hatred as we see and find a Remnant do at this day p. 55. The Lord will use and engage his people to act in and perform such a destroying work upon the world as this work of the stone is namely the total commotion and dissolution of the old Heavens and old Earth and all the created powers ruling therein because it is the decree determination promise and appointment of the Father p. 56. The Lord by these figurative expressions holds forth the dissolution of all old things formal Antichristian Church-state Ordinances Worship Discipline and Doctrine all beast-like wordly Governments Institutions Laws politick Constitutions Powers c. In a word the Heavens and the Earth of all the Nations Isai. 5. 30. p. 57. So that Jesus Christ will admit of no competitors but will have the sole legislative power and exercise of the chief Magistracy and be Lord Paramount over the whole Earth and therefore God is engaged to appear with his smiting Stone to make way for this glorious Mountain of peace p. 59. That all the blood of Gods people is found in Babylon For they i. e. her Civil powers Revel 16. 6 7. have shed the blood of the Saints and Prophets Revel 17. 6. ch 18. 24. 19. 1. Jer. 50. 14. now therefore God by way of recompence retaliation hath ordained that the Saints shall be his instruments by which he will execute his vengeance upon the powers of the World who are all of them Murtherers accordingly God commands his people 't is their duty to obey to reward Babylon double as she rewarded them Revel 18. 6. and they shall give her blood to drink p. 62. The call which the stone shall have to act in its smiting work is for the greatest part thereof now pertinent and fitly applicable to a faithful remnant now extant in England and fulfilled in and upon them and also seeing that the signes laid down in the word of God for the time of the end are in a grâ—at measure now fulfilled and accomplished in Englands Remnant therefore we conclude and assert that 't is lawful and warrantable and is a duty incumbent for captivated Sion and oppressed Saints to stand up in Gods name and fear and deliver themselves and that glorious Gospel of the Kingdom now by them declared to the world from persecution oppression and that long Captivity and Bondage which she hath remained in and to break the Yoak of the oppressor which is now upon her Neck according to the word commandment of the Lord. Zach. 2. 7. Isai. 52. 2. We are perswaded that the work of the Stone is the present work of this generation and our present work and do accordingly exhort the Saints to arise to fall upon the enemy p. 63. The Saints in order to this smiting work shall be converted from all the Civil power and Rule of Antichrist and the ten Horned Beast upon which the mystery harlot sitteth p. 65. That it is their duty to withdraw their Hands Hearts Affections Purses and prayers from the Civil power or power of the Beast that they shall quit all their interest and claim in and to the old Heavens and Earth and state of things shall forsake Father Mother c. And shall convert Houses Lands Possessions and Enjoyments commanded to be prudently beat into Swords and Spears into one common stock to be consecrated for the management of this great Affair p. 66. And in such a practise they shall be no loosers Christ will give them an hundred fold even the spoile of all their great and rich Enemies who are his opposers and in the end an eternal Crown The Saints are with Moses to refuse Court Honour and favor and preferment Egyptians wisdom Learning Revenues and great Riches with David to leave their common duties as matters of small value and little concernment in comparison of this noble and worthy imployment to fight against the Philistines so are the Civil powers or common Enemy to the Common-wealth of Israel p. 71 We do profess we cannot be content or satisfied until Christs Kingdom flourish but will in Gods name and strength press forward till we come to the mark which is the state of the true rest so we call that Kingdom and power where the Saints shall cease from all their labours in and with Christ. p. 69. Doth not the Lord call the Saints to arise also unto the prey p. 71. The work of God against Nations Provinces Universities Corporations Cities Townes Kings Rulers chief Captains mighty Men in Church and Common-wealth Enemies of Christ's Kingly Office shall be the lesson of faithful Saints the true way will be discovered and made plain all Rebels and Traitors open and prophane more close pretenders and formally Godly discovered hatred in and among his Saints against those several parts forms powers of Babylon doleful howling and mourning among the Merchants of Babylon who are the great and rich men whose hearts dwell on the Earth p. 75. The Saints must separate not only from the Romish Universal National Provincial and Diocesan Church-state of Babylon and Antichrist together with their Discipline Doctrine Worship and Ceremonies But also and more particularly which is most properly a work precedent to be done by the Saints in order to the smiting work of the Stone from the national and parochial Parish Church State and assemblies forms and classes of this and other Antichristian Nations which we call the Politick and no more than Civil Stratagem and cunning invention of Antichrist to divide unto himself the whole Land for gain whereby all men to the lowest ranck are compelled forcibly to contribute to the maintenance of his false Prophet and so wickedness is established by a Law Again further from those Churches that are select more pure as being seemingly refined which are the gathered in a pastoral way reducing things to primitive practise so far as they are corrupted and adulterated and found opposers of the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ in and over the whole world and more especial in the Administration of this part or dispensation of that Kingdom to wit that of the Stone or War against his Enemies for even in this generation there be a sort of people and those we hope godly that do acknowledge and wait in the expectation of the later yea and hold forth the personal appearance of our Lord as King yet nevertheless oppose and deny and quite leap over this Stone and its work thereby endeavouring to render the Saints useless and uncapable of destroying Babylon which must make â—way and without which we cannot attain to the peaceable and more glorious Administration of this Kingdom by removing those Mountains Hils and powers of darkness which do oppose and hinder it p. 76. And from those humane heathenish and Antichristian wayes means and helps for the attainment whereof men study which they practise in the Schools and Universities of these Nations as things necessary for the Fitting Preparing
the time of the Saints of the most high taking the Kingdom and possessing the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. it is expressed v. 13. to be when one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him which in the New Testament is applied to Christs second coming Matth. 24. 30. and 26. 64. Mark 13. 26. and 14. 62. Luke 21. 27. Revel 1. 7. Acts 1. 11. 1 Thes. 4. 17. which Mr. Mede in his fourth letter to Mr. Hayn proves to be at Christs second coming by the brightness of which shall be the consumption of the man of sin 2 Thes. 2. 8. and at his appearing shall be his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. and then shall the Saints of the most high which overcome sit with him in his Throne even as he also overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne Revel 3. 21. To them he will give power over the Nations to Rule them with a Rod of Iron so that as a potters vessel they shall be broken to shivers even as he received of his Father Revel 2. 26. 27. then the Kingdoms of the world shall be the Lords and his Christs and he shall reign for ever and ever the Lord God Almighty takes to him his great power and reigns and the Nations were angry and his wrath was come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that he should give the reward unto his servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his name small and great and should destroy them which destroy the earth Revel 11. 15. 17 18. And Revel 20. 4. the Thrones are said to be set as Dan. 7. 9. And they sate upon them and judgment was given to them as Dan. 7. 26. then the Dominion or Kingdom given To the Saints who are troubled rest shall be given by God with the Apostles when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Th. 1. 