand. Yea even in sad mourning ditty we delight so to mourn, Psal. C. 1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands, serve the Lord with gladness. It is a noise of joy and gladness. It speaks that we delight in God's Ordinances that we are about. As Music at Table shows we make a Feast of delight of what God hath provided. Solatur voice laborem. He that sings at his work shows that his work goes on with contentedness. David at his harp, and composing Psalms to the honor of God, what delight did he take therein. So that in singing there must be two things,

I. The Ditty to be applied by Meditation.

And II. Tuning the Voice to it in the best liveliness we can, as delighting in the work. Nay,

Fourthly, This is a Service wherein one is cheered from another. It is a joint 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . One takes mirth, life and warmth from another: a holy servor and emulation, as the Seraphim, Esa. VI. strive to outvy one another in praising God. Who is there but while he is joining with the Congregation in this Duty, feels such an impression and excitation: his own string wound up by the consort of the Choir. It is a story goes of St. Austin, that it was one means of his conversion, the hearing the heavenly singing of Psalms at Milan. As all our Duties here in public carry some bond and badge of communion: we come to pray together, hear together, and so profess ourselves Christians together, we being all Scholars in the School of Christ; so this of singing together more especially speaks it out. But herein is not only a sign of communion, but also mutual excitation. As David speaks when he was at this work, Psal XXXIV. 3. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together. We do as it were joy one another to put on all as much as we can, to join together in the praise and honor of God.

I need to say no more to show that so excellent a Duty could not but be settled by Christ, with others, in the Christian Church, the very nature of the thing may speak it. I shall therefore only speak to three things.

• I. The warrant of Christ for the observance of this Duty.
• II. The admonitions of the Apostle for the same purpose.
• And III. An Instance or two of the practice of all the Church.

And all this will serve for illustrating the second thing I propounded for the clearing this Duty, viz.

Secondly, The Evidence of the use of it in the first times.

I. Our Savior the very next thing he did, after signing, sealing, and sanctionating the New Testament, was to sing a Psalm. And who then can doubt of the institution of this as a New Testament -duty, Matth. XXVI. 28. 29, 30. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom. And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives. Let us stick here a little, and from this singing of an hymn, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we may observe three things.

1. It is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the plural number. Beza approves of Erasmus here for departing from the Vulgar. That hath it Hymno dicto; He cum cecinissent. Beza hereupon, Ut intelligatur Apostolos una cum Christo cecinisse. That men might understand that the Apostles joined with Christ in singing. And very true; for it was the custom among the Jews in all companies that celebrated the Passover, so to do: for though one chiefly rehearsed, yet all had some share in the Choir. And so in the case in the Text, though the Psalm were of their own composing, yet the Congregation bare some part in it, as Miriam with Moses, XV. Exod. 21.

Apostolos cecinisse, the Apostles sung. Was Judas there or no? I wonder it is not confessed by all the World; it is so plain, that he eat the Passover, received the Sacrament, and stayed the Psalm, and was present till all rose from the Table. And Christ knew him and yet gave the Psalm, and sung with the whole Table. And Peter and John knew him, and yet it were peevishness to think that they joined not in the Choir, when it is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , when they had sung. What can they say to this that refuse to join with us in this exercise? Will they, can they say that Judas was not there? But if that be granted, that he was gone, yet at the eating the Passover it is well known every company sung together without bogling.

2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 having sung. What? The very same that every company did, viz. The great Hallel, as it was called, which began at the CXIII. Psalm, and ended at the end of the CXVIII. No expositor but grants this, and no reason to the conrary; for Christ complied with all the rites of the Passover, and started not from them in this. Here the Lord of David sings the Psalms of David. What Christ saith by way of posing, If David in Spirit call him Lord, how is he his Son? We may say the like by way of admiration, If David in spirit call him Lord, how did he descend, to make use of his Poetry? What says our Caviller now? Set forms are too strait for the Spirit. He that had the Spirit above measure thinks not so, but useth such. He that gave the Spirit to David to compose, sings what he composed. That All-blessed Copy of peace and order, could have indicted himself, could have inspired every Disciple to have been a David, but submits to order, which God had appointed, sings the Psalms of David, and tenders the Peace of the Church, and takes the same course the whole Church did.

3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , having sung a Hymn. In what Language? Here is a question indeed, and that might provoke a Scholastical dispute both in Divinity and Antiquity. In Divinity: Did they sing in the original Hebrew? That was not now understood. In Antiquity: Had they a translation of the Psalms and Hagiographa now? Yea, they had the LXX. But all that sung understood not the LXX. But had they a Vulgar Translation in their own Tongue? This draws into another question, viz. What was their Tongue? I should answer, Not the Syriac we now read; but the old Syriac or Chaldee, which they call Turgumica. And I should answer to the former question, That they had the Hagiographa now in the Tongue, as well as the Prophets of Jonathan's translation: and I find in both Talmuds, that each speaks to it to confirm it. However who thinks they sung in a Tongue they understood not, or in any other but the Vulgar? And here is our warrant for our framing the Psalms into our Tongue and Metre. Thus have we seen the Example, nay institution, of our great Master.

II. Now let us hear our great Apostle, the Apostle of the Gentiles. In two places he speaks to this subject, besides what he says in this Chapter, Ephes. V. 18, 19. Be filled with the Spirit: speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And Col. III. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom, Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where let us take up three things, as we did in the former.

1. Observe how spiritual a pitch he set this at, and what elevation of Heart he ascribes to it. Be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymus, &c. It is the very vent and issue, whereby a spiritual frame breaks out in its chiefest demonstration. The more we are filled with the Spirit, the more we break out this way: and a most fit vent it is to the Spirit, when both Tongue and Heart speak and put forth themselves in their best vigor by singing to the praise of God, when the heart is full of spiritual fervor this excellent way. So in that place to the Colossians, Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you. When it does, it will break out in all wisdom, and in Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns, &c.

2. Observe the three Titles he useth, Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs. They are variously indeed taken, but very generally for the Psalms of David. Psalms 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. Psalms upon any subject. Hymns 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. Psalms of Praise. Spiritual Songs 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. Cantica magis artificiosa. Psalms about which is employed greater art and curiosity. Others differ upon particulars, but agree upon this, that by these three are meant the Psalms of David, and other Songs in Scripture. What? If 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be the Psalms of David upon any subject; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Hymns be such Psalms as are picked out and used for special occasions, as Hallel, those of Degrees, and for every day. So that word seems to imply, from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is used to express the Psalms that Christ and his Apostles sung at the Passover, which were ordinarily used by the Jews for that occasion. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Spiritual Songs, were other Songs in Scripture besides David's. So you read of the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb, in XV. Revel. 3.

3. Observe the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ephes. V. The English translates it, to yourselves, i. e. inter vos mutuo, among yourselves, as Beza well, and as that in Col. III. explains it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , admonishing one another, Which speaks it a public exercise, and of communion, where all joined, and stirred up one another.

III. Further examples of this Exercise in the New Testament we might observe in the Revelations. That Book speaks of the State of the Christian Church, and one great work of it is singing, Rev. V. 9. And they sung a new song, &c. The ordinary practice was to sing the Psalms of David: but they sung a new song: and that is there set down, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, &c. So in Rev. XIV. 23. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the Elders, and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the Earth. This place speaks according to the acceptation of the Jews, how they shall sing when Messiah brings them out of Captivity; for there is mention among them of one hundred and forty four thousand of the twelve Tribes. And so upon other occasions, you find the Church singing▪ as in XV. Chap. 2, 3.

But that that I shall fix on, is that in 1 Cor. XI. 5. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoreth her head. What is meant by the woman prophesying? Not preaching. For that is forbidden them in the Chapter wherein the Text is, 34. verse. Let your women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted them to speak, &c. Nay, nor so much as to ask any question, which in the Jewish assemblies at their Sermons was ordinary, verse. 35. And if they will learn anything let them ask their husbands at home. Neither is meant by this prophesying prophesying in the proper sense, i. e. foretelling things to come. For it is a question, whether any woman in Corinth, nay in rerum natura now, Philip's daughters excepted, Act. XXI. 9. did thus prophesy. But it is plain the Apostle speaks of the ordinary Service, which whole Congregations joined in; and the praying and prophesying here used, is praying and praising or singing Psalms. Take the Apostles own gloss in this Chapter, verse. 15 I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the Understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the Understanding also. As all the Congregation joined in prayer with the Minister, and said Amen, verse. 16. So all the Congregation, Men and Women, joined with him, that had and gave the Psalm, and sung with him.

For the Conclusion I might produce even endless Encomiums and Extollings of this work in Christian Writers, viz. That it is the work of Angels, the Employment of glorified Saints, the music of Heaven, &c. I confess I want words to express the excellency of this Duty. Now to make some Use of what I have said.

I. If I were in a vulgar or unlearned Congregation, I would give rules for singing of Psalms with profit: and among divers, especially these two.

1. To mind what is sung: not only that the Heart go along with the Tongue in general, but to be carefully observant of what is sung. There is variety of matter in most Psalms: they pass from one thing to another. This we should carefully observe: now I pray, now I mourn for my sins, for the Church of God, &c. To this I may apply that in verse. 15. I will sing with the understanding, if the place speaks in reference to a man's own understanding of what he prays or sings: but the Apostle there means of singing and praying to be understood by others.

2. To apply to ourselves the matter we sing, as far as it may concern us: To bear a part with David, not in word and tune but affection. This way we must use in hearing or reading the Scripture, to bring it home to our own concernment. So likewise in this action of singing. Thus did they Revel. XV. 3. They sung the song of Moses, that is, they applied Moses song in Exod. XV. unto themselves. And this the leisure for meditation gives you opportunity to do. At male dum recitas, incipit esse tuus. He that illy repeats another man's verses, makes them ill verses, but withal makes them his own. But here I will alter the words a little, Si been recitas; If you sing right, sing David's Psalms, but make them your own. Let the skill of composure be His, the life of devotion yours.

II. If I thought there were any here, that made scruple of this ordinance, I would speak a word or two to them. Let me say but two things.

First, There is no plain ground, why to refrain from singing, but most plain grounds, why to sing. A thousand times we are bidden, Sing; never forbidden, Sing not. So of the holy Sacrament, tis commanded in Scripture, Do this, but never Do it not.

Secondly, Where a Duty is commanded, and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance, it is safer to go with the Command, than from it. It is commanded in Psal. XXXIV. 3. O magnify the Lord with me, &c. The scruple is, that some profane persons sing, that set forms are too narrow, &c. It is warrantable now notwithstanding these scruples to keep up to the Command, but not contra, not warrantable to omit the Command because of these scruples. There is no extinguishing a Duty because of some particular doubts concerning it. This rule holds good of the reception of the holy Sacrament.

III. I might speak by way of incitation to all, to make Conscience of this Duty. Fail not to join with the Congregation in the performance of it, stir up your hearts while you are conversant about it. Say to yourselves as David to his Instruments, Awake Lute and Harp, I myself will awake right early. I will say but this, Qui vult cantare in Coelo, discat cantare in terris. He that will sing in Heaven, let him learn that divine exercise on Earth. As S. Paul saith of Charity, 1 Cor. XIII. 8. Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophesies, they shall fail; whether there be Tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. But charity only remains, and goes to Heaven with us. So I say of this Duty, Praise only of all the Services we perform to God here, goes along with us to Heaven. There is no praying, no hearing, no receiving Sacraments there, nothing but praising, lauding, and celebrating God: and that is the work of Saints and Angels to all Eternity.

A SERMON PREACHED ON Novemb. v. MDCLXI.

T HE words of an Angel, and strange because of the singularity spoken of in them. But one Angel and Michael to stand for the people of God? Where are all the heavenly host in such a pinch? At first sight the words are obscure: we must clear them, First, by the Context; Secondly, by the thing itself.

