Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	good_a	seed_n	tare_n	1,657	5	12.7414	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89056	A further discovery of the mystery of the last times; as an addition to a little book, called Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus. Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to joyn themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the author was able to open those mysterious scriptures quoted in this following treatise) shewed the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pertaining to form and order in the church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those scriptures these particulars. 1. The flourishing and building condition of the church of Jesus Christ in the time of the gospel. ... 7. Lastly, that the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the restoration of all things shall be.	Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651.; Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651. Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus].	1651 (1651)	Wing M1732; Thomason E637_16; ESTC R206616	80,538	60

fallen from heaven which starr I take to be that starr which fell from heaven in the 8th chapter and 10th verse which I take to be the Bishop of Rome and as saith the text to him was given the key of the bottomlesse pit and he opened the bottomlesse pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and the sun and the air was darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit that is as I conceive the spirit and whole worship of Jesus Christ compared to the air wherein the saints lived spiritually as their bodies lived in the air naturally so that now all the outward worship of God is darkened and his people are asleep or dead in respect of outward order To the like purpose you have Rev. 11. 2. where the Angel saith But the Court which is without the temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two monthes thereby shewing that the ordinances which I take to be the outward Court should be defiled by men which are gentiles in manners and to be trodden down and the ordinances to be polluted and the holy City to be trodden under feet forty and two months during the dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus Another text to the same purpose you have Rev. 11. 7. where speaking of the witnesses he saith And when they shall have finished their testimony the beast that doth ascend on t of the bottomless pit shall make war with them and shall overcome them and kill them and their dead bodies shall ly in the streets of the City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt As much as if he should say when Antichrist shall have prevailed over the worship why then the Lords people shall be among the Antichristian state as though they were dead in respect of any outward order as Lot lay or dwelt in Sodom and the children of Israel in Egypt waiting for their Deliverer Another text to the like effect you have Rev. 12. 14. where he saith And to the woman meaning the Church were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might flee into the wilderness into her place which shews that the woman which was the Church was retired and not to be seen or discerned Thus having proved and I hope cleered that the third dispensation is a sleepy and dead condition wherein the people of the Lord Jesus must live in captivity under the Antichristian state without the spirit and ordinances in that purity as was in the first Gospel times having no other note upon them but what may be in Earth or having no other form but as having a face like unto a man So that here will arise a question necessary to be discussed and that is what posture the people of God must waite in untill their Deliverer do come and deliver them out of this captivity To which I answer That all the posture which I find in Scripture for the Saints to wait in during their sleepy or dead condition is waiting for the Lord Jesus by watching and prayer and this is cleer by these Scriptures Isaiah 8. 17. Micah 7. 7. Mat. 24. 42. Mar. 13. 35. Luke 12. 36 37 39. Rev. 16. 15. and in handling of this particular that is the sleepy or dead condition of the Lords people which is the dispensation which doth precede that glorious dispensation of the Lord Jesus by himselfe unto his people I shall the Lord enabling me answer all the objections which are made against this discourse As for objections against those texts I have alleadged out of the old Testament I have not met with any it being a truth confirmed by experience of all ages that the Jews and Israelites after the flesh have lain among the nations captivated without any temple or worship or kingdome and priesthood for many ages that prophesie being fulfilled upon them Hosea 3. 4. where it is said For the Children of Israel shall abide many days without a King and without a prince and without a sacrifice and without an Image and without an ephod and without a teraphim which is a Type as I conceive of that spirituall captivity of the Lords people under Gospel dispensations which truth is abundantly confirmed by the Prophets and acknowledged almost by all the learned only herein as I conceive they mistake in that they endeavour to deliver themselves out of this bondage and captivity by themselves that is by their own gifts and abilities without that pure Anoynting of the Spirit which is prophesied to be poured out in the last times upon the Lords people when they shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Sion And therefore as to the old Testament I shall passe it by it being not objected against and as for objections against those texts that I have alleadged out of the new Testament there are many as first it is objected concerning the parable of the tares that though it be true say they that it is the Masters saying that the tares should grow with the wheat unto the harvest yet nevertheless this should be in the world and not that they should both grow together in the Church for if they should then it would contradict Scripture Rule which is that the Lord Jesus left power unto his Church to purge themselves and not to suffer the tares to grow among them To which I answer first pray mind how the Lord Jesus sowed good seed in his field and gave his servants power to water it and to weed out all such bad weeds as might grow amongst them now pray mark those servants in processe of time fall asleep and in time forget and neglect their duty the Divell taking this occasion soweth his tares amongst them which when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit then appeared the tares also and in time grew too many for the good seed Secondly The servants in processe of time begin to wake and finding the tares by their works to be tares indeed they begin to be offended at them whereupon they go to the housholder and say unto him Sir didst not thou sow good seed in thy field whence then hath it tares he said unto them An enemy hath done this The servants said unto him Wilt thou that we gather them up But he said nay left while you gather out the tares you roote up the wheat also let both grow together untill the harvest at which time I will say to the Reapers Gather together the tares first and bind them in bundles to burne them but gather the wheat into my barn It is objected again True they may grow together in the world which as the Lord Jesus expoundeth it is the field but they may not be permitted in the Church together To which I answer and desire all men to consider the difference of times for it is not now as it

