neere Endor Psal 83.9 10. Thus wee have an allusion to all these three notable and memorable battels whereas had he said in a place in the Hebrew tongue Gilboa then had hee limited the allusion unto Sauls battell who was indeed a destroyer of Religion but so other effects of this battell fought in this Text had not beene pointed at Therefore that hee might graspe in all those Events which those battels that were fought about Megiddon brought forth he saith the place was called Armageddon and it is an usuall thing that battels in the hill are pursued to the valley and in the valley to the Hill the hill and the valley lying neere together And indeed the same Events will this battell bring forth which fell out upon all the former battels at Megiddo So then the summe is that these spirits went forth to gather these Popish and Heathen Princes together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon where the battell shall have the like successe that it had of old unto the destruction of Gods Enemies the utter ruine of Antichrist as of Saul the setling of the Kingdome of Christ upon David unto the conversion of the Iewes who shall upon this occasion mourne bitterly over him whom they have pierced Onely let us a little further cleare one scruple which may somewhat remaine why shall the Iewes come in mourning at this victory shall they mourne with Indignation for the successe of Christian Princes and States or shall it bee a mourning of compassion for the destruction of Rome no verily the text is plaine they will rejoyce for both and joyne together with the rest of the Christian Churches to praise the name of the Lord with Hallelujahs in the 19. chapter of this booke and the 1. ver After these things that is after the destruction of Babel I heard a great voyce of much people in Heaven saying Hallelujah So againe ver 3.6 they shall praise God with an Hallelujah as well as the Latines with a Laudate Dominum It is therefore neither a mourning of Indignation for the succ sse of the Saints nor of compassion for the Rivers of Babell but what is it then It is a mourning of compunction whereby they seeing in this battell that Christ is indeed the true Messias they shall mourne that they have beene so long estranged from him for two maine stumbling blocks will this battell remove out of their way First that which is their great stumbling block to wit the Pope who is counted the Father of Christian Churches and yet himselfe liveth like an Epicure and maintaineth Idolatry and superstition and though many in the world abhorre his wayes yet they looke at them but as Sects and inferiour people and States in respect of the Pope and Popish Princes but when they shall see that the Zeale of Christian Princes hath dryed up those streames of Superstition to the utter confusion of the man of sinne then will they also see that that Iesus whom they have resisted all this while even that Iesus is the Messias 2. There is also another stumbling block which some of their more learned stand upon that when the Messias comes he shall destroy the foure Monarchies spoken of Dan. 2.45 The stone that was cut out of the Mountaine without hand brake in peices the Iron the Brasse the clay the Silver and the Gold Now say they if your Iesus be the Messias how commeth it to passe the Monarchy standeth upon his two feet the Turke and Pope but they might have considered that the Lord Iesus hath been crushing them a great while together and hee never told them that he would doe it as soone as he came though he will never leave untill he hath crushed them to the dust and when once this battell is fought that there shall be no more remaining but what is the Jewes worke to doe then shall they see the Prophesie of Daniel fulfilled when the battell in Armageddon shall end in the destruction of the man of Sinne and then shall they see Jesus Christ held forth in the purity of the Gospell contrary whereunto no word of the Prophets shall bee found and then shall they see him whom they have crucifyed to be indeed both Lord and Christ Then shall they see that the name of the Lord Iesus which they now curse in their Liturgies is blessed for ever now they will grieve that they have cursed his name blasphemously praying that it might perish from under these Heavens and from above this Earth for these things will they mourne bitterly Object But you will say that to see the successe of a battell is not a sufficient meanes to convert a people to the Lord that are fully possessed with their owne wayes Here indeed may be a removens prohibens that may somewhat help forward but it is needfull unto their Conversion that some word of God bee set home to their hearts to convince them that the curse of the Law which belongeth unto them it is Christ onely that hath borne it for them Ans It is no small meanes of conversion to see the Lord bearing witnesse against the corruptions of Religion in destroying the Enemies of his people You know the story of Iethro who was a Prince or Priest of Midian when he commeth to see his sonne Moses who told him of all the great deliverances that God had wrought for his people Exod. 18. 