Heavens are the Angels their blessed Inhabitants both shaken or stricken with amazement upon the nativity of Christ and preaching of the Gospel The heavens were shaken when so great things were accomplished as that the Angels themselves desired to look intt hem 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Earth was filled with amazement when the holy Ghost being powred out upon the Apostles for the preaching of the Gospel men of every Nation under Heaven were amazed and marvelled at it Act. 2. 5 6 7. Thus Roâ—locus Piscator and sundry other famous Divines But 1. The shaking here intimated by the Apostle was then when he wrote under the Promise not actually accomplished as were the things by them recounted for the holds it forth as an issue of that great Power of Christ which he would one day exercise for the further establishment of his kingdom 2. This that now is to be done must excell that which formerly was done at the giving of the Law as is clearly intimated in the inference Then he shoâ—k the Earth but now the Heavens also it is a gradation to an higher demonstration of the power of Christ which that the things of this interpretation are is not apparent 3. It is marvellous these learned men observed not that the Heavens and Earth shaken v. 26. are the things to be removed ver. 27. Now how are Angels and men removed by Christ Are they not rather gathered up into one spirituall body and communion Hence ver 27. they interpret the shaken things to be Judaicâ—ll Ceremonies which v. 26. they had said to be men and Angels 2. Others by heaven and earth understand the materiall parts of the worlds fabrick commonly so called and by their shaking those portentous signes and prodigies with Earthquakes which appeared in them at the birth and death of the Lord Jesus A new Star preternaturall darknesse shaking of the Earth opening of graves renting of Rocks and the like are to them this shaking of Heaven and Earth So Junius and after him most of ours But this Interpretation is obnoxious to the same Exceptions with the former and also others for 1. These things being past before how can they be held out under a Promise 2. How are these shaken things removed which with their shaking they must certainly be as in my Text 3. This shaking of Heaven and Earth is ascribed to the power of Christ as Mediator whereunto these signes and prodigies cannot rationally be assigned but rather to the soveraignty of the Father beaâ—ing witnesse to the Nativity and death of his Son so that neither can this conception be fastned on the words 3. The fabrick of Heaven and Earth is by others also intended not in respect of the signes and prodigies formerly wrought in them but of that dissolution or as they suppose Alteration which they shall receive at the last day So Paraeus Grotius many more Now though these avoid the Rock of holding out as accomplished what is onely promised yet this Glosse also is a dresse disfiguring the minde of God in the Text For 1. The things here said to be shaken do stand in a plain opposition to the things that cannot be shaken nor removed and therefore they are to be removed that these may be brought in Now the things to be brought in are the things of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus what opposition I pray do the materiall fabrick of Heaven and Earth stand in to the kingdom of the Lord Jesus doubtlesse none at all being the proper seat of that kingdom 2. There will on this ground be no bringing in of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus untill indeed that kingdom in the sense here insisted on is to cease that is after the day of judgement when the kingdom of Grace shall have place no more Those are the most materiall and likely mistakes about the words I could easily give out and pluck in again 3. or 4. other warping senses but I hope few in these dayes of accomplishing will once stumble at them The true minde of the Spirit by the help of that Spirit of truth comes next to be unfolded And first what are the things that are shaken 1. As the Apostle here applyes a part of the Prophesie of Haggai so that Prophesie even in the next words gives light into the meaning of the Apostle Look what Heaven and Earth the Prophet speaks of of those and no other speaks the Apostle The Spirit of God in the Scripture is his own best interpreter See then the order of the words as they lye in the Prophet Hagg. 2. 6 7. I will shake heaven and earth I will shake all Nations God then shakes Heaven and Earth when he shakes all Nations that is he shakes the Heaven and Earth of the Nations I will shake Heaven and Earth and I will shake all Nations is a Pleonasme for I will shake the Heaven and Earth of all Nations These are the things shaken in my Text The Heavens of the Nations what are they even their Politicall heights and glory those Forms of Government which they have framed for themselves and their own interest with the grandeur and lustre of their Dominions The Nations Earth is the multitudes of their people their strength and power whereby their Heavens or politicall heights are supported It is then neither the materiall Heavens and Earth nor yet Mosaicall Ordinances but the Politicall Heights and splendour the popular multitudes and strength of the Nations of the Earth that are thus to be shaken as shall be proved That the Earth in propheticall descriptions or predictions of things is frequently yea almost alwayes taken for the people and multitudes of the Earth needs not much proving One or two instances shall suffice Revel. 12. 