people to maintain them in their câ—stly trade of fornication each with other but more of this hereafter But because those Truths which concern the time of the end in Daniel and the Revelation cannot be so well understood by the Saints who are unskilfull in that part of the word of righteousness therefore they shall do well to enquire of those who by reason of use Heb 5 13 14. have their senses exercised in those most excellent mysteries And if they look up to the Lord with unfeigned desire not to be taken in that snare which shall come upon the Inhabitants of the earth do read those Books concerning the accomplishment of these promises as the Eunuch did Isaiahs who knows but the Lord may provide a Philip to open and interpret those mysteries to satisfaction beyond all expectâ—tion Generation work in three books of great use in these times by Jo. Tillinghast And because by special providence I have received refreshment three several times by three several Books written by Mr. Tillinghast concerning Generation-work theâ—eâ—ore I recommend them to the Saints The first time was when I was conflicting with strong temptations to intermit my method of Teaching concerning the present Truth and work of Christ and the Spirit of God meeting my spirit in reading the first of Jeremy Jer. 1.7 8 9 10. 17.18 19. 2 Cor. 10.5 and helping me to subdue those carnal reasonings The first part of Generation-work was unexpectedly brought to my hands at that very juncture of time when I had been a thinking that I was alone in this business The next season was exactly when I was apprehended and committed to the Messengers house An Introduction to this Altogether-causelesse long Imprisonment as the Lord knows to whom I have Appealed even then also unexpectedly was the second part brought unto me first in sheets and before the publication the third time when I was shut up a close prisoner in this strong Castle and none of the Saints suffred to come at me as formerly and at that very time the third part was conveyed to me I look upon it as very instructing to me that they should be published at those seasons when they might be most useful for the incouragement of so weak a Worm I could not but take this opportunity to bear testimony to my dearly beloved Brother and Fellow-labourer in the present work of Christ and Fellow-student in this present Truth which shall prosper and prevail in despight of Men and Devils even to the darkning of that Pomp and Splender of the Kingdom of the Beast and to the subverting of that Power and Policy which now delude and govern the Nations Rev. 16.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Kingdom became darkned or was made dark and that in such a marvellous manner and method of proceeding as shall amaze the wisest Princes of this world when they enter into a deep consideration of the same But that I may if the Lord please convey a little light into the understanding of my Brethren in this Cause This I say at present When the people of God are come out of Babylon and have once made a further and more compleat separation from that Scarlet Bloudy Drunken Strumpet Rev. 18.4.6 SO AS THAT THEY PARTAKE NOT IN THE LEAST OF ANY OF HER SINS when they are by the Lord put into a capacity of rewarding her as she hath rewarded them and their elder Brethren in the generations before them Then and not till then will the Saints throw the Burden off from their own shoulders and the iron yoke of Taxes and Tribute and of other Bond-serviâ—e Jer. 51.57 upon her neck and upon the necks and the shoulders of her Princes of her wise men her Captains and her Râ—lers and of her mighty men Oh Dear Brethren shall we live to see that day What a sight is here It is Spectaculum dignum Deo the Lord Jesus who sits on the right hand of the Father expecting to see his foes made his footstool Heb. 10.12 13 Isa 37.22 Rev. 17.5 will take great delight to see The Virgin Daughter of Sion despising the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth to laugh this proud Lady of Kingdomes to scorn to behold the Daughter of Jerusalem to shake her head at this persecuting City she and her Lovers shall bee like ashes under the soals of the feet of this Ransomed and Redeemed people Therefore be of good courage Mal. 4 3. oh yee oppressed Saints fear not for Jehovah Elohim will make your Horn iron and your Hoof brasse and you shall beat in peeces many people but remember you consecrate not their gain to your selves as the new Model hath done Mich 4.13 which will not turn to so good account as they think for but to the Lord of the whole earth who expects to be honored with the first fruits of all your increase I read of three sorts of Princes first Three kinds of Priâ—ceâ— and but one kind good The Princes of Babylon mentioned even now Secondly The Princes of the Degenerated Jews And thirdly Jehovans Princes 1 The Princes of Babylon are altogether for the spoyl and the prey for the crushing of the people so that they were and are abundant in treasures and there is no measure of their covetousnesse Jer. 51.13 2 The Princes of the Jews revolted from the Lord Her Princes speaking of Jerusalem saith the Prophet within her are ROARING LIONS Her Judges are EVENING WOLVES they gnaw not the bones till the morning Zeph. 3.3 Jerusalem is called An oppressing City Her Princes are Lions c. 3 Jehovahs Princes Ezek. 45. In the Land shall be the Princes possession in Israel and MY PRINCES saith the Lord SHALL NO MORE OPPRESS MY PEOPLE Ezek. 45.8 9. Ezek 48.35 and the name of that City shall be called The Lord is There where the Lord is and where his Princes are there shall be no more any oppression and spoyl The Prophet goes on Thus saith the Lord God Let it suffice you Oh Princes of Israel Remove violence and spoyl and execute Judgement and Justice TAKE AWAY YOUR EXACTIONS FROM MY PEOPLE saith the Lord God When you see Princes and Rulers squeezing the people raising of Taxes compelling the poor Parishioners to pay treble Damages for not paying the Popes Tithes while you feel the Publican and the Excise-man countenanced and incouraged in their vexatious Collections and exactions upon the poor of the people Think with your selves these are not the Princes of Jehovah but either they are the Princes of Babylon directly and professedly or else the Princes of Apostatized Israel who have the name of Christians but the nature of Tyrants But on the other side when you see an Higher Power incouraging the Lords people to come out of Babylon effectually and for ever when you see the chief Magistrates in their own persons to renounce all communion with the enemies of Christ and to
