universal but rather a State Earth-quake in one Nation although the effect of it will be wonderful even to the shaking and overturning of all the powers of this world Moreover as in Scripture we find many times part taken for the whole so in Prophesies as appears Act. 2.16 17. with Joel 2.28 c. Though there be but a part of a Prophesie fulfilled yet Peter expresseth all True it is in all Prophesies that which is done last will be more full and perfect then the former yet so as we must remember they have their morning or dawning as their noon day It is said of the Angel the Earth was lightned with his glory Rev. 18.1 not at first nor all at once but by degrees it will be so at last It is said the ten Horns upon the Beast shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.16 now this shall not be done by all of them for some of these Horns will never forsake the whore but shall go into perdition with her Rev. 18.9 10. and 19.18 To be short whosoever would inform himself in the prophesies of the last times let him observe these 5 things 1. The Lord will begin his work his strangework amongst that people where Religion is most eminently profest Jer. 25.18 28. Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.18 2. Though he shake Earth and Heaven together and at one time yet the Earth first As a man lays first the foundation and afterward builds upon it so the Lord will have righteousness and justice first established in the Earth and then men shall fear the Lord that is worship him in spirit and truth Isa 28.13 with Mat. 15.9 as long as the Sun and Moon endure thorow all generations Psal 72.1 2 3 4 5. 3. There must be a diligent and watchful eye to observe the first appearance of Scripture-Prophesies that is how any Providential Dispensation gives forth the matter of the Prophesie For this is certain if we see the Lord hath begun a work in order to the fulfilling of his Counsel and Decree contained in any vision or Prophesie though there may seem to be some obstruction or a death upon it notwithstanding he will carry it on in spight of all opposition men and Devils Exod. 5.1 2 20 21. and 5.1 and 12.30 31. When I begin I will also make an end 1 Sam. 3.12 And truly I am of the opinion which the Army was of before their Apostacie That the late King was one of the ten Horns Rev. 17. And whereas he and his Monarchy were pluckt up by the root and a Commonwealth established here I take it was a fulfilling of a Scripture-Prophesie I mean a beginning of that good promise Rev. 17.14 where it is said The Lamb shall overcome the ten Kings And whereas there hath been a THING lately set up I know not what to call it for it is neither formally a Monarchy nor a Common-wealth but tohu and bohu without form and void To me it signifies no more then the house of the foolish builder built upon the sand the wind and floods nigh at hand will blow and beat upon it and if so it must fall and great will be the fall of it But the Lord as I said will go forward to fulfil and perfect the rest of that Prophesie so that it is neither the house of the Stewarts nor the corrupt interest of any other man that shall frustrate the Counsel of God concerning the Government of this Nation but the good old Cause shall rise again and be more glorious then ever it was before 4. The Prophesies of the last times as to their accomplishment at first they will be very dark and dubious Truly I think without special enlightning by the Spirit few of the Lords people will have a clear sight and knowledge of what God doth till a great deal be done And one great Reason is because many think the slaying of the witnesses and their rising the Reign of the Little Horn the last Apostacy and Earth-quake will make such a noise in the world as the deafest and blindest amongst the sons of men will be able to hear and see such things But I cannot find in the word of God any footing for such an opinion but rather that darkness shall cover the Earth and gross darkness the people even then when Zions light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon her Isa 60.1 2. 5. Beware lest thou stumble here with the multitude that is to think such and such Prophesies are not fulfilled because thou canst not satisfie thy self when where and how they were fulfilled That saying in the Prophet holds true here Thy way is in the sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known Psal 77.19 A man that shall see the Sun at noon-day though he were asleep when it rose will he conclude it is not the Sun because he saw it not at its rising Reader if thou shalt see the Earthquake whereby the Power of this Apostacie is broken the good old Cause on foot again and righteousness exalted in the Nation such as have basely betrayed the Rights and Liberties of the people deservedly punished and so a way prepared for the 144000 to do the rest of the Lords work of higher and