7. The Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall fit in the Throne of his glory ye shall also fit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Matth. 19. 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and fit on Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel Luke 22. 28 29 30. And for the means of obtaining this Kingdom as it is said the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that is human help so it is said in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed Dan. 2. 44 45. which therefore our Lord called the Kingdom of Heaven and gives the reason because his Kingdom was not of this world nor from hence John 18. 36. but from Heaven And where it is said that the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. it is added v. 21 22. I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them until the ancient of daies came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most high and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom v. 26 27. But the judgment shall fit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him The Saints take it not by their getting it but by gift not by conquest but donation Suteably in the new Testament Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Matth. 25. 24. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Out of which passages we may well infer 1. that it is great temerity in the Quinto-Monarchians to be so peremptory as they are in setting down the time of the Saints taking the Kingdom especially if we consider that when our Lord Christ was asked immediately afore his ascension into Heaven Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel He said unto them it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Acts 1. 6 7. wherein he gives us to understand that the times and seasons of restoring the Kingdom to Israel are put by the Father in his own peculiar power and therefore were not to be then known to the Apostles nor to us till by the events shewing the foregoing signs and the special instinct of Gods Spirit was shewed the just period of the mystical numbers in which they are to be fulfilled 2. We may infer that it is very great folly pride and arrogant presumption for a number of Gentile Saints in an Island or Continent to think to smite the fourth Monarchy by Arms which is to be destroyed by the Spirit of the Lords mouth and the brightness of his coming and to take to themselves a Kingdom which God only can give and to set up Christs Kingdom which God makes his prerogative Ps. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Ps. 110. 1 2. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strengh out of Zion Rule thou in the mids of thine enemies and to think to do this by armes a feeble means which is to be done not by might nor by power but by his spirit The monstrous arrogance of this attempt is made the more hainous 1. because when it hath been begun heretofore by any they have found God against them the Lord by his providence dissipating their counsels and frustrating their attempts so as that in fine they have only brought ruin to themselves and occasioned hatred of the wayes of God and a hard hand in civil powers on the innocent Which argument although it do not Universally hold that what succeeds not well in the event pleaseth not God yet is good against these men who have no other ground or warrant to their attempts but the opinion they have of Gods putting it into their heart and assurance of his help this being their own speech Banner displayed p. 89. So that we make our conclusion with Manoahs Wife of old if the Lord were pleased to kill us or suffer our enemies to kill us he would
erroneous Revolters from pure worship true doctrine and true Christian conversation in duties of love and righteousness walk on every side that a small number of Saints in profession should have more enemies against them if they did live by themselves on earth as an entire and independent Common-wealth If in Christs retinue there were a Judas can any company of Saints secure themselves from hypocritical members and their treachery Sure the little flock of Christ is more beholding to Kings and Rulers and Laws and Government though with some rigour and persecution than they are sensible of or thankful for as they should be We have seen how unsuccessful endeavours have been to reform Churches to rectify Governments as we desire how like Tinkers work alterations in them have been that while one hole is stopped two are made how many various forms of Government have been devised whereof one hath opposed the other that while they have been hammering on a new frame all hath fallen to pieces every one likely agreeing about what they would not have few about what they would have And therefore it would be more agreeable to the mind of God for Christians now though under many grievances and pressures to subject themselves peaceably even to hard Rulers and as God admonished the Jews in Babylon to pray for their peace for in their peace they should have peace and to seek the peace of them Jer. 29. 7. till God call them out of Babylon by his providence and not either by flying from them as enemies desert their station wherein by their abiding they might perhaps through their good conversation amend them or by their patience pacify them or by reviling provoke them or by conspiracies or tumults incense them against them much less after the Quinto-Monarchians furious manner take up arms to make themselves a Free-state and Lords of the world The fifth position is that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven which position is deduced out of the former but is false and pernicious For 1. it supposeth that the rights and priviledges in respect of Government were lost in the first Adam which is before proved false 2. That the second Adam or Lord from Heaven hath regained them whereas there is no Text of Scripture that doth mention that this was the end of his coming into the world to get for himself or for his Disciples the actual regiment or government of the Natitions of the world in an outward manner by making and executing Laws about civil affairs nor was this ever claimed by Christ or his Apostles but when he perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed again into a mountain himself alone John 6. 15. and when one of the company said unto him Master speak to my Brother that he divide the inheritance with me he said unto him man who made me a Judge or Divider over you Luke 12. 13. 14. which plainly shews Christs refusal of medling with civil affairs though it were but by speaking for one brother to another yea and his disclaiming any civil office or judicature as not belonging unto him And his whole estate of life and deportment in the daies of his flesh was altogether incongruous to a civil government or rule nor did he ever disturb Herod Pilate the high Priests or Elders of the Jews about their government but only he once drave the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple by special instinct and rode on an Asse into Jerusalem to shew his right as the Son of David and freely reproved the wickedness of the Jewish Rulers and Pharisees yet still requiring those that were healed of leprosy to go to the Priests and shew themselves to them for a testimony to them that he was not against the observance due by the Law to them It is indeed said Rom. 14. 9. That to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living But this cannot be meant in respect of civil government on earth and the rights and priviledges thereof but the spiritual rule he hath over them now and the great dominion he shall have at the universal Judgment when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 10. 11. yea this thing was the very stumbling block of the Pharisees by reason of which they denied his Kingdom and his being the Messiah because he did not take upon him civil rule nor by human forces subdue the Romans as David the Philistines but by invisible power cast out Divels healed diseases rebuked storms and multiplyed loaves and did such other acts and gave such laws as were altogether unsutable to the King and Kingdom which they fancied and expected So that this conceit of Christs regaining the rights and priviledges in respect of Government which was lost in the first Adam meaning the outward visible government of the world in respect of civil affairs is but a Jewish opinion altogether disagreeing with Christian Doctrine It is true that the Apostles minds did oftentimes hanker after it contending sundry times who should be chiefest among them and the two brethren James and John by their Mother asking the two nearest places to Christ in his Kingdom but they were checked by Christ expresly telling them that to sit at his right hand or his left was not his to give but for whom it was prepared of his Father Matth. 20. 23. shewing thereby that in his present state he had no such Kingdom or Throne as they dreamed of nor was to have nor the disposal of such places as they ambitiously sought but told them of their suffering afflictions and to all his Apostles said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you v. 25 26. yea when they would know who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven he called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. 1 2 3 4. declaring plainly that all affecting government and superiority in this world was contrary to his Kingdom and therefore the monstrous ambition of Quinto-Monarchians of getting into their hands the Kingdoms of this world is as contrary to Christianity as bitter to sweet darkness to light or rather indeed Antichristian or Babylonish being under another disguise the same with the Popes claim of Universal Monarchy as Vicar of Christ of having both
