is written in their foreheads they are redeemed from the earths and from among men from all of this old world nothing is of any value or esteem with them hath their hearts but the new Heavens and new earth which they look for according to the promise of God they are without guile and fault before the Throne of God their Offerings are Offerings in righteousness pleasant unto the Lord they are a holy Generation by the mighty and wonder-working hand of the Holy Spirit wrought into an exact conformity to Jesus Christ in all things these are the Lords Jewels upon whom his heart is so fixed that he wil defend them against the whole world of men and devils he vvil creat such a defence upon these that neither heat nor storme nor raine all the rage malice and power of their enemies either by day or by night shal be able to harm them We are now come to the second sort of promises the Lord makes to this people of his delight and that is such as contains not only reward for work done but also qualification and fitness for a future glorious work immediatly to succeed Then shal ye return and diseern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not In the words we have 1 The Persons to vvhom this Promise is made 2 The Promise it self And 3 The Time of performance 1 The Persons to vvhom the Promise is made Then shal yee returne c. that by this YEE cannot be meant the wicked leaders of the Apostacy against whom the Prophet had been speaking throughout his Prophecie seems clear to me upon these grounds 1 Because here is a promise made to them and the promises of God belong not to the wicked they are a Eph 2.12 strangers from the Conants of promise the Lord makes not promises to his enemies but to his Children and Friends To Abraham and his seed were the promises made b Gal 3.16 c 2 Cor. 1 20 all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen and it s by the d Eph 2.13 BLOOD OF CHRIST that any are made nigh to the promise 2 Because it is a promise of a great gift of the Spirit a peice of that great New-Testament promise of the Spirit and what colour or shaddow of reason can be given that this should be spoken to wicked men the subject of the Lords wrath and displeasure 3 Because it is a promise of a spirit of descerning to qualifie and fit them with a sufficient ability to perform the work of the Lord in the to tal destruction of the wicked Now it is not the wicked that shal destroy the wicked at this day but it is the feet of them that fear the Lord that shal tread them down like ashes they burn them up leaving them neither root nor branch So that 2 By this YEE we are to understand the Jewels of the Lord they shal return out of the fiery furnace of the refiner and from under the scourings of the Fullers sope and have a spirit of discerning given to them that they may be enabled to perform that great work the Lord hath cut out for them to do upon and in the world But 3 In a more special and peculiar manner we are to understand by this YE those that feared the Lord spake often one to another those that the Lord wil so own as to spare them in that day of the Lord of hosts they shal return out of those places of consultation where they have been thinking of and consulting about the concernments of the great name of God at this day and shal discern what their work is in the doing whereof they may gain honour and glory to the suffering name of their Lord one reason why I apply it in such special manner to these is because I find them particularly pointed out by the same expression in the next Chapter and YEE shal go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall and YEE shal tread down the wicked YEE who why you that fear my name 2 The Promise it self we have in these words discern between the righteous the wicked between him that serveth God him that serveth him not it is a spirit of discerning the Lord promises here to qualifie and fit them to enable them to perform the glorious work of the following day spoken of in the 1 v of the next Chter for the Prophet there renders a reason why the Lord would then give them this spirit of discerning For behold saith he the day cometh that shal burn as an Oven implying as that that was the time and season for the pouring down of the spirit upon them so that there is a necessity it should be given to them otherwise they would not be able to perform the work of that burning day treading down the vvicked as ashes under their feet as the Children of old must be directed what to destroy and what to save alive so must these too have a spirit of discerning given them To discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not otherwise they wil not know which to burn up and which to pluck as brands out of the fire which to lead by the hand out of the miseries and sorrows of that day and which to tread down like ashes under their feet 3 The Time of performance THEN shal ye return c THEN when 1 THEN When I have gotten to my self honour and glory by my swift witnessing against the heads and leaders of this loathsome apostacy 2 THEN When I have made up my Jewels when my Refiners fire and Fullers sope that searching and trying dispensation of mine hath had its ful course amongst my professing people that pretend to so great a delight in me and my day 3 THEN When I have put forth such Majesty and glory in executing my vengeance on these mine enemies and purifying my Zion that forceth you because of that unlikeness and non-conformity that is in you to it to fly to the horns of the Altar to the freeness and riches of my eternal love my sparing love for shelter when the considering how far short you come of that glory I am about to reveal makes you to run into your rock the Rock of Ages to shelter your selves under his healing wings 4 THEN when I have manifested such glory of love in such a peculiar way as neither you nor your Fathers were ever acquainted with before taking such an unwonted unparalleld care of you sparing you in such a day as this the glory whereof shal have drawn you vvholly to my self that indeed I am as really become yours as you are mine and that I am fixed upon your hearts as you are upon mine that indeed you can unfeignedly say My beloved is mine and I am his THEN shal ye return and discern c. 5 THEN
set before them his excellency and glory let them know who your beloved and who your friend is this practice wil prove exceeding serviceable to your Lord do you but give the daughters of Jerusalem to understand the glory of the object of your souls love which drew you to those harsh incounters with the Watchmen and the keepers of the wals and they wil presently become followers of you as you are followers of your beloved Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among Women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee 4 Labour with all your might after union seek out uniting principles upon which an honourable union upon the right foundation may be wrought Union union union before the Syon of God can become a fit instrument to carry on that work of the Lord in and upon the rebellious World your hearts are so much fixed upon this glorious work of union must be perfected in her when Syon is become a holy hill a body united and compact together then is she a fit seat for her Lord to sit upon as King yet have I set my King upon my HOLY HILL of Syon before Syon wil be enabled by a sufficiency of light and power to tread down the wicked as ashes under her feet and burn them up both root and branch there must be a union as hath been already hinted between the Jewels of the Lord and that remnant of his that fearing his name keep their garments clean from the defilements of the day to provoke you unto this blessed union let me perswade you seriously to consider these few motives thereunto 1 This union is that which our Lord Jesus prayeth so earnestly for the accomplishment of Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one John 17.20 21. as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they all may be one c. surely it is of no smal concernment to Jesus Christ but of absolute necessity his chosen should be thus united his heart is so entirely fixed upon it he intercedes so particularly to his Father for it 2 This union is that the accomplishment of which is the end wherefore Jesus Christ bestows the same glory his Father gave him upon his people And the glory which thou gavest me Vers 22. I have given them that they may be one even as we are one it seems our Lord values this union at a very high rate he gives so great a price as his glory to purchase it 3 This union is exceeding excellent and glorious and therefore deserves seeking after with the greatest earnestness and diligence therefore must it needs be glorious because it is the fruit of glory And the glory which thou gavest me Verse 23. I have given them that they may be one even as we are one the giving of glory to them brings forth this union among them as it 's natural fruit 4 This union is the way to perfection that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one c. Would you become perfect with the perfection of your Heavenly Father endeavour then after this union 5 By this union you wil convince the world that Jesus Christ your Lord is the Messiah of the Father Verse 2â— That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that the world may believe that thou hast sent me the exceeding glory of this union wil convince both Jew and Gentile in a day wherein there are false Christs and false Prophets shewing great signs and wonders if it were possible to deceive the very Elect that you Lord you make profession of is the true Messiah the true Christ sent from the Father 6 By this union you wil not only convince the world that your Lord is he that was sent from the Father and so consequently that the truth you plead for is the truth the promise of the Father to your Lord but that you are the beloved of the Father loved w th the same love he loves your Lord with Verse 23. That they may be one even as we are one that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast l ved them as thou hast loved me the perfection of this union wil put such an excellent glory upon you above all other glories as that the World shal be convinced in their consciences that if the Lord hath fixed his love upon any company of men in the