without danger over it and to enter without any great resistance in her Babylonish Church to beate downe their x new erected Altars to overthrow all their Idols Crucifixes and utterly to abolish and cashire out all false selfe will worship superstitious ceremonies in stead thereof to settle establish the true Kingdome of Christ to be governed by his most holy lawes and heavenly ordinances as Moses commanded often the Israelites to doe when they should once be entred into the land of Canaan after they had passed over the Jordan And because this Jordan with the drying of it and passage over it by the said children of Israel under the leading of Joshua yea all their voiage along the forementioned wildernesse of Canaan is a true prototype of this mysticall Euphrates so often mentioned before as it appeares by that which the Apostle in his 1 Cor. 10. 6. and 11. speaking of the things that came to the Israelites in the wildernes sayes of them that the were types {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as it expressed in the originall and that they are written saith he to admonish us c. Therfore that we may the better understand the mysterie of this drying up and passage over the said Euphrates it is very requisite that we say first some what of the last Journeys of that Ancient people of Israel along their said wildernesse All of them together are in number 42. as is before noted which may be divided in three generall parts The first whereof doe comprehend those that were made by them from Rameses in Egypt till they came to Mount Sinai where they pitched * in the third moneth when they were gone foorth out of the Land of Egypt where they had remained almost a whole yeare as it is manifest by that which is said by Moses Num. 10. 11. In which mount God gave them his law with his ordinances and holy statutes concerning his worship and thereby did covenant with them that if they would observe and keepe them hee would be their God and they should be his people Yet neverthelesse they presently brake it falling to Idolatrie in worshipping of the * golden calfe made by Aaron the High Priest the which first part comprehends eleven Mansions or Journeyes The second part is from that Mount of Sinai to that other of Hor where AaronÌ„ died in which they did but wander up and down the said desert advancing never a whit towards the said promised land of Canaan but recoiling rather from it in wch wandering they continued for the space of almost 38. yeares and made during all the said space of time twice eleven Mansions which were thus doubled because of those two great capitall sinnes committed by them against the Lord the first whereof was the foresaid Idolatry and the second their generall rebellion and revolt which happened at that place called therfore * Rimmon Perets mentioned Numb. 33. 19. The third last part is from the time of their departure from that mountaine of Hor after their * thirty dayes mourning for the death of Aaron a type also of the mourning mentioned in this chap. begun when y Jezabel was first cast into a bed by the Kings of the earth which had committed fornication with her cast also with her into great affliction by the meanes of the second plague inflicted upon her by the powring out of the second Viall as wee will shew presently continued by the Merchants of the earth at the powring out of the third Viall and now termined by these Mariners both of them the right children of the whore Jezabel z * killed togetherwith her with death That lastperiod I say beginning at their departure from that Mount Hor continued till their first entrie into the said land of Canaan when they encamped in Gilgal * in the East side of Jericho entring therfore into the said land at the East part therof as our passengers over this mysticall Euphrates are called mistically the Kings of the East as it will appeare by by This last period containes nine journeyes a in all forty two At the last of which journeyes viz. at the latter end of the thirty ninth and about the beginning of the fortieth the said people pitched at Habarim standing there as it were in heapes or companies of peoples desirous and readie to passe over the said Jordan being now so neere unto it b But the time of their said passage being not fully accomplished they were therfore faine to stay yet a whilelonger in the wildernes which is before Moab towards the Sun-rising as it is said Numb. 21. 11. from whence being removed they advanced to Beer that is saith Moses Numb. 21. 16. the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses gather the people together and I will give them water Then Israel sangthis song spring up O well sing ye unto to it c The Princes digged the well the Nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the Law giver with their staves d At which time they fought against Sihon King of the Amorites * and smote him with the edge of the sword and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabok c. Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan and fought against Og the King of Bashan and smote him likewise and his sonnes and all his people This Og was a mighty gyant * Deut. 3. 11. e Wâ—â— only remained of thâ—â—emnant of the Gyants whose bedstead was a bestead of yron of nine cubits long forre broad after the cubit of a man He saith also thaâ—â—is land was a goodly soyle the pastures whereof nourished strong and fat cattell being watered by the foresaid Jordan which doth runne through that ancient land of Israel dividing Galile from Judea having two spring heads viz. Dan and Jor whence it tooke its name of Jordan f signifying the river of Judgement or a caldron of Judgement c. It is to be noted further that in its course along that countrie it maketh two lakes or Seas whereof the one is greater then the other the least is called waters of Merom By which all the Kings of Canaan to the number of foure and twenty assembled by * appointment to fight against Israel with all their host in multitude as the sand that is upon the sea shore with horses and chartes very many c. The other which is a great deale bigger is called in the old Testament the * Sea of Chinnereth and in the new the * Lake of Genezareth or the Sea of Galile from which having runne a long way of some forty miles it falleth in the dead sea of Sodome of which it is as it were swallowed up Which Sea hath no visible intercourse with the Ocean and is surnamed dead because no living thing can endure its bituminous savour from abundance of which matter it