swords Spiritual and Temporal therein lifting himself above all that is caled God or is worshipped 2 Thes. 2. 4. It is true that it is said Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things But this inheritance is either as he is the Son of God according to his divine nature or his inheritance at his exaltation into Heaven in that sense in which he is said to be made head over all things to or for the Church Ephes. 1. 22. which is to be understood in respect of that power over Angels and Men so far as concerns their Administation of all things for the welfare of his Church in neither of which are the Saints Heirs with him But in neither of these senses nor in any other sense or place of scripture is he said to be the Heir of the world so as that he should regain the rights and priviledges in respect of civil Government lost in Adam nor where Abraham is promised to be Heir of the world Rem 4. 13. is it meant in respect of the civil Government of the world but as the text shews that he should be Heir of the world that is the blessing of righteousness should be to Jewes and Gentiles throughout the world walking in the steps of his examplary faith whereby they become his seed 3. It asserteth that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven which is a false and a most arrogant presumptuous position For 1. If Christ have not regained it for them then they have not regained them in him But that Christ hath not regained it for them is already proved in overthrowing the second supposition therefore Saints have not regained in Christ the rights and priviledges in respect of Government civil 2. If Government civil were not lost in Adam then it is not regained in Christ but civil Government and natural were not lost in Adam as is before proved in this section therefore they were not regained in Christ. 3. If the rights and priviledges of civil Governments were not regained in Christ to the Apostles then they were not regained in Christ to any Saints For none had more regained for them by Christ than the Apostles nor any of the Saints excelled them if any can shew better charters or patents from Christ for such rights and priviledges then the Apostles let them shew them the holy scripture tells us that God hath set in the Church first Apostles 1 Cor. 13. 28. they are in the foundations Eph. 2. 20 Revel 21. 14. But that the Apostles had not the rights and priviledges in respect of civil Government on earth afore Christ's coming in the Clouds is proved before from Christs words Matth. 20. 25 26. from Rom. 13. 1. where every Soul even an Apostle saith Chrysostome is to be subject to the Higher Powers from St. Paul his acknowledgments and example of subjection from St. Peters precept and example Whence we account the Popes of Rome to have the forehead of and impudent Whore when they claim in St. Peters right the Universal Monarchy of the whole Church and superiority above Emperors and Kings and directly or indirectly in order to spirituals power to dispose of civil Governments to translate the Empire depose Princes give away Kingdoms command Emperors to make an expedition to the holy Land and many more things as if they were his right as successor to St. Peter to whom Christ promised the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven not of earth If this claim be justly as it is judged to be an Antichristian Babylonish usurpation it is by parity of reason More Antichristian and Babylonish for the Quinto-Monarchans to challenge the rights and priviledges in respect of Government to be gained to them under the name of Saints when they can shew no such donation from Christ or any act of acquisition whereby he obtained it for them or any conveyance of it to them or any Saints till Christs appearing The Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel but not till the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his golory Matth. 19. 28. termed his Kingdom Luke 22. 30. The Saints shall Judge the world but not till the time come they shall Judge Angels 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. In the interim their condition is to be humbled under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt them in due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. James 4. 10. 4. If the portion of the Saints which is regained for them by Christ be in spiritual blessings in heavenly things and no where in temporal Dominion in this life then it is false that Saints regained the rights and priviledges in respect of Government in the second Adam or Lord from Heaven but the antecedent is true as appears by the many promises to them which assign spiritual blessings to them as their portion Where the Apostle Paul mentions the blessings given to the faithful in Christ Jesus he saith Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritural blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ and then recites them without mention of any earthly power or preferment In the new covenant set down Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Spiritual grace is promised but not earthly greatness and riches as in the old Where our Lord Christ Matth. 5. assignes blessedness to holy persons he placeth it in other things then the Kingdoms of this world He saith v. 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth but no where the Dominions of the earth The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little or for a little time but godliness is profitable for all things or for every time having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come But how to understand this our Saviour tells us Mark 10. 29 30. There is no man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receive an hundred fold now in this time Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers which cannot be understood in the same kind but in that which is equivalent Children and Lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life We are Heirs with Christ but 't is If so be that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 23 24. But all are not theirs to dispose them or to rule over them they cannot dispose of life or death things to come nor have rule over Paul or Cephas But God doth order and dispose them for their