8.9 10. what saith he now I know that the Lord is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly hee was above them This is the effect of his hearing of the wonders that God had wrought for his people so that you need not doubt it but when these battells are fought though they shall bee noe parties on the one side nor on the other yet they shall heare what will be reported upon this occasion in the publick Ministery of the word which will bee sufficient to convince as a Priest of Midian so a Iew that this is the Lord Iesus who hath so fulfilled all that hee hath spoken of in his word And moreover I doe beleeve that great will bee the power of the Ministery of the word in fighting of this battell by declaring the powerfull presence of Christ with them and for them thus shall the sword of the Ministery of the Gospell prevaile mightily by animating Christian Princes and people according as it is said chap. 19.21 of this booke the remnant were slaine with the sword that proceedeth out of his mouth that is out of the mouth of Iesus Christ and when the word of Christ goeth along with the sword of Princes you need not wonder if it doe not onely prevaile against the Beast and false Prophet but also to make Satan fall downe from Heaven like lightning even out of the hearts of the Iewes from deceiving them any longer Thus much for the opening of the words which though it have beene long and difficult yet many times
of God that certainly the Popish State is going fast to perdition and the great lights of that State both the lights of that State great like the Sun in the firmament be they Civil Magistrates in their sphaere in highest place or take it as the Popish Prelacie do they will be highest in both kindes be it as it will be as the common people have been visited with judgement their Religion corrupt and Priests and Jesuits plagued and the Lord hath begun to plague their lights in this world and Church lights too So make account of this forasmuch as they repent not to give God glory but break forth to greater wrath and outrage against the Lord and his Church and servants and secret ones what will the end of all this be Never did any man strive against God and prospered what under the mighty hand of God under the Vials of Gods wrath and still blaspheme the name of God and still hope to prosper Verily you may write upon it God wil wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their wickednesse Psal 68.21 Let them look to it the Lord hath begun to pour out his wrath and one Vial hath not done when another begins to work but they are pouring upon the common people and upon Priests and Jesuits and will be more and more and so shall both the house of Austria and the Pope himself in their supremacie and lordly authority and howsoever they may have some refreshing and succour and supply in their declining state yet as their apostacies and backslidings are perpetuall as the Text saith they are seeing they repent not to give God glory the Lord hath set it down and the Scripture must be fulfilled they will go on in their rage and blasphemie against the God of Israel and what will the issue of that be Truly if men prosper in hardnesse of heart and blasphemy then let Pharaoh prosper of old and let all wicked States prosper but the Lord sent judgement upon judgement upon Pharaoh first upon the waters and then upon the fruits of the field at length he came to Murrain of the Beasts and then a plague upon their first-born and when that served not then the wrath of God came upon the red Sea and over-whelmed them all This is Gods manner of dealing and let the Imperiall State and all blasphemers know it that they shall not prosper in stouting it out against the Lord but believe it as they have begun to fall before reformed Churches so they shall surely fall As it was told Haman in Ester 6.13 If this Mordecai be of the seed of the Iews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail but shalt surely fall before him So fall they will and in falling they shall fall and yet more and more fall till the Lord hath cut them off root branch there is more judgments you shall read of a further Vial upon the throne of the Beast and upon the air and then Babilon is fallen it is not long till then there is but three Vials more and whether some of them be not yet begun to be poured out it is not yet so cleer Let them know it for their terrour and we for our comfort the Lord will go on in destroying to destroy them It is a speech the Lord often useth in Isaiah 9.12 13 14. Yet for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Why For the people turn not to him that smites them neither do they seek the Lord of hoasts and when they do not turn to him then the hand of the Lord is not drawn back but stretched out still that is the constant course of Gods providence as the people turn not to him that smites them so the Lord will go on and cut off head and tail branch and rush in one day ancient honorable he is the head and the Prophet that teacheth lyes hee is the tail c. For a second Use of this Point This may serve to teach us that the Lord is the chief Governour Vse 2 and hath the chief power of all the plagues and judgements that do fall upon men And that aggravates the impenitencie of these wicked men that they do not fall under his hand that hath power over these plagues but still go on hardning themselves against him whose plague is upon them Therefore he hath power over them and he will maintain it and the judgements shall go on destroying to destroy till like Vials of quick-silver they have rooted them out from the land of the living Is there any evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 If a man were to speak to Christian Princes in other parts how might a man call upon them to beware of timerousnesse and fear in provoking the displeasure of the house of Austria or of the Pope For the wrath of God is gone out against that State and the Pope and the Lord hath power over these plagues Why should we fear all the power of the house of Austria or Papall thunderbolts when the Lord hath you under his hand when he means to go on plaguing