16. The Earth helped the woman against the stood of the Dragon which that it was the multitudes of earthly people none doubts That an Earthquake or shaking of the Earth are popular commotions is no lesse evident from Revel. 11. 13. where by an Earthquake great Babylon receives a fatall blowe And for the Heavens whether they be the Politicall heights of the Nations or the grandeur of Potentates let the Scripture be judge I mean when used in this sense of shaking or establishment Isa. 51. 15 16. I am the Lord thy God who divided the Sea whose waves roared the Lord of hosts is his name And I have put my words in thy mouth and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people By a repetition of what he hath done he establisheth his people in expectation of what 1. he will do And first he minds them of that wonderfull deliverance from an Army behind them and an Ocean before them by his miraculous preparing dry paths for them in the deep I am the Lord who divided the Sea whose waves
roared 2. Of his gracious acquainting them with his minde his Law and ordinances at Horeb I have put saith he my words in thy mouth 3. Of that favourable and singular protection afforded them in the wildernesse when they were encompassed with enemies round about I covered thee in the shadow of mine hand Now to what end was all this why saith he that I might plant the Heavens and lay the foundation of the Earth What! of these materiall visible Heavens and Earth 2460 yeers before at least were they planted and established it is all but making of Zion a people which before was scattered in distinct families And how is this done why the Heavens are planted or a glorious frame of Government and Politie is erected amongst them and the multitudes of their people are disposed into an orderly commonwealth to be a firm foundation and bottome for the Government amongst them This is the Heavens and Earth of the Nations which is to be shaken in my Text Isa. 34. 4. All the host of heavens shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the vine Now these dissolved rolled Heavens are no other but the power and heights of the opposing Nations their government and tyranny especially that of Idumea as both the fore-going and following verses do declare The indignation of the Lord saith he is upon the Nations and his fury upon their Armies he hath delivered them to the slaughter their slain c. Jerem. 4. 23 24 25. I beheld the earth and lo it was without form and void and the heavens and they had no light I beheld the mountains and lo they trembled and all the hils moved lightly Here 's Heaven and Earth shaken and all in the rasing of the Politicall State and Common-wealth of the Jews by the Babylonians as is at large described in the verses following Ezek. 32. 7. I will cover the heaven and make the stars thereof dark I will cover the Sun with a cloud and the Moon shall not give her light And all the bright lights of Heaven will I make dark over thee and set darknesse upon thy land saith the Lord God behold Heaven and Earth Sun Moon and stars all shaken and confounded in the destruction of Egypt the thing the Prophet treats of their Kingdome and Nation being to be ruined Not to hold you too long upon what is so plain and evident you may take it for a rule that in the denuntiations of the judgements of God through all the Prophets Heavens Sun Moon stars and the like appearing beauties and glories of the aspectable Heavens are taken for Governments Governors Dominions in politicall States as Isa. 14. 12 13 14 15. Jer. 15. 9. Chap. 51. 25. Furthermore to confirm this Exposition St. John in the Revelation holds constantly to the same manner of expression Heaven and Earth in the book are commonly those which we have described In particular this is eminently apparent Chap. 6. 12 13 14 15 ver And I beheld and when he had opened the sixth seal there was a great earthquake and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the Moon became as blood And the stars of Heaven fell unto the Earth And the Heaven departed as a scrowl when it is rolled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places c. The destruction and wasting of the Pagan Romish State the plagues and commotions of her people the dethroning her Idoll-worship and destruction of persecuting Emperors and Captains with the transition of Power and Soveraignty from one sort to another is here held out under this grandour of words being part of the shaking of Heaven and Earth in my Text Adde lastly hereunto that the Promises of the Restauration of God's people into a glorious condition after all their sufferings is perpetually in the Scripture held out under the same terms and you have a plentifull demonstration of this point Isa. 65. 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my minde v. 18. Be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create c. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Revel. 21. 