great earth quake was at least sixty yeares in doing its worke for so great a body as the Empire could not by created humane meanes be ruined in a short time And it is very remarkable both because it made so great a change in the Kingdomes of Europe and Affrick planting them almost universally with new Nations and names and in specially because that storme brought our fore fathers into this land setling here a new Nation and language It is thirdly also observable because in it the sixth head of the Roman Monarchy the Emperour went off and the seventh the Pope came on onely the question is about which of these times and degrees of the Empire destruction Haply not so high as Julians death for the Empire stood in good strength after that for thirty yeeres at least Nor so low as 455. when it was quite broken and not long after lost its very name but somewhere between viz. either about 410. when Rome it selfe the head of the Empire was taken or rather about An. â—96 when the Empire first began to be ruined that is plus minus about 400. yeers after Christ Even as the seventy years of the Jewes captivity are not to be computed from the 11. of Zedekiah when the City and Temple were taken and burnt and the State dissolved for from that time there be not sixty years in all till their returne under Cyrus but they must be reckoned from the captivity of Jehojakim ten or eleven years before even so very probably it is here Now if the Beasts reigne began about 400. after Christ then is there above 1240. gone of his 1260. yeeres so that the ruining earth-quake must needs approach And a man may wonder that so much worke should be done in so short a time as seemes to be remaining to it throughout Europe yea throughout the world but that the Text tels us it is the greatest earth quake that ever was Object The sixth head of the Empire continued long after the death of Theodosius the great Not in strength Answ 1 but was still more and more broken unto its dissolution It is not absurd to imagine that the sixth head and the seventh might be in some degrees together For first it is but a comparison not like the naturall head of which there can be but one at once more makes a monster and truly this Beast is a monster Besides the Imperiall and Papall head did not so thwart and crosse one another at first as afterwards they did so that it might be with them as Logicians say of contrary qualities they may consist together in the same subject gradibus remissis non intensis they might both of them have their power and yet not intrench upon each other Popes at first medled in a manner onely with matters of the Church as being desirous to settle their ecclesiasticall authority and the Emperours on the other side almost wholly busied themselves about the civill State to governe and defend the Empire And yet further which may lessen the absurdity before that you should have in the Roman goverment sometimes as it were two heads at once as Consuls who were for their yeere and a Dictator chosen it may be for three months or six mouths upon some extraordinary exigences and necessities of the State who was for the time supreme and namely in matters of warre as the Consuls were supreme for other civill affaires The earth-quake whereby Antichrists Kingdome is to be ruined approaches or is already entered as may apreare by this second Indice or evidence Because it is almost 1260. years since the ten Kings began and the Beast began with them as may appeare Rev. 17.12 The ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but received power as Kings one houre with the Beast The ten Kings are the many Kingdomes that sprang up out of the ruines of the Empire as the Kingdome of England the Kingdome of France the Kingdome of Spaine c. These are called hornes aptly because Antichrist did with them as the Beast doth with his horne so the Dragon i. e. the heathen Empire had done before with them whilst they were his hornes Rev. 12.3 that is propugne himselfe and oppugne his adversaries For this hath been Antichrists course all along to push downe and gore even to death for the most part all those that opposed his idolatries and haeresies in all Nations by these hornes that is by the Kings and peoples of those Nations who have given their power and strength to the Beast Rev. 17.13 and who doe generally continue it to the Beast with one mind and consent making warre for him against the Lamb almost all and that most desperately unto this day Which have received no Kingdome as yet For when the Apostle wrote there were no suâ—h Kings in rerum natura or existent in the world as the King of England the King of France c. These Kingdomes then were hornes of the Dragon i. e. Provinces of the Empire and therefore in the description of the Dragon Rev. 12.3 the Crownes are not said to be upon the hornes that is upon the Kingdomes who had then no Kings of their owne but upon the heads that is upon the imperiall head at Rome as for instance this Land Brittaine was in the Apostles time a Province or Kingdome but it had no King of its owne and so no Crowne that was upon the head of the Emperour at Rome and he had supreme power over this Islrnd but whenas these Kingdames became the hornes of the Beast they came also to have peculiar Kings of their owne England had and hath its King France its King c. And therefore in the description of the Beast the Crownes are not said to be upon the heads but upon the hornes upon his hornes ten crownes Revel 13.1 But received power as Kings one houre with the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Kings and the Beast began their reigne together Now the Kings and Kingdomes began to arise about An. 400. after Christ when the Empire began to be destroyed haply some of them a little before for they had begun to breake the Empire foure or five yeeres before and therefore might then begin to be called Kings for God lookes at and so are we to looke at realities The Histories indeed doe not speake much of them under the name and notion of Kings untill after 400. or 410. but the Histories are very confused and no wonder for those were times of most strange confusion The Beast is said to begin with them at one and the same houre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the word may be interpreted the first houre the word in the Greeke text that signifies one as all that have any smattering in that language know signifies also first and so it may be interpreted that the Beast began to rise the very first houre the Kings began to rise rather then the
it is meant concerning Christ by anticipation who was to be afterwards the desire of the Nations The words are to be read thus Object The desire of all Nations they shall come a Noune of the singular number joyned to a Verb of the plurall and therefore they cannot be meant of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The learned in the Hebrew affirme such a Synrax Answ not to be unusuall among the Hebrewes and namely when they set forth the dignity and excellency of a person so that we may take it thus Christ cloathed with all his Excellencies Attributes Offices and Merits shall come Neither doe I see why this should be more absurd then the joyning of a Noune of the plurall number to a Verb of the singular as we find Gen. 1.1 In the beginning Godcreaâ—ed word for word Gods he created denoting out the Trinity of the persons in the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the unity of their Essence and Act in creating the World And I will fill this House with glory Not with an externall glory of silver and gold nor with a ceremoniall glory such as the Arke which was called the glory of Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 22. Psal 78.61 which was now quite taken away Jer. 3.16 for God would now teach them to take their hearts quite off from ceremonies and to look directly for the Messiah but he would fill it with the glorious presence of Christ who had the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God John 1.14 who is the Lord of Glory James 2.1 who is the true Glory of Israel Luke 2.32 who shewes his people the way and is himselfe the undoubted means of glory Now from the words thus understood we may observe these two generall Doctrines one from the commination the other from the consolation First that great concussions Doctrine 1 shakings and alterations of States and Nations great warres and sometimes desolations both oft civill and ecclesiasticall State doe in the course of Gods administration often times goe before great and notable restaurations and Reformations of the Church Secondly Doctrine 2 great and excellent Reformations of the Church doe often times follow and ensue upon great combustions and concussions of Sates and Nations We will begin with the former of these and in opening of it observe this method First we will set downe some proofes and examples of it in the Scriptures Secondly give some grounds and reasons of the Lords proceedings in this manner such as the Scripture leads unto Thirdly we will declare some signes and indices of such an approching storme and earth-quake and then apply it First therefore we shall find such earth-quakes foretold and threatned before the Reformation of the Church wherein the Lord intends not to ruine the Church as we are apt to imagine but to restore and reforme it See for this Amos 9.8 9 10 11. Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon the sinfull Kingdomes and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord for loe I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations like as Corne is sifted in a sieve c. All the sinners of my people â—all dye by the sword which say the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his ruines and I will build it as in the dayes of old c. Loe here the Lord will first destroy the sinfull Kingdome though not the whole Nation for those are two things He will sift the whole Nation so that no graine shall escape tossing and cut off the enormous transgressors among his people and then when this is done he will restore his Church set forth under the Type of the Tabernable of David as we see it expounded by the Apostle James Act. 15.14 15 16 17. other predictions we have of this kind Isa 4.1 2 3 4. Zech. 13.8 9. We shall also find instances in the Scriptures of such mighty earth-quakes in the course of Gods providence going before notable Reformations of the Church and we will begin with this mentioned in the Text. There have been foure famous Monarchies in the world the Babylonian the Persian the Graecian and the Roman Monarchies The Babylonian was lately fallen it was now about the middest of the Persian Kingdome which continued for some 228. years and then was utterly overthrowne by Alexander the Macedonian called Alexander the Great He brought in the Graecian Kingdome which continued divided amongst his successors but with infinite troubles 200. and odde yeers and then was subdued by the Romans All these great changes besides very great ones among the Romans themselves happened between the time that the Prophet Haggai flourished and the comming of Christ The people of God the people of the Jewes were under all these Monarchies Neh. 9.36 37. and held their Kingdom in vassalage of them and as tributaries to them and therefore must needs partake of their commotions as indeed they did for there were great alterations in the Jewish State both in Common-weale and Church For the civill State sometimes they were under a Prince of their owne Nation sometimes under a forreigne Governour as Pilate the Roman Deputy was over Jerusalem and the principall part of that Country in the time of our Saviour Sometimes they were under Princes of the house of David as Zerubbabel and others Sometimes their Princes were of another Tribe as the Macchabees who are said to be of Lev by the Fathers side and of the Tribe of Judah by the Mother till at length Herod the Idumaean tyrant by the favour of the Roman Emperours usurped the Kingdome slew Hircanus the King his Father-in law together with his owne Wife and Sonnes being all of the Blood-royall and line of David many of the Nobles of Iudah the whole Sanhedrim or Councell of Elders And so that prophesie of Iacob was fully accomplished Gen. 4â— 10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come meaning Christ Sometimes their Governour had the title of a Prince sometimes of a King they were now under a King then under a Queen as Alexandra Sometimes their Governour was both King and Priest as was Hircanus a little before our Saviour came in the flesh These changes were usually made with many mighty stirres and dismall battels There were semblably great changes in the ecclesiasticall Sate it seems they had sundry High-priests together sometimes as Luke 3.2 Annas and Caiaphas sometimes the High-priest was but annuall or but for a yeer in his office whereas by the law there was to be but one High-priest and he for terme of life There were divers different Sects of Religion risen up among them and some of them strange ones as Sadduces that denied the Resurrection
when it was in its glory and in the earth-quake not in the fall of the City for the earth-quake is to shake down the whole Kingdome of the Beast throughout the world in the earthquake I say were flaine of men seven thousand that is thousands upon thousands and so the second woe made up of Popiâ—h idolatry and Turkish cruelty passeth away ver 14. Now immediately upon this the seventh Angell sounds a Jubilee and then there be great proclamations and acclamations in Heaven that the Kingdomes of the World indefinitely set downe that is all the Kingdomes are become Christ's Kingdomes And whereas before the Divell Dragon Beast his hornes have reigned now Christ takes to himselfe his great power and reignes for which the whole Church under the type of 24. Elders praise him though the Nations be angry as they ever are when Christ puts forth his just power ver 15 16 17 18. He now gives rewards unto his servants the Prophets c. and destroyes them that destroyed the earth that is he ruines the wicked and idolatrous generations of Antichrist who wasted his Church before ver 18. His Tabernacle is now opened in Heaven and the Arke of his Testament seene ver 19. that is Christ represented by the Arke is clearly manifested before that wicked generation had forbidden men to read the Scriptures had kept them in unknowne tongues had involved the mysteries of Christ in Masses and rude heaps of other superstitions and ceremonies but now he and all his excellencies shall be fully manifested to the Nations The other place is Rev. 16.17 c. where Antichrist having by his emissaries that is the uncleane spirits like Frogs drawne the Kings of the earth into (a) A militiae or confoederation subiect to the divine Anathâ—ma Hormageddon i. e. into a cursed and crafty warre for herein I assent to Graserus sodainly the Angell finding them in that state powrs out the seventh Viall upon them upon which follow thundrings lightnings and an earth-quake such as was not since men were upon earth so mighty an earth-quake and so great it is called the greatest earth-quake that ever was haply in regard of the sodainnesse and violence of it or either else in regard of the extent of it as being to shake all the world 1. The effects are the great City is divided into three parts by which understand probably that the Kingdome of the Beast shall be rent in peeces by fractions and devisions ver 19. 2. The Cities of the Nations or Gentiles fall by which no doubt we are to understand the false Christians that filled the visible Church all Antichrists reigne that is Papists and false professors for it is said that these Gentiles or Nations for the word is the same should tread down the holy City that is the visible Church Rev. 11.2 Peradventer these two effects of the earth-quake are now in fulfilling ver 19. 