greater concernment I think thou mayest very well conclude that the reign of the bottomless Beast the Little Horn the slaying of the witnesses and their rising all these things are past though thou slepst when they were doing Now for the Text. 1. By Earth and Heaven here is meant States and Policies the first what is Civil and Temporal the other Ecclesiastical and Religious By Shaking is meant alteration and change that is removing and taking away all forms and kinds of Government which now stand Isa 2.19 and 13.13 Joel 2.16 Hag. 2.6 7. Rev. 21.1 Isa 65.17 I know by others this is otherwise interpreted i. e. a Shaking of the material Earth and Heavens with all the Inhabitants thereof Angels and men But under favour there is nothing in the Prophet nor in the Hebrews that hath any reference to the judgment of the great day and therefore this Shaking cannot be applied to that time but must be before 2. By once more I understand two things 1. A State or Government changed yet so as there is something afterward set up in the same Nation so displeasing unto God as THAT also shall be be destroyed That those things which cannot be shaken may remain What the things are which shall remain after a twofold shaking is shewed in Daniel And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in peeces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Chap. 2.44 By once more is signified the great difference between
the two-shakings For howsoever the Lord doth both and in the first shaking there was great expectation and hope of much good by it yet through the hypocrisie and falshood of some men things proved altogether otherwise He looked for judgment but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry Isa 5.7 Now howsoever the Lord was pleased to suffer such corrupt men to carry on their wicked design and to set up themselves against his Son and Zion that the Scripture might be fulfilled yet after the second shaking it shall not be so but the work of Reformation begun shall go forward and prosper yea and in spight of all Apostates and Hypocrites under what profession and form soever truth and righteousness shall rise and flourish for ever Now indeed here lay the occasion of a former mistake generally among the Lords people we thought when the King and Bishops were taken away and the form of Government changed from Monarchy to a Commonwealth that we should presently have seen good days and that tyranny and persecution would have ceased but we did not consider the word here YET ONCE MORE i. e. there must be two shakings So that the good days or the days of the Son of man spoken of in Scripture do not belong to the first shaking neither may any that truly fear the Lord and keep the commandments of God and have the Testimo-of Jesus Christ expect any better time till after the second shaking when this yet once more is over then coms in the time that the Lord will not be wroth with his people any more violence shall be no more heard in the Land nor destruction within thy borders Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy land any more be termed desolate He will break all bonds and strangers shall no more serve themselves of thee Then the house of Israel shall go no more astray neither be polluted any more with their transgressions The Lord will no more make his people a reproach among the Heathen neither shall the wicked any more pass over thee but be utterly cut off Isa 54.9 60.18 62.4 Jer. 30.8 Ezek. 14.11 Joel 2.19 Nah. 1.15 precious Promises Oh how should we desire this ONCE MORE Come Lord Jesus come quickly 3. By Voice I understand the Instruments which the Lord hath raised up and brought together to shake the Earth and his powerful presence with them enabling them effectually to perform the good work he calls them to Methinks there is something here though it lie like gold close in the Earth very observable There are two shakings but the word VOICE is but once mentioned and joyned with the first the later brings a promise with it As if the Lord in this later shaking would be more ingaged for the interest of Christ and his people then he was before Though a man do something freely and of his own accord yet where he stands bound by promise there he takes the more care to have the thing done This may serve for our comfort and encouragement the Lord will not fail us in this second shaking He seems to give us more then we had before I say more ground and reason to hope that this present Apostacie in Church and State shall be shaken then we had formerly to beleeve the shaking of the King and Bishops But seeing our business at present lies not so much in explanation as application I shall therefore come now to set down what I humbly conceive may be from the forenamed Scripture rightly gathered Not restraining the Text to our present time or only to that which is here asserted for as I have said so I