1. I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea The Heaven and Earth is restored but the Sea that shall be no more Those gatherings together of many waters Rivers from all places or pretended Clergie men from all Nations into Generall Counsels which were the Sea or many waters on which the whore sate shall have no place at all in the Churches restored condition I hope it is now fully cleared what is meant by the things that are shaken even the Politicall Heights the splendor and strength of the Nations of the Earth the foundation of the whole is laid and our heap or building if your favour so accept it will go on apace for to the Analogie hereof shal the residue of the words be interpreted The second thing considerable is what is the shaking of these things to this the Answer is now made brief and facile Such as are the things shaken such must their shaking be Spirituall if spirituall naturall if naturall civill if civill Now they being declared and proved to be civill things such also is their shaking Now what is a civill shaking of civill constitutions How are such things done in the world what are these Earthquakes truly the accomplishment hereof is in all Nations so under our eyes as that I need not speak one word thereunto Neither shall I insist upon the 3d Inquiry viz when this shaking shall be The Text is plain that is must be previous to the bringing in of those things that cannot be moved that is the prosperous estate of the kingdom of Christ Only we may observe that besides other shakings in particular Nations of lesse generall concernment and importance this prophesie hath and shall receive a twofold eminent Accomplishment with reference unto a twofold eminent Opposition which the kingdom of Christ hath met withall in the world First from the Pagan Romane State which at the Gospel's first entrance held in subjection most of the chief Provinces of the then known world What were the bloody endeavours of the Heaven and Earth of that State for the suppression thereof is known to our children The issue of the whole in the accomplishment of this promise shaking those Heavens and Earth to pieces I before pointed at from Revel. 6. 12 13 14 15. beginning in the plagues of the persecuting Emperors and ending in the ruine of the Empire it self But 2. The unmoveable
unto it's accomplishment Chap. 17. the Romane Harlot having procured the ten Kings or kingdoms into which the last head of the Romane Empire sprouted about the yeer 450. by the inundation of the Northern Nations to joyn with her they together make war against the Lambe v. 12 13 14. 12. The ten Horns which thou sawest upon the last head of the great Beast the Romane Monarchy are ten kings which have received no kingdoms as yet to wit when John saw the vision but receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast about 400. yeers after this the Pope ascending to his Soveraignty and these Western Nations growing into distinct Dominions about the same time 13. These have one minde that is as to the businesse in hand for otherwise they did and do vex one another with perpetuall broyls and wars and shall give their power and strength to the Beast or swear to defend the Rights of holy Church which is no other then Babylon and act accordingly 14. These make warre with the Lambe having sworn and undertaken the defence of holy Church or Babylon they persecuted the poore hereticks with fire and sword that is the witnesses of the Lambe and in them the Lambe himself striving to keep his kingdom out of the world and the Lambe shall overcome them shaking and translating them into a new mould and frame For he is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him whose help and endeavours he will use are called and chosen and faithfull 16. The ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast being now shaken changed and translated in minde interest and perhaps Government these hate the whore and shall make her desolate are instrumentall in the hand of Christ for the ruin of that Antichristian State which before they served and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Hence Chap. 18. 2. Babylon and that whole Antichristian State which was supported upon their power and greatnesse having lost it's props comes topling down to the ground Babylon the great is fallen is fallen v. 2. and the Saints take vengeance on the whore for all her former rage and crueltie Double unto her double according to her works v. 6. V. 9. And the Kings of the Earth being some of them shaken out of their dominion for refusing to close with the Lamb who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her learning practising false worship of her institution shall bewail her and lament for her as having received succour from her her monstaries and shavelings in their distresse whereunto indeed they were brought for her sake when they shall see the smoke of her burning beholding her darknesse stink and confusion in her finall desolation Now all this shall be transacted with so much obscurity and darknesse Christ not openly appearing unto carnall eyes that though many shall be purified and made white yet the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Dan. 12. 10. there shall be no such demonstration of the presence of Christ as to open the eyes of hardned men but at length having suffered the poore deceived wretches to drink of the cup prepared for them he appears himself gloriously Chap. 19. 13. in a more eminent manner then ever before to the totall destruction of the residue of opposers And that this will be the utmost close of that dispensation wherin now he walketh I no way doubt The Assertion being cleared and proved the Reasons of it come next to be considered and the first is that It shall be done by the way of Recompence and Vengeance It is the great day of the wrath of the Lambe Revel. 6. 17. The land shall be soaked with blood and the dust made fat with fatnesse For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the yeer of recompense for the controversie of Zion Isa. 34. 7 8. The day of vengeance is in his heart when the yeer of his redeemed is come Isa. 63. 