The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs ; published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

CHAP 26. (Book 26)

Containing the second Allegorical sense of the words, viz. concerning Antichrist. The wickedness of Sodom and Egypt, compared with the wickedness of An∣tichrist. 1. Idolatry. 2. Cruelty. The bondage of Christians under Antichrist. 1. Outward, in Estates, and Lives, 2. Inward, a soul bon∣dage. The baseness of this shewed in several par∣ticulars, concerning Ceremonies worse then Egyp∣tian bondage. Faith must deliver us, Deliver∣ance difficult in several particulars. The work of Faith in delivering people from this bondage, in 6. or 7. Considerations. Quest, Whether men may not reject the yoke of Antichrist upon other grounds besides Faith? Answ. In 10. Particu∣lars.

THe second Allegory, is the bondage under An∣tichrist, and Faith doth carry also from that bon∣dage, from that Egypt: The seat of Antichrist, and the bondage that we are in under Antichrist is called in Scripture, Egypt. 11. Rev. 8. and their dead bodies shal lie in the Streets of the great City, which spiritually is cal∣ed Sodom, and Egypt: But because it is said, where also our Lord was crucified: Therefore some of the Papists would have it meant of Jerusalem: but he doth nei∣ther speak of the thing, nor the place litterally, but it is spiritually Sodom, and spiritually Egypt: And so, where Christ is spiritually crucified, so that in a Metaphorical

sense, the cheif seat of Antichrist is Sodom, and Egypt and spiritually Christ is crucified there, There is no place in which Christ is more crucified then in Rome, in re∣gard of his members. Besides if you wil speak of Christs being crucified literally, it may be said likewise of Rmoe, because he was crucified by the Roman power, & Roman Authority: But by comparing this place with other places in Revelation, it must be meant, that in that place Rome is Sodom and Egypt: I might spend much time in making Comparisons between the most abominable wickednesses that were in Sodom and Egypt, and that are in that place.

First, Antichrist is like Egypt, in regard of the most gross Idolatries, Of all places Egypt was counted the most gross Idolatrous place. They did not only wor∣ship the Sun, Moon, & Stars, as other nations did, but Cats and Onions, and any base creatures: So the Papists wor∣ship stocks, and stones, and all kind of holy Reliques, even the haire that came from the taile of that beast that Christ rode on; and most base, vile things, that are too base to abuse an Auditory to rehearse.

Secondly, It is compared to Egypt in respect of the cruelty of the Church of Rome, None were so cruel and vild as Egypt: And so of all men those that are un∣der Antichrist are more cruel, as if they were Messen∣gers came from hell to shew the power of Malignant spirits: and therefore they are said, to be drunken with blood, and so have their clothes died in scarlet with the blood of the Saints. Rev. 17.4.5.6. But the chiefe thing I aime at is to shew the bondage Christians are in under antichrist, & the work of faith in delivering from it.

The bondage under Antichrist is,

• 1. Outward, in Estates and Lives.
• 2. Inward, a soul bondage.

1. An outward bondage, doth not he challenge pow∣er over Kings and Princes, and to free people from Loy∣alty to their Princes, that except there were a delusi∣on

upon the hearts of the great ones upon Earth, It were unpossible for them to submit unto that base bon∣dage. Many crie out of the Godly that they are no good subjects, they do not love to be under government, but what do you think of Papists, that do teach for to free subjects from their loyalty: A Papist hath this expre∣ssion concerning Antichrist, The Pope their head, He is the Sheppard, and the Kings and Princes are Dogs, and if Dogs will do their duty, they must be at their Masters command, but if they will be lazey, and bite and not do as they ought, the sheppard must remove them. And for their Estates: Its a woful estate that Coun∣tries are in, in regard of their estates. I read a speech of Bonner, in a preface to the Treatise of Gardener; that the Pope had neere as much out of England yeer∣ly, as the Revenues of the Crown came to. And it was the speech of Innocent the fourth Pope of that name England was his pleasant Garden and a wel that never was drawn dry and in England many things grew, & abounded and many things were to be had from it: So that the estates of men are in great bondage where Anti∣christ prevails: as also, the lives, and liberties of men.

