Christs Victory Over the Dragon

I believed, and therefore I spake.

Secondly, from sound judgment issueth an high estimation of Christ and his truth above all the world, or life it self. All things are dung in comparison of him, both in themselves, and in the judgment of a sound Christian. And as the Lord himself hath magnified truth above all things, so doth sound judgment framed to his.

Thirdly, from sound judgment issueth a wise and advised resolution to hold the best fastest, and keep this whatsoever we let go for it; and not to shrink from the truth for saving our life, no more then our Lord himself did. This sound judgment will keep out a treacherous purpose of saving thyself by betraying the truth, either by silence, policy, or open denial.

3 Another practice is, to get sound affections to Christ, and his truth; especially two:

First, love, that is truths keeper; every Apostate knew the truth, but never any loved it. And only love of Christ is stronger then death.

Secondly, sound joy; by which we are made not only contented, but joyful in sufferings for Christ, which is indeed a matter of true rejoicing: Act. 5. 41 The disciples were glad, when they were counted worthy to suffer. 1 Pet. 4. 13. Rejoice in that ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings. Hence the Martyrs in the Primitive Church were so forward to offer their lives up to Christ, as the woman of Edissa came running with her child in her arms into the fire, lest the Christians should be burned ere she came, and not she with them: the like of Blanditta, a peerless woman, of Accolus, a mirror of patience: so our own Martyrs, who sang in the midst of the flames, and had more joy then their tormēters. This joy none can take away.

4 Because to lay down ones life is not the past of man's weakness, but of God's goodness, and to suffer for Christ is a work above natural strength, and the holy Ghost only can stablish men to this trial; we must not presume of our own strength as Peter, but pray for the mighty power of the Spirit, to make us of weak, strong, and that he who hath given us to believe, would also give us to suffer, and strengthen us to all patience with joyfulness, Col. 1. 10. Consider that none have more cowardly lost the field, then those that presumed most of their strength and valor at home. Go out of thyself, and pray that by his strength thou mayest be able to all things.

AFter the victory achieved over the dragon, and the due praises both of Michael the General, and of his band and army, sung out in the former triumphant song, now in this verse is described a twofold fruit of the former benefit.

1 The joy of the Saints, therefore rejoice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them.

2 The sorrow and extreme grief of the wicked, called the inhabitants of the earth, and sea, in opposition to the former: with the reason of their sorrow, For the devil is come down, &c.

For the joy of the Saints; it is invited by an Apostrophe, or conversion to them: in which are two things.

1 The cause or reason of their joy, in the word of inference, therefore:

2 The titles of those that are called to rejoice, ye heavens and ye that dwell in them.

The cause of their joy is in the word, therefore: because the Church, both in the Head and members hath got so happy a victory over the dragon; therefore they are to rejoice.

Note hence, that godly men triumph after victory, not before. Israel triumpheth when Goliath is slain and lieth dead. 1 Cor, 15. ult. Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory. Revel, 7. 14. Who be they that say Amen, Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and might unto our God for evermore, but those that are come out of great tribulation?

1 Christ our Lord triumphed after his victory, Col. 2. 15. He made a show, and triumphed over the principalities and powers, when he had spoiled them. This was for our example.

2 The nature of a triumph is ever after victory, and before is as unwise as unseasonable. For the event of war is uncertain, and falls sometime on this side, and sometime on that. And therefore the counsel of the King of Israel to Benhadud (assuring himself of victory, from the multitude of his army, which was so numerous that the dust of Samaria was not enough to give everyone of his followers an handful) was grounded on wise policy, 1 King. 20. 11. Let not him that girdeth on his armor, boast as he that putteth it off.

3 All the true triumph of Saints is grounded in Christ's victory soundly applied to themselves. No flesh must rejoice in it self, that according as it is written, He that rejoiceth let him rejoice in the Lord, 1 Cor. 1. 31.

Which serves to thrust down all carnal and ungrounded triumph, and boasting before the victory: as,

First, Many formal Protestants defy the devil, have a strong faith, and ever believed, and it were pity he should live that doubts of his salvation, and of all men they are surest to be saved. But here is a foolish triumph before victory: all this while they come not in Christ's victory or strength: they mean well, and deal justly with men, are sober, civil, chaste, not adulterers, drunkards, thieves: they come to Church, and hear the Prayers and Sermons, and yet are none of these forward and precise fellows. But all this while the enemy hath thē fast enough, and is well pleased they should so delude themselves. For they are without faith, which should be their victory over the world, without repentance and mortification, which should be their victory over their sins and lusts, without sound fruits of faith, the only ensigns of victorious conquerors.

Secondly, Papists, glory and triumph, but before victory: for,

1 Final victory stands with Christ, not Antichrist.

2 Sound victory is founded in the victory of Jesus Christ, and not in prevailing against Christ and his Kingdom, as all theirs is.

3 Sound victory glorieth first in truths victory, and not in treading down the truth, and Professors of it, as theirs doth.

4 True victory glorieth in the lawful, just, and Christian means of obtaining it. But how overcome they? In their fight against spiritual enemies, they will overcome by their good deeds, and merits, by their own holy-water, holy relics, holy crosses, by buying Masses, pardons, trentalls, and indulgences, by round sums to avoid Purgatory, and the like. Here be conquerors: whose safety and salvation lieth in despair. For, whom have they enemies in all this, but God and his truth? such conquerors as Saul and his armor-bearer, who died on their own weapons. And for their temporal enemies, by what means carry they victory, but by stabbing, throat-cutting, burning, Massacres, powder-plots, perjury, treasons? Is this to be victors, to be superiors, in fury, fierceness, slaughters, and effusion of Christian blood? Let Papists thus conquer, and glory in their shame: the more such victories they carry, less cause have they to triumph, unless they triumph justly in making themselves and their religion the shame and infamy of the whole world.

2 The persons that are called to rejoice, are the heavens and they that dwell in them. By the heavens we understand not the heavens or any of them literally or naturally; nor by the inhabitants, the Saints and Angels dwelling in the third heaven (though even these have a share in the general joy of the Church militant. For as the cause of this joy properly belongeth to the Church militant, as we have heard, so the word of inference therefore, calleth on them as whom it most concerneth to rejoice in their own happiness. By the heavens and those that dwell in them are meant the Church on earth and the Saints and Believers, the members of it; which is not usually in this Chapter, nor in this book, chap. 18. 20. O heavens rejoice over her: where the company of the godly in earth are called to rejoice in the destruction of Antichrist and his Kingdom.

Now to the former reasons elsewhere, why the Church militant is called by the name of heaven, we will add these:

1 Because there is not a more lively resemblance of heaven in the world, then the universal company of Saints in the militant Church here upon earth: as might appear in many things. The inhabitants of the Church here below dwell together in an holy communion of Saints, enjoying the presence of God, separate from the world and the wicked inhabitants of it, knit among themselves by the inward band of the Spirit, and the outward means of association, the word, sacraments, prayer, and other more private helps: in which heavenly society they resemble that immediate and perfect fellowship which they expect in heaven, both between God and his people, and mutually among themselves.

2 Because of the high estate and condition of the Saints on earth above others uncalled: who are advanced beyond them, as the heaven is higher then the earth. For hence the dragon in this verse is said to be cast down into the earth, where he was before, but into a far lower condition.

3 Because the Saints by holy profession and godly conversation testify the glory of God, as the heavens do, Psal. 19. 1. and therefore as their house and inheritance is there, so are their cogitations and conversation.

4 They have a taste of heaven, and beginning of heavenly joy and gladness, for the victory and salvation which in part they have already obtained by Christ against enemies, spiritual and temporal; which is pointed at in this text. For as in heaven is a perfect and unmixed joy for a full deliverance, and perfect salvation, so here is a taste and resemblance for a deliverance in part.

None are called to rejoice in Scripture, but only godly men, who are said here to dwell in heaven. Psal. 32. 11. Be glad ye righteous: and Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seek the Lord, rejoice. Now by joy I mean not any natural joy, arising from things pleasing to nature, which wicked men and reprobates, yea the beasts have in abundance: but that heavenly and spiritual joy, which is called the joy of the Spirit; both because it is wrought by the Spirit of God, and also hath spiritual and heavenly things for the object of it: as,

1 The joy of reconciliation with God, and remission of sins.

2 Joy of heavenly graces, faith, love, &c. called joy of faith, Phil. 1. 25.

3 Joy of heavenly glory held in certain hope: this is called joy unspeakable and glorious. 1 Pet. 1 8. and joy of salvation. Psal. 51. 12. This joy is limited in Scripture to the faithful, and therefore is called the joy of God's people: and all other are barred out from it, Prov. 14. 10. The stranger entereth not into his joy.

1 The godly are only qualified persons, and fitted for holy rejoicing. For,

First, they only have Christ, who merited this joy, and therefore it is called His joy, John. 15. 11.

2 They only have the Spirit, the immediate worker and preserver of sound joy: whence it is called a fruit of the spirit. Gal. 5. 22. and the oil of joy, because it flows from that anointing.

3 They only have faith, which is not of all men: and therefore they only have joy of believing, having with Christ gotten all things: they have purchased the field, and go away rejoicing. Simeon rejoiced when his faith had got Christ into his arms.

4 They only are such as mourn, and only such are called to joy, Mat. 5. 4. It ariseth out of sound sorrow, and a broken heart, as the Lute is tuned to sweet music by wresting the strings as if we would break them to pieces.

5 They only have attained victory in part over enemies, and are delivered from the dragons power. As Israel having escaped the sea, and mountains, and Egyptians, so the Israel of God being set free frō hell, sin, sinners, and the curse of sin, have just cause of joy and gladness, and all but they want it.

6 They only are in heavenly state and condition, and have taste of the joys of heaven, which differ not in kind from those they expect in heaven, but only in degree.

2 Wicked men are never bidden to rejoice, nor are capable of this joy. He never enters into it, nor it into him: for,

First, he is at war with God, a stranger to the covenant, without Christ, without the Spirit: What joy where is no life? what joy can man dead in sin have, separate from Christ the fountain of life, and wanting the quickening Spirit?

Secondly, what joy can he have, on whom sentence of condemnation is passed, and he going on to execution? If such a man laugh. everyone will think he hath little cause: It is a laughter in the face, not in the heart.

Thirdly, what true joy can he have, who neither hath the Well, nor can abide the Bucket, by which he should draw out of the Wels of salvation and consolation? Esa. 12. 3. God's Word which only hath the joyful tidings of salvation, he hath no part in; it is a bill of indictemēt to him. The Sacraments to him are Seals set to blanks, seal nothing to him: His prayers are abominable; he hath no joy in any service; all the duties of his calling are sin to him: He rejoiceth indeed in the creatures of God, but as a thief in a true man's purse, and that joy which ariseth out of the creature, perisheth with it.

Fourthly, wicked men need not be bidden rejoice; for,

1. What hindereth or pincheth such? his sin troubleth him not, it is his delight: Temptations of the devil vex him not, he runs out to meet the Tempter: His conscience troubleth him not, that is brawned up: The world vexeth him not, but dandles him as her darling.

2. They are surfeited already with carnal joy, and are called from such joy to mourning and howling, I am, 5. 1. and Luke 6. 25.

Note hereby what a miserable estate a wicked man is in, who cannot find one syllable in all the Scripture to ground any comfort in, and so hath no warrant, nor cause to rejoice in anything: For God hath covenanted nothing but woe and wrath, with them: Esa. 65. 13. My servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be ashamed: my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit.

Consider a little.

1 What good thing is there in heaven or earth, good as in it self, so to thee that art an impenitent person? Look at God the chief good, he is thine enemy, a consuming fire: what joy hath stubble and chaff in the fire? Look at Christ, the Savior of his body, and he is thy Judge, and he whom thou hast pierced. Instead of the sweet Comforter thou hast the spirit of bondage and fear: a sound of fear is ever in thine ears Job. 15. 21. Look on thyself, thou art a man in the devils fetters, ruled at his will: and within thee a wicked conscience, either following thee with hue and cries, vexing and accusing thee, or else dead and benumbed, which hath given thee over to all sin, to swallow it with senselessness and greediness. Look without thee, thou swimmest in a stream of outward contents and fullness, and herein thou rejoicest too much: but thou hast thy portion here, and to the impure all is unclean, thy table, meat, drink, wife, children, all are a snare to thee, all upheapeth thy sin and vengeance; thou hast nothing out of God's love, because thou hast nothing in the Son of his love. Look beyond thyself & the present? what hast thou to joy in? what hope hath the wicked in death, when God takes away his soul? A few mooveables God sends thee away with, but the inheritance is reserved for the sons of the free-woman.

2 As thou hast no cause of joy, so thou hast no hold of thy joy, who hast grounded it in perishing things; Well saith Job, the rejoicing of wicked men is but for a moment, because the best of it is in momentary things: the rich man in riches, the wise man in wisdom, and some sots in the boasting of wisdom as if wisdom were to die with them; many in their callings, and every carnal man hath some carnal joy to feed his heart with: but all of it shall not lift thee an inch above earth, here thou findest it and leavest it, here it riseth and here it resteth, as it riseth no higher so it reacheth no higher.

3 If thou hast no warrant for thy joy in lawful things, what warrant or answer hast thou for thy joy in unlawful things? if thou hast no reason to joy in natural things, what will be the issue of thy sinful joy? of thy joy in iniquity, which chaseth God and his Spirit away? Solomon saith, the fool maketh a pastime and merriment of sin, Prov. 14. 9. when men excessively rejoice in sports and games, some in swearing, drinking, unclean and filthy speeches, some in cursed and blasphemous language, some in wantonness and whoring: this is the devils mirth and music, and the joy of hellish spirits. All this joy in the works of the flesh is sure to end in sorrow, and every dram of it to be repaid with a talent of woe. The same of such as rejoice in revenging, quarrelling, treading underfoot, and oppressing their brethren: every sheaf must bow to theirs, and every man's will must fall down before theirs, be they never so unjust, else there is no living near them. The like of those that rejoice in railing, reproaching and disgracing God's children, and the profession of holy religion. Here are a rabble of reioycers, who cannot rejoice but when God is farthest off, out of sight and out of mind, none can be liker to Satan, then in this sin of rejoicing in evil: their only joy is, to go merrily to hell.

2 This quite overthrows the conceit of carnal men, who hold the state of godly and religious men the most uncomfortable, and that they must bid all mirth and joy and pleasure of their lives farewell, if once they look toward religion. But we see no other have any cause of true joy, but they, none in the Scripture called to rejoice but they, none but they are in league and friendship with God, none but they have assurance of pardon of sin and deliverance by Christ, none else know their names written in heaven, none else have peace of conscience which is a continual feast, none else have part in the glory of the Sons of God. Yet carnal men think they want joy and comfort: Why?

1 Because they cannot now rejoice in carnal things, as before: worldly joy is now unsavorie to them in respect of spiritual.

2 Because themselves cannot enter into their joy.

3 God brings it ordinarily out of sorrow.

4 Wicked men do all they can to disquiet them, and chase away their joy.

5 They see not how the joy of Christ and worldly grief can stand together. But as far are they deceived, as if a blind man should say, there is no sun or shine, because he seeth it not, or because the sun is clouded, therefore it is not in the heavens. No: there is nothing but joy in godly life, and most joy in the greatest afflictions of it. If there be any sorrow, it is because they cannot be godly enough. And all that sorrow is mixed and concluded with joy. Have any such cause of joy, as inhabitants of heaven?

3 This teacheth all the godly to be sure that all their joy savor of heaven, and be such as beseemeth the inhabitants of heaven, and such as never entered into a carnal heart.

Quest. How may I know it so to be?

Answ. When it resembleth the joys of heaven: namely in these things.

1 As their persons, so their joys are quite taken from earth and earthly things: they never more joy in momentary things of this life; but in eternal and invaluable excellencies: So our joys resemble heaven, when they are lifted up above earth: when they are removed from the worthless trifles of earth, and are set on solid joys of heaven. 2 As their joy is suitable to their place and condition, so must ours. 1 They are in heavenly places, so we are risen with Christ and set in heavenly places with him; and should our joy be in earthly drudgery, and not seeking things above? How uncomely were it for a Princes son for some base hire to spend his time in serving hogs, or to scullion in a kitchen, or run upon errands at the command of every slave? and is it not much more base for sons of God, heirs of heaven, and co-heirs with Christ, to run and go at the base beck and call of sin, and Satan, and worldlings, slaves to the world, forgetting the privileges to which they are borne.

Those heavenly inhabitants, being so high in place, judge these things small: the earth is contemned, and as small to them as the point of a pin. And, could we get up our minds aloft, and fixe them in heaven, we would think the greatest things on earth as small as mites, and motes of the sun, unworthy of our joy.

2 Those heavenly inhabitsnts, with perfection of place having attained perfection of estate, have a clear judgment to discern and choose their joys, and to judge them only worth having. Even so must we labor to get our judgment cleared, to prefer the joys of that fruitful Canaan before those of this desert and barren wilderness. What is it but want of judgment and experience, that makes children affect childish trifles before matters of worth and moment, to prefer an apple before a Lordship, a top and scurge before their patrimony? which they laugh at in themselves, when they come to a riper understanding. And what is it but want or weakness of judgment, for men professing godliness not to put away such childish things? How would i • beseem a man of years to ride upon a stick, as when he was a child, or to make clayhouses as children do? If a man should see a great fellow delight in such toys, he would think that either he is out of his wits, or was never in them. Even so for men in the Church, that should be past children, to remain babes in affections, and follow inferior trifles, with neglect of the manly business of heaven, is foolish and ridiculous.

All which is said, to help our joys to be heavenly, beseeming our state and condition, which they cannot be if they be earthly.

2 See thy joy be heavenly in the rise and ground of it: so is theirs. And then is it so:

First, if it be from the Lord, as the author and fountain of it, & taken up in those pipes which himself appointeth, See thou hast it by hearing the joyful voice of the Gospel: Psal. 51. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness. It must come by hearing. Wait then on the word, both for the obtaining and increase of it. The Scriptures are the wells of consolation, whence it must be drawn The wise men rejoiced exceedingly in the star which led them to Christ: the word is this star, a wise Christian will rejoice in it.

Secondly, if it be a receipt from Christ. The inhabitants of heaven above have no joy but from Christ, and in Christ. No part in Christ, no part in this joy. See it be thy Masters joy: Then is it so, when it is a fruit of justification; Rom. 5. 11. We rejoice in God through Jesus Christ, by whom we have received atonement: They rejoice that they enjoy Christ by sight, we that we enjoy him by faith; they that they are married unto him, we that we are contracted; both happy, that we both enjoy him, and that he is all in all: With this only difference, that our Masters joy is entered into us, and they are entered into it; we comprehend, they are comprehended.

3. If thou wouldest have thy joy resemble the joys of heaven, the matter of it must be heavenly as theirs is: The main matter of heavenly joy respecteth three objects:

• First, God.
• Secondly, the communion of Saints.
• Thirdly, their own happy estate.

I. The inhabitants of heaven place their chief joy in the Chief Good; partly in his presence, wherein is their fullness of joy; and partly in his glory, which is shining and set up; partly in the perfect prosperity of the Saints, and partly in the utter confusion of all enemies: Even so the Inhabitants of heaven upon earth must have for the object of their joy, God in himself, and God in Christ Jesus, which is eternal life: For, Whom have I in heaven but thee, or whom on earth in comparison of thee? Psal 73. 25. Were it not for the presence of God and Christ, earth, yea heaven it self were an hell; and as God is the chief good, so his glory is the chief aim and joy of the Saints in earth: We must rejoice when we see his glory set up, when the Church enjoys prosperity, when Christ's Scepter is lifted up, and the Gospel hath free passage. David preferred Jerusalem before his chief joy, Psal. 137. 6. and rejoiced when men said, Let us go up to the house of God, Ps. 122. 1. so also when the dragon is cast down, as here, when the enemies fall before Michael; we must rejoice when Antichrist and Popery is disappointed, their Captains foiled, their armies mastered; Exod. 18. 9. Jethro rejoiced at all the good which God did for Israel, in overthrowing the enemies: This is joy like the joy of heaven:

II. Another object of heavenly joy next unto God, is, the communion of Saints: Their joy is perfect in their perfect charity, and in the perfect fruition of one another's perfections; so must we, all our delight must be in the Saints that excel in virtue, Psa. 16. 3. Moses would choose to suffer adversity with the people of God, rather then enjoy treasures. How should we joy in the gifts and graces of everyone, and account ourselves as happy in them as in our own measure? so do they. But they are far from heaven, who envy, fret, slander, or obscure the graces of God in his children, &c.

III. The third object of heavenly joy is the happy estate of the Saints: which happiness consisteth in the absence of all evil, and the presence of all good.

Heavenly Inhabitants are perfectly freed from all evil, so are the Saints in earth; with this difference, we from the destruction, they from molestation; For,

First, they sin no more, and if Saints now sin, it is not they, but sin in them, Psal. 119. 3. surely they work no iniquity.

Secondly, they are beyond the curse of sin; so are we, for Christ was made a curse for us: They are without cross, we without curse.

Thirdly, they can die no more, but are passed from death to life; even so we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. Christ is the death of our death, the sting is gone.

Fourthly, they are beyond the reach of all enemies; those enemies whom their eyes haye seen, they shall never see more: Even so are we; with this difference, none can assault them, none can prevail against us.

Beside, there is the presence of all good things; the Saints above have no good thing absent, so they that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good, Psa. 34. 9. But the chief good things wherein the Saints rejoice, are three.

1. The happy vision of God; and our chief joy here below is, to see God in Christ Jesus, which is eternal life: They are happy to see his face, we happy, as Moses, to see his back-parts; they are happy to see him face to face, we to see him in a glass: They are happy, as Solomon's servants, to see and stand ever before him as household servants, we for the time happy to be as retainers, wearing his cloth, and in his service somewhat f • rther off.

2. They joy in God's blessed Image, to which they are wholly conformable: For,

First, the chief part of their joy is, to have their chief faculty, which is their understanding, to be satisfied with the chiefest objects; for they know all things that the glorified creatures are capable of: Even so the joy of Saints is, that scales of ignorance are fallen from their eyes, and that we see the same face of GOD, though as in a glass, and we know all things that new creatures are capable of, and we know the same things in our measure as they do: For our knowledge here differs not in kind from that, but in degree. For God and Christ is the same we now see, as then we shall see, as the Sun is the same under a cloud, or in a mist, as in a clear day, and our eyes the same by which we see the Sun in infancy, which we see it with in man's estate, but stronger now and more perfect: And as children hear of the same King, State-matters, Emperors, Parliaments that men do, but understand them not, but after a weak and imperfect knowledge; so we know now in our childhood but in part, & afterward have the same understanding in further growth and manly perfection.

Secondly an happy part of God's Image is, that their wills are perfectly conformable to God's will, and confirmed to be unchangeable in willing what God willeth: Even so our joy and prayer must be, that God's will may be done of ourselves & others; and our wills once renewed are unchangeable, because of God's confirmation of them in goodness: Oh what an heavenly joy were it, if so perfectly God's will might be done of us in earth as it is in heaven! And though power often want to believers, to will is present.

