A great Wonder in HEAVEN: OR, A lively Picture of the Militant CHURCH, Drawn by a divine pencil. REVEL. 12. 1, 2. Discoursed on in a SERMON Preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS, at Margaret's Westminster, on the last monthly Fast-day, January 27. 1646/ 7. By John Arrowsmith; B. D. John 16. 20, 21. — Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travel hath sorrow because her hour is come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. LONDON, Printed by R. L. for SAMUEL MAN dwelling at the Swan in Paul's churchyard, 1647. ECCLESIAE nutritiis, REIPUBLICAE fulcris, PIETATIS energeticae Asseclis simul & patronis: H. E. Selectis e populo ANGLICANO Senatoribus WESMONASTERII Congregatis, Qui ut nobis posterisque consulerent Se per sexennium prodegere, Conciunculam hanc qualemcunque (Intra cujus ambitum CHRISTI Sponsam Mariti sui radiis coruscantem, Mundi tum illecebras rum minas calcantem, Evangelicâ veritate redimitam, Laborantem tamen, & puerperarum more Periclitantem cernere est) Coram ipsis habitam, Avidisque nuper exceptam auribus, Oculis propitiis perlustrandam, Si quando negotia deferbuerint, Perquam humiliter OFFERT D. D. Q. Ad obsequium illis in DOMINO pro virili exhibendum paratissimus Joannes Arrowsmith. Die Mercurii, 27 January, 1646. ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament: That Sir Anthony Irby do from this house give thanks unto Master Arrowsmith for the great pains he took in his Sermon he preached before the House of Commons on this day, at Margaret's Westminster, and that he do desire him to print his Sermon, wherein he is to have the like privilege in Printing of it, as others in the like kind usually have had. Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. Dom. Com. I Appoint Samuel Man to Print my Sermon, JOHN ARROWSMITH. Errata. Pag. 4. lin. 4. for came r. come in some, p. 17. lin. 13. for in. r. through ibid. lin. 14. for of r. with p. 19 lin. 12. for word r. world, p. 27. lin. 8. r. apostolical for apostical in some few copies. p. 34. l. 10. for dost r. didst ibid. l. 14. for 65 r. 66. & l. 18. for child r. children. p. text l. 9 for which r. with p. 37. r. wrangling. A SERMON Preached before the Honourable House of COMMONS at their late solemn Fast. REVEL. 12. 1, 2. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars. And she being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. THe new Testament which exceeds the old in many respects, may not be thought to come short of it in any essential, or integral part; that is made up of Histories, Psalms, dogmatic, and prophetical passages; none whereof are wanting in this. Its Historians are the Evangelists; Its Psalmists, Mary, Zachariah, and Simeon whose Songs are recorded in the first and second of Luke: It's dogmatic Writers, those that penned the several Epistles; Its Prophet John: who indeed was all four. For ye have evangelical Histories in his Gospel; dogmatic truths in his three Epistles; and besides sacred hymns (as that of the four and twenty Elders, Chap. 5. and that of Moses and of the lamb, Chap. 15.) Prophetical Visions everywhere throughout his Apocalypse. This is my Text is none of the least. There appeared a good wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the Sun, 〈◊〉 While the bush burned with fire, and was not consumed, Moses turning a side to see that great sight, was called upon to put off his shoes before he approached. Exod. 3. 3, 5. That which is here held forth is a wonder, a great wonder, and that in heaven; your looks speak a desire to see it: But let me tell you, Honourable and Beloved, the view will neither be full, nor comfortable, unless ye put off earthly wisdom and carnal affections. That being done, Come and see. The words are veiled with some obscurity, by reason of variety of metaphors: But much of the veil will be taken off, by a right discerning of their scope, which is briefly this, to represent the Church of Christ in her Militant state, especially during the Primitive times. The Militant Church, which is elsewhere impaired to such things as are weak in themselves and in danger to be ruined, as to a ship tossed with tempests, to a vineyard exposed to wild beasts, and to Isa. 54. 11. Psal. 80. 13. Math. 10. 16. a flock of sheep among wolves; is here upon the same grounds represented by a woman in travel. Her appearing indeed was in heaven, for reasons to be hereafter specified, but that which she was designed to signify, is not the state of the Church as triumphant (for there is no travail, no crying ou● no pain in heaven) but as militant here below, chiefly in her first age after the Word was made flesh. So Interpreters Certum est mihi hic agi de Ecclesia primogenita, &c. Alcazar in loc. Forbes. Paraeus. Mede. Typus est mulier, haec parturiens Ecclesiae Christi nascentis & adolescentis, qualis fuit ante ortum Antichristi primis 600 annis inde à Christi natalibus ad ortum usque bestiae, Riccard. in Apoc. p. 426. not a few. One passeth it with a Certum est, To me (Saith he) 'tis certain, that the first begotten Church of Christ is here meant. The Woman (Saith another) is the apostolical Church. A type of the Church which was newborn under the New Testament, So a third. An excellent picture of the childbearing Primitive Church, So a fourth. A fifth extends the representation to the first six hundreth years, from the birth of Christ to the rising of Antichrist. Having thus set up a light in the porch, let us now enter in at the door of this magnificent building: wherein we shall find the apparition laid before us, First, more generally, as a great wonder in heaven, Secondly, more distinctly, as a woman, described two ways, 1 By her rare perfections, which are three, Being clothed with the Sun, Having the Moon under feet, Having a Crown of twelve stars upon her head. 2 By her weak and perilous condition, in that being with child she cried, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered. I begin with that which first offers itself, intending to proceed to the rest in order as they lie in the Text. There appeared. It hath always been the custom of God to manifest himself in special manner to special favourites. 2 Sam. 12. 25. 1 King's 11. 9 Dan 9 23. & Chap. 10, 11. Solomon was named Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him, and to him the Lord appeared twice; Daniel a man greatly beloved, and upon him visions were multiplied; John the Disciple whom Jesus loved, and to him John 20. 2. there appeared great wonders in heaven. When his favourites came to be sufferers for his name, he is then wont to visit them more than at other seasons. The Spirit of Christ is with his Saints at all times, but in such cases the Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon them, as Peter speaks, that is the spirit of 1 Pet. 4. 14. God in a more glorious way. This was John's case. Ye have his experiment registered here, Chap. 1. ver. 9, 10. I John who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ; I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. 'Tis thought that English Annotat. on Revel. 4. 1. all contained in this book was revealed to him on that one day. Who ever spent a Sabbath so well? who ever had so many discoveries in so short a time? how was his banishment sweetened herewith, and his Patmos turned into a paradise? How excellent is thy loving kindness O Lord! how glorious are thine influences upon suffering Saints! what psalms doth David indite in the cave! what Epistles doth Paul write in the prison! See the title of Psal. 57 & of Psal. 142. Ephes. 4. 1. Philem. 9 what apparitions doth John see in a desolate Island! there appeared A great wonder. The more lightsome any thing is, the more glorious; the more glorious any thing is, the more wonderful. Glorious things are spoken of thee, o thou city Psal. 87. 3. of God, saith the Psalmist, of the Church: which is therefore a great wonder, because all the Luminaries of heaven concur to the making up of the glory thereof; and that in a posture suitable to the stations they hold in the firmament. There the highest lights are the stars, the lowest the Moon, the Sun in the midst. So here; the stars are allotted to the church's head, the Moon to her feet, the Sun to those parts of the body that are between both. She is all over glorious, and consequently altogether admirable, because lightsome all over; for her head is crowned with stars, her body apparelled with the Sun, and she hath the Moon for her footstool, so as to tread in paths of light. If any here discern no glory in the Church to be wondered at, but say of her, as they of Christ, Isa. 53. 2. she hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see her, there is no beauty that we should desire her: it is not for want of light in her, but of spiritual sight in them. A skilful painter, to an ignorant man that wondered at his gazing so much on a curious piece, said, Friend; Si meos oculos haberes, hadst thou mine eyes, thou wouldst be ravished with the sight of this picture as I am; and instead of wondering at me, fall a-wondring with me. So, if we had the eyes and spirit of John, the Church of Christ would appear a great wonder to us, as it did to him. A great wonder in heaven. We read of a door opened in heaven, and of a call that John had to come up thither, Chap. 4. 1. That was the Scene of all his Visions; there did this great wonder appear to his mental eyes. And well it might, seeing, the Church (whose hieroglyphic it is) hath her original from heaven, her tendency to heaven, her conversation in heaven, and her dependence upon heaven. 