meanes and degrees by which shee came at length to fall into that vast and drie wildernesse of Idolatrie a right shadow of Death and so grosse that all the former Pagans could not parallel it Then secondly how long shee hath continued under that blacknesse of darkenesse and ignorance thicker and obscurer then that of Egypt And lastly the very time when God in his mercy began to bring and leade her out of the same taking vengeance by degrees of all her persecutors The said Treatise indeede at its first flight did but intend your particular comfort and encouragement in your most undanted faith Jonas-like during your said death Whereof when you were risen and ascended up in a cloud to the heavenly Armagedon or Parliament calling you it would needes take it selfe to its wings being somewhat better feathered then at first and follow you over-sea there to observe more of its contents Trusting by the former true events to see a further accomplishment of many more wherein it hath in nothing hitherto been deceived having observed among many other wonderfull mercies of God first the second tribe of the Christian Israel passing over treading under foot that proudly overflowed Euphraticall Jordan Secondly the Covenant of Circumcifi ōrenewed in Gilgal where I am sure that the twelve stones are set up for a monument to posterity of the drying up of the said Jordan about the revolution of the 1641 yeare being the first of the last tenth of the last Moneth of the long tribulation and the first also of the raising of the Church agreeing with the particular time of your forementioned raising which was as is noted in the treatise the first day of the last moneth of your death And the beginning of the conquest of the premices of the ten Kingdomes of the great Citie or tenth part of them which was to be the first consecrated to God to be brought under the yoke of the Lamb Iesus Christ It observed immediatly after this the celebrating of the Christian Passeover the next Sabbath day following Thirdly the compassing about of the Citie Jericho by the three severall shouting Companies having with them the Arke of the Lord with the downefall of her walls and the sacking therof It admired especially observing that by the command of Joshua Rahab the Harlot was to be put out of the campe there to be by the speciall charge thereof committed to you prepared according to the law and thereby fitted for to be shortly married to the Lambe her promised husband as soone as shee should be stript of her whorish Babylonish garment as soone as the nailes of the Courts of her scratching persecution should be cut off and finally as soone as all the Ceremonies borrowed haires of her alluring and enticing whoredomes should bee shaved off The most part of which perceiving to be now effected it could be contained no longer but would needes scape out of my hands to fly abroad God grant it a favourable entertainement that it may returne againe with a safe conduct to its owner to carry the good tidings of Reformation most necessarie and wanting in the state both Civill and Ecclesiasticall of the Countrie of his aboade The prosecuting and obtaining whereof I desire that it may be by you to your powered further whereby you shall oblige mee to continue for ever Yours in the Lord I. D. L. M. TO THE REAER CHristian Reader little did I dreame that these private meditations intended onely for a particular Congregation should bee made thus publike to the view of the world Sed homo proponit Deus disponit man purposeth but God disposeth Importunity wrung them from me and present opportunity caused mee to yeeld thereunto And the rather because I saw now in good part effected and very much advanced by the wonderfull mercy of Almightie God that concerning the fall of the English Euphraticall Iordan or Nationall Hierarchy of Prelates which I did conceive then to be very neare approaching Being induced thereunto by the observation of the time appointed and by God limited for the Christian Churches pilgrimage through her most vast wildernesse following her all along it as it were step by step from one moneth to another with the helpe and light of that true Type and right guide the old Church of Israel having the Lord going before them by day in the pillar of a cloud to leade them the way and by night in the pillar of fire to give them light that they might goe both by day and by night under the conduct of Moses and Aaron The want of which Typicall guide hath beene the cause in my opinion that many though very worthy men and well deserving of the Church of God for their excellent labours in the exposition of the booke of the Revelation have many times wandered along the said Desart in seeking the footsteps of the said Christian Church which they have often missed It being indeede as difficult to be found without the helpe of the foresaid Typicall guide as I suppose as any of those waies mentioned by Solomon Prov. 30. 18. 19. but very easie having the said light going before Therefore have I already laboured for a good while and doe purpose to continue still if I bee not prevented by God or by the labour of some other in that kinde to parallel the travell of both the foresaid Churches their most notable accidents to send it abroad A tast whereof I profer unto thee in the meane while the which if being relished by thee it findes any good entertainement at thy hands though it be presented unto thee in a very ill polished because borrowed language it will the more encourage me to goe on with chearefulnesse and alacritie in my intended purpose by the assistance of the All sufficient God and thy Christian prayers in my behalfe to him who is no respector of persons and who doth reveale his secrets to all them that feare him Amen Thine in the Lord Jesus I. D. L. M. A COMPLAINT OF THE FALSE PROPHETS MARINERS upon the drying up of their Hierarchicall Euphrates As it was Preached in publik in the Moneth of February 1639 upon these words of the Revelat. 18. 17. And every Shipmaster and all the Company in Shippes and Saylers and as many as trade by Sea stood a farre off THE rod of wickednesse shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquitie saith the Lord Psalme 125. 3. That of the Roman beast hath for a very long while afflicted the Christian Church yet her lasting hath beene restrained to two and forty Moneths of yeares as it is said by the Angell to John when he forbad him to mete the Court which was without the Temple because saith he It was given unto the Gentiles who should treade the holy Citie under foot two and forty monethes So likewise in the 13. of the Revel. v. 5. where it is said that power was
them in their owne Territories and to be there a scourge unto them for the punishment of all their said Idolatries These fell out not long after upon the blowing of the third of the foure forementioned Windes loosed by the Angel ordained by God to restraine it till the time by him appointed was accomplished which cōming from the East quarter of the world brought along with it about the yeare of the Lord * 1300 that other sect of Mahumetans called Turkes who not contented to have taken from the Constantinopolitan Emperors during the time of their forementioned troublesome estate and decaying Empire the most and best part of their Provinces in Asia passed over the strait of Hellespontus into Europe about the yeare 1320 wherein they conquered presently after the whole Countries of Thracia Mysia and Macedonia afterwards the whole Empire it selfe which was utterly overthrowne by the taking of that famous Citie of Constantinople by Mahomet the Great first Emperour of the Turkes and the seventh King from Ottoman the first founder of that Empire who was not of the Selzuccian family as were all the other Turkes Sultans the Successors of Tangrolipix but of the Oguzian Tribe a family famous also amongst the said Turkes The taking of which once most glorious but then most miserable Citie fell out in the yeare * 1453 the 29. day of May Constantine Palaeologus being then Emperour who then ended there miserably his dayes together with the said Greeke Empire From thence they advanced further in Europe wherein they conquered many Kingdomes and Provinces invading infesting and