Thirdly, God's Image is happily apparent in their affections. The Saints in heaven hate all sin and we hate that we do, Rom. 7. They love God perfectly, and Jesus Christ better than themselves; and so the Saints on earth love not their lives to the death for Christ and his glory.

Fourthly, so perfect is God's Image on them, that the inhabitants of that heaven are without all spot & wrinkle, that is, in full sanctification; and it is the joy of Saints here, that the Church is all fair, and no spot is in her, both in respect of inchoation, and acceptation.

3. Another chief good thing, the mover of their joy is, their happy privileges with God; a taste and beginning of all which the Saints below have to feed their joy: As,

1. They are in heaven, and Inhabitants of heaven; so are we.

2. They reign as Kings; are crowned, and have conquered as Kings; so we are made Kings to God, Rev. 1. 6. are crowned, Re. 3. Let none take away thy crown; and are conquerors, yea more than conquerors, Rom. 8. A conqueror may be conquered, but so cannot we: Only this, they are conquerors in their Country, we in the way thither.

3. They are sons of God, and heirs of the Kingdom; so are we now the sons of God; only they appear so to be, we not yet, 1 John 3. 1, 2.

4 They drink of the waters of the Well of life, and so do we; only they drink at the Fountain and Well-head, we at the streams somewhat below.

5. Their joys are perpetual, the Well is never drawn dry, it is a lasting and everlasting joy from an everliving Fountain: No more shall the Saints in this heaven ever lose their joys; My joy shall none take away from you.

Now have I propounded the joys fit for an Inhabitant of heaven What an happy thing is it to be free of such a City! All other privileges are chaff to it, all other joys bitterness to it.

Quest. May we not rejoice in anything else?

Answ. 1. Godliness denieth no lawful delights, but giveth both allowance and sweetness to them.

2. No joys are lawful but such as are moderated, guided and subjected to these.

3. None but such as are received and used as pledges of these.

4. None but such as uphold these in the due measure of their goodness, and uphold a proportional affection in us toward these. And,

5. Are referred unto these as our chieFe joy, and only beseeming heaven upon earth, and heaven above earth.

Now followeth the latter fruit of the former victory, namely the most grievous plagues and evils inflicted upon the wicked world. Where are three things:

1. The woe denounced.

2. The persons on whom, the inhabitants of the earth and sea.

3. The reason, for the devil is come down, &c.

Woe: It is a Particle in Scripture,

1. Of lamentation, Lamen. 5. 16. Woe unto us that we have sinned.

2. Of commination or threatening, and prediction of some woeful imminent evils and events; so in this Text it threateneth the judgment of God upon the wicked world. In this use it threateneth sometimes temporal judgments, Mat. 24. Woe to them that give suck in that day: Sometimes eternal damnation, as to Judas, Mat. 26 24. Woe to that man, it had been good for him that he had never been borne: and sometimes spiritual plagues and judgments, the ordinary fore-runners of that, & so it doth here: This Text therefore is like that Volume spread before Ezekiel, Chap. 2. 10. which was written within and without, and there was nothing written but lamentation, and mourning, and woe

Which compared with the former part of the verse teacheth, that the Ministers of God must as faithfully deliver the voices of woe, and legal threatenings out of the world, as the voice of joy, and glad tidings of Evangelical promises and comforts. Aaron's sons in the Law must blow the Trumpets of the Lord; to siguifie unto Evangelical Ministers, that they must sound an alarm against all God's enemies, and be at defiance against all sin; according to the Commandment, Esa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice as a Trumpet, tell Israel of his sin, and Judah of his transgression: And thus for our example did the Prophets, Apostles, and the Lord of the holy Prophets, Jesus Christ. Elijah tells Ahab to his face, that it is he that troubled Israel; Nathan telleth David, Thou art the man; John Baptist telleth Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have her; Act. 2. 24. It was you that crucified the Lord of glory: Acts 8. 22. Repent of thy malice, and pray if the wickedness of thy heart may be forgiven thee: Mat. 3. 7. O generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned you to fiye from the anger to come? Mat. 23. 13. Woe be to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye will not enter yourselves, and ye shut the door against others; Verse 33. Serpents, and generation of Vipers, how will ye fly the damnation to come?

1. This is a part of the will of God, and it belongs to faithfulness to deliver the whole Counsel of God, and keep nothing back. The Ambassador to a Prince must deliver his Masters mind, and commission wholly, if he will expect the reward of fathfulnesse.

2. This is that part of the Word, which is the portion of the greatest part of the world, and even of them that live within the visible Church: for no natural man, no impenitent person, hath any part in any other part of the Word: Pro. 26. 3. To the horse belongs a whip, and a rod for the fools back: and as Jehu said to Jehoram's servant, What hast thou to do with peace so long as the sins of Jezebel remain? so what hath any wicked man to do with peace of the Gospel, so long as he is in his sins? We may not cast this children's bread to dogs, nor these precious pearls before Swine.

3. This is as necessary a part of the Word to salvation, as any other, neither is there any part fruitful but by this. Can any man hear of pardon that will not hear of his sin? Will any skillful Surgeon apply healing Salve to a corrupt and festered wound, before he open and cleanse it? And must we pour oil into sound parts of men, yea, or into their wounds, before we have poured in Wine to search them? No, were we to preach before Kings, as Nathan, we must preach the Law before pardon. The Lord appearing to Elias, there was first a mighty strong wind that rent the Rock, and then an earthquake, and after that a terrible fire, and then came a still voice, in which he was comfortable: Even so, when his Ministers by the tempest of the Law have rent the rocky hearts of men, and made them at their wits ends, that they come trembling and crying with the Jailor, Acts 16. Sirs, what may I do to be saved? now is a fit season for the voice of peace, and the bindings of the Gospel.

4. The whole Scripture doth nothing but separate between light and da knesse, between the Children of the Kingdom, and the children of Hell: and so must the true handling and application of it sever the precious from the vile. We must manifest it to be the fan in the hand of Christ, severing the chaff from the wheat. And this is as a wise steward, to give every man his portion

Here some objections must be removed.

Object. 1. We are under the Gospel, and freed from the Law, which is not given to the just, 1 Tim. 1. 9. you need not be so stern and earnest

Ans. The most men that live under that Gospel, by secret hypocrisy or open disobedience are under the curse of the Law, and wrapped in that great condemnation, pronounced by Christ upon the world, that light is come, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, John 3. 19. But, suppose all that hear the Gospel were converted by the Gospel, were the menaces and terrors of the Law needless to them? For though the malediction and law is not to be urged against their persons, yet it is to be urged against their remaining sins: and the best men may, by frequent meditation and application of the curse of the law, be much furthered in godliness: For,

First, the best being sanctified but in part may sometime abuse the grace of God to liberty in sin.

Secondly, the best need more humiliation, which is wrought by the Law.

Thirdly, the best may nodd, and need a wakening voice.

Fourthly, the best may fall, and need an help to rise.

Fifthly, the best may slack their pace, their love and zeal, need spurs to prick and hasten them in their way: Now if the best need the law, what do the worst?

Object. 2. You are preachers of the Gospel of peace, and must set forth the peace, and grace, and mercy of God, and not be so tart and sour.

Ans. We are so, and must do so; but when, or to whom?

1. Shall we preach peace before men see the need of it, or before their hearts be ever troubled for sin? or the grace and favor of God to a graceless wretch that spurns against the grace of God? or mercy to him that presumptuously sinneth, and addeth drunkenness to thirst? May we say, that God will fill vessels of wrath with mercy?

2. To whom shall we preach peace? to every graceless sinner that loves his peace in his sins better then peace with God? Shall we preach peace unto such as grow into opē hostility with God? to such as blaspheme his name, his servants, his graces? to such as upon pretenced malice wickedly spurn at God's Ministers, and slander the doctrine that is according to godliness? God speaks no peace to these, nor may we from God: He can have no peace with God till he war with his sins: And he must begin with the Law, that must conclude with the Gospel of peace; He must be at peace with the Law, before the Gospel be peace to him.

Object. 3. The servant of God must not strive, but exercise all meekness, and patiently suster evil men, 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25.

Ans. A meek disposition is much set by of God in all; and of all men it is most useful and graceful in a Minister: But,

1. Christian meekness is a meekness of wisdom, I am. • . 13. & this discerneth both of cases & persons, to whom mecknesse must be shown; for all sins are not alike; some are motes, some are beams, some are but as scratches, some are deeper and larger wounds; some let out with the prick of apinne, some not without the launce. In matters of greater moment, when God's glory is impaired, the happy proceedings of the Gospel stopped, or the salvation of men greatly hindered, now is no place for meekness to sway. Moses that was the meekest man upon earth, in case of God's dishonor and making the Calf, turns his meekness into a severe revenge, broke the Tables, and slew three thousand of his brethren the same day.

For persons: Meekness of wisdom discerneth, that all sinners are not a suit; some are weak, some wicked; some ignorant, some willful; some are leaders, some are led; some are free-borne, some of Hagar's seed; some need the rod, some the spirit of meekness; some must be saved with compassion, some with fear, Iud. 23. some are won by meekness, some mar'd and lost: Our Savior Christ, who was the mirror of meekness, and our pattern, of whom we must learn to be lowly and meek (for he would not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking slaxe) yet he who never failed, or departed from the highest pitch of any grace, being to deal with Scribes and Pharisees, who had corrupted the Law, and sinned against their knowledge, and led others into sin, how loades he them with curses one in the neck of another? And his Ministers sin not against meekness of wisdom, when in cases where God's glory is trodden down, man's salvation hindered, the devil prevails, and sinners are impudent, they valiantly show themselves for God, against all that rise against him.

2. No grace of God is contrary one to another; and therefore Christian meekness neither abolisheth nor weakeneth Christian zeal: And therefore although meekness will always show it self to the persons, yet zeal will ever burn against their sins. Zeal will not suffer under a pretence of meekness, an irreligious and mute approbation or bearing of evil, but will kindle and fasten upon it.

3. No part of Scripture is contrary to it self: Those Scriptures which command us to show meekness to all, cross not those which command us to reprove sharply or cuttingly; we must set an edge and point upon our reproofs; nor those which bid us, Reprove plainly, and not suffer, sin upon our brother: And therefore meekness in a Minister must not stop him from sharp reproofs whereoccasion is, but must temper and order them: and excellent is the use of meekness in plain and sharp reproving: For,

1. Meekness doth so temper zeal, that it comes slowly, and as it were with a leaden foot to sharp reproofs, not rashly or hastily.

2. It makes it come orderly: It will first assay loving and gentle means before it grow to roughness, especially if the parties be corrigible, and not conceited, and impudent in their sin. Deut. 20. 10. when the Jews went out to war, the Lord commanded them first to offer conditions of peace to that City; and if it refused peace, then to besiege, smite and destroy it So we first offer peace, and this refused, we proclaim war; first allure, admonish, exhort, and then thunder, threaten, and terrify them that stand out.

3. Meekness mingleth charity with sharpest reproofs; and as the Lord in his sharpest reproofs and messages seeks our good, so do his Ministers: Men cry out, that Ministers are angry, when we deal sharply with a stubborn & perverse people: and why may we not be so? he that commandeth us to be angry and sin not, hath made it a sin not to be sometimes angry. But we speak not now of natural and personal anger, against persons; but a Christian and holy indignation, which we must express against sin; treading in the steps of our Lord and Master, Mark 3. 5. he looked about him angrily, but mourned for the hardness of their hearts: So me knesse forbids us not anger against men's sins, but enjoins us pity and compassion to their persons: We must hate the works of the Nicolaitans, and be angry not so much against the men, as their willfulness and obstinacy.

4. Meekness seasoneth zeal and zealous reproofs with Sugar, that is, some manifestation that the sinner may see himself not hated when his sin is sharply reproved; and moderateth it with a readiness of mind to heal the sinner so soon as he seeth his wound: It stints the number of stripes, as in the law, that they exceed not. The Apostle was zealous against the incestuous Corinthian, but so, that upon his sorrow he is careful to comfort him, lest he be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, 2 Cor. 2. 7. Acts 2. 37, 38. when they were pricked at their hearts, Peter comforts them; and Paul, the Jailor, Acts 16. 31. And he that mourns and prays for his brothers sin, as Christ over Jerusalem, and Moses for the Idolatrous Israelites, Exod. 32. will rejoice in nothing more than such a one, won by the rebukes of the Word, and receive him as joyfully as the father his lost son returning.

Well, if Ministers must be faithful in delivering the legal part of the Word, then those Ministers are reproved,

1. Who want breath to blow this Trumpet; dumb and unable persons, blind guides and insufficient men, who in that place let in a fludgate of sin and mischief amongst the people.

2. Such as are more able, but as unfaithful; they wink at sin, and will not see it, or coldly reprove it, as afraid to blow the trumpet too loud for waking the sinner: these are far from making sinners afraid of sin. Should such a trumpet blow, and not make men fear? Amos 3. 6. Is not God's word a two-edged sword, to pierce the very heart of the sinner? and the hammer of God to break the heart to pieces? and will this be done with dallying reproofs, as if men were at foynes? No, no; if the Minister can do it with down-rightblowes, he shall find them little enough. Besides, is not sin grown to a great height and impudency, as a disease come to the height of his crisis? and is that curable with a gentle remedy? No, it is the blueness of the wound that must purge most evils of this age, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly, Prov. 20. 30. Add here to, that all sinners are not alike; for as in a material house all stones are not alike, some are soft, and easily hewed for the building, some are of an harder and flinty or marble disposition, which require sharp tools, and strong blows to frame them to their place: so in the house of God, some stones are more soft, sooner humbled and reformed, but most are harder, as the Adamant, and easily yield not to the strokes of the Word; lightly to smite these is but to hearten and harden them in sin.

3. Of all other the most mischievous are they in their places, that either out of a careless and unconscionable coldness, or out of aim and desire to please, or fear to displease, or out of purpose to get applause of being peaceable men, or out of base covetousness flatter men in their sins, cloak their known evils, and dissemble their vileness: All is well, so that it may be well to themselves; all the praises of piety shall guild rotten posts for base hire and reward: Oh the sin of these men is passing great, who encourage and uphold men in their wickednesle, betray them into the hands of the devil, drown them deeper in the pit of destruction, and set their feet on their necks to keep them under from ever rising anymore; whereas they should lend an hand, and reach them the line of a faithful reproof to help them out.

2. This shows the corruption of many, who cannot abide to hear the threatenings of God's word: Oh, our Preachers are so tart and sour; they preach nothing but hell and damnation, and seek to bring men into despair; they cannot abide these Bonarges, sons of thunder; they would fain once change them with • ome sweet-tongued Prophets and Zidkiahs that will sew pillows under their arms, and by their flatteries cause them to err. To these I answer:

1. He is far from reforming his sins, that will not abide them to be reproved; and his heart shall never be pricked with godly sorrow, that will not have his sins pricked with the sharp needle of the Law.

2. He is far from pardon of his sins, that will not hear of them: David because he willingly hears of his sin, presently hears of pardon; but Herod, because he will not hear John Baptist speak of his sin, never hears of pardon.

3. A property of a good heart is, to delight in the Law of God in the inner man, Rom. 7. 22. and hold it a sweet benefit by it, that it still discovers the secret evils, which must be repented of and reformed. The joy of a godly soul is, to be anatomized by the Word, and searched. But he is a bankrout that cannot abide his estate to be cast up.

4. It is a property of soundness to justify the Lord in all his sayings, as David did, being reproved by Nathan of foul things, Psal. 51. 4. A true humble spirit, acquainted with repentance, will acknowledge, that no part of God's Word can be so sharply spoken, as justly. If God be sharp in reproving and threatening, it will stoop and say, it is most just, I have matter enough in me, and given cause enough, if he threaten me with a thousand hells and damnations. When the Lord threateneth Eli with the destruction of his house, (1 Sam. 3. 18.) he yields himself, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. When Isaiah threateneth Hezekiah with the like destruction of his house and state, he yieldeth, 2 Kings 20. 19. The Word of the Lord is good: He might have been more severe and brought it in my days. Mat. 15. 27. Christ calleth the Cannanitish woman, dog: she justifieth him in his saying, and saith, Truth Lord, I am no better, but give me some crumbs of mercy. If legal doctrine strike thee down in thyself, and send thee forth to seek mercy as she, here is a note of soundness.

5 There is not a more certain note of a wicked man and hypocrite, then to tax God's word of too much severity. If God threaten Cain for killing Abel, oh his punishment is greater then he can bear: he could bear an heavier sin lightly, but the punishment and threatening is too heavy. Let John the Baptist reprove Herod for incest, the reproof is too harsh and heavy, he shuts John up in prison. So Act. 7. 51. Steven calls the Jews stiff-necked, uncircumcised, resisters of the holy Ghost: whereas they should have justified the Lord in this reproof, they stop their ears, gnash their teeth, and run upon him, and stone him.

Whosoever he be that hates plain dealing, means not plainly. He that cannot abide to have his conscience touched, is surely festered and galled. Mark those men that most resist the doctrine of the Law, you shall find them most lawless, most graceless, most wicked men, for most part openly: if not, the deepest dissemblers.

3 This shows their great sin, that contest against sound doctrine, and refuse to hear it, out of malice or envy to the persons, but with a fine pretext: It is too personal, and such a doctrine as doth particularize men, as plain as by their names. But,

1 These men perhaps think we must speak to pillars and posts, not to persons; or if to persons, to some persons in Utopia: but not to the sins and necessities of our own hearers: and how do we then give every person his portion?

2 Doth any person come to hear: who hath a dispensatiō that God by his servant must not meddle with his sins? or must we dispense the word in respect of persons.

3 Doth not particular reproof of particular offenders in many kinds stand with the word of God? How was Nathan overseen to tell David he was the man, and Elijah to Ahab, and John the Baptist to Herod? Is it now so unsufferable a sin to deal with personal sins?

4 How doth the Lord set men's sins in order before them, but by the ministry of the word? Psal. 50. 21. How shall we teach the Church to avoid hurtful and infectious persons, but by discovering them? How can Titus carry his doctrine to make the opposites ashamed ( Tit. 2. 12.) if he may not meddle with their personal sins? And many that care neither for God's law nor Gospel, yet by shame may be restrained, and stopped from their wickedness. Some are so incorrigible and impudent in their sin, that they are fit to be branded and discovered by the Churches severity, as in the course of justice desperate malefactors are bored in the ear, or burnt in the hand.

5 If any man could teach us how to sunder persons from sins, that sins might walk like ghosts without bodies, it might be we should offend no persons, but all our shot should be levelled against sins. But seeing sin is so close set to the persons, as they both make but one man, and men love their sins as themselves, we cannot point at a sin but presently we are blamed and distasted as pointing at the person.

6 Let all such know that the time cometh when they shall say it had been wiselier done to have forsaken their sin then the Ministry that checks it, and not as foolish children, who had rather keep a sore finger or foot then abide the pain of opening and curing.

4 This is instruction to all hearers, to endure themselves patiently to be lanced and pricked to the hearts by God's Surgione, as knowing that the hurt of the daughter of God's people is not cured with sweet words. Ier. 6. 14. The thunder and lightning more purifieth the air then the warm sunshine. And that you may do this, get wisdom and grace to consider these things,

1 That Ministry that works no smart, works no cure. A sound Ministry divideth between the marrow and the bone, yea between the soul, spirit, and joints, Heb. 4. 12. Can this be done without smart? Oile heals not without wine. There is no profit nor cure in skinning festers unsearched, and no search without smart.

2 That we take no pleasure in your smart or judgment, but that without it you cannot be cured, It is you that compel us to severity in our Ministry, while you will hold your sins stiffly against the word, and resist the powerful means of your own good. What should we do to be free from your blood, if we find you proud, scoffers, churlish, earthly, profane, but directly repoove these sins if we would not have them set on: our score? What our hire is, if we see the sword come upon you and not give you warning, see in Ezek. 33. 7. Nay, happy were it for us and you, if we might speak nothing but peace, so we might discharge our duty: and if we proclaim woe you may help it, we cannot.

3 That whereas you would have us preach God's mercies to you, in this legal doctrine, what do we but declare his admirable mercy, who sends the sound of woe before the sense of woe? he is not bound to give us so much warning.

4 That to speak of woe is not to cast men into woe, but to help them out of it: for that is both the Lord's intention, and the drift of us his Ministers, who both are loath that men should be smitten unwarned, and till there be no remedy.

5 That it were every man's happiness to see woe written in the face of every sin, which else is sure to follow at heels inevitably. For sin and sorrow are bound together inseparably, and there is never a sin but hath woe written on it, if not on the face, on the back. And therefore men should rather praise God to be smitten by his word for prevention, or amendment, then suffered to go on to unavoidable woe and perdition.

6 That the same Ministry which most casteth down a sinner, is sanctified by God to lift him up again. The same hand that launceth commonly healeth. The same Nathan that condemns David, absolveth him. Peter by sharp doctrine pricks the Jews hearts, Act. 2. 37. the same Ministry and person reviveth and comforteth them. Paul casts down the Jailor, and presently raiseth him, Act. 16. Christ himself calls the woman of Canaan a dog, but straightway giveth her desire. Sticke to that Ministry that most sharply smiteth, woundeth, rebuketh, that is the Ministry most likely sanctified by God to heal and bind thee up, that Ministry hath oil for thee as well as wine, if thou stick constantly to it.

Here we are to inquire the persons on whom that heavy woe is denounced, to weet, the inhabitants of the earth and sea. Which cannot be meant properly and literally: for,

First, these are the work-man-ship of God, and excellent creatures:

Secondly, they are opposed to the heavens in the former words, which were not taken literally and properly, but figuratively and metaphorically:

Thirdly, the godly who are bid to rejoice, dwell in them properly taken, as well as the wicked, but they are exempted from this woe.

By inhabitants of the earth and sea are meant such persons and places as are not accounted the true Church, but among whom the devil hath power and beareth sway. For these inhabitants are opposed to dwellers in heaven, which are true professors of Christ, members of the Church, & of an heavenly conversation. Specially inhabitants of the earth are mere earthly men, favoring nothing of heavenly things, whether they be heathens and Gentiles, or such as be in name Christians, but indeed earthly Antichristians, who are the beast rising out of the earth. And they are called inhabitants of the sea for their tumult, and incōstancy, casting up as the sea nothing but mire and dirt, and carried as waves of the sea by every wind, Jude. 13.

But if any think the Evangelist aimeth more distinctly at some particulars, I am not ignorant that some by earth understand the common multitude of wicked persons, enemies unto Christ, and by sea the ecclesiastical men who have corrupted the earth with bitter, brinish, and salt doctrine of errors and human traditions; and thus still oppose them. But I conceive a further drift of the Spirit of God, well suiting to our whole exposition, and period of time which this part of the Chapter aimeth at: That rather by earth are meant all such nations and Kingdoms of earth, subjected to the spiritual whoredoms of the dragon, so called for their earthly profession, affection, and practice: and by sea, the then Roman Empire it self, so called,

1 For the floods of impiety that issued from it, as the floods and rivers do all from the sea: it was the head of wickednesses.

