faith and therein they do admonish them as is cleer from the second of Peter 2. 1. and from the Epistle of Jude the 4. and this I do acknowledge was writ unto such men as were in gospel order and they are admonished to persevere and to continue in love unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. But these Churches have since fallen asleep Mathew 13. 15. the ordinances are corrupted or changed as is acknowledged by these men now let themselves judge what is in these Epistles and verses aleadged for the restoring of them these Churches have lost their power the sun is gon down over the Prophers Micah 3. 6. and I looke for some place of Scripture for their raising again before the Lord appear And thus I hope I have fully answered to those Scriptures A fourth Scripture which is alledged is Revelation the 2. 23. where it is said speaking of the woman Jezebel which did teach and seduce his people he saith And I will kill her children with death and all the Churches shall know Thereby arguing that when the Lord appears and destroys Jezebel that then all the Churches that are in being shall know and see his judgements upon her To this I answer and desire all men to take notice of the contents of this second chapter which is to approve and to reprove sundry matters among the Churches unto whom St. John wrote and amongst the rest the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the woman Jezebel which calleth her selfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce his people and having spoken of the judgements which he will bring upon her he saith and all the Churches shall know that is say they al the Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear shall know how he will punish this woman now pray take notice in the first chapter and 11 verse St John is commanded to write this Revelation in a book and send it to the seven Churches that are in Asia and so fulfilling his commission in his exhortation unto the severall Churches he still concludes with this admonition Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches now what Churches are those that are exhorted to hear the Churches which shall be at the end of the world or those that St. John wrote unto I think it is unlikely that St John should write unto Churches in being then admonithing them to hear and this to be applied for the raising of Churches at the end of the world or neer that time and in this verse it is said and all the Churches shall know now what shall they know Why they shall know that if this Church of Thyatira will not restaine this woman Jezebel by her power while they have it that the Lord will execute his power himself and they shall know it And where it is aledged that those Churches here spoken of are those Churches that are in being when the Lord doth appear I answer where is the least colour for it in the text for these Churches are no other but those Churches which are writ unto which are the seven Churches of Asia which still are admonished Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Moreover he doth admonish this Church of Thyatira that if she did not exercise her power that then all the Churches should know that I am he that searcheth the reines and the heart and will give unto every one of you according to your works that is as I conceive if you do your duty while you have power and if you neglect your duty having power the time will come when you shall know that I will reward every one of you according to your works moreover experience teacheth us that those Churches have the candlestick removed from them and have no being and therefore in my judgment it is but a weake foundation to raise ordinances upon and to gather Churches upon when once they have lost their power and are polluted and Antichrist seated in them And so much for this Scripture A fist and last Scripture which is alledged is from Rev. 18. 20. where the destruction of Babylon is set forth and an exhortation given unto his people in these words Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her from whence is inferred that when the Lord doth destroy Babylon that then his people being in Church order having Apostles and Prophets shall rejoyce for the destruction thereof To which I answer First it is not said heavens that is Churches but heaven that is as I conceive the Church of God in all ages being now a triumphant Church their enemies being destroyed and is exhorted to rejoyce Secondly pray mind what the people of the Lord are incited unto namely to rejoyce which is fulfilled in the 11. chapter and 16 17 18 verses and in the 15. chapter 2 3 4 verses and 19 chapter 2 3 4 verses compared with Isaiah the 12. chapter In Rev. 11. 16. you have the foure and twenty elders mentioned and in ver 19. you have the four and twenty Elders and the foure beasts mentioned which cannot well be expounded the Churches and Apostles and Prophets which shall be in being when the Lord doth appear now let themselves judge whether here be any thing towards the raising of ordinances or gathering of Churches for which these Scriptures are brought for I professe with reverence to all just wayes of God that to me these Scripturs seem to be a weak foundation to build such a structure upon as is pretended namely that the raising of ordinances as is practised in these daies is the onely way by which the Lord will by degrees draw and deliver his people out of Babylon to meet him in Sion It is yet objected that is it the Lords own precept mentioned Matth. 28. saying Go and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and the promise is annexed and lo I am with you unto the end of the world whereupon is concluded that his people are to practise the ordinances in their purity untill the Lord appear To which I answer first that it is acknowledged by these men that there hath been an interruption both in the succession of the Ministry and in the corrupting the purity of the ordinances and I look for some proof from Scripture Rule for their raising Secondly it is affirmed by Mr John Saltmarch who had knowledg in the Greek copies that the words unto the end of the world if truely translated is but to the end of that age or administration and he quotes the Greek text in his book called some beames of the morning starr in the margent of the same book page 134. But thirdly it is usuall in Scripture phrase that for End is meant but length of time and not to the end of the world or of all ages as is
and to keep himself unspotted of the world Which having further considered I began more fully to understand the sense of those three places of that most Evangelicall Prophet Isaiah in his 29th chapter and 17th verse where it is said Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be esteemed as a Forrest and that text in the 32. chapter and 15 verse where it is said Vntill the Spirit be poured out upon us from on high and the wildernesse be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a Forrest and that text in his 35. chapter and 7 verse where it is said And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be grasse with reeds and rushes In all which places the Prophet testifieth that in that great change when the Lord restores his people by pouring out his Spirit from on high there shall be a fruitfull field which will then be counted as a Forrest which according to this doctrine I suppose cannot well be applied to any but to the Church of Rome it so flourishing by converting of nations and by the sanctity of doctrine and life of the chiefe professors thereof and this I am induced to believe from those two places Matthew the 23. and 15. where it is said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for you compasse sea and land to make one proselite and when he is made ye make him two fold more the child of hell then your selves And that of the Apostle to the Romans chapter 10. 