2. But especially, the thing which I will a little stick in, is the soul bondage, thus we have it in Rve. 18.13. The Merchandise was slaves, and souls of men. So that men that are under Antichrist are slaves, and if there were but a true Heroicall spirit in men, they would not suffer themselves to be under that slavery: though they seem to be the bravest spirits, yet be∣ing under Antichrist they are slaves: And the souls of men are his Merchandise: the souls of men are under bondage.

First, This is a base subjection and slavery of the souls of men under Antichrist, in that he takes upon him to make Articles of Faith: that they are bound in conscience, upon paine of Damnation to beleive, what∣soever he shal say in his Chaire is infallible: what a base

bondage is this? When as we know what most Abomi∣nable, Sodomitical, Horrible Monsters have been in that Chaire, and yet they shall be bound upon paine of dam∣nation, to beleeve, whatsoever they say is infallible.

Secondly, Whatsoever his decrees are (though having no footing in the word) they are bound in conscience to obey upon paine of damnation: So that if it were possi∣ble to obey all Gods Commandements, they may be damned for want of obedience, to some one of Antichrists comands, which must needs be a miserable bondage for any man to make a new command, that is not under the command of God, and to make damnation to be the punishment of disobedience to it, then men are in dan∣ger of Damnation a hundred of waies more then for sinning against Gods Law.

Thirdly, Those that are under Antichrist are under great bondage in being kept from the rule of life, from the Scriptures, Wherein the counsels of Gods will, con∣cerning their Eternal Estate are revealed: Those that are slaves are kept in dangers, and cannot have the privi∣ledges of subjects, or of Children: So Antichrist keeps all under him in the most base slavery, in depriving of them from this priviledg of Children, that they cannot know the mind of their Fathers, and the great things of God, that concerns their Eternal Estate; what man that knows any thing of those great things concerning his Eter∣nal Estate, would be under that slavery? And yet if so be we had continued under the bondage of Antichrist, we must have been deprived of this.

Fourthly, If they hear any thing of the word, they are bound to take no other interpretation, but the Chur∣ches, the Preists give them, though it be never so gross, now to bind mens Consciencs to this, is a most a∣binable Bondage, And yet what vile Interpretations? If it is Blasphemy for the Devil to say, he will ascend and be like the highest, no less to make God descend to be like the Prince of darkness, to set the Kings stamp

upon false coyne, Now to bind mens consciences to their wicked interpretations of Scripture, this is a most abominable bondage.

5. This is a great bondage that no Ordinance can be administred but by the power of Antichrist, and those he shall give power unto; and this is a great bondage to the Church to be stinted in Gods Ordinances: They are the Churches priviledges, especially that of Prayer the spirit of Prayer and Supplication, is one of the especial Priviledges of the Church. Gal. 4.6. Because you are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father. There he speakes of the liberty of Gods people as they are sons, & they have the fruit of their son-ship: Now when as God doth give his spirit to his Church as part of their liberty; for them to be restrained in their liberty to pray just no more then the Pope shal appoint, and so to have no Ordinances but according to his power; what abominable bondage is this, and what heart that knows any true Christian liberty, would be in such a bondage.

6. He takes upon him power of absolving and binding, keeping men under the guilt of sin, and loos∣ing of them from it when he pleases. from this power over mens consciences, is commited all manner of vil∣lanie

7. Another Bondage which is greater then all, is that he keeps men under the rigor and curse of the Law by keeping men off from Christ, and teaching the doctrin of justification to be by the works of the Law, he keeps them under the bondage of the law, and under the rigour and curse of the Law, and so keeps al that are under him from that precious liberty that Christ hath purchased by his blood to deliver us from the Law: And this is a greater burden then the other, this is a damnable bondage that doth indanger eternal destruction; the other is not so dangerous.

8. He takes away al Christian liberty in regard of the use of the Creature, restraining the use of the Creature, and Time, and Place.

9. The ninth is the bondage of human Ceremonies; we know that is a heavy bondage: The bondage of the Ceremonies of the Law was great. And the Apostle said Acts, 15.10. It was a Yoke, that neither they nor their Fathers could beare. But the yoak of the Papists is a great deale heavier. If we were to chuse to to be under al the Ceremonies of the Law, which the Jews were under, which the Apostle said was a yoak that we nor our Fathers were able to beare, or to be under the Ceremonies of the Papists, if we did choose according to wisdom, we should rather chuse to be under al the Ceremonies of the Jews: Yet if we read the 4. of Gal. we shal see it was a great priviledg to be delivered from them. And if we were under the power of any to appoint religious Ceremonies in the Church. We have no benefit by the purchase of Christ to deliver us from the Ceremonial Law, for it is a great deale bet∣ter and easier to be under the Ceremonies of the Law then to have any man appoint Ceremonies; in several respects.

