A MAPPE OF ROME: LIVELY EXHIBITING HER MERCILESSE MEEKNESSE, and cruell mercies to the Church of God: Preached in fiue Sermons, on occasion of the Gunpowder Treason, by T. T. and now published by W. I. Minister.

  • 1. The Romish Furnace.
  • 2. The Romish Edom.
  • 3. The Romish Fowler.
  • 4. The Romish Conception.
  • To which is added, 5. The English Gratulation.
APOC. 17.6.

I saw the Woman drunken with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus.

AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, for Iohn Bartlet, and are to be sould at signe of the Talbot in Pater­noster Row. 1620.

TO ALL THAT WISH WELL TO OVR SY­ON, HEARTILY AND VN­fainedly: Grace be multiplied and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ.

BRethren, beloued in the Lord: You see by the Title, what you may ex­pect in the booke following. I hope what it promiseth, shall be indeede performed. I wish it were more com­plete and accurate for your sakes: as it might haue beene, if the graue and diligent Author could himselfe haue set it forth: but blessed be God, that his weightier employments doe not giue him leaue or leasure. I am glad I haue it for you as it is, through my earnest request to him: whose modesty thought it vnworthy the publica­tion, and my paines in writing it.

Reasons of this my request and paines, I can giue you many. First, I thinke it necessary, that our God, our gracious and louing God, may haue the praise of all his mercies (and namely that of this day) still reserued to himselfe wholly. His workes are glorious, and the benefit of them not confined to a scantling of time. Therefore these [Page] Gratulations cannot be lesse seasonable now than they were at the day of Deliuerance. Secondly, this I hoped might be a meanes to restraine our declining times from gazing and doting on that pompous Harlot, the Church of Rome. For when our nation shall see, and consider a fresh, how in­satiable she hath alwaies beene of blood, and Eng­lish blood! I cannot thinke we can be so inconsi­derate, as to dreame of any toleration, much lesse any sound reconcilement with so implacable an enemie. Thirdly, I thought it not altogether im­possible hereby to stop the slanderous mouthes of misse-conceiuing persons, scattered abroade through all the Country, yet pleasing themselues in the common error: who seeing in some good men a difference of iudgement in some small mat­ters, presently conclude them enemies of the State, &c. For this I will say of the Author, (and I say the truth in Christ, Rom [...].1. I lie not, my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost:) that hauing beene partaker of his Ministery some hundreds of times, I neuer heard him more earnest, or more faithfull, than in this Argument. And the whole Towne of Reding will testifie with me of his holinesse, low­linesse, peaceablenesse, vnweariable painfulnesse, and other graces beseeming his calling: which no ill-willer could euer yet impeach. Fourthly, and lastly, my intent is hereby to stirre vp our drowsie and forgetfull hearts to due thankfulnesse for so great a Deliuerance. And this (me thinks) is more than necessary. For when I behold the generall view of the Land, and the quality of peoples man­ners, [Page] the memory of that wonderfull day seemes vn­to me quite blotted out: And I know not whō bet­ter to resemble our selues vnto, than those of whō the Psalmist speakes, Psalm. 106.11.12.13.14. The waters couered their enemies: there was not one of them left. Then beleeued they his words: they sang his praise. But they soone forgat his workes: they waited not for his counsell: but lusted exceedingly in the wil­dernesse, and tempted God in the Desert. Doe we not so euen in our Canaan, a Land flowing with milke and hony? What horrible prouocations are there daily and hourely amongst vs, in all places, in eue­ry corner? Who can complaine sufficiently of the grieuous temptings and out-brauings of God, which our eyes doe see? Who would iudge by our strange demeanours, that God had euer done any thing for vs, either by sea or land, either a­gainst water-workes or fire-workes? Ah sinfull na­tion, laden with iniquity! Doe we thus requite the Lord for his louing kindnesse? Is this his reward for so great fauours?

Hearken ye children of Syon, and consider: Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Iudah trans­gresse. Though carnall persons,Hos. 4.15. who haue no true sence of the grace of Christ, set themselues out in their colours, and fashions, and Epicurisme, and Heathenisme, yet let it not be so with them that professe the feare of God. Though others loathe the word, and the meanes of saluation, yet let not Professors loathe them. Let it neuer be said, that Professors are proud, earthly, contentious, vaine, fantasticall, or willingly sweruing from the Rule [Page] of Piety.Exod. 19.5. You are his peculiar people: and if hee lose his honour in you also, he loseth it altogether. Therefore consider you the workes of the Lord, and his intent in them. Stirre vp your hearts, and frame your liues to a reall thankfulnesse. Let your moderation and discretion be quickned by zeale: and let your zeale be bounded by discretion. You shall (perhaps) mee [...]e with shame, Heb. 12.2. that is, reproches and ignominies: despise these. You shall meet al­so with the crosse, that is, persecutions and dam­mages: these endure. Here is patience, and mag­namity. Let your patient minde be knowne to all men: yet let it be valorous in the causes of your God: saint not, neither be afraid. You may well take occasion to grow the faster by this Antiperi­stasis, and vnite your forces the more strongly. Are you so spighted and maligned on euery side by profane Ismaelites? then let your loue toward one another encrease the more solidly, and a­bound toward your selues mutually in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell. Rom. 15.29. Liue fruitfully and peaceably in the Communion of Saints: here the Lord hath appointed the blessing, and life for euermore. Watch against Satan and his eldest sonne that Antichrist: pray for the dissolution of their Kingdome: especially see it be vtterly defa­ced in your selues and yours. Giue all diligence to leaue an holy seede behinde you, which shall praise the Lord in earth, while your selues praise him in heauen. [...]. A disgrace it is to godly Parents to haue vngodly children, especially by their owne default. Make your houses, houses of God, [Page] by setting vp, and then establishing his pure wor­ship therein. Cast vp your accounts before-hand, and prepare for the comming of Christ in the clouds. Accept my endeauours for your good, and helpe me with your prayers.

Your seruant in the Gospell of Christ, WILLIAM IEMMAT.

The Authors Apologie.

CHristian Reader, as I esteemed not the Sermons following sit for so publique a [...]iew, so neither meant I to purc [...]ase to my selfe so much enuie & wrath from the [...]atholiques, as these Sermons may (per­haps) bring vpon me. But the opportunity of the Pub­lisher, who hath taken paines in them, and of some o­thers desirous of them, drew out at last my consent to their request. If any phrases may seeme more warme and earnest, the subiect may pleade for pardon, which is a fierie and furious Powder-treason: and fire vseth to warme and kindle. If any straines or phrases be met with oftner than once, consider these Sermons were preached many yeares asunder; and euery yeare the same matter in substance was to be renewed among my Auditory. If I might heereby winne of some Catho­liques, but to consider of the grounds of their Religion, which (as they say of Nilus) breedeth almost yearely such monsters, I should be glad to gather that f [...]ui [...] of my paines: whose hearts desire for my seduced Country­men, is (as Pauls for his) that they might be saued in the day of the Lord: to whose grace I heartily com­mend thee, and desire to be commended by thee.

THO. TAYLOR.

THE ROMISH FVRNACE.

Daniel 3.22. &c.

22 Therefore because the Kings commandement was straite, that the furnace should bee exceeding hote, the flame of the fier slew those men, that brought foorth Sadrach, Me­shach, and Abednego.

23 And these three men, Sadrach, Meshech, and Abed­nego, fell downe bound in the middest of the hote fiery fur­nace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied, and rose vp in hast, and spake, and said vnto his Counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound, into the midst of the fire? Who answered and said vnto the King, It is true, O King.

25 And he answered and said, Lo, I see foure men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they haue no hurt; and the forme of the fourth is like the Sonne of God.

NEbuchadnezzar maketh an image of gold, straitly enioyneth the worship, prescribeth the nanner of it, with all manner of mu­sicke to draw and affect the simple and superstitious: Himselfe beginneth the daunce; his Nobles, Princes, Dukes, Iudges, Counsellors, Officers, Gouernours, Vers. 3. easily follow the Kings will and ex­ample, though in a most wicked decree:Regis ad exem­plum totus com­ponitur orbis. & what way now may we think the multitude went, but after their leaders?

[Page 2]But certaine Iewes, disordered fellowes (against whom in all likelihood the image was purposely erected, that such Chaldeans as Daniel had set ouer the Prouince of Babel,See chap. 2 49. might by this meanes be remoued from their pla­ces and charges:) are accused to the King, Vers. 12. Sa­drach, Meshach, and Abednego are with expedition con­uented, vers. 13. charged vpon paine of present death, to conforme to the worship of the Land, vers. 15. But it is not the commandement of the King, nor the consent of Princes, nor seuerity of Lawes, nor threats, nor allure­ments of Tyrants, that can preuaile to draw the Elect from God: they will craue none, nor take any time of de­liberation if it were offered in this thing: they boldly pro­test against that horrible idolatry to the Kings face, Wee will not serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set vp, vers. 18.

Heereupon as against confessed rebels (for so were Gods children euer accounted in the world) the sentence of death, without respite or further forme of law passeth vpon them; that they should be cast into a fiery Furnace, seuen times hotter than euer it vsed to bee: not that the King would quickly thereby dispatch them out of their paine, but partly to shew his owne great indignation con­ceiued against them; and partly to terrifie and affright them the more: for Tyrants (if they could) would rather torment the minds of the Saints, than their bodies.

[...]ra furor br [...] ­uis est.But they abiding vndaunted at this sentence, the wrath of the King proceedeth into a fury and short madnesse, pre­cipitating euery thing, and with more hast than good speed, executeth his wicked sentence: and lest any fauour should be shewed them, he commandeth his strong men and warriours to bring them before his eyes, and throw them into the Furnace, that hee might feed himselfe in their destruction: and so they did.

Diuision of the Text.Now of all this proceeding, these verses, and the other following, shew the euent; which is twofold. First, con­cerning the enemies of the Iewes, that the flame licked [Page 3] them in, who were the instruments of this wicked Ty­rant: which is set downe with the accusation in the first words. 1. Because the Kings commandement was straite, they were so intent vpon the Kings charge, as (in likely­hood they forgate their owne safety. 2. Because the Furnace was so extraordinary hote, the flame licked them in ere they were aware. The second euent is concerning the persons of the Iewes, and that is their escape and eua­sion, euen in the middest of the Furnace. Wherein three things are to be considered. First, the manner of it; it was miraculous, in that the flame had no power, either vpon their bodies, or on their apparell, but onely on their bonds: whereby being cast in bound, they were able to walke loose in the middest of the Furnace. Secondly, the meanes of this escape, a Sonne of God, whom the Tyrant saw walking in the Furnace with them. Thirdly, the effect of this deliuerance, the acknowledgement of the true God, by Nabuchadnezzar, and all his Nobles.

Wherein we haue an expresse type of our owne present estate, and of Gods dealing with vs; which when I haue in one or two words parallelled, I will come to the seue­rall parts.

The Romish Nabuchadnezzar, Affinity between Romish and Ba­bylonish Nabu­chadnezzar. head of that whore of Babel, not sitting ouer an hundreth seuen and twenty Prouinces, as this, but challenging the power of both the swords, ouer all the Princes and Prouinces of the earth, hath set vp an Idoll, in that the whole chaos and vast bo­dy of Popery, is as base an idolatry as euer was among the Gentiles: but especially their Moulded first in the Laterane Councell vnder Pope Innocent the third. Popish Priests worse than Iudas, who valued Ch [...]ist at thirty pence; for they buy 40. cakes (euery one of which is Christs body) for one halfe-penny. Breaden God in the Masse, (which the Gentiles would bee ashamed to fall downe before.) Hee hath sent out his Edicts, that all people, nations, and languages, should worship the image which hee hath set vp: and whosoeuer receiue not the mark of that Beast in their hands, and in their fore-heads, these he excommunicateth, and adiudgeth to fier and fag­got, (as witnesse all the bloody Martyrdomes, and fiery trials in other, and in our owne countrey) his owne Kings, [Page 4] Princes, Dukes, and Gouernours in Italy, Spaine, France, and other Popish countreys, bow downe to this beast. But a few reformed Churches, as England, Scotland, Ire­land, Germanie, Belgia, Hel [...]tia, Bohemia, Saxony, Den­marke, and Sweueland, doe not deliberate in this matter, that they will not doe this thing. He also hastily sends out his Bulles of Excommunication, and furiously threatens worse matters, of blood and slaughter, which (by his hands of mischiefe stretched into all countries) hee put­teth in execution against Princes and people, who con­forme not to the worship of his image.

Plentifull experience hereof we haue had in our owne countrey: witnesse those many and outragious conspira­cies, both in the dayes of her late Maiesty, (blessed in all memory) as also of his Excellent Highnesse, both before and since his solemne Inauguration. But all these prouing no better than paper-shot,This was prea­ched Nouemb. 5. 1612. and nothing so terrible and and deadly as he intended: seuen yeeres agoe hee set his Captaines on worke, for the heating of a Furnace seuen times hotter than euer before; yea seuenty times seuen times hotter than euer Nabuchadnezzars was.Romish cruelty surmounts the Babylon [...]sh, 3. wayes. For that was prepared onely for three persons; but this, for the sudden burning and blowing vp of three Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland: That, by heathens san­guinary 1 and bloody men, without the knowledge of 2 God; but this, by men (howsoeuer more bloody, yet) professing such a religion as out-boasteth all other for sanctity of life, and workes of mercy. That, openly as in a 3 course of iustice, where prayer, or strength, or change of mind in the parties, might haue preuented the extremity; but this, in the depth of blacke darknesse, against all iu­stice in the fountaine, against the liuing Law, his Maiesty himselfe; against the honourable Iudges, which are spea­king Lawes; against all the Records and instruments of iustice, which are silent Lawes; and against the whole Parliament, the makers of these Lawes; and all this in such secret and vndermining manner, as any league [Page 5] might assoone be made with hell it selfe, as with these pioners, who digged to the bottome of hell for mis­chiefe.

But marke, when all things were thus prepared, and these three flourishing countries (after a sort) a casting into that hellish flame: the selfe same euent, wickednesse returning vpon the heads of wicked doers: wicked coun­sels, the worst to the counsellors: sowers of wickednesse, [...]. reapers of destruction. The Agents and instruments of this Romish Tyrant so intent vpon the straite commande­ment of their Master, as forgetting their owne danger, were some of them licked into the flame, others eaten vp by the gallowes, others deuoured by the mouth of the sword; all of them made spectacles of confusion, which they most intended; while those, [...]. whom they had de­signed as fewell for their flames, had not an haire of their head, no nor of their garments touched. For which vn­speakable mercy, the name of our God bee euermore praised.

Now to the seuerall parts.

Therefore because the commandement of the King was straite, that the furnace should be exceeding hote, &c.

Hence we note first,Idolatry and cruelty alwayes coupled together what spirit it is that raigneth a­mongst idolaters, euen the same which is heere discoue­red in Nabuchadnezzar, namely, the spirit of malice, rage, and cruelty; which, when things succeed not to their mind, doth breathe out nothing but threatning, slaugh­ter, and blood, against the Saints of God. Pharaoh a no­table idolater, who professed that he knew not the Lord, Exod. 5.2. nor would heare his voyce, nor let the people goe; how began he his raigne, but by consulting to keepe vnder the people of God by heauie burthens, and hard taske-ma-masters? But when that succeded not, but the more they were vexed, the more they encreased, hee added to the for­mer cruelty a charge, that the Midwiues should kill all the males of the Hebrewes in the byrth. But neither did this prodigious cruelty prooue so successefull as hee de­sired; [Page 6] for the Midwiues feared God, Chap. 1.17. and did not as the King commanded them, but preserued aliue the men children. And therefore transported by rage, as one that had lost huma­nity it selfe, he makes a more publike & general law, char­ging all his people, Vers. 22. that euery man-child that was borne, they should cast into the riuer, and drowne it: With what furie and violence, after he had made them weary of their liues by sundry oppressions, did follow them into the bottome of the sea, thinking belike that God had diuided the sea for no other purpose, than for him to pitch his field in, a­gainst his people? It is plaine, that had not God taken him off, he would neuer haue taken his rod from off the Israelites.

H [...]st. 3.6.Of Haman that idolatrous Tyrant, the text saith, being full of wrath against Mordecai, for not bowing vnto him, he thought it too little to lay hands onely on Mordecai, but sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout the whole Kingdome of Ahashu [...]rosh, euen the people of Mordecai: and to this purpose procured letters from the King, which he sent by Postes into all the Prouinces, to root out, to kill, and to destroy all the Iewes both young and old, Vers. 13. children and women in one day.

Manasses was a wretched idolater, who did euill in the sight of the Lord, after the abomination of the Hea­then; he built the hie places, which his good father He­zekiah had destroyed; hee erected altars for Baal, and made a groue, he worshipped all the hoast of heauen, and serued them; he built altars for all the host of heauen, and that in the Court of the house of the Lord:2. King. 21.3. hee caused his sonnes to passe through the fier; hee gaue himselfe to witchcraft and sorcery, and vsed them that had familiar spirits, and were southsayers. Now if to all this you would adde an inseparable note to know a wilfull idola­ter by, you haue it in the 16. verse; Moreover Manasses shead innocent blood exceeding much, till hee replenished Ie­rusalem from corner to corner.

See 1. Mach. 1. & Iosephus de bello Iud. lib. 1. cap. 1. Nequ [...] tantae cae­des satis fuêre, sed Iudaeos coge­re coepit, vt abro­gato more pa­trio nec infan­tes suos circum­ciderent, porcós­que super aram immolarent; quibus omnes quidem aduersa­bantur, optimus verò quisque propterea tru [...]cidabatur. Antiochus Epiphanes, that monster of men, both for his [Page 7] horrible idolatry, and sauage cruelty against the Iewes, called Epimanes; forced the Iewes to lay aside the insti­tution of God in circumcising their children; as also in hatred of God to offer swines flesh vpon the altar, and eate swines flesh in their houses; in stead of Gods worship hee set vp the worship of Iupiter O­lympius, and this within the Temple of Ierusalem. The bookes of Moses and the Prophets hee burnt, &c. All which horrible rage against God himselfe was attended with such barbarous and despightfull wasting, and op­pressing of the Church of God, such murther and slaugh­ter of the people of God, as neuer was since there began to be a nation till that time; as witnesseth Daniel, chap. 12.1. Insomuch as stories report, that Ierusalem was left deso­late and void of all good men.

In both which high wickednesses (by the consent of all writers) he was an expresse type of that great Antichrist which was to come after him, and is now in the world, consuming the Saints of the most High, and working no lesse misery to the Church of God than he did; as we shal in part anon declare.

What shall I speake of the tyranny and cruelty of those Heathen Romane Emperours, within the first 300. yeeres after Christ? of whom not only the Apostles them­selues suffered violent death; but whosoeuer made any profession of their doctrine, were most ignominiously tormented, no respect had of sexe, nor reuerence of age, in so much as the dead bodies of men, and women, and children, old and young together, were cast out and lay naked in the streets like the pauement thereof. And (if we may beleeue history) in the dayes of one of those ten Per­secutors were ten thousand Christians crucified in one mount, crowned with crownes of thornes,Hadrian. and thrust in­to the sides with sharpe darts, in imitation (or derision ra­ther) of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. And in the last of those ten, in the space of one moneth were slaine vnder the name of Martyrs, seuenteene thou­sand [Page 8] persons, beside a multitude more, condemned to the mettals and mines, with other most cruell slauery. In one word, the histories of those times seeme to be written in blood, of which those monsters of nature (in the shape of men) made such effusion, as it seemeth true which was said in those times, that no m [...]n could step with his foote in all Rome, but he should tread vpon a Martyr.

Rome Christian as cruell as Heathen Rome.Now to apply this note to our occasion and purpose. This very spirit of cruelty is the spirit of Antichrist, which raigneth in Popery at this day; which one religion ex­ceedeth and outstrippeth all other religions, in barbarous blood-shead and cruelty (not the Turkish excepted.) Long it were to recite, and incredible to beleeue those horrible slaughters, which might be induced to prooue this part: there is neither writer that can bee so diligent, or writing so exact, as can make a sufficient relation, of the barbarous butcheries made vpon the Saints by these enemies of God and nature. But yet so much as may giue a generall view, and (as it were) a glimmering light, must be set downe for the euincing of this truth, which so glad­ly they would auoid.

2. Thes. 2.3.And first to begin with the Scriptures. Who is it whom the holy Ghost stileth the sonne of perdition, but the head of this Romish Apostasie? which title is commonly taken passiuely, for that he is appoynted, destinated, and borne to perdition: in which sense it is (besides this man of sinne) onely giuen to Iudas, Ioh. 17.12. whom Christ calleth the lost child, because being reiected and destinated vnto de­struction, he could not be kept by Christ as the rest of the Disciples were. But it is also fitly ascribed vnto this man of sinne actiuely, in that he is a destroyer, and an author of destruction vnto others, not onely by seduction, and in­fection; but also by persecution, wasting the Church of God with all his might.

If any man stand in doubt hereof, let him further con­sider how the King of locusts is called Ab [...]ddon, and A­pollyon, Reuel. 9.11. that is, A Destroyer from his effect. Now it is [Page 9] made as cleare as the Sunne, from the apt connexion of all the circumstances of the place, that by these locusts are m [...]ant the Popish Clergie, who are bred of igno­rance, heresie, superstition, and error, which is the smoake of the bottomlesse pit out of which they ascend.Trigin [...]a bella­torum mill [...]a, qui bellica munera guauiter [...]bire possent, nihil in­terpellato sacro­rum cultu. Sa­bell Enead 9. lib. 6. Thence come they by infinite numbers, like locusts, insomuch as that one sect of Franciscans offred out of their Order for an expedition against the Turke, thirty thousand strong warriours, which they might well spare without hinde­rance of their holy Obseruances. And well might they so doe, if that of Polydore Virgill be true, that this one fa­mily of Franciscans suddainly filled the whole world, no otherwise then locusts couer the face of the earth. How can it then be other, but that these locusts, with all the other swarmes of Abbats, Monks, Fryars,Pulchra prose­cto pulliti [...]s, & aulae Antichri­stianae decora fa­milia. Grass. reg. p. 34. B. Vers. 4. Priests and Ie­suites, must needs sodainly destroy & eate vp the fruites of the earth? not the grasse of God, which hath the green­nesse and moysture of grace, nor the trees of righteousnesse, which are the planting of the Lord, (for ouer such no power is giuen them:) but only ouer such as the heauen­ly Father neuer planted, and whose names were neuer written in the booke of life.

But, were this more obscure; whither tend all those Prophesies, and where were they euer accomplished (if not in this man) whereof the Reuelation is full? It is said of the second Beast, which rose out of the earth, Reuel. 13.11. and had two hornes like a Lambe, but spake like a Dragon, that hee caused so many to be killed as would not receiue the image of the beast in their hands, and in their foreheads. This Beast can be no other but the Pope of Rome, who riseth out of the earth, that is, out of most base beginnings, and step­peth or riseth aboue the earth, and all earthly power. He hath hornes like the Lambe, that is, professeth the meeke­nesse and innocencie of Christ (which the Turke neuer did:) but speaketh like the Dragon, that is, not with out­ward force and power, but euen by his word and speech exerciseth all the power of the Dragon, that is, of the Em­perour: [Page 10] for, not the greatest Emperours or Monarchs in all the world can translate and remooue Kings and Kingdomes by all the power they can make, which hee can by his word alone.