Bishops upon the Scriptures of God upon the Church upon the Civill Magistrate also and consciences of men and all their tyrannous Canons and humane ordinances made upon indifferent things against their Christian liberty as namely all their rites ceremonies and false doctrines added by them to the administration of the Sacraments as the Crossing in Baptisme the kneeling in the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the standing of the Lords Table Altarwise with tapers or Crucifixes over it and bowing to it or at the naming of Jesus and the observing of other by them falsely called holy-dayes besides that holy sanctified day of the Lord the which to the utmost of their power they have laboured to expuâ—ge out of the catalogue of the ten Commandements of the law And that hereafter they will adhere to the Lord serving and worshiping him alone in all holinesse and purenesse of living in submitting themselves for that end to an holy Church governement or discipline taught contained in the said word of God alone voide of all humane inventions and additions not grounded upon the same Now that this is the true intent of the Spirit of God in the words of this fift verse it will yet further appeare very clearely if you will consider besides the two former mentioned verses of the said 19. chapter both the first and second verses thereof also in the first of which Saint John tells us how hee heard a great voyce of a great multitude in Heaven saying Hallelujah c. giving us to understand thereby the great r joy that the many congregations of the true Christian Churches especially of these three Kingdomes should both conceive in their hearts and also expresse outwardly both in words and actions of holy thankesgiving unto the Lord and acknowledging of that salvation glory and honour power that was to be given unto him because he had put in the heart of his annointed to do fulfill his most holy will in calling together that most heavenly Assembly of Parliament to execâ—ue and administer the true and righteous judgements of God s proceeding juridiâ—-ally to the condemnation of the great Hierarchicall whore which had corrupted the earth with her fornications thereby also to avenge the blood of his servants shed by her hand as of them that were already dead by the meanes of her most inhumane barbarous like cruelties used against them so of those that were yet detained prisoners in great distresse in her most vile and base prisons and especially those faithfull witnesses of his truth who had beene confined in those remote Islands beyond seas viz. of Garnezey Jarzey and Syllie against whom shee had made warre had overcome them and killed them by a civill or rather a most uncivill death whereby they were in a manner cast out of the land of the living Esa. 53. 8. having their eyes shut as it were being barred and deprived of the sight and company * of the delight of their said eyes I meane their most deare wives and children and after them of the greatest comfort of the world their * godly friends and acquaintance having likewise their hands feet bound with bands having neither the liberty to visit their friends or to be visited of them nor to write unto them being forbidden to have either paper pen or inke And thus did their corps lie unburied in such publike places of the great citie for the space of t three dayes and a halfe onely though their said enemies had confined them there till death at the latter end whereof the spirit of life comming from God entred into them and so revived them so that they could then stand upon their feete being loosed of their said bands having heard that great voyce comming from the u heavenly Parliament then assembled in London the voyce whereof was so loud that it was heard of them from those remotest places of the Kings Dominions saying unto them Come up hither and they obeying the same did presently ascend up to the said Heavenly Assembly gathered in the foresaid City of London wherinto they entred in a most glorious cloud of witnesses rejoycing for their said deliverance as it is said in the first verse of this said 19. chap. which was on the contrary a most bitter and spitefull sight to their enemies that might see them thus honoured of God and men The event of all which most glorious workes thus begun and prosecuted according to the foreappointad decree of God thus also revealed unto us by Saint John in these two chapters of the * Revel. viz. the 11. forecited and the ninteenth compared together doth give I am sure such a cleare light to all the businesse now in hand ex ungue leonem that no bodie will no more doubt of it But yet consider the next following action set downe in the sixt and eight verses of the said 19. chap. namely that presently after the precedent voyce which did proceed from the throne John heard another like a voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of strong thundrings saying Hallelujah for the Lord that God that Almighty one hath raigned c. In which words I say is summarily and mystically contained the historie related more fully in the x sixt chapter of Josh. concerning the falling downe of the walles of Jericho which was the first Citie taken in the land of Canaan being beyond Jordan by the blowing of the Seven trumpets of rams hornes borne by seven Priests before the Arke which was carried by them round about it once in a day for the space of sixe dayes but the seventh day they were to compasse the said citie seven times and at the seventh time when they should heare the said Prists making a long blast with the said rammes hornes they were bidden to shout with a great shout because then the wall of the Citie should fall downe flat and the people should ascend up every man straight before him y In their march about this citie the whole congregation was divided in three severall squadrons or troopes keeping this order first the armed men were to march in the fore-front of the Armie going before the Priests that blew the trumpets who in the second place marched before the Arke which was carried by the Levites upon their shoulders going in the midst of all the Armies Then in the last place the rereward came after the Arke of the Lord the Priests going on and blowing with the trumpets All which company thus ranged in battell aray and compassing the said Citie once a day for sixe dayes and seven times the seventh day It came to passe at the seventh time when the Priests made a long blast with the rammes hornes that the people shouted with a great shout and then the wall fell downe flat z And thus the three severall companies noted by S. John having shouted with
