Babylons Ruin Jerusalems Rising, Sermon

Babylons Ruin Jerusalems Rising · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON Preached before The Honourable Houſe OF COMMONS, At the Publike Faſt, October 25. 1643.

ZECH. 1. 18. 19. 20. 21.

Then I lift up mine eyes, and ſaw, and behold foure hornes.

And I ſaid unto the Angel that talked with me; What be theſe? Babylons ruine, Ieruſalems raiſing.And he anſwered me, Theſe are the hornes which have ſcattered Iudah, Iſrael, and Jeruſalem.

And the Lord ſhewed me foure carpenters.

Then ſaid I, What come theſe to doe? And he ſpake, ſaying; Theſe are the hornes which have ſcattered Iudah, ſo that no man did lift up his head: but theſe are come to fray them, to caſt out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift up their horn over the land of Iudah to ſcatter it.

IN theſe words is repreſented a double viſion, and the interpretation of both; here is a viſion of ruine, and a viſion of reſcue; a viſion of deſtruction, and a viſion of deliverance; although both of the viſions be unlocked and opened, yet ſome things require ſome clearing.

Firſt, let us ſee what is meant by hornes; and ſecondly, who p. 2they are that are pointed at in this place; and thirdly, why foure hornes.In hominibus cornu ſignificat potentiam, virtutem, gloriam, fortitudinem. Glaſſius de metaphor. lib. 5. Tract. 1. c. 11.

By hornes we underſtand the enemies of Gods people, it being a metaphor taken from thoſe beaſts that weare hornes, which are the inſtruments in which they ſhew their ſtrength and fierceneſſe, both in defending and offending alſo. Cornu, with reſpect to men, doth ſignifie power, and vertue, and glory, and fortitude, 1 Sam. 2. 1. Iob 16. 15. Pſal. 25. 11. Pſal. 89. 18. 25.

In ſpeciall, Cornu ſignifies a Kingdom, whoſe majeſty conſiſts in power and fortitude, 1 Sam. 2. 10. So that the ſtrength and In ſpecie ſignificat regnum, cujus majeſtas in potentia, fortitudine, & …obere conſiſtit. Glaſſ. ibid.greatneſſe and fierceneſſe of a Nation is hereby ſet forth, 1 Kings 22. 11. & Dan. 7. 7. 8. & 21. and Dan. 8. 3. 4. Rev. 12. 3. & 13. 1. & 17. 3. 7. 12. 16. So cornupetere, to puſh, is all one with praeliari and potentiam pugnando exerere.

Obſerv. 1 Whence wee may note, that the enemies of Gods people are both fierce and powerfull fighters againſt them.

The other two things to be conſidered both for the perſons and number, they will fall in together: Some underſtand by the foure hornes, the foure Monarchies of the world. But as Luther, Melanchthon, and Calvin ſay, it cannot be in regard this viſion reſpects a thing actually done; but ſome of the Mornarchies had not their being in the world for many years after; and therefore they conjecture better, who by foure hornes underſtand the enemies of God from the foure quarters of the world; On the North the Aſſyrians and Babylonians, as our Babylonian enemies lie moſt northward; on the Eaſt the Ammonites and Moabites; on the South Egypt and the Edomites; on the West the Philiſtines.

Obſerv. 2 It is the lot of Gods people to be environed with fierce and powerfull enemies, on all ſides, from all quarters of the world. It is the lot of the godly to be beleaguered with horned Beaſts.

Now let us ſee what theſe Carpenters are; here is foure to The Originall word ſignifies, Omnis generis Artifices, Luth.foure; Luther obſerves out of the originall, that by Carpenters we muſt underſtand Artificers of all ſorts, whoſe skill and induſtry God made uſe of in the building of the Temple: The truth is, Luther underſtands by fabri Angelos, quibus haec imperia demandata ſunt; by Carpenters, he meanes the Angels to whoſe care the cuſtody of thoſe Empires was entruſted; But it ſeems more congruous to take Carpenters here in this place for ſuch as God did raiſe up to be the Executioners of his vengeance upon the hornes that had ſo afflicted and ſcattered his people, and hindred the building of the Temple; he cals them Carpenters, to intimate that their work is twofold; Firſt, for plucking down; Secondly, for rearing up. Cyrus who was the chiefe Carpenter which God employed to ſaw off the Babylonian hornes, was to pluck down that vaſt Fabrick of the Aſſyrian Monarchy, and ſo by that make way for building of Jeruſalem.

It is conſiderable to take notice of the alteration of the expreſſion uſed in the two viſions; It is ſaid, I ſaw the foure hornes, but the Lord ſhewed me the foure Carpenters.

Obſerv. 3 Whence obſerve, That which way ſoever wee turne our eyes wee may quickly ſee hornes, enemies of the Church of God; but deliverers muſt bee ſhewed us of the Lord.

Before I come to the obſervations concerning the Carpenters, I ſhall take notice of the time when the hornes appeared and the Carpenters were raiſed.

If wee look back we ſhall finde ver. 16. 17. the moſt comfortable and pretious promiſes that we read of, and preſently theſe hornes ſhew themſelves, ſo that aſſoone as Zechary had received comfort from the promiſes made, he immediately ſaw an obſtruction caſt in, he ſaw all his hopes daſhed, if we look with the eye of reaſon.

Obſerv. 4 Whence we may obſerve, That difficulties alwayes attend deliverances; if the Church bee in travell to bee delivered of a comfort, the birth of a promiſe and the iſſue of prayers, you ſhall immediately finde ſome hornes, ſome fierce and potent enemies ready to ſtifle the birth as it comes forth, or to ſtrangle it in the womb.

It is further obſerved concerning the time when theſe Carpenters were ſhewed; the enemies they appeare moſt when the Church hath any promiſe drawing towards an accompliſhment, but the deliverers are ſhewed when the Church ſeemes to bee drawing towards her end, when ſhee is gaſping for life; for the time when theſe Carpenters were ſhewed, was when the Church was at the loweſt ebbe; **Zecharias eo tempore vixit, quo ſumme neceſſarium fuit conſolari pop. venturo regno Chriſti, &c. ne… enim antea vel poſthac unquam pop. fuit ita diſſipatus, diſjectus, a… tanto terrore percuiſus quamdiu pop. Dei dictus eſt, quam illo Babyloniae capivitatis tempore, Luther.Luther obſerves how that the Church was in the ſaddeſt and moſt miſerable condition that ever ſhee was brought to.

p. 4Obſerv. 5 God then raiſeth up deliverers to his people, when there bee leaſt hopes and moſt enemies appeare: When the enemies bee moſt in ſight, (I ſaw the hornes) then moſt unexpectedly God ſhewes deliverers, (He ſhewed me the Carpenters.)

In the laſt place it is ſaid theſe Carpenters came to fray the hornes, &c. That is, utterly to deſtroy them, or to remove them out of the way, ſo as that they ſhould not hinder the building of the Temple.

Obſerv. 6 Thoſe that God employes as Carpenters in his ſervice, they ſhall carry on the work both for plucking down and rearing up, maugre all oppoſition whatſoever to the contrary.

You have ſeene what is meant by the viſion in the letter of it, (viz.) the enemies of the Church of God antiently, The ſame things which antiently were acted, are now brought upon the Stage by Satan, whom Epiphanius cals foreign, draconem ſeſe in orbem volventem: he brings about the old malice, rage, ſubtlety, and tyranny againſt the Church of God: So that I may make uſe of the words of Ludovicus Laurentius taken by him out of Thucidides, ſemper eadem geri in mundo, mutatis tantum perſonis.which were a Type of the enemies of the Church of God now: for as Babylon of old, and that Monarchy was the chief enemy under whoſe yoke the Iſraelites did then groane for ſeventy yeares; ſo is myſticall Babylon, which is Rome the antitype, under which the Church of God hath and doth moſt ſuffer. I ſhall therefore with Calvin and others, ſpeake of the enemies of the Church of God, and of deliverers alſo, with reſpect Calvin after he had ſpoken of the buſineſſe in the Type ſayes thus, Videmus hoc vaticinium non modo atati Zachariae ſuiſſe util…, ſed omnibus ſeculis, & ad totum Eccleſiae corpus reſpicere.unto the Anti-type in both; the horns in the former viſion being but a type of our Antichriſtian enemies now; and the Carpenters being a type of our Reformers under the Goſpel, and thoſe that are to build the ſpirituall Licet enim haec i… ludaeorum ex captivitate reductorum & urbem & templum ad ficantium conſolationum d…ta ſint, complementum tomen habent praecipuum in N. T. in Eccleſia quae urbs Dei eſt, Tarnovius in locum.Jeruſalem, even the Church, and to pluck down myſticall Babylon, that is, Rome; for though this was ſhewed for the comfort of the Jewes, yet (ſayes Tarnovius) the accompliſhment is and ſhall be under the Goſpel.

For this preſent I ſhall fix upon the two laſt propoſitions, and handle them diſtinctly and ſeverally.

p. 5The firſt of the two which is the fifth, is this, That God then raiſeth up deliverers, &c.

This is the method which God uſeth to take; Our account and his in reſpect of times and ſeaſons differ like as the Gregorian and the Iulian, the one out-runnes the other; we in our account commonly antedate deliverances and mercies; but God hee ſeemes to us to poſtdate them, and his appointed time ſeemes to be paſt the time appointed, his ſet day of deliverance, ſeemes to be a day too late commonly, a yeer ſometimes; Jer. 8. 20. The harveſt is past, the Summer is ended, and we are not ſaved: Gods time of help is when the time of help is paſt. Deut. 32. 35. It is ſaid concerning the enemies of Gods people, That their foot ſhall ſlide in due time, and God will render vengeance, and v. 36. he will repent himſelfe for his ſervants: now it is obſerveable when the due time ſpoken of is, in the 36. v. it is ſaid, when he ſeeth that his ſervants power is gone, then is the Lords due time to take vengeance of their Adverſaries and to deliver them.

