Christs Victory Over the Dragon

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?

But to hold them to short and manifest reason, I conclude in this form; Whatsoever Church hath a true succession of doctrine from Christ and his Apostles, hath also a true and perpetual succession of persons, whether that succession be visible and nominable, or no: But we have true succession of doctrine from Christ and his Apostles, as by the Scripture we are ready to clear in all points; and therefore we have true succession of persons, whether we can name them or not: By which reason we bring them back to the matter and cause, whence they are willing to slide, by bringing us unto persons.

2. I answer: If we were not so able, as by God's grace we are, to answer them calling for names, this were not to be laid to the charge of our religion, but of theirs; seeing the craft and tyranny of their Antichristian Synagogue hath made our search more laborious: For they have chased the Church into the wilderness, and forced her to hide her self out of sight, and then ask us for all those names that fled into the wilderness, and lived, and died there many hundred years since: They burn the persons and records, and then call us to account to show them their murders: They oppressed their persons as heretics, and suppressed their works as heretical, and used all cruelty and craft to extinguish their names and memories forever, and now shamelessly they call upon us to put life into all those asnes, whose blood their cruel hands have spilled upon the face of the whole earth: And whereas the names which they call for, are to be had out of history, themselves by falsification of all Antiquity and story, and by shameless purging of all books from all truth which might make against them, have made this task more difficult, and themselves not more insolent than fraudulent.

3. I answer; that there was never any age since Christ, wherein our religion (in what it is substantially contrary to Popery) was not taught and professed, & must needs be more ancient than the now Roman faith, yea, the only true Catholic faith, from which theirs is a Catholic Apostasy.

This assertion they have proved abundantly:

1. By Doctor White in his Way to the Church, Digress. 52. where he hath cleared, that from the year 600. (before which there was no substantial or fundamental innovation received into the Church, though some corruptions were creeping in before) till the present age, there was no half age wherein he nameth not sundry the Teachers and Professors of our religion, and resisters of the Papacie while it was in the shell. Mee thinks the Jesuits should answer something to those names, before they call for more.

2. The same is further cleared by one of themselves; whose witness is the stronger, because it was the testimony of an enemy and Inquisitor, as is judiciously noted by that learned and worthy Bishop, Doctor Usher, in his book de statu Ecclesiae, cap. 6. pag. 151.

There were (saith Reinerius the Inquisitor) many sects of heretics in times past, but none ever were more pernicious to the Church of God, than that of the Waldenses, or pooremen of Lions, for three causes.

1. Because of the continuance of it; sor some say it was from Sylvesters time, and some say it was from the Apostles themselves.

2. Because it was more general, for there is almost no land, wherein it doth not spread and creep.

3. Because all other, by some foul blasphemy against God, make men abhor them, but this hath a great show of piety; for they live justly before men, and believe all well concerning God, and all the Articles which are contained in the Creed; only they blaspheme and hate the Roman Church, and the multitude is easily drawn to believe them.

This is the testimony of a Popish Inquisitor; Whence I infer thus:

If these men held the whole body of religion now maintained in the Reformed Churches, and the same positions against the Roman religion, which we do, (as is undeniable by their Confessions, Catechisms, and Commentaries upon the grounds of religion; manifest, as else where, so especially in that late and worthy book entitled, Luther's fore-runners, or The history of Waldenses, strangely reserved by God for these times; the same also is apparent in the Articles objected against them by the Inquisitors, set down by Papists themselves, and for which these godly Martyrs lost their lives by hundreds and thousands)

If they were so ancient as from the Apostles, or Sylvester. (a circumstance not to be contemned;) If they were of such just life and sound belief, as the enemy reports them to be; If they were so many in number, and so dispersed into all Countries, and so assisted, as none durst stop them, for the multitude of their favorites: If Reinerius himself say true, that himself being often in the Inquisition, and present at their examination, found forty Churches in his walk infected with that sect; and in one Parish of Cammach were ten open schools of them; If at one time were observed eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the Waldenses.

I would now ask a Jesuit, whether his fellow hath not named him persons enough in all ages, of such as ever since Christ held and maintained, and sealed with their blood our faith and religion; And whether any credit is henceforth to be given to his fellows, who say that our religion was never heard of in the world till Luther, and was but six years old when King Edward the sixth died; but everything is nourished by that, whereof it is bred; and their religion being a compact of lies, must be upheld by lying whereof it is framed.

4. I answer: There was never any age since Christ, in which the Popes Headship, the main pillar of Popery, hath not been resisted as heretical, and contrary to Orthodox religion: The Jesuits have names enough in that learned book of Doctor Crakenthorpe, entitled, Of the Popes temporal Monachy; who, as if he had intended to prevent the Papists unreasonable demand of names, hath cleared by many names in every Century since Christ, that the Popes temporal authority was resisted, and by whom, and that the sandy foundation of it, namely, the pretended donation of Constantine, is but a fiction, and a trick of a false finger, by which Popery hath been, through outfacing, supported a long time. I need hold no Candle to this Torch, only I wish the Jesuits to answer those names, before they call for more, or else they must go shorter by the head.

5. There was never any age since Christ in which the Pope was not detected and proclaimed to be Antichrist; before his appearing, implicit, and after it, explicit and expressly. This I have ready to prove by names in all ages since Christ, in way of cōfutation of a Jesuits book sent to me to review, who impudently affirmeth, that Luther was the first that called the Pope absolutely Antichrist.

1. The Church is ever safe as the Ark on a world of waters, Christ is the Pilot.

2. None can take her out of his hands, John 10. he is stronger than all.

3. He knows who are his, and where, and how to deliver them.

4 Quod inimici in perniciem machinantur, deus convertit in adjutorium: fear not the tumults of Princes nor Antichristian forces, so long as Christ is in the ship it shall not miscarry.

The fourth general in this verse, is, the end why the woman fled into the wilderness: and that is, both to be preserved safe and provided for there.

And this place is an allusion to the ancient story of the former Jewish Church, whom, when she cannot be safe in Egypt, God brings into the wilderness, where not having any provisiō by ordinary means, he doth extraordinarily feed her by Manna from heaven for the space of forty years. And thus he dealeth now with the Church of the Gentiles under the Antichristian tyranny, heavier then that of Egypt: When the woman can find no safety or peace amongst men, in the public profession and exercise of Christian Religion, the Lord retyres her into secret places which afford her private exercises of religion, and in this hidden desert, and afflicted estate provides secret means of her feeding and safety.

The Church of God and every member in the most hard times and desert condition shall be assuredly fed and provided for. Of all places the wilderness was most unlikely to afford food and provision, where was neither sowing nor reaping, planting nor watering: the earth affords them neither fruit nor corn for forty years: and now the Lord affords them for one yearly a daily harvest, not of corn but of bread, not from earth but from heaven: he spreads for them a large table in the wilderness, and feeds them with dainty food and quail at his pleasure. So Elias flying from Jezebel was sent by God into the wilderness, where he might seem more miserable, as exposed to famine, a more dreadful death then the sword: But he fled to be fed there, and the ravens shall be his stewards and Caterers, before he shall starve in the wilderness.

1 The truth of God's promise cannot fail. Psal. 37. 3. Trust in the Lord, and thou shalt be fed assuredly: and verse. 19. the upright men in days of famine shall have enough. Psal. 84. 11. He withholdeth no good thing from them that walk uprightly. He should deny his truth, his faith, himself, if he should not feed and provide for his: and therefore, if all fields should fail: and the whole earth grow barren, GOD cannot fail but feed those that trust in him.

2 God's power confirms it: who is not tied to ordinary means, nor limited to places, nor hath bound up our life in the fruits of the earth; but man lives by every word of God; not only ordinary, but extraordinary: so as if men will not, or cannot feed Elias, ravens can and shall. And all that he can do with means, he can without them.

3 His love is to his own as unchangeable, as his power is infinite. He may alter their place and state, but not his love. He may change their condition, but not his own affection. And if the love of the creature be so bountiful and communicative, how can there be any lack in his love, which is a full sea and fountain, and all affection in the creature to his is scarce as the drop of a bucket?

4 His near relation to his Church causeth it. Every man provides for his own family; else he is worse then an Infidel. 1 Tim. 5. 8. We belong to God's houshod and family: and if an evil father can and will give good things to his children, much more our heavenly father. He will bless and feed his inheritance, Psal. 28. 9. And if there be no Master but will maintain his servant in his own work, much more will our Lord and Master in heaven.

5 His infinite wise providence, who mingleth his chastisements with mercy, and crusheth not his Church out of measure, nor tramples her under his feet, when he suffers men to trample on her, It is enough to bring her into the wilderness, and that not to starve her, but to provide for her. He leads her thither, but leaves her not there: but as a father, affords her meat and cloth, and at last provides her an inheritance.

Object. But God's people are often in want, hunger, thirst: as, Lazarus, Paul, the Apostles, and Christ himself.

Answ. God who would not allow beggars from door to door (which is against all order; and rules of charity) hath ordained there should be poor always with us, to be examples of their patience, and objects of our charity. And many of these the dear servants of God may know great want and scarcity: so did the Church. Heb. 11. 37. Because corporal benefits are not always, not to all the godly allowed in any great measure, but then only when God's glory and their own salvation call for them. But, what they are scanted in temporal things, they are supplied in spiritual, which they always certainly enjoy. And when they are most scanted, they are not forsaken, but have enough to bring them home, and are denied only of those things which might prove burdens.

Now this serves to comfort the Saints in want, and to cherish our faith. For

First, what the Lord will do he can do, and will do all for our good.

Secondly, his providence is waking when we sleep. Manna shall fall in the night, when Israel sleepeth. God watcheth to feed his Church, when she sleeps. He watcheth for Mordecai, when he sleeps: for the babe and his Mother in the night when they sleep.

Thirdly, his absolute sovereignty and power may make the wilderness our portion for a time: he may pitch us here or there, in a fair place or in a foul, in a moist or in a dry: and we must be willingly disposed by him, whose wisdom over-reacheth ours.

Fourthly, when all means are turned against us, he is most able and willing to succor us. Joseph and Mary shall have gold and precious things brought them a far off, when they think not of it.

Let us therefore labor to see our want of faith, our greatest want: and if we know not what to do, let our eyes be toward him. And if our thoughts be inquisitive as Isaac, how shall I do for this or that? or where is the ram? say to thy soul as Abraham, My soul, God will provide. Now stir up thy faith, which leaneth not on means, or things seen, but on the naked word. Abraham leaned only on God's truth and power, when all was contrary, Rom. 4. 20.

2 This may provoke and encourage everyone in the study and practice of piety, which hath so sure a reward and patron. And though we may not serve God for temporals, as hypocrites can do, yet we must honor him who hath undertaken the care, not of our inheritance only hereafter, but of our present maintenance: and love him unfeignedly, who makes good unto us even the promises of this life, made unto godliness, as well as of that to come. And though this may seem a smaller mercy, because it is so common to the worst, yet it is not common to enjoy temporals in the promise, which makes them sweeter then ordinary, even the love-tokens of a father, and not the wages of an hireling.

3 This may assure the Church and members, that in the hardest times of straightness and persecution they shall be spiritually fed (which is here chiefly aimed at.)

For all the adversary power of Antichrist, or dragons, cannot hinder God from providing and preserving to the Church faithful Pastors, secretly and conscionably to feed the woman in the wilderness, in season and out of season. And as none can send Pastors but he, so none can hinder the Pastors whom he sendeth to dispense his allowance: whom he furnisheth, raiseth, and protecteth till his work be done, and the Churches need supplied. The stars are in his hand: who then can hinder them? But if they could intercept his messengers, they cannot hinder himself, who can and will by himself feed the woman, if all means else should fail: as Eze. 34. 14. I will feed them myself. And if himself feed not, all Ministerial labor is but lost.

Quest. How doth the Lord himself feed the Church?

Answ. 1. By the word of his grace: He leadeth his sheep into the green pastures of his wholesome word. By writing his word in their hearts, and carrying his law into their secret parts. He only who hath his chair in heaven, can teach the heart. And who can hinder his strong arm and mighty power, or the might and power of his word which is omnipotent as himself? or who can stand in his way to hinder his access into a believing soul?

2 As he did with his ancient people, so still he feeds the Church with bread from heaven, by the gracious gift of his Son, whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed: even that only true Manna, and bread from heaven. He is the gift of God, John. 4. if thou knewest the gift of God. This is that shepherd mentioned, Ezek. 34. 23. I will set up a shepherd, and he shall feed them even my servant David. And, if CHRIST will come in and feed in and with a believing soul, who shall hinder him?

3 He will feed her by his Spirit of grace, who is greater in her thē the spirit that ruleth in the world: His office is, to open the heart, to work faith, to bring in holy light and illumination, and light of consolation, to bring things into remembrance, to uphold by his mighty power to perseverance and salvation, against all the adversary powers of it. 1 Pet. 1. 5.

4 See hence, what a bootless thing it is for enemies to strive and struggle against the word and truth of GOD. The woman must be fed even in the wilderness.

First, Where God hath any called, or to call, his word shall be taught, either openly or secretly.

Secondly, Christ compares the course of the Gospel to the course of the lightning, which flies swiftly and suddenly from one side of heaven to another, and cannot be stopped: for the Gospel passeth, and is protected with divine power.

Thirdly, how impossible was it for all the tyranny and policy of the devil and flesh, to hinder the power of the Gospel in the most tyrannical times of heathen Emperors? How miraculously and fully was the Church fed in that wilderness? But in this wilderness mentioned, a wonder it was, that so many ages of Antichrist, the enemies having as many eyes as Argus, and as vigilant to destroy and root out the memory and mention of sound Professors, and wanting no will nor human power, yet could not prevail but that the darkest and most violent ages of Popery yield us witnesses of the truth; in whom we see, that the Woman in the wilderness must be fed.

In our fathers days it was a wonder, that those hot and fiery days of Queen Mary wasted not all that sincerely stood with Christ against Antichrist and his breadden god. And when they threw down all the means of knowledge and Instruction, how admirable was it, that so many poor souls did steal up so much knowledge and resolution, as to be invincible in maintaining and suffering for the truth? Who sees not, that the woman in the wilderness must be fed and provided for?

This makes the enemies at their wits ends: they cannot work wisely enough to destroy her: but ascamomile, the more it is pressed, the more it spreadeth and riseth up. This makes the Church impregnable. No hold in earth so strong but may be won, if not by sword, yet by famine: only this fort cannot be famished. All the inquisitions in the world cannot intercept her food. Antichristian forces may besiege her, but cannot take her, &c. This sets them in a rage: they give her bread of affliction to eat, and tears to drink, she thrives with it: they give her ashes, and mould up her bread with them, and give her blood to drink, she is in better plight with that then Kings children with dainties. Thus God confoundeth them, and convinceth them that they even fight against God, who makes the blood of Martyrs the seed of the Church, He makes poison feed her: for she must be fed.

In these words is the fifth general in this verse, namely, the time how long the Woman was fed.

The Lord, when for the sins of the Church he was urged to bring some severe rod and correction, that he might express his remembrance of mercy in judgment, and show that in love and measure he meant to chasten, used to foretell the very time of deliverance, before the misery was inflicted. Thus the expiration of that great oppression of Israel in Egypt was foretold about 350. years before it began, that they must be strangers 400. years. Num. 14. 34. Israel must walk and wander in the wilderness forty years according to the forty days of searching the land. The Babylonish captivity was for continuance of seventy years long before signified, and then to determine and expire. The bondage of the Jews under Syrian tyrants was precisely foretold to last sixty and two weeks.

So in the New Testament, the sorest oppression that ever befell the Church, namely by Antichrist, is in these words before hand described for continuance and determination. For, that the persecution of Antichrist, and the time of it, is here noted, is the consent of Interpreters. For the text denies it self to be meant of the Turks treading the holy City Jerusalem underfoot: because the two Prophets must help her: Now what can two Prophets do against Turkish tyranny? It is not Prophecy can repress them, but sword and power, with which he comes armed openly against Christ, and not by under-hand seduction and lies, which must be resisted and conquered by Prophecy.

But where and when the period for beginning and ending of this time is very obscure, and perhaps as yet unknown to man; the Spirit of God being more willing to lead us in the search, then in the knowledge of the seasons put in his own power. Act. 1. 7.

