Babylons Ruining, Exegesis

Babylons Ruining · Exegesis

p. 3The ſenſe of the Words.

The Prophets living in the Eaſterne regions did frequently uſe the phraſe and ſtile of the Eaſterne Nations; they did not alwayes in a plaine, down-right manner, declare things as they be, as we for the moſt part doe; but did uſe many high phraſes, tropicall ſpeeches, and other figurative exornations, many continued metaphors or allegorie's, aenigma's and darke riddles, hyperbolees, and exceſſive ſpeeches many emblematicall and hieroglificall expreſſions; theſe puzzle us when we read them, but were familiar to the people of thoſe times and places.

Heavens were uſed not onelyonly for the coeleſtiall bodies above, but ſometimes to ſet forth a State of dignity and proſperity: Earth a ſtate of mediocrity hell of adverſity. Againe, ſometimes heavens were uſed to ſet forth things appertaining to the Church, or eccleſiaſtick State; earth, things appertaining to the Common-Weale, or civill State, as we ſhall heare afterwards: Seas and dry Land making up the whole Orbe of the univerſe, are put comprehenſively and extenſively to ſignifie the extent of this ſhaking, ſo as it ſhould be of all the world round about, as it is interpreted even in the next Words, I will ſhake all Nations, ſee further, verſe 22.

By ſhaking we are to underſtand, the raiſing of great ſtirres in thoſe Nations among all eſtates; whereby great alterations ſhould follow, and deſolations.

That ſuch a ſenſe is not inſolent in the Scriptures, we may ſee in an inſtance or two, Iſa. 14.12, 13, 14, 15. How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, ſonne of the morning, &c. Thou ſaideſt I will aſcend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the Starres of God, &c. Yet thou ſhalt be brought downe to hell, &c. Who was this Lucifer? Anſw. None other but the King of Aſſyria, as appeares by the context.

What were the Heavens and Starres he exalted himſelf above? Anſw. The great eſtates and Princes of the world compared thereto. What Heaven was he fallen from? Anſw. from his high Soveraigne Dignity and Majeſty, To what hell was he brought downe? Anſw. To utter confuſion and ruine; for not long after this, an hundred eighty five thouſand of his Army were ſlaine by p. 4the Angell of God in one night, himſelf ſhortly after killed by his owne ſonnes in his Idols Temple, and a little while after this, his whole Kingdome brought to deſtruction, and the Soveraignity transferred to another Family, viz. that of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and that Kingdome at length alſo ruined.

Look upon another inſtance, Jer. 4.23, 24. I beheld the earth and be hold it was without forme, and voyd, and the Heavens, and they had no light; I beheld the Mountaines, and loe they trembled, and all the Hils moved lightly, &c. Did the Prophet Jeremy indeed ſee any ſuch thing? was the earth like an old confuſed Chaos without all forme and voyd, ſo as no Graſſe nor Tree did grow upon it? had the Heavens ſo loſt their light, as that neither Sun, Moon, or Startes did ſhine? Did Jeremy ſee the Hils to skippe and leap? No ſuch matter ſurely, but this was all the meaning, that there was a great confuſion in the Land among all eſtates both in Church and Common-weale as appeares in the verſes following, which tell us that the fruitfull places were even become a Wilderneſſe, the Cities broken downe and the whole Land deſolate.

Let us goe on in the interpretation: And the deſire of all Nations ſhall come. Some underſtand this of Beleevers, the deſirable people of all Nations; others of other things; but no doubt it is meant concerning Chriſt by anticipation who was to be afterwards the deſire of the Nations.

The words are to be read thus, Object. The deſire of all Nations they ſhall come (a Noune of the ſingular number joyned to a Verb of the plurall) and therefore they cannot be meant of Chriſt.foreign

The learned in the Hebrew affirme ſuch a Synrax, Anſw. not to be unuſuall among the Hebrewes, and namely when they ſet forth the dignity and excellency of a perſon; ſo that we may take it thus, Chriſt cloathed with all his Excellencies, Attributes, Offices and Merits, ſhall come. Neither doe I ſee why this ſhould be more abſurd then the joyning of a Noune of the plurall number to a Verb of the ſingular, as we find, Gen. 1.1. In the beginning Godcrea…ed, word for word, Gods he created, denoting out the Trinity of the perſons in the God-head, foreignand the unity of their Eſſence and Act in creating the World.

And I will fill this Houſe with glory: Not with an externall p. 5glory of ſilver and gold, nor with a ceremoniall glory, ſuch as the Arke, which was called the glory of Iſrael, 1 Sam. 4.21, 22. Pſal. 78.61. which was now quite taken away, Jer. 3.16. (for God would now teach them to take their hearts quite off from ceremonies, and to look directly for the Meſſiah) but he would fill it with the glorious preſence of Chriſt, who had the glory of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, John 1.14. who is the Lord of Glory, James 2.1. who is the true Glory of Iſrael, Luke 2.32. who ſhewes his people the way, and is himſelfe the undoubted means of glory.

Now from the words thus underſtood, we may obſerve theſe two generall Doctrines; one from the commination, the other from the conſolation.

Firſt, that great concuſſions, Doctrine 1 ſhakings and alterations of States and Nations great warres, and ſometimes deſolations both oft civill and eccleſiaſticall State, doe in the courſe of Gods adminiſtration often times goe before great and notable reſtaurations and Reformations of the Church.

Secondly, Doctrine 2 great and excellent Reformations of the Church, doe often times follow and enſue upon great combuſtions and concuſſions of Sates and Nations.

We will begin with the former of theſe, and in opening of it obſerve this method. Firſt, we will ſet downe ſome proofes and examples of it in the Scriptures. Secondly, give ſome grounds and reaſons of the Lords proceedings in this manner, ſuch as the Scripture leads unto. Thirdly, we will declare ſome ſignes and indices of ſuch an approching ſtorme and earth-quake, and then apply it.

Firſt therefore; we ſhall find ſuch earth-quakes foretold and threatned before the Reformation of the Church, wherein the Lord intends not to ruine the Church as we are apt to imagine) but to reſtore and reforme it. See for this, Amos 9.8 9, 10, 11. Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the ſinfull Kingdomes, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth, ſaving that I will not utterly destroy the houſe of Jacob ſaith the Lord, for loe I will command, and I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael among all Nations, like as Corne is ſifted in a ſieve, &c. All the ſinners of my people …all dye by the ſword, which ſay, the evill ſhall not overtake nor p. 6prevent us: In that day will I raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and cloſe up the breaches thereof, and I will raiſe up his ruines, and I will build it as in the dayes of old, &c. Loe here, the Lord will firſt deſtroy the ſinfull Kingdome (though not the whole Nation, for thoſe are two things.)

He will ſift the whole Nation, ſo that no graine ſhall eſcape toſſing, and cut off the enormous tranſgreſſors among his people; and then when this is done, he will reſtore his Church, ſet forth under the Type of the Tabernable of David, as we ſee it expounded by the Apoſtle James, Act. 15.14, 15, 16, 17. other predictions we have of this kind, Iſa. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. Zech. 13.8, 9.

We ſhall alſo find inſtances in the Scriptures of ſuch mighty earth-quakes in the courſe of Gods providence going before notable Reformations of the Church, and we will begin with this mentioned in the Text.

There have been foure famous Monarchies in the world the Babylonian, the Perſian, the Graecian and the Roman Monarchies. The Babylonian was lately fallen it was now about the middeſt of the Perſian Kingdome, which continued for ſome 228. years, and then was utterly overthrowne by Alexander the Macedonian called Alexander the Great. He brought in the Graecian Kingdome which continued divided amongſt his ſucceſſors (but with infinite troubles) 200. and odde yeers, and then was ſubdued by the Romans. All theſe great changes (beſides very great ones among the Romans themſelves) happened between the time that the Prophet Haggai flouriſhed, and the comming of Chriſt. The people of God, the people of the Jewes were under all theſe Monarchies, Neh. 9.36, 37.Neh 9:36Neh 9:37and held their Kingdom in vaſſalage of them, and as tributaries to them, and therefore muſt needs partake of their commotions, as indeed they did, for there were great alterations in the Jewiſh State, both in Common-weale and Church.

For the civill State, ſometimes they were under a Prince of their owne Nation, ſometimes under a forreigne Governour; as Pilate the Roman Deputy was over Jeruſalem, and the principall part of that Country in the time of our Saviour: Sometimes they were under Princes of the houſe of David, as Zerubbabel and others: Sometimes their Princes were of another Tribe, as the Macchabees, who are ſaid to be of Lev: by the Fathers ſide, p. 7and of the Tribe of Judah by the Mother, till at length Herod the Idumaean tyrant, by the favour of the Roman Emperours uſurped the Kingdome, ſlew Hircanus the King his Father-in law, together with his owne Wife and Sonnes, being all of the Bloodroyall and line of David, many of the Nobles of Iudah the whole Sanhedrim, or Councell of Elders.

And ſo that propheſie of Iacob was fully accompliſhed, Gen. 4….10. The Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come, meaning Chriſt. Sometimes their Governour had the title of a Prince, ſometimes of a King; they were now under a King, then under a Queen, as Alexandra: Sometimes their Governour was both King and Prieſt, as was Hircanus a little before our Saviour came in the fleſh; Theſe changes were uſually made, with many mighty ſtirres and diſmall battels.

There were ſemblably great changes in the eccleſiaſticall Sate, it ſeems they had ſundry High-prieſts together ſometimes, as Luke 3.2. Annas and Caiaphas; ſometimes the High-prieſt was but annuall or but for a yeer in his office whereas by the law there was to be but one High-prieſt, and he for terme of life: There were divers different Sects of Religion riſen up among them and ſome of them ſtrange ones, as Sadduces that denied the Reſurrection, Angels. &c. Phariſees, Eſſenes (what they were may be doubted.) They had put many falſe gloſſes upon the law morall, as we may ſee, Mat. 5.21. &c. They ſtood ſtiffely for the ceremoniall law as a thing that was to be perpetuall, as appeares by our Saviours telling them, that He came not to destroy it, but to fulfill it, Mat. 5.17. by their ſtoning of Stephen upon that falſe accuſation, Act. 6.13, 14 15. Yea, the converted Jewes were very tenacious of it, Act. 21.20. The falſe Apoſtles urged ſome part of it as circumciſion, &c. upon the Churches of the Gentiles, Act. 15.1. Inſomuch as the Lord at length ſhakes downe Temple, Prieſts ſervice, ceremoniall government and all and almoſt the whole Nation, and then was Chriſt made the deſire of the Nations, &c. unto this ſhaking of the Church, and the antiquating the old adminiſtration and forme of worſhip; doth the Apoſtle apply this Text of Haggai in part. Heb. 12.26, 27. He hath promiſed, ſaying, yet once more I ſhake not the earth p. 8onelyonly, but alſo heaven: And this word, yet once more, ſignifieth the removing of thoſe things that are ſhaken, as of things that are made (that is of the ceremaniall Ordinances and Law) that thoſe things that cannot be ſhaken may remaine, that is the Ordinances of Chriſt, as the Word and ſeales of the Word under the Goſpell.

A ſecond inſtance we have in the planting the people of Iſrael in the land of Canaan: In Aegypt they were under great oppreſſion, and it ſeems had no publique ſervice of God, for when they deſire leave of Pharaoh to goe out of the land, they told him they muſt ſerve the Lord, as he ſhould command them, Ex. 8.27. and they knew not how that muſt be, till they came thither where he appointed them, Exod. 10.26.

The Lord therefore would have them out of Aegypt into Canaan, but before that he was forced firſt to ſhake Aegypt terribly with many ſore plagues, and at laſt when it would not otherwiſe be, he tumbled Pharaoh and all his Army into the midſt of the Sea, he deſtroyed ſix hundred thouſand Iſraelites in fourty years ſpace in the Wilderneſſe, and after that twenty or thirty Kingdomes of the Canaanites, and then plants in his people, and ſets up his Tabernacle and Glory in the middeſt of them.

A third inſtance we have in the people of the Jewes after the captivity of Babylon; before, Religion was come to a low ebbe, the land was full of prophaneneſſe, idolatry, and contempt of God and his Word, 2 Chron. 36.14, 15, 16. Ezek. 22. Jer. 6.10. The Lord therefore doth as a man uſeth to doe with an old houſe that is too bad to patch and repaire, he puls it downe that he may build it fairer from the ground: Thus did the Lord, he puls downe all the Eccleſiaſtik & civill State too, deſtroyes the Temple, Prieſts Sacrifices the Princes and Nobles of the Land, carries the Kings one after another into Babylon, ſuffers Nebuchadnezzar to put out the eyes of Zedekiah, having firſt ſlaine his Children before his ſace, that that might be the laſt ſight that ever he might ſee, (2 Kin. 24. & 25. 2 Chron. 36. Jer. 39.) captivates the people alſo, and beſlaves them to the Chaldeans for the ſpace of ſeventy years; when thoſe were over, wholy overthrowes the Babylonian Kingdome, and then brings back their captivity, ſettles them againe in the land of Judah, reſtores his glory to them, makes them take rooting downward, and bring forth fruit upward.

p. 9Let us looke into the Chriſtian Church under the new Teſtament, and there we ſhall find predictions of ſuch earth-quakes; one is already paſt, another is to come.

The Church (you know) was after our Saviours time almoſt 300. yeares, continually moleſted with dreadfull perſecutions under the heathen Empire; at length the Lord upon the humble ſupplications of his people, and the cryes of their blood (Rev. 6.10.) was pleaſed to grant peace and liberty to his ſervants; but before this could be done, there muſt be a great earth-quake, which makes a mighty confuſion in all eſtates, as if heaven and earth were mingled together; the Sunne is darkned, the Moon is turned into blood, the Starres fall, &c. which is interpreted afterwards; the Kings of the Earth, the chiefe Captaines, the great men, &c. doe call to rocks and mountaines to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of the Lamb (who now is like a Lion,) Rev. 6.12, 13. &c. the meaning is, the heathen Emperours, when God ſtirred up Conſtantine the great, who was the Churches firſt maſculine child, to undertake the quarrell of Chriſt and of his Church againſt them, and being overcome in many diſmall battels, were ſo amazed and confounded, together with their great Captains and Commanders, as that divers of them confeſſed Chriſt had overcome them, as Galerius, Maximinus, Licinius; happy was he that could firſt make an end of himſelfe.

Maxentius a cruell enemy of Chriſt, after he had bin overcome in fight was drowned, or did drown himſelf in Tyber; Diocleſian is ſaid to have poyſoned himſelfe, Maximinianus to have hanged himſelfe, or to have been ſtrangled by Conſtantine's command, as was afterward Licinius. Maximinus having in a rage ſlain many of his Idol-prieſts that ſtirred him up to warre againſt the Chriſtians and revoked his decrees, being ſodainly ſtricken with Gods hand, was eaten away peece-meale, and ſo his eyes leaping out of his head, he breathed out his cruell Ghoſt: Galerius was eaten up with vermine, and rotted above ground: All of them extreamly frighted with Chriſts victories over them, in feare and tormert (together with multitudes of their Souldiers) ended their dayes. What was this but rocks and mountaines fall upon us, and hide us from the preſence of the Lamb? After followed peace and liberty to the people of God.

p. 10Theſe and many more are already paſt and gone; there is one earth-quake to come, that is the greateſt that ever was in the world and ſhall be followed with the moſt notable Reformation of the Church that ever was; I call it the greateſt that ever was, becauſe the Text cals it ſo, Rev. 16.18. and it is very probable Daniel meanes the ſame, Dan. 12.1. where he ſpeaks of a time of trouble that ſhould be, ſuch as never was ſince there was a Nation, even to that ſame time.

