out of the horns of Antichrist How the Stone has been at work among us whereby that whole Church and State with the pomp power and greatness of it was overturned What Parties and Instruments were laid aside as being short of spirit for the business of that day and what Laws Constitutions and Customs were cast off as Antichristian and opposite to the work then in hand Add to all these what a mighty Witness of God unto all these proceedings in a continued series of Salvations and Victories over all that rose up against us and then may we not conclude That the things that were then on foot among us were the first fruits and earnests of those precious Promises and not as too much cause has of late been given to say the productions of policy headiness or delusion to say nothing what most deep and sweet impressions were upon our hearts from the word of promise concerning the Kingdom of Christ and downfal of Babylon we have had two observable signs that the time or the Promise wherein the Lord will do great things is at hand the one is a most peculiar and distinguishing presence of the Lord by inward Refreshings of Spirit and outward Dispensations of Mercy which was with us whilst our hearts went after the Lord and our Principles and Proceedings were in a subserviency to his Cause and Kingdom when others whose aims and ends were more National and mixt with worldly interest were laid aside left in the dark and under visible rebukes So great a difference has the Lord made between these who sat down in a meer civil and worldly Reformation and others who pressed after better hopes viz the fulfilling of Promises and a full subjection of all things to the Word and Spirit must needs be taken for a singular Evidence to give light unto us which way the work and design of the Lord lies at this day The other sign is the sad clouds of displeasure that are now upon us that gracious and lively presence that brought us out from our former Egyptian darkness and slavery and by a strong hand led us through many dark and difficult paths in the beginning of the day is much departed from off our Councils Camp solemn Assemblies Laws are given unto us that are not good and Statutes whereby we cannot live our Rulers are many of them such as know not Joseph the faithful Servants of Christ such as had no heart unto or communion with that great Affair and Interest of Christ once on foot the Military Power which was as a new sharp threshing Instrument against us Babylon is now become a prey to the Heathen or as Hirelings under a forreign Prince the cause and truth once so dear and highly owned now as to any visible progress of it under a sentence of death so that we may say we have sown much and bring in little we looked for much and lo it comes to little the Lord hath blown upon it because his House lies wast Haggai proved to Israel That the visible discountenance that was upon all their publick and private concernments from the Lord was a sign That the time was come that the Lords House should be built even so clouds of displeasure from God returning again after such a morning of successes and blessings as has been upon us ought to be a sign unto us that the Lord hath great things yet to do among us and that it is time for us to awake and go on with the Work that has been begun among us Now let us enquire what Works the Lord is about and wherein his Saints should be found waiting upon him at this day there are some Rules which in this Point have given light unto the Church of God in former Ages and lately in our time and may be further useful to us in this day for our satisfaction herein First Rule The Word upon which we were made to hope in the day of our greatest difficulties and straits and in the strength and comfort wherein we suffered so many things when God sets it upon the heart of his People to wait for some word some spiritual Promise to be made good and to undergo many things for the obtaining thereof that is the Work of that day God made a Promise to Abraham four hundred and fifty years afore it came to passe when the time of the Promise drew nigh God put it upon Moses heart after him upon Joshuah to go up and possess the good Land David had a Word that he should be King he bore up himself upon this word through a long series of conflicts and troubles till the things was done In the late Warrs those who bare the burden and heat of that day had a Word whereupon they leaned which consisted of many Promises shewing a more full and glorious Reformation to be set up in the World wherein Jesus Christ in all his Offices Laws and Commands should be more visibly owned and exalted and Babylon in all her interests thrown down This was that Word that was a Guide and a Strength to many among us in the troubles and perplexities of that day and not the Policy and Power of this World Second Rule Observe of what nature were these breathings of the Spirit and the impressions that were wrought thereby upon the most enlightened faithful and praying part of the People while we were following God in the way of his Judgements among us the Work God is about begins in the heart of his People for if the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him when a People are in the Work of God following Jesus Christ through many sore Tryals and hardships then observe what things in that day lay with most weight upon their hearts and what the stirrings and movings of the Spirit with the Word were then amongst them and there the Work of God her Psalm 102.13 14. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come for thy Servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof When God begins to awake the spirit of his People to call them out of their darkness security and carnal interests and puts upon them a gracious sense of the condition of Sion and to look and long and cry to the Lord for her building up then is the time at hand 1 Chron. 11. When the Lord would turn the Kingdom from the House of Saul unto David then he stirred up all Israel to come and make David King It may be observed whilst the Spirit of the Lord remained in the lively and fresh gales and actings of it upon our publick Instruments and Camp Council and Assemblies there was such a sense upon their hearts that the Kingdom of Christ might be promoted both in Civils and Spirituals and the remaining posts and pillars all the limbs and branches of Antichristianisme might be broke to pieces and carried them with a lively zeal and