ravaging many peoples in the said part of the World both by Sea and by Land and all this for the punishment of their abhominable idolatries and superstitions in so great a quantitie and innumerable number that the Holy Ghost in that ninth Chapter of the Revelat. where this most inhumane barbarous and bloudy warre is described from the 13. verse thereof to the end of it with the true cause mentioned in the 20 verse of the same might very well say that thereby the third part of men were killed But for all that the rest of the men who had the mark of the beast though they did escape those plagues yet did they not repent of the workes of their hands but rather continued to worship their most devilish Idols persecuting most cruelly all those who refused to worship them thereby shedding the bloud of the Saints and of the Prophets because they refused to submit themselves any more to that proud Antichristian tyranny of the Pope casting off his most intolerable yoke together with all his false doctrines and ordinances which then they began to see how they were altogether become as the bloud of a dead man so that it was impossible for any living soule to live in such a deadly and abominable Sea or to drinke without danger of most apparent spirituall death any of the waters or humane doctrines and superstitious Ceremonies issuing from the said Popish Hierarchicall Sea and therefore had rather suffer the most exquisit torments and most cruell corporall death yea of the hot burning fire then the most common that could be inflicted upon them by their bloudy barbarous persecutors then to returne backe againe towards that most deadly mysticall Sea from the which they did rather flie as of old the * Israelites from that of Ezion-Gaber as soone as they had heard the voyce of the Lord saying unto them You have compassed this mountainous Countrey of the Edomites long enough therefore turne yee Northward viz. towards the Land of Canaan againe standing Northward from Ezion-Gaber Even so did the Christian Israel as soone as they had heard that * Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospell to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every Nation and kindred and tongue and people saying with a loud voice Feare God and give glory to him because the houre of his judgement is come c. Hastening towards the Northren Countries of the Popish Roman world in very good hope to enter then in the promised Canaan of true reformation as it was noted before but being frustrated of their said conceived hope by the forementioned i Edomites they were constrained to make a very long circuite to approach it and to enter thereinto by the East side of it In which way as they were stung with the fiery Serpents in the Desart of the foresaid Edom in the beginning of their issuing out of their Desart and by them very unkindly used so at the end of it they did finde both Midianites and Moabites with false Prophets who would by their wiles have hindred their entry into their said Canaan but chiefly that fiery Euphraticall Jordan forementioned stopping altogether their entrance thereinto All which most unkind unmercifull hard dealings and most cruell usage of the said poore and sore afflicted Church of God besides the forementioned Idolatries of their detainers and persecutors were the cause of the loosing of the foresaid Easterly Winde by which the sixt Angel was moved to sound with such a long blast or Alarme to excite the five Angels to powre out the forementioned plagues contained in each of their Vials upon the most notable parts of that Antichristian Roman Empire but especially upon its forementioned Euphrates both Universall and Nationall the inflicting of which brought upon them the second terrible woe because thereby k God first gave them bloud to drinke to avenge the bloud of his Saints which they had as it is already said shed in great abundance l Secondly He did also by the means of them scorch them with fire Wherefore they did blaspheme the name of God because they had burned with fire his Saints and most faithfull servants and had tortured them thereby to compell them to blaspheme m Yea the said plagues were so grievous painfull that for very paine they were constrained to gnaw their own proper tongues because they had cut the tongues of his servants thereby to hinder them to make open profession of their most holy faith to confesse his name and sing his most holy prayses in the midst of the flames as else they would have done And as the said persecution instituted by Antichrist began from the time of Wickliffe and hath cōtinued to these late years even so have the foresaid plagues continued since to this very present time But the last of the foresaid five Vials being powred upon a particular Nationall Euphrates as was shewed before hath produced also a more particular effect than the former though being powred out upon a particular member of the same mysticall body the whole cannot chuse but by sympathy to have some feeling of it as is manifest by the stirring of the three forementioned Frogs by the cōplaints of all the Viceroys Merchants Mariners not onely of the said Nationall Sea but also of the Vniversall The cause whereof
is also called Lacus Asphaltites a right type of Hell once filled with the dead bodies of the Jewes flying before the Romans in that lamentable and last destructiō of Jerusalem presuming upō a false ground that it would drie it selfe and give them passage as it had done in former ages to their forefathers To which allusion is often made in this book of the Revelation as namely in the punishment of the chiefe enemies of the Christian Church Moses having thus conquered these two forenamed Kingdomes of the Amorites it is said Deut. 3. 12. 13. that he gave the Cities thereof unto the Rubenites and to the Gadites And the land of Gilead and all Bashan being the Kingdome of Og hee gaue unto the halfe tribe of Mnassah c. But it was upon this condition that they themselves should not stay therein yet but passe over the Jordan armed before their brethren the children of Israel all of them that were meet for the warre untill the Lord had given rest unto their brethren as well as unto them c. and then as said Moses unto them they should after that returne every man unto the possession which God had given them and not before Then the people of Israel went forward advancing to their last Mansions or Journeys viz. to the 41 and 42. and pitched all along the said river Jordan from * Beth-jesimoth signifying the house of Desolation to Abel shittim signifying sorrow of thornes As it happened indeede unto them both for their corporall spirituall whoredome the one that is the corporal committed with the daughters of Moab * and the spirituall whoredom through the counsell of Balaam committed in trespassing against the Lord for worshipping of Peor wherefore the plague came among the congregation of the Lord And there dyed in that plague foure and twenty thousand For which cause the Lord commanded Moses to * revenge the children of Israel of the Midianites after which he was gathered unto his people for neither he nor Aaron his brother because they were Ministers of the Law who made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. could not introduce the people of God into the land of Canaan but Joshua a true type of the Kingly office of Christ and Eleazar another type also in that the Priesthood was renewed in his Person but manifestly changed in Christ which was not * made Priest after the Law of the carnall commandement but after the power of the endlesse life after the order of Melchisedec By whose ministerie the said Jordan was dryed up that all the Israelites might goe drie cleane over it as it came to passe * as soone as the Priests that bare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of all the world had taken it upon their shoulders and had dipped their feet in the brim of the water which was in the time of harvest at which time Jordan did commonly overflow all his bankes for even then * the waters which came downe from above stood and rose up upon an heape but the waters that came downe towards the sea of the wildernesse which is the salt sea or lake of Sodome failed and were cut off and