We read of it firſt, Rev. 11.13. the Beaſt hath long perſecuted the Prophets, at laſt (beſides many former) he got an unexpected victory over them, triumphed over them for three dayes and an halfe; but now in the middeſt of his jollity and his whores alſo, ſpoken of, Rev. 18.7, 8. an earthquake comes upon them both, (Rev. 11.13.) and utterly ruines them (for this fals out at the end of the Prophets prophecying in ſack cloath (ver. 7.) and conſequently, … Meadat the end of the B…aſts reigne) and the tenth part of the City fals; by which we may underſtand the City of Rome that now is, being but the tenth part of that which it was, when it was in its glory; and in the earth-quake (not in the fall of the City, for the earth-quake is to ſhake down the whole Kingdome of the Beaſt throughout the world) in the earthquake (I ſay) were flaine of men ſeven thouſand, that is, thouſands upon thouſands, and ſo the ſecond woe, made up of Popi…h idolatry and Turkiſh cruelty, paſſeth away, ver. 14.

Now immediately upon this the ſeventh Angell ſounds a Jubilee, and then there be great proclamations and acclamations in Heaven, that the Kingdomes of the World (indefinitely ſet downe, that is all the Kingdomes) are become Christ's, Kingdomes: And whereas before the Divell, Dragon, Beaſt & his hornes have reigned, now Chriſt takes to himſelfe his great power and reignes; for which the whole Church (under the type of 24. Elders) praiſe him, though the Nations be angry, as they ever are when Chriſt puts forth his juſt power, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18. He now gives rewards unto his ſervants the Prophets, &c. and destroyes them that destroyed the earth; that is, he ruines the wicked and idolatrous generations of Antichriſt, who waſted his Church before, ver. 18. His Tabernacle is now opened in Heaven, and the Arke of his Teſtament ſeene, ver. 19. that is, Chriſt (repreſented by the Arke) is p. 11clearly manifeſted; before, that wicked generation had forbidden men to read the Scriptures, had kept them in unknowne tongues, had involved the myſteries of Chriſt in Maſſes, and rude heaps of other ſuperſtitions and ceremonies; but now he and all his excellencies ſhall be fully manifeſted to the Nations.

The other place is, Rev. 16.17. &c. where Antichriſt having by his emiſſaries (that is, the uncleane ſpirits like Frogs) drawne the Kings of the earth into (a)(a)A militiae, or confoederation, ſubiect to the divine Anath…ma.Hormageddon, i. e. into a curſed and crafty warre (for herein I aſſent to Graſerus) ſodainly the Angell finding them in that ſtate powrs out the ſeventh Viall upon them, upon which follow thundrings, lightnings, and an earth-quake, ſuch as was not ſince men were upon earth, ſo mighty an earth-quake and ſo great; it is called the greateſt earth-quake that ever was, haply in regard of the ſodainneſſe and violence of it, or either elſe, in regard of the extent of it, as being to ſhake all the world.

1. The effects are, the great City is divided into three parts, 1by which underſtand probably, that the Kingdome of the Beaſt ſhall be rent in peeces by fractions, and deviſions, ver. 19.

2. The Cities of the Nations (or Gentiles) fall; 2by which no doubt we are to underſtand, the falſe Chriſtians that filled the viſible Church all Antichriſts reigne, that is, Papiſts and falſe profeſſors; for it is ſaid, that theſe Gentiles (or Nations, for the word is the ſame) ſhould tread down the holy City that is, the viſible Church, Rev. 11.2. Peradventer theſe two effects of the earth-quake are now in fulfilling, ver. 19.

3. Unto great Babylon the cup of God's wrath is given, &c. 3now ſhee ſhall be remembred and deſtroyed.

4. Yea, all parts of Antichriſts monarchy ſhall fall. Object. 4Some Kingdomes are ſtrong and invincible like mighty mountaines, they will ſtand; others are remote like the Iſlands; they cannot be come at, they will continue: No ſaith the Text, every Iſland fled away, and the mountains were not found, ver. 20. nothing ſo remote as the Iland, nothing ſo mighty as the mountains could ſtand.

And becauſe this ruine of the Beaſts Kingdome is one of the greateſt things that ever did, or ever ſhall fall out in the world, and ſhall have the ſtrangeſt conſequents; therefore the holy-Ghoſt is pleaſed after a deſcription of the Beaſt and the Whore, p. 12chap. 17. that we may know who they are, the Beaſt to be the Pope, and the Whore Rome; The holy-Ghoſt is pleaſed (I ſay) to ſet downe theſe things particularly, and at large: Firſt, the deſtruction of the Whore, chap. 18. then the deſtruction of the Beaſt himſelfe, and all the Kings his partakers, chap. 19. after which followes the binding up of Sathan with its conſequents, chap. 20. and then the glorious reſtauration of the Church, both of Jewes and Gentiles, under the type of the new Jeruſalem, in the two laſt chapters.

In the next place, let us conſider ſuch grounds and reaſons as the Scriptures lead us unto, why the Lord in the courſe of his adminiſtration and providence, doth cauſe ſuch great ſhakings of Nations before he doth reforme and refine his Church, and we ſhall find theſe three in ſpeciall.

Firſt, Reaſon 1 that he may plague and puniſh the perſecutors and oppreſſors of his Church, and ſo deliver his people from perſecution and oppreſſion. I joyne theſe two together, and we ſhall find them to be things the Lord hath alwayes aimed at in his concuſſions of States and Nations, if there were a Church there: Why did the Lord ſo terribly ſhake Aegypt, but that he might plague the oppreſſing Egyptians, and enlarge his perſecuted people of Iſrael? And why Babylon, but that he might deſtroy the Babylonian tyrants and deliver captivated Judah? Theſe things the Lord Intended when he ruined the Dragons Kingdome, the perſecrting heathen Empire; and which he now intends, being about to deſtroy the Kingdome of Antichriſt: take one place for all, Jer. 50.33, 34. The Children of Iſrael and the Children of Judah were oppreſſed together, and all that tooke them captives held them faſt, they refuſed to let them goe; their Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of Hosts is his name; He will thoroughly plead their cauſe, that he may give reſt to the Land, and diſquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon. Marke here, Gods people were oppreſſed, their enemies held them hard, as never minding to let them goo and deliver them, (no more did the enemies of God's Church now) well, who can help it? B. L. in his Epiſt. Ded. before his anſ. to F…ſhe….they have no ſuch ſtrong aſſiſtance to back them (for ſo one hath written:) Yes (ſaith the Phophet) they have a ſtrong Redeemer; what may his name be? the Lord of Hoſts is his name; what will he doe for them? He will thoroughly plead their cauſe p. 13and give reſt unto them; how will he doe that? by diſquieting the Inhabitants of Babylon; it is a foreign, he will diſquiet, that is, he will deſtroy them: Obſerve it, wherefore would the Lord bring ſuch a devaſtation upon Babylon, but that he might redeeme his people by oppreſſing their oppreſſors?

That he may take away the impediments of his Churches reſtauration, and namely theſe three. Reaſon 2

That he may take away the ſcandall of great ſinnes: Imped. 1 The viſible Church is like a draw-net, that takes in Fiſhes good and bad, it ſo falls out often times, that this Church is filled with groſſe ſins committed and permitted, with blaſphemy, ſwearing curſing, lying ſtealing, Hoſea 4.2, 3.Hos 4:2Hos 4:3prophanation of Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths perſecutions of the godly, and all kinds of licentiouſneſſe, open ſins againſt the very letter of the Law; and theſe lived in againſt the expreſſe doctrine which the committers of them know and profeſſe: Now for theſe ſinnes the name of the Lord lyes under much pollution and diſhonour; Heathers and Turks can pull Chriſtians by the ſleeve and accuſe them for them and wonder why they doe things ſo contrary to their profeſſion: A man would certainly think that wicked men had a diſpenſation for theſe ſins, or that God himſelfe did not much diſlike them, and would never puniſh them: Well, the Lord will not alwayes ſuffer this reproach though he forbeare a long time; no (nor never did alwayes in any Nation) he will make blaſphemers know at length that he will not hold them guiltleſſe that take his name in vaine, and ſo for the reſt. The Land ſhall mourne for theſe things at laſt, Hoſ. 4.3. He will have it appeare that he allowes not his to commit ſuch ſinnes; the Lord will have the ſcandall of ſinne taken away.

Now the ſcandall of great ſinnes is to be removed one of theſe two wayes, either by the Delinquents penetent confeſſion and reformation; or ſecondly, by a ſpeciall vindication.

1. Sometimes it is taken away by the offender himſelfe, when he humbly confeſſeth his ſinne and reformes, (if he confeſſe and not forſake, he doth not remove, but encreaſe the ſcandall) for then he takes the blame from off the profeſſion and layes it upon himſelfe.

I did indeed ſo and ſo tranſgreſſe, I did blaſpheme, commit adultery, p. 14&c. but it was my corruption made me to doe it and not my Religion, it is utterly contrary to the doctrine I have received and doe profeſſe, which utterly forbids ſuch ſinnes, and threatens eternall damnation to the ſinner; I am heartily ſorry for my ſin, doe earneſtly beg pardon for it of God the Father through Chriſt, and by divine grace in him doe fully purpoſe and will endeavour a thorough Reformation: this now diſchargeth the profeſſion of all blame and layes it upon the perſon.

But becauſe this is ſeldome done & only by penetents thoroughly, therefore there is another way of taking away ſcandall from Gods Name for the groſſe ſinnes of profeſſours and that is by viſiting, or vindicating the ſinne upon the ſinner.

Now this vindication is either humane or divine.

The firſt is humane. For God requires that thoſe that are under him and over others, ſhould execute judgement for him upon their Subjects, for all open ſinfulneſſe according to the nature and degrees of it; this he expects from the Parent, Maſter, Magiſtrate reſpectively, and they greatly ſinne, and ſhall be puniſhed if they doe it not.

Now becauſe this humane vindication for the moſt part failes, therefore the Lord himſelfe doth at length take the matter into his owne hand; when he ſees judgement is turned backward, and juſtice ſtands a farre off, truth lyes in the ſtreet, equity cannot enter, and he that refraines from evill makes himſelfe a prey, that it is lawfull to be any thing but good (as we have ſeen in our times) when he looks about him and ſees that there is no man, and wonders that there is no interceſſor; that is, he wonders there is no body will appeare to execute judgement for him; then at length himſelfe puts on righteouſneſſe as a breſt-plat, he puts on the garments of vengeance for cloathing, and is clad with zeale as with a cloake; according to their deeds, accordingly will he repay fury to his adverſaries (farre and neere) even to the Iſlands he will repay recompence, Iſa. 59.14, 15, 16, 17. and ſo he will take away the ſcandall ſinne and ſinners, permitters and committers altogether.

See an inſtance: The people of Iſrael had divers times murmured and tempted God; they doe it afreſh when the ſpyes came home, and brought ill newes of the Land of Canaan, the Lord thereupon threatens to deſtroy them all; Moſes intercedes for p. 15them and prevailes for the preſent; but withall the Lord ſayes, and binds it with an oath, that ſurely and as truly as He lived, He would fill all the earth with his glory, and not one of thoſe murmurers ſhould ſee the promiſed Land, Numb. 14.21, 22, 23. And ſo it came to paſſe, for they were all rooted out in the Wilderneſſe, they had made all the earth ring of his diſhonour in their murmuring, and he would make it reſound his honour againe in his puniſhing of them.

Becauſe Elye's ſonnes tranſcendently ſinned and he being their Parent and Judge did not puniſh them as he ought, therefore the Lord threatens to bring ſuch a puniſhment upon him and his houſe, that whoſoever ſhould he are of it both his ears ſhould …ingle 1 Sam. 3.11. and ſo he did, chap. 4. Both his ſonnes were ſlaine in one day, himſelfe periſhed miſerably, afterwards Saul flew (though unjuſtly) 85. of his Poſterity at one time, and Abiather was afterwards for taking part with Adonijah, caſt out of the prieſt-hood by Salomon, and ſo his whole poſterity brought to beggery; hereby was the word of the Lord fulfilled, 1 Kin. 2.27.

As deare as David was to God, yet when by his murther and adultery he had opened the mouthes of God's enemies to blaſpheme his Name though upon his repentance the Lord did pardon him, yet he would not remit the temporall puniſhment, but the child borne in adultery ſhould dye, the ſword ſhould never depart from his houſe, he would raiſe up evill againſt him out of his own bowels, as he did in the rebellion of Abſolom, 2 Sam. 12.10, 11, 14. And this I take to be one ſpeciall reaſon, why the Lord at laſt hath deſtroyed all the States and Kingdomes of the world that ever yet have been, becauſe that whereas they ſhould have executed judgement for him, they have executed judgement againſt him; whereas they ſhould have been a terrour to evill works, and for the praiſe of them that doe well, they have generally been a terrour to good works, and for the praiſe of them that doe evill.

The ſecond impidement of Reformation is great and enormous ſinners; Imped. 2 theſe the Lord uſeth to ſweep away by the earthquake; they are of divers ſorts, as

1. The ſcoffers at Religion, Sort 1 the bold affronters of Heaven that fit in the chayre of the ſcorner, theſe feare neither God nor devill, they make a tuſh at the threatnings of God; they ſay, the p. 16Prophets words ſhall become wind, Jer. 5.13.

They threaten the Prophets that threaten them; the Prophets tell them, they ſhall dye by ſword and famine, they ſay thus ſhall it be done unto them, ibid. We will make them dye by ſword and famine; our Saviour cals theſe dogs that bark at, & bite them that caſt pearles to them. Such were thoſe, Iſa. 22.12.13. who when the Lord called to weeping & mourning, & behold there was joy and gladneſſe with them, killing of Oxen and ſlaying of Sheep; let us eat and drinke (ſay they, ſpeaking moſt impiouſly and ſecurely) for to morrow we ſhall dye. The ſame Prophet tels us of a company that know not how to be ſinfull enough, & denounceth a w…e againſt them from the Lord, Iſa. 5.18, 19. though they be an idle generation, yet they will work like Cart-horſes to commit ſinne; they will draw iniquity to them with cords of vanity, and ſinne as with Cart-ropes: How might one know them might ſome man ſay? why by this; they ſay, let him make speed and hasten his worke that we may ſee it, let the councell of the holy one of Iſrael draw nigh and come, that we may know it; as much as if they had ſaid, we would ſee what he will doe, we would ſee his threats executed, we will beleeve them when we ſee them; I, ſo did the men of the old world (juſt of this temper and ſped accordingly) The moſt deſperate Gyant of them all, when he ſaw the waters to cover the tops of the higheſt mountaines, no doubt beleeved the floud; but then it was too late to beleeve it: Bleſſed are they that beleeve, though they never ſaw. If Noah had been of that mind alſo, he had periſhed with them. The like we have in the place cited before, Amos 9.10. All the ſinners of my people ſhall dye by the ſword (note they are called ſinners foreign, that is, in a high degree) who? Why thoſe that ſay the evill ſhall not overtake nor prevent us: They ſcorne the Prophets comminations then, ver. 11. In that day, when they are taken off, God will raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, meaning the Church; but he will firſt knock them downe: Multitudes of ſuch were removed in the captivity of Babylon, before the Lord reſtored his Church in Judah.

The ſecond ſort are the obſtinate reſiſters of Gods ſpirit, Sort 2 ſtriving with them in the uſe of his Ordinances and meanes of grace. (For his spirit ſhall not alwayes ſo ſtrive with men in vaine, as we, p. 17ſee Gen. 6.3.) When the Lord is forced to ſay of a people unto whom he hath afforded all his Ordinances for a long time, as he doth of his Vineyard, which he had choicely planted and dreſt, &c. Iſa. 5.4. What could I have done more to this people, then that I have done; meaning in an ordinary way of meanes ſetled by himſelfe (and God uſeth not to ſave Nations (though perſons ſometimes) by a prerogative) why then it muſt be expected he will deale with that people as he did with his fruitleſſe Vineyard break downe the hedge about them with his owne hand; let the wilde beaſts ruſh and runne in and depopulate all. This was one cauſe of the captivity of Babylon. The Lord roſe up early and ſent his Prophets long before plagues came, but they mocked his Meſſengers, despiſed his words, and miſ-uſed his Prophets, untill the wrath of God roſe againſt his people, untill there was no remedy; whilſt men are without meanes, there is hope they might be reformed; if they had meanes, but when as they have for a long time prophaned all meanes, their caſe growes hopeleſſe, therefore now the Lord brought upon them the King of the Chaldees who deſtroyed all, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16, 17. So, becauſe our Saviour would have gathered to him the Jewes by his word, as the Hen her Chickens under her wings, and they would not, therefore their habitation ſhould be left unto them deſolate, Mat. 23.37, 38.