providence hath cast us under is the overturning dispensation the time of War and beating of Plough-shares into Swords which Christ and the Scriptures speak of that day in which Christ will appear in his stone the stone of Israel against the powers of the world to the end he may be invested in his possessions which is the Kingdom and Dominions and their greatness under the whole Heavens and therefore we conclude that it is an unlawful thing and therefore men ought not to contribute to the upholding and maintaining of those powers which shall be broken by this dispensation left happily they be found fighters against God p. 6. The will of man having been corrupted ever since the fall of man the Lawes that proceed from that will must need be so p. 11. We say the oppressor which makes us to groan is Babylon in her several parts and powers in England Rulers Lawyers Priests and Soldiers for the present Government in England must of necessity be confessed to be either a part of the ten Horns of the ravenous fourth Beast or else that wicked little Horn Dan. 7. Because they are the last evil powers that shall be over the Nations of Europe and therefore we may safely conclude this to be an Assyrian else we must conclude him to be a part of that Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven but that cannot be because he rules by the Lawes of his Predecessors and shall Christ be beholding to Antichrist for Lawes No certainly he is of the fourth and therefore we need not run far to look this oppressor having already found him to be the present Government with its dependents and appurtenances being a piece of that monstrous Beast whom the Dragon i. e. the Devil Revel 20. 2. Assignes Power and Seat and great authority unto who branches himself into so many Monarchical Governments in the Nations of Europe and which men would perswade us to submit to as being lawful and of God but they execute the Laws of Antichrist and rule for him in Tyranny oppression and persecution by politick Laws which they make and for which the Priests and Lawyers plead and mercinary Soldiers and Officers execute p. 12. The persons oppressed we take it are the most spiritual enlightned Saints in these Nations whose spirits and affections are stirred up to follow Christ in the work of the Generation the good interest now contended for whom we call the Generation of publick spirited Saints The administration of Christs visible Kingdom and rule over the Nations is endeavoured to be suppressed in this juncture of time And not only the thing it self is opposed as dangerous and endeavoured by Matchiavil's principle argument and power as heretical as monstrous but the Doctrine and Gospel of that Kingdom and Office of Christ which shall be preached for a witness to all Nations is slighted and rejected by self-interested men and contemned by most p. 13. They have made a Law that those that shall speak against the powers must be Traytors which in effect is to make those Traytors that speak for this Kingdom The conversion of the Gentiles and poor ignorant sinners to the Faith of Christs visible Kingdom is opposed And p. 14 The establishment of Justice and righteousness in the world and therfore with us arise for the lot of our inheritance prepare therefore your victuals your purse and your scrip but especially your sword though you sell your coat for it p. 23. The Parliament as being built upon the old foundation was a part of the beast p. 24. It is clear that the dispensation of the Stone shall begin to smite the power of the Beast or Civil power and that quarrel is begun and taken up and continued chiefly against that power p. 25. Found to be from Hell and not from Heaven p. 27. The glass of the beasts powers being almost run out in these Nations what remains but that the Saints take into their own possession the Kingdom and power which is their birth-right as freemen of the Common-wealth of Israel and Heirs of the whole world with Christ Gal. 3. 29. which the Beast and his powers hath unjustly detained from them some hundreds of years p. 28. That the work of this Stone is a smiting work or a work wherein the Saints imployed shall visibly appear in a military posture for Christ which we call the great combat between Christ and the Kings and Rulers of the world For the Saints shall fall upon or smite that great Image the Feet and Toes thereof and the whole Roman Monarchy as now divided or all those powers whose derivation is from Rome others not excepted nor freed shall be thereby smitten we mean the Kingdoms of the Romish Iron-legs or the Roman Kingdom divided into the Eastern and western Monarchies wherein the whole Dominion Power and Monarchy of the Ottoman Family or that of the Turks is comprehended and the Beasts ten horns or Antichrists civil powers equivalent to the ten toes and also the little Horn together with all powers whatsoever that shall be found opposers of the Lords Kingdom whether they be of the golden Babylonish silver Persian brasen Grecian or Iron Roman Dan. 2. and ch 7. Revel 13. ch 17. So that we comprehend the whole Kingdom of Antichrist in the Civil Ecclesiastical parts thereof made up of Persons and things p. 29. The fifth Kingdom which is Christs with its holy just and righteous Lawes and Officers must arise with destruction to and stand up in place of the 4th Kingdom and the Lawes and Officers thereof p. 30. Because it is the purchase of the blood and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. p. 15. Now then we say that called the Ordinance of God proves the Ordinance of the Devil and though the powers of the great Image might be taken for the Ordinance of God so long as they kept their pure civil and unmixed state so saith Paul the powers that be i. e. the civil powers of old Rome tho a bloody persecutor and devourer of the creation and good heritage are ordained of God yet when the power of Rome adulterated from its pure civil state and becomes a mixt Antichristian state the Beast and a Whore then it is said of that Beastly Antichristian power that the Dragon or Satan gave him his power and Seat and great authority and what then is this save the Ordinance of Hell God hath revealed this by his Spirit from his word unto a little remnant who see the rottenness and hellish foundation of all the Civil powers of the Beast And how great an argument is this also to us that the rise and work of the Stone is near Which is principally against the Civil power p. 52. It is certain that it is a duty in Saints to hate Gods Enemies yea and more particularly to hate the Civil or Beast-like power because it is that which upholds the great Whore and is a fighter against Christs Kingly office even with a perfect
few mens hands to beggar the whole these take towls and customs of their brethren p. 14. Why may not the Soldiers pull the Judges out of Westminster Hall and take all their rusty Records Laws c. And make a fire on them That so we may have honest godly Laws according to the Scriptures and reason In the preface to the 8 last Sermons of Mr. Tillinghast who was much for the Fifth-Monarchy are these words Let none take offence at this language for I cannot forbear vilifying the Kingdoms of the fourth Beast when my thoughts are upon the magnifying of the Kingdom power and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. And if the Virgin daughter of Sion without any disparagement to her holy modesty might of old be allowed by God himself to dispise the great King of Assyria and to laugh him to scorn I know no reason to the contrary but one of the Lambs followers may without breach of rule in an holy triumph of faith express contempt of the Kings of the Earth who are all of them the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abomination of the Earth In the first Sermon p. 2. Of the third edition 1659. Mr. Tillinghast saith Davids Kingdom was a type of Christs Kingdom and indeed whereas this Kingdom here Jerem. 33. 20 21. Promised is shadowed forth by that of David it doth hold thus much that the Kingdom is not only a spiritual Kingdom but an outward visible Kingdom for such a throne and Kingdom Davids was p. 14. Yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to break his head therefore there is such a Kingdom wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world p. 39. The Devil plays his game thus in the new Testament times he made men to look for an outward Kingdom only when Christ was about to set up a spiritual Kingdom now that Christ would set up an outward Kingdom saith the Devil look only to the spiritual Kingdom p. 41. Gods Peoples faith is not grounded on fancies but they see and know that God is doing some glorious thing in the world he is overturning Kingdoms and setting up the Kingdom of his Son Serm. 3. p. 57. He conceives The work of Christs visible Kingdom over the world the work of the present time one great article of our faith the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from Heaven to attend to that they are to expect it before Christ come forth bring his Kingdom with him p. 60 61. He distinguisheth in Christs visible Kingdom between the Kingdom of the Stone and of the Mountain this he calls the Kingdom of glory wherein the Saints shall not work but receive that the working Kingdom of the Saints wherein Saints are by the Lord imployed to do some notable service against his coming which is the breaking down the great Image the bringing down all his enemies that when he comes he may find them his footstool for he is to fit at the Fathers right hand until all his enemies be made his footstool it 's a Kingdom wherein Plow-shaers are to be beaten into Swords there shall be wonderful use of Swords Weapons of War out of Daniel 12. 