and favour of that Almighty God who hath hitherto so wonderfully continued and countenanced you in all these so weighty affaires already by you performed to the joy of all true English hearts and terror of all our Enemies both at home and abroad As you may very manifestly perceive it already by the said behaviour of all these Euphratian frogges and shall more and more a mesure que leur dit Euphrates sassechera This being the sence of these words as we take it and judge by the premisses that it cannot bee taken otherwise it may yeld this point of Doctrine unto us viz. that The vindicating Iudgement of God doth most often terrifie his most fierce and haughty enemies overtaking them most commonly at unawares and when they thinke themselves to bee cock sure and very farre from it as Saint Paul doth testifie saying of such that * When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape This may be proved by many examples both in the Old and New Testament as of Pharaoh when hee was drowned with his armie in the read sea for when God * tooke off their chariot wheeles they were so astonished thereat that they said let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians Thus was Nebuchadnezzar surprised for * as he was walking in the palace of the Kingdome of Babylon saying is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdome c. While the word was in his mouth there fell a voyce from heaven at the which no doubt hee was no lesse amazed then was afterwards Belshazzar his sonne at the hand writing forementioned saying O King Nebuchad-nezzar to thee it is spoken the Kingdome is departed from thee Thus it fell out also to proud Haman who as soone as he heard the Queene Ester accusing him to bee * the great adversarie and wicked enemie who had sold her and her people the Israel of God being then in captivity as these had done likewise the true Christian Israel of the three Kingdomes then in captivity distresse also not only to be held for bondmen bondwomen but to be destroyed to be slaine to perish as woefull experience had too soone proved it for us if God had not in his but too little considered wonderfull mercy towards this land prevented it in his good time by the meanes of the forementioned Hollanders Then I say at such a relation was the said Haman sore afraid seeing in the Kings face that there was evill determined against him by the King We reade also in this booke of the Revâ—lation that when Christ the Lambe came to take vengeance of the persecuting Pagan Emperors that then The Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe captaines and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines and said to the mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And the like must of necessity falâ— out to this whore her Merchants and Marriners whose Euphraticall Iordan shall then bee dryed up when she should say in her heart sit a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow for therefore saith the Angel shall her plagues come in one day for her greater terror and astonishment death and mourning and famine and shee shall be utterly burnt with the fire of excommunication for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her The reason whereof may bee first because they applaud flatter and blesse themselves in their hearts saying * that they shall have alwayes peace though they walke in the stubbornesse of their hearts to adde drunkennesse to thirst as it is said Deut. 29. 19. and therefore as it is further added in the said place The Lord will not spare them but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against them and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie upon them c. Secondly because the Lord takes them usually when they are soothing themselves in their naughtinesse and saying in their hâ—arâ—s as those prophane ones in Zephan that the Lord would doe them neither good nor evill whom the Lord threatens there saying that * it shall come to passe at that time that I will search saith he Ierusalem with candles and punish the men that are thus setled on their lees and therefore their goods shall become a bootie and their houses a desolation then he addeth in the next verse that the great day of the Lord was neere it is neere saith he and hasteth greatly which is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of wastnesse and desolation c. Thirdly because most commonly the Judgements that God layeth upon them are very grievous and terrible and then * the Lord gives them trembling hearts and failing of eyes and sorrow of minde so that their lives hang in doubt before them and they are in feare day and night having no assurance of their life according to that threatning mentioned in the Law And our Saviour testifies the same speaking of the great judgements that should fall upon the world of the wicked in these latter times saying that * then there should be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the stars and upon the earth distresse of nations with perplexitie the sea and the waves roareing yea saying that mens hearts should faile them for feare looking after those things which are comming on the earth Fourthly God retaliates unto them paying them in their owne coyne as they have pressed downe and thereby endeavored to terrifie most of the best servants and children of God with their most heavie and tyrannicall burdens so doth the Lord pursue them with heavie and terrifying plagues for it is a righteous things with God saith he Apostle to * recompence tribulation to them that trouble you Fiftly God in his justice will have his hand to be seene against those that make warre against him and against his people he will appeare in his anger against such and that must needes be terrible unto them for thus saith the Lord himselfe by his Prophet * Now will I rise sâ—â—th he now will I be exalted now will I lift up my selfe ye shall conceive chaffe ye shall bring forth stâ—ble c. Therefore saith hee afterwards The sinners in Zion are afraid fearefulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who therefore among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Finally another cause of their terrour is the guiltinesse