promising conforming to such prohibitions as that I am made more fervent in spirit against the abominations of these men from the Highest to the Lowest and for the promoting the Interest of my Lord against the Court-Interest lately set up in contradiction to their own solemn Declarations in the sight of God Angels and Men not many yeers ago It is coâ—â—â—rtable to consider That true spiritual Christians have an unction which teacheth them of all things â— Joh. 2.20 27. and they accordingly from that unction have learned to distinguish betwixt the Power and the Weakness of the Rulers betwixt the Ordinances of God and of Men for by the light of the word of truth they know that righteous Laws are the strength of the Higher Powers and that Tyranny and the Results and Consequences of Arbitrariness in Government are their weakness and their folly and not onely so for the knowledge hereof may in some degrees be attained by such as know not Christ but they are able in the power of a higher Spirit then that of the proudest Monarchs to tell them THIS IS A TYRANNICAL WAY OF RULING AND THAT IS A PLAIN CONTRADICTION TO THE LAW OF CHRIST and shall be broken and destroyed though all the Kings of the earth should joyne their Power and Policy to uphold it It is one thing to know wherein Rulers do commit open Abominations and it is another thing to testifie openly against those publick wickednesses without respect of persons But more of this afterwards in its proper place for here it is a Digression from the point in hand I have many things to bring out of that treasury which the Lord hath put into this earthen vessel and should rejoyce to have an opportunity to exemplifie those Truths by lively voice which have been set upon my spirit in this prison where I have remained this nine months and more for I finde it very difficult to express my minde by writing but this I have to encourage me The Lord is able to bless my Indeavors this way for the present seeing I am so unrighteously hindred from preaching the Gospel by the Powers now in Being Having spoken thus much to the first general Qualification That I do own the Powers that are but how ACCORDING TO GOD or ACCORDING AS GOD HIMSELF HATH COMMANDED having particularly explained my meaning to own them by submitting to their Laws whether Arbitrary or Rational according as may consist with our Allegiance to Christ and the direction of his word and spirit which in very many cases directs us to obey passively but to die rather then to fulfil their Law by active obedience I shall now go on to the next limitation which is to own them in paying tribute custom and honor and fear as I have expressed in the forementioned Epistle I shall now go on to the next Limitation which is to pay them Tribute and Custome Honor and Fear as I have expressed in the fore-mentioned Epistle And because I do own the Higher Powers in this particular also I shall explain my self herein likewise A Discourse concerning Taxations from Scripture according as I intended when I wrote though then I had not any thoughts that I should bee brought upon the Stage to give so publick an account of my Principles and Practice in the payment of those Taxes which I and others of my Brethren are still burthened withall though some Abatement is now spoken of But first for the better and more effectual satisfaction of the people of God I shall communicate what I have met with in the good word of God concerning this thing for it is suitable to my Office and may bee useful to the Saints to understand something concerning the first practice of this Oppression and which will bee more welcome when their Taxations will bee removed and have an end It is to bee remembred That one of the Higher Powers is described very briefly and emphatically thus Heb. One that causeth an Exactor to passe over He did suddenly stand up was as suddenly pulled down Whether Moses Joshua the first Judges which preceded Monarchy were Raisers of Taxes Dan. 11.20 There shall stand up a RAISER of TAXES c. but within few dayes he shall be destroyed neither in Anger nor in Battel It is worth our observation That the Spirit of God gives him no other Title as if this Taxing of the people were the Beginning and the End of his Reign Before I speak of particular Instances I desire the Reader to search the Scriptures that so he may be able to satisfie himself in this Question viz. Whether Moses Joshua or the Judges did practise the way of Assesments and Impositions upon their Brethren which now are so current and have been so much in use in the Nations round about as well as here at home so that it is as it were another nature as it happens to those Porters who carry Burthens custome makes that to seem but light to them which to another not conversant in such Imployment would be found a Burthen too heavy for him to bear The children of Israel were made a FREE PEOPLE by God when he took them out of the House of Bondage and so might have continued under their Judges Jehovah being their King and Lawgiver If they had not set up a King after the manner of the IDOLATROUS NATIONS round about them There is not a more broad black badge of absolute slavery under absolute Sovereignty than for a people once made free by Gods especial Providence to be contented to bee Taxed and Assessed by the Arbitrary power of a Sovereign Lord afterward I shall begin this Epitome of the HISTORY of TAXES Monarchy and Taxes born brought forth among Gods people in Samuels time with the History of Monarchy set up in the midst of Israel rashly and unadvisedly by themselves when they were blessed with Samuel one of the best Governours that ever the people of God injoyed for it appears to mee that these Burthens upon the Lords people came in with Kingship or at least the way was prepared for Bondage to return upon them when nothing but a King would serve their turn For when the Lord bid Samuel protest solemnly unto them It is the manner of Kings to take the peoples goods in part or in whole 1 Sam. 8.14 15. 16 17. verses and shew them the manner of the King that shall reign over them Among other heads of Arbitrary power which he reckoned up before them hee tells them plainly THAT THEIR KING WOVLDTAKE THEIR FIELDS AND THEIR VINEYARDS AND THEIR OLIVEYARDS even the best of them and give them to his servants And he will TAKE saith Samuel THE TENTH OF YOVR SEED AND OF YOVR VINEYARDS and give to his Eunuchs and to his servants He will TAKE THE TENTH OF YOVR SHEEP and yee shall be his servants c. Now although the total sum of the charge besides their bondage otherwise
