swords Spiritual and Temporal therein lifting himself above all that is caled God or is worshipped 2 Thes. 2. 4. It is true that it is said Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things But this inheritance is either as he is the Son of God according to his divine nature or his inheritance at his exaltation into Heaven in that sense in which he is said to be made head over all things to or for the Church Ephes. 1. 22. which is to be understood in respect of that power over Angels and Men so far as concerns their Administation of all things for the welfare of his Church in neither of which are the Saints Heirs with him But in neither of these senses nor in any other sense or place of scripture is he said to be the Heir of the world so as that he should regain the rights and priviledges in respect of civil Government lost in Adam nor where Abraham is promised to be Heir of the world Rem 4. 13. is it meant in respect of the civil Government of the world but as the text shews that he should be Heir of the world that is the blessing of righteousness should be to Jewes and Gentiles throughout the world walking in the steps of his examplary faith whereby they become his seed 3. It asserteth that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven which is a false and a most arrogant presumptuous position For 1. If Christ have not regained it for them then they have not regained them in him But that Christ hath not regained it for them is already proved in overthrowing the second supposition therefore Saints have not regained in Christ the rights and priviledges in respect of Government civil 2. If Government civil were not lost in Adam then it is not regained in Christ but civil Government and natural were not lost in Adam as is before proved in this section therefore they were not regained in Christ. 3. If the rights and priviledges of civil Governments were not regained in Christ to the Apostles then they were not regained in Christ to any Saints For none had more regained for them by Christ than the Apostles nor any of the Saints excelled them if any can shew better charters or patents from Christ for such rights and priviledges then the Apostles let them shew them the holy scripture tells us that God hath set in the Church first Apostles 1 Cor. 13. 28. they are in the foundations Eph. 2. 20 Revel 21. 14. But that the Apostles had not the rights and priviledges in respect of civil Government on earth afore Christ's coming in the Clouds is proved before from Christs words Matth. 20. 25 26. from Rom. 13. 1. where every Soul even an Apostle saith Chrysostome is to be subject to the Higher Powers from St. Paul his acknowledgments and example of subjection from St. Peters precept and example Whence we account the Popes of Rome to have the forehead of and impudent Whore when they claim in St. Peters right the Universal Monarchy of the whole Church and superiority above Emperors and Kings and directly or indirectly in order to spirituals power to dispose of civil Governments to translate the Empire depose Princes give away Kingdoms command Emperors to make an expedition to the holy Land and many more things as if they were his right as successor to St. Peter to whom Christ promised the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven not of earth If this claim be justly as it is judged to be an Antichristian Babylonish usurpation it is by parity of reason More Antichristian and Babylonish for the Quinto-Monarchans to challenge the rights and priviledges in respect of Government to be gained to them under the name of Saints when they can shew no such donation from Christ or any act of acquisition whereby he obtained it for them or any conveyance of it to them or any Saints till Christs appearing The Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel but not till the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his golory Matth. 19. 28. termed his Kingdom Luke 22. 30. The Saints shall Judge the world but not till the time come they shall Judge Angels 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. In the interim their condition is to be humbled under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt them in due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. James 4. 10. 4. If the portion of the Saints which is regained for them by Christ be in spiritual blessings in heavenly things and no where in temporal Dominion in this life then it is false that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven but the antecedent is true as appears by the many promises to them which assign spiritual blessings to them as their portion Where the Apostle Paul mentions the blessings given to the faithful in Christ Jesus he saith Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritural blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ and then recites them without mention of any earthly power or preferment In the new covenant set down Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Spiritual grace is promised but not earthly greatness and riches as in the old Where our Lord Christ Matth. 5. assignes blessedness to holy persons he placeth it in other things then the Kingdoms of this world He saith v. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth but no where the Dominions of the earth The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little or for a little time but godliness is profitable for all things or for every time having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come But how to understand this our Saviour tells us Mark 10. 29 30. There is no man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers which cannot be understood in the same kind but in that which is equivalent Children and Lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life We are Heirs with Christ but 't is If so be that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 23 24. But all are not theirs to dispose them or to rule over them they cannot dispose of life or death things to come nor have rule over Paul or Cephas But God doth order and dispose them for their