the people passed over right against Jericho And the said Priests stood firme on drie ground in the midst of Jordan and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground untill all the people were passed cleane over Iordan But note now that in passing over the said Jordan * the sonnes of Reuben and the sonnes of Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses went over before the children of Israel armed as Moses had spoken unto them It is also added concerning the time of their said passage verse 19. that it was * the tenth day of the first moneth that then they encamped in Gilgall in the East border of Iericho where Ioshua did pitch the twelve stones which they had taken out of Iordan that they might befor◠a memoriall unta their children for ever There also the Lord did say unto Ioshua * that he should make some sharpe knives to circumcise againe the children of Israel the second time because all the people that were come out of Egypt that were males even all the men of warre were dead in the wildernesse by the way because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord wherefore the Lord had sworne unto them that he would not shew them the Land which the Lord had sworne unto their fathers that hee would give them And when they had done circumcising all the people they abode in their places in the campe till they were whole After * the Lord said unto Joshua this day have I taken away the shame of Egypt from you There also they kept the Passeover on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even in the plaines of Iericho And they did eate of the old corne of the land on the morrow after the Passeover And the Manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corne of the land neither had the children of Israel Manna any more but they did eate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that yeare Having said thus much of these last journeys of the Israelites and of some of the chiefe accidents which befell them about their passage over Jordan fit for the better understanding of the matter now in hand concerning the drying up of our said Misticall Euphrates and deliverance of the Christian Israel out or their forementioned desert we must now apply the same to our said purpose thereby to give also according to our former promise in the Epistle to the Reader some tast of the parallell there mentioned very necessary not onely for the clearing of many misteries that are yet very obscure in the booke of the Revelation but also that we may with greater admiration observe the waies and wise proceedings of the Lord in this reformation of his Church now by him taken in hand and in some good measure by him already effected as the same was represented unto us in the old type of the old Testament and foretold both by him and by many of his Apostles in the new which will be also a most sure guide to direct us thereby to follow him and to give him the glory due unto him for all And to this end we must know that about the latter end of the forementioned third and last great period of time whrein that Journey of the 42. Moneths of our said Christian Israel through their said wildernesse was divided which we shewed to beginne in the time of John Wickleff in the yeare 1380. of Christ when the said people began to issue out of it the said Christian Church I say having sustained many strong oppositions and most cruell persecutions during the space of some two hundred yeares that she was a passing through that hideous desert full of most cruell * fiery serpents I meane the g fires of persecution which
had beene since that time kindled by the Pope in all the Kingdomes of his dominion the same were at last somewhat moderated especially in England when Henry the eighth had banished the h Pope from thence who though he continued the said persecution yet was it not so hot as before But after his raigne they were altogether extinguished in Edward the sixt his time though they were kindled againe by Marie who succeeded the said Edward yet the great heate thereof was within few yeares after so quenched in Queene Elizabeths time and by her meanes that the Church was then in great hope that it should have bin altogether delivered that they might then without any great difficulty have come to the end of their so much desired journey for in the very beginning of her raigne shee following the example of her said brother Edward who as another Moses had begun the said reformation with her Princes Peares and heads of Peoples assembled in Parliament abolishing all false Antichristian Idolatrous doctrine * digged with their staves of authoritie with the lawgiver a well of cleare doctrine as it is noted before wherby she did refresh as with cleare coole water of life her thirsty people giving also by this meanes a fit opportunity to prepare tune the harpes of God that they might be ready to sing the song of Moses the servant of God the song of the Lamb when they should have bin passed over And therby did shee in a very little space of time conquer unto Christ the whole Kingdome of England a most glorious conquest indeede yea much greater then that of William surnamed the Conqueror At which change all Christendome stood amazed saith the Historie that it could so easily be effect ed without sedition though it was not suddenly made but by little and little by degrees for the Roman Religion saith hee continued in the same state it was first a full moneth and more after the death of Queene Mary The seven and twentieth of December it was tolerated to have the Epistles and Gospels then the ten Commandements the Symbole the Letany and the Lords Prayer in the vulgar tongue The two and twentieth of March the Parliament being assembled the Order of Edward the sixt was reestablished and by the Act of the same the whole use of the Lords Supper was granted under both kinds The foure and twentieth of June in the yeare following by the authority of that which concerned the uniformity of publique Prayers and administration of the Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the liturgie in the English tongue more and more established In the moneth of July the Oath of Allegiance was proposed to the Bishops and other persons and in August Images were thrown out of the Temples and Churches and broken and burned The like being done also by her meanes and assistance the very same yeare in Stotland Now as God had given the two forenamed Kingdomes of Sihon and Og to Israel as the first fruits of their inheritance in like manner doth hee give these two to his Christian Israel and both of them were to bee incouraged thereby against the residue of their enemies beyond the river so that that which Moses said then to the one may truely be said to both * That they had seenewhat the Lord their God had done unto these two Kingdomes and the like should the Lord doe unto all the Kingdomes whether they should passe that therfore they should not feare them because â—ehovah their God would fight for them do unto them â—â—â—e had done to those two their land for which also both of them were to be thankfull unto God and to sing his praises as it is said in the hundred thirty sixe Psalme * Confesse ye to Jehovah for hee is good for his mercy endureth for ever Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever And Og the King of Basan for his mercy endureth for ever and gave their land for an heritage even an heritage unto Israel his servant for his mercy endureth for ever Thus did that most triumphant like Queene conquer those two kingdomes in a spirituall manner putting the last hand to the stripping of the Popes Authority in the said Kingdoms h which was begun even from the time of the forementioned Wickleff when hee did teach against the Supremacie of the Pope temporaltie of the Cleargie Monks pardons affirming likewise that the Church of Rome was the Synagogue of Hell and his Clergie heretickes whose doctrine was even then much favored by King Edward the third and many of his Nobles who withstood with great courage the exactions of Pope Clement the sixth Neither could it bee extinguished ever since that time in the said kingdome though it was most miserablie persecuted in the most part of the professors thereof