The next note is this.

THat as the Roman Catholicke Church have led the Churches and people of God into captivity,* and have slaughtered many of them with persecution, and warre: So that state at length shall go in∣to captivity, and finally be destroyed with warre and slaughter.

You heard before, she made warre with the Saints, and o∣vercame them, and slaughtered many thousands of them, and shewed no mercy neither to man, woman, nor child: No more will the Lord shew compassion upon her. In Psal. 137. 8, 9. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed! Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. It was spoken of old Babylon in Caldea, and is verified also in this Babylon. Happy shall he be that rewardeth her as she hath served us: and that taketh her young children and dasheth them against the stones. Rev. 17. 11. The beast that was, and is not, shall goe into perdition. And vers. 16. They shall hate the whore, and make her desolate and na∣ked, and shall eate her flesh, and shall burn her with fire. They shall drink of warre and slaughter.

Obj. But how is it said, that Christ shall consume him with the breath of his mouth there? 2 Thes. 2. 8.

Answ. I answer, these things are subordinate, but not op∣posite, for ever since Luther they have been wasting: But after his coming in the brightnesse of the Gospel, men shall be clearly convinced, that this is the great whore and Beast that destroys all the world: The Lord will then mightily disco∣ver her unto Princes, that have been darkned, and vailed in their judgments about her, they shall see the state of her, and grow to hate her with utter detestation.

The reason is from the wisdome and equity of Gods ju∣stice, * expresly mentioned in the Text: For, he that leades into Page  218 captivity, must go into captivity; he that kills with the sword, must be killed with the sword. What measure a man meets, it shall be measured to him again, Mat. 7. 2. Who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, Gen. 9. 6. Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled, and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee: when thou shalt cease to spoile, thou shalt be spoiled: and when thou shalt make an end to deale treacherously, they shall deale treacherously with thee, Isa. 33. 1. All that take the sword, shall perish with the sword, Mat. 26. 52. Meaning in an unlawfull way, and for unlawfull ends.

The use is,* first of terrour to all Roman Catholicks; what ever their devotion may be, let them know, and understand, the issue of it will be utter desolation, and blood and slaugh∣ter will be their portion one day: And when Gods appoin∣ted is come, it will be measured unto them, as they have measured unto the Church of God.

Secondly,* It may be a great comfort unto the Churches and Saints of Christ, that have been overcome, or have suffe∣red any hard-ship from any of these. Those that have been troublesome to Gods Churches and people, the Lord will one day visite them all, and he will one day root them out of the land of the living. They shall one day know what pillars and scourges, and fire and faggot meanes, what tor∣ments meane, what bloody inquisitions meane: They shall be recompenced seven-fold into their bosomes.

Here is the patience and faith of the Saints.

The third note is this.

The Lord doth as much acknowledg and accept the patience and faith of his Saints that have suffered under the Roman Catholique Church,* as he did the faith and patience of the Primitive Saints, that suffered under the Roman Pagan Emperours, against Heathenish ido∣latry.

The Papists themselves are full of acknowledgment of the Primitive Martyrs, and will write many Legends of them; as the Pharisees, they did build the Sepulchers of the Pro∣phets, and yet killed their Successors: Fulfill (saith Christ) the measure of your fathers: You garnish the sepulchers of the Page  219 dead bodies, and yet you kill their Successors. They will ac∣knowledg them the Primitive Martyrs; but what are those that suffered in Switzerland, in France, in England, in Germa∣ny? They look at those as Lolards, and Hereticks: But what saith the Lord of them? Even of them as well as of those that suffered in former times; the Lord doth accept their suffe∣rings, and saith of them, Here is the patience and faith of the Saints. Wherein the Lord doth acknowledge the faith by which they overcome this Beast, and patience, to be the pati∣ence and faith of the Saints. The world saith otherwise: but the Lord saith of those that suffered under this Beast, Here is the patience and faith of the Saints. So in Rev. 12. 13. Here is the patience of the Saints: Write, blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth, as well as in ancient times: Blessed are they that dye in the faith of Christ Jesus, in the hottest and highest times of Popery.

The Reason is evident,

First,* because the faith of such Christians, and their pati∣ence, was the faith and patience of Christ: That is to say, that which both fastned upon Christ, and bore witnsse unto Christ, and suffered patiently for Christ as did the Primitive Christians in the ten Persecutions: And it was such a faith, as by which they overcame the world, 1 John 5. 4. It was faith in Christ Jesus, even that faith by which they chose ra∣ther to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the plea∣sures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11. 24, 25. It was that faith by which they despised honour. Even the same case of Christ in Moses hand, and in their hands, and the point is of like na∣ture: Roman Idolatry is but another Edition, and their Er∣rors are as fundamentall subvertions to that which shou•d be the faith of Gods elect: And their Government is directly contrary unto the Gospel-government of Christ Jesus as light is to darknesse. When their faith in the cause of Christ do carry them along in suffering for him, it is then the pati∣ence of Christ. It was the like faith and patience of Christ to suffer under Annas and Caiaphas, as under Herod. It is true, in the one he suffered as an enemy to Caesar, in the other as a blasphemer, but the case is all one. No matter what the per∣sons Page  220 〈…〉 Christian in profession; I• the cause be the 〈◊〉 of Christ, it is the patience and faith of Christ which is in his 〈…〉 whomsoever they suffer.

