THE RESURRECTION OF The Witnesses AND ENGLANDS Fall from the mystical Babylon ROME Clearly demonstrated to be accomplished Whereby Great encouragement is administred to all Saints but especially to the Saints in England In the handling of a part of the eleventh Chapter of the REVELATION By M. Cary a Minister or Servant of Jesus Christ and of all his Saints PSAL. 126. 1 2 3. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then said they among the heathen The LORD hath done great things for them The LORD hath done great things for us whereof we are glad London Printed by D. M. for Giles Calvert at the black-spread-Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1648. To the Honoured FRANCIS ROVSE AND Thomas Boon Esquires Members of the Honourable House of COMMONS in PARLIAMENT Honoured Sirs IT being the great designe of God the Father to set up his Son our Lord Jesus Christ as his King upon the holy hill of Sion and though the Heathen rage and the people imagine vain things saying Come let us break their bonds in sunder and cast away their cords from us to give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession I say this being Gods design he hath for the effecting of it given all power and authority in heaven and in earth into his hand and accordingly Jesus Christ hath undertaken to execute all Gods Decrees which are mentioned in the Prophesie of the Book of the Revelation where we finde that God had decreed that for an appointed terme of time his Church his Temple his Saints should be in an afflicted persecuted depressed low condition and that the Beast and the Babylonian enemies of his Church should have power to grow great and to flourish and to make war against the Saints and to blaspheme God and his name and his Saints for an appointed time also and that after that time was expired that then Jesus Christ should improve that power that was for that end given to him in giving a glorious Deliverance to his Church and ruining totally the Beast great Babylon and all his enemies That so the Kingdomes of this world may become his Kingdoms and that in such a manner as they were not before even so as all that are in authority that will not cast their Crowns at his feet shall be broken in peeces for he the Lord alone must be exalted in that day there must be one Lord and his name one in all the earth Now as it most clearly appears to me from the divine Oracles of the Scripture having compared the works of God and his Word together I have in the ensuing Discourse held it forth for the encouragement of all that wait for the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ for the overthrowing of his enemies and the deliverance of his people from their persecutions that the time is already come wherein the appointed time of the prevailing power of the Beast over the Saints is come to a period and accordingly Jesus Christ hath begunne to bring downe the power of the Beast and to lift up his Saints out of that low afflicted persecuted condition in which they have beene and that in order to the perfecting of these things England is already fallen from the mysticall Babylon Rome Now Honoured Sir You having been glorious Starres shining with a great deal of splendour in Your Countrey both in the publikenesse of Your spirits and the holinesse of Your conversations wherein You have been eminent Examples and speciall encouragements unto others and knowing that it is the desire of Your souls to see the Lord Jesus alone advanced who-ever be thrown down I have presumed to present this little Treatise unto You not doubting of Your ingenuous and favourable acceptance of it But though I publish it under Your name and favour yet doe I not thereby desire You to patronize any thing in it if there should be any thing that is not truth and for the truth that is in it I need desire no Patron For great is the truth and it will prevail Yet notwithstanding the sonnes of truth as farre as the truth appears to them in truth will own it and contend for it and doubtlesse so will You. I am Sirs A Petitioner to heaven for Sions this Kingdoms and your prosperity M. C. TO THE READER OUr Lord Jesus Christ in the eighteenth Chapter of Luke from the first to the eighth verse from the example of the importunate widdow stirring up his Disciples to importunate praier he there assures them That God will surely hear the praiers of his own elect that cry to him day and night and avenge them of their adversaries and this he will doe for them though he make them tarry long And hereby Saints may be assured That God will hear their frequent importunate praiers which night and day they have put up against the man of sinne the Beast and their Babylonian enemies who have troden the Saints under feet and made warre against them and overcome them and dealt cruelly with them above this twelve hundred years and that he will at last avenge them on these their enemies But saies our Saviour at the eighth verse Neverthelesse when the Sonne of man cometh shall he finde faith on earth Whereby he implies That when hee cometh his people shall scarce have faith to beleeve that hee will thus avenge them on their enemies But when he shall come to doe it it will be beyond their faith And even thus is it with Saints now they have scarce faith to believe that the Lord Jesus hath now begun and is going on to avenge his own elect on their adversaries the mysticall Babylonians Now for the strengthening of the faith of Saints concerning this thing I doe present them with this ensuing Discourse wherein as the Lord hath discovered it to me to the strengthening of my faith concerning the prosperity of Sion henceforward and giving me great joy and pleasure therein I have made it to appeare from the Scriptures That the Lord hath already lifted up his Saints from under the vassalage of their enemies and hath begunne to put the cup of trembling into the hands of them that afflicted them Which I desire that all that love and honour the Lord Jesus may diligently observe For the most high God of whom and through whom and to whom are all things and for whose pleasure they are and were created both whose wisdome and knowledge are unfathomable tels his people of old by the Prophet Isaiah as wee have it in the fourty eighth Chapter of his Prophesie at the third and the fifth verses That he declared from the beginning the things hee would bring to passe and that he shewed it them before it came to passe and he gives the reason why he did so in the fourth and fifth verses Because said hee I knew