to plague Shall men underprop this rotten building which the Lord intends to destroy This cursed fabrick which the Lord will ruinate Do you think to strengthen your selves by them when they are not able to help themselves No it is a time of Gods plague and therefore it is a warning and Trumpet to all Christian nations and to us do not think if we shall not yield to this and that of Antichrist then Churches and Magistrates shall never subsist fear it not I tell you all the States that cleave to Popery shall fall with Popery if they continue in it Indeed if the Lord rescue and redeem them with a mighty hand and bow their power and Crown to comply with the Lord Jesus and his people they may save themselves and their Kingdoms but otherwise it is not possible for them to prosper in maintaining this ruinous Babylon that hastens to destruction The Lords plagues they are and it is not all the power of men or Princes no nor of Angels in heaven nor devils in hell that can take off the plagues that God hath set on Thirdly it teacheth us what is the duty of all the sons of men Vse 3 under Gods hand namely to repent of sin which hath brought Gods hand for this is an aggravation of the wickednesse of these lights that they repented not to give God glory when the vials of Gods wrath was upon them but stil grew more wicked even to blaspheme What saith the Apostle Peter Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 Hath the Lord begun to smite the common state and it may be the body of the countrey in that which is the sinewes of trading in the scarcities of
of heaven from the Throne And that Throne is set in the Church Rev. 4.2 3. Behold a Throne was set in heaven and one sate on the Throne which is the Lord himselfe who is resembled by three pretious stones holding forth the three persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white circle round about it representing the Eternity of the Father a Sardine stone of a fleshy colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him An Emerauld being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of those that looke upon it representing the Spirit who is as the Rainbow a token of faire weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he commeth Now this voice comming from heaven and from the Throne it commeth also apparently from God saying It is done that so all men may see it to be the revealed and holy will of God that all these things should be thus accomplished 3. It is done what is done for here is no nominative case before the verb. But this is that which is done the mystery of iniquity is abolished And the mystery of God is fulfilled For of this it was spoken which you read Rev. 10.7 where the Angel that stood upon the Sea and upon the earth telleth us That in the dayes of the seventh Angel when he shall sound whose Trumpet is sounding to this day the mystery of God should be fulfilled And that standeth chiefly in two things 1. In the destruction of all his enemies 2. In the accomplishment of all his gracious promises to the conversion of the Jewes and both these shall be accomplished in the pouring out of this Vial as we may reade at large Ezek. 39.17 to the end of the Chapter where the holy Prophet speaketh of this very time when the enemies of the Church shall come out against them there will be a finall accomplishment of all the mysteries of iniquity and of all the hostility of the Lords enemies against his Church It is also the accomplishment of all his gracious promises and therefore he saith Rev. 21.6 When once the new Jerusalem commeth downe from God out of heaven then Christ himselfe saith It is done All his promises are now performed and his great workes now fulfilled this is meant when it is here said It is done And the Lords voice it is for had it been the voice of some Church-Officers alone it might have reached to the Church but not to the ends of the world but when the Lord himselfe speaketh whose voice is like the voice of thunder then is it heard from one end of the earth unto another All men shall see the great workes that he hath done upon the face of the earth Popery and all false Religion abolished the Kingdome of Christ established from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof This is the Adjunct Now for the Effect There is an Effect of Terrour and of agitations and changes and an effect of destroying calamities for I cannot well gather the notes that arise unlesse these things be all opened then I conceive they may be handled with brevity 4. For the effect of terrour the thunderings and lightenings and the voices are the same with those that are said to come out of the Throne Rev. 4.5 Like unto that dispensation of old Exod. 20.18 Wherein were thunderings and lightenings and in stead of voices there is put in the noise of the Trumpet and these held forth the terrour of the Lord in giving of the Law in so much that Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake and much more did the people feare and tremble for such is the convincing dreadfull power of the Law of God that let a man but heare it and have it effectually applyed and it will make the meekest and most innocent of the servants of God to tremble It will make the mountaines and hils to tremble The voice of Gods servants is like the voice of a trumpet Esay 58.1 piercing deep into the eares and hearts of men but the voice of himselfe exceedeth So the meaning is That upon the pouring out of this Vial upon the ayre there shall be terrible thunderings and lightenings and voices like founds of Trumpets upon the hearts of men that shall make them tremble and quake The Lord