2. where he saith speaking of the Jews For I bear them record that they have zeal of God but not according to knowledg from whence I inferr that in a corrupt Church there may be a zeal of God though not according to knowledg which may reach to the converting of nations and to abundance of zeal in works of the flesh such as man is able to devise of himself and also in that great change there will be a people that in the esteem of the world and in these actions which are set forth as marks of the true Church in this book and place thereof that before men will be counted a fruitfull field which shall then prove the Forrest so much doth the Lord reject mens performances devised by themselves But I am not ignorant that it may be readily objected that those places of the prophet Isaiah have reference unto the Jewes which esteemed themselves as a fruitfull field and counted the gentiles as a Forrest and by our Saviours and his Apostles preaching were converted and became the fruitfull field and the Jewes became the forrest For answer unto which I do acknowledg that the prophet Isaiah hath prophesies touching the same thing but those three places speak of that great change at the Lords bright appearing to restore all things which I shall prove from the texts themselves where note in the 29. chap. and 20. verse he saith for the terrible one is brought to nought and the scorner is consumed and all that watch for iniquity are cut off which is not yet performed for there are many that yet watch for iniquity and many scorners not cut off And then in the 22 verse it is said Therefore thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham concerning the house of Jacob Jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face wax pale which shews cleerly that this change was to be wrought when the Lord restored the house of Jacob and I beleeve no man will say that Jacob is yet restored And in the 32. chapter and 13. verse it is said speaking of that desolate condition of the Jews and I conceive mystically also of the beleeving Gentiles Upon the land of my people shall come up thornes and bryers yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city and in next verse he shews the reason because the palaces shall be forsaken the multitude of the city shall be left the forts and towers which I conceive are mystically Churches shall be dens for ever a joy of wild asses a pasture of flocks But after the Spirit is poured out in the 18. verse he saith And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places which cannot yet be applyed unto the Jews nor yet to the beleeving Gentiles And touching that text in the 35. chapter pray take notice that the prophet having in the 34. chapter spoken of the destruction of the nations but especially of Idumea or mysticall false brethren comes in the 35. chapter to say The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them that is for their destruction and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a rose and then in the second verse it is said The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it that is to the wildernesst and I am sure this is not yet performed neither to the nations nor yet to the Church which in this chapter is compared to a wilderness and parched ground therefore I conclude these texts are no way appliable to the Jewes and Gentiles at the Lords first appearing And thus much by way of digression now again to my former matter Seventhly I shall prove that the people of the Lord Jesus must wait for their Master by watching and prayer in this sleepy and dead condition without the purity of ordinances by that deaf lame and blind condition that they shal be found in when the Lord destroys Babylon and delivers them and this I shall prove from Isa. the 29. 18. and 35. 5 6. in which places it is said Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing and why what is the cause of this great change he saith for in the wilderness shall streams break forth and waters in the desart and all this to follow the destruction of the nations and false brethren as in the foregoing chapter Now if it be thus that when the Lord delivers his people by destroying their Enemies they shall be blind lame and deaf and like a wilderness which I think no man will be so impudent as to affirm that the people of the Lord Jesus shall be blind lame and deas and like a wilderness in respect of the graces of the spirit as faith hope love self-deniall and meekness but in respect of outward order and discipline how comes it to passe that we have so many men that boast of the spirit that they be come to Sion and enjoy God perfectly and are not sensible of any sin and how comes it to passe that we have so much boasting of the purity of ordinances and of Apostles and Prophets as it was in the first Gospel times I profess that if any have
said Revelation 11. 2. But the court which is without the temple meaning as I conceive the ordinances leave out and measure it not that is take no care of it for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot 42. mouths By Gentiles I understand not gentiles in profession for so much as it cannot be said that the Gentiles or heathen do tread under foot the holy city but by Gentiles in this place I understand men that are gentiles in manners having in effect forsaken the faith of Christ which I take to be the Church of Rome having possession of the Church or holy city of God and tread under feet the people of God and dispense with the ordinancts of God at their pleasure which is the court or outward part of the temple which is given to them to tread under feet 42. months And it is said in the 13. chapter and 5. verse And there was given unto him speaking of the beast which did arise out of the sea a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy and power was given unto him to continue 42. months which two texts I conceive do mean one and the same thing which is counting a day for a year 1260. years Now if this time do begin at the ceasing of the persecution by Licinas Emperour of the East as I suppose it doth which was according to Mr. Foxe's Accompt in the year of the nativity of Christ 324. then the time of the Raign of the beast was compleat according to this accompt 1584. which is since according to the accompt of the Church of England 66. years so that all this time of the Raign of this beast from the year 324. at the ceasing of the persecution untill the year 1584. this beast did go on and encrease in power and did persecute the people of the Lord Jesus Now if it be said That there was a time between the raising of persecution by the Dragon or Empire Heathen and the persecution by the beast Christian which according to Mr Fox's accompt was a thousand years To this I answer First That this was the slumbring or sleepie condition of the Church For as soon as the Church began to have case and riches given her she fell asleep and declined which opportunity being offered the enemy sowed tares amongst the wheat and as the tares sprung up and brought forth fruit they shewed themselves In which time of the Churches declining the tares were not discovered and therefore for that time there could not be in reason any persecution because of the sleep of the servants and these tares by reason of the sleep of the servants grew too many for the good seed and had gotten possession of the Church of God and did in time grow so wicked as they caused the servants to awake But secondly Although there was no persecution for causes of Religion yet the Pope or beast Christian was an enemy unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these particulars as First The Pope or bishop of Rome was an enemy unto the people of God by intruding himself into the Church of God in claiming to himself to be Universal Bishop and thereby doing injury to his fellow bishops and causing contention to arise in the Church of God contrary to any rule of Scripture Secondly he having gotten this universall title unto himself was an enemie unto the people of God by his negligence in suffering and permitting such grosse errors by degrees to grow in the Church of God and therby the Pope was an enemy to the people of