1. Because the Ceremony of the Law was by divine institution: but when man appoints Ceremonies they are but human, and any man had rather yield and be under the power of Gods appointing Ceremonies, then be under the power of men: You had rather be un∣der Princes then under meane Officers; so you had better be under the power of God, then under the power of man; yet in the 2. Col. they are called Beggerly rudiments.

2. There is a great deale of doubt and scruple about the Ceremonies of men: Suppose that upon some distinc∣tions we may yield to human Ceremonies, yet it is not without doubt and scruple, but under the Law there was no doubt nor scruple, and we had better be under

a hundred where there is no scruple, then under one where there is doubts and scruples.

3. Againe, Those Ceremonies were typicall, and the presence of God might be with them, and a spirituall efficacie might be expected; but as for the Ceremonies of men, there can be no such thing expected with them, and therefore it is apparent that the Jews under the Ceremonies of the Law were in a better con∣dition, then the Christians should be in now, if they were under the power of any to appoint Ceremonies, and therefore to be under the power of those that do ap∣point Ceremonies, that is a miserable bondage.

10. Again another bondage that they are in is, that they are urged to the waies of Idolatry, and sin by vio∣lence, without regarding the weakness of any, or see∣king to inform any, not regarding that place, Ezek. 34.4. When God complaines, they did Rule his people with Cruelty: And if any be weak and desire to be informed they jeer at them, and say a prison, or a fire, or a fa∣got, shall inform them. These and many other things might be named, to shew the most abominable and vilde bondage that those are in that are under Antichrist; but put both together the outward and the inward bondage, to be under those that are of such base and vile spirits this is mightily against the spirit of an ingenious man: And for a Church of God, a thousand Congregations, to be under the power of a base, filthy abominable, Whoremaster, that is known to be so, to be troubled by him when he please, what a most horrible bondage is this? And so for any Congregation to be, in which there may be thousands of Souls, to be under the power of a Tapster, or Hostler, or any base fellow, this is a mighty bondage: As now suppose a rich man die, and he hath a Kinsman, though never so vile and base, then his land coming to him he hath the Advowzen of the place, then may be he sends two or three hundred miles for a Preist, may be one like himself, and though he

be never such a blasphe men, and base fellow and swearer, then they not knowing of him, and so having nothing to say against him, They cannot keep him from the place; Now that one though never so wild, should have such power, to appoint whom he will, any drunkard, Where master Priest o∣ver such a Congregation, and they must depend upon him, to have the Ordinances of God administred by him this is a sore bondage. Bondslaves are fed meerly with Chaffe and brunn, so with what chaffe and husks are those fed withal that are under Antichrist: Many peo∣ple are loath to submit to the true government of Christ, to the true Ministers of the Gospel; if they tell them of any sin they are guilty of, their hearts belk and swel, and they will not yeild, yet they will submit to the officers of Antichrst, and they wil rule over them and do with them what they will. As Saint Paul saies in 2 Cor. 11.20. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devoure you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. Other false teachers you can suffer, But the true Apostles you cannot suffer them, if one come in his own name, you receive them, I come in my Fathers name, and you reject me saies Christ. John, 5.43. And so many complain of the Ministers of God, they take so much upon them, & they wil not yield to that they say, but if you live under Popery you must live under every base preist, and what he saies you must believe as your Faith, & venture your souls upon it, without examining of it, and you must not manifest any rejection: So that is apparent men wil yeild to any things rather then to God, rather count the subjection to God bondage, then count the subjection to Antichrist bondage, rather be servants to Antichrst, then servants to God. I speak this the rather, to see what cause we have to bless God for our deliverance from this: And that we may learn to know how to use our liberties.

This Bondage is worse then the bondage of Egypt.

1. Because it is soul bondage, and that was but up∣on the body, we do not read that Pharoah or the Egyp∣tians did force them to Idolatry.