The same is the Beast that commeth out of the bottom­lesse pit, Reuel. 11.7. and maketh warre against the two witnesses, and ouercommeth and killeth them: By which two witnesses whether we vnderstand the Scriptures in the two Testa­ments (as some) which are now ouercome in Popery,AntiChrist an enemie both to Scriptures and Scripture-men. and their owne Traditions made equall, or rather set aboue them, as triumphing ouer them; or else we vnder­stand the zealous and sincere Professours of the Word of God, who both by their Doctrine and Conuersation giue witnesse vnto the truth of it; it commeth all to one: for the Beast that dare make warre vpon, and professe hostility to the Scriptures, will warre with, ouercome, and kill also the sincere louers of them, and vpright liuers after them.

To conclude this point: that one Prophecie may serue for all, Reuel. 17.6. where is affirmed of the great Whore, with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed for­nication, &c. that this woman was drunke with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus. By this woman the Iesuites themselues, will they [...]ill they, confesse is meant their Rome,Rib [...]ra. Bellarm. but olde Rome (say they) such as it was vnder the Heathen Emperours. But, where are the scarlet coloured Fathers but in the present Rome? In whose forehead is the name mysterie written, but in the present Romish Babylon?Testantur hoc Iac. Brocardus Venetus in Apoc. et monachus quidam Celesti­n [...]s. The Heathenish Empe­rours proclaimed open warre against Christianity, and carried not their enmity in secret, and in a mysterie. These with sundry other circumstances in the Text, will (per­haps) draw them one step further one day, and force them to a free confession of the whole trueth, when they can no longer withstand it.

And thus hauing briefely propounded the Prophecies of this Antichr [...]stian cruelty,Prophecies of Romish cruelty accomplished to the full. let vs in as few words see it [Page 11] in the accomplishment of them: Which if out of most approued Histories we should enlarge as wee might, it would easily appeare to be most matchlesse, and that no Scythian cruelty was euer comparable vnto it. But I must keepe a measure, and giue but a taste of that cup fil­led and running ouer with blood, which the Saints of God in all Countries haue drunke vp to the bottome.

The Romish History teacheth vs, that Romulus layde the foundations of the Citie of Rome in the blood of his brother Rhemus. And as the foundation was layd by him, so hath the frame been vpheld by his bloody brood vntill this day. Whence were the Emperours, who shed so much Christian blood in the first 300. yeares after Christ? were they not Romane? Whence hath almost all the blood,Pandolph. Colo­nutius ex Aenea Sylu. hist. Austr. et Nicol. Ma­chiauel. that hath beene shed vpon the earth since that time, issued, but either from the edicts, perswasions, ap­probations, or encitements of these firebrands of Baby­lon? Who committeth Kings and Princes together, ma­king them Woolues and tyrants one against another, but this Romish Nebuchadnezzar? Who bloweth vp massacres, rebellions, seditions, treasons, in all Coun­tries, but this scarlet whore of Babylon? Who sendeth out cut-throates and villaines with pardons, to stab and poyson Kings and Potentates of the earth, yea to blow vp whole States and Kingdomes with one terrible blow, but the holy Father of Rome? Where is the Lord cruci­fied euery day in his Saints, or where are the Saints con­demned for heretiques, and consumed with fire, but in the furnace which is made so hot by the ministers of this idolatrous Romish Tyrant? What Doctrine besides, Ro­mish is a teacher and maintainer of cruelty, of homicide, of parricide in the highest and most vnnaturall degree, so as the greatest Rebell or Traytor is Poperie it selfe? Whose Priests, or spirituall guides (who should be men of peace) besides Romish▪ be the nimble and actiue hands and instruments of all the former mischiefe, especially their Iesuites, who not onely doe these things, Rom. 1.32. but as stout [Page 12] patrons defend those that doe them?

If wee looke at the generality of this cruel [...]y, it hath beene almost without bounds or banks: What Coun­try in all the world haue the Papists set foo [...]e into, but they haue left behind them the steps, impressions, and monuments of their tyrannie? Manasseh made the streetes of Ierusalem onely runne with the blood of the Saints: but there is neuer a corner in all Europe, which these Idolaters haue not washed with streames of the blood of Martyrs, as History sheweth. If wee consider the multitudes of men, women, and children, on whom this cruelty hath fed, it will appeare to be most merci­lesse. I will not say how true that is of some, who say there is not a day in the yeare which might not be dedi­cated to an hundreth seuerall Martyrs, whose blood the Romanists haue shed: But true it is, that with the cup of death, Babylon hath serued thousands and ten thousands at once, and yet her insatiable thirst hath not beene sa­tisfied.

Ex Hermanno Mutio. Innocen­tius 3. anno. 1212. See this story at large in the booke of Mar­tyrs, pag. 868. Out of which booke I haue pic­ked some choise examples, that our common peo­ple hauing the booke by them, may see I belye them not in the things which seeme most in­credible, Foeminea in pug­na victoria nulla est.One of their Innocent Popes with his Bishops made but one Bonfire of an hundreth Nobles and others in the Country of Alsatia in one day. That mercilesse Minerius one of the Popes Captaines, dispatched with his bloody designes against the innocent Merindolians, caried him­selfe in the execution more like a diuell, feeding on the bowels of men, than a man that had any bowels in him: Who destroying a number of Townes before him, to the number of two and twenty, slew and murthered with all the cruelty that could be deuised, the Inhabitants, whe­ther they resisted, or not. The women and maydens were rauished; the women with childe, and Infants borne and to be borne were lamentably destroyed: the paps of many women which gaue sucke, were cut off, and the children looking for sucke at their mothers breasts, dead before, died also for hunger. And as a mon­ster that had neuer come of a woman, hee waged warre against that seely sexe that could least resist him. For [Page 13] when the men of Merindoll fled from his Armie, and thought it best to leaue behinde them (for their better expedition and safety) their tender wiues and children, hoping that the enemie would shew mercie to such a multitude of destitute and helplesse women and chil­dren; this enemie of mankinde euertaking this seely prey, practised such villany and cruelty vpon fiue hun­dred women, at once, besides the children, as hath beene vnheard of.

In another of those Townes named Cabriers, which vpon composition, and condition, that hee would lay downe his armour, and vse no violence against them, was yeelded into his hands, he no sooner entred but fal­sifying his promise he raged (as Maister Fox saith) like a beast▪ Hee picked out thirty choise men presently, and caried them into a meddow, and caused them to bee hewen in pieces by his souldiers: Hee tooke forty seely women, (some of them with childe) and put them into a Barne full of straw and hay, and caused it to be set on fire at the foure corners; whose lamentable out-cry when a souldier heard, he in pitie opened a doore to let them out; but as they were comming out, the Tyrant caused them to be slaine and cut in pieces, opening their bellies, that their children fell out, whom they troad vn­der their feete. And, lest he should be vnlike to Dio­clesian (who set a Church on fire, and burnt in it many thousand Christians:) he sent also a band of Ruffians, not with fire (as in the former instance) but vvith the sword into the Church, wherein as in a Sanctuarie were hid a great number of vvomen, children, and young In­fants, vvho vvithout all respect of place or per­sons, slewe all they found. In this one Towne vvere thus mercilesly murthered aboue a thousand Prote­stants.

In the yeare 1560. vnder Pope Pius (or,Acts & Mon. pag. 859. Impius ra­ther) the fourth, were two Townes in the parts of Cala­bria taken, and condemned at one time, to the number [Page 14] of a thousand and sixe hundred Protestants: Of them in one day were executed fourescore and eight in this man­ner: They being all thrust into one house together, as into a sheepe-fold, the executioner commeth in and ta­keth one, and blinde-foldeth him with a muffler about his eyes, and so leadeth him into a larger place hard by; and commanding him to kneele downe, hee cutteth his throat, and leauing him halfe-dead, and taking his But­chers knife and muffler all of a gore-blood, he commeth againe to the rest, and so leading one after another, hee dispatcheth them all. A direfull and lamentable spectacle to see, insomuch that a Romanist professed in a letter to his friend at Rome, that he could not write it without weeping: Another Preacher, one Simon Florellus wri­ting to an Italian Doctor of Phisicke in the Vniuersity of Basill, telleth vs what became of the rest. These two Townes (saith he) are vtterly destroyed, and eight hun­dred of the Inhabitants, or (as some write from Rome) no lesse then a full thousand. And this yeare were the re­sidue of that godly fellowship martired.

But if we reade ouer the whole Turkish History, and all the Records of the Heathen Emperours themselues, we shall not be able to match, no not in the Lion Nero, nor Decius, 2. Tim. 4.17. Gathered out of Ianus August Thuanus Presi­dent of the Par­liament of Pa­ris. nor Dioclesianus, that most wicked furie and rage which euer the sunne saw committed by the Pa­pists in the Massacre of France, wherein in the space of three dayes were tenne thousand Protestants not more cruelly then perfidiously slaine and murthered: and in the space of thirty dayes to the number of thirty thou­sand. The furies of hell were neuer more furious than these blood-sucking Romanists. What reioycing was there at Rome for this Massacre, what solemne Processi­ons and Masses were by the Pope and his Cardinals, (for so notable a stratagem) celebrated, what generall ioy in Rome, appeared in the publishing of a Iubile presently, in shoo [...]ing off great Ordinance in way of triumph, in gratuit [...]es and large gifts to those that brought the newes [Page 15] of it? insomuch as the History reporteth, that the Cardi­nall of Loraine gaue him a thousand crownes that first brought him the tydings of it.

And as these barbarous Butcheries were committed by secret fraud and conspiracie, so haue they by open hostility and professed warre made waste of Gods peo­ple, powring out the blood of Protestants as waters on the earth; and that with such fierce assaults, as they haue slaine in one battell an hundred thousand, and made their glory of it. How many fewer had tasted of the same cup in England, if their inuincible nauie in 88. had not beene broken by God? and in England, Scotland, and Ireland, how many aboue that number, if their fire­works had preuailed in 1605. That 5. of Nouember shold haue beene Englands dismall, and doomes day, a feare­full and terrible day like the day of the Lord, which shall burne like an Ouen, Mal. 4.1. wherein our very Sunne should haue been turned into blood, and the whole land should haue beene drunke with the blood of the Inhabitants.

I would passe this point of their insatiable thirst after blood, but that I cannot omit to adde a word or two of that infinite effusion of blood, which the Popish Spani­ards haue made among the poore Indians, vnder pre­tence of conuerting them to the faith: and that confirmed by their owne Metellus Se­quanus. Bartholomaeus Casas, a Bishop that liued in that Country. This booke writ­ten in Latine is wel worth tran­slating: but these with a number more ins [...]ances of their hellish cruelty are o [...]ra­cted by M. White in his way to the Church, the 50. digression, where the Reader may further acquaint himselfe with the Spanish conuer­sion or rather vt­ter subuersion of the Indies. writers, who report, that neuer since the beginning of the world was there made such an ha­uock of people as the Spaniards haue made there: That of two thousand thousand persons inhabiting one coun­try Hispaniola, in the yeare 1580. are not left aboue 500. or an hundred and fifty: That more then tenne Realmes greater then all Spaine, with Arragon and Portugall, and those swarming with multitudes of people, as Em­me [...]s on an Emmet hill, are all turned to a Wildernesse: That within the space of forty yeares seauen and twenty millions of people are destroyed; in Hispaniola three millions, in another Country fiue millions in fifteene yeares, in another fiue millions, in Perne foure millions, [Page 16] in fiue small Iles fiue hundred thousand. They haue throwne downe from the top of a steepe mountaine 700 men together, and dashed them all to pieces. In three moneths they famished 7000. children. At one time they massacred 2000. Gentlemen that were the slower of all the Nobility of that Country. And all this with such cruelties as were neu [...]r heard of before: Which to auoid, the poore men would hang themselues with their wiues and children, the women did destroy their con­ceptions, and in griefe and despaire dash their owne chil­drens braines against the stones, lest they should come into the Spaniards hands.The Prince of the Ile Cuba so answered the Fryar that came to shrine him at the slake. Some of them professed, that if the Spaniards went to heauen when they were dead, they would neuer come there: that they did carie them­selues neither like Christians nor men, but like diuels: and, that it had beene better the Indies had beene giuen to the diuels of hell, than to the Spaniards. All which are the words of their owne Writers, and confirmeth the point in hand, that the Romish Woolues are neuer satisfied with blood, nor can be; seeing they must bee nourished of that whereof they are ingendred.

Secondly, their cruelty is not onely euident in such direfull and tragicall outrages in all Countries, nor one­ly in that (like rough Esaus) their hand is against euery man; but also in their cruell and barbarous manner and minde in effecting their bloody proiects. Farnesius, hee voweth to ride his horse to the saddle in the blood of the Lutheranes.Satia te sanguine quem sit isti, & cuius semper in­sacrabilis fuisti. Thomyris de Cy­ri capite in v [...]re sang. Here nothing but a sea of blood can quench his blood-thirstinesse. Minerius being intreated for some poore Merindolians, who had left him their Citie, houses, and goods, and had escaped onely in their shirts to couer their nakednesse, sternly answered that he knew what he had to doe, and that not one of them should escape his hands,Minerius the diuels Proctor, or Factor. but he would send them to hell to dwell among the diuels. Here was a more eager thirst, not onely for the blood of their bodies, but of their soules too; the death of these poore Christians was a [Page 17] small thing in his eyes, vnlesse it be accompanied with their damnation.

Adde hereunto the exquisitenesse of the torments, and the vnnaturalnesse of the tortures,Acts and Mon. pag. 869. See another hi­story of like cru­elty, p. 805. [...]. by which they held men in death so long as possibly they could: arguing, that if they could inflict a thousand deaths on them, or could hold them in dying a thousand yeares, they would. Hence commeth their burning by piece-meale, and that not with fire onely, but with fat, Brimstone, Pitch and Tarre also dropping on their heads: And thus was that meeke and innocent Martyr George Marsh burned, with a barrell of Pitch and Tarre dropping vpon his head: neither when hee was thus tormented and dead, was it thought sufficient; vnlesse the Bishop should solemnly in a Sermon affirme, that hee was now a fire-brand in hell.

Iohannes de Roma a Monke (his name tels vs what house he was of) got a Commission to examine the Lu­therans;Pag. [...]60. and before any conuiction he vsed this torment to force them to accuse themselues: Hee vsed to fill Boots with boyling grease, and put them on the legges of whom hee suspected or listed; and tying them back­ward to a Forme, with their legges hanging downe ouer a soft fire, so he examined them.

In the History of the Andrognians wee reade of one Odul G [...]met, a man of 60. yeares of age,See the exquisite torments deui­sed, and suffered by Bertrand, p. 817. and by Rich. Atkins, p. 1948. for whom they deuised a strange kinde of death and torment, after this manner: When they had taken and fitly bound him, they tooke a kinde of vermine which breedeth in horse­dung, and put them vpon his nauell, couering them there with a dish, which within short space pierced into his belly, and killed him.

But what had these men done? Had they killed their Kings, or blowne vp whole Parliament houses? Surely either their facts were haynous, or the furie of their ad­uersaries ridiculous. As cruelty neuer wanted cause of putting forth it selfe, so here were no small causes pre­tended. [Page 18] The most horrible torments that any Prote­stant suffered among them, was for casting downe an Idoll, not able to defend it selfe, as in the examples of Betrand and Atkins: others put to most cruell death for not acknowledging more Christs then one, which was the first of those sixe bloody Articles, whereby it was ca­pitall not to professe, that either there were not so many Christs, or that one Christ should not be according to his body in so many places, as there were seuerall hoasts distributed through the world.Marriage puni­shed among Pa­pists, whoredome escapeth. Others were murthered for marrying a wife according to the examples of the Apostles: many for reading the Scriptures: sundry for hauing them, or some small parts of them in the English tongue, as Robert Silkeb, and one Mistresse Smith at Co­uentry,Pag. 887. onely because they had the Lords prayer, the Creed and tenne Commandements found about them. Some put to death for selling bookes of Scriptures,Pag. 863. al­though it was a branch of their calling: as a godly booke-seller in Auinion was burned with two Bibles about his necke, onely for selling some Bibles; when at the same time a lewd Ballad-seller was graced in the sel­ling of filthy and ribald Songs and Ballads.

Adde hereunto that lamentable merriment of a rich Merchant in Paris, who for a iest which hee brake vpon the Fryars of S. Francis, lost his life; hee in merriment told them, that they w [...]re a rope about their bodies, be­cause S. Francis should once haue beene hanged, [...]ag. 831. but was redeemed by the Pope, on this condition, that all his life after hee should weare a rope. But they in earnest got iudgement against him, that he should be hanged for it. And when hee to saue his life recanted his speech, they commended him for it, and made hast to hang him while he was in that good minde. Oh mercilesse men, to whom iudgement without mercy belongeth! Iam. 2.13. Are these the princi­pall causes of such sauage and pittilesse proceedings? Or if they be not, tell vs of some greater, whereby poore Christians are chased with such seas of sorrowes out of the world.

[Page 19]Thirdly, the cruelty of these idolatrous Papists be­wrayeth it selfe to be most inhumane, in that it spareth nor, respecteth not, nor pittieth any degree, order, sexe, age, or condition of men, whom they take to be their enemies; but as rough Ismaels, their hands are against euery man, that is, euery sort of men. Duke Medina professeth, that his sword knowes no difference be­tweene Hereticks and Catholickes: What no? will you not know your own? no not Catholicks? We read in the history of the Germane Martyrs,Acts and Mon. pag 814. how Alphonsus Diazius came from Rome to Neoberge, to kill his owne brother Iohn Diazius, because he was a Protestant: which most barbarous fact he with another cut-throat so cruelly per­formed, as hath scarce beene heard of since Cain killed his brother Abel for Religion. With what despightfull cruelty haue the poore Protestants beene compelled to carrie Faggots, to burne their faithfull and painefull Pa­stors? as two women of S. Germain [...] were forced to doe by Iacomell the Inquisitor, and other his Monkes.Pag. 874. How vnnaturally haue they forced (by their adiuration) the Protestants to detect and bring into the danger of their liues, their parents, their children, their brethren and si­sters, yea their deare wiues and companions who haue layd in their owne bosomes?Pag. 751. All which in that one exa­mination of Robert Bartlet, plainely appeareth.

I will adde hereunto that, to which no parts of vnna­turall cruelty can be added: that they haue compelled the children to set fire to the burning of their owne fa­thers, against all lawes of God and nature it selfe; as ap­peareth in the example of William Tilesworth, to the bur­ning of whom his owne daughter Ioane Clerke was for­ced to set fire: as also of Iohn Scriuener, Pag. 710. whose owne children were forced to set fire to their naturall father.Pag. 766. And, as if this were but a small thing, yet Popish cruelty can afford vs examples without example among the most sauage heathens and barbarisme it selfe: This one I can­not omit, testified by Thuanus, and out of his Historie [Page 20] transcribed by D. Bulkley in his addition to the booke of Martyrs: that in the Towne of Nonne a certaine wo­man being drawne out of a priuie place, where shee was fled from the rage of Popish Souldiers, was in the sight of her husband shamefully defiled, and then comman­ded to draw a sword,A woman forced to kill her hus­band by Papists. Acts and Mon. pag. 1951. was forced by others who ordered her hand, to giue her husband a deadly wound, whereof he died. Oh vnnaturall tyrants of mankinde, in whom naturall affection is so dried vp, as not one drop of it must be reteined in those who are knit in the straytest bonds, but, whom God and nature haue made one, euen these by Popish cruelty must be the executioners one of another.

Our owne vipers, who like so many Nero's wrought hard night and day in the bowels of the earth, to eate out the bowels of their owne mother-country, spared neither King, nor Queene, nor Prince, nor Nobles, nor Senate, nor Gentry, nor young nor olde, no not their owne friends and fauorites, whom they would haue sent to heauen with one iumpe for the loue they bore them.

No plea suffici­ent against the cruelty of Ro­manists.Adde hereunto, that in the madnesse of their rage and furie they chased away all pittie and respect of seely per­sons, who in respect either of their impotencie of minde, or tender age, might by all lawes of nature and nations haue layd claime to mercy, if the Ocean of Heathenish (I meane, Popish) cruelty had not broken all bankes and bounds. To cleare this point, we might be large to set out the vnnaturalnesse of their cruelty against the liuing and dead, which could not hurt them any way. Most la­mentable was that spectacle of the childe which sprung out of the wombe of a woman burnt at Garnsey, which being saued out of the fire was by the bloody executio­ners cast in againe,Acts and Mon. pag. 1864. Fel [...]yes childe. Dauies Boy vn­der 12. yeares condemned for the 6. articles, p. 1879. because it was a young hereticke, and so baptized in the mothers flames and it owne blood. What hurt could that Boy of eight yeares olde doe vnto them or their religion, which was scourged to death in Bonners house for religion? What madnesse was it to [Page 21] apprehend a mad man, as Collins, who seeing the Priest holding his hoast ouer his head, and shewing it to the people, held vp a little dogge by the legges ouer his head; for which he was taken, and immediatly condem­ned to be burned with his dogge as Hereticks: A wofull meane to bring a mad man into his wits. With how lit­tle reason could they demand a reason of one Cowbridge a mad man of his faith, and make the words of a mad man without vnderstanding to be heresie, for which hee was burned at Oxford? But ala [...]!Pag. 1035. where fury & rage hath made men mad, no excuse will serue to moue to p [...]tie.

How vnnaturall is that wrath that sticketh not neither to bury the quicke, as Marion at Burges was condemned to be buried aliue; nor to vnbury,Pag. 816. and violate the graues of the dead? In our owne Country, and dayes of our fathers, how M. Bucer and Phagius were cited out of their graues to appeare, or any that would for them, and that at Cambridge, foure yeares after their burial, is manifest: which when the seely ashes could not do, they were dig­ged out & burned on the market-hill. How Wickliffe was condemned after his death,Pag. 1780. & his bones burnt 41. yeares after his buriall, appeareth in the History of Maister Fox. Richard Hun, who was first apparently hanged and mur­dred in prison by their wicked hands,Pag. 739. was burnt also after his death. Peter Martyrs wife the Diuinity Reader at Ox­ford,Pag. 1785. was two yeares after her death digged out of her graue. Iohn Glouer was not onely excommunicate,Pag. 1556. but strucke with the great sentence of Maranatha, after his death. Iohn Tooly was cited by Bonner after he was dead and buried, to appeare before him by such a day, and the time of citation limited being expired, and he not appea­ring, he was excommunicate, & strait charge giuen, that no man should eate or drink with him, or if any met him he should not bid him God-speede, and if hee came to Church in diuine seruice hee must be thrust out [...] After this excommunication hee was condemned and com­mitted to the secular power to be burnt for an Heretick, [Page 22] and so by the Sheriffes the poore dead man vvas the se­cond time executed.

Now out of all this I conclude, that the spirit of N [...]bu­chadnezz [...]r is quickned or reuiued in these Romanists, and, that they are of the number of those whose mercies are cruell. Prou. 12.10. Gal. 5.22. Math. 11.29. Certainly they are not led by the Spirit of God: for the fruits of the Spirit are meekenesse, gentlenesse, peace; neither by the spirit of Christ; for he was meeke and lowly of spirit. He and his Apostles put none to death. Obiect. You put Catholickes to death, and not for any thing but for maintaining the ancient religion of their fathers. Answer. This is a cunning wile of Satan, to put this imputation from his deare Antichrist vpon others: for it cannot be shewed, that euer any Romanist suffered death amongst vs for his religion, but for rebellion, and denying his allegiance: there being no law in England to put a Papist to death for his conscience. Yet yeeld that which can neuer be graunted, (without betraying our innocencie:) and compare which of our religions be more vnmercifull, it must needes fall vpon their pate: for M. Fox in the fiue yeares of Queene Mary hath recko­ned vp towards three hundred, and so the truth is, as eye­witnesses will testifie: whereas a Writer of theirs hath raked vp in fifty yeares vnder two hundred, namely 193. Compare the oddes.