12 13. He gathers the beginning of each of these p. 62. Truly I look upon it as being a main and principal part of that faith once delivered to the Saints as touching the fifth Kingdom p. 63. Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first coming p. 65. Now if it can be made appear that that with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin the work of the great Image the over-turning the Thrones of the Kings is to be performed by the Saints as chief instruments in the management of it then it follows of necessity there must be such a thing as the Civil and Military power to be in the hands of the Saints and that before the day of Christs appearance they must have this power in their hands for the performance of that work and if so then it 's not evil for the Saints and People of God to seek for it to pray for it to plead for it for it 's to come into their hands for the doing of their work before the day of Christs appearance And then endeavours to prove that this work with which the fifth Kingdom doth begin is a work to be performed by Saints as the chief and principal instruments in the doing of it p. 74. There 's the coming forth of Christ when his enemies by his Saints are made his footstool p. 79. He gives some figues that this work is near at hand and p. 82. He makes this to be a general sign that never was there a principle that did run so much among the Churches of Christ as this hath done within these twelve months I have set down the words of those persons that I shall oppose in their positions that I may not be thought to impose upon them Out of them it is manifest that they assert that all the powers not only Ecclesiastical but also Civil and Military of the Nations even the Protestant as well as the Turkish and Romish Kingdoms are Antichristian and all their Laws Officers Schools Corporations Titles Priviledges Degrees and ranks of men in their politick and military as well as Ecclesiastical state Babylonish from the fourth Monarchy that those that they call publick spirited Saints of this age distinct from Notional professors and formally Godly are to hate separate from them deny any assistance to them rise up against them to destroy them utterly to smite them in order to the setting up a fifth Monarchy of Christ's visible Kingdom on earth that the Saints may be a free Common-wealth of themselves subject to no Laws but Christ's and free from all oppressions of men § 3. The Doctrine of smiting Powers is proved from Scripture Precepts to be Wicked THis Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian as is proved by these Arguments following whereof the first is taken from those Precepts of the New Testament and the Old which forbid such disobedience vilifying refusing assistance smiting of Powers over us Dignities Officers but command Honour Obedience Assistance Fear to Powers Dignities and their Laws and may be thus formed That Doctrine is damnable and Antichristian which commendeth and urgeth Practises and Actions contrary to the Precepts of Christ his holy Apostles and other holy men in the holy Scriptures This Proposition is of it self manifest unlesse that be not acknowledged damnable which is condemned by so holy persons nor Antichristian in a large sense which is flatly opposite to Christ's and his holy
are being built or erected upon the old foundation of the fourth Monarchy in this supposed mixt estate but they are warranted and bound as being the Stone expressed Dan. 2. 34 44 45. to smite destroy utterly dissolve the powers of the fourth Monarchy which they conceive to be all the present in their persons Offices Laws Titles priviledges and whole constitution and to take to themselves all the power and dominion in the earth in order to the erecting of the Fifth-Monarchy which they call Christs visible Kingdom upon earth Now surely such a monstrous giant-like claim as this exceeding any of the proud claims of Nebuchadnezzar or any of the Persian Roman Turkish Monarchs had need of very good cards for it some unquestionable Charter or grant of Heaven especially when it so flatly opposeth such plain precepts as I have alledged to the contrary which unless they be proved to be relaxed or repealed by a Divine sentence testified by some infallible evidence of miracles or otherwise such as Christ and his Apostles had do prove that this claim and the Doctrine that teacheth such practises as they incite men to is from the Devil himself who is the great Abaddon or destroyer of the World Sure Christ when he bid his Disciples teach men to observe all that he had commanded promising to be with them all daies unto the end of the world Matth. 28. 20. And S. Paul when he thus wroâ—â— to Timothy 1 Epist. ch 6. 13 14. I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilate witnâ—ssed the good confession that thou keep this Commandment whereof Prayer and thanksgiving for Kings and all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Obedience to Masters 1 Tim. 6. 1. are a part without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ did conceive their commands to be binding until Christs second coming And sith he only hath power to repeal release dispense with a Law who hath a power either legislative or declarative of Law superiour or equal to his who gave or at first Authoritatively declared it it can be no less than Pope-like or Dictator-like arrogance in some persons upon pretence of a peculiar Revelation to them no way demonstrated but in an obscure claucular meeting for consultation imagined to be communicated to them determin that which St. Paul said was the ordinance of God to be the ordinance of Hell because they say it and to exceed the Pharisees in arrogance whom our Saviour chargeth with hypecrisie for making the commandment of God of none effect by their tradition though it were the tradition of their Elders or chief Rabbins or Doctors Matth. 15. 6 7. This bidding defiance to all the Powers of the Earth and this taking on them to make void so plain Precepts of Christ and his Apostles without any other proof than they bring is in my apprehension one of the greatest pieces of pride and arrogancy that I have met with and as great a delusion as I think this age hath afforded § 5. Suppositions implyed in the Quinto-Monarchians exceptions are shewed to be uncertain as those about the Stone it's smiting Dan. 2. 34. 44. NEvertheless let us examine what they say of which some things are supposed some things are inferred The things supposed and inferred are these 1. That the fourth Kingdom mentioned Dan. 2. and 7. Is the Roman Empire which I will not deny though there be not a few very learned men that take the fourth Monarchy to be the Empire of the successors of Alexander the great and that upon such reasons as might make sober men not too peremptory in the contrary opinion much less to make the future smiting of it an article of faith and the visible Kingdom of Christ to succeed it 2. That the Kingdom mentioned to be set up Dan. 2. 44. shall be an external visible Kingdom on earth which is yet more doubtful being more controverted among godly learned men and that upon such weighty considerations on both sides as may make considerate men if not to suspend their judgement yet not too resolutely to assert it nor obtrude it with such zeal as the Quinto-Monarchians do as an article of faith and build such mighty attempts commotions in the world and hopes on so uncertain a foundation 3. That In the daies of these Kings must be meant at the end of the fourth Monarchy when all the materials of the Image shall be broken in pieces and scattered so as no place was found for them Whereas it is far more probable that it was set up when Christ began to Preach the Gospel as John Baptist and our Lord intimated when he invited men to repent and believe the Gospel for the Kingdom Heaven was at hand very likely alluding to those places in Daniel ch 2. 44. In their daies the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven to distinguish it from the Kingdoms of men set up by them not by the God of Heaven whereto the like is Dan. 7. 14. And seems to be referred to the spiritual Kingdom of Christ which the Saints of the most High do take as the Author to the Hebrews ch 12. 28. saith Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken let us have or hold fast grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear which no man doubts to be meant of the receiving the Kingdom of Christ by faith in him upon the Preaching of the Gospel 4. There is a distinction made between the Kingdom of the Stone and the Kingdom of the Mountain as if they were either several Kingdoms or at least of several conditions and qualifications whereas the text doth distinguish them no otherwise than in their extent not one spiritual the other visible external the one the working Kingdom the other the Kingdom of glory 5. That the Stone which must do the smiting and breaking work is not Christ personal only but also Christ mystical with his members or to use the words of Mr. Tillinghast Though this Stone fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical Christ in his Members But sure in this they are mistaken this work being made in scripture Christs own peculiar work Matth. 21. 42 43 44. Jesus saith unto them did ye never read in the scriptures the Stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the Corner This is the Lords doing and it is Marvellous in our eyes Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder or dash him to pieces In which passage it is apparent that by the
