of Ministry and the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken signifying the removing of the Church-Governments and Authority then established When the Lord of the evill servant ver 48. to the end that beat his fellow-servants and eate and dranke with the drunken should be cut asunder which is that the Lord should deprive Antichrist of his ministry that evill servant when the wise servant which gave meat to the Lords houshold in due season should be blessed restored and comforted Now the Holy Ghost relates to the then time especially shewing in what estate the Church should be in respect of the ministry thereof set downe under the name of Virgins that is men exempted from all worldly imployments to Jesus Christ 2 Their Imployment or Ministry is set out in their Lamps 3 Their Ordination in their taking their Lamps by which lawfully they may minister in the Church to Jesus Christ 4 They are first summed up together ten Virgins to shew that in respect of office calling Ministry they did seeme to be one and agreed 5 They went forth to meet the Bridegroome a metaphor taken from marriages partly in use amongst us so far as sufficiently to set out the minde of God in this text In that we see usually at weddings young men youth or Virgins accompany the Bride to the place of marriage and present her to the Bridegroome which thing is most clearly held out and proved by that saying of the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you French Approprier to one husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ Hence the Apostles are called the Children of the Bride-chamber Markâ— 2.10 1 You see what was done in Church-constituting 2 That it was the Ministers office here called the Virgins to present the Bride or Church to Jesus Christ proved from the practise of the Apostles and of the five wise Virgins here mentioned ver 2. 1 These ten Virgins are divided into five and five 2 They are distinguished by their qualifications the one five are said to be wise the other to be foolish the wise are the true ministry the foolish the false Antichristian ministry 3 In that they are divided into five and five it shews that there should be a representation in the false Antichristian ministry of the true Gospel-ministry of Christ some way though not aright as the Corinths begin with false Apostles so these 2 Cor. 11.13 The five Virgins that are said to be wise or the true Gospel ministers are 1 Apostles 2 Prophets 3 Evangelists 4 Pastours 5 Teachers Now these ordinâ—rily are ordained to present the Church as young men Virgins the Bride to the Bridegroome Now as the wise so the foolish are also five in number Antichrist having that falsely in his false Christ hath in his true Church in truth 1 To the 12 Apostles the Pope set up in Rome 12 Cardinals Anselme Revel 13. Antichristus habiturus est pseudos Apostolâ—s suos Vâ—de Pâ—tteâ— Number of the Beast cap. 14. As there is a cleare and eminent Antithesis between Jerusalem and Rome so is there also betweene Christs Apostles and the Popes Cardinals there being no persons in the whole world of what rank order or dignity soever styling themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vicem gerentes Apostolorum as they doe Idem ibid. As the Apostles truly were and are the root and foundation of the Christian Church and all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction so the Cardinals falsly pretend themselves to be and so they truely are and doe in expresse words declare themselves to be the very basis and foundation of the Romish Hierarchy read that that followeth hereof So that hence you see he proves that what the Apostles were in the true the Cardinals in the false Hence the Pope sends a Saphire to the new made Cardinals as foundation stones It is also a cleare Note that the five foolish Virgins are signified in these because the Cardinalls as the Apostles of Christs ministry consists of Arch-bishop Cardinals Bishop-Cardinals Presbyters and Deacon Cardinals that as the Apostles executed the place of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers in the true so these Cardinals falsly in the false Now as the Cardinals arose from Presbyters First so in the fall of Presbytery and that falls with them is the full fall of Papacy and Babylon and from these five and not the five wounds of Christ as Mr. Potter and so by five times five multiply them to 25 to make their Monks Fryers and Masse-priests to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them 1 Chron. Chap. 25. for what relation is there betweene Christs five wounds and 25 ministers Potter Chap. 24. and the 25. 