by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus under the dispensation of the Gospel-state Proof The Characters of a right 5th monarchy man Gal. 5. 22. The fruits of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse faith Meeknesse Temperance Against which there is no Law And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof if we live in the Spirit let us walk in the spirit Let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another Jam. 2. 8. If ye fulfill the Royall Law according to the Scriptures Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self thou shalt do well But if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors for whosoever shall keep the whole Law and offend in one point He is guilty of all Reason For he which said Do not commit Adultery said also Do not kill Now if thou commit no Adultery yet if thou kill c. thou art become a transgressour of the Law 1. Pet. 1. 22 23. Seeing ye have purified your selves in obeying the trâ—th through the Spirit unto unfained love of the brethren so that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Cap. 3. 8. c. Be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another Love as brethren be pitifull be courteous not rendring railing for railing but contrary-wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing For he that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that he speak no guile Let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it Read the following words 1 John 3. 14. We know we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren v. 27. whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth his bowels of compassion Bar Quakers in this particular towards him how dwelleth the love of God in him My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth c. v. 33. And this is his Commandement that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement and he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Cap. 4. 17. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God For God is love c. Ecclesiastes 12. 13. Let us hear the conâ—lusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandements For this is the whole duty of man c. Assert 5 V. That in processe of time these two generall Principles were branched by the alone Law-giver into ten Precepts or words commonly termed the Decalogue or Ten Commandements Exod. 20. 1. c. God spake all these words saying Proof I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and out of the House of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me 2. Thou shalt not make to thee any graven Image or any likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth Thou shalt not bow thy self to them nor serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous Reason God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in Reason vain 4. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day Six dayes shalt thou labour and do all thy work thou nor thy son northy daughter thy Man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattel nor thy strangers that are within thy gaâ—es For in six days the Lord made heaven Reason earth the sea all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and Mother Reason That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shali not kil 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his Man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his ox nor his Asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Assert 6 VI. That the Lord Jesus came not to destroy this Law Proof Mat. 5. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one tittle in no wise shall passe from the Law till all be fulfilled wherefore whosoever shall break one of these least Commandements and teach men so shall be called least in the Kingdome of heaven But whosoever shall do and teach them shall be also called great in the Kingdome of heaven Assert 7 VII That the Apostles of our blessed Saviour did establish this Law under the Gospel Proof Rom. 2. 11 12 c. For there is no respect of persons with All the world liable to be judged by Gods Law The Law not made void through faith God for as many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom 3. 19. c. Is he the God of the Jews onely is he not also of the Gentiles yea of the Gentiles also seeing it is one God which shall justifie the Circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid Yea we establish the Law Assert 8 VIII That the Law which God gave unto Moses in Mount Sina were of three sorts i. e. the Moral the Judiciall and the ceremoniall Law The Contents of the Morall Law The Morall Law prescribeth a perfect Rule of righteousnesse discerning things that are Right and Just from the contrary both towards God and man both in reference to externall and internall duties requiring obedience under pain of everlasting death The Contents of the Judiciall Law The Judiciall Law belonged to the Civil State and were such Ordinances The Judiciall consists of Rules of Equity and Justice as contained rules of equity for the judging and deciding of civil controversies and questions decreeing punishments for the transgressions of the Morall and Ceremonial Lawes and consequently the very Bond of them Laws keeping the people in order and Obedience The Contents of the Ceremoniall Law The
Souldiers with your rhethorical Artillery But in the interim let us lay before them the following words of the Prophet v. 21. They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eat for as is the dayes of a Tree are the dayes of my people And my elect shall long enjoy the works of their hands It appeareth then there must be Mechanical persons in this glorious state which the two learned Doctors assert is to be for the following words saith They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth trouble Reas For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off spring with them they are then to procreate children under this glorious estate and condition vid. cap. 66. 22. And it shall come to passâ— that before they shall call saith the Lord I will Answer And whilâ—st they are yet spealing I will hear there is then to be the use of Ordinances under this glorious state and condition and pray c. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lyon shall eat straw with the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat i. e. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord. They shall then beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more Gentlemen you will stand in need of all your Rhethorick when you go about to convince the Souldiery of putting this Doctrine in practice But if this scripture be fulfilled and this glorious time is now under this present Government Why do they not as it is here directed by the spirit of God to be done And now Doctor I shall proceed to your confirmation of this grand doctrine from the New Testament to which purpose I finde you to instance 2 Pet. 3. 13. Where the Apostle having before in that cap. put the people of God in minde by way of remembrance touching the glorious kingdom and state which you and your brother Doctor hath affirmed must be and which I am sure yet is 〈◊〉 Reas For the Soldiers swords are not yet 〈◊〉 to Plow-shares nor their Spears into Pruning-books c. witneâ—â—â— the intolerable taxes yet to support them The Apostle I say having put the people of God in remembrance of the words which are spoken by the Holy Prophets and likewise of the commandment of them the Apostles of the Lord Jesus to such purpose and that they should not be danted touching the accomplishment thereof notwithstanding scoffing and mocking and blasphemiâ—g of the scoffing Ishmalites and railing and blasphemous Rabshakahs that should happen to be neer the time of its approach Who walking after their own lusts will say where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things have continued as they were from the beginning For this they are willingly ignorant of that by the word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the waters and in the water whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished But the heavens and earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men but beloved faith the Apostle be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day for the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long-suffering to us ward not wiling that any should perish but thaâ— all should come to repentance but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse looking for and hoping unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse not Idolatry and Tyranny Now for the better understanding of the Rabbies meaning tâ—â—ching the new Heaven and new Earth here mentioned I shall 〈◊〉 another passage of his in pag. 12. of that book where he having asserted that it is not to be meant of the material Heaven and Earth produceth this Scripture to prove the same i. e. Isa 51. 15 16. I am the Lord that divided the sea whose waves roared the Lord of Hosts is his name and I have put my words in thy mouth and have covered thee with the shadow of my hand that I might plant the heavens and lay the Foundations of the Earth and say unto Sion thou art my People In these words saith the Doctour by a Repetition of what he hath done he establisheth his people in expectation of what he will do And 1. He minds them of that wonderfull deliverance from an Army behind them from an ocean before them by his miraculous preparing dry paths for them in the deep I am the Lord who divided the sea whose waves roared 2. Of his greatnesse acquainting them with his mind i. e. his Laws and Ordinances at Horeb I have put saith he my words in thy mouth 3. Of that favourable and singular protection afforded them in the wildernesse when they they were encompassed with enemies round about I covered thee with the shadow of mine hand Query Now saith the singular Dean c. to what end was all this Resp Why saith he meaning the Lord by the Prophet that I might Plant the Heavens and Lay the Foundations of the Earth Query What of those material visible Heavens and Earth 2460 years before at least were they planted and established Resp It is all saith the Rabby but making of Sion a people which before was scattered in distinct Families Query And how was this done quoth the Doctour Resp Why the Heavens are planted or a glorious frame of Government and Policy is erected among them and the multitudes of their people are disposed into an orderly Common-wealth Note to be a firm Foundation and Bottome for the Government among them So that from what the Doctor hath here asserted it is as clear as the Sun in its brightest Lustre that the Frame of Government for the unmovable Kingdome or Jesus Christ or the fifth Monarchy Are those Laws Statutes and Judgements which were given by Jehovah at Horeb and revived and ratified by the Lord Jesus at Mount Olivet Mat. 5. For those are they the Doctour terms the firm Foundation a firm Foundation for an unmovable Kingdome And this Doctrine is also ratified by the Prophet Malachy c. 4. where speaking of the dissolution of those old Heavens and old
earth formerly treated of i. e. the Political Frame of Government which men have made for themselves c. i. e. of those Heavens and Earth which the Apostle Peter saith are to be burned and consumed by fire as also of that new Heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse I say the Prophet speaking of that Great and notable day of triall by fire telleth us by way of explanation what is intended by the Holy Ghost in such manner of expression saith Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven Note and all that are proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Proud and wicked persons must be this fire Lord and it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch but unto you that fear my name shall the Son of Righteousnesse appear with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow as calves of the stall and ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet Note In that day that I shall do this saith the Lord Remember what the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb with the Statutes and Judgements Ergo That Law Statutes and Judgments shall be put again in practise that day Again the Doctour doth further confirm this Doctrine from Rev. 21. 1. I saw a new heaven a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away And there was no more sea Here saith the Doctour the Heaven and earth is restored but the sea shall be no more Those gatherings together of many waters saith the Rabby Rivers from all places or Pretended Clergy men from all Nations into General Councels which were the sea or many waters on which the Whore sate shall have no * Note place at all in the Churches restored Conditions Reader you must understand the Rabby did not then dream of the Court of Tryers now at Whitehall or else you must if you can conceive them not to be pretended Clergy-men or a general Councel no you must take them to be only an image of such pretended Clergy men and general Councel and the like you know is not the same a pure Juggle But I conceive the Learned Doctor is out in the Exposition of that forenamed Text in Rev. for the holy Ghost doth not there speak of the Restauration of any of his Political Heavens and earth so much already treated of for the Text saith plainly they were passed away and the Prophet Isa saith cap. 65. 