do not believe and obey the things written and commanded in the holy Scriptures for as Christ saith to the Sadduces They erre not knowing the Scriptures 4. I understand that the great difference amongst men lyeth in the practical part of Religion for the Devill and wicked men do not care how much truth men know and believe so they practise none for the greater is their condemnation But if any come to practise it by keeping the commandments of God by which doing they exercise a good conscience towards God and are blameless and righteous before him as Zacharias and Elizabeth were Luke 15. then presently persecution ariseth for Satan well knoweth that to believe and obey both will bring a man to happiness in dispite of him and therefore it is that the poor Saints are so much persecuted for practising nothing but what is written in the word of God and was practised before in the days of Christ and his Apostles But let men take heed how they offend those which earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints not in King Henries or Queen Elizabeths days onely but I mean all that was first preached and practised by the Lord and his holy Apostles even as it was delivered at first Therefore my prayer shall be for all those in Authority That they may learn to know that they are ordained of God to judge between man and man and not between God and man and to rule over mens bodies not souls But this I speak in the behalf of those which go not beyond the Scriptures and do not presume above what is written but if any deny them I have nothing to say for them they must answer for themselves when they are called to it Thus hoping that the Magistrates in generall will be as willing to protect all people fearing God and walking according to the rule of his word as they are willing to pray for and assist them in time of need I shall conclude this matter and proceed to the next particular viz. to shew what is the Saints duty and how they ought to behave themselves in these dangerous days and perilous times briefly in these words First let not our hearts be troubled at the wars and rumours of wars distresse of nations and perplexity that is now upon the face of the earth for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet Mat. 24.6 7 8. for these are the beginnings of sorrow and the days of vengeance in which all things must be fullfiled that are written in the Prophets Luke 21.22 Therefore the second thing we are to be exhorted unto is to take heed to our selves lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so we be taken unawares in that snare that shall come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth which do not take heed Therefore let us watch and pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass on this side the grave and that we may have our part in the Resurrection of the Just and stand before the Son of man with great boldness Luke 21.34 35 36. for they which have their part in the first Resurrection are blessed and happy and shall shine forth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father when our vile bodies shall be changed and made like the glorious body of the Lord as it is written Rev. 20.6 Mat. 13.43 with Phil. 3.21 But the wicked shall not be able to stand in the Judgement nor sinners in the congregation of the Righteous in that day when the Heavens shall depart or pass away with a great noise and the elements shal melt with servent heat the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up At which time the dead both great and small must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ to receive according to their deeds done in the flesh whether they be good or bad The consideration of which righteous judgement to come made Felix tremble although he was a judge therefore dear Christians and all that feare God and believe that all these things shall come to pass let us us as Peter saith 2 Pet. 3 10 11 12. consider what manner of persons we ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and making haste unto the coming of this great day of God for it 's the property of the wicked to put the evil day far from them but let us so much the more as we see the evil day approaching prepare to meet the Lord by putting off the work of darkness and putting on the armour of light walking honestly as the children of the day Laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness and receiving with meekness that ingrafted word of God which is able to save our souls And forasmuch as we know that godliness is great gaine having both the promise of this life and that which is to come let us put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness and let us be clothed with humility then shall we be fit and ready to meet the Lord at his coming and to look death in the face whensoever it shall approach Let us take heed of lying and deceit and let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying and building up each other in our most holy faith and let all bitterness and wrath and evil speaking filthiness foolish talking and jesting be put away from us and not once be named amongst us as becometh Saints for for these things sake cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience let us not therefore be partakers with them but see that we walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise children of the light redeeming our time because the days are evil And in a common calamity many times all things fall out alike to all and as dieth the wiseman so dyeth the fool and there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not and to him that sweareth as to him that feareth an oath so that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all the things that are before him in this present evil world Eccle. 