World you are the people and be forced to report that God is in you of a truth 7 This union wil make you 1 Exceeding glorious in the eyes of your Beloved and of all that look upon you Cant. 6 9 My Dove my undefiled is but one saith the Lord Jesus here is the union pleaded for behold how he commends it how amiable it is in his eye She is the onlie one of her Mother she is the choice one of her that bare her of all the children she hath brought sorth this is the ONLY ONE the best beloved of all the states and conditions the Spouse hath been brought into this is the most excellent the most glorious the choice one yea you wil be the subject of the praises of all that shal behold you The daughters saw her and blessed her the Queens and the Concubines and they praised her behold how glorious you wil appear in their eye Verse 10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with banners and who is she think you why our Lord tels you it is my Dove my undefiled who is but one and this union wil make you 2 In the second place fitly qualified for the work of your Lord like to the Armies of the Lord indeed who is she that looks terrible as an Army with banners the answer is the undefiled Spouse of Christ who is but one and when the fruits of this glorious union shal ere you are aware make your souls like to the Chariots of Aminadab carry you on exceeding swiftly and strongly in the work of your Lord if any shal then cry Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee the answer wil be Verse 13 What wil ye see in the Shulamite as it were the company of two Armies if any would have you stay a while that they may behold more of the glory of your united stil state the answer wil then be you are become terrible as an Army with banners yea terrible as the company of two Armies O the terrors and dread that the glory of this union wil strike into the hearts of your Lords enemies 8 By this union you wil become as an innocent Dove undefiled my Dove my undefiled is but
The PROPHETS Malachy and Isaiah PROPHECYING TO The Saints and Professors of this Generation Of The Great Things the Lord will doe in this their Day and Time Shewing amongst other things The Nature and Quality of the Apostacy The Judgement of the Lord upon the Leaders of the Apostacy How the Lord will deale with and carry himself towards others guilty of the Apostacy The certainty of deliverance at hand for the true Seed By a wel-wisher to the Kingdome of our Lord Jesus To which is prefixed two very useful Epistles by Christopher Feak and John Pendarves Ministers of the Gospel Thus saith the Lord God Howle yee woe worth the day for the day is neer even the day of the Lord is neer a cloudy day Ezek. 30.2 3. The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him even very darke and no brightnesse in it Amos 5.18 19 20. I have yet many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now John 16.12 LONDON Printed for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1656. TO THE READERS Whether Such as follow the Lamb or such as wonder after the Beast Love and Pity for the Lords sake OUR dear Lord in the dayes of his flesh spake many words privately among his Disciples to this effect viz. that they should be hated of the world that they should be hated of all men for his Names sake yea and in that last solemn Addresse to his father related John the seventeenth wherein he hath left upon record a pattern of his intercession on the Behalfe of his Disciples who did then or should afterward beleeve on him through their word he doth expresly mention this matter surely his heart was full of it and much affected with it I have given them thy word sayeth hee there to his father and THE WORLD HATH HATED THEM because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world And againe in a certaine place hee testifieth saying If the WORLD HATETH YOV yee know that IT HATED ME before it HATED YOV If yee were of the world the world would love its owne but because yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore THE WORLD HATETH YOU Now to beare up their hearts under this Burthen of the Hatred of the world he puts them in mind of that lesson which hee had formerly taught them Mat. 10.24 John 13.16 saying Remember the word that I sayed to you the servant is not greater then the Lord c. If they have persecuted mee they will presecute you also if they have kept my saying they will keepe yours also The spirit and life of the incouragement lyeth in this that the Son of God was their Brother and companion in Tribulation and in suffering the hatred of the world they should drinke out of the same cup with him in all the afflictions which they were to indure from the world Now if any Man that observes the considerablenesse of these and many other passages of this Nature should desire to know the particular reason why the Lord Jesus with his Disciples was allwayes thus hated persecuted and Abased by the world Did Hee and they give any just Cause of hatred and ill-will against them I answere no surely there were never a more innocent and harmelesse sort of people in the world then they But the true reason of this inveterate hatred is expressed by himselfe John the 7 and 7. in a Conference betwixt himselfe and his Bretheren which did not beleeve in him The world sayeth Hee cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it or concerning it that the workes thereof are evil Observe the matter seriously and you will well perceive that the world hath workes of its own the world is full of its owne proper workes doings and bufinesse which it is alltogether conversant about Things which it must mind and manage with all care and Industry then secondly consider these workes are such as are exceedingly beloved and delighted in by the world and the world cannot indure with any patience that any sort of men should account them evill workes but then thirdly if any should presume not only to Account but also to Call them evill workes and so testifie against them as evill workes and odious in the sight of God for such a Testimony though given by the Son of God himselfe who for this purpose came into the world that hee might beare witnes to the truth would the world hate him and persecute him even unto death if not hindred by the overruling power of God himselfe And therefore if the true Disciples of Christ himselfe who having his Spirit his Truth his Cause his Glory and all his precious Concernments dwelling and working in them mightily are constrained by the power of his love to second and confirme This his great Testimony against the world and the wicked workes thereof should incurr the same hatred indignation and wrath from the world which was measured out unto him they must by no meanes think it a strange thing but rather rejoyce exceedingly in their being thus made conformable to the fathers first borne among many Brethren And blessed be the Name of the Lord that there are any among us who are counted worthy to suffer shame and violent Dealing for his Name and for their Testimony concerning the world that the workes or Deeds thereof are evill But will it not bee well worthy your time and leisure to inquire into these two or three particulars first what doth the Lord Jesus understand in the Scriptures before mentioned by the word world Secondly what are those evill workes which our Lord testified against in the dayes of his flesh and Thirdly what is the nature of the Testimony of Christ and his Disciples that the world should be so much incensed with hatred and indignation against them for it Hearken oh yee Children of men and consider with all your might and with all speed for the time of Consideration is allmost spent and passed away To the First I shall return this Account undoubtedly by the word world in the Scripture mentioned a Certaine part of mankinde namely the degenerate part the worst part contra-distinguished from the Best namely the Church is here to be understood for the Church and the world are Contrary one unto the other evermore This degenerate part of the world or of mankind I distinguish thus some of them are such as having departed from the light and Law of Nature did afterward by degrees degenerate into Brutishnes and profannes as namely the nations of the earth which neither worship God nor love their Neighbour according to the written rule but live and walke after their own and their Rulers lusts and inventions in all things being full as of all ungodlinesse so
signifies thus much that in the day vvhen the Lord makes up his Jewels he will honour them with more special favour and higher dignities than the rest of his Jewels they shal be mine I vvil take them so near to my self that so great a ray of my glory shal rest upon them as that they shal outshine all their fellows their lustre and glory shal outstrip and go beyond al the rest of my Jewels none in all my treasury of Jewels shal be like unto them 2 And I wil spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him saith the Lord there 's a fiery refining day a coming ful of troubles sorrows and anxieties of spirit to the professing vvorld but I vvil spare them Spare them for vvhat and from vvhat Ques For vvhat vvil the Lord spare them do these holy sincere hearts need sparing Ans Yes Although they are so sensible of the suffering of the name of their God under the dishonour and evil of the times yet they have many infirmities and come far short of the glory that shal then be revealed but I wil spare them saith the Lord and although their infirmities be such as they need not only a common sparing but the sparing of a Father that sparing vvhich proceeds from the purest and freest love and affection possible sparing in the highest degree yet I wil spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him as a man looks upon the good wil of his Son that in serving him seeks his honour although through weaknes and infirmity he dishonour him and takes not notice of his dishonouring infirmities but of his good aims and ends in his service so wil I spare them saith the Lord of hosts Qu From what vvil the Lord spare them Ans From the painful sharp and terrible sorrows of that day wherein I wil make up my jewels so that novv we are come to the consideration of that weighty circumstance of time vvherein the Lord wil perform these pretious promises the