2. It was not so great bodily bondage, they did not destroy them, they laid heavy burdens upon them, but did not put them to death, as Antichrist doth, if they wil not submit unto them.

3. It was their misery to be under that bondage but not their sin: but it is a sin to be under the bondage of Antichrist, look how much difference there is between misery and sin, so much difference there is betwixt their bondage, and the bondage of Antichrist.

4. They were Liable to the bondage of Egypt, but they were not liable to the plagues of Egypt: They were free from them, but those that are under the bon∣dage of Antichrist are liable to the plagues that shall come upon Antichrist.

But it must be faith that must deliver from this bon∣dage, It is a difficult work, as it was a difficult thing to be delivered from Egypt, so it is a difficult thing (that cannot be done without faith) to be delivered from this.

1. Wee know most part of the Christian world is educated, and the principles that are dropt into them from them are Antichristian principles.

2. Though it be a bondage, there is a great deale of outward pomp and Glory in their Idolatrous worship, that does much take sensual people, that doe live by sence; they will not worship God in such a meane way as others do, but there is a great deale of pompe and outward shew.

3. Though it be a bondage to the soul yet they give abundance of liberty to the flesh, and though somtimes they suffer pennance, and put the flesh to some hard∣ship somtimes, yet those that are rich may give way to

their lusts, and live as they list, for they may quickly be freed with a little mony.

4. Besides there are so many examples of great men, and learned men, and some that are Godly, that doe yeild to a great part of the yoaks, and their examples are mighty ingagements.

5. Besides, If so be they begin to flinch, presently there are such violent afflictions and persecutions; thun∣dring out of excomunications, and loss of estates, and so many dangers that men are in.

6. Besides, It is hard, Because in the other of Christs government there are but a few meane men, and to come and yeild to them this is hard to flesh and blood, and there must be a great deal of self deniall to yeild to the government of Christ, they count that the grea∣test bondage, especially considering there may be mis∣carriages, & many Scandals amongst those that are God∣ly, & do profess the waies, and ordinances, and liberties of Christ, that except the heart be gracious there is a great deal of difficulty in submitting to it, and people know not what to do but rather buckle under their bondage.

7. Besides: It is a fruit of the curse: not that all that are under that bondage are under the Eternal Curse; But as all outward judgments are part of the curse, so it is a part of the curse to be under the bondage of Anti∣christ, and not to labor to get from it. I do not say that al that are sick and weak are cursed, but it is a part of the curse; So men that are under that bondage, are under part of the curse, that God wil give them over to beleeve Lyes: and though a man hath never so much Learning and understanding, yet if there be a curse of God upon it, never talk of his learning and understanding, if his parts were a hundred times more, they could not help him: It is the work of Faith to deliver from it.

Quest. What is the work of Faith in delivering people from this bondage.

Answer. There are these six or seven things, that delivers from this bondage under Antichrist.

1. Faith discovers unto the soul the spiritualness of the government of Christ, and without that there cannot be a true deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.

2. Faith shews unto the Soul the fullness of the Administration of all Christs offices, of his Preistly, Prophetical call, and Kingly offices: Now until the soul understands this, it is never brought off from the govern∣ment of Antichrist to the government of Christ.

3. Faith shews the fulness and Glory that is in the world, which is the rule for ordering and guiding of us in al our waies.

4. Faith shews the necessity of a divine rule, for a spiritual efficacy, and that no humane invention can cause a spiritual efficacy: now the settling of this principle is never done but by Faith.

5. Another work of faith is to discover the beauty and glory that is in the Ordinances of Christ barely ad∣ministred: no man but by the eye of Faith can see the true lustre, and beauty, and glory, of a divine Ordi∣nance, except there be some outward earthly excellency mingled with it: As I told you in the exposition of that place in Hosea, They made them Altars, God would have an Altar of Earth, and if they would have it of Stone, they must not lift up an instrument to hew it, and grave it, but it must be plaine. Now a carnal eye cannot see the beauty of Gods Ordinances, unless it have some outward excellency. It must be the eye of Faith, to discover the beauty of Christs Ordinances, in the na∣ked beauty of them: And till that they are not willing to come from under the power of Antichrist.

