Saints No Smiters, Treatise · Section 14
§ 14. Many things are groundless and false, which the Quinto-Monarchians suppose and take as articles of their faith concerning the Fifth-Monarchy, and its setting up.
TO the uncertainties and falsities about the smiting work of the Stone, whereby the evil of their attempt is demonstrated, I shall next add the uncertainties or falsities of those things, which th…y make as articles of their faith about the Stones, becoming a Mountain, and filling the whole earth. Where. 1. they shew their inadvertency in making Gentile Saints, who are but subjects, the Stone meant Dan. 3. 34, 35. Excluding the Jewes from being the Stone in the beginning; whereas the Stone is expresly termed the Kingdom, which shall stand for ever v. 44, 45. which cannot be understood of the Saints, who are subject, they are not the Kingdom, nor do they stand for ever; though they receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, Heb. 12. 28. But the Stone is Christ the King, and his Dominion, which must fill the whole earth with Subjects, Lawes and Administrations of Rule and Justice, which cannot be said of the Saints Gentile or Jewish. Which inadvertency causeth them to speak confusedly p. 19, 20. and throughout their Book termed the Baaner of truth displayed, sometimes terming the Stone Christ, sometimes his Kingdom, sometime the Gentile Saints sometimes the Jewes joyned to the Gentiles. Now the same Stone which smites the great Image becomes a great Mountain and fils the whole earth; but this is not true of the Gentile Saints, or Jew and Gentile joyned together, they become not a great Mountain, nor fill the whole earth, therefore they smite not the Image.
2. That the Stone, or fifth Kingdom is an outward visible Kingdom, not the spiritual Kingdom, which was begun by Christ in the days of his flesh is much insisted on, as the chief ground of their faith and hope in this matter. But in the Banner of truth displayed p. 20. in answer to the question what this Stone is? They say, this Stone is called in Scripture the Kingdom of Christ, and the Kingdom of Christ this stone, Dan. 2. 44, 45. Matth. 21. 43, 44. which, they say, hath a twofold dispensation, i. e. 1. An internal dispensation, or the inward Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of Christ in the hearts of his Saints, and in and over his Church. 2. An external dispensation, 1. Of war, in subduing and conquering his stubborn enemies and opposers in the world, whereby they shall be compelled to yield, and shall become subjects though Kings and Princes. 2. Of peace upon the earth, in and over the whole world; which is the new creation and restitution of all things, where will be perfection & no sin; among the Saints immortality, & no mortal nor corruptible thing, where death shall have no sting, nor grave victory; but all shall be swallowed up in Christs fulness, which is victory. And for this they cite many scriptures in the margin. Now 1. I grant that the stone, Dan. 2. 44, 45. is the Kingdom of Christ or of God, Mat. 21. 43, 44. 2. The distinction of the internal & external Kingdom is not denied. 3. Nor do I oppose the double dispensation of this Kingdom. 4. Nor do I deny the description of either dispensation. But 1. hence I infer, that the stone, Dan. 2. 44, 45. notes the internal Kingdom, or the dominion Christ had by the preaching of the Gospel, termed the Gospel of the Kingdom, Matth. 24. 14. meant Matth. 21. 43, 44. For 1. that Kingdom is meant there, and no other, which was to be taken from the Jews, but that could be no other than the internal Kingdom, for no other Kingdom was then among them but it, therefore no other is there meant. 2. That Kingdom was there meant which was to be given to another Nation, meaning the Gentiles, but that was no other but the internal. 3. That Kingdom is there meant, whose fruits were to be brought forth by the Nation, to whom it was to be given: now the fruits of the Kingdom are expressed to be righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14. 