ecular princes uphold antichrist, and
prelacy in this land is upholden by the secular power. 2. The second
pillar I call _ecclesiastical_, that is, prelacy in this land hath been
upholden by the tongues of kirkmen, preaching up this mountain, or, by
their pens, writing up this mountain: and these are the two pillars
whereupon our mountain of prelacy is stooted, the secular power, and the
tongues of kirkmen. Let the king withdraw his power and authority from
the prelates, and they shall fall suddenly in dross; let kirkmen and
ministers withdraw their tongues and pens from them, and our mountain
(ere ye look about you) shall become a plain. As these two stoot up this
mountain, so upon this mountain all false worship in the kirk is built,
even Dagon's house. "Lead me," says Samson, "to the pillars that Dagon's
house stands on, that I may be avenged for my two eyes." The Philistines
were never more cruel to Samson in pulling out his eyes, than our
prelates would have been to us: they pressed to put out our eyes, and
ere ever we were aware, they thought to lead us to Dagon's house, even
to the tents of popery and idolatry. Let us come to this main pillar of
Dagon's house, and apply all our strength to pull it down; that we may
not only be avenged for our eyes, which they have thought to pull out,
but also that the house of false worship, which is erected upon this
mountain, may fall to the ground.

I hear some say, Minister, for all you are saying, the mountain will not
come down at this time; ye think nothing but it will come down. I assure
you, I would have it down, but ye must not think us that silly, as to
think it will come down, because we have many for us; we trust not in
men, but in God; and if this be the time that God will have it down,
although ye should lay all your hands about their head, they shall come
down: it appears they will come down, if there were no more but their
pride, avarice, cruelty, and loose living to pull them down, especially
when all these are come to height, as they are come to in them. And so
much for the mountain; ye see we have reproved it, God remove it.

I come now to the three in the work, the mountain being removed, 1. It
is a work growing and going up; "He shall bring forth." 2. It is a work
finished; "He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof." 3. It is a work
praised; "He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting,
crying, grace, grace, be unto it." We shall speak of a