will so terribly affright and amaze the sons of men with the power of his holy word and will as that it shall suddenly break forth all the world over for in this manner doth the Lord begin his saving dispensations towards men even with terrible lightenings and thunderings and earthquakes thereby partly convincing men of sin and subduing their hearts and confounding their malicious enemies For the next Effect 5. There was great earthquake c. And that importeth agitatations and changes and not terrour onely they are such as will not cease untill they have removed the things that are shaken that the things which cannot be shaken may remain so doth the Apostle Heb. 12.26.27 Interprete the Prophesie of Haggai 2.6 It argueth saith he the removing of those things that are shaken and he interprets it concerning the Church estate in that place and he will also shake all the Kingdomes of the world as the same Prophet Haggai told Zerubbabel Chap. 2.21 22. saying I will shake the heavens and the earth and I will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the Heathen c. And so the Lord did overthrow the great Persian Monarchy by the Grecian and the Grecian Monarchy by the Romane and the Romane by barbarous Nations and the Lord hath bin shaking them eversince and will shake them hereafter with such a shaking as never was the like you reade of a great earthquake when as Rome of Pagan became Christian Rev. 6.12 But that was a small shaking unto this earthquake for still the Persians are Idolaters and many Pagans in the world that shaking brought in a forme of Christianity but the saving knowledge of Christ was yet in a great measure wanting that forme of Christianity which then came in made way for Popery to creepe in fast into the Churches but this will shakeout Popery and when by it the Popish aire is smitten the Lord will also shake all the world by it and the time doth hasten 6. Now for the third effect which is a distracting and destroying calamity upon Cities upon Islands and Mountaines and upon men Among cities here is the great Citie and the cities of the Nations and Babylon Some good Interpreters looke at Babylon to be Constantinople For my part I dare not think but one of these is put expositively for the other Babylon for the great city Now that great city which is spiritiually called Sodome and Aegypt Rev. 11.8 is that great city which reigneth over the Kings of the earth and that is Rome as all confesse and that Babylon Chap. 17.18 and this is the same city which the Kings of the earth and the
such an earthquake as this will be so mighty and so great that will blast not Popery alone but all the Hotamocks in this countrey and all that are found among other Indians in other parts of the world an Haile storme shall fall upon them all and blast all their green groves and arbours wherein they were wont to be worshipped Thus have you seen as the Lord hath been pleased to help the meaning of these words Let us now gather one note from them For I would not long dwell upon there Aenigmaticall I meane Parabolicall Scriptures The Doctrine is That when the darknesse of Popish and hellish Doct. ignorance is dispelled so that a man may clearely see heavenly light and breath in heavenly knowledge then It is done That is to say then all the mystery of iniquity is abolished and the mystery of God is fulfilled For thus you see it is evidently here expressed in the Text. The seventh Angel did poure out his Vial upon the Antichristian ayre and that was such an ayre as was darkened with the smoake of the bottomlesse pit as with a foggy mist Now when this ayre shall againe bee cleared and the foggy darknesse thereof dispelled so that men may have the true use of it to see through it those heavenly bodies which were darkened by that smoake Rev. 9.2 then shall men see Jesus Christ to be all in all unto Justification Sanctification Consolation which in Popery you could not then shall the true Church be seen which like the Moon borroweth all the light it hath from the Sun true indeed if the Moone be taken for the world then she treadeth it under her feet Rev. 12.1 In Popery you could not see what a true Church was they will tell you of this and that Church but they are no true Churches But when this vaile shall be removed then shall you clearely know that the true Church is not a Catholike visible nor a Cathedrall nor a Diocesan nor a Provinciall Church Then shall you see the Stars of heaven you shall know who are the true officers of the Church not Paratours and Proctours Deacons and Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops over many Churches they are not the lights which the Lord hath set therein And you shall then see who were the true members of the Church Not the Canonized Saints not such as Saint George who was an ancient Heretick but you shall see them to be such as are spoken of Phil. 2.15 blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke shining as lights in the world then shall you see the Scripture more clearely true doctrine and worship and government as it is held forth in the Gospell of Christ and when you shall see these things then It is done Even all that God hath to do in the world for any further Reformation expect it not Rev. 10.7 when the time is come that the seventh Angel hath blowne his Trumpet the Lord will not delay but it shall then be fulfilled and the Lord will clearely manifest to all Nations the great grace which he hath to show to the sons of men and this is long agoe foretold Esay 25.6 7 8. In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and that is the pouring out of this Vial upon the ayre for the