17. that they shall not be remembred nor come into the mind of God or his people therefore there can be no expectation of any restoring of them it must therefore be unavoidably meant of the aforesaid Laws Statutes and Judgements which the Doctour â—imself calls the firm foundation for the unmovable Kingdome of Jesus Christ and hence it is the Lord by Malachy puts his people in mind thereof at that notable day saying Remember ye the Law of Moses c. as aforesaid and therefore whereas it is said there shall be no more sea I do understand there shall be no more use of the Leviticall Priesthood that being now abolished by our blessed Saviour shall be no more No more use of the type when the antitype is come no more use of the shadow when we have the substance which mystâ—rie the Prophets saw but darkly as appears by their writings few of them seeing a Change of the Leviticall Priesthood which I conceive to be the great stumbling block to the Jews from Christs abode on earth to this present day But neverthelesse the Prophet David doth most excellently foretell the change thereof under the Gospel-dispensation as in Psal 40. where speaking in the person of Christ for it is impossible it should be understood of himself saith sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt-offerings and sin-offerings hast thou not required Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me that I should do thy Will O God which Text the Apostle Paul doth clearly expound of Christ Heb. 10. 8. saying above When he saith Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offering for sin thou wouldest not neither hast pleasure therein which are offended by the Law i. e. the ceremoniall Law Then said he Loe I come to do thy will O God He taketh away the first that he may establish the second he taketh away the shadow that he may establish the substance Now where was it prophesied of David that he should have a body given him to do away Sacrifice or to put an end thereunto it must therefore be meant of some others and what other than he that hath born our transgressions and by whose stripes we are healed vid. Isa 54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 c. and 52. 13 14. 15. in both which places also the Prophet speaketh of another person and not of himself i e. Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the pro 〈…〉 for our sinnes Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. and 4. 10. The Learned Doctour having thus proved for me what is meant by the Old Heavens and the Old Earth as also the New Heavens and the New Earth i. e. by the Old Heaven and Old Earth all the Old Forms of Government since the Creation that have been made by Political or Humane invention as also the New Heavens and new Earth to be that Constitution or Government made by God himself and ratified and confirmed by Jesus Christ i. e. the two grand Principles of Nature afterward branched forth into the Deoalogue or ten Commandements with the Statutes and Judgements unneued thereunto and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in the New Testament which is the Spiritual Ecclesiastical or Gospel-part thereof I shall in the next place bring the presenâ— powers and Constitutions of Government in the Nation to the test or touchstone of the Scriptures and in this particular also Mr. Owen shall say for me in the forementioned Sermon p. 21. i. e. That the Kings of the Earth have given their power to Antichrist indeavouring to the uttermost to keep the Kingdome of Christ out of the world or that we term the fifth Monarchy What I pray hath been their main businesse for 700 years and upward even almost ever since the Man of sin was inthroned The Doctors Queries to this purpose How have they earned the Titles of eldest son of the Church The Catholick and most Christian King Defender of the Faith and the like Hath it not been by the blood of Saints Is there not in every one of these Kingdomes the slain and the banished ones of Christ to answer for in particular c. Have not all the Kings round about washed their bands and Garments in the blood of a thousand of Protestants and do not the Kings of all these Nations as yet stand up in the room of their
The Royall ADVOCATE OR An Introduction to the Magnificent and Honourable Laws of Jehovah the Lord Christ now contaminated and despisâ—d by the present Armymâ—n of this NATION Asserting and Controverting the Holinesse Righteousnes Perfectnesse and Vniversallity thereof of Diviâ—â— Right In opposition to the Heatheâ—ish and Anticâ—ristian Laws Traditions and vaine imaginations of the past and present pretended Christian Magistrates of this Naâ—â—â—n which they yet so much dote upon and endeavour â—â—â—upport against the alone Law giver Lâ—rd oâ— heaven and earth God of Gods King of Kings and Lord of Lords Published by John Spittle-house now a prisoner for his Testimony agâ—iâ—st the Idolatry and Tyranny of the present Army men Priests Lâ—wyers c. For the Information of the followers oâ— thâ— Lambe now appearing as the Lyon of the tribe of Judah Mat. 15. 7 8. Ye Hypocrâ—â—es well did Elâ—â—â—h prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto mâ— wiâ—h their mouth and honoureth me with â—heir liâ—s but their heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men whether in things Civill or Spirituall Mat. 23. 13 14. Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up â—he Kingdome of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation LONDON Printed for the Authour and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley 1655. To the now contaminated Saints and Servants of God and yet faithfull followers of the Lamb in this crooked and perverse generation under the notion of the fifth Monarchy-men and enemies of all Magistracy and Ministry with all others whom it may concern Dear Brethren and Friends THe Providence of God is not unaptly compared to the wheels of a Clock which albeiâ— they run variously yet they agree harmoniously to the producing of that end to which they are appointed and therefore notwiâ—hstanding the affairs of this Nation have for some time had a contrary motion to the general expectation of the people of God which probably hath been the cause of all the flaggings and secret murmuâ—ings and repinings among them as though the Lord had forgotten to be gracious or to perform his peromises yet if we search narrowly into the mind and â—ill of Jehovah we shall prove no better by our incredulity than the Disciples of our blessed Saviour Luk. 24. 