3. Unto great Babylon the cup of God's wrath is given c. now shee shall be remembred and destroyed 4. Yea all parts of Antichrists monarchy shall fall Object Some Kingdomes are strong and invincible like mighty mountaines they will stand others are remote like the Islands they cannot be come at they will continue No saith the Text every Island fled away and the mountains were not found ver 20. nothing so remote as the Iland nothing so mighty as the mountains could stand And because this ruine of the Beasts Kingdome is one of the greatest things that ever did or ever shall fall out in the world and shall have the strangest consequents therefore the holy-Ghost is pleased after a description of the Beast and the Whore chap. 17. that we may know who they are the Beast to be the Pope and the Whore Rome The holy-Ghost is pleased I say to set downe these things particularly and at large First the destruction of the Whore chap. 18. then the destruction of the Beast himselfe and all the Kings his partakers chap. 19. after which followes the binding up of Sathan with its consequents chap. 20. and then the glorious restauration of the Church both of Jewes and Gentiles under the type of the new Jerusalem in the two last chapters In the next place let us consider such grounds and reasons as the Scriptures lead us unto why the Lord in the course of his administration and providence doth cause such great shakings of Nations before he doth reforme and refine his Church and we shall find these three in speciall First Reason 1 that he may plague and punish the persecutors and oppressors of his Church and so deliver his people from persecution and oppression I joyne these two together and we shall find them to be things the Lord hath alwayes aimed at in his concussions of States and Nations if there were a Church there Why did the Lord so terribly shake Aegypt but that he might plague the oppressing Egyptians and enlarge his persecuted people of Israel And why Babylon but that he might destroy the Babylonian tyrants and deliver captivated Judah These things the Lord Intended when he ruined the Dragons Kingdome the persecrting heathen Empire and which he now intends being about to destroy the Kingdome of Antichrist take one place for all Jer. 50.33 34. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah were oppressed together and all that tooke them captives held them fast they refused to let them goe their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name He will thoroughly plead their cause that he may give rest to the Land and disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon Marke here Gods people were oppressed their enemies held them hard as never minding to let them goo and deliver them no more did the enemies of God's Church now well who can help it B. L. in his Epist Ded. before his ans to Fâ—sheâ— they have no such strong assistance to back them for so one hath written Yes saith the Phophet they have a strong Redeemer what may his name be the Lord of Hosts is his name what will he doe for them He will thoroughly plead their cause and give rest unto them how will he doe that by disquieting the Inhabitants of Babylon it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will disquiet that is he will destroy them Observe it wherefore would the Lord bring such a devastation upon Babylon but that he might redeeme his people by oppressing their oppressors That he may take away the impediments of his Churches restauration and namely these three Reason 2 That he may take away the scandall of great sinnes Imped 1 The visible Church is like a draw-net that takes in Fishes good and bad it so falls out often times that this Church is filled with grosse sins committed and permitted with blasphemy swearing cursing lying stealing Hosea 4.2 3. prophanation of Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths persecutions of the godly and all kinds of licentiousnesse open sins against the very letter of the Law and
I mean the wicked and superstitious Clergie being their naturall genuine and proper posterity Let not such a sinne therefore lye any longer upon the State out therefore worthy Senators with all the generation of erronious Teachers Altar-worshippers c and prophane ones that have made so many abhorre the Offerings of the Lord. If any Object that the Church will then be destitute of Pastors I answer I know no warrant at all that there is to put or keepe such Wolves among Gods flocke Secondly that a thousand or two of goldly and able men well distributed if the other were out might by Gods blessing doe more good by far then now doe all the Ministers in England Nay I take it to be an absolute duty of them that have power to eject them besides what may be said otherwise even by the equity and analogy of that Text Ezek. 44.10 12 13. The Levites that are gone away farre from me which went astray from me after their idols they shall even beare their iniquity because they ministred unto them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity therefore have I lifted up my hand against them saith the Lord God i. e. I have sworne against them as most high transgressours and so will not reverse it and they shall beare their iniquity And they shall not come neere unto me to doe the office of a Priest unto me nor to come neere to any of my holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they have committed Besides punishments should be aggravated according to the aggravation of the sinne or sinnes The most capitall offender can but be put to death but when the guilt is transcendently hainous it ought to be with such circumstances and expressions as may make it appeare that the Judge or Magistrate hath a doe sense of that hainousnesse and would reach it in the punishment if it were possible All Israel were to stone Achan and to raise over him a great heape of stones Jos 7.25 26. Now if this be so I wonder what punishment will be found out sutable to the crimes of some malefactors now in question who have wickedly endeavoured to seduce many whole Kingdomes quite to suppresse and extinguish true Religion in them if not throughout the world who have proudly trampled upon all lawes and estates being undoubtedly if all things were laid together of the greatest if not absolutely the greatest transgressors that ever were since men were upon the earth For the Manner the Word requires that judgement be executed with the spirit of justice or judgement of which the Text speaks Isa 28.6 In hatred of sinne love of God Zeale for his glory as Phenehas did orherwise if you punish a Malefactor with death who hath deserved it instead of taking away an old murder you adde a new and shal be punished accordingly judgement ought to returne to justice Psal 94.15 We have two remarkable examples in the Scriptures worthy to be taken notice of by all that are in authority of two Kings that were both rewarded and punished for the very same thing Baasha destroyed Nadab and the house of Jeroboam Jehu destroyed Jehoram Jezabel and the whole house of Ahab both of them had the Kingdome of Israel for their paines and yet for these very acts both their Families and Posterities were destroyed Baasha because he killed him viz. Nadab 1 Kin. 16.7 and so I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu saith the Lord Hos 1.4 And so it came to passe as may be seene in both their Histories What was the cause was there equity in this Yes the thing done was just to punish these idolatrous Families but the manner of doing it utterly displeased God because it was not done in the love of justice c. and so in respect of God but out of spleen and ambition to get the Kingdome That it was not done by either of them as an act of justice appeared in that they both continued in the sinnes of Jeroboam which they seemed to punish 1 Kin. 15.34 2 Kin. 10.29 For that Magistrate or man that lives openly in the sinne he punisheth in another cannot doe it as an act of justice and so doth not please God not to speake of this that he that punisheth one sinne as suppose theft because God would have it punished and so doth it as an act of justice will also for the very same reason punish another sinne as much or more odious to God as blasphemy swearing idolatry if his arme be strong enough and long enough to reach the Offenders which very thing may put I feare some suspicion sometimes upon our publique justice in matter of theft c. and makes it questionable whether it be done out of right principles as because it is sinne against God and punishable by his Word or onely because man is trespassed or no which if it be so the very lawes herein ought to be reformed I will not insist upon this that judgement ought to be executed roundly and speedily though protracting of it often takes off a great part of the edge of justice but I urge the doing of it in the manner before spoken Give me leave for a conclusion of this point to adde these two Motives for ensorcing the duty This execution of judgement is one of the best meanes in the world to expiate if I may so say the old sinnes of a Nation as namely the old idolatries and persecutions in which kindes our Land