them shal stand and wil not this be a terrible day indeed vvhen such glorious professors as delight themselves in the thoughts and expectations of the coming of Christ shal be found too light and thrown into the fiery furnace to purhe their dross and tinn and come under the Fullers sope to cleanse their garments from their unclean and filthy spots But would you see more of the terrors of this dreadful day then consider the four first Chapters of the Prophet Isaiah in the first Chapter he speaks of the same time Malachy doth in general termes in his second Chapter after an enumeration of some of the evils of the Times as the reason why the Lord hath forsaken his people he tels the particular work the Lord wil do in Zion at this day from the 10th verse to the end in the seven first verses of the 3d. Chapter the Prophet tels us what course the Lord wil take to bring those great things to pass he had spoken of before from the 16 Verse to the second Verse of the 4th Chapter he sets down the punishment and sad condition of the Capital and Head City of the land and in the remainder of the 4th Chapter we have a description of the glory and happy state of the Lords Jewels those that are purged and puryfied by this Refiners fire and Fullers sope by his spirit of Judgement and his spirit of burning That Isaiahs Prophecie in these Chapters hath relation to the same time Malachy treats of is clear to me upon these grounds 1 Because I find that Isaiah as wel as Malachy hath relation to three times 1 To a time of Apostacy z Isa 1.2 4 21 22 23. I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me A sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity they are gone away backward how is the faithful City become an harlot it was ful of judgement righteousness lodged in it but now Murderers thy silver is become dross thy wine mixt with water thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves c yea and this apostacy is guilty of the same quality Malachy's is a refined hypocritical apostacy though they be rebelious children corrupters and are so far gone backward that the Lord dispairs of doing them any good by correcting them at a former rate but saith a Verse 5 They wil then revolt more and more though they be altogether unsound from the sole of the foot unto the head b Verse 6. though they be as the c Verse 10 Rulers of Sodom and their d Verse 15 hands are ful of blood yet they cover all with a e Verse 11 multitude of sacrifices they fil the Lord with them that they trouble him and he is a f Verse 14 weary to bear them all their performances are guilty of such hypocritical vanity that they are an g Verse 13 14. abomination to the Lord and his soul hates them 2 To a time of purifying and restoring Zion to its former glory from whence they are fallen h Verse 25 26. And I wil turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin and I wil restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousness the faithful City i Ch 4.3 And it shal come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shal be called holy 3 To a time of destroying the wicked k Ch 1.28.3 The destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shal be together And they that forsake the Lord shal be consumed and the strong shal be as tow and the maker of it as a spark and they shal both burn together and none shall quench them Read also the second and third Chapters There is only this difference Isaiah hath spetial relation to the civil state of his people as a Common-wealth and Malachy hath spetial relation to the Worship and religious state of this people as a Church Ob If any should object that it is not probable that Isaiah should point at the same time with Malachy for he Prophecied a long time before speaks in the present tence as if he spake these things of his own time Answ I Answer 1. That this Prophecie was made known to I. saiah in King Vzzia's time l 2 King 15.3 who did that which was right in th sight of the Lord he was no ruler of Sodom therefore this Prophecy refers to another time not the present that it was revealed in Vzzia's time appears to me because the Vision seen by the Prophet sometime after in the 6th Chapter is said to be seen in the year that King Vzziah dyed verse 1. 2 This is a Vision the vision of Isaiah the son of Amos which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem c. now visions being concerning things to come this must of necessity have relation to a time yet to come 2 Because I find the Prophet Isaiah as wel as Malachy directs his speech to three sorts of people First To those Apostates the Lord wil in his judgements be avenged of m Ch. 2.24 and 3.11 Ah I wil ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Wo unto the wicked it shal be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him Secondly To those whom the Lord wil purge and purifie n Ch 1.25 I wil turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin who when the Lord shal have thus purged away their filth by a spirit of judgement and a spirit of burning shal be the holy Jewels of the Lord. Thirdly To a company of righteous souls whom the Lord wil spare in that day to whom the Prophet is commanded to say o Ch. 3.10 it shal be wel with them for they shal eat the fruit of their doings though it go ful ill with the rest of their Brethren yet it shal be wel with them the Lord wil spare them he hath his chambers to hide them in in this day of his wrath wherein he will punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquities 3 Because I find the Prophet hath wholly relation to the last dayes Chap 2. verse 2. and it shal come to pass in the last dayes the Prophet brings in the kingdom of the mountain the kingdom of Christ in its ful glory as the product and effect of that which before in the latter part of the first Chap. he had said the Lord would do for he brings it in with an AND and it shal come to pass in the last daies it runs current thus when Syon for the faith faithful City in the 21 verse and Zion in the 27 verse I take to be all one hath so far apostatised as that she is become an Harlot in Gods account her silver become
