A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 4 · Exegesis
Of Gods people in Babylon, spoken off, Rev. 18, 4.
Next, I obſerved‘Advert. pag. 59. here againe (as I had done before concerning the baptiſme had in the church of Rome) that which is ſaid, Rev. 18, 4. Goe out of her my people, and partake not in her ſinnes, &c. Whereupon I inferred, that thoſe words, my people, imply the covenant of God continued among them. For thus is the covenant taught and ſet down unto us in the Scripture, I will be your God, and you ſhall be my people. &c. This alſo he ſetteth to oppoſe in words, but confirmeth it in deed, though againſt his will. For vvhat doth he anſvver?”Animad. p. 80. Theſe very words (ſaith he) are taken from Ier. 51, 45. My people goe out of the midſt of her: where by my people, the church of Babylon is not meant; but the Iſraelites, &c. Very vvell. But are not thoſe words, My people, the words of the covenant, as I ſaid? And vvere not that people now in Babylon, the church & people of God, under his covenant? Had not that people alſo polluted the Temple of the Lord, and fallen into notorious idolatrie, apoſtaſie, and other iniquitie, for vvhichwhich they vvere giuen by the Lord into the hands of the Babylonians: and vvere they not ſtill the Lords church & people, his vineyard, and heritage notvvithſtanding? 2 Chron. 36, 14 — 20. with Jer. 12, 7 — 10. and 20, 4. Lamen. 1, 3, 8, 10, 14, 15. &c. Eſa. 63, 10, 17, 18, 19. Is there not difference moreover to be put betweene the people of God in Babylon, and between Babylon it ſelf? How els vvill he make this ſpeach and caſe in the Revelation, to accord with that other ſpoken of by the Prophet: from vvhence (himſelf ſaith) theſe very words are taken: if that there be not novv (as there vvas of old in Babylon of Chaldea) the people of God, under his covenant continued among them, in the myſticall Babylon of the Beaſt, whether it be applyed to the city of Rome, the throne of Antichriſt and juriſdiction thereof; or to the apoſtaſie of the church of Rome, vvherein the man of ſinne ſitteth and dominereth. Whereabout ſee more‘Pag. 152, 153, 154, &c. here before.
And to make this matter yet more plain, obſerue moreover in the Prophet Zacharie, how afterward he ſpeaking of the ſame matter, and ſame eſtate of the people, ſaith thus: Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of ”Of Chaldea: which vvas north frō Iewry.the North, ſaith the Lord: for I hauehave ſpread you abroad as the four wynds of the heaven, ſaith the Lord. Deliver thy ſelf, O Zion, that dvvelleſt with the daughter of Babylon. Zac. 2, 6, 7. Where marke firſt, hovv for thoſe words of Ieremy, my people, Zacharie here hath, O Zion: and then alſo, hovv plainely his ſpeach sheweth, that Zion is in Babylon: not mount Sion it ſelf vvherein the Temple was built, which was in the land of Canaan, but the people of God, the Ievves, that perteined to Zion: among vvhom when God ſet his Temple there, he ſaid withal,‘1 King. 6, 13. Pſal. 132, 13, 14 I wil dwel in the midſt of you: shewing that the Temple was a token of his preſence among them, & a band of the holy and mutuall conjunction that vvas between God and them, whither they vvere bound to come to the worship of God, and thither to bring their ſacrifices, &c. This Temple of God”2 Chron. 36, 14, &c they profaned moſt ſinfully, falling into idolatrie and apoſtaſie, and committing many other abominations, for vvhichwhich the Lord gaue them into the hands of their enemies, vvho ſlew many of them vvith the ſvvord, and captived others of them in the land of the North, in Babylon, &c. This people that had thus ſinned, that was thus captived and punished, that dvvelt vvith the daughter of Babylon: the Lord ſtill accounteth and calleth his people, yea he eſteemes them to be Zion, which he choſe, and vvhere he dvvelt: vvhom therefore (after he had a vvhile captived and chaſtiſed them in Babylon for their ſinnes) he calleth from thence againe in his mercy.