So Jer. 31. 16. 17 the Lord gives comforts, and the ground is this, There is hope in thine end, ſaith the Lord; when there was an end of hope in a manner, it is ſaid there is hope in their end: When the knife is at the throat, then, foreign, God then interpoſeth he puts in then unexpectedly and to admiration, Iſ. 33. 7. 8. 9. you ſhall read of a ſtrange preface to a deliverance ſpoken of v. 10. when hopes are cut off; Then will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord, now will I lift up my ſelfe, now will I be exalted: God raiſed up Moſes and Aaron to deliver his people, even when Moſes himſelfe thought the buſineſſe of ſuch difficulty and impoſſibility, that hee was very unwilling to adventure, Exod. 4. 13. Nay, Moſes thought that God had even forgot himſelfe, Exod. 5. ult. Whereas the time promiſed was not come, though it were neare; the deliverance ſeemed to be farther off, by how much the nearer it approached; Exod. 10. 28. Pharaoh quarrels with Moſes and bids him get him gone, but Exod. 12. 40. 41. God obſerved his time even to a day: Gods appointed time is ever ſeaſonable, though ſometime it ſeemes late: Inſtances are many, Exod. 14. at the red Sea, God appeared in the Mount: Look throughout the Book of Judges, and Samuel, and Kings, the Scripture is plentifull in this argument.

p. 6But here a queſtion may bee ſeaſonably made, Why doth God put off the deliverance of his ſervants even to the laſt moment, when things ſeeme to be paſt recovery?

Reaſon 1 Becauſe God hereby will ſhew to us how that his way of delivering is farre different from ours, as much as his power is different from the power of the creature: for he can raiſe up Carpenters, when there is nothing in view but oppoſition, he ſhewes how that he can recover when things are paſt recovery, and hee can deliver when things are deſperate, hee ſhewes us that he hath power in his hand to make a ſeaſon for deliverance, when the ſeaſon for our account is paſt, Ier. 30. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 17. It is ſaid concerning Gods people, Thy bruiſe is incurable, thy wound is grievous, v. 12. & 15. thy ſorrow is incurable, and yet v. 17. it is ſaid, I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heale thee of thy wounds, &c. when the matter is paſt cure, then it is fitteſt for him to cure, who can heale incurable wounds.

Reaſon 2 God will hereby try whether you be the true children of Abraham, that you can hope above hope, whether you can beleeve deliverance when you cannot ſee deliverance in probability, Rom. 4. 18. 19. 20. there is your pattern, he will put you to it whether you will take out that copy, he wil try whether the faith of his ſervants be ſo quickſighted as to ſee deliverance through deſtruction, and a horn of ſalvation, Luk. 1. 69. exalted above all the hornes of confuſion.

Reaſon 3 Hee raiſeth up Deliverers, then when his Churches enemies appeare moſt fierce and inſolent, and his people are at the loweſt; that he might ſhew himſelfe moſt glorious on his peoples behalfe, againſt their Adverſaries. God never appeares ſo glorious as when he appeares both for confuſion and conſolation at once, with his golden Scepter held out to his people, and his Mace of Iron brought forth to break his enemies in pieces like a Potters Veſſell; when he is a Light and a Flame at once, Iſ. 10. 17. when he appeares as he did Exod. 14. 20. in the Cloud, which was bright and black, a cloud of comfort and a cloud of confuſion at once; his two great attributes by which he is known amongſt the children of men, I meane his juſtice and mercy, when they doe ſhew themſelves together, then they doe mutually illuſtrate each the other, and render God much more glorious to the world. p. 7Whence it is that you ſhall finde in Scripture, that the greateſt mercies fall in with the greateſt vengeance; Deut. 32. 43. there is vengeance and mercy together, and Iſ. 61. 2. the acceptable yeere of the Lord, and the day of vengeance both proclaimed at once. So alſo Iſ. 59. 17. 18 there is the helmet of ſalvation, and the brestplate of righteouſneſſe, and the garments of vengeance at once upon God. So alſo Nah. 1. 6. 7. you have God very fearefull and terrible, and a ſtrong hold &c. likewiſe Luk. 21. 25. 26. you ſhall ſeldome read of ſuch times, fuller of confuſion, and v. 28. the day of redemption is cloſe by this day of deſtruction. It is therefore Gods courſe to raiſe up the greateſt comforts to his people, when their enemies are moſt proud and intolerable, that ſo he might appeare the more glorious in his works of mercy and fury, of conſolation and confuſion.

Reaſon 4 A fourth reaſon, why Carpenters are brought in to deliver when the hornes are moſt exalted, is in reſpect of the Deliverers, for by theſe meanes they appeare more conſpicuous and eminent: Moſes had not been ſo notable, if Pharaoh had not been ſo hardened; neither had Ioſhuah appeared ſo brave a Souldier, if he had not found ſo great oppoſition from Gyants and Anakims, from ſtout and ſtrong enemies; Davids valour was the more taken notice of, becauſe Goliahs pride and valour was ſo daring and terrible; the antidote never ſhewes it ſelfe ſo Soveraigne as when the poyſon ſhewes it ſelfe moſt malignant. Auſtin had not been ſo renowned to poſterity, but for the obſtinacy and ſubtlety Vid. con Nic. Tom. 1. conc. Gener. & conc. Eph. Tom. 2. conc. Gener. ex Ed. Bin. & Tom. 1. con. Ep. Leo…is 81. …5 & ed. 1… S…rii.and learning of Pelagius; nor Athanaſius but for Arrius; not Cyrill but for Neſtorius; nor Gregory Nazianzen but for Macedonius; nor Leo but for Eutyches; nor Hierom but for Ruſſinus; Conſtantinus had never been called Magnus, if the Perſecutors had not proved cruell: he never had been ſo famous for building the Church of God, if they had not been famous in the butchery of it; Iewell had not ſhewed ſo orient but for Harding who was his foyle; nor had the Synod of Dort been ſo much ſpoken of but for Arminius: none of all theſe had proved ſo good Carpenters, if they had not met with ſuch hornes ſo full of fierceneſſe, rage, power, and tyranny; Nor had the eyes of Proteſtant Chriſtendom been ſo much fixed on this Parliament, if the horns p. 8of Papall Chriſtendom had not puſhed with ſuch violence againſt this Parliament.

Vſe 1 This reproveth thoſe that murmure and repine and cry, Where is the promiſe of his comming? where are the Deliverers ſo much expected, ſo long looked after, they are much to be blamed that will meaſure Gods times by their glaſſe, and if he doth not ſtrike with their clock and goe by their dyall, then there is no hopes, the time appointed is paſt, and they will wait no longer. It is a great boldneſſe that men take to themſelves, they would deale with Gods Providence as they doe by their Watches, ſet it backwards or forwards according as they have a minde to have things fall out ſooner or ſtay longer: It is a very great fault in Chriſtians, they out-runne Providence, and they are impatient to ſtay for deliverance, never conſidering the vaſt difference betwixt Gods Chronology and ours: By this meanes it falls out that they have ſpent their ſtock of hopes long before the time and ſeaſon, in which we ſhould moſt hope.

Vſe 2 This teacheth us to wait the Lords leiſure, although we doe ſee hornes that have puſhed the Church and ſcattered it, it will not be long before we ſhall ſee Carpenters; nay our comfort is, we doe ſee them, and they are at work already on the hornes and have knocked ſome of them off; Since God ſtayes long (in our apprehenſions) before he delivers, and we cannot accelerate or hinder the courſe of his Providence, it behoves us to wait upon it, and to follow it, but not to out-runne it; conſidering alſo that as we cannot conduct and lead on the motions and periods of Providence, ſo (it often falls out) that when things are deſperate in the eyes of man, then in the courſe of Gods Providence and Chronology, there be the greateſt emergencies for new expectations. This therefore ſhould teach us dependance on this God, which commands deliverances, when things are deplored and deſperate, that can work ſalvation out of ruines. Let us remember that he which believeth will not make haſt, but as it is, 2 Chron. 20. 12 he will have his eyes on the Lord; remembring that Hab 2. 3. 4. The viſion (I may ſay of the Carpenters) is for an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lie; though it tarry, yet wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry, &c.