I hasten to things that remaine; wherein I will be more briefe.

Note here how farre the Lord suffers the wicked to bring their purposes,Mans extre­mity, Gods op­portunity. euen to the point of execution: for, here was the rage of the King vnplacable, till the furnace was prepared, and his seruants put in, whom the Lord would not deliuer till they were in the furnace; and, not in some corner of it, where the fire came not, but in the midst of the flames. This the Lord doth, 1. In respect of the wicked, to glorifie himselfe through them, both in his long patience toward them, forbearing them till there be no remedie, as also in his iustice, when [Page 23] they make all cock-sure, and glory in their vngodly pur­poses, then to confound them, and dissipate their coun­sels, recompencing his leaden feete with brazen hands, 2. In respect of the godly, either to try their patience, and faith, and loue of himselfe, or else to declare his mighty power in their deliuery, when all other meanes are hopelesse.

This may stirre vs vp to the greater thankfulnesse for the great mercie of this present day:Vse 1. for the same was the Lords dealing in that vngodly and diuellish plot, as here for the three children: It was brought euen to the birth, as the Scripture speakes. Oftentimes the wicked conceiue wickednesse, and trauell to bring forth iniqui­tie: and here the mischiefe had beene conceiued the full moneths, and they (no doubt) gloried in their hope­full birth: but yet our watchfull and gracious God cau­sed their Sunne to fall at noone-day, and stretched out his owne right hand to saue, when all meanes failed; that all the glory and praise of it might returne to himselfe.

Let vs learne hereby euer to wayte for the Lords de­liuerance, though hee seeme to delay:Vse 2. if it be not sud­daine, yet it shall be seasonable; how glorious will it be, if it be in the very flames, euen the night before the danger, as was Peters deliuerance, Act. 12. and ours also the very night before the intended execution?

Note further, how the prouidence of God guides all euents,Man purposeth, God disposeth. and ouer-rules all designements of all his crea­tures. Nebuchadnezzar purposed to burne the bodies of the Saints: but the Lord disposed, that the wicked should be burnt in their stead. He cannot burne whom he will: He cannot saue whom he would. He may command the furnace to be made, and to be made seauen times hotter than ordinary; yet can hee not commaund it to burne whom he would, he cannot forbid it to consume whom he would not. This ouer-ruling power of God makes fire and water, which (we say) haue no pitie, more mer­cifull and pittifull then tyrants & wicked men: as flames [Page 24] of fire here more fauourable than Nebuchadnezzar, as the sea it selfe more calme than Pharaoh. Nay more, this prouidence makes the vngodly meditate a vaine thing, Psal. 2▪1.2. especially in banding themselues against the Church. Nay more yet, their counsels are not onely turned vnto folly, the Lord disappointing them, but euen to a quite contra­rie end, for a mischiefe to themselues, as here, the same fire that they kindle against the children of God, lickes vp themselues; the same destruction that Pharaoh intended against Israel, ouerthrew onely himselfe and all his hoast. Hence Dauid obseruing this truth, is bold to say, that the wicked digges a pit for others, Psal. 7.15. but falls into it himselfe: hee layeth snares for others, but himselfe is taken; he whetteth his sword against the innocent, but it shall pierce his owne heart. The wicked deuise of Haman against the Iewes, was turned vpon his owne head;Hest. 9.25. both hee and his were hanged on the Gallowes which he had set vp for Morde­cay. And the enemies of Daniel are cast into the same den that they prepared for him.

The selfe same thing we see experience of in the Popes and Percies barbarous deuise against the Church: they could make their furnace, but could not kindle the fire: nay some of the actors were marked with their powder, but none against whom it was layd: though they carried it a long time in their resolutions and plots, yet did not they meditate a vaine thing? yea did not the Artizans of death perish in their owne Art? yes most iustly. And so of D. Stories iron Cage, which was turned into an hurdle and halter against himselfe.

Let vs all therefore (to the praise of God) acknow­ledge,Vse. both what a bootlesse thing and dangerous it is to be an instrument of malice against the Church. The Pope and holy league (or rather, impure faction) haue a long time leagued themselues against the Churches reformed: but hath not the Lord still dissolued their most furious practices, and made the end shamefull vnto themselues? Haue they not lost more by their cruell Inquisition at [Page 25] home, then they haue gotten? Hee that hath knowledge of the state of the Low Countries, shall easily see it had beene good for them neuer to haue knowne it. Haue not the same persons by horrible stratagems and blood-sheds sought vtterly to waste the Church?Sanguis Marty­rum▪ semen ec­clesi [...]e. but is not the blood of Martyrs the seede of the Church? haue not we reaped the holy doctrine of Christ,Foecundi sunt Martyrum ci­ [...]eres. which was sowen in the blood and ashes of our Fathers? Was not that most hellish mas­sacre in France a meanes vtterly to haue abolisht the men­tion of religion for euer? but haue wee not great hope, that the Lord will giue them to reape in ioy for such sor­rowfull sowing? and in sight, France was neuer so fur­nisht with Protestants as at this day. Against our owne Country did not they bragge and beare themselues vpon their Inuincible Nauie of 88. to destroy young and olde, Religion and Iustice on a day? Yet what was the end but this, the Lord brake their ships, and so weakened their strength, as they haue halted euer since, neuer able to ga­ther such forces together againe? And of what attempt almost euer so wicked could they blush at, saue this most execrable deuise,Hest. 9.26. for which these dayes of Purim are in­stituted as a memoriall? for indeede, as neuer any vnfi­nished was so neare the accomplishment, so neuer any did cast more iust reproach vpō them, both for the accur­sed mischiefe and cariage of it, as also for the suddaine shame & confusion wherewith the actors were cloathed.

And, as it is bootlesse, so is it a dangerous thing to be an instrument against any good man,Haue nothing to do [...] against that iust man. come vvith what humane authoritie hee can come. These seruants of Nebuchadnezzar might thi [...]ke they had warrant e­nough for their fact, by the Kings commaundement; but yet the fire licked them in suddainly and irrecouerably. The Prophet Zachary calls the Church (and so the mem­bers of it,) an heaui stone: neuer man lifted at it, but was torne in pieces. The th [...]eatning is passed,Zach. 12.3. they shall be couered with shame which warre with Sion. A wofull thing it is for any man to hatch mischiefe against the Church: [Page 26] he carries his owne coales, and a sentence of condemna­tion with him, although hee goe in with Haman to the Kings banquet. See Esa. 33.1. and 41.14.15. and Obad. 18.

So much for the enemies: Now in the persons deliue­red, the Text affordeth three notable points, 1. The man­ner, it was miraculous: 2. The meanes, a Sonne of God walking with them: 3. The effect, namely the acknow­ledgement of the true God by Nebuchadnezzar and all his Nobles. Of all these very briefly.

I. For the manner: they were cast in bound, and the fire onely loosed their bonds, consumed them, and set their bodies free, yea their garments did not so much as sauour or smell of the fire. Gods children, and the chil­dren of the Church,Gods people, g [...]y­ners by fiery trials. by fierie trials get more liberty, and walke more enlarged; they haue their chaines of sinne consumed, and so walke more gloriously in persecutions than euer before, and themselues like gold come out more purified. 1. Pet. 1.7. Neuer were these three more glorious than in the flames.

We must learne by the Papists furnace to take good, as we haue taken no harme:Vse. and labour, that our bonds of sinne may be more and more loosed, and our selues walke at more liberty in the wayes of Gods commandements. Thus wise men take more benefit of foes than of friends.

II. For the meanes of their deliuerance. Some ascribe it to virginity, as Damascene; some to fasting, as Basill: but the word of God ascribeth it to faith in the Sonne of God; Heb. 11.34. By faith they quenched the violence of the fire. And so in this place: Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth like the Sonne of God; speaking indeede like an Heathen, whose Gods were begotten one of another: not vnder­standing the Sonne of the eternall Father, but an Angell, vers. 18. Yet hence we may note many good things, as

First, that the Lord Iesus the Sonne of God, and the protection of his people, by whose onely power a true miracle can be wrought, then affords his most gracious [Page 27] presence, when his members are in extreamest dangers: as the head most bestirres it selfe in the exigence of the least member. He tooke not the quality of fire from this fire, (which did burne wood, and fewell, and the enemies bodies, and the bolts of Daniels fellowes:) but onely re­strained and repressed it from these subiects. And hence it is, that the Martyrs neuer finde such a chearefull pre­sence of Gods Spirit with them, as in the midst of flames: whose consolations swallow vp all their feares, and all the horrour of those flames. Of this trueth if our selues had not had experience in their hellish conspiracie, we had not beene here at this time.

Secondly, let vs ascribe that saluation vnto the Sonne of God, who walked with vs in that Furnace. The wic­ked tyrant could espie a fourth like the Sonne of God in the furnace: much more let vs, and acknowledge, that it was no fore-sight, wisedome, merit, or humane meanes whereby we were preserued, but onely the Sonne of God, who by themselues reuealed it. And for time to come let vs hide our selues vnder his wing, which if wee doe, fire shall cease to burne, and water to drowne, rather than we shall perish.

Thirdly, as this tyrant by this sight of this Sonne of God in the furnace did acknowledge, that hee neither ought to haue commanded such an vniust command, nor his Ministers obayed it; so wee wish the Romish N [...]bu­chadnezzar would at length come (by such euents as haue befall [...]n him) to acknowledge the Sonne of God with vs, protecting and defending his owne religion among vs: and that the tyrant would but come to aske that Iewish question, Who is this whom the windes and seas obey, as in 88. and what is that fourth, Math. 8 [...]7. who would not suffer the fire to burne those, for whom it was prepared, as in 1605? and conclude at last, that it is hard to kicke against such prickes. Acts 9.5.

III. For the effect or euent of all: It is the acknow­ledgement and praise of the true God, euen among his [Page 28] enemies: much more should this be among vs, who pro­fesse our selues friends, and had the sweet of the mercie. Note Dauids practice on the like occasion, Psal. 7.16.17. His mischiefe shall returne vpon his owne head, and his cru­eltie, shall fall vpon his owne pate: I will praise the Lord ac­cording to his righteousnesse, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord m [...]st high. Let vs also praise the iustice of God in defending the good, and reuenging the wicked: As he hides not his righteousnesse, but drawes it out for our safety, so let vs not hide his saluation, but draw it out for his glory: Let fathers tell their children, and so let it be in euerlasting memory, that the Lords grace and the Papists wickednesse may neuer be put out. And let vs not onely speake of it as a wicked intent, and so force one another to malice them, but driue our selues forward to such du­ties, of faith, loue, obedience, as beseeme those who looke for such saluation.Psal. 33.1. Thus it becomes the iust to be thankefull. To this blessed Sonne of God, who is alwayes present with his Church in the hottest flames, together with the Father of mercies, and Spirit of all consolation, be all honour and glory, now and euer­more. Amen. Amen.

The end of the first Sermon.

ROMISH EDOM.

Amos 1.11, 12.

Thus saith the Lord, For three transgressions of Edom, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pitie, and his an­ger spoyled him euermore, and his wrath watched him al­way.

Therefore will I send a fire vpon Teman, and it shall de­uoure the palaces of Bozrah.

IN these verses is contained the fourth ex­ample of Gods seuere iudgement against the neighbour nations of his people Is­rael: namely vpon the Edomites, which dwelt in Arabia, and confined vpon the South coast of Iudea. Wherein wee will obserue three generall poynts.

1 A threatning: For three transgressions of Edom, Diuision of the text. and for foure, I will not turne to it.

2 The equitie of it: Because hee pursued his bro­ther, &c.

3. The execution of iudgement, vers. 12. Therefore will I send a fire, &c.

I. First of the threatning:Exposition. For three transgressions of Edom, and for foure:] Here is a certaine number put for an vncertaine: and it may be considered either ioyntly, and so three [...]nd foure make seuen,Numerus septe­narius iuxta ali­quos est nume­rus [...]rf [...]ctus. and then by this num­ber is vnderstood, first, the multitude and magnitude of [Page 30] their wickednesses, being in ripenesse and perfection: secondly, the greatnesse and heauinesse of their punish­ment, as Leuit. 26.21. I will punish you seuen times more for your sinnes. Or seuerally: and then this is the sense: If after once or twice their prouoking of me they had re­turned, I was readie to returne and giue them pardon: but now the fourth time prouoking me, that is, going on in sinne still, and adding obstinacie and impenitencie to their sinne, I will beare them no longer.

Here note by the way, that the Lord is not suddenly moued to punish euen his enemies. He speakes to a man (saith Iob) twice and thrice. Iob. 33.14. But after men a long time haue persisted with obstinacie in diuers and grieuous sinnes, then at length he reckoneth for many together: thereby manifesting both his patience in forbearing, and his iustice in smiting.

I will not turne to it.] First, I will not turne my selfe any more in my loue, nor by my Spirit, vnto them: I will not offer my selfe in patience to expect them any more. Se­condly, I will not turne them to my selfe by repentance, but leaue them to themselues, to enioy their sinnes so ma­ny and so enormious, till my swift and seuere iudgement ouertake them.

Note here, that of all iudgements the most seuere is to be left and forsaken of God; when he is so farre prouo­ked as he will not returne. This one threat (I will not turne to it) is an epitome of all miserie.

II. Now of the equitie. These Idumeans were stub­bornly wicked, and heaped vp sinne vpon sinne. But espe­cially they are here threatned because of their crueltie and fiercenesse against the Church of God, set downe in foure particulars: 1. In respect of the persons: He pur­sued his brother. Esau was the naturall brother to Iacob, yea a twinne of the same wombe at the same time; so as the Edomites and Israelites were cousin-germans, of two brethren, Esau and Iacob: yet as Esau hated his brother extremely, with deadly hatred plotting his death, euer af­ter [Page 31] he got the blessing from him: so was this imbred ha­tred deriued into his posteritie against the posteritie of Iacob, forgetting they were brethren, and of brethren. Therefore it is said, he cast off all pitie, and put off all huma­nitie, naturall affection and all bowels were laid aside: so is the word, violating euen the law of nature. N [...]. ham [...]n. 2. In respect of the extent of his wrath: it turned to fiercenesse and cruel­tie, no sparke of compassion left; called furie and rage, Psal. 137.3. while they cried, Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground. 3. In respect of the effects: which in the text are two: first, sword and slaughter: secondly, spoyle and robberie: They spared neither life, nor goods, but as theeues both slew and rifled them. 4. In respect of the time: His anger was euermore, and his wrath al­way; as a cruell beast hauing taken his prey will neuer let it goe: so Edom neuer let Israel goe free, no time wasted his wrath, which continued, perpetuall, and irreconcili­able. Obiect. There was often truce and peace betweene them. Answ. No: in warre he spoyled, in peace he watched him, saith the text.Gal. 4.29. Thus he that is after the flesh persecutes him that is after the spirit with an endlesse hatred; the wic­ked, the elect; the Edomites, the Israelites.

III. The third generall is the execution of iudge­ment: Therefore I will send a fire] God will send. God reuengeth his. Fire in Scripture is vsually put for a most grieuous plague, by sword, or famine, or pestilence. [...]. Or we may take it in the letter, fire, that is, extreme slaughter and desolation, eating vp the countrey as fire doth stubble. For fire is a name of efficacie as well as of nature: as Num. 21.28. A fire is gone out of Hesbon, and a flame out of Sihon, that is, the enemie wasting the fields and countrey, as an outragious fire. Vpon Teman] The Metropolis of Idumea, so called of Teman the sonne of Eliph [...]s, the sonne of Esau, Gen. 36. Palaces of Bozrah.] A citie in the borders be­tweene Moab and Idumea: sometime ascribed to one people, and sometime to the other, for their vicinitie. This notes the extent of the iudgement, which shall reach to [Page 32] the vttermost border of Edom, no part shall escape. This iudgement is at large described, Obad. 10.11. Thy strong men, O Teman, shall be afraid, because euery one of mount E­sau shall be cut off by slaughter: for thy crueltie against thy brother Iacob, shame shall couer thee, and thou shalt be cut off for euer.

So much for the sense of the words: Now to the ap­plication.

Edom is a speciall type of the kingdome of Antichrist, aboue all other the enemies here threatned,Antichrist re­sembled by Edom. who were all more open, lesse hurtfull and hatefull. The Hebrewes thinke, that the Romans came of the Idumeans: how true that is, I will not dispute: Sure I am, if they bee not of the naturall discent, they are of the spirituall (or vnna­turall) and so like as by the one wee may see the expresse picture of the other: that looke as it is said in Gen. 36.8. This Esau is Edom, so wee may as truly say, This Romish and Antichristian Esau is Edom. The similitude betweene them we will consider, 1. In their persons: 2. In their sinnes: 3. In their iudgement.

First, for their persons they are as like as like may be; in foure respects:Antichrist and Edom like in their persons, foure waies. 1. Esau stroue with Iacob in the womb: whereof when Rebecca asked the Lords counsell, the an­swer was, Two manner of people shall be diuided out of thy 1 bowels. Noting a continuall fight in the wombe of the Church.Gen. 25.23. No marueile, if the Esau of Rome striue now a­gainst the Church, seeing euen in the wombe, before hee was borne into the light, he stroue to hinder the birth of the Church in the daies of the Apostles: for Antichrist worketh already, 2. Thess. 2.7. although the Romane Em­pire held him then by the heele, and hindred his birth: but not long after he was borne into the world, and the 2 man of sinne reuealed, vers. 8. 2. Esau was red, and there­fore called Edom, betokening his bloody dis [...]osition: And the Romish Edom is figured by a woman in skarlet, and a purple whore, whose garments are died in the blood of the Saints; wherwith she also her self is drunken, [...]. 17.6. [Page 33] 3. Esau was rough, hairie as a beast; which betokened 3 his sauage, truculent, and cruell nature: so a right owner of mount Seir. Besides, he was a mightie hunter, as hung­rie as an hunter, rauenous, insatiable:Verse 30. Lagnat. feed me (saith he) or let me swallow at once thy pottage: so the word signifies: as Camels are fed by casting gobbets into their mouthes. The Romish Edom and kingdome of Antichrist is de­scribed (Reuel. 13.1.) by an hideous and monstrous beast, which was like a Leopard, most cruell, vntamed, and most hurtfull to mankinde, which (as Basil reports) will most furiously teare in peeces men, yea a paper that hath but the image of a man. This beast of Rome is likest vnto the diuel, who prosecutes with most deadly hatred the image of God in man. The feete of this beast are like Beares feete, for roughnesse, and crueltie, and tearing: and his mouth as the mouth of a Lion, for rauening and deuou­ring of Christian men: which the lamentation of the whole Christian world can better expresse than my words, or all Rhetoricke in the world. This was prophe­cied of Esau in his fathers blessing, Gen. 27.40. Thou shalt liue by the sword: so did the Idumeans, a sauage and cruell people. So do the Romish Idumeans only support them­selues by fire and sword, the surest arguments when all other meanes faile. Intimated also by the ten hornes. 4. Esau was a cauiller at Iacobs name, and a liar, in that he said he had taken away the blessing and birthright, both 4 which, himselfe had passed away; and a false perfidious person, who, though he sold the birthright, and passed it away by an oath, yet he made but a scoffe at it, and had no purpose to performe it: nay he contriued and hatched the death and murther of his brother, if once the daies of his fathers mourning would come, so to recouer his birthright againe. The Romish Edom will not allow the true Church of Christ the name of Christ, but calles the religion by which we worship the God of our fathers, Acts 24.14. here­sie. He hath passed away his right to the blessing, by be­ing the head of Apostasie, and complaines that we chal­lenge [Page 34] it. He is false and perfidious, no way to be held to any promise, by oaths or vowes, but he hath euer a secret tricke or reseruation,N [...]n obstante. to play fast or loose at his pleasure. Hence the beast is said to haue seuen h [...]ads, that is, ful­nesse of fraud and subtiltie, to ouer-reach and abuse the Church of Christ: and, to recouer his power againe, will plot the death of so many Kings and Kingdoms as stand in his way.

Thus are they like in respect of their persons.

[...]tichrist and Edom like in their sinnes.Secondly, they are as like in respect of their sinnes: that the Lord may say, For three transgressions of the Ro­mish Edom▪ and for foure, I will neuer returne to it in mer­cie, 1. Prophane­nesse. but will send a fire and vtter desolation. One trans­gression is prophanenesse, as Esau preferring the present profits and pleasures of this world, yea their belly before true religion:Quid non re­gina pecuma do­nat? and now all sinnes are set to sale; any thing lawfull for mony; they can pardon for mony that which God will neuer pardon, yea and sinnes before they bee committed.2. Idolatrie. Another transgression of Romish Edom is idolatrie, as base idolatrie as euer was in Edoms posteri­tie; which hath quite cut them off from God, who for their spirituall whoredome will neuer returne to them a­ny more.3. Merits. A third transgression, for which God will ne­uer returne to it, is vaine confidence in their owne merits, which cuts them from Christ, and quite casts them out of Gods fauour:4. Crueltie. Gal. 5.4. The fourth, and last transgres­sion is deadly and endlesse crueltie against the people of God, and the Church of Christ: as the Lord would not returne to Edom especially for his extreme crueltie against his brother, in word and deed, neuer dated, by sword and spoyle euermore.

Now that this is a sinne in these Romish Edomites, for which God will neuer returne vnto them, let vs see in our owne glasse, and compare Edoms crueltie in the text with our owne Champions of Antichrist, and Dukes of the Romish Edom: and wee shall see the face, fauour, affection of the one in the other: nay we shall see old E­dom [Page 35] red, but our late Edomites in skarlet, of a farre dee­per dye in blood than they.

They are like one another in that:Crueltie of our Edomites and old Edomites compared. 1. Old Edom pur­sued his brother, to whom all naturall bonds did binde him, and to whom he owed homage: New Edom pur­sued neerer brethren than they. Iudea was but a neigh­bour to Idumea (neere neighbours indeede, but fortie 1 miles from Ierusalem, and so in all humanitie should haue been louing to them:) but these were neerer than neigh­bours, vipers within our owne mothers bowels, bound to our Common-wealth in all bonds of loyaltie and sub­iection, as Edom should haue been an homager to Iudea, being subdued by Dauid, 1. Chron. 18.13. yet against all lawes of God, na [...]u [...]e, and nations they crie, Downe with it, &c. 2. Edoms chiefe spight was not against any ig­noble place, or village, but against Ierusalem the citie of 2 God, for pleasure a paradise, for spatiousnesse sixe miles about,Iosephus. for multitude of people fifteene hundred thousand inhabitants, for beautie the eye of the world. Adde here­unto the Temple, the Sanctuarie, Aarons Rod, Vrim, sa­crifices, praises and worship, whereby it became Gods delight. Yet old Edom cries, Downe with it, downe with it euen to the ground. The same was the voyce and practice of our late Edomites, against our Ierusalem the eye of the world, against our Temple, Church, State, and Land; they strucke at the heart, and sought to let out the life-blood. 3. Old Edom, when strangers cast lots vpon Ierusalem, was as one of them, Obad. 11. that is, when Babel made sure of 3 Ierusalem, Edom being too weake of himselfe ioyned with Babel, and, when the Babylonians entred, Edom was farre more cruell than they: for, whereas Babel would haue been contented with the citie and the spoyle, the Edomites would not be contented but with blood: for so saith the Prophet, Thou shouldest not haue stood in the crosse waies to cut off them that should escape. Obad. 14. Our late Edomites, when the Spanyards or any enemie should cast lots vpon England, were as they: and, that nothing but [Page 36] blood would serue them, appeared not only in the bloo­dy terrible blow, but also by standing in the crosse waies, readie prepared to the slaughter when the blow should be giuen. 4. Old Edom spared none, he shewed no pitie to 4 his brother, but was altogether without naturall affection: And these vnnaturall Edomites were pitilesse, not onely to such as they made their enemies, but euen to their friends, allies, kindred, both in the flesh and in their faith. For one asking the question what should become of the Catholikes in the House, &c. Answer was made, they would send them all to heauen in a fierie chariot, and so prouide for their ease.