by the Bishops there even till Henry the eight who banishing the Pope as is already said out of the land stripped him by this meanes of his Hierarchichall power there In which worke his said sonne Edward the sixt continued during his time but Queene Mary seeking to reinvest him againe in the same shee was cut short by God who then raised that Heroicall Virago forenamed Queene Elizabeth in whose time and by whose meanes under God the said Hierarchicall authority of the Pope himselfe dyed as it were or fell there downe to the ground But yet herein these worthy Princes did but in some manner even as Moses when he stripped Aaron the High Priest of his Pontificiall ornaments which presently after he * did put upon Eleazar his sonne i And so did they when after the stripping of the said Pope they did invest the Bishops his true right progenie and that by the authority of their Parliaments of the said Hierarchicall power which hath continued hitherto and since become the right Nationall Euphrates forementioned or glassie Sea mingled with fire And though in the said time of Queene Elizabeth the said renewed or rather changed and as it were new shifted Hierarchie did assume but a little power being but as in its infancy and daring not to shew the hornes of the Beast whereupon this Hierarchicall Harlot was most gloriously mounted yet gathering strength by little and little as the rivers doe commonly which though neere their source or spring their streames be but small and weake yet in the continuance of their course by the gathering together of many rivolets or small streames they become at length broad deepe and strong yea able to beare the greatest trading ships even as the Thames it selfe or rather that literall Euphates as we see it described by the Holy Ghost in the Prophesie of Isaâ—as chap. 8. 7. in that threatning of the people of Judah saying unto them that because they had refused the waters of Shiloah which ran softly c. therefore the Lord would bring up upon them the waters of the river
found out as I am fully perswaded by the favâ—â—able assistance of the spirit of God together with that faithfull and unfailing guide of his owne appointment the foresaid type of the journeys of the children of Israel travelling from Egypt to Canaan and at length discovered the particular Countrey through which runneth that powerfull mysticall Euphrates which hath thus since the forementioned time of the first Reformation of Religion till the drying up of it now fulfilled by the powring out of the said sixt Viall hindered the perfecting of the said Reformation Having also shewed what are the mysticall seas which it makes in its course or powerfull dominion established in the said Kingdome thus divided into two great Metropolitan Seas or Dioceses As also the very time of the drying up of it and spoken of some of the most admirable and wonderfull workes of the Lord that are already performed by his most powerfull over-ruling hand since the drying thereof and that are yet in hand and which he will not now leave unperfect nor desist any more from the full accomplishment of them because the time now begun foretold by that Angel which Saint John saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth or earthly sea whereof lifting up his hand to heaven he sware then by him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven and the things that therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the sea and the things which are therein there should be time no longer * But that in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angell when he should beginne to sound as he hath now as was shewed before that then the mysterie of God should be finished as he had before declared to his servants the Prophets All these things I say having beene thus premised it is now manifest and very easie to be understood that the Ships that were traffiking upon the forementioned Seas are nothing else then the Hierarchicall Courts of such Metropolitan Archbishops and of their other brethren the under Diocesan Bishops the divers Officers whereof are thus represented unto us in this text by the Holy Ghost by such names and titles as are ordinarily given to sea-faring men which are diverse having also divers titles whereby they are called as was before noted in the Analysis of the text The first whereof are called by the tiâ—le of Ship-masters which in the Originall are expressed by the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifying properly a Governor which Governours and Ship-Masters seeme to bee two distinct officers or offices bearing two distinct charges in Ships both specified also by Saint Luke Acts 27. 11. Where he saith that the Centurion beleeved rather the Governour and the Master of the Ship then c. The first of which Officers is here mentioned being the very same title or word by which the Apostle S. Paul doth call those Church Officers of the Primitive Churches which now among those that are truely called by the title of the Reformed Churches beyond Seas are named Elders here Lay-Elders by some or ruling Elders by others which are those * Helpes in Government or rather helping governours whom elsewhere the Apostle calls Presidents or Wise Rulers as in the first to the Thes. chap. 5. verse 12. also when hee saith We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are Rulers or Presidents over you in all which places hee useth the very same word that is here employed by the Prophet speaking of these Ship-officers Which Rulers Presidents or Governours are of two sorts the one of them being Pastors and teachers who labour especially in the word and doctrine the other are those that are onely Ruling Elders or Helping Elders because they are or should at least bee Helps to assist the Ministers in the administration of the Church discipline or in the Governement of the said Church who are so distinctly specifiâ—d or precisely distinguished by the Apostle in his first to Tim. chap. 5. verse 17. when he saith let the Elders that rule well bee counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine Which were also very well knowne in Origens time who lived about the yeare of Christ 226. who did thus distinguish them when writing against Celsus he saith * Non nulli praepositi sunt qui in vitam mores eorum qui admittuntur inquirant c. There are some ordained to inquire into the life and manners of such as are admitted into the Church that they may banish such from the Publique Assembly that perpetrate scandalous acts so likewise in S. Ambrose his time as it appâ—ares by that famous text of his * Vnde Synagoga postea Ecclesia seniores habuit quorum sine consilâ—o nihil agebatur in Ecclesia c. There were Elders in the Church under the new Testament as well as undâ—r the Law in the Synagogues as it appâ—ares clearely by these few places of the Old and New Testâ—ment viz 1 Kings 6. 32. 2 Chron. 19. 8. 11. Jer. 26. 10. 11. Ezec. 7 26. which were in steed and â—â—d represent the whole Congregation as may be seene Exod 12. 3. 21. and 19. 3. 7. see also in the New Mat. 27. 2. Marke 15. 1. Acts 4. 5. 6. c. without whose advise and counsell nothing was done in the Church c. saith that father Which officers I meane both * Pastors and Elders are also called guidâ—s oâ— Oâ—erseeâ—s by the Apistle Heb. 13. 17. where he châ—râ—es the Hebrewes to Obey them that had the oversight of them or that were their Guides or Rulers Of which the Assemblies of Consistories Colloques and Synods both Parishionall Provinciall and Nationall of the said Reformed Churches beyond seas are composed who have also the managing and disposition of all Church affaires Concerning which Assemblies it will not bee amisse to say this by the way that they have alwaies for President or Moderator a Pastor or Minister the rest of the said Assemblies both Ministers and Elders being his Assessors to vote and judge with him of * what cause soever concerning the Lord or any controversies which comes to them of their brethren that dwell in their particular cities and congregations The said Moderator being as it were the mouth or Speaker in the said Assemblies both for the examining of the businesse treated or discussed among them the taking of the voyces or opinions of the said Assessours and Judges and pronouncing of their opinion or sentence concerning the said matters thus agitated among them and that according to the pluralitie of voyces Which Moderator or Speaker is alwaies chosen in the first session of the said Nationall Synod lawfully convened from two to two or from three to three yeares by the said Pluralitie of voyces both of the said Ministers and Elders there assembled to be the President thereof during the same