2 For the unbridled rage of it, and the unresistable power which was then the great Ocean swelling over all banks. So as the sense seems to be, Woe to the earth and all wicked nations that are enemies to the Church of God, but especially woe to the sea, the great Empire, whose sins the dragon hath brought to a great height, so as the great mutation of that great estate is now near, and the subversion of the Imperial and Cesariall power is at hand: For now at this time so effectually did the dragon work in the delusions of Antichrist, as that he whose coming was in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, was shortly to swallow up the Imperial power, and so to take him out of the way, which stood between him and his greatness, as was formerly prophesied, 2 Thes. 2. and not long after accomplished.

When the Church is happy in the midst of persecutions, wicked and earthly men are unhappy and miserable. So is it here: rejoice ye heavens, but woe to the earth and sea. Eccles. 8. 12. 13. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: but it shall not be well with the wicked. Esa. 3. 10. Say ye, it shall be well to the just, but woe to the wicked, it shall not be so to him, it shall be evil to him, the reward of his hands shall be given him. Psal. 37. 37. Mark the upright man, and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace: but the transgressors shall be destroyed together.

One reason hereof is in the text. Satan, being cast out of the men of the Church, gets into the swine of the world, and carries them into the lake, first of sin, & then of destruction. In their best estate they are Satan's possession

2 It must be so by the perpetual rule of divine justice, who neither shuffles good and evil men together, as men do, nor mistakes persons and actions. Among men there is a righteous man, to whom it cometh according to the work of the wicked, and the contrary. Eccles. 8. 14. But the Lord judgeth with righteous judgment. Neither doth he forget any of their works. A wise man that delivers the City by his wisdom, may be forgotten among men. Eccles. 9. 15. as Joseph was: but the Lord forgets not the goodness of his servants, nor his enemies sins, but sets up all on their heads for the day of reckoning and recompense. Revel. 22. 12. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his works. The just Judge of all the world must do right.

3 According to a man's seed time, so commonly is his harvest. Gal. 6. 7. As a man sows, so must he reap: he that sows to the flesh, must reap corruption; but he that sows to the spirit, shall reap life everlasting. Doest thou sow chaff and darnel and weeds, and lookest thou for a crop of wheat? Sow righteousness, and thou shalt have a sure reward, Prov. 11. 18. but if thou sowest iniquity, look to reap affliction.

4 The truth of God in accomplishing his word must leave the godly most happy, while the wicked are wrapped in hellish woes and horrors. The same weight of truth which carries down wicked men into their place, hoiseth up the godly as in the other scoale. For as all the precious promises of the word belong to the one, whereof earth nor hell can defeat them: so all the woes and execrations of Scripture belong to the other, and shall be true upon him so long as God is true in himself. There is not a wicked man, but he hath all the threatenings of God, all the curses of the law, and all the terrors of his own conscience standing and shall stand forever in force against him, if he stand out impenitently against GOD.

Now this is a direction to Ministers for the course and carriage of their doctrine: to sing both mercy and judgment, and to come both with a rod and the spirit of meekensse. We must speak peace to godly men, but feed the impenitent with judgment. This text, and all texts, and the whole tenor of the Scriptures go before us in this course. Unhappy men are they that speak all peace, and preach nothing but promises, as if all men were godly, and the congregations not mixed: or, if they distinguish of men, it is to encourage, hearten, and harden wicked men for their own gain, and dishearten and disgrace such as fear the Lord.

2 It is a direction to all men, to carry our affections differently according to the differences of men, expressing our love and kindness to men fearing God, and our dislike of evil and wicked men.

1 So doth the Lord and his Spirit in this text; and whosoever are guided by the Spirit of grace, will show themselves in the helping up and encouragement of godliness, and furthering the joy of the faithful, and in the discouraging and daunting so far as lieth in him, the wickedness of men.

2 A note of a good man is that a vile person shall be contemned in his eyes, and he will love them that fear the Lord.

3 True judgment helps him to discern between an Israelite and Ismaelite, and true affection will cleave to the one, and disclaim the other. God's Spirit teacheth none to esteem careful Christians vile persons, nor to cleave to enemies and resisters of the grace of God, who are indeed vile persons, and so are they that sort with them, or plead for them; and as sin makes men vile to God, so it makes them seem to good men.

3 It is an encouragement to godly men in the way of holiness: for they are in the way of happiness, nothing can make them fall short of an happy condition, they shall not be rolled in the destruction of evil men, but shall be hid in the secret chamber of God's providence, when the storm of wrath shall come like haylestones, yea like talents of led, upon the heads of sinners: then shall there be a difference between him that feareth God and him that feareth him not: then shall it be seen, that it is not in vain to serve the Lord.

4 It is a terror for evil men: seeing it is as impossible for a sinner to avoid woe, as God to be untrue in proclaiming it. Sorrow follows the sinner, as a shadow the body. Most common it is for the wicked to applaud themselves in a woeful condition: for, whatever their estate seems, it is most unhappy. They spend their days in pleasure, and forecast that none shall have more pleasure then they. But it is like Belshazzar's, when the writing on the wall appeared over against him. They lay about them for wealth and a secure estate here below, and, rather then want it, will curse and resist the people of God as Balaam, little thinking that the Angel stands with a drawn sword to meet them in every corner, to slay them. No, all the earth cannot make him happy who fights against heaven, and whom heaven hath accursed, earth cannot bless; He hath sown tares, and tares he must reap.

5 Here is a spurr and incitement unto repentance, and a trumpet to awaken secure souls, that while it is called today they may hear the voice, lest all these woes seise upon them and oppress them unawares. It stands every sinner in hand, to rise out of the bed of security, and get a melting and bruised heart, considering the day that cometh, which shall burn as an oven, and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, Mal. 4. 1.

But seeing men are loath to apply this part to themselves, we must help it home a little more particularly.

1 What a fearful woe is denounced in Scripture against all Popish and Antichristian Idolaters? Rev. 14. 9. If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in their hands and foreheads, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and be tormented with fire and brimstone forever. Whosoever shall do thus, and persevere after admonition, and will not come out of Babylon, must perish in her destruction. They prepare fire and faggot for the Saints whom they call heretics: but, worshipping the beast and his image, Christ prepares fire and brimstone for them, and the smoke of their torment shall ascend for evermore.

Now there is no way to avoid this woeful damnation, by willful persisting in that Apostasy, but instead of the character of Antichrist by taking in our foreheads the seal of CHRIST, by which he separates us from the world, by faith and holiness, and from Antichrist, by zealous profession of the truth, which he persecutes, and marketh us up for his own sheep; the property of which is, to hear his voice and follow him. John. 10.

2 What a dreadful woe belongs to our voluptuous gallants that are at ease in Zion, who put the evil day far away, and remember not Joseph's affliction? Amos 6. 1. Silks and Velvets cannot cover the secure sinner from this woe. Greatness of birth, place, power, treasure, cannot elude these threats, which are more stable than the foundation of the earth; but according to the cursed seeds thou sowest, shall thy harvest be; God's people sow in tears to reap in joy, and thou must have a share in the sorrow for sin, and in the afflictions of God's people, or never look to share in their joy.

3. Were the Prophet Isaiah living, where he proclaimed one woe upon drunkards, he would pour out ten thousand upon this drunken age, which is drowned with drink: Isaiah 5. 11. 22. Woe be to them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and to them that continue till night; Woe be to them that are mighty to drink, and strong to pour in strong drink. How will the drunkard escape this woe, and all the threats in the Book of God, which shut him out of heaven, where is no room for drunkards? There is but one way, and one there is, to leave thy cup of drunkenness, and come drink another cup, a cup of mercy, a cup of tears for thy sin, a cup of the blood of Jesus Christ, a cup of the water of life, that heaven may be opened to thee, a sorrowful and sober penitent, which thy sin had shut and barred against thee.

4. What a fearful woe doth our Savior denounce upon all contemners of the Gospel, and despisers of the blessed light of it? Mat. 11 24. It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of the Lord, then for such: And whence else was the heavy woe here upon the earth and Sea, but for sins against the Gospel, not receiving the truth in the love of it? 2 Thes. 2. See we any woe or heavy hand of God upon the Kingdom? in this effect who seeth not the cause, the contempt of the Gospel? doth any extraordinary cross and judgment lie on this City, on your trades, on your estates? why are ye blind to this day, and will not see the cause? you poare like blind men on secondary means, fewness of buyers, troubles abroad, scant of money, scarcity of times, and the like; but you see not the next cause at home, your contempt and slighting of the Gospel, your Sabbath-breaking, your want of reformation according to the rules of God's Word, your causeless hatred of the bringers of the truth, &c. change your course, and God will change his; entertain his best blessings, and then expect inferior; else know, as sin is linked fast, so are God's judgments; these shall be but the beginnings of woe, and one woe shall follow upon another, till repentance come between.

The reason of the former woe denounced followeth, and is twofold:

1. The coming down of the devil.

2. His wrathful disposition, where of the reason is given, because he knows his time is short.

For the Exposition.

Quest. What is this coming down of the Devil? was not Satan before among the inhabitants of the earth, till now that this victory is gotten by Christ? were not wicked men under this curse and woe before this, by Satan's wrath and ruling?

Ans. Yes, the devil was the Prince of the world before this, and was commander among the Inhabitants of the earth and sea; but he is now said to come down in three respects.

1. In a more general and universal mischief intended by the dragon, which was to spread it self over the face of the earth, which was by a general Apostasy of the world from Christ to Antichrist, foretold in 2 Thess. 2.

2. In a far more dangerous and mischievous manner of working, by which he shall prevail far more efficaciously than ever before: For whereas he could not succeed by open tyranny, now by secret trains and persuasions of heretics, under a plausible form of Christianity and piety, he shall carry the world headlong after Antichrist, and wrap it up in his impostures and Apostasy, that, whose bodies he could not destroy by sword and tyranny, their minds he might poison with errors and heresy.

3. He descendeth with a far more furious hatred and wrath over those who are left under his power: for as a man coming angry from abroad, will show his wrath at home; so the dragon seeing the Church escaped from his furious hand by Michaels help, doth look more narrowly to make them faster, who are left in his power, lest they should break away from him as the other had done; and therefore he now cometh on them with continual and efficacious temptations, and binds them with strong chains and bolts of unrighteousness. Now the devil taketh his peniworths in the earth and sea; by increasing his wrath he increaseth their woe, and not only rideth the Nations, but galloppeth them to hell.

This arising of Antichrist, bringing with him a mist of black darkness and Idolatry, is the devils coming down into the earth; And his powerful prevailing by strong and forcible delusions among them that perish, is his fierce wrath which he exerciseth in the earth and sea, but justly upon them that had refused Christ's rule over them.

Where Christ and his Gospel cannot prevail, the devil cometh armed with power, and efficacy of delusion, and he prevaileth: Jesus Christ came into the world, and was preached in the earth and sea, but could not be received, he came to his own, and his own received him not, yea they persecuted him, drove him away, slew the heir, and crucified the Lord of glory; he came by the preaching of the Apostles among the nations, and set them into the true Olive, when his own were broken off; but they after a little lightning fell off, first from their first love, then from all love of the truth: Now the wicked spirit makes a re-entrey into his hold, whence he was cast, he comes down into the earth more forcibly, with seven spirits worse than before, and prevails with them to their destructiō: I come in my Fathers name; that is, by his authority, in powerful doctrine & miracles, to set up his name & glory in promoting your salvation, & ye receive me not; if another come in his own name, that is, seeking his own glory, not God's, and intending his own ends and good, and not the good and salvation of men, him will ye receive: 2 Thess. 2. 11. God shall send strong delusions; the effect is, to believe lies; the end, that they may be damned; and the reason, because they loved not the truth, nor believed it, nor entertained it, but rejected the happy means of their own salvation The Lord sends Michaiah his Prophet to warn Ahab of his danger near him; Ahab will not hear him for his own safety, but commits him to ward, feeds him with bread and water of affliction; now comes the devil, and is a lying spirit in the mouths of 400. false Prophets; them presently he heareth, speaking to hasten his destruction.

1. Mans heart will be resting and settling upon something; it is like a Mill that is ever grinding: if it rest not on truth, it will on lies: The soul of a man is such an hold or tenure, that cannot want an owner or occupyer; If it be not resigned to the God of heaven, it is reserved for the god of the world: If God's Spirit depart from Saul, presently the evil spirit comes upon him and vexeth him: A servant must every man be to one of these masters.

2. The just desert of wicked men pulls on them this fearful vengeance, to be delivered up to the devil: The world loveth lies better than the truth, and liars above the bringers of truth; how just is it that such as reject the truth, and prefer lies before it, should be given up to the father of lies, as children most like him? What more righteous revenge can the Lord inflict on him that will not come to Jesus Christ to be saved, then that the dragon should come down upon him with great wrath, and carry him headlong into his own damnation? how just is it for those who refuse the government of a merciful Prince, to be given up to the spoil and oppression of most cruel tyrants? Is any so blind as he that will not see? and are any so justly blinded as those that will not open their eyes to the light? Who can implead the Lord's justice, in delivering up him to the Prince of darkness, that hateth the light? or who can say it unequal in him, if he give over such as choose death, unto him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil?

3. Refuse to come to Jesus Christ, and what remedy is left to rescue us from the power of the devil? If Christ and his truth be rejected, what can resist the devil when he assaulteth with lies and false persuasions? If the way to be rescued from the power of Satan, be the knowledge of the truth, so as by it to come to amendment, as 2 Tim. 2. 24. then to refuse God's grace offered in the Gospel, is to assent and covenant with Satan, and refuse freedom offered from his vassalage: lies have no enemy, no discoverer, no conquerer but truth. There is no freedom from the impostures of the father of lies, till truth rescue us and set us free, and if truth set us free, we are free indeed. Truth is the only effectual instrument and means of our salvation: it is the arm of God to save us; to refuse and resist this arm, is to hate life, and abide under damnation. In a word, the resistance of Christ is an inviting of Satan home to us, and a kind welcoming of him with full contentment: where Satan seeth such a man, there is a fit subject for him to work upon.

Take notice then of this fearful sin of refusing the voice of Christ in the Gospel, being a sin of such provocation as it is, as most injurious to God, to the grace of God, to the Son of God, and to the truth of God; a sin of such a deep die, and so deadly to the soul of the sinner, who preferreth to drink rank poison before the sweet waters of the Well of life, and a sin so fearfully revenged by God with many other most heinous sins, the just punishments of it.

Now because men commonly startle at the high sins against the law, and conceive God's wrath due to them, and in the mean time seldom take knowledge of sins against the Gospel, and the Lord's severity against thē; let us cast our eyes upon the Lord's most severe revenge against this sin above other, as sins against the remedy, and therefore not more severe than righteous: for if God revenged upon the heathens their sins against the light of nature, in delivering them up to vile affections, and unnatural sins, to receive such recompense of their error as was meet, Rom. 1. 24. 27. how much more must he think it a meet recompense of such a sin against the light of grace, to give them up t • effectual delusion, to be carried by Satan hoodwinkt and headlong unto destruction?

But let us see some instances.

1. How he spared not his own people the Jews, his own first borne, among whom when the Son of God came as to his own, they received him not; when false Prophets, and false Christ's rose up among them, those they followed, both before his coming and after, as both divine and human stories make mention: John 10. 8. All that came before me were thieves and robbers: Acts 5. 36, 37. Judas and Theudas drew away many to destruction: And after false Christ's and Prophets were to rise with such efficacy of delusion, as to deceive (if it were possible) the very Elect, Matth. 24. Josephus speaks of sundry, especially one Egyptian which carried away thirty thousand Jews by one vain delusion to destruction: And not long after, this same sin made their nation spew them out, that they are now an hissing, an execration to all the nations of the earth; They renounced Christ to rule over them, and ever since the dragon hath had them in possession.

2. Consider how the wrath of God came upon the former ages of the world, according to the warning of the Gospel, and how the earth and sea, who would not receive Christ, received Antichrist in his room; and the inhabitants of them, not loving the truth were therefore led away with horrible lies. See God's retaliation.

First, God sent them Apostles, Evangelists, and true Pastors, who sought only the glory of God, and the salvation of men, but they despised and distasted them: But how did the Lord plague the earth in the same kind, giving up the inhabitants to receive hypocrites, Impostors, Friars, and fat Monks, who only sought themselves, and to make a spoil of men, eating up their estates as Locusts for number, and unprofitableness? these were willingly borne; as the Church of Corinth, despising the Apostle Paul, gave ear to false Apostles, who robbed and spoiled them.

Secondly, Christ the Lord came with an easy and sweet yoke; his doctrine and his Apostles was a freedom from the bondage and burden of Ceremonies and traditions of the Fathers, 1 Pet 1. 18. and the new commandment was only to believe in the Son of God, and love one another. This sweet yoke was cast off; but with what an exchange? now the devil yokes them with traditions, superstitious ceremonies, and plagues the earth with tyrannical and Antichristian Laws, Canons, Decretals devised by men; his little finger is heavier then Christ's loins; yet Popish Countries receive them, and like them well.

Thirdly, Christ instituted and ordained a most holy Sacrament, the Communion of his blessed body and blood; but the inhabitants of the earth and sea despised that simple and most chaste and Primitive institution: But was not the world ever since justly plagued with that gaudy and impudent harlot of the Popish Mass, the very spirit and quintessence of Antichrist▪

Fourthly, how could the world be more severely plagued, then by receiving that greasy Priesthood, & that hateful sacrifice of Antichrist? but could it be plagued more justly, for abolishing the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ?

Fifthly, Christ in the Gospel calleth men to the participation of grace, life, pardon, heaven, and salvation freely offered in the Gospel; men would not hear this voice: How justly therefore hath the world been blinded and gulled these many hundred years, in buying at great rates lies, sleights, impostures, iuglings, mere tricks of wit and cunning, pardons, dispensations, merits, masses, and heaven it self.

Sixthly, Christ ordained in his Church holy Pastors, giving them liberty to live in holy wedlock, according to God's Ordinance. This order of Christ pleased not the earth and sea: but how sensibly revenged? for no sooner did they refuse and reject holy Pastors, but they admitted most filthy bawds, and unchaste Pope-holy Priests and Nuns into Ecclesiastical Orders; I might say into the Popes chair. A man had need of a vizard, to speak of their holiness, and stop all his senses to hear it.

Seventhly, when the world scorned and persecuted the Saints living, how did the Lord give them up to worship and invocate in most idolatrous manner the Saints dead and departed? And when they despised and trod underfoot the living images of God, the godly and holy Professors of Christ, great was the Lord's revenge in giving them up to worship dead images, of wood, stone, metals, &c.

3 God who is ever the same and like himself, hath heretofore warned us in this land, that we have not received Christ, nor embraced his truth, in that love and affection that became us:

1 By the prevailing of Priests and Jesuits heretofore in the land, who swarmed as the frogs of Egypt, and have seduced many thousands, but never any that loved the truth.

2 By the propensity and readiness of many to receive any religion or doctrine according as the times should require. And this hath ever been the sin of English people to swim with the stream of times, And this print of God's finger is at this day set upon many, plainly convincing that they never received the truth in the love of it.

3 By the general fighting against the light, and hatred of the very sent of sincerity in both preachers and people; which the Apostle makes a sure note of perdition, Phil. 1. 28. Let John the Baptist come, he is excepted against and hath a devil. Let Paul come, too much learning hath made him mad. Let Christ come, he is a friend of Publicans, a demoniacke, &c. But let Antichrist come, Popery come, a flatterer and deluder come, the multitude applaud them▪ receive them. Delusion shall be effectual to the damnation of such as he must carry into his own perdition.

4 The same arrows of God's wrath against this sin are shot in amongst ourselves; many of whom plainly bewray their natural hatred of the light, and love of lies. Let a man come in the name of Christ, convince, entreat, persuade, beseech men to be reconciled: let him with the loss of his own peace seek theirs: the more faithfully and sincerely he deals, the more despitefully he is rejected; the more pains and love such a man showeth, the less is he loved or recompensed by many: presently they plot to starve him out, or if he stay, he must live on air or grass for them. Let a flatterer come in his own name, and call the churl liberal, and sing an Omnia been, and for their own applause, profit, or credit, run along in all their courses; no marvel if these men be put in their bosoms: and how can it be but he that hates true dealing, should love false?

Is this, love of the light, when God offers a blessing to a place and people, for their instruction and comfort of themselves and families, to mutiny and murmur against God's bounty, and fall to threatenings if any such blessing be let in? Is this, love of truth, that when Popish seducers come and open their pack, and by books and persuasions broach their fundamental errors, that sophistry and plausible slights should drive some, to a stand and demure whether they be in the right▪ others, to a profession that there is not so much difference between them, others, to an indifferency that they have resolved to be with the stronger, and all this after threescore years of the shine of the light among us? Now open your eyes, and behold what is all this but a fearful stroke of God's wrath, plaguing them for not receiving the truth in love, by giving thē up thus to be deluded? If CHRIST cannot prevail, the Devil must.

Beware then of so desperate a sin: and let it awaken us to entertain Christ in his truth and Gospel better then we have done.

For motives hereunto:

1 Consider that in our text: look on the dangerous estate of all resisters and contemners of the truth, For,

First, they are no children of wisdom: for wisdom is justified of all her children.

Secondly, they judge themselves unworthy of eternal life; Act. 13. for they have no name to be saved by; they lie without redemption, uncalled, unsanctified, unsaved. If Christ be the light, they are in darkness. If he be the Savior and head of the Church, these are no members, share in none of his merits.

Thirdly, Christ will prove too strong for him that rejecteth or resisteth him: Bring those mine enemies that I may stay them, Luke 19. 27.

Fourthly, Christ will not stay where he is not welcome, but will be gone: he will not stand casting pearls before swine, Mat. 7. 6. and he hath places enough to offer his grace to, who will better esteem his word and work: he need not stick to a people unwilling, resisting. Know you, that there is no such need of plotting and devising how to be rid of Christ and his Gospel; he goeth fast enough of himself from ungrateful persons, as you may see in the Nation of the Jews, Mat. 21. 43. and those famous Churches of Greece and the Gentiles, now sunk under Mahomet.

Fifthly, who be they but despifers of the Gospel, and not lovers of the truth, that are in danger of Antichrists seduction, and lie open to all his slights and subtleties? And this is the just plague awaiting such as being enlightened thrust away the truth with both hands, and shut the door of the Kingdom against themselves. Now let us look to it, that as we have the truth, we have also a love and sound embracing of it, lest it come to pass that God in his wrath be provoked to deprive us of judgment and understanding, and deliver us to such blindness, as the Papists themselves shall not be more effectually deluded then we shall be; that against the light of Scripture, yea against common sense and reason we shall sup the poyloned broth of Popery, and as stiffly as that seduced synagogue, maintain such shameful absurdities as are Transubstantiation, judicial forgiveness of sins by Priests, salvation by the merit of works, worshipping with heathenish idolatry Saints, Angels, images, relics, crosses, bread, and bones, and a thousand such senseless dotages.

Sixthly, consider how the devil into whose hand they are given up, prevails against these men, and bindeth them with strong chains and bolts of unrighteousness to damnation.

First, They being permitted to him, he blindeth their eyes and hardeneth their hearts to destruction.

Secondly, He not only strips them of the benefit of Christ's victory, but useth them as vassals to fight against Christ, and his Church, and to withstand his victory.