9.1 2 3. But this we know through believing that our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from them and all the corruptions and pollutions that are therein through lust and by him is given unto us exceeding great and pretious promises that by them we might be made partakers of the divine nature Let us therefore give all diligence to add to our faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to that temperance and patience and godliness and brotherly kindness and love that we may be fruitfull in the knowledge
friends when you have read and considered what I have written and tried it by the Word of God if then you shall finde any thing too light or useless that you will impute it to that imperfect part which in some measure doth dwell in all men and remain fully assured that what I want in words and expressions is fully made up in my affection toward the State and Commonwealth in general Thus destring that what is according to Truth and sound Reason may be profitable to all I commit what is written to your serious consideration and impartial judgement and you into the hands of the Lord and remain to the utmost of my power Your faithful brother stedfast in the faith of the Gospel of Iesus Christ And his servant for your sakes HENRY HAGGAR The Particulars of the Book are in order at followeth I. THat it is God alone that ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and they have nothing to do to question him how whether it be by Kings as supreme Heads as in and after the days of Saul David and Solomon or by the Elders of the people to rule and judge them as before there was any King but God himself in Israel II. What it is to rule with God III. What was the original of Monarchy amongst men or whence it first came that a man should bear the name of King over the people of God IV. Who is of the Royal blood V. Who is now the Lords Anointed VI What is Gods desine against the Kings and Rulers of the Nations in these last days VII Wherfore he will destroy them VIII What they may or should do to escape the hand of God lifted up against them IX What the Saints and people fearing God should do in these days of vengeance X. Their duty to this Present Power acknowledged and they vindicated from the reproaches and slanders falsly cast upon them by wicked men Viz. That they are the false Prophets of the last times and those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine of Christ and the ignorant and unlearned that Peter speaks of which wrest the Scripture to their own destruction and despise Government and are not afraid to speak evil of dignities and will not obey Magistrates but have slain their King c. No King but JESVS c. ANd now according to the method propounded I shall proceed to shew first that it is God alone that ruleth and men have nothing to do to question how whether it be by Kings as supreme heads as in and after the days of Saul David and Solomon or by the Elders of the people to rule and judge them as before there was any King but God himself in Israel But now let me not be mistaken and abused as if I went headlong without wisdom or the fear of God to rail against kingly power or Kings like those that spake evil of things they know not for I approve of Kings and Rule by Kings as well as of ruling or judging the people by Elders but it must always be considered in all ages and generations of the world what Rule and Rulers God doth approve of for it is he that setteth up one and pulleth down another and he it is that ruleth in the kingdoms of men and giveth them to whomsoever he will yea and setteth over them the basest of men Dan. 4.17.25 And now let us consider if the God of heaven did in that age take away the Kingdom and Dominion of the whole earth from Nebuchadnezzar that head of gold and turn him out a grasing among the Oxen and give his kingdom to whomsoever he pleased then let not men in this generation think it strange though God Almighty hath taken away the kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland which are but a small part of the earth from Charles Stuart and given them to the honorable Parliament which were indeed at first confirmed by him before his evil Counsel had drawn him away from them therefore none can say they gathered together without him to conspire against him for they gathered together to him and were confirmed by him and with him and he with them and so were a lawful Assembly of Magistrates according to the Law of God and a lawful Parliament according to the Law of Nations and from this lawful Assembly and powers ordained of God he withdrew and by evil Councel rent himself from them and would come no more at them notwithstanding all the invitations they gave him in all humility as will yet appear by their Propositions and Remonstrances all which plainly sheweth the immediate hand of God against him and against his family his sins and the sins of his forefathers being now at the full And further let it be considered that God will have the living men to know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will yea and settetth over it the basest of men Dan. 4.17 Now if the Lord will take