So then note here theſe particulars, concerning the point in hand. 1, That the people of God pollute his Temple, become apoſtates and idolaters, and are captived in Babylon. 2. That thus now Sion is in Babylon; & conſequently the Temple of God (ſo to ſpeak) the people of God the church of God, is in Babylon. 3. That yet ſtill they are notwithſtanding acknowledged by the Lord, to be Sion, to be his people, and ſo ſtill to be under his covenant, though they be in Babylon. 4. That the Lord calleth them againe from thence: by divers of his Prophets, & at ſundry times: as may appeare by comparing together, Jer. 50, 45. and Zach. 2, 6, 7. with Eſa. 48, 20, &c. 5. That when they vvere by the Lord thus called away from thence, yet they did not all come together at once, but ſome after other at ſeverall times. As namely, that ſome (in the firſt yeere of Cyrus) came out at the firſt vvith Zerubbabell and Ioshua: Ezra. 1, and 2, chap. and Neh. 7, chapt. who afterward being hindred for ſome time in the building of the Temple, vvere encouraged againe to the vvork by the Prophets, Aggee and Zacharie. Ezra. 3, and 4, and 5, and 6 chap. In which time againe Zacharie (about the ſecond yere of Darius) called upon the reſt, that yet remayned in Babylon, that they likevviſe should come out from thence: vvhom ſtill he acknowledgeth to be Sion, though yet they vvere in Babylon. Zach. 2, 6, 7. &c. with 1, 7. and 6, 10. and 7, 1. And ſome alſo aftervvard returned vvith Ezra, in the ſeuenth yere of the ſaid Darius Artaxerxes, Ezra. 7, 1 — 7. &c. Which is‘Rom. 15, 4. 1 Cor. 10, 11. novv likevviſe to be obſerved about the Lords calling of his people, and their comming, out of this other Babylon: vvho (as the former) come not from thence together all at once, but ſome after other at ſeverall times: and that in ſuch ſort, as there vvill be of Gods people yet called from thence, euen then when this Babylon (the City of Rome) shall come to be burnt with fire, and to be caſt downe to the ground, never to riſe up againe any more. Rev. 18, 4. with ver. 8, &c. Whereof (by other occaſion) I hauehave ſpoken here alſo before:Pag. 138, 152, 153. and wil not novv further inſiſt thereupon.
Neyther vvill I enter to ſpeak of other things, that might here be obſerved: As namely, that he uſeth the terme of the church of Babylon (ſpeaking of Babylon in Chaldea) vvhen eyther he meaneth the City of Babylon, or ſpeaketh not according to the Prophets ſpeach here: but in deed uſeth colourable vvords to deceiue the Reader: as if now there had ben ſome other church of Babylon, beſides the Iſraelites, the people of God, here ſpoken off. Jer. 51, 45.
Alſo, that here he calleth the Iſraelites, Gods loſt ſheep ſcattered there, upon the mountaines and hils, whom firſt the king of Aſhur had devoured, &c. vvhichwhich may be referred not onelyonly to Iudah, but to Iſrael alſo of the ten tribes: as may appear, by the Prophets words, Ier. 50.4, 17, 18, 19, 20. compared with 2 Kin. 15, 19, 20, 29. and 17, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. So here then he acknowledgeth Iſraell to be Gods loſt ſheep, aſvvell as Iudah: vvhom‘Animad. p. 82. other where he denyeth to be the people of God, in their apoſtaſie.
And moreover, that he ſaith God vvill receiue them into covenant, whom he calleth out of Babylon, ”or, We are become as they over whom from the beginning thou bareft no rule neither is thy nam… called upō them.if they obey his voice calling them out of her: as if they were not already under the covenant of God, being his people: or as if they could be the Lords people (as here the Lord himſelf acknovvledgeth thē to be) and yet not be under his covenant. The Iewes themſelues knew better, when they vvere in Babylon, and thereupon grounded their requeſts to the Lord, and prayed, ſaying, O Lord why haſt thou made us to erre from thy wayes, and hardened our heart from thy feare? Returne for thy ſervants ſake, the tribes of thyne inheritance. The people of thyne holynes hauehave poſseſſed the land but a litle vvhile: our adverſaries hauehave troden downe thy Sanctuarie. 'We are thyne, thou never bareft rule over them, they were not called by thy name. Eſa. 63, 17, 18, 19. And againe, Thou haſt hid thy face from us, and haſt conſumed us becauſe of our iniquities: But novv, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the clay, and thou our potter, and we all are the work of thyne hand. Be not wroth verie ſore, O Lord, neyther remember iniquitie for ever: behold, ſee vve beſeech thee, vve are all thy people. &c. Eſa. 64, 7, 8, 9.