4. The Kings of the Earth have given their power to Antichrist indeavouring to the utmost to keep the kingdom of Christ out of the world What I pray hath been their main businesse for 700. years and upward even almost ever since the Man of Sin was enthroned How have they earned the Titles Eldest Son of the Church The Catholick and most Christian King Defender of the Faith and the like hath it not been by the blood of Saints is there not in every one of these kingdoms the slain and the banished ones of Christ to answer for in particular Hath not the blood of the Saints of Jesus yeleped by Antichrist and his adherents Wicklieffes and Lollards cried from the ground for vengeance upon the English Heaven and Earth for a long season did not their bodies lye in the streets of France under the names of Waldenses Albigenses and poore men of Lyons Hath not Germany and the annexed Territories her Husse and Hussile Hierome and Subutraguians to answer for is not Spaine's Inquisition enough to ruine a world much more a Kingdom Have not all these and all the Kingdoms round about washed their hands and garments in the blood of thousands of Protestants And do not the Kings of all these Nations as yet stand up in the roome of their Progenitors with the same implacable enmity to the power of the Gospel Shew me seven Kings that ever yet laboured sincerely to enhance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus and I dare boldly say Octavus quis fuerit nondum constat And is there not a cry for all this How long Lord holy and true doest thou not avenge our blood on them that live on the earth Revel. 6. 10. Doth not Sion cry The violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon and my blood upon those Heavens of the Nations And will not the Lord avenge his Elect that cry unto him day and night will he not do it speedily Will he not call the fowls of Heaven to eat the flesh of Kings and Captains and great men of the Earth Revel. 19. 18. Will he not make these Heavens like the wood of the vine not a pin to be taken off them to hang a garment on in his whole tabernacle The time shall come wherein the Earth shall disclose her slain and not the simplest Heretick as they were counted shall have his blood unrevenged neither shall any attonement be made for this blood or expiation be allowed whilest a toe of the Image or a bone of the Beast is left unbroken That by his own wisdom he may frame such a power as may best conduce to the carrying on of his own kingdome among the sons of men He hath promised his Church that he will give unto it holy Priests and Levites Isa. 66. 20 21. which shall serve at the great feast of tabernacles Zech. 14. 16. a
it can be no other but the power of the Romish Babylon supported by the Kings of the Nations which must therefore be shaken and dryed up 2. Morall or the Idolatry of the Gentile worshippers The Jews stick hard as yet at this that God should abolish any kinde of worship which himself had once instituted But that he should ever accept any false worship which he had once strictly prohibited and no where to this day appointed to this they will never be reconciled Now such is all the invented idolatrous worship which the Kings of the Earth have sucked in from the cup of fornication held out unto them in the hand and by the Authority of the Romane whore this still they cleave close unto and will not hearken to the Angels preaching the everlasting Gospel that men should worship him who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the fountains of waters Revel. 13. 6 7. that is the God of heaven in Jesus Christ in opposition to all their Ieonolatry Artolatry Hagiolatry Staurolatry and Masse abominations This then must also be removed and because as you saw before it is so rivetted and cemented into and with all the orbes of the Nations Heaven and Earth that they must be shaken and brought {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} before it can be effected 2. The second thing he hath to accomplish is the tremendous totall destruction of Babylon the Man of Sin and all his adherents that are not obedient to the heavenly call Revel. 18. 4. Now as Sampson intending the destruction of the Princes Lords and residue of the Philistines who were gathered together in their Idoll temple he effected it by pulling away the pillars whereby the building was supported whereupon the whole frame topled to the ground So the Lord intending the ruine of that mighty power whose top seems to reach to heaven will do it by pulling away the pillars and supporters of it after which it cannot stand one moment Now what are the Pillars of that fatall Building are they not the powers of the world as presently stated and framed pull them away and alas what is Antichrist It is the glory of the Kings put upon her that makes mens eyes so dazle on the Romane Harlot Otherwise she is but like the Egyptian deities whose silly worshippers through many glorious portles and frontispeices were led to adore the image of an ugly Ape Adde hereunto that in this mighty work the Lord Jesus Christ will make use of the Powers of the Nations the Horns of them that is their strength Rev. 17. 