Jesus Christ in claiming to himself to be head of the Church of Jesus Christ which is a title peculiarly belonging to the Lord Jesus and having gotten this title to suffer the people of the Lord Jesus to be seduced But then Thirdly Though there was no persecution in the Church of Rome or during the raign of the beast christian for neer one thousand years in respect of religion and in respect of any people walking contrary to the common multitude yet neverthelesse the Pope with his Clergy were enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus and did cause abundance of bloud to be shed by the wars which were raised in the Empire by means of the Pope striving with the Emperour and other Princes for temporall possessions and also in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain them to submit unto the Popes yoke for many temporall matters in desposing Emperours and Princes and setting up others in their steads whereby followed miserable wars and devastations in the world which is lamentable to relate and in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain out of their hands the election of Bishops and other head officers in the Church which the Pope by degrees did wrest out of the hands of the Emperour and other Christian Princes contrary to the ancient custome of the nations and for which there was much contention and bloud-shed in the Christian world besides the oppression of him and his officers and legats in raking together the goods of the Churches in the nations and setting up of alians and forrainers in the benefices of the nations but especially here in England to the impoverishing of the nations and to the ruine of the people for want of teaching as may be seen at large in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England volume the first in many places Fourthly The Pope or beast Christian were great enemies unto the people of the people of the Lord Jesus in respect of divisions and schisms which were in the Popes Church by means of several Popes there being somtime two sometime three as was in the beginning of the councell of Constance the Emperour and Christain Princes falling in dissention and taking parts about them each maintaining his Pope which that government had set up insomuch as King Henry the fourth of England writing to the Pope to be a means to cease the Schisme in the Church relates to him that by the vote of men there were to the number of 200000 men slain in the parts of the world among Christian Princes about the division of the Popes by means of wars raised up in that quarrel As also 30000 souldiers slain in war about the Bishopprick of Leodiem between two set up one by the authority of one Pope the other by the authority of the other Pope which relates to such a summe as I think all men will acknowledg that the Pope or beast Christian hath been an enemie to the people of God before he began to persecute for the cause of religion as may be seen in the same letter of King Henry the fourth Acts and Monuments page the 720. the first volume Then fifthly After the abomination was fully set up which I take to be in the year 1215. then began to follow persecution for the cause of religion it being the time that the people of the Lord Jesus were
prove the nations or the governments of the nations either temporall or spirituall to be mountains To which I answer that the Prophets usually apply the name of mountains to the nations or government and magistracy of the nations as may be seen Psalm 72. 3. Zechariah 4. 7. Daniel 2. 45. Rev. 6. 15. with divers the like places now it being so that the Jews were permitted to flee unto the mountains of the nations when their City and Temple were destroyed to hide themselves from the fury of the Romans their Enemies in like manner I conceive the beleeving Gentiles have the like permission to flee to the mountains of the protestant Churches to shroud themselves from the fury of their oppressing Enemies the Christian Romans when once the Abomination makes the whole worship of the Lord Jesus desolate of the Spirit of God and they cannot in conscience submit unto it and the fury of the beast being such as they that did not submit unto his worship they were to lose their lives as the Jews were sure to be cruelly handled if they did not submit to the government of the heathen Romans And so much to these objections Another objection is made against my exposition of Mat. 24. 29. of the sun moon and stars with the powers of the heavens some saying that there is meant those created lights of the heavens which guide the times and by the providence of God enlighten the Earth naturally others say the sun signifies Magistracy and the moon the Ministry To which I answer and say that the Scripture is full of such expressions as the sun moon and starrs and for the cleering of this figurative speech I shall be forced to set forth the severall Acceptions wherein the sun moon and stars is taken in Scripture First sometime the sun moon and stars is taken for those glorious lights of heaven as Josuah 10. 13. and Isa. 38. 8. with divers the like places where the sun is taken for the light of heaven Secondly somtime the sun moon and stars are taken in a figurative sense as that which is most excellent amongst men as the sun signifies that spirit of government which naturaly al men that have any excellency of nature fit for government are indued with as the spirit of counsell prudence and fortitude and the like which are vertues fit for government and may be in a naturall man the moon to figure out the laws of the nations which are divers according to the policy of every nation and are changed according as the state of things require like unto the moon and receive their light from that spirit of counsell that is in those law-makers which are indued with it the stars to signifie those eminent counsellers which shine as starrs in any common-wealth the powers of the heavens to be that Rule of government which is especially exercised in any nation where those lights are applied unto and of those sort are these Scriptures Isaiah 13. 10. and 34. 4. Ezekiel 32. 7. Joel 2. 31. and 3. 15. Rev. 6. 12 13 14. with divers other the like places and for proof of this that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in these places pray take notice of Isaiah 34. where the same figurative speech is used in ver 4 5. it is said my sword shall be bathed in heaven behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of my curse to judgment And then in the 12. verse it is said They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdome and none shall be there and all her Princes shal be as nothing Which shews plainly what is meant in the 4 verse where the like figurative speech is used And observe also Isaiah 13. 10. Rev. 6. 12 13 14. in which places there is mention made of the destruction of the nations but especially of Babylon Thirdly sometime the like figurative speech is used and applied unto the people of God and then the sun signifies the Spirit of God which his people are indued with the moon the ordinances of God as the tabernacle temple and sacrifices of the law in that standing and to the ordinances of the Gospel in the time of that standing and hath been changed according to the change of times which the Lord hath been pleased to alter in his Church in severall ages the starrs to those eminent Saints of God which as stars did shine in severall ages in the Church of God the powers of the heavens to be that Ruling power of the Lord Jesus which his people did act by his Authority in the time of the Gospel which was in the Church of Jesus Christ wherein they did receive in and cast out all such as were meet to receive or unmeet for their spirituall society and of this sense are these places of Scripture Isai. 5. 10. Joel 2. 10. Micah 3. 6. Matt. 24. 29. Rev. 8. 12. and 9. 2. In which places it is to me evident that those things are meant But it may be objected that this is but my exposition without any Scripture proof for it To which I answer and desire all men to weigh diligently those places of Scripture as Isaiah 60. 