comes to vindicate his name and honour in jealousie and wrath Judging of her And that it was the state of the Jewish Church in which our Lord found them at his first coming in the flesh hath been cleared up already and therein she was a Type and representation of the professing Gospel-Church in the last dayes Lastly That it is the state and condition of the professing Gospel Church when Judgement shall begin at the house of God he will visit her with a SPIRIT of Judgement and a spirit of burning be as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope to her Matthew and Luke tel us plainly As it was in the dayes of Noah so shal it be also in the dayes of the Son of man and Luke illustrates it by the condition of Sodom g Luke 17.26 28 30. They did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded even thus shal it be in the dayes when the Son of man is revealed so that upon the credit of the word of two Evangelists we may believe it for a truth that the professing worlds being in this state and condition is a clear sign of the Lords being at hand to deliver his remnant and destroy his enemies But wil you have the testimony of a third Apostle John the Spirit of the Lord by him in his Epistle to the seven Churches in Asia bears witness to this truth that when the professing Gospel-Church fals into a refined hypocritical apostacy after reformation then the Lord stands at the door and knocks he stayes no longer but comes to Judgement for the proof of this let us a little consider these seven Churches of Asia They were Tipes and representations of the various state and condition of the Church of Christ from the falling away the Apostle writes of in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians by which the man of sin got up to his seat and power until the coming of the Lord to his Syon for some things written especially to the Churches in Philadelphia and Laodicea cannot be restrained to literal Philadelphia and literal Laodicea but must of necessity be granted to refer to some other time and persons tiped out by them further behold the order the Holy Ghost observes in his writing be begins with an apostacy with Ephesus who had fallen from her first works and closes with an apostacy with Laodicea that had fallen into a notable hypocritical strain boasting of her own gifts and excellencies saying I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing If we observe the Church of Sardis we shall there see what a low ebb the Church of Christ was once brought unto Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye there were but a few names which had not defiled their garments but at the next remove the Spirit of the Lord works such a glorious reformation in the Church that she seems as if she were perfect before the Lord he finds no fault at all with her but commends her after a high rate this is represented to us by Philadelphia now the coming of our Lord draws neer it is not far off Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast after this Satan that cunning and implacable enemy to the Saints happiness brings his Laodicean temper upon the stage the professing Gospel-Church fals from so glorious a reformation wrought by the Philadelphians into a luke warm hypocritical apostacy by this time our Lord is at the door and ready to enter in and behold the hypocrisie of this apostacy although she be fallen from the glory of noble Philadelphia into the loathsome condition of luke warm Laodicea wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked yet she saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing now our Lord stands at the door and knocks gives notice that he is coming and wil not tarry Thus my Brethren you have a manifold testimony to the truth of the assertion that an hypocritical apostacy after reformation in the professing Gospel-Church is an unquestionable evidence That deliverance to the true seed and destruction to the enemy is at hand the Lord wil stay no longer but wil come and wil not tarry for his own Names sake if God would not spare the old world nor his chosen people Israel To whom pertaineth the Adoption and the glory and the promises when they came into this temper and frame what ground hath any man to think that this present evil world being come into the same State shal find more favour at the hand of the jealous God than those of old did The blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world Luke 11.50 shal be required of this Generation saith our Lord what Generation is that an hypocritical Pharisaical Generation So that it remains for a certain truth that judgement is at the door of this Generation and deliverance is coming from Heaven to the faithful that keep their garments pure and they shal walk with their Lord in white for they are worthy 2 Be instructed in the design of the Lord at this day upon you and the rest of your Brethren with whom you are