16. they must hate the whore and make her desolate and naked and eat her flesh and burn her with fire now whether this can be accomplished or no in their present posture is easily discernable Doth not the Papall Interest lye at the bottome of all or the most ruling lines of Christendome can that be ejected without unbottoming their own dominion do they not use the efficacy of the Romane jurisdiction to ballance the powers of their Adversaries abroad and to awe their Subjects at home hath he not a consider able strength in every one of their own Bosomes Are not the Locuists of their religious orders all sworn slaves to the Pope for number sufficient to make an Army to fight the greatest Emperour in the world Are not most Potentates tyed by Oath or other Compact to maintain either the whole or some part of the old Tower under the name of Rights of holy Church Prelates and the like and can any expect that such as these should take up the despised quarrell of the Saints against that flourishing Queen doubtlesse no such fruit will grow on these Trees before they are throughly shaken 4. That his own people seeing all earthly things shaken and removing may be raised up to the laying hold of that durable kingdom that shall not be removed All carnall interests will doubtlesse be shaken with that of Babylon Many of Gods people are not yet weaned from the things that are seen no sooner is one carnall form shaken out but they are ready to cleave to another yea to warm themselves in the feathered nests of unclean birds All fleshly dominion within doores and all civill dominion that opposeth without doores shall be shaken Now these things are so glewed also to mens earthly possessions the talons of the birds of prey having firmly seized on them that they also must be shaken with them And therefore from them also will he have us to be loosed 2 Pet. 3. v 12 13. And these are some of the Reasons of the Position layed down which is so bottomed so proved as you have heard of the speedy accomplishment of all this I no way doubt I beleeve and therefore I have spoken Whether I shall see any further perfection of this work whilest I am here belowe I am no way solicitous being assured that if I fail of it here I shall through the grace of him who loved us and gave himself for us meet with the treasures of it otherwhere Come we to the Uses The Rise of our first Vse I shall take from that of the Prophet Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Hos. 14. 9. Labour for this heavenly wisdom and prudence that we may know these things and be acquainted with the minde and will of God in the season and generation wherein we live His way is not so in the dark nor his footsteps in the deep but that we may perceive what he is about Luk. 12. 54 55 56. our Saviour gives it in as a sure testimony of the Pharisees hypocrisie notwithstanding all their pretences and possession of Moses Chair that they were wise in earthly things and had drawn out experiences by long observation of what was like to come to passe as to the weather by considering the ordinary signes of the alterations thereof but notwithstanding that mighty effectuall concurrence of signes in heaven and earth with the accomplishment of Prophesies all pointing to the instant establishment of the kingdom of God in the coming of the Messiah not discerning them at all they come and cry If thou be the Christ give us a signe when without satisfying their sinfull curiosity heaven and earth was full of signes round about them Men who wil not receive God's signes suppose they should be wonderfull proficients in credulity might they have signes of their own fancying The rich Glutton thought that if his way of teaching might have been set up by men rising from the dead there would have been a world of converts more then were made by preaching the Word of God Men suppose that if God should now from heaven give in some discriminating prodigie oh how abundantly should they be
to the appointment and unto the acceptation of the Lord Jesus The temple of God and the altar being measured anew the outward Court defiled with Gentile-worship is left out Revel. 11. 1 2. 3. The glorious and visible manifestation of those Administration in the eyes of all the world in peace and quietnesse None making afraid or hurting in the whole mountain of the Lord Isa. 65. 25. For the Personall Reign of the Lord Jesus on Earth I leave it to them with whose discoveries I am not and curiosities I would not be acquainted But as for such who from hence do or for sinister ends pretend to fancy to themselves a terrene kingly State unto each private particular Saint so making it a bottome vivendi ut velis for every one to do that which is good in his own eyes to the disturbance of all order and Authority civill and spirituall as they expresly clash against innumerable promises so they directly introduce such confusion and disorder as the soul of the Lord Jesus doth exceedingly abhor It is onely the three things named with their necessarie dependencies that I do assert And lastly of these it is said they must remain that is continue and be firmly established as the word is often used Rom. 9. 11. The words of the Text being unfolded and the minde of the holy Ghost in them discovered I shall from them commend to your Christian consideration this following Position The Lord Jesus Christ by his mighty Power in these latter daies as Antichristian Tyranny draws to it's period will so farre shake and translate the politicall Heights Governments and strength of the Nations as shall serve for the full bringing in of his own peaceable kingdom the Nations so shaken becoming thereby a quiet Habitation for the people of the most high Though the Doctrine be clear from the Text yet it shall receive further Scripturall confirmation being of great weight and concernment Dan. 2. 