In verse the second, Daniel is mourning three weeks. And the reason of it was, because of the hindering the building of the Temple, Ezra IV. 24. Then ceased the work of the house of God, which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius King of Persia. It was hindered several years, but it was only three weeks, before Daniel had comfortable tidings of it. That is called one and twenty days, verse. 13. But the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days. By Prince of Persia some understand the tutelary Angel: as if Angels fought with Angels: but he means the King of Persia, Artaxerxes. So verse. 20. Now will I return to fight with him.

Here observe God's dispensing. Daniel's prayer must first make way for victory. God intended good concerning his Temple and his People, but gave not commission to the Angel Gabriel, till Daniel had prayed, and then he goes out. Here a wheel on Earth moves the wheel in Heaven. Such power hath the prayer of the faithful, and such delight hath God in their prayers: that he takes as it were the Watchword from them.

Where is Praying to Angels? Had Daniel done so, what would it have availed, since this Angel had not yet his commission?

Well, now he hath upon Daniel's prayers. I shall not question whether he had knowledge of his success before? If I should say, he had not, it would be no Soloecism; since the will of God is revealed to Angels not all at once, but as they are to be employed. And observe that in Mark XIII. 32. Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven. But I shall not insist on that.

Now he hath knowledge of the Will of God, and his Commission to fight against the King of Persia. And here we may understand a parallel Phrase, Judge. V. 20. They fought from Heaven, the Stars in their courses fought against Sisera. Angels are called Stars; Job XXXVIII. 7. When the morning Stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

Well, he goes to fight with the King of Persia, but he goes alone. None holdeth with me. Where are the thousands of Angels? There were many against Sisera, and none here? Is not the cause the same? Jacob to have an army of Angels, Gen. XXXII. 2. and the whole people of God but one? Where are they, or where is their mind? The meaning is not tending this way: not but that the Angels are ready always to help and stand up for God's people. But the meaning is, that God would do this work by himself. Only Michael must do it by his Angel. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Not one either man or Angel must serve for this, but Michael your Prince stands with me, and that is enough.

That by Michael is meant Christ, this very place evidenceth: in that he is called your Prince. For who is the Prince of the Church but Christ? And Chap. XII. 1. He is called the great Prince. And in Revel. XII. mention is made of Michael and the Dragon, that is, Christ and Satan. He is called the Archangel, Jud. verse. 9. And so 1 Thes. IV. 16. The Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel. Which elsewhere is expressed, shall hear the voice of the Son of God, Joh. V. 25. He is the Archangel in two respects: either as the chief Angel or messenger that ever God employed, or as Chief or head of the Angels. As 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a chief Priest, or the Chief of Priests.

So that hence the meaning is clear: I will go fight with the Prince of Persia, and Michael, or Christ, is with me, and so the work shall be done miraculously, without any other strength; for no other needeth. In the words then may two things be Observed.

• I. That Christ standeth for his people.
• II. That if he stand for them, no matter, though there be no other.

As the Apostle speaks, if he be with us, who can be against us? So may we say, If he be with us, no matter whether there be any other for us. I might speak here of the Ministration of Angels. But that I shall wave at present, and fix upon this Doctrine.

The truth of the Doctrine will appear here in the Text, and in this days Commemoration. The King of Persia thought he might do what he would with the Jews, who were now his own people, had information against them, that their City had been rebellious, and hurtful unto Kings and Provinces, and thereupon forbad the building it, Ezra IV. But yet Michael there Prince takes their part against the Prince of Persia. So they, for our deliverance from whom this day is celebrated, what sought they? Who defeated them, if Christ had not been on our side? We need not particular proofs. Look into the Scripture, and into story: whoever opposed Religion and prospered? Christ is a stone to bruise his enemies to powder.

Now the reason of this is, First, Because Religion is Christ's own child, of his begetting, and he will defend it. He created it in the beginning, and he will maintain it to the end. Secondly, Because opposing Religion is the highest wickedness. Other wickedness may be of weakness, or for the satisfaction of the flesh; but this is the direct part of the Devil: and direct opposition of Christ. Thirdly, Because Christ delights in Religion. He dwelt upon the Ark, he walked in the Candlesticks. The zeal of thine house, saith he, hath eat me up. And there are two things in Religion, that makes him take this pleasure in it; the one is, that it glorifies him, and the other, that it tends to the saving of Souls.

Of this discourse we may make this Use. First, To tremble to oppose Soul-saving Religion. Secondly, We may see the certain enduring and continuance of it, because Christ defends it. And thirdly, We may learn to what to ascribe our deliverance this day. Not to us, not to us, but to thy Name give the glory. In Scripture God's gracious dealing with his people is ascribed to his mercy, and to his Name. And to that alone must the glory of this our deliverance be given also.

A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY, Novemb. v. MDCLXIX.

I T is recorded of Hannibal, that great Commander and Enemy of Rome, that being but a Youth he put himself under an Oath before the Altar, of maintaining a perpetual enmity against that City. And he proved as big as his Word and Oath. This day may justly call upon England, to engage in such a feud and hostility against the same City. For on this day she proclaimed open fe • d and hostility against England. This day she shown that her Doctrine and practice and Church is not to be reconciled to: her Doctrine destruction, her Practice murder, her Charity cruelty, her Piety barrels of powder. In a word as Joab to David, 2 Sam. XIX. 6. Thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither Princes nor Servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. This day she declared, that she regarded neither Princes nor Servants, who this day may perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and we had all died, if Popery might have lived, though all England had perished, she had liked it well; and indeed that was her great desire and great design.

The day commemorates a Devilish plot, and a Divine deliverance, and the work of the day very suitable is, as to render all our Praises and Thanksgivings possible to the Author of our Deliverance; so to whet our detestation against the Author of such a Plot and Design. To help on this latter I have chosen these words, that I have read, that out of them I may lay before you the picture of that City, that fathered and fostered such a Plot; and the sight of that may help on the former, and set an edge upon our Thanksgivings, when we see from whom and from what we were delivered.

The words that I have read, I look upon as one of the most remarkable passages in this book; (which book hath not a few passages very remarkable) That the Devil should give his seat and Authority and Power to Rome. For that by the Dragon is meant the Devil, there is none can doubt: and that by the Beast spoken of here, and whose story runs on through the greatest part of the Book, is meant Rome, needs not much proving; for Romanists themselves do not deny it. Before I proceed further, I cannot but remember and mention two things, which are recorded by Roman Historians themselves concerning their City.

I. They tell you that the proper Name of Rome was a great secret, and that very few knew it, and that it was not to be uttered. And Pliny tells you of a man that was put to Death for calling Rome by its secret proper Name. Our Apocalyptic doth not mention Rome by name in all this Book, but truly he gives it its very proper and significant name, one while calling it Babylon, Chap. XVII. 18. Another while Egypt and Sodom, Chap. XI. 8. And what qualities of Babylon, Egypt and Sodom were, everyone very well knows.

II. Those Historians tell you, that whereas it was commonly known, under what Tutelar God or Deity other Cities were, some under Mars, some under Jupiter, some under Hercules, it was utterly unknown, who was the Tutelar God of Rome. Our Apocalyptic here resolved that scruple; he tells you who is the Patron and Deity of that City, under whose Tutelage and Guardianship it is, viz. of the Dragon, the old Serpent the Devil, who gives his seat and power and great authority to it. For that Rome is meant here, and all along through divers Chapters forward is not only the consent and opinion of ancient Fathers, not only of Protestants, but the very Romanists themselves grant it, if you will but grant the distinction twixt Imperial and Papal, Heathen and Christian. And indeed our Apostle hath so plainly charactered it, that it cannot be denied, that he means that City.

In Chap. XVII. 9. He telleth that the Scarlet where, that is drunk with the blood of the Saints sitteth on seven Mountains, which is the very character of Rome in her own Poets and Historians, and they reckon the seven Mountains by name on which the City stood, and at verse. 18. he saith, The whore which thou sawest is that great City, which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth. Now he is a mere stranger to History, that knoweth not that Rome, when John wrote this Revelation, ruled all Kings and Kingdoms; and even any one may gather so much from Luke II. 1. where it is said, There went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the World should be taxed: meaning only the Roman Empire, which is reputed there, as ruling and spreading over all the World. Divers more demonstrations might be given, but they need not, since Papists themselves cannot but grant it. So that the subject of the matter in the Text thus understood, yields us this clear Doctrine and Demonstration.

That Rome is the Devils seat, his Deputy and Vicegerent: one that the Devil hath invested in his own Throne and Power, and set it as Vice-Devil upon Earth. And can any good thing come out of such a Nazareth as this? It is no wonder if sire and gunpowder, mischief and destruction come from this City, when it is, as it were, the Deputy-Hell, that the Devil hath constituted on Earth, to act his authority and power. Glorious things are spoken of the City of God, Psal. LXXXVI. 3. But what things are to be spoken of the City of the Devil? I shall not fetch colors anywhere from abroad to paint out its blackness, though Histories relate infinitely horrid actions of it, as black as Hell; I shall only use those colors that are afforded by the Scripture, and take my discourse only from within the compass of that.

When you read of the Devils showing Christ all the Kingdoms of the Earth and the glory of them, do you not presently conceive that he shown him Rome, and her dominion and glory? For there was no glory and pomp on Earth then comparable to her glory and pomp. And when you read that he said, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down, &c. that he offered to make him Caesar? And when he saith, For that is mine, and to whomsoever I will I give it; how agreeable is it with the Text, that that seat, authority and power, was the Dragons, but he gave it to that Beast? It is not so said of the other Monarchies that had gone before. It is not so said of Babylon, Greece, &c. that the Devil gave them their Power and Authority, as it is said of Rome in this place, nor indeed could it so properly be said of them, as I shall observe afterward.

And here I doubt the fifth Monarchy Man is foully mistaken in his reckoning, when he accounts the fifth Monarchy to be the Kingdom of Christ, whereas indeed the fifth Monarchy was this Kingdom of the Devil. In the second and seventh Chapter of Daniel, you read of the four Monarchies, and all destroyed before Christ came in the flesh, as is apparently to be observed there. They were the Babylonian, Mede-Persian, Grecian and Syro-Grecian, and after them rose the fifth, this of the Roman. And which is observable, and which may be observed out of Roman Records, It began most properly to be a Monarchy that very year, that our Savior was born, as might be shown out of Dion, &c. if material; and so Christ and this Roman Beast born and brought forth at the very same time.

Well, the Devil gave his Seat and Power to this Beast, this City. If you look for anything but Devilishness and mischief from it, you look for Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thistles. True, there was in the beginning of the Gospel a flock of Christ there holy, and their Faith famous, Rom. I. 8. but poor men they were underlings and of no power. We speak of Rome in its pomp and power, acting in its authority and dominion, as it ruled over all the World: and as it was invested in the Authority and Seat of the Dragon himself.

And why did the Devil give his Seat and Power and great Authority to it? You may easily guess for what, viz. that it should be an enemy to that, and them to whom he himself was chiefly an Enemy, Christ, and his Gospel, and his People. We cannot say, that Rome conquered Nations, and subdued Kingdoms by the power of the Dragon, so properly as that Rome fought against Christ and his Gospel and People by the power of the Dragon. And this was the very end, why the Dragon gave him his Seat and Power. And that City hath done that work for her Lord and Master the Dragon, as faithfully, zealously, constantly as the Dragon himself could have done. For indeed the spirit of the Dragon hath all along acted her, and been in her.