I have collected what my most diligent search of this high mystery can attain, into these Propositions.

1 Propos. That this time, times, and half of time, is the same duration with the two and forty months, chap. 11. 2. in which the holy City, that is, the Church (resembled by Jerusalem) shall be trodden underfoot, namely, by Antichrist, sitting in the Temple of God, by subtlety and tyranny, boasting himself to be the head and universal Monarch of the Church. And, the same number with three years and an half of Antichrists reign, prophesied by Daniel, chap. 7. 25. Which being years of years come to the same reckoning. And, the same number with the 1260 days, which we have expounded, verse, 6. which being to be meant of mystical and Prophetical days, we have just so many years of Antichrists tyranny.

2. Propos. In this time the Spirit of God alludeth to the persecution of Antiochus, a type of Antichrist, whose tyranny as it continued a time, times, and part of time, that is, three years and ten days, Dan. 7. 25. (understanding civil and natural years;) so shall the tyranny of Antichrist last (of Prophetical years) a time, times, and half a time, that is, three years and about an half: For the Apostle John not easily departed from the Septuagint, for the great honor it was then in: And 1260. want eighteen days of three years and an half; because for the Elects sake those days must be shortened. Besides, some learned observe, these Prophetical years must not be meant of Lunar or Julian years, but Egyptian, in every month of which are only thirty days; and so reckon, because the Church was now in spiritual Egypt.

3. Propos. This term cannot be meant of three natural years and an half, as Papists in general assign the commi •• of Antichrist but to three years and an half, and after his destruction Christ must come at the end of 45. days: For,

1. Antichrist is come already many hundred years since; for, did the mystery of iniquity in Paul's time prepare the way for the son of perdition to enter, and is there after sixteen hundred years no more preparation at all then before? Besides, did only the Roman Empire with-hold in the Apostles time, which many hundred years since is dissolved, and translated to Germany, and is he not already come, he that hindered being so long since taken out of the way?

2. If it were literally meant, all men in Antichrists time might exactly know the day of Judgment; contrary to our Savior, Of that day and hour knows no man, no not the Angels. Beside that, Christ foretold of the days before his second coming, that it should be a secure, merry time, and age of eating, drinking, making merry, and marriages, and not of such troubles, battles and persecutions as they agree to be in the days of Antichrist.

3. The literal time of three years and an half, is not half proportional to the great works which they say Antichrist must do: He must (say they) sit in the Temple of Jerusalem, perhaps he must build it up in three days, which Solomon, having all things prepared and ready, was finishing seven years, and Zerubbabel was repairing 46. years: This only work will eat a great hole in his time assigned; if we can conceive it might be finished in the whole. He must call and persuade all dispersed Jews through the world, to gather themselves to him, as to their Messiah: this they may think may be done in a moment, but we think three years and an half too little for it. He must build up Rome, burnt by the ten Kings, and sit there as Monarch, the Bishop of Rome, and all his being expulsed: What? will the Pope, and Cardinals, and Princes be so fainthearted, as to leave the cause, the City and holy Seat so soon as he lifts up his finger? me thinks it would call for three years and an half to do this business. He must slay three Kings of Egypt, Libya & Ethiopia; he must conquer seven Kings more; he must destroy all Churches in the world; he must by force of arms expel the great Turk out of Syria, the great Persian out of the East, great Cham out of the North, great Prester John out of the South. This stripling of three years and a half must conquer all the world, which no man can post over in far more time: And what a dead sleep shall all the Monarchs, Kings, and Emperors of the earth be in the mean time, who could scarce in that time, if they were never so willing, resign their States to him? Many mo great acts must Antichrist do in this stinted time, perhaps in a moment; and undo (if we believe the fable) what the whole power of earth hath been settling many thousand years.

These and the like absurdities make the learned Papists give up this Legend. Alcasar in his vestigation, pag. 567. saith, To take these numbers of days, years, & months, as they sound, nequaquam stilo aenigmatico quadrat, agrees not with this mystical writing of S. John: Ribera another Jesuit rejects Bellarmine's opinion of 45. days after Antichrist for the end of the world: Hentonius a Papist, against the dream of three years and an half, in his Preface to his translation of Aretus, saith plainly, It is impossible that Antichrist, in so short a time of three common years and an half, should obtain so many Kingdoms and Provinces.

Let us then look to these deceivers, who would hold us off from beholding the Antichrist of Rome, and are willing we should seek his rise many years after his ruin.

4. Propos. It is easier to define, where it begins not, then where it doth begin: And this rejecteth many opinions and conjectures concerning the beginning of this term: As,

First, that conjecture of Sabbatical years, or years of Sabbaths, beginning at John Baptists death, and was the whole time of the three hundredth years persecution, till Constantine the Great, which was just 294. years; Master Fox his conceit. And the conjecture of Sabbatical years of a latter persecution, beginning in the year 1360. when the Turks power was enlarged, and the holy City trodden underfoot; which lasting 294. years (for so many the years of weeks amount to) they had been ended about • 3. years since, which they are not, and the Turkish power stands in the Eastern part stronger than ever, and the woman not eased of it.

Another conjecture of Junius and the Magdeburgensis, is, that it began at Christ's passion; against which, are express words, Rev. 1. 1. and 4. 1. I will show thee what shall be hereafter.

Again, then had this time been expired in Boniface 8. who began his reign in the year of Christ 1294. from which number take thirty four years of Christ's life, and there remain 1260. But this time is not expired; nor the treading of the holy City ended not in Boniface, but is still trodden down, and Antichrist sits still in the Temple of God, neither is the woman yet got out of the wilderness.

Neither doth this time begin presently after the revelation of it: for there must come between, the woman's dwelling in heaven, the clothing of her with the Sun, the Crown of twelve Stars, the treading of the Moon underfoot, the assault of the dragon, the birth of the manchild, the foiling of the dragon, and after all these the flight, (as we have heard) and all these are not done on a sudden, but require many hundred years for their effecting.

5. Propos. If it cannot be known certainly unto us à priori, who have not seen the accomplishment and conclusion of this Prophecy; yet it shall be known to the Church à posteriori, as other parts of this divine Revelation are by the events and performance.

Some godly men have conjectured à priori, and set down their opinions; which how far they carry truth, time will discover. I will only allege three late Writers, and leave their opinions to your consideration.

1. Of Pareus, who on Revel. 11 2. saith, if it were lawful for him to conjecture, he would say this term might begin in the year 606. when Boniface

3. gate up into the chair of pestilence; and then it must end in anno 1866. but that of this term (saith he) God will cut off some for the Elects sake.

2. Of Moulin a French Writer, in the book entitled, The accomplishment of the Prophecies, dedicated to his Majesty, who begins the time in the year when the Pope laid the foundation of his temporal Empire, anno 75 5. to which number if ye add these 1260. years of this Hierarchical Kingdom and Empire, it must last to the year 2015. of Christ, according to which reckoning it hath 391. years yet to come; but that (saith he) of this time some may be shortened for the Elects sake.

3. Of learned Brightman, who supposeth it to begin about the year of Christ 426. and to expire in the full account about the year 1686. & yet these days, as near as they be, for the Elects sake may be shortened: For on Chap. 19. 4. he tells Rome, when she kept a Jubilee 30 years ago, that within a Jubilee of 50 years from thence she should keep a Jubilee, not so much for her own joy as the joy of all God's people over her, who shall rejoice in her utter destruction, and therefore she had more need intend her funerals than Jubilees. How true this is he knows who inspires his special servants: Only we see greater likelihood of it every day than other: The Lord hath said it, we must wait and pray him to hasten his own work for the joy and deliverance of the Church.

6. Propos. In all these difficulties and differences among the most learned, scarce one consenting with another in the period of entrance, I add the last conclusion, that the safest opinion of the most modest and learned is, that a number finite is put for an indefinite; and that this number is indefinite, not that it is not certain and defined to God, but that it abides undefined as yet, and uncertain to us for the term of beginning and expiration. This is the judgment of the modest and learned Bishop Abbot in the 108. page of his demonstration against Antichrist. It is the judgment of Bishop Cowper: In this opinion rests that learned Pare us, because he saith he finds not a better, nor safer. To these agreeth To stanus, and other the soundest of our Writers: And in this the safest and soundest I also will rest.

Now to sundry Observations which we have noted concerning the time, on Verse 6. we will briefly add these following.

1. No sorrows or afflictions can steal upon the Church, but all are known, foreseen and determined by God. Here the woman chased into the wilderness, is known of her Lord; the place provivided by him, and she in it provided for all the time: Her state is hidden to the world, retired in her self, but not hidden unto God, but by him she is hidden in the chambers of his Providence during all this tyranny and reign of Antichrist. In all our sorrows and restraynts consider, they are foreseen of God, and we are not unseen in them. Let us with Hagar in the wilderness say, Thou God seest me: Have I also looked after him that seeth me?

2. God hath measured all the afflictions of the Church; that although tyrants may disturb and hinder pure religion by force and violence, yet is it but for an appointed time: Antiochus may interrupt Jewish religion, and bring in Swines flesh into the Temple, but it is but for three years and ten days, a time, times, and piece of time. Antichrist that great Apollyon may make havoc and •• ead underfoot the holy city, but it is but for 42. months, a time, times, and half a time, even three Prophetical years and an half. Jezebel wastes the Church, and causeth the Prophets to hide themselves in Caves, and fly for their lives, but it was but three years and an half in the letter. The Jews may bury Christ in the grave, & rol a stone upon him, and seal, & watch the sepulcher, but they can keep him down only three days.

Know that what affliction soever thyself, or any member, or the whole Church sustaineth, it is not endless: neither shall the whole nor parts suffer one hour more then God's wisdom hath assigned. The proudest waves cannot pass those bounds and banks, which God's power hath set them.

3 All the sorrows of the Saints are by God's divine power overruled, to their good and safety; to preserve them from some present danger, spiritual or temporal, and to chase them under God's hiding place, as David, Psalm. 32. 7. Truly may the woman say, Periissem nisi periissem, I had not been safe if peril had not driven me into the wilderness: And did not the Lord see his Church safest in the wilderness, he would not suffer her hid there the greatest part of the time of the New Testament: He overruleth death itself to be the greatest of all deliverances.

4. In all the sufferings and oppressions of the woman, this comfort abideth by the godly, that she is not left of God, nor destitute of his presence, nor of his Providence for supply, nor without a promise of deliverance, nor without faith of the accomplishment, nor without a joyful assurance that the time of this oppression is not far from expiration.

THE woman chased out of sight, being now in the wilderness, in a close and secret dispersion in corners: But this contents not the dragon, that she is out of sight, because she yet is and hath a being; he is still unquiet, because she is not brought to utter havoc and confusion; he would afford her no room in the world, and therefore out of his implacable fury he turns him to another device, utterly to extirpate and root all the letters and characters of her honorable name, and carry her quite away off the earth, as with a mighty flood and current.

Where are three things:

1. What are these floods of filthy waters, which this huge Monster casteth after the woman.

2. The spring whence they rise and slow, out of his mouth.

3. The issue and scope of them, that she might be carried away of the flood.

For the first.

By floods of water are meant in Scripture extreme perils, and deep dangers and trials, whether inflicted by God, or men, or Satan.

Sometimes they are inflicted by God, Psalm. 42. 7. All thy floods and waves are gone over me: Sometimes by men, stirring up raging tumults against the Church; when mighty enemies, Princes and people, rise in their power, fury, and unresistablenesse like a flood; Esa. 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood. Sometimes by the dragon himself, as here the serpent casts out a flood after the woman.

Quest. Why are these great trials compared to floods of waters?

Ans. 1. For the danger, threatening destruction to the Church, as the floods of water do drowning.

2. For abundance; As many waters gather together into one to make a swift stream or flood, so many enemies of all people's and Countries, even all the wicked of the world, gather their forces and combine their wrath together, against Christ and his Church, to make a great and violent flood, and head to destroy her; Rev. 17. 1. Antichrist is the great whore that sits on many waters; and these waters are the multitudes, nations and tongues, all gathered under one head against Christ, Verse 15.

3. For their depth; these floods seem as impassable as the deep sea, so as the godly are ready to sink, and can find no footing: Psal. 69. 2. I am come into the deep waters. The Israel of God is often even in the bottom of the sea: Jonah was in the deep waves and weeds: And the Church hath often waters of affliction wrung out of a full cup, that is, a large portion of troubles, Psal. 73. 10.

4. For the instance & incessant restlessness of them; for as the waves succeed one another, and thrust on one another, so do grievous afflictions; one deep calls another, Psalm 42. 7. and the end of one trial is but the beginning of another.

5. For the pride, fierceness, swelling and rushing of many waters; for the fierceness and pride of enemies is compared to the swelling of waters, Psalm. 124. 5. then had the swelling waters gone over our soul.

For the second.

The spring or fountain whence these floods flow, is the dragons mouth: The waters must needs be filthy, which issue from so foul a fountain: And shows us more distinctly, what the waters be: For there is a twofold flood of persecutions, cast by the dragon after the woman.

The former was that bulk of persecutions, with which the dragon had infinite ways vexed the Church in her infancy & cradle, and even in her riper age, such as war, exile, fire, sword, and divers torments: But all these darts and keen weapons he threw out of his hands, by which he forced her into the wilderness: But now the woman is escaped his hands, and is out of his reach: Which some not well observing, expound this flood of actual persecution by sword and torments; which stands not well with her hidden estate: But the phrase more properly aimeth at a flood cast out of the serpents mouth, and not out of his hands, which the woman in the wilderness hardly escapes: Whereby I mean in general, whatsoever poisonful thing is by Antichrist and his Champions (who are the dragons mouth) vented and spread abroad, for the utter wasting of the true Church and Christian profession, if it were possible: More specially I take it, the Spirit of God here aimeth at three things.

I. The flood of heresies and poisonful errors, the bitter waters of false doctrines against the foundation, and all those troubled waters of Antichristian superstitions and traditions to drown and oppress the woman forever: For as the pure doctrine of the Gospel, coming out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, is that aqua Coel • stis, or aqua vitae, by which the woman is quickened and revived to eternal life; So that heretical and poisoned doctrine, coming out of the mouth of Antichrist, is a bitter and cursed flood of water, to drown the woman, if it were possible.

For as we do not exclude those most deadly heresies (the vomit of the dragon) after Constantine, the Arian heresy, the Pelagian, Nestorian, Eutychian, which vexed the Church almost three hundred years; so do we especially mean here those Monsters of opinions, blasphemies, and damnable doctrines against the whole Gospel, vented and cast out of the mouth of Antichrist in all the ages of Antichrist till this day; so directly bent to carry away the woman, as none must buy and sell, no nor breathe and live, that will not receive and worship the Image and mark of the beast, Rev. 13. 15, 17.

For example.

Against the Scriptures Antichrist casteth out of his mouth, that they are a dead letter, a Nose of wax, a breeder of herefies, of no more authority than Aesop’s fables without the Churches authority; this was godly spoken by Hermanus, saith Hosius. A Popish Doctor reasoning with M. Tindal, boldly said, We might better want God's law than the Popes: It was objected by Doctor Benet, Chancellor of the Bishop of London, that the heretics did read certain Chapters of the Evangelists in English, which contain in them divers erroneous and damnable opinions, and conclusions of heresy.

The like blasphemies he vomits out against Christ: as

1 That he is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 God of himself, Rhemist. on John. 10. 3. Who, though he be the Son of the Father, yet is he God of himself, John. 5. 26. as the Father hath life in himself, so also hath the Son. The word therefore is another person from the Father, but not another thing.

2 That Christ did penance by fasting, solitariness, and conversing with beasts, Rhemist. on Mark 1. sect. 6. An horrible blasphemy, making Christ a sinner: for, no sinner need no repentance.

3 That Christ's death is neither the efficient cause, nor formal cause of our justification: Bellarm. in sundry places: but we are formally made just by a justice inherent in ourselves, Conc. Trid sess. 6. can. 10. Rhem on Rom. 2. sect. 4. A blasphemous heresy, contrary to Phil. 3. 9. not having mine own righteousness.