contending for the name and honour of your Lord it is to bring you into cloth you with the glory of the day of your Espousals that it may be with you as it was in antient years in the beginning what glory is that the glory of the Apostles and Saints when they received the promise of the Father when the Spirit of the Lord came with power upon them working in them according to the might of his power the glory of this day is inexpressible neither is it my work at this time to dilate upon it but I chuse rather to leave it to your own meditations to represent it to your view by chewing the cudd in the consideration of it as it is set forth in the holy Writings of the Apostles when you have attained to this glory then wil you be defended by the creating power of God and power from on high wil be given you to tarry on that great work of God in the world to the glory and praise of your Lord your hearts are now so much fixed upon in which you so earnestly desire to be labouring Other very useful instructions might be added but I conceive it wil be more acceptable and vvork more kindly if your selves press that wholsom liquor out of this cluster therefore I forbear 2 In the second place give me leave to Exhort you to these things 1 Be not weary of nor undervalue your present work behold how acceptable how delightful it is to your Lord the Lord is alwaies among you hearing all your discourses with greatest delight the glory of it so ravishes his hear k Cant. 4 8 9 11. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast
the Lord troubles them with no more of his Messengers only there is a company of honest hearts that fear the Lord speaking often one to another about these things but their language is such as is neither understood nor hearkned to by that Generation indeed it 's said the Lord hearkned and heard but not a man minds it as we read of in this particular also is this one Tribe a Tipe and it s of no smal concernment to us at this day In this time of apostacy it was that our Prophet Malachy delivered his heavenly Message before I can enter into the mistery of those words the opening of which is my chief designe there lies a necessity upon me somewhat to minde the Prophecy in general In this Prophecie there are three special remarkable times to be minded 1 A day or time of Apostacy wherein the Lord spake these words by the mouth of his servant Malachy 2 A day or time of purging and purifying Syon in the 3 Chap. 3 A day or time of judging desiroying the wicked in the 4 Chap That this day of Judgement that shal burn like an Oven is one and the same with the time of Dauiels stones smiting the great Image is clear to me upon this double ground 1. Because I find the same work done in this day the stone doth in that Dan 2.35 and 44. Then was the iron the clay the brass the Silver and the gold broken to peices together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors and the winde carried them away that no place was found for them it shal break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms Mal 41.3 For behold the day cometh that shal burn as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shal be stubble and the day that cometh shal burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch and yee shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles os your feet 2 Because I find the same growth and prosperity the same blessing following the performance of the work in both places Dan 2.25 And the stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth Mal 4.2 The Son of Righteousness shal arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall There is only this difference Daniel speaks of the Powers Authorities and great ones of this wicked world and Malachy speak of the wicked in general both smal and great root and branch Daniel speaks of the stones executing the wrath and vengeance of God upon his enemies and Malachy speaks not only of that but also of that subjection the wicked shal then be in to every individual Saint of that number they shal be ashes under the soles of your feet Daniel speaks of the prosperity of the stone as a body compact together the stone became a great mountain and Malachy speaks of the prosperity and advantage of particular Saints ye shal grow up as Calves of the stall yet both have reference to the same work and time That the Lord might prepare and fit his people for the great work of this terrible day he wil purge and purifie them which is the work of the 2d day or time mentioned in the Third Ch. of this Prophecie To prevent some objections which perhaps might be thrown in the way of that further use I must make of this Prophecie in its due place I desire you to take notice of two things 1. That this Prophecie hath special relation to the Gentiles in this Gospel-day which is apparent by that partial fulfilling of this Prophecy our Lord himself attributes to the beginning of the Gospel-day even his dayes in the flesh as wil be evident it you compare with this Prophecie Math. 11.10 Mark 1.2 3. Luke 7.27 and Mat 3.11 12. 2 That it hath not yet been fulfilled either to Jew or Gentile this purifying here treated of is a Reformation wrought after an Apostacy for in the day of the most wicked and loathed apostacy ever Israel was guilty of the Prophet speaks of it as that which is to come and sueh a reformation it is as is a reducing the people to their first and pristine glory and beauty they had in the day of their Espousals as the 4th verse intimates to us Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old as in antient years as the margent of some Bibles hath it the excellent glory and Heavenliness of this beauty was such as the Lord seems to glory in it Jer 2. 