is infinitely guilty For besides universall strange and long continued idolatries there is scarce any Nation under the Sunne if any at all that can equall ours in the slaughter of so many Saints in a formall judiciary way Now if so be you wovld take the guilt of these away from the Nation as there ought to be a Nationall confession and reformation of them and strong application of Christs blood by prayer of faith for attonement represented by the elders killing of the Heyfer for the expiation of an unknowne murder Deut. 21.4 so there must be execution of judgement upon the slaughteters of the Saints For if the blood of one man and he a wicked man unjustly shed will bring sinne upon an whole Nation till it be done away by the blood of him that shed it as we may see Numb 35.33 How much more will the blood of so many holy Martyrs cruelly slaine for Christs sake â—nguilt our Nation no assuredly God will cleanse the blood that he hath not cleansed Now right Honourable because you cannot reach the old persecutors doe justice upon their successors that have revived all their sinnes This is of speciall moment to stay a plague Phinehas executed judgement and the plague was stayed Numb 25. Psal 106.50 Search saith the Lord and see if you can find a man in Jerusalem that executes â—ndgement and I will spare it Jer. 5 10. Josh 7.25
the thoughts of idolatry Iosh 22. the Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knowes and Israel he shall know say the two Tribes and an halfe to the ten being accused of an intention to revolt from God if it be in rebellion or if in transgression against the Lord save us not this day that we have built us an Altar to turne from following the Lord c. let the Lord himselfe require it Iosh 22.22 23. Much more shall the Reformation be excellent in the last ages wherein it is promised that there shall be new heavens and new earth new Church and new Common-wealth wherein righteousnesse shall dwell 2 Pet. 3.13 In the amplitude and extent of the Church before it was sometimes contained within the narrow bounds of Jury afterwards the Nations of the Gentiles had it successively first the easterne Nations then the westerne c. But now the Church shall be generally if not universally spread over all the world The Kingdomes of the world that is all the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Revel 11.15 And so when the judgement hath sate and the Beasts Kingdome is consumed to the end then and not before then the Kingdome Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven it seemes to be spoken without all hyperbole shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7.26.27 When the stone that is the Kingdome of Christ hath smitten the Image upon the feet and broken them to pieces it selfe shall become a great Mountaine and fill the whole earth Dan. 2.35 Then shall all Nations rejoyce in Christ Psal 67.2 3 4. then a great multitude not of a few but of all Nations and Kindreds and Peoples and Tongues shall stand before the Throne and before the Lambe praising God Rav. 7.9 Nations shall be borne in a day Isa 66.8 All Nations shall serve him Dan. 7. ult In the excellency of the government Christ shall then take to himselfe his great power and reigne Rev. 11.17 and the Saints under him The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdome and possesse it for ever even for ever and ever age after age for many ages Dan. 7.18.27 they shall reigne on the earth Rev. 5. to 20.4.6 a thousand yeares They shall then indeed be the head and the wicked the taile Many tough and tedious disputes about government which exercise the Church now may haply be of small use in that Reformation It is to consist in the affluence and confluence both of spirituall and externall prosperity for the Lord having humbled and broken his by the earthquake may now trust them The Church hath been before like an homely huswife or like a poore woman living in a cave having scarce a rag to cover her nakednesse and bringing up her Children very hardly whereas Antichrists Strumpet in the meane while hath beene gorgeously attired in Purple with gold and precious-stones and pearles but now the Church shall be like a bride adorned for her husband Rev. 21.2 Now her peace shall be as the Rivers the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour to her Rev. 21.24.26 Wait for it and hasten it by faith and prayer Use unbeliefe doth a world of mischiefe Our Saviour could not doe many mighty workes in his owne Country because of their unbeliefe Mat. 13.58 see also chap. 17.16 17 20. How it hindred the healing of the Lunatick the old Israelites for unbeleefe were debarred from entering into the Land of Promise Heb. 3.19 It hindered the building of the second Temple for it is remarkable that whilest the Jewes gave over the worke upon the complaints of their adversaries and the inhibitions of the Persian Kings unto whom they were then subject it never prospered but when they hearkned to the Prophets Haggai and Zechary and beleeved the promises which they brought from God they went on thoroughly and perfected the worke the Persian King Darius Nothus though the adversaries afresh complained consenting who also forbad their adversaries to hinder them upon their greatest poenalties yea commanded them with all possible diligence to further the Jewes in the worke God who hath the hearts of Kings in his hand so framing that Kings heart that he entreated the Iewes to pray for his life and the life of his Sonnes He had lost one or two before and now feared he should lose the rest Ezra 6. and this was almost six score yeares after they had laid the first foundation for in divers Kings reignes they were absolutely hindred Ezra 4. and were at times six and fourty yeares as it seemes in building it Iohn 2.20 I shall never see this Reformation Quest Thou canst not certainly tell Answ 1 the eye sees the Sunne I doubt not that shall see the beginning thereof Seeing thou wilt buy houses and lands yea reversions which thou never lookest to enjoy thy selfe for thine heires forward this for their sakes to come that the little ones may goe in and see that good land c. Faith is the substance of things hoped for it breeds such an apprehension of things promised and to come as gives comfort and confidence concerning them as we may behold in Abraham who rejoyced to see the day of Christ so many hundred yeares before it came Iohn 8.56 and in the old Saints Hebr. 11.13.40 who beleeving in him to come were saved Thou maist by the tastes of these clusters of Grapes set before thee in the former Priviledges discerne what a good Land it is Thou mayest by them as from off the top of Mount Pisgah behold it with thine eyes and view the Land round about The beleeving praeapprehension of these things will give a sweet fruition of them in measure before hand unto the godly Lastly beleeve and wait and though thou misse thy part in the new Ierusalem here on earth yet shalt thou certainly be a Sharer in that Ierusalem which is eternall in the Heavens FINIS A passage or two pretermitted 1 The westerne Roman Empire was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that which did let the appearing of Antichrist which when it was taken away then was the man of sinne revealed 2 Thes 2.6 7 8. This belongs to the first Indice spoken of in the fourth Signe 2. The two Witnesses include all those that did sustaine the Cause of Christ against Antichrist and his Gentiles for the Text divides all within the visible Church during Antichrist's reigne into two ranks and no more viz. two Witnesses or Prophets the same are called worshippers and Gentiles Rev. 11.1 2 3. 3. The 1260. dayes of the Witnesses and the 42. months of the Beast begin and end together For else Christ should have none to be for him during some part of Antichrist's reigne For none are for him but the Witnesses Besides the Church was to be all that time in the Wildernesse for which provision is made Rev. 12.6.14 Errata Page 1. line 9. read ranne l. 10. r. houses p. 2. l. 12. r. Ezra 3. p. 3. l. 7. r. hieroglyphicall p. 6. l. 9. r. Tabernacle p. 13. l. 9. r. penitent p. 36. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 41. l. 6. r. learned Curteous Reader if there be any more verball or literall mistakes as I doubt there are many pardon the Printers over-sight and correct them with thy Pen.