face of the covering is the ayre in my Text Then will the Lord make a feast of fat things then will he swallow up death in victory and wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth this is also prophesied of Esay 11.6 7 8 9. They shall not huâ—t nor destroy in all mine holy mountaine and the reason is for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and then It is done The mystery of iniquity is abolished there is no more darknesse nor destruction and the calling of the Gentiles which was a mystery to the Jewes shall be then fully accomplished and the calling of the Jewes which the Apostle calleth a mystery to us Gentiles Rom. 11.25 shall be then fulfilled and so the mystery of God is finished Reas 1 Three Reasons doth the Text give us hereof 1. First from the manner of the entrance of this heavenly glory into the hearts of men whether it come into private persons or publique States It commeth terribly with lightnings and thunderings the which comming from God doe so terrifie the hearts of men and the state of the world that they shall see plainely how they have beene deluded with desperate follyes and when men are put unto such an earthquake in their spirits this will be the point they come unto Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saved as did the Jaylor when he had been soundly shaken with the earthquake Acts 16.26.30 and so it will be with Kingdomes when God hath in like sort shaken them they will contend for true Religion and will not then be baffled out and deluded with vanities as now they be when the spirits of men are terrified and they feele no salvation in their Religion they know not what shall become of their precious soules this will set all the world on worke to looke about them for upon this ground you shall see Indians and Jews and Pagans gaping after salvation when they see by these terrible stormes and thunders that all their Religions are but so many refuges of lies then is there worke in hand indeed which when God hath begun hee will also finish it unto the day of Christ and it will be such an earthquake as was never heard of in the world Heretofore so long as this worke was found among poore Christians the great Lords of the world persecuted them and devised all manner of cruell torments for them but when they felt that the wrath of God was kindled against them then their hearts fell and they were all in a combustion for the state of their soules before the Lord now they were glad to renounce their Jupiters and Junoes and to embrace Christianity and to hearken to a better Covenant this is the effect of thunderings and lightnings and voyces it soone blasteth Idolatry and forceth man to seeke after a clearer passage to heaven The second Reason is taken from the power of the saving knowledge Reas 2 of Christ to dispell this Popish ignorance and to carry an end the heart of a man with such power that he can no longer lie at quiet in his naturall estate but it worketh in men these foure effects 1. It subdueth and tameth the hearts of men that now they will joyn themselves unto the people of God Esa 11.6.7 8. the Wolfe shall lie with the Lambe the Leopard
If the Prophet shall repent and say I am no Prophet nor the sonne of a Prophet but an Husbandman and my father taught me to keep beasts or sheep and therefore he will not weare a rough garment to deceive And if any man aske him What are those wounds in thine hands he shall answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.4 5 6. That shews in such a case they saved his life but they inflict some punishment on him to carry away with him And this is spoken not of the dayes of the Old Testament but it is written to be done when there is a fountain opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse in the 1. ver And in the 7. ver when the Lord calls for a sword against his Shepheard and against the man that is his fellow the Lord Jesus Christ and his companions his disciples He will smite the shepheard and the sheep shall be scattered and those are the dayes of the New Testament in those times it is when the Prophets shall be thus cut off that rise up to seduce the people of God And a third Reason is taken from the due desert of soul-murther Reas 3 There is none of all these Priests or Jesuites or Heretiques that sin in the like kind corrupting the precious truth of God in the very foundations of it but they worry and devour the soules of Gods people I meane those that should not die though Gods elect cannot be seduced yet those whom we ought to looke at that should not be thus murthered and brought to death by such means In the 7. Mat. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Is it not an acceptable service to the whole Countrey to cut off the ravenous wolves what is the wolfe to the sheep is he not the very death of them all that he lights on or fall in his jawes so is it with the sheep of Christ that fall into the jawes of these Romish ravenous wolves It is said of those false teachers 2 Timoth. 