apostle called "the perilous times," Austin observeth that the church from Christ to Christ, from Christ's death to Christ's coming again, should meet with three sorts of persecutions; one by the sword, as in the primitive times; another by heresies, as in the Arian times; the other both by sword and heresies, as in these latter antichristian times.* Luther says well, Cain shall be killing his brother Abel to' the end of the world, but he is most bloody in his old days. It is observed to my hand, that the four great monarchies, who have been the constant enemies of the church, are compared by Daniel unto four beasts, a "leopard, a bear, a lion," &c., but the antichristian beast that should arise in the latter times is made up of all these; his feet being the feet of a bear, his mouth the mouth of a lion, himself like a leopard, and the dragon giving his power unto him, Rev. xiii. 2. As if the cruelties of all the monarchies were concentrated and met in him. Of all enemies, you shall observe those are most deadly and cruel that are apostates, that have been once professors, and then prove apostates † therefore the devil, the Jew, and antichrist are greatest enemies to the saints, because they are all apostates. Now the enemies that are risen up in our days are apostatizing enemies, and therefore if they prevail, which God in mercy forbid, are like to prove the sorest enemies that ever the English sun did see; yea, worse than the enemies of those Marian days; for in queen Mary's time we read that here and there two, three, four, or ten were brought forth to the stake, but should these enemies now prevail, not two, or three, or four, or ten, but three thousands, and four thousands, and ten thousands would be led out together to be all massacred. In queen Mary's time though the parent died, the child did inherit his land; but now at once our lands, our liberties, our children, our religion and we are all like to die together. In queen Mary's days Germany was open, and a place of refuge to God's people, many did fly thither, and were safe in the time of that storm; but now if these enemies prevail,

* Prima ecclesiæ persecutio fuit violenta per mundi principes; secunda fraudulenta per hæreticos; tertia erit violenta et fraudulenta simul, ubi scilicet temporalis et spiritualis potestas in unum convenient adversus Dominum et Christum ejus.-Augustin.

† Solus apostata est persecutor ordinis sui.

whither should God's servants fly? Not to Frankfort, not to the Palatinate, not to Bohemia, not to Ireland, not to Scotland, I had almost said not to our graves, for they will hardly give us grave room in our own country. Oh, the black and dismal day that is like to come upon us, if these horns that are now pushing at us should prevail against us. Well, but remember God's method, your own sins and God's method; his method is, first the horns, and then the carpenters; though the horns may push, and gore, and scatter for a time, yet the carpenters shall fray them away, and cast out these gentiles. And so I come to the second vision of the four carpenters, and the second doctrine, namely,

Secondly, Though God suffer the enemies of his church and people to be exceeding strong, cruel, and very many, yet he will raise up proportionable strength against them, apt and fitted instruments to suppress them, who shall fray them away and deal by them as they have dealt by others. This is in the commission of those who are deputed to destroy Babylon, Rev. xviii. 6. "Reward her even as she hath rewarded you." And to this purpose, I say, God will raise up a suitable and proportionable strength, four carpenters for the four horns. Now the truth of all this will be more fully evidenced, if you consider those names, titles, and attributes wherewith Jesus Christ hath invested himself; titles and attributes directly opposite to all that evil which is any of the church's enemies. Three enemies you know there are by whom you are most molested, the flesh, the devil, the world.

The flesh brings forth three great evils. Ignorance in the understanding; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called our Prophet. Rebellion in the will; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called our King. Guiltiness that ariseth from ignorance and rebellion; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called our Priest.

The devil our second enemy is armed with all weapons of hostility against us; therefore there are several names given to him. He is said to be the strong man, o oxugos, "when the strong man keepeth the house," &c. ; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called oxupornços avrov, stronger than he, Luke xi. 22. The devil is called the accuser of the brethren; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called our Advocate.

The devil is called Apollyon, destroyer; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called our Saviour. The devil is called the old serpent; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called the brasen serpent. The devil is called a roaring lion, in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called "a Lion of the tribe Judah* The devil is called the god of this world, the prince of the air; in opposition to that Jesus Christ is called Thus whatever the "Prince of Peace, the mighty God." terms or titles of strength and power there is in Satan, there is somewhat in Jesus Christ that answereth, yea that overanswereth all.