say again both this Prophesie and others may be fulfilled over and over But that which I take the Holy Ghost hath some respect to in this Prophesie foretels should come to pass is this The first shaking was when the Long Parliament voted down Kingly Government and pluckt up Monarchy root and branch and constituted a Commonwealth and enacted that the Supream Authority of the Nation should be in a Parliament without a King and House of Lords Add to this as proper to the same shaking the extirpation of the Government of the Church by Archbishops Bishops c. The shaking which is yet ONCE MORE is the utter abolishing of that THING which now stands Reader thou must bear with me for truly I know not what to call it except the LATE STATE-APOSTACIE neither that THING which is managed by the Tryers unless I should say it is one of the names of blasphemy which the great whore carries upon her forehead Rev. 17. as I am perswaded it is yet it hath no proper name But to proceed these two things call them what you will being as it were the two present States and Policies of the Nation the one Civil the other Religious these both will the Lord shake I say Overturn overturn overturn Reader let me request this of thee forbear thy censure till thou hast perused my Reasons for what hath been asserted I hope thou shalt see I am not like the Apostates of this age to give rayling for Reason 1. It is without dispute that among all Nations professing Religion there hath not been the liker State-shaking as was a while since in England For not only was he who was acknowledged by many LAWFUL PARLIAMENTS the Supream Magistrate brought as a Delinquent before a High Court of Justice but had sentence of Death pass'd upon him the which was soon after put in execution yea more to the end that Monarchy might for ever cease in the Nation and the very name of it forgotten there were four Acts of Parliament all standing yet in force for ought I know which make it high Treason for any man to take upon him the name of a King or Supream Magistrate without consent of Parliament The first Act saith thus Be it enacted and ordained that whosoever shall declare publish or any way promote any person to be King or Chief Magistrate of England or Ireland c. without consent of Parliament shall be judged and deemed a TRAYTOR to the Commonwealth and shall suffer pains of Death and such other punishments as belong to the Crimes of high Treason Act of Parl. January 30. 1648. The like Act was made March 17. 1648. and May 14. 1649. Again July 17. 1649. It was enacted That if any person shall maliciously or advisedly publish by writing printing or open declaring c. That the Commons in Parliament are not the Supreme Authority of this Nation or shall plot contrive or endeavor to stir up or raise force c. that every such offence shall be taken deemed and adjudged by the Authority of this Parliament to be high Treason But there is more yet there was an Ingagement which was drawn up and sent out by the Parliament for all the Nation to sign which went thus I do hereby declare and promise to be true and faithful to the
Authority is a meer private person 2. That no obedience is due to an untitled or illegal Power 3. That the sword is peculiar to a Magistrate lawfully called and not else 4. That to the being of a Magistrate is required a lawful calling 5. To the making of a Supreme Magistrate is to go the Vote and consent of the people I do not mention this Voice to asperse it in the least neither do I think they who stood with the Parliament against the King had a bad Cause nor do I condemn any man for the Publick Testimony which he bore against the exorbitancie and arbitrary actions of the late King yet this I may say and none will be offended at it but the guilty 1. It cannot be justified in any man to call that rayling and speaking evil of dignities in another which being done by himself was then according to Scripture Law and Conscience Neither 2. can I judge it otherwise then a fault for any man to write against Tyranny and preach it down in reference to the King and afterward in another allow and justifie the like Tyranny yea greater by many degrees But 3. And this indeed I most mislike viz. that such men whose Voice never ceased against the King and Bishops till their places were no more should be the forwardest to have that Tyranny up again and exercised over the Bodies goods and Consciences of the people for which the King and Bishops were removed Now for the next particular i. e. our Grounds and Reasons why by yet once more the second shaking is meant the shaking of this present State-Apostacie I shall only touch one thing which lies in our way and so hasten to it As under the word Earth in the first shaking not only Kingly-Government is signified but the Hierarchy also called Earth not only because it was interwoven with the other but ascended out of the