Sor. 3 A third ſort, are the cruell perſecutors of his people; perſecution ever goes along with prophanation and contempt of the means of grace, ſpoken of before: When the Husband-men reviled beat and ſtoned the ſervants whom the Lord had ſent to demand rent and fruits of the Vineyard; he at laſt in fury ſends out his men of warre, and kils thoſe Husband-men, and then lets out his Vineyard to better Husband-men, that will yeeld him his fruits in their ſeaſon, Mat. 23 33, 34, &c.

A fourth ſort of enormous tranſgreſſors, Sort 4 whom the Lord takes off in a publike calamity as the great impediments of Reformation are, the proud, ſtrong, and otherwiſe invincible ſupporters of falſe worſhip, errors, haereſie. Idolatry, prophaneneſſe as the Popiſh & Hierarchicall generation, both of the eccleſiaſticall and civill eſtate. Thus the Lord deſtroyed the High-prieſts, and other ſupporters of Idolatry in the captivity of Babylon, 2 Kin. 25.19, 20, 21. 2 Chron. 36. And ſo the Scribes and Phariſees, and the whole p. 18Jewiſh ſtate in the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem; and this is to be one maine effect of the earth-quake before the Churches future reformation; in a word, the Lord will take away whatſoever in Church or Common-weale is unreconcilable unto his Sonnes Scepter, even Kingdomes and all; ſee Dan. 2.34.35.44.45. In the dayes of theſe Kings (ſpeaking of the laſt times, and of the Kingdomes that iſſue out of the feet of the Image, or the iron. Empire of the Romans, viz. the Kingdomes of Europe) ſhall the God of Heaven ſet up a Kingdome that ſhall never be deſtroyed, and the Kingdome ſhall not be left to other people, but it ſhall breake in peeces all theſe Kingdomes, and it ſhall ſtand for ever, ver. 44. this interpretation is ſure, ver. 45. ſee for this alſo Rev. 19.17, 18 &c.

Queſt. Shall all of all theſe ſorts be taken off in a publique calamity?

Anſw. As many as neceſſity enforceth for freeing Gods way in the worke of Reformation: God uſually takes off the tops principals, and ring-leaders of all theſe kinds, he fels the great Cedars for clearing the ground where the City is to be built and ſtand, whoſe name is, the Lord is there.

Queſt. Why are theſe kinds removed?

Anſw. 1 Firſt, becauſe they have highly and in ſo extraordinary a manner provoked God that we parallelling them with ſuch in other Scriptures, may juſty ſuſpect God hath ſworne againſt them in his wrath, and then he will never reverſe his threats; then their ſinne cannot he purged away with ſacrifice and offering for ever, as it ſaid of Ely's houſe, 1 Sam. 3.14. Then though Noah, Daniel and Job ſhould pray for them, they ſhould not prevaile; for a man may ſinne himſelfe paſt and beyond mercy, ſo that though he ſhould repent yet the externall plague ſhould not be removed.

Secondly, 2becauſe they are not counted worthy to ſee the good that God will doe for his people, as the Text ſpea…eth of the falſe Prophet Shemajah the Nehelamite, Jer. 29.32. that made the Lord take off the old generation in the Wilderneſſe.

Thirdly, 3they are unframable for God's building, they would never lye even nor keepe a due proportion with the foundation and the reſt of the building; God hath tryed them ſufficiently before.

Fourthly, 4they would ſpoyle all Gods work; If all the ſix hundred p. 19thouſand murmurers had come into the Land of Promiſe, how would they have hindred the advancement of Gods Kingdome and worſhip, they being ſo inured to Idolatry, murmuring, &c. and ſo hardned therin? ſuch would be like the enemies of the Jewes, Ezra 4.2. they would needs aſſiſt the Jewes in building the Temple, but they would have marr'd all the worke; they would have made a wiſe building, and as ſtrange a worſhip would they have ſet up.

Queſt. Whom doth God uſe to preſerve in theſe great calamities?

Anſw. Some of divers ſorts: as,

Firſt, a convenient number of Saints already called; not all, 1but a ſufficient number: There is (I take it) ſuch a diſtinction intimated. Dan. 12.1. At that time thy people ſhall be delivered, not all in general, but every one that ſhall be found written in the book; implying that ſome of Daniels people the Saints, are written in the booke of life; that is of naturall life for eſcape, but not all; ſee alſo Iſa. 4.3. God muſt have a number of theſe called ones; firſt, to be the conſtant objects of his love and grace; ſecondly, to praiſe and ſerve him; and thirdly, to be the pillar and ground of truth to ſupport it before the world; and then fourthly, (if I may uſe ſo loe a compariſon) as thoſe that write of Bees, report the Bees ſtill ſend out ſome of their old ones with the new ſwarmes to manage their work; ſo God will have a competent number of called ones preſerved to carry on his worke of Reformation.

Secondly, all the Elect that are not yet called at leſt, 2till they be effectually converted, elſe their election would be fruſtrated, which is impoſſible. Thus 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is long-ſuffering towards the world, ſo that he deſtroyes it not, becauſe he is not willing that any ſhould periſh; (i. e.) not any of his own choſen ſhould periſh but that all, meaning all they, ſhould come to repentance.

Thirdly, the progenitors of the Elect to come; 3for otherwiſe the Elect that are to come of them would be prevented: And this I take to be our Saviours meaning, Mat. 24 2… where ſpeaking of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem) he ſaith that except thoſe dayes ſhould be ſhortned, no fleſh ſhould be ſaved, but all the Jewes ſhould have been deſtroyed: Why were they not? (might ſome man ſay) they that eſcaped were as bad as thoſe that periſhed; why? ſaith our Saviour, for the Elects ſake thoſe dayes ſhall be ſhortned, p. 20i. e. for the Elects ſake that are to come of them (it may be) ſeventeene hundred, or two thouſand yeeres after: And to the ſame ſenſe are thoſe words, Iſa, 65.8. As the new wine is found in the cluſter, and one ſaith deſtroy it not, for a bleſſing is in at; that is, let it grow till the vintage and there will be a bleſſing, viz. good wine in it; ſo will I doe for my ſervants ſake, that I may not deſtroy them all; that is. I would deſtroy all this ſinfull generation, were there not a bleſſing in them; namely, were it not for mine elect ſervants ſakes that are to proceed from them.

Fourthly, 4haply ſome may be ſaved out of a generall deluge, in ſome relation or reſpect to others of Gods people to whom they belong, as bad children for the godly Parents ſakes. And backe againe, wicked Parents that they may nurſe up children that are elect; theſe deliverances are bleſſings, not ſo much to the wicked themſelves, as to the godly to whom they relate. They in the ſhip were ſaved for Pauls ſake, Acts 27.24.44. that they might be of ſome uſe to his perſon, and their deliverance ſome honour to his office. Reprobates thus ſaved ſhall be as the Gibeonites, hewers of wood, and drawers of water to the people of God; they ſhall doe ſome baſer drudgeries for them, ſtudy Arts and Sciences for them, as the heathen Philoſophers did; God taking from him that hath not & giving unto him that hath, beſtowing the uſe & benefit of wicked mens gifts, not upon themſelus but upon the godly.

The third Impediment of the Churches reſtauration taken away by theſe great earth-quakes, Imped. is errour, haereſie, falſe worſhip, idolatry, &c. You cannot preach, nor pray them downe directly and immediately (though all other meanes depend upon theſe (and the Saints muſt own the thing) God is terrible out of his holy places, Pſa. 68.35.) Well, that which the Word cannot do, the ſword ſhall; that which the water cannot waſh out, the fire will burn out. Unto this particular the Apoſtle applies this very text in part, namely concerning the ſhaking of the Heavens, Heb, 12.26, 27. Yet once more I ſhake not earth onelyonly, but alſo heaven, &c. An earth-quake (as we have heard) was appointed to ſhake downe the ceremoniall Ordinances; now if this were neceſſary for the abolition of that divine worſhip, which had ſometimes been by Gods owne holy inſtitution, how much more ſhall that which hath been of humane invention (yea, the very fumes and fogs of the bottomleſſe pit) to Gods infinite diſpleaſure and diſhonour, be tumbled downe p. 21with violence and vengeance to hell, from whence it came? And therefore as the heatheniſh idolatry fel with ſuch a terrible earthquake as ſhook down both it and all its ſupporters both Emperors and Empire; even ſo ſhall antichriſtian idolatry and haereſie with Babylon their Mother, the Beaſt their Father, and all their intoxicated and dementated defenders, be throwne like a Mil-ſtone into the bottome of the ſea, Rev. 18.21.

The third generall Reaſon of theſe great Earth-quakes before the Churches reſtauration, is: that the Saints may be prepared and qualified for the right uſe of ſuch a ſtate and condition of happineſſe and proſperity, and ſo made capable thereof. Reaſ. 3 The qualifications required, and whereof the earth-quake is a meanes, by the operation of Gods Spirit in the Saints are theſe:

Firſt, they are thereby made humble: for ſo the Lord humbles his &c. that he may do them good in the latter end Deut. 8.16. The people of the Jew's before the captivity were exceeding proud deſpiſed Gods Word ſpoken by his Prophets &c. 2 Chron. 126, 16. yea in the time of the captivity when all was broken in peeces. Yet ſo proud and ſtubborne were they, that they would not beare the yoake of the King of Babylon, though the Lord would have had them, promiſing them in ſo doing ſafety and bleſſing; many of them would needs into Egypt, and when they came there would worſhip the Queene of heaven, the Sunne. Moone and Starres, though the Lord by Jeremi…h under great penalties expreſly forbad both the one and the other, Ier. 42, & 43. & 44. But after the Lord …ad hammer'd them thoroughly by 70. yeers captivity and hard bondage, how humble were they, and tame as Lambs? now you may doe any thing with them; now they come weeping to ſeeke the Lord, and exhorting one another to enter into a covenant with their God, never to be forgotten, Ier. 50.4.5. and ſo they did, as we may ſee at large. Nehem. 9, & 10. where they undertake ſome things that it is probable they never did before as to live in Boothes in the feaſt of Tabernacles; and though they were very poore, yet they charged themſelves deeply for the maintainance of the publique worſhip of God.

Secondly, they are thereby made hungry after Chriſt, Iſa. 4.1.2. 2when the Lord hath waſted them in the publique calamity ſo that there was but one man left for ſeven women, in that day (ſaith the text) the branch of the Lord, that is Chriſt, ſhall be beautifull and p. 22glorious; and the fruit of the earth, that is, Chriſt againe ſhall be excellent and comely to all that are eſcaped in Iſrael, that is, that have eſcaped periſhing in the publique ſtorme and earth-quake. Before, who cared for Chriſt? who beleeved the Prophets reports concerning him? there was neither forme nor beauty in him wherefore men ſhould deſire him; oh! but now there is beauty and glory in him; formerly who regarded this Manna? men ſlighted him before, and ſaid as they of the Manna, what i… this? or if they reverenced him in their words, yet he did dwell powerfully but in a few hearts. Oh! but now Chriſt is excellent meat to thoſe that have eſcaped. This and the former make a man or a people capable of bleſſings, Iames 4.6. Luke 1.52, 53.

Thirdly, 3they are thereby made holy, Iſa. 4.3, 4. He that is left is Zion, and he that remaines in Jeruſalem ſhall be called holy, that is ſhall be holy, (for God cals things as they be) even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem; that is, every one that is left alive after the publique calamity. How ſhall this be done? When the Lord ſhall have waſhed away (ſaith the text) the filth of the daughters of Zion, and ſhall have purged the blood of Jeruſalem (that is, their ſinnes that defile like blood; or rather, when he ſhall have purged their ſheddings of innocent blood) out of the middeſt thereof by the ſpirit of judgement and the ſpirit of burning.

The plain meaning is, that the publique calamity ſhould by the working of Gods ſpirit there promiſed, be a meanes of purging away their ſinfulneſſe, and making of them holy, and to fit them for the deliverances and mercies in the verſes following. Thus, Zeph. 3.8, 9, 10, 11. When the Lord hath powred out his indignation upon the rebellious Nations, he turnes the remnant to him as a people of a pure language, that they may all call upon his Name, and ſerve him with one conſent: Yea, he makes them bring to him acceptable Offerings delivers them from their ſhameful Idolatries and proud hypocriſies. In like ſort, Zec. 13.8, 9. God would cut off two third parts in all the Land, the other third ſhould be left alive, and he would bring that third part through the fire, and would refine them as ſilver is refined, and try them as gold is tryed. Now when this is done, then (ſaith the Lord) they ſhall call upon p. 23my name, and I will heare them; I will ſay it is my people; and they ſhall ſay; the Lord is my God. Thus we ſee that the Lord by theſe great Earth-quakes makes his people humble, hungry and holy, and ſo fit for reſtauration: God may now truſt them, it is certaine now they will be thankfull and obedient, of which there could be no aſſurance before. And theſe are the fruits God expects from his Church in a ſtate of reſtauration and reformation.

It remaineth now that I ſhould give ſome Signes and Indices whereby the approaching of a publique Earth-quake may be diſcerned.

When a Nation or People doe revive their Fore, Signe 1 fathers old and (as I may call them) obſolete ſinnes; which had (as it were) in ſome ſort beene lay'd aſide, eſpecially their old idolatries and perſecutions. This evidence of a judgement to come is made the ſtronger, when all ſorts commit all other kindes of ſinnes with an high hand, againſt light, meanes, leſſer plagues, ſo as in then distreſſ, they trespaſſed more againſt the Lord, as branded Ahaz. did, 2 Chron. 28 22. and as ſuch Nations as fall to idolatry and perſecution ever uſe to doe, Revel. 16.9, 11. This reviving of thoſe great ſinnes uſeth to be the very nicke and period of time, when it hath continued a ſpace, that the Lord takes to bring an evill upon a people. For now the number of the Saints that are to be kiled, growes to be fulfilled, Rev. 6.11. now the grapes of the earth grow to be fully ripe, and therefore ſhall now be caſt in whole cluſters into the wine-preſſe of Gods wrath, Rev. 14.18, 19. Now wicked ones fill up the meaſure of their fathers, Mat. 23.32.

The people of the Jews had been exceeding idolatrous and cruell in the time of Manaſſeh, 2 Chron. 33. theſe ſinnes had beene intermitted and broken off in the raigne of Joſiah. who had wrought a wonderfull reformation; but were renewed againe by his Sonnes, and under their raignes Jer. 22.17. 2 Chro. 36. which made the time of Ieruſalem to come, i.e. to come ſuddenly; ſo that now ſhe had made her dayes to draw neere, and was come even unto her yeeres; that is, to her yeeres of puniſhment, for ſo ſpeakes Ezekiel that lived at that very ſame time, Ezek 22.3, 4. which immediately came upon them as we ſee 2 Chro. 26.17, 18. &c.

The Jewes before our Saviours time had given over their cruel perſecucions; we read of no Prophets or holy men ſlaine of them p. 24for divers ages before; but in our Saviours dayes they revived all the cruelty of their fore-fathers; they pretended otherwiſe, that had they lived in their Father dayes, they would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets; and therefore they built the Prophets coſtly Tombes (as their ſucceſſors our popiſh Hierarchiſts doe make Images to the old Saints and Marty…s) but for themſeives, they would kill no Prophets that they would not; no, take heed of them: Oh ye Serpents (ſaith our Saviour) ye generation of Vipers, how can you eſcape the damnation of hell! you tell me you will kill no Prophets? Behold, I ſend unto you Prophets and Wiſe-men, and Scribes, and ſome of them ye ſhall kill & crucifie and ſome of them ye ſhall ſcourge in your Synagogues and perſecute them from City to City; for all that they would kil no Prophets yet they could make a ſhift among them to kill John the Baptiſt, Stephen. James, beſide our Savior Chriſt himſelfe the Lord of all the Prophets: Therefore (ſaith our Saviour) All the righteous blood ſhed upon the earth frrom Abel to Zachary ſhall be required of the men of this generation, Mat. 23. from ver. 29. to the end. And ſo it came to paſſe, for ſome 36. or 37. yeers after our Saviours Aſcention, the State of the Iewes was utterly diſſolved in a moſt terrible calamity, and ſo remaines to this day.

