his family unto his children a master as a master to his servants if you will justifie your selves as Fathers or Rulers of your Country you 'll find in your account this to be incumbent on you 2 Take heed of thē that would temper clay iron things that will not mingle that would compound carnall and fleshly things with heavenly things and spirituall that they may not intangle your Spirits the great disigne of grasping temporall power upon a spirituall account will prove at last to be the greatest badge of Antichrist hitherto God hath appeared against it and will no doubt to the end if either you by the Authority God hath given you in the world shall take upon you to rule the house of God as formally such as his house though you rule the persons whereof is it made up or those who are or pretend to be of that house to rule the world on that account your day theirs will be nigh at hand 4. Now because you wait on God for direction in reference to the propagation of the Gospell and the preventing that which is contrary to sound doctrine and godlynesse I shall very briefly give you to this end some Principles whereon you may rest in your actings and some rules for your diectiron and so draw to a close 1. Take in the first place what God hath promised concerning Magistrates Kings Rulers Judges and Nations and their subserviency to the Church what God hath promised they shall doe that is their duty to doe he hath not measured out an Inheritance for his people out of the sins of other men let us a little view some of these promises and then consider their application to the truth we have in hand and what is cleared out unto us by them they are many I shall instance in some of the most obvious and eminent Esai 1. 26. I will restore their Judges and Priests and Councellours as at the beginning it is to Syon redeemed purged washed in the blood of Christ that this promise is made Esai 49. 7. Kings shall see and arise and Princes shall bow down themselves The Jewes being for the greatest part of them rejected upon the comming of Christ this promise is made unto him upon his powring out of the spirit for the bringing in of the Gentiles as it is farther enlarged v. 22 23. Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Queenes thy nursing Mothers Isai 60. looks wholy this way taste of the nature and intendment of the whole And the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightnesse of thy rising Therefore thy gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that mē may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that their kings may be brought Thou shalt also suck the milke of the Gentiles and shalt suck the brest of kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy saviour thy redeemer the mighone of Jacob For brasse I will bring gold and for iron I will bring silver and for wood brasse and for stones iron I will also make thy officers peace and thine exactours righteousnesse v. 3. and the 11. and the 16. 17. to which adde the accomplishment of all those promises mentioned Revel. 11 15. and 21. 24. You see here are glorious promises in the literall Expression looking directly to what we assert concerning the subserviency of Rulers to the Gospell and the duty of Magistrates in supporting the interest of the Church let us concerning them observe these three things as 1. to whom they are made 2. on what occasion they are given 3. what is the subject or matter of them in generall 1. Then they are all given and made to the Church of Christ after his comming in the flesh and his putting an end to all ceremoniall typicall carnall Institutions for 1 They are every where attended with the circumstances of calling the Gentiles and their flowing in to the Church which were not accomplished till after the destruction of the Iewish Church c. So is the case in that which you have Isai 49 v 20. The children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other shall say againe in thine eares The place is too straight for me give place to me that I may dwell It shall be when the Church shall have received the new Children of the Gentiles having lost the other of the Iewes which he expresseth mgre at larg v 22. Thus saith the Lord God Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders So also are the rest When God gives the Nations to be the inheritance of Christ the Holy Ghost cautions Rulers and Judges to kisse the son pay the homage due to him in his Kingdome Psal 2 10 11 2 Because these promises are pointed unto as accomplished to the Christian Church in that place in the Revelation before mentioned And the seaventh angell sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever Chap 11 15 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour into it Chap 21 24 So that there are plainly promises of Kings and Princes Iudges and Rulers to be given to the Church and to be made usefull thereunto and Kingdomes and Nations people in their Rules and Governments to be instrumentall to the good thereof so that these promises belong directly to us and our Rulers if under any notion we belong to the Church of Christ 2. Fot the Occasion of these promises it is well knowne what a trust by Gods own appointment there was invested in the Rulers Judges Kings and Magistrates of the judaicall State and Church under the old Testament in reference unto the wayes and worship of God the prosecution and execution of the Laws of God concerning his house and service being committed to them further when they faithfully discharg'd their trust promoting the worship of God according to his Institutions incouraging supporting directing reproving others to whom the immediate and peculiar administration of things sacred were committed destroying removing what ever was an abomination unto the Lord it was well with the whole people and Church they florished in Peace and the Lord delighted in them and rejoyced over them to doe them good and on the other side their neglect in the discharg of their duty was then commonly attended with the Apostacy of the Church and great breakings forth of the Indignation of the Lord this the Church found in those dayes and bewailed To hold out therefore the happy state of his people that he would bring in he promises them such Rulers and Judges as