1 Her original from heaven. Except a man be born {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} (which may be rendered from above) he shall not see the kingdom of God, John. 3. 3. Converts are all born of God, John 1. 13. and Jerusalem, which is above, is the mother of them all, Gal. 4. 26. Mihi patria Coelum, may be the motto, of every Saint during his pilgrimage in the World, Heaven is my Country, there I was born, and I am returning thither, which is the next thing. 2 Her tendency to heaven. Those Martyrs and Confessors, Heb. 11. 14, 16. declared plainly that they sought an heavenly country. All Saints, as Saints, naturally Zanchy being himself stricken in years, & writing to S●urmius then a decrepit old man, hath these words. Tempus iam est, ut ad Christum & Coelum à terrâ properemus; scientes nos ibi propediem cum Domino suturos. move to this centre of rest; and because their motion is natural, it commonly proves swiftest at last. As the approaches of a needle are so much the more quick by how much it draws nearer to the loadstone; and rivers run with a stronger stream, when they are about to empty themselves into the Ocean whence they came: so true believers, when their bodies smell most of earth (as towards death they are wont to do) have the strongest sent of heaven in their souls. 3 Her conversation in heaven, Phil. 3. 20. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, the phrase imports their living and trading as denizens of heaven, there being governed by the local statutes, and municipal Laws of that City; their conversing with God in Christ, and having fellowship with the Spirit here below: whence it is that when death comes, the godly are said to change their place, but not their company. 4 Her dependence upon heaven, knowing as she doth that every good and perfect gift is from above, Jam. 1. 17. she accordingly expects from thence supplies of grace to help in every time of need. When the German Princes in a Diet at Norimberg had framed certain Decrees against the Protestant cause; Luther comforted himself and his Patron the Duke of Saxony, Seiat Celsitudo vestra, & nihil dubitet, longe aliter in coelo, quam Norimbergae de hoc negotio conclusum esse. Videbimus enim eos qui se iam putant Evangelium totum devorasse nondum Benedicite absolvisse Scult. Annal. Decad. 1. p. 106. to whom he wrote, with this weighty consideration, That the Princes at Norimberg had concluded one thing in that business, but God had decreed another in heaven; and the counsel of the Lord that should stand. Let us now proceed to show more distinctly, what this great wonder in heaven was, viz. A woman. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a married woman. That's the importance of the word in other places, as in Chapter 21 of this book Verse 9; Come hither and I will show thee the bride, the lamb's wife, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Yea the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, the decency of the allegory requires it should be so taken here, because we find the woman with child, and in her travel. Being so taken it imports a mystery, one of the greatest in all Divinity, viz. the church's relation to Christ as her husband. Paul who was well skilled in Gospel-secrets (to which the depths of other Sciences are but shallows) gives the title of great only to two Evangelical mysteries: that of our saviour's incarnation, 1 Tim. 3. last. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, and this of the church's marriage to Christ. Ephes. 5. 31, 32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. That which was one of Paul's great mysteries, might well be part of John's great wonder. But I forbear to enlarge upon't, because I hasten to a discovery of this woman's rare perfections; the first whereof is her being Clothed with the Sun. That which some Platonists say hath savour in it, Lumen est umbra Dei, Deus est lumen luminis. The light is but the shadow of God, God is he that enlighteneth light itself. Now of all visible lights there is none so radiant as the Sun: Scripture accordingly styleth God a Sun and a shield, Psal. 84. 11. and Christ is called the Sun of righteousness, Mal. 4. 2. He it is, and no other person or thing, whom we are to understand by the Sun in my Text. The resemblances are many. Christ and the Sun agree. 1 In point of Sovereignty. The Sun is the Prince of Planets; a body so glorious that all admire, many adore it for a God, because they see more Majesty in it, than any thing else that can be seen. Whence it is, that the idolatrous Chaldeans (as Bodin observes) gave Bodin. theatr. Natur. lib. 5. p. 617. it the name of Baal a Lord; whereas the Hebrews, with whom were the Oracles of God, call it Shemes, which signifieth a servant; for so it is to him that made it. Christ took upon him the form of a servant, but is indeed the Lord of all. And as God made the Sun to rule by day, and to diversify seasons of the year Psal. 136. 8. by its approaches and recesses: So hath the Father appointed Christ to be King of Saints; and upon his various aspects depend the church's Summer and Revel. 15. 3. Winter, the soul's Spring and Fall, the seedtime of grace and harvest of glory. 2 In point of singularity. There is but one Sun in the firmament, which made that great conqueror say, The heaveus could neither bear two Suns, nor the earth two Alexander's. look to Christ's person, it is Plutarch. but one; although there be two natures in him. When the light which was created the first day, did, as it were, assume a star three days after, that star and the light made but one Sun; so when the Word, who was God from all eternity, assumed flesh, in fullness of time the Word and flesh made but one Christ. Look to his office, he is so a mediator, as not to admit of any copartnership in the work. To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him, 1 Cor. 8. 6. One God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Is Christ divided? saith Paul elsewhere. We may say, is Jesus multiplied? 1 Cor. 1. 13. No verily: As but one Sun, so but one Saviour. None but Christ (as the Martyr cried) None but Christ. 3 In point of necessity. When men would express the removal of somewhat absolutely necessary, they use to say, this were Solem è mundo tollere, to take the Sun out of the World. If that were removed, how would all beauty vanish, and (as some think) all motion cease? The potter's wheel (say they) could not turn upon earth, if the Sun should not move in heaven. So take Christ from a soul, 'tis impotent to all good, Without me ye can do nothing, John 15. 5. Were it not for the Sun it would be perpetual night in the world, notwithstanding all the torches that could be lighted; yea notwithstanding all the light of the moon and stars. It is neither the torchlight of natural parts and creature-comforts; nor the starlight of civil honesty and common gifts; nor the moonlight of temporary faith and formal profession, that can make it day in the soul, till the Sun of righteousness arise and shine there. Once indeed there was a time, when fruits were produced without a Sun; when God, to prevent the idolising of this creature as the only cause of all fertility, enabled the earth to bring forth on the third day, whereas the Sun was not made till the fourth: But never was there any the least moment of time since the fall, wherein man could bring forth fruit to God without the cooperation of Christ. 〈◊〉 that hath not the Son hath not life, 1 John 5. 12. Neither can any vital action be performed but by his special grace. 4 In point of purity. Other creatures admit of some defiling mixtures, the sun doth not. It looks upon filth, but contracts none. Christ is a lamb without blemish, and without spot. Such as cast aspersions upon 1 Pet. 1. 19 him in the days of his flesh, calling him glutton, wine-bibber, and friend of Publicans and sinners, did but act the mad man's part, throwing dirt at the Sun, which none could possibly fasten upon. He came indeed into a sinful world, but as a physician among his sick patients, to cure them without taking the sickness of them, being antidoted by his Divinity against all infection. He hath an hand even in sinful acts; as they are acts (for in him we move) but not in the sinfulness of them: shines into the noisome dunghills of our Acts 17. 28. hearts with beams of grace, yet continues most pure. He was borne of a sinner, lived and conversed with sinners, died with and for sinners, yea as a sinner, yet had not in himself the least sin of his own to answer for. 5 In point of sufficiency. There is in the Son a fullness of created glory. All the light that had been dispersed throughout the great fabric of the newborn world for the first three days, was gathered together on the fourth into that one body. So it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Christ: And the Col. 1. 19 several graces that shined in the patriarchs, Fathers and Prophets of old under the Law, were all to be 〈◊〉 once in him. The innocence of Abel, perseverance of Noah, obedience of Abraham, devotion of 〈◊〉, chastity of Joseph, patience of Job, meekness of Moses, courage of Joshua, zeal of David, and whatsoever any of them excelled in, was an ingredient 〈◊〉 that fullness of grace and truth which was found in Christ, Quae divisabeatos efficiunt, conjunctatenet. Each of them had the fullness of a star, he the sufficiency of a Sun that filled them all, and had a fullness beyond them all. 6 In point of efficiency. The efficacy of the Sun appears in imparting three things, Light, Heat, and Influence,. Each whereof is so qualified, as to resemble the grace of Christ in sundry particulars. First, The Sun imparts light, a discovering, guiding, cheering, growing light. 