2.18 They destroyed the faith of some who concerning the truth have erred And in the 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. he tels us There shall be false teachers amongst them that shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction c. They shall make merchandise of you as the Church of Rome and her fountaines and rivers doe they make merchandise of the soules of men Rev. 18.13 Now to make merchandise of an Israelite as in the 21. Exod. 16. it is a capitall crime He that stealeth a man and selleth him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put to death Now these sell men and engage them to perpetuall bondage under their tyrannie both in doctrine and worship and government This murther of soules is juftly a capitall crime as Moses said before If they thrust thee from thy God and will not let thee walke with him let not thine eye spare such kinde of corrupters and desperate deluders Reas 4 The fourth reason is taken from that which the Iustitia Britanniae stands most upon and becomes States-men to doe and that is the conspiracie and treason against the State And that unavoidably by suffering such locust to run up and downe the Countrey to poison the hearts of men by their corrupt wayes and meanes for these Ministers they doe unavoidably not accidentally but they unavoidably draw men from their Allegeance due to their Native Prince to a forraine State For if a Prince should professe Protestant Religion which is the true Religion and thereupon be excommunicate by the Bishop of Rome what then then by the Lawes of their State he is deposed from his throne And they doe notably abuse the old type of Leprosie for this Vzziah being once smitten with leprosie then the High Priest removes him from the Temple of the Lord and he may not be suffered any more to governe for if once the Lord finite a man with leprosie in his judgement and indeed let heresie be one kinde of leprosie if the Priest pronounce him so then he is cut off from the government of the Countrey then his people are not subject to him and so subjects are freed from their fidelity to their naturall Prince which is a notable abuse of that place For God doth not intend that the authority of any Minister or Priest in the Old or New Testament should so farre prevaile that what they did in the Old Testament to Vzziah should take off Princes from their Goverment in the New For even in the old Testament they still retained the Crown though their power of execution was delegated to another and that not by the High-Priests appointment but by himselfe But as things were with them so though not in the same kinde but in a typicall way it befalls Princes in the New Testament If a man were found a Leper in the Old Testament hee was sequestred from the administration of his Kingdome and from his owne house Leviticus 13.46 he must not live in the Campe or in the Towne or Village but alone and in a separate place by himselfe as those that are sick of the Pestilence in our Native Countrey they are not suffered to live in the towne but in Pest-houses unlesse there be a generall infection But this thing must not be applyed in the letter to the state of the Church in the New Testament for Leprosie was not onely a type of scandalous infectious sins but it was also a bodily noysome infectious disease and made a man unfit for civill commerce Moreover as Leprosie was also a type of scandalous and infectious sinnes so the sequestring of Vzziah from the Temple doth type forth not that Christian Kings should be separate from their thrones For he that gives to a man a Kingdome or any earthly estate doth not debarre that man from his house if he be a private man nor from his government if he be a publique person But what is the Kingdome that is typed out It is the Kingdome of the glory of CHRIST JESUS If therefore hee be shut out from the holy Temple of Israel he is shut out from the Kingdome of Heaven indeed that is true for what is done by the Churches of God on earth is bound in Heaven But yet Christ Jesus never thought it meete to separate any by any Church power from communion with his wife and children those whom nature bound him to nor from his servants and subjects whom civill engagements bound unto him but only from interest in the spirituall communion of the seals of immortality and yet but for a season for the healing of his soule not for the destroying of his person or state but otherwise to exclude them from their own houses or Kingdomes or from any civill right
observation and the powring out thereof is the worke which the Lord calleth men principally to attend upon and wherein God hath manifested his presence most and wil goe on still to manifest more of the presence of his wrath unto other states now the points that arise from the words are two That forme of government wherein one by sole and singular Doct. 1 authority doth govern the Church specially many Churches and most of all all Churches doth spring from the Earth and savoureth of the Earth for so it appeareth to be from the Text for all these Angels powred out their Vialls upon the Earth Verse 1. Not as Earth is opposed to other elements but as it is opposed to Heaven so that as their Earth is earthly so is their Sea and their Rivers and Fountaines and their Sunne and this throne is but an earthly throne you see no such throne in the Tabernacle of the Testimony opened in Heaven so farre as Churches are Heavenly these thrones are not set up in them for this is it which Iohn reprooveth 3. Io. 9. in Diotrephes that he loveth to be a primate and would not regard a letter from Iohn himselfe though an Apostle for the brethren he would not receive them himself and forbad them that would and cast them out of the Church the true spirit of an earthly Primate for they savour of earthly ambition and covetousnesse love Balaams wages they stick not to buy their places for silver care not what they give for them but having gotten them with buying they must maintaine them by selling they must sell Ordinations and Absolutions and Dispensations and must be maintained by the benevolences of their obedient Clergy and in truth the summe of the matter is quid mihi dabis and what is all this but earthly bravery if ever you have beene at their thrones