And for our third enemy, the world, you cannot have a more full description of its power than as it is presented to you in Rev. xiii. 1. "I saw a beast arising out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns.” Our text speaks but of four horns, and here are ten; yet if you look into Rev. v. you shall find an answerable strength in Christ, who is described to be a Lamb having seven horns, seven rather than ten being the number of perfection in Scripture. But if you think that seven is not enough to equalize the ten, you find also in Habak. iii. 4. that the Lord our God is said to have horns in his hand, because all the works of his hand are done in strength and power. So that whatever your enemies are, there is strength enough in Jesus Christ to subdue their strength.

And why is Christ thus furnished, but for his church and people? He is the Lord-keeper of all our comforts, the Lordtreasurer of all our graces, and the great magazine of all our ammunition.t He was anointed that he might anoint; he was sanctified that he might sanctify; he received of the Father that he might give unto you, unto you I say and unto all the churches. He is the head of his church, and therefore, as Luther‡ observeth well, though every member is sensible of wrong or hurt done to another member, yet the head

*Iste leo ob feritatem, Christus ob fortitudinem Christus leo ad vincendum, diabolus ad nocendum -Augustin.

+ Christus communis thesaurus.-Luther.

Sensus subtilitor et velocior est in capite quam in reliquis membris corporis : hoc experientia videmus, nam læso dignitulo aut alia minima corporis parte læsa, statim caput in vultu prodit sese hoc sentire; nasus enim contrahitur, oculi torvum vident: sic Christus caput nostrum afflictiones nostras suas facit et ut in capite omnes sensus, &c.-Luther.

is much more sensible then all the members, for the head is the seat and habitation of all the senses; the hand may touch, but it cannot see; the foot may feel, but it cannot hear or taste; the head sees and feels and hears and tastes, and smells; so, says he, it is with Christ our head, in whom all the senses dwell, and therefore infinitely more sensible of the church's misery then any other member in all the world; and sensible he cannot be unless in due time he be helpful unto them. Upon this very ground you shall find that God promiseth to raise up seven shepherds and eight principal men for the help of his people, Micah v. 5. "When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men ;" As if he should say, though you have been heretofore without guides, and captains, and commanders, and princes, yet when the enemy is come into your land, I will raise up instruments enough to suppress them; and look what these Assyrians have done unto you, that shall my instruments and workmen do unto them; do they come into your country and tread down your palaces; so shall mine instruments go into their country and tread down their palaces, ver. 6. And would you know the ground of all this? It is my love in Christ, for, "thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." And ver. 4." He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide; and this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land, ver. 5." So that whosoever doth but seriously consider the strength and anointment of Jesus Christ, must needs conclude this doctrine with me: Though God suffer the enemies of his church and people to be many and great, yet in due time he will raise up a proportionable strength against them to suppress them and to deal by them as they have done by others.

The application of this doctrine looks two ways:

To the saints in general;

To the carpenters in special.

To the saints by way of consolation and encouragement.

To the carpenters, to God's workmen, by way of direction and exhortation.

Here is consolation and encouragement unto all the saints and people of God. Wonder not that in a day of humiliation, I speak of consolation.* Beloved, you are never more fit to mourn for sin, then when you can rejoice in God. One grace makes way for another. It is the warm beams of God's love and care must thaw our hearts. Two things that we are this day to do. To wrestle with God; to fight with our enemies. You cannot in your wrestling take better hold of God then by the skirt of a promise; you cannot fight better against your enemies than by faith. The devil, with whom especially we fight in these wars, will not be killed with swords and knives; "This is our victory whereby we overcome the world, even our faith." It is written in the life of Mr. Tyndale, that when he was in the Netherlands, there was a conjurer that could command dishes of meat from several men's tables, so that he would invite his friend to a dish of meat from such or such a prince's table; divers going to see his exploits, Mr. Tyndale went with the rest, if it might be, to hinder it; and when he came there, he set himself in a way of believing to hinder this conjurer's proceedings, which he did accordingly, for when that wretched man should have done his exploit, his hands were held by Mr. Tyndale's faith, and he cried out and said, I cannot do it, there sits the man that hinders me, or to that purpose. What will not faith do, if good? what will it not hinder, if evil? I will not say that in these sad days of ours we have to deal with conjurers, but surely with such persons as through their violence and thefts are able not only to command men's dishes off their tables, but all their goods out of their houses. Oh that we had but faith enough, we might soon believe them out of all their plunderings.†

Wherefore that I may raise up your faith a little and keep you from discouragements, I lay before you this promise; Zechariah's vision is your promise; yea it is somewhat more, for as we say of sacraments, so I say of these two last visions, they are promises unto the eye, unto sense. When Joshua was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan, and * Sanctus dolet et de dolore gaudet.-Augustin.

Fides se demittit ad domestica.