of the Beast and a part of Romish Babylon because there was a party retained which did exercise authority over the consciences of Saints which hath proved a great bondage to them and hath persecuted the Saints as the Beast was wont to do for even in Queen Elizabeths daies there were some Saints persecuted that did scruple in some things to conforme to the Bishops though the Bishops then were not so bad as they have been since but since the Bishops grew worse and worse and became more prophane and filthy and wicked as all that usurp authority over the consciences do and as the Bishop of Rome did I say since Queen Elizabeths time that they grew worse and worse they have growne higher and higher in the persecution of Saints so that a reall godly Minister could scarce be suffered to abide in the Kingdome but many were fain to flie to Holland and New England and other places and those that did abide in the Kingdome were exceedingly persecuted And thus England did remain a horn of the Beast and a part of Babylon because there was a power retained that did exercise authority over the conscience And heerby it is evident That the late war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast For First That war was made by one of his horns England being then a horn of the Beast And Secondly This war was made by the Beast because it was by his instigation for it was evident that this war was Bellum Episcopale the Bishops war and that they together with the Queen acted for the Beast and were thereunto instigated by him and to that end the Popes Nuncioes and Jesuites were so long resident in England and Ireland and all the Papists in England and Ireland were violent in the prosecution of it So that this is clear that the late war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast But secondly as the war in England and Ireland was made by the Beast so it was made by him against the Witnesses the Saints and precious ones of Jesus Christ for that which is done against the most considerable number of Saints is done against the whole as being the way to prevail over all Now in England there are a more considerable number of the faithfull servants and Witnesses of Jesus Christ then is in any Kingdome in the World As one truly said England is the richest Ship in the World for God hath more of those precious jewels in it than he hath in any other Kingdome in the World It is true that in other Kingdomes as in France and Germany and Scotland c there are a vast number of such as are called Protestants but they are exceeding formall and luke-warme generally they are professors but few possessors of Christ but for sincere reall Saints that walke close with God in a pious holy conversation England exceeds all other Kingdomes in the world Now the war being made against these it was made against all the Witnesses against all Saints Now that it was made against the Saints in England is also evident for it was the rooting out of such as were called Puritans and Independents and Brownists that was chiefly aimed at in that war and therefore it was given out that they would leave no more Puritans in England then there were protestants in Rome And this was made evident in all their proceedings for the Puritans were they against whom they expressed their greatest malice And such as they called Puritents were the most precious Saints of Jesus Christ Thus it is evident that this warre was made by the beast against the Saints the Witnesses of Jesus Christ And the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them Iu this war that was made by the Beast against the Saints and Witnesses of Jesus Christ he did so prevail as he did overcome them for at the very first breaking out in Ireland there was such terrible blow given unto the Saints and they were so overcome as the Beast and his adherents thought themselves sure of overcoming all the rest in Ireland and England so that all the rest did then seem to be as dead men and as at the beginning they overcame so they continued overcoming keeping the Witnesses under for they did both prevail in the field and exceedingly overcame them that opposed them and also took Cities and Towns and Castles and got possession of County after Country so that the Witnesses whom they chiefly opposed were brought to such a low ebbe as for three years and a half they seemed to be as dead as lost and had little hope and lesse confidence of overcomming the enemy but on the other side the enemy had great confidence that the Puritants and Round-heads as they termed them should not rise again for they looked upon them as dead Verse 8. And their dead bodies The Witnesses being overcome and brought to such a low ebbe and seeming to be so unable to recover strength again to overcome the Beast they were look't upon as dead bodies as no more able to overcome the beast than so many dead carcases And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified There is a mention made of Rome Revel 17. 18. And there this title is given to it The great City And here again the same title is given to it The groat City But least this should not expresse it clearly enough here are some other distinguishing characters given to it and they are these First That it is Spiritually called Sodom for the abominable filthinesses and Sodomiticall practises that are in it for the abominations of that City are so many and so apparent as there is no City in the world that may so fitly be called by the name of Spirituall Sodom as it And secondly It is spiritually called Egypt and this name also is most fitly given to that City for as Egypt of old was a house of bondage to the people of God so hath Rome been a house of bondage to the Saints for above twelve hundred years Thirdly It is distinguished by this character Where also our Lord was crucified because it was by the power of Rome that our Lord was crucified so that though it was not in Rome but near Jerusalem yet Jerusalem being then under the power of Rome it was accounted as a part of Rome These are the characters that are given to Rome whereby it is made evident that this great City is Rome Now that the Witnesses being overcome that their dead bodies did lie in the street of this great City is apparent for England being one of the ten horns of the Beast is a part of that great City And so the dead bodies of the Witnesses being in England did lie in the street of that great City Vers 9. And they of the people and kindreds