in ordine ad spiritualia as they spake they might dispose of their Kingdoms as the Vicars of Christ and visible Monarchs of the Universal Church Which things these Fifth-Monarchy-Men count Antichristian and therefore their teaching and doing the like upon pretence of setting up of Christs Kingdom on earth is by parity of reason there being not better proof for the one than for the other damnable and Antichristian § 13. The smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians is grounded on falsities or uncertainties concerning the agents means and time of smiting mentioned Dan 2. 34. 44 45. HItherto I have prosecuted those arguments against the Quinto-Monarchians doctrine and practise which shew it to be damnable and Antichristian in respect of the act it self of smiting civil powers I shall add further more arguments against them shewing the falsity and uncertainty of those grounds and principles on which their determinations concerning separation from smiting of civil powers rest The first whereof is that afore the Fifth-Monarchy be set up and in order thereto afore Christs coming all civil powers that are now extant as part of the fourth Monarchy are to be disannulled Which hath no foundation but in their own fancy or hatred of the civil powers as withstanding their design For it is said Revel 17. 16 17. That the Kings which formerly supported Babylon shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will and to agree and give their Kingdom unto the Beast until the words of God be fulfilled and Revel 18. 9. It is said That the Kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall be wail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her burning which shewes that Kings even those that have joyned with Babylon shall remain after her fall yea and some Kings shall be the instruments of her destruction And the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 24. tells us Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power Which words plainly intimate that afore the end when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father all Rule and Authority and Power shall not be put down Which may be also gathered from Revel 11. 15. where it is said And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever which is said v. 18. To be the time of the dead that they should be judged and therefore till that time there shall be the Kingdoms of this world and consequently civil powers A second is That civil powers are to be dissolved by men Whereas this is still asserted in Scripture as Gods prerogative that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will Dan. 4. 25. 32. 34 35. and 5. 21. And even in the business of the fourth Monarchy the stone that is said to smite the image upon his feet is said to be cut out of the mountain without hands Dan. 2. 34. 45. which is more likely to be meant of Christ who was cut without hands out of the mountain that is without natural generation as other men whether by the Mountain be meant Eternity or Heaven or the Roman Empire or the Universe of human kind as I conceive then of any other man or men And if it be meant of the Kingdom as v. 44. doth expound it that it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms it must be meant in respect of Christ the King whose dominion is set up by the God of Heaven and not by men and therefore take it any way agreeable to the Text the stones breaking in pieces and consuming all the Kingdoms must not be expounded of Subjects now calling themselves Saints destroying civil powers to which they are subject A third is That men shall dissolve civil powers by fighting with swords which is very false For the stone that smote the Image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth which if it be understood of Christs spiritual Kingdom it smote the Image by preaching the Gospel by which the power of the Idols who ruled in those Kingdoms was cast down and by it the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth if it be meant of smiting hereafter it is to be as 2 Thes. 2. 8. it is said that wicked one the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming or if it be meant of the Saints as Mr. Thomas Parker conceives they are thus cut out by professed separation and victorious exemption without hands that is by the only power and finger of Almighty God as it is interpretted Dan. 2. v. 44 45. Thus saith he in his Exposition of that Vision they began to be cut out anno 1160 in the Waldenses and continue so unto this day And the extraordinary hand of God was seen therein as the strange arising growth prevailing of them doth manifestly declare But their absolute cutting out an exemption from the power of Antichrist is that which is to be expected at the term of the slaughter of the two Prophets when their rising by the power alone of God Almighty without the help of man is thus described Revel 11. 11. And after three daies and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them that saw them they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies beheld them And the same hour was there a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the Earth-quake were slain of men or names of men as in the Greek expounded by Mr. Mede men of name seven thousand presently after which it followes The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ. Now be the Earth-quake as Mr. Mede thinks a great commotion of the Nations and alteration of Politique Affairs or some thing else it is caused by Gods power either without man or only by the witnesses and their testimony and if the falling and slaughter thereby be in whole or in part the smiting of the Stone Dan. 2. 34. 44 45. as it is probable it is not by fighting sure not by such as overthrowes civil powers for they shall be altered and be instrumental to destroy Babylon Revel 17. 16 17. And therefore this which is the hinge on which the smiting work of Quinto-Monarchians turns being very uncertain or rather very false all their inferences thereupon must of necessity be groundless and unwarrantable A fourth is that the smiting work ascribed to the Stone shall be
the Prophets not to be of this world that is an earthly Kingdom but a heavenly which is opposed to that which is of this world John 8. 23. The same thing might be gathered from the speeches of Christ John Baptist and the Apostles in many places especially the parables of Christ which shew that by the Kingdom of God or of Heaven is meant that dominion Christ hath over his Church by his Word and Spirit which being the same with the Stone Dan. 2. 44. 45. it follows that it began in Christs daies on earth and that the smiting and filling the whole earth by the stone was effected by the preaching of the Gospel which prevails against the power of darkness and brings into the Kingdom of the Son of Gods love Col. 1. 13. which I say not to exclude the Kingdom of Christ by such external discipline or rule as is meant 1 Cor. 4. 20. when the Apostle saith For the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power but to shew what kind of Kingdom is meant Dan. 2. 44. 45. by the stone which I may truly say is become a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to the Quinto-Monarchians instead of the corner stâ—ne of the Kingdom of Christ on which they might be built to salvation 2. I add that Christ doth smite his enemies by the material sword and by war and that there is such an external dispensation of it in respect of which some passages which in the new Testament speak of the coming of his Kingdom in power are to be understood as when he miserably destroyed those wicked men which slew the Son of God and cast him out of the Vineyard which is expressed by the stones grinding to powder or dashing to pieces Matth. 