The first cast of her office for her Master, and which shows what she would do all along for him, was, that she murdered Christ himself, the Lord of life. I said before that it is not said of the Monarchies before, that the Dragon gave his power and his seat and great authority to them, nor indeed could it so properly be said of them, as of Rome. For the Dragon had something for Rome to do, which they did not, could not, viz. to murder the Savior of the World, the Lord of Glory. In Rev. XI. 8. where mention is made of the witnesses Prophesying, and being martyred, it is said, Their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. When you hear of the City where our Lord was crucified, you will think of Jerusalem, but when you hear of the great City, this Apostle teaches us to look at Rome. And who can but observe that, which our Savior himself saith concerning himself, Luke XVIII. 32, 33. The Son of man shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated, and spitted on. And they shall scourge him and put him to death. Who was it that so spitefully entreated, and put to death the Son of God? The Gentiles. And who those Gentiles? The Evangelists tells you who: Pilate the Roman Governor, and the Roman Soldiers, and that by the Authority and Tyranny of Rome, and in the cause of Rome, that would have no King but Caesar. There were two Nations that had a hand in the conspiracy of Christ's murder, the Jew and the Roman, and whether of them deeper in the murder? The Evangelists tell, and the Jews themselves tell, that the Roman must do it, or it could not be done. Joh. XVIII. 31. Pilate said unto them, Take ye him and judge him according to your Law; the Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Therefore thou must do it, or it will not be done. And he did it.

And now as Hannibals father brought him to an Altar, and engaged him in an oath to be an enemy to Rome, so let me bring your thoughts to Christ's cross, and engage your hearts in such another enmity. Christian, it was Rome that murdered thy Savior, and need I to say anymore? As oft as you read, repeat the History of our Savior's bitter passion, remember Rome, for it was Rome that caused him so to suffer, and Pontius Pilate brought him to it by the Authority of Rome. And the very frame of the Article in the Creed, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, hints you to observe and remember such a thing. For if it had meant to intimate Christ's sufferings only, it had been enough to have said, He suffered, without saying anymore, but when he saith, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, it calls you to think of that Power and Tyranny by which he suffered, viz. the Power and Tyranny of Rome, which Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor acted and exercised.

And here let us argue with a Romanist according to the cue of his own Logic: He saith Peter was at Rome, &c. Ergo. We argue likewise, Pilate was at Jerusalem, &c. Ergo. Here was a sad beginning, and that which speaks plainly, why it was that the Devil made Rome his Deputy, and invested it in his Seat and Power, viz. that it might murder his great enemy, the Lord Christ. And this was but too plain a prognostic what it would do to the members of Christ in succeeding generations; which how it did, there are so many thousand stories written in blood, that I need not to mention them.

I might begin with the Ten Persecutions raised by the Heathen Emperors against the Professors of Christ and his Gospel: wherein so many thousand poor Christians were destroyed with the most exquisite torments that could be invented, and whereby that City and Empire shown, how zealously it wrought for its Master, and would not spare the dry tree, when it had cut down the green, would not spare Christ in his members who had so little spared him himself in his own person.

But a Papist will say, True indeed, Heathen Rome was even as you say, but Papal Rome is of another kind of temper. It is the Church of Christ, the Mother Church, the chief of Churches. It was Babylon, and Sodom and Egypt in the Heathen Emperors time, and the seat of the Devil, but under the Popes it is Jerusalem, Zion, and the City of God.

I should ask him that pleads thus one question, and ere ever I should turn Romanist I would be resolved of, but I doubt the infallible chair itself is not able to resolve it; and that is this. Whence it is, that since the Jew, that had a hand in murthering Christ, hath laid under a curse ever since, and hath been utterly cast off of God for it, and is like to be to the end: how comes it to pass that the Roman, that had a hand as deep in that horrid act, if not deeper, should be so blessed, as to be the only people and Church of God? That Jerusalem for that fact should be a curse, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation, and that Rome, that was as guilty every whit, should be a blessing, a renown, and the prime Church of all Churches? Let a Papist solidly unriddle me this, and he says something.

And to speak to what he pleads, we may first answer with that common saying, Ubi lex non distinguit, &c. what the Word of God doth not distinguish, we are not to make any distinction about; but of any differences of qualities twixt Rome Heathen and Papal, the Word of God doth not distinguish, unless it show the Papal to be the worse of the two. In this Chapter indeed, it distinguishes of the change of state and government from Imperial to Pontifical, but for mischievousness and abomination there is no such distinction, Rome Heathen in the beginning of the Chapter is a Beast like a Leopard with feet like a Bear, and a mouth like a Lion. And Rome Papal at verse. 11. a beast like a Lamb, but it speaks like a Dragon, and exerciseth all the power of the former Beast, and is not behind it a whit in wickedness and cruelty. A Lamb in show, but a Dragon, a Devil in speech, and the very former beast in demeanor; the former beast had the mouth of a Lion, this of a Dragon, the former bad, this worse. And look but at several places, that speak of this City, and you find, they speak of it without any such distinction of quality, but that Rome all along is herself, i. e. stark naught till her latter end, and till she perish.

The first time you meet with any hint of Rome in Scripture is Numb. XXIV. 24. And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish forever. Where by Chittim, that Rome and Italy are meant, it is the consent both of Jews and Christians, both of Protestants and Papists; and the very intent and story of the passage doth so enforce it to be taken. And the words show, how Ships and Soldiers from Rome, should afflict and conquer Assyria, who had been once the great afflicter, and that they should afflict and conquer Heber, or the Hebrews, the afflicted people, yea, afflict Christ the chief child of Heber, for Rome, as I said, put him to death. All which, History showeth to be most true. And he also, that is, Chittim, Rome or Italy, shall perish forever. The word also parallels her perdition with Amalek, of which there is mention, verse. 20. Amalek was the first of the Nations; that is, he was the first of the Nations that fought against Israel, Exod. XVII. and that Nation shall perish forever. So Chittim or Rome is the last of the Nations, that shall afflict Heber and the Israel of God, and he also shall perish forever. Now do you find any such distinction here, as that Rome Papal should be holy, blessed and the most excellent Church in the World, when the conclusion, the period of Chittim is, that he shall perish forever.

And the last time, that there is discourse in Scripture of Rome, it makes this distinction indeed of the state and government of it, that Rome Heathen is the Beast, and Papal is the false Prophet, but it leaves both under the same condemnation, and perishing forever, Revel. XIX. 20. And the Beast was taken and the false Prophet: And both these were taken, and cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Antichrist in Scripture is charactered under the character of Apostasy, or falling away from the Truth, 2 Thes. II. 3, 4. There must be a falling away first, and then the Man of sin shall be revealed. And Rev. IX. 1. I saw a star fall from Heaven unto the Earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the Sun and the Air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke Locusts upon the Earth, &c. He that lets Hell loose, and opens the bottomless pit, and lets out smoke that darkeneth all the World, and lets out Locusts that devour all before them. He is a Star, a Churchman, an Angel, a Minister of the Church, (as Chap. I. 20. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches ) but a Star fallen from Heaven: a Minister apostatized and revolted from the Truth; or else he would not rightly resemble his father the Devil, who abode not in the truth, but fell from it, and became an enemy. Now let any one judge, whether Rome Heathen or Papal, be this apostatized wretch, and whether of them hath departed from the truth. Rome Heathen never embraced the truth, and so could never fall from it; Rome Papal hath done it with a witness.

And lastly, That much mistaken place in Revel. XX. speaks to this very tenor we are upon. First, The old Dragon, which is the Devil and Satan is bound by Christ a thousand years, that he should no more deceive the Nations, verse. 3. The old Serpent had deceived the Nations, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Heathen, for above two thousand years with Idolatry, false miracles, false oracles, and with all blindness of superstition. Now Christ sending the Gospel by his Apostles and Ministers among the Heathen or Gentiles, bound the Devil and imprisoned him, curbed his power and delusion, that he should not deceive the World in manner as he had done, but the World now becomes Christian, and Heathenism is done away; and this is there called the first Resurrection, viz. the Resurrection of the dead Heathen, as Ephes. II. 1. You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. And Joh. V. 25. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Well, thus the Devil is bound a thousand years, during which time the Gospel runs through the World, and prevails and makes it Christian. At verse. 7. the Devil is let loose again and by Popery he makes the World as blind, deluded, heathenish, as it had been in the worst times under Heathenism. And it were no hard thing out of History to show that Rome Papal did equal, nay exceed Rome Heathen, in all blindness, wickedness, cruelty, uncleanness, and in all manner of abomination. But an hour, a day, a week would not serve the turn to describe that full Parallel. The Text gives a full summary of all, though in few words when it tells us that the Dragon, the Devil, gave his power, seat and authority to Rome, and it hath, and doth; and will act, in that spirit while it is Rome; and can anything but mischief be expected from such a spirit?

This days memorial is evidence enough, instead of more. A Plot and Design of cruelty and horridness, that Rome Heathen could never show its parallel. And the old Roman valor, though cruel enough, yet would have been ashamed to have been so murderous, in so base and undermining a manner.

And now sursum corda, lift up your hearts unto the Lord. It is very meet, and right, and our bounden duty so to do, upon consideration of our deliverance, and upon consideration from whom and what we were delivered. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, saith David, and not into the hands of men. Where had we been, had we fallen into the hands of these men? Blessed, ever blessed be our God, that he did take us into his own hand and protection, or else poor England had dwelt in silence. Imagine in your thought, that you saw that, which your hearts abhor to imagine, the cursed Plot to have taken place and effect: as Abraham from the hills of Hebron, saw the smoke of Sodom and Gomorrhah ascend up to Heaven, like the smoke of a furnace. Imagine that you had seen King, Parliament, Religion, England, going up in fire and smoke, and destroyed and come to nothing: can our hearts but quake and tremble at the only imagination of such a sight? Oh! what great things hath God done for us, that we neither saw it, nor heard of it; yea, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice.

They show how sensible they are, from what and from whom they are delivered, that sing so triumphantly, and praise God so heartily upon the Fall of Babylon, Revel. XIX. the beginning: and they intimate what a vexation, a curse, a plague that was to the World while it stood, when they so were ravished with joy when it is taken away. After these things, saith the Apocalyptic, I heard a great voice of much people in Heaven, saying Alleluia, salvation and honor and glory and power unto the Lord our God. For he hath judged the great whore, that corrupted the earth, &c. And again, they said Alleluia, verse. 3. And again, Amen. Alleluja, verse. 4. They never think, they can say enough for such a deliverance of them from so mischievous a vexer and enemy.

The word Hallelujah is frequently in David's Psalms, rendered, Praise ye the Lord. Ye first meet with it at the latter end of Psalm CIV. where the Jews note upon it is not impertinent, viz. That Hallelujah comes not till there be tidings of the ruin and destruction of ungodly men: and such you have in the last verse of that Psalm, Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth, and let the wicked be no more: Bless thou the Lord O my soul. Hallelujah. Ye have the like in that place of Revelations; the wicked destroyed, Babylon, Babylon no more, but ruined, fired, and her smoke goeth up forever and ever; and then are the mouths of all the Church of God filled with Hallelujahs, praising of the Lord for so great deliverance.

When Babylon shall be destroyed, I shall not go about to prophesy, too many have lost themselves in that boldness and curiosity: but when the Plots of Babylon have destroyed, especially such an one as this was, which would have destroyed us all; when such brats of Babylon are dashed against the stones; we know not what Babylon is, nor what our own interest is, if our mouths be not filled with Hallelujahs, and our hearts with the praises of the Lord. Where had England been by this time if the Plot designed had taken effect? We had been by this time like the Syrians blindfold in the midst of Samaria; our eyes blinded with the smoke of the bottomless pit, that we should never have seen the light of that Truth and Gospel, that we now behold. Blindness, and ignorance, and superstition had been entailed upon us to all generations.

Except the Lord had been on our side, now may Israel say, except the Lord had been on our side, when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick, when they were so wrathfully displeased with us. This is a day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY, Novemb. V. MDCLXX.