a Kingdom from a King and give it to the basest of men how can the most honourable of men help it They may gnaw their tongues for anger and blaspheme the God of Heaven yea they may be found fighters against God as many have been but they shall not prosper as we see they have not in our days consider it for it was not because they wanted the noble blood for they had the King himself and the greatest Nobles in the Land with them neither was it because they wanted stout men of resolved spirits for they had of the prime of the Nation as they themselves have oftentimes boasted and for the number of men they far exceeded and the affections of the Country were generally towards them therefore it was the immediate hand of God against them who in his time pulleth down one and setteth up another whom he pleaseth who at this time hath pulled down the King and Lords of this Nation and hath and will make the Elders thereof Rulers and Judges in their places and who can say to him What doest thou Be wise now therefore O ye kings and be instructed ye that are judge's of the earth Psal. 2.10 Be still and know that he is God learn to know that The Lord of hosts is with us and the the God of Jacob is our refuge Psal. 46.10 11. Again that God alone is King and ruleth the Nations how he pleaseth or by whom he pleaseth is evident by considering that in 1 Sam. 12.12 where the Lord by Samuel reproveth the children of Israel for chusing another King besides himself in these words And you said Nay but a king shall reign over us when the Lord your God was your king And again he saith When they said Give us a King they rejected the Lord that he should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 Therefore the Lord lamenteth over them saying O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help I will be thy king for there
of them that oppressed you and you have rejected your God who himself saved you out of all your adversities and tribulations and you have said to him Nay but give us a king Chap. 10.17 18 19. Surely I might now take up the complaint of Moses against them Deut. 32.6 O foolish people and unwise do ye thus requite the Lord Is he not thy Father that bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee Remember the days of old consider the yeers of many generations ask thy father and he will shew thee thy elders and they will tell thee c. I desire to apply it to England Dear Country-men consider it in time before you provoke the Lord to anger Hath not God himself now of late years done as great things for us Hath not he by his immediate hand delivered us out of all our troubles and out of the hands of all that hate us so as they do not rule over us Consider the condition the Nation hath been in within these few yeers and how the Lord hath remembred us in our low condition and changed it and beyond all expectation hath given us Peace and Plenty in stead of War and Famine in our Land Consider how he hath prospered all things under the hands of this present Authority both at home and abroad and all that rise up against them are confounded and brought to nothing and that by weak means which shews the immediate hand of God amongst us Let us therefore take heed that we do not requite the Lord evil for good like a foolish and unwise people by desiring a King to satisfie our own lust pride and vain-glory for the Lord is now our King and will be if we do not reject him and cast him off by chusing a Man in his stead to reign over us judge us and fight our battels And to that end let us again consider what a great wickedness it was in the people of Israel and how mightily the Lord was displeased with them for asking a King See 1 Sam. 12.16 17 18 19. in these words Now therefore stand still and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes Is it not wheat-harvest to day I will call unto the Lord saith Samuel and he shall send thunder and rain that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of God in asking a king So Samuel called unto the Lord and the Lord sent thunder and rain and the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel And all the people said to Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not for we have added to all our sins this evil to ask us a king And his answer was vers. 23 24 25. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you But I will teach you the good and right way which is onely to fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your hearts and consider what great things he hath done for you But if ye shall still do wickedly ye shall be consumed both ye and your king And thus we have considered from the beginning to the end what great sin and abominable wickedness it was for the people of God to chuse any other King but himself to rule over them judge them and fight their battels And it is considered to that end that we the people of England professing our selves to be the people of God in our generation amongst whom also the immediate hand of God hath been lifted up and his arm made bare for us I say that we run not headlong into such sin and wickedness as to ask us a king when the Lord hath taken away our King in his anger and is become our King himself Let us remember from what principle it did arise and from what root it did spring that a Man should be chosen King and bear the name of King over the people of God it was from the pride and corruption of their own hearts and of all their wickedness and sins that they had committed there was none like this that they should ask another King and reject God as is formerly proved by these Scriptures 1 Sam. 8.4 5 6 7 8 9. Vers 19 20. Chap. 10.17 18 19. Chap. 12.