EARTH was meerly carnal and earthly and had nothing of Heaven in it So I take the matter here Though this State-Apostacie have something in it that pretends to Religion as the business of the Tryers yet this coms under the word Earth so that Heaven afterward said to be shaken is another thing in which the Tryers are not concerned What was said before concerning the Bishops that their Government was earthly carnal c. is as true in the other It is a plant not of Gods planting yet in one thing the Prelates were to be commended to the shame of these men for that party would many times publickly undertake the justification of their calling and would quote Fathers Councils Scripture for what they did but this later earth as it seems by their silence dares not put any thing forth for their justification They know they have no Fathers Councils Presidents or Scripture to warrant their unsanctified place and standing And in John there is a good Reason why these Tryers come not forth to the light For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved or discovered as hath the Margin Joh. 3.20 Concerning the second shaking of the Earth for of Heaven I shall speak nothing now here I will follow the former order 1. Prove that the present State-Apostacie shall be shaken And 2. in this shaking Scripture-Prophesle fulfilled and particularly Heb. 12. First If the Rights Liberties and Priviledges of the people shall again be restored and the work of Reformation go forward to a good settlement of the Nation then necessarily must this later Earth be shaken for as darkness vanisheth when light breaks forth so all falshood and treacherous designs of men must end and perish when truth and righteousness take place when the Lords time came that Joash should be brought out of the Temple and set upon the Throne it could not be otherwise but Athaliah and her confederates must suffer deeply And this is the reason why some endeavor what they can to uphold unrighteousness and all manner of oppression and cannot endure to hear of good Laws and honest things but hate such persons as would advance them They tremble like Felix to think of righteousness and that there should be such a thing as men call a FREE-PARLIAMENT and not under the power of the sword And no marvel for being conscious to what they have done they cannot but expect to be rewarded according to their works But let these know notwithstanding all their crafty counsel and joyning hand in hand the good old Cause which was in the Nation shall rise and prosper but they shall fall and perish Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in peeces Take counsel together and it shall come to nought Speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Isa 8.9 10. I was speaking just now of Joash â—ethinks in him we have something â—at resembles our good old Cause Aâ—aliah doubtless thought she had deâ—royed all the seed Royall of the house of â—udah and there was none left to have â—unished her murder and Treason But â—he was deceived and found it otherâ—ise It is sure enough some thought â—ey had utterly destroyed the Common-â—ealth when they made one man Chief Magistrate but these workers of iniâ—uity will know ere long it was a lie â—nd they wrought a deceitful work â—or the Commonwealth though an Inâ—ant was hid as Joash in the Temple What if you say By the Temple is â—eant the hearts of all the good peoâ—le in the Nation Again though Aâ—haliah cried Treason Treason when â—oash was brought forth yet it was no â—reason in the people to set up their â—awful King and put her to death for 〈◊〉 bloodie Traytor So if the Representatives of the people shall punish Trayâ—ors and Crown the Commonwealth with her just liberties and freedom there will bâ— no Treason in 〈◊〉 though hypocrites anâ— Apostates cry Treason Treason Object There is no question if 〈◊〉 Commonwealth be established with thâ— Rights and Liberties of the people but the Thing now up must and will be shaâ—ken But how doth it appear that thâ— good old Cause like Joash will bâ— brought forth and crown'd with righâ—teousness and truth If you prove noâ— this you say nothing Answ It is very true and I grant it therefore to prove it these Argument and grounds I give 1. This Bitter root shall certainly be pluckt up when those things are done for which the only wise God suffered it to rise And no doubt among many other ends he had it was 1. To discover a multitude of rotteâ— hearts whose hypocrisie before lay hid either under a form of godliness or aâ— pretended zeal against the Tyranny and Idolatry of the King and Bishops and to have Church and State reformed and having made their folly manifest to all men to lead them forth with the â—orkers of iniquity 2. That a Scripture-Prophesie might â—e fulfilled namely the coming in of â—he second Apostacie foretold in 2 Tim. 3.1