A Very sad story and heavy news: Satan loose, Gog and Magog in arms, Nations deceived, and a numberless army mustered, and going forth to battle against the Camp of the Saints, and the beloved City, as it is related in the verse following. It is no wonder, if there go before such a rout as this, such a Proclamation, as you have, Chap. XII. 12. Woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth, and of the Sea, for the Devil is come out among you having great wrath. I, and having a great army too. And as Balaam complains, Alas! who shall live, when the Lord doth this? Numb. XXIV. So may we; Alas! who shall live, when the Devil doth this, and the Lord suffer him? You cannot blame Elishas servant, when he saw the City where he was, beset round about with Syrians, if he cried out, Alas! Master, what shall we do? If the matter of the Text have any relation to our times, we have much reason to make such a crying out, Alas! Men and Brethren, what shall we do? And whether the things concern our times we shall search as we go along.

You see in the Text the Monster Goliath and his uncircumcised Philistines, marching against the poor Israel of God; and if God be not with them, what will become of them? Now blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for that he hath set such a memorial upon this day, as he hath done, and written as it were upon it, Immanuel, God with us. For if the Lord had not been on our side, now may England say, if the Lord had not been on our side, when these enemies rose up against us, they had swallowed us up quick, when they were so enraged against us. For that those that then contrived our Destruction were of Satan's army, I believe, none but they themselves will be so senseless as to deny: and that they were of Gog and Magogs regiments, the design itself, and the truth itself makes undeniable.

That may seem something in consistence with the Text, which the Apostle speaks, Eph. VI. 12. We have not to fight against flesh and blood, but against the Rulers of the darkness of this world. But the Text tells, that we have to fight against them, and against flesh and blood too; against Satan, and against Gog and Magogs army also. But the Apostle understands the word only, which if spoken out, makes the sense clear, and reconciles him, and our Apocalyptic very well, and very easily together. We have not to fight against flesh and blood only, but against principalities, &c. And such manner of speech is no rare thing in Scripture, as might be shown by several instances, if I would insist upon it.

And all the World is inevitably put upon this Dilemma, either thou must be of Satan's army, or must fight against Satan's army, and expect it to fight against thee. That therefore may seem an hard case, that God from the beginning put enmity between the Devil and Men, Gen. III. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. And was there any need of this? Had not the Devil spite and enmity enough against men, without God's putting enmity between them? Yes, enough and enough again, but man had not enmity enough against the Devil. He had been too much friends with him, in harkening to him, obeying him, complying with him to the violating God's Command, and the undoing of all mankind; and should he still continue in that compliance with him, there were no hope of recovery, no way but eternal ruin. Therefore it was a most comfortable and happy passage, when God himself takes on him to dissolve this society, and to set them at odds, that the seed of the woman should set the Devil at defiance, be an Enemy to him, and fight against him, and at last through God's strength and good assistance tread him underfoot.

But they must look for as sharp dealing from him, as possible. If they will be enemies to him, and not obedient and compliant, he will be an enemy to them to purpose, and omit nothing that may tend to their ruin, whether subtlety or strength. For he hath his deceivings and his Army in the Text, and he hath his deceivings and his strength in his temptations and assaults.

I need not to spread before you, the parts of the Text, they lie so plain in their several clauses. The task before us is rather to explain them, which we shall assay to do in the method and order as they lie.

And first, the first clause, And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed, recalls us to the third verse of the Chapter, where Satan is bound for a thousand years. There bound, here loosed: there bound for a thousand years, here the thousand years are expired: there bound and imprisoned that he should not deceive the Nations, and here loosed he goes out to deceive the Nations again.

I doubt a Millenary and I should scarce agree about the explication of this Scripture▪ He looks for the thousand years yet to come, I make no doubt, but they are long since past and ended. He thinks Satan shall be chained up that he shall not persecute or trouble the Church, when the Text tells you plainly that his chaining up was that he should not deceive the Nations. And there is a great deal of difference between persecuting and deceiving, between the Church and the Nations.

Do but call to thoughts, how the Devil deceived the Nations, or the Heathen (for that English word of ours is the very Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 used in the Text) to worship Idols, or, as the Scripture phraseth it, to worship Devils, to believe lying Oracles, false Miracles, to account the highest profaneness to be Religion: as the Prostitution of their bodies in Fornication, to be divine adoration, offering their children to Molock, to be devotion, sacrificing men and women, to be zeal, and to bury men quick, to be a blessed atonement. I say, do but call to remembrance how the Devil thus deceived the Nations, before the Gospel came among them, and you may easily perceive what is meant by the great Angels binding the old Serpent, the Devil, and imprisoning him, that he should not deceive the Nations, or Gentiles, as he had, viz. Christ sending his Gospel among them did by the power and prevalency of it, curb, restrain and chain up the Devils power and activity from cheating so abominably, as he had done hitherto. For the Gospel cast down their Idolatry, silenced their Oracles, dissolved their Miracles, and curbed those abominations that had reigned before. As those that are any whit acquainted with History, do very well know, and those that but read the Bible cannot be ignorant of. And thus he bound the Devil, that he should not deceive the Nations.

Secondly, His binding and imprisoning is said to be for a thousand years. Which may be taken Allusively or Determinately.

1. Allusively, or speaking according to the common opinion of the Jewish Nation: which conceiveth that the Kingdom and Reign of Messias should be a thousand years, as it were easy to show in their own Authors abundantly. And so the Apocalyptic may be conceived to speak according to their common opinion, that he may the better speak to their capacity: and that speaking by things familiarly received and known, he might intimate his mind more feelingly to their apprehensions. But withal he explains what is meant by Christ's reigning, viz. in and by the power of the Gospel conquering Nations to the obedience of the Truth, and subduing Satan from his cheating and deluding them as he had done.

Now the Scripture speaking so much of Christ's Kingdom, and reigning among the Gentiles by the Gospel; that Gospel subduing the power of Satan among them, and bringing them to subjection under Christ's scepter: and the Jews holding that Messias his Kingdom should be a thousand years: our Evangelist relates to the former, and allude • to the latter, that he may the better be understood, when he saith, Satan was bound a thousand years, and the Saints of Christ reigned with him a thousand years.

2. You may take the time determinately, and that very properly, for just so long a time. And begin from the time that the Gospel was first sown by the Apostles among the Heathen, and count a thousand years forward, and you have them ending in the depth and darkness of Popery: when Satan was let loose again, and the World and Nations cheated and deceived by him into as gross ignorance, palpable darkness, horrid Idolatry, ridiculous belief of forged Miracles, and Oracles, and committing all manner of abominations, as ever the Heathen had been deceived and cheated by him before.

The Gospel from the first preaching of it among the Gentiles, had now gone through all Nations, and by it the World was made Christian; and all People, and Nations, and Languages were come to the acknowledgment of it, when up comes Popery in the West, as Mahumetism in the East, and overspreads the World with an universal darkness, that it becomes as blind, superstitious, deluded, heathenish, as ever it had been. And that Popery is more peculiarly here meant, whereby Satan deceived the Nations, as much as ever he had deceived the Nations under Heathenism, besides that the calculation of the time taken determinately, doth help to argue, the main scope of this book from Chapter XIII. hitherto doth also evince, which is to speak of Rome, or the Western Babylon, and as it were to write her story.

Thus according to the first clause in the Text, When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed; upon which passage and providence, we cannot but stand and muse a little: to see Barabbas the Vilain and Murderer let out of prison, and at liberty again. Can you but wonder at it, that such a horrid Vilain as he should not be kept fast, when he was caught and laid fast.

That Satan did break prison and loose himself from his bands, I suppose, none can imagine, that remember that Christ laid him up, and Christ was too strong and too watchful to let such a prisoner escape from him, whom he had so fast. And the very expression in the Text, Satan was loosed from his prison, hint that he got not loose himself, but was loosed by him that had tied him up.

And this in some reflection may speak comfort, that the Devil whom God hath in a chain, is not at his own disposal and liberty, but that God restrains or enlarges, binds or looses him at his pleasure. He reserves him in chains of the darkness of his wrath and displeasure, that he shall not finally escape him; and he hath him in the chains of his providence and disposal, that at his pleasure he curbs and restrains him, rage he never so much, and be he never so furious.

But there are two things here that are a just cause of sadness, for this one of comfort.

First, That Christ should let him loose, when he had him fast, seeing with him there is nothing but mischief. Had he broke loose it had been another matter, but that Christ should loose him it is something the more bitter to think of, as it is very well worth the thinking of. Let me relate this story for answer to this strangeness: When the cruel and bloody Phocas was Emperor of Greece, and the Church and Kingdom lay under very much sadness and affliction under so wretched a Ruler; a good and holy man in his zeal and devotion, made bold to question God, why he had set so wicked a Governor over his People? And he received this answer, That Phocas indeed was as vile and wicked a Ruler as could be set over them, but that the sins of the People had deserved, that such a Tyrant should be set over them. If any one in like zeal and bitterness of Spirit should be so bold as to question Christ; Lord Jesus, why shouldest thou let Satan loose when thou hadst him fast, seeing thou knewest that he being loose would only do mischief and destroy? He might very well receive this most true and just answer, That it is indeed a very woeful thing that Satan should be let loose, to go and deceive the Nations, and to lead them into blindness and error, but the Nations had deserved that they should be so served. And let the Apostles be the Lord's interpreters, 2 Thes. II. 10. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore God sent them strong delusions, the great deluder, that they might believe a lie.

God had chained Satan that he should not deceive them, in that he had brought in the Gospel among them. But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked. The World grew wanton with the Gospel, and toyed with it. They prized it not as they should, improved it not as they should, slighted the truth, embraced error, followed their own ways and follies. Therefore, saith Christ, as it is in Esa. LXVI. I also will choose their delusions, to give them up to them, and because decipi vult hic Populus, decipiatur. Therefore among them, Satan, and let them have enough of falsehood, deceiving and delusion, because this people love to have it so.

Wantoning with the Word of God, and dallying with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is but too justly punished with the loss of it, and with removing the Candlestick out of its place, if men care not to walk by the light of the candle. When men will shut their eyes against the light, it is no wonder if God make them dwell in darkness. This is one sad business that Satan is thus let loose to deceive, but behold! a second we cometh after it, viz.

Secondly, That he being thus loosed, you never find that he is bound again. He had been loose before, and was bound, but loosed here, and for ought we find, loosed ever▪ Read the Chapter henceforward, and you find no end of his deceiving till you find an end of his being. In the Text he is deceiving, and his army is mustered and marching against the beloved City: and what is the next news, verse. 9. Fire came down from Heaven, and devoured them: and verse. 10. The Devil that deceived them was cast into a lake of fire and brimstone. Ask you, how long shall Satan be thus loose, and deceive, how long shall his army battle against the Camps of the Saints, and besiege the beloved City? The Apocalyptic here tells you till his army be destroyed by the fire of God's vengeance from Heaven, and till Satan himself be cast into fire and brimstone. A passage which I think is very well worth their considering, which look for and speak of such golden and glorious times, yet to come before the end of the World.

Fourthly, Satan loosed, you see, falls to his old trade again of deceiving the Nations. A right Jail-bird indeed, a Thief, that delivered out of prison, falls to his old course of theiving again, and will not leave till the Gallows ended him. Would you not think that a thousand years imprisonment should have wrought some change in him, and amendment upon him? But bray a fool in a mortar, and he will come out a fool still. Satan is no changling, but will be Satan still. Who what he is, we shall have occasion to speak to more hereafter.

Fifthly, Among the Deceived by him, Gog and Magog is particularly named. And what is meant by them is variously, and by some wildly guessed. I might make a long Discourse concerning Gog and Magog, and tell you;

• 1. That the Jews, from Ezek. XXXVIII, & XXXIX. where there is a dreadful Prophesy concerning Gog, do hold that such a dreadful enemy shall appear a little before Messias shall appear, and that Elias shall come to fight with him; and they tell terrible things about the War of Gog framed out of their own fancy.
• 2. That some Christians by Gog and Magog understand the Turk, some the Pope, some both.

