in it's glory Seek first this kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Oh that it were the will of God to put an end to all that pretended holinesse hypocriticall Humiliation self-interested Religion that have been among us whereby we have flattered God with our lips whilest our hearts have been farre from him Oh that it might be the glory of this Assembly above all the Assemblies of the world that every Ruler in it might be a sincere Subject in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Oh that it might suffice that we have had in our Parliament and among our Ministers so much of the form and so little of the power of Godlinesse that we have called world Christ and lust Christ and self Christ working indeed for them when we pretended all for Christ Oh that I could nourish this one contention in your Honourable Assembly that you might strive who should excell in setting up the Lord Jesus in their hearts You may be apt to think that if you can carry on and compasse your purposes then all your Enemies will be assuredly disappointed do but embrace the Lord Jesus in his kingly power in your bosomes and ipso facto all your Enemies are everlastingly disappointed you are the grains which in the sifting of the Nation have been kept from falling to the ground Are you not the residue of all the Chariots of England Oh that in you might appear the reality of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus which hath been so long pretended by others that sound righteousnesse not a Pharisaicall rigid supercilious affectation nor a carelesse belief and comportment the issue of novell fancies might be found upon your spirits that you may be thought meet to rejoyce with the Lord in his kingdom otherwise this day of the Lord which we have described however desired and longed after will be darkâ—esse to you and not light 2. In reference to your great Employments whereunto the Lord hath called you and here I shall briefly hold out unto you one or two things 1. That you would seriously consider why it is that the Lord shakes the Heavens and the Earth of the Nations to what end this tendeth and what is the cause thereof Is it not from hence that he may revenge their opposition to the kingdom of his dear Son that he may shake out of the midst of them all that Antichristian mortar wherewith from their first chaos they have been cemented that so the kingdoms of the Earth may become the kingdoms of the Lord Jesus Is not the controversie of Sion pleaded with them Are they not called to an account for the transgression of that charge given to all Potentates Touch not mine Anointed And what is the ayme of the Lord Jesus herein whose mighty voice shakes them Is it not to frame and form them for the interest of his own kingdom that he may fulfill the word he hath spoken to Sion I will make thine officers Peace and thine exactors Righteousnesse Consider then I pray what you have in hand wait upon your King the Lord Christ to know his minde If you lay any stone in the whole building that advanceth it self against his Scepter he will shake all again digge you never so deep build you never so high it shall be shaken Nay that there be no opposition will not suffice He hath given light enough to have all things framed for his own advantage The time is come yea the full time is come that it should be so and he expects it from you Say not in the first place this or that suits the interest of England but look what suits the interest of Christ and assure your selves that the true interest of any Nation is wrapped up therein More of this in the Treatise annexed to my Sermon of Jan 31. 2. Be incouraged under all those perplexities and troubles which you are or may be wrapped in lift up the hands that hang down and let the feeble knees be strengthened I is but yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The more you are for Christ the more Enemies you shall be sure to have but the Lambe shall overcome He is come to revenge the blood of his slain upon this Generation and to free the residue from the jaws of the terrible He is our Rock and his work is perfect what he hath begun faster or flower he will surely accomplish It is a thing of the most imaginable indifferency whether any of our particular persons behold these things here belowe or no if otherwise we shall for the present have rest with him and stand in our lot at the end of the dayes but for the work it self the Decree is gone forth and it shall not be recalled receive strength and refreshment in the Lord Wonder not when the Heaven is shaken if you see the stars fall to the ground we had some who pretended to be Church-starres that were meerly fixed to all mens view and by their own confession in the Politicall Heavens The first shaking of this Nation shook them utterly to the ground If others also tremble like an Aspen leaf and know not which winde to yeeld unto or sail backwards and forwards by the same gale wonder not at that neither when men lay any other foundation then the immovable corner stone at one time or other sooner or later assuredly they will be shaken Let the professing people that is amongst us look well to themselves The day is coming that will burn like an oven Drosse will not endure this day we have many an Hypocrite as yet to be uncased Take heed you that act high if a false heart a defiled heart be amongst you there shall be no place for it in the mountain of the Lords house The inhabitants of Sion shall be all righteous Isa. 60. 