these lived in against the expresse doctrine which the committers of them know and professe Now for these sinnes the name of the Lord lyes under much pollution and dishonour Heathers and Turks can pull Christians by the sleeve and accuse them for them and wonder why they doe things so contrary to their profession A man would certainly think that wicked men had a dispensation for these sins or that God himselfe did not much dislike them and would never punish them Well the Lord will not alwayes suffer this reproach though he forbeare a long time no nor never did alwayes in any Nation he will make blasphemers know at length that he will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name in vaine and so for the rest The Land shall mourne for these things at last Hos 4.3 He will have it appeare that he allowes not his to commit such sinnes the Lord will have the scandall of sinne taken away Now the scandall of great sinnes is to be removed one of these two wayes either by the Delinquents penetent confession and reformation or secondly by a speciall vindication 1. Sometimes it is taken away by the offender himselfe when he humbly confesseth his sinne and reformes if he confesse and not forsake he doth not remove but encrease the scandall for then he takes the blame from off the profession and layes it upon himselfe I did indeed so and so transgresse I did blaspheme commit adultery c. but it was my corruption made me to doe it and not my Religion it is utterly contrary to the doctrine I have received and doe professe which utterly forbids such sinnes and threatens eternall damnation to the sinner I am heartily sorry for my sin doe earnestly beg pardon for it of God the Father through Christ and by divine grace in him doe fully purpose and will endeavour a thorough Reformation this now dischargeth the profession of all blame and layes it upon the person But because this is seldome done only by penetents thoroughly therefore there is another way of taking away scandall from Gods Name for the grosse sinnes of professours and that is by visiting or vindicating the sinne upon the sinner Now this vindication is either humane or divine The first is humane For God requires that those that are under him and over others should execute judgement for him upon their Subjects for all open sinfulnesse according to the nature and degrees of it this he expects from the Parent Master Magistrate respectively and they greatly sinne and shall be punished if they doe it not Now because this humane vindication for the most part failes therefore the Lord himselfe doth at length take the matter into his owne hand when he sees judgement is turned backward and justice stands a farre off truth lyes in the street equity cannot enter and he that refraines from evill makes himselfe a prey that it is lawfull to be any thing but good as we have seen in our times when he looks about him and sees that there is no man and wonders that there is no intercessor that is he wonders there is no body will appeare to execute judgement for him then at length himselfe puts on righteousnesse as a brest-plat he puts on the garments of vengeance for cloathing and is clad with zeale as with a cloake according to their deeds accordingly will he repay fury to his adversaries farre and neere even to the Islands he will repay recompence Isa 59.14 15 16 17. and so he will take away the scandall sinne and sinners permitters and committers altogether See an instance The people of Israel had divers times murmured and tempted God they doe it afresh when the spyes came home and brought ill newes of the Land of Canaan the Lord thereupon threatens to destroy them all Moses intercedes for them and prevailes for the present but withall the Lord sayes and binds it with an oath that surely and as truly as He lived He would fill all the earth with his glory and not one of those murmurers should see the promised Land Numb 14.21 22 23. And so it came to passe for they were all rooted out in the Wildernesse they had made all the earth ring of his dishonour in their murmuring and he would make it resound his honour againe in his punishing of them Because Elye's sonnes transcendently sinned and he being their Parent and Judge did not punish them as he ought therefore the Lord threatens to bring such a punishment upon him and his house that whosoever should he are of it both his ears should â—ingle 1 Sam. 3.11 and so he did chap. 4. Both his sonnes were slaine in one day himselfe perished miserably afterwards Saul flew though unjustly 85. of his Posterity at one time and Abiather was afterwards for taking part with Adonijah cast out of the priest-hood by Salomon and so his whole posterity brought to beggery hereby was the word of the Lord fulfilled 1 Kin. 2.27 As deare as David was to God yet when by his murther and adultery he had opened the mouthes of God's enemies to blaspheme his Name though upon his repentance the Lord did pardon him yet he would not remit the temporall punishment but the child borne in adultery should dye the sword should never depart from his house he would raise up evill against him out of his own bowels as he did in the rebellion of Absolom 2 Sam. 12.10 11 14. And this I take to be one speciall reason why the Lord at last hath destroyed all the States and Kingdomes of the world that ever yet have been because that whereas they should have executed judgement for him they have executed judgement against him whereas they should have been a terrour to evill works and for the praise of them that doe well they have generally been a terrour to good works and for the praise of them that doe evill The second impidement of Reformation is great and enormous sinners Imped 2 these the Lord useth to sweep away by the earthquake they are of divers sorts as 1. The scoffers at Religion Sort 1 the bold affronters of Heaven that fit in the chayre of the scorner these feare neither God nor devill they make a tush at the threatnings of God they say the Prophets words shall become wind Jer. 5.13 They threaten the Prophets that threaten them the Prophets tell them they shall dye by sword and famine they say thus shall it be done unto them ibid. We will make them dye by sword and famine our Saviour cals these dogs that bark at bite them that cast pearles to them Such were those Isa 22.12.13 who when the Lord called to weeping mourning behold there was joy and gladnesse with them killing of Oxen and slaying of Sheep let us eat and drinke say they speaking most impiously and securely for to morrow we shall dye The same Prophet tels us of a company that know not how to be sinfull enough denounceth a
hearken what the unjust Judge saith how much more shall the Lord avenge his owne elect upon their desperate enemies and that speedily his people giving him no rest but crying day and night unto him Luk 18.5 6 7 8. Surely the Lord will at last procure rest to himselfe from his peoples complaints and unto his people from their enemies tyrannies in their enemies destruction The great Earth-quake whereby the Kingdomes of the grand Antichrist with his whore of Babylon and all their supporters Signe 4 shall be utterly subverted in all Nations draw's neere if it be not already entered I may well put an If to it it is so probable It may possibly be with us as it was with the people of the Jew's when our Saviour Christ came in the flesh or with the Churches of the Gentiles when Antichrist came our Saviour was both come and gone before the Jew's generally would know him for the Messiah and Antichrist was growne to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his full age and stature before the world tooke any notice of him till the Waldenses and Albigenses neere 500. yeares agoe began a little to discerne him I much suspect the last 26. yeares ever since the troubles began in Bohemia Anno 1618. I much more suspect the last seven or eight yeares ever since the stirres began in Scotland but most of all these last foure yeeres ever since that by the endeavours of this noble Parliament in England the Prophets are begun to be raised as it were from the dead the enemies to be mightily opposed their triumph over the Prophets here ended their power also beginning to be broken and ruined Besides since that time the storme like