Not to trouble you with things more immaterial, our Apocalyptic alludes to that Gog in Ezekiel: he means not the same person with that Gog there mentioned, but one of the same temper and qualities with him. So he calls the City where our Lord was crucified, Sodom and Egypt, Chap. XI. 8. because that City was a place of the like wickedness with them. Now that Ezekiel by Gog, and the Land of Magog means the Kingdom of the Syro-Grecians, or Greek-Syrian, more especially Antiochus the great Persecutor of the Jews, and their Religion, might be copiously proved both by the order of Ezekiel's prophesy, especially comparing that prophesy with the book of Daniel, and by the story of that Kingdom, and that King himself.

In all that large Prophesy I take up but verse. 17. of Chap. XXXVIII. Art thou he, of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? His meaning is, No, thou art not he. My Prophets prophesy of the King of Assyria, and the King of Babylon, that these should come up against them to avenge my quarrel upon them, and to be my scourge to punish them for their iniquities. But thou art an upstart risen of thyself, not to do my work, but to work against me, and against mine ordinances. Read Dan. VII. 25. that speaks of this cursed King. He shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the Saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws, and they shall be given into his hands for a time, &c. And of the same Wretch, and the same actions speaks he, Chap. XII. 11. He took away the daily sacrifice, and set up the abomination that maketh desolate. Upon which he that readeth 1 Maccab. I. will find a large comment: that he enjoined, upon pain of death, the Jews to take up the manner of the Heathen, not to circumcise their Children, not to use the Law, that he caused abominable things to be offered on the Altar, Idols and Groves to be set, and in a word not to use their own Religion upon pain of death. The like may be read of him in Josephus, and other Authors; and that not only he, but other Kings of the same Kingdom, bore the same enmity, and exercised the same persecution against the Jews and their Religion.

This is that Gog and Land of Magog that Ezekiel speaks of, so bitter and grievous enemies unto Israel. To him our Apocalyptic alludes in this place, and speaking of a Kingdom and party of the like temper, and that imitated him in enmity and persecuting the true Religion, he useth the very same name; and meaneth that Satan should deceive men into a false Religion, that they should hate and persecute the true, as Gog and Magog, the Syro-Grecians and Antiochus, had once done. And be it Pope that he intends or be it Turk, or both, I do not dispute, but by the currant of the discourse along the whole Chapter, to me the Papacy is plainly meant more especially: and how properly it belongs to Rome, sad experience hath so copiously evidenced, that I need not to insist on any parallel. About the fortieth year of Christ the Gospel was brought among the Gentiles, then Satan began to be bound and imprisoned, that he should not deceive the Heathen as he had done: Count a thousand years thence, and look what times were in the World about the year of Christ MXL, and methinks, I see the World turned purely Heathen again for blindness, and superstition, and Idolatry: that Satan was then plainly let loose, and the Nations as much deceived then, as they were under Heathenism before Christ's coming.

One thing by the way may not be passed unobserved, That in one sense he was loose when he was bound, and did a World of mischief one way, when he was tied up from doing mischief another: Within those thousand years from the first going forth of the Gospel among the Gentiles, counted thence forward, you find as bitter persecution of the Gospel, as bloody murthering of the Saints of God as ever was in the World, till he was loosed again, and Popery fell to that trade a fresh. Within the thousand years that Satan is said to be imprisoned, were those Ten bloody Persecutions, that Ecclesiastical History speaks of; in which so many hundred thousand precious Christians were horridly and barbarously murdered for the profession of the truth. And is not the hand of Joab in all this? Had not Satan a hand in all that butchery? No, he was imprisoned. But can such mischief be wrought, and Satan not there? All that persecution, and cruelty, and murder committed, and the great Murderer from the beginning not there? By which very thing you may observe, that there is a great deal more danger in Satan's deceiving, than in his persecuting: for his persecuting is not here mentioned, while he is said to be tied up from deceiving.

Upon the whole thus unfolded we may Observe these three things.

• I. That Satan's great work and business that he follows is, to deceive.
• II. That it is his great Masterpiece to deceive in matter of Religion.
• III. That it is his ultimate refuge to raise persecution when he cannot deceive.

How all these arise out of the Text, I suppose, none but may easily observe. His work before his imprisonment was to deceive the Nations, and he sets to the same again, when loosed from imprisonment. His deceiving of the Nations was by cheating them into false principles and practices of Religion, Heathenism before and Papacy after. And when he cannot deceive, the camp of the Saints, and the beloved City, he hath his Gog and Magog, his army as the sand of the Sea to sight against.

Need I to spend much proofs to show, that it is Satan's trade, and work and business that he follows, to deceive? It was the first thing he did after he was Satan: the Serpent deceived me, saith Eve, and I did eat: and he hath been doing the same ever since, and will be ever doing, whilst he is. He is a Liar and the Father of Lies, Joh. VIII. 44. And that very name and profession of his speaks cheating and deceit. There was a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets, to cheat both him and them; and there is a lying Spirit in the heart of thousands and thousands to deceive and ruin them. I fear lest Satan have beguiled you, as he beguiled Eve, saith the Apostle to some that were a thousand fold better than some thousands in the World.

How abundant proof of this, that it is Satan's work to deceive, might be fetched from Scripture, how abundant from experience? But what testimony would be given of this in Hell? If it were asked there, Do you think that Satan is a Deceiver? Oh! what a howl would be given up of the attestation of this, felt by woeful and miserable experience? Oh! he hath deceived and cheated us all hither: he hath led us like the Syrians blindfold into Samaria, into the midst of their enemies; so us into this misery merely with his cozening; and we never dreamed of any such thing. He made me believe, says one, and to say in my heart, that there was no God, and now I feel there is an angry one with a witness. He cheated me say others, to think the threatenings and curses of the Word of God were but Bugbears to fright men, but now we feel them heavier than Rocks and Mountains. He cozened us to believe, that the pleasures of sin should never be changed, the contents of the Flesh and the World should never have an end. And how sadly and miserably do we feel the contrary to our eternal sorrow. Oh! Satan, thou hast deceived us, and we have been deceived, thou hast proved stronger than we, and hast undone us.

For indeed Satan's strength lies in his Cosenage: cut but these locks of his like Samson's, and he is weak and can do little. Satan with all his strength and power cannot force any man to sin, and therefore his way is to cheat them to sin. If Satan could force any soul to sin, all souls must go to Hell, and no flesh should be saved, for he would spare none: but since he cannot force and compel the Will, he cheats and cosens the Understanding, and so persuades the Will. The subtle Serpent winds into the Will and Consent by deceiving the Fancy and Intellect: as the Apostle speaks of sin, Rom. VII. 11. Sin deceived me, and so slew me. Satan deceives and so destroys.

How he does insinuate and inject his deceit and illusions upon the minds of men, how he strikes fire, that the tinder of the soul may take some kindling, is not so easy for discovery, as it is sad in experience. It is a depth of Satan hard to be known, as to his managing of it, but too well known in the effect and operation. I shall not therefore trouble you with any discourse upon that subject, though something might be said about it both from Philosophy and Divinity.

II. It is a Masterpiece of his cheating to cheat men in matter of Religion. To deceive the Nations with a false Religion instead of a true, as he did the Heathen before he was bound, and as he hath done the greatest part of the World with Popery and Mahumetism since he was let loose. As it is the great work of Christ to propagate the truth, and to promote the Gospel, which is the great Truth of God, and Mystery of Salvation; so Satan makes it his business to sow tares among the wheat, to corrupt the truth as much as possible; and to muddy the wholesome waters of Religion, of which the Sheep of Christ should drink, as much as he can, that no man may drink but dirt and puddle. As he himself abode not in the truth, Joh. VIII. so he cannot abide, that men should abide in it, if he can prevent it. In 2 Cor. IV. 4. The God of this World blindeth men's minds, that the brightness of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ should not shine to them. The Devil plays not the small game of cheating men of their money, of their lands and worldly interests, as men cheat one another; but of their Religion, of the soundness of truth, of solid and wholesome principles. Whence else such Idolatrous principles among the Heathen, such damnable traditions among the Jews, such cursed heresies among Christians? The enemy hath done this, who cannot abide the fair growing of the Wheat, but if possible he will choke it with Tares. Do you not hear of Doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim. IV. 1. and of damnable heresies, 2 Pet. II. 1. It is the Devils damnable plot and design, to destroy men by their very principles of Religion: to poison the fountains, out of which they should drink wholesome water, that they drink death and damnation, where they should drink wholesome refreshing.

It is a cheat too sad, when the Devil cosens men to the hurt of their souls, by their choosing and using things for their bodies outward condition; but it is a Mastery of his delusions, when he cheats them in matters and principles of Religion, which they choose and use for their souls. It is a great and a sad mastery of his, when he brings men to sin out of the very principles of their Religion, to establish mischief by a Law. As the vilest Act, that ever was committed in the World, viz. the crucifying the Lord of life, the Jews did it out of the very Principles of their traditional Religion, which engaged them not to endure such a Messias. And the horrid fact, that this day commemorates, which even amazeth all stories, and the like to which no Age or Nation can produce or parallel, they did it out of the very principles of their Religion: their Faith being Faction, and their Religion Rebellion, as our Churches have many a time heard that character of them.

It is not a trifling business for men, to take up principles and practices in Religion out of fancy and humor and self conceit, though that hath been very much in fashion in our days. It is Satan's masterpiece of Policy, to make men forsake the Waters of Siloam that run softly, and to dig themselves Cisterns, that will hold no water, and so to perish for thirst. Is it not a desperate cheat of Satan, that men should out of principles of Religion, refuse the public Ministry; out of principles of Religion should rant and become Atheists; out of principles of Religion should do, as they were about to have done by us this day, to destroy those that are not of the same principles and Religion?

A sad thing, when that which should be a man's balm becomes poison, and those things which should have been for his greatest good, should turn to his greatest evil, when his principles of Religion become his greatest ruin. Surely a very powerful cheat of Satan is there, when men choose darkness to be their light, poison their diet, and doctrines of Devils to be their way of Salvation. I shall only mind you of the Apostles counsel, 1 Joh. IV. 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the Spirits whether they are of God: for many false Prophets are come into the World. And that of another Apostle, Prove all things, and hold that which is good; And, Be not led away with every Doctrine.

The present occasion calls upon us to remember, what men seduced by Satan would have done to us, and what the God of truth and mercy hath done for us: and we cannot better do either, than with reflection upon Religion. The Text before us tells us that Satan deceives all he can, and musters an Army of those that he hath deceived, to fight against those that will not be deceived. For ask that Army, why do you fight against the Camp of the Saints, and why do you besiege the beloved City? And what answer in the World can they give but this, Because they will not be deceived by Satan, as we are.

And ask our Gunpowder Plotters, Why do you go about to destroy King, Parliament, and Nation? What quarrel have you against them, that you would bring so horrid a ruin upon them? What wrong have they done you, that you will take so severe and cruel a revenge? Why, they will not be as we are, blind as we are blind, befooled and deceived, as we are befooled and deceived.

A sad case, that a Nation must be destroyed, because it will not be cheated by Satan; because it will not put out its own Eyes, and choose to be blind and live in darkness, when it hath Eyes and light. A doleful thing, that men should be killed, because they will not be fools. Think of the hundreds, that have gone to the fire and faggot, because they could not believe Transubstantion; because they could not believe that which is contrary to Reason, Religion, and the trial of the Sences, therefore they must be put to a most cruel death. Poor England, because she will not be Popish must be no more; because she will not lose her wits, she must lose her life. Poor Abel must be murdered, because he will not be such a wretch, hypocrite and vilain, as Cain. This is all the quarrel they had against us, because we would not be of such a Religion, as they are of, and had no mind to build our Salvation upon straw and stubble.