wee shewed but now Wherefore as the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and a great plague was sent among the congregation of the Lord so is it come to passe also in this Laodicean lukewarme late times wherin so many have been killed both corporally spiritually that to no other time then this present can be most justly applyed as was noted before that saying of Christ Mat. 24. 22. that except Christ in his most wonderfull and unspeakeable mercy had not now as hee hath to the great praise of his most holy Name shortned these dayes both of spirituall temptations and provocations yea and more then in Balaams time of most violent injunctions and constraints to eaâ—e things sacrificed unto Idols no soule was like to be saved so also of most horrible and â—bominable treasons and conspiracies tending to the utter confusion and in all likelyhood finall and totall overthrow both of Church and Common-wealth in these three Kingdomes especially so that there was no flâ—sh like to be spared especially of the best professors who were thereby like to parallell the desolation of that so great and flourishing Empire of Germanie of that so long reformed Kingdome of Bohemia and of those so famous and purely reformed Churches of that so late flourishing Principalitie of the Palatine if not to excell them If it had not beene the Lord who hath beene on our side when such monstrous and Gyant like Vice-Roys and Traytors were risen up against us * for then they had swallowed us up quicke their wrath being so vehemently kindled against us then their waters had overwhelmed us the streame whereof had gone over our soules Then those proud Herarchicall waters had gone over our soules But blessed bee the Lord who hath not given us a prey to their teeth Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the Snare of such foulers the snare is broken and we are escaped Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Thirdly and lastly herein also may he bee compared to that faigned Charon of the Pagan Poets who was the boatman of Hell to carrie over the blacke Styx in his most wide and capable ferrie boate the soules of men to whom may be applyed in respect of what hath hath beene already said of him according to his former practises that vaine yea most blasphemous boasting power that is read in the Decretals which the Popes doe attribute unto themselves viz. That if they carried with them millions of soules to be tormented with the great Devill in Hell no man was to reprove them so imperious was he and so absolute in all his Tyrannies both corporall and f pirituall that no power either temporall or spirituall was able to resist or restraine him only from his intended devilish plots and designes but so would goe on come what might come of it yea let Church State King and all sinke or swimme 't was all one to him so hee might have brought to passe his owne ends which were indeede no better then Hamans as it is now manifest to all the world In whose shamefull end may all impenitent traitors with their devilish projects and conspiracies fall and finish that the King State and Church may for ever flourish and prosper for if the wicked be once taken taken away from before the King his throne cannot but be established in righteousnesse saith Salomon Prov. 25. 5. I will end this first point of Doctrine in a word or two of admonition to all such as hitherto have worshipped the Beast and his image and have received his marke in their forehead or in their hand and to all that with them have drunk of the wine of the wrath of this whores fornications to all Recusant-Papists I meane and Hierarchists whatsoever they bee beseeching them to consider seriously with themselves the lamentable forementioned condition and woefull estate of all them that have heretofore or doe yet daily thus hazard their poore soules into such ships either to trade among such Pirats or if they bee but passengers with them to take such blood-drunken guides for Pilots and such beast like Marriners for rowers who in stead of bringing them them to Heaven and Heavenly rest as they professe and boast doe carrie them downe into the Sea of the Euphratian Jordan with a most violent and swift currant to percipitate them in the end together with themselves in * that lake of fire and brimstone there to be tormented day and night forever and ever Heare this and tremble for it is now high time if ever to * flee from the wrath which is at hand up therefore * get ye out of this Sodome Doe I say unto you as once Lot spake unto his sonnes in law for the Lord will presently destroy it * Come out of Babylon say I againe unto you as the Angel in the Revelation to the people of God that ye be no more partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Get ye out of such ships forsake such wilfull blinded guides else you shall assuredly * fall both into the ditch as saith our Saviour Stop no more your eares * like the deafe adder which will not hearken to the voyce of charmers charming never so wisely And if he doth yet grant you to day to heare his voyce * harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the day of the last temptation in the wildernesse whereour fathers have tempted him proved him and seene his workes for the space not of fortie yeares only as the ancient Jewes but now of full a thousand two hundred fifty and upwards least he sweare againe in his wrath that ye shall not enter into his rest * Depart therefore I pray you from the tents of such wicked men lest ye bee consumed in all their sinnes and bee swallowed up with them and goe downe alive into the pit of destruction nay hye ye lest with the foolish Virgins you tarrie till the doore of repentance bee shut up against you and it be too late for you to cry Lord Lord open to us And thus much shall suffice for this first point In the second place from this consideration that these Mariners or Court-officers of such Merchants doe make such a rich trade or gaine upon this Sea and of the people of God in these Hierarchicall ships or Courts observe this other point of doctrine viz. that The Ministers of the Beast false Prophet even as their head all of them I say make a trade both of soules of all other things spirituall pilling spoy ling all those that saile with them both of their temporall spirituall goods behaving themselves therin even as the false Prophets did of old of whoÌ„ the Lord doth so often complaine by his Prophets as we may reade Esay 56. 1â— c. where speaking of them he saith The watchmen are blind
workes of God May we likewise say with them he is terrible in his doings towards the children of men He turned the Sea into dry land they went through the flood as we doe now and there they did rejoyce in him as wee ought also to doe This may be gathered also out of Josh. 5. 10. where it is said that after the Israelites were passed over the Iordan and after they had renewed the covenant of the Lord by the Circumcision as all the Christian Israel of God must likewise doe * they kept also presently after the Passeover in the celebration whereof they were wont to sing the Psal. 113. and 114 c. and so must wee for all those things happened unto them for types and they are written for our admonition saith the Apostle upon whom the ends of the world are come Before I end this text I must yet say a word or two concerning the behauiour of these Court-officers or Mariners in this so manifest a danger who are therefore said in the last words of this 17 verse to stand a farre off and that no doubt for the very same cause for which it was also said in the former verses of this chapter that both the Kings of the earth and the Merchants stood likewise afarre off as we reade verse 10. and 15. viz. for feare of her torment these being no lesse timorous then they yea they are rather more being right Amphibies and very like frogs which are most timorous Creatures the least noise making them quickly to dive and hide themselves in their puddle waters But where will or can these hide now themselves their Euphraticall Iordan being now dryed up sure they can but skip up and downe yet for a very little while and that yet as the fish doth in the frying pan from which it falls in the fire to croake and doe their message as it was shewed before for they must all be caught and killed unlesse they repent to give glory to the God of Heaven as some shall assuredly doe as it appeares Revel. 