A Voice From the Temple to the Higher Powers, Postscript
A Poſt-ſcript.
Reader,
I Have conſidered that there are two things, wherein thou maiſt be much unſatisfied concerning this ſubject.
1. How to deſtroy the little horne, or Antichriſtian Kingdome, can ſtand with Tolleration of Religion, and liberty of Conſcience, allowed by the preſent Government, and upon juſt and good grounds.
2. To break the fourth Monarchy, tends not to make this Common-wealth happy and flouriſhing, which the higher Powers are to ſeek after: but to preſerve Peace, and ſo Trade with other Nations, is much better for our proſperity, welfare, and happineſſe. I ſhall anſwer both.
1. The Antichriſtian Kingdom, is a State guilty of blood, and accordingly to be arreigned and executed. In Rev. 18. after Babylon is ſaid to be deſtroyed, the reaſon of it is ſhewed in the laſt verſe. In her was found the blood of the Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were ſlain upon the earth: So that hence it doth appear, that no wilfull murtherer, more juſtly can be put to death, then the power of the Beaſt deſtroyed, for ſhedding innocent blood.
2. As the times may be, ſome acts of Juſtice may be forborn, which afterward ought, and muſt be done. David complains, 2 Sam. 3.29.that the ſonnes of Zerviah were too hard for him: yet Solomon following (being in a better capacity) put one of them to death, and juſtly too. For a more cleare illuſtration: Though murther be diſcovered, and the perſon known, yet no execution can be done upon him, till he fall into the hands of Juſtice. Indeed then, if the Magiſtrate neglect his duty, and ſuffer him to eſcape, he wraps himſelf in the blood and guilt of the Malefactor. That blood-guiltineſſe, lies on the Antichriſtian Kingdome, this hath been known to Saints in former ages, but the ſonnes of Zerviah were alwayes too hard for them: but now, when the power ſhall be in their hands, not to execute judgment upon the murtherer, is (as I conceive) to be no otherwiſe then acceſſary to the blood of the Prophets, and of the Saints, in the great City Babylon.
3. To give liberty & tolleration I am clearly for; yet ſo, as the known will of God be fulfilled concerning the work of this preſent time: And therefore we muſt diſtinguſh between perſons and things. Perſons are to be tollerated, though diverſly minded in point of Religion; but where the vengeance of the Lord, and the vengeance of his Temple, Rev. 18.6.is expreſly cal'd for, and to be executed thus, and thus: What tolleration is to be granted here in ſuch a caſe, I deſire thoſe to conſider of, who are ſpecially concerned in it.
Laſtly, ſeeing I have mentioned ſo often the Antichriſtian Kingdom, to be deſtroyed by the Ancient of dayes, ſitting upon his Throne, &c. It will not be amiſſe, that I give the Reader my meaning more fully.
This Antichriſtian Kingdom, or State, was firſt erected againſt Jeſus Chriſt, that is, to corrupt his word, and worſhip, and to deſtroy his people, under a pretence of blaſphemy, hereſie, ſchiſme, &c. The which in Popery, Prelacy, and Presbytery, hath been both profeſt and proſecuted; whereby much innocent blood hath been ſhed, and would be ſtill, if the Magiſtrate would give his power to them. Beſides, by this Antichriſtian State, againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, a Church, Miniſtery, Worſhip, & Government hath been deviſed, and ſet up: All which the Saints neer the end, will call to an account; and finding the ſame to be guilty of innocent blood, and a main let to the preſent exaltation of Chriſts Kingdome, will judicially give ſentence, that it be thrown downe, and be no more at all.
Reward her, even as ſhe hath rewarded you: Rev. 18.6.and double unto her double according to her works: In the cup which ſhe hath filled, fill her double. As if he ſhould ſay; whereas this bloody Kingdome, moſt falſly judged you in the Saints which were before, to be Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Schiſmaticks, and perſecuted you by impriſonment, baniſhment, confiſcation of goods, yea death it ſelf: And would not ſuffer you to walk in the faith and order of the Goſpel, Reward her, even as ſhe rewarded you; that is, as God hath put the power of Nations into your hand, and the day and judgement of Babylon being now come. Whereſoever the Lord carries you forth, execute the vengeance of the Lord, and of his temple upon the Antichriſtian Kingdome. Here ſtill I ſpeak of things, and not of perſons.
To the other Objection I anſwer thus.
1. The glory of God in fulfilling his word, is to be prefer'd before all outward proſperity. A Heathen could ſay, Let Juſtice be done, and the world periſh: Shall Saints then, hold back their hands, from executing the righteous Judgments of the Lord, only through a baſe fear of worldly inconveniences.
2. Prov. 21.30.There is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding, nor counſell againſt the Lord. If he be breaking now (as certainly he is) the fourth Monarch, we and they may take counſel together, but it ſhall come to nought. What man, ſeeing his neighbours houſe on fire, would willingly ſet his own by it, for ſo they would both burn and fall together. The Lords fire is already kindled in Thrones and Kingdomes: And therefore the further off we keep, from aſſociating our ſelves with them, from coming near them in Leagues and Covenants, the more likely it is, that our Common-wealth wil be happy, and flouriſh.
But 3. I would not have the people of this Nation to imagine, that theſe Changings and Turnings in the world, are in order to their better trading; God intends it otherwiſe: It's for trading indeed, but for his owne: To breake the Kings, Merchants, and great men of the Earth, that the Kingdomes of this world may be his, and his Chriſts. Worldly men have had their time for Trade, and they have had a long time of it. The Lord now is putting an end to that, and ſetting up a better.
I write this for my Countrey-mens ſake, to let them know, howſoever I hope, Thoſe which ſhall be next in place, will doe juſt and good things, take off what burthens they can, and make the Nation as happy and proſperous as they are able: Yet I have no hope, that the Times will be any better for civill Trade, but more troubleſome, and warrs daily increaſe: And therefore they ſhould now begin to look up to God, and after his work, and the Great Trade which he is carrying on: and with-draw their minds from this old world, which is periſhing, and going out, and prepare for the world to come whereof we ſpeake, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe, Heb. 2.5.and which will be much better for them, if they be of that number, who looke for the bleſſed hope, Tit. 2.13.and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
For Concluſion, there is one word more from the Temple to the higher Powers, and ſo I have done. And it concerns a main thing, in order to our late great victory at Sea, which the Lord gave us over the Dutch. It was ſome trouble unto many, when they heard that the Holland Merchant Ships were returned ſafely home, and not met with by our Fleet: It is true, the Lord could have given them into our hands, but he would not. And why not the one, as well as the other? The reaſon is (as the Lord hath put it ſtrongly on my heart to have it known) In this he tels us, what our proper worke is, namely not to look after Merchants, as to grow great and rich by the wealth of other Nations, but to break their power & ſtrength in pieces. The Lord gave their men of Warr into our hands, not their Merchant Ships. Speaking here I ſay, as it were from heaven, that it is not prizes, or the Enemies goods, our hearts or hands ſhould deſirouſly be upon: But to deſtroy Babylon, ſtain the glory of Kings and Kingdoms, and lay low the high and great mountains of the earth.
Rev. 22.10. Seale not the ſayings of the Propheſie of this Book, for the time is at hand.
Hoſ. 14.9. Who is wiſe, and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? prudent, and hee ſhall know them? For the wayes of the Lord are right, and the juſt ſhall walke in them; but the tranſgreſſors ſhall fall therein.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Canne, A Voice From the Temple to the Higher Powers (1653)