or for the doing of such things I do not find any honest man rising up against them but this will not signifie in the least any such thing as an approving of them to be lawfull Powers as I have shewed before and as it may be further instanced in their Predecessors who though they did many excellent things in their day yet because they miscarried in other respects the Lord did find them out and took a convenient time to lay their honor and power in the dust Let this suffice at present for I must now dispatch this Section There is one Objection onely which possibly may lie upon the spirits of some choyce servants of the Lord and this it is Object Although Christ and his Disciples did submit to the Higher Powers in their day yet it doth not seem to be a pattern for us upon whom the ends of the world are come For first We have resisted the Powers in our day and are blameless in the account of the most judicious Teachers which are among us And Secondly If we should submit as they in the primitive times how could vengeance be executed upon Babylon and her Adherents the Kings of the earth according to the Prophecies in the Word Ans 1. I grant it is most true there is ground to expect a time when we shall no more be subject to the Fourth Beast and his little Horn which time you must think those who suffer in all Countries under Papal and Regal Tyranny do long after but till that time you see that the two witnesses do suffer under the prevailing power of their Adversaries Ans 2. But for satisfaction of those who have not considered the matter viz. the different estate of the Saints in different times It is to be remembred and well observed That Jeremy in the beginning of their captivity did by the word of the Lord direct the Jews to seek the peace of the City whither he had caused them to be carried away captives and to pray unto the Lord for it Jer. 29.7 for in the peace thereof shall yee have peace Jer. 29.7 But now if you turn to Psal 137.8 9. you shall find there was a time to come when the Jews should be contrary minded to that passage before mentioned saying Oh Daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones You see what different language and carriage here is in reference to the same City and Power at different seasons yea Jeremy himself who sent word that they should pray for Babylon as you have heard at the beginning of the seventy years sent another message contrary to it not long after I will fix but upon one passage or two Jer. 51.33 It is time to thresh Babylon saith the Lord and the time of her harvest shall come Again vers 35. The violence done unto me and unto my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitant of Zion say and my blood be upon the Inhabitants of Caldea shall Jerusalem say Here is very differing language from the former message this cannot be praying for the City it is no less than cursing of Babylon as you plainly see Even thus it is with the true Israelites of the New Testament-times when they were first of all persecuted by the Roman Power they could not prophecy nor pray for the ruin of Rome it was not the truth and work of that age and so there was neither light nor spirit for any such enterprize but now it is seasonable in this day and I am perswaded if it were possible for the Apostles to be and to come among the living Saints in this Nation who have not defiled their Garments upon the dunghil of this world nor betrayed the Cause of Christ wherewith they have been intrusted they would incourage them to spend their arrows and not spare against this mystical Babylon they would own that cause and work truth for which we indure so great oppressions and persecution and therefore although I must needs be subject till the time of deliverance come and that deliverance shall come by Instruments annointed of God as Cyrus was yea with a better annointing yet because by a spiritual instinct flowing from that Divine Nature whereof through rich Grace I do partake I do know assuredly that we shall be so far ere it be long from praying for the Powers under the little Horn that we shall reward them as they have rewarded us Therefore I say do I thus speak and thus write and pray with other enlightened and enlivened Saints Pour out the remaining vials of thy wrath upon the PRESENT POWERS of the Earth who will not have Christ to reign over them and let all the followers of the Lamb say Amen Thus I have finished the explanation of the fourth Section of the Epistle with such further manifestation of the truth in this point as for the present I am furnished withall from the word and Spirit of the Lord and therefore I shall pass on to the next SECT V. IN this part I am willing to give an account to those who are dark in this matter Quest How I can justifie my practice of preaching down the Powers in being as my manner was when as my declared Principlet are and have been constantly to own them and therefore not to resist or rise up against them how can these things stand together It seems a Paradox if not an impossible thing in reason that the same man at the same time should both own the Powers and endeavor their destruction Thus no question many will query concerning this matter Answ 1. If it were needful I might easily shew how common a thing it is for two contrary qualities to be in the self-same subject at the same time in divers respects and in different degrees but those School-distinctions are not for the edifying of such kind of inquirers as I intend satisfaction to and therefore I shall first put them in mind of that which is in the Letter and then explain my meaning by particular instances in the word Answ 2. The sum of what I wrote is this That the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs in all ages i. e. since Kings and such like Arbitrary Powers were over the Saints did own the Powers in being in their daies and yet at the self same time they Preached and Prophecied against them for their Abominations and so have I done and will do the Lord assisting according to their examples This is the sum of the Answer in the Letter Now I will endeavor to illustrate that which seems so dark to others I begin with Samuel First He owned Saul as an Higher Power annointed and appointed of God to rule over his people as you find in 1 Sam. 9.17 and 1 Sam. 12.5 in this last Chapter you shall find these words to the people That yee may perceive and see
