Christs name is named called upon and professed and that without superstitious inventions of man there is a true Church But our Parochial meeting and gathering together is to name the Name of Christ to call upon it and profess it Ergo Our Parochial people here in England so meeting and gathering together are true Churches and not Babylonish 3. Argument We be either the Church of Christ and so a true Church or the Church of Antichrist But we are not the Church of Antichrist Ergo we are the Church of Christ and so not Babylonish but a true Church The Minor is clear we have forsaken Rome the Pope his Doctrine his Sacraments Yea every year upon the Friday before Easter day we are excommunicated by the Pope with this Ceremony which my self have seen and was present at it Ann. Dom. 1640. The Pope standing in a high Balcony in Peters Palace before thousands of people gathered beneath in an open wide and capacious place takes in his hand a lighted Torch declaring that light to represent the light and brightness of the true Militant Church and the light and glorie of the Triumphant Church above and then one of his Chaplains putting out the light The Pope casteth the Torch out of his hand from on high down to the ground declaring by that Ceremony that so he excommunicates and deprives of all light of mercy favour comfort in the Militant Chuâ—ch and also excludes from the light of glory in the Triumphant Church all Hereticks in England as such he looks upon us who acknowledge him noâ— by their obedience to him to be the supream head of the universal Church and condemns their Souls to the pits of Hell where is no light of mercy and redemption but darkness for ever excâ—pt they repent and turn to him using in this action of casting down the Torch the words of Christ to the wicked on the leâ—t hand Dâ—part from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25. vers 41. Thus are we disowned cast out anathematized and for ever cursed by the Pope and shall we yet be said by Mr. Nâ—â—hols to be Babylonish to be his or any wayes to belong to him No surely we may rather say as our Saviour said of the World and his Disciples If ye were of the World the World would love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you John 15. vers 19. So if we were of Rome of Babylon Rome would love us as her own but because we are not of Rome but the Lord hath chosen us out of Rome and out of Babylon therefore she hates us and her Triple Crowned Head and Governour bids us depart casteth us out and curseth us So it appears that we are no Church nor people of Antichrist Ergo we are a Church of Christ. And if there be any further doubt of this in Mr. Nichols I must tell him plainly that the difference is between him and the Pope The Pope saith we are no Church of Christ because not belonging to him Mr. Nichols saith we are no Church of Christ because we are Babylonish and so belonging to the Pope and to Antichrist As Paul set the Pharisees and Sadducees at variance to help himself Act. 23. vers 6 7. So I shall leave the Pope and Mr. Nichols to reason this case whilest I step forth to my fourth Argument thus 4. Argument A company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for their true head can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body But we are a company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for our true head Ergo we can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body The Minor is clear thus because we do all profess him which is a token of Faith in the heart Rom. 10. vers 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And the Apostles judged such worthy to be of the Church in their time and thereupon did admit men as Act. 16. vers 31 32. Yea Simon Magus thereupon was admitted Act. 8. vers 13. though otherwise a dissembling Hypocrite whose example is a sufficient answer to Mr. Nichols his Objection saying sheâ— me â—here the Apostles admitted wicked men into their Churches as you do To which with this example of Simon Magus we answer as also with Demas Hymenaeus and Alexander that they admitted wicked dissembling Hypocrites as we may do some not qua and as wicked and dissemblers but qua and as Proâ—essours professing with their mouth the Lord Jesus as a token of Faith in their hearts Rom. 10. vers 9. Yea secondly such is this confession or profession of the name of Christ that it is a token laid down in Scripture that such as confess Iesus Châ—ist have the Spirit of God Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1 John 4. vers 2. And thirdly the confession of his name is a part of our praise so Paul saith By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Hebr. 13. vers 15. Thus we hold Christ for our head we profess and confess him and his name â—rgo we