21. 41. 44. which to be meant of the Jews and their destruction by the Romans appears from Luke 20. 16. 18 19. Matth. 21. 45. The like is to be said of Christs Kingdom in destroying the persecuting Emperors and Roman Empire by the sword of their own Soldiers and chiefly by Constantine the great his victories over Maxentius and Licinius to whose time that is applyed by Mr. Mede which we read Revel 12. 10 11. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven now is come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. And the like is to be conceived at the making the whore desolate Rev. 17. 16. it is not denied that this shall be by war but none of these wars were or are to be managed by Saints as Saints OF private persons subjects to other Lords The Saints overcame the Dragon Rev. 12. 11. not by war but by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death It is said Rev. 17. 14. that the ten Kings shall make war with the Lamb which is most likely to be meant of their persecuting the Lamb's followers unto the death and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and therefore hath all power in his hands of Angels and men to execute his purpose and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful as appears by their adhering to the Lamb unto the death Rev. 2. 10. by which they are Conquerors and are crowned no where are they said to overcome by fighting with the sword As for the rewarding double by Gods people to Babylon Rev. 18. 6. it is answered before Sect. 9. 3. The description made of the external dispensation of the Kingdom in peace may be allowed But then it will not agree to the thousand years reign mentioned Rev. 20. 6. For in that time there shall not be such a reign over the whole world as that there shall be no enemies nor sin if so how should Satan when he is loosed out of Prison at the expiration of the thousand years deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea and they go up on the breadth of the earth and compass the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City and then fire comes down from God out of Heaven and devours them Rev. 20. 7 8 9 Sure these things shew that in the thousand years reign the Kingdom of Christ shall not be so universal and entire but that in the four quarters of the earth the Indians in the East the Tarters in the North the Americans in the West and the Moors in the South shall remain a wicked people and at last be raised up by the Divel to destroy the people of God which it is likely shall have a reign on the earth a thousand years when the Jews shall be converted and the Turkish tyranny and Papal cruelty and delusions shall cease by such waies as divine providence shall order and then by divine vengeance from Heaven shall be destroyed But for the external dispensation of the Kingdom of God in peace as they describe it it can agree to no time but the universal resurrection and last judgment in which alone is nothing mortal no sin which follows after the thousand years reign and Gogs and Magogs destruction Rev. 20. 11 12 13 14 15. 3. The Quinto-Monarchians suppose That towards the end of the fourth Monarchy the stone that is Christ in the Gentile Saints shall smite the Iron legs toes of the Roman Empire then begin the fifth Monarchy which after the smiting of them the Saints shall take and so be universal Monarchs or have the universal Kingdom which shall stand for ever Now they are quite mistaken in the time and means of the stones smiting and the Saints taking the Kingdom For the smiting was to begin as Mr. Mede observes in his Discourse on Mark. 1. 14 15. In the daies of Christ on earth when the fourth Monarchy was at the heighth not in its declining For the stone that is the fifth Kingdom was begun in the daies of these Kings that is the last of them not after them and that our Saviour plainly declares when after that John was put in Prison he came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel In which words our Saviour declaring the time to be fulfilled and the Kingdom of God to be approaching plainly shewes that then was the time of which Daniel said ch 2. 44. And in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people it shall not have any successor but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever it shall be unshaken though the Earth and the Heavens be once more shaken Heb. 12. 26 27 28. And for
Dominion is meant of the Saints For 1. it may be read as Junius reads it impersonally auferetur it shall be taken away not they shall take away 2. Nor is it likely that this should be attributed to the Gentile or Jewish Saints 1. Because it is an act beyond the power of Saints to take away the Dominion to consume and to destroy it to the end it being the same with the slaying of the Beast the destroying of his body and giving it to the burning flame v. 11 which is to be conceived to be done by the fiery stream which issued and came forth from before the Ancient of daies v. 10. and therefore by the immediate hand of God or his mighty Angels And in all likelihood it is then when he shall put down all Rule and all Authority and Power 1 Cor. 15. 24. which is made the act of God the Father v. 28. 2. This is confirmed because it is said But the judgment shall sit and they shall take his dominion away Now the sitting of the judgment was when the books were opened the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of daies did sit v. 9 10. which the comparing it with Revel 20. 12. doth evince to be at the last Judgment 3. This is also further proved in that the dominion given to the Son of Man after the destruction of the fourth Beast is said to be v. 13. 14. when one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of daies and they brought him near before him which is to be understood as Mr. Mede proves in his Answer to Mr. Hayne and then the taking away shall be by Christ of the time when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thess. 1. 7 8. and shall consume the wicked one with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming 2 Thess. 2. 8. which is a work beyond the power of Saints with bodily weapons or any might of theirs to effect 4. Where it is said Dan. 7. 27. that the people of the Saints of the most high shall have the Kingdom it is said it shall be given them not they shall acquire it or take it by their forcible or any other acting And therefore it is a most vain conceit that this thing is to be done by the Saints endeavour or that they are to fulfil the word of God or to imagine the word of God could not be fulfilled without them or they could be instrumental in this great work or that their act of separation from civil powers were necessary to it or it or their smiting work did render them in any measure ready for that which follows There are other uncertainties concerning the Saints whether they be not peculiarly the Jewish people or the Kingdom taken the spiritual Kingdom of Christ which the Hebrew Christians received Heb. 12. 28. of which I have spoken somwhat before and now omit that which I have said being sufficient to shew the futility of this fourth Reason 5. Their fifth Reason is as vain as the former yet because it is the Engine whereby perhaps well-meaning and tender consciences are frighted or drawn into their way it is necessary to be considered Because say they there are dreadful judgements pronounced in particular against those that shall be found owning submitting unto and supporting of the Civil Power in the daies of the Lords more glorious manifestation of himself and when he gives notice warning to all of those judgments which then he is about to bring upon his enemies by his Instrument proclaims the overthrow and down-fall of Babylon Rev. 14. 6 7 8 9 10. If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God c. and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone which is the plague and pains of Hell Now we apprehend that this Scripture will be fulfilled upon those who shall be found worshippers of the Beast c. in the last ages of the world and not long before our King begin to take the power For mark it upon the rise of the first Beast Rev. 13. 