many Councels before as the Popes Supremacy denied and decreed against by the Councel of Calcedon Africk Milevi Constantinople and Basil The second Councel of Ethesus approving Eutyches and the Councel of Calcedon condemning him The second Councel of Nice maintaining the worshipping of Images and that of Franck Ford assembled about the same time by CHARLES the Great pulling them down The first Councel of Nice permitting the marriage of Ministers according to the use of the Primitive Church and the Councel of Neocesaâ—ea and Mentz and the second of Carthage forbidding it and particularly in England having shewed a party dissenting from the Pope almost three hundred years ago in the very height of Popery here in the Raign of Edward the third in whose time God raised up Iohn Wickliff a Professour at Oxâ—ord to hold out the light of the Gospel so as many in those dayes were much enlightned thereby For among other Principles wherein he instructed the people then these were some directly against the Church of Rome 1. The Eucharist after Consecration is not the very body of Christ but figuratively 2. The Church of Rome is not the head of all Churches more than any Church is Nor hath Peter any more power given of Christ than any other Apostle hath 3. The Pope of Rome hath no more in the Keyes of the Church than any other within the order of Priest-hood 4. The Gospel is a rule sufficient of it self to rule the life of every Christian here without any other rule 5. All other rules under whose observances divers Religious persons be governed do add no more perfection to the Gospel than doth the white colour to the wall Having I say thus shewed him the height of Popery in and out of England and still a party dissenting from the gross errours of Rome and in them a light of a Church and people of God he aiming at those abominations brought in and setled as he imagined without any party dissenting from the Councel of Trent as from other Councels would needs frame his Argument from Queen Maries dayes thus 1. Object In Queen Maries dayes there were no Churches in England Ergo Now Parochial Churches are Babylonish The Argument beloved concludes nothing in the consequence for suppose there had been no Church or people professing the truth doth it therefore follow Ergo now there can be no Parochial Churches He might as well have argued thus People in Queen Maries dayes believed not Ergo People now do not believe Or People then were Papists in England Ergo now they are not Protestants and then what shall we say of Mr. Nichols his believing people Even such is this Argument In Queen Maries dayes there were no Churches Ergo now Parochial Churches are Babylonish But to let my Opponent go on with more such Enthymema's I denied his Antecedent shewing him that in Queen Maries dayes there was a glorious Church of believers who witnessed their Faith with the bloud of Martyrdom as the Stories tell us of Cranmer Brad-ford Taylor Yea some tell us of eight hundred innocents whose lives in the space of less than four years that cruel Popish Queen sacrificed unto her idols Yea such was the abundance of true believers and Protestants in those dayes that as a fruitfull Vine they were spread abroad also into Germany Sweden Denmark and a Church of English true believers was apparent at Frankford from whence came Godly Bishops that setled our Churches in Queen Elizabeths time But then he went on a little more Schollar like in suiting his consequent with his Antecedent though still fallaciously thus 2. Object In Queen Maries dayes Parochial Churches were Babylonish Ergo Now Parochial Churches are Babylonish I might well have granted here his Antecedent for ought any true illation from it to these times it proving nothing but that we must needs be now as our Fathers were in those dayes which is a false illation for though there were no Churches then there may be Churches now though Parochial Churches then were Babylonish yet Parochial Churches now may not be Babylonish neither qua as Churches neither qua as Parochial As Churches the people being converted As Parochial it having been already shewed that Parishes as Parishes were no invention of Antichrist which distinction Mr. Nichols all along his Arguments and answers seems much to mistake or forget varying these terms as he pleaseth sometimes insisting upon the word Churches as when the Argument of the ancient Coustitution of Parishes before Antichrist convinced him he then falls to the word Churches qua as mixed Congregations So here from Churches in Queen Maries dayes he falls to Parishes in Queen Maries dayes But to try further what this Monster would bring forth In Queen Maries dayes Parochial Churches were Babylonish Ergo now Parochial Churches are Babylonish I distinguished the Antecedent to that word Churches supposing what was left behinde as Parishes they were not Babylonish They were Babylonish or Popish generally I denied the Antecedent They were Babylonish or Popish as the whole Land wherein were some Protestants in all corners dissenting from Babylonish and Popish principles I granted the Antecedent And this beloved I doubt not but it will appear unto you most true that where eight hundred in less than four years suffered Martyrdom they