to injoyn the publishing of this fong of Thanksgiving, which is full of weak and imperfect Notes. And to this latter task, I was (I confeffe) farre more unwilling then to the former; as being conscious unto my self, how few conceptions could be brought by me to any fuch maturity, as might render them meet to become the Standing Monument of fo great a Mercy, and fo happy a Day, which is worthy to be ingraven on Marble, rather then to be written on Paper, and with letters of gold, rather then with ink: But in the purfuance of your Commands I have done it, and added Some few things, which time nor ftrength would permit me to deliver in publike; Being refolved to deny my and fome in felf, and to do nothing that may hinder me from being largement of what I am, and fhall always defire to remain,

Some few inftances, clearing the

main Doctrin,

the firft ufe.

Yours wholly in the fervice of Chrift and his Church,

STEPHEN MARSHALL.

I

A SER MON PREACHED BEFORE the Honorable Houfe of COMMONS, on the 15. of lune 1 6 4 3. being the day of their publique

THANKSGIVING.

Onorable and Beloved, were the strength of my body, and my furniture of wif dome, learning,and grace, in any degree anfwerable to the fervice of this Day, I could not but exceedingly rejoyce, in being called to this work, in this place, at this time. For having been lately restored from the gates of death, what greater mercy could I wish, then to praise God in the great Congregation and having been reported over the whole Kingdom, to have altered my former judgement, concerning this juft caufe of the Parliaments Defenfive Arms: yea that the horrour of my guilt, in adhering to this Caufe, had distracted me, and made me mad, can I look upon it otherwife then as a great and publike taking off this reproach, by being called to exercife my poor talent, in that Affembly which is the whole Kingdom by Representation, and at this time, to be a fur

B

therer

2 Cor 8 1.2.

therer of your joy and thankfulneffe, for Almightie God's watchfull eye and powerfull hand thus wonderfully manifefted against the defperate and bloody Defignes of thofe that would deftroy you? But I fear, left this which is fo many wayes a favour to me, fhould prove your loffe through my weakneffe,which would not permit me to ftudy much in private, and I fear will disable me in the publike delivering that little which God hath brought to my hand; yet this doth encourage me, I have abundant experience of your Candor, and I know that both with God and man, where there is first a willing mind,(especially in a day & fervice of Thanksgiving) it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

Yea, I have one encouragement more, that Gods providence hath directed me to such a Text, which is not onely futable to our meeting, and fervice, but fo really intended by the Spirit of God, for your time and work, that the very reading of it, (though an hour together) might exceedingly affect you, if once you have the true meaning of it; which Text you fhail finde written in.

REVEL. 153,4. read also ver. 2. The Text. Verse 2. And I saw as it were a fea of glasse mingled with fire,and them that had gotten the victory over the Beaft, and over his Image,and over his Mark,and over the number of his Name, ftand on the fea of glaffe, having the harps of God.

3. And they fang the fong of Mofes, the fervant of God, and the fong of the Lambe, faying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes, thon King of Saints.

4. Whe

4. Who shall not fear thee,O Lord,and glorifie thy Name? for thou onely art holy, for all Nations fhall come and worship before thee, for thy judgements are made manifeft.

T

His Text, though it be a part of the Apocalyps, the darkest, and most myfticall Book in all the Scriptures, and therefore thought generally hard to be understood, yet time (one of the best Interpreters of Prophecies) hath produced the events anfwering the types fo full and clear, that we have the whole Army of Proteftant Interpreters agreeing in the generall scope and meaning of it, which in a few words be pleased to take thus:

A great part of this Book, is a fetting out the conAlicting state of the Church (under the great Apoftafie) with the Antichrift, the heaviest and foreft enemy which ever the Church had; and this Antichristian power and dominion is fet forth (as other Kingdoms elsewhere are) by a fyfteme of the world, wherein are earth, water, air, funne, moon, ftarres, a King, a Metropoliticall City, Provinces, People, &c. an Antichriftian Empire, an Antichriftian World, and this great Monarchy of Antichrift hath the time of its rifing, its triumphant reigning, its declining, and ruine, and the state of the Church of Chrift under all thefe, clearly foretold in this Book. And (to fay nothing of his rifing, and reigne) his ruine is described in this fifteenth, and fixteenth Chapter, under the Type of feven Angels, pouring out seven vials full of the wrath of God: the feven vialls being fo many degrees of the Beasts, or Antichrifts ruine: which ftory of the vialls, the Holy Ghost sets down two B 2

wayes,

24.

3..

wayes, firft generally, in the fifteenth Chapter, secondly more particularly, in the fixteenth Chapter.

In the generall description of them in this fifteenth Chapter, we have firft the circumftance of the place, where this Vifion was feen, whence these Angels came, that is, heaven: I faw another figne in heaven, verse 1. that is, the true Church, whereof Christ is King,opposed to the world, wherein Antichrift reigns, as beyond all doubt, may be cleared out of the fourth Chapter of this Book, which is the Stage of all the Apocalypticall vifions. Secondly, we have the things themselves,or the marvellous fignes which were seen in this place, and they are three.

First, The behaviour of the true Church of Christ,during this time of the pouring out of the vialls, ver.2,3,4. Secondly, The description of the feven Angels, the inftruments who were to pour out these vialls, their apparatus, qualifications, and furniture, they come out of the temple, clothed in pure and white linnen, and having their breafts girded with golden girdles, Habitu & ctnEtu facerdotali ornati, like the Priests of God, Ezek. 44. 17, 18. pure worshippers.

Thirdly, A defcription of the Church, in reference to Chrifts prefence with it, his owning, and protecting it, though after a more dark manner, verf.8. The Temple was filled with Smoak, from the glory of God, and from his power, &c. alluding to Gods taking poffeffion of the Tabernacle, Exod. 40.34. and of Solomons Temple, 1 King. 8. 10, 11. The first of these I am to deaf with at this time, viz. The behaviour of the Church du ring the time of the pouring out the vialls. Wherein obferve two things, first,their ftate, verfe 2. fecondly, their work,verse 3,4. Their state; I faw as it were a fea

of