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Therefore he gave them a King in his anger and took him away again in his wrath Hos. 13.11 And seeing they would have a King the Lord would have him of his own chusing and therefore he chose David his servant a man after his own heart and took him from the sheep-folds from following the ewes great with young he brought him forth to feed Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance Psal. 78.70 71. But I am afraid that if the Lord should now take a young shepherd from following the ewes great with young and set him over us to be our King even those that so much desire a King would be as much displeased then as they are now What shall the Lord do to please these people He must not reign over them himself although he have all power in heaven and earth in his hands and their own lives also but they reject him saying Nay but give us a king and he must not chuse a man after his own heart for them but he must be a man after their own corrupted hearts And who is that Truely one of the Blood Royal one that is by descent come out of the loyns of the Lords Anointed as they apprehend Therefore seeing it is such a hard thing to please these people that God himself cannot please them except he should let them walk in their own ways and give them up to their own hearts lusts as he did the Nations in times past which he destroyed Why then should I or any man under heaven think to please them by speaking the truth Yet notwithstanding I will perform my duty at this time to my country-men and acquaintance according to the flesh and would gladly make use of the talent or mite which God hath given me for their profit and his glory Therefore I shall speak a few words to these two things so stumbled at amongst men viz. the Royal Blood and the Lords Anointed It may be if these stumbling-blocks were taken away men would walk more uprightly and in less danger And first I shall speak of the Royal Blood I would gladly learn of any man from whence the Royal Blood came first Not that I deny that there is Royal blood or persons noble and honourable and to be honoured more then others but my question is How they came so whether by Generation or Exaltation If by generation and so must continue then I shall easily prove that all the men in the world are of the Royal blood and so have all right to be Kings and Princes one as well as another if that give them right And if
it do not why do men plead it But it is evident that the Noble blood comes not by Generation for God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the face of the earth Acts 17.26 Now if they were all made of one blood that was either Noble blood or Ignoble If it were noble then all men were noble for he made them all of one blood and so they continue and will continue until the end of ages Therefore it is by Exaltation namely when God exalteth men as the Prophet saith Psal. 113.7 8. out of the dust and lifteth them out of the dunghill to set them with princes even with the princes of his people then they are honorable and not before Again if the same God will cast down the same persons for their wickedness whom before he exalted and pour contempt and shame upon them and their posterity and bring them again to dishonour Who can give them honour It is not in the power of all the men of the earth to do it if they should stand up for one man for it is God that poureth contempt upon princes and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way Psal. 107.40 and it is God that changeth times and seasons and removeth kings and setteth up kings Dan. 2.21 And it is God that turned out the greatest King that ever reigned upon the face of the earth to grasing among the beasts and made him even that head of gold more contemptible then the bafest of men Dan. 2.38 with Chap. 4.25 And it is the same God that exalteth the needy out of the dust and taketh the poor out of the dunghill that he may set him with princes even with the princes of his people and then they are of the Royal blood if men will plead for it let them But yet I humbly conceive that it is the vertue of all the honorable of the earth to consider from whence they were taken and though they be called Gods Psal. 82.6 7. yet they must die like men and return to the dust and after that cometh Judgement that so when they shall come to give up their account to God at the Great Day they may be able to do it with joy for then cometh that everlasting honour and glory which shall not be taken away from them that shall once be counted worthy to be made partakers thereof And thus much concerning the Blood Royal who are of it and how they came so And now I shall come to speak of the Lords Anointed whose name we ought not to take into our mouthes but with reverence and godly fear But I know that Ignorance hath been the mother of Devotion in this thing also and men have put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and called Evil Good and Good Evil speaking evil of things they know not calling the Lord Bishops Anointed the Anointed of the Lord and have thrown down Christ the true Anointed and as much as in them lay have laboured to lay his honour in the dust reviling and persecuting him in his poor Saints wheresoever they found him even to the death not remembring the words of our glorious Lord Jesus Matth. 