were not all taken out of one Parish but out of several Parishes in the Land and secoâ—dly that where so much bloud of holy Protestant Martyrs was shed it would prove as Cyprian saith Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae The bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the Church by whose sufferings the Professours of the true Gospel grew and increased more and more and so not the whole Parishes or Parochial Churches would be infected with Papacie but as was the Land and Kingdom not generally or in all but in the major part at most Thus I can further prove unto you Protestants to have been then in Parishes from the instance of a Parish not far from us in this part of Kent where I am informed by a Neighbour of this Parish that he often heard his own Father relate from his Grand Fathers mouth that in Queen Maries dayes there lived in that Parish a Priest named Stacie and that many times his Father and his Fathers Brothers going to Church and observing M. Stacy his superstitious ceremonies in the Church and at the Altar would go home to their Father telling relating to him Father Mr. Stacie in the Church doth sprinkle his face with water makes crosses with his fingers upon his fore-head knocketh his breast and prayes kneeling before the pictures and the like To whom his Granâ—-father would reply My Children though Mr. Stâ—cie do such things you must beware of them you must not do the like you must not pray to images but to God neither must you learn such Ceremonies and Superstitions of Mr. Staciâ— Whereby beloved you may perceive that in those Marian dayes all were not infected with Papacie but
A full SURVEY OF SION and BABYLON And A clear Vindication of the Parish-Churches and Parochial-Ministers of England from the uncharitable Censure the infamous Title and the injurious Nick-name of Babylonish Or A Scripture Disproof and Syllogistical Conviction of M. Charles Nichols of Kent his Erroneous Assertions Justifying his Separated Congregation for the true House of God and branding all the Parochial Churches and the Parish Officiating Ministers in England with the infamous Title of Babylonish Delivered in three Sabbath-dayes Sermons in the Parish Church of Deal in Kent after a Publick Dispute in the same Church with the said Mr. Charles Nichols upon the 20. day of October 1653. By Thomas Gage Preacher of the Word to the Church within the Bounds and Limits of Deal in Kent 2 Tim 3. vers 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest to all men Gen. 49. vers 6. O my Soul Come not thou unto their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united Ex Augustino Con. Epist. Pelag. Lib. 1. Cap. 1. Cum non desinant fremere ad Dominici gregis caulas atque ad diripundas tanto pretio redemptas oves aditum undique rimari commune nobis est pestilentibus insidiantibus eorum scriptis medentia munientia scripta praetendere quibus rabies qua furunt aut etiam ipsa sanetur aut à loedendis aliis repellatur London Printed by W. Bentley and are to be sold by Ioshuah Kirton at the Kings Arms in St. Pauls Church yard 1654. To the Worshipfull his ever Honoured Friend Captain JOHN LIMBERY Esquire Iustice of the Peace for Middlesex and of the Admiralty for Oyer and Terminer SIR OF all things which the Lord hath made in this great World Man is the most noble for whose sake other Creatures were created to whose feet the things below are subjected Of all the Essentials which Man the little World doth consist of the Soul is the most excellent It is infused by God which notes out the Dignity of it It hath command of the body which notes out the Authority of it It is a work as one calleth it both great Divine and admirable Of all the powers in the Soul none is comparable to the Reason Of all the Branches in the Reasonable part none is equal to the Minde none excelleth the understanding Of all the vertues in the Minde Wisdom gives the greatest light Wisdom swayeth with chiefest might Oh the breadth that Wisdom spanneth Oh the length that Wisdom reacheth Oh the heigth that Wisdom climbeth Oh the depth that Wisdom gageth when once it comes into a Soul cleared by Gods Spirit in some good measure from those duskish Clouds of Ignorance and Errour with which before it was obscured Without this how can men discern of things that differ how can they see what is good and what is evil and so exercise the power of their reason in ensuing the one in eschewing the other When dangers are imminent and coming against us Wisdom foreseeth them forecasteth against them When troubles are incumbent and lying upon us it doth either remove them or preserve us in them In a word what Walls are to Cities what skins are to beasts scales to fishes feathers to birds and shells to some creeping and baser Creatures the same is wisdom to that naked born Creature Man even a Covering a defence Yea Wisdom saith the Preacher strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the Citie And they are truely endowed with wisdom who by the light of it do distinguish Gospel-truths from errours and keep their Souls pure and undefiled from the infection of false and time-poysoning Doctrines Wisdom truely is in them who by the light and guidance of it have found out and continue in the true Church of