44. And in the dayes 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 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand for ever That this is affirmed of the kingdom of Christ under the Gospel none ever doubted Three things are here remarkably intimated of it 1. The time wherein it shall most eminently be established and that is in the dayes of these kings of which Daniel was speaking 2. The efficacy of it being set up it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms 3. It s own stability it shall never be destroyed For the first there is great debate about the principall season of the accomplishing of this prediction much hesitation who those Kings are in whose dayes the kingdom of Christ is eminently to be established In the dayes when the two legs of the Romane Empire shall be divided into ten Kingdoms and those kingdoms have opposed themselves to the power of Christ that is in the dayes wherein we live say some Yea most of the Ancients took this for the Romane Empire and to these the bringing in of the kingdom of Christ is the establishment of it in these dayes Others understand the Syrian and Aegyptian branches of the Grecian Monarchy and the bringing in of Christs kingdom to be in his birth death and preaching of the Gospel wherein certainly the foundations of it were layed I will not contend with any mortall hereabouts Onely I shall oppose one or two things to this latter interpretation as 1. The kingdom of Syria was totally destroyed and reduced into a Romane Province 60. yeers before the Nativity of Christ and the Aegyptian 30. So that it is impossible that the kingdom of Christ by his birth should be set up in their dayes 2. It is ascribed to the efficacy of this Kingdom that being established it shall break in pieces all those kingdoms which how it can be when at the first setting of it up they had neither place nor name nor scarce remembrance So that it must needs be the declining divided Romane Empire shared amongst sundry Nations that is here intimated and so consequently the kingdom of Christ to be established is that glorious administration thereof which in these dayes their dayes he will bring in Be it so or otherwise this from hence cannot be denyed That the kingdom of Christ wil assuredly shake and transtate all opposing Dominions untill it self be established in and over them all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is all I intend to prove from this place The ten-partite Empire of the West must give place to the stone cut out of the mountain without hands Dan. 7. 27. The Kingdom and Dominion and Greatnesse 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 Hitherto is the end of the matter Either Antichrist is described in the close of this Chapter or one very like him St. John painting him in the Revelation with all this mans colours Plainly intimating that though in the first place that mad raging Tyrant Antiochus the Illustrious was pointed at yet that another was to rise in his likenesse with his craft and cruelty that with the assistance of the ten Horns should plague the Saints of the Christians no lesse then the other had done those of the Jews Now what shall be the issue thereof v. 26. His Dominion with his Adherents shall be taken away and consumed and then shall it be given to the people of the most High as before Or they shall enjoy the kingdom of Christ in a peaceable manner their officers being made Peace and their exactors Righteousnesse It is clearly evident from these and other places in that Prophesie that he who is the onely Potentate will sooner or later shake all the Monarchies of the Earth where he will have his Name known that all Nations may be suited to the interest of his kingdom which alone is to endure Isa. 60. in many places indeed throughout holds out the same V. 12. The Nation and Kingdom which will not serve thee shall be broken to pieces that is all the Nations of the Earth not a known Nation but the blood of the Saints of Christ is found in the skirts thereof Now what shall be the issue when they are so broken V. 17 18. I will make thine officers Peace and thine exactors Righteousnesse Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy wals salvation and thy gates praise See at your leisure to this purpose Amos 9. 11 12 13 14 15. Jerem. 31. 23 24 25. Isa. 33. 21 22 23 24. I shall onely adde that punctuall description which you have of this whole matter as Daniel cals it in the Revelation with respect
untwining of this close combination against himself and the kingdom of his dear Son and he will not leave untill he have done it To what degree in the severall Nations this shaking shall proceed I have nothing to determine in particular the Scripture having not expressed it This onely is certain it shall not stop nor receive it's period before the interest of Antichristianity be wholly separated from the power of those Nations 2. By the previous works he doth How many of these doth our Saviour give as signes of the destruction of Jerusalem and so consequently of propagating the Gospel more and more to the Nations Matth. 24. Luk. 21. How fearfull and dreadfull they were in their accomplishment Josephus the Jewish Historian relateth and how by them the Christians were fore-warned and did by them understand what the Lord was a doing Eusebius and others declare When saith he you shall see the abdomination of desolation the Romane Eagles and Ensignes standing in the holy place Matth. 24. 15. or Jerusalem compassed with Armies as Luk. 21. 