17. which belong to the internal Kingdom, and therefore no other there meant. Which thing is also confirmed by other passages of Scripture, as namely that of our Saviour, Luk. 17. 20. When he was demanded when the Kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, or with outward shew, therefore the Kingdom of God meant in the Gospel, is not the outward visible Kingdom, which the Quinto-Monarchians expect, which is also proved from v. 21. where it is added, Neither shall they say Lo here, or lo there: for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you or among you, which could be no other than the Kingdom set up by the preaching of the Gospel. To which is to be added Christs good confession before Pontius Pilate, John 18. 36. my King dom is not of this world: if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my Kingdom not from hence. Wherein our Lord Christ declares his Kingdom foretold by the Prophets, not to be of this world, that is an earthly Kingdom, but a heavenly, which is opposed to that which is of this world, John 8. 23. The same thing might be gathered from the speeches of Christ, John Baptist, and the Apostles in many places, especially the parables of Christ, which shew that by the Kingdom of God, or of Heaven, is meant that dominion Christ hath over his Church by his Word and Spirit, which being the same with the Stone, Dan. 2. 44. 45. it follows that it began in Christs daies on earth, and that the smiting and filling the whole earth by the stone was effected by the preaching of the Gospel, which prevails against the power of darkness, and brings into the Kingdom of the Son of Gods love, Col. 1. 13. which I say not to exclude the Kingdom of Christ by such external discipline or rule as is meant 1 Cor. 4. 20. when the Apostle saith, For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power; but to shew what kind of Kingdom is meant, Dan. 2. 44. 45. by the stone, which, I may truly say, is become a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to the Quinto-Monarchians, instead of the corner st…ne of the Kingdom of Christ, on which they might be built to salvation.
2. I add, that Christ doth smite his enemies by the material sword and by war, and that there is such an external dispensation of it, in respect of which some passages, which in the new Testament, speak of the coming of his Kingdom in power are to be understood, as when he miserably destroyed those wicked men which slew the Son of God and cast him out of the Vineyard, which is expressed by the stones grinding to powder or dashing to pieces Matth. 21. 41. 44. which to be meant of the Jews, and their destruction by the Romans appears from Luke 20. 16. 18, 19. Matth. 21. 45. The like is to be said of Christs Kingdom in destroying the persecuting Emperors and Roman Empire by the sword of their own Soldiers, and chiefly by Constantine the great his victories over Maxentius and Licinius, to whose time that is applyed by Mr. Mede which we read Revel. 12. 10, 11. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. And the like is to be conceived at the making the whore desolate, Rev. 17. 16. it is not denied, that this shall be by war, but none of these wars were or are to be managed by Saints as Saints, OF private persons subjects to other Lords. The Saints overcame the Dragon, Rev. 12. 11. not by war, but by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. It is said Rev. 17. 14. that the ten Kings shall make war with the Lamb, which is most likely to be meant of their persecuting the Lamb's followers unto the death, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and therefore hath all power in his hands of Angels and men to execute his purpose, and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful, as appears by their adhering to the Lamb unto the death, Rev. 2. 10. by which they are Conquerors, and are crowned: no where are they said to overcome by fighting with the sword. As for the rewarding double by Gods people to Babylon, Rev. 18. 6. it is answered before Sect. 9.