Christ the true Zion of God where salvation is truely placed where pardon of sin is onely obtained where Soul-feastings and Divine teachings are truely enjoyed where are protections on every dwelling place where are true Ministers cloathed with salvation where the Saints do shout aloud for joy where all afflictions are sanctified where all good news are to be heard and where God hath commanded the blessing and life for evermore And such a gift of wisdom Worthy Sir have I admired in you by which light in your far and forraign travails you have alwayes discerned good from evil Truth from Errour Religion from Superstition Zion from Rome and Babylon It is true in you that wisdom hath preserved you from many snares to folly If Riches be snares the Riches of the West-India's even those Treasures amongst the Spaniards never ensnared your conscience If honour entice who of our English Nation was ever more honoured by Spaniards in the West-India's than your self as the â—ime of your abode in Hispaniola and at the Court of Santo Domingo doth sufficiently witness If favour of Great men and Princes doth allure and often obscure the light of true wisdom who ever of our English Nation enjoyed such a favour from that Greâ—t Don of Spain the Duke of Medina Sidonia as your self as also from the Duke of Nacara the Duke of Maqueda the King of Spains Chief favourite that great Conde Dugue Earle of Olivares and the Count of Castilia then President of the India's being trusted by the first to go and view the Silver and Golden Treasures of America a favour denied unto others and fully empowered by him to make choice of what Ports you pleased and there to lade your Ships with what Commodities might seem most advantagious unto your self If pleasures and vanities do tickle where do they abound more than in the India's and in that place especially where with so much honour from the best and Noblest in Santo Domingo you did sometime abide Yet in the midst of all these snares with wisdoms light you eyed Zion still you kept your self free from errours you were never defiled with Babylons superstitions Yea when troubles and evils were incumbent and lying upon you even the loss of ship and of Riches at your return into England wisdom preserved you in the midst of evils and as a true Member of Zion you found your losses and afflictions sanctified unto you Zion and Babylon Truth and Errour are the subject of these my weak indeavours which must be known by the light of wisdom With which light as you have hitherto discerned good from evil so I desire you may with the same take notice of Zion and of Zions true Ambassadours pointed out unto you in this my Treatise and eschew those Errours of Babylon and Antichristian fallacies which as Rocks and Sands under the waters are here discovered to be amongst us under a pretence of Christian and Gospel-Truths I must confess that when I called to minde that Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know thy self I was not without some â—nwillingness drawn to a publick Dispute and afterwards to preach in publick upon this subject not being ignorant
either of mine own weakness or of the weightiness of so great a Task and with more unwillingness was I overcome to commit it to the Press from whence to be scanned by the judgements of all for Comes calami calumnia and I am sure theâ—e will be many Censurers of this my work that of the Apostle may be applied Vnus sic alter autem sic one judgeing after this manner another after that one speaking well another ill But as a Commanding Authority of the Spirit within me for a just defence of the Parochial Churches and Ministers of England both cried down with scandal by an opposing Adversary was the cause of the former so overruling importunity of some friends well-wishers to Zion hath effected the latter and now like an Infant new born my Book and Dispute is come naked into the World subject unto the nippings and bitings of the times It was the saying of the Spouse in the Canticles We have a little sister and she hath no breasts And I may say the like of this I have a little Bird and she wanteth wings yet fly she must into the open air and shift for her self But Alas what can she do before her wings be grown or her weak feathers come to ripeness It is impossible that she should escape and not be torn in pieces by the sharp eyed vultures the time-consuming Criticks of our time except some Eagle shall in pity to so poor a wanderer shadow her with the wings of protection Your ever known disposition Worthy Sir in giving incouragement to the Ministers of Christ in doing Justice and Right to such as suffer wrongfully hath imboldned this little Bird to shrowd herself under the roof of your Protection and favour and my self to Dedicate this small fruit of my Studies unto you whom with a most thankfull heart I must ever acknowledge my chief incourager in my work since after my Conversion from Babylon to Zion I have been a poor and unworthy labourer in the Vine-yard of Christ. And if at this time I may obtain your Love in accepting this small token of my thankfulness for those many and undeserved favours conferred by you upon me I shall receive a most comfortable incitement to go on forwards in my Studies and be for ever