4 That by grace we may truly make satisfaction in some sort ex proprijs, of our own, et ad aequalitatem, to a full equality, et per hoc juste et ex oondigno satisfacere, Bellarm. de paenit: l. 4. c. 7. A most horrible blasphemy, that a man by his own proper works can satisfy God fully, according to the exact rule of justice: contrary to Job. 3. 9. None can answer God one for a thousand. Neither can he blind us as he doth himself, by saying, accedente gratia Dei; for God's grace and satisfactory works are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , can never stand together, Rom. 11. 6. if of grace, not of works.

5 That a Priest may properly forgive sins: as Tecellius the Popes pardoner openly proclaymes, in Churches and elsewhere, that although a man had layne by our Lady, the Mother of Christ, and begotten her with child, yet he was able by the Popes power to pardon the fact. This horrible blasphemy was the ground of Luther's revolt from Popery.

6 That a man having true faith in Christ may be damned, Bellarm. de baptis. l. 1. c. 14 Against the Apostle in Eph. 2. 10. We are saved by faith, and Rom. 5. 1. by faith we have peace with God, and our Savior's promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

To these six I could add six hundred more, to make this flood of Antichristian heresies swell: but I content myself with a taste.

I I. A flood of slanders, and gulf of reproaches and hellish devises, imputing to the Woman and true profession of religion most scandalous opinions, and heinous enterprises, and all to keep the Woman under water, to get the secular sword drawn against her, and to make the Princes jealous, fierce, and severe against her, as the greatest enemy of their estates and royalties.

Instances of the former: Doth not Antichrist out of his mouth send out most false and slanderous lies? as, that our doctrine teacheth,

1 That the Church hath failed from off the earth many hundred years, till Luther.

2 That we condemn all Councils, Fathers, Antiquity, and will only be tied and tried by Scripture; whereas we refuse not to be judged by men, judging according to Scripture, and allow the Churches approbation, and consent of Antiquity: only holding it absurd, that the authority of Scripture should depend upon the approbation of the Church; which is the question. And this were to make the shine of the sun dependant on the light of a candle.

3 That we teach God the author of sin, even of that treacherous sin of Judas: Rhem: on Act. 2. sect. 9. Whereas we only teach as Scripture doth, that Christ was delivered up according to the determinate counsel of God: and that God hardeneth evil men, not as an author of evil, but as a righteous judge; and not by bare permission, but by actual with-holding his grace, and giving them over to the devil to be hardened, as a just judgment.

4 That we are enemies to all good works, and hold only faith necessary; nay that we condemn good works, as sinful, pharisaical, hypocritical, Rhem. on Rom. 2. sect. 3. whereas we teach, that to justification before God faith is only necessary, but such a faith as worketh by love; and that good works are inseparable fruits of faith, signs of justification, and a way in which Christians must walk to salvation.

And many more imputations there are, not needful to be all rehearsed.

For the latter. Have not the Papists in all ages proved themselves to be the very mouth of the dragon, breathing out nothing but their own poisonful inventions, against our religiō, and sincere Preachers and Professors of the same? Have they not published to all the world (and do) that no sort of men are such enemies to Princes and government, none such disturbers of a settled State and common peace, no sect so bad, none so unworthy of common favor, none such enemies to Laws, orders, Kingdoms? Have they not licked up the spettle of the father of lies, and infinitely shamed themselves with lies and slanders, as black as the waters of Styx, the river of hell? as that

Luther learned his Divinity of the devil, was borne of the devil, and died of drunkenness. That Calvin was eaten up of worms, and died blaspheming, and invocating devils: whose life and death was so holy and happy, as the dragon must open a wide and impudent mouth to stain the same. That Beza died reconciled to the Pope, and cursed the day he ever knew Protestant doctrine: which Beza himself lived to confute. That Mr. Bucer denied at his death, that Christ was come: the whole country, and D. Redman preaching at his funeral, knowing the contrary: and as true as that Mr. Perkins died in despair, of whose happy life and death myself was an eyewitnesse; as true as that those whom they called Puritans had blown up the Parliament house.

III. Another part of this flood is the cruel and bloody Edicts, the cruel Constitutions, and inhumane Rescripts which they furiously breathout, with such violence and rage as a strong current and flood which hath broken out of the banks: Such as are their Trent-curses for every slight difference in opinion from them: Such as are their Spanish barbarous Inquisitions, which are as the sharp teeth in the mouth of the dragon: Such as their Romish Bulls and cursed excommunications, their degradations, &c. Such as are their six Articles, their horrible execrations, and abrenunciations, and all of that kind, to destroy, root out, and forever to drown the very name and memory of the woman, and sound Christian Religion.

For the third. The end of the dragon in sending out this water, was, to drown and carry away the woman.

First, The end of all the dragons fury is the destruction of the Church: nothing will serve him but drowning: his malice stints not it self in any mischief or hurt he can bring upon her.

Secondly, His wrath once carried her out of Paradise: now he would carry her out of the way to heaven also: he envyes not only her safety and quiet in earth, but her salvation in heaven.

Thirdly, It notes a difference between the waters sent out by God, upon the Church, and these of the dragon. The floods of God do but water, or if anymore, do but wash the City of God. The floods out of the dragons mouth are to wast and destroy the woman, and to carry her away from the earth.

The dragon had made sundry assaults upon the woman before, and still Michael had crossed him, and against this last hid the woman safe: yet so great is his fury and rage, and so blind his malice, that not observing God's providence towards his Church, he bolts on forward to new enterprises against her. Whence learn, that

Satan and his instruments will never give over their malice against the godly, though they have never so ill success in the same. Psal. 1 • . 4. Do not workers of iniquity know, that they eat up my people as bread. q. d. though they do know them God's people, and see by many arguments that God is their God, yet they oppress them with desire, and delight, even as desirously and greedily as they eat bread when they are hungry. Did not Phar 〈◊〉 see, that none of his devises succeeded against • srael, and that he could not work wisely enough to destroy them? did he not see, that the more violent he was, the more God took their part, and followed him with most mighty and dreadful plagues? and did not himself confess those plagues from God, and most just on his own particular sin? did not his servants ask him, if he would see all Egypt destroyed before he would let them go? Exod. 10. 7. Yet would he not desist, but run on in mischief against them, till irrecoverable mischief overtook himself.

The malice of the Jews against Christ was such, as nothing could satisfy them but his blood: no means nor che • kes could hinder them: his innocence did shine before them as the sun: never man spake so; by the confession of his enemies: his miracles were divine and undeniable: Yet they consent to compass his death; they send mē to apprehend him; when they come, he strikes them all to the ground with one word; yet they go on. When he came before the Judge, the Judge clears him, and washeth his hands from innocent blood: yet they go on, and the more sparks and flames of innocence and grace shine in him, the more violent they grew, and call his blood on themselves and their children forever.

1 The devil and all wicked men make up but one dragon, and are all of the same disposition. No child is so like the father, as a wicked man is like his father the devil. Both have this one property, that no ill success can make them give over their ill courses. When the dragon set upon Christ himself, and was foiled in one temptation, he left him not: when he was confounded in a second, he left him not, but renewed a third: when he was unprosperous in all three, he left him not but for a season. Such also is the malice of his members against the members of Christ. If they fail in one course of mischief, they hope to prevail in another, and no stone will they leave unturned to work out their mischief against the godly.

2 There is in both a restlessness in evil, to which both of them are carried with full sail: Pro. • . their feet run to evil, and they make hast to mischief, they cannot sleep till they have done it; See this restless disposition of wicked men in the Sodomites against Lot: they cannot sleep till they have done their villainy; they are all night about it: When Lot persuades them to desist, they are farther off, and more violent, now must Lot look to himself. When the Lord from heavē smites them with blindness, both great & small, a man would have thought they should have thought it high time to sit down: Yet they resist God resisting them, and will not give over, but still seek the door.

3. In both head and members is such a fullness of poison, that they have an affection and endeavor to do mischief above their strength; their wills being infinitely evil, and though their power be restrained, and their arms shortened, yet their wills are not changed or abated: And therefore, whatsoever mischief they fall short of, by want of power, they still supply by readiness and forwardness of will to attempt the same or some other project as mischievous.

4 It is by the just judgment of God that such creatures are left to themselves, and ruled by the will of the devil: whereby it comes to pass, that no means of counsel, persuasion • , or restraint, never so powerful in themselves, shall any whit prevail with them, unless to stir up their corruption the more. Consider it in Judas, a secret enemy of Christ: what gracious means had he in Christ's presence and family? he shaw Christ's innocence, heard his powerful doctrine, was an eye witness of his miracles, was advanced into Apostleship, made a Preacher of the Gospel, by Christ betrusted as the steward of his house, are bread at his table, dipped in the same dish, was admonished of his fact by Christ's own predictiō; yet how unfruitful were all these unhappy means? how weak to restrain him, till he had betrayed his Lord, and dearly earned the price of blood, both his Lord's and his own?

See hence the pedigree and progeny of many men discovered, who show themselves the natural issue of the dragon.

1 Such as are authors of lies and flaunders. These streams of lies and slanderous reproaches flow forth of the mouth of the dragon. As when men turn themselves out of their callings, and have little else to do, and know little other discourse but to reproach and slander men, till they have filled the town and country with lies and slanders: incited thereto either by envy at the prosperity of others, or from secret grudge, or for some fraudulent purposes, or from willfulness and set purpose: if they cannot prevail with true things, they will with false if they may. All such raisers and devisers of scandals and false surmises, are the very mouth of the dragon, and of their father the devil.

2 Others that revile the innocent, and speak evil of just and godly men, whom they ought to praise and honor: accounting it their honor to contend, and to overcome in contention; and glory to sweel as a fierce stream, to carry them quite away if they might.

3 Others who reproach and scoff at goodness it self, and at the way of God: desirous to drown the truth under terms of heresy, singularity and folly. All these cast out their foam, scum, and froth of a naughty and dragon-like disposition.

Again, men unappeasable and restless in their malice; as the waves of a violent sea or flood: the breaking of one wave is but the matter of another, & one deep here calls another. Papists see their treasons and wicked enterprises miraculously crossed, and themselves confounded by God, as the dragon here, but yet never give over devising the overthrow of true religion. Others carry their malice many years against innocent and just men: All men but themselves see them crossed and shamed in their attempts; yet not considering the Lord's cover and protectiō over his servants, go on as if they had but new begun. Others guided by the same spirit wish they could raise a flood to drown all good men at once: they cannot abide one good man near them but hate all the generation of the just: Were they once rid of them, & had none near them but such as themselves, they were at ease. Here is the dragon ready to carry away the woman.

Members of Christ, sons of this woman, must look for floods of tribulation, and trials as dangerous, as deep, as plentiful, as incessant and fierce as a mighty flood, or full sea, threatening to carry all away before it. For

1 So long as wicked men are restless in their wrongs, we may not think this our resting place. But so restless are they, that they cannot but go on to extremity of mischief. Nothing serves the dragon, but drowning. Hence is it, that the law endictes every wicked man hating the godly, of murder, 1 John. 3. 15. not only because hatred is a degree of it, but because his will and desire carries him to the highest degree and execution of it.

2 Members must be conformed to the head in obedience both active and passive. What floods the dragon raised, and cast out of his mouth, to carry Christ away is manifest in the story: imputing to him sorcery, blasphemy, sedition, treason, and all that was heinous and poisonful: If they called the Master of the house Belzeb • b, what will they not call his servants?

3. The more innocent thou art, look thy suffering to be the more; for malice is most against grace and innocence: When good men are generally maligned, and floods of water cast after them, the general conceit and speech of other is, some fault there is, were there not some fire there could not be so much smoke, some indiscretion, some oversight, some fault: No, no, there is shining grace, wisdom, holiness, watchfulness; the dragon will revile good men, be they never so discreet and innocent, yea for innocence, as Christ himself.

Again, seeing it is inevitable that the godly should be molested with these floods, and rising of waters, let them for their comfort and direction think of these Rules.

1. Against the multitude of Antichristian enemies who increase and combine as a flood to overflow all banks, oppose the promise of God, Esa. 17. 12, 1 • . They shall make a noise as the noise of many waters, but God shall rebuke them: he hath passed sentence against them, which is not far from execution; and Chap 59. 19. The enemy shall come like a flood, but the Spirit of the Lord will chase him away; and daily shall they be blasted by the breath of his mouth; all his forces cannot prosper, being gathered against the Lord, Deut. 33. 27.

2 Against the floods of Antichristian heresies and false doctrines we must stablish ourselves,

First, with true humility; to contain ourselves within bounds of truth: Pride and conceit makes heretics.

Secondly, with sound love to the truth; this only will make us hate all false inventions, Psal. 119. 113.

Thirdly, with true obedience to the truth revealed; John. 7. 17. If any man will do my will, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God: By these means we shall stick fast to the Rock, and hold fast by truth, and not be carried away with this flood.

Fourthly, when they trouble our waters with traditions & fables (for they are called troubled waters) oppose the sweet and clear crystall fountains of the Scriptures; the waters out of the Rock; and out of the fountains of Jacob, Deut. 33. 28. this shall be sufficient against the full sea of Antichristian, brinish, salt and damnable doctrines.

3. Against the drowning waters of scandals, reproaches, threatenings, wicked Edicts, false accusations, or violent executions, oppose those sweet refreshing waters of comfort, Esa. 55. 1. These promise,

First, Christ's presence, who rebukes wind and sea, and makes a calm.

Secondly, strength and patience, because they are the rebukes of Christ.

Thirdly, a clearing of thine own innocence, as the light.

Again, oppose thine innocence, purity, sound conscience, honest conversation; and then assure thyself no reproach can take away thine innocence, no more than thy head.

Lastly, wait on God, as David in Shimei's railing; he may do thee good for their evil; he may bless thee for their cursing, and honor thee the more for their dishonor, as Mordecai; And many of his servants have experience, that the more evil men seek to cast them down, and carry them away with floods of injuries, the more God doth establish and uphold them, and carry them up above the waves and billows which threaten to drown them.

AGainst new dangers the woman hath still new remedies; for unwonted dangers, unwonted helps. Against the former dangers she had wings to fly from them; here the earth sets in for her help; the dragon casts the flood out of his mouth, and the earth takes it into her mouth.

By the earth is not meant the earthly globe, which Mathematicians call the center of the world, in which we walk; neither may we understand it properly of this vast Element, but improperly and metaphorically, as we did the flood in the former words, drunk up by it. By earth therefore is meant;

1. In general, all the means by which the former flood was drunk up; and the phrase is an allusion to an ancient story, in Numb. 16. where the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Corah and all his company, who had cast floods of reproachful waters against Moses & Aaron; even so here, before the Lord will suffer his Church to be drowned and overwhelmed, he will command the earth to open it self, and swallow up all such as enterprise against it, as formerly he had, to swallow alive Corah, Dathan, Abiram, and all their complices.

2. More specially by the earth we mean those special providences, by which the former floods were dried up; as,

1. The floods of herefies; spewed out of the dragons mouth, were swallowed up of the earth; for,

First, it was the earthly and wicked Synagogue that embraced all the dragons plausible heresies, such as whose names are written in earth, but not any whose names were written in the Book of life: the true Church drunk not a drop of that poison spewed out of the dragons mouth.

Secondly, because that the Synods and Councils, gathered out of all the earth resolved and swallowed up those pernicious heresies against the grounds of Christian religion: For as of old the Council of Nice swallowed up the poisoned flood of Arius, the Constantinopolitan supped up the heretical flood of Macedonius and Eunomius, the Ephesine of Nestorius, and the Chalcedon of Eutiches; so we might name a number of Canons out of Councils gathered under Antichrist, resisting many main Romish errors, and heretical doctrines; as the sixth general Council about the year 700. decreed against the Church of Rome the marriage of Ministers, and forbad to make the Holy Ghost in likeness of a Dove. The Council of Portugal at Bracca appointed the Cup in the Communion: Sundry other Councils, as of Constantinople under Leo Isauricus, and after, under Constantius Copronimus, and of Frankeford under Charles the Great, all against Images; and many of their own contradicting their fellows in matters of greatest difference, as might be cleared at large, but is done already by Doctor Hall in his book entitled, The peace of Rome.