19. 20. where the prophet speaking of the glory of the Church in her Restoring saith The sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee meaning as I conceive when the Lord restores his Church and people they shall need none of those secondary means to enlighten them with but the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light and thy God thy glory and then in the 20. verse it is said Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy moon with-draw it self in which texts are two things considerable to this purpose first that the Church hath a sun and moon secondly that this sun hath gon down and this moon withdrawn her self and I think that no man can find out any fitter exposition to the sense of the text then this is and to the order of the Church in all ages which some time hath been flourishing with abundance of the Spirit of God and the laws of the Administrations touching outward order especially kept and the Church being crowned with her twelve stars which abundantly did shine in her and encrease her glory Sometime again she hath been in captivity and her temple and ordinances destroyed and made desolate of the spirit of God and the glory of God in respect of outward administrations by degrees leaving her for her sins as it is plainly set forth Ezekiel 10. and 11. chapters besides the experience of things in all ages doth confirm this truth as is cleer unto us in these dayes and explained by me in my book of some discoveries of the mystery of the last times page the 14. Secondly pray take notice of Rev. 12. 1. where Saint John saw a wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the sun and the moon under her feet
Reason that all men should be deceived and you onely know the truth To those men I answer and do acknowledge the doctrine is strange and I do confesse I do not remember that I ever read of any such thing treated of and for the most part of the places I have opened in some measure I do not remember that I ever heard any exposition upon them yea I acknowledge that the matter seems sometimes strange to my self having nothing in me that deserves that the Lord should reveal any thing to me rather then to another I see in my self so much weakness and deadness to any thing that is good that it seems to the contrary but when on the contrary I consider the harmony and agreement which is among the prophets tending to the same things and when I consider the experience of the ages past confirming it and making it to appear a truth in part without contradictions and when I consider that the Lord hath in severall ages taught some of his people yea his prophets by men of inferiour parts to them as may be seen in Jethro's counsell to Moses and by Amos which was a herd-man of Tekoa which taught Amasiah the priest of Bethel and when I consider the Lord confounds the wisdome of the world by things of no esteem and brings to nought things that are by things that are not I then take encouragement and am constrained to beleeve that this is the meaning of the holy Ghost in those places and shall beleeve untill I do perceive a better sense given which being done I hope I shall not be so self-conceited as to prefer my sense before a better if it begiven It is further objected that we are commanded to come out of Babylon left we are partakers of her sins and so receive of her plagues which is a duty required of us and besides we have now an oportunity given us to come out for the States give us liberty to walk according to Gospel order and according to our conscience there in and to gather our selves into bodies To the first I answer That it is true that we are commanded to come out of Babylon but it is necessary to know the time when we are to perform that duty lest haply we should lose our labour and I could wish that some man that is so zealous for the performance of that duty would labour to demonstrate by the Scripture Prophesies that the time for the performance of this duty were fully come lest the practice of this duty have no better success then those men in Jeremy 29. 21. namely Ahab the son of Kolajah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah which were two false prophets which did perswade the people that they should speedily return from their captivity contrary to the prophesie of Jeremy which had prophesied their captivity to continue seventy years which were a duty necessary to be done for so much as the prophet Daniel did understand by books the number of yeers where of the word of the Lord came to Jeremy the prophet that hee would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem Dan. 9. 2. and accordingly did make his prayer for their return So likewise in the Revelation there are set times for the people of the Lord Jesus to lie in this and that condition as may be seen in the 11. 12. 13. chapters which I shall endeavour the Lord enabling me in the sequell of this treatise to make appeare not to be fully accomplished Besides take notice of those places which speake of the people of the Lord coming out of Babylon and you shall finde that Babylon is first fallen before the Lords people are exhorted to come out of her as may be seen Rev. 14. 8. and 18. 4. But we do not yet see Babylon fallen nay rather we see her as high as ever almost only we have seen one of his heads wounded to death but his deadly wound is almost healed neither do we see any glory like unto that glory which is spoken of in those two places to precede the fall of Babylon neither do we see the Lamb upon mount Sion with his hundred forty and four thousand neither an Angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightned with his glory which are things which goe before the peoples deliverance besides pray marke that Babylon in the letter was destroyed before the people of God were dilivered and his people had a Leader to goe before them out of Babylon Even so likewise I conceive that the people of the Lord Jesus are to have a leader or diliverer to goe before them to call them out of Babylon in the mystery and to send his Angels to gather together his Elect from the four windes of the heaven according to those Scriptures Isai. 11. 11 12. and 52. 12. and 66. 19 20. Joel the 3. 11. Obadiah 21. Zechariah 2. 5 8. Matt. 24. 31. compared with Rev. the 14. 6 7 8 9. and 18. 1 2 4. In all which places is mention made of the Lords deliverance of his people by himself and of sending forth his Angels to declare the fall of Babylon and to exhort the people of the Lord to come out of her To the second branch of this objection I answer It is true that the State gives liberty to tender consciences for which they deserve much honour but these men must also remember that as the State gives them liberty so must they have liberty of God also which I desire to see proved for first if they will come out according to order they must have their Leader with them which is the Lord Jesus for it is said expresly Isaiah the 52. 12. for you shall not go out in hast nor go out by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rereward But in this reformation which is profest in this nation in any profession I see no glory that comes neer the first Gospel times whereas the coming of the Kingdom of God with power did exceed the first glory as may be seen Mat. 17. 2. Secondly it must be granted that the nations of Christiandome are all of them at the least Christians at large as I may term them that is professing the name of Christ now if we follow order we must reform by the major or greater part as is the order in all assemblies as also in the Church of Christ whilst they had power as may be seen in the Churches of Asia but we cannot reforme that way because the major part will keep their customes still be they never so ill and therefore we cannot this way reform according to order because the best part is over-voted But thirdly seeing that all our reformers do acknowledg that the ordinances are corrupted touching Church discipline and if we will reform we must bring them to the first standard and because all our ministers have derived their office of ministry through