granted I think by all when there is some part of a Prophesie already fulfilled there is much light given to the knowledge of the rest I say by that PART which is fulfilled he that is wise and observes the ways and works of God may the better and easier understand what remains to be accomplished Though a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this Psal 92.6 yet who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them Hos 14.9 So then this I would say Though a man profess not infallibility nevertheless from a due and serious observation of a Prophesie in part fulfilled it is probable being a person that fears God and in dayly communion with him what he apprehends by a diligent search concerning the rest will prove to be a Truth 3. Do not Star-Gazers and Monthly Prognosticators take large liberty at this time to publish to the world their predictions concerning the alteration and change of States and Policies as what Kingdom and Commonwealth shall rise or fall in such a Yeer or such a Moneth and what Desolations there will be by Pestilence and Famine by the sword and by fire and water in such Countreys Towns and Cities Notwithstanding it is well known and confident I am it is a Truth the first invention of Astrologie is by many learned men attributed to the Devil This is the judgment of Tertullian lib. de habitu muliebri and again de Idolatria and of Origen Hom. 13. in Num. and of Clemens Alexandrinus in Eclog. and Lactantius writeth as Coelius Rhodig hath observed Lib. 2. cap. 12. Astrologia Auspicia Auguria Oracula esse Daemonorum inventum And King James calls Astrologie the Devils School Daemonol lib. 1. cap. 3 4. I might add how their profession and practise hath been always condemned for Imposture Jugling Superstition and Vanity not onely by the Fathers as some call them but by Councils and divers learned later writers yea and more then all this plainly forbidden in the word of God Lev. 19.31 Deut. 18.10 11. Isa 47.11 12 c. If this be so that howsoever their profession be condemned by God and men yet there is freedom given them to publish their Astrological predictions of the alteration and change of States and Policies It will then be thought far more lawful for any of the Lords servants to have the like freedom to declare his judgment concerning the alteration and change of States and Policies taking his light and ground from the word of God For 1. Howsoever there is nothing written upon the Stars or Planets of the rise and fall of any Power or Government Civil or Religious yet in the holy Scripture it is Here we have the Fourth-Monarchy and the ten Kings the little Horn the Dragon the Bottomless Beast and the two other Beasts the former rising up out of the Sea the later coming up out of the earth not onely written at length and fairly to be read but the time exactly set down of their rise and how long they shall continue and the period and end of them Dan. 7.25 and 12.7 11 12. Rev. 11.2 3 9. and 12.6 14. and 13.5 Hab. 2.3 Psal 102.13 Dan. 8.14 2. Though men are forbidden to search the Planets and the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon for those things yet they are commanded and encouraged to search the Holy Scriptures even the Visions and Prophesies which concern the last days whereby to know the Time of the End Rev. 1.3 and 22.10 and 13.10 Dan. 12.9 10. Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 Thus Noah knew the time when the Flood would come before it came though the ungodly knew it not So Daniel knew the deliverance of Gods people a little before they were delivered not by gazing upon the Stars but by the light and direction which he had from the Word of God Jer. 9.1 2. But this shall serve for the manuduction to our discourse The Scripture which I shall first mention and speak a little to it according to that measure of Grace which I have received is Heb. 12.26 27. Whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven And this word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain But before I come to the opening and applying of this Scripture I think it necessary to set down a few things both to prevent objections and for the Readers better understanding the matter treated of 1. It must be minded that Scripture-Prophesies have several accomplishments that is they are sometimes fulfilled over and over as to times places persons and therefore it cannot be fairly concluded Because such a Prophesie hath been once fulfill'd therefore ' it cannot be fulfilled again I could instance several Prophesies which already have been fulfilled more then once and yet are to be fulfilled again To let pass many others when Moses blessed the twelve Tribes for Judah he prayed thus Hear Lord the voice of Judah and bring him unto his people let his hands be sufficient for him and be thou an help to him from his enemies Deut. 33.7 This Prophetical prayer of Moses sometimes in the whole and sometimes in part hath already at several times been fulfill'd and yet the Prophesie runs on for a further fulfilling Read and compare these Scriptures 2 Chr. 13.14 14.11 12 13 c. Rev. 5.5 Psal 2.6 7. and 72.15 2 Sam. 19.26 31. Dan. 7.13 14. 