A sermon wherein is shewed that the church of God is sometimes a subject of great persecution preached on a publick fast at Boston in New England occasioned by the tidings of a great persecution raised against the Protestants in France / by Increase Mather ...

To the READER.

THat there will a Time come, when the Church of God upon Earth shall enjoy gloriose Prosperity and Dominions, is a great, and a Scripture-Truth. The greatness of the Kingdome (not in, but) under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High. Dan. 7. 27. There shall be no more a pricking Briar, or a grieving Thorn to the Hous of Israel, of all that are round about them. Ezek. 28. 24. The Man of the Earth shall no more oppress. Psal. 10. 18. It is not said that we do, but that we shall reign on Earth. Rev. 5. 10. But to expect this before the creation of the New world (that New Heaven and New Earth, wherein Righteousness shall dwell) so much celebrated by the Holy Prophets and Apostles & in the Book of Revelation; seems to be unscriptural, & Irrational. It con∣cerns us in this Age, not to dream of an Earthly Kingdome (as the Disciples sometimes did, & we are too apt to do.) but rather to think of going by the Cross unto the Crown; as we see others are doing before us.

That the Protestant Cause (and consequently the Church of God in this world) is now in a more hazardous State, than hath been known, for above these Hundred years; is a Truth, that cannot but affect those who have their thoughts Exercised in Di∣scerning things of this nature. When matters are reduced to the lowest ebb, they shall revert again. Nor shall the Churches Per∣secutors, be any more able to prevent it, than they are able to make the Sea stand still; or to change the Ordinances of Heaven. In the mean time, the Lord knoweth how to preserve His little Flock, in the midst of millions of Wolves, and Tigers; that seek to devour it.

The Spouse of Christ, is now in the Lions Dens, and in the mountains of the Leopards: He knows how to preserve it there and how to bring it out from thence. Cant. 4. 8. It was a

great Sight; and well might Moses wonder at it, when the Bush burned with fire, but was not consumed. The Church of God at this Day, is that Bush; which is threatened with the Fire of Persecution; and some part of it begins to burn: But we have this to comfort us, We know it shall never be consumed. God hath wonderful wayes to save His servants; when the grea∣test Dangers do attend them. He maketh the Earth to help the woman. The Philistines must invade the Land, that so David might not be swallowed up by Saul. Senacherib must hear a Ru∣mor that the Ethiopians are preparing war against him, that s〈…〉〈…〉 his design against Jerusalem may be diverted. Notable is tha•• passage which Scultetus relates; that when the K. of Franc•• was become a prisoner to the Emperour of Germany (Charle•• the 5th.) He was set at liberty upon Condition that he woul•• do his utmost to root Protestantism out of his Dominions. Bu•• soon after, they fell at variance again (the Pope blowing the bel∣lows of contention) by which means, the Church in that part o•• the world, escaped the fury of those oppressors. Memorable als•• is it, That about the close of the Tridentine Council (or rathe•• Conspiracy) there was a consultation in Italy, by the Pope & h•••• Cardinals, for an utter extirpation of the Reformed Church•• throughout Europe. Every Prince in Europe had a certain pa•••• designed, where this project should be put in practice. But th•• death of that Pope (Pius V.) hindred the prosecution of the Desig•••• until the Time of Clement VIII. when it was revived, an•• the bloody Resolution confirmed, by him, & his Cardinals, und•••• their Hands, & Seals. A Kinsman to Cardinal Baronius, w•••• chosen to carry those bloody Letters to the Princes aforesaid: b•••• whilst he was in his Journey, the Lord awakened his conscienc•• that he retired into an obscure Village, and there spent three Day•• in Fasting, & Prayer to God: After which, in stead of going •••• Spain with the Popes bloody Commissions for the Destruction •••• the Protestants; He went into France, and there disclosed t•••• whole Design to Mr. Figureus, an eminent Protestant-Ministe•• and in stead of shedding the Innocent blood of the Protesta•••• Churches, he himself became a famose Protestant: by which mea••••

the designed mischief was diverted. This was not altogether un∣like Pauls Conversion; after which the Churches had rest, & were edified. The like is to be said of Vergerius, (the Popes Legate) who designing to write a Book against the Protestant Re∣ligion, was, by reading those Books which he intended to refute, Converted, to the acknowledgement of the Truth; so that of a per∣secuting Papist, He became a preaching Protestant. And there comes to mind, a very remarkeable providence, which Dr. Fuller somewhere relates; viz. That about the Third of the Reign of Queen Mary, a Pursevant was sent with a Commission in∣to Ireland, to impower some eminent persons to proceed with Fire, and Fagot against the poor Protestants. And it happened by Divine providence, this Pursevant, at Chester, lodged in the House of a protestant Inn-keeper, who having gotten some inkling of the matter, secretly stole his Commis¦sion out of his Cloakbag; & put a Card (the Knave of Clubs in the room thereof. Some weeks after, he appeared before the Lords of the privy Council at Dublin (of whom Bp. Coren a principal) and produced a Card for his pretended Commission. They caused him to be committed to Prison for such an aff••ont, as if done on design, to deride them. Here he lay for some Moneths; till with much ado, at last he got his enlargement. Then over he returned for England, and quickly getting his Commission renewed, makes with all speed for Ireland again. But before his Arrival there; he was prevented with the Newes of Queen Maryes death: and so the Lives of many, & the Liberties of more, poor servants of God, were preserved.

As for our parts, whom the Lord hath made to dwell alone in this wilderness, when we hear of the afflictions of the Churches of Christ, though at a remote distance from us; There are two things which God doth certainly expect from us: 1. That we should Sympathise with them in all their sorrows. Christ himself doth so Isa. 63. 9. and so shall we, if the Spirit of Christ be in us. It is Recorded concerning the excellent Calvin, that he was more af∣fected with the miseries of the Church, than with any of his own

concerns. So was the great Melancthon. When Luther reproved him for his sollicitude about the protestant Interest (which in those Dayes also was in eminent Danger) he mildly replyed Si non Curarem non Orarem. If I should have no Care in my Heart concerning that matter, I should not Pray about it, so much as I do. 2. The Lord expects that we should also prepare our selves to drink of the same cup. Are there not with us, even with us also, sins against the Lord our God, which may deserve it? The Lord planted us a Noble Vine, wholly a Right Seed. Well it were, if it could be said, we are in no re∣spect degenerate, And did ever degenerate Churches continue long wi∣thout smarting under the Rod of Persecution? It is a weighty word, which a great Worthy of our own hath, in a Book lately published.

There hath been (saith He) no Nation in the World, which pub∣lickly received the Christian Religion; but it hath been wasted, & de∣stroyed by the sword of Pagan Idolaters; or such as are no better than they—And I pray God, that the like Fate doth not at this Day hang over the Reformed Nations, as from their profession they are called.

If it should go ill with the Reformed Nations, we have little Reason to promise our selves nothing but Halcyon Dayes. Security will be like to hasten, but a serious Preparation for it, may be a means to prevent, misery, from coming upon us. So may we hope that God will conti∣nue to be gracious unto this Remnant of Joseph; And the Lord grant that the good will, & Blessing of Him that dwelt in the Bush, may still be upon this His People, who are separated from their Brethren.

Boston; N. Engl. 1. M. 28. D. 1682.

INCREASE MATHER.

Notes

• See Dr. ••∣win's S••••••∣on Rev. 5••
• Fullfilling of ••criptures. P. ••••5.
• Dr. Engl•…•… thye•…•… merl•…•… & M•…•… Pros•…•… vide
• M•…•… in•…•… &〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉, of •…•…ical •…•…s. In •…•…p. 16.