6. Faith discovers to the Soul the reality, and cer∣tainty of all the admirable and glorious promises that are in the Gospel, made unto the true Church of God: Promises of the glorious presence of God with his peo∣ple;

and promises of abundance of spiritual good, as it might ask half an hour to shew some excellent promi∣ses that are made to the Church, which a carnal Eie doth not see: But Faith discovers there is abundance of certainty and reality in them, and when by Faith they see them, this takes off, and enables them to go through any difficulties to be partakers of them.

7. Again, Faith does discover the fearful threats a∣gainst those that follow Antichrist, and those (Revel. 14.9, 10.) that do receive the mark of the Beast but in their hand secretly: they shall have their portion in the Lake that burns for ever, and shall be cast out from the presence of the Lord. They that read these threats make nothing of them; but when they read them by Faith then the soul trembles, and feares, till it comes from under that bondage, it hears a voice continually crying to it: Revel. 18.4. Come out from among them Oh my people, come out, least being partaker of their sin, you also be partakers of their Plagues: Now Faith by discovering these things brings the heart from under that Antichristian bondage.

Quest. But may not men reject the yoake of Anti∣christ upon other Grounds besides Faith?

Answ. Many times a spirit of contradiction may bring them from under the yoke of Antichrist, though one good cannot be opposite to another good, yet one evil may be opposite to another evil, and many men may oppose the government of Antichrist by that which is evil in them, but if it be not by the principle of Faith it is not right, and it may be upon other principles.

Quest. But how shall we know that we do forsake this bondage from Antichrist by Faith.

Answ. I will give you some notes to shew you who

those are that are delivered from this Egypt by Faith. And who those are that seem to be delivered upon other grounds.

1. Those that are delivered by Faith are those that are wel grounded in the Doctrinal and maine points of Religion: Faith can never work off the soul from the Government and Ceremonies of Antichrist, unless it be well grounded in the doctrine and principles of Religion if I see men crie out of Antichrist, and of the Govern∣ment of Antichrist, and it appears that they have not a competent measure of knowledg in the grounds of Reli∣gion and Principles of Faith, they are to be suspected: As many: come and examine them about Church Go∣vernment, and they wil tell you a great deale (not but that Christians should labor to have knowledg in that) but come to examine them the Principles of Religion, and there they are silly and ignorant: if they be not grounded in them it appears it is not a work of Faith.

2. If it be a work of Faith, it is a work of much Humi∣liation, and Prayer; was there a time you were under the power and bondage of Antichrist? how came you from under it? did God shew you the evil of it? and you sought God in much Humiliation and prayer, for the taking off your hearts from it, and shewing you his good way and did you find your hearts comming off, was by that meanes, that is a good argument it was of Faith; but many their Consciences tell them, it was not a work of Humiliation and Prayer that brought off their hearts, they are to be feared.

3. If it be a work of Faith it alwaies lets in light: as in the point of the government of Christ; many cry out against Antichristian government: and come and examine them about it, and they have no more light, no other arguments, nor further understanding then before but only a bitterness of spirit against it: If a man grow bitter against those things which before he yeilded too,

he had need have more light, but if they grow exceeding bitter against them and have no further light and under∣standing then before, it is an argument it is a distemper of heart, rather then any thing else. And therefore casting off all at once is very suspitious; where it is of Faith God lets in light by degrees. Its said of Luther in his reformation, First he saw the evil of one thing, and then the evil of another, and so by degrees saw the evil of all: And so those that forsake the bondage of Antichrist. By Faith, first God makes them suspect their way, surely this is not the right way, there is some better way, and then they fall a praying and humbling of themselves, and they fall examining, and so they come to see the evil of one thing, and then they exam∣ine another, and so light comes in by degrees, and then their hearts rise against them, and if according to the measure of Light that you have, your hearts do come off, that is a good signe.

4. If you break from Antichrist by Faith, it will make you a Separate from the world aswel as Separate from them: Many are Separates from any thing that hath but the least dependancy upon Antichristian government but they conform themselves to the world, that there appears no difference between them and the world, in their loose courses: that man that is a conformist to the world, is not a Non-Conformist to Antichrist by Faith.

5. If Faith take you off from the bondage under Antichrist it wil take you off from the bondage under any lust. That man that hath not the power of Faith, to take him off from any Lust, That man is not by Faith taken off from the bondage of Antichrist. If Faith de∣livere from the bondage under Antichrist, it will deliver from the bondage under Sin, and Sathan, and there∣fore though men do crie out of the bondage of Antichrist never so much, and yet they go on under the bondage of any Lust, it is not of Faith.