shepherd to rule over them which should destroy them and of evill shepherds you may read fully in Jerem. the 23. and Ezek. the 34. I shall in the fifth place come to prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer without the benefit of ordinances in their purity during the dead condition from the Churches owne confession walking in outward order which I prove from Isaiah 26. 19. where it is said we have been with child we have been in paine wee have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen as much as if the Church should have said we have strived to deliver our selves out of our captivity by walking in that order which we have set up but we have brought forth nothing but wind neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen we have desired to destroy Babylon and to deliver our selves but it comes to nothing and to no effect And then in the next verse The Lord Jesus as I conceive answereth her saying Thy dead men shall live together with my dead bodie shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust as much as if he should have said although that you now seem dead and lie in the dust in respect of outward order according to the first Gospel times yet when my dead body that is the Church shall arise why then awake and sing Now if any should ask any of our professours if they did not travell to bring forth our Lord Jesus and to destroy antichrist by their walking in those professions doubtlesse they would answer yea for it is the principle of every profession Sixthly I shall prove the people of Gods posture to be watching and prayer during the dead condition from the condition the people of God shall be in when he appears and destroyes all their enemies and restores them they being like a wildernesse and all false waies in a flourishing condition this is proved from Isaiah 29 19. where it is said Is it not yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field shall be counted as a forrest compared with Revelation the 12. 14. and Isaiah the 32. 15. where it is said Vntill the spirit be poured out upon us from above and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a forrest now what can be more cleerly spoken then this touching this thing for it is the principle of every profession at this day for they say that the waies we now practise are the waies by which the Lord Jesus will more and more draw out his people into Gospel order untill he have fully brought them out of Babell and prepared them to meet him in Sion and this is the saying and tenent of every profession whereas contrariwise he saith by his Prophet that at the time when the spirit is poured out from on high his people shall be like a wildernesse and the false worships be counted as a fruitfull field and then is that great change wrought But it may be objected that before we tooke upon us the profession of the Gospel we were like a wildernesse but since we came into Gospel order we have been like a fruitfull field and this change is now a working To which I answer that this change shall not be wrought untill the Lord destroyes Babylon or the antichristian state and this is cleer by Isaiah the 35. and the first and so forth for in the foregoing chapter being the 34. the Lord sets before us the destruction of all nations but especially of Idumea which I conceive in the mystery to be antichrist or false brethren as Edom was to Israel and in the 14. verse he comes to say as it were that now the people of God are delivered out of her The wild beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wild beasts of the islands and the satyr shall cry to his fellow which compared with Revelations the 18. 2. doth fully agree now mark what followes in the 35. chapter where it is said The wilderness and the solitary place shall he glad for them that is for their destruction and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as a rose So that I conclude from this text if there were no more that before the Lord destroys antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and the brightnesse of his coming the people of the Lord Jesus shall be in respect of outward order and discipline like a wildernesse and desart and Babylon and all false waies shall be in a flourishing condition like a fruitfull field And thus much to this proofe While my cogitations were exercised about this Treatise there came to my hand a little book written by Thomas Vane Doctor of Divinity and sometime Chaplain to the late King of England intituled A lost sheep returned home or the Motives of the Conversion to the Catholich Faith of Thomas Vane penned in Paris in the yeer 1648. Which book having read and diligently considered I found that he did propound to consideration severall marks of the true Church where in the 17 and 18 chapters he makes conversion of Kingdoms and Monarchs and sanctity of doctrine and life to be marks of the true Church and applyes it to the Church of Rome which having diligently considered I was at a pause but weighing well what this sanctity of doctrine and life was I found it was chiefly in instructing her children in not onely confessing themselves to God but also confessing to the priests not onely sorrow for sin but also doing penance for the same and such as the Church injoyneth obliging to set times of fasting and prayer and magnifying the merit of good works commending the sublime acts of voluntary poverty chastity and obedience and the exercising of other great acts of austerity for to subdue sin in the sleth and to professe our love to Christ in these things which having diligently considered mee thought he had almost forgot the true duties of christian Religion mentioned in those two places Isai. 58. 6 7. and James 1. 27. where the Prophet saith thus Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to undoe the heavie burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoak Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that is cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own flesh Where note one of the duties of Christianity is to do good to our own flesh which cannot well be done by afflicting our bodies by unnecessary fastings and great austerity And the Apostle St. James saith Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction
the country of Pledmont what wars and bloud-shed there hapned what extremity the poore people were put unto by the Lord of Trinity his Army may be seen in Acts and Monuments the 2 volume page 202. 3. What misery hath befallen in the realme of France touching dissention about Religion between the Papists and Protestants containing some Kings raigns what bloud was shed in those battels and wars between the two parties may be seen in the Soveraigne power of Paliaments and kingdomes the 3d part written by Mr. William Prin page the 34 and so forth 4. What wars and bloudshed followed in Germany of late years about Munster between the common people and the nobilitie about matters touching religion is best known unto those that have read the history Lastly What wars and miseries have followed in this nation within this few years experience hath taught us the principle quarrell being about religion and although I do not dispute the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments just warr in respect of civill rights having my selfe taken part with the Parliament and by their Authority born arms to defend my civill rights yet touching religion when I consider the Lord Jesus being king of peace me thinks there should no arms be taken up to defend religion and although I do acknowledg that it is our Saviours words that he came not to send peace on the earth but the sword that is after the preaching of the Gospel there would follow wars and combustions among the nations yet I do not find that he left any example by any of his messengers that private subjects should defend their religion by