their shepherd to feed them with knowledge and understanding in this point and therefore accordingly I spent some time in clearing it up unto the Congregation in a second Epistle written in answer unto theirs It seems some of them through anacquaintedness with Scripture-distinctions in this doctrine and otherwise did not make a right interpretation of the Truths therein expressed but mistooke my minde and meaning and so whether weakly or willingly divulged or suffered to be divulged abroad some passages in the Letter which ought not to have been done considering the Letter was intended for their use and edifying onely and not for open publication I had some hint of this in a short time but not being conscious to my self of any alteration in the least no not in thought and purpose of heart toward a compliance and well knowing that no part of the Letter could signifie any such thing if rightly understood I neglected the rumour as onely one of the petty stratagems of the devil whereby to do me some mischief But afterward finding that that secret whisper and murmur was ripened suddenly into an infamous report Letter after Letter also representing this as of very sad consequence to that Name and Cause for which I am bound with this Chain I was brought under a necessity of presenting to publick view the Epistle it self so far as it concerns this Cause Especially when I finde it certified that one well known to all sorts of people in the City coming where several were together in company did in a laughing and scoffing maner draw forth a paper and say There was my Recantation pretending it was mine own Letter or a Copy of it wherein I wrote That I was now satisfied that the Government was a lawful authority c. It appears to me that the envious One and his Emissaries are altogether in extreams in their suggestions against my Good Name sometimes the world must be made believe yea and the Elect also that I am against Magistracie and Ministery that I am an enemy to Government a most dangerous man in my Principles that way c. Again sometimes it is for his advantage to perswade such as would have it so that I am come over to my Adversaries and Oppressors of mine own accord and that suddenly too without any Overtures made or Arguments used to draw me to a compliance or conformity But how improbable and irrational a practice such an hasty return would appear to solid Christians to be I refer it to themselves to say and judge No blessed be the Lord I shall not so far be forsaken by him or left to my self as to gratifie the foes and grieve the friends of my dear Redeemer by turning Apostate after all my sufferings in so good a Cause HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR HIS SERVANT yea let all my Friends and Enemies also know assuredly that I stand my ground by divine assistance yea I get ground and am abundantly confirmed that I am out of the reach of the earthly powers insomuch that if they should slay me they could not hurt me Let God in all things be glorified by Jesus Christ to whom also be glory for ever Amen The Epistle followeth together with a further manifestation of the Truth This following is a true Copy of the Epistle so far as concerns the matter in hand which I have divided into Sections for methods sake in the explanation of my meaning Grace mercy and peace from the ever-over-flowing Fountain to every son and daughter of the living God Sect. 1 HAving lately even in my last unto you declared among other things that purpose and determination concerning my Bonds and Imprisonment which I have according to my best understanding taken up upon Scripture-ground I shall now proceed to add something for the rectifying of some mistakes about the present powers and the image of the Beast It falling in properly upon this occasion for me to speak something to you concerning those Truths which do lie somewhat remote and out of the way of ordinary observation Sect. 2 The judgement of the Congregation appears by their Letter to me to be this viz. That you cannot do any thing toward my enlargement prayer excepted without owning the Powers in Being the doing of which say you is accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beast Now for the better clearing up of the minde of God in this dark and doubtful matter I shall plainly declare as follows Sect. 3 First I do not know by whom the ownnig of the Powers in Being is accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beast It was never neither is it like to be mine Opinion and whether you mean some of your Number or of other Congregations I cannot tell if I had particularly known I should have given a particular Answer for as for my self I do own the Powers in Being according as God himself hath commanded and have done all along I have and do render to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Sect. 4 And therefore secondly the doing of this that is Owning the Powers in Being is not ought not to be accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beast to own those Powers aforesaid is a plain duty not to be dispensed with by any Law of man whatsoever where as to worship or bow the knee to the Beast is a known sin forbidden in the Word of God By the Powers in Being I understand the Army as Supream and all those who joyne with them to carry on the work of justice and of mercy according to the indubitable principles of right reason and equity for Rulers saith the Apostle are not a terror to good workes but to the evil and so far as the Powers answer those principles they are Powers and the Ordinance of God and there is no more reason to resist them then there is to resist righteousness and truth whilst and so long as they answer the ends for which they were ordained and you know I never taught you to rise up against them in the least Sect. 5 If any would ask me How I can be said to own the Powers and yet preach against them and for the destroying of them thus one after another I answer I do in this matter as the Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs and upright and understanding Saints in all ages did before me for I make no question but they owned the Powers then in Being according to their own Doctrine and principles and yet at the same time preached and prophesied against them for their abominations both to their faces and behinde their backs also and this was done by the Lords faithful servants in all ages but I confess it did cost them very dear some their lives others their liberties others their ther substance c. where as the Court-Chaplains the Parish-Clergie and the Apostate Independents take a very