25.40 considered with 45. by which words we understand that what is done to his Saints is done to himself be it good or evil according to his words to Paul Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me which was his Saints holy people which contended earnestly for that faith once delivered by himself And thus have the kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers have taken counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed as it is written Act. 4.26 Therefore now the Lord that sitteth in heaven is laughing of them to scorn and hath them in derision and is vexing of them in his fore displeasure Psal. 2.1 2 3 4 5. staining the pride of all their glory and is bringing into contempt all the honourable of the earth and thus the poureth contempt upon Princes by casting down and destroying of them even by men that have been and are base and contemptible in their eyes And thus the Lord is vexing of them and will vex them in his sore displeasure until he have destroyed them from off the earth because they have vexed persecuted and shed the blood of his Saints therefore he will give them blood to drink for they are worthy And thus will God the Lord let his King upon his holy hill of Ston and learn all men to know who is the Lords Anointed For the clearing of which I would gladly be answered this Question if any will or can namely How King Charles or any of the Kings of the Nations became the Lords Anointed or when or what day was it What was done to them by which they were made the Lords Anointed But this I confess that when the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury anointed Charles the first deceased to be King of England that then he became the Lord Bishop of Canterbury's Anointed but no other Lords Anointed that I know of and therefore we may observe that when that Lord that anointed him lost his head he that was anointed by him could not keep his long And so their old Proverb was verified No Bishop no King But I much wonder what Lord 's anointed Charles the second is seeing there was no Lord Bishop in Scotland to anoint him Surely the highest Title he can claim is but Sir John Presbyter's Anointed But for the further clearing of this thing I deny that any King whatsoever he were since the Lords Anointed Christ came in the flesh was ever called the Lords Anointed See Acts 10.36 37 38. with Chap. 4.25 26 27. And let any of the most wise and zealous people in the Land for that thing prove it if they can and if they cannot let them confess that they have been zealous but not according to knowledge Another Question is Where ever any were called the Lords Anointed before Christ came in the flesh but onely those that had the rule and dominion over the Jews which were the people of God and Abraham's seed according to the flesh of whom as Paul saith Christ or the Lords Anointed came See Rom. 9.4.5 And therefore they were called so in the type as they were figures of Christ the true Anointed that was to come and be born of the Jews Matth. 2.2 If any shall object and say that Cyrus was called the Lords Anointed Isai. 45.1 I answer That is the same which I said before for he was at that time King and had rule and dominion over the people of God Abraham's seed and the Lord telleth us in vers 4. wherefore he calleth him so in these words For Jacob my servants sake and Israel mine elect I have even called thee by name and surnamed thee though thou hast not known me And thus the Lord himself hath fully answered that Objection and it 's clearly proved that none before the
coming of Christ did ever bear the name of the Lords Anointed so much as in the type but onely those that were Kings and had rule over Gods own peculiar people Abrahams seed which teacheth us thus much That none are now the Lords Anointed but he onely he that is Lord and King over the house of Israel Abrahams seed which in Christ the Lord that was borne King of the Jews Mat. 22. whom God hath Anointed himself not with oyle-olive sweetly perfumed but with the oyle of gladness above his fellows Heb. 1.9 even with the Holy Spirit of wisdome and understanding and of Counsel and might and of knowledge and the fear of the Lord See Act. 10.30 with Isa. 11.2 5. he is the Lords Anointed to whom God hath given a name above every name and him hath God highly exalted and set him at the right hand of his Majesty on high far above all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come Psa. 2.9 10 11. with Eph. 1.20 21 22. And to him hath God committed all power in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28.10 to give commandments to the sons of men for whom he hath dyed Act. 3.22 23 24. and also to reward them that observe and do them with the things promised which is to partake of the same eternall life and glory with himself that the Father hath given him according to these Scriptures Psal. 103.17 18. Rom. 2.6 7. chap. 8.17.1 Pet. 1.3 4 Rev. 2.26.27 chap. 3.21 22 chap. 22.14 and to reward those that know him not and obey not his holy Gospel according to their works Rom. 2.8 9. To those that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness he will render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil whether Jew or Gentile and will destroy them with an everlasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power And this honour and glory he received from God the Father in the holy mount when