meanes and degrees by which shee came at length to fall into that vast and drie wildernesse of Idolatrie a right shadow of Death and so grosse that all the former Pagans could not parallel it Then secondly how long shee hath continued under that blacknesse of darkenesse and ignorance thicker and obscurer then that of Egypt And lastly the very time when God in his mercy began to bring and leade her out of the same taking vengeance by degrees of all her persecutors The said Treatise indeede at its first flight did but intend your particular comfort and encouragement in your most undanted faith Jonas-like during your said death Whereof when you were risen and ascended up in a cloud to the heavenly Armagedon or Parliament calling you it would needes take it selfe to its wings being somewhat better feathered then at first and follow you over-sea there to observe more of its contents Trusting by the former true events to see a further accomplishment of many more wherein it hath in nothing hitherto been deceived having observed among many other wonderfull mercies of God first the second tribe of the Christian Israel passing over treading under foot that proudly overflowed Euphraticall Jordan Secondly the Covenant of Circumcifi ōrenewed in Gilgal where I am sure that the twelve stones are set up for a monument to posterity of the drying up of the said Jordan about the revolution of the 1641 yeare being the first of the last tenth of the last Moneth of the long tribulation and the first also of the raising of the Church agreeing with the particular time of your forementioned raising which was as is noted in the treatise the first day of the last moneth of your death And the beginning of the conquest of the premices of the ten Kingdomes of the great Citie or tenth part of them which was to be the first consecrated to God to be brought under the yoke of the Lamb Iesus Christ It observed immediatly after this the celebrating of the Christian Passeover the next Sabbath day following Thirdly the compassing about of the Citie Jericho by the three severall shouting Companies having with them the Arke of the Lord with the downefall of her walls and the sacking therof It admired especially observing that by the command of Joshua Rahab the Harlot was to be put out of the campe there to be by the speciall charge thereof committed to you prepared according to the law and thereby fitted for to be shortly married to the Lambe her promised husband as soone as shee should be stript of her whorish Babylonish garment as soone as the nailes of the Courts of her scratching persecution should be cut off and finally as soone as all the Ceremonies borrowed haires of her alluring and enticing whoredomes should bee shaved off The most part of which perceiving to be now effected it could be contained no longer but would needes scape out of my hands to fly abroad God grant it a favourable entertainement that it may returne againe with a safe conduct to its owner to carry the good tidings of Reformation most necessarie and wanting in the state both Civill and Ecclesiasticall of the Countrie of his aboade The prosecuting and obtaining whereof I desire that it may be by you to your powered further whereby you shall oblige mee to continue for ever Yours in the Lord I. D. L. M. TO THE REAER CHristian Reader little did I dreame that these private meditations intended onely for a particular Congregation should bee made thus publike to the view of the world Sed homo proponit Deus disponit man purposeth but God disposeth Importunity wrung them from me and present opportunity caused mee to yeeld thereunto And the rather because I saw now in good part effected and very much advanced by the wonderfull mercy of Almightie God that concerning the fall of the English Euphraticall Iordan or Nationall Hierarchy of Prelates which I did conceive then to be very neare approaching Being induced thereunto by the observation of the time appointed and by God limited for the Christian Churches pilgrimage through her most vast wildernesse following her all along it as it were step by step from one moneth to another with the helpe and light of that true Type and right guide the old Church of Israel having the Lord going before them by day in the pillar of a cloud to leade them the way and by night in the pillar of fire to give them light that they might goe both by day and by night under the conduct of Moses and Aaron The want of which Typicall guide hath beene the cause in my opinion that many though very worthy men and well deserving of the Church of God for their excellent labours in the exposition of the booke of the Revelation have many times wandered along the said Desart in seeking the footsteps of the said Christian Church which they have often missed It being indeede as difficult to be found without the helpe of the foresaid Typicall guide as I suppose as any of those waies mentioned by Solomon Prov. 30. 18. 19. but very easie having the said light going before Therefore have I already laboured for a good while and doe purpose to continue still if I bee not prevented by God or by the labour of some other in that kinde to parallel the travell of both the foresaid Churches their most notable accidents to send it abroad A tast whereof I profer unto thee in the meane while the which if being relished by thee it findes any good entertainement at thy hands though it be presented unto thee in a very ill polished because borrowed language it will the more encourage me to goe on with chearefulnesse and alacritie in my intended purpose by the assistance of the All sufficient God and thy Christian prayers in my behalfe to him who is no respector of persons and who doth reveale his secrets to all them that feare him Amen Thine in the Lord Jesus I. D. L. M. A COMPLAINT OF THE FALSE PROPHETS MARINERS upon the drying up of their Hierarchicall Euphrates As it was Preached in publik in the Moneth of February 1639 upon these words of the Revelat. 18. 17. And every Shipmaster and all the Company in Shippes and Saylers and as many as trade by Sea stood a farre off THE rod of wickednesse shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquitie saith the Lord Psalme 125. 3. That of the Roman beast hath for a very long while afflicted the Christian Church yet her lasting hath beene restrained to two and forty Moneths of yeares as it is said by the Angell to John when he forbad him to mete the Court which was without the Temple because saith he It was given unto the Gentiles who should treade the holy Citie under foot two and forty monethes So likewise in the 13. of the Revel. v. 5. where it is said that power was