consideration whereof wil mightily enhance the value and price of our Lord and masters love manifested in these his promises In that day when I make up my Jewels what day is this it is that day mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter wherein he wil be like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope that the Holy Ghost intends that day in this place is clear to me from this double consideration 1 From the phraise THAT DAY in that day when I make up my jewels when the Holy Ghost speaks of a day or time to come that he had not spoken of before he cals it the day as here in the fourth Chapter Behold the day cometh that shal burn as an Oven c. but when the Holy Ghost expresseth a day or time by that day he points at the time treated of immediatly before as in the Third and Fourth Chapter of Isaiah and indeed throughout the whole scripture I find it is the usual manner of the Holy Ghost so to do and this Refining-day being the time treated of immediatly before we cannot rationally conceive any other day is pointed at by that day 2 From that other phraise When I MAKE UP my Jewels what more genuine and natural interpretation can be given than that these Jewels are the product of the Refiners fire the workmanship of this Refiner and purifier of silver forming them into Jewels of gold and Jewels of silver a people formed for himself to shew forth his praise That we may see somewhat of the terribleness of this day and from thence behold the pretiousness of these promises and be provoked to make it our business to ensure them to our selves for our inheritance in this shaking day let us consider 1. The manner of the Lords dealing with his people at this day he wil be to them like a Refiners fire and like fullers sope and what more dreadful consuming than a refiners fire what more sharp searching than fullers sope and this will he be unto them He wil sit upon them as a Refiner and puryfier of silver dealing with them after the manner of purifying gold silver til he hath s Isai 1.29 Purged away all their dross and taken away all their tin t Isai 31 9. His fire in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem u Ezek 22.18.19 20 21.22 Because they are become dress to the Lord behold therefore saith the Lord God I wil gather you into the midst of Jerusalem as they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace to blow the Fire upon it to melt it so I wil gather you and blow upon you in the Fire of my wrath and ye shal be melted and ye shal know that I the Lord have poured out my fury upon you 2 It is such a day as the Prophet makes it a great question whether any of those that profess a delight in the thoughts and expectations of it shal abide it stand in that great day Even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts but who may abide the day of his coming as if he should have said you please and delight your selves in the thoughts of the coming of the day of the Lord hoping that he wil mend all and set things to rights when he comes and make his people a happy people x Isa 11.13 That the envy of Ephraim shall depart nnd the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shal not vex Ephraim and then shal these unbrotherly controversies and heats of spirit cease he wil give them y Jer. 31.39 one heart and one way you delight in the Messenger of the Covenant that shal do such things that day shal come ah but saith the Prophet who of you may abide the day of his coming he wil come in such a way and manner so contrary to flesh and blood so contrary to your expectations and apprehensions as you wil not endure it nor abide but be offended and stumble to the hazard of your souls and who shal stand when he appeareth you think you are wel in a good and safe station but when he appeareth who of you shal keep your standing not one of you your foundations will then appeare but sandy foundations and your rests broken reeds and at what a loss wil you then be such a shaking wil the Lord make in that day as wil shake you all of your standing though now you think you are in the right that your feet standeth in a sure place and that you could be filled with joy to behold the Lords appearing yet then none of you wil be able to keep your ground Who may abide the day abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth these interrogatives strongly affirm that none of them can abide it and none of
one that b Rev. 17.1 2 sits upon many water who hath the Kings of the earth for her servants to commit fornication with her as Babilon of old was the great and lofty City exalting it self above c Dan 4.1 all people Nations and languages that dwelt in all the earth so hath our Babilon exalted her selt above the christian world as they cal in So that 3 The Prophet here sets forth the joyful praising state of the true Church and people of God immediatly upon the destruction of Babilon then shal they be able to sing the songs of Syon again praising the Lord after this manner 3 Because in this state there is night as wel as day therefore there is the shining of a flaming fire prepared for the nights defence but the glory of the mountain state is such as There shall be d Rev 21.25 no night there Because in this state there is a Tabernacle appointed for its defence which is moveable and not fixed therefore not the mountain state for that is a fixed unmoveable state They that trust in the Lord shal be as e Psal 125.1 MOUNT ZION which cannot be removed but abideth for ever And seeing for these reasons it cannot be interpretred of the glory of the mountain state of Zion I shall lay it down as the And last ground why I apprehend Isaiah and Malachy to treat both of one and the same time That this glory here spoken of in this 4th Chapter is the glory of that state of Zion wherein it becomes Daniels stone smiting the great Image the Lords battel-ax and weapon of war breaking in pieces the Nations and destroying Kingdoms the Lords threshing instrument to thresh the mountains smal and to make the hils like chaff upon the glory of this state there shal be such a defence that neither the heat nor the storm nor the raine of their enemies shal hurt or touch it the reasons that move me to adhere to this interpretation are 1 This glory is no other but the fruit of Zions purging and purifying which in this Chapt is called HOLINESSE Every one that it left in Zion and that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy it is upon this glory the defence is created now this purifying of Zion and cloathing it with this glory is performed before though but immediatly before the day comes wherein the transgressors and sinners shal burn together and none shall quench them that day that shal burn as an Oven burning up the wicked both smal and great leaving them neithergoot nor branch when Zion shal be redeemed and restored to this glory then shall the destruction of the wicked come 2 The defence that is created upon this glory carries a great similitude to the Isratites wilderness state a cloud and smoakby day and a shining of a flaming fire by night and a Tabernacle now it signifies thus much to me that as the children of Israel had these things for their defence and direction when they were travelling through the Wilderness to the Promised land so under these figures the Holy Ghost holds forth to us that defence the Lord wil create by a wonder working power upon this glory all the while his chosen are journying over the worlds hils and mountains towards that State which was tiped out by the Promised Land of Canaan so that in deed and in truth the glory of this State mentioned in this 4th chapter which shal have such a defence is no other but that qualification and sitness the Lord wil indue his Zion withall to enable her to carry on his great design and work in the world to bring all the Kingdoms of this world into subjection to his Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Supposing I have sufficiently proved the truth of the assertion That Isaiah in these Chapters treateth of the same time Malachy doth in his Prophecy I shal proceed to consider the Terrors of this dreadful day as the Prophet holds them sorth which wil plainly appear to us if we confider 1 The dreadful work the Lord wil make in professing Zion at this day f Isai 2. he wil humble the lofty looks and bring down the haughtiness of man there is not a man that is proud and lofty and lifted up but shal be brought down in that day and the day of the Lord shal be upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that Timber of which once the Lord was pleased to make beams and rafters for his house becomes now the subject of the anger and displeasure of God by reason of its being high and listed up upon its own bottom and upon all the Oaks of Bashan those trees of strength that are so useful in the Common wealth and upon all the high mountains and hils that are lifted up those prodigious lumps of earth whose aspiring brows injuriously overtop their neighbouring levels and upon every high Tower and fenced wal those strengths and fortresses the works of mens hands in which they put their trust as in a sure place and upon all the Ships of Tarshish those waies and means by which these men gain their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver which they make each one for himself to Worship and upon all pleasant pictures those rare painted inventions the wits of the Times find out to please the childish world with now in its doting old age and these with all other Idols wil he utterly abolish they shal utterly pass away and which is worthy our serious noting and is very significant he doth all this as he is Lord of hosts for behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth so and so it s the day of the Lord of hosts that fals upon the particulars fore-mentioned What a dreadful day of Terrors must this of necessity prove when the Lord of hosts ariseth out of his place to de I with such sturdy and potent enemies as these are shaking terribly the earth the dread of this glorious Majesty is such as puts all the Inhabitants of this professing world to the run they run into the holes of the rock and into the caves of the earth they then throw away their Idols of gold and their Idols of silver to the moles and to the batt's though their Whorish and adulterous hearts run out so strongly to them before yet then let who vvil take them that they may run the lighter into the clefts of the Rock and to the tops of the ragged rocks and poor Jacob he is put to the run too he enter into his rock the rock of Ages into those secret Chambers the Lord hath provided for him to lye hid in and all for dread and fear of the glorious Majesty of the Lord of hosts at this day and such glory wil be manifested at this day that those that are left to praise the Lord shal wholly cease from man all men all of man the best of men the holiest of men even the holy Inhabitant of Syon