bound to pray for a blessed increase of all Graces spiritual and temporal both for this life and the life to come unto your self with your most vertuous aud truely Godly and Religious consort unto all yours both at home and abroad and their succeeding posterity for ever And so I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified And the Lord of Peace himself give you peace alwayes by all means So prayeth he who is Sir Your constant Oratour before the Throne of Grace and faithfull servant in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thomas Gage To my beloved Parishioners and approved Friends the Inhabitants of upper and lower Deal in Kent Grace and Peace be multiplied My dearly beloved in the Lord ARistotle in penning his moral instructions of Philosophy thought all his indeavours well bestowed if he might profit as he saith any one thereby much more if Towns and Cities How happy then may I think my labours imployed if by these small pains I may rightly instruct you all not in moral vertues but in Divine and Gospel-verities not in precepts of manners onely but in Mysteries of true Religion On which I will not say the Civil Nurture or gay Deportment of the outward Man but the life of your Souls and hope of all eternity dependeth With which if you covet to enrich your Souls two things I request at your hands The one is not to frame an overweening conceit or bear too partial affection to such as are of contrary judgement unto me the other to peruse this Treatise with an indifferent and single eye and with a greedy zeal of imbracing truth from whose mouth soever I know the subtilty of Sathan and snare of Schismaticks hath ever been as the Apostle saith By good words and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple By faigned words to make merchandize of you Their chiefest project and principal study is with meretricious and painted Eloquence to entertain their followers and whilest they fill their ears with delight to instill into their Souls most poysoned Doctrine But the great Oratour Demosthenes can tell you that the riches of Greece consist not in words And the Apostle pronounceth Not in loâ—tiness and sublimity of speech not in the perswasible words of humane wisdom are the Mysteries of Christ but in the power of God and Doctrine of the spirit Be not therefore be not I beseech you inveagled with the smooth tongue or filed speech and stile of our new Novations but consider the matter weigh the Reasons examine the proofs they all alleadge and you shall finde such silly Arguments such slender stuff as Augustine espied in the eloquent and lofty discourses of Faustus Manichaeus and the rest of his crew when not regarding as he saith what gallant dish or vessel of speech but what food of knowledge he propounded unto him not hearkening to the sound of words but to the pith of matter Albeit they bragged much and promised nothing more than Truth Truth yet he is discovered as he witnesseth No truth amongst them nothing but lies vanities and vile superstitions The like shall you discern in some new upstart Professours of these times For although they vaunt of the word of God vaunt of Scriptures and Scriptures onely seem to follow yet because as Ambrose teacheth By the word of the Law they impugne the Law framing their private sense and construction to countenance the perversity of their mindes by the Authority of the Law It is more than evident they follow not the Oracles of God but rather the fancies of their own brain the suggestion of Sathan For by perverse interpretation as Hierome testifieth of the Gospel of Christ is made the Gospel of man or which is worse the Gospel of the Devil And Martial the Poet speaketh to this purpose Quem recitas meus est Offidentine libellus Sed male cum recitas incipit esse tuus The Book thou doest recite Offidentine is mine Reciting it amiss it groweth to be thine Secondly they boast of their pure preaching of the word whereas in this my small Treatise and disproof of Mr. Nichols his errours you shall discover that some of them have no Authority to preach no laying on of the hands of the Presbytery no Mission no Vocation much less to Administer the Sacraments which requireth the power of the Keyes They are Theeves saith Christ who enter not by the door but climb another way to steal kill and destroy your Souls They are the false Prophets who cry Thus saith our Lord when our Lord said it not nor sent them nor gave them Commission to
the Ordination of that Ministery which he had in England because Imposition of hands was in the Church of Rome from the times of â—he Apostles is there continued to this day although much mixed with many pollutions of their own Obj. But if those that separate from us will throw away all that comes through Rome what course will they take when they have denied all the Ordinances that have been administred for these ninety years in England for if no Ministery then certainly no Authoritative Preaching no Sacraments and thus they have renounced their baptisme which they had by these Ministers What Method then will they take in their Reformation Ans. How will they come to be rebaptized They will tell us peradventure that they will Covenant together and then Elect and ordain a Minister and