Think of this and of the constant practice of Rome, to seek to destroy those, that will not be of her mind and Religion; then guess who is the Gog and Magog in the Text, that takes up persecution and fighting against those, that will not be deceived by Satan, as they themselves are. The design of this day engageth us to hate Popery, that must be maintained and propagated with blood and force. I shall not dispute which is the true Religion, the Protestant or the Popish. Only set Jacob and Esau before you, whether of the two is more lovely? Popery is rough and rugged, witness the Inquisition, the Massacre, the Marian days, and the fifth of November. Think of these, and hate Popery.

Let me enlarge myself a little upon this subject, what a great cheat Satan puts on men, when he deceives them to become enemies to true Religion. There was hardly ever any persecutor of the truth in the World, but he would confess this truth, so that I might need no other proof of it, but the confession of such enemies. Paul when he murdered the members of Christ without mercy or measure, he would be ready enough to say, Oh! its a cursed cheat the Devil puts upon men, when he sets them to be enemies to persecute the true Religion: but this Sect of Nazarens that I persecute, they are Heretics, Apostates, and tis a good deed to persecute them, for they are fallen from the Religion of their Fathers.

Bonner that Butcher of Hell, that so bloodily murdered so many of the Saints of God in Queen Mary's time, he would be ready enough to say, Oh! its a cursed cheat of the Devil to set men upon persecuting true Religion, but these Lollards, these Protestants are desperate Heretics, horrid Apostates, that have fallen away from holy Mother Church of Rome, and it is fit such men should not live. And none that hates and persecutes another for Religion, but he will be ready to say in the like kind: this being one arrand and very general cheat of Satan, to make all men, though of the falsest, worst and most damnable Religion or profession of Religion, to believe theirs is the best.

The greatest Dispute in the World is, which is the true Religion; and as the Apostles upon Christ's speaking of one betraying him, everyone asked, Is it I? So will every Religion in the World, upon this Question, Which is the true Religion, answer, It is I. The Jew saith, His; the Turk, His; the Papist, His; the Protestant, His: one Protestant, his manner of worship and profession is best, another His, and a third His. Like the two Hostesses before Solomon about the living and dead child, one saith, the dead Religion is thine, and the living mine, and another, nay, my Religion is the living, but thine the dead.

How is it possible to determine this controversy, about which there hath been so much quarreling, and so many, many vast Volumes written? And if we do not determine which is true Religion, we can make nothing of the Doctrine before us, which speaks of Sataus cheating men to be enemies to it. It would speak high to undertake to determine, when dispute is betwixt so Learned Men. But let me give you these two marks of it, which also may help to give some caution against being enemy to it.

I. That is the true Religion, and true Religiousness, that the Devil hates most. That is the King of Israel, that the Captains of the Syrians bend themselves most to fight against, 1 Kings XXII. Need I to tell you how the Devil in the Revelations is continually fighting against the true Saints of God and their Religion? It hath been his quarrel ever since God set the enmity between the Woman's seed and him, Gen. III. 15.

Now certainly it may be a very pregnant mark of discerning what a man's Religion and Religiousness is, by computing, whether the Devil have reason to hate it or no. In the great question twixt Papists and us, whether is the true Religion? Bring them to the touchstone: hath the Devil any cause to hate worshiping of Images, to hate the casting away the Scripture, and taking up the wretched Traditions of Men, to hate their nurseling of the people in Ignorance, and the blind leading the blind into the ditch, to hate the Popes pride and arrogance against God and Christ, and Kings and Princes, the Clergies domineering over the Consciences of Men to keep them blind, and so as they may make a prey of them?

In a word, hath the Devil any reason to hate that Religion that is nothing but paint and show and outside, and no life of Religion at all▪ in it? These things make for him and are on his side, and bring him Souls to Hell heaps upon heaps, and he hath no reason to be an enemy to these.

Hath the Devil reason to hate or hinder the Religion and Devotion of him that is huge devout in the Church in all ceremonial and formal appearance, and they would take him for a Saint or an Angel: but out of the Church he is loose, covetous, malicious, cruel, profane, and no better than a Devil? Such men's Religion will never do the Devil any disadvantage, or be any diminishment to his Kingdom.

But that Religion that gives God his due in holy and spiritual Worship, in holy and spiritual walking; that devotion that serves God in Spirit and Truth; that Ministry that in care and constancy, and conscientiousness, is always striving to bring Souls to God, and to bring them beyond the form to the power of godliness, and to deliver them from the power of darkness to the Kingdom of God's dear son; Let any man of reason and understanding guess, whether Satan do not, cannot choose but hate such a Religion, Devotion, Ministry. So that as Solomon judged, this live child is that Woman's, because her bowels earn towards it: so may we very well judge, that to be the true and best Religion and Religiousness, that the Devils bowels earn against, that he cannot but hate and be enemy to.

II. That is the best and truest Religion and Religiousness that showeth forth the most power of godliness. There is a form and a power of godliness, and as much difference between them, as between a picture taken to the Life, and the live person of whom the picture is taken. A form of godliness is like an apparition of a dead person, that carries the resemblance of him when he was alive, but it is but an empty airy Phantasm, an apparition, no substance: but the power of godliness is that that is substantial and hath life in it: a living Religion, a fruitful Religion, a Religion with power: as it is 2 Tim. I. 7. God hath given us not the Spirit of fear, but of power. I cannot but observe that in 1 Tim. IV. 8. the distinction betwixt bodily exercise and godliness. Bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable to all things. By bodily exercise he means strictness or austerity used upon the body upon a Religious account, much fasting, watching, lying hard, faring hard, and even severity upon a man's self. The Papists will tell you▪ brave stories of such persons, and brag of the stupendous austerity of their Saints, Hermits, Anchorits, Cloisterers, how hard they faired, how they watched, how hard they lay, what cold, what heat they endured: whereas when all is done, all that may prove a clean distinct thing from godliness, and may prove but little profitable.

I might speak at large, what godliness is, as distinct from this, what the power of godliness is, as distinct from the form, and wherein true Religiousness shows forth the power of godliness: but I will give you only the Apostles brief description of all. Jam. I. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the Fatherless and the Widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the World. True Religion is that that brings forth the fruits of charity and purity. The power of godliness is that that appears in charity and purity, to visit the Fatherless and Widows, and to keep unspotted from the World.

Need I much discourse to show what a sad cheat Satan puts on them that he deceives to be enemies to the power of godliness? If time would permit I might reckon by particulars.

First, Is it not a base cheat of Satan to make men his drudges and deputies to vent his spleen? In the Fable, the Fox uses the Cats foot to take the apple out of the fire. Satan puts such men's fingers into the fire to serve his own turn. Sometimes wicked men are instruments in the hand of God to punish the wicked, and God when he hath done with the rod, throws it into the fire: but to be an instrument in the hand of the Devil to persecute godly men, is a dreadful cheat of the Devil, to bring men to it: and if that rod scape fire, you might say, There is no God.

Secondly, It is a base cheat to bring men to account it godliness, to hate godliness, to do God service by doing him disservice: to cheat men even out of their wits, to think it Religion, to hate, persecute and destroy those that will not be as irreligious, ceremonial, profane, and evil as themselves. An old trick that began in Cain, 1 Joh. III. 12. and hath been in fashion too much in all time.

Thirdly, To deceive men that profess the Gospel, to persecute the Gospel, is to cheat men to the very height of iniquity. Some think this carries a great smatch of the sin against the Holy Ghost. Certainly it will be hard for you to name a greater impiety. Error in Religion is sad and lamentable, corruption in manners is sinful and deplorable, but to persecute and hate the power of godliness, breaths the very breath and lungs of the Devil.

A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY, Novemb. V. MDCLXXII.

T HE last days of Jerusalem are charactered in Scripture in one regard the best of times, in another the worst. The best in regard of the dealing of God, the worst in regard of the dealing of men. For

I. As to the dealing of God. In the last days of that City, (for so is that expression to be understood most commonly, when we meet with mention of the last days: ) God sent his Son, Heb. I. 2. In the last days of that City, God poured down his Spirit, Act. II. 17. In the last days of that City, was the mountain of the Lord's house exalted above the mountains, and many Nations flowed unto it. Es. II. 2. And in a word, in the last days of that City, were accomplished all the great things, that God promised concerning Christ, the coming of the Gospel, and calling of the Gentiles. The happiest times that ever came in regard of God's actings.

II. But in regard of the actings of men, the most unhappy and wretched. For in those last days were perilous times, 2 Tim. III. 1. In those last times there were those that departed from the faith, 1 Tim. IV. 1. In those last times were Mockers, 2 Pet. III. 2. And in a word, in those last times were many Antichrists, 1 John II. 18. By which (saith the Apostle) we know that they are the last times.

And hence the generation of those times are pictured so black and ugly all along the New Testament, An evil and adulterous generation, Mat. XII. 39. An untoward generation, Act. II. 40. A generation of vipers, Mat. XXIII. 33. And in a word, a generation that no man can speak out their wickedness: for so the Prophet means, Isaiah LIII. 8. Who shall declare his generation? Meaning the wickedness of the generation wherein Christ lived.

The men the Apostle speaks of in the words of the Text are the worst of that generation, as that generation was the worst of all before it. That the very dregs of time, and these the very dregs of those dregs. In so much that if you would give forth a lot to find out the wickedest generation of men, and the wickedest men of the generation, that had been from the beginning of the world till those times, that generation and those men would be taken. How these men are pictured at large in their proper ugly colors and complection in those places in the Epistles to Timothy, in the Epistle of Jude, and this Chapter all along, you may read at leisure. What their Character is in the words that are before us, gives a fair conjecture what they are in their full description; and the words speak them bad and bad again, though they say no more of them. They have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, &c. They are gone out of the right way▪ and have betaken them to the wrong, and have chosen even the worst of wrong ways, the way of Balaam.

Of him and of his actings you have the story in Numb. XX, and forwards: and the Apostle gives a very fair Epitome of it here in a very few words, when he saith, He loved the wages of iniquity. We will first consider of him a little and his Copy after which these men write, and then we will consider of their writing after it.

You have him here described by his Parentage, and by his qualities. By his Parentage, he is Balaam the son of Bozor: by his qualities, He loved the wages of unrighteousness. That you may read of him in his story in Moses, though not in such terms, yet in equivalent; but his fathers name to be Bosor, that you find not there; but all along he is called there, and wheresoever named in the Old Testament, Balaam the son of Beor. Those that are apt to tax the Originals of Scripture of corruption and interpolation, may chance think it is so here; and that some carelessness or unhappy dash of the pen made it Bosor here, when it should have been Beor. I remember the eleventh verse of the Tenth Chapter of Jeremiah, that it is written in the Chaldee tongue, and so is no other passage in all his prophesy, Thus shall ye say to them, The God's that have not made the Heavens, and the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth, and from under these Heavens. These words come not into the Chaldee tongue by chance, or any inadvertency, but by sacred wisdom, to put so much of the Chaldee language into the mouths of the Jews against the time when they should be captivated into Chaldea in Babylon, that if they could speak no more of that language, yet they might have thus much of it, as to be able to answer the Chaldeans, if they should be braging of their God's, or entice them to worship them, That the God's that made not the Heavens and the Earth, should perish from the Earth, &c.

The change of the name Beor into Bosor relishes of the Chaldee language too, as they that are versed in that language may very well observe, Ain being ordinarily changed into Sin, and Sin into Ain. And our Apostle doth neither mistake himself in so pronouncing the name, nor hath any transcriber miswritten it after him; but he uttered it according to the Chaldee Ideom and propriety: and by this very word gives intimation, that he was in Chaldea when he wrote this Epistle. He dates his former Epistle from Babylon, Chap. V. 13. The Church which is at Babylon doth salute you. And this word uttered in the Chaldee Idiom, doth evidence that it was Babylon in Chaldea, though some would have it to mean Rome, which in mistery is called Babylon.