1 Discovering what was hid from our sight before. Desine cur nemo videat sine Numine Numen mirari, solem quis sine sole videt? But for it we should neither see the Sun itself, nor any thing else in heaven or earth. Without irradiati●● from Christ men would for ever continue igno●● of the only true God, and of their Redeemer; we should never know either our sins or our duties, our dangers or our privileges but for Christ. With him only is the fountain of life, and in his light we see light. Psal. 36 9 2 Guiding. Luke 1. 78, 79. The dayspring from in high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. The dim light of nature in common people shines a little, but is not strong enough to guide, like that of a gloworm or rotten stick. The light of worldly wisdom and policy in men of great parts, but profane spirits shines more strongly, but misguides; like the meteor, which Philosophers call Ignis fatuus, we the Lanternman. There is a third kind of light that shines strongly, and guides too, but the head only, not the feet; I mean that of hypocrites, who contemplate things of God, but reduce not their brain knowledge to practice. Yea a fourth, that guides both head and feet, yet but into a way of formality; namely that wherewith they are enlightened who have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it: whereas this, we are speaking of, doth not only shine but guide, not the head only but the feet, and that not into the way of formality, but of faith, which is the only way of peace both with God and with conscience. 3. Cheering. Eccles. 11. 7. truly light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun. How sweet are the discoveries made by Christ to believing souls! what a pleasant thing is it for spiritual eyes to behold the Sun of righteousness, moving and shining in the spirit of a convert, as in its own proper sphere! Such as are dark are accounted melancholy rooms: well may they be melancholy souls that want the cheering light of Christ. But blessed is the people Psal. 89. 15. that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. We may invert it, and say, Blessed are the people, O Lord, that walk in the light of thy countenance; they shall know the joyful sound: they shall enjoy a continual jubilee in their hearts. 4 Growing. It increaseth more and more from break of day, and is in this respect a fit emblem of that grace which Christ communicates to his members, the nature whereof is to be growing till it come to arrive at perfection. That in Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light (no morning) in them, intimates a remarkable difference between {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the knowledge of Saints and Hypocrites; the former is like the morning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. But evil men and seducers (as Paul foretold) wax worse and worse; 2 Tim. 3. 13. whereby it appears that theirs was but an evening light, which shines less and less, till it end in the blackness of darkness for ever, Jude 13. In the second place, the sun imparts Heat, a melting, inflaming, quickening heat. 1 Melting. When the surface of the water is glazed with ice, the sunbeams dissolve it. The grace of Christ hath a like operation upon frozen hearts; which are never truly melted into contrition but by Evangelical beams. The Law, like a hammer, may break ice in pieces; but what remains is ice still: the gospel dissolves it into water; 'tis no longer ice then. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn, Zech. 12. 10. No such kindly mourners, as they that have hearts melted with Christ's heat, and heated with sense of Christ's love. She in Luke 7th, the end, who had much forgiven her, loved much, and wept much. 2 Inflaming. The sunbeams falling upon a burning-glass create a fire. So doth the Spirit of Christ (who is therefore called a spirit of burning, Isa. 4. 4.) when he falls upon the spirit of man. Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? Luke last, 32. The burnt child, we use to say, dreads the fire: but there is a fire, which whosoever hath truly felt, will long to be so burnt again. Bernard having been well warmed with the consideration of that passage, Subitò tanta de me suborta siducia, & insusa laetitia est, ut visus sim tanquam unus ex illis heatis esse. O si durasset! Iterum, iterumque visita me Domine salutari tuo. Bern. Serm. 23. in Cantic. Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, professeth he was seized upon with unspeakable joy, and assurance of his own share in that blessedness; after the feeling whereof he cries out, text durasset! I would to God it had been continued. Lord, do thou visit me so again and again with thy salvation. 3 quickening. Some creatures have no other father, but the sun, nor other mother but the slime. This perhaps is one reason why the sun is compared to a bridegroom, Psal. 19 because his beams are prolifical. The grace of Christ is so much more, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45. he that hath the son hath life, 1 John 5. 12. yea, a double life (for no less will serve his turn) the one of righteousness, all being naturally dead in law by reason of guilt; the other of holiness, all being dead in sins and trespasses, till quickened by him, the end of whose coming was that we might have life, & that we might have it more abundantly, Joh. 10. 10. A third thing, which the Sun communicates, is its influence; the strength, and universality whereof are considerable here, we have an intimation of both, Psal. 19, 4, 5, 6. In the heavens hath God set a tabernacle for the Sun; which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run his race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven; and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 1. It is a strong influence, as may be evidenced by the Suns concocting of such solid bodies, as gold and precious stones are, in places that are so remote from his own sphere. Were not the influence of Christ exceeding forcible, how could it possibly rectify crooked, purify filthy, soften hard, and raise dead souls, as it useth to do, all on the sudden? 'Tis Fortiter, sed suaviter. true indeed, that the operations of his grace are incomparably sweet; but it is no less true, that they are withal incomparably strong. To make use of the Psalmists metaphors; Our Lord Jesus, in respect of the former, may be said to come as a bridegroom out of his chamber, clothing himself with all sweetness of carriage on his wedding day: of the latter, to rejoice as a strong man to run a race, bearing down whatever opposeth him in the way. 2 'Tis universal. No visible creature but shares more or less in the benefits of this influence. So Christ being the light that lighteneth every one that t●nes into the world. John 1. there is no man but partakes of his goodness in one kind or other, though with much variety in the success. For as the sun hath different operations upon different objects, e. g. wax and clay, softening the one, hardening the other; a chicken and a toad, increasing the wholesomeness of the one, the poison of the other: so upon several men within the pale of a visible Church, Christ preached to all hath several works. Some are made softer, some harder; the spirits of foam are sweetened by the ministry of the gospel, of others imbittered. One, with the Amalekites servant refreshed 1 Sam. 30. 13, 15. by David, becomes instrumental against the enemies of his refresher: Another, with the snake in the fable, warmed by the husbandman's care and compassion, becomes an enemy to the author of that warmth; turns apostate, and falls to stinging Christ in his members so much the more, by how much he was the more enlightened with common grace. You have had enough, and (I hope) not too much, of this metaphorical sun in the text: see now in what regard the woman is said to be clothed therewith. Surely because the Lord Jesus Christ is of the same use to his Church, that apparel is of to the body of man. It serves for covering, shelter, and ornament. In like manner. 1 Christ covers the Church with his graces. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of Rom 13 13, 14. Induamus Christum, dixit, potius quam induamus temperantiam, &c. quia nisi Christum ipsiusque iustitiam nobis imputatam per fidem primo loco arctissime amplectamur & retincamus, ut ex hoc son● evirtutem ad recte agendum hauriamus, iustitia nostra non superabit philosophorum aut Pharisaeorum iustitiam, &c. Dicson in loc. righteousness, Isa. 61. 10. That which Job speaks of himself in a natural, is true of him and all men else in a spiritual sense, naked came I into the world: and there is none but continues so till he come to be apparelled by Christ, who therefore adviseth the Church of Laodicea, to buy of him white raiment, that she might be clothed, Revel. 3. 18. Paul having exhorted the Romans to walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envy; instead of adding, put on temperance, chastity, and such other graces, as have in them a contrariety to the forementioned sins, chooseth rather to say (as a late interpreter well observes) put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, because he is the only fountain of all grace, and without the putting on of his righteousness first by an hand of faith, ours will never exceed that of Philosophers and Pharisees: yea because even when the Spirit of God hath enabled us to good, we have need of Christ to hide the deformity of our best performances. 