21. Many that make a great shew now upon the stage shall be turned off with shame enough try and search your hearts force not the Lord to lay you open to all The Spirit of judgement and burning will try you Tremble I pray for you are entring the most purging trying fornace that ever the Lord set up on the Earth Be loose from all shaken things you see the clouds return after the rain one storme in the neck of another Thus it must be untill Christ hath finished his whole work Seeing that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy conversation Let your eyes be upwards and your hearts be upwards and your hands be upwards that you be not moved at the passing away of shaken things I could here incourage you by the glorious issue of all these shakings whose soretast might be as marrow to your bones though they should be appointed to consumption before the accomplishment of it but I must close See the vanity folly madnesse of such as labour
this at large Chap. 6 7 8 9 10. And this being variously advanced and asserted he layeth as the main foundation upon which he placeth the weight and stresse of the main end pursued as in the whole Epistle is every where obvious II. The second head of principall Arguments he taketh from the Gospel it self which considering as a Covenant he holdeth out two wayes 1. Absolutely in its efficacy in respect of 1. Justification in it God is mercifull to unrighteousnesse and sins and iniquities he remembers no more Chap. 8. 12. Bringing in perfect remission that there shall need no more offering for sin Chap. 10. 17. 2. Sanctification He puts his Laws in our hearts and writes them in our minds Chap. 10. 16. in it purging our consciences by the blood of Christ Chap. 9. 14. 3. Perseverance I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Chap. 8. 10. all three being also held out in sundrie other places 2. Respectively to the Covenant of works and in this regard assignes unto it principall qualifications with many peculiar eminencies them attending too many now to be named now these are 1. That it is new he saith a New Covenant and hath made the first old Chap. 8. 13. 2. Better it is a better Covenant and built upon better promises Chap. 8. 6 7. 22 3. Surer the Priest thereof being ordained not after the Law of a carnall commandment but after the power of an endly life Chap. 7. 16. 4. Vnalterable so in all the places before named and sundry others All which are made eminent in its peculiar Mediator Jesus Christ which is the summe of Chap. 7. And still in the holding out of these things that they might not forget the end for which they were now drawn forth and so exactly handled he interweaves many patheticall intreaties and pressing Arguments by way of Application for the confirming and establishing his countrey-men in the faith of this glorious Gospel as you may see almost in every Chapter 2. His Arguments lesse principall deduced from the former being very many may be referred to these 3. heads 1. The benefits by them enjoyed under the Gospel 2. The example of others who by faith and patience obtained the promises Chap. 11. 3. From the dangerous and pernicious consequence of back-sliding of which onely I shall speak Now this he setteth out 3. wayes 1. From the nature of that sin it is a crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh and putting him to open shame Chap. 6. 6. a treading under foot the Son of God counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing and doing despite to the Spirit of grace Chap. 10. 29. 2. The irremedilesse punishment which attends that sin There remains no more sacrifice for it but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation that shall consume the adversaries Chap. 10. 26 27. 3. The Person against whom peculiarly it is committed and that is he who is the Author subject and Mediator of the Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ concerning whom for the aggravation of this sin he proposeth two things 1. His Goodnesse and Love and that in his great undertaking to be a Saviour being made like unto his brethren in all things that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Chap. 2. 17. and of this there is a sweet and choise line running through the whole Discourse making the sin of back-sliding against so much love and condescension appear exceeding sinfull 2. His Greatnesse or Power which he sets out 2. wayes 1. Absolutely as he is God to be blessed for ever Chap. 1 and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Chap. 10. 31. 2. Comparatively as he is the Mediator of the new Covenant in reference to Moses And this he setteth forth as by many and sundry Reasonings in other places of the Epistle so by a double testimony in this 12th Chapter making that inference from them both which you have v. 25. See that you refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him who spake on earth how much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him who speaketh from heaven Now the first testimony of his Power is taken from a record of what he did heretofore the other from a prediction of what he will do hereafter The first you have v. 26. in the first part of it His voice THEN shook the Earth then that is when the Law was delivered by him as it is described v. 18 19 20. foregoing When the mountain upon which it was delivered the Mediator Moses into whose hand it was delivered and the people for whose use it was delivered did all shake and tremble at the voice power and presence of Christ who as it hence appears is that Jehovah who gave the Law Exod. 20. 