are no Babylonish â—or false Body 5. Argument A company having Iesus Christ for their Mediatour and Advocate are a true Church But we are a company having Iesus Christ for our Mediatour and Advocate Ergo we are a true Church The Minor is proved thus First by our prayers which are onely made to God and in the name of Iesus Christ onely Secondly in that we do condemne the Papists for making the Virgin Marie Saints and Angels Mediatours to God and we do reject it as idolaâ—rous Thirdly because we do partake of the Covenant made unto us by God through Iesus Christ which I thus make good First because many of us both in Church and Common-wealth of both higher and lower degree have true knowledge of Gods word which is one part of the promise and Covenant as you may read in these words of Ieremiah This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people And further They shall all know me from the lowest of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord Jerem. 31. vers 33 34. and the like Hebr. 8. vers 10. and Chap. 10. vers 16. Secondly the fear of God possesseth the hearts of many which is another part thereof as the same Prophet writeâ— I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from
against himself for then could not his Kingdom endure Therefore I conclude we being no Ministers of Antichrist we then are the Ministers of Christ. 3. Aâ—gument Where there are men sufficiently qualified by God orderly called to the Ministery and do that work which Christ appointed his Ministers to do there are true Gospel-Ministers But such are for the most part Parish Officiating Ministers in England Ergo Parish Officiating Ministers are true Gospel-Ministers and not to be called Babylonish or Antichristian The Major is undeniable because it containeth all the causes that can be required to the compleating a true Gospel-Minister First there is the efficient cause God Secondly there is the Material cause A man sufficiently qualified I mean according to Pauls phrase 2 Tim. 2. vers 2. and 2 Cor. 2. vers 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient Thridly there is the formal cause Orderly called And fourthly there is the Final cause Ephes. 4. vers 12. The end of the Ministery is for the perfâ—cting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ. The Minor Proposition we shall finde it to be clear also First for the efficient cause there is no controversie there Secondly for the material cause that they are sufficiently qualified who can deny it their gifts do shew it and their good parts declare them to have those things that the Apostle requireth to the making of true Ministers which I shall shew in these particulars First He requireth ability to teach others 2 Tim. 2. vers 2. 1 Tim. 3. vers 2. Ability to exhort Ability to convince Gain-sayers of sound truths Titus 1. vers 9. Now these abilities and gifts for the Major part have our Parish Officiating Ministers who by word and writing manifest this before God and man Secondly the Apostle requireth a desire in men furnished with gifts to bestow their talents that way to the Churches good 1 Tim. 3. vers 1. and also graces to adorn their profession 1 Tim. 3. vers 2. Titus 1. vers 6.7 8. and 2 Chap. vers 7. And such have we in our Parishes men who have entered with desire to bestow the benefit of their gifts upon the Church before any other calling Thirdly For the formal cause Orderly called Who that is not partial or that knows what calling is can doubt of this or without cavilling can maintain that the Parish Officiating Ministers in England have no true calling For they are called and sent of God which calling and sending of God is the preparing of men with gifts and graces to be able to execute in some measure the Office whereunto he doth appoint them Thus Isaias sheweth his Commission from God by the Spirit of the Lord upon him that is the gifts and graces thereof Isai 61. vers 1. Thus the Lord declareth his sending and calling of Bezaleel by giving him gifts of his Spirit for the performance of his charge Exod. 31. vers 2.3 So our Saviour did call his Apostles and gave them a power Math. 10. vers 1. to accomplish that which he did charge them to do vers 5 6 7 8. In like manner before he sent them upon their universal Commission he did speak of those things which concerned the Kingdom of God Act. 1. vers 2. Luke 24. vers 44. then he opened their understandings to understand the Scriptures vers 45. then he promiseth them power from above vers 49. which was the power of the holy Ghost Act. 1. vers 8. for which they were to wait a time Luke 24. vers 49. then he blessed them vers 50. he breathed on them to receive the holy Ghost Iohn 20. vers 22. which according to his promise came upon them visibly Act. 2. vers 4. And thus were