2 Christ shelters the Church by his merits from the wrath of God, as apparel doth our bodies from the cold and injuries of the weather. Jesus is he which delivered us from the wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. last. Paul therefore desires to be found in Christ, Phil. 3. 9 as one would to be found in his clothes, when a biting frost comes, which if he were naked, would pinch him to death. Christ is so beloved of God, and God is so well pleased with Christ, as in him to love, and in him to be well pleased with all his members, even of that whole mystical body whereof he is head. 3 Christ adorns his Church, putting upon her a comeliness far beyond that of other Societies spoken of Ezek. 16. 14. Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comeliness which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. That excellency of Jacob by which God swears, Amos 8. 7. is not to be understood of the Temple at Jerusalem, as some would have it, for God useth not Per excellentiam text. ●. Christum, in quo gloria nostr● est. Iun. in loc. to swear by creatures (that were to practise what he hath forbidden us) but by himself, Heb. 6. 13. Junius therefore expounds it of Christ, whose essence is the same with the Fathers, and who is indeed the church's excellency. He it is that makes the King's daughter to be all glorious within, Psal. 45. that renders a poor Saint in his russet, fuller of bravery than a profane son of Belial in his scarlet: one of their souls being apparelled with Christ himself, whilst the others is clad only with the rags of the first, not robes of the second Adam. I go on to another rare perfection of this woman, which is her having The Moon under her feet. In explication whereof, I shall follow the stream of expositors, who (some few only excepted) make the moon here an emblem of the world; and not 〈◊〉 fitly, seeing it is 1 Full of spots; Insomuch as the Saints, whose main care is to be found of God in peace without spot and blameless, 2 Pet. 3. 14. find it a very difficult matter and an high point of Religion, while they walk and converse in the world; to keep themselves unspotted from it, Jam. 1. last. The heirs of heaven come to be maculated more or less, notwithstanding their watchfulness. As for worldlings (whose spot is not the text of God's children, Deut. 32. 5.) no Leopard is more spotted than they. Can the Ethiopian change his skin Ier. 13. 23. or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good th●● are accustomed to do evil. That beast (they say▪ though it be stead, will appear spotted still, the spots inhering in its flesh, as well as its skin. Such are these men without and within, in conversation and in heart, all over full of spots. 2 Subject to many changes, never continuing long in a shape; sometimes an horned, sometimes 〈◊〉 Hence it is that Horace calls the Moon Diva triformis & Virgil mentioneth Trigeminamque He●●●●●, tria virgins ora text. half, and sometimes a full moon. So the world is a stage of vicissitudes, constant only in its inconstancy. The fashion of this world passeth away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. It is never long in one garb. As soon may the moon be suited with a coat that will always fit it, as the world with any accommodation that will always give content; with any condition that will always last. The fool changeth as the moon, faith the son of Ecolus 27. 11. sirach. And as worldlings are changelings, so the world itself passeth away, and the lusts thereof, 1 John 2. 17. 3 The cause of many diseases, especially of the filling-sickness. Scripture speaking of such as were troubled therewith, calls them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} lunatics Mark 9 17. Luke 9 39 Vide hac de re Scult. Exercit. Evangel. l. 2. cap. 12. or moon-struck, Mat. 4. 24. The symptoms of falling sometimes into the fire, sometimes into the water, of tearing, foaming, gnashing, expressed by the Evangelists, clearly show what disease the man had of whom his father said {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Mat. 17. 15. The word in like manner renders the soul apt to be troubled with a spiritual falling-sickness; nothing exposing men to apostasy more than worldliness. Demas (Saith Paul) hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, 2 Tim. 4. 10. and again, The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, 1 Tim. 6. 10. Many fearing the world would fall out with them, fall off from God. Spira revolted, merely in hope to preserve his estate, and so lost himself. But why is the moon said to be under the woman's feet? that must now be our next enquiry. The phrase imports victory over, and contempt of persons or things. Thus in Psal. 47. 3. He shall subdue the people under us, and the Nations under our feet. Iosh. 10. 24. You know how the five Kings were used by Joshua; how Tamberlane served Bajazet, and what was prophesied of Christ, Psal. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot stool. So as the woman's having the moon under her feet, seems to imply the Churches being enabled by Christ, to overcome and trample upon the Elements, the Affronts, and the enjoyments of this world. 1 The elements of the world, spoken of Gal. 4. 3, 9 which one of great insight into this mystical book of the Revelation, understanding both of Mosaical ceremonies and of heathenish worship, makes account that the clause in my Text which we are now discoursing of, relates to that victory which the Primitive Mede Comment. Apocalypt. p. 163. Church got over both; in that she, not only saw the abolition of legal ceremonies (which, saith he, might well be signified by the moon, seeing all the feasts of the Jews, and whole course of their Idem p. 161. ecclesiastical year depended upon and were regulated by the motion of that Planet) but also the extirpation of those Idols, which the heathens formerly worshipped. For then did Satan fall down like lightning from heaven, Luke 10. 18. he fell from being adored as God, to being slighted as an Impostor, yea abominated as a wicked spirit. Then was fulfilled that which is written, Revel. 12. 9 The great Dragon was cast out, the old Serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceived the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him. Yea then was that promise in part fulfilled, the language whereof hath great affinity with the phrase in my Text, The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly, Rom. 16. 20. 2 The affronts of the world. The Church got these under her feet, when she gloried in tribubation, was above Rom 5. 3. her persecutors, and had patience to endure as much as their malice and cruelty could inflict. I take pleasure (Saith Paul) in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak then am I strong, 2 Cor. 12. 10. The Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ, Act. 5. 41. They in Heb. 10. 34. took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Laurentius the Martyr when they laid H●s ego epulas semper optavi. Istae flammae mihi refrigeriura praestant. Nolite mihi beatam spem invidere. Quanto plus tormentorum accesserit, tanto plus referam praeminorum. his body upon a gridiron with a purpose to broil him to death, is reported to have said, I have always longed for such cheer as this: To me these very flames are cooling, and refreshments rather than torments. Gordius desired his Executioners not to grudge him overmuch happiness; telling them, that the more they tormented him, the more GOD would reward him. 3 The enjoyments of the World. 1 John 5 4. Whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. carnal reason paints the things of this life, and sets them out in beautiful colours; but faith washeth off the complexion, and then their deformity appears. Those Christians in the primitive times that laid their estates at the Apostles feet, had first Satis si non dic●ntur malum, &c. Hieron. in Ephes. 4. 28. Delicatus es Christiane, si & in seculo voluptatem concupiscis, 〈…〉 stultus, si hoc ex●st●m●● vn●●●●tatem, Tertul de spectac. c. p. 28. got them under their own; learned to trample upon, and to have a low esteem of them in their most serious thoughts. Take the goodliest things in the world, there have been some in all ages found, that were above them. One of the Fathers will not allow temporal riches the name of Goods, but accounts it enough if we forbear to call them evils. Another thinks him too dainty for a Christian, that desires pleasure on this side heaven: too foolish, that imagines carnal delights to be real pleasures. A third being tempted with preferments to a revolt, said, Dictum Basslii in eius text. ●. Offer them to children, not to Christians: As for me, I can part with life, but not with truth. Many such instances there are, wherein ye may clearly discern the Moon under the woman's, the World under the church's feet. Her third and last perfection follows, to wit, having Upon her head a Crown of twelve Stars. That is, holding fast the pure doctrine of the gospel, first preached by the twelve Apostles, and after them by succeeding Ministers, which is as a Crown on the church's head. So as here three things are to be made out. First, That the Apostles are here meant, and such faithful Ministers as succeeded them not excluded. The number expressed points us directly to the Apostles, who are often called the twelve in Scripture. There were no more chosen at first, Luke 6. 