Yong Edomites with vs farre surpasse the old in crueltie: fiue arguments.But will you see wherein old Edom was farre inferiour in crueltie to the late Edomites? All Arts (they say) are growne to perfection of late daies: and so is the art of Iesuitical rebellion and treason. These Iesuites or Esauites goe beyond all their predecessors in their art. As for ex­ample. 1 1. Neuer was any wickednesse acted so cruell, but a man by studie could giue it a fit name, as the Spanish Inquisition, the Massacre in France, the butcherie of the Merindolians, all by Papists. But this was so matchlesse a crueltie, as no name can fit it: a chaos of confusion, a masse of euill,The powder-plot a villany with­out name. a sinke, a roote of mischiefe, a contempt of all laws, diuine & humane; it was euery thing that hath any wickednes in it, perfidiousnes, robbery, sacriledge, homi­cide, parricide, fratricide, regicide, idolatrie, paganisme; the whole traine of iniquitie, and diuellishnes it self in the Abstract; a Catholike crueltie, a crying, a roring, yea a thundring sinne of fire and brimstone, as his Maiestie calles it, in his speech, 1605. 2. Edoms indeede was an 2 vnnaturall crueltie: but they were heathens, without the true knowledge of God. These late Edomites professe religion, and such a religion as out-boasteth all in sancti­tie and piety: nay, they were their religious men. Obiect. Why, but they were but a few vnfortunate Gentlemen. Answ. Happie wee they were so vnfortunate. But these were but the lesse wheeles: Catesby, Faux, Percy, and [Page 37] their fellowes were but petty traytors, nimble and actiue as mischiefe vseth to be; but the Priests and Iesuites were the great wheeles, which not seeming to moue, moued them. But what should moue these? Answ. That ponde­rous and waighty plummet and Lead, the Popes Breue.The Popes lead­den Bull sets all mischiefe on worke. For the primus m [...]tor of all these treasons is the Pope and Popery it selfe. Faux in his confession said it was meerely and only for religion, and for his conscience sake, denying the King to be his Soueraigne, as being an hereticke: and, for reliefe of the Catholique cause: and, hee had heard Masse and receiued the Sacrament, for acting the matter and for secrecie. 3. Edom exercised his cruelty by open 3 warre, wherein either warning to prepare, or intreaty, or truce, or flight, or deliuering the Citie vp, might haue sa­tisfied the enemie, and saued their liues. But these Edo­mites (more cruell then euer any Scythian) digged out of the depth a pit of mischiefe, yea out of the bottome of hell; no more league could be made with them than with hell it selfe, or the graue which is inexorable. Olde Edom ioyned with Babylonians, men whose designes might haue beene preuented: Late Edom ioyned himselfe with furies and hellish ghosts in the caues of darknesse, digging a new hell of sulphurious fire, with wide mouth to open it selfe, and deuoure three Kingdomes at once. Olde Edom cried of Ierusalem, Downe with it, downe with to the ground: young Edom would raise it from vnder ground. 4. Olde 4 Edom, although they shewed no pitie to their brethren, yet they spared Zedekiah the King, and the Prophet Ie­remiah, and many Nobles liues whom they carried into Babel. Our young Edomites spared neither King, who had neuer drawne blood of them for their religion, nor Queene, nor Prince, nor Nobles, nor Counsell, nor Iud­ges, nor Bishops, nor Gentrie, nor young, nor olde, no not their owne; the stroke of the blow had beene like the blow of Duke Medina his sword, of which he professed, his sword knew no difference between Catholicks & he­reticks. 5. Old Edom raised but the materiall walls of the 5 [Page 38] Citie and Temple: these digge to blow vp the foundati­on not onely of stately Palaces, but of all Churches, and of the whole Common-wealth: especially that foundation layd in Syon, of Gods pure worship: And, rather than this true religion shall stand on the foundation, his Maiestie defending it, his Nobles guarding it, his Lawes strengthe­ning it, the Ministerie preaching it, and his Subiects pro­fessing it, all shall by one vnexpected and terrible blow be vtterly and pittilesly destroyed: and, when they had done this, they would like honest men lay it all on the Pu­ [...]itanes, whose throats must be all cut for it.

Vse. 1 That religion good, which An­tichrist perse­cutes.This speaks for our religion, that certainly it is Christs, seeing Antichrist and his limmes doe so rage against it. It was Gods Israel, his sonne, his Lot, his hallowed thing, which Edom was so cruell against. Therefore wee say of Romish Edom as Tertullian said of Nero, That religion must needes be good which Nero so persecuteth, which the Pope so persecuteth.

Vse 2. Bloody religion, wicked religion.To detect and detest so wicked and bloody a religion, set vp by subtilty, held vp by violence and cruelty: for it is not from the bad constitution of their persons, but of their doctrine, and refined religion by the fiery wits of late Iesuites and Priests; as I can cleare in an hundred seuerall positions of theirs, if there were any doubt. Christ would not haue his Disciples call for [...]i [...]e from heauen against that Citie which receiued him not,Luk. 9.54.55. as Elias did: Much lesse may they bring a sparke from hell, to blow vp three Kingdomes at once.

Vse 3.To blesse our God for deliuering vs from that intended cruelty, and neuer forget his wonderfull mercy. Oh hap­pie 5. of Nouember, wherein our Sunne should haue been turned into blood; wherein our name should haue beene ch [...]nged into Ichabod; wherein had beene set vp againe the abhomination of desolation. 1. Sam. 4.21. A day when the great Ci­tie should haue beene a Beacon to all the land, and all the [...] to the whole world. A day which should haue burnt [...] an Ouen, Mal. 4.1. What had a Bonfire of 200. in one [Page 39] day beene to this? The Massacre of France, in which thir­tie thousand were murdered in one moneth, had beene but a play vnto it. Farnesius might now haue had his minde fulfilled, and haue ridden his horse to the saddle in English blood. But God for his owne Name sake turned it into an honourable and glorious day, a day of ioy and gladnesse to all true-hearted English-men.

When Esau came with 400. men toward his brother Iacob, minding no doubt to performe his long-intended malice, God so ordered the matter, that he was not able to giue him an ill word. Why? what was the reason? Iacob had all night before wrasted with the Angell, and preuailed, and got a blessing from him, which was, Thou hast preuailed with God, thou shalt also preuaile with men. Gen. 32.28. The cause why Romish Esau being appointed and all pre­pared, could not hurt an haire of our heads, was, that some wrastled with God by prayer, and left him not till he had giuen vs the blessed deliuerance. The Catholiques were deuout and earnest to set it forward, so many as they durst trust, and the rest implicitè ▪ not knowing their meaning: But their prayers are like their religion, and their religion like that of the deuout women, who raised Tragedies against Paul. Well, when Iezabell proclaimes a Fast,Acts 13.50. let Naboth looke to his Vineyard. When Catholiques are deuout, and busie at their Beads, let vs looke to our selues; Wee neede not feare those weapons, but other that are a pre­paring. It is the wisedome of a prudent Captaine that feares an vndermining, to vndermine and preuent the mis­chiefe by a crosse traine: and so was famous Vi [...]nna pre­serued against the Turkes. If Papists lay secret vndermi­ning traines, to ouerthrow vs, prayer and repentance will be a crosse traine, that vndermines the vnderminers. If we can preuaile with God, we shall be sure to preuaile with men.

Thus farre of Edoms sinne: Now of Edoms punish­ment, and the similitude of it with our Edomites.

Edoms punishment is set downe in the Text, 1. By the [Page 40] certainty,Antichrist and Edom like in their punish­ment. 2. By the seuerity of it: It is certaine; For, 1. God will doe it, 2. He will not returne. And it is seuere; 1. Hee will send a fire, 2. A deuouring fire, vnresistable, 3. Vpon Teman, the Metropolis or mother Citie, 4. On the Palaces of Bozrah: a fire wasting the whole land.

In all these we haue a liuely pourtrayture of Gods iust iudgement vpon the Romane Edomites, which shall not be lesse certaine than seuere.

1. For certainty.The certainty of the destruction of the Kingdome of Antichrist is manifest:

I. In that the Lord will doe it: for he hath spoken it, Re­uel. 17.17. The words of God must be fulfilled concer­ning the destruction of Babylon. Now by Babylon in that Chapter and Prophecie, is not to be vnderstood the Babel of Chaldea, neither do the threats befit that Babel, which was fallen and destroyed before: but the mysticall Babel of Rome, which succeedeth and exceedeth that in cruelty. This I will not stand to proue, because we haue it plainely confessed both by Bellarmine and Ribera, the learnedst of the Romish Church, that Rome present, is mysticall Ba­bel. Iohn (saith Bellarmine) euery where in the Apoca­lyps calleth Rome Babylon; because (saith hee) onely Rome in Iohns time had the rule ouer the Kings of the earth, and secondly, was the Citie set on seauen hills, which agrees to no other Citie. What therefore I am to speake of Babylon in the Reuelation, I shall aptly and properly speake of Rome, by the learnedst of the Papists owne confession. And the reason, why the Spirit of God by allusion doth call it Babylon,Rome termed Babylon, why? is by way of similitude; Because as that Easterne and Chaldean Babylon did a long time oppresse the Church of the Iewes, so this We­stern and Italian Babylon hath kept, vnder most horrible oppression and thraldome the Church of the Christians.

This Babylon must be so certainely destroyed as if it were done already: Reuel. 14.8. It is fallen, it is fallen, saith the Angell. True indeede, it is already accomplished in part: it is fallen, 1. In the purity of doctrine, 2. In [Page 41] the estimation which once it had. 3. In authority: but this prophecie notes the certainety of her fall by an out­ward ouerthrow. And this Babilon must be certainely destroyed, because God the great Iudge of the world hath passed sentence against her, which only waites the execution; Reuel. 18.20. Reioyce ye heauens ouer her, for God hath giuen your iudgement on her. Againe, if any meanes can bring hir destruction, she shall be destroyed: If death, sorrow, famine or fire can destroy her, these shall come on one day; and if all these were vnable, the strength of God is able to pull her downe, Reuel. 18.8. for strong is the Lord, which will condemne her: Now if God set against a man who can rescue him? Iob. 33.13.14.

II. The iudgement is certaine, because, as the Lord would not returne to Edom, so neither wil he returne to Romish Edom: for, 1. He is too far prouoked: the sen­tence is past and therefore irreuokable. 2. This leopard, as shee is called, Reuel. 13.2. cannot change her spots. 3. Edoms teares found no repentāce, Heb. 12.16.17. no more shall these, nor by any meanes will God call back his anger.

The seuerity of Gods wrath against the Kingdome of Romish Edom is not vnproportionable to the iudge­ment of the Syrian Idumea. 1. In the kinde, a fire;2. For seuerity by which is signified an vtter desolation: 2. A deuouring fire, which signifies the incurablenesse of her estate, she shall neuer rise from vnder the iudgement. 3. The chiefe sub­iect is Teman, the Metropolis, signifying the vtter ruin of Rome it selfe: 4. It shall reach to the Palaces of Bozrah, noting the generality of the iudgement through all the Kingdome of Antichrist.Most probable that Rom [...] shall be destroyed with materiall fire, for fiue reasons.

First, the destruction of Rome shall be by terrible fire, euen in the letter it is most likely; though some of great note thinke not so: for, 1. It is said, Reuel. 17.16. the ten hornes which thou sawest, shall hate the whore, and make her desolate, and naked, and burne her with fire: and chapter 1 [Page 42] 18.8. she shall be burnt with fire. By which oracle of the holy Ghost it plainely appeares, that the Christian Prin­ces, which haue been in such league with Rome, shall at length make warre against the very city of Rome, take it captiue, spoile it, famish it, and at last burne it with fire. 2 2. Harlots by the law of God were to bee burnt with fire, as we see in the example of Iudah and Thamar, Gen. 38.24. But Babylon is the mother of whordoms and abho­minations of the earth, Reuel. 17.5. yea the great whore, with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornicati­on, 3 verse 2 therefore &c. 3. She as Ashur hath a long time bene the rod of Gods wrath, by which the Church hath beene scourged, and corrected for many ages: and now must bee cast into the fire, broken and burnt. 4 4. There is no other nitre or meane [...] to purge that ido­latrous city: We would haue cured Babell, but she would not bee cured therefore she shall neuer be purged, Ierem. 51.9. but all her 5 drosse and trash shall passe the fire. 5. By the law of re­taliation she must be consumed with fire: for whosoeuer durst mock or resist her, or any of her decreees, was pre­sently adiudged to fire: burning was the peculiar punish­ment of Gods Saints, whom shee condemned for heri­tickes. Of Syrian Edom it was sayd, As thou hast done, it shall be donne to the, Obadi. 15. thy reward shall returne vpon thine own head; and of the Romane. Wi [...]ked Papists make the fur­nace seuen times hotter than Nebuchadnezzars but here is a furnace heated by God himselfe for themselues. They deuise an vnnaturall fire and furnace vnder the Parlia­ment, to consume the innocents of three Kingdomes: but giue her double (saith the Spirit) to that she hath done: first,Reuel. 18.6. ten Kings shall set vpon her and burne her with fire, and after this, God himselfe shall cast her in to an hellish and supernaturall si [...]e, for all rhe cruell and blasing fires which shee hath kindled in all countries, pitil [...]sly to con­sume the bodies of God [...] Saints The preludiū here of was seen in our Edomite Captines; they lay fire and powder for others, but the fired powder flies in their owne face.

[Page 43] Obiect. Antichrist must be destroyed with the sword of the Spirit, and the breath of the Lords mouth, not by car­nall weapons.

Answ. 2. Thess. 2. [...]. The cleere shining of the Gospell shall detect the mysterie, wherein Antichrist worketh, and lay him naked, and discouer his frauds, by which hee gulls the world: the truth shall warre, and preuaile against his he­resies. But this hinders not,Antichrist to be ouerthrowne with the sword temporall as well as spiri­tuall. but that the Princes of Eu­rope (seeing the infinite wrongs sustained by him) shall ioyne to set the seate of Antichrist on fire: considering the Scripture affirmes it so manifestly, as euen the Papists themselues subscribe to the generall truth of it: for these be the words of Ribera: Romam non solùm ob pristinam impi [...]tatem, sed & propter ea quae postremis temporibus commissura est, magno incendio perflagraturam, adeo perspi­cuum est & manifestum, vt ne stultissimus quidem id nega­re possit. And the text is plaine, that the Kings, Marri­ners, and Merchants shall stand and see the smoake of her burning, Reuel. 18.9.

Obiect. But this seemes impossible: for we see Kings and Princes sticke fast to support her, as Spaine, France, and many Kings of Europe.

Answ. God can and will doe it,Euen by Kings that are or were his friends. who hath horses and chariots of fire to besiege her withall, if meanes should faile. But God will doe it by them, Reuel. 17.17. For he hath put into their hearts, to fulfill his will. And by many meanes God can effect it: 1. Hee can soone conuert them from their Antichristian and Papisticall supersti­tions to the truth, as sundrie of them are already. 2. It may be, that sundrie of them which yet retaine Romish idolatrie, may for some other causes turne against the Pope and waste Rome, as for his vniust claimes, his hor­rible pride and tyrannie, his treasonable practices against them, pardons to kill them, &c. and thus by Charles the 8. and Lewis the 12. Kings of France, was Rome sacked and spoyled, and the Pope opposed: as also by Charles the 5. his armie. And is this vnlikely, when not onely the Popes [Page 44] Agents and Priests shall giue the Sacrament and absolu­tion to gunpowder-traytors? but Iesuites teach it lawfull, yea meritorious to kill Christian princes, nay Popes them­selues so proclaime it, as Sixtus Quintus of the villaine that murthered Henry the 3. of France.

Obiect. But then this prophecie may seeme to be in part fulfilled.

Ouerthrow of Rome not par­tiall, but totall. Answ. No, this fire of Edom must be a deuouring fire (which is the other part of the similitude) that must quite consume Teman the Metropolis: so this first against Rome must be as a fore-runner of the fire of hell, it must be vnquenchable, and agreeing with that fire of the Sy­rian Edom: Obad. 18. A fire shall be kindled in Edom, and deuoure them, and there shall be no remnant of the house of Esau: for the Lord hath spoken it. This ruine of Rome shall be like the ruine of Iericho, which can neuer bee re-edified: and is notably shadowed in Reuel. 18.21. by the casting of a milstone into the sea: noting both the swift­nesse and irrecouerablenesse of their estate, no more to be raised againe than a milstone can rise out of the bot­tome of the sea and float againe. Yea the eternall deso­lation of Rome is noted by denying such things to be e­uer any more in her, which a citie cannot be without, viz. A milstone shall not be heard in her, nor the light of a candle seene, nor any crafts-man, nor any voyce of ioy, nor any bride­groome, or marriage, or procreation. A poore citie it is, or none at all, where none of these are.

Obiect. But the state of Rome is the strongest state in the world,Magnificence of Rome no whit secureth it. for wisedome, wealth, strength, and many of our great ones goe backe to them: so as you speake vn­likely things.

Answ. 1. God will honour himselfe by eff [...]cting his will in vnexpected and vnconceiuable meanes: Hee is wise of heart to lay vnknowne pipes and meanes for his purposes.Zach. 4.2. And herein it shall be like Edom, Obad. 8.9. In that day I will destroy the wise men out of Edom, and vn­derstanding from the mount of Esau, and thy strong men O [Page 45] Teman shall be afraid: neither is there wisdome or strength that shall helpe against the Lord. 2. God by them­selues, if others be sla [...]ke, can hasten their destruction; as it was with Edom, Obad. 7. The men of thy confedera­cie, and they that were at peace with thee, deceiued thee. So our late Edomites were detected by themselues, euen by their owne confederacie. 3. What if some go to thē, and giue them a little lightning before their death? See we not such infamie cast vpon them all by their daily pra­ctices and plots, as all the water in the sea can neuer wash away? Yes, we see with our eyes, that they gaine not, but fall, notwithstanding all their supplies of succours.

To comfort the poore Church of God, in that,Vse. 1 Comfort for the Church of God. when the enemie marcheth furiously like Iehu, God sets in, and prouides for his safetie. Reuel. 10.10. Iohn hauing be­fore prophecied of many mischiefes to befall the Church, by Antichrist and the Turkes, both conspiring against it, in this Chapter brings Christ in a vision for the comfort of the Church, thus described: An Angell, namely of the Couenant, our great Mediatour; comming from heauen, to make himselfe better knowne, and neerer to his Church; clothed with a cloud, not onely in our humane nature clou­ding & vailing his Deity, but still obscured by the world; with a rain-bow on his head, a signe of reconciliation, an assurance that he will remember his couenant, as Genesis 9.15. and a token, that although stormes and tempests be vpon the Church, yet Christ at length will driue them a­way, and reduce the calme of it, and a faire season; his face as the Sunne, shining as in his transfiguration, to his Church; his feete as pillars, for strength, of fire, because of his efficacie and force to ouercome all difficulties. He is a constant stander as a pillar, and fierce, for his Churches good. A sweete meditation against all fierie, furious, and sulphurious plots of the enemies of the Church. He hath the Rain-bow on his head, his feete are pillars of fire, and further, he sets his foote on the sea and earth, to note the subiection of the sea, and earth, and all the creatures, and [Page 46] all the world vnto him.

Vs [...] 2. Terror for the Church of Rome.The iustice of God shall one day magnifie it selfe a­gainst that bloodie seate, citie, and kingdome of Anti­christ: for, 1. He that is the vnmercifull maintainer of all treasons, and supreme head of all heretikes, must needes be fearefully destroyed. 2. He that is concluded to be more merciful than Christ, because Christ deliuered none out of Purgatorie; and more powerfull than God, be­cause God makes but creatures, he makes ye Creator, shall dearely buy that and other such blasphemies. 3. Pride (wee say) must haue a fall, and, the higher the pride, the lower the fall. He that hath fought against the Kings of the earth,Reuel. 19.16. yea against Christ the King of Kings, the tenne hornes shall fight against him. Hee that out of his hor­rible ambition hath made mightie Princes hold his stir­rop, leade his horse, become his footmen and foot-stoole, shall one day be paid for all. He that hath taken from them, Imperiall Crownes, Purple, Scepters, Kingdomes, shall by them (ere long, I doubt not) be left desolate and naked. Hee that hath long ouerborne them with the bragge of his primacie, and set himselfe aboue all that is called God, shall by them be made to drinke of the cup of their Supremacie. They that haue giuen the Saints blood to drink, shall haue blood to drink, herein like to old Edom, Obad. 16. Edom drunke vpon mine holy moun­taine: and the heathen must drinke them vp, and swallow them, and they shall bee as though they had not been. Pharaoh drownd the Israelites children, and was drownd himselfe. The same fire lickt in the enemies, which they made so hot for the three children of God. Humans gal­lowes catcht himselfe. Catesby, Rockwood, Grant, deui­sers of the powder-plot, by their owne powder were al­most blowne vp, yea made vnable for their own defence: and the same day Catesby the first deuiser, and P [...]rcy the chiefe actor were killed with one bullet shot with pow­der.Iudg. 17. As I haue done (said great Adoni-bezek) so God hath done to me.

[Page 47]From all this it followes,Vse 3. All deuices of Papists insuffi­cient to susteine their bloody monarchy. that all the balme in Gilead cannot heale them: not the ten hornes or Kings, not the seuen heads, not his power and bloody war [...]es, his Spa­nish Inquisition, his Massacres, his two trayterous Col­leges, his Buls and Excommunications, his Councell of Trent, his Order of Iesuites; not his blacking of the liues and practices of his aduersaries, not his iugling with Ima­ges, his false miracles and legends, his lies and equiuoca­tions, his falsifying of all authoritie, and the like, can still vphold his tottering state, down he must for all his props, he must dye in the midst of his Physicians; we must ex­pect it, pray for it, and reioyce in it.

Come out of her, my people, come out of her:Vse. 4 Separate from them spiritually and corporally. for it is a people ordained to destruction: Reuel. 18.4. Be not par­takers of her sinnes, lest yee partake in her plagues. Come out in affection, in action, and in habitation, both by spi­rituall and bodily departure. God is carefull of his peo­ple: he would not haue Lot destroyed with Sodome, nor Israel in Babylon, Iere. 51.45. nor the Iewes in Ierusalem at the destruction thereof: A voyce was heard (saith Iose­phus) to leaue the citie, which many beleeued, and sled into Pella, and they that would not, were al miserably de­stroyed. Little Mice (they say) presaging the ruine of an house, doe flie out before hand. Let vs by diuine instinct be so wise for our owne safetie: flie communion & com­panie with Papists.Reuel. 18.2. For Rome is called an habitation of di­uels: if a man would dwell among diuels, let him dwell among Romanists. And it is no schisme, but Gods com­mandement. Neuer heare such whisperings, as speake of a reconciliation of our religions, for that cannot be. Yet hate not their persons, but their sinnes; and pray for the men. It is dangerous to trauell among them, much more to intertaine neere and intimate acquaintance with them. Therefore feare to make or meddle with them: leaue them to Gods iudgement, which must needs be executed.