p. 9Ʋſe 3 This ſhould comfort Gods people very much in regard they have a God who can and doth bring in a full ſea of comforts when they are at the loweſt ebbe of miſery; there is alwayes a remedy very neer their miſery. The Church may be in Hagars condition, all her ſtock of hopes may be ſpent, and ſhe may give her children for loſt, as Hagar did; ſhe may ſit and weep for want of reliefe, and yet there is a well of mercy cloſe by her, though ſhe doth not ſee it, as there was cloſe by Hagar, Gen. 21. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Here is a comfort, that for every danger there is a deliverer laid in for, and beſpoke before-hand that he ſhould be in a readineſſe; the provident God hath fore-caſt for every horn a Carpenter, and the Carpenter which God ſets on work proves too hard for the horn; there is a builder for every breaker downe, and a repayrer for every deſtroyer. It muſt needs be a very great comfort, whilſt we conſider how that the Church never did receive any great blow by a puſh from any horn, but God provided a preſent remedy. God that fore-ſaw the enemies of the people of God, provided a Ioſhuah, raiſed up the valiant Iudges, and Kings, and Prophets, and Apoſtles, &c. for his people; God provided a David for a Goliah, a Mordecai and Heſter for Haman, a Cyrus for Babylon; You ſhall find for your comfort in Eccleſiaſticall ſtory, that if any hereſie did ariſe as a horn againſt the truth, God provided a Carpenter with his Mallet to knock down that horn, whence our famous Divines are called Haereticorum mallei. For the aaHiſt. Conc. Nic. prae. Con. Nic. ex ed. Bin. Tom. 1. Conc. Tom. 1. Conc. Gen. & provi…. Epheſ. Conc. par. …. Act. 1. ex ed. Binii ex lib. Neſtor. collect.Acts 1Arrian Hereſie that ſtruck at the Divinity of Chriſt, you had the firſt great Councell of Nice: Then for the Hereſie of Neſtorius bbforeign, &c. foreign, then followes the ſentence of condemnation from the whole Synod. (c) Tom 2. Gen. & provin. Conc. ed. …. Bi…. Epheſ. Conc. par. 2. act. 1. (d) Tom. 1. Con. Ep Leonis 81. & 95. de blaſphemiis Nestorii & Eutych. ex Sur ed. Tom. 3. Conc Chalced. 2. par. Act. 4. ex ed. …in. Vid. … Conc. Conſtant. …. 1. Conc. Bin.Acts 4that made two perſons in Chriſt, the Epheſine Councell was called, and the hereſie condemned: As for the hereſie of Macedonius that denyed the Divinity of the Holy Ghoſt, the Councell of Conſtantinople to ſuppreſſe that. And then for the hereſie of Eutyches, which affirmed but one nature in Chriſt, the Councell of Chalcedon was called for the extirpation of that. I might be large in this kinde, but I forbeare.

I now come to the ſecond Propoſition which was the ſixt: That when God raiſeth up Carpenters, they ſhall carry on the worke, The 2. Propoſ.both for plucking down, and building up, maugre all oppoſition whatſoever to the contrary.

The Babylonian hornes which hindered the deliverance of Gods p. 10people, and the building of the Temple, were knocked off and broken down by Cyrus and others that God raiſed up, and the building of Ieruſalem went on, Ezra 1. 1, 2, 3. &c. Then afterwards the enemies prevailed ſo far, that they hindered the building, Ezra 5, 6. & 24. then cap. 6. 1, 2. &c. you have a Decree for the building: Then Haggai's and Zacharies propheſies ſtirred them up to build, Ezr. 5. 1. Zech. 4. 7. the Mountaine that ſtood before Zorobabel is made plain.

The reaſon of this is plain, Zech 4. 6. becauſe when God ſets men on worke where there be leaſt hopes of doing any good, yet the work ſhall go on, Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, ſayes God. It is not thus to be underſtood, as if he would make uſe of no inſtruments, for he did then make uſe of Carpenters for the building of Ieruſalem, but by my Spirit, i. e. I will ſo rule, and order, and diſpoſe of things by my Spirit, thoſe means that I ſhall uſe, that it ſhall appeare I did it, and that my name was written upon every part of the buſineſſe.

It appeares to be Gods Spirit and hand in bringing things to paſſe; firſt, when a matter falls out unexpectedly, and ſtrangely, and ſuddenly, as we ſee that deliverance of David, 1 Sam. 23. 26, 27. Or ſecondly, when God workes by contraries, Pſal. 112. 4. as when light ſprings out of darkneſſe, or when that which was intended for ruine, becomes an Antidote, when the wicked are taken in their owne crafts, Pſal. 7. 15, 16. Thirdly, when God works by weak and contemptible meanes, 1 Cor. 27. 28. Fourthly, when many caſualties and accidents falling in together, are wiſely ordered to advance a buſineſſe, as appeares in Mordecai's caſe, Eſth. 6. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7.

So that when God calls men to any ſpeciall ſervice, it ſhall be done for he engageth himſelfe in a ſpeciall manner for the doing of it: Whence it is, that God for the encouragement of his ſervants in great buſineſſes, tells them, …o I am with you, as if he ſhould ſay, my wiſdom and power ſhall be with you, both for the ordering and effecting of the deſigne. When God called Moſes to that great worke of leading his people out of Egypt, he ſpeaks that encouraging language, Exod. 3. 10, 11, 12. I will be with thee, and chap. 4. 10, 11, 12. he confirmes him in like manner, though Moſes did ſhrink, and diſtruſt, and was very hardly brought on to the p. 11work. Whatever the work be, yet it matters not, ſo God be in it, he fits men for the work, and carries them through it, though it may ſeem difficult and impoſſible, Ier. 1. 17, 18. 19. If God makes uſe, though of a worm, that worm ſhall threſh Mountaines in peeces, Iſa. 41. 14, 15, 16. The poor Church trampled on like a worm (which as it is leaſt able to help it ſelfe, ſo it is moſt expoſed to injury) yet it ſhall cruſh in pieces thoſe that tread it under foot; the wheeles moved as the living creatures moved, and the living creatures moved as the Spirit moved, Ezek 1. 19, 20, 21. when he ſets the wheeles of the creature going, there is nothing can ſtay them; there is no ſtanding againſt thoſe whom God ſends on his errand, Deut. 30. 32. Ier. 51. 20, 21. It is ſpoke of Luther how Coeleſti… ille Germanus Lutherus Antichriſtum antea terribilem omnibus, ſo â oris buc…ina conterruit, & parva ſodalium, infirm. tatis contra potentiam, ſimplicitatis contra fraudes, humilitatis contra faſtum, contra crudelitatem patientia, arma coniungentium ſtipatus manu, in reſtitutione evange… fecit progreſſum, …anſ. in Orat. pro German.invincibly and irreſiſtibly he went on in the oppoſing of the whole body of Antichriſt, the whole Kingdome of Satan and the beaſt could not ſtand before him.

Whence it follows by way of inference and corollary full of ſweetneſſe and comfort, that thoſe whom God employes in his ſervice, they ſhall conquer all oppoſition; Mountains ſhall be plained, Zech. 4. 7. Anakims ſhall lye proſtrate like Dagon before the Arke, 1 Sam. 5. 3. Iericho walls ſhall fall down, Ioſh 6. 20. If God gives commiſſion to Armies of Flyes and Locuſts, they will make a puiſſant people ſtoop, Exod. 8. 21, 25. and 10. 16, 17. though the oppoſition be great, and the meanes to encounter it ſmall, that is all one; one to a thouſand, and two to ten thouſand is mighty oddes in number and ſtrength, and yet they ſhall conquer, Deut. 32. 30.

It followes, ſecondly, for encouragement, that no plots or deſignes, no conſpiracies and combinations againſt thoſe that God ſets on worke ſhall proſper, Iſa. 8. 9, 10. Iob 12. 16, 17. Iſa. 29. 14.

Honourable and Beloved, this Truth hath been ſealed to you by many experiments, and by a concurrence of providences, many, and ſtrange, and viſible; ſo viſible indeed to any (but he that will not ſee) that you and we muſt needs confeſſe and ſay, there was Digitus Dei, and another time brachium Altiſſimi, and here again Iehovah-Iireh; and againe, If the Lord himſelfe had not been on our ſide, Pſal. 124. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. &c. This deliverance you may aſcribe Deo liberatori, to God our Redeemer, and this Victory Deo p. 12adjutori, to God my helper; and this blow and wound given to the adverſary, Deo vindici, to God to whom vengeance belongeth; you and we muſt needs ſay here, This is the Lords own doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes; How often hath it been made good to you, that ſurely there is no inchantment against Iacob, neither is there any divination againſt Iſrael? Num. 23. 23. Here you may write a Selah, here an Higgaion Selah, there being matter of aſtoniſhment and admiration in Gods mercies to you; How often has God ſhewed himſelfe then, when indeed there was dignus vindice nodus, it being paſt humane help? How often have you been brought to thoſe ſtraits, that you have been all puzled, and non-pluſſ'd? you have been at a ſtand, and when you ſtood ſtill, you then ſaw the ſalvation of the Lord, your ſtanding ſtill was Gods chiefe time of working, Exod. 14. 13.

The truth is, the Houſe in which you ſit hath been the Mount of the Lord, a Mount of mercies, and a Mount of deliverances; ſo that you of all men may truly ſay, God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in time of trouble, Pſal. 46. 1. and the Lord of Hoſts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, v. 7. Selah. The veſſell hath bin ſo neer ſinking, that with the Apoſtles you have cyred out, Lord ſave us, we periſh; and he hath ſaved you, and you have not periſhed.

Object. But it may be ſaid, that you find many incombrances and difficulties, by way of diſcouragement.more hornes ſeem to ſpring up in the place of the old, and when one mountain is removed, it doth but give place and make room for a greater, as if the removing of one difficulty, were but the creation of a greater.

Anſw. This ſhould be ſo farre from diſcouraging you, that it ſhould cauſe you rather to double your files, this ſhould increaſe your by way of retortion for encouragement the more.zeal and courage for true Zeal increaſeth by oppoſition and like the Palme, riſeth up with a kind of indignation againſt that weight that is laid upon it. You may well think, that when the Carpenters fall upon the hornes with their hammers, axes, and ſawes, the beaſts that weare them will be outragious; this ſhould encourage you the more, it is a ſign you draw nigh the root: It is a hopefull ſign that many a devill is neer upon caſting out of the Land; It is to be hoped that many a drunken, prophane, formall, ſuperſtitious, idolatrous, ceremoniall devill, many a foule ſpirit is ready to be diſpoſſeſſed p. 13in regard they have rent and torne our Kingdome ſo miſerably, like that Devill, Mar. 9. 25. 26. when he was to bee caſt out, rent the poſſeſſed …ore, inſomuch as he was a dead man for the preſent; we hope that whole legeons are ready to be caſt out: you muſt conceive that thoſe that rake in waſpes neſts, and in the holes of Aſpes and Cockatrices, may meet with ſtings and poyſon.