13. and when Judas was fallen from his Apostleship, Mathias was substituted in his room to make up the number: yea though there was a superaddition of Paul and Barnabas, yet, in memory of the first election, Vide Molin●i Vates l. 2. cap 4 they are still spoken of as twelve, long after that, in the Apocalypse. I will not trouble you with discoursing of the twelve stones taken up out of the midst of Jordan, the twelve Spies sent out to search the land of Canaan, the twelve Oxen under the brazen Sea, the twelve lions that supported Solomon's Throne, the twelve Officers appointed by him to provide for his household; all which are by some made types of the twelve Apostles. Neither will I insist upon that notion which Hierom presumes to be unquestionable, and sets a nec dubium est upon, viz. Nec dubium est quin de 12 Apostolis sermo sit, de quorum fontibus derivatae aqu● totius mundi sic citatem rig●●●t, &c. Hieron. that those twelve wells of water, and seventy palm trees at Elim, Exod. 15. last, did undoubtedly prefigure the twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples. It may perhaps be worthy of more consideration, that as the Jewish Church had twelve patriarchs, from whom the twelve Tribes of Israel descended; so Christ ordained twelve Apostles to be as fathers of his Israel under the Gospel, the Christian Church: And that the Spirit in Revel. 4. 4. where mention is made of twenty four seats, and twenty four Elders sitting upon them, alludes both to the twelve patriarchs and the twelve Apostles, which put together make up those twenty four, by whom the whole Church under both Testaments is represented. It appears by what hath been said, that the Apostles are certainly meant in this place. The reason why I conceive other Ministers not excluded, is because the Angels of the seven Churches are called stars, Revel. I. l●st. as well as the twelve Apostles here. Which is The second thing to be cleared, viz. That the Apostles and all faithful Ministers are like stars. Wherein it were easy to be large, seeing they and the stars resemble each other in many things. But I will content myself with a few. 1 As the stars are heavenly bodies shining, but with a borrowed light; so the Apostles of old were, and all godly Ministers ever since have endeavoured to be men of an heavenly conversation; heavenly men and earthly Angels, as Paul was styled by Chrysostom. They shine as lights in the world, acknowledging all the light they have to be derived from Christ, as the Sun, of whose fullness they all receive. That which one of the German Divines made his Motto, fully speaks every one of their hearts. Dan. text. Nil scio, nil possum, nil sum quoque; quod tamen esse, Scire, & posse aliquid dicor, id omne Dei est. They are most ready to profess that of themselves they know nothing, can do nothing, are nothing that good is: and that whatsoever good they are, or do, or know, they owe it wholly to the free grace of God in Christ. 2 As the Stars are in continual motion for the good of the Universe: so were the Apostles for the good of the Church. Paul ceased not to warn every {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quasi {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Etymol. one night and day with tears. Acts 20. 31. went from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, preaching the Gospel, Rom. 15. 19 Succeeding Ministers have accordingly in their places acquainted themselves with continual labours; which Scripture calls upon them for. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, Isa. 58 1. Durante pugnâ non cessat tuba; the trumpet must be sounding all the while the battle is in fighting. Now there is no end of the Christian Warfare, and therefore none of the Ministers pains. The Church is God's husbandry, 1 Cor. 3. 9 her Ministers his husbandmen. Redit agricolis labour actus in orbem. The husbandman hath never quite done his work; but the end of one task is still the beginning of another. So it fares with painful Ministers. One while their employment is instructing poor ignorant souls; then are they like Stars that shine in a cold Winter-night. Another while convincing gainsayers and heretics; then are they like those stars in their courses that fought against Sisera, Judg. 5. The most benign Constellation is not more promising to the World, than their Associations are unto the Church. 3 As the stars are said to differ one from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15. 45. So the Apostles excelled other Ministers, in the universality of their commission, the immediateness of their call, the infallibility of their doctrine, together with many other privileges. And among succeeding Ministers there hath been found very great difference in regard of their parts, gifts, and graces; such as there is among Stars of the first, second, and third magnitude, Melancthon speaking of the Divines of his age, said, Pomeranus is a Grammarian, I a logician, Justus Ionas an orator, but Martin Luther is all these; a miracle of men, and one that penetrates the heart in whatsoever he speaks, or writes. a 〈…〉 est Grammaticus & verborum vim explanat; ego sum Logicus, monstro contextum rerum, & argumenta; Justus jonas esto Orator, copiose & ornate disserit, sed Lutherus est omnia in omnibus, est miraculum inter homines: quicquid dicit, quicquid scribit, id in animos penetrate, & ●●irificos relinquit aculeos in cordibus hominum, Melch. Adam in vit. Germ. Theolog. p. 170. Beza comparing the three famous Ministers of Geneva, saith that Farellus excelled in Fervency, Viretus in Eloquence, Calvin in sententiousness: and that the concurrence of these endowments in any one man would have rendered him a complete Evangelical P●stour. b Sane iucundissimum erat spectaculum, tres istos tantos in Ecclesia Dei viros, usque adeo in opere divino consentientes, eosque diversis donis florentes cernere & audire. Excellebat quadam animi magnitudine Farell●s, cuius vel audire absque tremore tonitrua, vel ardentissimas preces percipere nemo posset, quin in ipsum poene coelum subveheretur. Viretus fac●ndiae suavitate sic excellebat, ut auditores ab illius ore necessario penderent. Calvinus text sonabat verba tot gravissimus-sententiis auditoris mentem explebat, ut saepe mihi in mentem venerit, perfectum quodammodo videri-posse pastorem, qui ex tribus illis esset conflatus. Beza in vita Calvini. The third thing which I am to clear is, That Evangelical doctrine is as a crown to the Church of Christ. The prudent are crowned with knowledge, saith Solomon, Proverbs 14. 18. Now there is no knowledge saving, but this of Evangelical truth; and therefore no such crown as that. 'Tis our saviour's counsel to the Church of Philadelphia, Revel. 3. 11. hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Some false Apostles, it should seem, had been tampering with this Church; Christ commends her for keeping the word of his patience, ver. 10. i. e. the Gospel, which declares the sufferings of Christ, and excites to patience by his example: whereupon he adds the forementioned word of advice. It would save much labour in debating one of the Arminian points, if the place might be interpreted (as for aught I know it may) to this sense. As if he had said, O Philadelphia, keep that truth, which hath been taught by those that planted thee at first. That truth is thy crown; let no man take it from thee, no tyrant rob, no seducer cheat thee of it. A crown, thou knowest, is the most principal ornament: take it from me, evangelical truth is the most principal crown. I believe you expect some application of what hath been already delivered, before we close with the second verse; and will therefore briefly infer somewhat, first from the whole vision, then from the woman's several perfections, and lastly from the order of those perfections. 1 Inferences from the whole vision. Which are two. 1 That besides the natural, there is a spiritual use to be made of all the creatures. The Sun here points to Christ, the Moon to the World, the Stars to the Ministers of the Gospel. Man's soul is an Alembeck, in which when the creatures are laid like so many herbs, if there be any fire of devotion within, many sweet meditations may be distilled. Natural hearts are apt to make a sensual use of divine things: but spiritual hearts have an art of making divine uses even of natural things, which we should all do well to learn. 2 That the Whore of Babylon differs much from the woman in my Text; the apostatical Church of Rome, from the apostolical Church of Christ: As not being clothed with the Sun, but with outward pomp, Revel. 17. 4. She was arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones, more for state then for Christ; refusing to accept of him for her only covering, shelter and ornament, and going about to establish a righteousness of her own. Not having the Moon under her feet, but in her heart, loving the world, maintaining her Non habent fulgentes stellas in capite, sed aureas bullas. Brightman. in loc. Concil. Trident▪ Sess. 4. greatness by carnal policy, and making prosperity a sign of the Church. Not being crowned with these twelve stars, but with the inventions and traditions of men, recommended by the council of Trent, as worthy to be received with the same affections and reverence, which are due to the Holy Scriptures. So as indeed the Moon is her crown, and the Stars her footstool. 2 Inferences from the several perfections here ascribed to the woman. Her being clothed with the Sun lets us see, 1 The all-sufficiency of Christ. Jacob desired but bread to eat and raiment to put on. Having food and Gen 28▪ 29. raiment (Saith Paul) let us be therewith content. Now besides spiritual meat and drink which Christ affords 1 Tim ● 8. us, John 6. 55. my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, he himself becomes apparel to us, Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. 