A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 18
The Eighteenth Plot againſt the CHURCH, in Babylon: Defeated by GOD.
CHAP. XVIII.
NOW when the Devil had got the Church laid waſt in Judah, and (as it is expreſſed in Scripture) Buryed in the Graves of Babylon, he made as ſure Work as he could to keep them down there; In order thereunto he made them Servants to Nebuchadnezzar and to his Sons, evil Merodach and Belſhazzar, as the Prophet Jeremy had foretold, Jer. 27. 6, 7. yet this was not to fulfill the Will of the Devil, but the Word of the Lord, 2 Chron. 36. 20, 21. Until onelyonly the Land had Enjoyed her Sabbaths; which had likewiſe been foretold, Levit. 26. 34, 35. and 23. 32. Ier. 25. 9, 12. and 29. 10. Dan. 9. 2. The Land was Eaſed of that Wicked weight which brought upon it Gods heavy Curſes, and it had been toyled and tyr'd out with continual Tillage, and ſo they had got out the very Heart of it to ſpend it upon their Luſts, (both) in a Neglect and Contempt of Gods Holy Sabbaths: ☞ The good Lord divert from us the like Judgements (as an utter extirpation) for the like Sins: Oh how ſhould our notorious Provocations make us Weep over, and Tremble at the Word of the Lord, Ezek. 24. 13, 14. leaſt Ruine come upon us without Remedy, as upon Iſrael and Iudah, whom Ezekiel calls Aholah and Aholibah, Ch. 23. 4. the Lewdneſs of both which God cauſed to ceaſe, as a Caution to all Kingdoms, that they may Hear, Fear, and do ſo no more, v. 49, 49. and Ezek. 16. 51, 58, 59. where the ſame matter is Expreſſed more plainly, (as in Ch. 23. 'tis ſpoken parabolically) yet this Thundering Law God was pleaſed moſt graciouſly to qualifie with ſome ſerene Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel, v. 60. Nevertheleſs I will remember my Covenant. This ſpoil'd the Devils plot, who thought the Cup now put into the Churches Hand (in her Captivity) was ſo Deep and Large, Ezek. 23.32. that it had Eternity to the Bottom; but Gods Covenant of Grace ſtop'd her bitter Draught be times, (not by thy Covenant, to wit, of Works, made on Mount Sinai) but by my Covenant, to wit, of Grace, made on Mount Sion, Ezek. 16. 60, to 63. This deſtroy'd the Devils Deſign of Burying the Church in the Babyloniſh-Grave of Everlaſting oblivion, which was as Impoſſible as to keep Chriſt in his Grave from a Glorious Reſurrection, Act. 2. 21. Rom. 1. 4. as the literal Body of Chriſt (our Redeemer,) ſo the Myſtical Body of Chriſt (the Church) Swallows up Death in Victory, 1 Cor. 15. 54. The Lords Witneſſes cannot be kept Under without a Glorious Reſurrection, Rev. 11. 10, 11. Oh how gladly would the Devil have (by his Agents) kept Chriſt faſt in the Grave, when he had got him there? Hereupon his Inſtruments (thoſe Kill-Chriſts) procures a Commiſſion to do that ſervile Work on the Sabbath-day, in Securing and Sealing up Chriſts Sepulchre by Authority: So they went and made the Sepulchre ſure, Matth. 27. 66. and now the Devil Dances upon the Grave of Chriſt, as thinking himſelf Cock-ſure of him, but he that ſat in Heaven Sees and Smiles, Videt, Ridet, looks and laughs, and Laughs all to Nothing: he ſets his King (in deſpight of the Devil) upon his Holy Hill of Sion, Pſal. 2.4, 6. and, as Daniel was brought out of his Sealed Den of Lyons, was made greater than ever; So the Church (that Priſoner of Hope) is rais'd out of the Pit (out of the Graves of Babylon) by the Blood of the Covenant, Zech. 9. 11, 12. Gods Promiſe to this People is, that though they lay in Babylon as in a Sepulchre, and, as it were, buryed alive there, yea, and now nothing but bare Bones, yea, dry Bones, ſuch as were ready to crumble into Duſt; Their Caſe being ſo deſperate, that they deſparingly ſay, [We are cut off for our parts,] hanging up their Hopes and their Harps together upon the Willows, Pſal. 137. 1, 2, 3. yet God owneth them, ſaying, [Behold Oh my People,] though they little deſerved it, Ezek. 37. 3, 11, 12. [The Graves ſhall be Opened,] together with my Dead Body they ſhall Ariſe, Iſa. 26. 