Theſe and the like things I omit further to treat off. That which is ſaid already, is ynough to cleare the matter ſufficiently. But ſeeing there is reference here to the alledging of ‘ this Scripture before; where alſo I inſiſted upon theſe words (My people,) about the Baptiſme had in the church of Rome, &c. there is a point or two of vvaight to be obſerved thereabout, vvhichwhich being not ſpoken off before, and fitly perteyning to the matter novv in hand, I can not therefore omit here briefly to touch them. Thus then it is: Among other reaſons touching the baptiſme aforeſaid, I uſed this:
The Baptiſme had in apoſtate churches eyther is a ſeale of the covenant of God, or not. If it be a ſeale of the Lords covenant, then ſure it is true baptiſme. If it be not, then ſee what great things will follow thereupon: As firſt, that they which hauehave no other baptiſme but it,†This clauſe he paſſeth over, in his anſwer. Animadv. p. 71. hauehave not the outward baptiſme that ſealeth unto them the covenant of God: and therefore muſt with the Anabaptiſts get another, that they may be aſſured they hauehave the ſeal of Gods covenant of grace and ſalvation.
Secondly, that there neyther hauehave ben nor shall be in Babylon any of Gods people under his covenant: which is contrarie to that is written, Rev. 18.4. where the Lord sheweth that he hath his people, whom by the words of his covenant he calleth thence, ſaying, Come out of her, my people, &c.*This alſo he neyther mentioneth nor anſwereth. And if theſe men wil ſay, that themſelues are not of ſuch people there ſpoken unto, then let them tell us, vvhen and how they came under the covenant of God: and let them alſo shevv it without ſtablishing their ovvne righteouſnes of works thereby.
Thirdly, that the baptiſme now had in apoſtate Churches is not anſvverable to the circumciſion had in the apoſtaſie of Iſraell: For that circumciſion (though had in apoſtaſie) was true circumciſion,”All this which here follovveth to the end, he includeth in an &c. and a ſeale of the Lords covenant, to his people, and therefore needed not to be renounced or repeated. But the Baptiſme now had in the apoſtaſie of the church of Rome, they ſay is not true baptiſme, and ſo not a ſeale of the Lords covenant to his people now, as the other was then: therefore it muſt be renounced, and another that is true obteyned. And thus againe in this they make themſelues (and would make us) ſtraungers from the policie of Iſraell, as in the point of government alſo was obſerved.
Neyther will it now help them to alledge thoſe Scriptures, or the like, as we hauehave produced heretofore againſt the Anabaptiſts, to approue the reteyning of our baptiſme had in Apoſtaſie, without renunciation or repetition thereof: as namely, 2 Chron. 30 ch. compared with Exo. 12, 48, 49. Gen. 17.10— 13. Levit. 26.14 — 44, 45, 46. Deut. 4, 25 — 31. 2 King. 9, 6. and 13, 23. Pſal. 78, 9 — 38. and 89.30— 34. Ezech. 16.44 — 63. & 43, 7, 8, 9. 2 Theſ. 2.3 — 8. Rom. 11, 2 — 5. & 15.4. &c. For now it will be anſwered them, that in Iſraels apoſtaſie they kept circumciſion, which needed not be repeated, ſeeing it vvas true, and ſealed Gods covenant unto them: but that theſe cannot ſo plead for the baptiſme had in the apoſtaſie of Rome, becauſe themſelues ſay, the baptiſme of the church of Rome is not true baptiſme, and ſo not the ſeale of Gods covenant to them which hauehave no other but it. Whereunto what they will anſwer, let them bethink themſelues. And let them shew us, by what Scriptures they can approue their ſtanding novv, who wittingly & willingly remayne without true baptiſme, to ſeale unto them the covenant of God in Ieſus Chriſt. Advertiſ. pag. 56, 57,
This was part of my anſvver to theſe mens Articles concerning this matter. Whereunto vvhat anſwer this Oppoſite returneth again, may be ſeen in his Animadver. pag. 71, 72. Where novv by this occaſion I thought it not amiſſe, here to vvish the reader to obſerue, how this man being not able ſoundly to anſwer theſe particulars, shifts ſo about them (after his manner) as ſome of them he neyther mentioneth nor offereth to anſwer at all, though they be ſpeciall points of vvaight, vvhichwhich should not be omitted, neyther vvould be, if he could finde anſwer thereunto. For example, this for one, If the baptiſme had in apoſtate Churches be not a ſeale of the covenant of God, then they which hauehave no other baptiſme but it, hauehave not the outward baptiſme that ſealeth unto them the covenant of God, and therefore &c. And this for another, That if God hauehave not novv his people, that are under his covenant (though yet remayning in Babylon) and that themſelues alſo were ſuch heretofore, as there are spoken off, that then they would tell us, when, and hovv they came under the covenant of God: and ſhevv it alſo without ſtabliſhing their ovvn righteouſnes of works thereby. Whereunto let the Reader ſee, if he giuegive any word of anſwer, but paſſeth it by, both unmentioned and unanſvvered. Other ſuch things let the Reader himſelf obſerue here and other vvhere. And now that by this occaſion I manifeſt theſe shifts and ſleights of his: let his follovvers get of him (if they can) a ſound anſvver to theſe particulars hereabout.