Peter James John were eye-witnesses of his Majesty and that voyce they heard that came from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. This is the Lords Anointed who is the onely King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whom Kings raigne and Princes decree Justice even all the Judges of the earth Counsel is his and sound wisdome he is understanding and he hath strength Prov. 8.14 15 16. he loves them that love him and those that seek him early shall find him But those his enemies that will not that he should Reigne over them shall be brought and slaine before him Luke 19.27 And thus have I shown and clearly proved by the Scriptures that Christ is the Lords anointed King onely and alone and none of the Kings of the Nations can have any right to such a title any otherways then the Saints and all that fear God in generall have which is by partaking of the same anointing Spirit through believing as it is written The anointing that ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as that anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth 1 John 2.27 And againe he saith We have an unction from the holy One vers. 20. and he that stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.21 22. and this anointing is as proper to a Begger as to a King if he be a believer and if a King be an unbeliever he hath no Right at all to it for there is no respect of persons with God but he hath chosen the poor in this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome prepared for them that love him James 2.5 And he hath revealed his Truth to Babes and Sucklings and hid it from the wise and prudent Insomuch that Paul saith that none of the Princes of this world knew it For had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.7 8. Therefore saith James 1.9 10. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted but the Rich in that he is made low For God will raise them both up to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 And he will make them partakers of his fulness and members of his Body of his flesh and of his Bones Chap. 5.30 Therefore let the Kings Princes and Rulers of the Nations be wise and learn to know what the Lord meaneth when he faith Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm For he that once reproved Kings for their sakes and slew great and Famous ones for them Psal. 105.14.15 with 136.17 18. is now about to reprove all the Kings upon the face of the Earth for their sakes as I shall now make it appear by shewing Gods dedesigne against them in these last days And first The designe of God and his purpose is in this last age of the world to staine the pride of all their Glory and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the Earth Isa. 23.9 and to pour contempt upon Princes and to cause them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way and to set the poor on high from affliction and to make him families like a flock Psa. 107.40 41. Again the purpose of the Lord is to sacrifice the flesh of Kings and mighty men and the Chiefe of the Earth and to give their flesh to be meat to the fowls of Heaven Rev. 19.17 18. with Ezek. 19.17 18. where he saith They shall eat the flesh of the mighty and dâ—ink the blood of the Princes of the earth Now if the Lord will do these things to the great and mighty Kings and Princes of the earth who then can give them honour and deliver them in the day of his wrath And that the Lord will do it consider further what is written Jer. 25.31 32. A noise shall come from the ends of the Earth for the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations he will plead with all flesh he will give them that are wicked to the sword Thus saith the Lord of hosts Behold evil shall go forth from Nation to Nation This the Lord will do untill he have stained the pride of all their glory viz. untill he have taken away their Kings wherein they glory and of whom they so much boast That this is so consider the fore-going words They shall eat the flesh of Kings and Princes and mighty men and chief Captaines and of all that stand up with them against the Lord And for further confirmation of these words consider what is written Ier. 25.15 Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel to me Take the wine-cup of this fury
at mine hand and cause all the Nations to whom I send thee to drink it Consider what Nations ver. 18.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. First Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah and the kings and Princes thereof to make them a desolution an astonishments and hissing and a curse as it is at this day We are sure this is true that they are a hissing and a curse at this day why then should the other be so incredible namely that he will destroy all the Kings of the Nations with their honorable Princes if they stand up against him and against his Anointed as followeth Pharoah King of Egypt and his Servants and his Princes and all his people and all the mingled people and all the Kings of the Land of Vz and all the Kings of the Land of the Philistines and Ashkolon and Azzah and Ekron and the remnant of Ashdod Edom and Moab and the children of Ammon and all the Kings of Tyrus and all the Kings of Zidon and the Kings of the isles beyond the sea Dedan and Tema and Buz and all that are in the utmost corners the Lord will find them out and all the Kings of Arabia and all the Kings of the mingled people that dwel in the desert and all the