The great perſecutions of the Chriſtians, after they had ſurceaſed for a time, were moſt voilently renewed above all that had been before in the reigne of Diocleſian, Maximinian, &c. a little before the fall and ruine of the heathen Empire.

Thus the Antichriſtian Hierarchicall brood have in our time revived all their fore-fathers idolatries, and perſecutions alſo, to as great an hight of extremity as poſsibly they could reach, or durſt proceed: For it was not want of malice (wherein they goe beyond all their fore-fathers) that kept them from blood (which they did alſo ſhed in part, and we ſee what they doe now.)

But becauſe they durſt not; it is (I take it) agreeable to the word, it ſhould be ſo; beſides, there was a fatall concurrence of ſubordinate cauſes to hinder them therefore wonder not if you ſee an earth-quake begin upon it.

Signe 2 When the enemies of Religion make an attempt upon the whole Church together to ruine it: It is with the Church as with a great City; it is very moleſtious to have an Enemy-King lyes p. 25loofe off with a mighty Army to hinder all trade and traffique, and to catch up and kill now one Citizen, then another, but if he hath once begirt it with a ſtrong ſiege, made many great breaches & threatens to kill man, woman and child, if the King, to whom that City belongs, intend to ſave it, he muſt now appeare to their reſcue: Even ſo the Lord can endure the enemies and perſecutors of his people for a long time to deſtroy row one, then another of his Saints, (though they ſhall at laſt heare of him for it) but when once they determine and endeavour to cut them off from being a Nation, that the name of Iſrael may be no more in remembrance, now the Lord muſt of neceſſity, and will eft-ſoon's appeare, for if he ſhould ſuffer all his Church and people to be deſtroyed, what ſhould he doe to his great Name? Joſh. 7.9. he muſt needes have a people to beare up his Name before the world.

Doth Pharaoh to all his other cruell perſecutions adde this, that he will deſtroy all the male-children of Iſrael? (for that ſtrikes at the root of the Church) why, now have at Pharaoh, you ſhall heare of ſome miſchiefe upon Aegypt ere it be long: Doth Hamon get a cruell decree againſt the Jewes, to deſtroy them altogether upon one day, and ſo to cut off the necke of the whole Church, as it were, at one blow, and that upon a pretence, that their lawes differ from all other Nations, and that they keepe not the Kings lawes, and that it was not for the Kings profit to ſuffer them; (an ordinary accuſation againſt the Saints) Heſter 3.8 9. Well, now beware Hamon; if we read forward we ſhall find him hanged anon upon his own gallow's made for another, Heſt. 7.10.

When Gog will needs come againſt the Land of Iſrael, then ſhall Gods fury come up in his face, Ezek. 38. from the 18. ver. to the end: Surely in that day the Lord will make a great ſhaking in the Land ſo that all Creatures ſhall ſhake at his preſence, the mountains ſhall be thrown down, and every wall ſhall fall to the ground, he will call for a ſword againſt him, throughout all his mountain; every mans ſword ſhall be againſt his brother, & he wil plead againſt him in pestilence, blood hailstones fire and brimſtone &c. When Gog and his Armies doe compaſſe about the Campe of the Saints and the beloved City, intending to ruine all (for that I take to be the Emphaſis of this word compaſſe about (and this by the way) is the laſt p. 26enemy that ever the Church of Chriſt ſhall conflict withall here upon earth) then ſuddenly fire comes down from God out of heaven and devoures them, Rev. 20.9.

The adverſaries of Religion have now of late made deſperate attempts upon the whole Church, plotted the ruine of it every where, and had as they imagined a compleat victory, both here and elſe-where; they rode in triumph: The great Whore began to ſing and to ſay ſhee was now a Queen againe, was no widow and ſhould ſee no ſorrow, &c. but whileſt the meat was yet in their mouthes, the heavy wrath of God fell upon them. Loe, even in the middeſt of their triumph an hand-writing upon the wall, that tels them, God hath numbered their Kingdome and finiſhed it: An earth quake takes them, and hath already ſhaken thouſands of them downe into the pit themſelves had digged for others; and the earth at this preſent doth terribly tremble under their whole Kingdome.

When the Lord ariſeth to the ſuccour of his people upon their ſufferings and ſupplications: Signe 3 For the oppreſſion of the poore and the ſighing of the needy, I will now ariſe ſaith the Lord. I will ſet him in ſafety from him that puffeth at him, Pſal. 12.5. and theſe words are as pure and true as refined ſilver, ver. 6. When the blood of the Saints cryed, Rev. 6.10. and their prayers alſo, Rev. 8.3, 4, 5, 6. inſtantly the Cenſ…r that brought up their prayers is filled with fire, …ed that caſt down upon the earth, and immediatly follow thunderings, lightenings, and an earth-quake f…ure Angels with Trumpets ſound a deſiance againſt the World, and upon that follow foure plagues that utterly ruine the Roman Empire.

Now God is riſen upon the prayers and teares of his people, groaning under the intollerable oppreſſions of Hierarchy, Praelates, High-commiſſion, &c. (who Lorded it over their faith and conſciences and tyrannized over their bodies and eſtates) & crying unto him day and night for helpe. For I am confident there was ſcarce ever the like crying of that nature in the world, as of late yeares there hath been in England; why ſhould it not ſtill be continued? The Lord therefore being up will not ſit downe againe till he have done his worke, and hath made his enemies his owne and his peoples footstoole. And whereas the enemies doe conſult with hell, digging deepe and in the duke; (for Gods people p. 27in theſe quarrels doe not wrestle with fleſh and blood onelyonly, but with principalities and powers, and spirituall wickedneſſes,) yea, and whereas they doe with force and fury, with fire and ſword goe about to propugne their idolatries and perſecutions, and to withſtand the Lord comming with power for the vindication of his inheritance: they in ſo doing. doe nothing elſe but accerſe and draw downe upon themſelves, the more certaine, utter, and irrecoverable deſtruction; even as the Canaanites of old were hardned in their hearts of the Lord to come againſt Iſrael in battell, that they might have no favour, but be deſtroyed utterly, Joſ. 11.…0. For the Lord will not be alwayes bearded, and outbraved by man, but will even ſtrike through Kings in the day of his wrath; he ſhall iudge among the heathen; he ſhall fill the places w…th the dead bodies; he ſhall wound the heads over many Countries; he ſhall drinke of the brooke in the way (like a chafed Conquerour purſuing his flying enemy unto perdition) therefore ſhall he l…fe up his head Pſal. 110.5, 6, 7. When God cauſeth judgement to be heard from heaven, he makes the earth feare and be ſtill▪ when he ariſeth to judgement to ſave all the meeke of the earth ſarely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe him; the remainder of wrath ſhall he restraine, Pſa. 76.8, 9, 10. If the unjuſt Judge that neither feared God nor man, would avenge the Widdow becauſe of her troubleſome importunity (and our Saviour bids hearken what the unjuſt Judge ſaith) how much more ſhall the Lord avenge his owne elect upon their deſperate enemies, and that ſpeedily, his people giving him no reſt, but crying day and night unto him, Luk 18.5 6 7, 8. Surely the Lord will at laſt procure reſt to himſelfe from his peoples complaints, and unto his people from their enemies tyrannies, in their enemies deſtruction.

The great Earth-quake whereby the Kingdomes of the grand Antichriſt. with his whore of Babylon, and all their ſupporters, Signe 4 ſhall be utterly ſubverted in all Nations draw's neere, if it be not already entered. I may well put an If to it, it is ſo probable. It may poſſibly be with us, as it was with the people of the Jew's when our Saviour Chriſt came in the fleſh, or with the Churches of the Gentiles when Antichriſt came; our Saviour was both come and gone before the Jew's generally would know him for the Meſſiah; and Antichriſt was growne to his foreign to his full p. 28age and ſtature, before the world tooke any notice of him till the Waldenſes and Albigenſes, neere 500. yeares agoe, began a little to diſcerne him. I much ſuſpect the laſt 26. yeares, ever ſince the troubles began in Bohemia, Anno 1618. I much more ſuſpect the laſt ſeven or eight yeares, ever ſince the ſtirres began in Scotland; but moſt of all theſe laſt foure yeeres, ever ſince, that by the endeavours of this noble Parliament in England, the Prophets are begun to be raiſed, as it were from the dead, the enemies to be mightily oppoſed; their triumph over the Prophets here ended, their power alſo beginning to be broken and ruined. Beſides, ſince that time the ſtorme, like a mighty whirlewinde, hath paſſed over into, and aſſayled, many other Nations, and the fire doth continue ſtill there, and proceeds further and further, burning moſt fiercely and ragingly.

That this grand earth-quake is at hand, or elſe begun, appeares; becauſe the Beaſt, Antichriſt, who is to fall by it, is ſo well ſtricken in yeeres, and ſo neere his end. The whole terme of his life and reigne, without the wombe (for the myſtery of iniquity was framing this Embrio, even from the Apoſtles times, 2 Theſ. 2.7.) is two and fourty months; Reve. 13.5. or one thouſand two hundred and ſixty dayes, that is one thouſand two hundred and ſixty yeares putting a day for a yeare, as we finde it in other inſtances, Numb. 14.34. Ezek. 4.6. Dan. 9.24. Now, theſe yeares grow toward their full period and expiration; for it is well neer ſo much time ſince they began. This will be made appeare by theſe two indices.

Firſt it is almoſt ſo long time ſince the Papall ſtate became the ſeventh head of the Roman Monarchy; 1and when it began to be that head, then it began to be the Beaſt, Rev. 17.11. That we may underſtand this, we are to looke upon the text, Reve. 17.9, 10, 11. Here is the …inde that hath wiſdome, the ſeven heads are ſeven mountaines on which the woman ſits; and there are ſeven Kings, five are fallen, and one is, the other is not yet come, and when he commeth he muſt continue a ſhort ſpace, and the beaſt that was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the ſeventh, and goeth into perdition.

The ſeven heads of the Roman Monarchy ſignifie two things: firſt, ſeven hils upon which the woman ſits; that is, upon which p. 29the City was built (for the City is called a woman, ver. 18.) and ſeven Kings.

The ſeven hils were famouſly celebrated by heathen writers, long before the Apoſtle writ his Revelation, Their names were theſe, the Palatine, the Capitoline, the Aventine, the Eſquiline, the Quirinall, the Viminall, and the Janicular hils.

The heads did alſo ſignifie ſeven Kings; that is, ſeven ſeverall ſupreme formes of Government that have beene in Rome: which makes Daniel when he deſcribes the foure Monarchies comparing them to foure Beaſts, ſay, that this was divers from all the reſt, Dan. 7.8. The ſeven ſeverall regiments are theſe; firſt, Kings; ſecondly, Tribunes; thirdly, Decemvirs; fourthly, Dictators; fiftly, Conſuls; ſixtly, Emperours; (all theſe are enumerated by Tacitus in the beginning of his Hiſtory) ſeventhly, Popes.

Of theſe, five were fallen when the Apoſtle received the Revelation, that is, Kings, Tribunes, Decemvirs Dictators, Conſuls. One is; that is, the Emperour a Souldier choſen for the moſt part by the Armies. And the other is not yet come. He doth not ſay the ſeventh, but the other; pointing no doubt at the Chriſtian Emperour, who did not differ from the heathen Emperour as a diſtinct forme of Government (for they were both Souldiers, and choſen by the Souldiers;) but in the quality of his perſon; the one hating & perſecuting the other loving and protecting chriſtian Religion. And when he comes he muſt continue a ſhort space. For the Empire after it came into the hands of the Chriſtians, ſtood but a ſhort time in its ſtrength a matter of ſeventy or eighty yeares, from about the middle of the reigne of Constantine the great (for till then he was exerciſed with mighty warres againſt the heathen Emperours) unto the end of the reigne of Theodoſius the great, from about An. 316. or 320. untill 395.

It followes in the next verſe, the beaſt that was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the ſeven. The beaſt that was, viz, the Papall ſtate was in reſpect of the bulke of the Empire, whereof he is a horne. And is not; that is, hath not any preſent exiſtence in the Apoſtles time, as the ſeventh head for the time of that is not yet come. Even he is the eighth, and is of the ſeventh; that is, he is the eighth, if you make the Chriſtian Emperour one; but is indeed the ſeventh; for there be but ſeven heads, and he p. 30is but the ſeventh diſtinct forme of Government, as was obſerved before.

Now here lyes the argument. It is well towards the end of the 1260. yeeres ſince the Pope became the head of the Roman Kingdome: ergo, the earth-quake that muſt ruine him and his Kingdome draweth neer. To make this appeare, we are to know, there were (as ſome have obſerved) diuers degrees of the fall of that vaſt body of the Roman Empire. One after the death of Julian the Apoſtate, about 365. for then the barbarous Nations invaded, and made huge havocke in the Provinces of the Empire. A ſecond was about An. 410. when Rome it ſelfe was ſack'd by Alaricus the Goth, and the Empire diſmembred. A third about An. 455. when ten Kings were riſen up inſtead of the Empire.

Let me take the boldneſſe to interpoſe one notable one (ſometimes ſuggeſted out of a learned manuſcript) about An. 395. at the death of Theodoſius the great: The barbarous Nations had made many attempts before, but were from time to time, eſpecially by his valour, repelled; but upon his death they brake in like a huge inundation, bare downe the Empire before them, ſhivered it into an hundred pieces, ſo as it never recovered any more.

This great earth quake was at leaſt ſixty yeares in doing its worke for ſo great a body, as the Empire could not by created humane meanes be ruined in a ſhort time. And it is very remarkable, both becauſe it made ſo great a change in the Kingdomes of Europe and Affrick, planting them almoſt univerſally with new Nations and names; and in ſpecially, becauſe that ſtorme brought our fore fathers into this land, ſetling here a new Nation and language. It is thirdly alſo obſervable, becauſe in it the ſixth head of the Roman Monarchy the Emperour, went off and the ſeventh the Pope came on; onelyonly the queſtion is, about which of theſe times and degrees of the Empire deſtruction.

Haply not ſo high as Julians death, for the Empire ſtood in good ſtrength after that for thirty yeeres at leaſt: Nor ſo low as 455. when it was quite broken, and not long after loſt its very name; but ſomewhere between, viz. either about 410. when Rome it ſelfe, the head of the Empire was taken, or rather about An. …96. when the Empire firſt began to be ruined, that is, plus minus about 400. yeers after Chriſt.

p. 31Even as the ſeventy years of the Jewes captivity, are not to be computed from the 11. of Zedekiah when the City and Temple were taken and burnt and the State diſſolved; for from that time there be not ſixty years in all, till their returne under Cyrus; but they muſt be reckoned from the captivity of Jehojakim ten or eleven years before; even ſo, very probably it is here.

Now if the Beaſts reigne began about 400. after Chriſt, then is there above 1240. gone of his 1260. yeeres, ſo that the ruining earth-quake muſt needs approach. And a man may wonder that ſo much worke ſhould be done in ſo ſhort a time as ſeemes to be remaining to it throughout Europe, yea, throughout the world, but that the Text tels us it is the greateſt earth quake that ever was.

Object. The ſixth head of the Empire continued long after the death of Theodoſius the great.

Not in ſtrength, Anſw. 1 but was ſtill more and more broken unto its diſſolution.

It is not abſurd to imagine that the ſixth head and the ſeventh might be in ſome degrees together: For firſt, 2it is but a compariſon, not like the naturall head, of which there can be but one at once, more makes a monſter: and truly this Beaſt is a monſter.