The end of the second Sermon.

THE ROMISH FOWLER.

Psalm. 124.7.

Our soule is escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are deliuered.

THE matter of this Psalme is gratulatory: the occasion, some great deliuerance of the Church, from some deadly plot, and imminent danger: Or (as some thinke) Dauid recounteth and collecteth all those speciall deliuerances, which God had wrought for Israel, since their comming forth of Egypt, till this time: which being many and great, he compiles this Psalme, and giues the Lord the glory of them all.

In the words of my Text are two things considerable:

  • Diuision of the Text.
    1. A danger, the extremity whereof is set downe by a similitude.
  • 2. A deliuerance: in it
    • 1. The meanes: the snare is broken.
    • 2. The end: wee are deliuered.

The danger is set out by comparison of a Fowler, who hath layd his nets, and hath caught a silly bird within the meashes of it, of which himselfe and euery man else thinks he hath it sure enough. Where the danger is amplified, [Page 49] 1. By the Authors of it, Fowlers: 2. Their instruments, nets and snares: 3. The crafty laying of them, so as they haue compassed the seely bird within the snare.

I. The Scriptures compare the enemies of the Church (the seely Doue of Christ) to Fowlers, Fishers, Hunters:Enemies of the Church compa­red to Fowlers, in 4. respects. 1. In respect of their purpose, which is to take and catch that they hunt for: they intend to kill and destroy ere they returne. This was Cains purpose against Abel, if hee 1 could get him alone; Pharaohs against Israel; Nero, Dio­clesian, and the other Emperours against the Primitiue Church. 2. The Fowler makes but a sport of taking his prey: as also the Hunter: So the enemies of the Church 2 count it but a sport to destroy and waste the Church and people of God. Yea, as they feede vpon the seely birds they catch, with delight; so these feede on Gods people as on bread, Psal. 14 4. 3. Fowlers are so cruell, that they spare none, young nor olde, male nor female; all goe to­gether 3 into the bagge. And Popish Persecutors spare no age or sexe, neither olde men nor children, but haue pul­led them out of the belly to the fire; neither vnlearned nor learned, but haue cut off Pastors, Doctors, Bishops, Arch­bishops; neither the liuing, nor yet the dead. Most bar­barous inhumanity. 4. Fowlers and Hunters will be at great cost to maintaine their game, and count no paines 4 painefull, through frost and snow; they will endure much hardnesse in hope of their prey. So the enemies of the Church care not what cost and charge they be at, what paines they take, to waste and destroy the Church: they cannot sleepe, till they haue done euill; Prou. 4.16. their sleepe departs from them, that is, nothing else troubles them but to be disappointed. Such great Fowlers of the Church in the olde Testament were the enemies on euery side: On the East: Ammonites, Moabites, Chaldeans, Assyrians: on the West: the Philistims: on the North: the Syrians: on the South: Egyptians, Arabians, and Idumeans: and the Church of God as a little bird in the midst of them all. Haman hath ten thousand talents for the Kings treasurie, [...] 9. i [...] [Page 50] all the Iewes may be vtterly rooted out. Such great Fow­lers of the Church in the new Testament haue beene the vassals of Antichrist,Romish Nimrod a mighty Hunter of the Lords flocke. and especially that great Nimrod of Rome, who with his Popish Kings, Tyrants, and persecu­ting Bishops, hath eaten vp the poore Saints of Christ in all Countries; as did their Predecessors the ancient Ty­rants, Psal. 83.4. Come, let vs cut them off from being a na­tion, and let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance. Our owne booke of Martyrs records, that one of our Po­pish Bishops was so violent a fowler to furnish his Maisters dishes,Bonner, a Bon­fire. that himselfe in fiue yeares space tooke and rosted 300. seely Martyrs, most of them in his owne walke and dioces. Such were our Fauxes and Fawkners, who made sure account of such a prey as was neuer before layd▪ for, namely for three whole Kingdomes at once: which would haue filled all their nets. For God and man concurred to pu­nish the iniquity of this time, Great labour and cost for the powder-treason. said the Letter to L. Mount­eagle: for the obtaining whereof they despised all danger, and all labour is thought little in digging halfe a yeare together through hard foundations; they will bestow any cost whatsoeuer, of their owne and other mens; Digby promised 1500. pounds, Tressam 2000. Percy all that he could get of the Earle of Northumberlands rents, besides tenne galloping Horses. And nothing troubled Faux, Foure thousand pounds. Practises of the wicked termed snares, 1. for secrecie, 2. sud­dainnesse. but that he was disappointed.

II. The Scripture both here and else where compares their meanes and instruments, to snares, nets, and ginnes, which are set in the wayes of Gods Saints to take them And that for two causes.

1. It notes the secrecie of the danger, which makes it farre more dangerous and ineuitable: for nets and snares vse to be layd in secret, and out of sight. In vaine were the net layd before the eyes of all that hath wings, Prou. 1.17. As therfore the fowlers or fishers go about their matters craftily and subtilly, they will stand priuily behinde a tree, they dissemble all, they will lay meate as though they in­tended to feed the seely bird, which they meane to feed [Page 51] vpon; they haue a Lure or Call, as if they were friends and birds themselues; but the end is to kill and destroy: So doe the Fowlers of Gods Church, Psal. 83.3. They haue taken crafty counsell against thy people, and haue consulted against thy secret ones. So euer haue done the Romish An­tichristian Fowlers, who haue beene taught by their great Nim [...]od, leoninae pelli assuere vulpinam, Alwayes to match together the Lyon and the Foxe.Cum Petri nihil efficiant ad prae­lìa claues, Aux­ilio Pauli forsi­tan ensis erit. Iulius the 2. can turne him either way, to Peters keyes or Pauls sword. What they cannot doe by open force, they can doe by secret fraud, wherein oftentimes there lyes more strength than in the former.

The Syrian Antiochus Epiphanes was a liuely type of the Romish Antiochus: of whom it is sayd, Dan. 8.24.25. His power shall be mighty, but not in his strength: he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people, and by his policie shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. A liuely description of the Romish Antiochus or Antichrist, that beast arising out of the sea, hauing as well the hornes of the Lambe as the speech of the Dragon. Reuel. 13.1.11. He intrudes himselfe as the head and husband of the Church, while he robs and wastes it. He professeth himselfe a seruant of seruants, True onely in No [...]hs sence of Cham. Gen. 9.25. while he sets him­selfe aboue all Kings and Commanders: as Boniface the 8. in the yeare of Christ 1300. before a great concourse in a solemne Iubilee, one day shewed himselfe in his Priestly Pontificals, with the crosse carried before him: the next day in an Emperours roabes, with a naked sword before him, and this title proclaimed, Ego sum Pontifex & Impe­rator: terrestre ac coeleste imperium habeo: Luk. 4.6. All this is mine, and to whomsoeuer I will I giue it.

What is the whole religion of Rome but a mysterie of iniquity ▪ a bundle of policie,2. Thess. 2.7. which by secret conueyances and t [...]ines both brought and held all the Kingdomes and Countries in Europe, within the snare and bondage of a silly Fryar, by sembled sanctity, lying myracles, false do­nations, forged writings, and the like: and thus hath en­snared [Page 52] mens bodies, goods, liues, and consciences. Ne­uer saw the world so cunning a fowler.

Are his emissaries and such as he sends out, of better disposition than himselfe? No, witnesse Gregory the great: As Christ sent out simple and seely plaine men to raise vp his Kingdome, so shall Antichrist make choise of crafty, and dou­ble, Astuti et du­plices. and deceitfull persons for his businesse. How subtilly did these two friars, Clemēt and his Associate lay their snares, when they flew the French King, Henry the 3. preten­ding great good businesse for the Church and State?

When the Papists in France could not by open force oppresse the Prince of Condy, and Casper Colignius the Admirall of France: they could by fraude and cunning, as by a lure, pretending peace and nuptiall solemnity, raise a sudden Massacre, by which thirty thousand Pro­testants fell into their snare, who most perfidiously were slaine, against all laws of God, nature, and nations, not much without the space of one moneth.

What Potentate euer layd the foundation of obedi­ence in conscience,Srange fetches of the Pope to vphold his throne. or could ouercome his enimies with­out warre, by a parchment Bull, or maintaine himselfe and his pompe at all mens costs and deuotions, or con­quer opposite Princes by their owne subiects, or stabl [...]sh himselfe by dispensing with vnlawfull marriages and lawfull oaths, or mainetaine so many Intelligences by Confession, or pleasure all men in their humours, by wealth, pouertie, austerity, voluptousnesse? What a no­table combination of knaueries is there in that religion, wherein all these things and many more, are most emi­nent, most vsuall?

To come to our owne Country: what did those tray­terous bandits and emissaries, All [...]n, Harding, Sanders, Parsons, Campion, and others, but by writing and spea­king pretend singular loue, Instruction, and care ouer their Country-men, whose religion they left? yet indeed what intended they but destruction of Prince and State, being trumpets to rebellion, raising vp armes, some out [Page 53] of Spaine, some out of Ireland, some desperate cut-throts at home, to take away the life of that blessed Lady Eli­zabeth of eternall happy memory? What a number haue they snared vnder the pretext of peace, truce, and friend­ship, as Duke Alba in the Low Countries? and as the King of Spaine in 88. while he was prouiding that invin­cible nauy against our Prince and Country, he sent the Duke of Parma to intreat of peace; as if it were honesty in Catholikes, whome they cannot kill by warre, to de­lude and spoile them vnder the name of peace, not with­out villany and per [...]ury.

How secretly did our late foolish fowlers lay their nets and traines? with what faire pretences?Papists bound in conscience to kill Gods Anoynted. It was meerely and only for religion, sayd Faux: and he was bound incon­science to do it, because the King was an heriticke: he was sent by the name of Iohn Ionson to Percy, to conferre for releefe of the Catholike cause. All of them tooke an oath for secrecy, yea heard Masses, and tooke the Sacra­ment neuer to reueale any thing. Now to the laying of snares as deep as hell: 36, barrels of gunpouder are proui­ded, & numbers of iron bars, to blow vp with one deadly blow, in time of peace, in time of Parliament [...]al England, Scotland, and Ireland, in their King and posterity, in their lawes and gouernments, in their Church and Reli­gion, in their Common welths and Iustice, in their tenures and records, yea in their whole State and policy: that he that could carry his heart into the suruey of the consequents, might clerely see a fearefull doomesday of all these three goodly kingdomes. And, as before it was done it was cloked vnder the title of some famous ex­ployt for the deliuerance of persecuted Catholikes: So afterward, to turne the odiousnesse of so foule a fact as might haue turned the sunne into darknes, & the moone into blood, they had prepared their Proclamations, to lay it vpon Puritans, vnder which title they would haue reuenged it by the Massacre of all the godly in the Land, within their reach. Here be cunning Fauxes and Foxes [Page 54] indeed, in whom we may see the true picture and pour­traiture of euery sound Catholike: who by the principles of Popery are taught to be as true to their Soueraigne as Iudas to our Sauiour.

Vse.What great need haue we then to get vs into that se­cret, which their secrets cannot come into? namely vn­der the secret of the Almighty: vnder the shadow of his wing.Palm. 91.1.3. For the promise to such a one is, Surely he will de­liuer thee from the snare [...]f the hunter. The poore bird is safe no where abroad, but in the nest: and the Church is no where safe in earth, but onely in heauen, while it saith with the Prophet Dauid, Thou art my secret place, Psalme 32.7.

So much for the secrecie of fowlers.

2. Their instruments of mischiefe are compared to snares and nets, in respect of the suddennesse of that de­struction, which they intend to Gods people. A snare or a net windes in a bird suddenly, thinking on no such thing: Nay sometime, while the poore bird is playing or singing, as if it were without all danger, the net or grin wraps it in on all sides. So the enemies of the Church, knowing, that sudden and vnexpected euills can hardlyest be preuented, and wound the deepest, com­monly effect most deadly stratagems when Gods people least expect them. This is the guise of Antichristian ene­mies to the Church of God: which while it is not suspi­cious, but sometimes too charitable and credulous, they lay their snares where no man can possible suspect. Would any man think the Pope would instigate to kill Christian Princes at the very Masse? yet by the counsell of Pope Sixtus the 4. the two Princes of Medices were hurt and slaine euen at Masse; and the lifting vp of the hoast was made a signe of the murder by the Popes Le­gate:Henry the 6. Emperor, by Bernard a Monke, vnder Pope Clement the 5. as their owne Volateran writes. Would a Prince thinke to be poysoned (of purpose) in receiuing the Sa­crament, by these charitable Catholikes? yet one was by the powder of diamonds tempered with the wine of [Page 55] the Sacrament. Would a Catholique King, most deuo­ted to Romish religion, and a champion for it, expect to be slaine by Catholiques, and men of peace, before ex­communication? yet this was iust (saith Reinolds) and the charitable Pope Sixtus the 5. said, A true Fryar had slaine a countefeit Fryar. Could any man haue expected that suddaine terrible blow, and an vniuersall destruction from vnder the Parliament house, from which the honor, iustice, happinesse, life and soule of our Country (vnder God) hath beene so long maintained and preserued?

This shewes vs, that Papists are not to bee trusted, though neuer so fawning, neuer so flattering.Vse. For indeed they are most cruell, both in their positions, and in their dispositions. Their positions are these, and such like: 1. The Oath of Allegiance is against Catholique faith, and the health of soules, saith the Popes Breue. 2. Princes ex­communicate by the Pope, may be deposed and killed by their subiects. 3. No faith is to be kept with heretickes: and all are hereticks that are not of their religion.Arctissimo con­scientiae vinculo. 4. All men are bound to resist hereticall Kings, in the straitest bond of conscience. 5. Euen a secret hereticke is ipso iure deposed, and all his leaprous posterity, saith Symancha. 6. It is a iust and honourable warre for the Nobles to rise vp in Armes against Queene Elizabeth, saith Cardi­nall Allan. Such also are their dispositions: and such are their practices.

We haue seene the Fowlers, and their nets: now let vs proceede.

III. The crafty laying of these snares is such, as they haue compassed the bird,Dangerous and mischieuous plots may pro­sper for a while. and it seems impossible any way to escape. For the danger was, as if the Prophet had said: We were on euery side included in the nets of the fowlers, that what way so euer we could turne vs, we were hemd in; the danger met vs on euery hand, and death euery way layd hold vpon vs. Thus Dauid (Psal. 18.4.5.) confesseth, that the snares of death compassed him: hee was euen as a man bound and piniond to execution, so as hee saw no­thing [Page 56] but death before him. And the snares or cords of the graue beset him: so hopelesse was his estate, as if hee were laid forth already, and wrapped in the bands and cloathes of death to the buriall, both in his enemies conceit, and his owne.

The same was our condition in that Gunpowder trea­son: the enemies made sure of their prey: they saw their expectation euen in their hands: and brought their wic­ked conception to the very birth: the Crowne and King­dome was theirs: they had disposed of the chiefe Offi­ces, the chiefe holds, and reuenue of the Land: onely one terrible blow was to be giuen, and the hand of wickednes lifted vp on high, reaching fire to the fewell, which should haue turned three Kingdomes into one Bonfire.

There is an houre of dark­nesse for the wicked to worke in, foure reasons. Quest. Why doth the Lord suffer the enemies thus to ensnare his people, that the Case seemes desperate, the deliuerance impossible?

Answer. 1. That wee may see our owne simplicity, who cannot obserue or preuent their snares, the crafty 1 wiles of Satan and his instruments against the Church. 2 2. That wee may take notice of Gods patience toward his enemies, suffering them as long as he may, and then his iustice in taking them at the height. 3. That we may 3 learne to depend on Gods power and wisedome, for safe­ty and defence; who onely is able to match and ouer­match the enemies in both: for there is no power or policie against the Lord. 4. That the greater the dangers be, 4 Gods goodnes may be the more manifest, and that in most desperate euils we may acknowledge our deliuerance to be miraculous, and so the praise of all may be referred to the Lord,Psal. 9.9. who is a very present refuge in the troubles of his Church; as our selues found in this our danger.

Now we come to the second generall part of the Text, namely the deliuerance of the Church, Our soul [...] is esca­ped.] that is, our liues were hunted, our heads euen on the block, & the stroke a giuing, and death fetching his blow: but yet we are deliuered, wee haue escaped with our liues.

[Page 57]Herein consider, 1. the manner, 2. the meanes of the deliuerance.

The manner, as a bird escaped out of the net: The meanes, the net is broken.

For the manner: 1. Beyond and aboue the expecta­tion of the Church, when all things seemed desperate, when all counsell and meanes failed among men, and no hope was left, euen then came deliuerance. How can a poore bird, wound in the nets of the Fowler, expect but to be taken? And this is matter of more ioy & gladnesse, than if the danger had bin lesse. 2. Beyond and beside the expectation of the fowlers themselues, to their greater dis­appointment & confusion. How will the fowler rage and storme, when a silly bird is gotten away out of his net? so doe the enemies of the Church, who haue beene at great cost, and charge, and paines, and beaten all their wits to lay their nets, to be disappointed euen then when they haue their expectation betweene their hands; as the case of these Conspirators was.

For the meanes: the net is broken.] God alone hath bro­ken in pieces their crafty counsels and deuises: God hath frustrated all their purposes: when they had hemd in the people of God, as a bird in a net, on euery side, God him­selfe makes a way out; as when the net is broken asun­der, the bird escapeth.

Doctr. The Lord in his season powerfully deliuers his Church, by breaking the nets of the enemie.God still findes a time to rescue his Church from the snares of the wicked. Psal. 33.10. The Lord breakes the counsell of the Heathen, and brings to nought the deuises of the people.

Reasons. 1. Because GOD is euer present with his Church, in the midst of it, to helpe it at the greatest pin­ches. Esa. 8 9.10. Gather together on heapes, ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces, &c. for God is with vs, namely as our shield and protection: and, if God be with vs, Rom. 8.31. who can be against vs? Zeph. 3.14. Reioyce O daughter of Syon, be ioyfull O Israel, reioyce with all thy heart O daughter Ieru­salem: the Lord hath taken away thy iudgement, and cast out [Page 58] thine en [...]mies: the King of Israel, euen the Lord is in the midst of thee; thou shalt see no more euill. The Lord is eue­ry where present, but not euery where as in his Church: he is the King, and the shelter of it by a speciall proui­dence.

2. The Church is Gods darling and delight: his peo­ple is deare vnto him: he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. In all their troubles he is troub­led, and taketh wrong done to them as done to himselfe: and therefore must needes reuenge vpon the enemies one time or other. See Nahum. 1.2.9. because the Lord is iealous ouer his people, hee reserues wrath for their ene­mies: he shall come vnto them as vnto thornes. The cause al­so is his: they hate the godly for his sake: and therefore he takes their part.

3. As God is willing to saue his people, so also he is euery way most able. 1. Hee is more watchfull for his Church, than all his enemies can be against it: Hee that keepeth Israel, Psal. 121.4. doth neither slumber nor sleepe: in which he out-matcheth the enemies, who, though they often break their sleepe through greedinesse of the prey, yet sometime they must sleepe. Hee is a more watchfull guard than Sauls, when Dauid came and tooke away his speare and pot from his head.1. Sam. 26. The phrase is taken from watchmen, who stand on walls in time of warre, to fore-see the ap­proach of enemies, and giue warning: they may be trea­cherous, or sleepy, as when the Capitall in Rome had beene taken by the French-men, if the Geese had not beene more waking than the watch-men of the walls. But the Lord is a faithfull and watchfull keeper: let neuer so many watch the mischiefe of the Church, he is sufficient against them all, hath seauen eyes, Zach. 4.10. 2. He is wi­ser than all his enemies, and herein ouer-matcheth them, that he knowes all their counsels, they know none of his: which aduantage the King of Israel had of the King of Syria by reason of Gods Prophet.2. King 6.12. Hee knowes their whole plot and proiects, and suffers them to carrie them a [Page 59] long time, but knowes when to preuent them, and how to dispose them to the good of his Church: for there is neither counsell nor wisedome against the Lord. 3. He is stronger than all the enemies: Ioh. 10.29. My father is stronger than all: no one, no nor all together can resist his power. And therefore when great men haue banded and bended all their forces against Christ and his Church, they imagine but a vaine thing, Psal. 2.1.

4. God hath waies enow to deliuer his Church, euen when things seeme very desperate. He hath seuen pipes to his seuen lampes, Zach. 4 2. and these oftentimes laid very secret and out of sight. He can make a way in the sea, and the wa­ters a wall for his people: which cannot be expected by man: yea he can suspend and stay the course of nature; he can suffer his children to be cast into the fire, then qualifie and coole the furnace.

5. The Lord commonly delighteth in such a deliue­rance of his Church,The righteous shall dip his foot in the blood of his enemies. as is ioyned with the confusion of his enemies: as in the red sea, the same way and waters, which were the preseruation of the one, were the de­struction of the other. Esai. 33.11.12. Ye shall conceiue chaffe, and bring foorth stubble: the fire of your breath shall deuoure you. And the people shall be as the burning of li [...]e: & as the tho [...]nes cut vp, shall they be burnt in the fire.

And hereby the Lord manifesteth his power and iu­stice. 1. That the wicked, while they take craftie coun­sell together, should be pauing a way to their owne de­struction. Hee takes the wise in their craftinesse, 1. Cor. 3.19. that they lay a net in which themselues fall. When they make co­uenants with death, and digge to hell to make Gods chil­dren so sure as none should escape them, then their owne destruction shall be the Churches deliuerance. What a broad net had Haman laid for the Iewes? None could be fairer for the game than he that had the Kings edict, ring, postes, and all he desired. But in due season his net tooke himselfe and his familie: his gallowes caught himselfe and his sonnes: in whose destruction God laid the pre­seruation [Page 60] of his Church at that time. The same in the powder-plot: what deuice was euer fairer, or neerer? or when was there a more vniuersall net laid for Gods Church these thousand yeeres? yet the Lord in the very full season ioyned our deliuerance with their detection and destruction.

2. Thess. 1.6.2. It is iust with God, that wicked men, while they deuise mischiefe, should onely make rods for their owne backes: though their pretenses be neuer so faire and spe­cious. As for example: Dan. 6.7. the Courtiers of Darius, (as they can easily lay their plots, to sway Princes to euill counsels) come to the King, whose power they would abuse, and none wish him so well as they, O King, liue for euer: none so obseruant of the Kings edicts as they, All the rulers of the kingdome, officers, gouernours, counsellors and Dukes haue made a decree concerning the worship of thee O King, that none shall aske any thing for thirtie daies, saue onely of thee. This Daniel, one of the children of the captiuitie, regards not thee nor thy decree. They proclaime him seditious, rebellious, and a traitor that hath no respect either of King or law, but despiseth au­thoritie and edicts, well and wisely deuised and pub­lished. These are ordinarie nets laid against godly men by vngodly. Then must the law of the Medes and Per­sians, sealed with the Kings signet, be executed vpon him. He is cast into the denne. They haue him in their net. But they cannot hold him: Nor can he be deliuered but with the destruction of them all by the lions. Here, by plau­sible speeches what did they but make their owne rods? And so was it in our owne instance, in whom Gods iu­stice shined most eminently: All the while, they digged a pit for themselues, and fell into the pit they had digged for others: according to that of the Psalmist, He hath dig­ged a pit, and is fallen into the pit hee hath made: his mis­chiefe shall returne vpon his head, Psal. 7.15. and his crueltie vpon his owne pate. As their heads and pates vpon stakes are still eye-witnesses.