We might by the way upon change of the name, Beor into Bosor, observe these three things.

First, That Peter spent his latter days in Chaldea, and that there he died; whereas it is, so confidently asserted, but can never be proved, that he died at Rome. For he himself tells in Chap. I. 14. that he was now old when he wrote this Epistle, and looked daily when he should lay down the Tabernacle of his body.

Secondly, That no tittle in Scripture is idle, but ought to have its consideration; according to the saying of the Jews, That there is no tittle in Scripture, but even mountains of matter hang upon it: And as our Savior saith, one jot or tittle of the Law shall not perish: so not one jot or tittle in Scripture, but hath its weight. Here is one poor letter, which one would think were crept in by some oversight, yet that carries with it matter of important and weighty consideration.

Thirdly, How necessary human learning is for the understanding and explaining of Scripture, which is so much cried down and debas'd by some. They that cry out against human learning, and take on them, that they can expound the Scripture by the Spirit▪ I doubt they would be very hard set to clear this place, and to reconcile Moses, and this Apostle about the pronunciation of the word Beor and Bosor.

Well, however these names differ, yet Balaam is the same both in name and nature, and no changing. He loves the wages of unrighteousness today, and he loves them tomorrow, and wheresoever he goes, that goes with him, and he is always at the same lock with it.

It is a strange passage in his story, that God should forbid him to go with the first Messengers of Balak, and yet suffer him to go with the second: that when he had permitted him to go with these second, he should by his Angel meet him and stop him with a drawn sword, and with danger of his life: and that after that stop he should permit him to go again, and restrain him no more. God saw his heart, how it hankered to curse Israel, that he might get the wages of iniquity, the money and reward which Balak had promised. So that one while God permits him to go, that he might try him what he would do, another while he stops him from going, because he saw his heart was set on mischief. At last he shows himself, after his dissimulation all along: and when he had told Balak, that he would speak nothing in favor to him, but only what the Lord should command him; and had told his Servants, that though Balak would give him his house full of silver and gold, he would not step one word aside from what the Lord should dictate to him: yet his heart run after his covetousness all this while, and the silver and gold and honors that Balak promised run in his mind, and his mind upon them; he cannot but hanker after those wages of unrighteousness.

Therefore whereas God did so overpower and overrule him, that he could not curse Israel, as with his heart he would have done, before he would have lost that money: he finds a trick to make them make themselves accursed, by counseling Balak to entangle them in whoredom with Midinatish women. Cursed counsel indeed it was, and proceeded from a most cursed heart▪ A wretch, that knew by such experience as he did, that God would not have the people cursed, yet he rather then lose his money, will make them to make themselves curses. A wretch, that prefers his bag of money, before the welfare of a whole Nation; that cares not how many of them perish both soul and body, rather than he should fail of his prize.

This is Balaam, this is the way of Balaam, thus to love, thus to purchase the wages of unrighteousness. For I need not to show, why they are called the wages of unrighteousness, when they are thus gotten.

This is the Copy, that they follow in the Text, and write so fair after, if the following of such a foul copy may be said to be writ fair. And who they were, the first clause in the Text doth give some notice of: that they had been in the right way and had forsaken it: and so had Balaam been so far in the right way, while he blessed Israel, if he could have kept him there; but he forsook that way, and betook to the way to make them cursed. These most abominable ones in that most abominable generation we have been speaking of; and the Text speaks of, were such as had been once in the right way, in the profession of the Gospel, but now were utterly revolted from it, and become most contrary to it. And so our Savior shows the very topping up of the wickedness of that generation, in that Parable of the Devil cast out by the Gospel, but come in again with seven evil Spirits worse than himself. So, saith he, shall it be with this generation, Mat. XII. 45. Of such the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. IV. 1. Some that should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and doctrines of Devils. And he saith, that such a falling away would discover the man of sin, and child of perdition, 1 Thes. II. 3. And the Apostle, 1 Joh. II. 19. saith, that many Antichrists were abroad, come out from them, that professed the Gospel, but now were become Antichrists. And this our Apostle in this Chapter, verse. 2. intimates, that they had once known the way of righteousness, but were turned from the holy commandment, that was delivered to them.

And being thus turned out of the way, and fallen from the truth, they were fallen into all manner of abomination. Read but this Chapter and the Epistle of Jude, at your leisure: and you will see the full Character of them. In little take this account of them.

• 1. That like Balaam for love of filthy lucre, they made merchandize of souls, and cared not what became of them, that they might get gain. And accordingly
• 2. That they led them into all looseness and libertinism; to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to Idols; to • jot in the day time, and indeed to account anything lawful. I might produce Scriptures for all these, but I suppose, you remember them.
• 3. They were direct enemies to the power and purity of the Gospel, and bitter persecutors of the sincere professors of it. The Apostle gives evidence enough of this in those few words, 2 Tim. III. 8. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth. I shall spare more picturing of them: read but the places I have cited, and you will see them in very sad colors.

And now let us look upon them, as very justly we may, as a very sad spectacle; such another as the spectacle of the fallen Angels; once Angels but now Devils: these once Christians, but now brute beasts, Atheists, Devils incarnate. In the cursed copy and example before us, Balaam, and these his disciples or followers, we may see the fruits of two as cursed trees, as any grows by the lake of Sodom: Covetousness in Balaam, and Covetousness and Apostasy or revolting from the truth in these that came after him.

Covetousness, that makes him to sell a whole Nation to God's curse and plague and their own ruin, for the wages of unrighteousness. He hath got a bag of money, and twenty four thousand men of Israel are destroyed for it, and the anger of the Lord brought upon the whole Camp. And what cares Balaam for all this, so long as he hath got the money. Oh▪ the cursed fruits of covetousness that might be reckoned heaps upon heaps; I shall but mention one, and that may be enough. Covetousness made Judas sell the very son of God for money. A monster of villainy that the very Devils themselves might stand amazed at, but that he played their own game.

And as for Apostasy or revolting from the truth, how horrid fruits and effects have followed and do follow upon it, Scripture and History give such evidence and instance, that to speak of them would take up more time, then even this whole day would afford us. We shall only speak of, one particular, wherein all Apostasy and all the fruits of Apostasy are met and convened; and that is, that which this day gives us occasion to commemorate and remember, viz. the Church of Rome. When you read of those that have forsaken the right way and gone astray, remember Rome; for who is there that hath done so more? and when you read of following the way of Balaam, and loving the wages of unrighteousness, remember that Church and City, for who hath done the one, and who doth the other, more than she? she cavils at us, as if we had forsaken the right way, when we forsook her, but we most truly answer, that we forsook her, because she hath forsaken the right way.

The Church at Rome was once in the right way indeed, and celebrated for it, through the whole world, as the Apostle tells us, Rom. 1. 8. But how long did it continue in that way? I may very well answer, as long as it was built upon the rock Christ: but when it began to build itself upon Peter, then and thenceforward did it forsake the right way. For certainly he forsakes the right way, that leaves to build upon the sure foundation, Christ, and builds upon the sand, the person of a mere man.

If I were to render an account of my belief concerning the first Founders of a Church at Rome, I should have recourse to that passage Act. II. 10. That there were at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost was poured upon the Apostles, Strangers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes. Did not some of these believe, and returning to Rome carried the Gospel thither with them? If any doubt it, I shall name two of them, that did, Rom, XVI. 7. The Apostle from Corinth saluting the Church that was then at Rome, among others, names there, Salute Andronicus and Junius my kinsmen, and Fellow-prisoners, who are renowned among the Apostles, and who were in Christ before me. Here are two men that were very highly respected among the Apostles, and that before Paul was an Apostle, and where and when could this possibly be, but at that time at Jerusalem, these being of those that are mentioned in those words, There were then at Jerusalem, Strangers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes. By these men and some other, that we cannot name a Romanist must give me leave to believe that the Gospel was first planted in Rome, and a Church first founded there.

And I must believe, that the Church by them planted there was watered by Paul, and that before ever he came to Rome. That ye may think a Solaecism, to say that he watered the Church of Rome before ever he came at it; But the Church came to him. For if you observe that Act. XVIII. 2. That Claudius had expelled all the Jews out of Rome: and that the Apostle met with Priscilla and Aquila, and divers others of that Church mentioned, Rom. XVI. you must conclude that when they returned to Rome again, after the death of Claudius, as it is plain they did, they returned fully furnished with the doctrines and instructions of that blessed Apostle; and so there is a Church there then pure and holy, and in the right way, and renowned as the Apostle tells us through the world: but how long it so continued is not easily determined; but that it did not always so continue is as easily proved. The Apostle gives us cause to suspect, that some corruptions were crept in there even in his own time, when in his Epistle to them, Rom. XVI. 17. he speaks of divisions and scandals as it seems among them contrary to the Doctrine they had learned. And in his Epistle to the Philippians written from Rome he intimates, that some preached the Gospel as it seems there, not purely, but of strife and contention, Phil. I. 14, 15.

However though we cannot punctually determine the time and degrees by which the Church of Rome did degenerate; yet that it is degenerate from the purity of that first Church there, and from the purity of the Gospel primitively professed there, is written so plainly, that the dimmest eye may read it, if a man will not shut or put it out. How is the faithful City become an Harlot? righteousness once lodged there, but now murderers, is the sad question and complaint of the Prophet Isaiah concerning Jerusalem, in his first Chapter. How and by what degrees it came to be an Harlot, and to what an high degree of harlotry it was come, the former was not easy to determine, and the latter not easy to express, yet that it was so was but too plain. And the very like may be said in this case and of this City. The City once faithful is become an harlot: but how and by what degrees, and to what a degree, let her look to that at her peril. It is not so very material to determine of the time and degrees of her degeneration, as to consider how grossly she is degenerate. If we should go about to particularize in everything concerning faith and manners, wherein that Church hath forsaken the right way, and is gone astray, we had need to take up the longest day in summer to speak out that matter, rather than to confine ourselves to a piece of an hour, and it would require our examining even their whole doctrine and practice. We we will touch but two instead of two hundred.

First, The Apostle Chap. I. 8. saith the Faith of the primitive Church at Rome was renownedly spoken of through the world. Now do you think, it was such an implicit faith, as the Church of Rome teacheth now? That it sufficeth, if a man believe as the Church believes, though he know not what either the Church, or himself believeth. Do we think that the first Founders of the Church in that City, be it Peter, as they will have it, or Paul, as he had some concurrence to it, or those that I have mentioned; do we think I say, that they ever broached such a doctrine there, It is enough if you believe with an implicit faith, or as the Church belives? The right way of believing in Christ, the Apostle laid down most divinely in such expressions as these, Let everyone be assured in his own mind. I know whom I have believed. Have Faith in God, and if thou hast Faith, have it to thyself, &c. importing a knowledge and certainty of what is believed, and not that faith should grope in the dark, and believe it cannot tell what, but only as others believe.

The right way that the Primitive Church of Rome was in, was the way of knowledge and understanding, that they knew and understood the things of salvation, and were acquainted with the things of God, and the way of eternal life. Can he that reads the divine Epistle to the Romans think otherwise? Or that hears the Apostles commendation of them think otherwise?

Now hath not that Church forsaken the right way that teacheth, That Ignorance is the mother of devotion, and practiseth accordingly to keep the people in ignorance? Was Paul of that mind, think you when he writ his Epistle to the Romans? He might have very well saved that labor of instituting them in those many high and excellent points that he doth in that Epistle, if he had been of the mind the now-Church of Rome is, that the way to build people up in devotion is to keep them in ignorance. His counsel is, Be not Children in understanding; but theirs, By all means to make them in understanding children. And when as our Savior tells, that blind guides lead blind people into the ditch, these teach, that blindness is that, that will lead to Heaven. Have not these forsaken the right way to Heaven, that choose the ways of darkness to lead thither?