2. The floods of slanders and false suggestions have been dried up even by the earth, earthly men and enemies of the Church, who have acquitted and discharged the Christians of those horrible scandals which were out of the dragons mouth, sent after them to drown them; as in the ancient Story the Christians of the Primitive Church under persecution, were by Plinius Secundus (an heathen Philosopher) justified, and discharged of all the foul things devised against them, even to Trajan that persecuting Emperor; as in these words of his letter: The whole sum of that sect consists in this, that they use at certain times to convent before day, and sing hymns to Christ their God, and confederate among themselves to abstain from all theft, murder, and adultery, to keep their faith, and defraud no man; which done, then to depart for that time, and after that to resort again, to take meat in companies both men and women, and yet without any act of evil: about the year of Christ, 100.

So did Aristides a Philosopher in Athens justify the same poor Christians from those horrible slanders, in an oration before the Emperor Hadrian in the year 120. And many such examples the story affordeth.

But our text speaking of after times, in the tyranny of Antichrist, we want not a number of instances amongst themselves, falsifying their own wicked slanders against the Professors of true Religion. We have heard Reynerius a great Inquisitor justifying the Waldenses, that they lived justly before men, and believed all well concerning God, and all the articles which are contained in the Creed. To the same effect answered the Visitors of K. Lewis 12. of France, and of Francis 1. which made one of them swear, that they were a better people then he or his people.

See many instances of many adversaries of the woman, giving honorable reports of her, enforced thereto by force of truth it self, in hist. Waldens. lib. 1. cap. 5.

3 The floods of cruel edicts and decrees, cast out of the mouth of the dragon, were often swallowed and hindered by earthly occasions, and incumbrances which rise among the wicked, and inhabitants of the earth themselves: and the Lord ordinarily ordereth the counsels and quarrels of his enemies among themselves, everyone having his own special aim, so as shall be good for the Churches escape: As Paul got free by casting a bone between the Pharisees and Sadducees: So the Church escapeth often, while bones of quarrels and contention are cast between wicked Princes. In the year 1526. Charles 5 Emperor, and Francis 1. King of France, agreed to join all their power and forces, and raise a flood wholly to carry away the woman, and root out everywhere the mention of Lutheran Religion: but the earth helped the woman: for the Pope himself, intending their destruction as fiercely as they, on other occasions brake the league, and made the Emperor so much business in Italy, that he professed by public writing, that the Pope was in the fault, that he had not wholly suppressed the heresy of Lutherans.

Thus while the wicked plague the ungodly, the Church hath some rest and breathing from their wicked decrees: as in one other instance appears, anno 1530. For what a cruel edict did the Emperor Charles 5. thunder against the Professors of the Gospel, that everyone feared to be quite carried away by that flood, which rose out of the dragons mouth at the Dyet of Ausperg? But see how God commanded the earth to open her mouth, and swallow this flood, that it should not hurt but help the woman. Instantly the Turk, as if he had been earryed by the hair of his head, came into Austria, invading the Empire: and now it was no time to wish the Emperor to grant peace to the Protestants, against the former edict; that he might obtain of them aid against the Turk, the common enemy of Christendom.

In the greatest dangers of the Church, she shall always have some help, and though she be much pressed, she shall not be oppressed. We see many floods may rise up and swell as a spring-tide to carry her away; but they cannot drown her. The same was typified in that horrible persecution of Antiochus, who when he was most raging, and made most havoc in the Church, yet was the woman holpen with a little help, Dan. 11. 34. God stirred up Mattathias and his sons, who were but an handful to Antiochus his army, and so prospered their small help, that the cruelty and tyranny of that monster was stayed for the time. Even so in the highest floods of Antichrist (of whom Antiochus was a most eminent type) the poor woman hath ever had a little help.

1 Because of the presence of God, who sitteth on the floods; whose presence with the Church makes her safe, Esa. 43. 2. • ear not Jacob, thou art mine (there is the ground of safety, in the covenant of God) when thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the floods, that they do not overflow thee, &c. If his promise fail not, he must be with his in the hotest fires of persecution, and in the most unpassable floods of calumnies and here sies.

2 God's wakeful providence and protection ever deviseth and affordeth some help. Moses was cast on the waters, but God provides him a basket to help him out. Jonah was cast into the sea: God provides a Whale to carry him out. Noah was tossed on a world of floods: but God became pylot, and he that shut him in, helped him out: And as the great flood could not drown the Ark, but the earth at length swallowed and dried it up, much less can these lesser floods drown the Ark of the Church, on which God's protection is no less.

3 Christ's headship ever affords some help. A man cannot drown so long as his head is aloft, let him be in never such deeps. Christ the head of the Church is ever aloft, and cannot sink. If all the floods that ever were cast out of the mouth of the dragon, could have carried him away, then had they more easily carried away his body, the Church: but they could not sink or drown him: therefore is she safe.

4 The Church can pray in faith: and the prayer of faith is a strong cable, and sure means of her safety, and stayeth her till seasonable help come: Psal. 32. 6. Therefore shall every godly man pray: and then, surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come near him. Jonah prayed in the floods of great waters, and was safe being compassed with waves, weeds, rocks, and mountains, chap. 2. 1.

Thesefore is the Church unmovable, and shall so continue to the end of the world, seeing no flood shall carry her away, and God whose she is, is never wanting, never weary in helping her. He had saved her from the dragon by raising up a man-child: he saved her the second time by hiding her: and now the third time he draws her out of the floods, which intended to drown her; so as earth and hell weary themselves in vain in devising to overthrow her.

The more impudent the Papists, who say we teach that the Church failed from off the earth all the time of Antichrist, for the space of a thousand years. No: Antichrists rage and floods might cause her to hide her head for that time, but could not drown her.

Again, here is a direction for Believers in extreme dangers.

1 Get to the rock: believe in Jesus Christ: by faith become a member of his body. Against this rock the gates of hell cannot prevail: and therefore a Christian built on this rock, cannot miscarry. Men on a rock are safe in high floods, when houses are driven down, and men and cattle drowned. Get thee to this rock, and then, though the floods of wickedness may make thee afraid, yet shall they not hurt thee, Psal. 18. 4. and 46. 1. 3.

2 Leane upon the power of God, who can make waters stand as dry land, and not flow till his people be passed over. Art thou ready to faint, to sink, to despair of ever swimming out of the floods? behold this power, it can make iron swim, 2 King. 6. 6. and if thou beest in thyself as heavy in the floods as iron, say as in Psal. 93. 4. The waves of the sea are marvelous, but the Lord is more mighty.

3 Cleave to the word of God, which applieth this power and makes it thine own. God hath set his powerful word on the sea and floods, and set bars and doors unto them, and said, Hitherto shall ye come, and ye shall lift up your proud waves no further. Again, he hath set over and passed his word unto thee for thy security. Christ's word makes Peter walk safely on the waters. Waite on his word, which only can make a great calm. If thou losest this security, thou canst not but sink in thy troubles. as David, had it not been for thy Law I had perished in my trouble. And further, if this word were weak, he hath sworn to thee, Esa. 54. 9. that as the waters of Noah shall never go more over the earth, to drown it, so he will nevet be so angry as to cast thee into the floods to drown thee,

4 Keep Christ in the ship: awaken him with thy prayers, cry to him as the Disciples, O Master save us, we perish. He walks on the waters, and will make thee so to do also. He may seem to sleep till thou beest dashed, threatened, and ready to sink, but he will awaken in time, and rebuke the winds and seas, and make a present, or seasonable calm.

Next, in that the earth helped the woman, learn that the Church hath often help where she least expects it. The earth is the dragons own bounds: for he was cast into the earth: yet this earth affords help and safety to the woman against the dragon. Israel at the sea environed with monntaines, enemies, and floods, was by the sea saved from the sea, whence they expected to be swallowed up. The same sea that threateneth to swallow Israel, saves Israel. Could Daniel expect safety by the Lions from the Lions? Could Jonah expect help from the devouring sea by the devouring Whale? Could the three children expect safety from the fire by the fire?

1 The Lord being the Lord of hosts hath all creatures in heaven and earth to command for the help and safety of his Church, and hath made a league between them and his people for peace, and aid, for war defensive and offensive against their enemies.

2 Things which are impossible to men, are possible to God: and therefore he worketh above all the power of nature, and beyond the reach of reason, and nothing can hinder his counsel or hand. Zech. 8. 6. It seemed as impossible for Israel to be brought back to a glorious estate in Jerusalem from captivity, as dead men to be brought out of their graves: but though this be impossible in the eyes of the remnant of the people of those days, should it be therefore impossible in my sight, saith the Lord of hosts?

3 The Lord most magnifieth his wisdom, when he helpeth by most unknown and unlikely means: for now he showeth he hath a reach beyond the creature; and what we cannot see, or oversee, he foreseeth for us. It was an unknown means, proper to Omnipotency, to dry up the sea for Israel's passage. It was an unknown means, beyond the creatures reach, to suspend the fire from burning persons and things combustible applied to it. It was an unknown and unexpected means, to feed Israel in the wilderness with a daily harvest, not from earth, but from heaven. The dragon and Antichrist have not so many devises and reaches to offend the Woman, as the Lord hath ways to overreach them and defend his Church.

4 The Lord magnifies his mighty power, when he sends help by contrary means, which of all other are most unlikely; as here by the earth: for here he brings most help, whence is indeed most danger. As when earthly and carnal-minded men, intending the clean contrary, procure help and peace to the Church. Thus the Lord helped David out of Saul's hands by the Philistines, as deadly enemies to David as Saul was. Thus he helped Moses out of the water by Pharaohs daughter, no less enemy to Israel then Pharaoh himself. Thus when Zedekiah was taken, his eyes put out, and himself bound prisoner into Babel, Jeremiah being in prison must be helped out, and by whom but by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, and Nebuzaradan his chief steward, in all appearance as great enemies to Jeremiah as to King Zedekiah: Ier. 40, 1. 2.

And rather then Paul shall be killed, and have no help, God will save him by one in likelihood fitter to kill him then they, even the chief Captain, Act. 21. 32. And how often was he helped by Felix, Festus, Agrippa, men open enemies to Christ? And how often did the Lord stir up earthly instruments such as Cyrus, Ebed-melech, Gamaliel, whose power and policy he used for the drying up of the floods risen and swelling against the Church? A notable instance we have in Dan. 1. 10. What great favor and tender love God gave Daniel and his fellows from Ashpenaz, an heathen and enemy, and how God overruled his speech to Daniel, that while he thought no such thing, he secretly implied the true way whereby Daniel and his fellows should attain their desire: If you look worse, I shall lose my head: then said Daniel, put this to the trial ten days, and so obtained their wish.

Note hence the justice of God upon the earth and earthly enemies of the Church. They mind by raising floods to drown the Church, but themselves must drink up those floods to the drowning of themselves. The woman flies out of Egypt into the wilderness: Pharaoh means to drown her in the red sea: but the earth must help her: for earthly Pharaoh himself and all his earthly company drink up the flood for her, and she escapes it. Thus comes Haman • devise upon his own head, his gallows catch himself. Thus the gunpowder blew up the plotters and layers, but not one for whom it was laid. Thus the enemies drink as they brew, and digest the bread of affliction they prepared for others.

2 Let us acknowledge with much thankfulness the truth of this prophesy, We have seen the earth drink up many floods, cast out of the dragons mouth by Antichristian tyranny, sufficiently strong and deep to have carried her quite away. Among many instances I will record two in fresh memory, and not far off. In the year 1521. when Luther had appeared before Caesar at Wormes, to give account of his doctrine and doings, what a mighty flood issued out of the mouth of the dragon, which in the Imperial edicts threatened nothing but death and bloodshed against the Professors of the Gospel? and this flood like Danubius ran through all Germany. But now see how the earth drunk up the flood; Shortly after arose an exceeding great trouble in Spain, to the pacifying of which the Emperor went in person, and so the Professors of the Gospel had a little breathing; till the States of the Empire assembled at Norinburge, got those cruel Edicts mitigated and qualified, to the great prosperity of the Gospel.

The other in our own Kingdom, in the days and memory of our Fathers: When in the reign of Queen Mary many were carried away with that raging and high-swelling flood of the six Articles, and the enemies were devising not to strike off the branches only, but (as one persuaded) to strike at the root, in cutting off the then Lady Elizabeth, being then in prisonand very unlike ever to get out of their bloody hands; now see how the Lord caused the earth to help his Church, for who was the means to keep them off her, and her head on her shoulders, but King Philip of Spain, an earthly Idolater, who had no reason but to be a greater enemy to her than her sister or that state? Now the earth drank up the flood, and a few months set that happy Lady, and the Church and Kingdom by her, in such glory and prosperity, as ancient ages had never seen, and future ages perhaps both wish and admire.

3. In the present trials and persecutions of the Church, when we see the floods swell even almost over her head, and Antichristian Armies everywhere gathered, and carry afore them whole Provinces and Churches, be not dismayed, but stand still and see the Lord's salvation; he will appoint one means or other to swallow up all these floods; as here he commanded the earth to • each her helping hand, both to take in and harbor the Lord's exiles in the secret chambers of her desert Mountains and Caves, as also to drink in the dangers for them: Nay more, the Lord who causeth the earth to help the woman, will in and by these persecutions help up his Church and truth; Act. 8. 1. The wicked men of earth raise great persecution against the Disciples at Jerusalem, and scatter them; but they being scattered and dispersed, spread the Gospel through all the Regions of Judea and Samaria.

In the story of the Waldenses is reported, that the banishing of Waldo & his followers out of Lyōs, was a means W ^ch God used to spread the doctrine of the Gospel, in the darkest times of Antichrist, almost over all Europe. Thus the Lord bringeth light out of darkness to his Church; the earth shall not bury the truth, but spread it; neither shall these Antichristian floods drown the woman, but shall only water her furrows. And let the Church be instant with the Lord, & he will in the end of these businesses show he hath a reach beyond all Actors and lookers on: the wrath of men shall turn to his praise: themselves shall drink the rivers of blood which they intend against the woman; and shall root themselves out, that the Gospel which they fight against, may find footing in the most desolate Popish Countries, and the time and their pride hasteneth it.

Let us always set these props under our faith, to support us through our trials, whether we see means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : It is enough to see the power and faithfulness of God, who can, and (rather than fa •• e) will work the Saints delivery by unknown, and even by contrary means: Waite upon the Word. If he seem not to regard thee in danger, awake him by thy prayers: he may delay help a while, but he cannot dehy thee help but he must deny himself; but either he will lead thee out by preventing the danger, or help thee through it, and make thee more then a Conqueror in it, by a conquered death.

4. As the Church abroad is tried, and in resistance of the floods of violence, and lies under the fire and sword of the enemy; so the dragon ceaseth not amongst us in our peace to cast out such floods as he can, of scandals, slanders, and reproaches of God's people, against which we must fo • tifie ourselves with assurance, that all these floods shall be drunk up, and dried up also for us: For,

1. Our Head is the truth, and as strength of truth prevailed in his own person, and rose again from underground, so it shall in all his members by his mighty power.

2. God's promise is, to bring forth our righteousness as the light, even as a bright morning comes after a sad night of black darkness.

3. God's providence watcheth as well the names and reputation of the Saints, as their persons; because, as their persons are nearly joined to Christ, so are their names nearly linked to his, and their honor is his, as their reproach is his, Heb. 13. 13.

4. Look upon the unknown means used by God to drink in these floods:

Sometime from heaven: The Angel turns away the flood of scandal, which had like to have drowned the Virgin, while Joseph was thinking to put her away, Mat. 1. 20. Fear not to take her.

Sometime the earth (as here) rather than fail, shall drink it up: The Judge shall pronounce Christ innocent; Saul shall proclaim David's innocence, 1▪ Sam. 24. 18. Thou art more righteous than I.

Lastly, though truth and innocence may be clouded a long time, yet it shall be disclosed, and time (the mother of truth) shall dry up and drink in all wicked accusation; when all secrets shall be disclosed, as well for the opening of innocence, as the shutting of the mouth of guiltiness.

THE dragon being again defeated of his purpose in drowning the woman, seeth that he cannot hurt her, yet he cannot but hate her the (more: He cannot meet with her to do the mischle •• that he would, for she is out of sight; neither can the floods, cast out of his mouth, reach her, for she is safe and hid, and the earth shall drink it for her; yet he abates not of his wrath against her, and for the wrath he bears to her, he goes and makes war with her issue, described here,

• 1. By their paucity, The remnant of her seed.
• 2. By their property, twofold,
  • 1. They keep the Commandments of God.
  • 2. They have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

First of the dragons wrath and war, then of the persons against whom,

In the former,

• 1. What kind of war this is.
• 2. With whom.