25. i. e. fools and and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets and the Lord Jesus and his Apostles have spoken shall come to passe in the last dayes as for instance the present Apostacies of the Army and several of the foolish though virgin Churches in this Nation in point of external ordinances i. e. those that have lately subscribed their approbation of this present Government we now live under to be of God and such as ought to be complied with as the Saints have formerly done to the Governments of Heathen Potentates without the least consideration of the prohibition which the Lord Jesus hath made and appointed against the worship of the Beast and his Image oâ— that receiveth his mark in his forehead or in his hand or his Name or number of his name and that under the pain and penalty of drinking of the wine of the wrath of God powred out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and that they shall be tormented wiâ—h Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and that the smoak of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever and that they shall have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image c. Rev. 14 9 10 1â— hath doubtlesse been a great stumbling block in the way of Gods people â—o what they are now in expectation of and therefore to the end that all men may see and know that the present Government runs paralel with the Beast and that the saâ—â—â—â—proâ—â—â—â— â—â—â—one presumptuously are guilty of the aforementioâ—â—â— punishâ—â—â—â—s â—or so doing wil appear 1. From the ingagement of the Army against the late King and his Monarchy as one of the ten horns of the Beast guilty of the blood of the Saints 2. By the joynt con 〈…〉 of those very persons whom it is to be feared have now presumptuously worshipped the Image of the Beast c. witnesse their preaching praying fasting and fighting against that Government the image of which they now so much hug and imbrace and are now grown so shamefully impudent as to declare the same to be of God 3. By the Descent of the present Government from the fall of Adam iâ— having run through the veins of all the Idolaters and Tyrants that have been unto this day as in the ensuing Treatiâ—e will appear and that by the Testimony of the Grand new â—â—â—atâ—â— Docâ—our of the times Mr. John Owen who hath been very much assisting unto me in the proof thereof as you will also find 4. By the clear Testimony of Mr. Tillinghast in his Epistle to his late Book titled the Knowleâ—â— of the times so that the apostacies of the aforenamed person and persons if rightly used may rather conduce to the great advantage of Gods people and to the strengthening and confirming of the faith and confidence of those that hold fast their integrity i. e. that the Great day of the Lord is at hand and that judgement is now begun at the house of God that the Lords fire is now kindled in Sion and his furnace hâ—ating in Jerusalem that the Refiners fire is now melting away the tinne and drosse from 〈…〉 s jewels that the Fullers sope is now scowring up the garments of the Saints making them white and clean i. e. by a pure and unspotted life and conversation that they may now be as a City set upon the top of an hill or as a Candle put into a Candlestick to give a light to the inhabitants that they may approve themselves children of the light and of the day that their light may so shine before men that they may see their good actions and so be a means to stir them up to glorifie their Father which is in heaven for our blessed Saviour hath foretold that it shall be in the last dayes or time of his coming to judgement as it was in the dayes of Noah Mat. 24. 37. c. at which time it is clear from Gen. 6. that there hapned a very great apostacy in those persons who went under the Notion of the sons of God v. 2. by means of which the sins of that world became ripe for judgement every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts being then evil and that continually v. 5. and therefore seeing the said Prophâ—sie is now so evidently fulfilled before our eyes both in reference to the Army onely a few cordiall and thrice noble Commanders who rather than they would become a reproach and scandal to
fruit of their pride as in Pride bringeth confusion Prov. 16. 8. Zeph. 2. 10. so that whereas they looked to gain credit they found shame and confusion Like as when Saul had thought he had made a goodly place for Simile himself as triumphing for his late victory over Amaleck Even then he was rejected for being King 1 Sam. 15. 28 for his not obeying A warning for tyrants the command of the Lord against his professed enemies All which one would think to be fair warnings to the like disobedient Sauls of the times And in particular at Black-hall the Lord give them grace to consider thereof if they be not past repenting Again That the Kings of the earth were the original or root of Idolatry and Tyranny is also asserted and proved by King Solomon in his book titled Wisdome cap. 13. 14. where speaking of this Kings the Original of Idolatry Tyranny subject he saith That the devising of Idols were the beginning of spiritual fornication and the inventions of them the corruption of life for neither were they from the beginning neither shall they be for ever For by the vain-glory of men they entered into the world And therefore shall they come shortly to an end For a Father afflicted with untimely mourning when he had made an Image of his childe soon taken away Now honoured him as a God which was then a dead man And delivered to those that were under him Ceremonies and Sacrifices Thus saith Solomon in processe of time an ungodly custome grown strong was kept as a law And graven images were worshipped by the commandement of Kings or Tyrants whom men could not honour because they dwelt far off Therefore they took the counterfeit of his Visage from far and made an expresse Image of a King whom they honoured or worshipped to the end that by this their forwardnesse they might flatter him that was absent as