mighty and great meaning indeed the King of Ashur as it is expounded in the very next words but alluding to the said Euphrates which did water the land of Assyria so hath this mysticall done to which also the same Spirit of God alludeth speaking of it in this book of the Rev. as it was shewed before so that that which the Lord said then to the said people of Judah may very fitly be applyed to the people of this land That because they had refused both in the time of King Edward the sixt and also of Queene Elizabeth * that pure river of water of life cleare as Chrystall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe I meane the the true Liturgie or worship of God together with the true discipline of Christ or Church government both profered unto them then both by Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr grounded and drawn out of the doctrine of Christ of his holy Apostles as we find it expressely instituted by him saying first concerning the said Liturgie * that it is in vaine to worship him teaching for doctrine mens precepts And that all such doe onely draw neare unto him with their mouth and honour him with their lips but their heart is farre off from him Yea in so doing they do but worship that which they doe not know as he said to the woman of Samaria John 4. 22 23 24. for then was that time come of which he speaketh there when the true worshippers were to worship the father in spirit and truth for then the father did require such to worship him For God being a Spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth And concerning the said Discipline observe onely these few places viz. Mat. 5. 22. and 18. verse 15 16 17 18. and chap. 20. verse 25 26 27 and 28. where is set downe the true patterne thereof I doe but name them because I intend not to speake of this now renewed as it were by him after his Resurrection as S. Luke tells us Acts 1. 3. where he shewes that Christ was seene of his Disciples and heard too as saith Saint John in his first Epistle chap. 1. verse 1. speaking of those things which did concerne the true Government of his Kingdome of Grace and that by the space of fortie dayes as he had beene with * Moses in the mountaine under the Law when he gave him the patterne of the Tabernacle of all the instruments thereof which were then to bee imployed in his holy worship then instituted by him wherin as Moses shewed himselfe very faithfull in all the house of God as the Apostle doth testifie Heb. 3. 5. the same may we say of the Apostles concerning the Govenment of this house of Christ But as the said Iewes I say did then refuse such waters so the said people refusing both the said pure and simple worship of God and true Church Discipline and preferring to it that vaine frothie pompous-humane-will worship or Liturgie of Rome some what refined I confesse but yet the very same in substance therefore did the Lord bring upon them that proud Prelaticall Hierarchicall Church governement by the meanes of it The which hath at length * broken into England especially and hath so overflowed and passed through it that it is come not only to the neck but even to the very top of the cheekes and k eares of some of the best servants of God some of them having had their eares cut with the Knife made as it were of the glasse of that * glassie sea and burnt with the fire thereof yea it had so spread out its wings that it had covered the breadth of the land becomming thereby impassable and like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt as saith the Prophet Isa. 57. 20. as it proved especially when the said Christian Israel of God was ready to passe over it As the waters of the forementioned Jordan did then overflow and fill all his bankes as soone as the feet of the Priests that bare the Arke were dipped in the brinke of the waters thereof thereby to prepare the may for the said children of Israel to passe over it after the drying thereof even so did then especially that Hierarchicall powerfull tyrannicall sea flowing from that forementioned l head thereof raise to such a height of pride and inhumane cruelty that it did overflow and runne over all power and authority both divine and Humane and became thereby so intollerable that no humane creature was able to withstand restraine or resist it So that in a short time it had easily as another deluge overflowed and destroyed the whole land and by its most deadly waters of Popish and Arminians false doctrines and superstitious ceremonies killed every soule living yet in that tyrannical scalding sea according to the prophesie of Christ therein truely accomplished recited Mat. 24. 22. saying that except those dayes meaning the dayes of the great tribulatioÌ„ mentioned described by him in the next preceding words which can bee no other then the thousand two thundred and sixty dayes of this christian Churches pilgrimage through her said deseart so called Revel. 7. 17. except saith he they should be shortned there shall no flesh be saved but for the elects sake those dayes shall bee shortned As it is now manifestly come to passe by the wonderfull mercy of God who being a God * that heareth prayers as the Prophet saith hath at last * looked downe from the highest of his sanctâ—any and hath from Heaven beheld the earth to heare the groanings of the prisoners and to loose those that were appointed to death and hath regarded the prayer of the destitute not despised their request as it is said in that Propheticall Psalme that was then written for the generation to come and for the people which was to be created a new For he is no idle spectator of the wrongs done unjustly to his servants but rather such a one as doth usually * resist the proud Hamans of the world scattering them in the imagination of their hearts and putting downe the mighty from their seates As the most blessed Virgin Mary doth fing Luke 1. 52. 53. and as we see it already begun by the almighty power of God who hath taken in hand that proud Hierarchicall whore even in the very time when in her over-swelling pride * shee most glorified her selfe saying in her heart I sit a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no sorrow as she is brought boasting of her selfe Revel. 18. 7. 8. Whereupon the Angel denouncing her last sentence of condemnation saith of her in the next words Therefore must her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and shee shall be utterly burnt with the fire of Excommunication for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Who therefore doth now stirre up those that