house or otherwhere I were bound to stand upon my guard in such a case as men do every day against Theeves and Robbers c. 3 I am subject to them also for wraths sake partly and partly for conscience sake in point of Taxes I would refist others who should demand any part of that wherewith the Lord hath blessed me by inheritance or otherwise neverthelesse I would be very glad to live under a Power that would not be a Raiser of Taxes and hope to see Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Isa 1.26 before I dye 4 I give honor where it is due I understanding it to be due but when persons are not known how can it bee known what is their due or what respect belongs unto them and I conceive this is an owning of Powers likewise 5 I am willing also to be afraid of the Powers if I am found to be an evill doer hereafter and this made out to me by the word of God And what is due to others of the children of men I desire to give or render to them according as is meet for I would owe no man any thing but love and the Lord help and quickenâ—es all up to love to love the Lord and to love all the Saints yea the Lord make his people to increase and abound in love one toward another and towards All Men as it is written 1 Thess 3.12 Before I pass to the next Section it seemeth requisite that somewhat from the Scripture should be spoken concerning the time of the end of those Yokes of Bondage whereby the best people have been oppressed by the Kings of the Earth from King Saulâ— time unto this day For it is very probable that the intelligent Reader doth remember that I hinted such a poynt in the Introduction to this Historical Epitome of those Burthens whereof I have been speaking Quest Saying What hope is there of an end of these burthens But when shall the Lords people be a free people when shall the Oppressor cease when shall the Extortioner be hindred from taking of our Substance we had thought this New Model would have continued as they begun to be our Deliverers from Monarchical and other Tyranny but we have learned Every man is a lie and lighter than vanity Psal 62 9. and therefore we will no longer relie upon an arm of flesh What doth God the Lord speak to his people in this matter c. Answ 1. It is apparent and plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Buâ—chered or slâ—ughtered so the word â—igâ—ifieâ—h Jugulo to cut the throat as Butchers do with sheep Rom. 8. â—7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are counted as sheep for the slaughter-house The Roman Empire was like a slaughter house the first 300 years Ezra 9.8 that as the souls of the Saints slain in former ages for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held do continue to cry HOW LONG O LORD HOLY AND TRVE so the living Saints who also are lively and sensible of the present persecutions and imprisonments of their Brethren do Eccho to the voyce of those who have died in the Lord and for the Lord HOW LONG O LORD HOLY AND TRVE 2. But then consider that as it was with the godly Jews upon their return from their captivity in Babylon so it is with us who but a few years ago came out of Babylon in part and but in part And Ezra's words will wel express our present state or at least as it was some few years since For a little space or for a moment grace hath been shewed us from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in his holy place that our God may lighten our eies and give us a LITTLE REVIVING IN OVR BONDAGE For we were Bond-men yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the Kings of Persia to give us a REVIVING to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem Yet afterward this fair first-fruits of redemption was blasted for in the first of Nebemiah a bitter complaint is brought which may answer our condition likewise The remnant that are left of the captivity are in great affliction and reproach Nehem. 1.3 the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Thus you see their little reviving from their bondage and OVR LITTLE REVIVING FROM OVR BONDAGE comes afterward to be extinguished in reference to Church-work the Temple-work could not go forward the walls and gates being broken down and burnt with fire and this is our complaint also And as for our outward Liberties and Estates Nehem. 9.37 Nehem. 10.28 The Kings have Dominion over our Bodies and over our Cattle AT THEIR PLEASVRE and we are in great distress as were those Jews at that time Namely such as had separated themselves from the people of the Lands unto the Law of God Observe that description they separated themselves c. and so let the Disciples of Christ do at this day unto the LAW OF THEIR GOD ALSO for this is expected from them by the Lord. The consideration of this NEW UNEXPECTED TYRANNY under which we groan doth cause many poor hearts to fear our deliverance is not near and the rather they fear it because the famous NEW MODEL with whom the Lord was so eminently when they were about his work are so exceedingly degenerated that they have espoused the old quarrel and the old interest under the ill-favored disguise of another kind of Kingship which yet is not another but the same in principle in spirit and in operation Answ 3. Wherefore do you indeed desire to know whether or no the Lord will shortly turn again the captivity of Sion Psal 126.1.4 as the streams in the South would you in good earnest have skill and understanding in this matter Then in the next place take my Brethren the Prophets for an example particularly the Prophet Daniel Dan. 9 2. See 1 Per 1.11 Searching whâ—â— or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did sigu fie when it restified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Rev. 17.17 who understood by Books the number of the years when the desolation of Jerusalem of holy Jerusalem should have an end The Teachers of the people are exceedingly to blame that they do not fore-warn the people to come out of Babylon and engage against the Kings of the Earth with all their might But what do I mean to charm the deaf Adder it is not for their interest to discover the nakednâ—ss of the searlet Whore much less to exhort the people to strip her naked and make her desolate that she and her lovers the ten Horns or Kings may no longer oppress the