he shall baptize 1. Reply Will they Covenant together supposing themselves to be Saints first say they so Are they Saints by a calling How came they to be so What did God call them immediately No They must say many if not all of them who have any truth of grace by the preaching of the word they were called What from those Ministers from whom they separate as no Ministers because of their Ordination Hath the Lord so far owned his despised Members as to make them the instruments to bring these to be visible Saints fit to imbody or Covenant And are these now no Ministers Are these the effect of their Ministerial labours and they no Ministers 1. Ans. But they say They will Elect and Ordain one Minister and then he shall rebaptize 2. Reply But since he did renounce his own baptisme also who shall baptize him first There must be a Minister to do that to be sure he cannot do it himself nor none of them for they are private persons To administer the Lords Supper before they be baptized is contrary to the Scripture-rules as Iustinus Martyr defends But how can they Ordain this Minister not being themselves baptized Where doth it appear in Scripture that an unbaptized people did ever Elect or Ordain a Minister These absurdities would necessarily follow such a reformation of this whole Land by denying thâ— Ministers to be true Ministers and by annulling their Ordination because it came through the Church of Rome 2. Ans. But secondly I answer to the main Objection of our Ordination passing through Rome to us That the Churches of England had not their first beginning from Rome as some fondly and ignorantly conceive but rather from Ierusalem Yea Baronius a great stickler for Romes priviledges yet acknowledgeth the Antiquity of the Church of England before Rome it self observing the conversion of England to Christianity to have been the five and thirtieth year after the Ascension of Christ and the Conversion of Rome to have been ten years after in the year 45. So that the Churches of England were at first rightly gathered and constituted the instruments of gathering being from Ierusalem Apostles or Apostolical men as is evident from Mr. Fox Neither is it to be doubted but that they did Ordain Officers in the Churches for we read of Ministers and Bishops The Land falling to the possession of the Saxons about the year 568. the History saith p. 147. that by them all the Clergy and the Christian Ministers of the Britains were then utterly driven out in so much that the Archbishops of London York went into Wales Thus long then it seems that the Ministers of England had no Ordination from Româ— This appears also by Austin the Monk who came inâ—o England in the year 598 it is observed by Mr. Fox p. 153. that about the year 600. Aâ—stâ—n assembled the Bishops and Doctors of Britain so that still here were Ministers and charged them for to preach the Gospel to the English men and also that they should among themselves reform certain Rites in their Church especially for Easter-tide and for baptizing after the manner of Rome to which the Scots and Briâ—tains would not agree which shews that they did not neither would they depend upon Rome Since then there were so many Ministers and Bishops in England who had their Ordination by Succession from those Apostolical men and not from Rome and opposed Austin the Monk indeavouring to settle Rites Ceremonies and Superstitions according to the practise of Rome why may not we suppose that these again might preach the Gospel to the English maintaining Baptisme and Ordination in that purity wherewith they were Instituted by IesusChrist Moreover It is very observable from Mr. Selden and Mr. Speeds Historie of great Britain that in the Church of England the corruptions which the Church of Rome would have introduced about Ordination of Ministers and other Ecclesiastical affairs were withstood and opposed by the Kings of England Nor do we read of any Ministers in England that were ordained by any Agents sent from Rome but onely of some idle Ceremonies of Confirmation of them that were ordained by the Pall and the Ring brought thence into England So that if the whole be well considered it will puzzle those of the Separation to prove that the Church of England was beholding to the Church of Rome for either the first plantation after Reformation or continuation of the Gospel Church and Ministery therein from the first beginning even to this very day 3. Ans. But thirdly I answer that in case it be granted that our Ordination have passed through Rome so that it have been formerly corrupted with some Romish Rites Ceremonies as Baptisme also was and that stubble have been built upon Gold and upon the true Institution of Christ for the ordaining rightly the Gospel-Ministers Yet neither this scruple nor the Objection of Bishops ordaining formerly is sufficient to null our Ordination and make void the true Ministery of England nor any warrantable Plea to separate from us and from our Congregations A stream of water that springs from a clear Fountain may in the first Reach run like the Fountain clear in the second Reach by reason of a muddy and soul bottom it may run also muddy and in the third Reach it may come out again clear and run as at the first And yet none will deny it in the third Reach to have streamed from a clear Fountain neither any loath to drink of it because immediatly before it ran through a muddy Reach Even so our ordination hath sprung from a clear Fountain from Christ our Head and in the first Reach of the Primitive times ran very clear without corruptions or innovations of sinfull men and Prelates In the second Reach of corrupt and Popish times it ran more muddy by reason of pollutions and filthy inventions and Ceremonies Superstitiously added to it by the Popes But now in the third Reach of Reformation from Popery it runs again clear as at the first And therefore who with conscience can deny it to come from a clear Fountain and ought to loath it because more immediatly it