The kind of war will appear, if we consider

• the Captain,
• and the weapons.

The Captain of this war under the dragon, who is General of the field, is described in Chap. 13. 1. and 7. The Beast; whom the Evangelist so calleth, rather than the Bishop of Rome, or rather a succession of them, because he is a Prophet here, not a Doctor; these spake plainly, they enigmatically, especially in arguments dangerous and envious: Besides, if he had plainly named him, he had not left it a mystery so deep.

This beast riseth out of the sea; that is, out of those very floods, which the dragon cast out of his mouth after the woman; namely, of herefies, superstitions, traditions, abominations, and wicked constitutions and decrees against the truth and professors, which enthroned Antichrist, and set him in his Chair.

He hath seven heads, a monstrous Hydra, sits on seven hills, and hath gotten seven kinds of government into his hand, and ten horns, he hath the power of ten Kings to uphold him.

He hath on his heads the name of blasphemy; not in open profession, for he will disclaim it in word, but in deed and truth brings into the Church and maintains, under glorious titles of Headship, blasphemous doctrines, religion, and idolatrous worship; so it is expressed Verse 6. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and his Tabernacle, and those that dwell in heaven.

1. He opposeth himself against all that is called God, challengeth all that God can do; he can create, and that, his Creator; he cannot err; he can make something of nothing; he can make God's Word of authority, or no authority; he can make Kings and transfer kingdoms: he shows himself as if he were God, and suffers his flattering Canonists to style him God: Oh high blasphemy!

2. He blasphemeth the Tabernacle of God, that is, the Church of God, resembled by the Tabernacle; challenging to be the head, the husband, the Lord of it; oppressing it with tyranny, infecting it with heresy, blaspheming and condemning for archheretikes all that yield not to his blasphemies.

And if by the Tabernacle of God we mean the body of Christ, as some do, what more horrible blasphemy against it then to undertake to create many thousands every day out of a few pieces of bread, to sacrifice, to eat and destroy it at their pleasure?

3 He blasphemeth all that are in heaven, that is, the Saints in the heaven upon earth; styling them heretics, schismatics, rebels, the most wicked of all men, unworthy of common light, air, or any society or sufferance in the earth.

In the 7. verse it is given to this beast (the dragon seals his Commission) to make war with the Saints: alluding to his type, that little horn Antiochus, Dan. 7. 21. an eminent figure of the Roman Antiochus, that is said to make war with the Saints, and prevail against them. So as this prophecy is meant of the wars of Antichrist against the Saints; and is manifest by the time of 42. months, the time that the woman was hid in the wilderness.

This of the Captain.

The weapons also are answerable to the war: which is twofold, Ecclesiastical, and Civil, in ordine ad spiritualia. So the beast hath two swords:

One is spiritual, by which he wounds the souls and consciences of men, and that for their consciences. This sword is his Canons, Constitutions, Councils deceitfully called, Decretals, doctrines of devils, heresies, the Popes head-ship, Jesuitisme the sharpest point of it, sophisticate distinctions, sleights of equivocations, cursings, anathemaes, excommunications, damnatory proscriptions, damnable Bulls and Breves, degradations, condemnations, Popish absolutions for murders of Parents, and Princes, canonization of Traitors, and the like enamilings of his spiritual sword.

The other is the secular sword, with which he lays about him to force the obedience and subjection to the former. This is his tyrannical inquisition, Guisian massacres, English powder-plots, pistolls, poniards, poisons, fire, sword, insurrections, rebellions, invasions, Armadoes, treasons, slaughters, butcheries of Princes and people, Kings and kingdoms that yield not themselves as slaves to his beastly authority.

And this of the kind of war.

The persons with whom it is waged, will further open it: that is, the remnant of her seed: namely such of the faithful, who, when all the public assemblies were openly corrupted by Antichristian Idolatry, yet retained the ancient faith, and stepped out sometimes to make profession of the same The beast could no sooner meet with them, or find them out, but presently he brandished his sword againstthem; whether they were,

1 Kings, that ruled not according to the Popes rules, who were warred against as tyrants▪ or

2 Pastors and Bishops who taught not according to the Popes decrees, with whom the Pope warred as against heretics. or

3 Private persons, called lay-men, who lived not according to the Popes laws; these he warred against as out-laws and excommunicate persons.

In a word, seeing the dragon could not now make war against whole congregations, as formerly he had done, (for now in the dark times of Antichrist they appeared nowhere) he watched if he could find any of the remnant of the seed, any scattered and dispersed Saints, who privately (as they could) exercised the pure worship of God: who kept themselves to the comaundement of God, in freeing themselves from the abominations, idolatries, and superstitions of Popery: and who had the testimony of Jesus, sq • aring their consciences to the written word, and would not receive the Popes Laws, traditions, and decretalls for Articles of Faith. These were made meat for the sword of the Beast, excited by the dragon to make war with the remnant of the woman's seed.

Of the wrath of the dragon we have spoken before, which admits no truce; as also of the renewing of his assaults, though he be never so foiled in them. Only now in this wrath of the dragon, which is continued against the woman hid in the wilderness, note, that

Wicked men hate and malice the godly, whom they never knew nor saw; as the dragon the woman now out of sight. Hest, 3. 6. Haman thought it a small thing to lay hands on Mordecai only, but sought to destroy all the Jews: yet he knew but few of them, and only one of them (Mordecai) had offended him. Phara • h pursues all the Israelites, though he knew but few: and drowns all the males: and Herod kills all the infants, which he never saw: and Balak calls Balaam to curse all the people of God.

1 Because of the general enmity put by God between the two seeds, of the Woman and the serpent: And hatred is of kinds, not individuals only. The wolf hateth all lambes. A man naturally hateth all serpents, even those he never saw: so the serpentine seed hateth all the woman's seed, which it never saw. And as hunters know not, nor never saw the particular game they take, but lay nets and deadly engines for any of the kind, so these Nimrods and hunters spare none.

2 The wrath of every wicked man is a spark from hell and an ember of the dragons wrath, who here hateth the Woman hid as well as appearing. And look as the dragon hated Christ the head deadly while he was in the world, and now hateth him with no less deadly hat • ed when he hath left the world (he hateth him absent, as much as present) even so his brood hateth his members that were in the world, as well as those that are in it, even those that they never knew nor saw; and persecute their dead ashes, and are as spiteful to their names and memory, and to their posterity, as their predecessors were to their persons while they lived.

3 Darkness hateth all light, near or far off. They that hate God the chief good, must needs hate all the godly that follow the thing that is good. They that hate God himself, must needs hate his image everywhere: for he that hates the father, hates all the children, whether he know them or no. They hate the glory of God, and the true worship and service of God, and that they may abolish it, they cannot but seek to root out all the people and persons that uphold it,

4 Such a venom and poison is seated in a wicked man's heart, as knows no bounds of reason or moderation, but overflows all bancks and limits: For there is no spirit to check or restrain them: so as neither sea nor Alps bound a wicked man's wrath against godliness.

5 They hate them whom they know not, because they know them not: for so it was with Christ himself: they saw him but they knew him not: for, had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory John. 8. 29. When the Son of man shall be listed up, then ye shall know that I am he So with his members, they know them not nor their innocence, let their lives be never so unblamable and just. If they cannot pick quarrels against Daniel in the matter of the Kingdom, they will see what they can do in the matter of his God. If God himself show favor to them, and his power for them; they will not know who the Lord is, as Pharaoh, but lay on burdens the heavier: and therefore, as Balak and Moab, they seek their confusion, Num. 22. 2, 3.

A reproof of numbers of men, who in these days express with what spirit they are guided. The Papists rail upon, and revile all the godly restorers of our religion, whom they never saw nor knew. It is a third part of the Pamphlets they send daily in amongst their Proselytes. A man would think they had their hands full of adversaries alive: and that they need not break up the graves of the dead, and persecute dead ashes: What spirit besides the dragons, ruled the Council of Constance, who sentenced the dead bones of Wycliffe to be digd up and burnt 41. years after his death? did any of them ever know or see him? or was not the wrath of their predecessors enough against his person?

Who seeth not the wrath of the dragon in a number of profane beasts, who incessantly make it their table talk to revile and use opprobriously men who never made nor meddled with them, men hid in their innocence, and retired in their privacy? whose life in respect of them, is as if they were out of the world.

And others that exclame against all that make show of religion, as men not worthy to live, the worst of all men, all dissemblers, liars, factious, all alike, as if they knew them all. Whence riseth this wrath? certainly not from particular causes, but from the general: not from the persons they revile, but frō their own vile dragon like disposition. They may pretend some personal quarrels now and then: but the cause and care lieth deeper: they will hate the same goodness in any other person, where soever they may discover it. Here now is the dragons wrath against the Woman, hid out of sight.

2 This is a word of instruction: not to marvel in observing the hatred of wicked men against the godly whom they know and see: for they do the same against those they never knew. See we Ahab hating Elijah, Micaiah, and all the true Prophets he knew? no marvel: he hath a fountain of poison ready to flow on all that he knows not, if he could reach them. And so doth every wicked man: if he hate any one good Minister because he is so, he hates everyone. See we all wicked men, be they never so fallen in pieces among themselves, yet all join in hatred of all the godly? then see in them the work of the dragon, who plots an unity and agreement against the Church: hatred of goodness is the bond, that joins wicked ones together. And yet God's hand is in all this: the godly must be thoroughly tried, and the wicked must go on to the filling up of their measure.

Are we cast among men, who, when they cannot hurt godly men, yet will not help them, but as Balak said to Balaam, neither bless nor curse them? Praise God that hath limited the power of wicked wills and violent affections. They that would hurt one godly man, would mischief all if they could: and those that will not help them, would hurt them if they were able.

See we evil men desirous and contriving to cast down the worship of God, and a faithful Ministry in the place where they live? their wrath rea • heth beyond that place: if it it were in their power, they would abolish the true worship of God out of the world, and leave no faithful Ministry standing in the earth. Hatred is of kinds: and the dragon hates faithfulness everywhere, fearing the decay of his Kingdom, and his own fall by their standing.

3 This teacheth us 1 to unite and combine our selves to all the Saints, even those whom we never saw nor knew; they being of the same Father, Mother, blood, spirit, family, and inheritance with us.

2 Again, as we love the head, so also the members: but the head though we have not seen, yet we love and believe, 1 Pet. 1. 8 so the members whom we believe everywhere to be dispersed, we must love though we see not: for the love of the members must be a sparkle from the flame toward the head.

3 Further, we must not ground the love of Saints in our senses, but in our faith, which cannot but work by love; if to him that begat, so also to all that are begotten.

4 If faith may not be measured by sight, being of things invisible, no more may love the daughter of faith. But if we believe in him whom we see not, we must also love them whom we see not.

5 The soul hath as well his eye of faith, as the body the eye of sense: and by that we see not the head only, but the members, and believe and live in the Communion of Saints.

The wrath of the dragon produceth the war of the beast; and Antichrists wars are the dragons wars: the dragon by and in Antichrist makes war upon the Church. For

1 The wrath of the dragon is in them, as the chief moover, inspirer, and General, who seals commission to his universal Vicar and Li • utenant, who receives power from him, Revel. 13. 2.

2 The cruelty of the dragon is in them: who as he is an homicide and manslayer from the beginning, so is this an Apollyon, a destroyer, a scarlet beast of a bloody color, died in the blood of Saints; a woman drunk with blood.

3 The scope of the dragon is in them; universal and unmerciful destruction of bodies, and souls: Rev. 13. 15. Whosoever will not worship the beast, he commands them to be slain. But this is a small thing to his spiritual war, in which he comes with effectual delusions among them that perish, that all they might be damned, &c. 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11.

4 The means of the dragon is in them. As the dragon seeks to draw the worship of God upon himself from God, Mat. 4. so doth Antichrist sit as God, and all the earth must worship the beast. As the dragon to attain his ends will salsifie and vilify the word of God, so the beast slays the two Prophets, Rev. 11. 9. that is, as some interpret, the two Testaments. He must needs destroy souls, if first he can destroy the Scriptures. And, never were the two witnesses so warred against, as by Antichrist,

5 The subtlety of the dragon is in them, even all his seven heads. He fights not only like a Balak, with open fierceness, but like a Balaam, a false prophet, by his wiles and delusions. He comes not so much with displayed banners, as with hostility wrapped up with all guile and deceitful pretenses. He will not be seen to war as an enemy and persecutor of the Church, but under specious terms of the Patron and just defender of the Catholic Church.

Now if the wars of Antichrist be the dragons wars, of all other we must hold them the most pernicious to mankind, and of all other deprecate these, and wish rather to fall into the hands of any Turk or tyrant then into the hands of Antichrist. For

First, other tyrants are raised by the general wrath of the dragon against mankind: but this from the greatest wrath against the Church the seed of the Woman.

Secondly, those are satisfied with our goods, lands, liberty, or life, and intend no further: but this not so content must have our religion, consciences, and salvation, our heaven and God from us.

Thirdly, their weapons are corporal, and only wound and slay the body: Let Nero, Domitian, Decius, Dioclesian, or the Turk or Scythian come, they can bring sword, fire, wild beasts, melted led, gibbets, and other exquisite bodily torments: But the cruelty of Antichrist, beside all these, brings strong delusions, idolatry, apostasy, heresy: And this spiritual persecution is so much more cruel; as the soul is more excellent then the body; and so much more dreadful, as the destruction of both together is more desperate then of one alone. We must not measure the cruelty of Antichristian war, as theirs, by the privation of mortal life, but by the invaluable loss of life eternal.

2 Note the miserable estate of such as fall unto the part of Antichrist they are intereffed in the dragons wars, and directly fight against Christ, against their own salvation, and others. We must esteem them greater enemies then any tyrants or robbers that would only bereave us of our goods or lives. These slaves of Antichrist are become bondslaves to the dragon: for none worship the beast, but they first worship the dragon, Rev. 13. 4.

3 Let it move us to stand so much the more resolutely against Popery, and the impostures of Antichrist: seeing we stand against the wrath of the dragon; for the right and honor of Jesus Christ, against his sworn enemy, and for our own salvation. This willbe the honor of the Saints, that they perish not only as sheep woryed by the wolf, but as the valiant soldiers of Jesus Christ, who even in martyrdom are more then conquerors.

The number of faithful Christians that stick close to Christ against the corruptions of Antichrist, is but a small number, and as small in worldly reputation. Christ's company was always a little flock, Luk. 12. 32. And Israel is as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant only shall be saved, Rom 9. 29. This phrase is a metaphor taken from tradesmen, who having cut out a whole piece of cloth, leave some small remnant or remainder: even so the true professors of the Gospel are but as a small remainder of the whole piece and people of the world. Beside, it is but the remnant of her seed: As a little seed-corn is reserved out of a great heap for store, which is nothing to the whole crop; so is the small number of true Believers, reserved by grace, to the whole field and crop of the world: as it was in the state of the ancient Church in captivity, Zech. 3. 1. Is not this a brand pulled out of the fire? the state of the people being as a great tree cut down and cast into the fire, of which one little brand was snatched out of the flame, and returned from captivity: and the dragon would have had that brand burnt to ashes too: so here he warreth on the remnant of the seed of the woman in the wilderness. So also is the number of God's company said to be one of a City, and two of a tribe: as if in a great inundation of water, which carrieth away a whole town or country, someone or two houses or persons should escape; or as if in a blazing and universal fire, devouring a whole City, one or two houses should be left standing.

1 Few are chosen, Mat. 20. 17. God hath decreed that few shall be saved. The earth affords much clay for potters, but little oar for gold. Common stones are many, pearls but a few. In the universal Church signified by the Ark, were but few even eight souls saved, all the rest drowned, 1 Pet. 3. In particular visible Churches there are but a few names that defile not their garments, Rev. 3. 4. All are not Israel that go for Israel: and all that go for Virgins, are not admitted to the bridegroom’s chamber.

2 The gate to heaven is straight, and few find it, Mat. 7. 14. None know it of themselves, and of them that know it, few will endure the persecution, the sharpness, the self-denial, the mortification, the losses, the crosses, with which that straight way is strawed: the most will walk in the easy and broad way where is elbow-room, profits, pleasures, • applause of the world, and pleasing of a man's self,

3 The worth of grace and salvation, and the excellency of eternal life allows it not to be common to every idle hand. It is as a precious commodity, in the hands of a few: as pearls and jewels are so much more advanced in price, as they be harder to come by.