20. then know by that that the end thereof is come and your deliverance at hand The works of God are to be sought out of them that have pleasure in them They are vocall speaking works the minde of God is in them They may be heard read and understood the Rod may be heard and who hath appointed it Now generally he begins with lesser works to point out to the sons of men what he is about to accomplish By these may his will be known that he may be met in Righteousnesse Now what I pray are the works that the Lord is bringing forth upon the Earth what is he doing in our own and the Neighbour Nations Shew me the Potentate upon the Earth that hath a peaceable Molehil to build himself an habitation upon Are not all the controversies or the most of them that at this day are disputed in letters of blood among the Nations somewhat of a distinct constitution from those formerly under debate those tending meerly to the power and glendour of single persons these to the interest of the many Is not the hand of the Lord in all this Are not the shakings of these Heavens of the Nations from him Is not the voice of Christ in the midst of all this tumult And is not the genuine tendance of these things open the visible unto all What speedy issue all this will be driven to I know not so much is to be done as requires a long space Though a Tower may be pulled down faster then it was set up yet that which hath been building a thousand yeers is not like to go down in a thousand dayes 3. The expectation of the Saints is another thing from whence a discovery of the will of God and the work of our generation may be concluded The secret wayes of God's communicating his minde unto his Saints by a fresh savour of accomplishing prophesies and strong workings of the Spirit of supplications I cannot now insist upon This I know they shall not be led into temptation but kept from the houre thereof when it comes upon the whole earth When God raiseth up the expectation of his people to any thing he is not unto them as waters that fail Nay he will assuredly fulfill the desires of the poore Just about the time that our Saviour Christ was to be born of a woman how were all that waited for salvation in Israel raised up to an high expectation of the kingdom of God such as that people never had before and assuredly shall never have again Yea famous was the waiting of that season through the whole Romane Empire And the Lord whom they sought came to his Temple Eminent was their hope and excellent was the accomplishment Whether this will be made a Rule to others or no I know not This I am assured that being bottomed on Promises and built up with Supplications it is a ground for them to rest upon And here I dare appeal to all who with any diligence have enquired into the things of the kingdom of Christ that have any savour upon their spirits of the accomplishment of Prophesies and Promises in the latter dayes who count themselves concerned in the glory of the Gospel whether this thing of consuming the mystery of iniquity and vindicating the Churches of Christ into the liberties purchased for them by the Lord Jesus by the shaking and translating all opposing Heights and Heavens be not fully in their expectations Onely the time is in the hand of God and the Rule of our actings with him is his revealed will 4. Whether the fears of his Adversaries have not their lines meeting in the same point themselves can best determine The whole world was more or lesse dreaded at the coming of Christ in the flesh When also the signes of his vengeance did first appear to the Pagan world in calling to an account for the blood of his Saints the Kings and Captains presently cry out The great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Revel. 6. 17. I am not of counsel to any of the Adherents to the Man of Sin or any of those who have given their Power unto the Beast I have not a key to the bosomes of the Enemies of Christ I am neither their Interpreter nor do they allow me to speak in their behalf yet truly upon very many probable grounds I am fully perswaded that were the thoughts of their hearts disclosed notwithstanding all their glittering shews dreadfull words threatning expressions you should see them tremble and dread this very thing that the whole world as now established will be wrapped up in darknesse at least untill that cursed Interest which is set up against the Lord Jesus be fully and wholly shaken out from the Heavens and Earth of the Nations And thus without leading you about by Chronologies and computations which yet have their use well to count a number being wisdom indeed I have a little discovered unto you some Rules wherby you may come to be acquainted with the work of God in the dayes wherein we live and also what that work is which is our first Vse The next shall be for direction to guide you what you ought to do when you know what is the work of your Generation Be exhorted to prepare to meet the Lord to make his way straight and this I would presse distinctly 1. As to your Persons 2. As to your Employments 1. As to your Persons Give the Lord Jesus a Throne in your hearts or it will not be at all to your advantage that he hath a throne and kingdom in the world Perhaps you will see the plenty of it but not taste one morsell Take first that which comes not by Observation that which is within you which is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Take it in it's power and you will be the better enabled to observe it coming