Beſides, by how much the more diligent you be in your work, by ſo much the more diligent will Satan be to reſiſt you. Rev. 12. 4. The Dragon ſtood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, to devoure the child ſo ſoone as it was born; now that you are in travell ready to be delivered of a male child, of ſome good deſigne, the Dragon ſtands before you, not to be a Mid-wife to deliver, but an Executioner to ſtrangle the child in the birth, or to devoure it ſo ſoone as it is borne: Since you have to do with a brood of Serpents, you muſt expect, that the Serpent will ſend out of his mouth a flood, as he did after the woman, Rev. 12. 15. waters of Perſecutions from all parts; When Ioſhuah the High Prieſt appeared before the Lord, Satan ſtood at his right hand to hinder him, Zech. 3. 1. but God rebuked him, ver. 2.

Furthermore, whatſoever may be objected almoſt by way of diſcouragement Particular objections anſwered by way of parallel drawn from the Type, and the antitype, from the builders of Ieruſalem of old, and the builders of Gods houſe under the laſt times of the Goſpel.to you, you may find to have fallen upon thoſe that built the Temple of Ieruſalem, who were your Type, and you ſhall finde that notwithſtanding all diſcouragements the building went on; which certainly muſt needs animate and quicken you, when you finde the parallel to be ſutable.

It is ſaid, that the buſineſſe is very ſad and mournfull? Anſ. It is true, there is cauſe of mourning, but there is cauſe of rejoycing too. Ezra. 3. 12. at the laying of the foundation of the Temple there was weeping, (I confeſſe upon another ſtile) and there was rejoycing to, becauſe the foundation was laid, that there was ſome pregnant hopes of a building towards, which they might hope would come to an accompliſhment in due time

Secondly, we are ſcandalized and reproched, and the work vilified and ſcorned. Anſw. Ezr. 4. 12. there you have an invective; and Neh. 2. 19. when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geſhem heard of it, they laughed us to ſcorne, and deſpiſed us, and ſaid, What is this thing that yee doe? will yee rebell againſt the K. but take notice p. 14of the pious anſwer, ver. 20. Again, Neh. 4. 1. 2. 3. You ſhall finde reproaches full of venome and indignation againſt the building and the builders; but yet for all this the building went on.

Thirdly, we are not only reproached, but the Adverſary is in Armes againſt us. Anſw. This was the caſe of the builders of Ieruſalem, for when the enemies ſaw they could not laugh and ſcorne them from the work, they then levied forces to beat them from the work, Neh. 4. 8. but yet the work went on, and by that meanes it went on, ſee v. 9. But if it be ſo, how can it be expected that we ſhould both defend and build? Anſw. How did the builders of Ieruſalem? they fought and built at once, Neh. 4. 16. 17. 18. and they did proſper and goe on. Nay, ſuch was their conſtant oppoſition, that they were compelled to watch ſo conſtantly and diligently, That they did not put off their clothes, ſaving for waſhing, ver. 23.

Fourthly, the buſineſſe is now grown to that paſſe, that it is ſo heavie and ſo chargeable, that there is a great cry and clamour of the people by reaſon of taxations, and by reaſon of continuall watching and labouring at the works, men are conſtrained to leave their Trades, and Trade decaying, men now ſpend upon the ſtock; nay, many a mans ſtock is already ſpent, ſo that they are compelled to borrow upon uſe, whereupon there be many murmurings and repinings amongſt us. Anſw. This was juſt the caſe of them that built Jeruſalem, Neh. 5. 1. 2. 3. …. the very ſelfe-ſame words that were then ſpoken are now taken up, and there is much like the ſame reaſons and grounds: But obſerve the wiſdome and zeale of Nehemiah in this caſe, how he behaved himſelfe in the verſes following, from the 6^th to the 12^th and conſider the iſſue moſt happy, in the verſes after.

Fifthly, but the people of the land are diſaffected both to us, and the work. Anſw. Ez. 4. 4. 5. The people of the land weakned the hands of the people of Iudah, and troubled them in building, and hired Counſellours againſt them, &c.

Sixthly, our Adveriaries lay their deſignes deep, they work under ground. Anſw. So it was with them anciently, Neh. 4. 11. their Adverſaries ſaid, They ſhall not know, neither ſee, till we come in the midſt among them, and ſlay them, and cauſe the work to ceaſe.

p. 15Seventhly, many great ones draw back, the Nobles many of them will not put their hand to the work. Anſw. So it was anciently, Neh. 3. 5. The Nobles put not their neck to the work of the Lord.

Eightly, we are dealt withall by way of treaty and friendly accommodation, places of meeting are propoſed, and the truth is, their traines of love, are trains of powder to blow us up. Anſw. So it was with Nehemiah, 6. 2. he was ſent to by Sanballat and Geſhem, ſaying, Come let us meet together in ſome one of the Villages in the plaine of Ono; but they thought to doe me a miſchiefe: Whether the caſe at a Town not farre off be not much like this, and whether miſchiefe were not intended, let the event ſpeak; but obſerve what anſwer Nehemiah made, v. 3. Nay, they ſent to him foure times, but he gave them the ſame anſwer, He had a great work in hand, ſo that I cannot come down, &c. I will not undertake to preſcribe what anſwer you ſhould give.

Ninthly, we have open Declarations againſt us, and the world is told that we rebell, and that we think upon ſtrong matters, ſuch things as never entred into our hearts. Anſw. Juſt ſo it was with Nehemiah, c. 6. v. 5. 6. they ſend an open letter to them to that purpoſe it might be known to the world, and that they might affright them with that terrible word of Rebellion. Nay, it is ſaid that they employed Prophets to Preach their Rebellious intentions, that they might be communicated more eaſily and effectually to the people; this was ſaid then, v. 7. and let the ſame anſwer that Nehemiah made, be now made alſo, ver. 8.

Tenthly, we had thoſe that are ſet on purpoſe to draw and entice us into unwarrantable courſes, that ſo there might be a juſt matter of acculation againſt us; ſome have been tempted on purpoſe for that end, that ſo we might lie open to their imputations. Anſw. This was Nehemiahs caſe, c. 6. v. 10. hee was allured by Shemaiah to goe with him into the houſe of God, pretending it was not ſafe for Nehemiah to be in the City; now this would have engaged Nehemiah in a diſhonourable act, to flie into the Temple, this might have favoured of feare, and then others might have been diſheartned, and therefore he entertaines the offer with indignation, and ſaid, Should ſuch a man as I flee? v. 11. Secondly, it would have engaged Nehemiah in an unlawfull act; for p. 16Iunius and Tremelius obſerve, that it was not lawfull for him to go into the Temple, and to that purpoſe they urge that Law, Numb. 3. 38. and Nehemiah ſeems to intimate the unlawfulneſſe of the thing, v. 12. he ſayes, and loe, I perceived that God had not ſent him, but that he was hired to make him afraid, and ſinne, v. 13.

Eleventhly, but we have thoſe that do entertain commerce and entercourſe with our Adverſaries. Anſw. So it was antiently, Neh. 6. 17. It is ſaid, in thoſe dayes the Nobles of Iudah ſent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them: It ſeems the Nobles were rotten in thoſe dayes, ſome of them; nay more, many of them, in Iudah ſome were ſworn to Tobiah, becauſe he was the Sonne-in-Law of Shecaniah, it ſhould ſeeme he was well allyed, ver. 18. & in the 19. ver. you may ſee the end of the letters, why they were ſent, and why they told the proceedings of Nehemiah to his Adverſaries.

Twelfthly, the people of the Land are unprepared, and are apt to draw back and hinder the work. Anſw. ſo it was in the time of building the Temple, as appeares, Hag. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Thirteenthly, Our enemies are not onelyonly potent, but crafty. Anſw. So were the enemies of thoſe that built Ieruſalem, but that is no matter, for Iſ. 47. 10, 11. it is one of the judgements againſt Babylon, For all her divinations and ſubtlety, that they ſhall not know how and whence their evill ſhall come upon them. Theſe be diſcouragements I confeſſe, for Neh. 6. 9. it is ſaid they made us afraid; but for all this the building went on, and proſpered.

Fourteenthly, it may be added further, That there be mighty Commotions, and ſtirres, and tumults here and in other parts of Chriſtendom. Anſw. That muſt be expected; The over-turning and caſting down of Babylon, which is a great part of the Carpenters work, muſt be with great Commotions; When the dayes of old Babylons ruine did approach, there was a noiſe of a multitude, a tumultuous noiſe of the Kingdomes and Nations gathered together, Iſ. 13. …. 4. Doe but look over Jer. 50. & 51. chap. to this purpoſe: And ſo it ſhall bee in the plucking down of myſticall Babylon, Rev. 16. 17. 18. Kingdomes ſhall be turned upſide down; Doe you think that when God raiſeth up the hearts of men to wound the beaſt that hath ſeven heads and ten hornes, Apoc. 17. 7. p. 17the hornes that are upon the head of the beaſt, which are ten Kings v. 12. will not lay about them, when they ſee the very head of the beaſt which bears the hornes ſtruck at, that it may be quite ſtruck off never to riſe more?