3 He makes them not only to live in the dark, but to love the darkness, and hate the light because their deeds be evil.

4 He makes their damnation more grievous then if they had never heard of Jesus Christ: for before they sinned of ignorance, but now of malice and willfulness: before they sinned without Christ, now they sin against Christ. This made Christ mournefully weep over Jerusalem, who could not see her own mournful estate. We can give Christ no occasion to mourn over us, but we have much more cause to mourn over ourselves.

2 Add hereto the benefit of receiving Christ and his truth, into the inner room of our hearts. For,

First, it is the only antidote against the poison of Antichrist and heresy. It is not the profession or knowledge, but love of the truth that armeth a Christian against the efficacy of his power: this shall strongly fence him, when the greatest profession, yea the deepest learning and knowledge, that ever men or Angels had shall not do it.

Secondly, Christ never comes but to make us gainers: he cometh to Jerusalem to gather her as an hen her chickens. Mat. 23. 37. It may be we may lose swine by him, as the Gadarenes, but it is to chase away devils, Iusts and sins in which the devils rule. It may be we may part with some goods as Zatheus, but it is to bring salvation to our house. What if we must sell all with the young man? it is to have treasure in heaven. Keep Christ, and we have treasure and wealth enough.

Now the means to further us in this duty of embracing Christ and his truth, are of two sorts.

First, To east off the lets and impediments that hinder.

Secondly, To get near us the helps and furtherances.

The first let is ignorance of Christ, of his worth, and offers of grace. John. 4. 10. if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that talketh with thee, thou wouldest have asked, &c. A foolish cock contemns a pearl: can skill of nothing but barley. A rude man knows not the worth of a jewel, but a Lapidary who knows it and the wealth of it, will buy it, and by it enrich himself. This shows that both Preachers and hearers are ignorant of this saving knowledge, who say to the Almighty, Depart from us, we have no desire to know thy ways, nor that the means of knowledge be settled among us.

The second lett is envy, and hatred of Christ, and the truth truly dealt with. This sin in the high Priests and Pharisees got Christ upon the cross. John. 12. 19. See ye not that the world goeth after him? if we suffer this man, down goeth our credit, all will believe him, and we shall displease the Romans (the Romanists) and be great losers, John. 11. 48. Luk. 19 14. the citizens hated the Nobleman, and sent him word, We will not have this man to rule. Whosoever expresseth hatred to his word and ordinances, to his graces and virtues, to his servants and children, this man hates his person, and sends him word he will not have him to reign over him. And many such messages Christ hath daily sent him from us.

The third lett is earthliness and covetousness: the love of swine. The loss of swine and fear of loss sends Christ packing from the Gadarenes. We have too many Gadarenes who cannot distinguish between Christ and a pig, unless it be to prefer a pig before him: Oh if Christ come among us and settle near us, we shall lose this profit and that: poor Christ brings a charge with him: and when men are resolved not to part with a nutshell for Christ, say what they will, and hear as many Sermons as they do, they had rather have a legion of devils stay among them, then Christ. Love of swine makes the Gadaren put off all love to his own soul; yea and all charity frō their neighbors: they are contented better with a legion of devils among them with their swine, then with Christ, without them.

The fourth let is love of lusts and our darling sins: And these are dearer to men then their swine: these foul and swinish lusts, in which they wallow as swine, make men fall quite out with Christ and his truth. For Christ and his word never speaks good to an evil man. He is one that knows all, and will tell thee all that ever thou hast done, John. 4. He will be rough against thy darling sins. He will whip out buyers and sellers from the Temple, and let no sin take Sanctuary. Thou art a great swearer, he will say thou must not swear at all, and then thou must sew up thy mouth and not speak at all. Thou art an adulterer, and he will cry out against him that looks on a woman to lust after her. Thou art mighty to drink; he will disgrace thee and barrethee out of heaven. He is so precise as he will urge thee to set a watch before every word, that no filthy or foolish talking, nor jesting proceed thence. He will be urging to continual hearing of the word, and observation of the whole Sabbath, which (to many) is a misery of miseries, and bands, and yokes, fit for none but slaves. These men, so far in love with their sins, cannot but hate Christ, and cast him out of their coasts: darkness cannot but hate light: and Christ hath foretold it, John. 7. 7, the world hateth me because I testify of it that her works are evil. And his Ministers find it in theirs, how they would resist himself in person; because his word makes all things manifest, Eph. 5. 13. It discovers the drunkard, adulterer, atheist, swearer, gamester, Sabbathbreaker: and if a man be any of these, or all these, how can he but wish Christ and his word a thousand miles off him.

Now of the means to help us to receive Christ and his truth.

1 To set our hearts upon the truth, as our treasure, But it, but sell it not. Count all dross in comparison of Christ. Choose the good part with Mary. This affection keeps the word: but the wicked wanting it, lose it at last, though they seem to hold it a long time. The good Merchant rejoiceth to find the pearl: therefore he will sell all to purchase it.

2 To grieve when we find not such sweetness in the word, as we would, and as sometimes we have done. Suspect now Christ stands aloof for some disrespect of him: he dislikes something in his entertainment. Nay we must grieve not only when ourselves prefer other things before it, but when others do so. Psal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy word. How then did he mourn for his own failings?

3 Wayte at the gates of wisdom: frequent her threshold, hear her voice, let that voice persuade thee, be ruled by her counsels, hate all vain inventions discovered by it, whether errors in doctrine or corruptions of life. Embrace her servants: for, he that receiveth you, receiveth me: love them for their glad tidings. Evil men may hear much, but seldom refrain from any evil way. They pretend great love to Christ, but hate to the death his servants.

4 Let it work upon our hearts till we find a resolute purpose to hold Christ and his truth through crosses, losses, and troubles for the defense of it; till we attain the resolution of ancient Believers, who willingly suffered the spoiling of their goods. Heb. 10 34. and till our lives be not dear unto us, nor loved to the death, in comparison of Christ and his Gospel: as the blind man confessed him, though he were sure to be excommunicate, John. 9.

5 Follow the means by which the truth may come to dwell plentifully in us, and amongst us. The former by frequent hearing, meditation, reading, and prayer especially, ask wisdom and ye shall find it. Christ is the gift of God: the way to obtain him is prayer If thou hadst known the gift of God, thou wouldest have asked &c. The latter is by bringing it in reckoning with others; often speaking of it, conferring, especially whetting it on our families and friends, as Abraham did.

6 In holy conversation and practice of life, show the life and counterpaine of the truth. So much of the truth we know truly, as we practice. He hath received Christ, who expresseth the virtues of Christ. Let it therefore be our care to leave a pattern and sweet sent of grace and truth everywhere behind us, as our Lord himself did.

The words contain the second reason of that dreadful woe denounced upon the earth and sea, taken from the wrathful disposition of the devil, who in the former words is said to have descended; and amplified by the reason of it, because he hath but a short time.

Quest. What is meant by this great wrath of the dragon?

Answ. The sly stealing of Antichrist upon the world by a Catholic Apostasy is here called the great wrath, with which the Devil cometh into the earth. For whereas he could not succeed by open tyranny of the Imperial dragons, but that Christian religion was more propagated, and many daily pulled out of his power by the preaching of the Gospel, and that Christianity prevailed against Idolatry and Ethnicisme: now as a furious person whose plots have not hitherto succeeded, he comes with a new mischief more spiteful then the former: he raiseth a mist of black darkness to obscure the sun of grace, and secretly worketh in the mystery of Antichrist; God permitting him to come with strong delusions on the blind side of the world. Now he that could not by open force destroy the Church, or cast out Christ, doth under the name of Christ, and pretence of the honor of Christ and his religion, fight more furiously and prevail more forcibly then ever he formerly could by open persecution and tyranny.

The words therefore foretell and threaten the mighty enterprises, and secret stratagems of the dragon by Antichrist, who was in after-times to prevail in all the Christian world. This is the great wrath here spoken of, and teacheth, that

The greatest wrath that ever Satan watched and brought upon the world since the fall, was the raising of Antichrist. He had been mischievous before, and wrathful in open tyranny: but now he putteth forth a greater wrath, in secret delusion. Which truth will appear, if we consider.

• 1 Antichristianism in it self:
• 2 In comparison with open tyranny.
• 3 In the more fearful fruits and grievous effects of it.

1. Antichristianism in it self is the most fearful plague that ever the wrath of God or Satan struck the world withal, if we consider,

• 1. The cause.
• 2 .The effect.
• 3. The generality.

In the cause, it proceedeth from the greatest wrath that ever God put forth upon earth; for,

1. It is a wrath from the divine justice, due to the most fearful sin in the world, which was the worlds rejecting the truth of the Gospel, wherein the wrath of God is come both upon the Jew and Gentile to the uttermost.

2. It is a wrath of the dragon, whetted by the wrath of God, in which God sendeth the strongest and most prevailing delusions that ever were; in which that wicked spirit, who seemed to be cast out of the world by the preaching of the Gospel, is returned again, and hath brought seven worse spirits than himself.

3. It is a wrath not only punishing sins of such a deep stain, but with most fearful sins, such as immediately forerunne damnation, even that universal damnation of all those who chased away the truth of God to embrace the delusions of Antichrist: 2 Thess. 2. 10. God shall send strong delusions, that all they may be damned, who loved not the truth.

4. It is a wrath so great, as the Spirit of God finds no parallel to compare it with, but the great day of God's wrath; and therefore in the opening of the sixth Seal ( Revel. 6. 12.) which describeth the coming of Antichrist into the world, he resembleth the time of his appearing to the greatest day of wrath that ever was before it, and describeth it by all those fearful events which shall accompany Christ himself, when he cometh to his last and universal judgment.

The signs of the wrath of that great day of wrath are seven, by this wrathful day of Antichrist notably resembled.

1. Great and fearful earthquakes shall go before the coming of Christ, Matth. 24. 7. Even so, at the coming of Antichrist, the foundations of the earth shall be shaken, a new face of things shall appear, the pillars and foundations of old Apostolical doctrine and discipline shall be shaken down, and a new Ecclesiastical Monarchy shall eat up the ancient, civil, and Imperial government, which was the studd and pillar upholding the earth and societies of men.

2. The Sun shall be darkened as sackcloth, Mat. 24. 29. and Christ the sun of righteousness, who shined so clear in the firmament of the Church, the only Savior, Mediator, and satisfaction shall be wholly darkened, and horribly eclipsed in the day of Antichrist; the holy doctrine concerning his person, natures, offices and benefits shall be clean obscured, as the Sun at midnight; a black veil of traditions, and a thick curtain of human constitutions blacked and darkened all his most sacred Ordinances; the Sacraments by theatrical pomps and devises shall be adulterate; the worship of Christ, by adoration of Idols, and veneration of creatures, wholly depraved: Now is the Sun of the Church turned into darkness.

3. The Moon shall be turned into blood: So the Church, which as the Moon, receives all her light from the Sun of righteousness, shall seem all blood, partly by the cruel and bloody wars, and partly by the bloody persecutions of Antichrist, who shall boast of both swords, and fill both his hands with weapons of wrath and cruelty.

4. The Stars shall fall from heaven, Mark 13. 25. So in the appearing of Antichrist the Bishops and Pastors shall become Apostates from the truth, and of shining stars in holy doctrine, holy life and beautiful graces, in their several Orbes shining in humility, charity, sobriety, diligence, and heavenly-mindednesle shall fall to pride, ambition, contention, wordlinesse, war, seats of Judicature, and whatsoever is earthly, and sensual, and pompous.

5. At the coming of Christ the heaven shall depart as a scroll; so in the day of Antichrists coming, the Church (the heaven upon earth) shall be shut up and hide it self, and shall not be visible and conspicuous to the world: And although many good and godly men still in all ages contested against Antichrist, yet were they condemned for heretics, and were counted no part of heaven, nor faithful members of it.

6. The Mountains and Islands were removed out of their places. By Mountains are meant Kings and Emperors, who by the fraud and power of Antichrist were removed from their high places and authority, which was swallowed and engrossed by Antichrist; and by Islands, the people and nations who were all forced upon pain of damnation, instead of obedience to Christ, to submit themselves to the tyranny of Antichrist: Nothing so firm as Mountains; nothing so far off as Islands, but Antichrist reached them.

7. As in the day of Christ's wrath the wicked shall in utter despair of their estates call for the hills and Mountains to cover them, and hide them from it; so shall the great day of Antichrist drive great ones to utter despair, not knowing what shall become of them, and of their estates; and this shall be the hire and recompense of all the aiders and supporters of Antichrist, in the day of their particular judgment if their consciences be awakened, at farthest in that last and great day of wrath, in the general judgment.

Thus we see the Scripture setting out the day of Antichrist to be as wrathful as the great day of Christ, which of all dreadful things is to all wicked men most terrible.

Secondly, now consider the great wrath of Antichristianism in the effect; and we shall see it the most horrible mist and black darkness that ever the world was stricken withal: Other heresies and heretics which made way to this, are called the black horse, Revel. 6. 5. as being contrary to the white horse, Verse 2. which was the integrity of Apostolic doctrine: but those did obscure and darken the light, as in the evening: But when Antichrist comes, this heresy chaseth away all light, as at midnight: Not that the Church ceaseth to be, no more than the Sun ceaseth to be at midnight; but it appeareth no more in that Horizon or Hemisphere, thā if it were not all; Heaven passeth as a scroll, which is no less, but less seen.

Hence is the Kingdom of Antichrist called spiritually by the name of Egypt. Rev. 11. 8. for it resembleth that Kingdom, especially in three things,

1. In Idolatry.

2. In cruelty and oppression of the Israel of God.

3. Most of all in blindness and darkness, with which that Kingdom was covered for three days, Exod. 10. 21. And between the darkness of that Egypt and this there is apt resemblance,

1. Of all the plagues of Egypt that went before it, the darkness was most grievous; and so is this, no plague in the world before this was comparable to it.

2. The Lord restrained from them not the light of the Sun only, but of fire and Candle, and withdrew his blessing and comfort from all his creatures; so in this spiritual Egypt, and Antichristian Kingdom, is a miserable palpable blindness; they see nothing of Christ savingly, nor of the Scriptures which witness of him, nor of sound interpreters the Candles in the CHURCH, consuming themselves to give others light, nor are guided or comforted by the Spirit, who is as fire, warming and enlightening believers: God hath laid a curse on all their means of light, that they get no sound or saving light from them; no not their greatest scholars, unless they be enlightened to sin against their consciences.

3. Yet had the Israelites light, mingled among the Egyptians; Even so the true Church, hidden in Babylō, hath light and knowledge, and great blessing on weak means, though the Egyptian cannot discern or see it; as, among ourselves, a Recusants house hath nothing but darkness, and superstitious ignorance, when a Protestants house (perhaps next to it) hath light of knowledge, holiness and saving grace.

4. That darkness was next to the death of their first-borne; even so here, the pale horse follows the black, Revel 6. 8. and this darkness fore-runs everlasting darkness in hell, as that did death in the Egyptians houses.

But with this difference, that this is a more miserable darkness:

1. In the kind, because it is spiritual, as it is called Egypt spiritually; a blind body is miserable, a blind soul is damnable.

2. That was a darkness of the air, but not of their eyes; this is of both, and the blackest darkness is within them, as theirs was without them.

3. The Egyptians by their darkness knew the benefit of light the better, and saw their plague, and mourned under it; but these Egyptians are pleased with their darkness, and fight against the light the more, and are not more fearful or watchful against anything, than that the light should peep in amongst them.

Thirdly, next, as Antichristian Apostasy is blackest, so is it most general of all heresies, even the Catholic heresy, into which all other heresies of the New Testament run, as into a sink: One calls it an abridgement of all old heresies.

For it is not against any one Article of faith, (as other particular heresies are) but,

First, against the holy Scripture, which is the Scepter of Christ, infinitely disgracing it, calling it a nose of wax, a sheathe for every sword, insufficient, obscure, the book that makes heretics, and, The Scriptures have no authority but from thē, no sense but from them, they forbid the reading of them, they prefer Apocryphals, traditions, Church-determinations above them, &c.

Secondly, against the whole Gospel; which is a doctrine of free justification and salvation, by the only righteousness and merits of Christ, imputed by faith; but they teach to seek salvation in our own merits and satisfactions, here or hereafter.

Thirdly, against the whole person and offices of Christ: They appoint infinite Priests to repeat his only sacrifice; a number of mediators against this one Mediator, that men may be heard by their prayers, and saved by their merits. They appoint the Pope a King of Kings, by whom all Kings reign; who hath all power in heaven and earth; yea, the Head and Husband of the Church (which is proper to Christ.)

Fourthly, against all the foundation of religion and Catechism: For although they hold in word and outward profession, the Creed of the Apostles, the Lord's Prayer, the words also of the ten Commandments, yet indeed, and by direct consequent they reverse and renounce every Commandment of the ten, every Article of the twelve, if we except that of the Trinity, and every Petition of the six, as sundry godly writers have cleared, and myself have in a readiness to prove.

Thus of Antichristianism considered in it self.

II. Now consider the tyranny of it comparatively with the tyranny of temporal enemies, and the wrath will be infinitely greater; and that in three respects.

• 1. For secrecy of working.
• 2. For transcendency of the danger.
• 3. For hopelessness of recovery.

Of the first; open mischief a man may avoid, or prepare for, but here is a more secret and undiscernable mischief; a great adversary, but sly and under a contrary profession of friendship; the greatest wounder of Christian Faith, under pretext of Christian Faith; whether we consider his person or his work.

For his person, he is a son of perdition; a son must resemble his father; the dragon his father buildeth up his Kingdom rather by fraud than by force, so doth his eldest son Antichrist. Hence is this great Adversary compared to a Whore, who hunteth the precious life of man, not by open force, but by secret and fair pretenses, sugared speeches, and alluring flatteries; she hath a cup in her hand full of abominations; the draught is deadly poison, but she hath put it in a golden cup Revel. 13. 11. the second beast which is Antichrist, speaks like the dragon, that is, breathes out devilish doctrines, and thundereth hellish curses against the true Professors of Christian Faith, but hath two horns like the Lamb; that is, a counterfeit show of humility and meekness.

For his work, it must be a mystery of iniquity; He must sit in the Temple of God; he must not be a Turk, to destroy by fire and sword, and open defiance of Christ, the profession of Christianity; but an Herodian, who pretending to worship him intendeth to kill him: He must deny Christ to be come in the flesh, but in a mystery, not openly and directly; for then all Christians would abhor him, and renounce him, but indirectly and by express consequence; and (saith the Father) Whosoever denieth Christ in his deeds, the same is an Antichrist.

Of the second; this tyranny of Antichrist is more inward & spiritual than the furious persecutions of other tyrants; and inward plagues are a thousand times more deadly than outward. It is true, that as the dragon is extremely tyrannous against the bodies of Saints, so is Antichrist; but yet the cruelty of both is more spiritual than temporal, and aimeth more at the death of the soul than the body; and it is most true that one saith, Open tyrannies and outward oppressions are torments of sinful men, but these inward are the increasers of sins and vices. Pharaohs hard heart was a more deadly stroke than all the ten plagues beside. It was a more grievous plague to give up the Idolatrous Gentiles to their own lusts and vile affections ( Rom. 1.) then to give over the Idolatrous Samaritans, to be torn with Lions, 2 Kings 17. Let heathen tyrants come upon a Christian, they can take but his external, lower and sensitive part; but let this Ecclesiastical tyrant come, he winneth the highest towers and faculties of man, his mind, judgment, affections. Let the Turk come, he may expose the body to be slain with sword, fire, teeth of beasts; and in all this nothing comes contrary to the condition of mortal men; But let the Pope come and he will do all this, and beyond all this; by his fraud and impostures he taketh the mind, and delivers up the heart to be ruled by the devil; that lusts and vices as wild beasts prevail against reason, religion, and humanity it self; and this is most unnatural and monstrous.

If they spoil our goods, maim our bodies, deprive us of our liberties, there are some remedies, and hope of recovery, or by a right use of these trials we may better ourselves in grace; But if Antichrist withdraw us from grace, delude our souls, sit in our consciences, and so cast us into the wrath of God, what remedy is left? Now shall we find, that a gash in the soul, as it is the deeper, so it will prove more incurable than any bodily wound.

Of the third; this tyranny of Antichrist is beyond all external tyranny in the difficulty of recovery; because it is more pleasing to sense, than the other. External oppression and tyranny every man naturally avoydeth and resisteth; but this every natural man chooseth and desireth; for it dazzleth the eyes with external pomp, outward splendor, & worldly power, in all w ^ch it is contrary to the simplicity of the religiō of Christ. This Antichristian poison, which was by a voice from heaven, said to be poured into the Church in the days of Sylvester, natural men drink up without all inquiry, and are willingly detained under Antichristian slavery, and without a mighty arm of Christ, (a stronger than he) are never pulled out.

All this showeth the fearful wrath in this Antichristian tyranny beyond all other.

III. The third argument will further clear it; that Satan cometh with greater wrath in Antichristian delusions, than in any open tyranni • or persecution besides, drawn from the effects of this wrath, which are more fearful than any, or all other judgments of God besides.

The miserable effects of this wrath are especially three:

1. An upheaping of the measure of sin. In open tyrannies the enemy fights against the Christian man, and this is the enemies sin; in this he makes the Christian fight against Christ, and his truth, and his Church, which is his own horrible sin: In the other it is miserable to see men besmeared and all imbrued with their own blood; but here is a greater misery, to see men wallow in their inward filthiness, and bloody vices and pollutions. The former may be a means to open the blind eyes, and the sealed ears, to bring in a sight and sense of sin, and soften the heart; but here is nothing but increasing of sin, for this is a means to harden the heart more, and blind the eyes more, and wrap men not only in darkness, but in the hatred of the light.

2. An unhappy resisting of the means of recovery. In other tyranny tyrants may chase men to the Rock of their salvation, and drive them toward heaven, as Israel toward Canaan by the oppressions of Egypt; but this tyranny gallops men to hell, and intercepteth all means of reconciliation and repentance, so long as they are under this thralldom; which is plain in these particulars:

First, it is a turning of men from truth to fables, from light of Scripture to the darkness of human traditions and devises.

Secondly, a going an whoring from Christ, to many lovers and harlots.

Thirdly, a denial and renouncing of the only sacrifice and merit of Christ.

Fourthly, a sinning against the whole Gospel, and all the Offices of Christ.

Fifthly, a settling of men in contempt and hatred of holy Scriptures; and now what greater plagues can be imagined, than thus to fight against Christ, and that salvation so dearly purchased by him?

3. Another effect is, a rushing headlong into a gulf and main sea of wrath: This tyranny finds men sons of wrath, but casteth them into a deeper wrath than it findeth them in: For, is it not a greater damnation to fight against the light, than to want it? Is not the issue in a deeper wrath, to refuse the remedy, than contract the disease? Is not that judgment heavier, which brings eternal confusion of the whole man, than that which only can bring the outward man to confusion?

Thus having cleared the doctrine, we come to the Use.