though it were but the thrones of their chauncellors and Officialls you shall see nothing but that which savoureth of the Earth earthly pride or pleasure or Covetousnesse I am and have lesse cause then many others from my last Diocesan who being more learned was more ingenuous and favourable then many others not wont to speake these things yet when the necessity of clearing my Text leadeth me to them I may not without unfaithfullnesse to God and his Church keepe silence we came not hither to speake hardly of other Churches but when the Word of God calleth for it we should be wickedly silent if we should not let the people know what the mercy and blessing is which we doe enjoy and what we are delivered from Rea. 1 The first Reason of the Doctrine is from that forme of Church estate which Christ hath instituted in his Word which is no other but the government of a Church of a particular visible Congregation He owneth no other nor giveth any government to any besides them If thy brother offend thee goe and tell the Church and must the offence stay till all the world be gathered together or if it were meant of one Diocesan or provinciall Church when will they meete therefore the Church that must heare al offences is the Church of a particular Congregation which may all of them meete together in one place 1 Cor. 14.23 and then though offences come thicke they may all be orderly heard and remooved And consider moreover that which further cleares up this first ground what variety of officers God hath given to this Church not many Parishes to one Bishop but many Bishops to one Church so as that Paul writteth to the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 And he sendeth for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.17 Whom he calleth Bishops Verse 28. And they were more then one in every Church according to Acts 14.23 They ordained them Elders in every Church directly contrary to the practise of the Lord Bishops of these dayes These things we speake that the people may know we set forth no new inventions though it be true that there is a newnesse in all the blessings of the new Testament whereas all the inventions of men wax old as doth a garment and there is no new thing under the sunne as touching mens inventions but they will grow old and vanish away as all Diocesin Churches will doe which the Lord hath not instituted Though indeed in the old Common wealth of Israel the Church was Nationall and there was but one high Priest who was a type of Christ but now Christ is come he hath delivered all his counsell to his 12. Apostles and they have left the ordering of his Church to some pastors and some teachers and some ruling Elders and some Deacons But besides these the Gospel knoweth no other The second ground is taken from the kinde of power which Rea. 2 God hath given to his officers in his Churches hath he given to them a Lordly or a Ministeriall power surely no Lordly power neither over their fellow Elders nor over the Church But he hath in his Word prohibited both these Math. 20.25 26 27. The Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so amongst you but whosoever will be great amongst you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be cheife amongst you let him be your servant Amongst the Officers of Christ honour is carried by the most labour and not by most outward splendor But those that sit upon the throne of of the Beast doe not labour in any kinde of government but that which is merely antichristian to foment sin and let loose the reines of all prophanesse neither doe the officers which Christ hath set in his Church reach after outward honour but the cheife of them make themselves equall with them of the lower sort as Peter though an Apostle when he writeth to the Elders stileth himselfe a fellow Elder 1. Pet. 5.1 and exhorteth them to feed the flock of God not as Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the flock so the Apostle in his second and third Epistle stileth himselfe an Elder so farre is he from affecting Lordly authority by all which we may see that all this kinde of Lordly and stately government is no way compatible to that government which Christ hath instituted in his Church The third reason is taken from that authority which the Lord Rea. 3 hath given to every Church over their Bishops as well as to their Bishops over them which cannot stand with Episcopall soveraignty It is true the Lord hath given them power over the Church let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour c. 1 Tim. 5.17 A power they have to call the Church together as the Apostles did for the choise of Deacons Acts 6.2 And to open the doores of speech and shut the doores of silence Act. 13.15 A power they have also to dismisse the assembly as they see cause for
will doe it for he hath promised it and hath begun to power out this Viall and will not cease untill he have left the Pope neither roote nor branch Vse 2 Secondly this may serve to teach us the ready way to subdue the Tyrants of the World and to take away all their supportance their walles and Bullworkes How should you take Babylon dry up Euphrates and Babylon is taken with a wet finger as when they dryed up Euphrates they found it but a worke of burning of Reedes to take old Babylon And how shall you overcome the Turkes dry up but the Fountaines of the Corruptions of Religion and you remoove Antichrist and make the Turkes easily Conquerable he will not be defenceable then whereas now he standeth like a wall of brasse and so will doe untill these streames of corruption be dryed up It was a notable practise that which the Lord directed his