19. Come my People, your Captivity is but your Chamber, a place of Reſt, I will bring you out thence; God ſent his Angel to Roul back the Stone, as an Officer ſent to let Chriſt out of Priſon without the Keepers conſent, and ſat upon it, in deſpight of all their Arms, which the Guard let fall out of their Hands at the Aſtoniſhing preſence of the Angel, Matth. 28. 2, 3, 4. There was an Earthquake at Chriſts Death, that Opened the Graves, Matth. 27. 52, 53. for the Earth could not bear his Suffering, and there was an Earthquake at Chriſts Reſurrection, for the Earth could not hinder his Riſing, and Chriſt graciouſly Comforts his Diſponding Church in the Graves of Babylon; Thy Dead Men ſhall Riſe, together with my Dead Body they ſhall Ariſe; Awake and Sing thou that dwelleſt in the Duſt, Iſa. 26. …9. Ariſe, and come away, Cant. 2. 10, 13. and till thy 70 Y. be Accompliſh'd, he ſaith, Come my People, Hide your ſelves in your Chambers of Reſt, or Babyloniſh Retirement, as it were for a little Moment, &c. Thus God lovingly beſpoke his people when they were led Captive to Babylon; as if leading them by the Hand to an hiding place of his own providing there, ſaying, I will make Babylon to you (Oh my People) what the Ark was to Noah, and what Zoar was to Lot, your Captivity ſhall be your Sanctuary; [Build ye Houſes in Babylon and dwell in them, take ye Wives and beget Sons, and ſeck the peace of the City, Jer. 29. 5, 6, 7. (in a Land like your own Land for Fruitfulneſs, 2 Kin. 18, 32. As it is with ſundry Plants which loſes their Stalks (as well as their Flowers) in Winter, yet ſhelter themſelves by their Roots in the Earth, the Ground is not their Grave, but their Sanctuary; a New Spring makes them live again to Bud and Bloſſom: So it was the Churches Winter-time in the Graves of Babylon, wherein God ſecured Sion, when an out-caſt (as it were) under Ground, and trampled under foot, (as Roots of the moſt beautiful Plants in Winter) yet Behold how the Lord Cheriſhes the Churches Root there, and then with Thoughts of Peace and Love, to give her an Expected End of her Winter, and to bring a freſh spring upon her, Jer. 29. 11, to 14. and 30. 17. 'Tis very remarkable, that thoſe Jews who were in Babylon (though as Buryed there) Fared far better than thoſe that were left and liv'd in Canaan; for God Spoke in the hearts of their Enemies for the Former, and made their Foes to Favour them; God Interceeded for them with the Chaldeans, Jer. 15. 11. Verily it ſhall be well with thy Remnant; Hebr. If it be not well, &c. and If I do not cauſe, &c. as if the Lord had ſaid, Then never Truſt Me more, never look on Me as Lord or Maſter of My Word more: But the latter that ſtill liv'd in their own Land, were within a little while Involv'd in Woful Miſery by Iſhmaels Murdering of Gedaliah, many of them were Maſſacr'd, and the reſt went down to Aegypt, (expreſly contrary to Gods Command, Deut. 17. 16. and the Prophets Counſel, Jer. 42. 14.) where they found no ſuch Graves to Reſt in, (as their Brethren found in Babylon) but while they ſought to run from Death, they run to it, v. 22. and Jer. 43. 9, 11. and 46. 13, 15, 17, 24. Yet ſo compaſſionate is God to his Church's-Relick there, that while he is denouncing the Doom, and foretelling the Conqueſt of Aegypt, yea, and of Babylon too afterwards, (for Perſecuting the Church, Jer. 50. 1, 9. &c.) The Lord Intermingles his Comminations againſt Aegypt and Babylon with ſweet Conſolations to Sion, Jer. 46. 27. but Fear not thou, Oh my Servant Jacob, &c. I will make an End of all the Nations whither I have driven thee, but I will not make a full End of thee, but Correct thee in meaſure: ☞ Oh the Bleeding of Divine Bowels over his Captivated Church, in this conſolatory Clauſe, God could not find in his Heart to make a full End of her, as Hoſ. 11.8. but keeps their Room empty all the 70 Y. till the return of the Natives, his Church. The Devil undoubtedly gave Judahs land, (as he had given the land of the Ten Tribes) primo occupaturo, to him that could catch and Conquer it firſt: he was a Blaſphemous Uſurper in his ſaying to Chriſt, [To whomſoever I will, I give it,] Luk. 4. 6. wherein he Robbs God of the chiefeſt Jewel in his Imperial Crown, Dan. 4. 