hitherto a perfect Law according to their own pleasure and principles for the setling thereof we wait to see and to know what the Lord will do and how far he will permit them to march in this dangerous path for the compassing of their ends who have been the chief Actors and Contrivers in this unparalled earthly Design to say no worse of it for the present But to leave those who have the spirits of Free-men if there be any shut up or left to dispute with their tongues and pens against the Souldiers Swords I shall proceed according to the latitude of my Commission from the Lord Jesus and direct my discourse to those people of God who have openly testified that the Lord is their Judge that Jehouab is their Lawgiver that Jehovah is their King Isa 33.22 and that he will save them I mean those Elders and Brethren of the Churches of Christ who have professed to make a compleat and perfect that is a total and final separation from the Mother of Harlots and from the Beast that carries her Rev. 17.5 7. and this they have done according to the Counsel and Call of God in the book of the Revelations And unto them I say on the behalf of their Lord and mine Brethren Ponder the paths of your feet for every particular step of every separated Saint in this Nation since the Twelfth of the Tenth Month 1653. hath been and is of very great moment and according to their walking since that day and hour when the Word and Spirit of Jehovah received so high and so desperate an Affront they may rationally expect extraordinary consequences for good or for evill coming toward them and remember this which you now read is neither Dream nor Fancy although the Rulers of this world will so account it till the God of heaven compel them to change their minds It cost the Six hundred thousand very dear even all that came out of Egypt Num. 14. who were of twenty years and upwards yea the righteous as well as the wicked their making of a Captain to carry them back again to Egypt when an oportunity was offered by God to passe over Jordan into the Promised Land But let me in brotherly love expostulate the case with you for I am through grace a fellow-member of the same Body Suppose the three Nations generally WILL be like the Israelites when they rejected Jehovah from being their King and WILL joyn with those earthly-minded men who said and proclamed it Wee WILL have a new kind of King to Reign over us and we WILL compel our Brethren by Fire and Sword by Jaylors and High Courts of Injustice to accept of that Monarch whom we have chosen for our selves Will you vote with these men and comply with these Apostates and Hypocrites You have given up your names to the Lords Jesus to be a peculiar people unto him are you not or should you not be an holy Nation in the midst of the Nations walking in the name of your King as the men of the world walk in the name of their Monarch Was it not for your sakes chiefly That Jehovah rebuked Kings and Princes of late yeers Is it not for his Sons sake Psal 105. and his Saints sake that he hath pulled down the whole structure of the old Government of these Nations yea he hath so ordered things that the very foundations are destroyed which not long since were accounted sacred and to the maintenance whereof the people were bound by Oath and solemn League and Covenant except a few who fore-saw that God himself was ingaged against the Old Heavens and the Old Earth in these Islands Were not these wonderful changes and desolations brought forth and finished when the Officers of the Army in their own names created formed and set up a Supreme Power after their own inventions and then after some few months when some choice spirits were resolved to proceed in that work which the New Moael had begun viz. to remove the remaining Rubbish of Heathenish and Popish Customes which obstructed the grand Design against Babylon and the Kings of the earth did not the Sword-men of that once famous New Model break in peeces and annihilate their own creation and that in the sight of Heaven and Earth without blushing and then tell the world a fable about Resignation whereas no agreement vote order or act passed in that Assembly to any such purpose But I must sigh out this complaint Very many of those who professe and pretend to be the Saints of the Most High have eyes and see not they have ears and hear not they have hearts and understand not unto this very day The veil is upon their hearts in the reading of the Prophecies of the Old 2 Cor. 2.14 and the New Testament And assuredly the Lord hath a great controversie with many of his own people because of this who will find him walking contrary unto them because they have walked contrary unto him in this particular What call from God or man have we to joyn with the Nations in setting up a New Image of worldly Government especially at this time of the day when that which our Ancestors built our God hath broken down and what our Fore-fathers had planted the Almighty hath plucked up even the principal Pillars and Foundations of the former Frame and is it an imployment worthy of us to help to repair the Tower of Babylon in this Land after these Earthquakes or to heal the deadly wound which the Beast hath received Consider doth it become us to help mingle the Iron and the Clay together that the Image may not want one of its Ten Toes Should you not rather unite with one another to help consolidate that Little stone which is to smite the Image upon its feet And put on the whole Armor of God that you may be ready at an hours warning to follow the Lamb who will ere long appear as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and make lamentable havock with the scarlet Whore and the scarlet coloured Beast upon which she Rides whose Ten Horns at length or some of them shall be guided to push the mother of the Abominations of the carth into a Pit of destruction prepared for her by the Lord. Besides all this which hath been spoken would it not be found to be part of our glory and perfection at the appearance of Jesus Christ to imitate the Apostles and Churches of Christ in the first times when they were so eminently taught of God in reference to this particular For when the Apostle Peter spake that word of Exhortation Act. 2.40 That they should save themselves from this untoward Generation Assuredly he intended not only a separation from the Doctrine Worship and Government of the Jewish Church but from the State also and Government thereof for now they had accepted of the Lord Jesus as their Prince to govern them as well as their Saviour to