Beſides, the Imperiall and Papall head did not ſo thwart and croſſe one another at firſt as afterwards they did, ſo that it might be with them, as Logicians ſay of contrary qualities, they may conſiſt together in the ſame ſubject, gradibus remiſſis, non intenſis, they might both of them have their power, and yet not intrench upon each other.

Popes at firſt medled in a manner onelyonly with matters of the Church, as being deſirous to ſettle their eccleſiaſticall authority; and the Emperours on the other ſide, almoſt wholly buſied themſelves about the civill State to governe and defend the Empire.

And yet further (which may leſſen the abſurdity) before that, you ſhould have in the Roman goverment ſometimes as it were, two heads at once; as Conſuls, who were for their yeere; and a Dictator, choſen it may be for three months or ſix mouths upon ſome extraordinary exigences and neceſſities of the State, who was for the time ſupreme, and namely, in matters of warre, as the Conſuls were ſupreme for other civill affaires.

p. 32The earth-quake whereby Antichriſts Kingdome is to be ruined approaches, or is already entered, as may apreare by this ſecond Indice or evidence: Becauſe it is almoſt 1260. years ſince the ten Kings began and the Beaſt began with them, as may appeare, Rev. 17.12. The ten hornes which thou ſaweſt, are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdome as yet, but received power as Kings one houre with the Beaſt.

The ten Kings, are the many Kingdomes that ſprang up out of the ruines of the Empire, as the Kingdome of England, the Kingdome of France, the Kingdome of Spaine, &c.

Theſe are called hornes aptly, becauſe Antichriſt did with them as the Beaſt doth with his horne (ſo the Dragon, i. e. the heathen Empire had done before with them whilſt they were his hornes, Rev. 12.3.) that is, propugne himſelfe, and oppugne his adverſaries: For this hath been Antichriſts courſe all along, to puſh downe and gore even to death, for the moſt part, all thoſe that oppoſed his idolatries and haereſies, in all Nations, by theſe hornes; that is by the Kings and peoples of thoſe Nations, who have given their power and ſtrength to the Beaſt, Rev. 17.13. and who doe generally continue it to the Beaſt with one mind and conſent, making warre for him againſt the Lamb almoſt all, and that moſt deſperately, unto this day.

Which have received no Kingdome as yet. For when the Apoſtle wrote, there were no ſu…h Kings, in rerum natura, or exiſtent in the world, as the King of England. the King of France, &c. Theſe Kingdomes then were hornes of the Dragon, i. e. Provinces of the Empire, and therefore in the deſcription of the Dragon Rev. 12.3. the Crownes are not ſaid to be upon the hornes, that is, upon the Kingdomes, who had then no Kings of their owne, but upon the heads, that is, upon the imperiall head at Rome; as for inſtance, this Land Brittaine, was in the Apoſtles time a Province or Kingdome, but it had no King of its owne and ſo no Crowne; that was upon the head of the Emperour at Rome, and he had ſupreme power over this Iſlrnd; but whenas theſe Kingdames became the hornes of the Beaſt, they came alſo to have peculiar Kings of their owne; England had and hath its King, France its King, &c. And therefore in the deſcription of the Beaſt the Crownes are not ſaid to be upon the heads, but upon the p. 33hornes; upon his hornes ten crownes, Revel. 13.1.

But received power as Kings one houre with the Beaſt foreign that is, the Kings and the Beaſt began their reigne together. Now the Kings and Kingdomes began to ariſe about An. 400. after Chriſt, when the Empire began to be deſtroyed; haply ſome of them a little before; for they had begun to breake the Empire foure or five yeeres before, and therefore might then begin to be called Kings (for God lookes at (and ſo are we to looke at) realities.) The Hiſtories indeed doe not ſpeake much of them under the name and notion of Kings untill after 400. or 410. but the Hiſtories are very confuſed, and no wonder, for thoſe were times of moſt ſtrange confuſion.

The Beaſt is ſaid to begin with them at one and the ſame houre, foreign, or as the word may be interpreted the firſt houre; the word in the Greeke text that ſignifies one (as all that have any ſmattering in that language know) ſignifies alſo, firſt; and ſo it may be interpreted, that the Beaſt began to riſe the very firſt houre the Kings began to riſe; rather then the firſt houre after they were riſen, for therein is a difference of many yeeres, it being almoſt ſixty yeeres from the firſt breaking of the Empire, before ten Kingdomes were ſet up in it. That the word that is here tranſlated one, is uſed alſo to ſignifie firſt, we may ſee in many inſtances, as in that for one, Luke 24.1. foreign, which is word for word one day of the Sabbaths or weeke; but is generally rendered (and ſo the meaning is) the firſt day of the weeke the women came to the Sepulcher. Now if the Kings and the Beaſt began their reigne together ſo long ſince, as abovt An. 400. plus minus; then is the earth quake that is to ruine him, and them alſo if they perſiſt in his ſervice, (Dan. 2.44 45. Rev 19, 18, 19. &c.) neer at hand.

Qu. Queſt. What reaſon have we to thinke that the Pope about that time began to be the great Antichriſt.

Anſ. Anſw. For anſwer: We are to know that there are two particular characters of the Beaſt, as ſome Divines have obſerved out of the text, the former the cauſe of the later, viz. 1. Blasphemy; for he is full of names of blasphemie, Rev. 17.3. by which underſtand haereſie and Idolatry. 2. cruelty, for he is a skarlet-coloured heaſt, and makes warre with the Saints, ibid. & ch. 13.7. But both p. 34theſe flow from an higher principle, which is (as I may ſay) proprium quarti modi, and a more convertible character of the beaſt, and that is his primacy or ſupremacy: This ſupremacy hath in it two things that make it up; one is a claiming of authority over the conſciences of men, and ſo over their faith and worſhip; ſecondly the extending of this power to all Churches in all Nations.

I will not ſay that theſe two are the ſame thing, nor that they iſſue both from one and the ſame root; but ſurely this I may ſay, they are neer a kinne & have their roots not farre aſunder, becauſe they are generally ſtill found in one and the ſelfe ſame perſon.

That both theſe meet in the grand Antichriſt will appeare.

Firſt, he arrogates authority over the ſoule; ſo much I take to be intimated in thoſe words of Daniel ſpeaking of him, Dan. 7.25 He ſhall speake great words againſt the moſt high, and thinke to change times and lawes; that he ſhall arrogate power to himſelfe to change Gods lawes, as in coyning and altering Articles of Faith, apointing worſhip for God, &c. high words, great words againſt God; ſo the Apoſtle, 2 Theſ. 2.4. He as God ſits in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God. How does he that? viz. by Lording it over the conſciences of Gods people as if he were God, and thereby he deprives Chriſt of one of the principall Flowers of his Crown, which is to have dominion over the Faith: ſee more for this. Rev. 13.5 6.15, 16.

Secondly, the great Antichriſt is to extend this power, at leaſt, preſumptively and intentionally where he cannot doe it actually over all Kindreds, Tongues and Nations, Rev. 13.7.

It is Antichriſtian to claime ſuch authority, though but over one man, or one Church; It is more Antichriſtian to claime ſuch authority over many Churches, as the Hierarchicall Biſhop uſeth to do; it is yet more Antichriſtian to claim this authority over whole Provinces as the Hierarchicall Archbiſhop uſeth to do; it is yet ſtil more Antichriſtian to claim it over many Provinces & Kingdoms, as the Hierarchicall Patriarch uſeth to do; but yet all theſe do not amount to the grand Antichriſt, why? becauſe there may be a greater; but now he that claims ſuch ſoveraignty over all the Churches of the world is the grand Antichriſt indeed, for there can be no greater.

Now, this the Pope doth; yea, that he may be ſure to challenge as large a Dominion as Chriſt hath, he doth not onelyonly arrogate p. 35authority over all the world, but alſo in heaven and hell where Chriſt hath power, yea, even in purgatory where Chriſt hath no power.

He that ſhall but looke upon the ſentence condemnatory, of Pope Leo the tenth, in his his Bull againſt Luther, will find this true; wherein he doth not labour to convince Luther of errour, by ſolid demonſtrations out of the Word of God, but mainly becauſe his doctrine was contrary to the decrees of Popes, &c. He doth alſo charge and command all Patriarchs, Metropolitans, Primates, Arch-biſhops, Biſhops, and all other eccleſiaſticall orders downwards, even to the begging Fryars, and then all Kings, Electors of the Empire, Princes, Dukes, and ſo on; and at laſt, all men throughout the Univerſall world (the very voyce, proper, and native language of the grand Antichriſt) upon paine of the great Excommunication, that they doe not embrace Luther's doctrine, nor adhere to, or favour his perſon.

Now the Popes have challenged this ſupremacy in ſome degrees, for above theſe 1240. yeares: Not to ſpeake of their claiming the title of univerſall Biſhop, nor yet their aſſuming the title of Pontifex Maximus, the name of the chiefe heatheniſh Prieſt among the Romans, which dignity many of the Emperours had annexed to their imperiall greatneſſe, (which Gratian the Emperour firſt renounced about An. 380. and the reſt after him) they did about that time plainly arrogate and uſurpe a judiciary power over the Churches: To omit their authoritative excommunications, ſome whereof had been long before; they did then claime this Prerogative, that appeales aught to be made to the Biſhop of Rome from all Churches, and he to give the laſt definitive ſentence; yea, ſo zealous were they about this that An. 418. and 419. three Popes Zoſimus, Boniface, Coeleſtine, did in the ſixt Councill of Carthage, in which St. Auguſtine was preſent, in the Cauſe of one Appiarius, who had appealed out of Affricke unto Rome (as many had done before) not onelyonly challenge the receiving of Appellations from all Churches, but alſo forge a decree of the great Councill of Nice, which had been almoſt an hundred yeares before to ſupport it. This was by the Fathers of the Synod indeed then rejected, and the pretended Canon found to be forged and ſpurious: Yet was this as a right, by the Popes p. 36then challenged. I never thinke upon theſe things, but methinks I ſee the grand Antichriſt, as a great big Embryo, ſwelling in the wombe, ready to come forth, or rather, as a child lately borne lying in his cradle; ſo that it is probable, if not more then probable, that between 390. and 420. Antichriſt began.

Daniel ſpeaking of theſe horns, Object. intimates that the little horne Antichriſt, that grew ſo great, ſhould come up after the reſt, Dan. 7.24.

He ſpeakes as it was in his perception and obſervation, Anſw. the little horne r…ſe with the reſt, but he did not nocdiſcerne it, Anſw. untill he conſidered the hornes as it were with a prying eye, ver. 8. and as it was in the Virion, ſo it was in the accompliſhment indeed; he roſe imperceptibly, becauſe the world miſtooke what manner of creature he ſhould be.

No: we may rather ſuſpect that Antichriſt was up before the Kings, the Papacy having ſuch ſtrange appearances of …im, before any of the Kings ſprang up; and ſo ſome read thoſe words, Rev. 17.12. they received power as Kings one houre (not with the Beaſt) but after the Beaſt, foreign, not foreign.

The two Witneſſes ſpoken of, Object. Rev. 11. are not yet ſlaine by the Beaſt, neither is his triumph over them for three dayes and a halfe paſt, and therefore the Beaſts ruine cannot be ſo neare.

Before I give a direct anſwer, Anſw. I muſt premiſe a few things.

Firſt, 1two were the leaſt ſufficient number in the law, that could convincingly beare witneſſe unto any thing; and ſo by the two Witneſſes here I underſtand not any two ſingular perſons onelyonly, that either are or have been, for (I take it) that cannot conſiſt with the Text; but in that number I include, all thoſe whom God hath raiſed up, whether Miniſters or others (though chiefly Miniſters) to beare witneſſe to his Truth, and to ſuſtaine his Cauſe againſt Antichriſt and his gentiles.

That the number of them ſhould be the leaſt ſufficient number, as it were but two; no more then might meerely ſuffice to hold out Gods truth a little to the world: ſo few, that though haply you might heare in a Countrey of ſome few that rejected the common tenents as of Juſtification by Workes, the propitiatory ſacrifice of the Maſſe &c. yet you ſhould ſcarce learne how to finde out one of them; if they appeared, the Beaſt and his agents p. 37preſently ſhap'd them up; therefore the woman and her children lived in the wilderneſſe all Antichriſts reigne, Reve. 12.6.14. and the Prophets Prophecied in ſackcloath, Rev. 11.3.

Towards the end of Antichriſts reigne, the everlaſting Goſpell going forth ſhould bring a great harveſt to God, Rev. 14.6.15.Rev 14:6Rev 14:15and mightily encreaſe the number of the witneſſes.

3The terme and duration of their witneſſe-bearing to the truth muſt be of as long continuance, as Antichriſts oppoſing it, viz. 1260. dayes or yeares; and therefore theſe witneſſes cannot be unde…ſtood o… any two individuall perſons.

4I aſſent to them that underſtand the ſlaughter of the witneſſes civilly, that is they are to be ſlaine as Prophets, viz. put out of their direct way of witneſſing, as ſuppoſe by Preaching, Printing, &c. but not alwayes as men, that is to be put to death, at leaſt in a judiciary way of proceeding; (for they are to be killed, but not buried.) Rev. 11.9. The enemies have given over that way of perſecuting the Prophets generally, for a good ſpace a matter of ſixty or ſeventy yeares, you ſhall not (I beleeve) finde many examples within that ſpace of Gods ſervants called before tribunals accuſed for their doctrine and worſhip, formally Sentenced unto death, and the ſentence executed, which was the adverſaries generall way of proceeding in former times; haply ſome few examples may be found, like a few drops of raine falling after a great ſhoure. They have forborne this courſe, not our of any love or compaſſion unto the people of God, but meetely becauſe they durſt not, as hath beene ſaid before; and alſo becauſe they found by proofe, that this courſe praejudiced their cauſe, ſanguis Martyrum ſemen Eccleſiae: the blood of the Martyrs, being the ſeed of the Church. Not to ſpeake of this, that the Prophets hereby in the enemies, intention, were more expoſed to contempt, their bodies lying dead in the ſtreet, Rev. 11.8. like deſpiſed broken ido…s in whom there was no pleaſure.

Theſe things being praemiſed I come to anſwer the Objection.

It is probable at leaſt, that this laſt ſlaughter of the Prophets, Anſw. and the Beaſt with his Gentiles triumphing over them for three dayes and a halfe, by which (according to the former expoſition) we may underſtand three …ares and a halfe is already paſt p. 38and gone though but lately. Becauſe that of late yeares, there hath beene ſuch a ſlaughter of the Prophets, throughout almoſt all the Nations of Europe, and ſuch a tearme of Antichriſts triumph.

In the yeare 1618. began the devaſtation of the Churches in Bohemia, the ſame fire preſently takes hold upon the Provinces thereof, Moravia, Sileſia, Luſatia; proceeds to Austria and Hungaria, flies over alſo to the Palatinate, and ſo by degrees waſtes all the Provinces of broad and wide Germany, killing the Witneſſes generally in them all.

An. 1621. the ſtorme aſſayles the Churches of France, and though by certaine intervals and ſpaces between, overcomes them and the Witneſſes in them. And though by the Providence of God they have ſome, yet (I take it) but a very precariall liberty, unto this very day.

Very lately the Witneſſes have beene overcome and ſlaine in Polonia, ſo that a very few yeares agoe, the Goſpell was preached publiquely but onelyonly in two places in all thoſe vaſt Dominions.

Laſt of all, came in the ſlaughter of the Witneſſes in our Churches of England, Scotland and Ireland, and (as it is probable) was brought to its period and perfection, when the three precious witneſſes of Chriſt were ſo outragiouſly ſentenced, had their eares cut off, and were afterwards moſt unjuſtly and ſtrangely exiled. The enemies then accounted themſelves to have obtained a compleat victory, and ſo began their Song of triumph. For I doubt not, but this fact of theirs was in the enemies ſence, an univerſall ſignal to al the Popiſh world that the day was theirs, and a perfect victory gotten; every place was fill'd with their rejoycings.

Now, after that three dayes and an halfe; that is, juſt three yeares and an halfe, in a manner from the ſlaughter of thoſe three witneſſes, were paſt; by the meanes of this happy Parliament, as by a voyce from heaven, the Prophets begin to ariſe againe as from the dead, and among them thoſe three ſervants of God, and an earth-quake begins to ſhake the enemies in all theſe three Kingdomes; and no doubt will proceed further.