the country of Pledmont what wars and bloud-shed there hapned what extremity the poore people were put unto by the Lord of Trinity his Army may be seen in Acts and Monuments the 2 volume page 202. 3. What misery hath befallen in the realme of France touching dissention about Religion between the Papists and Protestants containing some Kings raigns what bloud was shed in those battels and wars between the two parties may be seen in the Soveraigne power of Paliaments and kingdomes the 3d part written by Mr. William Prin page the 34 and so forth 4. What wars and bloudshed followed in Germany of late years about Munster between the common people and the nobilitie about matters touching religion is best known unto those that have read the history Lastly What wars and miseries have followed in this nation within this few years experience hath taught us the principle quarrell being about religion and although I do not dispute the lawfulnesse of the Parliaments just warr in respect of civill rights having my selfe taken part with the Parliament and by their Authority born arms to defend my civill rights yet touching religion when I consider the Lord Jesus being king of peace me thinks there should no arms be taken up to defend religion and although I do acknowledg that it is our Saviours words that he came not to send peace on the earth but the sword that is after the preaching of the Gospel there would follow wars and combustions among the nations yet I do not find that he left any example by any of his messengers that private subjects should defend their religion by the sword neither do I question but that lawfull Authority may defend their religion by armes but this I find that in most of our Reformations England onely excepted where the change hath been made by the Prince or State that at one time or other the subjects have taken arms to defend their religion against Authority These things being considered diligently I leave it to the judicious reader to judge whether that of the Prophet Isaiah may not be applied unto all our Reformations I mean in outward discipline and order in his 50. chapter verse 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow and I shall leave it also to the people of God themselves to consider if the reformers in those severall ages may not justly take up that complaint of the Church in that 26. of the Prophet Isaiah verse the 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen which experience doth fully teach in all those Reformations for the inhabitants of the world are not yet fallen which all the foregoing premises diligently considered makes me undoubtedly be perswaded that the Lord will not deliver his people by themselves in any of those waies which are now practised but will deliver his people by himself in some extraordinary manner at his next appearing which will be like lightning Now the summe of all that hath been said gathered up together is this that during the sleep of the people of God the enemies came and sowed tares among the wheat the servants neglecting their duty of being watchfull these tares are grown too many for the good seed and have got possession in the Church and have captivated the people of God and have brought them into bondage under which they must lie untill the great deliverer come to deliver them But me thinks I heare a question put which hath already been put to me that is What profession is this man of for he seems to be contrary to all men this seems to us to be strange doctrine that the people of God must lie in bondage under the antichristian state and may not deliver themselves by Gospel order what profession is this man of To which I answer that I am a man which desires so farr as my infirmity will give me leave and the Lord inable me against it to keep faith and a good Conscience and by watching and prayer to wait for my Masters coming and if for my admonition I gain nothing from the men of every profession but evill will and it may be reproaches which have happened already I passe not if I be judged leaving the matter to God However I have not hid my talent in a napkin but have declared that light I have received wherein I have not presumed to a prophets office that is to declare hidden things but what is I conceive revealed in the word though mystically and I do not remember that ever I heard or read of any that treated of this mater which did incourage me in the work And if as I say I gain evill will for it it is no more then what the prophet Jeremiah met with which he complaines of in chapter 15 10. where he saith Wo is me my Mother that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole Earth I have not lent on usury neither have men lent to me on usury yet every one of them doth curse me which shewes that he had done nothing in the world worthy of blame but had behaved himselfe honestly among all men yet neverthelesse because he taught them to submit themselves where God had subjected them therefore he complaines that every one doth curse him which if it be my lot I have done my duty and shall leave the issue to God But it may be objected if we may not look to have the ordinances restored again in their purity because the glory is departed from them why what is then to be done To which I answer that I have propounded my light that I have received desiring no man to follow it further then he seeth it to be truth in the mean time I leave every man to walk in humility according to the dictates of his own conscience and where his conscience leads him let him practise but let him beware he do not say See here is Christ and see there is Christ for the next appearing will be a glory so excellent as it will bury all earthly administrations and let him also remember that it is not Circumcision nor uncircumcision that availeth any thing but a new Creature And for as much as I as yet can find no Rule in Scripture concerning outward administrations for the people of God to walk in after the abomination is set up which makes the ordinances desolate of the Spirit of God and drives the glory of God from all outward administrations as experience teacheth us therefore my admonition will be this That let every man strive earnestly by watching and prayer giving the Lord no rest till he establish and till