Southsayers like the Philistines notwithstanding all their glorious hypocritical professions and outside worship that men cannot discern what they are without digging very deep yet they are guilty of some of the wicked and provoking abominations of their predecessors whom the Lord drave out before them 2 Because n Verse 7. their Land is ful of silver and gold neither is there any end of their treasure their time is spent in getting and their hearts run a whoring after the riches of this world as it was in the dayes of Noah so it is now they are wallowing in the delights and pleasures of this world they are so swallowed up in the love of the fading glory of this miserable world that they cannot find their rest but there is no end of their treasures they wil never with the rich man say it is enough soul take thy rest so insatiable are they that the treasures of the world are not able to satiate their boundless lusts there is no end of their desires the more they get the more they would have there is no end of their treasure their Coffers wil never be filled so long as any thing is behind that may be gotten by any way or means 3 Their o Verse 7. land is ful of Horses neither is there any end of their Chariots and they please themselves in the children of strangers to secure themselves in the enjoyment of their carnal and unworthy pleasures they erect a Mercenary and powerful Militia a thing of such a wicked and destructive tendency to the good and wel fare of the people that the Lord doth expresly command that man whom he shal chuse to be Ruler over his people that p Deut. 17.16 he shal not multiply horses to himself and the wickedness of its tendency is exprest in this that it causeth the people to return to Egypt into an Egyptian bondage and slavery when the Lord hath said Ye shall henceforth return no more that way the Lord knew ful wel that man though a holy man of the Lords own chusing qualified according to the mind and wil of God so as that he wil chuse him before all others yet man so qualified man in the highest state of grace while this old World standeth would not be able to bear up against the temptations of the evil one and his own heart vvhen once he hath gotten a multitude of Horses and chariots a powerful mercenary Militia at his ownvvil and devotion David that upright heart after he vvas grown great by many Conquests could not withstand a Temptation of this nature numbring the people and such a power vvil necessarily cause the people to return to Egypt that is into bondage and slavery for it is the high way to oppression and injustice To make this Militia wholly his own to serve his interest to be for him him against all his enemies he must be bountiful and liberal to them bestow great gifts upon them and having not of his own so to do he must rob and oppress the pople this course Saul took 1 Sam 8.14 15 and 17 verses And he wil take your fields and your Vineyards and your Olive-yards even the best of them and give them to his servants and he wil take the tenth of your seed and of your Vineyards and give to his Officers and to his servants he wil take the tenth of your sheep and ye shal be his servants And least any should have better thoughts of Saul and think this might be meant of some other read what himself saith Chap 22.7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him hear now yee Benjamites will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and Vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds implying as strongly that he had done so as that David could not nor would not do so O the deep gulf of wickedness and misery the horrid Temptations that mans heart vvil hurry him into who fals down to commit adultery vvith this filthy Idol But these men wil multiply horses and Chariots to themselves that they may be a sure defence to them in their ways of vvickedness yea they so dote upon this Idol that they never think they have enough of her there is no end of their Chariots horse upon horse Chariot upon chariot force upon force there is no end of them they never think themselves strong enough and great enough and this brings a necessity for Oppression upon oppression without end for these must have their feilds and their Vineyards and their Olive-yards and their tenth part of the seed great possessions and riches otherwise there is no life in this defence without this Oyl the chariot-wheels vvil not run and they please themselves in the Children of strangers men of a strange degenerated spirit that chuse to serve the Wil and lust of the Prince before the true interest of their countries good the vvelfare of the people men of so strange a spirit and principle that they truly deserve the name of strangers and not Natives of the good Land of such a degenerared unworthy principle that teaches them obedience to the Imperious wil and unlawful commands of their Prince although with Doeg the Edomite they fal foul on the servants of the Lord in such Children of strangers do these men take pleasure and with them is their delight and therefore wil the Lord arise to shake terribly the earth and bringing down the lofty looks of these proudmen save his righteous remnant and get himself a name excellent in all the earth These wickednesses are guilty of such aggravations that they so provoke the eyes of Gods glory as he wil not forgive them by no means wil he pass them by but wil deal with them in that dreadful manner spoken of But this is not all the Prophet in the 16 verse of this 3d. Chapter comes with a MOREOVER Moreover the Lord saith because the daughters of Syon are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as shey go and making a tinckling with their feet therefore the Lord wil smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Syon and the Lord wil discover their secret parts in that day wil the Lord take away the bravery of their tinkling Ornaments about their feet and their Cauls and their round tires like the Moon the chains and the bracelets and the muflers the honnets and the ornaments tf the leggs and the headbands and the tablets and the ear-rings the Rings and the Nose jewels and the changeable suits of apparel and the mantles and the wimples and the crisping pins the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the vails and it shal come to pass that in stead of sweet smel there shall be stink and instead of a girdle a rent and instead of wel-set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding with sackcloth and burning
When I have brought you to cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils by letting you see through the glass of experience that he is not at all to be accounted of when you can cease vvholly from man that you care for and look at no man any otherwise than in me and trust to and rely upon me alone 6 and lastly THEN when you know the way to exalt me alone to give all the honour and the glory of the vvonders I bring to pass in the world to me vvithout any competitor though of the best of men for I wil be exalted alone in that day THEN shal ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not and the day shal come wherein you shall be delivered out of the hands of your enemies and you shal tread them as ashes under your feet and burn them up leaving them neither root nor branch and in your going forth in the performance of this vvork ye shal grow up as Calves of the stall be ful fed with the love and fulness of your Lord and Saviour HAving opened the words and supposing it in sufficiently evident that the interpretation given is according to truth let us with a truly religious sericusness observe the lessons the Holy Ghost would teach us from them 1 That the time of the Lords arising to work DELIVERANCE for his people is a dark day yea a black midnight of apostacy then wil the Lord come to his Zion as a Refiner to purifie it vvhen the professing vvorld are running back again even to Babilon then and there shal deliverance be vvrought for the true seed Mic 4.10 Thou shalt go even to Babilon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shal redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies this is the state and condition of Sion immediatly before the time vvhen the Lord wil make her horns iron and her hoofes brass wherein she shal thresh and beat in peices many people consecrating their gain unto the Lord. In the e Mat. 29 midnight of the Virgins sleep shal the cry be heard the Bridegroom the King the Lord of hosts is coming when professing Zion comes into a Laodicean Church-state Rev. 3.20 then the coming of our Lord is at hand he is f at the door The apostacy here is so universal and so gross notwithstanding all their curious coverings to hide it from the eyes of men yet the Lord sees it that the Magistracy the Rulers are Rulers of g Isaiah 1.10 Sodom h Mal. 3.15 proud workers of Wickedness the Princes are i Isaiah 1.23 rebellious and companions of Theeves every one loveth gifts and followeth after reward they judge not the Fatherless neither doth the cause of the Widdow come unto them the Ministry the Priests k Mark 2.8 depart out of the way of the Lord corrupt the Covevenant of Levi to the causing many to stumble at the law the Worship and commands of God become l Verse 9 contemptible and base before all the people because of their straying from the wayes of God by an irreligious partiality in the law or accepting of Faces as the margent of some Bibles hath it making the Law by their uncouth forced and private interpretations to seem to countenance the designe of those whose designs are not suitable to the design of God but are against the Lord and guilty of so much hypocritical unrighteousness to the provoking the eyes of his glory that he wil not forgive them