scatter and bring down all those Authorities Powers and Parties that had held his Church in this Nation at the Brick-kills in the condition of Servants and Bond-men then did he take off our filthy garments and clothed us with change of Rayment high Reformation Victories and many visible Testimonies of his Presence among us and all these as Earnests or first-fruits of that flourishing State which shall be brought forth in the Coming and Kingdom of the Lord Jesus In Israels Redemption out of Egypt mention was first made of a civil Interest only of their deliverance from the burdens and oppressions of that King but the principal thing intended was that God himself would be their King If this was a typical Preludium of the State of the Church in these last dayes as that Prophesie seems to imply I will restore thy Judges as at first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning If so then a deliverance from the yoaks of Tyranny and Persecution unto a condition of meer outward liberty and quiet was not the chief Result in ended us in our changes but that God would thereby bring us both Church and State under a more immediate Government to his Son that he alone should be our Law-giver King and Judge ruling us according to his own Word and Spirit not according to the Prudentials and Policies of this World If the Lord has thus kindled a Refining fire among us let us take heed how we quench it till our purification thereby preparing us unto that Kingdom and Glory that is drawing near The Lord hath taken new and extraordinary wayes with us besides that peculiar eye that hath watched over the English Nation in former times to save it from the bloud-thirsty Rage of Antichristian Adversaries their Invasions from abroad and Conspiracies at home God has of late made this Nation as it were a Stage whereupon he came forth and began that Cup of the Wine of his Wrath against the Kingdomes and Monarchies of Babylon that is determined against them here began the Horns of Antichrist to be thrown down here the spiritual and civil Liberties and Rights of Saints and Men were more visibly owned of God against the Injustice and Usurpations of Ecclesiastical and Temporal Rulers then had been before here the Office of Christ as Prophet and Head of his Church was vindicated and advanced above the Commandements and Laws of Men to the contrary The Authority of Christ as King of Saints and Nations and the right of Saints with him to Rule and Judge the World has gained more Reputation and acceptance with us then all the World over God speaks concerning his Church in the latter dayes Isai 43.18 Remember ye not the former things neither consider the things of old behold I will do a new thing And what was that new thing For your sakes I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their Nobles ver 19. I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert Chap. 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring The Lord had a People among us who he formed for his praise how did he for their sake bring down our Princes and Nobles the Paramours and Lovers of Babylon How was our Land which had layen like a wilderness for want of Gospel light and administration of Justice turned into Rivers of water through Righteousness Knowledge and the Presence of the Lord shining forth among us And in that day what a sprinkling of the Spirit was there upon the dry ground upon many Sons and Daughters among us of simple and low capacities weak and foolish things whereby many wise mighty and honorable were put to confusion and brought to nothing Let us call to mind what a Presence was with us in the fields what impulsions of the Spirit as of a mighty wind were upon many carrying them up beyond themselves through difficulties and dangers What a Spirit of Judgment was put upon many to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron What a light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ shined round about us What meltings and yernings were seen throughout all even the darkest corners of the Land under the sense of a crucified Saviour What Lightenings among the People of God and what Earthquakes upon their Enemies Such things as made us a terror and wonderment to all the Nations about us speak oh ye Virgins that are fallen asleep if these be ordinary Dispensations if ye have read or heard of a parallel if not then look upon them as beginnings of greater things yet to come to passe But if any shall say Why may not this glory set in a cloud as great things were done and as great hopes and expectations raised in Germany yet all came to nothing I answer Luther lived to see his Doctrine prevailed over many Cities and Countries and soon after his death brake out the Warr in that Nation for the punishment of them that were Adversaries to the Gospel when that Light was quenched there it sprung forth with renewed strength in this our Island and has ever kindled such a fire as has at sundry times cousumed the chiefest part of the Riches strong Holds and Yoaks of Antichrist that were among us God has begun the influences and effects of some of the last and glorious Promises in our Nation Providences and Prophesies have been as teeming wombs bringing forth the first fruits of great things amongst us The Promises that concern the Church of Christ towards the end of her wilderness state do speak of great changes and revolutions to come to passe about that time in the Antichristian States and Kingdoms with their Governments and Affairs that by these tempests this old corrupt frame of things may be broken and fall and way made for a glorious State of things to be brought forth in the fuller exaltation of Jesus Christ A Stone shall be cut out without hands that shall smite the great Image upon his feet Vpon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I pour out my Spirit and these shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire then the earth shall rele to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage and the Lord shall punish the Hoast of the high ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth upon the earth Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed If these Promises have begun their effects upon us in this Nation then let us know that the way of the Lord amongst us is new and his work extraordinary let us remember what a sprinkling of a gracious choice and active Spirit has been among us what excellent things were done while it was fresh upon us How Monarchy and Prelacy was cut off as