[Page 61]3. Gods iustice is herein manifest, [...]arò anteceden­tem scelestum, D [...]seruit pede poena claudo. that for the deliue­rie of his Church hee not onely breakes their nets, but makes them breake their owne nets and neckes: And this is the greater confusion, when the authors of sin are made the authors of their own punishment. For example: Such is their thirst after the ouerthrow of the Church and godly, that they still call in more company, and take in more partners, that if one misse, another may hit, and all may be sure not to faile. But Gods hand now ouer­ruleth the matter, and makes their owne carnall counsell their confusion: that whereas one could keepe counsell, company shall reueale it: As in the many conspirators about the powder-plot, in which one of them furthered the punishment of another, but not the performance.

This shewes vnto vs,Vse. 1 Church of God inuincible. that the Church is altogether in­uincible: no net shall long hold it, but it shall breake thorow all nets. It may bee pressed, not oppressed: op­pugned, not expugned. It is an heauie stone to heaue a­gainst, Zach. 12.3. For, 1. The enemies cannot worke wisely enough to preuaile, but, as the more the Egyptians oppressed Israel, the more they incresed; so is it here. 2. Though the godly be in themselues fewer, weaker,Exod. 1.12. more simple, more shiftlesse, yet are they strangely and strongly preserued, and may say with the Prophet, there be more with them than against them. 2. King. 6.16. 3. The Church stands vpon two sure pillars, like Boaz and Iachin: first, Gods promise, which is, that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her. Secondly, her foundation is on a rocke, against which if the floods beate, and the windes blow, it shall surely stand, Matth. 7.25. Why then doe the Pope, and Papists, and that Antichristian league, still trauell with wickednesse, and conceiue mischiefe, to bring foorth a lye? What doe yee imagaine against the Lord? Nahum. 1.9.

This is a ground of comfort for vs, when wee see ene­mies leaguing themselues against Gods people, that they make no spare of destroying either by secret meanes, or [Page 62] open. Gods helpe and deliuerance will shew it selfe in due season: he is a present helpe in trouble. Is he a God a farre off, and not at hand? on the mountaines, and not in the vallies? Doth he heare his people before he call, and not when they call?Esa. 65.24. No, the Church is neuer so neere some great deliuerance, as when her enemies are at the top of their pride and rage. For when they will roote out the name of Israel, and destroy the law, then is it high time for the Lord to put to his hand.Psal. 119.126. When they haue power in their hand, and no arme of flesh to represse them: when none will offer himselfe in the cause of God, then the Lords owne arme shall saue it,Esa. 59.16. but so as wee be found in the way of deliuerance, carrying our selues in this affliction, as children when they see the father hath taken vp the rod, runne vnto our father, confesse our sins, bewaile them, begge mercie, and sue for it as for life and death. This is the way to stay our fathers blow, to ob­taine compassion, and cause him to throw his rod into the fire: as the Prophet brings him in relenting for his peo­ple, Hos. 11.8. How shall I giue thee vp, O Ephraim? how shall I deliuer thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is tur­ned within me: my repentings are rowled together. For this is the condition, 2. Chron. 7.14. If my people, among whom my Name is called vpon, doe humble themselues, and pray, and seeke my presence, and turne from their wicked wayes, then will I heare out of heauen, and be mercifull to their sinne, and will heale their land.

When we haue receiued such a seasonable deliuerance, it becommeth vs to breake out into the praise of God,Vse. 3. Praise is comely for the vpright. and perpetuate the memory of it, and prouoke our selues vnto thankfulnesse. So doth our holy Prophet in this Psalme: he sings out the praise of God to all posterity, for so great a deliuerance in so present a danger. Motiues heereunto: 1. How many monuments hath the Lord himselfe erected from time to time, to preserue in memo­ry speciall mercies bestowed on his people? 2. Hath he [Page 63] not taken order to write them in his booke of mercies and monuments? Psalm. 102.18. This shall be written for the generations to come and the people which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. 3. Hath he not established and ap­pointed speciall dayes for the memorie of speciall mercies, most worthy to be had in euerlasting remembrance?

And surely (my brethren) if Moses and Israel had cause to compile a song for their so strange a deliuerance, and the ouerthrow of their enemies; as Exod. 15.1.— If Deborah had cause to praise the Lord with voyces and in­struments, for the ouerthrow of the Canaanites, and vi­ctory ouer Sisera; as Iudg. 5.1.—. If the good women came with Timbrels and dances to praise the Lord, when the Lord brought an horrible slaughter vpon the Philisti­ans, and their chiefe Champion Goliah, who defied the hoast of Israel, and railed vpon the God of Israel, and so saued Israel that day; as 1. Sam. 18.6.7. If that day were a day of ioy and gladnesse, of light and reioycing, wherein the Iewes preuailed against their enemies, and saw the ruine of their chiefe aduersary Haman that cursed Amalekite; as Hest. 9.17. Then surely haue we iust cause to sing out, and declare abroad, and reioyce both in Gods house, and in our owne houses, for the great things that the Lord hath done for vs in our admirable deliuerance out of a more admirable red sea, not of water, but of fire and brim­stone, and from the hands of those furious Champions of Antichrist, those Romish Siseraes, Goliahs, that defied the hoast of British Israel, and those cursed Amalekites, against whom the sentence is passed, that the name of A­malek shall be put out from vnder heauen. Exod. 17.14.16 But neuer let the fact of this Amalek, nor this day of Purim be put out of the Kalender: to the perpetuall infamy of the Popish ge­neration, so long as the Sunne courseth about the earth.

Looke we often in this glasse, which God holdeth this day before our eyes; O come and behold the workes of the Lord, Psal. 46.8. the great workes that he hath wrought for this English nation; a people whom God hath now redee­med [Page 64] from a second hell, which was indeed to bee a lake of fier and brimstone, a very sparke out of hell▪ brought by furies and diuels rather than men. Consider wee seriously, how our soules [...]are deliuered from the ne­ther most hell. As in the first and great redemption from the lowest hell, God of his mercy redeemed vs by the blood of his owne only Sonne: so of his mercy hath he extinguished the flames of this intēded hell, by no other meanes than by the blood of those sonnes of Beliall. And, as for that greater redemption wee must magnifie the grace of God,Luke 1.74.75. being redeemed from the hands of our e­nemies to serue him in righteousnesse and holynesse all the dayes of our life: so in this lesser redemption, we must stirre vp our selues to the cherefull praise of God, not in word and tongue, but in heart and life. Let vs call vpon our selues euery one apart, as Dauid, Psal. 9.1.2.3. I will praise the Lord with all my heart, &c. for that mine enemies are turned back: and Psal. 116.12. what shall I render to the Lord for all his louing kindnesse towards me? and let vs call vpon one another, as he doth, Psal. 34.3. Praise the Lord with me, and let vs magnifie the Lord together. He hath fil­led our hearts with gladnesse, our mouthes with laugh­ter, our tongues with matter of triumph: when we were as a bird in the net of these fowlers, he brake the net, and we are escaped.

Verse 8. Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord, who hath made heauen and earth.

THese words are the conclusion of the whole Psalm, wherein the whole benefit of all the deliuerance of the Church, both for time past and future, is ascribed to the Lord of heauen and earth. He had sayd before, the snare is broken but had not told vs by whome, now hee expresseth him, Our helpe is in the Name &c.

Quest. why saith he not in the Lord, but, in the Name of the Lord? Exposition.

[Page 65] Answ. By the Name of God is meant that by which he reuealeth himselfe to his Church, as a man is knowne by his name. And in this argument the Name of God signifieth the ayd, the power, the strength, and the goodnesse of God: so it is vsed, Psalme. 44.5. in thy Name wee shall tread downe our enemies, that is, in thy strength and power. Our helpe consists in that pow­er and strength which the Lord putteth forth for vs.

Who hath made heauen and earth.] Qust. Why is this added? Answ. 1. To aduance the Lord in his Attribute of Omnipotency. 2. To strengthen our faith when meanes fayle vs: for this power is not tied to meanes. Therefore these are set the first words of the Creed, I be­leeue in God the Father Almighty, maker of heauen and earth. 3. To shew vs to what end the world, the heauens and the earth were made, namely that it might be a Thea­ter and glasse of the diuine power and glory of God. 4. To intimate how easie it is for God in most desperate cases to helpe his children: much mor easie than to make heauen and earth. 5. To shew, that he can dispose all things both in heauen and earth for their safetie.

I. Note hence the nature and worke of faith in eue­ry beleeuer: which is,Faith in dangers lifts vp the hearts to Gods promises and Atributes. to eleuate the minde to God in perils and dangers which is the time wherein faith most bestirres it selfe, and to apply Gods promise of ayd, his presence and deliuerance in all our troubles: not only beleeuing his Omnipotency and goodnesse, but that he is so vnto vs and all his chosen. For this is a speech of faith, which looketh beyond all external meanes, and fixeth the eye of the soule only vpon God, in whose hand help is. And farther, the nature of faith is, to search into all the Atributes of God, whereby it may fortifie it selfe and become inexpugnable. It looketh to the Name of the Lord. It considereth him as Iehoua, one that is willing to accomplish all his promises to his Church; else he could not bee Iehoua, by which Name he would be knowne to his people. It beholdeth his power and [Page 66] omnipotency at the same time: and then what shall hinder the Churches safety, if God be both able and wil­ling? It seeth also all his power exercised for hir safety. It beholds at once both the pillers of the Temple,1. Kings 7.12. Boaz, with him is strength; but what are wee the bet­ter, if we apply it not? and Iachin, that is, the Lord will establish.

Vse. Hab. 2.4.Let vs liue by faith at all times, especiall in dangers, stil looking beyond the means: and giue glory to God with Abraham, Rom. 4.20. who was strong in faith, and fully perswaded, that he who promised was able also and wil­ling to performe. Obiect. What then? must we reiect meanes?Faith and the vse of meanes how they stand together. Answ. No, for God giueth meanes for our good: But 1. No meanes can helpe vs without God, as God can without meanes. 2. Meanes must be vsed, but not trusted in: Psalm. 20.7. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God. Heere he condemnes not the vse of chari­ots and horses, but trust and confidence in them. 3. Ne­uer let vs stand in the meanes as our helpers, but in the Name of God, who affords both them and successe in them. Hence it is, that God sometimes, yea for the most part worketh his greatest workes by weakest meanes,Meannesse of in­struments com­mends the vertu of the Agent. that the meanes might be as a glasse through which we might behold the brightnesse of his own Maiesty and grace. Dan. 11.34. They that vnderstand and instruct ma­ny shall fall, and when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe. Why a little? Because through weake meanes wee may see Gods greater strength. So in the yeare 88. there was a little helpe for England: but the victory was Gods. So in the Gunpowder treason, a little helpe and meanes by his Maiesties singular care: but this was, that through it we might easier see that Omnipo­tent helpe of him, who made heauen and earth.

Church of God helplesse in it selfe.II. Note that the Churches helpe is not in it self: and the dangers of it, and harmes threatning it, are farre greater than it is able, without better help than it own, [Page 67] to withstand. So was it with the Church at the red sea: so with the three children of God in the fire; what help had they of themselues being bound? So it was in Hamans deuice, and so in Per [...]ies.

Reason. 1. That the members of the Church may here­in acknowledge the sleights of Satan and wicked men, who are mad against soundnesse of grace, and yet most wittie to combine their malice and madnesse against Gods people. 2. To trie them to the vttermost, and proue their soundnesse, in faith and patience. Fire that must trie gold, must be quicke and piercing, and seeme vtterly to burne and consume it. 3. That the Lord may herein haue occasion, both to vphold his chosen in the af­fliction with strong inward consolation; and also to put foorth this his omnipotent power in some strong and glorious deliuerance. 4. That his children being driuen out of all other expectations may be vehement in prayer, and fetch helpe from heauen, which they want in them­selues. That extremitie of the Israelites at the sea, made Moses to crie vnto the Lord with vehemencie, Exod. 14.15. and when Iehosaphat knew not what to doe, his eyes were to the Lord, 2. Chron. 20.12.

Mistake not the estate of the Church,Vse. when it seemes to be oppressed, nor yet of the members. God for these ends suffers Satan and his instruments so cunningly to ca­rie their malice and matters, as oftentimes Gods deare children are in the eyes of the world helplesse. But, did Christ cease to be the Sonne of God, because the Iewes said, Let God helpe him now, if hee will haue him? or the Saints of olde, who receiued no corporall deliuerance,Matth. 27.43. but a better resurrection? or our owne Martyrs, who seemed helplesse in their hands and flames? No,Heb. 11.35. the Lord was their helpe, and he will not suffer the soules of the righte­ous to perish: which we shall further see in the next ob­seruation.

III. Note that the Church and people of God are neuer so helplesse,Church at wea­kest is made strong enough to hold out. but that they haue an omnipotent po­wer [Page 68] with them, and for thē, euen his Name who made hea­uen and earth. This is their priuiledge and sanctuarie. The name of God is a strong tower, the righteous slie vnto it & are exalted ▪ Prou. 18.10. Psal. 33.17. An horse is a vain [...] thing in battell & shall not deliuer any by his strength: Why, what shall helpe them? The eye of the Lord is on them that feare him, and vpon them that trust in his mercie, to deliuer their soules from death, and preserue them in the time of famine. 2. Tim. 4.16. At my first appearing no man assisted me: (small helpe indeed:) Notwithstanding the Lord assisted me, and strengthened me, &c.

Reason. 1. This comes to passe by Gods promise of his constant presence with his people, to be with them in sixe troubles, and in seuen, in fire, and water, and extremest perils.Iob. 5.19. Esai. 43.2. All which promises, although they runne with exception of the crosse, yet are neuer frustrate, but made good one time or other, one way or other. This promise is their safe conduct. And it is equall, seeing they labour in his seruice, and cast themselues vpon his hand. 2. What else is it that keepes the Church as an Arke vp­on the waters from drowning and perishing among so many tyrants, enemies, and persecutors as thick as waues, but this most helpfull hand and power of God the Pilot of it? The Church hath mightie power against it, all the helpe of the wicked, and the gates of hell. But his eye and wing is neerer thē than the hens to preserue her silly chic­kens, Psal. 91.2. 3. As it was with the Son of God our head, so is it with the members, who faithfully follow his steps in patient labouring and enduring. What his estate was, see Ioh. 16.32. Behold, the houre commeth, and is now already, that yee shall be scattered euery man to his owne house, and shall leaue me alone: but I am not alone, for the Father is with me. Christ was very helplesse, when his fol­lowers fled for feare, and his Disciples durst not tarrie with him, but left him alone: yet then hee had this pre­sence and power of his Father: And so haue the godly, both Pastors and people. 4. They can neuer be so help­lesse [Page 69] as they shall not be able to crie for helpe, and be­moane their case to God. Neither want they friends to solicite their cause at the highest Court, but haue all the godly, petitioners for them.

The faith of the doctrine is a chiefe part of worship and honour giuen to God:Vse. 1 when the Saints referre the whole work of their saluation and safetie to the Lord: as Psal. 3.8. Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord, and thy blessing is vpon thy people. And when they can commend their whole safetie, for the continuance and preseruation of it, vnto the Name of the Lord wherein all helpe lieth.

It is a most firme prop to stay and leane vpon in all trials,Vse 2. able to sustaine the heart continually with strong comfort: when we can oppose this helpe of God against all the threats and boysterous proceedings of Gods ene­mies. As subiects haue no way but to flie to the King for refuge and helpe against the oppressor: so Gods people haue a way of helpe, by which they lie safe in the midst of danger, and shall haue the better end of the staffe a­gainst their aduersaries, because they may say as Dauid a­gainst Goliah, 1. Sam. 17.45. I come to thee in the Name of the Lord. A godly heart grounded in the truth of this do­ctrine, may securely contemne whatsoeuer Satan or his instruments doe machinate against it. Looke at any thing in heauen or earth, it hath in it matter of strength and comfort. He that made them, hath power to commaund all things in them for thy safetie and good. Here is a faith­full helper, a very sure refuge in trouble: men may pro­mise helpe, and faile, or helpe on the trouble of the Saints;God is a faith­full, and power­full, and constant helper. but God will not. Here is a powerfull helper: men would helpe oftentimes, but are weake and cannot, where the enemie hath fortified himselfe with aduantages and reso­lutions; but the Lords Name is a strong helper: if Nebu­chadnezzar shall say, Who shall, Dan. 3.15.17. or who is able to deliuer you out of my hands, wee may say with the three children, Our God is able: He can say to the raging sea, Thus farre shalt thou come, and here shall thy proud waues stay. Prou. 8.29. He can drie [Page 70] vp Ieroboams arme, stretched out against the Prophet. Finally, here is a constant helper: men are vnconstant and light: one speech or suspition may driue away many from following Christ himselfe, and m [...]ny in daies of triall slip away, and are helplesse: but the Lord helpeth constant­ly: our helpe is euer in the Name of the Lord: hee is vn­changeable in his goodnesse toward the Church, neuer wearie of well-doing as men bee. And without this ground in the heart, men must needs shake like trees in the forrest with euery winde,Esai. 7.2. and feare where no feare i [...]: but those shall not neede to feare any euill tidings, whose heart is fixed on the Lord. Psal. 112 7.

Vse. 3.Labour to be a member of the Church: stand in the way and station, in which God hath set thee: Goe on in thy holy course: keepe the way of vprightnesse. For in this way God hath promised helpe and protection, and thou maist expect it. Arme thy selfe, and addresse thee to beare b [...]unts and blowes as a souldier: but feare not vi­ctorie, so long as God is neere thee, and thou neere him and his helpe. Put on patience to waite without haste-making: though he delay helpe awhile, he denies it not. Neuer seeke to preuent troubles by laying aside integri­tie and good conscience. It is no way of safetie to pro­uoke God, nor a meanes of defence to lay aside the ar­mour. This is the condition of diuine protection, 1. Pet. 3. vers. 13. No man shall hurt you, while you follow the thing that is good. Ionas would faine auoid trouble by flying from God: but God fetcheth him backe againe with a witnesse.

Here by the way note a speciall difference betweene the wicked and the godly in their troubles.Difference be­tweene the helpe of the godly and wicked. One hath his helpe from heauen, others from hell, or not higher than from the earth. One from the Name of God, others a­gainst the Name of God. The wicked expect helpe one from another, and combine against the righteous, and can helpe themselues by lying, slandering, violence, and tur­ning themselues into all fashions and formes for aduan­tage: [Page 71] but the godly, expecting helpe from the name of God, keepe themselues in Gods right waies, and will meet with helpe onely thence.Hos. 14.9.

Let vs trust our selues with God in troubles as well as in peace,Vse 4. expecting the accomplishment of that gracious promise, Psal. 34.19. Great are the troubles of the righte­ous, but the Lord deliuereth him out of all. If we take Gods Name with vs for our helpe, the number of crosses shall not foile vs, nor the power of persecutors daunt vs, nor the continuance of trials breake vs. For nothing can hin­der his helping hand from his seruants. Nothing but sin separates betweene God and vs: be humbled for sinne, meete God in repentance, keepe not silence, be instant in prayer, and all shall be well. Christ is our ship: if we be neuer so tossed, wee shall not be drowned; come to him, awaken him as his Disciples, Master saue vs, Matth. 8.25. Master of the great ship of thy Church helpe vs, we perish: and he will in due time stirre vp himselfe, and speake to the winde, and the sea, and there shall be a great calme.

The end of the third Sermon.

THE ROMISH CONCEPTION.

Psalme. 7.14.15.16.

The Kings Ma­iesty in his Speech on the gunpowder treason applieth this text to that occasion.Behold, he shall trauell with wickednesse: for he hath con­ceiued mischiefe, but he shall bring forth a lye.

He hath made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the pit that he made.

His mischiefe shall returne vpon his own head, and his cru­elty shall fall vpon his owne pate.

THe occasion of the Psalme is in the in­scription, concerning the words of Cushi, one of Sauls Courtiers, and Dauids accusers to Saul, as if hee had beene a Rebell, and sought Sauls life. The parts of it are three.

1 A prayer for deliuerance from his enemies, and that God would cleare his innocency, to the 12. verse.

2 A Propheticall prediction of the destruction of the wicked, to the 17. verse.

3 A vow of thankfulnesse for deliuerance, in the last verse.

These three verses of my Text, being part of the se­ [...]ond generall, hauing in them two particulars: First, that all the labour of wicked men against the Church is [...]ut labour in vaine, in respect of their owne intent and expectation, verse. 14. Secondly, that the labour of wicked men is turned cleane contrary to their owne in­tent [Page 73] and expectation, vers. 15.16. And these things are set downe two waies: 1. In Metaphor and similitude. 2. In simple and expresse speech.

The former, Plots of the wic­ked aptly com­p [...]red to a wo­mans trauaile. that all their labour is in vaine against the Church, is expressed by a Metaphore frequent in Scrip­ture, taken from the trauell of a woman. The minde of a wicked man is compared to a wombe or belly. The con­ception is hurtfull and mischieuous thoughts and enter­prises. The cunning contriuing, carrying, and watching of fit opportunities, is the nourishing, perfecting, and pre­paring to the birth, while they carrie it the iust moneths: in the meane time swelling with their own presumptions, and glorying in the certaine expectation of their concei­ued hopes. The attempting of their enterprises is the par­turition and trauell, which costs them no small paine and labour. The birth or fruite is some misshapen monster, some mischieuous impe, some treacherous Massacre, some inuincible armie or powder-plot, borne (as Onuphrius writes of Pope Alexander the 6. for the destruction of all Italy, so) for the destruction of all England, Scotland, and Ireland. But this monstrous shape is called a lye, because mentiri is contra mentem ire (as some allude.) When they looke vpon their owne childe, and see the vgly face and shape of it, in all the deformed members: it is not to their minde, they are ashamed and confounded, and would faine seeke some father abroad, either the Hugonot; in France, or the Puritans in England, but that it is so like the fire as none can mistake the father of such a monster.

The latter, that all the labour of the wicked is turned quite contrary to their owne expectation, is set downe by another similitude, taken from Hunters, who as they lay snares, and ginnes, and pitfalls, to take the sillie creatures; euen so wicked men digge pits, and delue deepe, and lay their traines to winde in the godly into the destruction by them prepared: In which sense it is said of Io [...]sh and I [...]hoiakim, Ezek. 19.4.8. that the nations laid their nets for them, and they were both taken in their pit.

[Page 74] But himselfe falles into his owne pit which he made: that is, whatso [...]uer mischiefe the cruell Aduersaries deuise a­gainst the godly, it catcheth themselues, whereof Dauid had good experience: Sa [...]l layes his traine, and digs a pit against Dauid.