that your wickedness is great which yee have done in the sight of the Lord in asking you a King concluding thus If you shall still do wickedly yee shall be consumed both yee and your King and Saul was present all this while when hee affrighted the people with sudden thunder and lightning in the time of Harvest to convince them of their great wickedness in asking a King and might muse with himself to observe how far Samuel owned him as a King before the people and yet at the same time he threatned and terrified the people for desiring him In like manner after this though he owned him as the King of Israel yet what a testimony did he bear from God against him for his hypocrisie disobedience and rebellion against the Lord and moreover to the hazard of his life prophecied or declared that God would reject him and had rejected him and would set up his neighbor in his stead c. This instance doth sufficiently explain my principle and practice But I shall not insist so largely upon Scripture-instances but put you in mind what I am to prove viz. That it is very possible for it hath been common to many of the Servants of the Lord for the same man at the same time to own the Powers in being and yet to Pray Preach or Prophecy against them as if they did not own them For this read the history of the Kings and Chronicles throughout I shall mention but one Instance concerning King Ahab and the Prophet Elijah These two met and this was the Kings salutation to the Prophet Art thou he that troubleth Israel Elijah Answers him I have not troubled Israel but Thou and thy Fathers House in that yee have forsaken the commandements of Jehovah and thou hast followed Baalim This was one greeting Observe the next 1 King 21.20 Ahab said to Elijah hast thou found me Oh mine Enemy The Prophet answered I have found thee because thou hast sold thy self to work evill in the sight of the Lord and so he proceeds to prophecy against Ahab and Jezebel for their murther of Naboth and taking away his Vineyard by oppression a Prophecy it was of utter destruction of the whole Family That of Daniel in dealing so plainly with King Belshazzer Chap. 5. from the 18. to the 28 is suitable to this point in hand nothing more clear than this Object It will be said It is undoubtedly true that the Prophets did acknowledge the Powers in being and yet at the same time did not spare them in the least either in respect of reproofs or of threatning those plagues and punishments which the Lord intended to bring upon them But what doth this concern us in the New-Testament-times they were annoynted of God to that work but is that an example for us to walk by who are Ministers of the Gospel c. An. This evasion is most absurd for can any rational man imagin that God taking such special care as it were not to leave himself without sufficient witness against the abomination of the Higher Powers in those daies will leave himself without witness now can it enter into any sober mans heart that the Lord should for above this thousand years leave the Rulers who pretend to be Christian Kings and Princes to the inclination of their own natures which are bad enough and none to reprove or threaten them in the name of the Lord for all their abominable wickednesses committed in the sight of the sun no they shall never plead another day The Kings and Princes of the Jews had Messengers and men of God to speak unto them to turn them from their evil ways but we had none to preach plainly and boldly against our sins but if we had known or it had been told us that such and such things had provoked the eyes of thy glory Lord we should not have persisted in the perpetration of them but our Chaplains and Ministers were no Prophets to deal with us as the Kings of Israel and Judah were dealt with therefore we desire these things may not be imputed to us No I say the Lord will cut off all such Pleas and Apologies For the Lord will tell them though your Court-Chaplains were so base and cowardly as that they would not deal plainly with you yet there were faithful Servants of mine who at a convenient distance did cry out because of all your abominations which you did commit but these you persecuted and banished and otherwise oppressed c. this I know will be returned to such Apologies But yet to gratifie the desires of such as would understand the truth I shall come to the new-Testament-times And first John the Baptist did not spare Herod the King though he was owned as the Higher Power at that time he could not connive at his Adultery and Incest his testimony cost him his head as the story is briefly related by the Evangelists But it may be some may object He was not a Minister of the New Testament Therefore we will observe Christs practice in this matter He owned the Powers and Rulers nevertheless he so reproved threatned preached and prophesied against the Chief Priests the Scribes and Pharisees abundance of which Sect were Rulers of the Jews as that they sought to lay hands on him from time to time but the Text saith they feared the multitude His Doctrine did single out the hypocrisie folly malice of the Magistrates from the sins of the multitude for if Christ had never so much preached against the sins of the people the Rulers would never have persecuted him who had stood up for their interest but you shall always find the Doctrine of our Lord did vex and disturb the Higher Powers exceedingly read the 21. of Matth. from the 33. to the end compared with the same Parable in the 12. of Mark and the 20 of Luke Also consider of the tenor of his Doctrine in the 23. of Matthew from the 12. to the end of that Chapter But let us go on to the Apostles times after Christ had sent down the Spirit to furnish them with gifts for the work of the Ministry more richly than before Peter in his sharp words to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Higher Powers are here included accusing them of the most abominable wickednesse that almost could be committed expresseth himself thus Him meaning the Son of God yee have taken and by WICKED HANDS HAVE CRUCIFIED AND SLAIN but more close to the matter in hand in Acts 4. vers 8 9 10. He owneth the present Powers and yet chargeth them with most horrible Murther the Powers charge him and John straitly to speak no more in that Name but to forbear they dis-own their commands to their faces though they submit to their Mittimus and Gaolers and tell them that God had raised up Jesus WHOM YEE SLEW say they and hanged on a Tree Observe how peremptory these Gospel-Ministers were in refusing to hearken to their threatnings there are but few