said Revelation 11. 2. But the court which is without the temple meaning as I conceive the ordinances leave out and measure it not that is take no care of it for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot 42. mouths By Gentiles I understand not gentiles in profession for so much as it cannot be said that the Gentiles or heathen do tread under foot the holy city but by Gentiles in this place I understand men that are gentiles in manners having in effect forsaken the faith of Christ which I take to be the Church of Rome having possession of the Church or holy city of God and tread under feet the people of God and dispense with the ordinancts of God at their pleasure which is the court or outward part of the temple which is given to them to tread under feet 42. months And it is said in the 13. chapter and 5. verse And there was given unto him speaking of the beast which did arise out of the sea a mouth speaking great things and blasphemy and power was given unto him to continue 42. months which two texts I conceive do mean one and the same thing which is counting a day for a year 1260. years Now if this time do begin at the ceasing of the persecution by Licinas Emperour of the East as I suppose it doth which was according to Mr. Foxe's Accompt in the year of the nativity of Christ 324. then the time of the Raign of the beast was compleat according to this accompt 1584. which is since according to the accompt of the Church of England 66. years so that all this time of the Raign of this beast from the year 324. at the ceasing of the persecution untill the year 1584. this beast did go on and encrease in power and did persecute the people of the Lord Jesus Now if it be said That there was a time between the raising of persecution by the Dragon or Empire Heathen and the persecution by the beast Christian which according to Mr Fox's accompt was a thousand years To this I answer First That this was the slumbring or sleepie condition of the Church For as soon as the Church began to have case and riches given her she fell asleep and declined which opportunity being offered the enemy sowed tares amongst the wheat and as the tares sprung up and brought forth fruit they shewed themselves In which time of the Churches declining the tares were not discovered and therefore for that time there could not be in reason any persecution because of the sleep of the servants and these tares by reason of the sleep of the servants grew too many for the good seed and had gotten possession of the Church of God and did in time grow so wicked as they caused the servants to awake But secondly Although there was no persecution for causes of Religion yet the Pope or beast Christian was an enemy unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these particulars as First The Pope or bishop of Rome was an enemy unto the people of God by intruding himself into the Church of God in claiming to himself to be Universal Bishop and thereby doing injury to his fellow bishops and causing contention to arise in the Church of God contrary to any rule of Scripture Secondly he having gotten this universall title unto himself was an enemie unto the people of God by his negligence in suffering and permitting such grosse errors by degrees to grow in the Church of God and therby the Pope was an enemy to the people of Jesus Christ in claiming to himself to be head of the Church of Jesus Christ which is a title peculiarly belonging to the Lord Jesus and having gotten this title to suffer the people of the Lord Jesus to be seduced But then Thirdly Though there was no persecution in the Church of Rome or during the raign of the beast christian for neer one thousand years in respect of religion and in respect of any people walking contrary to the common multitude yet neverthelesse the Pope with his Clergy were enemies to the people of the Lord Jesus and did cause abundance of bloud to be shed by the wars which were raised in the Empire by means of the Pope striving with the Emperour and other Princes for temporall possessions and also in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain them to submit unto the Popes yoke for many temporall matters in desposing Emperours and Princes and setting up others in their steads whereby followed miserable wars and devastations in the world which is lamentable to relate and in striving with the Emperour and other Christian Princes to gain out of their hands the election of Bishops and other head officers in the Church which the Pope by degrees did wrest out of the hands of the Emperour and other Christian Princes contrary to the ancient custome of the nations and for which there was much contention and bloud-shed in the Christian world besides the oppression of him and his officers and legats in raking together the goods of the Churches in the nations and setting up of alians and forrainers in the benefices of the nations but especially here in England to the impoverishing of the nations and to the ruine of the people for want of teaching as may be seen at large in Acts and Monuments of the Church of England volume the first in many places Fourthly The Pope or beast Christian were great enemies unto the people of the people of the Lord Jesus in respect of divisions and schisms which were in the Popes Church by means of several Popes there being somtime two sometime three as was in the beginning of the councell of Constance the Emperour and Christain Princes falling in dissention and taking parts about them each maintaining his Pope which that government had set up insomuch as King Henry the fourth of England writing to the Pope to be a means to cease the Schisme in the Church relates to him that by the vote of men there were to the number of 200000 men slain in the parts of the world among Christian Princes about the division of the Popes by means of wars raised up in that quarrel As also 30000 souldiers slain in war about the Bishopprick of Leodiem between two set up one by the authority of one Pope the other by the authority of the other Pope which relates to such a summe as I think all men will acknowledg that the Pope or beast Christian hath been an enemie to the people of God before he began to persecute for the cause of religion as may be seen in the same letter of King Henry the fourth Acts and Monuments page the 720. the first volume Then fifthly After the abomination was fully set up which I take to be in the year 1215. then began to follow persecution for the cause of religion it being the time that the people of the Lord Jesus were