Kings of Zimri and all the Kings of Elam and all the Kings of the Medes and all the Kings of the north far and near one with another and all the Kingdoms of the world that are upon the face of the earth c. To all these was the Prophet sent to declare to them the words of the Lord of hosts the God of Israel namely that they should drink and be drunken and spue and fall and rise no more because of the sword which I will send among them The certainty of it doth further appear in the 28 29 verses where he saith If they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drinke then shalt thou say to them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Ye shall certainly drink for lo I begin to bring evil upon the City which is called by my name viz. Jerusalem and shall ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of hosts Thus is the designe of the Lord of hosts made plain by the Holy Scriptures of truth and not by any cunning devised fables or fancies of my own brain These sayings are faithfull and true therefore they will come to pass in their appointed times And that they are not yet come to pass is plaine to all that do understand for most of the Kings of the nations are yet in their pompe and glory and are enemies to the Lords Anointed therefore he will avenge himself upon them speedily for these be the days of vengence in which all things that are written in the Prophets against the enemies of Christ must be fulfilled Luke 21.22 And now in the earth is distress of nations and perplexity and mens hearts failing them for feare and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth For the signes of the coming of the Lord are now amongst us even here in England and the beginning of sorrows is in the nation the Lord hath now begun to make us drink of this bitter cup and it will be great mercy if we drink no deeper notwithstanding some murmur and complain it is because their eyes are not open to see God's designe now upon the face of the earth if they did they would see more cause to give thanks to the Lord for his mercies then to murmur against him for his favourable and gentle chastisements he hath not dealt so with every nation and if England escape thus it will be very strange to me and so I beleive it will be to all that rightly understand what God is now doing and his work which he will accomplish upon the face of the earth yet before the end for he hath not yet made a man more precious then fine gold even a man then the golding wedge of Ophir Isa. 13.11 12. neither hath he made the earth empty and laid it waste and scattered the inhabitants thereof Is 24.1 2 3. but when it shall thus be in the midest of the land among the peoples there shall be as the shaking of an olive-tree and as the gleaning of the grapes when the vintage is ended they shall lift up their voice and sing for the majesty of the Lord ver. 13.14 Therefore let the wicked and ungodly men that know not Christ and obey not his holy Gospel but are enemies and will not that he should reigne over them let them howl for sorrow of heart for their sorrows are begun and the day of the Lord is at hand and it shall come as a destuction from the Almighty then shall all their hands be faint and every mans heart shall melt and they shall be afraid pangs of sorrow shall take hold of them they shall be in pain as a woman in travel they shall be amazed one at another and their face shall be as flames Isa. 13.6 7 8. But let those that feare the Lord and keep his commandements rejoyce and lift up their heads for the day of their Redemption draweth nigh For it shall come to pass even in those days that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Luk. 21.28 Act. 2.21 The next thing in order to be observed is wherefore God will destroy them Answ. Because in all ages they have been his enemies and the persecuters of him and his Saints Those they were that in the time of the Law being deluded and blinded by the false prophets did persecute and kill the prophets of the Lord as in Ahabs days Zedekiahs days and Jehoiakims days Ier. 26.29 chap. 37.12 13 14 15. with 1 King 9.9 10. and chap. 24.25 26 27. They also were the men in Christs days which by wicked hands brought him to his end as it is written Act. 4.26 The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anoninted both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel are gathered together c. This is the generation the Lord speaks of Mat. 23. calling of of them Serpents and generation of vipers saying to them How can you escape the damnation of hell because they had slain the Prophets and righteous men that lived in their days and in the days of their forefathers This is that wicked spirit of persecution which all along from Cain to the end of the world hath reigned and will reigne in the hearts of all ungodly men and women to persecute and kill the Saints Therefore saith Paul Gal. 4.29 As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now and Christ