Beſides for further anſwer to this, you muſt expect great noiſes and tumults upon another ground, Rev. 11. ult. The Temple of the Lord was opened, and the Arke of his testament; That is, thoſe myſteries that were ſhut up and were not diſcerned formerly, but by learned men and great Schollers, theſe onelyonly were admitted into the Temple, to look into the Arke; but now the Temple is opened, and the Arke diſcovered, any Chriſtians (though weak) yet might goe and ſee and know the myſteries of Religion, antiently hidden from the eyes of the Vulgar; What followed upon this? Lightnings, and noiſes, and thunders, and earthquaks, and a great haile; that is, great tumults, and commotions, and troubles; for the world envying the happineſſe of Gods people in this great diſcovery, did fret, and bite the tongue, and murmure, and trouble the people of God.

Fifteenthly, wee have of the moſt religious people that are diſcontented. Anſw. There are not many of them: godly men may be 1 ignorant, and ſo miſled; and they may be 2 froward and pettiſh, and ſo may fret; or they may 3 have intereſts and relations that look another way. Now when godly men look upon you through theſe glaſſes, they may be allowed to judge amiſſe; However it was the caſe of Paul, he had not onelyonly wicked and ungodly men that did oppoſe him, as you read, Act. 17. 5, 6, &c. and Act. 21. but Act. 13. 50. The devout women, and the chiefe men of the City raiſed perſecution againſt Paul and Barnabas.

Sixteenthly, it is ſaid, wee goe on ſlowly. Anſw. The Temple was many yeares in building: Bleſſed be God you doe goe on, great bodies move by leiſure; Reformation work is heavy work; and there be many obſtructions: There is much rubbiſh, as there was Neh. 4. 10. ſo that they were not able to build the wall; But bleſſed bee God, many of the utenſils, and moveables, and much of the trumpery are caſt out already; a vaſt old frame muſt be pluckt down; many horns muſt be knockt off; many rough ſtones and knotty pieces you ſhall meet withall, to be ſquared p. 18and poliſht: And there be more builders of Babel then there are builders of Ieruſalem, more that would pluck down, then reare up the walls of Zion.

Laſtly, it may bee ſaid that you ſhall never live to ſee or enjoy your labours in this great work; it being a buſineſſe ſo vaſt. Anſw. If you doe contribute any thing to ſo bleſſed a work, your labour ſhall not bee in vaine in the Lord: David thought himſelfe much honoured, that hee might prepare materials for the Temple. It is a happineſſe to you to begin that, which is the hope of the preſent age, and ſhall be the rejoycing and the glory of poſterity: And yet it may bee that that promiſe may bee made good to you, Iſ. 65. 22. 23. what is ſaid of houſes there, perhaps may bee made good in this building, and that to you, That you ſhall build and inhabit, you ſhall plant and eat the fruits of the planting; and mine Elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hand.

Thus have you had the diſcouragements removed, I come to Encouragements to the work laid down.the incouragements to the work. 1. The Word is gone forth for ruine againſt Babylon, Rev. 14. 8. & 18. 2. Babylon is fallen, is fallen: the word is doubled, ſo that her ruine is certaine, it is irreſiſtible, and irreparable; a great part of your work is done to your hands; ſo that though all the World cry up Babylon, it ſhall not bee able to reare one ſtone of it againe; So that for plucking down, which is a great part of your work, it is already done: Shee is fallen in Gods ſentence, and ſhee is falling, her execution drawes nigh. 2. The word of promiſe is gone forth, Aedificabo Eccleſiam, Mat. 16. 18. Now let all the world cry it down, they ſhall not prevaile, the word of Gods command is a word of power, it is invincible, there is no ſtanding againſt that word: Iſ. 44. 20. 2…. 28. there is a commanding promiſe full of majeſty and might, and upon this promiſe followes the work, and the work-men fall to the buſineſſe, Iſa. 45. 1. 2. 3. I might give many promiſes to this purpoſe, but they all empty themſelves into that which is named; now although the Decrees of Princes ſhould ſtand in the way to oppoſe the Decree of God, they ſhall doe no good, Micah 7. 11.

p. 193 Many prayers are ſent up to heaven for theſe very purpoſes; the cloud that was no bigger then a mans hand, 1 King. 18. 44. was a token of a great deale of raine, but that could of incenſe, Levit. 16. 13. compared with Pſal. 141. 2. that is aſcended to heaven, has covered not the Mercy ſeat onelyonly, but the Heavens, and certainely this cloud will fall downe in ſhowers of mercy.

4 The eyes of all true Chriſtians are upon you, and their hopes and intereſts ſeem to be embarqued in you: certainly a Veſſell laden with ſo precious engagements and intereſts of the preſent and future ages, cannot miſcarry. Caeſarem vehis, was thought encouragement enough to the boat-man, who wafted over the great Commander of the world in a tempeſt; you carry the intereſts of Chriſt, and therefore although the Sea be rough and dangerous, you need not feare.

5 The late Covenant is none of the leaſt encouragements, that triple combination of three Kingdomes will ſhake the Triple Crown; for it was the courſe that Antichriſt took to eſtabliſh his Throne, by confederacies and oathes, Rev. 13. 16, 17. the mark there may be taken for that indelible character which thoſe that were in orders did receive, (as the Papiſts affirm) when they did bind themſelves by oath to defend and promote the Papall See; or it may be taken for that ſolemn Oath which aaSo Ot…o primus anno 942. ſwore to Iohn 12 Pope. Se…ſanctam eccleſiam Rom. & Iohan. rector … ej…s exaltaturum, ſ…cundum poſſeſ…u…. Diſtinct. 63. …. Tibi domino. And lib. Pontifical. the Emperours Oath is ſet downe: prom…tut, ſpondet, polli…tur, at que jurat coram Deo, & …ea…o Petro, ſe de caetero protectorum, procuratorem & difeaſerem …ore ſummi …, & ſancte Eccleſiae Rom. &c. Clement, Lib. 2. Tit. De jurejurand….John 12Emperours took, in which they did ſweare allegeance to the Pope; others alſo did uſually ſwear to maintain the Church of Rome; and there was an oath framed not long ſince with an &c. in it, in which wee muſt have ſworn up Prelacie, and ſomething elſe: Now as the Papall Hierarchy hath been ſworn up, ſo it muſt be ſworn down; the ſealed ſervants of God, Rev. 7. 2. i. e. thoſe that have bound themſelves by oath and Covenant to him, (for oathes are ſeales) ſhall confound the marked ſervants of the Beaſt.

6 There be many intimations and prognoſticks of the overthrow of Babylon, and of the reedifying of Ieruſalem; of the riſing of the one, and of the ruine of the other; amongſt many, I will point out ſome few.

p. 201 The Churches of God are brought to a very low ebbe, and a moſt paſt hopes, they have travelled with ſorrow, and brought forth Benonies, teares, the iſſues of ſorrow; now the time of the Churches groaning and ſighing, is the time in which the Embryo of deliverance and mercy is begun in the womb, and the acuteſt throwes and pangs of the Church have been immediate fore-runners of ſome child of promiſe, of ſome Iſaac to the Church; In the mount it ſhall be ſeen: So it was with Iſrael, Exod. 2. 23, 24, 25. and Pſal. 102. from the 2. to the 13. is ſet forth the low condition of the Church, and verſ. 13. is Gods time ſet forth, to ariſe for the help of his people.

2 The pride, cruelty and impudence of the Churches enemies, ſhew that they are ripe for ruine; the iniquity of the Amorites is almoſt full; the filling up of the meaſure of their iniquity is not onelyonly a fore-runner, but a cauſe and provocation to their ruine, and the emptying of the vialls of Gods wrath; when they are on the higheſt pinnacles of glory, and ambition, and inſolencie, then they are neereſt their downfall, Iſa. 14. 13, 14, 15, 16. and Apoc. 18. 7, 8.

3 The generall ſhakings and earth-quakes of Kingdomes. For when Chriſt doth doe any notable things for his Church, againſt his adverſaries, he ſhakes the foundations and pillars of States and Kingdoms: The truth is, when the Lord doth any notable things in the world, you ſhall find that there hath beene great tumults and commotions in States, Jer. 5. ult. Ioel 3. 16. At the ruine and fall of the Caeſarean Empire after the death of Iulian, there was mighty earth-quakes, and alſo great commotions and ſhakings of Nations aaAmmian. Marcel. l. 26. c. 31. H…ron. vita Hi…ionis. Ammian. ibid. in c. …0. Socrat l. 4. c. 27. Paul. Diac. Hiſt. Miſcell. lib. 12. c. 14. Med. Apoſt of the latter times, into Chriſti 367. which was about the time of the ruine of Rome heathen. gravis extit…t terrae m…tus, & velut per univerſum orbem Rom. bellicum canontibus buccinis, excitatae gentes ſaeviſſimae, limites ſi…i proximos perſultabant; Gallians, Rhaetiaſqu… ſimul Alemann… popu…abantur: Sarmatae l'ann…n…am & Quadi… …icti, Saxones, & Scoti, & A…acorti Britannos aerumnis ve…avere continuis; A…oriani Ma…r caeque a…iae gentes Africam ſolito acrius incurſabant: Thraci…s diripiebant praedatorii … Gothorum: Perſarum Rex Armeniis manus ini…ctabat C…luver. hist. Epit. …. Oroſ. lib. 7. cap. 3….: Certainely, God hath ſome great work in hand, otherwiſe he would not thus ſhake the Heavens and Earth, as he now doth.

p. 214 The great number of choice and excellent ſpirits, …itted on purpoſe for ſome extraordinary employments: you ſhall find ſtill when God had any notable deſigne, he raiſed up ſome eminent inſtrument which he would honour ſo farre as to make uſe of to bring the buſineſſe to paſſe. The truth is, thoſe that have appeared in the world in any more notable degree of eminence, and have been ſingled out for noble and heroick ſervices, it hath pleaſed God to imprint ſome ſpeciall characters upon their ſpirit, that ſo thereby he might as it were authorize them for employments. So Moſes, Ioſhuah, Samuel, Deborah, Gedeon, Sampſon, David, Solomon, Cyrus, Zorobabel, Nehemiah, I might inſtance in Prophets and Apoſtles which came to thoſe great places and deſignes, to which they were called, with certain impreſſions of a Divinity upon them; this makes me think there is ſome notable deſign which God is now bringing … in regard he hath prepared ſo many inſtruments to ſet on work; I doe beleeve the world never had the ſpirits of men more elevated and raiſed up to the higheſt pitch, aiming at nothing under a thorow Reformation; Zion and Ieruſalem is in their eye and in their heart continually: Men ſeem to be aſpiring and even ambitious to contribute ſomething to that work which ſhall be the glory of the world.