4 The true Church is the park of God, empaled from the rest of the world, or a garden enclosed, Cant▪ 4. 12. aparadice of God, not the wast of the world: a fold, not the field.

If it be objected, that the multitude of Abraham's seed are as the sands of the sea, innumerable, Gen. 15. 5. and, who can number the dust of Jacob, or the fourth part of Israel, as Num, 24 10. and that Zion shall abound with children, and many shall come from the East and West and sit down in the kingdom of God, Mat. 8. 11. and that John saw a multitude which none could number, of all nations, kindreds, tribes and tongues, that stood before the Lamb in white robes, Rev. 7. 9. To all these and like places,

I answer, That we must consider the Believers,

1 Simply, in respect of themselves, and the Church in respect of the several parts: and thus they are an innumerable multitude.

2 Comparatively, in respect of unbelievers, infidels, hypocrites, and reprobates: so they are few, and as an handful to a whole floor, a remnant to a whole piece, a spark to a great flame, a drop to a whole stream.

Therefore multitudes are no mark of the true Church, as Papists teach, but of Satan's Synagogue: neither the rule of our way, which is straighter then that the multitude walk in.

2 Be not offended with the fewness of the godly; compared with heaps of wicked men. The true Church is as a little wheat in an huge heap of chaff: as a little gold in a mountain of clay or dross: a gleaning after the harvest: a few berries after the vintage: And thus as it hath been, it will be, till the GOD of heaven have cast the god of the world into his own place.

Neither be offended that we teach them to be few: but rather quarrel with Christ and the Scripture from whom we so speak. For we stint not this number to a definite company, as some fondly say we do; this is their Arithmetic, neither ours nor the Scriptures. But a few there are, and as our text saith, But a remnant. Why wrangle they not with the Scripture that speaks but of one of a City, and two of a tribe? as it was then, it may be again. But let such stretch the way of heaven as wide as they can, yet will it be too strait for carnal men, and careless men, be they never so just and civil.

3. Let us strive earnestly to be of this little flock and remnant, and join rather with a few godly, then a multitude of sinners. Walk in the way of good mē, and though thy company be small, it shall be good: and suppose this sect be everywhere blasphemed, in court, in country, in markets and meetings, in pulpits and tavernes, yet one day thou shalt wish thyself of this small number, and be most unhappy that thou hast sorted with thy company which thou hast chosen, and now canst have no better.

4. If the true members of the Church be so few, never be daunted at the great shoales and number of Atheists, Epicures, Libertines, hypocrites, scorners, blasphemers, worldlings; not at the overspreading of Popery and Idolatry. We must not measure the Church by our senses; though few appear, yet there is a remnant; God will have seven thousand reserved whom Elias cannot see; Rom. 1. 1. 5. A few there be, who in heart and soul cleave to us, the benefit of whose prayers we enjoy.

5. If so few shall be saved, praise God that any believe, and that ever it was thy lott to be brought to the faith; seeing the Apostasy to Antichrist is so general; this is as great a mercy to thee, as in the great deluge one Noah to be saved, or in a raging fire in a City one house or one person to be saved.

Here is the first of the properties, by which the small remnant is described; where,

• 1. What it is to keep the Commandments.
• 2. How the godly keep them.

The keeping is either Legal, or Evangelical.

Legal is the perfect and personal observation of the whole Law, in the whole man, in all things, at all times: Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments: Thus only Christ since the fall kept the Commandments, and we shall in heaven. This is not here meant.

Evangelical is that acceptable obedience to the Law, which the Gospel enjoineth upon Believers. To understand this, know,

1. That the Gospel being not to abolish, but to establish the Law, is not satisfied unless the Believer bring such a perfect and absolute obedience as the Law requireth: Only this being impossible to the infirmity of flesh, it is satisfied that we bring it not in our own person as the Law requires, but in the person of our surety, made by God our righteousness.

2. And because the grace of the Gospel allows us not to be careless, or idle in the work of the Lord, it enjoins on every Believer a conscionable and constant endeavor of keeping all the Commandments of God, even in our own persons, in way of gratitude and thankfulness.

3. And lest the godly should be discouraged by the sense of their own imperfections and failings in performance, seeing themselves at best but unprofitable servants, for their encouragement & quickening, the Gospel calleth that endeavor and strife in obedience (being cheerful and sincere) A keeping of the Commandments; because it is accepted of God as perfect; the person being in Christ, in whom all defect and imperfection is covered.

But how do the godly keep the Commandments?

In just conditions, and in sure and safe coffers.

The conditions are four. They keep them,

1. Vndiminished; God hath betrusted them with his whole law, and they set all the law of God before them, and have respect to all the Commandments; they be no Papists to strike out the second Commandment, or any other: They know the Commandments are linked and chained together, as a band of ten clauses, break one and the whole band is forfeited.

2. Vnmingled; not blending the Lord's sweet wine with puddle water of human fancies: This remnant care not for the additions, traditions and commandments of men, but hold them close to the Commandments of God. They pollute not themselves with the abominations of Popery, superstition and Idolatry, but shut their ears against the determinations of Churches, Councils, Fathers, Popes, contrary to God's commandments; yea, ifan Angel should bring any other doctrine, they would pronounce him accursed.

3. Vnviolate; defending, propagating, maintaining the commandments of God, without wavering or halting between two opinions: They hold them not as luke-warm Laodiceans, but steadfastly & immovably; they hold fast the faithful word as their life, Pro. 4. 13. As Naboth, they will not lose a foot of their birthright.

4. Vnspotted; adorning and beautifing the truth in all things, by conforming their lives to the Commandments of God.

These are the conditions.

In sure Coffers also do the remnant keep the Commandments.

1. Of a firm memory; Luke 2. 51. Mary 〈◊〉 and pondered the things in her heart: Psal. 119. 16. I will not forget thy word: And this sanctification of memory sanctifies the whole man.

2. Of a faithful and believing heart; for faith mingled with the Word giveth rooting, and so continuace: This was Abraham's Coffer, in which he laid the promises, and neither delay, nor deadness of Sarah's womb, nor conflict of contrariety, or impossibility could rob him of them.

3. Of a sound and loving affection of the soul; love is a safe and faithful keeper; things that we love we will hold fast: Oh love I thy law, saith David! such love is stronger than death, no water can quench it.

4. Of holy practice in the whole life; bewrayed in three things,

1 In professing a good profession, as Christ before Pilate, holding forth the word of life.

2 In promoting and defending to our power all good things and persons in their conformity to the law: a good man preserves the law, as well as observes it.

3 In suffering for good things, and sealing (if we be called) the truth with our blood.

Next let us inquire, how we may show ourselves of this remnant, and know our • elves to be keepers of the Commandments. The Markes are these.

1 If we do all from within: for all obedience to the law must flow from a pure heart, the end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart, Psal, 119. 2. Keepers of his testimonies seek him with their whole heart. If we hear, we hear with an honest heart, Luk. 8. 15. If we pray, we pour not out words, but our souls, as Hanna. If we praise, we call all that is within us to praise him, Psal. 103. 1, 2. If we preach, we are fervent in spirit, as Apollos. If we receive the Sacrament, it is with examination of our hearts. As the clock moves from the spring within it self, so is the motion of a good man to the law from within, not from without.

2 If we do all by our rule: holding the truth for the truths sake. The word is called a lantern, and the commandment a light, and obedience to the commandment a coming to the light, that our works may be manifest, first to ourselves, and then to others, that they are according to God, John. 3. 21. This argues a secret disciple, silently denying his own and acknowledging God's wisdom, holiness, and sovereignty. An artificer that would have his work approved, must not coble it up any way, but do all by rule and line, and square: so here, in all things make truth thy guide.

3 If we easily depart not from the commandment, but stick to it,

First, in all things, even the least as the greatest: In commandments against thy profits, the Saints endured the spoiling of their goods, Heb. 10. and Abraham to fly out of his country. In commandments dangerous, as Daniel and his fellows, and the Martyrs. In commandments most irksome, as Abraham in killing his son.

Secondly, in all times; not as the Galatians who ran well, but desisted: but with constancy, as one that hath begun soundly and wisely.

Thirdly, in all places, at home and abroad, in the house, and walking by the way, Dan 6. 7. in God's house, in thine own house, in other men's houses, never laying aside the Commandment.

Fourthly, among all persons and companies, high as well as low, and before the meanest Christian as the greatest. Hold the commandment among the wicked as among the godly, so did Lot.

This is the third note.

4 If we willingly endure to be examined and tried. A good man can endure the conviction and trial of God's Ministers, as Peter did Paul's, Gal. 2. 14. David Nathan's, 2 Sam. 12. Eli Samuel's, 1 Sam. 3. But Saul, Ahab, Amaziah, Felix, will abide no trial. A sign they have not kept the commandment. Yea a good man will try himself, and examine himself whether he be in the faith, 2 Cor. 13. 5, and will come to the light, to judge himself: Nay more, he will desire God himself the Judge to try him, Psal. 26. 1, 2. and is glad that it is the Lord that will and must examine and judge him, 1 Cor. 4. 4.

5 He earnestly loves others that keep the commandments of God. His soul cleaveth to the Saints he doth them all the good he can: he speaks to God for them: as Elisha prayed for the mother and the child, and Paul for the Ephesians: he speaks to man for them, in their defense, as Hester for the Jews, David for Jonathan, Nicodemus for Christ. He speaks to themselves and to their hearts, for their comfort, strength, instruction, and encouragement. He never scorns nor reviles them, but honors them that fear the Lord.

6 He seeth in all he doth, his failings, and humbleth himself daily, and abhors himself in dust and ashes, as Job. chap. 42. 6. David that so resolutely kept the commandment dements, saw what a beast he was by his failings, Psal. 73. 22. Agur seeth himself more foolisher then any man, Prov. 30. 2. Paul after many a year striving and combat for the law in the inner man, complains what a miserable man he is, Rom. 7. 14. 24. how carnal he was, and sold under sin. Now this hastens us to Christ, and makes us watchful against corruptions, and still strive hard to the mark.

That we may be provoked to show ourselves of this remnant, by keeping the commandments of God, and abiding in the duty which the word commandeth, let us take these motives.

1 Keep the word, and it will keep thee: keep the name of Christ, and thou shalt be kept in his name, Pro. 2. 11. John. 17. 6. 11.

2 All the commandments of God are pure: the law is holy, just, and good, of the same nature, power, and justice as God himself, Psal, 119. 128. I esteem all thy statutes right, and hate all false ways. Yea all of them tend to perfection of holiness, as our Father is perfect.

3 In keeping them is great reward, Psal. 19. 11. The righteous are in some manner recompensed on earth: they enjoy a sweet peace with God, and in their consciences assured hope and precious promises; But their full and final reward is in heaven: Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that their right may be in the tree of life: and may enter through the gates into the City: If Solomon shall endeavor to keep the Commandments, God promiseth to establish him in a Kingdom: 1 Chron. 28. 7. On the same condition will he establish us in an eternal Kingdom of glory.

4 Obedience is the only true testimony of love to God: as the second commandment implies, In them that love me and keep my commandments. Measure thy love to God by the love of his commandments. Peter, lovest thou me? feed my lambes. He that keepeth my word, is he that loveth me, John. 14. 15. This makes the godly invincible in labor and sufferings, under rebukes, and evil report, and for all this they turn not aside, nor deal unfaithfully in the covenant. And there is no love lost: for their love upholding them in obedience, that obedience upholds them in God's love, as our Savior saith, John. 15. 10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love.

This is the second property of this remnant:

Where consider

• 1 What is this testimony of Jesus.
• 2 What it is to have it.

The testimony of Jesus is the word and Gospel of Jesus Christ: Rev. 1. 9. John was banished into Patmos for the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ: where one is expressed by the other. Now the Gospel is called the testimony of Jesus.

First, Because it is revealed by Jesus Christ: by him brought from the bosom of his Father, an hidden mystery to men▪ and Angels: none was worthy to open this book, but he: in which regard he is called the true and faithful witness, Rev. 1. 5.

Secondly, Because the subject of it is Christ, revealing Christ: the Gospel is the true faith and doctrine concerning salvation wrought: by Jesus Christ and him alone: Rom. 1. 2. concerning his Son, &c.

3 Because it was testified unto by Christ: not only by revealing it by his divine doctrine, but by his holy life, his mighty miracles, his faithful profession before the Jews, Pharisees, Pontius Pilate, the whole Council, and by his most innocent death; by which he set his seal to his testimony.

4 Because the end of it is Christ: it aims only at his glory, Act. 2. 36.

But what is it to have this testimony?

Answ. The phrase is taken two ways:

1 To have the Gospel, is to preach the Gospel: so John bare record of the testimony of Jesus, Rev. 1. 2. and most plainly, chap. 14. 10. I am thy fellowservant, and of those that have the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

2 To have the Gospel, is to profess the Gospel, to uphold and maintain it, to give witness unto it, and to hold it in life and death: as Rev. 20. 4. the souls of Martyrs beheaded for the testimony of Jesus. And so it is taken in this place. This remnant, as they abide in the duty which the word commandeth (for they keep the commandments) so they stick to the faith and doctrine which it teacheth, they hold it fast against all the slights and intrusions of the beast, or Antichrist, and testify unto it both by life and by death. The truth of the Gospel is an hold which Antichrist cannot win from the Saints.

Note hence, that the keeping of the commandments of God and having the testimony of Jesus must go together. 1 Tim. 1. 19. having faith and good conscience: and chap. 3. 9. holding the mystery of faith in pure conscience. For

1 The law and gospel, Christ and Moses, though in matter of justification before God they can never be reconciled, no more then most abhorring contraries, fire and water, light and darkness, yet in Christian conversation, profession, and practice they may never be divorced, there must be light within, and shining without.

2 In all Christian conversation we must join faith and love, 2 Tim. 1. 13. Because neither of these can stand alone: faith without love is dead, and love without faith is at best but Civility. Beside, all duties of love without faith are sin, and whatsoever we do without love, suppose suffering of martyrdom, is all nothing.

Papists then slander our doctrine, who say we teach only to believe, and destroy good works; we say contrarily with our Savior, what God hath joined together, let none put asunder. But they sunder what God hath joined, in that they pretend to magnify good works, and set up the law, but cast out the doctrine of faith, and preaching of Christ; insomuch as the word may not be had or read in a known tongue, neither in public nor private.

This also shows, that protestants disgrace the doctrine of grace, while they content themselves with a profession of faith, but are barren and fruitless in good works, of piety and mercy. Beware of the curse of the fruitless fig tree, that kept the ground barren: notwithstanding all the show and leaves

Again, note hence, who they be that the dragons wrath most aimeth at, and is bent against: such as keep the commandments, and have the faith of Jesus Christ: such as abide by the word, and will not be pulled aside by any imposture or delusion, And why?

1 He needs not war against conquered slaves, whom he hath pulled away already, The strong man hath the hold, and things are at peace, Beside, what have they to lose, who have already lost the faith and love of the Gospel, and with it their own salvation?

2 These are likest to Christ, and the residue of his body, who must be conformable to himself: he was a butt and sign of contradiction, in the days of his flesh, and is so still, being ascended, in the persons of his members; who are inspired by the same spirit, quickened with the same life, ruled by the same word, fight against the same enemies, and walk in the same steps to the same inheritance and Kingdom, whereof he is gone to take possession.

They have the word of faith in them, which the dragon most hateth as the greatest enemy of his kingdom. For being light, no marvel if the prince of darkness resist it. It is the sword of the spirit, which cuts off his temptations. Being a rule of righteousness, it is the sentence of his condemnation. No marvel then if he hate it and all that love it.

They have also the faith of truth, which he deadly hateth; as the shield which quencheth all fiery darts. It makes us so strong, as that the gates of hell cannot prevail. Only faith crosseth the dragon, getting power from Christ, and makes all God's Ordinances profitable, all weak obedience acceptable. And hath he not reason to seek to win this hold from us, seeing when the foundation is overthrown the building must fall, and the root overturned, the branches must wither?