1. Of all judgments in the world beware of spiritual plagues, in which is the greatest wrath which either God or the dragon can inflict on a man in this life: We must more fear blindness of mind, than of the body; fear more the stone in the heart, than the stone in the bladder; fear more to be drawn to error, than to torment. We have had great cause to fear the power and forces of Antichrist, but much more the efficacy of his delusions: For where God giveth up to efficacy of error, it is such a token of his wrath, as except he should presently send him to the place of his iniquity, he cannot strike him with a more severe judgment; this being a sign, that the Lord hath denied or deprived such a one of his saving grace, that he hath rejected him from his care and special Providence, and that he meaneth to glorify himself in his utter destruction.

Here for fuller application of this point, consider two things.

• 1. The marks of a man under this wrath.
• 2. The means to avoid it.

The marks of one that lieth under this wrath, are these.

1. Ill use of gifts bestowed, and not profiting by good means of grace vouchsafed; when God's Word and Ordinances are too weak to prevail with a people or person to reclaim him: Isaiah. 5. 4. What could the Lord do more to his Vineyard? Which when it failed of all his expectation; he would lay it waste; nothing but briars and thorns should thenceforth grow in it, and he would command the clouds to rain no more on it; The unprofitable servant that employed not his Talent to increase, had his talent taken away, and himself bound hand and foot unto execution. Heb. 6. 8. the ground often watered and dressed, that still bears thorns and briars, is near a curse, and the end is burning: So the bad ground of wicked men's hearts, which under a powerful Ministry grow more stony, more secure, more hateful, their conscience more seared, their courses more obstinate against the means of grace, are near a blow, and the longer it is a fetching, the heavier it will be: So when the Lord adds to his Word his hand, and adds some stinging external cross to awaken the soul, and bring it low before him; but this gracious warning and summons is set out, and no good use made of it, it hardens so much the more, as in Pharaoh, and causeth the Lord to leave such persons to themselves, as a father who cannot prevail against his sons stubbornness, by admonitions nor corrections, leaves him with sorrow to himself; or a Physician who hath put Art and nature to the uttermost extent, but cannot prevail against the disease, leaves the Patient to death: so the Lord, Esa. 1. 5. Wherefore should ye be smitten anymore? ye fall away more and more.

2 Another note is pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thes. 2. 12. this signs a man given up to this wrath. By unrighteousness is meant error of judgment, or of practice, whereby God or men are deprived of their due, as righteousness gives both their due. By taking pleasure in unrighteousness is meant.

1 Not a willing of their sins only, but a liking and allowing of them.

2 An high prizing and esteeming of them, as things we take pleasure in.

3 An earnest, greedy, and delightful pursuing of them.

4 A fight and contention for them, and against contrary grace.

5 A resolution by no means to part with them, no more then we will with things, in which we take most content and pleasure.

Examine the content which thy course giveth thee, and see whether it be a sweet fruit of the Spirit of truth, or arise from the spirit of error and delusion. For there be many ways that be good in a man's own eyes, but the issues are death, Prov, 14. 12. and a most grievous plague it is, when a seduced heart flattering the sinner shall cause him to bless himself, while his sin worthy to be hated is found with him Psal. 36. 2. This calling of good evil, and evil good, draws on sin with cartropes, Esa. 5. as many nowadayes count religion preciseness; care of pleasing God hypocrisy; zeal rashness and folly; in the mean time they think their own profane estate good enough. Well: take heed of pleasure in unrighteousness, which argueth a man stripped of all sound grace; for the least grace would acknowledge the least grace, and disallow the least evil: and it argues a man in a course, which brings on swift damnation: and whosoever delights in unrighteousness, the righteous Lord will dash all his joys, and make them end in woe and desperate sorrow.

3 Another note, is society with vile persons out of favoring their vices, as with Atheists, swearers, drunkards, enemies of grace, and such whose damnation sleepeth not. For what is this but to partake and thrust a man's self into the wrath of other men's sins? and how can a man be knitt unto the members of a body, and not to the head? If God's justice have permitted thee to be one with the members, thou mayest well discern he hath permitted thee, and for the present delivered thee to the head: seeing the head and the members make up but one dragon, And as there is not a more discernible mark of a Believer, then love and hearty union with the brethren, 1 John. 3. 14. so is there not a more discernible note of a man belonging to the dragon, then by sorting with his brood, and running with workers of iniquity.

4 He is apparently under the dragons wrath, that confirms himself in the customable neglect of God's Ordinances, public or private. This man will fall to nothing, as he that ordinarily refuseth his meat: or at best his religion is but a passion, or fit, or is in respect of persons, or occasions. And it is because he will not be reclaimed from some lust.

5 He also that is an enemy of righteousness; a man whose bent is, to disgrace the way of God, and turn men out of the way, as Elymas, Act. 13. 8. 10. a flaunderer, a deviser against it, an open contester against the powerful purity of God's word, an instrument of the devil, and make-bate to cast out thy means of Salvation; such a one is in the devils work: and why not in his power? The like of them that mis-judge the generation of God, and pronounce wicked sentence on them whom: the Lord acquitteth: as, if a good man be cast into some furious disease, they are ready to judge the estate of the soul by the distemper of the brain, and disgrace a godly and holy life by a violent death &c.

Now the means to avoid this great wrath, are twofold:

I. To avoid the special sins which arm Satan with this great wrath against us: as

1 Want of care to know God: Rom. 1. 28. the heathens, because they regarded not to know God, God gave them up to a reprobate mind. For when men cast God out of sight, and out of mind, how just is it that God cast them out of sight and mind? Thou that hast not God before thine eyes, thinkest not of him but as of one that hath nothing to do with thy matters, forgettest him to be a judge and witness of all thou doest, deridest the true knowledge of God, and wilt take no direction from him; know it, thou hast thy choice, God will have as little to do with thee for the present as thou desirest, his grace and presence shall be far enough from thee, own thee who will, guide thee who will, his mercy and help will be far to find. Who seeth not this heavy stroke of God's wrath in numbers left by God, and ruled by the devil, men of reprobate minds, destitute of judgment and common reason, rejecting all that is good, refusing nothing that is naught, rejoicing in the highest sins, swearing, drinking, drabbing, railing, cursing; defying whatsoever savoreth of God or Godliness.

2 Sin: want of love to the truth. 2. Thes. 2. therefore God gave them up to the strong delusions of Antichrist. See we a man despising the means or bringers of the truth, or a man that willingly suppresseth and choketh the truth in himself, or withstandeth the holy means, resists and scornfully thrusts away the preaching of the Gospel of truth, or preferreth vain speculations and frothy discourses and devises of men's brain before the simple truth of Scriptures, or a man that doth not regard to procure, preserve, practice, and propagate the true knowledge of God? this man is far from love of the truth, he is fit for any delusion, there is no trust in him, but be his knowledge and profession never so great, he may make a strong Papist, an open Apostate, or anything but a sound and constant Believer. If we know the truth, happy are we if we love it.

3 Sin: idolatry, Rom. 1. 26. for this cause God gave up the heathen to vile affections; namely for their idolatry. And yet theirs was invincible, they knew not the true God by the light of the Scripture, but only by reading in the book of nature. How much more shall Christians be given over for their wanton and willful Idolatry, after so long teaching, and such clear shining of the truth amongst us? Where an idol stands up, there is no place for God; Dagon and the Ark cannot stand together. How far Antichristian Idolatry hath driven God from that synagogue, we may read in the great letters of such senseless errors, as no blind heathens were ever worse seduced. It was God's patience, that our easiness to Romish Masses and idolatry, did not wrap the Kingdom into this fierce wrath.

4 Sin: earthliness, love of the world, of profits, and self love: as in Demas, who forsook the truth, and embraced the present world. This sin made Judas, being an Apostle, at the side of Christ, and steward of his family, to be delivered up to the full wrath of the devil. What else carrieth away our Fugitivos and Seminaries, to become Priests, and traitors to Religion, their Prince, and country, but hope of preferments and profits, which here they fail of?

II. The only positive means to be hid from this wrath, is, to walk carefully and humbly before God. Eccles. 7. 26. there is a woman whose heart is as nets and snares, her hands are bands, he that is good in God's sight, shall be delivered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her: Even so, only piety delivers from this Babylonish harlot, which hunteth the precious lives of men, Prov. 6. 26. For the more wicked a man is, the more is he hated of God; and the more hated of God, the more subject he is to be deceived by Antichrist. And therefore the sinner is in great danger. Now the way to avoid this danger, is, to be good in God's sight: which goodness consists in

1 Approoving our hearts and ways unto God, the chief good.

2 Framing our actions by the word, the unfayling pattern and rule of goodness.

3 Walking and persisting in the way of good men, For it is not goodness of nature, wit, education, civility, learning, nor any human skill which can keep a man from the hooks and snares of this harlot, but only goodness of grace and the fear of the Lord.

2 This serves to admonish all, who are in full communion with the Pope, and are formal limbs of Antichrist, and of the Romish Church, timely to look to themselves, and consider these four propositions.

1 That those who adore the Beast, and receive his Image, must drink up the lees of this wrath, Revel. 14. 8. 9. But so doth every limb of Antichrist, adoring him, in yielding him divine honor, and seeking pardon of sin from him, as if he were God: and receiving his image, by subjecting his conscience to his laws, as to the laws of God, and depending on his mouth as on the mouth of God. And therefore they all lie under this great wrath.

2 That he that hath not the Son, shall not see life. But no obstinate and willful Papist that holdeth not himself only to Christ's righteousness for justification, but will stand before God in his own righteousness, merits and satisfactions, hath the Son. And therefore no such shall ever see life. The Assumption the Apostle teacheth, Gal. 5. 4. They are abolished from Christ, and fallen from grace, whosoever will be justified by the Law.

3 That he which believeth not in the Son of God, the wrath of God abideth on him. John. 3. 36. But no such Papist doth believe in the Son of God: For saving faith is condemned as presumption, and access to the throne of grace with boldness, and assurance of the favor of God, are scoffed at: and instead of saving faith they nourish a general assent to the truth of the word of God, which I affirm to be common to the reprobates, and devils. Therefore they are under wrath.

4 That he which liveth and dieth an idolater, cannot avoid the wrath of God. But so must he do, that liveth and dieth an obstinate member of that Church; being bound to give divine honor to Saints, relics, images, consecrated things, and especially to the breadden god. And therefore what a desperate thing is it, to live and die in that religion? Antichrist only prevaileth in them that perish: none of the Elect can be seduced by this great seducer: neither can any that follow the beast, avoid to drink the dregs of the Wine of GOD'S wrath. Revel. 14. 7. 8.

3 Pity the case of those that are carried away into Antichristian delusion and Apostasy. For of all sinners they are in most fearful case.

1 For their persons: they are a number of men, whose head is the son of perdition, who are in state of perdition, who are given up to the most mischievous wrath of the dragon, such as whose names are not written in the book of life.

2 For their course: they are men that sin against the light, against the remedy, against the whole Gospel, especially against the precious blood and merit of Jesus Christ. Oh what a sin is it, to sin against this blood, and bring the guiltiness of it upon a man's own head, as they do by undervaluing it, and trampling it underfoot, equalling with it the blood of Becket and traitors, preferring before it the milk of his mother! as Carolus Scribanius, a late Jesuit, in a Poem not only holds the best compound for a sick soul, to mixe Mary's milk and Christ's blood, but that of the two her milk and the merit and virtue of it is more precious and excellent then CHRIST'S Blood.

3 Their estate is most fearful, because there is no loss to the losle of the truth, no fall to the fall from grace, no wrath that the Dragon can watch against a person, comparable to this: For he is sure, that whosoever persist in this condition, they must drink of the winepress of the wrath of God.

We pity men if we see thē in any bodily torments: but no bodily torments can equal the wrath of being given up to the strong delusions of Antichrist. And we must put on bowels of mercy and pity toward our brethren in misery, which if it rise right will begin at their souls, and especially will compassionate the spiritual miserable. This is to be like God who had pity on us, when we were in darkness, in our blood, our navel not cut, &c. Ezek. 16.

4 We learn hereby not to take offense if we see many turned away to this horrible Apostasy, but take notice of the just judgment of GOD in delivering up men to this great wrath of the Dragon.

For particula • • ersons: what wonder to see careless and contemptuous hearers of the Gospel set over to Satan, to execute all his wrath and mischief over them? God in justice hath allotted them their wish and choice: The truth wooed them, but could not win them, and therefore falsehood and lies have justly seduced them. Christ in the Gospel made love unto them, entreated, promised, allured by all loving means, but they slighted him, refused his offers of peace and life, and therefore are justly a spoil and prey of Antichrist. The truth offered to set thē free, & bring them into the liberty & privileges of the sons of God: but they refused truths freedom, and therefore are justly chained and fettered in the bands of deadly errors and delusions. How justly must he drink up a full vial of wrath, who will not be persuaded to taste a sweet cup of mercy and salvation? how justly is that felon executed, who scorns the Kings most gracious pardon?

So for people and Kingdoms. What may we gather from the great and open prevailing of Antichrist in any Kingdom? which will be apparent in the infinite increase and boldness of Papists and Recusants in such places, in the swarms and numbers of the people after a strange boldness running and resorting to their Masses, in the open increase of multitudes of locusts and frogs, Jesuits and Priests, croaking in corners and streets, challenging, seducing, and deceiving, and as diligent as the dragon himself, whose tail they are, to wrap men not loving the truth, in this fearful wrath and deep perdition. What may be hence gathered but the provocations of such a kingdom, kindling so great a wrath of God against them? Did Antichrist ever come into a kingdom, and the sins of that kingdom not let him in? Were men not fierce against the Lord in contemning and despising his truth, in open • rophanation of his Sabbaths, in desperate scoffing at religion, in bringing in their sins to their height? Had they not lost their first love, their zeal, their taste of Manna? were not they unthankful to the Lord for setting them out of this Egypt? and were they not looking and running back to the Onions and flesh-pots, which made the Lord shake the fiercest Arrow of his Quiver against them? Could anything but hellish profaneness and contempt of so shining grace, have entered such a wrath amongst them, as heaven nor hell in this life cannot inflict a greater? for Turkish tyranny is light in comparison of Antichristian. Oh that our Apostasy to a very formal and powerless godliness were laid to heart, as the hatcher and breeder of such wrath, which will not be so easily removed as let in! Did we still march courageously as we began in the beginning the reformation, we should not then need to fear our former oppression and tyranny. Let us be wise by the rod shaken over us, lest the stroke and smart fall also on us, and show us our folly.

5. Labor to preserve one another from this damnable way: To which we have these and sundry motives.

First, we pull one another out of fire and water, and should much more out of the fire and water of God's wrath, yea out of hell and damnation.

Secondly, all our Savior's course was, to win souls, to seek and save what was lost.

Thirdly, God hath made every man his brothers keeper; who hath commanded to pull our neighbors, yea enemies Ox or Ass out of a ditch: And therefore every man must be servant to every man, (as Paul ) to win some, and not be careless whether he stand or fall, sink or swim, live or die: And we must by all good means preserve and strengthen our brethren; Ministers by discrying the danger (this is our chief intent, not wrath and anger to our people) Private men by exhortation, brotherly conference, wise reproofs of the obstinate, &c. All by godly life and holy innocence, which is a means both to stop the mouths of malicious Papists, and win such as are tractable.

In these words is the reason of the dragons wrathful disposition; where consider three things:

• 1. How Satan's time is said to be short.
• 2. How he knoweth it is so.
• 3. What use he makes of this knowledge.

For the first.

Quest. How can that be said a short time, which hath continued now since the writing of this Prophesy sixteen hundredth years, or not much less?

Ans. A time long in it self must be said to be short respectively: So this,

1. In respect of God, to whom a thousand years (which is a long time in it self, and to us) is but as one day; and so even thus long since our Lord said, Rev. 21. 6. Behold, I come shortly.

2. In comparison of former times; so this continuance of Antichrist, which is simply in it self, a long time, is comparatively said to be short, in respect of the time and ages going before it: And so the whole time of the New Testament, which is in it self a very long time, is called the ends of the world, 1 Cor. 10. 11. & the last hour, 1 John. 2. 18. for so the manner of Scripture is, which distributeth the world into three ages; the first from Adam to Moses, the second from Moses to Christ, the third from Christ his first coming to his second. This last period was called the last hour, not because presently upon Christ's Incarnation or Ascension the world was to end, (for how then could the Church have been gathered through the Christian world?) but because,

1. This was the last and full time in which all was consummated and ended, which was fore-prophesied in former ages touching man's redemption, even the full and last revelation, which is to be in earth, and no other change of worship and Ministry is to be expected as in the former; till the great and last day, in which the great Judge shall put an end to days, and time, which shall be no more, and to the warfare of the whole Church.

2. It shall be a far shorter time than that which went before, yea in likelihood shorter than either of the former periods, or ages; for seeing it shall be bitter and sharp by the tyranny of Antichrist, for the Elects sake (Christ saith) these days shall be shortened, Mat. 24.

For the second.

Quest. How doth Satan know his time to be short?

Ans. 1. Because he knows his time is determined; for the wicked spirits know perfectly by the accusation of their conscience, and partly by the sentence already passed upon them, that a day of further torment awaites them; whence they say, Mat. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before the time?

2. He knows this time is hastening upon him, sundry ways.

1. By prediction and observation of Scriptures. He observed the Apostles saying, that on us the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10. 11. joining himself with those Christians that then lived, and all the rest that were to live till the end of the world, being all comprehended in one body, and all subjected to the same last dispensation of grace, which was not to be ended or changed, but by the return of Christ to judgment.

2. By daily experience he seeth the decrepit age of the world, as in the several parts, so in the whole: If old buildings crack, it threateneth ruin.

3. He knows and observeth most of the signs of Christ's second coming to be past; as,

1. That many false Prophets inspired by himself, are risen up and have deceived many, as was foretold Matth. 24. 24. This is an argument of the last hour,

1 John 2. 18. we know it is the last hour, for many Antichrists are come, that is, petty-Antichrists, the prodromi and forerunners of that great one.

2. That the Gospel hath been preached through the world, predicted, Mat. 24. 14. and accomplished, Rom. 10 18. Their sound is gone through all the world, and their words unto the end of the earth. For,

First, this was Christ's commandment, Go teach all nations, Mat. 28.

Secondly, the Apostles obeyed this commandment, and fulfilled it, Col. 1. 6, 13. The Gospel is come unto you, as it is unto all the world.

Thirdly, the incredible swiftness and power of the Gospel shows the divinity of it, in that before the destruction of Jerusalem, or within thirty years, it was spread into all the inhabited world, as many Fathers hold: And therefore if any barbarous nation or new-found land bewray utter ignorance of Christ, either they were not inhabited, or they have had some sound of the Gospel, but have suffered it quite to die and be lost.

3. The detection of Antichrist is so plain and manifest in this fifteenth age past, as children can point at him, 2 Thess. 2. 3.

4. Horrible persecutions, wasting the Church, not only by heathen Emperors, but ever since by fierceness of Antichrist, the Apollyon of Rome, foretold in Mat. 24. 6.

5. General defection from the faith, foretold in 2 Thess. 2. 3. through the spreading of the leaven of Popery, which drove the woman into the wilderness.

6. Universal corruption of manners, and obstinacy against the truth; see Luke 17. 26. and, 2 Tim. 3. 1. By all which signs Satan knows, that the last day (which is the time of his torment) is not far off.

For the third.

Quest. What use makes Satan of this knowledge?

Answ. Knowing that he shall shortly be cast and confined into hell, he recompenseth the shortness of his time with cruelty of wrath: This knowledge of his damnation doth but whet up his malice against mankind; and seeing that the sentence passed against him hasteneth upon him, he is so much the more busy to pull as many as possibly he can into his own ruin and damnation; a manifest sign of furious and desperate wickedness.

Certain things are hence to be collected and observed.

I. There is a determinate time of Satan's rage, and of the Churches conflict against him: The war lasts not always: And why?

1. There is an hour for the power of darknesle, and but an hour; that is, a certain and determinate time, in which by God's permission he may put forth his malice in the world, but beyond it he cannot pass, Luke 22 53.

2. As it was with the Head, so also with the members: There was a time when Christ was assaulted and tempted in the wilderness, and a time when the Devil left him, not willingly, but because he could stay no longer, the date of his Commission being expired: So there is a time, when his members and disciples in the ship of the Church shall be tossed and almost covered with waves, and a time when there shall be a great calm, Mat. 8. 26.

3. The wicked's rod must not always lie in the lot of the righteous, Psal. 125 3. Our merciful God seeth our weakness, and need of breathings, and refreshings, and so mingleth his cup according to our health, and strength, and as we are able to bear: Whereas, were Satan and his Impes left to themselves, they would never cease smiting and afflicting.

4. Our experience sealeth the truth of the promises, who after a storm meet with a calm, after a weary hill a sweet dale, and after darkness see light; And it assureth of the main promise of all, that after a good fight fought there is a crown of righteousness to be given by the righteous Judge.

Which encourageth us with constancy and patience to stand out a little while in this fight: Re. 3. 10. there is but an hour of temptation, and cannot we watch one hour? are we sure of victory if we stand to it but one hour more, and shall we faint? Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while, and he that will come shall come: therefore cast not away your confidence, but care a while, and be ever safe: Behold, the field is even almost won, the battle even at an end, and we are in the last hour of conflict; a few straggling enemies are to be rooted out; and therefore let us renew our courage and strength, as those that are not at leisure either to fear or feel the blows, seeing victory is in our hands already.

Also it may comfort us in all the assaults and troubles of this life, in ward and out ward; seeing God hath determined them all, and he that hath appointed the beginning hath appointed the end also. The try all is but a storm, or cloud, and it will vanish: And if Satan's rage be limited to a time, to a short time, so is the wickedness of his instruments, and this time they shall not pass: And if now be the season, in which the Lord useth them justly, as rods, to afflict his children, yet ere long these rods must be cast into the fire,

2. Note here, that the sharper the aslault of the dragon is, so much the shorter it is; the fiercer the wrath, the less time it lasteth. For why?

1. The harder a man worketh, the sooner will his work be done; the more busy and violent Satan is, the sooner will his measure be full, the sooner shall the Elect be tried, and purged, and chased to heaven, and the sooner will he bring destruction on the wicked, whom he gallops to hell, and hastens to swift damnation.

2. Violent things cannot be lasting or perpetual, and extremes are nearean end: It is true that wicked spirits and men are in their affection endless and perpetual in their violence against God and all good things and persons; and therefore according to this affection their plagues are endless; but actually violent they cannot always be.

First, because themselves cannot long subsist, but must give place to death and hell.

Secondly, if themselves would never end, yet would God put an end to their violences, as Matth. 24. unless God had put an end and measure to those miserable days of Jerusalem's destruction, no Jew had been left; but for a few Elect God shortened them.

Which greatly comforteth God's people in the midst of the great confusions and tumults now stirring in the world.

1. Do we see iniquity abound, and sin more shameless than in former times? Is the Sun in the heavens a witness against the earth of such contempt of the Gospel and despite of the grace of GOD, the bringers and messengers of it, and professors of the grace of God, as former times of the Gospel cannot parallel? Do we see envy, cove tousnesse, idleness, and scorn of godliness in Ministers? see we the reign of drunkenness, adultery, pride, blasphemy, obstinacy, and desperate impenitency in people, such as is wonder the earth openeth not her mouth, as hell, to swallow up her inhabitants, so highly sinning against such a light? Now hence we must conclude, that the devil is come down in this age with more than▪ ordinary wrath, and in more tyrannous manner than in former days; And in this outrage of sin see the outrage of Satan's wrath, and that the more furious his wrath is, the shorter it is like to be. For this is an infallible sign of the last times, and the last hour; when Satan's wrath seems to mingle heaven and earth, let us lift up our heads, the Lord is not far off to put an end to this confusion.