1 Tim. 6.15 Act. 3.20 21. 1 Sam. 22.35 40. Rev. 19.15 16. Psal 45.4 5. 110.5 6. So in that blessing which Jacob gave to the same Judah Gen. 49.8 9 10 c. what he there by the Spirit of God Prophesieth of hath been fullfilled and yet we are sure there is much in the Prophesie to be fulfilled For the Readers satisfaction I have thought good to mention these places 1 Chron. 5.2 Heb. 7.14 Hos 11.12 Judg. 1.1 2 3. 2 Sam. 17.10 22.41 Phil. 2.10 Rev. 5.5 Mat. 28.18 Luk. 1.32 Ephes 1.20 21. 1 King 4.25 1 Cor. 15.25 Isa 11.10 Rom. 15.12 Hag. 2.7 Mat. 12.21 Zech. 9.9 Joh. 12.14 15. Isa 63.1 2 3. Rev. 19.13 and 14.20 2. Whereas some think in applying Scripture-Prophesies to a particular State or Nation this is too straight and misseth the mind of the Spirit To this I answer If in applying a Prophesie to a particular Nation it be there confin'd then I grant there is a mistake if there be not a restriction in the Prophesie But though the Prophesie be general and have a large extent yet it is no straitning of the Prophesie to say that in respect of the rise and beginning of it it will not be universal but in such a Nation at first As light though it spread it self over
to continue 1260 years but the later not above three yeers and an half till the Lord doth begin to strike it with a Consumption So that the word GREAT seems to be left out here to distinguish between the two Cities or two Apostacies and this in the Text is to be understood of the later State-Apostacie Moreover we have some light here how to understand that place Rev. 11.8 where it is said of the witnesses their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City it is well observed by many that the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a broad or spatious place doth not signifie any place Market-place or broad place within the walls of the great City but it is without the great City as no part of the building Hence we may conclude two things 1. The two Witnesses are not slain in their Testimony by any Civil Powers that hold the Pope Head of the Church neither lie their dead bodies in any Country formally subject to the See of Rome For their slaying and lying dead must be without the walls of the great City Indeed the blood of the Martyrs will be charged upon the first Apostacie but the slaying of the witnesses upon the second Apostacie Therefore let Church-Members and Church-Officers and other Professors of Religion look to it For to speak soberly and in the fear of God this is my opinion and I think grounded upon Scripture and practice The blood of the witnesses will be required at their hands for never had the bottomless Beast murdred so blessed a Cause and so glorious a Testimony for Christ and his Kingdom as was in this Nation had they stood faithful to the good old Cause 2. Though the Power by which the witnesses are slain is not from the great City yet it is for it that is it doth more strengthen and support the great whore then any State or Government properly the whores Where lies now the stop that the Lords work goes not forward to remove oppressions and heavie burdens and to establish righteousness among men Not in Rome Spain Germany France the stop is neerer home remove this Apostacie and you shall soon see the good Cause reviv'd again and the hearts of all good people reviv'd with it 2. Whereas it is said The tenth part of the City fell and the remnant gave glory to God this cannot be meant of the great City for that sinks every whit like a great milstone to the bottom of the Sea Besides I do not read of any giving glory to God in the great City when her plagues are upon her But contrary it is expresly said they repented not to give glory to God but blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores Rev. 16.9 11. Now the Reason is because the Lord will bring his people out of the great City Babylon as he did Lot from Sodom before he burns her to ashes I will not say among that huge heap of chaff there will be no corn yet I think if any of Gods elect shall perish as to the outward man in that common destruction they will be very few yea in those few no repenting and giving glory to God visibly will appear Rev. 18.4 Jer. 51.6 But the Case here is otherwise for howsoever the whole Apostacie will fall yet in the Earth-quake all will not be slain that are found in the Apostacie When Absalom made that unnatural Rebellion against his father it is said two hundred followed him in the simplicitie of their hearts and knew not any thing 2 Sam. 15.11 that is they were ignorant of the wicked plot he had in hand namely under pretence of devotion and conscience to destroy his own father and