Such therefore as set themselves to keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ, let them make account of the incessant malice and madness of the dragon. He never rests opposing those that will not be driven from the testimony. Some of them he casts into prison, some he tries by mockings and scourgings; some he follows with inward temptations, some with outward afflictions; some he lashes with the scourges of spiteful and lying tongues, and all he draws into what dangers he can. He is no wise Christian that makes not account of all the spite that the devil by wicked men can create him.

2 Take good notice, why wicked men make godly men their butt to shoot all deadly arrows against. If we believe them, they are heretics, schismatics, rebels, hypocrites, the vilest monsters of men: and so they harden themselves in impudency, as the devil himself is not more fowl and nimble in horrible lying and false accusing. But this scripture shows the just reason of the dragons hatred: it is because they keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus Christ: they cannot forsake their rule, to run with evil men into excesses, nor swim with the stream, nor enrich themselves by choking their consciences, nor cover or cast a mantle over men's sins, by their society, silence or the like practice, Let none of such as fear God, like themselves the worse, to hear themselves blasphemed by impudent and shameless sinners: For as these must do it being ruled by the devil, so they must suffer it being ruled by God.

3 Let men fear to persecute and blaspheme the remnant of the faithful, and obedient Christians, who will not yield to Antichristian devises, nor depart from their own rule: Or else blame not the word for charging them to be his brats, whose practice and language they here see it to be: as Christ told the Jews, John. 8. you are of your father the devil, his works you do. When the enemies of God's Church cast the Saints into prison, the devil doth it. Rev. 2. 10. When Judas comes to betray, the soldiers to apprehend, false witnesses to accuse, Jews to scorn and mock, the prince of the world comes in them, John. 14. 30.

This of the second note.

3 If we would know ourselves of this remnant, we must find this property, that we keep the testimony of Jesus Christ. Tit. 1. 9. we must hold fast the faithful word. And the reasons are many.

1 We had need so do, having so many with-holders; the dragon pulls it from us by temptation, the beast by persecution, the wicked by scorns and derision: all would pull us from our hold, and then were we easily conquered.

2 Our love to Christ commands it. By holding the testimony we hold Christ himself. Search the Scriptures, they witness of me, John. 5. 39. The object of the word is Jesus, the use of it to testify of Christ.

3 The truth must be firmly held: as is said, Buy the truth and sell it not: it is true, and testified by truth it self, who is the mighty God and cannot lie.

4 It is the sure evidence of our salvation, of our heavenly inheritance, a saving testimony▪ because it is the testimony of Jesus: Rev. 1. 3. blessed is he that readeth, heareth, and keep it: not meritoriously, as if he therefore merited salvation: but as it is an instrument of God, and directive, appointed as a rule to guide us unto salvation. Now as men look up their evidences in sure and safe places, delight often to read them, suffer no man to cozen them of them; whatsoever casually comes, these shall be by all possible means safe-guarded: so ought we much more here, without which we have no assurance or tenure to one foot in heaven.

Beware therefore of being ashamed of this testimony, being the testimony of Jesus Christ; as many be, and let it go,

First, for the contrariety of the doctrine to nature and natural courses.

Secondly, for the plainness and simplicity of it; for Christ came from heaven to bring this doctrine, which all the skill of Men and Angels could not reach.

Thirdly, for the crosses and afflictions that attend it, being the word of the cross.

Fourthly, for the infirmity of professors; which makes many, both Preachers and hearers, ashamed of the sincerity and strictness of it.

Beware also of Apostasy from the truth. The mark of a Believer is, to have the testimony, not to have had it. It is a misery to say, Fuimus Troes, I was a Protestant, I was a professor of religion, &c.

And beware of scorning, hindering, persecuting the truth, which is most contrary to this of the remnant. Each of these is a brand of a wicked man, in whom the spirit of the dragon breathes.

This of the third note.

4 The calling of ever Christian is, to be a witness to Jesus Christ. Heb. 12. 1, being compassed with such a cloud of witnesses: that is, the godly who witnessed the truth, and to whom the Scripture witnessed that by their faith they pleased God, Esa. 43. 9, 10. Ye are my witnesses.

This witness is either inward, or outward.

The former is by the inward faith and affection of the soul, by which we give strongest testimony to Jesus Christ, that he is the only Lord and husband of his Church, our Immanuel, the redeemer of his Church, the savior of his body, and that he hath fully and perfectly fulfilled all righteounesse; by the merit and virtue whereof the Church in general, and myself in special a believing member, shall obtain salvation. True faith is the most real testimony to Jesus Christ, that can be. For this is, to set to his seal that God is true, John 3. 33. namely in his word and covenant, concerning salvation by Jesus Christ. And he that believeth, hath the witness in himself, 1 John 5. 10. Faith brings in the spirit of God, and his office is to witness unto Christ, and to acquaint us with the things given us of God, And that spirit, to which the spirit of God giveth witness, will hold to the truth witnessed in him; if all the world, and power of earth and hell would witness against him. What an honest man hath set his seal to, he will never be driven off it: but by his faith he hath set his seal to the truth and testament of Jesus Christ.

Outwardly the Believer witnesseth to Christ three ways.

1 By profession and confession of the mouth: Rom. 10. 10. with the mouth we confess to salvation: that is, give clear witness to all the doctrine concerning the nature, person, offices and benefits of Jesus Christ, and that we rest and lean on him only for salvation.

2 By practice of life, beseeming the faith of Christ: for this is a witness, that Christ liveth in us, moveth in us, ruleth in us, and that we live not henceforth, but Christ liveth in us, Gal. 2. 20.

3 By passion and suffering for Christ and his holy religion: for martyrs and witnesses are all one: Acts 22. 20. Paul calls Steven Christ's witness: and, Rev. 2. 13. Antipas that faithful witness was slain. And not only the suffering of the pains of death, but inferior persecutions, by scourgings of hand or tongue, or scornings, is a witnessing to Christ in the lower degrees of Martyrdom.

Object. Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the testimony of any man. John. 5. 33.

Answ. Christ is true God, and his truth is the truth of God, infallible, more certain and firm then all men's testimony. And it were very unworthy, that infinite should need finite, or infallible should need fallible, or that the author of truth should need authority from men. In this sense Christ neither needeth nor receiveth the witness of any man, as necessary to himself, or for his own part: but that they might be saved; partly for the weakness of men, who cannot come to understand divine things without men's testimony or ministry; and partly for their salvation, which by men he promoteth: He useth John's witness, and calleth for the witness of the meanest believer.

Now the reasons why everyone of the remnant must give witness to Christ, are these:

1 Nothing that we can do, can more honor God and Jesus Christ, then this: Rom. 4. 21. Abraham was strong in faith, and gave glory to God. What or wherein can we give greater glory to God, then when our faith giveth him a witness of his great power, truth, and goodness, even contrary to sense and reason, as Abraham did?

2 Nothing can more honor ourselves, then to be vouchsafed witnesses to God, testifying his truth, and the excellency of God's holy religion, both in word and conversation. Were it not a great honor for a great Prince to call a mean subject to be a witness on his side for the opening of a truth that nearly in honor concerns him? But this honor have all the Saints; it being the office and function of the whole Church, to be the ground and pillar of truth, the upholder and maintainer of that truth which upholdeth the honor of God himself. What an honor was it, that the Lord called in the whole Church of the Jews to be witnesses on his side? Esa. 43. 10. against all the heathens, to testify of his Omniscience, in predictions of things to come which their gods could not do; and of his Omnipotency in admirable works done for them in the wilderness, in the sea, in the land; of his singular goodness and providence in innumerable mercies, wherein they were advanced above all people of the earth. Did the Lord need them to witness? no, but it was their honor to be vouchsafed such grace, that whereas all the heathens witnessed to their idols, they of all people on the earth witnessed and celebrated the great and noble acts of God done among them.

3 Nothing makes us liker to Christ our head, that true and faithful witness: this was his special office, to witness the truth as the redeemer of mankind, and the author of truth, John. 18. 37. For this cause was I borne, and came into the world, that I might testify of the truth. Even so every member of Christ is borne into the Church, and cometh into the world of Believers, to give witness unto the truth, as being taught in the truth, and as the redeemed of the Lord.

4 As nothing can make us liker to God, so nothing is better pleasing unto God. God the Father hath often and sundry ways testified unto his Son.

First, Sensibly and audibly, in his baptism, and transfiguration also, that he was the son of his love, who had all his love cast upon him.

Secondly, By the internal revelation of his Spirit, in the hearts of believers, as to Peter, Mat. 16. 17 Flesh and blood hath not revealed this, but my Father in heaven.

Thirdly, and especially by the mission & ministry of the Son himself: John. 3. 33. he that receiveth his testimony, fealeth that God is true: for he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God. If we desire to be like God, or to please God, we must herein imitate him as dear children.

Which serves for the reproof of such as are afraid or ashamed of this testimony: contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 8. Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Many will not testify to Christ among poor men, some because great men resist it; some are afraid of the strictness of it, some of the crosses, some of the scorns of it; and most, because this witness would witness against their own contrary courses: and men of little faith are dejected in small matters. But such Christ will be ashamed of in the day of his appearing, and shall witness against them that he never knew them.

Such also are condemned, as do contest against the witnessing of Christ. The world is full of false witnesses, such as were suborned against Christ: as

First, all false teachers that father that on Christ, which he never spake; as Papists or others that deny, any article of faith and Christian Religion: so the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not again, we are false witnesses. So to teach the doctrine of man's merit of free-will to good, image-worship, or the like, is to be a false witness against Christ himself.

Secondly, all unbelievers that receive not this testimony: whether such as scorn to hear the witnesses of Christ (if they dislike the person, they will none of the witness; loath to drink good wine, because they like not the dish) or such as hear sometime, but believe not the witness; this infidelity makes God a liar, so far as a wicked man can, 1 John. 5. 11.

Thirdly, such as contest against his witnesses, to elevate their testimony: for, as in the days of his flesh there wanted not such as witnessed against himself in person, that he was a drunkard, a devil, a friend to Publicans and sinners, an enemy to Caesar, a blasphemer; so for the same end, to weaken the authority of his witnesses, there never wanted such as would witness against Job, that he was an hypocrite, that Paul was a pestilent fellow, a moover of sedition, a preacher of false doctrine, unworthy to live And can the devil devise so foul accusations, or so slanderous, which his agents will not boldly urge against the witnesses of Christ, to whose innocence & godliness God himself witnesseth?

This also serveth to comfort,

1 Poor Christians, despised in the world: God honors the poorest Believer, to be a witness to his truth: and a poor man's testimony is as good even in men's Courts, as a rich: but much more before God's tribunal.

2 Such as suffer for this testimony losses, reproaches, and the contempt of the world. Even we lovingly respect such as suffer for their love to us in upholding our truth and innocence: and much more doth the Lord: see the promise for encouragement. Mat. 19. 29.

It is also a word of instruction: that we frame and fit ourselves to this witness.

Quest. How may that be?

Answ. To a good testimony is required a good witness, and to a good witness must concur these five things.

1 Knowledge and certain persuasion of the truth, to which we are to testify. When Christ was to raise up witnesses to the truth of the Gospel, he would have them his own domestickes, to be with him, to be eye-witnesses, and ear-witnesses of all he did or spake: so as they were to deliver nothing but of their certain knowledge, the things they had heard and seen and handled; 1 John. 1. 1. So as ignorant persons that care not for the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel, are as fit to witness to Christ, as a blind man to judge of colors.

2 For this knowledge and persuasion, because it must be from a divine teacher, as the thing witnessed is, we must not content ourselves with the report of men, or an human apprehension of the matters of religion, but be sure we have the spirit of God inwardly to teach us: for the natural man cannot discern the things of God: John. 15. 26. When the Comforter shall come, he shall testify of me, and ye shall witness also: but not before they have received the Spirit.

3 Faithfulness & sincerity: to testify the truth only, & the whole truth. A man of integrity is a fit witness in this great cause of Christ. Many profess o • e thing & practice another: have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it. These are unfaithful and disgraceful witnesses, that say & unsay; a discredit to the cause, a shame to themselves: Their word and witness goes for nothing: men's tribunalls cast out such witnesses with disgrace, much more the Lord's.

4 Plainnesse and opennesse: that men may know, what they witness: that their testimony may be an evidence: not to fumble, or flatter, or blanch the truth. Ministers must explain the Testament of Christ, and speak plainly that Christ by it gives nothing but to his friends and kindred, to his mother, brethren, sisters, even such as hear the word and keep it: that he bequeathed the inheritance to the sanctified, not the profane; that pearls are not cast to swine; that howsoever wicked ones will scrape acquaintance with Christ at this day, and at the day of judgment, for that they were just, sober, charitable, civil, harmless, yea beyond many of us in their civil entertainments of Christ, yet shall they not be found in the genealogy, are not of the house of faith, nor of the blood of Christ.

5 Courage and boldness to stand to their witness. Pilate gave a good testimony of Christ his innocence, but wanting courage he went against his own testimony. Now this courage is necessary,

First, to stand out against numbers of false witnesses. One Elias must stand against four hundred false Prophets: the Apostles against the whole Council, Act. 5. 32.

Secondly, to contemn the wrath of the adverse part, armed with fury and madness against them; Act. 5. 33. they brust for anger, and consulted.

Thirdly, to abate the madness of adversaries: as did the courage of the disciples, having the better end of the staff, Act. 16. 39. the magistrates came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the City.

Motives thus to give witness to Jesus Christ.

1 All creatures, even the unreasonable, witness to the glory of God. Act. 14. 17. he left not himself without witness, in that he gave rain and fruitful seasons. If we should hold our peace, the very stones would cry.

2 It is so honorable a service, as the Angels themselves desire to stoop and bow unto it, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Even they affectionately long and desire to behold and witness the spiritual riches of the Church by Jesus Christ. The faces of the Cherubims were always upon the Ark: they could never look enough, nor with admiration enough, upon the affairs of the Church. How ready and faithful have they been on these errands and messages? &c.

3 To faithful witnesses God witnesseth, that he is their God, as the Patriarchs, Heb. 11. 16. he is not ashamed to be called their God,

4 Professors and slaves of Antichrist are bold to witness their false faith, with resolution of mind, danger of body, loss of goods, lands, liberty, and life: and shall Christ's servants be ashamed in his testimony?

5. The Saints have not counted their lives dear to them, nor loved them to the death for Christ's sake, as we have seen on Verse 11. He is a very Jade that will not follow a free Leader.

6. The season and time invites it: If men will not now witness to Christ in the days of truth and protection, what will they do in the fiery trial? for what days do so many conceal their resolution? why do so many desire rather to be counted wise, than religious?

These words belong not to this Chapter, but to the next vision; neither read in the first person, He stood, that is the dragon (as some read) on the sand, that is, on a sandy and mouldering foundation, or on a multitude of wicked men, as the sand: but in the first person, I stood, that is, I stood in vision on the sand, to see the beast rising out of the sea; so as the words are a transition to the vision of the beast in the next Chapter.

So I have by the grace of God finished this task and text, which hath notably suited with the occurrences of these latter times, and seasonably met with the present occasions and state of the Churches, at home and abroad. I will not go forward in this mystical book; for in this chapter I have led you into the heart and kernel of the whole book; and given not a dark light to the whole: Besides, you love variety, and myself aim at some other plainer doctrine.

AN ALPHABETICALL Table of the chief things contained in the foregoing EXPOSITION.