2 The true fountain of all that wisdom, zeal, and grace which appears in the conversation of true Saints. They are clothed with Christ, as with the Sun, and he if is that communicates to them light of wisdom, heat of zeal, and influence of grace. Such as have really put on him, make not provision for the Rom. 13. ult. Recent Christi sanguis tunc in cordibus hominum servebat; body in nostris cordibus antiquatus deserbuit, & gelatus est, Hieron. flesh (as others do) to fulfil the lusts thereof: although but too many, while they profess a being clothed with the Sun, give just occasion to renew a sad complaint made by one of the Fathers, viz. That the blood of Christ when newly shed, did as it were boil in believers hearts, whereas now 'tis almost frozen in ours. So much do we come short of the first love of those Primitive times. Her having the Moon under her feet, shows us how very ill it becomes the genuine issue of this woman to love the world; the friendship whereof is enmity with God, Jam. 4. 4. Mundus in maligno positus, 1 John 5. 19 next after Satan, this present evil world is the great Malignant. look as the Moon, when she is at the full, is then in most direct opposition to the Sun; so 'tis the temper of the world to be most opposite to, and rebellious against Christ, when it receives the most light of prosperity from him, and is fullest of the blessings of his goodness. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked: then he forsook God which made him; & lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation: Deut. 32. 15. I spoke to thee in thy prosperity, but then saidst I will not hear, Ier. 32. 21. why should Christians then be friends to that world, which is such an enemy both to their salvation, and to their Saviour? Her being crowned with twelve Stars may serve 1 To beget in us honourable thoughts of the Ministers calling. How mean soever their persons be, yet are they Stars, and that in the right hand of Christ, Revel. 1. 20. an expression that argues affection to them (as when Jacob called the son whom he meant to love for his dying mother's sake, by the name of Benjamin, or the son of his right hand) nor only so, but care of them according to that, Psal. 17. 7. Show thy Gen. 35. 18. marvellous loving kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand: and that Psal. 80. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. I know there are many wandering stars (as Jude calls the false teachers of that age; in the 13th. verse of his Epistle; men that made a fair show, but had no substance of truth in them: and are therefore in that and the foregoing verse compared to clouds but without water, to trees but without fruit, and to stars but without light. I am far from taking upon me to plead for any such, but fear not to profess myself an advoca●e for all those, that are godly, gifted, and faithful in the work of their ministry throughout the Land: the rather, because there was never more, never so much contesting against their Office as now. But who are they that think themselves able to wrest from Christ, that which he holds in his right hand; and do not rather fear lest he stretch out this hand of his; to the crushing of all those, that go about to crush his stars? Godly Ministers when they are slighted and injured most, may comfort themselves, by considering that it is the fate of stars to appear much less to the eyes of men, than indeed they are: and that they, who during life are as Stars in Christ's right hand, favoured and protected by him, shall after death be as stars at his right hand, glorified with him, according to that Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise (or they that be teachers) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. There will soon be an end of their labours and sufferings, but none of their glory. 2 To put us all upon prizing apostolical doctrine as the Crown of our Church and Nation. Let Italy boast of her rich Copes, stately Altars, curious Images (which are so far from adorning a Church, as that they do indeed defile it) the Crown and glory of England is, that she hath maintained the truth of Christ, and enjoyed the light of the twelve Stars; deposited in this blessed book. Did I only say she hath maintained the truth of Christ? may I not venture to assert that she doth maintain it? If not, the next assertion must be that of the Lamentations, Chap. 5. 16, The crown is fallen from our heads, not unto us. But I hope better things of the Kingdom, and such as accompany Reformation, though I thus speak. Doubtless the Confession of Faith, lately presented to the Honourable Houses by the Assembly of Divines (who have therein expressed the sense of many millions beside themselves) will abundantly manifest to the world, that this crown is not wholly fallen from England's head: yet I fear there is cause enough to acknowledge, that it doth not stand so fast on as heretofore, by reason of the many Opinionists, whose main employment is to shake it. Verily whosoever bears a loyal heart to Jesus Christ, cannot but grieve to see the jewels of that crown, which he hath provided for his church's head, pawned and sold, and embezzled as they are: to see not only Arminians, Libertines, and Socinians gratified in abundance of their principles; but even Mahometans closed with by some, in what they hold concerning the authority of Scripture, and concerning the deity of Jesus Christ, and of God the Holy Ghost. Yet notwithstanding, would we all in the strength of Christ, set ourselves for time to come, to buy the truth (which Proverb 23. ●3 none should sell) and, when truth hath been sold by others to redeem it; I doubt not but within a while that would become appliable to England, which the Prophet speaks of Zion, Isa. 62. 3. Thou shalt also be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God. 3 Inferences from the order of these perfections. 1 That men will never contemn the world till they have learned to put on Christ. The woman is first clothed with the Sun, than gets the Moon under her feet, not till then. The world tastes bitter to a soul that hath got the relish of Christ, and is amiable Cui incipi● Christus dulcescere ei necessé est amarescere mundum. Bern. only to such as know him not. The stars that shine with some lustre all the night, when the sun riseth in the morning hide their heads and appear not, being so out-shined, as to be obscured by that more glorious light. Such are all worldly excellencies to a soul wherein Christ is risen. A man can then slight the things, for which he formerly valued himself. To Zacheus gold is not the same thing after conversion and before it. Now he makes restitution, and cares not how little he leave himself, so he be not left by Christ. 2 That men will never prize the Gospel as their Crown, till they have learned to contemn the world. The Moons being under the woman's feet, goes before her having a crown of twelve stars upon her head. Those in the parable who had no mind to come to the marriage supper, but desired to be excused, Luke 14. 13, 19, 20. fetch all their excuses from worldly affairs. That in Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies, and not to covetousness, implies that an heart inclined to covetousness will never give the Oracles of God their due esteem. Luther, who gloried in nothing more than the Gospel of Christ, and ventured all for it, is reported to have professed that he was never so much as tempted by Satan to that sin. The Pope tried to win him by money (which it seems was more then the devil had done) but upon trial made, the answer which his agents returned was, Germana haec bestia non curat aurum. That the German beast cared not for gold. Hitherto of the first Verse. Come we now to that other part of the description, which concerns the Churches weak and perilous condition, laid down in the second. And she being with child, cried travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered Where there is a kind of gradation, the steps whereof will help to bound, and likewise to methodize our discourse, after this manner. She is with child, her being with child introduceth a travel; that travailing is attended with pains, those pains force her to cry. 1 The woman was with child. This Apocalypse being the last piece of Scripture, hath a retrospect to the former canonical books, well nigh in all the passages of it. Most of the phrases in this chapter seem to be allusions, either to the story of Israel, as related by Moses; or of Christ as reported by the Evangelists. For example, the woman's crying may look back to the doleful cry of Israel in Egypt, by reason of bondage; her flying into the desert and nourishment there, to the wilderness into which Israel was led, and where Manna was sent them from heaven to feed upon. Her being delivered of a man-child, to the Virgin Mary's bringing forth of Christ; being watched by a Dragon ready to devour her child, to Herod's lying in wait to murder Christ, the child's being caught up to God and his Throne, to our saviour's ascension, and sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high. In conformity to which notions it may be said, that as the Virgin Mary conceived Christ, when she had been over-shadowed with the Holy Ghost; so when the Spirit came down at Pentecost upon the Apostles, the Primitive Church fell with child. The words are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} having in her womb. Never was the Church more pregnant; for she then had in her womb all those converts that were brought forth to God in the several Nations of the world, by the ministry of the first Evangelical teachers, and of their immediate successors. 