2. The other in the same verse is taken from a prediction out of Haggai 2. 16. of what he will do hereafter even demonstrate and make evident his Power beyond what ever he before effected He hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also the heavens And if any one shall ask wherein this effect of the mighty power of the Lord Jesus consisteth and how from thence professors may be prevailed upon to keep close to the obedience of him in his kingdom the Apostle answers v. 27. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain And thus am I stepped down upon the words of my Text finding them in the close of the Arguments drawn from the power of Christ to perswade professors to constancy in the paths of the Gospel and having passed through their coherence and held out their ayme and tendance their opening and Application comes now to be considered and herein these 3. things 1. The Apostles Assertion The things that are shaken shall be removed as things that are made 2. The proof of this Assertion This word once more signifieth no lesse 3. His Inference from this Assertion thus proved The things that cannot be shaken must remain In the first I shall consider 1. What are the things that are shaken 2. What is their shaking 3. What their removall being shaken For the first there is great variety of judgement amongst Interpreters the fore-going verse tells us it is not onely the Earth but the Heaven also but now what Heaven and Earth this should be is dubious is not apparent So many different apprehensions of the minde of God in these words as have any likenesse of truth I must needs recount and remove that no prejudice may remain from other conceptions against that which from them we shall assert The Earth say some is the men of the Earth living thereon and the
Heavens are the Angels their blessed Inhabitants both shaken or stricken with amazement upon the nativity of Christ and preaching of the Gospel The heavens were shaken when so great things were accomplished as that the Angels themselves desired to look intt hem 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Earth was filled with amazement when the holy Ghost being powred out upon the Apostles for the preaching of the Gospel men of every Nation under Heaven were amazed and marvelled at it Act. 2. 5 6 7. Thus Roâ—locus Piscator and sundry other famous Divines But 1. The shaking here intimated by the Apostle was then when he wrote under the Promise not actually accomplished as were the things by them recounted for the holds it forth as an issue of that great Power of Christ which he would one day exercise for the further establishment of his kingdom 2. This that now is to be done must excell that which formerly was done at the giving of the Law as is clearly intimated in the inference Then he shoâ—k the Earth but now the Heavens also it is a gradation to an higher demonstration of the power of Christ which that the things of this interpretation are is not apparent 3. It is marvellous these learned men observed not that the Heavens and Earth shaken v. 26. are the things to be removed ver. 27. Now how are Angels and men removed by Christ Are they not rather gathered up into one spirituall body and communion Hence ver 27. they interpret the shaken things to be Judaicâ—ll Ceremonies which v. 26. they had said to be men and Angels 2. Others by heaven and earth understand the materiall parts of the worlds fabrick commonly so called and by their shaking those portentous signes and prodigies with Earthquakes which appeared in them at the birth and death of the Lord Jesus A new Star preternaturall darknesse shaking of the Earth opening of graves renting of Rocks and the like are to them this shaking of Heaven and Earth So Junius and after him most of ours But this Interpretation is obnoxious to the same Exceptions with the former and also others for 1. These things being past before how can they be held out under a Promise 2. How are these shaken things removed which with their shaking they must certainly be as in my Text 3. This shaking of Heaven and Earth is ascribed to the power of Christ as Mediator whereunto these signes and prodigies cannot rationally be assigned but rather to the soveraignty of the Father beaâ—ing witnesse to the Nativity and death of his Son so that neither can this conception be fastned on the words 3. The fabrick of Heaven and Earth is by others also intended not in respect of the signes and prodigies formerly wrought in them but of that dissolution or as they suppose Alteration which they shall receive at the last day So Paraeus Grotius many more Now though these avoid the Rock of holding out as accomplished what is onely promised yet this Glosse also is a dresse disfiguring the minde of God in the Text For 1. The things here said to be shaken do stand in a plain opposition to the things that cannot be shaken nor removed and therefore they are to be removed that these may be brought in Now the things to be brought in are the things of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus what opposition I pray do the materiall fabrick of Heaven and Earth stand in to the kingdom of the Lord Jesus doubtlesse none at all being the proper seat of that kingdom 2. There will on this ground be no bringing in of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus untill indeed that kingdom in the sense here insisted on is to cease that is after the day of judgement when the kingdom of Grace shall have place no more Those are the most materiall and likely mistakes about the words I could easily give out and pluck in again 3. or 4. other warping senses but I hope few in these dayes of accomplishing will once stumble at them The true minde of the Spirit by the help of that Spirit of truth comes next to be unfolded And first what are the things that are shaken 1. As the Apostle here applyes a part of the Prophesie of Haggai so that Prophesie even in the next words gives light into the meaning of the Apostle Look what Heaven and Earth the Prophet speaks of of those and no other speaks the Apostle The Spirit of God in the Scripture is his own best interpreter See then the order of the words as they lye in the Prophet Hagg. 2. 