1 Sam 18.21. I will giue Dauid Micoll, that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistims may bee vpon him: and verse. 25. the King desireth no dowry, but only an hundred foreskins of the Philistims, to be auen­ged of his enemies, for Saul (saith the Text) thought to make Dauid fall by the hand of the Philstims: but Saul fell into his owne pit, himselfe fell by the hand of the Phi­listims, Chap. 31. The Philistims pressed so fore vpon him, that they slew his three sons, wounded himselfe sore, and his owne hand also was against himselfe.

In the last verse of my Text, all this is set out in simple and expresse words, His mischiefe shall returne vpon his owne head, his cruelty vpon his owne pate, according to that in Prou. 5.22. His owne iniquities shall take the wicked him­selfe, and he shall bee holden with the cords of his owne sinne.

Deuises against the Church vain, & pe [...]nicious to her enemies. Doct. The wicked counsels and enterprises of the ene­mies of the Church, are not only vaine in respect of others but mischieuous against themselues. Esa. 33.11. yee shall conceiue chaffe, & bring forth stubble: the fire of your breath shall deuour you, In which place the holy Ghost holds the same comparison as here: comparing wicked men to wo­men that haue conceiued, who carry and nourish the child in their wombe, and at last bring forth. But what child bring they forth with so much trauaile? Surely that which is a shame to the Parents: chaffe and stubble, vaine and vnprofitable conceits, that come to nothing. But that is not all. They bring forth a dangerous and per­nicious i [...]pe, which for the most part is the death of the mother. It is a fire, which as easily consumes them, as a mighty and ragi [...]g fire doth chaffe or stubble. Their own fire deuoures them.Pro. 6.17. For, can a man carry fire in his bosome, [Page 57] and not be burnt? Esa. 59.5. The wicked conceiue mis­chiefe, and bring forth iniquity: they hatch the cockatice egges. The cockatrice or basiliske is no sooner hatched, but it kils him with the very sight that lightes vpon it, and ordinarily it eates out the belly of the dam in comming forth. Such are the issues and fruits of cruell and mischie­uous men against the Lord and his people. Psalme 9.15. The heathen are sunke downe in the pit that they made: in the net that they hid is their owne foot taken.

Reason. 1 This is so because God scattereth the deuises of the craftie, so as they cannot accomplish what they en­terprise. Iob 5.12. he will not alwaies let the successe be to their expectation. They consult not with God, but a­gainst him, and therefore must not prosper. Come (saith Pharaoh) let vs worke wisely to keep vnder the Israelites.Exod. 1.10. But hee could not worke wisely enough: the more they oppressed, the more the other increased, verse. 12. They might drowne many male children, but themselues must saue Moses the Deliuerer. 2. Gods loue to his Church makes all the counsels of the enemies pernicious to them­selues: for hee takes all that is done against the godly, as done against himselfe: he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye, Zach. 2.8. God hath vndertaken the care and charge of his people, and will neuer neglect the safety of his charge, nor to releeue his people that com­mit themselues to him; but especially when they call vp­on him to turne the counsels of wicked Achitophels into folly. All the contempt and cruelty is against God himself: therefore mischiefe against the Church must needs bee like an arrow shot bolt-vpright▪ which falles vpon the head of the shooter. 3. The deuise of wicked men a­gainst the iust must needs miscary, because they set their plots vpon a slippery foundation, which will bring downe the house vpon their owne heads: namely vpon lies and falsehood. Psal. 62.3.4. How long will ye ima­gine mischief against a man? ye shall be all slaine, ye shall be as a shaken wall: their delight is in lies. And the whole [Page 76] frame leanes vpon the arme flesh, or the arme of man, which they make their hope, and so lie vnder the curse of them that make flesh their arme, Ier. 17.5. and withdraw their hearts from the Lord. Esa. 59.4. they trust in vanity, conceiue mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 4. It is most iust with God to render tribulation to them that trouble his seruants:2. Thess. 1.6. that the most righteous law of retaliation might be returned on them. Psal. 62.11. God spake it once, yea twise I heard it, that power belongeth to God, and mer­cy: [...]. for thou rewardest euery one according to his deed. How iust is it, that the Artizan of death should perish in his owne net? and, that he who breweth mischiefe, should drink it?

This is that iust retaliation which our Sauiour threa­tens, Mat. 7.2. with what measure you mete, it shall bee measured to you againe. If the Egyptians make a wicked decree to drowne the Israelitish children, and will needes follow them into the sea to drowne them: it is iust that themselues bee drowned with a memorable destruction. You haue heard how Daniel was appointed for the Lions food, but the next day all his accusers and their families were cast in in his stead, and torne in pieces ere they came to ground. You haue heard also how the same furnace which was prepared for Sadrach and his fellowes, licked vp and burnt (in stead of them) the accusers. Yea the Lord in this iust retaliating of euil men, hath often smitten their owne consciences, and opened their owne mouths, to cleare his righteous iudgement: as we see in Adoni-bezek, Iudg. 1.7. seuenty kings vnder my table with their thumbs cut off gathered bread vnder my table; As I haue done, so hath God rewarded mee.

2 Thess. 1.2. Histor. Eccles. lib. 9. cap. 9 Eusebius recordeth of the cruel tyrant Maxentius, that comming with an armie against Constantine the Great: to dec [...]iue Constantine and his armie: he caused his souldiers to make a great bridge ouer Tiber where Constantine should passe, and cunningly lay plankes on the ships, that when the army came vpon the plankes, the ships should [Page 77] sinke, and so drowne the enemie: but Maxentius hea­ring of Constantines approching: in his rage rushed out of the gates of Rome,Pontibus his de­uolutus est, ruos ad religiosi Principis para­uerat exitium. and commanded his followers to at­tend him: and through fury forgetting his owne worke, led a few ouer his bridge: and the ships sinking, himselfe and his followers, were all drowned. And Eusebius fitteth our very text vnto him, Lacum ap [...]ruit, et effodit cum, et incidi [...] in soueam quam operatus est, He made a pit and digged it, and fell into the pit that he made.

This sets forth vnto vs the misery of the wicked ene­mies of the Church:Enemies of the Church, subiect to 4. great miseries. which we shall more clearely see in foure particulars.

1 Misery: That all their paine and labour is for their owne destruction. Sinne in Hebrew is called gnamal, and in Greke ponerîa: both which words signifie labour and trauell: to note the great labour, that wicked men take in committing sinne; they are euen as women in trauell. Ier. 9.5. they take great paines to doe wickedly. Sinne is a worke of the flesh, and sinners are workemen, Esa. 59.5. weauers and spinners: but weaue an ill web, and spin a thred of their owne destruction, euen an halter for their owne heads; as Haman was at charges to set vp his own gallows. Our text shews, that they wilbe at paines and trauell for their designes, as a woman that carries and brings forth a childe; but the birth killes themselues, and themselues must feele the smart of their subtill de­uises.

2 Misery: That they liue in perpetuall perill of de­struction. There is not a moment, wherein they can free or secure themselues from the stroke of God: They can­not say at any time, Now we are in safety: because they are alwaies in armes against God. If they would hide their counsells from him, behold, he sees in the darkenesse aswell as in the day, to ouerturne them all, and make wic­ked counsell worst to the counsellor. Ps [...]lm. 139.12. Malum consili­um, consultori pess [...]um If they would combine themselues in holy leagues and confederacyes, heare what the wise man saith, Prou. 11.21. though hand ioyne [Page 78] in hand, yet shall not the wicked escape vnpunished. All of them vnited are as easily ouercome in hi [...] hand, as one man. Esa. 8.9. gather ye together on h [...]pes, and ye shall be broken to pieces: gird your selues, and ye shall bee broken to pieces. Psal. 14.4. If they would by rage and furye make quicke dis­patch, and swallow vp at once the people of God, and eate them as bread: behold, themselues are neuer nearer destruction than when they are most violent. The Aegyp­tians were not more readie to kill and slay, than the wa­ters were to drowne them.

3 Misery: That inexpected destruction comes, when they expect the sweet fruit of all their labour: when they looke for light, behold darknesse. Here this birth of wicked men is vnlike the trauell of women. When the childe is borne, the womans danger and paines are gone, and ioy comes in the stead▪ Iohn 16.21. because a child is borne into the world, and this mak [...]s her forget her sorow. But in this birth, and afterward [...]s the greatest danger and perill, and but a beginning of sorows. When they cry peace, peace, then comes a sudden destruction. Balthasar was seased on euen in his cups, where there was nothing but carowsing and iolity: and Amnon in his brothers house, at a feast, when his heart was most merry, was slaine by his brother: which was the issue of his incest. Little thought hee, that that reckoning awaited him.

4 Misery: That the mischiefe plotted against their greatest enemies recoyles vpon themselues; as a piece ouercharged, and recoyling, strikes downe the shooter, not the party aimed at. Prou. 11.8. The iust escapeth out of trouble, and the wicked commeth in his stead: and, the wicked shall be a ransome for the iust. Wicked men catch­ing the godly at aduantage are mercilesse: no pity may be vsed, no ransome will be taken for their deliu [...]rance: therefore God takes the matter in hand,Wicked to be pi­tied rather than [...]na [...]ed. to pay a ran­some for them, body for body, skin for skin, life for life and the right owners of mischiefe shall enioy it.

Vse 2.There is little cause, why Gods people should enuie [Page 79] the prosperity of their enemies, or study for reuenge: but rather pitty them, and pray for them so many as are curable, for their last dish will marre all the feast: little do they know what they are doing. They are twisting a cord, to hang themselues. They are digging a pit, but the earth falles on them, and pashes themselues to pie­ces. The bread of affl [...]ction prepared for others, them­selues m [...]st eate. They (poore men) are in trauell of a vi­per, which must needs kill the parent:V [...]pera, [...]. d. [...]. and seeing they cannot bee stopped from sin, they cannot be stopt from the punishment.

As little cause haue the enemies to glory in their con­ception. Stay a while, and behold the lineame [...]ts of the birth from top to toe, and see a shamefull and ougly vi [...]sage.

I come now to the application hereof to our present occasion.

This day is this text fulfilled in your eares. Wherein giue me leaue a little to shew you,Con [...]eption of pow [...]er traytors [...] ▪ yet p [...]ni­cious to them. how our owne sowers of winde haue reaped the whirlewinde, and how those who trauelled with wickednesse, haue brought foorth not onely a lye, but an vntimely and mischieuous birth, which no sooner saw the light, but most iustly it depriued the parents of it.

This misshapen monster was the Gunpowder-treason, a mother of treasons, an vnmatchable store- [...]ouse of vil­lanies, wherein grex cum reg [...], arae cum focis, Pietie and Iustice, Peace and Plentie, Religion and Honestie, should all haue been buried in one graue, and all consumed in one bonfire.

This conception pleased them well: for it was meete, that whence they receiued all their mischiefe (namely, the Parliament) that very place should be designed for their punishment, said Catesby to Winter, who wondred at the fi [...]e conceit.

They beare not their conception without much la­bour, and paines, and care, and cost: Great care of secre­cie, [Page 80] that none be admitted into the Councell,Much adoe in th [...]s conception. but by oath and the sacrament. Great labou [...] in many painfull iour­neys, both beyond seas, and on this side, in digging the pit and the mine, night and day, many moneths together, &c. And as great cost: Digby hath 1500. pounds: Tressam 2000. Percy would bring 4000, and ten galloping hor­ses, though he robbed the Earle of Northumberland for it, out of the rents of seuerall houses. The charge of 36. barrels of powder, wood, coale, iron in abundance, and of victuals for so many labourers and diggers. No lesse care in contriuing, and forming this misshapen monster in the wombe, and carrying it the due moneths. And all this while they swell with conceit, and dreame of no­thing but disposing the kingdom, and euery mans estate. Euery thing both at home and abroad is so cunningly contriued: they make themselues sure of all. Why? the Letter saith, God and man hath concurred to punish the wickednesse of these times. And to the Lord, Retire your selfe into the countrey, where you may expect the euent with safetie: for though there be no appearance of any stirre, yet I say they shall receiue a terrible blow this Parliament, and the danger is past so soone as you haue burnt the letter. And in the countrey, the night before the day designed to be our doomes-day, they boldly entred into a stable, and tooke away great horses, which they made account of, as their owne by their owne Law, now the Lawes were blowne vp. And Sir Nimrod Digby appoynts his hun­ting match that day, to surprise the Lady. They haue their Proclamations readie, and all cocksure. Thus haue they conceiued mischiefe, and these Digbyes and diggers haue digged a pit with a mouth as wide as hell, to swallow vp three great kingdomes at one morsell; and haue carried the conception the full moneths.

Much adoe to little purpose.Now to the Birth. For, what (saith Percy) shall we al­waies talke (Gentlemen) and neuer doe any thing? But what doe they? They bring foorth a lye: a vaine worke they haue in hand: God scatters their deuice. They plot [Page 81] destruction against all the godly in the land; they cannot hurt one of their haires. Nay worse than so: the pit they haue digged falls on themselues. These hunters hunt the liues of others, themselues are hunted and taken. The powder they lay for others, blowes vp themselues. And this is worth the obseruing, that Catesby first deuiseth the powder-plot, and his owne powder first burnes himselfe;Saepe in magi­stro [...] scelera re­diérunt suos. he first smarted, and was maimed, and after killed toge­ther with Percy by one bullet shot with powder. Others consenting were many slaine with shot and powder, yea euen those whose liues were desired to be spared for fur­ther vse: yet Gods iustice brought their owne de [...]i [...]e on their heads. One of them (as Faux) was sorrie he could not blow vp himselfe: he would haue thought it a bene­fit, if it had been no worse with him than he had inten­ded to others. Another (as Winter) seeing the vglinesse of this monster, was so confounded▪ as he professed, that his fault (for the temporall part) was greater than could be for­giuen: and confessed hee saw too late, that such courses please not almightie God. All of them, in case it had been done, purposed to disauow it for the foulenesse of it, till they had power enough to make their partie good: and counted it an action worthie to be laid vpon their grea­test enemies, whom they termed Puritans. Yea God opens their owne mouthes against themselues. Winter professeth before hand, that if it should not take effect, the scandall would be so great, which the Catholike Religion should susteine by it, as not onely our enemies, but our friends also (saith he) would with good reason condemne vs.

Thus we see the truth of God, and his iustice: for hee hath said, Woe to thee that spoylest: shalt thou not be spoyled? Esai. 33.1. Ye see how iustly he that takes the sword, Matth. 26 [...]2. perish th [...]by by the sword. Here is iust, Agags case,1. Sam. 15 33. Thy sword made many child­lesse, and Gods sword shall make thy mother childl [...]sse.

See also what little cause we haue to trust Papists, who da [...]e attempt such deuices for the reliefe of the Catholike cause, as all of them confessed this was. Must you [...] Reli­gion [Page 82] be thus relieued? It hath euer so been: and so neuer was from the Lord. Obiect. Why doe you impute this to our Religion, being the error of a few infortunate Gentle­men?Treason not ac­cidentall, but essentiall to Ro­mish religion. Answ. If it were onely the error of their nature, (to vse the Kings Maiesties distinction) it were the more to­lerable: but it is the error of their Religion: And most truly hath his Maiestie shewed, that no other Sect of He­retickes (not excepting Turkes, Iewes, Pagans, or they of Calicute) did euer by the grounds of Religion maintaine, that it is lawfull or meritorious to murther Princes or people for the quarrell of Religion; but onely Romish Catholikes.

This doctrine they would as impudently deny as they doe other. The light makes them ashamed, and so they denie their owne doctrines. They will denie, that the Pope properly pardoneth sinnes, or that they teach it. They will as impudently denie, that euer Pope had a ba­stard: that euer a woman was Pope, and an hundreth such, which their owne chiefe writers a [...]ow. But let vs know, that religion, which is set vpon lyes, and held vp by lyes, by conceiuing mischiefe, and bringing foorth lyes, to be fitter for Antichrist, than for Iesus Christ, or Christians professing his name.

And now, seeing the wicked are fallen into the pit they made, and the powder they laid for vs, hath blowne vp themselues; let vs conclude with the next words of this Psalme, We will praise the Lord according to his righteous­nesse, and sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. We will set foorth his righteousnesse and faithfulnesse, in kee­ping his promises, and in sauing the liues of thousands of his Saints, destinated to death, as sheepe to the slaughter.

The end of the fourth Sermon.

THE ENGLISH GRATVLATION.

Psalm. 126.3.

The Lord hath done great things for vs, whereof wee re­ioyce.

THis Verse is the marrow of the whole Psal. occasioned by the returne of Gods people out of Babels Captiuity into their owne Country: who neuer receiued lesse fauours than this, without thanksgiuing. Vnto which duty of praise the better to prouoke themselues, they amplifie the benefit, verse. 1. and make it great in their eyes and hearts, as it was in it selfe; so great and in­credible, as when God brought it to passe, they were as men in a dreame, thinking it rather a dreame, and a vaine imaginatiō, than a reall truth or action. 1. Because it was so great a deliuerance, from so great and lasting a bondage, it seemed too good to be true. 2. It was sud­den, and inexpected, when they little thought or hoped for it. Thus the sudden, and inexpected newes of Iosephs life made Iacobs heart fayle him, Gen. 45.26 that he could not beleeue the relation of his sonnes to be true. 3. All things semed desperate, nothing more vnlikely, or impossible rather: for indeed, the godly themselues, sticking so much to sense cannot so well weigh the great workes of God in the [Page 84] sco [...]les, or with the weights of God, as they should. 4. The manner was so admirable (without the counsell, helpe, or strength of man: nay, it was beyond and against all hu­mane meanes;) that they doubt whether these things be not somnia vigilantium, [...]. Plato. the dreames of men that are a­wake. For so we read in Act. 12. that Peter being in pri­son, the next day to be brought forth to death, slept be­tweene two souldiers; and the Keepers before the doore: but was led out by an Angell, and with him passed sun­dry gates and streetes; verse 9. yet Peter knew not, that it was true which was done, but thought it had beene a dreame, and that he had seene a vision. It was so incredible, so inexpected, so suddaine, so immediate a deliuerance, that he could not beleeue it.

But as Peter being come to himselfe, said, Now I know for a truth that the Lord hath deliuered me, vers. 11. so this people of God knew it was more than a dreame, euen a reall deliuerance, and could not but expresse their ioy, as men doe when they laugh. But as the cause was abun­dant, so they say they were filled with laughter, verse 2. Nay, the Gentiles themselues obserued the benefit, and preached it, euen the enemies could obserue a speciall worke of Gods power and fauour for them, verse 3. And should they be behinde the Heathen, and not with full heart and mouth celebrate the benefit? Should God lose his glory by his owne people, whom the benefit concer­ned, and finde it among the Heathen, who were but loo­kers on? No: and therefore they proclaime it in these words, The Lord hath don [...] great things for vs, &c.

Wherein we may consider these foure particulars.

  • 1. The Author or Agent, the Lord.
  • 2. The Worke or Act, hath done great things.
  • 3. The Persons for whom, for vs, his Church.
  • 4. The Effect, whereof wee reioyce. Of these in their order.

I. The Agent is the Lord: verse 1. the Lord brought back the captiuity of Syon. It was a diuine worke, passing [Page 85] not humane power onely, but humane apprehension: for it was not very easie to conceiue, much lesse to effect.

Obseru. All safety of the Church from God. All deliuerances of the Church are the works of God. What meanes so euer he vseth, himselfe is the principall Agent: and of it, it must be said, Digitus Dei est hic, This is the finger of God. For 1. the helpe of man is vaine, 2. God onely hath promised deliuerance, and will be depended on, 3. the glory of deliuerance belongs to no other, Psalm. 50.15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble, and I will heare thee, and thou shal [...] glorifie me.

II. The worke, great things. The Lord is a great God, and great things beseeme him: Psalm. 135.5. I know the Lord is great; and he doth great things. 1. To manifest the greatnesse of his power, aboue all creatures. 2. That there may neuer want some great occasions of praising and glorifying his Name. 3. That our eyes may be lifted vp aboue humane counsels, and not fixed on inferiour things, when we see euents which could be welded by no­thing but an Omnipotent and Diuine hand.

III. The Persons for whom these great workes are done (for vs:) Great are the workes of God,Gods greatest workes are done for the Church. seene in the Creation and Gouernment of the world. But the grea­test workes of all hee doth for his Church.1. Election. 1. Hee hath chosen them to be his people, and selected them from all nations of the earth, to be a peculiar inheritance, and his owne possession of all the earth.2. Habitation. 2. He hath made his re­sidence and aboade with her, as hee hath with no other society of men in the world.3. Ministration. 3. He hath made vnto her all his gracious promises, and giuen the custody of his word to her, and to no other people of the earth. He hath not dealt so with euery nation, neither haue they knowne his lawes ▪ Psal. 147.20.4. Tuition. 4. Hee hath taken vpon him the de­fence of his Church, as of no other people, to be as a shield, or as a louing and carefull Husband of his deare and faithfull Spouse.5. Sweet sensible experience. 5. He hath giuen her such experi­ence of his prouidence and protection in many meruai­lous deliuerances, both for soule and body, as no people [Page 86] euer had the like; to the perpetuall ouerthrow of all her aduersaries.

Namely for the Church of the Iewes.These and the like great workes in generall, the Lord hath done for his Church.

Looke now vpon Israel, who vtters the words of our Text: what great things God hath done for them, both in generall, and in this speciall.

For the generall: 1, Israel was Gods elect, his sonne, Exod. 4.22. his fi [...]st borne, more loued, more priuiledged than any; his treasure, his portion, Deut. 32.8.9. To him belonged the adoption. Rom. 9.4. and hee was not numbred among the nations. Hee is select and chosen out of all the world. Hee must haue the promises; Of him are the Fa­thers; and of him is Christ, God blessed for euer. 2. God dwelt in Israel. Of Beniamin it is said, that the Lord dwelt betweene his shoulders, Deut. 33.12. With him was the Arke, and the glory, Rom. 9.4. and when that was taken, the glory departed from Israel. 1. Sam. 4.21. He dwelt at Salem, and his Tabernacle was at Syon, Psalm. 76.2. God is present euery where, but dwels onely in his Church. Of Syon it was said, There will I dwell. 3. Their Lawes & ordinances were meerely from God: theirs was the Couenant, Rom. 9.4. The Tables of the Couenant, written with Gods owne hand, and deliuered to them. And the giuing of the Law, that is, their Statute-lawes & Iudicials were not enacted by men, but came from heauen: In which respect no na­tion was so honoured, Deut. 4.7.12. Was there euer any nation, to whom God came so neere, and spake out of the fire, The instances of Gods great care in preseruing the Iewes. &c.? 4. Their preseruation and protection was a great worke of God: as we shall see in some instances.