2. Do we see Antichrist furious and wrathful, laying about him with both his swords so busily, as that he is in hope to gain the morsel he hath long gaped for? Do we see him make havoc and waste in the flourishing Churches of Bohemia, the Palatinate, and other parts of Germany? is he casting down the worship of God, banishing the Scriptures of God, killing the Ministers and people of God, setting up his Idols and puppets for gods, before those that receive his mark in their hands and foreheads? What may we hence gather but these two things?

First, that we are cast into the last of the last times; for the nearer we are to the last moment of the last hour, so much the more busy shall we see Antichrist, and the spirit of error active in putting forth their wrath.

Second, that Antichrist his time is short; the sharper the assault is, the shorter it will be; and how can he that reads the Scripture with judgment but know, that as there is an hour of judgment & vengeance to light upon that Antichrist ( Rev. 14. 7.) so it is not far off their necks?

2. Let all wicked men beware of boldness and fierceness in sin, which argues them not only delivered up to the wrath of the devil, but that their time is not long; for their measure fills apace: See it in Judas how industrious he is near his death. A man in the high forms of sin easily loseth his life in the service of some sin or other; God usually taking them at their hight and top. How many judgments of God witness this truth daily upon drunkards, swearers, riotous persons, and quarrellers, who come to untimely deaths, and seldom live out half their days? How suddenly hath the Lord taken down proud and scorn full persons in the hight of their pride, and pursuit of his children? examples are too many to recite: And how many wicked men are so like the devil, that as he refuseth not to be thrust into Hell at the judgment-day, on condition he may play Rex against the Church, and vex and torment the Saints till then, so these care not for hell and damnation afterwards, so they may a few days live as they list, and bring to pass as lawless persons, their wicked devises and villainies, in trampling down the servants of God, and in service to their own damnable lusts, as drunkards, swearers, revengeful men, and the like.

3 We must from the dragons practice pick out our lesson, and duty concerning our own time.

1 As the devil knoweth and observeth his time, so must we labor to know ours, and the fitness of it for duty. Christ sharply reprooves the Jews for not knowing their time, Luk. 12. 56. Why discern ye not this time? Mat. 16. 3. Hypocrites, can ye discern the face of the sky, and not the face of these times? How few be there, who know the happy times and opportunities they enjoy? Satan knows the time of his mischief, and slips it not: men know not the day of their visitation, nor the acceptable time, nor the day of salvation, which God offereth for grace and conversion. The Lord may justly complain of us as of the Jews, Ier. 8. 7. The Crane, the Stork, the Swallow, know their times; but my people know not me. How else comes it, that the Lord stretcheth out his hands all day long, and knocketh continually by the hammer of his word at the door of every man's heart, offering the precious mercies of grace and glory, but who open unto him, or answer his gracious invitation? Why do our youth riot out their time, and cast the care of religion into their last accounts, but because they know not their time? Did they consider, that youth is most fit for impressions of grace, that grace is in that age most graceful, that now they have fresh wit, quick senses, & all powers, lively instruments for grace, and that now they have strength and vigor called for, 1 John. 2. 14. to overcome evil; knew they such a seed time of grace, would they sow to the flesh? would they not seek wisdom early?

Whence else is it, that our elder men, after long teaching and training in the profession, are as ignorant as children, spend their time as vainly as the heathen in earthly lusts, but because they never knew their time? Should not they that have had more means, have been more expert in the word? doth not their time, who have been bred up in the profession, and lived twenty or thirty years in it, call for double or treble measure of knowledge and grace, as they have doubled or trebled their years beyond others? the devil would be loath to slip any part of his time so foolishly.

Why else do our great and rich men wallow in lusts, feed their senses, pamper their bodies, cast away their souls, eat up their time in eating, gaming, riot and wantonness, but because they have not learned, neither from God's book nor the devils diligence, to know their time, and the fitness of it for their own good? Have they not many hours free from so necessary labor, as poor men are bound unto? as many hours free from cares and distractions for necessaries, which lie heavy on poor men? many hours and days in a week free to hearing, reading, prayer, meditation? want they anything but grace and will to do themselves good? and doth not their very time tell them (if they knew the voice of it) that they ought to be as far above others in grace and piety, as place and opportunities of grace? But why be these so far below their inferiors, in knowledge, in practice, in use of the means? why do they suffer the poor to receive the Gospel and the grace of it from them, but because they know not their time, neither the worth nor use of it, and therefore they so miserably wast it.

2 As the dragon knows his time is short, and therefore bestirs him, so we must know our time is short, and yet hath long wings to fly swiftly from us, and therefore not to wast it out idly.

Object. Who knows not that his time is short? experience and sense teacheth it every day: few children but can show some marks of their parents mortality.

Answ. Sense and observation and experience may teach the dragon, that his time is short: But thou must have a better and higher teacher, or else thou canst not learn this lesson. And therefore Moses, seeing few men wiser by the sense and experience of the shortness of their lives, and uncertainty of days, and that nature and experience cannot teach this skill to benefit themselves by the frailty of themselves or their predecessors, goeth to God to teach him to number his days, Psal. 90. 12. For by nature a man is never the wiser by any chastisement he sees or hears, except God nurture and teach him. It is true, that the dim light of nature could highly prizetime for some outward profit, as the usurer, husbandmen, Merchant, & occupyers, and the heathens: No day without a line, and Titus could say, Heu diem perdidi! Alas, I have lost a day! But it must be the teaching of grace, that makes us to reckon the minutes and moments of our present precious time, so as therein to make ourselves gainers of something more precious then it self.

And how few are thus taught by grace, appears, seeing few hold it a seed-time, to go forth to sow in tears; few hold it such a moment, as on which eternity dependeth; few hold it a time of traffic till the Master come, but as if the Masters absence were for eating, drinking, and smiting the fellowservants; few know the worth of their time, before the want of it. Many are niggardly of their wealth, but prodigal of their time. Many complain of the shortness of life, but not of lósse of time. Many utterly cast away this short time, by doing nothing or as good as nothing. And as little children who have spent their candle in play, are glad to go to bed by dark, and never till too late see their folly: so these. None of all these ever had their hearts taught by God, of the shortness of their days.

3 Knowing that our time is short, we must make another use of this knowledge then Satan doth. His knowledge provokes his diligence in all mischief: the shortness of his time whetteth and sharpeneth his wrath. But our knowledge of the shortness of our time must make us industrious in grace, that we may make a quick and profitable return thereof to ourselves. Thus our Lord commanded, John. 12. 35. work while the light lasteth; the darkness hasteth, when none can work. And thus he practiced, John. 9. 4 I must work the work of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. The same did his Apostles, 2 Pet. 1. 13. Knowing that shortly I must lay down this my tabernacle, I think it meet to stir you up.

Reasons hereof are these.

1 It is a sign of a good man, to be best and busiest at last: Psal. 92. 14. the just are more fruitful in their age. Revel. 2. 19. The Church of Thyatira her works were more at last then at first. For though no part of the life of a Christian converted be fruitless, yet is it the autumn of his life that yields most fruit: and as to him that hath, more is still given, so the more he hath given, the more is his employment, and the more receipts, the more return.

2 Christian wisdom teacheth the Believer, that this short time is allotted to work, not to loitering; and to work the greatest work in the world, both in performing acceptable service to God, in doing good unto his brethren according to their needs, spiritual or temporal, and in gathering up his own comfort, by making his election sure, both by increase of graces, and fruits of faith in abundance of good works: All which call for a wise husbanding and improoving of his time, and a diligent hand, so much the more, as the time or season hasteneth from us, or we from it: as in harvest the fairer the day, and nearer night, the more busy are the careful workmen; so must it be here.

3 It argueth a heart zealous of God's glory, to do all the good he can while he may, and is only grieved that he hath done so little good, and can do no more. A good heart still complains of the unprofitableness of it; to will is present with it, it loveth obedience, and purposes of obedience shall not perish when performances often fail.

4 It bringeth comfort to the heart, when the conscience witnesseth to a man that he hath not slipped his opportunity, but done the business he had committed unto him: Our Lord himself thus comforted himself toward his death, John. 17. 4, While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: and I have done the work which thou gavest me to do. And the Apostle Paul near death rejoiced, that he had fought a good fight, and finished his course; and now was laid up for him a crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 46.

1 This reprooves idleness in all men, whose time is so short. God's word teacheth that he that sleepeth in harvest is the son of confusion, Prov. 10. 5. and that the harvest is not to last always, neither will God hold out his grace always when he is held off with delays. The unreasonable creatures, who have no reason to persuade them, none to call on them or admonish them, know their times and seasons: the silly Ant knows, and labors in summer; a creature of no account or respect, yet men are sent to her to learn her ways. Our own experience hath known many cry out of themselves in the end of their time, because they knew not their time; and have not received answer or comfort, which they could ever express: because God had often cried and called, and they would not in time answer. Now it were well, if at length such as would never learn this lesson from God and his word, nor from his works and creatures, nor from their own experience, would learn it of the devil; to be busy in their proper work, as he is in his, because his time is short. But of all men, old men especially, who must either now work or never, & who if they spare not at the bottom of the vessel of their time, are forever hopeless and desperate.

2 Let us provoke ourselves to diligence in well-doing. The devil knows, if this short time be shut in, he cannot do anymore mischief, and therefore, plies it while it lasteth. So if thy day be shut in, and thy short time expired, thou art taken away and canst return no more to do any good: and therefore, seeing none of us have any long time, it stands us in hand to supply the shortness of our time with diligence in dispatching our principal business. Eccl. 9. 10. Whatsoever thou hast to do, do it with all thy power: for there is neither wisdom nor invention in the grave.

And as the dragon, the more mischievous his work is, the more active he is in it; so the better our work is, we must be so much the more earnest in it: for, shall the devil be earnest in mischief; and we slack in good? The work of the Ministry is an excellent work, and therefore the Minister whose time is commonly shorter then other men's, the shorter his time grows, the more earnest must he be in preaching, writing, counseling, comforting the people of God. Many resolve to take their ease, when they grow into years: but then is true grace most active: the consideration of the approach of death was a spurr to the Apostle Peter, to double his diligence in the Ministry, 2 Pet. 1. 13. The Magistrate hath a notable work in hand, in repressing the wrath of the dragon, upholding and encouraging godliness: and annual Magistrates have but a short time when it is longest, in their office: Have you but a short time? be the more stirring, and careful to do good that little time. We have seen some in that short time have done a great deal of ill business; therefore imitating the dragon, because they would not hear the voice of God. But a good man in office will do a great deal of good in a short time. We hear sometimes some Magistrates reckon what a short time they have to wear out: I would we could hear what good they are resolved to do in that short time, which will away apace: for it is only the good they do in it, which will abide for their comfort. Finally, the private Christian hath an excellent work in hand, namely, to work out his own salvation, and to further others, both in works of piety, and by works of mercy, spiritual and temporal, to help them unto heaven, and in earth: Hast thou but a short time for so great a work? be so much the more diligent. Seest thou the dragon, because his time is short, so industrious in heaping up his own damnation, and wrapping as many others as he can into his judgment, and wilt or canst thou slack thy pace and diligence in promoting thine own and other men's salvation?

3 As the devil and his instruments show and declare the shortness of their time by extreme wickedness, because Satan pours forth his spirit upon the world, to poison it with outrageous sins: so let us manifest, that we keep in mind the shortness of our times, and that we are cast into the last ages, by our readiness and cheerfulness in good duties, and in abundant fruits of the spirit, which in the last days was to be poured out, Act. 2. 17. We must express the pouring out of this spirit, by our increase in knowledge, faith, obedience, and be more fruitful in our age. Thus we shall aright testify our right judgment of our own time, and of the last age of the world.

And as the wicked of the world show apparātly the last time, and Christ near at hand, by abundance of iniquity, by worldliness, atheism, & excesses of carnal delight (for is it not as in the days of Noah, wherein men eat and drink, and marry, and give in marriage, and cast off all care of judgment?) so let us show it the last age, and that a short time remains, by using the world as not using it, by marrying as not marrying, and by heavenly conversation: and all this, because the time is short, as the Apostle adviseth, 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. because there is no constancy or durance of any of these earthly contentments, no more then of the world it self; let us use these moderately, and gain those which are lasting, unwithering, and unperishing.

SAtan being cast out of heaven (I mean that heaven upon earth, which is distant from the earth not in distance of place, but in sanctity of faith and manners) so as he cannot prevail to prejudice the same as he would: (for neither can he hinder the sound of the Gospel, but it prevaleth in the world, neither can he seduce the Elect, nor prevent the Saints of their salvation:) Now seeing himself cast unto the earth, he rageth among earthly-mindedmen, and stirreth up his agents and vassals to raise up horrible persecutions, and new tyrānies, to root out (if it were possible) the name and mention both of Christ and the woman his Spouse; but all in vain, as the former assault was, as appears in the sequel of the Chapter.

In this and the fourteenth Verse are two things:

1. A new onset of the dragon upon the woman, with the reason in this Verse.

2. The evasion or escape of the woman, with the means in the next Verse.

In the Onset consider,

First, the person persecuting, The dragon.

Secondly, the person persecuted, The woman.

Thirdly, the time and manner, When she had brought forth the man child.

I. The persecutor is the dragon; that is, both the devil, the head of that fierce kingdom, and all such instruments as he raised and used against the Church in this new assault and persecution: for there is but one persecutor of the woman in all ages, even Satan, who is the same; but he hath many members and Ministers, even a continual spawn and succession, who as they carry his nature, so here also his own name, and are one and the same dragon in mind, in will, in malice, in act: Hence it is, that in Scripture whatsoever the one doth, the same the other is said to do: Revel, 2. 10. The devil shall cast some of you into prison: What Commodus, Decius, or the other Tyrants did, the devil is said to do; and the works of the Jews in persecuting Jesus Christ, is called the devils work, John. 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, his works ye do.

1. Because the dragon, being the god of the world, ruleth the hearts of wicked men, who inclines their wills to hate the Church, and stirs them up to persecute, and leads them at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 26. and a slave cannot do but what his Lord commands him; only he inspireth and acteth voluntaries.

2. The same causes which stir up the one, stir up the other to this fury:

First, as there is an old enmity between the woman and the serpent, so is there between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent: If there be hostility between two Princes, it is maintained among all their subjects.

Secondly, as the dragon being a deadly enemy to God's glory, incessantly seeketh to hinder and abolish pure religion, holy worship and worshippers, because it is contrary to his designs, and stoppeth his power, which prevaileth in Idolatry, superstitiō, and Atheistical liberty; so do wicked enemies, his issue and offspring, in all ages fight against the true worship of God, holy religion and pure worshippers, as against their contraries, because they despise their false gods, detest their idolatry, resist false religion, contest against their superstition, and actually reprove their Atheistical liberty, and all their proceedings contrary to the light of grace, and the word of grace.

Thirdly, as the dragon fears that Christ and his Kingdom will weaken his kingdom, so the spawn of the dragon fear the same. Herod and Domitian fear the coming of Christ, and therefore command them of the stock of David in Jewry to be slain: If we let this man alone (say the Pharisees) all men will believe him, and down goes our credit: Yea, say the Rulers, and the Romans will come and take our Nation.

Fourthly, the dragon is false and unjust in usurping that which is not his; and so are his issue; for tyrants and persecutors (as appears in the story of the Primitive Church) promoted and accused the Christians for lucres sake, that they might have the spoil of their goods; as Promoters sometimes use not for justice sake, or for love of the laws, to accuse men, but to get money to themselves; so here these two commonly go together, cruelty and injustice.

Which serves to satisfy some places of Scripture that seem contrary to this doctrine: for it seemeth that God stirreth up persecutors; he bids Shimei rail; and Ashur is the rod in his hand, and therefore the dragon is not the only persecutor.

Answ. There is great difference in the work of God, and of the dragon in the same action; for,

1. God worketh by wicked men in afflicting his Church, but the devil worketh effectually in them.

2. In the manner; God by permitting and ordering their malice, the dragon by immitting and inspiring them with malice and mischief.

3. In the end; God for the good and salvation of his Church, the devil for their destruction and damnation if it were possible. The fire of God's furnace, whoever be the blowers, is to try and purge as gold; the fire of hell is to burn up and consume, if it might be.

Again, whence are the persecutors of godly men and godliness? they are of the dragon, and of their father the devil, whose works they do: Whence is Popish religion, of all other the most fierce and cruel, but from the dragon, who inspireth and acteth them with his own spirit of enmity and murder, who was a murderer from the beginning? for as these Antichristian dragons were next in time to the Imperial, so also the next in condition; for as among them, so among these none must go back from the judgment seat, non mutata sententia, which was an old law against Christians. That religion must needs be Antichristian which is most contrary to Christ's; his doctrine and person was lowly and meek, he never kindled furious or sulphurious fires against the persons and bodies of his enemies, but used other arguments of love and lenity, to win and persuade them

So, whence are they who pick quarrels against godly men, as Nero did to discharge his own guilt upon their backs, desirous to find and father occasions and suggestions against them? Are they not inspired and acted by the devil, and wholly guided by the dragon in mind, will, and affection? Wouldest thou show thyself an absolute slave to the devil? go on in the way thou art in, to persecute, revile and wrong the servants of God. When we see a man fierce and furious, that no persuasion, no reason, no bands or strength of men can rule him, we will say surely he is possessed of the devil; as truly may we say here, This furious enemy is possessed by the dragon, whom no reason or persuasion of GOD'S Word, no bands or ties of religion or grace can conquer, but he goes on in rage and fury against godly men, and, as far as he can, contrives▪ mischief against them. Here is one possessed with an unclean spirit; the devil acteth and moveth him; what he doth the devil doth: Let persecutors set what face and countenance they can, they be persons in whom the devil reigneth; Rev. 2. 13. Antipas was slain where the devil dwelt; that is, by men in whom the devil held his throne and hold.

3. From the former reasons we may discern, who they be from whom we may look for persesecution if occasion and time serve.

1. If men express any fierce enmity andgreat difference in matter of religion, whether in judgment or practice, here will arise easily as great an estrangement as was between Jews and Samaritans, who meddle not one with another; and it will easily go farther, from affection into action, if occasion serve: If Cain cast down his countenance upon his brother, for the sacrifice sake, and if Abel's find better acceptance, no band of nature can make up the quarrel; if Cain find opportunity, he will lift up his hand in the murderous act, as well as cast down his eyes upon him. If thou hearest men persecute by their tongues, the way of God, (as persecutors spare no speech against that way, supposing it a justification of themselves) conclude of them, their hands will be ready enough upon occasion, to act the persecution of their tongues: The dragon can put him into one part as well as another.

2. When men regard not in conscience and sincerity, God's holy Ordinances, nor love the means of grace and salvation, they will easily be brought to persecute and throw down the same: God's justice strikes the want of love to the means of grace, with a stronger delusion; and he that in the shine of the Gospel shows not love, this man in the storm will show hatred: And whosoever stands out against the light of grace, and word of grace, there is the same reason with that in the dragon, because there is an hidden darkness in himself contrary to it.

3. When a man is set to make good his own estate, credit, & profit with the love of the Church and Gospel; if he fear Christ's coming near him, will not stand with his projects and profits, this man is in the high way to this mischief, God's glory shall give way to his own, and rather then Gadarenes will lose Piggs and Swine, all the City will rise and pray him to be gone, and if he will not by entreaty, they will go further; as the Jews fearing loss by Christ, persecute him to the death. And to this add covetousness and injustice, noted in the causes; when men for lucres sake, and for no just cause else, & for a little money, or expectation of reward, show themselves enemies to godly men, they are not to be trusted: If Judas will fill his bag, let Christ look to himself. The dragon in these lusts rules them, and moves them, and carries them from evil to worse, and on occasion will show it.

4. If the dragon be the persecutor of the Church, then the way to overcome all persecutors, is to overcome the dragō, and to prevail against the devil. Enemies of the Church and people of God are as fierce and inexorable as the dragon; they must go on as far as the dragon is permitted to move them, and therefore to conquer them we must prevail against the dragon; not by force, fury, impatience, reviling, or the like, but,

First, by the Word, as Christ in his temptations.

Secondly, by prayer, that Christ would rebuke him; and add fasting, because this devil goeth not out but by fasting and prayer.

Thirdly, by innocence, holiness, and the practice of godliness; this indeed makes him more raging, but far weaker, and hath GOD'S promise of defense.

Fourthly, by the contrite spirit of patience, meekness, forgiveness, love and peace: Thus we overcome evil with goodness.

II. The person persecuted is the woman. The proper object of the devils malice, next unto Christ himself, is the Church of Christ, and so inevitable a condition is persecution, as nothing in the world can keep it long off: For,

1. Here is a woman weak in her self, and impotent, whom none but a coward would contend withal; but the dragon is inured since the first skirmish in Paradise, to offer violence and wrong to such as can least repel it; frō whom the Priests and Jesuits have learned the principles of their trade in seducing seely women, and ignorant sots, who have no strength nor weapons.

2. This woman hath Michael standing with her, and hath brought forth a potent man-child to help her; yet he weigheth not all the strength and power gathered for her: He that dare assault Michael himself in person, will for all him fiercely and fuririously assault the woman.

3. Here is a woman clothed with the Sun, having the Moon under her feet, crowned with a crown of twelve Stars, arrayed with righteousness and holiness, as the Spouse of Christ, the ground and pillar of truth. But this abates not the dragons wrath, but kindles it, that she is the justified and innocent Spouse of Christ: Besides, here are many things worth winning from her.

4. This is the same woman that he had immediately before persecuted, and now again renews his persecution; for loath he is to afford this Dove of Christ any rest for the soale of her foot.

The Church then cannot be discerned by that durable and lasting peace and glory, which Papists make a mark of their Church; but rather by durable and lasting conflicts, and obscurity: For trouble is the best trial of religion, and Christ was best known by his Cross, and so also is his Spouse.

Object. The dominion of Christ shall be everlasting in glory, and Jerusalem is a vision of peace.

Answ. True: but his kingdom not being of this world, it is in respect of the spiritual and invisible Kingdom of Christ, the glory of which the world cannot see: and of that sweet and inward peace of conscience, and joy of sanctified souls, which the stranger enters not into.

Object. But what hath the poor Woman done?

Answ. The dragon persecutes not for evil, but for good: here the better work, the worse wages: and no other reward can godly men expect at the hands of wicked ones: to whom they have been instruments of greatest good. David mitigateth Saul's vexation by his harp: but how vexeth he David for recompense?

Let us therefore make no account of rest and peace here, which is not the Churches resting place. Our Lord taught us to make other accounts, John. 16. 33. In the world ye shall have affliction. We would have Canaan, before the Canaanites be subdued. But wisdom will expect freedom when the combat is ended, not before. It is enough we have our earnest in hand to begin withal: we must look for our wages in the end of our work, and the crown after the victory.