make himself king or Chief Magistrate No doubt many two hundreds thousands I may say through the dissimulation and lying of their Leaders and Teachers have fallen in with the Apostacie simply and ignorantly knew nothing of their design that is how under a cloke of Religion and the safety of the godly party the mother Commonwealth was to be murthered and an Absalom-like interest to be set up Therefore by the Remnant here I understand these ignorant and simple ones not the OLD SERPENT the seducers and ringleaders who thought they had done their Country and themselves good service when they sought to destroy the lives and Liberties of the people 3. Whereas it is said In the Earthquake was slain of men 7000. the Greek hath names of men meaning men of note renown famous Gen. 6.4 contrary hereto is men without Name Job 30.8 alluding to the Rebellion of Korah c. Num. 16.2 two things seem to be held forth 1. This Earth-quake that is the Representatives of the people shall be men of courage and of publick spirits such as shall have Lion-like hearts fear no mans face nor respect any mans person but will cut down Cedars assoon as shrubs if there be cause for it Indeed no people in the world formerly have been more honoured then the English for men of resolution and of high and noble spirits in standing up for their freedom and Rights against intrusion and usurpation of all sorts and sizes But How is the faithful City become an harlot it was full of judgment righteousness lodged in it but now murderers Thy silver is become dross thy wine mixt with water Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves every one loveth gifts and follow after reward they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widdow come unto them Isa 1.21 22 23. Oh! that it should be said ICHABOD The glory is departed from England For have not men of late shewed themselves to be of low base and servile spirits in preferring their own particular interest before the publick good of the Nation And in stead of contending for our Birth-right which but a little before was recovered with the Blood and Treasure of the Nation to give it up or rather sold it Esau-like for a mess of Pottage But God will raise up a better Generation of men and why may not we hope it is now who will recover the Glory of the English nation again by exalting truth and righteousness among us 2. By names of men is not meant the old names of note renown and famous in the days of the King and Bishops for they concern not the later Apostacie but the new names that is Lords Knights Esquires c. of the last edition Those who were poor the other day and have made their families great by hypocrisie and lies and betraying their Country must expect to fall by this Earth-quake For the number seven thousand it is probable before the Earth-quake be done not fewer will be shaken for it must go round the Nation and follow the Apostacie from end to end And I hope the appearance of it will be suddenly we are waiting for it and praying for it So come Lord Jesus Amen Amen Reasons Why it may be
three Nations who knows but this Earth-quake will raze the foundation of our new Nobility reach the Tryers Lawyers Sessers Addressers Excise-men Custome-house-men Corporations c. in a word all the devouring vermine in the Land such as have taken away mens goods contrary to Law Isa 33.1 2. To shew when the Lord will raise up instruments against this Apostacie they shall prevail notwithstanding all Ahitophels and Machiavels in spight of Hell and all powers of darkness It is an Earth-quake Stand now with thine inchantments and with the multitude of thy sorceries wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth if so be thou shalt be able to profit if so be thou mayest prevail Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers the Monthly-Prognosticators stand up aad save thee from these things that shall come upon thee Isa 47.12 13. 3. It may denote the cause of the shaking that this State-Apostacie is removed it is that oppression and tyranny may cease and all people have their rights Now howsoever this be a good work and ought to be done yet it riseth no higher then Earth and therefore fitly called an Earth-quake 4. That the infamous memory of this last Apostacie and the happy downfall of it may continue to all future Generations Such desolations and ruines as formerly were made by Earth-quakes we find them recorded in Histories both Divine and Humane Amos 1.1 Zech. 14.5 to the end that such things might not be forgotten It is true many National Earth-quakes hath this Island suffered viz. by the Romans Saxons Danes Normans c. Besides several Earth-quakes among our selves by Parliaments and Civil Wars Nevertheless I am very confident that the memory of none of them will so long last as the rembrance of this present Apostacie and that SEASONABLE GOOD-EARTH-QUAKE which not only shaked