32, 17, 25. Thus the Pope (like the Devils Heir) takes upon him to be Lord of all (that Incommunicable Attribute of Chriſt, Act. 10. 36) both Temporals and Spirituals in all Countries and Kingdoms: So Boniface the 8. (that Antichriſt) ſtiled himſelf to Phillip King of France; and ſo did his Succeſſor to our Henry the 8. whom he Excommunicated from the Church, Depoſed him from his Crown, and Diſpoſed of his Kingdom to him that could firſt Win it, ſo far as his Roaring Bull (which yet proov'd but a brute Thunder-bolt) might Accompliſh; no leſs had the Devil (his Maſter, Father, and God) done concerning the Kingdom of Judah. Nevertheleſs the God of Iſrael would not ſuffer any of thoſe Warlike Adverſaries (that ſurrounded Judea) ſo much as to Deſire their Land, Exod. 34. 23, 24. when they left it unmann'd thrice in the Year, much leſs Invade it; and this Providence is yet more marvellous, that while their land was empty of its Inhabitants for 70 Y. together, yet none of thoſe Neighbour-Nations (which always Watched, yet never Catched an Opportunity) do make a Seizure of that tempting Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20. 6. when the Prophet Jeremiah hath done Denouncing dreadful Woes againſt Aegypt, and all other Adverſaries of the Church, (nine in number) he comes to his 10th. even Babylon; and oh how amazing it is to Conſider how in his giving out Confounding Corraſives to Proud Babylon. He ſtill ſcatters moſt Comfortable Cordials to drooping and diſtreſſed Sion, as Ch. 50. 4, 19, 20. The Iniquity of lacob ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, Ch. 51. 5. Judah hath not been for ſaken, &c. v. 44, 45. God will make Babel ſpue up his Church as too Hot a Mouthful, and that cannot be diſgeſted, and ſtill, My People, no reaſon can be rendred, why Iudah was not conſumed as well as the Ten Tribes, and the Ten Nations, but Gods never-failing Compaſſions, Lam. 3. 22. his mindfulneſs of the Covenant of giving David a Lamp alway, 2 Kin. 8. 19. the Lord ſaid not, that he would blot out the Name of Iſrael from under Heaven, 2 Kin. 14. 2, 7. Hereupon he ſent Prophets all along, 2 Chron. 24. 19. to comfort the good Figs, as to Confound the bad ones, Jer. 24. 25, 8. Finally, when the Devil had got the Church [the good Figs] in Babylon [as the bad Figs] in Aegypt, yea, and Fetter'd them there, until ſhe was become as very dry bones, and in a deep Grave too, with a great Stone upon it, inſomuch that ſhe looks upon her ſelf in a forlorn Condition, and that no Created power or Natural means could poſſibly recover her, ſaying, Can theſe dry Bones live? &c. Ezek. 37.3, 11. they ſay (as it were) Let them Hope that Hope can, There is now no Hope, Ier. 2. 25. the leſs Hope that the Church had, the more Hope the Devil hath to win the Game: but the great and Gracious God comes with a [Liberate] ſerves a Writ of [Quare Impedit] upon the Devil for Detaining them, this ſpoils all his Sport, God Commands his Angels to Roul away the great Stone that lay upon the Mouth of his Churches Tomb, Sealed down with the Devils Seal upon it, (as Daniels Den was with that of Darius, Dan. 6. 17.) then Opened he the Graves according to his Promiſe, Ezek. 37. 12. the ſame God who vouchſafed to be a Grave-maker for Moſes Perſon, Deut. 34. 6. vouchſafes now to become a Grave-Opener for Moſes People; when he had opened their Graves (with a Non-obſtante-Writ,) the People were there preſerved Alive (as they had been buryed Alive,) for God had ſent his Angel to ſhut the Mouth of that all-Devouring Lyon, Death, (as he did to the Lyons in Daniels Den, Dan. 6. 22.) Hebr. 11. 33. ſo that the Savage and Hunger-ſtarv'd Death had not ſeiz'd upon them, Pſal. 55. 15. with a Writ of Habeas Corpus, or taking their Bodies, like as an auſtere and over-Lordly Landlord attaques his poor Tenants, or as a cruel Creditor doth his failing Debtor; or as that mercileſs Man in the Goſpel, who took his Fellow by the Throat, and ſaid, [Pay that thou oweſt me,] Matth. 18. 28, 33. neither had the Devil (that Roaring Lyon, [ſeeking whom he may Devour,] 1 Pet. 5. 