5 The generall talk throughout the houſhold among the domeſticks, is, that Chriſt their King is comming to take poſſeſſion of his Throne, they doe not onelyonly whiſper this, and tell it in the eare, but they ſpeak it publikely; now you know that before that Kings do go to a place, their purpoſe is firſt known among their domeſtick ſervants, it is talked of within doores firſt, and then it is publiſhed abroad, and you ſhall have harbingers to prepare their way: This hath been the newes quite through the houſhold, and harbingers have been ſent abroad, it is a ſign that he is not far off, it will not be long before he will come.

6 The Gods of Babylon are in diſgrace, and ſcorned and trampled on, an evident ſign of approaching ruine; if once the Gods of a Nation be taken, and captivated, the Nation muſt not, cannot ſtand long. Now the Idols of Rome are in great diſcredit, and thoſe are the gods of Rome; for the Idols of a place are called in Scripture the gods of a place, Ier. 16. 13. The Idols, the Pictures, Images, Crucifixes, ſuperſtitious practices, Reliques, and p. 22Ceremonies, Rites, and Cuſtomes, with the Lawes of their Gods, are ſcorned, and diſdained, and loathed. Iſ. 46. 1. 2. It is ſaid, Bel boweth down, Nebo ſtoopeth, &c. the famous Idol gods fall down; Gods judgements were executed upon them; Babylon doth not ſtand long after, for ch. 47. 1. God ſayes, Come down, and ſit in the duſt, &c doſt thou think to ſtand when thy gods be down? So Ier. 50. 2. ſpeaking of Babylons deſtruction it is ſaid, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her Idols are confounded, her Images are broken in pieces: And Ier. 51. 44. God ſayes, I will puniſh Bel in Babylon; then it followes, the wall in Babylon ſhall fall: and ch. 48. 7. ſpeaking of Moabs captivity, hee ſayes, Chemoſh ſhall goe forth into captivity with his Prieſts. Chemoſh was the Idol of the Moabites. Thy gods, O Rome, are captivated, baniſhed, ſcorned; Rome look to thy ſelfe, thou canſt not ſtand long; the gods are … out of their ſtrong holds ſpoken of Dan. 11. 39. (i. e.) out of the Temples which are the Eccleſiſticall holds, dedicated to the true God and the Mahuzzims Deo & Sanctis, as Maſter Mede very well expounds it, in his Apoſtaſie of the latter Times. Now we ſee that the very names of Saints ſet up with God and aſſigned to dayes and places are almoſt caſt off, and the Images of Saints, which are ſtrong aaCroſſes have been eſteemed Fortreſſes and Ammunition, whence that uſuall expreſſion among the Antients, munire ſigno crucis. And Conſtantius Ma…ſſa inve…giling againſt … for demoliſhing Images, … them … at… muni…ones ve…gioſ… cultus.holds too, are broken down: Wherefore as L. Florus ſaid concerning the taking of Carthage, after Carthage none need bee aſhamed to be conquered bbL. 2. c. 7 Poſt Cart… &c.; So I ſay, after the Conqueſt and captivity of the gods of Rome, Rome need not bluſh to follow; The very Heathens when they beſieged a City cc… ſets down the Charme uſed againſt …, l. … c 8., in the firſt place they charmed the gods of the place, and then they doubted not of the City: The gods of Babylon are charmed, and therefore it cannot be imagined that Babylon ſhould hold out long.

7 The Propheticall Calander in which the time of the ruine of Babylon, and the building of Sion is foretold, ſeemes to intimate that the time is neare approaching both for the one and the other. For there is the ſame meaſure of time, the ſame ſynchroniſmes of the 1 woman, (i. e.) the Church of God living in the wilderneſſe, which is for a time, times, and halfe a time: And 2 of the ſeaven-headed beaſt, (i. e.) Rome, which ſhould reigne 42. months: And 3 of the witneſſes propheſying in ſackcloth 1260. dayes, Rev. 11. 3. & 12. 6. & Rev. 13. 5. Then 4 there is the p. 23ſame meaſure of time, of the treading under foot of the Court and the holy City by the Gentiles, Rev. 11. 2. As for time, times, Mr. …rightman in Apoc.and halfe a time, it is expounded, c. 12. v. 6. compared with 14. to be three years and a halfe: And three yeares and a halfe containe Mr Mede in ….42. Months, and likewiſe in three years and a halfe there be 12…0 dayes. Now it is frequent in Propheſies to ſet down a day for a year; ſo then by that account the witneſſes ſufferings under the Beaſt, and the Churches perſecution by the Whore, and the tyranny of Antichriſt, reckoning a day for a yeare, muſt be 1260. yeares, which is juſt ſo many yeares as Chriſt Preached dayes (as is conjectured:) Now ſome take the beginning of this account from Hildebrand, for then Antichriſt was very high, Anno 6…6. according to the number of the beaſt, Rev. 13. 18. I will not undertake Mr. Maſon in a Prof. to his Hiſto.to determine when we ſhould begin and when to end the account, but it is cleare that there is the ſame beginning and the ſame ending. However take your levell where you will, there cannot be many yeares remaining of 1260. not many weeks of the three yeares and a halfe, not many dayes of the 42. Months. I may adde to this, that the Vialls that are poured forth already upon Babylon, and the evident Declinations of the Papall ſtate, are as ſo many ſteps to ruine; the deadly wounds given to the Whore-ridden Beaſt are ſo many prologues to the Tragedy of Rome: It would be too long to go over all the particulars ſeverally.

8 I might adde the Predictions of Astrologers, and thoſe that ſtudy the Almanack of Heaven written in viſible Characters **Nuntius Prophet. It were worthy to bee conſidered who they are that he charges with Rebellion and Treaſon, and Murthers, and Thefts, &c. whom alſo he cals by that opprobrious name of Ca…uli Calinarii. pag. 28.: there is one that is ſo farre from favouring your proceedings, that he hath moſt unworthily reproached you, in a book ſet forth by him in which he hath collected ſome choice obſervations, (give him his due) out of the moſt learned Aſtronomers, which ſeeme to give great light to all that I drive at: aaAlſted. Spec. Mundi inſert. Chronol. & in Encyclop. abſolatâ, Septimâ hâc revolutione Pla…ctae redeunt ad ſua initia, unde finis regnorum Mundi à pe…itis rei Aſtronomicae codigitur. Encyclop pag. 46. fol. edit. 1630. & in Chron. (b) Sabbatiſmi quandam o…cultam rationem obtinet (ſpeaking of this ſeventh revolution) & prae caeteris peculiare, & magni momenti quid denuntiat. Tych. Brahe.Alſted, and he out of Tycho Brahe, ſayes that from the yeare 1603. to 1642. the world will receive great mutations, becauſe in thoſe 40. yeares comes to a period, the ſeventh revolution of the Planets; beſides the numbers in Daniel and the Apocalyps confirme the ſame: (a) Tycho Brahe ſayes, that this ſeventh revolution hath ſomewhat p. 24peculiar and ſingular above all the former, hee ſpeaks as if it pointed at a Sabbatime, and that by this meanes a preparation or protaſis were made to the Apocalypticall thouſand yeares. Alſted ſpeaks peremptorily concerning the conjunction of Saturn and Iupiter in Aries, in February laſt, 1642. portendit (ſayes he) novi alicujus imperii revolutionem: It is remarkable what Kepler ſaid concerning the influence and effects of that portentuous ſtarre in Serpente which appeared in Octob. 1604. and vaniſhed in Febr. 1606. aaKepl. de Stella Serpent. p. 6. Haec particula reſp…t for…an conc…. …ordrectanum 148. ſeſſion…u, celebratum, 618. & Magnum …. Ang…c. qu…m …. conventu… praeſenti hoc anno 1642.he ſayes that Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline ſhall be reſtored by a publike Councell, the Church ſhall be reformed, licentiouſneſſe of youth ſhall bee cleane taken away, and the madneſſe of the people ſhall be reſtrained, and an Ariſtocracy Collegiorum, which may be capable of more conſtructions, ſhall prevaile. The Author of Nunt. Prophet. ſayes, that he may ayme either at the Synod of Dort 1618. or (laugh not Nuntius) The Aſſembly of Divines now called. Keplers Prediction is very ſtrange, and is yet to be fulfilled, and although ſome ſcorn that it ſhould be meant of this Aſſembly, yet even they (if vengeance ſuffer them to live) may ſee the buſineſſe in a good forwardneſſe toward an accompliſhment. I could tell you of much more in this kinde out of Aſtronomers and Divines, who ſpeak ſtrangely of the Climactericall year of the Beaſt, and the hornes upon the head of the Beaſt, as alſo of thoſe glorious times approaching; but this would ask larger compaſſe then the time will beare, or a Sermon will containe. Wherefore now I ſuppoſe I may encourage you as the Apoſtle did the believing Jewes, Heb. 10. 23. 25. Let us (ſayes he to them) hold faſt the Profeſſion of our Faith without wavering: and ſo much the more, as you ſee the day approaching. What day? That day in which your faith ſhall be confirmed in the Doctrine which I have Preached, which is the abolition of the Prieſthood, (of which he had ſpoken before) and the legall Ceremonies; for nothing could adde a greater confirmation to their faith, which were beleeving Jewes, then to ſee the deſolation of the Temple of which Chriſt had propheſied, and of the whole Religion of the Jewes as touching Ceremonies, foretold by the Prophets: So alſo may be underſtood, v. 35. & 37. of the ſame chap. Caſt not away your confidence, &c. For yet a little while, hee that ſhall come, will come, and ſhall not tarry: What hee is this? but even he that p. 25Daniel had propheſied of, 9. 26. The people of the Prince that ſhall come, ſhall destroy the City and the Sanctuary. That is, T. Veſpaſian, the R. Emperour, that was to come: I confeſſe others interpret the day ſpoken of, of the day of judgement but without any colour of truth: Now as the Apoſtle did encourage the believing Jewes from the time approaching in which they ſhould ſee the end of Daniels 70. weeks, and the legall Sanctuary aboliſhed, and ſo by that they might know the Meſſias was come; So I may encourage you from this, that the time is very nigh in which you ſhall ſee the utter abolition of the ſtability and glory of the Romiſh Religion and State, the time is nigh (as may be conjectured) the expiring, ſet forth in the 42 Months, and 1260. dayes, and the three years and a halfe, and in the myſticall language of a time, times, and halfe a time: Since it is ſo, the ſame words may be ſpoken to you, as David ſpake to his Son Solomon, when he was to build the materiall Temple, which was but a Type of this about which you are employed, 1 Chron. 22. 11. 12. 13.