2 To the Prophet the Pope constituted in his Church an Anti-prophet or Arch bishop which God remarkably as it were to compleat this Scripture called the Arch-bishop of this Kingdome by that name Rev. 16.13 where some Ecclesiasticall person under the sixth violl in which time wee live is called by the name of a prophet or Anti-prophet hee being to be in that place in the false Church the true Prophet is in the true Object Why doe you allude this to the Arch-bishop of this Kingdome more then to others of other Kingdomes Reply 1 The first Arch-bishops of the world were set up in this K ngdome others tooke their patterne from hence and ye know what honour Anselme had in being called Papa orbis in a whole Councell of Bishops at Barsnense 1098. and againe ye know that the Arch-bishop of this Kingdome called the Image of the Beast ruled independently from the Pope as supream himselfe c. Which was to be slain Rev. 19.20 3 The Bishop was understood in all ancient writings which ordinary Evangelists in Scripture the first 200 yeares as in my book called the Resurrection of Churches appeares 4 The presbyter answeâ—s to the pastor in the true Church hence the presbyter usually useth the name Pastor not Deacon as made first and inferiour to pastors 5 The Deacon in the false Church was the Anti-teacher to the Teacher in the true who was the first minister of Antichrists Church who had not as full authority in Church affairs as the Pastor to administer Sacramentrs nor the Pastor as the Bishop to oâ—daine Ministers but the Bishop with the presbyters as the Evangelist with the pastor and Teacher were to do nor had the Bishops that authority as the Cardinals had in the false church as the Evangelists had not that authority as the Apostles in the true Church Object In the Hierarchy of Rome are 90 Orders and more mentioned by Fox in his Book of Acts and Monuments and then what do you tell us of those five Reply There are so but none of these preached the word as is here signified by the Lamps but either as Bishops or Pastors Priests or Deacons be their Order what they will and so still the teaching ministry of theirs are to be redâ—ced to one of these five Object What
none shall hinder them it being Gods will it must be done and let me say to all concern'd herein as Gamaliel in the Acts 5.39 If this be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found fighters against God 4 Should you say to the Parliament as Elisha to Hazael 2 Kings 8.12 You will do this evill take away all the maintenance and Ministry almost of the Kingdom into three or foure and then wil ye not bring this brave flourishing knowing Kingdom into deep darknesse Atheisme worse then Popish like that of America c. I believe the answer would be Do you think we are Dogs that we should ever do such things as these But where I may apply that of the Prophet that God hath shewed to me that these things shall be done I leave to the issue of things tâ— prove 5 Applic. Was there ever such trouble at the removing of these severall Ministers of the false Church as in Cardinall Wolseys Praemunire for Poole was but as titular and acted little as if dead and in removall of Archbishops and Bishops and their Praemunire can we think though the Deacons fal quietly that the Presbyters fall will not cost much bloud especially in Scotland Do not we see what doings now there are in France and how they are carried against the first of the foolish Virgins the Cardinall Mazarine who have all their work to do but before any peace be in that Kingdom wil do all together Applic. To the Kingdom untill you see these things you can never see peace you can never come out of Babell you can never see the Marriage of the Lambe nor behold the good days of God foretold in the Scripture these things forespoken of make way for these to come amongst us therefore know as contrary to thee as they seem to be yet they are according to God And it is most true if we should consult with flesh and bloud about these things we were utterly lost herein Applic. To Ministers ye see what sad things are coming on us I desire you not to accompt me your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 Many may be happy by it that have hearts to make use of it if this be not Truth let me then be accompted the Ministers publike Enemy whom surely in heart I have not the least desire to offend of my self at all but it seems to me providence foretels you you shall stir up the hatred of the Magistrate against you and then you will occasion him to eat the remaining flesh and to consume the remaining feces of Antichrists Polity amongst us To the Magistrate Rev. 20.4 Thrones were set and judgement was given to them and the souls of them beheaded c. and cap. ver 5. This is the first Resurrection I suppose these things in a judiciall way will be brought to passe in the world Dan. 7.13 14. are at that time to be accomplâ—shed Scriptures I beleeve when accomplished will plainly appear to have been very strangely misunderstood and mis-applyed which I leave to time to evidence and the troubles that do succeed upon removing the Presbytery and that appertains â—hereunto is that last Woe I mentioned in the Epistle dedicated to his Excellency the Lord Fairfax Generall before the Forme of Gospel-Government I caused to be printed about January the 14th 1648. Object You have spoken of Antichrists Ministry as of a single Ministry and now come to compare the Ministry of Christ which are five in the true Church to Antichrist as having five also distinct in her false Church 1 Bellarmine acknowledgeth 2 Tom. de Cler. Cap. 16. That a Cardinall is but as a parish priest in his own Title 2 They were Presbyter-Cardinals and so no more but chiefe Presbyters they having in their Churches but a Single Ministry for as in their Churches a Bishop ministred not to them nor any Archbishop or Presbyter unlesse as Curate or Substitute only Vide Potter Numb 