1. Seeing he denyeth the baptiſme had in apoſtate churches, to be the ſeale of Gods covenant: that therefore he would shew, when & where himſelf and they received an outvvard baptiſme, that ſealeth Gods covenant unto them, &c.
2. That he vvould shevv, vvhether they were under the covenant of God, before they vvere baptiſed; or came under it ſince. If before, whether then both their parents and themſelues were not under the covenant of God, vvhichwhich the Lord hath continued in apoſtate churches, notwithſtanding the defection thereof. If ſince, vvhen & hovv they came under the covenant of God: And vvhere they received baptiſme, (the Lords ſigne of entrance into his covenant) ſynce they came under it: Or vvhere ever they find in the Scriptures, that God ordeyned that men should firſt be baptized, afore they be under his covenant: Or that the people of God hauehave ſo vvalked, &c.
3. Seeing he yeeldeth not, that novv there are in Babylon the people of God, under his covenant; nor that themſelues are ſuch, vvhom the Lord hath called from thence: let him moreover in this reſpect tell both vvhen & hovv they came under the covenant of God: and let him shewe it alſo without ſtablishing their ovvne righteouſnes of vvorks thereby: like as the Anabaptiſts doe, in this behalf.
4. That he ſpeak novv alſo (being better adviſed then heretofore) whether the Baptiſme received in the Church of Rome and other apoſtate Churches, be anſwerable to the circumciſion had in the apoſtaſie of Iſraell, yea & of Iudah alſo. And vvhether that Circumciſion then were not, and this Baptiſme novv be not, the Lords ſigne and ſeale of his covenant of grace, &c. Or if not, hovv then they can eyther ſoundly anſwer the Anabaptiſts; or conſcionably approue their own ſtanding, vvho wittingly and vvillingly remayne without the Lords ſigne of true Baptiſme outwardly received, to ſeal unto thē Gods covenant of grace in Ieſus Chriſt: And finally, hovv they can come to the Lords table, without the Lords ſigne of Baptiſme firſt outvvardly had, but that they muſt needs fall into high tranſgreſſion againſt God; and profanation of his holy things; to the provoking of his vvrath againſt them more and more, til they repent and amend their vvaies. And that alſo the more, ſeeing they hauehave had ſo long and often vvarning thereof giuen unto them.
Theſe things (if they can) let them get him to anſwer by the word of God, ſyncerely and ſoundly; if they vvill vvalk conſcionably herein, as they ought to doe. To us, they may ſee, he cannot anſwer them: but with ſleights & evaſions puts them of: perſvvading the Reader that nothing is proved by us, vvhen any may ſee that nothing in deed is anſwered by himſelf: but that ſometimes he paſſeth by things vvholly vvhichwhich should ſpecially be inſiſted on and anſwered; ſometimes where he would anſvver, cannot find any, but vvith gloſing ſpeaches caryes away the Reader vvhat he can; and ſometimes brings that (as he thinketh) againſt us, vvhichwhich (being well obſerved) is in deed for us, and againſt himſelf. As may be ſeen in the laſt points novv treated off: beſides the like in other here noted before, and that may be obſerved throughout his treatiſe.
And hitherto of this point, concerning Gods people, and their being under his covenant, euen whiles they are in Babylon. Rev. 18, 4.