I come now to a Uſe of direction, in which (with all humility and ſubmiſſion) I ſhall endeavour to lay down ſome Rules.

1. Remember that thoſe are Carpenters that are employed in this great work; Therefore you muſt doe as they that are to build, you muſt alwayes go by rule, and by line, and plummet; you muſt be moſt exact in the buſineſſe, and have a care to goe by rule your ſelves, to keep cloſe to Law, and cauſe others to walk by rule and meaſure, and ſteare by compaſſe; thoſe that forſake rule, they may perhaps be ſaid to build, but as thoſe ſpoken of Micah 3. 9. 10. they build up Sion with blood, and Ieruſalem with iniquity.

2. Prepare choice materials for the houſe of God, you muſt doe what lies in you for it; here muſt be no hay nor ſtubble, no humane inventions in this frame, they muſt be all caſt out, and kept out.

3. Seek out wiſe maſter builders, choyce inſtruments, which muſt be more immediately imployed in the ſervice, and rearing up the Tabernacle of Iacob, leſt in ſtead of a uniforme building you have a Babel: Thoſe that build with untempered morter, they doe but patch and dawb, but they doe not build; you muſt have a ſpeciall care to ſet up lamps, and you muſt ſee that they be furniſhed with ſtore of oyle; chuſe Aholiabs and Bezu…ls, men throughly furniſhed to every good work.

p. 264 Take heed of doing the Lords work negligently and by halfs; It is a terrible word that was ſpoken, Jer. 48. 10. Remember what was ſaid, Ezr. 7. 23. Whatſoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done, for the houſe of the God of heaven; for why ſhould there be wrath againſt the Realm of the King and his Sons? Conſider that Saul did the work almoſt, but for that he was altogether rejected of God, 1 Sam. 15. 9. 26. therefore goe you thorough with your work; the King of Iſrael being bid to ſmite upon the ground by the Prophet Eliſha, he ſmote but thrice, but the man of God was angry with him and told him, he ſhould have ſmitten five or ſix times, and then he ſhould have ſmitten Syria till he had conſumed it, but now he ſhould ſmite it but thrice, 2 King. 18. 19. What ever hornes ſtand in the way, ſmite them, till you have knocked them off. The King of Iſrael paid deare for ſparing, when he was to have deſtroyed, 1 King. 20. 42. his life went for that life of him whom he ſpared, and the King of Iſraels people for his people. The Law concerning Oxen that puſh with the hornes, and goare, is ſet down, Exod. 21. 28. 29. It is not ſaid his hornes ſhall bee ſawne off, but he must be ſtoned, and if the owner had warning of the beaſt, and would not take a courſe with the beaſt that hee ſhould hurt none, he was to be put to death; you have to doe with horned beaſts, and they have puſhed and killed, and you have had warning; I ſay no more, Theſe very beaſts are much more outragious, like a Stagge that is wounded, or a Bull that hath received a knock at the Shambles, will make him that ſhot or ſtrook them the object of their fury if they can; certainly the very worſt uſe is made of ſuſpenſions and delayes, according to that Eccleſ. 8. 11. Becauſe ſentence against an evill work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to doe evill: Remember likewiſe that there is a ſtigma and a brand of infamy ſet upon thoſe Kings, that did not goe thorough with the buſineſſe of Reformation, 2 King. 14. 4. & 15. 4.

5. Take heed of building upon an old frame, that muſt bee all plucked down to the ground; take heed of playſtering when you ſhould bee pulling down; now it is apparent that the old houſe built up by the faction of Antichriſt is leprous, the plague of leproſie hath appeared in every part thereof; it has been ſcraped p. 27and the ſtones plucked out, and plaiſtered up againe, and yet the leproſie breaks forth, therefore according to the Law of leproſie. Lev. 14. 44, 45. it muſt be pulled down, and you muſt not make uſe of the materials of it, but according to the Law they were to bee caſt out into an uncleane place; what ever we have had from Rome to patch up a Church withall, you muſt take care that it be caſt out of the Church, let them be caſt back to Rome, which is Sodom, a beaſtly uncleane ſink, from whence we had them; there was a curſe upon Iericho, Ioſh. 6. 26. it was razed down never to bee built, ſo muſt Babylon be plucked down, and every part of it, therefore take heed there be no building upon any part of that frame that is curſed.

6. Have a ſpeciall care that none of the hornes that are knockt off ſpring up againe; what ever locks of the Sampſons of ſtate you have ſhorne off, take heed they doe not grow againe; remember the houſe that he pluckt down upon the heads of his enemies, and remember that envenomed ſpirits, by how much their power is abated, by ſo much the more their malice doth encreaſe.

7. There ſhould be a ſpeciall care had concerning thoſe that are admitted to the work: Ezr. 4. 1. 2. you have ſome offer to build with Gods people, but they would not admit them, v. 3. Firſt, take heed that none of a different Religion be employed in this work, neither falſe Teachers, and thoſe that are heterodox in their tenets; for if they bee true to their own principles, they muſt advance and promote their own faction and way; aaLudovic. Laurent. pag. 53. Eccleſia vetro nova …. cura Abrah. Sculteti. Pet. Gregor. l. 23. c. 3. de rep. Anton. Theorem. 30. Bod. l. 4. c. 1. Scipio Amirath. Ioh. Althus polit. cap. 31. &c.There be that have taken good paines to ſhew divers reaſons of this caution; Secondly, it is no wayes fit that thoſe that are ingaged in the work ſhould ſpeak halfe the language of Canaan, and halfe the language of Aſhdod; they ought not to be linſie-woolſey men, neutrals or uterque's, theſe will daub, they will not build; Thirdly, no Noveliſts, theſe will much diſturb proceedings, for novelties at the firſt are taking, theſe will raiſe a duſt, which will not eaſily be allayed: Fourthly, no Formaliſts and Ceremonious men to be admitted, theſe will be bringing ſome ſtraw and ſtubble in ſtead of pretious ſtones; all theſe kinde of men will diſtract and trouble the workers they will never advance or promote it, they are fitter for the building of a Babel, then the Sion of God.

8. Labour to get faith and to encreaſe it, ſtudy holineſſe and p. 28be enflamed with love, and zeale to the cauſe of God; he that wants …aith, wants an engine that can move the Globe of Heaven and Earth, and that engageth the arme of God to advance the building; faith is very neceſſary, for the walls of Babylon, as well as the walls of Iericho, will fall down before it: holineſſe muſt be their ſtudy, your work is to build the Lords houſe, within your line and compaſſe: now they that are to be employed in this buſineſs are called Gods ſanctified ones, Iſ. 13. 3. therefore let holineſſe to the Lord be written upon your hearts, upon your foreheads, and upon your actions: zeale is neceſſary; Chriſt ſaid, that the zeale of Gods houſe had even eaten him up, Ioh. 2. 17. and Pſal. 69. 9. David who was a type of Chriſt, he ſpeaks the ſame language either of himſelfe or Chri…; if any thing ſwallowes you up, let it be the care of this buſineſſe: then for love and ſtrong affections to the buſineſſe, it is moſt requiſite you ſhould have them; Love puts oyle to the wheeles, and zeale drives them with more ſpeed and ſwiftneſſe: It is not a few ſparks of either will ſerve the turn, now you ſhould be all in flames; for by you life, and heat, and activity, are to bee communicated to many a dull and lumpiſh and leaden ſpirit: It is ſaid of David, 1 Chron. 29. 3. that he ſet his affection to the building of Gods houſe; and Neh. 4. 6. it is ſaid the people had a mind to the work: Zeale is winged with watchfulneſſe and diligence, and the work calls for all theſe; you have an excellent pattern in Nehemiah, ch. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15, & 4. 9, 14, 15, &c.