againe they think it strange that we run not in the same excesse of riot with them and therefore speak they evil of us but let them know they shall give an account to him which is ready to jude the quick and dead 1 Pet. 4.3 4.5 Obj. But there are many Noble wise and prudent men in this Nation and most or all of the Kings and Princes of other Nations that take part with them and who dares say that they are such Answ. Most or all of the Kings Princes and nobles of the World are ignorant of the knowledge of God and of his great design and work that he hath to do upon the earth for had they known it saith Paul they would not have crucisied the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 22.8 And did those Princes and great men in our days know it they would not crucifie him in his members but as Christ saith These things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16.2 3. And indeed the world by wisdom knew not God therefore saith Paul The wisdom of this world and of the Princes of the world comes all to nought 2 Cor. 2.6 But as for the wisdom of God that shall endure for ever he revealeth it to them that fear him and his Covenant is to give them understanding without respect of Persons Psal. 25.12.13 14 with James 1.5 And there is not many wise nor noble nor mighty that God hath chosen but he hath chosen the poor in this world rich in faith and heirs of his Kingdom James 2.5 and God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and weak thing of the world to confound the mighty and base things and things that are dispised hath God chosen to the end that no flesh should glory in his presence See 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. Therefore saith Christ I thank thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Luke 10.21 Thus having shown the reason why men salsly accuse us and speak evill of us as of evil doers I shall proceed to vindicate my self and others from the next reproach and slander namely that we are the false Prophets that shall arise in the last days and deceive many In answer to which I shall proceed in order thus First we will consider which are the last days in which they should arise Secondly how we may know a false Prophet from a true one And first I affirme that the last days in which the false Prophets should arise did begin in the time when Christ and his Apostles were upon the earth which is cleared by considering the world in its three Ages the first days of it being from the creation till the Flood and after till Moses by whom the Law was given the second days or middle age of the world being from Moses to Christ the last days from Christ to the end which days shall be shortned for the elects sake Now that the false Prophets did begin to arise when Christ was upon the earth and his Apostles is evident first from Mat. 24.4 5 where Christ warns his Disciples to take heed that no man deceive them 〈…〉 for many shall come in my name and say I am Christ and deceive many therefore those were the last days in which deceivers should come because he warned his Disciples then in the flesh not to be deceived Secondly that those were the last days in Scripture-Language appeareth Act. 2.16 17. in these words This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel that it should come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c. And this was then fulfilled Therefore these were the last days Thirdly the Apostle saith Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake to our fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son c. Therefore those days in which Christ was in the flesh and spake to us the minde of his Father were the last days in which the false prophets should arise for saith Peter As there were false prophets among the people namely the people of Israel under Moses even so shall there be false teachers amongst you namely under the Gospel Fourthly that those were the last days in which false Prophets should arise and did arise is undeniable 1 Joh. 3.18 in these words where he speaks in the present time thus Little children it is the last time and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even so now there are many Antichrists by which we know that it is the last time Therefore the false prophets and teachers did arise in those days and that out of the Church of Christ for saith the Apostle vers. 19. They went out from us and again saith Paul The mystery of iniquity doth already work 2 Thes. 2.7 And I know saith he that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock And of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Acts 20.29 30. Thus we see when the last days began and when the false prophets did arise and ever since that they have continued and increased in the world And without question the Pope may from hence well plead his antiquity and so his succession for I believe they might be in times past in the true Church at Rome for we see that false prophets and teachers had their rise out of the Apostolike Church in the Primitive times But there is another Prophecie to be fulfilled in these last days of all namely that Christ will consume and destroy them with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming 2 Thes. 28. this compared with Micah 4.1 2 3 4 5. in these words In the last days it shall come to pass that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it And many nations shall come and say Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he shall teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths for the law shall go out of Zion c. And the Lord shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off and they shall break their swords into plough-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more But every man shall sit under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid For all people will walk every one in the name of his god and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever These things shall come