the God of Heaven bathe his Sword in our bloud and yet bring more forreign Enemies upon us and make the Land fat with our Carcasses for we have forfeited our very Estates and lives we do not deserve one bit of bread or drop of water justly may God feed us with the bread oâ— sorrows and give us tears to drink we would not serve God â—iâ—h joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things and therefore well might God send us to serve our Enemies in the want of all things Deut. 28. v. 47 48. Behold the Heaven is as brass and the Earth as iron we have had a brazen brow and there is an iron Sinew in our Necks we have gone on impudently and stubbornly in our sins Gods Doctrine hath dropped as the rain and distilled as the dew but not as upon the tender Herb for our hearts have not been tender our lives have not been fruitfull We have loathed Manna the Spiritual food of our Souls and well may God loath us and cast us off from him we have alienated our selves from our good God we have separated one fâ—om another we have increased divisions and well may God take away his mercies and his blessings from us and increase our divisions and make our breaches greater yet and wider than hiâ—herto they have been We have by reason of our sins given occasion to our friends and Neighbours to unchurch us though in them it have been unjust but if we humble not our selves for these our sins God may justly unchurch us unpeople us and cast us quite away for ever being more his people Oh than Let us humble our selves at the feet of Christ. let us with Marie Magdalen weep at the feet of Christ for our sins let us at the feet of Christ break our Alabaster boxes our hearts I mean for that we have broken his Laws and have made great breaches in the Land 2. Duty But secondly Let us make it our earnest business from hence forward to reform our particular persons Oh are there not Babylonish Inmates protected within us Oh Let us turn our eyes inward and every one search what he can discover within his heart Are there no unruly passions there no unmortified lusts no self-ends no lusts of Covetousness no lusts of uncleanness no pride no envy no malice enshrined there These these are the Brats of Babylon for the which we are called by some Babylonish Oh happy yea thrice happy shall he be who taketh these Infant lusts before they are grown up and dasheth them against the Rock as it is in Ps. 137. vers 9. The times wherein we live are said to be Reforming times we have talked of Reformation these ten years and upwards we have beaten down whatsoever hath appeared outwardly Babylonish either in Altars or in Crosses or in Images but oh let us take heed we do not leave some Idols yet standing in our own bosomes There are bâ—loved Idola saeculi as well as Idola Templi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all our lusts must be cursed anathematized that they may like the Fig-Tree afâ—er it was cursed die and wither at their veâ—y Root Tell me Is not self-love an Idol Is it not in some of yâ—u the great whore Is not lust a beast a Monster with many Heads and Horns Oh hate this Whore mortifie self-love and you stab the beast to the heart for self love is the very heart and Soul of Original sin it is the last Enemy which will be destroyed it was primum vivens and it will be ultimum moriens Come then Let us beat down our bodies and cry to God to humble our Souls and beat down our corruptions Let not onely reason vote down your lusts but Faiâ—h and Zeal pray them down The precious Sons of Zion are most troubled with this same Babylon within and therefore they do make most frequent and penitent complaints against themselves and put up most zealous pâ—ayers to God to give them power and victory over â—heir head-strong and stomackfull corruptions and in theiâ— prayers their Faith ever closeth with such promises as assure them of Grace enough to resist temptations and mortiâ—ie corruption This is the fiâ—st which I exhort you to do to deliver your selves from Babylon within you that dwelleth within your hearts as an Inmate in the same house by Humiliation and Reformation Buâ— secondly I beseech you to consider that you must not onely beaâ— down Babylon but you must build up Zion and that is to be done by faith and holiness 3. Duty Therefore in the third place Look well to your Faith The Walls of Babâ—lon like the Walls of Iericho are battered down by Faith All the faithfull Prisoners in Babâ—lon whose hearâ—s were sprinkled by the bloud of the Covenant were