666. Cap. 19. The five Gospell Ministers being in every true Gospell constituted Church the five false in the Romane Catholick Church or Nationall Forbs Irenicu Cap. 11. de Episcop Propos 10 Quando Presbyter fit Episcopus non desinit esse presbyter c. Peculiarem habens Ecclesiam Parochialem quae ipsi sit Cathedralis id est ad quam constantèr resideat c. Now for Presbyters and Deacons they were practised amongst us singly which is proofe sufficient Which clears to us That while Antichrist had his five false Anti-ministers he had them in a false way and not as the true Church each one doing in the Church singly as concerning the Ministry and alone which all the true Church ordinary Ministry were to do together there being no division of Members under the Cardinals the Archbishops or Bishops Ministry more then in the lowest Presbyters in that Hierarchy nor did he any thing differ in his administrations from them as the Apostles did from Prophets they from Evangelists they from Pastors or Teachers in the true Church these in the false Church differed indeed in some things in respect of their whole Antichristian Babylonish Hierarchy but not in particulâ—r Titles or Parish Churches Applic. To Scotland In her is the Root of Presbytery as Episcopacy was in England though that Geneva gave as it were first being unto it under Calvin for in Scotland Nationally it was received and confirmed by one of the ten Kings of the Romane Monarchy c. 1 They shall by the Presbytery be stirred up to warre and be overcome by the Saints they warre against called Hereticks and Schismaticks the old Romane way of proceeding against beleevers they themselves are called so at Rome 2 They will come in the end to hate the Presbytery God will make them naked have their riding the Beast that is the Temporall Authority of that Kingdome opened to them and their standing be made appear not to be Evangelicall by which means the Kingdome of Scotland shall come to hate them and take away all Authority and Jurisdiction from them and take away their Ecclesiasticall preferments and tithes c. yea make their Presbytery so desolate as not to leave a Presbyter of them to be a Minister This friends it seems to me God is about to do in Scotland it selfe and what will become of it in England and what shall we say if ever we see God do these things 3 Though the Warre begin here possibly if it do this Army will then I beleeve enter Scotland and do for Presbytery there as they did for Episcopacy here but with much more integrity for as Episcopacy was to have its fall in England England being the Root of it so Presbytery is to have its fall in Scotland the Root of it being there this estate being the Philadelphian estate in which the love of Sister-Churches will appear O that the mind of God were enquired after at the Word and that men would endeavour the fulfilling thereof so would there
falne estate But for the slumber of the false Church which is of later times there is no such obscurity in that 1 The slumber of Cardinals was when they came from 12 abâ—ut 423. in Coelestines time to be after 25 as Potter Numb of the Beast cap 19. where he sheweth that Cardinals Bishops and Deacons were not originally in the Colledge of Cardinals when their first number were decreed but are rather redundant extuberances of the Papacy built upon and dangerously over-hanging that ancient foundation of the Presbyter Cardinals this slumber hee makes to begin to be the Number 25 but I rather conceive at the Number 12 when Alexander the third in the yeer 1163 made Conradus Suenus Archbishop of Mentz one of the Colledge of the Cardinals 2 The sleep of the Cardinals in this Kingdom was in the death of Cardinall Poole who died the next day after Queen Mary of some Italian physick as some suspect being the 18th of November 1558. The slumber of the false prophet and Anti-Evangelist was in the time of Henry the Eighth when they were made to acknowledge the Kings Supremacy and not the Popes in the yeer 1531. whose sleep was brought on the false prophet and Anti-Evangelist in the yeer 1644 in the making of that Ordinance appointed the taking the Covenant the second branch wherof was that without respect of persons we should endevour the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy that is Church Government by Archbishops Bishops c. which ended in William Laud Jan 10. 1644. The slumber of the Anti-teacher was in that slumber â—â—il on the reâ—t 1531 and is falne asleep and no man knoweth how it being now apparent to all that Deacons were not teachers in the Church as Deacons but ministred almes to the poore only so that now there is none acknowledged and so none awake but the Presbyter that is the Antipastor Let me ask the Question are they awake or do they slumber sure heavens thunder cannot keepe them long from sleeping me thinks the Questioning ministers calling the not suffering the Presbyterian Government to be Jure divino and the daily shaking of her foundations are very dangerous signes she is in a deadly slumber she would else awake and speak for her self Object Here it is questionlesse ô but in Scotland it is awake Here friends I speak not of envy to any but to glorify God in speaking the truth Presbytery must sleep in Scotland as well as Episcopacy in