the sword neither do I question but that lawfull Authority may defend their religion by armes but this I find that in most of our Reformations England onely excepted where the change hath been made by the Prince or State that at one time or other the subjects have taken arms to defend their religion against Authority These things being considered diligently I leave it to the judicious reader to judge whether that of the Prophet Isaiah may not be applied unto all our Reformations I mean in outward discipline and order in his 50. chapter verse 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow and I shall leave it also to the people of God themselves to consider if the reformers in those severall ages may not justly take up that complaint of the Church in that 26. of the Prophet Isaiah verse the 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen which experience doth fully teach in all those Reformations for the inhabitants of the world are not yet fallen which all the foregoing premises diligently considered makes me undoubtedly be perswaded that the Lord will not deliver his people by themselves in any of those waies which are now practised but will deliver his people by himself in some extraordinary manner at his next appearing which will be like lightning Now the summe of all that hath been said gathered up together is this that during the sleep of the people of God the enemies came and sowed tares among the wheat the servants neglecting their duty of being watchfull these tares are grown too many for the good seed and have got possession in the Church and have captivated the people of God and have brought them into bondage under which they must lie untill the great deliverer come to deliver them But me thinks I heare a question put which hath already been put to me that is What profession is this man of for he seems to be contrary to all men this seems to us to be strange doctrine that the people of God must lie in bondage under the antichristian state and may not deliver themselves by Gospel order what profession is this man of To which I answer that I am a man which desires so farr as my infirmity will give me leave and the Lord inable me against it to keep faith and a good Conscience and by watching and prayer to wait for my Masters coming and if for my admonition I gain nothing from the men of every profession but evill will and it may be reproaches which have happened already I passe not if I be judged leaving the matter to God However I have not hid my talent in a napkin but have declared that light I have received wherein I have not presumed to a prophets office that is to declare hidden things but what is I conceive revealed in the word though mystically and I do not remember that ever I heard or read of any that treated of this mater which did incourage me in the work And if as I say I gain evill will for it it is no more then what the prophet Jeremiah met with which he complaines of in chapter 15 10. where he saith Wo is me my Mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth I have not lent on usury neither have men lent to me on usury yet every one of them doth curse me which shewes that he had done nothing in the world worthy of blame but had behaved himselfe honestly among all men yet neverthelesse because he taught them to submit themselves where God had subjected them therefore he complaines that every one doth curse him which if it be my lot I have done my duty and shall leave the issue to God But it may be objected if we may not look to have the ordinances restored again in their purity because the glory is departed from them why what is then to be done To which I answer that I have propounded my light that I have received desiring no man to follow it further then he seeth it to be truth in the mean time I leave every man to walk in humility according to the dictates of his own conscience and where his conscience leads him let him practise but let him beware he do not say See here is Christ and see there is Christ for the next appearing will be a glory so excellent as it will bury all earthly administrations and let him also remember that it is not Circumcision nor uncircumcision that availeth any thing but a new Creature And for as much as I as yet can find no Rule in Scripture concerning outward administrations for the people of God to walk in after the abomination is set up which makes the ordinances desolate of the Spirit of God and drives the glory of God from all outward administrations as experience teacheth us therefore my admonition will be this That let every man strive earnestly by watching and prayer giving the Lord no rest till he establish and till
this is no appearance of that second glory which shall be revealed which the Lord hasten in his due time I shall now in the fifth place speak of the suddenesse of the Lord his appearance therefore pray mind the Prophet Isaiah in his 66. 7 8. where speaking of that marvelous change which shall be wrought in the world at that great restoring of all things saith before she that is the Church travelled she brought forth before her pain came she was dilivered of a man child and then he calls upon all to take notice of this strange work saying who hath heard such a thing who hath seen such a thing shall the earth be made to bring forth in a day or shall a nation be born at once for as soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her children shewing the suddenness of that marvellous work which the Lord will perform when he delivers his people out of their captivity wherein they have lain captivated among the nations for so many ages So the Evangelist Matthew speaking of the suddenness of the Lords appearing in chap. 24. 27. saith For as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the west so shall the coming of the son of man be now what can be more sudden then lightning for mark the effects of lightning it is a glory so sudden and so quick as a man cannot compare any thing to be so sudden for it spreads in a moment so speedily as a mans thought cannot be more sudden or speedy so in the same chapter the 44. verse he saith therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh The like Marke 13. 35. speaking of the sudden approach of the Lord Jesus he exhorteth them watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the cock crowing or in the morning lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping So Luke the 12. 39. where exhorting them how they should carry themselves in regard of the Lords sudden appearing he saith And this know that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken up be you therefore ready also for the son of man cometh in an hour when ye think not on The like warning gives the Apostle Paul the first Thessalonians 5. 2. in his exhortation unto them he saith For ye your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a thiefe in the night for when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction as travell upon a woman so likewise the same Apostle Paul in the first of the Corinthians 15. 