2 This being with child brought her in time unto her travel, which consisted partly in the pious endeavours of zealous Christians to bring in others to Nascitur indigne per quem non nascitur alter. Christ, (it being a principle with such, that he walks unanswerably to his new-birth, who doth not desire and labour to see others newborn) whence it is that Augustin commends his mother Monica for putting Maiore sollicitudine me parturiebat spiritu, quam carne pepererat. Aug. confessed. l. 5. c. 9 herself to more trouble in being instrumental to his regeneration, than she had been at in bringing him forth into the world: partly and especially, in the great and uncessant labours of her Apostles, Evangelists, & other Officers, to disperse the Gospel throughout the world for its conversion to the faith, and making good of that prophecy, Isa. 54. 1. Sing barren, thou that dost not bear; break forth into singing; and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. As also of that, Isa. 65. 8. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? shall the earth 〈◊〉 made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be borne at once? for as soon as Zion traveled she brought forth her child. ye have to this purpose a most emphatical speech of Paul, Gal. 4. 19 My little children of whom I travel in birth again, until Christ be formed in you. 3 Her travel was accompanied with sore pains, which were increased by the opposition she met withal from two sorts of men, Persecutors and heretics. That which arose from the one sort was more violent, that which came from the other more fraudulent; but both exceeding dolorous. The former had more of the lion in it, that term Scripture puts upon Tyrants; Jer. 4. 7. The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; the latter more of the Fox, which is the name given to seducers, Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes. Satan in the one showed himself a Dragon, and a Serpent in the other. Lion and Fox, Dragon and Serpent, all conspire to enlarge the church's sorrows. 4 Being thus in pain she could not hold from crying out; 1 To God in her prayers. As Acts 4. from the 24th Verse to the 31. They lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, &c. Of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, which the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, &c. 2 To men in her Apologies. Those of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, those of Justin Martyr, Tertullian and others afterwards, what were they else but the cries of this woman, travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered? This may suffice for a brief explication of the words. The way to improve them in this Auditory will be to accommodate these materials to the State of things among ourselves. AFter some overtures of a Match in the Reign of Applicat. King Henry the Eighth, the Reformed Church in this kingdom was solemnly married to Jesus Christ, when the sceptre was swayed by Edward the Sixth: that godly young Prince (as became the bridegroom's friend) rejoicing greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. The famous nine and thirty Articles of her Confession then framed, were an evident sign of her being with child, and that a thorough Reformation was then conceived, though but conceived. Many and fore were the breeding fits she conflicted with in Queen Mary's days, and such as gave occasion to fear that she would have miscarried. But God sent her ease from heaven under the succeeding Princes: in which condition she went on for a long while, drawing still nearer and nearer her time. Six years ago, after this Parliament had sat awhile it was generally believed that she was false into her travel. And, in the midst of all those sorrows which have befallen England since, her friends encouraged themselves with this hope, that the quicker and sharper her pains grew, the liker she was to be speedily delivered of that manchild, which was by them so greedily expected. But, behold, as if all these had been but forerunners of her labour, not bearing-throws, she continues still in pain: insomuch as they now begin to think she has not gone her full time, and earnestly to desire she may; because they fear nothing more than an abortive Reformation. However, evident it is, not only that her pains are multiplied, but that they are caused, partly by the malignity of her enemies, who have embroiled her in a bloody civil War, and thereby given her occasion to breathe out the prophet's complaint, Jer. 4. 19, 20. My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me, I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, o my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of War. Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is spoiled. Partly from the animosities and disagreement of her members, than which nothing is more dolorous to quiet spirits. Let me tell you how a great Scholar once professed himself affected with the like times. I know not (saith he) what pleasure Quam aliis arrideat hoc seculum nescio, mihi certe magnopere displicet, sic serveut partium studia, &c. malim ergo vel olitor esse, tranqui●litate Christiana fruens, ac Spiritus Evangeli●i simplicitate gaudens, quàm terqne quaterque maximus theologus huiusmodi disidiis involutus. Erasmus in Epist. praefix. libro cui titulus Ratio verae Theologiae. other men may take in this age, but I am extremely troubled at it; because there is such contention and siding, such wrrngling and jangling on every side. For my part I had rather be a seller of herbs and roots, or a man of the meanest profession under heaven, enjoying Christian tranquillity, and Gospel-simplicity, than a Divine of greatest note and reputation deeply engaged in such divisions. Our church's condition being such as hath been described, or rather such as no description of mine can possibly reach the perplexity of; who can think it strange, if (besides her crying to God, as in Is. 26. 17, 18. Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain, and cryeth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, o Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind: And to men, as in Lament. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger) she make her special addresses to you, Honourable Senators, whom God hath now called to the midwife's office? No loving neighbour but would rise at midnight to help a poor woman in travel: No tender Christian but would put on bowels of mercy towards a Church in such a case. O what care! what bowels! what help is expected from you, who above all men are bound with all your might and skill to promote the birth of such a child, as may cause the woman to forget all her sorrows! Would you obstetricate, as ye ought? I know you would, yet think it not presumption in me, if in pursuance of the allegory which my Text puts me upon, I take liberty to suggest three or four things by way of humble advice, before I conclude. 1 Imitate Tamars' midwife, Genes. 38. The story is this from Verse 27. to the end of the Chapter. It came to pass in the time of her travel, that behold twins were in her womb. And it came to pass when she traveled, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet third, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that behold his brother came out, and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez, And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet third about his hand, and his name was called Zarah. The different judgements of professors throughout the Land, show that our Church hath twins in her womb. So much of Truth as hath been already owned by Parliament, Zarah-like hath put forth the hand; None can but say, This came out first, for you have marked it with the scarlet third of a civil Sanction. Yet is there a Pharez a Division or Separation (as the word properly signifies) whose breakings out are notoriously known; as also his challenge of primogeniture. Our hopes are that Zarah will in due time be fully born, notwithstanding this interposition: and that you will say to the party that separates in Doctrinal principles (for of them it is I now speak) by maintaining opinions that are destructive, and prey upon the vital spirits of Religion, as the midwife than did to Pharez, Upon thee be this breach and not upon us; May it never come to be upon you; may you never come to be partakers of other men's sins in so high a degree. Hitherto the damnable heresies and daring blasphemies, which have been vented everywhere, may be thought to stand on the private account of such as vent them: But if representative England (which God forbid) should espouse their crimes, by overmuch connivance at them, the guilt would then become national, and too heavy for us to bear. The Apostate Julian, who made it his business to destroy the Christian Religion, betook himself to the use of two principal means; the one whereof was obstructing the ways of liberal education, by putting down Schools of learning, that Christians being kept in ignorance might sooner be cheated of their faith, and less able to resist the Heathens sophistry: a Ne Christianorum pueri Graecis disciplinis imbuerentur, aut Poetas Scriptoresque eorum legerent, aut Scholas public. is frequentarant lege cavit. Ne linguis eorum, inquit, acumine perpolitis, facile disputationibus nostris resistere, & sacra quidem sua aedificare & amplificare, religionem autem nostram facile refellere queant. Niccphorus l. 10. cap. 25. Vide etiam Sozom. lib. 5. c. 17. The other, indulgence to all kind of Sects and heresies, in hope by countenancing them to create such a distraction amongst Christians, as should bring speedy destruction, not only upon the Orthodox party, but upon the very profession of Christianity. b Dissedentes Christianorum-antistites cum plebe discissa in palatium in: romissos monebat, ut, civilibus discordiis consopitis, quisque nullo vetante religioni suae serviret intrepidus. Quod agebat ideo abstinatè, ut dissentiones augente licentia, non timeret unanim●ntem postea plehem: nullas infestas hominibus bestias, ut sunt sibi fera'es pl rique Christianorum, expertus. Ammianus Marcellinus l. 22. non procul ab initio. I am fully assured that you abhor nothing more than the end at which Julian aimed, and therefore doubt not but the God of all wisdom and grace, will preserve in you an abhorrency of the means which he used. As ye desire to have Religion flourish among us, give encouragement to learning, and continue nursing fathers to the nurseries of it. If notwithstanding the pleasantness of situation, the water be nought and the ground barren, in either or both our Universities (as of old at Jericho, where there was a 2 Kings 2. 