8.) ſerv'd the other Writ of [Habeas Animam] or attaching their Souls, to carry them away into his Dungeon of Darkneſs: Oh what a miracle of Mercy was here manifeſted, that neither the Cold Grave could contain their Bodies, nor Hot Hell catch their Souls: Death had not fed upon them, neither was their Beauty conſumed in the Grave, as Pſal. 49. 14. but thoſe Ʋpright ones had dominion over Death and Devil in the Morning, (after the long Night of their 70 Y. Captivity was ended) in a dawning Day: But ſuppoſe they had been of that Moyety of Mankind that lye dead in the Grave, as Pſal. 88. 5. and that Death had not onelyonly ſeiz'd, but alſo fed upon them, and had Gnawed them to the very bones, leaving nothing but bare bones; yea, ſuppoſe thoſe bones had been dryed, yea, ſo very much dryed, ex Vetuſtate, & Carie, both ſo old and ſo rotten, as ready to moulder into Duſt at the leaſt Touch: yet the great God, who comes to ſtand over theſe Opened Graves, (as Chriſt did over Lazarus's, Joh. 11. 38, 41.) and who by his Almighty Power can quicken the Dead, and call things that are not as if they were, Rom. 5. 17. Joh. 5. 28. Iſa. 26. 19. Hoſ. 13. 14. he cryeth (with ſome Groanings over the Grave,) Lazarus, Judah, Oh my People, Oh my Church, come forth, Joh. 11. 43. Ezek. 37. 12. Yea, he Roareth mightily from on high, Ier. 25. 30. like the luſty Lyon finding his Whelps dead in his Den at their birth, he falls a Roaring ſo fiercely, that (as Pliny Reports) they preſently revive and riſe up. So the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah Roareth here to the like purpoſe, and much more at the laſt Day, 1 Theſſ. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 52. together with Gods Word there goeth out a Power, Luk. 5. 17. (as when he ſaid, Lazarus come forth.) So it is in the firſt Reſurrection, and ſo it ſhall be in the laſt, Joh. 5. 25, 28, 29. If God do but Speak to the dry bones, ſaying, Ye ſhall Live, &c. accordingly it is done, as in the Creation of the World, Gen. 1. 3, 6, 9, 14, &c. The Admirable Work of this great World was all made by a bare Word out of the Mouth of the Almighty God, and He who could give a being out of nothing at the firſt, can more eaſily reſtore a Being out of ſomething again, as out of dry Bones here. This great Truth, Ezekiel (Gods Interpreter) excellently Evidenceth in his Parabolical and Typical Viſion of the dry Bones, moſt aptly Applyed and Accomodated to the Jewiſh-Church in the Graves of Babylon, which yet was Reviv'd, Ezek. 37. v. 7. (1.) By a Noiſe, or Rattle, to wit, ſome Roaring Thunderclap. (2.) By a Shakeing, as that of the Earthquake at Chriſts Reſurrection, Matth. 28. 2. the Earth did ſhake then to let Chriſt out of his Grave, and now to let the Church out: and when God delivers his Church from myſtical Babylon, he will ſhake Heaven as well as Earth, Hebr. 12. 26, 27. he will ſhake the old Heaven and the old Earth, to ſettle the New Heaven, and the New Earth, 2 Pet. 3. 12, 13. Gods Shakeing concludes with Settling; 'tis not to Ruine, but to Refine his Church: Oh what a Noiſe and what a Shakeing was made here, by Ordinary Means (as well as by Extraordinary, in the Thunderelap above, and in the Earthquake below;) to wit, (1.) by the Power of Prayer. (2.) by a prevalent Proclamation: (1.) Prayer hath a ſhakeing Power, Act. 4. 31. Yea, and a ratling Noiſe or Sound with it, Act. 2. 2. (as Ezekiels Viſion of the dry bones had both thoſe Two extraordinary and ſenſible Signs of Gods powerful preſence) ſo the Spirit of God came upon thoſe Praying Ones as a Spirit of Power, 2 'Tim. 1. 7. and ſhakes the place of Prayr (with a mighty ruſhing Wind) and ſhakes the Perſons too at that firſt planting of the Goſpel, as Planters do to young Plants that they may ſettle the better. Now this Powerful Prayr (for the Jewiſh-Churches Reſtoration out of Babylon) was Threefold, 1. That of Solomon, 1 Kin. 8. from 46, to 54. this very Prayr (though made about 468 Y. before) ſhakes the Heart of the Perſian Prince (Cyrus) ſo, as to ſhew Compaſſion to Gods poor people in Babylon, and at length gives them leave to Return: thus Jacobs Prayr, [God Almighty give you Mercy,] or Hebr. Bowels, Gen. 43. 