52. where speaking of that great change which should be wrought upon those that are alive at the Lords appearing saith In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump In all which places it is cleer from the word of God without contradiction that the Lords appearing will be sudden and unexpected I shall now in the sixth place speak of the severall enemies the people of the Lord Jesus have had in these severall dispensations As first no sooner did the Lord Jesus appear to go about to exercise his ministry and to gather disciples and to make himself known to the world but the divell under the notion of the Dragon by his head which I conceive were the Emperours and by his tail which were false Ministers with the Scribes and Pharisees did go about to persecute him untill hee had by his instruments wrought his death and so he was caught up to heaven Revel the 12. and 5. So likewise after our Saviours Ascension into heaven and the promise of the holy Ghost being come upon the Apostles and the Church being cloathed with the sun or spirit and having a crown of twelve starrs that is the Apostles beginning to exercise their Commission in distributing the Ordinances and in gathering of Churches immediately the Dragon transforms himself into an Angel of light and creeps in amongst them and doth trouble and afflict them in their Ministry and this all the Apostles complain of in their severall Epistles And these false Apostles which were crept into the Church I conceive to be the tail of the Dragon by which he did draw the third part of the starrs of heaven and did cast them unto the earth Secondly the Dragon not being content in persecuting the Church by false Ministers which were his tail but he likewise falls to persecute them by his head which is the Emperour and the Magistrate of the Empire which lasted three hundred yeers all the time of the Ten persecutions and by troubles and afflictions he doth waste and spoil the Church of Jesus Christ which time I conceive to be that battell which was in heaven wherein Michael fought and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels in which battell the Dragon is cleerly cast out of heaven For whereas before when there was but little persecution in respect of the heat which was during the later persecutions the Dragon had still some false Ministers among the saints under the vizard of true Christians now in the heat of this persecution they all not being sincere did not abide the tryall but like as chaffe in a fresh winde is divided from the good seed so in the violence of persecution the good seed continued immovable but the chaffe was scattered and so the Dragon was cast unto the earth and his Angels were cast out with him And yet notwitstanding all this the Church increaseth and goeth on conquering in despite of the dragon for it is said Revel 12. 21. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death Which shews plainly that notwithstanding the Dragon did what hee could by his head and tail yet neverthelesse the people of Jesus Christ did still prevail to the overthrow of the Dragon and his Angels by the help of Michael which is Jesus Christ and did cast him and his Angels out of heaven unto the earth And for the exposition of the Dragons head to be such as are in Authority and for his tail to be false Ministers it is the exposition of the holy Ghost by Isaiah in the 9th chapter and 15th verse The ancient and honourable he is the head and the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the tail And thus the Dragon did afflict the people of the Lord Jesus in the first dispensation which lasted according to the accompt of Mr Fox in his Acts and Monuments of the Church of England to the yeer from the Nativity of Christ 324 in the first Volume pag. 520. Now the Dragon having received this repulse being cast unto the earth he now tryes another course for whereas he failed by his subtilty in thrusting in false Apostles amongst the Churches and also
mystically commanded to fly to the mountains Matthew the 24. when speedily followed the waking of the servants in which they did desire to deliver themselves and began to see the grosse and wicked idolatry which was committed and began to fly and avoid it and did hope to gather thetares from the good seed or at least to separate them and to draw themselves out from amongst them but alas too late for antichrist had goten possession then immediately followed persecution in such a measure as I think there was more bloud shed for cause of conscience then there was in any time of the persecution of the Empire heathen as it is yet fresh in memory and may be abundantly seen in the Acts and Monuments of the Church of England Now sixthly as the servants began to wake and to look about them and to increase in knowledg and the time of the prosperity of the beast began to be at the height and should decay Martin Luther steps forth and fulfils that prophesie Revelation the 13. 3 for he gives a wound unto the beast for whereas the doctrine of merits by works was one of the principal heads of the beast and the greatest of all his power this Martin Luther did oppose with great might and with much successe insomuch as he gave a deadly wound unto the beast but we have sinc eseen by experience this deadly wound healed and all the world wondreth after the beast in a manner for they see order in the Church of Rome though by a wrong power but amongst us nothing but disorder and this we may speak with grief of heart and there is reason for it which I have abundantly proved already and may further God assisting me cleer it hereafter besides the loosnesse of Protestants at large as I may term them and our divisions and loosnesse in our practices makes him get heart and to hope to gaine all againe of what he hath lost or at least to hold that which he hath and this St. John seems to intimate unto us in Revelation the 17. 8. where he saith When they beheld the beast that was and is not and yet is shewing as I conceive that at the change of the beast he should so lose his power as he should as it were seem not to be and yet after he should recover strength againe and have a being untill the Lord destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and with the brightnesse of his coming Isaiah the 11. 42 Thes. 2. 8. which can in reason be expounded to be no other but Rome under the Pope as I have proved by ten reasons Now forasmuch as there is one principal text Matthew 24. 15. upon which text dependeth almost all the following part of the chapter as an exhortation of the Lord Jesus unto his disciples how they should carry themselves when once the abomination which makes desolate is set up and therefore I shall shew what I take this abornination to be and therefore pray mind I take this abomination not to be the destruction of Jerusalem which did follow within 40. years after the passion of Christ as I have already proved But I take this abomination of desolation to be that Idol of the bread which in the Church of Rome is transubstantiated into the reall body of Christ as the Papists teach or in short the real presence of the sleshly body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it which Idolatry I take to be the grossest Idolatry that ever was committed by any civill or religious nation or nations and about which there hath so much bloud of the Saints of Jesus Christ been spilt in the kingdome of the Pope as the like hath not been seen in any age for one thing But because this is a matter of much consequence I shall produce severall reasons for the proofe thereof Wherefore my first reason shall be from the text it self where it is said When you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place that is something that standeth in the holy place which drives the presence of Gods spirit out of that place that was once holy A second reason I take from that text Daniel the 11. 31. which is the place of the prophet as I conceive which our Saviour meant where it is said speaking of Antiochus And armies shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and they shall take away the daily sacrifice and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate Which text was fulfilled the first of Maccabees the first chapter 54. ver which was a type of that abomination which our Saviour speaketh of meaning as I conceive that of Daniel the 11. 31. now as Antiochus by his power did pollute the temple of the Lord by commanding the daily sacrifice to cease and did set up the Idol of abomination upon the Altar of God where by the spirit of God departed from that worship even so in the mystery the Pope hath changed the communion into the sacrifice of the Masse and real presence in the Sacrament and caused the people to worship it so that by reason of that idolatry the spirit of God is departed from that administration Thirdly that whereas the Lord Jesus having instituted his last supper to be practised in Remembrance of his death till he come and made no mention of worshipping it the Pope contrarily maketh it a sacrifice and commandeth the people to worship it thereby forcing the spirit of God from that worship Luke 22. 