11. 13. Besides by the drying up of their said Euphrates the terror of the Lord is fallen upon them as it fell upon that prophane Balshazzar when hee saw * the fingers of a mans hand writing over against the candlestick c. For then as it is said there the Kings countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another but especially when * one Post did run to meete another and one messenger to meet another to tell the King of Babylon that his Euphrates was dryed up and that Cyrus Gods annoynted had taken his City at one end and that the men of warre were afraid as it had beene feretold by the prophet Jeremie Even so these hearing and seeing now their said Euphrates to bee thus dryed up and having therby their conscience throughly awaked accusing them of their barbarous cruelties filthy whoredomes prophane drunkennesse and unsatiable covetuousnesse this is I say the cause why they doe now for feare thus stand a farre off Besides their standing a farre off may in like manner note unto us the true qualitie of these Amphibies and filthy frogges who having but mouth and belly onely as resembling those false teachers mentioned by Saint Paul * whose end is destruction whose God is their bellie and whose glory is in their shame and who mind but earthly things Or like the Cretians whom the said Apostle affirmes upon the testimonie of one of their owne Prophets to have been * always lyers evill beasts and slow bellies who therefore can doe nothing but croake onely to incite and provoke yea the Kings themselves with their Armies to fight and shed the blood of their owne best and faithfullest subjects while they in the meane time doe feede and pamper their unsatiable bellies never sollicitous nor willing through feare of a bad successe to enter the lists of a faire combat concerning the divine righâ— of their so statelie and pompous an Hierarchâ—call Governement there to have the matter tryed by the word of God the infallible Iudgâ—…â—f all controversies and doubts whether in maâ—â—â— of Doctâ—â—â—e or Church disciplinâ— judging it â—o beeâ— sâ—â—â—r course for them 〈◊〉 play thâ—…Gibeonitesâ—arâ—s their right â—â—â—es wiâ—… our Joshua * and the Princes of the Congregaâ—ion which Gibâ—oniâ—â—s having seene and heard what had â—eene doâ—â— unto Jericho and to Al as we reade Josh. 9. 4. c. They did worke then wiltly evâ—â— as 〈◊〉 Hierarchikes doe and went and made as if they â—ad beene embassadors and tooke old sackes upon their asses and wine bottells old and rent and bound up even like the arguments and allegations of these pleading for their Prelaticall Supremacy nothing but Antiquity and the most Ancient and gray haired constitutions Canons of fathers Councells and Synods yea Statutes and lawes of former wise learned and grave Lawyers and Counsellors allowed and approved by the Authority of the most godly and puissant Emperors Kings and Princes of Christendome even since the time of Constantine the great that most Religious Prince brought thereby to avow and establish it by that so much weather beaten and overtyred Canon of that famous and first Orthodox Councell of Nice attributing the priority of the Patriarchship therein first enacted to the Bishop of Rome as his successors at least would have made the world beleeve by perverting the true sence yea and falsifying the very Canon it selfe as it was at last found out and detected in that of Carthage held almost one hundred yeares after Herein behaving themselves altogether like the foresaid Gibeonites who came to Joshua unto the campe at Gilgal with such old shooes and clouted upon their feet and old garments upon them all the bread of their provision being also dry and mouldy pretending thereby to bee come from a farre countrey as these would seeme to be though they come but from Rome being issued out of the Roman Hierarchicall Idolatrous Sea to which they laboured also tooth and naile to have reduced these Kingdomes different therein indeede and therefore farre worse then the Gibeonites and greater beguilers without comparison of whom you ought therefore O ye most worthy Princes of the Congrâ—gaâ—ion to take heede lest you treate of any peace with them or make any league with them to let them live any more in that Hierarchicall sea of theirs else they will beguile yea rather betray Joshua himselfe his Religion and state to the grâ—atest enemie thereof be ye therefore advised and take * counsell at the mouth of the Lord in a businesse of so great importance and greater I dare say with permission then any that can be treated of and whereon dependeth the whole welfare of state King and Religion or utter ruine and downefall thereof unlesse it be narrowly and speedily lookt into and wisely prevented with the assistance
and favour of that Almighty God who hath hitherto so wonderfully continued and countenanced you in all these so weighty affaires already by you performed to the joy of all true English hearts and terror of all our Enemies both at home and abroad As you may very manifestly perceive it already by the said behaviour of all these Euphratian frogges and shall more and more a mesure que leur dit Euphrates sassechera This being the sence of these words as we take it and judge by the premisses that it cannot bee taken otherwise it may yeld this point of Doctrine unto us viz. that The vindicating Iudgement of God doth most often terrifie his most fierce and haughty enemies overtaking them most commonly at unawares and when they thinke themselves to bee cock sure and very farre from it as Saint Paul doth testifie saying of such that * When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape This may be proved by many examples both in the Old and New Testament as of Pharaoh when hee was drowned with his armie in the read sea for when God * tooke off their chariot wheeles they were so astonished thereat that they said let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Thus was Nebuchadnezzar surprised for * as he was walking in the palace of the Kingdome of Babylon saying is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdome c. While the word was in his mouth there fell a voyce from heaven at the which no doubt hee was no lesse amazed then was afterwards Belshazzar his sonne at the hand writing forementioned saying O King Nebuchad-nezzar to thee it is spoken the Kingdome is departed from thee Thus it fell out also to proud Haman who as soone as he heard the Queene Ester accusing him to bee * the great adversarie and wicked enemie who had sold her and her people the Israel of God being then in captivity as these had done likewise the true Christian Israel of the three Kingdomes then in captivity distresse also not only to be held for bondmen bondwomen but to be destroyed to be slaine to perish as woefull experience had too soone proved it for us if God had not in his but too little considered wonderfull mercy towards this land prevented it in his good time by the meanes of the forementioned Hollanders Then I say at such a relation was the said Haman sore afraid seeing in the Kings face that there was evill determined against him by the King We reade also in this booke of the Revâ—lation that when Christ the Lambe came to take vengeance of the persecuting Pagan Emperors that then The Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe captaines and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines and said to the mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And the like must of necessity falâ— out to this whore her Merchants and Marriners whose Euphraticall Iordan shall then bee dryed up when she should say in her heart sit a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow for therefore saith the Angel shall her plagues come in one day for her greater terror and astonishment death and mourning and famine and shee shall be utterly burnt with the fire of excommunication for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her The reason whereof may bee first because they applaud flatter and blesse themselves in their hearts saying * that they shall have alwayes peace though they walke in the stubbornesse of their hearts to adde drunkennesse to thirst as it is said Deut. 29. 