seeking their own interest not the interest and honour of him whom they profess to be their Lord and master Jesus Christ and the multitude of this professing people grow up prophanely wicked snuffing m Mal. 1 13 at the Ordinances of the Lord as at a wearisom burden behold what a weariness is it the true Worship of God true Religion becomes a weariuess to these outside professors who n Isai 1.11 13 14. fil the Lord with the multitude of their sacrifices and weary him with their new Moons and their appointed Feasts their Sabboths and calling of Assemblies with their Fasts they o Mal. 1.14 polute the Altar of the Lord the Worship of God with their blinde and sick and torn and lame and corrupt performances their cursed deceit yea they are Idolaters in the sight of God p Isai 2.9 the mean man boweth down and the great man humbleth himself to their Idols that they are become to God as q Mal. 3.5 Sorcerers an adulterous Generation in this sad day of apostacy wil the Lord come to his Sion as a refiner and purifier of silver and as Fullers sope now wil the day of the Lord of hosts come upon professing Zion and lay all low before him teaching them by a smart and dreadful dispensation the way to exalt the Lord alone in this day wil the Lord come as a swift Witness against and avenge himself on his adversaries in Zion those vvho are profest friends members of professing Zion but in deed and in truth are his real enemies enemies to the righteous and holy designs of God and deliver his remnant and pick out his Jewels from amongst the professing rubbish of defiled Zton 2 That notwithstanding the gross wickedness of this day yet Sathan transforms himself into an Angel of light clothing his Children and followers in his best livery they have notable coverings to hide it whereby they deceive the multitude of the professing world and themselves to boot so that they dare not only assert their innocency in putting the Prophet to prove his charge against them but when the Prophet preaches to them the long-sufferance and tenderness of the heart of God towards them the grace and love of God in that promise r Mal. 3.7 Return unto me and I wil return unto you saith the Lord of hosts they scorning to acknowledge their guilt throw it back in his face with a wherein shal we return impudently asserting their righteousness to be such as they know not nor none can tel them wherein they should return and do better 3 That the leaders of this apostacy that cause the people to err notwithstanding their curious outside coverings of religious performances and good aims and ends for the good of the Church people and glory of God wil be the subject of the sore displeasure and wrath of the Lord of hosts the Lord wil be a s Verse 5. swift Witness against them and come neer to them to Judgement t Heb. 6.4 5 6 If those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come fall away it is impossible to renew them again to repentance at the hand of this hypocritical oppressing and persecuting Generation wil God require the blood of his Prophets and Witnesses that hath been shed u Isai 1 24. Ah saith the Lord I will ease me of
God that they stumble into heathenisme and prophanes then are they that fear the Lord to take to heart the great dishonour the name of God suffers by this abomination and speak a gainst it also 4 Do they see inhabitants of professing Syon that seem to be great worshippers of God and zealous for the service of the Lord and the good of his people n Mal. 1.13 snuffing at that part of the worship of God at doing that peice of the will of God that suits not with their worldly interest of gaining this evil world with the Goods thereof crying out what a weariness is it something we would do for God but that the Lord now cals for is a wearisome burden to us it wil quite undoe us oh what a weariness is it this is an hard saying who can hear it then ought they that fear the Lord to think upon the dishonoured and despised name of God and speak against this abomination also 5 Do they behold men in professing Syon o Verse 14 Vowing a vow unto the Lord and in a capacity to perform that Vow having that Male in his flock and yet sacrifice unto the Lord a corrupt thing blinde and lame performances then also are they that fear the Lord to think on the name of God how greatly it is dishonoured and bear a ful testimony against that loathsom hypocrisie of him letting him know he is cursed who dareth so to trample under foot the name of the great King whose name is dreadful among the Heathen 6 Matters of a civil nature and as if the Prophet intended to stop the mouth of the objection of these dayes he brings in the evils of this nature in the last place that his THEN might clearly appeare to have special and direct relation to those things 1 When the proud professors in Syon that behave themselves proudly and contemptuously towards their God and their Brethren are accounted p Mal. 3.15 the happy men as those that would make the Nation happy by the wayes of their devising called happy congratulated and applauded as the men whom the Lord hath owned and made happy by his providence and blessing then are they that fear the Lord to think how the name of God is dishonoured by this evil and bear their testimony against it 2 When the wicked workers in professing Zion q Verse 15 the workers of wickedness are set up Children of strangers of a strange spirit and principle r Isai 3.6 contrary to the Spirit of our Lord the holy and righteous Spirit of true Syon and the work of God those whose delight is not in the law of the Lord but in wayes of their own inventions suitable to their degenerated and base interest who break the law continually working wickedness indeed although they cal it and would have what they do accounted righteousness and to defend these men in their wickednes s Verse 9 Horses and Chariots a powerful Militia is fixed as a wal about them when such men are set up over the people and such things done oppressing vilifying and persecuting the people of the Lord and the true interest of the Son of God our Lord Jesus among his people and in the world then are they that fear the Lord to be sensible of the dishonour and reproach is cast upon the name of God by this evil and bear their testimony against this wickedness also 3 When they see this evil in professing Syon t Mal. 3 15 they that tempt God are even delivered while the Altar of the Lord is covered with the tears weeping and crying out of the oppressed those who by their provoking hypocritical loathsome wickedness tempt the Lord to put an end to his long-sufferance and execute his vengeance before the appointed time are even delivered their heads are lifted up and their faces made to shine through the benigne aspect of those who should and ought to be a terror to them they are even delivered from their fears of receiving the desert of their wayes and actions by a stream of Justice and righteousness and are set up to work wickedness against God in oppressions and cruelty covering the Altar of the Lord with the tears sighs and groans of his people then are they that fear the Lord to think upon the great name of their God how unworthily it is dishonoured and trampled under foot and bear their testimony against this wickednesse also 4 When the Rulers of professing Syon beâ—â—â— and act like the Rulers of Sodom rebel against the Lord go away backward apostatise from God oppress the people of the land yet cover all with a cloak of religious performances and outward holines good aims and ends for the work of the Lord and the good of the Church of Christ with these coverings hiding their evils and wickednesses from the vulgar sight then are they that fear the Lord not to hold their peace but to cry aloud and bear their testimony for God against this abomination also and of of the fruit of this their doing shal they eat and it shal be wel with them in that day wherein he wil judge those men Qu Possibly it may be askt why wil the Lord have those that fear him thus industriously engaged against the evils and wickedness of Rulers and people at this day Answ The Answer is because his great name that was so glorious and dreadful among the Heathen is so exceedingly dishonoured therefore are they that fear the Lord to think upon the name of God and speak in its vindication this is an apostacy in Syon delivered out of Babilon though many of Babilons evils cleave yet close to them for whom the Lord hath done great and wonderful things freed them from the slavery and bondage of a sore captivity under the Babilonish power blessed them with prosperous success in building their City that in spite of the Tobiahs and Sanballats of all their enemies that had maintenance from the Kings Palace were maintained by a wretched Kingly Interest they became a Common-wealth a free people by which they had opportunity and liberty to serve the Lord in doing his whole Wil and pleasure in doing these great things far beyond the thoughts and expectations of the greatest worldly wise men for this people the Lord had gotten himself a great name dreadful among the Heathen how did the wicked world tremble at the thoughts of it and now for this people to draw back even to Babilon to apostatise from the Lord in matter and manner hath been treated of is none other but a wicked ravishing and deflouring the honour of the Virgin name of God he had so lately gotten to himself by doing such wonders for this unworthy people As our Lord said of his day in the flesh that if those Disciples that spake for him and blest him should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out so may it truly be said of this time also if they that fear