3. The description made of the external dispensation of the Kingdom in peace may be allowed: But then it will not agree to the thousand years reign mentioned, Rev. 20. 6. For in that time there shall not be such a reign over the whole world, as that there shall be no enemies, nor sin; if so, how should Satan, when he is loosed out of Prison at the expiration of the thousand years, deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battel: the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea, and they go up on the breadth of the earth, and compass the Camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City, and then fire comes down from God out of Heaven and devours them, Rev. 20. 7, 8, 9? Sure these things shew, that in the thousand years reign the Kingdom of Christ shall not be so universal and entire, but that in the four quarters of the earth, the Indians in the East, the Tarters in the North, the Americans in the West, and the Moors in the South shall remain a wicked people, and at last be raised up by the Divel to destroy the people of God (which it is likely shall have a reign on the earth a thousand years, when the Jews shall be converted, and the Turkish tyranny, and Papal cruelty and delusions shall cease by such waies as divine providence shall order) and then by divine vengeance from Heaven shall be destroyed. But for the external dispensation of the Kingdom of God in peace as they describe it, it can agree to no time, but the universal resurrection, and last judgment; in which alone is nothing mortal, no▪ sin, which follows after the thousand years reign and Gogs and Magogs destruction, Rev. 20. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
3. The Quinto-Monarchians suppose, That towards the end of the fourth Monarchy, the stone, that is Christ in the Gentile Saints shall smite the Iron legs & toes of the Roman Empire, & then begin the fifth Monarchy, which after the smiting of them, the Saints shall take, and so be universal Monarchs, or have the universal Kingdom, which shall stand for ever. Now they are quite mistaken in the time and means of the stones smiting and the Saints taking the Kingdom. For the smiting was to begin, as Mr. Mede observes in his Discourse on Mark. 1. 14, 15. In the daies of Christ on earth, when the fourth Monarchy was at the heighth, not in its declining: For the stone, that is the fifth Kingdom, was begun in the daies of these Kings, that is the last of them, not after them, and that our Saviour plainly declares, when, after that John was put in Prison, he came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying, the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; Repent ye and believe the Gospel. In which words our Saviour declaring the time to be fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God to be approaching plainly shewes, that then was the time of which Daniel said ch. 2. 44. And in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, it shall not have any successor, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever; it shall be unshaken, though the Earth and the Heavens be once more shaken, Heb. 12. 26, 27, 28. And for the time of the Saints of the most high taking the Kingdom, and possessing the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, Dan. 7. 18. it is expressed, v. 13. to be when one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. which in the New Testament is applied to Christs second coming, Matth. 24. 30. and 26. 64. Mark 13. 26. and 14. 62. Luke 21. 27. Revel. 1. 7. Acts 1. 11. 1 Thes. 4. 17. which Mr. Mede in his fourth letter to Mr. Hayn proves to be at Christs second coming by the brightness of which shall be the consumption of the man of sin, 2 Thes. 2. 8. and at his appearing shall be his Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4. 1. and then shall the Saints of the most high, which overcome sit with him in his Throne, even as he also overcame, and is set down with his Father in his Throne, Revel. 3. 21. To them he will give power over the Nations, to Rule them with a Rod of Iron, so that as a potters vessel they shall be broken to shivers, even as he received of his Father Revel. 2. 26. 27. then the Kingdoms of the world shall be the Lords and his Christs, and he shall reign for ever and ever, the Lord God Almighty takes to him his great power and reigns, and the Nations were angry, and his wrath was come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that he should give the reward unto his servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and to them that fear his name, small and great, and should destroy them which destroy the earth, Revel. 11. 15. 17, 18. And Revel. 20. 4. the Thrones are said to be set as Dan. 7. 9. And they sate upon them and judgment was given to them as Dan. 7. 26. & then the Dominion or Kingdom given. To the Saints who are troubled rest shall be given by God with the Apostles when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, 2 Th. 1. 7. The Saints shall judge the world, 1 Cor. 6. 2. And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall fit in the Throne of his glory, ye shall also fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Matth. 19. 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations: And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me: that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom, and fit on Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel, Luke 22. 28, 29, 30. And for the means of obtaining this Kingdom as it is said, the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, that is human help, so it is said, in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, Dan. 2. 44, 45. which therefore our Lord called the Kingdom of Heaven, and gives the reason, because his Kingdom was not of this world, nor from hence, John 18. 36. but from Heaven. And where it is said, that the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, Dan. 7. 