England Episcopacy had as great friends and command here in England as presbytery ever had in Scotland or can have and had it's glory of longer continuance and it is no lesse ordained 〈◊〉 God that presbytery shall sleep then Episcopacy Friends do you not consider you that made that clause in the 2d. branch of the Covenant where we are to endeavour the extirpation not only of Arch-bishops Chancellors Commissaries c. but all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy do not presbyters depend on that Hierarchy I do beleeve in time this will be made use of against presbytery if not on what Hierarchy doth it depend Note it all ye to whom this Writing shall come that as certainly as ye have seen the sleep of Cardinals Arch-bi hops Bishops and Deacons which are four of the foolish Virgins so certainly shall ye see the sleep of presbyters in this Land the whole Earth shall not hinder it she being the fift 2 The time cannot belong it precedes the marriage of the Lamb as near as it is this is the last ô expect thy sleep Object Why if this should be what shall we do for Ministers Reply God will furnish the Land with Teachers for if he give the Word great will be the company of Preachers and truly friend I cannot write this nor think of it but with admiration of that work most certainly God will do in this Kingdome when the scoffers of the times will be ashamed Vers 6. At midnight a cry was made behold the Bridegroome cometh go ye out to meet him What the severall Expositions here are of the day of Judgment and the like I shall passe by as impertinent and shew you 1 That marriages in those parts were oft times celebrated in the night when the younger sort of people attending with the Bride went to meet the Bridegroom and accompany him into the Brides chaÌ„ber but in that it is said to be at midnight it may be imputed to the word delay before v. 5. which time of delay was the time of Antichrist untill his time of tyranny and his Government were ended as expressed of the ill servant in the time of his Lords delay beating his fellow-servants and eating and drinking with the drunken Cap. 24. ver 48 49. When the Lord came he cut him in two c. and the word delay shews marriages were not usually made so late at night 2 It may be he alludes to the first publick notice of Christs coming to his Church in Jerom of Prage or Luthers time which was but a little better then the darkest time of Popery 3 A cry in the teaching of the Gospell now is made of Christ's coming he being other ways held out in the doctrine taught now then in that before Luther 4 They are called on to go out to meet the Lord that is to performe their ministeriall duty in bringing Christ to the Church and in presenting the Church to Christ this begins I suppose with Luther in some kind because Cardinals were sleeping and Arch-bishops and Bishops slumbring but indeed the true time or full time of the cry will be when all are asleep and it may well be called midnight when the ministry is all as it were true and false abolished the true by Antichrist and Christ by his coming abolisheth Antichrists ministry again When God shall do this what rayling will there be against Authority as if they overthrew it Ver. 7. Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their Lamps 1 At this time when the foolish Virgins and the Presbyter the last of them slumbers God brings again and awakens the five wise Virgins the true Gospel ministry 2 Then there is much trimming of Lamps that is proving of calling ministry and Government by Archbishops and Bishops as Doctor Field by presbytery Calvin Rutherford by the Gospell ministry by him whose name is not meet to be mentioned in the day Christ's ministry shall be spoken for 3 Indeed I suppose there may be yet a time after the presbyters sleep in which liberty will be granted to men for Episcopacy and Presbytery to plead their call freely and publickly it may be before the supream Magistrate sitting in judgment as it were to determine that the controversie intâ—nated in Daniel 7. ver 13 14. 4 In that it is said they arose it sheweth as men awâ—kâ—d out of sleep they will come to this debate of all sides rowsed up from the losse they before had or are like after to sustaine Now the raising of
shut Notes the administration of the Gospel would be kept pure against all means that tend to defile them and be other ways kept then before Ver. 11. Then came the other Virgins 1 It is emphaticall the Scripture calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other Virgins not the foolish Virgins now because they now seeing their former folly laying down their Call seeking admission to be with Christ ceased to be foolish and began to be wise 2 They had a minde to be with Christ but it was unseasonable it was after the doore was shut the unwise man begins to be wise when it is too late They say Lord Lord open to us 1 They desire admission to be a Church-minister or at least a Church-member at that time of plenty and power of the Spirit which will be the most desirable thing in the world 1 Their earnestness is emplyed in their reiterated Cry of Lord Lord. 2 Their expectation of favour more then others open to us though thou open to none yet open to us thou art our Lord wee are thy servants we waited