the d Saracens stirred up by the sound of the first trumpet when that * Starre e Mahomet about the yeare of the Lord 622. fell from Heaven unto the earth to whom was given the keys of the bottomlesse pit when the said Saracens made him their Generall about the yeare 630. at the opening whereof came out of it those Saracenicall Locusts mentioned Revel. 9 1 c. who with their said Generall that other Arch-heretick with his smoke false Doctrine of the Alcoran darkened the sunne and the ayre and with the almost innumerable multitude of their Armies did cover and pester both the whole Asian Empire and that of Africa yea rushng and flying further they advanced very farre in Europe invading Thracia Sicilie Sardinia and afterwards came as farre as Spaine about the yeare 714. and there setled themselves under the name of Moores possessing the said Mountaine Kingdome for the space of 800 yeares from thence they rushed also very farre in France in which Kingdome they first entred about the yeare of our Lord 726. and therein advanced as fare as Tours upon the River Loire having for their King Abidiram with an Army of 375000 men from whence they were chased by Charles Martel Duke of Brabant that great Captaine and by his Successour Pepin made afterwards King of France and altogether rooted by Charles the Great the said Pepins Sonne created after that Emperour of Germany in the yeare 800 of the Lord Concerning which Saracenicall Locusts we say that during the time they did thus torment the Christian world the first of the seven forementioned Plagues which caused or brought upon the Inhabitants of the earth the first of the forenamed woes was powred out of the first Viall by the first Angel as it appeares very clearely by the analogy or great correspondency that is to be seene in comparing the effects of the said fift Trumpet mentioned Revel. 9. with those of the said first Viall described Revel. 16. 2. and comparing likewise the said effects of both the said fift Trumpet and of the said first Plague with the charge which was before given to the foresaid Windes in generall in the forealledged seventh Chapter of this Revelat. where the said Winds were restrained from hurting for some time onely either the earth or the sea or any tree as they would no doubt have done else But that restraint being now taken away and the first of the said Windes having already greatly endammaged both the earth and the sea yea the Sunne and the starres as we have already shewed This second being now loosed he is also thereby permitted to hurt the earth or earthly men of the Kingdome of the Roman beast And onely forbidden to hurt either the grasse of the said earth or any greene thing or any tree bearing any good fruit because they were marked and thereby exempted And thus the first Angel of the seven Vials doth likewise powre out his Viall upon the earth onely Secondly the said Locusts were permitted to hurt onely the men which had not the seale of God in their foreheads chap. 9. vers. 4. even so the plague of the first Viall must no more be powred out upon those that were sealed but onely upon the men which had the marke of the beast and which worshipped his image Revel. 16. 2. Thirdly the plague of the Locusts was not mortall they being commanded not to kill them Rev. 9. 5. but onely to torment them with torment like unto the f torment of a Scorpion when he striketh a man Neither was the plague of the first Viall mortall but such a one as thereby a very noysome and grievous sore fell upon those men Revel. 16. 2. So that the one as well as the other caused the first woe proceeding from the plague of the said first Viall brought by the sounding of the said first Trumpet stirred up also and moved by the blowing of the foresaid second winde all which joyned as it were together made the men of those times so miserable that though they sought death in those dayes yet could they not finde it because it did flee from them as did the said Locusts themselves which caused these great torments the which being driven from one place or Kingdome did as it were skip presently unto another continuing therein for the space of about five moneths of yeares and exercising their said tormenting power upon those Christian men by name which had not the seale of God in their foreheads but the marke of the beast onely And thus did they continue for many hundred yeares in Asta Africa and Europe But g though their said power was much abated in Europe by the foresaid Charles the Great who condemned the adoration of Idols and opposed it both by his writings as also in that Councell by him assembled at Franckford in the yeare 794. wherein the second of Nice where the said adoration of images and intercession of Saints was approved held in the yeare 787 was condemned to whom God gave many great victories over the said Sarracens yet because for all his opposition the said Idolatry did still continue being also approved in the Councell of Constantinople held under Michael the third about the yeare 866. therefore could they not be driven quite away But now and then did they much vex the said Christian world with their tailes or remnants making many incursions therein for the space of an hundred and fiftie yeares more about which time * Tangrolipix the Turk upon the death of Mahomet the Persian Sultan was made King of Persia whereby those Saracens were deprived of that Caliphat and soone after the said Tangrolipix got also from them that of Babylon The Sultan Saracen of Egypt was likewise deprived of his Caliphat 150. after by * Saracon another Turke viz. in the yeare 1166. He also invaded many of the Emperour of Constantinoples Provinces After whose death his Successors continued the said Warres and subdued all Media with a great part of Armenia Capadocia Pontus and By thinia and so a great part of the lesser Asia But let us now leave them thus continuing their said Warres one against another and the Greek Princes at variance amongst themselves thereby giving great advantage to the said Turkes still more and more to invade one part or other of the said Empire yea the holy Land it selfe becomming thereby the very bane and grave of many Christian h Emperours Kings Princes and most valourous Captaines and Souldiers whose carkasses have fallen by millions in those remote wildernesses by reason of their idolatrous and superstitious vowes and pilgrimages to the said by them then and by such means most prophaned City and Sepulchre answering very fitly to the threatning denounced by GOD to that ancient Israel Numb. 14. 28 29. as the right type thereof By all which meanes the said Turkish Nations and peoples were also the more provoked against the said Christians to hate and persecute