6 7. I will shake heaven and earth I will shake all Nations God then shakes Heaven and Earth when he shakes all Nations that is he shakes the Heaven and Earth of the Nations I will shake Heaven and Earth and I will shake all Nations is a Pleonasme for I will shake the Heaven and Earth of all Nations These are the things shaken in my Text The Heavens of the Nations what are they even their Politicall heights and glory those Forms of Government which they have framed for themselves and their own interest with the grandeur and lustre of their Dominions The Nations Earth is the multitudes of their people their strength and power whereby their Heavens or politicall heights are supported It is then neither the materiall Heavens and Earth nor yet Mosaicall Ordinances but the Politicall Heights and splendour the popular multitudes and strength of the Nations of the Earth that are thus to be shaken as shall be proved That the Earth in propheticall descriptions or predictions of things is frequently yea almost alwayes taken for the people and multitudes of the Earth needs not much proving One or two instances shall suffice Revel. 12. 16. The Earth helped the woman against the stood of the Dragon which that it was the multitudes of earthly people none doubts That an Earthquake or shaking of the Earth are popular commotions is no lesse evident from Revel. 11. 13. where by an Earthquake great Babylon receives a fatall blowe And for the Heavens whether they be the Politicall heights of the Nations or the grandeur of Potentates let the Scripture be judge I mean when used in this sense of shaking or establishment Isa. 51. 15 16. I am the Lord thy God who divided the Sea whose waves roared the Lord of hosts is his name And I have put my words in thy mouth and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my people By a repetition of what he hath done he establisheth his people in expectation of what 1. he will do And first he minds them of that wonderfull deliverance from an Army behind them and an Ocean before them by his miraculous preparing dry paths for them in the deep I am the Lord who divided the Sea whose waves
things were not yet in their glory to be brought in More seed of blood must be sown that the End of the Gospels yeer may yeeld a plentifull Harvest That shaking was onely for Vengeance upon an old cursed and not for the bringing in of a new blessed State The vials of Gods wrath having crumbled the Heavens and Earth of Pagan Rome into severall pieces and that Empire being removed as to its old form by the craft of Satan it became moulded up again into a Papall Soveraignty to exercise all the power of the first Beast in persecution of the Saints Revel. 13. 12. This second pressure though long and sore must have an end the new moulded Heaven and Earth of Papall Antichristian Rome running by a mysterious threed through all the Nations of the West must be shaken also which when it is accomplished there shall be no more Sea There is not another Beast to arise nor another State to be formed let indeavours be what they will the Lord Jesus shall reign And this for opening of the first generall head Secondly what is the Removall of Heaven and Earth being shaken The word here translated removall is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} whence that is come to passe I dare not positively say This doubtlesse is a common fault amongst Translators that they will accommodate the words of a Text to their own apprehension of the sense and matter thereof Understanding as I suppose that the things here said to be shaken were the Jewish ordinances they translated their disposition a Removall as the truth is they were removed But the word signifies no such thing As it 's naturall importance from it's rise and composition is otherwise so neither in the Scripture or any profane Author doth it ever signifie properly a removall Translation or changing is the onely native genuine import of it and why it should in this place be haled out of it's own sphere and tortured into a new signification I know not Removall is of the matter Translation of the form onely It is not then a destruction and totall amotion of the great things of the Nations but a change translation and new moulding of them that is here intimated They shall be shuffled together almost into their primitive confusion and come out new moulded for the interest of the Lord Jesus All the present States of the world are cemented together by Antichristian lime as I shall shew afterwards unlesse they be so shaken as to have every cranny searched and brushed they will be no quiet habitation for the Lord Christ and his people This then is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the Heaven and earth of the Nations Now this is evident from that full prediction which you have of the accomplishment hereof Revel. 