in sackcloth is expired First It may be some cannot receive it because they look for farther judgements to come upon this Kingdome wherein outwardly the Saints may suffer also because of the great provoking sins of this Kingdom as drunkennesse and adulteries and oaths and their entering into so many Covenants concerning religious things for which they have no sufficient warrant now in the times of the Gospel and the oppressions of the poor and meaner sort of people and the great neglect of doing justice generally c. Now to these I say That it is true that if God should deal with this Nation according to its demerits then indeed no other could be expected but an utter desolation of it that it might either swim in bloud or burn with fire untill it were consumed But First I desire you to consider That God hath a very great number of his dear Saints in this Kingdom in whom he delights and for whose sake he may and I had almost said will spare this Kingdome and spare the Cities and Towns and Counties where they are for if God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons we have a great ground of hope that he will spare London yea all England from a generall devastation and desolation having thousands of righteous persons in London and in all England a very great number And how many plots of wicked men wherein they endeavoured the ruine of this Kingdome hath God blasted Having such a great number of his precious jewels in it And secondly What though hâ—ere be in this Kingdome many that are great enemies to Jesus Christ yet God can by his Covenant of Grace bring many of them in to the obedience of Christ and make them of persecutors to become eminent Saints and call those his people that were not his people And why should we doubt whether he would do so since these are the times wherein he hath promised to do so and hath already begun to doe it But Thirdly If it be so that some are hardned to destruction and they are never quiet but still are plotting against the just to ruine them yet know they shall not prevail over the Saints but in opposing them shall ruine themselves Zech. 12. 3. as appears in the following Discourse Secondly Doubtfull thoughts may be in others that yet the Saints may be overcome because they see they have so many enemies abroad and at home and they are speaking great words and are still plotting against them To such I say Let them suppose that there were none that did dare to make any opposisition at all in this Kingdome but that all things went smoothly on in the hands of those that are carrying it on and if they could then beleeve that indeed God would not have his Saints in this Kingdome to be troden under foot by the Beast any more Then let them have the same faith to beleeve it now as knowing it is as easie with God to carry on this work over the mountains as over the plains and he will make the great mountain to become a plain before Zerubbabel before his people Zech. 4. 7. He can command those that are preparing warre against them to sit still and proceed no farther and put a fear upon them or if they doe goe on yet he can make it to come to nothing and to be the most effectual way to lay them lower and to raise his people higher Now if any particular man would be as sure of safety as all the Witnesses in generall are then if he be a man in any publike imploiment let him according to his place oppose the Beast and act for the welfare of all that wish well to Sion and doe justice unto all from the highest unto the lowest and be more forward to act for the meanest then for the highest Let him suppose the condition of the meanest man that seeks to him for just things to be his own condition and act for him as hee would be dealt with himself were he in that condition for thus relieving of the poor and distressed ones is most acceptable to the Lord of Sabbath and in so doing I am confident it will go well with him however it go with others Again If he be a private man let him also in his place wish well to Sion and oppose the Beast so shall he also prosper in the prosperity of Sion And now Reader who ever thou art if thou dost receive any benefit of any kinde by reading the ensuing Discourse whether of encouragement consolation information or quickning I beseech thee to return all the glory of it to the most High to whom alone it is due who for that end made use of so weak an instrument in whom if thou be a friend to the Lord Jesus Christ I am Thy friend 〈◊〉 serve thee M. Cary. Revel Chap. 11. from Vers 1. to 14. Verse 1. AND there was given me a reed like a rod and the Angel stood saying Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein 2. But the Court which is without the Temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy City shall they tread under foot fourty and two months 3. And I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if any man wil hurt them he must in this manner be killed 6. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the daies of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to bloud and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will 7. And when they shal have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit shall make war against them and shall overcome them and kill them 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Aegypt where also our Lord was crucified 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three daies and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoyce over them and make merry and shall send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 11. And after three daies and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon them which saw them 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them Come up hither And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them 13. And the same hour was there a great