111. The time of this persecution seems very express in the text: namely when the dragon had been cast unto the earth, and after the woman had brought forth her man-child.

The dejection we have shown to be the suppressing of the power of the heathenish tyrants and Emperors, who upheld pagan idolatry, oppressed the Christian Church, and withstood the power and passage of the Gospel.

The bringing forth of the man-child we have shown to be the raising up of Christian Princes and Emperors, the protectors and maintainers of Christian faith, who succeeded after the heathen Emperors.

We must therefore seek out this fierce persecution in the times of Emperors by profession Christian; even in those times when the woman might have expected rest and peace by this manchild, who now had the rod of iron in his hand.

And by looking into the story, and event of those times (which is doubtless the most true and proper interpretation of prophecies) we find among the Emperors Christian, after Constantine, a twofold persecution of the dragon: one civil, the other ecclesiastical and more pernicious.

The former was by the cruelty of divers Christian Emperors after Constantine, as Constantius, Julian Apostate, Valence, and others who had nothing but the pretext and name of Christian, but indeed differed nothing from most fierce and savage tyrants, wasting the Church, and the Orthodox pastors and professors.

The latter, namely ecclesiastical, much more pernicious then the former was, when the dragon poisoned the Church, partly with damnable heresies, of Arius, Eunomius, &c. for the maintenance whereof the Emperors most violently persecuted the sound Bishops, Pastors, and Professors: (the dragon that could not now prevail by slaughters and Butcheries as before, doth now by poisonful lies:) partly with pride, pomp, ambition, and fierce contention of Orthodox Bishops for primacy and superiority over other Churches and Pastors. For now the manchild having furnished the Church with peace, ease, wealth, lands, patrimony, large revenues and immunities, the main study is for the increasing and maintaining of their pomp: And as ease, wealth, and security increaseth, so the care of soundness of faith and sincerity decayeth. Presently from pride grows hot contention among themselves: Council is called against Council, Synod against Synod: the greatest strife is for Patriarchicall seats, and quarrels for primacy, precedency, Churches immunities, Clergy-privileges, Peters patrimony, and revenues of holy Church.

To these ends the principal employment of those Bishops was for setting up altars, images, crosses, unctions, orders of Monks and Nuns, consecrated garments, habits, shavings, and an hundredth toys which took up their thoughts, time, and lives: while the primitive simplicity of Christ and his truth, with Christian faith and religion, slipped from between their fingers.

Thus Antichrist came to his hight and turret, and thrust in on the blind world as an armed man. Now was the woman disrobed, the Church spoiled of her chief ornaments and graces wherein she shined, and was indeed crowned in her low and afflicted estate. Now were the Ministers who made way unto Antichrist, lifted up, and intended everything but conscionable Ministry. Now Jerome justly complains that after the Christian Church found Christian Princes, she became in wealth and power greater, but less in virtue and piety.

And this I take to be the most violent assault, by most virulent poison cast out of the mouth of the dragon, especially aimed at in this text: yea the most bloody and fierce persecution, which then began to assault the woman, who had brought out the manchild, from under which she is not yet recovered, as we shall see if God permit.

The point is this.

Prosperity and peace much more baneth and woundeth the Church, then tyranny and persecution. Deut. 32. 15. Israel when he should have been upright, waxed fat and spurned with his heel, for sooke the God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation. The whole book of Judges showeth, that when Israel was at rest and had the world at will, they forgot the Lord and turned to idols: but when they were under oppression of enemies, into whose hands the Lord delivered them for their sins, then they returned and sought after God diligently. Hos. 13. 6. as in their pastures, so were they filled, and their heart was exalted, therefore they have forgotten me: whereas the same Church, having her way stopped with briars, and hedged in with thorny afflictions, resolves to return to her first husband, for it was then better with her then now, chap. 2. 7.

From the testimonies come to the induction of most famous Churches, overthrown by prosperity. The first Churches of the Old Testament did thrive better in Egypt, under that tyranny, then in the milk and honey of Canaan; which by pride, wantonness, and fullness of bread brought her into Babylon's captivity. The primitive Churches of the New Testament, our text shows how they were blacked & tanned with the sunshine of peace, plenty, ease, wealth, and temporal prosperity: that, as the Moon never suffers eclipse but in the full, because in the full she is farthest distant from the Sun, from whom she receives her brightness; so the Church in her fullness is farthest from her Sun, of whom she receives her light, and then suffereth most eclipse.

What need we go far for this proof? The Church of England coming out of the fire and hot furnace of 2. Mary's days, at the restoring of the Gospel, in the beginning of 2. Elizabeth of happy memory, by whom the book of the Law was restored, and true worship established, oh how precious and sweet was that Manna! how zealous, how forward, how painful were godly men to gather it, and get knowledge! with what joy of heart, courage, and encouragement did the Saints receive the truth! how resolute and vehement were they against Popery! what a number of miles did they measure to a Sermon! how took they the kingdom of heaven with violence!

But now in the continuance of our peace, plenty, and prosperity, how do men loath this Manna, only cloyed with preaching of God's word! The former age that prized it, is gone, and carried their affections with them. Our peace hath bred up a surfeited and graceless generation, that hate the directions of truth, and scorn the profession of holiness as an hateful heresy. Instead of frequenting Sermons, and godly exercises of praying, reading, conference, and holy communion: now the tavernes, tobacco-shops, ale-houses, play-houses, whore-houses are stuffed. Knots of drunkards, gamesters, swearers, and vile persons haunt together, and fear no laws of God nor man. For bibles and godly books we have the devils: yea cards and dice, store of pipes and smoke. Instead of holy exercises and conferences we have blasphemous swearing, and scorning of goodness, riot and ribaldry, surfeiting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, audacious boldness in evil, and shaming at nothing but the very show of goodness. Thus as plenty begets surfeit, so our peace hath made the land heart-sick, and the disease is not more general then desperate, likely to shame all the Physicians, all the Ministers of the land, who know not how to turn their hands to recover and help her.

1 Worldly prosperity is a good mother, but through our folly brings many bad daughters: so ease slays the fool, Prov, 1. 32. That God's blessing should be our bane, is in us, not in it. For our natural folly is, that having found honey we eat too much. even to hurt ourselves: and this folly reigneth in wicked men, and too much of it is bound up even in the hearts of God's children, by which they are prone enough to pervert God's good gifts. God feeds men to the full, and the wicked run to commit adultery, and assemble themselves by companies into harlots houses, Ier. 5. 7. Thus do wicked men abuse these sweet refreshings, as the drunkard doth drink to wash away his sense and reason, or as a mad man a sword, which might serve for his safety. Yea even God's children are too like our children, who having got fruit hardly give it over without a surfeit.

Quest. What are these lewd daughters, bred up by prosperity?

Answ. 1. Forgetfulness of God. Worldly prosperity and peace make both Churches and persons forgetful of God. Hos. 13. 6. They were filled, and their hearts were exalted, and they forgot me Ier. 22. 21. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity, but thou saydst thou wouldst not hear: this hath been thy manner from thy youth. The Prodigal never remembered his father, while he was in prosperity and riot. This danger the Lord well discerning in his own people, straightly warneth them, that when they come into the land, and enjoy houses, vineyards, olives, and have eaten and are full, then to beware they forget not the Lord their God, Deut. 6. 11.

2 Pride against God, and forgetfulness of themselves. Let prosperity once win the heart, it fortifies it against God. Hence hath pride and ambition been the bane of the purest Churches: and so incident to good men in their peace, as the disciples themselves shall affect hierarchy and Kingdom, and their own preferment at the right and left hand of Christ, in his supposed temporal kingdom. Now another mischief hangs hereupon; that the tops of these mountains of pride are unfit for the herbs and flowers of grace, to root or grow upon: neither do the rains of God's grace stand upon these hills, but slide down into the valleys.

3 Effeminatenesse, softness, love of the world, delicacy, fear and slight of the cross of Christ. For it is exceeding hard to have prosperity and not to love it: it is hard in the increase of riches, not to set our hearts on them: & most easily is the heart won from the God of heaven to the god of the world. The reason is, because we are naturally from earth, and carry a lump of earth in our hearts: and quickly fill up all our roumes and senses with it, our eyes, hands, ears, mouths, and all our natural motion is that way. Again, minding of earthly things must needs make men enemies to the cross of CHRIST, as those in Phil. 3. 19.

4 Contention and strife for the holding and enjoying of the present fullness and security, and a special resistance of those thac stick closest to the simplicity of Christ and his Gospel, or any way touch upon that string. Ambitious Amazia will not suffer Amos to preach. And Diotrephes loving his preeminence riseth up against St. John and the most faithful Pastors.

By all which we see, that as weeds grow abundantly in rank soils, and without great care kill the herbs▪ even so many mischievous plants and weeds rise up in the fat grounds of prosperity, which seldom peep out of the lean and barren grounds of persecution and tyranny.

2 As Satan is more frequent and dangerous in these temptations of prosperity, so ourselves are most easily foiled in these rather then in the other.

For the first, Satan is more dangerous in these: for as an enemy when he cannot overcome in a pitched field, gets him to the woods and bushes, and there lays his ambushments, in which he is more dangerous then in open hostility, so Satan when he cannot by violence and open force conquer, by secret and bewitching allurements he gets an easy victory.

For the second: our-selves are more securely drawn and allured by the sweetness of prosperity, which, as a bewitching Delilah, hath more prevailed by sugared words and craft against many Samson's, then by all the power of the Philistines. If prosperity came out against us with a bloody ensign, or a flag of defiance, or with a dreadful sword shaking in open hostility, our fear would be more, and our danger less. But it comes as Joab, or Judas; when it kisseth, it killeth: it killeth with kindness, and with the sweet poison of a cunning enchanted cup.

Which serves for refutation of Papists, who glory in outward prosperity, as a note of the true Church: but by this text and our own experience we see, that their prosperity is like Jaels milk, which hath brought them on a dead sleep, as Sisera, whence they shall never awake without a mortal wound: and like the dead sea, in which no life or living thing, no grace, no spirit, no spiritual worship is to be found:

Likewise it reprooves the folly of carnal men, who will be acquainted with religion so far as they may profit themselves and thrive by it. If godliness may be gainful, and wisdom come with inheritance, they are forward and devoute: but if it will not stand with their state, ease, credit, and outward 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 prosperity, either they forsake it with Demas, or with Demetrius persecute it. Heaven it self hath no content, because golden gain and hurtful prosperity pours not from thence.

2 Note hence how contrary our nature is to God's: he by his infinite wisdom fetcheth good out of evil for us, but we out of our folly su • ke evil of good. God gives us good gifts as sweet as honey, but we like spiders draw infection and poison from them. Lamentable it is how we pervert all God's gracious ends and aims for our good. There be three chief ends, which the Lord aimeth at in raining down the showers of good blessings and prosperity upon us, but we pervert them.

1 He expresseth his bountifulness to lead us to repentance, Rom. 2, 4. Every benefit should be a means, yea Sermon of repentance. But we by hardness of heart that cannot repent, abuse them to hinder ourselves from repentance, or to multiply that where of we must repent. And no marvel if the wicked by their prosperity harden their own hearts, when the godly are in danger by others prosperity to harden themselves, as David, Psal. 73. 13, 14.

2 The Lord shineth upon us with the sun of prosperity, that we might rejoice in the beams of his love, and serve him with more cheerfulness and better hearts Deut. 28. 47. thou servedst not the Lord with joyfulness and a good heart for the abundance of all things. But we use them as clouds to hide from us the light of the sun, and hinder our sight from the beholding of his grace, being never less mindful of him then when he is most mindful of us.

3 The Lord affords outward prosperity to his servants, to be by them occasioned and encouraged in goodness, to quicken them in the way, and to make by them better speed to heavenly habitations: Luke 16. 9. Make you friends of unrighteous Mammon, that they may receive you into heavenly Mansions: namely, not as causes, but witnesses of our salvation: But we make it as a dead sea, in which lives nothing, or as nails to fasten our hearts to earth and earthly things; so as hardly and heavily are we lifted up in heavenly meditation or conversation.

All this enjoins us,

First, to bewail the vile corruption of our nature, which is so started away from God, with whom we had once a similitude and conformity.

Secondly, to watch it narrowly, being so slippery and prone to decline, even where it is most encouraged and fenced to the contrary.

Thirdly, to labor to correct it, and bring it back the way it is gone from God: Keep it straightly to God's aims and ends: For shall the Lord even by afflictions, ill in their nature, work out our good in conversion, sanctification, and salvation, and shall we be so contrary to him, as by his benefits set forward our own damnation, as if the Lord intended to kill us with kindness?

3. If prosperity more bane the Church than adversity, then must we be more watchful in prosperity and peace, because then danger is nearer: For compare these two a little, and see, and say whether is more dangerous: For,

1. Prosperity usually is a beam in the eye, and shuts the eye of understanding, and closeth the ear from hearing counsel; whereas the rod and persecution openeth the shut eye, and the ear that was sealed, Job 33. 16. For as the Sun and dust do hinder the sight, whereas a ruffling & stirring wind cleareth both the air and our eye; so the sunshine of prosperity fills the eyes of the mind with motes and dust, which suffers us not to discern spiritual things so clearly, till God by some tempest clear our sight, according to that, Vexation sharpeneth the sight: See I • r. 31. 18, 19.

2. Prosperity commonly makes men secure, naked, open to temptation; whereas persecution and tyranny makes them watchful and armed, and fit to make resistance against sin and assaults. David who could not be overcome in his battles, but was humble, tender-hearted, chaste and conscionable, compiling holy Psalms and prayers, full of gracious soliloquies, in his peace and rest was soon conquered, now must he have Bathsheba, slay Uriah, in the pride of his heart send out Joab to number his people, to see how he could stand by his own strength, and what great evil comes amiss? now he is off his guard, and out of his strength, and as a City without walls.

Look upon Hezekiah in his sickness, and see him a picture of humility, a pattern of piety, full of confessions, prayers, praises, and divine meditations, Esa. 38. But look on him recovered, and you shall see him glorying in his wealth, priding himself in his treasures, and confederating with enemies: for as a fair & hot summers day makes a man cast off his clothes, whereas a cold storm or wind makes him fasten them unto him; even so it is incident to good men in the gleame of peace and rest to walk more loose, and at large; whereas a threatening storm will make them buckle themselves, and get their graces fast unto them

3. Prosperity makes men and Churches wanton, and unruly; as Israel is an untamed heifer, knows not his master, and leaps over all hedges, but adversity is as a thorny hedge, Hos. 2. to contain men in bounds, and hold them from excess; Israel in affliction will return to her first husband, considering it was then better with her then now. This made Augustine truly term it the Churches unhappy happiness, and to conclude it a point of great felicity not to be overcome by worldly felicity.

4. How many of our own experiences may awaken us, and hold us waking, suspicious of prosperity. Who ever saw the tree of grace grow in the fertile land of pleasure? Sodom was as Eden, the Garden of God; but what were the inhabitants? Who are they that receive the Gospel? not many wise, noble or rich, but poor ones, and weak ones, 1 Cor, 1. 26. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world, his subjects are called out of the world, and at defiance with the world; Nay, his Kingdom is contrary to the kingdoms of the world, they rise by worldly prosperity, wealth, wisdom, power, but Christ's by humility, passion, patience.

Who are the poorest among us in good works of mercy, piety, and charity, but those that most abound in wealth & superfluity? Dives cannot spare crumbs: Poor men that receive the Gospel can spare some mites to uphold the Word among them; but many of our great rich men can spare only disgrace, contempt, and, I doubt, would be at some cost to get it away. I never knew man who would be at no cost for the Word, but he was willing to be at some cost against it. It is true of many great men, as we see true in the Mountains, which the richer they are in metals and minerals within, the more barren and fruitless are they without; Even so men to whom God hath given the greatest means, are often most barren of good works, because he hath not given them grace and will to use them aright.

How hardly shall a rich man be saved?

Who be they that leave God's house most desolate and empty, but they who most curiously build and seal their own houses? Hag. 1. 4. Poor men in town and country can come with much travel to this exercise; rich mē many who have time & means to come with ease and pleasure, come not; because who are chosen to the end, are chosen to the means. Who be they that are carried to Popery and Idolatry from the truth, but great persons for the most part? and why so, but because it is a religion according to the flesh, a natural religion, a libertine religion, that suites with men's corruptions, set up by carnal policy and power, and therefore carries away such as abound in worldly prosperity? Who exceed most in riot and excess, but such as abound most in wealth and riches? And we may generally conclude, Worldly prosperity hath made many worse, few or none better: If adversity hath slain his thousand, prosperity hath slain ten thousand.

4. This affords us some rules and directions for the ordering,

• First, of our desires.
• Secondly, of our conditions.

For the first: If God bid us (as he doth) ask what we would have, and he will give us our wish, as he did Solomon; let us ask (as he did) wisdom before wealth or any outward prosperity; even that true wisdom with which God adds no sorrows: This is a gift which cannot be turned to our bane, as all outward gifts may. In the prosperity of saving graces lie no snares, as there do in all earthly prosperity, yea in all common graces: Christian wisdom teacheth to check those excessive and covetous desires, which seek and affect great things in this world, as knowing that paths washed in butter are slippery; and to say, Give me neither riches nor poverty, but things convenient.

For the second; the ordering of our estates.

1. Of prosperity: If God please to add wealth to wisdom, as he did to Solomon, we must be sober and abstinent, and learn to abound as well as to want, for this is an harder lesson to take out; but not so hard as fruitful. For as sobriety and abstinence in the midst of large provision preserveth bodily health, and helps to free us of such diseases as come of fullness; so the sparing use of worldly comforts preserves the health of the soul, and keeps strength in grace and virtue, and preserves from corrupt humors of vice and sin, which come of fullness and unwatchfulnesse.

2. Of adversity; If the Lord temper our prosperity with a sound measure of affliction, we must on this ground,

1. Be thankful; for all his works are,

First, wise; in wisdom he doth them all, unto which we must subscribe, though we see not the reason of them: In wisdom he appointed the way to Canaan, through a dry and barren wilderness, though Israel murmured at it: Yea, Christ himself, the wisdom of his Father, came from heaven, and best knew the way thither; and to show us the right way, made choice rather of an afflicted then prosperous estate.

Secondly, seasonable; for he doth all in his appointed time, in which every action is beautiful.

Thirdly, profitable to his Church; and therefore he sends in afflictions like a cold frost, to nip in the ranknesse of our soil, and so fit us to fruitful • es; and as a good Physician sees it profitable to prescribe a spare diet to his surfeited Patient, so doth the Lord to his surfeited Church or servants: Therefore let us not in all this sin with our mouths, or change God foolishly.

2. Make no more haste out of afflictions than good speed; Gold is not presently pulld out of the fire, so soon as it is cast in, but must stay a while till it be purged: It is a safer state, though sowrer; as the three Children were safer in the furnace than out of it: Gold hath more cause to fear the rust, than the fire; and to us prosperity is more dangerous than adversity.

AS the former Verse expresseth the furious assault of the dragon against the woman, so this declareth her happy evasion and escape, with the cause of her conservation, and that was her flight, and disappearing from the sight of men: For what should the poor woman do, being not able to withstand so huge and fierce a beast and Monster?

We have seen how this woman stoutly withstood the bloody persecutions of the Imperial Dragons, and never thought of flying; she feared not sword, fire, Gibbet, nor the most exquisite torments of the fiercest tyrants, but the more she was persecuted, the more glorious she was, and shined in surpassing brightness of holy doctrine and life. We have heard what an happy victory and triumph she hath carried against all those bloody and open enemies.

But now the dragon turning himself into another shape, and unto another stratagem, under the profession of Christ furiously opposing Christ; when by the clouding & vailing of the truth of the Gospel, she saw her self spoiled of the shining clothing of the Sun; when she saw the Moon, that was under her feet, set above her head; when now her Pastors and Bishops, whom persecution could not conquer, were addicted to pomp, wealth, contention, primacy, and greatness; when now she saw her self robbed of her crown of twelve stars, that was upon her head, and those stars were fallen from their Orbe and Firmament; when her Pastors, forsaking Apostolic doctrine, and striving for superstitions, and to stuff the Church with human devises and traditions, instead of Christ's most sacred institutions; when she saw that not now the bodies of men were slain and wounded, as in former persecutions, but their souls and consciences were everlastingly wounded with heresies, errors, and Apostasy for the truth; now she flies into the wilderness, now she dares not show her face in those particular congregations, in w ^ch formerly her beauty & glory was conspicuous: her case now is as of a chaste spouse, who seeing a painted harlot and a bewitching whore taken into her place, and those offices of love, and duties of marriage bestowed on her, which is the wives right, she is willing to give place, and take her self to a solitary and sorrowful life, to be so unkindly cast off; so doth the true Church and Spouse of Christ hide her self from those adulterate doctrines, superstitions, and Idolatries, which thrust out Christ's own pure Ordinances.

Here are two things:

• 1. What is this flight.
• 2. What are the means.

For the flight.

1. This flight of the Church is not a ceasing to be, but to be seen; for Christ will have always a true part of his Catholic Church upon earth, that shall hold and profess constantly the true faith without change. So as the Church ceaseth not to be, when she ceaseth to be seen, but hath a true being when she is least visible.

2. This ceasing to be seen is not in respect of particular Christians, but of particular Congregations; the which although they may cease, because by persecution or heresy the external government may fail for a time, the Pastors may be interrupted, the sheep may be scattered, the discipline hindered, and the external exercise of religion suspended, and sincerity of religion exceedingly corrupted, yet there shall not cease to be many godly members dispersed here and there, who shall hold the truth for substance; and so now, though there were no or few assemblies, in which God was purely worshipped, while superstition, tyranny and Idolatry usurped all places, yet many believing Christians were reserved to Christ in secret, although either not known, or of no reckoning in the world, but contemned and oppressed.

3. This ceasing to be seen in particular Christians is not in respect of their persons, as men, which are as visible as ever, but in respect of the visible exercise of God's Ordinances, of the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, and outward form and government, which persecution had now restrained.

4. This invisibility in respect of visible exercises, is not in regard of the Christians themselves, but of the blind world; for the persecuted Christians may have a secret knowledge among themselves, and a secret profession and exercise of religion, and yet the blind world take no notice of thē; & yet the Church not destroyed, nor ceaseth to be, no more than the Sun ceaseth to shine, though a blind man cannot see it in the day, nor a seeing man in the night, and no more than a man ceaseth to be a man, because he is hid.

Now from the cause of this invisibility and flight, learn that error and heresy is more hateful to the Church than persecution and tyranny: Corruption of doctrine, and changing the truth into a lie, more straightneth and scattereth the Church than sword and torments of tyrants: that drives the the Church to her wings, not this; that manifests the true Church and members, but this hideth and obscureth her.

Let the example of the Church make us wise,

1. To fear the dragon more when he fawneth than when he rageth, more in his Foxes skin, than in his Lions skin; He is more dangerous when he would teach Christians to deny the truth, than when he would force them: His wiles are more mischievous than his violence, his Doctors more dangerous than his Captains.

2. More to fear loss of truth, than loss of wealth; loss of the Gospel than loss of goods or life. This is true godliness which teacheth Mary to fasten upon the good part, whatsoever become of the worse.