if he were present Also the singular diligence of the Artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition Reason For he paradventure being willing to please one in Authority forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion and so the multitude being allured by the grace of the work took him now to be a God which a little before was but honored as a man And this saith he was an occasion to deceive the world Reason For men serving either Calamity or Tyranny did attribute to stocks and stones the incommunicable Name Moreover saith Solomon this was not enough for them that they erred in the knowledge of God but whereas they lived in the great war of Ignorance these so great plagues called they peace For whilest they slew their children in sacrifices and used secret ceremonies or made revilings of strange rites They kept neither lives nor mariages any longer undefiled Note The violation of the first principle of Nature leads to the breach of the second But either one slew another treacherously or grievâ—d him by Adultery So that there remained in all men without exception blood man-slaughter theft and dissimulation corruption unfaithfulnesse tumults perjury disquieting of good men forgetfulnesse of good turns defiling of souls changing of kinds disorder in marriages adultery and shamelesse uncleanenesse Argum. For the worshipping of Idols of what sort so ever not to be named is the beginning the cause and the end of all evill But the Kings of the earth were the Authors Contâ—mners and promoters of Idols and Idol-worship as hath been shewed Therefore the Kings or Tyrants of the earth were the beginning the cause and the end of all evill And thus I have proved and that by the testimony of â— King that the Principles of the Kings or Tyrants of the earth are directly opposite to the two Grand Principles of Nature i. e. To love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves And this Doctrine is also plentifully confirmed by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 1. from v. 18. to ult which is well worthy also of perusal as to this particular and now I shall proceed to the Second particular in order i. e. Assert That Jehovah the Lord Christ is determined to have a generall reckoning day with those persons and things that have so confronted him and his Laws i. e. these two Principles of Nature with the Decalogue and Statutes and Judgements depending thereupon as hath been shewed And this is also proved by the testimony of King Solomon in the aforesaid book cap. 13. and cap 14. where having treated of the two sorts of Idolatry i. e. of worshipping of the creature and likewise of the Image of the creature he concludes That the ungodly and his ungodlinesse are both alike hatefull to God for that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it Look to it then Idol-makers for black will be your day when the onely wise Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall by his Saints bring your actions to the touchstone of the Scriptures But least they shall say this Testimony of Solomons which I have cited the rather because he is a bird of their own feather in point of Title is Apochrypha I shall commend unto them the testimony of that Grave Orthodox Divine new created Doctor and singular Dean in England for you must understand all the rest were Popish and superstitious which I have done the rather in regard of that great repute he hath for a learned Rabby to the end what is said by him may gain the more credence with his Masters and fraternity with the rest of the Rabble Rout of Locusts Caterpillers and Canckerworms of the Nation And for their better attention I do also hereby give them to understand and that the expressions I shall mention are extracted out of a Sermon preached by him before no lesse persons than the House of Parliament from Heb. 12 26 27. i. e. Whose voice then shook the earth but he hath promised saying yet once more and I shake not the earth but the heavens also and this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain In the Explanation of which words he useth these following expressions i. e. as the Apostle here applyes part of the Prophet Haggai so that Prophefie even in the next words gives light into the meaning of the Apostle look what Heavens and Earth the Prophet speaks of of this and no other speaks the Apostle The Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures is his own best interpreter see then the order of the words as they lye in the Prophet Haggai cap. 6. 7. I will shake Heaven and Earth I will shake all Nations God then shakes Heaven and Earth when he shakes all Nations that is he shakes the Heaven and Earth of the Nations I will shake Heaven and Earth I will shake all Nations is a Pleonasme For I will
shaken by them then consequently by others therefore a Government that may be shaken c. Argument A third Argument may be drawn from the Doctours own Assertions who saith that such Magistrates as are either tyed by Oath or other Compact to maintain either the whole or some part of the old Tower under the Right of Holy Church-Prelacy or the like by which word like he intendeth Presbytery as hath been shewed that such a Magistrate and Government is to be enumerated among Babylons Adherents and consequently to receive that final destruction and total amotion as afore mentioned But the present governors government of this nation doth provide for the maintenance of the Presbyterian Ministry of the nation which the Doctor looketh upon and judged as a part of Antichristian Hierarchy witnesse the terming them a Procrusts bed a heavy yoke c. Therefore the present Governours and Government of this Nation according to Mr. Owens Assertion is to be enumerated as aforesaid and likewise to suffer as aforesaid and thus I shall proceed to the third particular i. e. How or in what manner the Lord Christ will effect this final destruction and total amotion of all Politick or Humane Forms of Government and in this particular the Learned Rabby shall plead for me in that notable Simile which he hath culled out of the Scriptures to that very end and purpose i. e. Now as Sampson intending the Destruction Vide p. 27 upon Heb. 12. 