18. it is added v. 21, 22. I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them; until the ancient of daies came, and judgment was given to the Saints of the most high; and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom. v. 26, 27. But the judgment shall fit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the Kingdom, and Dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all Dominions shall serve and obey him. The Saints take it not by their getting it, but by gift, not by conquest, but donation. Suteably in the new Testament, Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom: Matth. 25. 24. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Out of which passages we may well infer 1. that it is great temerity in the Quinto-Monarchians to be so peremptory as they are, in setting down the time of the Saints taking the Kingdom: especially, if we consider, that when our Lord Christ was asked immediately afore his ascension into Heaven, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel? He said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, Acts 1. 6, 7. wherein he gives us to understand, that the times and seasons of restoring the Kingdom to Israel are put by the Father in his own peculiar power, and therefore were not to be then known to the Apostles, nor to us, till by the events shewing the foregoing signs, and the special instinct of Gods Spirit was shewed the just period of the mystical numbers, in which they are to be fulfilled. 2. We may infer, that it is very great folly, pride and arrogant presumption for a number of Gentile Saints in an Island or Continent to think to smite the fourth Monarchy by Arms, which is to be destroyed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth, and the brightness of his coming, and to take to themselves a Kingdom which God only can give, and to set up Christs Kingdom, which God makes his prerogative, Ps. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion, Ps. 110. 1, 2. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strengh out of Zion: Rule thou in the mids of thine enemies; and to think to do this by armes a feeble means, which is to be done not by might, nor by power, but by his spirit. The monstrous arrogance of this attempt is made the more hainous 1. because, when it hath been begun heretofore by any, they have found God against them, the Lord by his providence dissipating their counsels and frustrating their attempts, so as that in fine they have only brought ruin to themselves, and occasioned hatred of the wayes of God, and a hard hand in civil powers on the innocent. Which argument, although it do not Universally hold, that what succeeds not well in the event pleaseth not God, yet is good against these men, who have no other ground or warrant to their attempts, but the opinion they have of Gods putting it into their heart and assurance of his help, this being their own speech Banner displayed, p. 89. So that we make our conclusion (with Manoahs Wife of old) if the Lord were pleased to kill us (or suffer our enemies to kill us) he would not have received a burnt offering, and a meat offering at our hands; neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would [as at this time] have told us such things as these, Judges 13. 23. which shewes that the chief thing animating them to that bloody attempt was the opinion they had, that their determinations were of God, and that they were assured of help from him; which was the very thing that Thomas Muncer, and Hacket, and such like unquiet spirits were of Satan incited by, and ended in nothing but blasphemy of God, and reproach of Religion. 2. Their abuse of scriptures wrested by unstable and unlearned persons to their destruction, arguing from obscure passages against plain precepts doth aggravate their evil acts, it being no small evil to make the holy scriptures, which are for humility, meekness, patience, trust in God, peaceableness, an instrument to commotions, disobedience to superiors, shedding blood, & such like horrid wickedness. So in the Banner desp…ayed p. 19. Mal. 3. 3. Rev. 14. 4, 5. are alledged to prove the Stone, Dan. 2. 34, 35. is Christ Jesus in the pure sanctified and refined Gentile Christians; when the former speaks of the Sons of Levi, and the other mentions the 144000. who it is likely are the same with 144000. Revel. 7. 4. Sealed of all the Tribes of Israel: and p. 59. the words of the Prophet Jerem. 51. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. spoken either of Cyrus, or the King of Babel are alleged to prove, that the Lord hath elected and made choice of Zion his people to act in this work and service (of smiting civil powers) unto whom he saith thus, thou art my Battle-Axe and Weapon of War. So extremely are they deceived and deceive others. 3. Which is the worse in them, in that they urge their notions as matters of their faith, when yet they use conjectural expressions, p. 40. Probable conjecture, p. 41. seems to favour, p. 42. we do not ascertain or determin, only suppose, p. 44. This our opinion. p. 48. we may probably conclude, p. 55. humbly conceive about them; and sometimes vent inconsistencies, as that the stone is Christ, and yet the Gentile Saints, the Jewes excluded, though they shall be the stone when made a Mountain, with many more uncertainties about the stone, the little Horn, Dan. 7. and other things too tedious to be insisted on. 4. To these we may add the uncharitable conceits of their Governors, their Revilings of them, their unquietness in separating from those that concur not with them, their contention, and ejection from their society, such as do oppose them in their heady and violent practises, all which shew, that they are animated by the infernal spirit, and not from above, and in all likelihood have received their opinions and practises from Jesuites and Emissaries of Rome, who have crept into societies of zealous Christians and sown their tares among them. The Tenents about civil powers being too near of kin to one another.