Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54006
|
Arrowes against Babylon, or, Certaine quæries serving to a cleere discovery of the mystery of iniquity whereunto are added endeavours for reformation in saints apparrell : with some quæries for the people called Quakers / by John Pendarves.
|
Pendarves, John, 1622-1656.
|
1656
(1656)
|
Wing P1136; ESTC R27463
|
44,087
|
53
|
Babylon as also in those endeavours for reformation in apparell wherein opposition is made against one not the least of her evills That which is added in those Quaeries to the Quakers serves for the discovery of Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light It is no new thing for scornfull men to set light by plain testimonies against their abominations and lay a snare for him that reprooveth in the gate f Isay 29.20 21. making a man an offender for a word if such shall count mee vile for this work I shall not thinke it strange If the Lord shall make it appeare that the least of the poore of his flock receive light and reape benefit hereby and give the glory to him I shall rejoyce therein Although my service to Christ in this or any thing I can doe be but small I am comforted in beleeving that there shall a time come and that it s not farre off when God shall reward his servants not onely the great but the small g Rev. 11.18 The high esteeme I have of the prayers of the Saints together with a deepe sence of my need of fresh supplyes of grace put mee upon this humble suit to you who are the seede of Jacob that after your supplications to the Lord for all Saints hee may obtaine a speciall remembrance who is unworthy to be accounted The least of those who follow the Lambe J. P. A word of Exhortation To the people of God in Babylon Deare Friends I Beseech you in the bowells of Christ consider that like as it was a singular act of Gods grace to warne Lott to come out of Sodom when fire and brimstone was ready to come downe upon that Citty so is it now no lesse but rather a more eminent act of his rich grace to warne and wooe you to come out of Babylon lovingly engaging you thereunto even as though he did beseech you by and for all the interest he hath in you saying Come out of her my people Rev. 18.4 The mercy to you may appeare farre greater the judgement of God upon Sodom being more tolerable then the grievous torments and spirituall plagues belonging to Babylon whose sins reach unto Heaven Rev. 18.5 and her judgement is lifted up unto the skies Jerem. 51.9 Herein is his great goodnesse to you that he hath not onely given you timely notice before the Decree bring forth but in this also that he hath condescended to afford many helpes in his Word for the discovery of Mysticall Babylon which with so much serpentine wisdome transformes her selfe with such faire pretences that shee is least suspected to be what shee is by most who dwell with her That little light which the Lord hath lent me concerning this Mystery I here impart it to you as your right considering my selfe as in the body of Gods people one with you though not so in respect of a visible orderly Church-state and worship wherein the name of God is greatly concerned Beware of that which is a common evill among the people in the broad way whom you joyne hand withall to speake evill of the things they understand not * Pet. 2.12 Yee are bought with a price be not yee in such bondage to men as not to try their way opinions and sayings by the Spirit and the word of God whereby David was made to understand more then all his teachers and more then the ancients Psal 119.99 100. Why should it be thought unlikely that God should reveale unto babes and sucklings that which he hides from the wise and prudent Oh read and weigh these Scriptures Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 1.27 28. Psal 8.2 Isa 29.14 15. My bowells being troubled and my soule in travell for your deliverance I have as a learner by way of Quaerie presented divers weighty things backt with Scriptures to your consideration whereof the meditation hath been sweete to me the Lord make the reading so to you And whereas God doth and will by men as instruments call to his people to come out of Babylon before her utter destruction which is not farre off As the day which hath already dawned comes on upon us wee may expect cleerer light and better helpes In the meane time accept of use and improve such as you have and the Lord command his blessing that his name may have glory So prayes The Lords unprofitable servant J. P. Arrowes against Babylon OR Certaine Quaeries serving to a cleere Discovery of the Mystery of Iniquity 1 Quae WHether Israells going into Aegypt their bondage there and their deliverance were not all typicall to set forth the state of the Church and people of God under the New Testament And whether this hath not been by the tongues and pens of all parties of the godly in England who have publickly contended for Reformation in Religion of late yeares generally confessed and asserted 2. Whether the Church of Rome and principally the head of that body her Ecclesiasticall powers the Pope with his Cardinalls arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops c. be not that Mysticall Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots described in Rev 17. who is said to be the Whore sitting upon many waters commiting fornication with the Kings of the Earth c. Having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations c. drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus And whether those Characters with others there layd downe by the blessed Spirit of God for our information That the church of Rome is no true Church of Christ have not divers Martyrs sealed it with their blood Reade Acts and Mon. doe also fitly agree and may be applyed to any Church or State whatsoever as to the Church of Rome And if the Church of Rome be Mysticall Babylon then whether is shee any more worthy to be accounted Syon or a true visible Church of God then was Babylon of old her proper type 3. Whether the Church of England the Nation considered as a Church with the Parochiall Congregations as Churches be not a Daughter of that Babylon the Mother of Harlots and their Ministry in point of Ordination the off-spring of the Pope Have they at any time even to this day either by word in any solemne Declaration or by practise in gathering a Church out of the Nation as out of the world disclaimed that Church-state which in its grossest corruption was avowed and maintained by the Popish Ministry and people of this Land in Queene Maries dayes Is it not apparent that some new peices onely have been put to that old garment that old Church state yea whilst first the same and since the like people without any visible Marks of Conversion with their Romish Baptisme and Ordination of Ministry are still retained And whether the aforesaid Characters in the second Quaery describing the Mother of Harlots the Church of Rome and her Ministry doe not in like manner in their measure appeare upon her Daughter the Nationall Church of England and her Ministry