Neither let any man diſpiſe this, for the Beaſts triumph for p. 39three dayes and a halfe: whenſoever it comes, is neceſſarily to be computed and aeſtimated, not from the end of the ſlaughter in all the Churches, but from the ſlaughter that ſhall be in that Church, wherein the Prophets ſhall be laſt ſlaine, which very probably was our Church. Neither can we imagine it to be otherwiſe, unleſſe we ſhould ſurmiſe the ſlaughter of the Prophets to end in all the Churches at once; which conſidering the worke is to be done in ſo many ſeverall States and Nations, is hardly poſſible. Beſides, the Beaſt hath inſulted longer then three yeares and an halfe over the Witneſſes that were firſt ſlaine in other Churches; but the Text ſpeakes of his generall triumph, which could not be, untill he had overcome his adverſaries in all the Churches generally: and the Prophets reſurrection is but yet, as it were in its very beginning; for they ſtill lye ſlaine in moſt of the Churches.

The witneſſes of ſome Churches have eſcaped; as of Holland, Object. Switzerland Geneva, &c.

They have beene ſlaine all over the greateſt, Anſw. 1 largeſt and moſt famous Churches, as hath beene declared.

2It is unknowne to me how the Prophets have beene uſed in thoſe Churches, at leaſt, in a great part: though I know they have beene uſed badly enough. But it will not follow, we know it not, therefore it hath not beene.

To which anſwer I will ſticke, 3the Beaſt was to kill the Witneſſes indefinitely ſet downe, Rom. 11.7. that is, generally, but not univerſally. It is no where ſaid he ſhall kill all and ſingular that beare witneſſe to the truth; the text tels us, Exod. 9.6. that all the cattell of Aegypt dyed of the Murraine, but yet if we read on to the 20. verſe, when the plague of the Haile was threatned, we ſhall finde the Aegyptians that feared the word of the Lord, driving their cattell into their houſes; by which it appeares that all and ſingular of the cattell d…ed not of the Murraine, but the cattell generally, or the cattell of all kindes. The Phariſees ſaid, the world was gone after our Saviour, Ioh. 12.19. when as yet the hundred thouſand part of the world did not beleeve on him then; but the meaning is the people of the Countries round about flocked after him: ſo here the Prophets were ſlaine generally, on for the moſt part, not univerſally.

The Prophets doe yet Propheſie in ſackcloath; ergo, Object. this ſlaughter and triumph is not paſt.

p. 40Whether this ſlaughter be paſt or to come, Anſw. certaine it is by the Text, that the Prophets ſhall prophecy in ſack-cloath, after it be both come and gone, even untill the Beaſts dying day, for he and they are contemporanyes, as hath been mentioned before; their prophecying in ſack-cloath and his reigne, as they began together, ſo they muſt end together: So long as he lives he will puſh with the horne and ſpurne with the heele, and woe to them that ſtand neare him: By the mercy of God and the means of this Parliament, the Prophets here are a little ſtagger'd up upon their feet, but one of the Beaſts fillips would throw them downe again. Could but he reach them either with one of his armed hornes or hierarchicall heeles, which he mainly endeavours, they were gone.

A miſtake concerning the two Witneſſes, may peradventure make us looke for the earth-quake that ſhall ruine the Beaſt's Kingdome as a thing a farre off, when yet our ſelves may be in the middeſt of it.

The fifth Viall is not powred, Object. for that is to be upon the ſeat of the Beaſt, that is Rome, whereby his Kingdome becomes full of darkeneſſe, that is, Rome is deſtroyed, Rev. 16.10. therefore it is in vaine to think upon the earth-quake that is to ruine the Beaſt's Kingdome, which comes not till the ſeventh Viall be powred out.

For anſwer, Anſw. 1 I acknowledge Rome to be the ſeat of the Beaſt, and that darkneſſe is often put for affliction and miſery; but I deny the darkning of the Beaſts Kingdome there ſpoken of to be the deſtruction of Rome; there be degrees of darkneſſe and miſery inferiour to deſtruction: Is not Rome darkned in her reputation, and ſo the Beaſts Kingdome? How many thouſands, yea millions be there that deny her to be the miſtreſſe of the Faith and the mother of all Churches? that account her the mother of harlots? that contemne her decrees, &c? Is not ſhee darkned in her revennues, when as ſo many Nations have withdrawne their ſupplies from her, which were formerly ſwallowed up in her as in a deep gulfe?

If Rome be deſtroyed under the fifth Viall, this difficulty or abſurdity will follow; then have ye Babylon the great to deſtroy under the ſeventh Viall, Rev. 16.19. whereas Babylon the great p. 41in all other places of the booke of the Revelations, is conſtantly put for Rome.

The fixt Viall is not poured upon the river Euphrates, Object. which muſt be before the earth-quake come under the ſeventh, Kev. 16.12. &c. Anſw. 1

I muſt here deprecate the offence of many worthy & earned men, if laſſent not to their expoſitions of that Viall. It ſhall ſuffice in a few words, to give that which is to me more then probable the ſenſe therof. The river Euphrates running through the middeſt of the world between the fartheſt weſt and uttermoſt eaſt, hath b…en for many ages a kinde of Land-marke, to ſeparate the weſtern Nations from the eaſtern ſo that they have had little communion one with another. Now this impedimentall River hath been dried up ever ſince theſe Navigations & Voyages have been found out into the Indies and other orientall parts. Whereupon the Beaſt finding himſelfe mortally wounded here in the weſt hath as it followes in the text by the unclean ſpirits his emiſſaries by which I underſtand not onelyonly Jeſuits and others that are Papiſts by profeſſion, but all Antichriſts Agents though cloaked under the name of Proteſtants with infinite, ſtrange, and uncouth wiles, and wonders laboured to involve not onelyonly the Kings and Kingdomes of theſe parts of the world, but even of the eaſt alſo into Hormageddon that is a curſed warre, as hath been ſaid before. This feat the Frogges have moſt efficaciouſly wrought for him in theſe parts of the world as every obſerving eye may abundantly ſee; and although the Papiſts doe frequently lye in their reports of the eaſt, yet certaine it is that they have made many Countries and States there, one way or other more or leſſe obnoxious to the Pope, as either to ſubmit and acknowledge him, as thoſe of Japan &c. are ſaid to doe: or to oppugne his enemies as the Perſian to aſſaile the Turke, whilſt they are accompliſhing their deſignes here in the weſt; or at leaſt by way of Merchandize and traffique to be ſubſervient to their ſupply; ſo that notwithſtanding any thing in theſe two Vials the earth-quake may be at hand. And let us beware, that miſtakes about them, doe not make us put the earth-quake further off then indeed it is to our owne detriment and prejudice.

The Uſes are of two ſorts; ſome directing us what to doe in reſpect of the publique, others concerne our owne particulars.

p. 42For the publique, every one ſhould aſſiſt the Lord in his place, in ſhaking downe the Kingdome of Antichriſt and all his ſupporters.

Object. The Church will be ſhaken too.

True, Anſw. but it will not be ſhaken downe by the earth-quake, but better rooted and ſetled.

Now that we may aſſiſt the Lord in this worke, three things are to be done.

We muſt ſhake the Kingdome of the Beaſt by the Word, Vſe 2 this is to be done by all the Saints, eſpecially by the Miniſters of the Churches, and by them authoritatively: Every true Chriſtian hath the Word of truth dwelling in his heart; as for inſtance, the doctrine of Gods free grace in Chriſt for a mans juſtification and ſalvation, the foundation upon which the Church is built; that God is to be purely worſhipped in ſpirit and truth according to his owne preſcriptions, and ſuch like; by theſe truths he can detect and diſcover many blaſphemies of the Beaſt and foedities of the Whore, as juſtification by workes, the propitiatory ſacrifice of the Maſſe, &c. Yea, not onelyonly diſcover them, but in an holy zeale deno…unce grievous judgements againſt the authors and fomenter of them, according to the Word.

Theſe doctrines and denunciations thus breathed out, will prove even a ſword of the Spirit (for ſo they are being put into mans ſpirit by the Holy-Ghoſt) to cut and kill, ſlaſh and ſlay the Antichriſtian generation, ſee Revel. 2.16. & 19.21. Yea, not onelyonly a ſword to kill the enemy that ſtands neere, but an arrow alſo to kill the enemy that ſtands a farre off, Pſal. 149.6, 7, 8, 9. an axe to hew downe, Hoſea 6.5. Mat. 3.10. a wine cup of fury which they ſhall be forced to drinke, and then grow mad, ſpue and fall, and riſe no more, Jer. 25.15, 16.27, 28. Laſtly, this Word ſhall be a fire to burne them up, and they ſhall be as wood to it, and it ſhall devoure them, Jer. 5.14. For God will execute upon them the judgements threatned: It ſhall be an hot even to the wicked and proud, and they ſhall be as ſtubble, eaſily and utterly burnt, ſo it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch, Mal. 4.1. This fiery weapon of the Word, is one of thoſe wherewith the poore ſackcloath-Prophets have defended themſelves againſt Antichriſt and his gentiles, all his long reigne, and wherewith they have offended p. 43them, Rev. 11.5. and therefore ſtill proper to be uſed againſt him the great wild Beaſt; for fire they ſay is the beſt weapon, and of moſt excellent uſe againſt wilde Beaſts: Breathe out therefore this fire of the Word into their faces; run with theſe flaming torches, and thruſt them into the dry thatch of Antichriſts houſe that will ſet all on a light fire; it hath done it in a great meaſure already, the enemies feele the heat thereof to their great paine, Rev. 16.2.9, 10, 11. They caſt on all the cold water that hell can afford them to quench it, as cruelties treacheries, but every thing proves oyle to encreaſe the flame; this Word at laſt will prove unto them unquenchable fire utterly to conſume them.

Shake the Beaſts Kingdome by prayer; Vſe 2 David ſhook Saul and all his enemies downe by this meanes, ſee Pſal. 18.6.7, 8. compared with the title of the Pſalme, which David compoſed when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; In my distreſſe (ſaith he) I called upon the Lord, and cryed unto my God, he heard my voyce out of his holy temple, and my cry came before him, even into his eares. Then the earth ſhooke and trembled, the foundations alſo of the hils moved and were ſhaken, becauſe he was wroth. God upon Davids cry laid about him, and overthrew all his adverſaries; for the more the Saints pray, the more they accelerate plagues upon their wicked enemies, which is often the meanes of the Saints deliverance.

By this the two Witneſſes did ſhut the heavens againſt the Antichriſtian brood, Rev. 11.6. And therfore our fight being with their armie's, we are to be inſtant in prayer againſt them, that is a weapon they have no skill at; they can blaſpheme and curſe, &c. but not pray. Moſes and Eliah (to whom that text alludes) by this weopon and the Word, overcame whole Nations alone. Moſes did but ſpeake to God, ſpreading out his hands, and then as a God could tell Pharaoh, that a plague would come, to morrow ſhall be ſuch a plague or to morrow ſhall ſuch a plague be removed. Eliah could but pray to the Lord, that it might not raine and then confidently tell Ahab, that there ſhould be no raine but according to his word. 1 King. 17.1.

Open therefore (O you ſervants of the Lord) the heavens by this Key; open Gods Armory, and get from thence the beſt dayes p. 44for the Church, the helpe of God the Father, the Mediation of the Sonne, the Spirit of ſtrength, the aſſiſtance of Angels, Seas, rivers, windes, &c. get from thence wiſdome, courage, ſtratagems, ſucceſſe; ſhut the heavens againſt the enemies that they may not get one good looke from thence; not ſo much as one arrow, but if they have any plot in hand, get the heavens open for wiſedome to diſcover it; if any enterprize, get from thence power to defeat it; make it appeare to the enemies that Gods people have power with God.

Execute judgement for God, Vſe 3 every one as farre as his power will ſtretch. Firſt, doe judgement upon thine owne ſelfe for thy ſinnes, in all wayes of godly revenge, as by Faſting &c. Sing mercy and judgement to thy Family, as David Pſa. 101. Doe thy beſt that judgement that hath beene turned into Wormewood and Hemlocke, may run downe like a mighty ſtreame, in publique; and where thy hand cannot reach a blow, or caſt a ſtone at an idolater, blaſphemer, perſecutor, &c. let thy heart at leaſt doe it. For if a mans conſenting to, or approving of an act of injuſtice may inguilt h…m, as I may ſay, in it; as it was with the Jewes, whoſe ſtate was ruined for killing Chriſt and the Prophets, though moſt part of them had never ſeene any of them, Mat. 23.37. why may not a mans executing judgement, with his heart, when he can proceed no further, be accepted, in reſpect of him, for an act of juſtice, by him that is pleaſed both in good and evill actions, to accept the will for the deed?

This duty is principally incumbent upon the Magiſtrate, who is to execute the judgement of the Lord, not arbitrarily as himſelfe pleaſeth; but according to the rule of the Word, both for matter and manner.

1For the Matter man hath no warrant either to leave groſſe and horrid ſinnes unpuniſhed in the committers of them; ſuch as are the ring-leaders in idolatry and perſecution; nor yet to commute or change the nature of the puniſhment. As (by the way) I queſtion, whether a pecuniary mulct, eſpecially if it be alone, be a proper puniſhment for a ſweater, or blaſphemer; but it rather ought to be perſonall. And here I cannot chooſe but with griefe take notice of a miſerable failing in our firſt Reformation, that the Maiſe prieſts were ſuffered ſtill to continue in their places; p. 45for he that had ſaid or ſung Maſſe the laſt Lords day (and if he were a Preacher had Preached for Popery) if he would but take the new Oath of Supremacy and read the Service-Booke this Lordsday, was accounted a ſufficie…t reformiſt a…d admitted to the Miniſtry. So that of twenty thouſand Prelates and P…ieſts at leaſt in England and Ireland, very few were caſt out of their places, and ſearce any of them (unleſſe it were Boner) for any thing they had done. Oh wofull! (I confeſſe I thinke the State did then want due information in that point. But this hath been one thing that hath undone the Church, viz. thoſe that have all along and do ſtill infeſt the Church I mean the wicked and ſuperſtitious Clergie being their naturall, genuine and proper poſterity. Let not ſuch a ſinne therefore lye any longer upon the State; out (therefore worthy Senators) with all the generation of erronious Teachers, Altar-worſhippers &c, and prophane ones, that have made ſo many abhorre the Offerings of the Lord. If any Object, that the Church will then be deſtitute of Paſtors. I anſwer: I know no warrant at all that there is to put or keepe ſuch Wolves among Gods flocke. Secondly, that a thouſand or two of goldly and able men well diſtributed, if the other were out, might by Gods bleſſing doe more good by far, then now doe all the Miniſters in England.

Nay, I take it to be an abſolute duty of them that have power to eject them, (beſides, what may be ſaid otherwiſe) even by the equity and analogy of that Text, Ezek. 44.10, 12, 13. The Levites that are gone away farre from me, which went astray from me after their idols, they ſhall even beare their iniquity; becauſe they ministred unto them before their idols, and cauſed the houſe of Iſrael to fall into iniquity, therefore have I lifted up my hand againſt them, ſaith the Lord God (i. e. I have ſworne againſt them as moſt high tranſgreſſours, and ſo will not reverſe it) and they ſhall beare their iniquity. And they ſhall not come neere unto me, to doe the office of a Prieſt unto me, nor to come neere to any of my holy things in the moſt holy place: but they ſhall beare their ſhame, and their abominations which they have committed.

