merchandize of them And when in this work it shall be told you that it belongs not to you to meddle with Religion your power is only in things Civil being a Civil Magistrate Do you consider the foundation of honesty is laid in Godliness and all the duties of the second are grounded in the obedience of the first Table That men are to obey you for conscience sake and conscience respects God only and if you set their consciences at liberty in the things of God sinfully you may expect that God shall let their consciences loose from obedience unto you judicially for furely they that are to obey you only out of conscience to God if they make no conscience of obedience to him it cannot be rationally expected that they should be conscientious in obedience towards you The Magistrate is to rule with God and his great care is to be that nothing provoke God to depart from his Government for what ever men imagine it is the Lord that builds the house that keeps the City Ezech. 10.2 and fire taken off the Altar burns more fiercely when scattered over the City then common fire Let therefore the great things of Christ and of his Gospel be your care and be you very vigilant against all the wiles of Antichrist for he is a Beast issuing out of the Earth Rev. 13.11 of a base original and yet growing up insensibly Stirpium more Mede and his horns are like a Lamb when he speaks like a Dragon The more subtilty there is in this Adversary the greater circumspection is required in you So shall you be chosen Instruments in the Lords hand to keep this people from returning to Babylon so shall you eminently serve your Generation lay down your sword in peace and the ruine intended endeavored upon this City shall not be in your hands which is the humble and hearty prayers of him who is Yours to serve you in the Gospel VV. S. A Voice from Heaven Calling the People of God to a perfect separation from mystical BABYLON REV. 18.4 And I heard another voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues THis Book sets forth the state of the Church and of the Empire under the two last heads of the fourth Beast and it contains in it in reference to the Empire three great Prophesies First of the Seals which I conceive refer unto Rome Pagan Secondly Of the Trumpets which refer unto Rome Christian after the time of Constantine the Emperour Thirdly Of the Vials which refer unto Rome Antichristian after the Apostasie spoken of 2 Thes 2.3 There must come a falling away first that the man of sin may be revealed the son of perdition the rise of Antichrist is set down in this Book Ch. 13. under the representation of two Beasts noting his double power one temporal so he is a Beast arising out of the Sea with seven heads and ten horns The other Ecclesiastical so he is a Beast arising out of the Earth having two horns like a Lamb c. and his ruin is described Chap. 16. where are set down the several steps and degrees thereof These words of the Text refer unto the time of the fifth Vial which is to be poured out upon the Throne of the Beast Chap. 16.10 which in this Chapter is more fully set forth with the manner and the several circumstances thereof when a mighty Angel shall cry with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird These words now read unto you Quamobrem aliquot Electi delitescunt adbuc in eluvione Romanae impietatis quorum Deus meminit in communi perditione improborum Bright are taken out of Jer. 51.45 My people go ye out of the midst of her and deliver ye every man his own soul from the fierce anger of the Lord and they contain in them two things first An exhortation unto the people of God who are yet supposed to be mixt amongst the Romish Idolaters yea even then when Rome comes to receive its last plagues in these words come out of her my people Secondly The reason given thereof taken from a double evil First of sin that ye be not partakers of her sins Secondly of suffering that ye receive not of her plagues Two things are to be spoken of by way of explication before I can propose the Doctrine which I intend and they are these First What is meant here by Babylon Secondly What is the destruction which is here threatned unto Babylon First what is meant by Babylon for the understanding thereof we read Chap. 17. ver 3 4 5. Of a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy c. and her name was written in her forehead Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots Babylon therefore here spoken of is described to be a Woman and vers 18. the Woman is interpreted to be that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth so that Babylon in the sense of the holy Ghost is a great City and that antient Babylon cannot be here meant is plain partly because the ruin thereof was prophesied Isa 21.9 Jer. 51.64 Thus shall Babylon sink and shall not arise from the evil that I will bring upon her Which threatnings were inflicted long before Saint Johns time but the City here spoken of did then raign over the Kings of the Earth and John in this book doth speak of nothing but the things that were and that should come to pass hereafter as appears Chap. 1.19 Write the things which thou hast seen the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter It appears also because the Spirit of God hath given us two words of purpose to keep us off from a literal sense one Chap. 11.8 which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually called Sodom and Egypt it is a City therefore that is here spoken of that hath the name of Sodom and Egypt yet not to be literally but spiritually understood and the other is Chap. 17.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mysterie Babylon the Great it is not therefore to be literally but mystically interpreted and what City in S. Johns time did rule over the Kings of the Earth but Rome called every where in this Book the great City and by Historians Orbis totius compendium orbis terrarum lux regina c. Cum caput illud Oâ—bis â—ccidet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse caeperit quis dubitet venisse jam finem rebuâ— humanis orbique terrarum Illa est enim civitas quae adhuc sustentat omnia c. Ne Tyrannus lumen illud effodiat cujus interitu mundus ipse lapsurus est Lactan. de divin praem lib. 7. cap. 25. Yea and A Lapide himself though a Jesuit doth