1. Great was his care to send them into Egypt, by reason of the famine, that they might encrease in a fat land: but he sent a man before, euen Ioseph, to prouide for them the fattest of the land, Psalm. 105.17. 2. Great was his worke of preseruation in Egypt vnder that extreame ty­rannie of Pharaoh and the Taske-maisters, who could not worke wisely enough to keepe them vnder,Exod. 1.10. but, the more [Page 87] they oppressed them, to diminish them,Vers. 12. the more they en­creased, so as of seauenty soules in 220. yeares the en­crease was 600000. men, besides women and children.Moller. Psal. 105.24. Hee encreased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies. 3. Great was his worke in drawing them out of Egypt: to which purpose hee sent Moses his seruant, (miraculously drawne out of the wa­ter) and Aaron whom he had chosen, vers. 26. By whom he wrought those mighty signes and wonders, vers. 27. of dark­nesse, blood, frogges, lyce, haile, caterpillers, the death of their first borne, &c. Insomuch as the enemies loaded them with rich iewels and eare-rings, and hastned them out of the Country. God would not haue his seruants goe without their wages for so hard labour, which the Egyptians had not considered. Besides, hee will haue them to haue somewhat away, to bestow and conferre for the vse of the Temple. And when Pharaoh pursued them, so as they saw no way to escape him, God gaue them a great deliuerance through the sea,Exod. 14.31. and him a great and miraculous ouerthrow. Such a worke God neuer wrought for any people. 4. Great was his prouidence and protection of them in the wildernesse, where hee led them forty yeares: first, guiding them by a strange pillar of a cloud by day, and of fire by night in all their iour­neyes: secondly, feeding them with Mannah from heauen (in which were a number of miracles) and refreshing them with water out of a rocke: thirdly, couering their bodies with the same cloathes forty yeares together, which did not teare by wearing, not so much as their shooes: fourth­ly, fighting their battels for them, suffering no man to do them harme, but rebuking euen Kings for their sakes: fiftly, when hee had his people alone, hee prescribes his whole worship, concerning holy things, holy persons, places, and times; reareth vp a stately Tabernacle for his owne presence; in it placeth a glorious Arke, whence he immediately gaue answeres and directions by Vrim and Thummim, and accepted sacrifices, by fire immediately [Page 88] from heauen: all testimonies of his immediate presence.

5. As great was his care and prouidence in bringing them into the land of Canaan, casting out all their ene­mies before them, raising vp Ioshua to leade them in, and a [...]ter him Iudges and Kings, Sampson, Deborah, Dauid, Salomon, and their successors euen till their Captiuity in B [...]bilon. He gaue them a goodly land and fat, flowing with milke and hony. In it were vineyards which they planted not, and houses which they builded not. Hee gaue them a city which was on earth as the sunne in hea­uen, the eye of the world, an earthly paradise, the seat of their Princes, and Metropolitan of Iudea, containing an hundred & fifty thousand men, the inhabitants. In it was a Temple, the bewtye of the whole world, and the glo­ry of the earth: Thither the tribes went vp twice in a yere, to worship the Lord, Psal. 122.4. In it were the Col­leges of Priests, at whose mouth they were to require the Law, Mal. 2.7. In it the thrones of iustice were erected, Psalme. 122.5. In a word: Great and glorious things are to bee spoken of this Citie of God Psal. 87.3.

Thus the Church in Israell might well say, The Lord hath done great things for vs. But, she need not cast hir eyes so farre back. Here is one great worke in steed of many great things, as which indeed hath many great things in it: on which, while she fixeth her eyes, she count [...] sh [...] hath matter enough of reioycing.

IV. For God hauing now reuenged the impiety of the Priests and Princes, (who had not only profaned his Land, Temple, and worship, with Idols, but had filled all the corners of the land with innocent blood by Nebu­chadnezzar King of Babel, called the scourge of God, for the space of seuenty yeares;) It pleaseth him now to re­turne in mercy to his miserable people. For he neuer stri­keth but withal prouides a remedy, alwaies in iudgment remembring mercy.

And in this the [...] Returne there was great cause of ioy being so great a work of Gods mercy. For 1. God see­med [Page 89] now to forget the causes of their Captiuity:Returne out of Babilonish Cap­tiuity, great matter of re­ioycing in 5. re­spects. 1. Sins pardoned. 2. Misery ex­pounded. their i­dolatry, their contempt of his Ministers, with other hai­nous and foule sinnes, which brake out so farre that there was no remedy. 2. Cron. 36.15. But now he graciously returneth: therefore certainly those sinnes are forgiuen them.

2. They had now a long time beene exposed to all the enemies wrath, who had vnmercifully oppressed and slaine them, and cruelly dasht their infants braines against the stones, carried them farre from house and home, among heathens, and strangers to them and to the Couenant: & strangely vsed them, not suffering them any house or harbour, but let them spend their time in weeping by the waters side, Psalme. 137.1. exposed to all iniury of winde and wether, of men and beasts. But now, as health is sweet after a long disease, so is liberty after a long bon­dage. Here is great cause to reioyce for temporall free­dome from corporall misery.

3. Their shame and reproch in captiuity was infinite:3. Ignominy chased. vers. 3. the Aduersaries on one hand insult and call for their He­brew songs; on the other hand, their Citie Babel whither they we [...]e carryed, being the Metropolitan and head of the Monarchy at that time, all the people of the knowne world resorted thither, and carryed into all Countries the Iewes reproch. But now the Lord hath remoued their shame, and published from thence to all the world, their glorious deliuerance.

4. In Captiuity they were but ciues mundi, 4. Inheritance restored. men of the world, but now they are ciu [...]s ecclesiae, members of the Church: that Country being a testimony to the godly, that they belonged to Gods Couenant, and to that hea­uenly Canaan, of which that was a type. Now their Captiuity was an abdication from the familie of God: and being spoyled of these good things, how could they thinke, but that they were cast out from God, from the Couenant, from heauenly Canaan aswel as earthly? But now they are receiued againe into the family, and [Page 90] people, and Country of God; their title to heauenly Ca­naan is renewed; and for this they reioyce.

5. Whereas the Babylonians had robbed the Citie, but especially had defaced and burned the Temple,5 Religion ad­uanced. pro­faned both it and all holy things, and set vp the abomina­tion of desolation in stead thereof; (that now, where God was worshipped of his owne people according to his will, the diuell was worshipped by Heathens and In­fidels:) Now the Lord hauing raised Syon out of the dust, hee hath reared his Temple, and his Worship a­gaine: hee hath cast out the filth and pollution, by which they defiled his Temple: hee hath set vp againe the shining lights in the Temple, standing vp in gol­den Candlestickes: hee hath set the sweet-bread on his Table: the booke of the Law is restored againe: and the holinesse of the Lord shines againe in all his ordi­nances. God enioyes his worship and glory. They en­ioy their land and peace, and sit safe vnder his protection, as in times past. And these are the great things, whereof they now reioyce.

Now to the application.

This day are these things performed in our eares, who may truly say with the Church of Israel, The Lord hath done great things for vs, whereof we reioyce.

We will not goe so farre backward (as if time would giue leaue,As great things done for Bri­tans as for Is­raelites, if not greater. we might:) to compare the Lords generall mercies to vs with theirs, wherein we are not inferiour; giuing vs a land as rich, more large; peace more stable; Kings and Princes, as Sauiours and Iudges, leading vs a­long to Canaan; the couenant of grace as peculiar, more sure to vs than to them. What Oracles had they which we haue not? yet we haue what they had not. Had they worship in shadowes? we haue it in substance. Had they good things in promise and expectation? we in the very thing, and full accomplishment. Christ was to come of them: but he is come vnto vs. I will only speak of our deli­uerance frō Babylon, of which the Church here speaketh.

[Page 91]That Rome is Babylon,Rome termed Babylon in 6. re­semblances. the learned Iesuites themselues cōfesse. And if they did not, we could easily shew, that one egge is not liker another, than Rome is to Babylon. As in this Collation. 1. Babel was the great Citie, that must rule ouer all nations, Gen. 10.10.Roma tuum no men terris fata­le regendis. Episcopus Occu­menicus. And Rome is the great Citie, that must rule ouer all Cities and Churches: her Bishop must be Head and Monarch of the Church, and set himselfe aboue all that is called God. 2. At Babel was the first confusion of tongues, Gen. 11.7. In and from Rome is the confusion of tongues, and of errors, one not vnder­standing another in the word, or sacraments, or other their seruices: All is in a strange language to them. 3. At Babel was horrible superstition and wickednesse, in Priests and people, and thence it spread all abroad. Rome is a sinke of superstition and filthinesse, and all nations haue drunke of her cup, and beene made drunke with her horrible enchantments and wickednesse. 4. Babel held the Church in slauery seauenty yeares: so the Church of Christ hath beene oppressed a long time vnder the tyran­nie of the Romish Church. 5. Babel robbed and spoyled the Church of her treasures, and the Temple of God, and horribly polluted it. Rome hath robbed the Christian world of infinite treasures by fraud and deceit,Palls, Agnus [...]ei's, Indul­gences, &c. selling for millions that which was not worth the dust of mens feet. And the Church by her hath beene robbed of the word, the Sacraments, the offices of Christ, and most comforta­ble doctrines, the chiefe dowry and reuenew that Christ her Head gaue her. 6. Babel most miserably intreated the Church: Psalm. 137.1. Her eyes did nothing but drop downe teares day and night. And she prouided a furnace, to cast such in as would not worship the image, Dan. 3.6. All bookes and writings of the Church are full of the bloody cruelty, by all instruments of cruelty, and all plots of cru­elty, in the Romane Church, both the head and the members.Deliuerance from Rome as great as that from Babylon: 5. instances.

Now that our deliuerance from Romish power and plots is as great a work to reioyce in, as this of Israel from [Page 92] their captiuitie, is easily proued.

1. God hath broke the yoke of the King of Babel, the Romish Nebuchadnezzar, from off our neckes, when we lay among the pots, by that great Cyrus, King Henry the 8. who thrust out the Pope and Papall power, cut the sinewes of their strength, cast out the Canaanites that were in the land, pulled downe the dens of theeues and robbers, and set his people to build an house for the Lord God of Israel. As great a worke as euer the people of this nation saw either attempted or executed. All the Kings before him durst not meddle; well they might mourne vnder their bondage, and murmure at the Op­pressor; but did nothing, because they durst not.

2. When Cyrus had begun the worke, Darius com­manded it to be finished and performed, Ezra. 6.1. Euen so what King Henry had begun, young Da [...]ius Edward the 6. (as another Iosiah) finished to good purpose. For as Darius made a decree for the house of God in Ierusa­lem, both for the building of it, and for the rendring of the vessels of the house of God, of gold and siluer, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the house of God, vers. 3.5. So this Edward of blessed memorie (imitating Darius) in the first yeere of his raigne proclaimed the aduancement and building vp of the worship of the true God in a true manner,King Edward the 6. another Cyrus, or Da­rius. and brought in the vessels of gold and siluer, which Romish Nebuchadnezzar had taken a­way. He set the lights in the Temple againe, in many shi­ning candlestickes. The Sweet-bread was set againe on the Table of the Lord, and the Cup of Christ his precious blood, which had been stollen away by those theeues, was now found, and comfortably restored to the ow­ners. The booke of the Law was found, and restored a­gaine into a knowne tongue, as in Iosiahs time by Hil­kiah the Priest. The sweete siluer sounding Trumpets sound continually in our eares, in daily preaching the blessed word of God. The holy Arke a signe of Gods presence dwels againe among vs, and Dagon is fallen be­fore [Page 93] it; the house of Baal and his vestrie destroyed; his groues cut downe and grubbed vp. Are not these great workes, which the Lord hath done for vs, wherein wee must reioyce?

3. After this, for the vnthankfulnesse of this land, as the building of the Temple was hindred for a while by 3 Sanballat and Tobiah, so in the daies of Queene Mary this great work of God was interrupted: in which time, what the Babylonians could not conquer by Scripture, they could subdue by torture: and now fire and sword was the Catholike and inuincible argument: that the new Romanists might not degenerate from the old bloo­dy Romans their fore-fathers, whose measure they filled to the full. For in lesse than fiue yeeres, three hundred of the faithfull seruants of Christ, without respect of Nobi­litie, degree, learning, grauitie, sexe, age, or naturall huma­nitie, were in our Countrey burned to ashes. But God had no delight in that bloody Religion: It is as great a worke of mercie as any of the former, that he made it as short as bloody. For if violent things and times should continue, the world could not.

And behold a greater worke which the Lord hath done for vs, whereof wee reioyce: Queene Eliza­beth Englands Deborah. in raising vs vp our ancient Deborah of England, neuer-dying Elizabeth, the wonder of the world, and mirrour of nations: who quickly quenched those hot and furious fires, and her selfe being brought from a prisoner to a mightie Prince, opened the prison-doores, and deliuered them that were appoynted to death. Now were the castles of their superstitions and hopes, cast downe again, and made euen with the ground. What great workes God did for her, and vs in her time, were too long to recite: how she out-stood the curses and Bulls of the Romish Nebuchadnezzar, and saw in her time seuen of themselues tumbled out of their pretended chaire of S. Peter: Seuen Popes died in the raigne of Q Elizabeth. how wonderfull her many deliueran­ces were, from many hellish treasons, deuised by the ar­mie of Priests, sent from the King of pride, and attempted [Page 94] by the Romish Captaines of that great Nebuchadnezzar. How the Lord went out before our Armies, and as in the daies of Israels Deborah, so of Englands Deborah, hee m [...]de the sea and windes fight for vs, and by his owne right hand got vs the victorie:Ch [...]ist in all that [...] sh [...]wed [...], said the Turke. that memorable yeere and ouerthrow of 88, shall be a perpetuall witnesse so long as the world standeth, how God himselfe fights a­gainst that Religion, which so furiously fights against him. How she iudged and ruled in peace, honour, and happinesse fiue and fortie yeeres, to the honour of God and his Gospell, and terror of all enemies: and in the same peace and happinesse exchanged her earthlie with an heauenly and euerlasting crowne of glory.

4. A great worke of God it was for vs to reioyce in, 4 when at her decease the enemies who had long looked for a day, found it the day of their greatest disappoynt­ment: whilest the Lord, setting himselfe for our good in our gracious King and the fruitfull plants, renewed all our prosperitie, gaue vs a new tenure of the Gospell, and a new hold of our peace and liberties: of whom we may say as was said of Dauid; He is the light of Israel: and of Iosiah; the breath of our nostrils: who by his power and pen hath shewed himselfe a Defender of the true Faith.

5. To come to the great workes of this day. That 5 these Babylonians might keepe their hands in vre, what foule and desperate designes haue they attempted against the life of the Kings Maiestie, our gracious Soueraigne? For while this light of Israel remaineth, impossible they thinke it is for their kingdome of darknesse to preuaile.

Among other deuises, that shame of Popish Religion, that hideous gunpowder-treason, shall neuer be put out from vnder heauen. In which were many great workes of God for vs Englishmen: whether wee consider the greatnesse of the danger, or the greatnesse of the deliue­rance.

First, consider the greatnesse of the plot: the greatest mischiefe that euer was, wanting a fit name to expresse it, [Page 95] vnlesse you will call it a Catholike villanie: a plot of grea­test and vniuersall danger to vs, of greatest triumph to the Aduersarie. Here the head and taile, branch and root, one and other, Prince and people, Nobles and Gentrie, old and young, Papists and Protestants, should haue been destroyed together. For as Duke Medina said, his sword knew no difference betweene Catholikes and Heretikes, no more should this hellish or hell-fire, which it was a sparke of.

Besides the secret carriage and contriuing of it made it most dangerous, more dangerous than the Babylonish captiuitie: for the Babylonians dealt aperto marte, there was some hope of safetie either by prayer, or power, or truce, or preparing against them, there a man knew his aduersarie: but here is a crueltie digged out of the depth of darknesse, all of them sworne to secrecie, yea the Sacra­ment was a seale of their wickednesse, sworne brethren in euill, at league among themselues,Ce [...]es. 45.5. but no more league for vs to be expected than from hell it selfe.

Here we might say as Hanniball sometime said of two Romane Captaines, one working by power, the other by policie; Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quàm à pugnante Marcello sibi metuere: Wee are more afraid of slie and quiet Papists, than of boysterous armed Turkes.

How these plotters would haue triumphed in ye fact, as the Babylonians ouer Israel,Psal. 137.2. Sing vs now one of the songs of Syon, we may well perceiue by their glorying in the hopes of it; God and man (saith the Letter) haue concurred to punish the iniquity of the time, and, The danger is past so soone as you haue burnt the letter, and They shall re­ceiue a terrible blow this Parliament. Happy were we, that they reckoned without their host, and so came to a­nother reckoning: else had the Funerals of England been their sports and merriments. How should this Act haue beene canonized and registred in the Popes Calender, a­mongst the most Heroicall facts that euer were attemp­ted! For, if treason against the person of one King was [Page 96] so extolled, how would this haue been aduanced, being against the King, Prince, State, and three whole famous Kingdomes! Guignard the Iesuite tearmes the act of Iames Clement in murthering Henry the 3. of France with a poisoned knife, which he thrust into his belly, an Heroicall act. The Iesuites of France terme it a gift of the holy Ghost: Nay Pope Sixtus the 5. in a solemne oration made in the Consistory of Cardinalls, (Decem. 11.1589.) compared the treason of that cursed Dominick with the act of Eleazar or Iudith;Factum mirabile, &c. Rex Francorum occisus per ma­nus monachi. yea a farre greater worke, a rare, a notable and a memorable act, that a Monke, a religious man, had slaine the vnhappy French King, in the midst of his host: An act not done without the prouidence of God, and the assistance of his holy Spirit.

Oh hellish blasphemies of vnerring Popes, not iustify­ing only, but abetting and extolling most hainous trea­sons, against ye highest powers on earth! oh blasphemous beasts teaching men that God is a murtherer of Kings and Princes! How then should this fact haue been e­ternized if it had succeeded! And, if there were such re­ioycing at Rome by publike professions, bonfires, shooting of ordinance, and present publishing of a Iubi­lee, by the Pope & his Cardinals, hearing tidings of that persidious and bloody Massacre at Paris, anno. 1572. in so much as the Cardinall of Lorraine gaue him a thousand Crownes that brought the first newes of it: What publike ioy in Rome, what Masses, processions, triumphs, and gifts would there haue beene, if this stra­tageme had had successe.

Bellarmine shall not deceiue vs, who tells vs in his Letter to the Arch-priest,Bellarm, in his letter to George Blackwel Arch-priest of the English. that it was neuer heard of from the Churches infancy vn [...]il this day, that euer any Pope did commaund, that a Princ [...] (though an hereticke, or ethnick, or persecutor) should be murthered; or did approue the fact when it was done by another. This is a lewd and vnconsci­onable vntruth: vnlesse we conceiue he meanes, that it was neuer heard by those who were de [...]fe and could not [Page 97] heare: As by a Iesuiticall Aequiuocation it may well be construed.

I conclude this point with the speech of Agis to an e­uill man, asking him who was the best Spartan: his an­swer was, Qui tui dissimillimus, He that is most vnlike thee. So is this to be a good Catholike, nay he is the best Ca­tholike, who is most vnlike these Catholikes.

Wee see our danger, and how great it was.

Now secondly, let vs see, how the worke of God is as great in our deliuerance, both for the Matter and for the Manner of it.

I. For the Matter; we were deliuered from great e­uills, to great good things.

First, we were deliuered from a terrible blow: A dead­ly blow to King, Queene, Prince, Nobles, Iudges, Bi­shops, Counsell, Gentry, Commons, all. A deadly blow to all Lawes and Law makers, to iustice, peace, titles, tenures, records, and the whole Common-wealth. These Babylonians had sacked and spoiled all the Land. A ter­rible deadly blow to religion, piety, the Gospell, the Word, the Sacraments. These Babylonians would haue rased downe the Temple to the very foundations of it, and carried away all the vessels and rich ornaments of it. The waies of Sion should haue mourned, because none could come to her solemne feasts. Lament. 1.4. Lastly a terrible & deadly blow to all Louers and Professors of religion within the whole Land, which (as the traytors) should haue beene drunke with the innocent blood of the Inhabi­tants.

Secondly, wee were deliuered from a terrible day, like the day of the Lord which shall burne like an ouen, Mal. 4.1. A terrible day, wherein the frame of the world should haue seemed dissolued, the sunne should haue beene tur­ned into blood, the earth should haue opened her mouth and swallowed the inhabitants, the aire should haue been darkned through the blacknesse and lamen­tation of that day. A dismall doomesday of England, a [Page 98] day of fire and brimstone had that fifth of Nouember been, if the fire-workes of these fire-brands had pre­uailed.

Thirdly, wee were deliuered from a terrible tyrannie and yoke, to which that of Babel was altogether incom­parable. 1. Spirituall: our glory had beene gone, and we might well haue been called I [...]habod: In stead of our Arke wee should haue had the abomination of desolation set vp, the horrible idoll of the Masse, ignorance wor­shipped as a god & mother of deuotion; Preaching hin­dred; Preachers martyrd, & al worship in an vnknowne tongue: an ignotant & rascall sort of greasy filthy Priests; & a doctrine,2. Thess. 2.7. which is a very mystery of iniquity. 2. Tem­porall: Answerable to their tyrannous doctrine is their tyrannical practise.Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis: Eius lux­uriae meretrix non sufficit omnis. The whole world satisfieth not their couetousnesse, nor all the harlots in the world their fil­thinesse. Look where that religion is stable if it haue not swallowed euen the fat of the Land. And what Noble­man dares meddle with a base hedge-Priest? And for their practise is not behind their positions, and in both, Turkes and Canibals are behind their cruelty. One of themselues writes, It had bin better the poore Indyes had bin giuen to the diuels in hell, than vnto them: and themselues professed they would neuer come in heauen, if the Spa­niards came there. Well hath his Maiesty obserued, that not the Turks, Tartars, or they of Calicute who worship the diuell, do lay such principles of cruelty in their Do­ctrine as Papists doe.

Wee see the greatnesse of our deliuerance, priuately: now see it positiuely.

In one word: The good things wee are restored vnto, are, the fruition of God and his Christ, in his holy ordi­nances, with the Gospell of peace: to the peace of our Countrey, vnder our peaceable Gouernour; new leases of our liberties, lands, callings, liues, and all that heart can desire.

II. The Ma [...]nor or meanes of our deliuerance was al­together [Page 99] wonderfull. 1. It was easily brought about, not by millions of gold and siluer, not by the power or wit of man. 2. It was done mightily, not by the diuell (as Faux blasphemously spake) but by the immediate worke of God: though, as Cyrus had some glory of the Babylonish deliuerie, so our Cyrus, our gracious King had worthily some glorie of his princely care and watchful­nesse in this discouerie. 3. It was done seasonably, in the very due time, whē all was ready, & the conception was euen in the birth. 4. It was done to their own confusiō: detected by themselues; their hands that should haue acted it, detected it by writing. Discouered against them­selues: mischiefe returned on the heads that deuised it: they fell into the pit that they digged for others: death intended against their brethren, caught themselues, and that by their owne powder. All this to the vtter confu­sion of their Religion, as we haue heard Winter himselfe fore-telling.

Therefore let vs reioyce in this great worke of God, as his ancient people in this place. For why? The grea­test rage of the enemie is turned to his greatest praise: Psal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: both in his glorie and his Churches deliuerance. And what is the end of all Gods great deliuerances, but to praise his name, and glorie in his praise? Psal. 106.47. Is not ours the benefit? Haue not wicked men seene and felt, that God hauing chosen our land to dwell in, will not eas [...]y be cast out of his lodging? and will not this coole their blood, and daunt their spirits from the like enterprises for time to come? Doth not this hazard thus happily diuerted make addition to our strength and peace? Oh blessed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who for his owne sake, by his owne hand, hath heaped vp our happinesse. He that is mightie, hath done great things for vs, and holy is his Name. Oh praise we the Lord; for he is good, for his mercie endureth for euer. Holy Father, knit our hearts vnto thee, that wee may feare thy great [Page 100] and dreadfull Name. Teach vs to be truly and vnfained­ly thankfull to thy holy Maiestie, for this daies mercies, and all heretofore: that so we may receiue the con­tinuance of thy fauours to our euerlasting comfort, and euermore reioyce in thy great saluation. Bles­sed be God.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.