prisoners of hope and therefore were sure to be delivered from the bottomless pit in which there is no water for Bâ—bylon was a Type of Hell As for thee also by the bloud of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisonâ—rs out of the pit wherein is no water Zach. 9 vers 11. and in the next verse following these are said to be prisoners of hope Beasts live by sense Heathens live by reason Christians must live by Faith they must mortifie their lusts renounce their merits rest onely upon Christ his perfect obedience and full saâ—isfaction for their justification for we cannot be constituted righteous but 〈◊〉 the obedience of Christ Rom. 5. vers 19. In this Faith let us live in this let us die By this we shall shew our selves to be true Sons of Zâ—on And let us beware we become not Babylonish in these times by yielding to new Doctrines which may make us fall from our Principles from the true word of Christ as revealed unto us and faithfully expounded to us by able Pastours and Teachers and so be brought at last to fall from our Faith in Christ. 4. Duty Fourthly and lastly my beloved be exhorted to study holiness and to cry down by your holy lives those that câ—y you down for Bâ—bylonish for want as they â—ay of holiness Holiness is the beauty of Zion for there they were to worship God in the beauty of holiness There can be no beauty in our Souls no glory in our Congregaâ—ions without holiness Zion was the Mount of holiness Zaâ—h 8. vers 3. Holiness is the end oâ— humane society Vtquè alios alii de Religiâ—n◠〈◊〉 Contiguas Piâ—tas jussiâ—â—abere domos Certainly this age is even grown Barbarous or else Holiness which is the end of humane society would never be contemned and despised as it is now adayes in this wicked generation O what a base thing is it for a Nation to be ashamed of its glorie and to glorie in its sin and shame Men think it a base thing for to be holy and yet God himself is glorious in holiness Exod. 15. vers 11. Certainly if we would be glorious in holiness Gods right hand would be glorious in poâ—eâ— and dash our Enemies to pieces Exod. 15. vers 6. Without holiness we cannot have â—ny intimate acquaintance with God or good men We long for peace but peace is a Jewel which God gives to none but to those that are of his acquainâ—ance Aâ—quainâ— now â—â—y sâ—lf with him and be at peace theâ—eby good shall come unto 〈◊〉 Iob 22. v. 21. A Godly life is the life of God and those that were strangers to a Godly life are said to be alienated or â—stranged from the life of God Ephes. 4. vers 17 18. They then that strike at holiness strike at the life of God and have a kinde of Atheistical murther in their thoughts they would lay the Church a bâ—eeding let out the very heart-bloud of Religion and take away the very life of God O if England will not be holy it cannot be happy if we continue in our lukewarmness and prophaneness Wo wo be unto us though it go well with Zion it will go ill with us Zion was preserved even when Ierusalem was destroyed and England may be destroyed for iâ—s unthankfulness unfâ—uitfulness Schisme Idâ—latry lukewarmness and prophaneness and yet the Church preserved for the Church is not confined to any one place It concerneth us then to be such manneâ— of men in all hâ—ly Conversation 2 Pet. 3. vers 11. Such Pilgrims on Earth and Citizens of Heaven that it may appear that we seek a better Countrey an Heavenly and that God will not be ashamed to be called our God Hebr. 11 vers 16. But if we go about spiritual duties with carnal hearts and worlâ—ly mindes if we lie at catch waiting for a fair opportunity to return intâ— Egypt the God of Heaven will be ashamed to own us for his pâ—ople Hebr. 11. vers 15 16. Therefore my beloved if we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit Galat 5. vers 25. Let us march fair and straight in rank and file as the word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk according to the Câ—non given to Evangelical Souldiers Galat. 6. vers 16. and if we walk according to Rule this Rule of the new Creature vers 15 morâ—ifying our lusts crucifying our selves to the World and living unâ—o Christ in righteousness and true holiness Peace will be upon us and upon Zion the Israel of God vers 16. Let us therâ—fore as it becometh men of Zion devote our selves to God and spend our strength in the Practise of Piety Let us be better acquainted with our selves and with our God let us learn what sin and what Grace means let us be watchfull over our own hearts with an holy jealousie may let us set a watch before our mouths and all our senses nay let us watch over one another that we may provoke one another to holiness and good works let us beseech the God of Heaven to kindle gracious desires in our hearts that we may oppose and Conquer all our filthy and implacable lusts which set us all in a Combustion of War and divisions Iam. 4. vers 1. Thus shall we be delivered from Babylon and by our Holiness we shall become the Beauty of Zion And thus beloved have I imployed my utmost strength consecrated my Totum nil blown my Rams Horns against Babylon and indeavoured to build up Zion that all you here present may be Members of it to Gods praise to whom be glorie throughout all Ages Amen Soli Deo Honor gloria FINIS