darkness and wasting in their spirits counsels and proceedings the very report whereof put a fear upon the Nations about while lie owned and blessed and comforted his People by a glorious leading Presence among them What is the meaning of these things Is there not a far other more Excellent State of things signified and intended hereby then the present frame of things of late set up under which worldly pomp and policy the old oppressive and corrupt Interests of former worldly States and Governments with a too general defection of many from their first light love and purity is springing and growing up again in the Land The changes that of late have passed over us are a further Testimony from God unto us that he is doing some new thing in the Earth It is said Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come The first coming of our Saviour was ushered in by a change upon all Nations the Romans possessing themselves of the Kingdome of David and of the Government of the whole World Joel saith chap. 2.30 31. I will shew wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoak the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into bloud before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come We are to know the second coming of the Lord Jesus to set up his Kingdom on Earth draws near when we see changes coming upon the whole frame of things both in Church and State This Nation a Nation wherein Profession is reformed unto the greatest degree of Light and Purity of any Nation in the World yet how has it been turned upside down How have the Heavens of our more reformed as well as the Earth of our more loose corrupted Church-state been shaken How has the Sun of Monarchy Kings and Nobles been darkened and the Moon of our Civil State been turned into bloud How have formes of Government and Authorities hastily risen up one after another and have as fast dissolved in weakness and confusion Revel 21.1 I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea When the Governments Kingdoms and Common-wealths throughout both the Antichristian and the more Reformed Nations become unsettled shaken and falling in pieces it is a sign they are grown old in sin and guilt and as fit for no more use are ready to be done away The time for the fulfilling of that Prophesie seems at the very door Revel 14.15 Thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe Who ever saw the Nations round about us in such a posture of warr and wrath as at this day so fitted for destruction What Earthquakes Eclipses Comets raining of Bloud and raging Pestilences have there been of late How is the whole Creation sensible of the drawing near of the Lord Jesus whose coming in the Spirit of Grace and Glory in his People and in Wrath and Judgements against his Enemies is that which causeth all these changes which have been and are yet to be in the World It is well known to many that both the spiritual and visible Interest of Christ hath begun to shine forth more of late in this Nation and God hath given more visible testimonies in a way of owning of it here then in any other Nations besides So soon as this Interest and Cause was placed among us what a series of changes did presently flow in upon us What commotions were stirred up against us from abroad and how are all the Nations about us since put into a flame Nations long settled upon their lees of Antichristian blindness and corruption when God begins to empty such from vessel to vessel to bring upon them one breach and change after another it is a sign he has some new and special thing to do with such People Oh that we might see the Lord Jesus as he comes forth through these things and lifts up himself still more and more by them The Refinings that have attended our changes have a fresh significancy with us that God is about some new and extraordinary things among us every change was as a fire purifying the succeeding parties into a more refined Spirit and Principles then those that were before as new work and new difficulties were presented while many went off their hearts failing them through darkness weariness or fear a new Spirit was put upon others in a fresh supply of light and strength giving a more piercing sight into the excellency of the interest and cause in hand and further Resolution to presse forwards towards it Principles in the beginning of the day were dim and weak both in the Civil and Military Instruments carrying them forth a little higher then unto the Interest of meer civil right and freedome against the Arbitrarines and excess of Monarchy and Prelatical Church state these Generations being most of them laid aside a choicer People were raised up in their place of clearer Principles and higher Aymes calling for Impartial Justice removal of burdens dethroning of Kingly Power abolition of Worldly Pomps and Splendour a Religious Magistracy a Spiritual Ministry liberty of Worship c. they had so much light as to discern the present frame of things to be exceedingly corrupted with Antichristian mixture and to see there was a better state of things to be had framed and acted not according to Humane Reason and Prudentials of State in the hands of men as men but according to the Decrees and Laws of Christ in the hands of men as spiritual and Saints Further changes so far heightened this Principle as that the Interest and Right of Jesus Christ to exercise a Kingly Authority over the Kingdomes of men was publickly and solemnly owned for a reason among us let it be observed how the Lord winnowed and purged one party after another how the said old dark and corrupt fashion of things was a going away and a new face of things began to appear with a new lustre both upon Church and State upon Doctrine and Worship garments of mourning and bondage formerly upon the People of God changed into a state of liberty and gladness a loose and worldly Church reformed first to the letter after to a degree of spirituality the contest begun for a civil Interest refined into a contest for spiritual Faith Prayer and expectations in many rising higher and higher first for civil liberty then for a spiritual after for the Kingdom and Government of Jesus Christ And here that word may not unseasonably be minded Psal 68.13 14. Though ye have lain among the pots yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold when the Almighty scattered Kings in it it was white as snow in Salmon When the time came that the Lord would