by the Saints even those who are private persons and that the civil powers shall be smitten by them to which they are subject But for this they having nothing but an obscure prophecy to rely upon and it not agreeing with plain precepts which forbid resistence to the higher powers that are this their impious Collection is deservedly to be exploded and detested A fifth is that this smiting work shall be done by the Saints afore Christs coming and in preparation thereto But this agrees not with the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15. 24. where it is made Christs work to put down all Rule and all Authority and Power which will not be till the end and then Christ or his Father shall put all his enemies under his feet which cannot be the work of the Saints For one of the enemies is death v. 26. which none in his wits will say can be destroyed by Quinto-Monarchian Saints they perhaps may bring death on themselves and others but sure they cannot destroy death who cannot raise from the dead Besides the scripture makes the coming of Christ and his Kingdom comtemporary 2. Tim. 4. 1. therefore not to be effected by the Saints on earth by any preparatory work of theirs A sixth uncertainty or falsehood which moves them to so much zeal for their smiting work is that they have fancied it to be the work of the present generation which Mr. Tillinghast much insists on in his Sermon on Matth. 16. 3. concerning the signs of the times but upon how slender reasons may be shewed in what followes sure when our Lord Christ made the time of his coming unknown to Angels and the son of man and known only to the Father Mark 13. 32. he would have us not be curious to know it but watch that we be not surprised by it And sith after all the labours of the learnedst and most prying inquisitors all the Prophetical numbers about this thing of the ruin of Babylon and Christs personal Kingdom on earth have been so uncertainly calculated that mens expectations have been deluded it is great rashness for any to pitch on a certain year or age much more to attempt such audacious and horrid things as the smiting of civil powers in a preposterous way which attempt of theirs becomes the more inexcusable in that their own writing entituled The Banner of truth displayed shewed their uncertainty and unresolvedness both in the manner extent and time of this smiting work For whereas they apply that of Dan. 2. 34 35. 44 45. concerning the stones smiting of the great Image so that the Iron the clay the brass the silver and the gold was broken to pieces together and became like the chaff of the sommer threshing-floors and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them unto the Saints even Gentile Saints smiting of all parts of the fourth Monarchy all the civil powers of Europe which they count Roman Babylon and Antichristian yet p. 40 41. they make the conversion of the ten horns Rev. 17. 16 17. to be one gradation of the stones growth which although they would not have to be the present powers of the ten horns nor yet multitudes of people in the ten horns but some out of all the ten horns whom the Lord will have mercy on shall be chosen by Christ in which respect it is said the ten horns yet they admit that the powers of the ten horns which the text expresly v. 12. 13. terms ten Kings which had received then no Kingdom but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast who have one mind and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast and are according to them part of the fourth Monarchy to be utterly destroyed shall be subdued by the Saints and as now they are Antichristian and fight for the Beast against the Lamb so shall they become Christians and fighters for the Lamb against the Beast which is utterly inconsistent with the being broken in pieces together by the stones smiting so as to become like the chaff of the sommer threshing-floor and the wind carry them away that no place be found for them if the stones smiting them be their subduing by the Saints And for the time of the beginning of their smiting work which p. 46. they make the ending time of the mystical numbers spoken of by Daniel and John for the accomplishment of those great things which God hath declared by the mouth of all his holy Prophets to be brought to pass in these later daies Dan. 12. 11. Rev. 11. 2 3. 12. 6. and 13. 5. which they make a great argument and quickning motive to the Saints to look about them and for the stone to arise and smite the compleated Image and break in pieces the iron teeth of the ravenous beast that so deliverance may be brought they grant this thing which they lay down as a call to the stone is doubtful to most and p. 47. tell us that in this particular their judgment and opinion do most accord with Mr. Tillinghast his Calculation according to which those things named spoken of to come to pass at the end of those numbers would in all likelyhood have their accomplishment together with the said numbers the year of Christ 1656. But the event disproving it they will not engage further therein but set down other signs which are signs only from themselves and not from any divine revelation and yet p. 52. conclude This present generation in which we live is the ending time of those mystical numbers forementioned the expiring time of Antichrist wherein God will begin to put a period to the Beasts tyranny and powers And therefore cannot but assert that the consideration of these things is a great call and motive to the stone to arise and be doing which work we call the fifth Kingdom in its first dispenspensation preparing way for the second and more glorious dispensation But after mentioning the compleat and effectual call that the stone shall have to be a clear light into that time it shall smite and into the work of that time together with power from on high whereby it shall be emboldened and fitted to smite as aforesaid and also a fit and leading providence or opportunity preparing way for its breaking forth with these golden characters of power wisdom and glory and then adding some examples of Gods former providence they say let the stone wait for the accomplishment of these particulars afore it smite add their humble conceit then mind those who at present are the gainsayers and imbittered opposers of this work and yet hope and believe they are godly of this their faith and hope lest they split themselves upon this stone becoming their rock of offence and so their bodies and lives perish upon such an account in this day of common calamity that hasteth upon the whole world By which may be perceived their uncertainties in that which they call their faith and