2 3 I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals Israel was holiness unto the Lord it 's deseribed at large Ezek 16. from the 8th to the 15th verse and our Lord himself seems to hint at such a Reformation in that speech of his Mat. 19.8 But from the beginning it was not so intimating to us that things ought to be reduced to their first inslitâ—tion their beginning state it is that which the Church of Ephesus must return to otherwise she must bear her punishment Rev 2.4 5. This hath not yet been fulfilled to the Jews for at our Lord first coming they were so far from being reduced by him to their former love reformed to their first glory as that they were cast away Rom 11.15 and the day of the espousals of the G miles came and since that dismal time to them have they not been as a people driven out from the presence of the Lord Neither have the Gentiles possest the fulness thereof for can any man shew us any time or season wherein any part of the professing Gospel-Church hath after any of her backslidings and apostacies been adorned with the glory of her marriage-day the excellency of her first love in the dayes of her youth that the Lord could say unto her Thy offerings are pleasant unto me as in the dayes of old as in antient years but so much it is the Lord hath said in this Prophecy he wil do for his chosen and this glory it is the Lord wil clothe his Zion with in due time We are now returned to the first day or time mentioned which is a day of great Apostacy and by this time I hope I have gained some ground to make good with demonstration to the understandings of men the truth and certainty of the following discourse This day of Apostacy after the building of the second Temple that time of Reformation being the lâ—st state and condition of that one Tribe as a Nation and that wherein our Lord Jesus came and found them to their cost and sorrow It was a Tipe of the state and condition of some part of the professing Gospel-Church at that time wherein our Lord shal visit it with c Isai 4.4 the spirit os Judgement and the spirit of burning That we
again though you may be saved because of the grace and love of your father which is unchangeable yet it will be as by fire and the dreadfulnesse of that dispensation is such as deliverance from it is worth a world of Gems Look back upon the dread and terrour of the day of the Lord of hosts and if you believe the word of the Lord you will be of my opinion in this matter 2. That all that pelf drosse and dung this worlds good which now blindes your eyes and stops your mouths that you cannot stand up for the dishonoured name and interest of your Lord and Saviour at this day will stand you in no stead in the day of the Lord that will come upon Syon you will then be forced to throw away all those foolish Idols of gold and silver with which you now commit folly 3. That your sacrifices and offerings your worship and religious performances at this day are hatefull to the Lord as very dung unto him i Mal. 2.3 The dung of your solemne feasts they are a trouble to him and he is weary to bare them because of that hypocritical Apostatising guilt that cleaves to them Think on that word of the Lord k Is 66.3 He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lambe as if he cut of a Dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idoll Here are glorious outward performances but behold how abominable and loathsome your offerings are to the great Jehovah What 's the matter Why it s the offering of an hypocriticall spirit * The sense of the Prophet in this 5. verse prove this That oppresse and persecute those that tremble at the word of the Lord yet can tell how to cloak their doings over with aims at the glory of God crying out Let the Lord be glorified but the Lord shall appear to their joy and you shall be ashamed Again * Amos 5.22 23 I hate I dispise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies though yee offer me burnt-offerings and your meat-offering I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs for I will not hear the melody of thy Viols Who are these whose worship and service is thus rejected by the Lord verse 18. they are such as in a high profession desire the day of the Lord Why what 's the matter the guilt of an hypocriticall Apostacy cleaves to them notwithstanding all their glorious outward performances and their large professions yet they want those more weighty things as is implyed in the 24 v. Judgment and righteousnesse chap 4.1 they oppresse the poore and crush the needy Your silent by standing makes you abettors and guilty Heare what our Lord himself saith p Mat. 12 30. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me seattereth abroad your Lord admits of no moderate indifferent medium of spirit in this matter your sacrifices are not offered up in righteousnesse therefore are they not pleasant unto the Lord And because of this he will cast you into a Furnace that you may learn to offer up an offering in righteousnesse that your offerings may be pleasant unto him as in the daies of old as in aneient years So that 4. The best and purest standing any of you can brag of under this Apostacy will not abide the trial but the day that cometh will throw you off your ground the Earth quake shall rend it up that it shall not be found Who shall be able to stand in that day None no not one and if it be so what will become of those oppressing stations many who I hope have grate in their hearts run their feet into out of too much love to gold and silver the Idols of the age 5. As a natural consequent of the rest behold your exceeding folly that for love of your ceiled houses the convenient accommodations of this life you forsake the interest of the name and honour of your Lord and connive at and cleave to the evils and apostacies of this your day and time Have you not left and forsaken your discipleship Our Lord saith that except a man take up his crosse and follow him he cannot be his disciple every disciple of Christ carries his crosse at his back now where is your crosse have you not lost it in your too eagen pursuit after the profits and pleasures of this present evil world and what will this unchilde-like carriage of yours cost you the refiners fire and fullers sope will be your portion God will call thy terrors about thee as in a solemne day that in the day of the Lords angen none may escape terrors by reason the sword shall come upon thee Lam. 2.22 compared with Ezek. 21.12 Quest If it should be askt wherein our times are thus guilty of back-sliding and Apostacy as in charged upon them Answ Look upon our dayes through the glasse of these Prophecies of Malachy and Isaiah with the interpretation given which I am perswaded will be found according to truth and you will behold them of the same countenance and colour those times were of Isaiah pointed at and in which the Prophet Malachy gave forth his Prophecy differing in nothing but in many aggravating circumstances Obj. But perhaps some may object you hint to us that the state of the Jewish Church was a type and representation of professing Zion in England and truly you seem to me to put a restriction upon the text which it will not boor For put the case the paralel be true that that time of Apostacy in the Jewish Church Malachy Prophecied in was a type and representation of the state of this Professing Gospel-Church imediately before our Lords coming why may it not as well have relation to any other part or to the whole professing-Gospel-Church as to that part of the professing Gospel-Church in England and as that was the state of the Jewish Church imediately before our Lords first coming in the flesh so may it not rather be a tipe of the state of the Professing-Gospell-Church imediately before our Lords coming again in person Answ I conceive a due weighing what hath been already said would sufficiently answer all objections but for their sakes who have not the patience to take that paines I shall offer some further satisfaction This Objection consists of several parts and requires a distinct Answer to each 1. I conceive that this cannot have relation to the time imediately before our Lords coming againe but must relate to the time wherein it hath been already fixed 1. Because I finde the Prophet speaks not of the personal comming of Christ the second time but of a dispensation of the Lord wherein he will be as Fullers sope and as a refiner and purifier of
silver purifying and purging the true seed from all their drosse and tin that they may be able to offer up an Offering to the Lord in righteousnesse sit to serve him in that great and glorious worke he hath to do in the world 2. Because the worke of our Lord at this time the Prophet speaks of is to bring his people into to cloath them with that glory they have lost the glory of the day of their espousal that they may be as in the dayes of old as in antient yeares but when our Lord shall come in person he will bring a greater glory then that with him even r Mat. 16.27 Luke 9.26 his own glory and his Fathers glory and the glory of his holy Angells 3. Because I finde the Prophet Isaiah who as hath been sufficiently proved speaks of the same time and worke calling this a coming in spirit the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning By which the Lord will wash and purge Syon 4. Because the great designe of our Lord at this his coming as hath been already proved is to sitt and prepare his Syon for the doing that great worke of his in and upon the world he hath decreed she shall carry on before he comes himselfe in person even the breaking Dan. great Image to pieces and powering out Vials of his wrath upon the rebellious world by giving his Spirit to them and causing it to rest upon them Read what the Prophet Isaiah saith in his 28. chapter the 5. and 6. verses In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate In that day wherein the Lord will in judgment tread under foot the Crowne of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim and all their glorious beauty shall be as a fading flower wherein God will judge the apostatising wickednesse wherewith the people are become drunken with the promoters of it in the midest of a professing people In that day will the Lord of hoasts be for a Crowne of glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people those that keep their garment pure and clean from this apostacie in this their day But the sword of the Lord of hosts is not to abide upon the back of his people but now judgment beginning at the house of God hath run its course there and the Lord of hosts hath magnified himselfe gotten glory and honor exalted himselfe alone there by the righteousnesse of his Judgments He will be for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgment and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate The sword of the Lord of hosts must be removed and the battel must be turned to the gate to what gate s Gen. 22.17 the gate of his enemies which the father hath promised that blessed seed of Abraham our Lord Jesus shall possesse And my thinks the reason is strong for this interpretation for after the Lord hath judged this wicked though professing generation bringing a destroying woe upon the Crowne of Pride the Drunkards among them and made himselfe a Crowne of glory and a Diadem of beauty to the residue of his people whether those that kept themselves clean from the pollutions of the day or those that he had left as his Jewells a people to shew forth his praise he will then be for a spirit of Judgement to them that sit in Judgment and for strength to them that turn the battel to the gate The battle of the Lord must now be turned hence to another place to the gate which cannot be the gate of this professing people for it hath been there already the mighty and strong one of the Lord hath already been as t verse 2. a tempest of haile and a destroying storme as a stood of mighty waters in their gate before the residue of his people set themselves to this worke And the persons to whom these promises are made are those that the battle of the Lord in the gate of this wicked-professing-people hath left the residue of the people so that it cannot be meant of their gate And what gate can this then be But that gate of his enemies which the Father hath promised shall be the possession of his Sonne the seed of Abraham Judgment begins at the house of God and ends in that gate and all this must be done by the Spirit of the Lord he will be for a spirit of Judgment and the same spirit shall be strength to them that turn the battle to the gate The Prophet speaks not a word of any other coming of the Lord than in spirit so that all the worke there spoken of must be done by the spirit of the Lord in and by his people before the coming of the Son of God in Person the second time And the same Prophet Isaiah in his fifty nineth Chapter the nineteenth verse speaks further of this truth When the enemy shall come in like a stood the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him clearly holding forth thus much to us that the worke of God in the last day's to repay fury to his adversaries and recompence to his enemies that combine together against him shall be carried on by the spirit of the Lord as the great agent in and amongst his people he speaks of his personal comming in the next verse as succeeding this And the Holy ghost in the fourteenth of the Revelation further confirms us in this truth there we finde the Lord bringing his purged and refined number upon Mount Zion martialling them for his work But how comes he As a Lamb A Lamb stood on Mount Zion with one hundred forty foure thousand The Lord comes to avenge the blood of his own person and all the blood of his u Luke 18.7 Mistical body that hath been shed upon the world as a Lamb But when he comes in person he appears after another manner as a King x Mat. 24.30 in power and great glory 5. When the Lord comes himself in person he will do his work himselfe alone by his great power and glory he brings with him he will stain all his Rayment with the blood of his enemies y Isa 63.3 treading the winepress alone and of the people there will be none with him But at this comming of the Lord he makes use of Syon as his battle-ax and instrument of warre of their feet to tread down his enemies as ashes under foot 2. This Tipe cannot represent THE WHOLE OF THE PROFESSING GOSPELL-CHURCH I conceive because the whole house of Israel the twelve Tribes being the tipe of that this one Tribe MALLACHY prophesied to was but a tipe of some small part of the professing-gospel-church which runnes parrallel to it For the illustrating of
say to those that fear the Lord those blessed servants of the Lord who are exercising themselves in that Work so welpleasing to God about the concernments of the name and interest of the Lord at this day and I would reduce that I have to say into Instruction Exhortation First for Instruction And 1 Be instructed in the certainty of deliverance at hand that day of the Lords judging your enemies and bringing forth your deliverance is at hand even at the door Although the Wheel seems to run so fast back again and men are unraveling that bottom the Lord hath been winding up for some years last past and the powers of Heaven be shaken and mens hearts fail them for fear looking after those things that are coming on the earth though the face of things at present be thus sad and calamitous yet lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh know that the inexpressible wickedness and sadness of the times at this season is an unerring sign token of the certainty neerness of deliverance my thinks vvhat hath been already said in the preceding interpretation of the Scriptures handled proves this sufficiently but to strengthen your faith and increase your joy if the Lord please I wil offer some further proof That an hypocritical Apostacy after reformation is an unquestionable evidence that the Lord is at hand and wil delay no longer but suddenly deliver the true Seed to the glory and praise of his holy name wil be out of doubt if we consider That this vvas the state and condition of the old World vvhen Judgement took hold of it and the condition of the Jews our Lord found them in vvhen he first came in the flesh also that it is the state and condition of the present professing