acknowledge all this to be meant of Rome and can be understood of nothing else only he refers it to Rome in the latter dayes of the world his Observation upon Chap. 18. is this Nota Romam meretricem esse mercatricem cauponam quae vine suo omnes inebriat dementat And this is called mystically Babylon upon a double account First because of their resemblance in sin First in pride and Self exaltation Babylon the glory of Kingdoms the Beauty of the caldeans excellency Isa 13.19 So Rome she saith in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Revel 18.7 Secondly In Tyranny and cruelty Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords hand that made all the Earth drunken the Nations have drunk of her wine therefore are the Nations mad Jer. 51.7 So mystical Babylon is a woman that sits upon many waters rides upon the Scarlet coloured Beast and hath a golden cup in her hand and she was found drunk with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 17.6 Thirdly In their Witchcraft and Sorcery therefore Caldeans and Southsayers are commonly put one for another most of them being Magicians and addicted unto those unlawfull Arts So Mystical Babylon by her Sorceries are all Nations deceived Rev. 18.23 Which sometimes makes me fear Popery in England much the more because it cannot but be apparent unto every judicious man that Sorcerie grows common amongst us and we have many instances that as Heresie and Cruelty so Heresie and Sorcery have gone together Secondly It is called Babylon because of the likness in the punishment First The Vengeance upon Babylon was the Vengeance of the Temple Jer. 50.28 the Violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the inhabitants of Sion say and my blood upon the inhabitants of Caldea shall Jerusalem say Jer. 51.35 So it shall be with Mystical Babylon in her was found the blood of of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth and the Lord will avenge this blood of his servants at her hand and will give them blood to drink for they are worthy Rev. 16.18 19.2 Secondly The destruction of Babylon did come suddenly these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day the loss of children and widdowhood they shall come upon thee in their perfection in the multitude of thy Sorceries and the great abundance of thy Inchantments Isa 47.9 So will the Lord deal with mystical Babylon she shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation her plagues shall come in one day Death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Rev. 11.10 18.8 Thirdly The destruction of Babylon shall be perpetual it shall never be built never be inhabited nor dwelt in from Generation to Generation but the wild Beasts of the Desart shall lie there Owls shall dwell there and Satyrs dance there Isa 13.20,21 The same is said of mystical Babylon also No crafts-man shall be found any more in thee the sound of the Milstone shall be heard no more in thee the light of the candle shall shine no more in thee but thou shalt become the habitation of Devils and the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird Rev. 18.2.22,23 Secondly what is the destruction threatned to Mystical Babylon in this Book Duplex Babylonis interitus in hisce vaticiniis primo pro urbe Bestiae regia puta urbe Romana deinde pro Civibus aut Civitate Romana quam constituit Papa c. Mede clavis Apoc. Cap. 11. there is a double ruin overthrow denounced against her First as Babylon is taken for the City called the Throne of the Beast Rev. 13.2 sc that which was unto the Heathen Emperours the Metropolis or Imperial City this was given to this new Beast and becomes his Throne also Rev. 13.2 Thus Babylon is to be destroyed under the fifth vial Rev. 16.10 and unto this destruction the words of the Text refer Secondly Babylon is not only taken for the City but the Citizens the inhabitants thereof the chief part of which are the Pope Cardinals Bishops with their several Religious Orders who after the burning of the City by the ten Kings shall escape by flight and shall send forth their Emissaries unto the Kings of the Earth not subdued by the Lamb and shall prevail with them to joyn in the same interest and stir them up to unite in that great Battail Armageddon where Antichrist with all his scattered troups and his confederates even all the wicked of the Earth shall be destroyed at once for the Lord loves to see them perish together to bind them in bundles to burn This destruction of Babylon is reserved to the last Vial that upon the Ayr and then shall great Babylon come up into remembrance before God to her utter ruin that her name shall either be blotted out or become a Curse in the Earth Having thus opened the words the Observation which I have pitcht upon is this Doctr. That it is a special duty which the Lord requires of his people living in such times that they make a separation from Mystical Babylon and that especially when her ruin draws near For the opening of it there are two things to be considered First What separation is required Secondly What are the grounds and the reasons of it First What kind of separation doth the Lord require of his people this we are the more narrowly to look into because it is a controversie between us and them and the question as Cardinal Perron proposeth it is Liceatne à communione visibilis Ecclesiae discedere Cameron opusc miscel pag. 522. therefore I must give you this distinction First There is a separation that is a sin Secondly There is a separation that is a duty First There is a separation that is a sin These are they that separate themselves sensual not having the Spirit Jude 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Decompound may seem to note thus much that they separate and separate till they have forsaken all the true Churches of Christ upon Earth many there are for this kind of Separation who say there are no true Churches Ordinances Ministery and with the foot of pride and contempt not only depart from them all but kick at them Unto these I would only say three things First this Doctrine doth at once destroy the whole plot of this Book of the Revelation wherein the Lord shews unto John all things that should be acted for his Church unto the end of the World and the Spectators thereof which are as the Chorus and upon every occasion give their Acclamations are the Churches First The Church is here meant because first there is Gods presence amongst his people his Throne is there