Champney the validity of their succession by the ancient Canons which the Papists allow nor are the Ministers ordained by the Bishops Priests to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead as Popish Priests nor hath the Common prayer Book the Sacrifice properly so called the adoration of the host invocation of Saints and other rites which make the Masse abominable nor is the Church of England made national as subject to the Pope or communicating with the Roman Church in the Trent doctrine and therefore are not chargeable with the Antichristian forms Church state and worship of Babylon nor the civil powers which require conformity thereto to be judged to compel mens persons to Antichristianism But perhaps we shall find Mr. Tillinghast arguing to better purpose That which I meet with as tending to the justifying of the Quinto-Monarchians way is in the 3. of the 8. sermons published since his death p. 57. of the 3. edition in which he tels his auditors that he did conceive it to be one great article of his and their faith that the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from Heaven to attend to had been the work of Christs visible Kingdom over the world which he takes for granted nor in that do I at present oppose him though I do not assert such a visible Kingdom as he believes nor do I gainsay his distinction p. 59. Of two parts of Christs Kingdom one of the Stone the other of the Mountain used before by Mr. Mede but deny that in the Kingdom of the Stone the Saints are imployed in a glorious work for Christ to pluck down all that Jesus Christ when he comes may have his enemies his footstool and that the command is beat your Plow-shares into Swords intimating that in the time of this Kingdom there shall be wonderful use of Swords Weapons of War p. 60. But that which I oppose is his speech p. 63. And though this Stone Dan. 2. 34. fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical in his members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first coming for these reasons first because the Kingdom of the Stone it doth arise in the dayes of the ten Antichristian Kings And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom What Kings are these These Kings are not the Four Monarchies for the Kingdom of God was not set up in the time of those Monarchies but in the fourth and last only and here is spoken of Kings in the plural Number those Kings therefore are the ten Antichristian Kings which are set forth by ten toes where the work begins and the first stroak is struck and are called the ten Horns in another place and in Dan. 7. Those ten Horns are interpreted ten Kings and in the time of those Kings the Stone is cut out they are the ten Antichristian Kings and if so the Stone cannot be so early cut out as the birth of Christ for that was long before the ten Antichristian Kings had being or existence in the world therefore the Kingdom of the stone must be cut out later Answ These Kings cannot be meant of any other than the Kings and Kingdoms which the Kingdom of the Stone shall break in pieces which are v. 45. the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold and not the toes only and therefore must be meant of the four Monarchies and not only of the ten Antichristian Kings And in the days must be understood Synecdochically one of them as when Jephthab is said Judg. 12. to be buried in the Cities of Gilead that is in one of them Jonah was gon down into the sides of the Ship Jonah 1. 5. that is one of the sides and of which Mr. Mede in his answer to Mr. Hayn hath given more instances and proved it to be meant of the last of those Kings which he determines to be the Roman against Mr. Haynes holding it to be the Kings of Alexanders Successors and that it must needs be referred to Christs incarnation or preaching which he shewes in his exercitation on Mark 1. 15. to have been by Christ himself signifyed when he said the time is fulfilled that is the time foretold Dan. 2. 44. And the Kingdom of God is at hand which the God of Heaven will set up The plural Number notes not the ten Horns for these Kings can be meant of no other than the four Monarchies or Kings which are mentioned in the plural Number not because the Kingdom was set up in all their dayes but in the dayes of the last into which the power of the rest came and by smiting of it they were all broken to pieces Secondly Saith he Because Daniel doth not see the Stone to smite until such time as he had a view and representation of the great Image in all the parts of it before him He saw it all come forth and exist in its state before the Stone smites therefore I conclude that the cutting out of the Stone was not until every part of it was come forth and was in being in the world But if so be we conceive the cutting out of the Stone to be as high as Christs coming then was the Stone cut out long before the last part of the great Image the Iron and the Clay was in being and if the Stone was cut out so long before then did the Stone lye still and not do its work for many hundred years for the very first stroke the Stone strikes is upon the feet of Iron and Clay which it could not do before they were in being Answ If the argument be good from the seeing together of all the parts of the Image to the coexistence of the things represented then all the four Monarchies should exist together because they were represented and viewed together which is absurd 'T is true the Stone was not cut out till all the Monarchies were in being yet it was cut out afore every state of the last Monarchy was in being The Stone is said to smite the Image in the feet not because it began not to smite till the last state and period of the fourth-Monarchy But because the former Monarchies were brought under the power of the fourth and rested upon the fourth as the head and other parts of the body do upon the feet and so by smiting it the Whore is cast down If this reason were good Christs Kingdom should not begin till every part or state of the fourth-Monarchy were existent and then the Saints should not begin to smite till the existence of the last of the ten Kings which is unknown to them and then he could not conclude it must be the work of this generation Thirdly saith he because Daniels smiting stone that he speaks of in the 2. ch and his Ancient of daies siting that