Beſides puniſhments ſhould be aggravated according to the aggravation of the ſinne or ſinnes. The moſt capitall offender can p. 46but be put to death; but when the guilt is tranſcendently hainous, it ought to be with ſuch circumſtances and expreſſions, as may make it appeare that the Judge or Magiſtrate hath a doe ſenſe of that hainouſneſſe, and would reach it in the puniſhment, if it were poſſible. All Iſrael were to ſtone Achan, and to raiſe over him a great heape of ſtones, Joſ. 7.25, 26. Now if this be ſo, I wonder what puniſhment will be found out ſutable to the crimes of ſome malefactors now in queſtion, who have wickedly endeavoured to ſeduce many whole Kingdomes quite to ſuppreſse and extinguiſh true Religion in them (if not throughout the world) who have proudly trampled upon all lawes and eſtates, being undoubtedly, if all things were laid together, of the greateſt if not abſolutely the greateſt tranſgreſsors that ever were ſince men were upon the earth.

For the Manner, the Word requires that judgement be executed with the ſpirit of juſtice or judgement; of which the Text ſpeaks Iſa. 28.6. In hatred of ſinne, love of God, Zeale for his glory, as Phenehas did; orherwiſe, if you puniſh a Malefactor with death, who hath deſerved it inſtead of taking away an old murder, you adde a new and ſhal be puniſhed accordingly, judgement ought to returne to juſtice, Pſal. 94.15.

We have two remarkable examples in the Scriptures worthy to be taken notice of by all that are in authority, of two Kings that were both rewarded and puniſhed for the very ſame thing.

Baaſha deſtroyed Nadab and the houſe of Jeroboam, Jehu deſtroyed Jehoram, Jezabel and the whole houſe of Ahab; both of them had the Kingdome of Iſrael for their paines; and yet for theſe very acts, both their Families and Poſterities were deſtroyed. Baaſha becauſe he killed him, viz. Nadab, 1 Kin. 16.7. and ſo I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the houſe of Jehu, ſaith the Lord, Hoſ. 1.4. And ſo it came to paſſe, as may be ſeene in both their Hiſtories; What was the cauſe, was there equity in this? Yes: the thing done was juſt, to puniſh theſe idolatrous Families; but the manner of doing it utterly diſpleaſed God, becauſe it was not done in the love of juſtice, &c. and ſo in reſpect of God; but out of ſpleen and ambition to get the Kingdome: That it was not done by either of them as an act of juſtice appeared, in that they both continued in the ſinnes of Jeroboam, which p. 47they ſeemed to puniſh, 1 Kin. 15.34. 2 Kin. 10.29. For that Magiſtrate or man that lives openly in the ſinne he puniſheth in another, cannot doe it as an act of juſtice, and ſo doth not pleaſe God; not to ſpeake of this, that he that puniſheth one ſinne, as ſuppoſe theft, becauſe God would have it puniſhed, and ſo doth it as an act of juſtice, will alſo for the very ſame reaſon puniſh another ſinne as much or more odious to God, as blaſphemy, ſwearing, idolatry, if his arme be ſtrong enough and long enough to reach the Offenders, which very thing may put (I feare) ſome ſuſpicion ſometimes upon our publique juſtice, in matter of theft. &c. and makes it queſtionable, whether it be done out of right principles, as becauſe it is ſinne againſt God, and puniſhable by his Word, or onelyonly becauſe man is treſpaſſed, or no; which if it be ſo the very lawes herein ought to be reformed.

I will not inſiſt upon this that judgement ought to be executed roundly and ſpeedily (though protracting of it often takes off a great part of the edge of juſtice:) but I urge the doing of it in the manner before ſpoken.

Give me leave for a concluſion of this point, to adde theſe two Motives, for enſorcing the duty.

This execution of judgement is one of the beſt meanes in the world to expiate if I may ſo ſay, the old ſinnes of a Nation; 1as namely, the old idolatries and perſecutions, in which kindes our Land is infinitely guilty. For beſides univerſall ſtrange and long continued idolatries, there is ſcarce any Nation under the Sunne, if any at all, that can equall ours in the ſlaughter of ſo many. Saints in a formall, judiciary way. Now if ſo be you wovld take the guilt of theſe away from the Nation, as there ought to be a Nationall confeſſion and reformation of them, and ſtrong application of Chriſts blood, by prayer of faith for attonement, repreſented by the elders killing of the Heyfer for the expiation of an unknowne murder, Deut. 21.4. ſo there muſt be execution of judgement upon the ſlaughteters of the Saints. For if the blood of one man, and he a wicked man, unjuſtly ſhed, will bring ſinne upon an whole Nation, till it be done away by the blood of him that ſhed it, as we may ſee Numb. 35.33. How much more will the blood of ſo many holy Martyrs cruelly ſlaine for Chriſts ſake. …nguilt our Nation; no, aſſuredly God will cleanſe the blood p. 48that he hath not cleanſed. Now (right Honourable) becauſe you cannot reach the old perſecutors, doe juſtice upon their ſucceſſors that have revived all their ſinnes.

This is of ſpeciall moment to ſtay a plague; 2Phinehas executed judgement and the plague was ſtayed, Numb. 25. Pſal. 106.50. Search (ſaith the Lord) and ſee if you can find a man in Jeruſalem that executes …ndgement and I will spare it, Jer. 5 10. Joſh. 7.25, 26. Hate the evill, love the good, and execute …udgement in the ga…e; it may be the Lord will be good to the remnant of Joſeph, Am…s 5.15. This doth (as it were) make the gap up againſt Gods wrath: Let judgement therefore run downe as waters, and righteouſneſſe as a mighty ſtreame, Amos 5.24. If you wovld not have God execute judgement upon us all (for when men faile to doe it, God at laſt will doe it) then doe you execute judgement for the Lord.

There be other Uſes to be made of this doctrine, that concerne nor ſelves, that we may be fitted and prepared for ſuch a ſtorme and earth quake and find mercy in it: as,

God having revealed and threatned it we truſt beleeve it; …I ſay beleeve it▪ I ſay againe cordially beleeve it. This I count a point of higheſt importance; the true and diligent uſe of all other meanes depending thereupon. This faith will breed feare (for as faith in a promiſe will breed confidence, ſo faith in a threatning will breed feare) and feare will put a man upon the ſtrong uſe of all meanes of prevention of a plague, or of proviſion againſt it. The true reaſon why wicked men doe not feare divine comminations, and ſo why they forſake not ſinne, embrace not Chriſt, nor uſe other meanes of eſcaping, is becauſe they beleeve them not: For were they cordially perſwaded of the certainty of the threats of the Word they durſt not continue in ſinne, and affront Heaven as they doe: And the reaſon why they beleeve not the threats of the Word, is the Atheiſme of their hearts, making them deny Gods holineſſe, juſtice, &c. to make a ſlight matter of ſinne and of the Word forbidding and threatning ſinne; they will beleeve its threatnings when they ſee them, Iſa. 5.19. as we heard before.

I had once thought to have paſſed by this point, becauſe that whereas the Prudent man hath long agoe foreſeene the plague in p. 49ſinne de…erving in the Word denouncing it, and otherwiſe; the Toole now begins to ſee it. But I revoked my ſelfe, and now put it in the …ont of theſe duties, conſidering that the fools faith comming by ſight and ſenſe, if there be no more added to it, ne…er doth any good. N…ab beleeved upon hearing and feared things of which there was …o ſight to be had as yet, and ſo uſing me…ns e…cap…d, Heb. 11.7. whereas the unbeleeving world periſhed, Gen. …. t…e like we may ſee in Lot his ſonnes in law and the Sodomites, Gen. 19. …e…ſhazzer was ſo farre from beleeving the threats of the God of Iſrael againſt Babylon and his promiſes for delivering his people by Cyrus our of the Babylomans hands; which promiſ…s he knew had encouraged Cyrus, as that he did of purpoſe make an imp…o…s feaſt when his City was beſieged, in contempt of God profaned the Veſſels brought from Jeruſalem, praiſed the Gods of ſilver and gold, wood and ſtone, above the true God of Iſrael (as Daniel accuſeth him,) as one who could not ſave his owne Temple and Veſſels out of his Grand-father Nebuchadnezzar's hands; but whilſt he was in the middeſt of his prophane jollity, ſuddenly appeares the hand-writing upon the wall againſt him, that put him into a deſperate feare, that night was he ſlaine, his City taken, his Empire deſtroyed and ended.

Behold here the terrible effects of this Atheiſticall unbeliefe and contempt of the denunciations of the Word. Beleeve we therefore the threats of the Word: To ſpeake the truth, this act of faith in beleeving threats goes before, and that not onelyonly in nature, but in time alſo, the act of beleeving promiſes. Hee that ſlights ſinne, will ſlight Chriſt; he that apprehends not the ſeverity of God againſt ſinne, ſet downe in the prohibitions and commnations of the law, will hardly ever, or not at all heartily embrace Chriſt ſet forth in the promiſes of the Goſpell.

Be upright in thy generation, and walke with God, 2thus did Noah and ſo eſcaped the floud, Gen. 6.9. & 7.1. Thou ſhalt enter into the Arke (ſaith God) for thee have I ſeene righteous before me in this generation. When great ſtormes were comming upon the world, and all the foure winds were ready to breake out for the ruine of all; the Lord gives ſpeciall charge to the Angels p. 50that had the command of the winds, that they doe not let one puffe or breath goe out to doe the leaſt hurt, till the ſervants of God were ſealed in their fore-heads, Rev. 7.1, 2, 3. &c. God remembers them when he makes up his Jewels, and will spare them as a man spareth his ſonne that ſerveth him, Mal 3.16, 17. Though the tribulation be never ſo great, yet thy people ſhall be delivered, ſaith the Lord to Daniel, even every one that is found written in the Booke, Dan. 12.1. for God will ever preſerve a holy Seede of Saints unto himſelfe, Iſa. 6.13.

A man muſt be a mourner in Ston, one that laments firſt his owne ſinnes and truly endeavours to forſake them, hen the ſinnes of others; the horrible prophaneneſſe, licenciouſneſſe, blaſphemies, idolatries, hereſies of the the times; Such an one was Lot, who vexed his righteous ſoule in ſeeing and hearing of the ſinnes of the Sodomites, 2 Pet. 2.8. and when they periſhed he was delivered. Thus the Lord cauſeth one with a vvriters Inkehorne by his ſide, to ſet a marke upon the fore-heads of the men that ſigh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the middeſt of Jeruſalem when he was about to deſtroy it, Ezek 9.4. Becauſe Joſiahs heart melted when he heard of the ſevere denunciat…ons of God's anger againſt the Land for the ſinnes thereof; therefore had he a ſpeciall promiſe made him of being ga…hered to his fathers in peace, before thoſe judgements ſhould be executed 2 Chron. 34.27 28.

Conteſt and contend for God, 4for his pure Word, doctrine of Faith, pure worſhip and wayes: againſt the world. He that is for God in a time of publique defection. God will be for him in a time of publique deſtruction.

Caleb f…llowed the Lord fully as it was in his heart, and ſtood againſt the ten falſe Spyes that brought up an ill report upon the land …f promiſe, and againſt all the people that tooke part with them; and therefore when ſix hundred thouſand of theſe Murmurers fell in the wilderneſſe he onelyonly with Joſhuah eſcaped that ſtorme and entered into the Lords inheritance, Numb. 14.24. Joſh. 14.6, 7, 8 &c.

Memorable examples hereof we have in Eliah and Ieremy. In Eliahs dayes the people of Iſrael forſooke Gods Covenant, p. 51threw downe his Al…ars, ſtoned his Pro…h…s by heapes and hundreds: now, did this make him comply with them and fall into the ſtreame? No: he was therefore the more zealous for God, all full or futy and zeale for God, 1 King. 19.10. Well, what became o… this Eliah if we doe but read 2 K…n. 2. we ſhall finde, that when Ahab was ſlaine, and his Army deſtroyed he was ſent for up by a fiery hartot into heaven.

Ieremy was a man that ſtood for God in his time againſt all men, againſt the Kings, Princes, Prieſts Prophets and people of Iudah, they mightily oppoſed, and maliciouſly perſecuted him; he was even weary of his life; they reviled ſlatidered him, whipped ſtock'd, impriſoned him, laid him in fetters and almoſt ſtarved him; he was brought to that extremity, that ſometimes he wiſhed he had in the Wilderneſſe, a Cottage for way-fa… ring men, that he might never come among them, that his head were a fountaine of teares, that he might weepe abundantly for their pride, &c. Sometimes, that he had never beene borne; he cryes out that he was deceived, and that God had deceived him; for when he was ſent to them armed with Gods commiſſion, he thought every one would have ſtooped to his Meſſage, but he found all contrary; (God often makes uſe of his Servants and Miniſters to ſuch pu…poſes as they thinke not of) but yet he conſtantly held it out for God to the end, as his Hiſtory ſheweth. What was the iſſue? At laſt, when the City was taken, all the great Princes and Prieſts ſhine, and the Nation captivated, the King of Babylons chiefe Captaine takes him out of priſon, knockes off his fetters that the Jewes had put upon him, ſets him at liberty, offers him his choyce whether he would goe to Babylon, with promiſe of all kind uſage there or ſtay in the Land of Judah, tells him the whole I and was before him, gives him a reward and ſo diſmiſſeth him. Now who but Jeremy? how glad would Zedekiah the King have beene, if but halfe this kindneſſe had beene offered to him? Well, let us remember to practice this duty.

May not a godly man be taken away in a publique calamity? Queſt.

The maine thing the Lord aymes at, Anſw. 1 is the preſervation of the p. 52body of the Church, an holy ſeed, Iſa. 6.13. and he writes them that ſhall eſcape downe in his booke, Dan. 12.1. For however the Church conſiſts of individuals, yet this, or that, or many ſingular perſons may be taken away, and yet the Church be preſerved.

Every Chriſtian ſhall be preſerved untill he hath finiſhed the worke the Lord hath given him to doe; but when that is done, God may take him off from his ſtation in ſuch a way as he may beſt gloriſie God; yet ſo as generally there is ſome marke of mercy upon him, as he is either taken away before, or in the beginning of a ſtorme, as Joſiah was, and they, Iſa. 57.1. Or Secondly, he ſometimes ſurvives it, as Daniel did, who outlived the whole time of the captivity, and long after, and that in mu…h honour. Or thirdly, he is taken away in an ordinary manner, as no doubt, many godly ones were during the ſeventy yeares of the captivity of Babylon, Or fourthly, he is taken away in a way of teſtimony, as Jeremy; who, as it is reported, was ſtoned by the Jewes in Aegypt. And ſo the Diſciples and Apoſtles of our Saviour, who although they had power over Scorpions, Lyons, poyſon, du…ing the terme of their Teſtimony; yet at length were taken away, and did glorifie God by violent deaths for their Teſtimonies ſakes. Unto this may be referred the ſufferings and deaths of the Saints, now under the mercileſſe cruelties of the Cavalleeres for Religion's ſake. Or fiftly, in propugning the Cauſe of God, in a generall combuſtion, which when it is undertaken out of love to the Truth, it is an high honour to a C…riſtian to loſe his life in the quarrell. Uſually in ſuch times, God puts glory upon his Saints, and makes their deaths which are precious in his ſight to be honourable: But moſt of all, if they have beene great mourners in Zion, and conteſters for him. And if he have further uſe of them, he doth continue them, yea, and ſometimes ſtrengthens their faith with confidence that it ſhall be ſo, Pſal. 91. However, the godly are but taken out of this vale of teares, and brought to eternall bliſſe in his Kingdome of glory.

Seeke meekeneſſe, 3quietly and humbly to ſubmit to the common calamity when it cometh, Zeph. 2.3. To which purpoſe it p. 53will be available to admit into our tho…g…ts theſe conſiderations.

That God is the Author of the calamity; whatſoever evill is done God doth it: That ſtopped David's mouth, Pſal. 39.9. He hath abſolute ſoveraignty over men, he is greater then man; why ſhould we contend with him, for he gives no account of his do…gs, Job 33.12, 13. Would it not be a brave ſight to ſee man ſitting upon the Bench as a Judge, and God ſummoned to ſtand at the Barre as a Delinquent holding up his hand, and man to paſſe cenſure and ſentence upon his actions, out of his owne ſhallow conceptions, and irregular affections?

That God's will is the rule of juſtice; 2it is therefore juſt becauſe he wils it, and does it.