Nations whatever which in their present state and Government have given their power to the Dragon and the Beast to oppose the Lord Christ withall shall be shaken broken translated and turned off their old foundations and constitutions into which the Antichristian interest hath been woven for a long season God will shake the Heavens and the Earth of the Nations round about untill all the Babylonish rubbish all their originall ingagements to the man of sinne be taken away This I have fully demonstrated elsewhere All those great Warres which you have foretold wherein the Saints of God shall be eminently ingaged are upon this account 3. That the civill powers of the World after fearfull shakings and desolations shall be disposed of into an usefull subserviency to the Interest Power and Kingdome of Iesus Christ hence they are said to be his Kingdoms Rev. 11. 15. That is to be disposed of for the behoofe of his interest rule and Dominion of this you have plentifull promises Isai 60. and elsewhere when the nations are broken in opposition to Syon their gain must be consecrated to the Lord and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Mich. 4. 15. Even Iudges and Rulers as such must Kisse the Sonne and own his Scepter and advance his waies some think if you were well setled you ought not in any thing as Rulers of the Nations to put forth your power for the interest of Christ the good Lord keep your hearts from that apprehension Have you ever in your Affaires received any encouragement from the promises of God have you in times of greatest distresse been refreshed with the testimony of a good conscience that in Godly simplicity you have sought the advancement of the Lord Christ doe you believe that he ever owned the cause as the head of his Church Doe not now professe you have nothing to doe with him had he so professed of you and your affaires what had been your portion long since 4. Look what Kingdome soever the Lord Christ will advance in the World and exercise amongst his holy Ones the beginning of it must be with the Iewes they are to be caput Imperii the head and seat of this Empire must be amongst them these are the Saints of the most High mentioned by Daniell and therefore in that part of his Prophesy which he wrote in the Chaldean Tongue then commonly known and spoken in the East being the language of the Babylonish Empire he speaketh of them obscurely and under borrowed expressions but coming to those visions which he wrote in Hebrew for the sole use of the Church he is much more expresse concerning the people of whom he spake The Rod of Christs strength goes out of Syon and thence he proceeds to rule those that were his enemies Psal. 110. 2. All the promises of the glorious Kingdome of Christ are to be accomplished in the gathering of the Gentiles with the glory of the Jewes The Redeemer comes to Syon and to them that turne from transgression that great transgression of unbeliefe in Iacob Isai. 59. 20. Then shall the Lord rise upon them and his glory shall be seen upon them the Gentiles shall come to their light and Kings to the brightnesse of their rising Isai 60. 2 3. I dare say there is not any promise anywhere of raising up a Kingdome unto the Lord Christ in this World but it is either expressed or clearely intimated that the beginning of it must be with the Iews and that in contradistinction to the Nations so eminently in that glorious description of it Mich. 4. 7 8. I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast a farre off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reigne over them in Mount Syon from hence forth even for ever and thou O Tower of the flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Syon unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdome shall come to the Daughter of Ierusalem When the great hunter Nimrod set up a Kingdome the beginning of it was Babell Gen. 10. 10. when the great Shepheard sets up his Kingdome the beginning of it shall be Syon so farther it is at large expressed Mich. 5. 7 8. Nothing is more cleare to any who being not carryed away with weake carnall apprehensions of things present have once seriously weighed the promises of God to this purpose what the Lord Christ will doe with them and by them is not so cleare this is certain that their returne shall be marvelous glorious as life from the dead When then Euphrates shall be dryed up Turkish power and Popish Idolatry be taken out of the world and these Kings of the East are come when the seed of Abraham being multiplied like the starres of Heaven and the sands of the Sea shore shall possesse the gates of their enemies and shall have peace in their borders we may lift up our heads towards the fulnesse of our redemption but whilest these things are or may be for any thing we know a farre off to dream of setting up an outward glorious visible kingdome of Christ which he must beare rule in and over the world be it in Germany or in England is but an ungrounded presumption The Jewes not called Antichrist not destroyed the Nations of the World generally wrapt up in Idolatry and false-worship little dreaming of their deliverance wil the Lord Christ leave the world in this state set up his Kingdome here on a mole-hil 5. This is a perpetuall Antithesis and opposition that is put between the Kingdoms of the World and the Kingdome of Christ that they rise out of the strivings of the winds upon the Sea he comes with the clouds of Heaven They are brought in by commotions tumults warres desolations and so shall all the shakings of the Nations be to punish them for their old opposition and to translate them into a subserviency to his interest The comming in of the kingdome of Christ shall not be by the Arme of flesh nor shall it be the product of the strifes and contests of men which are in the world it is not to be done by might or power but by the spirit of the Lord of Hosts 2. Zech. 4. 6. great Warres desolations alterations shall precede it but it is not the sonnes of men that by outward force shall build the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven adorned as a Bride from Christ fitted and prepared by himselfe certainly the strivings of men about this businesse shall have no influence into it It shall be by the glorious manifestation of his own power and that by his spirit subduing the soules of men unto it not by the sword of man setting up a few to rule over others Hence it is every where called a creating of a new heaven and a new earth Isa 65. 17. a work doublesse to difficult for the wormes of the earth to undertake There is nothing more opposite to the spirit of the