the Lord should hold their peace and not speak and plead for the name of their God the stones the dumb Creation would bear a Testimony for God against mans wickedness if none else wil the stone shal cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shal answer it The name of God which had been clouded for a long time began now to be glorious and excellent in all the earth upon which the heart of God is fixed and their going about to ravish this honor provokes the eyes of Gods glory stirs up his Jealousie least it should be given to others what overturning work doth the Lord of hosts say he wil make in professing Syon and doth this move the Lord himself and wil he not think we have those that fear him moved also wil he act thus like a man of War and blood to vindicate his honour and wil he not have them to speak for it surely yea so that we see there is great reason why they that fear the Lord should be of this temper of spirit at this day 2 A second part of the work of the Remnant at this day is a sincere and hearty solicitousness after what other duty may be encumbent upon them the performance whereof may in any measure vinvindicate the honor and glorifie the name of their God who is so much dishonored and whose name is so vilely trampled under foot by the hypocriticall wickednesses of this day they thought upon his name What shall we do for thy great name 24. Behold the blessednesse of those who sincerely exercise themselves in the work of the Lord at this day They shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him such blessednesse will they possesse as their portion from their God and Father as none but themselves shall be made happy with in that day Many other usefull lessons might be observed to be taught us from these scriptures but I shall satisfie my self with what is already written And to conclude this discourse give me leave to addresse my self in a few words to those three sorts of men concerned in it 1. To the Leaders of this apostacy Yee a Isa 1.10 Mal. 2.19 Rulers of Sodome and ye base and contemptible Priests of the land the Lord hath made you contemptible and base before all the people because of your corruptions Hear how Isaiah complaineth of you calling the heavens and the earth to witnesse against you and see Malachy turning aside the skirts of your coverings discovering all your hypocritical rottennesse to the view of those who are not quite blinded by Satans wiles and your disguises behold how your wickednesses have provoked the eyes of Gods glory Wo wo wo be unto you if ye repent not it s a certain truth the Lord will visite his Syon be a swift witness against you and come neer to you to judgment his purging and purifying Sion wil be your destruction the Lord of hosts who cannot lye who is faithfull and hath power to bring it to passe hath said it O therefore if possible turn away the anger and wrath of the Lord of hosts by a timely repentance ch 3.7 Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts O that this Pharisaical Answer might not be yours Wherein shall wee return But Isa 1.16 17 18.19 20. Wash yee make you clean put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse pleade for the Widdow if yee be willing and obedient yee shall eate of the good of the land but if yee refuse and rebell yee shall be devoured with the sword for the month of the Lord hath spoken it Imbrace the invitation hearken to the Counsell of these Prophets for why will yee dy O yee sons of men There 's no way of salvation from that Pit of destruction your own wayes and doings have digged for you but that the Prophets have chalked out before you misse that and you are irrecoverably lost without remedy you complain of the harsh words and rough speeches of a company of men that tell you of your evils and would have the world to look upon them as the onely pest of the land the desturbers of the Publike weale the onely hinderers of good dayes thus you cloath them in the Bear-skin that the Dogs may tear them But do you not know That Isai 1.9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been ere now as Sodome and we should have been like Gomorrah Know that notwithstanding their fretting vexing and tormenting you so much they are your best friends for it 's they that stand in the gap and were it not for them an inundation of wrath and vengeance would quickly over-run you when the Lord draws them into their hyding Chambers those mansions of his peculiar sparing love then will your e Pro. 1.27 destruction come upon you as a whirle-wind and then at that time when your fear commeth as desolation f v. 28. though you call upon the Lord he will not answer and though you seek him early you shall not finde him Why what 's the reason saith the Lord it is because verse 25. ye have set at naught all my counsell and would none of my reproof Even the counsell and reproof of God wisdomes words in the mouth of these his servants that fear his name v. 20.21 who utter their voice in the streets and in the chief place of concourse 2. I have somewhat to say to those Members of professing Syon who though they are not ring-leaders in this wickednesse yet defile their garments with the pollutions of the Apostacy Behold in what a dreadfull manner the Lord will deal with you he will make up his Jewels from among you and consume the rest as drosse and tin Cast your eyes back upon the refiners fire and fullers Soape and that day of the Lord which will come upon you and reflect upon your selves and consider whether you are prepared to meet the Lord of hosts in such a day as that is surely if your examination be taken by a right rule and you passe a righteous sentence upon your selves you will see you are not you are not able to abide and sland in that day when the Lords jealousie will burn like fire wherein he will giue to apostatizing professing Sion blood in fury and jealousie being clad with zeale as with a cloak What anxious troubles and pangs will be your portion in that day I intreat you to take notice of these things 1. That the defilements of this Apostacy that cleaveth to you makes you so much unlike to your father that no lesse than a Refiners fire and fullers sope must passe over you to bring you into your old glory
say to those that fear the Lord those blessed servants of the Lord who are exercising themselves in that Work so welpleasing to God about the concernments of the name and interest of the Lord at this day and I would reduce that I have to say into Instruction Exhortation First for Instruction And 1 Be instructed in the certainty of deliverance at hand that day of the Lords judging your enemies and bringing forth your deliverance is at hand even at the door Although the Wheel seems to run so fast back again and men are unraveling that bottom the Lord hath been winding up for some years last past and the powers of Heaven be shaken and mens hearts fail them for fear looking after those things that are coming on the earth though the face of things at present be thus sad and calamitous yet lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh know that the inexpressible wickedness and sadness of the times at this season is an unerring sign token of the certainty neerness of deliverance my thinks vvhat hath been already said in the preceding interpretation of the Scriptures handled proves this sufficiently but to strengthen your faith and increase your joy if the Lord please I wil offer some further proof That an hypocritical Apostacy after reformation is an unquestionable evidence that the Lord is at hand and wil delay no longer but suddenly deliver the true Seed to the glory and praise of his holy name wil be out of doubt if we consider That this vvas the state and condition of the old World vvhen Judgement took hold of it and the condition of the Jews our Lord found them in vvhen he first came in the flesh also that it is the state and condition of the present professing Gospel-Church when the day of the Lord of hosts shal come upon her wherein he wil be to her as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope That it was the state and condition of the old world is clear for after that great defection and fal of man from his first purity had proceeded to blood manifested it self in that evil effect the slaughter of righteous Abel by his wicked Brother Cain and Seth the succeeder of Abel had preacht many years to the fallen world by that time Enoch was born a Gen 4â—â—â— Men began to call upon the name of the Lord or as it it in the Margent of some Bibles to cal themselves by the name of the L. here was a reformation wrought by the preaching of the righteous the breach that Cain the seed of the Serpent had made was now made up again men would be no longer murderers as the children of the Serpent but they would be the Lords people called by the name of the Lord here is a notable reformation indeed one would have thought that there had now been a sure reconciliation made between God and man that there was an inseperable union of friendship entred into but behold the inconstancy of the nature of man afterward b Ch 6.1 2. it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them that the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose they degenerated from their former reformation they kept not themselves the seperated people of the Lord but mingled themselves with the seed of men the Serpents brood and through this defection the wickedness of man was great in the earth and now every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually c V 5 this moved the Lord greatly d V. 6 7. and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth The nature and quality of this Apostacy the Evangelists Matthew e Mat. 24 38.3â— and Luke tel us They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all it was not a defection to Caines gross prophaneness Luke 17.26 27. but their hearts ran loose from God to the good things of this world they went backward and apostatised from God to the world made Idols to themselves of the lawful things of this World no doubt they solved their consciences with the lawfulness of the things in themselves their hearts ran out so unworthily after and could find much to say for their practice against any that should charge them with evil The curious refinedness of the apostacy appears by this that but eight persons could attain to escape the temptation the hypocrisie of it was such that it swept away all that called themselves by the name of the Lord except upright Noah and his Family that by close walking with God obtained deliverance And which is very observable in the reformation these men exalted the name of the Lord called themselves by the name of the Lord they buried their own name and would become as nothing that the Lord might have all the honour they would have no name but the name of the Lord serve him and none other owned none to be their Lord but him exalted the Lord alone they called themselves by the name of the Lord but in the apostacy they forget that name of the Lord they forsake the interest of the honour and name of God and set up their own name and their own honor f Gen 6â— 4â— became mighty men men of renown exalted their own name their own renown and honour to the dishonour of God and that glorious name of his they formerly called themselves by give me leave to repeat a little observe the two grand remarkables in this notorious apostacy They assotiate and mingle themselves with that sort of men the seed of the Serpent with that interest they formerly seperated from out of a profession of love to God and his name their calling themselves by the name of the Lord import so much And secondly they set up their own name renown and honour in the place and room of Gods whereas before they would call themselves by no name but by Gods name novv they come under the mighty and renowned names of men how neer these last dayes of this evil world come to these men in manners lest those who have a seeing eye judge This grieves the Lord at his heart and heresolves to exalt that blessed name of his they formerly exalted and now dispise and trample underfoot to serve their lusts in their destruction none shal escape but Noah and his Family that Just and upright man who vvalked vvith God kept close to the good old principle the Sons of God walked in exalting the name of God When the old World came into this frame and temper the Lord would bear no longer but