17. of the Princes Lords and residue of the Philistines who were gathered together in their Idol-Temple he effected it by pulling away the Pillars whereby the building was supported whereupon the whole frame topled to the ground So the Lord intending the Ruine of that mighty Power whose top seems to reach Heaven will do it by pulling away the Pillars and Supporters of it after which it cannot stand one moment Sic transit gloria mundi Query Doctour this hath been a strange sort of Language and dangerous I will assure you I wish you be not called in question for it but what are the Pillars of that fatal building which must thus be ruinated with it Doct. Resp Are they not the Powers of the world as presently stated and framed implying they are Pull them away and alasse what is Antichrist It is the Glory of Kings put upon her that makes mens eyes dazle on that Roman Harlot otherwise she is but like the Egyptian Deities who silly worshippers through many glorious portlets and Frontispices were led to adore the Image of an ugly Ape Well Doct. Seeing you have in brief given me so full and ample satisfaction in this particular I shall proceed to the other i. e. The Persons by whom he will effect it To the knowledge of this particular the Holy Ghost doth plentifully inform us i. e. By the most despicable instrument as will appear by these following instances When the Israel of God must be delivered from the Egyptian bondage Moses must be preserved by an Ark of Bul-rushes and so bred up to that purpose Again when they were in great distresse by the Midianites the Lord made choyce of Gedeon a man of a poore Family in Manasseh and Gedeon the least or meanest of that Family Judg. 6. 15. c. After this David the son of Jesse must be brought from the flock to vanquish Goliah and the Army of the Philistines 1 Sam. 17. And thus the acting of Gods providence in carrying on of The Priestly interest of Chiâ—st how managed the interest of Christ as the Doctour saith will be exceedingly unsuited to the Reasonings and expectations of men in these dayes as it was in the laying of the foundations of the Gospel or Priestly Office of Christ where quite contrary to the expectations of the Jews who then expected outward Glory Beauty Deliverance Carnal Power and Dominion God insteâ—d thereof produceth a poore man that had not where to lay his head followed by a few Fishermen and simple women that had neither Form not Comelinesse that he should be deferred persecuted Mark 1. 16 19. and 2. 14. despised crucified from the beginning to the end quite another thing than they looked for and thus he laid the foundation of the Gospel in the person of his son by frustrating the expectations of the most of men The stone which the builders refused became the head of the corner Again seeing Salvation is of the Jews the rod of Christs strength to be out of Sion and that living waters were to flow The prophet 〈◊〉 inteâ—â—st of Christ how maâ—aged forth from Jerusalem the Gospel being from thence to be published through the world Who did the Lord chuse to do it Did he make use of the learned of the Nations the high Priests learned Scribes devout Pharises that might have won their Message some Repute and Credit in the World No but quite contrary John 14. 16. and 25. 26 27. Luk. 24. 48 49. Act. 1. 4 5. and 2. 1 2 3 4 c. to all the wisdome of the flesh he sendeth his Prophetiâ—al Spirit upon a few ignorant weak unlearned Fishermen despisd upon all accounts and commits this great work to them and accordingly out they go friendlesse helplesse harbourlesse unto their imployments Acts 4. 13. 1 Cor. 1. 20. 26 27 28. The like instrument hath the Lord Christ also for the most part imployed in making an entrance upon the great work of casting down false worship and idolatry How the Kingly interest of Christ shall be brought into the world And now in reference to the bringing in of the Kingly interest of the Lord Jesus into the world which is to be accomplished in the ruine and destruction both of Pagan and Antichristian Babylon with all their adherents whether in reference to their Civil or Ecclesiastical governments as hath been plentifully treated of which must be done with might power and strength with Armies and Blood Rev. 19. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. where by the Iron Rod is meant the material sword yea even that material sword prophesied of Psal 2. 9. and 72. and 149. 6. Rev. 2. 27. who will now the Lord make use of will it be of Kings Potentates Nobles and Great ones of the earth no it is contrary even to common sence that he should for as the Doctor hath well observed it cannot be expected those men should take up the despised quarrel of the interest of Christ and that for these Reasons 1. Because they are such as have given their powers and states and strength unto the Beast or to maintain Idolatrous or false worship Rev 13. 1 2. and 17. 12 13 14 15 16 17. without which their Tyrannical Government cannot be keppt up 2. In that they have committed fornications with the Beast as also their Subjects Rev. 17. 1 2. 3. It is by them that she is supported at this day as hath been proved 4. For that it is declared by the Holy Ghost
written and to which purpose he hath also commissionated them Rev. 18. 6 7 8. But before I speak to the Commission it is worthy of our best observation to take notice of the just and righteous dealings of God unto the inhabitants of Babylon for I say before he giveth out his Commission to his Saints who are to judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. and to be the rod of his strength Psal 110. 2. His battel-Axe weapon of war will break in pieces the horse and his rider c. Jer. 51. 20. 21 c. he doth in the first place send his Messengers from his Churches with great power to enlighten them with his Glory crying mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every soul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird Reas For all nations have drunk of the wrath of the wine of her fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the Merchants of the earth are waxen rich through the abundance of her delicates and this I take to be by way of Aggravation to shew her abominations and how ripe she is for Judgement and executions as also to strike a terrour in the hearts of the people of God that are yet in her of what rank soever which having done in 4. and 5. v. he sendeth other Messengers to call the people of God out of her saying Come out of her my people God hath his people in Babylon Reason 1. That ye do not partake of her Sinnes 2. That ye receive not of her Plagues Those then that partake of her sins shall rrceive of her plagues Reason For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquity after which fair warning he forthwith giveth his Commission to his Saints in these words Reward The Saints Commission against Babylon and all her adherents her as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double how much she hath glorified her self and lived delitiously so much Torment and Sorrow give her Reason For me saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day viz. this day of vengeance Death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire Reason For strong is the Lord God that judgeth her so that it is clear this Judgement and Vengeance is to be inflicted upon Babylon and her adherents by way of recompence for the further confirmation whereof see these following Scriptures id est Psalme 2. 