17. 12 13 and 16. Ver 12. the Kingdoms of the West receive power at one houre with the Beast Ver. 13. in their constitution and government at first received They give their Power to the Beast and fight against the Lambe Ver 14. the Lambe with his faithfull and chosen ones overcomes them There their Heaven and Earth is shaken Ver. 16. Their Power is translated new moulded and becomes a power against the Beast in the hand of Jesus Christ This then is the shaking and removall in my Text which is said to be as of things that are made that is by men through the concurrence of divine providence for a season which making you have Revel. 17. 12 and 17. not like the kingdom of Christ which being of a purely divine constitution shall by no humane power receive an End The other parts of the Text follow briefly The next thing is the Apostles proof of this Assertion And he tels you this once more the beginning of the sentence he urged from the Prophet signifies no lesse The words in the Prophet are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yet once it is a little meghat hi it is a little is left out by the Apostle as not conducing to the businesse in hand {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as he rendreth hodachath are a sufficient demonstration of the assertion In themselves they hold out a commutation of things and as they stand in conjunction in that place of the Prophet declaring that that shaking and commutation must be for the bringing in of the kingdom of the Lord Christ In brief being interpreted by the same Spirit whereby they were indited we know the exposition is true The last Head remaineth under two particulars 1. What are the things that cannot be shaken 2. What is their remaining For the first the things that cannot be shaken v. 24. are called a kingdom that cannot be removed v. 28. A kingdom subject to none of those shakings and alterations which other Dominions have been tossed to and fro with all Daniel cals it A not giving of the kingdom to another people Dan. 2. 44. not that oecumenicall kingdom which he hath with his Father as King of Nations but that oeconomicall kingdom which he hath by dispensation from his Father as King of Saints Now this may be considered two wayes 1. As purely internall and spirituall which is the rule of his Spirit in the hearts of all his Saints this cometh not with observation it is within us Luk. 17. 20 21. consisting in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 2. As externall and appearing in Gospel Administrations so is Christ described as a King in the midst of their kingdom Revel. 1. 14 15 16 17. as also Chap. 4. as also Chap. 11. 15. And both these may be again considered 2. wayes 1. In respect of their essence and being and so they have been are and shall be continued in all Ages He hath built his Church upon a Rock and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16. 18. 2. In reference to their extent in respect of Subjects with their visible glorious appearance which is under innumerable promises to be very great in the latter dayes For it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it Isa. 2. 4. These then are the things which cannot be shaken which we may reduce to 3. heads 1. The growth of righteousnesse peace and joy in the Saints being filled with light and love from the speciall presence of Christ with a wonderfull increase of the number of them multitudes of the Elect being to be born in those dayes the residue of the Jews and fulnes of the Gentiles meeting in one fold and there dwelleth righteousnes 2 Pet. 3. 13. 2. The administration of Gospel ordinances in power and puritie according
to the appointment and unto the acceptation of the Lord Jesus The temple of God and the altar being measured anew the outward Court defiled with Gentile-worship is left out Revel. 11. 1 2. 3. The glorious and visible manifestation of those Administration in the eyes of all the world in peace and quietnesse None making afraid or hurting in the whole mountain of the Lord Isa. 65. 25. For the Personall Reign of the Lord Jesus on Earth I leave it to them with whose discoveries I am not and curiosities I would not be acquainted But as for such who from hence do or for sinister ends pretend to fancy to themselves a terrene kingly State unto each private particular Saint so making it a bottome vivendi ut velis for every one to do that which is good in his own eyes to the disturbance of all order and Authority civill and spirituall as they expresly clash against innumerable promises so they directly introduce such confusion and disorder as the soul of the Lord Jesus doth exceedingly abhor It is onely the three things named with their necessarie dependencies that I do assert And lastly of these it is said they must remain that is continue and be firmly established as the word is often used Rom. 9. 11. The words of the Text being unfolded and the minde of the holy Ghost in them discovered I shall from them commend to your Christian consideration this following Position The Lord Jesus Christ by his mighty Power in these latter daies as Antichristian Tyranny draws to it's period will so farre shake and translate the politicall Heights Governments and strength of the Nations as shall serve for the full bringing in of his own peaceable kingdom the Nations so shaken becoming thereby a quiet Habitation for the people of the most high Though the Doctrine be clear from the Text yet it shall receive further Scripturall confirmation being of great weight and concernment Dan. 2. 