comes to vindicate his name and honour in jealousie and wrath Judging of her And that it was the state of the Jewish Church in which our Lord found them at his first coming in the flesh hath been cleared up already and therein she was a Type and representation of the professing Gospel-Church in the last dayes Lastly That it is the state and condition of the professing Gospel Church when Judgement shall begin at the house of God he will visit her with a SPIRIT of Judgement and a spirit of burning be as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope to her Matthew and Luke tel us plainly As it was in the dayes of Noah so shal it be also in the dayes of the Son of man and Luke illustrates it by the condition of Sodom g Luke 17.26 28 30. They did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded even thus shal it be in the dayes when the Son of man is revealed so that upon the credit of the word of two Evangelists we may believe it for a truth that the professing worlds being in this state and condition is a clear sign of the Lords being at hand to deliver his remnant and destroy his enemies But wil you have the testimony of a third Apostle John the Spirit of the Lord by him in his Epistle to the seven Churches in Asia bears witness to this truth that when the professing Gospel-Church fals into a refined hypocritical apostacy after reformation then the Lord stands at the door and knocks he stayes no longer but comes to Judgement for the proof of this let us a little consider these seven Churches of Asia They were Tipes and representations of the various state and condition of the Church of Christ from the falling away the Apostle writes of in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians by which the man of sin got up to his seat and power until the coming of the Lord to his Syon for some things written especially to the Churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea cannot be restrained to literal Philadelphia and literal Laodicea but must of necessity be granted to refer to some other time and persons tiped out by them further behold the order the Holy Ghost observes in his writing be begins with an apostacy with Ephesus who had fallen from her first works and closes with an apostacy with Laodicea that had fallen into a notable hypocritical strain boasting of her own gifts and excellencies saying I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing If we observe the Church of Sardis we shall there see what a low ebb the Church of Christ was once brought unto Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye there were but a few names which had not defiled their garments but at the next remove the Spirit of the Lord works such a glorious reformation in the Church that she seems as if she were perfect before the Lord he finds no fault at all with her but commends her after a high rate this is represented to us by Philadelphia now the coming of our Lord draws neer it is not far off Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast after this Satan that cunning and implacable enemy to the Saints happiness brings his Laodicean temper upon the stage the professing Gospel-Church fals from so glorious a reformation wrought by the Philadelphians into a luke warm hypocritical apostacy by this time our Lord is at the door and ready to enter in and behold the hypocrisie of this apostacy although she be fallen from the glory of noble Philadelphia into the loathsome condition of luke warm Laodicea wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked yet she saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing now our Lord stands at the door and knocks gives notice that he is coming and wil not tarry Thus my Brethren you have a manifold testimony to the truth of the assertion that an hypocritical apostacy after reformation in the professing Gospel-Church is an unquestionable evidence That deliverance to the true seed and destruction to the enemy is at hand the Lord wil stay no longer but wil come and wil not tarry for his own Names sake if God would not spare the old world nor his chosen people Israel To whom pertaineth the Adoption and the glory and the promises when they came into this temper and frame what ground hath any man to think that this present evil world being come into the same State shal find more favour at the hand of the jealous God than those of old did The blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world Luke 11.50 shal be required of this Generation saith our Lord what Generation is that an hypocritical Pharisaical Generation So that it remains for a certain truth that judgement is at the door of this Generation and deliverance is coming from Heaven to the faithful that keep their garments pure and they shal walk with their Lord in white for they are worthy 2 Be instructed in the design of the Lord at this day upon you and the rest of your Brethren with whom you are contending for the name and honour of your Lord it is to bring you into cloth you with the glory of the day of your Espousals that it may be with you as it was in antient years in the beginning what glory is that the glory of the Apostles and Saints when they received the promise of the Father when the Spirit of the Lord came with power upon them working in them according to the might of his power the glory of this day is inexpressible neither is it my work at this time to dilate upon it but I chuse rather to leave it to your own meditations to represent it to your view by chewing the cudd in the consideration of it as it is set forth in the holy Writings of the Apostles when you have attained to this glory then wil you be defended by the creating power of God and power from on high wil be given you to tarry on that great work of God in the world to the glory and praise of your Lord your hearts are now so much fixed upon in which you so earnestly desire to be labouring Other very useful instructions might be added but I conceive it wil be more acceptable and vvork more kindly if your selves press that wholsom liquor out of this cluster therefore I forbear 2 In the second place give me leave to Exhort you to these things 1 Be not weary of nor undervalue your present work behold how acceptable how delightful it is to your Lord the Lord is alwaies among you hearing all your discourses with greatest delight the glory of it so ravishes his hear k Cant. 4 8 9 11. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast
one it imports thus much that it is the oneness of the Spouse that makes her so Dove-like and undefiled unless you endeavour after this union which the Apostle cals The unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace you wil not walk worthy of your vocation wherewith ye are called Ephes 4.3 compared with the iv while Ephraim envies Judah and Judah vexes Ephraim defiling dirt and dust wil be thrown about and stick to your garments when the Lord hath by his Refining dispensation united his Jewels and his Remnant into one upon his own foundation then wil they be pleasantness to the Lord his Dove undefiled then wil such a glory rest upon them as the Lord wil create a defence upon it as hath been already suggested in this discourse my Dove my undefiled is but one 9 This union is the very Image of that glorious union between the Father and the Son our Lord makes the union between him and his Father the pattern of that union he intercedes for that they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee again that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they be made perfect in one this union is a lively representation of the glorious union between the Father and the Son and what an exceeding glory must that needs be my thinks the glory of it should even ravish your hearts and make your souls like to the Chariots of Aminadab in an eager pursuit of it til you have attained So that by this time I hope you may be in love with union who can but be in love with it the glory of it is so exceeding like the glory of your Lord who is the chiefest of ten thousand but I would not be mistaken by any It was in the heart of that blessed servant of the Lord dear Tillinghast had he had alonger day to have wrought in to have presented you with some principses of this glorious union O that the Lord would anoint some other with the same Spirit that some healing balsom might be poured into the bleeding wounds of distressed Syon this union I so earnestly press after is not dissonant to but may wel stand with that holy separation from the unclean thing the Saints are exhorted and it is their duty to seperate from but again a truly Christian pursuit after this union wil glorifie a right and a holy separation pursue this holy principle of Union and I perswade my self you wil leave very few or none that have but a grain of sincerity cleaving to the uncleanthing if the glory of this Union be so powerful as to convince the