people unto Iudges 10. When they cried unto the Lord to deliver them from their enemies that oppressed them The Lord recounteth the gratious deliverances which he had shewed them yet saith he Verse 13. you have forsaken me and served other Gods wherefore I will deliver you no more goe and cry unto the Gods which you have chosen and let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation When they heard that they confessed their sin and put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soule was grieved for the misery of Israel then the Lord stirreth up the people to thinke upon Iephthah and they easily goe through the worke of vanquishing the oppressing Enemies In like manner bring but in false Doctrine worship and government into the Church and you bring in monsters of men among you the grand seigniours of the World will oppresse and rule over you On the other side let the Churches be reformed in France in England in Scotland c. Whatsoever other nations there be by that have defiled themselves with Popish doctrine worship and government let them but fall to this worke of reformation and verily the Lords Soule will be grieved for their misery that they are so oppressed with a base Priest and his Clergy who is in the meane while nothing else but a dunghill of corruption and what need have we earnestly to strive in prayer with God for these things and as great Nations are healed so are particular persons also by being purged from their Idolatries Fornications Thefts and Murders they are preserved from those personall evills which by Sea or Land might prevails against them And the Lord is able to doe it for great Nations as well as for particular persons for as he puts it into the hearts of Princes to agree and give their Kingdomes unto the Beast so he can as easily withdraw their hearts from him and cause them to see the vanity of their subjection to him Let us therefore give the Lord no rest untill he have fulfilled his word and overturned all his Enemies That the powring out of the wrath of God upon the Romish Doct. 2 Superstition and Tyranny as it will be the drying up of the Popish and Turkish Tyranny so it will prepare a ready way for the conversion of the Iewes When they shall see Christ riding upon a white horse and going forth conquering to conquer then shall they be gathered unto him Rev. 19. Because popish delusions Idolatry and Superstitions are the Reason greatest impediments of their conversion No man is acquainted with their writings but knoweth that these things stand in their way when the streames of Idolatry Sorcery Martyrdome of the Saints of God Fornication and robbery be dryed up then will there be a prepared way for the glorious conversion of the Iewes together with the rest of the Nations which cannot enter into the Temple untill the seven plagues of the seven Angels are fulfilled and then will they come in as honourable maides attending upon the Queene it will be like unto the resurrection from the dead unto them many devises there are in the mindes of some to thinke that Jesus Christ shall come from Heaven againe and reigne here upon Earth a thousand yeares but they are but the mistakes of some high expressions in Scripture which describe the judgements powred out upon Gods enemies in making a way for their conversion by the patterne of the last judgement Vse This may serve to provoke us and all the Churches of Christ to hold fast the purity of Doctrine worship and government in the Church of Christ let no streames of Idolatry nor love of the world run in our hearts If our Cowes be our Gods the Lord will power out a Viall upon them that from 25l. they shall fall to 5l. price the Lord hath sometimes threatned that he will famish all the Gods of the Earth Zeph. 2.11 So that all the Gods of the Gentiles shall not be able to provide any more offerings to be brought unto their Altars neither Apollo nor Iupiter nor Hercules can have any victuals and so will God deale with our Cattell if they be our Gods they shall either be worth little or else he will deny us todder for them if they devoure our spirits and take off our mindes from the Ordinances of God he will rend away any thing that standeth between him and our soules Therefore as ever we desire that we may prosper and that their may be a ready way prepared for our comfort let no streames of Idolatry be found among us then will the Lord make way for many of his deserved ones to come in among us or else wil make us wel without them For all the silver and gold in the world is his as the Cattell are his on a 1000 Hills Only let us take part with this Angell in powring out Vialls upon the corruptions that are found in our own hearts looke that their be no corruptions in us but such as are stil drying and drying up and see if God be not faithfull and gratious to us aboundantly stir we up our selves therefore and one another hereunto and pray that God would stir up other Nations and People hereunto then shall we see Gods ancient people brought home and the Lord shall be one over al the Earth and his name one which wil prove a Resurrection unto all the Churches of the Saints The second part of the sixth Viall VIALL 16. REVEL 12 Ver. to 14. XII And the sixth Angell powred out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the water thereof was dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared 13. And I saw three uncleane spirits like Frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet 14. For they are the spirits of Devills working miracles which goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to gather them to the battell of that great day of