19, 20, 21. school of the Prophets) make speedy provision of fitting salt; let it be cast into the spring that the waters may be healed. And as ye desire to answer the expectation of Christendom, yea, of Christ, and to fulfil the vows of God that are upon you, speedily raise up some bank against the inundation of blasphemies and heresies, which are like to overflow us. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is twice commended Revel. 2. 3, 6. for his patience, yet noted withal for his not being able to bear such as were evil; and particularly, for his hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans, who were a pack of lascivious heretics. Patience itself cannot bear with such. But there is not the same spirit in all that dissent from truth; neither is every parcel of truth of the same importance. There may be some godly and peaceable persons, who yet cannot throughly close with every thing, which you perhaps may see a necessity of establishing, my next word of advice is, that toward such you would 2 do as the Egyptian midwives did, Exod. 1. Spare them for they are Hebrew children, and such as belong to the Israel of God, though Jacob like they have their haltings. This with me is a maxim, Every one that is truly conscientious will as really tender the public peace of that Church and State wherein he lives, as he desires to have the private peace of his conscience tendered by that Church and State. Now unto such as are indeed so qualified, although they may perhaps have gathered some peccant humours, there should be no churlish physic given. Lenitives may serve the turn; seeing there is a divine nature in them, which will not only preserve them from all mortal diseases, but work out those slight distempers by degrees. I often think of that prayer, Rom. 15. 5, 6. Now the God of patience and consolation, grant you to be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why the God of all patience? Surely to imply, that unless God be pleased to beget mutual patience, and forbearance of one another in some things, Christians will never be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus; neither will our heavenly Father ever be glorified by all his own children, with one mind and one mouth, according to their duty. In an Army, where the several Regiments are distinguished by several colours, yet all under command of one general, and engaged in one common cause, if the soldiers by reason of some diversity in their colours, should mistake one another for foes, and accordingly charge every one upon those of the Regiment next adjoining; how inevitable would the ruin of such an host of men be? The Church of Christ is an Army with Banners, there always hath been, and Cantic. 6. 4. will always be some variety of opinion even among the good soldiers of Jesus Christ: But so long as they are all obedient to the known commands of the Captain general of their salvation (as the Scripture styles Christ) this variety should not engage them in {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 2. 10. the destruction of one another, lest thereby the Armies of the living God come to be destroyed, and preyed upon by the common enemy. 3 Encourage the woman in her travel, as Rachel's midwife once did, Gen 35. 16, 17. Rachel traveled, and she had hard labour, and it came to pass when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, fear not, thou shalt have this son also. she had born Joseph before, now the midwife puts her in hope of Benjamin. We have already through the unspeakable blessing of God upon your Counsels and Forces, obtained deliverance from a mighty adverse power, that would have ruined us. Reformation is that which we are now groaning for: what satisfaction would it give to hear you saying to England, Fear not, thou shalt have this son also? The Church (as I intimated before) is said to travel in the labour of those, her agents, that are called to employments of the greatest moment and difficulty; such are Magistrates, Ministers, soldiers, and to the first of these sorts it belongs to encourage the other two. Hezekiah was a great reformer, and it may be observed, that there is mention twice made of his speaking comfortably to certain persons, 2 Chron. 30. 22. Hezekiah spoke comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: And again, Chap. 32. 6. He set Captains of War over the people, and gathered them together, and spoke comfortably to them. If our faithful and valiant soldiers have not received due encouragement, let them have it, I beseech you, to the full: and let me have leave to speak a few words in behalf of our godly Ministers; whose assistance (how useless soever it may be accounted in other affairs) cannot be spared in ecclesiastical Reformations. Israel was not brought out of Egypt, but by the concurrence of Moses & Aaron; nor the second Temple built, but by joint endeavours of Zerubbabel and Joshuah. It hath been formerly said by one out of this Pulpit, that you have nothing at all to do in reforming the Church; by another, that none but you have to do in the government of it. I fear not to call both these extremes, and beg your attention to those that take the middle way; whose unanimous voice to the Parliament of England, concerning extirpation of Heresies, and removal of abuses out of the Church, is that of She●●aniah to Ezra, Arise, for THIS MATTER E●ra 104. BELONGS TO THEE, we also will be with thee: be of good courage and do it. We live in an age wherein are many that do evil with both hands earnestly, as the Prophet speaks, Micah 7. 3. There is therefore need that both our hands should be employed in doing good. Now the two hands of a Christian Kingdom are the Magistracy and Ministry thereof. The business of Reformation calls for both. As we commonly use our hands for the washing and cleansing of each other. So if the Minister be extravagant, the Magistrate may correct him; then the right hand washeth the left: If the Magistrate do amiss, the Minister may admonish him, than the left hand cleanseth the right. But he that makes use of one hand to cut off the other with, destroys his body: such would our condition be, if either Ministers should suffer the Magistracy to be cried down; or Magistrates permit the Ministry to be debased. Scripture and experience bid us hope, that Amalek shall then be foiled, and Israel prevail, when faith in Christ, and zeal for truth shall support both these hands, as Aaron and Hur did those of Moses upon the mount. Lastly, for a conclusion of all, let the prayer of faith be of greatest activity when the woman is found to be in greatest extremity. Time was when things were at such a pass even with Jerusalem in a day of trouble, rebuke and blasphemy, that the children were come to the birth, but 〈◊〉 was no strength to bring forth, Isa. 37. 3. The case may pe●haps be ours at present, though I will not say it is. 〈…〉 am, the wisest course we can possibly take, is to follow 〈◊〉 ●zekiahs good example; who, upon that sad occasion, 〈◊〉 not only pray himself, verse 15. but send to Isaiah, req●●ring him to lift up a Prayer for the remnant that was 〈◊〉 vers. 4. Verily, Honourable and beloved, there is as 〈◊〉 need of fasting and prayer at this day, as ever there 〈◊〉 since our troubles began. But the assembling of our 〈◊〉 from month to month will be in vain, unless that text is tendered to God be the fasting of sincerity and prayer 〈◊〉 faith. If while we fast our lusts be surfeited, and 〈…〉 outcry our devotion, we must expect to have it much lon●er yet ere the child be borne. Wherefore to add text to our faith, and alacrity to our prayers, let us feed 〈◊〉 those interrogations, which have the force of a promise 〈◊〉 them, Isa. 66 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause 〈◊〉 bring forth, saith the Lord? I that cause to bring forth shall I shut the womb saith thy God? For my part when 〈◊〉 consider that temple-work hath been always accomplished not by might or by power, but by the spirit of the Lor● Zech. 4. 6, 7. and call to mind how many mountains are already 〈…〉 before his Zerubbabels: I am filled with hopes, 〈◊〉 you the Worthies of our Israel, whose souls have 〈◊〉 all this while to bring forth a Reformation, shall 〈◊〉 day see the travel of your souls, & be fully satisfied: 〈◊〉 as Jesus Christ would not save his people by halves 〈◊〉 leave the work of purchasing redemption for them 〈◊〉 had brought it to a Consummatum est, so he will not 〈◊〉 his Church by halves, but carry on the blessed work 〈◊〉 Reformation till, not we only but, all they text the world, whose expectations are fastened upon it, text cause to rejoice and say, It is finished. Text