1 2. with seven heads and ten horns ten Crowns c. all the world wondred after the Beast v. 3. or as in v. 8. all that dwell upon the earth whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life worship the Dragon and the Beast v. 4. Hitherto there 's no mention of Image and Mark but upon the rise of the second beast that comes out of the earth and has two horns like a Lamb c. v. 11. the case is changed and grows more difficult and dangerous for he doth not only v. 12. cause the earthlings to worship the first beast but in processe of time after he hath deceived them by his great wonders and miracles he makes them that dwell on the earth make an Image to the first Beast into which he infuses life and causes all that will not worship that Image to be killed proceeding further also he causes all small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a mark in their right hand or forehead and no man is permitted to buy or sell save he that has the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name v. 13 14 15 16. Now by this time we are come somewhat near the end of his reign and the beginning of Christs Kingdom Now then we observe from hence 1. That the image mark name and number of the Beast are of a later date than the first Beast and his ten horns and so consequently men in former ages and generations might have worshipped the beast and yet not his Image nor receive his mark c. 2. By how much the nearer his end is by so much the more dangerous it is to worship him c. 3. That those who in the last daies near unto Christs coming shall have all these marks denotations and characters found upon them that is to say those that worship the beasts and mark the emphasis of the words his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or right hand shall drink the wine of Gods wrath and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone so that we conceive 't is the duty of Saints to consider these things and to separate from the beast his image mark number c. and to have no relation affection subjection to the beast and civil power or any of its appertainers though they lose their lives for it And then adds encouragements to adventure the losse of life rather than incur the danger of Gods wrath with assurance of glory to such as in doing that which they make the Saints duty lose their lives which is a device too like that of the Jesuites when they animate their Assassins to Regicide by promise
Champney the validity of their succession by the ancient Canons which the Papists allow nor are the Ministers ordained by the Bishops Priests to offer sacrifice for the quick and dead as Popish Priests nor hath the Common prayer Book the Sacrifice properly so called the adoration of the host invocation of Saints and other rites which make the Masse abominable nor is the Church of England made national as subject to the Pope or communicating with the Roman Church in the Trent doctrine and therefore are not chargeable with the Antichristian forms Church state and worship of Babylon nor the civil powers which require conformity thereto to be judged to compel mens persons to Antichristianism But perhaps we shall find Mr. Tillinghast arguing to better purpose That which I meet with as tending to the justifying of the Quinto-Monarchians way is in the 3. of the 8. sermons published since his death p. 57. of the 3. edition in which he tels his auditors that he did conceive it to be one great article of his and their faith that the work that God doth call his Children to at this day and he calls upon them from Heaven to attend to had been the work of Christs visible Kingdom over the world which he takes for granted nor in that do I at present oppose him though I do not assert such a visible Kingdom as he believes nor do I gainsay his distinction p. 59. Of two parts of Christs Kingdom one of the Stone the other of the Mountain used before by Mr. Mede but deny that in the Kingdom of the Stone the Saints are imployed in a glorious work for Christ to pluck down all that Jesus Christ when he comes may have his enemies his footstool and that the command is beat your Plow-shares into Swords intimating that in the time of this Kingdom there shall be wonderful use of Swords Weapons of War p. 60. But that which I oppose is his speech p. 63. And though this Stone Dan. 2. 34. fundamentally is Christ himself yet considered as smiting the great Image it can be no other but Christ mystical in his members and the cutting out of this Stone cannot be meant as some would have it of Christs first coming for these reasons first because the Kingdom of the Stone it doth arise in the dayes of the ten Antichristian Kings And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom What Kings are these These Kings are not the Four Monarchies for the Kingdom of God was not set up in the time of those Monarchies but in the fourth and last only and here is spoken of Kings in the plural Number those Kings therefore are the ten Antichristian Kings which are set forth by ten toes where the work begins and the first stroak is struck and are called the ten Horns in another place and in Dan. 7. Those ten Horns are interpreted ten Kings and in the time of those Kings the Stone is cut out they are the ten Antichristian Kings and if so the Stone cannot be so early cut out as the birth of Christ for that was long before the ten Antichristian Kings had being or existence in the world therefore the Kingdom of the stone must be cut out later Answ These Kings cannot be meant of any other than the Kings and Kingdoms which the Kingdom of the Stone shall break in pieces which are v. 45. the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold and not the toes only and therefore must be meant of the four Monarchies and not only of the ten Antichristian Kings And in the days must be understood Synecdochically one of them as when Jephthab is said Judg. 12. to be buried in the Cities of Gilead that is in one of them Jonah was gon down into the sides of the Ship Jonah 1. 5. that is one of the sides and of which Mr. Mede in his answer to Mr. Hayn hath given more instances and proved it to be meant of the last of those Kings which he determines to be the Roman against Mr. Haynes holding it to be the Kings of Alexanders Successors and that it must needs be referred to Christs incarnation or preaching which he shewes in his exercitation on Mark 1. 15. to have been by Christ himself signifyed when he said the time is fulfilled that is the time foretold Dan. 2. 44. And the Kingdom of God is at hand which the God of Heaven will set up The plural Number notes not the ten Horns for these Kings can be meant of no other than the four Monarchies or Kings which are mentioned in the plural Number not because the Kingdom was set up in all their dayes but in the dayes of the last into which the power of the rest came and by smiting of it they were all broken to pieces Secondly Saith he Because Daniel doth not see the Stone to smite until such time as he had a view and representation of the great Image in all the parts of it before him He saw it all come forth and exist in its state before the Stone smites therefore I conclude that the cutting out of the Stone was not until every part of it was come forth and was in being in the world But if so be we conceive the cutting out of the Stone to be as high as Christs coming then was the Stone cut out long before the last part of the great Image the Iron and the Clay was in being and if the Stone was cut out so long before then did the Stone lye still and not do its work for many hundred years for the very first stroke the Stone strikes is upon the feet of Iron and Clay which it could not do before they were in being Answ If the argument be good from the seeing together of all the parts of the Image to the coexistence of the things represented then all the four Monarchies should exist together because they were represented and viewed together which is absurd 'T is true the Stone was not cut out till all the Monarchies were in being yet it was cut out afore every state of the last Monarchy was in being The Stone is said to smite the Image in the feet not because it began not to smite till the last state and period of the fourth-Monarchy But because the former Monarchies were brought under the power of the fourth and rested upon the fourth as the head and other parts of the body do upon the feet and so by smiting it the Whore is cast down If this reason were good Christs Kingdom should not begin till every part or state of the fourth-Monarchy were existent and then the Saints should not begin to smite till the existence of the last of the ten Kings which is unknown to them and then he could not conclude it must be the work of this generation Thirdly saith he because Daniels smiting stone that he speaks of in the 2. ch and his Ancient of daies siting that