or upon some such profound Reasons of carnal State-policy Secondly As for their Countenance and Maintenance for my part I look upon both the one and the other as two of the sorest and most dangerous snares wherein Ministers can possibly be caught in these dayes For is it probable or indeed possible for any One of the whole Generation of the Parsons and Vicars in the Reformed Churches of Europe or for the Nurseries and Seminaries of them The several Universities in the Respective Nations which did alwayes and do to this Day All depend upon the Bounty Munificence and Good will of the serveral Higher Powers I say again How can it be that these or such like creatures of mans making should turn head upon their good Lords or bountiful Benefactors and so to bear an high Testimony for the Lord Jesus against the Oppressions Luxuries superstitions and other Abominations of the Princes of the world aforesaid It is not to be imagined or expected For do rational Men look for grapes from Thorns or for figs from Thistles They were not of Gods planting and how can they bring forth fruit unto God But if at any time the Lord himself by his own Spirit working in any one of them mightily do call them forth as he did Paul Luther and such like to bear his name before the Kings of the earth they must cast up their Reckoning with Paul c. and come to this conclusion even to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord for whom and whose service they will then willingly count their Benefices and promotions Ecclesiastical as they call them their Vice-chancellorships their Headships their Deaneries their Fellowships their University-Degrees their Augmentations but Dross and Dung that they may promote the work and honor of their Lord. For indeed this is the kindly Operation of the true knowledge of Christ And what Parish-Preacher soever he be who intends to be Christs Disciple in good earnest during the time of the Dominion of the little Horn and to follow him close so as to serve him with a perfect heart He must necessarily deny himself and forsake his House and Glebe Lands his Tythes and rates for Tythes whether personal or predial his State-salary or Augmentation or any other of the fine Things aforesaid for otherwise he cannot boldly bear up the Testimony of Jesus nor declare against the Babylonish Beast and the Ten Horns in all those things wherein they are guilty of High Treason against the Lord Jesus Christ his Crown and Dignity But if men will pretend to be for Christ and yet are so wise as to invent and contrive how to prevent sufferings for his sake let them stay behind and keep company with the world the world-like Church and the carnal Clergy yea let them do as the most do and then the fewest will laugh them to scorn But it may be said to me Although you are so malapert and so bold to throw dirt in the faces of so many Reverend Deans Doctors Divines Vice-chancellors with others of the worshipful Clergy and Orthodox Ministers in all the Protestant Courts Cities and countries in these parts of the world yet it is not much to be regarded what a prating fool doth speak besides Solomon saith A prating fool shall fall To this I reply They will do me manifest wrong whosoever shall say that I throw dirt in the faces of these men for the Truth is this They have besmeared their own faces with groveling upon the Dunghil of the filthy Antichristian world or else they have contracted Dirt for want of washing and cleansing their faces and their hands And I do but tell them where the dirt is and where the filth sticks upon them so as that they are and appear very Deformed by reason thereof And if you call me and my fellows prating fools for shewing you where the spots of Dirt are to be found we will be more vile and we will by the grace of God proceed and go on to play the fools for Christs sake and that till either you turn your backs and depart with shame or until you are perswaded to look into the glorious glass of the New Testament and compare our words with what you finde there represented to you for we will not be out-faced by you in this matter upon any terms But put the case we are such fools as you and your Patrons say and that we talk much more then our share comes to methinks you should suffer fools gladly seeing you your selves are so wise And what were it for some of you to perswade your Lord Protector to let out of prison two or three or a few fools to make sport for the wise men at the Court Certainly we being such simple and contemptible Ignoramusses could not prejudice so many wise men in any thing we could do or say Thus I have indeavoured to answer those objections and to speak something to those reproachful Cavils which are heard by many to proceed out of the mouths of Those who use to appear like the friends of Christ in a Sun-shine Day but to leave him when Tribulations or Persecutions arise because of the word As for the truth though it cannot be defended by us silly weak worms as the Lord knows we are yet the God of Truth will lift up the Banner of Truth and it shall be displayed in such glory at the length that all Nations shall flow unto it The latter part of this Section needs no Explanation for Res ipsa loquitur The Thing it self speaketh and speaketh aloud so that it is heard through the Nation viz. that the Carnal Clergy have no heart to declare or pray or confess according to the present exigences of the cause of our dear Redeemer But the Counsel of our Lord is plain Let them alone they are blind Leaders of the Blind and both shall fall into the Ditch And this shall suffice for this matter untill a better Oportunity Sect. 6 and 7. I need not spend time to satisfie any Readers concerning the contents thereof for they are themselves explanations of what went before Onely concerning the later part of the seventh I shall wait for such a season as the Lord by his wise providence shall administer for the best advantage of his service For for the present I do not finde my spirit free to increase this Treatise to a greater Bulk and price and I designed onely an explication of the first part in regard none else needed an Interpreter Sect. 8 and 9. The ensuing Epistle which I spake of in the first Section being obtained That will sufficiently enlighten the Reader in the understanding what I intend in those Things namely in the matter of application for my enlargment and how far it is from my very thoughts to accept of Deliverance upon base and Dishonourable Terms at any time In regard I know assuredly without any degree of doubting that I am sensible