19. 1 Corinthians 11. 24. Fourthly That whereas the Lord hath commanded Exodus the 20. that his people should make no graven image nor the likenesse of any thing in any place thereby to worship it the Pope contrary to his command maketh the reall presence in the Sacrament daily under the form of bread and commandeth the people to worship it without any warrant from the word for their practice thereby forcing the people to commit Idolatry and so driveth the spirit of God from that dispensation Fifthly That as the Jews in time of the standing of the Temple by their Idolatry and by their setting up the image of jealousie in the temple did cause the spirit of God to depart from that worship Ezekiel the 8. 5 6. even so the Pope and his clergy in the mystery hath set up the image of jealousie in the Church in turning the communion of the Lords supper from its first Institution into the real presence of Christs fleshly body in forme of bread in the Sacrament and commanded the people to worship it thereby grieving the Spirit of God and causing it to depart from that worship Sixthly that as the pastours or shepherds of the Jewes in the time of the standing of the Temple did eat up the good pasture and drank the deep waters which I conceive was the ordinances of the Temple with the sacrifices and did tread
down the residue of the pasture with their feet and foul the water with their feet and caused the people to eat that which they had trodden and to drink of the water which they had fouled with their feet Ezekiel the 34. 18 19. Even so I conceive the Popes Clergie have defiled the ordinances of Jesus Christ by altring them from their first constitution and polluting them with their ceremonies and causing the people to back them and use them as they are pleased to command and to commit Idolatry by them and especially about the reall presence in the Sacrament Seventhly that as Antiochus having set up the Idol of abomination that maketh desolate in the temple of God and commanded the people to offer upon the Altar and those that refused he put to death even so the Pope of Rome having placed the abomination of desolation that is as I conceive the reall presence in the Sacrament did persecute and put to death all those that would not worship it and confesse this doctrine to be truth Eightly that as when Antiochus having placed the abomination that maketh desolate in the Temple of God and in the cities of Juda that then Matthias and his sons fled unto the mountaines for succour the first of Maccabees 2. 28. Even so the Lord Jesus adviseth his disciples that when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place whoso readeth let him understand then let them that be in Judea fly unto the mountains Matthew 24. 15 16. likewise I conceive the people of the Lord Jesus in the mystery are at this present to come out of the Romish Church and to fly into the mountaines of the protestant Churches where though in respect of the purity of the ordinances they come short of the perfection of the first times having lost their power and their greatest number being Christians at large that is having little else but the bare profession of Jesus Christ yet in doctrine which are things to be beleeved they come neer to the first times and I do conceive they are the earth as I shall hereafter shew God assisting me when I come to speake of the beast which did arise out of the Earth unto which the woman fled Revelation 12. 16. Ninthly that as Antiochus after he had set up the Abomination which maketh desolate in the Temple of God had such as resisted and withstood him and did exploits as Matthias and his sons and brethren with such as regarded their God even so when the Pope and his Clergie having corrupted the ordinances and set up the abomination which maketh desolate and commanded the people to worship it had such as did soon resist and withstand him with the losse of their bloud and that not a few but many as may be seen in Acts and Monuments at large treated of Tenthly and lastly that as Antiochus when he did defile the Temple of Jerusalem and set up the abomination that maketh desolate had armes to stand on his part which were the nations that were Enemies unto the Jewes and had such as did wickedly against the covenant to joyn with him Daniel the 11. 31 32. 1. Maccabees 1. 50. Even so the Pope when he did defile the Church of God by setting up the abomination that maketh desolate in the Church I mean the reall presence in the Sacrament and command the people to worship it had armes to stand on his side and doubtless all that forsook the covenant being many of the order of Monks that were the first devisers of transubstantiation for in a councell which was held in Laterane at Rome under Pope Innocent the third were gathered together through the christian world of severall nations to the number of 1300. Bishops which inacted transubstantiation as a Law to be set up throughout the whole Church in the year 1215. and then in the year 1220 Pope Honorius the third in another Councell inacted Elevation and Adoration of the Sacrament and thus was the Abomination of desolation set up in the Church of God as a law and all men commanded to worship it and so the Spirit of God forsook that Administration as you may see at large Acts and Monuments the second volume page the 457. 460. So that from these foregoing Reasons I supose I may safely conclude that it is somthing in the mystery in the church of God which the Pope is prossessed with that is the abomination that maketh desolate and drives the Spirit of God from his own worship and I know nothing in the church of Rome whereunto this may be applied so fitly as to the reall presence in the Sacrament or the fleshly body of Christ under the form of bread and if this in particular may be applied unto the abomination that maketh desolate then much more when all the ordinances of Jesus Christ in that Church are corrupted from their first purity either in substance or in form by adding many ceremonies unto them and the people forced to receive them as they command Thus having finished the description of the Beast which did arise out of the sea and spoken of the time of his standing and prevailing in the Church we wil now come to speak God assisting something of the beast which is to arise out of the earth and because I am not certain whether this beast be up or not I shall not speak much of him only I shall speak somthing of the earth from whence this beast doth arise It is a principle amongst men that earth in Scripture phrase signifies men of earthly condition being flesh and not guided by the spirit of God or if you will by earth you may take men of the meanest rank and quality in the world that is the vulgar multitude whom Mr. Prin in his Soveraignty of Parliaments and Kingdoms makes to be the originall of Authority in temporall things Reasoning thus that there was a people before there was a King And this people did originally chuse their King Now according to this principle If the Soveraignty of Authority remain in the people from whence the government ariseth and this Authority be it a King or common-wealth which you will have power to make Lawes in the church of Christ and have derived their Authority from the multitude and ascribe unto themselves the title of Head of the church of Christ it will come to passe that the multitude in generall originally and the King or state derivatively will be the head of the church of Jesus Christ which hath come to passe already in the severall nations of the protestants and this Saint John seems to intimate Revelation the 16. 19. where it is said And the cities of the nations fell where note I conceive Saint John doth not treat in this place of the civill government or state of the nations which may be applied to the nationall cities nor yet of the materiall cities of the nations as London Paris