44. And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand for ever That this is affirmed of the kingdom of Christ under the Gospel none ever doubted Three things are here remarkably intimated of it 1. The time wherein it shall most eminently be established and that is in the dayes of these kings of which Daniel was speaking 2. The efficacy of it being set up it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms 3. It s own stability it shall never be destroyed For the first there is great debate about the principall season of the accomplishing of this prediction much hesitation who those Kings are in whose dayes the kingdom of Christ is eminently to be established In the dayes when the two legs of the Romane Empire shall be divided into ten Kingdoms and those kingdoms have opposed themselves to the power of Christ that is in the dayes wherein we live say some Yea most of the Ancients took this for the Romane Empire and to these the bringing in of the kingdom of Christ is the establishment of it in these dayes Others understand the Syrian and Aegyptian branches of the Grecian Monarchy and the bringing in of Christs kingdom to be in his birth death and preaching of the Gospel wherein certainly the foundations of it were layed I will not contend with any mortall hereabouts Onely I shall oppose one or two things to this latter interpretation as 1. The kingdom of Syria was totally destroyed and reduced into a Romane Province 60. yeers before the Nativity of Christ and the Aegyptian 30. So that it is impossible that the kingdom of Christ by his birth should be set up in their dayes 2. It is ascribed to the efficacy of this Kingdom that being established it shall break in pieces all those kingdoms which how it can be when at the first setting of it up they had neither place nor name nor scarce remembrance So that it must needs be the declining divided Romane Empire shared amongst sundry Nations that is here intimated and so consequently the kingdom of Christ to be established is that glorious administration thereof which in these dayes their dayes he will bring in Be it so or otherwise this from hence cannot be denyed That the kingdom of Christ wil assuredly shake and transtate all opposing Dominions untill it self be established in and over them all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which is all I intend to prove from this place The ten-partite Empire of the West must give place to the stone cut out of the mountain without hands Dan. 7. 27. The Kingdom and Dominion and Greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Hitherto is the end of the matter Either Antichrist is described in the close of this Chapter or one very like him St. John painting him in the Revelation with all this mans colours Plainly intimating that though in the first place that mad raging Tyrant Antiochus the Illustrious was pointed at yet that another was to rise in his likenesse with his craft and cruelty that with the assistance of the ten Horns should plague the Saints of the Christians no lesse then the other had done those of the Jews Now what shall be the issue thereof v. 26. His Dominion with his Adherents shall be taken away and consumed and then shall it be given to the people of the most High as before Or they shall enjoy the kingdom of Christ in a peaceable manner their officers being made Peace and their exactors Righteousnesse It is clearly evident from these and other places in that Prophesie that he who is the onely Potentate will sooner or later shake all the Monarchies of the Earth where he will have his Name known that all Nations may be suited to the interest of his kingdom which alone is to endure Isa. 60. in many places indeed throughout holds out the same V. 12. The Nation and Kingdom which will not serve thee shall be broken to pieces that is all the Nations of the Earth not a known Nation but the blood of the Saints of Christ is found in the skirts thereof Now what shall be the issue when they are so broken V. 17 18. I will make thine officers Peace and thine exactors Righteousnesse Violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy wals salvation and thy gates praise See at your leisure to this purpose Amos 9. 11 12 13 14 15. Jerem. 31. 23 24 25. Isa. 33. 21 22 23 24. I shall onely adde that punctuall description which you have of this whole matter as Daniel cals it in the Revelation with respect
unto it's accomplishment Chap. 17. the Romane Harlot having procured the ten Kings or kingdoms into which the last head of the Romane Empire sprouted about the yeer 450. by the inundation of the Northern Nations to joyn with her they together make war against the Lambe v. 12 13 14. 