4 5. He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision then shall he speak unto them viz. to the Kings of the earth and the Rulers v. 2. in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Psal 139 8 9. O 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 Isa 54. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven viz. in the Pagans and Antichristian heaven or Church Behold it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of my curse to Judgement The sword of the Lord is filled with blood it is made fat with fatnesse c. and the Vnicorns shall come down with them and the Bullocks with the Bulls and their Land shall be soaked with blood and their dust made fat with fatnesse Reason For it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompence for the Controversies of Sion c. the remainder of that cup Isa 47. 1 2 3. Come down and sit in the dust O Virgin daughter of Babylon sit on the ground there are no thrones O daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called the tender and delicate take the Milstone and grind meal and cover thy locks c. Thy nakednesse shall be uncovered yea thy shame shall be seen I will take vengeance c. vid. cap. 49. 26 Jer. 50 35 36. A sword upon the Caldeans-saith the Lord and upon the Inhabitants of Babylon and upon her Princes and upon her wise men a sword is upon their lyers viz. her Astrologers c. they shall dote A sword upon her mighty men her Army-men and they shall be dismayed A sword upon their Horses and their Chariots and upon all the mingled people good and bad that shall be found in her Rev. 18. 4. and they shall become as women there will be no fear of Laodiceans the Merosh * As in the Epistle Churches that hath one word for God and another for Baal of those that halt between Christ and Antichrist that can swallow a Parsonage c. and yet be a Church-gatherer in the world and not of the world the Hocus Pocus Christians of the times A sword upon the Treasurers and they shall be robbed it will be an ill day with Treasurers it seems let them therefore look to it A drought upon her Waiters i. e. her Clergy men of all sorts and sises vid. Rev. 18. Reason For it is a Land of graven Images i. e. either of Idolatry or Tyranny and they are mad upon their Idols Jer. 5. 30. 31. Therefore the wild beast of the Desart with the wild beasts of the Island shall dwell there and the owls shall dwell therein and it shall be no more inhabited for ever neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrhah and the Neighbour Cities thereof saith the Lord so shall no man abide there neither shall any son of man dwell therein Again the Lord speaking of his people Jer. 51. c saith I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Caldea all these evils they have done unto Sion in your sight saith the Lord Behold I am against thee O destroyinng Mountain saith the Lord which destroyest all the earth and I will stretch out my hand upon thee and roll thee down from the Rocks and will make thee a burnt mountain Note and they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner nor for a foundation not the least grain of humane invention either in things appertaining to Babylon whether in its Civill or Ecclesiasticall estate where the Lord hath given a câ—ear and expresse command himself But thou shalt be desolate for ever saith the Lord. Zach. 12. 2. Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people round about it c. and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it in that day saith the Lord will I smite every * Mat. 18. 7. Luke 17. 1. 2. horse with
astonishment Note and his Rider with madnesse no great fear then of such Horses and Riders for it seems both Horse and Man will be confounded to move against the Holy just and perfect Laws of Jehovah the Lord Christ if they do woe and sadnesse will be unto them yea it had been better that a Milstone had been tyed about their neck and that they had been cast into the bottome of the sea than to offend one of those little ones that shall be made instrumentall for Babylons destruction Rev. 6. 12. c. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth Seal and loe there was a great earthquake and the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the Moon became as blood and the starres of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figges when she is shaken with a mighty wind and the heavens departed as a scroll that is rolled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings of the earth and the greatmen and the rich men Weep and howl you rich men for the miseries that are now coming upon you for your riches are corrupted and your Garments moth-eaten your gold and silver is canckred and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh as it were with fine Jam. 5. 1 c. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last dayes c. and chief Captains i. e. Generals Lieutenant-Generals Commissary-Generals c. and Colonels of Armies and the mighty men whether in point of honour or estate hid themselves in the dennes and in the Rocks of the mountains and said unto the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb. Reason For the Greatest day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Repent therefore that your sinnes may be blotted out at the day of refreshing of the Lords people from himself lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you and know it will be a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the great God of heaven and earth the Lord in much mercy set these these things home upon your hearts and souls lest you be found fighters against the Lord of Hosts the God of Battel who is able to consume you with the blast of his nostrils Lastly as to the means whereby these great transactions shall be accomplished by the poore weak few and contemptible number