proceedeth from this viz. that by the drying of the said Nationall Euphrates the tenth part of the Kingdome of the Roman Beast or Empire doth fall altogether or doth quite separate it selfe from it to be no longer a member thereof this part comprehending the Kingdomes of England Scotland Ireland with all the Iles adjacent and thereunto belonging In which part of the said Roman Empire the said Hierarchicall power must now then be utterly abolished according to the foreappointed decree registred in that forealledged place of Revel. 11. 13. and likewise 16. 12. it being the fift and last effect of the said sixt Trumpet the accoÌ„plishment whereof is the cause of the * great voyce of that great multitude in heaven which was heard by John saying Hallelujah Salvation glory honor power be to the Lord our God because his judgements are true righteous because he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornicatioÌ„s c. By which means also a very wide gate is opened and the way prepared for the people inhabiting the said 3 forementioned Kingdomes which the said Euphrates had but a little while before almost over flowed quite drowned hâ—d not the Lord in mercy in a most wonderfull manner prevented it by the powring out of the said sixt Viall upon it in the very time of its most swelling and all overwhelming power by which means its intolerable pride is not only abated but the Euphrates it selfe is quite dryed up so that you as the Premices of the conquered and perfectly converted Kingdomes of the foresaid Roman Western Empire may now freely enter before the other nations in the Canaan of the true reformation the which having first settled and established among you having quite rooted the said Hierarchy registred to eternall memory the utter abolishing therof you may then presently enter in CovenaÌ„t with the Lord and oblige your selves by vow first to continue for ever after faithfull unto him so that you will in a holy zeale defile the very coverings of the images of silver and of gold and take away all the high places and cast away as a menstrous cloth all reliques and remnants of superstition idolatries from among you say unto them Get yee hence that God * may see among you no uncleane thing that may cause him to turne away from you but that rather he may delight to dwell with you and * to walke in the midst of your then bright shining golden Candlestick even to deliver you and to give up all your enemies before you And after that imitating herein the Rubenites Gadites and halfe tribe of Manasseh you may goe armed before the Lord to warre and goe all of you armed over the Euphraticall Iordan before the Lord untill he hath driven out all your enemies the Popish Hierarchicall Canaanites from before him and subdued the whole Land before the Lord as said Moses to the said Rubenites c. in the forealledged place of Num. 32. 21. And though you come from the more Westerly parts of the Western Roman Empire yet are you in a mysticall sense both in respect of the type those ancieÌ„t Israelites entring into Canaan at the East side of it and also in respect of your profession the right Kings of the East comming from the Sunne rising where the day spring the true shining light of the Gospel from on high hath visited you thus to goe before his face to prepare his wayes And as the Israelites brought along with them the * Arke of the Testament over laid round about with gold wherein was the Golden pot that had Manna and Aarons rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant so doe you bring along with you to them the * everlasting Gospel * of the Kingdome with the powerfull preaching thereof the true food of the Soule together with an holy Church-government at the bright shining light whereof all false Antichristian doctrines of idolatries superstitious Ceremonies will-worship and all other humane inventions shall fall as * Dagon before the Arke yea * Satan himselfe shall fall from heaven It will further cast down before you * all imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Which is the conquest here especially intended and the weapons wherewith it must be performed This is that mystery whereof the Angel that stood upon the sea and upon the earth spake which God had declared before to his servants the Prophets which is now to be accomplished namely among the rest to Daniel in the * seventh of his prophecy v. 25. speaking of the time of the finishing of the Kingdome tyranny of the little horne which should then undermine viz. by her wiles as another Balaam the Saints of the most High which S. John Rev. 11. 7. â—pplyes to the time of the two witnesses finishing their testimony saying that the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomles pit should then especially make warre against them and should overcome them and kill them which last words Daniel expresses thus saying of the said Witnesses that they should be given into hâ—s hand viz. of that little horne or powerfull Nationall Hierarchicall Sea but with all limiting the time of that victory when he addes in the next words untill a time and times and the dividing of time in these few words comprehending what S John more fully and clearely expresses in the 8 9 and 10. v. of the foresaid Chap. wherein he shews both their condition during their said death and also distinctly what we are to understand by that indetermined time of Daniel viz. three dayes an halfe which we have already shewed to be meant of the three yeares an halfe of the Witnesses n mysticall death or imprisonment At the ending of which time Daniel saith that the judgement should sit and thâ—y viz that sit in the said judgement should take away his Dominion to consume it destroy it unto the end which is thus expressed by S John first in the foresaid Chap. v. 11 12 13. saying that after those three dayes and an halfe formentioned the Spirit of life c. and afterwards v. 13. And the same houre was there an earth-quake and the tenth part of the Citie fell c. Item Chap. 16. 12. in these words And the sixt Angell powred out his viall upon the great river Euphrates and the water thereof was dryed up And then finally in the thankesgiving of that great multitude assembled in Armageddon sitting in the foresaid judgement Rev. 16. 16. saying * Allelujah Salvation and glory and honor and power be unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgements for he hath judged the great whore and hath avenged the bloud of his servants at her hand All which places are parallell By the