Viner Major Tuesday the eighth day of Nov. 1653. ORdered that Mr. Strong be desired from this Court to Print his Sermon Preached at Pauls on the fifth of this instant November Sadler A Voice from Heaven CALLING The PEOPLE of GOD to a Perfect SEPARATION FROM Mystical Babylon AS it was delivered in a Sermon at Pauls before the Right Honorable the Lord Major and Aldermen of the City of London on Novem. 5. 1653. By William Strong PREACHER of the GOSPEL at the ABBY WESTMINSTER LONDON Printed by Robert White for Francis Tyton and are to sold at the Sign of the three Daggers in Fleetstreet near the Inner Temple Gate 1654. To the Right Honorable THOMAS VINER Lord Maior of London and the Right Worshipful the Court of Aldermen of the City of London Right Honorable THough there be many reasons which might perswade met silence especially at such a time in which some men are made Transgressors for a word nay every word makes them Transgressors and benè latere wisely to conceal a mans self specially in matters of Religion is one great part of the wisdom of this Age Yet by your Command and in obedience to your Order I have adventured this Sermon into publike view which I confess I was the more easily induced to because it tends to keep up the memorial of that antient mercy which I conceive God would not have forgotten by us as also because unto my grief I hear that its commonly whispered by many that it was only plotted by King James like to that of Gowries Conspiracy for some Politick end But who ever shall look into the story as related by Thuanus surely no enemy to the Papists shall see reason enough to conclude the story most true and the design on their part real De libertate conscientiarum desperata c. The occasion he tells us was a deep discontent for not attaining a toleration of their Religion Sic a Theologis suis disserebatur Regem deponere regna concedere penes supremum Ecclesiae judicium esse c. that the Popish Divines had several Debates about it to set the Consciences of the Conspirators free from their obedience and Allegiance great Consultations were held with forrein Princes great assistances promised persons brought from several parts many of them related to the Iesuites and of that faction to act in this design E sodalitio Jesuitico machinatio sanguinolenta si fuisset per acta ipse ex animo intimis sensibus detestaturus erat Et tam atrox immano faciâ—…s Catholicos suscepisse plus morte sibi dolere as appears in the confession of Garnet who did acknowledge when he came to die that the thing was so horrid that it grieved him more then death it self that the Catholicks should have a hand therein And yet will men who cry out against Antichrist plead so much for him as to make this a feigned story and by this means make all our former praises to be mockings of God and taking his name in vain and bring the guilt of the blood of all the Conspirators upon this Nation But whither will ignorance and interest carry men even to despise the mercies of God Condemn the practises of the Godly justify the wicked and for some petty end take part with their greatest enemies In this Sermon warning is given unto the people of God against Poperie which may seem to some men altogether needless a melancholy conceit and nothing else especially in such a time as this when we seem to be so zealous in departing from Antichrist that we are ready to go too far the contrary way and to forsake the things of Christ under the name of Antichristian But I have read of a Woolf in Sheeps clothing and do never look upon Satan as a roaring Lyon more then when transformed into an Angel and do never fear Antichrist more then when he professes to fight under Christs banner But in the Scripture we have variety of Notes by which Antichrist is described and by these we shall best judge who are Antichristian in their Spirits Principles and Practices First Antichrist came in with an Apostacy when men fell away from God the way of truth and Holyness which before they professed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes 2.3 2. He brought in a Lye in Doctrine and worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thes 2.11 and that even in fundamentals Antichrist denying the Father and the Son 1 John 2.22 3. Antichrist did impose upon all men under the danger of persecution Papalem excommunicationem notari Mede he did make all small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark and no man might buy and sell trade with him in things spiritual that received it not Revel 13.16,17 4. He speaks Blasphemie against the Saints of God and their worship he blasphemes the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven Rev. 13.6 And there hath not been an age since the mysterie of iniquitie began to work wherein more of these notes were to be found then in that wherein we live if therefore the Spirit of Antichrist in these great things prevail so much among us and yet we cry out even against the things of Christ as Antichristian it may justly make men fear that this is the decoy the great deceit being to bring in Antichrist under the colour of opposing him and being zealous against him And though we have cause to fear the effectual working of this deceit in all parts of this Nation yet who sees not that the great plot is upon this City by reason of its confluence from and its influence upon all parts of the Nation here they shall be favoured followed of what opinion so ever they be it s your duty therefore Right Honourable to look upon it with the more watchful eye take care of these wanderers wandering Stars the Scripture calls them that have no fixed places that have various motions now they are here but if you look for them aanon they are to be found in some other part of the Heavens these are the men that raise Stirs cause Tumults make Factions to that end that they may swim in such troubled waters and seem somebody in a Partie who if they stood single would be wholly inconsiderable These prove slanderers also and whom they can not dare not oppose they dare asperse Jer. 20.10 Report say they we will report it this is but the beginning of evil Such are to be noted by you discountenanced warned and so much the rather because all the disturbances that are among us are because the people as Clouds are carryed about with such winds if we could allay the winds the Heavens would be clear We speak much of settlement the best way to settle men is to remove those that unsettle them and to establish them is to discountenance those whose business is to beguile unstable Souls that they may make