of the Army of the Lamb the Learned Doctour Owen hath given us a brief and full answer i. e. Such as are the things shaken such must their shaking be i. e. Spiritual if Spiritual Natural if Naturall Civil if Civil hence it is that the great Champion of the truth is discovered unto us by these following characters i. e. And I saw saith John and behold a white Horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true note this fifth Monarchy-man and in Righteousnesse doth he judge and make war his eyes were as a Flame of Fire and on his Head were many Crowns and he had a Name written that no man knew but himself and he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called the Word of God Note The Word of God must then be the Rule and Sinew of all the Actions of the fifth Monarchy men they must onely execute the Judgement written bringing all the actions of Babylon and her Adherents to the Touchstone of the Scriptures as for example in reference to the Political Government of the World they are to produce Jam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy and from thence demand of the Civil Magistrate by what Rule or Authority he maketh his own Laws seeing he petends himself a Minister or Servant unto the alone Law-maker and consequently to put his Laws in-execution and thus they will be struck as dumb as doore nails for in this case they have nothing to plead but the authority and custome of their Ancestours and their Ancestors from Nimrod and Nimrod from the Apostate sons of God in the old world and they from the Corruption and vain imaginations of fall'n man and fall'n man from the suggestions and delusions of Satan and so primarily from the Devil Again in point of Ecclesiastical Government and Doctrine the fifth Monarchy-men are to produce Mat. 15. 8. In vain do ye worship me teaching for doctrine the Traditions or commandements of men and so keep them close to the word of God and not to suffer them to continue as they are i. e. partly Jure Divino and partly Jure Humano as the Presbyterians do acknowledge their Government to be and so down with it even to the ground for being found in Babylon they and their Government must be destroyed with Babylon as the learned Doctour hath asserted and clearly proved and so consequently to all other false worships or Governments whatsoever and hence it is that the Lambs followers are said to be clothed in white Linnen white and clean all their Acts will be done in truth and righteousnesse the white Linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints Rev. 19. 8. 2. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall rule them with a Rod of iron here we see the word maketh way for the material sword which the Rod of iron doth clearly import so that as the Doctour saith the Civil part of Antichrist must be conquered with the iron Rod and the Ecclesiastical part with the sword that proceedeth out of the Lambs mouth viz. the Holy Scriptures and this doth further appear from Psal 149. 6 7 8 9. as also from the following words of the afornamed chapter of Rev. 19. i. e. v. 17 18 19 20. which must unavoidably be applyed to the Conquest of the material sword in that the other i. e. the remnant are said to be slain with the sword of him that sate upon the Horse which sword proceedeth out of his mouth as in v. 13. as also in v. 16. And therefore O Babylon whether Pagan or Antichristian I do hereby in the name of the Lord Jesus bid defiance to thee in whomsoever thou refidest whether by Idolatry or false worship or whether by Tyranny or cruel Dominion being in opposition to the two grand Principles of nature i. e. of loving God above all and our neigbours as our selves and consequently to the bringing of the unmovable Laws and Ordinances of the unmovable Kingdome of the Lord Jesus upon earth and now in daily expectation by his Saints and therefore I advise thee as the Lord did Niniveh by the Prophet Nahum to consider Art thou better than Populus No-Ammon that was situate among the Rivers that had the waters round about it whose Rampart was the sea and her wall was from the sea Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength and it was infinite Put and Lubim were the helpers yet was she carried away she went ino captivity her young children were also dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets and they cast lots for their Honourable men and all her great men were bound in chains thou also shalt be drunken thou shalt be hid thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy and all thy strong holds shall be like fig-trees with the first ripe figs if they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women the gates of thy Land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies the fire shall devour thy Bars Draw the Waters for the Siege fortifie thy strong holds with Demy Canon c. Go Into clay and tread morter make strong the Brick-kil there shall the fire devour thee it shall eat thee up as Canker-worm make thy self many as the Canker-worm make thy self many as the Locust yet for all this before two years be expired the Laws and ordinances of Jehovah the Lord Christ shall be magnified and made Honourable in this Nation and Idolatry and Tyrany shall be extinguished even so Amen FINIS Postscript I Am desired to give the people of God to understand that the last news-book published by one Walker an Ironmonger and a notorious lying Pamphleter and yet an approved Preacher by the High Court of Tyers iâ— lieu of his large obedience to the Beast now up comprehended seventeen or eighteen large Lyes in fourteen or fifteen Lines in his passages relating to Mr. Rogers and the Members of his Society which were lately sent for to O. C. and that Mr. Rogers was so far from being put to silence by O. C. as Walker doth impudently assert as that he gave a full undenyable and pregnant Testimony to the very faces of those that are got into power against the Apostacies of the Army their Breach of Declarations Blasphemy lying persecution â—â—lf-seeâ—ing and other crying sinnes proving that the now prisoners of the Lord suffer for an essential truth and fundamental point of faith which Mr. Rogers challenged to dispute with any man upon even groundâ— and that this lively testimony was continued in the strength of the anointing to the very last keeping and gaining Câ—ound upon the Antagonists Thus much is thought meet at present to undeceive the people of God in City and Countrey untill the truth hereof do more largely appear J. S.