19. and therefore as it is further added in the said place The Lord will not spare them but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against them and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie upon them c. Secondly because the Lord takes them usually when they are soothing themselves in their naughtinesse and saying in their hâ—arâ—s as those prophane ones in Zephan that the Lord would doe them neither good nor evill whom the Lord threatens there saying that * it shall come to passe at that time that I will search saith he Ierusalem with candles and punish the men that are thus setled on their lees and therefore their goods shall become a bootie and their houses a desolation then he addeth in the next verse that the great day of the Lord was neere it is neere saith he and hasteth greatly which is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation c. Thirdly because most commonly the Judgements that God layeth upon them are very grievous and terrible and then * the Lord gives them trembling hearts and failing of eyes and sorrow of minde so that their lives hang in doubt before them and they are in feare day and night having no assurance of their life according to that threatning mentioned in the Law And our Saviour testifies the same speaking of the great judgements that should fall upon the world of the wicked in these latter times saying that * then there should be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the stars and upon the earth distresse of nations with perplexitie the sea and the waves roareing yea saying that mens hearts should faile them for feare looking after those things which are comming on the earth Fourthly God retaliates unto them paying them in their owne coyne as they have pressed downe and thereby endeavored to terrifie most of the best servants and children of God with their most heavie and tyrannicall burdens so doth the Lord pursue them with heavie and terrifying plagues for it is a righteous things with God saith he Apostle to * recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Fiftly God in his justice will have his hand to be seene against those that make warre against him and against his people he will appeare in his anger against such and that must needes be terrible unto them for thus saith the Lord himselfe by his Prophet * Now will I rise sâ—â—th he now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe ye shall conceive chaffe ye shall bring forth stâ—ble c. Therefore saith hee afterwards The sinners in Zion are afraid fearefulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who therefore among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Finally another cause of their terrour is the guiltinesse
the d Saracens stirred up by the sound of the first trumpet when that * Starre e Mahomet about the yeare of the Lord 622. fell from Heaven unto the earth to whom was given the keys of the bottomlesse pit when the said Saracens made him their Generall about the yeare 630. at the opening whereof came out of it those Saracenicall Locusts mentioned Revel. 9 1 c. who with their said Generall that other Arch-heretick with his smoke false Doctrine of the Alcoran darkened the sunne and the ayre and with the almost innumerable multitude of their Armies did cover and pester both the whole Asian Empire and that of Africa yea rushng and flying further they advanced very farre in Europe invading Thracia Sicilie Sardinia and afterwards came as farre as Spaine about the yeare 714. and there setled themselves under the name of Moores possessing the said Mountaine Kingdome for the space of 800 yeares from thence they rushed also very farre in France in which Kingdome they first entred about the yeare of our Lord 726. and therein advanced as fare as Tours upon the River Loire having for their King Abidiram with an Army of 375000 men from whence they were chased by Charles Martel Duke of Brabant that great Captaine and by his Successour Pepin made afterwards King of France and altogether rooted by Charles the Great the said Pepins Sonne created after that Emperour of Germany in the yeare 800 of the Lord Concerning which Saracenicall Locusts we say that during the time they did thus torment the Christian world the first of the seven forementioned Plagues which caused or brought upon the Inhabitants of the earth the first of the forenamed woes was powred out of the first Viall by the first Angel as it appeares very clearely by the analogy or great correspondency that is to be seene in comparing the effects of the said fift Trumpet mentioned Revel. 9. with those of the said first Viall described Revel. 16. 2. and comparing likewise the said effects of both the said fift Trumpet and of the said first Plague with the charge which was before given to the foresaid Windes in generall in the forealledged seventh Chapter of this Revelat. where the said Winds were restrained from hurting for some time onely either the earth or the sea or any tree as they would no doubt have done else But that restraint being now taken away and the first of the said Windes having already greatly endammaged both the earth and the sea yea the Sunne and the starres as we have already shewed This second being now loosed he is also thereby permitted to hurt the earth or earthly men of the Kingdome of the Roman beast And onely forbidden to hurt either the grasse of the said earth or any greene thing or any tree bearing any good fruit because they were marked and thereby exempted And thus the first Angel of the seven Vials doth likewise powre out his Viall upon the earth onely Secondly the said Locusts were permitted to hurt onely the men which had not the seale of God in their foreheads chap. 9. vers. 4. even so the plague of the first Viall must no more be powred out upon those that were sealed but onely upon the men which had the marke of the beast and which worshipped his image Revel. 16. 2. Thirdly the plague of the Locusts was not mortall they being commanded not to kill them Rev. 9. 5. but onely to torment them with torment like unto the f torment of a Scorpion when he striketh a man Neither was the plague of the first Viall mortall but such a one as thereby a very noysome and grievous sore fell upon those men Revel. 16. 2. So that the one as well as the other caused the first woe proceeding from the plague of the said first Viall brought by the sounding of the said first Trumpet stirred up also and moved by the blowing of the foresaid second winde all which joyned as it were together made the men of those times so miserable that though they sought death in those dayes yet could they not finde it because it did flee from them as did the said Locusts themselves which caused these great torments the which being driven from one place or Kingdome did as it were skip presently unto another continuing therein for the space of about five moneths of yeares and exercising their said tormenting power upon those Christian men by name which had not the seale of God in their foreheads but the marke of the beast onely And thus did they continue for many hundred yeares in Asta Africa and Europe But g though their said power was much abated in Europe by the foresaid Charles the Great who condemned the adoration of Idols and opposed it both by his writings as also in that Councell by him assembled at Franckford in the yeare 794. wherein the second of Nice where the said adoration of images and intercession of Saints was approved held in the yeare 787 was condemned to whom God gave many great victories over the said Sarracens yet because for all his opposition the said Idolatry