in it's glory Seek first this kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Oh that it were the will of God to put an end to all that pretended holinesse hypocriticall Humiliation self-interested Religion that have been among us whereby we have flattered God with our lips whilest our hearts have been farre from him Oh that it might be the glory of this Assembly above all the Assemblies of the world that every Ruler in it might be a sincere Subject in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Oh that it might suffice that we have had in our Parliament and among our Ministers so much of the form and so little of the power of Godlinesse that we have called world Christ and lust Christ and self Christ working indeed for them when we pretended all for Christ Oh that I could nourish this one contention in your Honourable Assembly that you might strive who should excell in setting up the Lord Jesus in their hearts You may be apt to think that if you can carry on and compasse your purposes then all your Enemies will be assuredly disappointed do but embrace the Lord Jesus in his kingly power in your bosomes and ipso facto all your Enemies are everlastingly disappointed you are the grains which in the sifting of the Nation have been kept from falling to the ground Are you not the residue of all the Chariots of England Oh that in you might appear the reality of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus which hath been so long pretended by others that sound righteousnesse not a Pharisaicall rigid supercilious affectation nor a carelesse belief and comportment the issue of novell fancies might be found upon your spirits that you may be thought meet to rejoyce with the Lord in his kingdom otherwise this day of the Lord which we have described however desired and longed after will be darkâ—esse to you and not light 2. In reference to your great Employments whereunto the Lord hath called you and here I shall briefly hold out unto you one or two things 1. That you would seriously consider why it is that the Lord shakes the Heavens and the Earth of the Nations to what end this tendeth and what is the cause thereof Is it not from hence that he may revenge their opposition to the kingdom of his dear Son that he may shake out of the midst of them all that Antichristian mortar wherewith from their first chaos they have been cemented that so the kingdoms of the Earth may become the kingdoms of the Lord Jesus Is not the controversie of Sion pleaded with them Are they not called to an account for the transgression of that charge given to all Potentates Touch not mine Anointed And what is the ayme of the Lord Jesus herein whose mighty voice shakes them Is it not to frame and form them for the interest of his own kingdom that he may fulfill the word he hath spoken to Sion I will make thine officers Peace and thine exactors Righteousnesse Consider then I pray what you have in hand wait upon your King the Lord Christ to know his minde If you lay any stone in the whole building that advanceth it self against his Scepter he will shake all again digge you never so deep build you never so high it shall be shaken Nay that there be no opposition will not suffice He hath given light enough to have all things framed for his own advantage The time is come yea the full time is come that it should be so and he expects it from you Say not in the first place this or that suits the interest of England but look what suits the interest of Christ and assure your selves that the true interest of any Nation is wrapped up therein More of this in the Treatise annexed to my Sermon of Jan 31. 2. Be incouraged under all those perplexities and troubles which you are or may be wrapped in lift up the hands that hang down and let the feeble knees be strengthened I is but yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The more you are for Christ the more Enemies you shall be sure to have but the Lambe shall overcome He is come to revenge the blood of his slain upon this Generation and to free the residue from the jaws of the terrible He is our Rock and his work is perfect what he hath begun faster or flower he will surely accomplish It is a thing of the most imaginable indifferency whether any of our particular persons behold these things here belowe or no if otherwise we shall for the present have rest with him and stand in our lot at the end of the dayes but for the work it self the Decree is gone forth and it shall not be recalled receive strength and refreshment in the Lord Wonder not when the Heaven is shaken if you see the stars fall to the ground we had some who pretended to be Church-starres that were meerly fixed to all mens view and by their own confession in the Politicall Heavens The first shaking of this Nation shook them utterly to the ground If others also tremble like an Aspen leaf and know not which winde to yeeld unto or sail backwards and forwards by the same gale wonder not at that neither when men lay any other foundation then the immovable corner stone at one time or other sooner or later assuredly they will be shaken Let the professing people that is amongst us look well to themselves The day is coming that will burn like an oven Drosse will not endure this day we have many an Hypocrite as yet to be uncased Take heed you that act high if a false heart a defiled heart be amongst you there shall be no place for it in the mountain of the Lords house The inhabitants of Sion shall be all righteous Isa. 60. 21. Many that make a great shew now upon the stage shall be turned off with shame enough try and search your hearts force not the Lord to lay you open to all The Spirit of judgement and burning will try you Tremble I pray for you are entring the most purging trying fornace that ever the Lord set up on the Earth Be loose from all shaken things you see the clouds return after the rain one storme in the neck of another Thus it must be untill Christ hath finished his whole work Seeing that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy conversation Let your eyes be upwards and your hearts be upwards and your hands be upwards that you be not moved at the passing away of shaken things I could here incourage you by the glorious issue of all these shakings whose soretast might be as marrow to your bones though they should be appointed to consumption before the accomplishment of it but I must close See the vanity folly madnesse of such as labour