indeed the Lord Jesus Christ that doth order and dispose all things in and concerning his Church and all things in the world and therefore it is that all power is given unto him in heaven and earth Mat. 28. He is the King of the holy hill of Sion Psalm 2. And he must rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break them in peeces like a Potters vessel and he must raign untill he have put all his enemies under his feet Rise and measure The Lord Jesus doth not leave his people in the hand of enemies nor under the rod of the wicked in a carelesse manner as if he did not care how much they were given up to the hand of the enemies no but they are measured out to affliction and so far as they are measured out unto it so far shall they be under affliction and no farther So God measured Job to affliction All that he hath is in thy power only upon himself put not forth thine hand Job 1. 12. and again Behold he is in thine hand but save his life The wicked shall not goe a hairs-breadth beyond the measure Jesus Christ hath such a tender respect unto all his people in their sufferings that they shall have no more then need 1 Pet. 1. 6. Measure the Temple The word Temple in the old Testament is used only for that House that Solomon built in Jerusalem unto the Lord which was called the Temple of the Lord it being the place wherein God was in a speciall manner present and wherein he would in a speciall manner be worshipped But in the new Testament it is used first for the Church the Saints of God of which that Temple was a figure for as God was in a speciall manner present in that Temple so he is in a speciall manner present in his people And so we have it 2 Cor. 6. 16. For ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 1 Cor. 6. 19. What know ye not that your bodies are the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you c. and thus the word Temple in the new Testament is used for the Saints as the Temple was a figure of them as they have a speciall presence of God in them Which is likewise spoken of Isay 66. 1 2. Thus faith the Lord the Heaven is my Thron and the Earth is my foot-stool where is the house that ye build unto me and were is the place of my rest for all these things hath my hand made and all these things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even unto him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word So that he that is of a poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at the word of God shall be the house the Temple of God As we have it also Isay 57. 15. But secondly The word Temple in the new Testament as it is used for those in whom there is a speciall presence of God so it is used to signify that means by which knowledge and instrustion is given out as the Temple of old was the place where people were to receive instruction and knowledge And in this sense it is used Rev. 21. 22. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it This is spoken of the new Jerusalem of that glorious state the Church shall be in when they shall be all taught of God from the greatest to the least Now the word Temple heer in the Text doth signify these Eirst It signifies the Saints of God as they are they in whom God in a speciall manner dwels And Secondly It signifies the Ordinances and means whereby knowledge is dispensed and instruction is received for it is the Saints that are as lights in the World and they both instuct the ignorant and edify one another especially when they are congregated assembled together to worship God according to his own will and to prophesy to edify one another The Temple of God and the Alter and them that worship therein It clearly appears in these words that the word Temple heer includes the Saints both as they are an habitation of God through the spirit and so are his Temple and as they are being assembled together the means of instruction and increasing knowledge and doe worship God aright For least the word Temple should not be full enough to expresse this it is added And the Altar which in the Temple was the place where they worshipped God and them that worship therein Not only the place of worship but the worshippers So that this takes in all Saints as they are a Temple as their assemblies are the place wherein God is worshipped and instruction is given and received and as they are worshippers as Saints worshipping God and possessing God Verse 2. But the Court that is without the Temple The Court is said to be without the Temple as of old the Court was without the Temple and was a more common place not so holy as any part of the Temple was so that the Court heer being without the Temple it is some outside thing it is no part of the Temple Now it being apparent that Saints onely are the Temple of God this Court heer mentioned though it seem to be neer the Temple yet is not the Temple is none of the Saints but some outside professors that seem to the outward eye to be near to Saints as the Court was near to the Temple yet they are not of that holy place they are but an outside they are without the Temple But the Court that is without the Temple leave out or cast out and measure it not Though Jesus Christ have a tender care of his Saints under affliction and they are measured out to the chastisement appointed to them yet hath he no such respect unto such as are not his Though they are professors Though they seem to be near the Temple yet if they be not the Temple though they do professe him yet if they do not possesse him as the Temple doth they must be left out cast out of the care of Jesus Christ But the Court that is without the Temple cast out and measure it not Jesus Christ will not own that as his and therefore it must not be measured For it It was the Temple and the Altar and them that worshipped therin that was measured out to chastisement So then it was it that was to be given unto the Gentiles by measure so that this word for it may be read thus for the Temple Is given unto the Gentiles The word Gentiles in the old Testament when the Temple was in its glory was used to expresse such as were not of the Church of God for the Israelites only were accounted the Church all others were looked upon as