〈…〉 Reason is from the greater exercise of saith and 〈◊〉 to discern,* and suffer under Christians, against Christians, 〈…〉 Pagans 〈◊〉 Heathen persecutors.

For the use of the point.

Fi•st,* it cryes downe all the scandalous sentences that Courts have given against the Saints of God; they say here are the suffering of Lolards and Hereticks: Jesus Christ from heaven saith, Here is the faith and patience of the Saints. Do not therefore count it obstinacy, and contumacy in heresie, nor pravity: It is the faith and patience of the Saints; if Chr•st calls it so, his word must carry it. When they shall all appear before his Judgment-seate, whose word shall stand then, his or theirs? He will say, here is the cruelty and out∣rage of the persecution of Antichrist that puts the Lambs of Christ to death.

Secondly,* It may serve to teach us, how much the Lord delights to honour his patient and faithfull servants: Hee writes upon their Toomb-stones as it were, so many Saints, or faithfull Martyrs of Christ, are those who have thus suffe∣red: This doth the Lord Jesus Christ write upon their stakes where they are burned (in Smithfield or else-where) and upon the chains wherewith they are bound.

A great encouragement it is unto Christians to be con∣stant in the profession of the Gospel, and to contend earnest∣ly for the faith once given to the Saints. We must not there∣fore be afraid to stand fast in the profession of the Truth, and to hold it to the death: If we should dye in his Cause in a way of persecution to be slaughtered by the outrage of un∣godly men; what ever the world say of it, the Lord will from heaven beare this witnesse to it, That it is the patience and faith of the Saints.

Thirdly,* it must teach all who would suffer for the name of Christ to be well assured of their cause, and then to adde constancy to their suffering in their cause. Otherwise, un∣lesse it be the cause of Christ, it is no patience, but obstinacy, Page  221 blindenesse, and ignorance: But see that your cause be the cause of Christ, and then cleave unto it by the invincible •aith of Gods elect, to overcome the world, and look Lyons and Dragons in the fac•, without fear and astonishment; and look at punishment and tortour, as not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed: It looks at them as things that Christ hath endured greater, and other of the Saints of God have gone before u• in the like, or a greater martyrdome.

Therefore, first, look to the cause, and then believe in the truth of the cause, and the faithfulnesse of Christ that will maintaine his servants stable and firme, and cause them to hold out unto the end. But do not take up your reforma∣tion upon custome, nor side with any thing for custom of the country where you are, because your Magistrates and Elders do commend it to you; for it behooves every christian man to know well, what he beleives, and practise, and to know the doctrine of Christ, and the Government and the worship of Christ; and that not because men say so, but because you see light for it from the word of the Son of God.

Then your next care is, to look that you depend upon Christ for strength, that as he suffered for you, you may be able to suffer for him; ther's the faith of Gods children: And for patience (I pray consider it) I do not enter into a common place of faith, and patience; but let me say thus much of it, Patience is a virtue, mortifying and moderating greifs, and fears, or afflictions, and subduing our wils to the will of God, not onely in contentment, but comfort. My brethren (saith James) count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations, James 1. 2. That whereas other men, or our selves in time of prosperity, when as God applies his will to our wils, are joyful (and this is no great matter.) This is the joy of Gods people when God shall apply our wils unto his. As Christ did comforme his will unto his Fathers will, and say, O my God, I delight to do thy will: It is written in thy book▪ I came to do thy will, Psal. 40. 8. This indeed doth make us compleat christians.

A man is a happy man that hath his will and Gods will to∣gether in all that his heart does desire: If God would have Page  222 me suffer, then certain it is best it should be 〈◊〉. And 〈◊〉 should christians come armed with faith and patience, and with wils subdued to the will of the most high; not onely to be contented, but comfortable in suffering all things for Christ: And let your faith fasten upon it, and let your pati∣ence moderate your greifs, and make your hearts comfortable also, and this is that which God delights in; Here is the pa∣tience and faith of the Saints.

And so I will end with that speech of the Apostle; My bre∣thren, be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inhe∣rit the promises, Heb. 6. 12. Both by faith of well doing, and of suffering evill by faith and patience. Ye have need of pati∣ence, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the pro∣mise, Heb. 10. 36. You have need of patience, that ye may be faithfull: and you have need of faith, that you may be patient: When a man is confident in Christ above all crea∣tures, this works patience. So we shall follow the steps of our blessed Ancestors; we shall still go on in maintayning the same faith, and worship, and Government, wherein our Fathers were taught of God to walk, and whereby they did inherit promises both in life and death.