Gospell then to suppose that Jesus Christ will take to himselfe a kingdome by the carnall sword and bow of the sonnes of men The raising of the Tabernacle of David which is fallen down and the setting up the decayed places of it Act 15. 16. is done by his visiting the people with his spirit and word v. 14. It is by the powring out of his Spirit in a covenant of mercy Isai 59. 21. Thus the Lord sets up one Shepheard of his people and he shall feed them even saith he my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard and the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them Ezek 34. 24 25. he brings in the kingdome of his son by making the children of Israel seek the Lord their God and David their King and to feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. 5. Who now can fathome the counsails of the Almighty who hath searched his bosome and can by computation tell us when he shall power out his spirit for the accomplishment of these things This then is the last thing in this vision whose consideration brought the Prophet into so great perplexity and distresse of spirit 3. There is the means that Daniel used for redresse in that sad condition where unto he was brought by the consideration of this vision He drew neere to one of them that stood by and asked him the truth of all this This also was done in vision There is no mention of his waking before his making this addresse but the vision continuing he drawes nigh in the same manner to one of them that stood by one of those Angels or holy ones that stood ministring before the throne of God who was commissionated to acquaint him with the mind and will of God in the things represented to him This then is the remedy he applies himselfe unto He labours to know the mind and will of God in the things that were to be done this it seems he pitched on as the only way for quieting his greived and troubled spirit and hereupon 4. He is told and made to know the interpretation of the things so farre at least as might quiet his spirit in the will of God not that he is clearly instructed in every particular for he tels them in the close of the chapter that he had troublesome thoughts about the whole his cogitations troubled him and his countenance changed v. 28. but having received what light God was willing to communicate to him he enquires no farther but addresses himselfe to his own duty Take then from the words thus opened these propositions some whereof I shall doe little more then name unto you Observe 1. In the consideration of Gods marvellous actings in the world in order to the carrying on of the Gospell and interest of the Lord Jesus Christ the hearts of his Saints are oftentimes filled with perplexity and trouhle They know not what will be the Issue nor some times what well to doe Daniel receives a vision of the things which in part we live under and if they fill his heart with Astonishment is it any wonder if they come close to us and fill us with anxious perplexing thoughts upon whom the things themselves are fallen 2. Observe the only way to deliver and extricate our spirits from under such perplexities and entanglements is to draw nigh to God in Christ for discovery of his will so did Daniel here he went to one of them that ministred before the Lord to be acquainted with his will otherwise thoughts contrivances will but farther perplex you like men in the mire whilest they pluck one legge out the other sticketh faster in whilest you relieve your selves in one thing you will be more hampered in another Yea he that increaseth wisdome increaseth sorrow the larger the visions are the greater will be their troubles untill being consumed in your own feares cares and contrivances you grow uselesse in your Generation those who see only the outside of your affaires sleep securely those who come neigher to look into the spirits of men Rest is taken from them and many are not quiet because they will not the great healing of all is in God Observe 3. When God makes known the interpretations of things it will quiet your spirits in your walking before him and actings with him This was that which brought the spirit of Daniel into a settlement How God reveales his mind in these things by what means how it may be known by individuall persons for their quiet and settlement how all Gods Revelations are quieting and tend to the calming of mens spirits not making them foame like the waves of the Sea should be handled on this observation but I begin with the first When John received his book of visions in reference to the great things that were to be done the alterations that were to be brought about though it were sweet in his mouth and he rejoyced in his imployment yet it made his belly bitter Rev. 10. 9 10. it filled him with perplexity as our Prophet speaks in the middest of his body he saw blood and confusion strife and violence it made his very belly bitter Poore Jeremiah upon the same account is so oppressed that it makes him break out of all bounds of faith and patience to curse the day of his birth to waxe quite weary of his imployment chap. 15. Our Saviour describing such a season Luk. 21. 26. tels us that mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that are comming upon the earth they will be thinking what will become of them and what will be the Issue of Gods dispensations fearing that the whole frame of things will be wrapt up in darknesse and confusion Hence our Saviour bids his Disciples not be troubled when they heare of these things Math. 24. 6. intimating that they will be very apt so to be Now the Causes and occasions which are the Reasons of the point arise First from the greatnesse and astonishablenesse of the things themselves which God will doe even great and terrible things which men looked not for Isai. 64. 2 3. when he coms to make his name knowne to the nations that his Aduersaries may tremble at his presence doth terrible things quite above beyond the expectatiō of mē which they never once looked for no wonder if their hearts be surprized with amazement It hath of late been so with this Nation all professors at the beginning of these dayes joyned earnestly in that prayer Isai. 63. 17 18 19. Chap. 64. 1. God in answere hereunto comes down and rents the heaven and the mountaines flow downe at his presence according to the desire of their soules yet withall he doth terrible things things that we looked not for How mapoor creatures are turned back with Astonishment and know not how to abide with him When our Saviour Christ came in the flesh who had been the desire