a mighty whirlewinde hath passed over into and assayled many other Nations and the fire doth continue still there and proceeds further and further burning most fiercely and ragingly That this grand earth-quake is at hand or else begun appeares because the Beast Antichrist who is to fall by it is so well stricken in yeeres and so neere his end The whole terme of his life and reigne without the wombe for the mystery of iniquity was framing this Embrio even from the Apostles times 2 Thes 2.7 is two and fourty months Reve. 13.5 or one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes that is one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares putting a day for a yeare as we finde it in other instances Numb 14.34 Ezek. 4.6 Dan. 9.24 Now these yeares grow toward their full period and expiration for it is well neer so much time since they began This will be made appeare by these two indices First it is almost so long time since the Papall state became the seventh head of the Roman Monarchy and when it began to be that head then it began to be the Beast Rev. 17.11 That we may understand this we are to looke upon the text Reve. 17.9 10 11. Here is the â—inde that hath wisdome the seven heads are seven mountaines on which the woman sits and there are seven Kings five are fallen and one is the other is not yet come and when he commeth he must continue a short space and the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seventh and goeth into perdition The seven heads of the Roman Monarchy signifie two things first seven hils upon which the woman sits that is upon which the City was built for the City is called a woman ver 18. and seven Kings The seven hils were famously celebrated by heathen writers long before the Apostle writ his Revelation Their names were these the Palatine the Capitoline the Aventine the Esquiline the Quirinall the Viminall and the Janicular hils The heads did also signifie seven Kings that is seven severall supreme formes of Government that have beene in Rome which makes Daniel when he describes the foure Monarchies comparing them to foure Beasts say that this was divers from all the rest Dan. 7.8 The seven severall regiments are these first Kings secondly Tribunes thirdly Decemvirs fourthly Dictators fiftly Consuls sixtly Emperours all these are enumerated by Tacitus in the beginning of his History seventhly Popes Of these five were fallen when the Apostle received the Revelation that is Kings Tribunes Decemvirs Dictators Consuls One is that is the Emperour a Souldier chosen for the most part by the Armies And the other is not yet come He doth not say the seventh but the other pointing no doubt at the Christian Emperour who did not differ from the heathen Emperour as a distinct forme of Government for they were both Souldiers and chosen by the Souldiers but in the quality of his person the one hating persecuting the other loving and protecting christian Religion And when he comes he must continue a short space For the Empire after it came into the hands of the Christians stood but a short time in its strength a matter of seventy or eighty yeares from about the middle of the reigne of Constantine the great for till then he was exercised with mighty warres against the heathen Emperours unto the end of the reigne of Theodosius the great from about An. 316. or 320. untill 395. It followes in the next verse the beast that was and is not even he is the eighth and is of the seven The beast that was viz the Papall state was in respect of the bulke of the Empire whereof he is a horne And is not that is hath not any present existence in the Apostles time as the seventh head for the time of that is not yet come Even he is the eighth and is of the seventh that is he is the eighth if you make the Christian Emperour one but is indeed the seventh for there be but seven heads and he is but the seventh distinct forme of Government as was observed before Now here lyes the argument It is well towards the end of the 1260. yeeres since the Pope became the head of the Roman Kingdome ergo the earth-quake that must ruine him and his Kingdome draweth neer To make this appeare we are to know there were as some have observed diuers degrees of the fall of that vast body of the Roman Empire One after the death of Julian the Apostate about 365. for then the barbarous Nations invaded and made huge havocke in the Provinces of the Empire A second was about An. 410. when Rome it selfe was sack'd by Alaricus the Goth and the Empire dismembred A third about An. 455. when ten Kings were risen up instead of the Empire Let me take the boldnesse to interpose one notable one sometimes suggested out of a learned manuscript about An. 395. at the death of Theodosius the great The barbarous Nations had made many attempts before but were from time to time especially by his valour repelled but upon his death they brake in like a huge inundation bare downe the Empire before them shivered it into an hundred pieces so as it never recovered any more This
first houre after they were risen for therein is a difference of many yeeres it being almost sixty yeeres from the first breaking of the Empire before ten Kingdomes were set up in it That the word that is here translated one is used also to signifie first we may see in many instances as in that for one Luke 24.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is word for word one day of the Sabbaths or weeke but is generally rendered and so the meaning is the first day of the weeke the women came to the Sepulcher Now if the Kings and the Beast began their reigne together so long since as abovt An. 400. plus minus then is the earth quake that is to ruine him and them also if they persist in his service Dan. 2.44 45. Rev 19 18 19. c. neer at hand Qu. Quest What reason have we to thinke that the Pope about that time began to be the great Antichrist Ans Answ For answer We are to know that there are two particular characters of the Beast as some Divines have observed out of the text the former the cause of the later viz. 1. Blasphemy for he is full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17.3 by which understand haeresie and Idolatry 2. cruelty for he is a skarlet-coloured heast and makes warre with the Saints ibid. ch 13.7 But both these flow from an higher principle which is as I may say proprium quarti modi and a more convertible character of the beast and that is his primacy or supremacy This supremacy hath in it two things that make it up one is a claiming of authority over the consciences of men and so over their faith and worship secondly the extending of this power to all Churches in all Nations I will not say that these two are the same thing nor that they issue both from one and the same root but surely this I may say they are neer a kinne have their roots not farre asunder because they are generally still found in one and the selfe same person That both these meet in the grand Antichrist will appeare First he arrogates authority over the soule so much I take to be intimated in those words of Daniel speaking of him Dan. 7.25 He shall speake great words against the most high and thinke to change times and lawes that he shall arrogate power to himselfe to change Gods lawes as in coyning and altering Articles of Faith apointing worship for God c. high words great words against God so the Apostle 2 Thes 2.4 He as God sits in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God How does he that viz. by Lording it over the consciences of Gods people as if he were God and thereby he deprives Christ of one of the principall Flowers of his Crown which is to have dominion over the Faith see more for this Rev. 13.5 6.15 16. Secondly the great Antichrist is to extend this power at least presumptively and intentionally where he cannot doe it actually over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations Rev. 13.7 It is Antichristian to claime such authority though but over one man or one Church It is more Antichristian to claime such authority over many Churches as the Hierarchicall Bishop useth to do it is yet more Antichristian to claim this authority over whole Provinces as the Hierarchicall Archbishop useth to do it is yet stil more Antichristian to claim it over many Provinces