As for you (honourable and beloved) there be the greateſt engagements Engagements to quicken to your duty.upon you to excite you to your duty that ever were upon mortall men; for if honourable Services and Employments be engagements, you are called to them, and they call for duty: If faſting dayes, and dayes of humiliation be engagements, you have had them: If great advantages, and pretious opportunities of being and doing good bee engagements, you have them preſented every day, they come petitioning to you and deſire to be entertained, they come a wooing to you, and beg your favourable acceptance: If deliverances, and thankſgiving dayes be obligations on you, you have enjoyed them: If ſtrange and admirable providences be ſtrong bonds, you have had them: If prayers and teares of Saints, if the hopes and expectations of the people of God concerning you be mighty engagements, then ſurely you have p. 29them all: If Gods honour and his Churches intereſts, whoſe builders you are, and his cauſe, whoſe Vindices and Aſſertours you are, be engagements, theſe you have depoſited to you: If the Intereſts of Towns and Countreys, and a Kingdome of Chriſtendome in a great meaſure, carry any weight in them, you have them caſt upon you: If difficulties, and oppoſitions, and malice of Devils and men, be engagements (as certainly they are) to ſtirre you up to zeale, &c. then I am ſure you have them declared againſt you; here be incentives (I ſuppoſe enough) to quicken you.

When I conſider the work with all the concomitants and conſequences Some preſſing conſiderations to the Honourable Houſe.iſſuing from it, the weighty and ponderous circumſtances attending it; me thinks a Parliament of glorious Angels ſhould be fitter to be employed in ſuch a buſineſſe as this, then of weak and ſinfull men. I cannot but break forth into admiration, and make uſe of thoſe words of David, Pſal. 8. 4. 5. What is man that thou art mindfull of him, or the ſonne of man that thou viſteſt him! for thou haſt made him a little lower then Angels, and crowned him with glory and honour: I may ſay, What are you that God ſhould ſingle you out for this great work, which the holy Angels, if they were to make their option and choyce, would as ſoone pitch upon, that they might lay forth their excellencies, and engage their perfections in, as ſoone as any that ever was tranſacted among the children of men! May not therefore every one of you ſpeak as David did to Saul when he offered him his Daughter, 1 Sam. 18. 18. Who am I? or what is my life, or my Fathers Family in Iſrael? I may likewiſe uſe the words of Peter in another caſe, 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of perſons ought yee to bee in all holy converſation and godlineſſe? Honourable and beloved, you are choſen men all, but are you all choyce men? you are men picked and called out of thouſands that you might be Carpenters, (it is the Lords own word) have you prayed and wept, that you may be fitted for the building of the Lords houſe? you are choſen out of all the Tribes of Iſrael, and it is ſuppoſed that you repreſent the vertues, godlineſſe, the humility, the zeale, the prudence, &c. of whole Towns, and Countreys, and of a Kingdom. For it is ſuppoſed that thoſe Townes and Countreys from whence you are ſent, would make choyce of ſuch, who being moſt eminent in theſe things and other excellencies, are moſt p. 30fit to advance the good of Church and State, and to repreſent Laconically, and by way of abridgement, the piety and holineſſe, &c. of a Kingdome; the thouſands of Iſrael ſpeak and vote in you, conſider well whether you ſpeak as if thouſands of mens intereſts did depend upon your words. Let mee uſe the Apoſtles words, ſpeaking concerning godly ſorrow, 2 Cor. 7. what carefulneſſe ſhould this work in you; yea, what clearing of your ſelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what feare, yea, what vehement deſire, yea, what zeale, yea, what revenge? Let it bee your conſtant endeavour, in all things to approve your ſelves cleare in this matter.

Conſider well, are you the men that have taken paines with your ſelves to humble your ſelves before the Lord, that ſo he might ſhew you the forme of his houſe, for it is ſaid concerning the houſe of Iſrael, Ezek. 43. 11. If they bee aſhamed of all that they have done, then ſhew them the forme of the houſe, and the faſhion thereof, &c. If you have not done this, then certainely you are much indebted, and in great arrerages, you are much behind hand, me thinks this ſhould caſt you flat upon your faces this day: It muſt needs humble you exceedingly, if it may be truly ſaid by Almighty God concerning any of you, My work goes on ſlowly, becauſe you are ſluggiſh, becauſe you want zeale, and love, and courage to my cauſe: My building is at a ſtand, becauſe you are at a ſtand, you make no progreſſe in holineſſe, therefore you make no better progreſſe in the great affaires committed to you; Reformation goes on ſlowly, becauſe you your ſelves that ſhould be Reformers, want reformation. It will be a heavie charge if it may be truly ſaid, the hopes and expectations of a Kingdom are ſuſpended, becauſe you are not humbled, becauſe ſome of you have by-ends, carnall and collaterall reſpects, private engagements and particular intereſts, which byaſſe you a wrong way: That the Kingdome groanes and weepes, becauſe you will not weep for your ſinnes; if any of theſe things may be truly ſaid of any of you, it will prove a very weighty and a terrible charge. It is ſaid of Ieroboam the Sonne of Nebat, that he made Iſrael to ſinne, and becauſe David ſinned, 70000. men muſt die; publike perſons and a repreſentative Body may cauſe a Kingdome to ſinne, and a Kingdome to bee plagued; take heed it be not ſaid, that England p. 31ſinnes becauſe of you, or that England ſuffers becauſe you ſinne.

You are the firſt fruits of a Kingdome, choſen on purpoſe for ſpeciall ſervice; the whole lump was ſanctified and bleſſed, for the firſt fruits ſake, Rom. 11. 16. Rev. 14. 4. If any of you ſhould be ſwearers, or covetous, or uncleane, or profane, you may bring a great curſe, farre greater then ordinary; If our bleſſings be curſed, as it is, Mal. 2. 2. how great is that curſe! A Nation is repreſented by you, (and truly a very miſerable Nation, becauſe a very ſinfull one) I could wiſh your ſorrow were ſuch this day that it might appear you repreſent a Kingdomes ſorrowes, and a Kingdomes teares; I could wiſh that it were ſo great, as that God would accept it for a Kingdome, for ſo God doth ſometime; you being the firſt fruits, who knowes but you may be accepted, and the whole lump for you? I would to God it were proportionable ſome way to the Nations ſinnes which you repreſent; ſo that as it may be ſaid, never any ſinne like Englands ſinne, ſo it may alſo be ſaid, never any ſorrow was like your ſorrow: The greateſt mourners in Sion, are the beſt builders of Sion: every ſinne you ſubdue this day, you knock down a horn that puſheth againſt the building of Gods houſe; every luſt that you ſlay this day, you daſh out the braines of a Babylonian that hinders the building.

God forbid that that complaining reproofe of God againſt the Elders of Iſrael, Ezek. 14. 3. 4. ſhould be true of any of you; God would not be enquired of by them, becauſe they had Idols in their heart, and put a ſtumbling block of their iniquity before their face, and this made God a ſtranger to them, v. 5. The very firſt work in any Reformation was the caſting down of Idols and removing ſtumbling blocks; let it not be ſaid of any of you, that you carry any Idols in your hearts, which are the greateſt ſtumbling blocks, or that you ſhould harbour any Babylonians in your boſoms, which ſecretly undermine and pull down that which you ſeeme to build; let this day be a day of throwing down the ſtrong holds of ſinne, and I aſſure my ſelfe it will be a day of rearing up and building.

The ruine of the Kingdome of Satan, Antichriſt, and Sinne, is the raiſing up of the Kingdome and Church of Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 32I ſhall, laſtly, ſuggeſt ſome conſolation to you; to this purpoſe A word of comfort for concluſion.let me uſe the words that Moſes ſpake to Joſhuah and the children of Iſrael, when they were to enter Canaan, Deut. 31. 6. Be ſtrong…, and of a good courage, feare not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth goe with thee, he will not faile thee nor forſake thee: I doe not doubt but that Propheſie concerning the Iew, may in a good meaſure have its accompliſhment upon you alſo, Zech. 8. 23. Thus ſaith the Lord of hoasts, In thoſe dayes it ſhall come to paſſe that ten men ſhall take hold out of all languages of the Nations, even ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew, ſaying, We will goe with you, for we have heard that God is with you: God will (I doubt not) make it appeare ſo viſibly that he is with you, that although for the preſent you and we have ſuch a day as is ſpoken of Zech. 14. 6. in which the light is neither cleare, nor dark, yet if you commit your way unto the Lord, and if you truſt in him, hee will bring it to paſſe: and make that bleſſed promiſe good unto you which followes in the next verſe, Pſal. 37. 5. 6. he will bring forth your righteouſneſſe as the light, and your judgement as the noon-day: And although you are for the preſent both in ſweat and blood, yet you muſt remember that promiſe to Gods people, Iſ. 9. 3. their joy ſhould be according to the joy in harveſt, that is a joy cum ſudore; harveſt work is ſweating work, ſweat goes before and attends that joy; and they ſhall rejoyce as men that divide the ſpoyle; that is, their rejoycing ſhould bee like the rejoycing of thoſe who by blowes and blood had gained the conqueſt: ſo that your labour is cum ſanguine to, but your rejoycing ſhal be like theirs that divide the ſpoyle, a victorious triumphant rejoycing; ſo that although God doth promiſe great things, yet they ſhall not bee accompliſht foreign, he ſets out great mercies to ſale for ſweat and blood: for thoſe that hee doth employ in any great deſign, he puts them upon the exerciſe of their faith and patience, as well as their parts and prudence: I doe not doubt but that are long it ſhall be true of you and all that joyne with you, as it was of the Iewes Eph. 8. 16. 17. The Iewes had light and gladneſſe joy and honour: And in every Province and in every City, the … had joy and gladneſſ… a Feaſt and a good day: and many of the people of the Land bec…me Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them.

FINIS.

End of the text · Henry Wilkinson Jr, Babylons Ruin Jerusalems Rising (1643)