long for thy coming to thy Church Applic. When the soul is sensible of it it is then a sad thing indeed to be shut out of Heaven from Christ and Saints 2 In the right constituting of Churches Excommunication will have greater effects on the spirits of men then in time past Mat. 18 11 12. And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth When ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God and your selves shut out then ye shall weep Ver. 12. Christ answereth verily I say unto you I know you not 1 None are to be admitted but by Christs approbation he is the doore 2 Christ denies their petition 3 On this ground I know you not that is scientia approbationis 1 Now Christ makes known to the soul that it is diserted of him which saddens the heart and fils it with fear 2 In that he sayth I say to you it takes away all plea or answer in the case whatsoever men indeed may plead against men but against the Word of God is no obj cting Ver. 13. ye have the application of this spirituall Coming of his before spoken of 2 In it is prophetically foretold the last personall coming of Christ to Judgment saying Watch therefore for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Sonne of man cometh Now that this fore-cited Parable respects the estate of the Church and the end of Antichrist as applyed I shall commend to your consideration the Parable set down of Matthew in Chap. 22. from Vers 1. to Vers 12. 1 The wedding is a wedding made in the day setting out the estate of the Church before the Antichristian night came upon the World 2 The present estate in the Apostles times and after to the time of Antichrist is herein mainly intended 1 From Vers 2. to the 8 respects the Jewish estate of the Church until their captivity under Titus Vers 2. The Kingdom and Mariage signifie the Gospel Government set up the Apostles gathering Churches out of the Jewish Nation Vers 3. The Apostles sent out to gather them Mat. 10. v. 5. and the prophesie fulfilled Acts 13.46 Vers 4. He sends forth other servants which were the 70 Luke 10.1 who were other in their call and persons or those sent out by the Apostles after Christ and by the Church Vers 5. and 6. The effects of the Ministry upon them is set down some are persecuting other scoffing Acts 12.2 cap. 7.38 cap. 9.1 Vers 7. All this was to be done before the Lord did send the Romane Army and before the desolation of their Cities Vers 9. He proceeds to the call of the Gentiles which succeeded the refusall of the Jews Acts 13.46 As for the Exposition of the rest of the Parable I understand it to agree with the Parable of the fish and tares See the Smoake of the Temple about the latter end thereof Applica This Parable precedes that of the Virgins as the day precedes the night so the Gospel day did the Gospel night and as where the day ends the night begins so do I conceive that where this Parable of the Gospel day ends there the Parable of the Night begins shewing prophetically what would be brought forth in the world during that time of Antichrists reigne unto the time of the Lords Marriage and after as concerning tâ—e ministry and government of the Church in its first constituting to the Parable of the night Applica To take away the strange thoughts that the world yea good men will have of the Parl. their proceedings though guided of God and their disaffection to the army who will then cry out 1 The Archbishops then the Bishops and the Reading ministers and the scandalous ministers and the malignant ministers as they tearmed them must go down O! but now what do they mean the good ministers as they call'd them those that preached for them they put down them also is this the reformation they told us of in their Declarations 2 They took down Common-prayer in our Churches and then turned two or three Churches into one that we may have preaching nor have we the Sacraments in many places this six yeers and now preaching is going away out of the Parish also and all this cryed up for Reformation 3 The Abbey Lands were took from the Ministry the Bishops Lands and now the Dean and Chapters Lands and the Tythes they say shall be took away also and it is thought the parsonage Houses and Glebe Land will be took from the ministry also and at last what wil they do with the Churches Resp I beseech you take heed and do not thinke hardly of the Parliament if ever ye see these things they as little think of doing these things as you witnesse their Declarations 1 God will have the flesh of Antichrist eaten that is all that maintenance that comes to the Ministry by her means Now these things all of them came by her be content God will have it so 2 God will have Antichrist in the more spirituall part as it were the soul of Antichrist that cannot be eat to be burned in fire which is the Polity or Government of Antichrist of which Presbytery is no lesse a part then Episcopacie together with the Antichristian doctrines of hers Object O! but these are good men Resp And who will say many of those under Episcopacy were not If good men stand in a bad place they must be removed as trees and planted into a better to this metaphor the Apostle alludes 1 Coloss 13. 3 These men shall doe those things doing Gods will indeed but it is in the dark and shews when they go about to do them