Gospel-Church when the day of the Lord of hosts shal come upon her wherein he wil be to her as a Refiners fire and as Fullers sope That it was the state and condition of the old world is clear for after that great defection and fal of man from his first purity had proceeded to blood manifested it self in that evil effect the slaughter of righteous Abel by his wicked Brother Cain and Seth the succeeder of Abel had preacht many years to the fallen world by that time Enoch was born a Gen 4â—â—â— Men began to call upon the name of the Lord or as it it in the Margent of some Bibles to cal themselves by the name of the L. here was a reformation wrought by the preaching of the righteous the breach that Cain the seed of the Serpent had made was now made up again men would be no longer murderers as the children of the Serpent but they would be the Lords people called by the name of the Lord here is a notable reformation indeed one would have thought that there had now been a sure reconciliation made between God and man that there was an inseperable union of friendship entred into but behold the inconstancy of the nature of man afterward b Ch 6.1 2. it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them that the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair and they took them Wives of all which they chose they degenerated from their former reformation they kept not themselves the seperated people of the Lord but mingled themselves with the seed of men the Serpents brood and through this defection the wickedness of man was great in the earth and now every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually c V 5 this moved the Lord greatly d V. 6 7. and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth The nature and quality of this Apostacy the Evangelists Matthew e Mat. 24 38.3â— and Luke tel us They did eat they drank they married Wives they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed them all it was not a defection to Caines gross prophaneness Luke 17.26 27. but their hearts ran loose from God to the good things of this world they went backward and apostatised from God to the world made Idols to themselves of the lawful things of this World no doubt they solved their consciences with the lawfulness of the things in themselves their hearts ran out so unworthily after and could find much to say for their practice against any that should charge them with evil The curious refinedness of the apostacy appears by this that but eight persons could attain to escape the temptation the hypocrisie of it was such that it swept away all that called themselves by the name of the Lord except upright Noah and his Family that by close walking with God obtained deliverance And which is very observable in the reformation these men exalted the name of the Lord called themselves by the name of the Lord they buried their own name and would become as nothing that the Lord might have all the honour they would have no name but the name of the Lord serve him and none other owned none to be their Lord but him exalted the Lord alone they called themselves by the name of the Lord but in the apostacy they forget that name of the Lord they forsake the interest of the honour and name of God and set up their own name and their own honor f Gen 6â— 4â— became mighty men men of renown exalted their own name their own renown and honour to the dishonour of God and that glorious name of his they formerly called themselves by give me leave to repeat a little observe the two grand remarkables in this notorious apostacy They assotiate and mingle themselves with that sort of men the seed of the Serpent with that interest they formerly seperated from out of a profession of love to God and his name their calling themselves by the name of the Lord import so much And secondly they set up their own name renown and honour in the place and room of Gods whereas before they would call themselves by no name but by Gods name novv they come under the mighty and renowned names of men how neer these last dayes of this evil world come to these men in manners lest those who have a seeing eye judge This grieves the Lord at his heart and heresolves to exalt that blessed name of his they formerly exalted and now dispise and trample underfoot to serve their lusts in their destruction none shal escape but Noah and his Family that Just and upright man who vvalked vvith God kept close to the good old principle the Sons of God walked in exalting the name of God When the old World came into this frame and temper the Lord would bear no longer but
one it imports thus much that it is the oneness of the Spouse that makes her so Dove-like and undefiled unless you endeavour after this union which the Apostle cals The unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace you wil not walk worthy of your vocation wherewith ye are called Ephes 4.3 compared with the iv while Ephraim envies Judah and Judah vexes Ephraim defiling dirt and dust wil be thrown about and stick to your garments when the Lord hath by his Refining dispensation united his Jewels and his Remnant into one upon his own foundation then wil they be pleasantness to the Lord his Dove undefiled then wil such a glory rest upon them as the Lord wil create a defence upon it as hath been already suggested in this discourse my Dove my undefiled is but one 9 This union is the very Image of that glorious union between the Father and the Son our Lord makes the union between him and his Father the pattern of that union