3He that hath many reaſons in the bottomleſſe Abiſſe of his Councels that we ſee not, we are not able to ſound to the bo… tome of it, nor to fadome his doings; and ſometimes they are ſuch as are not fit for us to know.

4That ſinne deſerveth worſe then any plague or earth-quake God ſends upon the world, Ezra 9.13.

That ſinne it ſelfe is the worſt of all plagues, 5and ſo to be eſteemed.

If the heart be thorowly humbled for ſinne, 6it will accept of any outward puniſhment; ſee Levit. 26.41. and David's example, who meekly ſubmitted to the curſing of Shimei, 2 Sam. 16.10 11, 12. he being then in the very act of repentance for his great ſins of murder and adultery, which God was even then alſo actually viſiting upon him in the unnaturall rebellion of Abſelom, according as he had threatned, 2 Sam. 12.11. The man that is thorowly grieved for the idolatry, hereſie, prophaneneſſe, and luke-warmneſſe of our times, will thinke any outward evill eaſier then thoſe ſinnes, and will be contented to ſubmit to ſword, or any other plague, even to the burying of a great part of the Nation under the earth, provided that they may be removed.

7That all outward evils ſhall turne to the Churches and Saints good in the end, Rom. 8.28. A thing that we now come to ſhew in the next poynt.

p. 54Great and notable reſtaurations of the Church uſe often to follow after great ruines and deſolations of States and Nations, Doctrine 2 Amos 9.10 11. After the Lord had made a great deſtruction in the Nation among the ſinners, as we ſee in the verſe before; In that day, that is, after that, ſaith the Lord, I will raiſe up the tabernacle of David, which is fallen, &c. ſee alſo Zeph. 3.8, 9, 10, 11 12. Zeph. 13.8 9.

It was ſo in the land of Canaan, after the ſtormes of Aegypt and the Wilderneſſe; and in Judah, after the captivity of Babylon, the Lord made his peop…e take rooting downwards, and bring forth fruit upwards; it will be ſo and that more then ever, when the earth-quake ſhall have ſhaken downe Antichriſts Kingdome.

Queſt. Wherein ſhall this great reſtauration and reformation of the Church conſiſt?

In the fruition and enjoyment of certaine priviledges, Anſw. ſuch as the Church hath not at other times, at leaſt not in the like degree.

The Priviledges are of two ſorts; Privative and Poſitive.

1The Church ſhall be freed from the inundation of prophaneneſſe, with which it hath beene miſerably annoyed, leavened and infected before. Such ſhall be the piety and ſtrictneſſe of the government Eccleſiaſticall and Civill, that there ſhall not enter into the Church in any wiſe, any thing that defileth, Rev. 21.27.

She ſhall be purged from errors, 2ſuperſtition, idolatry, falſe and formall worſhip. It is ſufficient to prove it, that we finde no ſuch thing mentioned in the Scriptures that ſpeake of the ſtate of the Church in the laſt times, beſides what hath beene ſaid already, and ſhall be by and by. During Antichriſts reigne, men have beene, and ſtill are ſo zealous and tenacious of their old mumpſimuſes, they can in no wiſe indure to heare of parting with them; like Micah of mount Ephraim, Judg. 18.23.24. that followed after the Danites, crying and complaining; they turned about, and asked him what he ayled. Ye have taken away my gods (ſaith he) which I made, and my prieſt (which he himſelfe had conſecrated for a prieſt) who ſhould have bleſſed me, and doe you aske me what I ayle? What have I more? I proteſt p. 55I had as live you had taken away all that I have. So it is with the men of our generation: from theſe things ſhall the Church then be freed.

3She ſhall have exemption from oppreſſion and perſecution both Civill and Eccleſiaſticall; God ſhall w…pe away all teares from the Saints eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, &c. Rev. 21.4. That muſt needs be ment of the Church in this world, as appeares by the cortext, Then ſhall the Lyon and the Lambe lye downe and feed together, and the Tygar become tame the Childe ſhall play with the Aspe and Cockatrice. Iſa. 11.6.7. & 65.25. Rev. 7.16.

There be two reaſons of theſe privative priviledges.

The earth-quake going before, 1ſhall ſhake downe theſe evils and all their ſupporters, as we have heard; the Beaſt his Hierarchy; his hornes, the Kings of the earth that ſhall defend him to the laſt. And as the Lord did deſtroy not onelyonly the heathen Empire guilty of ſo much blood cruelty, and idolatry but would not let ſo much as that very forme of government to ſtand; ſo it is probable, if not more, that all the…e dignities that have ſo deſperately oppoſed the Scepter of Chriſt, ſhall be taken away, Dan. 2.34, 5.44. Rev. 19. from ver. 17. to the end. God will purge out rebels. Ezek. 20.38. that at laſt none ſhall dare ſo much as to ſpeake for falſe worſhip, formall worſhip, &c. Then (and I doubt) not till then, will all theſe Sects and Diviſions have an end.

Sathan ſhall then be bound and chained up, 2that he ſhall not ſeduce the Nations to idolatry and perſecution, as he hath alwayes before done, Rev. 20.2. He hath beene caſt downe before, as Rev. 12.9. but never bound, nor ſhall be till Antichriſt's fall. And ſo this prevents that which might be objected: though the wicked be taken away with the Earth-quake, yet ſinne will revive againe. Anſw. No: Sathan ſhall be tyed up from ſeducing that he cannot play ſuch reakes in the world as before, mans corruption wanting thoſe bellowes to blow it up which did forme…y inflame it.

The poſitive priviledges of that reformed State are divers.

The firſt conſiſts in the purity and plenty of the Ordinances of p. 56God and meanes of grace, which that Church ſhall enjoy. Thus R…. 11.19. After the … the Beaſts Kingdome the Taberra… or Temple of … in Heaven in the Church, and the Arke of his …. Chr… repreſented by the Arke was before kept hid, and the Temple ſhut, true preaching forbidden, men were not acquainted with the natures and effects of Chriſt ſet forth by the Arke, as now they ſhall be; the wood of the Arke a …pe of Chriſts humane nature, the gold …verlaying it wholly, a type of the divine to which the humane was hypoſtatically united, the Tables of the law in the Arke ſetting forth the fulfilling of the law in Chriſt, and in the Saints by union with him and power from him; the Mercy-ſeat or cover of the Arke repreſenting Chriſts righteouſneſſe covering the ſinne of man, and the Tables of teſtimony wherein the curſe was contained, ſo as no curſe could be ſeene. This purity of the meanes is intended in thoſe expreſſions, Rev. 21. that Gods Tabernacle is with men, ver. 3. new Jeruſalem hath the glory of God, ver. 10 11. no Temple therein ver. 22. There is no need of any ſuch fixed place as the old Temple was but every where his people ſhould have communion with him in his Ordinances, Joh. 4.21.23. they ſhall have no need of the Sunne nor Moone, &c. ver. 23. meaning, the ſpirituall light and glory ſhall farre exceed all externall; and chap. 22.1, 2. they ſhall enjoy a pure River of water of life, cleare as chrystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb, the tree of life alſo with his twelve manner of …its, &c.

The ſecond priviledge conſiſts in the multitudes of converts; 2in Antichriſts time but a few Witneſſes, two; but an hundred fourty foure thouſand ſealed ones; a man ſhould not need any great art of Arithmeticke to count them; but now a great multitude that no man could number, Rev. 7.9. then ſhall thoſe promiſes in their height be fulfilled, the Church ſhall wonder at her owne fruitfulneſſe, and aske who begat her thoſe Children, ſeeing ſhe had loſt ſo many, being life alone, that is, a Widow, without any earthly protector, Iſa. 49.18, 19, 20 21, &c. Yea, her children ſhall aske her more roome to dwell in, ibid. Shee is bidden to lengthen and enlarge the place of her tent, &c. and promiſed p. 57that ſhee, though a Widow, ſhall breake out on the right hand and on the left, and abound in Children, for her maker is her huſband, &c. Iſa. 54.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The Children proceeding from the wombe of the Church, ſhall be like the dew of the morning lying thick upon the ground, Pſal. 110.3. Chriſt's flock ſhall not then be a little flock compared with the times which were before the Devill was bound.

In the excellency of the converts. 3Where the Sunne ſhines moſt clearly, it heats moſt fervently: The City of the new Jeruſalem hath a light like unto a ſtone moſt precious, even like a Jasper-stone, cleare as Chrystall, it is of pure gold, Rev. 21.18. God is in it, dwels with his people, he and the Lamb are the light of is, Rev. 21.3.22. in this and other reſpects it is named, the Lord is there, Ez…k. 48.35. the people of it ſhall be all righteous, Iſa. 60.21. What an admirable Reformation was that which followed the ſtorme in the Wilderneſſe, when all Iſrael, both the ten Tribes, and the two of Gad and Ruben, and the halfe Tribe of Manaſſeh abhorred the thoughts of idolatry, Ioſh. 22. the Lord God of Gods, the Lord God of Gods, he knowes, and Iſrael he ſhall know (ſay the two Tribes and an halfe to the ten, being accuſed of an intention to revolt from God) if it be in rebellion, or if in tranſgreſſion againſt the Lord (ſave us not this day) that we have built us an Altar to turne from following the Lord, &c. let the Lord himſelfe require it, Ioſh. 22.22, 23. Much more ſhall the Reformation be excellent in the laſt ages, wherein it is promiſed that there ſhall be new heavens and new earth (new Church and new Common-wealth) wherein righteouſneſſe ſhall dwell, 2 Pet. 3.13.

In the amplitude and extent of the Church, 4before it was ſometimes contained within the narrow bounds of Jury, afterwards the Nations of the Gentiles had it ſucceſſively; firſt, the eaſterne Nations, then the weſterne, &c. But now the Church ſhall be generally, if not univerſally ſpread over all the world. The Kingdomes of the world (that is, all the Kingdomes of the world) ſhall become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Chriſt, Revel. 11.15. And ſo when the judgement hath ſate, and the Beasts Kingdome is conſumed to the end; then, and not p. 58before then, the Kingdome, Dominion, and the greatneſſe of the Kingdome under the whole heaven, (it ſeemes to be ſpoken without all hyperbole) ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt high, Dan. 7.26.27. When the ſtone; that is, the Kingdome of Chriſt, hath ſmitten the Image upon the feet, and broken them to pieces, it ſelfe ſhall become a great Mountaine and fill the whole earth, Dan. 2.35. Then ſhall all Nations rejoyce in Chriſt, Pſal. 67.2, 3, 4. then a great multitude (not of a few but) of all Nations, and Kindreds, and Peoples, and Tongues, ſhall ſtand before the Throne, and before the Lambe, praiſing God, Rav. 7.9. Nations ſhall be borne in a day, Iſa. 66.8. All Nations ſhall ſerve him. Dan. 7. ult.

In the excellency of the government, 5Chriſt ſhall then take to himſelfe his great power and reigne, Rev. 11.17. and the Saints under him: The Saints of the moſt high ſhall take the Kingdome and poſſeſſe it for ever, even for ever and ever, age after age for many ages, Dan. 7.18.27. they ſhall reigne on the earth, Rev. 5. to & 20.4.6. a thouſand yeares. They ſhall then indeed be the head, and the wicked the taile. Many tough and tedious diſputes about government, which exerciſe the Church now, may haply be of ſmall uſe in that Reformation.

It is to conſiſt in the affluence and confluence, 6both of ſpirituall and externall proſperity; for the Lord having humbled and broken his by the earthquake, may now truſt them: The Church hath been before like an homely huſwife, or like a poore woman living in a cave, having ſcarce a rag to cover her nakedneſſe, and bringing up her Children very hardly; whereas Antichriſts Strumpet in the meane while hath beene gorgeouſly attired in Purple, with gold and precious-stones, and pearles; but now the Church ſhall be like a bride adorned for her husband, Rev. 21.2. Now her peace ſhall be as the Rivers, the Kings of the earth ſhall bring their glory and honour to her, Rev. 21.24.26.

Wait for it and haſten it by faith and prayer, Uſe. unbeliefe doth a world of miſchiefe: Our Saviour could not doe many mighty workes in his owne Country becauſe of their unbeliefe, Mat. 13.58. ſee alſo. chap. 17.16, 17, 20. How it hindred the healing of the Lunatick! the old Iſraelites for unbeleefe were debarred p. 59from entering into the Land of Promiſe, Heb. 3.19. It hindered the building of the ſecond Temple, for it is remarkable, that whileſt the Jewes gave over the worke upon the complaints of their adverſaries, and the inhibitions of the Perſian Kings, unto whom they were then ſubject, it never proſpered; but when they hearkned to the Prophets Haggai and Zechary, and beleeved the promiſes which they brought from God, they went on thoroughly, and perfected the worke; the Perſian King Darius Nothus (though the adverſaries afreſh complained) conſenting, who alſo forbad their adverſaries to hinder them, upon their greateſt poenalties; yea, commanded them with all poſſible diligence to further the Jewes in the worke. God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hand, ſo framing that Kings heart that he entreated the Iewes to pray for his life, and the life of his Sonnes. He had loſt one or two before, and now feared he ſhould loſe the reſt, Ezra 6. and this was almoſt ſix ſcore yeares after they had laid the firſt foundation; for in divers Kings reignes they were abſolutely hindred, Ezra 4. and were at times, ſix and fourty yeares (as it ſeemes) in building it, Iohn 2.20.

I ſhall never ſee this Reformation. Queſt.

Thou canſt not certainly tell; Anſw. 1 the eye ſees the Sunne (I doubt not) that ſhall ſee the beginning thereof.

Seeing thou wilt buy houſes and lands, yea, 2reverſions which thou never lookeſt to enjoy thy ſelfe, for thine heires; forward this for their ſakes to come, that the little ones may goe in and ſee that good land, &c.

Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, 3it breeds ſuch an apprehenſion of things promiſed and to come, as gives comfort and confidence concerning them, as we may behold in Abraham, who rejoyced to ſee the day of Chriſt ſo many hundred yeares before it came, Iohn 8.56. and in the old Saints, Hebr. 11.13.40. who beleeving in him to come were ſaved. Thou maiſt by the taſtes of theſe cluſters of Grapes, ſet before thee in the former Priviledges, diſcerne what a good Land it is. Thou mayeſt by them as from off the top of Mount Piſgah, behold it with thine eyes, and p. 60view the Land round about: The beleeving praeapprehenſion of theſe things will give a ſweet fruition of them in meaſure before hand unto the godly.

Laſtly, 4beleeve and wait, and though thou miſſe thy part in the new Ieruſalem here on earth, yet ſhalt thou certainly be a Sharer in that Ieruſalem which is eternall in the Heavens.

FINIS.

A paſſage or two pretermitted.

1 The weſterne Roman Empire was the foreign, or that which did let the appearing of Antichriſt, which when it was taken away then was the man of ſinne revealed, 2 Theſ. 2.6, 7, 8. This belongs to the firſt Indice, ſpoken of in the fourth Signe.

2. The two Witneſſes include all thoſe that did ſuſtaine the Cauſe of Chriſt againſt Antichriſt and his Gentiles; for the Text divides all within the viſible Church during Antichriſt's reigne, into two ranks and no more, viz. two Witneſſes or Prophets (the ſame are called worſhippers) and Gentiles, Rev. 11.1, 2, 3.

3. The 1260. dayes of the Witneſſes, and the 42. months of the Beaſt, begin and end together: For elſe Chriſt ſhould have none to be for him during ſome part of Antichriſt's reigne. (For none are for him but the Witneſſes) Beſides, the Church was to be all that time in the Wilderneſſe, for which proviſion is made, Rev. 12.6.14.

Errata.

Page 1. line 9. read ranne. l. 10. r. houſes, p. 2. l. 12. r. Ezra 3. p. 3. l. 7. r. hieroglyphicall. p. 6. l. 9. r. Tabernacle. p. 13. l. 9. r. penitent. p. 36. l. 19. r. foreign p. 41. l. 6. r. learned. Curteous Reader; if there be any more verball or literall miſtakes (as I doubt there are many) pardon the Printers over-ſight, and correct them with thy Pen.

End of the text · William Reyner, Babylons Ruining (1644)