A
• Accusations of the godly, in things true and false. pag. 553
  • The godly lie open to all manner of false accusation and why, 561
  • False accusation the nearest and expressest image of the devil, 571
  • Disswasions • rom it, 577 How to fence our selves against it, 582
• Accusers of the godly shall one day have their mouths stopped, 588
• Actions that are good, studiously hindered by Satan, 157
• Blemished two ways, 161 Affect men differently, as they differ in good or evil, 673
• Afflictions of the Church may be long and grievous, 325
• how long and short too, 326
• Agreement of disagreeing enemies, against the Church, 130
• Angels • ignifie any servants & soldiers of Christ, 342
  • Resemble them, 347
  • What the good Angels do for the children of God, 345
• Antichrist arising is the great wrath of the dragon, demonstrated, 693
  • By what stairs he arose, 739
  • Time of his reign •• cording to Papists, confuted, 786
  • His wars come of the dragons wrath, Reas. 828
• Antichristianism, an universal heresy, 699
  • Worse then temporal enemies, three ways, 700
  • Effects of it far worse, 703
• Apology for our innocence, needful, 586
• Armo • of God, taken frō us, or turned against us, 171
• Assaults and stratage • s of Satan against the Saints, 168

B
• Be busy more and more for grace & goodness, reas. 726
• Beast, that Antichrist, noted and described, 820
• Beginning of good: watched by Satan, to hinder it, 248
• Benefits of receiving Christ and his truth, 688
• Birth of children in nature and grace, how they are alike, 92
  • The spiritual far better then the natural, 97
  • Appears in five things, 110
  • Effected with pain, four reasons, 118
  • Hinderances of the new birth, 120
  • Resolue to go through all, 124. motives, 125
• Body of Christ, threefold, 300
• Blood of Christ, how we overcome by it, 605
  • How all our enemies are overcome by it, 606
  • Answers all objections for us, 607
• Bootlesse to struggle against the truth, or Church, 782
• Brethren, several sorts, 554
  • All brethren, that profess Christ, and how, 555
  • Mockers & enemies taxed, 559
• Brotherly love commended to Christians, 557
  • motives, ibid.
  • Objectiōs answered, 558
  • Conditions of it, 559

C
• Callings, general and special, disordered, 174
• Censure not everyone that is accursed, 568
• Christ: cleave to him, in person, affection, affliction, 19
  • Depend on him for direction, protection, provision, 20
  • Honor him, 22
  • Please him, six ways, 23
  • More excellent then the world, and so esteemed of the godly, 68
  • Receiued into us, how, 455
• Church: six privileges of it, as Christ's Spouse, 25
  • What her crown is, 77
  • How it continues, 78
  • How on her head, 79
  • See more, 219
  • A fruitful mother of children unto God, 95
  • Mother-church, which, 98
  • Popish notes, disproved, 99
  • Five true notes, avowed, 104
  • Markes of true children of the Church, 110
  • Sorts of them, 4. 271
  • Safe ever by the salvation of God, 508
  • Not always glorious, but always safe, 768
  • In hardest times, assuredly fed and provided for, 777
• Comming of Christ expels Satan, 444
  • Why, and how, 446
• Conclusions about the churches visibility. 297
• Consolation in the great power of Christ, 538
• Conversion: casts out every devil, why and how, 471
• Courage necessary for great
  • performances, 279
  • Motiues to it, 280
  • Means, 281
• Crown of Christ: set & hold it on his head, 222
  • Crown & Princedom of Satan, what, how, wherein: 200
• Cruelty in the devil and his instruments, 142
  • Whence, and why permitted, 144

D
• Dangers, what to do in them 812
• Days put for years, 321
• Death of Christ, how necessary, 537
• Deceiue the world how, 411
• Delight in earth, discovered to be predominant, four notes, 13
• Desert, what in this Chapter, 292
• Despair not of the worst, 452
• Despise life and all for Christ, why and how, 624
  • Meditations and practices, 632
• Differences of God's working, and Satan, in the same action, 733
• Disgrace put upon good actions, 162
• Disloyalty taught by Popish religion, 533
• Devil called a dragon in four respects, 127
  • So are also his instruments, 128
  • Why comprised here in the name of one dragon, 128. 129
  • Notes of him cast out, 431
  • Motiues to cast him out, 454
  • Means, 455
• Dragon: emblem of persecuting Princes, why, 129
  • Defeated many ways, 242
  • Means to overcome him, 736
  • Not cast out till Christ & his Gospel come, 425
  • Ouercome, not only by Christ, but by Christians, 599
  • Dominion exercised among wicked men only, 439

E
• Eagles wings, what they are, 758
• Ease in our Christian profession, not comfortable, 339
• End of magistracy, what, and wherein, 289
• Enemies of Christ, who, 530
  • Enemies of the godly have four chief sins in their oppositions, 566
  • Enemies of the Church shall be finally destroyed four reasons: 390
  • Enemies spiritual overcome by the power of Christ in us: 550
• Enterprise of wicked enemies bootless, 465
• Entertaine Christ & his truth: motives, means, lets, 686
• Euili actions, how by Satan put forward, 166
• Exorcisme, to dispossess a devil: 449
• Expect floods of opposition and persecution: 804

F
• Faith our victory, how, 606
  • Faiths power, wherein bewrayed, 548
• False fears, what mischief to the Christian combatant, 178
• Families: how the devil is cast out of them, 258
• Fence against the devil, how, 407
• Fidelitie to God and the Church, requisite, exemplified: 7. 8
• Fight against Christ. how the wicked do so, 357
  • Notes of them, 362
• Flight of Satan, sometimes feigned, 175
  • Flight of the Church, what, when, how: 752
  • How from the face of the dragon: 766
• Floods of waters signify afflictions, and why: 793
  • Out of the dragons mouth, three sorts of them: 795
• Fly in persecution, when lawful, and not lawful: 619. 765
• Food for the soul, what, and how certain, 781
• Friendship pretended to deceive, 153
• Frustrate & Fruitlesse, how good things are made to be, 164

G
• Garment: of Saints is Christ, for necessity, ornament, distinction: 39
  • Better then the other in five respects, 42
  • How put on, 43
  • Motiues to put it on, 46
  • and that continually, 49
  • Express the shining of it, 50
  • Not disgrace it on others 52
  • Keep it clean, why, how, and who offend, 54
• God saveth his Church by means, though he could without them, 759
  • gives sufficient means, 760
• Godliness: wherein the power of it is seen, 549
• Good gifts, how given to evil men, 149
• Great adversaries of the Church, 136
  • Great helps against them 138
  • Great encouragements likewise, 140

H
• Happiness of Christians cannot be prevented, nor discontinued, 30
  • nor a whit prejudiced by any enemies, 467
• Hatred in wicked ones against the good unknown, or unseen, five Reasons, 824
• Hearing of the word, hindered by Satan, 169
• Hell: why the devil is not confined to it, 437
• Help ever afforded to the Church in the greatest persecutions, Reas. 811
  • Many times when she least expects it, four Reasons, 814
• Heaven: the Church militant so called, 5. and 642
  • True Christians already in heaven, how: 8
  • Many therefore no true members of the Church, 12
• Heresy more hateful to the Church, then tyranny, 755
  • Heresies drunk up of the earth, how, 807
• Horns, what they signify, 186 Horned beasts against the Church, that is, hurtful men, 188

I
• Jesuits and other Papists impudent in false accusations, 574
• Impotency of Satan in doing mischief, 238
• Instances of Satan near us, or standing before us, 254
• Instructions by consideration of Christ's power, 542
• Instruments of special good, fitted of God thereunto, 276
  • Instruments of the devil: notes of them, 355
  • cast out together with himself, 460
  • How, seeing they prevail so much, 462
  • Impudent and instant in false accusations, 569
  • Markes of them, 572
• Joy: none but the godly called to it, and why, 643
  • Joy of Heaven must now be expressed, and how that may be, 649
  • How heavenly & earthly joys, may stand together, 655
• Join all in fight against Satan, 344
• Judgment-day, signs of it, shown in the coming of Antichrist, 695

K
• Keys: a sign of power, and in Christ's hand, 426
• Kingdom of God, what, and how it flourisheth, 509
  • Kingdom of Antichrist resembled by Egypt, how. 697

L
• Lamb: Christ so called, why, what use, 603
  • Lamentable estate of wicked men 352
• Law and terrors needful to the best, 659
• Legal and Evangelical keeping of the commandments, 835
  • conditions of keeping of them, 836
  • sure coffers to keep them 837
  • marks of them that keep aright, 837
  • motives, 840
• Lets of receiving Christ & his truth, 689
• Lessons to be learned, of Satan, to redeem time, 723
• Life, how it may be loved, 617
• Light skirmishes get the devil great advantages, 176
• Love of Christ, which will hold out to the death, four notes of it, 631
  • Love the godly unseen, and how, 828
• Luther: where the Church was before his time: 303, & 771
• Lying signs and wonders, why, 412

M
• Magistrates must resemble God in four things, 286
• Manchild: Christ like it, not the same, 261
  • Constantine, with the like, so called, 266 collectively, reasons, 267
• Martyrs overcome the Dragon, and others too, with three qualities, 618
  • how in suffering they overcome, 622
• Means to a void the Dragons wrath, 708
• Michael: notes Christ, 341
• Ministers: stars in the Church, 81
  • must resemble stars, how, and wherein, 82
  • motives to ministerial duties, 84
  • dignity, duty, end, and comfort of a good Minister, 122, & 225
  • must preach woes as well as comforts, 656, reasons, 657
  • objections removed, 658 who blame worthy, 663
• Ministry, though sharp, must be endured, motives, 668
• Modesty commended. 7
• Moon: resembles the world in four things, 62
  • must be kept below Christ, both the best and worst of the world, 65
  • for five reasons, 66
  • must be held with four cautions, 67
  • notes of one, whom the world hath overcome, 75
  • and one that hath the moon under his feet, 77
• Mourne to see God's Kingdom opposed, or not enlarged,
• Multitude no sure note of the Church, 414

N
• No news to see the Church gored and persecuted, 193
  • No calling or condition can secure a good man from opposition, 253
  • No prevailing against the Church, 365. objections answered, 369
  • No easy thing to be a Christian, 627
  • yet many make such account, four sorts, 629
• Notes of one seduced of the devil, 421
  • Notes of one lying under the Dragons power, or wrath, 705
  • Notes of one whose place shall not be found among Saints, 398
  • Notes of one prevailing against the Dragon, 377
  • and of one, in whom the Dragon prevails, 379
• Number of ten implies perfection, 188
  • Number of true enemies to Antichrist, small, four reasons, 831

O
• Occasions for Satan to take advantage at us, 155
• Offence not to be taken at the Apostasy of Ministers or others, 237
• Order our desires and conditions, how, 750

P
• Patience needful, 221
• Peace, how affirmed of the Church, 333
• Persecutor one in all ages, how, what use, 731
• Persecution from whom to be expected, 735
  • inevitable to the Church, why, what use, 736
  • even by Christian Emperors, twofold, 739
  • sometimes hindered by earthly occasions, 809
• Personal reproof, necessary, 666
• Popes headship ever withstood, 776
• Power of Christ, twofold, 527
  • his power, as Mediator, superior to all created power, 528
  • how discerned to be in us, 545
• Praise God for the overthrow of the Churches enemies, 477
  • Objections answered, 478, 479
  • conditions, means, and motives, 485
• Preaching, why resisted as it is, 450
  • who condemn tart
  • preaching, 665
  • their sin, 666
• Prepare for adversity, or flight into the wilderness, 304
• Prevent it, how, 308
• Profaneness: in preferring the world before Christ, 69
  • helps against it, 70
  • motives, 71
• Prosperity of the Church sends it into a wilderness, how, 293
  • use it warily, 307
  • hurts more then persecution, how, why, 340
  • ill fruits of it, 743
  • no note of the Church, 737
• Profession of religion: practices of it, to cast out Satan, 457
• Providence: God feeds his in greatest scarcity, and why, 316
• Protectors of the Church: be such, three means, 275

Q
• Questions of the spiritual combat, two, 254

R
• Reinerius the Inquisitors testimony of the Waldenses, 774
• Rejoice to see God's Kingdom of grace prevail, 510
  • Rejoice in spiritual conquests, and temporal, 483
• Recusants should consider four things, 710
  • their pitiful case, 712
• Religious courses thought uncomfortable, and why, 648
• Repent and get out of security, 675
• Repiners at the Churches prosperity, no true Christians, 490 & 513
• Revenge on the contempt of the Gospel; instances, 682
• Restlesse malice of Satan & his instruments, though crossed, why, 800
• Romish religion cruel, therefore false, 146
  • Romish Church called a woman, why, 15
  • no true Church, for that she giveth salvation to others then God, 500

S
• Saints on earth have Kingly dignity, and how, 84
  • must be thankful, cheerful, and live as Princes, 87
  • and not lose their crown, what, 90
• Salvation: wholly from God, to the Church, and members, 494
  • give him all the glory, 497
• Satan, an enemy to whom 405
  • cast out by Christ, and his members, how, 424
  • cannot hinder the birth and rising of excellent instruments, 269
  • his chief aim is, to throw down such instruments, 232
  • prevent him, 235
  • pray for such, 236
• Seduction, how to be avoided, 417
• Serpent, an emblem of the devil, 403
• Sharper assalts are the shorter, why, what use, 720
• Sins, as signs of wrath toward a Church, 308
• Slanders of Papists against the doctrine and life of Protestants, 797
  • how dried up of the earth, 808
• Soldiers of Christ, why used by him, 343
• Subjection to Magistrates, 283
• Subtilty of the devil and his instruments, 149
  • instances, 152
  • comforts against it, five 184
• Superiors instructed to humiliy, moderation, and mercy, 560
• Sun: Christ resembled by it, for affects and effects, 36
  • but far better, 36
  • so admire him, rejoice in him, be thankful for him, imitate him, and walk as beseems him, four ways, 36, &c.
• Stars of the Churches fall to the earth, three ways, 226
  • yet not all, why, 231

T
• Tayle of the Dragon, what, and who, 228
• Terror by Christ's power for Christ's enemies, 530
• Testimony: God's word, how Christ's, and ours, 610
  • why the testimony of Jesus, 841
  • testify to the Gospel, four ways, 610
  • motives, 616
• Thanks to be given for clearing our innocence, 595
  • how to be expressed. 597
• Thrones and rulers are of God, 286
• Treason taught among Papists, not Protestants, 285
• Trial of religion, persons, and places, whether for Christ, or no, 429
• Time, times, & half, what 785
  • Time of Antichrist short, how, 715
  • Time of Satan's rage in any mischief, determinate, why, what use, 718 & 791. foretold, why 784
• Turk not so pernicious as Antichrist, 839

V
• Valor of Christians in 2 things, 89
• Victory: triumph after it, not before, three reasons, 639
  • who faulty, 640
• Visibility and outward splendor no note of the Church, 207. and 294 & 770. objections answered, 299
• Visions: kinds, differen. & reas. 3, 4,
• Vnhappy are the wicked, while the godly are happy & rejoice, 671
• Unity no note of the Church, 132 what unity to preach, ibid. and practice, 133

W
• Waite for deliverance out of trouble and how, 496
• Walk wisely as well as warrantably, 182
• Watch in prosperity, with directions, 747
• Watch against Satan, three rules, 251
• Warfare of the Church on earth, 335
• Want of temporals: comforts against it, 779
• Weapons of Antichrist, spiritual and temporal, 822
• Where Christ may not prevail, the devil shall, reas. 679
• Wicked men uphold the devils crown & dignity, described, 105 they cannot safely rejoice, 645
• Wicked companionship to be forsaken, 474
• Wilderness, or sad estate, the estate of the Church, 295
• comfort & contentment in it, 306
• Wings of the woman, what, why, whence, 756
• Wisdom of the serpent in four things, 179. means to get it five, 182. practice of it, 183
• Witnesses: who the two witnesses are, 315
• Withstand Satan, six rules, 258
• Wives duties to their husb. 18. &c.
• Wizards: no good Christian, that seeks to them, 506
• Woe, what note it is, 6 • 6
• Woman: the Church militant so called, 16, 17
• Word of God: by it we overcome spiritual enemies, how, 611
  • treachery of Papists, disarming us of it, 613. word neglected or despised, leaves wicked sinners, 614
• World must not get our affections, conformity, patronage, 14

Y
• Youth taxed for slipping their time 723

Z
• Zeal & meekness, how to be tempered in Ministers & others, 661

ERRATA.

Pag. 14. read, it lieth in wickedness p. 38. r let the light make us ashamed, p. 75 r. in the full, and all is gone, p. 103. r. personal and doctrinal and they have not the succession of Peter, who have not the faithof Peter, p. 112. r. may well mistrust their conversion, p. 135 r. in John's time having command, &c p. 199. r. must not touch Job's life, p. • 74 r. either of their faith or salvation, p. 282. r. meditate often on God's promises, p. 285 r laudatorie oration, p. 310 r. word of salvation, p. 522. r. Nathan, or Gad, p. 607. r. dead works. Heb. 9. 14. p. 7 • 5. r. more easily drawn, p. 803 r. all these happy means, p. 837 r. Oh how love I thy Law.