3. Hold him that would spoil us of the truth, a greater robber than him that would steal our goods, an heretic worse than a tyrant.

4. Be more careful to hold the truth, and keep our part in the Gospel, than our portion of goods and wealth: The Church to hold the truth, chooseth a poor, desolate, solitary and sorrowful estate; and a wise Merchant will sell all to buy the pearl.

But where is this care, or where be the Children of this mother, who for the truth sake would follow her into the wilderness, who either care for the presence of truth, or fear the loss and removal of it? Where be the buyers of the truth in this age, when so many value it not worth a shoo-string? How few fear the prevailing of Popery for the truth sake, though perhaps for their peace sake, or wealth sake they had rather have things stand at a stay?

Now in the means of the woman's deliverance are five things in this verse.

1. The means themselves, two great wings of an Eagle.

2. Whence she did fly with them, from the face of the serpent.

3. Whither, into the wilderness, called her place.

4. To what end, to be no • rished and preserved there.

5. How long, for a time, times, and half a time.

In the first are,

• 1. What these wings are.
• 2. The number.
• 3. Whence she had them, they were given her.
• 4. The similitude, wings of a great Eagle.

By Wings are meant the special means of the Churches escape from danger; so called, because they resemble the wings of the birds in a twofold use.

First, as a bird by his wings flieth swiftly from the danger, and so saveth his life, even so the Lord by these means, foreseen and appointed by himself, worketh a swift escape and speedy safety in the present perils of his Church.

Secondly, as the bird hideth her young under her wing, Mat. 23. 37. so by and under these means the Lord hideth his Church, as under the wings of his Providence, where she lieth most safe and secure till the danger be over, Psalm 91. 8. He shall cover thee under his wings.

For the number, they are two: enough to fly withal: no bird hath or needeth more for her flight. The Church is supplied with as many means of her good, as the Lord's wisdom seeth her need to require at all times. This number of two hath set many wits on work, to tell us what they be. But they agree not, nor can, seeing the means of the Churches safety are infinite. Some define them to be faith and patience, which lift her from earth to heaven. Some say they are the two Testaments, the Old and the New, in which the Churches defense lieth. Some say they are the two Tables, containing love of God, and of our neighbor. Some, that the one is the wing of prayer, the other of charity. Some, that the one is the contempt of earth, and the other the aspiring to heaven. But we need not be so acute: and, if we should settle upon any two things, we should perhaps miss the mind and aim of the holy Spirit of God, as most of these must needs do. The likeliest (if we would restrain the number, and conceive it definite) were, the providence of God protecting, and his oracles directing the woman in this speedy flight. But the number is definite for indefinite; and two in this place, for the propriety of the subject, and metaphor: For, for a bird to have more wings then two, or fewer then two, to fly withal, were harsh and improper. Not that we are not to conceive more means of God's providence, and the Churches safety, then two: for these two wings are the same with the seven pipes serving to the lamps, Zech. 4. 2. alluding to the pipes of the candlestick, which were seven, of which he speaketh in that place: and as the number of seven aptly agreeth with that allusion, so only the number of two aptly agreeth with this.

But whence had the Woman these things? They were given her. The text implieth two things.

First, That the Church had no wings of her own: all her safety and defense is laid out of herself: as a weak woman can make small shift for herself against such an army of dragons.

Secondly, Though it be not said, who gave her the wings, yet it is implied they were given of God: for he is the father of lights, from whom cometh every good gift: and, he that prepared her the place, verse. 6. prepared her wings to fly to it: &, with him only is counsel and strength; he only can afford means of escape and evasion; he stretcheth out his strong and oculate providence, as two wings, the feathers of which are the truth and faith of his promise, sealed and delivered by the hand of his Two Witnesses; and thus he saveth her.

Lastly, for the similitude: wings of a great Eagle. So many phrases in this book, so many mysteries. Here is an allusion to Exod. 19. 4. you have seen how I have carried you on Eagles wings, and brought you unto me. By those Eagles wings someunderstand Moses & Aaron, their leaders: but they themselves also were carried upon these wings. By them is meant the powerful means of opening a way in the sea, raining Manna from heaven, breaking a rock for water, covering them with a cloud by day and night, &c.

In this text these wings of a great eagle note to us 4. things:

1 As the eagle out of her love to her young ones fluttereth and steareth them out of the nest to a safer place, when she fears danger: so the Lord for the love of his Church, in danger urgeth her out of her nest and rest, and leads her into a safer place, in the wilderness; Christ out of Judea, Israel out of Egypt.

2 As the eagle having gotten her young ones forth, when they begin to fly, supports them with her wings, lest they should fall, Deut. 32. 11. so the Lord supports his Church in her flight from falling, carefully seeing to her that she take no hurt.

3 As an eagle, especially a great eagle, hath strong wings, agill, and able to carry her in a strong flight, to fly far from danger: so the Lord in the needs of his Church provides some great and powerful means, and by them as by strong wings sets his Church beyond all the reach of hurt and danger, Thus Nebucad-nezzar a great man is called a great eagle with great and long wings, and full of feathers, fit to accomplish GOD'S word against Zedekiah, Ezekiel. 17. 2.

4 As the eagle flieth high aloft in the air, and beyond all sight of men, by the length and strength of her wing: so the Lord draws his Church near unto him, from out of the sight of men, and near Heaven, and the nearer him the further from danger.

Observ. 1. God who could save the woman by his word, without wings, doth not ordinarily save her but by wings. For God's providence excludes not, but includes means of safety. Moses must be saved from the waters to be a Deliverer, but he must be put into a basket, pitched and prepared for him. They in the ship ( Act. 27.) must be saved from drowning, but they must abide in the ship, and then some on plankes, some on boards and pieces of the ship came safe to land. Exod. 15. 25. God could have sweetened the bitter waters with a word: but Moses must cast in a piece of wood to sweeten them. He could have divided the sea, and dried the way by his strong word, but doth it by a strong East wind.

Which teacheth us not to neglect the means appointed by God for our good: for God who tieth not himself to wings, tieth the woman to use them when he pleaseth to afford them. Hezekiah must be healed by a lump of dry figs. Nature teacheth, that he that would reap, must sow; he must eat, that must live; and he must fight that would have victory. So grace teacheth, that he that would reap one harvest in glory, must sow the seed of grace in the seedtime: and he that would live eternally, must feed on Christ by hearing, reading, believing, and obeying his word: and he that would be crowned, must strive lawfully.

Observ. 2. The Woman having no wings of her own, hath wings given her of God: which teacheth, that the Church and members of it shall have wings sufficient to avoid all hurtful danger in due season. For

1 Our text saith God will afford two, sufficient for escape, and, wings of an eagle, to fly swiftly and make a speedy escape, and, wings of a great eagle, to fly strongly, and aloft, and far from danger.

2 God's presence is not an idle presence with his people, but he is present to save; Ier. 30. 11. I am with thee, to save thee.

3 The Ark was a type of the Church, and that was all and always covered with wings of Cherubims; signifying the divine protection always watching and covering the Church, and spreading his wings over the faithful, to repel any harm, further then he will turn any evil to his own glory and his Churches good. For we must know, that all promises run with exception of the cross: and God in his wisdom doth not always give to every member of the Church wings to fly from external tyranny and persecution, but dealeth as a good husband man with his corn, some he sends to mill to grind, but some he reserves for seed; so the Lord appoints some of his servants (as Ignatius ) to the mill; I am, saith he, the Lord's wheat, and now I must be ground with the teeth of Lions, to become good bread; but others are reserved for succession and growth. So as the Church and her members shall not want wings for safety, if God see it not better or fitter for them to be thoroughly tried for his glory and their salvation: and then, if they be not saved from the danger, they are saved in it, and by it.

Use. 1. It serves for the consolation of God's people in the midst of so many dangerous difficulties.

1 The dragon may create the woman trouble, so as she shall want no molestation for a time: but he cannot hinder her from wings, to make an escape: seeing God hath undertaken she shall not want seasonable deliverance.

2 If we want wings of our own, or our wings want strength, the Lord looks on our weakness, and, as an eagle, puts under his wing to sustain us. Think on this in sickness, weakness, wants, &c.

3 These wings of God cannot be clipped, shortened, weakened, or broken off: which is a sure stay in all the affronts against the Church by Antichristian forces, who, if they could get the Church from under these wings of God, would soon effect their exploits: but as soon must Christ fail, as his Church: his death, and passion and all should then be in vain.

4 These wings greatly comfort the Church in danger, by implying the quality or properties of God's deliverance: as,

1 It is speedy, as having long and large wings: what speed was made in Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, when they came out all in one day, and all Egypt in one day sunk and was drowned?

2 It is unresistable: these eagles wings carry the Church through all hazards, and enemies, beyond all reach of danger or dart; as if the eagle had her young above the clouds and sight of men. Thus the Lord carried Israel through the wilderness beyond all hazards and enemies on all sides, as if no enemy had seen them. Thus the Lord carried the Ark through a world of waters, waves, winds, rocks, mountains, as if there had been no danger at all.

3 It is most comfortable: for besides the safety that the wing of the hen affordeth from injury of weather and the birds of prey, how doth the wing cherish and refresh and strengthen the birds under it, keeping them warm from cold and chillinesse? the same comforts do the Lord's wings of protection afford to his children.

Use. 2. This serves for instruction.

1 Acknowledge that all the wings which the Woman hath for her preservation are from the Lord, and a free gift of his mercy. Psal. 3. ult. Salvation is the Lord's: and besides him is no Savior. He is not only the Son in the peace of the Church, but the shield in her trouble, Psal. 84. If then we have means of good, ascribe them and the glory of them to God; not to our own industry, policy, forecast, or endeavors. Neither have Saints, Angels, Prophets, Apostles, Virgins, Martyrs, any wings for us to hide us under. But this point we prosecuted at large in the beginning of the tenth verse.

2 In all our dangers to fly under the shadow of these wings: as David prayed, Psal. 17. 8. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings: For

First, Here is a strong and sure hold for safety: the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it & are saved: no power can scale it, no stratagem can win it,

Secondly, other creatures being pursued fly to their dens and neasts in earth, but the Churches hiding place is in heaven. Psal. 32. 7.

Thirdly, God therefore acquaints his children with dangers, to chase them under his wing: for as the hen sometimes calls the chickes, but they come not, but if a kite or hawk be above them, then they run under her; even so never do the Saints more desirously run under these wings, then when they are most frighted by wicked men. Jacob, afraid of Esa • , runs under them. David, pursued by Saul, runs apace under them, and composeth that Psalm, Ne perdas. Psal. 57. 2. In the shadow of thy wings will I trust, till these storms be overpast.

Fourthly, God therefore gives us experience of the comfort of these wings, that we should run under them, and do as the chicks, who finding the comfort and cherishing of the wings, still run under them. Psal. 36. 8. Oh how great is thy goodness! therefore the sons of men trust in the shadow of thy wings: and Psal. 61. 5. Because thou hast been my refuge, I will seek protection under thy wings. Have we in the Church and Land had such experienced safety under the wing of God, against the Spaniards in 88. in the gunpouder treason, in the safe and happy return of our Prince, in all which we were given as lost? let us still run under the same wings.

3 Though we see not wings presently, to escape danger and trouble, yet let us depend upon the Lord who in due time will supply them. Abraham had them not till the third day, nor saw them till he was in the Mount, even in his deepest trial, and then the Lord gave him wings of deliverance. Israel saw no wings till he was in the bottom of the Sea, and in the deeps, and then the Lord afforded these two wings of a great Eagle for their deliverance. Seest thou no means as yet? wait still: perhaps thou art not yet deep enough: but in the deepest sorrows wings shall be supplied. Jonah sees none in the deep till the third day, nor our Lord himself the true Jonah.

4 Be sure that all the wings and means of safety be given thee of God, that they be lawful, warrantable, and good: be sure they be allowed and ordained of God: for he gives no other. Be able to say as Abraham to his son, My son, God will provide a sacrifice. If we want wings, Satan would have us make stones bread. Esau wanting wings will make himself a pair, by selling the birthright for present maintenance. Saul wants wings of escape, and provides them from the witch of Endor, and from her takes advice and help. Nay Peter in the sight of Christ, if he want wings to fly out of danger, will make him two wings to save himself by, by denying and forswearing his Master, Gehazi will get wings by lying and deceiving: and so do many Tradesmen: But these wings are not given of God, but of the devil.

Against all such unjust and impious means we must hold the resolution of those godly men; If the Lord should forsake us, we will not do this; I will not seek to the devil, nor to the witch; I will never own the wings and means which come by lying, swearing, deceiving, Sabbath-breaking; I will use the wings of faith and confidence, of prayer and patience, the wings of piety and holiness, and these weak wings of mine shall lean upon the strong wing of God, til his appointed time and deliverance come.

5 Learn, when it is lawful to fly in persecution; namely, when God hath given wings to fly withal: but the woman must not fly before she have wings. When thou hast wings, thou mayest use them.

Quest. How shall we get wings to fly from danger?

Answ. 1. Become Eagles, and you shall have Eagles wings: so Christ calleth the godly, Luk. 17. 37 Eagles.

First, To fly aloft, and lift up our neasts, even in the rock: converse and dwell in heaven, and there hide ourselves.

Secondly, To be of sharp and strong sight, to see our meat a far off, to fetch the promises from far and feed on them as present, to behold God's face in Christ, cleared as the sun in his strength, by the Eagle-eye of our Faith:

Thirdly, Not to be weary of flying, or faint in waiting, but renew our strength as the Eagle, Psal. 103. and go and grow from strength to strength:

Fourthly, Where the body is, thither to resort, Luk. 17. 37. follow after Christ, and frequent the places and means where he is preached, fly after him by holy thoughts and desires, ascending to heaven where he is.

2 To get wings to fly danger; be sure of a commandment and warrant, as Joseph for the safety of Christ, his wife, and himself, Mat. 2. and as Elias, fly for thy life into the wilderness, when thou art sent. First, hear that voice, Get out of her my people; and that, Esa. 26. 20. Get thee into the chamber, my people, till the storm be over.

3 Fly to God by earnest prayer. He that wanteth wings to fly to God, wanteth wings to fly danger. First get the wings of a Dove to fly to GOD, and then shalt thou get the wings of an Eagle, Psal. 55. 6.

4 Fly from sin by the wings of repentance and godly sorrow. Thus John the Baptist commanded the Jews to fly from judgment to come, Mat. 3. 7, 8. This is the way to fly present wrath: else thy flight will be to little purpose: flying frō a Lyon thou meetest with a Bear, and it is like the flight of Amaziah, 2 King. 14, 19. who fled, but death met him in his flight.

This is the second general in the verse.

Quest. How can the woman fly from him, whose throne is in all places, being the god of the world, and himself everywhere compassing the whole earth? And if she fly anywhere among wicked men, it is but to fly from the devil to the devil, her state is not bettered. Besides, is she so swift to fly, that the devil cannot overtake her?

Answ. This flight from the dragon is not in respect of place and bodily motion, but in respect of state and condition: so as here we must not understand a change of place, but a change of condition and ornaments.

2 It is not an absolute avoiding of the dragons presence: for both he and his army ever compass the Saints; but it is respective, namely, from his deadly power in persecuting; as when the power of tyrants is so restained, that they cannot reach and overtake the Saints, to murder and destroy them, as formerly in the days of heathen Emperors.

3 The woman could never fly from Satan's temptation or molestation, but by this flight might & did avoid the serpents face, that is, open persecution and tyranny, as Paul was saved from the mouth of the Lion Nero. 2 Tim. 4. 17.

The sense then is, that the Church was now more safe from open persecution and oppression than before, called here the face of the dragon; as they that fled out of Jerusalem, ( Act. 8. 1.) fled not from the temptation of the devil, but from the reach of the high Priests.

Object. But you say that the Text and this flight is to be understood of the times of Antichrist; and was there ever more horrible spoil and tyranny against the Saints and faithful Christians than all that time? was ever the dragons face more furious than in Antichristian religion, which never met with any godly man of any degree, whom they spared?

Answ. Antichristianism being contrary to Christianity, must be most cruel and fierce, as that is most meek and peaceable; so was it ever an Apollyon, and destroyer of God's Saints; but,

First, not in open profession of hostility against Christ, as the Imperial dragons; the Antichristian dragon is as fierce, but he hides his face, and under a colorable pretext and profession of Christ, destroys Christ and Christian profession; Antichrist comes not like a Turk, with a flag of defiance against Christ, but like an Herodian, pretending his worship, intendeth his murder.

Secondly, for the time of the blackness of Popery, though they persecuted to death all the Professors of the true religion, whom God had set out in the several ages to witness his truth, and to confirm the rest of the Saints, yet the Lord hid most of the Saints from their rage and fury; the intentions of Antichristian enemies were bloody and tyrannous, but the Lord by preserving his Church, caused them to fail in execution, because he kept them from the face and knowledge of the dragon, and saved them from the mouth of the Lyon; experience hereof was manifest in Queen Mary's days, in the Massacre of 1572▪ and Gunpowder treason.

Hither doth the woman fly; and it is called her place, appointed her by God for her safety. Of this wilderness we have spoken at large, Verse 6. and will now only note this lesson; that the woman, The true Church is not always glorious, but always safe.

She is not always glorious and externally conspicuous to the world: For sometime she is hid in the wilderness, in an afflicted and sorrowful condition; Was not the Church hid and obscure, when as clear an eye as Elias could not see it, yet were 7000. reserved? was she not hid and inglorious in Christ's time, in a few obscure persons, Joseph, Mary, Simeon, a few shepherds, fishers, women, Publican's, and other mean & despised persons, persecuted, excommunicated by the Priests, Scribes, Pharisees and Elders of the people? Was not the Church obscure under the heathen Emperors: when the Pastors were slain, the Churches spoiled, the Scriptures of God burned, no Christian suffered to live? no sooner was any known, but accused; no sooner accused, but condemned and executed.

In the ages next to them, the whole world wondered to see it self so suddenly become an Arian, a • d that there were in the world scarce five Catholic Bishops, who durst show themselves in that age; Where was now the glory of the Church? Hilary a Bishop in France, living in those times, about the year 370 tells us where then we might find the Church: If any would find the Church, (saith he) it must not be in houses, Temples, Cities, but in prisons, Mountains, Dennes, Desarts and Caves of the earth.

But she is always safe: for,

First, if she cannot be safe in the City, she shall be safe in the wilderness: God provideth a safe place for her.

Secondly, the purpose of God for the safety of the Church cannot be altered or abrogated by all the enterprises of the enemies; for his counsel must stand; and therefore let Pharaoh slay all the infants beside, Moses must be preserved alive by his own daughter, in his own bosom, to be a Deliverer, the only thing he would prevent: Let Herod slay all the infants under two years old, he shall miss of him whom he seeks.

Thirdly, God's high account of his Church makes her always safe, as the signet on his hand, as the Apple of his eye: the Church is as the Lord's wheat (saith Augustine ) and shall be kept in the Lord's Granary: If Egypt be not a safe place for Moses, he appoints him Midian to fly into: If Judea be not safe for the child, he shall be safe by a flight into Egypt (a wilderness in comparison) till the appointed time. Athanasius, who died in the year 390. speaking of those that were hid from the persecutions of those times, said, The child was preserved whom Herod sought to destroy.

Fourthly, God's wisdom makes it healthful for the Church sometime to be hid, that she may always be safe; for else the whole world would fall upon her all at once, and utterly destroy her.

Which serves to remove the brag of the Papists concerning their Church, and their brand and scandalous imputation against ours.

For their Church they prove it the true Church, because they have had a perpetual external splendor, and a continual glorious visibility, and a true noted and famous succession of Pastors and Professors since Christ's Ascension till this day. To which I answer two things.

1. It is false, that the Romish Church hath held a true succession, either in doctrine or persons; for two Reasons,

First, because there is no part of Popery, wherein it dissenteth from the Reformed Churches, which is near the age of Christ and his Apostles, but came in by patches and pieces many hundred years after, and some points very lately, till the whole Antichristian Chaos, and confused body was made up: I might instance in their Latin Service, Transubstantiation, Communion in one kind, worshipping of Images, prohibition of Ministers marriage, and the patching together of the several shredds of the Mass, with a number of other new devises, confessed by themselves to stand only by the Churches constitution, and not by authority of the Scripture.

Secondly, as that argues their doctrine not successive from the Apostles, so they have no true personal succession from them: For there was not a Papist in the world for the space of six hundred years after Christ, nor any Father, Council or learned man in all those ages, who held the same points of Popery as now these do: This hath Bishop Jewel unanswerably discovered in 27. points, and Master Perkins in thirty nine, in his learned Problem against Iodo • us Coccius.

2. Another thing I answer to their brag, is, that if it were true as they say of such perpetual glory and visibility, then could they not more strongly conclude themselves a false Church, seeing the true Church of Christ must fly into the wilderness many hundred years from the fury of Antichrist; unless they can make it appear, that a perpetual glorious external splendor, a perpetual visible head, and the most domineering Monarchy in all the world comporteth with the abject, desolate and retired estate of the wilderness, a place full of annoyance, wants, obscurity and solitariness.

For their brand and challenge of our Church, that we cannot derive the pedigree of our religion beyond Luther, nor show where it was, nor the names and persons of any that professed it: To this I answer, 1. with Tertullian, Quod antiquissimum, verissimum; That which is indeed ancientest, is of all other the truest; and we hold our religion from the ancient Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, therefore it is the true religion, and hath a true succession in doctrine, and consequently of persons (suppose we could not name them) because it is the religion and faith of the woman in the wilderness, which sometimes Antichristian tyranny suffered her not openly to profess: she flieth into the wilderness, according to God's Word, to hold and preserve it to all succeeding ages.

Object. But if you have so true a succession, why do not you name them.

Answ. This miserable shift of the Jesuits apparently argues the desperateness of their cause, and is like a Crayfish, which hath more picking than meat; a very trick and trivial inconsequence, to call us from the cause whereof they are weary, unto persons; as if we had no sounder arguments for the truth of GOD, and verity of our religion, then from men's testimony and succession: We know, that if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; and profess as the Samaritans to the woman▪ We believe not our religion for any man's word, or any woman's, or because any he-Pope or she-Pope saith it is so, or contrary, but because we have heard Christ himself speaking in the Scriptures. We take our religion as we take gold, not only or chiefly by the sound, but by the touchstone and balance; and we have learned in our Creed, to believe the Catholic Church, though we see it not.

And because contraries make one another more perspicuous, I would ask them, whether we may not believe that the Tower of Babel was built, unless we could name all the persons that brought Brick or Lime to it, all the Masons, all the laborers, and workmen that were upon it; or whether we may not believe, that a tree is grown, unless we know the person, the name, the particular time and hours of the planting, sprowting, and growing of it: Doubtless, if we did not know when, and by what degrees, or by what persons and workmen their Romish Babel is built and reared, yet we see and must believe that it is built. And suppose we did not know (which in most essential differences we do) the persons, nor the very period of the time when every branch of the tree of Antichristian heresy did begin to sprout and bud out; yet our eyes see, and we must believe, that the tree is deep rooted, large spread, and grown tall and thick: And were it not most absurd, that matter of divine truth must not be believed, unless we can name all men that ever spake or believed it?