it but swallowed it up My Reason is because the honour of Gods great Name the Cause of Religion and the interest of Christ and his people have more suffered by this present Apostacie in four or five yeers then ever they suffered under the Romans Saxons Danes Normans put them all together and all their time too Some report the prints of Pharaohs Charriot-wheels did remain in the sand of the shore at the Red-Sea and was to be seen many hundred yeers after I shall not stand to the truth of that but this is a truth and I shall abide by it That the print of this Apostacie is so deep in Church and Common-wealth made by self-seeking covetousness hypocrisie Covenant-breaking treachery c. that it will remain to be seen many ages hereafter 5. To shew that the Apostacie was such a BURDEN as the Earth could no longer bear it but must needs quake under it and so shake it out The land is defiled therefore do I visit the iniquity thereof upon it and the land it self vomiteth out her inhabitants Lev. 18.25 The earth is utterly broken down the Earth is clean dissolved the Earth is removed exceedingly The Earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage The transgression of it shall be heavy upon it and it shall fall and not rise again Isa 24.19 20. 6. To answer an ancient Type in the old Testament For in the Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram was clearly shadowed out the last Apostacie Amongst many other parallels which might be noted take these few 1. That Rebellion was made a little after the Lord had given a wonderful deliverance to his Church and when they should have passed over Jordan to the Promised Land 2. The occasion of it was ambition and love of pre-eminence in some persons not contented with that form of Government which the Lord a little before had appointed 3. Howsoever the Action was wicked no less then high Treason yet the chief Authors of it are said to be famous in the Congregation and men of renown 4. That this Apostacie might the more effectually be carried on the Liberty and Freedom of the people was pretended and that Moses and Aaron had taken too much upon them 5. Howsoever few at first had a hand in this Rebellion by the Hebrew Text it seems to be only Korah yet thorow the hypocrisie and falshood of these few many afterwards were ensnared 6. The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up An Earth-quake indeed yet a just reward for such Rebellion and Treason Reader The Sentence is left to thee only be honest did not this Apostacie rise assoon as the Lord had delivered us out of the hands of our Enemies and when in duty and Conscience we should have gone forward in his work And was it not through the base pride of some men to have all power in their own hands that the Government of the Nation was changed from a Commonwealth which the Lord had own'd and blest to a THING which we cannot tell what it is Again though by three Acts of Parliament it was made Treason to promote any person to be King or Chief Magistrate of England or Ireland without consent of Parliament Yet this was done But by whom Men famous in the Congregation and of great renown And that they might the more prevail in their Rebellion was not Liberty promised and taking off the grievances of the People Is not this very true likewise that this State-Apostacie was first set on foot by a few some say seven or eight but more probably it was but one yet afterwards Multitudes multitudes fell into the sin and snare In conclusion then wherein agrees not the Anti-type with the Type but that the Earth-quake is not executed upon the later Rebellion Consider of it take advice and speak your minds Judg. 19.30 Quest It is said in the Text The tenth part of the City fell and in the Earth-quake were slain of men seven thousand c. What is meant by it Answ 1. As there are two Apostacies foretold in Scripture so I find two Cities mentioned in the Revelation First the GREAT CITY signifying the whole Dominion and jurisdiction of the Papal Beast that is all States and Policies Civil and Religious under the See of Rome and acknowledging the Pope Head of the Church And note when ever this Kingdom or State is meant by the word City it is always exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That great City Rev. 11.8 18.8 and 16.19 and 17.18 and 18.10 16 18 19. and 21.10 By which we are to understand the first Apostacie As for the second Apostacie is called a City likewise but the word GREAT is left out and there is great Reason for it For 1. This later Apostacie shall not be so large as the former in spreading it self over all peoples and Nations and Tongues All the world wondred after the first Beast Neither 2. shall the later Apostacie have that honour and homage done to it as had the former For the Kings of the Earth shall give their Kingdoms unto the first Beast Rev. 17.17 3. The first Apostacie is