wicked World how much more than think you wil it draw that heart that hath but the least grace in it O the inexpressible advantage this union of parts brings to the whole body one part possesseth wisdom and counsel another spirit and life another part agility and swiftess in motion now while they are not in conjunction tho the one may have wisdom and counsel yet it may want the spirit and life of the other and though that other may have excellent spirit and life yet it may want wisdom to direct and guide the agile faculty in a regular motion but when there is a union of parts the whole body partakes off whatsoever wisdom of whatsoever excellency of Spirit and Life and of whatsoever other noble gift is in any part thereof which must needs be exceeding glorious to behold of much advantage to the cause and work of your Lord. O my Brethren If there be therefore any consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 2 3.4 5. if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde let nothing be done through strife or vain glorie but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus 5 Take heed and beware of a selfish spirit a self-exalting spirit dread and shun this monster as the greatest precipice of danger your Souls can possibly fall into at such a time as this This frame and temper of spirit the Lord wil contend against and bow down in that dreadful day of his which is hastning upon us For the day of the Lord of hosts shal be upon every one that is proud and loftie and upon every one that is lifted up and he shal be brought low yea the Lord wil not endure the least degree of it not so much as a losty look Isai 2.11 12 The loftie looks of man shal be humbled and the haughtiness of men shal be bowed down it is necessary it should be so and the reason why the Lord wil have it so is that the Lord alone may be exalted in that day it is the great design of the Lord in this notable day of his that he is bringing upon Syon to exalt himself alone and til this selfish frame of spirit be bowed down and brought low the Lord cannot accomplish his design he cannot be alone exalted this is the reason why the dreadful day of the Lord wil come upon the Cedars the materials of his Temple because they are high and lifted up but one fragment of this temper of spirit is one of the 7 things that are hateful an abomination unto the Lord a proud look or haughtie eyes Prov 6.17 as the margent of some Bibles hath it O therefore my brethren if we would be partakers of the rich Promises of the sparing love of our Father and not fal under the scourging hand of an angry God in this day of the Lord that is coming upon us let us dread and flee a self-exalting spirit Lastly Seeing it is the designe of the Lord at this day to bring his Syon into her first state into the purity of the day of her Espousals let us in the name of the Lord with heart and hand joyn with one accord to further this glorious design of God O that we would n deavour every one to mend one and in love help to mend each other would you be serviceable in the work of the Lord I know you would why this is the ready way the high way to carry on the great and glorious design of God upon the world when Syon is so reformed by the power of God as that she can offer up Offerings in righteousness that are peasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old as in antient Years THEN shal she tread down the Wicked as ashes under her feet THEN will the Lord raise up thy Sons O Syon Zack 9.13.14 15. against thy Sons O Greece and make thee as the sword of a Mighty man and the Lord shal be seen over them and his arrow shall go forth as the lightening and the Lord God shal blow the Trumpet and shal go with whirlwinds of the South the Lord of hosts shall defend them and they shal devour and subdue with sling stones and they shal drink and make a noise as through Wine and they shall be filled like bowls and as the corners of the Altar THE END
instead of beauty thy men shal fal by the sword and thy mighty in the war and her gates shal lament and mourn and she being desolate shal sit upon the ground and in that day shal seven Women lay hold of one man saying we wil eat our own bread and wear our own apparel only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach The Prophet had been hitherto speaking of the calamities and sorrows should befal the whole land under the name of the house of Jacob but now he comes to tel us what should befal the Capital and head City of the Land which Zion the City of David was which great destruction and woful state their notable wantons and naughty pride over and above their cleaving to their other evils brought upon their heads and let not her antitipe say she is not guilty of these things and so shal not find this portion for she hath no tinckling Ornaments about her feet nor round tires like the Moon nor Nose jewels but I pray consider she hath other needless fashions of the Times as needlesly superfluous and as ful of pride and vanity as the others were and she is proud and haughty and hath a stretched forth neck and wanton eyes and can go mincing as notably as her Tipe and predecessor could do and surely wil be found to have exceeded in all things therefore behold thy portion and thy Judgement the reward of thy folly there is no preventing it there is no redemption for thee q Ezek 14.20 Though Noab Daniel and Job be found in thee they shal deliver neither son nor daughter they shal deliver but their own souls by their righteeusness saith the Lord God And is this refining day of the Lord such a day of Terrors to flesh and blood O how contrary wil it then be to the expectations and hope of the greatest part of those that profess a delight in the thoughts of and a longing for its coming Who may abide this day of his coming and who may stand when he appeareth In this terrible day wherein he wil make up his Jewels wil the Lord perform his promises to his beloved Remnant that stand up for the honour of his name They shal be mine in that day saith the Lord of hosts and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him so that the bitterness and sharpness of these calamities and anxious troubles shal not be their lot but they shall be mine though I deal with their Brethren in a way of anger displeasure yet I wil deal with them in a way of grace love and spetial favour in that day as when the wicked were upmost and thought to have ravished my name of all its honour and glory they thought upon my name and interest so now I am bringing down these wicked workers of wickedness and scourging their foolish Brethren that have committed adultery with these mens apostacies purging them and washing their poluted garments clean I wil think upon them for their good safety and happiness in that day when I make up my Jewels Qu Who and what are these Jewels the Lord takes so much pains and doth such wouders in making them up Ans I Answer 1. Who they are They are the Lambs chosen number mentioned in the 14 of the Revelation his 144000 that stand with him upon the Mount Zion the Reasons that move me to judge thus are 1 Because of that likeness there is between those followers of the Lamb and these Jewels of the Lord they are not only redeemed from the earth but from among men and these Jewels are pickt from among men too from among the Inhabitants of professing Zion these are the Lords Jewels and they are the first fruits very pretious unto God and unto the Lamb they are without guile and without fault before the throne of God and these Jewels are holy ones every one that is left in Zion shal be called holy they are so gloriously beautiful so suitable to the minde of God that he wil create a defence upon their glory that it may not be lost 2 Because they are contemporaries they both belong to one and the same time these Jewele are made up immediatly before the burning hot day that shal burn up all the wicked leaving them neither root nor branch the Lambs number they are upon Mount Zion singing their new song in that part of time immediatly preceding the downfal of Babilon there is no interval of time between only an Angel preaches the everlasting Gospel to them that dwel on the earth which is but as the herald to the other telling the Inhabitants of the earth the hour of the Lords judgement is come and nothing but repentance and turning to the Lord of Heaven and Earth wil save them from the destroying Angel that follows and is hard at hand leaving them vvithout excuse fit for destruction if they hearken not Malachies burning day hath two parts the former part makes the wicked as stubble fit fuel for the fire the latter part burns them quite up and I yet see no reason why vve may not say that these two Angels answer to the two parts of Malachies burning day the Angel that preaches the everlasting Gospel makes the wicked as stubble ready for the fire by this r Isai 11.4 rod of his mouth he smites the earth and at the s Ch 17.13 rebuke of God the Nations are made as the chaff of the mountain and as a rolling thing stubble before the whirlwind yea by this breath of his lips he t Ch 11 4 slaies the wicked he doth as really slay themsas the following Angel doth with his iron rod with this rod of his month this breath of his lips he smites and slayes their hearts understandings takes avvay their courage strength their consciences flying in their faces their hearts sink and their spirits fail At the v Psal 76.6 rebuke of God both the Chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep x ver 5 the stout he arted that are far from righteousness are spoiled they sleep their sleep and none of the men of might find their hands he shal y Ver. 12. cut off the spirit of Princes and when the Lord hath thus slain them by the sword of his mouth the breath of his lips z Psalm 2. speaking to them in his wrath then wil he break them with his rod of Iron and dash them to peices like a Potters vessel when they are thus made stubble by the rebuke of the Lord then shal they be burnt up root branch these things seriously considered I suppose wil be sufficient to prove the assertion 2 What are they All their dross and all their tin is purely purged and taken away and they are become holiness to the Lord they are holy ones he that is left in Zion and that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy the Fathers name