they furnished and did proceed on to execute their great charge imposed upon them Thus you see what is Gods calling I speak not here of extraordinary though the instance be from the Apostles as if all should be so furnished now and in that manner but the purpose of my speech is to shew hereby that God doth send none but he qualifieth them with gifts extraordinary Persons with extraordinary gifts by extraordinary means or without means but ordinary men with ordinary gifts by common means giving them natural gifts by the holy Scriptures Grace and by study and Learning but he â—ends none but thus either the one way or other he doth qualifie them for their vocation Now it is manifest to all Christendom that we have Parish Ministers worthily qualified with gifts both of Nature Art and Grace and such therefore called and sent of God Which furnishing with gifts maketh a man fit matter for the Ministery and Gods Spirit moving him to desire to imploy that way the same gift is as it were the internal form of a Minister or Gods ordination by the Imposition of the hand of his Spirit upon that party for the Ministery to whom nothing is wanting but the visible calling of the Church which also our Parish Ministers have they being outwardly called and sent of Christ his Church examined tried approved set apart for the work of the Ministery by the Imposition of the hands of Presbyters and Officers of the Church of Christ in England And therefore they are true Ministers not Babylonish Orderly called which is the third formal cause requisite to the making of a true Minister Object And if it be Objected that some of our Parish Ministers have not the Election of the people according to the practise of the Primitive Church Act. 1. Chap. and 6. and 14. Ans. I answer These places indeed testifie that such examples of practise were then of Election but there is no precept for the perpetuity of it Again such Elections of the people were ever when the Apostles were among them and not else as the very places shew Thirdly the people were very Judicious and were able to make a choice then whereas it is now far otherwise with many Fourthly in all these places we do see indeed an Election among the people but the people did not assume it as a right of themselves but upon the Apostles exhortation and a grant unto them for the time the people made the choice Indeed I confess a double evil to be in the chosing when either an ignorant bad people be leâ—â— to do without wise guides what they list Or a muckâ—wormly Patron is suffered for hope of greedy gain to Tyrannize over Gods people to set over them at his wicked pleasure either an ignorant or a lewd man when many of the people being of good understanding do desire a better But fifthly and lastly although in these places we read of the peoples Election with the Assistance help guidance and direction of the Apostles yet we read also of some sent to the people before their choice or Election as Tyâ—hicus and Paul writes to the Philippians Chap. 2. vers 19 20. that he will send Timotheus to them
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
experience that I shall not need to explain or confirm it So I will let that pass and hasten to the second 2. Obs. Secondly That Zion must take all fair opportunities and use all lawfull means to deliver her self from Babylon and from those practises and errours which are Babylonish or any way Antichristian For the better opening the point I shall speedily having in other occasions more largely cleared unto you the extents of Zion now again walk the Rounds and survey the Bounds of Zion and Babylon By Zion the Prophet means the people of God whose hearts were set on Zion as Bernard observes Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat because God had of old set â—p his Ordinances there and made them a gracious promise that they should return thither again and enjoy him once more in the beauty the glorie of holiness There were two Mounts which did belong unto Hierusalem Mount Moriah and Mount Zion Though the Temple was built upon Mount Moriah yet till that time the Ark of God was placed in Zion 2 Sam. 6. vers 12. compared with 1 King 8. vers 1. and there was said to dwell And therefore Zion was the Mount of Holiness and as it were the Throne of God here below Thither did the people flock Micah 4. vers 2. Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord for the Law shall go forth of Zion where you may plainly see that Zion is the Mountain of the Lord. But further we must consider that besides the Jewish Zion there is a Christian Zion spoken of in the Prophets Yea this very place of Micah now cited points at the Christian Zion a Church consisting of all Nations Gentiles as well as Jews if you please to peruse and well consider the words which are these In the last dayes it shall come to pass that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the Hills and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord verses 1.2 That this is meâ—nt of the Christian Zion the 12. verse of the third Chapter of this Prophet Micah doth sufficiently declare in these words Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowâ—d as a field and Hierusalem shall become heaps and the Mountains of the house as the high places of the forrest Which being spoken of Zion in the Letter was to be fulfilled in the last dayes Micah 4. vers 1. And whereas in the second verse he saith The Law shall go forth of Zion he must be understood of the Christian Zion for to the Iews the Law came forth of Sinai when the Spirit was plentifully powred down upon some of all Nations at Hierusalem Act. 2. vers 4.5 So Paul also writes unto the Hebrews Chap. 12. vers 18 You are not come unto the Mount that burned with fire and verse 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion which the Apostle expoundeth yet more fully Galat. Chap. 4. vers 24. compared with the 26. and 31. verses And these are briefly the Bounds of Zion As for a shorter view of Babylon Omitting to speak of Babylon in Egypt my Text points to Babylon in Assyriâ— The Scripture mentioneth a third Babylon 1 Pet. 5. vers 13. The Church that is at Babylon elected together with you saluteth you And in the Revelations of Iohn we read much of a Mystical Babylon a Whore of Babylon sitting in Scarlet decked with purple which Hierom himself understandeth to be Rome in these words Ora autem ut de Babylone ad Hierosolyman regredià r Cum in Babylone versarer purpuratae meretricis essem Colonus ac Iure Quiritium viverem c. Nay we need not travail so far as Rome to finde out Babylon Is there not an English Babylon here at home Are there not among us untruths taught and practised expresly against the Rule of the Scriptures against the word of Christ against the examples of the best Reformed Churches that ever were Reformed from Babylonish and Antichristian Rites Ceremonies Principles and Practises But finally if we will be impartial in the search of all the Bounds of Babylon we shall certainly finde nearer yet within our selves somewhat of Babylon Oh are there not some malignant lusts some Brats of Babylons in our bosoms for the which we are unhappy because we have not taken them and dashed them against the stones Psal. 137. vers 9. Are there not within our hearts hid some Babylonish garments though they be the rotten rags of our own righteousness Isai 64. vers 6. Are there not hid within us some Golden wedges some Golden sins some dilecta delicta some beloved ones from the which we are loath to be dissolved that we may be with Christ Thus you see the Bounds of Babylon with the Bounds of Zion Now what reasons might move the Jewish Zion to deliver herself from the Assyrian Babylon you shall finde the same calling upon the Christian Zion to deliver herself from all those ways and practises which may be found Babylonish or Antichristian 1. Reas. Should not Zion separate from Babylon having so many Calls of God to that purpose Were not the people sufficiently awakened by Ieremiah's Prophecy Were they not encouraged by Câ—rus his Proclamation See both together in Ezra 1 Chap. 1. vers Now in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus King of Persia that he made Proclamation Behold a call from God a call from the Prophet and a call from the King whereby doubtless the Lord did also stir up the Spirit of his people to answer this Call and depart from Babylon as you may see in those of the Captivity who immediately went up to Hierusalem under the conduct of their General Zerubbabel Ezra 2. Chap. 1. vers 2. Had not they the like call by the Ministery of the Prophet Haggai and the Prophet Zâ—chariah Ezra 5. Chap. vers 1. Haggai 1. vers 1. and Zechar. 1. Chap. vers 1. God gave them yet another Call in the seventh year of the raign of Artaxerxes and then many went up from Babylon upon the motion of Ezra the Scribe as you may read Ezra 7. Chap. verses 6 7 8. And yet further in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah began to stir and call those lingerers behinde Neâ—em 2. Chap. vers 1. compared with vers 5. And so you see call upon call Which hath not been wanting to the Christian Zion of God especially in England where since so many new opinions have been broached amongst us with such difference and Antipathy of Judgements as is well known unto you the true Orthodox faithfull and zealous Ministers of the Gospel have most earnestly both from the Press and the Pulpit called upon the people to deliver themselves from Babylonish
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