Kingdoms as the Hierarchicall Patriarch useth to do but yet all these do not amount to the grand Antichrist why because there may be a greater but now he that claims such soveraignty over all the Churches of the world is the grand Antichrist indeed for there can be no greater Now this the Pope doth yea that he may be sure to challenge as large a Dominion as Christ hath he doth not onely arrogate authority over all the world but also in heaven and hell where Christ hath power yea even in purgatory where Christ hath no power He that shall but looke upon the sentence condemnatory of Pope Leo the tenth in his his Bull against Luther will find this true wherein he doth not labour to convince Luther of errour by solid demonstrations out of the Word of God but mainly because his doctrine was contrary to the decrees of Popes c. He doth also charge and command all Patriarchs Metropolitans Primates Arch-bishops Bishops and all other ecclesiasticall orders downwards even to the begging Fryars and then all Kings Electors of the Empire Princes Dukes and so on and at last all men throughout the Universall world the very voyce proper and native language of the grand Antichrist upon paine of the great Excommunication that they doe not embrace Luther's doctrine nor adhere to or favour his person Now the Popes have challenged this supremacy in some degrees for above these 1240. yeares Not to speake of their claiming the title of universall Bishop nor yet their assuming the title of Pontifex Maximus the name of the chiefe heathenish Priest among the Romans which dignity many of the Emperours had annexed to their imperiall greatnesse which Gratian the Emperour first renounced about An. 380. and the rest after him they did about that time plainly arrogate and usurpe a judiciary power over the Churches To omit their authoritative excommunications some whereof had been long before they did then claime this Prerogative that appeales aught to be made to the Bishop of Rome from all Churches and he to give the last definitive sentence yea so zealous were they about this that An. 418. and 419. three Popes Zosimus Boniface Coelestine did in the sixt Councill of Carthage in which St. Augustine was present in the Cause of one Appiarius who had appealed out of Affricke unto Rome as many had done before not onely challenge the receiving of Appellations from all Churches but also forge a decree of the great Councill of Nice which had been almost an hundred yeares before to support it This was by the Fathers of the Synod indeed then rejected and the pretended Canon found to be forged and spurious Yet was this as a right by the Popes then challenged I never thinke upon these things but methinks I see the grand Antichrist as a great big Embryo swelling in the wombe ready to come forth or rather as a child lately borne lying in his cradle so that it is probable if not more then probable that between 390. and 420. Antichrist began Daniel speaking of these horns Object intimates that the little horne Antichrist that grew so great should come up after the rest Dan. 7.24 He speakes as it was in his perception and observation Answ the little horne râ—se with the rest but he did not nocdiscerne it Answ untill he considered the hornes as it were with a prying eye ver 8. and as it was in the Virion so it was in the accomplishment indeed he rose imperceptibly because the world mistooke what manner of creature he should
c. They have beene slaine all over the greatest Answ 1 largest and most famous Churches as hath beene declared It is unknowne to me how the Prophets have beene used in those Churches at least in a great part though I know they have beene used badly enough But it will not follow we know it not therefore it hath not beene To which answer I will sticke the Beast was to kill the Witnesses indefinitely set downe Rom. 11.7 that is generally but not universally It is no where said he shall kill all and singular that beare witnesse to the truth the text tels us Exod. 9.6 that all the cattell of Aegypt dyed of the Murraine but yet if we read on to the 20. verse when the plague of the Haile was threatned we shall finde the Aegyptians that feared the word of the Lord driving their cattell into their houses by which it appeares that all and singular of the cattell dâ—ed not of the Murraine but the cattell generally or the cattell of all kindes The Pharisees said the world was gone after our Saviour Ioh. 12.19 when as yet the hundred thousand part of the world did not beleeve on him then but the meaning is the people of the Countries round about flocked after him so here the Prophets were slaine generally on for the most part not universally The Prophets doe yet Prophesie in sackcloath ergo Object this slaughter and triumph is not past Whether this slaughter be past or to come Answ certaine it is by the Text that the Prophets shall prophecy in sack-cloath after it be both come and gone even untill the Beasts dying day for he and they are contemporanyes as hath been mentioned before their prophecying in sack-cloath and his reigne as they began together so they must end together So long as he lives he will push with the horne and spurne with the heele and woe to them that stand neare him By the mercy of God and the means of this Parliament the Prophets here are a little stagger'd up upon their feet but one of the Beasts fillips would throw them downe again Could but he reach them either with one of his armed hornes or hierarchicall heeles which he mainly endeavours they were gone A mistake concerning the two Witnesses may peradventure make us looke for the earth-quake that shall ruine the Beast's Kingdome as a thing a farre off when yet our selves may be in the middest of it The fifth Viall is not powred Object for that is to be upon the seat of the Beast that is Rome whereby his Kingdome becomes full of darkenesse that is Rome is destroyed Rev. 16.10 therefore it is in vaine to think upon the earth-quake that is to ruine the Beast's Kingdome which comes not till the seventh Viall be powred out For answer Answ 1 I acknowledge Rome to be the seat of the Beast and that darknesse is often put for affliction and misery but I deny the darkning of the Beasts Kingdome there spoken of to be the destruction of Rome there be degrees of darknesse and misery inferiour to destruction Is not Rome darkned in her reputation and so the Beasts Kingdome How many thousands yea millions be there that deny her to be the mistresse of the Faith and the mother of all Churches that account her the mother of harlots that contemne her decrees c Is not shee darkned in her revennues when as so many Nations have withdrawne their supplies from her which were formerly swallowed up in her as in a deep gulfe If Rome be destroyed under the fifth Viall this difficulty or absurdity will follow then have ye Babylon the great to destroy under the seventh Viall Rev. 16.19 whereas Babylon the great in all other places of the booke of the Revelations is constantly put for Rome The fixt Viall is not poured upon the river Euphrates Object which must be before the earth-quake come under the seventh Kev 16.12 c. Answ 1 I must here deprecate the offence of many worthy earned men if lassent not to their expositions of that Viall It shall suffice in a few words to give that which is to me more then probable the sense therof The river Euphrates running through the middest of the world between the farthest west and uttermost east hath bâ—en for many ages a kinde of Land-marke to separate the western Nations from the eastern so that they have had little communion one with another Now this impedimentall River hath been dried up ever since these Navigations Voyages have been found out into the Indies and other orientall parts Whereupon the Beast finding himselfe mortally wounded here in the west hath as it followes in the text by the unclean spirits his emissaries by which I understand not onely Jesuits and others that are Papists by profession but all Antichrists Agents though cloaked under the name of Protestants with infinite strange and uncouth wiles and wonders laboured to involve not onely the Kings and Kingdomes of these parts of the world but even of the east also into Hormageddon that is a cursed warre as hath been said before This