Secondly, Certainly that Church hath forsaken the right way, that goes clean contrary to the right way. If the right way is to search the Scriptures, as Joh. V. 39. then they have forsaken the right way, for their way is to keep men from searching them. If the right way is to use a known tongue in public worship, as, 1 Cor. XIV. their way is to use a tongue not understood. If the right way is to administer the Cup in the Sacrament; their way is to forbid its administration. The right way is, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve: certainly they have forsaken the right way, that worship Angels and Saints departed, that worship Crucisixes and Images, that worship and adore a piece of bread.

Thirdly, In a word, (for it were endless to reckon all their aberrations) Is there any wrong way in the world, if blowing up of Parliaments be not out of the right one? If this be the right way, then Pharaoh was in the right way, when he plotted the drowning of the Infants of Israel. Jezebel was in the right way, when she murthred the Prophets of the Lord. And Nebuchadnezzar was in the right way, when he threw the three young Nobles of Judah into the fiery furnace. Either this is not the right way, or the best of the Saints of God were in the wrong; for they ever walked in a way clean contrary to this kind of dealing. They were many of them slain for the truth, you shall never find so much as one of them, that slew any for the truth. Do you think that Peter the founder of their Church, as they pretend, would ever have consented with them, had he been alive, to the blowing up of a Parliament? And do they find any direction or encouragement to such a thing in any of his writings? Though he was once so fiery as to draw his sword, and cut off the High Priests Servant's ear; yet I believe, he would never have been persuaded to have been a Faux, a Garnet, or a Catesby in such a design as this. His Master had cooled his courage for swording it again with that Cooler, He that smiteth with the sword shall perish with the sword. And these men might have learned that lesson, if they had been either his or Christ's Disciples.

When the two Sons of Zebedee, James and John, misconstruing the meaning of their name, Boanerges, would have fired a village of the Samaritans, our Savior checks them with You know not what spirit you are of. His meaning was, that they understood not, what spirit the Disciples of Christ should be of: not so fiery, but meek, charitable and forgiving. Did these men, think you, ever consult Christ and his oracle, when they went about to fire Parliament and State and Kingdom? Would Christ, think you, ever have given such counsel? and would he have owned such a spirit for the spirit of a true Chistian? Certainly, they are gone astray from his right way, that breath nothing but fire and sword, and blood and slaughter.

I have heard it more then once and again from the Sheriffs that took all the Powder Traitors, and brought them up to London, that every night, when they came to their lodging by the way, they had their music and dancing a good part of the night. One would think it strange, that men in their case should be so merry. And was it, think you, because God had prevented their shedding so much innocent blood, as Divid once rejoiced for such a prevention by the Counsel of Abigail? No, it was because they were to suffer for such an undertaking, accounting they should die as Martyrs in such a cause.

Let them dance and make themselves merry with such a fancy; I am sure we have cause to rejoice and to leap for joy, because their design was prevented. For where had England been, had their design taken effect? It may make us even to tremble to think, where England had been, had their design taken effect. Blessed be the God of our mercies, that hath given us cause only to think of it, and that we did not feel it: that only shown us the pit, and did not shut us up in it. The great Memorandum to Israel was, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. To England it may be, I am the Lord thy God, which kept thee out of Egypt, and from the house of spiritual bondage. And our keeping from falling into that servitude, was little less, if not as much as their delivery out of it.

A SERMON PREACHED AT ELY, Novemb. V. MDCLXXIII.

I F any one be of that curiosity as to desire to see the picture of incarnate Devils let him look here, for the Apostle is charactering such from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto. A generation of men as black as Hell, and of that linage and kindred. An ungodly breed of worthies that, like the Devil himself, sinned as deeply as they could against God; as irrecoverably as they could against themselves, and as destructively as they could to others. That whereas the Lycaonians said concerning Paul and Barnabas, The God's were come down to them in the likeness of men; Paul and Barnabas might very well say concerning these, That fiends were come up among men in the same likeness of men.

From such turn away, is the Apostles counsel at the fifth verse of this Chapter, which words compare but with those words of another Apostle, Resist the Devil and he will flee from you, and guess what kind of creatures these were. A man may make the Devil flee from him, but there is no putting of these to flight but you must flee from them. Impudent intractable ones, that will by no means be molded to Religion, Reason or Humanity: that will never be convinced, answered, satisfied, that there is no way to deal with them, but not to deal with them; no way to deal with them, but to flee from them. Their manners the Apostle begins to describe, as verse. 2. That they were lovers of themselves: lovers of money, proud, boasters, blasph • mers, desobedient, &c. so he goes on to the 5th verse. There he describes their Religion, That they had a form of godliness, as a Devil in shape of an Angel of light, but that they denied the power of it, resisted the truth of it, and that not in an ordinary manner and degree, but as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses.

So that in the words you have mention of a cursed Copy and a cursed Company that wrote after it. The Copy, Jannes and Jambres withstanding Moses, and the cursed Company that wrote after it, those also resist the truth. The former obscure, who they were, and the latter obscurer.

I. Of Jannes and Jambres you have no more mention by name in all the Scripture: For Moses himself nameth no such men, though the Apostle say, They were the men that did resist him: And the Apostle gives no other signification of them, but only that they resisted Moses. Who then were they, and whence had the Apostle their names? From the common received opinion and agreement of the Jewish Nation, that currently asserted that the Magicians of Egypt was called by these names. So their own Authors tell us in their Babylonian Talmud. in the Treatise Menacoth: Aruncha Talmudical Lexicon in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And the Chaldee Paraph. of Jonathan upon Exod. I. to omit more. So that the Apostle takes up these two names neither by revelation, as certainly asserting that the Sorcerers of Egypt were of these names, but as he found the names commonly received by the Jewish Nation so he useth them.

Such a passage is that of the Apostle Jude, about Michael contending with the Devil about the body of Moses, which he neither speaketh by inspiration, nor by way of certain assertion, but only citing a common opinion and conceit of the Nation: he takes an argument from their own Authors and concessions. The observation of such a thing as this is useful, upon general places of the New Testament, which is more worth discoursing upon, •• it suited with the time and p • ace.

Thus have we int • lligenc • who Jannes and Jambres wer • , the Sorcerers or Magicians of Egypt, that withstood Mose • , helped to ha •• en Phar •• h, • eceived the people with lying wonders, affronted the real miracles of God, and opposed the deliverance of Israel. Wretches, that one would think, they should never find their matches, and yet the Apostle hath found mates for them: For where was there ever copy of villainy set, but some or other was found that hath written after it? Even the crucifying of the Lord of glory, when it cannot be done literally because he is not here again to be crucified, yet there are but too many that in our sense crucify the Lord of • l • ry, Heb. VI. 6. And if he had been again upon Earth, do you not think he would have been crucified again before this?

II. Who these are whom the Apostle compares with Jannes and Jambres is harder to find, than to find who Jannes and Jambres were. For the mark whereby the Apostle would discover them seems rather to cloud than to clear their discovery, viz. the circumstance of the time wherein they lived, which he calls the last days, verse. 1. This know that in the last days shall perilous times come. So 2 Pet. III. 3. In the last days shall come mockers walking after their own lusts: the very same men that our Apostle speaks of here. But which are these last days? A threefold conception is taken up concerning the thing.

• 1. That by the last days is meant, all the time of the Gospel from its first coming into the World, to the Worlds end. But that is too wide a compass, to be a mark of such an occurrence as the Apostle speaks of here.
• 2. By the last days, some understand the last days of the World: and so will apply the things and men spoken of here, to these times wherein we live, and hereabout and so to the Worlds end: but this construction will hardly agree to what the Apostle aimeth at here, when he bids Timothy, Turn away from such men: nor agree with other places of Scripture that speak of the same men. Therefore
• 3. The proper meaning of the expression in the common use of the Phrase in Scripture, is, The last days of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state, when both of them drew near their end and desolation. And for confirming of this among numerous evidences that I might produce, I shall give you but two places of Scripture and the reason of the expression. Act. II. 17. The Apostle Peter citing those words of the Prophet Joel, It shall come to pass in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, &c. He plainly and positively asserteth that the Prophesy was fulfilled at that time when now it was but forty years to their destruction. The Apostle John, 1 Epistle chap. II. 18. plainly tells, Little children, It is the last time, and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh, so there are now many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. And the reason of the expression, Because the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state, is charactered in Scripture as the destruction of the whole World, which might be evidenced by abundance of instances. Therefore the last days of that City and State, are named as the last days of that World.

Now who these were, of whom in those last days of Jerusalem the Apostle speaketh, may be some question, viz. whether unbelieving Jews, or some that had professed the Gospel but had revolted from it, and had corrupted it by their false doctrine and evil lives.

I doubt not he means the latter, which might be cleared out of several other places in Scripture, and even out of this place also, when the Apostle saith they had a form of godliness, and that concerning the faith or doctrine of the Gospel they were reprobate. The mystery of iniquity he calls it, 2 Thes. II. i. e. iniquity under a mask or visor of Religion, for the opposition of the unbelieving Jew against the Gospel was barefaced iniquity: Iniquity above board, and that had no mask or mystery in it: But these under the mask of the profession of the Gospel opposed the purity and resisted the truth of it. And of such Apostates the Epistles of all the Apostles are full of complainings, as instances might be produced which would take up the whole time now allotted. I shall allege but these two places. Act. XX. 29, 30. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them. And 1 Joh. II. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us. And to the same tenor tends that parable, Matth. XII. ad • in.

So that you have here the wickedest men of the wickedest generation that ever was upon the earth. For so was that generation, wherein they lived, and they the very dregs of that generation: that generation resisting Christ and the Gospel with open face, these under a mask of Religion and the Gospel: that generation proclaimed open enmity against the truth, these practicing it under pretence of friendship. Those came against Christ with swords and staves, these saluted Christ with a Hail Master, but betrayed him, They pretended to the Gospel, as Herod pretended to worship Christ when he was new born, but intended to murder him. And herein they outvied Jannes and Jambres their samplar, as commonly in writing after. a wicked Copy, the Transcript exceeds the Original. For Jannes and Jambres had never owned the Truth, as they had done: for these had owned it, bet now resist it.

I need not, I suppose, either to trouble myself or you; by insisting to prove that the Apostle by the truth here does mean the Gospel. And do I need to clear why the Gospel is called by that title of the truth? If any desire that let me briefly propose these things to him.

I. First look upon the heathens Theology and Religion, and that were but a mere lie. Those poor wretches as Esa. XLIV. 20. Fed on ashes, and a deceived heart turned them aside, that they could not say there is a lie in my right hand: though there was nothing but a lie there. The Devil foisting the greatest lie upon the World that all the anvils of Hell could forge, viz. to persuade men to worship Devils for God▪ 1 Cor. X. 20. The thing which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrificed to Devils and not to God. That I may well remember to you that passage about the mad Emperor Caligula that would needs be a God, and for that purpose had dressed himself in accoutrements possible to make him seem such a one. A sober man that saw all, being asked what he thought of him, why, saith he, I think he is magnum delirium. A great piece of foolery.

Stand and look on the Divinity of the Heathen as it is charactered by the Poets, and all is but a great fable. Mark the Religion of the Heathen as it was prescribed by their Augurs▪ Pontiffs, Philosophers and it is nothing but a great lie. That the Gospel that was to uncharm those delusions, to release those poor creatures from those cheats and impostures, is most deservedly called The truth.

II. Look upon the Religion of the Jews: that was all but types and shadows: Moses