proceedings against the Saints and faithfull servants of God u Even as the woman described Revel. 17. 3. seemes to differ much from that Bâ—ast mentioned Revel. 13 1 c but yet she sits upon the same beast with seven heads and ten bornes but without either â—it or bridle in her mouth to guide it fignifying that this woman is rather guided by the beast having the like Naturall properties of such a bruâ—t beast led with sensualâ—…e as speakes the Apostle Saint Peter 1. 2. 12. and altogether as malicious cruell and abominable if not more because indued with more reason and knowledge altogether perverted and abused And though the said woman be also more gloriously arrayed as you see verse 4. of the said 17 Chapter then the beast yet she is covered all over with names of blasphemie worse then the spotts of the said Panthere And though shee hold in her hand a cup which seemes to bee of gold yet it is but of some base metall only guilt over and thereby but disguised and howsoever it is but full of abominable doctrines and of the filthinesse of her fornication whereby as the false Prophet Balaam shee seduces and deceives both the Kings of the Earth and also the servants of God to commiâ— fornication with her Thus it is with this Nationall Hierarchicall Euphrates which is the right Sea where upon this whore sits as it will appeare by that which followeth u Therefore called the depth of Satan Revel. 2. 24. In which pit it was confined of old by the ancient fathers with Pelagius the first author thereof in the Councell of Carthage kept anno 422. who was an English man borne once one of the chiefe Monkes of that famous Monasterie of Bangor in Chester as it appeares by that verse of Prosper Pestifero vomuit coluber sermone Britaâ—â—us speaking of the said Pelagius compating him in respect of his false doctrine to a Serpent a right broode of the old Serpent one of those that is represented by one of the rods of the charmers of Pharaoh which were turned into serpents but devoured by that of Aaron mentioned Exod. 7. 11 12. * Revel. 15. 3. * 19. Psal. 137. 3. x This ought to be done by the Christian Israll as soone as they shall have rooted out of the Church of God all the Hierarchicall power and authority of Archbishops and Diocesan Bishops * Exod. 19. 1. * Exod. 32. 1 2 c. * Numb. 33. 19. see also Numb. 14. 1 c. * Numb. 20. 29. y Compare these places of the Revelat. which are parallels viz. Revel. 2. 22. 23. with Revel. 9. 18. 20. with chap. 11. verse 13. and chap. 16. verse 3 4 6. and chap. 18. verse 9. 11. and 17. all which well considered will give a great light for the right understanding of these mysteries z That phrase noteth a double death viz. both corporall and Spirituall the like is noted Gen. 2. 17. * Revel. 2. 23. * Iosh. 4. 19. a Answering to the 42. monethes of the Christian Churches pilgrimage through the forenamed desert of Romish Idolatries and superstitions b Thus was the Church of God in England and else where in great hope of a totall and finall deliverance out of the said desart-like popish Religion when King Edward the sixt came to the Crowne but soone after frustrate thereof by his untimely death and therefore forced to stand at that glassie Sea or misticall Euphrates mingled with fire c. mentioned Revel. 15. 2. a place parallel to this being the right type of that c A type of the Parliament in King Edward the sixt and in Queene Elizabeth's time d The message sent by Moses to the Kings of the Amorites before the passage of the Jordan mentioned Numb. 21. 21. c. falles in the time or hath for its Antitype the time of the two Maries Queenes the one of England and the other of Scotland who would not permit the true Reformed Religion to be established in their Kingdomes but rather opposed and persecuted it as much as they could being the horneâ— of the Beast-like Hierarchie * Numb. 21. 24. and 33. * Iosh. 11. 12. c. e The Vice-Roys of this Christian Bâ—shan but especially the last of them William Laud the remnant of the Gyant Popes was a mighty Gyant though of a little bodily stature having for their ordinary beaâ—stead a very spacious Lambeth which hath proved very often a hot burning furnace of yron to many of Gods faithfull servants when the High-Commission Court was kept there f See Rob. f. Herrey Common places first Table * Numb. 34. 11. * Luke 5. 1. * Mat. 4. 18. * Numb. 33. 49. * Numb. 31. 16. * Numb. 25. 9. and Deut. 32. 50. * Heb. 7. Verse 16. * Iosh. 3. 13. â—5 and * Verse 16. and * Verse 17. and 4. 12. * Verse 19. 20. * Iosh. 5. 2. and verse 4. c. * And verse 9. 10. 11. * Numb. 21. 6. g Henry the third was the first which caused Christians to bee burned in England at the instigation of Arundel then Archbishop of Cant. about the yeare 1397. h The time when the Pope was banished out of England was in the yeare of Christ 1534 one yeare after the birth of Queene Eliz. Paul the third being then Pope of Rome a most prophane scoffer of Christ He cursed the same King Henry and gave his Kingdome to whomsoever could get it * Numb. 21. 18. Dartie * Deut. 3. â—4 * Psal. 136. 19 20 21 22. h Aarons ornaments of honour and glorie were many viz. 12. in number whereof he was not stripped all at once but peece by peece and one after another leasurly being loath to dye before he entred into the land of promise as well as Moses and both as unwilling to be thus separated the one froÌ„ the other The Pope was much more loath to be stripped of any part of his power and glory to be cast out of his earthly Canaan and therefore hath hee so much strugled with those thâ—… have at any time attempted to strip him of any part thereof * Numb. 20. 28. i If the Parliament now assembled should but clip the superfluity of B. B. wings that they might not soare so high as they have done hitherto they should then goe no further in the reformation then the said Princes did which God for bid who looketh for much more at their hands and the Christian Israel of God also in this glorious time of reformation * Revel. 22. 1 * Mat. 15. 8. 〈◊〉 * Exod. 24. 18 and 25. 9. and 40. * Isa. 8. 7. k As Doctor Leiton and M. Prtn M. Burton and D. Bastwick two couples of the worthy witnesses of Christ * â—evel 15. 2. Iosh. 3 15. l It is very considerable that as the river Jordan the prototype of this Nationall Euphrates as is noted before hath two springs or chiefe sources the one called Jor and the other Dan even so this misticall Euphrates hathtwo chiefe heads