14. was particularly Anſwer'd, when Joſephs Bowels yerned over Benjamin, v. 30. 2. That of Daniel, when he Ʋnderſtood by Books how the 70 Y. were expired; then he puts Gods Promiſe in Suit, and ſpeaks nothing in his Prayers but what God had ſpoke in his Promiſes, and ſo was Anſwer'd by God in his Providences, Dan. 9. 2, 4, 20. This Prayr ſhakes Heaven, brings from thence Gabriel, who tells him, for the 70 Y. Captivity, they ſhall enjoy their own Countrey Seven Seventies, or 490 Y. v. 24. 3. That of the People, who Prayed, Faſted, and Wept by the Waters of Babylon, Pſal. 137. 1, 2, 3. 1 Kin. 8. 47, 48. Zech. 7. 5. Thoſe Three Actions in thoſe 70 Y. ſhows the Church was no more Dead in Babylon, than Daniel was in his Den, for they are all Actions of the Living, not of the Dead: They Sow in Tears the precious Seed of Prayr (Wing'd with Faſting,) ſo Reaps at laſt in joy. Their Deſolate Countrey made them Diſconſolate Souls, yet their Sighs unutterable brought Joy Ʋnſpeakable, Pſal. 126. 1, 2, 5, 6. Then comes the (2d. Shake) Cyrus prevalent Proclamation, (the Lord ſtirring up his Spirit to it) Ezra 1. 1, &c. This turn'd the Churches Tears into Triumphs, her Sighing into Singing, her Sadneſs into Gladneſs. And the Devil (for all his Plots) hath the Contrary to all theſe, is Sad at his Defeat, and goes learing away. Now when God (in whoſe Hand are the Hearts of all Kings, Prov. 21.1.) had moſt Happily ſtirr'd up the Spirit of Cyrus to Iſſue out his moſt Gracious Proclamation of a Jubilee to the Diſtreſſed Church, (wherein he was a Type of Chriſt, Proclaiming Liberty to the Captives, and the Opening of the Priſon to them that are Bound, Iſa. 61. 1.) and to give her ſo fair and full a Patent, this Mighty, Marvellous, and Immediate Work of Divine Mercy (in her ſo deplorable miſery) did ſo ſurprize her, that ſhe could hardly believe her own Eyes, but was for a while as thoſe that Dream, Pſal. 126. 1. This was the Lords own Doing, and moſt Marvellous in the Churches Eyes, Pſal. 118. 23. eſpecially upon thoſe Reſpects. (1.) That their Graves ſhould be opened. (2.) That their dry Bones ſhould live again, ſtand upon their Feet, walk home into their own Countrey, build a Temple, &c. (3.) That Cyrus, an Heathen King, (who did not know the Lord, Sc. ſavingly, Iſa. 45. 4, 5.) ſhould not onelyonly be called by Name, (above 170 Y. before he was Born) to become the Lords Shepherd to Feed his diſtreſſed Church, Iſa. 44. 28. but alſo (4.) in the very Entrance into his Monarchy, before his Affairs were fully ſettled) to Diſmiſs ſo great and ſo United a People (in their Religion and Cuſtom) and ſo given to Inſurrection (as their Character was, Ezra 4. 12, 19.) and to Return them into their own Land with all manner of Accomodations both for State and Strength. (5.) 'Twas moſt marvellous, That this Decree or Proclamation ſhould be Signed, not onelyonly, 1. Preciſely, at the End of Daniels Prayer, Dan. 9. 21, 23. and 10. 12, 14. No ſooner was Daniels Prayer out of his Mouth, but it was preſently in Gods Ear, and no ſooner was it there, but Immediately Gabriel comes poſting upon the Wing, with an Anſwer, That (the 70 Y. being Expired) the Decree for their Liberty was now Signed, but alſo, 2. Exactly at the End of the 70 Y. Captivity, neither more nor leſs. God will come according to his Promiſe, Jer. 25. 12. and 29. 10. but Daniels Prayers muſt lead him; thus he will have it to be: and God will be Punctual in keeping his Word: a Day (with Men) breaks no ſquares, it doth with God. Hence thoſe Two great Deliverances (out of Aegypt and Babylon, and this latter more Marvellous than the former, Jer. 16. 14, 15.) hath Two ſpecial Remarques upon them in their Accompliſhment at a Punctual and Preciſe point of Time promiſed, as 1. That very Night (wherein the Firſt-born of Aegypt were ſlain) was the Ending of the foretold Four Hundred Y. Exod. 12. 40, 41. And 2. That very Night (wherein Belſhazzar was Slain by Cyrus and Darius) was exactly the Expiration of the foretold 70 Y. Dan. 5. 30. ☞ This is the Churches Cordial and Comfort, though God ſometimes fails to come at her time, yet he never fails to come at his own time.