12. The ten Horns which thou sawest upon the last head of the great Beast the Romane Monarchy are ten kings which have received no kingdoms as yet to wit when John saw the vision but receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast about 400. yeers after this the Pope ascending to his Soveraignty and these Western Nations growing into distinct Dominions about the same time 13. These have one minde that is as to the businesse in hand for otherwise they did and do vex one another with perpetuall broyls and wars and shall give their power and strength to the Beast or swear to defend the Rights of holy Church which is no other then Babylon and act accordingly 14. These make warre with the Lambe having sworn and undertaken the defence of holy Church or Babylon they persecuted the poore hereticks with fire and sword that is the witnesses of the Lambe and in them the Lambe himself striving to keep his kingdom out of the world and the Lambe shall overcome them shaking and translating them into a new mould and frame For he is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him whose help and endeavours he will use are called and chosen and faithfull 16. The ten Horns which thou sawest upon the Beast being now shaken changed and translated in minde interest and perhaps Government these hate the whore and shall make her desolate are instrumentall in the hand of Christ for the ruin of that Antichristian State which before they served and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Hence Chap. 18. 2. Babylon and that whole Antichristian State which was supported upon their power and greatnesse having lost it's props comes topling down to the ground Babylon the great is fallen is fallen v. 2. and the Saints take vengeance on the whore for all her former rage and crueltie Double unto her double according to her works v. 6. V. 9. And the Kings of the Earth being some of them shaken out of their dominion for refusing to close with the Lamb who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her learning practising false worship of her institution shall bewail her and lament for her as having received succour from her her monstaries and shavelings in their distresse whereunto indeed they were brought for her sake when they shall see the smoke of her burning beholding her darknesse stink and confusion in her finall desolation Now all this shall be transacted with so much obscurity and darknesse Christ not openly appearing unto carnall eyes that though many shall be purified and made white yet the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Dan. 12. 10. there shall be no such demonstration of the presence of Christ as to open the eyes of hardned men but at length having suffered the poore deceived wretches to drink of the cup prepared for them he appears himself gloriously Chap. 19. 13. in a more eminent manner then ever before to the totall destruction of the residue of opposers And that this will be the utmost close of that dispensation wherin now he walketh I no way doubt The Assertion being cleared and proved the Reasons of it come next to be considered and the first is that It shall be done by the way of Recompence and Vengeance It is the great day of the wrath of the Lambe Revel. 6. 17. The land shall be soaked with blood and the dust made fat with fatnesse For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the yeer of recompense for the controversie of Zion Isa. 34. 7 8. The day of vengeance is in his heart when the yeer of his redeemed is come Isa. 63. 4. The Kings of the Earth have given their power to Antichrist indeavouring to the utmost to keep the kingdom of Christ out of the world What I pray hath been their main businesse for 700. years and upward even almost ever since the Man of Sin was enthroned How have they earned the Titles Eldest Son of the Church The Catholick and most Christian King Defender of the Faith and the like hath it not been by the blood of Saints is there not in every one of these kingdoms the slain and the banished ones of Christ to answer for in particular Hath not the blood of the Saints of Jesus yeleped by Antichrist and his adherents Wicklieffes and Lollards cried from the ground for vengeance upon the English Heaven and Earth for a long season did not their bodies lye in the streets of France under the names of Waldenses Albigenses and poore men of Lyons Hath not Germany and the annexed Territories her Husse and Hussile Hierome and Subutraguians to answer for is not Spaine's Inquisition enough to ruine a world much more a Kingdom Have not all these and all the Kingdoms round about washed their hands and garments in the blood of thousands of Protestants And do not the Kings of all these Nations as yet stand up in the roome of their Progenitors with the same implacable enmity to the power of the Gospel Shew me seven Kings that ever yet laboured sincerely to enhance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus and I dare boldly say Octavus quis fuerit nondum constat And is there not a cry for all this How long Lord holy and true doest thou not avenge our blood on them that live on the earth Revel. 6. 10. Doth not Sion cry The violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon and my blood upon those Heavens of the Nations And will not the Lord avenge his Elect that cry unto him day and night will he not do it speedily Will he not call the fowls of Heaven to eat the flesh of Kings and Captains and great men of the Earth Revel. 19. 18. Will he not make these Heavens like the wood of the vine not a pin to be taken off them to hang a garment on in his whole tabernacle The time shall come wherein the Earth shall disclose her slain and not the simplest Heretick as they were counted shall have his blood unrevenged neither shall any attonement be made for this blood or expiation be allowed whilest a toe of the Image or a bone of the Beast is left unbroken That by his own wisdom he may frame such a power as may best conduce to the carrying on of his own kingdome among the sons of men He hath promised his Church that he will give unto it holy Priests and Levites Isa. 66. 20 21. which shall serve at the great feast of tabernacles Zech. 14. 16. a