6. That Soul that is taken from under the power of Antichrist by Faith, is subject to the power and gover∣ment of Christ and the Word: If Faith takes from the one, it puts under the other: nothing but the Word can be the ground of Faith, and if Faith takes a Soul from under the bondage of Antichrist, Such a Soul finds the Word comes with divine power, and majesty upon the heart; and it laies a trembling heart under the power and majesty of the Word, and it dares not goe from it, no not in no other thing. You plead for the Word in such and such things, but there are other things you do not yield to the power of the Word in, this is very suspitious: Those that by Faith are brought from the power of Antichrist, their hearts are put mightily under the power of the Word, and they ly with trembling spirits before the majesty and Autho∣rity of the word.

7. If it be Faith that takes off the Heart, such a one is not content that he is taken from under the Anti∣christian government, unless he meetes with Christ in the Ordinances: he does not content it self with the bare huskes, and to make all his Religion to consist meerly in Church discipline, and Church constitution, and to think therefore, he hath Religion enough, because he hath the Ordinances, and yet never finds any panting of Heart, after union and communion with Christ Jesus in this way of Church Government, but goes on from year to year, mearly in the outward performances of Religion. I do not speak against the thing it self but to shew it is not of Faith, if men do not pant after uni∣on with Christ, if they be not sensible of the want of it, and do not labor for the enjoyment of it.

8. If it be Faith that brings thee from this way, certainly thou wilt grow more Spirituall: As thy heart will pant after Christ; so there wil be a Spiritualness of thy Soul in the waies of Christ, because thou comest neerer to the rule: And this is the difference between

Actions of Religion, and civil Actions; civil Actions that are done by civil rule have not alwaies success, but a Spirituall Action that is done by the rule, that hath a Spirituall success, though not an outward success, it does make the heart ever more Spirituall: But for people though they be come from the yoake of Anti∣christ, yet to be as dead as ever no more Spiritualness in their way then before, no more savour of Godliness in their society and company then before: those that knew them before can say; I knew them a great deale more spirituall and savoury in that which is good then they are now, This is a dangerous thing.

9. Againe, If it be out of Faith, such a one will give all the glory unto God for his deliverance, and he wil walk humbly in his own eyes, and think, I was dis∣obedient, and wretched and should have gone on in that way, but God by his grace and power hath come, and hath taken off my heart, and it does magnifie the grace of God; It doth not perke up it self, and contemne o∣thers, to think I have got more wisdom, and under∣standing then others, and so attribute it to his wit, and understanding; but it gives the glory to God, and in∣stead of censuring others, he prays for them, and saies it is not all the arguments under Heaven can convince them, for I had arguments enough, but they were all as nothing, til it pleased God by his Grace to set them upon my heart, and so though they may see arguments as wel as I, they will not do: Therefore he pitties o∣thers and prays for them; and he hath a reverent respect to the Grace of others, though they be not in the same way that he is in, & he doth not presently cast them off saying, surely there is no Grace, and Godliness in them, this is a signe of a proud spirit; there are none that are gracious but know there was a time when they went on in that way, and yet they did not goe against their light, but were willing to understand Gods mind, and yet til God came in, their hearts were not

taken off: and therefore they learn to have good thoughts of those that are godly, though in other waies.

But especially, if it were out of Faith that you were brought from this Antichristian Bondage, it will not leave in thee the Spirit of Antichrist: many are far from being under Antichristian bon∣dage, and yet have an Antichristian Spirit, a Spirit of pride, a domineering Spirit, a Crooked, Perverse Spirit: and this is a great evil, that in the way of Christ, there should be manifested an Antichri∣stian Spirit: this should be lamented with tears of blood. Now so much as an Antichristian spirit does rule in any, though they be from under his Goverment, so much it is to be suspected, it was not the work of Faith, but somwhat else that took them off. We should have the spirit of Christ, the spirit of Love, and Humillity, and gentleness, and peace, and as we would make it appear, we are taken off from the yoak of Antichrist by Faith let us shew the Spirit of Christ, as Faith hath taken us off from Antichristian power, so we should exercise Faith to go on in the waies of Christ, as beseems those that are delivered from Antichristian power.