Kingdom of the Beast in the time when his Kingdom is to be destroyed that did bear witness against the Beast for Christ all the time his Kingdom stood This is grounded upon Revel 11. Which tels us that the witnesses for 1260 dayes prophefied in the end of this time they are kil'd by the Beast they rise up again and rising up they knock the Beast down for immediately thereupon the tenth part of the City fell and there was a great Earth-quake there were slain of men seven thousand and great fear fell upon all the rest and they gave glory to the God of Heaven this is not done by worldly powers but the witnesses therefore they that have born witness against the Beast shall give the deadly blow to the Beast Answ. If this reason were good it should be done by the Saints that have been not by those that shall be by them risen again not to be born hereafter by them that have born witness all the time the Beasts Kingdom stood not by them that only stand up near the time of the end it shall be done by supernatural or prophetical power not by civil and military which this author contends for In a word in all this there is nothing but uncertainty concerning these witnesses who they are whether already existent or future the Beast meant the time of their prophesying and the event and the manner and means of its accomplishing and therefore this proof is ignoti per ignotius of a thing unknown by that which is more unknown which is vain Fourthly saith he The Angel that enlightens the earth with the glory of the truth of the Lord that is that Angel or instrument that shall ruin Babylon Rev. 18. 1. But the earth hath not been enlightened with the glory of God by the generation of the world but the world hath been enlightened by the generation of the faithful that God hath revealed his truth to and this Angel that enlighteneth the earth with the glory of God gives the deadly blow unto the Beast there where light comes forth God will carry on the work by those hands Answ. The Angel is another Angel therefore not the generation of the faithful coming down from Heaven therefore not a man having great power therefore not using humane Weapons enlightens the earth with his glory it is not said with the truth or glory of God nor enlightening men by revealing Gods truth to them nor that he gives the deadly blow to the Beast but only that he cried mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon is fallen therefore this proves not that a company of private Saints in the ending time of the Fourth-Monarchy shall destroy it by a military or civil power yea if where light comes forth God will carry on the work by those hands all the preachers of the truth shall be instrumental to the ruin of Babylon and that by preaching not a company of private Saints by fighting The fifth reason from Revel 18. 6. is fully answered before sect 9. The 6. is The work of God against Rome shall be so mannaged as there may be singing of Hallelujabs in the Churches for the carrying it on this is clear from Revel 19. 1. But now if this should be done only by the clattering of a company of Nations falling upon the Beast and ruining him what singing would there be in the Churches for this What would there be more in this then in the work of Cyrus destroying Babylon or in Alexanders destroying the Medes and Persians Monarchy or in the Romans destroying the Grecians Monarchy For that was a part of Gods decree as well as this what should the people therefore now sing Hallelujahs more for more than in those times But because of the difference of the instruments things done in a more holy sanctified way to a more pure end and there shall be more of the Image of God appear upon those that shall do this work now and therefore they shall sing Hallelujahs otherwise the work did not go beyond the work that had been done before Answ. When the work of destroying Babylon was done by Cyrus there was singing of Hallelujahs as was foretold Jerem. 51. 1. and that because it was the work of God who ever were the instruments And indeed that is the reason expresly given Revel 19. 1 2. not this which is here imagined contrary to the express text Revel 17. 16 17. yea it is more joyous to the Saints and more redounds to Gods glory that he ruines Babylon by those that did support her as that by death procured by Satan God destroyed him that had the power of death And this was Gods way in destroying the former Monarchies and therefore is more likely to be his way in destroying this not a work by other meanes then the former though exceeding or going beyond it in the conspicuity of it and consequents of it and therefore occasioning more praise to God and not for the holiness of the instruments which the text mentions not Seventhly saith he The Kingdom of the stone when it comes to smite Rome then shall be in it a resemblance as it were of the reign of Christ and the glory of the Kingdom of the Mountain therefore it is said in v. 6. For the Lord God omnipotent raigneth which could not be said if the work were done by a company of carnal Nations and yet this is before the end before Christs coming for after this appearance we have the Bride making her self ready and the Kings of the earth come together to destroy the Bride preparing for her Husband and then you have Christ coming forth in his fury destroying his enemies and rescuing his Bride But before that day there shall be such a glorious appearance in the world and such power in the hands of the people of God that it shall be said when men look upon it The Lord God omnipotent raigneth the Lord Jesus Christ who is King of the world and King of Saints raigneth therefore it shall be done by Saints as leading instruments Answ. Such an acclamation is usual upon any glorious work of God as Exod. 15. 18. and in the Psalms often and therefore it is but a vain conceit as if that speech could not be used unlesse the Saints were leading instruments In this book of the Revelation we have acclamations where no act is expressed of the Saints as Rev. 4. 8 9 11. and 5. 9 10 12 13. and 7. 12. and 11. 15 17. and 12 10. and 15. 3 4. and 16. 5 7. 'T is granted that before Christs coming upon the ruin of Babylon there will be occasion of the acclamation Rev. 19. 6. but not because private Saints shall destroy Babylon by their smiting work but because Gods power and might is thereby manifested and the dominion of God will be thereby promoted Eighthly saith he Look through the old and new Testament where ever we have a description of the persons that shall do the