4.3 the substance of the Legall shaddowes is come in the flesh See Quae the third And whether the pretended reformed Church of England retaining the old Romish Church-state and confused mixtures maintaining the same things in substance with them be not to be esteemed as a painted Jezebel 16. Whether the Mystery of iniquity which wrought in Pauls time were not the same which now workes in the Church of Rome and her Daughter-Churches Did it not then worke mainely to bring the Saints back under the bondage of Moses his killing doctrine and his rudiments and shaddowes And whether the Apostle as a faithfull Witnesse and Watchman did not bend his doctrines and discourses in his Epistles especially to the Romans Corinthians and Galatians against this way of confounding the grace of God with mans works in justification and confounding Moses his old Lawes with Christs New Testament Ordinances The same mystery being at worke now not onely in Rome but in this Nationall Church Is it not the duty of Gods faithfull Ministers and Watchmen to warre against it by preaching and discourse with the sharp sword of Christs Word warning Gods people to beware of being seduced with this iniquity which being discovered in many things more grosse putts on a new dresse and works most mysteriously so that the workmen say who seeth us Isa 29.15 The mystery of 〈◊〉 is now 〈◊〉 with a 〈…〉 17. Whether the Mystery of iniquity that now workes be not founded upon the will of man confederate with Satan And is it not promoted and upheld by humane and Serpentine wisdome with worldly power and pollicy opposing and counter-working the Gospel-graces of God and Spirit of Christ exalting the creature above the Creator And whether the Abettors and promoters of this Mystery may not be discovered and discerned in our dayes by their prizing men much more for their naturall and acquired parts and abilities then for the anointing looking more at a mans learning and prudence then at the teachings of the Spirit minding excellency of speech more then the power of godlinesse seeking more after their owne honour from men then to bring honour and glory to God 18. If so then May wee not well expect that God who hath laid by so many instruments whose designe is to exalt his owne grace his Son and Spirit will choose and use most unlikely instruments in mens account as the weake and foolish in respect of worldly wisdome even the younger brethren even as David amongst the sons of Jesse spiriting them through faith and prayer to bring to passe those things which by humane power and pollicy could not be effected Whether then are not many and some good men like to be deceived who looke as did Samuel on Eliah on some wise expert prudent men to be the onely prime instruments for Gods great and strange worke 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. which will not be done by power or might but by the Spirit of God Zach 4.6 19. Whether the faith and prayers of Gods people were not once as the Chariot-wheeles to the great worke of God in this Nation but now of late since our enemies have been subdued have not many good men slacked their hands to those duties and by looking and leaning to mans wisdome power and pollicy turned aside to crooked wayes and so have lost the footsteps of the Lord in his worke And whether can they come to a cleere sight of them againe except they humble themselves and returne to a diligent exercise of faith and prayer And if they will not be otherwise provoked thereunto may it not be just for God to reduce them unto sore straites that so they may learne to seeke him early Hos 5.15 20. Whether the continuance of divers godly men in Babylon and pertaking with her be not one great occasion of stumbling many weake Christians with some other enquirers after truth And ought not such then in the feare of God to consider and examine their standing and to lay to heart how great service they doe to Antichrist and disservice to Christ and his cause And doth not the deceiver suck no small advantage from godly men serving his designe which puts a faire face thereon though they doe it ignorantly or inconsiderately May we not observe that since godlinesse is in some request Satan puts on such a dresse as may most take with the godly to seduce them And if these should flee out of Babylon would shee not soone appeare to all good men to be what shee is and the judgements of God would they not come suddainly upon her as did the fire and brimstone upon Sodome the day that Lot came out Whether that which hinders many from comming out be not a slavish feare of man and the flattery and friendship of this world Whether such onely will not be found fit to follow the Lambe even whither soever he goeth who first sit downe and count the cost and so build the Tower of their profession upon Gods grace alone as held out in his Covenant trusting him with all their concernments If they onely are said to overcome who loved not their lives unto the death as Revel 12. What becomes of all the other professors Remember the hand of God against the rebellious Scots at Dunbar the fearefull and unbeleeving c If Gods servants shall abide there notwithstanding all the warnings they have had and all Gods patience towards them may he not justly slay them with the wicked though he save their soules at the last 21. Whether the Antichristian Ministry in the Nations which derive their Church-state from Rome are not found committing fornication with the Kings of the earth No Bishop No King And whether this fornication be not by interweaving their interests for the upholding one another thus by flatteries and by force bringing the people and keeping them in bondage to their wills enslaving their bodyes and insnaring their soules 22. Whether seeing the greatest judgements belong to Babylon may not God in justice to aggravate their sins who receive not the love of truth lend them so much light as that many of them shall be found willfull Apostates after all their other persecutions at length persecuting the Spirit of Christ so bringing upon themselves swift destruction Are not many found persecuting that light which they once profest Is not that word made good in them They shall goe and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken and if it be so is it not high time to bid them take heede lest they sin willfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth 23. Whether by that sure rule of justice that all the blood from Abel should come upon the persecuting generation in Christs time Math. 23.34 35. And that in the Revel 18.24 that in Babylon was found the blood of all the Saints shed from the foundation of the earth Doth there not lye a heavy load of blood-guilt upon the Antichristian faction