did still continue being also approved in the Councell of Constantinople held under Michael the third about the yeare 866. therefore could they not be driven quite away But now and then did they much vex the said Christian world with their tailes or remnants making many incursions therein for the space of an hundred and fiftie yeares more about which time * Tangrolipix the Turk upon the death of Mahomet the Persian Sultan was made King of Persia whereby those Saracens were deprived of that Caliphat and soone after the said Tangrolipix got also from them that of Babylon The Sultan Saracen of Egypt was likewise deprived of his Caliphat 150. after by * Saracon another Turke viz. in the yeare 1166. He also invaded many of the Emperour of Constantinoples Provinces After whose death his Successors continued the said Warres and subdued all Media with a great part of Armenia Capadocia Pontus and By thinia and so a great part of the lesser Asia But let us now leave them thus continuing their said Warres one against another and the Greek Princes at variance amongst themselves thereby giving great advantage to the said Turkes still more and more to invade one part or other of the said Empire yea the holy Land it selfe becomming thereby the very bane and grave of many Christian h Emperours Kings Princes and most valourous Captaines and Souldiers whose carkasses have fallen by millions in those remote wildernesses by reason of their idolatrous and superstitious vowes and pilgrimages to the said by them then and by such means most prophaned City and Sepulchre answering very fitly to the threatning denounced by GOD to that ancient Israel Numb. 14. 28 29. as the right type thereof By all which meanes the said Turkish Nations and peoples were also the more provoked against the said Christians to hate and persecute
means of which judgement the way of the Kings of the East shall be prepared And if it be now asked to what end the answer is That the said Kings may goe armed before their brethren beyond the Seas to conquer to Christ The kingdome saith * Daniel in the said â—ap v. 27. and dominion the greatnes of the kingdome under the whole heaven which shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominion shall serve obey him because as was noted before the said Kingdomes are the * premices of other and as the first fruits of them unto God and to the Lambe Thereby accomplishing the vow promise made concerning their said brethren in the forementioned covenant which must not be forgotten And therefore Right Worthies of the Lord permit me to reiterate the said promise in the words of that Worthy Leader of Israel reiterating it to the said three Tribes and saying unto them * Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord coÌ„manded you saying The Lord your God hath given you rest and hath given you this Land your wives your children and your cattell shall remaine in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan but you shall goe over before your brethren armed all the mightie men of valour and shall helpe them untill the Lord hath given your brethren rest as he hath given you and they also have possessed the Land which the â—ord your God giveth them then yee shall returne unto the Land of your possession and enjoy it The which they accordingly performed as the same Joshua testifies speaking unto them after the conquest of the said Land of Canaan and and the division thereof among the other Tribes saying * Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you have obeyed my voyce in all that I commanded you Ye have not left your brethreÌ„ these many dayes unto this day but have kept the charge of the Commandement of the Lord your God And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren as he promised them therfore now returne ye and get ye unto your tents and unto the land of your possession And when he sent them away then he blessed them spake unto them saying return with much riches unto your tents and with very much cattell with silver and with gold with brasse and with iron and with very much raimeÌ„t divide the spoile of your enemies with your brethren To the which prophecies together with this so manifest a type may yet be added that excellent promise made to this end to all these victorious Kings of the East in this Booke of the Revelation which may serve not onely to confirme this truth but also to encourage the people of the said Kingdome to goe on chearfully to the performance of the said great worke now by them so happily begun to which purpose therefore let them consider first that promise is made to the Angel and Church of o Thyatira after the fall of Jezabel and after the death of her childreÌ„ mentioned Rev. 2. 22 23. a place parallell to the forealledged Rev 11 v. 13. 16. 12. 19. 15 16. namely that to those that should thus overcome and conquer the foresaid kingdomes and people in the forespoâ—en manner and should keep Gods works unto the end he would give them power over nations they should rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter should they be broken to shivers and that he would give them the morning starre CoÌ„sider likewise to this purpose that which is said presently after the blowing of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 11. 15. by those great voyces in heaven wch said The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever Wherefore they sing that Hallelujah at the falling downe of the forementioned walls of Jericho mentioned Rev. 19. 6. because then the Lord God was entred into his kingdome Now then seeing that these things ought thus to be done by the foresaid Kings Princes Nobles people suffer not the hornes of your powerfull authority to be used any more against the author thereof or against his most distressed Church and Spouse either in these kingdomes or in any other as they have been too too much heretofore by that cruell Beast and most proud whore Jezabel but rather in a more sincere zeale to Gods glory then that of Jehu as shee is entred into the house of God by the window so let her be cast out of it that shee may be trodden under the feet not onely of the horses and most base people as she is already but of your selves for it is prophecied that you ought thus to hate her and make her desolate and naked yea that you ought to eate her flesh burne her with the fire of Excommunication that thereby you may at length fulfill the words of God Revel. 17. 16 17. And to conclude with a word of exhortation and encouragement also to my fellow-brethren of the Ministery that * Phinees-like having already shewed a great zeale in the cause of the Lord against Zimri and Cosbi they may also like him goe with the thousands of Israel with the instruments of the Sanctuary and the Trumpets of alarme in their hands to execute the vengeance of the Lord against Midian sparing none of their Princes not Balaam himselfe nor any of the women neither because they have caused the children of Israel through the counsell of BalaaÌ„ to commit a great trespasse against the Lord in the case of Peor wherfore came the plague among the Congregation of the Lord And therefore like * Elija take all the Prophets of Baall so that not a man of them doe escape though they were seven thousand in number for all of them must be slaine with the spirituall sword of ExcoÌ„munication * going out of the mouth of Jesus Christ But above all be careful to commend the rooting out to the very stumps yea stumps all of that Hierarchicall Antichristian-like Church-government with all the Officers thereof to those that are now fighting the battels of the Lord in lieu thereof labour to have the holy Church Discipline of Christ stablished countenanced and authentically authorised among us seeing that no man usurp under what colour or title how favourable and specious soever it be any dominion over the Lords inheritance that Gods wrath may no more be provoked against us who is as you know a consuming fire now more then ever zealous of his glory and who to manifest the same hath taken in hand his vindicating power to take vengeance of * all his enemies who would not that he should rule over them and who have bin likewise the mortall enemies of his true Witnesses and most faithfull