he intercedes for that they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee again that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they be made perfect in one this union is a lively representation of the glorious union between the Father and the Son and what an exceeding glory must that needs be my thinks the glory of it should even ravish your hearts and make your souls like to the Chariots of Aminadab in an eager pursuit of it til you have attained So that by this time I hope you may be in love with union who can but be in love with it the glory of it is so exceeding like the glory of your Lord who is the chiefest of ten thousand but I would not be mistaken by any It was in the heart of that blessed servant of the Lord dear Tillinghast had he had alonger day to have wrought in to have presented you with some principses of this glorious union O that the Lord would anoint some other with the same Spirit that some healing balsom might be poured into the bleeding wounds of distressed Syon this union I so earnestly press after is not dissonant to but may wel stand with that holy separation from the unclean thing the Saints are exhorted and it is their duty to seperate from but again a truly Christian pursuit after this union wil glorifie a right and a holy separation pursue this holy principle of Union and I perswade my self you wil leave very few or none that have but a grain of sincerity cleaving to the uncleanthing if the glory of this Union be so powerful as to convince the wicked World how much more than think you wil it draw that heart that hath but the least grace in it O the inexpressible advantage this union of parts brings to the whole body one part possesseth wisdom and counsel another spirit and life another part agility and swiftess in motion now while they are not in conjunction tho the one may have wisdom and counsel yet it may want the spirit and life of the other and though that other may have excellent spirit and life yet it may want wisdom to direct and guide the agile faculty in a regular motion but when there is a union of parts the whole body partakes off whatsoever wisdom of whatsoever excellency of Spirit and Life and of whatsoever other noble gift is in any part thereof which must needs be exceeding glorious to behold of much advantage to the cause and work of your Lord. O my Brethren If there be therefore any consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 2 3.4 5. if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels of mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde let nothing be done through strife or vain glorie but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus 5 Take heed and beware of a selfish spirit a self-exalting spirit dread and shun this monster as the greatest precipice of danger your Souls can possibly fall into at such a time as this This frame and temper of spirit the Lord wil contend against and bow down in that dreadful day of his which is hastning upon us For the day of the Lord of hosts shal be upon every one that is proud and loftie and upon every one that is lifted up and he shal be brought low yea the Lord wil not endure the least degree of it not so much as a losty look Isai 2.11 12 The loftie looks of man shal be humbled and the haughtiness of men shal be bowed down it is necessary it should be so and the reason why the Lord wil have it so is that the Lord alone may be exalted in that day it is the great design of the Lord in this notable day of his that he is bringing upon Syon to exalt himself alone and til this selfish frame of spirit be bowed down and brought low the Lord cannot accomplish his design he cannot be alone exalted this is the reason why the dreadful day of the Lord wil come upon the Cedars the materials of his Temple because they are high and lifted up but one fragment of this temper of spirit is one of the 7 things that are hateful an abomination unto the Lord a proud look or haughtie eyes Prov 6.17 as the margent of some Bibles hath it O therefore my brethren if we would be partakers of the rich Promises of the sparing love of our Father and not fal under the scourging hand of an angry God in this day of the Lord that is coming upon us let us dread and flee a self-exalting spirit Lastly Seeing it is the designe of the Lord at this day to bring his Syon into her first state into the purity of the day of her Espousals let us in the name of the Lord with heart and hand joyn with one accord to further this glorious design of God O that we would n deavour every one to mend one and in love help to mend each other would you be serviceable in the work of the Lord I know you would why this is the ready way the high way to carry on the great and glorious design of God upon the world when Syon is so reformed by the power of God as that she can offer up Offerings in righteousness that are peasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old as in antient Years THEN shal she tread down the Wicked as ashes under her feet THEN will the Lord raise up thy Sons O Syon Zack 9.13.14 15. against thy Sons O Greece and make thee as the sword of a Mighty man and the Lord shal be seen over them and his arrow shall go forth as the lightening and the Lord God shal blow the Trumpet and shal go with whirlwinds of the South the Lord of hosts shall defend them and they shal devour and subdue with sling stones and they shal drink and make a noise as through Wine and they shall be filled like bowls and as the corners of the Altar THE END