feat the Frogges have most efficaciously wrought for him in these parts of the world as every observing eye may abundantly see and although the Papists doe frequently lye in their reports of the east yet certaine it is that they have made many Countries and States there one way or other more or lesse obnoxious to the Pope as either to submit and acknowledge him as those of Japan c. are said to doe or to oppugne his enemies as the Persian to assaile the Turke whilst they are accomplishing their designes here in the west or at least by way of Merchandize and traffique to be subservient to their supply so that notwithstanding any thing in these two Vials the earth-quake may be at hand And let us beware that mistakes about them doe not make us put the earth-quake further off then indeed it is to our owne detriment and prejudice The Uses are of two sorts some directing us what to doe in respect of the publique others concerne our owne particulars For the publique every one should assist the Lord in his place in shaking downe the Kingdome of Antichrist and all his supporters Object The Church will be shaken too True Answ but it will not be shaken downe by the earth-quake but better rooted and setled Now that we may assist the Lord in this worke three things are to be done We must shake the Kingdome of the Beast by the Word Vse 2 this is to be done by all the Saints especially by the Ministers of the Churches and by them authoritatively Every true Christian hath the Word of truth dwelling in his heart as for instance the doctrine of Gods free grace in Christ for a mans justification and salvation the foundation upon which the Church is built that God is to be purely worshipped in spirit and truth according to his owne prescriptions and such like by these truths he
can detect and discover many blasphemies of the Beast and foedities of the Whore as justification by workes the propitiatory sacrifice of the Masse c. Yea not onely discover them but in an holy zeale denoâ—unce grievous judgements against the authors and fomenter of them according to the Word These doctrines and denunciations thus breathed out will prove even a sword of the Spirit for so they are being put into mans spirit by the Holy-Ghost to cut and kill slash and slay the Antichristian generation see Revel 2.16 19.21 Yea not onely a sword to kill the enemy that stands neere but an arrow also to kill the enemy that stands a farre off Psal 149.6 7 8 9. an axe to hew downe Hosea 6.5 Mat. 3.10 a wine cup of fury which they shall be forced to drinke and then grow mad spue and fall and rise no more Jer. 25.15 16.27 28. Lastly this Word shall be a fire to burne them up and they shall be as wood to it and it shall devoure them Jer. 5.14 For God will execute upon them the judgements threatned It shall be an hot even to the wicked and proud and they shall be as stubble easily and utterly burnt so it shall leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 4.1 This fiery weapon of the Word is one of those wherewith the poore sackcloath-Prophets have defended themselves against Antichrist and his gentiles all his long reigne and wherewith they have offended them Rev. 11.5 and therefore still proper to be used against him the great wild Beast for fire they say is the best weapon and of most excellent use against wilde Beasts Breathe out therefore this fire of the Word into their faces run with these flaming torches and thrust them into the dry thatch of Antichrists house that will set all on a light fire it hath done it in a great measure already the enemies feele the heat thereof to their great paine Rev. 16.2.9 10 11. They cast on all the cold water that hell can afford them to quench it as cruelties treacheries but every thing proves oyle to encrease the flame this Word at last will prove unto them unquenchable fire utterly to consume them Shake the Beasts Kingdome by prayer Vse 2 David shook Saul and all his enemies downe by this meanes see Psal 18.6.7 8. compared with the title of the Psalme which David composed when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul In my distresse saith he I called upon the Lord and cryed unto my God he heard my voyce out of his holy temple and my cry came before him even into his eares Then the earth shooke and trembled the foundations also of the hils moved and were shaken because he was wroth God upon Davids cry laid about him and overthrew all his adversaries for the more the Saints pray the more they accelerate plagues upon their wicked enemies which is often the meanes of the Saints deliverance By this the two Witnesses did shut the heavens against the Antichristian brood Rev. 11.6 And therfore our fight being with their armie 's we are to be instant in prayer against them that is a weapon they have no skill at they can blaspheme and curse c. but not pray Moses and Eliah to whom that text alludes by this weopon and the Word overcame whole Nations alone Moses did but speake to God spreading out his hands and then as a God could tell Pharaoh that a plague would come to morrow shall be such a plague or to morrow shall such a plague be removed Eliah could but pray to the Lord that it might not raine and then confidently tell Ahab that there should be no raine but according to his word 1 King 17.1 Open therefore O you servants of the Lord the heavens by this Key open Gods Armory and get from thence the best dayes for the Church the helpe of God the Father the Mediation of the Sonne the Spirit of strength the assistance of Angels Seas rivers windes c. get from thence wisdome courage stratagems successe shut the heavens against the enemies that they may not get one good looke from thence not so much as one arrow but if they have any plot in hand get the heavens open for wisedome to discover it if any enterprize get from thence power to defeat it make it appeare to the enemies that Gods people have power with God Execute judgement for God Vse 3 every one as farre as his power will stretch First doe judgement upon thine owne selfe for thy sinnes in all wayes of godly revenge as by Fasting c. Sing mercy and judgement to thy Family as David Psa 101. Doe thy best that judgement that hath beene turned into Wormewood and Hemlocke may run downe like a mighty streame in publique and where thy hand cannot reach a blow or cast a stone at an idolater blasphemer persecutor c. let thy heart at least doe it For if a mans consenting to or approving of an act of injustice may inguilt hâ—m as I may say in it as it was with the Jewes whose state was ruined for killing Christ and the Prophets though most part of them had never seene any of them Mat. 23.37 why may not a mans executing judgement with his heart when he can proceed no further be accepted in respect of him for an act of justice by him that is pleased both in good and evill actions to accept the will for the deed This duty is principally incumbent upon the Magistrate who is to execute the judgement of the Lord not arbitrarily as himselfe pleaseth but according to the rule of the Word both for matter and manner For the Matter man hath no warrant either to leave grosse and horrid sinnes unpunished in the committers of them such as are the ring-leaders in idolatry and persecution nor yet to commute or change the nature of the punishment As by the way I question whether a pecuniary mulct especially if it be alone be a proper punishment for a sweater or blasphemer but it rather ought to be personall And here I cannot choose but with griefe take notice of a miserable failing in our first Reformation that the Maise priests were suffered still to continue in their places for he that had said or sung Masse the last Lords day and if he were a Preacher had Preached for Popery if he would but take the new Oath of Supremacy and read the Service-Booke this Lords-day was accounted a sufficieâ—t reformist aâ—d admitted to the Ministry So that of twenty thousand Prelates and Pâ—iests at least in England and Ireland very few were cast out of their places and searce any of them unlesse it were Boner for any thing they had done Oh wofull I confesse I thinke the State did then want due information in that point But this hath been one thing that hath undone the Church viz. those that have all along and do still infest the Church